#and you still have to file even if you are living and working abroad

[aerodaltonimperial]

Friends, if you are in the US and it's tax time, DEFINITELY GO CHECK OUT THE IRS FREE FILING OPTIONS. I can't remember the last time I didn't have to pay TurboTax like $80 just to file but ours were free this year and I used TaxAct.com after the IRS website offered it as the free option. PLEASE DO THIS, DONT GIVE THOSE BASTARDS ANYMORE MONEY LOL I feel so much better about all of this, it was super easy to use I AM SHARING FOR ALL THE OTHER ANXIOUS BEANS OUT THERE

[matan4il]

Daily update post:

This is Yonatan Shimriz. He's the brother of Alon, one of the 3 Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas, and accidentally killed by the IDF due to mistakenly thinking they're terrorists. Yonatan also survived with his family the massacre of Oct 7. And he just had a baby boy. Life WILL win, despite those who think they have the right to take it away.

It's been announced today that Israel has hired Prof. Malcolm Shaw, a Jewish British law professor, who specializes in the field of human rights and territorial disputes, to represent it at the International Court of Justice in the Hague. He's one of 4 lawyers that will represent Israel.

If I hadn't verified this is true through several news sources, I would not have believed this scenario. Terrorists fired an RPG at an IDF helicopter in Gaza, missed it, and ended up hitting a medical clinic in kibbutz Nirim, inside Israel, though as you might imagine, it's very close to the border. This is what the clinic looks like after the hit:

Lebanon has filed a complaint with the UN Security Council, blaming Israel for killing Saleh al-Arouri on its territory. Because harboring a senior Hamas terrorist, responsible for the murders of countless Israeli civilians, is not an issue, apparently. Lebanon charges that this is the biggest escalation between it and Israel since 2006 (the Second Lebanon War). They have no issue with Lebanon violating UN resolution 1701, which put an end to that war, conditioned on Hezbollah not being present anywhere between the Litani river and Lebanon's border with Israel (of course Hezbollah has been, and has been firing rockets at Israel from this area). Then again, the UN has done nothing to enforce that part of resolution 1701, so I guess if they don't care, why should the terrorists?

After I posted yesterday that the most likely scenario for who caused the blasts in Iran that killed 84 people is ISIS, the terrorist organization did take responsibility for the terrorist attack. Guess who Iran is still blaming for the attack, and swearing revenge against? The Jewish state. This is what antisemitism looks like. Well. It's one of its many looks.

On a different note, I wanted to see what the American media said about Claudine Gay's resignation, and I was horrified to hear that it's all painted in terms of liberals vs conservatives. Here's the thing, that may be completely true, but I just don't care. Antisemitism is a real issue, and the way the resignation is talked about, it's like the safety of Jewish students is nothing. Antisemitism is just a tool, and sometimes one political camp uses it against its rival, while at other times, that happens in the opposite direction. But it's like Jews are not even a part of the conversation. IDK, maybe it's because I'm an outsider, but the way Jews don't seem to matter even when antisemitism is supposedly finally being discussed, is truly startling. I'm in the middle of an active war zone, and I'm honestly sat here, worried for Jews abroad.

After a lot of work to gather information about their fate, the last 3 Israeli men missing since Oct 7 are now defined as hostages, which brings the total number of those kidnapped to 136, including bodies, and Israelis kidnapped before the massacre (2 living men and 2 bodies). There's one more missing Israeli woman, whose fate is still to be determined. We're 3 months into this nightmare, and there are still so many question marks. Even with those defined as murdered or kidnapped at a certain point, we've seen that sometimes there's new info, which changes what we believe happened to them.

And here's an example for the latter. This is 38 years old Tamir Adar.

Until yesterday, he was believed to be held hostage in Gaza. As new information was gathered, it was determined that he had been murdered on Oct 7. Tamir is the grandson of Holocaust survivor Yafa Adar, who was herself kidnapped, and released in the hostage deal. His body is still being held by the terrorists. Yafa herself was filmed as she was being taken to Gaza, holding her head up, and not crying. In an interview she gave after her release, she said that she refused to cry, because she wanted her family to be proud of her if they saw the footage. She also said that she's still not free, because her grandson is still in Gaza. I can't imagine what Yafa and her family feel after the news about Tamir's fate. May his memory be a blessing.

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

[dearweirdme]

https://www.tumblr.com/dearweirdme/756151324163309569/have-you-seen-the-new-promotion-vid-for-are-you?source=share

What Jm was describing in this video was that jk frequents his room a lot and this wasn't a "this week thing" or that specific concert but a usual regular occurrence and jm has said this multiple times in other content as well. Jk himself says I don't like being lonely so acc to jm he seeks him out always to spend time and hang out. Now isn't it weird that if jk is in a relationship with Tae, why would he feel lonely and be hanging out every day in jm's room.

Yes it's absolutely okay for couples to have their me time and not spend every waking hour together but the way jm is describing it as a regular occurrence is weird considering how sparing their free time was for the past 10 years.

As much as they are proclaiming they hang out together it was surprising for me that they didn't hang out much at all in chap 2.

This isn't me speculating abt jkk being in a romantic relationship cz they are absolutely not. It's more about TK being potentially in a relationship but jk spending more free time with jm.

Hi anon!

Mmm, this is probably going to be hugely unsatisfactory 😂. I am of the opinion that it is impossible for us to understand what their lives look like. There are just always going to be so many questions about so many gaps in time that we do not get to see, it's impossible to even try and understand everything. I have accepted that I will always have a certain amount of questions about why something appeared the way it did. When push comes to shove, I am pretty sure I've seen signs of a romantic relationship.. and I've not seen anything that debunks that possibility for me.

I make fun of Jkkrs ofcourse, but the thing they are not wrong about is that it's possible that Jk and Jm were more in contact than we think during the first part of last year. I personally don't think so, since to me they seemed to interact in a way that people who haven't seen each other much would. But we have no actual knowledge about what members were doing all the time during the periods we don't see them. But the same thing goes for Tae and Jk. We have no actual knowledge about the way they spent their time together. Just because we know about Jk and Jm hanging out, doesn't mean that Tae and Jk (or Tae and Jm for that matter) did not also spend time together. So does this go into a file of 'things we don't know', absolutely., but it does not debunk Tae and Jk being together at all for me.

I think for me Jk and Jm hanging out as much as they did doesn't mean Jk and Tae can't be in a relationship. There's so many hours in a day, they spent so much time together already.. I don't think it's impossible at all. I have to say though that I do believe that conversation was about that week. Jk specifies that Jm's room is the one closest to him and it's his way of explaining why he goes there. Jm describing them hanging out a lot as a regular occurrence makes total sense to me, since I’d expect beat friends who live close by to hang out a lot.

I think our understanding of life and how work and downtime are separated is very different from how BTS sees it, especially when they are abroad. They are literally always around those they work with.. so overlap in worktime and privatetime is a huge possibility I think. Jk and Tae will not have felt that they didn't see each other if Jk goes to work out with Jm after practice for instance. We are probably prone to separate their working time from their personal time, but I think their mindset would still be that they see each other a lot. I think there's plenty of hours in a day for them to also have private time, for them to also go hang out with others.

[dreamsofminnie]

[Luke Pearce x Reader] Series

Ch. 5-10 [Luke]

Previous | Masterlist | Next

—His Escape | Word Count: 2,590

—March 16th, 12:23 AM

[[Recent message: I can’t help but peek into your room to see if you came back secretly.]]

Unbeknownst, the 100th sigh has now erupted from your lips as you fiddled with your lunch half eaten.

Peanut perched beside your plate occasionally pecking the dried figs you set for him.

“Peanut, you must miss your dad right? I miss Luke very much too.” Your pointer finger strokes the birb somberly as he peeps quietly.

“How many days has it been since he was gone? hmn, 4 days.” Laying your arms and head across the marble countertop your phone opened up to Luke’s one sided conversation.

Groaning you release your phone and bury your head between your outstretched arms.

“What to dooo, Fridays were our game and movie nights… ughhh! Luke you jerk! Maing me wait for you to come back like some military wife!! Give you a good scolding when you get back!”

Straightening your body and your resolve, you reach your finger out for Peanut to perch on and head upstairs.

“Apologizes Lukey, but I’m rummaging through your stuff.” Throwing his door open you find his usual messy desks and bookshelves that line the wall. His bed look haggard like he has been living here, in which, he really hasn't.

“Haizz, as always. Super messy Luke” Your sigh was so fond, one might’ve mistaken you as a wife whose waiting for their husband on an abroad trip across the world.

—March 16, 12:27 AM

[[Sent: Do you mind if i clean up a bit]]

[[Sent: I wont touch your important papers]]

Stuffing your phone in the back pocket, you roll up your sleeves to get to work. “Luke admires Sherlock Holmes to such an extent that he even matches Sherlock’s messy workplace.” Despite the grin on your face, the heavy document lifting will be a huge workout.

“If only you had arms to help me Peanut.” He tilted his head at your call while staying out of your way on the far window sill, his favorite sunbathing spot.

Piles upon piles were stacked against a corner you cleaned beforehand. Moved out of the path so access to other areas was easily accessible. Many of the papers were covered, with a label tag—simple to comprehend for the correct file in any case.

They stood tall so thickly that they rivaled your throat width solely in how many pages they contained.

How Luke actually managed to write up and read that is beyond you. The real hassle in detective work is the paperwork that research brings.

Even just a smidge, do you understand all of Luke’s sleepless nights you have caught him with his room light still shining bright. You had scolded him once while he apologized profusely. You were pretty sure he still managed to find a loophole and kept up with his late-night work hours. And you couldn’t say anything then, since you were studying up till sunrise.

One unfortunate chance was when Luke and you thought of sneaking into the kitchen for a quick snack and perhaps some caffeinated tea. Catching each other on tip-toes in pajamas, you making tea, and Luke getting snacks, was a fun core memory. Both of you ended up sitting in the living room working side-by-side. Till one of you would fall asleep on the other then eventually night passes then you and Luke wake up snuggled close.

Warmth had spread to you from cherished memories of a family you held dear. Wherever Luke may be, you just hoped he comes back in one piece, breathing and smiling bright.

Papers all stacked and on the side,you get to sweeping some of the discarded trash. Crumpled papers that— if unraveled, were rushed thought processes of a detective onto an exciting new lead.

His favorite juice boxes littered around his small trash can, as if his aim was terrible and he missed the trash with every new juice box.

Leftover craft materials were present only beside his bedside, which seemed like wood shavings, a dull carving knife, and cut-out paper. It seems you needed a vacuum for all those.

Floor now all clean and vacuumed, you reach Luke’s desk and bookshelf behind it. Many spaces on the shelves were free so packing the documents away in them was alright to do. You can just sort them for him and label each shelf with the contents. You had done this for Luke once in his other office. It wasn't as messy as his room is now, but Luke really enjoys your neat and tidy file sorting. He’s called it, “[Name]’s personal file service! Luke's only V.I.P service, right?~”

You giggle to yourself as you hear his voice through those words.

Unable to reach the higher shelves, you decided to save those for after every other thing that needed to be cleaned. His desk was just for area mapping, entry and exit routes to suspected buildings. Shifting them in a pile to the side of the table you hesitate if you wanted to peer through his desk cabinets. Personal or not, you would prefer if you had his permission first-hand.

Though i guess you were already invading his chambers without consent.

��I’m so sorry Luke. I will confess all my sins to your punishments when you get back, let me indulge in your personal affairs just this once.”

Shutting your eyes tight, you feel Peanut flap his wings and perch on your shoulder, eyes intently locked on the cabinet handle you were clutching. Opening one eye to watch Peanut you open the first drawer and crouch down to look closer.

The bottom is lined with thin files, scribbled notes, unopened letters, and craft utensils like the carving knife you found earlier. Not at all work-related, you could tell by the decorative ornaments that littered the box. Some were beads, pieces of jewelry, and preserved rose petals. Nothing matched Luke in this cabinet.

These were for you.

Luke has made many of things for gifts in the years spent together, you can recognize his crafts anywhere. And these were meant for you. This cabinet was all of you.

“..maybe I really shouldn’t have.” Peanut seemed to notice your surprise, shame and guilt. He chirped and flew down into the drawer hopping on the beads and letters as if finding something in that stack. “Peanut??! Hey hey, get out of there.”

His chirping grew persistent when spotting something in the far back of the cabinet. Dragging the item out with struggle, Peanut chips for you to help, so you worridly comply. Peanut would only do things on his own accord if, it was benefiting Luke, or, to embarrass Luke. You can’t tell which this is just yet.

Taking the wood block that Peanut dragged out to show you, you gap at the wood block.

It was a carving. A blooming rose so beautifully detailed and outlined down to the thinnest carve marks. A bird just like Peanut was the centerpiece in the rose, it sat at the middle in an angled side view as its wings raised to fly. You could tell it was unfinished because these types of carvings needed a thick coat of paint, and this was not at all painted just yet.

Dragging your hand across the carefully detailed and hard carve marks, you felt marks on the other side of the block when your hand moved. Stunned, you turn it around and freeze even further. Peanut tweeted and sat on your knee awaiting your final reaction. The back of the block was empty besides the small word carving on the bottom corner.

“Congratulations on your Graduation!!” A small sticky note wrote, “I always knew my Watson could push forth through the intense studying to earning your degree!! I’m really proud of you.” A small heart that was drawn in the corner of the sticky note was very light, as if he was hesitant to include it.

A bubble of sad inducing emotions threatened the peace and tranquility in your facade these past days. It prodded in your throat as your mouth was in a trembling frown, tears near slipping.

Peanut could feel the anguish radiating off you and chirped worridly, hopping closer to your face and rubbing his body against your skin. Fingers hardening against the wood, careful not to ruin it, you swallow the despair down and hold yourself.

“Luke…you silly boy….my graduation isn’t till about month from now.. You didn’t have to prepare so hard. Thank me in person if you’re so proud of me. That’s all I want..” The repeated words as if you were in a trance, were on the tip of your tongue but you didn’t dare speak those 3 words ‘I miss you.’

Inhaling deeply and exhaling you sniffle the rest of the sadness away and get up off the floor ready to finish the late-spring cleaning you started.

Peanut who still sat on your shoulder tilted his body at you. Patting his head and cooing at how good Peanut was in revealing Luke’s secrets, you hide the wood carving back in the drawer with your name basically plastered in it.

“Cleaning really helps cure some sadness.” Because a distraction was what you needed.

Getting that stepladder for dusting the bookshelf that you put off before, you reached the top shelf and make your way down. Pushing aside books so every corner was dirt-free, you notice Luke has a lot of thick detective books.

You snicker when you spot one light novel that you lent Luke because you thought he could brush up on modern romance stories. Luke said he lost the book in his bag, turns out that the book actually sat dust-free on his top shelf. ‘If you liked that light novel so much I would have gotten you the whole series Luke!’

Somehow you found that the second level of the bookshelf was dust-free, while even the bottom first shelf was super dusty. Strange. You didn’t find any of the books or locked files to be much interesting so you let that go. It might’ve been the case Luke is pursuing at the moment.

Sadly finished with the whole spring cleaning in Luke’s room, you watch the room as you exit and close the door in front of you slowly. It was high-time you study instead of reminiscing memories in your roommate/childhood friend/best friend’s room.

🔐[TimeSkip]🔍

—April 13

A hefty sigh rumbles through your throat into a groan.

“A new bestie is in order. What kind of person doesn’t even attend their best friend’s graduation ceremony? Peanut! Your father is absurd.” Same as normal, you sat in your room sighing and complaining to the Myna bird.

Peanut could never exactly escape this weekly routine every time your studying was complete and you had time to relax but that time was spent going crazy with the bird.

Though you had a reason to do so. Peanut hasn't been responsive as of these weeks, only when Luke was mentioned he would chirp quietly and stomp around to show aggravation. He has also gotten slimmer, without Luke who indulged Peanut in snacks way too much, Peanut ate only a necessary amount. No matter how much packs of dried figs—his absolute favorite snack—you bought, Peanut would eat four max then just sit on top of the bag.

Holding in another incoming sigh, you got up and stretched your arms above your head. “Come on Peanut, let’s go out today. Fresh air will free our shackles.” Swiftly slipping into your shoes at your front door, you call to the bird.

Peanut flew up and settled on your head, cozying up to your fluffy hair.

You both exit the apartment and out onto the lively streets. The bustling of people and chatter felt so distant. Only when a person is walking around and talking to another do you not notice how odd it is when you lose that company and instead walk alone hearing just the idle chats of random lives.

Perhaps Luke was feeling the same thing at this moment. You wish you could be connected to him like this.

The goal of movement was… unknown at the moment. You didn’t really know where to go when you suggested a walk.

“Parks are normally where people take strolls, right? Aghh…I’m talking as if I’m not normal and trying to BE normal..” I guess talking to yourself—and talking to a pet bird– isn’t very ordinary in the first place.

After arriving at the park and down a path towards the large constructed lake, you found a bench to rest on while Peanut happily ventures somewhere close by.

Sounds of the breeze and paces of people either jogging or walking past calms your mind of the occasional fog it gets on days like this with nothing to do but worry.

A guy riding a bicycle passes by but he doesn’t even leave your line of sight yet before the guy tumbles off the bike. You jolt up and rush over to help him up.

“Are you okay sir?!?? That was quite a tumble.” Holding a hand out as he sheepishly takes it and thanks you.

“Ah yes! Probably just a minor scratch on my knees, thank you for helping. I was in too much of a hurry to deliver these.” He rubs his neck then points towards the folded papers in his bicycle’s basket that have now spilled all over the grass.

“Oh, let me help!” You bent down to gather the papers and your hand freezes.

“I’m really sorry for having you help me twice like this! I’m grateful that you are so nice!!” He rambles on while grabbing the papers and stacking them back in the bicycle’s basket. “...and like–today was really busy so—work’s been piling up on me—...” Your ears couldn’t focus on the words and blocked out what he said. Your heart thumped loudly in your ears instead, the ringing of your mind engulfed your senses.

You were too fixated. On the front page of the newspaper.

“DETECTIVE LUKE PEARCE SOLVES A 15 YEAR ONGOING CASE IN LESS THAN 5 DAYS!”

“...what. What is this news report from.”

The stare you gave the guy was so intense that he falters for a moment. “Uhm, I work at the North Stellis newsletter station. Ah well, as a newspaper boy, so not really AT the news station ahha..” He sweats under the intensity of your shock but a question floated to his head.

“Oh? Do you know Mr. Pearce?! I heard of his work. Think he’s been at North Stellis for a month now.” You bit your lips hiding at the ecstatic smile and feelings that was bubbling up.

“I actually do! Can I take one of these newspapers home? I want to read it closely.” A relieved and joyous expression overcame your form as you held the paper close to your body.

The newspaper guy nodded with a smile, “Of course! Not much of a thanks for helping me, but if you need it then you're welcome to take it.”

“Ah! I need to get going now though. Thank you for helping me!” He hopped on his bike, waved a farewell then peddled away just as Peanut got back from his grandeur adventure.

Perching on your shoulder while you giggled in glee, Peanut chirped—albeit a chirp with much life unlike his usual quiet chirps—questionably

“Peanut! We’re going to see Luke!!!”

Peanut’s bewildered chirp was the last thing you heard before you went bolting home.

Synopsis-> Luke the one who has always been by your side throughout school years. The one who wouldn’t hesitate to run back home to get you something you forgot and really needed. Luke who smiles so-so fondly at you when your smiles pierce through his bad days. The same Luke who thought running away from you would be beneficial for you.

It however, only served to push you out of your way to find him. Seeing your surroundings in an entire different city, you are in search of Luke by tracing his detective trails. His name plastered on the newspaper one day by accident, served you to find him quite quickly. Now by his side, the works of detectives and secret agents left you both to conquer swiftly.

Joining his line of work after thorough debating and arguing, he reluctantly let you invade his dangerous lifestyle. Of course–only with him by your side at all times.

aUgh,, this took awhile to finish🙇‍♀️

Lukey-boy, you will be in for a surprise😌😌

YAH. The next chap will take another decade since we will now officially start this series💀

Tags. @neigesprincess @crucnhice @backintomykpopphaseagain @kazedaka @little-aruma

[thesimscurator]

Career World Horse Ranch update is now live!

It’s finally here! Sorry this update is so late; a minor but time-consuming home repair emergency stopped my work on it for about a month. But now my real-life house is fixed and the update is finally out! The Career World save file, Career Challenge Chart, and the list of study abroad opportunities have all been updated to incorporate horses and all their associated gameplay. And the delay meant I got to add in the new Home Chef Hustle features, as well, so it’s not all bad.

Just because I already teased it, I’ll start with...

Expansion of the Actor Career:

In addition to all the sound-stage filming that comes automatically with the actor career, and the live stage acting I had already added in the form of the Starlight Theatre venue, there are now three on-location filming spots: one for Westerns, one for costume dramas, and one for fantasy/medieval/pirate projects. Each on-location filming site is a residential lot which permanently houses several horses and three behind-the-camera crew members: a horse wrangler/stunt rider, a stylist, and a cinematographer. When cast in certain gigs, your actor should now immediately (but temporarily) move in with one of these households, in the following configuration:

If you are cast in...

Making Moosic

Last Town in the West

The Sheriff from Alpha Centauri

...move your actor sim in with the PBP Western Crew in Chestnut Ridge.

If you are cast in…

Dignity & Decorum

Of Tea & Treachery

...move in with the PBP Costume Drama Crew in Henford-on-Bagley.

And if you are cast in…

Salty Suds

Dead Sea Adventures

Tournament of Honor

Treasures of Aarbyville

...move in with the PBP Fantasy Crew in Windenburg. All other gigs you should just do as normal; they have no corresponding on-location filming site.

Once on location, you will find an area set up to house you, marked with a star door (on the Western set, this is a trailer; on the other two, a room within the massive building), as well as living areas for the other crew members, a dressing room / wardrobe area, a video editing space with the video station and lots of drones (plus still cameras for doing promo shots), and locations for filming acting scenes. In the case of Chestnut Ridge, the acting area is on a separate lot located right next door to the living area with the trailers.

Your job while you are here is to get footage, in costume, of your sim (and potentially their co-stars or the horse wrangler acting as a stunt double) acting out scenes on location and riding on horseback through the appropriate landscapes. (Mostly. The pirate stuff may not need to be too heavy on the horseback scenes, but there are plenty of places to shoot acting scenes on the battlements of the castle overlooking the sea, which is why I rolled those gigs in with the fantasy stuff. Plus even pirates get embroiled in problems on land sometimes, and have to make a quick escape on horseback. Everything you do on an actual ship is shot during sound-stage day.) I strongly suggest also taking some still photos as promotional material and keepsakes for both the crew household and your sim.

If your actor sim has no horseback riding skill to start with and looks ridiculous on the horse, you may have to spend some time riding around and skilling up in your regular street clothes before you get all dolled up and dive into filming—unless, of course, you want to get footage of your sim getting bucked off the horse for the movie, in which case get into costume immediately and fire up the drone right away; the cinematographer will edit out all the extra footage of you looking stupid while you wait to get bucked off.

At some point during your on-location filming adventure, you will be called back to Del Sol Valley for the set sound-stage filming day. Don’t worry about this; Plumbob Pictures is a wealthy studio, and can totally afford to send a chopper to whisk you back to Del Sol Valley for a day of filming on set before dropping you right back on location. Take your time and don’t rush it; you are welcome to remain on location as long as it takes to get all the footage you want to get. A word to the wise, however: you will only be able to call your director and co-stars to the on-location filming site BEFORE sound-stage filming day, so if you want to record any two-person scenes, sword fights, or all-cast promo shots with your co-stars, you’ll need to prioritize doing that first and getting your horseback riding shots later. Lucky for you if you’re filming Tournament of Honor, jousting scenes are done in full armor that completely conceals the sim, so horse wrangler Cheyenne Blackwolf is able to act as the stunt double for your co-stars for footage where you need two sims on horseback. Jim Chooli, the horse wrangler in Chestnut Ridge, is a semi-retired actor himself who frequently plays minor characters in the Westerns when a second sim is needed there. And the entire costume drama crew is happy to pop into powdered wigs and ballgowns when extra sims are needed to flesh out a ball or dinner scene.

Because you live with them in the same household during this time, you will be able to control not only the horse wrangler as a second horse-rider when need be, but also the stylist to costume both your own actor sims and your non-controllable co-stars during on-location filming. Likewise, you can direct the cinematographer to control the drones, take photographs, and even operate the non-functional camera equipment for maximum realism. The end goal of on-location filming is to have the cinematographer take all the drone footage you’ve captured, edit it together into a single reel, maximize the quality, and “send it off to the studio”—a.k.a. upload it via the video station. If you get the notification that the footage has been nominated for an award, you may want to remain with the crew household through the following Sunday and all go to the Starlight Accolades together—you could even get some red-carpet shots! If not, that’s a wrap! You’re welcome to move back to your regular residence in Del Sol Valley while you prepare for the next audition.

Chestnut Ridge Townies:

You’ll notice that with this pack, I’ve been a lot more liberal with adding townies who didn’t originally exist than I usually am. There are two reasons for this: 1) there are so many ways to make money in this pack that I didn’t think I could reasonably cover all the new career options it enabled me to add with only the original townies, and 2) Chestnut Ridge does not spawn its own locals like Sulani and Mt. Komorebi do, so if you don’t add more townies, there aren’t really enough western-dressed, horse-riding folks to flesh out the community lots—and I’m sorry, but Bella Goth just looks really stupid doing the cowpoke dance in that tight dress. So for the new townies, I used some gallery sims (credited in the Chestnut Ridge credits post, coming next), but I also used a lot of the “play with genetics” feature to expand the families of sims who shipped with the pack. Everybody gets a brother! Ok, well, not everybody, but a lot of people got brothers. So here’s what I did with townies:

In early testing, I learned to my disappointment that Sienna Grove works like the special townies from Cottage Living, not like the ones from High School Years—which is to say that the instant you start to play her, she is immediately and permanently replaced as horse trainer with a randomly generated townie. I wanted to retain her as horse trainer in this save file, so (like with Sarah Scott before her), I immediately kicked her out to the homeless bin so people wouldn’t try to play her and lose her the job. That said, for some reason this makes her un-inviteable to places just like Roberto Crinkletop, the mysterious rancher. To counteract this somewhat, I’ve had every household in town make her a keyholder, so she’ll occasionally drop by of her own accord. And of course, you can always come to her for a visit: she is outside the equestrian center from 7am to 7pm every single day, so she’s not hard to find. And pro tip: you can always invite her for a stayover, but for some reason only from the relationships panel, not the phone. The programming on this is weird, man.

Don and Duke Gooseman are now actual champions, as per their backstory. This means that Duke has the special “Champion Horse” trait that gives his foals better qualities, so if you’re going to get into horse breeding as a moneymaking enterprise, I suggest just getting a mare and having her breed with Duke. House rule, though: your sim has to gift Don a thousand simoleons for the privilege. There is now an actual stud service in town! And Don’s been doing a little studing of his own—I’ve made him aromantic since he’s such a loner, but as a sim who loves the outdoors, he constantly gets wants to woohoo in the bushes: so he is now woohoo partners with Roberto Crinkletop, with whom he has the occasional Brokeback-Mountain-style al fresco tryst. Plus I gave him a cat. Don just seems like a cat guy to me.

The Nectar Making Duo have opened a duo of businesses: a country nectary where they live, grow ingredients, and craft and age their nectars, and a small shop in town where they sell them. They’re in a fair amount of debt (used the university student loan system for this), so you can have fun digging them out and making the businesses profitable! They have three main ways to make money: holding ranch gatherings at the nectary (which are basically tasting events to bring in new clientele), using the sales table at the nectary to sell bottles direct-from-the-source, and manning the retail store in town. Some quirks to know about these things:

1) You can’t do a sale on the sales table at the same time you’re throwing a ranch gathering. I was hoping you could, but starting a sale immediately ends the gathering. Sucks, but that’s the way it is.

2) The front door of the nectary is the open-barn-doors arch to allow street sale customers into the nectary so they can buy from the sales table. If you swap these out for real, closed doors, the customers will just hang out nervously at the edge of the lot and then disappear, never buying anything. So if you want to use the sales table, you have to leave the arch. That said, an arch can’t be set as the front door for the purposes of other households coming to visit, so I have put a small, unusable wooden door off to the side of the barn doors and set that as the front door. If you’re visiting the nectary as another household, just knock on this door to make the building appear solid.

3) The nectars available for purchase at the retail store include a mix of qualities and levels of aging. There’s nothing there that is poor quality, and nothing that isn’t aged at all, but the bottles range from lightly aged to finely aged and some are normal rather than excellent. This is so that you can come to the store as a buyer while playing another household and have the option to either splurge on a high-quality bottle or not break the bank and go for something more modestly priced, according to your funds and storyline. Plus bonus: The Nectar Making Duo sub-contract with a few outside suppliers for specialty nectars they can’t brew themselves, so you can find occult nectars here, as well.

And on that note . . . to get Marissa Tracey in with the occult sims who brew the specialty nectars, and also because I think she looks a great deal like him, I have made Marissa—and her new twin brother, Chip—the products of a youthful indiscretion between Wolfgang Wilder and a human sim from Chestnut Ridge. They were both born as “dormant wolves” rather than full-blown werewolves and raised by their mother under her last name, but they know Wolfgang and are friends of the Moonwood Collective. Stocking the Collective’s moonpetal nectar got Marissa’s name circulating in the supernatural community, and now she contracts with the Straud Estate and the famed Madam Zoe herself, as well.

Aside from getting a dog, The Grove family have only gotten minor edits to careers and clothing; I put Umber in the musician career as per his backstory, stuck Juniper in the athlete career (under the new sub-category of show rider!) and let her hair down. It bothers me when the sims team gives two pre-made townies in the same world the exact same hairstyle in the exact same color, as it makes them too easy to confuse. So just like with Cottage Living, where I changed Rashida Watson’s hair to the blue-dyejob teen hair from Parenthood so she wouldn’t be confused with Cecelia Kang from behind, Juniper has now left the side braid to Sienna and adopted a more flowing-hair look that will accent those horse jumps. Oh, and Umber also started a band; he’s the leader of club of local musicians who play down at the saloon most nights—though if you feel like doing an afternoon gig on occasion, I also suggest meeting at the Hay Now! Festival Grounds sometimes.

Look, with the things in this pack, I just couldn’t resist making “Chip and Dale, Rescue Ranchers,” so I did. Chip Tracey (new brother of Marissa Tracey) and his husband, Dale Chooli (new brother of Juniper Grove) run a rescue ranch / petting zoo where children from all worlds can come to learn about animals of all types. The money they get from throwing “ranch animal day” events for kids is pretty modest to support two rescue horses, a cow, a llama, a bunch of mini goats and mini sheep, several chickens, a ton of stray dogs and cats, and some semi-wild rabbits, foxes, and birds, but it sure is cute! And they can always teach kids to ride and bring mini sheep to kids’ birthday parties on the side.

Juniper and Dale’s father, Jim Chooli, has also joined the save file as the horse wrangler for Plumbob Pictures’ on-site Western filming location. He lives in one of the many trailers on location in Galloping Gulch, alongside Barb Henderson (stylist, saloon singer, and local icon) and Giovanni Carrettino, a young cinematographer from Tartosa looking to make his own “penne Westerns.” Jim cares for and trains the studio’s three horses, Molasses, Gun, and Beauty, who play the roles of native American war horse, cowboy horse, and wild stallion, respectively.

Sienna Grove’s former lot is now home to an elderly horse trader named Tallulah Heiheiwuti, who has a bunch of family in Evergreen Harbor. One of them, her eldest granddaughter, has come to stay with her and learn the family business. The problem? She’s afraid of horses! I figured someone had to be, and that storyline just made sense. It also means there is a new family in Evergreen Harbor, which was pretty underpopulated before—Talullah’s son and his wife and kids are now fleshing out the community there and justifying the existence of the Coast Salish art swatch on the Horse Ranch wall hanging, while also giving you the new opportunity to play the botanist branch of the gardener career or the life of a pop-up cupcake baker.

Other things that have changed:

This save file has never featured Faiz Jaleel, the flower-seller from the My Wedding Stories pack, because neighborhood stories killed him off before I had quite figured out that feature and how to manage it. But now, thanks to Roberto Crinkletop’s secret family recipe, he has been resurrected and is in the save file as a living sim! I could not, unfortunately, figure out a way to reinstate him as the flower cart NPC, but he still has all the grapevine gossip interactions about owning it, so just pretend he’s hired extra help to man it sometimes when he’s busy. He has moved into his old childhood home in the big square in Tartosa with the other Piazza Dwellers, where he is trying to get a second business venture, a food stand, off the ground. He’s torn between the classic Tartosan cuisine of pizza and leaning further into the romantic atmosphere with heart-shaped waffles. Can you help him decide and make his new business a success?

Speaking of returning from the netherworld, the save file also never featured Felix Psyded, ghostly founder of the University of Britechester, because the game culled him before I discovered coolspear’s “Delay Ghost Culling Indefinitely” mod. Now that I have it, I have re-downloaded the original Felix from the gallery and made him the resident ghost of Lord Drake Men’s Dorm on the UBrite campus. How did I do this, you say? I’ve enrolled him in the History degree at UBrite in order to make him a proper resident of the dorm. You can keep him there practically indefinitely by having him enroll in only one class at a time while you play with other focus sims in this dorm—and if he runs out of classes and completes the degree, just start in on another degree. By my count, this should enable him to keep haunting this dorm for 156 in-game weeks—and that’s only if he never fails a single class! If you alternate having him fail and succeed so he does it slower but never gets kicked out, that’s 312 weeks, or basically eternity in sim years. He’s here forever! Also, in setting this up, I realized I had not included any woohoo locations in the UBrite dorms, which is completely unacceptable. Who’s ever heard of a dorm without a hookup spot?! I have now added closets to both the men’s and women’s dorms in order to fix this grave oversight. My deepest apologies.

I had previously not moved Wolfgang Wilder in with the other Moonwood Collective sims because I wanted him to remain the NPC librarian in Moonwood Mill, but in the process of making him related to his new children (Marissa and Chip Tracey), I discovered that somewhere along the way the game had already booted him out of that role for some reason. Just like with Faiz, I couldn’t figure out how to reinstate him, so now he has retired from librarianship, moved in with the rest of the Collective, and embraced his writing full-time—which means he still spends a lot of time at the library, since the Collective Cabin is off-the-grid and doesn’t have a computer.

On the subject of townies with NPC jobs, there’s news on the Scotts, the not-quite-playable family I booted to the homeless bin to prevent Sara Scott being supplanted as pub owner in Finchwick. You still can’t play her without losing her job, but her husband Simon is totally fair game, because he isn’t any kind of special villager NPC. So, with the introduction of a large estate needing filming crew for the long-running TV series “Dignity & Decorum,” I decided to rescue him from the homeless bin and make him the cinematographer on the Plumbob Pictures costume drama crew. This has actually allowed me to make the Scotts semi-playable, because even though Sara is still in the homeless bin, I was able to get Simon to ask her to be his NPC roommate, and that completely works! As long as she’s only a roommate and not technically part of the household, she can both be the pub owner and live in the swanky suite of rooms I’ve marked off for her and Simon within the manor house. Admittedly, she’s rarely there because pub hours are serious business, but still! That said, in my experience the game tends to get rid of roommates when you switch households, so you may need to reinstate her as roommate if you want to play with this arrangement down the line. Luckily, that’s very easy; just head down to the pub where she’ll be working and re-invite her under the “roommate…” menu.

Derek McMillan and Ian Moody, the stitchery shop owners in Henford-on-Bagley, are getting on in years and have been finding the crops and the chickens and the llamas and the store a lot to manage, so they’ve made a few strategic decisions to help themselves out. First and foremost, they have refocused on their mission to provide beautiful, high-quality colored wool to their customers by swapping out their chicken coop for a small sheepfold, which they have stocked with a multicolored array of mini sheep dyed every color of the rainbow (except for the colors already covered by their two llamas). They’ve also hired a ranch hand to assist with animal care and the garden, so they can focus their own energy on the shop and their sewing circle club, which is going better than ever now that it’s associated bug has been fixed!

The Watson family has moved off the hilltop to a smaller, flatter, and more organized farm with fewer camera problems down in the valley of Old New Henford. They have added a small flock of sheep to their livestock, and adopted an elderly Irish Draught horse named Dobber. Rashidah has already knitted him a set of leg warmers and a saddleblanket, and animal-lover Imran is learning to ride!

Lucha Harjo has started a side hustle selling popcorn down on the pier in Copperdale. It’s more a hobby than a career move right now, but oh, that satisfying crunch when those teens enjoy their popcorn to the tinny sounds of the ferris wheel music! Truly heartwarming.

Bob Pancakes randomly came home the other day with a tattoo of kitchen utensils on his forearm. Eliza thinks she smells a midlife crisis coming on . . .

Celebrity chef Clara Bjergsen decided that she wanted a whole new expanded kitchen, so she bought one. It’s not like she doesn’t have the money. Her current flavor obsession: reconnecting with her childhood and making heritage memories for her daughters through haute cuisine experimentation with traditional Nordic waffles.

On the opposite end of that career trajectory, aspiring chef Hugo Villareal has been hard at work spending his father’s ill-gotten gains on lots of new equipment to revive the old nectary the family moved into. With his new nectar press, oak barrels, bottle storage racks, pizza oven, stand mixer, and a block of parmigiana and a grater always at the ready, Hugo is all prepped to begin his journey into vineyard-to-table nectars perfectly paired with lovingly crafted Italian dishes. And he’s really leaning into it, too—he also bought himself a whole set of food-themed shirts, so he’s always repping his future career goals. If he could only graduate high school early and get started...

Refugio dei Pirati Resort in Tartosa discovered a long-forgotten Roman bath structure beneath its foundations and, deciding this was too good a find to ignore, tore down their entire building to excavate, restore, and construct an entrance to the thing. They subsequently rebuilt completely from the ground up, and now boast a whole new building with brand-new amenities like a private reception hall alongside refurbished old favorites like the couples’ spa. To celebrate their grand re-opening, they rebranded as the Amorosa Resort. If you’ve never vacationed in Tartosa, now might be the time to start—especially with all the new pizza ovens and functional nectar cellars popping up all over the place!

The shops on the Sulani Promenade have gotten in a whole new shipment of swimsuits thanks to the Poolside Splash Kit. They are now on display and for purchase from a series of colorful new mannequins. Whether you’re looking for tourist-y beach wear or wetsuits and snorkel gear, they’ve got you covered!

That's not the only new stock in this update: The Gnome’s Arms in Finchwick has stocked its behind-the-bar shelves with nectar. It’s not top-of-the-line stuff like you’ll find in Chestnut Ridge, but it does the trick!

SimCity Pizza, the oldest restaurant on The Waterfront in San Myshuno’s Spice Market, has finally, grudgingly, updated their equipment to include a modern pizza oven alongside their so-old-the-food-inspector-banned-them-from-using-it wood fired one. They’re having a “create your own flavor” special right now, where customers can make their own pizzas using off-menu flavors and ingredients. It’s really revitalized the place!

Llamante Llama Ranch in Selvadorada wants all animals to feel welcome, including those who are traveling with their humans. They have converted some previously unused space in the front into a small horse paddock, and added some items for cats and dogs, as well. If you’re looking to go horseback riding around Selvadorada (gorgeous, by the way!), this is the place to rent for your vacation. There are also a ton of juice barrels lined up behind the bar in town—you’re welcome to use a couple of them for horse training, if you want.

San Sequoia has a few more items in the open portions of worlds, including a newly functional lemonade stand alongside the makeshift one down on the docks! It’s a great place to sell ice cream, lemonade, or scout cookies (though you’ll need to make those yourself at home beforehand).

There are no new residents in Brindleton Bay. Nope, not a one. Not a single living soul. But the price has gone down on the old lightkeeper’s house on Deadgrass Isle. For some reason, you can now move in there completely for free…

* * *

Thanks for your patience, and for your votes on the expansion of the actor career! Head to the original Career World save file post to download the update and enjoy!

[zarvasace]

So, um. Hi, it's me again. Happy new years and I hope you like badly planned posters because I sure have one for you.

I have more thoughts, now, and I'm going to try to put most of it into a post. I tried writing a scene but it was just info dumping and not very interesting, so here's me info dumping right to you! I'm including the full character illustrations too. Hop on in and let's go cruisin

The Setting

A galaxy with wormhole pockets that allow for quick interplanetary travel. Might be magic. There's a lot of technology and a little bit of magic. Despite all the technology, no sophisticated AI has actually worked out, so there aren't androids or anything, and robots aren't super common.

The Hyrule system has one star, called Hylia after the goddess. The star has three smaller star satellites, called Din, Farore, and Nayru. Several livable planets dwell in the system:

The Plains has native Hylians and Minish. It used to be called Hyrule until the name was expanded to cover the whole system. It's mostly towns and rivered forests, with one large continent and one enormous sea dotted with islands.

Ordon is a twin planet system with native Twili on one and humans on the other. Humans came to settle after the solar system united, and are still brand new to the area

Domain is a water planet where Zora live, high in seafood exports. Shallow Zora are generally even-tempered and are the ones that interact with others most often. Deep Zora are hostile and have designed their own ships to maraud abroad, though the Shallow Zora have a tentative peace treaty with them

Other planets I haven't named yet with Rito, Gerudo, Gorons, and forest fey

Long ago, when space travel through the Hyrule system just began, an impending apocalyptic war caused the Hylians to leave their native planet on a massive ship called Skyloft. Those on the planet were subject to wars and diseases and cataclysms until only one godlike lich remained. Those on Skyloft embraced peace and established relations with other governments throughout the galaxy (and intermarried. That's important.)

Eventually, a hero appeared, and the Skyloft Hylians returned home to rebuild.

Our Characters' Stories

Okay honestly I'm not sure yet about all this, so I'll mostly keep quiet. The broad strokes are as follows—an unsuspecting Link is employed as some kind of security by a large company, tentatively named Sorcerer Enterprises. The same company directs Shadow to kidnap him. They artificially activate Link's long-dormant non-Hylian genes to induce the split, turning him into four highly malnourished people with strong elemental associations.

Conditions aren't great, but our heroes (plus Shadow, eventually, and Zelda) manage to escape and topple Sorcerer Enterprises in the process. Unfortunately, there's a bigger fish. They escape with files and information, enough to know that Ganon is out there, intending to take over the system and the galaxy. They know how to stop him, they think.

Characters!

I talked a bit about them in my earlier post, so I'll just go through the illustrations and point out the details! Please forgive the iffy quality, I was trying to be fast and not perfect, and I think it turned out all right.

Green is associated with air. He's the pilot, and also wears a lil air purifier/compressor thing because he's generally in need of more oxygen than his lungs can normally get (thus the tube thingy.) He also has rocket shoes and a cool cape. :) The thing on his arm is a portable computer, most others have them, too. The bright cyan indicates cool technology, usually.

Red is, of course, fire, and gets cold easily. He has heat-resistant work gloves and here is shown lighting an explosive. Whoops. He also has a heated sweater but I decided to not draw it this time. His boots have steel-capped toes because he bangs into things on accident a lot.

Blue is water and gets warm fast, so his clothes are lighter materials. He usually has cans of compressed water on him, along with medical supplies and rations and flashlights and spare batteries and— anyway he has some cool armor stuff and an undercut (because that feels so right.)

Vio is earth and the tech boy. His weapon is his backpack, which can pop out with a tiny little artillery post. His hair is longer but not too much longer, he hasn't had a lot of time to grow it out. That jumpsuit thingy he's wearing was designed for an alien race that has an oozelike form, it squeezes and exerts pressure evenly across the entire body. As the earth-element-aligned, he doesn't like feeling as if he'll explode.

Ngl I love Zelda's design here. She's not exactly a princess here, but she does have traces of light magic. She's also good with a gun. Her elbow and knee pads can give her a full-body shield if she needs it.

Shadow is a genetically modified clone of the original Link. They made him to be a replacement, or a nemesis, he's not sure, but he's on his way to find his own identity now. (he might go a little too far sometimes. He painted purple flames on his boots.) Is his hair fluffy enough?

Their ship isn't new, but it's not garbage, either. It's a bit small, with six of them. They have a quest!!

And those are most of the thoughts that are solid enough to share XD mostly I just drew silly art.

[newbookcats]

Ten Noteworthy and Unforgettable Stories to Stash in Your Travel Bag to Explore Both Real and Fictional Worlds on Your Next Vacation or Olympic Games

Originally posted on my blog: https://newbookcatsreads.blogspot.com/2024/08/ten-noteworthy-and-unforgettable.html

Unless you live in the sun-blazing heat and humidity of Houston or anywhere close to the Earth's equator, Summer rolls around only once a year. Nonetheless, summer in the United States is a time of change: the weather itself turns warmer as the sun works overtime, tropical storms and hurricanes become more occurrent as beach attendance rises, another academic year ends and readies for the subsequent classes to come later, and the awaited summer vacation and family traveling. 

Whether I went to my local park or partook in a family road trip to Florida, each vacation was the most anticipated part of my summer. Moreover, partaking in exciting adventures only gave me more brownie points when I inevitably returned to school and expressed all the amusement to my classmates and friends. Nonetheless, I still left energy to read imaginary stories as well as listen to my classmates' summer stories. 

Meanwhile, to distract myself from the never-ending wait to reach a destination (seriously, how many times is too much to ask a parent "Are we there yet?"?) to the inevitable downtime needed for my family to recharge after too many waves on the lazy rivers, my requirement for serious entertainment was delivered in the form of binging episodes of true-crime from Forensic Files or a murder mystery novel...and from the title of my blog, I do not have a doubt which of the two choices I or you chose on our previous vacations. 

Thus, here are ten noteworthy stories to stash in your next vacation's travel luggage! In between glimpses of dragons and historical romances, do not forget to look up from the imaginary universe in your hands to explore reality outdoors! 

Ten Noteworthy and Unforgettable Stories to Stash in Your Travel Bag to Explore Both Real and Fictional Worlds on Your Next Vacation

 1. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Need a break from home? If yes, then may I suggest traveling with Monty along with his younger sister Felicity and his best friend/crush Percy on their Grand Tour of Europe set in the 19th century?! Not only is Monty perfectly sassy and desired by the likes of many women and men, but his desires for trouble and flirts with danger only lead this trio to life-threatening adventures only heard in tall tales. Watch out for this impeccable novel that tackles both pirates and social issues in the midst of a historical comedy and romance!

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men. But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy. Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.[Goodreads]

2. My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

From the book that inspired the hit Amazon Prime series, it's only fitting to read the book before summer ends and compare the book to its television adaptation. Then, we may all decide whether the book is better than the series?

In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind YA fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help. At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane gets to be Queen of England. Like that could go wrong. [Goodreads]

3. The War Outside by Monica Hesse

It's 1944, and World War II is raging across Europe and the Pacific. The war seemed far away from Margot in Iowa and Haruko in Colorado--until they were uprooted to dusty Texas, all because of the places their parents once called home: Germany and Japan. Haruko and Margot meet at the high school in Crystal City, a "family internment camp" for those accused of colluding with the enemy. The teens discover that they are polar opposites in so many ways, except for one that seems to override all the others: the camp is changing them, day by day, and piece by piece. Haruko finds herself consumed by fear for her soldier brother and distrust of her father, who she knows is keeping something from her. And Margot is doing everything she can to keep her family whole as her mother's health deteriorates and her rational, patriotic father becomes a man who distrusts America and fraternizes with Nazis. With everything around them falling apart, Margot and Haruko find solace in their growing, secret friendship. But in a prison the government has deemed full of spies, can they trust anyone--even each other? [Goodreads]

4. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy. And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar. Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train...[Goodreads]

5. Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

Although this is my current read, Maniscalco has me completely trapped in impulsively purchasing a one-way ticket to Italy and engulfing plates of pasta while reading. Be sure to bring this book and a bookmark with you wherever you go to vacation because it will keep you hooked!

 Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe - witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family's renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin...desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister's killer and to seek vengeance at any cost—even if it means using dark magic that's been long forbidden. Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked—princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia's side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women's murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems...[Goodreads]

6. The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn

Anna Fox lives alone, a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine (maybe too much), watching old movies, recalling happier times . . . and spying on her neighbors. Then the Russells move into the house across the way: a father, a mother and their teenage son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble and its shocking secrets are laid bare. What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems.[Goodreads]

7. Angelfall by Susan Ee

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back. Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel. Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl. Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.[Goodreads]

8. Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller

If you are still mourning the last book of Sarah J Maas' Throne of Glass series, I highly recommend Miller's Mask of Shadows. The story follows Sallot who is training to be a royal assassin...but only if someone does not kill them first!

Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class—and the nobles who destroyed their home. When Sal steals a flyer for an audition to become a member of The Left Hand—the Queen’s personal assassins, named after the rings she wears—Sal jumps at the chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge. But the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. And as Sal succeeds in the competition, and wins the heart of Elise, an intriguing scribe at court, they start to dream of a new life and a different future, but one that Sal can have only if they survive.[Goodreads]

9. Any Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys Mystery

If your ideal read on a vacation is short but still encapsulates all the features of well-thought stories, then I highly recommend choosing a novel from either the Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys series. I might also recommend bringing several of these novels, particularly if you plan to travel for several days, as they might just leave you wanting more adventure after your first look.

10. Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold by Iain Reading

Reminiscent of the Nancy Drew series, this novel is for those who have read all the Nancy Drews and are looking for more history, action, and adventure!

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is the thrilling first installment in a new series of adventure mystery stories that are one part travel, one part history and five parts adventure. This first book of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series introduces Kitty Hawk, an intrepid teenage pilot with her own De Havilland Beaver seaplane and a nose for mystery and intrigue. A cross between Amelia Earhart, Nancy Drew and Pippi Longstocking, Kitty is a quirky young heroine with boundless curiosity and a knack for getting herself into all kinds of precarious situations. After leaving her home in the western Canadian fishing village of Tofino to spend the summer in Alaska studying humpback whales Kitty finds herself caught up in an unforgettable adventure involving stolen gold, devious criminals, ghostly shipwrecks, and bone-chilling curses. Kitty's adventure begins with the lingering mystery of a sunken ship called the Clara Nevada and as the plot continues to unfold this spirited story will have armchair explorers and amateur detectives alike anxiously following every twist and turn as they are swept along through the history of the Klondike Gold Rush to a suspenseful final climatic chase across the rugged terrain of Canada's Yukon, the harsh land made famous in the stories and poems of such writers as Jack London, Robert Service and Pierre Berton. It is a riveting tale that brings to glorious life the landscape and history of Alaska's inside passage and Canada's Yukon, as Kitty is caught up in an epic mystery set against the backdrop of the scenery of the Klondike Gold Rush. Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is a perfect book to fire the imagination of readers of all ages. Filled with fascinating and highly Google-able locations and history this book will inspire anyone to learn and experience more for themselves as Kitty prepares for her next adventure - flying around the world![Goodreads]

Love,

newbookcats

What stories that you read on vacation were so noteworthy that it surpassed your trip experiences? Were any of the novels so good you felt forced to shout its praises from clifftops, or were any so bad that you hid the evidence of your bookish guilt in a dark cave for only Wilson volleyballs to find? Which of my above picks would receive Gold at the Olympics? Correspond with me in the comments below or via my social medias. Talk to you soon!

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[angiebowiearchive]

Angie’s Confessions at Timothy Lock’s G-Spot Transcript [Part 2] (2006)

(originally transcribed by me in 2006 and posted on an old LJ community. These are the same transcriptions from that time and I can no longer verify how accurate it may be. Wayback link to the episode summary here, mp3 link does not work. if anyone still has these audio files/knows how to access them, let me know.)

[part 1 here]

Timothy: On the phone with me right now from sunny Tuscon, Arizona is the fabulous Angie Bowie. Now the one thing that I’m envious about you is that you got to see London in the late sixties and the early seventies. Most of the listeners to this show probably know London from that time period by watching a dance routine from an Austin Powers film.-

Angie: Yes Timothy: Angie tell us what it was really like at that time.

Angie: Well it was, um. London had suffered such devestation from the bombing in the Blitz, that in the 1950s when I first went to London-we stayed at the Cumberland Hotel, I think I wrote this to you in my e-mail.

Timothy: Yes.

Angie: This first trip we stayed at the Cumberland, the second trip at the [unintelligible], and my father’s company paid for this, this was just the way when you worked abroad, it worked. It was nothing to do with being rich, or you know, some kind of wealthy fool, it was to do with being professional. Because he was a professional mining engineer, my dad lived like this. And when we were there, and I had a camel hair coat. A little pale white camel hair coat. Not a brown one. By the end of the stay in London, my mother had to have it dry cleaned, it was covered in soot. By the sixties, the labor government put in the green zone around London, stopped the pollutant industries and the air in London was clean. For the first time a hundred and fifty years. Now that’s really important, it’s important to peoples’ state of mind. You have to understand, the fog that we read about in those 1890s great Sherlock Holmes things, and then when Agatha Christie even describes it in the thirties, that is all part of the fact that the place was overcast with this gluey soot from all the industry. Now it made the country rich, so you know what I mean, no one’s knocking it, it was just time to clean it up ’cause people had all kinds of, you know, respiratory ailments. They were sick! It was bad! And that action by the government, I think was the first time-there were also other things. Part of the reason that Winston Churchill was able to get the people to stay with him during World War II was he promised them council housing, benefits, some kind of health insurance so they would not be like just dying in the street unable to afford a doctor. And when all those things were implemented in the 1960s, the lower and middle classes saw some joy at last!

Timothy: Mm hmm.

Angie: So their creativity flourished. And you got all these wonderful people like the Chris Stamps and his brother Terrence Stamps, Vidale [unintelligible], You know, I wish I could think of them all off the top of my head. The lady Barbara [unintelligible], , who did [unintelligible], . All these people just exploded and showed their brilliance and their creativity. And they weren’t in the House of Lords, and they weren’t anything to do with the upper class. And sports, same thing. All of a sudden there was Georgie Best and all these people that we could look at and think ‘wow, those are real people’. Until then it was Charles-big ears-Windsor!

Timothy: [laughs]

Angie: That was the biggest teen idol there was! Then we had Adam Faith and we had all these-you know, apart from Elvis and all the huge ones-I’m talking local. You know, we had local heroes.

Timothy: Right

Angie: And uh, so London-as you walked around London, you could fall over a hero. And that was what was magic. It was enchanting. Have I helped? Have I made any sense whatsoever?

Timothy: You totally have. And you know what? I think if you look at that era, especially in London, a-a, we’ll move forward a few years, and you think of classic rock star partners. There are a handful-rock star wives if you want to call it that-there are a handful that come to mind that made an impact. Now, stay with me on this one.

Angie: Okay. Timothy: Bianca Jagger. Yoko Ono. Linda McCartney. Yourself. Now, when you look at the music industry nowadays, it seems that the focus has shifted from the person that builds up the rockstar, the rockstar’s wife. It’s now the footballer’s wife. Do you think the glamour and mystique of the rock star’s wife is over?

Angie: Oh no. No no. That’s all inherent in-in…the package.

Timothy: Yeah.

Angie: You know. [sigh] Linda McCarnty was a brilliant woman.

Timothy: Yes

Angie: She was really nice. I-ya know, I really liked her. I love vegetarians, I think people that are vegetarian are so cool.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: I’m a meat eater, I can’t help it. I go to shit if I don’t have, you know, steak once a month. I’ve got to have a big piece of nearly raw meat once a month. I can’t stand it. And I eat a lot of fish, I need all that protein. Um. Linda was totally cool, I think she was such a great wife and friend to Paul. I think that’s why his career has been-just-there’s a continuity and a longevity to it. It’s impressive.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: You know, I-I watched a documentary the other day about them going to Russia. I’m sure you’ve seen it, it’s a wonderful documentary. You suddenly realize the power of music. Everything, all that Cold War-all that innuendo, all that, you know, flapping of boots and general, you know, rattling their sabers at each other, this super power rubbish-I-I really believe the Beatles and rock and roll were probably…I think they probably brought down that wall in Berlin more than anything else. Because the music travelled. You know, a cassette-yeah, yeah you could go to jail for it, but most of the time it got through and people would sit in their houses and listen to rock and roll, and think ‘you know, that’s so cool’. Dancing and music and having a good time and being able to express yourself.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: That’s important stuff. And she was a part of that. Bianca too, she’s a social activist now, she was very, um, effective in New York with this, uh, fungal type of stuff that they have in old old real estate there. Poor girl she got sick from it I think and brought it to the public’s attention and I’ve known a lot of people who’ve been sick. My friend and agent Clarence in Los Angeles, the same thing happened to in an apartment building he lived in. So she’s an interesting person. And Yoko Ono’s my big fave, because I like her music. I think she’s really very talented, and I loved the way she thought, with the bed-in in Amsterdam, I thought the whole idea of staying in bed for peace was a perfect example of how you can really use your energy instead of killing people.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: It was clever. She’s a visiualist, I love the way that-she did a great movie of people’s bums. She’s done a lot of interesting work.

Timothy: Now, do you see that creativity nowaday in people, ’cause I’m thinking of people like Victoria Beckham, who’s married to David Beckham. Do you understand where I’m going with this?

Angie: Who, Posh Spice?

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: Well, the question is, you see what you’re getting into now is anthroplogy, and what happens is this. And, and I’m very glad to have this oppurtunity to talk with you about it. If I get boring, say ‘you know what Angie, enough now’

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: Um, this is what I’ve found. I’ve been preparing a new book and while preparing the new book, you know you start thinking about different questions. One of the questions I have a real problem with is the labelization of capitialism. A lot of the kids I met in London and talked to were very dissapointed in me. Very dissapointed that I hadn’t been enormously successful and gotten all kinds of money from David.

Timothy: Right

Angie: They were like, ‘But you’re Angie Bowie!’ And I’d go ‘Yeahhh, annnd what does that mean?’ ‘But you’re a star!’ ‘No, I’m just me. Look, I’m standing here chatting with you, what are you talking about?’ Now when you label-this is a big subject, I really don’t want to bore you. When you start to make everything into a label-

Timothy: Yes

Angie: Back to Posh Beckham, I mean Posh Spice, whatever.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: Sometimes there isn’t room for more than one message.

Timothy: Right

Angie: The great thing about Linda McCartney and Paul McCartney was that Linda’s message was different. Paul was inclusive, he included her because he insisted, and how clever of him. But her photographs, her sense of style which her daughter seems to be very impressed with-I-I never really thought about the way she dressed or the way she looked with any particular impact. I just thought she looked nice. You know, she was, she looked fine.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: But I really thought that her vegetarianism, her real [stammers] marvelous ability at taking photographs was talent enough. You know what I mean?

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: And because it was in a little different direction then Paul, it didn’t impinge on what he was doing. And then when he included her in the music, and she was so creative that she was able to join in and be a real asset to the band, that was good too. The problem is I think that with labeliz-labeling now, you know, I’m a marketing major so for me this is what I breathe every day.

Timothy: Right

Angie: I-I don’t like the way that is. I don’t want to buy my clothes from a hip-hop singer.

Timothy: Yeah.

Angie: I don’t, you know, I’m not interested in buying it because’s got someone’s name on it. But then I guess I’m not a normal consumer. So what we’re doing is we’re kind of intristically breathing in selectivity through one’s marketing choices. You’re joining a group. Like MySpace.com

Timothy: Y-Yes

Angie: Big Brother is already selecting your likes, your dislikes, the way you represent yourself. You see what I’m saying here?

Timothy: Oh, totally. Angie, this is the first time we’ve actually spoken on the phone, but how long have-we’ve communicated for a couple of weeks through MySpace, which is global, isn’t it amazing the way it-

Angie: Absoultely!

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: Absoultely, and the g-the, the, the great thing about it is, is that for those of us with a little bit of [unintelligible], about being safe and being this and being that, or being in the business.

Timothy: Yeah Angie: We can handle it, so I always-I’m sure you do the same-I-I’m always a little concerned when I look at the papers, you know, and it says ‘Ooh! Fourteen year old child gets visa and passport and goes to the Middle East to meet her MySpace.com friend’. But in a way, how brilliant. How brilliant that these youngsters see everyone as a potential friend.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: It’s a lot better than, you know, Jihadist Inc., kill anyone in a turban. Which is the other way to go.

Timothy: Mmm.

Angie: Let’s be friends. Let’s all be friends.

Timothy: Globally

Angie: Yeah! Galactically!

Timothy: You know, Angie, can you imagine in ten years from now, if there is a world peace agreement signed and the person whose signature on the bottom of the peace agreement is the guy who runs MySpace.com

Angie: Rupurt Murdoch?

Timothy: [laughs]

Angie: I doubt it.

Timothy: [still laughing] Yeah, you’re right, sorry. Maybe the air

Angie: It was a lovely premise, and I love the way you [unintelligible] it, but no.

Timothy: [still laughing]

Angie: It’s not gonna happen.

Timothy: Yeah, well I just I feel the air coming out of that thought bubble right now

Angie: Yeah. Uncle Rup.

Timothy: [laughs] Well, uh, did-do you know what, another thing that we-we’ve talked about briefly before is, you know you’ve stated that you’re openly, proudly bisexual. I’m bisexual as well, but in my case it means that I have to pay for it because I’m a big ugly guy who looks like Lurch from the Addams Family.

Angie: [laughs] You are so terrible!

Timothy: Now-

Angie: Naughty boy you are. Yes, okay, mm-hmm.

Timothy: Now, you speak of bisexuality being a state of mind rather than body. How so?

Angie: It’s, uh, the idea that every single living human creature or not human creature is a kind, good thing that should be treated with respect and kindly.

Timothy: Mm-hmm

Angie: That to me is what it’s all about. It’s seeing the sexuality in food, in massage, in understanding that an older person needs to be hugged.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: It’s about touch.

Timothy: Right

Angie: It’s not about penetration. I must-I’m sorry if it sounds, uh, I’m not backing off.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: Don’t think that, that’s [laughs] my poor partner, Michael, will tell you. ‘Back off? She doesn’t know the meaning of the words’

Timothy: Yes

Angie: Uh, that’s not what I’m doing. I’m just trying to be clear.

Timothy: Yes

Angie: You know. I’ve explained how I feel about age and sexuality.

Timothy: Mm-hmm

Angie: I really think people should be adult.

Timothy: Right

Angie: I mean, at least able to-to vote. You know, before you have sex. It’s so much nicer, to not. It was great. I-I hung with a lot of people from fifteen to eighteen. Calvin, Lou Risner, all these people.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: Didn’t have sex with them.

Timothy: Mm hmm

Angie: They knew I was at college, I’d done a deal with my father. ‘Don’t fuck with me, I’m not interested’.

Timothy: Right

Angie: It’s real easy, you just say to people no.

Timothy: And, but-

Angie: You watch your drink, you make sure you don’t get spiked. You know, that’s it, what else can you do?

Timothy: It’s, it’s, uh, w-what-myself being a gay man, um, what I find is that in the, i-in the gay lifestyle, uh, especially here in London, is it’s-the, the mindset is sex first, let’s talk later. You know, when you wake up in the morning, you look over and say ‘what’s your name?’

Angie: Well, I think that’s true, but I-you know I’m-I don’t really kind of have the same way of approaching that kind of stuff.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: I-you know, when-I think when you’re raised a Catholic, you get a software pattern in your brain, that once you renounce it, you stil have that kind of jes-my father was-let me tell a quick story and it’ll explain to you.

Timothy: Sure

Angie: My father about blackmail. Okay. My mother was going to go with my brother to join him in the Phillipines

Timothy: Okay

Angie: And they bombed Pearl Harbor. So my father comes back a war hero, right?

Timothy: Right

Angie: She meets him in San Francisco, he had to go into the [unintelligible], for like, a year to get rid of all the bugs. He’s got marlaria, he’s got fifty seven types of parastical things in his intestines, you know what I’m saying.

Timothy: Right

Angie: So, she-after a year, you know what I mean, they get together she says-well, they’re sitting having dinner, at this, the [unintelligible], in San Francisco. And there’s photographs of this evening. And I’ve heard the story so many times, this is why I can tell it with such-she said to him, ‘well, what if we’d gotten there and the Japs had put us in a concentration camp? Would you have saved us darling?’ He said ‘No honey, I’d hope that you would’ve fought them off as they raped you and killed as many as you could as you died’

Timothy: Oh my God

Angie: I grew up believing that.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: I won’t be blackmailed, I won’t be fucked with.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: By anybody. Now I-back to your question about gay.

Timothy: Yeah, yeah.

Angie: About the lifestyle.

Timothy: Yes

Angie: [pauses for a moment] You gotta love me

Timothy: Hmm

Angie: You gotta adore me. Before I would even look twice at you in a bar

Timothy: Right

Angie: And it soon became obvious to me that the contents of a bar was not the type of people I wanted to ever know.

Timothy: Right

Angie: Now, the problem is, is that looking for gay partners-now, I met Michael in a bar by the way.

Timothy: Okay

Angie: At an opening. So when I say these things, they’re overall generalizations like authors do. But the truth of the matter is, I try to be honset too about when there’s an exception.

Timothy: Yes

Angie: For gay people, we’ve been stuck underground for so many years, treated with contempt and humiliated. The only place we could meet others like us was in places that had no signs.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: Little, uh-I remember going to The Gates in London and a girl, an Italian girl, saw me talking to her girlfirend at the bar. She came into the bathroom and pulled a knife on me. I was seventeen years old, I didn’t know what to do. I-I thought, w-well-I-we just came in here-I had no idea that it was so tight and so closed.

Timothy: Mmm

Angie: So I think that, in answer to your question-I talked with Patrick Willie a lot about this. We talked about his clubs down in South London and the kind of events that he sponsers. I think as it becomes more accepted, and-and you realize we have a terrible bottleneck at the moment with the influx of Muslims-

Timothy: Yes

Angie: -people from the Middle East-who are totally and utterly eighteen thousand times worse than Catholics tortured.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: So, we’re going to have some more rough times.

Timothy: Right

Angie: With our gay rights. A-and that’s a fact of life. And, uh, I just stayed in-and now in answer to your question, yes I stayed by myself for ten years, after Stasha’s father and I split up. Drew Blood. I just stayed alone. And then I met Michael. ‘Cause I was scared. I was scared that if I met someone they would be a child molester and they’d be after my daughter.

Timothy: Right

Angie: See, I didn’t know. You know, I kept thinking to myself, ‘I’ll just stay by myself. Fuck it.’ And then when you stay by yourself it’s good because then the people that really wanna be with you come out of the woodwork.

Timothy: Right

Angie: And they won’t let you escape. You know, you know you’re wanted, that they’ve gotta love me. I think that’s the-a way that helps clean the interested from the oppurtunist.

Timothy: Yeah. We-the-the-just seperating the wheat from the chaff as it were

Angie: Yes, exactly. Nicely put.

Timothy: Now, Angie, in America, uh, what’s the current climate for gays, lesbians and bisexuals under the Bush administration?

Angie: I don’t know, I haven’t really-to be honest, I haven’t really chatted with anyone who’s had a particular uh, problem, you know what I mean.

Timothy: Mm hmm, right

Angie: I-I know that everyone’s up in arms about the-the marriage stuff being divided. It’s like them redistricting the states so that they can get Republicans in.

Timothy: Yes

Angie: Same kind of thing with the marriage, uh, rights issue for gays. They-they’re going to all these different states and try to-any time they accept marriage for gays, then they immediately say that they’re, you know ‘liberal fools’ and blah blah blah. So, you know, they’re using their propoganda machine to make life as difficult as possible. And I think the die-hard

gay couples with some political sense-

Timothy: Yes

Angie: Are riding-you know, weathering the storm quite well. Probably more frightening for youngsters. Because they really believe they’re free.

Timothy: Mmm

Angie: They don’t know yet that they’re not free. I-I read a horrible story about American employers using MySpace.com to check on the references of all teenagers that apply to them. So you know, if they write anything cheeky or cute or, you know, about their sexuality, uh, you know you say the wrong kind of thing you may very well be propsitioned in the stores room. So you know that-that kind of thing, I think for the youngsters it’s more frightening.

Timothy: Do you think America will ever get over its oppresive attitude towards sex and sexuality?

Angie: They’ve gotta get over their attitude to religion before they get over their attitude to sexuality.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: I mean they still believe in, you know, gods with long white beards and uh, Baptist people, ministers. They just convicted a bunch of Baptist ministers who embezzled, uh, four hundred million dollars of their church-goers retirement fund.

Timothy: In the name of Jesus

Angie: [in Southern Baptist-like voice] In the name of Jesus and the Bapitst Chruch! So until we, you know, let people grow up enough to realize that you don’t go to church to get your housing, to get your, uh, investment oppurtunites, and to get sex.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: Which is the other thing. You know, we have such scandelous behavior with the Catholic church here. It’s just, it’s a country that runs on cheap sex and religion. And they go to church on Sunday with a hangover and fuck all week. So in answer to your question, uh, no [laughs].

Timothy: [laughs]

Angie: [laughing] I think it’s gonna take a visitation from another planet before they grow up.

Timothy: Now Angie, what do you think would happen if George W. Bush’s daughters, his two teenage daughters, one of them turned out to be bisexual and the other a lesbian?

Angie: You could only thank some great unknown creature in the sky, couldn’t you?

Timothy: Oh, exactly.

Angie: Wouldn’t that be divine retribution?

Timothy: Well, I’m sure you remember, during the presidential campaign, Dick Cheny’s daughter, John Kerry was jumpin’ all over that.

Angie: Well exactly, but you know, like she said you can only do so much. I mean what could she do?

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: You know, she does her best, and her father is supportive. I-I’ve seen him. And he won’t-he just puts his foot down. He says ‘you know, I adore my daughter. Stop. Don’t even go there’. And, and I guess that for a father, that’s better than my father would’ve been.

Timothy: Right

Angie: Mother wouldn’t even show him the letter that-the school sent a letter, tried to hint that I needed some kind of, you know, intervention.

Timothy: Right

Angie: Because, uh, this is a country that believes, you know, you can cure anything as long as you pay for a doctor or someone professional to tell you that, uh, this is how I cash your checks.

Timothy: Now Angie, if you had to write your own eulogy, what would you like said about yourself?

Angie: Oh God. Y-I-the one question I never would’ve even thought of, I can’t think of an answer. I hope someone who’s talked to me like you would write something kind and honest. Say I sought the truth, sought the truth wherever I found it and I tried to pass it on to as many people as I could, though any distribution channel I found.

Timothy: So it’s not basically what you think of yourself, it’s the impact that you’ve made on the people around you and how you’ve touched them.

Angie: I would hope

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: I-I found from the website, you know I had a really nice successful website for the last five years, and I-six years, actually-um, I-I have been so surprised at the amount of people I seem to have touched. It, it made me feel proud of myself.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: So many women who have said ‘you know [laughs] I-I, when I read your book, I realized I wasn’t alone, and were [transcription note: or we’re?] not the only person it that situation where I’d helped my husband, you know, I’d done all this stuff and then they tried to get rid of them, you know, without-‘…y-you gotta compensate people!

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: Their work for their efforts. You know, no one’s asking for anything they didn’t earn. I’m not that type of person. I don’t do that.

Timothy: Mm hmm

Angie: B-But I found that from the letters on the website, and then all about sexuality. A lot of people from that time said that I made that very clear, ’cause I was on the radio, I did a lot of press interviews, print magazines, I tried to-y’ know, television. I tried to do what I was offered to get the message out there. I really didn’t think that it was worth being well known if you’re not gonna try to say something that helps people.

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: What, what, I’m well known? Well I’m so vain I wanna see my picture? No! I don’t! I wanna say something that helps people or else why am I doing it?

Timothy: Yeah

Angie: True vanity, true stupidity more like. ‘Cause that kind of vanity just leads to your own personal misery.

Timothy: Well, you know what, what I can say is that after having close to an hour long conversation with you, I find you fabulous, I find you funny, I find you photogenic, I love alliteration even though photogenic starts with ‘ph’ for now we’ll p-pretend it starts with an f [laughs].

Angie: [laughs] You’re very kind, and it was a pleasure talking to you Timothy.

Timothy: Angie, thank you so much.

[crossborderfinancialplanning]

Preparing for 2025: Anticipated Tax Reforms and Cross-Border Tax Strategies for U.S. and Canadian Expats

As we approach 2025, both U.S. and Canadian expats are keeping a close eye on potential tax reforms that may impact their financial lives. Cross-border tax planning is becoming increasingly complex, especially for those who hold financial interests in both countries. Whether you are an American living in Canada or a Canadian residing in the U.S., it is crucial to stay informed about upcoming changes and work with a cross-border financial advisor who can help you navigate the intricacies of Canada U.S. tax planning.

In this blog, we will explore anticipated tax reforms for 2025 and provide insight into cross-border tax strategies for expats. Additionally, we will discuss how working with a Canada U.S. Expat Advisor can help you mitigate tax burdens and achieve financial efficiency.

The Importance of Canada U.S. Tax Planning

Tax planning is an essential part of financial management for expats. For those who split their lives between Canada and the United States, Canada U.S. tax planning can be incredibly complex. The two countries have different tax systems, and without proper guidance, it’s easy to fall into compliance issues, overpay taxes, or miss out on deductions and credits.

For instance, U.S. citizens are taxed on their worldwide income, regardless of where they live. This means that even if you have moved to Canada and earn income there, you may still need to file U.S. tax returns. Similarly, Canadians who move to the U.S. face potential double taxation on certain types of income unless they take advantage of tax treaties and exemptions.

Understanding the tax laws of both countries and how they interact is essential for expats. Here are some key factors to consider:

Tax Residency Status: Determining your tax residency is one of the first steps in understanding your tax obligations. Both the U.S. and Canada have different definitions for tax residency, and your residency status can significantly impact your tax liability.

Foreign Income Exclusion: The U.S. allows for a Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) that may exclude a portion of your income from U.S. taxation, provided you meet certain criteria. This exclusion is often a key element in Canada U.S. tax planning for American expats living in Canada.

Tax Treaty Benefits: Canada and the U.S. have a tax treaty that helps prevent double taxation on certain types of income. Understanding how the treaty works and how to apply for benefits is crucial in reducing your overall tax liability.

Foreign Tax Credits: In both countries, expats may be eligible to claim foreign tax credits to offset taxes paid to the other country. However, knowing when and how to apply these credits requires careful planning and coordination between the two tax systems.

Retirement Accounts: Taxation on retirement accounts can be particularly tricky for expats. IRAs, 401(k)s, and RRSPs are subject to different rules in each country, and mismanagement can lead to steep penalties or over-taxation.

2025: Anticipated Tax Reforms and Their Implications for Expats

As 2025 approaches, there are several anticipated tax reforms in both Canada and the U.S. that may significantly impact expats. Staying informed and working with a Canada U.S. Expat Advisor will help you be prepared for any changes.

U.S. Tax Reforms

The U.S. is expected to see several changes to its tax code by 2025, particularly related to the expiration of provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). These changes could impact expats in several ways:

Potential Expiration of Individual Tax Cuts: Many individual tax cuts implemented under the TCJA are set to expire at the end of 2025. This could mean higher tax rates for individuals, including those living abroad.

Increased Tax Rates on Investment Income: Proposed reforms could include higher tax rates on capital gains, dividends, and interest income. For U.S. expats with investment portfolios, this could increase their tax liability on investment returns.

Reforms to Foreign Income Exclusions: There has been speculation that the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) could be modified or capped, which would limit the amount of foreign income that can be excluded from U.S. taxation.

Changes to Reporting Requirements: The U.S. government has been increasing its focus on foreign assets and financial accounts held by U.S. taxpayers abroad. In 2025, we may see increased reporting requirements for expats, particularly related to FBAR (Foreign Bank Account Report) filings.

Canadian Tax Reforms

Canada is also expected to introduce tax reforms that could affect expats, particularly those who have significant financial interests in both countries:

Taxation on Global Assets: Canada taxes its residents on their global income, and there has been increasing discussion about tightening the rules around the disclosure of foreign assets. This could result in increased scrutiny and reporting requirements for Canadian expats living in the U.S.

Changes to the Principal Residence Exemption: There has been talk of reforms to Canada’s principal residence exemption, which allows homeowners to avoid capital gains tax when selling their primary home. These changes could affect Canadian expats who still own property in Canada while residing in the U.S.

Reforms to Wealth and Estate Taxes: The Canadian government has been considering reforms to its wealth and estate tax system, which could increase the tax burden on high-net-worth individuals, including expats. It’s essential to monitor these developments and plan accordingly.

Cross-Border Tax Strategies for 2025

Given the anticipated changes, now is the time for expats to start preparing for 2025. A well-thought-out tax strategy is crucial for minimizing tax liabilities and staying compliant with the laws of both countries.

Here are some cross-border tax strategies that can help U.S. and Canadian expats navigate the coming changes:

1. Establish Your Tax Residency

As mentioned earlier, your tax residency status is a key factor in determining your tax obligations. For Americans living in Canada and Canadians living in the U.S., understanding your residency status under the laws of both countries is crucial.

U.S. Expats: U.S. citizens are taxed on their worldwide income, regardless of where they reside. However, you may be able to take advantage of the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) to reduce your U.S. tax liability. To qualify, you must meet either the physical presence test or the bona fide residence test.

Canadian Expats: Canadian tax residency is based on whether you have significant residential ties to Canada. Even if you live in the U.S., you may still be considered a Canadian resident for tax purposes if you maintain property, family, or business connections in Canada.

Working with a cross-border financial advisor can help you determine your residency status and understand how it impacts your tax obligations in both countries.

2. Leverage Tax Treaties

The Canada-U.S. Tax Treaty is a powerful tool for expats. It is designed to prevent double taxation and provide guidance on how to allocate tax between the two countries. Key provisions of the treaty include:

Relief from Double Taxation: The treaty allows expats to claim foreign tax credits, which can reduce the amount of tax paid on the same income in both countries.

Tax on Pensions and Retirement Accounts: The treaty includes specific provisions for the taxation of pensions and retirement accounts, such as 401(k)s, IRAs, and RRSPs. Proper application of these provisions can help you minimize taxes on your retirement savings.

Social Security and Employment Taxes: The treaty also includes rules for determining which country’s social security system applies to cross-border workers. This is particularly important for those who work in one country but live in the other.

Navigating the tax treaty requires a deep understanding of its provisions, and a Canada U.S. Expat Advisor can help you ensure that you are taking full advantage of its benefits.

3. Optimize Retirement Accounts

Retirement accounts are a critical component of Canada U.S. tax planning for expats. However, each country has its own rules for how retirement accounts are taxed, and these rules can lead to double taxation if not properly managed.

U.S. Expats in Canada: If you are a U.S. citizen living in Canada, it’s essential to understand how your U.S. retirement accounts (such as 401(k)s and IRAs) are taxed in Canada. The tax treaty provides some relief, but careful planning is needed to avoid unnecessary taxes and penalties.

Canadian Expats in the U.S.: Canadian expats who move to the U.S. may face challenges when it comes to their Canadian retirement accounts, such as RRSPs. Without proper planning, you could be subject to double taxation on withdrawals from these accounts.

A cross-border financial advisor can help you optimize your retirement accounts and ensure that you are following the correct tax rules in both countries.

4. Utilize Foreign Tax Credits

One of the most effective ways to avoid double taxation is by claiming foreign tax credits. Both the U.S. and Canada allow taxpayers to claim credits for taxes paid to the other country. However, the rules for applying these credits can be complex, and you may need to coordinate between the tax authorities in both countries to ensure that you are not overpaying taxes.

A Canada U.S. Expat Advisor can help you determine which foreign tax credits you are eligible for and ensure that you are maximizing your tax savings.

5. Plan for Estate and Gift Taxes

Estate and gift taxes can be particularly challenging for expats, especially those with assets in both Canada and the U.S. The U.S. imposes estate taxes on worldwide assets, while Canada taxes capital gains on assets at death.

U.S. Expats: If you are a U.S. citizen with significant assets, it’s important to plan for U.S. estate taxes. The U.S. allows for a substantial estate tax exemption, but this could be reduced in future tax reforms.

Canadian Expats: Canadians who move to the U.S. may be subject to U.S. estate taxes on their worldwide assets, in addition to Canadian capital gains taxes. Proper planning is essential to minimize the impact of both tax systems.

A cross-border financial advisor can help you create an estate plan that takes into account the tax laws of both countries and minimizes the tax burden on your heirs.

How a Cross-Border Financial Advisor Can Help

Managing the complexities of Canada U.S. tax planning requires specialized knowledge and experience. A cross-border financial advisor is uniquely equipped to help expats navigate the tax laws of both countries and create a comprehensive financial plan that minimizes tax liability and maximizes wealth.

Here’s how a Canada U.S. Expat Advisor can help:

Tax Planning and Compliance: A cross-border financial advisor can help you stay compliant with the tax laws of both countries and take advantage of tax treaties and exemptions to reduce your tax liability.

Investment Strategies: Investing across borders comes with unique challenges, including different tax treatments of investment income. A Canada U.S. Expat Advisor can help you create an investment strategy that is tax-efficient in both countries.

Retirement Planning: Retirement accounts are subject to different rules in Canada and the U.S., and mismanagement can lead to double taxation. A cross-border financial advisor can help you optimize your retirement accounts and ensure that you are following the correct tax rules.

Estate Planning: Estate and gift taxes can be particularly challenging for expats. A Canada U.S. Expat Advisor can help you create an estate plan that minimizes taxes and ensures that your assets are distributed according to your wishes.

Financial Coordination: Managing finances across two countries requires careful coordination. A cross-border financial advisor can help you create a financial plan that takes into account the tax laws of both countries and ensures that you are maximizing your financial efficiency.

Conclusion

As we move closer to 2025, tax reforms in both Canada and the U.S. could have significant implications for expats. Whether you are an American living in Canada or a Canadian living in the U.S., it’s essential to stay informed about these changes and work with a cross-border financial advisor who can help you navigate the complexities of Canada U.S. tax planning.

By leveraging tax treaties, optimizing retirement accounts, and taking advantage of foreign tax credits, you can minimize your tax liability and achieve financial efficiency. A Canada U.S. Expat Advisor can provide the specialized guidance you need to ensure that your cross-border tax strategy is effective and compliant.

Don’t wait until the last minute—start preparing now for the tax changes coming in 2025 and beyond. With the help of a cross-border financial advisor, you can protect your wealth and enjoy peace of mind as you navigate life as an expat.

[allthoseotherworlds]

Also, quick complaint that's probably not relatable to anyone who follows me but: US tax filing software learn how to handle people living abroad challenge.

"Sorry, you can't file because you have a net income of zero" - go tell that to the IRS! They're the ones making me file taxes even though I'm living in Canada and it works out to 0 income until you're making like 100k a year. But I still have to fill out the forms, so please let me do that.

[fahrni]

Saturday Morning Coffee

Good morning from Charlottesville, Virginia! ☕️

We’re expecting a snow and sleet event this morning. As I was composing this post it started raining around 6:30AM and it’s below freezing. Here’s hoping we don’t lose power and have frozen roads later. 🥶

I hope you enjoy the links.

Colleen Long • The Associated Press

President Joe Biden will stress democracy is still a ‘sacred cause’ in a speech near Valley Forge

If TFG wins we may become an authoritarian nation. Kiss freedoms we’ve come to expect — like the horrible reversal of Roe v. Wade — to become the norm. I’d expect to see jailed political rivals and journalists. The Justice Department and Military will become law enforcement. With the law being his Orangeness.

No thank you.

Brynn Tannehill • The New Republic

The Polls Prove It: Many Republicans Love Fascism

So, yeah, fascism is the new GOP policy and Republicans across the nation love it.

That’s sickening.

Slashdot

Niklaus Wirth, Inventor of Pascal, Dies At 89

I never learned Pascal but know plenty of developers who made their career using it. 🪦

Casey Newton • Platformer

On Tuesday, I told subscribers that we are considering leaving the platform based on the company’s recent statement that it would not demonetize or remove openly Nazi accounts.

Bravo Casey! I wasn’t planning on linking to any Substack content but I had to break that rule for this piece. Casey is planning on doing something about Substack’s horrible position by, potentially, taking his publication and subscribers elsewhere. That’s very brave given it’s how he makes his living! ❤️

Now, if we can get other writers to follow that would be amazing.

BBC

Japan earthquake: Nearly 250 missing as hope for survivors fades

Our world has become such a mess the tragedy unfolding in Japan doesn’t even register as big news, at least that’s how it feels to me.

Kyle Orland • Ars Technica

34 years later, a 13-year-old hits the NES Tetris “kill screen”

Great explainer video of how the true Tetris Kill Screen was finally reached.

Also, I had no idea Tetris was still such a big deal. Silly me, of course it is! 🧱

Ashur Cabrera

I thought I’d be sharing photos of pintxos and more Basque lettering from Donostia-San Sebastián, and diving into our early experiences of living abroad.

My friend Ashur had planned a big adventure that didn’t quite work out as planned. It’s a worthwhile read and proves things don’t always go as planned.

David McCabe and Tripp Mickle • The New York Times

The Justice Department is in the late stages of an investigation into Apple and could file a sweeping antitrust case taking aim at the company’s strategies to protect the dominance of the iPhone as soon as the first half of this year, said three people with knowledge of the matter.

Some of the things the Justice Department are interested in seen really strange to me. Like allowing access to the Messages Service. Why should Google, or whoever else, be given the keys to access Messages backend services? Apple created and runs that service. It’s not built on a free to use, government backed, open-to-the-public utility. It’s paid for and maintained by Apple.

Now, if by access the government means Apple has to open it up as a paid service, I could see that. Perhaps Google agrees to take on some of the cost burden, based on usage, or pay Apple some huge fee so Android users have full access to Messages with a native messaging app built by Google. That wouldn’t be so bad. Another alternative is for Apple to build a Messages app for Android and sell access to the service as a monthly subscription. Hey, Apple, that means more service revenue! 😁

The whole App Store payment kerfuffle is something a lot of developers would like to see changed. I think most developers don’t want to pay Apple 15-30% of their potential revenue. That can be a lot of cheese for many Indie developers. There are some things Apple could change to help the situation, like allowing developers to actually tell users to visit their website to sign up or subscribe to their service. E.G. Amazon and Netflix cannot tell new users, through their app UI, to visit their website to get started. For a company who prides themselves on simplicity and great user experience sure do make it difficult for third-party apps to be easy to use.

Anywho, I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for the Justice Department taking action against Apple and fallout from it.

Dave Winer • Scripting News

So at the beginning of a new year, I’m going to remind myself that I’m too old and not paid well enough (I’m not paid at all, heh) to do another year of this kind of work. I should be making writing and reading tools work better on the web. That’s my mission.

Dave has been an innovator all his adult life. Whether it was scripting on the Mac and Windows or creating widely used technology like RSS and podcasting. Since he sold weblogs.com and left UserLand he’s continued to build writing tools of various kinds. His latest venture is FeedLand. It’s a feed reader and more. I can personally see it as a mechanism to follow and find excellent podcasts for a podcast player. Yes, it has an API that could be used for such things and it has full search capability. Bet you didn’t see that use case coming!

Anywho, I hope you get some rest, Dave, and have a wonderful 2024 making the web a better place for writers.

Keep digging!

Tim Kellogg

Back in the ’00s you would download a feed reader and subscribe to feeds. This felt a lot like an early version of social media. Google Reader was killed in 2013, which was largely seen as the death of RSS. I think social media generally replaced RSS because it took far fewer technical skills to setup a Facebook account versus an RSS-enabled blog.

This is interesting because it uses Mastodon as a feed reader. That’s not a bad idea, really. It’s such a good idea to have a timeline based reader I made one! 😁

All the stuff Tim says about Facebook and other social media platforms is 100% accurate. Those platforms stood in for blogs because of their low barrier to entry. Quite honestly I’m surprised Facebook never embraced blogging as a true feature of its platform, complete with all the expected bells and whistles, and that includes RSS and posts that don’t require a Facebook login to read them.

Anil Dash

Well, things changed a little bit in tech of late. Often, the power shifts in the tech world because of a dramatic new invention that solves an old problem a whole lot better. But in the current era, when most of what’s getting funded and hyped up are just various attempts to undermine workers and control consumers, we’re instead seeing lots of major players lose power because their signature offerings have gotten so much worse.

There was a time, not that long ago, folks said things like “RSS is dead” or asked “Is RSS dead?” First off, it’s just a technology, so it can’t actually die. Second, its web fabric and has been since its inception. It’s boring stuff — this is not a dig or insult, it’s a compliment. It’s as boring as HTML or CSS. I’d imagine it’s been used for all sorts of stuff beyond blogs over its history and it’ll probably be around for as long as we have a web to browse.

Sure social media, or microblogging, took center stage for a while. My own blogging slowed for a long period of time because I started posting little blurbs of text to Twitter instead of my blog.

Now I do that with a combination of Mastodon and Micro.blog. Short posts go to Mastodon and Micro.blog and long posts, like this one, go to my blog with a link on many services including Mastodon, Micro.blog, Blue Sky, and Tumblr.

My blog is at the center. It’s my content, I own it.

Matt Birchler

Here’s an uncomfortable question: when do I stop blogging?

I always find this question odd. I figure I’ll stop when, or if, I just stop one day. I suppose folks who do it professionally have to think about stuff like this, especially if they have subscribers and/or advertisers.

Maybe when the day comes that you’d like to stop doing it for a living you just let folks know you’re going to blog about whatever you’d like and do it for fun?

I’ve been blogging since February 2001 and still love it.

Rain Noe • Core77

A Handsome Aluminum and Ultem Smartphone Case

I want one of these. Guess I need to buy an iPhone 14 or 15 Pro? Having an updated iPhone would also open the door to a whole lot of cases I love at Cotton Bureau. 😃

Chance Miller, Benjamin Mayo, Ben Lovejoy, and Ben Schoon • 9to5Mac

The iPhone is the device that pushed the mobile industry away from physical keyboards, but nothing can truly replace that tactile experience. Launching next month, “Clicks” aims to add a physical keyboard to your iPhone with support for keyboard shortcuts and backlighting too.

In 2013 Ryan Seacrest was part of an effort to bring a physical keyboard to the iPhone. It was called Typo and I never heard much about it beyond the initial announcement. I could’ve sworn it was earlier than 2013, but my memory sometimes fails me.

Anyway, I hope these folks are wildly successful. Good luck y’all!

Richard Devine • Windows Central

The best holiday gift was Mac losing out to Windows, at least according to these stats

It’s obvious some Windows users and pundits still have an inferiority complex when it comes to the Mac. It’s surprising.

I’m an old, long time, Windows developer and I owe a lot to the platform. I spent around 20 years writing code for Windows and I still believe it to be an amazing platform for users and developers. But I switched to the Mac full time in 2006 and have grown to enjoy it every bit as much as Windows.

It’s perfectly fine to love using a different operating system or prefer coding for one over the other. Let people have fun and enjoy what they love doing. ❤️

Here’s hoping 2024 isn’t a complete shit show. 🤣

[neilujen]

jealousy, jealousy?

what are you gonna do if your own brother is at the top of the list of people who envies you?

i’m saving up to go to japan as i will watch my favorite artist and also go to the country that is on my bucket list. two birds in one stone eh? already secured my concert &plane tix, and hotel. visa is the last thing i have to secure so i could finally be at ease about my travel. last friday, before going on a local trip at my favorite place in the country, i planned on applying for a visa, but i wasn’t able to come until their cutoff time, it was 1 hour earlier than what’s on their site. anyway i took my time to breathe as i was pissed and i don’t want that to ruin my trip. i know that a trip with my bestfriend will always be a good one, no matter how many shitty stuff occurs, we can turn the table around, so i thought of focusing in the trip first instead, eat dinner then meet up at the bus station.

while i was at the place i love, a specific spot in the city where it feels home for someone like me, where there’s beauty in chaos, i received a message from my younger brother. he told me what our older brother said about me not being able to submit my files… he said ‘what do you call that? deserve??’ and my younger brother just cursed him, idk if jokingly tho but maybe.

i always felt it in my bones tho. that he wasn’t happy about the things i am able to do. things i can do with my money. it’s not my fault that i earn more than him. idgaf on stepping out of my comfort zone, give 6 hours of my life for travel time, 2x a week in office work, as long as i am paid well and be able to live comfortably. am i at fault for still having money after giving my share at our house? dude if u want to do what i am capable of then maybe step up your game. he always thinks that it is unfair that all of his money goes to house expenses, but he’s building a motorcycle without hearing any word from me. i totally don’t care since that’s his money, he can do whatever he wants. but i couldn’t understand why is he so envious??? is he going to be satisfied if i pour all of my money at home? i stopped pushing him to work in tech (which is his degree) as he doesn’t like working outside of his comfort zone. if he has always been in tech, he would’ve been earning my more than me.

i always try and comprehend what’s wrong with me or if my actions affect others negatively. but idk what’s up with my brother. it actually hurts to know that he said that. i always tell people how responsible he is as an older brother, and always care about us and yet…. :( i really don’t know. i guess i was wrong… i’m still pretending that i didn’t know he said that. also jokes on him, why would he tell that to our younger bro when he knows that my lil pooper would tell me. or did he think he wouldn’t?

anw, it’s disappointing. i knew it, when he saw my bank account, he kept asking me to treat them, or to buy stuff for the pets etc. that was 18k and was swept just as he wanted. i am really fucking confused as hell. why would you act like that to your own blood? because i’m second born? i’m not even asking mom for anything when she goes abroad, my mom’s plan was to buy me a house but i told her to give it to the older instead since he’s spending so much for us and he might not be able to save for his own since he ain’t into taking risks, can’t even try to work in tech.

after japan, i’ll save money so i could purchase my own home or start whatever ,without them knowing and take my pets, and lil pooper if he wants to. because of course, mom is on his side, as always. first born complex perhaps?

i guess we will never resolve this money issue just because i earn much more than them. and they just simply hate me. fuck it.

[hudsonmckenzie]

Moving to Ireland from the United States

It might be challenging to relocate from the USA to Ireland. It's crucial to know that, despite the fact that you are an American citizen, Irish immigration law differs from American immigration law. Your time, patience, and preparation will be needed when you move from the US to Ireland and begin the immigration process. There are several legal methods for an average American who is a non-EEA national to live, work, and/or become an Irish citizen in Ireland.

Moving can be relatively similar to travelling for a short time in that you require a passport and a short-stay visa, both of which will be checked by the Customs office, which is run by INIS (Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service).Those visiting Ireland on vacation or for business are only permitted to stay for 90 days.

However, you will require a long-stay visa if your goal is to reside and work in the nation for a duration longer than 90 days. Additionally, you will need to provide clear documentation of your trip intention, which includes a brief explanation of your intentions as well as proof that you have the money necessary to sustain your stay. There are various well-established programs from which you can request permission to remain in the form of a visa whether your objective is to study, work, retire, or even to gain Irish citizenship.

Obtaining A Visa For Ireland Immigration

As we previously indicated, you will need to apply for a visa through an Ireland immigration lawyer in order to go to Ireland because you are not a citizen of the European Economic Area. A certificate that is attached to your passport or other travel document that authorizes you to travel to and reside in Ireland is essentially what an Irish visa is. If the appropriate authorities are confident there is no risk of immigration abuse, it can be acquired in advance through your embassy or consulate. However, even if you have a visa, you will still need to show the immigration officer at the airport your passport and other travel documentation. The sort of visa you will apply for now depends on the reason and the duration of your trip.

Short-term Visas

This option is for individuals who want to visit Ireland for a period of time shorter than 90 days, or three months. So, if you are certain that your stay in Ireland will not be more than three months, you should apply for this type of visa. Keep in mind that the maximum length of stay on this visa is three months.

Long-term Visas

You should apply for a long-stay "D" visa if your plan is to relocate to Ireland for a period of time longer than three months, maybe to study, work, or dwell permanently there. Furthermore, if you intend to stay on this visa, you must also apply for an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) through an Ireland immigration lawyer.

Re-entry Visa

If you want to leave the nation for a little length of time after receiving the first visa, which is only good for a single entrance, you may need to file for a re-entry visa when returning to the country. However, if you hold an Irish Residence Permit (IRP), you can enter and exit Ireland without a re-entry visa.

Transit Visa

This visa is for people who are going abroad via Ireland. With this visa, you are not permitted to leave the port or the airport.

Why immigrate to Ireland?

Why is moving to Ireland so popular? Opportunities for employment, a higher standard of living, and lower cost of living when compared to other nations; an improved climate (less humid); stunning scenery all year round; and traditional music and dance, such as Irish step-dancing, which is now well-known worldwide thanks to River Dance, which aired on TV screens across America back in 1995.

As we previously indicated, there are a lot of recognised reasons why the majority of Americans move to Ireland, including to study, work, retire, or even settle there permanently.

[rockislandadultreads]

Libby Spotlight: New eAudiobooks

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (read by Meryl Streep)

In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew.

Tom Lake is a meditation on youthful love, married love, and the lives parents have led before their children were born. Both hopeful and elegiac, it explores what it means to be happy even when the world is falling apart.

American Prometheus by Kai Bird & Martin J. Sherwin (read by Jeff Cummings)

American Prometheus is a full-scale biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, "father of the atomic bomb," the brilliant, charismatic physicist who led the effort to capture the awesome fire of the sun for his country in time of war. Immediately after Hiroshima, he became the most famous scientist of his generation - one of the iconic figures of the twentieth century, the embodiment of modern man confronting the consequences of scientific progress.

He was the author of a radical proposal to place international controls over atomic materials - an idea that is still relevant today. He opposed the development of the hydrogen bomb and criticized the Air Force's plans to fight an infinitely dangerous nuclear war. In the now almost-forgotten hysteria of the early 1950s, his ideas were anathema to powerful advocates of a massive nuclear buildup, and, in response, Atomic Energy Commission chairman Lewis Strauss, Superbomb advocate Edward Teller and FBI director J. Edgar Hoover worked behind the scenes to have a hearing board find that Oppenheimer could not be trusted with America's nuclear secrets.

American Prometheus sets forth Oppenheimer's life and times in revealing and unprecedented detail. Exhaustively researched, it is based on thousands of records and letters gathered from archives in America and abroad, on massive FBI files and on close to a hundred interviews with Oppenheimer's friends, relatives, and colleagues.

Pageboy by Elliot Page (read by Elliot Page)

“Can I kiss you?” It was two months before the world premiere of Juno, and Elliot Page was in his first ever queer bar. The hot summer air hung heavy around him as he looked at her. And then it happened. In front of everyone. A previously unfathomable experience. Here he was on the precipice of discovering himself as a queer person, as a trans person. Getting closer to his desires, his dreams, himself, without the repression he’d carried for so long. But for Elliot, two steps forward had always come with one step back.

With Juno’s massive success, Elliot became one of the world’s most beloved actors. His dreams were coming true, but the pressure to perform suffocated him. He was forced to play the part of the glossy young starlet, a role that made his skin crawl, on and off set. The career that had been an escape out of his reality and into a world of imagination was suddenly a nightmare.

As he navigated criticism and abuse from some of the most powerful people in Hollywood, a past that snapped at his heels, and a society dead set on forcing him into a binary, Elliot often stayed silent, unsure of what to do. Until enough was enough.

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher (read by Jennifer Blom)

There's a princess trapped in a tower. This isn't her story.

Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of Toadling: return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right?

But nothing with fairies is ever simple.

Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He's heard there's a curse here that needs breaking, but it's a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold…

[americamortgages]

No Citizenship? No Problem! How to Get a U.S. Mortgage as a Non-U.S. Citizen

If you’re a non-U.S. citizen interested in buying an investment property in the United States, you might think getting a mortgage is out of the question. However, this is not necessarily the case. It is possible to obtain a U.S. mortgage even if you are not a U.S. citizen or have a green card.

The type of mortgage you can obtain depends on your residency status. If you are a permanent resident alien with a green card, you can apply for a mortgage in much the same way as U.S. citizens. You must provide documentation showing that you have a green card and a social security number. Lenders will look at your credit history and financial situation to determine your eligibility for a loan.

If you are a non-permanent resident alien, meaning that you don’t have a green card but you do have a social security number or an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number), in that case, you can still obtain a mortgage. To do so, you will need to provide a work permit or special employer-sponsored visa, and lenders will need to verify that you can live and work in the United States for at least three years.

Non-U.S. citizens who do not have lawful residency in the United States are not eligible for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or FHA home loans. However, there are still many options available to them. Foreign national loans are available for non-residents who want to purchase a vacation or investment property in the U.S.

America Mortgages is the industry expert in foreign national loans. We offer two popular programs:

AM Express+: This program is designed for borrowers who cannot show the required income for various reasons, such as self-employment, lumpy income, or privacy concerns. It doesn’t require income verification, U.S. credit, or residency and has a high LTV (loan-to-value) ratio of 75%.

AM Investor+: This program is designed for borrowers who can show their foreign income through a simplified process, qualifying much like a U.S. citizen. Rates are comparable to what a U.S. citizen would pay, and the LTV can go as high as 75% without reserves required.

America Mortgages is the only global mortgage originator laser-focused on U.S. real estate financing with offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, London, Paris, and Sydney. They offer borderless mortgages, making it easy for U.S. expats and foreign nationals to purchase property in the U.S. without ever leaving their home country or country of residence.

One of the challenges that foreign borrowers face when trying to obtain a U.S. mortgage is the lack of credit history. It can take years to accumulate enough credit history to generate a good score. However, American Mortgages can accept a foreign credit report instead of a standard U.S. credit report. This is a unique feature that sets America Mortgages apart from other US-based lenders and brokers.

If you are a U.S. expat who files U.S. taxes but works for a foreign company and doesn’t receive a W2, America Mortgages has a program for you. Our expat mortgage program looks at your foreign income just as it would if it were paid in U.S. dollars. Your W2 is offset with other documents, and your loan is processed just as it would if you were in the U.S. This program does require sufficient U.S. credit. Still, if U.S. credit isn’t an option because you’ve been abroad for many years, America Mortgages has programs for these borrowers as well.

In summary, non-U.S. citizens can obtain a mortgage in the United States regardless if they have a green card or social security number. Foreign national mortgage programs, like the ones offered by America Mortgages, have made it easier for borrowers outside the U.S. to finance second homes or investment properties in the country. These programs allow borrowers to make smaller down payments and receive competitive interest rates. America Mortgages also offers programs for U.S. expats and those without sufficient U.S. credit, making it a welcoming option for almost every type of borrower.

Reference: https://www.americamortgages.com/no-citizenship-no-problem-how-to-get-a-u-s-mortgage-as-a-non-u-s-citizen%ef%bf%bc/

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When Does The 2023 Us Tax Season Start, And What Should Expats Know?

Tax season in the U.S. can be a stressful time for expats, but knowing when it starts and what to expect can make things easier. The 2023 U.S. tax season will begin on January 17, so now is the perfect time to review all of the important information that expats need to know.

In this article, we'll explore when the 2023 U.S. tax season begins and explain what expatriates should keep in mind as they prepare their taxes. Paying taxes overseas may seem daunting at first, but understanding how deadlines work and familiarizing yourself with all relevant forms are key steps toward successful filing.

We'll cover everything you need to understand before submitting your return next year, so read on to learn more about getting ready for the 2023 U.S. tax season!

2023 Tax Season Start Date

The 2023 U.S. tax season is due to start on January 15, 2023. This date marks the first day when any individual can submit their taxes electronically or by mail for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.

It's important to note that filing an extension doesn't extend the deadline for paying your taxes - you must still pay before April 15 of the following year (in this case, 2024). Even if you don’t have cash for that you need to use some services like USA cash loans to get that money or borrow money from your friends and others. There are a variety of deductions and credits available depending on your situation, so be sure to research what may apply to you; it could save you money!

Additionally, taxpayers who owe more than $1,000 in taxes will also have to make estimated tax payments throughout the course of the year. Knowing these parameters and deadlines ahead of time will help ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible come tax time.

With all these details taken care of, expats should now consider which forms they'll need to file with their return.

Important Forms For Expats

The 2023 U.S. tax season starts on February 12, which is when the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) begins to accept individual income tax returns. This means that expats have a few months from now until April 15 to prepare and file their taxes in order to avoid any late-filing penalties associated with not meeting this deadline.

For expats filing taxes, there are several important forms they need to know about. These include:

- The Form 1040NR or 1040NR E.Z., which are used for nonresident aliens who had U.S.-source income during the previous year

- Form 2555 if they earned foreign earned income

- 8802 form, which helps them get an IRS-issued certification of their residency status for claiming treaty benefits

In addition, expats may also need other forms, such as W8BEN or W9s, depending on their situation.

Now that we've discussed what forms ex-pats should familiarize themselves with before filing taxes, it's time to talk about tips for successful tax filing - including getting organized early and understanding all relevant deadlines.

Tips For Successful Tax Filing

The 2023 U.S. tax season will start on January 15 for most taxpayers. It is important for expatriates to be aware of the various rules and regulations relating to filing taxes in the U.S. while living abroad.

There are a few key tips that can help ensure successful tax filing for those who live outside the United States.

First, it is imperative for individuals to understand what income they must report when filing their taxes. This includes income from foreign sources as well as any investments held offshore. Additionally, if an individual received housing allowances or other benefits from their employer while abroad, they must also include this information when completing their return. Furthermore, they will need to provide certain documentation, such as proof of residence, in order to qualify for certain deductions or credits.

Next, expats should research all available deductions and credits related to their particular situation. For example, there are specific deductions available for those with high moving expenses associated with relocating overseas or earning income through self-employment activities performed abroad. Additionally, some countries may have double taxation agreements which allow residents to claim a credit against taxes paid in another country up to a specified amount. By familiarizing themselves with these options beforehand, ex-pats can maximize the potential savings on their returns each year.

Finally, taxpayers should consider hiring a professional accountant or specialist knowledgeable about international tax law who can assist them in understanding how different jurisdictions apply taxes differently and advise them on strategies designed to reduce liabilities and minimize risks associated with noncompliance penalties. They should also maintain accurate records throughout the year and regularly review applicable tax laws so that they remain informed of any changes that could affect them during future filing seasons.

Conclusion

The 2023 U.S. tax season will begin on January 15, so expats should start preparing now.

To make the process easier, familiarize yourself with the forms and resources that are available to you as an expat.

With some preparation and organization, filing taxes can be a less stressful experience.

So don't wait until the last minute - take advantage of the opportunity now to ensure your taxes are filed correctly and on time!

I wish all ex-pats luck in their upcoming tax season preparations and good luck in staying organized throughout it all!