#i haven’t taken focus supplements in about a week. maybe that’s why

[raining-anonymously]

i rewatched the muppets and muppets most wanted on a whim

[asongcanmeaneverything]

Rina and The Office: An Endgame thought experiment no one asked for 😂

I haven’t seen anyone handle the topic I’m going to cover here, but if they have, please feel free to let me know. Don’t want to reiterate things we’ve already heard.

Here we go…

So I’ve seen just about every kind of endgame prediction on here.

Most derive from two methodologies.

The first is trying to predict the likelihood of character’s future presence on the show. (EJ going to college, or even Olivia becoming too famous, etc.) By process of elimination one can guess at that elusive Rina endgame which may or may not exist.

The second being scouring season one and two for narrative evidence. Going beat by beat through Ricky and Gina’s paths to find what was meant to be or maybe what was just wishful thinking.

I think both approaches are useful, especially when applied simultaneously. It’s unlikely that endgames are being totally decided by narrative design, and not influenced by external factors like Olivia’s once in a lifetime debut, Covid, etc. It’s also bad faith to assume that Tim and the writers are just playing this by week, and not attempting to tie everything back together. So if we are interested in guessing at a Rina endgame/s we should continue to analyze using both methods. But I’m proposing a supplemental thought experiment that I haven’t seen covered yet.

I call this The Office Experiment: Jim, Pam, and the three seasons.

It’s obvious this show’s documentary visual style, comedic editing, interviews, etc. is taken in large part from the massive success of The Office. It’s not too much of a jump then to consider how this framework influences the development of core relationships over multiple seasons of HSMTS.

Now before we get lost in this, I’m not oversimplifying. I’m not so shallowly saying Jim is Ricky and Gina is Pam.

That wont work on this show. One of the remarkable things about this series was how HSM archetypes were blended into each core character. Gina was a fearsome adversary like Sharpay, and vulnerable new girl, constantly moving like Gabriella. Nini was hesitant to take the spotlight like Gabriella, but also not chained to Ricky like she was to Troy. EJ was a perfect blend of Troys jock, hot, popular guy coolness, with Ryan’s silly theatre geekiness. Ricky had Troys fears to put himself out there on stage, but he was far from “the man on campus.”

So as I dive into the Office Experiment I will draw one for ones between characters, but just know they aren’t perfectly squared. Mostly want to focus on how seasons played out with relationship arcs. This is a macro approach.

We’re headed into season 3 of HSMTS. For the sake of discussion I’m combining season 1/2 of The Office together since the first season wasn’t a full order, and didn’t tell a complete story.

Jim and Pam struggle to be together across Season 1/2. There’s moments where they are obviously close, but externally due to the obstacle of Roy, they can’t be together.

In this way we see some immediate parallels. Gina as Jim, Ricky as Pam, and Nini as the Roy obstacle covering two seasons.

At the end of season 2 of The Office, Jim puts all his cards on the table, it’s clear there was always something between them, but sadly it’s just not enough. Pam is in too deep with Roy. We can draw some ties here to Gina’s unknown and probably retconned emotional speech to Ricky in the dressing room. She feels good for having said it, and Ricky seems sympathetic, but now she has to begin the work of accepting what wont be and moving on.

Season 3 Jim is with Karen, and Pam is back and forth with Roy, but often single and dating around. Which is how we’re most likely set up to be in Season 3 of HSMTS. Jim here again is Gina, with Karen being EJ, Pam still Ricky, with Lily being Ricky’s dating around moments.

By the end of season 3 Jim and Pam are still not together. Jim is off in NYC with Karen, while Pam alone in Scranton must explain why she and Jim didn’t work out, “we could never get the timing right. I turned him down and then he turned me down.”

The bad timing for us would be Ricky was still hopelessly devoted to Nini when he and Gina begin to share the flames of romantic potential. They shared a (cheek) kiss, had inside jokes, attended parties together, gave each other hard advice, and after a private serenade Ricky told her, “I can’t forget anything about that (Homecoming) night.” But the bad timing becomes worse when Gina had to suddenly move after Thanksgiving, which sent Ricky (terrified of change) back on a path to Nini. He, in essence, turned Gina down for Nini. Now that Ricky is single, and Portwell has arrived it’s seems it’s now Gina’s turn to “turn down” Ricky. At least that’s what could happen.

At the end of season 3 of The Office, Jim swoops back in after we discover that Beach Day flashback where Jim explains to Pam that after he returned from Stamford, he “never really came back.” Pam takes a leap of faith and says “I wish you would.” Recalling this memory in his interview spurs him to unexpectedly return to Scranton, swoop in on Pam’s interview, and ask her out on their first official date. If we do get a Rina endgame, I wonder what this equivalent might be.

When you start to think of these broad relationship arcs, it does seem the most logical, and perhaps the most satisfying outcome to this show would have to be a Rina endgame, as it’s the only one with the emotional torment, and structural strength to achieve something akin to Jim and Pam, which lets be honest, is a, if not THE standard.

By the end of three seasons, mountains of tension, set backs, almost connections, dramatic speeches and external obstacles we finally got a Jim and Pam endgame.

Is The Office DNA strong enough in HSM, to secure our Rina endgame by season three’s end, or at all? Idk.

Based off last seasons abysmal, unorganized, and backtracking story lines I would say this show is more a chaotic degrassi where anything could happen. There are no grand designs. No true endgames.

But I don’t want to be that cynical. I’m excited for Portwell. I don’t think it can last, but whether or not it does, I can’t wait to see the joy and growth between those characters. I have ZERO comments about the off screen rumors. I’m excited to see a fully uncaged Nina, and poor Ricky lol. Once he discovers the harness it’s curtains for Lily, but perhaps that will help him finally recognize Gina. Lets be honest, who wouldn’t want to see even some temporary Ricky pining for Gina moments or episodes.

An additional point is that each season has a sort of predetermined balancing effect. Season 1, Ricky and Nini START broken up and END back together. The opposite being true for season 2. If Portwell, started season 2 apart and got together by its end, the opposite could likely be true for season 3. They wouldn’t likely show us Ricky and Nini “back together cause they’ve already done that.” And if Portwell ends mid season like Rini did…

… that only realistically leaves two people left to find there way back to each other. Rina is inevitable. *Thanos voice*

At the end of the day, our predictions are just that. We should investigate them throughly, but also not take it too seriously. The fun of HSM has always been not knowing how they would resolve things dramatically in the eleventh hour. HSM 2 still being my favorite, unexpected finish.

Here’s to seeing what season three resolves, or doesn’t, who ends up together or doesn’t, and if this Rina endgame has been the obvious climactic finish, or just our own meanings we made along the way.

[trustyourgutblog]

Hey all you cool cats and kittens!😽

In my last blog post, I talked about giving yourself time and space to sit with your emotions during this uneasy time. Now that I’ve done that, I feel like there’s an internal battle raging between wanting to honor my body and rest and wanting to be productive with all of this time at home that we’ve been given.

If you’re like me and are working from home, it may not feel as though you have much more time than normal. Sure, I have some extra time in the morning and afternoon when I would normally be in my car commuting to and from work, but I’m still working at least 40 hours a week.

Or maybe you’re a parent who’s completely overwhelmed with being with their children 24/7 and you’re completely bewildered at how people have even 5 minutes to enjoy by themselves.

I don’t know about you guys, but I’m constantly being reminded from podcasts, social media, and others that we should “use this time to be productive,” whether that be picking up a new hobby or working on an unfinished project.

I’d just like to put it out there that it’s okay to use this time to rest. To pause and reflect. To spend time with your children or by yourself.

On the other hand, if you’d like to use this time to pour yourself into a project, learn a language, or start your own business ~ then go for it! I don’t think that there’s a right or wrong way to use your time in quarantine.

What I feel is important is listening to your body and doing what’s right for you. At the beginning of quarantine, I really struggled with the transition from a ton of social interaction to almost no social interaction. Coping with these changes left me feeling tired and worn out, so I was using it to focus on resting and sitting with my emotions.

Now that I’ve gotten into a better routine with my days, I’m beginning to swing to the other end of the spectrum. I’m beginning to consider focusing my extra time on my purpose. Asking myself how I can serve others with this extra time.

I’ve always been drawn to encouraging and inspiring others, so one of the additional projects that I’ve taken on while in quarantine is running an online fitness accountability group. Not only am I enjoying the extra accountability, but it’s been incredible to open up another platform of interacting daily with people who are working to maintain their physical and mental health.

I’ve always been a huge nerd and enjoyed learning, so I’ve been trying to dive into this extra time with reading, podcasts, and training videos. When I’m working, I like to learn more about the developing brain and different treatment modalities to use in therapy. When I’m off the clock, I’ve been more interested in listening to mindset, lifestyle, and business podcasts. Below, I’ve included a link to some free trainings about mental wellness, nutrition, stress resilience, and so many more topics. Feel free to use the link below to nerd out with me! 🤓

When I was a kid, I used to bake with my mom all the time. That’s one of the hobbies that I’ve gotten back into while in quarantine. As a kid, I was pretty carefree about what I ate. As an adult with food intolerances and IBS, it’s been a challenge to find recipes that I enjoy and taste like a treat, but don’t make me feel like garbage. So far, gluten-free banana bread muffins and chocolate PB protein no-bakes have been a hit! It’s fun to create new versions of old recipes that I used to enjoy with cleaner ingredients.

In December, I joined a network marketing company that I haven’t been super consistent with in the last month. But lately, I’ve been pouring much more of my time and energy into sharing information about supplements that benefit your mental and physical health.

I’ve always enjoyed being a therapist because I’ve been drawn to a profession that’s based around the idea of helping others who are in need. At the same time, I’ve always been super passionate about nutrition and physical health, so this company felt like a great fit for me. I’m excited for the opportunity to help more people optimize their physical and mental health.

The more I learn about recessions and periods of economic downturn, the more I understand why network marketing thrives during these times. I’m grateful for a side hustle that I truly believe in and is something that I can continue to work to expand from home.

Now, I’m not saying I’m spending everyday diligently working on every single one of these projects. I’ve definitely binged way too much reality television, neglected my spring cleaning, and gone to bed way too late watching Tik Tok. But, I am working on finding a balance between feeling pressured to be as productive as possible, while listening to what I need to help me feel recharged.

I hope this serves as some validation for some of you who are experiencing a similar internal battle. It’s awesome if you spend your day achieving all of your goals and ticking tasks off of your to-do list. It’s awesome if you spend your day binging Love Is Blind and eating all of the baked goods. You do you, girl (or boy).💁🏼‍♀️

If what you’re doing is making you happy and helping you survive quarantine, then that’s all that matters.

Happy Monday, everyone!

[superrobotmonkeyteamramblingsgo]

Things that Never Happened - Ally

You were once my closest ally

Summary - Otto makes his choice and sides with Mandarin. And so Mandarin achieves his goal of leading Shuggazoom and makes it the utopia he promised Otto is would be. But Otto is seeing that this peace come at a price, and it is becoming quite steep.

A/N - Remember those ‘5 things that never happened’ fic prompts? Yeah, this was suppose to be just one story out of five for that, but given how I’ve working on this one story for years, heaven’s knows if I’ll ever get the other four done. Figuring out he Mandarin-Otto dynamics in this was the main reason this took so long.

It was the smell that Otto first came aware of, even through the fog and haze that covered his mind as he woke up. It was rather delicious smell of cinnamon and nuts that made his stomach rumble.

The second thing he became aware of, even with his eyes closed, was the light. He groaned and made the mistake of opening them straight into the open window, causing him to shut them immediately again with a wince.

The third thing was that his workshop didn’t have a window. Actually, his workshop also didn’t have a seat as comfy as the one he was lying on. That caused him to sit straight up, eyes now wide awake as he took in the airy and clean room that was the antithesis of his dark and dirty workshop.

 Admittedly, it was a great way to wake up: on a soft bed in the morning light to a delicious smell in a room where he wouldn’t have to worry about tripping over any of his several projects. But the issue was that, last he remembered, he never left his workshop.

 He sighed and –reluctantly- got out of bed and opened the door of his room, intensifying the smell of baked goods. “Jinmay.”

His room opened out to the short hallway and then the kitchen where he saw her pulling out a tray of muffins from the oven. She giggled as she turned towards him. “Well good morning Otto! I hope you slept well! I just got done making muffins for breakfast!”

“Jinmay,” He repeated, trying to be as strict as possible in his voice (how did Mandarin always make it seem so easy?) as he walked into the kitchen.“What did we discuss about interrupting me while I’m down in my workshop?”

She frowned as she put the tray down on the counter. “I know, but you’ve been down there for days! You had me worried and I figured that you could at least use some time in an actual bed with a good meal.” She put the muffins on a platter and set them down on the table. “At least eat something before you head back.”

A quick check of his internal clock confirmed that it had been almost five days since he locked himself in his workshop, trying to figure out what was causing the weird readings from their surveillance satellites. The reading were far too similar to the ones they would get on the Super Robot’s scanners, in the days of before, but at least they weren’t originating from Shuggazoom. Their city was in peace, but the readings were enough of a concern to consume him for five days. Five whole days of sleeping on his hard work-bench and eating rations, and away from Jinmay.

He sighed. “Alright, but next time how about you wake me up before moving me?”

 “Only if you promise to actually come back with me, and not just say you will.” She placed one of the muffins on a small plate that she then handed to him with a smile. “And I mean it about not going back until you eat something substantial. Start with this and I’ll make you something else. Anything you’re craving?”

“Maybe bacon and eggs,” He took the plate as she returned to the kitchen and began pulling out more pans. But he noticed how she was also trying to keep the corner of her eye on him, actually stopping to watch intensely as he took his first bite, even though she was trying to be discreet about it.

That kind of intense anticipation only happened when she was waiting for his reaction to her newest recipe.

He chewed and had to admit the muffin was as good as it smelt: a nice blend of nuts and spices, with a hint of something that he couldn’t identify. He took another, bigger bite as he gave her a thumbs up. “It’s good!” He muffled through his mouth full of muffin.

Jinmay let out a high pitched screech that he might not have heard if it wasn’t for his cyber-ears. “Yes, yes, yes!” She jumped and clasped her hands. “Otto, do you know what flavor of muffin you just ate?”

He blinked at he looked down at the baked good in his hand. “Nuts?”

“Close,” She giggled. “It’s banana nut.”

Otto stopped mid-chew, looked between her and the muffin, and resumed chewing in a slow, thorough manner. “Huh”

Assessing the flavor again, he guessed that the taste he couldn’t identify might be banana, but it certainly didn’t taste as disgusting as they usually did. He begrudgingly gave his approval by taking another bite, half of the muffin now eaten.

Jinmay was practically vibrating in joy and mirth. “I told you I would find a way for you to eat bananas, didn’t I?”

Otto shook his head, though with a smile. When his last physical revealed several concerning vitamin and mineral deficits, Jinmay had taken upon herself to be his personal nutritionist and chef. Each deficiency had been easily remedied through careful meal planning, except for potassium. A supplement or any other food source could have been utilize to resolve his hypokalemia, but Jinmay had stubbornly decided that it would be bananas or bust once he mentioned how much he hated them. She was determined to find some recipe that would get him to eat his bananas.

And now she succeeded, Otto thought as he began wolfing down a second muffin. Jinmay was humming a victory song as she began frying up eggs and bacon for him.

It was actually a very nice and pleasant morning to wake up to, his plate of eggs and bacon (along with a fresh cup of coffee, pure black since he long ago stopped taking it with cream and sugar) just placed in front of him, when Mandrin had to barge in. If it wasn’t for the fact that the door was an automatic slider, he probably would have broken it down with how much rage was shaking in his fist.

“Otto! There you are! Do you have any idea how long I’ve been looking for you! You were supposed to be in your workshop going over our satellites! And why did you not respond to your communicator!”

The joy escaped from Jinmay as she stiffened into a curtsy, eyes remaining downcast. “That would be my fault, Lord Mandarin. The previous doctor’s report for Otto-”

 “Lord Otto” He corrected, venom in his voice as he glared daggers at her.

 Jinmay’s body grew even more rigid. “Lord Otto, yes, his previous physical brought up some issues regarding his sleep. Since he had been working the previous week at his workshop, I moved him to his room last night and disabled both alarms and communication to ensure he would get a full, uninterrupted night’s sleep.”

“You disabled communications? How dare you, you malfunctioning scrapheap-”

“Mandarin,” Otto grabbed the tray of muffins and placed himself between his best friend and companion. “Jinmay is just doing as the doctor said. She’s the reason why my health reports haven’t been as bad as they were before. Like these muffin, you ought to try one, it’s really good but also nutritious-”

Mandarin swatted the tray out of Otto’s hand, the ceramic shattering and mixing with the muffins along the floor. “We don’t have time for eating Otto! Not when we have disobedience in our mist.��� He gave Jinmay a critical once-over. “What are you wearing, girl?”

Jinmay wore a light blue and white checked apron, lined with lacy frills, over a slightly darker blue sundress. “I’m...that is…”

 “Why are you not in uniform!” Shuggazoom City had a strict uniform policy for its civilian, and while it might differ based on the person’s actual job, the base color was always gray and orange.

 “Mandarin,” Otto said again, but firmer this time. “Jinmay’s allow to dress as she wishes with me. In fact, I was the one who got that outfit for her.”

Otto never had any interest in fashion, or clothes in general, before. Mandarin still wore his armor with a bit of added regalia to denote his position as leader, but Otto had rejected all of his friends attempt at dressing up and was the exception to the uniform rule.

Then Otto got Jinmay and discovered how much fun it was to dress her up. It was fun to look up different outfits and see all the options possible for her to wear. She decided that her favorite color was blue, and it was fun playing with the pink of her hair and green of her eyes. Before he would just order machinery parts and tools, but now his orders would include the occasional measurement and specifics for a new outfit for her. It was always a joy to see her eyes light up at each new gift and the impromptu fashion shows as she tried on each on.

“Of course,” Mandarin spat out. “It seems to be that you are giving her way too much freedom Otto. You are not to disable any more communications or alarms, girl, as well as resuming adherence to the uniform code if you want to be useful to your Lord. And get to cleaning up your mess.” He kicked one of the muffins. “Otto, you probably shouldn’t be eating such junk anyway.”

“It’s not junk!” Jinmay snapped. “I made sure that they are packed with the vitamins and minerals that Otto needed, and his health report actually noted he was losing weight so he needs to eat. And this is his house, so he sets the rules such as what I am allowed to wear and do, not you! What is yours is this mess, since you decided to intrude on our nice breakfast and...and…” The fire in her smothered as she saw Mandarin’s eyes narrowed dangerously, and she scooted closer to Otto in escape.

Mandarin turned his focus on Otto. “She talked back to me…no, she refused me.”

“Mandarin-”

“I want you to order her to change into a uniform.”

“Mandarin, I can’t.”

“Why not!” He yelled. “She’s under the Three Laws of Robotics, isn’t she?”

Otto didn’t say anything, as Jinmay wilted behind him.

“I thought so,” Mandarin went cold, his eyes and body steeled.

But Otto knew Mandarin, and what the coldness was precedent for. “Jinmay, can you please go get the broom?”

She nodded and tried to be as small as possible as she disappeared into the hallway. And just as he did, Mandarin exploded, his hand slamming into the wall and leaving an indent.

“Inconceivable! Have you gone mad Otto! I know that she had the three laws when I gave her to you! What possessed you to remove them?”

“You said I could use her as I wanted, and I wanted to see how her AI would develop without them.”

“I meant for you to decide if you wanted to use her as a maid or an assistant! So you removed the only means of complete and utter obedience from her? Otto, those laws exist for a reason and that reason is to protect not just us, but the order of our society!”

“I know that Mandarin!”

“Do you? Or have you let your affection for that-that robot cloud your thoughts? I never would have given her to you if I knew you would go soft in the head over her! But that is a mistake that can still be fixed.”

You are not taking her from me!” Otto yelled, in a move that surprised him as much as it did Mandarin, who actually stepped back.

Most of the time, Otto was fine with Mandarin taking the lead with Shuggazoom, much like how he took the lead with the Hyperforce. Most of the time he was fine with Mandarin being in charge and making decisions.

But Jinmay was his.

There were several seconds of silence after his outburst, during which the air seemed to grow colder.

“Or what Otto?” Mandarin said, in a controlled and distance tone. “Will you betray me like our brothers did before? Will you turn your back on the peace we brought to this city and all that I have taught you? Because haven’t I already taught you, no, haven’t I shown you the importance of complete obedience of our subordinates? Haven’t I show you the value of not giving them choices because that will only lead to conflict? These are the pillars we built our society, our peace, on so what does it say when you, my second, refuses to uphold them?”

“I didn’t say anything about that, Mandarin! I’m as much for this peace as you are!”

“Are you? Because our very civilization is being threatened and here you are having breakfast like it doesn’t matter!”

“If this is about the weird findings from our satellites, I’m just taking a break from them but I will get back to it-”

“I’m not talking about the satellites! I’m talking about the very control that makes our peace possible! I’m already dealing with a problem with that and don’t’ need you or your free-thinking robot to add to it!”

Mandarin’s words were like a splash of cold water in the heated atmosphere. Otto hesitated and then reached out and put a hand over Mandarin’s shoulder. Mandarin flinched at his touch, but he didn’t push the hand away as white pupils meet red. 

“Mandarin, you didn’t come over here to talk about the satellites. What else is wrong that you are worried about?” Otto could be kicking himself now. Didn’t he know Mandarin the best, wasn’t he the closest to him? He should have picked up sooner how upset Mandarin was and been more accommodating for his feelings. 

Mandarin took a deep breath as he shut his eyes. “I’ll show you at the capital.”

- - -

The down fall of the team, in the end, was forgetting just how smart Mandarin is. As leader, it was expected that he would be well-versed in battle formations and tactics, but Mandarin went beyond that. He would never specialize in mechanics and science the way Otto and Gibson did, but he occupied the step right behind them. Science, mechanics, piloting, fighting, and even the Power Primate...he may have been a master of none of them, but jack of all trades made him far better than a master of one. That was why his ideal utopia was already planned out and ready to be implemented when he presented it to Otto.

All Otto had to do was go over everything to ensure that it would work properly and that there wasn't any overlooked loose ends. That was why the rest of the team -the rest of the traitorous team, Mandarin always reminded him- was unable to resist the shutdown sequence and escape from their cells while they were transported to their observational prison. The two had plans for a world of peace and harmony, and Otto hoped some time in HOOP would allow their eyes to be open to the good they were doing.

That day hadn’t come yet, but Otto was sure it would come...eventually.

Mandarin's utopia rested on the implementation of control collars that would ensure harmony and order. No longer would they have to be reactive to the evil doings of the Shuggazoom citizens, but take an active role in ensuring that all crime was prevented.

Shuggazoom operated like a well-oiled machine and, as a mechanic, Otto took care of it. He left administrative and internal affairs to Mandarin and, once the system reached the point of being self-regulatory, he retired to a corner of the city where he kept to his own inventions. He was allotted a group of assistants, but had declined them. He probably would have stayed alone if Mandarin hadn’t presented him with Jinmay, an blank slate of an android he found for Otto to tinker with.

But even the most up-kept of machine occasionally malfunctioned and today was one of those times when Otto was called on site.

“This is the fourth time it happened with this one citizen.” Mandarin explained as Otto looked over the information on the tablet that had been shoved in his hands. They were in Mandarin’s private transporter -designed to look quite similar to the Torso Tank- and going to the capital in the center of the city. The capital was built in front of the Super Robot, which would forever overlook the citizens. There was no more war or battles for it to fight, no evil for it to stop, so there was no need to activate or disengage it for something as trivial as transport, as Mandarin had said.

Otto frowned as he read the citizen’s file. The brain was too complex of a system for the collar to be one-hundred percent perfect. Age was a big factor, especially when puberty happened and the brain began pruning neural pathways. It wasn’t uncommon for collars to fall out of sync and fail during that time at least once, even twice. 

The first and second de-sync was expected, and with this citizen just being twelve he was at the right age for his first adjustment. It wasn’t even unheard of for a third time to be needed, thought that was more often seen in older cases.

But four times? At at such a young age?That was unheard of.

“Mandarin, I’m sorry for arguing with you,” He repeated as he looked up from the tablet. “I should have picked up that you were upset over something like this.”

“You should have.” Mandarin waved off his apology. “But I will forgive you if you can fix this. And you can fix this, right?”

Otto frowned as his finger traced the latest printout of the citizen 91804’s brainwaves. “I have some ideas, but I’ll need to go over the data some more, and get a hands on look at the collar.”

“Well can you at least get him to stop until then? I can’t have him running around doing Shuggazoom-knows what!”

“Stop him? Like suppress all other brainwaves?”

“Well that would guarantee that he can’t go off on his own, does it?”

“Yes, but Mandarin, he would be little more than a vegetable-”

“But he would be a cooperative vegetable. The only thing I care about is that this doesn’t happen a fifth time. Do it!”

The transport stopped Mandarin didn’t even wait for the guard to open the door before he threw it opened and he was stomping into the building. Otto grabbed the tablet and gave a nod to the guard, who stayed stone still and didn’t even respond to him.

Mandarin was standing outside a cell, flanked by guards, when he caught up with him. “He’s in here.” The guard opened the door at Mandarin’s command. Otto handed the tablet to the guard and walked in.

In the beginning, Otto had to manually scan, analyze, and reprogram the collars in person. He hated the process, so he created the current system that allowed for automatic reprogramming and adjustments to the collars. His latest upgrade even allowed for prediction for when the reprogramming would be needed, allowing for greater security of their society.

It was a long time since Otto had been called to one of their holding cells to personally fix the command collar. They were the same as ever, four walls with a one-way screen at the front, and a restraint built into the wall at the back. And there was the citizen, strapped to it but struggling against his bonds.

Otto lost his breath as he looked at him. He was just a boy! Sure, his file had mentioned he was twelve, but Otto had been too out of touch with humans to remember just what such a number meant.

The boy looked to be Jinmay’s age, or at least the age she had been built to. And he had such clear blue eyes that widened at Otto when he stepped forward.

With each step Otto took, the boy’s eyes went from wide with worry to narrowing, trying so hard to look threatening. But it was more like Jinmay’s attempt, when she tried to look tough as she lectured him about his health.

To someone who had battled countless monsters and seen terrors from all sides of the galaxy, it didn’t elicit so much as a flinch. But the true impact wasn’t to inspire fear, but the others emotions it stirred up in Otto.

Right now the boy’s attempt was making him feel unsettled.

“It’s going to be alright,” Otto didn’t know why he spoke; before he would fix the collars without saying a single word. Mandarin always reminded him that he needed to be efficient and trying to talk to them was a waste of time, especially when a gag kept the prisoner from responding.

But the boy did seem to calm, his struggle stopping even as Otto’s fingers were messing with the inner mechanics of the very collar that controlled his life.

The collars could tap into the spinal nerve to completely suppress brainwaves. But the point of the collars was to have a peaceful society, and a society required somewhat cognitive and moving citizens. Hence why Otto made it so a manual override, done in person, was required to activate such a setting.

“Otto, hurry up!” Mandarin hissed over the intercom and Otto felt like he had been slapped awake. He had a job to do, a peace to keep, and work needed to be done.

This really would be for the best. The boy would basically be asleep while they worked on figuring out what was causing him to de-sync. It was for the best, for him and the peace of their society.

But still, Otto hesitated before he finished rebooting, he finger resting on the switch as meet the boy’s eyes, so full of emotions that Otto couldn’t even begin to decipher them all. 

And then there was a jolt or something that caused him to pull his hands back while the boy’s eyes seemed to…glow green?

Otto looked over the room, but didn’t see any broken wire or anything else out of place that could have caused the stray electrical shock. Actually, now that Otto thought about it, it didn’t feel like electricity.

But it felt achingly familiar…

The boy was looking at him, and his eyes were blue so maybe the glow had been the trick of the light or something?

(But if was a trick of the light, why did Otto feel like this? Why was he acutely aware of an emptiness inside his spirit?)

And then there was a flicker and the boy thrashed against the collar’s grip before his eyes were vacant and his body slummed lifelessly against his restraint.

“I don’t know what was taking so long,” Mandarin slammed the door open, and it took Otto another moment at looking at the boy’s body to realize that Mandarin had probably issued the collar reboot on his end.

Otto just kept looking at the body as Mandarin ordered the guards. “Release him and take him to the infirmary to hook up to a life support. I don’t want him dying until I can figure out why he is causing such trouble.”

When they were gone, it was just the two of them in the cell and Mandarin let out a deep breath. “Much better. Now that is one less things to worry about. I still want to keep this from happening again, but at least he’s back under control.”

“Yes Mandarin.”

 He frowned as he turn to Otto. “Are you still upset?”

Otto didn’t say anything, just kept looking at his feet with thoughts weighing his head down.

“Otto,” He looked up to Mandarin, who wasn’t mad but still had his ‘leader’ voice, like he did whenever he was giving criticism. “You know that I only get so angry because I worried. And that is why Jinmay had me so upset, because I am worried about your safety”

He wanted to argue that she would never hurt him, that he trusted her, but he was so drained from everything that he just nodded.

 “Good. Otto, you have been with me for every step of our utopia,” Mandarin smiled. “And it is because we are so close that I know you will make the right choice, like you always have.”

Otto nodded again and turned towards the door.

“A ride for you will be here-”

“No, it’s fine,” Otto’s voice was as rough and shaky as thoughts. “I want to walk home and get some air.”

“Well don’t dawdle because you still have the satellites to figure out. Our peace depends on it.”

Otto nodded again and left.

There wasn’t any more parks in Shuggazoom. Mandarin hadn’t seen any reason for them, since any time a citizen could be frolicking in the flowers was better dedicated to helping the city. There was always some task that needed to be accomplished and the land was better used for their ever expanding industrial field, he said.

Otto had pleaded for at least one park to be kept, but Mandarin had put his foot down. So the area had been paved and filled with buildings and factories.

That was why Otto had his workshop build on the outskirts, where there were still plenty of plants in the peace and quiet.

Otto walked down the road, the occasional citizen immediately stopping in their task to salute the great second of their civilization. But there was no smile, cheers, or even attempts at conversation. They simply got back to their work.

But that was how things were supposed to be, Mandarin said. They would protect the city and in return the citizens would keep it running.

It hadn’t been that way at first. The collars had been more lax and allowed more free thoughts. But that had brought more issues, more instants of them breaking free and starting rebellions. So Otto had adjusted the collars bit by bit, until they were as they were today.

Jinmay would smile or laugh or wave, or all three and it didn’t matter if he caught her in the middle of her chores or hobbies.

It hadn’t been that way with Jinmay at first. For being the most human looking  robot Otto had ever seen, she had been so robotic in everything else. She would not move or act unless he specifically commanded her to do so. Otherwise she would just stand there like a very elaborate piece of furniture instead of the companion she was meant to be. So Otto had adjusted her programing, bit by bit, until she because what she is today.

The citizens didn’t need free time for frivolously things, Mandarin said. They never risked their lives to protect the city, after all. By what right did they have for hobbies or pastimes or games?

Jinmay had hobbies. He still remembered her first attempt at baking, how she had tried to make a pot pie by literally putting the chicken and veggies in the batter to cook. It had been a mess, but he had loved how she kept trying new things. Sure, she could stick to a recipe when she wanted, but most of the time she wanted to experiment. And as she got better, so did her results. Case in point were her delicious muffins from the morning.

He had told her ‘no bananas’ but she didn’t take that as a command but a challenge. She kept trying again and again, because it was her personal challenge.

The citizens of the city would hear ‘no bananas’ and that would be it.

The more Otto walked, the more empty the city seemed even as citizens bustled around in their duties. The more he walked, the more eerily the quiet became, far from the calm that it usually brought him. The more he walked, the more he realized how far things have come from the utopia Mandarin sold him all those years ago.

The more he walked, the more the empty ache in his soul grew.

The sun was setting when Otto reached the outskirts where his house was, the corner of the world he had retired in his naive and ignorant desire for peace and quiet.

Well, there were certainly plenty of the latter.

Jinmay had probably finished cleaning up the mess from this morning and be busy making something extra filling and nutritious for dinner, no doubt trying to make up for the miss meal.

Otto didn’t go in through the front, but took the side door down to his basement workshop. His bench was like it had been when he fell asleep the night before, all of his tools in a mess on it.

He looked down at the satellite that he was currently dissembling and reassembling, meticulously going through each part to see if there was any flaw responsible for the readings they were getting. He was going through each one and wasn’t even half way through, and wondered what was the point. What was the point in figuring out if there was a threat outside of Shuggazoom? What was the point in fighting a battle when it was clear the war has been lost?

What was the point in protecting a peace that left the city a shadow of its former self?

He slammed his arm on the bench, jolting the mess of tools and parts before he shoved them onto the floor. He didn’t even care as some of the delicate parts shattered against the floor, because he had turned his eyes this long to how bad Shuggazoom had become, what was more broken pieces on top of it?

Then he rested his arms on the now bare space and put his face in his hands, but didn’t cry. He didn’t have the right to cry over mistakes he made.

That was how Jinmay found him who knows how long afterwards. He just heard the door open and the lights flickered on. “Otto? You’re back? When did you get back? I have dinner ready-”

Otto looked up to her and he must have looked horrible because Jinmay put her hands to her mouth as she gasped. “Otto, what’s wrong?”

Otto just took a moment to look at her, his Jinmay who was still wearing the outfit he got for her and looking at him more worry and care than he deserved.

His Jinmay, who was far more free than any other person on Shuggazoom.

“Jinmay, I-” He tried to speak, but his voice cracked as the tears finally broke through. “I made a mistake.”

“Oh Otto,” She put her arms around him and he buried his tears into the sleeves of her dress. He felt her rubbing his back as he cried. “Whatever it is, I’m here for you.”

Otto made a promise in that moment, when he was shown far more care and compassion than all of Shuggazoom has been given. He would cry and get all his tears out, but then he would pull himself together and get to work.

Jinmay could come if she wanted, but it would be wholly her decision, her choice. He was done taking that away from people.

It would be a lot of work, but Otto was determined. Shuggazoom may be a weak facsimile of what it once was, the Hyperforce locked up, and a threat lurking just out of orbit, but he’s a mechanic.

Fixing things that are broken is what he does. 

A/N: Otto and Jinmay were intended to have a parent-child or even sibling like relationship, but if you want to see it as romantic, go for it. I’m too exhaust from figuring out the Mandarin-Otto dynamics to squabble over theres.

[realtalk-tj]

Could you please explain in more detail what each of the math post-APs are and how easy/hard they are and how much work? Thanks!!

Response from Al:

This can be added on to, but I can describe how Multivariable Calculus is. First off, I want to say not anyone’s opinion should affect how difficult or easy a class would be for YOU. Ultimately, do the classes you’re interested in. Personally, I thought Calculus was cool as subject, so that’s why I pursued Multi. Multi. builds off of BC Calculus, Geometry, and even some of the linear algebra you learned from middle school (not to be confused with the Linear Algebra you can take at TJ), so as long as you have a good foundation in those subjects, I’m sure you’ll do well in Multi. Depending on your teacher, assessments may or may not be more challenging, and that’s why I strongly emphasize take the class only if you’re genuinely into it. Don’t take it because of peer pressure / because you want to stand out in colleges. I’ll let anyone add below.

Response from Flitwick:

Disclaimer: I feel like I’m not the most unbiased perspective on the difficulty of these math classes, and I have my own mathematical strong/weak points that will bleed into these descriptions. Take all of this with a grain of salt, and go to the curriculum fair for the classes you’re interested in! I’ve tried to make this not just what’s in the catalog/what you’ll hear at the curriculum fair, so hopefully, you can get a more complete view of what you’re in for. 

Here’s my complete review of the post-AP math classes, and my experience while in the class/what I’ve heard from others who have taken the class. I’m not attaching a numerical scale for you to definitively rank these according to difficulty because that would be a drastic oversimplification of what the class is.

Multi: Your experience will vary based on the teacher, but you’ll experience the most natural continuation of calculus no matter who you get. In general, the material is mostly standardized (and you can find it online), but Osborne will do a bit more of a rigorous treatment and will present concepts in an order that “tells a more complete story,” so to speak. 

The class feels a decent amount like BC at first, but the difficulty ramps up over time and you might have an even rougher time if you haven’t had a physics course yet when it comes to understanding some of the later parts of the course (vector fields and flux and all).

I’d say some of the things you learn can be seen as more procedural, i.e. you’ll get lots of problems in the style of “find/compute blah,” and it’s really easy to just memorize steps for specific kinds of problems. However, I would highly recommend that you don’t fall into this sort of mindset and understand what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and how that’ll yield what you want to compute, etc.

Homework isn’t really checked, but you just gotta do it – practice makes better in this class.

Linear: This class is called “Matrix Algebra” in the catalog, but I find that title sort of misleading. Again, your experience will depend on who you get (see above for notes on that), but generally, expect a class that is much more focused on understanding intuitive concepts that you might have learned in Math 4/prior to this course, but that can be applied in a much broader context. You’ll start with a fairly simple question (i.e. what does it mean for a system of linear equations to have a solution?) and extend this question to ask/answer questions about linear transformations, vectors and the spaces in which they reside, and matrices.

A lot of the concepts/abstractions are probably easier to grasp for people who didn’t do as well in multi, and this I think is a perfectly natural thing! Linear concepts also lend themselves pretty well to visualization which is great for us visual learners too :)) The difficulty can come in understanding what terms mean/imply and what they don’t mean/imply, which turns into a lot of true/false at some points, and in the naturally large amount of arithmetic that just comes with dealing with matrices and stuff. 

Same/similar notes on the homework situation as in Multi.

Concrete: Dr. White teaches this course, and it’s a great time! The course description in the catalog isn’t totally accurate - most of the focus of the first two main units are generally about counting things, and some of the stuff mentioned in the catalog (Catalan numbers, Stirling numbers) are presented as numbers that count stuff in different situations. The first unit focuses on a more constructive approach to counting, and it can be really hard to get used to that way of thinking - it’s sorta like math-competition problems, to a degree. The second unit does the same thing but from a more computational/analytic perspective. Towards the end, Mr. White will sort of cover whatever the class is interested in - we did a bit of group theory for counting at the end when I took it. 

The workload is fairly light - a couple problem sets here and there to do, and a few tests, but nothing super regular. Classes are sometimes proofs, sometimes working on a problem in groups to get a feel for the style of thinking necessary for the class. if you’re responsible for taking notes for the class, you get a little bonus, but of course, it’s more work to learn/write in LaTeX. Assessments are more application, I guess - problems designed to show you’ve understood how to think in a combinatorial way. 

Unfortunately, this course is not offered this year but hopefully it will be next year! 

Prob Theory: Dr. White teaches this course this year, and the course’s focus is sort of in the name. The course covers probability and random variables, different kinds of distributions, sampling, expected value, decision theory, and some of the underlying math that forms the basis for statistics. 

This course has much more structure, and they follow the textbook closely, supplemented by packets of problems. Like Concrete, lecture in class is more derivation/proof-based, and practice is done with the packets. Assessments are the same way as above. Personally, I feel this class is a bit more difficult/less intuitive compared to Concrete, but I haven’t taken it at the time of writing. 

Edit (Spr. 2020) - It’s maybe a little more computational in terms of how it’s more difficult? There’s a lot of practice with a smaller set of concepts, but with a lot of applications. 

AMT: Dr. Osborne teaches this course, and I think this course complements all the stuff you do math/physics-wise really well, even if you don’t take any of the above except multi. The class starts where BC ended (sequences + series), but it quickly transitions to using series to evaluate integrals. The second unit does a bit of the probability as well (and probability theory), but it’s quickly used as a gateway into thermodynamics, a physics topic not covered in any other class. The class ends with a very fast speed-run of the linear course (with one or two extra topics thrown in here and there). 

The difficulty of this course comes from pace. The problem sets can get pretty long (with one every 1-2 weeks), but if you work at it and ask questions in class/through email whenever you get confused, you’ll be able to keep up with the material. The expressions you’ll have to work with might be intimidating sometimes, but Osborne presents a particular way of thinking that helps you get over that fear - which is nice! All assessments are take-home (with rules), and are written in the same style as problem sets and problems you do in class. The course can be a lot to handle, but if you stick with it, you’ll end up learning a lot that you might not have learned otherwise, all wrapped up in one semester.  

Diffie: Dr. Osborne has historically taught this course, but this year’s been weird - Dr. J is teaching a section in the spring, while Dr. Osborne is teaching one in the fall. No idea if this trend will continue! Diffie is sort of what it says it is - it’s a class that focuses on solving differential equations with methods you can do by hand. Most of the class is “learning xx method to solve this kind of equation that comes up a lot,” and the things you have to solve get progressively more difficult/complex over the course of the semester, although the methods may vary in difficulty. 

I think this is a pretty cool class, but like multi, the course can be sort of procedural. In particular, it can be challenging because it often invokes linear concepts to explain why a particular method works it does, but those lines of argument are often the most elegant. This class can also get pretty heavy on the computational side, which can be an issue. 

Homework is mostly based in the textbook, and peter out in frequency as the semester progresses (although their length doesn’t really change/increases a little?). Overall, this is a “straightforward” course in the sense that there’s not as much nuance as some of these other classes, as the focus is generally on solving these problems/why they can be solved that way/when you can expect to find solutions, but that’s not to say it’s not hard. 

Complex: I get really excited when talking about this class, but this is a very difficult one. Dr. Osborne has historically taught this course in the fall. This class is focused on how functions in the complex numbers work, and extending the notions of real-line calculus to them. In particular, as a result of this exploration, you’ll end up with a lot of surprising results that can be applied in a variety of ways, including the evaluation of integrals and sums in unconventional ways. 

In some ways, this class can feel like multi/BC, but with a much higher focus on proofs and why things work the way they do because some of the biggest results you’ll get in the complex numbers will have no relation whatsoever to stuff in BC. Everything is built ground-up, and it can be really easy to be confused by the nuanced details. If you don’t remember anything about complex numbers, fear not! The class has an extra-long first unit for that very purpose, which is disproportionately long compared to the other units (especially the second, which takes twoish weeks, tops). Homework is mostly textbook-based, but there are a couple of worksheets in there (including the infamous Real Integral Sheet :o) 

This course is up there for one of the most rewarding classes I’ve taken at TJ, but it’s a wild ride and you really have to know what things mean and where the nuances are cold. 

[meaganmonroy927-blog]

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All of this data undoubtedly have helped you select the very best weight gainer complement that your physique needs. The phrase lean" is usually meant to recommend the absence of physique fat. This guide sets you up for the free 7-Day Vegetarian Weight Loss Meal Plan together with a grocery checklist. It's at all times wholesome to drink no less than a gallon of water per day no matter when you're taking supplements or not. These researchers discovered robust evidence that dietary protein supplementation results in vital increases in muscle strength and dimension. Protein is an important a part of our diet and key to constructing and sustaining all types of body tissue, together with muscle. Due to the presence of these vitamins and minerals, this mass gainer improves the well being condition of the customers. Together with this, analysis has proven us that BCAA's will not make us any more apt to build muscle than acquiring enough protein by means of food plan and protein powder supplementation, despite what most of the complement corporations declare they do ( eleven ). Meals dietary supplements needs to be mixed with a wholesome and balanced eating regimen. Creatine itself can be phosphorylated by creatine kinase to type phosphocreatine , which is used as an vitality buffer in skeletal muscle groups and the mind. Aspect Effects: embrace fatigue, drowsiness, low blood stress, weak point, dizziness, nausea, headache, http://baraita.net/creatine-side-effects-and-its-incluence-on-the-body/ despair, weight achieve, and http://migliori-booster-per-testosterone.eu/Maxman.html insomnia. As you can see, there aren't many muscle-building dietary supplements that live as much as the hype. Specifically, the muscle-building effects of S18-GENETIX are attributed to a cascade of cellular reactions together with the activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), upregulation of ribosomal protein S6 kinas (S6K1) exercise, enhancement of eukaryotic initiation factor-4E binding protein (eIF4E-BP1) phosphorylation, and the association of eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF)4E with eIF4G. And a low body-fats is ineffective if you do not have muscular tissues to indicate for. I'm 6 foot and 154 pounds and I'm pondering of utilizing this weight-reduction plan to bulk up before I do a cut to shed physique fats for a more lean look. The muscular tissues fiber have to be destroyed, it's the one method you may construct new muscle. Usually most Mass Gainers are full of a excessive proportion of carbohydrates to match each day caloric needs and provide the gas and energy that helps coaching and restoration from exercises. When Johns Hopkins researchers in contrast the results on the heart of losing a few pounds via a low-carbohydrate weight loss plan versus a low-fat food regimen for six months—every containing the identical quantity of calories—those on a low-carb eating regimen lost a mean of 10 pounds more than these on a low-fat weight-reduction plan—28.9 pounds versus 18.7 pounds. Many are afraid of taking supplements as a result of they contain fat and carbohydrates. Including in these excessive-depth interval training (HIIT) runs offers selection to your running program, and so they prevent time on those days when your schedule might be somewhat more hectic. Reading bodybuilding complement evaluations is a superb way to find the best products on your specific wants. You might be squirming at the D" phrase, and it's understandable—wholesome weight-reduction plan is where most people wrestle in their quest to drop extra pounds. In your food the quantity of calories and fat needs to be low. It should not be thought-about necessary for a superb exercise, neither should it's contemplate a part of high end bodybuilding supplements. With loads of decisions, like shrimp, lobster, chicken, lean ham and lean beef, you have got a number of good proteins to base your meals round. Very Insightful and Useful tips to drop a few pounds while on an Indian weight-reduction plan. Each might include generous parts of protein, but mass gainers are focussed on upping your calorie consumption, nicely, massively, so in addition they have a chunky amount of carbs and some fats in every serving to assist obtain that purpose. The 10 pound claims are from very massive individuals who try it. Many of the pounds lost will be from water weight. To maintain the person's body lively, this mass gainer offers 125g of carbs. This wholesome meal plan for weight reduction includes every kind of satisfying, starvation-curbing foods like Salmon with Candy Chili Sauce, candy potatoes, and hearty Italian-model soups. The following selection might not appear the cheapest one, though they're an incredible deal considering the value ratio, product high quality, taste… These Weight Mass are TOP NOTCH. The other phases contain slowly reintroducing wholesome carbs back into your diet as you method your objective weight. To explain to you what to eat while breastfeeding each to get all the necessary vitamins you and your child need and to shed pounds. Even the best mass gain supplement won't give you the beneficial properties you're after if the food regimen you are consuming is fighting off all of the protein's benefits. This weight achieve dietary supplements will really assist you to provide nice chocolate less bare mass. Sure alternatives have there specific guidelines; for instance, creatine has been discovered to be extremely effective in doses of about zero.3g per kilogram of bodyweight. If you wish to gain muscle but are fearful about gaining fats too, you might wish to consider a mass gainer that has fewer than 1,000 calories per serving. Nonetheless, if you happen to truly take the time and undergo what individuals need to say about weight gainers, you will notice that there are fairly a few who are saying that they do not see any results. This formulation gives you less energy, at 700 per serving, than different mass gainers however gives an approximate 2:1 ratio of carbs to protein, aimed toward athletes to help fuel exercises and assist lean muscle growth. You'll be able to consider this as slicing vs. bulking in health, and an easy method to bulk muscle is with sports activities nutrition dietary supplements referred to as lean mass gainers. Find other sports nutrition snacks and supplements and different health necessities that'll enable you get the results you need. In bodybuilding and weight training, people who do not naturally carry or simply improve muscle are sometimes called "exhausting gainers." This sounds somewhat derogatory, however it's more a press release of fact. If you recognize one factor about gaining muscle it's that it means it's essential to eat far more calories than you normally would, which is exactly the place the profitable trade of mass gainers enters the image. The principle objective of weight gainer is to provide plenty of calories. Filled with 50 full grams of protein, Origins Mass Gainer makes makes mass gaining easier, even for the skinniest of us, by retaining us anabolic (or in a muscle building state) each day. When you realize what optimal vitamin appears like, healthy consuming becomes second nature. Quite merely, our whey protein formulation is fastidiously crafted to be among the best bodybuilding supplements possible. Even if you happen to purchase a 3kg tub you would possibly go through it in a few weeks when you're taking the gainer day by day. Resistance train, akin to weight lifting or body weight workout routines, helps construct lean muscle mass. While you rest after, the muscle tissue repair themselves, creating new strands of protein. Additionally, researchers consider that what's good for the heart can also be good for the brain and that individuals who consumed green tea showed elevated levels of exercise inside the working memory area of their brains. In case you are underweight , you probably need to acquire mass, but you also need to ensure that the majority of what you acquire is muscle. Soda, juice and energy drinks are often loaded with sugar and further calories that may contribute to weight achieve over time. In a mice study, PM2.5 will increase irritation in adipose tissue and reduces glucose uptake in muscular tissue, leading to increased systemic insulin resistance 15 Nonetheless, there's paucity of knowledge concerning the effect of ambient PM2.5 on human skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. Many lean mass gainers contain added micronutrients corresponding to calcium, vitamin B12, folate, and more. Growing your protein consumption and exercising recurrently are straightforward methods to protect muscle mass. This complement isn't only suitable for muscle positive factors, but additionally for weight reduction since it's a pure urge for food suppressant. Scroll down for an vital introduction to constructing muscle. The research were stratified and analyzed by the following subgroups: HT type and dosage, period of comply with-up, time since menopause, study high quality, and kind of LBM measurement. Lots of the components in bodybuilding supplements can improve energy shops in the body or improve the ability to create new energy. These herbs are famend and time tested for optimistic effects on body to provide healthy and fast weight and muscle acquire. These Straightforward Veggie Meal Plans have been created by Kardena Pauza who's a fitness trainer and nutritionalist. Most merchandise lack adequate amounts of the vital micronutrients your body must look, really feel, and perform its greatest, so it was fairly simple to search out the best of one of the best after this spherical. So, it is good to inventory the wholesome meals and snacks in order that at any time when you need to eat something, you've got low-calorie food in your inventory. HIGH CARB: PROTEIN RATIO & FAST DIGESTING: You can expect extra from Zenith Mass Gainer as it is crafted with 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein to convey your body the a lot needed fuel. That means, you won't get so hungry that you just overeat or go for unhealthy decisions. Whether or not you're following a 1,200 calorie per day weight-reduction plan or a program with a higher calorie rely, use the downloadable schedules and simple tricks to reach your objective weight and maintain the pounds off for good. This in turn promotes the growth of muscles and will increase body weight. Now you can get your much-anticipated match body if the burden gainers are paired with gymming or exercises, which would also enhance the physique shape and agility. Girls are built differently from males and therefore it is not simple for a girl to develop muscle tissues like males do. Girls's our bodies respond differently to weight coaching so you would not have to fret. Research on its weight loss advantages are inconsistent, however the food plan improves many essential health markers and reduces your threat of heart disease. The most adaptable tissue within the human physique is skeletal muscle, and it's remarkably remodeled after steady, and punctiliously designed, resistance exercise training packages. Fat takes up more space than an identical quantity of muscle, so a person with lean muscle mass weighing the identical as an individual with an abundance of fat, on the same top, would look thinner. Optimum Vitamin has all of your sports activities nutrition needs together with various gainer merchandise to choose from. BSN Cellmass 2.zero shouldn't be a excessive dosage carb and protein complement. ShopClues supplies quite a few options in sports activities and nutrition merchandise and has a wide range in weight gainers as nicely. Muscle dietary supplements have become extremely popular these days that the dietary supplements business is ready to rake in billions of dollars annually. By chopping out 500 energy a day out of your regular day by day eating regimen , while maintaining your activity stage the identical, you possibly can lose roughly one pound per week. There are numerous wholesome food options you could examine online like the very best natural food and different pure healthcare merchandise Do not forget that by limiting or reducing again on the sugar and starches, you will reduce your appetite and finally makes you drop a few pounds without going hungry. Throughout the Dukan Weight-reduction plan , you possibly can eat tasty complete foods during every part of the eating regimen. Synopsis: Our Weight Loss Planning Calculator helps you to establish real looking time-traces in your weight loss goals. It was created in 1985 by Common Motors to assist its employees lose weight. A previous research found that individuals over age 60 must raise weight more typically than younger adults to take care of muscle mass and muscle measurement. However some findings have been encouraging, notably indications that in-flight train does have a positive effect in countering losses in muscle strength no less than in the legs (see table 6-1 and determine 6-6), as predicted from the outcomes of the eighty four-day Skylab 4 mission when multiple modesof exercise had been used including a unique "treadmill" machine (see figure 6-4). Among the finest-practice to get more out of coaching with gainers is to ensure to stay hydrated, this is not going to solely help nutrient absorption but additionally helps to eradicate toxins from the physique which is extraordinarily essential when planning to gain weight or muscle mass. These are the eight dietary supplements which might be most positively value your investment for those who're looking to optimize those muscle-building objectives and augment that onerous work you set within the health club every day. The muscle building drugs mentioned on this article are 100% safe. Go surfing to your favorite purchasing web site and shop for mass gainers. Dymatize Elite Casein can increase satiety and provide a slower release of muscle-constructing amino acids. Clear Labs is known for his or her premium and efficient workout supplements like PreSeries BULK, LEAN, STIM-FREE, BCAA Glutamine, and Creatine HMB - All pf which provide full clinical doses and 100% label transparency. The ACOG define wholesome weight reduction as shedding 1-2 lb per week. With no additives or fillers in their merchandise, Bare Creatine is just Creatine Monohydrate in its purest type. Proteins contribute to the expansion and upkeep of muscle mass. How it works: Low-carb diets restrict your carb consumption in favor of protein and fats. All workout-performance questions aside, security is a giant concern right here since pre-exercise supplements should not regulated by the FDA. Add 2 heaping scoops of Mass Gainer to a blender full of 24oz of chilly water or milk (coconut or almond can be utilized). The largest profit which you could get from this mass gainer is efficient safety from sickness and infection.

[cosmosogler]

guess whoooooo lost track of time!

i basically did none of the things i was hoping to do today. i got up kinda late since i had so much trouble sleeping last night, i spent too long in the shower, i can’t remember what i did all morning. i couldn’t leave the house since dad was gone... oh, i washed the blanket. and i made plans to get lunch with some relatives next monday. i feel like i’m forgetting something important i was going to do though. like, really important. 

i did pick up my meds in the afternoon when dad got back. i haven’t started taking them yet. i will start tonight at bedtime. 

the steroids don’t seem to be helping doge at all. dad said that might happen. she’d have a lot less time if that happened. he said he wasn’t gonna let her live like that. she didn’t leave dad’s room today. i gave her a bowl of water and my brother brought her food bowl to her when it was time to feed them. she wouldn’t go outside unless dad was around either.

i did coax her outside at about 7, after i had a small dinner that made me pretty ill. 

maybe the infection is why i’ve been feeling so much more discomfort and pain this last week. and generally been feeling junky and absentminded. it’s dumb. my old doctor tried treating my pain with antibiotics back in early january when it first started happening and that didn’t help then. now it’s three months later and i suddenly have an infection?? even though i just took a round of antibiotics for that exact strain? jesus.

oh, i got a confirmation email for an appointment with my old therapist. for an appointment i did not schedule, and was not on my schedule card. i was pretty annoyed, but i called and made sure to specify that i meant “all future appointments” when i had asked for a cancellation. 

that seemed to eat up my entire supply of resolve for the day. i did not call the school. school related things are so incredibly stressful right now and i haven’t dealt with ANY of them. and i know that’s bad, and i’m bad for not doing them, and it’s gotten me in trouble with school administration in the past... i don’t know why “need to do thing” + “anxiety about thing” seems to mean “inability to do thing” every time. it’s not a very useful manifestation of stress. usually like, a desire to do a thing and imminently needing to do the thing come together and result in the thing getting done. i guess that’s why it’s an anxiety disorder. 

i didn’t take wiley out for a walk, even though he asked twice. my ankles have really been hurting whenever i put on shoes. i forgot to put a bandage on my other ankle before i left for the pharmacy and had to limp awkwardly around the store to try to avoid the chafing. i bought myself a candy bar and in the less than 10 minute trip home it melted. i was kinda bummed.

after trying to walk and hurting my ankle though i didn’t really want to go out of the house. so wiley and eve suffered for it. i did sit outside with the three of them for like 25 minutes though. 

my favorite way to pet eve is to take her leathery ear between my fingers and thumb and just feel the thin velvety fur. she doesn’t seem to mind at all. when she does mind she just shakes her head and pulls her ear out of my hand. diogi’s a little harder to do that with because her ears are all scarred up from her hematomas. and she gets real ticklish. wiley thinks it’s a game and nips at my fingers.

i talked with oz for a long time today. i have felt too lethargic to really commit to playing games... voice chatting is easier for me than focusing on a game. i would say that i feel better playing games in person, but 

OH WOW A BOTTLE CAP!

i would say that i feel better playing games in person, but i still kinda refuse to play games with dad. and i’m not being very persistent about getting him to sit down and continue watching jojo. i think i don’t have a problem playing games with asher because they are in person, and they are short and low-commitment, and also i enjoy playing games with asher. those three things are like... what needs to happen for me to be able to focus. 

pokemon is the obvious exception, but i have trouble articulating why. i’ve always liked pokemon. it lets me feel assured that i could put it down at a moment’s notice and attend to other things if i wanted/needed to. i just... never put it down, or if i do, i don’t put it down for long. 

it’s not that i CAN’T stop playing. when i’m hanging with asher i don’t really even think about it that much. i was really super bummed in december and january when i wasn’t playing because i had misplaced my entire collection of competitive/gifted pokemon, but that wasn’t because i wasn’t playing. it was more because i didn’t have the choice to stop playing. it had been taken away from me. in high school i went for years without playing. i still often go weeks or months without touching it, especially toward the end of the game’s “season.” it’s just, i feel like i can always just pick it right back up whenever i feel like it. and right now i ain’t got nothin better to do.

it’s better to have a project than to not have a project, right?

i kind of want to stress the difference between having a hobby and having an obsession or addiction. like, i have a physical addiction to my antidpressants, biologically. if i don’t take them i have really unpleasant withdrawal. but i am always, always sadder to not be talking to my friends than i am to not be playing pokemon. no question.

maybe i need to reassure myself because mom’s accusations make me feel insecure about my attachment to my hobbies. she always said i was addicted to video games and they were rotting my brain or whatever. but she also said i was addicted to melatonin. which is a dietary supplement and a naturally occurring chemical in your body.

she’s good at ‘splaining to me. momsplaining.

i get “addicted” to things like tetris and sudoku puzzles way more easily than pokemon. with pokemon there are generally good places to stop, and it’s easy to build a routine and stop at the end of that routine. but with tetris it just goes on forever. and sudoku puzzles, i can’t stop doing them when i start. when i close my eyes i see numbers popping into squares. i was actually pretty annoyed with my family for getting me a huge “daily sudoku” puzzle book for christmas. i had a sort of post-it note-sized 500 puzzle pad for a while in high school. i spent hours tearing through it, neglecting to eat or drink or do much homework. they had to be solved.

with jigsaws, and with pokemon, i don’t feel as... anxious getting up and leaving it for a little bit, or coming back tomorrow. 

i think i burned myself out though. i don’t even like doing the single online sudoku puzzles any more. i just do the new set of picture logic puzzles that comes out every friday and that usually takes about a half hour to forty minutes.

that sure was a tangent! pokemon was actually the first thing that really encouraged me to learn how to read. it had a lot of unfamiliar words and concepts that i had to actually sit down and read to learn about. like i had to figure out what “hydro” meant. before that i had tried to pick up long books like ms. piggly wiggly and kind of brute force my way through reading new material. but for video games i had to read because i had to learn the rules and how it worked. it wasn’t just a story.

i mean, i was still super bad at it until, like, crystal version came out almost three years later. but after i spent two hours trying to figure out how to get past veridian city because i didn’t know that i had to get the thing from the shopkeeper and take it back to professor oak, i learned that i had to learn how to read new words if i wanted to play this whole game.

formative experiences!

so i guess i did do quite a few of the things i had wanted to do today. tomorrow i’m gonna get lunch with gramma and i will TRY to contact at least one school for any of the reasons i need to contact any school. that’s just vague enough to not be a real commitment!

i should be a little more active with asher about settling in and studying for the general gre. he has to take it before the end of may i think? because of various scheduled events happening in his life after that. i say that not because i want to fuss and meddle with his life, but also because i have tutored before and in the physics field it is a very useful skill to have. now is the time to start working on a battle plan.

ok, it is past 12:30 now. i should stop writing and go to bed... i will try to pick up a new tv show this weekend i think. i’m thinking... death note. or maybe motorcity... something not too long-running, and preferably complete. i don’t have the energy to keep up with new ongoing shows right now. and i am feeling satisfied with the amount of show/movie critiques i have seen for now.

a REAL project would be starting a book! whoof. or worse, trying to draw or write again!!! terrifying!!!!!!

[wztd]

Hey again, everyone!I am back again with a (even more) full-blown compilation of everything I have found to make money online. I am sure there are some people that just sighed and asked "Why are you posting this AGAIN?!" Well, I am sure there are some people that haven't seen it. Apologies if you have. You can also check out my post on using apps to save money and earn cash back. Plus, I am still including the free e-book link if you want to see more (like passive earning, saving money with apps, teaching Chinese kids English, and a lot more). This is an all-inclusive write-up compiling all of my past posts on how I am making upwards of $1,000 a month through pretty simple online work. I figured with the holidays coming up, we could all use the extra cash.Because this is (in most cases) not intended to be a primary source of income, I won't pretend you can survive with only this. This is a way to supplement what you already have. There is no way to know what you will make any given month, so do not count on it. My worst month I only made around $500 and my best I made over $2,000.As I have stated in my other posts, this is not a definitive list of everything a person can do online by any means. Do your own research on the subs I list, use Google, ask other people, and find what works for you. What I talk about works well for me, my family, and my schedule. Below I will include time requirements to make this money, provide a quick recap of the revenue streams that I have found to work, and provide payment proof for what I can.I personally invest anywhere from 20 to 30 hours a week doing these sites, on top of my day job. Some days I will make $20 all day, and others I will make over $200. I prefer this, as opposed to a second job, because I can pay partial attention to a laptop and 'clock-out' when I want to focus on family or Netflix. This works better for my temperament and preferences.The book:As stated, I put all of this info into an e-book, plus a TON of other stuff that was either written by me, or compiled from others (with their permission). I am attaching a paid and free link. If you're interested in paying for it (much appreciated if you do!), it can be found here for under $1. Free version is here.Tech required:A working laptop, a cellphone (in some cases), an internet connection, and a fairly good amount of patience to learn. If you are in a position where these tools are not available, you can also do many of these from a library.These are combined numbers over the last year. Anyway, on to the revenue streams. There are some refs, clearly labeled, as well as non-ref links:Active earningRespondent.io ref ($4,800): Studies - Most countries - This site allows users to screen for online or in-person surveys and focus groups. The pay is amazing, easily averaging $125 per test. I only average getting approved for the groups about 10% of the time (I have filled out about 400 screeners and have been selected for 40 studies). Thankfully, each screener only takes me a few minutes to fill out. I have made up to $200 with one hour of work doing an in person focus group. Most focus groups are done through webcam, so you don't even have to leave your house. They payout via PayPal 7 days after the activity is complete. Non-refSwagBucks ref ($225) Surveys – Majority of countries– This is more of a catch-all for stuff to do when you want to make and save money. You can do surveys, play games, and watch videos to earn points. You can also get cash back from using SB to visit and buy from different stores. You get paid in points which can be used to purchase gift cards or sent directly to PayPal. Each point is the equivalent of $0.01. Usually, SB will have deals where you can get certain gift cards for less. For example, a $20 Amazon gift card for 1800 SB points. The payout can be slow, but if you don’t mind running ads in the background, using a plug-in to save money while you shop, or killing time playing a game, SwagBucks can be a great way to earn $20 a month. Non-refProlific.ac ref ($1,575): Surveys - Most coutries - Based in the UK, this is one of my favorites because they pay in Great British Pound (GBP) which is the equivalent to 1.25x USD. Prolific is similar to mturk in that all you do is fill out surveys. Pay is better than mturk, but the availability of surveys is not as great. The initial questionnaire you have to fill out is a bit long taking me about 20 minutes, but ensures you qualify for every survey they show you and will never get disqualified for not meeting the demographic. You have to hit £5 before you can cash out, but you get this after a few days of watching for surveys. Leave it open in a tab and check it throughout the day. I wish I could do this one all day. They pay out in PayPal anytime you request it and have a balance of over £5. Non-refMturk ($3,142): Small tasks and surveys - US mainly. Confirmed also in Canada, Europe, & Aus. - This is by far the one I spent the most time on and has been the best earner. This site lets humans perform small tasks that robots still cannot do well. It is owned by Amazon. Downside is there are slim pickings on weekends and when colleges are out on vacation. I typically stick to surveys, but once in a while do batch jobs which there are more of. You have to wait a week for your first payout, which will go to an Amazon payment account. You can the get payouts one time per day after that. Approval for mturk can sometimes be a pain in the ass, almost impossible if you are not from the US, but is definitely worth it in my opinion if you can get approved.Secret shopper app ref ($485): In-person store evaluation - US only - This link will take you directly to a sign-up page with my ref code. Feel free to delete it before signing up, if you want. You will be taken to the app store where you can download the actual app on your phone. Essentially, you go to stores near you that are identified in the app and take pictures or videos of specific items. I like this one because I have the ability to make a few extra bucks if I am already out shopping. The pay for this one averages about $15/hr. Non-refUsertesting ($800): Website evaluation - US & maybe select others - This site allows you to review new websites and apps. The pay is usually $10 per recorded test lasting 10-15 minutes. Sometimes the pay is more, but never less. I average a few tests a week. Some weeks I will get a dozen tests, other weeks nothing. This one is great to practice your feedback skills, which open up a lot of other doors. Pay is through PayPal, one week (to the minute) after the test is complete.Redbubble ($305): T-shirt creation - Worldwide - After getting rejected by merch by Amazon, I came here. You design and publish t-shirts, phone cases, and about 20 other mixed products, with each sell netting you a few bucks. They are based in Australia, and do pay-outs once a month on the 15th via PayPal. You do all of the uploading and just wait for people to find it with keywords or searches. Great if you are artistic or know how to use any creative software. 25% off ref code for first order over $40. You save $10 or more, and I get a $10 credit if you use this code.Ebay ($190): Selling goods - Worldwide - Not much explanation needed here. You buy stuff in-person low, and sell online high. Here is a $1 beginner's guide dedicated to flipping (also mine).PlaytestCloud ($190): Video game testing - Many countries - This is just simple game testing. It is super fun, very quick, and you get to test new games before anyone else. They send you tests for different listed devices, you download the game file, and they record your screen and voice. The only issue I have with this one is that you are only able to test 3-4 games per month, at $9-$11 each. Paid almost immediately after each test via PayPal. This one has been pretty dead recently.UsabilityHub ($15): App testing - Many countries - This one lets the user take quick one or two minute surveys on your opinion of an app screen. They pay for this averages to about $.10 a minute, so it is nothing spectacular. Just leave it open in another tab and take a quick survey when you hear a new one come available.UserInterviews ($50): Studies - US & maybe select others - Similar to Respondent, but with less approval when filling out the demographics for each study.Making money with RedditReddit subs($2,300): It is super simple to use Reddit as more than a social media tool or news website. Knowing the right subs to subscribe to, and what to look for, can help you make a few extra hundred bucks a month. There are a ton that you can find small or medium jobs on, but I am only going to outline the top four that have worked for me./r/slavelabour: This sub is normally dedicated to doing cheap jobs for people, at cheap rates. I have both had things done for me here, as well as completed a lot of tasks. It may seem daunting at first, with people offering $2 to write an essay (seriously though.. no homework here), but there are gems to be found. Two of my best jobs have been creating meal plans for $60, and finding the name of a book for $80./r/WorkOnline: A gold mine of information on different websites to check out, gift card survey opportunities, and other generally helpful tips. I have never made money directly from there, but have gotten tools that have helped make at least a thousand over the last year./r/signupsforpay: Since slave labour does not allow paying people to sign up for websites, this is where to go to make a few bucks with signups. From connecting your gas and electric information, to signing up with Acorns, I have probably made a grand total of $100 here. Nothing overly special, but $100 is $100./r/giftcardexchange: This is one of my favorites, because you can buy and sell all of those gift cards you have/want. Have a $20 gift card from a family member that you will never use? Sell it here for 80-90%. Want to buy Amazon gift cards for less than face value? Get 'em here. I do a lot of buying on Amazon, so this sub has easily saved me hundreds over the course of using it. Caution: Trade carefully.More passive earning techniques from a comment on one of my old write-upsSwagbucks: Pick up one of the $30 Amazon fire tablet and throw a custom rom and rooted it. Any android device (not your daily phone) will work. Only 4 of the 6 apps are on iOS. Swagbucks Watch, EntertaiNow, Lifestylz.tv, MovieCli.Ps, Indymusic.tv, Sportly.tv (run in that order).You use to be able to farm these apps but now only run a certain amount of time with the possibility of bonuses. Just let them run while at home and switch to each app when they are done collecting points. If your device is rooted, you also want to install Beer Money Assist which can import the shortest running video clips for efficiency. There's also the Swag IQ app that is a direct copy of Trivia IQ. You can play for a few extra points.I never do any of the surveys or craves on the main website. If I'm close but haven't meet my daily goal through the apps (which can be collected at months end), I may answer the daily poll, play swagasarous or search if I'm close. Also if the apps are being fickle, I don't even bother and just wait until the next day (not worth the stress).Microsoft Rewards: It usually takes me about 5 minutes a day to play through Microsoft Rewards. The trick is using a desktop with ten keys keypad. For the daily search rewards, I open up Bing and search 'Boston Celtics schedule 2018'. Double click, it highlights 2018, change to 2017 then Enter. Repeat for 2016, 2015, 2014, etc. to 1970. For mobile search, search any large city and continue to select what it auto selects.Checkpoints: Technically, you could use it to farm for points but I don't. It's installed on my main phone so whenever I go grocery shopping, it will usually pop up with bonus points. I'll also scan barcodes for extra points. I use to get weirded out but now I don't give a shit. I can get browse my store and scan very quickly and be done. It may be against their TOS but my local supermarket is close to a Walmart (which generally has more products to scan). While at my supermarket, I 'check' into Walmart and find their products.Pinecone Research (May be a waiting list): This is the exception to the no survey rule. This company partners with legitimate vendors for surveys. You'll get an email when you fit a survey's demographic (99.5% you will qualify for the sent survey). I always take time out of my day to do the surveys. Generally, the take between 5 and 15 minutes but a couple of completed surveys can net enough points for a $5 Amazon gift card. Plus, since I 'always like to try new products', I've actually got free quality products to try (last one was Gatorade).Receipt Pal (May be a waiting list): This is one of my favorite apps. You scan any receipt in the app then send. After a certain number of receipts (I think 16), you can receive a $1 Amazon gift card. TBF I may scan those extra receipts folks leave at the self-checkout. What I also like is you have a digital copy in case you need to return an item or enter into your budgeting software. Some folks recommend Receipt Hog but it only gives you points for certain receipts.Cross Media Panel (May be a waiting list): This is a Google company. Basically it's a chrome extension for your mobile device (no longer includes desktop browser) that anonymously tracks you browsing habits. Some folks may not be comfortable with that, but for me, they probably already doing it so might as well get paid. This is a completely passive app so I generally can get $5 per month not doing anything. Speaking of Google...Google Opinion Rewards: This app will show quick surveys (1 to 6 questions on average) based on where you gone shopping (hint: surveys usually don't show up unless you venture to stores). The surveys can vary from .10 cents to a few dollars. The points are only good for the Play store (not amazon) but you can get your favorite song, rent a movie, support pro editions of your favorite apps. Pro Tip: Never lie on the surveys. Generally, the first question is a trick one so answer honestly or you won't ever get surveys in the future. Even if it doesn't apply, you always get .10 cents for your time.Lucktastic: This is a scratch card app. I only open it once daily for the return bonus points. Side note, it takes frickin' forever to get enough points to cash out. Once I get enough for the $50 gift card, it will be deleted off my phone never to return. Pro tip on any app or program. Always cash out at the very minimum (wither its a $1 or $5). There usually no financial advantage to saving for larger amounts and a big disadvantage if the company decides you randomly violated the rules and suspends your account (happens several times at /r/beermoney).Fin'I know this is a lot of info and most of it is repetitive from my last post, but I wanted to provide as much info as possible for the compiled post. Well, I hope it helps! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about pretty much anything. I am always happy to help.Also, thank you to everyone that signed up to the 10th annual Secret Santa this year. There were a lot of cool gifts, and a lot of giving. I hope one of you reading this got my gift :) via /r/WorkOnline

[racheltkellogg]

From Battleground to Higher Ground

Wow, it’s already Halloween! Time has really escaped me in the last month. That means a lot has happened in the past few weeks. Truly, much more than I’ve wanted to share until this point. In talking about the many battles I’ve faced this year, I’m finally starting to feel like a bit of a broken record. In the last month, I’ve been accused of ruining lives due to my illness. I’ve been accused of dragging people down with “my medical”. Quite frankly, I’ve really been put through the wringer emotionally. Life is about as unclear now as it was right after my diagnosis and I had to stop working. But in the midst of all that noise, this blanket of peace is covering me. That peace is God and knowing He’s the ultimate Author of my life. God gives the toughest battles to His strongest warriors. I can’t help but acknowledge this passion in my soul to live a life filled with people who are fighting – and struggling to fight – just as I am.

Exactly one day after my last blog update, I was rushed to the ER here in Seattle. It was a very unfortunate situation since I was making positive strides, physically and mentally, after my long hospitalization. Just before the close of September, I found out some devastating, heartbreaking news. You guys know me, I’m an open book. But this particular situation was so triggering, I simply don’t want to share what happened. Many of you know I’ve jumped through hoops after my latest boyfriend and I broke up. That was just two months ago. Since then I’ve undergone a 3-and-a-half week hospitalization, had to dump my former living situation and move, have been fundraising like crazy to keep a roof over my head – and now, a scary trip to the ER. In this span of a month, I’ve also learned I won’t be returning to television news any time soon – if ever. I’ll get more into the work update later in this post, but first I want to focus on the story surrounding this ER visit. It’ll give you a better sense of how strongly my chronic illness is fueled by my emotions. During the evening of Friday, September 29th, I was shocked by some unexpected personal news. In the moments following the discovery, I engaged in a phone call that was demeaning and negative beyond belief. Those 20-short minutes led me into a spiral of anxiety that I couldn’t control. My body reacted in a way it never has before. I was vomiting profusely, nearly convulsing at times. I’ve truly never experienced anything like this before. Luckily, in that moment while vomiting, I had the wherewithal to text the person I last spoke with and demanded they call 911. Next thing I know, I’m being hauled away in an ambulance and would spend the next seven hours in the emergency room. I underwent even more tests, and doctors/nurses continued to monitor my vitals throughout the night.

I was finally discharged after 6am Saturday morning. I had to order an Uber to get home because I didn’t have my car. By the way, there’s nothing more humbling than getting home from the ER in an Uber - especially while recovering from your own emergency situation. Later that morning, I saw my therapist. I cried for the first 20 minutes of my appointment. I couldn’t spit out a single word. Just a few hours before that, I was discharged. I still hadn’t processed the news from the night before, or the surprise ER visit. For the next two weeks, I couldn’t eat. I tried, but fought endless amounts of nausea and heightened anxiety. It was as if a lion was chasing me for seven to 10 straight days. My GP flared up. I lost more weight (down to 110lbs). My doctors became more worried - and that alone induces more personal stress for me. I’ve been praying for my situation for months, but after this ER visit, I couldn’t stop praying. I was so spent, I found myself asking – how is this life even worth it?

Here’s where God comes in - it’s crazy. Just 12 hours after being discharged from the ER, I attended an anniversary party for my church. About 30 minutes into that party, I got an email congratulating me on being chosen as an Ambassador for the inspirational brand, Live A Great Story. This is huge for me. I’ve been following the movement for three years - about the amount of time it’s been around. Man, timing is everything. I found myself thanking Jesus moments after I received the news of my ambassadorship. Not only for the opportunity, but because I know it’s affirmation from God that He wants me to LIVE OUT A GREAT STORY with my illness. I had to remind myself of the positives I’ve learned from this life-changing journey, once again. God reminded me WHY I’m on this path. Certainly, it’s not for me alone - but for the lives I hope to touch and inspire right now and in the future.

As an ambassador, I want to share positivity, love and encouragement around the Seattle area. This city is amazing and deserves the empowering message surrounded by this movement. One that truly reflects the life of Jesus, too! He lived the greatest, most selfless story of all - so why can’t I?

Soon here, I’ll be organizing a few events to try and inspire Seattleites to live a great story. Maybe a Day of Kindness, or a day of storytelling - where people can share their struggles only to be accepted for them. If you have ANY ideas, I wanna hear all about them!

Shortly after my visit to the ER, I enrolled in a DBT (dialectical behavior therapy) Skills training group. Not only do I need the skills of emotional regulation and all that therapy, but heck - it’ll be valuable information to use in my next adventure as a life coach. It’s not cheap, but it’s time I truly start investing in myself and my health.

Now to the health update!

Since my weight has been on the steady decline, my psychiatrist (who’s more supportive than my primary doctor) referred me to a dietician in Seattle who specializes in gastrointestinal disorders. She’s been a God-send, but such a huge damper on my finances. I’ve seen some good progress in the last two weeks of seeing her - but I’m now on all kinds of supplements that range from $30-$70 per bottle. Multiply that by 5 bottles. Health and illness are both so expensive…and mind you, these supplements need to be taken several times throughout the day - so I’m already running out. 

Some of those supplements are supposed to help combat my fatigue. I’ve been dealing with some harsh fatigue for years (thanks overnight shift), but it got a whole lot worse when eating became an obstacle. Obviously, when you don’t eat - your body doesn’t produce energy. So now we’re trying to retrain my stomach/body in hopes it can heal and normalize itself. My dietician’s overall goal for me during that process is to eat six small meals a day. I’ve only been able to stomach about three small meals so far. Sometimes only two. And as sad as it sounds, my six meals consist of two half smoothies, two tiny (super basic) turkey sandwiches, and soup. So I’m eating the same foods every day, multiple times per day. Exhilarating! Right now, she also has me doing the HCL Challenge. If you don’t know, HCL stands for Hydrochloric Acid - and it helps break down the foods in your stomach. I started the challenge by taking one HCL capsule, and need to increase my dosage by one capsule every day until I feel heart burn. I took NINE CAPSULES today, and I still don’t feel any “warming” or “burning”. That means my stomach is likely very deficient in HCL. I’m not sure if that’s due to my GP, or if that’s one of the factors that contribute to my GP. It’s like the chicken or the egg.

In the last two weeks, I also found out I won’t be returning to TV news in quite some time. Due to my illness, my doctors and I had to come up with a list of accommodations before I could actually return to work. My leave of absence was extended two weeks longer than it was supposed to be - and that’s because my employer and my doctor were back and forth in the discussion. After all that, my employer came back and said they could not meet the necessary accommodations. That means I either have five weeks to try and magically get better (*ahem, GP’s chronic*), or come up with some other plan to put me on long-term disability. The latter is clearly the only route I can realistically take since I’m still dealing with symptoms daily. Some days are obviously worse than others - but my illness isn’t conducive to the nature of the news business. 

My not being able to return to work is a huge hit to January’s goal of beginning my life coach certification. At this point, I have zero finances for it. None. I’ll continue to pray for the funds necessary to join and finish the program - and I kindly ask for your prayers, too! I could use a bit of clarity on the necessary “next” steps He wants me to take. Should I work with the mentally ill in a behavioral hospital? Start a support group? How do I pay for the bills with all these rising medical expenses? I’ve also been trying hard to get an appointment with a GI doctor who specializes in Gastroparesis. She works out of the University of Washington - and man, the process has taken well over a month just to make an appointment. It’s difficult to be seen at UW. The hospital requires a “patient review process”, and several of my doctors haven’t been as attentive with my information as necessary. I’ve had to become my own super-advocate because some of my doctors just forget. Seeing this new GI doctor is very important. I’m currently not seeing a gastroenterologist and haven’t since my last one diagnosed me via email and dodged out of town for over a week. I was left to research my “death-threat” disease online by myself. I say “death threat” because I literally thought I was going to die after all the crap I read online. After that situation, I ditched that doctor and her hospital and started seeing my functional medicine doctor. Since then, It’s taken months to find a good GI who is well-versed and highly educated in my illness. All in all, UW is still processing my medical records before they can accept me as a patient. I could use prayers for a speedy and positive response to that request. 

As always, I just want to thank you for keeping up with journey, sharing my story, and even donating to my GoFundMe campaign. If you haven’t, and want to help with my current battle, you can access it under my blog’s headline - or just by clicking right here! If you don’t have money to spare, that’s SO okay! I still appreciate your love and concern more than you know. And if you could share my story or the link with others who may be able to help, then I’m forever indebted to you. Gosh, I’m so blessed by all the good friends and loved ones that are helping me through this really difficult time. I love you guys so, so, so, so much!

On a short and final note: I just wanna make sure my Cali friends+fam know there’s no way I’m moving back after the past few weeks Seattle. This city has resources. Seattle has seasons. Colorful trees. Misty, moody and beautiful rain. The ocean. Lakes. Islands. I’m in awe. Fall, I have truly fallen head over heels for you! 

Thank you again for reading! Until next time! MUCH LOVE<3

[seekerandthewizard88-blog]

Symptoms

It happened again... I guess I'm not all the way out of the woods. I was sitting in class when all of a sudden, I got this feeling of intense energy rushing up from my center to my face. I had just moments before elected to pull on my zip up hoodie since the A/C is always going full blast, but this was different- I felt cold deep in my bones. I couldn't concentrate and was vaguely dizzy... I blamed this on the fact that I didn't wake up early enough to prep my morning juice and smoothie and only had about a handful of fruits for breakfast as I dashed out the door. As this wave coursed up my body, I suddenly became very aware that my hands felt ice cold and somewhat numb. I started feeling like I might actually pass out. My chest tightened and I instinctively placed my fingers at my jugular vein only to confirm my suspicion that my heart rate was elevated. My mind raced to calculate my options... I could ride it out and possibly pass out during class, or I could make a break for the door while I still could in cool fashion. Luckily, as I walked down the hallway, I knew I had made the right choice since I now desperately had to use the bathroom.   

 I am no stranger to talking myself through these moments. As I sat contemplating the sensations in my body, I reminded myself that I was safe and in a public space, and at any point I could call 911 and help would surely arrive. I tried to recall if my Xanax prescription was in my schoolbag or if I had taken it out last week during my hospitalization episode. Honestly, I didn't want to have to take it, but if I had to... I would. It just made me feel better having it as a last resort option. The anxiety I knew exactly how to handle... if it was anxiety. I texted a couple friends so my whereabouts were known, and got some needed reassurance that this would pass.

 After a good ten minutes I started feeling FOMO set in and wondered if I had missed any crucial details from the lecture. I made my way back to the classroom after grabbing a nice cup of hot water to try to heat me up from inside. The strange feelings kept coming and going, less severe now, but I employed more tricks... pressing into the corners of my thumbnail and squeezing and releasing my hands. To anyone who may have glanced over I would have at most appeared mildly fidgety. I tried as best I could to focus on the lecture amidst my moderate level of panic. Nothing to see here, everything is business as usual... I needed to show my panic that it was not needed, but thank you very much anyway.

 A few thoughts came to mind... what if I'm wrong, what if it's not that I haven't been eating enough. Or maybe I should incorporate some meat back into my diet. Perhaps this has nothing to do with my diet... or what if it's a sign of progress that I just need to be more patient with? What if the virus was making moves... because I've been SO healthy lately and this is a sign that it's dying? What if I'm taking a supplement that I shouldn't be and it's actually helping the virus, that's why these symptoms were flaring up? Dammit, I need to stop self-diagnosing. I have been called a hypochondriac many times....

 But if not me, who will save me?

 I quiet the negativity and remind myself that what I am experiencing is real. If I totalled the amount of money I have spent trying to get to the bottom of what is causing my symptoms, I could probably go on sabattical for a full year and travel the world. I'm $700+ down just from the last two weeks alone and it only marginally contributed to my goals of total recovery. I had lost faith in this new naturopath after she tried prescribing me a supplement that contained one of the food allergens she just diagnosed me with moments before... seriously? That, and she seemed to look suspiciously at me as I offered my own theories on what I saw happening in my body, as if to say... what would YOU know that would be useful for me? I decided to see her because her website said 'getting to the root cause of illness, not just the symptoms.' I now own a bag full of supplements, mostly vitamins, that treat only symptoms. 😡

 Having had these experiences many times with different healthcare providers, I remind myself that NO ONE will ever work as meticulously at uncovering the inner workings of my body as me. No other obsessive trait is more useful to one who is devoting a lifetime to the practice of medicine. Everything I am going through now will only make me that much wiser, that much more compassionate as a healer when people walk through my door with their collection of symptoms, their desperation, and their exasperation at time and money spent with still no answers. I am working on cultivating the type of awareness that only I can have, and that requires patience and respect for who I am and what it contributes to not only my journey, but to the world. So bring on the hypochondriac, that's honestly who I would want treating my case.

 Patience has not been my strong suit... or maybe it has, considering I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's over 2 years ago with instructions to check my thyroid hormones every year until they are low enough to be prescribed medication. That there was no CURE for this disease and that it would eventually lead to hypothyroidism and a lifetime of Synthroid. General knowledge was that unfortunately my immune system went rogue and just decided one day to start attacking my thyroid tissue to the point where it is now visibly inflamed on ultrasound. I bought this story for quite some time. Apparently, so did this particular endocrinologist, since he spoke with such authority and conviction in his white coat behind the desk... (More on this in another post because it deserves it's own, but suffice to say here that the term 'auto-immune' is a misnomer that expounds misrepresentation of the immense intelligence and capability of the human body. I was led to this realization by an author who I will discuss later and my own inner truth-barometer. Oh, and the 33 years of experience I have living in this body.)

 It's been a couple hours since my attack, and thankfully class ended early today. As I'm riding my train home, all I can think about is a steak fajita. Perhaps I do just need a substantial meal. I guess we will try it and find out- this seems to be my motto as of late. My chest still feels tight, but the warmth has since returned to my hands. I'm relieved I can be in the safety of my home for the evening, and I am grateful that no matter what happens, I will never give up hope or fighting for the life I know is possible- the healthy, joyful life that I deserve. Every day brings more knowledge, more clarity, and more awareness, and I intend on sharing all of it with all of you as it unfolds.

 Love and blessings for good health, 

The Wizard

Literally saw this sign as I was exiting the train... ❤️ 

[photomaniacs]

Want to Sell Stock Photos? Here’s a Comparison of the Major… http://ift.tt/2uqHc1p

Want to Sell Stock Photos? Here’s a Comparison of the Major Services http://ift.tt/2uqTRkV

Up until just recently I always scoffed at selling my work as stock photography. Let’s call it youthful arrogance. I always felt my work was worth more and should be used for more important purposes. The problem was I wasn’t good at selling my work independently either.

After doing some growing up, humility and logic began to play their role and I realized, “Well, I can let the work sit there on my website and do nothing, or I can let it sit there and earn me money… Hmm…”. With that, I finally decided to start selling my work through stock agencies.

However, now I had a new problem, which one do I go with? Each have their advantages and disadvantages and it can be hard to know where to list your images. After about 8 months of working with different agencies, I put together some thoughts on the major stock agencies and my experiences with each to help give others some guidance in the world of stock photography.

One general thought on selling stock before we begin: No matter what agency you sell through, do not expect to become rich by selling stock photography. Selling your work as stock might give you some nice supplemental income to help buy a lens or that tripod you always wanted, but most of the time it’s not going to pay the bills. These days there’s simply too much competition, and too much oversupply for most people to make a significant income from selling stock. Going into this with the right mindset is key to not getting discouraged.

Getty Images

That’s right, Getty, the big dog. Getty can make you some serious cash, but for a serious price. In the industry Getty is seen as having the highest quality and highest standards for their imagery, but nothing comes cheap; and while some might be drooling over the advantages I would urge people to seriously consider if the disadvantages are worth it.

Advantages

Potential Earnings: The biggest advantage to selling your work on Getty is how much money you have the potential to make. Keep in mind that word potential though before you get excited. A high res image is listed at $575. One of the most common contracts is with Moment Collection where you’ll earn 20%. Not bad right? $115 for a single sale of your photo. Even a low res photo (like the one you shot with your Canon 10D from 13 years ago) could sell for $375 earning you $75. No other agency even comes close to earning you that much.

Feel Good Factor: Another advantage is, well, pride. Getty has a reputation of quality. If your work gets in and even better, if it sells it’s a nice boost to your ego and can help motivate you to keep shooting.

Editorial: In addition to that, they offer Editorial classification of your images. This is important for people shooting things like travel or architecture. If getting a release is impractical and removing stuff from the photo would make it look terrible, you can simply classify it as Editorial Only and you can still sell it. Now the market for an editorial only image is smaller, but selling is better than not selling right?

Editorial use only signified by the orange badge in the upper left-hand side.

Submission Communication: Another nice feature is you have the ability to add notes to your submissions. If you have questions or concerns that you want them to consider when reviewing your work, you can write it in the notes section for the reviewer to read.

Creative Freedom: In my submissions to Getty I’ve noticed they are more artistically inclined than the other agencies. Let’s say you have a photo that’s blurry but conveys a strong emotion or story, they don’t reject it over “subject not in focus”. They are able to look past the technical and see the creative value in work.

Disadvantages

Exclusivity: The biggest disadvantage with Getty is that the contract is exclusive. That means anything you sell on Getty cannot be sold anywhere else. So all your eggs are in their basket with those images.

Submission Platform & Content Management: Next, their submission platform for contributors is awful. They even just finished a complete overhaul of the site and it’s still something that might as well be from 2003. You’d think by now they should have many years of feedback from contributors to develop the best site out there (especially with all the money their making with the other 80% of your photo sales). But no, it sucks.

Views visibility icons

There is no visibility into image views other than a little square saying it’s getting “a lot” or “a little” in views. The photos are also organized in batches, which actually makes a lot of sense for the upload portion so that you can combine similar images in a single submission. But as a result, it’s impossible to see overall performance of all your work. Instead, you have to open each batch individually and view only those images in that batch to see how they’re doing. Most importantly, you don’t get to see sales of your images except for ONCE PER MONTH. Without being able to see views & sales in real-time, getting a good idea of your image performance is essentially non-existent. If you think about it, it’s absurd that they couldn’t invest their money into making a better submission platform and there’s no excuse for it.

Customer Service: With a poor site, you’d think maybe they have good customer service for their contributors. Well, unfortunately you’d be wrong there too. Every ticket I’ve submitted has taken months — literally months — to get resolved. After a poor site design and no customer service it makes it seem like all that money they make, just goes right into their pocket and they don’t invest in the company itself.

Content Review Times: Not fully a disadvantage, but definitely not an advantage is the content review times. These are completely unpredictable. They say up to 4 weeks to review and list for sale. The truth is, you never know. Some submissions will be reviewed and listed in a day or two, more commonly it takes about a week to get them reviewed, but I have seen them take even up to 6 weeks! It can be quite frustrating waiting that long to see feedback on the images and get them up for sale.

Earnings: Lastly, remember that word potential when talking about how much you’ll earn from your images. Well sadly that’s not normally the case, and even worse it seems that is actually becoming even less the case these days. They have what’s called “Premium Access” for high volume customers and it’s a negotiated rate they sell your work at. So that $115 you are hoping to earn? Try $3, or better yet $0.35. No joke. Half the time Getty is no better than the other microstock sites due to this Premium Access stuff….all the while your work is still exclusive.

iStock

iStock is a part of Getty Images and is one of the major players in the microstock market. Because of their association with Getty many of the things to consider are the same. But here are a few key differences.

Advantages

Exclusivity: The biggest difference between iStock and Getty is that iStock is not exclusive. That means you can sell your work on iStock as well as through other agencies.

Earnings Options: Another great feature iStock offers is optional exclusivity. While iStock enjoys a wider market (all the folks that can’t afford to pay $500+ for a photograph) that means you earn less because the price is lower. But with the option to sell exclusively through iStock while the images sell for less, you can earn a higher percentage – up to 45% – of each sale. This offers a nice balance of having access to a wider market while still earning a “reasonable amount” with each sale.

Disadvantages

Non-Exclusive Earnings: iStock is a microstock site, meaning you’ll earn next to nothing with each sale. The base rate for non-exclusive is 15%. With photos selling for $12, that earns you a hefty $1.80 per image. But, that’s only if it’s not a subscription customer. With most sales coming from subscription customers and, you guessed it, “Premium Access” expect to earn on average between 20¢ – 50¢ per sale.

Submission Platform: The other major disadvantage, they now use the same submission platform as Getty. So all the fantastically terrible things I mentioned previously with Getty, you have to deal with for iStock….and earn less money in the process. With that said, there are 3rd party applications you can use for submitting content that offer a much better experience both in uploading the content and with visibility into performance. But that just begs the question all the more, why isn’t Getty the one providing the quality experience to the people who are earning them money — the contributors?

Shutterstock

Shutterstock is arguably the king of microstock. They offer decent content for dirt cheap. As a result they have a pretty vast customer base.

Advantages

Content Management: Previously their user interface was pretty bad, but they’ve since released a major overhaul and unlike Getty/iStock this one propels them into the modern era. Their “Contributor Dashboard” gives you incredible insight into content performance in a number of ways, from real-time sales and earnings, to download location, to top performing content. It’s a lot of relevant information that you can use to better refine what to shoot and what to submit.

A section of the Contributor Dashboard.

Market: Shutterstock also has an enormous customer base. Think about all the bloggers, small businesses, and other people who use imagery but don’t have a huge budget, that’s your audience. In addition, they also have a large international customer base. So it’s fairly easy to make sales even with all the competition.

Submission Review Time: Their submission review time is pretty good. The turn around is usually not more than several days, and I haven’t yet found myself asking “When are those pictures going to get reviewed”?

Editorial: They allow you to submit work for editorial use only, which is great. Unfortunately, due to their place in the market, I haven’t seen a major draw to any creative editorial content.

Exclusivity: Non Exclusive

Disadvantages

Earnings: Being more of a low-cost alternative to other agencies, you’ll be hard pressed to get more than $0.25 per photo. Don’t get me wrong it does happen, but most customers have subscriptions so that’s about the average you’ll earn for downloads. After some time it can get quite discouraging when you see “78 Downloads – Total Earnings $25.13”. Not gonna be bringing home the bacon with that kind of return.

Submission Platform: Another thing is while their Contributor Dashboard is nice, their upload/keywording page is still pretty clunky. It’s functional, but not modern and sleek like the dashboard.

Adobe Stock

Adobe Stock is the newest player in the game. Launching almost exactly two years ago in 2015, and with much admiration, it has some of the best qualities of each of the other sites while trying stay competitive in the market.

Advantages

Screenshot of Lightroom publishing to Adobe Stock

Workflow: They are fully integrated into Adobe CC software, specifically Lightroom. As a contributor, all you have to do is drop your photos in the Adobe Stock publishing area and it will upload it for you, ready for you to add keywords and titles. Not only does that make it seamless to upload content, but also makes it seamless for customers to test content within programs like Photoshop and InDesign. By integrating Adobe Stock into Adobe CC they make everyone’s lives a little easier.

Submission Platform & Content Management: Their submission platform, and content dashboard are completely modern. It’s almost as if Adobe looked at what everyone else was failing to provide and included it in their design, then built it from the ground up. It gives you individual stats on every photo, real-time sales, and a beautiful, easy to navigate interface. There are a few things that could be improved on like bulk actions and maybe adding graphs, but overall it works well.

A view of the contributor dashboard with the ability to edit keywords after an image is published.

Adobe also gives you the ability to edit after publication. Let’s say there’s a good keyword you didn’t think of when you submitted the image, well Adobe lets you edit the submission after the fact! So you can add keywords, change the title, adjust what keywords are most relevant, etc.

Note: It’s important to note while they did offer a “Views” stat for each image, that has since been taken down due to inaccurate information. But they do plan to add it again when it’s fixed.

Submission Review Time: Of all the agencies, Adobe is ranks at the top for this one. They have been very quick and consistent to turn around images that are submitted. Submissions seem to get reviewed in just a day or two on average.

Earnings: I decided to put this in the advantages just due to the overall experience with Adobe Stock. The earnings are neither good, nor bad. Adobe is a microstock site, meaning that you won’t earn much. However, while you might earn pennies on Shutterstock, you can earn dimes on Adobe. $0.20 is the lowest I’ve seen a sale for, and $3.33 is the highest (for their standard contributors). Recently though, I’ve noticed many images selling for $0.99. And in my mind, $1 per image isn’t all that bad, and can add up quickly.

Customer Service: Every time I’ve had a question or an issue, they have responded within 24 hours. Not only that, they have explained things and answered follow-up questions with the same speed and effort as the original request. Big thumbs up here!

Exclusivity: Non Exclusive

Disadvantages

Content Approval: While they are only a microstock site, their pickiness for the technical execution and releases is a bit extreme. I’ve had photos rejected that were properly exposed night shots, for being “under-exposed” or a shallow DOF shot for “image out of focus”. Their strictness on what is considered intellectual property is also way too stringent.

If anything looks at all unique in character and it doesn’t have a release, it’s almost guaranteed to be rejected. Even if there’s no possible way to identify what the photo is of. In addition, it’s totally unpredictable. You might get one image of fancy windows get approved, then another of the same windows get rejected for “Intellectual Property Refusal”. My guess is at the moment, they are trying to build a quality library of images and avoid legal battles so they are being extra picky since they’re just starting out. Maybe this will ease as time goes on.

Creative Freedom: This goes hand in hand with what’s above. The content they’re looking for is generic, wide market interest. They don’t want something they conveys an emotion, they want standard stock with smiling teeth, lifestyle, and bright environment. Now, I’m sure that’s what they want because that’s what sells, so can you blame them? But, if you consider yourself an artist, you can find it quite stifling to see a quality image get rejected for “No Aesthetic or Commercial Appeal”.

Editorial: They don’t allow images to be submitted as Editorial Only. So if you don’t have a release for something, it simply won’t get accepted….no way around it. This may be a big deal or it may not, depending on what you shoot. For someone shooting travel, this poses a big problem. Since, while traveling you can’t always get a model/property release, this would leave a good handful of images that you shoot completely unusable.

Company Establishment: Adobe Stock is in its early stages and they’re still establishing themselves. They have a solid brand behind them, and a large following in the creative community, but they’re still young. You’re bound to run into hiccups with the technology, and potentially see lower sales volume. In reality, I fully expect their market share to grow significantly, and for them to be a “heavy hitter” in the stock world. But for now they are still young and building a solid customer base.

I hope this can give a little insight into the world of stock photography from a newcomer with a fresh perspective. With that I’ll leave you with one final thought. Don’t get discouraged at the rejections. So many images will get rejected for various reasons. But you’ll also be surprised at some that get accepted… or better yet, that sell! You never know what will make you money, so just submit everything you have and let them decide what is or is not sellable. Then do the same at the other agencies. You’ll often find that what one agency rejected, another will accept (and even make sales from). So don’t let the rejections get you down.

Good Luck!

About the author: Michael Godek is a portrait and fine art photographer, traveler, entrepreneur, and teacher based out of Indianapolis, Indiana. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. He’s also the founder/owner of Lightbox Photo Academy. You can find more of Godek’s work on his website. This article was also published here.

Go to Source Author: Michael Godek If you’d like us to remove any content please send us a message here CHECK OUT THE TOP SELLING CAMERAS!

The post Want to Sell Stock Photos? Here’s a Comparison of the Major Services appeared first on CameraFreaks.

July 05, 2017 at 10:05PM

Go to Source Author: If you’d like us to remove any content please send us a message here CHECK OUT THE TOP SELLING CAMERAS!

The post Want to Sell Stock Photos? Here’s a Comparison of the Major… appeared first on CameraFreaks.

July 05, 2017 at 11:04PM

[thecoroutfitters]

Written by Pat Henry on The Prepper Journal.

//

I personally shop online for almost anything I can for a couple of reasons. First is the incredible ability to research and check prices. I can read or watch video reviews for any products I am considering before making a final decision. Secondly, I hate going to the mall or just about any other shopping center type of place with a passion – I would just about rather take a kick to the head than go to the mall during Christmas, but even the rest of the year shopping online is just my preferred option. I was looking around for more prepper and survival gear the other day and often readers ask for gear recommendations so I wanted to give you this list of the best-selling prepper items but with a twist. I want to also give you my opinions on why this list is wrong when taken from the standpoint of what people should be focusing on. I will show the best sellers and give alternate items you should have if you don’t already.

LifeStraw Personal Water Filter

The LifeStraw is a great idea and Water is the highest priority, all things being equal, you should focus on when preparing for any kind of unforeseen emergency. But I think the LifeStraw itself has some limitations and drawbacks that would make me choose another option for water filtration.

For starters, the LifeStraw is really meant for only one person. If you have a couple of people to provide clean water for, this isn’t ideal. Next, you must stick your face down in the water for this to work. Not only does this require you to get up close and personal with your water source but it also prevents you from being able to fully stay aware of your surroundings. Yes, you can fill a container up with water and stick the LifeStraw in that, but why? Additionally, can’t take any water with you for later because the LifeStraw only works when you have a water source to stick the straw into. Lastly, the LifeStraw only filters up to 1000 liters before it is no longer safe.

For me, there are a couple of other options. For just about the same price, size/weight footprint, the Sawyer Mini Water Filtration System is far superior. It filters 100, 000 gallons, comes with it’s own bag that you can fill to quench your thirst, then refill for the road and still has all the microorganism filtering benefits. To me, these are the most minimal and basic water filters you can get, but it’s probably better to expand to a slightly larger capacity system.

The best solution in my opinion is a gravity fed water filtration system. Why? Unlike manual pump filters like the Katadyn Hiker or the MSR Miniworks (which I own and like), gravity fed filtration systems have no moving parts to break. Also, you can just let the water filter do its job while you move on to other issues like setting up camp or observing your surroundings. I am a HUGE fan of the GravityWorks by Platypus, but they are much more expensive. They taste far better than any type of Iodine water filter system like the Polar Pure, last far longer too, can easily support multiple people and I don’t have to worry about those little glass bottles breaking on me.

Mountain House Freeze Dried Food

The next 3 items on the list of best-selling prepper gear are food so I will combine them. Mountain House is listed as the best seller and I certainly have recommended their products as a great camping or backpacking option that also work great as a preparedness option. They only require hot water and you have a meal. Now, is this the best prepper food you should get if you are trying to stock up food for emergencies?

Maybe.

Mountain House or any one of the many other manufacturers of quality freeze-dried food out there fill a need and as part of a larger food self-sufficiency strategy I think they fill a great role. If you have nothing else but Mountain House, you will still be able to feed your family with decent tasting food that requires nothing more than a fire or stove to heat the water. You can even eat out of the bag. However, I recommend a little more diversity.

Your pantry should be filled with a larger portion of foods you already eat and let the Freeze-Dried food supplement that should you need to. You probably wouldn’t want to break out some Mountain House Lasagna with Meat Sauce if your friends were coming over for dinner, but after a snow storm knocks your power out for a week, this stuff is awesome. Your own family’s needs and preferences will dictate what you store but for tips on how to get started, check out my article on 30 days of food storage for ideas on how to get a jump-start.

Emergency Disposable Rain Ponchos

No offense to the good-looking group pictured here, but preppers shouldn’t be buying these cheap bags expecting protection.

Number three on the list of the best-selling prepper gear is Emergency Rain Ponchos? Seriously? Granted, this is from Amazon.com but these are glorified trash bags meant to give you some protection if you are out at a theme park let’s say and an unexpected downpour threatens to ruin the fun. No self-respecting prepper should have to resort to this because if you can’t find out what the weather is going to be and plan accordingly, you have bigger things to worry about most likely.

Instead of a disposable trash bag, if you are looking for some prepper gear that isn’t a rain jacket, consider a legitimate poncho instead. These are more expensive, but the construction is vastly better and you can use these to provide shelter if you combine them with a little paracord. Usually they come in camouflage colors but you do have options if you are trying not to look tactical. You can even combine them with a poncho liner to have a great cold weather system that can keep you dry and warm.

Gerber Bear Grylls Fire Starter

Number 4 is a means to start a fire and magnesium fire starters are a great grid-down item to have. There are many other brands out there and while I haven’t personally tested the Gerber line, I have been very happy with the craftsmanship and quality of other items like their multi-tools that I own. The Bear Grylls Fire Starter is just branded merchandise but it should do the job admirably.

Now I own several fire starters like this but you know what I own more of? Disposable lighters. They are cheap (you can get a pack of 10 for the price of one fire starter) and easier to use. Yes, they won’t last anywhere near as long as a fire starter, but if I needed to get a fire going quickly, I would much rather start my tinder off with a quick flick of my Bic and then move on.

Survival Shack Emergency Survival Shelter Tent

Keep the rain off you? Maybe? Sun? Yep. Will it keep you warm in cold climates?

Number 5 on Amazon’s list of best-selling prepper gear is essentially a big piece of Mylar with some rope. It is cheap, lightweight and compact, but when it comes to staying warm, I don’t see how this big open tent is going to help you.

In the right environment, creating a survival shelter is a free option but that assumes a lot of things. First that you have materials you can make a shelter with. Debris shelters are all the rage on YouTube for preppers and survivalists, but what if you don’t have any trees, limbs lying around or millions of leaves to cover it with?

A better option may be a survival bivvy. Advanced Medical Kits sells an Emergency Bivvy that will keep two people warm. First, it’s enclosed so you don’t have air blowing through it and wiping away any heat convection your body was making – think survival sleeping bag. It doesn’t require trees to string a rope and you get the added benefit of body heat from your buddy – assuming you are with someone. It is a little more expensive and does take up a little more room, but seems like it would be more effective at keeping you protected from the elements.

Is Best Selling Gear really the Best for You?

There are many other items on the list of best sellers and I just scratched the surface. I think in some cases; the things people buy are often out of convenience and cost savings but those two factors alone could leave you just as unprepared as if you didn’t purchase any prepper gear. Before making any prepper gear purchases, use the internet and conduct research. Take a look at what your survival priorities for the place you are or where you are going. Read articles – there are thousands out there on just about any subject related to prepping you can think of. Watch videos on YouTube and make your own mind up on what makes sense. But don’t stop there.

Actually try out the gear you just purchased. Use it to collect water and drink from it. Take that freeze-dried food out with you and make a meal. Try spending a night in that shelter or working in the rain in that poncho – start a fire. You will learn more from your own experience than anything you can read on a prepper blog and it will give you the knowledge you need to make your own, better, decisions on survival gear that works best for you.

The post Best Selling Prepper Items – Why They May Not Work for You appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

from The Prepper Journal Don't forget to visit the store and pick up some gear at The COR Outfitters. How prepared are you for emergencies? #SurvivalFirestarter #SurvivalBugOutBackpack #PrepperSurvivalPack #SHTFGear #SHTFBag

[atasteofink]

The Awful Things I've Seen

*Fucking hell I was exhausted. You know what? No. I wasn’t exhausted, I was so far past it that it wasn’t even funny. I couldn’t remember EVER being this tired, not even when I was in school. Pulling a double major isn’t easy but when it is so vastly fucking different, well, that’s when you get fucked, and not nearly at all in the good way. I’d always wanted to go to art school, for as long as I could fucking remember. It was my passion growing up; my refuge and my solace from the fucking insanity that was my daily life. Yeah, looking back on it my high school experience was not nearly as bad as it could have been, but it was far from good. High school, as a general rule, was fiucking awful and anyone who said otherwise was either a liar or high as fuck. Maybe both. I was an absolute fat kid, shy as hell. Fashion didn’t interest me, I couldn’t give two fucks about sports and I spent all my spare time, and there was a lot of it, in the art wing doing… who the fuck knew what. I knew, even then, that art was where my future was, in some way. Sadly, someone forgot to tell my parents this because there was no way they would pay for art school. Ever. They made way too much for me to qualify for student aid so I buckled the fuck down, put my nose to the grindstone, slept as little as humanly possible, drank way too much coffee, smoked far more than could ever begin to be healthy and managed to graduate with a BFA in visual arts and a BS in Nursing. The latter was so that I wouldn’t end up on the streets, as my father so eloquently put it. Well, actually, he screamed it as I was packing my shit on graduation day and getting the fuck out of their house. I hadn’t been back since, not even thought about it. That shit was something I didn’t need, not now, and not for a very long time. I’d managed on my own for almost five years now, with nobody but myself. No attachments except for co-workers and the occasional one night stand cause a girl’s got needs. Aside from that it was usually just me, my paints, my music and the ocean. Exactly how I liked it. But this weekend was not, however usual. It wasn’t even in the same goddamn hemisphere as usual. I worked at the hospital in town PRN because, well, bills needed to get paid. Usually a shift to three a week was more than enough to supplement my freelance work but every now and then, life reared it’s fucking ugly head. And life. Was. A.Bitch. I couldn’t tell you why people did stupid, cruel things to each other. I don’t know why anyone could possibly justify the actions that nearly ended someone’s life with something as simple as a whoops. I didn’t believe in god, not with the things that I saw. When almost an entire family is obliterated in a blink; confined to hospital beds with machines doing the jobs that their frail, broken bodies should, there is never an answer. I watched over these girls, all four of them, ages four to twenty four for the better part of 48 hours. I caught naps in the on call rooms, showered in the lockers and stole scrubs from the OR. They could fucking deal with it. When their parents finally showed up, grief stricken and jet-lagged from their flight from London to see what was left of their daughters, all of those hopes and dreams confined shattered and bruised in hospital beds, they broke. And I didn’t. It wasn’t until they made the decision to end life support that I allowed myself to feel anything. I broke down with them, tears spilling down my cheeks as the monitors slowed in frightening succession, until all that was left was a single, deafening beep. And the girl who caused it? The one who ended more than just the lives of the four girls who were slowly growing cold in the morgue? She had barely a scratch. Life fucking sucked. That was fucking it. I’d walked out the doors of the hospital in a daze, clutching a cup of coffee for the drive although I almost immediately forgot it as soon as I pulled up in front of my house. My small little piece of paradise was covered in grey clapboard shutters, bright white trim and had a swing on the end of the wrap around porch. I couldn’t hear the waves at the moment but the salt air stung my nose and the cold breeze sent a very much needed chill down my spine as it somehow managed to blow the memories of the last forty-eight hours out of my head. The sun was setting behind the dunes, painting the sky almost obscene shades of orange and violet as it sank below the horizon, the dark blackness of the night creeping in. It was goddamn gorgeous. It did absolutely nothing for the physical toll the time had taken, however. That could only be solved by a steak, a shower, a shot, some sleep and a good fuck. But I only had two of the five so I would make the fuck do. Half an hour and two shots of Jack later, I smelled like honey and apples and the little bit of alcohol floating through my veins was making me happily fuzzy. Nowhere near drunk of course, but just.. Fuzzy. In the best way. And old button down, soft and paint spattered, and panties took the place of my regular pajamas and I could hear the waves crashing through the open window as I slid between the cool sheets, letting out a content sigh as I nearly melted into the bed. I could already feel sleep inching in at the edges of my consciousness, and gave a small smile that pulled at my lips as I started to give in to the peace and quiet at last. And then the goddamn screaming started. It wasn’t violent, not at all, and as much as I fucking loved swearing, I did NOT want to hear that shit right now. My neighbor’s windows were open again and it sounded like an entire fucking fraternity was over there, shooting who the fuck knows what. Because of course. Groaning, I rolled over, clamping my pillow over my ears to block out the noise. No fucking way was I going to close my window, not tonight. No fucking way. The pillow worked for all of two point four seconds and then the goddamn laughter began. And didn’t. Fucking. Stop. Fuck it. Throwing back my blankets, I didn’t bother to stop for pants, or shoes actually, as I stormed through my house and out the front door. The gravel stung under my bare feet as I stalked across my driveway and through my neighbor’s gate, but instead of actually registering as pain, it only fueled my anger as I stomped up the steps and rapped on the door, far harder than I probably should have. The air was decidedly colder than I remembered and the wind caught the ends of my dark, messy hair, tossing the strands in front of my eyes. The longer I waited, the more pissed off I got and by the time the door finally opened, yellow light spilling onto the porch, I was pretty fucking livid, even for me. And I could be, quite frankly, a bitch at the best of times. This was NOT the best of times.* What the fuck? Do you assholes have ANY idea how fucking loud you are? I know it isn’t all that goddamn late but sweet fucking Jesus on a goddamn cracker. Some people have to work. Not everyone has the fucking luxury of spending their nights killing zombies or beating hookers or whatever the fuck it is that you are doing. Could you maybe fucking quiet the fuck down? Just for one goddamn night? *Well. If screaming like a goddamn lunatic at a total stranger wasn’t the way to get my point across, who the fuck knew what was. The guy in the doorway, much to his credit, looked absolutely un-phased, arching a brow at me and pushed up his tattered shirt sleeves, giving me just a glimpse of dark ink covering his forearms before turning to call over his shoulder deeper into the house, where I could still hear whatever ridiculous fucking game they were playing, along with the laughter that was starting to tap dance on my last goddamn nerve. “Yo, Austin! There is a screaming, half naked woman on your porch.” It took a minute before I heard the muffled reply from parts unknown, this time in a voice I knew. “Have I slept with her? Cause if I have, I’m not here. And I’m also gay.” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the comment, not bothering to hide my scoff as Ink turned his attention back to me, leaning casually against the doorframe like this was something he did every goddamn day and giving me a once over before yelling back into the melee of zombie killing or what the fuck ever. “Pretty sure you haven’t slept with her, Dude. That would kind of rule out the gay thing. Although it would confirm some of my suspicions.” The words were lazy and I could almost hear the smile in his voice, and god fucking help me if it didn’t bring my temper down just a little bit. “I’ll be right there. Tell her I’ll be right there!” I heard a blast of gunfire and muffled curses in at least two different voices as my bare foot tapped against the worn paint on the porch. “He’ll be right there. Did you want to come in? It can’t be fucking comfortable out there.” There was a note of genuine concern in his voice, or at least there seemed to be, and I shook my head, the haze of anger starting to clear as I realized the ridiculousness of the situation.* No, I’m good. Listen I just- *I was cut off A-FUCKING-GAIN by a voice from the back, although this question nearly made me smile. “Dude, is she hot?” Well shit. I caught Ink’s gaze as he turned back around, raising a brow in an unspoken question. He was kind of short but ballsy as fuck, giving me another once over and a wink as he yelled back into the recesses of the house. “Yeah, she’s hot.” Well, the last of my anger fizzled out right fucking quick and I stood up a little straighter, momentarily distracted by my earlier list of things that would help me unwind. No. No, Jaymes. No. Do not even think about that. A heavily tattooed hand waved in front of my face and it took me a second, my mind immediately going straight to the gutter as my long neglected hormones did a goddamn dance, before I could focus enough to speak, let alone hear. Knuckles over there was stepping back and waving me inside and I followed, of my own fucking accord, mentally screaming at myself. I needed to be home, in bed asleep. Instead, I was half naked in a stranger's house having supremely filthy thoughts about someone who I had never met. They were, in my defense, absolutely justified, however. I don’t think a goddamn nun would hold them against me, not right now anyway. It had been a long week and getting off probably would have been a better choice than Jack. Too late to change that decision. Finally managing to make my goddamn brain work on something other than the most fucking basic of levels, I pushed my wind tangled hair out of my eyes and offered the man across from me a small smile.* Thanks. I’m Jaymes , I live next door.” I gestured towards my house with my head, tugging the cuffs of my shirt down over my fingers and twisting them in the threadbare fabric as I fought a shiver. It was cold as dick outside. Then again, I wasn’t wearing pants. So there was that. “Pleasure, Jaymes, I’m Spencer. I’m not one of the assholes who was killing zombies. But I was laughing, so I guess I’m a little at fault. Come on, I kind of want to see you yell at Austin. Fifty bucks says he tries to hit on you.” Ink didn’t bother hiding his laugh or waiting on a reply before heading towards the back of the house and I didn’t bother to think for a goddamn second before I followed behind him. This was going to get fucking interesting. And quick.*

[trentteti]

The Back Nine, 1L Edition

You’re gettin’ there, li’l buddy. Just keep that chin up.

Grades are starting to roll in for 1Ls. Getting your grades from the first semester of law school can be devastating. But I have some advice that might help get you through the next two and a half years.

The first semester is by far the toughest semester of law school. Everyone is working harder than they ever will again — being as yet unbroken by the 1L curve. And because everyone is graded on a curve, everyone working hard just makes getting good grades even tougher. But most people will become B-students — thanks to the curve — for the first time in their sixteen years of schooling. That’s rough. And it’s probably gonna happen to you.

So what do you do if exams didn’t go your way? Well, a lot of people are going to essentially bag it. They’ll tell themselves grades in law school are just random. It doesn’t matter how hard you work, so why try anymore? This is all crap. Grades aren’t any more random in law school than they are anywhere else. The trick in law school is that writing a law school exam answer is a lot different than what would pass for an A-level answer in undergrad.

If you haven’t already, do yourself a huge favor and read Getting to Maybe and Open Book—both are available on Amazon. These books will teach you how to take law school exams and turn all of your study time into top-of-the-curve grades. If you’ve read these already and didn’t do so hot on your exams, read them again. You can’t really appreciate the advice they give you until you have a bit of law school under your belt. These books are especially useful once you’ve already taken an exam or five.

But to actually pull yourself up off the floor you’ll need more than just instructions on the mechanics of scoring well on law school exams. You’ll need to spend a fair bit of time on anything but law school to keep your spirits up. If you found that you didn’t have time for anything but reading last semester, you probably did it wrong. You can’t expect yourself to keep up with the unreasonable amount of reading professors assign and still either stay sane or do well in your classes.

The reason you’re actually hurting your grades by obsessively doing all the assigned reading is because on exam day you will not be tested on your reading ability, and if all you did was read during the semester you will not have prepared for actually writing your exams. Reading to prepare for law school exams is like swimming every day to get ready for the Tour de France.

So to cut your reading time down so you’ll have plenty of time to focus on what really matters — that is organizing all the information into one sentence takeaways that you can remember easily and deploy on any novel set of facts and having some time to relax and enjoy yourself — you need to rely more on the outlines from past years and on supplements.

What I like to do is learn about the specific area of law for the week from a highly recommended supplement. Basically, I match up the syllabus topics with the supplement for the week and I jot down some notes as I read through the supplement. I will then write out all the black letter law. Just the names of the rules/doctrines with a list of their elements underneath. Then I’ll take a quality outline and use it and my supplement to write out one sentence takeaways for all the cases we were supposed to read. My takeaways are informed by what I learned from Getting to Maybe—so I’m looking for all sorts of “forks” and I’m constantly thinking about how I could use a case on the exam. I will almost certainly not read any of the actual cases because they’re not edited down aggressively enough and they’re mostly poorly written, at least for a law student’s purposes.

I’ll do all this before class, so I can bring my case takeaways and black letter rules with me. Then during class, I’ll edit my takeaways and rules to match up with what the professor’s takeaways seem to be. Usually that means very little editing. Mostly I get to pay attention to what the professor is saying instead of furiously trying to write down everything, and I can look for other “forks” or ideas about how to use a case or rule in a much more focused way because I’ve anticipated his lecture from outlines and supplements.

That’s it. Doing this takes much less time, and it’ll leave you much more prepared for exams, which by now you should know, are a lot more about breadth than depth. With all the extra time you’ll save by not reading cases, you can pick up a hobby, spend more time at the gym, or just catch up on Netflix.

If last semester didn’t go so well for you, hang in there. I know plenty of people who took a semester or two to figure out law school and are now killing it. Good luck!

The Back Nine, 1L Edition was originally published on LSAT Blog

[photomaniacs]

Want to Sell Stock Photos? Here’s a Comparison of the Major Services http://ift.tt/2uqTRkV

Up until just recently I always scoffed at selling my work as stock photography. Let’s call it youthful arrogance. I always felt my work was worth more and should be used for more important purposes. The problem was I wasn’t good at selling my work independently either.

After doing some growing up, humility and logic began to play their role and I realized, “Well, I can let the work sit there on my website and do nothing, or I can let it sit there and earn me money… Hmm…”. With that, I finally decided to start selling my work through stock agencies.

However, now I had a new problem, which one do I go with? Each have their advantages and disadvantages and it can be hard to know where to list your images. After about 8 months of working with different agencies, I put together some thoughts on the major stock agencies and my experiences with each to help give others some guidance in the world of stock photography.

One general thought on selling stock before we begin: No matter what agency you sell through, do not expect to become rich by selling stock photography. Selling your work as stock might give you some nice supplemental income to help buy a lens or that tripod you always wanted, but most of the time it’s not going to pay the bills. These days there’s simply too much competition, and too much oversupply for most people to make a significant income from selling stock. Going into this with the right mindset is key to not getting discouraged.

Getty Images

That’s right, Getty, the big dog. Getty can make you some serious cash, but for a serious price. In the industry Getty is seen as having the highest quality and highest standards for their imagery, but nothing comes cheap; and while some might be drooling over the advantages I would urge people to seriously consider if the disadvantages are worth it.

Advantages

Potential Earnings: The biggest advantage to selling your work on Getty is how much money you have the potential to make. Keep in mind that word potential though before you get excited. A high res image is listed at $575. One of the most common contracts is with Moment Collection where you’ll earn 20%. Not bad right? $115 for a single sale of your photo. Even a low res photo (like the one you shot with your Canon 10D from 13 years ago) could sell for $375 earning you $75. No other agency even comes close to earning you that much.

Feel Good Factor: Another advantage is, well, pride. Getty has a reputation of quality. If your work gets in and even better, if it sells it’s a nice boost to your ego and can help motivate you to keep shooting.

Editorial: In addition to that, they offer Editorial classification of your images. This is important for people shooting things like travel or architecture. If getting a release is impractical and removing stuff from the photo would make it look terrible, you can simply classify it as Editorial Only and you can still sell it. Now the market for an editorial only image is smaller, but selling is better than not selling right?

Editorial use only signified by the orange badge in the upper left-hand side.

Submission Communication: Another nice feature is you have the ability to add notes to your submissions. If you have questions or concerns that you want them to consider when reviewing your work, you can write it in the notes section for the reviewer to read.

Creative Freedom: In my submissions to Getty I’ve noticed they are more artistically inclined than the other agencies. Let’s say you have a photo that’s blurry but conveys a strong emotion or story, they don’t reject it over “subject not in focus”. They are able to look past the technical and see the creative value in work.

Disadvantages

Exclusivity: The biggest disadvantage with Getty is that the contract is exclusive. That means anything you sell on Getty cannot be sold anywhere else. So all your eggs are in their basket with those images.

Submission Platform & Content Management: Next, their submission platform for contributors is awful. They even just finished a complete overhaul of the site and it’s still something that might as well be from 2003. You’d think by now they should have many years of feedback from contributors to develop the best site out there (especially with all the money their making with the other 80% of your photo sales). But no, it sucks.

Views visibility icons

There is no visibility into image views other than a little square saying it’s getting “a lot” or “a little” in views. The photos are also organized in batches, which actually makes a lot of sense for the upload portion so that you can combine similar images in a single submission. But as a result, it’s impossible to see overall performance of all your work. Instead, you have to open each batch individually and view only those images in that batch to see how they’re doing. Most importantly, you don’t get to see sales of your images except for ONCE PER MONTH. Without being able to see views & sales in real-time, getting a good idea of your image performance is essentially non-existent. If you think about it, it’s absurd that they couldn’t invest their money into making a better submission platform and there’s no excuse for it.

Customer Service: With a poor site, you’d think maybe they have good customer service for their contributors. Well, unfortunately you’d be wrong there too. Every ticket I’ve submitted has taken months — literally months — to get resolved. After a poor site design and no customer service it makes it seem like all that money they make, just goes right into their pocket and they don’t invest in the company itself.

Content Review Times: Not fully a disadvantage, but definitely not an advantage is the content review times. These are completely unpredictable. They say up to 4 weeks to review and list for sale. The truth is, you never know. Some submissions will be reviewed and listed in a day or two, more commonly it takes about a week to get them reviewed, but I have seen them take even up to 6 weeks! It can be quite frustrating waiting that long to see feedback on the images and get them up for sale.

Earnings: Lastly, remember that word potential when talking about how much you’ll earn from your images. Well sadly that’s not normally the case, and even worse it seems that is actually becoming even less the case these days. They have what’s called “Premium Access” for high volume customers and it’s a negotiated rate they sell your work at. So that $115 you are hoping to earn? Try $3, or better yet $0.35. No joke. Half the time Getty is no better than the other microstock sites due to this Premium Access stuff….all the while your work is still exclusive.

iStock

iStock is a part of Getty Images and is one of the major players in the microstock market. Because of their association with Getty many of the things to consider are the same. But here are a few key differences.

Advantages

Exclusivity: The biggest difference between iStock and Getty is that iStock is not exclusive. That means you can sell your work on iStock as well as through other agencies.

Earnings Options: Another great feature iStock offers is optional exclusivity. While iStock enjoys a wider market (all the folks that can’t afford to pay $500+ for a photograph) that means you earn less because the price is lower. But with the option to sell exclusively through iStock while the images sell for less, you can earn a higher percentage – up to 45% – of each sale. This offers a nice balance of having access to a wider market while still earning a “reasonable amount” with each sale.

Disadvantages

Non-Exclusive Earnings: iStock is a microstock site, meaning you’ll earn next to nothing with each sale. The base rate for non-exclusive is 15%. With photos selling for $12, that earns you a hefty $1.80 per image. But, that’s only if it’s not a subscription customer. With most sales coming from subscription customers and, you guessed it, “Premium Access” expect to earn on average between 20¢ – 50¢ per sale.

Submission Platform: The other major disadvantage, they now use the same submission platform as Getty. So all the fantastically terrible things I mentioned previously with Getty, you have to deal with for iStock….and earn less money in the process. With that said, there are 3rd party applications you can use for submitting content that offer a much better experience both in uploading the content and with visibility into performance. But that just begs the question all the more, why isn’t Getty the one providing the quality experience to the people who are earning them money — the contributors?

Shutterstock

Shutterstock is arguably the king of microstock. They offer decent content for dirt cheap. As a result they have a pretty vast customer base.

Advantages

Content Management: Previously their user interface was pretty bad, but they’ve since released a major overhaul and unlike Getty/iStock this one propels them into the modern era. Their “Contributor Dashboard” gives you incredible insight into content performance in a number of ways, from real-time sales and earnings, to download location, to top performing content. It’s a lot of relevant information that you can use to better refine what to shoot and what to submit.

A section of the Contributor Dashboard.

Market: Shutterstock also has an enormous customer base. Think about all the bloggers, small businesses, and other people who use imagery but don’t have a huge budget, that’s your audience. In addition, they also have a large international customer base. So it’s fairly easy to make sales even with all the competition.

Submission Review Time: Their submission review time is pretty good. The turn around is usually not more than several days, and I haven’t yet found myself asking “When are those pictures going to get reviewed”?

Editorial: They allow you to submit work for editorial use only, which is great. Unfortunately, due to their place in the market, I haven’t seen a major draw to any creative editorial content.

Exclusivity: Non Exclusive

Disadvantages

Earnings: Being more of a low-cost alternative to other agencies, you’ll be hard pressed to get more than $0.25 per photo. Don’t get me wrong it does happen, but most customers have subscriptions so that’s about the average you’ll earn for downloads. After some time it can get quite discouraging when you see “78 Downloads – Total Earnings $25.13”. Not gonna be bringing home the bacon with that kind of return.

Submission Platform: Another thing is while their Contributor Dashboard is nice, their upload/keywording page is still pretty clunky. It’s functional, but not modern and sleek like the dashboard.

Adobe Stock

Adobe Stock is the newest player in the game. Launching almost exactly two years ago in 2015, and with much admiration, it has some of the best qualities of each of the other sites while trying stay competitive in the market.

Advantages

Screenshot of Lightroom publishing to Adobe Stock

Workflow: They are fully integrated into Adobe CC software, specifically Lightroom. As a contributor, all you have to do is drop your photos in the Adobe Stock publishing area and it will upload it for you, ready for you to add keywords and titles. Not only does that make it seamless to upload content, but also makes it seamless for customers to test content within programs like Photoshop and InDesign. By integrating Adobe Stock into Adobe CC they make everyone’s lives a little easier.

Submission Platform & Content Management: Their submission platform, and content dashboard are completely modern. It’s almost as if Adobe looked at what everyone else was failing to provide and included it in their design, then built it from the ground up. It gives you individual stats on every photo, real-time sales, and a beautiful, easy to navigate interface. There are a few things that could be improved on like bulk actions and maybe adding graphs, but overall it works well.

A view of the contributor dashboard with the ability to edit keywords after an image is published.

Adobe also gives you the ability to edit after publication. Let’s say there’s a good keyword you didn’t think of when you submitted the image, well Adobe lets you edit the submission after the fact! So you can add keywords, change the title, adjust what keywords are most relevant, etc.

Note: It’s important to note while they did offer a “Views” stat for each image, that has since been taken down due to inaccurate information. But they do plan to add it again when it’s fixed.

Submission Review Time: Of all the agencies, Adobe is ranks at the top for this one. They have been very quick and consistent to turn around images that are submitted. Submissions seem to get reviewed in just a day or two on average.

Earnings: I decided to put this in the advantages just due to the overall experience with Adobe Stock. The earnings are neither good, nor bad. Adobe is a microstock site, meaning that you won’t earn much. However, while you might earn pennies on Shutterstock, you can earn dimes on Adobe. $0.20 is the lowest I’ve seen a sale for, and $3.33 is the highest (for their standard contributors). Recently though, I’ve noticed many images selling for $0.99. And in my mind, $1 per image isn’t all that bad, and can add up quickly.

Customer Service: Every time I’ve had a question or an issue, they have responded within 24 hours. Not only that, they have explained things and answered follow-up questions with the same speed and effort as the original request. Big thumbs up here!

Exclusivity: Non Exclusive

Disadvantages

Content Approval: While they are only a microstock site, their pickiness for the technical execution and releases is a bit extreme. I’ve had photos rejected that were properly exposed night shots, for being “under-exposed” or a shallow DOF shot for “image out of focus”. Their strictness on what is considered intellectual property is also way too stringent.

If anything looks at all unique in character and it doesn’t have a release, it’s almost guaranteed to be rejected. Even if there’s no possible way to identify what the photo is of. In addition, it’s totally unpredictable. You might get one image of fancy windows get approved, then another of the same windows get rejected for “Intellectual Property Refusal”. My guess is at the moment, they are trying to build a quality library of images and avoid legal battles so they are being extra picky since they’re just starting out. Maybe this will ease as time goes on.

Creative Freedom: This goes hand in hand with what’s above. The content they’re looking for is generic, wide market interest. They don’t want something they conveys an emotion, they want standard stock with smiling teeth, lifestyle, and bright environment. Now, I’m sure that’s what they want because that’s what sells, so can you blame them? But, if you consider yourself an artist, you can find it quite stifling to see a quality image get rejected for “No Aesthetic or Commercial Appeal”.

Editorial: They don’t allow images to be submitted as Editorial Only. So if you don’t have a release for something, it simply won’t get accepted….no way around it. This may be a big deal or it may not, depending on what you shoot. For someone shooting travel, this poses a big problem. Since, while traveling you can’t always get a model/property release, this would leave a good handful of images that you shoot completely unusable.

Company Establishment: Adobe Stock is in its early stages and they’re still establishing themselves. They have a solid brand behind them, and a large following in the creative community, but they’re still young. You’re bound to run into hiccups with the technology, and potentially see lower sales volume. In reality, I fully expect their market share to grow significantly, and for them to be a “heavy hitter” in the stock world. But for now they are still young and building a solid customer base.

I hope this can give a little insight into the world of stock photography from a newcomer with a fresh perspective. With that I’ll leave you with one final thought. Don’t get discouraged at the rejections. So many images will get rejected for various reasons. But you’ll also be surprised at some that get accepted… or better yet, that sell! You never know what will make you money, so just submit everything you have and let them decide what is or is not sellable. Then do the same at the other agencies. You’ll often find that what one agency rejected, another will accept (and even make sales from). So don’t let the rejections get you down.

Good Luck!

About the author: Michael Godek is a portrait and fine art photographer, traveler, entrepreneur, and teacher based out of Indianapolis, Indiana. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. He’s also the founder/owner of Lightbox Photo Academy. You can find more of Godek’s work on his website. This article was also published here.

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July 05, 2017 at 10:05PM