pepperf

[pepperf]

Do you know anything about Nottingham? I was told once that it was made up for Robin Hood, which I was confused about, since I live there, but was that person actually telling the truth?

I was gonna make up a joke about it being originally called Snottingham and looked up its history and what the fuck, history. It was originally called Snottingham, named for a man called Snot.

Not even making this one up.

#jesus I had no idea #need to raise this with the guy at work who's from Nottingham #queue will be dead by nightfall

[pepperf]

some of you may have seen a notice today from a tumblr-popular youtube show, saying they're putting all their content behind a subscriber paywall. This post isn't about them per say, only bouncing off what that has brought up into the following:

When is a digital subscription something i'm willing to pay for? Rubric edition

Disclaimer - my first news job was in the early aughts at a digital stock news company, so I've been keeping an eye on this subject for over 25 years.

So you want to access an entertainment or news service that has content behind a subscriber paywall. What steps should you go through, to figure out if it's something that you should pay for?

This post will go off the caveat that artists/authors/reporters (I'm not calling them content creators, that term is garbage) should be properly compensated for the works they produce, and the current business model in our late-stage capitalist society means we all have to deal with the worst possible way of engaging with art - the subscription-model paywall. It's a terrible garbage system but there we are.

Step Zero: Do you care enough about the content to consider paying for it?

It might not be important enough to you to want to pay for, and that's okay. On the other hand, you may want to continue watching/reading/listening, either because of the content itself or because you want to support its creation.

(I'm separating the above as they are two different reasons - personally, i'm in favour of paying an annual subscriber fee to my small local news room to keep them in producing the content because I think it's important they exist.)

Step 1: Can you literally afford it?

Everything costs more and salaries aren't rising. If the answer to the question is no, can you split the cost with someone? Is it something that can be accessed through your local library (in terms of audiobooks or magazine/newspapers)? Otherwise, moving to:

Step 2: Is the cost of the subscription in line with what you're willing to pay for the content?

I still subscribe to the newspaper i used to work for - I can read all the news and get all the quotes I'm interested in, and I know i'm supporting local news. I'm willing to pay money for that.

On the other hand, back last year when Disney Plus announced it was raising its prices, I decided that I wasn't interested in paying that amount for what I was getting, so I cancelled that one. Do I miss it? Yes, somedays. Would I go back to them if the cost went down? Honestly I don't know.

Step 3: Did the company/channel do something to lose your trust?

Sometimes, all the above have been met with the affirmative, but something about how the company is doing things sets your teeth on edge. Maybe it's how their business model is evolving, or how they treat their customers (Netflix and their password sharing crackdown was that tipping point for me - i no longer wanted to support a company that sees its customer base like that). Maybe it's how they decided to move to subscriber-only. Maybe it's their take on geopolitical or social issues. Whatever it might be, you get to make that call for you.

Summation: Don't feel pressed by FOMO to pay for something when you're not comfortable doing so.

Whatever the situation is, you get to decide where you spend your money. The corollary of that is that you may not get to see the new stuff created by companies/channels that you like, but honestly? That trade-off might be better for you in the long run (and I'm saying this with too many years of regret behind me) nothing poisons the enjoyment of art more than feeling like you were forced to pay/pay more for it than you were OK with.

The tl;dr: Take a step back and see if you're really comfortable with paying for all your electronic subscription fees for news or entertainment. Don't feel pressured into paying for something you don't really want to see, or what to support. Consider where you want your money to go.

It's hard economic times - do what you need to, and spend your money where you want to.

(And check into what your local library has on offer - they may have streaming services or digital content you weren't aware of - might be enough to tide you over for a while).

#*points up* #my netflix subscription lapsed bc my card needed updating #so I decided to leave it and see if it made a difference #and honestly pretty little has changed #FOMO is a thing but it turns out you really can just absorb shows by osmosis on tumblr #it won't kill me not to see the latest whatever #I subscribe to a newspaper and to Prime and that's about it #and I buy books or get them from the library bc Pay Your Writers Dammit #but for things like the latest Disney whatever...yo ho ho #queue will be dead by nightfall

[pepperf]

#good point #queue will be dead by nightfall

[pepperf]

HEARTBREAKING: character actually mildly interesting to think about but I Dont like their fans

#😶

[pepperf]

Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze as Frances "Baby" Houseman and Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing (1987) directed by Emile Ardolino.

Me? I'm scared of everything. I'm scared of what I saw, I'm scared of what I did, of who I am, and most of all I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you.

#by coincidence today I am wearing my Kellerman’s T-shirt #which always sticks The Worst Song In The Movie in my brain #replete with warbly off-key singing #dirty dancing

[pepperf]

Buffy fans can have a little gaslighting

As a treat

#laugh rule #btvs #joss whedon sucks but boy did that show do some fabulous things #this being one of them #queue will be dead by nightfall

[pepperf]

#dirty minds worldwide

#the power of smutty fanfiction #what a sad sad time I would be having without it #queue will be dead by nightfall

[pepperf]

the unholy trinity

#''I don't have a favorite child #I love them both equally #mayo-loving Jake and'' #*looks at writing on hand but it is too smudged to make out a name* #''...my...daughter...?'' #queue will be dead by nightfall

[pepperf]

okay everyone reblog and tell me your favorite perfume. but if your favorite is glossier you… don’t bother

#tea for two by l’artisan parfumier #it’s like the best chai tea without being overpoweringly cinnamon #warm and sweet #makes people wanna get close

[pepperf]

from now on your tumblr nickname is whatever you get from this sexual identity generator  ☆

#unscrupulous heterosexual #assigned ''this Pride let's celebrate the Allies!'' on tumblr #:( #queue will be dead by nightfall

[pepperf]

I'm reading Sense and Sensibility for the first time and my big takeaway is that Elinor should legally be allowed to punch every other character in the face at least once

#it's one I tend not to re-read precisely bc I feel so annoyed on Elinor's behalf! #she lives with so much sensibility around her #and it's exhausting #I identify a little too much with Elinor lol #sense and sensibility #jane austen #queue will be dead by nightfall

[pepperf]

um. perhaps everyone should go see monkey man. just maybe. consider.

#I wanted to go see this with my cinema pass #but it expired like five days before it was released dammit #monkey man #queue will be dead by nightfall

[pepperf]

NEW VERSION. :)

#I was convinced that #‘a wizard is never late’ #was from the book so I’m voting that #poll

[pepperf]

Frankfurt Airport, Frankfurt, Germany

Also submitted by @peel-this-off

#yes and I don’t remember it being as exciting as that photo suggests #I mean it was thrilling to be visiting Bethany! #but the airport wasn’t really the focus #it was lovely and quiet tho I will say that for it #poll

[pepperf]

MISS CONGENIALITY | 2000 

bonus:

#she’s right and she should say it #this is why I love having a birthday around this time of year #miss congeniality

[pepperf]

Ok now do NYT columnists

#this actually makes me feel a whole lot better about how I present myself #I'm not an academic #but I am very much of the persuasion that I don't like to put up a front #I like complexity and don't-knows and think that's a starting point for a good conversation #but it comes across as uncertainty and self-doubt #and that always frustrates me bc that's not how I intend it! #I'm just being straightforward! #and I'm bad at pretending! #queue will be dead by nightfall

[pepperf]

yknow i never noticed the sheer rareness of images having ids or alt text on this website until i started adding alt text to my art (and trying to remember to add it to any images i post in general, especially text screenshots) and that makes me kinda sad

#psa #alt text #and how to write it #this seems like a nice simple rundown #queue will be dead by nightfall