#don’t minimize my earned successes

[8pxl]

It's your art, and whatever you value your time/skill at is up to you, but you yourself stated you've been very successful. Your response to these nobodies seems super mean spirited? Like I'm sure you're just gonna say I hate artists or something but, I mean a ton of people attacking those other users, and you have a big fan base and seem to be feeding into it. Disagree with me if you want but I feel it's our job to try to bring the classes together to improve the world. Like yeah this doesn't matter, who gives a shit right? But the mentality is revealing. These users being attacked is just going to make them double down on their beliefs, and you what? Dunked on some losers? Your fans becoming more insular? Who gained from this? Who became better people? I really hope you take this to heart and just don't dismiss it out of hand, I really am on your side.

i have no obligation to be nice to people who want to devalue my art just because i have a large fanbase. i didn’t instigate anything by responding to public comments, and i have no responsibility over the people who follow me. I literally don’t care if two losers double down on their views, i was responding to their public criticism that ultimately is meaningless, and honestly i and many other people have gained from this bc too many artist have been bullied about their prices and i’m not going to be one lmfaooo. jst look at the comments thanking me, from ppl who don’t even follow me 🤷‍♀️ too many artist are bullied into submission and it needs to stop soooO

[reikolovespickles]

Winx Club Headcanon: War(s) of Solaria

In my headcanon, Solaria isn’t like it was shown in the original series. It was a war-torn kingdom with a history of vertical and horizontal conflicts between the Solarians and Lunarians. Though, in the present day, the kingdom has recovered significantly, in terms of socioeconomic and politics, the past friction and hatred between Solarians and Lunarians are still present and both people now live in separate places (Solarians in Solaria and Lunarians in Lumenos). The war(s) is what caused Stella’s parents to divorce (because I don’t think the original series explains why they separated). This writing will dive into Cassandra’s conspiracies that caused the long conflict and its effect(s) on the kingdom. Also, I will be referring to some ancient Greek/Roman/Babylonian history in terms of the culture, society, and politics of Solaria.

************************************************************************

In the year 668 of the Solarian calendar (The Solarian Calendar draws inspiration from the lunisolar calendar of Ancient Macedonia), Prince Radius of Solaria married Princess Luna of Lumenos, and both became the new King and Queen of Solaria and the first rulers to unite the two people in the planet, the Solarians and Lunarians. Both earned the title “Sun God Shamash” and “Moon Goddess Yarikh” by both people.

In the year 670, two years after their marriage, their first and only daughter was born. They named her Stella—blessed with the title “Ishtar” (meaning Evening Star). She grew up to be a talented, genius young princess and has a natural affinity for magic. Young Princess Stella would soon create her derivation of light magic, drawing sources from both of her parents’ inherited magic (sun and moon magic), Star Magic was born. Princess Stella quickly became the strongest candidate for the Solarian throne due to her brilliance.

This news was a sign of fortune for the Kingdom of Solaria, but for others, it was a threat. Enters Countess Cassandra, a member of the Royal Court of Solaria and Duchess of Sh’va (pronounced “shee-ba”)—one of the regions in Solaria, she was one of the most respected members of the high council and the most influential. This news upset the countess, she had an ambition to take over the kingdom and made herself queen. But King Radius’ success in uniting the Solarians and Lunarians through inter-cultural marriage and the positive perceptions of the royal council and the public regarding Stella, only minimizes the chances of her coup d’etat plan (to be honest I based Cassandra off of Agrippina The Younger, and her conspiracy to dethrone and assassinate Emperor Claudius and made Nero—her son—emperor of Rome. Just like Cassandra who desires her daughter, Chimera, to be the Princess of Solaria)

So, in the year 682, Cassandra’s conspiracy starts its first move. By abusing her power at the Royal Court, Cassandra launches several “campaigns�� in the grassroots community of Solaria and uses the “divide and conquer” tactics because what’s a better way to destroy a multicultural society than to divide them and put them onto each others’ throats? Cassandra sent several mercenaries to attack the Solarian community near Sh’va. These mercenaries wear Lunarians’ traditional clothing and a cloak with Lumenos symbols on it. The injured civilians believed that the Lunarians had attacked them, sparking rages all over the region, and within days, Sh’va became a war zone between the Solarians and Lunarians who lived there. Cassandra took this advantage to send spies into the other regions, these spies acted as provocateurs and also informants to Cassandra. Within a couple of months, chaos spread all over Solaria, civil unrest was inevitable and the streets turned into a pool of blood. The Royal Court informed Radius and Luna about this and demanded them to take immediate action.

The Royal Court, comprised of both Solarian and Lunarian descents started to blame each other for the war. However, the Solarians believed that the Lunarians were the ones who started the conflict by pointing weapons at them first. This argumentation and conflicts occurred both horizontally (between civilians) and vertically (between the members of the Royal Court), prompting the King and Queen to act.

The situation worsened when the Solarian High Council pushed King Radius to launch an attack at a possible Lunarian rebels' hideout, located in a region called Enzu. Radius complied believing that it was their hideout ended up killing roughly one hundred Lunarian civilians. His action enraged Luna. Radius commands the army without discussing it with his wife first or even confirming that there were no civilians in that region, this results in a heated argument between the two. Luna, feeling betrayed and disappointed with the Solarians and Radius, decided to side with her people.

The war continues, and although both King and Queen have stepped in to try to ease the situation, the culmination of all the events happens one night, when an angry Solarian mob storms the Temple of Yarikh and destroys it along with all of its contents including the artifacts, some sacred tablets and the statue of the goddess. Of course, this enraged the Lunarians because the Temple of Yarikh is the sacred place built for Luna, and the Solarians soiled the sacred temple. The Lunarians decided to launch an attack on the Solarians but Luna warned them not to act recklessly because they were easily outnumbered. Instead, Luna suggested that both sides sign a treaty of peace because they are already too many casualties from both sides. 

The treaty happened in the year 685. The treaty of peace contained an agreement that both sides must follow: “...the planet of Solaria belongs to the Solarian people and therefore planet Lumenos belongs to the Lunarian people.” Both sides parted ways, and soon after Radius and Luna signed the treaty, they were divorced. There is no point in retaining their marriage after all of this bloodbath. The year 685, marked the end of the lunisolar calendar that was used in Solaria and Lumenos for centuries, both changed their calendars, marking the end of the Year of The Sun and Moon and in Solaria it became year 1 of the new Solarian calendar—also called as the Year of The New Sun while in Lumenos it was called the Year of The New Moon.

Hence, the first step of Cassandra’s conspiracy is complete. She had succeeded in removing Luna from the Royal Family.

After they divorced, Radius was busy rebuilding and revitalizing Solaria. Radius turned into a workaholic and even though he loves his daughter, he has too little time to be with her. Stella, the genius princess, grows up to be a teenager with abandonment issues, she often seeks validation from other people and gets in trouble just to gain her father’s attention. Her relationship with her mother was not better either, Stella has a complicated relationship with her mother, she doesn’t hate her because she “abandons” her family but Stella always feels that there is a gap between her and her mother. To the point that she became scared when she had to face her mother, not because she viewed her as a traitor to her family but because of the past that she kept seeing in her, a time when all of them were still together. 

After a few years, Cassandra decided it was time to move on to her second plan—assassinating Stella and dethroning Radius. But there’s a problem, Stella goes to Alfea to study how to become a fairy and it becomes impossible for Cassandra to assassinate her. So, she sticks with her plan to dethrone Radius first, of course, she needs to be more careful this time because Radius is much more cautious. 

Luckily for Solaria, it took Cassandra some time to strategize and the evil woman was too comfortable basking in her victory. We’ll see what she has up her sleeves.

[halcyon-writings]

Moment of Repose

pairing: billy butcher/reader

notes/cw: none (save for butcher's bad habits /lh), after 84 years,,,, the request for anon is done. I am very sorry for the wait, the writer's block was really kicking my ass LMAO and ngl I liked the request bc lowkey it was challenging bc it was difficult to picture him as like,,, soft, when the man is quite literally the opposite, but I hope that it worked out

nav.

Billy Butcher is, in no way, soft. Edges that are far too sharp, too untrusting prevent such a thing. Trust that was hard to earn and easily lost at the drop of a hat did that to you. 

Billy Butcher is not soft. Something that even he insists upon, at least when pressed about it. He was cordial enough to those he worked with at best, and at worst, he would be downright vulgar to anyone else. 

So what made you different? Was it your relaxed demeanor? (In comparison to Butcher, anyone looked leagues calmer than he could ever be.) Was it the way you were practically unphased whenever he would slip into a string of curses when someone got on his nerves? Or was it the fact that you could read him like an open book? (No one said that last part out loud though, lest they risk his ire being directed at them.)

You supposed that the secret to seeing a soft or gentle facet of Billy Butcher was one that you would keep to yourself till the end of time. Or whatever other cliche bullshit he would say it was.

Such as right now, when Butcher basically running off of fumes and you had all but taken away his gun, any backup knives and blunt objects he kept on his person in case the gun failed, and his keys. Certainly, he could hotwire said car, seeing as how even a soft breeze could knock the thing over, but the image of your neutral face of displeasure made an uncomfortable feeling stir in his gut (it was that or the expired frozen dinner he ate, with him convincing himself that it was still good). Even with his protests, which were weak for the most part, Butcher was convinced to rest, or at least even take a nap under your watch.

So that left you to watch over the man as he slept for the first time in days, while everyone else in this little team of yours had taken that as an excuse for a free day.

M.M. had gone to see his daughter (and you slipped him some cash to get some flowers for his ex-wife but that was another secret of yours). Kimiko and Frenchie had decided to run errands, such as picking up things for actual food to cook rather than the frozen dinners Butcher would insist upon to “save” money, and you could only keep your fingers crossed that whatever damages that had appeared on the evening news were minimal at best. You cherished the pair dearly as friends, however, their penchant for chaos was unmatched. Finally, Hughie, you had guessed, had gone out on his own, sneaking off to see his date and you snickered as he stammered through an excuse.

“Just go on, you don’t wanna leave her waiting, do you?” A teasing bit to your voice makes the boyish man scramble up the steps and you hear the door to the shop open and shut in quick succession. 

So while Butcher snored away the afternoon, you had decided to read. Enjoying the silence that had come with most of the bases’ occupants being gone for the moment, occasionally interrupted by a snore here or there. 

Of course, you sometimes could not help but shift uncomfortably. With Butcher all but caging you in with his giant head on your lap, arms around your waist, you were at least glad you did not have to go to the bathroom yet. Despite your inner protests, you couldn’t help but feel a little pleased, who knew that Billy Butcher could be as soft and sweet during his sleep? 

Occasionally you reach down, smoothing the frown on his face so that he could at least relax again, his nose would twitch, and you curiously guess what he dreamed about. Maybe he had had some weird dream. Perhaps something ridiculous like Homelander actually being a responsible Supe. Or being right that eating an expired frozen dinner was the correct thing to do… maybe you should take him to urgent care for that. But then again if it took as much convincing as it did to get the man to rest his eyes for an hour or two, you would have to prepare the big guns. 

As you attempted to steer your focus back on the book in your hands, it was only a short moment that you could feel Butcher begin to stir. Well, it seemed that you could not get a chance to keep reading, as you use an old receipt like a makeshift bookmark. 

He sits up, groggy for a moment, you almost think it was cute if it weren’t for the kind of person he was.

“What day is it?”

“The same day that you took your nap,” You say helpfully. He curses. 

“Feel like shit…” Mumbling incoherently into his hands, almost like a bad hungover. 

“You kind of look it too,” You chirp, “But that’s what happens when you don’t get a proper amount of sleep.”

He sends you a sleepy glare, but there is no heat behind it. You reciprocate by giving him a bright smile. You expect him to stand up, getting back to whatever sort of chaos that would have Vought scramble for some PR recovery, instead, you’re pleasantly surprised when all he does is lay back down, this time using his signature jacket as a makeshift blanket. 

Once again, the silence is met with his snoring as he falls back into slumber. 

[darkpoisonouslove]

Suddenly I feel so much better about having so many WIPs xD

I will take the Griffin x Faragonda Enemies to Lovers AU because that sounds interesting!

XD Glad I can be of service!

It's a more low-key one than most of my other WiPs but not so much that I could restrain myself from pursuing the idea at all.

It's set in a canon divergence where the Ancestral Witches and Valtor have already been defeated with minimal involvement from Faragonda in the whole thing. Griffin has never been involved with either the Coven or the Company and yet... She's not having a good time, not even a little bit.

Faragonda's mother sent some hired paladins to invade Griffin's home and take possession of all of her mother's work (she was translating and restoring spells for her clients). The only reason why Griffin is alive at all is that Faragonda made some kind of deal with her mother that leaves her the one to deal with Griffin.

She remains to live in their mansion because she doesn't want to leave behind her mother's work and she's planning revenge. In the meantime, she's looking deeper into Faragonda, trying to figure out what exactly she sacrificed in that deal with her mother for the sake of keeping her alive and any weaknesses she could use. That's how she ends up meeting Saladin, Marion and Oritel and also Faragonda's father.

Faragonda herself revealed to her that she's an Enchantix fairy, which Griffin is hoping to use to tank her mother's reputation since Faragonda's mother is one of the most formidable witches in the dimension. The news that not only has her daughter chosen to be a fairy, but has also been allowed to pursue it to the point of earning Enchantix will not look good for her. However, she has to figure out how to ensure she can get the information out before getting murdered for trying to reveal Faragonda's secret to the world.

During this whole process of chasing revenge, Griffin and Faragonda interact a lot and suddenly Griffin realizes she's catching feelings (if Faragonda didn't catch feelings when Griffin tried to use her life as a bargaining chip 3 minutes after meeting her for the first time, then she certainly did when Griffin was bleeding in her arms... currently in chapter 3). She tries to pretend that's not happening but that just makes things worse for her so she has to admit the truth, on top of certain discoveries about her mother's involvement in the struggle against the Ancestral Withes and Valtor. Plus, the emotional mess isn't the only obstacle between her and Faragonda as Faragonda's mother intends to fully make use of what Faragonda conceded to her for the sake of keeping Griffin alive.

I have a more-than-vague idea about, roughly, the first half of the story, give or take a couple chapters. I haven't really gotten further because this story isn't my priority right now but I've written down a good amount of dialogue for the chapters that I've already outlined. Here's a little snippet:

Faragonda goes to exit the room, "Are you still trying to rest or will you come with me to the library?"

"I don’t trust you to leave me alone."

"Well, for one, I’d have a much better chance of success if I know more specifics about what we need. And for two, I like spending time with you."

Griffin tries not to trip like she’s missed a step while walking down the stairs.

This is good news. If Faragonda is foolish enough to try to befriend her, maybe she doesn’t need to hide so hard what’s going on in her head. Maybe she can actually get something to help her stop having nightmares about her mother.

[sw2-serials]

Anne Has To Try the Hairbrush

(you would think from a spanking like this one ^^^ that that’s all Anne would need to do!)

Anne can act rather strict at times but she’s not exactly scary.  Oh, she can give me a spanking I’d prefer to avoid and leave me plenty sore - but only because I deserve it.  And to be honest, the leather paddle is more for fun and the slipper is just to save her hand.  She’s been on the receiving end of a hairbrush or belt or even a cane but to say she’s mere hesitant to use one on me is more than an understatement.

But at some point, what could she do?

Among ‘spanking I don’t like’, they’re usually for being a brat, not listening, or not following directions (usually from not listening!).  The small ones are, anyway.  The big ones are usually for when she gives me serious advice and I repeatedly don’t follow it (because it’s hard!) or sometimes when I’m in a ‘procrastination rut’ and nothing else will get me out of it.  Maybe for embarrassing her, oh and, in case you missed it, when I needed one for saying the worst possible thing to Nicole about Megan.  (Hmm, I was thinking there weren’t many reasons but now that I count them…)

Honestly, from time to time I could really use more - a lot more (we’re working on a solution to this) - but I understand the she’s not comfortable with it and I’m not going to let the perfect be the enemy of the good.  Still, I know that she feels, sometimes, that she needs to suck it up and up her game.

Recently I got a set of those ‘procrastination’ spankings that was really well-earned and, frankly, long overdue.  Multiple trips over her lap to get me started and keep me going - yeow!  I was sore in a way I hadn’t been since some early bike rides!

Unfortunately, there was another issue lurking beneath my procrastinating behavior (which, as I said, I failed to bring to Anne’s attention until it had gone on far, far too long (sort of like some of the spankings I got for it!)).  My absolute inability to pull myself out of this completely unjustified stalling without help was having a strongly negative effect on my self-opinion!  (I would go into more detail but telling you all about it would probably lead to the same kind of thoughts I needed to be spanked for.)

Anne felt that, for this, she would have to resort to the hairbrush.  I deserved such a spanking (though I didn’t want it) and understood that she was quite justified; I would have even if she had suggested something more severe.  That didn’t mean I expected to enjoy it!  In fact, I felt a little bad for making Anne do it (a feeling she discourages, so I minimized it).

Let's just say that Anne didn't seem to have all that hard a time overcoming her reservations - nowhere near as hard a time as I had trying to 'be good' and hold still for her! (I just couldn't!)

She ended up having to pin my legs down and hold my arm back but she was really encouraging, saying, "You’re taking your spanking admirably well, like always, sweetheart. Just one more minute to go, then you’ve made it through yet another punishment. You can wear those red marks on your buns with so much pride."

One more minute is a long time!

Then she switched back to her hand at the end, which felt 'nicer' somehow, (even though it still hurt!) and even rubbed some of the sting out afterward!

It was more of a spanking than I'd gotten for anything else so far and not anything I was in a big hurry to repeat (though, to me truthful, it made me feel all the closer to her!). And while Anne didn't feel like she had been worrying over nothing, she did say she was a lot more comfortable with the idea now that she'd seen that it was pretty 'safe' for my bottom (especially after some... mmm... lotion at bedtime!).

I guess you would have to say that, for good or bad, our 'hairbrush trial' was a complete success!

[m-blackwell-and-associates]

The Meeting pt. 3

“So what do the Giovanni have to do with it? Were they the ones to wack her?” While not on the friendliest terms, Madaline had managed cordial relations with the local Brujah leadership. If nothing else, her stand off with the Ventrue had earned her some grudging respect. But there had been nothing on the ledger that would have led to a murder of convenience. Nothing that required cutting losses quite so severely. Nicky could not think of anything that would have led to the current levels of hostility. “If that’s Jon’s grudge, I’d need some proof before taking it to the family.”

“Your cousins put out a bounty for any of her belongings. Needed something near and dear to ol’ Dana’s heart. Extra if they could provide Dana’s ashes. Rumor had it they wanted to call up her soul. Bring her back from the dead.”

“Mother already told me that my cousins were taking witness statements from beyond the grave. If that’s all you got for me….”

“Oh you don’t understand, Nicky. It weren’t to talk to her and find out her killer. When has your lot ever been interested in justice?”

“Hey. I’m sitting right here.”

“Vengeance, mebe.” Monster grinned, warming to his tale. “But then vengeance ain’t nothing more than justice with interest, ain’t that right?”

“That’s fancy philosophy for a Gangrel,” Nicky was getting impatient for the meat of the matter. “What’d my family want with Dana Stone’s soul?”

“They wanted to bring Dana back from the dead. Not to talk, to bring her back.” Monster slapped the ground in front of him, emphasizing one what side of the Shroud he was talking about. “They found a nice new body and put Dana’s soul into it. Shipped her off all wrapped up in ribbons to her Justicar. Wanted to sweet talk that ice queen into some sort of alliance. Like he was going a-courtin’.”

Nicky stared at Monster, sure that he was lying. Or exaggerating for purposes of his story. “That’s not possible.”

The lie came easily. It could be done, Nicky knew, because he had done it. But the Giovanni were in the business of collecting souls, not returning them. The cost to do such a thing was astronomical, with the chances of success to be so minimal as to not be worth the attempt. On top of that, the family had forbidden it. It would have to be a valuable soul to pay the cost of return and to risk eternal torment at the hands of the Giovanni.

Dana Stone nor the favor of her Justicar was worth that kind of risk.

“Who’s idea was that?” Nicky demanded. He had seen first hand the carnage that came from the Brujah Justicar and her idea of proper punishment for the smallest sin. There was no forgiveness for anything. To actively seek her attention? To flaunt family power in her face? Nicky was under the opinion that the Giovanni were very lucky to still be in this city at all. Little wonder the city was burning through dons faster than the family could replace them.

“That tall cocky one, the one that took over when the old don burned.”

Nicky thought of all the missed opportunities to eat Vincenzo’s fucking soul and how that could have saved all of them from having to deal with this latest fiasco. “I don’t know why that’d piss off the Brujah. They had Dana Stone back. You could almost say new and improved. Certainly that’d be worth something.”

“Oh, but that’s the best part of the story, Nicky,” Monster purred, creeping forward to share his delighted secret. “Something went wrong. The body rotted. Your cousin sent the soul of the Midwest’s most influential Brujah to her Justicar as a walking corpse. Rumor has it that her frosty bitchness had to decide to let Dana slowly rot away or put her down.”

Nicky hid his face in his hands for a moment. One didn’t trash talk family in front of outsiders. Even family you disliked to outsiders that were tolerable. This fuck up was now bigger than Vinnie failing his way upwards. Whatever his cousin had been attempting had backfired. Backfired so badly as to risk the enmity of an entire clan. Possibly the Camarilla, depending on how the Brujah pressed their cause. Nicky considered leaving Chicago within the hour. “How accurate is this information?”

“I’m not pen pals with her Fury, if that’s what you’re asking.” Monster shrugged, his interest fading now that the story was told. “But we had a wanderer come through a year ago, claims to have attended a gathering where this story was told. Was the explanation of why your clan is being uninvited from Switzerland. Prince Guillimere don’t allow no violence and easier to evict some bankers than his Justicar if you’re looking to avoid a fight.”

Nicky got up to pace, rubbing his hands together to keep them occupied. His mind raced trying to find ways around this crisis. “This…incident. How widely known?”

“Not much if you didn’t know,” Monster observed and also rose, looking more man than animal now that he was upright. “But maybe your kin didn’t see fit to tell you. Common enough among the Brujah I think, the way they’re closing ranks. Not as many Anarchs these days. A newfound willingness to take the Queen’s shilling, as it were.”

Nicky’s jaw clenched until the teeth creaked in their sockets, the pain cutting through the rage flooding through him. The enormity of Vincenzo’s blunder began to settle on him. On an average day, a room full of Brujah couldn’t agree on the color of their black leather jackets. Vincenzo had just given them a cause big enough for them to unify under. “I appreciate you talking to me, Monster.”

“Always willing to work with you, Nicky. I know you’re good for it.”

“I’d also appreciate it if you keep this incident on the same level I heard it.” Nicky could hear the expectation in Monster’s voice. It was clear they had gotten to the wheeling and dealing part of the show. “What can I do for you?”

Monster sighed explosively, looking around at the wildness of parkland gone to see, fists on his hips as if considering his options. “The fucking Torys want to make the island pretty again. Turn it back into some Japanese pleasure garden the way it was during the fair. Would appreciate you shutting that down so we can keep it how we likes it.” The Gangrel’s tone turned sly, arching one red brow. “Hear you have an affinity for roses.”

“What can I say? They love sharp pricks,” Nicky said with a self-deprecating shrug, sending the Gangrel into howls of laughter. With an amiable clap on the shoulder, Monster turned and still chuckling, disappeared into the wilds of the Wooded Island.

[aristocraticvision]

Chapter 303: Family Night

“Stop minimizing your accomplishments, Michael,” Prince Stephen said, disapprovingly. He turned to Ted and smiled. “He’s actually shown quite a flair for economic policy, and has taken a very creative approach to job creation that is truly making a difference along the north coast, where the fishing industry is waning.”

“I’d heard something about that,” Ted said, nodding. “Since global warming has impacted fishing yields, Weston has been shifting labor toward offshore wind farming to bolster the energy sector.”

“Well, it seemed logical,” Michael said, humbly.

“Not just logical, but brilliant,” Stephen said, proudly. “Killed two birds with one stone, since additional energy production is our number one goal to help expand Weston’s economy.”

“Then it seems you’re better at princing than you seem to think you are,” Ted joked to his stepbrother.

“He certainly is,” Stephen said, ignoring the hated phrase his two sons had been tossing about since childhood. “Michael’s problem is self-confidence, not ability.”

“Teddy!” Stephanie cried as she and her husband entered the room, shifting the family’s attention away from a grateful Michael. “I didn’t realize you were in town. No wonder father was so insistent we come.”

Ted kissed his sister’s cheek as everyone greeted one another.

“You’re looking well,” Stephanie said, taking a seat. “Obviously, the posting in Torenth has been good for you.”

“I could say the same about both of you,” Ted replied. “I hear you’re representing the family well. But then you’ve always been quite good at smiling and waving.”

“If that was all there was to it, we’d all be successful, wouldn’t we?” Michael said, shaking his head.

“Oh, stop feeling sorry for yourself, little brother,” Stephanie said. “So you froze up at a dinner. Even I dislike giving speeches like that, so stop beating yourself up and just move forward.”

“That’s exactly what I told him,” Teddy said.

Sensing Michael’s discomfort, Jessica stepped in.

“Why don’t we talk about something else?” she suggested, nodding at the grateful look Michael gave her. “Teddy? I’m sure we’d all like to hear about your time in Torenth.”

“Well, there’s not that much to tell, really,” Teddy said. “I spend most of my time at the embassy, but I’ve done a bit of sightseeing. Torenth is lovely, but it’s certainly not home.”

“Have you met the imperial family?” Stephanie asked.

“Only once,” Ted replied. “At the Torenthian Museum of Natural History. The emperor and empress were honorary chairpersons of the annual fundraiser. The emperor and I chatted for several minutes. He seems a decent sort.”

“He is,” Stephen replied. “A bit stuffy, but it runs in the family.”

“What are your plans?” Stephanie asked. “Will you be here for a while?”

“Only a few days,” Ted said. “But I want to spend some time with friends. Michael and I are meeting Freddy and Brent for drinks later tonight.”

Stephen stood.

“Well, just don’t forget your responsibilities, son,” he told Michael. “We’re meeting with the labor delegation from Grenville Bay tomorrow morning bright and early.”

“Can’t you handle that on your own, dad?” Michael asked.

“That’s not the point and you know it,” Stephen said. “I’m trying to prepare you for the throne, Michael. It’s not a responsibility you can fulfill only when it’s convenient.”

Jessica stood and spoke softly to her husband.

“Michael has been very diligent in his duties, and you know that,” she said, softly. “I think he’s earned a bit of time off, don’t you?”

“Very well, then,” the prince said with a sigh. “Consider yourself on vacation until Teddy returns to Torenth. But I’ll expect you to redouble your efforts when that happens.”

“I will, father,” Michael said, smiling. “I promise.”

Bixby entered quietly.

“Dinner is served, your royal highness,” he said.

CHAPTER 1 | BEGINNING OF PART 4 | PREV | NEXT

Continent of Oceana | History of Weston | History of Corwyn | History of Torenth | History of Allycia

[absentabsolution]

One thing I’ve noticed in online dating discourse between the sexes is that men do project in many ways onto women. I’ve noticed that the most in this whole discussion of the mythical Chad/Alpha. A lot of dudes don’t get how most women don’t think their men are particularly “hot” in that sense of the word, and certainly not beautiful in an aesthetic sense.

While there are women who yes, choose on appearance, or your wallet, many women simply date guys because they like them, make them laugh, make them feel safe, usually a mix of those things, and not simply because he’s an Adonis or a billionaire.

The entire redpill space is a somewhat homoerotic and homosocial larp of men who don’t really understand women (or masculinity for that matter) and as a consequence don’t really regard them properly, and base their entire exercise of masculinity around things that get male approval — which is going to be a very hit or miss approach for actually getting with women at best, and is usually rather misogynistic and consumer oriented.

And to be clear I’m hardly some woke or PC person, I’m a troll who’s taking the time to be serious because I’m tired of seeing lonely men in a self defeating spiral of doing things that earn them validation from grifters who act as psuedo father figures and profit off of their loneliness.

Going to the manosphere for life advice is about as smart as relying on Tinder to find you a life partner — these things are only profitable as long as you’re alone because that keeps you as a paying customer. So there’s an incentive to give you advice that sounds true with minimal critical thinking “these women are whores who want me to be jacked and loaded,” which may seem true due to confirmation bias rather than “women are people who get into relationships for different reasons, maybe if I treat them as a person and use nuance, that will improve my outcomes.” Because that advice might actually get you to find someone, and that loses them a customer.

Another issue that we often fail to recognize is that dating discourse often takes place on social media platforms whose algorithms are designed around interactions. The best way to farm interactions and engagement is via publicity and controversy, which means that social media will rarely be a hotbed of nuanced and well reasoned takes and will instead be a mix of cynical garbage that’s meant to appeal to one ideological extreme and aggravate another.

At the end of the day we’re all humans who want to be loved because we’re social beings, however we have a fear of rejection and being hurt and we often come with scars from childhood or past relationships. There is no grand conspiracy, there is no quick method of success. Relationships take work and nuance because people are complicated. Condensing an eternal being into a tinder bio or a witty one liner while half drunk in the club is never going to be the solution to finding a partner any more than buying a Bugatti will be.

Peace and Love

[wellness-university]

How to Stay Organized as a Student

I always look forward to strolling down the bright white aisles of my local Target to pick up school supplies.

Shiny binders.

Pastel highlighters.

Smooth ballpoint pens.

But by the time October hits, my highlighters are out of my case and buried underneath various handouts I shoved in my backpack. I also can’t seem to find a single pencil anywhere. And I eventually lose the random pencils I pick up from the floor or “borrow” from my classmate.

At least, this used to be the case.

As a college senior, I’ve picked up a few tactics that'll help this scenario happen less and less.

Keyword: less.

No matter how organized you are, you will misplace something. It happens. But you can still minimize the chance of it happening often. 

So how do you stay organized as a student?

We need to take a look at all the areas in your life that need organizing: your school supplies, academic work, finances, and other non-negotiable items that vary from person to person.

School Supplies and Academic Work

The easiest way to keep your school supplies organized is to read your syllabi before your trip to Target so you don’t end up with more supplies than you need. The less you have, the less you need to worry about. 

Some students have found success working electronically from their iPad or laptop. This deserves its whole separate blog post, but luckily there are plenty of resources for electronic organization you can find on YouTube. 

If you’re like me and prefer writing your notes on paper, you should buy what your syllabi specifically asks you to. Once you’ve done that, here’s a list of other items to add to your cart:

- Pencil/pen case

- Pack of pencils

- Pack of pens

- At least 1 highlighter

- White-Out

- Calculator

- Backpack

Now, how do you stop the October crash from ruining your organization? Here's you answer:

You must create a routine for yourself to take things out when needed and put them back in their place after you’re done. 

For instance, you might take out your math binder and a pencil from your case. It’s important that you put these items back in your backpack when you’re done. But this doesn’t mean to throw your pencil in a random opening. You need to repeat the same steps you completed to take out your supplies. 

Put your pencil back in the case.

Close your pencil case.

Put your case back in its designated compartment in your backpack. 

Gently place your binder back in your backpack.

Close your backpack.

And for extra points: set your backpack somewhere so that you can easily grab it on the way to class.

Organizing Your Finances 

Keeping your finances organized is an amazing way to reduce unnecessary stress. One of the warmest welcomes into adulthood is that pretty plastic rectangle we refer to as a credit card.

One of the coldest welcomes into adulthood is paying your credit card bill.

The most important tip I have for college students is to open only one credit card. Since you’ve recently become an adult, building your credit (a record of your financial reliability) should start as soon as possible. This way, you’ll have an easier time for when you want to buy a house or a car because your credit score will be higher.

The better your credit score, the better chances you have at earning a deal worth your time.

If you want to build an excellent credit score, only use your credit card for purchases that you know you have the money for in your bank account. Then when it comes time to pay your monthly credit card bill, pay it off in full. 

This is mostly to avoid paying exorbitant interest rates. But your credit card company will see that you're responsible with your money and might even increase your card limit.

Along with your credit card, I recommend opening a second debit card. This debit card should be used for things like overpriced Starbucks drinks and stale dining hall food.

In other words, this card should only be used during the semester. 

The main goal of your second debit card is to set a budget for yourself during the semester. If you only want to spend $20 a week, then only keep $20 on there.

Your other debit card will be your home base that you can set up direct deposit for and use to send money to your other debit account.

Here’s a quick recap since that was a lot of information:

- Have a main debit card that you use for when you’re home

- Have a second debit card that you use for when you’re at school

- Apply for 1 credit card to start building your credit

This is a system I use to keep my money organized. My main debit card is used for things like depositing checks and paying subscriptions. My second debit card is used for buying small daily items during the semester. And my credit card is used for building my credit score (sort of like an extension of my main debit card).

General Tips

One issue I see busy students have is remembering appointments or meetings. Whether it’s your massage appointment or a work meeting with your boss, you should have a designated space to remember these events.

Lucky enough, most smartphones come with a calendar app that’ll notify you when it’s time for your appointment.

On my iPhone, I put any event in my calendar as soon as I’m made aware of it. If I don’t, I’ll most likely forget about it. This is how you can organize your meetings and appointments so you don't forget them.

For my notification settings, I have two reminders set for each event that’ll pop up on my Home Screen. The first comes two days before the event and the second comes two hours before. The reason I use these settings is because two days will give me enough time in advance to remember the appointment (especially if it’s made a few weeks ago). And it gives enough notice to the other party in case I need to cancel. I also use the two-hour notification so that I have enough time to get ready. 

Another skill I’ve started to utilize setting timers and alarms. When that two-hour notification goes off, here’s what I do:

- Take note of where I am and where I will be when it’s time to leave

- Check the traffic (if I need to drive anywhere)

- Set an alarm for when I have to start getting ready to leave

The alarm tells me when it’s time to GO! No stops and definitely no $200. 

Other than appointments, miscellaneous items can refer to different hobbies such as knitting. I can’t give advice on EVERYTHING that has to be organized because I may not know how to organize yarn the best way. So here are a few general tips that you can apply to any miscellaneous items:

- Keep a designated space for your items and only keep them in that space

- Invest in storage bins and make sure you label them

- Everything you take out must be put back in its spot

- Dedicate at least 10 minutes once a week to clean your space

- Set alarms and use timers to make sure that you’re not wasting time

Organizing your space and supplies is the best way to keep your mind clear. You’ll have more time to think about the task at hand instead of trying to find the supplies you need to do it. 

[thiseday1]

Master Crypto Trading: Your Path to Financial Freedom

Cryptocurrency trading has taken the world by storm, offering lucrative opportunities for those who understand its intricacies. Whether you're a beginner or someone looking to sharpen your trading skills, the Crypto Trading Academy is your ultimate resource. With a comprehensive member area and engaging video courses, this academy provides everything you need to succeed in the fast-paced world of crypto trading.

Why Learn Crypto Trading?

Cryptocurrency trading is more than just a trend—it's a skill that can transform your financial future. Here are some reasons why you should start your journey today:

1. High Income Potential

Crypto trading offers opportunities to earn significant returns by leveraging market trends. With the right knowledge, you can maximize your profits and minimize risks.

2. Independence

Trading empowers you to earn money from anywhere in the world. All you need is a laptop and an internet connection.

3. Future-Proof Skill

As the world becomes more digital, cryptocurrency is poised to play a larger role in the global economy. Learning to trade now prepares you for the financial world of tomorrow.

What Makes Crypto Trading Academy Unique?

There are countless resources available for learning crypto trading, but Crypto Trading Academy stands out because it offers:

🎓 Expert-Led Courses

Learn directly from industry experts with years of experience. The video courses are designed to cater to all levels, from complete beginners to advanced traders.

🔍 Comprehensive Member Area

Access exclusive tools, resources, and a supportive community to enhance your learning experience.

📈 Real-Life Trading Strategies

Learn strategies that work in real markets, helping you make informed decisions and stay ahead of the game.

What You’ll Learn

The courses at Crypto Trading Academy cover a wide range of topics, including:

Introduction to Cryptocurrency: Understand the basics of blockchain, wallets, and exchanges.

Technical Analysis: Learn to read charts and predict market movements.

Risk Management: Protect your capital and trade confidently.

Advanced Strategies: Dive into proven techniques used by professional traders.

👉 Ready to start your crypto trading journey?        Join Crypto Trading Academy Today!

Success Stories from Crypto Trading Academy

Thousands of students have already transformed their lives through the academy. Here’s what one of them had to say:

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Don’t Miss Out on This Opportunity

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[musicindustry1111]

Online Music Distribution Companies vs. Traditional Record Labels: What’s Best for You?

The music industry has experienced a seismic shift over the past two decades. What once revolved around traditional record labels now includes a growing number of online music distribution companies that empower artists to take control of their careers. These platforms have transformed the way music is shared, making it possible for independent artists to bypass traditional gatekeepers and distribute their tracks directly to listeners worldwide.

But how do these two approaches—online music distribution and record labels—compare? While record labels offer professional production, marketing, and networking opportunities, they often require artists to surrender a significant portion of their earnings and creative control. On the other hand, online music distribution companies provide cost-effective, accessible tools that allow artists to maintain independence. In this article, we’ll break down the differences between these two paths, helping you decide which one is the best fit for your musical journey.

What Are Traditional Record Labels?

Record labels have long been the backbone of the music industry. Companies like Universal Music Group and Sony Music provide artists with the resources to record, produce, and promote their music.

Pros of Traditional Record Labels:

Professional Resources: Access to high-quality studios, producers, and engineers.

Marketing Power: Established networks for promoting music through radio, TV, and digital platforms.

Industry Connections: Opportunities to collaborate with top-tier artists and access to major events.

Cons of Traditional Record Labels:

Loss of Creative Control: Labels often have the final say on what gets released and how it’s marketed.

Profit Sharing: Artists typically earn a small percentage of their music’s revenue after production, distribution, and promotional costs are deducted.

High Competition: Securing a deal with a label is notoriously difficult, with only a fraction of artists gaining entry.

How Online Music Distribution Companies Work

Unlike traditional labels, online music distribution companies allow artists to independently upload and share their music across platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.

Pros of Online Music Distribution Companies:

Cost-Effective: Many platforms offer affordable or even free options for distribution.

Full Control: Artists retain ownership of their work and can make decisions about release dates, marketing strategies, and more.

Direct Royalties: Musicians receive a larger share of their earnings, with minimal deductions.

Global Reach: These platforms make it easy to distribute music to a worldwide audience with just a few clicks.

Cons of Online Music Distribution Companies:

DIY Marketing: Artists are responsible for promoting their own music.

No Advance Payments: Unlike labels, distribution platforms don’t provide upfront funding for production or promotion.

Limited Industry Access: Artists may miss out on networking opportunities that come with label support.

Examples of Leading Platforms: Platforms like TuneCore, DistroKid, and Deliver My Tune offer streamlined services that allow musicians to release tracks effortlessly. Each platform has unique features, making it important to choose one that aligns with your goals.

Key Differences Between the Two Approaches

AspectRecord LabelsOnline Music Distribution CompaniesOwnershipLabels often own the music rights.Artists retain full ownership of their work.RevenueArtists receive a smaller percentage.Artists keep a majority of their earnings.Creative FreedomLimited, as labels influence the process.Full creative control for the artist.CostLabels cover costs but take a large cut.Affordable or free options for distribution.Audience ReachDependent on the label’s reach.Global reach across multiple platforms.

Success Stories: Record Labels vs. Independent Distribution

Record labels have produced global superstars like Beyoncé and Drake, showcasing the power of professional marketing and production. However, many rising stars are finding success through independent distribution.

For example, Chance the Rapper gained widespread recognition without a label, relying on digital platforms and his grassroots marketing efforts. Similarly, Billie Eilish started her journey by uploading music to online platforms before becoming a household name. These examples highlight the effectiveness of online music distribution companies in empowering independent artists.

When to Choose a Record Label

A record label might be the right choice if:

You want access to significant financial resources for production and marketing.

You’re seeking guidance and connections within the industry.

You’re willing to share creative control in exchange for exposure and support.

When to Opt for Online Music Distribution

An online distribution platform is ideal if:

You prefer to maintain full ownership of your work.

You have a DIY approach to marketing and promotion.

You’re looking for cost-effective options to share your music with the world.

Platforms like Deliver My Tune are especially helpful for artists seeking transparency and independence. They provide the tools you need to manage your career while staying true to your vision.

Conclusion The choice between online music distribution companies and traditional record labels depends on your goals, resources, and vision as an artist. If you’re looking for global reach, affordability, and creative control, platforms like TuneCore, DistroKid, and Deliver My Tune offer a fantastic solution. These services empower musicians to share their work widely while retaining ownership and maximizing earnings.

On the other hand, if you value professional support, industry connections, and access to large-scale marketing resources, a record label might be the better fit. Each path has its unique advantages, and the best choice will depend on what you prioritize most as a musician.

In today’s music industry, artists have more options than ever before. Whether you’re just starting out or seeking new opportunities, exploring both approaches can help you chart the best course for your career.

[devopssentinel]

Imagine this: you're leading a small team of bright-eyed, bushy-tailed DevOps engineers, fresh out of the coding trenches and eager to make their mark on the world. But there's a catch. Your budget is tighter than a pair of skinny jeans on a sumo wrestler, and the pressure to cut costs is relentless. Welcome to the high-stakes world of lean DevOps, where resourcefulness and ingenuity are your most valuable currencies. It's like being asked to build a rocket ship with a budget that barely covers a bicycle. But fear not, my fellow DevOps leader! This challenge, while daunting, is also an incredible opportunity. It's a chance to foster growth, build a strong and resilient team, and achieve remarkable results, all while proving that you can do more with less. The Mentor's Mantle: Guiding Your Junior Squad Leading a junior team is like being a shepherd guiding a flock of eager but inexperienced sheep. They're full of energy and enthusiasm, but they need your guidance to navigate the treacherous terrain of the DevOps landscape. Your leadership role takes on a new dimension: mentorship. Think of yourself as a Jedi Master, imparting your wisdom and experience to your Padawans. Invest time in guiding them, sharing your hard-earned knowledge, and empowering them to grow. Encourage pair programming, where they can learn from each other and build camaraderie. Conduct code reviews, not just to catch bugs, but to teach best practices and foster a sense of shared responsibility. Organize knowledge-sharing sessions where your team can present their learnings, discuss challenges, and brainstorm solutions together. Create a safe space for them to ask questions, make mistakes, and learn from their experiences. But mentorship isn't just about teaching; it's also about trust. Don't micromanage your team. Delegate tasks, provide clear expectations, and then step back and let them shine. This builds confidence, fosters ownership, and allows your team to develop their own problem-solving skills. And even with a limited budget, prioritize learning opportunities. Explore free online courses, encourage participation in open-source projects, and foster a culture of continuous learning. Remember, investing in your team's growth is an investment in your own success. Automation: Your Secret Weapon in the Resource War In the world of lean DevOps, automation is your secret weapon, your Excalibur in the battle against limited resources. By automating repetitive tasks, you free up your team to focus on higher-value activities, like solving complex problems, innovating new solutions, and maybe even grabbing a coffee break once in a while. Embrace the power of Infrastructure as Code (IaC). Tools like Terraform or CloudFormation allow you to automate infrastructure provisioning and management, transforming complex configurations into lines of code. This not only reduces manual effort and the potential for human error but also ensures consistency and repeatability across your environments. Build robust CI/CD pipelines that automate the build, testing, and deployment processes. This accelerates delivery, improves software quality, and frees your team from the drudgery of manual deployments. Don't forget about monitoring and alerting. Set up automated systems to proactively identify and address issues before they impact your users. This minimizes downtime, reduces the need for manual intervention, and allows your team to sleep soundly at night. Cloud Cost Optimization: Stretching Your Budget Further With the pressure to cut costs constantly looming, cloud cost optimization becomes a critical skill. It's like being a chef in a Michelin-star restaurant with a grocery store budget – you need to create magic with limited ingredients. Start by analyzing your resource utilization. Are you overprovisioning? Are there instances running idle? Right-size your resources to match your actual needs, and don't be afraid to experiment with different instance types to find the most cost-effective options. Explore the world of spot instances for non-critical workloads or tasks that can tolerate interruptions. These instances come at a significantly lower cost and can dramatically reduce your compute expenses. If you have predictable workloads, consider reserved instances or savings plans. Committing to long-term usage can unlock substantial discounts and provide predictable costs. And don't forget about the power of cost monitoring and analysis tools. Cloud providers offer built-in cost management tools, and there are also third-party solutions that can help you track spending, identify cost drivers, and optimize your cloud usage. Open Source: The Lean DevOps Best Friend Open source tools and technologies are a lifeline for teams with limited budgets. It's like having a community garden where you can access fresh, high-quality produce without breaking the bank. Embrace the power of open source and tap into the collective wisdom of the community. Explore open-source alternatives to commercial software. From monitoring tools like Prometheus and Grafana to CI/CD platforms like Jenkins, there's a wealth of open-source options available that can rival the functionality of their commercial counterparts. But open source is more than just free software; it's about community. Tap into the knowledge and experience of the open-source community. Participate in forums, attend meetups, and seek guidance from experienced users. You'll be amazed by the generosity and willingness to help that you'll find. Cultivating a Culture of Innovation Even with limited resources, foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. Encourage your team to experiment, explore new technologies, and challenge the status quo. It's like being a small band with a limited set of instruments – you need to be creative and resourceful to create amazing music. Organize hackathons or innovation days where your team can unleash their creativity, experiment with new ideas, and build prototypes. This not only fosters innovation but also builds team spirit and a sense of shared purpose. Promote continuous learning and experimentation with new technologies. The DevOps landscape is constantly evolving, and your team needs to stay ahead of the curve. Encourage them to explore new tools, attend conferences, and participate in online communities. Finally, remember the importance of feedback and retrospectives. Encourage regular feedback sessions where your team can openly discuss challenges, identify areas for improvement, and celebrate successes. This creates a culture of continuous learning and helps you optimize your processes over time. Leading a junior DevOps team with a tight budget under high pressure is undoubtedly challenging. But it's also an incredible opportunity to build a strong, resourceful, and highly effective team. By embracing mentorship, automation, cost optimization, open source, and a culture of continuous improvement, you can survive and thrive in this demanding environment. Remember, constraints breed creativity, and limitations can be the catalyst for extraordinary achievements. Read the full article

[devopssentinel2000]

Imagine this: you're leading a small team of bright-eyed, bushy-tailed DevOps engineers, fresh out of the coding trenches and eager to make their mark on the world. But there's a catch. Your budget is tighter than a pair of skinny jeans on a sumo wrestler, and the pressure to cut costs is relentless. Welcome to the high-stakes world of lean DevOps, where resourcefulness and ingenuity are your most valuable currencies. It's like being asked to build a rocket ship with a budget that barely covers a bicycle. But fear not, my fellow DevOps leader! This challenge, while daunting, is also an incredible opportunity. It's a chance to foster growth, build a strong and resilient team, and achieve remarkable results, all while proving that you can do more with less. The Mentor's Mantle: Guiding Your Junior Squad Leading a junior team is like being a shepherd guiding a flock of eager but inexperienced sheep. They're full of energy and enthusiasm, but they need your guidance to navigate the treacherous terrain of the DevOps landscape. Your leadership role takes on a new dimension: mentorship. Think of yourself as a Jedi Master, imparting your wisdom and experience to your Padawans. Invest time in guiding them, sharing your hard-earned knowledge, and empowering them to grow. Encourage pair programming, where they can learn from each other and build camaraderie. Conduct code reviews, not just to catch bugs, but to teach best practices and foster a sense of shared responsibility. Organize knowledge-sharing sessions where your team can present their learnings, discuss challenges, and brainstorm solutions together. Create a safe space for them to ask questions, make mistakes, and learn from their experiences. But mentorship isn't just about teaching; it's also about trust. Don't micromanage your team. Delegate tasks, provide clear expectations, and then step back and let them shine. This builds confidence, fosters ownership, and allows your team to develop their own problem-solving skills. And even with a limited budget, prioritize learning opportunities. Explore free online courses, encourage participation in open-source projects, and foster a culture of continuous learning. Remember, investing in your team's growth is an investment in your own success. Automation: Your Secret Weapon in the Resource War In the world of lean DevOps, automation is your secret weapon, your Excalibur in the battle against limited resources. By automating repetitive tasks, you free up your team to focus on higher-value activities, like solving complex problems, innovating new solutions, and maybe even grabbing a coffee break once in a while. Embrace the power of Infrastructure as Code (IaC). Tools like Terraform or CloudFormation allow you to automate infrastructure provisioning and management, transforming complex configurations into lines of code. This not only reduces manual effort and the potential for human error but also ensures consistency and repeatability across your environments. Build robust CI/CD pipelines that automate the build, testing, and deployment processes. This accelerates delivery, improves software quality, and frees your team from the drudgery of manual deployments. Don't forget about monitoring and alerting. Set up automated systems to proactively identify and address issues before they impact your users. This minimizes downtime, reduces the need for manual intervention, and allows your team to sleep soundly at night. Cloud Cost Optimization: Stretching Your Budget Further With the pressure to cut costs constantly looming, cloud cost optimization becomes a critical skill. It's like being a chef in a Michelin-star restaurant with a grocery store budget – you need to create magic with limited ingredients. Start by analyzing your resource utilization. Are you overprovisioning? Are there instances running idle? Right-size your resources to match your actual needs, and don't be afraid to experiment with different instance types to find the most cost-effective options. Explore the world of spot instances for non-critical workloads or tasks that can tolerate interruptions. These instances come at a significantly lower cost and can dramatically reduce your compute expenses. If you have predictable workloads, consider reserved instances or savings plans. Committing to long-term usage can unlock substantial discounts and provide predictable costs. And don't forget about the power of cost monitoring and analysis tools. Cloud providers offer built-in cost management tools, and there are also third-party solutions that can help you track spending, identify cost drivers, and optimize your cloud usage. Open Source: The Lean DevOps Best Friend Open source tools and technologies are a lifeline for teams with limited budgets. It's like having a community garden where you can access fresh, high-quality produce without breaking the bank. Embrace the power of open source and tap into the collective wisdom of the community. Explore open-source alternatives to commercial software. From monitoring tools like Prometheus and Grafana to CI/CD platforms like Jenkins, there's a wealth of open-source options available that can rival the functionality of their commercial counterparts. But open source is more than just free software; it's about community. Tap into the knowledge and experience of the open-source community. Participate in forums, attend meetups, and seek guidance from experienced users. You'll be amazed by the generosity and willingness to help that you'll find. Cultivating a Culture of Innovation Even with limited resources, foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. Encourage your team to experiment, explore new technologies, and challenge the status quo. It's like being a small band with a limited set of instruments – you need to be creative and resourceful to create amazing music. Organize hackathons or innovation days where your team can unleash their creativity, experiment with new ideas, and build prototypes. This not only fosters innovation but also builds team spirit and a sense of shared purpose. Promote continuous learning and experimentation with new technologies. The DevOps landscape is constantly evolving, and your team needs to stay ahead of the curve. Encourage them to explore new tools, attend conferences, and participate in online communities. Finally, remember the importance of feedback and retrospectives. Encourage regular feedback sessions where your team can openly discuss challenges, identify areas for improvement, and celebrate successes. This creates a culture of continuous learning and helps you optimize your processes over time. Leading a junior DevOps team with a tight budget under high pressure is undoubtedly challenging. But it's also an incredible opportunity to build a strong, resourceful, and highly effective team. By embracing mentorship, automation, cost optimization, open source, and a culture of continuous improvement, you can survive and thrive in this demanding environment. Remember, constraints breed creativity, and limitations can be the catalyst for extraordinary achievements. Read the full article

[telugutraderaj]

Best Option Selling Strategy in 2024 | Bank Nifty | Telugu Trader AJ

Hello, traders! Are you ready to master the best option selling strategy for 2024? In this detailed video, I break down how you can consistently earn profits using option selling in Bank Nifty. If you're looking for a reliable, risk-managed approach to trading options, this strategy is for you!

Watch the Full Video Here:

Click Here

Why This Strategy is a Game-Changer:

High Probability of Success: Selling options has a higher win rate compared to buying, and this strategy capitalizes on that, helping you lock in consistent gains.

Risk Management: Learn how to manage risk effectively while selling options. I’ll show you how to protect your capital and limit potential losses, even in volatile markets.

Bank Nifty Focus: This strategy is tailored specifically for Bank Nifty, one of the most traded indices in India. You’ll understand how to take advantage of its price movements and volatility to generate steady income.

Simple and Practical Approach: This isn't just theory—I'll be showing you real trades, breaking down how you can apply the strategy in your daily trading routine, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced trader.

Key Takeaways:

Understand Market Trends: Learn how to read and analyze market trends to know when to enter and exit option selling positions.

Strike Price Selection: I explain the process of selecting the right strike price to maximize profits and minimize risks.

Adjustments During Market Movements: I’ll walk you through how to adjust your positions when the market moves unexpectedly, keeping your profits safe.

Who Should Watch:

Beginner Traders: If you are new to options trading, this video will provide you with a simple and effective strategy to start selling options with confidence.

Experienced Traders: For those who have been trading options but are looking to refine their approach, this strategy offers insights into improving profitability with minimal risks.

Become Part of Telugu Trader AJ’s Community:

Don’t miss out on more valuable trading tips, strategies, and live trading sessions! Subscribe to my YouTube channel and join the growing community of successful traders.

Hashtags: #OptionSelling #BankNifty #TeluguTrader #OptionsTrading2024 #StockMarketTelugu #DayTradingTelugu #WealthCreation #RiskManagement #TradingTipsTelugu #TradingIntelugu #StockMarketTips

If you want to succeed in 2024 with option selling, this is the strategy you need to master. Let’s make this year a profitable one together!

Watch the Full Video Now: Click Here

[investmentguide777]

Join the Crypto Platform Trusted by Top Investors for Explosive Growth

UCFX Markets, one of the fastest-growing cryptocurrency trading platforms, is now trusted by top investors for its unparalleled ability to deliver explosive growth in the fast-moving crypto space. Known for its advanced AI-driven trading solutions, UCFX Markets has gained the confidence of investors who are looking to maximize their returns while minimizing the risks associated with the volatile crypto markets.

As the global adoption of cryptocurrency accelerates, traders need reliable platforms that allow them to stay ahead of market trends. UCFX Markets offers the perfect solution, with cutting-edge AI technology that allows both beginner and expert traders to profit from market movements, all while enjoying a seamless user experience.

A Platform That Delivers on Growth

The cryptocurrency market is renowned for its volatility, creating both challenges and opportunities for investors. UCFX Markets addresses this challenge by offering an AI-powered platform that operates 24/7, analyzing market data in real-time and executing trades at optimal moments to maximize returns.

“Investors are always looking for ways to generate higher returns while reducing risk, and that’s exactly what we offer with UCFX Markets,” said the CEO. “Our platform is designed to identify growth opportunities in real-time, and our users are seeing the benefits. Whether you’re looking for short-term gains or long-term wealth accumulation, UCFX Markets gives you the tools you need to succeed.”

Key Features of UCFX Markets

AI-Driven Trading Solutions: UCFX Markets uses advanced AI algorithms that constantly monitor and analyze market data to make real-time trading decisions. This ensures that users can capitalize on profitable opportunities without the need to manually track the market.

24/7 Trading Access: With cryptocurrency markets never sleeping, it’s essential to have a platform that operates around the clock. UCFX Markets ensures that your trades are executed at the best times, whether you're actively watching the market or not.

Risk Management Tools: Successful trading requires careful risk management, and UCFX Markets provides customizable risk management features. Users can set their own stop-loss and profit-taking thresholds, allowing them to protect their investments while maximizing growth potential.

User-Friendly Interface: Even though it’s powered by cutting-edge technology, UCFX Markets is designed to be easy to use for traders of all experience levels. With a simple and intuitive interface, users can easily set up and manage their trading strategies.

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[amymedbiller]

Mastering the Medical Billing and Coding Test: Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Success

Introduction Mastering the⁢ medical billing and coding test is essential for anyone looking to pursue a ⁤career ​in the healthcare industry. ⁢Whether ‍you are a student studying to become a ⁣medical ⁤coder or biller,​ or a professional looking to advance your career, passing ⁢the medical billing ⁢and coding‍ test is a crucial step towards success. In this comprehensive ‍guide,‌ we will provide you with valuable⁤ tips, tricks, ⁢and strategies to⁢ help you ⁤ace the medical billing and coding test with confidence.

Benefits of Mastering ​the Medical ‍Billing ⁣and Coding Test Before we delve into tips and ⁢strategies, let’s first understand the benefits of mastering⁣ the medical billing and coding test:

1. Job Opportunities: Passing ​the medical billing and coding test opens up a wide range of job‌ opportunities ‌in‌ the healthcare industry, including ⁣hospitals, ‍clinics, insurance ⁣companies, and more.

2. Higher Salary: Certified ‍medical ⁣coders and ⁢billers ⁣typically earn higher ‌salaries than non-certified professionals. By mastering​ the test, you can increase your earning⁤ potential.

3. Professional Recognition: Becoming certified in medical‍ billing​ and⁢ coding⁣ demonstrates ⁣your expertise and commitment to the profession, ​leading to⁢ greater ⁣credibility‍ and recognition in the industry.

Now that we understand the benefits,⁤ let’s move on to tips, tricks, ⁤and strategies ⁣for success in the⁢ medical billing and coding test.

Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for ⁣Success 1. Understand ⁢the Test‍ Format: Familiarize yourself with ⁣the ​format of the medical billing ‍and coding test, including the number of questions, sections, and time limits. This will help ⁤you manage your time effectively during the test.

2. ⁣Study the Material: Review⁣ all‌ relevant material, including medical terminology, anatomy, coding guidelines, and billing procedures. Consider using⁢ study⁣ guides,⁢ textbooks,‍ online resources,‌ and practice tests to reinforce ⁤your knowledge.

3. Practice Regularly: Practice makes perfect. Complete practice questions and quizzes ⁣to test your knowledge and improve your speed and accuracy⁢ in coding ​and billing.

4. ‍Focus on‍ Key Concepts: Identify key concepts⁤ and topics that are​ frequently tested ⁤in the exam, such as ICD-10-CM, CPT, HCPCS Level⁢ II codes, and reimbursement methodologies. Pay⁢ special⁢ attention to these areas during your study sessions.

5. Take Breaks: Don’t forget to​ take short breaks during your study sessions to rest and recharge. This will ⁣help you retain information better and stay focused.

6. Time Management: Develop a time management strategy for the⁢ test. Pace yourself‌ during the exam and​ allocate enough time⁢ for each section to ensure you complete all questions within the allotted time.

7. Eliminate Distractions: Find a quiet ​and comfortable study space free of distractions. Minimize interruptions to maximize your focus and ⁤concentration.

8.‌ Seek Support: Don’t⁢ hesitate ⁤to seek​ support from instructors, peers, or online communities if you have​ questions or need clarification ‌on certain topics. Collaboration can‍ enhance ‌your understanding and retention of‍ the material.

Now,⁤ let’s hear from professionals who have successfully mastered ⁣the medical billing⁣ and coding test.

Case Studies: First-Hand Experience Sarah, a certified⁣ medical coder, shares‌ her ‍experience mastering the medical ⁢billing and coding test:

“I dedicated several months to studying for the ⁣medical coding exam. I followed a strict study ‌schedule, practiced regularly, and sought ​help from experienced coders when I needed clarification.‍ By focusing on key concepts and taking practice tests, I passed ⁤the⁤ exam with flying colors. My certification has ‍opened⁤ up many⁣ job opportunities and increased my earning potential‍ in the healthcare industry.”

Conclusion Mastering the medical billing and coding test‌ requires dedication, practice,⁣ and strategic preparation. ‌By following the​ tips, tricks, and strategies provided in this guide, you can approach the test with confidence and ‍achieve success. Remember to study the material thoroughly, practice⁢ regularly, ‍and​ seek ‌support ​when needed. With diligence and perseverance, you can ace the medical billing and coding test and pave the way for a rewarding career in ⁢healthcare. Good luck!

https://schoolsformedicalbilling.org/mastering-the-medical-billing-and-coding-test-tips-tricks-and-strategies-for-success/