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lulubelle814 · 13 days

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The Traveler - Chapter 1

Chapter 2

The Traveler Masterlist

Main Masterlist

“Hey, Billie! Billie!!! Pick up your damn phone!”

Her aunt’s voice rang out across the yard only to fall on deaf ears. When she realized Billie was wearing headphones while working on her nearly completed pet project car, her dad’s old 1970 Dodge Charger R/T, she ambled off the porch with an aggravated huff and muttered complaints about her bum hip and crossed the gravel drive to their outdoor garage. Billie had been working on the car in the detached garage here and there for a few years when she wasn’t at the auto shop or working on her photography. She usually captured shots of other cars to freelance for auto magazines for some added income, but also landscapes or candid shots of people and animals when the mood struck.

Over the past few months, she got back into her love of writing, mostly sticking to short stories. However, she found that writing fan fiction gave her more inspiration than anything else, letting her imagination run wild with her favorite characters was a sort of catharsis for her, especially as it allowed her to travel in her imagination. She called it writing therapy because it helped her work through her deep-seated issues, better than any therapist ever had. More than any other, Tom Hiddleston and his works provided the most help in that area, particularly her favorite movie, Kong: Skull Island; something about that film resonated with her, though she couldn't quite pinpoint what or why that was. As a matter of fact, she was in the midst of writing a story about that film in between work and her other hobbies.

Working on cars, writing, and photography helped her through most problems that came her way, and also distracted her from her ever present wanderlust. There were so many places she wanted to see, but travel was expensive and between running the shop, regular life expenses, maintenance on the old home she shared with her aunt, car parts, and a bank loan, she couldn’t afford it.

When her dad passed, he had an outstanding bank loan he needed in order to get some machines fixed and upgrade others. He hadn’t been making a lot at the moment, but he always had his regulars. The only reason he obtained the loan was in hopes of expanding his clientbase. So she had to make sure she had the funds whenever the hard-to-find parts for her rare car were found. For now, traveling was at the bottom of her list, and realistically probably would be for a very long time. In the meantime, she relied on her imagination and writing to do all the traveling she couldn't do in real life. The good news, though, was that the loan was finally paid off about six months ago which allowed her to get the last parts she needed for her car, the expensive ones.

Virginia drew even with the overhead door, seeing nothing but a messy knot of red hair and elbows covered in grease where Billie was bent over the engine bay, muttering her own curses at stubborn bolts. The older woman shuffled up to the car, reaching out to touch one of those greasy limbs to get her attention. Billie jumped with a yelp and sharp groan as her head connected hard with the hood when Virginia made contact.

“Holy crap, Virginia! You can’t scare me like that,” Billie complained, rubbing at the goose egg forming on her crown. She only chuckled at her grousing as Billie pulled the buds from her ears.

“Well, I wouldn’t have to if you’d pick up your phone," she said, crossing her arms over her ample/bird-like chest. "That guy from the shop has been trying to get a hold of you.”

“You know you love talking to ‘that guy’. When are you finally going to admit to Tony that you’ve been crushing on him for the last 10 years? It’s well past time to make a move!”

Ignoring her, Virginia headed back into the house to get dinner ready.

The younger woman put down her wrench and pulled the phone from her back pocket, scrolling through her notifications. 3 missed calls and 7 texts, all from Tony and Steve. The music was audible from the dangling headphones, and Virginia recognized the playlist. She’d helped her put it together with some of Bruce’s favorite songs, mostly classic rock from bands like the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, and a few others.

Billie paused her tunes, put her headphones back on, and rang Tony, setting the phone down to keep working, but he picked up on the first ring.

“It’s about time, kid," his voice rumbled over the speaker. "I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for the past half hour for this part. I was starting to think you hated me.”

“Oh, shut up, Tony," she laughed and leaned against the fender. "You know you love talking to Pepper. When are you going to finally ask her out?” Tony loved giving people nicknames. From the moment he met Virginia, he called her Pepper, much to her dismay; however, she got used to it, eventually loving the nickname he gave her.

She heard a scoff come from his side. “We’re not talking about this again. Pep and I are just friends. Plus, I’m pretty sure she has no interest in me. She generally scurries away when she sees me.”

Billie smirked, figuring she was finally wearing him down enough to ask her aunt out, figuring they’d made an amazing couple. “Whacha got for me?” While waiting for his reply, she pulled the hair fork out of her messy bun, and stuck it between her teeth, letting her thick auburn waves cascade past her shoulders to give her scalp a satisfying scratch with her fingernails.

“My guy came through. He was finally able to find the engine block you wanted.”

Billie gasped, the forgotten hair fork hitting the shop floor with a soft clink and scooped the phone back up. "Are you serious? That's fantastic," she cried.

"Yeah…" Tony drawled.

“You seem hesitant. What’s the catch?”

“Well," he hedged, and she could hear the soft scraping, indicating he was rubbing his beard scruff in a familiar nervous gesture. "It’s more than what you were looking to spend.”

“How much more?”

Tony was quiet for a moment. “About twice what you wanted to pay," he answered, rushing to continue. "You do know that you don’t have to get the original engine, right?”

Billie grimaced at the news. As much as she wanted to save money, she’d been hard core trying to restore this car to mint. Her dad, Bruce, had started working on it when she was a small child, hoping to have it done and ready for her 16th birthday. He'd had a hard time finding parts for the rare vehicle, and it had taken a long time for him to even find the few needed to get started. As fate would have it, he didn’t get a chance to finish. He'd been working at his shop one day and stepped out to grab some lunch and headed over to the sandwich place across the road, and some idiot teenage driver, not paying attention, turned onto the street and hit him hard. Bruce was put in a medical coma but never woke up. The doctors told her and Virginia that they had tried it as it was his best chance at recovery. When he didn’t wake up, the two agreed to pull the plug rather than have him lay there as a vegetable for who knows how long. They knew he wouldn’t want that.

Billie may have only been 11, but she knew how her dad was about these things because of what happened to her mom, and he wanted his daughter to be prepared, or at least aware, as her mom, Natalie, passed unexpectedly when she was born. While she never knew her mom, her dad never stopped telling stories about her while he was teaching her how to fix cars at the shop when she’d get out of school once she was old enough. Her dad’s friends taught her whatever her dad didn’t get a chance to do so that she could work on the car.

Virginia had been helping her and Bruce out since Natalie passed. For a long while, he had such a hard time that he couldn’t do much of anything. So Virginia always made sure Billie had clothes, food, and anything else she needed. When Bruce passed, she sold her condo and moved in with her niece, knowing it would be easier on both of them in a house rather than a tiny 2 bedroom condo. The kid needed her own space and a yard to run around in. It took a couple years or so after her dad passed before she could bring herself to work on that old car. Virginia continued to be supportive and would have the shop look for parts as they were found and had the money to pay for them. Needless to say, with all the barriers, it was taking an extremely long time, but she was finally down to the last couple of parts.

“I know I don’t need the original, but that’s all I’ll accept. It’s what dad was working on. It’s in his list of parts needed. In fact, it’s the last part I need. I told you I was willing to wait for the right parts, and that includes the engine. When can he have it here?” She started putting away her tools as they spoke, ready for a break before her aunt came out.

“Said he can have it here in a few days if you want it, but I’m close to him and can bring it back with me the day after tomorrow.” Tony had been spending a few days helping his grandma a few counties over. Since she was widowed, there were things that needed repair, and Tony never hesitated to go whenever she needed him. Billie and Virginia understood and encouraged it as family is the most important thing.

Taking a deep breath, she took a moment to think. It was literally the last part she needed. “Let's do it. You have my account info. I don’t know when or even if we’ll be able to find another one.”

“I’ll call him back and get it set up. I’ll drop it at your place when I get back.”

“You’re the best!” She was holding in her excitement so as to not make Tony go deaf.

“One more thing boss. That weird shop you like said that thing you’ve been looking for showed up in his store. Says he tried to get a hold of you but no luck. Said he’ll hold it until you get there.”

She couldn’t hold it in any longer and squealed with unbridled joy. She did, however, manage to wait until they hung up to go full happy dance.

“Billie Anne Sinclair!” Evidently Billie tuned everything out in her excitement, her aunt having heard her excitement all the way in the house.

“Sorry Virginia! I’ll be in for dinner in just a sec.”

Dinner was delicious, but Billie was on edge, excited to get the 2 things she’d been looking for, both of which she thought would never happen at this point. Her excitement over getting both tomorrow was so high that she didn’t get much sleep, and what little sleep she did was awful. At 2 AM, she pulled out her Dad’s record collection, picked up one of her Dad’s favorites: Rolling Stones ‘Hot Rocks'’. She listened to the music on CD growing up (and then her phone) because she didn’t want to accidentally break the record, but she’d take it out once in a while because it helped her feel close to her dad when she needed him. Tonight was no exception. She held the record and spoke as if he was in the room, telling him how the car was coming along and finally finding that last part. When she was done with her one-sided conversation, she pulled out her notebook and continued on the story she’d been working on for a while, using her laptop to look up details and references.

She hadn’t been sleeping well for the few months after the nasty breakup with Bucky. They had been together for a couple of years. Bucky seemed like the perfect guy at first, but it turned out he was a narcissist with a nasty temper. When he’d get upset, he’d yell at her, telling her that she was lucky to have a guy like him, asking why everything was all about her. It had been in the last couple months that he started getting physically abusive. By that point he had torn down her self esteem so much that she felt like she deserved it. When anyone asked about the bruises, she’d say something happened at the shop or that she bumped into something, not having watched where she was going.

As soon as Virginia was able to pry it out of her as to what was really going on, she clued in the guys at the shop so they would keep an eye out for the scumbag as he loved coming in to see her. It was the day after that when he showed up and Tony, along with Rhodey and Clint, kicked his ass all the way to the other side of the county line. Bucky never showed his face again. When her friends got rid of him, she finally broke down, crying in the shop. None of the guys had seen her like that since her dad passed. Rhodey led her in his car and took her home to Virginia, Tony calling ahead to let Virginia know what happened.

Working on the car helped, but it was the writing and photography that helped her the most. She had been working on a story about Conrad and Skull Island. She felt drawn to him, like he would have protected her, seen what was happening without her saying anything, and perhaps rescued her before things became violent with Bucky. That particular character gave her some extra level of comfort than any of his other roles.

When she began writing the story about Captain Conrad and Skull Island, she decided to use herself as the OFC rather than create a fictional female lead. That allowed her to live more in the story, especially as she substituted Mason with herself. With her own love of photography, it seemed to fit well.

Because of that love of photography, she was also interested in the type of camera Mason used which she had been wanting for some time after seeing the movie. She knew it was long shot to find one but also knew the right person who’d be able to help her find it. It’d been 3 months since she finally got up the nerve and talked to Steve at Hank’s Antiques and Oddities. He always had the most random items in his hole in the wall shop. It was amazing how much he had crammed in that tiny store inherited from his dad years ago.

She had known him for quite some time. He was friends with her dad before he passed and looked out for her like an uncle in some respects, giving her advice or family discounts. He encouraged her photography hobby saying it was good for her to have something outside of car mechanics. So when she came around asking for a specific camera, he pulled all the stops to find it for her. So he wasn’t surprised when she showed up at the shop right as it opened that next day.

She was too excited as he brought out the camera. “I can’t believe you found it!” She hugged him as soon as he set the camera on the counter.

“You wouldn’t believe it, but I found it in a box of dad’s stuff. I’ve been meaning to go through it for years but never got around to it. If I had any idea it was there, I’d have searched for it sooner. I never knew he had something like this.”

Billie saw he felt bad. “Steve, don’t even worry about it. I still have some of my dad’s stuff I haven’t been able to go through. Are you sure you want to part with this?”

“I have no reason to keep it, and I know you’ve been looking for one. Looks like it’s even in good condition. There were some unused film rolls in the box that look like they might work with it if you want those as well.”

It truly was her lucky day. “Definitely! How much for the camera and film?” She pulled her wallet out of her messenger bag, seeing how much cash she had. He shunned her hand of cash away. “There’s no charge, Billie. You’re like family to me. I want you to have it. Check this out. It even has the original strap.” He pushed the camera and film towards her on the counter. “I also found something in the box with it. I’ve put it in the bag with the film. I thought you might find it cool.”

“I can’t thank you enough!” She hugged him again before she left as she saw potential customers coming in, not wanting to hold him up. Billie stopped at a bistro to get an early lunch so she could spend time looking at the camera because she couldn’t wait until she got all the way home to do so and was hungry and also maybe do some writing.

She finished her food and cleaned her hands before taking the camera out. It was in amazing condition. She opened it up, inspected it, and then pulled out the film to see if it was the right kind which it was, thankfully. After putting in one of the film rolls, she placed the other 3 back in the bag, her hand hitting something before she remembered Steve had put something else in there.

Pulling it out, it looked like a small statue or talisman but couldn’t make heads or tails of where it might have been from, but she didn’t care. She loved it. It was interesting and unique. Plus it was a gift from one of her favorite people. It inspired her, pulling out her notebook and tablet and started writing more of her story:

That didn’t comfort Conrad or Billie, and he found he had, at some point, held her hand almost as tightly as she held his. Even though he still couldn’t figure her out, he felt that pull, even now. Something about her calmed him with the raging storm just outside that helicopter door.

Lightning struck all around them, but Slivko was a brilliant pilot, adjusting course on the turn of a dime, keeping everyone on board safe. Once everyone got to the other side of the storm, Conrad expected her to let go of his hand, maybe start taking some pictures. If anything, she held tighter, knowing what was coming as the soldiers started dropping their charges.

When she reached a stopping point, she placed the camera back in her bag with her tablet and the notebook she used to write her story outlines as she had found writing them out with pen and paper helped her think more through the overall story arc. Throwing away her trash, she left, inspecting the figurine as she went, not realizing where she was going when she bumped into a stranger, apologizing for not watching her steps. She turned back around but lost her footing and fell, hitting her head on the pavement.

When she came to, she found herself on a cold metal floor, wooden crates on either side of her and a tall, handsome man holding out his hand.

“Are you alright, miss?” That voice……that English voice sounded like honey. She rubbed her head where she remembered hitting it but couldn’t find any kind of bump. When she looked back up at him, she realized who it was: former SAS Captain James Conrad.

"I'm definitely not in Kansas anymore,” she muttered as she reached out to accept his hand and helped her up.

Taglist: @vbecker10 @eleniblue @msdjsg7 @lovingchoices14 @buttercupcookies-blog @mischief-dream

Taglist is open!

#james conrad x y/n #james conrad x you #james conrad x reader #james conrad x ofc #james conrad #james conrad x original female character #james conrad x original character #james conrad fanfiction #skull island fanfiction #kong skull island #skull island #tom hiddleston #tom hiddleston fanfic #twh #tomhiddleston #twhiddleston #the traveler #lulubelle814

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millerflintstone · 1 year

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One year ago today I put in my notice at the last corporate job I held, which was a large auto manufacturing company. It was a mess. I got hired in as a support database developer working on special projects and then on my 78th day they had a reorganization that changed my job function.

I specifically asked in my interview if there were other database developers because I didn't want to be the only one (yes) and if I would have to be on call for anything (no). That changed. I went from having 2 other people to help to no one. I hadn't even been there a full 3 months. Barely knew the code base and was expected to be able to solve any database related code issues for 3 separate internal web applications related to dealers that were a big deal. My boss asked another department if they could loan out their database developer as needed since he "had to work of three database developers and just one database developer". That manager said sure, but he owed her an ice cream sundae.

I was so fucking disgusted, among other things.

While the pay was nice, it wasn't 3 database developers worth of pay. Not even on a low end of 75K per developer, and it wasn't like they were going to revise my pay. I was also expected to be in charge of a whole nother application and be on call for it / be the Subject Matter Expert and I was also supposed to train the junior JAVA developers on how to be database developers to "help me out"

In my last one on one with my boss, I mentioned that this was no longer the job I interviewed for and he kind of laughed and said, "Yeah". I had also mentioned that I had some type of work PTSD from my past job and at first that also struck him as funny but he regrouped and attempted to be empathetic. This sounds like he was malicious but he seemed more completely clueless and awkward. Though I did get the sense that he was passive aggressive and held grudges based on some other things I observed. It was not good.

So, after talking with Unfriendly about it and our finances, I quit. Whatever fucked up cost cutting that was going to get higher ups a nice bonus surely did not affect me in the slightest. It went from being a nice place to land and get my bearings after healthcare health plan hell to just more shit.

I was disappointed because the gal who referred me really loved working there. She had wanted me to work there but at the time, their only office was in the heart of Atlanta. Later on that changed and she had gotten promoted to management herself. She was either too blind / part of the problem or she knew the shit show that was coming. We weren't close or anything. Just LinkedIn friends at that point, though we had bonded over the crap job we worked at together my first year in GA.

Today I learned that my supervisor on the team I was supporting in AZ got affected as part of layoffs that affected everyone who worked in that location. She was really nice and I could tell from her facial expressions in meetings that she was not on board with how their reorg negatively affected me. She and her team were really gracious about me leaving and they all gave me compliments and online rewards which I cashed out when I left. I hope she finds something that doesn't stress her out like this company did.

I re-read the day to day journal that's in my drafts that started the day I decided I was going to quit through my last day and I do not regret my decision at all.

#there was so much weird about that job #due to the reorg I reported to the manager for the entire department along with some other specialized folks and his management team #and it felt like they were grooming me for management even though I had specifically said I did not want to do that at all #and a lot of the managers really loved the director to the point where a couple would call into his book club meetings on their vacations #it felt like a cult

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whenthemarshmallowmettheslayer · 9 months

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My thoughts on Smallville 1x08 “Jitters.”

Confession: I watched this episode the other night. I’m watching it again because I enjoyed it so much. Okay, now that I’ve said that onto the episode.

I drag on the Smallville writers (for context I’ve been ranting about the show on several discord servers I’m on) but I want to compliment here in these opening scenes. The writers are showing the Kents are poor instead of simply telling it or simply having Lex offer a loan one episode and then never showing the Kents financial issues again. We actually get to see how oh, Kents don’t have money to spare. We see this in how Johnthan fixes the truck himself instead of going to an auto mechanic. We see this in how Martha is going to handle a plumbing issue herself instead of calling a plumber.

A small detail I like that makes this house feel lived in is how there's several cabinet doors left open that we can see behind Clark when he’s opening the fridge. I have a habit of opening cabinets, grabbing what I need, and completely forgetting to close them until a minute or more has passed. And then it’s ‘oh shit, I’ve got to close that.’

Also is it just an universal farmer thing for farmers to own a truck with a toolbox on the back? Because my great grandfather was a farmer and he had a truck with a toolbox in the back just like how Johnthan does.

Jonathan: “I’m definitely raising your allowance.”

Some thoughts here. 1.) Clark probably isn’t going to get that allowance raise after the party. 2.) We know Clark does the work of several farm hands - even though he’s juggling school - because this is mentioned in the episode the Kents needed a loan so my question is where does that saved money go? Is it given to Clark’s allowance? Is money the Kents keep to pay for stuff they need? Is it set aside for Clark’s college fund or for his first car? Looking back knowing what I do now…. Jonathan probably should have let Clark keep that truck. The Kents can’t afford a new car for their son and even if they go with an older car they’re still going to have to pay for repairs unless the used car is still in dealership warranty. But Jonathan was too prejudiced to accept it because of who Lex’s father was. I could understand vetoing the truck if Lionel was the one who gave it but it was Lex. I just **shrugs** I’ve got thoughts on Jonathan - I like him but he frustrates me - and I don’t know how to convey them so moving on.

Clark”....It’s a couple nights at Metropolis-”

That party of Clark’s was selfish. I understand that the Kents had to return early because of the plot but the in-universe reason they came back early is because they called several times the night of the party. Clark never answered but other people - people who told the Kents they didn’t know Clark - did. They left their trip after one day. I've got mixed feelings about this. Cause on one hand they deserve to celebrate their anniversary but at the same time they have to spend several hundreds of dollars on this trip because they’re staying at a hotel for several days and meals. That’s not counting any activities like going to movies, going to see a play, going shopping, or whatever. And it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth because what two episodes ago they were talking about a bad loan Jonathan accepted. I just they should spend money on themselves but at the same they were going to spend a pretty penny on this trip before they came back earlier.

Is Earl going to hold a bunch of teenagers and a man hostage this episode? Yes. Do I want to hug him? Also yes. So far Earl and Jodi are the only villain of the week characters I have empathy for. I was really happy last night to learn Lex is getting him medical help. Until canon states otherwise I’m going to hope Earl eventually gets to live with his family.

Janitor dude: “Earl see that's the talk that got yourself canned. Now, if you got as problem get some help.”

Dude. With what health insurance?! This is America. Also those doctors likely can’t do shit because they don’t know what caused the issue. There is also the fact that meteor rocks are volatile. There are no rules and regulations on how it is handled. And like most rules and regulations they’re gonna be written in blood.

Sidenote: I like how it’s established that Earl has a family. If he dies then not only does his wife lose her spouse but she will be a single mother. Earl is fighting to get answers so he can be in his wife and child’s lives. Also I wonder if meteor mutation can be passed onto children. I know Earl’s kid is too old for this to happen but I wonder about this in general.

I’ve ranted about this multiple times but whoever worked in costume and design in this show deserves a fucking raise. Why? Because they are telling us the Kents aren’t well off with money. Clark is constantly wearing the same articles of clothing throughout the show instead of a new piece every time we see him. This book bag in this scene looks like the same bookbag from earlier this season. (Martha - she’s not in this scene but I’m bringing her because I’m talking about the costume and design team being great - often wears the same grey coat.) Chloe and Lana meanwhile have a wider selection of outfits. Lex meanwhile - I’m not even going to talk about colors yet - has driving gloves. It’s such a small detail but it says a lot. It says Lex has money to spend because most people don’t own driving gloves. Driving gloves aren’t needed in this time period the way they were in the past because of early steering wheels. Driving gloves are not a necessity nor are they common. Yet Lex spent money on them which shows he has money to spend on his interests in sports cars. Also Lex is often seen wearing purple. Purple is a color associated with royalty and wealth. Fun fact: there was a time where only Roman emperors could wear Tyrian purple.

Okay back to the show. Who invited all these people? I know Clark didn’t. Maybe Lex? I know Lex is behind the fireworks.

Lana has this thing of politely calling out implications of her love life and it’s so funny to me. I did not remember this trait of hers from when I watched the show as a kid. I do wonder why Lana abruptly stopped wearing her necklace.

I know the show is trying to set us up to like Lana/Clark but I don’t like the pairing already. Lana is painted as this nice girl - she’s friends with non popular kids (nevermind we’re just told this instead of actually seeing Lana and future villains of the week hanging out in the background before the x villain of the week episode), she’s interested in breaking apart from the expectations people have of her, she’s against academic cheating, she’s willing to tutor people for free, and so on. The thing is. She is one of the two characters outside of Clark and football players who know Whitney kidnapped Clark, stripped him, and tied him up in a pole where Clark stayed for hours. And she’s still with this guy. I just. I admit I ship Clex and those two are going to be a mess as the show progresses but the thing is Lex calls out Clark’s bullshit (which I don’t always think all of Clark’s bullshit is actually bullshit but that’s not the point). Clark calls out Lex’s bullshit (which again I don’t think Lex’s bullshit is actually bullshit but again not the point). It feels more even because they are critical of each other. Where as Clark never has a moment of ‘Lana knows what her boyfriend did to me and she’s still in a romantic relationship with him despite calling me her friend. Do I really want to be with her?’ I feel like Clark and the show itself puts Lana on a pedestal. I hope that the shows allows these two characters to be critical of each other since they’re eventually going to be canon relationship.

Chloe:”It’s a class field trip.”

Lex: “What did you do wrong?”

Kid me did not understand Lex was the funniest character on the show. (Clark is the second funniest btw.)

Lex has a type and it’s brunettes. This lady, Victoria, Desiree, Helen, and Lana. If Lionel’s goon - I feel like his name starts with d but I’m not sure - from an earlier episode has the same hair color as his sister then her too because the goon had brown hair.

Also I like how the plumbing issue from earlier is brought up again.

Clark: “I’m officially dead”

Lol. Clark you’ve been dead.

I love that we’re getting background on Martha. Johnthan is so enamored by his wife.

Lana: “It was kind of last minute. I didn’t realize I needed your permission.”

I get mixed feelings about these two. (Sidenote: I respect Whitney asking Lana to come outside instead of arguing in front of everyone.) Because on one hand Lana has a right to hang out with her friends without inherently telling her boyfriend. On the other hand Lana has a history of not telling Whitney she’s hanging out with Clark - a previous occasion being a limo ride to a concert in the city. Lana is aware Clark has feelings for her. She is aware Lex - a friend of Clark - keeps trying to pouch them together. Lana has admitted she’s defended that limo event with Clark to her aunt. Whitney is not being paranoid. I can understand why he doesn’t like this.

Whitney: “So you sneak off to a party without me?”

Lana: “I didn’t sneak off - I walked.”

I don’t even fucking like Whitney but I’m on his side on this. Lana was being sneaky by not telling him.

Lana: “I’m starting to get the feeling you don’t trust me.”

I mean you didn’t tell him about the limo even until you thought Clark ditched you.

I find interesting in this episode Whitney relies or tries to rely on Clark twice in regards to handling potential threats.

Chloe: “This guy should be in a detox center.”

Chloe there are multiple reasons why he could be having body tremors even without taking into consideration this is smallville.

Chloe: “Then why was he shaking like a junkie?”

Was Chloe’s mom a drug addict? From what I remember Gabe is single handedly raising her.

Clark: “I kept snapping the guitar strings. I think Earl got sick of replacing them.”

But he replaced them more than once. He still tried to teach Clark even though Clark broke strings of the instrument. I just find this moment says a lot about Clark and Earl. I wish we could see these two interacting outside of this episode.

Clark: “He was like family.”

I want to hug him.

Clark call a lawyer damn it. Preferably one who does a contingent fee basis work or someone Lex would recommend.

I’m surprised no one tried to get medical staff to look over Clark after he went through that glass.

Whoever decided to have Kent parents watch Clark clean and then clap is a comedic genius. Also Clark honey why would you not shut and lock the door before using your super speed?

I’ve complained about how the writers don’t show Clark having empathy before but they did it right here. Clark spent all night at that hospital because of Earl even though he had a house to clean.

Doctor: “I pulled the plant’s safety records. I checked with OSHA and the EPA.”

Ma’am. How did you get all of that so soon?

I know there are cameras in this building. How come no one notices Clark super speeding? I can begrudgingly suspend my suspension of belief that Lex doesn’t have cameras at home - I still need to know what happened to the guy that froze in the pond in Lex’s backyard - but we see cameras in this building. You mean to tell me that Lionel nor Lex wasn’t curious about how Clark was already away from the group and running around unsupervised. Like even without a hostage situation I feel like someone would check the cameras on just Clark wandering around by himself.

Once again Martha is wearing that grey coat. I love the costume and design crew on this show.

How the fuck did no one notice Clark speeding around?

Clark, you have x ray vision.

Earl: “Just like everybody else.”

I’m gonna defend Clark here. He’s the only person willing to investigate Level Three even though Jonathan had also interacted with Earl. Jonathan who constantly is suspicious of Luthors (I think in the Bug Boy episode he makes a comment about the Luthor plant infecting people) isn’t willing to look into this. Clark, who is friends with Lex, was willing to investigate even though it could potentially cause an issue between him and Lex. He was willing to hear Earl out and search for Level Three even before there were hostages involved. (Side note: moments like this I can see why Clark grew up and became a reporter. Though I hope to see Clark taking an interest in the school newspaper in this or the next seasons.) That said, I can understand why Earl made this comment. He’s been gaslighted about Level Three. He is also being told that level doesn’t exist because there are people who genuinely don’t know about Level Three is a thing. He’s being treated like he’s crazy even though he’s having these powerful body tremors from the incident in Level Three. I can understand why he’s pissed off at Clark but Clark is genuinely trying to help him.

Lionel: “How did you allow this to happen?”

Lionel has a brilliant actor. Lionel is a nasty, intelligent villain which I like because I don’t tend to enjoy dumb ones. That said, this character makes me furious. Gee, asshole. Maybe if Lex was given a warning he could have been better equipped to prevent this.

Lionel: “Lex! How did you allow this to happen?”

Lex: “I didn’t allow anything.”

Lionel: “Then how did this man get inside?”

Lex: “I think-”

Lionel: “You think? Why don’t you know Lex!”

Lionel is one of those parents who even if you have a justified reason why x happened it doesn’t matter. Lionel isn’t asking how this happened out of genuine interest of knowing. He asked so he can lecture. If he truly cared he would allow Lex to continue speaking after Lex said “I didn’t allow anything” and wouldn’t interrupt Lex when he’s saying “I think.” Also I love how Lex’s actor plays this scene because at one point when Lionel is yelling at him Lex lowers his head. Lowering your head like that is usually a sign of submission but also it could mean you feel threatened and you’re protecting your throat. The first one is common but I’m not throwing out the latter because I remember from when I watched the show as a kid that Lionel was physically abusive to Lex.

Lex’s expression at Lionel offering his hand to Johnthan makes me curious. Is Lex wary of his father knowing the Kents? Does he find it weird that Lionel is offering to shake hands with Johnthan?

Lionel: “Of course it is.”

I love Lionel’s actor. Lionel has interrupted Lex throughout this scene but Lex asking about Level Three isn’t interrupted nor is Lex lectured for even entertaining the “deluded” theory that the man holding teenagers and a Luthor employee as hostages believes in. There’s even these few seconds where Lionel doesn’t answer. And it’s so telling.

Martha: “What about the kids? You need to get on the phone and talk to him!”

I wonder when Lionel will start to be attracted to Martha.

Lionel: “But…I do not negotiate with terrorists.”

Negotiate being the key word. I wonder if Lex picked up on this. I do think he picked up Lionel’s response earlier as off.

This episode is heartbreaking because in another universe Lex could have been a hero. I don’t think he’ll necessarily have the drive to go be a vigilante but I think Lex could have been a damn good hero if he decided to be. Now would he be a manipulative one? Absolutely. But **gestures at Batman**

Lex **insert handshake emoji** me. We both don’t like being abruptly touched by family.

I wish that Clark would hear this speech and think about it later when Lex is being hugged by his dad and is staring at the Kents in yearning. Clark is a teenager - who has a lot of weight on his shoulders - but I just wish that he recognized Lionel was abusive to Lex. A lot of the fandom blames Clark for Lex’s downfall. I however have a different opinion. Lionel is the main person outside of Lex to be blamed. I know what it’s like to be raised in an abusive environment and growing up in an abusive household may explain things but there comes a time where we are all responsible for our own decisions. Lex is responsible for his actions but if we are going to put blame on another character for the path Lex goes down I say Lionel is to blame. I think Clark played a role - though I’ve got opinions on this topic I’m not going to ramble about it just yet because I need to hurry up and finish this but I will be ranting about my mixed feelings later - but Lionel was abusive shit.

Lex: “Yeah, it’s in his imagination. There is no Level Three Clark. Now get out of here.”

The acting in this episode is phenomenal. I like how Clark is showing signs of feeling unwell as Earl draws near. There’s no physical signs of meteor poisoning - aka the green veins - or music to convey the meteor is affecting Clark but Clark’s actor is doing his part to convey Earl getting closer to him makes him sick. Also does Lex genuinely believe that or did he notice how off Lionel was acting but doesn’t have actual proof of Level Three nor does he have time to truly look for it with Earl so he’s just letting Clark believe there never was a chance for Lex to be saved? Lex is just one of those characters where I’m sometimes never sure what he’s actually thinking. And honestly it’s nice because I often can figure out what characters’ motivations are in situations.

How the fuck does no one notice Clark using his super speed on the cameras.

I want to hug Pete. Poor kid is blaming himself.

God I love the Kents pretending they have no idea what’s going on.

Lex must be so curious. Because not only did Clark magically find Level Three - somehow the wall covering the elevator has been smashed. I feel like the wall being smashed would be less interesting to Lex - he already suspects Clark is stronger than natural - than how Clark somehow managed to find it.

Lex probably is hating his dad right now. Which is completely valid.

Earl: “How am I going to get better if I don’t know what’s poisoning me?”

I’m so tempted to write a fic where Clark reveals the meteor rock is what is harming Earl. We know Clark sees Earl like family - Clark has said this but he’s also shown it in his actions - but he’s not willing to tell Earl the truth. Also I wonder if Earl will go the same hospital Amy Adam’s character went to…

I find it interesting that Lex - who is in a hostage situation - is taking time to tell Clark he didn’t know about this place. His life is in the balance and he doesn’t want Clark to think he lied to him. Lex doesn’t even know Clark is close to Earl to the point he considers the man family - he only knows Earl used to work on the farm. Yet he doesn’t want Clark thinking he lied.

Earl: “He’s lying. He's just like his father.”

I don’t drink but I want to say if I took a shot every time a character said Lex was just like Lionel I would probably have liver poisoning before the season ends.

Clark: “...I don’t know. Adrenaline, I guess.”

Okay, so here's the thing. I’ve read fics where this line is mentioned in a negative light either because it’s a bad lie or it was bad of Clark to lie. I don’t think Clark is lying though. I think Clark went through an episode of hysterical strength. There are times where humans have abnormal strength for a period of time in order to save someone’s life - there was a case in like 1980s I believe where a mom lifted a car that had fallen on her son. Anyway, throughout this episode we’ve seen Clark become sick when near Earl. It is so bad that Clark would not agree to help Whitney attempt to attack Earl. Yet when Clark’s friend and someone he considers as family have their lives in danger Clarkl manages to find the strength to pull them up. So I don’t think Clark is actually lying.

Ledx staring at Kents being happy Clark is safe - that they’re giving him a hug because they actually want to instead of for publicity - makes me want to cry. Also another reason this scene is sad is Lionel grabbed Lex by the arm earlier and Lex told his dad to never do that again. And Lionel here is hugging Lex - which is much more contact than grabbing an arm - for publicity reasons instead of respecting Lex’s wishes. I also think Lionel hugs Lex to prevent Lex from declaring anything else in front of the press that Lionel doesn’t want.

This episode is my favorite episode so far. I feel like it’s going to be a favorite even after I’ve rewatched multiple seasons.

#Smallville #Lex Luthor #Clark Kent #clex #Johthan Kent #Martha Kent #Lionel Luthor #watching smallville

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heropaws · 2 years

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🚨EMERGENCY FUNDS 🚨

I really hate to do this, but unfortunately I don’t have many options. I’m in big need of help, my student loans are through the roof and I’m struggling to have enough to cover them this month. I’ve tried asking to get paid early, but it’s out of mine and my boss’s hands since payroll is handled by someone completely different.

My bills auto-pay on TUESDAY 11/8 and I’m short about 500USD. I don’t get paid til 11/14.

anything at all will help, even just a simple reblog! I’ll be drawing everyone who sends in something a drawing or doodle, etc! I also will link my Toyhouse below if there are any designs that catch your eyes please hmu and we can discuss a price!

Thank you all for reading!

780.21 / 1,155.68

#mutual aid #donations #I genuinely hate to ask for this but I’m having a hard time with keeping things affloat rn #It’s a hard knock life out here

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emi1y · 7 months

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💸💸💸

feeling like an adult bc i finally understand what im doing with money and what works well for me. paying all my bills/ insurance/loans with a credit card set to auto pay so i don't miss payments but don't overdraft my bank accidentally (from experience). paying my credit card balance in its entirety every paycheck instead of waiting until its due each month so i can keep a better eye on it and so i don't reach the end of a month with a bill larger than i can afford. afterwards putting as much as i feasibly can into a savings at a completely different bank so that when i check my main account i don't see how much i have saved and don't think of it as usable money. keeping my checking acct as low as i can to minimize how much i spend because i think i have no money. i've been researching stocks and funds and all that grown up stuff for a while and i think by this summer i'll be able to start investing in umm a fund or whatever you want to call it to save for a down payment on a house five years down the line. when i move in april and have cheaper rent i'm going to start putting the difference into a roth ira bc my company doesn't match retirement plans. then in june it will be my 1 year mark at my company and i'm going to ask about a raise so i've been documenting my work and the new skills i'm being trained on so i have a solid stack of evidence with me. anyway the wildest part of all of this really is just the fact that for the first time ever i'm able to visualize a life 10 years from now. it's not just a gray nebulous void. i have tangible goals and i can see the path it's going to take to get there and I'm excited to be working towards them even though it means not seeing the rewards for years and years and years.

#“this is just diary ramblings for my own reading sake later i know the ins and outs of my finances isn't interesting to anyone else lol”#HOUSE BY THE TIME IM 30 HOUSE BY THE TIME IM 30 IF NOTHING ELSE I WANT TO OWN A HOME BY THE TIME IM 30 ! I CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN #emily.docx

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financeattips · 15 days

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Millennials Money Tips for Personal Finance

It is very difficult for millennials to manage their own finances today as the world of competition requiring one to workout harder has changed in a matter of months. From student loan debt to increasing living costs, this generation has faced financial struggles that are all its own. Nevertheless, there are strategies out there that can work for the millennial in search of sustainable financial security or even just a better bottom line. Below are a few of the basic personal finance tips for millennials.

1. Set Clear Financial Goals

The first step in any financial plan is establishing specific and attainable goals. Whether it's to buy a home, pay off your student loans, or save for retirement — knowing what you're working towards will keep you more engaged and inspired. Divide your goals into short-term (one to two years), medium-term (three to five years) and long-(five or more). This approach helps you to prioritize and use your resources accordingly.

2. Create and Stick to a Budget

The Facet of Financial Management: Budgeting Track your income and expenses: The very first step is to track how much you are earning, after that what things consume your bills? Budgeting tools; you may use an app to categorize what you spend on and where they can be reduced. If possible, adhere to the 50/30/20 rule — apportion half of your funds towards needs and twenty percent for saving or repaying debt.

3. Build an Emergency Fund

It is only a rainy day fund to act as an emergency safety net in case life decides not to follow your plan. The hopefully three to six months of absolute must-have sequestered in a separate, liquid account. It can help you with the cost of surprising expenses–whether they be medical bills or it lets you maintain your financial schedule, rather than having a huge hole in it due to car repairs.

4. Manage Debt Wisely

For many millennials, student loan debt can be a large financial weight. Start your payoff journey with high-interest debt — credit card balances are a solid place to begin. Refinance or consolidate student loans at a lower interest rate. Establish and Maintain a HISTORY of consistent on-time payments to improve your credit score, reducing overall debt.

5. Invest for the Future

If you want to create wealth then investment is the most important thing for it. If your employer offers a matching 401(k) plan, that is what you should start with. Demand more investment options like IRAs, Stocks and Mutual Funds. Simply Diversify A toasted way to diversification! The point is that, your money should earning with compounding.

6. Enhance Financial Literacy

One can be really good at making informed decision which is backed by financial literacy. Use online sources, books and courses to learn more about personal finance. Understanding concepts such as interest rates, inflation and investment options can help you make more informed financial decisions.

7. Plan for Retirement

Architecting retirement: It is never too early to plan for retirement. Save a minimum of 15% of your income toward retirement. Make use of Roth IRAs and traditional IRA tax-advantaged accounts. You may want to talk with a financial advisor who can help you put together your own retirement plan based on what you hope for in retirement and how much risk you are willing to take.

8. Protect Your Assets

But while it may not be the sexiest asset class around, insurance is integral to any complete financial plan. Make sure of health, auto and and home insurance coverage. Good idea: If you have dependents, consider life insurance. Disability insurance provides you income in the event of an illness or injury.

9. Check Your Credit Score

Great credit can unlock lower-interest rates and financial possibilities. Review your credit report on a regular basis for inaccuracies and work towards building up the score. By paying your bills on time, keeping credit card balances low and only opening new accounts when you need them (and therefore improved scores so long as other key factors don't weigh in ).

10. Seek Professional Advice

If you are unsure of where to begin or need help, then speak with a financial advisor. They can give you advice and even consult with you to build a financial plan as well. Also look for a good pedigree — Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

With these personal finance tips, a millennial can move forward in the financial journey feeling more secure for their future. Earning money is only part of the process… its mastering discipline, consistency and continuous learning that leads to long-term financial success.

#millionaire #millionarelifestyle #investing #investment #personal finance #startup #business #entrepreneur #economy #mindset #luxury #luxurious

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awesome-casuallyfamouscollector · 2 months

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youtube

Why Car Ownership Is Getting So Expensive | CNBC Marathon

CNBC Marathon examines a variety of factors that lead to car ownership in the U.S. being so expensive, from auto loans to repairing your vehicle. A car loses about 10% of its value as soon as it's driven off the lot. And within the first three years, that number goes up to 50%. Depreciation — the rate at which that happens — is one of those numbers everyone in the automotive world thinks about including consumers, automakers and the massive used car market, which made up somewhere around 35.2 million in 2022 — compared with 13.8 million new cars. More than 100 million Americans have an auto loan and auto loan debt in the U.S. is at a record high of $1.56 trillion. Between the Covid-19 pandemic, supply chain issues, alleged predatory lending practices, inflation, and the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes, getting an auto loan is getting increasingly difficult and costly. Auto repair costs have been rising for years, but recently they've spiked. Experts say it's likely a mix of factors including heavier, faster and more complex vehicles, riskier driving behavior, new technology, and labor and supply shortages. Repair shop owners say they can’t find enough technicians despite paying six-figure salaries. As technology marches forward, and fancy cutting-edge EVs fill the roads, consumers hear horror stories about huge repair bills. But insiders say there are reasons to be optimistic.

P.S. The main reason - primitive consumerism: in America, many people have forgotten that the primary function of a car is to be an efficient means of transportation, not to impress neighbors and friends with the huge size of the car and the size of the loan payment... One of my biggest culture shocks when visiting America was the American car inefficiencies...! You have to see with your own eyes how they drive to work or to Walmart every day in huge pickup trucks and people don't even make money with these cars...! In addition, they still brag about who has the biggest, most inefficient and therefore worst car in town. This is complete nonsense...!

There are practically no cars of reasonable design in America...It's no wonder Americans are inundated with auto loan debt...and American car manufacturers are NOT popular in Europe anymore. American cars are conceptually designed to get as much money out of people's pockets as possible...

#USA #car sales #used car #car market #scam #Youtube

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classicquid · 2 months

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#Short Term Loans UK #Short Term Loans UK Direct Lender #Short Term Cash Loans

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paydayquid · 4 months

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Cash Disbursed in 15 Minutes for Short Term Loans UK

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Short term loan are provided to borrowers on a short-term basis by lenders who are available around-the-clock. One handy aspect is that because the short term loans UK is unsecured, you don't have to pledge your collateral as security against the lender. For a brief repayment period of 30 days following the original date of approval, the real amount you can obtain ranges from £100 to £2500. The use of money is not a concern for you. You can therefore use the money for any of the following financial purposes. Tuition for a child's education Balance owing on credit cards installment payments for a home loan Travel costs expenditures for the household phone or light bill payments

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#Short Term Loans UK #Same Day Loans UK #Short Term Cash Loans

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battleangel · 1 year

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Amerikkka, the beautiful, the land of the free & the home of the...

👁Highest obesity rates

👁Highest gun mortality

👁Highest opioid use, addiction & fatalities

👁Most overprescribed nation on earth

👁One of the highest prescription rates for antidepressants & benzodiazepines

👁One of the highest rates of domestic violence

👁One of the richest countries yet highest incidence of poverty among "advanced democracies" - millions are houseless, food insecure, without medical insurance & lack of a living wage

👁Work hundreds of more hours vs employees in other "developed" countries

👁Excessive environmental abuse (biggest carbon emitter - 3 times worse than China, 2nd in air pollution only to China, water pollution, landfills, food waste, deforestation, natural resource depletion, industrial destruction, destruction of ecosystems, species conservation, deforestation, nuclear accidents, overpopulation, etc.)

👁National obsession with status, consumerism, materialism, overconsumption, fast fashion & addiction to shopping

👁One of the top economies but has a record high of $17.1 trillion in individual debt (student loans, mortgage, auto & credit card)

👁One of the highest costs of living in the world (housing, healthcare, and education)

👁60% of food consumed in US contains additives, preservatives & artificial sweeteners, considerably higher than the rest of the world

👁Tens of thousands of toxic chemicals & synthetics in household, cleaning, body care, makeup products with very little testing, regulations or studies on health and environmental effects

👁Hypersexualized, "pornified" culture that glamorizes sexual objectification, sexual violence & dehumanization while also being sexually repressed, uneducated, unable to establish, determine or decide on boundaries or verbalize when they have been violated, toxic masculinity, rape culture, inability to verbalize desires, inability to discuss sexuality openly and honestly, unhealthy, forced & contrived repression that leads to fetishization, dehumanization, objectification, sex addiction, etc

👁70% of teens & young adults are addicted to social media

👁Over 90% of time in America is spent indoors -- complete & total disconnect with nature

👁Only 7% of Americans practice mindful meditation -- total mind/body disconnect

👁Americans are obessed with "exercise", "the gym", "being fit", "bikini bodies" & "fad diets" yet only 20% work out regularly and the US has the highest obesity rates in the world

👁Dystopian obsession with beauty with the worlds highest plastic surgery rates

👁One of the 10 worst countries for racial equity

👁One of the most paternalistic & patriarchal countries on earth

👁Religious fundamentalism & paternalism is embedded in all aspects of society & culture & wielded as a tool of control

👁Concepts and societal ideals of femininity, motherhood, paternalism, fundamentalism, conservatism, religious dogma, chastity, modesty, purity, the cult of woman as a sacrificial lamb and the mother as a dehumanized symbol of selflessness and sublimation are all used to control and deny women's bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom while poverty is feminized and more women than men in the US live in poverty, work minimum and low wage jobs, are overrepresented in service jobs, make less per dollar than men for the same work and have no access to paid maternity leave or universal childcare yet they are the ones in many states forced to have children they dont want, many as single mothers, with little or no social safety net with no exception depending on the state for rape, abusive partner, coercive partner, mental & physical health of the woman, the woman's childfree or antinatalist beliefs, the woman's employment status, whether she has health care, whether she has a phobia of pregnancy and/or childbirth, whether she would be traumatized being forced to give birth if she doesn't want to be a mother, when it is her livelihood, career, finances, living situation, body, mental and physical health, physical appearance, sexual health affected moving forward if she does give birth yet the choice in many states is taken away from her yet only the woman has to live with the consequences, never the lawmakers taking her choice away

👁Prison industrial, military industrial, psychiatric industrial, pharamaceutical industrial, medical industrial & educational industrial complexes

👁Obsession with graphically violent media (movies, TV shows, videogames) & combat sports (NFL, UFC, etc.) yet boobs, penises & vulvas cant be shown on TV and dropping the F word can get you fined by the FTC

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