it was one of my coworkers birthdays today and she was telling me abt her plans to celebrate and I'm only just realising now that I've left work that she was prolly trying to invite me.. 🤦‍♀️

and you know what, I always have to pat myself on the back for two things.

critical thinking and questioning everything.

there are posts on my blog that go back as far as 2014 that were very pro what I happen to be anti now. some I reblogged and said nothing, and some I reblogged and voiced my confusion in the tags. I dont plan on finding them and deleting them bc they're a part of the past.

when you're friends on here with a bunch of people who all had, not even similar mindsets but the exact same mindsets, and you were the only one who thought differently, it was kinda difficult to figure out how to think for yourself. questioning things got me in trouble. I was supposed to think the exact way everyone else did or I was wrong and a bad person.

the pro-porn posts, the pro-prostitution posts, some very specific pro-trans posts, and a lot more, I'd be questioning some of what was said in those posts down in the tags and people either sent me anons or pm's and it was less so about like educating me, and more so "how dare you even question this post". very... hostile.

I was experiencing two different worlds. the online world aka tumblr's brand of feminism, and facebook and youtubes pro-mra bullcrap. and then the real world, with my real friends, who were just... normal. and coming on here was like... going to work. in a job I hated. wondering what I'll be "taught" today. what's the right way to think.

but throughout 2016 I was liking a lot of posts that just made sense. common sense. like normal humans were actually writing these posts. but I never reblogged them.

by the end of 2016 and start of 2017 I'd had enough. and I finally started reblogging them. not even in bulk, just here and there. and exactly what I thought would happen, happened. the sensitive Americans go bye-bye.

it was eye opening bc it justified so many things for me, but also, when I'm close to my friends I'll do anything for them. but never for a friend I could never be myself around. that the friendship was a lie bc I held my tongue. that a conversation could never happen bc I'm wrong and they're right and if I dont agree then end of friendship. no discussions, just... the end.

the unfollows were so immediate, and yet it felt like I could breathe again. and so I continued watching anime at the time, but then I started working, and then moved away, and so tumblr slowly drifted away from me.

and then I'd come back here and there.

but I was always, always wondering, and still do. "was I wrong?", "are the things I reblog actually wrong?", "if 10 people unfollowed me over very specific opinions that they all agree on and I'm here with the opposite opinion, am I wrong?"

but I basically answer my own question every time.

in that, its not about being right or wrong. its about questioning everything. questioning why you think that way. being able to justify why you think that way. being able to use critical thinking and have discussions, not have a fucking cult ass way of thinking and just point at someone and tell them they're straight up wrong for having a different opinion than yours.

and that's why I'll never regret the friendships that died on here. bc they are all still stuck that way, whereas I grow and learn and change.

I'm not telling anyone what's right or wrong.

I defo have a couple of boundaries for sure. there's a few things I have solid ass opinions on that I am adamant about. but for anyone that ever wanted to talk, not argue/want to fight, I'm always open to hearing the other side.

but with people like that, from back in the day, that wasn't possible.

and so if the things I reblog make sense to me, I'm gonna keep doing it. cause unlike the earlier years of tumblr where I'd reblog things with questioning thoughts, I'm finally seeing posts that just make sense.

and its amazing

omg omg i am doing some fascinating reading today about the neurobiology of creativity for the playfulness project and it is ALSO helping me understand something that i have been grappling with for a while re: screentime and mindless scrolling on social media. i think a lot about that state of ‘endless scroll,’ where you are glued to your phone and can’t break away from the tumblr/twitter/instagram/facebook loop even though you know the activity you’re engaging in is making you feel increasingly unhappy and restless and dissatisfied.

the common explanation for that feeling is “oh, social media causes you to compare yourself to others, and that makes you unhappy,” but i’ve been thinking for a while that it must go beyond that, because often i’m not even engaging with content that would prompt comparison between my life and someone else’s (or engaging with ads that would make me feel dissatisfied about my body/life/job/whatever). i’ve also been thinking a lot about why it is that when i put my phone away (FAR away, like in my car or in a drawer in my closet) and read a physical book, it’s like something in my brain lights up again, and i find that suddenly my mind is spilling over with thoughts and ideas and hypotheses and plans for the future. i also feel so much happier and more buoyant in the second reading mode, in part because i experience that burst of creative thinking as intensely pleasurable and i begin to engage in a kind of future-thinking that projects me from the mundane present into an exciting, speculative future. in both situations—mindless scrolling and reading a book (or a PDF where i have all social media stuff blocked)—i’m actively reading text on a page. but the experience is so different (and the felt switch between the two states so dramatic) that i know there’s got to be something really different happening in the brain as i read.

the article i’m reading today is about the neurobiological basis of “combinatory play,” which is a form of creative, imaginative thinking that involves combining and recombining seemingly disparate ideas or schemas—in essence, engaging playfully with “what-ifs” and other kinds of speculative thinking (“could this be connected? what happens if i put this idea in conversation with that one?”). it outlines the four different stages of creativity: preparation, incubation, flash of insight (the eureka! or breakthrough moment), and then the methodical testing and validation of the eureka idea. but it focuses especially on the incubation period, which is the phase where you take a break from focused, deliberate work and instead engage in activities like daydreaming, mental wandering, doodling, meditating, sleeping and dreaming, walking, washing dishes, etc., ie activities where you disengage the conscious mind (with its desire for rational solutions and clear answers) and allow the unconscious mind to “play” with different, seemingly illogical ideas or combinations of ideas beneath the surface of conscious thought.

most interestingly: using brain-imaging technology, researchers have been able to demonstrate that in the moments before the flash of insight (the “aha!” moment), activity in your left frontal cortex slows and the visual cortex shuts down completely. according to this article, this slowing/shutdown “suggests that the brain needs to cut out external sensory input to increase connections between the conscious and unconscious mind and to let it play.” those moments directly precede the flash of insight, which occurs “with a burst in the right temporal lobe.” 

HERE is why i think that fact is so interesting re: mindless social media scrolling. when i am reading a book, i have significantly more control over the amount of external stimuli entering my brain. i am reading in a linear fashion, but i am also often pausing, looking up from the page, gazing off into the distance to speculate about possible connections, asking myself questions about what i’m reading, testing the information i’m encountering against what i already know or think to be true, etc. in other words, when i am reading a book or from a printed page, my brain moves fluidly between focused attention (the “preparation” stage of creative thinking) and daydreaming or speculative reverie (the incubation stage). the page itself is static, but it’s that stable foundation that allows my mind to wander freely in and out of focused attention, as i alternate between focused reading and a more playful, imaginative, speculative mode of thinking. being able to daydream (a state in which my unconscious or semi-conscious mind weaves in and out of conscious thought) is what allows unexpected new ideas and connections to surface in my mind, and that’s what prompts that exciting rush of creative thinking and future-oriented "what-if” thinking, which in turn triggers those feelings of intense pleasure and delight that lift my mood. 

you can’t daydream when reading on a screen, because there is no stable base, and no point at which the brain can momentarily taking in external stimuli can slow or stop (that slowing / shutdown in the left frontal cortext and visual cortex that necessarily precedes a burst of creative insight). on a screen, with the ability to endlessly scroll past content that is designed to hijack your attention and keep your brain continually stimulated. there’s no break in that flow of external stimuli, and no natural stopping points (like the end of a page) that would prompt your mind to rest for a moment or allow you to slip into that state of reverie. we also know that phones are SO GOOD at hacking into our brain’s attention system and trapping us in these extraordinarily addictive & self-reinforcing feedback loops, so we continually seek out more and more stimuli even as addiction makes us increasingly desensitized to the dopamine burst (and thus makes the activity itself less and less pleasurable to engage in).

finding it difficult or impossible to break out of mindless scrolling mode is not a personal failure of willpower. mindless scrolling is a behavior that social media apps are deliberately designed to elicit & repeatedly, unceasingly reinforce, which (because of our neuroplastic brains!) creates these addictive feedback loops we struggle to get out of. and, while comparative thinking might be part of why social media makes us unhappy, i think an even stronger reason might be that mindless scrolling traps us in this state of captivated attention (we can’t look away, bc the addictive loop has become too strongly reinforced) which is also simultaneously a state of continually distracted attention (it’s not sustained focus on a single idea or thread, because the endless scroll means we are continually barraged with stimuli—the emotional content of people’s opinions, ads designed to catch our eye, features of the app like alerts or notifications that continually distract us/break sustained focus, etc etc). hoo boy that is the WORST state of mind to be stuck in, and it’s the one that almost all of us operate in when we’re in that mindless scrolling phase!!!

so we are stuck in mindless scroll, but we are also continually having our equilibrium disrupted by a flow of stimuli designed to trigger strong instinctive or emotional reactions. AND THEN, on top of that, social media apps are essentially designed to eliminate the “incubation” stage—because time spent daydreaming, mental wandering, getting up to do something else, looking off into the distance to engage in imaginative speculation, etc., is time not spent engaging with the app, and therefore is “unprofitable” time that doesn’t serve the core purpose of social media: to keep us hooked on our phones, so that companies can continue harvesting our data (for profit) and/or selling us things. it’s not necessarily that companies are deliberately setting out to kill creative thinking or daydreaming or whatever (i mean... there’s an argument to be made here), but more just that incubation stage thinking isn’t profitable or productive in any way, and thus—in a culture obsessed with maximization and efficiency and productivity—is wasted time that could be harnessed for other ends. 

i don’t know if this makes sense!!!! but it is helping me understand that i think my instinct is right: that the kind of reading we do on screens is not the same as the kind of reading we do on paper or just when we are working away from screens/apps/phones, and also that there is probably a neurobiological explanation for why i feel so much happier, more engaged, and able to think fluidly and creatively when i am reading away from my phone vs. when i am reading on my phone or am stuck in mindless scrolling mode. 

Lost Cat | Tips Resources Prevention | The Flyer

Have You Lost Your Cat?

Things to Know & Things to DO NOW!!

Losing a pet is a harrowing experience. Losing your pet cat comes with a host of extra challenges, and must be met with a host of extra strategies and resources. Of the complete exhaustive account of the Lost Cat Response (which i plan to write later😉), today we are just going over:

The Flyer (on the streets and on social media).

What to do at home right away.

And a great list of resources to help ground you and get you started on your mission to find you baby

BEST WISHES FOR YOUR FELINE FAMILY ❤❤❤

LOST CAT—SHOUT IT OUT!!

Today we are looking at Pet Flyers, Social Media Posts, and Actions to Take When Your Cat Has First Gone Missing

The Flyer

The Terrestrial Flyer

The IRL Flyer. The flyer you make is hugely important. It does not have to be fancy with color photo (though that would be best) a marker on a piece of printer paper will do. It is a federal crime to open another person’s mailbox. Fold the flyer and wedge it into their mailbox flag, or place it on their front door.

Other Places to Put a Flyer:

stop signs. telephone poles. (GET GOOD STRONG TAPE)

try to strategically place them at traffic points in your neighborhood/area—entrances, exits, 4-way stops.

areas that are difficult to avoid & areas that are popular (telephone pole or road sign right by the entrance to the strip mall)

neighborhood & community boards

any nearby gas-station, grocery store, general store, pet store, and vet clinic that will allow a sign.

dont back down on the first no. most places WILL say no first. (times have changed)

take a flyer to your local shelter(s)

this is key. they will see the initiative, the effort, the care for your cat. you have made their job much easier.

and now they know to keep their eyes out for a cat like yours!

Things to Consider Putting On Your Paper Flyer and/or Your Social Media Posts

1) Key Basics

Photo if Possible

Name (plus nicknames the cat responds to)

Male/Female

are they spayed or neutered?

Average Weight/Size (pounds. or S/M/L)

Age

Fur Color, Coat Pattern & Length, Claw/Declaw

Are they Microchipped? (add chip number if possible)

Were they wearing a collar?

Date/Time/Location they were last seen

2) Medication—Do they need any medication? or are they soon due for their vaccine shots?

3) Unique Traits—Are there any attributes that are unique to your cat? Anything noticeable so that a stranger could identify them?

raspy meow. a black cat with white toes. etc.

4) Personality—Describe your cat’s personality. What can people expect if they approached your cat? Also, think about what you would want someone to do if they did find your cat.

will she run away?

that will make reuniting her much harder. if so, insist that people not approach her, and contact you upon sight.

would someone be able to coax her with a can of wet cat food, or treats, & calling her name?

if so, is that something you’d like to ask people to do?

do you want to ask people to try to catch her if they see her? or to leave her be & call/text/message you immediately?

this relies a lot on the individual knowing how to read the situation and read cats.

5) A personal message of her family back home!

how much she is loved and missed

by the kids, by the dog, extra cute stuff!

how grateful you will be to have her back

THIS IS A MUST-DO. TRUST ME. FLYERS THAT SAY “LOST CAT PLEASE CALL” GET PROBABLY 10% THE ACTION OF WHAT PERSONABLE FLYERS DO

6) Personal Info—this is just that, personal. Give out the amount of personal info you’re comfortable with, but…

never give out your address

maybe start with less on the personal info. add more details if they seem needed (i.e. last initial on your flyer instead of last name. but this is totally up to you)

i eventually kept increasing what info i put out as time went on. i didn’t care, i needed random people to be able to find me. that said, i do not have kids.

remember, the street flyers have some info, Facebook has a different chunk of info (like your full name) and the lost pet sites (you’ll see these below) have another chunk. so keep tabs on what you’ve shared

7) Reward Offer—I have read legitimate source articles that say to never offer a reward. I have read legitimate source articles that say offering a reward will increase your chances of a re-union (while the anti-reward folks say it will encourage theft and ransom. maybe with a purebred registered canine, less probable with a housecat) AND HEY—ITS NOT LIKE YOU SPECIFY WHAT THE REWARD EVEN IS! (is it $20.00? is a giant bag of candy? a half used iTunes gift card? 🤣 you know it!)

my poster, which ill show them all later, says “REWARD + MY INFINITE GRATITUDE”

DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO WITH THE REWARD. WHEN IT COMES TO CATS, ITS A DIFFERENT STORY.

if you can think of any other helpful things to add to a flyer; please share in the comments at the bottom of the page! ❤

Sites to Make Flyers

—they also actively reunite pets and have tons of reading material, resources, advice, etc.—

PetLink

Canva

Pawboost

PetFBI

HomeAgain

Lost My Kitty

Things To Do On The Ground At Home

!! Buildings, Structures, and Vehicles around the neighborhood/area !!

NEIGHBORLY LOVE—ask people to keep an eye out for your cat & to look in their sheds, their garages, underneath their boats, their cars, even underneath their homes. Cats can hide for days and days.

In The Earliest Days After They’ve Gone Missing, You The Pet Owner, Are Strongly Advised To:

Put your cats litterbox outside, on the front porch, or the front of the house.

Leave a window cracked or open as much as you can, for her to find you.

Put dirty clothes and/or or her bed outside.

Leave a bowl of the cat’s food & water outside.

Call for her in the dead night hours (sorry neighbors)

truly, 12-4am is best cat-callin’ time.

Walk the neighborhood at night, bring a can of wet cat food, a flashlight, and a box or a pet carrier.

walk around with a flashlight to catch a cat’s retina (eyes) glowing at you!

you might spot her in a tree or in a bush, not coming when called bc she is injured or scared

if your cat is great friends with your dog, try bringing the dog along for some of those walk-outs, he very-well may be the one that finds her!

DONT GIVE UP HOPE!!

WE JUST RE-UNITED A WOMAN AND HER CAT AFTER FIVE YEARS APART! SHE HAD MOVED TO NYC BUT HAD NEVER GIVEN UP HOPE (PROOF IN HER FACEBOOK) ! 5 YEARS LATER HER ORANGE TABBY IN the LOWCOUNTRY, SC, WAS BEING SENT TO HER! IT WAS A NEWS STORY YOU CAN LOOK IT UP! CATS NAME WAS CHARLIE.

Insanely Helpful Resources

HomeAgain | Lost Cat Article

No Kill Network | Lost and Found Pets

PawBoost | Lost and Found Pets Network

Community Cat Coalition | Lost Cats

Pet FBI | Lost Cat Action Plan

Best Friends Save Them All | Resources | Lost Cat

i hope this little bit here begins to help. my heart breaks for everyone missing their furry family member. i am in this with you, stay strong! you must!

LOVE ASHLEY

How much do you weigh? what a weirdly personal question

If you are outside, what are you most likely doing? sitting in the shade reading a book

Do you think you can love someone without trusting them? yes but not in a way that will ever be truly fulfilling

What’s your opinion on people who go hunting for sport? i live in a very rural area so i grew up with hunting for sport extremely normalized but once i actually developed and used my critical thinking skills i realized how morally reprehensible it is. literally just begging these people to use their brains.

Do you have a fairly fast or slow internet connection? eh its pretty fast

Have you ever been someplace tropical? florida lmao

Are you sensitive to caffeine? somewhat. i dont really consume it that much

How do you usually get around? driving myself

Have you ever been accused of being too clingy? no bc i’m generally pretty independent unless i reallyyyy like someone

What do you think about Kim Kardashian? neutral

Can you speak any French? je parle un peu français

Favorite yogurt flavor? i’m lactose intolerant so i recently tried dairy free yogurt and i hated it sooo i guess none

How much money do you have in your wallet right now? i dont have any cash in my wallet rn lol

What bottled water brand do you like? deer park or aquafina

Your favorite way to eat chocolate? brownies

How often do you listen to country music? sometimes.

Linkin Park or Avenged Sevenfold? neither

Last surgery you had? my wisdom teeth surgery

Have you ever played guitar? no but i wish i could

Is there someone in your life whose career/life choices you find immoral/unethical? Have you ever told that person your views? Do you find it difficult to support them (emotionally or otherwise) because of their choices? um i dont think so

What trait do you feel you lack that you wish you possessed? a little more confidence

Have you ever considered writing your memoirs? maybe

Do you find it difficult to stay invested in online relationships? i dont have very many online friends anymore but when i had a bunch i loved talking to them

Are you the type of person who pays close attention to the release dates of movies, music, etc., and will, for example, go see a movie or buy an album on the date it is released? If so, when is the last time you did so? only for something i really like.

Do you have any stickers on your laptop? a bunch

Would you rather have a job for which you had to go in early in the morning or one you had to stay late into the evening at? early in the morning so then i have the rest of the day to myself when i get off

Do you use any apps to track your health or medications? i have a workout app but that’s it.

Whose opinions/recommendations do you value most? my mom, sister, and my 2 best friends

If you could’ve been at any historical event, which would you have liked to witness firsthand? probably the women’s suffrage movement or the civil rights movement

Is there something that you really want to do but are afraid of doing? If so, why are you afraid of doing it?i want to tell him how i feel but i’m afraid i’ll ruin the friendship

What is something society “expects” you to do that you don’t want to do and/or don’t plan on doing? wear a tampon i’m sorry but i can’t do it

Have Jehovah's Witnesses ever come to your door? no

Are you well-known by people in your area? eh somewhat

Have you ever experienced sleep paralysis? no and i dont want to

What's your favourite type of bird? owls!!

What tv show(s) have you been watching currently? i’m watching loki, hsmtmts, planning to watch s2 of never have i ever, and i started one piece but i haven’t watched in a while

Have you ever dated a smoker? no but that might change😳

Do you share a middle name with any of your siblings? no

Have you ever been a member in a band? No.

Can you cry on command? If so, have you ever used it to your advantage? No.

Do you have separate emails for personal and business? i have my school email and personal email

Have you ever missed a flight? no

Have you ever seen a lunar eclipse? i think so.

Have you ever taken a ride in a convertible? i literally rode in my best friend’s convertible last night lmao

Why did you last need to use a band-aid? i dont remember

What fruit do you eat most often? bananas and clementines

Who was the last person you visited in the hospital? maybe my great uncle?

Has someone ever tried to start an argument with you over Facebook? What happened? no but i’ve been in a few on insta and twitter.

Have you ever had an unusual type of milk (eg. oat, rice, almond)? i don’t straight up drink milk but i love things made with almond milk.

If you could experience life as a Disney princess for a week, which princess would you pick and why? elsa i want ice powers

When you’re at home, do you spend most of your time in your room? sometimes but normally during the day i’m in the living room with my family

If you like to sleep in late, have your parents ever told you off for doing so? No.

Do you find piercings attractive? Yep.

Do you like potato chips? Loooove 'em.

What’s the most stalker-like/creepy thing you’ve ever done? If you don’t think you’ve done anything like that, what’s the most stalker-like thing someone’s done to you? i’ve looked up a few people’s houses on zillow in my day.

Do you think it’s a double standard that a woman can hit a man and expect to get away with it, but if a man hits a woman it’s assault? absolutely, you shouldn’t hit anyone

What’s your favorite old Disney movie and favorite new Disney movie? my top 3 are princess and the frog, tangled, and frozen 2. i also love the little mermaid

Name something “trendy” or popular that you dislike. idrk

“Dirty talk” in the bedroom…love it, like it, don’t care, dislike it, or hate it? it depends on what it is. it should also be mixed with some loving or praise talk imo

What is/are your favorite type(s) of ethnic food, and what’s your favorite food within that type? i LOVE italian food specifically fettuccine alfredo and i also love asian food such as general tso’s, sweet and sour chicken, lo mein, shrimp fried rice, LUMPIA 🤤

How would you describe your relationship with your hair over the years? i’ve always liked my hair color and thickness. i always go back and forth between growing it out long and cutting it short bc i can never choose which i like more also it has lots of red undertones so i’m thinking about dyeing it a deep red

How do you feel about your SO daily/regularly checking up on a couple of his exes on social media? hypothetically it would be a red flag to me. a clear sign they haven’t moved on from the past

Do you prefer your guy to wear cologne or not? a good smelling cologne on a man will quite literally make me bust a nut.

Ladies, how important is it to you that your SO wears/would wear a wedding ring? i’d want them to unless it didnt fit or something

What was the turning point that led you to decide for or against having children? i’m very close with my family so i’ve always loved the idea of having one of my own with my future spouse

Is having your “dream” wedding really that important to have? i definitely have ideas for my wedding and i would want it to go a certain way according to our plan but in the end if things go wrong or plans change it wouldn’t matter as long as i’m marrying the loml.

Do you consider it cheating if your SO goes to a strip club and then doesn’t tell you? i wouldn’t consider it cheating if he was just watching but i would be angry that he hid it from me

How old is too old for trick-or-treating? i dont think it matters unless ur posing a danger to little children

Do you sleep with your arms over or under the covers? depends but mostly under

Do you own any t-shirts of your favorite band? i have nsync and harry styles shirts but thats it

Fries or onion rings? Fries.

True/False: you’ve had an odd dream this week. all the time but most of the time i forget them right after i wake up

Do you find tattoo sleeves attractive? depends

Do you like carving pumpkins? Yeah.

What’s an animal you want to have as a pet but can’t? i think raccoons are adorable but its kindaaaa hard to domesticate them

Have your parents ever caught you drinking? no bc my parents let me drink in the house and i’ve told them abt every time i’ve drank at college

How would you react if your celebrity crush came to your door? i would absolutely piss and shit on myself.

Has your mom/dad ever walked in on you kissing or anything more with someone? no

The person you have a crush on is drunk and goes to kiss you, you know they don’t realize what they’re doing, but do you kiss anyways? i would stop it even if i want to bc i don’t want them to regret anything and i wouldn’t want them to kiss me if they don’t like me bc it would hurt too much.

What would you prefer to get from a guy/girl: flowers, a hand written poem, a picture he drew of you or a nice night out? i would love them all but something abt a guy taking the time to write a poem for me makes me melt

Do you any shirts with any kind of images of food on them? no.

Which holiday is the most fun to decorate for? halloween

What was the first website you had an email account on? gmail

Have you ever written a fanfic? YES AHSHDH.

Tattoos or piercings? tats for sure.

What’s the last gross movie/show/video you saw? the scene where alexei breaks the inmate’s wrist in black widow is SO GROSS i cringe every time

Would you rather live in a huuuge house or a little cozy one? definitely a little cozy one

Do you have a tutor for anything? No.

Who’s the best kisser you know? i’ve only kissed one person.

Has anyone ever threatened you with a knife? No. I'd like it to stay that way.

(If you’re a girl) Has anyone ever called you "shortie" instead of girl? no and i hope they dont

Do you have a deep voice? not really

Do you play games with boys/girls, like 'hard to get’? no thats dumb

Is there a Sonic where you live? yes i’m a whore for sonic

What do you like on your pizza? pepperoni or sausage

Deck Building 101

So by now, you should know about the various clans, should have a solid understanding of how Imaginary Gifts function, and should have access to places and information that have provided you a solid idea on how to play the game. If not, there’s no worries: Make sure to check out my previous posts to help fill in some of the gaps.

At this point, you’ve probably starting looking at cards and are going “I want to build a deck for this clan, but I don’t know where to start” or “How do I upgrade my trial deck from here?” This is a common issue for new players of any game, and unlike other popular TCGs like Yu-Gi-Oh or Magic the Gathering, there aren’t a lot of places to look up online decklists to help nudge new players in the right direction. This article is aimed to help you identify some positive resources to help you build you’re deck and teach you some of the main things to consider when building your own deck list. There are a few rules you need to consider when making any deck in this game.

1) Every deck in Vanguard must consist of 50 cards in the main deck.

2) You can’t play more than 4 copies of any card with the same name in a deck

3) Your deck must include exactly 16 trigger units, and you can only use up to 4 heals.

And without further ado, let’s get started:

First thing’s first: every deck needs a focus. Put simply, a deck’s focus is described as one of two things: The main card the deck uses to win and/or the strategy used to win. For example, a Link Joker player may choose to build an aggressive deck around Docking Deletor, Greion (see above) and focus on beating down on the opponent by lowering the opponent’s defenses and killing their key combo pieces, or the Link Joker player may prefer a more disruptive strategy such as Wandering Starhulk Ruler, Brandt, which focuses on hindering the opponent’s plays and keeping a heavy defense to try and make the opponent do themselves in.

When building a deck, it’s very important to figure out how you want to win with the deck in order to find cards that support it in the most optimal manner. The first thing every player should do is find their ‘boss monster, ‘avatar’, or focus unit and decide how to best build around it. Once you have your focus, it’s time to start looking at other cards you can use to help your focus do it’s job.

Every leader needs his army, and Vanguard is no different. In order to help your plan succeed, you’ll need to think about how your cards work together. 

As you can see above, Greion is a powerful unit, capable of removing your opponent’s rearguards for the rest of the game and forcing your opponent to crumble beneath his aura as he sets the opponent’s Vanguard down to 0 power and with no abilities. What this means for your opponent is that they have to throw even more cards down to guard against your might blows, and unless they ride on top of the deleted Vanguard, they’re stuck with a unit who’s only real function is to perform twin drive.

However, if you notice, Greion’s power does not come for cheap. Greion requires two counter-blasts to use his ability, a cost that isn’t easily mitigated in a deck that loves to eat through its own resources. When looking for rearguards, we may want to look for cards that can potentially give us some of our resources back (placing cards back in soul or turning cards back face-up in the damage zone).

Additionally, because Greion plays aggressive, it’s likely we’ll need cards that can also be used to lay down aggressive pressure in order to capitalize fully on our opponent’s moments of weakness.

Ill-fate Deletor, Drown is a unit that pairs very well with Greion. Since Greion’s ability to ‘Delete’ the opponent’s vanguard is a skill that can be activated during the Main Phase, you can call Drown to the field right before using Greion’s skill and activate Drown as a result. Not only can Drown remove a pesky rearguard from intercepting or furthering your opponent’s plan, but if you overextend your resources to lay down pressure, Drown will immediately refund you one Counterblast and place itself in soul in order to use for other skills in the turn.

Swift Deletor, Geali is another rearguard that pairs really well with Greion due to it’s ability not only to buff itself, but to place pressure on the opponent that makes them practically have to guard. Against a deleted Vanguard, he requires a 15000 shield value unboosted to stop, and if the opponent does not guard, they risk either letting you draw a card or kill off another one of their units. With a Force 1 Imaginary Gift, he becomes a 24000 beater unboosted the turn it gets played, forcing your opponent then to to use 25000 shield to either stop your attack, take a loss to their field, or give you a plus to your hand. And if they guard, that’s 25000 worth of shield they can’t use to try and stop your Vanguard’s attack.

Very quickly it becomes easy to see how cards can play off of your focus/strategy, and the more you look into the cards in the clan you’re building, the more options you’ll find to potentially help compliment your win condition.

The biggest question for every player once you find cards you like is how many of each card should I run?

This is a very difficult thing to answer at times. You have to have exactly 50 cards in the deck, and 17 of those slots are taken by Grade 0 units (16 triggers and 1 starter). That leaves you 33 slots to divide up however you like between your Grade 1′s, 2′s, and 3′s. 

Because of the unique nature of Standard, and the need to ride to Grade 3 as soon as possible, most decks have developed the following rations of their 1-3 lineups (barring a few exceptions):

Most decks run between 8-10 Grade 3′s.

Most decks run between 10-12 Grade 2′s.

Most decks run between 11-14 Grade 1′s.

Clearly, if a card is extremely important, you want to run as many of it as you can. For example: since Greion is the focus of our deck, we’d naturally want to run 4 copies of him to ensure we draw him as quickly as possible. And since we noted how useful Drown is, he’s likely another card we run at the max limit to improve consistency. 

However, let’s say you decided to run the following card in your deck.

Embroil Deletor, Jaega is a solid card that trades a minus 1 on your end for a minus 2 on your opponent’s end. However, due to it’s cost, it can potentially be a hindrance if you draw it at certain points in the game. You won’t always be able to afford a minus 1 off your field. When a card isn’t important enough to your win condition, you can afford to cut back to two or three copies of the card. 

Consistency is the most important thing in any card game. When balancing your ratios and determining how many of a card you want to run in your deck, it’s necessary to consider ‘How well does this card add to the consistency of my win condition?’

When you’ve finished the first draft of your deck, go test it! Play a few casual games with your friends, take it and play around with it at locals, or hop online and test it against other players on Cardfight Area (an PC version of the game hosted through winrar). As you play, take notice of what does and doesn’t work when you play. Does this card feel like it never helps when you draw it? Take it out. Does this card perform better than I thought? Keep it in and play four if it’s working hard enough. Make sure to get practice in with your cards. Sometimes things look or sound a lot better on paper, but when you start practicing with it, it doesn’t perform as well as it seems it should. Deck building in large is a process of trial and error. As you slowly start to tinker around and practice, you’ll learn the combos of your clan, how best to use them, and what sorts interactions your cards has with other decks.

Although there are very few places to look at other people’s lists and compare them to your own (Bushiroad posts the lists of the top 3 players of every BCS tourney), one of the most helpful places you can go is, oddly enough, Facebook.

There are a large number of Facebook Groups dedicated to Vanguard, including some dedicated to specific clans, and there are a large number of players who are willing to help new players getting into the game. There are a few notable Youtubers who post deck-based content as well, such as Solemn Vanguard, Differentfight, and more, however: I personally do not recommend using a number of Youtubers as source material for a beginning point for decks. I personally recommend looking at Bushiroad’s website and using the various Facebook groups to help you get started. Bushiroad’s Japanese website even occasionally post suggestive lists for a clan everytime a new set releases.

That’s all for this time guys, stay tuned for more down the road!

-SSD

All roads lead to Rome!

   Millions of people all over the world are interested in travelling. They are spending weekend or holiday like this, travel to see other countries and continents, modern cities and the ruins of ancient towns, they travel to enjoy picturesque places, or just to change places. Alsо for someone traveling as the meaning of life, someone looking for relief from depression or inspiration, a push to change their lives, the reasons may be different, but one thing remains unchanged - after the journey you will never be the same again as before.

   You can travel with a travel company where all the tours are listed in advance and you can read everything, but how much more interesting it is for me to plan vacation on my own. Travel companies often choose only the well-known and typical places for tourists out there, as usual the crowds of people and feel the coloration of the city in such a rhythm is extremely difficult.

  If you are still convinced that the travel companies are the best, then good luck with them, and all those who are ready to take a risk, who are open to new experiences and acquaintances, who want to really feel the city and its lifestyle, then there will be some tips on what worth the attention and how to plan your trip in the best way, here's an example of how I do it in the form of tips.

  So first and foremost you need to choose country where you want to spend your time, let’s take for example Italy. Afterwards you need to choose a city. Italy it is a magnificent country, and Robert DeNiro once said :«Italy has long changed. But Rome is Rome.» so our choice now is Rome. “Benvenuti a Roma!” - these are the words you will see when you arrive to Rome. Here emperors ruled and gladiatorial battles took place, the fate of the Catholic Church was decided, the best examples of baroque were created, created by Leonardo da Vinci and filmed his legendary "Dolce Vita" Federico Fellini. Every Roman house, every cobblestone is saturated with the spirit of European antiquity! What you need to know before you arrange an unforgettable Roman vacation!

  Subsequently, each of us has a certain idea of Rome, so now is the time to read about different sights and landmarks, watch videos about Rome and find different photos. Also a very genius advice (personally from me) is to listen to bloggers or locals (find e.g. someone on facebook or CouchSurfing; people are friendly there) who live in the city where we plan to travel. They can give advice about those places that will help you to feel the true spirit of the city and to feel the atmosphere.

  After that, it is time to search ticket. One of the best web sites for this is Skyscanner or Momondo. One more advice is to look for tickets for those dates when websites or airlines are having something like happy hours or days when tickers are cheaper.

 Then we start looking for place to live, it could be a hostel , a hotel or you can try to couch surf) here you are free , because everyone here already choose what is closer to them.

When we have tickets and place to stay , we can make a wish list .

        Here my TOP 10 places to visit Rome :

1.     Coliseum a symbol of the greatness of ancient Rome and the pride of the present. This is one of the most famous attractions in the world, which is visited  by 6 million tourists annually. The Colosseum is the largest amphitheater of Antiquity, which seats about 50,000 spectators

2.     The Trevi Fountain is the largest and most beautiful fountain in Rome. It was built at the end point of an ancient aqueduct. Trevi's final appearance dates back to 1762, when after many years of work on it, Nicolo Salvi, it was finalized by Giuseppe Pannini.

3.     The Pantheon is one of the greatest domed structures in the world and one of the best preserved structures of Antiquity. It was built between 25-27 years BC. Consul Mark Wipsany Agrippa, son-in-law of Emperor Augustus.

4.     Piazza Navona is one of the most famous squares in Rome, which is often called the "Three Fountains Square". It was formed at the end of the 15th century and retains the shape of the stadium of Domitian, which in ancient times stood here.

5.     The Vatican is a miniature state within Rome, the center of the Catholic faith. If you are a connoisseur of art, then be sure to visit the Vatican discount museums. They collected hundreds of unique, most valuable creations, paintings, sculptures.

6.     Trastevere is one of the most pleasant walking areas of Rome with a typical Italian atmosphere. This is one of the best places for lunch or dinner in the Italian capital. A walk through the narrow cobbled green streets of Trastevere will reveal hidden treasures such as modest medieval churches, small shops with the most unusual items or scenes of everyday life of the Romans.

7.     The Aqua Paola Fountain is a monumental marble fountain created in the 17th century to celebrate the discovery of the old Roman aqueduct.

8.     Yanikul is a very pleasant place for walking, which is far from the hustle and bustle of the city, as well as an excellent observation deck. Many call Janiculum the eighth hills of Rome.

9.     Cafe Pompi Tiramisù - if somewhere there is that same real Italian tiramisu, then definitely in Pompi! Here you will find not only its classic coffee flavor, but also strawberry, banana, vanilla, caramel and many more variations of the tastes of the famous dessert

10.   Spaccio Pasta - among the most original take-away establishments, the Romans prefer the Spaccio Pasta restaurant, located just a stone's throw from Port San Giovanni.

  Then you need to write an indicative plan of where and what day you want to go, in order to build a route better, use maps and see which places are closer to each other. For example, trip to Vatican will take almost all day, so for evening you can go to one of pizza and pasta places and enjoy the walk in the evening city.

   Rome is a breathtaking city; I hope all that advice will help you to make your trip better and more incredible.  Italy are unimaginable country, Rome is one of the oldest cities in the world, the ancient capital of the Roman Empire.  

  It seems to me that every person should feel something like that, in order to realize their dreams. You need to make an effort today in order to have everything in the future and just to be happy! 

SeeSEE OUR OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THIS IN IT'S ENTIRETY!

◾WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 4th, 2020 ◾ABIDING IN GOD'S GRACE ©MINISTRIES ◾AIGGM BIBLE STUDIES ◾WHO WAS EZEKIEL? ◾ 💕 Reverend Blackburn 💕 — WatchWoman On The Wall ◾GOD'S WRATH, HOPE, INTRODUCTION TO THE BIBLE, & THE OLD TESTAMENT ▪“UFOs are real; they’re even talked about in the Bible!” ▪Those words blew my mind as a young child, when I FIRST attempted and tried to READ and UNDERSTAND the book of Ezekiel! ▪Years [upon years] later, that SAME statement blew my nine-year-old's mind when I heard and saw the Declassified documents and information released from the Pentagon . Now I remembered as a child, I would sometimes discuss MANY things of MANY DIFFERENT natures, such as UFOs, other dimensions, other parallels, other universes/worlds, Etc.. Including MANY of the religious topics of concern — [I heard or was learning or reading about] — to science-fiction-loving nine-year-old kids—you know, aliens, space travel, and so forth. Although I had attended church and Sunday school regularly for years, I had NEVER heard this about UFOs in church, NOR from any Pastor's, Minister's, Reverend's, Ministries, Etc..before. ▪I knew they were REAL. I knew they were OUT THERE, somewhere. I knew they were DEMONIC. BUT, up until the release and declassification of the Pentagon's document's and information, I had NO REAL SOLID CONCRETE EVIDENCE! Etc.! I began really looking, digging, researching, studying, Etc.. origins of the UFOs, ancient civilizations, Etc.. ▪So, where did I find accounts of humanity’s encounter with UFOs? In the book of Ezekiel, of course. After all, what else could explain the four-faced creatures and the eye-covered wheels within wheels that the prophet sees in the opening chapters of the book of Ezekiel? ▪MORE than three decades have now passed since that elementary-grade [aged] point in time. If I ever really believed that Ezekiel saw UFOs, I don’t any longer. But that hasn’t stopped many others, often people outside the church, from posting on webpages and writing books about Ezekiel’s encounter with aliens. Within the church, we’re less likely to find people talking about UFOs in the book of Ezekiel. However, there have been plenty of fantastical stories based on Ezekiel to come from the pens of Christian writers. MANY of these have been accounts of apocalyptic wars between Israel and Russia and her allies (allegedly Ezekiel’s Gog and Magog) that must occur in the future, sometimes before and sometimes after the pretribulation rapture of the church. ▪Whether Ezekiel is used to prove the existence of UFOs - OR - to predict the FUTURE of God’s plan for the world, there is little doubt that this prophet and the book that bears his name will continue to inspire curious readers to speculate on the meaning of his words. Yet, while Ezekiel is one of the more difficult books of the Bible to interpret, at least at first glance, we don’t have to resort to UFOs or trying to discern how he predicts contemporary or future events in order to understand him. We need only to understand him in his original context. 🔸EZEKIEL THE MAN ▪Ezekiel was born in approximately 620 BC, just as the southern kingdom of Judah was entering its final period of decline before its exile. We read in Ezekiel 1:3 that he was a priest, which makes him one of the few old covenant figures to hold the office of priest and prophet simultaneously. As part of a priestly family, Ezekiel would have been among the leading citizens of Judah, which explains why we find him in Babylon at the beginning of his book. In 609 BC, Judah came under the control of Egypt, but just a few years later, the Babylonian Empire routed the Egyptians from Judah and Judah became a client state of Babylon. As ancient Near Eastern client states were wont to do, however, Judah rebelled against Babylon in 602 BC, seeking independence. Several years of conflict followed, but by 597 BC, Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon had invaded Judah to put down its rebellion. Nebuchadnezzar took King Jehoiachin of Judah and many of its leading citizens into exile into Babylon, among

◦ * ✧ . ⋆ ˚ hi hi everyone !! i’m liv (eighteen, she/her) & please allow me to introduce you to the fluffiest ball of all fluff balls, needs-attention-all-the-time-but-not-so-much-or-else-he’ll-bite-you, the he protecc but also attacc kinda guy you might see walking around and also a stubborn little dreamer: my baby, CHOI MINJAE !! i’ve left all of his bg story (and a few extra thingies) under the cut so you can get a glimpse at this guy’s dark past and join me in the minjae protection squad lmao jks (๑˘︶˘๑) SO if you’d like me to go to your chat so we can discuss possible connections (besides the ones i mentioned down below), just press the little ♡ and i’ll be right there !! NOW let’s talk business !!

—— trigger warnings: homophobia, mentions of physical & verbal violence, some family issues and panic attacks.

throughout his entire life, struggling is a word minjae could always relate to the most. his family was poor, his social anxiety didn’t allow him to have any real friends in school and his parents were barely home, trying to make literally any money so they’d be able to survive.

the thing is, he was never a planned thing. his parents always tried to hide it, but minjae wasn’t dumb; never had been, to be quite honest. he knew he had been an accident, an unwanted addition to the family, since they were already – once again – struggling to feed two mouths. three would be too much, right? it was a stretch, but they managed.

growing up in the city of daegu, he’d always been a bit more closed off. in school, he always tried to keep his cool and stay under the radar of everyone else, happily succeeding in that. he was still a kid, yes, but a kid with many problems and not as many solutions to those problems. thankfully, he always tried his hardest in school, knowing (even in the young age of ten) that that was probably the only thing that could help his parents in the future. maybe, if he studied hard enough, he’d be able to make money to help his family.

the teenage years came, and with them, the opening of the flower button inside minjae. socializing was something that came naturally for him once he entered high school. of course, he was still very hesitant about every single little thing, but as he let his walls down, making friends wasn’t actually that difficult. sure, he could talk to just a few people, but that was way more than he’d ever been able to do before. he was happy with his own accomplishments.

of course, all good things must come to an end. and that end came by the end of his second year of high school. minjae had been frequenting a few parties and some get-togethers organized by his circle of friends, and it was all fun and games, so he’d never imagine that a photo of him kissing one of his – guy – friends would get leaked. that was really the lowest point of his life, what with literally all of his friends (including the one he’d kissed) dropping him from their lives, claiming that he was “gross” and they “couldn’t hang out with people like him”. he even escaped some beatings here and there, being small and able to run away faster than anyone could catch him.

things really only got worse when that picture got to his parents. he didn’t know how, when or who sent it, but someone did, and he found himself being cornered by his father on a gloomy thursday night. minjae really doesn’t remember much from that moment, since he chose to shove the memory to the back of his mind so it wouldn’t hurt as much anymore, but one thing was certain: he got kicked out of the house at the age of eighteen, with nothing but a backpack filled with his things and a hand mark on his face from the slap he’d gotten. it was depressing and not something he wanted to deal with, but he could’ve seen it coming.

he gathered all of his savings from every single job he’d ever taken or contest he’d won ever since he was around thirteen and got into a plane to jeju after sleeping on some benches in daegu for one or two nights. minjae knew some people who’d come from there and he hoped to get to make a living on the island, find a job and start his life again. it was the best possible outcome.

arriving on jeju, minjae rented a small hotel room for an entire month with basically the rest of his savings, having to cut short on food for a while. he went out to look for a job, not getting lucky for a bit more than two weeks before he finally found a restaurant in need of a busboy and he didn’t even think twice before applying. thankfully, he got to work soon.

but it wasn’t enough. of course it wouldn’t be enough; it wasn’t a high paying job, after all, even if the restaurant was a nice one. so during one of his nights out to think about what he was doing with his life, he met a guy. considerably older than him, he held promises of money and a good life on his tongue, capturing minjae and making the young man pay a visit to the strip club he ran. it wasn’t long until he was being dragged into that place as a real stripper, something he’d never even considered, but it seemed like an option that could work. maybe.

at first, he was hesitant; afraid of everyone and everything, not knowing what to do during half of the time and needing help from his colleagues, but eventually he got the hang of it. suddenly, stripping came to him as more of an enjoyment than something he felt obligated to do. sure, he kept his busboy job, since he was good at it (as dumb as it sounded). he needed money, stripping and cleaning tables did the trick for him.

being in the business for around four years, could he ask for something more ?!

◦ * ✧ . ⋆ ˚ BONUS STUFF !!

he may be a little difficult to deal with at first, but eventually his walls come down and he turns into this soft, extra clingy baby !! just gotta be patient lmao

growing up in a poor family and then on his own with barely no money for food, minjae learned to not eat much. that being said, he’s really skinny to the point where anyone would think he’s not healthy, but he promises he is !!

he’s also always had a bit of an issue with his own body; being a stripper helped him overcome that, what with the looks he got in the club whenever he went up to the stage. in some distorted way, it gave him life.

his favorite color is orange bc it reminds him of the cat he once took care of; it lived on his street and he never got to know its gender or give it a name, but he liked to give it food whenever it could (even if food was still something he shouldn’t be wasting like that). he’s just glad his parents never found out.

when minjae got kicked out, he doesn’t even know how he had managed to survive, crying himself to sleep almost every day. sometimes his mind gets filled with memories from past struggles and he finds himself feeling out of breath, choked, trying so much to stay calm and relaxed as his world starts to spin. it’s something tough to overcome, but fortunately it doesn’t happen often, so he’s okay (for now).

minjae might have had some issues in the first months he spent in jeju, but eventually his life got progressively better and nowadays he lives in a small apartment with a guy who actually managed to put up with his shit – juho, a.k.a his angel on earth. 

he gets easily irritated about anything, so a lot of patience is needed while dealing with him. it’s just his defense mechanism to any sort of situation he isn’t used to, what can he do about it ?!

OVER ALL, minjae’s just looking for people to treat him well :( he’s gone through SOOO much, he just wishes to live a happy normal life from now on~ !!

◦ * ✧ . ⋆ ˚ POSSIBLE CONNECTIONS !!

friends that always help each other with their problems (has to be someone minjae really trusts);

drinking buddies;

the good old “partners in crime” concept;

were friends once but something happened and now they can’t stand each other;

flirty friends who are always all over each other but never really make any real moves, it’s all just jokes and fun;

your muse went to the strip club minjae works at and saw him performing and just can’t believe how that small ball of fluff turned into the whole package of sin they saw up on the stage. they make sure to let their curiosity show;

neighbor who minjae always turns to when he needs something because once your muse saw how he almost doesn’t eat anything and wants to stuff him with food;

THAT PROTECTIVE FRIEND who always somehow knows when minjae’s in trouble and does his best to help him !!

internet friends who met over twitter/instagram/facebook/any other type of social media and are now meeting up and omg this is so exciting ?!

also works at the restaurant minjae’s a busboy at;

also works at the strip club;

a crush, maybe ?? on minjae or your muse’s part;

aaaaaaand i have no more ideas lol hmu if you want any specific connections !!

10 Things Most People Don't Know About Vancouver real estate investment

best places to buy rental property in bc

Every person should learn how to be successful with real estate investment. That is because without a good comprehension of what real estate investment is, you'll have no means of knowing if it is going to be financially secure. Many people today buy properties and attempt to flip them to make some quick money. That's a great idea when you've got money to buy a property and may flip it for a profit in a brief amount of time. If you don't have enough money to get properties and do not understand how to flip them for a profit, then you are likely to have a big financial mess. Because of this, you will need to learn about real estate investment, particularly purchasing and selling properties to produce money. There are lots of methods to earn money flipping properties to make money.

15 Best Twitter Accounts to Learn About Vancouver real estate investment.

10 Best Facebook Pages of All Time About Vancouver real estate investment

The thing you want to do when purchasing properties would be to not purchase properties which aren't suitable for you. You need to be certain that you know what kind of person will be living in the house. You would like to look at the property itself. You also wish to check out the community the home is located in. If you're going to be living there, then you would like to ensure that you feel comfortable there. This can be tough if you live in a neighborhood that is terrible to do.

15 Up-and-Coming Trends About Real estate investment vancouver

It is highly recommended that you flip properties to earn money since they allow you to develop capital . You can spend just a couple of hundred bucks and begin flipping the properties that you buy in order to generate money. Investing in properties is a great way to make a fortune in the real estate market. It's worth the investment to buy a property at a discounted price and then resell it at a profit. Flipping properties to make money can supply you with loads of money to spend on different regions of your business or to pay debt off.

Real Estate in Vancouver

Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in Canada. It is not simply a city in Canada, but a town in North America. Vancouver is the largest city that is Canadian. The Stanley Park is the main attraction for tourists. You are able to travel from North Shore Mountains to East Vancouver to White Rock. The sunset over the Howe Sound is a significant attraction. If you're planning to visit Vancouver you need to observe the Canada Place.

Purchasing a Rental Property For Retirement - 4 Benefits of Purchasing a Rental Property For Retirement

To be able to spend your cash in buying a rental property, you have to be aware of just exactly how and where to acquire the most accurate info on rental properties. To find out more about the rental market in your area best strategy is to begin taking a look at their rental income. Most companies who provide information and service solutions on rental properties are usually to make a buck. There are also websites which offer specialized services for those who would like to buy and hold their rental properties. These sites offer information regarding buying and selling properties for retirement, such as information on buying in distressed property, when to buy and hold property, when to rent and how to increase cash flow by including sales of the property as an asset. Additionally, there are tips on what to look for in a rental property, such as good tenants and location. Finding an organization that could offer both guidance on buying and keeping rental properties, as well as tools to assist with buying and hauling will be beneficial to anybody.

The biggest benefit of real estate is tax-free income. Moreover, you won't need to pay taxes on any cash flow in the sale. People like this because they get to build up cash in the meantime while they're building their retirement portfolio. When you buy and hold a rental property, you normally have to wait for the property to be sold. In the event you market it too early you will eliminate money. On the flip side, if you wait too long that you may not be able to market the property because of its true value, and might end up losing money.

10 Signs You Should Invest in Vancouver real estate investments

The means to buy and hold is if you can get a price that is lower and you can accomplish so by selling yourself. Market your property for much less than you purchased it and the owner is going to have a terrific interest in maintaining the property. The first thing they will want to understand is how much income they will gain from renting it out. If they see that you are getting a good amount of income they will want to continue to rent out of you. If you sell your property and make your money back you need to have it and keep it on your desk or hanging out by your computer. It's important that you don't place much money into the property since if the buyer decides not to move in the first year it could end up costing you a lot of money.

Real https://smallbizclub.com/technology/software/using-quickbooks-for-property-management/ estate investment opportunities are all around us, but for a lot of people finding these opportunities could be difficult. For real estate investment opportunities abound. Real estate investment opportunities are located in just about any area, and almost any town. Here are some examples of real estate investment opportunities:

The first option for acquiring a foreclosure is to visit a foreclosed home. A house that is foreclosed ways that it has dropped into repossession as well as a bank or some entity that gets the residential or commercial property has actually taken possession of the residence. You can additionally discover repossessions on the competitive market by doing a search online. You can locate buildings that are being marketed along with the various people who are purchasing them.

Buying bank owned property might not be for everybody else. If you are inclined to spend some time to do some research, you may find it is a fantastic choice for you and also your financial plan. You will see we have many options to choose from and you'll be able to find plenty of homes for sale that are really distressed. The key is choosing the ideal properties and knowing how to get the most out of these.

All of them!

200: My crush’s name is: n/a lmao199: I was born in: naples, fl198: I am really: gay?? idk197: My cellphone company is: t mobile196: My eye color is: green/blue/gray/idk man195: My shoe size is: 7 1/2 8 sometimes194: My ring size is: um i think that was 7 too but i dont remember193: My height is: 5′4″192: I am allergic to:pineapples and penicillin191: My 1st car was: a v old red saturn190: My 1st job was: a waitress189: Last book you read: um i think it was uhhhhhh shit uhhhh god fuck it was the warrior cats book but!!! it was bc i was stuck at my sister house with nothing but bibles or that series to read188: My bed is: an air mattress atm187: My pet: is perfect and i love her her name is luna and shes a little black cat who loves cuddles and kisses186: My best friend:is wonderful and i love him185: My favorite shampoo is: uhm. error i hardly ever use shampoo bc i have v dry curly hair and it makes it horrible184: Xbox or ps3: pc boi183: Piggy banks are: cure182: In my pockets: they dont make pockets in womens fashion wtf are you on. but uh. usually my phone, wallet, and keys181: On my calendar: i.. dont.. have one. 180: Marriage is: alright i guess. tax benefits179: Spongebob can: do that annoying laugh 178: My mom: tries v hard177: The last three songs I bought were? *squints* i think... it was keshas new album?176: Last YouTube video watched: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQuR8LVKhUE175: How many cousins do you have? 2174: Do you have any siblings? yes i have 3 older sisters173: Are your parents divorced? yeup172: Are you taller than your mom? nope171: Do you play an instrument? not anymore but i used to play clarinet170: What did you do yesterday? uhm spent the day at home as usual[ I Believe In ]169: Love at first sight: nah man168: Luck: to an extent i guess?167: Fate: i dont think so. 166: Yourself: sometimes165: Aliens: yes164: Heaven: nah163: Hell: nah162: God: nah161: Horoscopes: yes160: Soul mates: nah159: Ghosts: hmmm probably158: Gay Marriage: yes!157: War: no156: Orbs: orbs?? what are those?? like in ghost hunter shows? bc if so then no155: Magic: hm. what type? i think theres stuff we dont know about but idk if id call it magic. I think certain things have more power than we give credit. idk its hard to explain.[ This or That ]154: Hugs or Kisses: hugs153: Drunk or High: drunk152: Phone or Online: online151: Red heads or Black haired: redheadsredheadsredheads150: Blondes or Brunettes: hmmmm blondes i guess?149: Hot or cold: cold148: Summer or winter: winter147: Autumn or Spring: autumn146: Chocolate or vanilla: chocolate145: Night or Day: night144: Oranges or Apples: hmmm oranges143: Curly or Straight hair: curly 142: McDonalds or Burger King: mcdonalds141: White Chocolate or Milk Chocolate: milk chocolate140: Mac or PC: pc139: Flip flops or high heals: usually sneakers tbh but uhhh i own more heels then flip flops138: Ugly and rich OR sweet and poor: hm i mean i guess sweet and poor? im already poor so137: Coke or Pepsi: i dont drink soda, water. or coffee136: Hillary or Obama: obama135: Burried or cremated: cremated134: Singing or Dancing: singing133: Coach or Chanel: um. walmart? 132: Kat McPhee or Taylor Hicks: who or who?131: Small town or Big city: hm idk. probably city? 130: Wal-Mart or Target: target129: Ben Stiller or Adam Sandler: neither pls128: Manicure or Pedicure: hmmm manicure probs.127: East Coast or West Coast: i live on the east coast but idk west coast is home to a lot of friends so hmmmm126: Your Birthday or Christmas: its like a week apart there isnt much difference125: Chocolate or Flowers: chocolate124: Disney or Six Flags: disney123: Yankees or Red Sox: i dont sports[ Here’s What I Think About ]122: War: icky121: George Bush: memes?120: Gay Marriage: im gay119: The presidential election: my vote didnt matter!118: Abortion: its your body your choice117: MySpace: never had one116: Reality TV: i mean, its fake? entertaining tho115: Parents: eh. 114: Back stabbers: icky113: Ebay: cheap stuff112: Facebook: only for family tbh111: Work: pays the bills110: My Neighbors: dont know them109: Gas Prices: expensive108: Designer Clothes: overpriced107: College: wish i could afford it!106: Sports: nah105: My family: haha104: The future: haha[ Last time I ]103: Hugged someone: my grandma a few days ago102: Last time you ate: pizza a few hours ago101: Saw someone I haven’t seen in awhile: moving day seeing my extended family again100: Cried in front of someone: the other night with my mom or uhhh in call with kina today actually99: Went to a movie theater: wow uh pretty long time ago i dont actually remember98: Took a vacation: haha idk man97: Swam in a pool: wow uh idk96: Changed a diaper: hm last time i was with the twins. not sure how long its been. maybe 2 or 3 months?95: Got my nails done: when did my sister get married? years ago idk94: Went to a wedding: ^^93: Broke a bone: never have92: Got a peircing: about a year ago91: Broke the law: heh uh 90: Texted: a few hours ago[ MISC ]89: Who makes you laugh the most: probably kina or riley rn88: Something I will really miss when I leave home is: my mom tbh. the kids. wyatt. 87: The last movie I saw: the orphan86: The thing that I’m looking forward to the most: hm idk getting a job i guess85: The thing im not looking forward to: getting a job lmao84: People call me: by my name. but i have nicknames now!! Ray, rachi, babe, ray baby... its very nice and makes me feel warm and fuzzy and loved83: The most difficult thing to do is: hmmm clean? be honest about things that are bothering me? idk82: I have gotten a speeding ticket: never81: My zodiac sign is: capricorn sun aquarius moon80: The first person i talked to today was: the gc i think?79: First time you had a crush: i was v young and they had freckles and red hair and i died78: The one person who i can’t hide things from: um i try not to hide things in general! but someone who will call me out recently is raiken and archie lmao77: Last time someone said something you were thinking: riley lmao tho i beat her to it 

76: Right now I am talking to: riley75: What are you going to do when you grow up: i am grown up technically. uh. hopefully be an animator74: I have/will get a job: as a cashier probably73: Tomorrow: i have a job interview and then im gonna get coffee72: Today: was a long day71: Next Summer: hmmm idk70: Next Weekend: IDK GOD69: I have these pets: a cat!! who i love!!! and already gushed about but shes laying on my lap and purring rn and its so soothing68: The worst sound in the world: scratching against those uhhhh holographic things???? god i hate it67: The person that makes me cry the most is: hmnn my dad haha66: People that make you happy: my friends!!! Kina, Ali, Archie, Riley, Leo, Raiken, Mimi...... all of them good pals the squad my faves i love them65: Last time I cried: today rip64: My friends are: GOOD AND AMAZING I LOVE THEM63: My computer is: big! and i like it62: My School: none61: My Car: ded from the hurricane rip me60: I lose all respect for people who: are shitty? idk. 59: The movie I cried at was: hmmmm idk movies dont usually make me cry58: Your hair color is: uhm it was really dark blue but as the color has faded it kind of looks black/brown now57: TV shows you watch: a lot of them56: Favorite web site: uh i guess tumblr55: Your dream vacation: not being here!! probably just going around visiting everyone and hanging out having a good time54: The worst pain I was ever in was: tearing a ligament in my knee it hurt a lot53: How do you like your steak cooked: medium 52: My room is: messy51: My favorite celebrity is: ummm idk50: Where would you like to be: home tbh49: Do you want children: idk48: Ever been in love: ye47: Who’s your best friend: hhhhhhhhhhhh raiken46: More guy friends or girl friends: girls and nb babes45: One thing that makes you feel great is: just hanging out with people tbh44: One person that you wish you could see right now: i guess that would be my mom haha43: Do you have a 5 year plan: i did once. idk what happened to it haha i guess things never really go according to plan and it just hurts more to make one. just set goals, not plans.42: Have you made a list of things to do before you die: i did once but i dont think i have the same values as i did when i made that41: Have you pre-named your children: i used to but idk if i want kids anymore40: Last person I got mad at: ummmm hmm 39: I would like to move to: hmm somewhere with 4 seasons not just summer and less hot summer38: I wish I was a professional: artist[ My Favorites ]37: Candy: kit-kats36: Vehicle: um idk small ones i guess35: President: obama? idk34: State visited: ooohhh michigan33: Cellphone provider: ive only ever had the one so idk32: Athlete: uh31: Actor: uh30: Actress: uh29: Singer: hmmmmmmmm rn i would have to say Bea Miller but check back with me in a week28: Band: The Silent Comedy27: Clothing store: hmmmm cotton on has really comfy clothes26: Grocery store: target or publix25: TV show: rn? bnha24: Movie: hhhhhh um idk uhhhhh moulin rouge i guess? it used to be my fav but idk anymore23: Website: tumblr22: Animal: elephants21: Theme park: epcot20: Holiday: halloween19: Sport to watch: none18: Sport to play: none17: Magazine: none16: Book: hmmmmm A Monster Calls15: Day of the week: none14: Beach: hh13: Concert attended: never been12: Thing to cook: uh i guess eggs11: Food: sushi10: Restaurant: its a really good sushi place with bubble tea and thai donuts that i dont remember the name of9: Radio station: hhh idk8: Yankee candle scent: idk7: Perfume: i dont really like perfume it gives me headaches6: Flower: ooooh gardenia5: Color: blue/green teal4: Talk show host: john oliver3: Comedian: hh2: Dog breed: hmmm husky? also labradors and uhhh all dogs tbh ohhh pitbulls and rottweilers i love dogs good yes1: Did you answer all these truthfully? ye mostly

So here I am at the end of a very depressive weekend and I have worked so so so little on my comic. It is a great stress.

I am so proud of it. I am so proud and excited to be able to sell art at conventions. How fuckin cool is that tho, really? I'm actually the one behind the table sellin shit. It's not something I ever thought I'd be able to do.

Last week my goal for 5th graders was to introduce them to visual storytelling which I was SO PUMPED FOR bc what do I do for fun??? Make goddamn comics. I showed them chapter 2 of my comic. They looked through it and worked and talked about feelings and things they could figure out just from pics and not words. I was amazed, these kids with language troubles who could use pictures and understand more about a story than when they hear the story. And they used my art to do it with??? How freaking cool. They said "what is this comic I like it" and I got to say ITS MINE I MADE IT

How cool is that

But still I get depressed. It doesn't make sense and I know I shouldn't expect it to. Depression doesn't make sense.

I know I should be proud and do what I can and work when I can. I know that working a salary job (which says I work 37.5 hrs a week but you KNOW it's more than that) and living alone with two pets is hard enough. To cook, clean, pay bills, do life errands like medication and doc appointments and groceries... then stuff for health like exercising or social health like talking to friends / hanging out

Where is time

I have time now and then and I WOULD LOVE to use it to work on my comic. It's been hard lately. These last three weeks have been hellishly hard. I can't seem to keep focus on things.

Sometimes I cry. I mostly sleep. My docs know how I feel and we are working through it but really, shit like this happens and I just gotta deal.

But I'm so sorry to myself and to my comic readers. I know there are like... 5 maybe. Do people read my comic? I don't even know. I just feel so sorry. I made a post on Facebook about how I am unhealthy and it is making my progress slow but I am still embarrassed (is that the right term?) to say it is mental health and not physical that is holding me back right now.

Am I embarrassed or ashamed? I feel like if I told the truth people would pshhh and deny that is any reason to have a slowed work output.

I don't know why I would feel that way. Let's just blame all these odd feelings on depression bc like I said - it doesn't make sense.

So the weekend is over and I've spent only a few hours of it feeling ok. I haven't moved much. I have eaten very poorly. I didn't do almost any chores I needed to do to live well.

But- I drew. I drew like, 5 things I really, really like. They aren't a comic page. This is a conflict. I really, really like what I created. But I end up making myself feel bad because if I were to create anything this weekend why wasn't it my comic?? It is on a schedule, sarah. Keep up!! But no, here is fan art for prints for the con in November. Why would I do that?

Why? Because it was something I wanted to draw. It IS something on my to-do list, but my comic should always be on schedule before I work on to-do.

So here is what I am feeling. I'm going to try my best to dream of how much I love the pieces I started tonight and ignore the anger / disappointment I am feeling toward myself about slow comic progress. I want to wake up early and bust through a difficult day at work tomorrow (two meetings, lots of make up sessions, regular day of sessions, also somehow have to write three reports and plan for Tuesday and evaluate a kid)... it'll be a rough day. But when work is over @reallymadefromstardust is visiting and that is gonna be great. And now I've tagged her and I didn't do it to make you read this whiny post so sorry allie

I'm just typing on and on and on and I should sleep

Tomorrow's gonna be hard but I can do it. I want this week to be amazing (a-mage-ing hahaha mages) but I have to get my positive face on and WORK HARD to make it amazing. It's on me. I can do it.

I will do it.

I love the art I made this weekend.

This sex toy company uses niche meme accounts to spread the joys of masturbation

May is National Masturbation Month, and we're celebrating with Feeling Yourself, a series exploring the finer points of self-pleasure.

It's 2019, and people are finally starting to understand that it isn't just dudes who are allowed to be horny. 

While social media platforms lag behind on allowing sponsored posts for vibrators and other sextech, one sex toy company is getting around these barriers by advertising through something more organic: meme accounts. 

View this post on Instagram

Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

A post shared by Unbound (@unboundbabes) on Apr 20, 2019 at 6:09pm PDT

Male sexual enhancement has long been advertised openly. Older men toss footballs and describe how Viagra rejuvenated their love lives. Condom ads run in the same traditionally masculine tone as whiskey and beer spots. Sure, we've seen ads for menstrual products, where overly cheery women spike volleyballs on the beach and sprint across stretches of wildflowers as if their uteri weren't betraying them at that very moment. But products focused on female sexual health — and on pleasure, specifically — remain shrouded in shame. Companies in the sextech space face difficulty securing funding for new products and often can't advertise using traditional channels. 

As a result sex tech companies have increasingly relied on social media to promote their products. Aesthetically pleasing sex toys found a home on Instagram a while back. (Vox dove into the many companies whose minimalist earth-toned Instagram grids echo those of beauty and skincare brands.) But Unbound, a sexual wellness company founded in 2014, takes a different approach. 

Leaning in to chaotic horniness

The company's Instagram grid is curated chaos. Unbound also posts ethereal portraits of female and non-binary fans with their toys, but the soul of its Instagram presence is in the memes about eating ass and canceling plans to play with yourself instead.  

"When it comes to subjects that make us feel vulnerable," Unbound CEO Polly Rodriguez told Mashable during a phone call. "The best thing to make people more comfortable is to laugh at the truths we all know are real but maybe don't talk about."

Buying toys for the first time can be an intimidating experience, especially if you don't know what you're looking for. Traditionally, sex shops were crowded with overwhelmingly flesh-colored silicone molded into equally overwhelming phallic shapes. For decades, Rodriguez says, toys for women were designed by men, based on cis male genitals. When she was diagnosed with cancer and treatment forced her into menopause at the age of 21, a friend who was a nurse recommended buying a vibrator to get a hold of her sex drive again. Rodriguez says she, "questioned why they all had to look like penises." 

SEE ALSO: How mutual masturbation can help close the orgasm gap

She added that the packaging on the toys depicted women "in lingerie with big boobs and the hair," and said she didn't see herself in them. Unbound products are more whimsical and otherworldly than conventionally sexy — one of its vibrators is literally shaped like an alien spaceship. Rodriguez says when it came to designing these toys, she wanted people to feel comfortable leaving it out on their nightstand. 

The fact that Unbound's toys are rarely shaped like any sort of genital almost makes their Instagram page more approachable for first-time buyers who may be more timid about their desires. It also naturally paves the way for a more chaotically horny, relatable social media landscape. 

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MEET SAUCY: a body-safe silicone vibrator with magnetic USB charging capabilities. Haptic response technology means the harder you squeeze, the harder it vibrates. Waterproof so u can rub one out while u rub-a-dub-dub 💦 LINK IN BIO 2 SHOP. 🛸💫💙

A post shared by Unbound (@unboundbabes) on Feb 18, 2019 at 3:44pm PST

"That mentality of not giving a fuck relates to a lot of the audience," Rodriguez said, explaining the company's shitpost-y Instagram presence. "We want to follow meme accounts because they make us laugh."

A shift in the spon con landscape

Although Unbound really started taking off in 2016, at the height of color-coordinated, well-planned grids, Instagram users are moving away from avocado toast and selfies against saturated mural walls. As the Atlantic noted in an article about the decline of the perfect Instagram grid, "Fast-rising young influencers such as Emma Chamberlain, Jazzy Anne, and Joanna Ceddia all reject the notion of a curated feed in favor of a messier and more unfiltered vibe."

Unbound was ahead of the times. When Glossier's millennial pink-themed grid was the gold standard for Instagram accounts, Rodriguez said she let her former intern and now social media manager Emily Malinowski take the wheel. 

"Emily was like we're just gonna post some weird shit and see what happens," Rodriguez explained. "That's where Instagram's trending — people want lowbrow in experience but highbrow in intellect." 

But while Unbound's messaging and aesthetic resonated with its audience, Instagram itself still has a long way to go when it comes to sex positivity. The platform doesn't allow Unbound to use typical advertising methods like promoted posts, Rodriguez says, and frequently removes posts it claims are inappropriate. She calls it a "double edged sword."

"On one hand Instagram rewards brands and accounts that really care about visual aesthetic," Rodriguez explained. "At the same time, Instagram is constantly taking down accounts, banning accounts ... And yet male sexual wellness brands are allowed to promote."

Which is why Unbound uses the more unconventional advertising tactic of partnering with meme accounts. Many brands, of course, reach out to influencers to promote their products. But doing spon con through memes, like Unbound is doing, is brilliant. 

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i have two loves in my life and their names are gem and ollie💎💗 @unboundbabes just launched #UNArea69 and it’s amazingggg!! use the code barbie69 to get $10 off of $50+ from them and use the link in my bio

A post shared by ♏️ 🦂 scorpihoé 🦇♏️ (@prozac.barbie) on Jan 31, 2019 at 7:24pm PST

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Use my promo code 'clara' for 10% off orders of $35 or more at @unboundbabes ! Especially luv the bender bc it’s USB chargeable, and cute but powerful (and bendy, ofc). This is my ideal weekend honestly I wasted so much time on bad rebound sex before my vibe #ad

A post shared by clara (@meme_love_you_long_time) on Apr 30, 2019 at 7:27am PDT

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it’s a mEtApHySiCaL paradoxical law of science and physics and chemistry that u cannot escape, boys (vibrator wand featured is the Ollie by @unboundbabes, I have a code “ghosted69” for $10 off)

A post shared by haley (@ghosted1996) on Jan 31, 2019 at 4:21pm PST

Linda Lin found Unbound through the meme account @ghosted1996, and was drawn in by the fact that she didn't have to visit a "sleazy website" to buy sex toys.

"It made it seem like masturbation was normal to talk about," she said through Instagram DMs. "Seeing memes and small influencers promote this material makes you feel good about being open about your sexuality." 

Hyacinth Rios was surprised that when they first bought an Unbound toy and posted about it, a friend reached out to ask how they liked it. 

"I remember being surprised that someone who I considered to be like a normie or local (not that either is bad) would be open about sex toys," they said through Instagram DMs. "Which made me feel like it was probably super widely accepted now." 

Normalizing masturbation through memes

The fact that Unbound advertises through meme accounts is so smart because it not only normalizes sex toys in a humorous, approachable way, but because it presents them on the ground level. Sure, masturbation can be a sexy experience for personal awakening and empowerment, but it can also be something you do when you're bored. 

The memes depict masturbation as any other kind of self care, like popping on a face mask or blasting your favorite album. They aren't necessarily presented as wholesome — but the fact that so many of the memes are about spending a night smoking weed and flicking the bean out of boredom or distress is what makes masturbating seem so normal. 

By establishing a presence through Instagram memes, Unbound gets around Instagram's draconian rules for images surrounding female pleasure and also finds its way right into the lap of young people who are over cis men getting to have all the fun. 

"Meme accounts earn the respect of their audience because to be funny is difficult," Rodriguez concluded. 

She notes that not everyone can nail down the art of meme making — if you get it, you get it, and if you don't, you don't. We've seen brands attempt to get in touch with the youth and fail miserably. But by going straight to the meme makers, Unbound lessens the risk of making an embarrassing gaff. 

Masturbating isn't a big deal. Just ask the meme accounts of Instagram.

WATCH: Co-founder of Facebook now wants it broken up

BlackEternal  - Encounters

A one-of-a-kind black metal concept album with a unique story, and great songs to back it up.

BlackEternal is a black metal band based in Henderson, NV. The project is led by Nightmare, a mercurial musician who writers, composes all the music, as well as singing all the lyrics.

Recently, BlackEternal set out to publish a brand new full-length album, “Encounters.” There is an intriguing narrative thread that seamlessly binds all the songs together, blurring the lines between dark and haunting black metal tones, and next-level concept album narration. “Encounters” will officially see the light of day on February 8th, 2019, and fans will be able to enjoy this unique combination of black metal tones, and striking writing that will capture at every single twist and turn in this release.

The album feature 9 tracks. Each song stretches the gaps towards different directions while remaining cohesive and impactful. Every song stands out on its own because of its performance and production quality. Having said that, listeners can really get the best experience by listening to the tracklist as a whole. In fact, listening to the album from top to bottom is actually the best way to really grasp the full scope of the narrative, and the musical accomplishments of this release.

This album actually comes from a very personal place, exploring a wide range of options and styles, setting the bar higher and truly pushing the boundaries of black metal as a genre, and as a form of storytelling.

Interestingly, the artist arranged this release as a form of a concept album, as mentioned earlier. The songs deal with themes such as alien abductions, eventually culminating in an invasion. The story follows a lead character, Hannah, who experiences a series of close encounters (type 1, 2, and 3) with extraterrestrials. She visits her doctor, claiming that she had been abducted, and warming the world of the imminent danger.

The opening number is aptly titled “The Arrival.” This track actually sets the right mood for the rest of the tracks to unfold. BlackEternal is all about combining aggressive arrangements with lush ambient tones that are actually quite textural and cinematic, giving the music a really broad scope. The album goes on with the second song, ’The First Kind.” Not only does this track represent a regression in the story, but it also pushes the intensity, going for a darker, moodier texture.

The third track on the release is titled “Encounters Part I,” and it is yet another example of how BlackEternal combines textural sounds and intriguing ambient tones with classic guitar tones that are straight out of the 80s. The sound is gnarly (in the best possible way), yet quite sophisticated. This isn’t just plain aggression, but there is a structure to the thought behind the music.

“The Fourth Kind,” not by coincidence the fourth song on the album, deals with one of the most terrifying abduction types, and it definitely has the grit and oblivion to match the intense imagery of this scenario. “Encounters Part II” keeps building on the nocturnal atmosphere, with an even more immersive feel, leaving room for “The Fifth Kind” to unfold with its articulate layers and intriguing arrangements. “Encounters part III” is yet another great example of BlackEterna’s clever compositional skills and unmistakable attitude. This s the last “Encounters” installment, and it paves the way to “The Last Kind,” one of the bleakest, most intense songs on this release, with a larger-than-life vocal performance!

Last, but definitely not least, “The Arrival Part II” is the perfect curtain closer, the final chapter to an astonishing narrative and an album that’s musically just as accomplished stylistically, as it is conceptually!

It is actually really interesting to hear a black metal concept album! Fans of metal, in general, are not necessarily strangers to the idea of a concept album. Progressive metal bands such as Soul Secret or Dream Theater are actually quite well-known for their concept narratives, and 70s prog rock is also a great example of how storytelling and great music can share a space and grow together. However, concept albums aren’t just as common in the black metal scene. By taking this unique chance, the artist certainly managed to give this record a one-of-a-kind personality and a unique feel. The story is well-written and suspenseful, and the music has got the right vibes, textures, and energy to back it up!

This record stands out as a much-welcome breath of fresh air, with lots of unique ideas that transcend the canons of traditional black metal.

Find out more about BlackEternal, and do not miss out on this album, as well as other releases, activities, and events from this band.

http://www.blacketernal.com/

We also had a chance to catch up with the artist: keep reading for a full interview!

I love how you manage to render your tracks so personal and organic. Does the instrumental come first, or do you focus on the lyrics and the story?

Answer: When I first begin the writing process, the first thing that comes to me is the concept. Once I take in all the inspiration for the story that I want to write, the lyrics start to come together. I write all the lyrics first and put together the entire story. Then I usually start to hear sounds/compositions in my head, like guitar riffs, bass lines, keyboards etc. And when I finally sit at the studio, it all starts to come together. Certain feelings for certain songs start to come through based on lyrics or song topic.

What does your typical recording session look like? For example, do you start with laying the foundation with the drums, or do you begin with textural sounds?

Answer: I’m lucky enough to have everything that I need in my home recording studio. I have great Guitars, Keyboards, hardware and software. The reason that is important; is that I do all my work at night. Everything I write about is dark, paranormal, supernatural, so working at night helps to bind that all together. First thing I usually like to have are the guitar tracks. I always make it a point to lay those down first. For me, the guitar tracks are my foundation for every song. Then I begin to build around that with Drums, then bass, they keyboards / synth. Once I have everything added, Vocals are always recorded last. Personally, It’s always best to sing to a fully recorded song.

Listening to the album as a whole is the best thing to do - However, imagine you could only pick one song to make a “first impression” on a new listener. Which song would you pick and why?

Answer: This is a very difficult question. Especially for our upcoming album “Encounters”, Every song on the album has its own importance and position in the story. If I had to choose ONE song to represent the album I would have to say “The First Kind” it’s the 2nd song on the album. It’s a strong song to kick off the story and it sets the tone for the other songs coming ahead. It tells the story an encounter in ancient Egypt which took place in 1425 BC. It gives the listener a basic idea of what the album is going to sound like stylistically, as well as what the album is going to be about

What does it take to be “innovative” in music?

Answer:

For me, innovation is something that is case by case scenario. It really all just comes from within. There is no right or wrong way to be innovative. For example; I started listening to heavy metal at a very young age. There were songs that I just loved that were perfect, but there were other songs .. as much as I really liked them a lot.. I always remember saying to myself  “I would have done THIS different” or “This is great! But.. I would have done THAT instead” or even “Dammit! Why did they do that? They should have kept that riff going and added THIS or THAT” So basically I started playing and composting the things that I wanted to hear in the music that I liked. To me, innovation is all in how to want to mold and shape something that already exists.

Any upcoming release or other plans after this record?

Answer: Yes. Absolutely. I’ve already started pre-production on our 3rd album which will be entitled “Darkness Embrace” That will also be a concept album. The story will be about a haunted castle and the malevolent demonic spirit haunting it.  I already have some songs written and compositions for it. That album will most likely be ready for release in early 2020.

After that, I will sit and completely re-record and re-master BlackEternal’s first album “6EQUJ5” There were issues with that album, that I’m not happy with, so I want to give it a new life and let it be heard the way I had originally intended. We Definitely have a busy schedule planned.  

Anywhere online where curious fans can listen to your music and find out more about you?

Answer: Yes. For now, BlackEternal only has a facebook page and a Bandcamp page. I run them both and I'm usually online. So, I can personally be reached at either one of those pages. Anyone interested in any more of our material can find us at

www.BlackEternal.com

or

https://www.facebook.com/NightmareEternal/

Thank you!

tagged by @omuii tysm my dude!

Rules: Answer these 92 statements and tag 20 people

LAST:

1. Drink: that h2o 2. Phone call: myself bc i lost my phone 3. Text message: to a groupchat- “wowie kazowie” 4. Song you listened to: there you are by pogo 5. Time you cried: last month sometime i think?¿

HAVE YOU: 6. Dated someone twice: noo 7. Kissed someone and regretted it: ya 8. Been cheated on: god i hope not but probably 9. Lost someone special: yeah 10. Been depressed: haha 11. Gotten drunk and thrown up: no but i’ve helped my friends out when they did

LIST 3 FAVORITE COLORS: 12-14: pink, light yellow, white

IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE YOU: 15. Made new friends: yeah actually!! 16. Fallen out of love: unfortunately 17. Laughed until you cried: ohyhup 18. Found out someone was talking about you: no not this year yet 19. Met someone who changed you: not this year but i got closer to them this year 20. Found out who your friends are: ya definitely 21. Kissed someone on your Facebook list: no

GENERAL: 22. How many of your Facebook friends do you know in real life: all of em 23. Do you have any pets: none that i see regularly 24. Do you want to change your name: my mom has always wanted me to, i really do not know 25. What did you do for your last Birthday: went to the inner harbour w my friends and had a wonderful time eating sushi and bitching about people by the water 26. What time did you wake up: around 7:45 this morning 27. What were you doing at midnight last night: going 2 bed 28. Name something you can’t wait for: near future- seeing my friends in colorado!! long term- happiness 29. When was the last time you saw your mom: like 40 minutes ago she gave me a burrito and vanished into the basement 30. What is one thing you wish you could change in your life: my inteligence/grades? 31. What are you listening right now: well slide by calvin harris is stuck in my head and my ceiling fan is making quite a racket but i am not currently listening to anything 32. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: ya my cousin’s grandpa is named tom he calls me hellraiser not sure why 33. Something that is getting on your nerves: my own bullshit and also my own anxiety and stress over nothing 34. Most visited website: google chrome says pokemon showdown, tumblr, my etsy store, r/skincareaddiction, my soundcloud, r/friendsbalt, & ebay

LOST QUESTIONS. I JUST PUT IN RANDOM INFO ABOUT ME 35. Mole/s: one on my shoulder, one on my butt and i have random freckly beauty marks all over me 36. Mark/s: the most prominent ones include the scar on my chin, the dot on my chin and the parallelogram of freckles on my right shoulder 37. Childhood dream: a professional ballerina! (lmao i wish)  38. Hair color: basically blakc 39. Long or short hair: used to be hella long but i cut it last september so it’s shoulder-length now 40. Do you have a crush on someone: not exactly a specific person, i just really want a s/o 41. What do you like about yourself: i have really nice eyelashes, and i think i’m pretty okay at dance 42. Piercings: i had 4, 2 in each earlobe, but the second one in my left ear got infected and i had to let it close up- planning on re-piercing once the scar tissue chills out a little tho 43. Blood type: B+ 44. Nickname: most commonly used- lena, len 45. Relationship status: single and really pressed about it 46. Zodiac: that two faced bitch (gemini) 47. Pronouns: she/her 48. Favorite TV Show: gravity falls, M*A*S*H, chopped, ghost adventures, the haunted, assorted animes that i will not get into right this moment

49. Tattoos: none but i would get some if i wasn’t such a FUCKING PUSSY lmao 50. Right or left hand: i’m a lefty! w writing/eating/basic tasks at least. my throwing hand is right though 51. Surgery: i had a dental surgery once 52. Hair dyed in different color: it has been dip-dyed pink, and also pink/purple/blue/green it was very galaxy-ish 53. Sport: dance!!!!! and i played volleyball for like 5 years 55. Vacation: i’ve been all over but i really wanna go to canada/alaska or santorini, greece 56. Pair of trainers: i have a pair of those adidas superstars that everyone wears now but they’re cute and hella comfy so those are my mains but i recently got some white ones from h&m that are nice too

MORE GENERAL: 57. Eating: i just ate a burrito but ya 58. Drinking: nada 59. I’m about to: stay up later than intended but sleep, hopefully 61. Waiting for: my ebay order to come, my ipsy glam bag, my back to stop hurting, the colorado trip, my boss to call me back 62. Want: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and also to get into cornell (but it’s not gonna happen) 63. Get married: idk it seems scary as hell and i’m a baby so nah not on the horizon or in my mind at all 64. Career: anything in science- preferrably biochem or earth sciences?? idk i love sCIEncE 

WHICH IS BETTER 65. Hugs or kisses: kiss kiss fall in love 66. Lips or eyes: eyes 67. Shorter or taller: uh taller but that’s difficult because i am kinda tall 68. Older or younger: older usually but it’s not really a factor it just sort of happens 70. Nice arms or nice stomach: im sure both are good either way 71. Sensitive or loud: idk probably loud since i’m also loud 72. Hook up or relationship: oh man relationship definitely hook-ups just make me sad and feel awful i learned that the hard way lmao kms 73. Troublemaker or hesitant: i’m a hesitant trouble-maker

HAVE YOU EVER: 74. Kissed a Stranger: not that i know of 75. Drank hard liquor: ohya 76. Lost glasses/contact lenses: i lose everything including contacts multiple times 77. Turned someone down: i mean not directly...? 78. Sex on the first date: nah 79. Broken someone’s heart: again, i hope not 80. Had your heart broken: i guess 81. Been arrested: noo 82. Cried when someone died: yhup 83. Fallen for a friend: its all i fucking do lol

DO YOU BELIEVE IN: 84. Yourself: i wish i did 85. Miracles: to an extent i guess??? 86. Love at first sight: not really 87. Santa Claus: i’m hindu 88. Kiss on the first date: idk i kiss everyone so it’s not like a super intimate thing for me u feel

OTHER: 90. Current best friend name: uhhh i love all my friends equally honestly i guess jc would be at the top since i’ve known her the longest and she puts up with me? but also maggie, mao, tricie, alex, kai, caroline, ben 91. Eye color: really dark brown 92. Favorite movie: i really don’t watch movies idk why but probably princess mononoke, the jungle book, or kung fu panda LMAO i’m uncultured as FUCK but oh yea throw in a bunch of bollywood movies too

NOW, TAG 20 PEOPLE: i’m lazy so i’m not going to but feel free to do this and say i tagged u!!

Answer me all 200 of those asks me boi

200: My crush’s name is: jake :)199: I was born in: michigan198: I am really: dumb197: My cellphone company is: virgin mobile196: My eye color is: poo brown195: My shoe size is: 7.5194: My ring size is: no ideA193: My height is: 5'5 now192: I am allergic to: gay shit191: My 1st car was: lol190: My 1st job was: i was like a busboy but girl then i was a hostess lmao yikes189: Last book you read: tkam188: My bed is: full of trash187: My pet: is a dog186: My best friend: doesnt know it185: My favorite shampoo is: really good184: Xbox or ps3: xbox?183: Piggy banks are: cute182: In my pockets: i have no pockets181: On my calendar: this month on the eight i have a thing says when my last nail broke :"(( i am thAt hoe(tm)180: Marriage is: gay179: Spongebob can: stop with the memes178: My mom: is short177: The last three songs I bought were? LOL176: Last YouTube video watched: moana film theory thing175: How many cousins do you have? like 7?? i dont know all of the ones in mexico so its probably more174: Do you have any siblings? 6173: Are your parents divorced? yea lol172: Are you taller than your mom? yES171: Do you play an instrument? clarinetty170: What did you do yesterday? went to the park &dyed eggs[ I Believe In ]169: Love at first sight: not really lol168: Luck: no167: Fate: hhhhhyeah??166: Yourself:n o165: Aliens: yes164: Heaven: no163: Hell: nno162: God: no161: Horoscopes: no but i still read mine160: Soul mates: hhhhlogically no159: Ghosts: unsure158: Gay Marriage: oh not at all 157: War: idkdude156: Orbs: whathefuckisanorb155: Magic: not really[ This or That ]154: Hugs or Kisses: hugs153: Drunk or High: drunk152: Phone or Online: phone lol151: Red heads or Black haired: black150: Blondes or Brunettes: brunettes149: Hot or cold: hot148: Summer or winter: summer147: Autumn or Spring: spring146: Chocolate or vanilla: vanilla145: Night or Day: night144: Oranges or Apples: apples143: Curly or Straight hair: i think curly hair is so prettydsklnffn142: McDonalds or Burger King: bk141: White Chocolate or Milk Chocolate: milk chocolate140: Mac or PC: no preference139: Flip flops or high heals: neither?138: Ugly and rich OR sweet and poor: fuckidk137: Coke or Pepsi: pepsi136: Hillary or Obama: obama135: Burried or cremated: cremated and then buried :)134: Singing or Dancing: both?why not133: Coach or Chanel: i d ont really care132: Kat McPhee or Taylor Hicks: who131: Small town or Big city: big city pls130: Wal-Mart or Target: target129: Ben Stiller or Adam Sandler: idk who the first is but i hate adam sandler128: Manicure or Pedicure: manicure, ,feet r gross127: East Coast or West Coast: east126: Your Birthday or Christmas: christmas125: Chocolate or Flowers: flowers124: Disney or Six Flags: disney123: Yankees or Red Sox: ewsports[ Here’s What I Think About ]122: War: its unnecessary most of the time lol121: George Bush: who120: Gay Marriage: hehgay119: The presidential election: heck trump my dude118: Abortion: sometimes u need that ykno117: MySpace: yeet116: Reality TV: guilty pleasure115: Parents: they try? questionably?114: Back stabbers:can heck off113: Ebay: useful112: Facebook: i h a te it111: Work:i want a job :(110: My Neighbors: white trash109: Gas Prices: idkdude108: Designer Clothes: why spend $300 when u can spend $20107: College: i want to go 106: Sports: succ105: My family:succs104: The future: scary[ Last time I ]103: Hugged someone: i think last night102: Last time you ate: few hours ago101: Saw someone I haven’t seen in awhile: today100: Cried in front of someone: tuesday lmao sry mrs jarrad99: Went to a movie theater: like a monht ago98: Took a vacation: like four years ago97: Swam in a pool: last year96: Changed a diaper: two(??) years ago95: Got my nails done: few months ago94: Went to a wedding: like a year ago93: Broke a bone: never have92: Got a peircing: last april91: Broke the law: thursday90: Texted: currently[ MISC ]89: Who makes you laugh the most: myself dfkkjdn88: Something I will really miss when I leave home is: my sister87: The last movie I saw: doctor strange86: The thing that I’m looking forward to the most: 4/2085: The thing im not looking forward to: facing consequences 84: People call me: bel , bella , belly , isabel ew83: The most difficult thing to do is:wake up every morning 82: I have gotten a speeding ticket: false81: My zodiac sign is: capricorn80: The first person i talked to today was: my mom79: First time you had a crush: like third grade shdifjno78: The one person who i can’t hide things from: no one?77: Last time someone said something you were thinking: no idea 76: Right now I am talking to: friends75: What are you going to do when you grow up: suffer74: I have/will get a job: eventually 73: Tomorrow: i go to school72: Today: i suffer 71: Next Summer: hopefully wont be horrible70: Next Weekend: get to hang out w chill brother?69: I have these pets: 3 dog68: The worst sound in the world: me talking67: The person that makes me cry the most is: myself kwjqd66: People that make you happy: anyone that pays attention to me ojpwefo65: Last time I cried: tuesday64: My friends are: gay63: My computer is: suffering62: My School: is fucking gross61: My Car: doesnt exist60: I lose all respect for people who: are condescending 59: The movie I cried at was: perksofbeingawallflower lol58: Your hair color is: brown57: TV shows you watch: the office , voltron , stranger things , bobs burgers 56: Favorite web site: tumbler (dot)com55: Your dream vacation:farfar away54: The worst pain I was ever in was: in my head lol53: How do you like your steak cooked:i cant eat it lol52: My room is: dirty51: My favorite celebrity is: brian sella counts?50: Where would you like to be: a better place49: Do you want children: meh not really?48: Ever been in love: ye 47: Who’s your best friend: probably teara lol46: More guy friends or girl friends: girl45: One thing that makes you feel great is: personal lol44: One person that you wish you could see right now: hotass43: Do you have a 5 year plan: i dont even have a plan 4 tomorrow42: Have you made a list of things to do before you die: no41: Have you pre-named your children: 40: Last person I got mad at: my brother39: I would like to move to: penn?38: I wish I was a professional: anything tbh[ My Favorites ]37: Candy: starbursts36: Vehicle: idkdude35: President: obama34: State visited: prbly texas bc we went thru it to mexico & we saw a big ol light up ferris wheel33: Cellphone provider: i dont know dude 32: Athlete: lol31: Actor: dwaynetherockjohnson30: Actress: ?whoknows29: Singer: does joji count?28: Band: car seat headrest atm27: Clothing store: heck if i knew 26: Grocery store: ?25: TV show: the office24: Movie: moana23: Website: already answered this?22: Animal: me21: Theme park: C E Dar point20: Holiday: halloween19: Sport to watch: soccer actually18: Sport to play: none lol17: Magazine: no16: Book: no15: Day of the week: saturdays14: Beach: idk dude any on lake michigan is lit13: Concert attended: havent been to any :"(12: Thing to cook: idk dude11: Food: french Fry10: Restaurant: whoknnows9: Radio station: i dont /really/ like any ive heard8: Yankee candle scent: idkdude7: Perfume: b&bw tahitian island dream? smthn like that 6: Flower: i actually like regular red roses tbh5: Color: purple4: Talk show host: hhidk 3: Comedian: me2: Dog breed: call me a weaboo but i love the shibe1: Did you answer all these truthfully? no loli am so sorry to anyone who has this on their dash omgty for the ask mommy :)