#depending on how your job and bank and stuff have your name registered and then your passport being different

[therinos]

what do u mean Greeks and Latinos have had illegal names for ages...

i mean the incredibly strong nickname culture to the point where you don't actually know your friends' legal names!

for example: my friend whom I've known since we were teenagers, whom everyone calls Sonia. We found out last year that her legal name is Sofia. I've known her for more than a decade! What Do You Mean You Were Christened Sofia?!

But yeah that's a very common experience and from what I've seen & been told by latine friends, it's also common in their cultures to have that whole thing.

[ollieofthebeholder]

Some additional points from someone whose church has a food pantry:

We don't check your income. Like, seriously. We don't care how much money you make, if you're working, if you're on disability, if you're actually making what most people would consider plenty of money but you're trying to save up for something or pay down a debt or just don't know how to shop for yourself. Don't care, didn't ask, just get the damn food.

We are required to register you, with a name and address and how many people are in your household. It's because we're sort of a subsidiary of the Food Bank and this information is required (at least in our state). We're not tracking you, we're not going to chase you down, and we're not going to show up to inspect your house or whatever. We just need to know how many people we're helping.

You can go once a week. You're only supposed to go once every seven days. Some places are more lenient than others, but not all. (That's also why we have to register you. It goes to a centralized database and they can keep track of if you're going around to a food pantry every single day. Obviously if you have a big family you're going to get more leeway for that sort of thing, but what they don't want are people taking free food that's being given away from every single food pantry and selling it at a ridiculous markup.)

As was said - if you have dietary restrictions, ANY dietary restrictions, let the staff know. Especially if it's a place you go to regularly, they'll make sure to set things aside for you.

Some places will make up bags for you, which means that you turn up and get a set amount of groceries and won't know what you're getting. Others will let you "shop" - they'll have everything laid out, and while they might have limitations on how much of something you can take from any one table, it will almost always depend on the size of your family and how many people have come - and how close you are to the end of the line.

I think the stereotype a lot of people have in their heads is that everything you get from a food pantry is going to be, like, canned food just shy of its expiration date and generic dry pasta and so much rice. Nope. Not if you're going to churches. We partner with the grocery stores and they give us all their stuff that's still good but technically not in salable condition. Fresh produce, fruits and vegetables. Bagged salad - a lot of times it's the organic stuff, too, and that ain't cheap. Bread, so much bread - and not the commercial loaves, not the sliced bread with preservatives and God knows what else in it, the actual stuff from the bakery - sourdough loaves and fresh bagels and muffins and sandwich rolls. Cookies and cakes and pies. Wraps and pitas - not a lot of gluten-free stuff, unfortunately, but if you need that and tell them they'll keep an eye out for it for you.

(Bonus hint: If you tell them you have a birthday in your household in the next week, as long as you're not telling them this every week - and they WILL keep track - a lot of times they'll jump the line and pull a cake, assuming there's one on the rack, off the waiting shelves and give it to you in addition to your regular "take one thing from this shelf" option.)

As an extra plus, a lot of food pantries like this will also have other resources. Our church usually has fliers for free meals - for everyone or just for kids - and free or reduced-price vaccine clinics and dental services and medical check-ups. We used to have a bulletin board with job postings on it, but we might not have that anymore.

They're not going to preach at you. Promise. Especially if it's a church that has a specified time frame for the food pantry rather than a "walk up whenever", they don't have time. You will not be expected to sit through a sermon to get your food. They want you to eat. Maybe they'll invite you to a service, in a "hey if you want to come by on Sunday/Wednesday/whenever we're going to be doing XYZ" kind of way, but especially with our church, we assume you either have your own church to attend or have better things to do on Sunday. That's okay. We're not helping you because we want to bribe you into being good little Christians, we're helping you because you're part of our community and people deserve to eat.

There's no shame in going. Unless you're an entitled asshole who complains to the volunteers working there because you wanted a specific type of cake with three layers and special decorations and all they had was an 11" round cake with white frosting or because they won't let you take all the peaches or because they don't have eggs (side note, we very rarely get perishables in, they don't have as long a shelf life) or because they're making you wait with those people (and yes, I have heard all of these people - both when I was volunteering and when I was getting groceries from the pantry myself), nobody is going to look askance at you for being there. We're happy to see you, both because we like you and because we like seeing you fed.

Something that I have noticed is I know almost nobody my age that goes to a food pantry. I know people who regularly run out of money for food and in general have to eat an unsuitable diet because that’s what they can afford and they still don’t go to a food bank, im not sure if it’s because they’re embarrassed or maybe if you didn’t grow up going you don’t know much about it but if you’re financially struggling I really recommend it. And look into other options for food assistance too like community fridges and gardens and other programs that can assist you, where I live Salvation Army pays for an allotted amount of grocery delivery for low income people every month, in the summer farmers take excess produce to the library to be taken by anyone who needs it, etc. There are a LOT of resources for free food that you can look into especially if you are literally not eating because of your financial situation

[johnsamericano]

𝔖𝔲𝔤𝔞𝔯 ℜ𝔲𝔰𝔥 𝔧.𝔧.𝔥

Hi everyone! As promised, here’s one of the two most voted fic continuations. There will be more chapters to this story though I'm not sure how many yet. Thank you for reading!

warnings: sugar daddy jae, mentions of injuries and hospitals, language.

taglist: @thoreeo @trustmahluv

Sugar rush m.list.

The machine monitoring your father’s heartbeat was the only sound filling the quiet hospital room, where your once healthy father laid unconscious, his perfect, chiseled cheeks adorned with cuts and bruises. Would they leave a mark?

The machine monitoring your father’s heartbeat was the only sound filling the quiet hospital room, where your once healthy father laid unconscious, his perfect, chiseled cheeks adorned with cuts and bruises. Would they leave a mark?

The machine monitoring your father’s heartbeat was the only sound filling the quiet hospital room, where your once healthy father laid unconscious, his perfect, chiseled cheeks adorned with cuts and bruises. Would they leave a mark?

The machine monitoring your father’s heartbeat was the only sound filling the hospital room, where your once healthy father laid unconscious, his perfect, chiseled cheeks adorned with cuts and bruises. Would they leave a mark?

The machine monitoring your father’s heartbeat was the only sound filling the hospital room, where your once healthy father laid unconscious, his perfect, chiseled cheeks adorned with cuts and bruises. Would they leave a mark?

Where did everything go wrong?

Your string of thoughts was cut off by a call from your aunt.

Your string of thoughts was cut off by a call from your aunt.

“Hello?” Your voice was raspy from not using it. There was no one to talk to in the quiet, hospital room but the nurses, who weren't especially keen on chatting.

“How’s your dad, sweetie?”

“They let him out of ICU, but he doesn't look good to me.” Your fingers traced the cuts in his chiseled cheeks that would soon turn into scars, ruining his perfect skin. Your eyes then diverted to his head, thoroughly covered in bandages to protect his damaged skull.

“Honey, I've got bad news...”

“They rejected the case, didn't they?”

“Not precisely.” She deeply inhaled before continuing. “It’s a tough case, almost impossible to win, nonetheless, they're willing to take it. But their fee is a little...”

“Expensive.”

“Yes.”

As expected from the best firm in town, they wouldn't take less than $8,000. Your bank account didn't have enough money to even cover half of it, and with your job at the convenience store, you'd only earn so much to cover your expenses.

“We can take the lawyer that the government provides us with, it would be free.”

“But then I'm sure we’d lose.” You groaned in frustration, using your free hand to rub your forehead. “Don’t worry, I'll find a way to get the money.”

“Why don't we just accept the compensation they're offering? It could pay for the hospital bills and you'd still have some left to pay for your tuition.”

“That would be like putting a price on my father's life. I don't want their money, I want them to make themselves responsible for what they've caused.” The sound of wheels approached the door of your father's room, signaling the nurse was outside with his meds. “It’s okay, Auntie, I'll take care of everything. You can go back home, I know my uncle isn't doing so well.”

“Are you sure, darling?” It was undeniable that she wanted to head back to her little ranch fat away from the hectic city life to take care of her sick husband, but still, her brother was laying down on a hospital bed, fighting for his life.

“Yes, I'm an adult, I'll find a way.”

“Take care of yourself, and don't hesitate to call me if you're having any difficulties. I'll be there in the blink of an eye.” She said before sending a kiss into the speaker, proceeding to hang up.

You sighed. It was never usual for you to ask for help, as you were an extremely prideful and independent person, and you doubted this time would be different.

“Don’t worry, dad. Everything will be alright.”

Three failed job interviews and one more to go. Your feet were killing you, the high heels covering them already worn out from walking to avoid taking the bus. Every penny counted, and as long as your legs worked, you weren't spending any more money than what was necessary.

You sat down in the waiting room of the company, massaging your neck to relieve some tension. College was becoming a burden. Maybe you'd take a semester off to focus on working, that is if someone wanted to hire an inexperienced student.

“Y/n, Y/l/n?”

“Here.” You darted up, gathering your belongings to enter the room on which your life almost literally depended.

You gave all the right answers, earning a polite ‘we’ll contact you’ in return. But you could see that they weren't convinced with your lack of experience, no company in their right mind would be.

As soon as you arrived at your apartment, you slid out of the uncomfortable pencil skirt, tucking yourself under the covers with your phone screen almost hitting your nose.

To take your mind off things, you decided to watch some videos. Halfway in, an ad popped up, interrupting the interior deco video you were watching.

A picture of a girl about your age hugging an older man was right in the middle of your screen. Written with fancy letters, the words ‘make your life simpler’ could be read, followed by what you guessed was the title of the app. Sugar rush.

Out of pure curiosity, your finger tapped at the small icon that led to the app store, absentmindedly clicking the download button. A few seconds later, an icon with the letters ‘SR’ was added to your home screen.

“Log in?” You murmured out loud, squinting your eyes to adjust your eyes to the bright, white homepage.

Just as you were about to click out, the phrase from the ad reappeared, stopping your finger from moving any further.

You could always delete your account if something went wrong, right? Nonetheless, you decided to use a false name, and that's how Melanie Kim’s profile was created. You left the circle of your profile picture empty for now, only filling the spaces that asked about your likes, dislikes, age, and all that stuff that people care about so much.

You knew what the app was for, but that didn't stop you from being surprised when a list of men and women of different ages greeted you. Right then, a small rectangle obstructed your sight, two buttons offering opposite things.

‘Pick the role you'd like to develop.’

Sugar daddy/mommy / Sugar baby.

Clearly, you didn’t have nor the money or the years to be the first, so you clicked the opposite button without giving it more thought.

‘Welcome. You've been registered as a sugar baby at Sugar rush. Meet thousands of men and women willing to finance you for free!’

You hummed.

‘As we're always looking to make our users’ experience better, we've developed Sugar Rush premium, a membership to meet the richest and hottest people in your surroundings. Get the premium version for only $5.95 a month. Click here to get Sugar Rush premium.’

Your finger pad was dangerously close to the blue button, almost grazing the screen of the phone. It was then when you were pulled out of your trance, blinking as if just then you'd realized what you were doing.

“I must be crazy.” You turned off your phone, not bothering to turn on an alarm for the next day. You had no interviews left. You had nowhere to go.

Waking up was getting harder with every passing day. Not being able to call your dad to go out for breakfast or even sending a simple good morning message hurt you deeply. You missed him. But seeing him laying down on a hospital bed, unable to do anything by himself, was even worse.

Ding

A notification filled the silence in your room.

‘Come back, you haven't finished setting up your account yet!’

You scoffed at your past self. What were you even thinking when you downloaded the app?

You simply turned off the phone before standing up to take a relaxing shower. As the water soaked up your tense body, your mind started wandering off back to the app. A million what-ifs filled your head, nonetheless, there was one that remained the most persistent.

‘What if this can pay for a lawyer?’

Your part-time job surely couldn't, and you had no one to assist you financially speaking. The whole idea of paying that ridiculous membership seemed more tempting as your fingers started getting wrinkly under the showerhead.

You decided to take some time to consider it, after all, you still had a week to give the lawyers an answer.

Hot soup seemed like a good option to comfort you, and thankfully, there was a store right in front of your place that claimed to sell the best soups in town.

It wasn't bad, but not nearly as good as the one your dad cooked when you were a kid. You sighed, wondering if you'd ever be able to eat it again. Just then, a woman about your age came into the shop, carrying a couple of bags where names of popular brands could be read. A pinch of jealousy made your heart stir as you glanced at yourself through the reflection in the glass at your side. You looked devastated, your skin pale and your cheekbones slightly sunken, a sign of the lack of rest and food you'd been getting.

Out of pure impulse, you pulled out your phone, clicked on the app you'd recently downloaded, and finally accepted the charges for a premium membership.

‘Welcome, new member of our wide community, click ok to get started!’

Well, no turning back now.

Right after pressing the blue letters with your thumb, you were presented with a list of potential prospects, some of them including pictures, some of them only including name and a brief description of what they were looking for. The minority included their ages, but most left the space blank.

A bunch of old men looking for a youthful, pretty woman to be by their sides, some of them even went as far as writing the weight and height their ideal partner should have. Of course, there were also some women in the look for young meat, but the number of men overpassed them.

About to exit the app in defeat, a profile caught your eye. His pale pink hair was parted, allowing his thick eyebrows to stand out. His high cheekbones made him look like a statue, the details in his face almost too perfect for a mere human. He must be the incarnation of a Greek God, you thought.

‘Jung Yoonoh. 41 years old. Owner of N & C.’

“Should I...?” You asked yourself in a voice lower than a whisper.

He has probably gotten hundreds of messages, so what would be the point of sending one yourself? Your eyes scanned the picture over and over again as the remains of your soup started getting cold.

He was probably the only acceptable man in the whole app, so why not give it a try?

You already spent five whole dollars on it, might as well make it worth the money.

‘Hi.’ Sent.

“Holy crap.” You breathed out, regretting every single action that led you to take such a stupid decision. “Ah!” You squeaked as three small dots appeared beside his profile picture, signaling he was writing a reply.

What if he rejected you right from the beginning? God, that would be so humiliating. His message stopped your train of thought.

‘Hi!’

Followed by:

‘How are you?’

Sweating like a pig, thank you for asking.

‘Fine. You?’ Read.

‘Thrilled. No one had messaged me since I created my account two weeks ago.’

‘How is that possible?’ You imprinted your thoughts on a message.

‘It’s hard to trust people nowadays. I guess people might think either my picture is photoshopped or I'm lying about my job.’

‘Their loss, ig.’ Read.

He was taking some time to answer. Had you said something inappropriate?

‘Hahaha.’

The conversation stopped there, as you didn't know how exactly to answer his message. But a few minutes later, another text from him popped up at your chat.

‘If you're okay with it, we can start talking about a possible arrangement.’

Already? You've known each other for like five minutes. But then again, arrangements were the whole purpose of the app.

‘Sure.’

‘May I ask your reasons for joining the app?’

‘I need urgent money, but my job doesn't pay nearly enough.’ You omitted the part of your agonizing father, he didn't need to know that. ‘And you?’

‘I need someone to be my partner at public spaces.’

‘Alright.’ Read.

‘Do you happen to have some free time tomorrow at lunchtime? I think it’d be better to meet first before making any decisions.’

‘Yeah, I'm free.’

‘Great, I’ll send you the address.’

You thought a day would be enough to prepare yourself, but time passed by quicker than usual, and soon enough, it was time to get ready for your meeting with Mr. Jung. He was only a few years younger than your father, and calling him by his first name wouldn't feel right.

Unsure if you should wear something formal, you threw on a beige (the color you'd agreed on wearing so it’d be easier to recognize each other) summer dress, pairing it with the gold hoops you'd inherited from your grandma to make it look more elegant.

The hardest part of your routine was makeup. Your sunken cheeks couldn't be covered, and only after a few layers of blush and highlighter, you could bring your skin back to life.

On your way to the cafe, you went through the things you'd say when you met him. It was your chance to get your father what he needed.

You stood at the entrance with wide, scared eyes, shyly scanning through the place to look for your date.

“Melanie?” A hand on your shoulder had you jolting. “I’m Jung Yoonoh, nice to meet you.”

What you saw after turning around was breathtaking. A handsome, healthy man, with the most beautiful pair of dimples.

“Nice to meet you.” You managed to blurt out without stuttering, extending your hand to make the greeting more formal. The fake name didn’t seem necessary anymore. “It’s actually y/n, I didn't want to use my real name.”

“I understand. Let’s take a seat.” He offered with a kind smile.

He left you seating at the terrace while he made your order, a latte, and a chocolate cookie. Your fingers played with your hoops anxiously, trying to regulate your breath.

“They’ll bring our food in just a sec.” He offered a warm smile. “Your dress is pretty.” Yoonoh said out of nowhere.

“Thank you.”

“I see you're not a chatty person.” You were about to object, but he started speaking again. “It's not a bad thing! I usually talk a lot, so it’s a nice way to balance things.”

You nodded, seemingly uncomfortable with the man sitting in front of you.

“So, uhm, this is my first time doing this, so I'm not really sure where to begin.” He pulled out a folded paper from the front pocket of his dressing pants. “It’s a bit creased, but I can always print another one. I brought it so you could take a look and let me know if you wanted to change anything. I don't mean to pressure you, but you said it was urgent, so...”

You read the paper under his attentive gaze, making sure not to miss a single word. Everything seemed correct, except...

“Six months?”

“Is that too much?” A small wrinkle formed between his eyebrows, a sign of deep concentration. “Okay, so let's do this instead.”

He took back the contract, pulling out a pen from the pocket in his dressing shirt to correct the original stipulations.

“Four months, and if by the end of them you don't absolutely hate me, we can extend the time. Deal?”

“Just one more thing.”

You cleared your throat, conscious that your following words might jeopardize the whole arrangement.

“Are you sure you want to make it official already?” You had to stop for a moment as the waiter left your orders on top of the wooden table. “I mean, it's not that I have a problem with it, but it's your money and maybe you'd like to give it a better thought.” You resumed.

“The fact that you're concerned about me proves I'm making the right choice. Now, tell me, how much would you like to receive as a weekly allowance?”

Would it be too reckless to ask him straight up for the $8,000?

“H-how much are you willing to give me?” You felt dirty, accepting a stranger’s money like that.

“Whatever you need.” His hand suddenly reached forward to yours, causing every ounce of blood in your body to rush to your face. “There’s no need to be embarrassed, I'm here to help you.” His voice tone dropped, acquiring an almost soothing feeling.

“I need eight thousand by Thursday, next week.” His eyes were wide open, mouth having difficulties remaining closed. “I-I know it's too much, but...”

“I can find a way to give you that money, but I'd like to know the reason why you need it. Just to make sure it's nothing illegal.”

You puffed your cheeks, trying to find an excuse good enough to justify the amount of money you were asking for.

“It isn’t illegal, is it?”

“No!” You retrieved your hand from below his, now embarrassed at the possibility of him having a bad image of you. “I need it for my father.”

“I suppose you don't want to talk about it.” He started at his palm, lips pressed in a thin life. “But when it comes to arrangements like this, we need to trust each other, alright?” You barely knew each other, yet, he demanded to know a very personal detail of your life. Not that he didn't have a good reason for wanting to know, it wasn't a particularly small amount of money.

“He had an accident at work...” You started, fearful of looking up to find pity in his eyes. “I need a lawyer to make his company legally responsible. They intend to throw it under the rug and pay a somewhat decent amount of money to make it go away. The firm I intend to hire is supposedly the best in town, probably my only chance of getting justice.”

“And why don't you just accept it? There's no guarantee that your lawyer will win the case.” You fisted the delicate fabric of your dress, eyes watering as you tried to hold back your anger.

“My father’s life is priceless, and if you think what I'm doing is a waste of money, then fine, we can both look for someone else to help us.” It sounded more aggressive than you'd first intended, but you meant every word that came out of your mouth.

Before you could even stand up, his slim fingers had already wrapped themselves around your wrist.

“I never said that.” He whispered with an almost sad tone. “Come on, sit down.”

He tugged at your arm the slightest, showing off his charming dimples once again.

“I’ll give you the money on one condition...” He raised one of his thick eyebrows. “I’ll go with you to see the lawyer.”

“Why...?”

“That’s my condition, take it or leave it.”

“Okay.”

The days before your meeting with your potential lawyer were nerve-wracking. You'd seen Yoonoh another time to sign the contract, which finally made your arrangement official.

You’d visit your father every day, always hoping he'd be sitting with his arms wide open, ready to hug you. But nothing had changed ever since he first came into that room.

“I’m here to see Mr. Kim.” The secretary's gaze lingered on Jaehyun a few seconds before he finally snapped out of it. “Y/n Y/l/n.”

“Just a second.” He opened his agenda and quickly found your appointment. With a warm smile, he guided you through the corridors of the building, all the way to the elevator. “It’s the only office on the last floor, I'll be at my desk if you need anything.”

Once again, he shot Jae an uneasy glance before the metal doors slid close.

“What was all that?” To be honest, you couldn't care less. But a small chat might calm your nerves and prevent you from throwing up all over the place.

“What do you mean?” He grinned, pressing the button to the top floor.

“You know what I mean.” You scoffed, annoyed at his evasive behavior.

“We just happen to know each other, nothing special.” Before the conversation could continue, a loud ding resonated through the metal cubicle. “Let’s go.” His hand found its place at the small of your back, pushing you towards the glass door. Through it, you could see a black-haired man reading a pile of documents, occasionally raising a photo to examine it with his gold-rimmed glasses supported at the bridge of his elegant nose.

Jaehyun extended his arm over your shoulder to knock on the door, earning an almost annoyed ‘come in’ from the man inside.

“Let’s go.” Once again invading your personal space, he reached for the doorknob with you trapped between his arms.

As soon as the door opened, the man raised his eyes from the documents he was checking.

“What are you doing here, Jung?”

“I knew something was off...” You murmured, loud enough for the man at your side to chuckle.

“I brought you a client, you should be happy.”

“Miss y/n, I suppose. Have a seat.” His demeanor completely changed while speaking directly to you. “I spoke with your aunt last week, she explained the details of the lawsuit, but I must say, it isn't an easy case.”

“I know that, but I've been told you're the best firm in town, I know I'll have more possibilities of winning if you're my lawyer.”

“Best firm in town my ass.”

“Be silent or I’ll kick you out of the building.”

That was enough for Yoonoh to zip his mouth. For a while at least.

“I suppose she also told you about our fee.” He pushed his glasses up using his thumb. “We’d also keep 25% of the lawsuit money assuming we win the case, is that okay with you?”

“Yes-”

“Okay, stop.”

“I’ll call security, Jung.”

“Look at me, y/n.” He squeezed your arms. “This clown is trying to scam you...” He pointed his finger at the lawyer without breaking eye contact. “You’d be spending loads of money for someone who isn't even confident in his abilities. It isn't worth it.”

“And I suppose you'd do better than me, then.” The black-haired man scoffed. “If that's the case, then you can both leave. I'm quite busy at the moment.” With a turn of his wrist, he signaled you to leave the room.

You were fuming, stomping out of the building with Jaehyun right behind you.

“I found a great restaurant nearby, we can go there and-”

“What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“Calm down-”

“Don’t tell me to calm down when you just fucked up my only chance to give those bastards what they deserve.” The sun was starting to set, yellow light casting shadows over his tender cheeks.

“Can you listen to me for a second?”

“Are you laughing right now?” You bit your lip, hard, trying to hold back the tsunami of tears threatening to come out of your eyes. “Asshole.”

“Ouch.” He furrowed his eyebrows mockingly. Oh, how close you were to punch that pretty face of his. “Can I explain now?”

You remained silent, staring at the ground with the smallest frown between your eyebrows.

“How do you think I know Kim Doyoung?” Before even giving you a chance to answer, he continued. “That son of a bitch has been stealing my clients for ages.”

“Your clients...?”

“He isn't even that good of a lawyer compared to me.” He scoffed with fake arrogance.

“You're a lawyer?!” You slammed your palms into your face, whining at the newly acquired information. “Why didn't you tell me from the beginning?”

“Just wanted to swing by and annoy him a bit. Don't worry, I wasn't gonna let you accept his deal.” He winked playfully.

The sun was now hidden, the sky darkening as the moon rose to take its shift.

“Though I gotta say, I'm kinda offended I wasn't even an option. I'm a pretty great lawyer, you know?”

“Sorry.”

“I’ll forgive you if you join me for dinner. What do you say?”

As you walked into the darkness of the streets, his shoulder occasionally bumping yours, you wondered if meeting him was a casualty. Maybe the world was finally smiling at you.

[noassallclass]

So my roommate spent all of today writing up a report for Critical Role as a company and I really don't know much about business stuff but I think it is fascinating. Read to the end for a wild ride.

"Okay here is my idea of how Critical Role is actually structured based on what public information exists:

At Geek and Sundry, “Critical Role” as an entity was essentially a partnership between all cast members. The only asset this partnership had was the intellectual property of CR and the only Revenue it took in was licensing that IP to Geek and Sundry. This is because Critical Role Partnership was adamant about maintaining ownership of the IP. This license then pays out between the partners. Percentage

ownership of Critical Role Partnership is divided based on money put in, and previous work done. I would be very surprised if Mercer did not own at least 25% but probably not more than 50%, and the others are probably more or less even. At this point, the cast members both draw a salary from geek and sundry as employees (or contractors), and collect drawings from the licensing of the IP and also royalties as actors. When Orion leaves, the others almost certainly force him to sell out his ownership portion and he probably gets royalties from Geek and Sundry (and later CRPLLC). At this point, this licensing agreement is the only transaction that the entity “Critical Role” actually conducts.

Geek and Sundry pays to produce, distribute, and market the show, and takes all profit. It also takes some aspects of creative control, but probably not that much, though this is listed as the reason to leave Geek and Sundry. At this point, Critical Role continues to license with Geek and Sundry’s parent company Legendary Digital Networks and incorporates their partnership into a Limited Liability Corporation “Critical Role Productions”.

The ownership split is probably kept mostly the same, unless someone decides to sell portions of their shares, but I don’t see why they would. The shareholders (or owners) at this point hire a bunch of employees. Some roles they hire themselves, like Willingham as CEO and Mercer as CCO, and some they hire outsiders like COO Ed Lopez, SVP of Marketing Rachel Romero, and VP of Business Development Ben Van Der Fluit. Those who take additional roles will take salaries for those roles, as well as a salary for acting and writing, and dividends from profits. It is likely that Lopez got a certain amount of shares because C-Suite Executives often do as bonuses because it’s non-taxed income until he sells it and it incentivizes maximizing profits because that would increase his dividends. The other employees probably did not receive shares, so as not to dilute the percentage ownership further.

Critical Role seemingly has no board of directors (it’s possible they have one which is not public), which only happens when there are so few shareholders that they can all convene and take votes (Usually less than 20 owners), implying they don’t use investors to raise cash, which is consistent with a desire to retain creative control. This also means that it is up to all of the shareholders to vote on decisions about the managers of the company instead of a board. That means the only way they could fire Willingham as Chief Executive Officer is if all of the shareholders convene and vote for his firing. Without a board of directors, which often has independent outsiders, this is typically seen as bad for the company’s interests, but is legal in this case because it’s a limited liability corporation and they do not trade on an exchange .

Over the next year or so, CRPLLC makes a new studio and Geek and Sundry gradually relinquishes the distribution rights to older episodes. At this point everyone who works towards the function of the production and distribution of shows is an employee of CRPLLC and not Legendary or Geek and Sundry. For the past couple of years, Critical Role has licensed various brand crossover products like Funko Pops and The Darkhorse Comics. Funko Pop pays CRPLLC for the character likenesses and keeps all profits. CRPLLC also produces its own merchandise like t shirts and that sexy calendar that they pay manufacturers to produce and CRPLLC makes the profit in that scenario. They also have advertising revenue, which is a straightforward revenue stream.

Throwing back to two paragraphs ago, if they don’t use investors to raise cash, how can they afford to embark on a new expensive project that wouldn’t pay out until the future? Well, they could take out a loan (ew interest), save more money in retained earnings forgoing development in other areas (what do you mean we can’t afford to redo our website?) OR

They could do an 11 million dollar kickstarter! This would allow them to retain ownership of both the company and the product, because kickstarter is essentially just buying really expensive merchandise! People will buy a 30 dollar mug if it also comes with the promise that if enough people do it, they’ll make a tv show. Kickstarter money is revenue, not financing and it’s actually against kickstarter’s rules to promise equity for backers. Instead, kickstarter backers assume the risk that investors take (albeit on a smaller individual scale) with none of the benefit besides knowing that they helped make something exist. Compare this to if I, Callie invested $11 million into CRPLLC.

If the Legend of Vox Machina completely bombs and bankrupts CRPLLC which was kickstarted: CRPLLC would have to sell off all of its assets, resolve its liabilities (pay people for work done before laying them off, pay off bank loans) and whatever is left over would be split between the owners. Do they owe you, the kickstarter backer, for not making the show? Legally no. You chose to give us that money and had to trust we would spend the money well to make a good show and we spent all our money making sure our tree leaf animation looked good and could only afford to make 2 episodes.

If the Legend of Vox Machina completely bombs and bankrupts CRPLLC and it was Calliestarted: It would still be the same, except now Callie, the person who put in a lot of money for this show, is also an owner, and at least gets a slice of that money after the debts are paid off.

If the Legend of Vox Machina is really successful and it’s kickstarted: Good job, you did it! You got a fun tv show and like a t shirt! Fun!

If the Legend of Vox Machina is really successful and it’s Calliestarted: Not only do I get my fun tv show and probably also every piece of merch that exists, I got mad paid as an owner, not just from the show itself, but as we sell more and more merchandise because I’m a part owner of the company. I then continue to make money from literally everything else the company does until I decide to sell my shares or the company goes bankrupt.

And even better news! Amazon Prime bought the streaming rights for two seasons, so now I, Callie, have even more money from that sweet sweet licensing money.

Speaking of which, it is likely that the Amazon Deal is structured as follows: Amazon pays CRPLLC to license LoVM, with the stipulation that kickstarter backers can access the first 10 episodes legally. CRPLLC pays, with Kickstarter and Amazon money, Titmouse Inc. to produce LoVM. CRPLLC makes the difference between what they paid Titmouse (variable cost, depending on ultimate cost of animating) and what Amazon paid them. Amazon makes the difference of what they paid CRPLLC and what they make at market with LoVM. Amazon is the only company that stands to profit directly from the actual product of LoVM doing well. If it does poorly, there’s the possibility it gets cancelled, meaning that CRPLLC (and maybe Titmouse if CRPLLC already commissioned the work from them) will still get paid by Amazon, but never released. It’s possible that other companies could buy the license from Amazon in this scenario. This is the risk of selling your show to another company.

CRPLLC also has one subsidiary and one associated foundation: Darrington Press LLC and The Critical Role Foundation

Darrington Press LLC is an imprint of CRPLLC created to design and produce card and board games with the Critical Role IP. DP has 3 listed employees, Ivan Van Norman as Head of Darrington Press, Darcy L. Ross as Marketing Manager, and Mercer as Creative Advisor. As a subsidiary, it is wholly owned by CRPLLC. DP pays manufacturers and contractors to design and manufacturers games and pays for its own advertising, as a separate entity from CRPLLC. DP will likely sell its products to games distributers and the Critical Role Store. If the Critical Role Store sells DP games it’s because CRPLLC bought them from DP. The relationship between DP and CPRLLC is that when DP makes a profit and pays dividends, the recipient is CPRLLC. If DP goes bankrupt and cannot pay its debts, CPRLLC is not required to pay them. CPRLLC also chooses DP’s Board of Directors, which is probably just the owners of CPRLLC. This is all very ordinary. DP has four announced games set to release in 2021, but as of yet has not released any products or made any revenue.

The Critical Role Foundation is a registered non-profit and legally distinct from CRPLLC with seemingly no employees, with Johnson as President, and 4 other Board Members: Mercer, Lopez, Romero and another person named Mark Koro, who is a figure very closely tied to critical role I will outline later. Lopez and Romero are also in a long-term relationship or perhaps marriage. It is usually considered a bad idea to have two partners on a board of directors, as a conflict of interest can arise easily. As a registered non-profit CRF’s projected breakdown of donations is 85% grants to other non-profits, 10% emergency fund allocation, and 5% admin costs (this would be where possible future employees’ salaries would come from). Board Members on non-profits traditionally don’t take salaries, but can use their role as a board member to calculate donated time as a charitable donation for tax purposes. This all seems pretty normal. It’s not stated if or how much CRPLLC itself donates to CRF, including its initial endowment, besides the donation of free advertising, as no donation matching or any other programs seem to be advertised. In terms of an initial endowment, it seems that the only money put in was immediately spent on filing fees and legal fees, meaning the initial endowment was less than $5000. As a result, CRF operates from donors and possibly is not funded at all by CRPLLC. Any money that is donated from CRPLLC’s profits to CRF would be a charitable donation and lower CRPLLC’s taxable income amount. CRF began collecting non-taxable donations in May 2019, and as of December 8, 2020 CRF has yet to publish their 2019 financial statements, so not much is publicly known of how much money is raised by CRF and if they achieved their desired breakdown.

Now to talk about Mark Koro. Koro is an executive of Governmental Affairs (some places list director and others list VP) at Qualcomm, a telecommunications technology company with an annual profit of $7.67 Billion, and is estimated to make $20 per smartphone sold. Every smartphone. Qualcomm has been sued by China, South Korea, Taiwan, the EU, and the USA for anti-competitive behaviour. Koro’s department of Governmental affairs is responsible for negotiating and bidding with governments for contracts and rights to airwave frequencies, and also lobby and develop proposals for telecommunications legislation and policy. Before this, Koro worked at the National Security Agency in their corporate relations department liaising with defence and intelligence contractors. Before this, he worked in the George H.W. Bush administration as The National Security Advance Representative. This entails preparing logistics and security for Presidential events and dispatching Secret Service Agents to respond to Presidential Threats and continued in this capacity under following administrations until 2008. Koro was also an advisor to The Deputy Director of the NSA (the second highest position in the Intelligence Agency), and was a consultant to The Lawrence Livermore National Library, which is

“self-described as a ‘premier research and development institution for science and technology applied to national security.’ Its principal responsibility is ensuring the safety, security and reliability of the nation’s nuclear weapons through the application of advanced science, engineering, and technology.”

These positions are all listed on Koro’s biography on the The United Nations website for the International Telecommunications Union Radiocommunication Sector (accessed Dec. 8, 2020). Mark Koro has no public associations with Charitable Work.

There is little online about Koro’s association with Critical Role, besides an article stating that Koro, as a fan of the show, in 2016 matched $50,000 worth of donations to 826LA. Koro’s associations with a monopolistic technology company, the NSA, Nuclear Weaponry, and multiple presidential administrations would be cause for alarm for many of CR’s fans, but if it were a purely professional relationship, it could be excused as including him for his business accumen, but Mark Koro is mutuals on twitter with all of the cast members and Brian W Foster, Britney Walloch-Key. This might seem like normal professional courtesy, but there is a lot of interaction between Koro’s account and Critical Role Employees’ personal accounts that reflect at least a close personal relationship between people that he would not interact with regularly just as a board member of a legally distinct organization."

P.S. 100% of Critical Role's Chief Officers are men in relationships with female subordinates.

[regrettablewritings]

Hey can I please get a, j and K from the fluff alphabet with the phantom aka Erik aka og aka my recent character crush? Thank you so much!

Okay, but this is the last fluff alphabet. Stuff is under the cut

A = Attractive (What do they find attractive about the other?):

Honestly, Erik is drawn to anyone who won’t treat him horribly. It’s sad, but absolutely true. Given his presumed lot in life, Erik hasn’t really been allowed too many opportunities to be especially picky. But going by his motivations, there are generally two stand-out things he seeks in a person: That they be adequate in looks, and that they don’t treat him like shit.

Before you criticize him on the temerity of the former, let it be known that it ties in to why he does so many of the things he does; why he demands a salary, for example: At the root of it all, what Erik wants is to have a normal life. Sure, he also wants said life to include his works being embraced the world over, but it’s more so on the grounds that he wants to do so as an absurdly talented but otherwise normal man. Particularly in the face.

He only accrues his wealth so that one day, by some grace of miracles, he will be able to join that world above him. And when that day comes, he will be prepared; he can afford a house and fill it with lovely things, including a lovely wife. One whom he can spoil and treasure and whose arm will link with his own as they walk through the park on Sunday evenings and who will love him as dearly as he shows his love for her . . . Really, for all that Erik does, it’s as much for his hypothetical wife as it is for him.

But given how hard he’s fumbled in the past, he really can’t afford to be especially picky. In addition to this, how beautiful he finds someone is also heavily influenced by how they treat him: To Erik, to be shown kindness is to see the kindness of God. However, please note that at this point, he’s almost certainly accepting of even forms of pity; just please do not reject him or treat him as a monster.

Of course, your kindness is what set him off but to Erik’s credit, he had learned to be better since the last time: He learns about the importance of having an ever-patient partner, especially for the likes of him; he learns that for as frustrating as it can be, there’s something good in having a significant other who’s not afraid to put their foot down or call him out on his unintentional moments of arrogance; he learns how to value himself more, to not accept pity as an accepted form of tolerance if it could be helped. But most of all, he realized just how much nicer it was to have someone whom he could actually discuss with, someone who was capable of forcing him to better himself by valuing what they had to say or what they thought.

Given how long he’d only had to think for himself, it’s a bit of a force of habit on the Opera Ghost’s part. But, given the proper guidance and adjustment period, it’s not one he altogether minds letting go of. Over all, what he’s attracted to in you is that you have a hold over him. And given the sort of life he’s led up to this point, it feels nice to be held.

Thankfully, you were much simpler: You liked the enigma that was the Phantom of the Opera. It took you ages to so much as pry out his name despite the fact that he’d been so willing to share with you his music much sooner. Frustrating, yes, but you couldn’t help but find yourself intrigued by it all, intrigued by his world away from worlds you knew. You loved how complex he was, being so dominant yet vulnerable, so competent yet in need of guidance. You loved how in spite of everything, he was incredibly learned for a man of the era, how his library consisted of no shortage of foreign literature and music books filled to the brim with his notes.

You loved how everywhere you looked, even after learning his habits, his interests, his joys and sorrows, there was always something more to learn about your lover. In short, you loved everything that made Erik, (literal) warts and all.

J = Jealousy (Do they get jealous?):

. . . You know damn well that Erik gets jealous. This man’s possessiveness, in fact, is ripe enough to drive the plot of a story – and has! However, it might be proposed that we generally are not completely aware as to why Erik displays territorialism as intensely as he does. And in my honest opinion, it comes down to two main reasons which continuously entwine with one another: That Erik is on the autism spectrum, and that even without that, Erik’s life has made him consequently overprotective.

On the subject of the former, without making a lesson out of this, it’s not uncommon at all to select a person you’ve essentially “invited” into your life and attach yourself to them. A sudden change of that, depending on the person, could prove distressing – like, say, a potential threat suitor taking your attention off of him, getting a bit too close to you for the Phantom’s comfort, and so on. As Erik sees it, you’re his person, and frankly he isn’t fond of sharing. You’re a part of his life now, one he especially doesn’t want to have changed.

Going off this, it also helps to remember that Erik’s life has been incredibly unstable for the most part. Him living on an underground lake located in a labyrinth beneath a Parisian opera house has actually been the most structured his life has ever been! The only thing that has accompanied him all this time has been that monkey-shaped music box, so it’s fair to assume that he’s since developed a bit of . . . avidity. What few things life has given him, he intends to keep by as many means as necessary. Sometimes (at least in his mind), those means can just mean pulling pranks about the opera house so that a single, untalented performer doesn’t ruin the establishment’s reputation. Other times, it means flinging balls of fire at those whom he deems are threats.

He knows that, in the end, you’re far from pleased but he just can’t help himself: You’re one of the only good things that have graced his life, let alone one of the only ones that appears willing to stay -- he’s grown accustomed to having you around and if you were to suddenly, well, not be because some handsome, rich, talentless, impudent child had gained your attention, then he would be devastated! So much so that he might act on his aggressions . . .

(Though, let it be clarified that it is not your job to better Erik. Voice your disagreement about his desires, as these are not meant to justify his antics; only explain them. He’s thankfully since learned to be somewhat more agreeable than before, so it isn’t impossible to make him yield.)

K = Kiss (How do they kiss? Who initiated the first kiss?):

If you were expecting the world’s most secluded man to be a naturally-gifted kisser, than you are sadly and extraordinarily mistaken. Erik’s kisses are wobbly and uncertain, as though he were unsure of where to put his lips (which he is). It was like that the first time you’d kissed, and it’s safe to assume they’ll continue to be of similar nature for a while with some dosage of insecurity in them or another.

However, you couldn’t have wanted for anything more. You see, the first time the two of you shared a kiss, it had been a bit of an effort of both parts. It’s honestly hard to determine whom the proper initiator had been: One might say it was Erik, as he had been the one to hover so closely to you; all you had been doing at the moment was leafing through one of his books on poetry whilst taking up residency on his lounge. However, another might argue that you were silently yet intentionally ensorcelling him when you glanced behind to find him staring at you: You did, after all, grace him with a shy yet warm smile. But then again, Erik’s eyes bore into you with the same hunger and pleading as a pup demanding attention (and perhaps a snack) from its master -- there was simply no way to misinterpret his longing!

But then you invited him over, voicing how “standing over there looks far lonelier than sitting right here” might’ve been. But then, perhaps, Erik was too eager in his footsteps, too brisk in spite of his thundering heart? Or were you well aware when you insisted he scoot closer to you so that he could read along with you? Whatever the case, his figure remained stiff as it sat next to you, leaving a painfully thin but painfully there wall of silence between the two of you. You could just barely feel the faintest brush of the very fiber of his clothes against you. But what you swore you felt much more vibrantly was . . . this sense of need.

“Erik,” you spoke, shattering the quiet, “I’m afraid I’m having trouble deciphering this . . . Would you mind . . .?” Your voice trailed as you lifted the book only enough for him to see. However, it would only be enough for him to see if he made an effort to move even closer to you. He parted his lips; you could hear the beginnings of an effort to deny you, only for him to rescind. It was not in his nature, as Erik was coming to find, to deny you the sound of his voice or his attention.

The threat of a shudder racked your body as the fine threads of his jacket scratched against your arm, the slightest hint of Erik’s nerves trickling through them. He was just close enough for you to register his warmth, what little he tended to give off anyway. It was perfect.

Craning his neck as far as he would allow himself to, Erik obliged you:

“Till, ho,” his voice recited, low but clear. Warm yet distant.

“Astarte bright Rose o’er the shadowy vale And filled the whole deep night With crystalline low light, White, tremulous, and pale.”

Tremulous, you noted. Much like himself. Much like the endless night he so dominated . . .

“Then on the star-lit bank,” he continued, “Dreaming of what love’s bliss is, we --” He paused. He furrowed his brow before releasing it once more. You dared to believe that the Opera Ghost was blushing!

Tremulous indeed, he tried to start once more, “W. . . we . . .”

“’Trembled,’” you assisted, a hint of a smile playing on your lips.

“Mm,” he hummed, far too flustered to consider making it tuned. “W-we . . . trembled . . . and we sank . . .” He sighed heavily, the end in sight.

“And thro’ her lips I drank Her soul in rapturous kisses . . .”

Once more, the Phantom exhaled heavily, albeit more so from embarrassment than before. He didn’t recall adding that piece to his library, not that it wasn’t something he wouldn’t normally own. Still, the thought that he had exposed himself in such a manner, much less to you . . . It was inappropriate to say the least! Against his already buzzing nerves, he spared you a glance to determine the amount of damage he might have caused your relationship.

To his surprise, you didn’t appear to be very flustered, if at all! In fact, you appeared to be intrigued. Very intrigued, if one were to gain evidence in how you appeared to be leaning in ever so slightly. If Erik had ever questioned what the flames of Hell might have felt like, he would have dared theorize they felt as his burning face did in that moment.

“‘In a rapturous kiss’,” you repeated. He wasn’t certain how to reply; he only offered a curt nod. You blinked, almost sheepishly.

“Erik . . .” you breathed, “would you . . .?”

“. . . Y. . .” The word never came out. Not because it had been sudden, but because the man was simply unable to even process even a one-worded sentence. It was all, in fact, very slow in movement: From how he inched in closer; to how you leaned in further; to the way your eyes fluttered shut; to how Erik, almost childishly, struggled to determine the proper angle at which to make the connection.

It felt like an eternity and yet fleeting all at once. And yet, the kiss did happen. Messily, awkwardly, and not nearly anything like the poets in Erik’s book might have written.

But, oh, was it nonetheless tremulous and tender, yet burning.

Rapturous.

Thank you for being patient!

[purplesurveys]

1033

survey by tickticktmr

What's the best food to have at a sleepover? I’d have a blast at a sleepover if my friends and I were to get a square-cut cheese pizza with a box of wings. Cheesy nachos with beef would be great too.

How did you meet the last person you shared a bed with? We were introduced by our respective friends.

Do you like the yellow cheetos better or the orange ones? I don’t like Cheetos, period. Cheese puffs never did grow on me.

Where did you buy the shoes you wore today? My mom got it for me two Christmases ago.

Do you have any half siblings? Nope. But this year I found out I have a half-cousin (and possibly half-cousins) from a trash uncle who apparently fooled around behind my aunt’s back, but I have no desire to associate with her or that entire family altogether. 

How many DVD players are in the house? We still have two lying around but we haven’t used either in 6–7 years.

Do you like the last song you heard on the radio? I cried, because I needed to hear the lyrics that were being sung.

Do you know anyone who has been on TV? Sure, mostly some of my friends’ parents.

When going shopping for junk food, what's the first thing you pick up? My eyes usually dart to the Pringles before anything else. And if there’s also any salted egg chips that looks appealing enough for me to pick up.

How would you react if you found out you had a long lost sister? I think my literal first reaction would be to be pissed at my parents for hiding such a secret from me for a long time. It would depend on how they explain the situation if I end up wanting to meet her or if I can do without.

At sleepovers, do you usually stay up all night or actually go to sleep? Hahaha I’m the grandma that passes out. I’ve never successfully stayed up at a sleepover and for some reason I’m always the first one to start getting sleepy. I guess all my friends’ bedrooms are really that comfy.

Is there anything in the room you're in that's really dusty? [continued from last night] For sure. There are some things in my room I barely use or move around so it definitely wouldn’t be a surprised if they’ve since gathered up a fine layer of dust.

Do you know anybody with different colored eyes? Yeah, someone from my high school has this condition.

Are any of your relatives vets? [continued AGAIN from the night before last, lmao send help] As far as I know, no. We’re not really the type of family that produces doctors, and I believe we lean more towards law.

Who cleans the most in your house? Oh my mom, for sure. She wants all chores done a certain way, and she’s always genuinely happy to do everything herself.

Do you own any shirts that cost over $100? No. I think my most expensive shirts are my wrestling ones, which never went above P3000, I think.

What about any shoes? Do you think that's a lot of money for clothes? Yeah, well shoes are generally more expensive so I’ve definitely spent more on sneakers than I’ve ever had on a shirt. I think a pair of shoes that go for P5000 is fine because for the most part it’s also already a testament to its quality. I draw the line at P5000 shirts, because you’re only paying for the label at that point.

What's the movie theatre in your town called? Ours don’t have names. Most of our cinemas are housed within malls, so whenever we make plans to watch a movie we just mention the mall.

How many minutes do you consider late? Idk man, I prize punctuality a lot. People to me are either early, on the dot, or late.

Is there any jam in the fridge right now? No, we don’t really consume jam. We’re not a very spread-y kind of family, come to think of it. We prefer meatier stuff in our sandwiches.

What did you get your best friend for their last birthday? I learned iMovie throughout my UTI-slash-fever horror experience so I can make a video for Gab that compiled her friends’ greetings in time for her birthday. I wasn’t able to get Angela anything because I was still looking for a job then and didn’t have any source of income; and because Gab broke up with me on that day so I was too distraught to be doing anything.

What about your mom's and dad's last birthdays? My dad was abroad for his last birthday. I didn’t get my mom anything because we don’t have that kind of relationship.

What kinds of food do you dunk into milk? Uhm mostly none, because I never really have milk unless I’m at a hotel or at a friend’s, lol. I’ve dipped chocolate chip cookies into milk several times though, and those didn’t turn out bad at all :) I’m a fan of the mushiness.

Do you have any current or past teachers on your facebook friends? A couple of my high school teachers are still my Facebook friends. I never added nor received requests from my college professors, which I prefer tbh because I’ve always viewed college profs as having a more professional vibe compared to my grade school and high school teachers, who were like parents to me.

Are there any baby pictures of you up? Like, the room I’m currently in? No but my school portrait from Prep is framed and hanging on my wall, which is the closest thing. I was already 7, though.

Do you have any friends who have bleached blonde hair? Nah. I have a lot of friends who’ve dyed their hair over the years, but none bleached all the way through. Gabie did, but just for her tips.

How much sugar do you like in your tea/coffee? Lots. I need every trace of it feeling like black coffee removed, haha.

What color is the cereal in your cupboard? We don’t eat cereals in this family; we’ve always enjoyed a classic Filipino breakfast. Sometimes we’ll get cereals I guess, but we never eat them the traditional way; my mom and sister usually just snack on them straight from the box on non-breakfast hours.

Are you wearing any jewlery that a boyfriend/girlfriend gave you? No.

Has a boyfriend/girlfriend ever given you jewlery? Yes.

Have you ever seen the last person you kissed cry? Many times.

Would you rather work at a gas station or be a maid? I hate chores and touching other people’s stuff, so I’ll go with the gas station. I could meet different people from that job too, which sounds more interesting.

What's the closest store to your house called? Just Things. Basically sells hype merch, including the P5000 streetwear shirts I called out earlier, for all the hype heads in my area.

Do horror movies scare you more when they're 'based on a true story'? The biographical nerd in me obviously gets excited, but I don’t get scared. I get more invested when they include snippets or updates about the real-life counterparts and go beyond the vague ‘based on a true story’ banner.

Do you still talk to the last person who hurt you (emotionally)? Yeah but I really need some sort of coin bank thing for it for every time I do so because idk why I still hang around sometimes.

Is there an outdoor movie theatre where you live? Not where I live. But I do know that because of Covid, some malls outside of my city have started offering drive-in cinemas, which were never a thing here before.

What color was the last food you ate? Golden brown, yellow, black, red, green. It was a truffle and mushroom pizza that I treated my family to because I had gotten my first paycheck this week and I would’ve looked like an absolute ass if I spent it on anything else other than my family. I MEAN I wanted to treat them too, of course, but I won’t deny that there’s an underlying reason for me buying the food as well. Welcome to a firstborn’s life in the Philippines (and in Asia, tbh).

Have you ever seen your mom or dad drunk? My mom has been tipsy, but not drunk. My dad never lets himself get swayed by alcohol. He’ll still get a single bottle of beer, but I’ve never seen his demeanor change.

How expensive is too expensive for a pair of jeans? Anything above P7,000 or P7,500, maybe.

After seeing a movie, do you go to a site to enter a review about it? Nah, I’m not the Letterboxd type of person. I’ll sometimes tweet about a movie, but only if I found it good or intriguing enough.

Have you ever done that? No. I’m not the best movie reviewer, so even though I’m aware of Letterboxd’s or IMDb’s appeal I’ve always been too shy to share my thoughts or ratings just in case someone ends up criticsplaining a movie to me.

Would you consider McDonald's a restaurant? I know what route this question is getting to but I’m too tired to defend my thought process, so suffice it to say I love McDonald’s, lol.

Do your parents vote? LOL my mom only started doing so again when I registered - before 2016, she cast her last vote back in 1992. Of course, her opinions were wrong for both the presidential (2016) and senatorial elections (2019) haha. 

My dad does not vote and he stopped giving a shit about Philippine politics when he started working abroad 20 years ago and increasingly spent more time overseas than he does in his home country. Which, honestly, as sad and bad as it sounds, I totally understand. He’s completely detached from the goings-on in our country that to make him vote would be just as useful as letting him purely guess his choices.

Are there any creepy pictures up on the walls of your house? We’ve never gotten such a comment before, so no.

What's the last thing you were excited to eat? The pizzas I bought tonightttttt :> I got truffle and mushroom pizza and quattro formaggi pizzas and they were from Motorino, this fancy (and pricey) place I used to go on dates in that I haven’t visited so long.

It’s hilarious because I didn’t even plan on buying any food today as I’m stingy with money...but in my shift today I was tasked to order food bundles for certain media partners we regularly collaborate with. I kept ordering all these fucking pizzas for people I don’t even know and I got so jealous???? So I ended up buying for myself at the end of the day HAHAHAH

Do you ever hit electronics if they don't work? I smack them against a surface, but I rarely hit them with my own hand.

Who’s the most romantic person you ever went out with? I’ve only gone out with one person and, her toxic traits aside, I highly doubt any future prospect would ever come remotely close to her.

Is there anything hanging from the ceiling in your room? My bedroom light.

How would you react if your best friend was pregnant/got someone pregnant? She’s not planning on having a kid any time soon so I would assume it happened by accident, and I would assume she would be in distress. That said, my instinct would be to be there for her and support her in whatever she does moving forward.

Do you know who Lisa Simpson is? Sure thing, she’s my favorite.

Have you ever had a crush on the last person you spoke to online? No. I’ve never even met her.

Have you ever seen the last person you hugged dressed up fancy? Sure, my grandma dresses up for parties and other formal events.

(If your parents married), Do you know where they got engaged? No. My dad didn’t even pop the question; at some point they just sat each other down, had a long talk, and decided they’d get engaged. Idk where it happened though. Maybe while on a date somewhere?

What color was the last cup you drank out of? Copper.

What was the last picture you printed of? I honestly can’t tell you. I’ve printed a number of documents for various adulting tasks lately, but I don’t know the last time I specifically printed out a photo.

What restaurant has the best fries? I’d have to go with Army Navy. Or if we’re going with fast food, Jollibee.

What does your mailbox look like? We don’t have one. Messengers just insert envelopes through our screen door.

Have you ever gotten something stuck on the roof? We have a rooftop, so that’s never been a problem for us.

Have you ever had a surprise party thrown for you? No. I don’t think I’ve ever been that important for anyone.

Is the room you're in organized? It can do with some fixing, but it’s not terrible.

Would your mom make a good president? She’d be the most organized, neurotic, and punctual president in the history of presidents, but I doubt she’d be of help in conflict resolution or law-making, or any decision-making aspects that go with being president.

The 2nd class you had last time you went to school: ever skipped it? I don’t think I ever skipped that class in the short time I took it before Covid took over.

Do your aunts and uncles have kids? Yeah, nearly everyone does.

Is this survey interesting so far? I liked it.

Do you say fancy or formal? Or something else? Depends on the context. I use both as I think they have different connotations anyway.

Does your English teacher have kids? The last English professor I had doesn’t.

Does your computer make a lot of noise? The fan whirs when the laptop gets too busy. The noise is definitely noticeable considering how quiet my laptop is 98% of the time; but I wouldn’t call it bothersome.

Do you see movies at home or in the theatre more? Home. I watch at the cinema like, a maximum of 5 times a year.

What's your favorite thing to eat during a movie? Potato Corner fries. Non-negotiable.

[eldritchsurveys]

782.

Have you ever had a computer virus before? >> Nope, never. I don’t know if I’m just especially lucky or what, but I have zero experience with malware, viruses, or any of that.

Are you dependent upon anyone? >> Of course. Everyone’s dependent on someone, even if only indirectly.

Are there any book characters you'd like to portray? >> Like, as an actor in a movie adaptation or something? No, thanks.

Who did you last text? >> I sent Sparrow a bitmoji in response to her text.

Is there anything on your bed right now? >> Yeah, me. Also, an assortment of plushies, two weighted blankets, a hoodie, my phone, and my headphones.

When was the last time you went to the grocery store? >> It’s been a couple of weeks since I personally went. I stopped doing the grocery runs because of the mask rule; Sparrow is way better with wearing masks than I am. What way would you like to die when it's your time? >> As uneventfully as possible, please.

What are you most afraid of in the world? >> Some possible aspects of death. Also, confinement of any kind, like incarceration or being put in a mental hospital.

Have you ever been caving? >> Nope.

Do you do well in math related things? >> I don’t know, I don’t usually do any math-related things aside from the most basic kind.

What is your favorite fruit? >> I don’t have one.

If you had to choose, which sibling would you live with? >> ---

Do you have any tattoos? >> Yes.

Are you planning on getting any in the near future? >> No.

When was your last date? >> ---

When did you get Facebook? >> I don’t remember when I first signed up for it. Probably like 10 years ago or thereabouts.

Are any of your family members in jail? >> ---

What was your first pet's name? >> Roxie.

Are you good when it comes to computer issues? >> I don’t think my skill level at dealing with computer issues is particularly high. I basically just google the problems I don’t immediately know how to solve and try out different solutions, which literally anyone is capable of doing. I think what I’m good at is not having computer issues in the first place, considering every machine I’ve had has performed remarkably well over a pretty decent lifespan (except for Normandy, which just randomly died one day, but I think that was a heat issue and I’ve learned from it).

Are there any people at your job who absolutely hates you? >> ---

What was the last book you read? >> The last book I finished is The Poisonwood Bible.

Have you ever read any books in one day? >> Sure.

What was the last thing you bought? >> A nightstand.

What are your plans for tomorrow? >> I don’t have any plans for tomorrow.

Is there any jewelry you wear constantly? >> Yeah, I never take out my earrings or nose ring.

Are your fingernails painted at the moment? >> No.

Do you prefer cool, warm or neutral colors? >> I like a variety of colours for different reasons.

Have you ever taken art classes? >> Only in grade school and probably junior high.

What's the most boring movie you've ever seen? >> I have no idea.

Do you know how to work a cash register? >> I mean, I could figure it out.

Fact or fiction novels? >> A novel is fiction, period. But if you mean whether I prefer historical and realistic fiction, or fantastic fiction... well, usually the latter.

Have you ever suffered from depression? >> Yes.

Do you think you're a clingy person? >> No, because I’m not.

Do you enjoy kisses on the cheek? >> Not particularly.

Have you ever been in a physical fight before? >> Yes, quite a few times.

How often would you say you disagree with your parents? >> ---

What color shirt did you wear yesterday? >> Black.

Do you have a job? If so, do you like it? >> ---

Have you ever been called a slut before? >> Maybe.

What's something you've been craving? >> I’m not really craving anything that I’ve noticed.

Have you ever slept with your window open? >> I sleep with my window open for almost the entire year, actually. Even in winter I have it cracked at night, because I get really hot in my sleep.

Can you play violin? >> No.

What was the last desert you had? >> I don’t remember the last time I had a dessert.

Have you ever had a wild animal as a pet? >> No.

Do you know anyone you talk to on Facebook but won't talk to in person? >> No.

What color are your mother's eyes? >> ---

Do you have a best friend? If so, how long have you been best friends? >> I do not.

Do you cry easily? >> I mean, I don’t think so.

Have you ever been into a court room? >> Yes.

How many necklaces would you say you own? >> I own five necklaces. Soon to be six, when it gets here.

Do you plan on being strict towards your children? >> ---

Do you own any tie-dye shirts? >> Nope.

What would you say is your favorite day of the week? >> I have a particular affection towards Wednesday, but I don’t really have a favourite day of the week.

Do you ever wear lipstick? >> Ever, sure. But not usually.

Do you own a pool? >> No.

Do you have a Tumblr account? >> What’s a tumblr

Would you say you're overweight? >> I wouldn’t.

How many colors are in your hair? >> Well, two that I can see.

Do you flirt with a lot of people? >> I don’t flirt with anyone.

How many bank accounts do you have? >> One.

Have you ever been falsely accused of starting drama? >> Probably.

How old are you? >> 32.

Do you attend church regularly? >> I don’t.

Have you ever found a song that describes your whole life? >> No song can describe my whole life, but there are songs that fit uncannily with certain aspects of my life.

What time did you wake up this morning? >> 7 or so.

What time do you plan on waking up tomorrow morning? >> I don’t plan for that, I just wake up whenever I feel like it.

What kind of car do you drive? >> I don’t.

What kind of car would you like to have? >> ---

Have you ever been to Dairy Queen? If so, what's your favorite thing to eat from there? >> Yeah, I’ve been there, but I don’t have a favourite thing from there. I don’t care for their stuff.

How old did you turn on your last birthday? >> 32...? This is basically just the same question as before, innit.

Ever felt like falling apart? >> Yes.

Have you ever been in an ambulance? >> Yeah.

Do you tend to worry a lot? >> No.

How old were you when you lost your first tooth? >> I have no idea.

Do you remember your first time on the internet? >> I only vaguely remember it.

Which website do you email from? >> Gmail.

Do you enjoy receiving souvenirs? >> I don’t really receive souvenirs. Which is perfectly fine.

Do you get angry with people easily? >> No.

Do a lot of people dislike you or is it the other way around? >> I don’t know if a lot of people dislike me, it’s not like people are often up-front about that sort of thing. I don’t dislike too many people.

Have you ever had the flu? >> No.

What about strep throat? >> No.

What would you say is the worst kind of emotional pain? >> I wouldn’t say, because it makes no sense to me to “rate” pain like that.

Have you ever been to a psychologist? >> Yeah.

What's the worst part about school? >> You know, the whole thing.

Do you normally have a lot of homework, if you're still in school? >> ---

When was your last vacation? >> January.

Would you ever consider going on a cruise? >> I’d consider it.

What did you last buy from the store? >> I haven’t been inside a store in a few weeks.

Would you say you enjoy being single or in a relationship more? >> I wouldn’t say, because that’s not really how it works.

Do you try to stay busy a lot? >> No.

What's your favorite quote? >> I don’t know, man.

Do you lie a lot? >> I rarely lie.

Do you still act childish most of the time? >> No.

Did you ever enjoy gym class? >> The only time I enjoyed it were the semesters I got to take archery.

What is your biggest insecurity? >> I have no idea.

Have you ever painted a room alone? >> No.

Speaking of which, when did you last paint your room? >> I didn’t?

What does your favorite jacket / hoodie look like? >> The hoodie I wear the most (aside from the one I just wear around the house) is a New Orleans Museum of Death hoodie.

What's for dinner tonight? >> I don’t know.

Do you ever drink alcohol? >> Yes.

Have you ever had a terrible hangover? >> No.

Do you ever get migraines? >> No.

Do you know how to garden? >> I mean, I generally know how to put seeds in the ground and water them. The specific mechanics of growing specific things are not necessarily known to me, but that’s what the internet is for.

What was the last thing you plugged into an outlet? >> Probably my computer charger.

Do people consider you to be a funny person? >> I don’t know, do they?

Do you have any bad habits? >> Of course I do.

Do you like children? If not, why is this? >> I like them fine. At the very least, I respect them as people, even if I can’t stand to be around them for [usually] sensory reasons.

What is your favorite snack? >> I don’t know, I have a few go-tos.

Do you own any gaming systems? >> We have several.

How old were your parents when they had you? >> My father was 52 and my mother was in her early or mid 20s.

Is there a big age difference between you and the person you like? >> ---

Do you trashtalk people a lot? >> No.

What is the most amusing thing on the internet, in your opinion? >> Just... memes. I like memes. Also animals being derpy.

Does the future excite you or scare you? >> It has little to no effect on me, I don’t properly conceptualise the future as a thing.

Have you ever been to Disney World? If so, how many times have you been? >> No.

Do you try to spend a lot of time with family? >> ---

How often do you shower? >> Every couple of days.

What would you say is your favorite genre of music? >> I wouldn’t say. I like a lot of genres.

Do you need to clean your bedroom? >> Yeah. I’m going to finally do it when the new nightstand gets here, so probably Wednesday.

What do you plan on doing with the rest of your life? >> You know. Living.

Do you enjoy Chinese food? >> Occasionally. Most of the time I merely tolerate it.

Do you smile a lot? >> I don’t know, what’s a lot?

What is your favorite movie from the nineties? >> Maybe Event Horizon.

Which decade were you born in? >> The eighties.

Are you good at giving advice to people? >> I don’t know, I don’t usually do it.

How many huge secrets do you have? >> Zero.

How many people know these secrets? >> ---

How many times a day do you brush your teeth? >> Once, if that.

Do you ever floss? >> No, it feels horrible.

Have you ever been in a long-term relationship? >> Yes.

Ever considered suicide? If so, did you try to commit suicide? >> Yes and yes.

Is there anyone out there who makes you feel completely useless? >> No, I usually do that on my own.

Do you like texting or calling people more? >> I only text.

What's your favorite band? >> Zeal & Ardor is one.

Do you have a lot of friends? >> No.

Have you ever painted something and been impressed by it? >> I don’t know, maybe when I was young.

Would you rather go out to eat or stay in? >> Right now, I’d kill to eat somewhere that wasn’t my apartment.

When did you last babysit, if ever? >> ---

Do you have any younger siblings? >> No.

Have you ever thought of someone as useless? >> Not that I can recall. It feels weird to think of people in terms of what “use” they can be to oneself.

Have you ever considered bleaching your hair? >> Yeah, and then I did it.

Do you drink vitamin water? >> Nope. Do they even still sell that? I haven’t seen it in a while.

Do you ever straighten your hair? >> No.

What's the best way to end a conversation? >> I would assume that depends on the nature of the conversation and the depth of the relationship between the participants.

Are there any old movies you absolutely love? >> Of course.

Have you ever had a Big Mac before? >> Yes.

Do you think you attract the opposite sex at a reasonable rate? >> The reasonable rate for me is zero, so yeah, I think so.

Where is your favorite place to travel? >> Oh, you know. Almost anywhere.

What is your goal for the next few months? >> I have no goal. Except, I guess, maintaining equilibrium.

Can you count to ten in another language other than your own? >> Yeah.

Do you own a lot of shoes? >> Nope, I own two pairs (and two pairs of weather boots).

What is your favorite season and why? >> Spring. It just is, man.

Does photography interest you at all? >> Not really. I like looking at photographs other people have taken, though.

Have you ever played on a sports team before? If you have, what was that sport and when? >> When I was in school. I tried field hockey and predictably sucked total ass at it. (I say “predictably” in hindsight. I had no concept of my abilities and disabilities back then.)

Have you ever filed a lawsuit on someone? >> No.

Do you think you're a good singer? >> I think I can hold a tune, but if I was going to be good I would need to practice more and probably get a coach. Fortunately, being “good” at singing isn’t a priority of mine, so I’m perfectly happy just being able to hold a tune.

Would you rather wear jeans or sweatpants? >> Sweatpants, absolutely.

Do you think you have a good sense of style? >> It’s good for me.

Do you enjoy reading often? >> Yes.

Have you ever had a deadly illness? >> No.

Ever had food-poisoning before? >> Yes.

Where did you last eat dinner at? >> On the couch, watching Sparrow play Persona 5.

Have you ever shot a gun before? >> No.

[seungeunoh]

Would You Really Get Paid to Travel (or for Free?)

Well, I understand , I know... the pains of linking flights, delays, cancellations, lugging bags a mile across terminals... the hassle of leasing automobiles, fighting traffic in an overseas country (and figuring out which side of the road to drive) and trying to discover what the guy is telling you if all's you asked was"where is the bathroom?" ... Aside from all that, is it perhaps not the best sense whenever you can resign from the standard routine, take a few deep breaths and realize you've got nothing to do but lay on the shore... your hardest decision is if you will get steak or veggie that night... along with your main worry is if you have enough sunlight? That is what traveling is all about... when it transposes us from our regular lifestyles and places us in a wholly new culture... seeing, breathing, and eating and dancing into exactly what people 10,000 miles away from you're doing and thinking to yourself"this is the kind of stuff you see on TV". That's when it's all worth it... that's why travel is so amazing.

But, only one of - if not"THE" - biggest challenges in traveling is that little green bit (or many bits ) of newspaper named MONEY. Whether you are trying to search for a friend in Dallas or take your wife to Bora-Bora, it all costs Money-and a lot of it. The occasions of those Southwest"$49.00" fares are long gone and the small weekend getaways whack a dent in your pocketbook. There are ways to shave a few dollars in some places, but no matter how you slice it, travel is costly. Not everybody has a cush, 7 or 6 figure salary which allows them to simply take off 6 day weekends or weeks at the same time for you to party in Ibiza. So, is there really a way to travel-and I mean really travel-and either receive money or travel for"free"??

The travel sector is an $8 TRILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY. Yes, you read that right... that's Trillion with a capital"T". Therefore, aside from the hotels, airlines and bag manufacturers, how will you join up?

Let's take a look at some of the ways you can earn a living, traveling across the world:

Flight Attendant: This is actually a wonderful way to visit a LOT of places-FAST. The ordinary flight attendant makes $37,000.00 a year, with the greater degree salaries hovering from the $75,000.00-$90,000.00 range. It's certainly a bonus if you know more than just one (1) language. Flight attendants receive a daily per Diem for food, together with flexible work schedules, discounts on flights, hotels and travel expenses for vacation. The disadvantage is that after you're working, the flight program might be grueling-traveling into multiple cities at a 12, 18 or 24 hour time frame. When you finally stop to rest, the desire to go sight seeing or take a look at the city, has been exchanged out with the simple necessity to sleep in a bed. Also I forgot to mention... have you NOT seen a couple angry, annoyed or upset people on your own plane? Yep, be prepared to manage those rude customers through your 12-24 hour shift!

Commercial Airline Pilot: Same deal with flight attendants, concerning labour program, but the pay is significantly better-depending on the magnitude of this jet along with company, it is possible to be making $121,000.00 a year. If you want to head to flight school, then pass your minimum 250 hours of flight experience, then do it! Just make sure you have perfect vision and hearing. Again, if you want to earn this a career, you are going to see cities all over the country (and the world), but be ready to deal with tens of thousands of customers, weather and equipment problems, grueling schedules and also the stress that comes along with the responsibility of flying so many people to unique places.

Travel Agent: As you may already understand, traveling agents know about the greatest places to see. They are the middle men between the hotels, airlinesand tourism bureaus along with also the travelers. More than likely, they've got an chance to visit some of these places in order that they are able to see every thing for themselves-that's quite a sweet flavour, eh? Common salary are everywhere from $25,000.00 to $35,000.00 and probably be asked to register in some type of training, on average with the Travel Institute.

Freelance Writer or Photographer: What a cool job this would be... traveling all over the entire world... spending time with numerous cultures, observing how the people convey, eat, sleep and worship. You truly are"free", relaying what you visit and experience to individuals sitting on their seat, thousands of kilometers apart. Simply grab... well, it's this 1 thing we talked of a little earlier: MONEY. Apparently, you're not going to receive money until you reach such places, therefore make sure you plan this out a bit, fill up some green in your checking account and pick up some pointers about how best to express your self with the pencil & paper or with the camera. Try to produce some sort of"following" which means you have a fantastic base of individuals viewing and reading your own content. Don't attempt to fly to India with a million dollars and an iPad, looking to start a travel site that produces cash, allowing you to wander the world to the upcoming few years. You might also go for your nearest casino and play blackjack. If it's possible to pull with the occupation (also to those that currently do so ), I tip my hat to you-great work!

In case you are in between jobs, just from school or Just Want to take a"sabbatical", why don't you consider those paths in traveling the entire world:

: Speaking English can offer access to countries in every places across the world. Some businesses offer free room & board in exchange for you really to help their employees enhance their English speaking skills and knowledge. There are also programs you can locate on the internet that well set you up with a certain country and company so as to train their people English. Now that you have your room & board covered, today we just have to figure out the way we will cover food and drink...

Start Giving Back: Feeling charitable or need to help the others? Why not look to jump onto a church mission trip, Habitat for Humanity-International, or in the event that you can simply take more time off, connect the Peace Corps? Obviously, that is not likely to be as glamorous as sailing the Mediterranean, island trusting the Greek Isles, but if you want to feel good about helping out people less fortunate-and work hard pack your bags and sign up for a volunteer opportunity. You will surely see some regions without paved roads, running water and folks only searching to get a roof over their head. Giving the less fortunate the simple things we take for granted: food, shelter and clothing, can give you new awareness of gratitude, after completing one of these tours.

All of these ways traveling are great and all, however, the number of people get the chance to eliminate extended amounts of time or have the guts to walk away from their occupation and also become a commercial pilot or even join the Peace Corps? I don't know about you, but I am accountable for the spouse and three(3) children, so taking the plunge on the"unknown" is absolutely NOT realistic.

So, back into the initial question above... How do you travel at no cost? And when I say,"travel", I mean, traveling... That usually means taking a care-free vacation... perhaps not needing to be concerned about if you're able to manage to leave the resort for supper that night, or buy those additional couple of sunglasses... Care-free travel means doing exactly what you want, whenever you need and not fretting about the bill when you get back home. Let us break a couple of ways in that we can actually travel free of charge (or as near it as we can get)... or even better: GET PAID TO TRAVEL!

Use Those Points! : You know, I always knew I was going to be more thankful for all the money I used my credit card. Now that I awakened all that debt,'' I also racked up dozens of points! Points I can use towards booking a fresh airport or maybe pay for my stay at the Bellagio in Vegas... at which I could blow more money! ... I'm kidding! ... sort of. Whenever you are wanting to obtain a brand new credit card, choose the card that offers the maximum, when used. Compare the interest rate for charges and cash advances, the yearly fees and in addition the bank card that gives you the most useful rewards. If you fly into certain airline, then be sure to input your frequent flyer number to gather those kilometers. Use travel websites that allow you to accrue points once you purchase flights, hotels, cruises and rental cars. You are paying for this stuff anyways, why don't you try and earn a little more for next occasion that you want to get a trip?

[facebookmessenger]

Making Money Online Is Much Easier Than You Think

You no longer have to be employed in order to make money. In fact, people of all ages are looking online to earn extra income. There is no reason why you should be limited by the poor economy. All you need is a working Internet connection and a device that allows you to connect online. Plus, you can easily benefit from the helpful advice below.

Affiliate marketing is one of the best ways that you can make money online in your spare time. This type of marketing means that you will sell other people's stuff and get paid a commission when you do. There are all types of items that you can sell depending on your style.

Try freelance writing as a form of online income. There are many websites out there that open up the doors to freelance writing, like oDesk and eLance. With both, greatessaywriting you can apply for and bid on online jobs of all types. Many of them are writing focused. If you're a fast writer that composes quality pieces, you can do very well!

When looking for opportunities to make money online, try the big name companies first. Amazon and eBay for example, are trusted and have proven to work for millions of people. While it can be safe and lucrative to go with unknowns, the big companies have track records, tools and other ways of ensuring your success from the get-go.

Are you a grammar nut? Do you understand the nuances of the English language? Consider working as a copy editor. You can get paid to look over articles that were written by others, seeking out any errors in the work and then correcting them. The best part is that you can do it all from the comfort of your own home.

Start out small when you want to make money online, to minimize potential losses. For example, something that looks promising could turn out to be a bust and you don't want to lose a lot of time or money. Do a single taks, write just one article or order only one item until the site you choose proves to be safe and worthy.

Begin a podcast talking about some of the things that you have interest in. If you get a high following, you may get picked up by a company who will pay you to do a certain amount of sessions per week. This can be something fun and very profitable if you are good at speaking.

Don't quit your day job until the online money making opportunity you're looking into starts paying off. While it could prove to be a jackpot, you don't want to risk being up the creek if it's not what you were hoping for. Always have enough money in the bank for a few month's of bills, just to be on the safe side.

Use affiliates on your personal website. Do you have a blog or some other sort of presence online? Do you get a lot of traffic? Try affiliate marketing. It requires very education little effort on your part. By registering your site with sites like Google Adsense, you could make a considerable amount in passive income.

Be grounded in your expectations about making money online. It still takes time and effort. Block out an hour a day from your schedule to spend online working on things, but do not quit your day job yet. It could be days or even weeks before you even know what you are good at.

In order to make money online, you'll have to be organized. You should create a schedule and stick to it strictly. Don't let distractions take you away from your job. At the same time, pencil in some time to spend with family and friends. The more dedicated you are, the better.

Think about affiliate marketing for online income. With a working website or blog, you can attach affiliate links both in your content and through banners. These links will pay you each time one of your viewers clicks through. With the right affiliates, these links can lead to great dividends if you supply enough traffic.

Start your online earning today by following the great advice discussed in this article. Earning money is not as hard as it may seem, you just need to know how to get started. By choosing to put your right foot forward, you are heading off to a great start earning money to make ends meet.

[dougmeet]

Time! Let's log off, Becky, and get out of here. Hey, I got eight hits on that last batch of "help wanted" ads. I was right in the middle of chatting with Stuart, the clown from Pittsburg who thinks we're going to get married. Did he get that check you sent him last week to help with the wedding expenses? Yeah. Just give it a few days, let the money show up in his account, and Bam! I'll get him to send it right back to me. You know, I'll make up some emergency expense that suddenly came up that I had to cover. Fool won't know what hit him. What did you tell this one? Oh, this one? I told him that I am putting myself through nursing school, modeling underwear for catalogues. That one's almost too easy. The guy probably had never had a real date in his life. Yeah, but he's still going to wonder why I bailed on him in the chat. You know the rules. Never stay wired for more than thirty minutes. I've already sniffed another open network near the motel. We can log on there later and finish up. OK, but I still want to call him. I don't want him to start getting suspicious or something before I've hit him up for the green. But use the prepaid phone and keep it short. I don't want him to have anything to connect back to us. Chill, Abs. I know the drill. Well don't screw up. I'm like Paris baby. Orange ain't my color. So, who are you supposed to be today, Niece? I'm a sixty-three-year-old woman named Brenda, recently retired from school teaching, and I've settled in New Mexico. Yeah? I can see that. You already got the divorce and the cat. That could totally be you in about thirty years. That's cute, Lang. I wonder what that says about you, though. You play better females than I do. She's got a point, Howie. Remember that mope from Nigeria last month? I think he was in love with you. Any leads on our "work at home" scams out west? Yeah. There's several new job listings on one of the resume websites this morning. It's the usual pitch. "Wanted: international company seeks payment processor." These guys claim they're from Ireland, and they need someone to process payments to avoid making customs fees. You thinking it's our "coffee shop bandits?" Fits their "M.O." The "coffee shop bandits"….that's what we've been calling them for weeks now. We've tracked them to a series of coffee shops, hotels, laundromats, and other locations in the Southwest. They use public wi-fi hotspots to connect to the internet wirelessly. Their scams cover a whole range of internet fraud with one common link - they all depend on counterfeit checks and money orders. The payment processing clerk con is one of their favorites. They target people who want or need to work from home - retirees, single moms with kids, even people with disabilities. Once the person accepts the job as a payment processor, they're asked to open a checking account for the overseas business. In a few days a series of checks arrive from their customers. The new employee is told to deposit these checks, and once they've cleared, to wire ninety percent of the money to their employer. The clerk is told they can keep ten percent of the payments as their salary. When they check their available balance, the money is there. But actually it can take weeks for a check to clear or be discovered as counterfeit. But the ATM said that the funds were available. Yes, it did. At the time it was in there but in five or six days… If the person withdraws money during this period, then they become responsible for covering the bank's loss. But I've spent some of the money… We've seen victims lose tens of thousands of dollars on this type of scam. This job posting is nearly identical to the one we saw last week. Hey, if it's working, why change? There are thousands of new people who look at these "help wanted" postings every day. Where did you tell him you lived? Truth or Consequences. Priceless. OK, so what else we got on these guys, Derek? Well, first of all, they're not guys. Remember that last trace that we ran? An inspector went to the scene. Ran into a dead end. They got their room with a stolen credit card…fake names on the registration. But he spotted an ATM across the street, and we managed to get these photos. But these photos, they don't give us a whole lot to go on. You underestimate me. Another phone was used at three of the bandit’s locations. And this phone, it's not a prepaid cell phone. It's registered to a Becky Meyers of Key Largo, Florida. NCIC says she got a list of arrests for all kinds of petty stuff - everything from shoplifting to bad checks. OK, I'm impressed. Any idea who her friend is, Sherlock? Hey, man, I had to leave something for you guys to do, right? You're not calling one of the punks on that phone, are you? No, dope. I'm calling Mikey. I need to get some refills on those checks. Your boyfriend gives me the creeps. Whatever. You don't like any of my men. Besides, he's better than anybody we know with Photoshop. Look how legit these things look. I told you to stop flashing those! You're going to blow this whole deal! I'm going to blow this whole deal? There wouldn't be a deal if it wasn't for me! This sweet ride…my deal! Hardly! You and your boyfriend would still be passing bad checks for beer money at the Piggly Wiggly if it wasn't for me! Still, you've got to admit, Mikey's got good hands…and mad skills on that printer. So what did you turn up on Becky Meyers? Hey, I'll check you a little later. Thanks. According to her parole officer, her printer is a local loser named Michael Friedman. They've been an item since high school. He spends most of his time playing those multi-player games online, printing counterfeit checks, just as a way for him to keep the lights on. So who's playing "Thelma" to her "Louise?" Our best bet is another high school friend, Abbey Seals. She was a computer science major at FSU until she dropped out last year. Miami cops busted her on a DUI a few months back, Becky Meyers in the car. Almost violated her parole, but the judge cut her a break. So this Abbey Seals may have helped take their bad check racket high-tech? Looks like it. Trouble is, her PO says she's skipped. Hasn't check in in three months. That fits the timeline to our scams. But we stills can't actually connect them to any of the frauds, or any of the victims' wire transfers. Which brings us back to Brenda, from Truth or Consequences. Alright, do it. I'm on it. Oh, damn it! Stupid freaking woman! God! What is it? It's that woman from New Mexico, the teacher. Now she can't figure out how to send a simple wire transfer. She deposited those checks like two weeks ago. If she doesn't send the money soon, the bank's going to tip her off, and the whole thing is going to fall apart. How can one woman be so dense? Did she email you? No, we're chatting on IM. Oh wait, get this. She didn’t trust the guy at the wire service. Good god! Stupid broad took the money out in cash! Well, how much? Ninety percent. Almost thirty thousand dollars. You're kidding. Now what? Well, she's wants to meet in person so she can deliver it. Doesn't she think the company is located in Ireland? Yes, but remember? She thinks we have an office in Forth Worth. Yeah, OK, OK. No way in hell do we ever meet anyone in person. That's the rule, remember? Yes. Well we have to think of something else. Are you kidding me? Stupid hag could barely open the account. She's never going to brainstorm a wire transfer. And besides, the bank is going to call her any day now and tip her off. The money's going to walk. Then it walks. We never meet anyone in person. Time! What? Bull! Log off. No, No! What am I going to tell her? Come on. It's thirty grand! Tell her you'll call her later. Now log off, Becky. I mean it! They just logged off. She said she was going to call me on the phone. Do you think they bought it? I don't know. They've been playing it really safe. They might now be willing to risk a meeting in person. We better hope that they're getting greedy. If they keep using these web-based email services to open networks, limiting their access time, we're never going to be able to connect them to any of these "work at home" scams. Come on. Yeah. UC phone. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Caller ID says, "unknown." It's her. Yeah, trace that call. OK? Go. Hello? Hi there, Brenda? Oh, hello, dear. Hey listen, I was thinking that you really shouldn't come all the way to Forth Worth, especially carrying all that cash on you. We're concerned about our liability, because our insurance wouldn't cover it if anything happened to you. Oh, I just don't trust those wire services, dear. My father tried to wire money to my Uncle Benjamin once when he was having twin girls. And he tried to wire it to Tulsa, Oklahoma, but it went to another Benjamin in Kansas City. They didn't even have the same last name. Kansas City is nowhere near Tulsa. Yeah, I know where Tulsa is, Brenda. Hey, listen, my partner and I, we're going to be in your area. We're going to be looking at some land that we're considering. Why don't you at least let us meet you halfway there, you know, to save you some trouble. Oh, it's no problem, dear, to drive to Fort Worth. I have a half sister in Irving. I've been dying to see her miniatures collection. No, no, no, Brenda, really, I insist. Listen, Friday, let's meet at… You know what? Why don't we meet at Alamogordo. Do you know where Alamogordo is? Oh, certainly, dear. Everyone knows where Alamogordo is. That's where they tested the first atomic bombs in the 1940's. It was part of the Manhattan Project. That's a funny name, actually, as it was here in New Mexico and nowhere near New York. Well, that was really fascinating, Brenda. Well, listen, OK, Friday it is. I'll call you on your cell phone when we get there, like right around lunchtime. Of course, I'll bring you a receipt. Alright, well listen, Friday it is. I've got to go, Brenda. OK? Alright. Bye bye. Harmless. We'll meet her in the middle of nowhere, in and out, ten minutes, we're done. Less if I could get her to shut up for five seconds. Cake. I still don't like it. What if she's a cop? I swear, you must think I'm mental. Listen, I'll go in there, and I'll talk to her. You wait, out in the car. If something smells funny, we'll walk. Can't tie us to the phone calls, or the checks. Thank you. Did you get it? Yep. It's the same signature as the phone used to call the other victims. I'd like to see their lawyer explain that one. We're still going to need them to show up for the transfer in order to pick them up. I mean, by the time they do this trace, they could be a hundred miles from here. No problem, we'll pick them up on Friday. Aren't you kind of forgetting something? What? They're expecting a sixty-three-year-old named Brenda. It's after one. Look sharp, everyone. Possible suspect vehicle - white Ford Mustang, late model. We couldn't make the tags off the ATM photo. Location two, clear. Niece, they called you again? No, it's been forty-five minutes. She said they were running late. They'll be here. Our suspect is approaching, east side of the street. No sign of her partner. Bingo. Becky, dear. Brenda, I wasn't sure that was you. Sorry we're running late. It took a little longer to tour the property. Oh, that's fine, dear. I've just been sitting here enjoying my tea, and reading up on the history of this wonderful little town. Did you know that Robert Oppenheimer was almost convicted of being a traitor and a spy? Can you imagine? You look a lot younger than I expected. Oh, you're sweet, dear. OK, OK, Thelma's getting nervous. I don't think she's buying Niece's makeup. Find Louise, fast! I got her. She's parked just down from the war wagon - white Mustang in that alley. I'm on it, Lang. Watch my back. Everyone else cover Niece. Wait for my signal. I have the money right here. I put it in this bag. I didn't want to attract attention, you know. It's under my needle point. No, that's OK, Granny. You keep it. I'm giving you a raise. Federal Agent! You're under arrest! No! No, no, no! This is complete crap! It didn't touch that money. Police! Police! Freeze! Hands up! Hands up! Clear the door, folks, please clear the door. Thank you. Listen, everybody, thanks for your help. I need everybody outside. There's nothing else to see here. Thank you very much. Get up. Howie, she's all yours. Have a nice day. Did you have any trouble with her friend? Nah. She's already trying to pin the entire scam on Becky and her boyfriend. Yeah, she didn't take the bait. She's got several phony checks in her purse. Well, we're still going through the car, but so far, we've got lots of fake checks, prepaid cell phones, and your little friend Derek is going to have a field day with the laptops. Oh yeah, we got a whole lot of love letters from Mikey the printer. Can't wait to send in the Miami team. Did you recover any of the victims' moneys? Not a whole lot. About eight grand on them. Whole lot of neat toys and shwag from the shopping sprees though. Yeah, well at least they're off the street. Yeah, this time they're all looking at ten to twenty for mail fraud. You know, I've got to tell you. You look…ridiculous. I told you you weren't going to pass for sixty-three. What's the matter with you? Thanks to some solid police work and the efforts of the Technical Services Division, these two high-tech crooks are behind bars. Unfortunately, there are hundreds more of them out there, operating these scams from around the world. Remember, on the internet, these crooks can pretend to be anyone that they want. Often, they construct elaborate fronts to make them seem legitimate - fake websites, phony pictures, even references that can vouch for them. We refer to this as "the anonymity of the internet." But don't be fooled. There are very few legitimate jobs that allow you to work from your home, and none that involve processing checks or money orders. To avoid falling into these traps, remember these important tips. Number one: Never accept a check or money order for payment for any items if the check is greater than the amount owed to you. These so-called "overpayment scams" seem like a ticket to easy money, but usually leave the victim with an overdrawn account and empty pockets. Number two: Just because your ATM or bank statement says "funds available" doesn't mean that the check has actually cleared. By law, banks must make funds available to you in a few days. After that you can access the funds, but the check may not clear for weeks. Until the check does clear, you're legally responsible for the deposit, as well as any funds that you withdraw. Number three: Many lottery or sweepstakes frauds involve counterfeit checks. You receive a check for a portion of your winnings and are told to deposit it. You're then instructed to use a portion of these moneys to pay for taxes or fees, with a promise of even bigger winnings to come. Don't buy it. It may seem like easy money, but it will cost you big in the end. And lastly, don't forget your good common sense. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. There are no "get rich quick" schemes, and you can be sure that no one needs your help to transfer millions of dollars into or out of their country. Cops call these types of scams "419 fraud." They've been around for years, only now they've been updated for the information age. Play it safe, and log off on these fake check scams. For more information on how to avoid counterfeit check fraud, visit our website at www.fakechecks.org.

External Link: Behind the Badge: The U.S. Postal Inspection Service,   Transcripción en español

[ieatsurveys]

32

Have you ever had a computer virus before?  Sure have.

Are you dependent upon anyone?  In one area, yes.

Are there any book characters you’d like to portray?  Nope.

Who did you last text?  My Dad.

Is there anything on your bed right now?  Lots of stuff.

When was the last time you went to the grocery store?  Last week.

What way would you like to die when it’s your time?  Quickly please.

What are you most afraid of in the world?  Lots of things.

Have you ever been caving? No, I wish, though.

Do you do well in math related things?  Not at all.

What is your favorite fruit? Grapes.

If you had to choose, which sibling would you live with?  My younger one.

Do you have any tattoos?  Nope.

Are you planning on getting any in the near future?  I want some in the future, yes.

When was your last date?  A while ago. I took a break to work on myself and to heal from my last boyfriend. But, I still talk to some guys I went on dates with. We aren’t close by any means, but we are on each other’s Facebook and we talk once in a while.

When did you get Facebook?  2006?

Are any of your family members in jail?  Nope.

What was your first pet’s name?  I think her name was Kayla.

Are you good when it comes to computer issues?  Eh, not really. I can tell if it’s a software or a hardware problem, though.

Are there any people at your job who absolutely hates you?  Oh, indeed. For dumb reasons, too. Haha. They hate most of the people at work, though. They’re the Karens of the workplace.

What was the last book you read?  I don’t even know.

Have you ever read any books in one day?  Yes.

What was the last thing you bought?  Sunflower seeds?

What are your plans for tomorrow?  Working and relaxing.

Is there any jewelry you wear constantly?  There is. Once I’m back to work work, though, I’ll have to take it off. I work with mentally ill kids and trust me, they WILL tear my jewelry off.

Are your fingernails painted at the moment?  Nope.

Do you prefer cool, warm or neutral colors?  I don’t know. I mean, cool colors look good on me.

Have you ever taken art classes?  Yes.

What’s the most boring movie you’ve ever seen? Many.

Do you know how to work a cash register? Yes.

Fact or fiction novels?  I read more fiction books.

Have you ever suffered from depression? Indeed.

Do you think you’re a clingy person?  I’m definitely not. 

Do you enjoy kisses on the cheek?  Yes.

Have you ever been in a physical fight before?  One.

How often would you say you disagree with your parents?  Too much, haha.

What color shirt did you wear yesterday?  I don’t even know.

Do you have a job? If so, do you like it? I do and not so much.

Have you ever been called a slut before?  Yep.

What’s something you’ve been craving?  Burgers.

Have you ever slept with your window open? Yes.

Can you play violin?  I cannot :(

What was the last desert you had?  Does a dark chocolate candy bar count?

Have you ever had a wild animal as a pet?  Sure haven’t.

Do you know anyone you talk to on Facebook but won’t talk to in person?  No, I don’t think so.

What color are your mother’s eyes? Brown.

Do you have a best friend? If so, how long have you been best friends?  I have a group of friends where we are all very close with each other. In fact, we’re doing a small get together on Saturday! <3

Do you cry easily? I don’t think so. I will cry if I am super triggered or really angry. I don’t really cry that easily when I am sad.

Have you ever been into a court room?  Yes.

How many necklaces would you say you own?  One.

Do you plan on being strict towards your children? Not as strict as my parents were on me, no. But, alas, that can change once I’m a parent.

Do you own any tie-dye shirts?  No.

What would you say is your favorite day of the week?  Friday or Saturday.

Do you ever wear lipstick? Yep.

Do you own a pool? My parents do.

Do you have a Tumblr account?  ....yes.

Would you say you’re overweight?  Oh, yeah.

How many colors are in your hair?  It’s a mix of reds, blondes, light browns, and dark browns. 

Do you flirt with a lot of people?  Nah.

How many bank accounts do you have?  One.

Have you ever been falsely accused of starting drama?  Like, when I was 12.

How old are you?  31.

Do you attend church regularly? I’m trying to.

Have you ever found a song that describes your whole life?  I’ve found many songs which relate to particular areas of my life, yes.

What time did you wake up this morning?  6:30.

What time do you plan on waking up tomorrow morning?  Who even knows at this point, haha.

What kind of car do you drive?  Sebring.

What kind of car would you like to have?  Any car that drives, haha.

Have you ever been to Dairy Queen? If so, what’s your favorite thing to eat from there?  Yes, and I haven’t been there in years. A blizzard, though, hands down.

How old did you turn on your last birthday?  31. You already asked how old I was.

Ever felt like falling apart?  Who says I’m not right at the moment? Haha.

Have you ever been in an ambulance?  Yes.

Do you tend to worry a lot?  Yes.

How old were you when you lost your first tooth?  I can’t remember. Maybe 6?

Do you remember your first time on the internet?  Yes.

Which website do you email from?  Gmail.

Do you enjoy receiving souvenirs? Not so much.

Do you get angry with people easily?  Eh, it builds up. I guard a lot of my anger.

Do a lot of people dislike you or is it the other way around?  I try to get along with everyone. If there’s people that don’t, that’s okay.

Have you ever had the flu?  Yes.

What about strep throat? Yes.

What would you say is the worst kind of emotional pain? I mean, emotional pain is pretty tough. 

Have you ever been to a psychologist? Indeed.

What’s the worst part about school?  All the homework, haha.

Do you normally have a lot of homework, if you’re still in school?  I took one class at a time for my Bachelor’s online and finished in four years. It was alright. It wasn’t too overwhelming but definitely time consuming.

When was your last vacation? August?.

Would you ever consider going on a cruise?  Yes.

What did you last buy from the store? Groceries.

Would you say you enjoy being single or in a relationship more?  I’m single now and kinda hating it. I’m just fearful of really never finding someone.

Do you try to stay busy a lot?  Yes, but quarantine makes it hard.

What’s your favorite quote? I have several.

Do you lie a lot?  Not really.

Do you still act childish most of the time?  No.

Did you ever enjoy gym class?  I personally hate it.

What is your biggest insecurity?  My weight.

Have you ever painted a room alone? No.

Speaking of which, when did you last paint your room?  -

What does your favorite jacket / hoodie look like?  I don’t have a favorite jacket/hoodie.

What’s for dinner tonight?  I’m doing a cleanse today, so nada.

Do you ever drink alcohol? Yes.

Have you ever had a terrible hangover? Indeed. Lasted for two days straight.

Do you ever get migraines? Once in a while.

Do you know how to garden?  I mean, I know the seed goes into the ground haha.

What was the last thing you plugged into an outlet?  My phone charger.

Do people consider you to be a funny person? Yeah, I think so. I don’t know,

Do you have any bad habits? Depression makes me have bad habits. It’s so hard to overcome them.

Do you like children? If not, why is this?  Yep.

What is your favorite snack?  Goldfish.

Do you own any gaming systems? Nah.

How old were your parents when they had you?  In their 20s.

Is there a big age difference between you and the person you like?  There is no one.

Do you trashtalk people a lot? No.

What is the most amusing thing on the internet, in your opinion? Memes, GIFs.

Does the future excite you or scare you?  It scares me with my mental health. It excites but also scares me about my career.

Have you ever been to Disney World? If so, how many times have you been? Yes, once.

Do you try to spend a lot of time with family?  A healthy amount.

How often do you shower?  Well, with working, every day. But I’ll be the first to admit: Since quarantine has started, I definitely have not washed my hair, haha. But, I actually don’t wash my hair every day because it’s super oily.

What would you say is your favorite genre of music?  Eh, I guess you could say it’s EDM or indie rock.

Do you need to clean your bedroom?  Yes.

What do you plan on doing with the rest of your life?  Bleh, teaching.

Do you enjoy Chinese food? Yep.

Do you smile a lot?  Yes.

What is your favorite movie from the nineties?  *shrugs*

Which decade were you born in?  80s.

Are you good at giving advice to people?  I used to be :/

How many huge secrets do you have? I have two. One, I’ve never told.

How many people know these secrets?  Zero.

How many times a day do you brush your teeth?  Twice.

Do you ever floss? I try to do at night.

Have you ever been in a long-term relationship?  Yes.

Ever considered suicide? If so, did you try to commit suicide? Yes and yes.

Is there anyone out there who makes you feel completely useless? Coworkers, haha.

Do you like texting or calling people more? Texting, usually.

What’s your favorite band? X Ambassadors.

Do you have a lot of friends? I have enough. <3 

Have you ever painted something and been impressed by it?  Nope.

Would you rather go out to eat or stay in? I enjoy going out to eat, but I usually don’t unless a bunch of us are gonna grab drinks.

When did you last babysit, if ever?  2018.

Do you have any younger siblings?  Yes.

Have you ever thought of someone as useless? No, but I have thought of people as lazy when they’ve come in my classroom and sit on their asses.

Have you ever considered bleaching your hair? No.

Do you drink vitamin water?  Not regularly, no.

Do you ever straighten your hair? Nope, it’s already pretty straight.

What’s the best way to end a conversation?  Uh, bye?

Are there any old movies you absolutely love?  Yes.

Have you ever had a Big Mac before?  Yep.

Do you think you attract the opposite sex at a reasonable rate?  I mostly attract people I have no interest in, haha. --> Yep.

Where is your favorite place to travel? California to visit my niece <3

What is your goal for the next few months? Stay sane? --> Yes.

Can you count to ten in another language other than your own? Yes.

Do you own a lot of shoes?  Maybe 10 pairs of shoes. I’m sure that’s not a lot compared to other people.

What is your favorite season and why?  Everything except winter.

Does photography interest you at all?  Yep.

Have you ever played on a sports team before? If you have, what was that sport and when?  Yes and softball. Maybe 2002?

Have you ever filed a lawsuit on someone? No.

Do you think you’re a good singer?  I know I’m not, haha.

Would you rather wear jeans or sweatpants? Jeans.

Do you think you have a good sense of style?  Yes.

Do you enjoy reading often?  Yep.

Have you ever had a deadly illness?  No.

Ever had food-poisoning before? Yeah.

Where did you last eat dinner at?  In my kitchen.

Have you ever shot a gun before?  Not a real gun, no.

[rockrevoltmagazine]

INTERVIEW: Nick Mason "The Living Dead Drummer"

Nicholas Mason (AKA The Living Dead Drummer) has performed all over the world with artists as wide ranging as Shania Twain to Beasto Blanco. He is a highly experienced pro drummer with a level of motivation and drive in his work ethic that has made him rise above the pack with appearances on GLEE, MasterChef, Cartoon Network, Showtime, FOX, and ABC.

What is your professional history as a drummer?

Hmmm… Let’s see…

I started playing out in bands when I was in high school, and teaching music lessons at age 18. By the time I was in my early 20’s I was playing in groups that were traveling and doing some small touring. It kind of just progressed over time, weekend tours turned into week-long runs and so on. I got a taste for the hired gun thing early on. Some friends asked me to fill in for their band when they lost the drummer. Having to learn someone else’s music was unique and I enjoyed getting to experience different types of playing situations and styles. Being available for outside work has led me to some amazing opportunities. It’s allowed me to work with insanely talented artists, perform in huge arenas and festivals, and travel the globe. 

What was the spark that inspired you to become a drummer?

My family. I grew up with a very musically supportive environment. My Father is a guitarist and owns a prominent Guitar Repair business in Western NY. My Mother, along with her entire side of the family is all drummers! And I mean, like the entire family! Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and if you didn’t play the drums you married a drummer, or your kid became a drummer. So picking up the sticks was more of a heritage. 

You share the same name as Pink Floyd’s drummer. How do you handle any confusion?

Yes, that’s true. Not planned, total coincidence. I try to be polite when it comes to confusion, but I have to admit there have been times when it does get under my skin. Mainly because some people see a name and jump to an assumption without looking at the evidence surrounding it. Especially in an age of social media where a photo is typically displayed above the name, and should be obvious that I’m not in my 70’s, or the lack of mention of Pink Floyd anyplace on my internet presence. I get it if it’s something different like making a phone call and the recipient gets a “Nick Mason on line one” message. That’s forgivable. Having the “Living Dead Drummer” title the last few years has really helped move me farther away from the confusion and reinforce my individuality in the music industry. These days it’s less frequent that people mistake me for him, and more “Oh, you have the same name as,” and an afterthought. 

What have been some of the biggest performances and stages of your career?

I’ve had the pleasure of playing at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Key Bank Center  in Buffalo (Then called HSBC Arena), Baseball stadiums, Sahlen Field, also in Buffalo, and Petco Park in San Diego. I also did the Electric Daisy Carnival in Vegas a couple times. Those EDC crowds can get up to 100,000 per night!!

How did you land on the name Living Dead Drummer?

A few years ago the Coffin Case company was celebrating their 20th anniversary. They had always done a fashion show at the annual NAMM show in Anaheim. I was asked to contribute in some manner for the big anniversary. We came up with the idea that myself and another drummer buddy of mine would flank the stage with out drum kits. The Coffin Girls would do the runway modeling to classic metal songs between the kits. They had us all done up in horror makeup and outfits so we looked as if we just crawled out of the grave. It was sick! It was in the dressing room, while we were getting our makeup done, that I first got referred to as a “Living Dead Drummer.” The light bulb went off over my head, and I took the idea and ran with it. Bought the website, changed all my social media over, and registered it every place I possibly could. It just made perfect sense. I love horror, I love drums, and because of my work ethic people frequently ask “When do you sleep?” I don’t, I’m “Living Dead.” Hahaha. 

What’s the key to staying flexible with all the different types of bands you play with?

Proper planning with your calendar. Whenever I’m in contact with a new potential client I always try to be as up front as possible. My schedule is first come first serve, and if I’m already obligated with another artist then I’m not available for you. I want to give everyone I work with 100% and it wouldn’t be fair if I canceled or rescheduled one person for another. I’ve found that as long as I’m honest, and establish these things right from the get-go most people are cool with it. I do tend to be a bit of a workaholic, and want to please everyone. It’s not uncommon for me to book multiple gigs in one evening, on top of rehearsals and teaching lessons all day. 

What are some things about your style that shows off your uniqueness and individuality?

I strive for accuracy and a good pocket in my playing. I want every note to be intentional and consistent. If I play a ghost note, it was on purpose, If I hit with this side of the stick versus that side, or accent this note and not that one. It was on purpose. I’m also no stranger to getting a little flashy and “performing” while on stage. I’m a firm believer that while on stage our job is to entertain, and no one goes to a live music concert, especially a rock concert, to listen to music. They go to watch a show. If you can’t give them something to watch you’re failing at your job. 

What life experiences have had the most influence on your current musical performance choices?

When I was fresh out of college I landed a job in the music industry doing Artist Relations. It was the only “real” job I ever had. It was great, and I learned a lot about how the industry operates. I was exposed to a whole world that I’d only read about in the trades. However, I quickly learned that it wasn’t for me. It cut too much into my time as a teacher and performer. Prior to that job I was teaching five days a week, at three different music stores, and playing out in multiple bands. All of a sudden I had a nine-to-five, with a 401K. I had to drastically reduce my student roster, and all my bands had to wait until I had vacation time to hit the road. Working in Artist Relations meant that I spent all day talking to other musicians who were out there doing what I wanted. I needed to be the guy on the other end of the phone, like they were. I split after only three years and dedicated my life to being that guy. 

What artists have had an influence on your drumming styles?

I borrow from a lot a people! I was always a big Metallica fan growing up, especially in the early 90’s when I first started playing the drums. Lars has such intensity and energy on stage! Josh Freese, I discovered when A Perfect Circle debuted. I was so impressed with the creativity on that first album, that I had to look him up, and found that I has unknowingly been listening to him for years! His resume reads like a Billboard Top 100 list. Seeing that is what pushed me to want to work more as a hired gun. What’s better than being in one successful band? Being a part of ALL the successful bands!! Another band I grew up on was Aerosmith. Joey Kramer basically taught me how to play a song. Sure, I learned drum patterns, and rudiments, and formal music stuff rom my teachers, but learning song structure, and dynamic choices between a chorus and verse, or when to pick up the energy in a solo or song outro? That was the writing of Aerosmith, and Joey’s approach to his drum parts. On a visual and creative stand point there’s the dynamic duo of Sully Erna and Shannon Larkin from Godsmack. Sully’s known for being the bands front man, but he’s a jack of all trades and started as a drummer. I think at this point it’s common knowledge that he was behind the kit on Godsmack’s first two albums, and a large chunk of the ones following. The drumming on those first two in particular I found to be really creative. Tight Hi Hats, where you might think a more open sound would have been placed. And some really creative kick drum patterns that all felt like the song was entirely written around the groove instead of the melody dictating the rhythm. Once Shannon joined the band in the early 2000’s it kicked up a notch. I saw them perform for the first time in 2003. Front and center against the guardrail! Shannon’s energy on stage, start to end, left me feeling exhausted as if I was the one on stage for an hour! He was like a human rubber band, whipping his whole body back and forth to the beat right from the first note. I went out and bought the DVD from that tour right after and analyzed his movements on stage. The monkey arms, the stick tosses, I watched and said “I could do that!” 

How do you connect and engage the audience from behind your kit?

I like to try and make eye contact with people if possible, and let them know I know they are watching. It’s not always easy. Depends on the size of the room, or stage, and frequently the lighting can kind of make it impossible to see anyone past the singers butt. However, if I can catch you I’ll make it known. There have been times where I had the opportunity to come out from behind the kit and step right up front and interact with the crowd. When I toured with Pinky Doodle Poodle, a Japanese rock band, they had a part written into the show where we hit a break in one specific song. I wasn’t supposed to cue us back in until the crowd started getting loud. I milked that for every penny! I’d walk right out to the front of the stage and get them screaming, and start playing games with them. Getting everyone to play follow the leader with clapping or teasing them. The bigger the crowd we would have the more fun it was and the more participatory the audience would be. 

Any videos in the works? Which songs and what concepts are you working with?

I don’t really do the YouTube cover thing. However, I do try to post short clips from live performances or recording sessions regularly on social media. I’ll upload longer clips and full songs to my YouTube channel. Again, they are mainly from live shows or recording sessions. I want my audience to see me in a real environment. On stage in front of an audience, or in a studio tracking drums on a song you’re going to be able to own soon. 

What’s one of the hardest parts about touring? Have you had anything embarrassing happen while performing?

I really like touring, I’m very comfortable with that kind of daily schedule. The hardest part is probably dealing with people, hahaha. Not everyone is cut out for it, and I’ve been in plenty of situations where someone’s ego gets in the way. Many first time touring musicians also have a lot of misconceptions about being on the road, especially an indi/dyi kind of tour. It makes it incredibly uncomfortable because now you’re stuck with that person, or persons day in and day out. I can’t think of anything super embarrassing that may have happened. I mean, everyone has a bad night once and a while, where you just don’t perform at the level you should. In my early days I had a few mishaps that have become more “fun stories” than embarrassing. I broke a finger on stage by bashing it on the rim of the snare drum accidentally. On a separate occasion I broke the bottom head on not one, but two snares! Thankfully the second one broke during the last song of the night, but I was so pissed off I picked the drum up and threw it off stage. I think I’d handle that in a more mature way now, haha. 

You also teach quite a bit. Tell us about that.

I do teach! I started teaching private drum lessons just shy of 20 years ago. I know that may make me sound old, but I actually started teaching at a young age. I didn’t really have the confidence at first to give lessons. I felt that I was still a novice and didn’t have the education or experience to show someone else how to do it, but my own drum teacher encouraged me and assured me that I knew what I was doing. It quickly became a passion. I really loved having the opportunity to show others what I know, and encourage them the same way my teachers did. Right now I currently have about 40 regular students per week. Mostly in Southern California, but there are a hand full sprinkled throughout other states that I teach via Skype or FaceTime. I’m the Senior Drum Instructor and Show Director for School Of Rock in Burbank, CA. They have a fantastic program that not only provides one-on-one lessons the old school way, but also places students into a working band and provides them with real stage experience. We are able to give these students the same real world gigging musician life, without some of the “less than desirable” aspects I was exposed to in my teens. 

Name something that is a positive in the world today.  And why it should be celebrated.

ART! The arts are a positive thing. All aspects of them. Theatre, Film, TV, Music, Fine Art. It can be thought provoking; it can evoke different emotions, and provide escapism. 

With the amount of negativity in the world, especial on social media, it’s nice to just take a break and lose yourself in something created by another human. I encourage everyone to go out, see a movie, go to an art gallery, or go to the theater or see a concert. Go have some fun for a couple hours and don’t worry about politics, or what someone said or did online. 

What are your goals both personally and professionally for the rest of the year?

I definitely plan to spend more time on the road. As stated before, I’m very comfortable in that environment. I also am in the beginning stages of booking a clinic tour with a focus on the aspects of what it takes to be a working professional in the modern era of performance. These days it’s not enough to just “be a drummer.” Everyone wants us to also run backing tracks, trigger samples, etc. Half the time you need to have a lap top open next to your kit just to get through a club show. No one ever really talks about that stuff in the music education world. I don’t know any other teachers that are showing students how to set up a click and backing tracks, or going through all the extra “non-drumming related” gear they need to have on a gig. I’m going to lean heavily into that, and show audiences the behind the scenes part of the show. 

One other thing that I intend on working more with this year is Artist Relations. Due to my background working as an AR Manager, and perhaps that I’m fortunate enough to officially endorse a number of prestigious instrument brands, I get a lot of calls from up-and-coming artists looking for advice. The last two years I took part in panel discussions and seminars at the NAMM Show discussing the topic. I think my fellow panelists and I were able to touch on a lot of good points about the mystery of the artist endorsement; however you can only do so much in an hour. I’m now making myself available for more in-depth talks on a one-on-one basis. Answering any questions artists may have about how best to approach a brand they wish to endorse. Covering what typical contrasts involve, and even do press kit and EPK reviews to help put them on the right track. This service is also available to brands that want to grow their market share by bringing in artists to endorse their products. Too often new companies pop up and are just looking to make a dent in the market any way they can. It’s difficult to get in with distributors, and proper marketing can be expensive. Building a good artist roster can be helpful in establishing your brand, but mistakes are often made, direct sales under the illusion of signing an agreement with an artist have become more and more frequent. Things like that can severely compromise the integrity of your brand, and spread negativity around the industry. I’d like to help companies avoid that through proper Artist Relations Management. 

Anything else you would like to share?

I’d just like to say thank you for taking the time to let me rant! Hahaha. I’d like to invite all your readers to follow me on social media. I keep things updated daily and it’s the best place to find out when I’ll be coming to your town on a gig.

FaceBook & Instagram @livingdeaddrummer 

Twitter @livindeddrummer

YouTube.com/masonni 

and of course www.livingdeaddrummer.com 

INTERVIEW: Nick Mason “The Living Dead Drummer” was originally published on RockRevolt Mag

[secrethauntedcollect]

I got all of the above for $2.69 (nice)

Oh What’s This? It’s Soren’s No-Bullshit Guide To Couponing

When I say “no bullshit” I am aiming for a very high level of no bullshit. Cause you know when you see blogs about this shit, it’s all hyped up and overwhelming and click-baity like “PAY NINE CENTS FOR GROCERIES FOR A WEEK” except those groceries are just, like, some toilet paper and like 100 tubes of kids toothpaste or something? This guide is not going to do that to you.

I’m going to talk about: how couponing works, what I do and use, what you need for it, what the “catches” are, and what may or may not be applicable to you as well. You can save on a lot of stuff, but I haven’t found my grocery bills cut in half or anything. This is a long guide because there’s a lot to cover. Get yourself some tea/water/coffee/hot chocolate (or all of those), get cozy, and settle in for the read.

So, how does this stuff work?

It’s not like it was back in the 90s or any date before smartphones became widely used. Smartphones have changed the whole game. You no longer work exclusively with newspaper coupons and nor do you have to cross examine sales ads every week for like 10 hours a day to figure out where to get beans for free. 

A huge change is rebate apps like Ibotta and Checkout51. You add your favorite stores, see what items offer rebates, and then add them to your list. Once you’ve bought stuff, you upload photos of your receipt (or scan the QR code) and it gives you cashback on whatever you bought. I use Ibotta, because I have limited phone storage and try not to cram too many apps on my phone. If I had more room I’d probably download Checkout51 as well.

Here’s a link for Ibotta https://ibotta.com/r/gqdfows (if you sign up with that link I get $5 and we also get to be “teammates” on the app, which means we are friends. Also, Ibotta gives you $10 for signing up and using it within the first 30 days)

In-store sales and manufacturer’s coupons (or “MFG coupons”, usually found in newspapers but about 40% of the time you can get them online as well) still factor in, of course. The real money saving is when you can stack up all three, which happens pretty often. The website and app Krazy Coupon Lady tells you exactly where these stack ups are. You don’t have to do shit except scroll through what they’ve found for you, print some coupons, add rebates to your rebate app, and then go get it. You can use this on your desktop if you don’t have phone space, or you can download the app. It’s up to you. The app is handy for remembering when you’re out and about what was for sale where, but then you could also just write a list to remind yourself.

BUT—and here’s the biggest catch of all with couponing—do you need all the couponing deals and steals? Do you even like what’s on sale? Do you need to buy 10 kids toothbrushes even if you can get all of them for 60¢? 

This is the most frustrating part of couponing, I’ve found. There are a lot of deals on stuff I don’t like or don’t use at all. Ever. I don’t need to save on toddler clothes, and I make my own laundry soap (it’s actually incredibly cheap to do it this way) so I don’t need the Amazing Deals On Tide Pods At Target This Week Only. My savings could be “more” if I did need these things, but I don’t. Because it’s mostly moms that do this, it’s pretty mom-geared. But it can work for other people, smaller households and single people like myself too.

What I use:

A computer & printer

A smartphone (with one rebate app, one couponing app, Target app, for Cartwheel savings)

A car

What I’m mainly missing is: the other rebate app, a newspaper subscription

I save because I can print coupons from home, I’m really mobile, so I can go to more than one store (each type of yoghurt above is from a different store) and I have a smartphone with a rebate app on it. 

If you don’t have a car you can still get some good deals through rebates, coupons & sales in the stores near you. Most grocery stores are listed on Ibotta and offer refunds. So whatever’s near you and you tend to shop at a lot, you can probably find some rebates. You can stick to looking at the stores near you and still do a pretty good job saving. You don’t need to coupon EVERY DAY. Most sales are about a week long, so even if you grocery shop once a week, this can work for you. (If you live out in the sticks like I used to and only grocery shop once a month, that’s going to be more difficult)

If you don’t have a printer I’m not going to tell you something absurd like “ask your neighbor to print coupons for you.” Cause, like, no. That’s fucking unreal. No one would ever do that. (I would totally try to print coupons at work or school though.) But if you can’t get printable MFG coupons, you can still combine rebates with in-store sales and save. You’ll save about two-thirds or half of what everyone else is saving.

If you don’t have a smartphone… it’s going to be tough, honestly. But you can still check out the Krazy Coupon Lady site for where the deals are and use printable MFG coupons stacked up with in-store sales.

If you don’t have a newspaper subscription you can do what I do, which is check the recycling bins near you for coupons. I found some once. I’m usually in there anyway, throwing out my own recyclables, or, yes, scrounging around for stuff. Mainly clean boxes I can use for shipping stuff. I haven’t found coupons consistently though. A lot of coupon sites will tell you to just ask your neighbors… lmao nah. No thanks. 

Like a lot of things in life, the more you already have, the more you can save. Kinda sucks, but that’s how it goes. No bullshit!!!

What’s the Deal, the Lowdown… the “Catch”

MFG coupons: there is no catch here. You just print them and use them. Most people think you can only print one, but you can actually print two per device each time. Print one, click the back button on your browser. Make sure the barcode numbers are different. Print again. You can get two from your computer, and then two from your smartphone if you can hook up your phone to your printer (I haven’t figured that out yet, I’m lazy.) So you can, ideally, get 4 coupons to use on multiple items. OH YEAH and you can get a lot of MFG coupons on coupons.com. Sometimes you have to go directly to Kleenex.com and sign up for their mailing list before you can get your coupons. SOMETIMES you can get a bigger coupon if you share on social media. (This is what a locked alt twitter is great for.)

Ibotta: it mainly collects consumer data/feedback from you and sometimes you have to watch a 10-15 second ad in the app to add a rebate to your list. Half the rebates I add don’t ask for either. Sometimes you get one that’s like “Wow! What new ice cream flavor of ours are you most excited for” and you have to click on a flavor. It’s whatever. Also, you can only withdraw your money once you have over $20. Is that hard? Not really, I’ve found. Your first one is especially easy since they give you $10 for using a rebate within the first 30 days of downloading it. I’ve been using it since late June 2017 and have saved up $59 already (so I’m really close to my third cash out of $20.) Update for March 2019: I’m hovering right under $500 in savings now.

It sends your funds to either Paypal or Venmo, not your bank account, so you need one of those.

I’m not sure about Checkout51, but I assume it’s basically the same.

Krazy Coupon Lady app/website: no catch here, but you might have some carelord online @ you that you’re being problematic because it has the word “crazy”, albeit spelt wrong, in it. They have some good guides over there, I recommend downloading their guide to couponing at Target, it gives you a pretty good taste of how this shit goes. 

Overall, since some savings come from rebates, it doesn’t always cost that much less up front. If you’re using just Ibotta for a discount on something, you still pay the full price, and you won’t see your refund until your blessed $20 limit is reached. However, I like ibotta because you don’t have to do shit at the cash register, and you can go home and take pics of your receipt after you’ve bought everything. It’s pretty easy. Sales and coupons give you the up-front-at-the-register discounts so you out-of-pocket pay less. That feels a bit more rewarding, especially if you know you have an ibotta rebate to add later. However, you have to remember to bring your coupons, and make sure they’re still valid. Also they can be glitchy! Half the time I have to have someone come over (I pretty exclusively use self-checkouts) and validate or collect the coupon because the system is angry.

The products themselves: what can you get on sale? Is buying name brand cheaper than buying store brand?

Real deal: they talk a lot of shit about really cheap toilet paper, but I have yet to find any name brand toilet paper with 1000000 coupons/rebates/sales that’s cheaper than a store brand. Not worth it, but you can keep looking and hoping if you want.

Besides that, it’s kinda up in the air. Sometimes, depending on the deals around, you CAN get name brand for much cheaper than the store brand and have it be worth all that effort. Sometimes it’s ten cents difference and like, fuck that. I don’t need name brand plastic bags that bad. 

THERE ARE A LOT OF DEALS ON LAUNDRY DETERGENT. So many. So fucking unbelievably many. Half of them seem to be “I got some Tide at rite aid for a dollar.” If you do a lot of laundry, this is great for you. 

Most of the deals are for like… “normal American food” stuff, I guess. A lot of name brand breakfast cereal, granola bars, canned soup, Kleenex, yoghurt, ice cream, sometimes cheeses. P&G brands. Your dairy products are generally on sale (except butter, weirdly—though they do push the margarine.) There are not a lot of offers for produce, which is like… fine really, cause it’s already pretty cheap. 

On Ibotta, however, there are “any item” rebates for some produce and other “staple” items. For a while they were giving you 25¢ off any bananas, 50¢ off any milk or bread, that sort of thing. Now they’re for oranges and eggs I think. They also tend to have 25-50¢ off any item rebates too which you can snatch up easy. I like those. I was getting 50¢ off single donuts at Fred Meyers for a while, making them 19¢.

What about special diet stuff? Organic stuff? 

There’s honestly not a whole lot of this when it comes to coupons + sales + rebates stack ups featured in the KCL app. Which is weird to me, you’d think someone on the site would be paying more attention to Whole Foods sales and matching them up with rebates, but whatever. So you’re not going to get gluten free bread for 50¢ a loaf. There are, however, coupons here and there. Ibotta has a rebate at Whole Foods for $1.50 off Udi’s GF bread right now, there’s a $5 rebate on organic protein powder, some kombucha, Stonyfield Grassfed yoghurt… it’s there, though it’s not like Cheap As Free, so it doesn’t get advertised as much. You can still save here, but not as much as if your diet is mostly General Mills breakfast cereal and Tide laundry soap.

What’s good, though, is if you save enough in other areas of Household and Grocery, it makes it a little easier to get some of the nicer stuff that never really goes drastically on sale.

So what about that yoghurt up there? How’d you do that?

Alright.

The Chobani Smooth yoghurts, both of them, were free. There’s a rebate on Ibotta right now (as of Sept 8 2017) for $3.00 off two of them. They’re currently priced at $1.50 at Walmart, so those suckers were cheap as free. The KCL app told me about this one. I didn’t need to print coupons or do anything but go buy them and scan the QR code to redeem the rebate.

The Oui yoghurt was also free. This was from softcoin.com, which loaded the coupon onto my Fred Meyer’s card (always get the store club cards, they’re free), so when I scanned it at the register, it became $0.00. There was a limit of one. The KCL app told me about this one too.

The Noosa yoghurt was from Target and I paid 73¢ for it. Or something. Idk about my math on that one. The KCL app listed it at a lesser price than it eneded up being in my store, so I didn’t get it for 48¢. The savings came from three places: 1) 15% off Noosa yoghurt from the Cartwheel part of the Target app; 2) A MFG coupon from noosayoghurt.com; and 3) an ibotta rebate for noosa yoghurt. With the cartwheel app, you just add the offers you want to your list, and then scan your barcode at the register for the discounts to apply. Sometimes there are MFG coupons in there for you! Paperless! Nice!

The Suja organics drink was from Winco, originally $2.48 but ultimately ended up being 73¢. If you can, always try to use coupons and rebates at your cheapest grocery store. I used an ibotta rebate for 74¢ off, and found a $1/off 1 MFG coupon on the bottle itself at the store. Which isn’t the first time that’s happened. 

The Zico was 75¢ off with an Ibotta rebate, making it $1.23 (not bad for coconut water). 

With the last two, however, there’s more: there’s currently a bonus on Ibotta that if you buy a Suja drink, Zico coconut water, and an Odwalla smoothie, which all have their own single 75¢ off rebates, you get an extra 75¢ off, which means they each become 25¢ less on top of that. All this shit I drink already (I’m big into bevs) so this is a good save for me.  There are bonuses like this a lot, though I don’t pay a whole lot of attention to all of them because they aren’t always relevant.

Some of my good past buys have been: 4 bags of pasta for 38 cents a piece (safeway sale plus MFG coupons). I got linguini and fettucini noodles because the long noodles you can’t get in bulk at winco (bulk noodles are always cheaper)

And I got some puffs cube box tissues (ie the ones that fit in my silly tissue covers) for 75 cents a piece instead of like two something. That was a safeway sale + MFG coupon and an ibotta rebate, if I remember right.

Anything else?

The most rebates on Ibotta are at Walmart. They by far have the most rebates.

Also, not every rebate is for every store. I tried to use something at Winco once only to find out it’s only valid at Target. You can see where it’s redeemable when you scroll down. Most of the time this isn’t a problem, though.

Ibotta has a lot of rebates on alcohol. If you have or have had a drinking problem, you can hide all of these from you in your settings (I think it should be something you can turn off when you sign up, but whatever)

Kohl’s weirdly has amazing clearance deals on household stuff. who knew? the KCL app will tell you about them.  

So, basic getting started:

download Ibotta

go over to KCL and check out their shit about what’s on sale where and when and how. you don’t have to download their app if you don’t want to. it might be overwhelming but... just look for a bit. think about it. (i usually browse through the app while i’m watching tv or just before bed to see if there’s anything i need to pick up the next day)

go over to coupons.com to see what’s out there

then, when you’re ready, fuckin coupon 

That’s probably it for now. If you have questions, feel free to ask me.

And again, if you want to try out ibotta and give me $5, my referral code is GQDFOWS wooo okay 

[purplesurveys]

766

My dad is starting to gear me up for ~adult life~ and has made me start a Paypal, a social security number, and all that jazz and it’s making me immensely anxious, so expect more surveys than usual in the next few days lmao.

How frequently are you inclined to read, and how much? Not frequent at all. I’ll read only if I have to; and when it comes to reading for leisure, I’ll only reread books I’ve already read in the past. I find it sad considering how big of a bookworm I was as a kid. When was the last time you questioned the direction your life was taking? Right now, what with the Covid crisis. My life would have been mapped out ever so neatly if my life’s schedule went as expected - finish the sem, finish my thesis, graduate, travel for a bit, get a job. Now that that has been thrown out the window I essentially have to start from scratch and go into the world blind. And if you've been reading my surveys, you’ll know my least favorite thing to have to deal with is big change. Would you say that your personal views align with society's, generally? Not the society I have no choice but to be surrounded by, which is mostly Catholic, homophobic, sexist, and just very backwards in general. But when it comes to people I voluntarily choose to be with, like the friends I make and the people I follow on social media, I make sure their views are as liberal as mine so I don’t go completely crazy. ^ If not, in what ways do your opinions drastically differ? I just said it, but yeah Filipinos continue to be very resistant to more open-minded, modern views. Girls will still often be told to cover up, religions other than Christianity are viewed as wrong and of lower status, abortion is the most scandalous thing a woman could do, drug addicts must be handled with bullets and not rehab, etc. Basically everything you can roll your eyes over, that’s what Filipinos will tend to side with; and it’s very difficult to want to have your voice heard here because you will be ridiculed and thrown Bible verses instead of legit arguments. What small things have the ability to get under your skin? People who only start picking their orders once they’re the ones at the cashier, drivers who do have their turn signal on but will go THE OTHER DIRECTION, finding out there’s a car accident and I find out traffic has been building up only because drivers slow down to look at the crash site. The last one makes me especially mad every time it happens lol.

When was the last time you were caused to be upset with someone? I haven’t been upset with anyone in a while. If I’m upset these days, blame it on the weather. ^ Have you made up with that individual yet, or will you ever? I will never be ok with the summer climate over here. What is something small that has the ability to cure a bad mood? Hearing a favorite song on the radio as I’m driving, hitting all the green lights while driving, finding a parking spot near the mall entrance... man I really miss going out :(( What beverage is best capable of quenching your thirst? Water. What was the last big change through which you went? It hasn’t happened yet but I’ll be graduating and will officially be done with school forever in a few weeks. I mean, that’s the case unless I decide to take up a master’s but honestly the chances of that are super blurry as I’m over school at this point. ^ Do you deal well with change, typically? Have you always? I am honestly terrible at it and as much as I’m excited to get my first real job, I’m also scared to see how my adjustment pans out. I’ve had a pattern for not being able to adapt well to a new phase – I didn’t adjust in high school until my junior year, and I didn’t adjust in college until the latter half of my sophomore year. I really wish the trend doesn’t continue in the workplace because I can’t handle another mental slump. How do you feel after spending a great quantity of time online? I feel nothing? I mean I need the internet to do almost everything so it’s just become a part of daily routine; it’s normalized already. I would tend to feel some shame if I’ve been unproductive online when I could’ve been doing much more important stuff, but I’ve been avoiding that - I’ve been working on my thesis again, working on stuff for my org, participating in my other extracurriculars, etc. I feel relatively productive given the current circumstances. What do you consider to be the biggest drawback to being you? Like I said, I’m terrible with change. It takes forever for me to warm up to new conditions, and in that period I tend to feel very alone and miserable. I don’t know why I’ve never learned to just get out and make friends earlier. What do you consider the best part of being who you are? ^ Related to said drawback, once I have adjusted to the change, I do very well. I make lots of friends and am back to being my bubbly, social self. I just wish She could come out more easily. What kinds of things do you have on display in your room? Several Audrey Hepburn frames, a couple of paintings, and a poster of a Korean actor. What do you think your room and its contents say about you, if anything? I think more than anything you’ll see how my interests have shifted over the years haha. There’s tons of old WWE magazines, Paramore albums, Beyoncé albums and DVDs, crafty stuff like painting sets and coloring books, etc. When was the last time you felt insecure about something/some situation? Half hour ago when my dad was encouraging me to register for a bunch of grownup stuff. He doesn’t pester me a lot in small bits everyday (which I would really prefer); he’s more of a I’ll-dump-all-this-shit-on-you-in-one-go kind of person, which pressures me even more. I mean I’m excited for this new chapter but I wish he didn’t tell me to start a bank account and a Paypal and a social security number and a TIN all at the same time. What is something about which you are very confident or self-assured? I pride myself on being a good worker/co-worker. Do you ever stop to contemplate infinity? No. Are you comfortable amongst nature, or does the wilderness discomfit you? Sure, it makes me feel at peace. When was the last time someone or something caught you off guard? Andrew did a buuuunch of progress on our thesis this afternoon after a few days of passive-aggressively telling him that I’ve been doing all the work in the last week. How much time do you put into maintaining your appearance and hygiene? I don’t want to take a lot of time since I’m usually on a tight schedule but I do put enough effort to look and smell nice, if that makes sense. Like I wouldn’t take hours to do my makeup and put up an intricate hairdo, but I will still make sure I don’t exit the house looking shabby. Are there any foods you eat daily? . . . Or wish you could? I have rice and some sort of meat everyday. When was the last time someone new entered your life? Start of the semester when we had a new wave of applicants joining our org. ^ What was your first impression of that individual? They all seemed nice and fun to be around, and I’m glad their batch has had amazing chemistry from the get-go. But because of the lockdown I never got to know them all that well so I’m a little sad about it, since I’m already graduating. Do you put much thought into your handwriting? No? It’s not really something I can control anyway haha. What are some of the top priorities in your life right now? Ugh I’ve talked about this so much on here that it’s almost stupid because I take these surveys to begin with to distract myself from my current anxieties only for the surveys to ask about said anxieties ksksksks. Can I say pass for now? Lol In general, how do you feel about romantic relationships? They’re nice, and it feels good to have a person you can share everything to, be affectionate with, who supports you in everything, etc. I’ve been used to being in one for so long now I honestly can’t imagine being single. Which emotional sensation inconveniences or bothers you the most? As if I haven’t talked about it on this single survey enough, anxiety. Are you capable of consoling others in their grief? It depends on how bad is the thing they’re grieving and how accepting they are of help. I don’t know if I’m capable of talking to someone who has lost a parent, but I’ll be able to talk to a friend who’s going through a breakup. Do you ever find it awkward to compliment another being? No. I can give compliments, but I’m unable to take them. When was the last time you had a new experience? What was it? Earlier this afternoon when my dad made me make a Paypal hahaha. Skskss plz stop reminding me of scary things Do you dress more for yourself, or to the expectations of others? A little bit of both. I want to look nice, but I also make sure I keep up with the trends so others think I look nice. What kinds of things tend to stress you out? The stuff I’ve mentioned throughout this survey... What is one way you cope when you feel like crap? I watch videos, I eat whatever I’m craving, I talk about it with my girlfriend, I hug my dog... I have a lot of coping mechanisms.

Name an insult you regularly receive, if there is one? My mom tells me so many insults on a regular basis I can put each one of them in a spinning wheel and give you whatever comes out lol. Name a site that takes up a lot of your time? YouTube. What is something you used to believe about life that you no longer do? That money was easy to acquire. It was certainly so easy to fantasize about as a kid. What is a lesson you have recently learned? I don’t recall picking up anything new lately. Realizations, sure; but I’m not sure about lessons. Do you have a tendency to look on the morbid side of life? Sometimes. When was the last time you went shopping? What did you buy? A weekend before the quarantine. I bought a couple of new tops. When you shop for clothing, how long does it take you? 10-15 minutes tops. I just pick out whatever looks pretty. What is something fun you have done within the past week? It’s been a horrid week. I can’t answer this question. What is something you hope you never have to do again? Stay at home with nothing to do for this long. How does the rain affect your mood, if it does? It makes me feel happy and at peace.

[ideaofentrepreneur-blog]

33 New Business Ideas That Make Money

Here are some useful business ideas which can help entrepreneur to start the business in this competitive world.

Blogging Blogging is an amazing job but, you have to have passion for writing. For most of the people, blogging is a boring job. If you really love writing, this is one of the low-cost business ideas.

You just need to spend around $200 to buy domain make a basic website and all set. You can earn by putting advertising on your blog

Website design This field is booming recently, No matter your business is small or big, you need a website for your business. You can work full time or as a freelancer. This is one of the top money making business with a minimum investment. You just need a laptop and internet connection.

However, not everyone can do this business; you need to have some developing skills to make a well-optimized website. Once you make it, you can charge for maintenance every year.

SEO expert Just making a website is not enough. The real work starts after that. Online presence is the key thing for every successful business. To become an SEO expert you don't require any college degree. You should know key skills to rank website top on Google.

However, nowadays SEO algorithm is changing a lot. So, you need to keep yourself update with SEO guideline.

Social media expert Nowadays social presence is the key thing for business. One can drive a lot of traffic by social media marketing. If you are expert in using social sites like Facebook. Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, and much more, start this business part time or full time

Youtube video making Some YouTubers are making millions from videos and some of them are struggling a lot. This is totally depending on your skill and knowledge. The amount of money you make depend on a number of views you get. Become a youtube celebrity is not the overnight process.

You need to have a patience and passion for keep moving in this industry. You can record your video by using smartphone or camera. This is one of the low cost business ideas that might make you millionaires.

Photographer You just need to buy a good camera and other equipment. If you have a good sense of photography, this business can generate side income for you. First, you start shooting with friends and family for free then, build a strong portfolio. After that, charge the reasonable amount to become famous. Once you become famous, people will pay extra amount just by your name.

Used Items Buying and selling You can buy and resell stuff like television, laptops, furniture, toys etc. You can do this commission based. Be genuine with this business. If customers satisfied they will come again. You need zero investment for this business, however, you have to spend time for market research.

Home Fitness Trainer There are a lot of people who do not want to go gym and prefer to do the workout at home. If you are in good shape and you know how to exercise properly, it is a good idea to become a fitness expert.

Dietary consultancy services Everyone wants to stay in a good shape.  Most of the people have very less knowledge about healthy diet. You can provide valuable information about daily food intake. Keep reminding them about their diet, schedule food intake. If you can provide a sound customer satisfaction, this could be one of the profitable business ideas.

Health Club Day by day people is becoming health conscious. You cannot ignore this business. It will give you a sound amount of ROI. You can get initial help by the bank as you require buying a lot of equipment. In many cities, this business has high amount of competition.

Dance class If you are skilled dancer you can start dance class which is a unique business idea option. Nowadays, youngsters like to learn dance as a hobby or to stay fit. This could be zero investment business idea; you can start from your home too.

Food Truck You can start a food truck which is specially design for morning breakfast. You can include a wide variety of option. People love to eat healthy food in the morning. You can arrange a mobile truck outside public places like a park, gym or sports ground.

For this, you may not need to rent a place for the restaurant. This is mobile if it doesn't work at one place you can try the second location.

Food Catering Services If you know how to cook and you have a good sense of taste, this business idea can make money for you. People need catering services in the birthday party, marriage, festival or other family occasions. You need around $500 for the initial grocery and kitchen equipment expenses.

Organic Food Service This is new business ideas that make money for you. Organic farming is innovative business idea. It becomes popular as people becomes very health conscious nowadays. Organic farming restricts certain pesticides and fertilisers in farming. This kind of farming practice may be expensive than general farming. You need sale this food where people can afford to buy.

Cooking class If you are a good cook and you are passionate about cooking. You can consider this business, a lot of housewives started online cooking course and they are earning very well. You can start your own YouTube channel and earn money.

Event Planning Event management is one of the booming business ideas. Nowadays, people do not want the headache of arranging everything for an occasion. You need to plan and coordinate the event. There are so many universities who offers event management course. If you educate yourself, that would be an advantage for you.

This can be huge business once you develop contacts and relation with your client.

Cloth pressing service This business needs very low investment at initial stage. You just need to buy a pressing machine. You do not need to rent a space for that, you can start from home.

Medical tour services This is a very booming business industry if you are living in a developing country like India and China. Compare with other developed countries, medical expenses are very less in India. Also, in India, very experienced doctors are available who can provide cheap and quality services.

Babysitting This is very popular business in developed countries. Usually, women are workaholic in metro cities. They don't have time to take care of their kids, you could charge money per hour or day for taking care of their kids.

Pet Care If you love an animal this idea might work for you. This could be a perfect business model for urban areas. Rich people don't have to time to take care their pets. They will definitely pay you if you keep their pets for some time.

Driving School This can be evergreen business as day by day cars are increasing a lot. You do not need much investment if you are a skilled driver. You can start by your own car when you started to get customers, you can buy your own car

Security Agency Security is requiring for almost every business. This is high-skilled good business ideas. If you are well experienced security officer, this business becomes easy for you to start because it requires a certain amount of skills and need to follow rules and regulations.

Toy Shop This is one of the profitable business ideas, you can import toys from china with very low rate and resale it to your local area. Also, you can keep high quality handmade toys. Children love toys and you can definitely earn by this business.

Uber Driver This is one of the part time businesses you can start on weekends. You can drive a car whenever you want. If you want to earn extra just, register your car with Uber and start earning. A lot of people are doing this business full-time.

Buy and sell domain name Some of the companies are very picky when it comes to the domain name. You can buy domain names from godaddy.com or namecheap.com and generate future valuation. Buy a domain name and wait for a buyer to pay you extra. You cannot start this business full time as little effort requires and it's a chance that you would not get buyer in near future.

Buy and sell Website Some existing website has a huge amount potential in future. If you are confidence about website revenue, you can buy from Flippa. Make sure, you do enough research before buying a site; owner can lie to you about revenue generation and website traffic.

Buy and sell Bitcoin This is one of the risky but high profitable business ideas. Bitcoine is decentralized digital currencies, the price of bitcoin increased 10 times over the year. If you got some spare money to invest, you can definitely think to buy bitcoin as it is gained a lot of popularity over the year. This is one of the new business ideas that make money.

Modelling If you are confident and have a attitude, you can definitely think for this unique business. Big brands need someone to promote their brand with the good personality. First, you can start yourself, after that, you can hire model to work for you. First of all, built attractive portfolio may give you good start.

Advertising on Vehicle Yes, you can turn you car to money making assets. Big brands pay vehicle to advertise their business into their vehicle. You do not require any effort to earn this kind of money. They will pay you monthly on the basis of size of poster.

Rent your space People are always looking for a place for the party, function or personal meetings. You can rent out your place on hourly basis. This can generate extra income for you especially; you are living in a downtown area.  If you own a unique site, for example studio, boat, a company like tagvenue can help you to connect with clients.

Flea Market Shop People are spending weekend on shopping. You can sell some unique items like old coins, ancient toys, video games, bags etc. It is important that costumer come back again and again. You need to sell items in reasonable price and keep unique items only. This is you can count as a weekend business or part time business.

Solar energy consultant This is one of the booming industries; you can conduct home inspection and suggest solar option. Solar option might be cheaper for long term and good for the environment. You can directly charge fees and commission from the company. Nowadays, government is helping to install solar panel by giving subsidies.

Used Book buy and Sale People sale books after reading. You can start this business online or by physical shop. Just, buy used book from readers and resale it. You can target specific kind of books like related to history, business or fiction to target niche market. If you can collect books which are rarely available and sale, you can generate huge amount of profit.

These are the new business ideas that make money; you can brows latest business ideas from entrepreneurs who are seeking for investors at Idea Of Entrepreneur

Source: http://ideaofentrepreneur.com/new-business-ideas-that-make-money/

[plogan721]

Clean Up, Clean Up, it’s time to Clean Up the Blog Space

No, I have lost my mind, nor this is not the new adventures of The Wonder Pets (parents, you know who I am talking about).  This is an update on how I am progressing into the world of organizing my Social Media and blogs. This is also a Motivational Monday, which may turn into a Tip Tuesday depending on when I upload this post.

Side note: Ok, this aunt realized that “Clean up, clean up” did not come from The Wonder Pets, it came from my childhood memory of my preschool teacher urging us to clean up our toys, sorry.

Well, I am cleaning up my toys in a sense.  I finally got the go-ahead to switch my blogs and business handmade website to SiteGround.  I will explain to you in a later post on how to get your own website with Siteground at a later time.  So far, I like what I see, and around March 31, you will see a brand new My Ambiance Life, At Home with Tricia's Baskets, and P. Lynne Designs blog and website in much cleaner light.  They are going to be lighter (white background on all of them).  I love all the websites and blogs I visit with clean, uncluttered backgrounds, and it seems to be the trend that is continuing well into 2019 and 2020. 

To give an example on what I do not like:  My blog, At Home with Tricia's Baskets, has this brown background, which was great for the 1990s and 2000s, and maybe even 2010-2012, but starting 2013, everyone was leaning towards not having any background images.  Having a background image makes the blog and websites look cluttered, dated, unorganized, and hard to read, especially since

An example of a clean-looking Blog (Story of Five Blog)

there are a lot of seniors who are turning older, and their eyesight is not what they used to be.  With that comes background colors with little to no color in them.  In other words, a white background with little to no color in it.  In your foreground, your fonts need to represent manuscript writing.  Save the fancy stuff for invitations, cards, and other things of that nature.  I am going, to be honest, to tell you that it is harder to read script writing than manuscript writing.  Ask any 7-year-old.  In fact, they do not teach cursive writing in schools now.  So, this blog is the first to get an upgrade to Siteground.  I have not decided which of my domain names I am going to choose for this site.  It might be the one I registered or a subdomain.

Speaking of Domains…

I am having a hard time with my plynnedesigns.com domain name.  I do not know if Google is still banning it to show up or what.  Not to get into why I am changing it to plynndesigns, but Google thought the old one was phishing.  Someone back in September had hacked into my account website and killed the whole mood for me using that domain name again after I removed the affected file.  I have been fighting with Google for a whole month to prove that I am the owner of the domain name and to let me use it.  I gave up last week, and now I am using the new one for the website and blog.

Some takeaways from this:

When creating your website, either on SiteGround, GoDaddy, Wix, Weebly, or some other website, make sure you are covered.  This includes being able to create as many websites on your account with a plan you can afford.  I use the “Growing Up” plan from Siteground.  At the time of this writing (February 25, 2019), the Growing up plan is $5.95 a month. 

Also, make sure that your domain name is available.  I was lucky that the new name (plynndesigns) was available.  The current domain name for it plynnedesigns was available when I created that domain name as well when I got it in 2016. The name I wanted as well was PLDesigns, but it would cost me a pretty penny ($4,800) to have, which is another thing.  I looked it up, and anything with the word “design” in it is considered high-end, but I am confused because both domain names also have the word design in them, but they cost me $2.99. Make sure you can afford the domain name price.  All 4 (those two, plus PLDMDN and patriciallogan were $2.99 each).  You can renew them once a year, but if you know you will have them for a long time and can afford it, renew at some point for 10 years.  So, far, I have only been able to renew the domain names annually.

Make sure you protect your websites and blogs.  I protect my websites for $19.95 a month through Siteground.  I learned my lesson from Hostgator, who I no longer recommend as a hosting site.  I also do not recommend Blogger, unless your website and blogs are very simple.  More on Blogger at a later time.

SSL certificates are FREE.  Unless you are doing something complicated, Use the site’s free SSL certificates.  What is an SSL and why do you need it?  Think of it as an added layer to id your site or blog.  In other words, it authenticates it.  Google is cracking down on sites who do not have the https:// on it (most sites still use HTTP:// which is supposed to be not secure).  There are more advance SSL certificates, but they cost more and are not really needed for blogs.

As I always say, plan out your website or blog.  Know what topics you want to talk about, the categories you have those topics under, the color scheme, theme, and do not forget to name your site.  You can read about how I came up with my names in another series I am developing about blogging.

One thing I do want to say about these tips is do not worry about it if blogging and creating a website is not something that you want to do.  You can hire someone to do it, but it will cost you more money, instead, check out this next item, challenge yourself to something greater.

I am bored…

This phrase is not only for children who have nothing to do but adults as well.  We all get that way from time to time.  Boredom comes to the best of us and it sometimes brings out the worst in us.  Think about it, have you sometimes thought about these types of scenarios and said to yourself, “hmm, they must be bored”:

Hackers or ID thieves.

Children throwing flour all over the house or getting into mommy’s cosmetics or dad’s shaving cream.

The police issuing out a bunch of tickets

Full Moon

All of these sound good.  I mean, yes, people who hack on the computer to get into someone’s bank account (It happened to me this past weekend) could have been bored or need a job.  Same with the children, but the police?  Humm, maybe some of you have been pushing the snooze button way too many times.  I can always blame the full moon theory, especially on hackers and children, or as my grandmother used to say, “the Devil got to them”.  Either way, the true culprit is B.O.R.E.D.O.M.

So, how can I combat Boredom?

Boredom does not mean that you are sitting around the house doing nothing.  Boredom means you are sitting around doing nothing in your business, your home, as a parent, and even in your church. Boredom can even be in your food choices, your clothing choices, even your vacation choices.  So, how to get rid of it?  Simple, challenge yourself. 

How do I challenge myself?

For business and work:  look at your current skills.  See what you can improve on in terms of weaknesses.  If you cannot see it, ask a supervisor or a trusted co-worker a critique on your skills.  This should be part of your talk with your supervisor during your annual review.  If you own a business, as yourself what is the one thing you wish your company could do for a customer or client.

At home-organizing. what is the one area in the home that could use a little sprucing up within your budget?  This is not the time to do a major renovation to this area.  If this is what you are aiming for, it is fine, but take baby steps.

Self-improvement:  everyone can use a little self-improvement every now and then, but, how challenging is it?  One thing is once you stop learning, you are dead.  If you can afford it, go back to school or take a class online on a site like Lydia.com.  if you hate classes or cannot afford to go back, read a book or if there is something you want to do, search for it on Google or Bing or watch a skill on YouTube.

For an example, when I was getting my bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the school I graduated from in 2003, I was not interested in graphic design or writing at all.  Now, I find myself on an impasse of sorts.  When I started my blog, MDN Creates (now P. Lynne Designs), I knew I needed photos, but I did not have photos nor the skills to edit them.  I am old school.  My parents taught me that you take pictures on 35mm film, take them to the store to get them sent away, get them back in a few weeks, and display them in a photo album.  The camera on my mobile phone was new and foreign to me.  I taught myself to move the photos from the phone to my computer, then I started a trial of Photoshop, and fell in love with the aspects of it.  I have taken myself as far as I can go on my own.  Now I am hoping to gain more knowledge from an instructor at the school I graduated from.  The same with writing.  I have taken myself as far as I could go, and I hope to get a degree in entrepreneurship, which is a subsequent degree.

One of my personal challenges is to create a new craftroom. I have a budget and a plan.  My takeaway for this challenge is already listed. 

So, if you feel bored, challenge yourself and do not let fear get in your way.  Life is a challenge by itself.  You can do this.  

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