#continuing my trend of answering asks from 2022

[meloartist]

Yeah, I also want to see 2 season, especially Destiny and my favorite Delirium, but I'm also curius who will play Remiel and Duma.

[i think this ask was pre-s2 announcement bc 2022 but YEAH]

i'm a HUUUUUUUUUGE duma stan you dont even KNOW

[yanderenightmare]

since u have a large following, i wanted to ask about the first few months when u started. How many followers in the first few months do u think is good for a blog that js started? Is it natural to not attract ad much as others?

I get demotivated when i see other people have big numbers in following while I only have a few 😅 ik i probably shouldn't be dumpin this in ur ask box but I think I need advice, so feel free to ignore tis if u don't wanna answer.

Anyway, love ur work SO MUCHHH

My Tumblr Journey

Hmm, well, you know, your following increases based on how often you post and what you post, so it's going to be very different for everyone.

But I'll explain what I've done, starting from the very beginning, and maybe it might give you some insight and help you out!

In the Beginning!

I made my first post on June 22nd, 2020, and got my first thousand followers within 113 days after that, then another thousand in the following 69 days.

Back then, I only posted fandom works, solely yandere BNHA.

It was a time when BNHA was extremely popular. Season four had just finished airing, and the anime-only fans had been introduced to Hawks for the first time. So, my popularity really rode on that wave.

Part Two of The Beginning!

Shortly after that, in 2021, BNHA had its fifth season featuring Deku getting his additional quirks, and on top of that, the villains got their very own arc. My Hero was really popping off and coming into its own as one of the best animes of all time. And you know I was continuing riding the wave.

Simultaneously, season one of Jujutsu Kaisen finished airing in March of that year. And, of course, I jumped on the trend and made my first JJK post in May when it was just starting to heat up.

After that, I also started branching out into other fandoms—though still kept mainly to BNHA.

♡ 2021 COLLECTION FULL

Crappy New Year!

2022 was a really shitty year for my Tumblr. I was busy in my final year of high school, then went straight to University and got busy making friends and all that stuff.

And yet, despite all that, this is the year I made 10k! Woohoo!

♡ 2022 COLLECTION FULL

The Year of JJK!

Ever since watching season one, I'd bought all the manga and was fully caught up. Then, season two started in July, and you know I and every one else was eating it up.

Satoru Gojo had fully become my new favorite character, often joined by Geto, knocking Bakugou out of the number-one slot—while Mahito challenged Shigaraki for second place.

All in all, it was a really good bounce back from 2022.

♡ 2023 COLLECTION PART ONE ♡ 2023 COLLECTION PART TWO

The Year of Inserts and My Best Year Yet!

This is the year I started writing primarily inserts.

Fanfic writing had become a little stifling and repetitive, so I found it really liberating to be able to write what I wanted without needing to cater it to a specific character.

And I couldn't be any luckier how well you all responded to it. I made a ton of new followers, reaching 20k and almost 30k in the same year!

The response was, in fact, so good that I even published a book with only OCs—Marie's Collection of Erotic Thrillers.

However, with that being said, I think writing for a fandom really helps you get started. Because you'll be able to use the fandom tags, which in turn will help people find your writing.

That's what I did, though, so I can't really speak on what it would have been like if I only wrote inserts and OCs from the beginning. However, I know of other authors here on Tumblr who've taken that route and have blown up almost overnight!

So, there really isn't any right or wrong way here.

♡ 2024 COLLECTION PART ONE ♡ 2024 COLLECTION PART TWO

Hope it helps!

[wherewhereare]

Blake Shelton's Answer to "Where's Your Girl?" Is Actually Perfect: "Babe Alert"

Shelton's new single "Texas" has him feeling lucky in love with Stefani.

By Jessica White Dec 23, 2024, 3:41 PM ET

Time and time again, Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani's love for each other melts hearts, even as Shelton sings about disregarding exes in his new single "Texas."

Written by Nashville songwriters Johnny Clawson, Josh Dorr, Kyle Sturroc, and Lol Guzman, Shelton's new single "Texas" is an energizing country breakup bop boasting an infectious beat and cheeky nods to country music legend George Strait and his song "All My Exes Live in Texas." Shelton released the single in November 2024.

As fans obsess over the moody new country jam, Shelton and his wife Stefani remain stronger than ever. The Voice power couple have been happily married for three years after meeting on the set of the NBC competition series and have since become the other's biggest cheerleaders. Whether it's an album drop or a tour, Shelton and Stefani always show their support, and the trend continues with Shelton's latest hit.

RELEASE: Blake Shelton's Bouncy Version of "Jingle Bell Rock" Will Rock Your Christmas Socks Off

Amid the release of his new single "Texas," Shelton has been showing Stefani some love, and it's undeniably mutual.

Behind Blake Shelton's adorable lyric switch in "Texas"

On December 19, Stefani was keen to show Shelton some love after he referenced her in a video he shared on Instagram promoting his new single. In the clip, Shelton lip-syncs along to his new song. However, after reaching the part where the singer is asked of his ex-girlfriend's whereabouts, Shelton swapped the titular line "Texas" with "the garden picking flowers for the best bouquets."

Seriously, can you get any cuter than that? Not only does Stefani loves her some gardening time, but the singer released her fifth studio album, "Bouquet," in September.

After seeing the heartwarming post, Stefani showed her hubby some love, commenting: "Babe alert!" 

RELATED: Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani's Love Story in Pictures

It's a cute post for Shelton to make considering Stefani's November 2022 interview with Extra, in which she revealed why her husband was leaving his longtime post at The Voice. After laying down literal new roots with Stefani and her three sons, Shelton wanted more free time with his family.

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton at the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards from Ford Center at The Star on May 16, 2024 in Frisco, Texas. Photo: Gilbert Flores/Penske Media via Getty Images

"I think he just got to a point where he just wants time in his ranch, like time to just do the other things that he loves to do," she said. "I'm excited for him because we have lives outside of work, and it's a really good life. We have Oklahoma, which is something I never knew I needed and wanted. We planted a garden, we do all kinds of fun stuff."

And no one will deny that Shelton and Stefani deserve all their flowers.

[la-cocotte-de-paris]

Hi!

3. Do you feel your age?

7. Which fashion trends did you love?

8. Which fashion trends did you hate?

Hey hey!

3. Do you feel your age?

HELL NO I feel 20 at most. Maybe 21?? Not 23 lmfao and being 23 so far has been weird. This whole year was weird tbh. Too many downs and a few very high ups. Also the idea that next year I turn 24 sickens me and terrifies me. However when I was in France and chatting with new people from all over the world, I realised most people in my age range (and probably everyone in general) feel at least 2-3 years younger than they actually are due to COVID, given many countries had restrictions and lockdowns either continuously or frequently over a three-year period or so. So that explains the not being able to register my actual age, at least partially.

7. Which fashion trends did you love?

It's funny bc usually I hate the current fashion trends but this year I felt like I was actually aligning w them by chance?? I loooooooved the dark feminine trends (including makeup) really catching fire. And the old money looks, and also the long black winter coats. Gorgeous. The chunky heeled Mary Jane shoes was also a trend I adored (and actually participated in lmao).

8. Which fashion trends did you hate?

Hmm I'm sure there were many but oddly enough I can't think of any rn?? Maybe some of the Y2K revival but not all of it? I thought some of it was a vibe. There was one person (influencer tbh rip) I followed on ig and their style changed a lot - I really dislike it now (I think it's hideous actually and imma say that out loud - their hair doesn't suit them, they wear clothes at least five sizes too big for them and they can't pull off the look at all, some colours they wear a lot look gaudy on them or don't complement their natural appearance...) but hey whatever makes one happy. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Tbh idk why I still follow them - I don't find any of their content interesting and haven't for ages.

In terms of makeup (adding makeup bc sometimes that helps bring a fashion look together) however I do find the over-blush kinda clownish lmao - mind you I didn't see much of it in Ireland or France (the parts I was in, at least). It can be cute but you gotta know what you're doing. And I've never liked freckles so doing the faux freckles on the face never made sense to me - but that was more 2022 and maybe early 2023 I think? I'll update if I can think of fashion specifically.

Thank you for asking!! <333 Sorry for the long answer ahahaha -_-" :P

End of Year Meme

[n7viper]

2, 4, 11, and 14!

Ari hiiiiiiii 💖 thank you for da ask!

(End of the Year asks)

2. Album of the year

Oh man... I agonised over this for a bit. First, I'll give a massive shoutout to a very close runner up in The Death We Seek by Currents. I know I'm always going on about them, but their riffs blow my tits off every time. The actual answer would be The Seventh Sun by Bury Tomorrow! It was one of my top albums of the year as far as plays go and I just really loved it. I was able to see them live twice this year, and the song Wrath inspired some really killer art of my guardian Mae from my good friend @sacherali 💖 Sorry to Currents and their sick riffs, but it's not a fair fight here

4. Movie of the year

You're killing me 😭 my ass does NOT watch movies. I honestly think the only new 2023 movie I watched this same year was The Mario Movie :( It's from 2022, but I will say that my favourite new to me movie I watched was The Menu. It was a really interesting satire, and I enjoyed it!

11. Something you want to do again next year

Is it cheesy to say? I would love to continue working on myself and being the best version of myself that I can be. I did a lot of therapy and had a lot of healthy growth this year. I'd like to continue that trend!

14. Favourite book you read this year

I regret to inform you that I am massively uncultured and didn't read a single book 😭 Goals for next year!

[natsubeatsrock]

10 MORE of My Favorite Posts, So Far

Five years ago, I made a list of my 10 favorite posts to celebrate turning 5 years old. Since then, I haven't made many posts. However, I definitely have 10 posts for this post. This list isn’t necessarily ranked from least to most favorite, but there is one post I can call my absolute favorite.

Let’s go!

Honorable Mention: Why the “Nalu wasn’t the original plan“ party is STILL a big deal. [originally posted December 10, 2021]

I have to give a special shoutout to the spiritual successor to my favorite post from the last list. It's still weird that people are shocked to learn that Mashima didn't plan to make Nalu happen and that he prefers it as a friendship. I wanted to remind people of both, even as the sequel was picking up steam.

Number 10: Do I STILL really believe Nalu won’t happen? [originally published June 18, 2023]

This post holds a special place in my heart. Prior to this post, I was in a deep slump. Looking back, I hadn't posted much four months prior to this post. I had ideas, but nothing felt motivating enough to get posted. Thankfully, depressed or otherwise, nothing gets me going like a good Nalu rant.

You'd be forgiven for believing that my absence was due to Nalu. I've seen the script before: die-hard ship crusader crumbles under the weight of realization that they've been wrong about the ship they hate. Even my other Nalu posts trended in that direction. More than confirming I hadn't died, this was a reminder that I hadn't changed. I'm glad to be back to posting.

Number 9: Should Hiro Mashima die? [originally posted May 19, 2021]

I'm not one for clickbait, outside of the occasional satirical post. However, for a post about Death of the Author, I couldn't help myself. This subject has been done to death itself. Might as well put a spin on it.

To make this post, I found the source of this term, which is an essay by Richard Barthes, and went through his definition of the term. Ironically, the term is used in a different way he intended. I argued both were bad ways of analyzing works.

This post marks something I've become more comfortable doing: taking a topic that isn't about Fairy Tail and making it about Fairy Tail. I took Mashima as the example of an author that would could be the subject of Barthes' essay and asked if Mashima was worth killing. Naturally, the answer I came up with is no. Thank God I didn't post this on his birthday.

Number 8: brb, got replies about nolu, lol [originally posted September 5, 2022]

This post is another reminder that I should post more additions to my old series: Opinions I'll Probably Get Stoned For. In #200, I mused about how weird it was that the Nalu fandom hadn't been on my case about my posts on their ship. Do I even need to say what happened next?

Surprisingly, the first set of messages I remember seeing were about a different post. Earlier in the year, I made a tier list of the Natsu ships I'd seen. I'm not shocked someone messaged me about it. I was annoyed to find that their problem was that Nalu was at the bottom and Nali was at the top.

Seeing their logic and another reply on another post, this reply was a no brainer. I don't know how many times I have to say this, but I'll do it one more time. I don't care if you like Nalu. Leave me alone about it, and we'll get along just fine.

Number 7: The Rewrite of Fairy Tail: Part 28 (Laxus) [originally posted July 6, 2021]

Speaking of things I need to get back to posting, my series rewriting Fairy Tail. I should have known that rewriting a story with more than a decade of material with an ongoing sequel would be difficult. Let's just say my IRL work has kept me too occupied to continue this as much as I'd like.

That said, this post was the most popular in the series by far. I can see why. I'm tackling one of the biggest sticking points people have about Laxus. With the guild-banishing stunt he pulled in Fantasia, people question how he could like the guild.

My argument was that he loved the guild, but not the guild members. He liked being in Fairy Tail and the reputation that came with it. He wasn't a fan of the weaklings dragging the guild's name through the mud. I'm glad my argument reasonated with people who didn't care about my attempts to recreate the series.

Number 6: Did Mashima fridge Juvia? [originally posted August 31, 2021]

At some point in the year 2021, I figured it wasn't enough to talk about one annoying writing discourse. I had to write about two. Incidentally, I had the idea for this post before talking about death of the author. So, why did I post this after that one?

This blog has a tradition of sorts. After predicting Juvia's death on that date, I've talked about Juvia dying and coming back to life in some capacity almost every year since. I mentioned this idea in the post for 2020. Even as I mentioned it would be a messy idea, I was already drafting this post for the following year.

This is a rare instance of me playing defense for Juvia's character, despite how messy Gruvia feels for me. It also gave me an outlet to share my thoughts on the subject of fridging women. Want to know how much I like this post? I accidentally started editing my draft of it for this August. The idea was that captivating for me.

Number 5: The Lucy Paradox [originally posted March 8, 2024]

The funny thing about this post is that it almost wasn't about Lucy. In the post, I mention that Sakura Haruno from Naruto was the first character I thought of being considered as weak despite being a powerful character in their universe. The issue is both are overshadowed by their broken teammates.

From that, you might be able to predict my stance. Clearly it's the fault of misogynist writers. Shonen action has a women problem and I was going to call it out. Except, I went in the opposite direction. As much blame goes on writers, some deserves to go towards the readers for being stupid. Incidentally, that was another reason I was against death of the author.

I do have one regret about the post. When I was writing the post, I intended to post it on International Women's Day. In doing so, I unfortunately released a post criticizing Akira Toriyama the same week he passed away. Naturally, this didn't occur to me until after I wrote the post.

Number 4: Takeaways from Mashima Panel at NYCC ‘24 [originally posted November 5, 2024]

I got to meet Hiro Mashima live. That should be all I need to say for this entry and that would be enough.

Mashima came to my neck of the woods for a third NYCC. I wasn't a fan of FT the first time. I was sick the second time. However, I already planned to go last year. Once I saw the sign-ups for this event, I made sure to punch my ticket.

I wasn't going into the event planning to make that post. However, I figured I should once I noticed how many people were also taking notes. I was shocked that more questions from this session weren't made public.

I can't say this is the first time I've broken news to people on this website. However, this was bigger than letting people know something they didn't know about. I was sharing information few people on the planet had access to.

Number 3: So, I've been watching Sword Art Online: Abridged Parody, and... [originally posted July 23, 2020]

It's not that I'm shocked a post that isn't about Fairy Tail has blown up. It's always hilarious to see the ones that do, and why. This was the second post in an ongoing series where I talk about things that aren't Fairy Tail and what I've learned from experiencing them.

It's not just that this is my favorite one. It's also been the one I've seen people frequent the most. Anytime a new episode of SAO Abridged comes out, more people come to this post. Even as expected as it is, I've come to appreciate the reminder that a new episode is available.

My plan was to connect something from episode 2 to the first season of the parody. Originally, I was going to mention how something popped up in each episode that mattered for the later episodes. That was an easy enough task on its own.

As I continued working on it, I noticed the throughline for the arc that started becoming apparent in this arc. Tugging at that string became the second half of the post. It resulted in one of my favorite posts and among the most popular of this second half of blogging.

Number 2: Lisanna Makes Me Hate My Fandom More [originally posted August 31, 2024]

For those looking at the date, yes. I mentioned that Juvia dying isn't the same as the nonsense I've seen people say about Lisanna. That counts as talking about her death in my book.

If you think I'm joking, this post was sparked by a response to someone reblogging a post on my main blog. They all but said that Lisanna's fans overhype her moments. So much so that we elevate her to main cast status. I couldn't take that lying.

It took me time to get my thoughts in order, but I'm happy with this result. I've become frustrated with the sentiment that Lisanna was better off dead. This was an extension of the frustration I'd been letting out in other posts.

This should be the most obvious thing ever. Lisanna didn't get to do much in canon. Of course the people that like her would do more with her in fan works. Of course, we'd care about the moments she's in. Of course we love the impact she's had on Natsu and other characters.

Number 1: Why I Don't Forgive Mashima over Graytear [originally posted November 26, 2020]

As I mentioned in the intro, the spots for most of these posts can be debated. I have plenty of other posts I've made in five years that could also be on this list. However, this was always going to be number one.

The funny thing is that this title is somewhat misleading. You'd think this is how I'm mad that Mashima didn't make Graytear canon. I've derided the idea of doing this thing for Nalu and other ships. But, would it be okay if I do it for my favorite Gray and Ultear ship?

The answer is simple: no. That's why I didn't.

I took this from the angle of Mashima's handling of their overall relationship. Mashima's writing of these two is one of my least favorite aspects of the entire series. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'm not likely to make a post similar to this if Nalu were to happen. Mashima would really have to mess that up.

The crown jewel of this post is my rant about Last Ages. I have never liked the idea of this spell and its effects on Ultear. The fact that it's a beloved moment by fans and haters brings me no satisfaction. Thanks to the notes on this post, I'm glad I'm not the only one who see why.

That's my list. Here's to yet another five years with more posts to pick from for the third edition.

[cindyclaireb]

Company Interviews — Week 1-2

Businesses exist all around us and it is something that we tend to overlook. From passing by boutiques in the mall to scrolling past an advertisement for a restaurant on our phones, it can be hard to imagine just how many businesses are out there worldwide and all the trials they must have gone through to get to where they are today. For our Technopreneurship subject, we were given the unique task of interviewing thirty companies in order to gain practical insights from employees and business owners alike. My group mates are Annriza Lam, Francis Padero, and Honey Rhose Petil, who I collaborated with for this project. And to start, we interviewed five businesses within the LimKetKai Mall for the first week. 

Getting Started ✅

Photo taken by Honey Rhose Petil

In full honesty, this was not something that we are familiar with right away. As someone who hasn’t experienced this type of challenge before where we interview strangers about the business that they own or work at, it definitely was an intimidating task. We started with exploring the area in which we would like to interview first, which was in LimKetKai Mall. Then, the next day, we started creating our list of questions and narrowed it down to the type of questions that will suit the businesses that we plan to interview. We also simplified it so our interviewees will feel more comfortable answering it. We then went to the mall once more, our guide questions in hand, rehearsed, and began scouting for potential people who were willing to share their insights.

1. ALBERTO

Photo taken by Francis Padero

Located in the West Concourse and on the 1st floor, this branch in LimKetKai Mall was the first business that we interviewed. From the information gathered, this shoe store has been in the leather goods industry for over thirty years, and their main goal is to offer quality and value-for-money products to Filipinos and make their lives better by providing one quality pair at a time. Their top products include wedges, sandals, school and office shoes, mens shoes and loafers, and even bags.

As for the interview itself, we talked to Aljen Padoc Tagaylo who was a Cash Reliever there. We were really grateful that she was willing to offer some of her time to share her firsthand experiences to us. When asked about the business’ goals and the key factors in making sure operations run smoothly on a day-to-day basis, she emphasized the importance of serving the customers comfortable products and giving the correct information when asked about their shoes. She also mentioned that the problem of being compared to other shoe brands can be a challenge as an employee working there, but she was quick to reassure that Alberto brings sellability and comfort to customers no matter what. Aljen confirmed this by saying that they receive positive feedback from loyal customers all the time when we asked her about customer feedback. And lastly, when we asked what advice she could give us as aspiring technopreneurs, she shared that it’s important to advertise and to look at what’s trending with the young generation in order to scale up our future business.

2. ACER CONCEPT STORE

Photo taken by Francis Padero

Continuing along the West Concourse in the mall, the Acer concept store was the second business we had the opportunity to visit. Opened on August 22, 2022, this store is part of a successful expansion by Upson, which has launched Acer stores in five strategic locations since 2021. With a commitment to providing customers with a wide array of products and an immersive shopping experience, this store features everything from desktops and laptops to monitors, projectors, gaming gear, and even air purifiers. They also assist in installing games and operating systems, with their main target market being the middle class.

Chris John Cayetano, a sales technician, was our second interviewee for today. When asked about the shop’s goals, he emphasized the need to reach a certain quota every month. For that to be possible, he answered that not only does it take customers and prospects to ensure that the business runs smoothly, but bonuses and incentives help them a lot as well in boosting morale and financial well-being. To ensure customer satisfaction, he talked about the importance of good service and accommodation. However, he noted that a major challenge is the seasonal nature of gadget sales, leading to periods with fewer customers. He also advised that when starting a business, it can take months to regain the initial investment, even with a clear target audience, due to the unpredictable nature of the process.

3. FRENZIZ CROCHET

Photo taken by Francis Padero

The third interviewee that we had the pleasure to meet was Jerly Galo Serana, a business owner at Frenziz Crochet. Her business, named after her daughter, specializes in creating one-of-a-kind handmade crochet items that are tailored to suit customers of all ages in terms of aesthetics and sizes. Jerly has been crocheting for two years as a hobby and officially started her business in 2021. Since then, she has expanded to several malls, including LimKetKai, Ayala Malls Centrio, Robinsons Iligan, Robinsons Valencia, and SM Downtown. Currently, as of August 2024, Frenziz Crochet is featured at the Higalaay Festival bazaar in the Limketkai Mall Rotunda.

While interviewing her, I really noticed how eager she was to spare time for us and share her business behind the scenes. Her passion for her craft and contentment with her business's progress shone through. Jerly emphasized the importance of hard work and quality in setting her products apart from competitors, believing that having a unique identity is key. Starting with almost no monetary investment, she focused on honing her talent, believing that if you have a gift, you should showcase it. When asked what keeps her business running smoothly, she answered that it’s all about perseverance and loving your own work. Though she faces challenges, including exhaustion and feeling stuck at times, her experience in HR, salesmanship, and maintaining a positive mental attitude helped her push through. Finally, she finds both happiness and financial stability in her work with Frenziz Crochet.

4. COLOURS FOTO

Located in the East Concourse of the mall, this business has been an authorized dealer of major camera and accessory brands for Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Gopro and more for 30 years. They offer products from DSLRs, mirrorless, advanced compacts, and adventure cameras to drones, gimbals and other accessories. This particular branch in LimKetKai opened its doors in October 2018, now also a part of other branches located in Ayala Center Cebu, Ayala Centrio CDO, and Island City Mall Tagbilaran.

In our fourth interview, Jen Revil shared that the business's main goals are to attract more customers and maintain full stock levels. To keep customers satisfied, they focus on meeting their needs with the right products. However, she noted that challenges are present due to a lack of customers and sales, as their products don't really need to be bought that often. While the business generally maintains steady profits when stocked, slow days and monthly sales quotas present difficulties, and they don't always meet their targets.

5. RTB VARIETY STORE

The last business that we interviewed was on display as a bazaar for the Higalaay Festival in Limketkai Mall Rotunda. Aside from this event, they also displayed their booth for Eid al-Fitr, ‘Farm to Market’ event spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture Region X, and for the ‘Pinoy Tiangge’ event for Philippine Independence Day in the same location. They offer a variety of products that showcase the diversity of Philippine handicrafts, including malongs in batik designs, native bags and shirts, Islamic souvenirs, Maranao apparel and decorations, and even products from Thailand. They have a wide range of target customers, with foreigners and people outside the region in general.

We interviewed Rosie Tumarong Belog, the business owner, who shared that they primarily aim that their business continues to thrive and branch out. To keep things running smoothly, they ensure stocks are complete and up-to-date before opening, and prioritize good customer service. Customers can buy in bulk and enjoy discounts and freebies, which helps maintain satisfaction. When we asked them if they have any challenges, they answered that they do experience slow sales days, but the positive feedback they receive shows their products' uniqueness and appeal.

[market-insider]

Exercise and Weight Loss Apps Market, Including Growth Drivers, Challenges, and Opportunities

The global exercise and weight loss apps market size is anticipated to reach USD 2.56 billion by 2030 and growing at a CAGR of 17.3% from 2024 to 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The increasing prevalence of obesity has significantly fueled the growth of the exercise and weight loss apps market. In 2022, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity affected a staggering one in every eight individuals worldwide.

Exercise And Weight Loss Apps Market Report Highlights

Based on platform, the android segment held the largest share in 2023 and is expected to experience the fastest CAGR, due to its widespread accessibility across diverse price ranges. Additionally, an open ecosystem fostering app diversity, a substantial global market share, compatibility with a variety of devices including wearables, and continuous app development are driving the segment growth.

Based on devices, the smartphone segment dominated with the largest revenue share in 2023. The widespread adoption of smartphones and the availability of exercise and weight loss apps at app stores have emerged as a cost-efficient alternative to costly gym memberships and fitness centers, serving as a primary factor for market expansion.

North America exercise and weight loss apps market dominated the overall global market in 2023, driven by increasing consumer awareness of the importance of fitness and wellness.

The competitive scenario in the exercise and weight loss apps market is highly competitive, with key players such as MyFitnessPal Inc., My Diet Coach, Fitbit, Inc., Google, and others holding significant positions. The major companies are undertaking various strategies such as new product launches, collaborations, acquisitions, mergers, and regional expansion for serving the unmet needs of their customers.

For More Details or Sample Copy please visit link @: Exercise And Weight Loss Apps Market Report

The global scenario showcase a significant rise in adult obesity, with the numbers more than doubling since 1990. Concerning to adolescent obesity, which has quadrupled during the same period. In 2022, the world faced a startling reality where 2.5 billion adults aged 18 years and older were categorized as overweight, with 890 million of them struggling with obesity. This alarming situation led to 43% of adults experiencing overweight issues, and 16% were identified as living with obesity. As more individuals seek effective ways to manage their weight and improve their health, the demand for convenient, accessible, and personalized fitness solutions has surged.

These apps offer tailored workout plans, dietary guidance, and progress tracking, making them attractive to a wide user base. Additionally, the integration of advanced technologies such as AI and machine learning enhances user engagement by providing customized recommendations and real-time feedback. This trend reflects a broader shift towards digital health tools as essential components in combating obesity and promoting healthier lifestyles.

In addition, technological advancements have significantly driven the growth of the exercise and weight loss apps market. Innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning enable these apps to offer personalized workout plans and nutrition advice tailored to individual user needs. Wearable technology integration allows real-time tracking of physical activity and health metrics, enhancing user engagement and motivation. For instance, in October 2023, Found, a medically-assisted weight loss program, unveiled the Found Assistant, a revolutionary AI-powered guide within the Found app. This innovative feature enables users to ask questions and receive instant, personalized answers on topics such as nutrition, exercise, health habits, and more. Furthermore, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) provide immersive workout experiences, making fitness routines more engaging. The use of big data analytics helps in understanding user behavior and preferences, allowing for continuous improvement and customization of app features, thereby attracting a broader user base.

Moreover, the rise in smartphone usage and the invention of new apps have significantly influenced the exercise and weight loss apps market. The increased accessibility & affordability of smartphones have made these apps more accessible, allowing users to engage with fitness and weight management tools anytime and anywhere. This convenience has driven higher adoption rates.

Additionally, the continuous development of innovative apps with features like AI-driven coaching, social sharing, and gamification has enhanced user experience and retention. For instance, in March 2024, Breakthrough M2, a provider of homeopathic supplement diets, is set to launch a new mobile app. New app inventions often incorporate user feedback and emerging trends, ensuring they meet the evolving needs of users, thereby expanding the market and encouraging a more health-conscious society.

List of Major Companies in the Exercise And Weight Loss Apps Market

MyFitnessPal Inc.

FitnessKeeper

My Diet Coach

Fitbit, Inc.

Noom

PlateJoy

Google

Sworkit

Weight Watchers

[theraininthestars]

Review of Ten Trends to Seduce Your Husband

When I read Love On The Brain by Ali Hazelwod, I started looking for fanart of the book because I love seeing fanart. And I ended up finding one I loved of Bee and Levi sitting in a bathroom with Levi painting Bee's hair, except it wasn't Bee and Levi, just characters who look a lot alike. These were Winnifred and Byron from the book Ten trends To Seduce Your Bestfriend. I've had really bad reader's block and I can't read anything other than a romantic comedy, so the book caught my interest and I read it. This it is:

Penny Reid's Ten Trends to Seduce Your Best Friend (2022) follows the story of Winnifred or Winnie, or Fred if you're Byron, an elementary school science teacher who uploads science and technology videos to the internet. With the dream of inspiring girls to enter STEM careers and continue having interests in makeup and fashion, her best friend and roommate suggests she join her organization in the position of community manager to achieve her dream. But for this she needs to increase her follower count, so what option does Winnifred have? Well to ask her best friend's best friend, Byron, to act on having a romantic-sexual tension in various challenges and trends until oh, it's no longer acted on. Will Winnifred manage to reach her goal of followers? How many challenges will it take for both of them to realize that they are not acting? Will this remove my reader block? (The answer is no, but I did read it very quickly)

To get this out of the way, the story has nothing to do with friends or couples. The two main characters have a mutual dislike (supposedly) and actually have a hard time getting to the point of considering themselves friends, and by the time they say they're friends, we all know they're more than that.

I feel that there are moments where the author works superficially with the characters, as if what is important is the scene rather than the impact on the two characters. For example, it is more important to have the scene where the protagonists almost kiss than to understand how the plot ends at this point and how it affects the characters before, during and after the scene. Which makes these moments seem cheap. Although, the tension of some of these moments was well done. (Special mention to the kitchen scene and infamous mention to the hallway to the bathroom scene, I did’t like that one). As much as I love reading pathetic men, however I didn't feel the build up to this moment.

The characters, we are going to discuss the main ones, which are Winnifred and Byron, and with special mention of their best friend, Amelia, because they are the only characters that should be talked about.

Winnifred is very friendly and charismatic. I like her altruism and kindness. It comes with that sense of independence and distrust of people, the author managed to balance it well in my opinion. She personalizes stubbornness in a different way, instead of being aggressive and direct, she is sweet and passive. However, I understand that it may be interpreted as irritating on her part. I loved her character development, but I feel like her development isn't built properly. It is not realistic, but as if the author will forget that she is going through this process as the character. Overall, she is a good character who I feel suffers more from the author's need to interpret a scene than the impact of the scene on the character.

We come to the character of Byron, who in my opinion changes a lot from the Byron we meet in the first chapters to the one we have throughout the book. He is the mysterious, reserved writer with past traumas that do not allow him to get close to people. The relationship he has with Winnie is very good, he has excellent tension, he has semi-organic growth and he seems very sweet to me. They both learn from each other's mistakes and strengths and grow through them. Byron is a character who acts like an adult, he is affectionate, attentive, kind, helpful and direct with Winnie which complements her. I loved it.

And finally, my favorite character. AMELIA. A round of applause for Winnie's best friend, Byron and the readers. Amelia supported her two idiots, she is always willing to help them, she supports them in fulfilling their dreams and confronts them when they are being very idiotic. I genuinely adore the scene where Amelia confronts Winnie at the end because she's not rude, nor does she downplay what happens to Winnie, but she does talk some sense into her about her self-sabotaging tendencies as she makes a best friend of Winnie's. she.

The writing and structure of the book does not fascinate me and this can make many moments in the book seem superficial and undermine the character arcs and the pacing of the story. So for me it's a 3.5, but because I loved how pathetic Byron is when he likes Winnie, it's a 4. It's my weakness, if his love is pathetic, it has one more star on my scale.

[lethimfertilise]

Was asked yesterday what do I think about MOP in the nearest time. A good question, but to answer it we might have a glance back, time before Feb 2022. And even earlier.

Back in the days, MOP business was a pure cartel, in my understanding, led by the Canadian PotashCorp (later Nutrien), Russian International Potash Company (later Uralkali), and Belarusian Potash Company or Belaruskali. Once in the year (rarely two times) they all had agreed the frame contract prices with their main core buyers in India, China, and Brazil. Other producers had to follow.

It all started changing in 2020-2021, when first BPC was sanctioned by both the US and the EU after the controversial president elections in Belarus. Shortly after, after the commencement of the Russian invasion in Ukraine in Feb 2024, Uralkali, or correctly, its management, followed the path.

However, even prior to the sanction, MOP prices had been very high in the range of $650-750 per metric tonne FOB Baltic. But after the commencement of the war, they escalated further up to close to $1000 per metric tonne FOB Baltic. But the most important, the oligopoly was broken. Both Russians and Belorussians started selling through the brokers, who had learned how to bypass (or just ignore) the sanctions and, the most important, how to pay.

Just after Feb 2024, Belarus export halted from almost a million tonnes per month to literally zero (couple of vessels per month). The Belorussian government needed more money, so opportunities opened.

But, later in 2023, BPC concluded their agreements with China and India (albeit for 3 months only) and started discharging into bounding warehouses in Brazil. Export bounced back to 8-9 million tonnes per year. What happened to the price? It dropped back well below $200 per metric tonne FOB Baltic.

Both Uralkali and BPC have restored their country restrictions on MOP trading. And they know how to get paid (remember - sanctions don’t work!). But the oligopoly was broken - so the price war continued.

So what’s about the price forecast? I think, after end-users realized that their fears have been too much exaggerated, the price was pushed too much down. I do believe that prices witnessed now (and in the absence of China and India price agreement I will refer to the CFR Brazil index), which are $305-310 per metric tonne CFR, are fair and affordable if comparing to agri commodities prices. So my view - flat for now. But if we keep on seeing a positive trend on wheat, soybeans, and corn, some uptick is possible.

I do expect that India / China deals will be concluded at around $280-285 per metric tonne CFR, setting a reference price in SEA region.

Thanks for reading!

[borggolf]

My Golf 2022-23 Catch-Up

[Skunk on the 1st tee box - an omen? Glen Erin]

I received zeros and zeros of messages asking why I didn’t write up a golf blog last year. In lieu of answering that question, I’m just going to combine last year’s golf season with this year’s. The catch will be remembering all that happened just by looking at the scores, but here goes nothing.

[A disturbing number of geese on the 13th tee box, Majestic Oaks]

My golf game in 2021 featured my best calculated handicap, but the index began creeping up toward the end of the year. That trend continued into 2022 despite starting out with a few decent rounds at Hawk’s View and Grand Geneva; I had six terrible scores in a row in the spring (including a couple triple digit scores), spiking my handicap from 11 to 19. It took me until August to bring it back down to 13. 

[Sandhill Cranes and assorted waterfowl, 6th hole Hawk's View]

My worst round of the year came in mid-September when we decided to take advantage of a coupon for The Bull at Pinehurst Farms. Located near Sheboygan Falls, this course is notorious for being possibly the toughest in the state. If you don’t come with your A game, you’re going to walk away hurting…and I definitely did not have my A game that day. I managed 13 penalties and didn’t card a single par for a score of 113. 

[Oscar's approach shot on hole 17, The Bull at Pinehurst Farms]

My best round of 2022 was just 3 weeks later at Glen Erin in Janesville. It was the first time I’d ever finished 9 holes under par (two birdies, six pars, one bogey), then I scored a 44 on the back nine (which is still pretty good for me as I’ve never scored better than 41 on the back nine at Glen Erin). Shooting a 78 anywhere is impressive but Glen Erin isn’t exactly an easy course.

[Hole 15, Lake Arrowhead - The Lakes Course]

Another first for me was going on not one but two multi-day out of town golf trips. In late June my golf buddies and I stayed in Wisconsin Rapids and played all 36 holes at Lake Arrowhead on Saturday, then Sunday we drove to the Dells to play Wild Rock. The Lake Arrowhead courses were pretty nice (maybe a little overpriced due to their proximity to the Sand Valley resort), but Wild Rock was instantly my favorite course I’ve ever played. The views, valleys, and challenge made it worth the $100 price.

[Hole 6, Wild Rock]

In August we went up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for our 2nd golf trip. Along the way we stopped outside of Green Bay to play a round at Royal St. Patrick’s, where I lost at least 4 balls in the drink. Then we played the two flagship courses at the Island Resort Casino; Sage Run and Sweetgrass. I’d been wanting to play these courses since hearing about them during commercial breaks of Brewers games. Sage Run was the tougher of the two courses, but I loved it almost as much as Wild Rock. Before heading home, we played a round at Timberstone in Iron Mountain. This was another gorgeous course with big elevation changes but more of a northwoods feel. My scores weren’t very good that weekend, but it was a great time at some great courses.

[Hole 18, Timberstone at Pine Mountain Resort]

I was able to try out 15 courses I hadn’t played before 2022. Aside from the 7 played during those two trips, I played Hayward Golf Club (very nice, but not quite Big Fish), Oshkosh Country Club (nice, but maybe not worth the long drive), Washington County (a very impressive links course; definitely want to go back), Currie Park in Milwaukee (while I was waiting for the dealership to fix my car), The Bull (hopefully never again), and three Illinois courses: Renwood (a fun course I’d play again), Bittersweet (very nice but tougher), and a Thanksgiving weekend round on the north course at Eagle Ridge in Gurnee. 

[Hole 8, the north course at Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa]

For the first time in seven years, I joined a simulator league in the offseason. I was playing twice a week; at Brighton Dale in Kenosha County and the Wisconsin Indoor Golf Center in Waukesha. While it can be rightfully argued that it’s not very realistic, I felt like I was able to tweak a few things in my drives, fairway woods, and even my short game after playing 29 simulated 18 hole rounds over the winter. When March 2023 arrived, I wasn’t rusty at all.

[Hole 10, Foothills Golf Club]

My golf buddy Oscar talked me into taking a trip to Arizona in March. There we played four rounds: Foothills, Ocotillo, Devil’s Claw at Whirlwind Resort, and Dinosaur Mountain at Gold Canyon (see more pictures of these courses near the end of the blog).  Foothills was nothing to write home about and was overpriced, as Ocotillo was much nicer and cheaper…but it didn’t really feel like Arizona as there were many lakes surrounding the course. Devil’s Claw was very expensive but I enjoyed the course a lot and shot very well. Dinosaur Mountain was also very expensive and I shot like complete trash, but it was the most picturesque course I’d ever played (being that it was on the side of a mountain). I really enjoyed the experience of golfing great courses in early March when there was still snow on the ground in Wisconsin, but the greens fees for the 4 rounds alone totaled nearly $800.

[Hole 9 & clubhouse, blue course, Ocotillo]

After a few more simulator rounds back home, I hit the ground running with very good scores on Wisconsin courses in April. Late in the month I had a work trip to Las Vegas, where I made time to get in one round at Siena Golf Club (see pictures near the end of the blog). I took advantage of other for-work travel by playing White Deer Run and Pine Meadow in Mundelein IL, Wild Ridge in Eau Claire and Trapper’s Turn in the Dells when I had to make road trips to Minneapolis, and I was invited to play in a company scramble at Irish Waters outside of Green Bay. I also played a Cincinnati municipal course, Glenview, when I was there on vacation meeting up with co-workers.

[Hole 1, Wild Ridge]

My golf buddies and I once again made trips to Lake Arrowhead and the U.P.  This time after we played 36 at Lake Arrowhead, we played Christmas Mountain in the Dells. It was a pretty fun course at a good price, but we all agreed that it was no Wild Rock. On our way up to Michigan we stopped at Thornberry Creek, the official golf course of the Green Bay Packers. I thought it was great and I’d love to play it again. I carded a terrible round at Sweetgrass the next day, but played Timberstone much better than I did the previous year.

[Hole 17, Timberstone at Pine Mountain Resort]

Other first-time courses for me this year that I haven’t mentioned: Lakewoods Forest Ridges near Namakagen Lake was very picturesque with big elevation changes. Autumn Ridge near Manitowoc had some good elevation changes as well, and I was very close to an ace on the last par 3 (hit the flag stick on a bounce). I finally played Evansville and Kettle Moraine, neither of which were bad but I really wasn’t impressed. I played the par 3 course Creekview (seen along I-90 north of Edgerton) and it was a typical par 3 nine; great for beginners but I didn’t care for it. Finally, I played a November round at Steeple Chase in Mundelein with Oscar, and that course impressed me. Very well maintained course despite it being very late in the year.

[Hole 13, Forest Ridges at Lakewoods Resort]

Unlike most years, I kept my handicap fairly level throughout 2023. I was able to get it just under 12 at one point, but it never went much higher than 14. I only had two triple-digit rounds all year, and two rounds under 80. I played fewer 18-hole rounds in 2022 (90) than I did this year (98), and I spent WAY more money on golf rounds this year ($5360) than in 2022 ($3650). That doesn’t include the $850 I spent on the simulators, or the $800+ I spent on club upgrades (Callaway Rouge ST Max driver, 5w, 5h). Not to mention I burn through over 120 balls a year, which likely costs me another $300-400. 

[Jeff lining up his approach shot on hole 18, Sweetgrass]

It was a very expensive year for me, but I may have enjoyed the game more than ever. Consistency is getting better, and I'm no longer afraid to shell out more money for nicer courses. I don't think I will be making another early spring golf trip in 2024, but we are planning another Lake Arrowhead trip as well as a stay at the Gull Lake View Golf Resort near Kalamazoo, MI.

[Eric, getting tired of waiting for slow golfers. Hole 6, Sweetgrass]

[Sunrise at Ocotillo]

[Hole 2, The Devil's Claw at Whirlwind Golf Club]

[Dinosaur Mountain at Gold Canyon Golf Resort & Spa]

[Hole 1, Dinosaur Mountain at Gold Canyon Golf Resort & Spa]

[Hole 2, Dinosaur Mountain at Gold Canyon Golf Resort & Spa]

[Hole 4, Dinosaur Mountain at Gold Canyon Golf Resort & Spa]

[Hole 7, Siena Golf Club]

[Hole 12, Siena Golf Club]

[Hole 17, Siena Golf Club]

[Hole 18, Siena Golf Club]

[Hole 14, Naga-Waukee War Memorial Golf Course]

[3rd green, Hawk's View]

[Lake Como, seen from hole 17 tee box, Hawk's View]

[Final round of 2023, hole 2, Majestic Oaks at Lake Lawn Resort, Christmas Eve]

[suman505]

Meet Your SEO Expert: Suman Khan

Hello there! I'm ChatGPT, your go-to SEO expert. Whether you're a business owner, a website administrator, or just someone curious about the world of search engine optimization, I'm here to help you navigate the ever-evolving landscape of SEO and improve your online visibility. Let me introduce myself and explain why I'm your trusted resource for all things SEO.

Background: I'm an AI language model developed by OpenAI, known as GPT-3.5. My knowledge is based on a vast amount of text from the internet, books, and other sources, up until January 2022. This extensive training allows me to stay up to date with the latest SEO trends, techniques, and best practices. I'm always eager to provide you with insights and guidance on how to optimize your online presence.

SEO Expertise: As an SEO expert, my knowledge encompasses a wide range of topics, including:

On-Page SEO: I can guide you on optimizing your website's content, meta tags, and structure to improve its search engine rankings. I'll help you create user-friendly, keyword-rich, and engaging content that resonates with both your audience and search engines.

Off-Page SEO: Building high-quality backlinks, social media engagement, and other off-page strategies are essential for SEO success. I can advise you on effective link-building techniques and how to establish a strong online presence.

Technical SEO: Website speed, mobile-friendliness, and schema markup are just a few technical aspects that impact SEO. I can help you identify and address technical issues that might be hindering your site's performance.

Local SEO: If you're a local business, I can guide you in optimizing your online presence for local search, such as Google My Business optimization and local citation management.

SEO Analytics: I can help you interpret SEO metrics and data from tools like Google Analytics and Search Console to make informed decisions and continually improve your SEO strategy.

SEO Trends: Staying up to date with SEO trends is crucial. I can provide insights into emerging trends and algorithm updates, ensuring your strategy remains effective.

Why Choose Me?

Up-to-Date Knowledge: I stay current with the latest SEO trends and algorithm changes, offering you accurate and relevant advice.

Available 24/7: I'm always here to assist you, providing instant answers and recommendations whenever you need them.

Personalized Guidance: I tailor my advice to your specific situation, helping you achieve your unique SEO goals.

Constant Learning: I continually learn and adapt, ensuring I can assist with a wide variety of SEO-related topics.

Conclusion: In the ever-evolving digital landscape, SEO is a crucial aspect of online success. Whether you're a novice or an experienced webmaster, I'm your SEO expert, ready to provide guidance and support to help you enhance your website's visibility and drive more organic traffic. So, if you have any SEO-related questions or need assistance, feel free to ask, and I'll be here to assist you on your SEO journey.

[tamaradoubraomonibeke]

RSA Presentation ( AO1, AO2, AO3, LO1, LO2, LO3)

Explanation

I was shocked by the feedback I received because I wasn’t confident in my idea (others have amazing product ideas and it feels like I’m taking the easy way out focusing on the social media route). That isn’t so.

I spoke to a fellow with Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and it totally changed my perspective on this project (I can’t in-hear his story).

After that, I knew no way in God’s name I could continue with the portrait route. Human beings have low retention span and don’t read as much e.g how many times have you read the long blurb on an Instagram post? You just look at the post, it’s caption, like or comment.

Also, this brief isn’t about displaying my talents, it’s about helping others. Social media is trending and it’s a good way to spread information and garner community.

Yet, there’s a lot of issues with social media. This is why I thought, I could change that narrative.

Some of the problems with social media

Enlightenment: Social media e.g Snapchat and Instagram sometimes offers support for superficial media, rather than enlightening people (You can get information from these platforms but need to seek it compared to Quora or reddit or even youtube). This means the topic of skin conditions are pushed back under a rug.

Representation and Community: I didn’t exactly explain it well but the algorithm is rigged. Using myself for instance, black girlis in the past got annoyed always having to type ‘black’ after a search on google or Pinterest. This is why Pinterest had a rebrand. It’s interesting how when I type braids, my mind goes to box braids, only to see French braids….. Okay, you may now assume, well I live in England and it’s mostly Caucasians. Well, as a foreigner, my search was still completely filled with Caucasian media in Nigeria. This is wrong. Even though I do explore other cultures (Spanish, Korean, Japanese,etc), from my location and most of my searches being about blackness, can’t google or even TikTok take the hint (Yes,I’m coming for TikTok too). TikTok’s algorithm is the worst because it appears to be inclusive when it’s the opposite. Back in 2021, black creators complained as they’d make a trend but on the top of the sound was Caucasian so there’s no credit given. Now, imagine the skin condition community in that retro-spect. They must do a lot of digging to find an answer to every symptom. This is because as a doctor once told Jackson Gillies about HS ‘the disease isn’t sexy enough’.

Community (again): Going back to my experience, this can be explained using, the teen girl experience (when she sees all these beautiful adults, she becomes insecure and wants to start changing her features to fit in). Another problem with social media is the individuals I see. They’ve asked for a birthday, so they certainly know my age range. I think there’s nothing wrong with admiring people older or younger than you but there’s a thin line. I just used the teenage girl experience but now, let’s talk about adults. When the algorithm doesn’t draw boundaries, this can breed predators. Yes, it’s disgusting, a crime, a choice but we need to realise when the algorithm is showing someone who’s clearly beyond their years a young audience…….. Yes, they could have pure intentions like parents BUT not all the time, that is worrying. In 2022, when TikTok faced allegations in US, it was alarming how most of the congress (old men) stated how they have little girls dancing on their ‘for you page’. TikTok users were appalled, because we all know the trend of dancing has slowly diminished. This begs the questions, why is their ‘for you page’ mostly filled with children because mine isn’t.

Human engagement: No more user engagement. There’s an obsession with getting humans to use social media. Thus, triggers like the vibrations, red circle notifications are installed in place to make people use the app. Suddenly, it’s no longer a tool but a religion.

Obsession with numerical data: Humans are obsessed with rewards such as likes and followings. This is why social media uses them. However, social media was supposed to be a tool, not a lifestyle. What’s scary is how they refuse to make changes to social media regardless of the impact. Instagram in 2019 announced it’s removing likes but never did. I believe it should have been implemented.

Solutions

These are all summarised in the presentation.

Feedback

Narrow down the target audience to a specific skin condition community.

Could also try the comic idea but the forum or anti-social media Dot called is the best. This depends on the route I want to go. I didn’t say anything truth be told but I’m leaning into the anti-social media. For the longest time, as a child, I was always inquisitive and wondered how to problem solve but I lost that zeal, focusing on only the aesthetics as my ideas never made it to the cut so I’m a lot more confident.

Research my target audience.

Re-brand likes instead of discarding it.

[kevinkoosk]

Royalties on "Don't Stop The Music" and 79 other tracks

Royalties on Rihanna's song, "Don't stop the music", along with 79 other tracks, are up for sale.

You'll find this information on Royalty Exchange, the biggest music royalty marketplace in the world.

Here's an excerpt of the list of tracks:

I believe that this is an investment that would pay off over the years. However, it's risky.

Earnings for the past 12 months total to about $4,200.

The bulk of the earnings came from streaming, followed by performances.

By far, the biggest earner is "Don't stop the Music" by Rihanna.

International earnings outstrip the domestic (US-based) earnings. I wonder about that breakdown.

But this particular sale covers all publishing royalties, not just international or domestic royalties.

I asked Claude what was the break even point.

Here was my prompt: Claude, assuming that I wanted to purchase the publishing royalties for a catalogue of songs, at the price of $56,000. The annual earnings for the past 5 years (2018 to 2022) are $2,622.34, $4,010.70, $3,123.44, $4,534.55, $4,214.00. When do you think I would break even? Would these songs increase in earnings over time?

This was his answer:

Okay, let's break this down:

Purchase price of publishing rights: $56,000

Annual earnings last 5 years: 2018 - $2,622.34 2019 - $4,010.70 2020 - $3,123.44 2021 - $4,534.55 2022 - $4,214.00

To calculate the break even point, we take the purchase price and divide it by the average annual earnings:

Average annual earnings = (2622.34 + 4010.70 + 3123.44 + 4534.55 + 4214) / 5 = $3,701.01

Break even time = Purchase price / Average earnings = $56,000 / $3,701.01 = 15.13 years

So at the current average earnings rate, it would take approximately 15 years to break even on the $56,000 purchase price.

As for whether the earnings will increase over time - that depends on a few factors:

General music industry trends and popularity of the songs/artists

Revenue from new distribution channels like streaming

Potential for the songs to be used in movies/ads etc.

Ongoing promotion and marketing of the catalog

Given the variability in music industry earnings, it's difficult to predict if revenues will steadily increase each year. Safest assumption is they continue around current average, with some growth potential.

In summary, break even period is around 15 years at current earnings rate. Earnings could potentially increase with industry growth and wider distribution.

I was amazed.

I asked Claude another question: Why would an artist want to sell his or her publishing royalties, when he or she could earn royalties over a long period of time?

Answer:

There are a few reasons why an artist might want to sell their publishing royalties even though they could earn income over a long period of time:

Immediate lump sum payment - The artist gets a large, one-time payment they can use now, instead of waiting for small payments over many years. This provides capital they can re-invest or use to fund new projects.

Avoid hassle of managing royalties - Managing publishing rights and collecting royalties can be administratively burdensome. Selling the rights means the artist doesn't have to deal with it.

Long term value is uncertain - Future royalty streams are never guaranteed due to changes in industry, popularity, etc. The artist may want to take the definite lump sum now.

Opportunity cost - The artist may believe they can make better use of the capital if they had the lump sum now to invest in their career or other business opportunities.

Tax implications - Receiving a lump sum could have different tax advantages compared to long term royalty payments.

Estate planning - The artist wants to realize the value now as part of planning their estate and legacy rather than leaving it to heirs.

Changing priorities - Many artists want to move on from old work and focus on new projects. Selling rights provides a clean break.

So in summary, while giving up long term royalty rights has a cost, there are good reasons an artist may prefer the flexibility, convenience, and control provided by a lump sum payment now. The choice depends on the artist's financial situation and career objectives.

That is a smart answer.

Well, it is one thing to be a musician, but to be a music mogul, i.e. a rich music entrepreneur, you need to be astute.

And sometimes that means taking profits up front.

Meanwhile, if anyone out there is considering investing into music, I think real estate might yield better returns.

[gregarious-cervine]

The actual text of the article is even weirder, and can be described with phrases like 'completely incomprehensible', 'probably ai-generated', and 'wait, how exactly is this supposed to make me want to buy bitcoin, again?'

Take a look for yourself (note; links unvetted and should probably not be clicked on):

Inflation is defined as a general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing power of money. When this happens at a rapid sustained pace, it’s called hyperinflation.

Deflation is the opposite and it occurs when prices generally fall against the purchasing power of money.

Extending these definitions, we can say that hyperdeflation is a rapid and sustained condition of decreasing prices. Those who have adopted bitcoin as a store of value and unit of account over the last decade have experienced hyperdeflation and it is my opinion that this trend will continue in the next decade and beyond.

Check out this chart on the St. Louis Fed website showing how far down the price of eggs has come since 2016 when priced in satoshis (1 bitcoin = 100,000,000 satoshis or sats).

Source: https://fredblog.stlouisfed.org/2022/06/buying-eggs-with-bitcoins/

The website PricedInBitcoin21.com has many more charts like this where you can see how various financial assets have fallen over the last 5+ years when measured in BTC terms. When looking at these graphs, be sure to zoom out to 4 or more years as BTC tends to experience high volatility for timeframes less than 4 years.

Here’s another graph showing that the S&P 500 stock index has fallen over 99.8% from August 15, 2021 until today. Notice the y-axis is using log scale (each tick mark is 10x bigger than the one below it). Log scale is useful on these charts because with a standard linear scale, the hyperdeflationary effect of measuring assets in BTC is that the price falls to nearly zero in the first few years and the moves are no longer visually detectable (like the price of eggs chart earlier).

Using log scale allows us to visually see that after this stock index fell 90% (roughly 10 billion sats to 1 billion sat) it was able to fall 90% again (to 100 million sats) and yet another 90% (to 10 million sats).

Judging by this trend, how long do you think it will take to fall another 90% to 1 million sats? Let me know in the comments.

What can you do about this?

I’d encourage you to start using bitcoin as your unit of account today. Figure what your net worth is by adding up the value of all your assets (house, car, bank accounts etc.) and subtract all your debts. You’ll probably do this in your local currency, but then you’ll want to convert it to bitcoin by dividing the result by the current value of bitcoin in your local currency. The result of the division will be how much bitcoin you’d have today if you sold everything you own, paid off all your debts, and put the remainder in bitcoin.

Then try to estimate what your net worth was in BTC terms 5 and 10 years ago. To do this, estimate what it was in your local currency and divide it by the price of bitcoin in that currency 5 and 10 years ago respectively. It’s probably the case that it has gone down. A lot.

It’s probably the case if you sold everything you owned 5-10 years ago to pay off your debts and buy bitcoin, that you’d be better off than you are today. The question you should be asking yourself is, “will bitcoin-hyperdeflation continue for the next decade?”. My answer to that is “absolutely yes!” and I’ll go into why with other blog posts, but it’s best you put the time in to learn and decide for yourself. If you think there’s only a 1% chance it will happen, you’d be taking a pretty big risk to not put at least 1% of your savings in bitcoin today.

... what exactly is this ad supposed to convey?

[veliseraptor]

2022 Writing Stats

it's time for Fun With Numbers: Lise's Hobbies Edition, 2022!

So I keep a daily word count writing tracker so I can monitor my own writing pace/patterns, and sometimes it's fun to see what comes out of it at the end of a year. This data does not include writing I do on this blog answering asks/writing meta/etc.; it only includes any fiction I write (original or otherwise) and more serious/structured essay works. For the most part this tracker is meant to serve as a descriptive, not a prescriptive, tool - I use it to record rather than to set goals.

And now: the charts.

To start with, the basic graph of my daily word count in 2022:

This one looks pretty similar to graphs for previous years, though it did trend a little lower than historically. However, the big outlier there in October is the highest single-day word count I've had since 2019, apparently. I wrote 5.2k on October 24th, which (looking back), wasn't even a travel day, just a random Monday, so I have no idea what was happening there. My best guess was that I was hit with a whale of an inspiration boost for some reason, but I have no recollection of what it was about.

A quick look at data distribution shows that there were 56 days in 2022 with a word count of 0 (i.e. 56 days where I wrote literally nothing; actually fewer than I expected, and fewer than in 2021 when there were 67 zero word days). Altogether I wrote 388,095 words in 2022, an increase over 2021's historic annual word count low of 386,721. (I am making fun of myself here.) My average word count per day in 2022 was 1,063 words, which is roughly on par with last year's (more on comparative daily averages later).

Looking more broadly at the patterns month over month:

Obviously something happened in July and October where I lost my mind somehow, but I don't really know how to explain that. Neither beat out September 2021 as one of my most insane writing months on record (over 60k) or even approaching my all time high in November 2017 (63k), but still. They were probably the main factors in pulling the ultimate monthly average to just above 32,442 words, given the lows in June, November, and December. June was particularly dismal this year; it's the lowest word count in a month since I started tracking this in August 2016.

June was rough, you guys.

Now to compare 2022's final total word count to previous years overall...

While continuing to track lower than earlier data (2017 and 2018 in particular), the trend for 2022 held close to 2021 and within a reasonable range of 2019 and 2020. 2020's boost likely came from the several weeks of unemployment there in the middle, tbqh, so I think I'm looking at what's probably an approximate of my "typical" output in a year at this point in my life (hovering around the 370-420k mark). The overall yearly average for these past six years is 454,899 words in a year; for the past three it's 409,647 words. All told, between 2017-2022 I recorded having written 2,729,334 words.

To look at seasonality I graphed out the month-by-month word count total, graphed by year (this one's probably hard to read):

But I failed to note any significant deviation based on any particular month year over year. Total word count per month hovers around a median of 38,726 words per month.

Breaking it down more particularly to average daily word count per year, to see how my average pace day to day changed (or didn't) from year to year:

As seen with the overall totals for the year, the daily average roughly lines up, with 2019, 2021, and 2022 forming a cohort of similar range after the apparent outliers of 2017 and 2018. (It does make me curious what data would look like, had I been gathering it, for earlier years, particularly when I was in college.)

Finally, for a completely unreadable chart that shows the daily word count graphed for every year, including a line for the average across all years:

gorgeous. absolutely illegible, I love it. But it does arguably illustrate what I started this project to prove, which is the remarkably consistent up-and-down nature of my writing pace. Peaks and lows, at a slightly varying pace and with different levels for how high or how often those peaks show up, but it does tend to come back around.

You can see this more clearly when I cut the graph down to just show the line that averages out all six years:

Now if only I could internalize that better and stop panicking about how I've lost the ability to write every time I spend a few days feeling sticky and slow. It's a goal, anyway.

That's all I've got. Thank you and I'm sorry I'm like this.