#examples of installment loans

[paiawon]

from november 2023 to may 2024 at villa caffarelli, part of the capitoline museums, an exhibit entirely dedicated to phidias, the famous sculptor behind the parthenon and the chrysoelephantine colossi of the athena parthenos and zeus of olympia.

the exhibit is composed of a selection of more than 100 works, from archaeological finds to paintings and manuscripts narrating the life and work of the artisan, with the support of reconstructions, multimedia installations and digital content.

the exhibition is the first of a series of five exhibitions, "i grandi maestri della grecia antica". in addition with the artworks coming from museums in rome and other italian institutions, the exhibit contains some extraordinary loans, items that have never left their museum premises, as for example two fragments from the parthenon frieze, from the acropolis museum in athens.

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[natolesims]

MY HEART IS YOURS | A Sims 4 Legacy Challenge

Written by @natolesims AKA @dustbon

I did a thing! This challenge is based on the mexican telenovela "Mi Corazón es Tuyo" (My Heart is Yours) where the main character, an exotic dancer, ends up working as a nanny for a millionaire by accident. I used to watch it every single afternoon with my abuelita and since I was feeling nostalgic, this challenge came to life. Hehe.

This is a 10 gen, story-driven challenge with detailed objectives and dynamics for each generation. I hope you like it! I'd love to see if you play it, so feel free to tag me or use #myheartisyourslegacy

Rules under the cut! Or if you prefer it, here's the Google Doc~

NOTES AND GENERAL RULES

Adult themes are included in some generations. You’ve been warned.

There might be some aspects of the gameplay that might not be included in the game by default (for example, earning money as a nanny or a dancer). If you play with mods, feel free to use how many you’d like to enhance the experience! 

Alternatively, you can always make your own twist and interpretation of the challenge, its features and rules. It’s your gameplay, so have fun and do your thing!

Since the story revolves around wealthy families, I’d suggest to create / download  some rich sims or households if you’d like to have more options.

You can skip, add new or change the order of the generations.

No cheats allowed besides freerealestate or funds modification (according to some situations)

I created this challenge considering multiple aspects of the game and its DLCs. If you’d like to change or substitute something, go ahead!

Each generation is a bit specific, so I’d suggest to play on normal / long lifespan or pause aging whenever you consider necessary.

Again, have fun!!

GEN 1 - THE NANNY

You are an orphan who learned to survive on your own at a very young age. After years of working as an exotic dancer you finally managed to buy your own little house, but you lost everything unexpectedly. In an act of desperation, you asked for a large loan from your horrible boss who has you trapped in their grasp and  the money they gave you is still not enough to get by... so you signed up into an employment agency to get the expense off the ground. As if it weren’t enough, they mixed up your papers and now you've been hired as a… babysitter? Are you kidding? Welp, thank goodness you love children.

Traits: Good, Family-Oriented, Loyal

Aspiration: Super Parent / Big Happy Family

Skills: Max dancing,  charisma and parenting 

Job: Make-believe nanny and part-time exotic dancer. 

Rules:

Move to an empty house and set your funds to 0.

Alternatively: Move to a furnished home and destroy everything through an "incident" (you can cheat for this) and break all the plumbing. You can’t fix those items, only replace them after you get your loan money.

Have a night job as an exotic dancer in a local club. None of your day job clients should recognize you while you’re working at the club, and vice-versa.

If you have mods that fit this situation, feel free to use them! Save the tips you earn :) 

If you play this vanilla, disguise your sim and send them dancing to a club each night. You'll earn $200 per day if performance.

Ask the nightclub owner (your boss) for a loan of $8,000 simoleons. You’ll have to keep dancing there until:

A) You earn the money and pay your debt, or

B) You’ve been working in the club for 1 in-game year, but then you can’t keep the money you’ve earned from dancing.

Optional: Consider paying $1,000 for a renovation permit and another $1,000 for plumbing and electrical installation per story.

Start a day job as a nanny. You’ll earn $300 per family.

To do so: Meet sims with children and visit them often to take care of the kids. You can only help one family per day.

Alternatively: You can choose a particular household to be working for. The wealthier and more kids, the better.

Give your sim the always welcome trait so you won’t have issues with cooking and stuff. 

For super wealthy families: You can build a room for yourself in their homes or use the visit room if they have one, but you can’t move your sim into their households at all. You’ll still have to work at the club at night and work on rebuilding your little home. 

Befriend all the kids of the families you’ve worked for.

Fall in love with the head of family of the wealthiest household that hired you. To marry your potential spouse, you must:

End paying the nightclub debt

Finish rebuilding your house again :)

Become friends with the live-in services, if they have (butler, chef, maid, gardener, etc.)

Max your friendly relationship with each kid the love interest has. Only then you can start building a romantic relationship with them.

If they already have a spouse, make them your enemy and have the love interest divorce them. 

Have as many own kids as you can. 

GEN 2 - A GROOVY GRANDPA

You come from a rich family that cares for its wealth with fervor. You did everything your parents and your parents' parents taught you: work hard, make money, have an heir and make even more money. You always felt that working was the only purpose of your life… but now that you are older, you realized how wrong you were. Now that you're old, loades, and your family can fend for themselves, you have the opportunity to do everything you couldn't in your youth.

Traits: Materialistic, ambitious, loner.

Aspiration: 1) Mansion Baron and 2) Inner Peace

Skills: All the skills needed for the career of your choice, mixology, dancing, wellness and a hobby of your choice (as an elder).

Job: Business (Investor Branch) or Salaryperson (Expert Branch)

Rules:

Go to university and get a degree that’ll help you get a jump start on the career of your choice (options above).

University can be tedious and long to play, so I’d suggest using a mod that makes the terms shorter :)

Reach the top of your career as a young adult. 

Marry a wealthy sim out of tradition and have only one child. That’s our heir.

Have a so-so relationship with your kid and your spouse.

Your spouse should die as an adult (you can cheat for this).

Focus on making all the money you can while being an adult. If you can get fame points while you’re at it, perfect.

Once you reach elderhood, have a life crisis and embrace a new “you”.

Change your traits to: Romantic, adventurous and goofball.

Change your aspiration to: Inner Peace.

I’d strongly suggest to turn aging off so you won’t die of old age.

Enjoy life! Be self-indulgent, go partying, pick up new hobbies, make new friends, visit new places. 

Try getting the emotional mindful moodlet often.

Find true love with a humble sim significantly younger than you. 

The next heir must disapprove your new relationship.

Have a child through pregnancy or adoption with your new partner. Move out of the family home and go live with your new little family.

Focus on being an excellent parent and spoil the little one rotten until the last of your days. 

GEN 3 - THE WORKAHOLIC

Your father lost it and messed up his life's direction... and stained the family’s values. You carry your last name with pride and you’re determined to put it back to its former glory by doing what you do best: working. You will rescue the company that your father nearly ruined, return wealth and good fortune to your family and lead an exemplary life, whatever it’s the cost. Your children constantly complain about how absent and cold you are, but they are too young to understand the importance of your priorities. They will thank you one day.

Traits: Proper, Ambitious, Perfectionist.

Aspiration: Fabulously Wealthy

Skills: All the skills needed for your career only. You’re not interested in anything else.

Job: Business (Management Branch)

Rules:

Always excel as a student.

Don't have a social life.

All sims you meet (except the future spouse) must stay as acquaintances.

Always turn down any kind of social invite.

Never throw a party of any sort.

Never celebrate a birthday, not even your own. 

Go to university and study communications at U-Brite. At uni you must:

Enter the secret society.

Enter the debate guild.

Graduate with honors.

Meet the love of your life during your time as a student. Your spouse must:

Have good traits only.

Belong to a wealthy family.

You can only marry if you have a full romance bar.

Also: no woohoo before marriage!

You two must live in the family home / manor. Refurnish it with  expensive items, fine art and decorations if it isn’t.

Have a butler. If you play with mods, also have all sorts of live-in services. If not, hire a scheduled gardening, maid and nanny service via the phone.

Don’t have any kind of pets. Not even fish.

Fill up your sim's fun need by doing "boring activities". For example:

Only listen to the talk radio and classical music stations.

Only watch the news and the weather channel.

Don't tell jokes.

The only game your sim can play is chess.

Only read non-fiction or skill books.

You get the idea by now :)

Dedicate your entire existence to your career, completing your aspiration and your loving partner.

Earn fame points through situations or interactions related to your career only.

Get the workaholic lifestyle and live accordingly.

Have as many children as you can with your spouse. After the last family slot is taken, your spouse has to die unexpectedly (you can cheat for this)

After your spouse's demise, change two of your traits to: Hot headed and gloomy.

Have a rocky relationship with all of your children:

Try to limit your interactions with your children. Have the helping sims (butler and nanny) take care of them.

Develop the strict family dynamic with every single child.

All of your kids must be top students and gain the good manners character value trait.

Your kids must have a tight schedule: School, after-school activities, homework time, limited playtime, music lessons (for girls), sport lessons (for boys) and early bedtime. If they develop a dislike for an activity, accept it but they’ll have to do it anyway.

Marry a co-worker as an adult, but do not love them. On the contrary to your loving spouse, they must only have negative traits. Bonus points if they have the hates children trait.

Start a recurrent affair with one of your service sims.

The next generation starts when the heir is a teen. 

GEN 4 - THE INDECISIVE ROMANTIC

You grew up in a large family that seemed more like a military company. Being the smartest of all your siblings, your father always sought to train you in such a way that you would take his place when time comes, but you don't want to be remotely like him. You are still young and you have enough time to change the course of things. You want adventure, you want love, you want happiness and wealth… but the pursuit of hedonism may not help you make the smartest decisions.

Traits: Genius, bookworm, snob

Aspiration: 1) Nerd brain 2) Serial Romantic

Skills: Logic, writing, research and debate, fitness

Job: Law career (Private Attorney Branch)

Rules:

Be the typical nerdy teen. Embrace the stereotype at its fullest.

Always excel in school 

Complete the nerd brain aspiration as a teenager.

Frequent intellectual lots like libraries and museums.

If you can, become a valedictorian and/or achieve early graduation.

Start a romantic, toxic relationship with the first sim who is constantly rude to you.

Your sim has to still be a teen.

Break-up and get together again frequently.

Enter the U-Brite Communications program as your parent did, but drop out shortly after. You want something else in life. 

Improve your physical appearance and start working out. After your makeover, change your bookworm trait for the self-absorbed trait. 

Move out on your own, live the party life and date around! But keep coming back to your toxic ex.

Don’t have any source of income after moving out.

Have an accidental pregnancy with your ex, but don’t take responsibility for the baby. 

Have another accidental pregnancy with one of your affairs, and also don’t take responsibility. 

This other sim must have the good or cheerful trait.

After spending all your simoleons on parties and vice and, go back to the family home and enter the Law career to become a private attorney. 

After getting your life in order again, look for your previous partners and decide to take care after the kids they had with you. 

Don’t have any more kids after that.

Start building up both romantic relationships again, but keep them in the shadows from one another. Never make a final decision.

Write books as a hobby, but only publish: non-fiction, poetry and biography books.

The least disciplined child will be the heir.

GEN 5 - THE ADVENTURER

You grew up in a millionaire family that has everything you could imagine, but somehow you always felt like you didn't belong to it. There is a certain indomitable spirit of adventure within yourself and when you came of age, you decided to fully embrace it. Your parent disapproves and would rather have you not prefer an unstable life of artistic adventure to the safety of a well-established profession... but he has no place to tell a you a thing, knowing the kind of life he led in his young years. Leaving all the responsibility of the house and the family business to your half-brother, you packed your bags and took the first plane to the jungle.

Traits: Active, creative, loves outdoors.

Aspiration: 1) Jungle Explorer 2) Mt. Komorebi Sightseer, 3) Beach Life and 4) Archaeology Scholar.

Skill: Selvadorian Culture, Archaeology, Fishing, Fitness, Singing and Guitar.

Job: Freelance photographer.

Rules:

Always be a laid back, cool type of person. 

Frequent museums and parks as a kid and teenager.

Once you graduate high-school, travel the world to become a nature photographer! Think of a globetrotter-ish kind of generation:

1: Selvadorada. 

Build a luxurious villa as your jungle home (you’re still a millionaire, so no problem with this). You’ll frequent it a lot during the generation.

Complete the Jungle Explorer Aspiration.

Once you reach level 2 of the photography skill, you can travel to the next destination:

2: Mt. Komorebi

Complete the Mt. Komorebi Sightseer Aspiration.

Visit each festival.

Once you reach level 3 of the photography skill, you can travel to the next destination:

3: Sulani

Complete the Beach Life Aspiration

Max the fishing skill.

Max the photography skill.

Be a flirt and have multiple lovers across the worlds, but find true love with one in particular.

Optional 1: have this sim travel with you as a companion.

Optional 2: have your half-brother fall in love with them as well.

Complete 3 collections of your choice.

Become famous by publishing your photographs.

After ending your stay in Sulani, your half brother must die (you can cheat for this). You’ll have to go back to the family home and take care of the generational fortune.

Keep traveling often to Selvadorada, the world you like the most. Work on completing the Archaeology Scholar Aspiration during your short visits. 

Decide to settle down with the sim you fell in love with and form a family of your own. 

Have lots of children.                                     

GEN 6 - THE STAR

You don't understand the tendency of past family heads to get rid of a life full of all sorts of comfort. Dirt? Ew. Luxury and fame are everything to you, but since you were young you had a problem with your appearance and awkward personality. But you know what? That is going to change. You are not interested in a boring company or looking for love: you just want to shine as bright as the sun.

Traits: Self-absorbed, materialistic, high-maintenance.

Aspiration: World-Famous celebrity.

Skills: Charisma, mischief, acting.

Job: Social Media (Internet Personality), Actor (optional)

Rules:

Be the “ugly duckling” of the family while growing up. 

Have the socially awkward trait as a teen.

Have your first puppy love as a pre-teen / teenager, but be heartbroken. Never believe in true love after that. 

Have a bad relationship with every single family member. 

Move out on your own to a luxurious home as soon as you become a young adult and cut ties with the rest of the family, previous friends and acquaintances. You’re on your own now. 

Have a radical image change after becoming independent.

Enter and reach the top of the Social Media career as an Internet Personality. Only then you can enter the Actor career if you wish. 

You can only actively work as a Young Adult.

Start building your own fortune through fame and gold-digging. 

Have an accidental pregnancy and use it to your convenience. Keep the baby. 

Never develop the parenting skill

Have a bad relationship with your kid

Mold your child to your image. They must be conventionally beautiful.

Your child must be well educated and skilled, but have terrible character value traits.

If you marry, become a widow everyone shows their sympathy to. Keep being a gold digger after that and never remarry.

Quit your job(s) right after entering the adult lifestage and spend your fortune as if there were no tomorrow. 

The next gen starts when the heir becomes a young adult. By then, you must be broke and have lost all your fame.

GEN 7 - THE HOMEWRECKER

You always meant an instrument for your parent, even before you were born. Thanks to them, you are an expert in the art of manipulation, seduction and performance. You are beautiful, intelligent, cold and calculating. Such confidence and mettle has carried you far from childhood, but now that you're an adult, it's time to think big and not make the same mistakes as your stupid parent... even if it means carrying them around for the rest of your life. Now, time to choose a victim to pay the family debts and live a perfect life.

Traits: Evil, hates children, hot-headed.

Aspiration: 1) Drama llama, 2) Mansion Baron

Skills: Charisma, logic, writing, acting, research and debate.

Job: Salaryperson (Supervisor Branch)

Rules:

Be the perfect, spoiled brat your mother made you since childhood. 

Always have a pristine image, even if you’re broke as hell. People doesn’t need to know your family is in bankruptcy

Become the unreachable, popular meanie in highschool and embrace those vibes throughout teenagedom, but never start a serious relationship. 

Complete the Drama Llama teen aspiration.

Move out on your own as a young adult, but have the previous heir move in with you shortly after to live at your expense. Your parent:

Cannot get a job or have any source of income of any sort.

Has to have the slob trait (you can cheat this),

Has to follow every whim related to their personality, and

Has to spend $5,000 simoleons by the end of each week. If you don’t have the money, add it to a “debt” list you must pay. 

Enter the salaryperson career (Supervisor Branch)  and reach the top of it quickly as a young adult. As soon as you reach it, get relaxed and don’t pay much attention to your career anymore.

Optional: get an university degree that’ll help you get a jumpstart. If you chose to do this, you’ll have to study at home, ask for all the scholarships you can and graduate with honors (of course).

If you get the workaholic lifestyle, go to coaching to get rid of it. 

You must choose only one ultimate spouse candidate.

They must be attractive (to your sim), successful and ridiculously wealthy.

They must be already in a serious romantic relationship of any sort with another sim.

Bonus points if they have at least one child. 

Once you decide on a love interest, develop one-sided feelings for them and do everything in your reach to gain their favor, but they should never love you.

Get to marry your love interest one way or another. Move your sim and the previous heir into their home and enjoy your new fortune :))

Once you marry, adopt your spouse’s last name.

Have only one own child: the result of a one-time affair with another sim.

Use mean interactions only with every child you meet (even your own), any “low-class” sim you meet and service sims. 

Gain the Twisted Heart reward trait.

GEN 8 - THE BEAUTY 

You've lived in a bubble all your life. Despite having a lousy relationship with your parent, they have given you everything you wanted and more: a good education, luxury, travels and gifts. You have always tried to fulfill their expectations and desires... until you met the love of your life in someone you would never have expected. After a terrible argument with your family, you decided to run away with your love and start a new life from scratch. The plan sounded good in your mind, but then you realized that you don't know how to do anything other than being cute.

Traits: Good, Clumsy, Romantic

Aspiration: 1) Admired icon 2) Soulmate 

Skills: None in particular

Job: None in particular

Rules:

Be the stereotypical perfect, beautiful and shallow rich kid. 

Have a bad relationship with your parent, but respect their authority.

Try not to do activities that make you gain "useful" skills (or any skill). Focus only on having fun and enjoying life.

Complete the Admired Icon aspiration in your teenage years.

Have your parent arrange your future marriage with a wealthy sim and start a forced relationship with them, but reject their romantic advances often. 

Enter university in a conventionally well-respected degree program. Become engaged with your current partner at the same time.

Find true love with a service sim.

They can be either one of your household's employees or a NPC like the mailman, a street vendor, a mixologist, a firefighter, etc.

They must be poor.

They must have the creative trait.

They must be a single parent. 

Keep your affair with the service sim in secret until a family member, a close friend or your partner discovers you. Only then you can break your current engagement and escape to live with the love of your life.

Move your sim with their new partner and their child, but bring no simoleons or material goods whatsoever in your inventory.

You can only move to a Needs TLC starter apartment or a starter home with the Gremlins and Grody lot traits. 

The lot or apartment cannot be pretty when you first move to it.

You cannot move out of it on this gen.

Drop out of university but don't get a job. Your spouse must work as a starving artist (Painter career level 1) and don't let them get promoted. 

If you play with mods, keep them in the service career they were when you met them.

Spend all the household's funds on useless things.

Optional: Everytime your sim breaks anything (even the plates while washing them), cheat -$100 simoleons of the household funds.

Get a job only when all your services are cut down after not paying your bills.

You should go through all the basegame careers before deciding on a permanent one. You may start with part-time jobs, then full time careers. 

After you decide on a career to stay, focus on developing the necessary skills for it. When you reach level 3, your spouse can finally work on their artistic career.

If the spouse sells their art, they can't gain fame out of it.

Have only one own child after your household has a stable income. 

GEN 9 - THE NONCOMMITTAL ENTREPRENEUR 

In your family there was never a lack of love, but money definitely was a problem. Your parents made an effort to give you everything that was within their reach, but the truth is that you could never shake off the itch of having something more… something “big”. The thing is that working seriously is not your thing. Never has been, in fact. However, you have brilliant ideas that you just have to materialize with the right investment. But first, let’s go to the party everyone’s talking about.

Traits: Lazy, party animal, noncommittal

Aspiration: 1) Live Fast 2) Party Animal

Skills: Juice fizzing, dancing, entrepreneur skill.

Job: Odd jobs

Rules:

Be a terrible student and surround yourself with lots of friends.

Complete the Live Fast teen aspiration. Then, drop out of high-school but keep living with your parents.

Gain the Irresponsible character value trait.

Earn money only through odd jobs or in-game activities that doesn’t require "intellectual" skills (like writing, programming, painting, etc.), but have Juice fizzing as your main interest.

Frequent party lots every single night like bars, clubs and lounges and spend at least $500 simoleons each night on bar drinks.

Accept every party invite you get, no matter who they are or what your sim is currently doing. 

Meet a love interest in one party night and start a relationship right away, but don't commit to it:

Never take the initiative to go on dates with them, only accept their invitations and make them pay for everything.

Be unfaithful.

Ask them for loans and crash their place frequently to take care of your needs (eating from their fridge, using their shower, etc).

Only visit them to woohoo if your fun levels are low.

Have unprotected woohoo often (try for baby instead of regular woohoo or use mods for this)

Have an accidental pregnancy with your partner and get excited by it. 

Once the baby's born, you'll have to take care of them and your partner will have to dump you and lose all contact. You can then move out of your parents' house.

Now that you're a parent, take your side hustles more seriously and even get a part time job if you decide to, but keep partying at nights and spending most of your earned money on vice.

Don't have any more kids and try to nurture your child as much as you can.

Have an unexpected death while the heir is a child.

GEN 10 - THE (UN)LUCKY MIXOLOGIST

When you were little, you listened with amazement to all kinds of stories that your father told you about the adventures and misadventures of your ancestors. That’s why you have always been a dreamer who wants to achieve success and, above all, to know true love, but that is something that only happens on TV. It seems life had other plans for youm and the only thing left is to work hard and try to move on with a smile.

Traits: Good, foodie, music lover.

Aspiration: 1) Master Mixologist 2) Soulmate

Skills: Mixology, DJ mixing, cooking and baking.

Job: Culinary career (Mixologist Branch)

Rules:

Since you'reunderage, move into a shelter or an orphanage.

Once you become a teen, dropout of high school and earn money through odd jobs and buy a dj mixing station. Only then you can start working in secret as a freelance dj in local clubs and bars:

To do so, create an alternative persona or character your sim must disguise as whenever they're on a show. 

Save all the money you earn through tips.

Don't gain fame.

Once your sim becomes a young adult, join the culinary career and help out at the shelter/orphanage until you have enough money to move out on your own, but keep presenting as a dj each night.

Buy and move to the starter home the founder fixed.

Present yourself regularly at the bar your founder worked at as a dancer, and also work as a hired mixologist some nights. You'll earn $300 per night.

If you have mods that adjust to this, feel free to use them!

Have 10 failed relationships throughout your Young Adult lifestage. Give up on finding love after your last relationship.

The relationships will only count if you get to become boyfriends or more and get to break up, divorce, cancel engagements or separate through other circumstances. 

Once you become an Adult, fall madly in love with a sim you meet in one of your work nights. This sim:

Must be an elder.

Must be visiting the lot you're at for the first time.

Must be super rich. 

Start a sugar-ish relationship with your love interest. Have them gift your sim money ($1,000 simoleons) everytime they see each other. You decide if they keep, donate or sell the gifts.

Break up with the love interest, but get back shortly after and get into a serious relationship.

Only then, start working on the soulmate aspiration with this sim.

Move in with the elder sim only when you have a full romance bar.

If the elder sim has family, make them disapprove of your relationship together.

Wait a minute… isn't the story kind of repeating itself?

You decide what happens next ;)

[kaile-hultner]

GoFundMe Update, 8/12/2024

Hey y'all! it's been about a week since the last GoFundMe update. We've hit a pretty predictable slow period in this fundraiser, a kind of doldrums, but I also got super busy over the last seven days, so it's all good there. So what's been going on in the past week?

To start with, as I mentioned last week I'm down to just one installment loan. This in itself has already made a massive difference just even in terms of how I'm feeling. It no longer feels like I'm being crushed by this massive weight on my shoulders or chest. I know I've mentioned this a lot, but it's such a weird feeling after experiencing the opposite for most of my adult life.

With that, things are already starting to change rapidly: my credit score has gone up 23 points in a week and a half, for example. I hate that this is even something we should have to pay attention to, but I can't help but feel relieved when number go up instead of down. The number of phone calls I'm getting per day, in the evenings, on the weekends - all the debt collection calls - has dropped dramatically. Now it's mostly just spam and companies trying to get me to take out more loans with them. I've experienced a burst of creative energy that has gotten me back in the game-playing-and-reviewing saddle - I just wrote a piece about "A Short Hike" as a donor request fulfillment exercise. (You can check that out here.) I was able to get through an entire weekend of work at my side-gig with no issues or delays—something I haven't been able to say for a few months. And when I finished that work? You'll never believe it, but I didn't feel stressed out or exhausted! I felt normal!

This doesn't automatically catapult me into 24/7 comfortable living, and now I really have to focus on the hard and dirty work of living within my means, building a budget and being an adult when it comes to daily choices, but I always knew that. This GFM has never been the magic bullet that would solve all of my problems - and I've never wanted it to be. However, it's helped assuage such a significant portion of my problems that I can focus on other things for once, and navigating that for the first time has been a pretty significant experience! This comes after months of having to transfer my paycheck from my bank to my Apple Pay account and a litany of other sketchy shit just to make sure it didn't all get swallowed up by various debt repayments and years of sometimes paying rent in parts instead of all at once. With most of that gone and cleared out, I no longer have to do all that! I don't feel like I'm constantly between a rock and a hard place, and that's… honestly pretty significant.

So what's next? Why am I still moving forward with the GFM towards $8000 and eventually $10000+?

Well, as I've said in prior updates, it's still pretty unbelievable that we reached $6500+ and I genuinely have no expectations about getting even a cent more. If nobody else donates, I think I would be pretty pleased with what this GFM was able to accomplish. But I don't think I'm totally out of the woods yet. Thanks to your help, I've upgraded from "basically completely underwater" to "balancing precariously on the edge of the dock," and there's a WORLD of difference between those two states. But that doesn't mean I don't ever again have to worry about the possibility of almost drowning.

Goal 4 would help me pay off my remaining installment loan, and with that close the book on that chapter of my life altogether. I've got these two annoying (paid monthly) loans in the background, but paying $40 and $78 a month respectively for them isn't really all that bad. It's not moving the needle the way these installment loans (paid every two weeks on my payday) were. I'd like to get rid of this final installment loan pretty quickly if possible. I'm currently just a bit under $1400 away from that goal, and I think it's pretty attainable.

Goal 5, $10,000, and Goal 6, $10,000+, are maybe my vaguest goals, so I want to flesh those out a bit. For those goals, I'm thinking of my long-term future more than anything immediate. If I can get anything past $8K, great! That will be money I put into a savings account and start adding to on my own. The reason I'm putting these goals at the end of this GFM is because in a little bit less than a year, I'm looking at the end of a pretty long arrangement I've had at the place I'm living, and the situation is that either rent is going to raise pretty significantly or (more likely) I'm going to be finding a new place to live. Having some money in savings is going to help me out with this in two ways: first, being able to pay a deposit on an apartment or absorb some of the cost of raised rent. Second, being able to put down a down payment on a car. My (smaller) worry is that, even with the radical erasure of my most immediate and crushing debts that this GFM has already afforded me, I may not have enough time to save this kind of money on my own, and/or that my credit score won't heal fast enough to qualify me for cheaper car payments, apartment deposits that aren't an arm and a leg, and so on. For context, I live in Oklahoma, which has a relatively cheap cost of living, but it's practically impossible to get around without a car as OKC's transit system is bootycheeks.

Finally (and least importantly), I promised when I set this GFM up that it would be the last time I asked for money from the Internet for this or any reason, outside of like a medical emergency. I set $10k up as a moonshot goal, something I didn't think it was possible to achieve - and yet here it is, barely $3400 away. If we make it to the end, that's gonna feel like a wild achievement! I'd finally be able to rest easy.

Here's a bad car metaphor I just thought of: you know how when you jump a car, you don't just plug up the jumper cables from one car to another and call it good when the car in need of jumping starts? You have to give it a little bit of extra juice in order for the car to restart its own charging capacity? That's kind of what this GFM is. I'm the car being jumped. The fundraiser is the other car revving its engine and giving me a bit of extra juice after I was able to start my own engine again.

See? told you it was bad.

Anyway, as always, I cannot thank those of you who have already donated enough. None of this would be possible if it wasn't for you, and my inbox is always open if you want to suggest cursed internet artifacts for me to look at. Someone suggested the entire series of Eyewitness children's science documentaries to me. I have no clue if I'll be able to find them. I've been vibing on the theme song for days tho. The only thing I would ask of you at this point is to share this GFM on social media, maybe link back to this update directly, and let's see if we can't find some extra wind for these sails to get us closer to that final goal. If you can't donate, please don't feel pressured to donate! Just reblogging it is more than enough help.

[lomapacks]

hii folks! hate doing these sort of things, but i'm really in a though spot. as some may know my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer a couple of months ago, and only recently got to go through a surgery to remove the tumor. although everything got removed, will most likely need chemo (which we'll know in a consult at the end of this month). things got a bit hectic financially and i took a quick loan from the bank to cost some bills (among them a new notebook, since mine is pretty slow and i'm having a though time giffing and studying). i was able to pay the first installment of it, but still haven't got the money for the second half (due to mid november). asking for donations is out of question, since most people are struggling with their own lives, so instead i've came up with a sale + raffle on my commissions. here's all info on it, for those who wish to partake:

how much do i need? currently the debt if 2500 reais (brazilian currency), which sums up to 500 dollars.

how does the raffle work? for each dollar you spend commissioning me, you'll get a number (from 1 to 500) to run for the prizes.

example: 200 gifs are $20, so you get 20 numbers.

what are the prizes? 1st place gets 1000 gifs and 2nd gets 500 gifs, numbers will be picked randomly through a randomizer (my screen will be recorded for proof).

what's the discount? a 10% off in whichever amount.

when will the result be out? november 30, and both prizes should be delivered in time for holidays.

how to sign in? fill the form in the source link, i'll message you and once the payment is done you get to pick the numbers.

thank you for your time and attention!!

[subir-astrologer]

HOW LOAN BORROWING CAN CAUSE ILNESS TO WIFE THRU ACTIVATION OF HOUSES. A CASE STUDY

In order to understand the house activation in a horoscope, one need to understand it step by step as vedic astrology is very complex knowledge.

Readers with little basic knowledge of vedic astrology will catch it fast and other will like to read twice to get it. I will still try to write it in simple universal way so that readers get it in first reading.

I will explain the theory as per KP vedic astrology padhatti / system.

An event in a person’s life happens when it gets ACTIVTED thru mahadasha or thru an action that give rise to an event. The important fact is that the event in a person’s life happen ONLY WHEN IT IS DESTINED / PROMISED IN HIS / HER HORSCOPE IN DESTINY LEVEL.

The destiny of the wife is also impacted by the destiny of the husband and vise-versa, as they got married and live together to building and prospering with the family.

A classic example is seen that many people saying that after their marriage their destiny got elevated and they made prosperities in life and vise-versa.

After the birth of the child many people says that they had their destiny elevated, had promotions and had many other good things happened in their life and vise-versa.

Likewise, when a married person takes loan then as per KP vedic astrology padhatti / system it is seen from the 6th cuspal sublord.

The dictum says when the 6th cuspal sublord signifies 2,8 and 11th house then a person gets loan. Both the sublord as well as the nakshatra lord should not be retrograde.

Now when a person is taking loan then he is activating his 6th house which is in turn activating 2,8 and 11th house to activate the event.

In the native’s horoscope the 7th house represents his wife and so when we rotate the chart / horoscope / kundli and make 7th house as the ascendant for his wife’s horoscope from his horoscope, then the activation of the loan signifies as 12th house signifying 2,5 and 8th house.

So, in native’s wife’s horoscope from native’s horoscope, the 12th house representing hospitalization, 2nd house acts as marak house and 8th house give operations, pain and frustration, difficulties etc and 5th house denotes medications.

For repayment of the loan the dictum says that the 12th cuspal sublord should signify 2nd, 11th and 12th house and both the sublord as well as the nakshatra lord should not be retrograde.

So, while making repayment of the loans in instalments the activation of the houses in the native’s wife’s horoscope thru his horoscope is 5th, 6th and 8th house.

So, in native’s wife’s horoscope from native’s horoscope, the 6th house denotes disease and the 8th house denotes operations, pain and frustration, difficulties etc and 5th house denotes medications.

So here with the example one can understand how thru activation of an event can give rise to another activation of event.

So the loan procurement activated the health issue of the native’s wife.

Please do not have a general understanding of it and get scared to procure loan thinking your wife will fell ill ha ha ha ha ha . . . . . . If you get scared then understand that you did not understand this astrology, then please read it again.

[disdaidal]

Love going to my old hometown to see some relatives, just to find out my uncle's drinking again (he always does but it's worse now), and that he's out of money, in a lot of debt, and the taxi he drives is broken, and he hasn't eaten for days.

Not to mention my 87-year-old grandma is the guarantee in his loan(s), and he hasn't paid his installments in a while, so there's that too. Needless to say, my grandma was worried sick, and so I agreed drive us there last evening to see if he's even alive anymore because he hadn't answered texts or phone calls.

He opened the door for us. He was groggy/drunk/hangoverish and smelled like old booze. He hasn't shaved in a while. His place was a mess and obviously smelled bad. When we suggested that we buy him some food, he said there's no point because his fridge and freezer were broken.

So my grandma opened them and... there was nothing but loads of rotten food there. It smelled like a corpse. There was mold on the walls of the fridge, and the freezer boxes were full of water and rotten stuff. Some brown liquid had flown out onto the floor as well and ruined the carpet. And my grandma was just standing there and cleaning and emptying that stuff like no biggie whereas I stood a couple of meters away and tried not to hurl every ten seconds.

There was also a lot of different shit in the kitchen, like opened jars, old food boxes, milk cartons, rotten fruit—even unfinished food from 2-3 days ago according to him, which tells me that not only he hasn't been able to store food properly; he really hasn't fucking eaten either. At least one sandwich was just lying there, and he'd probably taken a bite or two of it and then just let it waste there.

He wouldn't even let us finish cleaning (we took a few garbage bags out though) because 'he's tired' and 'he wants to go to sleep'. We still offered to buy him some food, but he refused. So I finally grabbed the small box of fish soup that grandma had made earlier and handed it to him, so he could eat something, and at least that he accepted.

But I couldn't properly sleep last night because I kept thinking about the whole situation. So when I talked on the phone with my mum today, we agreed that I contact local social welfare and explain his situation. I tried calling them first and making it sound urgent, but they asked me to fill out an online form. So I did and explained the problem as well as I could (plus his possible physical and mental ailments), and left both our contact details there.

I hope they can reach him, and that he'll accept help (I don't think he will though) because if not, then they can't do much about it, unfortunately. The self-determination laws in this country are quite firm, so if it's a grown-up refusing help, then sorry🤷‍♀️ :/

My grandma's trying to contact her older son (his brother) and persuade him to buy him a new fridge, at least. Even if he does, the old fridge still needs to be emptied and cleaned up before that, and I really hope she's not planning to do it alone 🙄😑.

I could cry and bitch about how utterly mad and done I'm with all kinds of alcoholics (I lost my dad to it 9 years ago, for example). But mostly, I feel for my grandma. She doesn't deserve this. She shouldn't have to worry about her grown-up son at that age, let alone worrying about paying his debts when her own retirement allowance isn't that great either. 😑

Either way, if he's not accepting help, it's gonna take me all willpower not to go behind his door and smack some sense into him. I don't want to give up on him just yet, but I also know that if this doesn't lead anywhere, I may have to. And it's making me somewhat anxious right now.

Well... at least it's a beautiful day outside today. Maybe I'll just go out and get some fresh air for a while.

[mightyflamethrower]

Nov072024

TDS-Inspired Hate Crime by 82-Year-Old Woman

What goes around, comes around. Even moonbats can be charged with hate crimes when they physically attack Trump supporters for the color of their skin. From suburban Seattle:

An 82-year-old woman was arrested Monday for a hate crime after assaulting two political supporters, according to the Edmonds Police Department (EPD). … According to the EPD, the woman said the race of the two female victims and their political beliefs were the reason she approached and yelled at them. The woman told officers “she could not understand why people of color would support this particular candidate.”

According to moonbat ideology, Trump oppresses Persons of Color. That many of them voted for Trump Tuesday does not compute, causing the circuits in their defective brains to fry. This in turn results in embarrassing and sometimes dangerous consequences regarding their behavior.

A 55-year-old Edmonds woman told officers the suspect first “had gotten into her face” as she rallied. The 82-year-old woman then “commented on the victim’s attire and skin color before the suspect pushed the victim and punched her in the chin.” The EPD said another woman, a 66-year-old from Edmonds, stepped in to intervene but the suspect punched her as well.

No one stands between moonbats and their pernicious delusions.

It was thoughtful of Edmonds police to keep this under wraps until after the election, considering how it reflects on Democrats. Let’s hope they got a thank you note from Comrade Cackles — if she’s not too busy sulking.

On a tip from Ed McAninch.

Nov072024

An Anarchotyrant Enraged: Letitia James

Like other moonbats, New York Attorney General Letitia James is not dealing well with the results of the election:

“We faced this challenge before, and we used the rule of law to fight back. And we are prepared to fight back once again…”

By “rule of law,” she means lawfare. For example:

James had previously won a $454million civil fraud judgment against the incoming president, after accusing him of inflating his net worth by billions of dollars to get better loan and insurance terms. She targeted Trump’s Westchester golf club and Seven Springs estate as properties she could seize to make the bond payment. The former president has since appealed the massive ruling, and appeal court judges had tough questions for New York prosecutors in September, signaling they may side with Trump in the case. The judges wanted to know why the penalties were set at almost half a billion dollars and who had been harmed in a case where neither side had lost money.

Meanwhile, as she abuses her power to harass political opponents, James has effectively legalized minor crime, even as she tries to dictate to the citizens of other states who they can vote for and whether they can eat meat or defend their own lives. She was installed in power by George Soros.

James boasts that she took nearly 100 legal actions against the previous Trump administration. The liberal establishment will do everything it can to make it difficult for him to govern. The media stands ready to hype any story that can be portrayed as a failure.

She repeatedly bellowed her intention to “fight back” against the will of the voters who elected Trump. No doubt she will have the support of Governor Kathy Hochul, who recently proclaimed that Trump voters (i.e., the majority) are “anti-American.”

Liberal rule incarnate.

On a tip from Varla.

Nov062024

Open Thread

Nov062024

Moonbat Meltdown Compilation

Liberals often denounce Donald Trump for divisiveness. Now that he has decisively won the election, they will demonstrate what better people they are by taking their loss like grownups, mending fences, and bridging the divide.

Just kidding. Let’s have a laugh at their meltdowns:

Can White Dudes for Harris face up to their disappointment like men? Apparently not (LANGUAGE ALERT):

Joy Reid takes the opportunity to denounce white women:

Some of the kooks on The View wore black in mourning for the moonbattery that might have been — including Sunny Hostin, who believes she has somehow been deprived of civil rights because voters were allowed their choice of president:

Normally, Nasty Pelosi likes to say good morning. Not today though:

Countermoonbats are laughing at the leftist tears all the way across the Atlantic:

Liberals’ grasp on sanity is tenuous even when they are getting their way. Mark Halperin’s prediction of mass madness may be proving true.

On tips from Tlabia Majora, Ed McAninch, WDS 2.0, StephaneDumas, KirklesWorth, Troy H, Varla, and 45 47 destroyer of 46.

Nov062024

You’re Welcome, Moonbats

Did voters do the right thing yesterday? Let’s ask the stock market:

The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped over 1,500 points Wednesday, continuing the climb seen in the pre-market session after the president-elect took the stage at his headquarters in Florida early Wednesday morning, thanking his supporters and promising to restore the country.

Contra the Marxist ideology that voters rejected, a rising tide lifts all boats. So on behalf of everyone else who voted for Trump, I’ll say to those who didn’t but who will benefit anyway: You’re Welcome.

On a tip from Varla.

Nov062024

Moonbat Threatened to Kill Conservative Christians

Trump’s election should result in a long overdue draining of the Swamp. Then the FBI will spend less time terrorizing pro-lifers and investigating people for being Catholic and more time defending the public from actual threats like this:

On November 5, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested a 25-year-old man who has since been charged with allegedly sending a message threatening to attack conservative Christians with an AR-15 if Donald Trump is elected president.

Hisses Isaac Sissel of Ann Arbor, Michigan:

“I shall carry out an attack against conservative christan, (sic) filth in the event trump wins the election. I have a stolen ar15 and a target I refuse to name so I can continue to get away with my plans. Without a specific victim or ability to find the place I hid the gun, there’s not a thing the FBI can do until I complete the attack.”

That appears to have been a miscalculation.

The affidavit also alleges: “Sissel also stated that former President Trump was a threat, a ‘piece of s—’ that should have been assassinated, and that everything would be better if Trump was dead.”

A career as an MSNBC analyst may await Sissel provided he can stay out of jail.

On a tip from MrRightWingDave.

Nov062024

Man Elected Congresswoman in Delaware

Moonbats are glum this morning. This should cheer them up:

Delaware state Sen. Sarah McBride won the state’s only House seat Tuesday, NBC News projects, making [him] the first openly transgender person elected to Congress.

The former Obama administration intern McBride tries to lighten the mood of his fellow Democrats by recalling the days of Hopey Change:

“While at this moment in America’s history, hope sometimes feels hard to come by, we must never forget that we are the beneficiaries of seemingly impossible change.”

A man changing into a woman is not seemingly impossible. It is impossible period.

Trump’s election may signal an end to the grotesque absurdity of men participating in women’s sports. But liberals should take heart that men can still be elected as congresswomen — in Delaware, anyway.

On a tip from Bluto.

Nov062024

Los Angeles Dumps Soros Tool George Gascón

Dust will need to settle before we know the full extent of America’s glorious victory over moonbattery yesterday. Donald Trump winning is the best thing to happen in generations, not only because of the welcome policies he is likely to implement but because it restores faith in the system. Leftists laid the groundwork for election fraud, imported millions of illegal aliens and enabled them to vote, convicted Trump on dozens of absurd felony charges, tried to kill him twice, used their dominance of the media to demonize him hysterically while hyping his opponent, and still the American people were able to assert their will in opposition to the degenerate liberal establishment. From the shadow of great triumph, other triumphs will emerge — even in bluest California:

Nathan Hochman defeated incumbent progressive prosecutor George Gascón in the race for Los Angeles County district attorney as crime was seen as a top issue of the election cycle.

The “hard middle” candidate Hochman is not exactly a countermoonbat, but he looks like one in comparison to Gascón, who is one of the many* lunatic left DAs George Soros has exploited his ill-gotten wealth to place in power so as to destabilize the USA by encouraging crime.

“The voters of Los Angeles County have spoken and have said enough is enough of D.A. Gascón’s pro-criminal extreme policies; they look forward to a safer future,” Hochman said in a statement early Wednesday.

Enough is enough, all right. The voters of America as a whole have spoken.

[hoursofreading]

Embracing the mundane also means making sure that our solutions actually work for the people who need them. When I was attorney general of California, for example, and I went after the for-profit Corinthian Colleges, I was concerned about what would happen to students who’d been defrauded. The students had the right to transfer to another school, get their loan discharged, or get their money back, but the paperwork involved was quite complicated. Most students had no idea how to begin, or even that they had these options in the first place. We had prevailed in the case, but the students wouldn’t actually receive the benefit of the financial relief unless they could navigate the bureaucracy. So my office created a website that walked students, step by step, through this complex process. I wanted to make it as simple as possible for someone to exercise their rights and get actual relief. As we were developing the website, I’d often have our team show it to me, and I’d literally click through the process myself. More than once, I hit a snag. I’d tell them, “If I don’t understand it, how will the students?” That meant the team had to rework the interface and the text. But as frustrating as the exercise might have been, it resulted in a better product. Taking the time to perfect the details made the tool more relevant for the students who needed it. My point is: you have to sweat the small stuff—because sometimes it turns out that the small stuff is actually the big stuff. I read a story once about a principal at a St. Louis elementary school who wanted to take on rampant truancy in her school. When she talked to parents, she realized that many of the kids didn’t have clean clothes. Either they didn’t have access to washing machines or their families couldn’t afford detergent or the power had been shut off. Students were embarrassed to show up at school in dirty clothes. “I think people don’t talk about not having clean clothes because it makes you want to cry or go home or run away or something,” a student explained. “It doesn’t feel good.” So the principal had a washer and dryer installed at her school, and she invited students who had missed more than ten days of class to do their laundry on campus. According to CityLab, in the first year of the initiative, more than 90 percent of the students they tracked boosted their attendance.

Kamala Harris

[mozzzz05]

What do you consider to be middle class and what are some characteristics of this demographic?

I’m guessing this is in response to my previous post about people shaming middle class individuals whose parents help them out at Uni. So thanks for giving me the opportunity to expand on this. The shaming thing is something I’ve been guilty of when I first went to Uni because it was one hell of a culture shock.

I, for example would consider myself middle class, I’ve grown up with a holiday most years, my stocking was always full, my dad likes to wear Ralph Lauren & it doesn’t make too much of a harmful dent etc

But when I met my flatmates at Uni I was honestly shocked for a number of reasons. Wales gives its students nearly 12k a year maintenance loan, this is more than enough to cover rent and food & the fact I have it makes me feel incredibly fortunate. My flatmates however, being English, got a different loan & they got the lowest one possible, 4.5k - based on household income. This wasn’t even half of our first year’s rent, I was appalled, even if you’ve got savings from a job, is it really another 4k?

And then I found out their parents were helping them, which I was shocked by (my parents might pay for rail travel if I’m going home, and I consider myself incredibly lucky that they are able to do that) Both flatmates parents were paying the rent and the 4.5k they had was left over for food etc. (Which was more than I had once you’d deducted my rent from the overall loan)

(One girl also had limitless access to her Dads bank account which shocked me)

This was something I couldn’t relate to, if I had to have the English loan, I would admittedly have a couple thousand more than them but I still wouldn’t be able to go to Uni. At least not away, I’d have had to go to the Uni closest to me.

Going back to qualities that may define the middle class - this is of course not the be all and end all because that would be ridiculous. But it’s the way you save money. If you buy Ralph Lauren it will last your years longer than something from somewhere like Primark - seriously my Dad has got shirts older than me. There are often wine sales at Tesco - you can get several really nice wines for maybe £50 that you might have spent £100-150 on otherwise (I’m not saying working class people’s priority is saving money on really nice wine, I’m not delusional, but it’s an example of the types of deals you can get)

This sort of thing - getting really good deals/ buying better quality clothing is actually a fantastic way of saving money in the long run (I’m not kidding when I say my dads got shirts from the early 90s - he has therefore had to buy far far fewer shirts- it’s actually weird to see him in new clothes) but it means paying larger amounts up front which is not something that is necessarily accessible to working class people. It’s one small thing (of many many other factors) that keeps people down but allows middle class people a step up. It’s the same sort of thing where you have the choice to pay in instalments with interest or pay up front - obviously the interest means you’re spending more, but paying up front is not an option for everyone.

(I’m aware I’m doing that middle class thing of - let me explain how I don’t have much money but please see where I’m going with this)

All this to say the class divide is incredibly complex, whilst I’m not working class & I’m not about to pretend I understand the struggles and complexities of that background, I also don’t identify with those flatmates (of which there are plenty at Uni) who you might consider upper middle class. I think, and I know I’m privileged to say this, we should focus our energies more on the 1% or people around that mark that run this country (still) that don’t have the interest in benefiting working class people & also widening the perspective of the middle class, particularly those who are ignorant without shaming them to the extent they feel the need to downplay their privilege.

(I am aware that there are plenty of middle class people who do this for the “aesthetic” or because they genuinely don’t see how a skiing trip each year makes them privileged, I’m not talking about them)

[hilarychuff]

All the Best People See You (All the Best People Know), Chapter 8

hello guess who's back so soon here is another installment in my pre-season 4 robin/chrissy inadvertant desert hearts movie date au!!! it is no longer so pre-season 4!!! exciting!!

Robin says Chrissy’s the one with the magic, but Chrissy’s pretty sure it’s the other way around. Something about wearing Robin’s blazer yesterday had made her feel brave, safe, like she could talk about exactly the sort of things she’d practiced avoiding with Miss Kelly last week. Today, Robin’s jacket is black denim instead of a blazer, scattered pins and patches decorating the material, but when she loans it to Chrissy, it feels just the same.

read it on ao3 here

Chrissy hesitates while getting dressed Thursday morning. She’s got her uniform on, her cheer cardigan too, but when she looks at herself in the mirror, she half wants to shrug the sweater off. Hang it back up in her closet. She won’t be swapping it out for Jason’s letterman after first period today. What would happen if she just… left it at home?

Maybe, if she gets cold, someone else will let her borrow their jacket for the day.

She wonders if Jason would offer. Would he insist?

Can’t have my girl looking cold, Chris, she imagines in his voice. I know it’s game day, but here, you should take it.

Maybe it wouldn’t be like that, though. Maybe it would be the opposite.

Baby, how am I supposed to feel you cheering me on all day long if I don’t have my jacket? Plus, you know all the guys are wearing theirs. It’s good for team unity, and I have to set the right example as captain. I thought you girls were wearing your sweaters today.

She half entertains the idea of sneaking into her father’s room to borrow one of his sport coats. What would Robin think if she showed up in a blazer of her own? Or could Chrissy maybe not pull it off the same as Robin does? Robin always looks so cool and effortless in her outfits, like putting them together comes as naturally to her as breathing. Her style is so — her own compared to most of the other girls at Hawkins High. Maybe if Chrissy tried to copy it, she’d just look exactly like she would be: a little girl playing dress up in her father’s closet.

Maybe she could squeeze into one of PJ’s. His size probably isn’t so different from hers. As long as he has something that fits over her shoulders, it wouldn’t matter too much if the arms were a little short. She could roll the sleeves to her elbows the same way Robin usually does.

Chrissy doesn’t typically wear anything tight, though. Her own sense of style tends to favor a looser fit, her closet full of long cardigans and pleated pants, structured jumpsuits and billowy dresses that can be belted in at the waist. Her mom would call those sorts of items forgiving. Things that can change with or hide her fluctuating weight. It also tends to mean it’s less noticeable when her mother buys her clothes a size too large or decides she’s gained another few pounds and takes it upon herself to let out all the seams.

Oh.

Her mother.

Her mother would never let her leave the house in something like that. Not ladylike enough. Of course, it’s one thing to wear her boyfriend’s jacket at school, but it’s another to include men’s clothing as part of her regular wardrobe. And it’s not like she’d be able to hide it from her parents. Even if she managed to sneak into someone else’s closet without being discovered, she couldn’t just stuff a blazer into her backpack and pull it out later. Not if she also wanted to fit any of her books in there.

She’s pretty sure there isn’t a world where her mother would be swayed by any claims that it’s some sort of new trend either. Laura Cunningham always insists that truly well-dressed women always look timeless. Classic. They don’t chase trends that will look silly in pictures they’ll be showing their children one day.

There’s no use, really, in trying to prepare for a conversation she’ll just lose. She keeps the cardigan on.

keep reading

[forevergulag]

ADELA is not a Mexican revolutionary song, but the name of an international investment consortium. It was started by First National City Bank, Standard Oil of New Jersey, and the Ford Motor Company. The Mellon group joined enthusiastically, and so did major European corporations because, as Senator Jacob Javits remarked, "Latin America provides an excellent opportunity for the United States to show, by inviting Europe to 'enter,' that it does not seek a dominant or exclusive position."40 In its 1968 annual report ADELA offered special thanks to the IDB for the parallel loans it had extended to promote the consortium's business in Latin America, and also saluted the performance along the same lines of the International Finance Corporation, an arm of the World Bank. ADELA is in continuous contact with both institutions to avoid duplication of effort and to evaluate investment opportunities. Many more examples of such holy alliances could be given. In Argentina, Latin American contributions to the resources of the IDB have served as very convenient loans benefiting such concerns as the Electric Bond and Share affiliate Petrosur (over $10 million for construction of a petrochemical complex), and The Budd Company (Phila-delphia) affiliate Armetal (to finance an auto parts plant). AID credits made possible the expansion of Richfield's chemical plant in Brazil, and Eximbank extended loans to ICOMI, a Bethlehem Steel affiliate in the same country. Also in Brazil, contributions from the Alliance for Progress and the World Bank enabled the Dutch Phillips Industries to install Latin America's biggest complex of fertilizer factories in 1966. It all comes under the heading of "aid"--and all adds further to the weight of external debt on the countries so favored.

Eduardo Galeano, open veins of latin america

[kairisk]

I'm a different anon, but I'm sorry to hear your audience fiddled out with the nsfw ban from years ago! Your art is absolutely gorgeous, and the way you present your ideas in them is so unique! Especially with the Chinese zodiac animals and the quotes you have for each of them!

Also, I'd like to ask how you started making art. I'm very interested to hear the personal journey of artists. Did you always like drawing animals, for instance? Did you go to art school or to a training of some kind, like ateliers? And do you make traditional art too, or is it all digital?

Oh thank you so much!! I do my best as I really want to just keep making art for as long as I'm alive. I'm really happy to hear you say it's gorgeous and unique ( ᵒ̴̶̷̥́ _ᵒ̴̶̷̣̥̀ ) Yeah it is unfortunate, but I still like being here and sharing art on here, so who ever is here to enjoy it, I'm glad! I only hope new people stick around and old ones come back, I've certainly missed getting to interact and chat like this! Oh how cool! I'm honoured ahahaha I'd love to answer these q's into my process and profession so far: I absolutely have always liked drawing animals. It started with dinosaurs, cats and dragons, I loved them all as a child, just their whole concept and how cool I thought they were! I wanted to get good at drawing so I could depict them and make my own designs, and in learning how to draw their anatomy (mostly big cats) my mom got me a book that had all sorts of animals in it and how they worked and how to render these forms. I devoured the book and I gained an interest in all animals through drawing and learning from it. From there I kinda just delved into researching whatever animal piqued my interest! Not to mention dragons (one of my prime interests) are amalgam creatures and so in my pursuit in being able to draw any kind of dragon, knowing a whole lot about different animals is a huge boon in designing them! I did, I actually went to a Fine Arts university as I originally was going to be a bonafide gallery artist and wanted to gain as much knowledge into different techniques and mediums and conceptualization as I could. I'm pretty poor but had stellar grades so Uni was a great option for me to get access to studio equipment and knowledge thanks to qualifying for scholarships and loans. It was like a pressure cooker for 4 years and I can only describe it as the best of times and the worst of times;; I have a Bachelor's Alma Cum Laude in Fine Arts. I do! Since I originally was going to be a physical installation artist, I know how to build and construct kinda whatever? I have a minor in sculpture and I've made something in almost every medium from paper to concrete to silicone to plasma cutting metal and more.

When I got out of Uni I unfortunately lost my access to a ton of this equipment and wasn't successful in finding a replacement studio due to the financial/location/funding cuts barriers. I kinda became disillusioned with the prospects in the art world at this time and realised this wasn't the only space where I could have a career as an artist. So I changed my focus to becoming an illustrator and character designer. I taught myself digital at the same time I was getting my degree, so I honed my skills from then to be up to snap for production level art. I'm currently art director for an indie game project rn doing exactly that! (Although this is one of three jobs I'm juggling atm, it's why I've been posting less these days, I'm quite busy ( ´ ◇｀)ゞ)

That being said I still make things occasionally at my house as I still like making physical things from scratch when I have the time/money to do so! I like making masks and small sculptures, examples of these being this mask and this keychain :3c I always thought that the medium should be chosen based on what best serves the idea in mind, but most of my art is digital due to the production costs for making this art being nearly zero (as long as I have my tablet and electricity!) and having greater access to offer my artistic services with digital media ;o

[usafphantom2]

#onthisday in 1940 No. 806 Naval Air Squadron, operating from HMS Illustrious, scored the Fairey Fulmar's first aerial victory, shooting down a CANT Z.501.

@classicwarbirds via Twitter

Fairey Fulmar | Classic Warbirds

On the 13th January 1937 the first of two light bomber prototypes designed to Specification P.4/34 flew for the first time, this aircraft was smaller and lighter than the Fairey Battle and could be used for dive bombing. It was from this aircraft that the Fairey Fulmar would derive from and changes were made so the aircraft would meet Specification O.8/38 which called for an aircraft to be used in the fighter/observation role for use on aircraft carriers.

This new aircraft was greatly need by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm as they were relying on out of date biplanes. The new aircraft would accommodate a crew of two with a navigator/wireless operator considered a must for the long flights over the sea and although this would sacrifice speed the Fulmar wasn't expected to meet land-based fighter opposition. Even so the armament of the Fulmar matched the early Supermarine Spitfire Mks of eight 0.303-in machine-guns, but the Fulmar could carry double the ammunition. 127 examples of the new aircraft were ordered, however due to the Munich crisis during 1938 an extra 123 Fulmars were ordered but production would be delayed until Fairey's new factory had been built.

Powered by the 1,080-hp Merlin VIII the first Fairey Fulmar Mk I flew on the 4th January 1940 at Ringway Airport before being sent to the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment before undergoing carrier trials aboard HMS Illustrious (87). Considered by the pilots manoeuvrable and pleasant to fly but lacking speed, despite this the Fulmar was still faster than the aircraft it would go on to replace. The Fulmar Mk I had a top speed of 247 mph, range of 800 miles and a service ceiling of 21,500ft. Armament consisted of eight 0.303-in machine-guns and 500lb bombs. Entering Fleet Air Arm service with No. 806 Naval Air Squadron on the 10th May 1940 operating with the squadrons Blackburn Skuas. They would serve on HMS Illustrious (87) and whilst aboard the aircraft carrier on the 2nd September 1940 No. 806 Naval Air Squadron scored the Fulmar's first aerial victory, shooting down a CANT Z.501.

The 1st July 1940 saw No. 808 Naval Air Squadron, RNAS Worthy Down formed and they would use the Fulmar during the Battle of Britain (10th July 1940 - 31st October 1940), when the squadron was loaned to Fighter Command, before moving to HMS Ark Royal (91) and 159 Fulmars were delivered by the end of 1940. As well as re-equipping other squadrons, who were using the Blackburn Roc and Blackburn Skua, a number of new Fairey Fulmar equipped squadrons were created during 1941 and 1942.

The Fairey Fulmar Mk II was 350lb lighter, thanks to a number of changes, and this was fitted with the 1,300-hp Rolls-Royce Merlin 30 engine. Its top speed was 266 mph, range was 780 miles with a service ceiling of 27,200 ft. Its armament was the same as the Fulmar Mk I, eight 0.303-in machine-guns and 500lb bombs. Tests would also be conducted on a Fulmar Mk II in 1941 to test its suitability as a night fighter, this was due to torpedo bombers of the Italian Air Force mounting night attacks on the Mediterranean Fleet, in the end over 100 Mk IIs were converted for this role during the early part of 1942. Other tests carried out on the Fulmar included the installation of 0.50-in machine-guns but due to a shortage of these only a limited number of production Fulmars had this armament. The Fulmar would also take part in tests to see whether fighters could be catapulted from ships although in the end Hawker Hurricanes would fulfil this role.

With the Fulmar seeing service in all theatres of war it provided the Royal Navy with a reliable long-range aircraft and during its career it took part in the chase of the German battleship Bismarck and when production ended during December 1942 600 had been built. 1943 saw the end of the type's front-line service as Fulmar squadrons would start to be re-equipped with the Supermarine Seafire.

Technical Details

Click on the aircraft image to view a larger version.

Top Speed Range Service Ceiling Armament

Fulmar Mk I 247 mph 800 miles 21,500 ft eight 0.303-in machine-guns

500lb bombs

Fulmar Mk I side profile image

Fulmar Mk II 266 mph 780 miles 27,200 ft eight 0.303-in machine-guns

500lb bombs

[autistictaylorhebert]

Here's a trigger I used a couple years ago, I think it's pretty fun:

You've always been obsessed with acting 'noble', and base all of your behavior around that ideal. Most people just write you off as eccentric, but what they don't realize is the amount of money that you have to spend to maintain this image. At first, you can keep afloat through a combination of a relatively well-paying job and bank loans, but eventually, you're unable to continue borrowing. This forces you to start borrowing money from more and more unsavory sources, but you need it to maintain your image, so you bite the bullet. Eventually, you sink into enough debt that you can't keep up with the installments, and this causes the gang you've been borrowing from to pay you a visit. They drag you outside, and beat you up to make an example out of you. As they beat you, you realize that there's no way you'll be able to maintain the facade of nobility. You trigger.

ooooo i like this one...

The changer/identity stuff feels pretty apparent here. They're maintaining a presentation/facade and the trigger happens when this becomes impossible.

This reads like a tinker trigger to me. They're struggling to do something over a long period of time, and look for solutions in multiple places to make it happen.

Lack of resources/money -> resource tinker, or a power with a resource/fuel mechanic if they aren't a tinker.

The parahuman gets physically beaten up, so they should maybe get a brute capability or something similar.

"Ascot" triggers as the kind of tinker able to quickly make sophisticated devices out of scrap and shitty materials. They can build electric swords and armour, as well as replacement body parts and auto-surgery devices. Most of their body-tinkering won't go deeper than skin and muscle, but the appearance is what is most important to them.

The first blueprint that arrives in their mind might be an artificial replacement facial structure, that can be made out of a variety of parts, and can be shifted (with a remote control) to assume different identities.

The main issue that Ascot struggles with is a partial inability to repair their tech, and it breaks down comparatively quickly. Instead of an easy repair or re-calibration, each time their gear breaks down, at least one component is irreparably broken and requires wholesale replacement.

This causes an insatiable need for new materials, and/or the resources to slowly recycle them. It's made worse with low quality scap, which breaks down faster (even if it performs/functions just as well as higher grade stuff), but even more expensive material breaks down eventually.

They're constantly aware of how much time, for example, their artificial arm muscles will need replacement, how long before their self cleaning armour will stop working, and how long before the image they're projecting breaks down.

[illumtori]

Maximizing Credit Card Use for Financial Goals

Welcome back to our series on credit cards and personal finance! In the previous article, we explored the fundamentals of responsible credit card use and how to choose the right card for your needs. Now, we’re diving deeper into credit cards to help you leverage them for your financial goals. Whether you’re looking to build credit, earn rewards, or manage your expenses more effectively, this article is your guide to getting the most out of your plastic companion.

Have you ever wondered how to turn your credit card into a powerful tool for achieving financial success? The answer lies in strategic and responsible credit card usage. Let’s explore how you can leverage your card for various financial goals.

Building and Improving Credit with Credit Cards

Building and improving your credit score is like laying a strong foundation for your financial future. Your credit score influences the interest rates you’ll receive on loans and credit cards, affecting your ability to buy a home, finance a car, or even secure a job. Your credit card can be a key player in building and improving your credit score. By using it responsibly through making on-time payments and keeping balances low, you establish a positive credit history. If you’re new to credit or rebuilding your score, consider secured credit cards or credit builder loans to get started.

Here’s how to use your credit card to boost your creditworthiness:

Responsible Credit Card Use

The foundation of a good credit score is responsible credit card usage. Pay your credit card bills on time, every time. Timely payments contribute significantly to your payment history, one of the most crucial factors in your credit score. Set up automatic payments to ensure you never miss a due date.

Keep Balances Low

High credit card balances relative to your credit limit can negatively impact your credit score. Aim to keep your credit utilization ratio below 30%. For example, if your credit limit is $10,000, try to maintain a balance of $3,000 or less. This shows lenders that you’re responsible with credit.

Diversify Your Credit Mix

A mix of credit types can also work in your favor. In addition to credit cards, consider having installment loans (e.g., a car loan) in your credit history. A diverse mix demonstrates your ability to manage various types of credit.

Avoid Opening Too Many Accounts at Once

Each time you apply for credit, it results in a hard inquiry on your credit report, which can temporarily lower your score. Be selective when opening new credit card accounts and avoid a flurry of applications in a short period.

By mastering these credit-building strategies, you’ll not only elevate your credit score but also enhance your financial standing. A strong credit profile opens doors to better financial opportunities and lower borrowing costs.

Earning Rewards and Cashback with Credit Cards

One of the most enticing aspects of credit card ownership is the potential to earn rewards or cashback on your spending. Who doesn’t love the idea of being rewarded for their spending? To make the most of this, select a credit card that aligns with your spending habits. If you’re a frequent traveler, a travel rewards card might be the best option. For everyday expenses, cashback cards can put money back in your pocket. Additionally, keep an eye out for sign-up bonuses — these can provide a significant boost to your rewards balance. By leveraging your credit card for these purposes, you’re not only working towards your financial goals but also getting the most out of your credit card’s potential.

Credit cards offer an array of rewards, from cashback on everyday purchases to travel points that can whisk you away on exciting adventures. Let’s explore how to make the most of these perks:

Match Rewards to Your Lifestyle

The key to maximizing rewards is to match the right card to your lifestyle. If you’re a frequent traveler, consider a travel rewards card that offers bonus miles or hotel stays. For those who prefer simplicity, cashback cards provide straightforward rewards on everyday spending.

Sign-Up Bonuses

Don’t underestimate the power of sign-up bonuses. Many credit cards offer substantial bonuses when you meet a minimum spending requirement within the first few months. These bonuses can kickstart your rewards earnings.

Strategic Spending

Take a close look at your spending habits and leverage cards that offer the most rewards in your primary spending categories. For instance, if you spend heavily on groceries, choose a card with a high cashback rate in that category.

Supplementary Benefits

Beyond rewards, credit cards often come with supplementary benefits like purchase protection, extended warranties, rental car insurance, and airport lounge access. Familiarize yourself with these perks and use them to your advantage.

Remember, the key to successful rewards earning is to pay your credit card balance in full each month. Carrying a balance and incurring interest can quickly negate the value of your rewards.

Taking Advantage of Interest-Free Periods

Credit cards often come an interest-free period on purchases which is an enticing feature. During this period, you can make purchases without incurring any interest charges, provided you pay the balance in full by the due date. Here’s how to make the most of this perk:

Planned Purchases

If you have significant expenses on the horizon, such as home improvements or medical bills, consider using a credit card with a 0% APR introductory offer on purchases. This allows you to spread the cost over several months without accruing interest, making larger expenses more manageable.

Balance Transfers

Some credit cards also offer 0% APR introductory periods on balance transfers. If you have existing credit card debt with high-interest rates, transferring it to a card with a 0% APR can save you money on interest and help you pay down the debt faster.

Responsible Payment

While the interest-free period provides breathing room, remember that it’s crucial to pay off the balance before the promotional period ends. Missing this deadline can result in retroactive interest charges, which can be financially burdensome.

Automating Payments and Savings

Automation is a powerful ally in managing your credit card accounts and financial goals:

Auto-Pay Minimum

To avoid late fees and penalties, set up automatic payments to cover at least the minimum payment due each month. This ensures that you never miss a payment deadline.

Auto-Pay Full Balance

For optimal financial practice, consider setting up auto-pay to cover the full credit card balance each month. By doing so, you avoid interest charges altogether, and your credit score benefits from consistent, on-time payments.

Auto-Transfer to Savings

If your credit card rewards come in the form of cashback, consider automating transfers of your earnings into a savings account or towards specific financial goals. This effortless saving can gradually help you achieve your financial goals.

Maintaining a Low Credit Utilization Ratio

Your credit utilization ratio, which is the percentage of your available credit you’re using, plays a significant role in your credit score. Keeping this ratio low can positively impact your creditworthiness:

Pay Balances in Full

Aim to pay your credit card balances in full each month. By doing so, you not only avoid interest charges but also maintain a low credit utilization ratio.

Request Credit Limit Increases

If you’ve been a responsible credit card user, consider requesting a credit limit increase from your card issuer. A higher credit limit can automatically reduce your utilization ratio if you don’t increase your spending.

Monitor Credit Utilization

Regularly monitor your credit utilization ratio and make adjustments as needed. If you notice your ratio creeping up, consider reducing your credit card spending or making an extra payment mid-cycle to keep it in check.

By implementing these strategies, you’ll not only maximize the benefits of your credit cards but also strengthen your financial foundation. These practices promote responsible credit card use and financial discipline, essential elements of long-term financial success.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve explored credit card strategies that can help you achieve your financial goals. From building and improving credit to earning rewards and leveraging interest-free periods, each strategy is a valuable tool in your financial toolkit. Remember that responsible credit card use is key to reaping the benefits while avoiding common pitfalls. In the next article, we will look into even more advanced credit card techniques and explore how to take your financial journey to the next level. Stay tuned for our continued exploration of credit card mastery and financial success!

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[classicquid]

Help for You with Short Term Loans from Direct Lender UK

Short term loans UK are becoming increasingly popular these days as they are among the loans that support you throughout difficult circumstances. In the event that you run out of money at some point and have a list of bills that need to be paid or other everyday expenses that must be paid for right now. Short term loans UK direct lender come into play in these circumstances, allowing the borrower to lend the lender his credit card in exchange for borrowing the necessary sum from him. The borrower can use the money borrowed to pay off necessary expenses such as credit card bills, utility bills, hospital or medical bills, debt consolidation, house renovations, wedding expenses, vacation expenses, auto repair costs, and school fees, among other things. Because the borrower uses his card to prove to the lender that he has a bank account and receives regular payments into it, the loan is known as a debit card loan. Features: short term loans are immediate loans that provide you with money to cover unexpected expenses that may come up at any point during the month. You are not need to have any kind of pricey or valuable assets because these short term loans UK direct lender do not involve any kind of collateral pledging. The fact that these loans were authorized within a few hours of application is their most significant characteristic.

Who is eligible for these loans? To be eligible for these loans, a person must meet specific requirements, like: One needs to be a citizen of the United Kingdom and be at least eighteen years old. The loan amount will be deposited into the applicant's active, three-month-old checking account. One must be employed, a permanent resident of the UK, and earn at least £700 per month. How should one apply? Online applications are accepted for short term cash loans. To apply, simply complete an online form with your name, address, bank account number, and other information. After being approved, the loan money is paid into your account within 24 hours.

What Is the Duration of Short Term Loans?

It's crucial to consider how many years you want a short term loans direct lenders to endure before applying. It's smart to play around with some figures before thinking about applying. Anything with duration of 12 months or longer is considered a short term loan. Anything that is repaid in less time than this would be considered a short term loans. There are many additional typical examples of short term loan, but two and three years are common ones. Long-term and short-term loans with different monthly installments are offered by lenders who are FCA-approved and regulated.

Each short term loans UK has a predetermined duration. To give you some instances, this may take place over a period of twelve months, twenty-four months, thirty-six months, five years, or even longer. It's important to keep in mind that you will pay more interest on a short term loans UK the longer you take to repay it. Your total payment will also be impacted by the interest rate. You will pay more money overall the higher the interest rate.

https://classicquid.co.uk/