#slay lottery tickets

[starrycherie]

guess who talked to brie larson tonight?? she was so sweet when she gave me a signature and even chatted to me and I was just DYING at her presence

[hexbimbo]

DBD HCs | Survivors Christmas

Wanted to do a holiday special, I’m planning to post Survivors Hc on Christmas Eve and Killers on Christmas. Happy Holidays!

Dwight Fairfield

The reluctant host. Somehow drew the short stick.

“That’s actually my grandmas urn- or a football…I don’t really care…”

Constantly going around picking up trash and asking if people need anything. Wanted to through a party but is too anxious to relax.

His secret Santa gift is a mug that says: “Best Leader Ever”.

Meg Thomas

Brings a fruit and veggie platter.

In the kitchen helping people prep and what not.

Helps moves tables with David.

Her secret Santa gift is a holster for her phone while she runs.

Claudette Morel

Can’t wait to go home. Wants to curl up and watch a movie on her laptop.

Probably sits on the couch and watches tv (kinda just spacing out.)

Plays the bowl of fidgets set out.

Her secret Santa gift is a flower pot and some fertilizer.

Jake Park

Brings a godly meat dish.

Only came for the food. Will only discuss the food or the weather.

Drinks in moderation. Hates being hungover.

His secret Santa gift is a new pair of boots.

Nea Karlsson

Nails everyone with snowballs as they arrive.

Tries to impress everyone with kick flips out in the front yard.

Eats a lot of desserts. Barely drinks water.

Her secret Santa gift is a helmet (cuz she never fucking wears one.)

Laurie Strode

Brings a pizza and some soda

“I didn’t know it was an ugly sweater party!” “It isn’t.”

Has a cardigan she’s constantly readjusting.

Her secret Santa gift a paper back of some random book.

Ace Visconti

Cleans everyone out with a “friendly” game of poker.

Sneaks into the kitchen to “taste test” everything.

Tells the most insane lore. “Yeah when I was your age I sold a kidney to pay off my debt and that’s how I ended up seeing my first Nicolas Cage movie-

His secret Santa gift is a bunch of lottery tickets.

William “Bill” Overbeck

Snoring away in the recliner in front of the tv.

People offer to fix him plates. Warms his poor old man heart.

Highest spirts you’ll ever see him in. Tells the funniest Christmas stories.

His secret Santa gift is a pack of fancy cigars.

Feng Min

The one being cleaned out by Ace.

Gets fucking plastered and wants to start fights.

Loads up on so much chips she gets too sick for dinner.

Her secret Santa gift is a new headphones with cat ears at the top.

David King

Gets wicked shit faced immediately. Put out in the group chat prior that he was gonna pre game at his place.

Type of guy who puts his arm around everyone when he comes to joins a conversation.

Wants to play soccer out back and comes in to warm up with eggnog.

His secret Santa gift is Man United merch (Brits don’t come for me I did as much research as I could.)

Quentin Smith

Takes a nap by the fire place. Someone probably put a blanket over him.

Half the soda is in his tummy.

Everything is so warm and relaxing, he can’t help but feel drowsy.

His secret Santa gift is a two! A new swim cap and a memory foam pillow.

David Tapp

Also on a recliner deep in sleep.

Snores shatter the sound barrier

Grunts instead of talking.

His secret Santa gift is a travel coffee mug with some cop shit on it like “I drink coffee and catch bad guys” or smth idk

Kate Denson

Plays Christmas music on her guitar.

Also the one who suggested doing karaoke as a fun group activity.

The person who wears shorts and thigh highs when it’s in the negatives (but she slays so 😤)

Her secret Santa gift is a bandana with butterflies stitched in.

Adam Francis

Brings a soup no one touches.

Loves getting into friendly and educational debates.

Looks super classy. Comes in with that trench coat and hands full of presents like a fuzzy memory of a dad.

His secret Santa gift is a math book. Don’t feel sad, he loves it.

Jeff Johansen

Has a man bun going on.

Gives the best Christmas hugs.

Might dress up as Santa for shit and giggles.

His secret Santa gift is a stack of canvas.

Jane Romero

Wears a cute Santa type dress.

Loud and funny drunk. Constantly leaning on people and striking up conversation.

Her perfume can be smelt from 5 blocks away. It’s really good but it makes you nauseous after awhile.

Her secret Santa gift is a cute hair pin.

Ash Williams

Booze. And maybe some weed.

Tells the most inappropriate jokes and stories.

Kinda maybe summons a demon and ruins Christmas but also maybe banishes it and saves Christmas-

His secret Santa gift is a flask.

Nancy Wheeler

Makes snow angels outside

Kinda like a mom. Making sure everyone is calm and not drinking too much. Or fighting. Or dying.

Drunk people get on her nerves. The most stressed out person there.

Her secret Santa gift is pad and pen.

Steve Harrington

Is tossing a ball when everyone starts arriving.

Offers to help clean up when the party ends. Makes more mess than actually cleaning.

Gets his hand smacked when he tries to sneak a taste from the kitchen.

His gift is…I dunno. I’m gonna say a gift card or something.

Yui Kimura

Wants Roark wrestle everyone. Breaks a table or two.

Doesn’t drink wine. Sips beer.

Probably brings a grocery store dessert like brownies because she didn’t want to turn up empty handed.

Her secret Santa gift is a bottle of pink nail polish. (That’s what she put on her peice of paper.)

Zarina Kassir

Goes around filming everything.

Gets all the dumbass memories that everyone will laugh about in 50 years.

Yes, that includes Nea eating shit and Nic dancing on the counter naked.

Her secret Santa gift is secret recorder pen. (Judy Hoops looking ahh)

Cheryl Mason

Sulking in the corner.

Only ever seen sipping from a red party cup filled with coke.

Helps lay out table cloths or sets out the food.

Her secret Santa gift is leg warmers.

Felix Richter

Super duper awkward. Swirls a glass of wine for the first hour he’s there.

After a few glasses and some beer he warms up.

Funniest MF you’ll ever meet. I swear, drunk Felix is like watching a stand up comedy act.

His secret Santa gift a book on architecture throughout the centuries.

Élodie Rakoto

Almost canceled but Felix convinced her to come.

Kinda just sits at a table in her phone.

Probably just eats rice and water.

Her secret Santa gift is a sturdy book bag with plenty of pockets.

Yun-Jin Lee

Brings her own food.

Picks the most outrageous and controversial topics for small talk.

Her heels snap so hard on the floor you think they’ll brake. Shes kinda the relative you never talk to but they scare the hell outta you.

Her secret Santa gift is a new set of hoops.

Jill Valentine

Keeps watch the whole time. People bring her coffee to keep her warm.

Also plates! She really can pack it away.

Wrestles with when she gets a little tipsy.

Her secrets Santa gift is a pack of tank tops.

Leon Scott Kennedy

Brings a plate of roasted balsamic broccoli

Depending on that ver of Leon he is, he’ll ever be the sweetest helper or takes up the whole couch passed out.

Regardless ends up with his head in a toilet.

His secret Santa gift is a some hair products.

Mikaela Reid

Brings some spinach and artichoke dip.

Puts on some Christmas soup. Makes the whole place smell like a bakery.

Snuggles with Sable when they get home.

Her secret Santa gift is a tarot deck.

Jonah Vasquez

Watches baseball on the kitchen tv

Sips coffee like it’s no tomorrow. Always has a mug in his hand. Definitely the friend who just got off work and rushed over.

Talks sports with Gabe and David.

His secret Santa gift is a 3D puzzle.

Yoichi Asakawa

Forgot to be invited. Was remembered and told he was invited to a “last minute get together”

Shows up a hour late.

A pretty good guest. He cleans up his own mess and makes appropriate small talk.

His secret Santa gift a pair of rain boots.

Haddie Kaur

Brings vegetable fritgers and rice

Cozies up by the fire. Only time she leaves is to grab a plate.

Kinda quiet but makes good conversation if you approach.

Her secret Santa gift is a chunky necklace.

Ada Wong

The sleek friend who brings the Swiss

(For those who don’t know, Swiss is a Christmas Food catalogue with overpriced food you can get for the holidays.)

Sips wine while she mingles. Always put together.

Pulls an Irish goodbye. Off topic, but if the host has pets cats, she’ll get them little treats.

Her Secret Santa gift is a pack of high quality pantyhose. Hers always tear :(

Rebecca Chambers

Flutters around offering help. Does anyone need a refill? Any cooking to finish up? Trash she can collect?

Makes sure everyone is sobered up before they go home. Does not mess around with drunk driving. WILL confiscate keys.

So merry and bright, you’ll be waiting for her when she makes her mingle rounds.

Her secret Santa gift is a giant macaron plush with a two shiny beads for eyes.

Vittorio Toscano

Brings a crock pot of meatballs and some garlic bread.

Maybe makes mulled wine to share

Has the best Christmas voice. His voice makes everything seem so magical.

His secret Santa gift a book on dead languages.

Thalita Lyra

Brings potato sticks

Not a very good cook so she always brings store bought stuff.

Mingles with everyone. Gushes about her brothers cooking and her “help”.

Her secret Santa gift is a cute pair of sandals

Renato Lyra

Brings the stroganoff.

God tier cook. His sister cannot cook for shit. The only time he doesn’t want to hang with her is in the kitchen 😭

Head chef of the kitchen. Tastes everything and blunty grades it.

His secret Santa gift is a rubiks cube

Gabriel Soma

Wants to play with everyone. Even if it’s in the negatives he wants to go outside and build a snowman.

Brings Hawaiian butter mochi for dessert.

Always has his hands in his back pockets. I dunno why but I can’t picture him doing that.

His secret Santa gift is a signed baseball.

Nicolas Cage

Brings moonshine laced eggnog

Chokes on his drink at least twice every hour.

Dances in his boxers on the coffee tables.

His secret Santa gift is a chocolate Sadoko

Ellen Ripley

Would rather be at home with her cat but she came.

Beats everyone in darts.

Nurses a beer the whole night.

Her secret Santa gift is some hair products and cat magnets.

Alan Wake

It’s his day off. Do not ask him to do anything.

Drinks eggnog in a sweater that’s itchy as fuck. Constantly fussing with the tag he forgot to remove before coming here.

Makes adequate small talk. “Good weather? Good weather.”

His secret Santa gift is a fancy pen.

Sable Ward

Decorated everything with Nightmare before Christmas merch.

Wears sweaters with little skulls with Santa hats. Gets loads of compliments.

Brings the hot chocolate in a big ass jug. Her secret recipe; add a little cinnamon.

Her secret Santa a gift is a gothic themed coffee gift set (mug, coffee grounds, slippers.)

Aestri Yazar and Baermar Uraz

Dancing on tables and singing tunes.

Urging everyone to have fun and loosen up. Baermar is pushing whole bottles of wine into people’s hands.

Aestri takes requests and does karaoke with Kate.

Their secret Santa gifts are guitar picks and gloves.

Lara Croft

Best conversationalist. Tells the most interesting and compelling stories.

Ansty to get back to adventuring

I don’t know a lot about her sry. Probably brings butter cookies.

Her secret Santa gift is a pair work gloves

Trevor Belmont

I’m doing the anime ver cuz I’ve never seen the og

Gets plastered and can actually hold his own against Ace.

Eats like a fucking horse. Always has a plate in his hand. Is responsible for 25% of all trash littered around the party.

His secret Santa gift is a flask.

Taurie Cain

Was not invited.

Probably shows up anyway and everyone gets a little awkward.

Makes small talk that never goes anywhere. Doesn’t get the hint that she isn’t supposed to be there.

Her secret Santa gift is a lump of coal.

[msfbgraves]

Knights and Pawns

Nights to remember (part 2)

How many feckin LaRussos are still alive? Some, at the very least must have snuffed it in the Italian wars, yeah?

Right, fuck, Terry. This is exactly what they want. But forgive him for being a little testy when he's forced to make conversation through a heat. It's rude, if nothing else. They could have called the whole affair off!

Maybe he's making a mistake. Just slay the whole lot, what does he care. He has nothing to prove to Don LaRusso, or his son, or his whole damned famiglia.

Except of course, he's never going to get a look at this inner sanctum again if he does, and he needs to get his bearings enough to get a sense of them.

No sign of Mrs. LaRusso, of course, she's attending to the boy. Fat lot of good that'll do them, he's seen as much with Mammy and Mandy. He'd never seen his sister that undone and he didn't ever want to see it again. She was wailing, and he's never felt so helpless, and potentially, the little one is feeling much the same. Not his problem, but. Not an omega around to soothe him now, or so he imagines. Alphas and betas, the lot of them.

Well, let's have a look then.

First there's the Don. Then, his brother. Vincent, or is it Joey? He'll have it found out later. Beta, and ditto wife. Lawyer, him, but she is no less cunning.

Then there are the siblings. Luigi, Alpha, and dumb as a brick. Vanessa, Alpha, and pretty observant, but far too loquacious about it. Michael, and that's the dangerous one. Unobtrusive, polite. Effectively using his older brother as a smokescreen. Betas- they have an easier time strategizing, and this one is taking full advantage. Daniel then, the youngest and their lottery ticket. No wonder, four pups is about as much as you can ask of a beta wife, when it comes to childbearing. After the loss of their Katie, Da let it be, and Mammy was never quite the same even then.

But the rest starts to dazzle him. There's at least two other Tonys, a Tessie, another Louie. He has no idea whether this Kenny is a cousin or a friend. Who the hell is Judy, anyway. She seems very...preoccupied withDaniel. Not that he cares...

Yeah, right. Holy Mother of God and all the Saints on a feckin cracker. He's losing it. He's absolutely losing it.

And there's others feeling that too, huh? More distant cousins, presumably. Well, they make Mickey Barnes look subtle, and the fella's dying a thousand deaths. Terry can't stand that Michael's piercing eyes. What is he looking at him for, anyway. There's some Carlo or Laura LaRusso sitting right there, plotting to get to that kitty as Terry and the Don are trading tales about nothing. Terry can smell it. So can the Don. So what is he playing at? What is that bastard playing at?!

He makes it halfway through the veal until he stands up. “You ought to see to your son, Don LaRusso,” he says curtly.

“Mr. Silver, my son is -”

“See. To. Him.” Terry hisses. “And get these people– get them out. We can do this another time. I can have you at the Black Stallion if you prefer.”

The Don says nothing, merely sits his eldest Alpha back down with a look.

“So this is how you judge our welcome, Mr. Silver?”

He walks around the table. “This isn't about me,” he says. “And if you can't agree with me on that, Don LaRusso, we have nothing left to say.”

A few sharp words in Italian, and the room empties. “Not you, Miguele, Vanessa,” he says. The beta uncle stays as well.

The Don stands up. “Mr. Silver,” he says. “My Daniele regretted not being able to meet you tonight. I would like to extend an invitation on his behalf.” A curt look to his brother. “Saturday next?”

That is never enough time to get the logistics right. “He's unlikely to be well so soon, Mr. LaRusso.”

“My Daniele is a hardy boy,” the Don says.

“Still. I would not like to inconvenience him more than necessary.”

And now the Don genuinely smiles, extends a hand. “Bene.” He nods again. “Bene. I will tell his mother to expect you Saturday, three weeks from now.”

Terry shakes his hand as the beta uncle slaps his back. “What did your Mama call you, then?”

He smiles. “Terry.”

“Awright, Terry,” the brother says. “You better get your ass outta here until you die of blue balls, you dumb fuck. I didn't think you'd last through the first course.”

The son, Michael, smiles as uncle hands him a twenty.

“I think your Alpha boy's outside jerking off, Terry,” Vanessa quips. “Poor bastard.”

“Yes, I owe him a pint.” He gives a short bow. “Don LaRusso. Give my compliments to your wife.”

The Don merely nods. “Excuse me,” he says. “My son will see you out. Vanessa, we will join Daniele.”

The beta son waits while Terry gets his hat and coat. He stops Snake and Dennis joining them with the wave of a hand. Comes at him, gives him a smile.

“If you hurt that little one,” he says. “I will cut you. In your sleep.”

Terry laughs. “Yes, I'd suspected you would try.”

“No,” Michael says. “Louie will try.” He nods his head.

“Goodnight, Mr. Silver.”

It's only outside, with the front door closed behind him, that Terry throws his head back to get the faintest whiff of that sweet, desperate smell.

Soon, little one.

For now, he claps Mike Barnes on the back, ruffles Snake and Dennis' head.

“How about that pint, then, fellas?”

[unitygamedevlopment]

The Skinfiri Lotto

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[excusethequality]

My 2023 in Film

Part 4:

151-200

With this I am finally past the halfway point! Huzzah!

Link to Part I Link to Part II Link to Part III

* = rewatched

[++] = I loved it [+] = I liked it [=] = I am indifferent about it [-] = Not my thing [--] = I hate it

Click on the list number to get a trailer for it.

151.

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010) * ---Comedy Horror

[Not putting a link to the trailer, because the trailer spoils the shit out of a ton of the movie. Consider yourself warned.]

The typical slasher story is turned on its head when two best friends head to the woods to fix up their new vacation shack. But a misunderstanding with a bunch of college students is about to show that you can't judge a book by its cover. [+]

152.

The Invisible Man (1933) * ---Sci-Fi Horror

After discovering the secret to invisibility a brilliant scientist desperately tries to discover the secret to undoing it before he goes insane. [+]

153.

Barbie (2023) ---Comedy Fantasy Adventure

A Barbie from the magical world of Barbieland has an existential crisis. Now unable to get rid of her thoughts of death and cellulite, she journeys to the real world in search of a cure. [+]

154.

Princess Mononoke (1997) * ---Animated Fantasy Adventure

A cursed prince must leave his home on a journey to find the source of his affliction and to see what he can learn with eyes unclouded by hate. [++]

155.

Twins (1988) * ---Comedy Crime Adventure

Jeez, this movie has no right being this hard to describe. Ummm...two long lost twins (and products of a genetic test) are reunited after 35 years and go on a mission to find their mother. They're also trying to sell a stolen prototype fuel injector, and get away from a vindictive loan shark, and fall in love, and avoid being murdered by the man who rightfully wants to sell the stolen prototype fuel injector. [=]

156.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023) ---Animated Action Comedy

A family of mutants living in the sewers of NYC dream of being able to join the humans up above. But when they meet a group of mutant criminals they're forced to choose a side. [++]

157.

Mortal Kombat (2021) ---Fantasy Action

I honestly don't remember the specifics and I refuse to look it up. Basically a boring dude and others get weird powers and fight each other because of reasons. [-]

158.

Predators (2010) ---Sci-Fi Action

A motley crew of killers from around the world awaken on an alien game reserve where they are being hunted for sport. [=]

159.

The Invisible Man (2020) ---Sci-Fi Thriller

A woman flees from an abusive relationship with a tech genius. Although she is finally free, a series of incidents leave her grappling with her sanity and wondering if she's being haunted by her trauma or something more sinister. [+]

160.

Encino Man (1992) * ---Comedy

A pair of teenagers discover a caveman frozen in an ancient block of ice. When unthaws and awakens they decide that he might just be their ticket to popularity and enroll him in high school. [=]

161.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) * ---Coming-of-Age Fantasy Action Comedy

A teenage girl learns that she is the next incarnation of an ancient line of vampire slayers. The only hiccup is that she has no interest in slaying vampires and just wants to be a normal teen. [+]

162.

Joy Ride (2023) ---Comedy Adventure

What started as a business trip turns into a search for family when four Chinese-American friends travel to China. [+]

163.

The Matrix Resurrections (2021) ---Sci-Fi Action

I could try to break down what this movie was about, but it would take more time than I want to invest. Imagine if someone remade the first one, but got weirdly meta about it and generally did everything worse. [--]

164.

Waking Ned Devine (1998) * ---Comedy

In a rural Irish village an old man named Ned Devine has just won the lottery. The only issue is that Ned Devine has also just died. Now the village is on a mission to bring him back (in a way) so they can claim the winnings. [++]

165.

Medusa Deluxe (2022) ---Mystery

When someone is murdered at a hair styling competition it's hard to know if anyone has seen anything out of the ordinary. [=]

166.

Paprika (2006) * ---Animated Sci-Fi Adventure

A psychotherapy researcher secretly working under the alias "Paprika" utilizes a brand new technology that allows her to enter her patients' dreams. But when the technology falls into the hands of a terrorist she may be the only person with the skills needed to stop them. [++]

167.

Game Night (2018) * ---Comedy Adventure

A group of friends meet for their regular game night only to learn that this night might not be so ordinary. [+]

168.

The Hangover (2009) * ---Comedy Adventure

Three friends wake up after a wild bachelor party they can't remember only to find that they can't find the groom. [=]

169.

Lakota Nation vs. United States (2022) ---Documentary

A chronicle of the United States' interactions with the Lakota nation. [+]

170.

Event Horizon (1997) * ---Sci-Fi Horror

A rescue team is sent to investigate the mysterious return of a prototype spacecraft called the Event Horizon. [+]

171.

3 Ninjas (1992) * ---Action Comedy

Three young brothers have been trained in the ways of the ninja by their grandfather. But when a ruthless criminal has set his sights on their family he quickly learns that they won't go down without a fight. [+]

172.

One for the Money (2012) * ---Comedy Crime

A desperate former lingerie saleswoman tries to take up bounty hunting in order to make some quick cash. [=]

173.

Talk to Me (2022) ---Horror

A pack of teenagers discover a mysterious statue that allows whoever touches it become a conduit for the dead. [=]

174.

Barbie (2023) *

See #153

175.

Shiva Baby (2020) ---Drama Comedy

A struggling college student attends the shiva from hell with her parents. [++]

176.

Bottoms (2023) ---Comedy

Two teenage lesbians start a women's fight club at their high school in order to get laid. [=]

177.

What About Bob? (1991) * ---Comedy

A therapist starts to lose his grip on reality when an obsessed patient won't leave him alone and no one else seems to find it odd. [+]

178.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) * ---Action Comedy

A family of mutant turtles is all that stands in the way of a gang of ninja from taking over NYC. [++]

179.

Hardcore Henry (2015) ---Action

I wish the plot actually mattered, but it doesn't. All you need to know is that it's an action movie shot entirely in first person perspective and that there's a very good reason why movies so rarely do that. [-]

180.

Office Space (1999) * ---Comedy

A depressed office worker gets a new lease on life when his hypnotist dies in the middle of their session. [++]

181.

Wayne's World (1992) * ---Comedy

Two best friends find themselves in battle against a corporate bigwig when a network tries to buy their public-access program. [+]

182.

Tell Me I Love You (2020) ---Queer Rom-Com

3 best friends wind up in a polyamory-ish marriage predicament because of reasons. [=]

183.

The Smoke Shack (2013) ---Comedy Short Film

A day in the life of a worker at a smoke shack. [+]

184.

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) * ---Comedy Adventure

Two best friends are about to flunk out of school when they're given a most excellent opportunity: a time machine! Now they must gather the greatest collection of historical figures they can in order to ace their history test. [+]

185.

Plus One (2019) * ---Rom-Com

During a rough wedding season two best friends agree to be each other's plus ones in order to make it through, but wind up questioning the nature of their relationship in the process. [=]

186.

Reel Injun (2009) ---Documentary

A look at the history of Native American representation in film. [+]

187.

The Quiet Earth (1985) ---Sci-Fi

A science experiment goes terribly wrong and now 3 people are seemingly the only ones in the world left alive. [-]

188.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991) ---Action Comedy

The Shredder decides to fight fire with fire and endeavors to create his own mutant army to defeat the turtles and conquer NYC. [+]

189.

First Cow (2019) ---Period Drama

Two unlikely friends start their own business in order to carve out a life for themselves in 1820s Oregon, USA. [+]

190.

Short Term 12 (2013) ---Drama

A staff member of a group care facility for troubled teenagers tries to fight her impulses towards self destruction when an old trauma comes back to haunt her. [+]

191.

Zoom (2015) ---Fantasy Drama Comedy

Three people discover that their worlds are all products of each other's various creative pursuits. [-]

192.

Dead Man's Curve (1998) ---Crime Thriller

Two roommates concoct a plan to kill their other roommate in order to exploit a college loophole and get an automatic 4.0 GPA. [=]

193.

Tendrils (2023) ---Short Film Drama

Two friends are preparing to part ways and decide to make a time capsule in honor of their relationship. [=]

194.

Watching the Detectives (2007) ---Rom-Com

A film nerd falls in love with a manic pixie dream girl, but begins to blur reality with movies. [-]

195.

Scrapper (2023) ---Comedy Drama

A 12-year-old tries to make it on her own after the death of her mother. But when her estranged dad comes back to take care of her she's going to have to face reality. [++]

196.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993) * ---Action Fantasy Comedy

A chance encounter with a strange artifact transports the turtles to early 17th century Japan. [+]

197.

Theater Camp (2023) ---Mockumentary Comedy

When the director of a theater camp falls into a coma it's up to her wannabe-influencer son to keep the place together. [=]

198.

Four Kids and It (2020) ---Kids Fantasy

While on vacation a group of kids come across a magical being that can grant wishes. There's only two catches: it can only grant one wish a day and each wish only lasts for 24 hours. [=]

199.

Cassandro (2023) ---Queer Sports Biopic

The story of the rise of Saúl Armendáriz aka the Mexican luchador Cassandro. [=]

200.

Fat City (1972) ---Sports Drama

Two men at opposite points in their boxing careers see a glimpse of their past/future in one another, but not necessarily liking what they see. [+]

[sassenashsworld]

En Berne, Karl. Les jeunes se rassemblaient devant le Parlement contre la mondialisation, ta Toune jouait dans la radio de char de Greencastle

Moi, Québecoise jusque dans la moelle, tu m'as frappé d'une tonne de brique

In Bern, Karl. Young people gathered in front of the Parliament against globalization, your Toune played in the Greencastle car's radio

I, Quebecer to the core, you hit me with a ton of brick

I'm born "in" seventies, in a changing Quebec Where the lily flower emblem gave people some hope

But when I look at it today, I'm so not proud of my homeland It sleeps on gas in bungalows, ass sitting on status quo

Crammed with the dumbest TV soaps and talk shows Letting thenself die on the couch with their little candid air

In this kingdom of the poutine, one delights in 'mediocrity So satisfied with our routine and pre-made happiness

"Would you take a ticket?" said the cashier at the drug store "Come on Big, take out your little two, being a millionaire is happiness"

He starts to dream on Saturday that he’ll leave his slum Don't hope damned moron, you got one chance in fourteen million

In the casino parking lot, a guy shoots himself in the head Having all "flobé" (spend) his cash, he was not too heartly at the party

But the government doesn’t care, it feeds directly on gamblers Exploiting their dependence, a bit like a drug dealer

If this is modern Quebec, well I put my flag at bern And fuck all the fools who govern us If you dream of having a country, well I tell you that you start badly You got a better chance of winning at the lottery

We have been for so many years, a small people of yes-men Who walked butt tight at the arrival of the foreman

Today it' a little changed, the guys are all unionized It talks 3-4 around a shovel, looking at the youngest one zealous

But we should not rejoice too quickly, we are still carriers of water Sold at the elite and full-of-shit in tuxedo

When the boss of a big corporation closes his factory in Gaspésie He will not ask your opinion, there' will slay you without thank you

A scoundrel quest in the street at the foot of a large glass building Will go unnoticed at the exit of shareholders

What matters to them is the income and not the problems of the Earth "It’s not my fault if you’re an asshole, I only care that I thrive"

And the Prime Minister pretends he cares for the poor While we know that he is in the service of the wealthy and their business

Environment, poverty, it's not priority topics We don’t hear much behind the doors of departments

If this is modern Quebec, well I put my flag at bern And I fuck all the fools who govern us If you’re happy with this country, well this my man, it’s your opinion You must be the CEO of a company

When we learn that in the North, something went really not catholic That our forests are put to death, it speaks in public opinion

Two weeks and it sinks into oblivion, the story is dead and buried And in the park of Vérendrye, they continue to cut everything

This is the problem of my homeland, there is no one to be indignant Against the false democracy that serves the rich and bankers

In this country populated by ignorant, 'must not remember too much of its history Here’s just the car's plates, which still have a little bit of memory

If this is modern Quebec, well I put my flag in bern And fuck all the fools who govern us If that’s what you call a nation, chances are you’re pretty dumb You’re ready to run for election

If this is modern Quebec, well I put my flag in bern If this is modern Quebec, well I put my flag in bern

[hermionegranger56]

Y’ALL i saw Moulin Rouge in Boston with @eyesclosed-blinktwice, in its pre-broadway run and OH BABY! I’ve waited this long to write about it cause i tried to get tickets to see it again (it was THAT good) but i waited too long/lost the ticket lottery a bunch OH WELL. here’s a semi-coherent recap of this spectacular spectacular!

first things first, AARON FUCKING TVEIT. GOD. WHAT A GODDAMN MAN. *deep breath* so I’ve casually loved Aaron Tveit since…2012?? like its been a while?? this, combined with the fact that he’s Broadway royalty made watching him perform live SO SURREAL. like  a "wow there’s Aaron Tveit, i can see his face and he’s singing is this real life” kinda vibe. and man did he SLAY this role. I REALLY loved his interpretation of Christian. In act 1 he so effortlessly captures the idealistic dreamer, moving through every number with boundless charm. In act 2 he really delves into Christian’s insecurities and jealousy and truly unravels, which was more interesting than the movie where he kinda just turns into a sad loverboy after Satine goes to the Duke? his chemistry with Karen Olivo is palpable, they played off each other so well, every interaction they had was downright swoon worthy. and speaking of swoon worthy…his VOCALS. I mean I think he’s my favorite male voice on broadway. you couldn’t help but be captivated when he started singing. i MELTED when he sang Your Song, it was so smooth and sweet. he slid through every song in the extended Elephant Love Medley with ease, rocked the Green Fairy/Chandelier number and ACTIVELY MURDERED ME with Roxanne (but more on this later)

and if it wasn’t enough to have one Broadway legend up on stage, we also were graced with queen of everything KAREN OLIVO BABY!! HOOOO BOY IS SHE AMAZING Y’ALL. i mean the SECOND she enters on that trapeze/swing, your eyes were glued to her for the rest of the show, and not just cause she’s always in a dazzling costume. I was 1000% starstruck, like she really is the sparkling diamond. she commands the stage, belting like nobody’s business, her voice is JAWDROPPING. she gave me goosebumps singing goddamn Firework by Katy Perry and if anyone can make me like that song…now THAT is talent hahaha. Karen also really shined in the Shut Up and Dance Medley, in the What’s Love Got to Do With It addition to Elephant Love, and….you know what no, she shined in every number. end of story. I also ADORED Karen’s adaptation of Satine. She is way more strong willed and autonomous, less like the movie-version-delicate-flower. She knows what she wants and is not afraid to get it. I think the fact that they made her know that she was dying really helped add to this. She’s fierce and powerful and tender and loving and DOWNRIGHT AMAZING.

the supporting cast was also INCREDIBLE. Sahr Ngaujah played Toulouse-Lautrec SO WELL, i loved that he was less comedic plot device and more nuanced bohemian artist. He was funny and charming but also heartbreaking, like when he told Christian he once loved Satine. His Nature Boy was haunting. He had one line standing up to the Duke along the lines of “I am an artist sir. You should tremble at that” and it was delivered with such unequivocal POWER that the whole theater cheered. Tam Mutu was great as the Duke, scary and honestly downright hot hahaha I’m glad they made him less of an insufferable fool, more of an actual threat. Danny Burr as Zidler kept the crowd’s energy up (as if we needed it, this show is so high energy its practically a concert!) and was super entertaining. Robyn Hurder is an ASTOUNDING dancer and kills it as Nini and Jeigh Madjus really stands out as the heartbreaking Baby Doll.

the musical was faithful to the original songs, with the omission of One Day I’ll Fly Away (which i missed tbh), Like a Virgin, The Show Must Go On (also missed). The standouts were: Lady Marmalade, which was had the audience singing and dancing right from the start, Elephant Love Medley, which had some amazing additions, was grandiose, and ended with that iconic eiffel tower/umbrella dance. the whole stage was transformed into a starry night, stars even projected onto the theatre ceiling! and of COURSE Come What May, which Aaron and Karen sang with such skill, tenderness and love. IT. WAS. BEAUTIFUL. AND ROXANNE HOOOOO BABY. at first i was apprehensive about just Aaron singing it cause i LOVE the movie version and how everyone’s voices overlap at the end and its NUTS but i was DEAD WRONG. he starts out growling “Roxanne” and it is amazinggg. he really shows Christian lose it while absolutely killing the vocals. my jaw LITERALLY hit the floor when he sang “why does my heart cry, feelings I can’t fight” find audio of it y’all, its insane.

the new songs were also incredible! I was prepared to dislike some, since some were like…hits of 2013. BUT I WAS WRONG. they were so good!! most of them were in a mashup style and the audience cheered when they recognized each song which added to the energy of the show. BY FAR the best was the Act 2 opener, a medley of Bad Romance/Tainted Love/Seven Nation Army/Toxic/Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This). it was high energy, intense, technically perfect and downright SEXY. the dancing was incredible, the lifts were cool (at one point they literally throw Aaron). At the end, the audience clapped for legit a full minute (poor Aaron had to hold a half backbend for it hahah). other faves? Chandelier/Green Fairy, Crazy/Rolling in the Deep and the Duke’s Rolling Stones mashup!

THE SET WAS INDESCRIBABLY BEAUTIFUL. SO SO INTRICATE. The red light up sign, the elephant and windmill in the balconies, the elaborate interiors of the elephant and Christian’s home, it was nearly too much to take in. AND THE COSTUMES specifically every single one of Satine’s glittering numbers. perfect, elegant, STUNNING. Ensemble costumes were also amazing, at one point the lights came up on a group of aristocrats in elaborate pastel outfits and the whole crowd gasped a little!

little things i loved: dancers posing in the balconies before the show even started, the sword eaters, Aaron walking on stage, lifting his hand and the Moulin Rouge sign flying out so that Lady Marmalade can begin, the fact that I’ve now been rick rolled by Aaron Tveit, Karen’s entrances on the swing, Satine telling Zidler “let mama go to work” then strutting offstage, Christian dancing in his seat when Satine is signing Diamonds, the fact that they changed the spectacular from the cultural appropriated mess that it was, Zidler: “let me see your ass!” Christian: *turns around and shows his butt in super tight pants to the crowd*, the confetti, the harmonies in Chandelier (specifically Ricky Rojas’ entrance), the fact that after Satine dies they end the show/do bows to a fun song so you’re not too sad.

safe to say I can’t WAIT till this hits Broadway!!

[lottery569]

Famous Florida Lottery Winners and Their Stories

The Florida Lottery has been a popular pastime for Floridians since its introduction in 1988. Over the years, many players have won incredible jackpots, and their stories are fascinating. From small town winners to historic record-breakers, the Florida Lottery has made dreams come true. This article will explore some of the most famous Florida lottery winners and their inspiring stories of financial success. From humble beginnings to overnight millionaires, these stories demonstrate how life can change with just one ticket.

-Jack Whittaker: Richest Winner

An article about famous Florida lottery winners would not be complete without mentioning Jack Whittaker. In 2002, this West Virginia entrepreneur became the biggest single lottery winner in U.S. history when he won a Powerball drawing and took home $314 million.

Whittaker was already a successful businessman before his big win, but the magnitude of his prize changed his life entirely. He donated millions to charity, set up trust funds for family members and enjoyed luxury vacations on private jets. But not all was easy for Whittaker; legal troubles and other family issues took their toll over time and tarnished some of his post-win success. Nevertheless, he remains one of the most iconic Florida lottery winners ever with an inspiring story that has been featured in documentaries and books alike.

Get more Lottery Results

-Gloria MacKenzie: Biggest Single Ticket Win

Gloria MacKenzie, an 84-year-old woman from Zephyrhills, Florida, is the biggest single lottery ticket winner in U.S. history. In May of 2013, after purchasing a Powerball ticket at Publix Supermarket, MacKenzie won a whopping $590 million jackpot prize. This incredible feat made her the biggest single lottery ticket winner ever in America and she was later listed among Forbes' list of billionaires for that year.

MacKenzie opted to take the lump sum payment for her winnings which was $370 million before taxes were taken out. After splitting it with her son Scott and giving some away to charity, Mackenzie had around $278 million left over - all from one lucky ticket!

-David Kaltschmidt & Maureen Smith: Powerball Surprise

When it comes to lottery winners, few are as well-known as David Kaltschmidt and Maureen Smith. The couple won an astonishing $528.8 million Powerball jackpot in January 2016, making them the fifth largest lottery winners ever. At the time, they were living in Melbourne Beach, Florida and working full time - David as a software engineer at Harris Corp., and Maureen working part-time at her husband's former aerospace company.

The couple kept their winning quiet for a few months before announcing their good fortune publicly in March of that same year. As part of the celebration with the media, they drove up to Tallahassee in a black Jaguar wearing matching tuxedos – truly embracing the moment! They chose to take the lump sum payout option of $327 million after taxes were deducted from their winnings.

-Abraham Shakespeare: Tragic Tale

Abraham Shakespeare of Florida was the winner of a $17 million lottery jackpot in 2006, making him one of the most famous lottery winners in Florida. But his story is now a tragic tale. After his big win, Shakespeare quickly squandered his fortune and became the victim of an unscrupulous woman who eventually drained him of all that remained. He soon disappeared and wasn't seen again until 2009 when his remains were found buried under a concrete slab behind a home owned by Dorice “Dee Dee” Moore. Moore was later convicted for her part in the slaying and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

-Sharon Tirabassi: Spending Spree

Sharon Tirabassi is one of the most famous lottery winners in Florida. In 2004, Sharon won a $10.5 million jackpot from the Canadian Lotto Super 7, and she had no idea just how much her life was about to change. The single mother of two decided to treat herself with some of the winnings, embarking on a spending spree that included buying a new home and several cars for her family.

Despite Sharon's extravagant purchases, she also made sure to be responsible with her money by hiring an accountant and financial advisors to manage it properly. After allocating funds for investments, tax payments and other expenses associated with winning such a large sum, there was still plenty left over for Sharon to enjoy guilt-free shopping trips around the world.

-Conclusion:

Impact of Lotto Wins The Florida lottery has been around since the late 1980s, and has seen its fair share of life-changing winners. From professional athletes to average citizens, many people have experienced the joy of winning millions from a single ticket. But what happens after the initial shock and joy wear off? The answer may surprise you.

While lottery winnings can bring financial freedom, it does come with the risk of losing it all in a very short amount of time if not managed properly. Studies show that about 70% of lottery winners find themselves worse off five years after becoming millionaires due to bad investments or simply overspending on wasteful things that do not add long-term value to their lives. Of course, some winnings are used for philanthropic efforts or investment into businesses that produce lasting value. In those cases, there is potential for positive impact beyond just personal wealth.

[dailyaudiobiblechronological]

3/25/2022 DAB Chronological Transcription

Joshua 9-11

Welcome to Daily Audio Bible Chronological. Today is the 25th day of March. I'm Jill. It's so great to be here with you as we are walking our way through the Bible every day in chronological order until we get through the entire Word in a year. And it's my joy, my honor, and my distinct privilege to be here reading the Word for us individually, collectively and in community. Today we are reading Joshua chapters 9, 10 and 11. And just a couple of days left in God's Word translation. Joshua, chapter 9.

Commentary:��

I'm gonna take an excerpt from The God of Your Story today just to kind of get us caught up in yesterday and today's reading because a lot has happened. This God of Your Story book has been written by my husband Brian, and if you only listen to Daily Audio Bible Chronological, I would say you're definitely missing out. Daily Audio Bible, the main channel is- he's brilliant and this is his thoughts over the culmination of many years. Drama and victory took place in the Promised Land today as a deception eventually catapulted into war. The reality of Israel's presence and the land sapped any arrogance God's enemies might have had. They were terrified of Israel. One of the people groups, the Gibeonites, decided to be proactive. Although they had a large city full of warriors, they understood God's reputation and knew they were sure to be conquered in battle. They decided it would be better to serve the Hebrew people than to be dead. They sent ambassadors into the camp of Israel and lied that they had traveled from a faraway land in pursuit of a peace treaty and the request was granted. Once Joshua realized they were neighbors and not people from a distant land, he couldn't break the treaty. The defeat of Jericho and Ai, combined with the peace treaty with Gibeon served to unhinge the balance of power in the region. The Kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmouth, Lakish and Eglon allied themselves to attack Gibeon in retribution for their peace treaty with Israel. Joshua was forced to enter the battle on behalf of Gibeon because of the same treaty. A surprise attack routed the five southern Kings and quickly Israel gained a large swath of the Promised Land to settle into. In other words, I think the question that I'm sitting with over the last two days is who thought taking and entering the Promised land would be easy? Just sit with that for a second. We talk about the promise in our own lives. The thing that we're contending for, the thing we're believing for, the thing that we're hoping for and we pray for. We get other people to pray for. It's not wrong, but we think we're just gonna snag it when God decides to drop it into our lap. Well maybe we even start formulating it. Well, let's think of the lottery system. If I pay a dollar for a ticket, I could potentially win $1 million dollars. And we so often can really start looking at God the same way. We can so often start teaching similar principles, that if you just do this for God, the perpetual blessings shall flow from the sky. I'm just afraid that's not how it works. I have lived enough life. I have been a Christian in Christian culture for my entire life that I can tell you I can't find one person who has had it easy, who has sat back and lived in the perpetual blessing downpour showers of God's unfathomable blessings in the form of material possessions, which I'm not so sure those are even blessings. But I'm saying the things that we are aching for, praying for. Some of you are praying for a spouse. Some of you are praying for your children. Some of you are praying, believing, hoping for a healing. And we can have a tendency to tack the promise onto that thing that we are hoping for. And what I am here to tell you today, out of experience, out of love, is that it will not come without a fight. It will not come without sometimes slaying giants in your path. It will not come without strategy. I think sometimes we think hope is our strategy. Hope is not a strategy. Hope should be at the foundation of our core beliefs. But hope is not the plan. What's the plan? What's the strategy? Partnering with God. The children of Israel by the leadership of Joshua had to devise a plan to take the land. They didn't sit back and wait while eating chocolates, getting a massage, binging on Netflix. They had to contend for the land that they knew God promised them. And the thing is, God was faithful to Joshua, delivering strategy because Joshua was in tune and dialoguing the voice of Almighty God. It is not going to be easy. And I'm sorry if somewhere along the journey somebody told you that it would. Because faith is hard. Believing in what you can't see and remaining hopeful is hard. Let's just recognize that it's difficult. There are days hope is lost out of sight. And faith is...you don't know what you believe sometimes because we start listening to the noise, we start tuning into the voices and we've got to declutter the noise sometimes. Get alone with God and find strategy.

Prayer: 

Father, we thank you for this word today that rings true in our ears and in our hearts and in our spirits. And it dismisses and defuncts some myths that we've believed that this journey of faith is easy. There are battles we will have to fight. There are wars we will have to win, not literally, but figuratively. But we do not fight alone. You are for us. And sometimes we are fighting battles that you did not ask us to take on. So, Father, help us to tune into the voice of you that gives us divine strategy. And sometimes we have to abandon what somebody told us, to come and hear from you and follow your voice. And we get tired, and we get weary from the battle. But what we know is that in our weakness, you are our strength. So we admit when we're weak, we admit when we're tired, we admit when we are hopeless. And we admit when we're losing faith. And we know there's no shame in admitting that. And you come and you meet us in the middle, right there. You're with us and you renew us. You strengthen us, and you send others as reinforcements that just help us in our time of weakness. So we thank you, God, for the knowledge of knowing that this might be hard, but you will never not be with us. We thank you for that. We praise you for that. And we worship you for who you are. Pray this now in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen. Announcements: 

Dailyautiobible.com. That's home base. Check it out, if you have not. If you would like to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, thank you so much for your partnership. We cannot do this without you. And we're grateful, we do not have to. If you're giving by mail DAB PO Box, 1996 Spring Hill, Tennessee 37174 or you can hit the Give icon up at the top right hand corner of your mobile device. And lastly, look for the Give icon on the website as well. If you need prayer, if you would like to pray for someone that's previously called in, and if you're in the struggle, know that you do not have to go through the struggle alone. There are some mighty warriors of prayer here ready and willing to pray for you. 800-583-2164 or hit the red circle, button it's up at the top right hand corner of your mobile device on your app and just hit submit. Turn the wheel over to chronological. It will get to the right place. You have two minutes to do so. And then lastly, if you would like to reach out to a fellow listener, we ask that you do that on social media platforms. That is it for me today. I'm Jill. We'll turn the page together in the story of our own lives and in the story of the word of God. Until then, love one another.

Community Prayer Line: 

Hey, my DABC family. I thank you for being here. I thank the Hardins and God bless them and all of us. So today I'm calling. This is Greg from Washington calling for a prayer. I broke my femur in late January and been out of work and I've been to struggling to pay the bills and rent and our lease is due and so there's no forgiveness. And I've got about ten days, basically two weeks max to get the full rent amount, just asking for provision. I know the Lord will take care of it no matter what, but anyway, just in pain and recovering, but pushing myself a little farther than I should, but I need to go out and earn what I can. So anyway, just for prayer. Thank you so much. Thank you. God bless you guys. Okay.

Hi, this is Victoria Soldier, just calling to pray for some of the DABers. I wanted to pray for my precious sister Whitney, who lost her uncle and the 19 year old daughter and some challenge dealing with her 19 year old daughter. And I also want to pray for the lady who had a friend who called her who was drunk and was going through alcohol problems. I'm going to ask you, I want to pray for them right now. Gracious Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask you to lift up my sister Whitney. Lift her up, Lord, in the name of Jesus, I ask you to touch her and strengthen her in the loss of her uncle. Father, in the name of Jesus, that you touch that family, Lord, and you encourage them and you strengthen them to make it through. Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask you also to touch that precious lady that was drinking and having the challenges that she was. Father, I ask you to rebuke that spirit of desire, Lord, and cast it out and give her the strength, Lord, give her what she needs to make it through, Father. Have her to come to you, the author and finish of our faith. Help her to put her trust in you, that she may be delivered, that she may be set free, O Lord, and knock down the cobwebs in her life and let your will be done. In the name of Jesus, you have your way in her life, Lord, in the name of Jesus. And Lord we will give you the glory. We will give you the honor and the prayer. Have a great day, DABers. Love you so much. Have a good time.

Hello Daily Audio Bible Chronological. My name is Renee and I'm from South Africa. This is actually my first year with Daily Audio Bible Chronological and my first year reading the Bible entirely chronologically and I have been struggling. The last time that I read through the app was the 14th of January and this is because I started a new job on the 10th of January and I'm so grateful for the job. This is my first job ever, but it takes so much time for me. I don't even have time to read the word of God. That's how much time this job takes for me. So what I'm asking for is prayers from the community, prayers so that I can be able to juggle my work life and also prioritize the word of God and God himself. And I wouldn't be where I am without him. And I'm asking for prayers in that sense. And also I've been very anxious at work, nervous and having imposter syndrome. I would also like prayers in that respect and I would really appreciate your prayers and I'm at a point in my life where I am supposed to be so grateful but I'm also a bit worried because my relationship with God has deteriorated and it's really concerning me. So I would really appreciate your prayers and thank you so much. Hi, Daily Audio Bible Chronological family. This is Reba the Nurse from Nebraska. I am reaching out specifically to Adrian from North Carolina but I also want to include anybody else who finds themselves in that limbo state of having labs done, or a test done and the results are in. Or maybe they're in and you're not sure exactly what it means. Or maybe you found out what it means and you're in fear. Father, I just ask that you be with us. Father, You have created our bodies. You created this environment around us, Father. You have created us for joy, gladness, peace, hope, patience. Father, that when we focus on you, Father we find that the Holy Spirit indwells in us. Father, I ask for anybody who is in the same situation as Adrian, Father that there is somebody around them that can come alongside them and provide that education and that peace and just the presence, just somebody to go to that doctor's appointment with you, or to go drive you to a treatment, or to just sit with you when you're like. I just don't feel good. Father, I just pray for ministers to be around Adrian and I, Father I just pray that you quell that spirit of fear, for your love, your perfect love casts out all fear and fear is not of you. And fear causes our health to decline more because we are so fearful we can't move. And we can't make decisions when we are in fear. Father, bless her. Bless those around her in your name. Amen.

[uschi-the-listener]

not any old Prince

women tend not to be romantic but that may be changing

because we buy our own flowers now and the prince can be charming or not

my prince is charming which he conceals carefully under an ill-fitting frog costume.

I want him for my princess. I want to buy him flowers and climb the glass mountain and slay any dragon he needs slain.

I want him to let me do these things without shunning me forever without thinking I am mocking him or denigrating his ferocity and strength

because it is more about me adoring him than who he is gender-wise

girls have to just sit and wait and I'm not good at that. Send me dragons and quests.

Princesses wait. They sit and embroider things or arrange the flowers

stupid waste of time for any prince of mine

I want to offer the prince equivalent of a bouquet of red roses a heart box of candy silk stockings

a lottery ticket and a bloody dagger a head on a pike hardly seem to convey the message wanted here

He is a man and there is no question of that so why can't he have

flowers

sweet tenderness from me

why the hell not anyway?

[nyameowtherfucker]

yeah, that's about what i've been doing (collecting lottery tickets, leveling skills, leveling Gilgamesh).. my progress on Jaguars remains "almost but not quite" :P

I continue to wish you luck on it, and with super and great successes. I told myself I'd be going to bed earlier today but it's approaching 2... I need to sleep. If you crack the code of jaguar slaying, please tell me!

[bbcbreakingnews]

Winner of 2017 $10M lottery prize charged with murder

Michael Todd Hill, 52, of Leland, has been charged with murder and is currently bring held without bond 

A North Carolina man who won a $10 million lottery prize in 2017 has been arrested on a murder charge.

The Shallotte Police Department charged Michael Todd Hill, 52, of Leland, with murder after the body of a woman, Keonna Graham, was found in a room at the Sure Stay Hotel in Shallotte on Monday, according to news outlets.

Authorities did not immediately release additional details about the woman’s slaying.

Hill won $10 million from an Ultimate Millions scratch-off ticket at a Maco Road store in August 2017, WECT-TV reported.

Hill was arrested ‘in the early hours’ Tuesday in Southport, North Carolina. 

He was ordered held without bond at a Brunswick County jail after his initial court appearance.

Keonna Graham, was found dead in a room at the Sure Stay Hotel in Shallotte on Monday

Hill won $10 million from an Ultimate Millions scratch-off ticket at a Maco Road store in August 2017

The hotel, where rooms start from $160-a-night, is seen above

The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office and the State Bureau of Investigation assisted in the investigation.

Hill now joins the decent sized list of lotto winners who have had tragic happenings since winning their life-changing sums. 

Targeted by a con-woman, murdered and buried under concrete 

In 2006, Florida man Abraham Shakespeare, 42, won $17million. He was killed three years later by DeeDee Moore, a woman who had targeted him for the money. 

DeeDee had managed to take almost $2million from Shakespeare by the time she orchestrated his killing.  

She and her boyfriend buried him beneath a concrete slab in a wooded area afterwards. 

He was missing for several months before she eventually admitted where his body was. 

Abraham Shakespeare (seen left with relatives) won the Florida Lottery in November 2006. He was targeted by Dee Dee Moore who swindled $1.8million out of him then had her boyfriend kill him

Shot in the head by sister-in-law who wanted the winnings

In 1996, 39-year-old Jeffrey Dampier won $20million in Illinois. 

Jeffrey Dampier was murdered in 2005 by his sister-in-law, ten years after winning $20million 

He lived happily for years to come, spending the money on his family, but was murdered in 2005 by his sister-in-law and her husband. 

He was married when he won the lottery in 1996 and when he and his first wife separated, they decided to split what remained of the winnings in half. 

He later moved to Florida and remarried, to Crystal Jackson. 

While living in Tampa, he embarked on an affair with his wife’s sister Vanessa.

Vanessa and her husband Nathaniel lured him the apartment which he paid for them to live in on July 26, 2005, and shot him in the back of the head.

It’s not clear why they thought they would inherit his money. His widow Crystal said in 2015 that she would never ‘go near’ the lottery, telling WFLA: ��It’s a curse.’

Stabbed to death by ex-boyfriend 

Doris Murray, 42, won $5million in 2007. 

The woman from Dublin, Georgia, wanted to use the money on a trust fund for her grandchildren but she was stabbed to death a year after claiming her prize.  

Derrick Lorenzo Stanley, her ex-boyfriend- was charged with killing her. 

She wanted her prize in $172,000, yearly installments to be paid over 20 years. It is now paid to whoever was in her will. 

At the time of her death, police said she and Stanley had gotten into a fight and she tried to end the relationship. 

Neighbors called the police when they saw him leaving her modest apartment block with blood on her face.  

Hit by a car on the way home from celebrating her win 

In 2010, in Sandusky, Ohio, 47-year-old winner Deborah McDonald was on her way home from a bar where she had been celebrating her $5,000 windfall when she was hit by a car. 

Her death is believed to have been an accident. 

She had just won the more modest sum on the Ohio Lottery’s Cash Explosion.

Deborah McDonald won $5,000 in Sandusky, Ohio, on the Cash Explosion in 2010. She was hit by a car as she walked home from celebrating the win and later died. It was an accident

It was a pre-taped show which aired several days after her murder. 

After claiming her winnings at the television studio, McDonald took her friends and family out for dinner and drinks. 

She also bought her and her husband wedding rings which they could never afford before. 

Stalked by strangers asking for handouts until he killed himself 

Billie Bob Harrell won $31million in the Texan lottery in 1997. 

Billie Bob Harrell killed himself in 1999, two years after winning $31million in the Texan lottery 

A Home Depot worker with a wife and three children to support, he was eager for a taste of the high life and quit his job not long after claiming his prize. 

Harrell also donated generously to charities and bought friends and relatives cars and homes. 

One year, he bought more than 400 turkeys for needy families to enjoy on Thanksgiving.  

His reputation for generosity caught up with him and he and his family had to move to avoid strangers coming to their home to ask for money. 

He also had to change his phone number to escape the requests. 

Impatient to get his hands on all his winnings, he took a bad deal from a company which pays out lump sums in exchange for all of lottery winners’ future installments. 

It meant he actually got less than he would have done had he waited for the yearly payments. Harrell and his wife divorced and in May 1999, just two years after he won, he shot himself. 

He was 47. 

Robbed, turned to booze and forced to mourn drug deaths of his daughter and granddaughter before house went up in flames

Jack Whittaker won $315million in 2002 

Jack Whittaker has the worst pattern of luck of any lottery winner. 

In 2002, the West Virginia businessman won $315million but his life soon descended into tragedy. 

A year later, thieves broke into his car and stole $545,000 which he carried in it in a suitcase. 

They stole another $200,000 the following year. 

In 2005, Whittaker’s granddaughter Brandi was found dead, wrapped in plastic with drugs in her system. 

Her own boyfriend had died of a drug overdose months earlier. The official cause of her death is not known. 

Two years later, her mother – Whittaker’s daughter Ginger – died of a drug overdose.

By the time of her death, he said his bank accounts were empty. He blamed his relatives deaths’ on the winning ticket, assuming that they bought the drugs which killed them with his money. 

‘My granddaughter is dead because of the money. She was the shining star of my life, and she was what it was all about for me. 

‘You know, my wife said she wished that she had torn the ticket up. Well, I wish that we tore the ticket up too,’ he told ABC’s 20/20. 

Whittaker’s daughter Ginger (far left) and his granddaughter Brandi (second left) both died of drug overdoses which he blames on his winning ticket 

Squandered money on gambling and now lives in a trailer park

Evelyn Basehore, 64, is now living in a trailer park 

Evelyn Basehore, now 64, won $3.9million in 1985 and won an additional $1.4million the following year in New Jersey. 

The woman had a crippling gambling habit and gave much of her money away to friends who were equally addicted. 

By the 2000, the only home she could afford was in a trailer park. 

‘Winning the lottery isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. Everybody wanted my money. Everybody had their hand out,’ she told Bankrate in 2012. 

She added: ‘I won the American dream, but I lost it, too. It was a very hard fall. It’s called rock bottom.

‘I never learned one simple word in the English language: “no.”

‘I wish I had the chance to do it all over again. Most times, I wish I didn’t play. But I do play it still once in a while,’ she added. 

Donated millions to colleges and the Clintons then filed for bankruptcy 

Janite Lee won $18million in 1993 in St Louis, Missouri. 

She donated much of her fortune to the University of Washington and the school used to build a new library. 

But just eight years after collecting her prize, she filed for bankruptcy in 2001. 

Lee was in her 50s when she won. 

She and her husband had emigrated from South Korea to the United States with his three children in the 1970s. 

Among her causes was Bill Clinton who she gave a fundraiser for in 1997. 

Later, she was on a list of prominent donors who gave to the Democratic National Committee.  

Janite Lee with Bill Clinton at a fundraiser she organized for him after her 1993 $18million win. She declared bankruptcy in 2001 

The post Winner of 2017 $10M lottery prize charged with murder appeared first on BBC BREAKING NEWS.

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[broadwayworld]

Producers of the Tooting Arts Club production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street just announced that New York audiences can now "attend the tale" through December 31, 2017 with a new block of tickets on sale today. Plus, a limited number of tickets at each performance (starting tonight!) will be available through a TodayTix digital lottery. Sweeney Todd, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book byHugh Wheeler from an adaptation by Christopher Bond, and directed byBill Buckhurst, officially opened last night at the Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street).   

[av7groups]

How to Create Non-Fungible Assets and Collectible Tokens With Bitcoin Cash

On August 21, James Cramer, the developer behind the Simple Ledger Protocol( SLP ), announced the launch of the Electron Cash SLP version 3.5. The recent freeing allows people to create a brand-new type of SLP token announced NFT1, a non-fungible token that can be grouped together by a single ID. The advanced organize of SLP token creation allows people to use the system to create unique resources like gaming pieces, collectibles, and digital media rights.

Also read: Social Network Memo Adds Decentralized SLP Token Exchange

How to Create an NFT1 Type SLP Token Using the Electron Cash Wallet

The Simple Ledger Protocol( SLP) is celebrating its first anniversary. Since then there’s been a token explosion as thousands of unique coins have been created using the SLP system. The majority of SLP tokens have been a’ type1’ token which defines a common listing of rules for SLP-based signs to follow within the larger Bitcoin Cash ecosystem. At the end of June, SLP architects James Cramer and Jonald Fyookball published a brand-new description by extending the SLP token character 1 standard. The new type of token is called NFT1 which allows people to create non-fungible tokens that are grouped together by a single ID. The documentation on Github explains that having the ability to group non-fungible tokens( NFTs) in a provable form opens many doorways. Similarly to the ERC7 21 protocol, NFT1s can extend token creation to things like uncommon collectibles, digital media rights, raffles, tickets, and blockchain extensible games.

Download the Electron Cash SLP version 3.5 for NFT1 functionality.

Just like our prior SLP examines in the past, news.Bitcoin.com has researched the new NFT1 standard abusing the Electron Cash SLP wallet. The following walkthrough was written to provide an penetration into the basics of NFT1 invention. The first thing you need to do is download the most recent developments SLP Electron Cash pouch edition 3.5, as any wallet below this release will not mint NFT1s. The download makes less than a instant, depending on internet rapidity, as the program takes about 30 MB of gap. The Electron Cash SLP 3.5 liberation is available for Linux, MacOS, and Windows. Electron Cash( EC) patrons will notice the freshly released SLP version has the same logo as the EC wallet with Cashshuffle, except it’s light-green rather than blue.

After the download is complete, you need to open the program and create a new wallet or import existing funds into the wallet if it’s your first time exploiting the EC program. If you were already exercising an older version of EC then your existing wallet’s history will be available in the brand-new account after the refurbish accomplishes. If it’s the first time you are creating an SLP token, you need to know that a small fraction of BCH is needed to act as’ gas’ for the brand-new token’s genesis transaction and further sending.

Happy 1 Year Anniversary SLP!

Electron Cash SLP 3.5, was just released and it has some really exciting pieces. Really take a look for yourself.https :// t.co/ c0YOjgNFi7

1/ 4

— Simple Ledger (@ SimpleLedger) August 21, 2019

The Parent Toilet Paper Token and Subsequent Children 2PLY and 1PLY

Once there’s a small fraction of BCH in the wallet, you can then proceed to customize a new SLP NFT1 type token. After the purse is open, simply press the “SLP tokens” tab and at the bottom of the window you will see another tab that says “Create brand-new token.” Pressing this will open a brand-new window, which allows you to create your first patronage NFT1 type token. The first thing I did was create a token with an NFT1 parent announced “Toilet Paper Token- Ultra Soft” with a ticker announced TPT.

An NFT1 parent must be created firstly and in order to create an NFT1 child you need to spend a quantity greater than 0 mother NFT1 in a brand-new genesis busines.

A parent token allows for the creation of non-fungible clues called brats, which essentially entails the parent’s token ID keeps them all together as a family. My Toilet Paper Token- Ultra Soft is the token parent and I formed 2,000 of them tethered to a URL called papertoilet.com. After the parent is created in order to create an NFT1 child, you need to spend a quantity greater than 0 mother NFT1 in a brand-new genesis deal. From now, simply right-click the mother token and select “Create new NFT.”

Right-click the clue mother and adopt “Create brand-new NFT” to create subsequent progenies.

Doing this will create subsequent youths NFTs that will be tethered to the same group ID as the mother token. So with my 2,000 TPT example( 2,000 is the number of expanses in most ultra-soft moves ), I established two children called 2PLY and 1PLY. The EC wallet will require you to waste a fraction larger than 0 mother NFT1 by creating a genesis transaction for you and after that completes you can proceed to create subsequent infants. Children don’t have to have the same name or same ticker, and can have a different certificate or URL upload confined to them as well.

The wallet will automatically tether child signs to the same group ID figure as the mother.

As long as the group ID is the same for child tokens as they are for the parents, you or anyone who knows a block explorer can tell they are related by the group ID. Of trend, the establishment of the 2,000 TPT, 2PLY, and 1PLY shows the very basics of how to work with the new SLP token standard. Blockchain adventurers like Bitcoin.com’s BCH Block Explorer and the transaction adventurer Simpleledger.info can verify whether the clue is a nature 1 SLP token or an NFT1 mother or child.

The 2PLY babe NFT1 token according to Bitcoin.com’s Block Explorer. Nonfungible Set of Grouped Tokens Open the Doors to a Whole New Environment

Anyone can take the NFT1 SLP token concepts further by bind digitized resources like images or recreation entries to these peculiar types of nonfungible clues. Similarly to the Rare Pepe card game created by Counterparty or the Crypto Kitties campaign on Ethereum, people can use the brand-new NFT1 standard for a slay of fun and uncommon collectibles. Currently, due to the nascent stages of NFT1s created in this manner, builders will need to be aware of wallets that exclusively have the SLP send feature. If a purse doesn’t ensure that the signs expended are using the same token type field, then spending a child with a consumer like this could result in burning non-fungible clues unintentionally. This makes third party wallets will have to meet these requirements in order to be consistent with NFT1 type tokens. It may not be an issue for a game like environmental issues where the tokens are meant to stay within the platform, but the NFT1 ecosystem can be far more robust with wallets that support NFT1s.

The new Simple Ledger Protocol NFT1 standard allows for the creation of collectibles like Rare Pepe placards.

Creating an NFT1 SLP token actually doesn’t take much season at all and is just as quick as procreating standard nature 1 SLP coins. Developers will have to figure out ways to tie metadata( SVG idols, GIFs, extensible activity system) in order to build truly unique things with these signs. SLP developers are already in the midst of discussing the best way to tether portraits to clues. However, the NFT1 tokens don’t even need to be visually aesthetic, as NFT1s can also represent numbered data like raffles, raffles, digital rights, and happening tickets as well.

NFT1s can also power raffle tickets, lotteries, event tickets, and media liberties.

Moreover, the new EC SLP version 3.5 has faster token validation with an SLP graph search. “Graph Search can be enabled through a brand-new Tokens tab in the network dialog, ” SLP architect James Cramer illustrated during the new wallet open. “This new module downloads validation situates in big batches from SLPDB, instead of crawling back towards Genesis blindly inducing many structure requests.” Additionally, thanks to EC developer Calin Culianu, there’s a new parallelized SLP validator that runs a new yarn for each sign ID. “Both fasted and stability of sign validation were improved thanks to Calin, ” Cramer concluded.

The BCH community was pleased with the new handout and the sky’s the limit for meanings that can stem from these types of non-fungible, grouped tokens. The project’s announcement was welcomed on Twitter and Reddit and the sign adventurer Simpleledger.info shows that BCH participants are already appointing peculiar NFT1s on the chain. It will be interesting to see what transpires from this new token standard in time.

What do you think about the recently exhausted Electron Cash SLP 3.5 explanation and the ability to create NFT1s with ease? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments part below.

Image ascribes: Shutterstock, Simple Ledger Protocol, Bitcoin.com’s Blockchain Explorer, Rarepepewallet.com,and the Electron Cash Wallet.

Do you want to dig deeper into Bitcoin Cash and the Simple Ledger Protocol Universe? Head to our Blockchain Explorer to consider specific BCH and SLP deals, places, and blocks.

The post How to Create Non-Fungible Resource and Collectible Tokens With Bitcoin Cash materialized first on Bitcoin News.

Read more: news.bitcoin.com

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[consulting-celiac-in-the-tardis]

9 (Hilariously Accurate) Reasons to Date Someone with Fibromyalgia

New blog post! Whether you're a die-hard romantic or not, it's impossible to ignore the fact that Valentine's Day 2018 is almost here...and that means love is in the air. (Or, at the very least, plastered on every bag of chocolates, desserts or flowers in grocery stores nationwide). To get in the lovey-dovey spirit, I thought I'd talk about a lighter side of living with fibromyalgia: nine hilariously accurate reasons why fibromyalgia warriors are A+ dating material. Sure, this post is written with humor and the traits I list below probably do not all apply to every single person living with fibromyalgia. However, I find that being able to laugh at some of the fibromyalgia symptoms that make my life extra "unique" can make the flare ups and the bad days a lot easier to handle.

So whether you have fibromyalgia, you know someone who does or you're already dating a fibromyalgia warrior, here are nine (funny but true) ways dating someone with fibromyalgia makes life (and romance) even sweeter...

1. Have a brain fart or just have a forgetful nature? We can 100% relate.

I'll be the first to admit that memory isn't my strong suit even when my brain is working perfectly. However, one common symptom of fibromyalgia is brain fog...and during fibromyalgia flare ups, my brain can be so sluggish, I'd fit in perfectly as a zombie extra on The Walking Dead. So, if you're always forgetting where you put your keys last or what day is trash pick up, just know that I might tease you a little, but I'll mostly let it slide. And if your significant other is as familiar with fibromyalgia brain fog as I am, they'll probably have a similar reaction. (Not to mention, appreciate you for what you can remember and help us remember too!).

2. We always have an extra jacket/coat/sweater/scarf nearby in case it's cold.

Even though I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia at age 11, I didn't realize how closely related cold sensitivity and fibromyalgia was until a few years ago. Some research actually reports that people with fibromyalgia have lower pain thresholds to hot and cold temperatures...which means, when it's cold, we start to hurt. Fast. So, it really shouldn't be surprising that people with fibromyalgia like me are rarely found with an extra jacket (or two...or three) on hand. If you're the kind of person who's always forgetting to bring that extra layer, maybe Cupid just needs to angle you in our direction? (And not only will we offer you a jacket if you're nice...according to point number one, we also may spare you from excessive scolding for forgetting it in the first place!)

3. Massages will be received with the same thanks and praise as flowers or winning lottery tickets.

When I was growing up, I always joked with my mom that I wanted to marry a cook or a masseuse. Considering that I now know how to whip up plenty of my own delicious gluten free and vegan meals, dating someone with a talent for massages has probably earned an even higher spot on my (somewhat serious) relationship goals. After all, sometimes fibromyalgia flare ups can trigger knots or muscle tightness that no amount of stretching or yoga on our can fix. And while a winning lotto ticket would pay for a lot of physical therapy appointments and flowers are always nice, we'll always be extra thankful for anyone who can help reduce our pain while in the comfort of our own home.

4. We know all the best TV shows to binge watch.

One of the best parts of dating someone with fibromyalgia is the fact that we know exactly which shows are the best to binge watch on Netflix (or any other subscription service). Although not every fibromyalgia warrior may be a TV lover, there is something comforting about cozying up with a good show on Netflix during a bad flare-up. So if you love watching TV but never know which shows are worth your time, knowing someone living with a chronic illness who often relies on TV for distraction could be your "in" to discovering your new favorite shows. (Which, for foodies or documentary lovers, could include some of the food-related Netflix documentaries I list here).

Like this post? Tweet me some love by clicking here: "I'm celebrating #ValentinesDay with some extra love & positivity. Click the link to learn 9 (hilariously accurate) reasons why people with #fibromyalgia are A+ #dating material --> http://bit.ly/2EhEAXZ #chronicillness #fibrowarrior #invisibleillness"

5. When we're having a "good" day, there's no stopping our adventurous side!

Dating someone with fibromyalgia, like dating anyone, involves more than cuddling on the couch and watching Netflix. (Though if that's what forms the basis of your relationship, who am I to judge?) When we do have our fibromyalgia symptoms under control - whether through a new supplement we're trying or just a good day - adventure awaits! Of course, the "adventures" vary depending on the person. For instance, my kind of adventurous date is a long walk along the ocean or hammocking under the stars. Meanwhile, my college roommate (who also has fibromyalgia) has done everything from scuba-diving to breathing fire...and there's no telling what hijinks she'll get up to next. In fact, one could argue that dating someone with fibromyalgia often means dating someone who knows to really appreciate every adventure they go on because adventures aren't a guaranteed option. So even if fibromyalgia may limit our activities sometimes, don't automatically count us out of making some epic memories!

6. We'll rarely turn down a nap or an early bedtime.

In between those adventures, though, there will probably be (a lot of) sleep. Statistics state that as many as 4 in 5 people with fibromyalgia experience severe fatigue, so what may seem like "optional" nap times or late mornings for you are often required energy boosters for us. Ironically, insomnia is another common symptom of fibromyalgia, so some people take sleeping pills, like I do. In my case, those pills mean that I'm rarely hittin' the town after 9 at night, and I don't drive after 7 PM unless there's a special event and I wait to take my pills later. So, if you've previously been teased for your "grandma"-ish early bedtime or you just love quiet nights in, a fibromyalgia warrior might be your sleeping soul mate. Add in our Netflix expertise, and there are plenty of relaxing movie nights in your romantic future.

7. We totally get the magical appeal of comfy clothes and sweats. 

Sure, we'll dress up from time to time (or even every weekday, if that helps us consistently slay our work), but we also agree that sweats are one of the best inventions known to mankind. When you're hurting or tired or extra cold (or all of the above), nothing feels better than slipping on your favorite and comfiest clothes. At least in my case, this means that I don't expect my significant others to always dress up for dates. (Especially if it's a freezing cold night in Minnesota!) Who knows? Maybe dating someone with fibromyalgia increases your odds of finding a significant other who agrees that sweatpants and romance aren't mutually exclusive.

8. Our beds are the kings (or queens) of comfort.

Based on the sleeping habits I've observed in myself, my mother and friends with fibromyalgia, people with fibromyalgia are the modern version of Princess and the Pea: if there is something wrong, hard or uncomfortable about a mattress or pillow, we will find it. And, more importantly, it will keep us from falling and staying asleep. Typically, that means our beds are cozied up to perfection, whether through additional padding, extra fluffy blankets, and/or a perfect pillow that offers support without screwing up your neck. Just don't say I didn't warn you: our beds can be so comfortable, you'll fall asleep during your Netflix date...and depending on how nice we're feeling, we may or may not pause the episode.

Like this post? Tweet me some love by clicking here: "I'm celebrating #ValentinesDay with some extra love & positivity. Click the link to learn 9 (hilariously accurate) reasons why people with #fibromyalgia are A+ #dating material --> http://bit.ly/2EhEAXZ #chronicillness #fibrowarrior #invisibleillness"

9. If you accommodate our fibromyalgia quirks, you'll always be appreciated.

The truth is, fibromyalgia affects many parts of my everyday life. It impacts which foods I decide to eat, which forms of exercise I do or even when I'm available to hang out (nothing sets a strict "curfew" like sleeping meds!). So, when I find people who recognize and accept my fibromyalgia quirks, I'm extra appreciative. Not only because others' support makes living with fibromyalgia easier, but also because my chronic illness is part of who I am...and accepting my chronic illness means that person is accepting and loving all of me. I imagine that most people with fibromyalgia would say the same thing. Valentine's Day can trigger a variety of feelings. For some, it's the perfect day to celebrate a loving relationship. For others, it's just another way to say "Single Awareness Day." This year, though, I want to send my love to more than just one person or my own group of family and friends. I want to send it to every other person kicking life's booty while living with fibromyalgia. Equally important, I want to send love to their significant others because support really can make the difference between living and thriving with chronic illness.

And if you've never dated someone with a chronic illness but fall in love with someone with fibromyalgia one day? Well, I hope you keep this post in the back of your mind, and remember that a little bit of humor and a lot of positivity can reveal hidden blessings in the chronic illness that shapes your loved one's life. Happy Early Valentine's Day! (And if you liked this post...don't miss looking at the one that inspired it, my 2015 list of 8 Hilariously Accurate Reasons to Date Someone with Celiac Disease!) No questions - just tell me your thoughts in the comments! via Blogger http://ift.tt/2G9h0gS

[andrewdburton]

Fighting lifestyle inflation: Hopping off the hedonic treadmill

This is a guest post by former Get Rich Slowly staff writer Donna Freedman, a veteran personal finance journalist — and one of my favorite writers. Since leaving GRS, Donna has published two books: Your Playbook for Tough Times and Your Playbook for Tough Times, volume two. These are both excellent handbooks for folks trying to make ends meet under difficult circumstances.

Frugalists aren’t averse to spending. They’re just canny about how they buy, or whether they buy at all.

That’s a tough sell, so to speak, in a country where we’re persistently pressured to keep up with the Joneses (or the Kardashians). Flash sales, one-click shopping apps, deal websites, and near-weekly sales at brick and mortar stores make it soooo easy to buy.

Haul photos on social media, hot deals shared by friends, clothing or cosmetics worn by favorite celebrities, that bling your sister-in-law sported at Christmas – spending triggers, every one of them.

It’s tempting to believe that next purchase will be the one that makes you finally, truly happy. Except that it probably won’t, thanks to what sociologists call the “hedonic treadmill” or “hedonic adaptation” – our tendency to adjust back to previous levels of happiness after a spike in glee.

J.D.’s note: You might have seen this concept referred to as “lifestyle inflation” at GRS and other money blogs.

Maybe that initial joy is caused by a pay raise or the purchase of a big-ticket item like a luxury car, or even a smaller-ticket item like a leather jacket or the cookware you were convinced would change your life. All too quickly the Lexus becomes just another vehicle, and the raise seems to melt away thanks to lifestyle inflation (like, say, a higher auto insurance rate).

A steady practice of purchasing sets the bar higher every day. Shopping, meals out, luxury vehicles, fabulous entertainment all become needs rather than wants. Little extras and perks are no longer treats – they’re the bare minimum of acceptable.

Saying “Yes” to What Matters

As a midlife university student paying off divorce-related debt, my default setting was “no.”

No, I couldn’t shop anywhere but the secondhand store.

No, I couldn’t go out every weekend.

No, I couldn’t stop brown-bagging.

My dollars had better places to go than malls or movie theaters. Specifically, they were slated for slaying my divorce-related debt, and for building my emergency fund and retirement account.

Once I was debt-free and reasonably well-funded, the “no” setting turned into “well, sure – if you really think it through”. I was able to say “yes” to things that really mattered: health insurance, charitable donations, therapeutic massage, travel.

Mostly, though, I kept soaking beans instead of ordering in, taking the bus instead of buying another car (I’d given the old one to my daughter and son-in-law when they moved), and sticking with my thrift-shop apartment furnishings.

It’s not that I minded spending. I just didn’t want it to be too easy. You shouldn’t want it to be easy, either.

Saying “no” or “not today” doesn’t just improve the bottom line; it also enhances the occasions when you do say yes. A really nice meal out or tickets to the opera or the monster truck rally feel super-special precisely because you don’t get them all the time.

I love steak, probably because I rarely eat it – but when I do, oh boy is it ever great. Would I enjoy it as much if I ate it twice a week? Probably not.

Deferred Gratification Doesn’t Have to Hurt

Understand: I’m not saying you should never buy anything. Frugality does not translate to a life of joyless self-denial. What it does mean is making conscious decisions about what’s right for you and your money.

Obviously you should enjoy the fruits of your labors. Never underestimate the effect of a Saturday matinee or a craft beer with friends; even small treats can feel supremely luxurious.

But treat yourself mindfully rather than automatically. How easy it is to think, “It’s just a hobby magazine” or “I deserve to hit the clubs every weekend while I’m young and carefree”. Pile up enough of those publications and pay enough of those cover charges and it starts to look like real money.

Deferred gratification doesn’t have to hurt. In fact, new electronics might be exponentially cooler because you researched them, anticipated their purchase for weeks, and then paid cash. Which brings me to a word you don’t hear all that often: sacrifice.

Putting off immediate desires used to be a defining characteristic of adulthood. First apartments and first homes were small and modestly decorated (and “decorate” was often code for “things from your grandparents’ attics”). Making it in the real world meant years of hard work and of using it up, wearing it out, making it do or doing without.

That notion may seem downright quaint to those who grew up in a culture of buy now and pay eventually. Why shouldn’t you have the latest smartphone upgrade? Why shouldn’t your first apartment have throw pillows and wallpaper borders and pillow shams that match the dust ruffle? Why shouldn’t your kids have the best that money can buy?

Because you pay for many months or even for years, that’s why, and because it’s not just the interest charges that hurt. Being in debt means opportunity cost – think of where that money could have gone! – and more to the point, it limits your options. How many people do you know who hate their jobs but can’t afford to quit because they need to make minimum payments on the credit cards that paid for all the things they bought to take their minds off the fact that they hate their jobs?

Frugal people do attend shows and sporting events, buy cars, take vacations. What they don’t do is get these things by going into debt without a clear plan to pay it off. That’s like sticking your head in a lion’s mouth on the theory that it might not be hungry today. But it probably is – and you won’t know for sure until you feel the jaws clamp down.

Face it: You probably won’t win the lottery or have a rich uncle leave you a bundle. Your needs and your wants will be met by the dollars and cents that you earn and build.

It can be hard to imagine how the things you give up today will make a big difference decades down the road. But you are responsible for that future, which means being responsible in the present.

Donna’s books are available on Amazon and Kindle for $9.49 and $7.99, respectively. She’s also created a Get Rich Slowly discount for the e-versions (PDFs). You’ll pay $5 per book if you visit her online payment platform and using the code GRS1 for the original “Playbook” and GRS2 for “Playbook Vol. 2.”

The post Fighting lifestyle inflation: Hopping off the hedonic treadmill appeared first on Get Rich Slowly.

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