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#online business failure
darcyfirth · 1 year
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my ‘23 resolution was to read the books i’ve purchased and not buying new ones, but here i am, swiping cards for 6 new books
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literally-12-people · 2 months
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Y'all... There's this worry in the back of my head that I'm never going to get better.
Already, I've basically admitted to myself that I'll gladly lie and go behind my BFs back to get with people. And I haven't, and i won't, but I know that i would.
His best friend is someone i care about deeply, and someone i desperately wanna be with, but he (BF) and my GF would both be weirded out and worried about it.
Not even to mention sleeping with my new partner. I've needed them for a month-n-some now, and it's still awkward.
And we're all planning to move out together soon. I'm so worried about that being the catalyst for something to go wrong, but atleast then I'm under constant watch. I hate that i feel like i need that but all my worst mistakes come from a momentary lapse in judgement. One minute where my logic brain that calculates the consequences of my actions and another where i give in because "I'm in too deep."
I think i need to just admit that I'm scared. Or take my mind off it all.
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vakilkarosblog · 4 months
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What is the minimum income for microfinance loan
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Introduction:
Microfinance loans play a crucial role in providing financial assistance to individuals and businesses in need, especially in developing economies. One common question that arises is, "What is the minimum income microfinance loan?" In this article, we'll explore the minimum income requirements for microfinance loans and delve into the significance of Section 8 Microfinance Company Registration.
Minimum Income for Microfinance Loans:
Microfinance institutions are known for their inclusive approach, offering financial services to those who might not have access to traditional banking. Unlike conventional loans that often require a high credit score and collateral, microfinance loans focus on the borrower's ability to repay based on their income.
The minimum income for microfinance loans can vary depending on the specific institution and the region. Generally, microfinance lenders assess the borrower's income to ensure they have the means to repay the loan. This income threshold is often set at a level that is attainable for individuals and businesses in underserved communities.
Factors influencing the minimum income for microfinance loans include:
Local Economic Conditions:
Microfinance institutions take into account the economic conditions of the area where the borrower resides. The income requirements are adjusted to reflect the local cost of living and economic opportunities.
Type of Microfinance Institution:
Different types of microfinance institutions may have varying criteria. Some focus on individual entrepreneurs, while others cater to small businesses. The minimum income requirement is tailored to the specific target group.
Loan Purpose:
The purpose of the microfinance loan also influences the minimum income requirement. For instance, a loan for income-generating activities may have different criteria than a loan for basic needs.
Section 8 Microfinance Company Registration:
In the context of microfinance, Section 8 refers to a specific section of the Companies Act that pertains to non-profit organizations. When a microfinance institution opts for Section 8 registration, it indicates its commitment to social welfare and not-for-profit objectives.
Key aspects of Section 8 Microfinance Company Registration include:
Non-Profit Nature:
Microfinance institutions registered under Section 8 operate on a non-profit basis. This means that their primary goal is social welfare and community development rather than profit generation.
Legal Compliance:
Section 8 companies must comply with the legal requirements outlined in the Companies Act. This includes submitting regular reports and adhering to the regulations governing non-profit organizations.
Enhanced Credibility:
Section 8 registration enhances the credibility of microfinance institutions, making them eligible for various grants and tax benefits, which can further support their mission.
Conclusion:
Understanding the minimum income requirements for microfinance loans is essential for both borrowers and microfinance institutions. It ensures that financial services are accessible to those who need them the most. Additionally, Section 8 Microfinance Company Registration underscores the commitment of microfinance institutions to social welfare, contributing to inclusive economic growth. If you are considering a microfinance loan, it's crucial to explore the specific requirements of the institution and the benefits of Section 8 registration.
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beesmygod · 10 months
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we can all look back on and laugh at this when im wrong, but it seems like social media in its current incarnation is dying an undignified and overdue death. it turns out throwing all of humanity into one room and expecting everyone to develop a single ethos was beyond insane conceptually and the artists who built their following on social media are probably in a tail spin right now. people jumping to bluesky are insane lol. did you forget jack dorsey is the idiot who got us into this mess in the first place. why would you choose to subject yourself to this shit again. for what purpose?
the stock answer i got was that "for discoverability/audience" and if that's true thats a problem. i've been hollerin about this to anyone who would listen prior to this but the customer base of twitter (and all social media) is its advertisers. they have not been shy from the start about that fact because its the only way they generate income, as far as i know. YOU (the user) are the product. YOU (still the user) are also what draws people to the site. there is not a social media website on earth that has figured out that making a good website (which would require hiring and paying for quality labor over an extended period of time) is more likely to result in economic success than exclusively courting the businesses whose interest is in making the website worse to use with ads. at no point were our interests ever a factor.
in fact, imo, the number of people following you is not an accurate representational sample of your audience. the reasonable assumption you should make is that the vast majority of numbers involved with any website (esp those with a vested interest in showing off big numbers to VC investors or advertising execs) are inflated or just outright fake. the numbers exist solely to drive you insane and make awful people happy. the numbers cause you and everyone around you to start spontaneously spawning myths about a beast called "the algorithm" that possesses the incredible traits of being both something you can game for success or blame for your failures. it coerces you into enacting out nonsense superstitions to try to counteract or appease it in the hopes of, let's be honest, breaking it big and going viral. this way, you, the creator, do not have to do the hard work of building up a rapport with an audience. none of this goes anything but adds more numbers for the ceos to look at and nod approvingly or disapprovingly at.
the people running the world today are, without exaggeration, cartoon villains. they are deeply stupid, devoid of empathy, and open about their intent to do deeply evil acts in order to further their economic interests. trying to derive some kind of financial benefit from the creations of these unapologetic losers was always bound to be a wasted effort. the best thing i can say about twitter, a website i was banned from countless times and returned to out of stubborn desire, was that i got to make some great jokes with friends and cause some chaos lol. letting people know i have a web comic was always a secondary function once the realization of what social media was turning out to be set in like 7 years ago. any artist who insists that you have to do this or that on this or that social media site is trying to drag you down into the quagmire of online numbers poisoning.
run away!!! children heed my advice!!! the joy of creation does not lie on a path that encourages you to cater to the lowest common denominators while casting your net. just fucking have fun with it. if its not fun then it wont even be fun to do financially anyway. and isnt that, like. the point.
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scampthecorgi · 6 months
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Thursday night we had to say goodbye to our boy Scamp. He lived a very full and happy life for nearly 13 years, but it will never feel like enough time.
Scamp’s life with us began when my brother chose the breed for our next family dog: a corgi. This pup was Mr. Personality! So I thought I’d make a blog for him as corgis gained popularity online. What started as this fun tumblr blog in 2013 exploded into Scamp popping up all over the internet. He got reblogged by Doctor Who, retweeted by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and his pictures-turned-uncredited-meme made Buzzfeed’s list of 40 most important corgis one year! His pictures and gifs still show up on various sites.
Scamp even helped my brother become a certified dog trainer! He was by his side quickly learning the commands and creating routines to pass tests. I illustrated 7 coloring books about Scamp which helped me pay off my student loans, so he was my business partner too!
He had many health issues through his life, but he would work miracles and bounce back time after time. The poor guy had seizures when he was younger, a blockage, a ruptured disc, cancer, chemo for a year, low blood platelets, kidney failure (which he miraculously reversed??), and vasculitis. This past summer he got very sick and we really thought he would go soon. But again Scamp worked his magic, recovered, and we got four more months with him that we didn’t expect.
He brought so much happiness to our family, and I thank you all for being part of our lives too. I will still use this blog to post old pictures of him now and then, but I will miss our photo shoots. His brother Rufus will carry on some of his traditions on Instagram if anyone would like to follow him @goldenpuprufus . And if anyone has one of Scamp’s coloring books and posts a picture of their work, please tag me or send it to my inbox- I would love to see it!
I will miss seeing him relax at the fishpond, hearing him woof for a boost into the kitchen, and waddle through the back door with that smile persuading me to give him treats. He was the best pal we could have asked for.
I know you’re looking dapper over the rainbow bridge in your bow tie. Love you, buddy.
🐶🌈 12/1/2010-11/2/2023
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theunaestheticstudyblr · 11 months
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MASTERPOST OF MY POSTS
Advice posts:
Small things you can do to help keep somewhat sane when life is chaos incarnate
Tips for a super busy life with add-on by lilliesandlovebirds
How I prep for a new semester at uni
STEM writing advice
Realistic academia
schedule time for yourself
Broke college student tip: cook
Overwhelming failure
Small changes make big impacts
Gathered school advice
advice for new college students
Failure is normal and a part of the learning process
tips for playing catch up
Getting back into school
UNIVERSITY WITH MENTAL ILLNESS
How to bounce back from failing a test
How to get a good work/life balance
 Study stuff:
review/summary pages
Testing tips: minutes before the test
Fun ways to help stay focused while studying
A survival guide for finals week
different study methods
How I condense notes for quick reviews
How to study for a test with lots of info
Testing tip
My 20 Favorite Language Learning Tips
Autism and School
Productivity:
Productivity and disability
One of my favorite productivity tips:
Healthy productivity
don’t be productive all the time
How to make the most out of a sick day
slow mornings
How I limit my productivity and why you probably should too
Other:
Easy and cheap study snacks: stuffed croissants
failing is ok
academic wins
Easy, fast and cheap foods for under $5
Don't feel shame about your academic journey
TIPS FOR MANAGING CHRONIC MIGRAINES AND ONLINE CLASSES with add-on by phdstudygirl
Things I learned from failing classes
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iamaverysadbanana · 4 months
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So I just saw the Annie Award nominations...
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Okay, so imagine you're some studio executive. You just acquired an animation studio through a merger, and they've got a movie in the works based on a comic created by a very popular queer artist. You then proceed to not only cancel the film, but shut down the studio making it. BUT then, the movie gets rescued by ANOTHER studio and ends up being a huge success. Meanwhile, you're busy making a movie to celebrate your own company's centennial, and all your micromanaging and overt attempts at brand integration only results in it's critical and financial failure. A few months later, the film you tried to kill gets nominated for nine awards at the Annies. Your anniversary project gets...nothing.
Zilch. Zero. Bupkis.
Hell, there's a pilot for a new web series that's available to watch online for free, and IT got a nomination. Is that even allowed!?
So as wild as 2023 was, at least you weren't the top brass at Disney watching Wish bomb. Congratulations to the Nimona staff, and a special shout out to Glitch Productions and Gooseworx for The Amazing Digital Circus!
P.S. Somebody please make a meme about the Annie nominations using the Mean Girls Glen Coco scene with Disney as Gretchen Wieners. I will love you forever if you do.
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roo-bastmoon · 3 days
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Off My Chest
Rant about Hybe under the cut. I give you my word I will try to post a majority of positive content, because the world (and my mental health) doesn't need more negativity, but sometimes you just gotta vent.
Folks, if you've known me for a hot second, you've realized I am a Jimin-biased Jikooker... but I am OT7, and I sincerely love and support BTS.
I believe Jimin is a grown man who can advocate for himself and I believe Jungkook absolutely supports and adores him, whatever their relationship status is.
I always try to accentuate the positive and avoid online drama and negativity as much as possible, but I need to get this off my chest.
I will never be gas-lit into believing that the way Jimin was treated in solo era was fair, or equitable, or even made any kind of business-sense. I've genuinely tried to entertain other people's points of view and listen to people who claim to have industry expertise, but...
I will never forget his mail being tampered with four times, his leaked insurance information, denial of more music videos, overlapped solo release, only 9 days of promotion, split title tracks, no radio or play-listing, no bio for his Spotify for months, no restock of his single CD for months, hundreds of thousands of frozen and deleted sales, millions of culled streams, shady articles in WeVerse and Billboard, insulting dialogue in In the Seom, failure to submit to RIAA certification for months, only a paywall documentary on WeVerse, zero official acknowledgement of his Hot 100 #1, 1 billion streams on Spotify, or wins for The Fact, MAMA, and two Webbys, plus broken in-ears, anemic little balloons and a sad background tarp as decorations for his fan events… and the company telling him how doing more would just be impossible.
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I compare all that to the push that other members and other groups got, and I know it just isn't true. It wasn't impossible.
Hell, Jeon Jungkook put in more effort to promote Jimin’s work and showed more respect for Jimin as an artist during his at-home lives than that whole company did, which honestly makes no sense from a profit standpoint.
I will never forget it, and I will not entertain arguments that say I’m a solo or an anti or jealous about it. I have eyes.
I am not out to shade any other members nor put forth any conspiracy theories. I simply want all our boys to get everything they justly deserve.
And yes, other members have suffered mishaps and neglect, but nothing of this scale, this consistently. It baffles me, I cannot understand it, and I'm done trying. Something strange was going on behind the scenes and we may never be privy to the details.
In trying to put this awful feeling behind me, I will say I am elated that Jikook are serving together and can support each other. I am glad there will be a Jikook travel show. I'm continually impressed with all of Jimin's success (in the military and professionally) despite all odds. I will always love and support all of BTS with my full heart.
And I sincerely hope the company has been taking notes and course-corrects for PJM2, even if it rubs some higher ups the wrong way if they had a different vision. Considering Jimin’s unique talents and his amazing star power—even his ability to bring Paris and New York to a screaming standstill just for the opportunity to see him exit a car—I would hope the company will “do their best to promote all labels and artists without discrimination” going forward.
But what happened truly sucked, and I needed to get that off my chest. I am not interested in further discussion or debate. I am now going to do my best to shift my focus and energy on to the things I want to manifest, instead of the things that enrage me.
So let me end on a positive and hopeful note: I put all my trust in Jimin, who signed a new contract with Hybe and who unfailingly adores all his members. There can be no love without trust. I will always do my best to trust BTS.
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But I'm watching carefully. For Jimin and all our boys.
Love, Roo
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seajelllies · 2 months
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𝑹𝑶𝑳𝑳 𝑪𝑨𝑳𝑳! Meet the study group!
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𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑪𝑼𝑷𝑰𝑫𝑺! More like the failures, but oh well..
These poor kids are trying to help, really. They aren't actively trying to make things worse for Y/N, they just unintentionally do! All the time! Constantly! But that's okay, what's a study group without the group? Then again, what's the study group without the studying??
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𝑵𝒐𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒂 is super active on social media, she posts selfies, shopping hauls. She tweets whatever she wants, no shame. She's close with Y/N, Yuji & Megumi, and even though Y/N is constantly studying she tries to go out of her way to see her.
𝑴𝒆𝒈𝒖𝒎𝒊 doesn't post a lot, he usually talks about assignments, posts pictures of his dogs or replies to his friends. Almost has every single class with Y/N and thus, they see each other a lot. Which works out, since they're both pretty focused on their classes, they help each other out often. Hates Sukuna. Bro stares too much.
𝑴𝒂𝒌𝒊 doesn't use social media much at all, she's only there to check out Nobara's posts (they are dating <3) and occasionally to rant. She also does check in on her other friends from time to time. Surprisingly, she hasn't spoken to Y/N yet. Maki's just too busy and Y/N is always studying, but they'll eventually meet when Nobara finally has an excuse to drag one of them away towards the other.
𝑻𝒐𝒈𝒆 is just a professional yapper. He has most of his followers from bullying kids on roblox and posting the clips online sometimes. He's besties with Yuta and him & Rika jokingly throw hands with each other publicly but it's all in good fun. Toge is also a selective mute, and he really only talks around his closest friends.
𝒀𝒖𝒕𝒂 made an account after Toge harassed him to, and he doesn't post too often unless its photography from his travels. Takes his studies probably the most serious, with Megumi right after him. He still manages to balance studying and his social life which surprises a lot of people. He's dating Rika, but she doesn't go to their university. Was Y/N's original study buddy! They never hung out outside of studying though.
𝑼𝒓𝒂𝒖𝒎𝒆 only really made an account to follow Sukuna. Technically, uraume is not a part of the study group. But they're Sukuna's best friend, so they tend to show up around him often. They don't really need the extra studying, but they do have some classes with Y/N. Not really friends, not really enemies, they don't care too much.
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whoslai · 1 year
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Off The Menu - Lee Heeseung (Chapter 1)
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genre: angst, fluff, slow-ish burn, eventual smut!! (you’re responsible for what you consume, read at your own risk)
warnings: none?? reader has anxiety/social anxiety and a few insecurities here and here. major slice of life for you peeps 
send me an ask if you’d like to be tagged! thank you to all my new followers, you guys are amazing for supporting me. please interact and give me as much feedback as you’d like (don’t be an ass tho, no need to spread negativity.
not proof read, sorry for any typos in advance. 
word count: 3.3k 
link to series masterlist or whatever
next chapter
Chapter 1: “Hey, lol.”
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Fall wasn’t your favorite season. From the stress of studying for finals to worrying about flight tickets back home when winter rolled around, you were never the biggest fan of the autumn months. With the combination of your busy schedule and your failure to get a refill on your anxiety medication, you felt immensely overwhelmed. Another thing to note was how lonely it got; Your family was across the country. Going to school in California was a conscious decision of yours, but you didn’t consider how tiresome it’d get not experiencing the warm embrace of a loved one in your times of need. To even take a trip back home would take you nearly 2 days, and that was simply not a risk you were willing to take with how dingy your car was. 
Your Friday’s typically consisted of this: Breakfast at the café off campus, lectures from 9 am to 12 pm, lunch at 12:30 pm accompanied with a small break, occasional seminars for an hour or so, then you were done. You’d usually study for a little while, but there were no promises. Being a second year psych student had its pros and cons; Less free time throughout the weekdays but completely free weekends. Though the pros outweigh the cons, you could use a bit more time to yourself throughout the week. As you were far from home, you had to make completely new friends. The vibe in California was completely different. You spent the entirety of your first year in your dorm in online school due to your school’s strict precautions against the pandemic, so you’d be stripped of the chance of branching out. While you weren’t the only one who went through this, it was 10x harder for you to go back to normal; Social anxiety had been something you’d struggled with all your life. The fear you felt when in big crowds, when being assigned to group projects, even merely walking to your class on campus…really…sucked. Tasked with the responsibility of your own finances, health insurance was something you simply couldn’t afford. Therefore, you hadn’t been on your meds for God knows how long. But anyway, you wouldn’t stay on such a depressing topic. 
Moving on, you had the weekend to yourself. You’d finished your last lecture around 2 pm and made your way back to your dorm. Fortunately, your roommate hadn’t made it back from her classes, so you had the space all to yourself. You locked the door behind you and took a breath of fresh air.
“Finally.” You sighed to yourself, plopping down onto your bed. Shoes were thrown about and you laid in your bed, indulging in the feeling of relief. But, as expected, it was cut short almost immediately.
Multiple knocks were sounded upon the door. It was nobody but Ningning, your lab partner in Abnormal Psych Stats 2. She was a sweet girl, she truly was. However, she always found a way to be overbearing. But you appreciate her as she was the only reason you ever left your room.
You slowly but surely got up to open the door, greeted by Ningning with a big smile.
“Y/N, were you lying down?” She asked, leaning against the door frame.
“I was, but now I’m up. Come, come.” You told her, moving out of the way so she could come in.
She walked in, closing the door behind her and sat on your bed as you spruced up your desk.
You glanced over at her, noticing that she was biting her lip and she only ever did that when she was holding back from saying something.
“Oh God, what is it?” You groaned, knowing she was about to say something outlandish.
She smiled and sat up, “Okay, don’t be mad but I booked us two tickets at this restaurant over in Malibu. Yes, I know it’s a long drive BUT…it’s worth it. Please tell me you’ll come with me, pleaseeeee…”
You sighed, rubbing your jaw, “I can’t.” Her smile faded, turning into a frown, “I don’t have the funds for that. I just planned on grabbing a meal from the dining hall…I’m trying to save up for a plane ticket.”
She shook her head, “Don’t worry about the costs, I’ll pay, it’ll be my treat. I wasn’t in town on your birthday and I want to make up for my absence. As your best, and ONLY friend, it’s my job to treat you. So, what do you say?”
You sighed to yourself, again. You hadn’t planned on doing anything tonight. You really were looking forward to having some down time to just relax and catch up on some shows. You also weren’t the type to depend on someone to pay for your meal, but one time wouldn’t hurt, right?
“Alright. Fine. When?” You asked her, stacking papers atop of each other.
“Today, tonight, let’s leave before 6 pm since our reservation is at 8:00.” She said, “I figured we could stay the night? If we left by 6 and got there at 7:30 ish, we could check into our reservation and stay at a nearby hotel. It’d be nice to take a break and be on our own for a while.”
You nodded, ‘That sounds nice…but costly? Where’s all this money coming from, Ningning?” 
She smiled, “Let’s just say…my job is treating me well. Now, pack a bag, be ready by 5.” She hurried up and kissed your cheek as she made her way out of your room, closing the door behind you. 
So, a trip. A mini girls trip for a night. You were excited, actually. It’s been a while since you had a chance to take a break. You’ve never been to Malibu either. This should be fun.
Later on, you finished packing a small bag with a few essentials. You changed into an outfit you thought fit the Malibu vibe: A black halter top with beige flowy pants and matching back sandals. You clipped a mango-ish colored flower into your hair after you slicked it back into a ponytail and grabbed your bag. You touched yourself up a bit before walking out of your dorm and made your way down the hall. You knocked on Ningning’s dorm and waited for her to open it.
Once she did, she met you with a smile and walked out with her bag, locking the door behind her. “You look so cute, Y/N. We’re going to have so much fun, trust me.”
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You two soon made it to the restaurant with not a lot of time to spare as it was 8:00 on the dot. Ningning quickly found a parking spot and you both agreed to find a hotel after you ate. 
From the outside looking in, the restaurant was beautiful. It was right beside a beach with a beautiful view of the ocean; Moonshadows Malibu was its name, it truly was something you thought you’d never see in real life. As you two made your way inside, you were hit by the aroma of vanilla and solemn music, only adding to the overall dreamy vibe. A pretty lady at the front greeted you both with a wide smile. She held up two shell necklaces, “Would you ladies like a necklace?” Ningning looked at you before quickly nodding, holding her hands out to grab them. She gave you one as she slipped hers on her head and you followed after her, placing the necklace around your neck.
“We reserved a seat for two?” Ningning remarked towards the lady.
The girl nodded, “What’s the name?”
“Ning Yi Zhuo..” Nigning replied, nodding.
The girl nodded, “Okay, follow me.” She showed you both to the deck of the restaurant, seated outside right above the sand and beside the ocean. You were in awe at how beautiful the sunset was. Ningning thanked the girl as she placed down menus and told you both that your waiter would be over soon.
“It’s so pretty in Malibu…” You sighed, looking at the ocean.
“I grew up right next door to Malibu, actually. I always enjoyed coming here on vacation, such a nice place. Anyway,” She laughed, “What are you getting to drink? I brought my fake just in case…”
You smiled, shaking your head, “I don’t drink, Ningning. You’re always pressuring me to drink.”
She scoffed, “Peer pressure? I’d never!”
You rolled your eyes, “Sure. I’ll probably just get water, I’m trying to be healthier.”
“Aw, okay. I love that for you, but I’m still going to get a Pina Colada.” She sighed, pretending to jut her lip out at you.
You shook your head and looked down at your menu, suddenly feeling your heart dropping. The prices were high! The cheapest thing you saw was $20!
“Jesus, Ningning! These prices are literally so unrealistic.” You told her.
She shrugged, “You pay for the quality, not quantity. They honestly have some of the best food in Malibu, trust me. How about we both share an appetizer and then worry about the entrees later? Sounds good?”
“Okay, well, at least I'll pay for your gas. Deal?” You asked.
“Oh hell yeah, you can definitely pay for my gas.” She nodded to herself.
You closed your menu and took your phone out, capturing some photos of the ocean for later. You wanted to savor the moment. As the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a warm golden glow over the beach, the waves lapped gently against the shore. The sky was painted in shades of pink and orange, while the clouds seemed to catch fire with the last rays of daylight. A few seagulls flew overhead, their silhouettes dark against the vibrant sky. The air was filled with the salty scent of the sea and the distant sound of laughter and music. It was a moment of peace and beauty that seemed to suspend time, as if the world had paused to take in the breathtaking scene before it.
Only, your attention was stricken as you heard Ningning whisper something. You looked back at her and her eyes were wide and signaling to the side of you; A waiter. Your heart skipped a beat as he drew closer, his smile dazzling and his eyes sparkling. He was even more handsome up close, with strong, chiseled features and a confident demeanor. You felt a sudden burst of nervous energy, unsure of how to act in the presence of such beauty. His voice was smooth and charming as he greeted you both. You felt an immense struggle to keep your composure. It was clear that he had an effect on you, and you simply couldn't help but wonder if he felt the same way.
“Evening, ladies…” The young man greeted you both, “Can I get you guys started with anything to drink?”
Ningning eagerly nodded, “You most certainly can…Y/N?” Hearing your name snapped you out of your mini trance and you looked at her in confusion. She widened her eyes at you, signaling for you to talk.
“I’ll just get some water for now.” You told him, clearing your throat. 
He nodded, “Water it is…” A small smile crept on his face as he glanced back up at you and playfully remarked, “But I’ve got a feeling you might want something a little stronger later on.”
 You couldn't help but feel a bit flustered by his comment, but you managed to laugh it off. "We'll see about that," you replied, trying to hide your growing attraction to him. Ningning, on the other hand, was not as subtle.
 "Oh, I think we definitely will," she said with a grin, winking at the waiter. You shot her a look, but she just shrugged innocently, “I’d like a Piña Colada, extra coconut.”
The waiter chuckled, clearly enjoying the attention. "I'll keep that in mind," he said before taking your orders and walking away. Ningning leaned in, a mischievous glint in her eye.
 "He's cute, isn't he?" she whispered.
You rolled your eyes, but couldn't deny that she was right. "Yeah, he is," you admitted, feeling a flush rise to your cheeks.
“He was soooo flirting with you, Y/N.” She laughed, “It’s time you got some action, anyway. 19 and still a virgin? Unheard of.” You shook your head, trying to brush off her comment. But deep down, you couldn't help but wonder if there was some truth to it. You couldn't wait to see what the rest of the night had in store.
As the night progressed, you and Ningning chatted about a multitude of topics. Life, college, boys, parties, homework, etc. You were glad you went out with her, it was just the breath of fresh air you had been needing these past few weeks. 
Oh, and of course, you’d stolen some glances at the waiter. When he brought back your drinks, he made sure to place yours down first even though Ningning was obviously positioned in front of your water. 
One thing he did that made his interest almost completely obvious was when he leaned down on the table to speak to you when you knew he could hear you just fine as he was merely a few inches away. You wouldn’t say you were flirting back. Although Ningning was urging you to do so, flirting wasn’t something you were familiar with. Why would a guy flirt with you of all people? Especially as your much prettier friend sat across from you. For all you knew, he simply could have wanted a nice tip. You wouldn’t entertain him much, you came to get a break from campus, not to find a fling.
Ningning turned her attention back to you when he walked away to retrieve you both some refills, “He wants you.”
You didn’t respond to her comment, choosing to turn your attention to the last sushi roll instead. You rinsed it down with the last morsel of your water, sighing internally when he came back. 
“One filet mignon for Ms. Lily,” He said, placing down your food, “And a scottish Salad for-”
“Lily?” Ningning laughed, confused at the name he referred to you as.
He looked up at her as he placed her food down, “Lily Flower, in your hair,” He glanced up at you, “It’s cute, by the way.”
You awkwardly nodded, “Thanks…”
He smiled and rubbed his hands together, “Well, I’ll be around. Call me if you guys need anything. I hope you enjoy your food.”
“Will do.” Ningning said, “One thing before you go…” He nodded in acknowledgment, licking his lips. “You single?”
The waiter chuckled, clearly amused by Ningning's boldness. "I am, actually," he replied, his eyes flickering over to you for a moment.
Ningning grinned. "Good to know," she said, winking at him. "We'll keep that in mind."
As he walked away, you couldn't help but feel a little jealous of your friend's flirtatiousness. But deep down, you knew that there was something between you and the waiter, something that went beyond just a passing attraction.
As you ate your meal, you found yourself stealing glances at him, meeting your eyes with his own whenever he walked by, feeling a rush of excitement every time he flashed you a smile. Finally, as the meal came to a close, he brought over the bill and once again flashed you a charming grin. "I hope you enjoyed everything," he said, his eyes sparkling. You couldn't help but smile back, feeling a little shy under his gaze. 
"It was great, thank you," you replied, trying to sound casual, knowing damn well that you were nearly shitting your pants under his intense gaze. 
He nodded, walking away to leave you both to the bill. Ningning shook her head, “If you don’t write your number down on this bill, I’m genuinely never taking you out ever again. This is a threat.”
You couldn't help but laugh at Ningning's threat, feeling a little embarrassed at how obvious your attraction to the waiter had been. But she was right, you knew that you couldn't let this opportunity slip away. As you saw the waiter returning to take the bill, you nervously scribbled down your phone number onto a small napkin, placing it beside the bill. You hoped that he wouldn't notice until you left as you didn’t want to make anything awkward. As he collected the bill, you tried to act casual, but your heart was racing with anticipation. You watched as he glanced down at the paper with your phone number on it, and you couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. Was he interested in you too? Or was this just wishful thinking on your part?
“Thank you ladies, have a nice night.” He said as you both got up. Ningning nudged you to say something but you urged her out of the restaurant, wanting to abort immediately. However, just before you walked out of the door, you looked back at him once more. You saw that he tucked the paper into his pocket without a word, but then he glanced back at you with a small smile, and you felt a surge of hope. Maybe there was something there after all. 
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You two made your way into town with the windows down, allowing the breeze to brush through as you listened to the radio. You pointed out a nearby hotel that looked nice, actually. Pool, multiple floors, adequate priced rooms. It wouldn’t hurt to stay for one night in a nice hotel, afterall, you only live once. 
Ningning found a parking spot and you helped her carry her bag in as she made her way to the front to pay for the room. She made small talk in the elevator but you truthfully found yourself checking your phone to see if he had texted. It was already late, nearing 1 am. Surely the restaurant wasn’t open this late. Maybe he only smiled at you out of courtesy, afterall, Ningning had left a nice tip.
As you entered the hotel room, you couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that you hadn't heard from the waiter. Maybe it was a mistake to put yourself out there like that, to give him your number so readily. Maybe he wasn't interested after all.
Ningning caught the look on your face and immediately knew what was going on. "Hey, don't worry about it," she said, giving you a comforting pat on the back. "Maybe he's just busy or something. You'll hear from him soon enough."
You nodded, trying to shake off your disappointment. "Yeah, you're right," you said, forcing a smile. "Let's just enjoy the night." Ningning nodded in agreement, and the two of you settled in for the night, enjoying the comfortable beds and the peace and quiet of the hotel room. 
But as you lay in bed, your mind kept wandering back to the waiter. Amidst all of the doubt you held within your mind, you couldn't help but wonder what he was doing, where he was, and if he was thinking about you too. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but you couldn't help but feel like there was something there, something that was worth pursuing. 
As you placed your phone down on the nightstand beside you, it vibrated. Your heart dropped, surely…a family member wasn’t texting you at 3 in the morning, right? You took a deep breath, glancing to your side to see Ningning asleep. You reached for your phone, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness as you saw the notification; An unsaved number. Your heart leapt in your chest as you opened the message, feeling a rush of relief and joy when you saw the text.
+1 424-936-2945: “Hey, lol.”
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authors note: i hope you guys liked this first part of my ongoing series. i was kinda writing outta my ass. i got this out sooner than i thought i would so, yeah! anyway, let me know how you guys liked it and feel free to send in any thoughts you have. i hope to write this series in you guyses vision, not my own. reblog, likes, and comments are all appreciated haha. lmk if u wanna be tagged in the next chapter.
@voidbeomgyu 
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itsclydebitches · 11 months
Note
Any tips for new grad students? I'm about to start in the fall and I'm curious how it'll be different/hopefully better than undergrad!
Congratulations, anon!!!
Let's see... some alphabetical tips based on my own experience:
Ask for help. You'll likely have a million questions and, unfortunately, the designated people who can answer them are often crazy busy and may take a while to get back to you, or forget entirely. So don't be afraid to ask for help from whoever might even feasibly know the answer -- including tumblr blogs! You're off to a great start lol
Be on the lookout for advisors early. Whether you're just in need of a singular advisory for a thesis, or if you'll be putting a whole committee together, approach every new instructor with the question, "Would I want them to mentor me through my research?" in the back of your mind. Pay attention to not just their specialties and teaching methods, but who they are as a person. Do you like them? Are you comfortable with them? Do they treat you respectfully? Do they seem to have everything well in hand? I loved my advisor dearly as a person, but he was often waaaaaay behind on his work. Looking back, I would have at least considered choosing someone with better organization/time management skills.
Get good at writing emails. Can you write a succinct, professional sounding email? Great! Get comfortable doing that throughout the whole day. Feeling a little iffy? Practice over the summer. There are a lot of templates online that can help, but you'll want to ensure you're not going into grad school still writing "k thx" from your iPhone at 3:00am. (For the record, your professors may do this, the students should not lol).
Have designated, scheduled downtime. Literally if you don't plan to take a break... you won't be taking a break. Not until your body decides to take one for you, anyway. Friday nights were always my couch potato time. Absolutely no work allowed and no strenuous activity unless it was something I was legitimately excited about (so no getting pressured into outings I didn't actually want to attend). Friday nights were sacred, a time for takeout and only whatever else I felt like doing, usually TV, video games, and vegging out with my cat.
Imposter Syndrome is a BITCH. Luckily, pretty much everyone's got it to a greater or lesser extent, we all just need to acknowledge it more. You know those boards some schools have celebrating places where students have gotten in and other achievements? Yeah, we put one up for failures in our department. Literally a giant, glittery, "CONGRATS YOU DIDN'T GET IT!" board where we hung proposal rejections, grant rejections, school rejections, scholarship rejections, job rejections, and on one memorable occasion a date rejection. I highly recommend it. Nothing lessens the sting quite as much as seeing that you're a part of a sea of similar disappointments and remembering that you're all in the same, often luck-based boat.
Pick a non-academic hobby. Your mental health will thank you, trust me. Like the designated downtime, you need to be doing something that's not reading/writing/researching 24/7. Pick a hobby that in no way relates to academics or your chosen field, preferably something hands-on and creative. Grad school is when I picked up crocheting alongside knitting.
Prepare to hold down two jobs. This really only applies if you're going to be teaching while you get your degree (or if you have an outside job for the paycheck), but I was pretty blindsided by what it took to be a full-time student and a half-time instructor. I don't really have good advice beyond "Figure out your time management skills now" and "Don't pour all your energy into one or the other because the one you've neglected WILL come back to bite you in the ass," but even just being aware of how difficult it is going to be would have staved off the initial shock.
Read strategically. Perhaps this is different for someone not in the Humanities, but you will be reading a LOT in grad school. Like, an absolutely stupid amount. There simply will not be time to cover everything from title to footnotes (I know, it hurts), so get comfortable with reading abstracts, chapter summaries, skimming, and otherwise summarizing lengthy works to figure out what you should prioritize. Unless a whole article is assigned for class, figure out what you need from any given text -- or what you think you may need -- and hone in on that. You can always return to read more if you have the time.
SAVE EVERYTHING. Do not delete emails. Get copies of everything even remotely official. Print everything out. Buy yourself a couple of cheap file boxes, stick them under your bed, and keep it all just in case. What kind of things have I unexpectedly needed to dredge up weeks, months, or even years later? The printed paper with hand-written comments to justify a grade I gave. An ancient email from a committee member proving that they did in fact sign off on a certain chapter choice. A copy of the publication forms I signed for a book collection after those got lost on their end (somehow). Seriously, save everything. You'll never know when you may need proof of some communication you've had.
Take naps. That's it. That's the advice. Someone gives you shit for being "lazy" or tries to make you feel bad for "wasting" a sunny afternoon? Make them step on a Lego and then both of you take your nap outside. Naps are beautiful and sacred and life-saving. Just set a good alarm for whenever your next class/meeting is.
Work at making friends. Unlike high school or even college where you'll be spending the day with a core group of people, in graduate school (unless your school is really small) the students are a lot more spread out and there aren't as many built-in opportunities to socialize. So plan to put in more effort at connecting with others because you will want that camaraderie, both for practical help and your sanity. I didn't realize how much more I needed to do to get to know my peers until I was nearly finished my Master's. Luckily, my PhD threw me into an office with seven other grads, so I didn't have a choice about getting to know them lol
You're responsible for your own learning. You've gotten a taste of this in college, but grad school cranks it up to 11. You're an adult (not an "adult" adult like a college student) and you've committed to putting forth 2-7 additional years towards your education. The expectation is that you want to be here and will showcase the necessary effort without outside influence (unless you require accommodations, of course). Be prepared for your instructors to treat you like a peer, both when it comes to the fun stuff - intense debates about your field! - and the responsibilities they expect you to follow through on. In some ways grad school is nothing like college because you are now focused on one subject, you are working collaboratively with people who were once solely authority figures, and 95% of the work will occur outside the classroom via self-teaching. You're a professional now. Still being mentored, but well on your way to that equal standing. The sooner you realize that you are responsible for your own education and future career -- not your teachers, your parents, your BFF, your roommate, etc. -- the better.
Most importantly:
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theresattrpgforthat · 5 months
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Hey, I've been thinking of maybe getting into TTRPGs, but I don't really have any friends in person that are into that sort of stuff (I do have online friends who are into it, though). Do you have any recommendations for a/some good "solo" ttrpg for beginners.
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THEME: Free Solo Games for First-Timers.
Hello friend! I managed to find a whole cluster of free roleplaying games, so I hope you find something here that tickles your fancy! There’s some story games, some survival games, and some that are in between.
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Lycans & Lawyers, by GorgonHead.
You are one of Capitol's top lawyers. You also turn into a werewolf at night.
Welcome to Moondale, one of Capitol's nicer districts! Your law firm is based here, and most of your clients come from here. It is you job to keep them from getting convicted, even if they are guilty. 
And they are. You must employ your best skills, both as a lawyer and as a lycan, to keep them safe from the Union's law long hands. To manage this, you'll have to do some shady things. But it's all for the good of the client!
This is a simple, one page game with a lot to play with. It has a few paragraphs of lore, a map to help you visualize your neighbourhood, and two moon tracks to follow. You’ll have two different sets of stats depending on whether you are in your werewolf mode or your lawyer mode, as well as a series of roll tables to set the scene. If you like a concrete goal but also some flexibility in the details that you get to contribute to the story, you might like this game.
Strandead, by chuymarin.
Awakening amidst the boundless stretch of the open ocean, the unsettling sensation of isolation grips your soul. What lies ahead in this abyss, lurking within the depths of the ominous waters? The weight of impending threats gnaws at your very core. 
A solo hexcrawl for the survivalist at heart. Travel across an ocean and roll for encounters, fish, and random items as you try to survive for X number of days out on the open seas. With two difficulty modes and an optional QR-linked random generator of rumours, you’ll have an excellent combination of randomness and strategy to keep you invested. Perfect for folks who prefer balancing numbers and don’t want to fill in a narrative from prompts.
Fortress in the Frozen Wastes, by August Wigg.
Set in the post-apocalyptical land of the Frozen Wastes, a young Ranger must journey to an outlaw fortress to rescue their captured mentor and a group of settlers. Customize your Ranger to be proficient in different skills and choose different paths as you attempt to save the prisoners of the Fortress in the Frozen Wastes.
This is a combination of a traditional roleplaying adventure and a choose-your own adventure story. You’ll create a character sheet with stats, character abilities and inventory slots, and success and failure depend on a d10 roll. Your character dies if their endurance ever gets to 0, so you’ll do your best to navigate each new situation you encounter and make choices that keep your ranger alive long enough to fulfill their quest.
5 Min Knight, by enui.
5-Min-Knight is small one-player RPG about being a Knight of the round table. It takes 5 minutes to play.
This is basically a writing challenge, with a number of d6 tables that you’ll use for writing prompts. You are meant to roll and write as much as you can in 5 minutes - when the timer is up, you roll again to see what called you away. This is a great exercise if you’re looking for a way to practise your creativity, or if you don’t have that much time in a day to play.
If you’re more interested in solving mysteries, you can also try 5 Min Maven, by the same creator, inspired by Brindlewood Bay!
Curiosity Killed?, by Zole Tsoi.
Playing as a cat wandering the streets of a futuristic city, you are tasked with helping ghosts of the underworld who have unfinished business.
This is a one page game that uses a d4 for pretty much everything. You’ll want to keep an eye on your three stats, because if they get too high or too low, your cat is forced to end their mission early or gets stuck. Get your Stress down to 1 or your Morality up to 5 to win the game!
Homunculus, by DOMINO CLUB
Alchemy is a dirty, tiring, thankless job. I’ve let this absorb my whole life, and I’ve now gotten to the point where I’m ready to move on.
In this game, you play as an homunculus, newly created by an alchemist to explore the world .
Homunculus is a game that starts you off with quite a bit of guidance, easing you into play by setting you up with prompts connected to cards you draw from the deck. Card suits are connected to four stats in this game, which you will attempt to increase equally in order to gain the best possible ending. This game allows for a few replays if you are interested in getting different endings, but it also relies on interpreting prompts as drawn by the cards. If you like a game where you’re reaching a specific target, you might like Homunculus.
The Dukes Aid, by g0ri.
On the frontiers of space, an interstellar empire exists in a perilous balance. As a close aide of a Duke and his house, your job is to navigate safely through the coming intrigues.
Observe the plans within plans within plans as your House takes over the production of the Empire’s most important resource.….
The Duke's Aide is a solo roleplaying game requiring at least half an hour, a set of roleplaying dice, a deck of cards and something to write with and on. This is a proper journaling game, using a deck of cards to supply prompts, jokers included to help pace the game out for you. You’ll choose a character class, which also determines the dice you roll, which you’ll need every time your character tries something risky. This is a great introduction to a journaling game that still gives you a lot to work with if you don’t feel super comfortable extrapolating from prompts.
Games I've Recommended in the Past
The Wandering Library, by AP.
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tarotwithlove · 1 year
Text
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reminder that this is a general reading and messages found here may not apply to everyone. take what resonates, leave what doesn't, and don't force anything if it does not fit.
BOOK A READING WITH ME · TWITTER · YOUTUBE · TIPS ♡ tips and feedback are highly appreciated
PILE ONE
cards pulled: the magician, the hanged man, eight of wands, the hierophant, ace of pentacles
channelled songs: all i need by xiamara jennings. habibi by tamino. moon by everglow
my dear group one ♡ your fame will be something that you fall into almost accidentally, or coincidentally. some of you may have been trying for some time to get noticed, whether this is online or through auditions and casting calls, without much luck. your videos don’t get much views. you’re never the right fit for a role. your voice doesn’t stand out much. your manuscripts are always returned without much interest. you are looking at your efforts and the time you have spent trying to become famous and/or successful and wondering if it has all been for nothing.
i am reminded of the tyler the creator interview that has been going around lately, where he says that you never know who’s watching. because that is exactly what is happening in your case. you have no idea who has been watching you and keeping an eye on you, just waiting for a project to become available that will perfectly suit you. you have no idea who has shared your account or your audition tapes with someone with a greater platform. you have no idea that tomorrow a celebrity could reshare your art or content and reach out to work with you, putting you on the map and forever changing your life.
a lot of times when people say whatever can happen, will happen, they usually mean it negatively, however, in your case, it is only the absolute positive. you have a skill that will be coveted and that will grant you the fame and success you desire—in due time. do not take rejection as a failure, but rather as a sign to work harder, to persist, and to try again. because the opportunity you need—that foot in the door—is coming towards you. keep moving forward. try again.
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PILE TWO
cards pulled: the emperor, three of cups, the hanged man, ace of pentacles, queen of cups
channelled songs: king by florence + the machine. i belong to you by whitney houston. eli by fireboy dml
my dear group two ♡ your claim to fame is going to be more fame by association, rather than fame of your own; or rather than fame that you have worked for yourself. this person is someone you will meet while out celebrating with friends, and who, despite the busy social atmosphere, you will have an almost instant connection with.
while for some of you, this person will already be famous while you meet each other, for the majority of you this person will become famous or highly acclaimed while you two are in a relationship. i pulled another card for clarification about what this person’s career and own claim to fame will be, and got the sun—so you can say that this person is someone who is incredibly famous and sought after in whatever field. if they are an actor, they are always cast as the lead.
if they are a model, they are constantly on the runway and on magazine covers. if they are a writer, their books fill the shelves of every library and bookstore. this goes the same whether they are a doctor, entrepreneur, professor, spiritual leader, coach, dancer. whatever it is. they are dedicated to being the best, and this is a dedication that has paid off for the best for them for how it has led to them becoming world renowned.
through the fame that your future partner garners, you will be able to make a name for yourself in turn. you may think of fame as some faraway dream. as a what if. but with your partner gaining fame, you will be granted an opportunity to finally have fame of your own, even if on a slightly smaller scale.
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PILE THREE
cards pulled: king of wands, king of cups, the empress, the emperor, the hierophant
channelled songs: m.a.a.d city by kendrick lamar. nobody gets me by sza. cough it out by the front bottoms
my dear group three ♡ your claim to fame comes to you through someone investing in your business or idea. for some of you this is directly after a pitch to an investor or a board of directors (something like dragon’s den or shark tank comes to mind). while for others of you, this “investment” comes in the form of a celebrity giving you access to their fanbase by way of bringing attention to your business on a certain platform—such as by sharing your work as a recommendation, hiring you as a songwriter or producer, as two examples.
either way, it is evident that this fame is not so much fame of your own but more so fame of what you create, can produce, and can sell.
i keep finding other points of comparison to put things into perspective for you, and right now i am thinking of vladimir nabokov saying that *he* was not famous, *lolita* was. this is what fame will be like for you. your creation will outshine you. and will, in many ways, outlive you.
but that is nothing to despair, because you will have the wealth, success and acknowledgement that fame allows without much of the invasions of privacy. the wealth to support not only yourself, but your family (especially for those of you who will gain this fame and success with a family business)—without the worry that every move you make will be scrutinized and criticized by the general public. the wealth to pull you completely out of the life you have become accustomed to—and may start to fear that you will always live as it becomes easier to give up on your dreams.
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PILE FOUR
cards pulled: seven of swords, two of pentacles, six of cups, seven of pentacles, ten of swords
channelled songs: bint elkhandaq by mashrou’ leila. cherry bomb by nct 127. far by sza
my dear group four ♡ your claim to flame comes to you through social media, with you gaining fame as an influencer after a significant body transformation. for some of you, your social media presence may have been small but close-knit, with you building a reliable community around yourself for something completely unrelated to what you gain your fame for.
but after this transformation—be it changing how you dress (especially with regard to becoming a plus sized or disabled fashion influencer), transitioning, losing or gaining weight, building muscle, etcetera—your account will take off. people will see you as inspiration and as motivation to either go after their own goals or to live authentically and comfortably in their own skin without fear of social perception.
people with your body type and/or disabilities and/or fashion sense will see themselves in you and thank you for giving them the courage to live a certain way, or for giving them the motivation to reach whatever goals for their body and image that they may have.
however, social media fame is just your first step forward, and you will use the social media clout and fame you have garnered to propel you forward in your chosen field. first to get brand deals, then to get modelling deals, or to otherwise solidify your place in the actual celeb world. your personality and personal experiences will be your main selling point, with your fans and supporters seeing you as someone who they want to see keep winning because of how much you have motivated and comforted them in their daily lives.
because of the way you enter the world of fame, your fame may be fleeting and fickle, so make sure you capitalise on it as much as possible! diversify the projects you participate him and do more to establish yourself as a celebrity of renown (emma chamberlain) instead of an influencer who coincidentally got famous (james charles).
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just-another-josh · 6 months
Text
Kara
Today is a good day.
No, today is a great day.
Lena continued to remind herself of that over the course of the last two hours.
It was an incredibly important day for her and her wife. Not just that, it was an important day for their family’s legacy. Today was one of those milestone days, the type that signified potential fully realized, the recognition of years of hard work and achievement. A cause for celebration with champagne, victory speeches, and overindulgent parties.
Lena knew this, she believed this.
And yet, all she wanted to do right now was punch Cat Grant in her stupid, Botoxed face.
Four months ago, Cat pulled Kara aside after a CatCo staff meeting and informed her EIC that she intended to run for president in the next election. “If a Cheeto-skinned, glorified game show host can become President of the United States, I should be a shoo-in,” she had reasoned with her. In order to avoid any blind trust complications and because presidential campaigns are very expensive, Cat decided to put CatCo Worldwide Media up for sale.
Lena was greeted by an ugly-crying Kryptonian when she arrived home that night. Cat’s departure was a double blow to her wife: Not only was Kara losing her mentor, but now she had to contend with a new owner who may or may not share the same journalistic integrity as Cat. Nightmares of another Andrea Rojas or Morgan Edge-like monster lording over the bullpen kept the hero up into the early morning hours after Cat dropped her bombshell.
Lena made a solid effort to reassure her wife that everything would work out for the best but when the company was put on the market the next Monday morning, the announcement quickly led to Lena’s assurances becoming hollow promises.
By the end of the week, the bidding war for the media giant had been whittled down to three frontrunners:
Roland Daggett: owner of Daggett Industries with reported ties to organized crime in Gotham.
Simon Stagg: owner of Stagg Enterprises who was currently involved in no-less than a dozen federal investigations for improper disposal of waste generated from his chemical plants.
The final bidder was no stranger to National City or the Superfriends; Maxwell Lord: owner of Lord Technologies and an all-around asshole, who appeared to have crawled out from whatever rock he’d been hiding under.
Lena knew that none of these parasites gave a damn about the fourth estate, nor would they want Supergirl watching over their shoulders while they engaged in whatever reprehensible activities men of their caliber got up to. Lena had no doubt that they’d use CatCo to steer whatever narratives that would profit them the most; much like Morgan Edge intended to do six years prior.
Bottomline, Kara was going to be out of a job if any of those criminals got their hands on CatCo.
Kara did everything she could to talk Cat out of selling to any of them, but Cat had no other viable candidates to sell to. Kara spent the better part of ten days straight trying to get Cat to see reason but was met with failure at every turn. Lena watched Kara sink further into depression as the days passed and it broke her heart.
On day eleven, Lena had had enough of watching her wife suffer. She had Jess arrange an emergency meeting with her finance and mergers/acquisitions department heads. There was only one item of business on the agenda, did L-Corp have enough in its coffers to purchase CatCo. She knew acquiring the media giant was going to cost a lot more than it did when she stole it out from under Morgan Edge. Luckily, the answer was a resounding yes. Since regaining her position as CEO of L-Corp, Lena had led the company to an unprecedented level of profitability. A proposal was quickly drafted. The minutia of the proposal was almost identical to the last time L-Corp purchased the conglomerate, save for one big difference: Kara, not Lena, would be named CEO of CatCo Worldwide Media; not just the print media, but TV, streaming, and online content.
Proposal in hand, it took Lena the better part of the evening (and early morning) to convince her wife that she was fully capable of doing the job. Hell, she’d been doing it for the last eighteen months as Cat became less involved in the day-to-day operations. Kara’s objections to Lena spending Lena’s money to save Kara’s job were quickly shot down, “You forget darling, it’s not my money, it’s our money. We’re married, what’s mine is yours and what’s yours is mine, you dork.” Finally seeing the light, Lena sent her wife to deliver the proposal directly to Cat; it took her less than twelve hours to accept their offer and approve moving forward with the sale. To say that she was relieved that L-Corp, and by extension Lena and Kara, would be running the company that she built with her own blood, sweat, and tears would be an understatement.
Now, Lena sat in CatCo’s executive conference room. Kara seated to her right, Jess to her left, and half of L-Corp’s legal department bracketing them. On the other side of the table, Cat, and her legal team. Lena had been fortunate enough to avoid attending the negotiation meetings in person; instead choosing to have her attorneys there as her proxies. Occasionally, she’d join the proceedings remotely whenever her two cents was needed. Today, however, was the big day. All the principles needed to be on-hand to sign the final contracts. Lena was initially excited to finalize the deal; if for no other reason than to see the beaming smile her wife had been sporting all day turn brighter than the sun.
Her excitement was quickly tempered when they stepped into Kara’s office and were greeted by Cat with a “Good morning, Mrs. Luthor. Good morning, Kiera.” Lena would have done a spit-take had she been drinking anything at the time. For a moment, she tried to convince herself that she had misheard her. That theory was quickly thrown out the window when Cat called Kara “Kiera” three more times before they reached the conference room. By the time they sat at the conference table to go over the final details before signing, Lena was seething.
After taking several deep breaths and getting her blood pressure under control, Lena tried to mentally talk herself down from doing or saying anything rash. It wasn’t the first time she’d heard Cat address Kara by that name, but it was the first time that it got under her skin. Why? Hormones. She was five months pregnant with twin Kryptonian girls.
For the most part, the pregnancy had been uneventful; after the hell that was first trimester, of course. She’d adjusted to the rollercoaster of emotions, eating 15,000 calories a day to keep her and her baby girls nourished, and the near constant fatigue. Most days, she basked in the experience of being an expectant mother; the flutter of kicks throughout the day, impeccable hair and skin, an insatiable libido, and a doting wife that would fly anywhere in the world to satisfy her food cravings. Yep, without a doubt, the second trimester had been treating Lena well.
Except for today.
Today, her lower back was killing her.
Today, her ankles were obscenely swollen.
Today, the twins were using her bladder as a trampoline.
Today, she felt like a swollen, bloated, beached whale.
Today, Lena had a short fuse, and Cat had no idea how close she was coming to lighting it.
As was standard practice for Lena with all business-related deals, she insisted on reading the final contract cover-to-cover before signing. Although she trusted her legal team, she refused to agree to any contracts that she herself hadn’t personally vetted. Her lawyers had been with her long enough to take their boss’ anal retentiveness in stride, fully understanding that it did not reflect on the quality of their work. While Cat herself remained non-plussed by the delay, her attorneys did a poor job of hiding their impatience. Picking up on the tension in the room, Lena’s senior attorney suggested that both legal teams take an early lunch and after receiving nods of approval from both Lena and Cat, the two teams exited the conference room.
Shortly thereafter, Jess received a text that appeared to be of an urgent nature. After receiving an ‘OK’ from Kara to use the Kryptonian’s office, she swiftly exited.
Kara and Cat continued to make small talk while Lena scoured the sales agreement line-by-line; occasionally securing her black, thick-rimmed glasses when they inched down her nose. Reading the contract had managed to curb her murderous thoughts; allowing her to convince herself that she was overreacting to Cat’s flippant disrespect towards Kara. She reminded herself that this was something Kara found perfectly acceptable, and if the time came when her wife did have a problem, she was more than capable of speaking up for herself. Lena took a deep breath and consigned herself to let bygones be bygones and drop the matter altogether.
Until…
“So, Miss Grant, I assume that once you’re elected, you’ll be giving us an exclusive post-election interview?” Kara playfully asked.
“Now, now, Kiera. As the president-elect I am obligated to give equal time to all media outlets. I mustn’t show any favoritism,” Cat said in a patronizing tone as she waved her finger at Kara as if she were chastising a small child.
Fuse officially lit.
“Darling, I am simple starving. I could really go for a Philly cheesesteak sandwich from that place we found in mid-town,” Lena said through a strained smile; trying her best to hide the anger coursing through her veins.
“D’Elia’s?” As Lena had predicted, Kara was predictably excited by the suggestion.
Lena nodded. “Yes, that’s the one.” She locked yes with her wife for the briefest of moments before averting her gaze back to the contract in front of her.
Kara’s face shifted from excitement to suspicion quickly, now focusing intently on her wife. Lena knew the Kryptonian was probably using her enhanced senses to see or if something was up. Lena cursed herself for thinking she was going to be able to hide her agitation, knowing full well that her wife would hear her increased heart rate and her uneven breathing. Lena blushed under Kara’s scrutiny and offered up her best smile.
Kara clearly wasn’t buying it. “Nahn rraop voi?” she asked with concern in her voice.
“Ju nim voi,” Lena reassured her. She leveled Kara with a look that told her to drop it.
Appearing to take the hint, Kara subtly nodded. “Funyuns too?”
Lena stared at her wife incredulously with a raised eyebrow. “Is that a legitimate question?”
Kara held up her hands in mock surrender. “A thousand pardons.” She turned to Cat. “Can I get you anything, Miss Grant?”
Cat rolled her eyes and scoffed, “Please, Kiera. In all the years you were my assistant, did I ever order anything as vile as a cheesesteak sandwich?”
Lena had to suppress the growl bubbling in her throat. She removed her glasses and massaged her temples in the vain hope that she could stave off the headache that could feel coming.
“A salad with a cheeseburger on top of it is somehow different?” Kara leveled Cat with a snarky smile. A deadpan look settled on Cat’s face. Kara shook her head. “They have salads…yogurt dressing and all.”
Cat seemed to perk up at this news. “Well, in that case, I’d love a salad.”
Kara nodded and turned her attention to Lena. She bent down and placed a chaste kiss on her wife’s forehead before super-speeding out of the room; Lena anchoring the papers in front of her to keep them from scattering.
As the breeze from Kara’s speedy departure subsided, Lena let out a long breath. After quickly organizing her thoughts, she straightened her posture and locked eyes on the woman across the table, sizing her up like a lion would a gazelle. Cat shifted uncomfortably in her chair, clearly unnerved by the intense look in Lena’s eyes, yet defiantly maintaining eye contact.
“Penny for your thoughts, Mrs. Luthor?” Cat said pointedly.
Lena folded her hands on the table, leaned forward, and using her well-honed CEO voice said, “I was just thinking about the remarkable difference in CatCo’s current market value compared to what I paid for it in 2017. Remarkable considering you purchased it from Andrea no less than three years ago for $250 million less than I paid for it.”
“The last three years have been very successful,” Cat said, clearly gloating. “And in all honesty, CatCo’s dismal market value three years ago was a direct result of Miss Rojas’ incompetence. The woman had no business being a journalist, she’s better suited to run some kind of multi-level marketing scam.” Cat scrunched up her nose like she’d smelled something foul.
Lena couldn’t argue, she wholeheartedly agreed with Cat’s assessment of Andrea. The woman had no concept of ethical business practices, let alone journalistic integrity. Lena was well aware that Andrea would run CatCo into the ground when she offered to sell it to her. Lena was more concerned with pissing Kara off at the time. A brief surge of guilt overcame her for the briefest of moments. Although she and Kara had long ago forgiven each other for their respective transgressions during their year-long schism, Lena still promised herself she would do something nice for the hero when they got home this evening as an unspoken “I’m sorry”; most likely something that would make her wife’s toes curl.
 “Still, it’s amazing what you’ve been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time.” Lena praised.
“Thank you.” Cat seemed pleased with the compliment…and herself.
Lena leaned in closer to Cat. “So, tell me, owner to owner, what’s the secret? How in the hell did you turn a sinking ship worth $500 million into what Kara and I are shelling out $1.4 billion for?”
The question clearly threw Cat for a loop, her eyes flitted around the room as she considered her response. “Well, you can’t be afraid to ruffle a few feathers. People don’t like the truth sometimes, but that’s the responsibility of a free press, exposing people to the ugly truths that surround them.” Cat’s smile regained its cockiness. “Accuracy is more important than expediency; being right is always better than being first.”
“I have firsthand experience in that regard,” Lena sighed bitterly.
A look of recognition passed over Cat and she nodded benevolently. “That’s right. Your mother’s escape.” Cat shook her head and snorted in disgust. “I should have fired both Snapper and Jimmy for their incompetence.” Cat quirked her head questioningly. “I must say I was quite shocked when I heard you and Jimmy were an item at one point given his…negative opinion of you in those early days.”
“I still am shocked at my utter stupidity.” Lena grimaced. “Luckily it wasn’t a permanent affliction.”
Cat said nothing in response to Lena’s lamentation and the two sat in comfortable silence. Cat’s features softened and her lips slid into a warm smile. “That whole mess perfectly illustrates why competent leadership is so important. A good EIC would have put a stop to their recklessness.”  
Thankful for the opportunity to shift the focus away from her relationship with James, Lena quickly replied, “I heard Kara tried to stop them.”
Cat’s smile took on a thoughtful appearance, a glimmer of fondness shown in her eyes. “That’s what makes her so remarkable. Even then, with only a few months’ experience under her belt, she still stood up to those jackasses. Her internal compass told her that something wasn’t right, and she refused to let her inexperience stop her from speaking up.” Cat’s look of pride was matched by Lena’s. “That’s what a competent leader does, sticks to their guns even when those in power tell them they’re wrong.”
“So, you think Kara a logical pick for CEO?”
“Absolutely,” Cat responded passionately. “Credit where credit is due, she’s been singlehandedly running the company for over a year now. She’s been performing tasks well beyond her job title and doing a damn fine job in the process.”
“So, would you say Kara has earned your trust and respect?” Lena set her trap.
“Unequivocally,” Cat said with no small amount of adoration, but her features quickly took on an aura of incredulity. “If I didn’t know any better Mrs. Luthor, I’d say you’re having doubts about putting your wife in charge.”
A feeling of pure satisfaction and anticipation surged through Lena as she now had Cat cornered, though she showed no signs of it, her poker face was impenetrable. (There’s a reason poker had been banned from Game Night, Lena could out-bluff everyone)
She almost felt sorry for the older woman.
Almost.
“No, Miss Grant, I have no doubts regarding Kara’s ability to run CatCo. I’m just confused.”
“About what?” Cat asked with an annoyed tone.
“I’m glad you asked.” The smile that spread across Lena’s face could only be described as sinister. “You compliment Kara’s leadership skills. You say that she is the best choice to run CatCo. You say that you trust her. You even go so far as to say you respect her.” Cat nodded, a look of absolute confusion on her face. “And yet, you continue to disrespect her on a daily basis, both privately and publicly.”
Cat sat silently, eyes the size of saucers and her mouth agape.
“What’s my wife’s name, Miss Grant?” Lena asked in an even tone.
Cat stared at Lena as if she was speaking a foreign language. Lena continued. “’Kara’. Say it with me, ‘Kara’.” Lena enunciated phonetically, making no attempt to hide the disdain in her voice. “K-A-R-A. If you’d like, I’d be happy to write it down in crayon for you.”
Cat was clearly flabbergasted, evidenced by her complete lack of response.
Lena took a deep, centering breath; her anger ebbing away ever so slightly. “Miss Grant, I don’t know you that well. When I met Kara, she spoke almost to the point of reverence about you. It became very clear early in our friendship that you were very important to her, so when you came back into her life, I viewed it positively.” Cat seemed to relax at the shift in Lena’s mood, her features loosened as she followed Lena with rapt attention.
Lena continued, her voice tinged with melancholy, “My opinion soured the first time I met you.” Cat looked at her questioningly, Lena rolled her eyes in response. “Our bridal shower,” Lena deadpanned. Cat gave a slight nod. Lena shook her head and continued, “As I was saying, our bridal shower was the first time I heard you call Kara ‘Kiera’. I just assumed I’d misheard you and let it go. When you called her ‘Kiera’ at our bachelorette party, I figured you’d had too much to drink. When you called her ‘Kiera” at our wedding, the only reason I didn’t cast a spell that would make all your hair fall out is because…well…it was our wedding, and I wasn’t going to ruin the day.”
Cat seemed to sink a little further into her seat as Lena listed off each slight, her face stoic.
“My favorite was the night Kara was awarded her second Pulitzer. You did such a beautiful job during her award presentation. Hell, you even introduced her using her proper name,” Lena paused, a look of mock astonishment on her face. “But no more than two seconds after she stepped off the stage, you called her by that goddamn name again!” Lena, face dusted pink, slammed her fist on the conference table, startling Cat.
Her anger rising, Lena gave Cat no time to recover as she leveled her index finger at the clearly unsettled blonde. “Kara is an extraordinary woman. She has saved this planet both as a writer and Supergirl. For fuck’s sake, she saved the universe from being wiped out of existence! Do you have any idea the enormity of something like that? I assure you, you do not.” Lena slowly rose from her seat and leaned over the table, hovering over a floored Cat. “She is a daughter, a sister, an aunt, my wife, the mother of my unborn children, and goddamn superhero for Christ’s sake! You will show her the respect, grace, and compassion that she is owed. You will commit to me right here and now that you will never, EVER, call her ‘Kiera’ again.” Lena picked up the contract and shook it in Cat’s face. “And if you fail to agree to that, I will burn this and piss on the ashes!” Lena mic-dropped the stapled papers.
Cat, wide-eyed and mouth agape once more, stared blankly at the discarded contract. Lena, satisfied with her tirade (for now), gently lowered herself into her seat. She retrieved her glasses and put them on. After grabbing the contract from its resting place on the conference table, she thumbed through the pages until she found where she left off and resumed her reading.
Lena was content to sit in silence while Cat continued to process what had transpired. She felt a great deal of satisfaction being able to defend her wife, even if it meant the deal might fall through. Lena knew that Kara would be devastated if she had to leave CatCo, and as much as Lena wanted to spare her wife from a broken heart, there was no way in hell she was going to let anyone disrespect her. If worse came to worst, they could buy a smaller publication and build from there; Lena feeling confident that any media organization run by Supergirl would garner a sizeable following, not to mention Kara’s skills as a publisher.
“Have you ever met Perry White?” Cat’s passive voice broke through the silence.
Lena set the contract back on the table, removed her glasses, and studied Cat for a moment. As far as Lena could tell, there was no trace of hostility or arrogance in Cat’s appearance. Lena had no idea why Cat was bringing up the former Daily Planet editor. Her curiosity peaked, she decided to follow Cat down whatever rabbit hole she was leading her. “No, I can’t say I’ve had the pleasure. Though I’m not too broken up about it seeing as how he was more than happy to label me as the anti-Christ after Lex was sent to prison.”
“The man was a pig,” Cat said, a slight tremble in her lips. “When I first started at the Planet as his assistant, he insisted on calling me ‘Caity’.” Cat paused, apparently waiting for some type of response from Lena; a raised eyebrow was all she received. “This went on for weeks. ‘Caity! Coffee, black! Caity, where’re my cigars? ‘Caity, get off your ass and get me some lunch!’. Until one day, I psyched myself up enough to correct him. He told me that he knew what my name was, but he didn’t care. From that point on, he started calling me ‘Caity-Cat’.”
“Did you report him to HR?” The look on Lena’s face was ice-cold, but the hint of warmth in her voice belied a touch of sympathy.
Cat scoffed, “God no. Filing a complaint against the EIC for one of, if not the largest newspaper in the United States would have been career suicide.” Lena could only shake her head in disgust, Cat nervously fiddled with her fingers and huffed, “It was a barbaric time. The entire industry was run by a bunch of testosterone-laden animals.” Cat chuckled quietly. “It’s unfortunate Perry retired before the Me Too movement, I would have loved to have watched him get skinned alive.”
Lena couldn’t help the snort that escaped her. Cat grinned brightly at her reaction. Lena quickly regained her composure and dramatically cleared her throat. “So how did you deal with it?”
 “I used it,” Cat said confidently. “Every time I heard the name ‘Caity-Cat’, I used it as motivation to push for a better career. I made a vow that I would make such a name for myself that that son of a bitch would have no choice but to show me the respect I deserved.” Lena could see a flash of steely determination in Cat’s eyes. “Come hell or high water, I would prove that I was worthy of his notice.” Cat swallowed thickly, her eyes becoming glassy.
Lena picked up on the bitterness in Cat’s voice. She could see how much the memories of her time under Perry White pained her. She couldn’t help the swell of sympathy generated by Cat’s remembrances. Whether she liked it or not, Lena felt a kindred spirit in Cat. Both had navigated a world heavily dominated by misogynistic, deplorable men who did everything in their power to ensure their failure. She understood Cat’s motivation to prove that she belonged in that world, no matter its futility.
“Did you ever accomplish your goal?” Lena asked, already knowing the answer.
 “In a way.” Cat thinned her lips, a far off look on her face. “A year after I got CatCo off the ground, I ran into Perry at some awards dinner. By happenstance, serendipity, or whatever the hell you want to call it, we went to get a drink at the bar at the same time. I said hello, and he grunted out ‘Catherine’.” Lena shrugged her shoulders and shook her head, unsurprised by the man’s apparent apathy. Cat grinned playfully, clearly feeling like she swallowed the canary. “But by then it didn’t matter. I’d grown far beyond needing his respect or approval. By that time, I had already accomplished more than that sack of shit ever could. I didn’t want, didn’t need a damn thing from him.”
Lena let Cat relieve her triumphant moment, happy in the knowledge that Cat was able to realize her self-worth without needing validation from anyone else.
“So, is that why you scall my wife ‘Kiera’? In some misguided attempt to motivate her?” Lena’s gaze bore into Cat with an intensity greater than Kara’s heat vision. “Because from where I’m sitting, it seems history repeating itself.”
Cat blanched at Lena’s assertion; a barely perceptible shiver ran the length of her spine. Cat let out a long breath before meeting Lena’s probing stare before answering wistfully. “When she started as my assistant, maybe…but I think it got to the point where I wasn’t even aware I was doing it.” Cat looked away from Lena, clearly angry with herself. She fell back into her chair with an unceremonious thud, her shoulders sagging defeatedly. “But it really doesn’t matter, still makes me a hypocrite.”
Lena answered Cat’s unasked question with a raise of her eyebrow and a slight tilt of her head.
Cat folding her hands on the conference table and leaned closer to Lena. “Please understand, I am so proud of Kara. She has exceeded every expectation I could possibly have of her. She has grown into a remarkable woman; and it has nothing to do with the cape and tights. She engenders trust and respect to a level I have never seen before. I’m used to my staff going above and beyond because they’re scared of me, but her, they do it because they adore her.” Cat’s eyes were glassy with unshed tears.
Lena’s features softened at Cat’s admission, a warm sense of satisfaction blooming in her chest. She started feeling the slight sting of welling tears in her eyes after hearing such kind words about her wife. Stupid pregnancy hormones.
There might be hope for Cat yet. At the very least, she’d avoid tasting Lena’s fist.
“Have you considered telling her that?” Lena pointedly asked.
Cat grinned sadly through trembling lips. “I feel like that ship’s sailed,” Cat said with a shaky voice. “How…when…I mean…I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”
Lena didn’t even try to hide her enjoyment watching Cat ramble. “One, it’s never too late, two, use your words, and three, there’s no time like the present.” Lena motioned towards the closed door leading to the bullpen. Cat looked at the door confused. “Kara, I know you’re listening. You can come in now,” Lena said quietly.
Before Cat could react, the door opened and a sheepish looking Kara entered the conference room, two flimsy cardboard boxes filled with wrapped sandwiches and bags cradled in her arms. She set the boxes down and turned to face her wife. “I wasn’t listening.” Lena leveled Kara with an arched eyebrow in response, Kara quickly folded under her wife’s stare. “Well, I didn’t listen to everything.”
“Do tell, zrhemin.” Lena suppressed a grin.
Kara made to adjust glasses that weren’t there, quickly shifting to scratch her cheek.  “Fine. I’ve been listening since ‘piss on the ashes’”. But in my defense, I could hear your heartrate was elevated and I got worried.”
Satisfied, Lena shrugged. The color had seemed to drain from Cat’s face after Kara’s confession, her eyebrows hitting her hairline. An awkward silence followed. Cat and Lena appeared to be in a stare down while Kara tried to avoid looking either one in the eye. Lena emerged as the victor of the silent battle; Cat turned to face Kara.  Kier…Kara, I owe you an apology…”
“Miss Grant, you don’t have to apologize,” Kara cut her off with a wave of her hand.
“No, Kara, I do.” Cat took a focusing breath and swallowed thickly. “Your wife is right; I haven’t always been very nice to you. I’ve been disrespectful, callous, and sometimes, downright abusive; none of which you’ve deserved.” Kara was beaming as Cat spoke, now the third person in the room being brought to tears. “Sufficed to say, I will work harder to…be more positive with my feedback…and, at the very least, call you by your given name.”
Cat hesitantly approached Kara and after an awkward amount of positioning, embraced her in a tight hug. The floodgates opened and all three women had tears streaking their faces: Cat and Kara for obvious reasons, and Lena…well…goddamn hormones!
Kara and Cat pulled back from their embrace and messily wiped away their tears, a few sniffles coming from both women. “Thank you, Miss Grant. I accept your apology,” Kara said, a slight tremble in her voice.
Cat smiled at her warmly. “Kara, I think at this point you can call me Cat.”
Kara gasped in shock before devolving into clapping and squealing excitedly. “Ok…Cat,” she said with an overdramatic swagger.
Cat and Lena exchanged an eyeroll but didn’t comment on the Kryptonian being a spastic dork.
Cat leveled Kara with her best boss-stare, quickly pulling the hero out of her giddiness. “That is until I win the election. Then you’ll have to address me as Madame President.”
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daturakillz · 1 year
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What do you need to hear right now? Pick an image!
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No. 1.
Cards: RIDER WAITE TAROT:
King of pentacles, the magician, 2 of pentacles.
MAGICK OF YOU ORACLE:
26: protection: set personal boundaries. 27: resilience: burn away the past.
WOODLAND WARDENS:
The chipmunk and Laurel: success. The hound and pear: loyalty.
You have or will be stepping into a time of strength, success, and stability. You may have faced some recent struggles surrounding fluctuations regarding finances, stability, home life, work and or status. This could've been due to an unhealthy or less than favorable work / group situation, causing you to set boundaries and walk away.
You have (or will have) the tools available for you to embark on a new venture in business or career! If you're a practitioner of the arcane arts, I suggest using what you have on hand to do some sort of protection and prosperity spell or ritual! And if you are into astrology, and have your birth chart, look at your money houses and see if there's any particular transits going on for you at this time.
You're headed towards more committed and loyal bonds, finding people you can rely on and who can rely on you. Though the past may have been rocky, you're more than capable of producing a glorious harvest! And a harvest that you can share with those you love ♡
🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯
No. 2.
RIDER WAITE TAROT
Justice. 9 of swords. Knight of wands.
WOODLAND WARDENS
The ladybug and sweet pea happiness. The bobcat and blackthorn patience.
MAGICK OF YOU ORACLE
4: doable: the key is within your grasp. 16: merak: embrace oneness with the universe.
I heard "it's time to reflect." For you guys who picked number 2. I see that you've faced some major difficulties recently (or even over the past few years.) Through these harsh and trying times, you've likely developed some anxiety which in turn has lead to some sleepless or restless nights. And for that, I personally would like to say that I'm truly sorry to hear this. However! Despite what you may feel right now this period will come to an end. And I know, you're frustrated and impatient. But there are just somethings in this life we cannot rush, no matter how much we try to speed run to the finish line...sometimes we aren't meant to get there when we feel we should.
You maybe younger, and you're comparing yourself to others online or in your community that have reached seemingly impossible achievements. Maybe you're older, and you are upset at the life you've lead up until this point. No matter the age, you may feel you're slower than your peers, or lazy, or simply not good enough. But the human experience isn't about followers, ridiculous amounts of money and a picture perfect image. Being a late bloomer or simply not getting the current social trend, doesn't mean you're destined for failure or that something is wrong with you. The world we're living in is complex, distorted, and layered in so much that it can easily overwhelm us.
You deserve to discover your passions again, to reach for the light again, to walk with life without pressure again. Take some time to reflect, to recover, and don't push yourself to be something you are not. Sometimes, you just need to slow down and reevaluate what you want, what you're feeling, or what you simply need.
Happiness will find you again, it may not be today, it may not be this month. But slowly, as you recover and regain your strength you will find that the key is within your grasp. And when you find it, I want you to GRAB IT! Take what is yours because you have earned it my friend. Embrace the darkness, let it carry you to the light.
Justice will be served.
🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯
No. 3.
RIDER WAITE TAROT
3 of cups. King of Swords. Wheel of fortune.
MAGICK OF YOU ORACLE
12: hex: be still and allow the enemy to reveal themselves. 10: firgun: become a loving mirror.
WOODLAND WARDENS.
The weasel and pine: introspection. The turtle and coriander: satisfaction. The coyote and datura: deceit.
You may have had an altercation between enemies or discovered someone in your circle isn't as loyal and true as they've claimed. You may have had your suspicions about someone around you who isn't faithful or honest and the truth about them will be revealed. You're being advised not to act or react and instead allow them to trip themselves up on their own words / actions.
Regardless if you're currently going through this, or this entire ordeal has already happened and is a thing of the past or will be a thing in the near future, the most important thing for you to do now is be there for yourself. A period of introspection is necessary for you to process this action/betrayal or falling out.
Now, on the other side of the coin, and for a few of you. Whether you want to face it or not. It may have been you who lied to and betrayed someone you loved. You may of, at least at the time. Felt justified in your actions. Maybe you believed you were in the right, or you had all the answers. Maybe your view of them was distorted and murky, or you fell for lies and deceit from another about them. No matter the case, whether you did this on purpose or on accident, it's been eating at you subconsciously. You need to find the strength to face yourself and say "I fucked up." It ain't easy, believe me I know from personal experience. But you can't just pretend it didn't happen. We as people are going to hurt those around us with or without realizing it, none of us are innocent and none of us are perfect. You gotta look at yourself and still love who you are and accept that we all make mistakes. If you're truly sorry, and you now understand that your actions weren't just or simply were shitty, then apologize if you can. And if you can't, then as the God of War kratos said himself: don't be sorry, be better.
Allow the one you hurt to find peace, and allow yourself to find peace.
And as for those of you who were hurt, you will recover from this. This was fated to happen not because the universe is cruel or something big like that, but because that is simply how people are. The truth comes out eventually whether we'd like it to or not in most cases.
For both parties here, when all is set and done, you will find satisfaction and move on.
🕯🌹🕯🌹🕯🌹🕯
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n3xii · 7 months
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there is nothing esoteric about wealth
There is something profoundly cruel about telling people that the reason they're poor is because of their mindset- that the reason they can't afford basic needs like food, health insurance, transportation, mental health care, education, and etc is because they didnt think good enough.
not only because it's condescending, but because its nothing we haven't heard before: we have all heard that the reason poor people are poor is because it's a emanation of a personal failure. they didnt work hard enough, they didn't invest in the right stock, they didnt hold themselves accountable enough for their own spending habits. or better yet, the reason they are poor is because they lacked the intelligence, cleverness, and thirst for financial freedom that the wealthy has.
its always been especially menacing when they attach spiritual morality or exaltation- the reason you're poor is because you're faith is lacking, or you karmically earned your fate as a result of a past life, you didnt trust god enough.
whats new is that this this idea of poverty being a personal failure is being repackaged through the terminology of manifestation- you are poor because you manifested it. your mindset allows the reality of poverty to exist.
Yesterday I watched a video about how to obtain financial freedom at a young age. The woman in the video was herself, young, wealthy and free. she believes she achieved this freedom through and work and manifestation. (and totally not related at all, the video was sponsored by a very reliable and safe app that claims if you keep it running in the background for 24 hours a day you might make 30 dollars a month. that's totally not the impetus to making the video at all. )
her advice was the mundane, typical ''start an online business, do drop shipping, invest in real estate, become a landlord, stop saving money and invest it instead.'' but she centered the video around something interesting- she said: ''stop persisting in the poor girl mindset''- the reason we are poor is because we aren't affirming the right things, we're poor because we portion our paychecks each month to save money on the side, we're poor because lack the lucky girl mindset and therefore we have made ourselves unlucky.
how barbaric.
she then spoke a good lot of time discussing how doing our own work is a waste of time and money- instead, we could be paying employees to do the work for us while we sit back and relax as the passive income flows to our bank accounts. what she said was actually the lowkey version of ''your labor alone is not enough to produce sustainable income; you have to exploit the labor of a large group of people in order to achieve your desirable paycheck.''
The mass produced content of ''how to achieve financial freedom at so and so age'' is massively based on the metaphysical idea that you manifest your own reality, so- if you are poor then its because you believe you are. whats distinctly manipulative about this is that it shifts the blame from the systematic, hierarchal reason behind your poverty onto yourself. you are to blame- not the series of calculated, money-hungry decisions made by those who actually have power over you to keep themselves rich and to keep you poor. you are poor because your thoughts affirm you are, not because the people at the top have the ability to hoard their wealth and spend it stupid ventures that ultimately refund their own bank accounts. certainly not because capitalism is doing exactly what it was designed to do in the first place. no, thats not the convenient answer, thats not the repackged, pretty ''you have the power to change your reality in a broken system'' answer people want to hear. the truth is, the system isnt broken, its doing exatly what it was designed to do. you do have the power to change your reality, its just not the way they're willing to admit.
you want to be rich? you want to be in the top? thats determined by one factor and one factor alone: your willingness to exploit and fuck over large amounts of people.
thats it, thats all. there is no intellectual or metaphysical secert, there is nothing esoteric about wealth. the only quality the people have at the top that you do not possess is their ability to smile as they kill.
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