I knew there was gonna be someone jumping on that CR post and going on about how “I’ve done the math and have concluded that $100 isn’t even that bad for an annual service fee-“

Holiday fic summaries! These will be OC not Reader

Secret Santa:

You attend a big Christmas party at your friend’s. You were instructed to wear something Christmas inspired and to bring a secret Santa gift for a name you’ve chosen at random before attending. You bring a cocktail kit as a gift to another friend. When gift exchange happens, you get your gift and there is a Christmas card with instructions to open in private. When you open your gift later that evening in a room at your friends, it’s the nastiest, freakiest gift ever!!!! You wonder who could have given you this? There were plenty of men and women at that party. You were instructed to wear your gift all evening but still…you don’t know who it is. Eventually, you find out after an entire evening of sexual torture.

Sitting on Santa’s lap for photos:

You’ve always wanted to take pictures with Santa as a little girl but your mom didn’t feel comfortable letting you sit on a grown man’s lap which is understandable. Now that you’re older, you go to a Christmas event at the Fire House with your sister and nieces and there is a toy drive, Brunch, hot cocoa, and a Santa Clause! He’s a black Santa dressed exactly like the fat jolly man. After some thinking you decide to get a picture with some convincing from your sister. You sit on Santa’s lap and he wraps his arm around your waist, pulling you closer, a deep, laugh causing chills to run down your spine. He asks you what you want for Christmas and you say jokingly: “A MAN! I’m kidding, Santa.” (You weren’t kidding) “honestly, I have everything I could ever want. I just want to spend time with my family.” Little did you know, Santa was going to make that gift come true.

Santa’s naughty list:

Erik is a brat tamer. And he has his eyes on a woman that’s been crowned the black Regina George. She’s cruel, spoiled, rich, and BRATTY. Her daddy is a successful lawyer and her mom is a brain surgeon. She has everything she wants and will always get what she wants. She doesn’t even have to lift a finger. Men are at her beck and call always. She’s every man’s dream. Erik remembers how she treated him all those years ago. He wasn’t enough for her apparently. Didn’t make enough money he assumed. Wasn’t on her level. Erik had it all now. Without her knowledge of who he is, she accepted a date with him on Christmas Eve after talking online for months. She couldn’t wait to see if he was about what he talked. Erik proved to her that he was exactly what she was looking for, but what she didn’t know was that she’d been on his naughty list for a long time now. He had a treat for her stuck up ass. One she’ll never forget for the rest of her life. The ghost of Christmas past, present, and future.

New Year’s wish:

You make a wish as the clock strikes twelve. “I wish I could wake up next to the perfect man that checks off all my boxes. Even if it’s the first man I ever laid my eyes on tonight. I deserve it after the time I’ve wasted on my ex.” You were drunk and saying anything but the shooting star that zipped across the night sky took it seriously. That morning, you wake up in the most luxurious home, even though you recall falling asleep in your own bed last night after the NYE party. Next to you, there is a man sound asleep. You sit up, confused, looking down at your naked body dripped in diamonds. What the hell? You look over at the man next to you and he’s…damn…he’s gorgeous…wait…is this the guy from the party last night?!!!! You’re in for a ride with his man! A dream come true! Only problem is, you have until midnight to live this fantasy before reality sets in.

NYE office party:

It’s the annual NYE party! All departments at this big corporation: Marketing, Finance, IT, Operations, Development, and the big guys that reside on the top floor all come together to celebrate. It’s a mix crowd, and you show up because there’s always good food and lots of alcohol. You work as an Accountant, been there for five years, and you’re single. You show up in your best attire, and all eyes are obviously on you. You find your work friends and gossip. In walks the boss. You’ve never seen this man but you can’t stand him. He’s controlling, demanding, opinionated, and rude as hell. He’s the new CEO of this successful tech company. One of the highest paid in the world. The old CEO never showed up to these events—hold the hell up!!!! Is that the man you fucked a month ago that you’ve been running away from because of that python between his legs?! He’s your boss?!

New Year’s kiss with a stranger:

It’s NYE 2022. You’re spending your NYE in the hospital. You have a patient that you’ve grown close with. His name is Erik and he had a near death experience. He’s a stranger to you but not really. You’ve grown to like him for the past month you’ve been taking care of him. He is recovering well. It was a motorcycle accident. He’s bandaged up and in a contraption to keep him stable with the amount of injuries he has. You’re only doing your travel nursing there and it’s your last day. Erik didn’t talk much. He mostly used his button or communicated with a blink or a slow nod of his head. He surprised you by calling your name that last night. You come to him, happy that he’s speaking more clearly. Erik: “come closer…” you do so, and he whispers, “I’m really going to miss you. Could I please have a New Year’s kiss?” His request threw you off. You laugh, patting his hand gently, “I’m gonna miss you too. I’m sad to leave. I wish I could stay.” Throughout the rest of your shift you can’t help but to think about his request. You couldn’t explain why you felt butterflies in your stomach. You didn’t even know this man outside of being his nurse! Right before you leave, you accept a gift from your nurse supervisor and thank everyone for having you. You’re set to go back home to Chicago for at least two months before another contract in New York. Before you leave, you peek inside of Erik’s room and notice he’s sleeping. You check your surroundings and tiptoe over to his bedside. You look at his lips and then on impulse, you lean in and kiss him. It’s soft and gentle. You could feel tears brimming your eyes. You leave with the realization that you’ll never see him again.

Do you have any advice on how to get a "charity" to stop sending me mail solicitations? I keep getting mail asking for donations to a Indian School run by Catholics. No idea how I got on their list, but given the history of boarding schools and the Native American people I certainly don't want to giver them money.

The problem is, really, that direct mailings work -- they have something like a 3% return rate but that's still a pretty solid return on investment, so a lot of nonprofits find it worth it to send people mail even when they know they absolutely don't want it. And a lot of nonprofits tend to ignore "do not mail" directives conditionally -- like, they'll "not mail" most of the year but always include the person in annual campaigns, holiday card mailings, etc.

I've written about this before, but it is very difficult to get set up so that you are never, ever, ever mailed by a nonprofit. Having your record completely removed from their database often doesn't even work, because a lot of nonprofits do "list swaps" and if your name is on some other nonprofit's list, you'll go right back into their records the next time they do a swap. So you need to have your record in their system but marked "do not mail ever under any circumstances" and understand that even that will probably be ignored occasionally. Still, you can make the attempt.

So, to start with, the next time you get a donation request, remove the "coupon" part they want you to send back with a payment, write "Please remove me from your mailing list permanently; I do not wish to support your cause" on the coupon, put it in the envelope, and send it. Make sure your name and address are on the coupon somewhere, or write it on there. That envelope will go to someone who works with a database and can mark you "no mail".

If you get mail after that, you'll probably need to call them and ask to speak to someone in data, or in gift processing. Ask to have your record permanently marked "do not mail" and explain that you do not even wish to receive non-solicitation mailings. Politely explain that you do not support their cause and that it is a waste of time for them to solicit you. Make sure that whoever you speak to, you get their name and extension or job title, so that if you receive mail you can tell the next person who you spoke to last time about having it removed. (This tends to signal that you're serious and the added accountability sometimes helps ensure the person really, really marks you no-mail.)

But yeah, into every life a little junk mail must fall. I've been trying to get the local evangelicals to stop sending me mailings with middling success. It's because, unfortunately, direct mail works. :/

I just heard the fucking news about watcher, unsubscribed,

For anyone who didn't hear the news, Shane and Ryan are completely leaving YouTube and posting their videos on a streaming platform they made for 7$. It really isn't that serious but I needs to be talked about.

Their streaming service is called watchertv.com, starting May 31 all their future works and videos will be seen only on this platform. So now. Why am I telling you about this? The main reason their leaving YouTube is because of, number one, the production value, and number 2, money. I'll be explaining these stuff and why they don't need to leave YouTube just for this. A quick note is that I am just explaining what I heard and understood about in the video so what I might say may or may not be wrong.

Number 1, the production value

What they explained in their video was that they do not know if they can handle the complicated production in the videos (the effects, the angles, the other shit, etc). They don't have enough money to keep making good production in their videos. First and for most, we fans do not care about the production of the videos, when we watched them back in their buzzfeed era, all they had was a black background with text, an office that looked a little like green screen (I'm not sure:p). The production didn't need to be great. I mean you can see that even if the video quality was bad we still watched it anyway since it wasn't the production we were chasing it was Shane and Ryan.

Number 2, not enough money

This makes me cackle since they're past the point where they can say that. You start to earn money on YouTube at least like 1000 subs or more. Shane and Ryan have 2.28m subs on youtube. I'm not sure how much they make on a daily basis but what from what I remember it was like 18$ for every 1000 views. They make more than 1000 views each video, their average a day is like what, 2 million? At least? I'm not sure. But it definitely is a lot at this point.

Okay so now for what I think. I think they shouldn't leave. At all. This decision making is genuinely bullshit, most of their audience cannot afford paying 5.59 dollars annually or monthly. I'm not saying that all of the fans are poor, I'm just saying that we do not have the time to just waste our money on like 28-36 minute video when we can watch it completely free without spending. You are still able to make money without making a stupid website to earn more money. I can barely afford paying for it. They say this is for us when it is GENUINELY NOT FOR US. Why do you have to leave YouTube when you have already such a big fan base from there? Was this really the best decision you guys ever made? It only seems like before when we supported you leaving buzzfeed just for you to end up just like them. So I hope I don't get hate for this since this is just what I heard of and my opinion, feel free to correct me if I said anything wrong or missed out on anything.

So the best decision right now is to unsubscribe until they come back

Hi! I wanted to ask your opinion as someone who used to live in New Jersey. I'm thinking of moving my family there. We want to get away because we currently live in a red state with horrific anti-LGBT laws, anti-abortion laws, and shamefully loose gun laws. One of the reasons New Jersey caught my eye as a possibility is that I've heard it has some of the strictest gun laws in the US (which is not saying much, but I'll take what I can get), which sounded very appealing to me. What's your opinion on the state? Is it a good place to raise children? Thank you for any advice or insight you can offer.

I lived in NJ the first twenty-three (ish, with college) years of my life, and have been gone long enough to feel comfortable to say that I lived in Middlesex County in Edison, Woodbridge, and Metuchen.

It's a good place to raise children, if you have money. Having now lived in both the north and the south for substantial amounts of time, I think it's hard for people not from the northeast to conceptualize how fucking expensive it is to live there. There's a reason that every other person you talk to in SC or FL are from NY or NJ -- people can't afford the goddamn property taxes. My wife who is from WV was astonished at how much houses cost, even before factoring in everything else. Seeing a 2-2 go for $500k in my hometown made her want to vomit.

But the money does fund the best public education system in the country. (Cue the joke about NJ's biggest export being college students.) When I graduated high school in 2011, I did so with 33 college credits. I had a genuinely good public school education, especially when compared to what I hear from friends and loved ones who weren't incubated in an ugly McMansion off the Jersey Turnpike.

NJ is also a cultural melting pot. Within 90 minutes of entering the state my body obligates me to order Indian food. Your neighbors are from all different countries and regions of the world. You will hear more languages than you knew existed.

As a child in NJ, I never saw, handled, or shot a gun. There's very little gun culture outside of people who go hunting. That's not to say there's not gun violence -- I was in Menlo Park Mall when this murder-suicide occurred in 2007, ten minutes from my house.

There's also still white supremacy. The Klan actively recruits in areas of South Jersey, was openly recruiting when I was in high school. NJ still has active sundown towns. I'd recommend staying closer to Philly or NYC, if the reason you're moving is to flee a red state with restrictive LGBTQIA and abortion laws. The western part of the state is a lot of rural communities and a lot of farm land and a lot of Trump country.

As with moving anywhere, I'd recommend researching where you're moving to very thoroughly.

It's going to be a big culture shock, especially if you're moving from a state that sees small talk as a requisite for politeness. The traffic will be terrible. All the roads have tolls, you have to buy an EZ Pass. Practice your bagel order before you get to the counter. The biggest sin is wasting someone's time.

I love SC, and want to stay and fight for the town where we currently live, which is about to host it's third annual Pride festival. The schools suck, but my wife and I are never going to agree on a working definition of a "good" school because our experiences with public education are wildly disparate. But I can sympathize with you deeply -- I have a trans son, and every time we reach a new election cycle I wince and wonder if my marriage will be undone for political scorekeeping. I don't understand the love affair with guns. I doubt I ever will. But it's worth fighting for, and right now the cost of staying in the fight isn't too high -- there are people we love in SC who are also staying to roll up their sleeves and refusing to budge.

For now.

But NJ is my home. If I could afford to live there, I would move back in a heartbeat.

Mediwhump May Day 8 - Scared of Blood

@mediwhumpmay

Cassiel belongs to @painful-pooch! Based on the fact that I broke my wrist in fifth grade, treated it as a sprain even though it def wasn't (no fracture on the x-ray so guessing it was a hairline) and then developed a ganglion cyst ten years later lol my wrist is still fucked up it's so fun (i went over my self-imposed word count on this one ack) Content Warnings: needles, minor surgical procedure

Another transfer case. The Doctor was considering making it look like they’d retired to avoid these. At this point, it was usually minor outpatient procedures that were incredibly annoying to perform and even though they could charge the insurance their usual “nameless doctor” rate (which was still less than other doctors would have), having to deal with legal processes at all made them want to spend an afternoon performing unsavoury experiments on a corpse. Not that they didn’t always want to do that. 

Between that and the fact that the espresso machine had broken down and they’d been forced to fuel their morning on drive-through coffee, they were already in quite a bad mood when their patient arrived, all shyness and deference and looking out of place, and they couldn’t bring themselves to demur back. 

“Mr Belanger, I presume? Do come in. I do not have all day to waste. The outreach programme has sent you over, no? I do wish that they would not send their excess to me…” “Oh, I can just… I dinnae have to…” Cassiel was slightly shorter than the Doctor, and despite his broad shoulders appeared to shrink back into the doorframe. They identified his accent as Scottish, though pulled at and smoothed over around the edges by proximity to other regions like the Doctor’s own mostly-English, sometimes-Swedish intonation.

They sighed. “My apologies. That was unprofessional of me. Just an annual physical, yes? Please, have a seat. I shall have you in and out in no time.” 

He hesitantly took his seat on the examination table while the Doctor pulled on a fresh pair of gloves. “It’s… you dinnae need money frae me, right?” Yes. He did not appear to be the sort of person who could afford them: his clothes were in tatters and his shoes full of holes. They were used to a clientele with large amounts of ill-gotten gains. 

They raised an eyebrow. “Correct, my compensation is covered by an agreement with the clinic you came from. Verify your name, date of birth, and medical history on that tablet over there, will you?” They rolled over the cart with the medical supplies on it while he did so, frowning and exchanging one tool for another just to kill the time. “Any particular complaints?”

Cassiel watched them warily as they brought their gloved hands up to check his lymph nodes. “Nay, nothin’ I can think of…”

Liar. “Oh? And does it hurt when I do this?” They bent his right wrist forward at a completely reasonable angle, which made him flinch and a spark of vindicated mischief flare in the Doctor’s chest. “That is what I expected. How long have you had the ganglion cyst?”

Cassiel blinked. “The what?”

“Ganglion cyst. A pocket of fluid found on the top or bottom of the wrist. Cause unknown, though they are common for patients who perform repeated wrist motions or have a history of wrist trauma.” They held up the hand, running a gloved finger down the scars on his arm. “You engage in some form of martial arts, no? I assume you fractured your wrist at some point in the past, perhaps a hairline, and you treated it as a sprain. This is quite a lot of fluid, I am sure it hinders your daily activities. How long have you had it?”

“Oh, er… Couple o’ years, I think… Is it dangerous? It does bother me a bit…”

“Not dangerous, no, but if it is impeding your activities, I do recommend aspiration, especially if it is multiple years old and has not gone down. It is a minor outpatient procedure, I could have the whole thing done for you before you leave today.” They rolled over to the supply cabinet to begin withdrawing the materials even before receiving an answer.

The colour had drained out of the man’s face by the time they turned around again. “H-hold on, wait… what’s… aspiration?”

The Doctor was too busy comparing needle gauges and deciding which one would be appropriate to really pay this any mind. “Quite simple, needle goes in, fluid comes out. Local anaesthetic is all that will be necessary. Just take care with the hand in question for a couple of days.”

“It… doesnae have to be a needle, do it? I, er…” Oh. Needle phobia. How annoying.

They tilted their head at him. “Well, I could excise instead. A bit more involved, I would need to use the scalpel, but should still have you in and out in an hour or so.”

He seemed to like that idea even less. “No, ah, it’s… all right, ye can, aspirate or wha’ever it is…”  

“Very good.” They began preparing the implements. “To reduce anxiety during the procedure, you can feel free to talk about whatever you would like. Keep your eyes on the chart on the back wall, yes?” 

The patient was silent for a moment as the Doctor began swabbing the site for the lidocaine injection, but eventually, he took a breath and blurted out, “I thought yer voice didnae match ye, when I walked in.”

“What?” The word came out strangely, as if their voice didn’t know how to behave when attention was called to it.

“Ye didnae seem like a purple person. I can… I see sounds.”

“Ah. Chromesthesia. Continue.”

Cassiel swallowed hard. “Is that… blood?” They tracked his eyes to the barrel of the syringe, which was now drawing up fluid.

“No. I told you to keep your eyes on the wall, did I not? If you stress yourself into syncope, I will not be pleased.”

He shifted uncomfortably, but relaxed after moving his attention. “See? That’s it. I thought ye’d be redder, but yer purple is very blue.” They didn’t really know how to respond to that. “Chromesthesia rarely has any tangible logic behind it, though I have been described as ‘cold’ and ‘rigid’ repeatedly by others in the past. I prefer to think of myself as efficient. There we are, all done. Not so bad, was it?” They’d done the steroid injection without him even noticing, and all that was needed now was the splint.

“That was… fast.”

“Like I said, I am efficient. Now, let us continue with the examination, yes?”

As an American, is there anything I can do to help against that bill? Like. Is all I can do spread the word, is there some place I can boost the voices of concern, etc? I don’t want to sit idly by and hope with my whole being that things wind up ok if there’s anything I can do to help.

Honestly I think just spreading information. There is a lot more going on than I've been talking about, I've been focusing on the stuff that scares me but this bill affects all areas of childrens education and teachers aint happy either. I would encourage people to look at the schools bill in full and listen to everyone's concerns.

I would also like people to look at this bill in the context of a fascist government that has, for a long time, been trying to push well educated kids back into school. I can understand how "more monitoring! More restrictions!" Doesn't sound bad to outsiders, but consider that right now, BEFORE the bill, if you provide your child an outstanding education, you may still face a huge fight to continue educating your child. There are parents being dragged into court annually no matter how many times the courts tell the LAs to stop being dickheads. If quality of education is a concern, surely we should be focusing on providing more options and resources, not wasting time and money in court arguing about if a child can be properly educated without a rigid timetable. It is also worth considering that despite higher refferal rates to social services, home educated kids actually end up with less intervention than school educated kids.

The fascism bit is also going to be important context for measures affecting schools in the bill. I've talked a bit about schools introducing extreme control over kids, and those schools doing that are academies, who have more freedom than other schools. And the government very much wants all schools to become academies.

And a lot of people have stopped talking about it now, but a clear motivator of "home educators are evil and must be supervised" rhetoric is schools and social services trying to deflect responsibility for their own failings. During the pandemic there was sadly yet another murder of a child, and a lot of criticism was aimed (intentionally!) At the home ed community for this. Even though he was a school child. Even though the school had a duty to perform welfare checks. Even though he (like all similarly murdered children) was already known to social services. Even though the police knew the extent of the abuse. Every time schools and social services let a schooled child die, its the same story about "unseen children" and "falling through the cracks" when in reality they simply failed to do their job. A lot of the push to "supervise" home educators is motivated by this.

I know this is a bit all over the place and there's a lot more I could say but tl;dr learn whats happening, spread info and always question why things are happening the way they are

but why is a person automatically terrible if they're rich?

mind you, i think probably most people making upwards of even $100K annually don't use their money as they ought to. when i see the mansions owned by politicians and celebs, when i see the ways they're choosing to spend their money, their wealth wasted... it's...anger-inducing, to put it extremely mildly.

i suppose i'm simply disagreeing with the total judgment of everything about a person just because they're rich. they're still human, after all...

honestly i didn't read all that and it's just how I feel after giving it a lot of thought, you don't have to agree and i don't think my opinion is the correct or only one. i also said this on my blog with my name attached, so i'm double not interested in having this conversation

Lohonghao Questions if iPhone 15 will Really Innovate Beyond USB-C Upgrade

<h2>Lohonghao Criticizes Apple Again for Switching iPhone 15 to USB-C</h2> <p>Tech influencer Lohonghao recently took another shot at Apple during his livestream "Make New Friends." This time, he called out their decision to use USB-C ports on the upcoming iPhone 15 series.</p> <p>As Lohonghao sees it, the only reason Apple is finally adopting USB-C is because regulators in places like the EU have been putting pressure on them. "How does a company get so huge while also being so shameless?" he questioned. "They must make billions each year just from charging cables. Even Steve Jobs' daughter criticized them for it!"</p> <p>This isn't the first time Lohonghao has slammed Apple either. He recently said the iPhone 15 probably won't be much different than the iPhone 14, other than the number. In the past, Lohonghao even joked about wanting to "buy Apple" himself. He thinks if he was in charge of products, he could really help a lot of people.</p> <p>Reports say the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro will both use regular USB-C ports that work with any cable or accessory. Like the new iPads and Macs, the four iPhone 15 models will be compatible with existing USB-C gear. Apple may create a "Made for iPhone" program for USB-C accessories too, but other brands can still connect without approval.</p> <h3>Why the Criticism?</h3> <p>So what's Lohonghao's problem with Apple switching to USB-C? As a well-known critic of big tech, he argues that companies as successful as Apple shouldn't drag their feet on important updates. For years, Apple stuck with their proprietary Lightning ports while the rest of the world moved to the more universal USB standard.</p> <p>In Lohonghao's opinion, that kind of unwillingness to change just to squeeze more money out of accessories is disrespectful to customers. Even Apple's own co-founder's daughter felt they prioritized profits over user experience. By updating late, it also creates e-waste from obsolete cables. In the end though, the market will decide if Apple's policies are good or bad for business.</p> <h3>Will iPhone 15 Be Any Different?</h3> <p>Beyond the new charging port, Lohonghao reiterated his belief that next year's iPhone upgrades won't offer major innovations. He thinks the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro may look similar and have comparable specs to the 14 line. Of course, until Apple makes their annual phone announcement in fall 2023, it's impossible to say for sure what improvements they'll unveil.</p> <p>Still, as one of China's most popular tech commentators, Lohonghao's critiques of Apple carry influence. His critiques suggest that to better satisfy consumers, tech giants must not only adopt new standards promptly but also consistently deliver meaningful advances with each new product generation.</p>

Monday, January 1st, 2024!

10:29am We are alive mf's!!! We made it to the new year!

Currently having my semi-annual financial hoopla but things will work themselves out 😇

January goals: not spending money basically.

- don't get so drunk, it is not fun anymore!

- stop buying food/ drinks out! Too much $

- look for free activities

- free hobbies

- be mindful of what you're doing! And not doing!

- wake up earlier and go to bed earlier! (Gradual)

1:01pm I have already caved and have gotten PDQ 🤣 it's all good I'm straight chilling ❤️ Stay positive y'all. Watching A Historia Delas on Hulu, looks pretty good!

3:45pm Ok so PDQ has made me completely lethargic, the salt has made me totally bloated AF like I feel it in my belly and my feet and hands. I want to work on increasing my energy levels this year and omg this was not the right thing to do. I'm so bloated I'm too uncomfortable to nap even. This show is very good though thank god bc I'm clearly not doing much else today.

Also, one of my wall adjacent neighbors has been playing freaking dubstep or something for like 2 hrs straight and I just realized it's making my brain feel weird/ fuzzy but I couldn't identify why tf I felt that way before. There's so much damn noise in the world it's no wonder everyone is losing their mind/ irritable and slightly annoyed all the time.

8:04pm I did my nails! Also binge watching this show was a very good decision, the best I've made all day 🤣 Tried eating some cheese and it's too much!! My body is just rejecting all of this rich af holiday food and I should really clean out the fridge tomorrow and start fresh. I know it's a waste but idc I don't want to keep feeling like crap and I hate expired food. It's not my fault I went on vacation for like 10 days and all this was too much. I'm still not used to buying/ cooking food for one person. I need to stop buying gallons of milk ffs! It's way too much I had to have like 4 cups last night bc it was expiring today. This is just all part of being mindful, everything is a learning process! You are ok and you are doing great! ❤️

Also, learning more and more about how abusive my relationship is and I'm so glad the internet exists because it would have been so easy to just *not* be aware of this experience that i unfortunately share with many people!! Narcissistic abuse is real and I am ready to keep healing!! Can't fool me twice.

I loved talking to his grandmother though, she is so wise and sweet and I love that she really doesn't play his BS and can see through it, amen!!! I can't believe she said what I thought she would say.... She wants them to move out together so that they'll break up already!!!! That shit is crazy she really said that!!! I may be young but I am not stupid and I saw that shit coming from MILES away literally.

9:41pm He keeps randomly texting me and tbh at this point it's so crystal clear what he's doing and it's pathetic. Simply I have no admiration for him, no respect above human decency really, it's just pathetic is the only word for it. He clearly needs psychological help, and I'm not a psychologist! Also, don't you have a gf to text who literally hates me? Get it together, bro, you're not fooling anyone (except her?? Poor girl tbh she's really getting her payback/ karma in spades I'm sure) thanks universe :) love ya.

PS why does he keep bringing up the music thing?? Does he have no other lines I don't really get it. What tf am I supposed to do about that anyway. I listen to all of his music and my music just fine (oh wait it's because I took time to heal and didn't jump into another toxic relationship 7 days later!!) Get a grip, dude, you're not getting anyone's sympathy here.

Made a to do list for tomorrow so we'll see how that goes! Also I'm sleeping naked so we're trying lots of new things!

Is Optional Insurance A Waste Of Money?

Image Source (CC0 License)

What do we mean by “optional insurance”? 

Some types of insurance are mandatory - there are either legal requirements to have it or companies place it as an essential requirement. For example, you need to have car insurance to legally drive your vehicle on the road. Home insurance isn’t a legal necessity, but many mortgage lenders won’t hand out loans unless you agree to take out a policy. 

On the other side of things, you have insurance policies that are not mandatory. You can either take them or leave them - it’s entirely up to you. This includes things like travel insurance, mobile insurance, pet insurance, and so on. All insurance policies require a premium that you either pay upfront, monthly, or annually. Sometimes, these premiums can be really high, leading many of you to ponder whether or not optional insurance is worth the costs. 

Surely this is a big waste of money, right? 

Not necessarily - and let us explain why. 

You can tailor insurance policies to fit your budget

What a lot of people forget is that insurance policies are tailored to fit your budget. Even with something mandatory like car insurance, you can choose the level of coverage required. The same goes for everything else; if you want to protect something, you can find a policy that suits your needs and budget restraints. 

As a result, you can protect the things you love - or things that are valuable - without spending a fortune. Is this a waste of money? It certainly doesn’t seem like it. What’s more, if you don’t make claims on your policy, the premium could go down the next year. In many ways, you’re rewarded if bad things don’t happen while being protected if they do. 

The cost of dealing with problems is far greater

We often get put off when we see how much insurance costs. It almost feels threatening or overwhelming, so we avoid getting it. You only realize the true value of insurance when something does go wrong. 

Take travel insurance - it’s optional and so many people neglect it. You can find affordable deals from companies like Generali, but even the most expensive travel insurance is worthwhile when something bad happens. Imagine you lose your suitcases or your hotel room gets robbed. Without any travel insurance, you have to face the consequences alone. You could’ve had a thousand-dollar laptop in your case, plus loads of other expensive items. Rebuying all of this stuff will cost an absolute fortune. 

By contrast, even if you had to pay a few hundred dollars for insurance, it’s still far less than the cost of dealing with the problems without it. 

The bottom line is that optional insurance is almost never a waste of money. If you have something you wish to financially protect, then it will be worth insuring it. Just be sure to compare providers and find the best deals for your budget. This will ensure you get protection without blowing your bank balance into a million tiny pieces

Why Should You Shop Used Office Furniture?

Whether you are a CEO or a junior employee in the office, it may cause extra expenditures while buying new furniture. Luckily, we have the option of buying used office furniture that not only does offer excellent quality but reduces expenses. It would be best if you found an authentic used office furniture store near me that sells excellent quality used office furniture.

Moreover, suppose the office furniture desk quality is good, offering more extended durability. What is the need to buy new furniture? 

Does the workplace require an upgrade? It's a terrific approach to increase employee comfort and morale by replacing outdated furniture. Additionally, it can alter how a workplace seems to clients and visitors. But there's no need to go shopping for brand-new items. Here are some advantages of using office furniture desks in any office.

Utilized Is More Economical:

Every workplace follows a rigid spending plan. Finding ways to reduce costs is essential whenever possible because of this. An office can save a tonne of money by purchasing used office furniture. Purchasing furniture that has already been owned saves you hundreds of dollars over buying the same items new. Surprisingly, many of these reasonably priced pieces are only a few years old and have very few dings or blemishes.

Additional savings desired? Consider haggling with the vendor or making a big order. To move more products, dealers eagerly reduce prices, and frequently, loyal customers receive even better offers.

Greater Environmental Benefits:

They are not bottomless holes or landfills. Unwanted goods take time to disintegrate. The majority of the 220 million tonnes of waste that Americans produce annually is trash. The furniture in offices is no exception. Purchasing old office furniture is a terrific strategy to lower a company's carbon footprint and is environmentally beneficial. Furthermore, well-made items can endure for decades with little wear.

Quicker setup and delivery:

The process of ordering new furniture takes a lot of time. It can take weeks or even months to make commercial items because they are frequently made to order.

For instance, getting a custom executive desk can take six to twelve weeks. People who purchase from a wholesale furniture store will also require time to put the pieces together and arrange them. But most restored chairs, desks, and tables are available for quick delivery. Some vendors even ship the same day, further accelerating the process.

Numerous options:

There are still options available when buying old, and businesses frequently discover that many more solutions are accessible. Traditional furniture stores exclusively stock the newest, most fashionable items. They barely have enough inventory to meet the needs of a small number of clients, and the things they offer frequently match. However, secondhand shops are like hidden treasure troves of delights.

A Good Investing:

Mass-produced items generally depreciate more quickly because they aren't made to last. But the value of fine furniture typically rises with time. Used office furniture made of hardwood, brass accents, and personalized engravings is always in demand. In the long term, investing in high-end used office furniture is preferable to saving money on less expensive new furniture.

Refresh the workplace in style:

Each office needs sturdy furniture. Ergonomic workstations and chairs enhance worker comfort and boost output. Visitors will feel more at ease if the reception room has comfortable chairs and a sofa. There is no need to purchase new furniture, though. 

Offices can update their offices by buying high-quality furniture and revamping the workplace's furnishings. Explore a furniture wholesale near me for buying a quality used office furniture.

Article Source : https://www.worldofarticles.com/why-should-you-shop-used-office-furniture/

Tax Software Benefits for Individual or Corporate Taxpayers

Are you still filing your tax returns manually the old-fashioned way? Do you and your business still rely on tax professionals and accountants to file annual or quarterly tax returns? If so, understand that you are wasting a lot of time, energy and resources processing taxes instead of focusing on core business functions. Switching to a tax preparation program is a great idea for your business and can help you avoid missing out on important tax deductions and save valuable time and hard-earned money.

Tax software is computer software that performs tax compliance tasks on behalf of businesses/individuals. It helps prepare and file important tax returns and corporate and other important tax returns.

Instead of relying on cumbersome and outdated tax filing methods, you can switch to highly rated and proven tax software available in the market to file your personal and business taxes yourself.

1. Big-time saver

Using tax software to calculate and save tax returns saves individuals/businesses valuable time. Tax software is a great tool for improving employee productivity for businesses, especially small businesses. Employees do not have to spend long hours adding numbers or rechecking accounts during tax calculations. Tax software performs important tax tasks. This means that credits, deductions and deductions are calculated faster than your employees.

2. Financial

IRS tax resolution software can be an excellent option for businesses/individuals to save costs. You should know that manually preparing tax returns increases the chances of tax errors. Adding more requires hiring a dedicated employee and paying extra salaries to avoid human error in filing tax returns and increases overhead. Choosing is a good idea to reduce your company's overall operating costs.

3. High accuracy with minimal error

Individual taxpayers know that small errors in their tax calculations can lead to large losses in taxes, interest and other costs. , which greatly increases the chances of this error occurring. When submitting taxes manually, you are solely responsible for carefully organizing and submitting important tax information across multiple forms. Making spelling mistakes when entering numbers or doing calculations such as credits and deductions is easy.

Thus, tax software is the ideal tool for making important tax calculations, submitting special forms and even automatically validating personal information on various tax forms with minimal errors

4. Easy electronic archiving

With professional tax software, you have the option to pay your tax online with just a few clicks from your computer, which also saves a lot of time.

5. Easy management of the tax register

Registration is a good option for businesses to store sensitive tax information. Tax software can make this job much easier for businesses. You can also use the cloud version of the tax software to securely store last year's tax data on a cloud server. This option gives you instant access to important tax information for any tax year, anytime, anywhere.

In conclusion

Seeing these benefits, it can be said that professional tax filing software is a great asset for businesses when it comes to saving time, money, and other resources (human resources, paperwork, etc.). As a professional/corporate taxpayer, you can easily use/purchase/subscribe to highly rated tax software offered by leading IRS tax resolution software.

What to Put In a Dumpster | What is Allowed in My Dumpster?

Roll-off dumpsters are the ideal disposal solution for residential and commercial projects. Since most things can be disposed of in a roll-off dumpster, you can load up your junk and leave the rest. We offer two compact sizes, ten and fifteen-yard dumpsters, which can be placed in tight places: from a homeowner’s garage to a building’s parking lot. Our smaller trucks and skilled operators can place your dumpster for convenient disposal. Are you thinking about starting a residential or commercial project? Reach out to reserve your dumpster here,

What You Can Toss

Construction or Renovation Materials–Whether you are a commercial contractor doing a construction project or a homeowner doing a kitchen remodel, there will be old materials and trash to dispose of afterward. A roll-off dumpster can hold your old broken-down cabinets, broken-down concrete, insulation, drywall, roofing shingles, and more. When finished, our team will pick up your dumpster and dispose of the materials safely for our environment.

House Clutter–Spring cleaning is an annual event for many families. Getting rid of unused old items can free up space for the things you actually use and alleviate stress. You can toss in your dated couch and your kid’s old bike into the same dumpster. We accept furniture, toys, clothing, documents, and even some appliances. Appliances are generally safe to put in your dumpster as long as they are free from freon or hazardous materials. In addition to your home, you could consider cleaning out your storage unit of unused clutter to save space and money.

Green Waste–Landscaping projects can create a mess during the improvement process. If you have logs, branches, shrubs, trees, sod, brush, or any sort of unwanted vegetation, you could dispose of it in a roll-off dumpster. Generally, we would not recommend mixing your dumpster with trash and green waste. Green waste can be recycled instead of going to a landfill.

Office Materials–If your office is undergoing a renovation or a clean-out, a dumpster can help you dispose of old decor items, documents, business assets, rugs, etc. We can even position the dumpster near your backdoor or loading dock for a discreet disposal solution that does not disrupt your company’s appearance.

What Not to Toss

The list of things you cannot toss is much shorter. Typically, electronics and batteries should not be placed in a dumpster. We cannot accept paint, liquids, asbestos, tires, or hazardous materials.

If you are worried that you are paying too much for a storage unit, the answer is probably yes. The national average price for a storage unit is $89.12, which adds up to an annual cost of $1069.44. You might be paying more than this depending on your location, the size of the unit, or whether it is climate controlled.

Storage units are a helpful temporary solution if your family is moving or undergoing renovations, but they are far too costly for long-term storage. Have you been through your storage unit and your home recently? Do you still need your unit? Now is a great time to clean out your storage unit and save money,

Getting Started with Your Cleanout

Evaluate Usage–If you have items in your unit or home that have not been used in the past six months to a year, those items may be worthwhile to throw away. A closet full of clothes is not necessary if you are only wearing a ¼ of them. Another common error is holding onto clothes that no longer fit in hopes of being that size again. Letting go of the clothing will free up your space, and you can purchase new clothes later if you lose weight.

Get Creative with Memories–Although there may be some nostalgic items that are not used often, there may be creative ways to save the memory without the clutter. For example, if you have an entire closet full of family photos in boxes, you could consider scanning the photos and saving them in a digital format instead. When saved properly, they will be preserved and your storage space will be alleviated. If you have lots of old baby clothes or t-shirts that are sentimental, consider having them made into a memory blanket. Not only will this save space, but you will have a practical use for your items instead.

Use your Storage Spaces Effectively–Although you may have to invest in some new storage boxes or storage solutions, maximizing your storage could alleviate space for the items you want to keep. Even hiring a professional organizer makes better fiscal sense than paying over $1000 per year for an unnecessary storage unit.

How We Can Help

We provide 10 and 15-yard dumpsters, which are an ideal size for tight spaces and smaller cleanout projects. Our team can bring the dumpster to your storage unit or your home, so you have a convenient disposal solution. You can place almost anything in the dumpster that is not hazardous or liquid. Once you have loaded up your junk and trash, we can pick it up and dispose of it safely.

How to Get Started

If you are ready to conquer your clutter and get organized, reserve a dumpster by calling us or using our online system. Our customer service team can help you choose the right dumpster size. We confirm your reservation with an email outlining your drop off details. You will receive a text reminder on the morning of your dumpster delivery. If you opt into our text updates, your driver will keep you posted on the delivery status. We will place the dumpster wherever you request.

The Best Drainage and Pipe Relining Services in Sydney

Pipe Relining Solutions are fully licensed drainage specialists, specialising in pipe relining and drain cleaning. They use a German pipe relining system called Brawoliner, which has a 50-year life span. Their trained technicians have been certified to use this product since 2009. They have successfully rehabilitated hundreds of kilometres of pipe work. Their services include free annual inspections to keep your pipes in perfect condition.

Trench less pipe relining

When you are considering a trenchless pipe relining solution for your home or business, it is important to find a company that specializes in drainage. The professionals at Pipe Relining Solutions are fully licensed and highly experienced in both drain cleaning and pipe relining. They use a German pipe relining system called Brawoliner, which can last for 50 years or more. Their technicians are trained in Germany and certified to install the product, which has been used to rehabilitate hundreds of kilometres of pipe work. Moreover, they provide free annual inspections to ensure that their pipe relining solutions Sydney is still in good condition.

Another great benefit of trenchless pipe relining in Sydney is that it doesn't require any chemicals or excavation, and therefore, the environment is not harmed during the process. Furthermore, the resin used for pipe relining is also environmentally friendly. Furthermore, there is less waste, as the process requires minimal excavation. As a result, you won't have to deal with any waste that you'll need to dispose of.

Long-term solution

A long-term solution for pipe relining in your Sydney home can save you a lot of money and hassle. This solution involves installing a new liner made of epoxy resin inside a damaged pipe. This liner is then inflated to seal the pipe. The procedure can be completed quickly, and the process can be completed within a few hours.

Relining is a long-term solution for pipes that prevents future problems. Pipes need repairs to prevent clogs and leaks. Pipe relining repairs pipes without requiring any digging. It is a fast, clean, and quiet process. It is far less expensive than replacing damaged pipes and leaves the landscape untouched. The procedure also keeps the walls and floors intact.

There are many different relining solutions available on the market. When selecting a relining solution, look for one with a watermarked certification. This guarantees that the products are suitable for their intended purpose and meet Australian standards.

Environmentally friendly

If you're in need of pipe relining in Sydney, you should consider Pipe Relining

Solutions, a drainage company specializing in relining pipe systems and drain cleaning. They use a German pipe relining system, called Brawoliner, which is a high-quality lining with a lifespan of up to 50 years. Their trained technicians are certified to install the Brawoliner product and have rehabilitated hundreds of kilometres of pipe work. They also offer free annual inspections.

Pipe relining Sydney services also employ specialised cutting nozzles that can reach even the most challenging pipe conditions. This technology allows technicians to clean up root-infested pipes without damaging the pipe's interior walls or the surrounding landscape. This process eliminates costly and time-consuming trench digging and can be used on residential sewer systems, storm pipes, and septic systems.

Pipe relining solutions in Sydney are eco-friendly and safe, since they don't require chemicals. They also require minimal excavation, which means less waste and less inconvenience for homeowners.

Convenient

The best pipe relining solutions in Sydney are provided by professional drain and drainage specialists. A company called Pipe Relining Solutions is fully licensed and qualified to provide relining services and drain cleaning services. They use the Brawoliner pipe relining system, a German product with a 50-year life span. Their technicians are trained in Germany and certified to install the product. These professionals have rehabilitated hundreds of kilometers of pipe work. In addition to completing relining services, these professionals offer free annual inspections of your pipes and drains.

While relining may seem like a relatively simple solution, it is a complicated process.

You need to ensure that the plumber you hire has the right license and experience. You also want to be sure that they use watermarked products. This certification means that they are fit for purpose and authorised by the Australian Standards. Otherwise, you might be stuck paying for unlicensed products.

Pipe relining in Sydney is an environmentally-friendly way to repair broken pipes without the use of chemicals. The resin used for pipe relining is friendly to the environment and requires little excavation. This means that there is less waste to dispose of.

Get Trendy Clothes for Your Kids Within Your Budget

Every parent will agree that young kids grow like weeds. As a result of their constant outgrowing of their clothing, parents must spend a lot of money on new clothing. There are two main strategies to avoid it if you're sick of spending so much money on clothes your kids will outgrow in a matter of months. The first tip is to purchase wisely to reduce the amount of money you spend annually on your child's outfit. And second, prolong the life of your Babywear Wholesale to avoid having to dash back to the store in the middle of the year to replace it.

Saving Money on Children's Clothing

Cheap clothing purchases for grownups aren't always a good deal. Paying more up front for durable apparel that will endure for years can frequently end up saving money in the long term. That, however, is typically not a wise strategy for growing youngsters. The additional money you invested on those brand-new, high-quality garments for young children will be wasted because they will outgrow them long before they wear them out.

Get Pieces, Not Outfits

A set of child-size mannequins dressed in adorable coordinated ensembles is typically the first thing you notice when you enter a children's apparel store or department.

For instance, you could see one mannequin wearing a vibrant blouse, a plaid jumper, a cardigan, and adorable hair clips next to another wearing a pair of clean jeans, a polo shirt, a striped sweater, and a matching hat.

The issue is that these tastefully designed outfits don't necessarily match your child's existing wardrobe. If that adorable little cap only goes well with that certain polo shirt and striped sweater, it will be kept in the closet for the majority of the time. One adorable costume is not nearly as useful as multiple mix-and-match pieces your child can wear. Evaluate each component separately and consider how much usage your youngster could get out of it before investing in the set.

Explore the Clearance

Avoid those front-of-the-store selections entirely to save even more money. Instead, proceed directly to the store's back, where the clearance racks are located. To create place for new collections, stores frequently shift unsold goods to this section. They mark it down to alluringly low prices in an effort to move it off their shelves.

Buy outside of season

Since they are out of season, clothes frequently end up on the sale rack. Several times a year, new shipments for the forthcoming season are delivered to stores, such as light spring apparel in February. They mark down the clothing for the season that is ending, in this example, winter jackets and other cold-weather gear, to make way for them.

Since these end-of-season sales typically occur a month or two before the season finishes, you can get affordable winter clothing for your children that they can wear through February's chilly weather. Furthermore, there's a good chance that your children will still be able to wear the clothing when the following winter arrives if you get it in slightly larger sizes than they presently require.

Shop at Discount Stores

Where you shop matters just as much as when you shop when it comes to receiving discounts. Compared to name-brand boutiques and department shops, a variety of retail establishments provide kids' apparel at significantly lower prices.

Visit a thrift store

Purchasing used children's clothing is one of the finest ways to find them at a low price. You can discover previously worn clothing in fantastic shape at thrift stores because kids grow so quickly and frequently outgrow their items before they wear them out. Even brand-new items that children have rejected for unknown reasons occasionally might be found in consignment stores.

Start modestly if the concept still makes you uneasy. Special-occasion apparel, like holiday dress clothing, which your child will only wear once or twice, is a particularly nice category to browse second hand.

You're likely to feel more at ease expanding out into regular clothing like shirts, pants, and shoes once you learn what great prices you can get. You can involve your children more in the process of buying for themselves as they get older. When people participate in the clothing selection process, they will not only be delighted with the clothes they receive but also have the opportunity to see all the money-saving techniques you use. These pointers and tricks will come in very handy for them when they live alone.