#a.k.a. the reason this entire story got set in motion

[lurkingteapot]

I'm camp "Yada weasling her way out of the justice system only to be shot point blank by the young man she'd attempted to frame for her own crimes and whose father she had murdered was an A+++ resolution actually, poetic af"

[fostersffff]

Robot Carnival Review

When I first started my blu-ray collecting kick, Discotek was hyping up their release of Memories, an anthology movie organized by Akira’s Katsuhiro Otomo. While doing research on it, I saw it was recommended in the company of Robot Carnival, another anthology movie Otomo was involved with, with more animators and thus individual shorts, and a unifying theme of “robots”. As a robot enjoyer, I figured I couldn’t go wrong with this, and I was right! This was a joy from start to finish, where even the weakest segment still had plenty to offer. If this sounds like it might be up your alley, it’s available to stream for free on RetroCrush and YouTube!

Additional note before I get into talking about each short individually: with the exception of Cloud, the music for every short was composed by Joe Hisaishi, who has way more range as a composer than I would’ve ever expected, considering I knew him exclusively as the Studio Ghibli composer. Additional additional note: I watched the anthology in the original Japanese order, the version on RetroCrush and YouTube uses an alternate order from the international release.

Opening/Ending (Katsuhiro Otomo, creator of Akira and Atsuko Fukushima, key animator on dozens of anime projects, including Akira) - A mobile fortress (literally the above Robot Carnival logo) traverses a post-apocalyptic wasteland, bringing death and destruction wherever it goes. The Opening sets the bar for what you should expect going forward in terms of production values, and the Ending is a nice send off for the whole thing, but I don’t really have much else to say about these shorts.

Franken’s Gears (Koji Morimoto, Director of Memories: Magnetic Rose) - A mad scientist attempts to bring their robot to life, succeeds horribly. I think of all the shorts in this movie, this one has the most impressive mechanical animation. The whole thing takes places in the scientist’s lab, and the emphasis really is on all of the ways the environment is struggling to bring the robot to life, to the point that once it does so, it begins to crumble and break apart. But the animation on the scientist himself is also really charming; the way he moves almost makes him look gooey, which is apt because my sister pointed out he was probably designed after a snail, what with the big orb on his back.

Deprive (Hidetoshi Omori, Animation Director for Char’s Counterattack) - A super android has to mamoru his imouto from an invading alien robot army. One of my favorite shorts in the anthology, this was an entire action movie expertly condensed down into not even ten minutes, complete with an awesome soundtrack. I’d actually go so far as to call this one perfect for what it is, but it’s not much more than that.

Presence (Yasuyomi Umetsu, Character Designer and Chief Animation Director of Megazone 23 Part II) - A man builds an android for companionship, and he gets more than he bargained for. Longest piece in the compilation by a mile, and the first one with voice acting. Despite enjoying some of the other shorts more, I think I would call Presence the “centerpiece” of this anthology, as it’s definitely the most story-rich. It even has some prescient worldbuilding: the people of this setting do not see robots as sentient beings, which is shown right at the start when a bunch of kids knock the head off of an android and play with it while absolutely no one in the crowded plaza reacts. This sets the tone for the main character’s interactions with his creation, and provide additional context for the things he does besides the obvious explanations.

This was also the first short where I noticed something off about the animation, where it seemed to animate too well in for certain movements. As it turns out I was right; the liner notes explain that the director was using this project to experiment, and he would animate different movements on different frame counts. It’s not terrible, but it is a little distracting to see how smoothly something like a simple head turn will animate while more complex motions look more standard. Also, unrelated but fun coincidence: the liner notes also explain a reference in the script to a story called Daddy Long Legs, about an orphan girl who receives funding from a wealthy philanthropist she never meets, which explains a reference that went over my head Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

Star Light Angel (Hiroyuki Kitazume, Character Designer and Animation Director for Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ and Char’s Counterattack) - What could have been the most effective piece of robosexual propaganda ever made: a girl and her friend are at Tokyo Disneyland ROBOT WANDERLAND and are having a wonderful time, until she discovers that her boyfriend is cheating on her, at which point she retreat into the park and winds up on a virtual reality ride. Meanwhile, a robot performer attempts to find her and return the locket she dropped while she ran past him. This is tied for my favorite, alongside Deprive, because I’m a big sucker for romance and the main song for the short is so perfect for the content. I was also delighted to find the explanation for this short was that Kitazume, who’s work up to this point was all mecha anime like Aura Battler Dunbine and Zeta Gundam, really wanted to try to flex with character expressions, and it came through brilliantly as the range and level of facial expressions was the first thing I really took notice of in this. Funny enough, though, Kitazume also apparently said he considers this and Deprive to be the weakest pieces of the anthology, and I suppose he’s right in that they have the least meat on their bones and are also probably the least technically impressive, but still: my two favorites!

Cloud (Mao Lamdo, a prolific animator on many projects, but probably best known for this) - A robotic boy wanders past a series of ever-changing clouds. Cloud is definitely a stand-out short for a number of reasons, from the way its animated to the incredibly tangential connection to the “robot” theme, and to be perfectly honest I got a lot more out of it after I read the liner notes. The short was adapted from a self-published book Mao Lamdo had written years prior that had nothing to do with robots, and his interpretation of the short and the change to making the main character a robot was that it represented his frustration with the trend in the anime industry at the time trending towards a being obsessed with the mechanical world, while he still preferred to draw and animate nature. As I mentioned at the top, this is also the only short to not have music composed by Joe Hisaishi, instead the piece used is by Isaku Fujita, and as far as I can tell, this is his only credit. Still, it’s a good credit to have; Lamdo said the song evoked the idea of having a conversation with God and asking the big questions, which I can completely see.

Strange Tales of Meiji Machine Culture: “The Westerner’s Invasion” (Hiroyuki Kitakubo, Director of the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure OVA and Golden Boy) A terrible steampunk mech invades a Japanese town, and is warded off by a team of youths piloting their own terrible steampunk mech. I watched this one with the English dub first and then again in Japanese because it’s been a fuckin’ minute since I heard a dub this racist, complete with changing r’s to l’s and vice versa, only to be cracked across the skull by what I am certain was a Japanese man doing his very best to phonetically read English in the Japanese version. In spite of that, though, this is easily the funniest short for all the right reasons, and it kinda clicked once I found out that the director was also responsible for Golden Boy; it’s that exact kind of humor, complete with a protagonist who could very well be Kintaro Ue’s ancestor.

Chicken Man and Red Neck, a.k.a. Nightmare (Takeshi Nakamura, director of Catnapped! The Movie) - A robotic magician wreaks havoc on a city by transforming everything in sight into robotic monsters, and a vagrant gets caught up in the chaos. I initially wrote down “this one has the energy of a Don Bluth movie, particularly In the Dark of the Night from Anastasia”, although the liner notes say he actually was inspired by Night on Bald Mountain, which is definitely a more flattering inspiration and more accurate, to boot. I think of all the shorts in this anthology, this one gets the prizes for “best overall animation” and “best use of robots”, and it also has the most intense PS1 RPG sounding music, which once again speaks to Joe Hisaishi’s talent as a composer for doing that a full decade before the PS1 even existed. Also, fun trivia, the director turned down an offer from Hayao Miyazaki to be animation director on Castle in the Sky to make this, which… was maybe not the best career move, but still this was a terrific short and I’m glad to have it.

Again, the movie is easily accessible for free streaming, and I’d heartily recommend you check it out if you haven’t already. But if you’re into collecting physical media, the blu-ray is crammed full of tons of goodies, including the liner notes I’ve referenced, art galleries for each segment, and a lot of other production materials. Discotek also announced they’re doing a 4k UHD release of this soon, which won’t include all the extras due to the way UHD discs work, but I gotta be honest, this would be worth double dipping for if the resolution bump is noticeable enough.

[complicatedandstained]

358 Nights: Poker Night

If it weren’t for Saïx’s schedules, the entire Organization would crumble. At least, according to Saïx. 

Overnight patrol duty is just one of many, many rotations assigned to each member each day. Its purported, primary goal: to protect the hallowed halls of the Castle That Never Was in the midnight hours. Its actual goal: to enforce curfew, so Saïx can get some shut eye. 

Once overnight patrol duty kicked off, it became quickly apparent which Organization members you don’t want to run into alone in a dark hallway in the middle of the night, and which you don’t mind so much.

Because Luxord has no interest in reporting anyone for being out of bed past curfew any night of the month—he is typically the best option. That is, provided you’re willing to go in on a little quid pro quo a.k.a. poker night a.k.a. buy Luxord a pint once a month and go in on a hand, or two, or twelve of dealer’s choice. 

And if it feels kind of like blackmail, well, Luxord’s not above that. 

Lately, poker nights have been held in the drafty back rooms of boozy pubs and disreputable inns on a messy little island called Tortuga. Frequented predominantly by pirates and smugglers, it’s the kind of place where nobody asks a Nobody too many questions and everyone’s too blitzed to remember a face. So, it’s the kind of place the Organization likes to be.  

The original plan had been to periodically switch up locations, but that was a pain in the ass because nobody ever portaled in at the same time and someone was always going to the wrong place and waiting around for a half hour, then getting pissy about it—which was fine when it was Demyx, but less fine when it was Xigbar. 

So, lately, poker nights have been held at Gibbs’ place—Gibbs being a graying old sailor bearing a kind, round face and fluffy white beard with high sideburns and a ponytail. 

They like Gibbs well enough. The pub owner’s the solid, reliable sort, with a lively, certain cadence to his voice—always ready to hear or tell a good story, sing a sea shanty, or call for another round.

And, yeah, maybe Gibbs has been getting a little too familiar with the lot of them. And, yeah, maybe he asks way too many questions. But, despite his claims to a former career in piracy under the service of Captains Barbossa and Sparrow—not to mention the Royal Navy—he’s, generally speaking, harmless as a slice of cold cheese pizza. 

Most importantly, he gives them complimentary beer bread if they don’t start a brawl in the first half hour of coming around. So, they let ‘im slide. 

Xigbar’s the first one in. He likes to be. More time to get the lay of the land and drink in peace. Outside of that Cuddly Duckling joint in Corona—the one with all the fucking, god-awful, pitchy flash mob song and dance numbers—Tortuga’s among the only places he can travel where he can walk up to a bar and take a seat without turning the heads of everyone in the joint.  

The tables and booths of Gibb’s pub are pleasantly crowded as usual, accordion music drifting through shouts and tipsy conversation. Xigbar’s got half a stein down before Gibbs notices him. A couple more gulps before Gibbs works up the nerve to approach, false cheer marked with frozen dimples. “Why, Sniper, me lad, you’re early!” 

“Yeah.” Xigbar chuckles into the foam of his drink. “Thank the Lord.”

“Ah, crews be like families,” Gibbs reasons in his infinite wisdom, borne of the sea salt breeze, “and we all fancy a break from the family every now and ag’in, I always say.”  

Xigbar rolls his eyes but nods. 

Gibbs glances around the room for more of Xigbar’s usual company, but doesn’t spot them. “Haven’t gotten a table for your crew o’ thirteen together yet, but I—”

“Don’t bother.” Xigbar interrupts with a quick slash of his hand. “We ain’t expecting much of a crowd tonight.” 

Gibbs’ brows go up, finding something in Xigbar’s tone rather ominous, but before he can ask, the door to his pub swings open, near off its hinge, and brings with it a jaunty gust of guitar music and a lanky blond. 

Said blond strums and sings like the sound’s possessing him, sashaying in with fast, certain steps, each synced with the rhythm of his next note. The tune reminds Xigbar of a soft rock ballad, entirely out of place in this world, though the pretty young women hanging on Demyx’s arms, swaying their hips, don’t seem to mind. 

“And after all~ You’re my wonderwall~”

Xigbar chokes, the ale burning his throat and nose. The nearby patrons of the pub nod and sway along. Feet start to stamp as Demyx twirls and plays, steps light, and the women on his arms whirl, their skirts billowing and their giggles airy.

“You’re my wonderwall~”

Xigbar sighs, sparing the ruckus over his shoulder the briefest of glares before plunking down his drink. “Dumb little shit…” 

“Now, wait just a—” Gibbs’ grin at the music dims as Xigbar eases onto his feet, but Gibbs doesn’t dare make a grab for his arm.  

Xigbar ignores the objection and strolls up to Demyx with heavy, confident steps. He claps his gloved hands together, slow and out of beat with the song, and Demyx stops dancing to turn his way. 

The young women retreat behind Demyx’s lanky height as the large, muscular man draws nearer, but Demyx remains where he is—rather idiotically, in the opinion of the spectators—only a foot out of the doorway, strumming in challenge, an easy grin on his face. 

“I said maybe~ You’re gonna be the one that saves me~ Because after all—” 

No more than a foot apart, Xigbar stops clapping and Demyx stops playing. 

And probably, Xigbar figures, he should give Demyx a hard time, but on the other hand, it is his night off. 

Xigbar sets a hand on Demyx’s shoulder, the rigid line of his mouth twitching just enough for Demyx’s eyes to catch. “Why you always gotta make a fucking scene, kid?”

“Psh.” Demyx tilts his head, a strand of hair flipping into his eye, and grins up at the scarred, muscled man, strums another chord, swishes his hips. “You liked it.” 

Demyx’s fangirls shriek as Xigbar moves in on Demyx, but the shrieks muffle and abruptly die as they watch the scarred, older man crush their mouths together. Demyx grin brightens, guitar shifting behind his back, body molding to Xigbar’s like water. 

People shout, jeer, laugh, and in the distance, after a few hesitant squawks, the accordion starts up again.

Their mouths break just long enough for Demyx to manage, “Now who’s making a scene?” 

And Xigbar to counter, “It’s your own fucking fault,” before scooping him up by the ass and pressing their lips together again. 

A throat clears loudly beside them, and Xigbar maneuvers them closer to the bar to another round of catcalls. 

The throat clearing follows them, punctuated by an, “Um, Sniper, sir?”

Xigbar sets Demyx up on the bar, lifting his drink and turning around. He petrifies the pub owner not with his golden, one-eyed stare or the slosh of his tankard, but with the murderous smirk he follows it up with. “Yes, Gibbs?”

Gibbs swallows, motions a bit loosely with his hand, then eventually just nods over his shoulder. At a corner table amid the bustle, Luxord sits alone, silver-backed cards fanned out in one hand and a brimming mug of amber grog in the other. He raises the cards in their direction. 

Xigbar salutes back, then turns to pat Demyx’s cheek though he’s pouting something fierce. “Game time.”

“Yeah, yeah…” Demyx complains, sliding off the counter in resignation. He starts thrumming “Luck Be a Lady Tonight” as Xigbar signals the bartender for another couple drinks. “Game time.”

Together they make their way to the card table. 

[scgdoeswhat]

Soccer Saturday

Summary: The entire Endless Summer gang head over to Jake, Cris, and Diego’s place to take in some World Cup action. (Jake x F!MC, Grace x Aleister, Craig x Zahra)

Rating: PG

Words: 1759

Author’s Notes: Drabble turned fic for @mechaspirit and the “Who sits on the other’s lap” OTP prompt! Thanks to Elena for giving me the idea for a World Cup viewing party! Since this is as close to real time as I’m getting, I’m sticking this in the Wonderful AU and making it one of the first in chronological order. Jake and the gang don’t belong to me (unfortunately), but the story does. No Beta used.

Also tagging @xo-endlessmayhem-xo, @itsagoodluckkiss and @princesstopgun because I’ve barraged them the last two weeks with footballers, ha.

  June 30, 2018

The sound of boisterous laughter carried throughout the condominium as Cris listened in from the kitchen. A few months had passed since the entire crew were able to be together and by some stroke of luck, everyone was congregated in her, Jake, and Diego’s place just as she planned.

Everyone had been so busy lately. Between finals, making up the lost semester, and (most importantly to her) clearing Jake’s name, it had been the first time where the 12 of them could all hang out and relax with nothing looming over their heads. The timing couldn’t be more perfect, as this coincided with the World Cup – an event that she always associated with bringing those who were close to her all together.

To her knowledge, no one else except Aleister followed soccer – né football – like she did, but no one would turn down a reason to drink and party at 10 a.m. on a Saturday morning, either.

“Hey Princess! Where ya at? You’re missing all the action!” Jake hollered from the living room.

“I’m coming! Just bringing more beer and another bottle of champagne for the mimosas!” She replied, walking back and setting all the drinks on the coffee table. Looking up at the giant flat screen on the wall, she noticed the score line at 0-0. “What are you talking about? I didn’t miss anything; it’s still scoreless.”

Jake pulled her down onto the couch between him and Michelle, laughing as she yelped in surprise.

“I’m not talking about that, I’m talking about these two!” He pointed to a chortling Sean, who was busy lobbing mini croquettes and other small snacks into the mouth of an awaiting Craig.

“Dudes! Appreciate those a little more! I made them this morning!” Raj exclaimed as he watched the delicious projectiles sail through the air to their intended target.

Craig chewed and swallowed the tasty morsel. “Sorry, man! But just to let you know, they are insanely good.”

Zahra shook her head, waving her boyfriend off. “As if I didn’t see Raj opening the box and sticking these things straight into the oven earlier!” She reached out and plucked an incoming croquette from Sean out of the air before popping it into her mouth.

Raj put an offended hand over his chest. “Z – are you implying I didn’t make these?! I’m hurt!”

“Damn straight, I am,” she grinned. “Especially since Craig and I knew you were up late sampling your new stash of… let’s call it, ‘medication.’”

“Hey, at least it’s all legal now. And I do need it for medicinal purposes! Anyway, since you found me out, everyone want me to make more of them?”

A resounding chorus of “Yeahs” rang out amid laughter as Raj rose and headed towards the kitchen.

“Aww, well now what else is there for Sean to throw at me?”

The quarterback looked around, spying a giant bowl of chicharron.

“Don’t even think about it, pretty boy.” Estela’s hands appeared out of nowhere, making sure the bowl of fried pork rinds was out of his lengthy reach.

Jake chuckled as he grabbed a handful as Estela walked by, heading back to the table where she rejoined Quinn, Grace, and Aleister. He fed Cris a small piece and she surveyed the scene in front of her with a smile on her face.

At that moment, Diego came out of his bedroom and automatically zeroed in on Sean and Craig, who had resorted to tossing pretzels at each other.

“Guys, I swear, you better not be making a mess! I’m going to be the one stuck cleaning it up, knowing these two!” He pointed at his two flatmates.

“Hey, what do you mean? We clean up!” Cris exclaimed.

“Yeah sure, when you two aren’t all over each other!” Quinn chimed in, throwing a wadded-up napkin at the couple.

“Oh, leave them be,” Grace interjected, smiling at Aleister. “I think it’s really cute they’re finally able to just be normal, especially after clearing Jake’s name.”

“I don’t know if ‘cute’ would be the word I would use, my dear,” the Englishman scoffed, crossing his arms. “You wouldn’t be using it either had you witnessed what I walked in on that day.”

Everyone started howling in amusement as Cris buried her face into Jake’s shoulder, while projectiles ranging from rolled up napkins to sweet and savory edibles were thrown their way.

Jake smirked, lapping up the attention. “Hey, don’t hate because my ridiculously hot wife can’t keep her hands off my – “

“OH. KAY. DOODLEJUMPS. GOT MORE CROQUETTES HERE. NO NEED TO ELABORATE, DUDE!”

“The thing is, that shit is tame compared to what usually comes out of his mouth!” Diego shook his head as the whole room doubled over cackling as Raj reentered the room.

At the table, Grace leaned over, whispering into Aleister’s ear, “But can you really blame them? How many times were we almost caught the same way you walked in on them?”

Aleister’s face turned red at his girlfriend’s words, all while she shot him an innocent smile with her hand on his leg.

On the other side of the room, Zahra busied herself making drinks that barely passed for mimosas, with minimal orange juice being used. “You know, I was skeptical about coming over so early for some soccer match, even under the guise of acceptable drinking before breakfast but now that it’s turned into a roast? So worth it.”

Sean turned his attention to the screen, remembering there was a match on. “So, we’re watching France versus Argentina? Isn’t that Messi guy on Argentina?”

“Yeah, he’s on there. Plays his club soccer at Barcelona. He might be getting older, but his footwork is still great,” Craig answered nonchalantly, garnering stared from the entire group. “What? Just because I play football means I can’t appreciate the world’s football? There’s a reason why they call it ‘The Beautiful Game,’ man.”

“I’m more or a Ronaldo girl,” Quinn interrupted, smiling widely. “And Portugal are playing after this, so I hope everyone’s staying for that one, too!”

Estela scoffed as she waved her hand dismissively. “You can have your Messi and Ronaldo. I’ll take James Rodriguez. He’s still underrated. Too bad he’s injured because he’s so talented.”

Michelle had her phone out, googling the players being mentioned and nodded unconvincingly at the pictures she was pulling up.

“I don’t know, I can’t really pinpoint the change, but Ronaldo used to look better before – “ she looked up at the screen, the camera focusing on a player in a solid blue kit, his brown hair slicked back, blue eyes sparkling while his tongue was currently sticking out. “Who is THAT? Oh my God, I’m not even into facial hair on guys, but that guy is HOT.”

Aleister looked at the television and rolled his eyes. “Olivier Giroud? He’s French and he recently transferred to my club from Arsenal.”

“He had me at ‘French,’” Michelle giggled as she started googling photos of him.

“I don’t really like soccer,” Jake said to no one in particular. “They fall over if someone breathes on them.” The referee’s whistle rang through the TV’s speakers, and as if on cue, a replay of a player who wasn’t touched but had fallen to the ground was shown in slow motion. “See? My point exactly.”

“Don’t get me wrong,” Sean added, “these guys are totally athletic, but I don’t think they could handle the physicality of football.”

Diego snickered, as if he was holding a secret. “You’re unusually quiet about this, Cris. I know you have an opinion on this.”

Cris threw her head back, chuckling. “I totally watch soccer, but since the Azzurri didn’t qualify, I’m not emotionally invested in anyone this time.” A feline grin graced her face. “I’m just observing. Observing and admiring all this wonderful ‘talent’ on display. And yes, Giroud is very... talented.”

Michelle gasped and started giggling uncontrollably. “Cris. Look at THIS.” She shoved her phone in her friend’s face, a giddy energy rolling off her.

Cris screeched at the screen as both girls shot up off the couch and bounced over to the table, proceeding to show the animated gif to Quinn. The redhead squealed in delight, which prompted Zahra to come over.

“Nice find, Meech,” Zahra smiled slyly.

Grace’s eyes grew to the eyes of saucers as she sat back down next to Aleister, who gave her a questioning look.

“Trust me, you don’t want to know. You’ll never look at him the same way again.”

He nodded, completely trusting her judgment.

All the while, Estela sat in her seat cracking up. “You know, he’s not really my type. But I do enjoy a good piece of meat once in a while.”

Michelle looked at the TV, down at her phone, then back to the TV. “Well, now I know who I’m rooting for!”

Cris tilted her head while looking at the phone, grinning. “Damn, if I didn’t have my roots, he’d almost make me switch loyalties. This, “ she pointed at the small screen, “This is very pleasant to look at. Let me just say. Wow!”

“You know, it’s not like I’m sitting right here or anything.” Jake pouted, crossing his arms.

She turned around and looked at her moping husband.

“Awww, baby, you know you’re the only one for me. Olivier Giroud can’t even hold a candle to you.” She walked over to the couch and sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck as she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. One of Jake’s arms encircled her waist, holding her close to his body.

“Never mind the fact that he’s a rich soccer player, with brown hair and blue eyes, a.k.a. totally her type, and not to mention smoking hot!” Diego said loudly, chiding his best friend’s man while taking a seat on the couch.

“Diego, you’re not helping, you ass!” Jake retorted, flicking him off behind her back.

Cris cuddled up to Jake and hid her smile in the crook of his neck. She murmured, loud enough for only him to hear, “Don’t worry, Top Gun. You know you’ve got the only balls I’m interested in playing with.”

“OH GOD. I HEARD THAT. Why did I decide to sit here? I am scarred for life!” Diego shrieked while the room erupted into laughter.

The day continued full of merriment as the gang reveled in each other’s company. France went on to beat Argentina that day 4-3, but the memories made on that Saturday morning were once in a lifetime.

[ibreathedisney]

Sunday 26th June – Ellis Day Two

Today was the second day of 8.00 – 17.00 Ellis Lifeguard Training at Mickeys Retreat. As I mentioned in the previous weekly blog, I am going to be writing a dedicated post regarding Ellis Lifeguard Training as there is quite a lot to cover and not a great deal of info online.

Once we got back to Patterson Court we had dinner and then met at the pool to practice for our test the next day!

Monday 27th June – Ellis Day Three (Test Out Day)

Today was our Ellis test out day and another 8:00 – 17:00. However, you might get to leave early if they get through everyone quickly! I was really apprehensive about the test out day and was worried I was going to forget everything. In hindsight, you really don’t need to be – Ellis prep you so well in such a sort space of time. Safe to say I passed and was officially a Disney Lifeguard!! As I’ve already mentioned, I am going to be writing a more detailed post on the whole Ellis Lifeguard Training process.

Tuesday 28th June – Day off (Outlets, Publix, Welcome Party)

After three long and tiring days of Ellis Lifeguard Training, I was glad to have a day off. Becky, Eleanor and I went to the outlets for a little mooch around. We also needed to get some appropriate footwear (i.e. ugly crocs). I also needed some black sunglasses and a black waterproof watch for work. (FYI – you can buy a black waterproof watch for $14 at the outlets!) We also went to Publix for the first time and spent way too long chosing what American foods we wanted! I then realised how expensive fresh fruit and vegetables are – poptarts are cheaper than a bag of grapes! My weekly shop was around £20 in the UK – over $50  in Publix really? You can walk to Publix from Patterson Court in about 10-15 minutes, but there is also a transtar bus if your shopping is too heavy.

That afternoon Becky and I also headed over to costuming to collect out lifeguard gear. They were really short on the sizes I needed so I ended up grabbing whatever I could. You can take up to five of each item (i.e. five swimming costumes, five pairs of shorts etc). If you find a size that fits, then keep it!

Once we got back to Patterson Court we decided to have a lil fashion show trying on all our stuff with our ‘fanny packs’. Lifeguard, ready!

That evening, Becky, Suzie, Eleanor, Emily and I went to the Disney Housing Welcome Party at Chatham Square. There was lots of music, character meet and greets, a photo booth and free Pizza – they even had gluten-free slices for me!

Wednesday 29th June – Welcome to Operations a.k.a The Worst Day Ever

Today, we headed back to Disney University for our Welcome to Operations class. The day was from 7:30 – 16.00, so it was a very early start for us all. Let me tell you now, this is one of the most boring days off your entire life. The class is a mixture of CP’s and non CP’s. They teach you a bit more about the company and then some incredibly basic things like how to tell the time using the 24 hour clock (I thought everyone knew this). We also learnt about Disney’s Safe D Begins With Me policy. The ‘Safety In Motion’ portion is probably one of the most patronising and boring portions of this class. Good luck, and try not to fall asleep (honestly, it happened to people).

After we stopped for lunch, we had more recreation specific induction. It involved a presentation and some questions from Disney trainers. We then had to complete some readings online followed by multiple choice questions. It’s all rather straight forward and largely common sense. They also set you up on the hub and get you linked to the cast member wi-fi across Walt Disney World – this is much better than the guest wifi, so use it!

Once Welcome to Operations was finally over, we headed to costuming to collect our free lifeguard shoes. Lifeguards get the choice of receiving a free pair of either white trainers (sneakers) or crocs. I would highly recommend choosing the white trainers over the crocs. The crocs that Disney provide have no holes in and are terrible for getting lots of water trapped in them. I also knew of people who burnt their feet through the crocs because they got so hot! It’s best to collect the free shoes and buy you’re own crocs/tevas – the Croc store at the premium outlets always have some kind of offer available. Generally speaking, resort guards tend to wear trainers, whereas water park guards (who tend to be in the water a lot more) will wear crocs or tevas.

Thursday 30th June: Typhoon Orientation

I met Chris (another UK CEP at Typhoon Lagoon) at Chatham Bus Stop and we headed over to Typhoon Lagoon for our ‘Forecast Typhoon’ class. You are required to wear clothes similar to Traditions attire. My advice is to make sure you have something that is both smart, in Disney look and comfortable in crazy florida heat.

The class ran from 8:00 – 12:00 but because of the bus timetable, we ended up arriving really early. (Transtar is the devil). It was quite strange entering the backstage area of Typhoon Lagoon as I hadn’t even visited the park in the day! We went into one of the training rooms and had a presentation on the story behind Typhoon Lagoon.

The legend goes:

“A furious storm once roared cross the sea Catching ships in its path, helpless to flee Instead of a certain and watery doom The wind swept them here to Typhoon Lagoon.”

All of the theming in Typhoon is based on this ferocious storm; that’s why Miss Tilly is impailed on the mountain (the highest centre point in the park). The stories goes that the mountain still tries to dislodge the boat with an enormous geyser of water every half and hour!

The orientation involved some quizzes such as looking at a map of the park and answering where was the nearest QSFB location, the nearest first aid, the nearest restrooms etc. After a quick break it was time to head out ‘on stage’ and to see the park for the first time.

Typhoon Lagoon is beautiful. I couldn’t think of a more well themed water park and (although I am bias) I definitely prefer it over the theming at Blizzard Beach. Walking around Typhoon Lagoon did feel like a bit of a maze. I thought ‘how am I ever going to remember my way round or be able to get from the backstage area to one of my furthest stands in time!’ It also made me realise how busy the parks and the aquatic areas were going to be. I was excited, but also quite nervous.

After work, I headed to Magic Kingdom to meet the girls. Suzie’s roommate, who works in Fantasyland, had given her loads of fast passes for Magic Kindgom rides so we were able to beat the queues!

I went on Buzz Lightyear for the first time on my programme and lost miserably – I’m used to the Disneyland Paris Version, ok?

We also watched the Main Street Electrical Parade and despite the annoying music, I love it! It’s a love hate thing for sure.

We also watched Wishes from across the lake in Frontierland. I’d definitely recommend trying to see Wishes from different locations in Magic Kingdom!

Sadly,  Eleanor and Suzie left early as they had work the following morning. However, I had the next day off and Becky had a PM shift so we decided to stay to watch the Kiss Goodnight. Of course this meant that we had to take some photos in front of the castle and I got my first Mickey Rice Krispie Treat of my programme. (The first of many, may I add).

Friday: Day off!

I had a day off, but everyone else seemed to be either at work or at training. I decided to head back to Typhoon Lagoon for opening and experience the park as a guest. I felt that if I was going to be working there for the summer, I may as well get acquainted with all of the attractions myself. I would really recommend going to either of the water parks for opening as you get on the attractions very quickly – I had managed to do just about everything by lunchtime!

I headed back to housing and decided to go lay by the pool in Patterson Court for some more sunbathing and swimming – I could get used to this life!

I decided to meet Eleanor after she had finished work. She was lifeguarding at Wilderness Lodge which is a Magic Kingdom area resort. I caught the bus over to the Contemporary and met her in Magic Kingdom. We didn’t get into the park until pretty late in the day. There was also a massive rainstorm and we got absolutely drenched walking from the Contemporary to the Magic Kingdom main entrance. As soon as we arrived, we ended up spending $8 on the most touristy Disney ponchos.

The good thing about the storm was that Magic Kingdom had emptied out considerably. The bad thing about the storm was that a lot of the rides were closed. At one point, the lightening was right on top of us and struck right next to the castle. Everyone (including us) let out a little scream!

We decided to ride The Little Mermaid ride, It’s A Small World and Enchanted Tales with Belle. Enchanted Tales with Belle is one of my favourite attractions for a couple of reasons. Firstly, Beauty and the Beast is my favourite Disney film and Belle is my favourite Disney character. Secondly, Belle’s house is so well themed – I loved all the little details inside. Thirdly, I absolutely adore seeing the kids reactions to Belle when she comes to welcome us in her library. The parents reactions to their children reactions made Eleanor and I get all teary. There was one little girl dressed just like Belle and she was in complete awe of Belle when she entered the room; the little girls mum was beaming with happiness! That is what Disney is all about. I love seeing magical moments like this because it reminds me of my own family and all of our amazing memories in Disney.

Overall, our rain filled evening was one of my favourite evenings in the parks!

Saturday 2nd July – My first day of OTJ Training

Today I had training at Typhoon from 8:00 – 16.30. It was also my first day in costume – exciting! I was up at 6.30am ready to catch the 7am bus to the Typhoon Lagoon cast entrance. I didn’t officially start until 8am and the bus only takes 15 minutes from Chatham Square to Typhoon. However, the buses aren’t that reliable so it is best to get to work early. You are also given a 15 minute grace period to clock in and they encourage you to clock in at the earliest convince. However, don’t clock in before your 15 minute grade period as you’ll end up with a Disney point. Three points and boom, reprimand. Three reprimands and boom, please leave the country within 48 hours.

I am going to compile all of my On the Job Training in one post as there is quite a lot to cover and I never found a great deal of information on the process before I started.

That’s it for another week working for the mouse. Stay tuned for the weeks that follow!

What did I get up to last week?

______________________________________________________________

Instagram: @anniebelleymcd

Twitter: @_TheDisneyBelle

YouTube: AnnieBelle – TheDisneyBelle

  Finally posting my weekly diaries from my time as a Cast Member at #WDW! #CEP #DCP🌟 Sunday 26th June - Ellis Day Two Today was the second day of 8.00 - 17.00 Ellis Lifeguard Training at Mickeys Retreat.

[constancecream]

Sherlock season 4 premiere: “The Six Thatchers” offers a disappointing end to a 3-year-old mystery

Sunday’s episode dropped a major character death — that of John’s wife, Mary — into the middle of an already-messy series of plot complications. Frustratingly, the only real reason for Mary’s demise predictably seems to be to examine its impact on Sherlock and John.

The lack of surprises — note: a plot twist is not always surprising — includes the occasional unworthy cliché, such as a slow-motion bullet hovering on its way to its target. On the other hand, a struggling, gurgling, smashing fight in a swimming pool is a refreshing change. It’s a jolly enough episode, but not as thrillingly stylish as some past adventures. Dare one suggest that we need more Moriarty? As it is, the Holmes brothers, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock and writer Mark Gatiss as Mycroft, remain the most stylish performers though — or because? — they talk RP in a general swamp of mockney. Modified rapture, then. It would be a shame if the new series sinks into the peremptory and mechanical.

Amanda Abbington’s arrival as Mary Morstan at the start of Sherlock season three seemed to accompany a shift in the show’s overall direction away from crime-solving and toward a rhetorical plot cycle in which John attempts to swap his dysfunctional relationship with Sherlock for something healthier, only to fail because in the world of Sherlock, all roads and all people ultimately lead back to the title character himself. The people around him, even John, ultimately seem to exist only as extras in his world, showing up when needed to lecture, scold, or spurn him into a renewed sense of purpose or a showing of human decency. (This trait is so well developed that all the characters who appeared in 2016’s one-off, 1890s-set holiday special turned out to be Sherlock’s mental representation of them as pieces of his conscience.)

Mary, who was initially the only character whose storyline seemed totally independent of Sherlock’s, fully upset this pattern for a moment. Ultimately, however, the show gave her very little autonomy; in the final episode of season three, her entire mysterious and unrevealed history — which fans have spent the last three years debating — was framed as an insight into John’s character rather than Mary herself. We learned that she was a secretive former assassin, and that she lied her way into John’s life after stealing a new identity; but this entire story was framed as a story about John, not Mary — a story of how John was drawn to her because he was a reckless thrill-seeker.

This moment is the inevitable result of three seasons’ worth of Sherlock’s hubris and refusal to heed warnings or take seriously the judgment of anyone besides himself; and when Mary just as inevitably jumps in front of him, sacrificing her own life for his, it should feel like a wake-up call and a moment of reckoning. Sherlock registers a glimmer of self-awareness that her death is his fault, but by this point, the show seems to be so far immersed in the cult of worship around its anti-hero that the scene is hardly more than an afterthought. By episode’s end, Mary herself — via posthumous “If you’re reading this, I’m dead” message sent to Sherlock via a video file — is giving Sherlock permission to insert himself right back into the center of John’s life, thus making her death all about his relationship with his best friend.

John, meanwhile, had cheated on Mary emotionally before her death; his grief sees him processing his obvious guilt as anger toward Sherlock for failing to protect her. Given all the terrible things Sherlock has done to John directly over the course of their friendship that John has inexplicably managed to forgive — including lying to John, drugging John, sending John into a PTSD-triggering war zone, and making John watch as Sherlock faked his death before pretending to be dead for two years — the fact that Sherlock’s failure to save Mary is the final straw that threatens to cause a permanent rift in John and Sherlock’s friendship does even more injustice to Mary’s narrative. Her story was never her own story; it was always and ever about fueling the heart of the series, the relationship between Sherlock and John.

At this point, does anyone even really care if Sherlock and John are in love?

Much has been written about the way Sherlock queerbaits — that is, the way in which it arguably exploits queer identity by making John and Sherlock’s relationship into the ongoing subject of homoerotic speculation and subtext, even as the show’s creators insist, again and again, that they’re not writing the two men as queer. Almost every episode of Sherlock up until now has contained some sort of side-speculation by one character or another that John and Sherlock are gay and/or in love. “The Six Thatchers” was notably devoid of this kind of interaction, and was in fact extremely straightforward about John and Sherlock’s friendship without any of the usual frustrating homoerotic overtones.

Except, of course, Mary is now dead, and she has charged Sherlock to “save” John after her death. This sets the stage for an even deeper level of intimacy forged by mutual grief over her loss. Before “The Six Thatchers,” we had queerbaiting in the form of a lot of gay jokes. Now the gay jokes may be gone, but the show has traded them for something that feels even more insulting: the death of its most independent female character purely to further some manpain that in the end probably won’t bring John and Sherlock together as more than friends. It’s kind of a mess. And it really only justifies the impending narrative for the rest of season four — in which John will push Sherlock away as Sherlock awkwardly tries to help him recover — if you ultimately think their relationship is worth salvaging. Frankly I’m not sure that it is. Sherlock, for all of his occasional attempts to be a friend, is a perpetually selfish individual who seems to need John more as a reflection of a certain version of himself than because he values who John is. John, in turn, appears to still be the PSTD-ridden soldier who can only snap out of his stupor when he’s chasing the adrenalin high of crime-solving that Sherlock offers him. If this is friendship, it’s darkly co-dependent; if it’s true love, it’s a tragedy. Sherlock has never been forced to reckon with any of the utterly unconscionable things he’s done to John over the years (look back at that list — it’s a horrific list!). And if the show is going to sacrifice entire characters on the altar of “Johnlock,” a.k.a. the shipping name for their eternal love, it should probably make Johnlock something worth caring about. I’m just not sure that it has. Also, though this may be an afterthought for a series that has built itself around its own cleverness, it’s just not very much fun anymore.

Still, at least Abbington and Mary got a fierce send-off. Whether it will be worth the loss in the long run depends on how willing Gatiss and Moffat are to really have Sherlock undergo the moral reckoning that would justify her death, or whether they intend to keep spinning out the same empty, self-satisfied love story of two crime-solving bros who would probably each be better off alone — or at least without the other.

Vox

[andrewdburton]

How to get started with difficult tasks

Yesterday in the /r/financialindependence community on Reddit, /u/mkengland asked a seemingly innocent question:

What made you stop planning/researching financial independence and actually start?

Was there a tipping point for you where you finally felt ready to start your FI journey? What made you finally take the plunge, open that first IRA/brokerage account/etc., and throw your money into the market?

[…]

I'm waffling over details, though…and can't seem to just DO IT.

This question seems innocuous, right? Yet, I've been thinking about it for the past 24 hours.

I hear questions like this relatively often. People want to know how to get started with saving and investing. Or with debt reduction. Or they want to know how to get started with budgeting. And, in fact, it's the sort of question I had too back when I started my own journey away from debt and toward financial freedom. It all seems so overwhelming! Where do you begin?

Trust me, I know how easy it is to over-complicate things. My ex-wife used to call my Overanalytical Man due to my superhuman ability to overthink even the simplest subject. Although I do this less often (and less severely) than I used to, it's still a problem that plagues me.

Today, let's talk about what I've learned about how to get started with difficult tasks.

Action Not Words

Generally speaking, things aren't as complicated as I (or you) want to make them out to be. Most problems can be solved with simple solutions. It's how we implement these solutions that adds layers of complexity.

A healthy weight, for instance, really is as simple as “calories in, calories out”. Yes, I realize there's a lot of debate about this subject in recent years. And yes, I understand there's additional nuance and complexity to the discussion. But that doesn't change the fundamentals: If you want to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you consume.

Likewise, all of personal finance boils down to one simple rule: To build wealth, you must spend less than you earn. End of story. This is the fundamental rule of personal finance, and all of the books and blogs and TV shows about money — all of the added layers of complexity — are simply clothes draped across this basic body.

When I see questions like “How do I get started toward financial independence? It all seems so complicated!”, my mind immediately goes to this. How do you get started? By spending less than you earn. Want to get out of debt? Spend less than you earn. Want to save for a down payment on a house? Spend less than you earn. It all comes back to this one idea.

Any move that increases your income or decreases your spending is a step in the right direction.

In a way, allowing perceived complexity to prevent you from doing the right thing is a variation of the optimization trap. The optimization trap is the belief that small tweaks make more difference than they actually do. Optimizing small things (clipping coupons, say) is often a way for people to feel like they're doing something meaningful when they're actually avoiding big, scary moves that could truly make a difference (downsizing their home, for example).

When people like me overcomplicate things at the start, we're doing so for similar reasons. We're nervous about making big changes. We're complacent. We're comfortable with our lives at the moment, so instead of doing the things we know need to be done, we spin our wheels while focusing on details that don't matter.

Right now, for instance, I am fat. There's no way to sugarcoat it. I've been gaining weight for several years now, and thanks to this quarantine, I've reached peak J.D. (in terms of size, anyhow). I know what I need to do to get fit again — eat less, exercise more — but I find it very easy to allow stupid details to prevent me from doing the right thing. “My bike needs a new tire. I don't have weights at home and the gyms are closed. I don't like vegetables. I don't know which tool to use to track my calories.”

All of these details are bullshit that distracts me from the fundamental problem: I need to burn more calories than I consume, and I'm not doing that.

If I want to get started with weight loss, I must achieve (and maintain) a calorie deficit. If /u/mkengland wants to reach financial independence, (s)he must spend less than (s)he earns. In both cases, thinking and deliberating does nothing. To achieve our goals, we must take action.

Start Where You Are

For overthinkers like me, action is key. Instead of finding the perfect time and place to start, we should start anywhere. Screw perfection! When starting a long journey, a perfect first step isn't critical. If you stumble at the start of a sprint, you're likely to lose the race. But if you stumble at the start of a marathon, it makes no difference. All that matters is that you've begun running.

As my friend Paula Pant once told me, “An imperfect plan you follow is better than a perfect plan you don't.”

One of the core tenets of the Get Rich Slowly philosophy is that the perfect is the enemy of the good. Too many people never start putting their finances in order because they don't know what the “best” first step is. Most of the time, “best” is irrelevant in this context. Don't worry about getting things exactly right — just choose a good option and do something to get started.

Here's a non-financial example from my own life.

As you know, Kim and I moved into our country cottage nearly three years ago. For the first couple of years, our time and money and attention were focused on home renovations. There were a lot of repairs that had to be made. Last year, we took a break. But this year? Thanks in part to the coronavirus quarantine, we've begun tackling our yard.

We have an acre of land. About half of it is seldom-used forest that slopes down the hill to a creek. But the other half is our fenced yard. It's a gorgeous park-like setting — or could be, if it were maintained. But the previous owners let things get out of control, and we've done little more than tread water since we bought the place. We've kept things from getting worse, but haven't done anything to make things better.

Here's a February photo of one corner of our yard:

This year, though, Kim and I have resolved to make our park-like setting actually park-like. That'll require a lot of work. Like, hundreds of hours. In February, we toured the yard to talk about what we needed to do. We each made a list as we walked along. When we finished, we were both overwhelmed.

“There's so much,” Kim said. “Where do we start?”

“I don't know,” I said. “I guess we start with whatever feels most pressing.” We drafted a short prioritized list of projects…and then never followed it. (Seriously. The top thing on our list remains undone two months later haha.)

Instead, here's how things went down.

On her first day laid off from work, Kim went outside to play with the dog and the cats. She got distracted by some weeds in the “tea garden”, so she paused to pull them. This led her to prune the climbing rose. Then she hauled the yard debris to the bottom of the hill, where she found more yard debris that needed to be cleaned up. And so on. Before she realized it, she'd put in a full day of work. But it wasn't the work we'd planned.

What we've found is that if we go outside, we'll see something that needs to be done. If we do that thing, a second step will become self-evident — or we'll see something else that needs done nearby. In other words, if we simply put ourselves in motion, if we do anything that contributes to our future vision of the yard, we'll continue to work on the yard, continue to be productive, until we're tired and done for the day. It doesn't matter which chore we choose. All that matters is that we choose a chore.

Kim has been home for maybe six weeks now. (Who knows anymore? My sense of time has warped.) In those six weeks, we've made huge strides. Sure, there's still much left to do, and we know it. But every day, we do a little more. Our yard has already been transformed, and it's only going to get better as we continue to do more work.

This is a current panorama of the entire yard (click to open larger image in new window):

Here's the (very obvious) moral of this story: Start where you are. Do what you can with what you have. Don't concern yourself with “right” or “best” options. Choose a good option and get going.

When tackling a big project — whether that's renovating a yard, digging out of debt, or saving for early retirement — it matters less how you begin than that you begin.

How to Get Started

I grew up Mormon. One of the songs we sang in Primary (a.k.a. Sunday School) was called “Do What Is Right”. I think of it often, even today. Here's the chorus:

Do what is right; let the consequence follow. Battle for freedom in spirit and might; And with stout hearts look ye forth till tomorrow. God will protect you; then do what is right!

“Do what is right; let the consequence follow.” Yes! Exactly! Nowadays, I've incorporated this idea into my personal philosophy.

On my office computer, I have a sticky note: PROCESS NOT OUTCOME. This is a reminder to myself that I cannot control outcomes. I can only control effort.

If I do what is right — that is, if I do what is necessary to achieve what I want — and if I do my best, then I've done my part. By doing what's right and doing my best, I'll likely get the results I'm after. But if the results aren't what I wanted? Well then, I can live in peace. I know I did what I could, and I'm fine with that.

I can control my effort and actions, but I cannot control the results.

This “PROCESS NOT ACTION” reminder is important to me, and not only because I'm Overanalytical Man. I'm also paralyzed by self-doubt. It's easy for me to not take action because I'm afraid.

So, when I take on a big project like the course I just wrote for Audible, I often find it tough to get started. Before I even begin, I'm already imagining how painful it will be to read reviews from people who hate my work.

“PROCESS NOT OUTCOME” is a reminder that if I work hard and provide good info, then I've done my part. I can only control what I put into a project, not what others think of it.

So, let's return to the Reddit question that inspired this all. How do you get started with difficult tasks? Easy. By doing anything that moves you toward your goal.

Don't make things more complicated than they have to be. Identify fundamental principles and pursue them. Especially at the start, don't worry about making perfect choices or about optimization. Simply start. Take action. You can optimize later.

Do what is right. Do your best. Let the consequence follow.

from Finance https://www.getrichslowly.org/how-to-get-started/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[andrewdburton]

How to get started with difficult tasks

Yesterday in the /r/financialindependence community on Reddit, /u/mkengland asked a seemingly innocent question:

What made you stop planning/researching financial independence and actually start?

Was there a tipping point for you where you finally felt ready to start your FI journey? What made you finally take the plunge, open that first IRA/brokerage account/etc., and throw your money into the market?

[…]

I'm waffling over details, though…and can't seem to just DO IT.

This question seems innocuous, right? Yet, I've been thinking about it for the past 24 hours.

I hear questions like this relatively often. People want to know how to get started with saving and investing. Or with debt reduction. Or they want to know how to get started with budgeting. And, in fact, it's the sort of question I had too back when I started my own journey away from debt and toward financial freedom. It all seems so overwhelming! Where do you begin?

Trust me, I know how easy it is to over-complicate things. My ex-wife used to call my Overanalytical Man due to my superhuman ability to overthink even the simplest subject. Although I do this less often (and less severely) than I used to, it's still a problem that plagues me.

Today, let's talk about what I've learned about how to get started with difficult tasks.

Action Not Words

Generally speaking, things aren't as complicated as I (or you) want to make them out to be. Most problems can be solved with simple solutions. It's how we implement these solutions that adds layers of complexity.

A healthy weight, for instance, really is as simple as “calories in, calories out”. Yes, I realize there's a lot of debate about this subject in recent years. And yes, I understand there's additional nuance and complexity to the discussion. But that doesn't change the fundamentals: If you want to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you consume.

Likewise, all of personal finance boils down to one simple rule: To build wealth, you must spend less than you earn. End of story. This is the fundamental rule of personal finance, and all of the books and blogs and TV shows about money — all of the added layers of complexity — are simply clothes draped across this basic body.

When I see questions like “How do I get started toward financial independence? It all seems so complicated!”, my mind immediately goes to this. How do you get started? By spending less than you earn. Want to get out of debt? Spend less than you earn. Want to save for a down payment on a house? Spend less than you earn. It all comes back to this one idea.

Any move that increases your income or decreases your spending is a step in the right direction.

In a way, allowing perceived complexity to prevent you from doing the right thing is a variation of the optimization trap. The optimization trap is the belief that small tweaks make more difference than they actually do. Optimizing small things (clipping coupons, say) is often a way for people to feel like they're doing something meaningful when they're actually avoiding big, scary moves that could truly make a difference (downsizing their home, for example).

When people like me overcomplicate things at the start, we're doing so for similar reasons. We're nervous about making big changes. We're complacent. We're comfortable with our lives at the moment, so instead of doing the things we know need to be done, we spin our wheels while focusing on details that don't matter.

Right now, for instance, I am fat. There's no way to sugarcoat it. I've been gaining weight for several years now, and thanks to this quarantine, I've reached peak J.D. (in terms of size, anyhow). I know what I need to do to get fit again — eat less, exercise more — but I find it very easy to allow stupid details to prevent me from doing the right thing. “My bike needs a new tire. I don't have weights at home and the gyms are closed. I don't like vegetables. I don't know which tool to use to track my calories.”

All of these details are bullshit that distracts me from the fundamental problem: I need to burn more calories than I consume, and I'm not doing that.

If I want to get started with weight loss, I must achieve (and maintain) a calorie deficit. If /u/mkengland wants to reach financial independence, (s)he must spend less than (s)he earns. In both cases, thinking and deliberating does nothing. To achieve our goals, we must take action.

Start Where You Are

For overthinkers like me, action is key. Instead of finding the perfect time and place to start, we should start anywhere. Screw perfection! When starting a long journey, a perfect first step isn't critical. If you stumble at the start of a sprint, you're likely to lose the race. But if you stumble at the start of a marathon, it makes no difference. All that matters is that you've begun running.

As my friend Paula Pant once told me, “An imperfect plan you follow is better than a perfect plan you don't.”

One of the core tenets of the Get Rich Slowly philosophy is that the perfect is the enemy of the good. Too many people never start putting their finances in order because they don't know what the “best” first step is. Most of the time, “best” is irrelevant in this context. Don't worry about getting things exactly right — just choose a good option and do something to get started.

Here's a non-financial example from my own life.

As you know, Kim and I moved into our country cottage nearly three years ago. For the first couple of years, our time and money and attention were focused on home renovations. There were a lot of repairs that had to be made. Last year, we took a break. But this year? Thanks in part to the coronavirus quarantine, we've begun tackling our yard.

We have an acre of land. About half of it is seldom-used forest that slopes down the hill to a creek. But the other half is our fenced yard. It's a gorgeous park-like setting — or could be, if it were maintained. But the previous owners let things get out of control, and we've done little more than tread water since we bought the place. We've kept things from getting worse, but haven't done anything to make things better.

Here's a February photo of one corner of our yard:

This year, though, Kim and I have resolved to make our park-like setting actually park-like. That'll require a lot of work. Like, hundreds of hours. In February, we toured the yard to talk about what we needed to do. We each made a list as we walked along. When we finished, we were both overwhelmed.

“There's so much,” Kim said. “Where do we start?”

“I don't know,” I said. “I guess we start with whatever feels most pressing.” We drafted a short prioritized list of projects…and then never followed it. (Seriously. The top thing on our list remains undone two months later haha.)

Instead, here's how things went down.

On her first day laid off from work, Kim went outside to play with the dog and the cats. She got distracted by some weeds in the “tea garden”, so she paused to pull them. This led her to prune the climbing rose. Then she hauled the yard debris to the bottom of the hill, where she found more yard debris that needed to be cleaned up. And so on. Before she realized it, she'd put in a day of work. But it wasn't the work we'd planned.

What we've found is that if go outside, we'll see something that needs to be done. If we do that thing, a second step will become self-evident — or we'll see something else that needs done nearby. In other words, if we simply put ourselves in motion, if we do anything that contributes to our future vision of the yard, we'll continue to work on the yard, continue to be productive, until we're tired and done for the day. It doesn't matter which chore we choose. All that matters is that we choose a chore.

Kim has been home for maybe six weeks now. (Who knows anymore? My sense of time has warped.) In those six weeks, we've made huge strides. Sure, there's still much left to do, and we know it. But every day, we do a little more. Our yard has already been transformed, and it's only going to get better as we continue to do more work.

This is a current pano of the entire yard (click to open larger image in new window):

Here's the (very obvious) moral of this story: Start where you are. Do what you can with what you have. Don't concern yourself with “right” or “best” options. Choose a good option and get going.

When tackling a big project — whether that's renovating a yard, digging out of debt, or saving for early retirement — it matters less how you begin than that you begin.

How to Get Started

I grew up Mormon. One of the songs we sang in Primary (a.k.a. Sunday School) was called “Do What Is Right”. I think of it often, even today. Here's the chorus:

Do what is right; let the consequence follow. Battle for freedom in spirit and might; And with stout hearts look ye forth till tomorrow. God will protect you; then do what is right!

“Do what is right; let the consequence follow.” Yes! Exactly! Nowadays, I've incorporated this idea into my personal philosophy.

On my office computer, I have a sticky note: PROCESS NOT OUTCOME. This is a reminder to myself that I cannot control outcomes. I can only control effort.

If I do what is right — that is, if I do what is necessary to achieve what I want — and if I do my best, then I've done my part. By doing what's right and doing my best, I'll likely get the results I'm after. But if the results aren't what I wanted? Well then, I can live in peace. I know I did what I could, and I'm fine with that.

I can control my effort and actions, but I cannot control the results.

This “PROCESS NOT ACTION” reminder is important to me, and not only because I'm Overanalytical Man. I'm also paralyzed by self-doubt. It's easy for me to not take action because I'm afraid.

So, when I take on a big project like the course I just wrote for Audible, I often find it tough to get started. Before I even begin, I'm already imagining how painful it will be to read reviews from people who hate my work.

“PROCESS NOT OUTCOME” is a reminder that if I work hard and provide good info, then I've done my part. I can only control what I put into a project, not what others think of it.

So, let's return to the Reddit question that inspired this all. How do you get started with difficult tasks? Easy. By doing anything that moves you toward your goal.

Don't make things more complicated than they have to be. Identify fundamental principles and pursue them. Especially at the start, don't worry about making perfect choices or about optimization. Simply start. Take action. You can optimize later.

Do what is right. Do your best. Let the consequence follow.

from Finance https://www.getrichslowly.org/how-to-get-started/ via http://www.rssmix.com/