#and I’m probably over assuming my influence I just get highly anxious about like

[hasarjunadoneanythingwrong]

The Grail War poll blog is a lot of fun but yeah some people are being kind of annoying about it. (Not you I'm just speaking in general). No one's died yet either so at least there's that.

I hadn’t really thought abt it when I started but I guess that my blog might be more ‘influential’ just in the sense that I actually make stuff for the guy I want to win so people who follow me that don’t participate in the war otherwise might vote for him just bc I’m always posting about him

But like that doesn’t mean other people can’t do things for the side they want to win to drum up interest? Like where’s the memes and such for caster and rider and saber??? Ik not everyone can draw but we can all dick around in a meme editor right-I feel like a jerk being the only one to make any sort of propaganda for my fav bc it makes me worried I’m being obnoxious and making people resent him for being ‘popular’ when it’s less that and more one person massively hyperfixating on him

[ramblings-of-a-mad-cat]

To you, how good are the vault crew at duelling and how do they duel? I think that Tonks is someone who uses more unconventional ways like in a courtyard making use of obstacles rather than a normal duelling club, Barnaby has strong spells and is able to tank damage, Chiara is the underestimated one who spams protego and episkey, takes no damage,winning through occasional offensive spells no one sees coming, and Merula duels offensively with cunning. I also can't believe MC just wins every time.

A very good question! Let’s go through the gang one by one. 

MC - This is definitely open to interpretation. All we know for certain is that they’re either very good at dueling, very lucky, or some combination of the two. They’ve defeated acromantulas, dragons, unexplained ice golems, the list goes on. They’ve only ever lost to one person. So their style is open to interpretation (I think this was customizable during Aurelie’s quest) but in general, they usually win. This can be amended with head-canons, and I do have some of my own. Luca Fawley totally loses to the Red Cloak, to the Horntail, etc. But canon wise? Yeah...it is what it is. 

Rowan - They’re not much of a duelist. I can’t imagine they have any experience in combat magic apart from helping MC prepare to face Merula all the way back in Year 1. Given their extensive knowledge however, they probably know more magic than the average person, and they’re probably the most skilled at casting spells nonverbally. To translate that to game mechanics, maybe that means they know all of the exclusive dueling reward spells? In terms of style, I feel like they’d favor defense.

Ben - This one is all about confidence. We’ve seen that Ben’s prowess at dueling seems to depend on whether or not his anxieties are holding him back or not. Most of the time, he seems like he would completely fail, but when he actually fights - either in Y6CH18, when he’s let go of his anxiety, or when he was the Red Cloak (So it wouldn’t come into play) he actually kind of kicks ass? I feel like he specializes in charms and would know which ones to use in combat. I also think Old Ben favors sneaking, New Ben favors offense.

Penny - Another character who wouldn’t specialize in fighting, but the inclusion of the Wiggenweld Potion as an option that is known to be useful in dueling suggests, at least in HPHM canon, that adept potioneers can use their talents in a fight. I don’t really see how that works, personally (The animation takes forever, why wouldn’t the opponent just hit them mid-swig?) but I can roll with it. Penny’s style would therefore be highly unpredictable, which would be her main advantage. No one would know what to expect because it’s not her spells that they’re primarily fighting.

Merula - Like you said, she’s cunning. She probably knows a fair few hexes that most people don’t know, at least early on. Similar to Snape, she would have had an early advantage thanks to learning stuff on her own (or probably from her mother) and while she’s not above using the dark arts, that also takes talent and an edge that I feel like Merula doesn’t usually have. She would have a blend of offensive and sneaking, and would play without any honor at all, which would be her main advantage. But she’d also get cocky, and probably celebrate a victory before it’s confirmed. 

Bill - Here is someone who, at least to me, probably excels at Defense Against the Dark Arts. He’d have been in the D.A. if it was around during his time. But strictly light side magic, of course. He plays honorably, probably with a blend of offense and defense to help him manage particularly long fights. But he has a lot of natural talent, so that’s able to help him out. 

Skye - As one can expect, her primary strength in dueling isn’t her magical prowess, it’s her physical fitness. Catch her dodging every curse like a bludger, ducking and rolling over. Throwing a punch because her opponent doesn’t expect that at all, and if she can snap a broomstick in half, odds are she also has a mean right hook. As far as magic actually goes, I figure she’d favor offense and be straight to the point. If there was ever a character to live up to the “Spam depulso” meme, it’s Skye.

Murphy - The opposite situation would apply here. Murphy can’t rely on dodging curses or moving around quite as easily. But I also feel like he wouldn’t spend a lot of time studying dueling itself. But he also knows a lot of trivia. Similar to Rowan, he’d pull out a spell that no one expects or has even heard of. He could also probably keep a few potions on his person, especially if he ever hangs out with Penny. 

Orion - I’m going to be real with you. I think Orion does not duel. Period. This is similar to a head-canon I used to have about Yoda never carrying a lightsaber (which the prequels debunked, but that’s neither here nor there) I believe Orion is a pacifist and will never pick up his wand to harm another person. The most he will ever do is disarm or cast a shield charm. Even then, it’s not common. He prefers to talk his way out of situations, and something tells me it works more often than one would expect.

Rath - Here’s another case where physical prowess would be on her side. Not only that, there’s the intimidation factor. Rath is taller and bigger than most of her classmates, and it seems to be canon that she intimidates them for that reason. Beyond that, she also seems to have an ability to just shut down and go into a mode of focus, which includes focused rage. I know curses aren’t bludgers, but I feel like her training would still have an influence and make her aim, for example, twice as deadly. Yeah, she’d be a tough opponent and probably favor offense. 

Andre - This boy has never dueled in his life, and I doubt he’s any good at it. His magical talents and creativity are undeniable, but when it comes to combat? He should probably just hide behind MC. If it comes to it, I think he’s going to favor sneaking more. Just seems more like his style, considering that by his own admission, he likes to spy on people.

Tonks - Okay, the main thing holding her back here is going to be the opposite problem that someone like Andre or Diego would have, and that’s dexterity and grace. We all love Tonks, but she’s almost certainly dyspraxic. I can see her aiming a finishing hex, only to trip over a nearby pebble. Apart from that, I agree. Her style would be resourceful and unconventional. I can see her transfiguring herself into different people to throw off her opponent. Definitely a sneaky type. 

Tulip - Meet the most versatile duelist at Hogwarts. Seriously, with her inventive mind, her resources, and the influence of people like Merula and MC. Tulip can do anything that occurs to her, and she will. I feel like she favors carrying dungbombs and other pranks, to incorporate them into her dueling style. But she’s no pushover with magic, either. I’d say she doesn’t specialize but switches freely between offense, defense, and sneaking.

Ismelda - A more exaggerated version of Merula’s problem, in that in the early years, Ismelda would be simply terrible at dueling because she would attempt to use dark curses that she has neither the talent nor the cruelty to truly master. Other than that, we’ve seen that she has at least marginal talent for dueling and the use of curses and hexes. Practice doesn’t make perfect in this case, but it counts for something. She definitely strikes me as more offensive. 

Barnaby - He plays most similarly to Bill in this case. I think he would focus more on offensive magic, given what he’d learn as a Slytherin rather than being in the Gryffindor Common room. But his code of honor would be the same as the Weasleys, and while dueling isn’t his passion the way creatures are, he does seem to enjoy it and is very good at it. 

Liz - On the contrary, Liz is like Andre and Penny. This is not someone who ever draws her wand because she wants to, even for practice. That being said, that doesn’t mean Liz is not the argumentative type. Because she clearly is, and she’s clearly sensitive about being stereo-typed. In general, she seeks to protect the misunderstood and mistreated. If it came to it, she would draw her wand in those circumstances and likely play defensively. But she prefers to resolve conflicts verbally.

Charlie - Growing up a Weasley, you’d pick up a thing or two, of course. Especially being so close in age to Bill. These brothers definitely clashed and went to war (all in good fun) throughout their childhood. Fred and George probably ignited it, but Bill and Charlie do seem to exchange jabs with Percy as well. The main thing here is that Charlie would have learned a number of spells to subdue a dragon, and at least some of those probably translate to humans. So he’d be able to restrain an opponent in a duel.

Talbott - He holds back. He always holds back. Let’s think about this - his greatest secret weapon is one that he will always need to keep a secret and is constantly anxious about. He’s anxious in general, so similar to Ben, I think he could be a lot more powerful if he let loose. As a human or as an eagle. Seriously, golden eagles are fierce. Of all the animals to be in a fight, you could do a lot worse than a golden eagle. (I know this because I’m an Animorphs nerd.) So yeah, his biggest weakness is a mental one.

Chiara - Assuming that this is human Chiara, and not in her wolf-form, I feel like she’s another character who’s all but useless in combat. Though you’re right, this would lead to people underestimating her, and she is a Healer. There’s such a thing as army doctors for a reason. Between healing herself and setting up shields, she could probably tire out her opponent by tanking and playing defensively. 

Jae - The embodiment of the sneaking archetype. Seriously, he is a living, breathing example of the Thief build from RPGs. While I don’t think he’d stoop to using dark magic, he definitely knows some less scrupulous spells. Probably Deletrius, and whatever spell is needed to break into Alohomora-proof locks. As for dueling? Here’s another character who would probably depend on potions or other tools that he has on his person, to supplement his own magical talents, since dueling wouldn’t be something he studied too much. 

Badeea - In so many says, she is the most dangerous opponent on this list. Because her primary talent in the case of dueling makes her even more unpredictable than Tulip. Badeea...is a spell inventor. That alone gives her an edge, and she’s clearly an intelligent, talented witch otherwise. I don’t think dueling would be her first choice, mind you. Similar to Orion and Liz, I think she would see other methods to resolve conflict. But if it came to it, there’s just no way to prepare for an opponent like Badeea. 

Diego - He’s probably one of the most talented duelists on this list, if I’m being honest. We know that like Barnaby, he enjoys dueling and probably gets a lot of practice. Combined with his talents in dancing, he would be physically fit and know how to move. I can see him having an extremely graceful dueling style where his wand is nothing more than an extension of his arm, and his preferred style would be whatever he felt like that day.

Beatrice - She would get destroyed. I love her, but it’s true. Her magical education is a year behind, and who knows what kind of long-term effects her time in the Portrait could have on her physical body. Not to mention that outfit looks a little too big for her, which would restrict movement. I think in terms of raw talent and overall effort and motivation, she could score a few hits, catch someone by surprise. But in a real duel? She’s not winning. 

Alanza - I have no idea what Alanza’s levels of talent would be. But in general...she does seem to land on her feet, does seem to shrug off most things as water off a duck’s back. Survival skills apparently come easily to her, and she seems to just overall be a person who leads a charmed life. This is all assuming that there isn’t some other shoe to drop with Alanza, I think she would win duels entirely by accident. 

[wetalkinboutbooks]

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Summary: When Korede’s dinner is interrupted one night by a distress call from her sister, Ayoola, she knows what’s expected of her: bleach, rubber gloves, nerves of steel and a strong stomach. This’ll be the third boyfriend Ayoola’s dispatched in, quote, self-defence and the third mess that her lethal little sibling has left Korede to clear away. She should probably go to the police for the good of the menfolk of Nigeria, but she loves her sister and, as they say, family always comes first. Until, that is, Ayoola starts dating the doctor where Korede works as a nurse. Korede’s long been in love with him, and isn’t prepared to see him wind up with a knife in his back: but to save one would mean sacrificing the other. (Taken from Goodreads)

Our Ratings:  

 → Geena:  ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️🌗 

 → Kae: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️🌗 

Overall: 

My Sister, the Serial Killer is a thriller that delivers 😤 Oyinkan Braithwaite does an amazing job delving into the psyche of our main character even though there’s only a few hundred pages to this book. In addition, we also get a sense of every other character’s personalities (with some bias since it is first person). There’s wild plot twists and an ending that leaves your brain reeling! We highly recommend this book, it’s a quick read and pretty entertaining. 

~ Spoiler-full discussion below ~

The Good: 

→ The story

Kae: So, we start off with Korede receiving a call from her sister, Ayoola. She has killed another man and has class her big sister to help clean up her mess. Korede, as tired of her sisters shit as she is, drives to her sisters now DEAD boyfriends house to help dispose of the body. Her sister is always claiming self-defense, but Korede isn’t so sure. She’s a bit of an obsessive cleaner, so she scrubs his house clean, they throw his body in the river and continue on about their lives. Korede, not as easily as her sister. Korede is a nurse who has a crush on one of the doctors, Tade, who is just GOD’S FINEST MAN, according to Korede. Not in those words, but you get what I’m sayin’.  

Geena: SHE DESCRIBED HIM LIKE THE MAN OF EVERY GIRL’S DREAM

Kae: Boom! This is true. She’s madly in love with him. He can sing, is tall dark and handsome, and has a smile that outshines the sun. BUT, Korede is not conveniently attractive and is often overlooked by her beautiful sister, Ayoola. Though Korede doesn’t mind, it still irked me that everyone assumed she was jealous of Ayoola. They also treated Korede like the ugly duckling and I DID NOT like that shit AT ALL. 

Geena: Kae really hit all the main points, and I agree… I HATED how Korede was treated and looked at. Everyone around her seemed to look down on her (even her own mother???). Regardless of how she’s been treated due to her comparison to Ayoola, Korede loves her sister (like why else would she help hide 3 of her murders lmao) and would do ANYTHING (obviously) for her. Though that takes a hit when Ayoola waltzes into her hospital and the doctor she had a crush on falls head over heels for her. It’s just a wild ride from there as the doctor Korede thought was so perfect… just…. Rots??? LIKE HOW DO WE DESCRIBE THAT… His perfect man façade just fades as the story progresses. I really liked how the story progressed and we got to see how Korede’s opinions and thoughts change over the course of the novel like yaaas girl men ain’t shit!

Kae: Basically, yes men ain't shit and I love how his character just deteriorates in front of our eyes. That’s good writing because at first, I too was like “yaaaas, a perfect man!” then I was like “Ew, it stinks in here. Smell like funky ass Tade.” with that funky ass personality. 

→ Muhtar and Femi

Geena: DESPITE MY EARLIER POINT ABOUT MEN AIN’T SHIT, two men in this story were okay. Given that one was in a coma for half the book, and the other dead. Femi is the man that Ayoola murders at the start of the book, we learn about him as Korede keeps track of his family and how they react to his “disappearance.” Femi was a Soft Boy™ that wrote poetry and was lowkey jacked (according to Korede as she helped wrap his corpse). Femi essentially haunts Korede’s conscious, like the first man that Ayoola has murdered that wasn’t an absolute bag of shit (once again… according to Korede). I also liked how Femi’s voice in Korede’s head was the loudest when she was the most anxious about Ayoola murdering Tade… but as the novel progresses we hear less from ‘Femi’. AND LIKE…. OYINKAN IS SUCH A GOOD AUTHOR… all these subtleties that I didn’t even notice till now.. 

Kae: GEENA, YOUR MIND. I didn’t even peep that until you said it. But yes, to all of it! And now, we have Muhtar. Muhtar is a patient that’s been a coma for a few months that Korede has been caring for. She also talks to him about the murders her sister commits and how she helps clean the mess. You’d think this is alright because Muhtar has been in a coma for months, so he won’t tell anyone. WELL DING DONG, YOU ARE WRONG…. Kind of. Because my boy wakes up and he remembers damn there everything. Korede is shook (but I saw it coming hehehehe) so she then begins to avoid him. But, he requests her. He thinks her voice is what saved him and kept him alive while he was in a deep, comatose sleep. She begins to learn that he is a professor and that his wife was MAYBE TOTALLY POSSIBLY (absolutely) having an affair with his brother while he was knocked tf out. Korede is nervous because Muhtar remembers everything, but he assures her that he will not tell her secret. But he DOES tell her that continuing to aid her sister is going to destroy her little by little. He’s kind of right. But he, along with Femi, is a voice of reason for her. Muhtar is also one of the few people that treats Korede like a decent human being. He never mentions her appearance or if he thinks of her as a bad person. In his eyes, she is his angel that saved him from completely drowning in the sea of darkness that was his coma. We stan Muhtar! He even wanted to stay in touch with Korede after he recovered, but Korede reluctantly, burned his number. She wanted to leave him in the past, like all the murders she helped clean up. 

Geena: Ugh yes, I was thinking that maybe Korede saw Muhtar as an uncle/father figure, because their own father was absolutely garbage like…. TW for reading this book because their father is honest to god the WORST. I feel like if she had kept his number and talked to him she would’ve been able to break out of the toxic cycle of helping her sister get away with murder but I guess it wasn’t in her fate :(

The Bad :  

→ Korede 

Geena: Our heroine is UNFORTUNATELY the bad of the book. We sympathized with her a lot, she was the eldest sibling that always got the short end of the stick both at home and work, but she was expected to be perfect nonetheless. Yet, as the story progresses and the solutions to her problems become glaringly obvious (pls turn in ur sister… even though at this point your complicit) Korede turns a blind eye and continues to fall under the influence of Ayoola. We had hoped that by the end of the series Korede would have realized that blood isn’t thicker than water…. But :// I MEAN I understand why narrative wise but IT STILL WAS FRUSTRATING like…. 

Fate: *presents the perfect chance for Korede to be free of Ayoola*

Korede: *slips on sunglasses* suddenly… I can’t read 

Kae: Yeah, I sympathized with Korede a lot. Like, she was always overlooked, talked down to, and treated like she was less than. But she’s honestly the true definition of “ride or die” *ba doom tiinnngg*. I do wish that even if she didn’t turn in her sister, she would’ve at least moved out of her toxic home away from her murderous and toxic ass sister. Like Geena said, she had the perfect opportunity to solve her probbies, but she just kept up with the shits. THOUGHHHHH. Her sister DID attempted to kill Tade and failed and that kind of backfired. Ayoola claims Tade was beginning to think Korede killed Femi and Ayoola was like “oh shit…” then stabby stabby, missed him, BOOM. He stabs her instead. It’s a whole thing but they get out of it. Blame it on Tade. Self defense and all that jazz. But YES, I’ve gone off topic. Korede got stuck like chuck. 

Geena: LMAO YES KAE WORDED IT PERFECTLY! And now that you mention it… I’m like…. What did Ayoola say that led Tade to believe that Korede killed Femi 👀 Ayoola was fr gaslighting our poor girl the whole time like… OKAY I KINDA WANNA TALK ABOUT AYOOLA BC HOLY SHIT THAT GIRL…. HOW U GONNA CASUALLY LICK ICE CREAM WHILE LOOKING THE SISTER OF THE MAN U KILLED IN HER FACE AND BE LIKE “OMG IS THERE ANY NEWS?” LIKE……. WHERE IS HER OSCAR? AND HER JAIL SENTENCE… My mind was REELING… Also, I GUESS Korede’s choice makes sense, she chose to protect Ayoola since they were kids (from their shitty ass dad) and I guess that trauma just forced her to follow the same path. 

The Ugly: 

→ Tade 

Kae: Geena was so right about everything she said about Ayoola. HONESTLY. TRULY. Now, Tade… Tade, Tade, Tade. Not gonna lie, I was swooning right along with all the other ladies at the beginning of the book. He was described as the perfect gentleman. He is basically what every girl (or boy or anything in between or not) would want. Then, as the story progresses, we see Tade as well… a fuck boy. Like, backtracking a bit, Ayoola mentioned that Tade was just like the rest. He saw a pretty face and nothing else. And well, Ayoola was right. He didn’t know shit about Ayoola, her little quirks, or even what she liked. He just thought she was pretty and was ready to put a ring on it. He began to ignore Korede, only talk to her if it was about Ayoola, and eventually came to speculate that Korede was the one to kill Femi. He thought like this because he grouped pretty faces with lovely things, and well… ugly faces with ugly things… Like murder and jealousy. We slowly began to see that Tade was just like the rest of them and that was ANNOYING AS SHIT. ESPECIALLY when he starts getting up Korede’s ass, saying she’s a bad sister and jealous and bitter. Korede was nothing but nice to his STANK ASSSSSS and in the end, he couldn’t even be nice in return. MIND YOU. He’d only known Ayoola for like a month or two, but had known Korede for like a year or so. Annoying. 

Geena:  HARD AGREE ON EVERYTHING KAE SAID, because holy shit Tade deteriorated faster than Femi’s corpse. He really saw Ayoola once and forgot about Korede. Our girl out here used to COOK for his dumbass… She used to listen to him talk about everything, and Korede was ready to give him the world. The funniest part in the whole book was when Tade is going batshit crazy because he finds out that Ayoola cheated on him and Korede sees his condition and was like pathetic.jpeg… But they share a moment there??? And Korede tries to tell him that Ayoola is a serial killer and Tade is like “I KNEW YOU WERE A BACKSTABBING BITCH!!”  while Korede was like… the only stabbing bitch here is Ayoola but alright. Not to mention when he brings out the ring for Ayoola and he’s talking like a crackhead about how much he loves Ayoola and Korede asks “Oh, so what do you like about her.” *CUE SILENCE* Tade is like “OH you know she’s super pretty and I wanna be with her.”......... like……… if that ain’t the most fuckboi shit……… I guess that was the point Korede was like “men ain’t shit!!!!” making it easier for her to just turn him over to the cops when he stabs Ayoola. GOD he was fucking annoying, kinda disappointed that Ayoola didn’t kill him :/// hoo boy thinkin bout that man gives me a headache… the absolute stupidity……………. Korede was wearing them heavy rose-coloured glasses at the start of the book and we got to read them shatter so that was a good touch!

→ Ayoola

Kae: AYOOLA. The perfect, pretty little sociopath. This girl is honestly something else. Sometimes I would have to scoff at the gall of this girls ability to not give a single fuck. Ayoola really murdered Femi, called Korede, then was just chillin on her phone or whatever while Korede cleaned up the mess. She has to have this like, impulse feeling where she hears Kill Bill sirens and sees red, then just straight up STABS OL’ DUDE and then she’s back to normal like “oops, I did it again.” and this bitch just be like WELP GOTTA CALL BIG SISSY TO HELP ME la dee daaa. She even participated in Femi’s hashtag on Insta. Home girl was DANCING IN HER ROOM after killing him. This would honestly make a great movie, ngl. 

Geena: YOU’RE SO RIGHT IT WOULD MAKE A GREAT MOVIE, I’d pay to see this made. God.. Ayoola was actually psycho just after a week she murders her bf she decides to go on to the next one? Like girl wasted NO time moving on, even though the whole time she was with Tade she was, like Kae said, participating in Femi’s Insta hashtag like “omg where is my man :(((“. ALSO the way she expects Korede to not question her after she kills a man? Korede will simply insinuate that Ayoola murdered someone and this girl would be like “YOU SEE ME AS A MONSTER????? IS THAT HOW IT IS?” Making Korede feel bad and backtrack. ALSO, like Kae mentioned…. AYOOLA WAS NEVER STRESSED??? Even when the cops rolled through to question her and Korede, Ayoola was like ~sips drink~ “I’m sure Korede has this figured out.” Going to project for a second and be like.. That’s such a younger sibling thing to do? Like never stressing about anything because they’re sure their older sibling will make up for them.

Kae: And we do. We totally make up for them. Because if they’re not going to do it, it falls on you ANYWAY and I honestly don’t like seeing my little sister get in trouble so, I get it. She only deserves to get in trouble if I think she deserves it. Mostly because we totally raise our younger sibs. We lowkey “momma bear” them. 

Conclusion 

Geena: This book was pretty short, only a few hundred pages, but it was fucking JAM PACKED!! It was a thriller, every chapter you were like “Ok this is where Ayoola snaps!!” or “This is where the cops catch them!”  but NAH! I really enjoyed the writing even though the ending made me wanna SCREAM, Oyinkan Braithwaite does a really good job at foreshadowing and so on. For example, foreshadowing Muhtar waking up (which I should’ve seen but I was drinking that dumb bitch juice). Rated it 3.5/5 because I think there was room for Korede to grow past what she has known but sometimes we just fall back into what we’ve always done :/ 

Kae: I agree. It was a short book but it was jam packed with entertainment and I never knew what was going to happen next. I really enjoyed reading it and I loved how modern it was with it’s mentions of Insta and Snapchat. I liked that Korede dealt with all of her trauma by excessive cleaning. I liked that it showed a real coping mechanism, even if it was under horrible circumstances. I liked all of the characters and the way Oyinkan wrote them. I loved going deeper into these characters personalities. The ending did piss me off, but IT’S A THRILLER BOOK. So I should’ve seen incoming *small violin*. I too, give it a 3.5/5. 

Geena: BUT YA I’D SAY THIS IS A GOOD BOOK REGARDLESS OF THE ENDING RIGHT? I really liked everything UP to the end skfjns… PLEASE READ IT!!

Kae: YES. READ IT. IT’S SOOO WORTH IT. IT’S A WILD RIDE BAYBEEEE. 

[sadisim]

Coming full circle: 2 years later

I want to start off this post by saying that this is no tea, shade, drama, subpost or whatever other name you want to find for this. This is my most sincere and last message that I will post on my blog. This is why I want to apologize in advance for the ridiculous length of this and I want every reader to be considerate, understanding, open and as objective as they possibly can in this matter.

I will not tolerate any hate sent towards me or the person I am about to mention nor any curious anons asking to “spill the tea” or anything of that nature. If you have any questions my inbox is always open and you are free to directly message me to discuss further. ^_^ /)

Now that we got that out of the way... I will tell you all a little story about my relationship with Frankie (gruesim or simplyimaginarypeople, however you want to call her)

If any of y’all simblr veterans know me for a long time, you surely know I’ve been here for about 6 years or so. I joined this website when I was around 13 years of age, and naturally as any 13 year old I immediately looked up to people who were more talented than me. One of those very people was Frankie herself. I respected her highly, admired her for all her hard work, discipline, talent for meshing from the very beginning and I am extremely thankful to her for all the help she has offered me throughout the years. 

I wanted to be like her. I wanted to mesh and have something to give to Simblr. I wanted to become popular and cool and constantly compared myself to her. Like any teenager would when they admire someone older than them.

You can imagine I grew up with time and I became less and less of a child, maturing and forming my own opinions etc. But I was still pretty gullible and easy to fool back then. So I blindly trusted Frankie and supported her in everything she did, no matter what other people around me were telling me about her. Above all I considered her a friend. A very close one that is. But I am never sure what she considered me to be. I don’t blame her though, I was pretty stupid and annoying when she knew me back then so I don’t mind it at all. However I wish that she had explicitly told me instead. I was always supportive and I remember all of our chats ran dry most of the time with me constantly asking her how she’s doing, admiring and supporting her and her being very distant and cold. I remember at some point she mentioned she cares for me as a friend but I felt like at the time that she didn’t truly mean it.  I never knew if she were like this just with me or if she was like that with everyone. But she was absolutely impossible to approach on my end. At least that’s what a teenager me thought at that time. I can be completely wrong about this. And that’s fine.

Growing up more and more I came to terms with the fact that maybe she just disliked me for some reason I didn’t know. Maybe I was too young for her to be friends with, maybe we had a communication barrier of sorts. So I slowly drifted away…running from my problems instead of confronting her.

That was my biggest mistake and fault.

I wish I had the power then that I have now, to confront people directly and tell them how I feel with no filters or sugarcoating.

But back then sugarcoating was the safest form of escape for me. There is nothing sweeter than pretending everything is okay when it isn’t, just to get away from an uncomfortable situation. All of y’all socially anxious people definitely know what I mean by this.

Sugarcoating was my second and most fatal mistake of all within our relationship.

I fully assume my wrongdoings and past mistakes and I want to let you know that I have realized what I did not do right back then. If I could turn back time I would do something entirely different, but that’s not possible. We learn from our past, don’t we? That’s what  I’ve been slowly doing in the past few years. ^_^

My falling out with Frankie happened around two years ago. I had started a Patreon for my writing combined with some sims ( pose making, skin making etc )She was clearly not happy about it. She was one of the first people who disagreed with me on it. I appreciated her input and never told her that it bothered me so that she didn’t think that I was “one of those people” who ask for money for content so I just sugarcoated everything as I always did. I remember her saying that she “is not a fan of Patreon as long as it’s not against EA” which I 100% agree with, I never intended to lock cc behind a paywall. I would just release stuff later on, probably in 2-3 weeks’ time. However I remember very clearly that she stated how “it would be still exclusive and that it’s no longer a donation instead it’s buying”

I really didn’t like that she was saying those things to me, I remember feeling disappointed. So because I didn’t want to anger her because I really looked up to her and I feared we might fight, I took down my Patreon and got a Ko-fi instead. I’m extremely thankful to everyone who donated, it’s helped me lots! She seemed to be happy about Ko-fi and i was happy i could please her and solve the problem. I never knew why she hated Patreon so much, to me Ko fi was exactly identical to Patreon. Just another name for donations.

This was the first time that Frankie’s shot a bullet in the way I viewed her. At that time she was starting to gain a lot of influence in the community because of her hard work and dedication and she was leading a very public campaign against Patreon. She’s said some things back then which heavily contrast her current views on Patreon, donations or cc locked behind a temporary wall.

She’s said multiple times, publicly and privately how she “hates everything exclusive” but as years passed by I sometimes saw her on my dashboard, despite not following her on tumblr. I couldn’t help but notice how she seemed to me that she helps those very close to her only and seems to not bat an eye about patreon/timed exclusive content  to some people I’ve seen interacting with her– Listen, I know that this might come across as harsh or salty but I mentioned before that I don’t think she’s seen me as a friend. I was not part of her inner circle, nor did we have very deep talks about many things in particular. It just really hurt me to see this happening, while behind closed doors, two years ago she’d bashed me for wanting to make a patreon instead of just asking for donations (it was the same exact thing to me…)

While this subject is still up I’d like to mention the drama that took place a bit earlier this month. The whole hair thing. I have very hardly abstained from saying anything or intervening within the drama because i have biased opinions about her based on my past experience with her. So I didn’t want to come across as harsh, rude or disrespectful to her because of my feelings towards her and didn’t want to portray her in a biased light. The people who know, know what my opinion on the whole drama was. It’s unnecessary to tell you what I think about it since it’s no longer around. But I’d just want to say that for me it felt like all of her constant contradictions were falling apart and truth was starting to get to the surface. I felt like this situation was going to teach her a lesson, and I surely hope she’s learned. She’s not a horrible person. She’s never had malicious intent. I just think that she never really knew quite well how to handle social situations. This isn’t the first time Frankie’s taken a break from simblr. 

Perhaps her views have changed over the past few years. I know mine did a lot, so I don’t blame her if she no longer believes in the things she’s said before. People change all the time for the better or worse and it’s not something unusual. My problem here is that she’s never quite explained why she’s changed her opinions, nor did she justify her behaviour towards me at the time and other people involved who had the same experience with her. I just sort of wish that we had gotten some sort of apology, or an explanation from her after a while…anything would have made us happy. But she never did, so we moved on and kept on ignoring her, praying that we don’t ever have to interact again while watching her from afar doing things that were sort of questionable and didn’t rub us in the right way at all. But I kept silent because people support and love her, and I didn’t want to stir drama. It would have meant setting a hornet’s nest on fire and jumping right into it. Which is why I’ve never gone public about this in the first place. I just wanted to make sure that the heat of the drama was gone before i posted this. I felt like it would have been unfair to her to ‘attack’ her with this during the whole thing. 

The next time that I started getting off vibes from her was the whole Simscord thing. She joined us, I remember that clearly, she’d post in the sims 3 channel now and then but she would most of the time be in the help channel. She’d never ignore anyone and seemed to become some helper that everyone’s seen her as. So everyone went to her for help, which is what she’s always done for the community: help. It’s not easy work to help others solve their problems, which is why I respect her for it. However I don’t understand why she’s left Simscord and then proceeded to tell me she was ‘constantly ignored’ and ‘only seen as a helper’ by others. And then she proceeded to turn her blog into a help blog for every single question that every single anon needed but NEVER complained about how ignored she is or how she’s only seen as a helper then. She’s sort of criticised Simscord on multiple times before, very passively aggressively with comments like “Why does Simscord have exclusive tutorials? Isn’t that sucky for the people who don’t like joining public chats ?”  I eventually posted all the ‘exclusive tutorials’ a bit later that i wrote for Simscord onto my blog. they are still up and you can find them. This did not really make me happy when the whole SSFF thing started taking off and she did not admit that she was blocking access to cc from people who were too socially anxious to do any of the challenges. But we’ll get to that later. That’s just one of the things I can remember … again I’m saying this once more: she might have changed her view since then so I don’t blame her if she thinks differently. I just blame her past self for the way she’s acted in the whole thing. That’s all. It seemed to me that she’s never quite liked Simscord in the first place and kept trying to find ways to dismiss its usefulness. It’s always brought me down because us, the admins, were doing our best to keep Simscord alive, equal and fun to everyone whether they liked talking with us there or not. It felt like a blow to my self-esteem for the time and effort I’d put into Simscord as an admin. I know very well it’s not perfect and it can’t be. Admins are humans just like everyone. We can’t force people to act a certain way just because we want to.

 The next time we had a conflict it was “fatal” for your relationship. It was when we parted ways completely and haven’t spoken directly since. Here is where my biggest fault comes in: not confronting her and being straightforward about how she made me feel. She was angry with me because “I’d changed”. I was apparently “a different person” because I was starting to be myself more on my blog, stopping to sugarcoat things so much…I was trying my best to get out of my childish shell of agreeing with everyone just to avoid conflict and duck confrontation with people when we couldn’t agree. I remember receiving an anonymous message around that time from someone who told me that “I changed” . I was very saddened by the message, I remember I actually cried when I received it. I did not understand why that anonymous person saw me as ‘changed’. I was just being myself and trying to grow and shape and break free from the cute, innocent angel persona that I had created for myself. Sorta like Miley when she had that crazy post Disney phase lol. Im joking now but it’s for real. Then I connected that anon message to her and I am still suspecting today that it might have been her, or someone from her inner circle but then again i could be wrong about this. She had also told me clearly how she “talked to other people who confirmed my change.” I never knew who these people were. Why were they talking behind my back? Why were they not directly telling me into my face that “I changed” if they knew me so well? I highly doubt they knew me at all. Or perhaps there were no “other people”. Perhaps she had made that up just to add to her argument. I’ll never know.

 I supported her in the whole drama with The Together Store because I was still admiring her for her work and passion and I still refused to see the doubtful things that people were accusing her of doing. I remember very clearly how I messaged her when she announced her hiatus, supporting her and telling her I’m there for her, not even willing to listen to The Together Store’s side of the story (If any of you guys are reading this please reach out to me, I can’t remember your urls. I’d like to apologize personally!)   and she just told me that she doesn’t need my support, she’s not bullied and she doesn’t need help. That put a knife in my chest. I know she was just being angry in that moment. She eventually apologized for her harsh words but I never told her how they made me feel then. Another mistake on my end. I kept adding and adding to the idea of supporting her and she simply said that “she needs people to change the way they act”. I kept adding fuel to the conversation but it went nowhere. In one of the last messages from her I remember she explicitly told me that “It’s attitudes like mine that made her leave” and after that I could take no more blows. I knew then deep down my heart that I did not like her attitude but I decided to simply be nice, continue to wrongly sugarcoat the words I wanted to tell her, block her and move on. She was constantly adding in how she saw me as some sort of… Simblr Leader? I never understood what she meant by that. Never. “I don't respect the way you are handling your position as a community leader. Its been super sad to watch such a kind and sweet person get influenced by all this and I wish it were different”  - This is a direct quote from her. I have yet to understand what this all means today. I don’t know what “Influenced by all” means. I have no idea where she got the idea that I am or was a community leader by any means. Surely, I used to have much more influence two years ago. I had thousands of followers, talked to hundreds of people. But I was not a leader. I surely didn’t consider myself that way nor ever said i am one.

I know I handled the situation terribly. Yet again I take complete responsibility for my mistakes and I wish I could gather the courage to reach out to her instead. But we parted ways, by agreeing to disagree and moved on with our lives. I’ve been avoiding her from my dash actively by blocking her username and just stayed away as much as possible. I thought about it many times, to message her…to reach out and talk and be open about my mistakes. But I’ve always gotten a bit anxious the way she might understand this and respond. I know she’s had a distant tone when talking to me before and i did not want to get anxious. So i just hoped i’d get the chance to talk about this someday.

So in the years that came after that I watched her expand, grow and shape her simblr, her projects. She started becoming the very thing that she swore to destroy (very poetic but im making a reference to that one meme. Yall edgelords know what im talkin about). There was  SimblrSimplyForFun that pissed me off with the idea of exclusivity that she was so aggressive towards me about but she ended up doing herself- i remember people talking about how they don’t like the idea of challenges and interacting with others just to get ‘a treat’. She was even sent anonymous questions about this very matter: what are socially anxious people going to do? We can’t just interact with others like normal people. I don’t remember her exact response but I think it was something that brushed off the anon. Then came the drama with the hairs. It was the last drop for me. I wanted to let it all go. It’s been awful to hold this in for so long. She took it upon herself to change an entire community by implementing all these projects, which in idea are super fun and cool and really help connect people, but she was doing all the work by herself and kept on burdening herself with every challenge and piece of cc released. She had hundreds and hundreds of projects, videos, tutorials and cc released in the span of two years that were monstrously over encumbering her with so much responsibility to “change simblr” that she got swallowed in this dark pit of becoming a vessel for change and it ended up overwhelming her to the point where she left. That’s just how I see things from the outside. It doesn’t mean I’m right and you can contradict me on this, I’d gladly listen. She’s done so much for us all, a help that nobody else was willing to give and I am thankful for all her dedication and time spent doing these things. But reading her goodbye message made me realize how she’s seen Simblr more as a job than anything else. She was becoming the “leader” she was trying to enforce on me but it was no easy job. To me Simblr is fun, it’s a hobby. It’s somewhere I come to see creativity and catch up with old mutuals. Nothing more than that. If i can help people i definitely will, if it’s within my knowledge and free time. I don’t want my kindness/selflessness be seen as some sort of sacrifice i make as a “leader of the community”. That’s just my opinion. I feel like she really deserved a break and some time away to clear up her mind, relax and think. I hope she finds the peace she seeks!

I have stayed put form talking about this. As soon as the whole drama with the hairs got out I knew it was gonna be a big blow on her blog. I just didn’t want to add fuel to the fire and that’s why I am posting this only now.. I just wanted to tell my story that I kept in for two long years and that I’ve struggled to come to terms with until now. 

If you’re reading this Frankie, I’m sorry about the mistakes I made and that I didn’t tell you how I truly felt. It’s probably late, but it’s never too late to apologize for my behavior.

I understand people might not agree with me or my side of the story, that’s totally fine. I just wanted to clear things up because I have many people here I talk to that have asked me before why I don’t interact with Frankie or avoid her. I hope that this explanation is everything you need to clear things up ^_^ Anyone who I’ve personally hurt, attacked or wronged is free to unfollow me or block me away, that is totally fine and acceptable, or perhaps if you want to talk about things I’m always here to listen and discuss.

Ever since this thing happened it’s left me pretty bitter about making new friends here. Which is why I’ve just set a limit to myself to just remain ‘mutuals’ with many people and nothing more or less. It’s why I’ve been colder and colder with every year and refused to do many collabs or ships or whatever. I just have matured and grew up and I do not have much time anymore for any of these things. My IRL is full of problems that I am not willing to discuss here because they don’t concern anyone. I’ve come here just to tell my story and that’s the last personal post I’ll probably ever make on my blog.

Thankyou all for reading this extremely long post and bearing with me!

[smoresmoresmore]

Will edit later

I just have to say

I was possibly exposed to Rabies and came to Tumblr for help and advice and was THOROUGHLY AND DISTURBINGLY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE RABIES TAG.

Omg

I was convinced I was going to die and searching anything Rabies related was UNHELPFUL AF. Not judging but y'all did not help lol.

Very long explanation of why I thought I was going to die:

Waking up to a bat (2 nights in a row) is not automatic cause to assume you will die but it is, I found out after talking to the Dept. Of Agriculture and their Epidemiologist, an immediate cause to go straight to the ER and get shot up with the vaccine and immunoglobulin so you DON'T POTENTIALLY DIE. It is not something the doctors can argue against and it is not something you should postpone. Especially since I was "under the influence" (Nyquil) at the time and even less likely to notice if I had gotten scratched or bitten. My being unaware was the key point in the urgency of going to the ER.

The ER doc was highly annoyed I knew just what to say ("I woke up with a bat in my face") and he grumpily admitted he was bound to follow CDC protocol. His annoyance was so obvious he repeatedly told me how unlikely it was I was bit and explained how "intense" the shots would be. I assume he felt the medicine could be put to better use on someone who was 100% sure and/or was injured. When I asked him what would happen to me if I WAS bitten and didn't get the shot like he wanted, he sighed and admitted "Well, you die."

"Well, shoot me up, doc!"

That night I got 7 shots. One in my arm, which hurt so bad--I guess because my nurse was new and may habe gone too deep because the subsequent shots I have gotten in the same arm haven't been anywhere near as painful-- and 6 in my buttcheeks. 3 in each.

Waking up from my Nyquil coma to a bat in my face was not fun. I had never related to those movie scenes of people screaming and running around afraid if bats. But jessuz. They are fast. And this one was swooping around my living room and deliberately getting super close to me. I had to hide under my blanket and in my fevered state this made me sweat. Trying to herd it to my now opened windows did not help. I tried to call police, fireman andnanimal control; the 1st two were useless and the 3rd was not open at 1am.

Eventually I reached out to my townie facebook group and got advice. White towels attract them. Or make it dark and quiet and hide--I did this as I was not going to run around with a towel in my undies like that video--which worked. 2 very concerned people urged me to go to a doctor.

"You say you have flu-like symptoms and a constant fever and you sleep in that room a lot. You really need to go to the ER. Rabies is so dangerous."

And after 2 nights of dealing with bats and my fever spiking right around the time they show up, I existed in a dark hole of stress. So much so that the second morning I woke up to my hand twitching erratically and my thumb muscle spasming and I started bawling. I had already gotten the shots the day before so I knew if I encountered anything rabid I should be okish (I still had 3 more to go before I was fully protected) but now, with my glitchy hand, I was panicking about "WHAT IF I ALREADY HAD IT?!"

Urgent Care had ruled out Strep twice for my odd sickness and had assured me I have a random virus and to just stay in bed for a few days. Which I had been doing faithfully, before getting bored and moving to my livingroom nest. I like to sleep in there a lot and often do when the weather is nice. I just made sure to drink water and tea and get sunlight and all the things. Including Nyquil. But my fevers were getting worse. I was feeling like crap. And now what we all assumed to be A Normal Virus was morphing into my worst nightmare.

Probably egged on by 101 temperatures, I called around until someone was willing to explaon to me whether I was dying or not. Getting told "You'll be fine. It is SO RARE," did not calm me down. I needed someone to explain how the long incubation period (months to a year) and symptoms (flu like, emotional, twitchy) did not match me.

I slept in that room on accident and on purpose since moving in almost 9 months ago. I'm a heavy sleeper and don't wake up easily. Iffff I had been bitten during one of my all-nighters doing math homework or essay writing, it makes sense I would suddenly get a random "virus" that isn't going away. I had it all worked out in my head. I was getting headaches in the sun and stores. I forced myself outside and out and about when I felt ok because fuck it if I was going to let this be a symptom I had. I was getting anxious in the shower but, knowing fear of water was a symptom, I forced myself to stay in it. (Turns out my paranoia was right. The water was starting to be hard and my skin was breaking out. It is very annoying. The timing was just horrendous)

All the doctors and nurses kindly told me I was safe since I had started the shots but no one had an answer for me when I asked if they helped if I hadddd it already. They weren't sure. The amount of information they have or are willing to share is astonishingly low.

After 2 hours of phone tag I was finallly able to get an appointment with an Infectious Disease Doctor. She told me that if I did have it there was no real evidence about the vaccine helping, especially since I had only had the first dose at that point. She told me it would be fast though and they couldn't tell until "you're foaming at the mouth." She asked to look in my mouth and when I told her about my drooliness she said to let her know if it got worse. She asked about my hand. I told her. She asked about numbness and I freaked cuz my arm did go numb at one point.

I askwd her about tests. I had read that there were a few--spinal fluid, spit, blood--that were not really reliable. She said since I had the vaccine and immunoglobulin in my system already they would show up and it would be pointless.

My only option was to wait. And chill. And try not to dwell on the fact that there is no answer or cure or way to find out if I should plan my trip to Oregon and die or if I should allow my boyfriend to visit me.

He was firmly in the You Don't Have Rabies camp and came over anyway to feed me soup and hang out. But I refused to kiss him. It made him very sad and probably extremely exasperated.

My boss was so done with me when he asked if I could come in the next day. "Sasha. You cannot have Rabies. Just come to work. You'll be fine." And I realized how crazy I sounded but I still warned all my coworkers.

Anyway, my lowgrade fever continued, my twitchiness stopped, my drooling stopped, my water was hard so I avoided the shower but cleaned my good bits, and once I doubled up my water intake my headaches disappeared. I went into a mini death spiral for a day but decided to force myself into believing I was fine.

When I started getting confused and fainty, I bought Iron supplements. When I started getting angry and anxious, I called my friends and got distracted. When it was time to get another shot, I made sure to update everyone of the weirdness Just In Case.

One nurse took the time to sit me down and listwn. That's really all I needed since no one had answers. I just needed my mind soothed and concerns not dismissed. She couldn't explain the muscle spasm but could definitely see why I was freaking out. She was the one who tested me for peace of mind. She looked into Lyme disease. She found my anemia. She explained that the amount of time that had elapsed made her sure I was going to be ok. She had watched people die in Africa from this and shw said it happens So Fast it is tragic. I would not be able to organize a trip to Oregon to die. I would become incoherent and slip away within days.

That was what I needed. A timeframe. A legit explanation of what it looks like and how it happens. And why I don't fit. This whole time I had been wondering how to tell my friends. Whether I could write all their numbers down in case I couldnt function enough to call them or remember my phone password. I was planning on cleaning my apartment so good so the landlord couldn't bash me when I was bouncing off the walls and hissing at him. I was deciding who I really needed to contact and who I could live without wasting breath on. I was planning a goodbye party. I told all 3 of my lovers ("´hey, I have this thing there is no real test for while you're alive but there is once you die so you can't get tested, and you may have it so got get shot up but no one is sure if that will help much," but I did tell them and it was hilarious to them. My favorite response being "RIP" and "F") And this all had put me in such a dark place that, coupled with a few shitty days at work with my bully of a manager, I also asked for a psych person to visit me after the Rabies shot.

After her talk I was like, oh. Thank godddd. And kinda annoyed at having to wait an extra hour in the ER for a talk that could wait til morning. But I chatted with rhem and asked for referral to a shrink since this had just highlighted how much I need help with my anxiety. Especially since the temporary issue of Rabies was being resolved but my cruel manager was still going to exist now that I was going to survive this beef with nature. It was nice to think of that way "my rabies beef is getting cooked" and the pscyh lady got me help. So that was nice. I just mainly needed to get healthy again so I could

I mean. Almostbarelybutnotreally facing a cruel death was a great way to look at life and reflect on some things. There are messes I am not at fault for, messes I avoid that I shouldn't, people and things I value and the objects that matter to me more than others for ridiculous reasons. I was so grateful to the staff for putting up with me. And for you for reading.

All of this just to say

Circle circle dot dot

Soon I get my last Rabies Shot

[warnadudenexttime]

The Lair of the Beast is a Tricky One

A/N: I’ve been working on this fic for over a week now and I’m really excited to share! Hope you all enjoy!

Warnings: Self depreciation, someone being a jerk, and lying.

Word count: 4,638

Beta: @madly-handsome

Summary: Thomas and the sides travel into Deceit’s room.

“What is up… no no I can’t do this today.” Thomas reached over and turned off the camera.

Roman shot up with a distressed look on his face, “Um Thomas!?”

Thomas sighed in response, “Yes Roman?”

“You can’t do this today? And umm why is that??” Roman pushed. “I gave you a perfectly good idea for a video and this-“

“Roman!” Thomas shouted.

Roman instantly shut his mouth. He dropped his head in shame. He had another dramatic outburst. Those seemingly happened more and more recently.

Thomas brushed a hand past his hair, “It’s not about your idea I… just can’t do it right now.” He spoke softly.

“Is this like- a motivation issue again?” Roman questioned cautiously not wanting to cause Thomas any stress.

A roaring groan could be heard as Logan rose up, “I always say emotions are the bane of my existence... But I take it back, MOTIVATION ISSUES TRULY WILL BE THE END OF ME!” He yelled, quickly regaining his composure. Logan went back to his usually calm tone. “Thomas, may I ask what or whom is making you feel this way?”

“Am I really getting anything out of these videos?” Thomas unhappily said.

Logan rolled his eyes. This issue appeared to be so easy to solve. All he needs to do is remind Thomas of why he made videos. “Well, of course you do. You have an income which is providing you with clothes, shelter, food-“

“Yeah yeah that’s great and all, but is this really making a difference to the world?” Thomas barely even got his words out.

“The whole world? Of course not.” Logan laughed not understanding the entire situation thoroughly.

Virgil pops in, “Thanks Teach that sure calmed my nerves.”

“I’d appreciate less sarcasm next time Virge, though I see you may know the birth of this problem?” Logan remarked, assuming since Thomas felt so down and filled with worry, and Virgil experienced that, he could tell him why he was so anxious.

Virgil rubbed his temples, “Is this all really important? Is what we are doing actually making a difference to anyone’s life?” He sank into himself. “Or is it just pointless and no cares?” he said that last thing more as a statement rather than doubting.

“I understand… well I actually don’t... that's a lie. Logan, you're the smart one! Can you tell him he's overreacting?” Roman requested, getting very restless.

“To appease his confusion, telling him his feelings aren't valid isn't gonna help.” Logan waved a nagging finger at Roman. “Virgil, while it may look like making videos for others entertainment is worthless in terms of truly having importance in the world. I assure you that they do effect-”

“I’m perfectly aware of that Logan!” Virgil hollered, his voice got slightly demonic.

The room got silent.

“T-then what's the is-ssue, Mr. Gloom?” Roman stuttered, slightly frightened.

Logan’s eyebrow went up, confused he asked. “Yes… if you know reality, how isn’t that comforting you?” While he did have methods of trying to calm Virgil, one of the things that worked best was reestablishing reality for him. Yet, in this situation he understood he was being irrational and still believing the lie he was telling himself.

“Well Logan, if I knew I’d probably already have it fixed by now!” Virgil snarled, clearly the anxiety Thomas put off turned Virgil's mood for the worse.  

“Just leave him alone for now Logan, I doubt you can help him.” Thomas whispered.

Logan lifted his pointer and opened his mouth however, nothing came out. Defeated he closed it back. Virgil looked down in guilt, he regretted his outburst but didn't say an apology not wanting to speak more.

“Um anyway…” Roman starts, he attempted to lighten the figurative dark haze in the room. “Where’s the puff ball at, we could use some cheering up here right? Patton!” He called.

No one showed up.

“Well that's quite worrisome-” Roman pointed out.

Logan rubbed his chin, “Yes- Usually, he's ecstatic to show up. Thomas, can you call him up?” He politely asked.

Thomas, not in the mood to argue nodded slowly, “I guess… Patton can you come up here?”

Patton slowly rose up with a glum expression on his face and eyes noticeably red, “Yes?”

Roman’s already faltering usual grin fell finally, “Ohhhh that’s not good-”

“Something wrong Thomas?” Patton hesitated, careful to not speak too loud.

“AND he didn’t call tank engine kiddo?!” Roman throwed his hands up in the air dramatically. “What madness!”

“I think you’re exaggerating a bit there princey, like you always do. But this does make sense. If Thomas is currently sad then Patton would feel the same just more concentrated.”

“Thanks for the exposition Logan-“ Roman mumbled.

“P-Patton?” Logan stammered, trying his best to not cause another outburst like he did with Virgil. While Patton was less likely he did seem incredibly in an emotional state. “Is your issue the same as Virge? Or at the very least the same cause?”

“I-I don’t know, what is Virgil’s problem?” Patton wondered.

“While we aren’t for sure exactly, it’s Thomas, and by extension you two don’t think you’re making a huge difference in the lives of other people. However true that may appear, it isn’t correct.”

“I t-think I feel the same as him then.” Patton squeaked out.

“So if you both have the same problem, what is the source?!” Logan perplexed, thinking as logic he must find this out quick before it gets any worse and it spreads to other things besides just not pursuing ones creative endeavors.

“I may have an idea Lo!” Roman announced. “What if it’s that snake.”

“Now, just because you see him as a villain doesn’t mean that this is his-“ Patton goes on falling into his habit of chewing out the sides for being rude to one another.

“Actually, Roman may be right?” Logan tuned in.

“I am?” Roman doubted, not exactly being confident in his first statement. The joy he got from Logan’s confirmation helped jumpstart that self esteem, “Yes! I am!”

Virgil pulled over the hood of his hoodie, grunting “More details Specs-” He said bluntly, absolutely done.

“Think about it, the dilemma is known and reality is upfront yet... Thomas won’t accept it because he’s lying to himself.” Logan explained. “Why he isn’t letting the truth in is because of a fabrication constantly being presented upon him!” He rejoiced, proud of figuring it out. While keeping the fact of slight disappointment to himself about not being the initial one to propose it.

Thomas and Roman both gasp at the same time. Patton and Virgil awkwardly stand there not wanting to add to the conversation due to their lack of energy.

“So the slimy boi is behind this?!” Thomas screamed

“We’ve been over this Thomas I’m like 99% sure his scales are just smooth-“

“Does that mean he’s in the room?!” Roman shouted putting one hand on his hip, proceeding to point at and glare down all the sides with suspicion, ANYONE could be a suspect!

“I highly doubt that as no one here has lied. I’m still factual, you’re still over the top, Virgil is anxious and wouldn’t be able to be deceitful without feeling the anxiety that comes with it, and Patton is openly sad even confirming how he feels.” Logan went on.

“So how would he be influencing Thomas then?? You don’t think-” Roman questioned.

“Don’t think what? You know we would get alot more done if you guys actually weren’t so ‘mysterious’ in your conversations with each other… just saying-” Thomas became curious.

“Where else could he be Roman? He has to be in his room!” Logan stated.

“Wait, Deceit has a room?” Thomas tilted his head in confusion.

“Question after question with all of you I swear…” Virgil whined.

“Of course! Why would you think otherwise. Maybe we need a refresh on your memory skills.” Logan said as he made a mental note to quiz him later.

Thomas rubbed the back of his head, “I mean it’s not like he's a main side or anything. Soooo I didn’t know.”

“He’s ‘main’ enough to have a physical representation. He has a room like the rest of us.” Logan justified his previous statement.  

“Valid argument-” Thomas nodded.

Wanting to be less useless in this situation, Patton added. “If he’s in his room how can we stop him?” he barely even got noticed.

“Can’t we… you know- sink into his corner of my mind?” Thomas pondered.

“Err- bad idea Tommy.” Roman cautioned.

“Why?” Thomas asked, furrowing his brow in even more confusion. The uncertainty didn't sound like it would ever end today.

“As you are aware, Virgil’s room had some pretty bad effects on Roman, Patton, and I. While, we haven’t been into Deceit’s corner before we can assume negative effects can happen to any of us!” Logan theorized.

“It could be our only option nerd-” Roman bit his nails nervously, “I don’t wanna enter it as much as you do. Yet, I can’t see any other way.”

Virgil sighed heavily, “I hate to agree… but I think he's right. Maybe it’s best to go- let’s just make sure to not stay long…” he warned.

“Well if you are all ok with it… I suppose it’s fine. Patton, do you wanna come along even though you’re gloomy?” Logan offered.

“I g-guess?” Patton sniffled out.

“It’s decided then! We shall travel to the room of the Danger Noodle!” Roman published with great pride, ready to put a stop to the fiend. He turned to Thomas in his usual pose, “Thomas? Do the honor?”

Thomas pumped with energy from the excitement but also slight terror of what came, momentarily forgetting his previously cheerless attitude, “Got it Roman!” He expressed as he sunk down.

Roman laughed as he attempted to enter the destination.

“I’m not sure that’s even a thing- ” Logan spoke, disappearing from the room.

“If he talks to me I’ll lose it even more I swear.“ Virgil spat doing the same as the others.

Patton stayed soundless like a sleeping mouse as he left.

-

As they all sunk in, thoughts raced through all of them, not knowing what to expect from the villain that wore yellow and black.

Roman thought it was a blackened swamp with vines everywhere, perhaps it looked like a jungle.

Virgil wondered if it was a nightmare of puzzles, never ending despite saying ‘just one more’.

Logan pondered that maybe it was a place constantly changing, new strings of lies added to the web.

Patton? Well he didn’t know what to question. BUT HE KNEW THAT THIS WAS A BAD PLACE. Patton did try his best to not judge, that didn’t work out well in his favor.

Yet, in reality it looked like the inside of an old house from a time period that none of them were born into. It held a bad color scheme complete with a bunch of old play production posters and a nearly broken radio. It held almost no light within its walls. In the corner was a wooden coat rack that gripped Deceit’s cape on the side with his bowler hat on top. Even a furry creature ran on its wheel in the tank it called home on the table that use to be the kitchen counter. Besides those things the room was pretty empty.

“Well… this is surely an establishment-“ Roman teased loudly. At the same time he was shocked, impressed and humored. “I honestly considered thinking this place was gonna be a full on mess of a place. It’s quite… bare bones if you will?”

Thomas and Patton both in sync screamed, “OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS IS THAT A HAMSTER!?”

Patton snapped out of his haze with the newfound distraction. He moved from where he came from and sat in front of the cage with a giant smile.

“Fascinating.” Logan remarked as he continuously gazed around. “Truly I never anticipated such a look.”

“Should we REALLY trust such a slippery scoundrel with a sweet innocent hamster?”

“Roman, again he isn’t actually a snake. I highly doubt he eats anything from the rodent family.” Logan recounted.

Virgil took a deep breath to calm himself, then took off the hoodie that laid from his head for a while now. “Let’s make this as quick as possible before anything terrible happens to us… where is he?”

“He could be in the shadows! Hiding away in the darkness, that offender! I shall be the one to find the wrongdoer… at least I hope!” Roman commanded losing confidence somewhat at the end.

“I don’t- whatever.” Virgil flicked his wrist.

“Deceit come out-” Logan insisted. “From your… rock?”

“I thought you said he wasn’t part-” Thomas started, interrupted by Deceit appearing in Patton’s empty spot.

“Goodbye everyone… why are you here?”  Deceit announced with a puzzled expression overshadowing his face.

“WE ARE AWARE OF THE MISFORTUNE YOU’RE CAUSING THOMAS! Well… I think all of us are sure? I don’t wanna doubt myself or anything-” Roman chuckled with a hint of nervousness. “No but seriously that was confirmed right??”

“I know all of what you’re talking about.” Deceit shrugged.

“What is he saying? This makes no sense.” Logan thought aloud.

Patton walked over from the habitat to where he originally rose, now bored. He joined the conversation, “Of course it makes sense! He speaks in lies! Don’t act dumb Logan.” He giggled putting his hand over his mouth like a schoolgirl laughing. “Also Deceit can you move over-“

“T-this isn’t my room though-” Deceit stuttered, intimidated by the moral trait.

“That was kinda rude, Patton.” Thomas puffed out.

”Don’t act like we weren’t all thinking that.” Patton huffed. “You guys had no problem with Deceit moving from my location LAST TIME!”

“I-” Virgil tuned in but shook his head “Nevermind.” He shouldn’t bother.

“I may have no current knowledge as to how you’ve done it… I just know you have contributed to this! Deceit admit to it!” Logan snapped, his cheeks getting red.

“Ah yes..” Deceit hissed, “I wonder why I’m never blamed for anything at all.”

“Wait but you’re always blamed… stop confusing me!” Logan vigorously trembled his fist.

Patton rolled his eyes not going noticed. “Logan how aren’t you getting this? You’re supposed to be the smart one right?”

Logan tipped his head moderately to the right in uncertainty. Should he take that as an insult or as a sign of worry caused by… Caused by something he couldn’t quite remember. It was on the very tip of his tongue waiting to be let out. In the end, Logan couldn't think of it, and simply rotated in the direction of Roman when he started to speak.

“We have reason to suspect... I... t-think… that you’re causing Thomas to LIE to himself! Making him believe what he does isn’t worth it because no one cares!” Roman prided trying his best not to stutter.

Deceit looked down at his hand, clearly not taking the situation seriously. “And whatever are your AMAZING points that you hold behind me?” He raised his eyes to make contact with the creative side.

“Well-!” Roman announced then instantly started biting his nails in nervousness, “Uh, Teach can you take this one? I don’t wanna ruin our argument…”

“I seem to have forgotten our previous discussion, so I don't possess that compression. I can try and guess if you want-”  

“Ugh that will not do Logan…” Roman thought aloud. “How about you Virgil?!” He gave off a hopeful smile.  

“Don’t worry about it Princey I’m sure this will merely finish in a happy ending like usual.” Virgil waved off the worry, taking his phone out of his pocket and began scrolling mindlessly through social media.

“I-” Roman ran both of his hands through his hair in distress. “Come on guys! We can do it! We can’t let Thomas down now can we?!”

“It’s ok-k Roman… you aren’t failing me at all! Don’t worry-.” Thomas tried to soothe.

“So you all decided that I was the hero, came down to someone else’s room and whispered to me saying I truly am no criminal?” Deceit interrupted.

“Yes-“ Logan agreed, not really knowing what Deceit meant.

Deceit rolled his eyes, “How delightful.”

“Does this mean we were wrong? Or were we not- wait are you lying? Perhaps this is a trap?! No… maybe?”

“Oh my god Roman can you shut up? We get it you’re worried! Blah blah blah.” Patton mocked, waving his hands dramatically like Princey always does.

“No need to fight guys!” Thomas demanded trying to get ahold of the situation. “Virgil, Logan, can you two kick in here?”

Virgil yawned putting his phone in his pocket, “I couldn’t care less dude. They’ll be fine? Probably? No need to panic I’m sure.” He stated, asure of himself.

“In all honesty I’ve lost track of where we are at this point.” Logan blinked with a bewildered expression washed over his face.

“Why are you all acting like this?!” Thomas glared, he got more and more frustrated by the second.

“What a calm situation we have here.” Deceit uttered with panic.

“You think?!” Thomas bawled his fists, ultimately letting the anger take control of him.

“I highly don't suggest you leave immediately before any real damage is caused- I can’t assure you that I’ll promise to tell you once you are back to safety.”

“Should I t-trust him?” Thomas said more to himself than to the others.

“He’s literally deceit.. I don’t know about this Thomas?!” Roman hollered, “But what do I know I guess right?” He started to laugh.

“Can’t we like chill… so what if anything happens?” Virgil sighed.

“I notice there was a guinea pig in the room, oh my god-“ Logan blissfully unaware of what was going on.

“That’s a hams- can you hurry up so I can get away sooner from these idiots dear god!” Patton groaned.

Thomas overwhelmed with all the comments swiftly left the room along with all of the other sides.

-

Thomas rose up first with a calmer expression, “Finally back to peace… hopefully.”

“UM WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!!?” Virgil growled, full of fret. “WE WERE IN DANGER AND I WAS SO- SO CASUAL!”

Next was Patton, tears welled in his eyes, “Oh my goodness guys I am so sorry! I didn’t mean to act that way… I-I don’t know what came over me!” Guilt came up in his stomach.

After Roman arrived, “Well then… that was an adventure.” He awkwardly coughed.

Logan was the last of the usual sides to appear. “Oh knowledge never leave me again, that was awful. Truly a display went on in there-” He adjusted his tie.

“Sooo…” Thomas trailed off, now thinking more clearly. “Anyone have any idea what happened in there?”

Deceit popped up besides Patton which led the Pat to let out a small squeal of fright. He now had on all of his usual attire.

“Ahem.” Deceit hacked clearing his throat. “I don’t apologize everyone, I really don’t.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I meant harm I swear-”

“Ha Ha!” Roman laughed with confidence. “So Logan and I were right, you were the culprit!”

“Roman…” Patton whispered to the creative side, “Now's not the time-”  

“I shouldn’t have warned you all of the effects of my room sooner.” Deceit clarifying what he meant, he was apologizing from his space rather than committing the crime he was accused of.

“May you tell us now how your room works?” Logan got out a notebook and pen from his back pocket, “I’m quite interested.”

Deceit sighed heavily, “My room has slight effects on others. It makes others act exactly like their true nature considering the room makes them tell the truth to themselves and others.”

Roman looked extremely dumbfounded, letting out an uncomfortable chuckle. “I’m sorry but I honestly got none of that-”

“I swear I’m trying at least a little Roman!” Deceit moaned in annoyance, clearly frustrated with not having the ability to tell the complete truth.

Logan coughed trying to get the attention to him, “I think I understand in a way… let me try and translate the situation… for Deceit’s sake.”

The tears on Patton’s skin started to dry up at this point, recovering from what occurred previously. “Wow Logan, you must be a snake charmer!” He gained a snort from Roman.

“Yes-s…” Logan stuttered, “Anyway- if we stay in his space for a prolonged amount of time, which we just did. It causes us to act the opposite of our usual mannerisms. We turn into our counterparts for this period. Lying about ourselves by behaving that way. For example, Virgil...” He pointed towards the anxious trait. “I’m guessing you became apathetic.”

Virgil snickered, “One of the few times I was ever ‘fully chill.’ He did quotation marks with his hands but setting them back in his pockets. “No but seriously never let that happen again-“

“And Roman, usually you come off as brave and very confident.” Logan declared.

“Come off?? I’d have you know I am very-“

“Anyway.” Logan cut Roman off, “You turned towards self doubt.”

Roman nodded along, “Yeah that explains why I felt so much of a need to impress… which I always do anyway so I have NO CLUE why I was worried-”

“You were worried because of Deceit’s room we just went over that Roman, keep up.”

“That's not what I meant-”

Logan continued to go on ignoring Roman’s comment, “Patton was clearly more rude than what's common for him, on average the most lengths he’ll go is being somewhat passive aggressive.”

“I’m really sorry everyone…” Patton whimpered to himself, barely audible.

“I’d classify that as amorality, him lacking a moral sense. Unconcerned with the wrongness or rightness of the situation.” Logan expressed.

Patton stayed silent.

Logan finally finished with translating Deceit’s claim, “To end I sadly began to go on a road of probably ignorance. Something I never wanna experience again…”

“That’s completely wrong.” Deceit side eyed Logan with a small smile, happy that the logical trait took the time to explain what he had meant.

“What he meant-” Logan began.

“Yeah we get it buddy, don't worry.” Virgil advised.

Roman scoffed, “That's wonderful and all. But, that doesn’t make clear his motivation in making Thomas feel bad!”

“I told you! I totally made him do that!” Deceit spat in anger getting ticked that no one was believing him.

“Alright alright alright… calm down python-” Roman instictly backed away from Deceit’s direction.

“Why do you continue to think that?” Deceit shrugged.

“Wow it’s almost like you have a history of lying.” Virgil sarcastically commented.

“You didn’t say it yourself! I apparently only have one intent, self preservation. Is that correct?”

Patton sniffled, “Well yes-“

Deceit sighed trying to calm himself down, “Then there’s your problem. I want to hurt Thomas because it wouldn’t throw him off balance, possibly causing his reputation to go up.”

Thomas and the rest of the sides all glanced at each other, while he didn’t ‘care’ in a way he also did ‘care in a way.

“So you aren’t at fault-“ Roman asked for the millionth time.

“No.” Deceit stated.

Thomas awkwardly shifted, “Ok well… you can leave then Deceit.”

“Oh ok- um well hello everyone…” Deceit uttered as he sank out with a somewhat sad expression on his face.

“So who’s fault is it then?” Roman questioned, his only suspect was proven incorrect.

“Well looking back at the evidence I may have made a small error.” Logan admitted.

Roman gasped dramatically, “Logan? Wrong? How dreadful!”

“Roman-“ Virgil started not wanting another fight to began.

“What?! I’m joking!” Roman yelled, waving his arms up and down.

“I don’t believe you, anyway-“ Logan changed the topic back to what he wanted.

Roman scoffed at the comment, offended. He swore that no one got his sensational humor.

“We affect Thomas to a certain degree yes, we are always there. We can influence him but we don’t act as his train of thought, his conscious decisions if you will.” Logan described.

“So...technically we didn’t have to even go through that.” Virgil questioned with an eyebrow raised.

“I mean… I learned a lot today-“

Virgil laughed quietly to himself, “I know you did Nerd. I’m talking about Thomas’ problem.”

Logan continued, saying “If we never traveled there we probably wouldn’t have figured out the true cause. Or at least we would have taken more time to come to that conclusion.”

“Still, that's great and all but what if someone got really hurt. What would we have done then?” Virgil spoke concerned.

“No one got hurt Virgil, do not fret.”

“What if someone did though Logan.”

“What if we were fine.”

“What if we weren’t.”

“Virgil.”

“Logan.”

“Virg-” Logan started, stopping before having a neverending disagreement. “How about we worry about the present and not the past then you can head off?”

Virgil pondered a moment, “Does that mean I get to work less?”

“Possibly.” Logan grinned with glee, getting the anxious side to take care instead of argue.

“Fineeee, you’re lucky I need a nap anyway.” Virgil yawned, “Bye Thomas, if you need me… I’ll be asleep so don’t wake me-“ He sank out.

“See ya Virge!” Thomas turned to face patton “Pat, how you feeling?”

“You want the truth?” Patton sighed, trying his best to use the exhale to restart his mood.

“Please.” Thomas said firmly.

“Not the best, I was already under the weather after that serge of thoughts from before. That’s mostly passed now though as that whole mess was one big distraction. I just feel awful for treating Logan and Roman so bad.”

Logan pushed up his glasses, “Patton don’t worry you had no control over the situation and I doubt neither I nor Roman took any offense to your comments.”

“Yeah Dandelion It’s in the past now.” Roman agreed with Logan.

Patton sniffed but now had a determined look on his face, “You are right. It’s in the past, I-I can get over this.”

“There you go Pat, I knew you could do it.” Roman said with a pumped attitude trying to make Patton more determined.

“Thanks for the help guys… I-If I have any other issues I’ll come to you kiddos.” Patton sank out.

“Well those two seem to feel somewhat better, how about you Thomas?” Logan asked.

“I think I agree with Patton that whole thing sure was chaotic I kinda forgot about it.” Thomas rubbed the back of his head.

“While that does sound good in the moment you can’t always have a distraction to comfort you Thomas. Next time before something like that really builds up try your best to look around you. See that you really do make an impression on others. Look at your fanbase for example. They’re a group who love you for you and you are important to them.” Logan went on.

“I appreciate the help Lo… I’ll do that next time.” Thomas promised, now seeing the situation more clear. In the future he can improve on handling this sort of predicament.

“Great well if my job here is done then I'll be off then, farewell.” Logan left leaving just Roman and Thomas in the room.

“S-so while this may be unimportant now may I-I suggest since you’re feeling b-better you could try-” Roman stuttered nervously.

“Filming that video you wanted?” Thomas finished the others sentence.

“Yes! I mean… well only if you want to that is…don’t feel like you HAVE to… I just thought-”

Thomas giggled pleased with making him so joyful, “I’ll get on that Princey.”

Roman ultimately filled with glee, sunk out, his current wish of getting his proposed idea used coming true.

Thomas finally turned the camera back on, his usual phrase erupting off the walls. “What is up everybody!”

[no-warrior-here]

     ... I'm trash and can't stop myself, so I'm gonna ramble some thoughts about the possible Prey AU/concept/plot/whatever the heck this is. I'll put it under a cut though, because 1, it's probably gonna get long, and 2, this is going to contain major spoilers about the end of Prey 2017. So, if you don't want spoilers, don't look below the cut!

     I'll start off by stating that this takes place in the ‘real world,’ rather than the simulation, so there's tons of world building to do there. Most likely something like the simulation happened once(it was stated to be based on Morgan Yu’s memories, after all), but probably not exactly like that. Or, that's what I'm assuming, anyways. I'm also undecided on if I want this to be an AU for Gregor or Denny, since either one could be really interesting; I have more muse for Gregor tho so I'll stick to him for now. Maybe I'll change my mind later, who knows.

     - Long story short, in this AU, the real Gregor died, probably a long while ago. This AU instead focuses on an experimental typhon hybrid created sometime after the success of the first one. However, this time a full set of false memories have been given to the experiment to give ‘it’ more humanity. In an effort to create a typhon which could learn to be even more human through immersion, they used the memories of a child... I think you see where we’re going here.

     - This typhon hybrid was put through extensive empathy testing all the same, which was highly successful. However, much to the researchers’ astonishment, the specimen was even more human-like than they anticipated... Not only was the hybrid completely unaware that it was not Gregor Reid, it rapidly demonstrated the ability to vocalize and understand speech, experience emotion, and recognize human expressions. Much to their dismay, it also displayed a remarkable and mildly frustrating talent for sarcasm.

     - However, the hybrid exhibited a great deal of distress upon discovering the truth... While not violent, it became vocally hostile and irritable, insisting it was ‘not a monster’ and that it ‘just wanted to go home.’ The typhon also demonstrated the ability to change its appearance similar to a mimic, adopting the same features as the person it believed itself to be.

     - Upon finally accepting that this is the reality, this typhon soon became suspicious and paranoid, unsure that anything it knew was in fact real. ‘If you can just give me whatever memories you want, simulate my experiences in a lab, how do I know you didn't change anything? How do I know what's true, when I can't even trust my own memory? Maybe the typhon aren't as bad as they seemed. How would I know, when I've never even seen one myself?’ Reluctantly the researchers introduced their experiment to an actual mimic, which changed his tune quite abruptly. ‘... Okay. I guess they really are pretty bad. Fine. What do you need me to do?’

     - The experiment underwent many tests to determine its mental capacity, morality, and physical capabilities. Although small and wiry by comparison, the typhon seemed to have most abilities of an etheric phantom, along with the possibility of learning more typhon powers over time. For example, after witnessing a voltaic phantom utilizing electricity, the young hybrid was able to reproduce that talent with moderate success.

     - Furthermore, the hybrid, now dubbed ‘Project Gamma,’ demonstrated the intellect and overall demeanor of a child-- more specifically, the very child his memories were copied from. Gamma was not only fully sentient, but highly emotional, with a great deal of compassion, curiosity, and a keen sense of self-awareness. However, his desire for self-preservation-- the only trait typhon typically do share with humans-- seemed to be either greatly inhibited, or entirely absent. He exhibited very little care for his own well-being, and seemed almost eager to throw himself into situations he believed would lead to his demise. When questioned about this, he merely said, “I have nothing. I’ll never be human, will I? I have no family, no friends, no real identity, even. What am I living for to begin with? To be your science project? A pet? An attack dog? A weapon? That’s not what I will ever want to live for.”

     - Finally, one last test was put in place... Having determined that Gamma was harmless to humans, the researchers decided it was time to give their experiment something worth fighting for. It was a great risk, but what other option was there? The hybrid had no will to fight, no will to live. Perhaps if he saw what he was protecting, things would be different. Instructing their creation to maintain his human guise at all times... Gamma was given the chance to live among the human refugees, his true identity kept secret from all but the highest security officers.

     - In terms of abilities, Gamma is pretty well-rounded; physical mimicry/camouflage and shapeshifting are what come most naturally to him, though he quickly picks up many other typhon abilities as well. He frequently learns from example, but some powers give him a great deal of difficulty. Telepathy is his weakest skill, though he doesn't really want that power anyway. After learning it, he only uses this power enough to locate and identify nearby life forms, feeling it would be invasive to do anything more than that.

     - Gamma can ‘communicate’ with other typhon, though this is quite limited and he doesn't really like it. They don't necessarily ‘speak,’ but he can pick up vague impressions of what they're thinking. Mostly this is limited to flashes of emotion and very brief thoughts he can translate into words, since the typhon have no true language of their own. However, most typhon don't like him much either, recognizing there is something ‘wrong’ about him. Weaker typhon may obey if he orders them to do something, but stronger ones such as Weavers or Telepaths will try to order him around instead.

     - Due to his mimicry ability, Gamma appears human most frequently, assuming the guise of Gregor Reid. He generally goes by the same name as well, seeing them as one and the same. Gamma can still use his various psychic typhon skills in this form, though some may not be as effective, and shapeshifting in any way will reveal his true form. As such, Gamma will not use his powers at all around humans, terrified of what would happen if they figured out what he is.

     - As a typhon, Gamma looks very similar to a Phantom, but smaller and more humanoid. His body type is in fact very similar in overall shape to Gregor's, albeit made of twisted dark tendrils, with glowing white blotches for a mouth and eyes. In truth, he was engineered in a lab from the beginning, originating from Mimic and Phantom material to create a synthetic typhon with a very human-like physiology. Also note that technically, his glowing ‘mouth’ is an eye itself; Gamma simply reshapes it (unconsciously) as a method of conveying facial expressions.

     - Gamma does not require most human necessities of life, such as air or water. He can survive completely unharmed even in a complete vacuum, and resists many forms of physical damage. He can also regenerate limbs or heal injuries by consuming any form of biological matter. To replenish his psychic abilities and maintain the human guise, Gamma does require quite a bit of fuel. When living among humans he will usually just go with regular food, since it does the job well enough and helps him ‘fit in.’ It's also noteworthy that poisons and contaminants which would harm or even kill a human typically won't affect him at all. As long as it is organic matter, he can metabolize it without incident.

     - Eventually, Gamma can learn some powers of a technopath, with severe limitations. He cannot control computers from a distance with his mind, but through directly ‘connecting’ himself to a computer or device via tendrils, Gamma can hack into and control most machines. It’s not instantaneous though, and once he is out of physical contact, his influence is cut off.

     - Gregor’s family is in fact still alive, just on a different ship. If they were to meet Gamma, his cover would be blown for good; they know for a fact that their son is dead, so who would that make this? However, he does plan to return to them one day, and insist that he narrowly survived, hiding the truth. To Gamma, he really is Gregor. The concept of leaving his family behind forever is unthinkable.

     - Gamma is still pretty much the same as Gregor was, personality-wise. However, he tends to be a bit more anxious and worrisome, constantly fretting over whether people will see through his disguise, and whether he can even trust himself. He is terrified that one day, the original typhon will overwrite and overwhelm him, and he’ll become a homicidal monster like the rest. These fears are strengthened by persistent nightmares in which he hears the others of his kind calling, urging him to kill.

     - Despite those constant instincts, Gamma would never harm a human. In most cases he would not even defend himself, seeing their lives as worth more than his own. The only exception would be when more lives are at stake; Gamma will do all in his power to protect others, even if it means having to restrain or knock out another human to do it. He’s not squeamish at all about taking out other typhon, though.

     - Since typhon are so drastically different from humans in terms of biological function and physiology, Gamma experiences certain feelings very differently from how he recalls in his human memories. He doesn't have a sense of taste in quite the same way; nothing tastes ‘bad’ to him except for inorganic matter, and he typically doesn't experience hunger, either. Instead, Gamma will start displaying signs of fatigue, lack of focus, and occasionally aggression. However, he entirely lacks a sense of smell, particularly since typhon have no need to breathe. Gamma’s senses of touch and hearing are slightly heightened, though not by much. Eyesight is the only sense which seems to be wholly unchanged.

[ruffoverthinksthings]

So jan is most likely way darker than she seems but why? And I feal like she would connect with Mal in some way over it?

One: Jane is incredibly maladjusted and has never sought professional psychological help for it, no one in Auradon ever thought it was a serious problem, or both.

Two: yes, yes she would.

Generally speaking, Ben and Lonnie are about the ONLY two examples of happy, well-adjusted, mentally healthy AK’s we have–which is frightening, to say the least. This could be attributed to the natural exaggeration in fiction, but even still, you could have quirky characters with massive flaws but still have them act as normal, well-adjusted people who can in fact do without professional psychological intervention.

Jane is not one of those characters. As we can see from the movie, she:

Suffers from incredibly low amounts of self-esteem, tied largely to her physical appearance, as her confidence increases dramatically after the Better Hair Spell;

Is completely, absolutely remarkable in every way, but being a fairy, and the daughter of the Fairy Godmother. She is, literally, a “Plain Jane,” and for ANYONE, especially a teenager struggling with identity, that is a horrific fate;

Is utterly terrified of any form of rebellion and possibly her own mother, as shown by her “My mom’s going to kill me!” line after tearing a tiny, barely perceptible rip in her dress skirt

Is very, very, very quick to let power, external influences, and superficial values change her dramatically; aside from being prone to becoming a total bitch, if you’ll pardon the phrase, as she doesn’t seem to have much of any idea of WHO she is if there’s no one around to tell her that

The Rotten Four aside, Jane is the series’ poster girl for the kind of maladapted, mental-illness prone person an abusive family life/childhood will likely produce.

Theories/explanations for this below.

As we’ve seen all throughout the movie, Auradon is HEAVILY Conservative in most of its beliefs; Ben is about the only person we can call Liberal and/or Progressive.* They have preserved a lot of their power structures from before the Great Uniting, and have actually just instilled a farther reaching, slightly more democratic version of it for their primary form of government (an Elective Monarchy, to be specific). They are heavily for tradition and honouring the past, as seen in the Jewel-bilee, Parent’s Day, and that godawful “Be Our Guest” rap which is their version of remixing folk ballads. And you bet your ass the ideal citizen is one that does not rock the boat, that keeps things the way they are, and does whatever their “lot in life” is.

Jane, I feel, suffers heavily from “Small Town Girl” syndrome: she doesn’t fit in with the culture around her; knows that she is different, consciously or unconsciously; but does not have the resources nor the opportunity to move to somewhere where she might be a better fit, or even learn about cultures, lifestyles, and identities different from her.

A melting pot Auradon City is, but unfortunately, a LOT of the non-European/American AK’s have become highly Westernized and only superficially represent their home states.

Worse still, she’s alone in her suffering–none of the other AK’s seem to be having any crises about who they are, what their place in the world is, and whether or not they want that fate for themselves–her mother appears to be oblivious to her suffering and assumes that her daughter will just become a younger, slightly different version of her, and any type of deviating from the norm will (actually, or she assumes will) be met with punishment, shaming, and ostracizing from the community.

And as much as it’s terrible to feel alienated by your immediate community and pretend to fit in, it’s even WORSE to be completely alone AND alienated by your immediate community.

If she has seen psychological help–which I seriously doubt she has–there’d be little they could do to help her. Traveling wouldn’t be as effective as it is here, as the governments and cultures are largely the same across the entire USA; no one would suggest her getting into Tourney nor is she the athletic type, as evidenced by her being the school mascot; and there’s really not much in the way of deviant, alternative, or just “different” ways of life and identities she can adopt–”Goths” and “Punks” just aren’t a thing in Auradon, or a VERY small, quiet minority she’s probably never heard of.

Speaking from personal experience, my teenage years and my current life today is shaped heavily by adult entertainment communities. In layman’s terms: I watch, read, make, and comment on a lot of porn, interact with their very polite and nice communities, and proudly identify as a “pervert” if that means I am open-minded, respectful of other’s beliefs, and am able to enjoy the things I love without shame or guilt, so long as it’s not actively harming other people.

Back on topic:

I’m not saying that Jane will find herself much happier as a goth girl or a punk rock chick (though I will say I’m 500% on board with the latter), but trying on different identities, seeing what does and doesn’t fit, and putting herself in situations vastly different from what she’s used to can go a seriously long way to her growing as a healthier, happier, and much less anxiety prone-person than she is now.

See: The Breakfast Club.

But again, she doesn’t have that luxury. In Auradon, you’re a princess, you’re a fairy godmother, you’re the daughter of the working class, and that’s all you can ever aspire to be or the society will let you be.

Enter the VK’s.

They’re exotic. They’re new. They’re the almost polar opposite of everything Jane has ever been taught is just the way things are, and are a living example that one can deviate HEAVILY from what is “Good” but still (mostly, and in some senses of the words) be happy, healthy, and satisfied with your life. If nothing else, she’s jealous of how strong their personalities are, how confident they are, how unafraid they are to be them.

After all, the Isle doesn’t value conformity beside bowing down to Maleficent as Queen of the Isle.

Both because of the novelty and the fact that, in a sense, the two of them are both outsiders, I can see Jane getting along famously with the VK’s, after some initial awkwardness. Mal would indeed be the person she can relate to most, and vice versa, because they are:

Both magic users, who are rare

Both fairies, or half-fairies, who are even rarer

Are outsiders in their own groups, but for different reasons. Mal is the “leader” of the group and much more emphatic and “Rotten” than the other VK’s, Jane is a lot less confident, a lot more anxious, and and even more maladjusted than everyone else.

If nothing else, they can bond with the two of them being outsiders–and believe me, being fellow strangers in an even stranger land is a powerful bond indeed.

* Someone better versed in Political Science and its terminology, feel free to school me on my possibly misusing these terms, I’m aware they’re often interchanged when they shouldn’t be, but can’t exactly tell WHAT camp Ben fall into, if it’s not both or neither.

[kuwaiti-kid]

17 Side Hustle Ideas for People Who Are Already Way Too Busy

So you're trying to make some extra money on the side, and are looking for side hustle ideas to cash in on the entrepreneur lifestyle. Because everyone's doing it — side hustling to make some extra cash, trying out a couple of side gigs or work from home jobs here and there.

But if you're already working a regular 9-to-5, aren't you already way too busy?

How do you find the time to do all of this side hustling and still enjoy living your life?

Indeed, a lot of side hustles focus solely on the “hustle” part. For example, you'll find suggestions all over the internet about becoming a driver for Uber or Lyft ridesharing, and Amazon Flex or Prime Now delivery services. GrubHub and DoorDash are popular services for restaurant delivery.

But what if you don't have the time or bandwidth to do all of that physical hustling? What if you already work a full-time job, therefore, only have a few hours a week to dedicate to side gigs?

Why Some Side Hustle Ideas Just Don't Work

Additionally, some people may not have the flexibility or convenience of doing extra work outside of the home.

There could be many different reasons for this, such as:

Not having reliable transportation

Caring for children or older family members

A physical or emotional disability keeping them at home

Unpredictable or longer hours during their full-time job

No familial support for working an additional job

I want to play devil's advocate to the high-powered motivational gurus who say things like “Your Only Limit is Yourself” and “If You Want it Bad Enough, You'll Find a Way to Do It.”

I call total BS on that sentiment.

Why? Because many people are over-stressed, overworked, undervalued, and underpaid.

When you're already teetering on the edge of financial chaos, you will grasp at whatever lifeline you feel you're capable of grabbing.

And it's entirely unhelpful for a self-proclaimed money expert to declare you're just not working hard enough.

Seriously??

The Anti-Social Media Influencer

Also, I'd like to throw something a little bit controversial out there. Some people (not naming any names) just don't like other people.

There, I said it.

Because there are those of us who really value our “alone time.” So working 40+ hours a week for someone else, and then having to dedicate another 10-15 hours for an external side hustle — will not last very long.

You can only force yourself into uncomfortable situations for so long before you finally throw your arms up in the air and yell, “Screw it!”. (or another similar phrase).

Human interaction overload can send some anti-social butterflies into an anxious tailspin.

Like, if you need me, I'll be locked away in my bedroom for the next two days, recovering from all the “people”-ing I've had to do lately. Just leave a pizza and a few bottles of water by the door. And maybe a pint of Ben & Jerry's. As long as I have my phone, my laptop, and my dogs — I'll be pretty self-sufficient. Okay, and maybe my Kindle. That's all I'll need. But don't worry about me, because I just need to recharge for a while. Build up that outer shell of protection that's chipped away after too many back-to-back in-person events.

The Introvert Advantage of an Online Side Hustle

If you happen to be a people person, then much of the above probably did not make a whole lot of sense.

But if you found this article because you're looking for ways for making money online — without a lot of human interaction — then there's a good chance you know what I'm s.

There are ways to make extra money on the side, on your terms, on a part-time basis.

And it is certainly possible to work from home, at your own pace, and on your own schedule, without having to leave the house whatsoever.

Now, don't get me wrong — it most likely will not make you rich.

Let's say that again —

It is highly unlikely that you will become rich off of a part-time, online, side hustle.

Others may tell you differently. Most likely, they are trying to sell you something. But I don't want your money. I want you to make money.

I mean, I could use some money, but it's not yours that I'm after.

What I'd love is for you to read my articles and pass them along to your friends.

But I'm not selling anything. I don't have a course, or an ebook, or online coaching sessions.

I'm sharing side hustle ideas to get it out there to the people who have one (or two, or three) too many bills.

Or are strapped for cash due to an unexpected expense. Or maybe went a little too crazy this past holiday season, and are still trying to dig out from under the credit cards.

I've been there, you've been there, we've all been there. And if you haven't, then you're probably a Kardashian or something.

Side Gigs That Require a Lot of Hustle, with Little Gain

When so many online articles offer “99 Easy Ways to Make Extra Money on the Side” or “Top 25 Side Hustle Ideas to Make You Rich”, it can be utterly discouraging to find side hustle ideas that can actually work for you.

So many suggest ideas such as tag sale/flea market flipping, selling handcrafted products on eBay or Etsy, or selling wholesale on Amazon FBA, where you have to package and mail these items out.

Flipping rental properties, renting out your vehicle, house sitting/pet sitting, house cleaning (when our own houses may have dust bunnies that should be paying rent by now). Again, these are all notably profitable side hustle ideas. But they also require a fair amount of time, physical activity, and effort.

17 Best Side Hustle Ideas That You Can Do from Home

Okay, so if you've made it this far and you're still with me, then I can only assume you'd like to hear more.

We've established the difference between in-home, online side hustles and external, physically busting-your-butt best side hustles. Neither concept is right or wrong. It's really just a matter of preference.

And I prefer the flexibility of working at home, according to my schedule, while maximizing my earnings potential, especially since my day job is also from home. If your regular 9-to-5 has you out and about, then your preference may be different.

For example, I have a friend who does amazingly well with a mystery shopping side hustle. So well, that she is currently writing a book about it. She travels around the state quite a bit and can cash in by scheduling several shops back to back. That's a perfect way to maximize efficiencies, and get the best bang for your buck (+ better gas mileage).

But if you have a situation that's better suited for working from home, then read on for some different side hustle ideas.

Side Hustle Working Entirely from Home

The following side hustle ideas can be done entirely from home, according to your schedule. While there is a certain level of effort involved — you can make your own hours. Plus, you can do as much or as little as you'd like. The earning potential and growth potential is limitless with many of these ideas.

First let's start with an obvious one, to get it out of the way —

Online Surveys

Who hasn't tried online surveys? I think out of all the side hustle ideas out there, “taking surveys” takes the cake in terms of getting a bad rap. Online surveys have gotten some negative press over the years, simply because they're the absolute easiest way to make a little bit of money. Emphasis on “little bit.” But it's still making money.

Because all you have to do is provide your opinion — something every one of us has. The hard part is finding a company that will pay you top dollar for the least amount of your time. And for my money, I'll take my chances with Survey Savvy every time. Why? Because out of all the companies I've tried, Survey Savvy has consistently sent me the most surveys in the $1, $2, and $5 price range.

Most other companies will either give you pennies, or award points you need to accumulate & convert into a few dollars. Additionally, joining the Survey Savvy team will allow even more money-making opportunities. For example, their Cash for Junk Mail program, and also various online research communities.

IntelliZoom Panel

IntelliZoom is a cross between an online survey and website user testing. You're assigned a task, which usually involves evaluating a website. They record all steps of the job with either screen recording software, webcam video, or both. You walk through all of the task steps, answering questions, and explaining your thought process. They encourage you to “Think Out Loud” to understand the average customer mindset. And the reason I include this company here is because the payout is $10 per study. With other online surveys or web testing sites, you might be lucky enough to stumble across a $10 review. But it isn't something offered consistently.

Kindle Self-Publishing

Are you more of a creative type? If you love to write stories, you should consider self-publishing on Amazon. You might think getting a book published would be a complicated process, but it isn't.

Using the Kindle Direct Publishing platform, they take care of all of the technical details. You upload your completed document, add a cover image and description, and Amazon takes care of the rest. Many people make great side incomes by writing short stories. And the beauty of this is — once you have your book listed on Amazon, it will stay there for years to come, earning income with no additional work on your end.

eJury Member

If you watch prime time television, you may have seen the popular CBS show “Bull,” starring Michael Weatherly. It's a courtroom drama about a trial-consulting firm that assembles mock juries to help predict potential trial outcomes. Sound interesting? Well, you can have the opportunity to do the same thing, entirely online.

eJury.com brings together online juries and focus groups to help attorneys develop their case strategies, based on valuable data and information that YOU provide. You can sign up to be an eJuror right on the website. And will be contacted once a qualifying case becomes available. A typical case consists of a written description — facts, diagrams, pictures, and questions. The average case study takes 35 minutes, and you are paid $5 – $10 per case, depending on length.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing, if done correctly, is pretty much a “set it and forget it.” A certain amount of work is required up front, and then after that will be totally passive income. So what exactly is affiliate marketing? It's when you vouch for a product or service, recommending it to others. And then that company offers you a reward for bringing in new customers. It could be a certain dollar amount, a free product, or a free service, depending on what the company sells. And it's something everyone can do, even if you don't have a blog or professional online presence.

I'm sure you've heard of cashback or refund programs like Ebates (aka Rakuten), where you get money back from making purchases online. But did you know you can also make money as an Ebates affiliate? You sign up through their affiliate program and are given your own personal affiliate link. Then you promote your link on social media, or by email to family and friends, and yes, even on your blog, if you have one.

And for every person who signs up through your link with a qualifying sale, you will earn $25. That's huge!

And it's also why so many people promote Ebates online. It's a heck of a lot easier to earn $25 referrals than actually to earn $25 cashback after making online purchases.

Fun fact: Ebates has been officially renamed/rebranded to “Rakuten,” which means “optimism” in Japanese.

Selling Photos & Stock Footage

If you were to look at your phone right now, how many photos do you think would be on there? I just looked at mine, and I have 668 photos, plus 104 videos. Wouldn't it be amazing if you could somehow make money on a few of these photos? I don't mean by selling out your bestie, or posting a bunch of selfies online. But if you have high-quality photos (in focus, non-blurry) of outdoor scenes, foliage, nature, animals, flowers, sunsets — you name it — you can make money by selling them online.

Websites like Shutterstock, Pond5, iStock/Getty Images, and Fotolia will pay you for your still pictures or stock footage (short video clips). Each company has specific guidelines. But in general, they look for quality photos that are generic and seasonal, which others can then purchase for commercial or personal use through their website. Also, if there are people in your pics or footage, then a model release form also needs to be completed.

Merch by Amazon

One of the quickest and easiest ways to sell a physical product online is through Print on Demand. That means you provide a design, and the POD company takes care of the printing, shipping, and customer support. Merch by Amazon is the platform I recommend for getting started with POD since it's user-friendly and extremely popular. I mean, everybody has shopped on Amazon one or two times, right?

To get started selling on Merch, all you need are a few creative ideas and an app to mock up your design. There are so many designing apps out there, accessible for computers and also for smartphones. Some free and popular programs are GIMP, Canva, Stencil, Over, and WordRabbit.

Side Hustle Ideas that are Mostly Passive Working from Home

This next group of side hustle ideas can also be done from home, and are very close to being entirely passive. Some additional work may be involved, but something that can be handled while multitasking.

ThredUp Clothing Consignment

The only real work involved with this side hustle is washing and folding the gently used clothing you plan on selling online. ThredUp will mail a shipping bag and postage-paid shipping label right to you (in what they call a “Clean Out Kit”). You place all of the items in the bag, seal it, and schedule a free pickup from USPS or FedEx.

Upon receipt, ThredUp will inspect all of the items, determine prices, then list them for sale. And as each item is sold, you'll receive the cash into your linked account, which is way easier than listing individual items online on eBay and then having to ship purchases to the buyers. ThredUp takes all of the grunt work out of the process for you.

Scanning Receipts

This is something you need to remember to do, but it's pretty quick & no thought is involved. The next time you spend a day grocery shopping or erranding, make sure you save those paper receipts! There are several smartphone apps where you can scan your receipts for cash. So remind everyone in your family to keep their receipts as well. I do this at home — everyone drops their paper receipts on the kitchen table, I scoop them up & scan into all of my apps.

Some of the most popular receipt scanning apps are Receipt Pal, Receipt Hog, and Fetch Rewards. You gain points for scanning paper receipts, and can also connect an email address to include email receipts from online purchases. Depending on how frequently you scan, it may take a few months before you can cash in. But again, this is such a low amount of effort. And you're doing the shopping anyway, so already have the receipts. Instead of crumpling them in a ball and throwing them away, make them go a bit further for you and cash in.

Search Bar Rewards

How often do you use Google to search online? Once a day? Several times a day? Well, some companies will pay you for using their search engine. Two examples that immediately come to mind are Swagbucks and Bing. One of my peers uses Bing exclusively for searches to accumulate Bing Reward points.

He has teenagers who play video games on Xbox. He tells me you can use your reward points to pay for your Xbox Live monthly subscription. He said he'd used points to pay for an entire year of Xbox Live up front and has done this for several years.

Now that's impressive — solely from doing online searches that you're going to do regardless. So instead of asking someone to “Google it,” maybe instead say “Bing it“!

Picky Domains

Picky Domains is a site I've recently discovered, and have been trying out. I include it in this post because I thought it was such a fun concept, and I'd never heard of this side hustle idea. Customers sign up with Picky Domains when they are looking for a brand name or domain name suggestions. They put together a short business background and show you the parameters — like associated keywords, and a maximum number of words or letters.

And as a Picky Domains contributor, you would suggest names that they might like. If the customer picks your suggestion, then you get paid between $20-$75, depending on the type of order. Also, you can make a small amount of bonus money even if the customer likes your suggestion, but ultimately doesn't select it. If you have a creative streak and are good with words, it should be easy to make dozens of recommendations for each company — something you can do while watching TV at night, with really no effort involved.

Amazon Influencer Storefront

If you are active on social media, whether it's Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest, you may want to consider becoming an Amazon Influencer. That is slightly different from their affiliate program because, as an Influencer, you get to create your storefront on Amazon, with a custom Amazon URL. (With the Amazon affiliate program, you have a unique link to specific products that you place in other online locations.)

When you set up your storefront, you're curating all of your favorite Amazon content to display in your store. And you can create separate Idea Lists, that serve as categories. For example, you can create an Idea List of Best Summer Reads, or Must-Have Hair Care Products, or Cutest Dog Halloween Costumes. Then you can share your Amazon storefront link wherever you have an audience or followers. And when customers shop through your storefront, you earn money on qualifying purchases.

Pay Your Selfie

Pay Your Selfie is a fun one that you can do while multitasking, and can help you earn a few extra bucks every month. With the Pay Your Selfie app, you earn money by posting selfies of certain everyday situations. For example, a “BBQ Grillin' Selfie,” or “What's For Breakfast? Selfie“, and even a “Where Do You Keep Your Marshmallows? Selfie“. You'll receive anywhere from 25 cents to $1 for each approved selfie. Again, not a tremendous amount of money, but a chunk of change that can add up for the minimal effort!

Working Mainly from Home, Minimal Human Interaction

Here are some side hustle ideas where you can make money from home, but may need to engage in a small amount of human interaction. Which wouldn't be an everyday occurrence, but may happen every once in a while.

Online or Telephone Focus Groups

Online Focus Groups are a great way to make money from home by providing your opinion. They're similar to online surveys, except they pay a lot more. Like, it wouldn't be challenging to locate an opportunity where you can make from $50 – $200. But in general, you need to qualify for a particular demographic. So you more than likely will need to complete a short survey upfront to make sure you fit the criteria required by the focus group. The focus group may take the form of an online community or forum, where they want you to post your opinion on something. Or a company may mail you a product to use, and then you need to tell them what you thought about it. It could even be a brand new smartphone app that they'd like you to try out & give your opinion on.

A lot of this communication gets done entirely online. But sometimes companies may offer phone interviews, where you need to talk to an actual person to answer questions. There are even in-person focus groups, like the ones you see on TV in car commercials. When you register with a research organization, you typically set your preferences — whether you prefer online, text, telephone, or in-person focus groups.

A few organizations where you can sign up for focus groups are Find Focus Groups, Survey Squad, and User Interviews.

Census-TakerAnother not-so-common suggestion for working from home is to be a Census Taker. I know what you're thinking — There's no way I'm going door-to-door, counting everyone who lives in each house.

But hear me out.

That's only one aspect of what the Census Team does. And I only know this because I got the chance to speak with a 2020 Census Recruiter a few weeks ago when I attended a local ChooseFI meetup. So while they do have door-to-door Census Takers, there are also plenty of online research positions where you can work from home part-time. They train you on how to use online tools to verify the information. In certain situations, you may need to drive to a location and take a picture of a house or building. That would be in situations where they cannot validate that someone lives in residence. For example, in the case of foreclosures or if a previous resident has passed away. But the majority of this verification can be done online.

If you check out their website, you can see the pay grade that applies to your location. In the county where I live, the pay would be $21 per hour — which is not bad at all, right?

Totally Passive Income

These next few side hustle ideas require virtually no effort and produce completely passive income. But they may not be for everyone. They need a certain level of transparency, allowing these companies into your daily online behavior. So if you're a little hesitant about “Big Brother” watching you, these may not be a good fit for you. However, if you don't mind sharing a few of your online habits, you can cash in by receiving money for doing nothing.

And I will tell you; I currently participate in both of these. (But then again, my life isn't all that exciting, so they're probably not discovering a ton of useful information!)

Digital Reflection

With Digital Reflection, you get paid for having a hardware device connected to your computer router. Also, you earn quarterly bonus payments for validating any online devices used in your household (laptops, cell phones, tablets). According to the company website, they gather data to create research reports for businesses around the world, and the reports never contain any personally identifiable information.

As far as the pay, you'll receive $20 for signing up and installing their device, the “internet meter.” Then you earn $5 for each month that the meter is plugged in. Every quarter you get a $20 bonus. They also throw out a few extra bonuses every once in a while, for installing updates and validating your information. I've been a member for roughly a year and a half and have made $365. For doing nothing but keeping a device plugged in.

Savvy Connect

Similar to Digital Reflection, Savvy Connect pays you money when you connect their program to your devices. They collect data as you surf the web, and track trends in online search, shopping, and entertainment. And in return, you earn cash rewards. Savvy Connect is part of the Survey Savvy program.

In Summary

Working a side hustle doesn't have to take every spare second of your day. Especially if you already have a full-time job. Because your time is just as valuable as money. And you need to have a healthy balance between work time, fun time, and downtime — or else you may find yourself in an unhappy situation.

Also, if you're not a super-social go-getter, you don't have to work the hustles that put you out in the spotlight. There are tons of ways to make money on the side. The side hustle ideas in this post are merely scratching the surface on how you can earn extra income.

The post 17 Side Hustle Ideas for People Who Are Already Way Too Busy appeared first on Your Money Geek.

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Highly Effective Team Building Ideas For Dominating Your Competition Through Social Media We’re seeing it time and time again…news of how social media is becoming the “Main Street” of businesses small and large alike. And as more people join this frenzy of social butterflies, less are making the most use out of their efforts on social sites.

As with any business, team building ideas are crucial for developing a strong foundation, loyal business partnerships, and above all, new established relationships that can develop into higher forms of business development. But what exactly must take place for this process to be successful?

There are several ways to do so using some simple team building ideas on social media. You’ve got to remember, there aren’t just one or two social media sites today that are ONLY getting attention. Literally, there are hundreds of sites and more that are popping up daily that allows for every individual to socialize with anyone sharing their same beliefs, thoughts, and ideas.

Therefore, each site might have it’s own team building ideas and strategies that work better than others, but for this example I’m going to share some very impressive techniques for two specific sites, Twitter and Facebook.

Fast Paced Twitter Team Building Ideas If you have an account already setup with Twitter, then you’ve probably noticed how ridiculously fast news, ads, status updates, and so on can travel.

And because of this, many business owners feel pressured into doing the same thing to try to catch up, obviously assuming that these are proper team building ideas. They spam their business and it’s products or services, never even try to socialize, and expect to make a profit from Twitter.

But let me share a little team building ideas secret about Twitter…it’s not how fast you deliver content, it’s how relative your content is to your targeted followers.

If you’ve created an account in order to join the fad of “who’s got the most following”, then you’re truly wasting your time. Here’s a couple of team building ideas that will allow you to get the most out of Twitter’s fast-paced environment:

Determine who you want to view your content – Using a simple tool like “Twitter Search” can allow you to search specific keyword phrases that you think your audience would be potentially interested in. Start to build a relationship with the people you find by simple starting a conversation. If you’re able to hold that conversation, then there’s a very good chance that you’ve just found a potential customer or business partner. But that doesn’t mean to automatically start spamming that person. Remember, these are team building ideas, not people scaring ideas.

Locate others on Twitter with a higher influence – Find others in your same industry that have already developed a larger targeted following and begin to give them a little recognition. Simply put, RT (re-tweet) their content and add comments as to how valuable you have found their content to be. also, using a simple tool such as “TwitterFeed” can allow you to automate this process and automatically re-tweet that person’s website content using their RSS feed.

Socialize! Isn’t that what these sites were made for? – OK, even I’m guilty of this. Sometimes we get so caught up in our process of team building that we forget to take the time to sit back at the virtual pub (social media) and throw back a few cold ones with a few friends. You see, when people get to know you for who you REALLY are, they tend to build a level of confidence with you. A level that can determine a successful relationship with a potential customer and/or business partner. Even though you are socializing, you are still using some very resourceful team building ideas to get the job done.

You’re end goal should be to get on a 1-on-1 chat – This team building strategy works with every social media site available. If you are able to lead that new friend or follower over to a more personal chat using yet another powerful tool called “Skype”. Skype is yet another FREE resource I personally use to finalize my personal introduction and allow the person to actually chat with someone in the field or niche they are interested in. (Again, VERY POWERFUL!)

Great, now you understand better on how to dominate your Twitter social media efforts, it’s time to jump over to the GIANT in the social market today…Facebook.

Taking Your Team Building Ideas Over To Facebook So you’ve probably notice that Facebook is a completely different form of socializing. You have tons of more options for others to get to know you…photos, videos, complete history of employment, so on and so forth. But what most forget is exactly that, Facebook CAN NOT be treated like Twitter. There is no posting as much content as physically possible on order to get noticed..

Users are lots more aware of posts containing links to business pages, offers of “Making Money”, and who can blame them!? I for one have absolutely ZERO tolerance for any form of spam on Facebook.

There’s just no need for it!

Nevertheless, Facebook has proven for me time and time again to be a very powerful resource for networking with the individuals that are looking for exactly what you have to offer using the CORRECT team building ideas.

So without further to do, let’s go over the proper team building ideas for gaining the most out your Facebook efforts:

Get involved! – As a business owner or just your average person browsing the social media world, the worst thing you can do is to remain quiet in a room FULL of people anxious to chat and learn more about you. It might feel strange at first, but replying to someone’s status update, “liking” a few posts here and there, and even using a bit of humor is the best way to allow others to get to know you. Remember, the best team building ideas come from socializing, either online or offline. So don’t be that person at a party that likes to hold up the wall with a drink in their hand. Get out there and mingle!!!;-)

Make them want to say “Hmm….” – I’ve followed several people in my same industry online and there are a few that simply stand out from the rest. The reason is simple…the know how to make others think by posting controversial posts (and no, that doesn’t mean vulgar posts), but making an open-ended comment that would want to make others reply to it, eventually leading to an entire conversation around that subject. Team building ideas is not only about “business chat” but also about topics that people can simply relate to.

Always lead by example – Being that Facebook is more interactive that Twitter, the time for someone to really get to know you and/or your business is steadily available, IF you can capture their attention. Properly using team building ideas such as simply socializing can be very profitable. But if you’re looking into chatting with as many people possible in your niche, ALWAYS lead by example. Don’t just chat about what you know or how profitable your business is (IF the subject comes up), but give them proof. Add links to YOUR content to YOUR Facebook wall (NOT other people’s wall) in which others interested can visit in order to learn more about you. Blogs work great for accomplishing this strategy. By automatically setting up a “NetworkedBlogs” application on Facebook and uploading your RSS feed, every time you make a new blog post, it shows up directly in your Facebook wall. Simple, yet effective!

Again, you’re goal here should also be to drive a person to a 1-on-1 chat – Just as in the Twitter strategy above, your objective should be to eventually have a personal 1-on-1 chat with that new friend and truly get to know them. This also allows them to get to know more about you and what’s actually driving you to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Using the same tool mentioned above (Skype), make a very good “first impression” and create that powerful new business connection.

Hopefully you’re seeing a pattern here. the most powerful team building ideas are all directly related to how YOU brand yourself using social media.

Well, with that said, hope you enjoyed and be sure to leave me some comments and also share this content with YOUR followers and friends on social media.

  Enroll in a System designed to improve interpersonal skills and recruit one a day.  https://tinyurl.com/ybwz2fhc

Or on Facebook Click Here 

“Finally, An Easy Way To Recruit – Rejection FREE – Without Wasting Your Time & Money Chasing Dead Beat Prospects & Leads…” https://tinyurl.com/ybwz2fhc

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SEO AutoPilot Remaining Alivethe Battles Of A Company Attempting To Endure.

Thanks to everybody who put in the time to reply to my last blog post. I would love to react to a few of the comments, because, well, even if.

Thing first: my AdWords campaign, as it is set up today, functions really, very well. It creates questions, which we transform into paying consumers. The typical questions we obtain via phone as well as email yields regarding $3,450 in income.

I utilized to run on the content network, however we got substantial numbers of scrap hits that were connected to searches for sports conferences and also indeed, I recognize that I can have cleaned up that up with adverse keywords, however that's an endless job. My overall advertisement invest runs around $9,000 a month, or concerning $108,000 a year. We're on track for $2 million in sales this year, which is where I got the 5 percent of gross number.

On to the remarks:

Im interested, have you taken into consideration anything year over year in your calculations or anything else other compared to just what your average has been this one separated week as compared to the previous 40 weeks or two of data that you had compiled? Mark Bowers

So its an exceptionally fascinating question yet a pitifully small example whereupon to even take into consideration writing and also evaluation. Bob

Allow's talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fJR2oLT8nY&list=PLddX_cIorQS_Mw7YX8LHMwenOI7OrKo-K information. For the last 24 years, I would buy a paper schedule at the beginning of the year, and use it to tape consultations and make note of incoming telephone calls. Not a really innovative system. I chose at the beginning of this year that I wanted a better record of inbound calls, to see whether any type of patterns emerged. So I established up a spreadsheet on Google Docs, with a cell for every day of the year, as well as shared it with my sales people to ensure that we might all record every incoming query. This has actually functioned well. When I started my new Website, I included a sheet with number of queries for the last half of 2009 and all of 2010. During that time, we received 613 queries, a month-to-month average of 30.65 (as compared to this year's standard of 58 monthly.) Is this information set too tiny for legitimacy? I have no idea, and I uncommitted. I'm not a statistician. I'm just a small-business owner. I accumulate whatever information I can get with the time as well as sources I have offered, as well as I draw final thoughts from it because I need to. I'll maintain dealing with my system and also most likely boost it in time. I can not wait around for an ideal system to show up.

A lot of the phone calls we get result in tasks weeks or months later. As well as some of the calls result in actually substantial orders I would certainly hate to miss out on one of those since I was collecting a statistically significant information established.

For something as aesthetic as your product, I skip right down to the image results. I could see several companies tables all at once. Just one little image on web page two, bordered by several images from your rivals (Franz, hardrox).

This is an extremely interesting comment. It never took place to me that anyone would shop by doing this, yet it makes ideal sense for an aesthetically oriented item. We do code our image file names to attempt to make them S.E.O. pleasant, however there's only a lot you can do with a documents name. This sort of search doesn't seem to have any type of link to AdWords. I aren't sure how Google rates the pictures they transform up. I just tried a search (" custom meeting tables") which returns my site as both the leading paid as well as totally free listings. When I struck the photo tab, we have just one picture in the first 25, and 5 in the initial 200. Possibly Google is missing out on an opportunity right here why not expand AdWords to the photo results? I 'd gladly spend for placement.

I rarely click AdWords results at either the leading or side because I know Google is getting paid by just what is often a local business with slim margins ... So if the ad seems pertinent to my requirements Ill scroll down and also click the cost-free search engine result for the exact same business, and even by hand kind in the business URL rather of clicking on the adword link. Id miss a great deal of firms without the Adword link. MK, New York

What do you do if there is no cost-free link from the business acquiring AdWords? I'm presuming that you click someone else. I acquired that top web link so that you would certainly click it if you thought it would profit you to do so.

My business was one of Googles initial marketers. We were anxious about just how Google would certainly react, however our experiment functioned.

When you obtain to the top of the cost-free load, you are most likely to stay there, as you will automatically get even more clicks than the prospering web links. My theory, as well as my experience backs me up on this, is that the best way to move your complimentary web link up the listing is to drive traffic to it with AdWords as well as show Google that people are locating the web link to be beneficial through a good bounce price, time on website and other metrics that reflect the user experience. How does an S.E.O.-optimized site dislodge a website that additionally has great S.E.O.?

One suggestion (as a person who invests in domain names for a living) is that you upgrade to CustomConferenceTables.com as opposed to utilizing the domain with hyphens ... The company that possesses the name w/o hyphens is a very big firm and also the price is affordable, specifically thinking about the products youre selling and also your current advertising outlay. Eliot Silver

We got the LINK with the hyphens since it was available, as well as my Web designer assumes that it makes no distinction relating to the S.E.O. stamina of the name. I determined not to do the offer I don't really think that owning that certain URL is vital, as customconferencetable.com is had by a 3rd firm, and also many of the other evident variations are in various hands. I have belief in my website's content and my sales process.

UShapedTable.com

UShapedTables.com

SquareConferenceTable.com

CustomBoardroomTable.com

CustomBoardroomTables.com

All are offered. Purchase them as well as onward them to the site. John

I took the $800 I really did not invest on customconferencetables.com as well as got these instead. I will be forwarding them to the relevant web pages on our website. Thanks for the suggestion!

Paul, like numerous individuals Ive time out of mind changed to Bing. Have you tried your search terms there? lesle.

Thanks for commenting, lesle (or is it Mrs. Gates?). Considering that Sept. 1 of this year, I got 4,287 organic visits from Google and also 3,019 sees from AdWords. Bing sent me 122 natural visitors. I'm sorry, but it does not look as though I must be investing much time worrying about my Bing web traffic. Is it possible that Google reduces Bing leads to Google Analytics? That would certainly be quite deceptive, but that is bookkeeping Google Analytics for accuracy? Simply in situation, I'll ask: Is anyone around succeeding with Bing?

This will certainly place probability control bands around the data and provide some analytic understanding, including cyclicality effects. It will also assist separate signal from sound in the outcomes.

I'm not smart enough to do this, yet any person that intends to try it rates to my raw information.

When it involves paid ads influencing a business ranking in the organic results, weve always felt extremely highly that there should be no link between the 2. Google does not use your standing as an advertiser to affect natural positions. Frederick Vallaeys, Google AdWords Evangelist.

Hence speaketh Google. Yet up until Google tells us precisely exactly what aspects enter into making organic rankings, I'll have my questions regarding their intense line splitting up in between AdWords as well as natural.

Enough on this topic (a minimum of in the meantime). Following blog post: my dropping medical insurance prices!

Paul Downs started Paul Downs Cabinetmakers in 1986. It is based outside of Philadelphia.

[autopilotrecruiting]

New Post has been published on

New Post has been published on http://leadershipmentoring4free.info/team-building-ideas-for-recruiting-on-social-media-4/

Team Building Ideas For Recruiting On Social Media

Highly Effective Team Building Ideas For Dominating Your Competition Through Social Media We’re seeing it time and time again…news of how social media is becoming the “Main Street” of businesses small and large alike. And as more people join this frenzy of social butterflies, less are making the most use out of their efforts on social sites.

As with any business, team building ideas are crucial for developing a strong foundation, loyal business partnerships, and above all, new established relationships that can develop into higher forms of business development. But what exactly must take place for this process to be successful?

There are several ways to do so using some simple team building ideas on social media. You’ve got to remember, there aren’t just one or two social media sites today that are ONLY getting attention. Literally, there are hundreds of sites and more that are popping up daily that allows for every individual to socialize with anyone sharing their same beliefs, thoughts, and ideas.

Therefore, each site might have it’s own team building ideas and strategies that work better than others, but for this example I’m going to share some very impressive techniques for two specific sites, Twitter and Facebook.

Fast Paced Twitter Team Building Ideas If you have an account already setup with Twitter, then you’ve probably noticed how ridiculously fast news, ads, status updates, and so on can travel.

And because of this, many business owners feel pressured into doing the same thing to try to catch up, obviously assuming that these are proper team building ideas. They spam their business and it’s products or services, never even try to socialize, and expect to make a profit from Twitter.

But let me share a little team building ideas secret about Twitter…it’s not how fast you deliver content, it’s how relative your content is to your targeted followers.

If you’ve created an account in order to join the fad of “who’s got the most following”, then you’re truly wasting your time. Here’s a couple of team building ideas that will allow you to get the most out of Twitter’s fast-paced environment:

Determine who you want to view your content – Using a simple tool like “Twitter Search” can allow you to search specific keyword phrases that you think your audience would be potentially interested in. Start to build a relationship with the people you find by simple starting a conversation. If you’re able to hold that conversation, then there’s a very good chance that you’ve just found a potential customer or business partner. But that doesn’t mean to automatically start spamming that person. Remember, these are team building ideas, not people scaring ideas.

Locate others on Twitter with a higher influence – Find others in your same industry that have already developed a larger targeted following and begin to give them a little recognition. Simply put, RT (re-tweet) their content and add comments as to how valuable you have found their content to be. also, using a simple tool such as “TwitterFeed” can allow you to automate this process and automatically re-tweet that person’s website content using their RSS feed.

Socialize! Isn’t that what these sites were made for? – OK, even I’m guilty of this. Sometimes we get so caught up in our process of team building that we forget to take the time to sit back at the virtual pub (social media) and throw back a few cold ones with a few friends. You see, when people get to know you for who you REALLY are, they tend to build a level of confidence with you. A level that can determine a successful relationship with a potential customer and/or business partner. Even though you are socializing, you are still using some very resourceful team building ideas to get the job done.

You’re end goal should be to get on a 1-on-1 chat – This team building strategy works with every social media site available. If you are able to lead that new friend or follower over to a more personal chat using yet another powerful tool called “Skype”. Skype is yet another FREE resource I personally use to finalize my personal introduction and allow the person to actually chat with someone in the field or niche they are interested in. (Again, VERY POWERFUL!)

Great, now you understand better on how to dominate your Twitter social media efforts, it’s time to jump over to the GIANT in the social market today…Facebook.

Taking Your Team Building Ideas Over To Facebook So you’ve probably notice that Facebook is a completely different form of socializing. You have tons of more options for others to get to know you…photos, videos, complete history of employment, so on and so forth. But what most forget is exactly that, Facebook CAN NOT be treated like Twitter. There is no posting as much content as physically possible on order to get noticed..

Users are lots more aware of posts containing links to business pages, offers of “Making Money”, and who can blame them!? I for one have absolutely ZERO tolerance for any form of spam on Facebook.

There’s just no need for it!

Nevertheless, Facebook has proven for me time and time again to be a very powerful resource for networking with the individuals that are looking for exactly what you have to offer using the CORRECT team building ideas.

So without further to do, let’s go over the proper team building ideas for gaining the most out your Facebook efforts:

Get involved! – As a business owner or just your average person browsing the social media world, the worst thing you can do is to remain quiet in a room FULL of people anxious to chat and learn more about you. It might feel strange at first, but replying to someone’s status update, “liking” a few posts here and there, and even using a bit of humor is the best way to allow others to get to know you. Remember, the best team building ideas come from socializing, either online or offline. So don’t be that person at a party that likes to hold up the wall with a drink in their hand. Get out there and mingle!!!;-)

Make them want to say “Hmm….” – I’ve followed several people in my same industry online and there are a few that simply stand out from the rest. The reason is simple…the know how to make others think by posting controversial posts (and no, that doesn’t mean vulgar posts), but making an open-ended comment that would want to make others reply to it, eventually leading to an entire conversation around that subject. Team building ideas is not only about “business chat” but also about topics that people can simply relate to.

Always lead by example – Being that Facebook is more interactive that Twitter, the time for someone to really get to know you and/or your business is steadily available, IF you can capture their attention. Properly using team building ideas such as simply socializing can be very profitable. But if you’re looking into chatting with as many people possible in your niche, ALWAYS lead by example. Don’t just chat about what you know or how profitable your business is (IF the subject comes up), but give them proof. Add links to YOUR content to YOUR Facebook wall (NOT other people’s wall) in which others interested can visit in order to learn more about you. Blogs work great for accomplishing this strategy. By automatically setting up a “NetworkedBlogs” application on Facebook and uploading your RSS feed, every time you make a new blog post, it shows up directly in your Facebook wall. Simple, yet effective!

Again, you’re goal here should also be to drive a person to a 1-on-1 chat – Just as in the Twitter strategy above, your objective should be to eventually have a personal 1-on-1 chat with that new friend and truly get to know them. This also allows them to get to know more about you and what’s actually driving you to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Using the same tool mentioned above (Skype), make a very good “first impression” and create that powerful new business connection.

Hopefully you’re seeing a pattern here. the most powerful team building ideas are all directly related to how YOU brand yourself using social media.

Well, with that said, hope you enjoyed and be sure to leave me some comments and also share this content with YOUR followers and friends on social media.

Enroll in a System designed to improve interpersonal skills and recruit one a day.  https://tinyurl.com/y8t6zwoa

Business Opportunity Get a 0ne minute presentation with Erving Croxen Skype= network4seccess1

Or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/1497107700584907/

“Finally, An Easy Way To Recruit – Rejection FREE – Without Wasting Your Time & Money Chasing Dead Beat Prospects & Leads…” https://tinyurl.com/y8t6zwoa

[autopilotrecruiting]

New Post has been published on

New Post has been published on http://leadershipmentoring4free.info/team-building-ideas-for-recruiting-on-social-media-3/

Team Building Ideas For Recruiting On Social Media

Highly Effective Team Building Ideas For Dominating Your Competition Through Social Media We’re seeing it time and time again…news of how social media is becoming the “Main Street” of businesses small and large alike. And as more people join this frenzy of social butterflies, less are making the most use out of their efforts on social sites.

As with any business, team building ideas are crucial for developing a strong foundation, loyal business partnerships, and above all, new established relationships that can develop into higher forms of business development. But what exactly must take place for this process to be successful?

There are several ways to do so using some simple team building ideas on social media. You’ve got to remember, there aren’t just one or two social media sites today that are ONLY getting attention. Literally, there are hundreds of sites and more that are popping up daily that allows for every individual to socialize with anyone sharing their same beliefs, thoughts, and ideas.

Therefore, each site might have it’s own team building ideas and strategies that work better than others, but for this example I’m going to share some very impressive techniques for two specific sites, Twitter and Facebook.

Fast Paced Twitter Team Building Ideas If you have an account already setup with Twitter, then you’ve probably noticed how ridiculously fast news, ads, status updates, and so on can travel.

And because of this, many business owners feel pressured into doing the same thing to try to catch up, obviously assuming that these are proper team building ideas. They spam their business and it’s products or services, never even try to socialize, and expect to make a profit from Twitter.

But let me share a little team building ideas secret about Twitter…it’s not how fast you deliver content, it’s how relative your content is to your targeted followers.

If you’ve created an account in order to join the fad of “who’s got the most following”, then you’re truly wasting your time. Here’s a couple of team building ideas that will allow you to get the most out of Twitter’s fast-paced environment:

Determine who you want to view your content – Using a simple tool like “Twitter Search” can allow you to search specific keyword phrases that you think your audience would be potentially interested in. Start to build a relationship with the people you find by simple starting a conversation. If you’re able to hold that conversation, then there’s a very good chance that you’ve just found a potential customer or business partner. But that doesn’t mean to automatically start spamming that person. Remember, these are team building ideas, not people scaring ideas.

Locate others on Twitter with a higher influence – Find others in your same industry that have already developed a larger targeted following and begin to give them a little recognition. Simply put, RT (re-tweet) their content and add comments as to how valuable you have found their content to be. also, using a simple tool such as “TwitterFeed” can allow you to automate this process and automatically re-tweet that person’s website content using their RSS feed.

Socialize! Isn’t that what these sites were made for? – OK, even I’m guilty of this. Sometimes we get so caught up in our process of team building that we forget to take the time to sit back at the virtual pub (social media) and throw back a few cold ones with a few friends. You see, when people get to know you for who you REALLY are, they tend to build a level of confidence with you. A level that can determine a successful relationship with a potential customer and/or business partner. Even though you are socializing, you are still using some very resourceful team building ideas to get the job done.

You’re end goal should be to get on a 1-on-1 chat – This team building strategy works with every social media site available. If you are able to lead that new friend or follower over to a more personal chat using yet another powerful tool called “Skype”. Skype is yet another FREE resource I personally use to finalize my personal introduction and allow the person to actually chat with someone in the field or niche they are interested in. (Again, VERY POWERFUL!)

Great, now you understand better on how to dominate your Twitter social media efforts, it’s time to jump over to the GIANT in the social market today…Facebook.

Taking Your Team Building Ideas Over To Facebook So you’ve probably notice that Facebook is a completely different form of socializing. You have tons of more options for others to get to know you…photos, videos, complete history of employment, so on and so forth. But what most forget is exactly that, Facebook CAN NOT be treated like Twitter. There is no posting as much content as physically possible on order to get noticed..

Users are lots more aware of posts containing links to business pages, offers of “Making Money”, and who can blame them!? I for one have absolutely ZERO tolerance for any form of spam on Facebook.

There’s just no need for it!

Nevertheless, Facebook has proven for me time and time again to be a very powerful resource for networking with the individuals that are looking for exactly what you have to offer using the CORRECT team building ideas.

So without further to do, let’s go over the proper team building ideas for gaining the most out your Facebook efforts:

Get involved! – As a business owner or just your average person browsing the social media world, the worst thing you can do is to remain quiet in a room FULL of people anxious to chat and learn more about you. It might feel strange at first, but replying to someone’s status update, “liking” a few posts here and there, and even using a bit of humor is the best way to allow others to get to know you. Remember, the best team building ideas come from socializing, either online or offline. So don’t be that person at a party that likes to hold up the wall with a drink in their hand. Get out there and mingle!!!;-)

Make them want to say “Hmm….” – I’ve followed several people in my same industry online and there are a few that simply stand out from the rest. The reason is simple…the know how to make others think by posting controversial posts (and no, that doesn’t mean vulgar posts), but making an open-ended comment that would want to make others reply to it, eventually leading to an entire conversation around that subject. Team building ideas is not only about “business chat” but also about topics that people can simply relate to.

Always lead by example – Being that Facebook is more interactive that Twitter, the time for someone to really get to know you and/or your business is steadily available, IF you can capture their attention. Properly using team building ideas such as simply socializing can be very profitable. But if you’re looking into chatting with as many people possible in your niche, ALWAYS lead by example. Don’t just chat about what you know or how profitable your business is (IF the subject comes up), but give them proof. Add links to YOUR content to YOUR Facebook wall (NOT other people’s wall) in which others interested can visit in order to learn more about you. Blogs work great for accomplishing this strategy. By automatically setting up a “NetworkedBlogs” application on Facebook and uploading your RSS feed, every time you make a new blog post, it shows up directly in your Facebook wall. Simple, yet effective!

Again, you’re goal here should also be to drive a person to a 1-on-1 chat – Just as in the Twitter strategy above, your objective should be to eventually have a personal 1-on-1 chat with that new friend and truly get to know them. This also allows them to get to know more about you and what’s actually driving you to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Using the same tool mentioned above (Skype), make a very good “first impression” and create that powerful new business connection.

Hopefully you’re seeing a pattern here. the most powerful team building ideas are all directly related to how YOU brand yourself using social media.

Well, with that said, hope you enjoyed and be sure to leave me some comments and also share this content with YOUR followers and friends on social media.

  Enroll in a System designed to improve interpersonal skills and recruit one a day.  https://tinyurl.com/n47wfwu

Business Opportunity Get a 0ne minute presentation with Erving Croxen Skype= network4seccess1

Or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/1497107700584907/

“Finally, An Easy Way To Recruit – Rejection FREE – Without Wasting Your Time & Money Chasing Dead Beat Prospects & Leads…” https://tinyurl.com/jwjzmxh

[autopilotrecruiting]

New Post has been published on

New Post has been published on http://leadershipmentoring4free.info/team-building-ideas-for-recruiting-on-social-media-2/

Team Building Ideas For Recruiting On Social Media

Highly Effective Team Building Ideas For Dominating Your Competition Through Social Media We’re seeing it time and time again…news of how social media is becoming the “Main Street” of businesses small and large alike. And as more people join this frenzy of social butterflies, less are making the most use out of their efforts on social sites.

As with any business, team building ideas are crucial for developing a strong foundation, loyal business partnerships, and above all, new established relationships that can develop into higher forms of business development. But what exactly must take place for this process to be successful?

There are several ways to do so using some simple team building ideas on social media. You’ve got to remember, there aren’t just one or two social media sites today that are ONLY getting attention. Literally, there are hundreds of sites and more that are popping up daily that allows for every individual to socialize with anyone sharing their same beliefs, thoughts, and ideas.

Therefore, each site might have it’s own team building ideas and strategies that work better than others, but for this example I’m going to share some very impressive techniques for two specific sites, Twitter and Facebook.

Fast Paced Twitter Team Building Ideas If you have an account already setup with Twitter, then you’ve probably noticed how ridiculously fast news, ads, status updates, and so on can travel.

And because of this, many business owners feel pressured into doing the same thing to try to catch up, obviously assuming that these are proper team building ideas. They spam their business and it’s products or services, never even try to socialize, and expect to make a profit from Twitter.

But let me share a little team building ideas secret about Twitter…it’s not how fast you deliver content, it’s how relative your content is to your targeted followers.

If you’ve created an account in order to join the fad of “who’s got the most following”, then you’re truly wasting your time. Here’s a couple of team building ideas that will allow you to get the most out of Twitter’s fast-paced environment:

Determine who you want to view your content – Using a simple tool like “Twitter Search” can allow you to search specific keyword phrases that you think your audience would be potentially interested in. Start to build a relationship with the people you find by simple starting a conversation. If you’re able to hold that conversation, then there’s a very good chance that you’ve just found a potential customer or business partner. But that doesn’t mean to automatically start spamming that person. Remember, these are team building ideas, not people scaring ideas.

Locate others on Twitter with a higher influence – Find others in your same industry that have already developed a larger targeted following and begin to give them a little recognition. Simply put, RT (re-tweet) their content and add comments as to how valuable you have found their content to be. also, using a simple tool such as “TwitterFeed” can allow you to automate this process and automatically re-tweet that person’s website content using their RSS feed.

Socialize! Isn’t that what these sites were made for? – OK, even I’m guilty of this. Sometimes we get so caught up in our process of team building that we forget to take the time to sit back at the virtual pub (social media) and throw back a few cold ones with a few friends. You see, when people get to know you for who you REALLY are, they tend to build a level of confidence with you. A level that can determine a successful relationship with a potential customer and/or business partner. Even though you are socializing, you are still using some very resourceful team building ideas to get the job done.

You’re end goal should be to get on a 1-on-1 chat – This team building strategy works with every social media site available. If you are able to lead that new friend or follower over to a more personal chat using yet another powerful tool called “Skype”. Skype is yet another FREE resource I personally use to finalize my personal introduction and allow the person to actually chat with someone in the field or niche they are interested in. (Again, VERY POWERFUL!)

Great, now you understand better on how to dominate your Twitter social media efforts, it’s time to jump over to the GIANT in the social market today…Facebook.

Taking Your Team Building Ideas Over To Facebook So you’ve probably notice that Facebook is a completely different form of socializing. You have tons of more options for others to get to know you…photos, videos, complete history of employment, so on and so forth. But what most forget is exactly that, Facebook CAN NOT be treated like Twitter. There is no posting as much content as physically possible on order to get noticed.

Team building ideas for Facebook are much more different and require a bit more of finesse when it comes to building relationships.

Users are lots more aware of posts containing links to business pages, offers of “Making Money”, and who can blame them!? I for one have absolutely ZERO tolerance for any form of spam on Facebook.

There’s just no need for it!

Nevertheless, Facebook has proven for me time and time again to be a very powerful resource for networking with the individuals that are looking for exactly what you have to offer using the CORRECT team building ideas.

So without further to do, let’s go over the proper team building ideas for gaining the most out your Facebook efforts:

Get involved! – As a business owner or just your average person browsing the social media world, the worst thing you can do is to remain quiet in a room FULL of people anxious to chat and learn more about you. It might feel strange at first, but replying to someone’s status update, “liking” a few posts here and there, and even using a bit of humor is the best way to allow others to get to know you. Remember, the best team building ideas come from socializing, either online or offline. So don’t be that person at a party that likes to hold up the wall with a drink in their hand. Get out there and mingle!!!;-)

Make them want to say “Hmm….” – I’ve followed several people in my same industry online and there are a few that simply stand out from the rest. The reason is simple…the know how to make others think by posting controversial posts (and no, that doesn’t mean vulgar posts), but making an open-ended comment that would want to make others reply to it, eventually leading to an entire conversation around that subject. Team building ideas is not only about “business chat” but also about topics that people can simply relate to.

Always lead by example – Being that Facebook is more interactive that Twitter, the time for someone to really get to know you and/or your business is steadily available, IF you can capture their attention. Properly using team building ideas such as simply socializing can be very profitable. But if you’re looking into chatting with as many people possible in your niche, ALWAYS lead by example. Don’t just chat about what you know or how profitable your business is (IF the subject comes up), but give them proof. Add links to YOUR content to YOUR Facebook wall (NOT other people’s wall) in which others interested can visit in order to learn more about you. Blogs work great for accomplishing this strategy. By automatically setting up a “NetworkedBlogs” application on Facebook and uploading your RSS feed, every time you make a new blog post, it shows up directly in your Facebook wall. Simple, yet effective!

Again, you’re goal here should also be to drive a person to a 1-on-1 chat – Just as in the Twitter strategy above, your objective should be to eventually have a personal 1-on-1 chat with that new friend and truly get to know them. This also allows them to get to know more about you and what’s actually driving you to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Using the same tool mentioned above (Skype), make a very good “first impression” and create that powerful new business connection.

Hopefully you’re seeing a pattern here. the most powerful team building ideas are all directly related to how YOU brand yourself using social media.

Well, with that said, hope you enjoyed and be sure to leave me some comments and also share this content with YOUR followers and friends on social media.

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