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#why can’t we at this day and age just sell products by showing consumers what your product is
stealingyourbones · 4 months
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I’m real tired of seeing thinly veiled fetish filled mobile app ads on every single website.
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girl4music · 2 months
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I thoroughly believe that the main 2 issues plaguing the TV art/entertainment industry today are representation anxiety and cancellation anxiety.
Representation anxiety is the reason why the quality of the storytelling is suffering.
Cancellation anxiety is the reason why the quality of the production is suffering.
ANXIETY is what is ruining TV show storytelling and producing in general. If people were less anxious about the way the story in a show should or has to go, there would be more focus on what actually matters.
There are so many storytelling and production issues in a show because people are not focussing on the overall experience when creating/watching a TV show. Showrunners/creators are not focussing on it because they’re too anxious about providing the “correct” or “best” or “most palatable” representation because if they don’t provide it, their show will just get cancelled.
Honestly imagine the extreme anxiety a showrunner/creator would feel in this day and age of showmaking.
It is a never-ending loop for them of “I must provide the representation that appeases both the audience and the network alike” and then “if I don’t do this as soon as possible, my show will be cancelled and everybody that depends on me will lose their jobs”.
Show disappoints the network, gets cancelled - which in turn disappoints the audience, stops them from watching anything else like it in case it happens to them again - which then makes the network misjudge it as “this kind of content must not be engaging enough for consumers to invest themselves in” but they throw it out for consumption anyway because quantity over quality even though they’re ultimately going to axe it regardless because “it doesn’t sell.”
And then the whole thing happens all over again. 😩
Sounds to me like they should just have better communication with the showrunners/creators and more faith and trust in what they’re able to deliver.
And maybe once in a while CONSULT THE AUDIENCE themselves. Make them apart of the conversation more than with just the standard lazy feedback questionnaires. I’m pretty fucking sure were a BIG WIG network executive to actually take the time out of their oh so busy work week to talk to us about what it is we want and what we don’t - things would be better for all sides. For the networks, the showrunners/creators+team, and for the customers/consumers.
At the end of the day the people I really feel sorry for regarding this is not us. It’s the showrunners/creators.
I feel so sorry for the producers, writers and directors because I know they’re all running rings around themselves trying to please every fucking body and every complaint from either side goes right to them.
They’re the mimimim wage staff at your favourite restaurant where customers and employers alike yell at them over something they’re personally pissed about but they can’t do anything about it other than offer their sympathies and provide other alternatives.
You think we have it rough as the viewers.
The network thinks they have it rough.
No.
Who has it rough are the showrunners/creators.
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life-rewritten · 4 years
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DISMAYS VS RELIEFS AKA REVIEW/RANTS OF BL IN SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER
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It's been an interesting experience this past few months. BL came back in full force, took mostly all days in the week and you know what? It surprised the hell out of me. Mostly because I was moving back and forth from the decision of whether to stop watching or to wait and trust something extraordinary would happen like last year. And then October/November happened before I knew it I was falling again for some storylines, I was excited again to analyse and talk about these shows, and also I was incredibly grateful for some of the messages I received from these shows, they educated me, humbled me and even pushed me to my own version of self-acceptance, learning and love. So there are some disappointments with some of the shows mentioned here, but overall I'm grateful we got to see these shows and wait for them every week to air. This is the first part of this list because in another two weeks I have more shows ending. December is shaking!
Ratings: From 1 to 5 (1 being least excited to watch, 5 being most,) how excited am I to delve into these shows?
DISMAYS
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1. MY GEAR AND MY GOWN
Genre/Themes: Romance, Melodrama, Angst, Drama, Friendship, Unrequited Love, Family
Country: Thailand
Verdict:
 Um, this show. I've been through a lot with this show, I've been angry, frustrated, tired, annoyed but weirdly I love this show, by the end of the finale, this show left me with warmth and this energy of bliss and joy. I realised that the reason why I was so harsh to this show was because of the potential I saw when I first saw the first episode. I fell in love because I could tell it was symbolic, it was deep, and it also had interesting devices used to tell the plot. Who knew that the pacing and directing of this show would nearly leave me mad and furious because it could have been better. This is all on the director, and sometimes the actors, they weren't expressive enough, they weren't emotional enough, and they didn't entirely sell me on what they were meant to be feeling. Sometimes it felt awkward and stiff and unbelievable, and at those times, I felt disappointed and bored. But the characters of this show and especially some actors (FIAT and JJ) really stole my heart without me wanting them to. I fell in love with the couples, I loved analysing them and feeling their angst and understanding their character dynamics. I lived for their friendship and enjoyed watching how it all came together. Even some of the romantic scenes made me swoon and excited, and I was just so happy to watch these couples choose each other.
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I also think the relationship dynamics, whilst sometimes annoying, was actually sweet and wholesome. Itt and Pai's love is so cute and memorable, and I understood why they wanted each other, they both helped each other so much, and I thought it was beautiful. Pure and Folk; everything, no words, they were incredible despite rushed and late, I enjoyed watching their love on my screen, and it left me so disappointed that we could have had more if the pacing was done right. Either way, despite the rants and criticisms this show was a gem to me, one of my favourites just because of the couple dynamics. I will miss it, and I will miss analysing it. But please NEW sort your self out, and stop with the slow pace directing; you're killing your shows, (just my opinion) but you're making me dread the shows I've been so excited for in 2021, and I really pray you won't ruin them. Nough said. 
Ratings:3.8/5 I can't rate it higher, but I do think it deserves credit, this show is very underrated as much as it annoyed me it's actually a decent show, it's very educational sometimes. It also has character development and growth. The romances are sweet and definitely should be paid attention to.
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2. A CHANCE TO LOVE/ LOVE BY CHANCE SEASON 2
Genre/Themes: Comedy, Romance,  Drama, Friendship, Rich, poor dynamic, 
Country: Thailand
Verdict:
MGAYG was not the only show that New produced/ directed. There was this atrocity. No offence to everyone who loved this show, I love TinCan, I like most of the couples of the show, I didn't even complain when the show was rebooted, I didn't complain when there was not enough plot for the side couples for the first 8 episodes. But what annoys the hell out of me with this show is the lazy writing. I am so disappointed with this show, I realised that by the finale I was just tired and I was only watching it for some actors not even characters ( I was watching it to see a glimpse of Meen and Est), and it really made me sad. Because I started off with this show a bundle of joy, to see Tin and Can fall in love with each other again, I ignored when the haters said it was boring, awkward or stiff. I even accepted the massive amounts of product placement that was placed lazily and annoyingly. I was ready to forgive everything with this show. But I ended up feeling slighted, not me the actors should feel slighted, Cooheart, Mark Siwat, Gun, Title, Meen, Est should feel slighted by this show because this show wasted their potentials and only showed them for minutes in the whole 12 hours that this show aired for. I am so angry at the writer because she was lazy. She had clocked out when it came to this script (Though I don't blame her when everyone kept on sending her threats to how she told the previous story, she silenced her own creative ideas and muted everything, hence why Kengla and Techno's story was destroyed and became lazy and not needed and confusing, and Tum and Tar and Keen made no sense). Mame had given up on this show long before it aired. 
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But as much as I am disappointed at her for doing so, I also have to take this back to New, he's the person again who ruined this show with his pacing and directing. I love New, but this year it wasn't it, he is the main flaw in both his shows, he doesn't know when to pace things properly, he rushes plots at the end, and he doesn't give enough time to side couples for them to make sense. He did well in season 1 I think, but this season was atrocious. I am heavily disappointed, and I want to forget this show exists. I do have to give credit to Mean because I think he carried the show, I think Plan was cute but he was uncomfortable, and he ruined a lot of moments for me despite how much I love his chemistry with Mean. So yeh LBC was a disappointment, but it still holds a special place in my heart because I did care about the cast (maybe not as much anymore because of their homophobia) but LBC was one of my first loved BLs to see such a disappointing follow up is just heartbreaking. 
Ratings:2.9/5 I couldn't bring my self to rate it even a three because I genuinely don't want to rewatch or think about this show again that's a pity because I genuinely love TinCan and MeenEst. But hey ho, c'est la vie. 
RELIEFS
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Gaya Sa Pelikula
Genre/Themes: Romance, Drama, Comedy, Angst, LGBTQ+ Education, Contract relationship, Haters to lovers
Country: Philippines 
Verdict:  We finally reached the end. And the way I didn't want this show to end, is just too much. I completed this show on the floor sobbing, clenching my heart and just reflecting and thinking about everything. One I was in shock, wasn't expecting something like this when I first watched this show. I had a lot of doubts despite the sneaky light in my heart from the comedy and energy and charisma from the show. I fell. Hard. For everything. Before I knew it, Fridays meant everything to me, if I could get to keep watching this show, it made laugh, smile, cry, weep, and it made me think and learn. It's weird how a show can mean so much to people, this show wasn't for me, it was a love letter to the LGBTQ+ community, a beautiful one, and with everybody's reaction, I think I can say for all of us, that this show was a masterpiece. It had everything, a plot that was so deep, interesting and unique, characters that felt real, understandable and relatable, lessons that made everyone think and question how they acted, how they viewed things, what we say, how we consider our selves, what is our story that we want to tell to the world?
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 It's just incredible, not only that this show had terrific production, directing, acting and music that will stick with me for a long time. The music was perfectly used, perfectly mixed in, and it touched everyone's heart. This show left me feeling healed, it was weird, I don't know how to relate to the struggles of Internalised homophobia, but I get anxiety, I get feeling like you're not the main character in your story, I get feeling like your life was already planned out and your dreams don't matter, I get hiding and running away from the world and finding a place to stay in your head and find peace and I get feeling overlooked and misunderstood. Overall I get the fight for self healing, acceptance and love. And Vlad and Karl went through that, and it was so beautiful to see them grow and become what they wanted to be, even if they couldn't be together because of that. Everything including the side characters in this show meant something, each had their own story, flaws and importance for why they were there, and I loved it. Words can't explain how good this show is, and the fact that no one came into it,  knowing anything is just such inspirational and hopeful thing, out there, there are content and stories to consume that can teach and affect you and make you want to do something with your own. And Gaya Sa pelikula was one of those for me. I don't wanna say Goodbye, and hopefully, we get to see them again soon. 
Ratings: 5/5 I would give this more than 5 if I could. That's how much this show means to me. 
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4. I TOLD SUNSET ABOUT YOU/ TRANSLATE MY LOVE WITH YOUR HEART
Genre/Themes: Romance, Melodrama, Coming of Age, Angst, Drama, Childhood friendship
Country: Thailand
Verdict: Wow. All I can say is wow. I find my self not able to talk about this show, because like what else can I say that everyone hasn't said. It's outstanding. No words. I think this show was just out of nowhere, I mean probably not; because it was a Nadao production but still, for a BL? Out of nowhere. The effort, the acting, the music, the production, the themes and the way it was all so perfectly told? It was a journey, I ended up at times also on the floor sobbing, shouting and just like feeling so single. Haha. But really this show is ridiculously good, it's like something that can't be fully explained, it's still a shock to me (and I really need to start believing in potentials of BLs more), it is, I'm just thankful I guess, for the 5 hours spent with this show, the number of essays derived from this show, the way Teh and Oh snuck in my heart and refused to leave. I think we all want a love like Teh and Oh, someone who completely takes your breath away, is selfless for you and is your number one supporter and fan. Someone who the room spins around for and your world only focuses on, someone who makes you brave.
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And I think Teh and Oh found that with each other, and it was beautiful to witness, it was heartbreaking as well to see them struggle with it, it was also peaceful to reach the end and see them safe and secure with each other. ITSAY was everything, it also means a lot to me because the writing and directing are effortless, it's inspiring and beautiful to see how it came about, its so fulfilling to see how much effort went into this production. And I can't wait to see how Part 2 unfolds next year. I will say that with all the angst and longing, the ending did feel unsatisfactory because I just felt that all the tension and emotion invested just became really tame at the end, all the angst just fell apart so rapidly, and it felt weird that it ended in a hug? But with all the theories about sad endings and the other directions the writer could have gone with I'm happy it was a happy ending, and I'm delighted our boys reunited and became each other's most immense success/happiness. 
Ratings: 4.5/5  Yeh I want to give it a 5/5 but the ending like I said felt a little bit empty for me, I didn't feel satisfied or like complete but that's because there's a part 2 coming. Still is the best Thai BL ever created. And it deserves all the praise.
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November was a ride, I think I've cried so much during these past weeks, but honestly, I'm so glad BLs are just improving and putting more effort in, BLs are no longer just for fujoshis to consume. Still, now they represent and educate about LGBTQ+ experiences, they feel relatable and understandable. They're not as toxic as before. We're getting healthier relationships, we're getting depth and unique plots, we're getting happy endings as well. It's very lovely to see the growth, and I can't wait to see what December brings or next year. I'm just so proud of these actors, I'm proud of actors who actually respect this genre and understands why people like it, for me I really enjoy learning about things I never thought or experienced, it humbles me, and it inspires me so much. I'm grateful for these shows. Hopefully, there's many more like ITSAY and GSP to come. Please. 
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tundrainafrica · 4 years
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Title: A Rough Day
Summary: It should have been apparent to Hange by the weight gain and the sudden lack of red days. Somehow, Levi noticed it first.
Link to cross-postings: AO3 
Notes:  Thought about this idea because of the headcanon from @faerielleart‘s blog and had to get it written out. Just some fluff and domestication for our favorite pairing.
It felt like the war against Marley happened centuries ago.
Levi was sure though that it had only been two years since they had signed the peace treaty with Marley ending the war and the reign of the titans. He was present in the signing of the treaty after all.  
With the fall of the titans, the survey corps was declared redundant. The military shifted to defence against possible invasions by humans. There was no need for Paradis to rely on the soldier dubbed humanity’s strongest. Having seen enough war, bloodshed and loss to last a lifetime, Levi eventually decided to shift his focus towards more mundane things like entrepreneurship, marriage and maybe a family.
The only person he could have ever wanted to spend his whole life with had other dreams. The end of the war had opened up a new age for technological advancement and trade and the person heading it all was the former survey commander, Hange Zoe. The mad scientist could finally channel her genius and enthusiasm towards a new type of research to improve the lives of the people in Paradis.
Somehow, they managed to make it work.
There was no wedding, flowers, invitation or cake. There was just an unspoken agreement between them. They had originally lived in the same barracks and with the dissolution of the survey corps, it felt almost natural  to move to a small flat near the center of Paradis, of what used to be Wall Sina. Their daily life together began soon after they settled in. Hange was gone by 5am and back in their flat by 9pm all week. Levi found happiness in keeping the house clean, cooking and catching up on all the sleep he had lost the past forty years of his life. When he ran out of tasks to do in the house, he found himself doing research on different types of tea as knew shipments came in from different parts of the world and experimenting on different mixes in the kitchen.
The two were following their own dreams and had pursued different things and this left little to no time for Levi and Hange to process the relationship between them. They were both the only survivors of more than a decade of fighting what seemed like a hopeless war. That history was enough to forge an unbreakable bond between the two. When they were together, they made the most of it.  Nights together were intimate. Weekends together were comfortable. It was as if Levi and Hange were making up for all the comfort and happiness that they were deprived of the past decade.
The domestic lifestyle they have built together had also made Levi more familiar with the workings of a woman’s body. Levi grew up with his mother and was aware that women bled once a month. It was not something he occupied himself with in the barracks since it was the responsibility of the women to keep themselves clean. With Hange gone for 12 to 16 hours a day, it suddenly became Levi’s responsibility to clean blood off sheets and clothes on top of cleaning the house. The blood took hours to scrub off, even with the new chemicals and products coming into Paradis, it became the bane of Levi’s clean freak existence. That was until it stopped. Levi didn’t think too much of it at first. It meant one less job for him and Hange probably had a good explanation for it right?
A few months passed and Levi started to notice that Hange was getting chubbier. She was notably eating more, waking up later than she used to and coming home earlier. Levi didn’t complain. They were all welcome developments. It meant more time for the two of them and less blood to clean up.
“Sometimes, I just feel sick. Maybe I’m just working too hard.” Hange replied groggily when Levi prodded on these recent changes in their everyday schedule.
Levi raised one eyebrow. “Okay. Just don’t overwork yourself.” Like all days, Hange left for work while Levi went about his own chores for the day.
Those days, Levi found himself more invested as usual in his tea mixings. The diplomatic agreements gave rise to more and more new types of tea leaves and Levi was starting to get more creative and ambitious. He started to boil this new import called coffee beans with different types of tea leaves. The flowery aroma of some teas definitely did not mix with the bitterness of the coffee and as soon as Levi tasted them, he ended up setting them aside in the rejection pile.  
The price of the tea leaves and coffee beans though and the trauma of having to deal with the scarcity of this commodity years ago forever stuck to Levi though and the latter ended up lining them up on the kitchen table trying to find a way to consume while at the same time enjoy his failed concoctions.
Levi only had a few seconds to ponder the fate of the failed concoctions before Hange came in.
Maybe we could just eat out.  Levi remembered that he hadn’t prepared anything for dinner.
“Ahhh. Thank god you made some tea. Today was exhausting. I’ve been telling them to test that new contraption before...” Hange trailed off as she consumed the three cups of tea Levi had deemed failures in the leaf and bean mixing process. Her face quickly changed from pure exhaustion to excitement. “These are amazing Levi! Will you be selling these? Can you make more tomorrow?”
Levi stood frozen for a second, too surprised at how quickly Hange had consumed all three cups in front of them. “Sure.” He managed a nod as he gathered the three cups from the table and brought them to the sink. “About dinner…” Levi looked back only to find that Hange had retired to the bedroom. He at least had some time to wash the cups and cook dinner.
By the time he did cook dinner and call Hange from the room, the latter was dead asleep, sprawled all over the bed with no space for Levi to comfortably slip in. She was sleeping belly up and Levi only noticed that her belly was starting to form a small hill. She couldn’t be… Levi carefully placed his hand on her belly, only to be grabbed violently by the wrist.
“What the fuck Levi! I’m trying to sleep.” She pushed his wrist away and rolled to the side, her back facing him, falling asleep again almost instantly.
Levi held his aching wrist and walked back to the kitchen to clean out the rest of the tea cups he used in his mixing experiments, a little shaken by Hange’s reaction to his prodding. Maybe she just had a rough day.
                                            Rough Day    
Two months passed with no red days and a constantly drowsy and cranky Hange and Levi was sure that type of weight gain was not natural. All the weight had concentrated towards Hange’s belly and she was starting to have trouble walking.
“I really should watch what I’m eating. I’ve just been eating away my stress the past few weeks and people have been making fun of my weight gain, telling me to see a doctor. They’re even fucking asking me how many months in I am! I know I’ve been eating a lot but I’m really trying. Besides, I don’t even think we should be making jokes when we have to deal with the fact the port extension has to be opened next month to make way for new deliveries…”
Levi rested his chin on his hand and tuned out the fifth rant of Hange that week. He was 90% sure his theory was correct but Hange had not given him any opening to discuss it the past two months. How does he bring that up without pissing her off? More importantly, how the fuck does she not notice?
“Maybe you should take a break then?” Levi suggested half heartedly.
“What? Why? With so many things happening next month…. You can't expect me to…"
Levi once again tuned Hange out and focused instead on her belly. Hange was still trying to squeeze into her pants like she was fifteen pounds lighter and Levi was starting to worry about both of their bodies. "Maybe you should see a doctor?"
"Are you even listening to me? I was asking for your opinion on the new military gear!"
"So what I'm getting here is you don't have the time to see a doctor?"
                                             Rough Day
Levi took matters into his own hands.
His first stop was the doctor's office. He knew he couldn't bring Hange in for a consult but all he wanted was to at least confirm his suspicions. The doctor only had to explain the lack of red days for Levi to be completely sure that the four he had gotten from the two on two he had put together was the correct answer. The crankiness, the fatigue and the morning sickness were only secondary evidence to the lack of red days and the apparent weight gain.
"So she shouldn't be working anymore should she."
"I would recommend she takes a leave for the next 6 months at least."
Levi thought for a second. "Why don't you get that in writing…"
The next few steps after that were easy. Hange may be in a high position in Paradise but Levi still had contact with one of the few people who could make sure Hange didn't show up for work. The child-loving, good-natured Queen Historia did not need any more convincing.
"Oh, I guess it looks like you're trapped at home then. Maybe you should spend the next six months resting." Levi said, feigning surprise at the letter from the queen he himself brought home.
"Indefinite leave for the next six months? What the fuck Levi you can't expect me to just sit around? Why the hell would you do this? And work today was so eventful… I was excited to test out the new cargo carrier…"
"Other people can take over the work."
"But can they really oversee everything. There's a lot going on and this is a really important time… I don't have the time to be sitting around."
"Maybe if you just---"
Hange grabs the envelope from Levi's hand and scans through it. " Wait Levi what the fuck. This wasn't sent here there's no return address. YOU filed for my leave?"
Levi shrugged. "What if they just gave it to me to give to you?"
"All official documents have to be coursed through me Levi. How the fuck could you do this. There's so much to be done. Just thinking about everything which is gonna be waiting for me after 6 months. What if the others don't handle the work right? What if they mishandle the new carrier and we lose thousands worth of products? Are you considering this?" Hange roughly grabbed the letter from Levi, almost tearing it in the process. "I'm appealing this."
"You must be shitting me Hange. You really don't get it do you?"
"The office should still be open." Hange said, not looking back.
It has been years since Levi's last military training but he was relieved to know he still had the agility to outrun an angry (but pregnant) Hange to the door. He locked the door behind him from the inside. "You're not getting out of here shitty glasses."
"You don't let me out and I swear I'm gonna break down the door while you're sleeping."
"Then I won't sleep."
"I'll break out through the windows then!"  
Levi rushed to grab Hange from behind as soon as she turned her back. He was careful not to squeeze her swollen belly  "If this were any other day, I probably would have let you get away with whatever bullshit you wanna do but I'm not letting you jeopardize what could be our future child shitty four eyes"
"You're not making any good arguments here!" Hange continued to struggle. "Stop holding me back!" In frustration, Hange shifted her weight towards her back, utilizing her size advantage to push the smaller man behind her.
Levi fell to the floor and let out a grunt of pain. "How dense can you fucking be? You're six months pregnant you dumb shit."
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241086 · 3 years
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Brand Names Are All That Matters ?? 🤷🏻‍♀️
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Why don't we mind to Pay through your nose to buy a lemon. I mean why do we spend a lot of money to buy something not so worthy.?
In today’s day and age there are brands for everything imaginable. We are obsessed with the brands around us. We can’t live without them and even judge others by the brands they use. We eat branded foods, wear branded clothes and even pee in branded commodes. What is it that makes this infatuation with brands a reality? What makes a person choose a known brand over an unknown product?
Branding, by definition, is a marketing practice in which a company creates a name, symbol or design that is easily identifiable as belonging to the company.
Why Is Branding Important?
Branding is absolutely critical to a business because of the overall impact it makes on the company.
The logo is the most important element of branding, it is essentially the face of the company. And to get this across......! we get calendars and purses from jewellery shops etc (remember) they are actually Printed promotional products. 😉
Branding Not just Generates New Customers but also Improves Employee Pride And Satisfaction
When an employee works for a strongly branded company and truly stands behind the brand, they will be more satisfied with their job and have a higher degree of pride in the work that they do.
Authenticity Matters
There’s a reason why people decide not to fake up a Rolex but decide to pay a full-price for an authentic one (even if the fake one looks identical).
Are Higher-Priced Goods Really of Higher Quality?
One possible explanation for this is the human tendency to overemphasize the positive elements of a product and ignore its disadvantages. For example, in the case of Apple Inc. consumers wait overnight for new releases of iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers. Despite the fact that Apple products are not technologically unique or superior... remember this meme
Apple can even sell a cucumber 🥒 and make people fork out dollars.
In fact, Samsung makes phones with better features (compared to most models of the iPhone), nevertheless, Apple experiences a high degree of brand loyalty and seems to break sales records year after year.
Because some people perceive non-luxury goods as inferior. They also come to the irrational conclusion that higher priced goods are of better quality.
The youth in India today are willing to spend on the maintenance of a lavish lifestyle. They want to go for brands- in terms of clothes, shoes, perfumes, eatables, accessories, gadgets and even lingerie.
While a high-quality, durable handbag can be purchased for around rs.1000, some people opt instead to spend thousands of rupees on a luxury-brand handbag that performs the same function and is of the same relative quality.
example : A Louis Vuitton bag (trust me most of them don't know to pronounce the name correctly... looooois Vittooonnn is what they pronounce) ... Ehhh Who cares !! ** (will show some brand names and give their right pronunciation)**
And women are ready to burn money on cosmetics... a fenty beauty lipstick or Hudabeauty matte wear, bobbi brown foundation, urban decay's eye shadows or Antastasia beverley hills brow pencils.. just the names are enough to make women go bananas over and spend a fortune. 💵
Perhaps.... your brought up matters! My dad was very particular about brands. As a child he bought us Nike ⭐️ shoes, bombay dyeing bedsheets (its still in my mom's house), One Man show perfume, Old spice after shave, hot wheels toys, Parker Pens, etc and never settled for the ordinary products.
The Bottom Line
People buy luxury goods for a variety of reasons. A sense of accomplishment is another reason why some people buy luxury goods. They want to reward themselves for their hard work by treating themselves to something they typically could not afford.
Whatever may be the reason but Brand Names are NOT all that matters !
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advancedketoburn · 3 years
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It will help in inciting ketosis normally and you won't perceive any adverse consequences. It will make the ketosis venture extremely smooth and you won't have any trouble after the eating regimen for quite a while. This thing will likewise diminish the craving for decreasing carbs utilization. It can emphatically influence Advanced Keto Burn stomach-related arrangement of the body by forestalling the capacity of additional calories and it will support digestion. There are numerous different advantages of this weight loss supplement and read the supplement to know the right subtleties.
►►Click Here to Order Advanced Keto Burn◄◄
Why Advanced Keto Burn as it were?
Weight loss is an extremely normal issue and the supplements business is worth millions in this class. Many organizations are making an alternate scope of items to settle weight loss issues. Yet, a large portion of them doesn't have compelling ingredients to create the best outcomes. It very well may be difficult to get the best item and it is likewise not significant if something worked for a companion will likewise work for you. Advanced Keto Burn is one of the most famous weight loss things since it is exceptionally compelling for all kinds of people. It has addressed weight loss issues for everyone and fat sort across the globe.
It contains an Advanced Keto Burn amazing normal equation that can take the body in ketosis and melts all the fat. This item is produced in a high-level and FDA-confirmed lab. You are not facing any challenge with this item and it is just a characteristic dietary answer for weight.
There are items in the market that may show incidental effects over the long haul. In any case, this weight loss supplement doesn't accompany that danger. It won't ever show any unfriendly outcome in the short or since quite a while ago run. It is delivered by utilizing excellent components that have finished every one of the quality assessments.
Specialists have made this item after extraordinary examination and it has breezed through a progression of assessments to show up in reality. According to the cases of the organization, it is the main item that has breezed through each quality assessment and each specialist has given a green sign to this weight loss thing.
Tumblr media
►►Click Here to Order Advanced Keto Burn◄◄
It is recommended by them routinely to their patients. Advanced Keto Burn isn't made with the assistance of any fake ingredients or fillers. It will support heart wellbeing and assimilation for further developed weight loss. Advanced Keto Burn thing can likewise upgrade intellectual capacities and rest quality will improve too.
How Does Advanced Keto Burn Work?
It has the essential point of bringing the body into the ketosis state. Advanced Keto Burn contains uncommon BHB ketones to instigate ketosis. In an ordinary or present status, your body is utilizing just starches to create energy since they are available in overabundance. You are burning through loads of carbs consistently and just a few sections are devoured in delivering energy.
The excess part is put away as fat inside the body. Yet, Advanced Keto Burn items will decrease carbs utilization and your body will begin searching for elective wellsprings of energy. Then again, this thing will give exogenous ketones to the body that can trigger the normal creation of ketones in the liver. These ketones will assist the body with utilizing fat as a wellspring of fuel for creating energy.
It is the explanation you will appreciate loads of energy consistently and get more fit. It is a successful technique to get in shape because here you won't influence the muscles contrarily while eliminating the fat from the body. It will just assistance in expanding the muscles mass.
It contains additional ingredients to work on the working of the stomach-related framework to forestall fat cells creation in Advanced Keto Burn body. It will likewise detoxify the body to eliminate every one of the unfamiliar particles and poisons from the framework. This item will deliver these outcomes within half a month and you need to eat the cases reliably.
What Are The Main Ingredients Added To Advanced Keto Burn Product?
This unique weight loss supplement is produced by including just homegrown and normal ingredients. These spices are included in their unique structure just for the best outcomes. Each ingredients is taken straightforwardly from normal sources to guarantee the greatest and progressed strategies are utilized to create Advanced Keto Burn. Here are the primary ingredients:
·         Forskolin Extract: This ingredients can help in further developing perseverance and digestion. It will likewise help in lessening hunger so you can handle indulging propensities.
·         Garcinia Cambogia: It is an organic product extricate that can expand energy levels and it has HCA which can speed up the weight loss measure normally.
·         BHB Ketones: This ingredients will empower the regular creation of ketones in the body. It will help in consuming fat for energy creation.
·         Lemon Extract: It contains nutrient C and it will help in cutting difficult fat without any problem. It will likewise help in detoxifying the body appropriately.
·         Anhydrous Caffeine: It will help in lessening the craving and it will likewise improve mind working. It will be not difficult to remain on track for quite a while.
Different ingredients are additionally added to furnish you with astounding advantages. Every one of the ingredients is referenced on the name of the item.
►►Click Here to Order Advanced Keto Burn◄◄
Is Advanced Keto Burn 100% Effective?
It is a completely tried and logically supported weight loss item. After checking various client surveys of this thing, we can infer that it has never shown any adverse consequences to its clients. The greater part of the clients are 100% happy with the outcomes and everybody has seen the astounding advantages of this thing.
It has eliminated all the obstinate fat from every one of the troublesome spaces of the body too. Advanced Keto Burn weight loss supplement can work on general wellbeing by working on the invulnerable arrangement of the body. It will likewise support the bloodstream to further develop circulatory strain levels. It can likewise keep you dynamic all day intellectually and genuinely.
What Are The Advantages Of Advanced Keto Burn?
Here are the most stunning advantages of devouring this weight loss supplement:
·         It will dissolve fat from each space and you will have a thin and hot take care of utilizing it.
·         This item will save the body in the Advanced Keto Burn states for quite a while to guarantee total weight loss.
·         It can likewise help in diminishing yearning levels to diminish carbs utilization.
·         This thing won't influence muscles while eliminating fat from the body. It will just expand the bulk.
·         This item is made by using just the regular ingredients and spices that are powerful and safe.
·         It is 100% liberated from unsafe fillers or modest additives.
·         Advanced Keto Burn will expand endurance and metabolic rate for quicker fat misfortune.
·         It is supported by FDA and is made distinctly in a GMP-confirmed office.
·         It will guarantee customary cleaning of the body to forestall the capacity of fat cells in the kid.
·         It contains ketones to consume fat for the energy creation measure.
·         This weight loss supplement will adjust circulatory strain and cholesterol levels.
·         It can help in remaining concentrated and intellectually dynamic.
Advanced Keto Burn Customer Testimonials
Jason, 51 years
I was wary around Advanced Keto Burn when I bought it. After devouring this item for over a month, I had the option to lose great measures of fat from the body. This item made me fiery at this age and everybody liked me for my change. I couldn't want anything more than to prescribe this thing to my different companions who are likewise battling with similar issues.
Michelle, 41 years
I was battling with being overweight for quite a while. My better half arranged Advanced Keto Burn for myself and Advanced Keto Burn item transformed me. It worked on my general well-being alongside weight loss. I began feeling dynamic the entire day after utilizing this item and it changed my body shape with no incidental effects.
►►Click Here to Order Advanced Keto Burn◄◄
How To Use Advanced Keto Burn?
This item can be utilized effectively as it comes in cases. It can without much of a stretch show the best outcomes on the off chance that you follow the rules given by the maker. Each jug of this weight loss supplement has sixty cases which are sufficient for one month's supply. Take them with plain water and don't expand the everyday dose for additional advantages. Assuming you need better outcomes, then, at that point begin following a superior practicing and consuming fewer calories schedule.
Where to Buy Advanced Keto Burn?
You can just get this item from the authority site of the organization. Advanced Keto Burn isn't accessible in different stores and the genuine supplement is available just in the authority store. It is available for certain offers at this moment and putting in a request is simple. Go on the site and add the necessary number of jugs to the truck. Pick the favored installment technique and submit the request. It will be conveyed within 5-8 days.
Conclusion
Advanced Keto Burn is an astonishing Advanced Keto Burn supplement for weight loss. No one but the item can be utilized to consume fat normally. It will work on by and large wellbeing and it will likewise diminish the odds of different issues that are straightforwardly connected to corpulence.
FAQ
What Are The Necessary Precautions For Using It?
It is just viewed as compelling for individuals over the age of 18. It ought not to be utilized with liquor or medications. Attempt to restrict the utilization of sweet beverages too. Devour just the suggested measurements for the ideal impacts. It isn't appropriate for pregnant women and you need to get it far from youngsters. Keep it in a cool and dry spot.
►►Click Here to Order Advanced Keto Burn◄◄
Do I Need A Prescription For Consuming Advanced Keto Burn?
It very well may be burned-through with no solution. It has been tried in labs and facilities widely. On the off chance that you are taking different prescriptions for treating genuine clinical issues, you need to check if this item can respond with them unfavorably. All things considered, you may require the assistance of a clinical professional.
What Are The Side Effects Of Advanced Keto Burn Weight Loss Supplement?
It doesn't contain any destructive ingredients that can show incidental effects. It is made exclusively by including normal ingredients that Advanced Keto Burn are chosen following quite a while of exploration. Each ingredients is finished through a progression of assessments to channel the ingredients appropriately. There is zero chance of incidental effects and there are no clients who tracked down any symptoms of this supplement.
Advanced Keto Burn Do you need a thin fit and sound body shape throughout the entire year? It is safe to say that you are keen on losing additional calories to help wellbeing or to expand self-assurance? If indeed, this is the best website page. It tends to be difficult to remain fit as a fiddle for quite a while. The vast majority face loads of trouble in diminishing body weight. In this advanced world, we depend particularly on quick food Advanced Keto Burn varieties and unhealthy food things on the lookout.
►►Click Here to Order Advanced Keto Burn◄◄
It is getting more hard to set aside effort for planning good food routinely and to work out appropriately. Yet, the Advanced Keto Burn expanded muscle to fat ratio can present genuine medical problems over the long haul. It won't just influence the appearance however can likewise urge different sicknesses to fill in the body.
Being overweight is straightforwardly associated with numerous medical conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular failure, and the stomach-related framework. We have an answer for end the heftiness issue totally and normally. Advanced Keto Burn is the best answer for lessening weight. It has influenced the existence of thousands of large people across the globe.
There are different fraudsters in weight loss items who are attempting to sell counterfeit things. Avoid such items and individuals. Pick one of the most believed Advanced Keto Burn weight loss supplements and it is Advanced Keto Burn. The Advanced Keto Burn has acquired loads of ubiquity as of late and famous people are additionally following a similar eating regimen plan.
In this arrangement, you can't burn through more than 20 grams of carbs in a day, then, at that point, the body will begin utilizing fat for energy age. However, it isn't difficult to change from a high-carb diet to a low-carb diet. You may well see some adverse consequences also.
It will help in inciting ketosis normally and you won't perceive any adverse consequences. It will make the ketosis venture extremely smooth and you won't have any trouble after the eating regimen for quite a while. This thing will likewise diminish the craving for decreasing carbs utilization. It can emphatically influence Advanced Keto Burn stomach-related arrangement of the body by forestalling the capacity of additional calories and it will support digestion. There are numerous different advantages of this weight loss supplement and read the supplement to know the right subtleties.
►►Click Here to Order Advanced Keto Burn◄◄
Why Advanced Keto Burn as it were?
Weight loss is an extremely normal issue and the supplements business is worth millions in this class. Many organizations are making an alternate scope of items to settle weight loss issues. Yet, a large portion of them doesn't have compelling ingredients to create the best outcomes. It very well may be difficult to get the best item and it is likewise not significant if something worked for a companion will likewise work for you. Advanced Keto Burn is one of the most famous weight loss things since it is exceptionally compelling for all kinds of people. It has addressed weight loss issues for everyone and fat sort across the globe.
It contains an Advanced Keto Burn amazing normal equation that can take the body in ketosis and melts all the fat. This item is produced in a high-level and FDA-confirmed lab. You are not facing any challenge with this item and it is just a characteristic dietary answer for weight.
Tumblr media
There are items in the market that may show incidental effects over the long haul. In any case, this weight loss supplement doesn't accompany that danger. It won't ever show any unfriendly outcome in the short or since quite a while ago run. It is delivered by utilizing excellent components that have finished every one of the quality assessments.
Specialists have made this item after extraordinary examination and it has breezed through a progression of assessments to show up in reality. According to the cases of the organization, it is the main item that has breezed through each quality assessment and each specialist has given a green sign to this weight loss thing.
►►Click Here to Order Advanced Keto Burn◄◄
It is recommended by them routinely to their patients. Advanced Keto Burn isn't made with the assistance of any fake ingredients or fillers. It will support heart wellbeing and assimilation for further developed weight loss. Advanced Keto Burn thing can likewise upgrade intellectual capacities and rest quality will improve too.
How Does Advanced Keto Burn Work?
It has the essential point of bringing the body into the ketosis state. Advanced Keto Burn contains uncommon BHB ketones to instigate ketosis. In an ordinary or present status, your body is utilizing just starches to create energy since they are available in overabundance. You are burning through loads of carbs consistently and just a few sections are devoured in delivering energy.
The excess part is put away as fat inside the body. Yet, Advanced Keto Burn items will decrease carbs utilization and your body will begin searching for elective wellsprings of energy. Then again, this thing will give exogenous ketones to the body that can trigger the normal creation of ketones in the liver. These ketones will assist the body with utilizing fat as a wellspring of fuel for creating energy.
It is the explanation you will appreciate loads of energy consistently and get more fit. It is a successful technique to get in shape because here you won't influence the muscles contrarily while eliminating the fat from the body. It will just assistance in expanding the muscles mass.
It contains additional ingredients to work on the working of the stomach-related framework to forestall fat cells creation in Advanced Keto Burn body. It will likewise detoxify the body to eliminate every one of the unfamiliar particles and poisons from the framework. This item will deliver these outcomes within half a month and you need to eat the cases reliably.
What Are The Main Ingredients Added To Advanced Keto Burn Product?
This unique weight loss supplement is produced by including just homegrown and normal ingredients. These spices are included in their unique structure just for the best outcomes. Each ingredients is taken straightforwardly from normal sources to guarantee the greatest and progressed strategies are utilized to create Advanced Keto Burn. Here are the primary ingredients:
·         Forskolin Extract: This ingredients can help in further developing perseverance and digestion. It will likewise help in lessening hunger so you can handle indulging propensities.
·         Garcinia Cambogia: It is an organic product extricate that can expand energy levels and it has HCA which can speed up the weight loss measure normally.
·         BHB Ketones: This ingredients will empower the regular creation of ketones in the body. It will help in consuming fat for energy creation.
·         Lemon Extract: It contains nutrient C and it will help in cutting difficult fat without any problem. It will likewise help in detoxifying the body appropriately.
·         Anhydrous Caffeine: It will help in lessening the craving and it will likewise improve mind working. It will be not difficult to remain on track for quite a while.
Different ingredients are additionally added to furnish you with astounding advantages. Every one of the ingredients is referenced on the name of the item.
►►Click Here to Order Advanced Keto Burn◄◄
Is Advanced Keto Burn 100% Effective?
It is a completely tried and logically supported weight loss item. After checking various client surveys of this thing, we can infer that it has never shown any adverse consequences to its clients. The greater part of the clients are 100% happy with the outcomes and everybody has seen the astounding advantages of this thing.
It has eliminated all the obstinate fat from every one of the troublesome spaces of the body too. Advanced Keto Burn weight loss supplement can work on general wellbeing by working on the invulnerable arrangement of the body. It will likewise support the bloodstream to further develop circulatory strain levels. It can likewise keep you dynamic all day intellectually and genuinely.
What Are The Advantages Of Advanced Keto Burn?
Here are the most stunning advantages of devouring this weight loss supplement:
·         It will dissolve fat from each space and you will have a thin and hot take care of utilizing it.
·         This item will save the body in the Advanced Keto Burn states for quite a while to guarantee total weight loss.
·         It can likewise help in diminishing yearning levels to diminish carbs utilization.
·         This thing won't influence muscles while eliminating fat from the body. It will just expand the bulk.
·         This item is made by using just the regular ingredients and spices that are powerful and safe.
·         It is 100% liberated from unsafe fillers or modest additives.
·         Advanced Keto Burn will expand endurance and metabolic rate for quicker fat misfortune.
·         It is supported by FDA and is made distinctly in a GMP-confirmed office.
·         It will guarantee customary cleaning of the body to forestall the capacity of fat cells in the kid.
·         It contains ketones to consume fat for the energy creation measure.
·         This weight loss supplement will adjust circulatory strain and cholesterol levels.
·         It can help in remaining concentrated and intellectually dynamic.
Advanced Keto Burn Customer Testimonials
Jason, 51 years
I was wary around Advanced Keto Burn when I bought it. After devouring this item for over a month, I had the option to lose great measures of fat from the body. This item made me fiery at this age and everybody liked me for my change. I couldn't want anything more than to prescribe this thing to my different companions who are likewise battling with similar issues.
Michelle, 41 years
I was battling with being overweight for quite a while. My better half arranged Advanced Keto Burn for myself and Advanced Keto Burn item transformed me. It worked on my general well-being alongside weight loss. I began feeling dynamic the entire day after utilizing this item and it changed my body shape with no incidental effects.
►►Click Here to Order Advanced Keto Burn◄◄
How To Use Advanced Keto Burn?
This item can be utilized effectively as it comes in cases. It can without much of a stretch show the best outcomes on the off chance that you follow the rules given by the maker. Each jug of this weight loss supplement has sixty cases which are sufficient for one month's supply. Take them with plain water and don't expand the everyday dose for additional advantages. Assuming you need better outcomes, then, at that point begin following a superior practicing and consuming fewer calories schedule.
Where to Buy Advanced Keto Burn?
You can just get this item from the authority site of the organization. Advanced Keto Burn isn't accessible in different stores and the genuine supplement is available just in the authority store. It is available for certain offers at this moment and putting in a request is simple. Go on the site and add the necessary number of jugs to the truck. Pick the favored installment technique and submit the request. It will be conveyed within 5-8 days.
Conclusion
Advanced Keto Burn is an astonishing Advanced Keto Burn supplement for weight loss. No one but the item can be utilized to consume fat normally. It will work on by and large wellbeing and it will likewise diminish the odds of different issues that are straightforwardly connected to corpulence.
FAQ
What Are The Necessary Precautions For Using It?
It is just viewed as compelling for individuals over the age of 18. It ought not to be utilized with liquor or medications. Attempt to restrict the utilization of sweet beverages too. Devour just the suggested measurements for the ideal impacts. It isn't appropriate for pregnant women and you need to get it far from youngsters. Keep it in a cool and dry spot.
►►Click Here to Order Advanced Keto Burn◄◄
Do I Need A Prescription For Consuming Advanced Keto Burn?
It very well may be burned-through with no solution. It has been tried in labs and facilities widely. On the off chance that you are taking different prescriptions for treating genuine clinical issues, you need to check if this item can respond with them unfavorably. All things considered, you may require the assistance of a clinical professional.
Tumblr media
What Are The Side Effects Of Advanced Keto Burn Weight Loss Supplement?
It doesn't contain any destructive ingredients that can show incidental effects. It is made exclusively by including normal ingredients that Advanced Keto Burn are chosen following quite a while of exploration. Each ingredients is finished through a progression of assessments to channel the ingredients appropriately. There is zero chance of incidental effects and there are no clients who tracked down any symptoms of this supplement.
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This isn’t What I Wanted: Chapter 4- The Miracle of Anger
Summary: Waking up in a hospital is always alarming, waking up in Hope County Hospital is terrifying. Suddenly thrust into a body that isn't hers and knowing nuclear fallout is on the horizon. Adaine must gather supplies while she can before the big day happens, and trying to stay clear of a radical cult is easier said than done.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/25543036/chapters/62343265
TW: Brief mentions of Death and Torture  
   She looked rough, but what should he have expected from a former dead person. He could tell she was scared of them, from the way her hand tightly gripped the door knob, to the way her eyes were dilated. Jacob watched as she shifted nervously in the door frame in thought, before she motioned them into her house. The smell of cleaning products and fresh linens entered his senses as he took in the older house. From the lack of care around the outside of the property, coupled with boxes pushed against one another labeled with “Sell”; Jacob knew this wasn’t her  home.  She hadn’t settled into the place, there weren't any personal touches: no knick-knacks or photo frames of her life or her interests. It reminded him of open houses ones his foster parents went to.
  Easing himself in a kitchen chair, he declined her offer for a drink, and watched her move around the kitchen preparing John some coffee. Jacob raked her over, accessing the miracle his brothers were enamored with. She was a pretty thing and had a healthy glow to her. He noted he wasn’t the only Seed in the room to be taking in the sights. John wasn’t hiding his interest in the slightest, and Joseph's gaze was just as intense as it usually was. Jacob kept quiet as the woman and his brothers chatted, it was nothing of interest; though the tension could be cut with a knife.
It seemed that Joseph was done being a normal house guest and got to the reason they were here. “Ms. Adaine, we apologize for stopping by unannounced. But, I have come to tell you that I have seen you in my visions. I have seen you die and live again.” Now when people normally heard his brother’s prophecies they scoffed it off or even laughed at him, however Ms. Adaine here didn’t do any of that. In fact she didn’t do much of anything. Just sat there with a glazed look over her eyes. Jacob tuned out the rest of Joseph’s speech, and focused on Adaine. She didn’t fidget under the brothers’ eyes, she didn’t rebut Joseph’s claims, just sat and listened. He shifted ever so slightly to test her alertness. Her eyes unfocused and narrowed in on his form. Good situational awareness, she still knows there’s danger in the room. Good girl.  
She interrupted Joseph’s talk with a very interesting question, “So you know everything?”
_____________________________________________________________
   Adaine wished she could leave, she wished she could make them leave. He knew, they all knew.  She could feel her brain start shutting down in panic. Of course he got visions of her, why wouldn’t he? She wanted to throw up, I just wanted to duck my head down and live a relatively normal existence. But why did she ever think that anything would be normal again after waking up in a video game? She wanted to scream and rage, this isn’t fair. Nothing about this was fair. She was trying to rebuild her life. A life that was taken from her, over a stupid mistake to go on a walk. But man bun Jesus over there just couldn’t leave her alone. He just had to know about a walking dead girl. A miracle he called her, a new age Lazarus. A gift sent from God himself. So that’s all she was? Not a person, but an object? Fuck his visions, fuck his cult, and fuck his stupid ass family.  
A movement across the table, brought her back from the brink. She can’t lose focus, not when the devil himself is at her dinner table.  
Adaine knows what they’ve done and what they’ll do. How does she approach this? Joseph in his long winded spiel hadn’t mentioned her other worldliness. Knowing how the Seeds are, this won’t be their last visit to her place (and hopefully they won’t just take her to their place). With them lurking at her doorstep then it was only a matter of time before something slipped and they figured out she knew things. Very valuable things. She would be branded as a liar, a sinner. Adaine shuddered, she knew what they did to sinners. Burnt Corpses, people being kept in cages like animals, skin carved off the flesh, bodies poised like Christ’s on buildings, and walking corpses pumped full of Bliss. No, she had the slimmest chance of making it out alive by telling them things, and she would risk it. If she also had an even smaller chance of preventing total war in Hope County she would do it in a heartbeat.
 “So you know everything?”
Only the quiet breathing of the people in the room was heard for a minute. Joseph's eyes focused back on hers, and spoke in a solemn tone, “About you? No, Adaine I’m at a loss about certain things. But, I’m sure with time we can all get to know you better. About your death? Yes, I’ve seen and felt what you’ve felt.” He started offering her a warm smile but it went away with the shaking of her head.
  Taking a deep breath in, she steeled her nerves and went for it. “No, I’m talking about how you weren’t real in my world.” A humorless smirk worked its way on her mouth, “This is crazy right? I bet you’re normally the one being looked at with disbelief.” Adaine had the brothers full attention now. “This is a video game, all of it. You’re just a story made from pixels.  Yet, I found myself here. I know this story, I know your stories, but most importantly I know the ending.” Staring deep into Joseph’s eyes she continued. “The project fails because you kicked the hornets nest again and again and again. Till finally the snake enters the garden and strikes your family dead. Your pride killed your family and everything you held dear. You lived past the bombs, but it really didn’t matter because you begged for death in the end. A shade of a man consumed by grief.” Adaine waited with baited breath for one of them to attack her, to kill her for speaking so disrespectfully to The Father. She found herself not caring, if she was to die right now then she at least got to say her piece.
Watching her could be attackers, Adaine noted that John and Joseph seemed rattled, but she couldn’t get a grasp on Jacob's body language. Adaine watched as John’s shaking hands reached and grasped Joseph’s arm. “Tell me she’s lying, please Joseph, tell me she’s lying.”
  Grasping his baby brother’s hand he responded hoarsely, “No John, I’m afraid she’s not. I’ve seen the possibility- but I was doing it right. I thought I was doing it right.” Adaine watched as he gulped down air, before settling himself. “ This is why you’re here. This is the reason God sent you to us, a warning of our ways, we’ve sinned.” Quicker than she could react, Joseph’s hands now held hers in a warm tight grip. His thumb stroked the back of her hand as he spoke to her, “Thank you Adaine.” The look on his face could be a kin to that of a worshiping man at the altar.
  Holding her gaze he addressed his brothers, “If she’s here then the collapse is soon upon us. We need to meet with the project and discuss further plans.” Before Adaine could tell him off, no this wasn’t what I meant, you loon.  A knock sounded at her door once again that day. If that’s the Deputy themselves I’ll walk into that bunker and never leave.
  She watched as John and Jacob left the room to answer her door, still her hands still held by Joseph’s. Adaine felt her face grow hot under his intense look on her face. It was mostly her own discomfort at the situation but a small,very small voice in her head whispered. When's the last time anyone looked at you like that? Like you hung the moon and stars just by being there? Adaine wasn’t dumb, she knew Joseph liked what she had to offer and not her. However, it was nice to be appreciated, even for the wrong reason, every once and awhile.
  Hearing a familiar deep voice from the front of the house told her who her visitor was. Pulling her hands away from Joseph’s, Adaine made her way into the foyer. Scooching past Jacob’s imposing form, she came to rest beside John. Who sounded like he was in the middle of a small gloating fest.
“-Already looking for more members Pastor Jeffries? It’s a shame to say the lovely Ms. Adaine is not interested in joining such a small congregation.” A scowling Pastor Jeffries stood on her front step, clearly agitated by John’s needling.
  She tentatively placed a hand on John’s shoulder to shut him up. “Thank you Mr. Seed but I believe I can accept and decline invitations on my own accord.” She let her hand fall as she walked out to properly greet the Pastor. “Hello Pastor Jeffries it's good to see you again so soon.” She made a move to follow the man off the porch to talk away from the brothers, but a noise of disapproval from Jacob made Adaine stop and continue the conversation here. Nosy controlling bastards.
  Pastor Jeffries rightfully looked worried between her and the brothers. “I had heard from a friend that Mr. Seed was looking for you, but I can see he’s already found you. I wanted to stop and let you know Ms. Adaine that if you need anything at all, please call me.” Adaine was once again struck on how good the Pastor was. He helped her when his congregation had fallen apart: giving her a ride home when she had no one, getting her help with her house, and now he showed up personally to make sure she was okay. If this man ever needs help from me, he’ll find it 10 times over.  
  “Yes the Brothers came and visited today. I know that I’ll always have help from a friend.” He blinked in surprise then grinned at her. They spoke for a minute more before he parted in goodbye with a promise to call her tomorrow. Probably to check if she’s still breathing.
  Before he could get in his truck and leave, Jacob’s voice stopped him. “Tell your friend Eli I said hello.” Are all the Seeds this petty? The pastor paused and nodded at Jacob before leaving. What felt like the millionth time today Adaine sighed, before a yawn over took it. She was exhausted, today was too much. Her brain hurt as did her body.  A chuckle from the door, pulled her attention back to her guests.
  Joseph gently ushered his brothers out of her home. “It seems to be getting late Adaine, we’ll take our leave for the night. I’ll make sure one of us is back up tomorrow to keep you company.” With a final wave from Joseph and John, all three climbed into a black SUV and left her standing alone on her porch.
 Fuck my life.                          
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lyricalive · 4 years
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A soul is an electric force, full of potential energy.
——Can we find souls in unlikely places, and set them into motion?
中古技術 〜 Electric Spirit Seance
#01  Lullaby of a Deserted Hell
From a bird's-eye view, the figures of two sprightly maidens would appear like dolls amidst the surrounding range of artificial mountains, a stunning silvery wasteland.
The taller of the two small-looking girls, Maribel Hearn (Merry) planted her hands on her hips as she surveyed the junk that encircled them in all directions.
   – "I can't believe you managed to convince me to go dumpster-diving.  Is this a step up or down from graverobbing?"
   – "We didn't rob anything from the graveyard.  I definitely want to find something worth taking from here, though."
   – "So this is a step down."
   – "Nah, it's fine.  These are all things that no one wants."
   – "Or things that no one wants to be seen.  Of course, that means…"
   – "It's the perfect place for the Secret Sealing Club!"
The club's current president, Renko Usami, pumped her fist with plenty of good cheer.  Merry smiled back, although she had mixed feelings about calling a land of literal garbage home.
   – "We can't just have normal dates, can we?"
Fortunately, at least, the garbage was not excessively odorous or grimy.  The site was a landfill specifically for electronic waste: frayed wires, boxy television frames, old phone models of all kinds.
The time was just around sunset -- more specifically 7:42 and 33 seconds, according to Renko's discerning eyes.  The mild starlight reflected off of broken LCD screens, making them appear ever so slightly less lifeless.
 #02  Rigid Paradise
   – "What exactly are we looking for...  Let me guess.  Hoping to find some retro videogames?"
   – "I won't lie.  That'd be great."
   – "But finding both a game and the console to go with it is going to be tough."
   – "Did you know, if a company manufactures more games than it can sell, they end up buried underground to get them out of circulation?"
   – "How wasteful.  At least they were given a proper funeral."
   – "The first time this happened was long ago in another country.  Thousands of unsold cartridges...  Just because they weren't popular at the time, now they'll never be played.  I'd love to give them a chance."
   – "Hee-hee, so much for a funeral.  I suppose we're not in the business of letting the dead rest in peace."
In this unique sort of graveyard, the bodies had been piling up for countless years.  Most of the material would never biodegrade, so the mounds kept accumulating, one layer buried under the next.  In fact, despite the oceans rising drastically over recent years, this dumping ground remained unusually high above sea level for the sole reason that its foundation was constantly being reinforced by layers of tightly packed waste.  
Renko, who had taken the precaution to wear pants and gloves on this excursion, knelt down to examine a mess of circuitry at the bottom of a looser heap.  Merry meanwhile nudged the tip of her shoe against the ground, pondering how deep down was the earth.
#03  Poison Body ~ Forsaken Doll
The girl in black and white impatiently murmured the time, for the fourth time that hour, before stretching her back and turning around to check on her partner.
   – "Find anything interesting yet, Merry?"
Merry, who had been spacing out for some while, quickly darted her eyes around for an improvised answer. A glint of light led her gaze to a long, flat cell phone teetering unceremoniously atop of a pile.
   – "This...  Haven't I seen this model in advertisements recently?  How did this already become trash?"
   – "Oh, you know.  Technology becomes out-of-date awfully quickly these days."
   – "Mm.  I'd like to see it as a sign of progress, but…"
   – "Yeah, it's not good at all.  We're in an age of quantity over quality."
Manufacturers who design their products to poor standards, so as to improve on them soon after, are akin to the type of trickster youkai that disguises itself in beggars' clothes to take advantage of others' low expectations.  In this selfishly self-deprecating society, it had become a disadvantage to show one's best.
   – "Everyone knows this, but thinking about it makes me so irritated."
   – "Right?  Humanity is really holding itself back."
   – "On top of that, don't they know that this is how vengeful tsukumogami are born?"
An object that has gone unused for 100 years is believed to develop a consciousness.  Some end up harmless -- but if its short life was spent being used as nothing more than throwaway capital, naturally it would make sense for it to become unhappy.
Merry laid one hand gently on the phone, as if in a gesture of sympathy.
   – "Hey, be careful not to touch more than you need to.  It may look clean, but the chemicals released by e-waste can still be toxic."
   – "Ah, right..."
She felt a bit sheepish for needing safety lessons from Renko, of all people.  But, having thought too hard about it, it became difficult for Merry to view the objects as just physical material.  A great majority of one's life was lived by virtual communication, so this material had great amounts of personal information stored in it.  Of course, the information's original source was in people's minds, so it's not as if it would be instantly forgotten once the plug was pulled.  But there were certainly more petabytes of raw data in a square meter of this dump than a human brain could hold.
#04  Electric Heritage
   – "Come to think of it, though, have you ever actually heard a story about an electronic object becoming a tsukumogami?"
   – "Well, no..."
   – "I have a theory about that.  I don't think e-waste is even capable of that transition."
   – "How do you figure?"
   – "Consider the crossover of electromagnetic fields and the detection of spirits.  Electricity is a simulation of life energy, almost too spot-on.  Like forces repel... so true life energy can't coexist with it.  Because they're flowing with this imitation power, I don't think electronics get a chance to develop real souls."
   – "I see.  Then, we can't properly call this a graveyard..."
   – "...if these bodies were never truly alive."
   – "I can't decide whether that makes me feel relieved, or lonely."
Merry let out an audible sigh against their eerily silent backdrop.  Then she braced herself to deliver the next news.
   – "But, if that's so... then why can I still feel something spiritual around here?"
Renko's eyes lit up instantly.
   – "Do you?  I was hoping you'd say that!"
   – "It just started... which is odd, since we haven't covered all that much ground since getting here.  It's as if a border connecting to somewhere else just opened."
   – "That supports the second part of the theory.  Like forces repel, but opposite forces attract.  They may not have souls themselves, but these empty vessels surely attract souls."
It felt fairly certain, now that both of their minds had helped confirm it:  Some spirit, human or non-human, seemed to have decided to take up residence in the wasteland.  Merry took a moment to feel proud of herself for her invaluable contribution.
   – "By the way, where do robots fit into your theory?"
   – "Well... I mean, there's no doubt we're getting closer every day to the A.I. revolution."
   – "Oh, my.  I knew I should have tipped our e-waiter last time we went to that café."
   – "But that's a completely different phenomenon than what births a tsukumogami, right?  It has to do with the software, not the hardware."
   – "Yes.  Though, it would seem to imply that there is a border of 'false' and 'true' life that can be crossed..."
  #05  Entrusting This World to Idols ~ Idolatrize World
   – "Now all we have to do is narrow it down, and we'll --"
As if on cue, Renko's thoughts were interrupted by a loud crashing sound from behind... music to her thrill-seeking ears.  She whirled around to catch the culprit, her eyes fixating on Merry and the dark-colored object that rested a few paces away at her feet.  The blonde girl threw her hands up in a display of innocence.
   – "I didn't do it.  It moved on its own!  I just saw it fall out of nowhere."
Renko's attempt at a professional retort failed to conceal her excited, twitching grin.
   – "Merry, Merry...  This is the most basic of physics.  An object can't move on its own!  Unless..."
They approached the rectangular object and peered over it.  It seemed to be a tablet PC, roughly twenty centimeters in length.  It had landed face up, luckily enough to not have not shattered the screen, though there was a significant surface crack down its center.
   – "Hm..."
   – "We've ruled out tsukumogami.  You think it could be... a poltergeist?"
   – "I don't know.  Rather than an outside force, the energy seems very contained in here."
   – "So then... a spirit living inside?"
   – "Something like that."
In response, the light of the screen flashed briefly on and back off.
   – "Ahh!  Electricity, a simulation of life energy..."
   – "It also works the other way around!"
This was a very lucky revelation for the two investigators, as it would have been nearly impossible to find a compatible charging cable.  In an age where each and every product was developed with its own unique cord design, this feature was marketed to consumers as a collectible game; the infinite variety, a controlled channel for creativity.
The device seemed to call out to them, understanding what they wanted.  The power flashed again, on and off and on, in a quirky rhythmical pattern that almost evoked a personality.
   – "We've definitely found something worth taking home!"
   – "Wait.  Isn't it wrong to remove a spirit from the place it's attached to?  We can't just adopt a ghost like an abandoned baby."
   – "Like you said, it's attached to the item, not the place. We're just fostering it for a bit before it moves on!"
   – "All right...  Just don't raise it to be wild like you."
   – "And you, Merry, make sure you don't spoil it!"
#06  Nostalgic Blood of the East ~ Old World
The pair reached Renko's dorm with the haunted vessel tucked inconspicuously into their satchel, grateful that the spirit hadn't chosen to bind itself to a full desktop monitor or CPU instead.  The question moving forward would be how to unlock its secrets.
   – "How old do you think it is?"
   – "Because it wasn't buried under anything, it seems like we should assume it to be fairly new.  But it just feels so out of place."
   – "Actually, I meant the spirit."
   – "Oh."
Hand in hand with the phenomenon of planned obsolescence, the fashionable aesthetics of electronics changed as often as water under a bridge.  Sleek designs were popular, then retro designs, then designs that mimicked the mimicry of two eras past, a vaguely deteriorating cycle.  As a result, it was difficult to tell which era this piece of technology belonged to.
   – "Remember that I saw a border open?  Maybe not just the spirit, but the whole item came from somewhere else..."
They had been scrutinizing the home screen for quite some time, attempting to navigate the ancient interface, and hadn't made much headway.  As far as they could tell, the data was heavily corrupted, and most of its history had been erased.  They were able to access only the most basic types of apps, like the calculator and the keyboard.
   – "Hey, Merry.  I think we should use that other thing we picked up."
   – "That?  I don't even understand how we would use it..."
As evidenced by her smug grin, the more scientifically-minded of the pair had full confidence in the strange idea she was about to suggest.
#07  A Tiny, Tiny Clever Commander
   – "I mean, really?  A mouse?"
Renko had insisted that they bring home a wired peripheral mouse, which she had spent an extra half hour scavenging for.  However, of course, the end of the cable did not match the outlet on the tablet.
Currently, she was back in the scavenging position, digging through the pile of unorganized junk that cluttered her closet (mostly books and occult items). Or rather, it looked unorganized, but she seemed to know exactly where everything was.  ...Or rather, Merry concluded, it truly was unorganized, but her eyes were sharp at scanning through even a complete mess.  She wondered if this small pile would ever become as large as the one at the dump.
   – "A-ha, found it!"
Renko had managed to track down the very particular treasure she was seeking, the final piece of their forgathered puzzle.  A small cube with many variously patterned notches rested in her open palm.  The material's finishing was uncolored and plain, likely to have been produced independently with a 3D printer rather than as a commercial product.
   – "W-Where did you get a thing like that?"
   – "I have connections you don't know, Merry."
Merry thought she had heard this line before, and felt a bead of sweat roll down her neck just like the first time.  The source was certainly shady.  Universal adapters were not at all legal.  Treating it like a Rubik's cube, and glancing back and forth for reference, Renko cleverly manipulated the block in her hand in ways that Merry was unable to understand.
Renko's partner, who had long embraced being an accomplice, appreciated her resourcefulness; she only wished to be kept more up to date when the other girl's mental plans ran ten steps ahead.  But she supposed that this was how Renko felt in return when it came to supernatural sights that she couldn't see, so perhaps they were even.
   – "Just like that?  Like magic..."
   – "Tell me, Merry.  Can you see the border of magic and science?"
With all the pieces aligned, Renko ceremoniously linked the mouse to the tablet through the intermediary box.  As a pop-up window indicated the drivers being registered, it was, they determined, a truly magical feat.  The light on the screen dimmed a bit, as if the spirit were expressing slight disappointment that it was no longer their only option for a power supply.
   – "Still...  Better technology has been around for decades.  These are so unwieldly.  Does anyone use an optical mouse anymore?"
   – "No, but no one's done this ritual in a long time either."
#08  No More Going Through Doors
Renko took Merry's hands in her own and conveyed them in a stack atop of the mouse.  Holding this pose, Merry squinted at the screen in front of her, which displayed a neatly spaced virtual keyboard with a complete set of lettering.  A mild shiver ran through her, either nervousness or excitement.
   – "Hang on.  This setup looks familiar somehow."
   – "That's right.  We're having a séance!"
Although Renko was very skilled with computers, hacking was not her expertise.  She did, however, have the kind of mind that was able to think around the box, discovering back doors.  The opportunity here was simple:  If they couldn't reach the secrets, they would consult the only one who knew -- the spirit itself.
   – "Huh!?"
   – "This mouse is a perfect planchette to use as an interface.  Sure, we have voice and touch technology.  But you don't want the spirit to possess your actual body in order to touch the screen or activate your voice, do you?"
   – "Definitely not.  ...Wait, did I ever say I wanted to be the medium at all?"
Merry pulled her hands back from the mouse and saw the screen's light flicker weakly.
   – "Oh, er...  You're right.  We didn't really decide that, did we?"
   – "Mm..."
   – "I think you'd be better suited, but I'll gladly go first.  I've always wanted to try something like this."
Merry's eyes glazed over as she thought about the prospect of communicating with the spirit.  They had assumed the sealed entity was harmless enough to bring home, but could there be some risk in directly channeling it?
Then again, what was the other option?  To leave their investigation at a dead end?
You don't belong on this side of the unknown.
A faint voice bubbled up inside of Merry, almost like an intrusive thought.  This had been happening to her increasingly often lately, though she always forgot about it after the fact.  Because, at the same time, they certainly felt like her own feelings...
Maribel Hearn was sparked with a surge of curiosity that made her want to take the lead.  These were precisely the club activities she had signed up for.  How much more dangerous could it be than anything else, so long as one made sure to follow the protocols and say goodbye at the end?
   – "No...  I'd like to do it."
Renko blinked in surprise.
   – "Really?  ...Well, gee, make up your mind.  You made me get all excited for myself.  Go ahead, but I call next!"
#09  Shoutoku Legend ~ True Administrator
Having cleared the area and turned off all the lights, Merry sat with her back straight against a chair and took a deep breath.  No candle was necessary, as the warm glow of the screen cast a ring of illumination around the table.  They had thoroughly discussed the questions they desired to ask, though the words felt awkward to speak out loud.  Nevertheless, the young medium opened her mouth.
   – "What is... your name?"
...
The atmosphere of room was deathly still.  Merry let all the muscles in her arm relax, preparing.
...
I...
   – "It's working...!"
The spirit was conscious and listening.  The planchette began to glide beneath Merry's loose grip, landing on the letter I.  When it paused on the letter for several seconds, she clicked the mouse button to confirm before the involuntary movement slowly began again.
...FO RG OT.
   – "Ah.  So it's going to be up to us to give it a name."
   – "Did you own this tablet?"
While Merry was lost in thought about a potential name, Renko chimed in with a question of her own from the opposite side of the table.  However, the spirit seemed to hesitate in answering.
Suddenly, the other girl's focus returned.  On an instinct, she broke the silence with an unexpected change of the question.
   – "Does this tablet own you?"
...
YE S.
   – "Huh... The tablet owns the spirit?  How did that happen?"
Although Renko's words were more thinking out loud than a direct question, the spirit was responsive.  Merry's hand immediately began to move.
...
SN AP.
   – "Snap...?  That sounds kind of scary."
   – "What does that mean?"
The cursor then swerved dramatically past all the letters on the keypad and down to the app menu along the bottom edge of the screen.  It hovered over an icon barely recognizable as an antique camera.
   – "Ah..."
The app launched, reproducing a dark, blurry image of the table on which the device's lens was turned.  Upon clicking the screen, a photograph was taken, and the damaged speaker emitted a distorted snapping sound.
   – "Spirit photography!"
The two girls burst out in unison, solving the riddle simultaneously.
   – "Right.  We've all heard the old belief that getting a photograph taken of you might steal a piece of your soul."
   – "It has some basis.  If captured in a photograph by accident, a minor spirit's energy might become trapped."
Somewhere in the hidden files, such a photograph must exist, binding some foreign essence to this device.  The spirit was likely eager to get free.
Merry minimized the camera app and returned to the keyboard.
   – "Who took the picture?"
...
Unlike its own, this name seemed to be one the spirit knew.  The pair observed with bated breath as the cursor navigated itself around the maze of letters.  Ultimately, it came to a halt, and Merry clicked on the final letter.
   – "...Eh?  Merry, stop kidding around!"
Merry turned to her partner with a genuine, solemn expression.
   – "I'm... not.  I swear."
Renko's face went pale. In ink-black font, three familiar syllables stood on display beside a blinking cursor.
#10  Dream World Folklore
To disprove the influence of the ideomotor effect, they had asked the question several more times, using both girls as mediums, until the spirit ultimately stopped responding altogether.
   – "Oh, no.  We scared it away..."
   – "Well, it did spook us first."
   – "Renko...  You weren't kidding about your connections, were you?"
Renko scratched her head with lingering bewilderment.
   – "Is the spirit messing with us?  Or could it be..."
Her gaze wandered over to the stream of occult paraphernalia still spilling out of the crack of her closet door, and she experienced a strange sense of longing.  The adventurous scientist was heavily accustomed to investigating mysteries from an observational and objective point of view.  Finding herself personally a step closer to the subject was a bizarre and almost gut-twisting feeling.  She supposed that this was how Merry felt in return when the focus of investigations was on her own powers, so perhaps they were even.  Almost.
After a few more sessions of séance, they managed to navigate to an encrypted folder.  A full-screen photograph had flashed open... but, before they were able to make out any details, the tablet's power instantly cut off.  Following this, it no longer responded to any input.
Their assumption would be that the spirit had been able to cross over, after deleting its digital ties to the physical container and unsealing the information it was attached to.
   – "I suppose this is goodbye..."
   – "Is the spirit free now?"
   – "I think so."
   – "That's good for it, at least."
   – "Too bad for you.  If we kept it, maybe it would have served as your personal shikigami."
   – "Isn't that a bit cold-hearted?  It was supposed to be our child!"
A shikigami is the perfect phantasmal servant.  The owner may input commands, and it carries out orders with extraordinary speed and calculation.  Of course, a normal computer already fulfills essentially the same purpose.  Outside world humans of the modern era aren't in need of such a spirit under their possession.
Even so, the force of attraction that had drawn them to cross paths with this spirit would be a mystery to chase going forward.  The two present members of the Sealing Club had a new story to tell, an urban legend that could be shared only amongst themselves.
Afterwords
Hello, this is someone who absolutely promised themself that they would publish at least one Hifuu fic per calendar year.  The idea for this one began with a conversation with my real-life partner (as is usually the case of inspiration) about the excellent aesthetic of using a computer keyboard as a Ouija board.  This subject in turn came up because of a "ghost" that haunts her keyboard by making a certain cryptic message appear on the screen at random times because the "." and "0" keys are in an easy position for us to accidentally press.  So, this story is dedicated to our precious child, ".0-chan."
Then, while it was already being written, WBaWC came out and confirmed that a technology-themed fic would be totally appropriate, and my favorite song from the soundtrack had the perfect title to be used in it.  (Also, its blatant dystopian themes justified playing up the similar themes of the Sealing Club's society even more than usual.)  And yet, despite many things lining up, it almost didn't get finished in time.  It's been such a busy and stressful year, which I hope gets better next year...
Another source of inspiration was the blog "Yukarisuggestion," whose portrayal I respect a lot.  When they drop minor bits of supernatural trivia, it definitely feels like they are coming from the youkai sage herself, very natural to accept.  I latched onto these posts in particular, finding the concept fascinating, and I only hope I interpreted it acceptably.  ...I was really aiming sharply this time at the Sealing Club's conversational aesthetic of "casual confidence in super obscure things that outside listeners would hear as nonsense," so I'm afraid some parts may have crossed the border of B.S.
Also, I wonder if it's okay that the second half of the song choices are almost entirely bad puns?
ASA    (Our ghost child's pen name would be "0.4" / "Rei-ten-shi"!)
Hifuu CD-style stories:
»  [Tumblr]  [AO3]  自封夢幻 〜 Sentimental Reverie
»  [Tumblr]  [AO3]  陶然夢幻 〜 Transcendental Revelry
»  [Tumblr]  [AO3]  羨望横断 〜 Unenviable Crossroads
»  [Tumblr]  [AO3]  外来土産 〜 Adventive Reminiscence
»  [Tumblr]  [AO3] 中古技術 〜 Electric Spirit Seance
»  [Tumblr]  [AO3]  幻想惑星直列 〜 Phantasmal Syzygy
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darlingxdarkling · 4 years
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I can’t believe my first Medium article is a pop culture piece criticizing Sindel’s depiction in MK11 Aftermath, but you know what? It’s totally worth it.
Full text under the cut in case the article is inaccessible because of Medium’s paywall. I want my pieces to be as accessible to the public as possible.
Warning: Heavy spoilers for Mortal Kombat 11 and its expansion, Aftermath.
Ever since its first release in 1992, the Mortal Kombat franchise is known for its extreme, action-packed violence and gore that led to the creation of the ESRB. It’s also know for its controversial depictions of scantily-clad women; however, did this not deter female gamers from becoming fans of the franchise, myself included. Admittedly I am one of the fans of Mortal Kombat who was late to the party, partly due to my age and inaccessibility of gaming platforms, only discovering Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 in 2010 while playing with my older cousins, who were mostly boys.
Eyes fixated on the pixelated, motion-captured sprites on the screen in wonder, I remember being a fan of characters such as Raiden, Nightwolf, and Sindel. Especially Sindel, whom I grew to adore because of her regal, gothic appearance. Due to the stereotype that gaming is a masculine interest prevalent during those times, I felt alienated at times, having no other female playmate aside from my younger sister. However, seeing female characters such as Sindel gave me characters to identify with in my formative years.
A decade later, I still am a fan of the franchise, and of those characters. With the years that passed, there had been significant changes in the video game industry, and the clamor for better depictions of women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and other minorities. Mortal Kombat is one of the franchises that changed with the times, even introducing their first confirmed gay character Kung Jin in Mortal Kombat X, and depicting classic character Mileena and 3D era character Tanya as lovers in the same game, confirming that Mileena is indeed canonically bisexual.
Mortal Kombat X’s female character designs were diverse and realistic too; there were some female characters whose designs didn’t show too much skin, like Sonya Blade’s main costume, befitting her role and demeanor as a tough-as-nails general, and there were female characters like Mileena who had more skin in her costumes, justified by her character’s desire to compensate for her monstrous Tarkatan genes. It’s not perfect, but overall, Mortal Kombat X is a breath of fresh air to the franchise. As a bisexual, an Asian, and a woman, I felt seen. I felt good, because minorities like me are respectfully represented.
As for its sequel, Mortal Kombat 11, there are some noteworthy depictions of real-life social issues in the game, such as colonization, which is explored with Nightwolf’s revamped lore. In the rewrite, Nightwolf is depicted as someone who used to be angry that his people, a fictional Native American tribe called the Matoka, resigned themselves to colonizers in his youth, but was blessed by his tribe’s deity, the Great Spirit, with power to help his tribe move forward after he defended the Matoka’s honor against Kano. The subject of race is also explored with Jax’s ending, where he uses the power he obtains from the hourglass to create a world where Black people were never enslaved, which garnered manufactured outrage despite the lack of any real controversy. Another example is Fujin’s ending, where he uses his power to experience the lives of mortals of different races, realms, genders, and faiths, putting emphasis on the value of integrating with the masses in order to understand and serve them better.
However, there are some aspects of the game that left a bad taste in my mouth. No, that would be an understatement. It left me furiously disappointed.
John Vogel is the lead writer for the franchise since John Tobias’ departure, writing the bulk of the story until he left around after Mortal Kombat X. Dominic Cianciolo becomes co-writer, alongside Shawn Kittelsen. Cianciolo is credited as the Story Director for Mortal Kombat 11, and thus responsible for the bulk of the plot.
After being unplayable in MKX, Sindel returns to the MK11 roster in a Kombat Pack, expansions featuring characters who aren’t present in the main story or are guest fighters from another franchise, such as Nightwolf and the Joker from the DC Universe. At the announcement of their return, I was ecstatic. The way Nightwolf’s character is handled and the added lore left me positive and hopeful for Sindel’s return.
But then, the retcon happened.
Originally, Sindel is the deceased mother of Kitana whose husband was killed by Shao Kahn. She then sacrificed herself through a suicide pact in order to protect the realms, and was brought back to life as an evil queen by Shao Kahn milennia later, but then escapes his hold. Here, she is made to be evil all along, responsible for her husband’s death and willingly coming with Shao Kahn to rule alongside him. Sindel becomes a character from her society’s ruling class who is obsessed with preserving her privileged position. Some fans claim that this new depiction is “empowering”, but is it really progressive?
Today, the terms “empowerment” and “women’s empowerment” are becoming buzzwords used by advertisers and big industry writers in an attempt to sell their product to a growing number of women who takes part in geek culture or play video games, and a society with values that are getting more and more progressive. Some people call this phenomena “woke capitalism”, where a corporation adopts progressive political causes. The gaming industry is not exempt from that; people pay for games, downloadable content, and microtransactions after all.
More often than not, when male writers write “strong” female characters, they tend to focus solely on enhancing traditionally masculine values, such as fighting ability, ignoring what other values female characters have that make them strong, or they tend to be horribly, horribly tone-deaf, which I will explain in detail later. These representations of “women’s empowerment” should force us to reexamine the media we consume, and discern whether these are genuine depictions of social issues or woke capitalism disguised as such.
In the first place, why are so many writers obsessed with “empowering” female characters, instead of writing them as characters capable of fighting for their emancipation?
Empowerment is passive; it’s something granted by those who hold power, not earned nor fought for. In the rewritten Sindel’s case, she is empowered by Shao Kahn when he took her as his wife and gave her the privileges he enjoys. Sindel’s empowerment is selfish; her rise to power did not empower, emancipate, nor liberate her daughter Kitana, nor Jade, nor Mileena, nor the women of Outworld. On the contrary, it made life worse and oppressive for all of Outworld’s denizens, including its women, who now have to serve not one, but two privilege-drunk monarchs who rule with an iron fist. If that’s the values the writers want to impart on their audience, I have serious doubts on the sincerity of their “wokeness”.
The release of Aftermath takes things up to eleven, where Sindel betrays her own daughter to be with Shao Kahn, who, originally, enslaves her and forces her into marriage, which holds so much unfortunate implications for those in abusive relationships. It doesn’t help that Cianciolo liked a tweet from a fan that said the original Sindel, an abuse survivor, was never an empowered female character and a was bad mother for killing herself and leaving her child behind, bringing even more unfortunate implications not just for women in abusive relationships, but also for people who struggle with suicide. Somehow, Cianciolo and the fans that agree with him ignore these implications altogether and believes that the new haughty, tyrannical Sindel is an example of a strong female character. This isn’t the first time male writers tried their hand at feminist writing and ended up with tone-deaf plot decisions.
Cianciolo took a nuanced and well-written character and turned her into Shao Kahn 2.0. What happened is essentially the creative butchering of Sindel’s character; she went from being a survivor to an oppressor. Shao Kahn already fills the role of a cruel tyrant who refuses to relinquish his privilege for the good of the masses, and rewriting Sindel to become his distaff counterpart is not necessary at all. This treatment of her character isn’t feminist or progressive at all; it’s poorly-disguised misogyny. It’s implying that a woman can only be powerful if she submits to her husband so that he may grant her a taste of privilege reserved for powerful men, an antiquated sentiment best left to the feudal ages. Granted, the fictional realm of Outworld is ruled by a monarchy, but Sindel’s previous characterization is proof that writers can refuse or avoid using that trope.
Emancipation, on the other hand, is an active role; according to Ruane and Todd, it is “a process by which the participants in a system which determines, distorts and limits their potentialities come together actively to transform it, and in the process transform themselves.” This concept can be applied more appropriately to pre-retcon Sindel.
Going back to my days as a highly impressionable teenager, though I grew interested in her for her benevolent demeanor despite her intimidating appearance, Sindel’s roles as a survivor and a leader are what cemented my love for the character. Shao Kahn murdered her husband, usurped the throne, conquered her kingdom, and coerced her to be his wife. Later, she sacrificed herself for the greater good of a realm, and after being resurrected as an evil brainwashed puppet, she finally broke free from her abuser. With her newfound agency, she became a queen of Outworld who recognized her privilege and used it to stand with its masses against tyrants, and she also becomes a doting mother to Kitana, demonstrating great love for her family. When finally removed from her abuser’s influence, Sindel chose to be free, she chose to lead her people benevolently, and she chose to be with her true family. This Sindel broke free from the traditional Outworld power structure that Shao Kahn perpetrated for thousands of years, no longer a bride to be forcefully taken, nor a pawn to be manipulated by its emperor.
If you can look past the scanty costume design standard for video games of that era, the original Sindel could be a female character ahead of her time. Original Sindel not only can kick ass, she also has agency, willpower, and a heart; a strong female character with good writing. For those reasons, Cianciolo’s Sindel is #NotMySindel.
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bangwoolofbangtan · 4 years
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How BTS and Its ARMY Could Change the Music Industry
By Rebecca Davis
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It was just a year ago that BTS’ Love Yourself: Speak Yourself tour was selling out stadiums all over the world. Each night of the 20-date trek, which grossed $116 million, a total of nearly a million ticket buyers around the planet witnessed a thumping opening liturgy at the top of the K-pop band’s set in the form of the song “Dionysus.”
As flames shot up from the stage, seven figures emerged in supplicant white amid Greek columns and a long altar. Rapper RM (full name: Kim Nam-joon) led the way, twirling the staff of the titular mythical deity, as group mates Jin (Kim Seok-jin), SUGA (Min Yoon-gi), j-hope (Jung Ho-seok), Jimin (Park Ji-min), V (Kim Tae-hyung) and Jung Kook (Jeon Jung-kook) flanked him in a display of choreographed precision. The crowd, reaching peak pandemonium in a night full of deafening screams, made willing maenads and satyrs, transported by the band’s presence. An anthem about rebirth and self-discovery through the ecstatic collective experience of music was received as intended — as if from the gods.
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Idol worship is by no means a new concept in pop music — remember John Lennon’s provocative statement in 1966 that the Beatles were “more popular than Jesus”? — but there’s something about BTS that turns fandom up to 11. The global brigade of BTS acolytes is collectively known by the acronym ARMY, short for Adorable Representative MC for Youth, a moniker chosen by Big Hit Entertainment, the company that launched the band. ARMY comprises the lion’s share of a Twitter audience that’s 29.2 million followers strong, more than triple that of any other K-pop group, and growing daily. BTS’ Instagram presence of 30.6 million followers (also rising rapidly), is trailed closely only by YG Entertainment’s Blackpink, at 29.3 million.
“It is because ARMY exists that we exist,” Jin says.
To understand the scope of BTS Inc.: An influential 2018 study by the Hyundai Research Institute estimated that the ripple effects from the boy band’s ecosystem contribute roughly $4.9 billion annually to South Korea’s GDP, on track to generate more value over 10 years than the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. The study gauged that in 2017, one in 13 visitors to the country came for BTS-related pilgrimages. That ratio may soon be growing. Spotify has reported a 300% spike in new listeners to the group since the Aug. 21 release of “Dynamite,” BTS’ first all-English single.
The BTS boom has also driven Big Hit to launch an IPO in October projected to raise some $811 million. (Each BTS member will be awarded shares worth approximately $8 million.) Of Big Hit’s revenue in 2019, 97.4% was generated by BTS, including $130 million worth of T-shirts, cosmetics, dolls and other merchandise.
The numbers are no accident. The South Korean government began investing strategically in the arts and the digital economy to help steer the country out of the 1997 Asian financial crisis. On the heels of “Parasite” sweeping the Oscars, the worldwide success of BTS may be another sign to the West that Seoul might be the center of a new force in creative production.
Big Hit, and the K-pop music bus­iness in general, have proved just how much a band, and a company, can prosper through a direct-to-consumer relationship, driven by digital platforms and dedicated apps with lots of behind-the-scenes content that keeps fans emotionally involved. It’s engagement on a scale that no Western artist has ever achieved, despite decades of radio promotion and the best retail strategy.
For the global music industry, the band’s success has meant a serious rethink of how a record company — in BTS’ case, Sony Music’s Columbia Records, which distributes the group’s music in the U.S. (though the band is not signed to the label) — builds and maintains a fan base. You could almost look at it as a collaborative arrangement: As music is being made in real time, decision-makers and strategists at Big Hit and Columbia are taking in and processing the comments and views of ARMY and pivoting accordingly.
“It creates a self-sustaining engine that, eventually, becomes hits perpetuating more hits,” says Neil Jacobson, a former president of Geffen Records who runs Hallwood, a talent agency for producers and songwriters. “A label wants that fan connection happening all the time so that they can consistently release and promote music. But in the past, there had always been intermediaries that labels had to talk to in order to manifest exposure. Now, there is a mechanism for an artist to speak directly to their fans. That didn’t exist before, and it has turbocharged the process.”
It’s all led to this “Dynamite” mo­ment: The single has sold nearly 700,000 adjusted song units since its release — good for a gold record certification by the RIAA. The song is quickly becoming the band’s biggest radio hit to date (without a featured artist, it’s worth noting), and represents a significant breakout beyond its core audience. After that, will Grammys follow?
“They check all the boxes,” says Jenna Andrews, the vocal producer on “Dynamite” who also serves as an executive at Sony’s Records label. “I’ve never seen anything like BTS in terms of singing and dancing. This is just an indication of what’s yet to come. They’re going to take over the world.”
Kathryn Lofton, Yale University professor of religious and American studies and author of the book “Consuming Religion,” says that the bond BTS has with its ARMY is different from the typical singer-fan connection because “BTS’ driving commitment is to their relationship to the fan group, to the manufacturing of their communal joy for you to participate in.” It’s why she views BTS as “a religious project; they are seeking to make a togetherness that you can’t stop wanting to be a part of.”
Lofton also makes a point of distinguishing ARMY from the groupies associated with Beatlemania. Sure, BTS fans know the hagiography and backstory of each member, but everything about the band’s output prioritizes the collective over the individual.
The band itself has certainly leaned into the comparison with the Fab Four. For instance, it re-created the iconic moment of the Beatles’ 1964 debut at the Ed Sullivan Theater last May on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” — in a black-and-white segment that showed the K-pop band performing as mop tops in tailored suits.
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But while John, Paul, George and Ringo had spotlight moments of their own, both within and outside the band — songs they wrote individually, causes they took up personally — with BTS, it’s all for one all the time. Unlike many other groups, the members share single, collective Twitter and Instagram accounts, and release even solo material through their shared channel. Accomplishments are never spoken of as belonging to any one group member but rather as the work of the team (and, of course, ARMY). In their videos, they often begin in solo shots but end up together.
This all strays from the typical tropes of Western boy bands including New Edition and ’N Sync, which have all proffered “star” frontmen. The thinking for decades had been that a record company would be lucky to have one breakout solo career among the bunch.
But BTS’ selfless approach didn’t happen randomly: The group was envisioned as a collective to heal the alienation that ails us in the digital age. Its name — “BTS” stands for Beyond the Scene — is an invitation to fans to join them offstage via almost daily video content featuring moments in their intimate if immaculately curated private lives on YouTube, Twitter and Big Hit app Weverse.
In 2011, Big Hit’s revenues from its then-main acts, Lim Jeong-hee and boy band 2AM, were plummeting. As the shadow of bankruptcy loomed, Bang Si-hyuk, now chairman, and Lenzo Yoon, global CEO, felt the company needed a total revamp. They stopped all normal work for months and called on employees to perform market research instead, seeking a new vision and formula.
Bang describes the conclusion they reached in a recent Harvard Business School case study of the firm written by Anita Elberse and Lizzy Woodham: “You would think that with the development of digital technology, people can come together more easily, but we found that it is actually more likely that people will feel more isolated. And so we need to find a way to help them, inspire them and heal them.”
Reflecting on the choice to develop a group that satiated this need, Yoon says in the study: “I think back then in 2011, with the conclusions we drew, we found the wild ginseng, as we say in Korea.”
On “Dynamite,” Big Hit worked with Columbia to further cultivate that ginseng. Pitched by Jacobson to label chairman Ron Perry, who guided and essentially A&R’d the song, worked to radio by Columbia executive VP and head of promotion Peter Gray (who has broken hits for Dua Lipa, Kelly Clarkson and Kings of Leon), and all overseen and informed by the years of management savvy of Big Hit, it’s the kind of artist development that was a music business calling card and that has lost its place in the fast-paced world of digital releases.
Radio exposure is not considered as impactful in Korea as it is in the U.S., notes RM, and so BTS — “maybe naively” — didn’t hit the ground in the U.S. thinking, ‘What can boost our airplay?’” the last time around. Still, RM notes that the band has “100% trust” in Columbia, Big Hit and the greater BTS community. “ARMY and the label are all trying their best,” he says, recounting how in the band’s early days, fans would send bouquets to radio DJs to get their songs on the air.
“Our goal is to try to show ourselves, expose ourselves to ARMY as much as possible,” adds Jin. “There are a lot of platforms now.”
In some ways, BTS’ ARMY has grown into its own force and brought the group along for the ride. In the world of K-pop, the expectation is that entertainers stay far away from politics, but as the genre has grown more global, it has begun to reach a transnational cohort to whom matters of social justice are top of mind.
When Variety broke the news on June 6 that BTS and Big Hit had donated $1 million to Black Lives Matter, BTS fans quickly flocked to #Match­AMillion through a link sent out by the fan charity Twitter account @OneInAnARMY. They hit the financial target in just 25 hours.
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Erika Overton, a 40-year-old Georgia resident and one of the co-founders of the account, says of the experience: “It was one of the craziest nights I’ve ever seen. I was on Twitter all night. We were refreshing the page every couple of minutes, going, ‘Oh, my God …’” Witnessing ARMY’s U.S. battalion bring the message of Black Lives Matter to fans in other parts of the world who were unfamiliar with the movement was a “big educational moment that was really, really beautiful to see,” says Overton, who is African American.
What Overton saw was facilitated by networks of fan translators who also turn Big Hit’s Korean content into dozens of languages. Other ARMY groups provide counseling or tutoring services, invent themed recipes or write informational threads on everything from the history of the music industry and how charts work to Jungian philosophy, which deeply informs the BTS albums.
Some fan accounts have even become registered nonprofits, with dozens of administrators spread around the world putting in nearly full-time work on top of their day jobs.
In addition to Black Lives Matter, BTS this year donated $1 million to Crew Nation, a Live Nation campaign to support live entertainment personnel impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. And it has continued its campaign with UNICEF to end child violence. But the band members are reticent to take on the role of global activists. “I don’t consider ourselves as political,” says Suga. “We aren’t trying to send out some grandiose message. We would never see ARMY as a conduit for our voice or our opinion. ARMY speaks their own initiatives, and we always respect their opinions, as we respect any other person’s.”
RM, on the other hand, keeps the door open for a kind of apolitical politics based more on actions than words: “We are not political figures, but as they say, everything is political eventually. Even a pebble can be political.”
The scale of its influence is not something that the group takes lightly. “Our [‘Dynamite’] video has seen 80 million, almost 90 million views in just a day. In a way, that’s very weighty — and almost frightening,” RM told Variety the day after its debut, explaining that the balancing act is often one of how to juggle the burdens of being both role models and artists.
Some Korean scholars feel that BTS’ statement in support of BLM shows how ARMY is actually out ahead of Big Hit, spontaneously enacting its own initiatives to which the company must then respond. “Big Hit thinks they can create a company-dominated [approach to] fandom, but fans are agents doing only what they want, not what they don’t want,” says ethnomusicologist Kim Jungwon of Yonsei University in Seoul. For Kim, the fluidity of ARMY’s unplanned, collective responses “is the possible answer to BTS’ success.”
Candace Epps-Robertson, an ARMY member and assistant professor of rhetoric at the University of North Carolina, says the affirmational content of the group’s lyrics and videos may sound simple, but lay the groundwork for millions of fans to learn to engage critically with each other and develop a transcultural sense of global citizenship. “The message of ‘you, yourself, are enough, and you should love who you are and start with that — I think people miss how radical that can actually be,” she says. “We can’t overlook the power of that as an invitation to people to be part of this community.”
The Grammys, where BTS is eligible for record of the year, among other categories (nomination ballots for the 2021 awards, slated to air Jan. 31, went out on Sept. 28), provide a chance for the group to gain industry recognition as a mainstream contender, not just a K-pop act.
Asked why the Grammys matter so much to them, Suga seems to bristle a bit at the question. “I grew up watching American award shows, so obviously we all know and I know the importance of the Grammys,” he says. “It’s a dream anyone working in music has.”
RM says having the goal of a Grammy, an industry-voted award, “motivates us to work harder. As Suga said, if you are in music, the Grammy Awards are something that you cannot help but to look toward and set as an eventual goal.”
BTS’ global influence will soon collide with national duty, and a Grammy Award or three could help maintain its momentum. The band members all have to participate in Korea’s mandatory military service by the age of 28 — and four of them are within two years of that threshold. “Big Hit really wants to target the Grammys before [the members] go into the army,” says an industry source privy to the company’s marketing plans, adding that, from Big Hit’s perspective, it would be best for business if the boys all perform their service at the same time.
The group renewed its contract with Big Hit in 2018, which commits the members to another seven years with the firm, but the army service issue could knock off two years within that time span. A company statement ahead of Big Hit’s IPO shows that Jin, the oldest group member (he’ll be 28 in December), must conscript by 2022 even if he gets an extension of the draft deadline. The statement discloses that plans to prerecord content to be released over the course of any army tenure are being discussed.
South Korea officially changed its rules in July to allow draftees access to once-banned cellphones on weeknights and weekends, meaning BTS could theoretically continue some interaction with fans. However, the taking of photos, video or audio recordings remains prohibited. (Historically, most Korean celebs have fallen silent during their service.)
Soldiering aside, with the push from Big Hit’s IPO, multiple TV appearances — including an ongoing weeklong takeover of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” — the chart success of “Dynamite” and growing Grammy buzz, BTS is poised to make some serious noise this fall, which is saying a lot for a group known to shake the decibel scale with a wave or a wink. But perhaps the most significant measure of its ascent is underscored by the frequent speculation of the band’s place in a new moment for the music industry.
“What would it mean not just to include the sound of Korea in the annals of world music, but to actually propose that the South Korean sound is the next chapter?” posits Yale’s Lofton. “What if BTS are actually the next Beatles?”
©variety.com
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mizutina · 4 years
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As someone who has been collecting manga since their early teens, many discussions never really reached my ears until I joined the community itself in the last few years. By many years, I mean late 2003/early 2004, I may have had a few times where I've stopped due to severe depressive episodes and financial strife due to being a young teen with no funds. So I know what it is like to long for manga but not being able to afford it brand new and having to stoop to scans and secondhands or borrowing off friends who can afford just a bit more.
Through the years, I accepted what the companies gave but after a while, you know what you want from what you buy, so I stopped being silent. What came from it, was something one could align with the sense of regret. A few years back I've even stopped reading scans unless it's to see if it's a series I really want and read no further than 3 chapters to decide. Any that I do want either goes on a list or enter the cart until payday. Sometimes, some even get bought in a heartbeat but again, it took me years to get to this stage where I can do that, have space for my series and even gain the confidence to share what I love but even then, some people don't like that and that's fine, it's their choice.
Don't get me wrong, a side doesn't regret making the amazing friends I now have but it regrets being so involved to the extent that I am classed as a villainess for asking for prints, since it's considered cancelling a company saying that I would rather have a printed copy over bits of data, especially for the insane prices they ask for and the lack of reassurance that it is as eternally as my copies seem to be, since if they take the digital away if the server or company goes bust.
I am the bad one for being apart of a chat group with people who love the things I do and have the hide to comment about things that make us unhappy, especially about companies and their lack of variety, especially for shojo. We also don't favour digital, which is our choice since it's our money we are spending. It is why I now keep comments sweet and simple when "nagging" for titles I'd love to see in print and not shit all over series even if it is pandering to lolicon fans, which is a sin to point out in the animanga community cause "it's a cartoon, it won't hurt anyone" or "age is just a number", which is a very telling sign about what kinds of people they are.
But that's a community, not everyone will get along nor share opinions that is on par to your own. Unless you have this obscene view of yourself being some sort of manga master which allows you to shit on others, insult them and basically shoving their opinion as facts, this is where the first two parts of my title comes in, the final part being the first thing I've talked about heh. Then again, these same people believe they are some sort of knowledge head or insider into these companies when, at best, they are hardcore fans that believe anything someone actually in the company says, even if the figures are cherry picked to all hell. I mean, come on guys, just cause you are given free copies doesn't make you any more special. You just supporting the company a bit less in order to promote in hopes that enough people buy to cover the fact the company sent out possibly 20 copies to other people like you and chip in for you getting one free instead of doing the right thing by BUYING THEIR OWN COPY TO SUPPORT THE INDUSTRY THEY ARE SO IN LOVE WITH, but oh well, they are above that apparently, they can do and say as they wish.
Like one says, do as I say not as I do.
So a few weeks ago, some dumbarses believe that secondhand buying and selling of a legally bought product is piracy. Anyone with half a brain and a search engine can prove otherwise. The other reason they claim is that it doesn't give back to the creators and company. Yes, that is correct but not everyone can buy new, not everyone has access to new series or even stores that stock series. Also, some companies have deemed some series either out of print (OOP) or the company is now defunct.
In that case, secondhand is the only option. Unlike some people, I'll admit to buying secondhand, my reasoning's are simple. I can't get some series due to OOP, cheaper as a bundle and, most importantly to me anyway, I rather they sell it to me than throw it away, it's better for the environment that way.
Sure, who knows what they will do with my cash but that's not my problem. I bought a manga from them that they legally bought. Just like when someone borrows from the library, they bought it and lend it to people, in some cases, depends on how many people borrow it, they give funds towards procuring more manga, which means the industry is still supported.
When some people start buying mangas, they usually start secondhand, find the series for them and then usually buy new ones, so in the end, they end up becoming a new consumer for the industry. For example, when I sell some mangas, I end up buying new ones cause I like to keep up with my pre-orders, I like being up to date and I love buying new series that fascinate me, I no longer buy for the sake of buying.
Then we have the selling aspect, since buying is piracy, so would selling right? apparently if the dumbarses do it themselves, it's fine, you just happen to be the bad guy buying from them as they possibly spend the buyers money on new mangas while pointing fingers and blaming others for the "piracy" that they basically contributed in.
Fun fact: don't go spouting off about buying new manga and saying buying second-hand is piracy when you both buy and sell mangas secondhand, you look foolish and defeats the purpose of the whole argument. Also, buy manga secondhand if the creator did a crime is okay but when you ask how bad the crime must be in order for it to be allowed, reflect by being a douche, totally helps the argument by reminding people how incredibly stupid your opinion really is.
My opinion? if you don't like what the creator did and don't want to support them, buy secondhand or don't bother with the series. Maybe buy the series, who knows, it's up to you. I'd support purely on the fact that other people put in their time and hard work into it and they deserve to have that acknowledgment, the scummy person can go eat a cold one for all I care, I don't think others should suffer for one criminal. Also, if they did pay for the crime, then power to them, as long as they learned from it, that deserves some respect.
Moral of the story; Secondhand is a very grey area, many start there and you should be praising them for buying legal copies, it will help them feel accepted and eventually buy more from their local stores and online. Bullying them for buying secondhand only makes them leave and not support the industry. Also, just don't be a gate-keeping dick. Manga is meant to be fun, being in a community is meant to be fun. Be fun with new collectors, help raise them up.
Now, recently, I saw another dumbarse mention Manga Hoarding or Manga Collecting cause apparently making videos showing hauls may be toxic and a form of hoarding.
Fun fact: hoarding and collecting are the two sides of the same coin. It's all about perspective.
One could say my large collection is hoarding. I would say I'm a collector and I love showing, sharing my collection with people in hopes that they may one day buy the series that I mention and love them as much as I do.
Also, this is also a money issue for some people, having a lot means having a lot of money. 1. Who cares about that, it's not your money they are spending. It's theirs. 2. If we use my hauls as an example, mine are large due to two reasons: I pre-order new series and bundle buy older series secondhand at a bargain price. It's a way to both show interest to companies when pre-ordering and it helps someone get rid of something you want, also to explore things you probably wouldn't think of buying. 3. What's it to anyone when it comes to how much someone has? It's got nothing, unless they are putting their own cash into that person, otherwise sit down and shut the hell up.
IMO, manga hauls are as toxic as someone perceives it to be. Me, like many others, enjoy seeing what others have and makes you think about what they have that you may end up wanting. This is where you ask the person about the series and, tied with piracy topic, you may end up buying the series which helps support the industry. Also, some people collect vast amount of mangas cause they love it, it helps them and should not be shamed for what they love. If you shame others, then you're a dick.
Which, like I said earlier or if I didn't say it clearly, these dumbarses who believe they are elitist, wants people to support the industry that they love so much but sometimes refuse to do themselves. Like mate, you say one thing but shit on people doing their best to support the industry their own way. You can't have the cake and eat it too, stop doing shit like this, keep a solid opinion and don't do shit that points out what a giant hypocrite you are.
But why use logic, that be too hard, right? Well, to me, it seems like people want drama, a reason to ostracise people from their Utopian community. It's quite unfair on people, telling them how to be a collector when it just feels like foolish projections.
Sure, I'm projecting a bit here, feeling their opinions of stupid people when I feel like it's more about how foolish and childish it all seems, how it feels like they just don't think further than "people should be like me and if they ain't, they are the toxic part of the community" which is not a healthy view to have.
Wooow, indeed I have written quite a bit about these topics which are so dear to me, especially as someone who has been supporting silently for years until recently. All the topics I have spoken about is basically something that can't be seen as black or white like the elitist pushes so hard since it's all grey area and to do with perspective.
I shall give it a rest now and read some manga, since that's what someone with a healthy habit does when they are taking a break. Heh.
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espialsolutions · 4 years
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The Importance of Digital Marketing: Top 5 Reasons You Need It
At one point online marketing was just a replacement and different thanks to market. It opened a replacement sort of media on which to peddle goods and services. But within the past few years, the importance of digital marketing has become something else. It’s become an integral a part of what a business is to its customers. It’s not enough to possess an internet site or run some un-focused Ads campaign. Don’t have integrated digital marketing strategies working for your business? Time is functioning against you due to it. As the Internet becomes entwined with everything we do, the importance of digital marketing is becoming crystal clear. Let’s take a glance at why your business needs digital marketing to grow and thrive. Importance of Digital Marketing 1. Reaches People Where They Spend Their Time & Money In 2019, the typical Internet user has a minimum of 7 social media accounts. That’s up from 3 just 5 years ago. 97% folks adults under 65 are on social media a minimum of once a month. The overwhelming majority are thereon a day . Social media is strongly preferred as a way of customer care. Although as many as 89% of customer messages are ignored by businesses. 22% of the planet population is on Facebook. 62% of individuals within the US are there. 76% of Facebook users and 51% of Instagram users are thereon a day . 30% of individuals on social media mention a selected brand when pertaining to milestones in their lives. generation X is slightly more likely to interact with a brand on social media than millennials. The trend immediately is that the average person spends over 2 hours each day on social media. Teenagers average 9 hours. Social media is integrated into everything they are doing from school, to work, to entertainment, to hanging out with friends. Social Media is where people are. But do people buy things there? One of the highest 10 reasons people say they’re on social media is to shop for products advertised to them. They spend around 37% of their social media time interacting with branded content. 57% of Millennials say that social media has made the ads they see more relevant to them. 48% of individuals say they made their last online purchase because the direct results of a Facebook ad. But only 45% of marketers think their social media efforts are paying off. There are definitely some winners and losers on social media. Just having a profile and sharing some content once during a while isn’t enough. you would like a social media marketing strategy. When you understand the way to maximize your ROI in social media advertising, you win big. Social media marketing and advertising are only a bit of digital marketing. But it’s a really important one. Throughout this text , we’ll check out many sorts of online marketing methods. this may show the importance of digital marketing to your business. 2. Levels the Playing Field for little Business You’ve seen it happen before. an enormous company like Walmart involves town and wipes out 100’s of local specialty shops. Starbucks rolls in and mom and pop coffee and bagel shops close . We’ve seen the web equivalent of this with Amazon. It’s hard to compete with the name recognition or the millions that they put into marketing and reputation management. That’s where the importance of digital marketing shines as a beacon of hope for little businesses. It’s an equivalent for brick & mortar, ecommerce, and private brands alike. Digital marketing actually allows smaller businesses the power to carry a top ranking position, sort of a client we helped outrank Amazon and Lowe’s using our AdWords services. Digital marketing allows small businesses to compete with a way smaller advertising budget. When managed effectively, it gives them laser-focused control over where and the way they spend their money. once you have this type of control and therefore the data to support decisions, you create smarter ones. 3. More Targeted When you run a magazine ad, for instance , you actually do some targeting. you recognize if your audience reads that publication. you've got some control over placement and size. You control the message within certain publisher guidelines. That ad may reach 1 million plus readers. But what percent of this million is really your target? a specific fashion magazine may need a demographic 59% female ages 35-55. they'll have some college education. And you recognize they’re curious about the sort of fashion depicted within the magazine. But that’s an enormous demographic. One of the gifts that digital marketing has given us is that the ability to dissect huge demographics. Who’s that person? It’s the person presumably purchase what you sell. When you do targeting at this level, you create a billboard that’s highly relevant to your target market. Because it’s so relevant, it connects on A level that more general advertising can’t. This connection gives it the power to influence decisions. you are doing it without annoying traditional advertising techniques. So, what quite targeting is feasible with digital marketing? Let’s check out search advertising as an example. that has AdWords. during this sort of digital marketing, you target people doing searches in Google. Search results now account for about 64% of website traffic across the web . For businesses who’ve put strong specialise in SEO (search engine optimization) the maximum amount as 80% of traffic arrives from search results. Search Engine Marketing, or PPC (pay per click) allows you to position yourself near the highest of searches. That’s albeit that’s not where your website would organically appear. With SEM, you can target people with a very specific:
Challenge
Goal
Profession
Education level
Buying behavior
And more
Do this by bidding on search queries that represent these specific targets. Build ads and landing pages around them to convert that traffic.
Social media advertising similarly allows you to narrow your audience Use the info they’ve collected about their users. Tell Facebook, for instance , to only show your ad to people with a really specific recent behavior, interest, location or other identifier.
You don’t spend thousands on one ad. And you'll run ads indefinitely. So you'll easily modify that ad to attach with different groups of individuals . You don’t have this level of control over who sees your ad with the other sort of marketing.
4. Can be often Hyper-Personalized
We’ve barely begun to debate the importance of digital marketing with regard to targeting. With email marketing, yet one more important a part of digital marketing, you'll target almost right down to the individual level.
We call this “segmentation“.
In some cases, you really can get to the individual level. Marketers call this “personalization“.
72% of consumers prefer that companies use email to speak with them. this provides people a way of control that creates them easier signing up for your emails and buying from you. If they don’t like what you send them, they will just unsubscribe.
But once you send them content that's highly relevant, they stay your list and still buy again and again. you'll see where within the importance of digital marketing lies during a repeat lifetime customer.
There are basic programs which will allow you to feature a person’s name or certain information automatically to an email. But we’re talking a few far more advanced approach that’s proven its ability to urge results for our clients, just like the improvements within the chart below. That’s email segmentation, automation, and personalization.
If it isn’t relevant, you don’t send it to them. And if you'll make small changes to a bit of content make thereto more relevant to a special segment, you are doing it to succeed in more people.
Automation allows you to send that content at the optimal time to get the specified result. It takes the repetitiveness out of the method .
You learn what this optimal time is thru your data collection process. this point could also be immediately. it's going to be a particular time of day. it's going to be sending a particular message before another one.
Finally, you've got personalization. You recognize a private on an individual level. you're ready to recommend the simplest products to them because you recognize their purchase history. You recognize that they only visited your website and abandoned their cart. You ask them by name. They feel that you simply respect their individuality.
While these are 3 various things , once they work together they get results.
The Power of Segmentation, Automation & Personalization
Subscribers are 14% more likely to open emails that are segmented. They’re 101% more likely to click a call to action within the email. Segmentation reduces bounce rates by 5%. That’s tons in email marketing. It reduces unsubscription rate by around 10%.
But what about sales and revenues? Segmentation seems like tons of labor . Does it have an ROI to justify it?
Businesses who use automation to send these emails at the optimal time on the average increase their conversion rates by 50%. Automated emails are 70% more likely to urge opened and have 50% higher click-through rates.
A study found that companies who use
Email Marketing
automation are 133% more likely to send highly relevant content. during a typical email campaign, 75% of revenues are drawn from the segmented portion of the campaign. the remainder comes from general emails.
It’s this relevance that gets these sorts of results and further proves the importance of digital marketing to a business. 81% of individuals who get an email that’s personalized supported past purchases buy again.
5. More Advanced Analytics
What does one really realize how a TV ad performed? you'll determine best times for the ad to air and best frequency if you are doing some testing. you would possibly create attention group to drill down on the info . But generally, you simply know its reach consistent with the agency and whether it increased buzz, sales, or met an identical marketing goal.
Now, let’s check out the importance of digital marketing as compared .
With digital marketing you recognize the subsequent about your ads and users:
Whether they actually saw it. With TV ads, you don’t even know that much. they might are within the kitchen or had the TV on mute.
If they interacted with it
If they liked it
If they lingered thereon
If they shared it with a lover
If it prompted another action
If it led to a purchase down the road (this is vital when deciding the way to best spend money)
You also learn far more about the people interacting thereupon ad:
Who’s most curious about your ads
What are they like
What makes them more likely to require an action
Who is easiest to convert
Who spends more
What do they are doing online
What terms do they use to seek out you online
Which websites do they visit that lead them to yours
All of this is often pretty easy to trace with free analytics software like Google Analytics. otherwise you can gain even more insight with paid tools. Use what you learn to chop costs where you aren’t seeing a return on investment. Increase spend and efforts where you get the simplest results.
Continue to streamline your campaigns to optimize your results.
You may still plan to distribute some money for traditional marketing. Many businesses wish to have a mixture in their marketing plan. therein case, the importance of digital marketing is what proportion you study who your customers are that carries over to other marketing methods.
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26 Weight Loss Tips That Are Actually Evidence-Based
The weight loss industry is full of myths.
People are often advised to do all sorts of crazy things, most of which have no evidence behind them.
However, over the years, scientists have found a number of strategies that seem to be effective.
Here are 26 weight loss tips that are actually evidence-based.                                                                                                              I knew that something was really wrong… I could not lose weight no matter how hard I tried. I Paleo’ed, Keto’ed, Fasted 'til I fainted... the scale and zippers WOULD NOT budge.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  I spent my 40s obsessing about my constantly changing body. I was at the height of my career, working hard and playing hard, hitting the gym a few times a week. I ate healthy, got enough sleep, worked out, and still gained weight. I tried every diet on the planet and still could not get the scale to budge or my waistline to shrink. I was at my wit's end when I decided to cut calories to an extreme low of 600 per day just to see if the scale would budge. I was miserable, tired, cranky, couldn’t sleep, had constant brain fog. OMG! This had to stop. I know I’m not the only one. We’ve all been there. As we age our bodies change. The diet and exercise we usually partake in just isn’t giving us the same results it used to. No matter how much we workout or how little we eat, that stubborn fat just won’t go away. I am going to reveal my little weight loss helper that has literally transformed the way I think about my body. I want to let you in on my diet secret that will give you back the the body you used to have, or the one you’ve always dreamed of! It saved my mental and physical health, revived my sex drive, and best of all, it saved my failing marriage. This is truly a life-changer and I want you to have it as soon as possible.This is why I'm so excited to show you how just three simple, natural ingredients really can change your body and your life. I’ll prove it! Once you know the real secret behind this kind of amazing weight loss, you'll see just how it can work for you. Whether you want to get back to the body you had in your twenties, lose just a few pounds, or reach a goal weight you’ve been striving for your entire life — you can do it — quicker & easier than you ever thought was possible. And it's all thanks to this revolutionary blend of all-natural ingredients that has scientists, doctors, and celebrities buzzing. Is this one of those too-good-to-be-true cure-alls that have been promising results for years, but not delivering? No, and I’ll show you why. IF I CAN, YOU CAN!Stop wasting time & money on diets that don’t work long-term.Burn fat without hours and hours of difficult, daily exercise.Look & feel better than you ever have in your entire life.Discover the only 100%-natural supplement in the world that has been proven to help you Lose 7.8 TIMES more body fat,   boost your metabolism & supports healthy inflammation.You're Not Alone! First, take a look at Linda. She looks great, doesn’t she? But that wasn’t always the case. You see, after Linda turned 40 she started feeling tired all the time for no reason. . . She put on an extra 30 pounds even though she hadn’t changed her diet or exercise. . . Linda was experiencing more aches and pains which meant she wasn’t sleeping well. . . However, she didn’t think much of it. She just thought that’s what happens when you get older. Secretly, Linda believed she would never get her body back after two kids. She was forty now, not twenty! She met her limit when a man she works with asked her when the baby was due. . . A baby that was now six years old! She was devastated. So even though she hadn’t changed her diet or exercise routine, her clothes were getting tighter. She struggled to zip up the jeans she had been wearing for years… One Ridiculously Simple Way to Burn Fat & Lose Weight EasilyLike you, Linda tried every thing she could think of. . . Every celebrity diet she read about. . . Keto, Intermittent Fasting, Paleo, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Pills, Shakes,Even dangerously excessive amounts of exercise . . . And yet the scale didn't move. The tape measure didn't budge. That is until she added this one ridiculously simple thing to her daily routine. The reason this one thing works so well? It can literally burn belly fat from the inside out while leaving precious muscle untouched. While everyone else is obsessed with trying to lose fat from the outside with backbreaking work in the gym or counting every calorie they consume… Those “in the know” have been using this little-known secret to torch fat from their bellies, thighs, and hips without leaving the house. Just by sticking to a normal lifestyle…Eating a regular diet… And adding this single all-natural supplement to your routine… You too should be able to get rid of your weight for good — safely, naturally, and without the need to kill yourself in the gym. Those who take it properly have to do little more than sit on the couch and they still see amazing results. And for those people who actually ENJOY a little exercise and healthy eating from time to time actually see even better results just by adding some of this herb to their daily routine. Wanna Know How I Got My Groove Back? I am going to share with you “My Little Weight Loss Helper” This is how I regained my body, confidence & sex appeal. BEFORE I SHARE THIS AMAZING, SUPER SIMPLE SOLUTION TO HELP YOU REACH YOUR DESIRED BODY SIZE AND ACHIEVE YOUR WEIGHT LOSS GOALS. . . I HAVE TO GIVE YOU A WARNING.   WE ARE HAVING A HARD TIME KEEPING THIS PRODUCT IN STOCK! THERES SUCH A HIGH DEMAND WE CAN'T KEEP UP AND ARE SELLING OUT QUICKLY. YOU SEE, SINCE THE INGREDIENTS INCLUDE THE MOST COMPLETE FORSKOLIN/TURMERIC/BIOPERINE COMBINATION AVAILABLE ANYWHERE WE SELL OUT OFTEN AND IT CAN TAKE WEEKS TO GET BACK IN STOCK. TODAY, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU ACCESS TO THIS CLINICALLY PROVEN, SUPER POTENT, ALL-NATURAL FAT BURNING REMEDY.   SO, IF YOU'RE EVEN A LITTLE BIT CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THIS  CAN CHANGE YOUR BODY AND SHRINK YOUR FAT CELLS, YOU NEED TO READ THIS ENTIRE ARTICLE TODAY! ALL I DID WAS ADD THESE 3 NATURAL INGREDIENTS TO MY DAILY ROUTINE!      
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fairycosmos · 5 years
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because i was constantly born on the idea that worth=intelligence/beauty, i feel worthless in this society. i know that people say everyone is unique but everyone is a better version of me—im very replaceable and despite coming to terms with that, i am so fucking isolated and lonely. i think “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal to others” sums it up. your thoughts?
hey! well honestly i mean, you said it - recognizing the fact that you were born to believe intelligence and beauty equals worth means that you're beginning to have the self awareness to know that there is more to people than those two things. i guess it helps to examine exactly WHY those expectations were projected onto you and whether or not those reasons are actually true and valid. look, our society wants to generate profit, right? that's the priority. they teach us to hate ourselves cause it makes them money, selling us an idea of beauty so thin and marginal and fake that we'll spend our whole lives chasing it. they tell us that our intelligence indicates our worth so we'll spend all of our time trying to prove ourselves, putting our education and our careers above everything, just to keep the cycle going. so we'll work and work because that's what we think we're here for. they need us to want approval, they need us to desire perfection. it's a calculated system. you've been taught it since you were very young, i mean we all have, so even the subconscious parts of our minds have soaked it in. it's really hard to deconstruct your ideas of reality and what qualities you treasure in yourself, but it's not impossible and it can be achieved over a lifetime. i think it may really help if you try to stop framing yourself as a product to be consumed. you're multidimensional, a being with flaws and quirks and experiences to be had. don't flatten yourself down just to try to reach those narrow, genuinely impossible standards. and look, others being good at things does not mean your existence is null and void. you're not alive in relation to them. you are the only you on the planet and that's NOT a bad thing, dude, i promise. it's not your skills or your assets that make you worthwhile, it's your inherent individual thoughts, your viewpoint and perspective. you were born with worth, everyone is. and it hasn't disappeared just cause you can't see it. your capacity to love, your unique relationship with the world and your loved ones - that's what matters. everything else is background noise.i get it though. when you're isolated and depressed, and you already have low self esteem, the way you register things can become very marred and twisted. i know this better than anyone. all of your insecurities become your general belief system, until there's nothing left but that self disgust, and you can't even conceive of the idea that you're more than what your brain says you are. but thats the absolute truth. i can't be sure obviously, but it seems to me like so much of your pain is stemming from your self perception, and can that really be trusted if your core feelings were shaped by those bullshit rules of the world that we talked about earlier? a fundamental change could really help you out. i think it could be a good idea for you to talk to someone about what's happening, or at least consider it. a friend, a family member, your doctor, a hotline, literally anyone. i know your first instinct will be to reject the idea, but please try to look beyond that initial impulse. it's alright to need support. your mental health is just as important and as complex as your physical health, and sometimes it needs real assistance and guidance in order for you to begin overcoming it. a professional will be able to examine the root causes of why you think the way you do, while showing you how to implement better coping mechanisms into your every day life. being honest about your thoughts to someone you trust will allow you to gain multiple perspectives, so you can paint a clearer picture. the connection is an antidote. look at the past few months, at the cycle that's been repeating - it makes sense that the way forward is to finally do something different, right? there are so many resources out there that will genuinely build your confidence and allow you to come to terms with who you are. you're going to spend the rest of your life with yourself so you might as well give gentleness a go. after all, blatant self hatred hasn't worked so far, right? it just piles up, and makes everything worse in the long run.of course i'm not saying that it's the answer to everything, or even that you have to start loving yourself right now. it is a long, sometimes gruelling but very rewarding process. and it's alright for it to take time. there will be days where you still can't stand to look at yourself, where you automatically measure your self worth by outside factors, where you're overwhelmed with negative emotions. again, these are things you've been taught for your while entire life. the goal is to do what you can to challenge those beliefs and deal with them in the healthiest way possible. if you honestly attempt that, you will notice a positive difference over time. bottom line is this - how you feel about yourself and the world and your life will naturally evolve as you age. i swear it won't always be as confusing and as painful as this. but there comes a time where you just sort of realize that you can actively encourage that self growth, if you want to. being scared and feeling resentment and embarrassment is a natural part of giving in to recovery. especially if you're dealing with a mental illness that needs to be treated by a doctor. it's alright to talk about the things that hurt. i honestly think that everyone is equal, it's just your mind is biased against you so you can't quite believe that right now. you're not here to prove that you belong on this planet, man. you're already here. you already belong. all you have to do is work on accepting it.
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azarjournal · 5 years
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AZAR · ETHICS 
Why We Choose To Use Genuine Leather Instead Of Vegan Leather
We do not intend to change anyone’s opinions or convictions through this article. We respect all points of view on the topic, the vegan, the environmentalist, the social revolutionary, and consider that all positions add some important insights to the debate going on about the use of leather in the fashion industry.
Part of the Azar team are long-term vegetarians and none of us consume industrial processed-meat, so we feel concerned with the environmental and socio-economic debates ourselves, as consumers long before than as producers.
Despite being a small business centered in craftsmanship and low-scale production, run by two people and a few sporadic collaborators, we consider that as designers and artisans involved in the slow fashion movement, we owe transparency in regard to our decisions and procedures. Moreover, we are pleased to let you get involved in how we approach our creative work and the selection of our materials.
// There is a cultural heritage in what we do.
We discussed the anthropological relation of leather with humankind’s history in our latest article [Let Us Talk About Leather, here]. Humans are the only species known to have adorned themselves with a second skin. This extra hide can be smooth, soft, and cosmetic, or robust, resistant, and protective. For thousands of years, this versatile material has provided the foundation for the manufacture of clothing, jewellery, and accessories. Long ago, human survival depended on hunting and ranching, and this established a clear correspondence between leatherwork and food disposal, creating an emotional bond between men and animals, a bond that we can still bear witness to in certain societies with a strong tradition in stockbreeding and equine culture.
Well, we at Azar Studio descend ourselves from some of those cultural traditions, so we arrived at leather braiding as a result of a year-long personal creative research project, a deep apprenticeship journey exploring the remote artisanal techniques of the ethnic groups we descend from. Our vocation for design and craft met our anthropological vocation and that is how Azar Studio was born, but this is another story.
Sadly enough, most of the leather produced nowadays is destined to quite another kind of relation to the material. In our industrialised times, the cultural relationship between man and the raw material he works with has been destroyed by consumers’ society and mass-production. We all know the story. But we do not blame the material for that. We blame the system. We will discuss this point later in the article, so keep reading.
// Leather is a noble and durable material, it ages awesomely and can be left in bequest to the ones that will come after us.
How many of you inherited a leather jacket or bag from your mum or grandma, and didn’t proudly answer ’this is real vintage’ when somebody questioned ‘where did you get that beauty from?’? Well, we did.
Our hand-braided bags, belts, and jewels are made out of cow leather. This leather has a series of properties that makes it perfect to achieve the durability and resistance that we are seeking. It is thick and resistant, with a lower probability of breaking in comparison to other animal leathers, such as horses’, pigs’ and lambs’ skins. It is breathable and malleable, even if some other leathers would result in an easier hand-working procedure. We choose cows’ skin and accept to apply more strength in the manual braiding because it keeps the shape it is given and resists deformation through usage. It is extremely durable and naturally repels water and humidity, while being at the same time also highly resistant to heat and UVA rays, which makes it suitable for products to wear outside.
‘Leather is an investment’, my Italian grandma used to say.  
// We opt for vegetal tanned leather, produced in small batches through artisanal-dyeing techniques.
We buy extremely few quantities of leather for our cord-braided bags, so we can only opt to get them from a small producer. Big industrialised plants have unbearable minimum order quantities, which we are not able, and not even willing, to fulfill.
The skins come from animals that have naturally ended their life span, whose rests would be transformed into rubbish if they would not be tanned and re-used as leather products. We choose vegetal tanned leathers, even if the colour range achievable through this technique is limited and the process more labourous. This dying procedure is artisanal and slow, and even using the same colour formula, colorus may present small variations from batch to batch. Sometimes we have to dismiss whole dyed batches and start all over again, and other times we just love how nature surprises us.
You can take a look at this article if you wish to know more about tanning procedures.
And one more thing: if your great-granddaughter doesn't want the hand-braided leather bag she inherited from you anymore and decides to convert it into rubbish, the environment will be safe: vegetal tanned leather is biodegradable.
// Vegan leather does not convince us.
Fake leathers available in the market today are made of polyurethane-based mixtures. (Again, go to our latest article to know more about them). They are not durable, not resistant, not able to gain nice shades through aging (quite the opposite; they crack), not suitable for the inherent friction of manual twisting and braiding and worse so: they are not biodegradable.
At the moment there isn’t one single aspect that would let us produce our braided products in vegan leather with acceptable results. Some biodegradable alternatives are being researched, but none of them are produced in steady and resistant options, suitable for hand-braiding and with proven lasting characteristics.
// How do we help limit the impact of our product for the environment?
We keep no stocks. Besides our samples, we produce a few units available to be purchased, constantly renewed through our website. We work on 90% of our sales through custom-orders. This is how we make sure we are not producing more than needed, and that we will generate no unnecessary waste items. This practice holds one inconvenience: the processing time from the order to the delivery is longer than it is for standard fashion enterprises. But we call ourselves slow fashion and find that clients purchasing our products have a remarkable pre-disposition to revert the outrageous consequences of fast-fashion.
On the other side, there are also some advantages: we can go on purchasing our leather from a small producer and we encourage conscious buying habits in the people who may still suffer from compulsive consumeristic habits of “two clicks and you have it at home in 24 hours”.
Our business volume is thus much limited than that of traditional fashion brands. But we are happy this way and feel the pleasure of the deep inner coherence with our beliefs in every product we sell.
// We stand for artisanal local production as a way to change the fashion system from the inside.
The system won’t change only through the use of organically produced, sustainable fibers.
As long as almost everything we consume is being manufactured in developing countries, we can’t control under which conditions they are produced and by what prices. If you are reading this article, you are probably in search of an alternative, more ethical way to consume and avoid purchasing mass-produced items. But we want to take you one step further.
Showing appreciation for a unique, masterfully crafted product implies the need to pay a higher price for it. It implies supporting local businesses that struggle with competitors that produce with aggressively low prices by dislocated productions, a terrible practice inherited from fast fashion. It implies buying less, but choosing carefully what to buy, not only for its practical and aesthetic features, but also in terms of its long-lasting durability. Finally, it also implies supporting culture, because craftsmanship and its capability to innovate from a deep knowledge of matter, is a fundamental aspect for the development of a healthy society.
// We stand for material consciousness and poetry.
There is a silent poetry in the uncountable gestures of craftsmanship. Every piece of leather has to be sensed, moisturised to the perfect point, persuaded to take one shape and to form a knot with another piece, which might come from a different tactile status. We speak to matter and matter speaks to us every day. There is a subtle inner dialogue in the act of crafting any one of our pieces, and this is what makes them really unique. Anyone of them has a story, a life, a soul, which they will go on having once they get to your hands.
Photo by Jorgelina Zabert @callmecuca
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mezingo12-blog · 5 years
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Getting Google Reviews for Your Business in 2019
Everyone knows that “it takes money to make money”. Especially when it comes to marketing our businesses. Chances are good that you get calls every day from someone wanting to sell you ads on Google, Yelp, Angie’s List, radio, T.V.,  Yellow Pages, newspapers, magazines, restaurant table tops, grocery basket ads or even wrapping your truck.
Let’s assume that you are just sticking to an online presence. Search engine optimization, Pay Per Click advertising, and social media are expensive and time-consuming. Getting a top local ranking doesn’t guarantee leads or sales.
Being seen by the right people at the right time is only half the challenge. Even if you’re the top listing, you’re still competing with all the other listings on the page.
Over 86% of consumers say they read reviews for local businesses and they read an average of 10 reviews before they feel like they trust the business.  And trust they do. Over 85% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
The question is; who do they trust more. You or your competitors?
Your Business has a Problem.
Why is a handful of your competitor's businesses booming?
Building your brand is becoming more important than ever. When you build your brand online and off, you get more love from Google.  The more love you get from Google the more people find you. Brands have more weight because a brand is perceived as being trusted. This is one of the ways the search engines and social media platforms are fighting fake news. In theory, brands are less likely to push out fake news.  
Another explanation lies within the following statistics.
86% of consumers read reviews for local businesses (including 95% of people aged 18-34) *
Consumers read an average of 10 online reviews before feeling able to trust a local business *
40% of consumers only take into account reviews written within the past 2 weeks – up from 18% last year *
57% of consumers will only use a business if it has 4 or more stars *
80% of 18-34-year-olds have written online reviews compared to just 41% of consumers over 55 *
91% of 18-34-year-old consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations *
89% of consumers read businesses’ responses to reviews *
People trust your successful competitors more than they trust you.
I know it sucks to hear that. You can do everything right. You can deliver exactly what you promise – even over-deliver and your customers just don’t tell enough people to make much of a difference.
Consider this.
None of us leave home without three things. Our keys, wallet/purse and our phone. At our fingertips, we have  “the Google machine” to find answers to our questions. Everything from “how to get rid of bunions” to “dentist near me” to “Bob’s plumbing”. We type with our thumbs or ask with our voices. Either way, Google delivers an answer. And the secret to online success lies within these results.  
Depending on the keywords that your business should be found under and the industry you are in, you may not be ranked high in Google. You may not be able to afford to be in the top paid ads on the page. There are a lot of competitors all fighting for one of the 3 spots that are featured on the map and a couple of expensive pay per click ads.
You need something to make you stand out and get noticed.
None of this has anything to do with your website. In fact, most people who search find local business listings on the maps at a property called Google My Business. This is as far as a majority of people go in their search for who to do business with. Why? Because everything they need to judge you is right there. Contact information, service area or a map to your location and your REPUTATION.
You may be paying for some of the new customers your competition does business with.
Wait. What? I know, right. Let me give you a couple examples.
We all know that word of mouth marketing is the very best form of advertising you can get. But it is not always free. You go to networking meetings. You pay dues, take a couple of hours out of your day so you can eat the same meal week after week. The skincare salesperson gives the same  “a good lead for me is anyone with skin” 60 second commercial every damn week. You tell the same people your story in hopes that they will run across someone at the moment they are looking for you. Hopefully, they will pass your name on.
You have a magnetic sign on your vehicle or even have your truck wrapped. You drive down the street and a lot of people see it. You have your phone number and web address in a HUGE font. Your business name is memorable and you have an awesome logo.
What these examples have in common is that when people see or hear about a business they remember the name. They don’t remember the web address or phone number.   So when it is time to look you up later, they search for your name or your industry related words.
They use Google to look up your name because they need a phone number to call or an address to go to your shop.
Anyone who searches for your business sees what other people’s perception of it is.  The good, the bad or the meh, no one even bother to write about it. These days the customer’s voice is louder and has more of an effect than ever. Customer reviews are trusted and are spread around the internet.
This IS your reputation and this IS the critical moment where new business is first won or lost.  Online ratings and reviews are the number one deciding factor when looking for local products and services. In fact, 86% of consumers read reviews for local businesses (including 95% of people aged 18-34) *.
Do You Stand Out from the Crowd?
If you have nothing that stands out and encourages the potential customer to call you, why would they? At a glance, they look for your Google or Yelp or TripAdvisor or any industry-specific site that has a bunch of gold stars. Not only do the stars catch the eye, but they also give an instant vote of confidence in your business. Without the gold Stars,  a lot of people will simply change their opinion of you and search for someone else. Now instead of searching for your name, they search for something like “water extraction near me” or “water damage repair in Chandler”. The search results will show them a competitor with a reputation that other people TRUST.  A competitor of yours that has a better, more trustworthy reputation than you do.
What just happened is that you spent the money to attract the potential new customer and your reputation drove them right into the open and embracing arms of your competitor.
Reviews are so important that the search engines have made them a part of the ranking factors. Just having a lot of good, reviews isn’t all it takes to get to the top of the local search results page but it is one of the pieces that’s required. Google likes brands that people are talking about.
As frustrating as it can be, it makes a lot of sense. Who would you rather do business with? One whose customers only think they should be rated 2.3 stars or one that has 4.5 stars.  This is especially true if the business with a higher rating has more reviews. Of course the more current the reviews the more confidence it instills in potential new customers that the rating is accurate. 40% of consumers only take into account reviews written within the past 2 weeks – up from 18% last year *
What’s the first impression of your business?
It doesn’t matter what kind of business you have, if you don’t have at least 6-10 recent reviews you are either getting crushed by competitors or you will be as soon as they get a clue. Consumers read an average of 10 online reviews before feeling able to trust a local business *
Even if you have a lot of reviews, if they are not current – in the consumer’s mind,  a lot can happen to a business in a couple months or even weeks. New owners, new management, new employees… or whatever. It’s worth repeating, 40% of consumers only take into account reviews written within the past 2 weeks – up from 18% last year * and this number is bound to keep growing. Why your customers don’t leave reviews Even if you have a lot of reviews, if they are not current – in the consumer’s mind,  a lot can happen to a business in a couple months or even weeks. New owners, new management, new employees… or whatever. It’s worth repeating, 40% of consumers only take into account reviews written within the past 2 weeks – up from 18% last year * and this number is bound to keep growing.
How do you deal with bad reviews?
Look, everyone gets a bad review. You can’t make everyone happy all the time. And let’s face it, when people are pissed off they are most likely to write a review.  Have you ever “done what you do” for a customer and then find out from a bad review that for some reason the customer was not happy? Rather than talk to you, they wrote a bad review?
The point is, people are people. They may be taking their frustration of the moment out on you. If they are angry or in some way feel slighted at the moment they are much more likely to write a bad review. And chances are very good that the review is not going to get removed. Not unless the review includes personal attacks or is filled with hate language. Hiring a lawyer is really hit and miss as well as expensive.
57% of consumers will only use a business if it has 4 or more stars *. The best way to deal with OLD complaints may be to do nothing but get good new reviews to dilute their value. If you have 20, 30 or 50 reviews and one of them is bad it gives the customer a better overall impression of the business than if you have three reviews and one of them is bad.
Ok, so it’s hard to get reviews. It can be uncomfortable for some business owners and their employees to ask for a review. It might be that you are just not comfortable asking to be judged.  The truth of the matter is that if you just consistently ask your customers to review you, some of them will. And we know that the benefits of getting reviews are great. They bring in new customers from people who don’t trust your competitor based on their reputation. They help you get found on the maps. Did I mention that recent studies show 91% of the people in their “buying years”  trust online reviews from strangers almost as much as from friends and family?
Why your customers don’t leave reviews
According to our most recent study of a cross-section of consumers, even if you ask for reviews, there are three good reasons why they don’t write a review for you.
They forget to    
The process to review is too hard  
They are too busy and it takes too much time
So let’s take a look at each of these one at a time.
They forget to write a review- We all do it. Once the work is completed to our satisfaction we go on with our lives. Out of sight, out of mind.
The process of writing a review is too hard to do. I don’t know any review sites that allow a customer to post a review without an account. This means that even if someone wants to give you a review and they don’t have a Yelp or Google or Facebook account they have to sign up for one. Then they have to learn how to use the site, find your company and write a review. Even if they do have an account it can be a learning experience to try and figure out how to leave a review. Most of the time, Yelp won’t even show the review because the account is new. It’s really frustrating for you and maddening for the customer.
They are busy and it takes too much time to be bothered with writing a review. Just like the process is too hard it can also take too much time. I know for me, It’s rare that I get home at the end of the day and look back on the transactions I had during the day, squeezed in between appointments, errands, and work. Even if I do think of the transaction, chances are really good that I am not going to take the time away from family to figure out how to write a review.
The simple answer to getting more reviews is to ask for them right when the job’s completed. No matter if you just served a rebuilt a house or cleaned the carpet, the ideal time is while it is fresh on their mind. Just asking for reviews will get you more reviews than you have been getting.
A lot of people are uncomfortable asking for a review. Many employees are uncomfortable or forget to ask. Usually, it is because they are not held accountable for asking for reviews and no one keeps track of them. Keep asking because if you don’t ask chances are really good that you won’t get a review – Unless the customer is unhappy. Unhappy customers are emotionally charged and are much more likely to write a bad review than a customer who is just satisfied.
The trick to getting new customers to call or walk in the door is to maximize all the advertising you do by making it the most effective it can be. The ONLY way to make your paid ads, organic listings, offline advertising and word of mouth marketing perform to their highest level is by building an excellent online reputation. Nothing is more powerful than visual proof! The trick to getting new customers to call or walk in the door is to maximize all the advertising you do by making it the most effective it can be. The ONLY way to make your paid ads, organic listings, offline advertising and word of mouth marketing perform to their highest level is by building an excellent online reputation.
How do I build a reputation that is 100% trustworthy?
I started out by saying we have all been sold on the concept of it takes money to make money. Yes, it is very important to market and advertise our businesses. But hopefully, you can see that your reputation doesn’t really cost you anything in additional funds but it could be costing you a lot of money if you ignore it. Building and protecting your reputation can cost you a lot of time and effort.  
mezinGO puts trust-building into your control. Your reputation instills trust with your potential customers even before they contact you. Trust that can’t be bought by any form of advertising.
mezinGO makes it as easy and comfortable as sending a text to ask for a review. It even tracks the requested reviews by the employee so you can see who is asking and how they are performing.
Your customers are much more likely to leave you a review since they don’t have to download an app. or join anything.
When you ask the customer to review you they are one click away from the review page on your site. If they choose to leave you a positive review they are greeted with a video of you or a professional actor, who thanks them for their review and quickly instructs them on how to easily leave a review.
If they were unsatisfied they have presented a video message of concern from you asking for their feedback so you can address the issue. This helps keep negative reviews off public sites like Yelp for all the world to see. Because the form is sent directly to you, you can quickly respond and demonstrate how much you really care about them and their business.
One side benefit to getting reviews this way is that the more people that come to your site and the longer they engage with the site the more the search engines like you. It helps them determine that you have something that interests people. This is a contributor to better rankings in the search engine results pages.
Nothing is more powerful than visual proof!
Let’s deal with the issue of how hard it is to leave a review. Sometimes it is hard because people don’t know what to write. For some people, typing a message using the little keyboard on a phone is difficult.  
Some people would rather talk about you than write a message.  We have built-in a one-click process that will open a camera on your customer’s phone without installing anything, so they can leave a video message. And when you get people talking,  they leave longer more detailed messages. Some folks may even use this to show off the great work you have just finished.
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