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lovecraftian-lolita · 4 months

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Where to Start as a Plus Size Lolita (Part 6)

Budgeting and Saving for Lolita Fashion

If you’ve scrolled for a little bit, you’ve probably noticed how expensive some pieces can get, especially brand! That’s because many of these pieces are high quality and will last an extremely long time if taken care of right. From the print to the construction, there’s a lot of love and care put into the pieces. That’s why lolita is considered a slow fashion rather than a fast fashion (pieces pumped out by factory of lower quality). This means pieces, even second hand, will be more on the expensive side. This guide will help you understand the average prices of (new + brand) pieces and give you tips on how to save so you can build your wardrobe smartly!

Note: prices will be in Yen (¥) and USD ($) and tend to fluctuate due to the invisible force called the economy! Prices are subject to change but the general idea will be the same!

(This will be a long one.)

୨୧ Buying Smartly ୨୧

Buy pieces you really really love

- Keep a list of your favorite pieces! Don’t just buy something you only kinda like. This will keep you from buying pieces impulsively. If you don’t know if you absolutely love a piece, sleep on it! When you see it again, will you feel the same?

Buy coherent pieces for a coherent wardrobe

- Like the last point, keeping a coherent list somewhere like Pinterest or a notes app or a wardrobe app to keep track of the pieces you want/need. Neutral colors like white and black are your best friends and go with anything!!! You do not need brand tights/socks and can easily get plain colored ones from Walmart, target, Amazon, or any grocery store/clothing store near you at a very cheap price for good quality.

Capsule Wardrobes save money

- Especially if you are just starting out, make a capsule wardrobe! This will include versatile items in matching colors in pieces like JSKs or skirts, neutral colored blouses and socks/tights, a petticoat (you only really need the one), a head piece or two, and shoes. You will be able to mix and match and get the absolute most out of your wardrobe!

Second hand is ok!

- Second hand can sometimes be a cheaper option! Stains, missing buttons, wrinkles, and other small defects can be an opportunity to find an item for cheap and put in a little elbow grease in exchange for saving some money.

Stick with one style

- If you are just starting out, sticking with one sub genre and even color palette will help save money. Whether it’s pastels, muted colors, or plain black, this will help you have an easier time coordinating and deciding which pieces to spend money on.

A note:

Please pay off any debts or outstanding charges before you start buying lolita. Your necessities will always come first. Lolita is a luxury fashion, you do not need it to survive.

୨୧ Saving money ୨୧

If you are a Minor (and/or do not have a job):…

You probably do not have a steady source of income, and that’s ok. Understand that it will take a bit longer to acquire pieces until you get a job or a steady source of income. Please do not resort to buying knock offs, it is disrespectful and it’s art theft, and we do not like art thieves. There are cheaper options other than Brand™️ like indie, Taobao, and second hand! (Yes, even if you’re plus sized!) Buying lolita fashion takes time. People have spent YEARS building their wardrobes and waiting patiently for the right pieces, you are doing just fine.

Save up and set aside any money that comes your way. Whether that be birthday money, coins you save in a jar to take to the bank for cash, or maybe the lucky days you find some on the ground or in your pocket. Your savings will start off small but that’s ok!

Keep what money you have in a safe place to avoid spending on something impulsively.

To keep you from spending what little lolita savings you have, try organizing a cash envelope (this applies to anyone obviously) or binder. They’re very helpful for organizing your savings into different categories and keeps you from spending what you’re trying to save. If you are the type to not use cash when spending money, this will be a perfect way to keep you from dipping into your lolita fund.

Putting in 10-30$ of cash in every couple of weeks or whenever you get gift money adds up and adds up A LOT.

If you are an adult (and/or have a job + steady source of income):…

Then you’ll be able to save quicker and will be able to probably acquire pieces quicker. My previous advice about a cash binder/envelope still 100% applies, but instead take a portion of each paycheck where you know you won’t be in any financial trouble and set that aside. Honestly, even with minimum wage you’ll have enough for a decent coord second hand/indie in a few months!

Also, the bank you use may have a savings account program in place. For example… my bank will take a selected portion of my paycheck and put it in a separate savings account. Then I use that to pay for my pieces.

Now, obviously everyone’s job is different and pay is different too. Please make sure you are setting enough money aside for necessities and emergencies + paying off debts before you indulge in this luxury hobby.

One last thing…

Please please PLEASE set aside money for shipping. If you are buying overseas, shipping is EXTREMELY expensive regardless of the country you’re buying from. Setting aside an extra 40-80$ will save you pain in the long run. Also if you are buying overseas, try to buy in bulk on ONE website to save on shipping all around. (Ex. Taobao/JP auction proxies).

Don’t be like me and spend 45$ shipping on a 30$ worth of Taobao accessories…

୨୧ Average Prices ୨୧

If you want to buy brand, lucky for you, pieces tend to stay around the same price! With some slight increase in recent years due to inflation and yen prices dropping, pieces tend to stay around the same price (when buying new!).

Angelic Pretty and Baby the Stars Shine Bright have similar prices. I’ll be separating and averaging out how much each piece in your coordinate will cost if you buy it brand new. (AS OF 2023)

Note/Advice:

1. Don’t buy petticoats from brand, it’s just not worth it. I will not be including them in the price run down. But please do save ~20-60$ for a petticoat.

2. You do not have to buy only brand. In fact, I encourage you to buy from other places as well. However, the prices vary so much it’ll be hard to give an accurate average, so please go through my previous guides and do research on brands featured.

Angelic Pretty ୨୧ Baby the Stars Shine Bright average Prices

Blouses -> ¥20,000 - $140

Main Pieces

- JSK -> ¥38,800 - $270

- SK -> ¥28,600 - $200

- OP -> ¥47,000 - $330

Legwear

- Socks -> ¥3,300 - $25

- Tights -> ¥3,800 - $27

- Shoes -> ¥17,500 - $125

Outer Wear

- Cardigans -> ¥18,400 - $130

- Coats -> ¥50,000 - $350

Accessories

- Headwear -> ¥5,500 - $40

- Rings -> ¥3,800 - $26

- Necklaces -> ¥6,000 - $40

- Parasol -> ¥ 6,500 - $45

Hopefully this helps you understand how much you will be needing save up and how much time it will take for you to build up your wardrobe. Second hand of course, is always an option but this gives you an idea of the value these dresses hold when brand new.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

#lolita #plus size lolita #sweet lolita #plus size sweet lolita #sweet ollie tag #classic lolita #angelic pretty #btssb #guide #where to start as a plus size lolita #gothic Lolita #budgeting #long post #money #financial

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asyastudieskorean · 7 months

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9/20/2023 — Hello, studying world. Today I start my journey of learning Korean with my first university Korean class (online). We didn't have any work on the first day, so all I did was read the syllabus (the most basic, non-informative syllabus I've ever read, ha), set up my new desk space, and updated my student bio on Canvas. I haven't been a college student for about 3 years, so it felt like I accomplished a lot. When the readings and assignments start coming in, I'm sure reality will hit.

I've always wanted to learn Korean, and my goal is to reach a near-fluent level, but I know it'll be hard, especially with my full-time work priorities. Eventually, being able to teach and work in translation is my goal. FYI, Chinese, Thai, and Japanese are on my list, too, but I'll be realistic and focus on one language for the foreseeable future.

Last week, as it so happens, I had to move from my family and childhood home, and I am lacking in the positivity department rn, so I think having a place to chronicle my studies and the progress I make will be good for me. I tend to start a new blog on here when I'm having a hard time, and it helps.

So, the plan is to take two full academic years of Korean (that's 3 quarters per year at my university). That's just how much Korean the school offers. I graduated in 2020 from this same university with a BA in English with a focus on professional and creative writing, and I really enjoyed the overall experience studying here.

I spent a whole lot of time obsessing over grammar, reading new and old literature, trying to understand poetry, and just enjoying the inner peace I felt when writing fiction. It was maybe my most happy time because I had no other real responsibilities or worries besides school. All I did was read and write.

Anyhow, fast forward to now, after pondering different language learning options (which are limited in my area), I decided to take my Korean classes at the university level because the classes will show up on my official university transcripts, and I imagine that will be best when I apply for future Korean-related jobs. I am also hoping that by taking university-level language classes, they will have some sort of superior level of... intensity? accuracy? efficiency? Something like that. Granted, this route isn't the best for my finances, as there is no aid for non-matriculated post-grads, and the cost of a single class is quite ridiculous. But alas, here I am, with an empty wallet and hope in my eyes.

Upon reading the syllabus today, which could basically be summarized as "TBD," I realized the textbook I bought, the textbook I waited over a week for, the one listed on the online course materials list, is, in fact, not the correct textbook.

And, icing on the bitter cake, the correct textbook appears to be a rare Pokémon that isn't available anywhere except the dark corners of eBay, where shipping will take at least 2 weeks. Like how did other students get this? Did they order it two months in advance? Meanwhile, I have my first assignments and readings due Monday.

I quite literally just sent an email to my professor and asked what I should do, so we'll see what she says, but I really wasn't hoping to be that one student, emailing the professor about an issue on day 1.

Since this is my first post here, here also is a tiny bit about me:

My name is Asya ("Asia"), and I'm a 24-year-old English grad based in Washington; no, not the one followed by DC, but the state with a lot of rain and trees. Twilight? Starbucks? Amazon? Yes, that one.

Since graduating in 2020, I've been a freelance editor and writer. I'm taking Korean both for passion and for work purposes, and I really should have started sooner. But I guess we're all on our own timelines.

I've been on Tumblr for a long, long time, but I've never been part of the studyblr sector. I'm glad to be here. :)

#student #college student #back to school #university #korean #korean language #language learning #korean classes #studying #studyblr #study blog #washington #washington state

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drstonetrivia · 6 months

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Chapter 200 Trivia (Part 1)

The Perseus is back!

There is oil in the Amazon, but the main sources of it are upstream of Manaus and northeastern Argentina, accounting for ~1.12% of current worldwide shares. I'm not sure whether or not this is accessible to the KoS right now, but Chelsea's statement seems incorrect.

Compared to "future energies" such as solar and wind power, biofuel is a little more controversial due to its industrial sources, deforestation, and the fact it can still pollute like a fossil fuel when burnt. It isn't as bad fossil fuels though, biogas burns cleaner.

Senku struggles to lift heavy objects, but then raises the contents of the outhouse above his head…

Biofuel is made basically exactly as Senku says, by mixing any organic waste products together and letting it ferment (anaerobic digestion if you want to be technical), then collecting the gas as energy and using the leftover solids as fertiliser.

If that explanation is still confusing, the whole process is basically like how your body works: you eat food, your stomach digests it and absorbs the energy, then any waste product is disposed of.

The only difference is there's no real body to fuel, you simply store the energy.

Since the biofuel is a gas, it needs to be converted to a liquid for transportation and use in engines. This is what the Fischer–Tropsch process is for.

The process itself involves fixing the hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio, then applying heat and pressure to get liquid fuel.

The spherical gas container is called a Horton sphere, and what Senku says is correct, so the only thing missing is a video because everyone loves explosions.

This is a oxyhydrogen torch which is normally used for small-scale welding jobs as it's safer and more economical to use than gas torches.

You can also make them yourself.

Has Chrome's science-using officially leveled up? He's been working with Xeno while Senku works with Suika. The science mentor/mentee parallel here is really nice!

Inconel is actually a family of superalloys of oxidation-corrosion-resistant materials that are also very strong and very good at holding up to high temperatures. As such, it tends to be used in extreme environments like space.

"It's just a rock" is a common theme in Dr. Stone, but it matches the series extremely well. A single rock can't do much on its own, but with a little work and some team-ups, that rock can go to space :)

Since the calendar is between Chrome saying "half a year" and what looks like a time skip sequence, I think the date of April 5750 is somewhere in the middle rather than on either end, which isn't very helpful for a specific timeline.

This timeskip mimics the one in chapter 99 while they made the old Perseus, but is a lot shorter to add in the team and farewell portion of chapter 100.

Like last time, Ryusui helps with the design, Kaseki does the crafting (the part he's working on is the prow), while everyone else collects materials.

We also get the South American KoS flag, incorporating the spaceship with the concentric diamonds!

The engine here is a jet engine, Most commonly used in airplanes but have other uses as well. For this, the engine is usually used to generate electricity which then powers other things, such as boat propellers attached to electric motors.

(Next part)

#trivia #dr stone #chapters #200

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alazyparallelworld · 1 year

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SO YOU'RE IN A CRISIS

these resources are US centric. i don't know enough about overseas support, and this list is mostly complied from experienced hardship.

also, bc these are from my personal experiences, they pivot around my states of longterm residency. i've tried my best to provide general resources and use unspecific enough terminology. if you need help navigating resources (eligibility, applications, etc) in your state, my DMs are open and i would be happy to help.

eternal WIP. i am sure i've forgotten something. rbs are welcomed n appreciated. questions/corrections/etc should go in my DMs.

department of human services / department of social and health services | applicable to: low-income

housing (most applicable for eviction-notice crisis, NOT homeless or housed situations. there are still programs for unprovided/unsafe shelter emergencies, but they vary wildly. please DM me for more info.)

food (food stamps which bring a wide variety of benefits on their own, meal plans, etc)

cash (washington residents: if you qualify for SSI* you can receive cash assistance. other states: whether or not it is provided in your state, and the qualifier i.e needy families/food assistance, varies. please DM me for more info, whether or not you are a resident of washington.)

medical (public insurance, as well as other services i.e delivered meds, caregiving. please DM me for more caregiver-specific info.)

transportation (gas vouchers, necessary/medical transportation, discount on bus fare)

education: see etc below, as the most beneficial support will come from social workers.

child support: see etc below, as most beneficial support will come from social workers.

cellular (lifeline/ACP, a federal program in which you can acquire a fully paid smartphone or discount on wifi. you can transfer the wifi benefit to another internet provider)

etc: social workers are in-house, who can provide many services i.e housing situation, mental health support, job opportunities, applying for SSI, pretty much anything. if they cannot help you, they should transfer you to another worker who can, or provide you with another resource. through my social worker is how i got my housing paid. if you are on medicaid and/or food stamps, those benefits open a wide door to other benefits - this is how you qualify for lifeline/ACP, discounted amazon prime, etc.

*disability. to receive disability YOU CANNOT BE EMPLOYED FULLTIME. what follows is, almost always, automatic rejection. part-time is still susceptible to automatic rejection. do not turn to a lawyer for help; ask a social worker for help with the specifics of your situation. however, even if you are employed full/part-time, it is still beneficial to apply for SSI as this provides an earlier 'date of onset,' and is extremely helpful for a potential future claim. this is true in all states, AFAIK.

job corps | applicable to: low-income, 16-24 (24 maximum, unless in extraordinary circumstances)

housing (boarding rooms; roommate situation heavily varies)

food (3 meals a day, everyday, and vending machines)

medical (wellness center, staffed with nurses and doctor(s) - can provide medication and therapy)

transportation (drivers' license, will give rides to workplaces*)

education (GED, alternative HS diploma, training and certifications)

child support: dependent on center, alternative boarding for mothers* and their children

cellular: dependent on center, free 24/7 wifi is provided.

etc: there are significant drawbacks to job corps, which are very dependent on center-to-center. as it is federal property, no drugs or alcohol usage is permitted on campus. when arriving and returning to JC, campus security will administer a breathalyzer test. it is a 'ZT'/zero tolerance - you will be expelled if drug/alcohol usage is discovered. there's also a 'cash stipend,' but i don't know the exact amount or the frequency. when i went to JC ('17-'18) it was $20 biweekly, increased to $30 after ~12-16 months of enrollment. i was told that it has increased to $50, still biweekly. there is A Social Worker Lite upon graduation. they will check up with you, and for a time, will support you in finding stability. this includes housing and education. *IME, you cannot have a job and then enroll to job corps. but if you are employed while in job corps, they will provide transport. **IME, fathers/second parent/partners, cannot board with the mother or children. at my JC, the alternative boarding was only applicable to the biological parents - but in couples, the bio father would be boarded in the men's section.

community college / open admission colleges

near-universal acceptance rate, and some provide boarding. my CC provided holiday housing, including summertime. some CCs provide medication and therapy. there are opt-in meal plans, which are a part of your tuition. however, if you are under the age of 25 and applying for financial aid, you will need to have your parents' relevant tax records. even in extraordinary circumstances such as estrangement, the separation needs to be in legal documents and may be rejected anyway. and in the event that you are financially independent, some colleges will still require your parents' taxes.

food stamps and public insurance/medicaid

as mentioned before, these two are such qualifiers for OTHER benefits, they get their own separate piece. generally speaking, when filling an application for one resource on your state's website, there's an option to apply for others. TANF, medical caregiving, etc… save time and tick that option. if you're worried about 'fucking up' your application, see if your department has a social worker.

EBT discounts amazon prime, and your EBT card can be used in orders with EBT-eligible items. there's also a splinter called 'amazon fresh,' but that's only provided in some areas. if you receive EBT and/or medicaid, you qualify for lifeline/ACP. lifeline/ACP is a federal program, nationwide. sometimes other resources, i.e housing, transportation, and child support, can be locked behind receiving EBT and/or medicaid. wildly varies on state, situation, and the resource in question.

what medicaid covers… wildly varies on your state and situation. however, if you are need of an assistive device or treatment (a brace, cane, wheelchair, shower chair, physical therapy, medically necessary transportation, medical marijuana) ask your PCP for a prescription or referral. every time. avoid using money on what your PCP can provide - and these prescriptions are highly useful documents in SSI applications. your states' medicaid should cover most of these services - and talk to your routed insurance in the case of a denial. i'm aware this section is bulky and difficult to parse; please DM me if you need help understanding. this is a complex topic.

rent assistance

your local salvation army may pay for up to three months of rent. you can only ask for this assistance once a year. as aforementioned, your local housing authority / DSHS/DHS also can provide rent assistance. your state probably has its own program(s), which have different requirements, i.e income or age.

section 8/public housing | low-income, legally disabled/recipient of SSI

the application for section 8 is so daunting, i didn't do it independently. i had my social worker help me. i would heavily advise you do the same. section 8 housing is basically a waitlist for discounted/free housing, whether it be apartments or full houses. it is... extremely complicated. my advice is to apply for section 8, well before any significant financial changes. if your income goes up, you will have to reapply. i would suggest, if you are applying for SSI, to do both of these applications at the same time. there is a slim, but still possible, chance that you will get public housing before SSI.

emergency housing/unsheltered

some hotels/motels will offer temporary room, moreso if social worker requests it. you can google and find out what hotels/motels near you offer these services, and ask your social worker to contact them. your social worker may even provide transportation to the hotel/motel. i am Professional Enough that i was able to acquire a room for two strangers. (a small misunderstanding, as i was mistaken for a social worker. i rectified this mistake as soon as i realized - do not pretend to be a social worker. they will ask 'what company you're with,' and your name and contact information. lying is a very good way to get blacklisted.) this is an outlier, but if you're well-versed enough, you could do this yourself. get in contact with your local housing authority (what its called here) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. there is a massive waitlist for unsheltered people; it is easier and faster to acquire shelter when you're still in the eviction/about to be kicked out bubble. whether or not they can help you is usually, IME, more dependent on your age than your income. work fast, keep steady contact.

domestic violence

in certain states, survivors of DV can have their voter registration removed from public access. this 2020 PDF lists the eligibility for each state. AFAIK, when applying for your voter registration, this is not a mandated question. you will have ask the relevant programs for your address to be private.

most applications for food stamps/insurance/housing/etc will ask if you are a survivor of DV. this has an increase of your cases' 'priority,' especially for housing. this applies to both fleeing and survivor situations.

furniture, clothing, laundry vouchers, hygiene products, household necessities | low-income, new residents

contact your local charities and/or relevant local nonprofit organizations. while there are online sites (i.e freegeek for electronics) these are very hit-and-miss. your local charities are more likely to have stock. several nonprofits offer vouchers for off-site laundry units, and sometimes for children hygiene products. furniture and other household appliances tend to ship directly to your home. for clothes and household necessities, you'll probably have to go to the office for pick-up. IME, clothes can be picked up any time at community closets, while i've had to schedule appointments to pick up bleach, tissues, etc. hygiene products are high-demand, low-supply. diapers are the 'worst offender' for low stock.

animal support

online grants for vet payment/assistance either are very specific, or have very long waitlists. most of the time, these grants apply to service animal canines (not emotional support, nor felines, or other animals) and/or serious conditions that already have a diagnoses - they won't pay for preliminary visits, bloodwork, etc. if your animal needs to be fixed, there are coupons for the procedure. you will have to se what vet accepts that specific coupon or not. for food, i would recommend, if you are financially able, to have a chewy subscription. this saves a lot of money in the long run - amazon's subscribe & save is an alternative, but not as cost-effective for high-quality food, IMO. your local charities/nonprofits may provide animal food.

#save tag

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fettesans · 3 months

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Top, photograph by Carlos A. Moreno, from the editorial Amazon was supposed to transform a Tijuana slum. It failed to deliver, for Rest of World, December 12, 2022. Bottom, installation view Thomas Hirschhorn, Fake It, Fake It — Till You Fake It at Gladstone Gallery, January 24 – March 2, 2024. The installation resembles the aftermath of a gaming session gone bad, with screens showing images from video games mixed with pictures of actual destruction. Via.

Nueva Esperanza is a neighborhood of several hundred inhabitants. Above it looms the sky-blue Amazon building, towering over abandoned parts and mattress springs, all soon to be turned into building materials for people’s homes. The only paved street is the one that goes in and out of Amazon’s fulfillment center. During her shift, Martínez works with two other colleagues from the neighborhood. The three make up the entirety of the night-time cleaning shift at the distribution center, a massive 32,000-square-meter building that is a 500-meter walk from their homes. When it rains, dirt roads turn into knee-deep rivers of mud. There is no other way for them to get to their job. Martínez must change all her clothing and shoes each time she arrives at work.

Limited to contractor work in the cleaning and canteen areas, pay is scant. Amazon workers from Nueva Esperanza currently working at the distribution center are paid 52 pesos (just over $2.6) per hour. Tirso Hernnández, a 59-year-old cleaner at the warehouse, told Rest of World this is less than what other employees are paid for doing the same work for other companies nearby.

“It was the only thing we could have direct access to,” Martínez told Rest of World, “because for other jobs, you had to apply online and, well, many of us don’t know how to do that, let alone have a computer.”

In October, the venture capitalist and technocrat Marc Andreessen published on his firm’s website a stream-of-consciousness document he called “The Techno-Optimist Manifesto,” a 5,000-word ideological cocktail that eerily recalls, and specifically credits, Italian futurists such as Marinetti. Andreessen is, in addition to being one of Silicon Valley’s most influential billionaire investors, notorious for being thin-skinned and obstreperous, and despite the invocation of optimism in the title, the essay seems driven in part by his sense of resentment that the technologies he and his predecessors have advanced are no longer “properly glorified.” It is a revealing document, representative of the worldview that he and his fellow technocrats are advancing.

Andreessen writes that there is “no material problem,” including those caused by technology, that “cannot be solved with more technology.” He writes that technology should not merely be always advancing, but always accelerating in its advancement “to ensure the techno-capital upward spiral continues forever.” And he excoriates what he calls campaigns against technology, under names such as “tech ethics” and “existential risk.”

Or take what might be considered the Apostles’ Creed of his emerging political movement:

We believe we should place intelligence and energy in a positive feedback loop, and drive them both to infinity … We believe in adventure. Undertaking the Hero’s Journey, rebelling against the status quo, mapping uncharted territory, conquering dragons, and bringing home the spoils for our community … We believe in nature, but we also believe in overcoming nature. We are not primitives, cowering in fear of the lightning bolt. We are the apex predator; the lightning works for us.

Andreessen identifies several “patron saints” of his movement, Marinetti among them. He quotes from the Manifesto of Futurism, swapping out Marinetti’s “poetry” for “technology”:

Beauty exists only in struggle. There is no masterpiece that has not an aggressive character. Technology must be a violent assault on the forces of the unknown, to force them to bow before man.

To be clear, the Andreessen manifesto is not a fascist document, but it is an extremist one. He takes a reasonable position—that technology, on the whole, has dramatically improved human life—and warps it to reach the absurd conclusion that any attempt to restrain technological development under any circumstances is despicable. This position, if viewed uncynically, makes sense only as a religious conviction, and in practice it serves only to absolve him and the other Silicon Valley giants of any moral or civic duty to do anything but make new things that will enrich them, without consideration of the social costs, or of history. Andreessen also identifies a list of enemies and “zombie ideas” that he calls upon his followers to defeat, among them “institutions” and “tradition.”

“Our enemy,” Andreessen writes, is “the know-it-all credentialed expert worldview, indulging in abstract theories, luxury beliefs, social engineering, disconnected from the real world, delusional, unelected, and unaccountable—playing God with everyone else’s lives, with total insulation from the consequences.”

The irony is that this description very closely fits Andreessen and other Silicon Valley elites. The world that they have brought into being over the past two decades is unquestionably a world of reckless social engineering, without consequence for its architects, who foist their own abstract theories and luxury beliefs on all of us.

Adrienne LaFrance, from The Rise of Techno-authoritarianism - Silicon Valley has its own ascendant political ideology. It’s past time we call it what it is, for The Atlantic, January 30, 2024.

#diptych #safe new world #linked excerpts #reoccurrence

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adventures-in-a-world-of-fiction · 7 months

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Who Moved My Cheese? - an overly long tear down review

I want to talk about a book that always seems to be hanging around in a high position on lists of bestselling business books, or appearing on recommended reading lists for business. It's currently number 6 in Amazon UK's rankings of Business Life books: Who Moved My Cheese by Dr Spencer Johnson.

I was recommended this book by a coworker more than a decade ago and since I read it back then, it has stuck with me mainly because I felt a vague irritation at it. A little while ago, I was clearing out my bookshelves and decided it was time to re-read it and examine my feelings in more detail. Hence this review tearing it apart, which is probably going to end up being as many words as the key part of the book.

I don't really disagree with the book's core message. The idea at the heart of the book is a decent one and if you just gave me the middle section of the book to read, I would probably be perfectly fine with it and agree that it's a useful metaphor that some people would probably get value from. But the book doesn't just give you that middle section. It seems to be full of a sense of its own importance, as though it's the greatest piece of advice you will ever hear, relevant to everyone on the planet and utterly life-changing. That's the aspect of the book that I disagree with - not the main message, but in the way it implies that the message is universal and vital.

The first few pages of the book are filled with what I'm calling fluff. There is a two-page section titled The "Who Moved My Cheese" Phenomena! Complete with exclamation mark. This talks about how this idea helped Johnson deal with a difficult change in his life, how his friends said it helped them and one encouraged him to write it down. There's a mention of how quickly it became an international bestseller and how people all around the world found it helped their businesses, careers, health, and marriages.

All of this talking about the value is tempered by a paragraph saying that critics can't understand how people find it valuable. There is a response from that author that it is, "how you interpret it and apply it to your own situation that gives it value." And, yeah, I can get behind this as an idea. If a reader finds it applies to their situation, and they find it useful, great. Good for them. If the author had followed this up with something about us finding value in different places, or that different people have different circumstances so whether it applies will depend, anything like that, I probably would be okay with this bit of the book. Even if the author had just stopped at that sentence, it would have been acceptable. But this bit wraps up with this sentence: "Hopefully the way you interpret the story of Who Moved My Cheese? and put it into action in your life will help you find and enjoy the "New Cheese" you deserve."

This reads to me like the author is saying that if you don't find this useful, it's not because there was a problem with the book or that it just wasn't applicable to your situation - no. It was because you interpreted it badly.

Now maybe I'm being unfair here but given some of the things that are said later on, it does feel like Johnson is saying that if you don't get anything out of the book, it's on you for reading it wrong.

Anyway, moving on, we get a page of quotes about how amazing the book is, and then we get to the prologue.

The prologue is written by Dr Kenneth Blanchard, the friend who encouraged Johnson to write this book. It talks about how he heard Johnson tell the story and how he thought it was really helpful. The Cheese in the book is a metaphor for whatever it is you happen to want - money, freedom, success in your job, a better relationship, whatever. It's supposed to be applicable universally to anything someone might want to achieve. He talks about how this story can change lives and gives an example of someone he knew who was going through changes they were upset with at work, but who heard this story and changed his attitude and was rewarded for that positive attitude. The rest of the prologue is a mixture of him continuing to sing its praises and giving a brief summary of the different sections of the book.

The hype is maybe a touch over the top but you get that sometimes in prologues. Someone will be asked to write an introduction to the book and big it up, so there's nothing too outrageous here, just a continuation of the promise that this book will be amazing and life-changing.

Now we get to the framing device. A group of friends are having a reunion and talking about how much their lives have changed. One of them, Michael, says he heard this great story and changed his behaviour because of it, and everything got better, and how he told other people and loads of them changed for the better because of it.

"However there were a few people who said they got nothing out of it. They either knew the lessons and were already living them, or, more commonly, they thought they already knew everything and didn't want to learn."

Again we get this assumption that the story is applicable to everyone. If you don't gain anything from the book it's because you either already embody what it's trying to teach, or you just don't want to learn because you already think you know everything. The idea that the book might not fit everyone's circumstances just doesn't seem to occur to Johnson. This is why I called out the quote from earlier - the desire to blame the reader if they don't find the book useful is repeated here. In the book, Michael says that the people who don't learn from the story are like one of the characters in it - the one that refuses to change no matter what.

This intro section is only three pages long and it's mostly weirdly awkward dialogue. It's clear from reading it that Johnson is used to writing business books not fiction. The bit that really made me cringe was when Michael gave the title of the story and the group all laugh and one says he likes it already, and I'm reading this thing thinking, "Can you just stop praising your own story every other sentence and get on with telling it?"

Finally we get to the main story.

The story of Who Moved My Cheese is a simple parable about characters in a maze. You have two mice, called Sniff and Scurry, and two little people called Hem and Haw. The little people are like humans, but tiny so they can live in the maze with the mice. These characters are apparently supposed to represent different aspects of ourselves, but at other points in the book, the characters in the framing device talk about some people being like one or other of these characters, so I'm not sure the author was entirely clear about the analogy. Anyway, these characters live in the maze and they run around hunting for cheese.

The different characters have different approaches, with the mice just acting on instinct and the little people being more thoughtful, but they all spend their days hunting for cheese until they find Cheese Station C, where there is an abundant source. The mice stay prepared, ready to start hunting in the maze again if they need to, but the two little people settle down and get out of shape and lazy, feeling entitled to their cheese and sure that it will last forever.

As you can probably guess from the title of the book, the cheese doesn't stay forever. They get to the station one day and the cheese is gone. The mice just get on with it and go back out into the maze to hunt for cheese and they eventually find a wonderful new source of new cheese at Cheese Station N, but the two little people stay behind, angry and upset, waiting for the cheese to come back. They get hungrier and hungrier waiting for the status quo to come back, Haw because he's scared of going back into the maze and failing to find cheese, and Hem because he feels like he deserves that cheese and it should come back and if he stays right here, everything will be alright in the end.

Eventually, Haw decides he has to accept that things have changed and he goes back into the maze. A large chunk of the story is him wandering the maze, thinking to himself, and writing various life lessons on the wall. He has various realisations, like looking back and noting that the supply of cheese had been diminishing for a while and starting to smell bad and maybe if he'd been paying attention, he would have seen the change coming and not been so caught off guard by it. This bit of the story drags a little bit. It's still pretty short, but it could have been trimmed significantly without losing anything of substance. I wondered if Johnson padded this out and included things like the framing device of the reunion to make the whole thing long enough to sell as a book without people feeling like they were being cheated. This is pure speculation, but the whole book is less than a hundred pages long, in large print, with things like the important lessons each getting their own page. It does feel like he was desperately trying to fill up the space to make the print run worth it.

In the end, as expected Haw makes it to Cheese Station N and finds the new cheese and the mice and he's happy, but now he's learned his lesson and he'll be on the lookout for change and be prepared to go and hunt for newer cheese the next time something like this happens.

If the book just had this middle bit, I'd be fine with it. It's a simple parable talking about the fact that change is inevitable and you should react to it in a way that's productive instead of trying to pretend it's not happening. There's a summary of the life lessons at the end of the little story and it's things like monitor the situation and anticipate it so you can adapt quickly and that's pretty decent business advice. There's one bit about how you should enjoy the change and treat it like an adventure and learn to laugh at yourself and I can see where Johnson is coming from with this. Sometimes life sucks, but you can still try to look on the bright side and savour good moments when they come to help get you through it.

I didn't think the way this particular piece of advice was presented in the story was handled particularly well. Haw starts seeing his hunt for cheese in the maze as an exciting adventure - even while he is still starving because he hasn't found any yet. He's smiling and laughing at himself and having a good time rolling with the change - while his situation is terrible. It rings false to me. I can see how this could be interpreted as "look for the good in bad situations" but I can also see how it might be interpreted as, "You should have a positive attitude even when everything has changed for the worse or being miserable is your own fault." I can see the message Johnson is trying to give but I think it was presented in a really clunky way.

Still, you end up with a okay little story which tells a simple parable with some lessons that can be applied to real life.

So why am I writing this long tear down of this book?

Well, that's because of the final part.

We come back to the framing device and Michael telling the story to his friends. They decide that they should all meet up and have a discussion about what the story means and how it could apply to their lives. We're back to the clunkily written dialogue as the characters all discuss how wonderfully the story can be used to explain aspects of their own experiences. There's one example of someone whose department was closing down and the guy didn't want to see it so he didn't listen when people tried to talk to him about other opportunities, and someone else related it to having to close down stores in their business.

I think it weakens the story that you have to spell it out to the reader to make them see what it means. It's like the author is going, "Here's how a metaphor works," in the most patronising way possible.

But then you get someone saying he made everyone in his company read the book and say which character they were, and how they had to confront the Hems and the Haws and convince them to change and fired some of them. That whole scenario rang false, because Hem is so clearly presented as the bad guy in the story, he's the one you don't want to be like. I can't imagine that anyone would be given this book by their boss and say, "Oh, I'm definitely Hem," when asked which character they relate to. No one would say, "I'm the character we're all supposed to not be."

The characters keep talking about how wonderful change can be, and how when they were upset with a change it all worked out for the best in the end. They all agree about how wonderful the story is and how they're going to share it with their friends and families. You get one of the characters saying this: "It works best, of course, when everyone in your organization knows the story."

This feels like the author reaching out of the page to tell you to buy a copy for everyone you work with. There are several bits in this section that feel like the author doing a sales pitch to middle management to convince them to buy a hundred copies to give out at a corporate training event. It's more of the author aggrandising about how amazing his own book is and how applicable it is to everyone, and how everyone you know should read it because it will change their outlook on life. The book acts like it's the most important book you will ever read. And it's just not as special as it makes itself out to be.

If you read the story in the middle and you get something from it, wonderful. Good for you. But there are a lot of scenarios that the book doesn't touch on. It tries to simplify all possible situations and scenarios and ways of behaving down to these four characters in this extremely simplified situation, but in simplifying things down, it misses out on nuance and the millions of different real life scenarios that don't nicely map onto its little world of mice and cheese.

Here are some stories that don't fit this analogy.

I'm going to get a little personal and talk about my mum. My mum used to work as a biochemist, working in the research labs for a pharmaceutical company, running early tests to try and find out if various chemicals or compounds would be effective at treating diseases and other medical conditions. When it comes to creating a new drug, there are loads of stages, starting with simulations on computers and theoretical research, then trying things out in labs on cells and tissue samples, all the way through to various scales of human trials to see if the drug actually works to cure whatever it's intended for and/or has horrible side effects.

My mum worked doing those early lab trials and she really enjoyed her work. She found it interesting and intellectually stimulating. She liked that the work she was doing might help save lives. Before she worked for the pharmaceutical company, she worked in labs at a university also doing medical research. This was the work she wanted to do.

Then the company she worked for sold off its research arm and there were a load of people made redundant and she lost the job she loved in the lab. She got moved to a different area of the company and ended up transitioning into an IT job. For the rest of her working career up until she retired, she worked in an IT job. She found the job okay. It wasn't terrible, it had some good aspects to it and some bad aspects. There were coworkers she was really good friends with and co-workers she didn't really get on with. The job paid well enough and there were things she enjoyed about it, but it wasn't what she loved.

Someone moved her cheese and she went off into the maze and found some new cheese, just like the book says you should, but the cheese she found wasn't as good as the cheese she'd lost. The book tries to convince you that when you come out the other side of the change things will be better than they were before, and maybe sometimes they will be, but not always. Sometimes you have to compromise. Change is inevitable, sure, and you should adapt with it and make the best of the situation, but you're not always going to find that what you get at the end of the process is magically better than what you had before because the world just doesn't work that way.

Then let's look at the character of Hem. This is the character who's clearly framed to be the bad example in the book. We don't get a definitive answer of what happened to him because he gets left behind, but the implication is that he starved to death waiting for his cheese to be returned. When the cheese disappears in the middle of the story, he insists that it will come back and stays where he is.

You can see examples in the real world where companies tried to stick with the old way of doing things despite change that was going on and paid for it. Blockbuster Video was driven out of business by the rise in streaming services, and companies that depending on film photography paid the price for ignoring the rise of digital cameras. But sometimes a setback really is temporary.

In 2010, there was a massive volcanic eruption in Iceland that sent huge amounts of ash into the atmosphere and massively disrupted air travel. Several countries had to close their airspace because planes couldn't cope with the ash clouds. For a couple of months, fights continued to get cancelled or delayed. If we imagine an owner of a tour company in Iceland during those two months, this would be dreadful. No one would be flying into Iceland - at the heart of the problem - and so there would be no tourists buying tickets for the tours. In our metaphor, the cheese at the cheese station would have disappeared - and unlike the example in the book, it wouldn't have been possible to see this coming and prepare for the change. Also unlike the book, the attitude of, "If we just wait, the cheese will come back," is probably the correct one. Those couple of months were probably terrible if you worked in the tourism industry or had a shop in an airport or something like that, but the problem was a temporary one that righted itself. The position of the character Hem of staying where he was and waiting the problem out sometimes is the sensible approach.

If you owned a tour company and decided to throw it all in and set up a new business doing something completely different, you probably wouldn't have finished writing your business plan by the time the air cleared and planes were flying again.

The book is also extremely optimistic about change being achievable for everyone. You just need to put on your running shoes and head out into the maze and everything will turn out alright. But what about the mice that starve in the maze unable to find cheese through no fault of their own?

In the real world, there are people who find their cheese taken away. They lose their job because of something outside of their control, or there's a disaster which destroys their home, or they have a major health crisis - or all three at once. If they end up living out of their car, with their savings wiped out, and no fixed address to put on the job applications, you can't just say "keep looking for the opportunity." This is especially true for people who face discrimination.

In a period of depression, there might be thousands and thousands of people out of work, all competing for the same jobs. Telling them that they should just keep looking, just keep hunting the maze for their cheese, makes it seem like it's entirely their fault if they don't succeed. If you don't find a job, you just weren't looking hard enough, you weren't trying hard enough. The book doesn't even consider that there might be people in the maze, trying and trying and trying, hunting for their cheese, but getting nowhere - because of bad luck, because of discrimination, because there are just more mice than cheese at that point in time.

And then there are the people who have a bad situation but aren't in a position to look for a better one. To borrow the book's analogy, let's imagine a mouse is at a really terrible cheese station that gives out a couple of crumbs a day. Those crumbs are just barely enough for the mouse to make it back to the cheese station the following and to get the next crumbs, but the mouse is hungry and exhausted and just doesn't have the energy to go and hunt through the maze for better cheese because it's barely surviving as it is and if it leaves, it will have nothing.

There are people who are in a horrible situation with a sucky job and the instinct is to say, "Well, go and find a better job then." But hunting for a new job, applying for it, interviewing it, all of that takes time and energy, and if you're living pay check to pay check, working long hours to make ends meet, you might not be able to do that. If taking time off work to go and interview for a new job you might not even get means you won't get enough money to pay the bills this week, are you going to take that chance all that often? No. Because the priority is immediate survival. This book acts like sitting around in a bad situation is a mistake you should learn to avoid, but sometimes it's less a case of sitting there and more a case of being trapped their by circumstance.

So, yeah, there are a few thoughts about scenarios the book doesn't even think about.

This book is a case of advice that is sometimes helpful being treated as universal. I'm sure there are plenty of people who find it useful. If you're one of them, I won't try to take it away from you. I just wish it was less over the top in terms of how it presents itself.

It feels like fairly middle class advice. And by that I mean it assumes that whoever is reading it has opportunities and can take the chance to change without risking the foundations of your life. It's easier to strike out and hunt for new opportunities if you're a highly-educated, healthy, cis, white guy rich some savings in the bank account than it would be for other people missing some or all of those privileges. "Try hard enough and you'll get what you want," is fair enough as advice but it ignores the people who try really, really hard but who have the deck stacked against them.

One of the pieces of advice is about not being afraid to go into the maze and look for new cheese. Don't be afraid to go out and look for new opportunities is easier advice to take if you have a safety net of savings to fall back on if it takes you a little while to find a new job, or if you have enough funds that you can move to a new city, or if you own the house you live in so you don't have to worry about being homeless if something goes wrong.

Most self-help or advice books are aimed at a specific audience. There is a particular group of people who will read them and find the advice useful, and that's perfectly normal. No advice is going to be appropriate to everyone's circumstance. I wouldn't have a problem with this book if the author accepted that fact and didn't try to promote the book as something perfect that everyone should read and that if you don't get anything out of it, well that's your fault because you're clearly too much like Hem and just don't want to change.

As I said at the beginning, if this book came without the aggrandising and the irritating framing narrative, I'd find it fine. I wouldn't love it, but I'd accept it as okay. As it is, I find it infuriating because it feels like the author is unaware that his experiences aren't universal and believes that everyone in the world who ever lived will have their life changed by his simplistic fairytale and mediocre business advice.

#book review #who moved my cheese

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foreverlogical · 1 year

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The fear of every person who reads too much sci-fi labor dystopia might be coming true: Robots could be replacing workers.

Last week,

Amazon extended hundreds of its recruiters' buyout opportunities in just one part of a very long, very trying cycle of layoffs expected from the shopping giant. And some of those jobs might have been lost to some new artificial intelligence technology the company has been experimenting with for a year, according to a confidential internal document viewed by Recode.

Amazon's AI technology — known internally as Automated Applicant Evaluation or AAE — works by predicting which job applicants have the highest potential of being successful in certain roles, and then fast-tracking them to an interview all without a human recruiter's oversight. According to Recode, it works by finding the middle part of a venn diagram between current Amazon employees and job applicants applying for similar jobs. Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Mashable.

If this sounds familiar, it's because it is. Amazon built AI hiring technology a decade ago, but it failed miserably by — you guessed it —discriminating against women.

Nathan Esquenazi wrote for Venture Beat that the problem with AI hiring technology in general — not just specifically at Amazon — is that it can enable biases. Esquenazi is the co-founder and chief technology officer of Code Path, "a nonprofit that seeks to create diversity in tech by transforming college computer science education for underrepresented minorities and underserved populations."

"Given how much AI-powered hiring tools impact the lives of the very people at greatest risk of bias, we owe it to them to proceed with this technology with extreme caution," Esquenazi wrote. "At best, it can lead to bad hiring decisions by companies that can ill afford the time and expense of refilling the positions. At worst, it can keep smart, talented people from getting high-paying jobs in high-demand fields, limiting not only their economic mobility but also their right to live happy, successful lives."

Amazon's new hiring AI might have solved those problems — the internal document acquired by Recode says the new AI is guarded against biases based on race and gender. And Amazon hasn't said directly that this AI will or will not be fully replacing the hundreds of laid-off recruiters.

This is an infamous weekend full of deals, bookended Black Friday and Cyber Monday and heralded by Amazon. If you plan on partaking in capitalism's favorite weekend, keep in mind that while this feels like a gift that keeps on giving, it certainly isn't for all the employees who just got laid off by Amazon.

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sandramili143 · 3 months

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Amazon flex job

JOB LINK

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recommendedtoelle · 2 years

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Budgeting

You Need a Budget

On payday, add paycheck into “To Be Budgeted”

Give every dollar a job: start with essentials like groceries and bills

For fun expenses like going out to eat, include these as part of your monthly budget; use a prepaid Visa like KOHO and transfer over your set amount each month

Open a High Yield Savings Account

Ally Bank

Capital One

Automate an amount to set aside for short term goals like travel or an upcoming downpayment

Automate your bills with the service company or your bank

Set aside an emergency fund

Automatic savings transfer

Zero-based budget

Debt avalanche

Pay the minimums on all of your debt except for the debt with the highest interest rate

Put extra $$ toward the highest interest rate debt

Refinance Debt to a 0% APR Credit Card

Make sure there aren’t annual or sign on fees

Make sure they allow balance transfers and find out the fee before applying (both the old and the new card)

Do the math to make sure the fees are worth it

Creating a Budget

Write down how much you make and how often you get paid, how much $$ in checking, how much in savings, and ow much debt you have

Write down fixed expenses: rent, utilities, internet, insurance, Spotify, Amazon prime, loans, etc.

List variable expenses: estimates of gas, food, groceries, fun, misc.

List sinking funds: car repairs, medical, holidays, technology

Zero-based budget: give every dollar a job

Add total variable and fixed expenses to get a monthly total and determine how much you have left for sinking funds

Staying Motivated to Pay Off Debt

Give yourself fun money

Use visual trackers

Make small, sustainable changes to your budget

Start a savings challenge

Money-Saving Apps

GetUpside (gas)

Investing

Roth IRA: low fee index funds, invest $300/mo starting at age 25

Tax Deductions

1098E: can deduct if you pay more than $600 in student loan interest per year

Income Streams

Profit income: side hustle

Investing: dividend income and capital gains

Royalty income (something you sold)

Earned income: full time job

Interest income

Side Hustle

Studypool

Goals

Save $500/mo or more for retirement

At least 10% of my paycheck goes to savings

50/30/20

50% for needs like rent and food

30% for wants

20% for debt repayments and savings

Retirement

Withdraw up to 4% of investments yearly to save enough for retirement

Annual expenses * 25 = amount needed for retirement

Accounts to Have

Bill payment account

Daily spending/allowances

High yield short term savings account

Long term savings

#budgeting

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scarefox · 2 years

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Bruh.... I am so annoyed right now!

3 weeks ago I started this student job at the post office, preparation and helping for customs. And it is the worst student job of all student jobs I have / had so far in this temporary work company with the lowest payment. I only agreed to it because it is a fixed job that wont dissapear from one week to another.

The people and coworker are nice but everything else is trash. Like literally and metaphorically.

I have to drive almost an hour early in the morning (+ annoying bus transportation after work as well, no aircon in the busses in this heat + no aircons at work either)

I have to give the porter my student ID as deposit in order to get a work ID and a locker key

it’s super dirty and dangerous work place, they do things where you would get fired at amazon for violating safety rules

I don’t get tools or gloves (have to lent it from coworkers or bring my own... as a poor student, I am just lucky that other companies gave me the stuff for free in order to work for THEM)

I start at 8am but efficiently we only start to work after 9am because everyone else in the early shift has their only break at 9am (wtf at the planning?? as a helper I am not allowed to / can’t do stuff alone)

did I mention how dirty it is?! you would think you work in a messy production factory when it’s only assembly belts and people transporting packages all day! The toilets look and smell like they get cleaned just once per month (they get cleaned daily but how do they still be like that then??), the canteen is not the cleanest but still okayish but recently I was in a different work area and that break room looks and smells like a bus stop at 3am in the worst part of town.... like literally never cleaned and full ash trays everywhere

my company didn’t sign me in this week for the post office so I was almost send back home at the porter, after calling back and forth I still was allowed to go to work (30 mins later tho... which I don’t get paid)

now I had issues with the payment as well: had to fill out work lists and get them signed by the boss lady... BUT NOBODY TOLD ME. This usually goes automatically over the work App but this post office is too old for this technology. So we tried to contact my company the past days to get those damn forms so we can fill them out in time so I still get those days paid for this month (otherwise it would go to the next month, but I need the money now I literally have to pay my uni this month?!), so I spend my only break yesterday with writing and checking mails with my company and the boss lady from the post office. We got it in the end, still hope it arrived on time at the payment office

and yesterday on my way back home I check my work app, just to see that they already assigned me ON THEIR OWN for Monday and Tuesday to work for the post office again next week. When I originally planned to just go on Tuesday from now on (because it sucks and I have other jobs where I earn more) BESIDES I already signed in for 3 jobs next week and only want to work 4 days atm since I worked 5-6 day weeks the past month! I wanted a bit of a break man!

so I messaged my company to remove the Monday again just for them to tell me that a) I have to work 2 days per week for the post office job and b) the post office boss lady told them that I agreed to work these two days?! I DID NOT?!?? See the point of this STUDENT temporary work company is, that it is flexible for US STUDENTS! We decide when we are able to work (because we still have to go to college / uni, write exams and stuff)...

so yeah this all happened over the past 3 weeks and them just deciding over my head now is the last straw! I told my company contact that, ok I will go the two days next week but after that I will quit this job and rather work other jobs. (I still have two others and applied now for a new one where I get 2€ more / h)

Oh, almost forgot. I also fucked up my left hand last week because of getting a heavy package (over 20kg) on it for a moment (had to lift it (no work gloves...) with another person but she released her side before I got it on the table properly on my side...). Didn’t think anything happened besides a little bruise but now my tendon of my finger is acting up. Don’t want to find out what more possible accidents I could get from working there longer.

#rant #student job #work #the audacity #+ the unnecessary gendering on their work list....#I really really can't have it when other people decide over me #it's one of my biggest problems in this work society

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gamebird · 2 years

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Job stuff

I got laid off last week and now I'm wrestling with big life questions:

Do I retire? Permanently? I'd be a little above the poverty line for the rest of my life, but: my house and car are paid for, I have no health care costs, I've paid the amount I intended to support my kids.

Do I return to work? I have an interview tomorrow and while it's a job that's likely well under what I could earn or will accept, if I keep applying for jobs, then I'm eventually going to get a good offer. When I get it, do I take it? This would dramatically increase my standard of living for after I do retire.

Do I seek a part-time type work commitment? Or some work arrangement that's mentally easier? I'd be paid less than I'm used to. I'm not sure if the increased free time is worth the lower income.

I have a friend recommending I use my contacts to be a sales rep for the companies I've dealt with over the last decade. They tell me it's an easy income if you have an established list of contacts. But it's a very social job. I've never done it before. I'm not sure how to go about it.

I have another friend recommending I look into being a broker on Amazon Fulfillment, and/or for overseas companies. Again - make money on the resell, run my own business, don't have to answer to anyone or produce a product. But I don't know how to do it or anyone to walk me through it.

And I'm also thinking about taking over my parent's company. They build houses. My dad has said he's only going to build 6 more and then retire. Is this something I could be taught to do? I don't need to sell very many to be set for life, since I'm most of the way there already. Maybe I could do it in partnership with my parents, riding off my dad's contacts, licenses, and expertise while I do all the legwork?

There's a lot to think about.

#mundane

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careeralley · 14 days

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CV Creation: Essential Do's and Don'ts for a Winning CV

Investing time in creating a well-crafted CV can significantly boost your employability, whether you're applying for high-profile jobs or fresh out of university. A clear and concise CV that highlights your achievements and professional identity is crucial in landing your dream job. Here are some essential do’s and don’ts to keep in mind while creating your CV. Overview - Do Customize Your CV: Tailor your CV to the job description to highlight relevant skills and experiences. This shows employers that you're attentive and seriously interested in the position. - Do Use Active Verbs: Energize your CV with action verbs like "achieved", "managed", and "created" to convey your accomplishments effectively and forcefully. - Do Include Quantifiable Achievements: Where possible, add numbers to your achievements. For example, "increased sales by 20%" is more impactful than "responsible for increasing sales". - Do Keep It Concise: Limit your CV to two pages at most. A concise CV shows that you can prioritize information and that you respect the hiring manager’s time. - Do Proofread: Spelling or grammatical errors can make a bad impression. Use tools like Grammarly, or get someone else to proofread your CV before submission. TopCV | Best CV Writing Service | Professional CV Writers 3 out of 4 CVs never get seen.Employers get hundreds of applications, and most get filtered out before they ever see them. Upload your CV to get through the filters. Get My Free CV Review TopCV is our trusted partner. If you make a purchase, we may earn a commission (at no additional cost to you). - Don't Use a Generic CV: Avoid sending the same CV to multiple employers. A generic CV can make you come off as uninterested and lazy. - Don't Include Irrelevant Information: Do not clutter your CV with information not relevant to the job. This dilutes your key messages and wastes valuable space. - Don't Lie About Your Skills or Experiences: Honesty is crucial in your CV. False information can be easily verified by employers and can lead to job dismissal if discovered. - Don't Use an Unprofessional Email Address: If your email address is unprofessional, create a new one for job applications. An email address like [email protected] makes a better impression. - Don't Forget to Include Keywords: Many companies use software to screen CVs. Make sure to include keywords from the job description to ensure your CV passes the initial screenings. Resume Keywords Decoded & Demystified $7.99 Learn how to find and select resume keywords for your specific area of expertise with targeted tips and techniques. Master the “what-to-do” and “how-to-do-it” for your resume keyword needs. With step-by-step examples and an Internet browser, anyone can identify and collect their own resume keywords. View on Amazon We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. 04/15/2024 08:26 am GMT Do’s Keep Things Simple A well-designed CV is crucial in making a positive impression on potential employers. The design and layout of your CV should be simple and focused, making it easy for the reader to navigate through the document. Avoid using fancy fonts or incorporating images that may not appear correctly when printed or viewed on a different device. The key is to keep it clean, professional, and relevant to the job you are applying for. Be selective with the information you include in your CV and eliminate anything that is not essential to the job or industry you are targeting. This might involve trimming old or irrelevant work experiences, part-time or temporary jobs, and irrelevant hobbies or interests. Focus on highlighting the achievements and experiences that are relevant to the job and company you are applying for. Don't forget to tailor your CV for each job application and highlight the skills and experience that are specifically mentioned in the job posting. A well-crafted CV can be the difference between getting your foot in the door and missing out on an opportunity. Our Pick 2500 Keywords to Get You Hired $25.00 $11.98 The most comprehensive reference of its kind, this powerful resume-writing resource gives readers instant access to 2,500 indispensable keywords germane to 300 careers in nine employment categories Buy on Amazon.com Buy on Walmart.com We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. 04/15/2024 08:06 am GMT Explain Skills Gained From Particular Jobs Ideally, when listing a job or training course, it's beneficial to include notes on the skills and experiences acquired during their completion. Additionally, it's essential to explain your responsibilities in these roles, as well as any gained experience in using specific software or receiving in-job training. Want to create a CV that catches employers' attention? Check out our latest blog post on the Top 6 Do's & Don'ts for CV Success! #CVTips #JobSearch #CareerAdviceClick To Tweet Tailor to Specific Jobs To increase your chances of landing a job, it's crucial to understand what to highlight in your CV based on the job you're applying for. For instance, when applying for a charity job, it's beneficial to elaborate on your voluntary experience and skills that can be applied to a professional role. Additionally, you should be able to adapt your past job experiences to showcase how they are transferable to the new position. Don’ts Avoid Spelling and Grammar Errors A few errors in presentation and style will ultimately lead to someone dropping your CV in favor of another, despite your qualifications. This problem can be avoided through proofreading, and by making sure that you always have enough time before a submission date to get someone else to read through your work. Use spellcheck and tools such as Grammarly to ensure all errors are captured and corrected. Leverage your friends and family to check your CV and give suggestions. The Resume.Com Guide to Writing Unbeatable Resumes $28.00 $20.61 Learn More We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. 04/16/2024 05:41 pm GMT Distort Jobs Don’t make it out that you had more responsibilities, or gained more skills, in certain jobs. The truth will eventually catch up with you and will lead to problems with employers. In the same way, don’t distort your qualifications, even if it’s only by a grade or so. Again, the punishment by an employer can be severe. Skip Important Information It's crucial to include any relevant information in your CV, especially if it's on the lighter side. As long as you can explain the significance of the experience or accomplishment and how it can benefit a new job, it can significantly enhance your CV's overall impression. How to Write Killer Cover Letters & Resumes $9.99 Stand out from all the rest by crafting letters and resumes that will blow people away. This career reference guide provides a simple, compelling and foolproof way to create both cover letters and resumes that are uniquely powerful and, most importantly, virtually guarantees you the high value job interviews and career you really want. Buy on Amazon.com Buy on Walmart.com We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. 04/17/2024 02:51 am GMT Read the full article

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theorist-influencer-untitled · 2 months

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2.29.24 Thursday

10:38 am

Nana went out with Uncle DD and Aunt Karen for the papers update for something...

I still have windblow....Be religious and be fair...

Hoping that Uncle DD will give me money for me to be able to apply and I still need to buy "Ginger Oil"....I'm almost out of fundings coz I shouldered our food and I paid our gasul yesterday it was on cash and it was from my own pocket... Like what I posted my salary is not big and only the gasul or gas or FIRE that I can shoulder here coz I have vanity and my son-dog.

10:45 am

I received my bugs or dust mite spray, I hope this is effective... I need the vacuum as well for mites and bugs and I need to get a job again...

11:06 am

I don't like them here except for my nana and John....

I'm not gonna be a supporter for life....I"m thinking a different penis...

Even Aunt Karen I don't want her to go up.... I'm not a supporter for them since 2007!

I don't want anybody to go up except my turn... It should be my turn to go up....I have windblow... It will be my turn to go up...

11:17 am

I'm not gonna be a supporter of Aunt Karen and she will tell me how cheap I'am....They had their 15k pesoses parlour only for their heads...

2:54 pm

I still have windblow....I feel bitterish....

If you can read this Mitch, I didn't say anything that can flatten your image as you... I miss you and it is just weird, I have the windblow... I just wanna know if she gave me a "simple battery"???

Uncle DD and Aunt Karen are here now with Nana.... They just brought us a 4 Kimchi's, 1 left over chicken and I think 1 left over pancit from Chowking.

3:01 pm

I just watched Zach Sang Show interviewed Ariana Grande then I saw Poppy again, I remember her songs...

Is someone becoming Poppy??? I hate it I'm blown up for nothing... I posted my Poppy look from the previous years... Now, I'm becoming so ugly and fat...

I also wonder if Zach married Poppy? They look good together...

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3:30 pm

I just saw Zach and Poppy again...

The cute "money' song of Poppy... This afternoon looking for "Sugar Daddy"...

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3:40 pm

Times out!!! I feel bitterish...

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3:46 pm

Missing in action... Daddy-Bf... You never passed my way... You just passed me by???

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5:51 pm

I still have windblow....I feel fat and I literally gained and what a bullshit life... They just control me since 2007, they can't return the life that I deserve coz someone just gave that "simple battery" since 2007!

I can't afford to have a nose perfection and they can't pay for my lasers or to remove my deep smile lines. They planned to make me ugly and they can't pay for my beauty for my vanity they just took my 17 years,for nothing...

I literally gained hoping for some positive career in call center to save for my nose perfection, botox andf for gluta and travels. I will be 43 this October and I wanna look 18 again but of course it needs some technology. If I can just kill them coz they just made me older and ugly for nothing. They are heartless for doing this on me!

Someone is just observing me since 2007,copy me and learned my behaviour but never actually wanted me to be part of them.So, plastics!!!

I hate being called ugly or fat and short... I feel bitter... Tomorrow will go to Amazon,Eperfomax and Teleperformance.

6:12 pm

I'm having depression coz of money,angels... I feel ugly and I'm not progressing for 17 years...

7:50 pm

I'm really just wondering.... My mind is splitting... If the Concentrix here in Cavite is able to give a Manila Rate though I wanted to be Manila girl, I still need to save money...

But it is so good to be in Manila... I feel bitterish... I feel bitterish... I feel fat and ugly...

Uncle DD is not yet feeding Neko... I don't know they are just inside their house... I told him to give me a 1000 for me to use it to apply....But I can't let Neko be hungry,I pity her so much coz if I'm not around,probably Neko is already dead. I have heart,angels...

I feel bitter... The reality is unfair to me...They just wanted to be a supporter. I feel that I'm lower... I hate being lower....

Like we are really having financial tight budgeting. If Mitch became famous somewhere it is so unfair... Who gave me that "simple battery" since 2007???

I feel that someone is copying or interfering or just wanna observe me , once they copied me they will remove me... I feel that way...

7:57 am

My first thing to do on my list to do by tomorrow, Amazon then Teleperformance if not successful Eperformax if not succesful will re-apply to Concentrix. It is all about thickening your face and let them know that I can do the job and I can speak English...

I feel bad, I'm no longer a pretty woman....Time that I could be a pretty woman those fucking higher didn't get me. I don't wanna get a lower coz I have this attititude that I'm gonna tell that I'm supposed to be higher but I have a bad situation now unless I like you or I can use you on something...

Be responsible though I wanted you out of my hair! You know yourself.... I just can't fall right away...I'm gonna tell I'm supposed to be higher than you...

Though, I'm fat,I can't just fall right away... I still wanna know why and who is he???

I don't feel pretty anymore... Though, I dream to be a pretty woman and I was able to be skinny and appeared almost perfect on my physical aspect...Now,I have bugs bite... I have blemish on my butt...

I still dream of someone stronger, someone wealthy, someone genuine.. My knight and shining armour! Who can return me as Barbie! But who is he?? I need to know and he needs to know me!

I feel bad,I know I could be pretty woman now, I lost my self-esteem, I gained literally... I'm having depression coz of not having a consistency on my job and being a bummer again...I'm splitting but I have to manage!

8:46 pm

I'm a rebel and bitterish!

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9:28 pm

I feel bitterish...I still have windblow... I literally gained, I feel like rebelling and I feel bullshit at the same time...

Anyways, Uncle DD went out already with Aunt Karen and he told me he will just give me money tomorrow...

I feel really ugly....I feel bullshit, I can't accept that I'm becoming alone and I feel a wrong timing. I wanna do a laser lipo....I feel bad....I need a job at the same time... It is just dream in my head that how I wish I can do my gluta,I can do my botox and I can perfect my nose....What about my timeline as a woman? My own future... They just took it away from me WITHOUT CAREFUL ACT OR WITHOUT CAREFUL PLAN FOR ME.

My giving birth, I feel jealous,I didn't glow on a rightful place... They didn't give me a chance.

I also want to be known as as woman who can be lifted up... I hate men who are making me a supporter.

9:48 pm

I can't start my diet... I feel like grrr... I'm thinking of my job...I wanted to have my own house... I feel self-pity....I feel super ugly...

I need money... I wanna travel plus I can't go back to my dentist even to my derma...

9:58 pm

I literally ( My fucking finger ) fuck you whoever you are!!! A month ago, 2 months ago, the night I saw Black Daddy American, I was not fat on my tummy then after awhile I literally suddenly gained even having these bugs bite on me...

Someone put a curse on me, after I got my suspension letter and it became my ending...

Anyways, this is "Pretty Woman" yeah! yeah! She is tall but a pretty woman can be shorty as well as long as she is fit and well-fixed physically.

JULIA ROBERTS & RICHARD GEAR???

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11:11 pm

The truth is both of my uncle didn't care at all if I still have my toiletries, coz my skin is kinda sensitive...

I badly need to get a job right,away angels! I need money....

#Youtube

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