#michael invests and tries to make money

[charlottecutepie]

☥ Bunny meat (William Afton x fem!reader x Michael Afton)

Summary: He was a likeable middle-aged man who had wonderful children, his dream job and a beautiful wife. He never blamed himself for his own actions, or to be more exact, he never thought about their consequences.

tags: darkfic, unhealthy relationship, angst, smut with plot, p in v, dubcon, oral sex, rough and gentle sex, daddy kink, blood play, knife play, fear play, hurt/comfort, violence, gore/murders, child abuse, follows fnaf lore, moral and physical abuse, virginity kink, anxiety disorder, age gap, daddy issues, unreliable narrator, hallucinations, hidden pairing, William is sick, psychopathy, unhealthy narcissism

Chapter 5. Desire

Surprisingly, Wiliam behaved restrained, but inside him everything was on fire, he wanted to take you here and now, harshly and rudely, do things with you what he had long dreamed of all this time, but he knew perfectly well that if he snapped now, you'd be even more scared, cut with him all connections and will avoid him, and maybe even do something to yourself, because you're nothing but a little frightened lamb. A little creature who grew up alone, not needed by anyone, who didn't receive the proper amount of love and attention from her father. And that's why Afton thought he was the perfect source of all these feelings for you.

Perhaps, to some extent, he felt sorry you. However, his mind ignored such thoughts.

“William,” you spoke to him. “Is there no one at home?”

“Yes, Clara with kids left, I don't know where. She said she wouldn't be back until the morning.”

…

The Afton house is still same as it was before. Only coffee machine bought by the father of the family has changed. Although he earned a lot of money, little of it went to home improvement, Afton always invested only in the pizzeria, trying to make it as visible and attractive as possible.

It was also impossible to ignore the couch that was in the living room of the house. For you as a child, it was the most favourite object in Afton's house, you sat on it with Michael in the evenings and watched cartoons. When you had sleepovers with other kids, you hid under the covers because of Michael's scary stories. You often fell asleep on it late at night, without waiting for your mom, although she promised that she'd pick you up from the guests, but sometimes she never showed up because of scandals with her husband.

This couch evoked hundreds of emotions and nice memories.

But now, one more thing will be added to all these early memories: the way you lie on this couch under man who you saw as father, no matter how strange it sounds.

“You're so… beautiful,” he hovered over your body, his eyes running over it. “such delicate skin, like an angel's.” he took your hand, interlacing your fingers, kissing them. All thoughts in your head gathered into one big ball, you tried to analyze the situation somehow, but useless, because of his actions, you felt lost. William breathed out your name and greedily pressed his lips to your neck, showering it with light kisses.

You closed your eyes and turned your head to the side to give him more space, trying to relax, it seems you were succeeding. But unexpectedly for you, you felt him bite your neck.

“Oh!” bursted out of you, your free hand burrowed into his hair, trying to pull him away. “William, it hurts…” he looked up at you.

“I’m so sorry, bunny,” he smiled warmly at you. “I’ll be gentle.” he moved closer, gently kissing you on the corner of your lips. You leaned forward, hoping that this innocent kiss would turn into something more, however, Afton had other plans, he grinned and straightened up. “So impatient.”

He unbuttoned first three buttons of his purple shirt, which was enough for you to see the strange scars covering his body. You couldn't help, interest took over and your hands tentatively touched the bare area of his body.

“Where are they from?” you asked softly, causing him to chuckle again.

“It doesn't matter now, sweetheart.” he loosened the belt of his pants, after which he kissed your neck again, this time he kept his promise: you felt his tongue licking little wound he made. William took you by the hips, moving your body closer to him. “Y/n, you want this, don't you?”

“I… uh, I don't know.”

There is silence in response. William could tease you and your body for hours, nibbling and kissing it, making you sigh languidly, but this night he wanted to satisfy you first. He wanted to make you dependent on him, so that you couldn't live a day without his touch, so that you took the initiative yourself, so that you were head over heels in love. Corrupt you. However, he didn't know you were already so dependent on him, you want him to love you like in fairy tales about princesses, you want him to give you all the love that you were deprived of as a child. You just wanted someone to save you from loneliness.

You felt something hard pressing against the inside of your thigh, but you didn't want to look at what it was because of your wild embarrassment. Afton took something out of his pants pockets.

“Here, I see you need it,” you saw him holding out his hand to you with some kind of strange round pill. Confused, you looked at him, waiting for some explanation. William only laughed and ran his finger over your lips, opening them. “Yeah, and here it is, good girl.” he said, pushing the pill deeper until, due to the urge to vomit, you grabbed his wrist. “I'm sorry, baby, I just don't have anything to wash down the pill with.”

“What is it?” you winced at the unpleasant taste.

“Tranquilizers so you don't get nervous. Actually, they're mine, but I can tell by the look on your face they'll be useful for you too.” his hands carefully, as if afraid to scare you even more, undid the clasp of the dress, lowering it from your shoulders down. Unable to contain your shyness, you tried to hold the fabric on your body until William looked at you, as if mentally saying “don't.” Then your grip loosened, there was nothing you could do but obey. “that's it, good girl.”

When he wanted to take off the dress completely, you still grabbed on it, not letting it slide off your hips.

“Princess, if you keep doing this, then we won't succeed.” William looked into your eyes, putting your hands behind your head. “I won't hurt you.”

You nodded, trying to lose yourself in your feelings again. It seemed to be easier with the help of a sedative. You didn't even notice how you were only in your underwear in front of him.

“Damn, you're incredible.” he threw the dress somewhere on the floor, kissing you on the cheek while his hands caressed your hips and waist. You bit your lip to stifle a groan. Fuck, no one has ever touched you like that, especially in places like this, and when William ran his hand along the inside of your thigh, inadvertently touching your crotch, you arched your back. “it felt good, didn't it?”

William repeated the movement, but now paying more attention to your clothed pussy. The excitement took over, forcing you to move your hips towards his movements. A shudder of desire went through your whole body, Afton saw it perfectly, he kissed your collarbone, going lower to your breasts.

“Fuck, you have no idea how long I've been dreaming about this.” those words echoed in your head, but you didn't pay attention to it. “Honey, you're just so beautiful.” William ran his hands over your breasts, pinching your nipples hard with excitement.

“William…” you got the courage. He looked at you questioningly, damn, you hoped you said it so quietly that it would go unnoticed. “kiss me, please.”

He laughed. In a moment, his lips are on yours, like a predator. At that moment, you forgot absolutely everything, giving yourself completely to him. You moaned into his mouth, feeling his long fingers touching your pussy through your soaked panties. With one imperious movement, he pulls off the last piece of clothing, leaving you completely naked in front of him.

“And now? Not so scary anymore?”

“I don't know what i feel…” you were in turmoil, all fears and thoughts disappeared, a wild desire came to replace, no, not of intimacy, not of sex. But his affectionate words and compliments, the way he touches you, his gentle kisses and hugs, the way he treats you.

His fingers gently touch your labia, slowly and smoothly they move in circular movements along clit, getting another moan from you. With his other hand, he holds your legs, preventing you from moving away and closing them.

“And now, honey?”

“It's weird, but…” you avoided his gaze. ”feels good…” you answered unsure. Smiling contentedly, he removed his fingers. You noticed that as soon as his hands left your body, his movements in relation to himself instantly changed: he roughly, jerkily took off his belt and unbuttoned the fly of his pants, pulling them down. It’s like he was controlling himself when touching you.

“Lick them.” Afton said in a commanding tone, running his fingers over your lips. It was terribly embarrassing for you, but you did as he said anyway. You watched his actions with a note of sweet and naive excitement, the way his fingers penetrated deeper and deeper, pressing on your tongue, again caused unpleasant sensations to vomit. “Sorry, but there's no other way, I don't have any lube.”

When he pulled his fingers out of your mouth, quite considering how wet they were, you felt uncomfortable, but probably if you tell him about it, he's unlikely to listen and stop. The only thing left to do was to lie under him like a doll and enjoy.

“You're an obedient girl, aren't you?” his fingers went back to your glistening pussy, caressing your needy clit. Your breathing stopped instantly.

“Yes…” you whimpered when you felt his fingers, wet with your own saliva and grease, smoothly, insanely slowly entering you. William is building up the pace, not too fast, but enough to make soft sweet moans come out of your mouth. “Daddy…” you drawled languidly, feeling your soft walls tighten around his long fingers.

“Yes, princess?” Afton kisses your neck while his free hand wraps around his cock that was already out of his trousers, hard and dripping with precum. “Tell daddy what you want.”

“Please, want more…” you whispered in his ear, this time trying to be as seductive and sexy as possible. William found it funny.

“You'll get more, baby,” his breath tickled your skin. “Daddy will make you feel good.” Afton pulled out his fingers, causing you to moan in disappointment, oh, how he enjoyed it, it felt like he was ready to cum just from your angelic voice.

William tilted his head, being between your legs. The whole picture made you dizzy, you glance at him in surprise, trying to predict what will happen next. William grins, seeing how your curiosity plays tricks on you when he gives your clit a tender kiss.

“Ohhh, daddy,” this word is so vulgar, it sounds completely indecent on your tongue, but right now you don't care, all that matters is William Afton and the wild need to be needed by someone, loved, appreciated. “Yeah…”

The release builds up with an unfamiliar, wildly pleasant feeling in the lower stomach, making you want to close your legs, but his hands continued to hold them apart. His tongue feels too good, slowly moving in circular movements over your cunt, paying more attention to your clit while two fingers slowly and smoothly fucks you, forcing you to switch from moans to sobs and soft screams.

William accelerates, his movements getting faster and rougher, but no less passionate, making you arch from pleasure. With one hand buried in his dark brown hair, you try to set the pace, but he can do fine without you, so it's useless, he's much more experienced. He explored you with his tongue until the trembling left your supple body. William could feel your walls clenching around his fingers. His free hand continued to jerk himself off with increasing movements, while he was eating you out.

You sighed desperately when Afton stopped stimulating you with his tongue, lifting his head and looking at your reaction, his fingers still inside.

“Do you want to cum for daddy?” he asks, you just nod quickly, wishing of putting an end to these sweet torments that drive you crazy. “No, I need you to say it, honey.”

“Yes, yes, yesss,” you say brokenly. “I…” an uncertain pause. “I want to cum, daddy, please!” oh, it was so humiliating, but what was more terrible that you liked it.

“Good girl.” William increased the intensity of his movements, hitting all right sweet spots of yours. You moaned loudly, feeling everything tense in your lower abdomen, which means an imminent orgasm. “do it, cum while I fuck your little pussy with my fingers.” William growled, his hand that was touching his own cock stopped, now squeezing your neck, pressing on the carotid artery, but hearing your wheezing, he his grip loosens.

Your moans, which are more like crying, turn into loud, piercing “oohs”, your head's spinning, your brain's melting, everything is like in a fog, you can't even see Afton's face. The long-awaited release is catching up with you. You cum, you cum so hard that you feel ecstasy running through your whole body, you feel that your breathing becomes ragged, and your pussy clenching on his fingers.

“Such a good girl,” because of orgasm, you don't even hear what he says, and you don't want to, you need time to regain your strength. “it's my turn now, baby.”

He takes his fingers out, brings them to his mouth and licks them, studying your reaction. William touches his member again, his heartbeat quickens, his eyes now closed, apparently he's thinking about something. Yes, he's definitely imagining something in his head.

“Tell me, do you love daddy?“ he asked, his voice hoarse from excitement. He isn't even looking at you.

“Yes,” you responses quietly. Taking advantage of the moment, you look at him in detail while he doesn't notice. Damn, how handsome he was, his long, such aristocratic fingers that played with the tip of his cock, rubbing cum along entire length, his slightly disheveled but insanely beautiful brown hair like milk chocolate, his sharp cheekbones, it was stupid to deny that he was unattractive. “I love daddy, I love you, William.” you didn't even fully understand what you were talking about. You was just saying what he wanted to hear.

He pumps his cock faster, you see how he shuddered, like saying your name or something else, you can't understand. But you catch yourself thinking that it's damn beautiful. If your mom found out what you were doing, she probably wouldn't be happy.

He cums on your stomach, with a loud groan, and then, breathing heavily, falls on the couch next to you, staring blankly at the ceiling. What is he thinking about? Is he even thinking now? You're lying obediently by his side, trying to figure out what just happened, but your brain doesn't want to think, your head is aching, your temples are throbbing. William turns to you, then looks at the crumpled dress on the floor, then back at you.

“Let's go to the shower, bunny, I'll help you wash up.”

…

The next morning came for you only closer to 12, when you were suddenly woken up by the sound of the door opening. It was Clara with Michael and Elizabeth. Confused, not even realizing that you were in their house, you jumped up from the couch.

“Michael, give Elizabeth that hoodie, you're not wearing it anyway.” woman's voice was heard somewhere in the hallway area, which means that she was nearby.

“Mom, these are my things, and just because I don't wear them doesn't mean that—”

Michael entered living room, but when he saw you, he froze in place.

“Y/n? What are you doing here?” he asked, a slight smile appearing on his face.

“Who are you talking to?” Clara’s voice sounded, but as soon as she appeared in the room, her emotions immediately changed. “Oh, hello, honey.” woman affectionately called your name, coming up to you and sitting down on the sofa. “Elizabeth, go say hello to Y/n!”

Girl immediately rushed over, you noticed a plush toy in her hands, it seems it was the same robot girl drawing of which Elizabeth recently showed you. She greeted you cheerfully, all you could do was say an awkward “hello” in response, still trying to remember how you even ended up here. Clara stroked your head, her gaze fixed on your face, on your tousled hair and lost expression. You knew that you had to say something in your own defense, why you were here.

“Sorry for such an oversight, I had some problems with my mom, and Mr. Afton told me to spend the night here.” you lied, and then mentally slapped yourself. Damn, this is so dumb. The Afton family knew that you had the best relationship with your mom and that you had never argued. You doubted how truth your words sounded, but judging by Clara's reaction, everyone believed you.

“Honey, I'm glad that you have somewhere to go, you know that we'll always welcome you with hugs,” she said tenderly, with maternal love. “You must be hungry. I'll go to the store and cook breakfast, what do you think?”

There was no point in lying further, you really needed something to eat, so you silently agreed.

Mrs. Afton went to the nearest grocery store, taking Elizabeth with her. You and Michael were left alone, you gradually began to remember what happened, and with the realization that you and Afton had something, you were overtaken by a sickening anxiety, causing your toes and hands to go numb and shake, and your heart to beat faster. You two were sitting on this damn couch watching TV, however, neither of you was interested in what the old screen was showing. You were sitting hugging your knees, wondering whose clothes you were wearing: they were of a child surely, with some kind of cartoon print, a t-shirt and, as it seems, Michael's pants. He didn't hesitate to look at you from head to toe, which slightly annoyed you.

“Michael, stop staring.” You hissed, tucking your face into your lap.

“I'm just trying to figure out,” he paused, thinking about something. “why are you wearing my dead brother's t-shirt?”

“What?”

“Well… I'm not accusing you of anything… it's just…” he scratched his head, clearly not knowing what to say to you. ”Okay, forget it. It's just my shit in my head.”

“Michael, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…” you looked at him. Why did William choose his dead son's clothes out of all? “There must be some kind of misunderstanding.”

“It's nothing, y/n, you shouldn't worry so much about it.”

You looked at the TV, trying to come up with some kind of ridiculous excuse, but in vain. And how long can you lie?

“Speaking of my brother… today, Elizabeth, mom and I went to his grave.” Michael muttered, you knew perfectly well that this topic of conversation wasn't the best, because the he blamed himself enough for what happened. You decided that the best thing you can do now is just listen to him. “You know… it's already overgrown with grass. We had to work hard to get the grave back to normal. Oh, and there's also a lot of webs.”

You knew that only people who cared for Evan's gravestone were Clara and Michael. William, after his son's death, never visited grave, and even more so, didn't attend the funeral, citing the fact that he had a lot of work. And when Evan was in a coma, with minimal chance of survival, Michael came to him almost every day, crying and begging for forgiveness.

You knew that Michael was just a traumatized guy and it was useless to blame him for all this, he had already heard a lot about himself from his father, so you just moved closer to him when you noticed him dropping tears on the couch and hugged him.

Half an hour later, Mrs. Afton returned from the store. Michael wasn't in such good mood as before, but as soon as his mother crossed the threshold of their house, he seemed to put on a mask of happiness, meeting her and helping to carry bags into the kitchen.

For breakfast, which smoothly turned into lunch, Clara served macaroni and cheese and caesar salad. Your stomach, which hasn't received normal hot food for a long time, rejoiced and you ate all two portions in a few minutes. Elizabeth talked most of all at the table, telling you something about robots and toys again. Yes, once upon a time Michael, and Clara herself, told you that she took after her father. She's also interested in mechanics and loves animatronics.

Looking at this whole family, you felt guilty about yesterday. Probably, to some extent, you even hated yourself. Mrs. Afton, the nicest woman you've ever known, after your mom, of course. Michael is a devoted and faithful friend, as well as a caring brother, Elizabeth is just the sunshine of this family, cheerful, everyone's favorite. And William is a charming and likeable man who was ready to do anything for his family and work. At least that's how the family seemed to you in your head.

You're lost in your own thoughts, stopped listening to Elizabeth's babble. The damn guilt was eating you, making you sick of yourself. How could you do that? How dare you drag a married man, the head of the family, into bed, and then sit at the same table with his family, smiling innocently at everyone. What the fuck is wrong with you? Mrs. Afton will definitely find out, Michael will find out and Elizabeth will find out, and then you will become a disgrace to the whole town. You will become known as a little slut who seduced a married man. Not just a man, but William Afton himself.

“By the way, honey, did William tell you where he is?” Clara asked, and you squinted, trying to remember what Afton had told you before you dozed off.

“He said he was going to the pizzeria to work.” you said, it was true. Clara's face changed.

“What?” a rhetorical question. “he never worked on that day, he always had a day off exactly… today.”

Meanwhile, William was already at the pizzeria.

[beautifulpersonpeach]

Hello BPP,

I've been a BTS addict for more than a year now, and I'm trying to find the reason why me (a happily married and a mother of a wonderful teenage boy) became so obsessed with a boy group. Before my encounter with these young korean lads, I only bought albums from 5 artists: Enya (all of her albums, I 💖 her since 1995), Michael Jackson (some), Backstreet boys (sue me those were my teenage years), ABBA & QUEEN greatest hits. That's not much isn'it? But since 2023, I try to buy at least one BTS album every 6 months, and that in itself is HUGE for me. Why do I do that ? What do they do, more than others, to make me want to spend money on them?

I've never been interested in fan voting before and now, I try to vote everytime I can. Even I find myself insane, but I can't help it. I want to support them all the way... 🤯

At first my husband thought my obsession was temporary, but after a year, despite of making fun of me, he's trying to find BTS albums or else for me (what a sweetheart 🥰). He supports me but doesn't understand it either.

So a simple question : what make BTS so addictive?

Their stage presence, charisma, uniqueness, talent ?

For a few weeks I tried to come up with a clear answer but I can't formulate it... daeng...

According to you, what distinguesh them from others groups or artists ?

Bisous et heureuse de vous lire!

***

You have no idea how happy it made me to read you love Enya as well. That woman is a timeless treasure. And yeah she's one of the few artists aside from BTS whose music I've invested time and money into collecting.

Part of what you're asking is: what makes us spend money, time, resources, emotional labour, and more, on seven men halfway (maybe?) across the ocean from us?

"Even I find myself insane, but I can't help it. I want to support them all the way..."

Maybe we are insane. What's so wrong with that? Maybe we're kinda nuts to be so taken by these seven guys. So what?

Or maybe we're just suckers for good marketing. I know I am. Of course, other things matter as well but good marketing is something that BTS has down pat. It's kinda easy for them too because the guys are as authentic as they come around these parts. They're solid. There's no other group that could withstand the kind of scrutiny they're under without bucking. Not one. And incidentally BTS' musical talent is peerless.

So, yeah, the marketing. :)

Or maybe it's the fandom... That's the thing about fandoms - the reason fandoms exist is not for the idol, but for other fans. 90% of what people do here is discuss what other fans are doing. Not the music, not the performance, not even the idol themselves, but other fans doing fuck all. I'm not saying this to indict you. My point is that there is constant covert persuasion within the fandom to act like the rest of the group a.k.a. ARMYs. I keep saying fandom is a pressure cooker environment, and one way that shows up is covertly forming behaviours in people within the shared space/group, and if you haven't experienced being in big fandoms before it will be overwhelming. If you constantly see people who express their love for BTS by buying albums routinely, then it's easy to see how you might want to try it for yourself.

Because you do love BTS. At the end of the day, that's what it comes down to. I don't care to try to explain why. At least not for me. It might be their "stage presence, charisma, uniqueness, talent" as you said, or maybe they're just worth the love by being themselves and giving us the music and experiences they have so far.

I still get fever dreams remembering Agust D on tour last year, you know. I still remember what it felt like to hear his music live and see him perform. He was a beast. Buying his music sounds like a no brainer lol. And he's just one of seven similarly talented men together in one group. Their music is worthy of every award it ever gets. And their performances...

(There isn't a single group active today that has surpassed this video)

I've said before I followed BTS for years before calling myself an ARMY. Sometimes when I think about it, I'd been buying their albums regularly since 2015 - three years before I started calling myself a fan of BTS. Their music was just so good I couldn't ignore it. And this is when for most groups I'm so picky with buying albums.

I have to commend you for critically assessing (sort of) your desire to spend on BTS though. If we're indeed insane as we said above, it's better to be self-aware of the fact. So again, kudos for attempting to dissect what's really happening here. But, not to be preachy, I think it's important to also just let yourself enjoy things. If spending on BTS is coming ahead of meeting your basic needs and responsibilities, then listen to your gut and pull back. Go cold turkey if you need to and spend on nothing at all. But if that's not your experience, (and I don't think it is), then just let yourself enjoy loving them. In that case, it's enough to know BTS are phenomenal artists and good people who make us happy, and some of us have the desire, means and time to support them, and that's okay.

Isn't it enough that you enjoy BTS for whatever reason and want to sustain this thing you enjoy by investing into it? So long as you're prudent and resourceful? Or maybe... not? Nobody else's opinion matters anyway. It's your money and your time and you know best how to use it.

[virilitas]

MUSES THAT WILL BE ADDED HERE SOON.

the family members.

( luke roberts fc ) arthur chase - father to eric chase, step father to athony kyle. harsh business man who loves his children in the only way he knows how, however extreme it might look for them. rarely engages in sexual affairs outside of his marriage, but when he does, he always seek utmost discretion. [ position: versatile, top leaning ]

( chad michael murray fc ) richard heaton - father to harris, harley, hunter, and henry heaton. a former a-list actor, big shot director, and now a visual artist, richard has pretty much left the limelight and stopped chasing the stars when he had his boys. he already has a lot of money, with businesses and investments that makes sure his bank account is never empty. so now he's just enjoying his life making art, and getting his ass fucked. [ position: bottom ]

( jay hernandez fc ) almario moreno - father to patrick moreno. former celebrity chef who opened up his own chain of restaurants. as a single father, he tried his best to raise patrick in the way he knows. there are days that he doubts his parenting is effective, but patrick has grown into a fine young man. shy and quiet, sure, but he could be worse. has not had a relationship in a long time. [ position: versatile ]

( ricky whittle fc ) alphonse "alpha" harrison - father to bash harrison. a failed musician before he became a commercial pilot. built up a travel and tours company with his wife. really wants to support his son so he could be the musician he failed to be, but his wife insists on bash to take over the company. still tries his best to be the best dad on the sides. let him be your sugar daddy. [ position: top ]

( drew starkey fc ) harris heaton - the eldest of the heaton children. probably the most troublesome of the bunch, definitely inherited a lot of his father's charm, good look, and ... virility. traits, some would say, he then passed down to his younger brother hunter. but these traits have certainly gotten him far-- with connections to everywhere due to him being a socialite and internet celebrity, and his face on everyone's mind as a sought after model. [ position: versatile, bottom leaning ]

the neighbors.

( giacomo gianniotti fc ) cristian callo - doctor. versatile, an alumni of the elysian fields university and family doctor to the chase, heaton, and harrison families. owns his own clinic within the neighborhood. an exceptional doctor with a charm to match his brain. though, sometimes his charm gets a little too much and he gets into all sorts of ... situations. [ position: versatile ]

( travis van winkle fc ) matthew chase - brother to arthur, and uncle to both eric and anthony. he loves his family so much, but when presented with the option to leave, he took it without any hesitation and has not looked back since. now, he spends his days travelling the world and writing famous travel guides. anthony looks up to him so much. [ position: versatile, bottom ]

( josh dallas fc ) andrew wilson - former partner ( business and relationship wise ) and close friend to almario. father of thaddeus. like almario, he was also a former celebrity chef who had an expertise in baking. but unlike him, andrew didn't stick around when the fame starts to be too much. when almario decided to open his chain, he split from their partnership amicably to start a small pastry shop and focus on writing cookbooks instead. [ position: top ]

( freddie stroma fc ) thaddeus wilson - son of andrew. the neighborhood's golden boy. works at his father's pastry shop and is currently studying the trade. he could have dreamed big, because he has the brains and the motivation to do so. but he chose to continue in the family business instead. [ position: bottom. ]

( ed skrein fc ) alexander riemelt - musician. some would say, he sticks out like a sore thumb among the other families in the neighborhood ... especially since he is living in a big colonial house on his own. but he's been living there for as long as he can remember. he just sought other avenues to spend his time following a tragedy in his life. now, he plays in the cradle every night to make money and forget. maybe pick up a guy or two to have a little fun. [ position: top ]

[cherubchoirs]

So, how V2 got involved when our lovely rotting Michael had met it in Lust City.

He would dismiss it at first then came the thought that he could use it to his advantage to get Gabriel jealous (and off-guard since he wants him back to Heaven) since he is SO competitive like "I have a much better object that is more intelligent than that rust bucket he calls his love lol" but that plan ends up backfiring on him when he started to develop feelings for V2 due to the date he had set up for them.

That is when the "I tried to get the waiter's attention by blinking in morse code" comes to play for V2. Mike will end up questioning himself about this and looks to Raph for help about but Raph already knew and is like "Nope, you are on board of this train now. Take V2 and be in Gabriel's shoes for once" in a gentle yet BLUNT manner to him. He is in for the lonh haul.

SO in love with this anon your mind......especially because i've also 100% had the thought that v2 absolutely thinks it has the superior angel to v1 lmaoooo so imagining the competition on gabe and mike's end is so funny to me too. but in this scenario i keep thinking like. mike's trying to make gabe doubt his relationship in the pettiest way possible, harping on the idea of v1 being not only obsolete as a model but corrupted in its purpose too, which would traditionally strike a chord with angels considering their own natures and commitments. BUT gabe is deconstructing those ideas and he deeply values his personal connection to v1 as well as its incredible capability, so he vehemently argues in its favor. this would of course lead to him pointing out, in no uncertain terms, how v1 bested its replacement multiple times and it can't be ignored that v2 really was just an attempt to grab at a return on investment when priorities changed - v1 was never meant to be replaced, humans just can't stand lost money (statements he would later definitely feel bad about, since v2 is RIGHT THERE and he just said all of this on pure emotion. he would apologize afterward. a lot lol) but those exact criticisms flip a switch in mike's brain since he really, very much connects with v2 being a replacement that was never meant to be and so before he knows it, he's genuinely defending this little robot's honor and getting pissed off on its behalf. in doing so there's an undeniable, deeply personal link he feels with it, something far from typical for mike...which raphael, unfortunately, fully supports lol "raphael, i cannot fall to the same sins as our brother - council me so that i may be delivered from this evil" "this is so good for you michael!!! congratulations!!!!"

[kusin-tisdag]

Caliente

Dina Caliente (59) - Michael Bachelor (71) - Lizette Caliente (29) - Esteban Caliente (22)

At University: Adonis Caliente (24)

Deceased: Katrina Caliente (at the age of 50)

What. A. Mess.

Katrina was only 15 when she got pregnant and had Dina and Nina. Not the best set-up. Not the best result. She tried to raise them, she did - but she also wanted love, a partner… or at least to be appreciated. And in that way, that was how she raised her daughters.

Dina and Nina also tried their way with men. For Dina, it eventually turned out alright. She found her way back to Michael and they raised a family. They also raised Dina’s half-sister Lizette (born when Katrina was 45, after an affair with Lucha Harjo, of all people).

And then Nina got fed up with all of them, and Bella disappeared and Don Lothario was suddenly a suspect (for a moment so was Nina, but no - she had just managed to leave at the same time). And Katrina just couldn’t take it anymore. No one knows if the car accident was an accident, or if she did try to kill herself.

And Dina had to shoulder it all.

Dina Caliente (59)

It had been hard, that chaotic time in her early 30’s. Her step-sister was only 5 years old, her sister Nina had left. Don focused on his family, Bella was gone…

Luckily, she had Michael. He was mourning too - his sister had disappeared and her family was falling apart. Yet they had each other, and memories of a youth that had been easier. They worked hard to get back to that same feeling, keeping it like a treasured memento - and shared goal.

And it had payed off. It wasn’t easy, but they managed. They managed a small wedding, had their children and their careers. Yes, they also have had to handle Lizette - but have done so together. Now, Dina is nearing 60 and looks back at the family, and business she has built.

And she can't wait to spend many more years with her beloved husband.

Michael Bachelor (71)

Now a retired athlete, Michael is looking forward to spend his last years with his family.

He hopes he has years left. He hasn’t yet told Dina what the doctor said. Doesn’t want to think about it.

He wants to think about the team Dina is coaching - the one she managed to buy back when he was playing in it. It was just after their wedding, and they needed to start making money. Dina knew investments, it was almost intuitive. So she bought the low-ranked team, and together they raised it up - while raising their family. Michael soon became coach - and their kids were almost raised on the field.

Michael is glad Adonis has gotten the grades to get to university, and he hopes his younger son wants to do the same. However, Esteban seems to have inherited more of the family's more romantic sides.

Lizette Caliente (29)

Dina has done what she can, she really has. But Lizette just won’t listen. Constantly in trouble, constantly out meeting people she definitely shouldn’t hang around with. She comes and goes, sometimes she’s home, sometimes she’s off to Del Sol Valley or San Myshuno. What to do with the girl?!

Esteban Caliente (22)

He is well aware that his parent's want him to find a direction in life. Make some goals for himself. His mother has always been very focused, and his father is a team player and a coach - which means that even though he might be kicking ball at work, he also has to focus and lead a team. And even thought hey are a bit a like, Esteban does not agree with the life his aunt Lizette is living (and she's also not home very much).

Esteban? Yeah, he mainly wants to be with girls. Or boys. He wants get lost in romance - and plenty of them. His mother is nagging and cautioning him - but honestly, what does she know? She has been happily married for almost 30 years, it's not as if she has any experience of romantic entanglements.

[milflewis]

Niamh, HG AU, I so desperately want everyone's backstory here. The Michael and Lewis bit is honestly what completely did it for me, punched me in the gut. God. And then -- Mick!!! Hello! Sobbing

Let's start with Seb being a mentor tho bc...yes. He would be and the hope, the emotional investment... I can't bear it, actually. With Lewis, the clients...skin crawling, also, the trident, the secrets instead of money....you're not planning on giving him the same ending as Finnick, right, because, don't.

Sewis tho, how did they happen. What is their story. Also. How did they win their games. And! Does Lewis get reaped again during the Quarter Quell. Am I getting this right. The angst, holy fuck

PIERRE AS KATNISS AND YUKI AS PEETA why is this so PERFECT. The scene with the berries. I haven't seen this scene in years and suddenly I was right back. You're mine now!!??? Help help help. I actually felt like kicking my feet when you wrote Pierre covering a quick grin right after their victory was announced. He's clever!!! Your spin on this scene...I want more of these two right now, I'm obsessed

ok so this got reallllly long lol sorry. i'm just so!!!!!! about this au

at his heart sebastian is a teacher. a mentor. every year he tries and every year he fails. he can never be enough bc no one person is enough to change The Games. he keeps trying anyway.

lewis is. finnick adjacent ahsjdaj. i do Not plan to kill him off lmao dw!!! but i am basing a lot of his story around finnick's. and sewis. ok. think old friends. think an ally where you were once alone. think 'Hamilton has found a friend'.

lewis was fourteen when he was Reaped. fourteen and small and curls down around his ears and skinny ankles. the camera zoomed in on his brother's teary eyes. hamilton had already lost a sister to the games five years ago. he is frowning and quiet and solemn. he speaks very little and chitchat does not come naturally to him. he is a little too wild for comfort. his stylist shaves him near bald and makes his cheeks rosy and tells him to speak as soft as he can. flutter those long lashes. bono, it turns out, is lewis's saving grace bc his mentor, fernando alonso, doesn't look at him after lewis tells him he's washed and old and useless when fernando laughs at lewis saying he's going to win this year. lewis is fourteen and small and the Capitol's Darling when he spears five different tributes in the stomach with a makeshift trident. he has been swimming since he was three. hauling in fishing nets for a little under a decade. those who do not work in district four do not eat. he is the youngest victor ever and michael schumacher tilts his glass at him during the celebrations. he tells lewis to do as they ask, not matter the price. lewis does not listen. his family pays for it.

three years later, sebastian is Reaped, and he's small and fourteen and has small hands and a wide smile. they leave his curls. he laughs and he charms and he plays the demure shy shining golden boy card. sebastian has always been very good at playing this game. he can't stop smiling. he avoids killing until the very end, hiding out and stealing from other tributes. he paints his face and arms and legs and runs through the trees. he kills the last two tributes with his bare hands. michael is his mentor. sebastian does what they ask. he listens.

michael is the one to introduce them, tipsy and grinning and bright eyed. he waits two years until sebastian is sixteen and of age and then leaves. lewis never talks to seb about it. the walls have ears.

it is not until seven years after lewis's games, four years of sebastian talking at lewis, that valtteri bottas is reaped and he's just another face in a series of deaths and he's not even from lewis's district so what does lewis care but valtteri comes up to him in the capitol, a bruise on his cheek, eyes so fucking blue, and says, i want you. lewis laughs in his face, half drunk. your secrets don't interest me. and valtteri rolls his eyes. no. no, i want you to be my mentor. lewis laughs again. no, you don't. valtteri blinks at him, unmoving, hand over the lift's buttons so lewis can't get out. yes, i do. i remember you. in the games. i want you to teach me to do what you do. i need you to. and so lewis does. he helps him and valtteri survives. when sebastian congratulates him, it's the first time he ever sees lewis smile.

they talk more after that. fernando and lewis switch being mentor year to year. sebastian is district twelve's only victor so he never stops. sometimes when they're both in the Capitol, lewis finds sebastian already tucked into lewis's bed in his apartment. he always has lewis's tea, hot and waiting, in a thermos on the kitchen counter. sometimes he washes lewis's hair and body for him after nights when lewis is working.

lewis does get reaped during the quarter quell and he is soooo annoying to pierre who is Furious over this beautiful cocky smiling man. sebastian is the one to hold him when pierre finds out they left yuki behind in the arena but it is lewis who teaches him how to get up in the mornings despite it all.

(there is a coin tucked into the inside of lewis's shoe during the quarter quell. it is the same one sebastian had around his neck during his games. sebastian holds it so tightly it digs an imprint into his palm when he waits for lewis to wake up on their flight to district thirteen.)

pierre is Nothing if not possessive and he has very little people he counts as his own - charles and alex - and now yuki. maybe sebastian. there are his and he is theirs. fuck the rest of them.

[sonnetnumber23]

Good Omens 2 Rewatch. Episode 3.

I love Muriel sooo much, they are just lovely!

Also, I adore the way Aziraphale looks at them with utter delight, like they are a sweet innocent child. Maybe he sees himself in them, as he was all those years ago when he first was stationed on Earth. I’ve read in another meta that this season in Jim and Muriel Aziraphale sees examples of nice angels as opposed to Michael, Uriel and others. Which is important because it reminds him – and us – that not all angels in Heaven are bad. Maybe it’s just those who are corrupted by power?

The conversation with Crowley when he sees Muriel is also quite interesting:

C: I don’t know how you lot managed to stay in charge all this time.

A: I’m not sure we have, have we?

It’s actually quite interesting if Aziraphale really believes this, isn’t it? That Heaven isn’t in charge, they’re just under the impression that they are, just like Muriel thinks Aziraphale believes them.

Just like Muriel, Heaven is like a child. They don’t understand the rules of the game, but when they have a toy in their hands they have a power to break it.

I think Aziraphale would want to save the “toy”, and it also adds to his understanding that he has to go to Heaven to fix it. To teach the child.

The Metatron on the other hand, also sees that they have lost control, and he needs Aziraphale to help him regain this control. He may think he can easily overpower Aziraphale if (when) it comes to that. But not if Aziraphale is with Crowley. 25 Lazarii with half a miracle – that’s something to be afraid of.

So the Metatron must be very sure that Crowley won’t come to Heaven with Aziraphale. [My theory  is that this is something which the coffee might be for – not to make Aziraphale come to Heaven, but to separate him from Crowley afterwards. My initial idea was that it was meant to make Aziraphale forget Crowley once he enters Heaven (and that’s why Aziraphale is smiling in the lift).  But I don’t know.]

***

It’s so great that we have a dialogue from the book in the historical episode here. Also interesting that in the book it is conveyed from Crowley’s POV and though he doesn’t understand this principle, he then remembers about it, so he must have been listening to Aziraphale very carefully and trusted him at least to some extent. However at the end of this adventure it’s Aziraphale who gets to share more of Crowley’s beliefs and understands the shades of grey better.

Just like with Job, Crowley gets to pretend he is “Down with wicked” while simultaneously showing Aziraphale more complicated moral situations than he’s used to.

***

The bickering about the car is so sweet. :) Crowley knows how to threaten Aziraphale, but in reality he does a great job not selling any of Aziraphale’s books, hehe. :D

***

Also: aren’t the tartan Highlands pretty? And Nessie there amongst them. Aziraphale-if-I-can’t-make-the-car-yellow-I-might-as-well-make-the-mountains-stylish. XD

***

I love Crowley explaining his plan to Gabriel. :D He is so invested in this, my dear. <3 :D

Also there are so many hints about the flies. Can’t believe we didn’t guess what was going on!

***

Aziraphale acts so silly in the Resurrectionists  minisode. Like, too silly, imho. Okay, maybe he can think digging dead bodies is bad, technically that’s really a very dark business. But he’s seen Elspeth and Morag, he knows they need money, and yet he makes the dead body rot so it’s bad for everyone: for Elspeth and Morag who don’t get the money, for the surgeon and even for the body. What sort of blessing is this, Aziraphale??

And he’s so pleased with himself, ugh.

When Crowley shakes his head, it really seems that he’s truly a bit disappointed. So he’ll see that Aziraphale learns his lesson. But when he does, he also acts not at all wisely. Instead of giving the girls money or something he drags them to the cemetery to dig up other bodies. *facepalm*

So what happens here is that he learns the wrong lesson again and again. What Crowley tries to convey to him is that it’s not all black and white. What Aziraphale sees is that he thought something was black while it was actually white.

[I’m absolutely ready to tear up at the way Aziraphale is holding that jar with a tumor – as if he’s holding a dead body of a child. T_T He is genuinely shaken. He’d never looked at the problem from his angle, and he is ready to admit his fault – utterly and sincerely. I really like it that though Aziraphale sometimes comes across as arrogant and self-righteous bastard, he is indeed very compassionate, and he sincerely believes everything he believes.

One more nice parallel there.

Morag: Aye, I will help, ‘cause that’s what pals do. But it still doesn’t make it right.

Aziraphale: That’s the spirit!

Funny that he says it to a girl who’s been all “It’s wrong, you’ll go to hell for that”, and he approved of her belief just a couple of hours ago, and now he sees that her faith is actually quite ignorant, and he tries to dissuade her. He’s been in her place so many times and he’ll still be there again. Does he even see it?]

When wee Morag dies Aziraphale is that close to admit he was wrong again (“It’s my fault”)) and black actually was black and Elspeth is indeed evil for selling Morag’s body.

Crowley’s words “It’s bit different when it’s someone you know, isn’t it?” make it harder for Aziraphale, because yet again his “black” and “white” change places.

But the lesson isn’t over yet. Elspeth wants to end her life and he sees that she is grieving. Maybe Aziraphale’s lecture about opportunities for poor people wasn’t that correct after all?

But it takes Crowley’s final good deed to seal it. Crowley, a demon, chooses to do good, risking himself for a human girl. Of course this should add to Aziraphale believing a bit more in Crowley’s shades-of-grey moral.

***

Now, what  is also interesting to think about: that lecture Aziraphale is giving Crowley, it’s about free will that humans have unlike angels and demons.

Later in the book there’s a line about even though they didn’t have free will, after being around humans for 6000 years you can’t help but catch a thing or two.

So, maybe these seemingly pointless episodes are also meant to show us the moments where Crowley and Aziraphale exercise free will?

Crowley saving Jobs children

Aziraphale lying to the angels

Aziraphale almost saving Morag even though “it’s not allowed”

Crowley stopping Elspeth from killing herself

Aziraphale entrusting his life to Crowley at the magic show and stealing the evidence from Furfur

They don’t have free will like humans do, that’s why it’s harder for them to “just be us”. But they are learning. Learning from the humans.

Like in this season they learned from Nina and Maggie.

Crowley is a better student at that, has always been. And we all remember Aziraphale saying he goes too fast for him. But Aziraphale is trying too, and all these episodes where he sometimes seems silly are just him learning to be human the hard way like he learned his French. His French is awful, as is his free will yet. But he’s getting there! He’s much better than any other angel at that. It’s just hard for him because he can’t be as fast as Crowley.

***

The whole bit with Crowley high on laudanum is both so hilarious and heartwarming. It’s brilliant that if Crowley was just high and acted ridiculous it would look a bit embarrassing, but Crowley literally used this as an excuse to do a good thing and not be accounted for his actions. (Oh, yeah, but you weren’t high yet when you drank that thing to prevent the girl from killing herself and committing a sin, my dear.)

Aziraphale just can’t help it after that – the way he holds Crowley to steady him, the way he repeats twice that he did a very kind thing – he is all bubbling with love and admiration. He himself wasn’t that sure that Elspeth could be trusted, but Crowley was.

Right that moment Crowley is taken to Hell. (If it were fanfic, it would be just the beginning, ahah. I’ve read so many things like that. But it’s a different genre, so that’s where it ends, and the writers are like: “Here you are, go and play with it.” :D I love it.)

It has already been mentioned that in the canon we now have, next time Crowley sees Aziraphale, he asks for holy water, and Aziraphale refuses. Like even though he knows that Crowley must have suffered in Hell for what he’d done in Scotland. How could he?

But come on, has anything really changed with the addition of this episode in our picture of events or in Aziraphale’s knowledge of Hell? I don’t think so.

In the previous season we had several hints on that too – that Hell doesn’t just send rude notes, and that Crowley really is in constant danger of them. And Aziraphale knew that too, he mentions that to Crowley in the Globe and in St James’s. The fact that this time he sees Crowley taken away again is just a circumstantial evidence. In the graveyard Crowley says he’s got a loophole – laudanum – to calm Aziraphale and himself. When Crowley comes back to Earth he doesn’t say anything about what happened to him. He either thinks Aziraphale will guess it from his request or he doesn’t want to worry him. (If only Crowley was more open with him like ever…)

But all Aziraphale can think of is that holy water is something that can destroy Crowley. He hasn’t seen Crowley for a long time. He probably was worried sick. Might even have thought that Crowley was gone forever. And now he sees him, and Crowley is asking for a thing that can make it happen �� kill Crowley forever.

Aziraphale is being selfish here, of course. But how can he possibly be judged? He loves Crowley so much. :(

***

Crowley making a rain for Nina and Maggie is such a Cupid, lol! <3 The way he is grinning looking through the window. Aaaw. If he ever returns to being an angel (which I don’t want him to do of course but if) that’s what they should appoint him to do: go around do mischief especially to create convenient circumstances for people to fall in love. He’ll be so pleased with himself!

[Imagine a conversation in the cottage:

C: Angel, angel! Hear me out! What I did today! I was at a bakery, and two people were standing underneath a shelf with little cakes, and I made the shelf collapse, and they were under a rain of cakes! And then they started to pick up pieces the cake off each other’s clothes, and the girl wiped some cream off the boy’s cheek and licked her fingers. She didn’t even mean to flirt she just giggled, but I saw it did the trick!

A *pouting*: You never did this thing for us! I want a cake rain too! That’s it, we’re going to the bakery.]

***

Crowley and Shax conversation is also so great, I love seeing Crowley so animated and yet so wonderfully in control. How his sarcasm when it comes to not inviting her in takes turns with genuine helpfulness in the matter of the boiler. This is gold. XD And then right after it he loses it talking to Gabriel because he is soooo worried about Aziraphale.

Funny thing that he doesn’t really hide his feelings for Aziraphale from himself. Just from Aziraphale and everybody else (Jim doesn’t count). Unlike Aziraphale, who often tells Crowley nice things about him (or things that he considers nice), but he never lets himself openly admit his feelings even when he is alone – especially, when he is alone. As if it would make him responsible to do something about it.

[nameless-brand]

Anyway, the bidding wars have been interesting.

General Avery Sunderland of Sunderland Corporation must be incredibly salty that Wayne Enterprises won the missile defense government contract last month because he tries to drive up the bid any time Bruce Wayne bids.

A Gregory Aggie (in hindsight, definitely on purpose) had put an emperor penguin up for auction - apparently all the papers are in order. And there's been this huge bidding war on it between Mario Falcone of Falcone Imports and Oswald Cobblepott most known for the Iceberg Lounge - a very popular, exclusive nightclub.

The bid reached $700,000 after several heated bids. Falcone claims he's bidding cause he's craving penguin liver, but there's obviously something else going on between the two. Bidding only ended after Cobblepott gave an ultimatum that if Falcone rose the bid any more, he could have the bird - and then proceeded to close his eyes and have his assistant cover his ears. At that point, I think Falcone decided that's as much money he could make Cobblepott waste.

Interesting dynamic. Hope it doesn't blow up on all of us.

Anyway, Tunglr!Bruce was right. People are selling a lot of paintings, some of them hitting a million dollars. There's also been a crateful of Cuban cigars, a bottle of wine (I forgot the name) from 1907 that was in a ship sunk by a submarine during World War I, and several high-end luxury cars including a Ferrari.

There was a small disturbance after the very heated bid for the Ferrari where my world's Bruce Wayne, after getting very drunk, said he needed to "cool off in the pool" - and, in his technicolor suit, decided to do the backstroke in the fountain. The looks on his two sons as they pulled him out of the fountain spoke of long-suffering. Haha.

Eventually, the night ended with the selling of a 7-carat pink diamond, appraised as flawless quality. The final bid was $9,200,000 made by Rupert Thorne of the Tobacconist's Club, an exclusive gentlemen's club geared towards politicians and entrepreneurs. He said it looked like a good investment, and he invited the person who brought it to his Club, a Michael Nate who owns a jewelry company franchise - and also partly owned the Argyle Mines before it closed; 80% of pink diamonds come from that mine. Guess that donation of a single diamond must be worth it to get his foot into the world of Gotham's elite and powerful.

[rachelkaser]

Masonry Monday: The Case of the Long-Legged Models

A young woman finds herself the target of a racketeer who killed her gambler father over an IOU -- which he now claims the daughter must pay. Shortly afterwards, the racketeer is murdered and the daughter is charged . . . but first Perry Mason must decipher which of three identical guns is the murder weapon.

Who’s Who

Perry Mason’s client: Stephanie Falkner, the daughter of a gambler who suddenly finds herself being threatened to pay his debts

The victim: George Castle, a racketeer whose attempts to make a big profit on a land deal lead him to be both murderer and murder victim

Suspects: Michael Garvin Sr.,  Michael Garvin Jr., Evie Elliott,  Margo Winters Garvin, Glenn Falkner, 

The Setup

It’s late at night at a casino in Las Vegas, and a beautiful redhead wonders around the tables with chips. She goes to the craps table where a man named Falkner is on a losing streak and bets against him. After a few tosses, he fails and loses the last of his money, leaving the casino. A hard-looking man with a cigarette watches him leave. Later, Falkner is writing to his daughter, Stephanie. He apologizes for breaking his promises and losing money at gambling again. There’s a knock on the door -- it’s the hard-looking man. His name is Castle, and he’s come to collect on $8,000 that Falkner owes him, complete with promissory note, payable on demand.

Falkner says he knows Castle saw him losing a big pot earlier, and he knows Castle doesn’t really want him to pay up. Falkner says Castle wants a plot of land that Falkner owns, upon which the “Marty Davis crowd” intends to build a new casino. He also knows Castle promised this crowd he could deliver the land by April 12. Castle admits he put up $50,000 as a guarantee, but Falkner won’t budge on selling, as he’s keeping the land for his daughter. Castle says the daughter will likely be easier to handle, draws a gun, and shoots Falkner dead.

Sometime later, in Los Angeles, Castle presents the same promissory note to Stephanie Falkner. She initially says she’d rather not sell the property, but agrees to give him an answer after discussing it with someone. After he goes, Stephanie makes a phone call. Later, a young man pulls up to the Lodestar Apartments, where Castle is staying and rings his apartment’s bell. It’s Michael Garvin Jr, whom Castle recognizes. He notes that Junior just got married to a long-legged model named Margo Winters recently, and seems amused when Junior tries to defend Stephanie. Junior was once engaged to Stephanie but no longer is. His father, Garvin Sr, is fond of Stephanie. Junior tries to throw a bunch but takes a hit and gets thrown out for his trouble.

Castle next goes to office of Garvin Investments and greets the secretary, Eva, whom he knows. He got her the job and isn’t happy that she apparently ratted out his location and intentions to Junior, the son of her boss. He reminds her that he’s got blackmail material on her for check forging in Kansas. The phone rings -- it’s Stephanie, who asks to speak to Garvin. Eva initially lies, saying he’s out of town. As soon as Castle leaves, she calls Stephanie back and says Garvin is coming back from Vegas and has arranged a meeting with Perry Mason the next morning. Castle overhears and threatens her again.

Enter Perry Mason, Attorney at Law

Stephanie explains the situation to Perry Mason, as Garvin hovers over her shoulder. She says the price Castle’s offering for her land is half of what it’s worth. Garvin also drops the bomb that he suspects Castle of murdering Glenn Falkner, Stephanie’s father. He was tracing Falkner’s movements in Vegas and said Castle was shadowing him the night he died. Perry says that proves nothing, and Garvin pulls out a revolver and says he intends to get proof straight from Castle.

Perry asks if Garvin is licensed, and Garvin says he is -- he’s a deputy. Garvin says he owns three revolvers -- one for his son, one locked in his office safe, and one on his person for emergencies. Perry reprimands Garvin for not just taking his theories to the authorities. Stephanie starts to cry, saying she’s still grieving her father. Garvin comforts her as she sobs and ushers her out of the office. Perry asks Della for her thoughts, and Della accurately pegs that Garvin is in love with Stephanie.

That night, Perry arrives at the Lodestar Apartments and meets Castle. The presence of a lawyer has the racketeer behaving in a much more conciliatory fashion, claiming the lowball was just an initial offer. Perry counters with an offer of $225,000, or $1,500 a front foot. He also gets Castle to admit the going rate is $1,000, which he begrudgingly offers. Perry bargains him up to $1,400, but says Stephanie still may not accept. He guesses that Castle, who is sweating, put something of his own on the line for this deal and mentions Glenn Falkner.

The phone rings and Castle says something about meeting in 10 mins and finally agrees to pay $1,500. Perry leaves, telling Castle to be in his office in the morning. Downstairs, he stops at a phone booth and calls Paul.

Under construction, please refresh . . .

[fromdevcom]

You might not work on Wall Street, and not even have your own IT start-up yet, but you can’t escape dealing with finance on a daily basis. It’s like water, air or full color TV absolutely indispensable to be alive and happy. Be it considering moving to another city following a new job offer, saving for a summer vacation or planning a new project –knowing the principles of money and resource management will greatly benefit your decisions and open your eyes into why you still aren’t rich. Nowadays you don’t have to go to university to master the most important finance concepts such as present value of money and annuities. The best minds are ready to teach you through MOOC courses for free and once you start getting into it you realize that it’s all common sense! We’ve already discussed the best Android apps for managing your finances and talked about useful and powerful finance software that will keep all your numbers under control. So today we’d like to share with you the list of the best finance books (both self-taught and related to financial sphere) that will make a great addition to your Kindle library and watch list. The Science of Getting Rich (By: Wallace Wattle ) This is a classical tried and true book that has been teaching all American and international financial gurus since 1910. Since that time the Earth hasn’t started spinning the other way, so these principles are still alive and kicking. And if you believe that personal wealth begins with your mindset – then you will definitely share the author’s ideas. Free Finance Courses on Coursera and Harvard platforms The best educational institutions are willing to satisfy your intellectual curiosity and teach you basic finance principles as well as provide with practical tools and useful books or spreadsheets for free. Such courses offer great functionality and flexible timing. Most of the Harvard classes aren’t limited in time and you can follow them on your own pace, while Coursera platform is rich in student interaction and after video discussions. Why Didn't They Teach Me This in School?: 99 Personal Money Management Principles to Live By (By: Cary Siegel ) If you aren’t thinking about finance in terms of business, start-up or global economy, then these basic money management principles will be just enough for you. The book is so simple and gripping, that it’s recommended for all ages: teenagers, adults and even pensioners. Irrational Exuberance (By: Robert J. Shiller ) Almost any company, be it a well-known Fortune 500 company or a recently created start-up, has to operate on a changing market and in unpredictable circumstances most of the time. This book will greatly compliment your existing finance knowledge with understanding of inevitable aberrations and volatility of the market that real business endures. The Intelligent Investor (By: Benjamin Graham, Jason Zweig, Warren E. Buffett ) This book is an all-time favorite desk companion of Warren Buffet and many other world renowned investors. While it’s not new, being initially published in 1949, it’s updated and modified version is still very relevant and can teach you making smart investment choices and look at the financial decisions from the long-term perspective. Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World (By: Michael Lewis ) Read this the next time you decide to take advantage of a cheap credit offer. The book talks about how 5 countries (Iceland, Greece, Germany, Ireland and USA) gave into this temptation of affordable resources and how their national particularities reacted to it. This is a must read for everyone who wants to prevent a crisis and make money by doing business right. Secrets of the Millionaire Mind (By: T. Harv Eker ) The popularity of “Top 10 millionaire habits” styled articles got into T. Harv Eker and he actually managed to write a pretty good book on what makes a difference between a “wanna-be-rich” and actually rich people. Discover practical financial tips from the person

who’s been there and knows what modifications real life makes into primp and proper financial education. My Maid Invests in the Stock Market...and Why You Should, Too! (By: Bo Sanchez ) This easy to read and funny book will make even the most “non-math” people understand Stock Market and its inner principles. Ever wondered how absolutely ordinary people end  up hitting the jackpot on Dow Jones? You can do it too after reading this book. The 2007-2008 Financial Crisis in Review by Investopedia It might seem that we talk about financial crises more than about financial growth. However, this is the modern reality – our generation lived through more crises and bank meltdowns than prosperities periods. The latest 2007-2008 crisis is the biggest world economy downturn we’ve lived through in person and thus represents the most educational value to you. Movie “Other People’s Money” starring Danny DeVito and Penelope Ann Miller Have you ever heard of such people as corporate raiders? This movie is about one. If you want to be prepared for the time when somebody comes to buy your company for cheap to later sell its assets – then make sure you know the plot of this movie by heart! All the resources we stated above aren’t only useful and easy to understand, they are also interesting to read and present finance in different every day situations. From now on you will understand that even bankers very often forget about fundamental finance laws in the hunt for bigger and faster profits, which then results in major collapses, such as 2008 financial crisis. We suggest you start making friends with this complicated at the first sight but verylogical area, since having it all figured out will put your financial decisions in corporate and personal life to a whole new level. And when did you realize that you needed to brush up on your finance knowledge? Mary Brians is a senior editor at EssaySamurai whose areas of expertise include diverse Economics and Finance topics. Having understood the importance of financial principles in his everyday life, he created a vacation school for young graduates where he teachers youngsters basic MBA level finance knowledge.

[boricuacherry-blog]

On the morning of May 26, 1990, 40-year-old Marlene Warren answered the door of her upscale Wellington, Florida home to find a person dressed as a clown holding a flower arrangement and two balloons, with one saying "You're the Greatest!"

As Marlene reached out for the gifts, the clown shot her in the face, leaving Marlene gasping for air on the floor as the clown calmly walked back to a white Chrysler LeBaron and drove away. While Marlene was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, a massive manhunt for the clown began. And as the investigation unfolded, it was revealed that Marlene had expressed fears that her husband Michael Warren was going to kill her. However, the police would soon find out Michael couldn't be the killer - he'd been with a friend when Marlene was shot. But as the investigation continued, disturbing information about Michael's connection to the murder began to surface.

By the time Marlene was 18, she was already married and had two sons, John and Joseph, or Joe, as they called him. Tragically, her first husband died when she was just 20 years old, and her son John would pass away in a car crash.

Not long after her first marriage dissolved, she met Michael Warren, a native of Roseville, Michigan, who was in the meat business. They married and relocated to Florida where Michael would be a meat inspector for the Florida Department of Agriculture, working his way up to investigation supervisor. By the start of the 80s Michael and Marlene began investing their money into small residential properties in Palm Beach County, flipping and renting them out. Marlene managed this side of the business and their investments did well. They went on to buy more than a million dollars worth of property in that county.

But in 1984, Michael resigned from his meat job after his boss caught him falsifying time machines. While he was on the clock, he hadn't been doing his meat inspecting job but instead, his side hustle of buying and reselling cars. He got caught and decided to resign instead of being fired. After this he started a used car business in West Palm Beach. He was a smooth talking used car salesman with shady business practices - such as tampering with the car odometers. The business grew to include a car rental company, while Marlene handled the rental homes.

From the outside looking in, the couple seemed like successful entrepreneurs. But beneath the surface, it was a toxic situation. Marlene desperately wanted to leave the marriage. Michael treated Marlene horribly and issues had existed for awhile. But it wouldn't be easy to divorce him with their financial entanglements. Their business and properties were in Marlene's name. Michael wouldn't let her have any money so she knew he'd put up a fight if she ever tried to get any in a divorce. "I remember her asking, 'What would we do, where would we go, if we left here?' I realized that she wanted to leave, but I didn't realize how far into conversations she was about it," her son Joe said.

While Marlene was making plans to leave, Michael was having an affair with his 27-year-old employee, Sheila Keen.

Sheila, though, was still married - to a ku klux klan member. She left him and their son and continued her affair with Michael.

On May 24, 1990, Marlene called her sister and said she was going to leave Michael in a few days. She knew she would likely get the rental homes in a divorce but she didn't want to continue being a landlord, telling her sister that she hated evicting tenants who couldn't pay. She wanted to sell them, so she had an appointment with a real estate agent. Unfortunately, she would never make it.

Marlene also told her sister she knew Michael was cheating on her with Sheila. That day, Marlene's son Joe had multiple friends over the house. Michael was driving to a horserace in Miami, which was another side hustle of his. Just before 11 am, everyone was finishing eating breakfast, when a white Chrysler LeBaron pulled into the driveway. A person dressed as a clown walked up to the front door carrying a wicker basket of red and white carnations and two mylar balloons - one was a red heart that said You're the Greatest in big cursive letters, and the other had a picture of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Marlene, who loved going to the circus growing up and had a clown themed room in her childhood home, opened the front door to accept the flower arrangement and balloons. "Oh, how pretty," she remarked, but the person dressed as a clown didn't say anything back. Instead, they shot Marlene right in the face. Joe heard a bang, and at first, thought it was a balloon popping. As she collapsed on the ground, the clown calmly walked back to the LeBaron and drove away.

Joe later recalled the whole scene, saying when he realized the pop was not a balloon but a gunshot, everything felt like slow-motion, as he saw his mother collapse to the floor. He ran over to her, realized she'd been shot and was gasping for air, then frantically called 911, before dropping the phone and getting in his own car to chase after the clown. All of this while he was wearing a cast on his leg because he had recently broken it. In fact, upon initially seeing the clown on his front doorstep, he thought it could be for him, to cheer him up after his leg injury. Hearing the commotion, a neighbor rendered aid to Marlene until the ambulance arrived. Joe couldn't find the car or the clown, and by the time he returned, police and paramedics were swarming the house and the street. She was declared braindead at the hospital.

Police quickly came to the conclusion that the clown outfit was meant to lower everyone's guard while also serving as a disguise and a distraction. And with the balloons obscuring Marlene's view, the clown had time to pull out a gun, shoot her, then leave the scene before people realized what had actually happened.

And whoever it was knew she liked clowns. "My mom was fascinated with clowns," Joe said. "She even painted pictures of them." Whoever had shot her had clear knowledge of her childlike fascination in this interest and had used it against her. It was clearly a very personal attack.

Joe told police he believed the clown was a man due to the height, flat chest and large hands. He said the clown had a big orange smile and red nose. All he could distinguish was that the person had dark brown eyes. "I just remembered those big brown eyes," he said. But there was no shell casing left behind, so police couldn't specify what type of gun had been used, but due to that fact, they suspected it was a revolver. Joe was only 21 when he witnessed the murder of his mother and would end up falling victim to drugs and alcoholism in order cope with the loss.

When police got a tip about a clown outfit sold around the day of the murder, they went to store and looked at the surveillance cameras. To their surprise, it wasn't a man at all. They were looking at a woman - a tall thin white androgynous woman with brown hair had entered the store and knew exactly what she wanted - the same clown costume that was reported in the shooting. In a photo lineup, employees pointed out Sheila Keen as the woman who had been in the store that day.

Authorities were positive that Sheila and Michael were involved in the murder, but it would take years before an arrest would be made for the crime. Years during which she decided to dress as a clown for Halloween.

Michael Warren was arrested on other charges - he was found guilty on 43 counts of fraud, including altering odometers on the cars in his used car business and car rental company. When he was released, he and Sheila married and moved to Abingdon, Virginia, where Sheila started going by the name Debbie. They opened a restaurant called The Purple Cow in nearby Kingsport, Tennessee.

And when Sheila was finally arrested, a plea deal would be made. She was allowed to plead guilty to second degree murder in exchange for just 12 years in prison. Under sentencing guidelines for time served, she is expected to be released in 2025.

[fearfathered]

@bravevolunteer: fucking bullshit. it’s not about the money. the money’s an excuse.

abigail starters / accepting

"Don't swear at me, Michael." A warning. William isn't about to escalate things just yet, even if the immediate aggression at William being so invested in his work, feels like it should warrant it. If Michael continues this way, it could be an argument, but for now, William doesn't want to deal with it. And maybe Michael has some level of a point, but William would never admit that. At this point, it's far more about pride than anything he'll actually say.

"Would you believe me if I said it was all for you?" A pause, "I had a different business, before working with Henry. But you and Olivia came along, and I needed something more secure." He hopes of nothing else, maybe it pull his son slightly out of his combative state. It is the truth, though. He had gotten into a relationship and gotten married because it felt like what he ought to do, something to cross off the list. He had figured having kids would feel similar, but seeing the twins had completely changed that, and that love continued with Elizabeth and Evan. He'd wanted to give them the world, wanted to make sure everything was perfect. And he need money for that.

And, at one time, the idea that working with Henry would allow him more time with his kids. It probably did, all things considered, but owning a business is a lot, and William's perfectionism also didn't help prevent long hours. So many times he came home far later than he said, trying to get one minuscule detail right in the diner. Had tried to make up for it, when he wasn't working he tried to do everything for his kids. But making up for it doesn't work in those situations, and as the business grew, so did the amount of time he had to spend working.

"If I could be with you and your siblings more, Mike, I would. We just have to make the most of this." But from his perspective, he can't. For the money he uses to try and give his family the world not realizing that he's missing from it. And for the fact that William can't handle another failure of a business. "One day you'll understand."

[nel-world]

Downsizing

Downsizing strikes fear into the hearts of employees everywhere.

Imagine this: you're at your desk, working on a report, when you get an email titled "Exciting Organizational Changes!" The CEO, let's call him Mr. Optimism, calls a meeting, talking about "streamlining operations" and "enhancing efficiency."

"We're not just cutting costs," Mr. Optimism assures us. "We're making strategic investments." Translation: some of you are about to lose your jobs.

The PowerPoint comes out, showing charts justifying why half the office needs to leave. It feels like a depressing episode of Shark Tank, and we're the products getting rejected.

Mr. Optimism says, "You're not being laid off, you're exploring new horizons!" But it's hard to focus when you're worrying about finances.

The worst part? The survivors. It feels like a corporate Hunger Games.

Keep your resume updated, your skills sharp, and your sense of humor intact. In the corporate world, you never know when you'll be exploring new horizons.

Colleague 1: (sighing heavily) Can you believe this mess? I never thought I'd be worrying about job security in this company.

Colleague 2: (nodding in agreement) It's like we're all just pawns in some corporate game.

You: (forcing a weak smile) Well, they say necessity is the mother of invention. Maybe this will push us to explore new opportunities we wouldn't have considered otherwise.

Colleague 1: (snorting) More like the necessity of paying bills and putting food on the table.

The bitter laughter that follows is tinged with resignation and a hint of gallows humor. In the face of uncertainty, all you can do is hold onto your sense of resilience and keep moving forward, one day at a time.

RYAN: I'm sure you're aware of the situation we're facing here, Jenny.

JENNY: Yes, I've heard the rumors. Is it true? Are they letting people go?

RYAN: I'm afraid so. The company has decided to make some changes, and unfortunately, your position has been affected.

Jenny's eyes widen in shock as the reality sinks in.

JENNY: (barely holding back tears) But... but I've been with this company for ten years. I've given everything to this job.

RYAN: I understand, Jenny. And I want you to know that this decision wasn't made lightly. But the company needs to make some difficult choices in order to stay afloat.

JENNY: What am I supposed to do now? How am I going to pay my bills? What about my family?

Ryan hesitates, his expression sympathetic but ultimately resigned.

RYAN: I wish I had all the answers, Jenny. But all I can do is offer you some resources and support during this transition period.

Jenny nods, her shoulders slumping in defeat, as Ryan hands her a packet of information.

"The Office" (TV Show)

INT. SCRANTON BRANCH - DAY

Michael Scott, the bumbling regional manager, addresses the employees gathered in the conference room.

MICHAEL: Okay, everybody, settle down. I know there have been some rumors floating around, so I wanted to address them head-on.

The employees exchange nervous glances, anticipation hanging thick in the air.

MICHAEL: Corporate has informed us that there will be some restructuring within the company. Unfortunately, this means that some branches will be closing.

The room erupts into a cacophony of gasps and murmurs as the reality of the situation sets in.

JIM: (whispering to Pam) Do you think we're gonna be okay?

Pam bites her lip, uncertainty written across her face, as Michael continues to speak.

MICHAEL: I know this is a difficult time for all of us, but I want you to know that we're a team, and we'll get through this together.

As Michael tries to offer words of reassurance, the camera pans across the faces of the employees, each grappling with their own fears and anxieties about the future.

"Margin Call" (Movie)

INT. EXECUTIVE BOARDROOM - DAY

John Tuld, the CEO of a major investment bank, addresses a room full of senior executives.

TULD: Gentlemen, as I'm sure you're aware, the market is in freefall. We're hemorrhaging money by the minute, and something needs to be done.

The executives exchange grim looks, tension thick in the air.

TULD: We've run the numbers, and the projections aren't pretty. We need to initiate a round of layoffs effective immediately.

A ripple of shock passes through the room as the executives absorb Tuld's words.

EXECUTIVE #1: But what about the employees? What about their families?

TULD: This is not the time for sentimentality, gentlemen. This is business. Tough decisions need to be made, and it's our responsibility to make them.

As Tuld lays out the grim reality of the situation, the camera captures the weight of his words on the faces of the executives, each grappling with the moral implications of their actions.

"Office Space" (Movie)

INT. INITECH OFFICE - DAY

Peter Gibbons sits across from his boss, BILL LUMBERGH, in a dreary cubicle.

LUMBERGH: So, Peter, what's happening? We need to talk about your performance.

Peter stares blankly at Lumbergh, his expression devoid of emotion.

PETER: Yeah, I'm gonna have to go ahead and sort of disagree with you there, Bill.

Lumbergh blinks, taken aback by Peter's unexpected response.

LUMBERGH: Excuse me?

PETER: I've been thinking, and I've realized that I really don't care about this job. Or this company. Or anything, really.

Lumbergh's eyes narrow in confusion, unsure how to respond to Peter's apathy.

PETER: So, if you could just go ahead and not downsize me, that would be great. Thanks.

[henrysmith778]

Henry Smith: Unraveling the Journey of Investor Maturity

The 6 Stages of Investment - How to Become a Mature Investor

Every investor progresses from being ignorant to becoming mature through 6 stages: Ignorance, Accumulation, Breakthrough, Systemization, Cognitive Breakthrough, and Faith. When you complete these 6 stages, it means you have become a mature investor.

Stage 1: Ignorance

There are many reasons for investors to enter the market, but the fundamental reason is that they are tempted by profits.

Paul Tudor Jones, a private-equity manager, set a record for losing just one month in three and a half years. After seeing the article of a certain investment master, I was shocked and thought that the investment trading industry was the most glorious career under the sun, so I resolutely entered the trading industry.

In addition to the first, some are poor and eager for financial freedom, some are affected by the experience of their elders, and some are longing for the "gorgeous and bright" of the capital market, eager to improve the status quo.

Why did you choose to enter the stock market?

But at this stage, due to just entering the market, and with a strong "confidence". But most people will basically end up losing money.

Michael Marks, for example. Without knowing the rationale behind even the smallest price fluctuations in the contract, he began placing orders and lost all his money in just three days. ' '

"Within three days, I had lost all my money." Marcos said that the initial experience of the market was very unfriendly, not only this time the investment lost all, later he also tried many futures products such as corn and silver. "Investing is hard. The first eight times I invested, I lost everything." "Marcos said.

The fearless of the ignorant is typical of this stage.

Stage 2: Accumulation

After the strong damage to investors in the first stage, most investors will enter the second stage, except for a few investments that collapse and give up. They begin to appreciate the market and understand that if they want to make money, they need to study a lot of familiar things.

Fundamental analysis, technical analysis, money management, profit and loss, market information, they start a lot of learning, a lot of research, crazy absorption of knowledge and information.

Most of my friends who want to go to business school are at this stage, right? Many friends have insisted on studying every night, and some friends have made notes and recorded the important content every night, which is a good habit. Take notes yourself, then there will be a deeper understanding, we can also take out at any time to review and review, so I hope everyone keep the good habit of taking notes.

The accumulation stage is a process of doing addition. Slowly learning, slowly exploring, slowly accumulating experience, in this process, will be accompanied by a lot of frustration.

Many people have experienced countless failures before they successfully explored a set of trading methods that suit them. In the chaotic groping, investors in the endless cycle between profit and loss.

At this stage, a large number of investors have gathered, and the elimination rate is also the highest, and many investors have left the field at this stage. But there are also some investors who will explode in accumulation and enter the next stage.

Therefore, learning is a necessary stage for every investor, and it is a persistent process, I hope that everyone can persist, and there will be returns. If you just want a hot stock market, then I don't think you deserve to be in my group, which is also a phenomenon that I don't want to see. People, ultimately have to rely on their own, only their own knowledge, then you can go on in the stock market for a long time.

The accumulation stage is a process of doing addition. Slowly learning, slowly exploring, slowly accumulating experience, in this process, will be accompanied by a lot of frustration.

Many people have experienced countless failures before they successfully explored a set of trading methods that suit them. In the chaotic groping, investors in the endless cycle between profit and loss.

At this stage, a large number of investors have gathered, and the elimination rate is also the highest, and many investors have left the field at this stage. But there are also some investors who will explode in accumulation and enter the next stage.

Stage 3: Breakthrough

Quantitative change causes qualitative change, thick and thin. When an investor accumulates enough knowledge and information, all aspects of the trading experience will continue to resonate and conflict, he will continue to remove the dross, leaving the essence.

In this process, many investors will find that rather than constantly collecting information, it is better to directly follow the trend. Instead of studying a complex set of entrance methods, it is better to spend time and energy studying a series of trading rules. They are moving away from the traditional "holy grail" of finding universal predictions, looking at trading from a different perspective and looking to take it to the next level.

This stage is a process of insight, from horizontal knowledge gathering to vertical deep thinking.

Stage 4: System

At this stage, investors enter the construction phase of the system. They are beginning to try to merge the complex and changing information bases into a systematic approach. They began to try to fuse all the understanding of appearance into a complete set of appearance rules, and they began to assemble the system.

Their focus is not on the study and judgment of trading trends, but on the process of handling specific trends.

Investors at this stage begin to understand the importance of rules. They pay attention to the integrity of transaction logic, find links that can be optimized, and understand all aspects of the system.

They may develop multiple systems, and then they will experiment, and they will merge the system with their own personality traits, and produce a trading system that has the imprint of their personal characteristics.

This is a very important stage, and it is also the stage where everyone begins to harvest wealth, and with the deepening and breakthrough of learning, a profit system suitable for their own is slowly built.

This is also the purpose of my current technical knowledge teaching. We know the principle and application of trading volume, MACD index, moving average, KDJ index and Bollinger index, and we know how to analyze the fundamentals of enterprises. Then we put these knowledge points together, comprehensive analysis and judgment, then our profit system is built.

Having your own profit system is the guarantee that you can make profits in the stock market for a long time.

Stage 5: Cognitive breakthrough

At this stage, investors basically understand that only the trading system suitable for themselves and suitable for trading is the key to the success of trading. They will find that an infinite number of entrances are merely seeking a trial-and-error basis, and they will find that an infinite number of entrances are designed to cut losses and let profits run. They will discover that there are endless ways to manage money to control risk.

But success is not so easy, this stage is difficult, very difficult. Because to see the power of the system, you have to experience market volatility. And experiencing market fluctuations, will be tempted and suspicious.

Therefore, at this stage, whether we can continue to run a system and stick to it is a test of absolute trading cognition. Including, the cognition of the trade-off, the cognition of the system, the cognition of the source of profit and loss. A hole in the trading cognition will certainly appear at this stage, and it is likely to cause heavy damage to his capital and psychology.

When the system continuously loses money; When the market is properly hit the stop loss of the trading system; When the money curve stagnates while others soar; Is the persistence system of continued paranoia? Or do you keep changing the rules to suit the new environment?

The most important breakthrough point at this stage is whether you can identify luck components and logical loopholes, make appropriate assessments, and constantly enrich and improve your trading cognition.

To put it bluntly, it is to further improve their cognitive ability, improve our profit system; At this time, we are thinking more about the general direction of the macro level.

Why do I have my own unique views on the dollar, US debt, and international politics? That I have a bigger picture than you do? I'm better able to see the nature of the problem, the underlying logic of the economy.

Stage 6: Faith

If an investor can run a system for a long time, consistently, and stably. It must be through the cognitive impact of the previous stage. It shows that he believes so strongly in every aspect of the system he uses that no temptation, no doubt, can shake his trust in it.

He can calmly look at the rise of the stars, he can calmly face the long-term disadvantage of the system, he can calmly look at the interests everywhere, the market is full of temptation and stable as a rock, unmoved. Because he knows that his proprietary system, as long as it persists, can climb to the top of the pyramid in the future. He will have such faith in his system that nothing else can impact it.

In fact, successful trading = trading psychology * money management * trading rules. We can also refer to money management and trading rules as trading systems, and the top form of trading psychology is as firm as faith.

So, successful trading is nothing more than running a trading system with faith. This is the problem of investment philosophy, is the highest state of investment.

Dr. Henry Smith, born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1979, moved to the United States with his parents during high school. He earned a bachelor's degree in finance from Columbia University and master's and doctoral degrees in applied mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Certifications:

He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and US Certified Public Accountant (USCPA) certifications. He has previously worked at Goldman Sachs and BlackRock, primarily responsible for investment operations in Hong Kong, and is currently responsible for Australian affairs at Lonton Wealth Management Center LTD.

[henrysmith00]

Henry Smith Dives into the 6 Stages of Investment Growth

Henry Smith Dives into the 6 Stages of Investment Growth

Every investor progresses from being ignorant to becoming mature through 6 stages: Ignorance, Accumulation, Breakthrough, Systemization, Cognitive Breakthrough, and Faith. When you complete these 6 stages, it means you have become a mature investor.

Stage 1: Ignorance

There are many reasons for investors to enter the market, but the fundamental reason is that they are tempted by profits.

Paul Tudor Jones, a private-equity manager, set a record for losing just one month in three and a half years. After seeing the article of a certain investment master, I was shocked and thought that the investment trading industry was the most glorious career under the sun, so I resolutely entered the trading industry.

In addition to the first, some are poor and eager for financial freedom, some are affected by the experience of their elders, and some are longing for the “gorgeous and bright” of the capital market, eager to improve the status quo.

Why did you choose to enter the stock market?

But at this stage, due to just entering the market, and with a strong “confidence”. But most people will basically end up losing money.

Michael Marks, for example. Without knowing the rationale behind even the smallest price fluctuations in the contract, he began placing orders and lost all his money in just three days. ‘ ‘

“Within three days, I had lost all my money.” Marcos said that the initial experience of the market was very unfriendly, not only this time the investment lost all, later he also tried many futures products such as corn and silver. “Investing is hard. The first eight times I invested, I lost everything.” “Marcos said.

The fearless of the ignorant is typical of this stage.

Stage 2: Accumulation

After the strong damage to investors in the first stage, most investors will enter the second stage, except for a few investments that collapse and give up. They begin to appreciate the market and understand that if they want to make money, they need to study a lot of familiar things.

Fundamental analysis, technical analysis, money management, profit and loss, market information, they start a lot of learning, a lot of research, crazy absorption of knowledge and information.

Most of my friends who want to go to business school are at this stage, right? Many friends have insisted on studying every night, and some friends have made notes and recorded the important content every night, which is a good habit. Take notes yourself, then there will be a deeper understanding, we can also take out at any time to review and review, so I hope everyone keep the good habit of taking notes.

The accumulation stage is a process of doing addition. Slowly learning, slowly exploring, slowly accumulating experience, in this process, will be accompanied by a lot of frustration.

Many people have experienced countless failures before they successfully explored a set of trading methods that suit them. In the chaotic groping, investors in the endless cycle between profit and loss.

At this stage, a large number of investors have gathered, and the elimination rate is also the highest, and many investors have left the field at this stage. But there are also some investors who will explode in accumulation and enter the next stage.

Therefore, learning is a necessary stage for every investor, and it is a persistent process, I hope that everyone can persist, and there will be returns. If you just want a hot stock market, then I don’t think you deserve to be in my group, which is also a phenomenon that I don’t want to see. People, ultimately have to rely on their own, only their own knowledge, then you can go on in the stock market for a long time.

The accumulation stage is a process of doing addition. Slowly learning, slowly exploring, slowly accumulating experience, in this process, will be accompanied by a lot of frustration.

Many people have experienced countless failures before they successfully explored a set of trading methods that suit them. In the chaotic groping, investors in the endless cycle between profit and loss.

At this stage, a large number of investors have gathered, and the elimination rate is also the highest, and many investors have left the field at this stage. But there are also some investors who will explode in accumulation and enter the next stage.

Stage 3: Breakthrough

Quantitative change causes qualitative change, thick and thin. When an investor accumulates enough knowledge and information, all aspects of the trading experience will continue to resonate and conflict, he will continue to remove the dross, leaving the essence.

In this process, many investors will find that rather than constantly collecting information, it is better to directly follow the trend. Instead of studying a complex set of entrance methods, it is better to spend time and energy studying a series of trading rules. They are moving away from the traditional “holy grail” of finding universal predictions, looking at trading from a different perspective and looking to take it to the next level.

This stage is a process of insight, from horizontal knowledge gathering to vertical deep thinking.

Stage 4: System

At this stage, investors enter the construction phase of the system. They are beginning to try to merge the complex and changing information bases into a systematic approach. They began to try to fuse all the understanding of appearance into a complete set of appearance rules, and they began to assemble the system.

Their focus is not on the study and judgment of trading trends, but on the process of handling specific trends.

Investors at this stage begin to understand the importance of rules. They pay attention to the integrity of transaction logic, find links that can be optimized, and understand all aspects of the system.

They may develop multiple systems, and then they will experiment, and they will merge the system with their own personality traits, and produce a trading system that has the imprint of their personal characteristics.

This is a very important stage, and it is also the stage where everyone begins to harvest wealth, and with the deepening and breakthrough of learning, a profit system suitable for their own is slowly built.

This is also the purpose of my current technical knowledge teaching. We know the principle and application of trading volume, MACD index, moving average, KDJ index and Bollinger index, and we know how to analyze the fundamentals of enterprises. Then we put these knowledge points together, comprehensive analysis and judgment, then our profit system is built.

Having your own profit system is the guarantee that you can make profits in the stock market for a long time.

Stage 5: Cognitive breakthrough

At this stage, investors basically understand that only the trading system suitable for themselves and suitable for trading is the key to the success of trading. They will find that an infinite number of entrances are merely seeking a trial-and-error basis, and they will find that an infinite number of entrances are designed to cut losses and let profits run. They will discover that there are endless ways to manage money to control risk.

But success is not so easy, this stage is difficult, very difficult. Because to see the power of the system, you have to experience market volatility. And experiencing market fluctuations, will be tempted and suspicious.

Therefore, at this stage, whether we can continue to run a system and stick to it is a test of absolute trading cognition. Including, the cognition of the trade-off, the cognition of the system, the cognition of the source of profit and loss. A hole in the trading cognition will certainly appear at this stage, and it is likely to cause heavy damage to his capital and psychology.

When the system continuously loses money; When the market is properly hit the stop loss of the trading system; When the money curve stagnates while others soar; Is the persistence system of continued paranoia? Or do you keep changing the rules to suit the new environment?

The most important breakthrough point at this stage is whether you can identify luck components and logical loopholes, make appropriate assessments, and constantly enrich and improve your trading cognition.

To put it bluntly, it is to further improve their cognitive ability, improve our profit system; At this time, we are thinking more about the general direction of the macro level.

Why do I have my own unique views on the dollar, US debt, and international politics? That I have a bigger picture than you do? I’m better able to see the nature of the problem, the underlying logic of the economy.

Stage 6: Faith

If an investor can run a system for a long time, consistently, and stably. It must be through the cognitive impact of the previous stage. It shows that he believes so strongly in every aspect of the system he uses that no temptation, no doubt, can shake his trust in it.

He can calmly look at the rise of the stars, he can calmly face the long-term disadvantage of the system, he can calmly look at the interests everywhere, the market is full of temptation and stable as a rock, unmoved. Because he knows that his proprietary system, as long as it persists, can climb to the top of the pyramid in the future. He will have such faith in his system that nothing else can impact it.

In fact, successful trading = trading psychology * money management * trading rules. We can also refer to money management and trading rules as trading systems, and the top form of trading psychology is as firm as faith.

So, successful trading is nothing more than running a trading system with faith. This is the problem of investment philosophy, is the highest state of investment.

Dr. Henry Smith, born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1979, moved to the United States with his parents during high school. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Columbia University and master’s and doctoral degrees in applied mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Certifications:

He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and US Certified Public Accountant (USCPA) certifications. He has previously worked at Goldman Sachs and BlackRock, primarily responsible for investment operations in Hong Kong, and is currently responsible for Australian affairs at Lonton Wealth Management Center LTD.