#i want to know what the batchs hobbies are in retirement

[letshareapapou]

While Hunter and Wrecker both enjoy sleeping in now that Omega is wedged between them most nights, Tech and Crosshair take morning walks around Pabu together so Tech can catalog every different species of flora and fauna he can find. Crosshair finds he actually enjoys being outside with his twin( when not being shot at) while Tech is explaining the mating ritual of a very poisonous (albeit pretty) frog one day, and starts to bring a sketchbook. Tech prefers his tablet but sometimes Cross will find little notes in Tech's scratchy handwriting about something Crosshair drew the next day. He never calls him out on it but does smile when he finds a new thought scribbled over a page.

[themonotonysyndrome]

Hello!! I love A Rose's Odyssey, and I was wondering if you ever in mind had a few headcanons or backstories for characters such as Captain Dolian, Rex or Jaessa? I'd love to know what you think about those three :0 Thank you!

I'm very happy that you enjoyed 'A rose's odyssey', Anon!

Ooooh, headcanons! Backstories! I got a few actually! I wanted to put them all in their drabbles but then I realised that it would just overbloat the stories... So I'll share it here!

Starting off strong with... Jeasa!

She's the only daughter of a merchant family. While her father and older brother focus on trading goods, she's more interested in poison and medicines.

Her fascination with poison began when she was a little girl after her mother warned that some flowers - while beautiful - are incredibly deadly.

She met Baroness Celica Anesidora by happenstance - Jaesa was looking for inspiration to concoct a new batch of poison, and Celica was searching for a new supplier (her previous one was killed by her Knight, Eaton, for selling household information to her rivals)

Celica likes how passionate Jaesa is about her craft, and in return, her patronage helps fund Jaesa's shop in the Empire.

Poison candies are her latest creations.

While she's brilliant with poisons & medicines, she's a bit naive when it comes to men. Because of this, Lana takes Jaesa under her wing despite the fact both of them have nothing in common except for being marital candidates.

Her surname 'Sevilla' means 'Valley'.

Her ambition is to create the deadliest poison in the world that is odourless, colourless and tasteless.

Prefers coffee instead of tea.

Loves the colour blue.

A Gingerbread Man by Melanie Martinez girl.

Not much of a fan of jewellery, so any trinkets gifted by the Baroness are only worn in her presence.

Personal opinion: I feel like Jaesa (in Canon) has a lot of potential to give for the story. She might have an open mind when it comes to Intacian men so her marital prospects might be salvageable!

Next, we have... Rex.

Rex is a character that I wrote for Castin's audiobook so I'm not sure if Desmond would ever bring him into future Castin's videos.

He comes from a humble family; none of his relatives are soldiers.

He has an artistic soul and, thus, was a sought-after painter before becoming a soldier due to the war.

He was a bit bullied as a boy due to his hobbies (which is why he could relate to Castin).

He has the same rank as Dolion, which is 'Captain'.

He is not looking to settle down any time soon, but if he were to marry, the perfect woman would be Jaesa (she has a quiet soul, and her passion for poisons is attractive to Rex, who is dedicated to his paintings.)

While he's apt with the sword, he wants to retire as soon as he has enough money to support his parents and an artist lifestyle.

One day, he wants to move to Steelgate.

Prefers tea instead of coffee.

Was taught ballroom dancing by his aunt (he often gives tips to Castin as he will be attending royal balls and parties soon.)

A Take Me Back To Eden by Sleep Token boy.

As of currently, Rex has no surname (I haven't come up with a good one yet 😅)

Personal opinion: I never imagined that Rex would have a deep voice, but the one that Desmond provided oddly fits!

Last but not least... Dolion! Oh Dolion, you were taken too soon from us!

You know there are some people in the world that are good at whatever they do? It's just natural for them? Yeah, this man is that!

He's very smug about it, too, the nerve of this mother - NKSFKDSF

Like most Intacian boys, it's always Dolion's dream to become a soldier. While he's in the right to despise the Empire for antagonising Intacia, he excels in battles.

He was so good, in fact, that he climbed to captainhood in just a few years.

Whenever he and Castin train together, it's never a spar. It's a no-holdown swordfight.

While he hates the Imperial, he can't hold his distaste for the Imperial Nobles. He sees them as people who are out of touch with reality and beyond cowardly.

Joined a bet with a couple of soldiers on when Castin and the Baroness' marriage would fail.

Despite their less-than-stellar first meeting, he and Celica eventually became the sort of friends that would argue just for the sake of it.

Secretly has a sweet tooth (he prefers sweet alcoholic drinks)

He's good at befriending everyone and a straight-up ladies' man (though his longest romantic relationship is 2 months.)

Normally his rizz game is on point but because Lana is an Imperial woman, he just can't hold his tongue about his opinions on the Empire.

A Slow Down by Chase Atlantic boy.

As of currently, I haven't given a nickname to Dolion. Same reason as Rex's.

Personal opinion: Man, Dolion died too soon in Canon 😭 Also, I wish Castin had acknowledged him in Part 2. Maybe he and the Baroness could've talked about him in that scene with his mother's grave. It would have been a perfect opportunity to expand on Castin's sense of brotherhood with the other soldiers.

[recurring-polynya]

🔆 — obviously they end up married and procreating, but in your headcanon, do you see them expanding their family? Having more kids? Being content with just Ichika? She seems like 2 kids in one kids body. Where do you see the Abarai family in the future?

🔆 do they see themselves together for the long run ? like , getting married , starting a family , and all that jazz ?

So, when I first found out the timing on Ichika, I was honestly pretty upset about it. Part of it is that I think it’s nice for people to be married for a while without kids. We don’t know when Rukia and Renji actually started seeing each other romantically, but my personal preference is that it happened late, possibly during or after the TYBWA. We do know from WDKALY that they had a pretty short engagement, and then conceived Ichika almost immediately following the wedding. It’s kinda depressing to me that they would have this huge separation, followed by two years of slow burn, followed by six months of dating -> engaged -> married and then BAM preggo. Dang.

Secondly, even though she’s been a lieutenant for a year, tops, Rukia is now acting captain of a squad that has just taken enormous losses, one of her top officers has just transferred to Squad 4, and the Soul Society is in ruins. This seems like... a terrible time to have a baby?

On top of all this, Rukia has never struck me as a person who has always dreamed of being a mom or would be particularly delighted to find herself pregnant. I’m not saying she wouldn’t want to be a mom, or that she wouldn’t be a good one (I am not a particularly maternal mom, and to be honest, I think we could use some better representation). I think Renji would both like to be a dad and would be an excellent and intuitive dad, but he loves Rukia for who she is. He would accept not having kids before he would try to talk her into doing something she didn’t want to.

I am a compulsive fix-it person, but within the confines of canon, so I spent a lot of time trying to make sense of all this. In my ongoing, low-burn, canon-spanning fanfic epic, I tried to put in a few earlier scenes where Rukia interacts with some Kuchiki family members who have babies, and starts to feel some stirrings that having babies doesn’t mean quitting your job and your personality. She’s always valued her independence, but she’s also been alone for a really long time, and at the same time she is trying to adjust to the idea of maybe she would like to have a romantic partner, she’s learning the trials and tribulations of having a sibling, and she’s really re-examining her entire concept of family.

I have never been particularly fond, either, of the idea that Ichika is somehow the Kuchiki heir (and I don’t think she is, especially since she has Renji’s name, but we really don’t know for sure and it’s a common enough idea in fanfic), because the entire Kuchiki family is kind of a drag and also they are problematic billionaires and I don’t like Rukia and Renji just blindly assimilating into that. As a compromise, I came up with the idea that maybe Byakuya named Rukia and Renji a branch family to the Kuchiki (his favorite branch family, don’t tell anyone), so they’re part of the family, but pretty far off from the actual succession and they have a lot of freedom to Start Shit and make the other nobles clutch their pearls constantly.

Bringing it all together, I can finally start to make some sense of this. Rukia and Renji get married with the sense that they would like a family, plus they are somewhat obligated to generate an Heir. It’s shitty timing for sure, but the timing is only going to get shittier. I have heard of women who get PhDs and have babies in grad school. On one hand, this is an absolutely bananas thing to do. On the other, if you know that’s what you want, it is entirely rational, because at least most grad students have a flexible schedule and it’s better than having toddlers when you’re trying to get tenure. If you can manage it, this is actually a really effective way to manage a scientific career. So, in other words, they had their (1) baby, and then Rukia got down to brass tacks, training her bankai and getting her squad in shape. I can definitely see Renji in a primary caregiver role (I think they have a nanny, but he scales back at work and takes care of a lot of stuff), and that also partially explains why he’s still a vice-captain. (If any of this is compelling to you, I did write a short story about it once)

Now, I am actually going to get to your question and the answer is: it depends on what happens in a theoretical continuation of Bleach.

Rukia has just been officially been named a captain in the Bleach epilogue. I think that if things continue to be peaceful, and she settles into her role, after a few years, I could definitely see them sitting down at dinner and saying “you wanna have a big family?�� Maybe two or even three more. Ichika is practically an adult at this point, but given the longevity of souls in Soul Society, I feel like it’s not uncommon for kids to have even multiple decades between them. I don’t think she would have any bitter feelings about this, she has always appreciated as being an integrated part of their lives, even when it got a little hectic and also she really loves her baby sibs.

On the other hand, if there’s another big war or an extended period of low-level conflict, I don’t think they would have any regrets if Ichika turned out to be an only child. Rukia and Renji have had a tremendous number of awful things happen to them in their life, and I think they have a tendency to focus on what they have instead of what they don’t.

The primary thing that I think would put a crimp in further kid plans is if Renji had to take a captaincy. I don’t think Renji particularly wants to be a captain, although he would be an excellent one. The way the setup of captains is after the timeskip, I cannot imagine anyone retiring, so I can’t see this happening in the peaceful scenario. I have no idea whose place he would even take. In fact, even if some captains got killed in some future conflict, I would think that by that point, Kira or Hinamori, for example, would be more likely to step up and take over their squads than to bring in Renji. Renji certainly wouldn’t take 1, 2, 4, 12 or 13, and they already blew the storyline where Byakuya dies and he takes 6. I suppose he could take one of the other squads if they lost both captain and vice-captain. Renji becoming the new Kenpachi is the spiciest possible take and I would read the shit out of that.

The actually family development I would like to see would be for Byakuya to get married, dude it is your job. Are you guys ready for my dream Byakuya love story that I will never, ever write because I do not ship him with any existing characters and I would die if I had to tag something Byakuya x OC? TOO BAD, here it is anyway: I think Byakuya doesn’t think he could ever fall in love again, and up until the main Bleach storyline, the idea of being remarrying is abhorrent to him. After a few years of being an ancillary part of the Abarai family, though, I think he could finally bring himself to find some suitably noble wife to Bear Him an Heir. In Byakuya fashion, I imagine he would dig through a bunch of genealogy records and find some woman who is the dead end of some old lineage of Great Soul Society Generals or some shit and out-of-the-blue proposes to her. This woman is the Spinster to End All Spinsters. She is like, 400 years older than him. She is not conventionally attractive and wears a lot of sweaters she knits herself. She has a lot of special interests, including carnivorous plants, and is extremely hardcore about her hobbies. She is the Sybil fucking Ramkin of Soul Society. Her spiritual energy is bonkers. She and Byakuya do not get along at all, but that’s okay because they have big plans to ignore one another (aside from procreational intercourse). Rukia is losing her mind. Renji is trying to smooth things over. Nothing is smoothed. Hitsugaya rather likes her and keeps trying to give Byakuya pep talks. Finally, like, Byakuya’s prize orchid almost dies and she saves it and Byakuya goes full heart eyes for her, and he has to be romantic at her. He wears an ill-fitting sweater she makes.

So, to sum up: Rukia and Renji get married, have Ichika. Byakuya gets remarried, makes an heir or three. Twenty to thirty years later, Renji quits to go be the stay-at-home soccer dad he’s always wanted to be. Byakuya Jr. becomes Vice-Captain at the Sixth (or possibly Ichika? That would be fine, too). Rukia eventually becomes head captain. When the younger batch of Abarai kids get old enough, someone convinces Renji to run for office and he becomes the Leslie Knope of the Central 46. Bam. The best timeline.

[the-cooler-snimbusjavy]

XCOM: Chimera Squad Character Trivia Masterpost

So with XCOM: Chimera Squad having been out for a bit of time now, I’ve come to love and appreciate every single member of the squad we got, so I went ahead and decided to take a look at everything possible we have on the gang. Between character bios, in-game dialogue and conversations, lines pulled from the config files, concept art, all coupled with my personal interpretation on the information given, I have tried to give a go at making a post with every detail of each character I found worth mentioning (in absolutely no particular order). So, enjoy! Also fair warning, it’s long, ayy

SPOILERS AHEAD While not too important in the great scheme of things in Chimera Squad’s story, do read at your own risk.

.

Terminal - China, 29 years old

Terminal lost her parents during the invasion of 2015. They were a factory worker and a cook. Afterwards, she escaped with her uncle to a relocation camp, who unfortunately died of disease the following year.

After this event, she was adopted by a doctor who lost her only daughter. It was her who inspired Terminal to become a combat medic. In a cruel turn of events, she was killed during a retaliation attack from ADVENT. It is said Terminal’s personality severely shifted after this.

Terminal keeps a photo of her deceased adopted mother in her locker.

She was originally rejected to join the Reclamation Agency, so she requested the use of psionic probes to prove her worth. She was then admitted in probationary period.

Terminal believes Verge is the only one in the team who truly understands her. Verge “knows” this.

Terminal wants to have a fight between hers and Patchwork’s GREMLINs, for “training purposes”.

Terminal nicknames Patchwork “Patches” on occasion.

Whenever Patchwork “smack talks” Terminal down, she expresses she’s “so proud” of her.

Terminal often eats Whisper’s lunches in the fridge, under the excuse that he doesn’t label them.

Terminal seems to know the Jabberwock, and perhaps other stories surrounding it, as she wished to hear Zephyr pronounce said word, likely out of Terminal’s mocking of her Australian accent.

Terminal claims to be the “biggest fan” of conspiracy theorist Floyd Tesseract’s radio show, You Should Have Believed, and is absolutely delighted to meet him. This is much unlike every other member of the team, who all seem to either disregard him, dislike him, or outright suggest he be captured.

According to Terminal, the restorative mist within her GREMLIN is “minty fresh”. It seems Cherub once sniffed it on accident.

Terminal seems to consider Verge’s singing to be “the second worst thing she’s heard all year”.

Whisper accuses Terminal of sleeping during their briefings. According to Terminal, she’s just “resting her eyes”, as well as her “ears” and “interest”.

According to Godmother, Terminal tenses up whenever she pulls the trigger of her gun. Terminal attempts to deny this, unsuccessfully.

According to herself, Terminal has always wanted a “heavily-armored entourage”.

Terminal doesn’t know what a vertipad is, and upon learning of it, she questions who calls them that way, thinking it “stupid”. Seemingly, everyone else on the squad calls them by their name without issue.

According to Terminal, she’s never gonna retire, she expects to just die some day in the field (five years at most). Afterwards she confesses that she’s no good anywhere else, suggesting that she has an issue in finding direction with her life. Godmother claims that she knows well what she means.

Verge - ~40 years old

Verge originally worked alongside Thin Men in order to infiltrate society and psionically control them to share good word of the Elders’ occupation of Earth. It was due to his constant exposure to human thoughts that gained him empathy.

He worked as a mole during the events of XCOM 2 and provided the Resistance with information, making him the only* known alien to aid XCOM during their war against ADVENT. (*Ethereal Asaru is theorized to have aided XCOM by merging with the Commander, and sometimes even implied, but it still remains devoid of official word about it)

Sectoids can mind-merge with someone in order to “taste” whatever they may be eating. He suggests doing this with Cherub by offering to go to a new restaurant that serves “authentic old world cuisine”, but only with Cherub’s own consent.

Sectoids, and Verge as an extension, seemingly cannot eat terrestrial meat and eggs, or “greasy” food as worded by Cherub.

On that note, it would seem Sectoids are also intolerant to jam, as it’s considered poison for them. It’s possible Godmother was aware of this fact, as she instead replaces “jam“ with “butter“ during a phrase pre-mission.

Verge recognizes his acts during the original invasion were wrong, and there having been worse alternatives don’t excuse his actions still, according to him.

That said, he doesn’t seem to want to talk about his part in it, when asked by Godmother if he regret any of it.

Verge finds butter delicious, though he also believes the consumption of “the churned remains of another lactating mammal” to be slightly disturbing.

Terminal seems to be “creeped out” by Verge’s Battle Madness ability. Blueblood similarly finds it unsettling, yet still appreciates the “breathing room”. Surprisingly, Torque seems to outright love it, and even requests Verge to have the enemy “dance”.

Cats apparently find Sectoids to be adversaries for undisclosed reasons as declared by Verge, yet according to Axiom, he’s seen “a lot of Sectoids with cats”.

Verge keeps a ramen shop sticker, as well as an excerpt of a ramen cooking magazine in his locker, suggesting either or both an interest in cooking and enthusiasm towards this particular dish.

It seems Verge was acquainted with conspiracy theorist Floyd Tesseract during the invasion, claiming that he was “just as insufferable“ throughout it as he is now.

Verge enjoys “messing” with Whisper whenever he makes a comm check, by instead listening to him psionically. Whisper at least appreciates the honesty.

Verge seems to respect and care greatly for the Archons, as he states they will never be slaves again, and that the Progeny will do them no harm. He becomes particularly angry when threatened by the terrorist faction.

Verge claims that he enjoys collecting old watches.

Godmother - France, 48 years old

Godmother lost track of her family during the 2015 invasion. She spent a year looking for them, with no result.

Godmother does not consider herself a leader, but rather a teacher. This is the case in her old job as a police trainer, as a member of the Resistance, and now as provisional member of Chimera Squad.

Godmother plans to retire soon, but has decided to stick around Chimera Squad to aid them until she feels they are truly ready.

Terminal seems to be an example of the above, with Godmother constantly guiding the former.

Godmother witnessed Cherub’s adoption papers under request of Headquarters. She also signed them in addition.

Godmother believes Cherub has a talent to “bring people together”.

Godmother seems to consider the Sacred Coil faction as “re-heated ADVENT propaganda”.

Godmother seems to be good with card games as she claims her hobby to be “bluffing” with them, after being asked by Cherub if she had any.

According to Verge, Godmother still does not trust aliens. However, she’s actively trying to do so, which Verge claims is enough.

On the same note, Godmother is said to not trust the world leaders after surrendering so quickly, suggesting over the years she’s lived with trusting issues around her.

According to Godmother, she was once pinned down in a bank of Paris for three days.

Godmother seems to enjoy crêpes, as she orders Terminal to “stop making her hungry” after the latter desired donuts and crêpes respectively during a mission.

Godmother seems to be proud of her French heritage, as she keeps a touristic poster of the Arc de Triomphe in her locker.

Alongside this, a photo of presumably Godmother herself and a long-haired blonde woman both in police uniform is present. Who this woman is is not disclosed.

Cherub - Estonia, 5 years old

Cherub belonged to a batch of ADVENT clones under the name of the Empty Cohort, who never got to receive the respective indoctrination.

After being discovered there, Cherub was only recently adopted by the two resistance members who originally found him in his ADVENT facility of origin, as they found themselves responsible for him and his safety. They fell in love precisely due to this, having married one year prior to the events of XCOM: Chimera Squad.

On the same topic, Cherub keeps a picture of himself and his parents in his locker.

Alongside the aforementioned picture, Cherub keeps a card celebrating his fifth birthday. It presumably comes from his parents, seeing he put it alongside their picture.

Cherub was originally a clone of Bellus Mar, former ADVENT Officer and leader of the Sacred Coil terrorist faction. Cherub seems to be concerned of his teammates believing something of Mar could potentially be present in himself, which Director Kelly assures is not the case.

Cherub believes that friendship cannot be forced on others, and is content with simply letting others know that they are not alone.

Despite this, his naturally innocent and naive attitude allows Zephyr to use him as a “practice dummy”.

Cherub used to pronounce DJ as “deej” before he actually heard it aloud.

Cherub believes that it would be normal that everyone voiced whatever was exactly in their mind, without having the need to hide anything. Verge reveals to him that rarely do people do so, and that they choose to hide many things for a number of reasons. Cherub believes it to be too much work to think about, so he’d rather say things as he actually means to say.

Cherub believes sunrise, waffles, laughter, and wood smoke to be important things of life.

Cherub doesn’t understand the protection of money. He believes it’s not as rewarding as protecting people.

According to himself, Cherub is “so bad” at riddles.

Cherub enjoys watching wrestling from the old world whenever he gets the chance to find it. Whisper offers to search some for him, however, still forbids him to actually compete in it.

Cherub enjoys making puns and, apparently, he was taught of them by Whisper, who seemingly now regrets his decision.

Patchwork - Mexico, 29 years old

Patchwork lost her legs and left arm during the invasion of 2015. ADVENT provided her with new ones as part of their propaganda plan.

It was Patchwork herself who orchestrated her escape from the ADVENT City Centers, in order to join the Resistance.

Patchwork doesn’t name her GREMLINs anymore, presumably as they usually tend to be destroyed, as per Cherub’s inquiry. She counts at least 25 destroyed GREMLINs, one in particular destroyed by a Muton

Everyone apparently hates the androids they use on reinforcements for undisclosed reasons. Patchwork is the exception, as she considers them “robot friends” who fill in when they cannot.

On that note, it seems Patchwork is very protective of any sort of Android, and even refers to those stolen by Sacred Coil as her “niños” (Spanish for children).

Contrary to common belief within the squad, Patchwork did not choose her callsign due to her own state. In Terminal’s words, it was due to her affinity at “slapping software together”, and that everyone who thinks otherwise is an idiot.

Patchwork sometimes wonders if she and Terminal should switch callsigns, under the reasoning that she “works with computer terminals”, while Terminal “patches people back up”.

On the same note, Patchwork claims Terminal’s mouth moves at “terminal velocity”. The latter finds this very amusing.

Patchwork seems to refer to psionics as some sort of “music”. Stating she enjoys the “tune” of Shelter’s psi abilities, as well as claiming that Progeny’s leader Violet’s own sounds like a “symphony”. Similarly, when failed to be mind-controlled she states she doesn’t enjoy that kind of “music”.

Patchwork believes the ADVENT Gene Therapy clinics should not have been outlawed, as she considers ADVENT themselves to be the ones to blame for what they did to humanity, not the “tool” itself.

Patchwork is seemingly not allowed to enter tech vaults anymore. According to her, it was due to her mistakenly pushing a particular button that started some form of countdown. Seemingly, Director Kelly was “nearly irradiated” due to this mishap.

According to herself, Patchwork doesn’t like to go dancing, though it’s most likely due to the fact she distrusts the people running clubs.

Patchwork seems to be close to both Lily Shen and Richard Tygan, as she keeps a photo of herself alongside them both in her locker (John Bradford and the Commander can be seen in the background, with the latter strategically concealed).

Having worked as an engineer in the Avenger during XCOM 2, coupled with their personal love of robotics, her bond with Shen is easily explained.

As for Tygan, it is presumed by many he was the man in charge of providing a young Patchwork with her first prosthetic arm and legs back during his ADVENT days, explaining their bond now both together as members of XCOM.

Axiom - Born within an invasion ship, 46 years old

Mutons are apparently issued pet cats to demonstrate their capacity for compassion. Axiom did not get one as he proved himself while saving human lives during the Bugtown Massacre under his own initiative.

Despite this fact, Axiom still seems to be greatly fond of cats, as he owns a sticker of one surrounded by hearts in his locker.

According to Axiom, Mutons had a “spiritual connection” with their starships, returning to it signified some form of “pilgrimage”. Axiom’s ship, however, was destroyed back in 2015.

On this topic and true Muton nature, Axiom is fond of the space as well. He keeps a poster of Earth’s solar system in his locker.

Axiom considers Blueblood’s choice of weaponry to be inferior and small. However, after Blueblood explains his strategy of it being so unnoticeable that enemies focus on Axiom instead so then the former can pick up on those distracted, Axiom praises his cunning and respects the strategy.

Axiom believes Claymore fights like a woman, in that he’s fearless, calm under pressure, and is an inspiration to squadmates to give their all. After claiming he learned much from his sister, Axiom praises her as formidable and wishes to meet her, despite her views on the current world.

Axiom is surprised Godmother managed to fight and survive during the invasion of Paris, in her homeland in France. According to Axiom, the mortality rate was extremely high. They soon decide not to continue the conversation.

Apparently, Axiom wishes new boots, as his current footwear seemingly “pinch his ankles”.

Both Axiom and Torque seem to agree that Andromedons are “the worst”.

According to Axiom, Gray Phoenix leaders Custodian Xel and Crew Chief Yarvo’s names are aliases, and starship dialect. Xel meaning “good route” or “safe passage”, whereas Yarvo means “newly forged” or “birthed in flame”.

Claymore - India, 32 years old

Claymore has an older sister that he apparently worked with alongside the Resistance. According to Claymore, she’s the one that taught him many of the things he knows. However, she also seemingly has not come to terms with the current state of the world, presumably the peace between humans and aliens.

Other than her, Claymore also seemed to have an older brother. He, alongside their mother, however, lost their lives during the 2015 invasion.

Claymore worked on the Avenger during the events of XCOM 2, disassembling recovered alien explosives.

Claymore appears to be religious, as he claims that prayer brings him peace of mind. As to what religion he follows, is not disclosed.

When asked by Verge how he attains the aforementioned peace of mind, Claymore also adds that he does exercise and that he allows himself to love the world and the people around him.

On that same note, Claymore states that he “never touches” caffeine.

Claymore seems to enjoy food overall, and also appears to be a good cook, as he brings enough fish curry he made for everyone upon his arrival.

He and Verge enjoy visiting ramen shops together, cataloguing the good and bad places. They plan to go to the recently opened shop U.F.Oodle.

Claymore and Torque seem to have a thing against each other, referring to the other as a “rebel goon” and a “despotic flunkie”, respectively. Whisper facetiously refers to their aversion as “young love”.

Torque - Siberia, 20 years old

Torque was offered to act as “opposing force“ in training of XCOM agents post-war. She accepted as she considered prison to be “boring“.

During these events, Torque formed a bond with then-Colonel Jane Kelly, who seems to be the only person Torque truly respects and appreciates. It was thanks to her Torque was admitted into the Reclamation Agency and Chimera Squad.

Torque is afraid of losing her friends, so she tries hard to push them away with her unwelcoming attitude. This is due to her fear of forming bonds, since they may not come back from a fight the next day. She is incredibly self-aware of this fact. Director Kelly offers to talk with her about it, which Torque accepts.

On that same note, Godmother claims that Torque does in fact care about getting her team’s respect and appreciation, a topic Torque evidently wishes to avoid.

Despite these facts, Torque seems to be keen on improving as a person, as her locker shows she owns a book under the name of Meditation for the Exceptionally Stressed.

Torque sees herself as an earthling, as she was born on Siberia in 2020.

Torque seems to have something against off-worlders, but it’s unknown if this is due to her attitude, guilt about her own actions during the war that she projects against others, or legitimate aversion against them.

Terminal seems to be absolutely thrilled whenever Torque uses her Tongue Pull with the former, with her exclaiming she wants to “go again”.

Torque seems to have a heavy disliking of Whisper for undisclosed reasons, under occasions having suggested him to perform a lobotomy, as well as telling him to “bite his tongue off and bleed to death” after he asks the team to bring him a “souvenir” from a Viper-themed mature bar.

After Whisper reveals himself to be Canadian, Torque claims Canadians taste like maple. Whether it’s her joking with Whisper or not is not confirmed.

Torque believes Codexes to be “insufferable show-offs”. On that note, she’s always believed they judged her with their “creepy glowing eyes”.

Torque seems to enjoy drawing, as she keeps a bunch of sketches in her locker, most notably of terrestrial creatures like dogs and frogs. But most importantly, she has one of Axiom in civilian clothing eating noodles, scribbled in it reads “I’m never eating anything else ever again” in Axiom’s perspective. Axiom himself keeps this sketch on his own locker, demonstrating he values it.

Also present on her locker seems to be a touristic poster of the northern lights, presumably Siberian, suggesting she’s fond of her birthplace.

Blueblood - United States, 34 years old

Blueblood managed to live a peaceful life with his family under City 31 during the ADVENT regime. Despite this, he helped others where he could, even members of the Resistance.

Blueblood seems to love and respect his father dearly, as he decided to continue the family tradition of being policemen. The former also keeps a picture of them both after a fishing trip.

On the same note, Blueblood seems to be a fishing enthusiast, as he keeps a poster of the various fishes near City 31.

Blueblood personally knows City 31’s Police Department’s Commissioner Maloof, and even seems to be on friendly terms with her, calling her by her first name, Halia.

Blueblood is seemingly concerned that Terminal seems to be far too eager to put herself into danger. According to her, it’s just that she understands the concept of ”acceptable risk”. Blueblood fears it’s a “death wish“.

Blueblood states that he would not shoot any of his teammates, not even with training purposes, after being asked by Cherub. He instead suggests him to use the ballistic mannequins they already possess.

Blueblood states that Godmother reminds him of his mother, in that she lead his whole family without ever taking charge herself, always pushing them enough to reach their potential. Godmother claims that Blueblood has exceeded his.

Blueblood’s mother passed away back in 2014 due to cancer, and the former claims that “this time of year” always hits him due to it (presumably somewhere between March and May). That said, he’s glad she never got to live to witness the invasion.

On this note, Shelter feels the need to comfort him after noticing something was wrong. Blueblood appreciates this.

Blueblood states that his father used to love heist movies, and the two of them watched them together.

According to Blueblood, ADVENT’s soldiers helmets are “stupid”.

Shelter - Chile, 36 years old

Shelter lived in a big family, but got separated from them during the 2015 invasion.

He was found and experimented on by ADVENT after discovering he had latent psionic potential, forcing him to kill and torture “criminals“ with his abilities. This affected him to the point of crying. He managed to escape from them afterwards.

Shelter is a proud farmer. He was taken in by the Resistance thanks to these skills, and in his locker he keeps a picture of a younger self standing in front of plentiful crops, as well as posters promoting new “delicious and nutritious” breeds of vegetables.

Shelter seems to enjoy chilli, as he was joyed to have some upon his arrival.

Shelter doesn’t like to read other’s minds, as evidenced by Cherub playfully asking him to read his, with Shelter claiming that he “would never” do so.

Shelter knew to some capacity of the Progeny’s leader, Violet. Upon his escape, he psionically contacted her during the event, but then lost connection. Presumably, she was yet to lose her mind due to ADVENT’s experimentations on her. He refers to this connection of emotions as a sort of “poem”.

Shelter is very fond of his squadmates, complimenting them whenever the chance is available, as well as exclaiming against enemies that he won’t allow them to hurt his friends.

Claymore seems to hate it whenever Shelter switches their positions with Relocate, as it makes him feel “queasy”. Blueblood similarly thinks it’s “freaky”. Cherub, on the other hand, consider it to be “so fun”.

According to himself, Shelter doesn’t like banks.

Shelter doesn’t understand why their enemies, in particular members of the Gray Phoenix faction, would be willing to die for their causes.

According to himself, Shelter’s teeth itch, or otherwise rattle, whenever there’s high spikes of power or energy. It’s unknown if this is normal in other human psions.

It would appear that Shelter has a crush on Zephyr, as the latter noticed his face turned red whenever she was around (which she mistook for anger). After discovering this, Zephyr does not seem to be visibly upset, but perhaps surprised, to which Shelter reacts with embarrassment.

Zephyr - Australia, 33 years old

Zephyr is not a clone unlike many former ADVENT soldiers. She presumably was amongst the first humans to be turned into hybrids and then brainwashed to follow the ADVENT regime, presumably similar to Sacred Coil leader Bellus Mar, off whom Cherub was cloned from. It is not known, however, if Zephyr was cloned at any point.

After being liberated the the Skirmishers faction, she joined their ranks and operated near City 31.

Zephyr seemingly does not want hammocks in HQ as per Patchwork’s desire to improve the place. Apparently, there was a mishap regarding this in the past.

According to herself, it seems Zephyr has “always wished” to go bowling.

At least visibly, Zephyr seems to not be too fond of Cherub, as she’s seen referring to him as “knock-off” on occasion.

According to Zephyr, “punch-a-bastard-in-the-face” day is a “roving holiday”, which she enjoys to celebrate.

Zephyr seems to refer to Patchwork as a “nerd”, as she stood by her words whenever the latter was offended by Zephyr’s accusation towards computer-savvy Gray Phoenix members.

Zephyr believes that she has no place in the Skirmishers (or anywhere)  anymore as it began accepting more clones, and due to the fact of her not knowing of her own past as a human. Claymore expresses his profound disagreement, and even though Zephyr states it’s not as simple, she appreciates the words.

[waterofthemoon]

Advent Calendar - Day 18

Advent Calendar Master Post | The Holly and the Ivy on AO3

18. Cookies

"Blast it!" Crowley exclaims. He's trying to bake the human way—look, even a demon needs hobbies in retirement—and it's not going well, to say the least. It sucks, in fact, because he's just managed to burn his third batch. The second batch was completely undercooked in the middle, and he doesn't even want to talk about his first attempt.

"Crowley? Are you in there?"

Crowley blesses under his breath and drags a hand across his face, realizing too late that he's now streaked himself with flour. "Yeah, in the kitchen! Come on back, you may as well."

After a minute, Aziraphale pokes his head in the doorway. "Goodness," he says, looking around at the wreck of Crowley's kitchen. "What have you been up to?"

"I should think that would be obvious," Crowley snipes back. He winces at his tone, even though Aziraphale doesn't look bothered. "Sorry. Long day."

"Perfectly understandable, dearheart," Aziraphale says, and oh, that's a new one, isn't it? Crowley decides he likes it and beckons Aziraphale to come closer.

"It won't come right," he explains when Aziraphale comes to inspect the damage, trying not to sound petulant. "This shouldn't be that hard, right? I mean, even human children can do it."

Aziraphale picks up one of the burned biscuits and nibbles on one of the better edges. "Don't be so hard on yourself, you're making a very good first attempt. What kind of biscuits are they, anyway? Reminds me a bit of...."

"The Greek honey ones we used to get, do you remember?" Crowley smiles as Aziraphale's eyes light up in recognition. "Had a bit of a craving."

"Crowley, that was centuries ago."

"Still," Crowley says. He reaches out and twines his fingers with Aziraphale's. "I was thinking about the last time we ate them together, sitting on the roof of that temple. You looked gorgeous in a chiton, I'll have you know."

"Oh, stop," Aziraphale says, blushing and smiling back in the way that means please, flatter me some more, I insist. Later, Crowley thinks. Aziraphale squeezes his hand and continues, "Well, you've got to adjust the proportions for these modern ingredients, for a start. Do you have a recipe?"

Crowley hesitates before answering. "Obviously." It's not exactly a lie—he did, a few times, sit with the women and watched while they baked. It's just that no one ever wrote it down, so he's relying on his (very good) demonic memory.

"Do you have a recipe that was written this century?" Aziraphale asks again, more severely, which Crowley thinks is a bit rich, coming from him. "For goodness' sake, you have Greek neighbors. Just downstairs, at the end of the hall."

Crowley's brain gets stuck, then, on Aziraphale knowing the people in his building better than he does. Of the idea of Aziraphale making himself at home here, in this new arrangement they've got.

"It's more fun to bother you," Crowley says, instead of getting into all of that. He pulls out his phone and skims, lightning fast, through recipe blog search results until he finds something approximating the ancient one he remembers. "There, recipe. Will you help me now?"

Aziraphale is already rolling up his sleeves and reaching for an apron Crowley's certain he never had before. It has tartan trim, naturally.

"My dear, of course I will," Aziraphale says, beaming. "Just tell me what you need."

The fourth batch is perfect, and even Aziraphale the epicure pronounces them very close to the original. Despite the cold, they eat them on the roof of Crowley's building, trading memories of old times and watching the sun go down over the city. Crowley shifts a bit closer under the blanket covering their laps and thanks anyone who's listening for Aziraphale, that someone can know him so well and still want to be with him.

Aziraphale moves closer still, wraps an arm around Crowley, and pulls him in tight. They stay like that long after they should have been chilled to the bone, long after the sun has set and the rest of the stars have made an appearance, before finally heading inside to warm up in Crowley's bed.

"I liked this. Making something with you," Aziraphale says once they're back in the flat. "We never really got the chance before, did we?"

"Lucky for us, we're full of second chances," Crowley says. "All the time in the world, now."

He kisses Aziraphale, just because he's there, and tastes honey on his lips. This, too, is a marvel Crowley will never tire of.

"Let's go to bed," Crowley says. "You can think of new stuff for us to do tomorrow."

[rhetoricalrogue]

1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21 + ZOE !!!! 🖤🖤🖤🖤

TY!

1. What's their name and how do they look?

Zoe Miranda Dawson. She’s 32, 5’10”, athletic, with jet black hair and dark blue eyes. Mostly all legs, but she does squats and deadlifts and is damn proud of the booty she worked hard to get, lifelong member of the itty bitty titty committee. Her hair is long, almost past her mid-back but not quite waist length and unless she uses a straight iron to tame it, is a mess of waves and curls. She normally wears it up in a ponytail or a bun at work.

3. How did they get the promotion to detective and what do they think about it?

She was brought into the Detective’s Office one day and told that she was going to be shadowing Detective Reele to take her place once she retired. She wasn’t given a choice or an option to decline and while she bristled at it at first, she gradually accepted it, even if she does miss her regular patrols.

5. How are they with people?

Professionally, she’s good at putting people at ease and at getting answers to her questions. Personally, she’s not so great, depending on her mood. She’s more open with friends, but when she wants to be left alone, she has a huge personal bubble that’s fenced in with barbed wire and a huge sign saying “fuck off” in neon lights.

7. Who is their Love Interest and why?

Mason. She thinks he’s hot, he thinks she’s hot, they have a mutual itch that they agree to scratch. Sex is just sex and as long as they’re both having a good time, it’s all good.

9. What do they think of the supernatural?

It was a shock at first, but she quickly wrapped her head around it. She’s cautious and wary around strangers by nature, but now that she knows the things that go bump in the night are real, she’s even cagier than usual.

11. Do they have any tattoos/ piercings?

Both ears at the lobe and upper lobe. She used to have an industrial piercing in her right ear, but let it heal over once she became an officer. She can’t make up her mind on what tattoo she wants, or else she probably would have gotten several.

13. What's their opinion of the Mayor?

He’s a boasting figurehead with an ego too big to fit inside a standard door. She doesn’t like him, and she hates small town politics, so she tries to be polite and professional whenever she’s forced to work with him, but will cuss him out under her breath once his back is turned and he’s out of earshot.

15. What do they think of Unit Bravo? How has that changed throughout the story?

She didn’t need her mother barging in with her team to take over her very first case as a detective. She hated Adam at first purely because he activated her teenaged rebel against authority buttons like nobody else, and tried to be nice with Nate since he was the only one who was actually coming to her to ask questions, but she still got her hackles up when her bullshit meter started to spike at some of his non-answers. Felix reminded her a lot of Tina when they first started and it was easier to be around him. Mason may have been a hot looking dude who was fun to look at, but he was an asshole who ignored no smoking signs and spoke in monosyllables.

This gradually changed once she found out the truth: she and Adam came to an understanding that eventually became the start of a pretty solid friendship, despite their differences, she and Nate always got along well, but now there’s not the “you’re lying I can see you’re lying, don’t be a dick” ping on her BS meter between them. Felix has pretty much been adopted as an honorary Police Cadet/sibling Zoe didn’t even know she needed. Mason is still a FWB, 1 am booty call, but somehow along the way, they both slipped and now there’s a side of “oh hell, I may have feelings.”

17. What are their hobbies?

Zoe likes building things. Her latest project is rebuilding a busted up motorcycle she bought at a police auction for a dollar. The body needs an overhaul, but she’s got the insides in good working order. It’s still definitely a work in progress, but she has an agreement with the local mechanic after doing a security inspection of his building and catching a lot of vulnerabilities to store it in an unused storage bay and work on it there with his tools whenever she gets a chance to.

She also plays guitar, but that’s mostly for her own enjoyment nowadays. When she was a teen, she and a handful of friends had a garage band where she played and did backup vocals. She has a nice singing voice, but doesn’t like to bring attention to herself.

19. What does their apartment look like?

Lots of dark paint on the walls: mostly deep brown in the living room, grey in the bathroom, and a navy blue in the bedroom. Tons of mid-century modern furniture in a dark wood finish and geometric metal lighting in copper and brass. She has a few framed prints hanging on the walls and a large statement lighting sculpture taking up space where her living room ends and the kitchen/dining area begins. It isn’t cluttered since it is a small space, but it also looks lived in and comfortable. The plants on her tiny balcony/fire escape are courtesy of Tina, as are the handful of potted plants inside the apartment.

21. Their favourite/comfort food?

Favorite food: Haley’s croissants, especially when they come right out of the oven. Haley usually texts her to let her know the ETA of a fresh batch.

Comfort food: one of the (many) nannies would often give her a cup of tea with a huge slice of homemade bread slathered with honey and butter when they knew she was having a bad day. Later, they taught her how to make her own bread and the the fact that she could work whatever frustrations or anger out while kneading the dough and that it was a task where she could let her mind wander helped a lot more later in life than she originally thought it would. Her dorm always smelled like fresh bread when she was in college and the small toaster oven sized loafs were popular with her dorm mates.

Detective Ask Game

[businessbusy-love]

Reason why you need to manufacture your products yourself

we're going to discuss why you need to manufacture your products yourself now I know I've been talking a lot about manufacturing in the previous videos any advantages of how much money you can make by yourself and that you don't need anybody else in this day and age but Want to go into a little detail here so let's say you do have a simple plastic product that you want to make you don't make it yourself what you do is you design it yourself and then you farm out all the injection molding processes you're not going to bring in some giant injection molding machine to get start edit's a waste of time you don't have the space. You have to know the business current affairs to be success.

Those machinesare really expensive they take a lot of skill to run you need to make the moldsand it goes on and on and on the electric bill the employees you don'twant all that you're an inventor looking to make good money in the simplest waypossible I call people lazy for coming up with their ideas and then not doingaging with them other than trying to sell them to other people but the reality of it is we also don't want to work too hard either we want to work efficiently for the maximum amount of money and we do that by manufacturingthem ourselves think about this even a 30 $40 item through business news. 

If you can make $10 on eachitem after you've shipped it out the door to your distributor reseller oreven retail imagine how much money you can make simply just selling you know to300 units to 300 units at a $10 profit each is two to three thousand dollarsfor very little effort if all you're doing is slapping labels on and you needa bedroom or a basement or a garage somewhere just to store a few of them asthey arrive from whoever's manufacturing them for you this is a win win it shouldbe a dream come true for you guys. 

It's the way I started when I first started Iwas making a hundred pieces out of aluminum at a time I had a bunch oflittle aluminum parts I would have a made at the machine shop take them overto the anodized pick him up from there bring him homeand my wife and I would sit at a table in my garage and we'd put them togetherit really it was just a weekend and part time job but here's a thing about whenyou price your products correctly now those products of mine were sellingfor two three four hundred dollars apiecethey took me about 10 15 minutes to assemble but I was doubling triplingquadrupling what it was actually costing me to make them so when I was sellingthem at a few hundred dollars and only selling twenty thirty of them a week Iwas making thousands of dollars I mean literally out the gate. 

I started makingfifty a hundred thousand dollars with my first it was one product that I didn'tspun off to two products to raise the revenue a little bit more that went tothree then went to four five six products and then that was it and I didthat for god I think five six seven years by the time I was done with thatsimple product that only cost me a few thousand dollars for that initial run ofa hundred pieces I made close to a million dollars in the life of that oneseries of product that was it that was a five year run and a million dollars overfive years is pretty darn good when you consider. 

I was working fulltime in the movie industry and then coming home and just doing that as aside thing instead of watching TV those products they took me two days to makein my garage the original prototypes and then a fewhours to drill out the parts and also go over to the machine shop and talk withthem but once the machine shop had it in her hands they did all the workit was easy it was just me picking up the parts when they were done takingthem to the anodized ER waiting a few days getting the colored parts back andyou've seen anodizing in the previous videos I talked about it but you cangoogle it or look here on YouTube if you're not sure what I mean it's ahardening colouring process that they use onaluminum and some other materials it's actually a ceramic coating which isinteresting in fact aluminum becomes non conductive after you anodized it whichis really interesting because of the coating it's a process that you justdrop the parts off you wait you wait for them to be done you pick them up youtake everything home you buy your screws whatever else you need you keep them inbags on a shelf and you assemble them as you go it's kind of a no-brainer but nowyou can control your destiny with your products and here's the other thing weneed to talk about this. 

And I'm not gonna go just pro-america here I'm gonnatalk about America and I'm gonna talk about Europe and I'm even gonna talk tomy Indian friends because I seem to have a lot of like 5% of the people on hereare from India and I know they're coming from croire and that's one of the othervideos that I showed you on how you can use Quora to attract video views so Iknow that about 5% is Indian you guys have the opportunity in India with allyour little manufacturing facilities around you to make anything you wantcheaply and then put them on eBay and sell them worldwide and then us inAmerica forget about what they have available to them we have everythingavailable to us in every state I will be surprised if you guys in any state inthe United States cannot find a machine shop and an anodized er I guarantee youcan find both and if you need screws and all that other stuff you order it onlineit's you know that everything's right there it comes in the mail here. 

If Iorder from McMaster Claire in the morning my screws are here within fourhours so you have no excuse in America everything is available to you in aninstant it's really convenient and great for you to grow your business now allyou need is a small space in your apartment or house realistically couldbe a closet I mean my wife you know she didn't mind the garage but as thebusiness started to grow it took over the house so she would complain aboutthat but so I did have to move beyond thehouse pretty quickly but it was easy for years just to stock boxes on the shelvesand ship them after about five years of doing that I was looking for the biggeryou know the bigger revenue and that's when I came up with the product attractstick the last one I was talking about was hobby camp and that's no longeraround so I really didn't mention it but track stick you can go to the websitewhen I started thinking about track stick it was a couple years after 9/11and I knew there was some concern in the world about terrorism so that's whatgave me the idea for track stick it was a product that I designed completelyhands-off when I made track stick I knew I wanted it to be big and there wereonly two ways I could do that one way would have been to invest in equipmentlike you see here but this isn't even really high speed equipment this is justfor me to do small batch runs when we're talking high speed thousands of boardsyou need much bigger pick-and-place machines and I didn't want to get intoall that I'm in California I didn't want the rent the electricity to theemployees all the insurance all the retirement expenses the medical and itgoes on and on and on I was young I was like got 32 years old. 

I wanted to stillbe able to have fun travel the world it's what you want to do it's up to youif you want that responsibility I know a lot of guys that just drive off of thatI didn't want that I didn't want the risk of going out of business I didn'twant the risk of not being able to pay the rent those types of things but Icould tell you one thing I learned if you do it you will figure out a way topay the bills no matter how much more they are than the bills you have nowit's an amazing thing I've been saying I'm worried about the rent or themortgages or all the other costs for 20 years now I haven't gone bankrupt yetin fact I've done quite well I may not have you know the huge facilities likeyou see on some of these youtube channels with the manufacturing but mostof them aren't in California where real estate is really expensive and there area few like one of the guys I love is Titan C&C look him up he talks aboutmanufacturing in in America I could not take the pressureof his responsibilities he's actually talked about how he's going bankrupt afew time his credit is bad he's nearly lost his businesses I I would I wouldlose my hair that. 

I love it would all turn gray first and that's not what I'mlooking to do it's up to you if you have the money if you have the balls to beable to put up with that go for it I don't have it and I'm not ashamed toadmit that I don't have that kind of risk taking ability I tend to just do itlittle baby steps at the time and as I make profits pay my taxes that's anotherthing when you make money taxes are coming so don't forget that I can't tellyou how many Kickstarter projects I've seen go under not because they didn'tship a product but because of the taxes you and you're an inventor you're abusinessman too this is another thing we will talk about it in the future but notonly are there responsibilities for bills the taxes can be hugeand in California believe me they come knocking they come looking for youso you need to think about that that as you become successful you are a targetfor the taxman so prepare for it and these are the realities of manufacturingand it's really not manufacturing we're talking about in most cases here we'retalking about micro manufacturing we're talking about 100 200 500 pieces at atime we're talking about not big investments for you guys I know theprices if you do all aluminum products if you do injection molded parts you canmany times get in depending on your product to three to five thousanddollars at the most for your first product I think that's a good risktolerance and then as you grow you take on a little more maybe a fifteenthousand dollar product here's another hint so my most successful products andthis has been pretty consistent I have products that have cost meanywhere from $2,000 to make up to a quarter of a millionand I will tell you a little secret my most successful products this is true mymost successful products have cost me anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 to makenow I have made hundreds of thousands of dollars in mistakes along the way takingthose $3,000 products to market I don't have to make those mistakes anymore butI did in the beginning I mean my track stick technically cost me less than$10,000 to invent but I blew twenty thousand dollars of my own money makingmy first mold that was useless because I wound up hiring people that had nevermade molds before and they were like two thousand miles away and here's thekicker so I blew twenty thousand dollars on that mold and I was so upset about itand I started googling there was a mold maker within walking distance of myhouse in California then. 

I wound up hiring and I think he did my first moldit was about 15,000 I told him I went broke for 20 grand could he please makemy next fold for 15 and I promised that I would give him more business which Idid I made about 10 molds with the guy it was just incredible the learningexperience and how much I could have saved if I knew ahead of time but that'slife and that's why we talked about you need to get out there and you need tostart talking to these people and learning the processes so you don't makethe same mistakes that I made in the beginning and if you are learningsomething from these videos I hope you're subscribing you're leavingcomments below you're giving me a thumbs up because I want to help I also want togrow this channel and you know I want to be here for you guys because it'sexciting as you guys are making things and talking to me it really encouragesme to keep going even when I have such a low view countright now thanks to YouTube and its new algorithms but we'll getthat if you just keep on leaving me comments so that I know were punchingthrough the slow views I don't care how many people are viewing this what I careabout is that the ones that are viewing this channel are learning something andimplementing it that's what you need to do because if you just start doing somemicro manufacturing invest a few thousand maybe and I know this in Indiayou guys are probably investing a few hundred the equivalent of a few hundreddollars with your friends and they're making you product so anybody can dothis in America it's gonna cost us a little more because we do have differentlaws and restrictions that don't allow us to be that cheap Europe the same wayEurope's going to be a little more expensive for manufacturing than inAmerica and definitely more than it's gonna cost in Asia but it doesn't matterit depends on what your interests are where you want to make your productswhat your commitment is I am like 100 percent make it in America butunfortunately in California because of all the environmental laws and all theother restrictions most of the time I get prices that are three times the costof what they are to make in Asia so you know if they can't compete you can'tjust say oh okay. 

I'll pay three times more that three timesrepresents the entire cost of my product which means that they've raised theprice by three times at the same C shops my retail is going to double my cost tothe distributors is probably going to triple I'm gonna price myself right outof the market so when it comes to manufacturing you'regonna have to pick all different places if you know something's cheap to makearound the corner do it around the corner don't send it to Asia you know doit locally but at the same time if you're good if you have a part that'smachined and let's say it'll cost you 75 dollars to make in the US but China willsell to you for $30 a piece in a quantity of 100 where do you think youhave to go you're going to have to go to Asia toChina and I'm going to mention Titan C&C again because I'm watching his videosthis guy gets me pumped up I mean he's different he's differentjust like I'm different big guy big strong guy I'll put a link down belowand he he's a genius I know a genius when I see one this guy's so smart andthe way he looks he may not even realize how smart he is because he talks aboutmachining like I've never heard it talked about before and I know machinisthe has beautiful shops Titan C&C has shops that you could eat off the floorseverything is pristine when I look at his machines they shine there's no chipsthere's no oil they're beautiful and it's not because he's not using them andthey're brand new this guy loves what he's doing and he's pumping me upbecause I gotta say he's making stuff in the US I'm saying make stuff in the USwe're both doing it and you can too and if you're in Asia make it in Asia ifyou're in Europe make it in Europe make your commitment to the people around youthat's all that's important it's not about nationalism it's aboutmanufacturing because manufacturing is what made America great we all need tomanufacture if we want to see our countries do well so look at Titan andwhat he says the only way that America is going to compete in the world is ifthe machines make the parts quicker we already know that especially inCalifornia labor is expensive and the liability that goes with itit is prohibitive for companies. 

it does create a burden for companies so what hesays is you hire less people but you make the machines run quicker you buynewer machines you program so they're fastyou make efficient ways to manufacture so you can get more product out the doornow I should listen to this advice because the stuff that I run on thesemachines many times gets back ordered by days by weeks it's frustrating for mebecause I can never predict the amount of sales that I'm going to get and nomatter what I put on the Shelf it seems to sell out so you can actually and thisis a weird thing about business even though my profits on purpose are high Ican actually put myself out of business by making too much product yes I knowthat people are going to buy it but at what cost to me in terms of stocking iton the shelves Titan talked about this too we're a company said we need to stopour orders but he kept going and these were expensive millions of dollars inparts it was actually a hundred million dollar contract you can look at hisvideo he just said you know what they're gonna come back and they're gonna ordermore so I'll just start keep making them for weeks maybe months he went on and hemade all these parts they never came back for them so when you do this yougot to watch how many you put on yourself manufacturing is a game youjuggle how many do I make versus how many I think are going to sell not howmany are actually selling because remember there's a delay after orderparts from Asia I order parts from down the street they all take time to come inthen there's processes like anodizing painting whatever processes you add tothat they all take time and god forbid one of those manufacturers get busybecause then the time that you normally get them in becomes longer so when itcomes to manufacturing start thinking of a plan because that's how you're gonnamake your money you.

If you need many business blogs like this then you can visit VISHLOGIC BUSINESS.

[blurtitout-posts]

DETECTIVE RAMANA

With a child like smile etched on his face and soggy eyes, Ramana stretches his body, wakes up, thinking what is in it stored for him today. Ramana worked as a Bank Manager in IBR for 40 good years. His career graph shot up as years passed by and so did his age. He was apple of everyone’s eye in his office and was popular among his batch mates for his sense of humor. Despite working hard all his life for his family, he always wanted to do something purposeful and adventurous with his life. He retired last year and thus had ample time to do whatever he always longed for. He visited old age homes, orphanages, pilgrimage with his wife but he still felt a void in his life.

Coming back to the present, he wakes up and starts his day with his favorite hobby. He excitedly turns on the television and starts watching news . The news reports about the robbery that happened last night in a merchant’s mansion at KBR hills, Hyderabad. “I wonder who must have done that. Could it be the same robbery gang who attacked Mr.Lal in West Bengal ? was the robbery done by a gang or was it a one man army? Did the police start the investigation yet? I am sure they must have missed some hidden clues. Had I been at the site, I could have gathered more clues than them.” “How many times did I tell you to have your cup of tea before it gets cold!!!!” a screeching voice interrupts his serious thinking. Purni, is Ramana’s devoted wife who loves to water her plants, nurture her garden with great care,but then, family has always been her second priority.  “I was thinking about the robbery that happened yesterday night. What is your opinion on it? Please voice your thoughts.” With a serious look on her face and hands on her hip,”I am not Arka Dutt to voice my opinions and you are no Harnad Goswami to let the “nation know” ? I have important things to do. I have to plant the marigold sapling I bought yesterday, take care of the rose plant. Looks like the leaves are infected. I need Ramu to get manure from the market and all you care for is some robbery that took place in some part of our city. Please stop giving too much of thought and focus on the work in your hands now!!” she rants about even more important chores in her to-do list. “I am already doing it ,see!“ he says sipping his cup of tea, with an impish smile over his face. In this monotonous life of Ramana, he never anticipates a U turn.

PS: Hello readers. This is my first post in Tumblr. Detective Ramana has a humorous story line. I have planned to write the story in chapters and the first one ends here. Please voice your thoughts on it. The next one would be coming up next Saturday.

[joylee56]

In Which Miss Belle French Endeavors to Establish Herself as a Lady Detective

For the 2019 Rumbelle is Hope event

Summary: Her father wanted her to make an ‘appropriate’ connection and give him grandchildren. Her chaperon would be a happy if she would just find a suitable hobby like watercolors. Belle though wants to find a way to indulge her talent for detection. Pity the one Scotland Yard Detective who will let her is on medical leave.

Author's Note: So sorry about the formating. I swear it looked all right when I previewed it. I think I've fixed it now.

The morning post had brought the usual collection of invitations to dinners, luncheons and balls from matchmaking society grand dames hopeful of securing the Marchlands fortune for their sons, grandsons or nephews. Belle set aside an invitation from the Frost girls to accompany them to a lecture by Mrs. Besant on Theosophy presented by the Fabian Society and sorted the rest on a scale of indescribably dull to possibly interesting enough to attend to satisfy her father’s insistence that she spend some time in society.

Papa still had hopes of her making an ‘appropriate’ connection and settling into staid matronhood. Presenting him with a batch of grandchildren to brag about at his club. Belle had no intention of turning her fortune and her life over to any of the mindless young men her father regarded as appropriate. But she had found that one society function a week kept her father happy and left her free to indulge in more interesting past times the rest of the time.

Fortunately Sergeant Nolan had been assisting him and she had been able to point Nolan in the right direction. Resulting in a promotion for the Sergeant and a much welcomed by his young family transfer to the suburbs.

The transfer was not welcome by Belle as it left her bereft of any contacts at Scotland Yard until and unless Inspector Gold returned from his medical leave.

Her cousin Ruby, helped sort the stack with far more interest in the opportunity to meet young men than Belle. (And far far more in need of the security of an acceptable match. Neither she nor her Grandmother, who served as Belle’s chaperon, had enough income to support themselves. Without a husband, Ruby would look forward to a life of genteel poverty at best. Luckily the girl was lovely and vivacious enough to make a decent match even without a dowry.)

“Now that the King Edward’s coronation is finally over the social scene is returning to normal.” Ruby commented.

“I can’t like that he didn’t keep his father’s name when he was crowned.” Mrs. Lucas commented. “The late Queen wanted him to.”

“Now, Granny, you can hardly blame the man for not wanting to stand in his father’s shadow.” Belle put in. Despite having no actual blood connection the older woman had looked after her since her mother’s death and Belle had adopted Ruby’s familiar address.

“Be better if he took more after his father.” Granny sniffed.

Neither of the younger women were inclined to argue with her about the new King’s morals. Ruby frowned at the next letter she examined. “This one isn’t an invitation, Belle. More like a tradesman’s note. Do you have jeweler named ‘Gold’?”

Belle snatched the unassuming envelope from Ruby’s hand and ripped it open. “Inspector Gold has written?!”

“Your tame Scotland Yard detective?” Ruby asked with amusement.

Granny looked up from the ladies journal she had returned to reading. “How is he? The injuries he suffered when that building collapsed as he was helping evacuate it were not something I’d have expected him to recover from any time soon.”

Belle had already scanned the missive. “He doesn’t say.”

The note, neatly written in the copperplate script beloved by grammar schools, was succinct.

Dear Miss French, I write to you, in the hope that doing so is not overstepping the boundaries of propriety, because I would beg a meeting with you to discuss a small matter. I am, of course, at your disposal as to the time and place.

Your very obedient servant, Drummond Gold

“He wants to meet with me.” Belle said excitedly. “To ‘discuss a small matter’. Oh, perhaps he as a case he needs my help with! Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

“Not particularly.” Granny sighed. “But as it’s not likely you’re going to be taking up a more suitable hobby like watercoloring any time soon, I suppose it’s better than he wants to meet with you some where appropriate rather than his office at Scotland Yard.”

“He doesn’t have an office at Scotland Yard any longer.” Belle perused the note trying to see what else she could glean from it. There was not a lot to see. The handwriting was clear and strong. No sign of any tremor or weakness. That was good. When she had last seen him in hospital he had been very weak from his injuries. The paper and envelope were of medium quality. Of a kind a well off clerk or small shop owner would have on hand. He did include a return address. The neighborhood was respectable working class. Not the sort of place a lady of quality would ever have a reason to visit. At least now she knew how to reach him. “The last time I spoke with Sergeant Nolan, he said that the Inspector was still on ‘indefinite’ medical leave.

“I’ll ask him to Tea.” Belle decided. “The day after tomorrow? Yes. I’ll have Cook make scones. All Scotsmen are fond of scones aren’t they? And to be sure to serve marmalade. Inspector Gold always had marmalade at that Tearoom he insisted I meet him at rather than going to his office.”

“Best to have her serve sandwiches as well.” Granny put in practically. “Working folk generally don’t have a meal after Tea. Give him something hardy enough to keep him going.”

When Inspector Gold arrived punctually at four o’clock on the day of their appointment she was glad she had taken Granny’s advice and let Cook show off her culinary skill. The man had always been thin, but he now looked positively gaunt. His suit, which had previously been perfectly tailored, was hanging loose.

Of greater concern was the way he was limping. He was using a cane to walk and while he did not seem to be in any sort of pain, his right leg clearly could not bear his weight without it.

She stepped up to greet him as the butler announced him. “Inspector Gold, I was so delighted to receive your note. Please have a seat. I had been wanting to inquire how you were doing, but since Sergeant Nolan was transferred I had no way to reach you.”

“I’m sure you would have tracked me down eventually, Miss.” Gold sat with some relief. After greeting Mrs. Lucas politely he added. “And it’s no longer Inspector. As of this month I’ve been retired. A policeman who canna chase after a criminal isn’t of much use.”

“That’s ridiculous!” Belle was outraged. “Why you’re a detective. Actually running after criminals isn’t what you do best.”

Gold shrugged. “It’s Yard policy I’m afraid. The Commissioner was kind enough to grant me a full pension.”

“And well he should.” Belle said. “Foiling that bomb plot by getting nearly everyone out of the building before it collapsed saved countless lives including the Commissioners.”

“T’was only doing my job.” Gold murmured, clearly embarrassed.

Plumette brought in the tea at that point. Changing the discussion to Gold’s obvious relief. Belle poured. “You take milk I believe?”

“If it’s no trouble I prefer the lemon.” He responded.

She set down the milk pitcher. “You always had milk at the Tearoom.”

“The Tearoom across from the station did not provide lemon.” Gold pointed out.

“True.” Adding a slice of lemon she handed him his cup. “Sandwiches? Cook got a touch over enthusiastic, so please have several.”

“Cook doesn’t have the opportunity to show off her skill to gentlemen callers very often.” Granny said pointedly as she took a salmon sandwich and a macaroon.

Belle frowned at the older woman, but did not comment. Instead encouraging Gold to eat by indulging in some light conversation.

Only when it was clear he had eaten his fill did she ask, “You had a matter you wanted to discuss?”

“Uhm, yes.” He looked uncomfortable. “If it’s not too forward of me, I was hoping you might provide an introduction. Now that I’m retired from the Yard I need to find other work.

“We won’t starve on my pension. But it’s no enough to pay for my boy’s schooling.” Gold glanced down into his tea cup. “He’s a bright boy. If I can get him a decent education he could go on to University. Give him the opportunities that he deserves.”

He looked up to meet her eyes. “To do that I need work. I know how to use a typewriter, take shorthand and can write a fair hand. My leg won’t interfere with secretarial work, but I need a way in the door. I know it’s presumptuous to ask it of you, but I hoped you might be willing to recommend me to someone in need of a secretary? If I can just show what I can do I’m sure I can give satisfaction.”

“Yes! Oh, that would be perfect!” Belle set down her cup and hurried over to her writing desk to find her notebook. “You’ll come work for me!”

“I’m no looking for charity, Miss French.” Inspector, now Mr., Gold sound wounded. “I can earn properly. I just need someone to give me a chance.”

“I wanted to start a consulting detective practice to assist women who aren’t comfortable taking their problems to male detectives for some time.” Belle enthused. “With your experience and contacts you’d be invaluable to my endeavor. Not charity in the least.”

Gold blinked. “You’re no serious?”

“Oh, she’s serious all right.” Granny signed. “Show him your plan, dear.”

Thrusting her notebook into his hands, Belle explained. “I’ve been thinking about the cases where I’ve assisted you. In nearly all of them the women involved had family or personal problems that were not really issues that the police would or could deal with. With more information, and some practical advice, they could have found solutions to their problems. I’ve been trying to devise a way to supply that. My problem is that, even with a chaperon, there are places I not permitted to go and information I can’t access. You, on the other hand, can readily go places and do things that I’m not allowed.”

As she spoke, Gold had started thumbing through her notes. His eyebrows when up, “Uhm, Miss French, while your intentions are… admirable, the sort of private investigative agency you have in mind… Well, these sorts of domestic ‘issues’ as you call them tend to be tawdry at best.”

“I have pointed that out.” Granny put in.

“I’m not some innocent debutante.” Belle said. “I old enough and have done enough charity work to know how unkind the world can be to women. And I have the means and ability to do something about it.”

“Not all problems have solutions, Miss.” Gold cautioned. “And even where there are solutions, you won’t always be able to uncover them.”

“You said yourself I made an excellent detective.” Belle reminded him.

“I think what I said was that you had an uncanny knack of stumbling head first into the thick a mare’s nest.” Gold responded. “T’was no meant as a compliment.

“Although I’ll grant you, you’re a better detective than any of those fools the Yard saddled me with over the years.” Gold admitted grudgingly.

Belle preened. Gold’s opinion of his colleagues was not high, but he also did not make compliments without meaning them.

He continued looking at her notes. “You planned this in detail.” He allowed.

“I have. And even if we never manage to get any clients, I do enough charity and social work that I need a private secretary.” Belle was sure that once she had Gold in her employ he would help her move forward with her plans. He would be too interested in solving the puzzles not to. “Which is precisely what you’re looking for.”

“Not to mention that you’d be far better able to protect her when she goes haring off on one of her ‘adventures’ than I am.” Granny put in dryly. “That alone would earn you your salary.”

Granny’s argument clearly made an impression on him. “If you’re certain I could be of service?”

“Yes!” She would have a helper in her endeavors. And a companion who treated her seriously. She clapped her hands. “We have a deal then?”

“We do.” Gold agreed offering his hand for her to shake,

[herlossmybanjo]

I need to vent.

This is very much a "Sheltered Rich Girl finds out life is Unfair and Must Complain" type of deal so maybe don't read it.

My actual job - the thing I have to do for 7 1/2 hours a day - is perfect. Problem is this job is advertised for retired individuals; people who can only make so much money before losing social security. The pay isn't great. I can supplement this with family money (I warned you) so, ultimately I'm fine and have nothing to complain about. However I would like to be able to support myself without family money but I also want to keep doing this job that love. So I look around the job hunting sites.

I can have full time work in one location or I can have a little more money. I cannot have both.

I'm a test driver (don't know why I wasn't saying that outright). Car companies do their testing through a third party. If I work for a different third party I will be living contract to contract, always on the road. Travel would be a lot of fun but travel would not be good for my mental health, me being who I am right now.

I am literally too out of shape to be a delivery driver, dealership porter much the same issue for not much better pay, I've applied to medical courier jobs and haven't heard back, found a couple factory porter jobs but they're an hour away and done pay enough to justify that commute.

I'm beginning to realize this isn't a matter of waiting for a better job to advertise because the job I'm looking for doesn't exist. My current isn't going to start paying more and other companies don't test enough cars to warrant permanent drivers.

So I'm getting frustrated and there are other car R&D facilities nearby. Okay, there's one and I'm willing to move. Anyways, I'm frustrated enough to consider writing a cover letter and just showing up and handing out my resume.

I want to work. I love driving. I have experience. I'm a safe driver. I'm a diversity hire. I'm comfortable learning new computer systems. Want me to do some data collection? I learn fast. I'm a reliable employee. I can read maps and follow GPS. I can sit in a car for 8+ hours. I don't get road rage. I can't live on the road permanently but traveling occasionally would be a lot of fun. Hell, I could probably work up to traveling a lot. Car break down? Tow truck 3+hrs away? Need me to say with the car? I packed a book, I don't give shit. I write incredibly detailed incident reports, so detailed engineers and technicians have requested I drive certain cars. I want to work. Pay me a living wage to drive and I will never leave. I will outlast everyone at that facility. You will have to force me to retire and even then I'll show up.

Apparently car companies (all companies I imagine) don't want randos hitting them up for jobs that don't exist because I can't find anything other than the vaguest Contact Us. I don't even know who to get my resume to let alone how.

And what did I think would happen, really? Instead of getting a third party company to find multiple drivers and insurance for the batch of cars they have in that moment they'll what? Pay the insurance themselves? Hire one driver to work through the cars one at a time? Move the cars to one location so I don't have to live on the road?

That was the last thing I could think to do and that wasn't even a good idea.

The job I want doesn't exist. I'm just waiting until I can accept settling.

I know I'm incredibly privileged. I know I'm fine. I know I need to work on my health. I know I need to develop better hobbies.

But right now I feel helpless and I hate this feeling with an unholy passion.

Edit: I went to sleep and now feel a lot better.

Edit edit: Before I went to bed I looked at jobs again, applied to a few ‘cause why the hell not. Got a call back. 2nd shift test driver (neat!) Paid more than I’m getting now (super neat!) Travel about 3 - 4 times a year. That’s...that’s it. That’s the job I want and have been bitching about not finding. If I get further into the application process I’ll have to remember to ask questions (make sure it’s not contract, more details about traveling).

[newmanyvonne96]

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[holydanced]

     *      —     so this did NOT take long at all  ,  wow  ….. but anyways  ,  hello m’loves im alex  &  i’m on my current bullshit of prolonged - everything and wack intros  !!  i’m 21  ,  my pronouns r she / her  ,  from the incredible tz that is gmt and but have zero  (  0  ) concept of time clearly   &  i like watching tasty vids knowing damn well i’m never making a single dish and other stuff it’s 2 late for me 2 rmbr and list but welcome to my step daughter  ,  shmoke itch queue !! under the read more is 1 / 2 of the intro posts i plan on posting this week with a good batch of my shunts  .  can’t wait 2 get back to ya’ll on plots and connections and hmu if a muse peeks ur unfortunate interest !!

*   SOUTHERN HELL   /   AMANDA WHEELER  :   queen of irony. rich faux post-country gal. a loud homosexual who writes hetero fics/has an indie het smut for the absolute shits and giggles. madly in love with her girlfriend and WILL remind you just in case you forgot. said to be possessed by a possessed flapper. cute and knows it even though she looks like a republican. socially open & everywhere. morally grey.

*   VEGAN OVERLORD   /   IMOGEN YATES  :   the grey area between your mom friend and your drunk aunt. happily vegan & owns a vegan restaurant called the fork, alt. the local vegan cult’s lair. won’t kill you, but will convince you she really wants to. local brat tamer. minds her business via minding others. clashed head-first into nature’s very own reset button: amnesia. used to be the devil herself and traumatized everyone she once knew. disgustingly active and accomplishing. 

*   WALMART AVRIL LAVIGNE   /   PRUDENCE ZIMA  :   parents died in a fire when she was a youngin and it shows. idolizes avril lavigne & her favorite movie is lords of dogtown for aesthetics references. dude. social leech or effortless networker ? both. remains in her lane regardless. cries over dick biweekly. here for a good time, not a long time. steals your stash and smokes you out with it. avid dick connoisseur. loves her pet python to death. minimum effort lifestyle. either on her way to become a manager of some one hit wonder band that finds it’s demise in a crashing plane, a drug dealer or god forbid, a guidance counselor. mild gone girl type cool girl syndrome. 

*   SATAN  ,  BUT IN FRENCH   /   ABEL GAUTIER  :   french and “confused”. lives a minimalist n’ expensive lifestyle. if american psycho & french kiss were the same movie. wine sniffer. the devil bakes croissants. will watch you die. takes grudges to the afterlife. gets attached but either ruins it or ruins it to spare everyone, himself included. falls in love a lot but knows how to calm the fuck down. well-suppressed murderous tendencies. very giving, fortunately. manipulative but isn’t too wild about bending everything to his will. 

*   ROSES IN THE TRASH DOT PNG   /   SIMINI GALE  :   [ britney vc ] its me…. against dissociation. token white actress & character in rosie’s show. a loud mess with an intense mental state and anger issues dulled out by her prescribed meds and whatever pill she got in the bottom of her manager’s purse. overly dependent and is distraught about it. grocery shopping for garbage food and attending comedy stand ups half drunk as a hobby. stable ? don’t know her. very nice and super flighty. heels are hot. wishes she could fight someone without feeling the urge to actually fight someone. crying probably.

*   HAPPY MACHINE BROKE   /   CALVIN O’SHEA  :   it’s not just the depression more than the incredible self hatred. walks into rooms with his bad energy  &  cunty attitude. graduated college just to shut his dad up. wants to die harder than edward cullen. just doesn’t give a shit. has a baby named FREDDIE MERCURY JOHN LENNON BAUMANN ( also known as the antichrist, with alanis, his mortal literal enemy whom he absolutely despises and will NOT hesitate to put his dick back in again ) . wishes he could die.

*   DIVORCED DADS ARE HOT   /   KELLY SCOTT  :   a father who tries™. runs a chop shop because bad decisions and dire needs ( had his son to send to school and his daughter who passed away due to a condition he couldn’t afford to treat even after turning his mechanic shop into a chop shop. his wife then left him ) .stares into the distance. needs to pull out of this dull n’ depressing daily routine he has fallen into like the basic ass divorced dad he is.

*   SLAVGOTH    /   SEBASTIAN MILLER  :   kazimer sokolov whom. russian ex-cult member well-adjusted into a mundane life via lies, a fake canadian accent he’s ‘trying to get rid of’ and being a twilight saga aficionado & a certified dick. runs his lame record store and a tumblr blog to keep himself sane by maintaining a general aesthetic & shitting on people and every discourse out there. knives/books sniffer. allegedly fucked a moose. probably kinkshames as a way to deal with his own “kinks”. you thought it’s one fake bitch in this house but it’s quite literally two.

*   UNCLE SAL WITH THE FACTS    /   SALVATORE PRESLEY  :   a hitman who doesn’t know how to retire. talks. a great father and boyfriend in a long, long, long term relationship. gets shit done which is both a good thing and a bad thing. don’t call him salvatore, don’t call him anything. knows how to mix drinks and other things. obsessive; gets into his job a little too intensely and it shows. loses sleep at least two nights a week as a habit at this point. family-oriented; has an extended family back home he misses occasionally. wishes he could calm down truly.

*   UH HUH ,  THIS MY SHIT ! ALL THE GOTHS STOMP YOUR FEET LIKE THIS !  /   FRED MARLON  :   not-so-local - perky goth -  skater boi. bisexuals wear multiple rings. was a cheerleader and won’t stop spelling shit & chanting since then. advocates for getting your guts stirred safe sex. lucid dreams. criminology major but associates with film majors for some reason. was the employee of the month everywhere he worked. remembers his time in bed, bath and beyond fondly. went to psycho camp when he was twelve. a motherfucking sweedie. actual foot fetish apologist.

*   [ POINTS AT EMPTY CORNER ] AND HERE’S MY GREAT GRANDFATHER, ARMITAGE   /   MARSHA HUNT  :   obsessing over the victorian (gothic) era & death. obsessive, period. interesting family lineage. believes the manor she inherited is haunted (mainly because deaths happened there and up until a certain period in its history, they had their own graveyard within the estate). believes a lot of things that don’t make sense but bear with her. crackhead tendencies. talking is a full body experience. demands your full attention or none of it. allergic to but likes flowers. witchcraft? she’s listening. romantic in the worst way. will teach you how to dance. not entirely here at all. writer_in_the_dark.mp3. heightened senses. rich and doesn’t know what to do with the money. doesn’t trust first impressions. the drunk aunt and the weird cousin. 

*   ( PRETTY ) DAFT BOY  /   JACK LOWELL  :  jackary. handsome_the_vaccines.mp3. vaguely ‘poetic’ instagram captions & private social media accounts made for his mental breakdowns. currently on a “break” from college. lashes out over air. a current equipment bitch to the band he got kicked out of. manipulative and morally on the fence of neutral and his father’s son. isn’t sure if he enabled his sister’s murderous nature on purpose or not. will crash at your place and finish your cereal but still make you breakfast and a cool tune in the morning like the soft, self-absorbed cunt he is. self destructs over one ( 1 ) girl and hangs out with many.

*   THE REASON WHY YOUR CAR RIDES GO THE FUCK OFF  /   NAZARETH NIEVES  :  pouty lesbian. music producer tormenting her record label by being a brat. chronically bored and disgusted. pulls a rihanna and makes close friends off the industry. will bite heads off. selectively decent. is unable to enjoy music from the same genre she produces for. power bottom. brutally killed her dead best friend’s father, hid his body and picked up his youngest daughter from school and took her in her family home; the line of murders in their unsuspecting city ceased conveniently. likes the smell of nail polish.

[dreamingimages]

As a child, we all have been told by our parents and our elders that going to school and finishing a course is one way to secure not only our future but of the generation as well. As early as 4 or 5 years old, they had been preparing us for higher education. 10 years in school, so one day we could choose which path to take, which course to finish, and which goal to achieve. By choosing which degree to take in higher education equates to what your life would be like and your way of living in the years to come. So deciding the path is a crucial component of what’s to come and what to expect for your future.

There are probably a lot of different culture and perspective regarding education. As a kid, we thought that getting a job means helping and serving other people. I’m pretty sure almost every kid in our class wanted to be a doctor. Growing up, we started discovering our talents and hobbies we hoped someday we could use in our future job. Some kids wanted to be in the field of designing because they were very good at drawing and sketching, as some kids wanted to be in business because at young age they understand its importance and were exposed to it early. We knew as a kid, life is as simple as choosing what dress to wear. We probably all thought we’ll get what we want as long as we want it. But it isn’t that simple, isn’t it?

Of course, the higher the educational attainment, the more job opportunity opens. That’s why it is with gratitude a great privilege to be in school. Yes, those who have higher educational attainment could become successful but just because you can’t have higher education for some reason doesn’t mean you have no way of being successful in the future. This is where hard work comes in. I am a firm believer that if you want something, you should do everything in your power to achieve it without stepping down on other people.

Though not all decisions lie solely in our own hands, as a Filipino child, we were raised to consider what our parents want or obey what they want even.

I already have a bachelor’s degree in Accounting Technology. I really am satisfied as long as I finished the course my parents put me in. This wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted to be a writer. But no, my parents wanted me to become a CPA because they said it’s easier to get a job when you are a CPA than being anything else. As a graduating high school student in dilemma, I did what I was told believing parents know best.

I first enter college trying to finish bachelor’s degree in Accountancy. I was having a terrible difficulty because I didn’t love what I do. I’ve had countless of sleepless nights. I’ve started blaming my parents. My grades almost flunked. I got kicked out of the Accountancy program and shifted to Accounting Technology. I finished my course for the sake of getting a degree without absorbing and understanding the importance of education at that time. Well, at least I finished, or so I thought. Then my dad started collecting bottles of Johnny Walker that he said he’d only open once I become a CPA. I felt a little bit guilt because it is one of my dad’s favorite drinks and he’s willing to sacrifice this just for his resolve. Maybe, to push over a little guilt, but I shrugged it away.

On the first year after I graduated, I continued Accountancy, of course as told by my parents. And this is where I got the worse of me. I took it for granted and this time, it took a toll on me I will never forget.

For the first time in my life, I failed not one, but three subjects in one semester. My parents were so angry. I have never seen my dad so angry at me. They were so disappointed and they let me feel it the worse way.

Though I am still lucky that my parents chose to forgive me and gave me another chance.

I passed all my subjects in my second semester, but I was still very frustrated. I don’t want to be stuck in something I don’t want to do in the first place. That’s when I decided to quit school and started working. When I was looking for a job, I didn’t care what kind of job to apply for as long as it has a good pay.  Then I got a job in an auditing firm. It was fun and challenging and I kind of realized the importance of education in real life. I regret not knowing and remembering some things taught in school that could be used in my job.

It was October of 2016 when the results of CPA board exams were released. I saw familiar names, batch mates I came to know. Then it finally hit me, the regret hiding itself in comfort, the regret I don’t want to admit. My name could be on that list. I regret taking for granted the privilege my parents had given just for me to have a brighter future. At some point, I missed learning. I didn’t realize accounting has always been in my system that I have been rejecting all along.

When I told parents that I wanted to finish Accountancy for sure this time, they were very supportive. They had never given up on me after all.

Now that I am in school once again, I will make sure I would do the best that I can. I will show my parents the gratitude for giving me more chances than I truly deserve by trying to excel in my studies. And once I pass the CPA board exam and started earning more, I will give back to my parents. I will make sure they can have the lavish retirement they have always wanted for.

It is never too late to realize what you really want in life and the reason why you are in school in the first place. But it sure is helpful to realize it early and I am thankful it didn’t take me my whole life to find out what I really wanted. I’m tired of disappointing my parents, so this time I will make them proud.

Someday, I will see those bottles of Johnny Walker in my dad’s glass cabinet, empty.

[viridianmaxwell-blog]

Tagged by: @afewthousandatmost

Tagging: Whoever reads this and wants to do it

*Note here, I’m using Viridian’s Interdimensional Being verse for this in which she was born a semi-immortal being but then trapped on earth and raised by a human family, just to clear up any confusion

ORIGINS AND FAMILY

NAME: Viridian Maxwell NICKNAME:  Verdie REASON FOR NAME: Viridian is a shade of green. Viridian’s kind are born from creative energy, each associated with a different color. The Oren in her brother’s name also means green.  BIRTHDAY: As a human, November 19 (She started as a self insert, so the day before mine) AGE: Over 2000, but appears 19-25 GENDER: Female PLACE OF BIRTH: The Pocketverse Etre, and again as human in Boston Massachusettes PLACES LIVED SINCE: The general Multiverse

PARENTS’ NAMES, BACKGROUNDS, AND OCCUPATIONS

NUMBER OF SIBLINGS: Her “older brother” Oren Orion, and a human younger sister. RELATIONSHIP WITH FAMILY: Estranged. HAPPIEST MEMORY: Reuniting with Orion after discovering her non-human origins.  CHILDHOOD TRAUMA: Most of the time spent with her human mother. As a dimensional being, she was never a child but the fall of Etre, once she remembered it, was a huge source of trauma.  CHILDREN OF THEIR OWN: In various lifetimes, she doesn’t talk about them.  RELATIONSHIP?: Single

PHYSICAL

HEIGHT: 5′11 WEIGHT: 170-ish BUILD: Muscular/athletic  NATIONALITY: N/A DISABILITIES: None, although her state of being leaves her with a constant dysphoria. She’s not human, but because she’s lived as a mortal she yearns for humanity and so feels like she doesn’t fit or belong anywhere no matter what world she’s in. She also suffers from anxiety, more-so during her time as a normal human.   COMPLEXION: Pale FACE SHAPE: Long DISTINGUISHING FACIAL FEATURES: Bright green eyes and very thick brows. HAIR COLOR:  Brown EYE COLOR: Green, sometimes glowing. GLASSES/CONTACTS: None STYLE OF DRESS: Sweats and tank tops, ripped jeans and baggy tops athletic/comfortable HEALTH: Healthy, and has a healing ability. GROOMING: Hygenic but not meticulous.  JEWELRY, TATTOOS, PIERCINGS: None ACCENT:  None/Newscastor  PHYSICAL HABITS: Lip biting, clutching at her clothes, scratching at her hair/scalp, especially when its short. 

INTELLECT

LEVEL OF EDUCATION: Various bits and pieces of different degrees, usually art or communication related. She’s never stayed anywhere long enough to finish one.  LEVEL OF SELF ESTEEM: Low, usually has to talk herself up TALENTS: She can paint, not a genius but fairly talented as far as academics are concerned. (barring an aversion to math) She can follow orders well and she’s a hard worker when focused on a singular thing. She was, at one point, considered the strongest on Etre which lead her to claiming the title of Paper Tongue (twice) but she doesn’t think of that as an achievement.  SHORTCOMINGS: not aggressive, lacking in leadership ability, inarticulate, often looks like she had no idea what she’s doing.  STYLE OF SPEECH: Casual, fumbling. Stutters, uses slang.  ARTISTIC/MATHEMATICAL:  Artistic MAKES DECISIONS ON EMOTION OR LOGIC: Logic, unless she’s under a lot of stress.  LIFE PHILOSOPHY: Humanity/life is something worth fighting for. Even the ugly parts./Death is necessary and makes life more meaningful. Immortality is not something you should want/Stay strong but silent. Don’t make waves, but don’t give in.   RELIGIOUS STANCE: Atheist CAUTIOUS/DARING: Cautious EXTROVERT/INTROVERT: Introvert LEVEL OF COMFORT WITH TECHNOLOGY: Good to moderate, having snippets of experience with futuristic tech. 

RELATIONSHIPS

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Pansexual PAST RELATIONSHIPS: As a human, none. A few during her travels in the multiverse. She doesn’t talk about them. PRIMARY REASON FOR BEING BROKEN UP WITH: Being found out as inhuman or simply having to leave a universe too soon. Her relationships never last long enough for personal flaws to get in the way. PRIMARY REASON FOR BREAKING UP WITH PEOPLE: Having to leave them behind, or not wanting to disrupt their world’s serious of events. (or not being allowed to) LEVEL OF SEXUAL EXPERIENCE: Beginner, despite having lived so long. STORY OF LOSS OF VIRGINITY: I haven’t thought about it but she was probably red as tomato the entire time. MOST COMFORTABLE AROUND WHO: Orion OLDEST FRIEND: Also Orion HOW DO THEY THINK OTHERS PERCEIVE THEM: Helpless, doesn’t know what she’s doing. Childish.  HOW DO OTHERS ACTUALLY PERCEIVE THEM: Basically that, they can tell she tries and means well though.

VOCATION

PROFESSION: RETIRED dimensional being who’s still roped into doing jobs. Usually some kind of artist if Etre isn’t funding her stay somewhere.  PAST / CURRENT OCCUPATION(S): Same as above, as well as other odd jobs.  PASSIONS: Art, and Humanity in general. Studying the different worlds she visits.  ATTITUDE TOWARDS CURRENT JOB: "I keep telling you people I AM RETIRED”  ATTITUDE TOWARDS CURRENT COWORKERS/BOSSES/EMPLOYEES: “Stop calling me.” SALARY: Either limitless funds or nothing, It depends on their mood. 

SECRETS

LIFE GOALS: Secretly? To live the rest of her normal human life in her retirement, ending in a normal human death.  DREAMS: Same as the above.  GREATEST FEARS: Remaining Immortal forever. Remaining immortal and alone.  MOST ASHAMED OF: Her own neediness and desire for help. The desire she still has for a normal human family and parents to take care of her.  COMPULSIONS: Looking after people, particularly kids, even when she knows she’s not supposed to be interfering.  OBSESSIONS: Food, arcade games/ claw machines  SECRET HOBBIES: She collects notebooks and diaries, they’re all saved up in Etre but she hardly ever looks at them after their finished.  SECRET SKILLS: Can pick locks. Her powers are usually secret.  CRIMES COMMITTED: whenever her job calls for it. what’s a law mean in comparison to saving the multiverse? WHAT THEY MOST WANT TO CHANGE ABOUT THEIR CURRENT LIFE: To be human, more importantly to be content with being human, and to live a normal life, and for her brother to understand that want. WHAT DO THEY MOST WANT TO CHANGE ABOUT THEIR PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: Nothing, tho at the height of her power she could shape shift, despite wanting to be human she misses that. 

DETAILS

DAILY ROUTINE: If she’s settled in a place then: Sleeping in. Then coffee and reading the news preferably on a phone or tablet. Whatever dayjob she has, or if Etre is footing the bill she might wander around and sketch or journal, if the place is friendly. By night she probably has some mission. She’s not always lucky enough to be sent to worlds that are so hospitable, however. NIGHT OWL OR EARLY BIRD: Night owl LIGHT OR HEAVY SLEEPER: Heavy FAVORITE FOOD: Pizza, and most breakfast foods. LEAST FAVORITE FOOD: Cocoanut FAVORITE MOVIES: Sci-fi LEAST FAVORITE MOVIES: Romance FAVORITE MUSIC: Alternative rock/singersongwriter/coffeeshop type stuff  LEAST FAVORITE MUSIC: Country

COFFEE OR TEA: Coffee  CRUNCHY OR SMOOTH PEANUT BUTTER: Either LEFTY OR RIGHTY: Righty FAVORITE COLOR: Red CUSSER: Sometimes SMOKER/DRINKER/DRUG USER: No BIGGEST REGRET: Pushing her brother away before he disappeared. Dispatching of the last batch of her kind that became corrupted.   PETS: None, she’d love a dog but doesn’t stay in one place long enough. 

[businessliveme]

Irked Emirates President Tells Airbus, Boeing to Raise Their Game

(Bloomberg) — Emirates President Tim Clark delivered a broadside against Airbus and Boeing as well as their biggest engine suppliers, saying he’s no longer prepared to take delivery of aircraft that don’t meet specifications.

The veteran airline executive, who oversees the world’s largest international carrier, said he’s run out of patience with glitches that have held up new models or forced costly groundings for emergency repairs. He likened the nuisance to purchasing a new luxury car, only to have the dealer warn that the engine will need changing after three months.

“That’s not going to happen anymore,” Clark said at a briefing Wednesday in London. “When they’re ready to give us what they’re contracted to do then we will have an assessment of the number and type of aircraft that are going to be used.”

Delivered from one of the most respected executives in the aviation world, it’s a stern message that threatens to have repercussions across the industry. At stake are orders for more than 250 wide-body jets, which Clark said Emirates won’t take without a cast-iron guarantee of trouble-free performance.

Boeing rose less than 1% to $356.58 at 2:46 p.m. in New York. Airbus advanced 1.3% to 126.20 euros at the close in Paris.

Rolls-Royce, GE

Both Airbus and Boeing have suffered performance setbacks with their aircraft, and Clark said he can’t be sure about the reliability of the Rolls-Royce Holdings engines that power the planes, or that the U.K. company has resolved issues with a turbine it supplies for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, of which Emirates has 40 on order.

Clark’s warning comes against the background of a fleet review triggered by a deteriorating global economy and the looming demise of Airbus’s A380 superjumbo, around which Emirates had previously built its business.

It also serves notice to Airbus and Boeing, which enjoy a duopoly in the market for the biggest globe-spanning jets, that they have no chance of gaining final agreement for the slew of contracts by the time of November’s Dubai Air Show without a major shift in commitments. Emirates announced a $21 billion deal for 30 A350-900s and 40 A330-900neos earlier this year, though the order has yet to be signed off.

At the same time, Clark said, it’s also impossible to know when the 777X will enter service after Boeing pushed back the first flight to 2020 and said deliveries may be delayed amid problems with its General Electric-made turbines. Emirates is the launch customer for the plane, with 150 orders.

Let Down

Clark insisted that Emirates hasn’t over-ordered on jets and said it has always honored its obligations, despite being consistently let down, citing under-performing Rolls-Royce engines on the A380. He said the issue has become more acute given punitive damages being levied under consumer-protection laws, even taking into account compensation from planemakers.

The timing may be right for Clark to turn to hardball. In an interview, he said he’s seeing “signs of diminishing demand,” and growth falling amid trade tensions and political upheaval. Hong Kong, for example, has seen the so-called seat factor drop by 10 percentage points in the wake of weeks of continued protest, he said, with freight demand also “greatly affected” by the upheaval.

“We’re not in a good place at the moment, but we’ll deal with it,” Clark said. “At the moment, I don’t see any green shoots,” and bottoming out might take 3 to 5 years, he said.

Even before global demand took a turn for the worse, Clark, who is a British knight, had initiated the fleet review, partly driven by end of the A380. With Airbus closing production after the final run of planes is built, Emirates will retire the double-decker in the next 10 to 15 years and “look at the range of alternatives to maintain the structure of network,” Clark said.

The review signals shifting priorities for Emirates, which turned itself into the world’s largest international carrier by deploying the superjumbo and original 777 to funnel global travelers through Dubai.

Clark, the plan’s architect during 16 years in charge, has acknowledged that the very biggest jets may be nearing the limits of expansion at the airline and that some cities may be better served with a different fleet makeup.

Emirates is mulling its fleet profile as part of a wider strategy study begun in February. The Gulf carrier slashed its order for the A380, for which it’s by far the biggest customer, by 39 planes to 123 after reaching an impasse with Rolls on the price and fuel efficiency of the latest batch of aircraft. Clark said he wants to take the remaining eight or nine jets, though that’s contingent on reaching a final agreement on the other Airbus planes.

The carrier has meanwhile retired two superjumbos and begun removing landing gear for use on newer planes. Clark said that with no second-hand market for the A380 both aircraft may be dismantled for further components.

Clark, 69, told journalists he still enjoys running Emirates, describing it as a favorite hobby and akin to playing three-dimensional chess.

Two possible contenders to succeed him, Christoph Mueller and Thierry Antinori, recently left the airline, and Clark said the appointment of an Emirati as president, though not a question for him, is a possibility and would be “a good thing.”

The carrier now has U.A.E. nationals at senior levels, including Chief Commercial Officer Adnan Kazim and Chief Operating Officer Adel Al Redha.

–With assistance from Siddharth Philip and Julie Johnsson.

The post Irked Emirates President Tells Airbus, Boeing to Raise Their Game appeared first on Businessliveme.com.

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[emlydunstan]

Sober and Still Addicted: Compulsive Behavior in Recovery

Seems I need to make amends.You’re supposed to be reading right now about how after we put the dope down, that destructive behavior that went along with it often continues, our addiction manifesting itself in cunning and baffling new ways.But I just can’t seem to start writing.There’s always one more cigarette to smoke, cup of coffee to drink. One more level to get past on this new game on my phone. My side business is pet care and there’s always one more dog I can add to the walk, my mild hernia screaming as I mush my way towards a serious medical condition. My fingers are wrecked, too, from gnawing on the cuticles. Maybe after one more Band-Aid I’ll be able to sit down and type. I really do want to share all the information I’ve gathered about how most people in recovery find themselves still struggling with these sorts of “replacement” addictions.But as a hobby I make models and I just scored this kickass new car online, so I’d better try to finish at least one from the perpetual batch before the new one gets delivered.And even if I do get around to writing this article, what the hell sort of message would I be conveying anyway? Here I am two years sober (November was my sobriety birthday), and still feel practically paralyzed by addiction. Cigarette, coffee, dog walk, repeat. Once again I have found my life bordering on unmanageability, my health suffering in the grips of these persistent new vices.Yes, as I’ve said, there have been health complications and they are directly related to some of these addictive tendencies which I simply refuse to give up.At least not any time soon.And certainly not today.After all, I’ve got this...thing to write, for God’s sake. How can I expect to work, or get anything done for that matter, if I don’t give in and continue to feed the beast? Not only would I be in serious discomfort, but you, dear reader, would have nothing more to read.No, the best course of action is for me to continue with these behaviors in order to keep everything moving along. And look at this, I seem to have begun after all.Fantastic.I knew I couldn’t be the only one struggling with these issues and that if I just opened my mouth in the meeting rooms, others would feel comfortable sharing their own experiences. There are plenty of us who discovered that even though the dope was laid to rest, that fiendish mentality kept on kicking, keeping our sobriety from being as happy, joyous and free as is so often promised.Erin was a cinch to relate to. Like me, she was anxiously awaiting her recent Amazon delivery, jonesing for that cardboard smirk to appear at her doorstep. “Oh, I love that smiley face,” she confessed with a shiver. “I always open the Amazon box first. I get a little rush.”A true addict, Erin now chases that little rush like she once chased her high.At 42 years old with over two decades of sobriety, Erin is now addicted to online shopping. “It used to be with credit cards, like from Target. I’d go in and wouldn’t leave until hundreds of dollars later. But now I’ve found that I can sit on my phone during a boring work meeting and just swipe right.” Then to clarify my obvious confusion she added, “You know, one-swipe shopping?”Realizing that she could swipe everything into her digital cart, from paper towels to yoga pants, Erin started a steady flow of those smiles coming to her door. “Packages come every day, every other day,” she told me, “because I get groceries and household supplies. And I rent my clothes, so those are always coming. But it’s nice with Amazon because you can set it up where every month they’ll send you kitty litter and toilet paper. So you don’t have to think about it. They just show up.”Those are Erin’s favorite packages, the ones that surprise her. “I make sure not to track the deliveries so when one comes with my name on it and I don’t know what it is - I’m like, holy crap, it’s Christmas!”Of course with that kind of mindfulness, or lack thereof, it wasn't long before Erin lost track of her spending as well. “I was always so careful, never buying anything too fancy, thinking it's just $20. But then I was doing that like 50 times a week.”These numbers would increase in times of stress; Erin escaped into dot com bazaars to shop herself numb.In order to cover her increasingly reckless purchasing, Erin began manipulating the household budget, often lying to her husband of 15 years about where the money was being channeled. But then one month the debt had bloated to the point where she could no longer hide it.Her household allowance of $1,500 clocked in closer to $5,000.“The thing is, we don’t do credit card debt,” she told me. “My husband has had to bail me out a couple of times. The only time he really gets mad at me is about the shopping problem and how it’s preventing us from doing things like going on vacations or saving for retirement.”Inevitably our spouses are affected by our compulsive behaviors, even after we’ve gotten clean and sober.Tom, 41 and with 2 years clean, kept his newfound gambling habit to himself. “If my wife ever knew what’s really been going on, she’d be pretty surprised,” he said of his finances. “Yeah, there’d be problems.”Not long after getting the opioids out of his system, Tom found that an old habit had come back with a vengeance. He’d been a light gambler since his 20’s, and now his betting activity suddenly increased by as much as 500%.“Well I had all this extra cash because I wasn’t spending it on the pills. Near the end of my using I’d been dishing out around $1,600 a week.”To play it safe, so to speak, Tom worked out a deal with his bookie, recruiting new bets for a cut of those winnings. The idea was that he would bet only with the money he made from this arrangement, thus flipping it. “So I wasn’t spending ‘our’ money, my family’s, which was perfect.”Perfect, that is, as long as those bets he helped set up won - and he didn’t get carried away by the excitement of the game.“Football is my thing,” he said with excitement. “Nothing beats the feeling of your team being ahead. And when you have money down on it, you’re a part of that team. So wherever I am and a game is going on, I’m in it all the way!”Here was Tom’s Amazon smile. His cigarette and coffee. That thrilling little charge to help him through the day.Tom was consumed.“Then there was one bad week where everyone lost - so when it came time to cover my bets, there was just nothing there. I had no choice but to borrow from the family account.”He’d done it before, always replacing any withdrawals before his wife could catch on. “Only this happened during the same week our property taxes were due - and we were going to be short $3,000.”Panicked and humiliated, Tom confided in a cousin who he knew would be able to cover the loan. “But that was too close,” he told me, “and that’s when I quit. The day after that I asked (my therapist) for help.”At the time, Tom was still taking part in a biweekly group and one-on-one counseling for the opioid abuse. He realized that his best bet was to start treating the gambling addiction as seriously as his substance use disorder.“Very rarely, if ever, have I seen anyone come in with just one significant disorder going on,” said Christy Waters, MD, of Bright Heart Health in San Francisco. Waters’ specialties are addiction psychiatry and addiction medicine, and she is in recovery herself. “For a long time there was this sort of romanticizing of recovery. Addicts thought and were told that if they could just stop using, all would be well, not understanding that the drugs were really just a small part of what was really going on.”“Our liquor was just a symptom,” echoes the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book explains that the substance that we thought was the root of our problem was, in fact, just an indication of that problem.“A lot of patients come in just hanging on by their fingernails,” Waters continued. “They’ve stopped using and they’re depressed or they’re anxious or they’re just plain miserable. And now they’re acting all this out in completely new ways. Maybe they’re smoking a lot, or overeating, or whatever it takes to get that ‘lift.’ At first they might think, ‘Look, at least I’m not doing heroin, so what’s the big deal?’ But then they see how their quality of life is suffering. And that’s not the promise of recovery, is it? The promise is that your life will get better.”AA and other 12-step programs’ suggested solution is for us to “launch out on a course of vigorous action” to face and exorcise “the things in ourselves which had been blocking us.” In other words, take the steps. The hope is that after all of our personal inventories and amends and prayers, we are released from the torment that used to compel us to drink or use; we become free of the behavior once and for all.This is a solution in Dr. Waters' world as well. But it's not the only one.“We meet so many people in recovery who wind up with a dual diagnosis. They’ve been living with a disorder for years, sometimes their whole lives, but it remained undiagnosed beneath the substance abuse,” said Waters. “Maybe they have post-traumatic stress. Or ADHD. Then finally in treatment they realize, ‘Oh my God, all this time I've been self-medicating?’”Or shopping themselves into smothering debt?Or gambling away their marriage and home?Was she saying that just as our using was a symptom of a larger issue, the same can hold true for these “replacement” behaviors?“Absolutely,” Waters confirmed. “It’s important to always approach the disease of addiction with a much bigger lens. For instance, we now know that 80% of women who abuse substances also struggle with a mood disorder - and that’s even before the first ‘fix’.”Intrigued, I brought up the question with Erin during our follow up interview. I knew she had worked the steps of NA with great success, so much so that she was now applying a 12-step program to her shopping problem. But was therapy a part of her solution? Could the shopping possibly be linked to something else? “That’s funny you should ask that,” Erin said. “I actually made an appointment with a therapist not too long ago. I'm going in later today.”A conflict between Erin and her son had come to a head and triggered the compulsive behavior; Erin’s online shopping increased exponentially once again in response.“I used to have problems with PTSD,” she confessed, “and I think this stuff with (my son) might’ve stirred that back up.”For Tom’s gambling habit, however, the solution, or at least the path leading to it, was not so clear. By the time I followed up with him he had stopped searching for help altogether. Though his check-ins with the rehab center continued, his therapeutic work focused only on his recovery from opioid addiction. He was back to placing bets weekly.“I quit for two or three weeks,” he said, “handling just the bookings. I was able to look at where I went wrong - and now I know the warning signs. As long as I don’t use my own money, I’m okay. And as long as I keep the whole thing as entertainment there’s not a problem.”But surely there had to be other activities Tom enjoyed, things he liked to do that weren’t as risky?“Not once you know the rush you can get from gambling,” he said. “And the pills are out of the picture for good, so this is sort of all I have left.” As for me and my own vices, the cigarettes and coffee and busy-work in between, I imagine the doctor will read me the riot act on Monday morning. I have an appointment to get this little hernia checked out and when he inquires about my lifestyle, I plan on telling it to him straight. For over 20 years I was trapped in the grip of drug addiction and I thought I was in the clear once I was released. But as my eyes open wider, I see the true nature of this beast; I still have some shackles holding me captive.But I think I just found the keys.

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