#we also buy groceries and I pay for the internet

[coockie8]

ok wut ur mom had knee surgery at 16 nd shes shocked u also have joint issues??????

:)

I have been telling my mom that my hips lock and stick since I was 6 years old. It shocks her every single time.

I've lost count the amount of times she's said something wildly ableist like "if your joints are this bad now you're gonna be in a wheelchair by the time you're my age!" which is her weird way of telling me I need to exercise more, like I don't do my planks, jacks, sit ups, squats, and yoga poses almost everyday (not when my body feels like it's crumbling beneath itself for obvious reasons). My mom is very much the "if I didn't see you do it, then you didn't do it" type.

Which is like :/ Lady you'd had surgery done on both your knees by the time you were 18. And yeah, I probably will wind up needing wheelchair assistance on occasion by my late 50's, because I literally do the doctor-recommended preventative exercises, and they don't help. I wish I knew what was wrong, but beyond giving me exercises, my GP just won't look into it because he just doesn't feel like it, or whatever.

I don't understand her weird mentality that my sister and I are "too young" to have physical disabilities like this, when she'd had surgery done on both her knees by 18. But then again, my mom has always been the "rules for thee, none for me" type.

Off topic, but I need to bitch; the perfect example of this phenomenon was about 2 weeks ago, she'd crushed two earwigs on the counter, and then just left them there for my sister or I to clean up. If either of us had done that, I'd still, to this day, be getting screamed at for it.

[dickvinci]

and i know i could and possibly might just start posting about fics and what not that i'm writing her and set up a kofi and take suggestions and what not but. it's a lot of work.

[kremlin]

"This event ends the moment you write us a check, and it better not bounce, or you're a dead motherfucker" -- Big Bill Hell

There was a time when you'd see little old ladies paying for the groceries with a hand-written personal check, holding up the line, causing an immediately-forgiven slight sense of annoyance with those behind her. Buddy. Those days are over. They've been over. What, did you think you were going to just pop a couple extra zeroes on the end of your paycheck there? Maybe scan your paycheck, open it in photoshop, make a template, print em out all nice? You think you're the first to think of that, dipshit?

It takes the law a long time to catch up with the state of the art. You're reading this on the internet, which means you never use checks. The law has caught up. Your ass will be going to prison immediately and you will see zero return.

You can't even kite checks anymore, and hell, nobody under 40 will even know what that means, due to the blazing fast, two day settlement on all ACH transactions. Let me paint you a picture.

You get paid on Friday, but it is Monday, and bills are due on Tuesday. And you're broke: $0 in the bank. Goose egg. Pop open your checkbook, go to a store, "buy" some things, write a check for the amount. The cashier takes it!

Now take those things you "bought", across town, to another store location, and return them for cold hard cash. Sweet. Bills paid. Friday rolls around, and you just make it to the bank to deposit your paycheck before it closes. After the weekend, the checks you wrote finally post, and they don't bounce! You've kited a check. You've surreptitiously taken a zero-interest loan. And we know your broke ass. The interest rate on that short-term payday loan should have been straight up usurious. We're talking 29%. That makes predatory fuckers like us horny for sex. We're so mad. Now you are going to Federal Prison. For a good minute. Fuckface.

COST: $0.10 (With banks offering free checking accounts + Bic pen)

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor sleet, if you fuck with the mail, we'll rip your nuts off" -- Ronald Mail (Inventor of Mail)

Many people have this misnomer that the most powerful people in politics are democratically elected. The president, of the United States, of America, is a stupid cartoon hotdog. All of them, I don't care. Way less clout than you'd think. Brilliantly, it is the people that the hotdog president appoints who are actually doing anything significant. The director of the CIA. The fucking chairman of the Federal Reserve. Probably the, like, most senior, uh, general of the military, and shit too. I don't know, we don't "do" army here at Bloomberg. You probably don't even know their names! I don't! These are the ones you should be seeing in your sleep.

There's another position like that. Appointed directly by the hotdog. The Postmaster General. That's a real title. He's the CEO of the mail, and buddy, what he may lack in political power relative to the director of the CEO, he makes up in raw sexual energy. Total Tom Selleck energy. Like an airline pilot. We're talking Donald Sutherland in Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I'm tentpoling in my black business slacks just writing this, and all my Bloomberg newsroom bros are peering over my shoulder and also tent-poling. We're not gay though, and especially me, I'm probably the least gay, but sometimes I just lay awake for hours at night what that mustache would feel like pressed against my lips, the unbelievable and utter, total sense of security I'd feel burying my head into his hard chest.

You get it. He's your dad. And if you fuck with the mail, you've fucked with the tools in your dad's garage. And dad's been drinking. You're in for it, bucko, you are in trouble. Do you think the United States Postal Service actually makes any money? Hell no. It costs like five bucks to mail a box basically anywhere I can think of and they give you the boxes for free. You can just walk in the post office and take them. I do that, and then just throw them away, I don't know why, some kind of compulsion. Being able to move shit around like this, quickly, cheaply -- Jesus H, I've got a huge amount of money in my bank account, probably tens of trillions of dollars (due to financial knowledge gained from reading Bloomberg articles) and I could probably mail every single person ever something and still come out in the black.

No way pal. They've thought of that already. The Postmaster General is going to know every time, and he's going to grab you by the shirt collar, wearing his cool as fuck hat, and you're going to get your pants pulled down, and your bare ass spanke...I need to go use the restroom real quick.

We rely on the mail system to get important shit done. It's not something to be taken lightly, and it isn't. Trust me. This is why, like almost every other person who receives mail in this year 2023, I just fucking put a wastebasket under my mail slot. I don't even shred that shit anymore. I just burn it. Takes less time.

COST: $0.63 (Postal stamp)

"Can call all you want, but there's no one home // And you're not gonna reach my telephone // Out in the club, and I'm sipping that bubb // And you're not gonna reach my telephone" -- Lady Gaga

I read something wild that the children of today do not know what a dial tone is, because of how fucked up and stupid they are. Isn't that super fucked up?

While it's not really our style, allow me to fill you in on some ancient, arcane knowledge about the telephone. You can turn it on, and then you can punch in numbers. Any numbers. Random ones, or maybe not random ones. If the ten numbers you punch in are the same as the numbers in someone else's telephone number, their phone will ring, and then you are talking to them. This is called "Phreaking".

Here's the kicker: You can tell that jackass anything you want. "Oh, Hi, Yes, I am Reginald Sumpter calling from Avalon Consulting LLC, we are just following up on the invoice we sent you. Please remit to ###### routing ###### account."

BOOM! Your name isn't Reginald whatever and that company doesn't exist, but you just received a deposit. It's fucking beautiful. What have you done wrong? It isn't your responsibility to handle who your business' clients/etc are, it's their's. If they want to just pay you money for no real reason, well, that's kind of on them, isn't it? I haven't stuck a pistol in your face and demanded everything in the register.

Well, it's too clever. It's too slick. This is the United States of America. It's one thing to commit a felony like armed robbery, it's another thing to piss off someone in charge of the accounting division who uses a special bathroom you need a key to get into.

You can do it on the computer too, I use a PC Computer at work and send email, so you can see how it'd work there. You can make a document that is indifferentiable from a real invoice and, straight up, 1/3 of the time they will pay that shit. Lmfao.

It's called wire fraud because, uhh, duhhhh, there's wires. What do you think that thing is strung between the telephone receiver and the dialer? And computers? Give me a break. There's so many wires with those.

COST: $0.25 (Coin for payphone)

"People calculate too much and think too little." -- Charlie Munger

It is insane how dumb the common man can be when it comes to our world of expertise. I hear this same sentiment, like, ALL THE TIME:

"Durr hurr I will buy an insurance policy for my car or house or whatever so that in case something happens to it I will get money". And then that same person proceeds to drive safely or not burn their house down. Dumbest crap imaginable.

Let me break it down for you. Insurance is a two player competitive game. There is a winner and there is a loser. Go take out an expensive insurance policy on your American sports car. Buy a neck brace, a football helmet, and pack that bitch with throw pillows. Then get in the left lane of a major highway at like noonish, let it rip and then SLAM on your brakes. Hit from behind! Your fault! Congratulations. You have won insurance. How this gets past people is beyond me.

You can only do this once or twice before the insurance companies catch on. Then they don't want to fuck with you. It is also..I don't know man...something feels off about taking a car or a house, which like, some guy had to build and just destroying it, but that is only a weird emotional thing, since you're making money, more than whatever the destroyed thing is worth, so in reality you've built that house plus some extra. You've contributed.

COST: $106.00 (Average monthly car insurance payment)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

SUBSCRIBE TO MY WHATEVER FOR PART TWO, COMING SOON. i'll post it later today probably. whatever time frame will juice the numbers. have a sneaky peaky

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[thatsthewrongwallcraig]

(Grocery) Shopping With Gladiator I Characters:

Inspired by @reinawrites 🖤

Maximus:

This man would have the time of his LIFE in the garden section at a hardware store.

I put my trust in him to cultivate orchids to perfection

Would take pity in succulents on a 50% sale and buy them all 🙏🏻🖤

Could and WOULD build you a garden hut in a day

You could take him to the pet supply store on the way back home and convince him to get fish for the garden pond 🐟

Wouldn't be opposed to fruity and flowery shower gels

Would appreciate a solid bar of lavender soap

Commodus:

Shopping with him would be a hit or miss every time depending on his mood

Buys insane amounts of salty liquorice candies just to piss everybody else off and have all of it to himself (I'd steal some.of his stash)

He'd get overstimulated at the shops on a Saturday ✊🏻😔

Late night shopper to avoid the aforementioned and then acting like he owns the place

He's always one hand touching a rotten tomato away from losing it

Like strongly scented toiletries

Patchouli and eyeshadow, my liege?

This man is a cheese CONNOISSEUR 🧀 He would not be scared of a sharp gorgonzola ☝🏻

Young Lucius:

I'd buy him a mixed bag of candies and then take him to the library to get some books in history

I feel like he'd be a calm kiddo whilst shipping

Curious but well-behaved, not begging or whining for anything

Would be down massively with grapes even over candy

“Can we maybe buy the PawPatrol soap?” Sure can do!

Proximo:

Would DoorDash everything and anything and if I was the driver I'd set it on fire in front of door and ring the bell

Orders Viagra off of shady Internet adds

No, just no. You couldn’t pay me money to go shopping with him.

Would try and barter EVERYTHING 😩

“Can't we get the bananas 50% off? I think we should. Look, that one is already browning.” No, peepaw, just pick another bundle…

Ominous old people smell 😖

Cicero:

The only one on that list besides Maximus who'd take the whole ordeal serious

Would budget, would have a neat shopping list and a pen to cross things off

Cicero is a pro-shopper, he knows where to get the best produce and takes you around the farmers market

Would buy snacks and/or stop at food trucks because looking at all that food makes hungry ☝🏻…and nothing is worse than hangry shopping

Efficiency-oriented man when necessary. A twenty minute mission would be a twenty minute mission.

Doesn't only shop mindful, he also makes a mean shepherd's pie after

[demonproofboi]

ok, putting my thoughts in order

I get the why. youtube sucks and each year that passes, it sucks more. they have a company and employees, and they've said before that watcher wasn't actually making a profit. it is way too harsh to say they're too greedy or "just like buzzfeed" or other stuff I've seen thrown around. they deserve to get money for their work, we are not entitled to free content, etc! I agree with all that.

the thing is though... I don't see how this could feasibly work? like, putting aside how most people are fed up with the sheer amount of streaming platforms popping up lately, the way I see it, their content does not have enough variety to warrant a paid subscription. and if it were to become varied enough, it would probably need a bigger cast and shows run by different people. and the problem with that is that we can't deny that the main appeal of watcher is how much people care about shane and ryan and (it pains me to say this, you all know he's my favorite but, to a lesser extent) steven. a ton of us are here because we wanted to keep watching them. for the people, not the shows, essentially. that is very clear when you look at the views of their shows.

idk, what I mean to say is, I don't see how they could have a catalog of content that justifies paying a monthly subscription if you're not a very avid fan willing to support them just because they're them, and even then those avid fans might end up dissatisfied because either a) a lot of the content will not include the people they want to see or b) the content will not be frequent enough. maybe I'm wrong and there is a third option here but, let's be real, there's gotta be a limit to how many different shows they can put shane and ryan in to have a varied catalogue and frequent upload schedule. and if it's not them in those shows, we bump into problem a.

I know the topic of whether or not $5.99 is a lot of money also became a reason for fights around here. this is what I have to say, as an international fan: depending on what country you're from, it's the sort of expense you just can't justify. like, the sort of money you shouldn't even spend on netflix with its very extensive selection of content. the sort of money you could use to pay a whole bill, buy groceries for a week, a month even! as it stands, here in brazil, for now, it's not really feasible. R$312 a year is a ton of money for me and I can't even say I'm struggling financially.

still on this topic, it is really hard not to take this "affordable to anyone and everyone" thing to heart being someone outside of the US, because it is the sort of thing that happens again and again, this sort of americentrism the internet at large seems to be stuck in. when they outright say they view this price as affordable to everyone it's very clear they have not taken international fans into consideration or they just don't really care. if they hadn't said that with so much certainty, maybe I'd feel a little less hurt. and you know, whatever, it's my feelings vs the needs of a company, and companies are not your friends but! ever since the beginning, the relationship between us and them has been very parasocial. lol it's like a good friend of mine said something that hurt my feelings. although maybe that's my own fault for placing them in that role in my head in the first place.

anyway, idk if this makes sense, the goal here isn't even to pick a side or tell anyone they're wrong... as with most things this is just too complicated for that. what I can say is that the way they went about this could have been a lot better. and for now what I am feeling is that this is eventually going to crash and burn but well, I just really hope I'm wrong. they deserve good things.

[all-pacas]

MORE ANNOYING INTERNET MOOCHING:

Hey again! I lost my job a few months ago. I still don't have a new one, and even worse, I haven't yet been approved (or even denied) unemployment — I'm supposed to hear something "by September 10th" but seriously, I've called twice and both times it's been pushed out. For a while I got by on my savings, but they're gone: thanks to you all I was able to buy groceries and feed my cat and honestly that's enough! But I haven't been paying my bills, rent is due, we live in a capitalist hellscape… I actually have had a couple interviews recently, but no job yet. Just lots of "hey, we're gonna shut off your phone uwu" emails.

You know I'm willing to do whatever I can to "make up" for any money tossed my way. I'll write fanfic, I'll doodle something, I'll write so much tl;dr on any topic you can come up with. I'm absolutely not asking for my rent or bills to be paid, that's excessive. I'm just… -20 in my bank account and have at least a week before I get unemployment, and that's even assuming I'm approved. Can you imagine? It's been 3 months and I could still be denied. And I live in a good state --

Anyway.

Obviously, you can and also SHOULD make these requests even without a "donation." My guilt and self loathing would actually really like it if you did! I don't have a lot of actual skills or abilities to provide anything tangible, so humoring me really does make me feel less like scum of the earth.

PAYPAL: Allpacas

KOFI: All-pacas

🙃🙃🙃

[autisticlifelessons]

Tips for going shopping as an Autistic person

Even in the age of internet shopping, most people still do need or even want to go into a physical store at some point, whether to pick up essentials or to browse. But shopping can be a really overwhelming experience for autistic people, between dealing with crowds, loud music, the sheer amount of products available, remembering what you came to buy, and so many other things.

Whilst I do enjoy browsing and even grocery shopping, there are some steps I take to make the experience more pleasant with regard to my neurodivergent traits.

1. Shop at quiet times - wherever possible, I try to go for just after opening time when there usually aren't too many people around. I find it so much more relaxing, and I'm more likely to try things on and can think more clearly about options in different stores. A lot of supermarkets also have a quiet hour once a week when they switch off the music and dim the lights, reducing the sensory input, which is a good option is grocery shopping is challenging for you.

2. Use any items that help you - if things like ear defenders, sunglasses and fidget toys - or anything else - are useful, don't be afraid to bring them with you! It may be a bit strange while you get used to using them in public, but the vast majority of people won't pay any attention to you and even if they do it's none of their business, anyway. I highly recommend getting a sunflower lanyard (if you don't know what that is you can read more about it here), as I find that when I'm wearing it people generally give me a bit more space, and staff in places trained about them are friendlier and better at communicating.

3. Use a list - if I want to go grocery shopping or am looking for something specific, I find making a list of what to buy is really helpful. It helps keep me focussed, reduces stress as I'm not trying to hold it all in my head, and reassures me I haven't forgotten anything.

4. Take a break - if I'm going to be out shopping for any longer than a couple of hours, I always ensure to include a pit stop for coffee or lunch (or cocktails lol). Being hungry or thirsty makes it more likely I'm going to feel overwhelmed, especially as the shops get busier and my feet get sore. You don't need to push yourself to keep going, it's perfectly fine and very sensible to build in time to rest so you can recharge.

5. Know your limits - if, despite your best efforts, you are feeling stressed, anxious, overwhelmed, something happens to throw you off or are just not having a good day, you are allowed to just go home. It's ok. Even if shopping was part of your plan for the day. Get some rest, and try again another time.

These tips are written from the perspective of an autistic person who prefers to go shopping alone, but if being out in public makes you anxious, take someone with you if you find that helps. We are all different, so feel free to experiment with different strategies to find what suits you.

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Look Outside The Window

Jay Merrick/Skully x M!Reader

Last Edited: July 4, 2021 12:03 AM

TW: stalking, obsessive behavior

Requested: no

AO3 LINK -> HERE

Notes: these used 2 be posted but i deleted them after some comments made me hate them. however, i found them again recently n may end up adding more. i also do not hate them anymore. tws will be in the notes before every chapter and some will be put in the additional tags. the character is also in the notes/summary before each chapter. (The 1st 4 r old n unedited)

You had needed an out. You needed to get away from home. Your parents did nothing but trap you there. You couldn’t make your own decisions or even buy anything with your own money without them talking you down or insulting you over it. They wanted you to live with them and go by their rules. They didn’t care about what you wanted in life and only saw you as their “little boy”. You weren’t a child anymore; you were a young adult. They were constantly trying to infantilize you and you hated it. You were a young adult and you needed to branch out, make mistakes, and move on. So that’s what you did. You left home after finding a house-sitting job.

The job would last a few months, which was odd to you. Why house sit for months on end? The owners didn’t tell you anything. You didn’t even call. You emailed them and they emailed you. Every interaction with the couple was through emails. Or at least, you think the person messaging you is in a relationship. It sounded that way. One part of the email said, “We’ll be leaving the house to you. My partner and I are going on vacation for a few months. You can watch and live in the house while there. Your pay will be sent to you in a check via mail. The groceries will be delivered to you once a week. May you watch it carefully.” The last part gave you a sense of foreboding, almost like you should be watching out for something out in the house deep in the woods.

When you had arrived at the house, you were pleasantly surprised to find it very tidy. Everything was spotless in the two-story home. It held four bedrooms and three bathrooms. There was a dining room, living room, family room, kitchen, foyer, dressing area, and a nook. Overall, a large house. Well, a large house for a simple couple. Perhaps the couple has quite a bit of money? Especially if they’re going on vacation for a few months and are paying you a large sum to simply watch the lonely house in the woods.

The first few days were fine. Nothing really happened other than the feeling of being watched. What creeped you out the most though was that you never heard any birds. It was always silent outside. Silent and still. There was barely any wind thanks to the dense forestry. Despite that, the feeling of being watched continued. Sometimes, though, you would hear gentle buzzing in your ears. It reminded you of bees but it sounded more like an old tape. Whenever you heard it, it seemed like static covered your eyesight. You could still see, but the static was like a film over your sight. Whenever you would look in the mirror, your eyes seemed to have a slight glaze over them. Of course, there wasn’t much you could do and no amount of searching the internet seemed to help.

By the second week, you were hearing birds. There was something… off about them. They didn’t sound lively. They sounded hollow. Almost like something was mimicking them. You would hear them next to whichever window you were closest to as well. It was like something was by the window, mimicking the birds only when you’re there. It didn’t happen all throughout the day either. It only happened when you weren’t doing something. If you were to turn off the television, ready to get started on a meal, the chirping and singing would start up. Because of how hollow and synthetic it sounded, shivers would run all over your body. It didn’t help that the static over your vision seemed to get slightly worse whenever it would happen; the buzzing in your ears also seemed to get louder. At night, however, there was no chirping or singing. The static seemed to have tripled at that point though and the buzzing was so loud that you could barely hear your heartbeat and breathing.

By the first month, you were looking outside constantly. The bird noises seemed to happen constantly by now and notes started to appear around your home. When you would try to sleep, the hollow tune of the birds would be there despite the fact that no birds were out. The buzzing was so loud that it was all you would hear. The static was so bad that it completely covered your sight; it was like looking at a static screen. The notes terrified you. There were never any footprints in the snow outside and you were the only one in the home. You believed, at first, that you were writing them. Maybe you had been half asleep and wrote them. But that changed when the notes didn’t match your handwriting and started to be… weird.

You look handsome today. One said. Do you like the birds? They don’t seem very lively though. Another read. I wish you would see me. You always know I’m there thanks to the static and buzzing. Maybe we’ll meet soon. More and more would come in. They were always placed where you’d see them. A window. The fridge. Even on the television. They were taped there, all signed with an S. One was even on your bedroom door. How did someone get in and out without leaving any footprints or any evidence behind? You didn’t know but it started to make you close every curtain and try to raise the volume of everything, trying so hard to drown out the unlively birds.

Today was just like the last few. The static over your vision makes it hard to see right with how thick it is. The buzzing in your ears is loud, but not loud enough to drown out the synthetic birds. You make breakfast for yourself, dressed in some simple sleepwear. The breakfast you make doesn’t take too long, just some scrambled eggs and toast with jam. You eat in silence; well, not entirely in silence thanks to the buzzing and birds. When you finish your breakfast, you wash the plate and other utensils you had used to make your meal. Once done, you decided to do some light stretching in the living room. There wasn’t much you could do in the home. Outside was too cold for you to explore the wilderness without sustaining frostbite.

All of the curtains were closed except for one. It was the closest to the television. You were going to close it before spotting the note taped on the box. You stare at the note before tearing it off the screen. It reads: Look Outside The Window . You pause, staring at the note. The buzzing slowly starts to get louder just as the static over your sight starts to worsen. The birds, however, stop chirping. There’s only the buzzing. Slowly, you look towards the window. Nothing. Nothing but still snow.

A small smile worms its way only your face, mocking. A small, forced chuckle leaves your lips before you turn around, ready to head back into the kitchen to make some tea to calm your beating heart. You freeze though when you see the figure standing in the doorway. The beige-orange coat covers most of their figure while the black-ish blue hood covers their face. They have on a pair of gloves, the same colour as their hood. Their pants are a simple pair of jeans while their shoes seem to be black combat boots. Seeing a figure in your home is terrifying, yes. It wouldn’t have been as scary if the figure didn’t have a mask on. The mask was an off-white-ish colour with black eyeholes, high black eyebrows, and a box shape for the mouth, somewhat resembling teeth.

You both stand there, no one moving. The buzzing is so loud now that you can barely hear your own heart and breathing. The static is so bad that you can barely see the figure clearly. “IT’s NiCe To FiNaLlY mEeT yOu, [Redacted],” They, or he, says. His voice sounded weird. It was like a mix of different pitches and he couldn’t decide which one was best and went with all of them. You didn’t think though, only acted. You quickly dropped the note and fled the living room. You could hear him following you as you ran for the back door. You slam into it, trying to unlock it. “YoU dOn’T wAnT tO gO oUtSiDe! It’S tOo CoLd FoR yOu. EsPeCiAlLy WiTh HoW yOu’Re DrEsSeD!” You don’t listen though, not even as he slowly approaches you. With a final turn of the knob, the door is flung open and you run out into the snow.

It’s cold and stings your feet. You run and run and run. You don’t once look back, too scared that he may be right there. You don’t hear him following you, but that’s due to the buzzing. It’s so loud now that it’s all you can hear. You’re basically running blind; the static is so thick that seeing your surroundings is almost impossible. You stumble around mostly, hands in front of you so you don’t run face-first into any trees.

You’re unsure of how long you have been running. All you know for sure is that you can’t see anything anymore, the buzzing is starting to give you a headache, you feel like you’re sweating buckets beside the fact that your legs, arms, fingers, and toes are going numb. It isn’t long before you collapse. You’re breathing heavily, panting in the snow. You can feel yourself shaking despite feeling so hot, so overheated. Your hair sticks to your forehead as you continue to sweat. You try to move, to drag yourself somewhere but your body refuses. You lay there, your eyes open despite them wanting to close. The static is still strong, just like the buzzing. They scream danger but your body refuses to listen.

As more time passes, you feel yourself slowly going numb, your eyes fluttering every now and then, trying to close. The static slowly starts to fade away until it’s back to the normal, barely there, state. The buzzing fades into a gentle hum, it barely being able to be heard. You can hear how heavy your breaths are and see the pure white of the snow. One of your hands is in front of you, pale and slowly turning blue. Frostbite will, or already has, set in. Were you going to die out here? Here, all alone. Nothing to your name. No one looking for you besides your parents. Who would find your body? Or would the masked man hide your body away, letting it decay somewhere?

You can hear the crunch of the snow and gentle humming coming your way. It seems the man has come for you. His pace is slow, not at all rushed. Soon enough, he walks into your field of vision. He crouches down, sitting on the balls of his feet. His gloved hand is brought up before it comes through your hair. “LoOk At YoU. A sHiVeRiNg, HaNdSoMe MeSs. As MuCh As I lIkE hOw YoU lOoK rIgHt NoW, bEiNg VuLnErAbLe AnD aLl, YoU’rE tUrNiNg BlUe,” As soon as those words leave his mouth, he scoops you up in his arms, holding you close to him tightly. “DoN’t WoRrY. I’lL tAkE gOoD cArE oF yOu. I lOvE yOu ToO mUcH nOt To. YoU’lL bE sAfElY tUcKeD aWaY iN tHaT hOuSe, WiTh Me By YoUr SiDe To KeEp YoU cOmPaNy. NoW dOeSn’T tHaT sOuNd NiCe?”

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Kylie Cheung at Jezebel:

JD Vance, a noted creep who wants law enforcement to have access to women’s out-of-state abortion data, is checking in to definitively clarify for us what we care about. Unsurprisingly, Vance argued that women—specifically, the suburban women who could help decide the election—care about whatever Vance wants them to care about. On Wednesday night, Fox News’ Laura Ingraham asked Vance about abortion. “One of my dear friends said to me tonight that all these suburban women—all they care about is abortion, and they don’t understand the decision is with the states now. It’s not banned nationally, even if some people want it to be banned nationally,” she said. “What do you say to suburban women out there who are marinating in this propaganda?”

A couple of things with Ingraham’s bullshit before we get into Vance’s bullshit: Please tell me what comfort “it’s not banned nationally” right now is to an Alabama woman who has to travel to Illinois for abortion care, or to a woman in Texas who can’t get urgent medical care for a nonviable, potentially life-threatening pregnancy because her doctor is too nervous about going to prison. Not to mention that we’ve all seen Project 2025 and its step-by-step details of how a Republican president could bypass Congress and quickly enact a national ban. Nonetheless, Vance shrugged off the concerns Ingraham raised with all the callousness you’d expect of someone most commonly associated with the word “anti-woman” (and, incidentally, “weird”!) per the latest polling: “Well, first of all, I don’t buy that, Laura. I think most suburban women care about the normal things that most Americans care about, right?” he said. “They care about inflation, they care about the price of groceries, they care about public safety in the streets where their kids play.”

Living costs aren’t a separate issue from abortion: Seeking and being denied abortion care can push someone deeper into poverty. Meanwhile, the costs of traveling across state lines to access abortion care can bankrupt someone, as they pay for transportation, lodging, child care, and miss work. “It can set them back for a long time,” the abortion funding group Brigid Alliance’s Serra Sippel previously told Jezebel. “The short-sightedness of imposing these bans, the impact it has on the economic infrastructure when so many people are going to lose wages, lose jobs, lose housing—the ripple effect is massive.”

Appearing on Wednesday’s edition of Fox Noise’s The Ingraham Angle, Trump VP pick and Ohio Senator JD Vance callously told viewers that most suburban women “care about the normal things that most Americans care about… They care about inflation, they care about the price of groceries, they care about public safety in the streets where their kids play.”

Uh, Mr. Vance, yes, a lot of them DO care about abortion access being maintained also, you nitwit weirdo!

From the 08.14.2024 edition of FNC's The Ingraham Angle:

[onyourstageleft]

hello friends! I won't be making a GoFundMe for this, since I thankfully don't have to choose between buying groceries & getting vet care for my cat Peggy, but things are a lil *tight* bc of a series of unfortunate financial events (which I will list below the cut for those interested) so if anyone has a few bucks to spare and wants to help me offset the $485 mysterious lump removal surgery my lil baby is getting on Tuesday, I would greatly appreciate it

Cashâpp: $jessiedube (my cat Peggy Sue is my profile pic/name is Jess Bee)

Venmô: jessie_dube (Peggy is in the profile pic w/ me)

this is Peggy <3

heyoo if you wanna hear the money shit that's plagued us you are in the correct place. let us begin our chronicle in August, when I made the grand decision to go back to college for a school media specialist certification. I am enjoying it v much and do not regret it at all, but it did mean that I left my decently paying but incredibly toxic retail job and went back to getting paid beans as an adjunct professor at a community college + had to pay 3k in tuition

next Luna, my loveable but temperamental 2011 Ford Fiesta, started having Problems™️, including but not limited to: water pump replacement (which for some fuckall reason on my car requires cutting & replacing the timing belt?? which of course means it cost more), downstream oxygen sensor replacement, and a new set of front tires bc those bitches were BALD (you could literally see the steel coming out of the side). to add fuel to the fire of my ongoing anxieties, her check engine light comes on and off every few days, it's a perpetual game of chicken. when I was able to catch it on and get it checked she reported a catalytic system issue, which has in the past been cured by a bottle of cataclean, so of course she needed that too. all of which adds up to the tune of about 1.5k (thankfully she's paid off but like she's only worth 2.5k so if she keeps having issues i am SOL)

during all of the back and forth with Luna, my partner has been having dental appointments for ongoing teeth issues. we were under a time crunch to get those taken care of since she turned 26 in October, and in the great land of America that means she was kicked off of her dad's insurance on Halloween. so, after a couple appointments that included tooth extraction and the making of a denture set in exchange for CareCredit agreements, we're in 2.1k of medical debt for that (she also is now without insurance so that's fun)

and, the cherry on top and the thing that has pushed me to appeal to the Internet, a few weeks ago we found two mysterious lumps on my cat Peggy Sue's hip, which are scheduled to be removed and sent off to a lab on Tuesday. I won't retell the whole story here, but you can check the "Peggy Sue" tag on my blog for a few more in depth posts on the situation. overall her care adds up to around $900, $485 of that which is the Tuesday surgery that I'm driving to another state for (my vet was crazy expensive so I'm going to a friend's recommendation)

anyway, I know that I'm lucky to even be able to cover all of these via savings and credit cards without it threatening my food/housing, but things are, understandably, a bit tight. I hate asking for help for myself, but if anyone wants to help take care of my cat, I would greatly appreciate it

or, if you prefer to buy things, I will be listing some collectable Barbies on my eBay in the next week or so, if you're interested in that I can send you my eBay page

pic of Peggy for getting this far, thank you <3

[myownjadedpieceofmind]

On the same week that the electric and the water bill is due, I also have to come up with the money to travel to my cardiologist, my rheumatologist, and then the following week, to the orthopedic surgeon for my hip.

My disability case is headed to court, so I'm stuck waiting this out, again.

My main form of transportation is on its last legs... I need to either save for an engine replacement, or figure out how to manage to afford a different vehicle. Since the whole medical shit started, my finances went to shit, and along with it, the credit score I had worked to get back above 600. I couldn't get qualified for any kind of financing at this point.

If it weren't for the food bank, and my son buying groceries, I'd be in much worse shape. It's everything we can do to pay for utilities, car insurance, internet....and most times I don't pay them in full just so I can afford the fuel to go to my doctors appointments.

My basement flooded from the flash storm we had, ended up with a river running down my staircase. It was insane, but at least I can see the parts of the house that need repaired so it won't leak again.

I know I keep saying this...but... something needs to change. I don't think I'm built to handle this for much longer.

[sometimesrosy]

Hey Rosy, somewhat of a difficult “question”. I live in a smaller country in Europe, where things are getting very difficult. We’re considered a 1st world country, but I digress. My mom has a pretty good high-paying job, still only middle-class, so I was fortunate enough to grow without anything missing, although there were no luxuries and almost no traveling, etc. But, if we felt like eating out on a friday afternoon, we would, for example. Eventually I went to live with my boyfriend at a rented house, and we considered ourselves lucky to have that rent at that time, because prices were already spiking. We were able to maintain a normal lifestyle, no big excesses but we could pay for everything, spend some money on our hobbies, and still save by the end of the month. We even went on a big vacation, although my mom helped a bit there. Fast forward to now and we bought a house, after some insistence from my mom, and because it really was the best thing to do: the house we were in was without contract and price of everything was still raising like crazy. Who knew if we’d stay at the house next month or the landlord would double the rent or kick us out? So, we got ourselves a nice apartment, SUPER EXPENSIVE, but we got it. It absolutely drained us, especially my mom and grandma who paid for the full 10% entrance, otherwise we couldn’t buy it. Rent now, as in, payment to the bank, has been very high, and in June it will be even higher. I don’t think any of us had any idea of how ridiculously expensive everything is now, but we’re having a difficult time, mentally, paying for everything. I have a minimum wage job as I can’t find anything better even with my degree, and my bf gets paid a bit more but is also taxed more, so I ended up bringing more home than him. We have been able to pay for everything, but it’s been impossible to save even if 20€. We finished last month with 5€ in our accounts, and this is because my mom helps us a lot and does most of the grocery shopping. With so much stress, I’ve already went to the hospital with a nervous gastritis, which made me miss work and the cut on my salary was HUGE. I can’t help but feel even more stressed, knowing it’s being hard now and that in June it will get worse. Sometimes I even regret buying this apartment. It’s not even the fact that I can’t do anything else besides paying bills, it’s the fact that buying a 10€ book after 3 months of spending 0 money on anything else but bills and rent might make us not be able to pay the bills for this month, and how guilty I’d feel for that. I’ve been working my butt off, even doing some side jobs, and we still can’t save even if 10€. I feel like I’m living on auto pilot, and I know that, unfortunately, this is how millions of people live. I’m just looking for ways to cope.

I am familiar with this struggle. It's definitely hard, no matter where you live in the world right now. I'm not sure anywhere is stable. I don't feel the us is stable either. Expenses keep going up and wages... aren't.

So there are three different ways you can handle this struggle, I think. Or rather. Three different elements.

Cut expenses. (money going out.) It sounds like you've already done that. But you might want to look into some things you're spending money on that you aren't using. Like streaming subscriptions, or a cheaper phone/internet plan. Renegotiate some of your current bills. Who knows? It might work. Or you might want to buy groceries in bulk or generic instead of brand name. I actually think you SHOULD still allow room for small pleasures, like your book, and cut back on expenses you wouldn't even notice, like brand names, if you can.

Increase income. (money coming in.) I know I know. Your jobs don't pay enough. You can't find a better job. I get that. If that's the case, ok. I understand. Find other ways to bring money in. A job on the weekend. Seasonal work. Freelancing. Monetize a hobby. Maybe even selling some of your stuff. Or stuff you get from thrift stores. Yard sales or internet sales or consignment. Maybe a roommate if you have a guest room. A roommate can offer a lot of relief on that rent stress.

Decrease anxiety. My friend. I know not having money is stressful. It makes you afraid. But. BUT. It's just money. Money is a temporary problem. It flows in and it flows out and sometimes there will be more coming in and sometimes there will be more going out. You are making yourself sick over it. Literally. Think back to some previous times in your life when you were short on funds and realize how you got through it. And how when you got through it, the anxiety went away. Because it's just temporary. It's just money. Find ways to enjoy your life REGARDLESS of money. Stop thinking you can't enjoy your life. If that book is too expensive, go to a used book store. Or trade with your friends. Join a collective. Look online for places where people are giving away free or discounted things. Go to free shows and festivals. Visit the beach or parks to decompress. Find outlets that don't cost money. Romanticize the life you have instead of the life the media wants to sell you.

I am giving this advice based on my life in the states, of course. I don't know what's available to you in your country, so I can only offer suggestions that I know of in this country. I do know that there are freelance jobs paying US dollars that you can work from wherever you are. When I worked for a ghostwriting company, a lot of the other freelancers were in other countries. Maybe you could find some sort of freelance side job using your degree. Maybe you can also get some assistance from your government-- but again I don't know what would be available in your country.

But let yourself breathe. It sucks not having money, I know, but once you figure out some ways to juggle income and expenses, there will be breathing room again.

[the-ladyrae]

I recently met a girl on Bumble, and I'm mad as hell about it because she lives less than half a mile away from me.

(Which I'm aware is like the opposite of a problem. RIP literally every other lesbian dealing with long distance. It is a privilege for me to be able to take a leisurely stroll to my gf's place [and there's a grocery store at the half way point of the walk so I can stop in and buy her flowers and snacks] and be there in no more than 15 minutes)

Anyway, I'm mad about it because I also loudly decry the effects dating apps have on human courting rituals. The comodification of intimacy to the degree of when people think of meeting someone now a days we don't think of going out to a bar, or dancing, or complimenting an interesting stranger in public. In most cases, we've actually begun to shun these things! The evolution of this in my mind began with the statement of "Women don't want to be approached in public." And for the most part, that holds true. We don't want to be bothered at work, where we have to be nice to you or risk getting fired. Or when we're out doing errands, grocery shopping, laundrymatt, whatever she's just trying to get some stuff done, leave her alone. Or at the gym, where the mindset is not really aligned with that activity. Or at the bar, we came together we leave together and keep an eye out someone might try to put something in your drink.

OK, wait, but back-up, I thought it was acceptable to approach women in social situations?

Well, it was, but doesn't that sound scary? You don't know that person that just came up to you and asked for your number. What if they're a serial killer, unlikely but wouldn't you rather have the opportunity to look into that first? Check their references so to speak.

I mean sure that sounds like a good thing, but how is this safer? I'm essentially doing what my parents told me not to my entire childhood, and meeting up with strangers from the internet.

Sure sure, sure, but this is different! We're providing a safe space where everyone is up front about who they are and their intentions! You can find exactly what you're looking for with all our magical filters (some might cost you a bit, but don't think about that yet). And then here's the kicker you can talk to them before you meet up in our messaging function, take an appropriate amount of time to learn everything you can and decide if this person is trustworthy enough to meet in person. That sounds nice doesn't it?

I guess I do like the idea of having a designated space where I know it's acceptable to approach an individual! And I mean how hard can it be to navigate one app?

Oh sorry I forgot to mention this part. It's not just one app there are like half a dozen major players that everyone kinda cycles through so you'll have to have all of them to play the field and increase the odds of you finding your one. And also because of the nature of us now giving you a haystack of options when you're looking for a needle you'll have to weed out like a dozen people at a time reality TV harem dating show style, while they do the same to you.

That doesn't exactly sound like a better system... But it clearly is, because of this system I met someone, didn't I? Well yes, but she lives half a mile away in the same neighborhood. We shop at the same grocery store, go to the same bars, have similar interests in general, and are both reasonably visibly distinct from a crowd (she's got bright pink hair, I'm a 6'1" femme who can't dress casual to save her life)

And we've both lived in this area for months without even noticing each other even though we're exactly each other's type. I don't know if any of that really made sense, but I think the point is that the dating apps are only fixing barriers to connection that they created. They are only solving problems they created, and we're paying them for it.

tumblr please stop showing me dating apps ads. i'll meet girls the old way; never

[reaperkaneki]

my coworkers recently found out how much money my bf owes me (dont wanna say in public but its… a Lot, think many months worth of rent a Lot) and every single reaction has just been 😬😬😬

coworker: what does he do for work, was he unemployed or—

me: he works full time and makes more than i do

coworker: ….

me: we do pay equal amounts for rent tho

coworker: oh, well thats good!

me: but i pay all the other bills, like electricity and internet

coworker: ….

me: for groceries, we trade off tho he pays more often

coworker: that’s good!

me: but i almost always pay for my own gas and car maintenance. he does not have a license and can’t drive. so im the one who takes us everywhere

coworker: ….

me: i’m also fairly stingy (one of us has to be) and will typically refuse to buy things for myself, so he often buys me games and pays for dinner when we go out!

coworker: that’s…. good? i guess?

me: he also does most of the chores :)

[blue-jester]

Hey gang, this is kinda. Hard to ask but

Times have gotten pretty tough, and my dads cutting off our internet next week because we just can't afford it anymore [we need money for grocerys and food>internet] and that's gonna make life a whole lot more difficult, especially for someone like me who uses this place to cope, distract myself, and uh. Actually make my own money. And I know I'm not like, a big popular artist or anything but it really means a lot to me whenever someone commisions me because being an artist has always been my dream ya'know! I also won't be able to write as much anymore and. Well everything kinda sucks!

So... Idk. My commisions are open as long as I can take them, my internets gonna be off either next month or the month after that and I want to help pay and maybe keep the internet on. So! I am desperate.

I will draw nsfw, but ONLY for people I can be 100% sure are adults, and I reserve the right to not draw anything I find uncomfortable but like I'm chill with most things

I will draw robots now too

I have a few adoptables available if anyone wants them too

Also, I have a ko-fi, if you just wanna support me

And you can dm me for my paypal for proper commissions

!!COMMS OPEN!!

Example art:

FINALLY I CAN OPEN THESE!!!

DM me if you want one! Don't send in an ask, I'll give you my paypal in DMs as well!