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2024.05.14 14:01 Zappingsbrew A post talking about 400 words
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submitted by Zappingsbrew to u/Zappingsbrew [link] [comments]
2024.05.14 13:24 _BreadBoy 2 month in China(s) tips, tricks and answers
If you have questions feel free to ask š
So I'll preface this with I don't want to engage in political debates about Taiwan, mainland China and Hong Kong/Macau. I am treating them as seperate only because they have different visa requirements. I have my own views on the matter but my opinion doesn't matter.
So I am a 27M white european and this was my experience. 5th time solo.
Taiwan (14days) Taipei - north coast - Puli/sun moons lake - Tianan - kaohsiung - Yuli - hualien (taroko gorge)
Opinion Taiwan is incredibly beautiful, the level of English in the north especially is very high. Most people will be able to speak a few words which makes travel around easy. The highlights for me were Taipei/sun moon lake/taroko gorge.
You'll want to get an easy card for general travel. This can be picked up at the airport and reloaded at any station.
The food, like the rest is quite limited in either being big American brands like McDonald's or local noodle shops. If you have dietary requirements please have these translated and saved on your phone beforehand. As a vegetarian I found that people would often just give me fish regardless of how persistent I was. This was common throughout.
The people are very respectful and friendly, but unless you get someone who wants to have a conversation you're interaction will be very surface level. They are happy to just let foreigners be alone.
I would highly recommend anyone who wants to try this culture to go via Taiwan as it is a much more gentle introduction.
Things to be wary of Getting around by walking is quite frankly a nightmare. Every pavement outside of Taipei is covered in bikes and if you are disabled this will be a serious issue without a car.
Everything is ticketed so be sure to carry cash. You can use the easy card but cash is just much simpler for attractions.
There are multiple different train types and they enforce ticketing strictly. The local train can use the easy card as well as the metro. Regional trains are more fancy and require a purchased ticket. Highspeed is treated similarly to flying and you should show up 30minutes before to ensure you get there in time.
Hong Kong/Macau (4days)
Hong Kong city - main island - Macau
Opinion Honestly I was disappointed, Hong Kong just felt very boring in comparison to Taipei. It's very multicultural and due to this I found it hard to see a unique identity for Hong Kong. Macau felt unique but just a bit irrelevant.
The highlight was certainly the hike up Victoria peak and watching the city move in seclusion. When I got to the top people were camping there I had never been so jealous. It's truly an amazing view. Be sure to go past the mall and take the small mountain path. It's well lit and fairly easy incline if you are in relatively good fitness.
Mainland china (48 days) Guangzhou - hengyang - Changsha - Zhangjiajie - Chongqing - Emei Shan - Chengdu - Xian - huashan - luoyang - pingyao - Datong - erlian (visa reset) - Nanjing - Qingdao - Jinan - Beijing
The main part to my trip, there's no pretending. China is difficult. Mostly because of the restrictions and the unwillingness of china to accommodate for foreigners. You need WeChat, you need trip.com and you need to use A map. The people do not speak English. I would go days or weeks without haveing a real conversation. I was often cut off from the outside world due to my VPN struggling to get past the firewall. (Surfshark)
If the above scares you avoid china for any long trips. If like me you see a challenge then you will adore china. It's frustrating, but I've never been in a country that gave me the same kind of highs. The mountains of Huashan rival the dolomites and they are much more accessable for everyone.
This is a large bonus for China, once you adapt everything is very easy to do. And nothing feels off limits. Except that sectioned off my armed police. China is so safe I never once felt in danger of theft or being attacked which I can't say about my own home. There is a reason for this. Anyone who breaks the law will be delt with due to the survalance.
The negatives Be prepared to take a lot of screenshots to translate via WeChat. Menus, metro stations, hotel check in. Anytime you need information you need to translate it yourself. This gets exhausting.
People will stare at you, I always took this as curiosity. Especially in the west and south as there are very few foreigners. Many of the people are very racist however. The things said to me about black people, Japanese and Koreans genuinely upset me. But I want to experience and understand so I would listen. If you speak up in defence you are often ignored. It's ingrained sadly. And it makes me question how many felt similarly towards me.
Banned websites, pretty much all our sites are blocked. It makes it hard as your only option for a search engine is Bing. And who wants to use bing. A VPN is an option but can be spotty and it is illegal so becareful where you use this.
As someone from a country with 8million. There's just so many Chinese people for me to be comfortable with. Everything is packed. All the tourist sites are full. Metro full. Bus full. The worst case for me was the terracotta army which I visited on a normal day and it was hard to just walk around.
Getting searched going into any metro or trainstation. You basically have to go through airport security everytime. It's a real pain when you have a 15kg backpack.
The spitting, it's gross.
The pros China is so cheap, my hotel in Zhangjiajie for example was only 5ā¬ a night. And it was a decent little double bed and bathroom, tv and toiletries supplied. Easy 70ā¬ back home.
Food (for me when I got it) was incredible and very cheap. Average was about 15 yuan or 2ā¬ a meal. Drinks are also very cheap 3yuan for a bottle of coke and 2yuan for a water.
The trains, man did the chinese build an excellent train network. You need to use WeChat or tripmcom to book these. But they are well priced and very efficient.
The apps, there's an app for everything. Want to read a menu? It's a WeChat app, metro line app! Book tickets for the summer palace app! Sometimes you'll need to look up the qr code in advance, especially around high tourist season.
Cashless, you can totally use cash. But you don't need to. If you have wifi or data which is cheap and easy to get (30days unlimited 150yuan China mobile) you just scan your WeChat Code and pay. Similar to contactless but not as convenient.
Overview China is a real solo travelers challenge I think, it's a great way to test how good you are at making split decisions. For short trips I recommend Nanjing, Chengdu, huashan, Chongqing and Zhangjiajie.
Conclusion. (Tldr) I will be going back to both Taiwan and mainland china. Both have got a hold on me. I'm hooked and I'm hoping to get you all hooked too. Taiwan is better if you want a chill holiday to explore Chinese culture. I recommend the north. Mainland is best for the experienced traveler as they will be able to get so much love from this unappreciated country. And my fellow Europeans take advantage of those visa free 15 days.
If you have any questions feel free to ask š
submitted by _BreadBoy to solotravel [link] [comments]
So I'll preface this with I don't want to engage in political debates about Taiwan, mainland China and Hong Kong/Macau. I am treating them as seperate only because they have different visa requirements. I have my own views on the matter but my opinion doesn't matter.
So I am a 27M white european and this was my experience. 5th time solo.
Taiwan (14days) Taipei - north coast - Puli/sun moons lake - Tianan - kaohsiung - Yuli - hualien (taroko gorge)
Opinion Taiwan is incredibly beautiful, the level of English in the north especially is very high. Most people will be able to speak a few words which makes travel around easy. The highlights for me were Taipei/sun moon lake/taroko gorge.
You'll want to get an easy card for general travel. This can be picked up at the airport and reloaded at any station.
The food, like the rest is quite limited in either being big American brands like McDonald's or local noodle shops. If you have dietary requirements please have these translated and saved on your phone beforehand. As a vegetarian I found that people would often just give me fish regardless of how persistent I was. This was common throughout.
The people are very respectful and friendly, but unless you get someone who wants to have a conversation you're interaction will be very surface level. They are happy to just let foreigners be alone.
I would highly recommend anyone who wants to try this culture to go via Taiwan as it is a much more gentle introduction.
Things to be wary of Getting around by walking is quite frankly a nightmare. Every pavement outside of Taipei is covered in bikes and if you are disabled this will be a serious issue without a car.
Everything is ticketed so be sure to carry cash. You can use the easy card but cash is just much simpler for attractions.
There are multiple different train types and they enforce ticketing strictly. The local train can use the easy card as well as the metro. Regional trains are more fancy and require a purchased ticket. Highspeed is treated similarly to flying and you should show up 30minutes before to ensure you get there in time.
Hong Kong/Macau (4days)
Hong Kong city - main island - Macau
Opinion Honestly I was disappointed, Hong Kong just felt very boring in comparison to Taipei. It's very multicultural and due to this I found it hard to see a unique identity for Hong Kong. Macau felt unique but just a bit irrelevant.
The highlight was certainly the hike up Victoria peak and watching the city move in seclusion. When I got to the top people were camping there I had never been so jealous. It's truly an amazing view. Be sure to go past the mall and take the small mountain path. It's well lit and fairly easy incline if you are in relatively good fitness.
Mainland china (48 days) Guangzhou - hengyang - Changsha - Zhangjiajie - Chongqing - Emei Shan - Chengdu - Xian - huashan - luoyang - pingyao - Datong - erlian (visa reset) - Nanjing - Qingdao - Jinan - Beijing
The main part to my trip, there's no pretending. China is difficult. Mostly because of the restrictions and the unwillingness of china to accommodate for foreigners. You need WeChat, you need trip.com and you need to use A map. The people do not speak English. I would go days or weeks without haveing a real conversation. I was often cut off from the outside world due to my VPN struggling to get past the firewall. (Surfshark)
If the above scares you avoid china for any long trips. If like me you see a challenge then you will adore china. It's frustrating, but I've never been in a country that gave me the same kind of highs. The mountains of Huashan rival the dolomites and they are much more accessable for everyone.
This is a large bonus for China, once you adapt everything is very easy to do. And nothing feels off limits. Except that sectioned off my armed police. China is so safe I never once felt in danger of theft or being attacked which I can't say about my own home. There is a reason for this. Anyone who breaks the law will be delt with due to the survalance.
The negatives Be prepared to take a lot of screenshots to translate via WeChat. Menus, metro stations, hotel check in. Anytime you need information you need to translate it yourself. This gets exhausting.
People will stare at you, I always took this as curiosity. Especially in the west and south as there are very few foreigners. Many of the people are very racist however. The things said to me about black people, Japanese and Koreans genuinely upset me. But I want to experience and understand so I would listen. If you speak up in defence you are often ignored. It's ingrained sadly. And it makes me question how many felt similarly towards me.
Banned websites, pretty much all our sites are blocked. It makes it hard as your only option for a search engine is Bing. And who wants to use bing. A VPN is an option but can be spotty and it is illegal so becareful where you use this.
As someone from a country with 8million. There's just so many Chinese people for me to be comfortable with. Everything is packed. All the tourist sites are full. Metro full. Bus full. The worst case for me was the terracotta army which I visited on a normal day and it was hard to just walk around.
Getting searched going into any metro or trainstation. You basically have to go through airport security everytime. It's a real pain when you have a 15kg backpack.
The spitting, it's gross.
The pros China is so cheap, my hotel in Zhangjiajie for example was only 5ā¬ a night. And it was a decent little double bed and bathroom, tv and toiletries supplied. Easy 70ā¬ back home.
Food (for me when I got it) was incredible and very cheap. Average was about 15 yuan or 2ā¬ a meal. Drinks are also very cheap 3yuan for a bottle of coke and 2yuan for a water.
The trains, man did the chinese build an excellent train network. You need to use WeChat or tripmcom to book these. But they are well priced and very efficient.
The apps, there's an app for everything. Want to read a menu? It's a WeChat app, metro line app! Book tickets for the summer palace app! Sometimes you'll need to look up the qr code in advance, especially around high tourist season.
Cashless, you can totally use cash. But you don't need to. If you have wifi or data which is cheap and easy to get (30days unlimited 150yuan China mobile) you just scan your WeChat Code and pay. Similar to contactless but not as convenient.
Overview China is a real solo travelers challenge I think, it's a great way to test how good you are at making split decisions. For short trips I recommend Nanjing, Chengdu, huashan, Chongqing and Zhangjiajie.
Conclusion. (Tldr) I will be going back to both Taiwan and mainland china. Both have got a hold on me. I'm hooked and I'm hoping to get you all hooked too. Taiwan is better if you want a chill holiday to explore Chinese culture. I recommend the north. Mainland is best for the experienced traveler as they will be able to get so much love from this unappreciated country. And my fellow Europeans take advantage of those visa free 15 days.
If you have any questions feel free to ask š
2024.05.14 13:11 Sweet-Count2557 Family Hiyaa in Dharavandhoo, Maldives
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2024.05.14 13:01 ImM3llow 26 [M4F] East Coast / Anywhere. I just got diagnosed as your boyfriend. Yeah no they said it's terminal we have to stay together forever until i dieš¤·āāļø
Edit: DO NOT message me a simple hi or hello, with no information about you, Put some effort in to your message like i have, come on. Day+Attempt#187
Hello everyone, Thank you for taking the time to read, I know its long, I know - I know. But its worth the read, Trust me. I appreciate you immensely.
Here's a bit about me,
My name is Jay, I live on the East coast of the US. I'm looking for love - like everyone else on here.., but you may not believe or even be doubtful that I've never had a GF before with me being 26, but its true. I'm simply just not willing to "be with" just anyone and I'm very picky. I want us to be a match, more than just have similar things in common.
One thing I have always been told is that I'm a "Real Catch, I'd be extremely lucky to have someone like you" - WELL THEN TAKE ME. I'M FREE. LOL.
About me:
Physically -
~I'm a semi-tall guy, around 5'10.
~I'm thin but muscular.
~I have dirty blonde/ brown hair.
~Changing colored eyes.
~A voice nice enough to melt all your safeguards and get right into your heart and weak spots.
~I do not have any tattoos or piercings. Though I would like to get some eventually.
If you'd like to see a picture of me just ask and I'll show you - IF I may see you as well, I simply just don't want a picture of me out there for anyone to see.
-If there's anything else you'd like to know just ask.
Otherwise -
~I do have 3 pet bunnies I would be more than happy to show you, they are extremely cute.
~I'm a very honest and down to earth guy.
~I'm very patient and easy going.
~I'm very curious and inquisitive. I will try to ask everything I can to learn all about you haha.
~I'm Very VERY Kind & Caring, I will probably ask how you are feeling a bajillion times a day, simply out of care for you.
~I can get pretty clingy, and will always want your attention and to be talking with you. If i have someone im interested in i wont want to talk to anyone elseš¤·āāļø
~I'm very trustworthy - you can confide in me, and entrust your deepest secrets and I wont tell a soul.
~I'm a HUGE hopeless romantic, im old fashioned and will always try to impress you.
- I'm, a BIG softie even though I may look a smol bit intimidating, but I'd do just about anything to see you smile or laugh. And yes.., I do mean anything.
~I'm a big goof - I will get up to some silly shenanigans ALL the time, I will crack dumb jokes and send you memes and tik toks just to make you happy, even if its from across the room I'd wait to see your reaction lol.
~I'm extremely loyal, and would never even think of cheating.
~I will cook for you, and clean up too, even around the house, I'm very self productive and don't ask for much. Just don't forget to kiss the cook.
~I'd also love to just cuddle up and watch a movie or read a book together, anything to get us closer. Id try to take you out on dates whenever possible haha. I have a million SUPER romantic date ideas I have but have never had anyone interested enough in me to take out. Here's your chance ;)
~I will always want to share stuff I find interesting with you, and try to share every moment of every day with you. I'm not looking for someone who can only talk for a small amount of time, I want someone who's willing to put in all the effort I put into them back into me, it goes both ways. If I'm "with" someone you are my TOP priority nobody and nothing else would be. You would be the only person I'd truly want to talk to, so rest assured I would NEVER cheat, even more so because no one is interested in me - Hence why I'm here hahaha.
I'm sure there is more to me than this snippet but I cant think of more at the moment haha, so get to know me and find out more about me.
Some of my interests are: Engineering- I'm a nerd. I admit it. I love being technical and hands on, I love building things. All kinds of things, from furniture, machinery, and reverse engineering anything I find. I love learning how things work and trying to improve things.
Music - I prefer music with a very fast pace, or with some very meaningful lyrics I can relate to. I love to sing along to music and songs that have a deep meaning behind it I can sympathize with makes it all the better. Some bands I like are: Bad Omens, Beartooth, Demon Hunter, MIW, I9K - The list goes on. I'm a bit of a metalhead unfortunately.
TV Shows & Movies - I love watching shows, and I'd love to stream some shows and have some E-dates with you, to get to know you, or if you are close to me, maybe we could do it in person. Some shows I like or more of the Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Comedy, Action, stuff like: National Treasure, Halo, BattleBots, Rick and Morty, AHS, Anything Marvel or DC, The Witcher, Wednesday, The Sandman, The Magicians, The Umbrella Academy, ETC.
Gaming - Yes yes I know, Basic guy likes basic stuff. But gaming has been a thing for me since forever. I know most of you wont care or want to hear that, but I'll leave out the specifics on this part unless you are interested in that, MEGA Bonus points if you are.
Here's a lists of Cons to dating me-
~I'm not Ryan Reynolds. Disappointing, I know.
~I will fight you on what goes on pizza lol.
~I'm not rich.., Yet.
~I can't pronounce Worcestershire.
~I'm slightly forgetful, but with good reasoning.
~(Not really a con but- some might disagree) I still have ALL of my firsts, Do with that what you will c:
~I've got an endless pile of love and affection and no one to give it to! What a dilemma! Help me fix it?
Other than that I'll save the rest for a bit more of getting to know each other.
Here's a bit of what I'm looking in you:
~Preferably someone with lots of free time, and loves to chit chat. I'm seriously not interested in getting 1 message a day. Though I understand people get busy, I personally am not willing to try to learn about you and form something with 7 responses a week. Effort gets reciprocated and I appreciate the time you put in me.
~Physically: -Iām not personally attracted to anyone whoās ācurvy/ chubbyā, I apologize. Not a shallow thing, I just dont have the attraction chemical in my brain for that, Iām sorry. -If youāre shorter than me, thats a plus to me. -I love dimples, if you have those when you smile, bonus points š - Iām not sure what else to put.., but as for nsfw wise find outš
~I'm a sucker for a different accent other than American, and if you have an Posh English accent you have already won my heart.
~I'm also only really looking for someone within the ages of 18-35. I don't want anyone old enough to be my mom lol.
~I'd prefer (But not a must) people NOT on the other side of the world, as other time zones SUCK. I don't expect to find anyone who also has never had a boyfriend either, but that would be a real plus. I also don't mind a LDR, but I don't want that forever. But it gives us time to get to know each other.
But as for attributes I'm looking for in you:
~Someone who is above all else very very Loyal and would never cheat.
~Someone who is Honest, and will tell me the truth over a little white lie.
~Someone who is Kind & Caring, who'd constantly check on me, and accept me for who I am & help me improve day to day.
~Someone who is trustworthy, and I can count on to keep my secrets safe, or even just help me remember things.., I do tend to be somewhat forgetful.
~Someone who is very Patient and wants to see me succeed and will help me do so, just like I would help you. Even if its small day to day things, I would appreciate your company ANY time.
~I want a partner who is Affectionate, can reciprocate, and loves to snuggle and talk about their day, and what their interests are, and what makes them happy.
~Someone who can admit they get clingy or overprotective is a bonus.
~A partner with good communication is key, if something wrong we have to be able to talk about it.
~A partner who likes to game with me or at least watch me play would be a plus but not a requirement.
~Someone with a good sense of humor and like to joke around, I am a big goof after all and I love to joke around. Sending memes is always appreciated and good to cheer people up too!
~I'd prefer someone with the same music taste, but not a requirement, Plus if you wouldn't mind if I send you love songs occasionally that's a bonus, or sending me some back haha.
~Being willing to voice call is a must, Texting forever is not the way to go. I have to know what your voice is like haha, later on we can video call if you are comfortable with that. I prefer chatting on Discord because Reddit messages of any kind I'm sure you know are unreliable and sucky in general. So please send me your discord if you have one :)
~I would LOVE to see picture of your pets if you have any. Bonus points if it includes your beautiful self haha.
I'm sure there is more I'm looking for but I cant think of it right now haha, I will have to edit this when I think of it.
Please tell me about you as an opener! I told you a good bit about me, now its your turn haha.
Tell me some things like -
~What's your name?
~Where are you from?
~How old are you?
~What are your hobbies / interests?
~What about my post interested you?
~Where is my TV Remote?!
~Selfie? Pet pics?
~Hit me with your best joke or meme :)
~What's your favorite candy?
I'd LOVE to get to know you, and see where things go.
But yeah, I know it was long I'm sorry haha. Send me a message and lets get to know each other! :)
submitted by ImM3llow to ForeverAloneDating [link] [comments]
Hello everyone, Thank you for taking the time to read, I know its long, I know - I know. But its worth the read, Trust me. I appreciate you immensely.
Here's a bit about me,
My name is Jay, I live on the East coast of the US. I'm looking for love - like everyone else on here.., but you may not believe or even be doubtful that I've never had a GF before with me being 26, but its true. I'm simply just not willing to "be with" just anyone and I'm very picky. I want us to be a match, more than just have similar things in common.
One thing I have always been told is that I'm a "Real Catch, I'd be extremely lucky to have someone like you" - WELL THEN TAKE ME. I'M FREE. LOL.
About me:
Physically -
~I'm a semi-tall guy, around 5'10.
~I'm thin but muscular.
~I have dirty blonde/ brown hair.
~Changing colored eyes.
~A voice nice enough to melt all your safeguards and get right into your heart and weak spots.
~I do not have any tattoos or piercings. Though I would like to get some eventually.
If you'd like to see a picture of me just ask and I'll show you - IF I may see you as well, I simply just don't want a picture of me out there for anyone to see.
-If there's anything else you'd like to know just ask.
Otherwise -
~I do have 3 pet bunnies I would be more than happy to show you, they are extremely cute.
~I'm a very honest and down to earth guy.
~I'm very patient and easy going.
~I'm very curious and inquisitive. I will try to ask everything I can to learn all about you haha.
~I'm Very VERY Kind & Caring, I will probably ask how you are feeling a bajillion times a day, simply out of care for you.
~I can get pretty clingy, and will always want your attention and to be talking with you. If i have someone im interested in i wont want to talk to anyone elseš¤·āāļø
~I'm very trustworthy - you can confide in me, and entrust your deepest secrets and I wont tell a soul.
~I'm a HUGE hopeless romantic, im old fashioned and will always try to impress you.
- I'm, a BIG softie even though I may look a smol bit intimidating, but I'd do just about anything to see you smile or laugh. And yes.., I do mean anything.
~I'm a big goof - I will get up to some silly shenanigans ALL the time, I will crack dumb jokes and send you memes and tik toks just to make you happy, even if its from across the room I'd wait to see your reaction lol.
~I'm extremely loyal, and would never even think of cheating.
~I will cook for you, and clean up too, even around the house, I'm very self productive and don't ask for much. Just don't forget to kiss the cook.
~I'd also love to just cuddle up and watch a movie or read a book together, anything to get us closer. Id try to take you out on dates whenever possible haha. I have a million SUPER romantic date ideas I have but have never had anyone interested enough in me to take out. Here's your chance ;)
~I will always want to share stuff I find interesting with you, and try to share every moment of every day with you. I'm not looking for someone who can only talk for a small amount of time, I want someone who's willing to put in all the effort I put into them back into me, it goes both ways. If I'm "with" someone you are my TOP priority nobody and nothing else would be. You would be the only person I'd truly want to talk to, so rest assured I would NEVER cheat, even more so because no one is interested in me - Hence why I'm here hahaha.
I'm sure there is more to me than this snippet but I cant think of more at the moment haha, so get to know me and find out more about me.
Some of my interests are: Engineering- I'm a nerd. I admit it. I love being technical and hands on, I love building things. All kinds of things, from furniture, machinery, and reverse engineering anything I find. I love learning how things work and trying to improve things.
Music - I prefer music with a very fast pace, or with some very meaningful lyrics I can relate to. I love to sing along to music and songs that have a deep meaning behind it I can sympathize with makes it all the better. Some bands I like are: Bad Omens, Beartooth, Demon Hunter, MIW, I9K - The list goes on. I'm a bit of a metalhead unfortunately.
TV Shows & Movies - I love watching shows, and I'd love to stream some shows and have some E-dates with you, to get to know you, or if you are close to me, maybe we could do it in person. Some shows I like or more of the Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Comedy, Action, stuff like: National Treasure, Halo, BattleBots, Rick and Morty, AHS, Anything Marvel or DC, The Witcher, Wednesday, The Sandman, The Magicians, The Umbrella Academy, ETC.
Gaming - Yes yes I know, Basic guy likes basic stuff. But gaming has been a thing for me since forever. I know most of you wont care or want to hear that, but I'll leave out the specifics on this part unless you are interested in that, MEGA Bonus points if you are.
Here's a lists of Cons to dating me-
~I'm not Ryan Reynolds. Disappointing, I know.
~I will fight you on what goes on pizza lol.
~I'm not rich.., Yet.
~I can't pronounce Worcestershire.
~I'm slightly forgetful, but with good reasoning.
~(Not really a con but- some might disagree) I still have ALL of my firsts, Do with that what you will c:
~I've got an endless pile of love and affection and no one to give it to! What a dilemma! Help me fix it?
Other than that I'll save the rest for a bit more of getting to know each other.
Here's a bit of what I'm looking in you:
~Preferably someone with lots of free time, and loves to chit chat. I'm seriously not interested in getting 1 message a day. Though I understand people get busy, I personally am not willing to try to learn about you and form something with 7 responses a week. Effort gets reciprocated and I appreciate the time you put in me.
~Physically: -Iām not personally attracted to anyone whoās ācurvy/ chubbyā, I apologize. Not a shallow thing, I just dont have the attraction chemical in my brain for that, Iām sorry. -If youāre shorter than me, thats a plus to me. -I love dimples, if you have those when you smile, bonus points š - Iām not sure what else to put.., but as for nsfw wise find outš
~I'm a sucker for a different accent other than American, and if you have an Posh English accent you have already won my heart.
~I'm also only really looking for someone within the ages of 18-35. I don't want anyone old enough to be my mom lol.
~I'd prefer (But not a must) people NOT on the other side of the world, as other time zones SUCK. I don't expect to find anyone who also has never had a boyfriend either, but that would be a real plus. I also don't mind a LDR, but I don't want that forever. But it gives us time to get to know each other.
But as for attributes I'm looking for in you:
~Someone who is above all else very very Loyal and would never cheat.
~Someone who is Honest, and will tell me the truth over a little white lie.
~Someone who is Kind & Caring, who'd constantly check on me, and accept me for who I am & help me improve day to day.
~Someone who is trustworthy, and I can count on to keep my secrets safe, or even just help me remember things.., I do tend to be somewhat forgetful.
~Someone who is very Patient and wants to see me succeed and will help me do so, just like I would help you. Even if its small day to day things, I would appreciate your company ANY time.
~I want a partner who is Affectionate, can reciprocate, and loves to snuggle and talk about their day, and what their interests are, and what makes them happy.
~Someone who can admit they get clingy or overprotective is a bonus.
~A partner with good communication is key, if something wrong we have to be able to talk about it.
~A partner who likes to game with me or at least watch me play would be a plus but not a requirement.
~Someone with a good sense of humor and like to joke around, I am a big goof after all and I love to joke around. Sending memes is always appreciated and good to cheer people up too!
~I'd prefer someone with the same music taste, but not a requirement, Plus if you wouldn't mind if I send you love songs occasionally that's a bonus, or sending me some back haha.
~Being willing to voice call is a must, Texting forever is not the way to go. I have to know what your voice is like haha, later on we can video call if you are comfortable with that. I prefer chatting on Discord because Reddit messages of any kind I'm sure you know are unreliable and sucky in general. So please send me your discord if you have one :)
~I would LOVE to see picture of your pets if you have any. Bonus points if it includes your beautiful self haha.
I'm sure there is more I'm looking for but I cant think of it right now haha, I will have to edit this when I think of it.
Please tell me about you as an opener! I told you a good bit about me, now its your turn haha.
Tell me some things like -
~What's your name?
~Where are you from?
~How old are you?
~What are your hobbies / interests?
~What about my post interested you?
~Where is my TV Remote?!
~Selfie? Pet pics?
~Hit me with your best joke or meme :)
~What's your favorite candy?
I'd LOVE to get to know you, and see where things go.
But yeah, I know it was long I'm sorry haha. Send me a message and lets get to know each other! :)
2024.05.14 12:55 Hot_Bandicoot_3839 How to Convert RAW to NTFS Format Without Losing Data?
 | https://preview.redd.it/eks0x6cjgd0d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=1308983c2fa17502e258f3f11a75aaf0fe71a6b7 submitted by Hot_Bandicoot_3839 to datarevivalsquad [link] [comments] When you try to copy or view a file from a memory card you put into your computer, have you ever discovered it's unreadable? Any file system on memory cards, USB drives, external HDD drives, storage devices, and even internal drives might experience this regrettable circumstance. Your circumstances may make this inability to obtain that info disastrous. When a partition becomes RAW, for whatever reason, you cannot access the data on your drive and it won't be useful until you format it. For you to obtain that data, you must therefore act. Using a data recovery program on Windows or macOS is one such way to succeed. RAW partitionIt's critical to know what a RAW partition is before we discuss recovering lost data. Said another way, a RAW partition is one that has not been formatted using the file system that the computer is using.It's never really out of the box with removable USB devices and memory cards. If you put an SD card into one computer and it reads it correctly, the next computer may not be able to comprehend the file system structure and may destroy the partition layout, making that device inaccessible. Almost always, you've just taken out that USB device or memory card without first letting the operating system securely remove it. ā The file systems most Windows computers use, for instance, are FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, or NTFS5. Conversely, macOS supports NTFS solely in read-only mode and uses APFS, HFS+, FAT32, and exFAT. Linux systems use XFS, BTRFS, reiser, ext3, ext4, and more. Sometimes the file system type of a device formatted in one platform can be read by another. Regretfully, there is no assurance here. You will therefore likely be told the disk was unreadable by the computer when you try to read, say, an SD card formatted with the ext4 file system on a MacBook Pro. The important thing is that Initialize option. It is telling us, in other words, that the card is not formatted so that the computer can read it. While clicking Initialize will undoubtedly remove all of the data on the device, it is still an option. Can I Get My Data Back from a RAW Partition?The excellent news is that data lost or unavailable from a RAW partition can be recovered. Occasionally all that has to be done is plug the disk (or SD card) in issue into the computer that was originally used to generate the files and folders on the device. After that, you can format the card to a file system the target computer can read, copy the data back, and insert the card into the target machine.You will have to fix the damage and retrieve the data on the disk if you can no longer access the original machine (or one with a comparable file system) or if the reason isn't incompatibility between your operating system and the current file system. What Use Is Converting RAW to NTFS?Said another way, if your data is kept on a RAW partition, you cannot access it. NTFS and other file systems serve the purpose of logically storing your data for simple retrieval when needed. Your data without a file system is just a disjointed mess that is almost impossible to discover anything.Computers locate and access your data through file systems, hence a RAW disk will not be accessible. Its contents might still be there, but without a functional file system, it will be unusable. Converting RAW to NTFS Without Data LossConverting a RAW partition to NTFS without losing the data on it is possible in just one way. You need CheckDisk for that.The Windows utility CheckDisk looks for logical and physical problems in the volumes of your drive. If you need to convert RAW to NTFS without losing data, it can even fix any issues it finds with extra settings. Because CheckDisk might be able to identify and fix the damage keeping the volume from reading properly, we're utilizing it. Using CheckDisk's Command Prompt, convert a RAW drive to NTFS as follows:
Recovery of Data from a RAW PartitionSometimes the RAW partition cannot be fixed by CheckDisk or Disk Utility without causing data loss. Before manually converting the RAW partition back to NTFS, you should recover your data in such a situation.You can recover your data using the following techniques before fixing the malfunctioning drive. Method 1 :- Recover With BLR ToolsA few fast clicks using BLR BitLocker Partition Data Recovery Tool can allow you to recover data from a RAW partition. And you can find the files you need fast with BLR Tools's useful features like file filters. Furthermore, something the command line cannot achieve, BLR Tools adds Guaranteed Recovery and Recovery Vault data protection techniques to the mix.Proceed as follows to recover files from a RAW partition:
Method 2 :- Try TestDisk to RecoverUse TestDisk to recover the whole partition. Restoring missing or lost partitions is the goal of the open-source recovery program TestDisk. Not to mention totally free. Its absence of a graphical user interface makes it difficult for novices to utilize. Still, you may quickly recover your lost partition by following the detailed methods.This is a little video demonstrating how TestDisk can recover a lost partition:
Method 3 :- Recovering with a Data Recovery CentreSometimes data recovery is still not possible with even sophisticated recovery software. Alternatively, you could merely feel uneasy trying to retrieve the info on your own. Still, there is the choice to use a data recovery facility.To complete the task, a data recovery center hires data recovery experts with sophisticated knowledge of file recovery and equipment of the highest calibre. The most successful approach to recovery is frequently to use a data recovery facility, but it is also the most expensive. What to anticipate generally if you decide to use a data recovery service to recover your data is as follows:
Techniques for NTFS Conversion of RAWIt is now time to consider drive repair after data recovery. Generally speaking, once you are not concerned about losing your data, repairing a RAW partition is really simple. It only means replacing the broken or incompatible file system with a fresh one during formatting.These solutions will walk you through configuring a disk and converting a RAW hard drive to NTFS. Method 1:- Method with File ExplorerOne of the simplest methods, formatting a drive with File Explorer just requires a few clicks. As you are ready to complete the format, just click Restore device defaults if you are not sure what values to use.
Method 2:- Format using Disk ManagementA Windows program called Disk Management lets you examine and modify the storage disks on your computer. It provides an overview of the data allocations and general health of your disks. One can format their drives with it as well.
Method 3:- Presentation with DiskPartThough it manages the storage drives on your computer through a command-line interface, DiskPart is a potent command interpreter. Should File Explorer and Disk Management prove ineffective for you, this is a helpful alternative.
By now you're undoubtedly thinking, "How can I keep a partition from going RAW?" That raises a really interesting issue. Ultimately, you want to avoid having to perform RAW partition recovery each time you plug in an external HDD, USB flash drive, or SD card into your computer. Thankfully, you have a few options to lessen the likelihood of this happening. Never take out a USB drive or SD card without first "Safely removing" it with the built-in feature on your computer. A RAW partition is likely if you just remove the drive without letting your operating system safely unmount or eject the device. As widely used a file system as you can, format your drives with. Almost all operating systems can read the file systems FAT32 and NTFS, hence those are excellent options. NTFS is read-only on macOS, which is one issue; FAT32 is always your better choice. Choosing one of these file systems should leave you with no issues with your platform of choice needing to start a drive or just not being able to read it. Put your machine to a proper shutdown. Processes on your computer may be interrupted by sudden power outage. The corruption of your file system may follow from this. Avoid forcing a shutdown of your computer whenever possible. See how your disk is doing. You can get early warning of any possible problems your drive may run into by using a disk monitoring program that can read the SMART data on your drive. You can stop additional damage by acting right away as problems arise. Naturally, a drive can still turn RAW at any time even with all of this done. Thus, you should regularly backup your data so that a secure duplicate is always accessible if you want to really protect it from such an occurrence. Easy to configure and maintain snapshot copies of your data so you can even restore to a prior version if necessary, built-in Windows backup solutions like File History are a fantastic option. ConclusionA RAW partition or drive can be avoided really easily. Know, nevertheless, that you have the resources to handle the situation if it should come up. Data recovery from RAW drive or partition is highly likely with BLR Tools. If in doubt, run BLR Tools's free Basic edition through your RAW drive or partition. Get the Pro license and safely restore your inaccessible data if BLR Tools can locate it. |
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2024.05.14 12:41 Sweet-Count2557 Salvation Army Kroc Center Gulf Coast
 | Salvation Army Kroc Center Gulf Coast Welcome to the Salvation Army Kroc Center Gulf Coast! We've got it all - a state-of-the-art facility in Biloxi, Mississippi, offering activities for everyone.From our indoor pool with a two-story water slide and lazy river, to our full-sized gymnasium and dance studios, we've got you covered.But it's not just about fun and fitness here. We believe in personal growth and community engagement.So join us, break free from the ordinary, and embark on a journey of health, wellness, and connection.Key TakeawaysThe Salvation Army Kroc Center Gulf Coast is a state-of-the-art facility in Biloxi, Mississippi with a variety of facilities and activities.The center offers an indoor pool with a two-story water slide, a lazy river, and a zero-entry pool for relaxation.There is a full-sized gymnasium for basketball and volleyball, as well as dance and aerobic studios for group fitness classes.The center has flexible opening hours, extended hours on weekends, and affordable ticket prices, including free admission for young children.Facilities and ActivitiesAt the Salvation Army Kroc Center Gulf Coast, we offer a variety of facilities and activities that cater to individuals of all ages and interests, allowing you to enjoy a wide range of experiences on a regular basis.Our Kroc Center in Biloxi, Mississippi, is a place where you can swim, exercise, dance, and participate in various activities to stay fit and have fun. We've an indoor pool with a two-story water slide, a lazy river, and a zero-entry pool for those who prefer a more relaxed aquatic experience.If you're into sports, our full-sized gymnasium is the perfect place for basketball or volleyball. We also have state-of-the-art weight and exercise rooms for those looking to work on their fitness goals. Dance and aerobic studios are available for those interested in dance or group fitness classes.Whether you're a swimmer, athlete, or dancer, the Salvation Army Kroc Center Gulf Coast has something for everyone.Now, let's move on to our opening hours, so you can plan your visit accordingly.Opening HoursOur opening hours at the Salvation Army Kroc Center Gulf Coast cater to individuals of all ages and interests, providing ample opportunity for you to enjoy our facilities and activities. We understand the importance of freedom, so we offer flexible opening hours to accommodate your schedule. Here are our current opening hours:Monday to Friday: 6:00 am to 8:00 pmSaturday: 7:00 am to 6:00 pmSunday: 1:00 pm to 6:00 pmWe believe in creating a welcoming environment where you can freely pursue your passions and interests. Our opening hours allow you to start your day with an early morning workout or unwind after a long day with a late evening swim. On weekends, you can bring your family and make lasting memories together.By offering extended hours on weekends, we ensure that you have enough time to fully enjoy our facilities. Whether you want to take a dip in our indoor pool with a two-story water slide, relax in our lazy river and zero-entry pool, or challenge yourself in our full-sized gymnasium, our doors are open to you.Visit us during our opening hours and experience the freedom to explore, learn, and grow at the Salvation Army Kroc Center Gulf Coast.Ticket PricesLet's talk about the ticket prices at the Salvation Army Kroc Center Gulf Coast. The center offers various ticket options for visitors to enjoy their facilities and activities. Here is a breakdown of the ticket prices:Ticket TypePrice--Swim Pass for Adults$10.00Swim Pass for Kids (2 and under)FreePrivate Swimming Lesson (for non-members)$180.00For adults looking to take a refreshing swim, the swim pass costs $10.00. Children aged 2 and under can enjoy the pool for free. Additionally, the center offers private swimming lessons for non-members at a cost of $180.00.Now that we have discussed the ticket prices, let's move on to expert tips on how to make the most of your visit to the Salvation Army Kroc Center Gulf Coast. By staying updated on their social media platforms, you can discover programs and events that align with your interests. Don't forget to browse their event calendar for fitness classes and art workshops. During the holiday season, the center hosts festive events, providing an opportunity to support their mission. Engaging in community service opportunities and participating in their various programs will give you the chance to learn about different people, activities, and arts.Expert TipsTo make the most of your visit to the Salvation Army Kroc Center Gulf Coast, here are five expert tips to enhance your experience:Stay updated on their socials to discover programs and events that align with your interests. By following them on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, you'll be the first to know about exciting opportunities to engage with the community and explore new activities.Browse their event calendar for fitness classes and art workshops. The Kroc Center Gulf Coast offers a variety of classes and workshops that cater to different interests and skill levels. Whether you're looking to get fit, learn a new dance style, or unleash your creativity, their calendar will have something for you.Stop by during the holiday season for festive events and support their mission. The Kroc Center Gulf Coast goes all out to celebrate the holidays, with special events, decorations, and activities for the whole family. It's a great way to get into the spirit of the season while also supporting the Salvation Army's mission.Learn about various people, activities, and arts through their programs. The Kroc Center Gulf Coast is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion. By participating in their programs, you'll have the opportunity to learn about different cultures, engage with a wide range of activities, and explore various art forms.Engage in community service opportunities. The Kroc Center Gulf Coast offers numerous volunteer opportunities that allow you to give back to the community while also making a difference in the lives of others. From food drives to mentorship programs, there are plenty of ways to get involved and contribute to a greater cause.By following these expert tips, you can maximize your experience at the Salvation Army Kroc Center Gulf Coast and make the most of everything they have to offer.Next, let's move on to the contact details of the Kroc Center Gulf Coast.Contact DetailsThe contact details for the Salvation Army Kroc Center Gulf Coast can be found below. If you have any questions or need more information about our facilities, activities, or programs, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.Address: 575 Division St, Biloxi, MS 39530Phone: 228-207-1218Website: Visit our website at [website URL]Social Media: Connect with us on various social media platforms to stay updated on our programs, events, and community initiatives.We are committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Our center offers a wide range of facilities, including an indoor pool with a two-story water slide, a lazy river, and a zero-entry pool. We also have a full-sized gymnasium, state-of-the-art weight and exercise rooms, as well as dance and aerobic studios.Our opening hours are as follows: Monday to Friday from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm, Saturday from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, and Sunday from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm.For ticket prices, our swim pass for adults is $10.00, while children aged 2 and under can enjoy free admission. Private swimming lessons for non-members are also available for $180.00.We encourage you to stay updated on our social media platforms and browse our event calendar for fitness classes, art workshops, and other exciting programs. Additionally, during the holiday season, we host festive events and opportunities to support our mission. Engage in community service activities to make a positive impact in our community.Please feel free to contact us with any inquiries or to learn more about our center.Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat Is the Age Limit for Using the Indoor Pool and Water Slide?The age limit for using the indoor pool and water slide isn't specified.Are There Any Discounts Available for Senior Citizens or Military Personnel?Yes, there are discounts available for senior citizens and military personnel.These discounts are typically offered by various businesses and organizations as a way to show appreciation for the service and contributions of these individuals.Senior citizen discounts are usually available to individuals who are 55 years of age or older. These discounts can range from a certain percentage off of the total bill to special promotions and offers.Military discounts are available to active duty service members, veterans, and sometimes even their family members. These discounts can be found at a wide range of businesses, including restaurants, retail stores, and even travel companies.To take advantage of these discounts, individuals usually need to provide some form of identification, such as a valid military ID or proof of age.It's always a good idea to ask about available discounts before making a purchase or booking a service, as not all businesses may advertise their discounts upfront.Can I Bring My Own Exercise Equipment to Use in the Weight and Exercise Rooms?Yes, you can bring your own exercise equipment to use in the weight and exercise rooms. It's a great way to personalize your workout routine and use equipment that you're comfortable with.Just make sure to follow any rules or guidelines set by the facility to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. Bringing your own equipment can enhance your workout and help you achieve your fitness goals.Is There a Dress Code for the Dance and Aerobic Studios?There is no dress code for the dance and aerobic studios. You're free to wear comfortable workout attire that allows for easy movement. We want you to feel comfortable and confident while participating in our classes.Do They Offer Childcare Services While I Use the Facilities?Yes, they do offer childcare services while we use the facilities. It's a convenient option for parents who want to work out or participate in activities without worrying about their children.The staff is trained to provide a safe and engaging environment for the kids. This service allows us to enjoy our time at the center while knowing that our children are well taken care of.ConclusionIn conclusion, the Salvation Army Kroc Center Gulf Coast is a vibrant and inclusive facility that offers a wide range of activities for people of all ages. Whether you're looking to have fun in our amazing pools, stay fit in our state-of-the-art gym, or engage in community events, there's something for everyone here.Join us and embark on a journey of health, wellness, and connection. Come experience the joy and excitement that awaits you at the Kroc Center. submitted by Sweet-Count2557 to worldkidstravel [link] [comments] |
2024.05.14 12:40 Specialist_Bake6514 Vapiano P3: Italian Food Made in Germany
 | The kitchen is on fire. Welcome to the final part of the Vapiano story where the tables are turning. In the first two episodes we followed Mark Korzilius' journey from setbacks to founding Vapiano, a groundbreaking restaurant concept, highlighting its fresh ingredients, dynamic atmosphere, and data-driven operations that drove rapid success. While achieving initial profitability and garnering attention from industry giants like McDonald's, Vapiano's global expansion has led to stellar revenue growth. However, it has also resulted in the emergence of numerous side projects (or distractions), operational challenges, increased costs, significant investments, and a notable accumulation of debt. This underscores the prioritization of top-line growth over profitable growth. We will continue on this thread and see how the story ends, but I would encourage you to read part one and two for better context. Vapiano P1: Italian Food Made in Germany (substack.com). Let's dig in. submitted by Specialist_Bake6514 to unpackbusinesses [link] [comments] Before Going Public We are now in 2015 and the year is a disaster for Vapiano's PR department. Employee time stamps are being manipulated, endless overtime for employees and high turnover in managerial roles are reported; mice in the kitchen and even rotten food allegedly found. The company is confronted with allegations of exceeding working hours among trainees in an article published by Welt am Sonntag, while the same outlet accuses Vapiano of manipulating punch times. The auditing firm PwC is commissioned to investigate the allegations and finds that there is no systematic approach but rather misconduct by individual employees, a mistake thatās being corrected. Internal however, investigations into stamp times are carried out regularly now and beyond its obvious reputational impact, this sucks up valuable management time and attention. In the summer of 2015 CEO, co-founder and investor Gregor Gerlach, who has been running the group since 2011 is stepping down and Jochen Halfmann is taking over. A new Vapiano People Program with an App is being developed with the aim to better interact with customers that will incorporate innovate features such as mobile pay. The German website sees a launch of new magazine to further promote the brand and there is now a full inhouse blogger and Instagram team being installed. In October the company buys seven restaurants from original co-founder, former co-investor and ex-president previously responsible for internation expansion Kent Hahne (2x Bonn, 3x Cologne, 1x Koblenz and one in Cologne thatās under construction). This package of Vapiano restaurants is very successful and generates net sales of more than 20 million euros in 2014. Hahne opened his first Vapiano restaurant in Cologne in August 2006 and in 2015 with his company apeiron AG, Hahne operates six L'Osteria franchise restaurants, a direct Vapiano competitor, and two self-owned restaurants GinYuu. Then in November of 2015, the next public relations bomb goes off with allegations regarding the company's quality standards. The company immediately investigates the issue through internal and external specialists but finds no evidence of any quality issues. Nevertheless, knowing that the group is now being closely watched, the companyās already in place hygiene standards are being reinforced. Additional audits and inspections are performed nationally. Further, all Vapianos worldwide are being audited twice by the partners SGS Institut Fresenius and SAI Global. Auditing software is purchased to simplify the implementation of the audits and the resulting measures. Apart from the external examinations, there is a food sampling plan in place being performed continuously. Again, all of this sucks up costs, management time and attention. With all these tumultuous developments the companyās growth engine is undeterred. Revenue grows by a whopping 50 million euros to 202 million euros, an increase of 33%. Impressive. While average spent per customer increases in all countries, the number of customers per day in Germany decreases by 3.3% partially due to the negative press towards the end of the year. Five own, four JV and 19 new franchise restaurants are added that year to the group, the total number of own managed restaurants grows to 51, there are 31 JVs and 84 franchises which bringing the total to 166 Vapiano restaurants. Global restaurant sales are now above 400 million euros. But while revenue grows by an astronomical 50 million euros, operating profits, alarmingly, shrink again. Gross margins are staying perfectly healthy above 75% but operating costs keep growing disproportionately fast. The Companyās outstanding debt jumps by almost 30 million, close to 85 million euros by the end of the year. With operating profits at 9.5 million euros, alarm bells should be going off right now. In Q4 of 2015, new CEO Jochen Halfmann introduces Strategy 2020. The new strategy includes five essential points. One, profitable growth in the newly defined core markets of Germany and Austria as well as in the UK, Netherlands, France and USA. Two, operational excellence through strict ābest practiceā management. Three, further development and digitalization of the concept considering guest feedback. Four, greater focus on long-term employee retention and five, building a modern and sustainable IT landscape. Soundās good on paper but letās see how things pan out. Vapiano's investments (capital expenditures) that year are primarily directed towards new restaurant openings, renovations of existing establishments, and share acquisitions in other Vapiano restaurants from franchisees or JV partners. A significant portion of funds is allocated to the digitalization of the guest experience, including the development of a new app scheduled for market release in 2016 and the implementation of a time recording system across all group restaurants. The world's first standalone Vapiano restaurant with a delivery service that year is built in FĆ¼rth, Germany. The company keeps expanding its presence in both inner-city locations and international markets, such as Shanghai, China. To finance all of this, the group has its own operating cash flow which comes in at 18 million while capital expenditures are 26 million euros plus 14 million for acquisitions. The funding gab is filled with 26 million euros of new debt and a seven-million-euro equity raise. At that end of the year and after the equity raise Gregor Gerlach (through his AP Leipzig GmbH & Co. KG entity) holds 30.1%, Hans-Joachim and Gisa Sander through their Exchange Bio GmbH hold 25.5% and the Tchibo heirs, Herz through their Mayfair Beteiligungsfonds II GmbH & Co. KG hold 44,4%. But for the first time the restaurantās concept that was so successful to date is being questioned. Some customers are starting to mislike the operational flow of the concept itself. If you want pasta, you must queue for pasta. If you want pizza you stand in a different queue. A small side salad, yet another queue. "You spend more time carrying trays than an actress in Berlin-Mitte. The audience in the pasta limbo can only consist of people who have worked for an insurance company for a long time and, like Stockholm syndrome, they can no longer get away from the industrial canteen feeling," writes TV host Beisenherz provocatively. While overly harsh in his assessment he's not entirely wrong judging by customers venting their frustrations in forums and social media channels. It isnāt uncommon for those who ordered pizza to have already finished eating while there is little movement in the pasta queue. Long term that doesn't go down well, QSRs competitors like LāOsteria are handling this process differently, with much success. https://preview.redd.it/6cas01oked0d1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=2da6e0b4bc0e07dbee558de412feb414cd598d4a Tipping PointWhere are now in the year 2016 and things start to deteriorate visibility. Perhaps not for the lemanās eye but any business minded observer can see that there are problems under the hood. Yes, revenue grows yet another whopping 50 million to almost 250 million euros but half of that growth, comes from acquisitions of restaurants that the group didnāt already own 100%, which is now being fully consolidated within the groupās accounts. Here is a concrete example. In the past, Vapiano SE, the groupās top holding company held an indirect 50% stake in a French subgroup via the subsidiary VAP Restaurants SA, based in Luxembourg, and included this as an associated company in the Vapiano SE consolidated financial statements using the equity method. Due to the acquisition of additional shares in September of 2016, Vapiano SE's indirect share in the French subgroup increased to 75%. This means that Vapiano SE takes control of the French subgroup, which is therefore included in the groupās financial statements as part of the full consolidation. The revenue from the acquired subsidiary now recorded in the consolidated income statement amounts to 12.8 million euros. While thatās great for the top line, the loss of the fully consolidated entity equates to 0.2 million euros. Yes, you are buying revenue, but there are losses attached to them, not profits. A similar case is the Swedish entity that runs eight restaurants with revenue of 11.5 million euros but has losses of 235 thousand euros. So much for Strategy 2020 and āprofitableā growth.That year the groupās operating profits are absolutely tanking, halving to 3.5 million euros. Operating profits are now a mere 1,4% of revenue. Remember original founder Mark Korzilius who talked about operating margins of 25% to 28% at the restaurant level? Yes, there are overhead costs for the organization that sits above the chain of restaurants, but operating margins that low indicates a course correction is needed. Whatās telling is that in the annual report, in the management discussion section, the company starts talking about EBITDA as a proxy measure of profitability, rather than operating profit or net income. This wasnāt the case in the years before. Is this window dressing for an upcoming IPO? EBITDA is short for earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization. How can you measure profitability of a restaurant chain that absolutely and unequivocally needs capital investment to maintain its restaurant operations, the very source of cash generation, by simply excluding this maintenance charge (depreciation in the income statement)? Vapianoās own annual report talks about the fact that existing restaurants must be rejuvenated from time to time and that new interior designs have to be implemented every few years. These things wear and tear, they go out of style, kitchen equipment breaks and needs replacement. This business absolutely needs maintenance capital expenditure, why anyone talks of profits before these maintenance costs is beyond me. Fun fact: in the previous annual report EBITDA is mentioned seven times, mostly around restaurant acquisitions and financing, not however as a profit indication for the group. In the new annual report, EBITDA is mentioned 28 times. Maybe itās just me but belated Charlie Munger liked to call EBITDA: bullsh*t earnings. When in doubt I stick with Charlie. Interestingly, EBITDA for Vapiano keeps growing while operating and net profits keep falling. Operating cashflow for the group that year is about 21 million euros, but capital expenditure is 30 million and acquisitions for subsidiaries another 20 million. To finance these expenditures another 28 million euros of debt and 16 million of equity is raised. Net debt rises above 130 million euro. The operating cashflow of the group before any capital expenditures is 21 million euros. I am not sure free cash flow would be significantly positive after maintenance capex is paid out; itās not broken out so we canāt be sure. Granted, I am not on the ground during this time, and I am not in the board room, I am simply reading whatās in front of me, but to me this is starting to look like a distressed situation. Regardless, the following year the company goes public. IPOWhere are now in the year 2017 and its Vapianoās first year as public company. The companyās annual report reads the following āSales revenue, like-for-like growth (LfL) and the earnings figures EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA are used as the most important financial performance indicators for controlling operational business activities.ā The very same report however also says: āThe majority of the group's investments regularly go towards opening new restaurant locations and modernizing existing restaurants. The latter are differentiated into regular replacement investments that occur during ongoing operations (Maintenance CAPEX) and fundamental investments in the renovation of a restaurant (Remodeling CAPEX). On average, a restaurant remodeling takes place nine years after opening.ā It says it right there in their own report; every nine years a remodeling is taking place. Remodeling and updating is not cost free, so why exclude depreciation charges which reflect capital expenditures? I understand that perhaps you would want to strip out one-off opening costs, thatās fine and fair, but donāt go overboard.The number of restaurants increases by 26 (previous year: 13) to a total of 205. The increase consists of 27 new openings and one closure. Group revenue grows to an astonishing 325 million euros but here comes the shocker, operating profits turn negative to 25 million. Fine, strip out foreign exchange losses of 3 million, IPO costs of 5.8 million and new opening costs of 6.1 million and you still have 10 million euros of operational losses. All the while the debt load of almost 130 million hasnāt materially changed, so those operating losses are before a six-million-euro interest payment. 184 million euros are raised through the IPO of which 85 million go to the company. This money is earmarked for further expansion as the group has ambitions to almost double the footprint to 330 restaurants by the end of 2020. The company is currently not profitable on an operating basis, and still wants to expand aggressively? I donāt get it. The remaining 100 million euros of the IPO money raised is distributed to co-founder Gregor Gerlach and Wella heirs Hans-Joachim and Gisa Sander. The family office of the former Tchibo owners GĆ¼nter and Daniela Herz with a 44% stake, donāt sell a single share. After the IPO, 32% of all the companyās shares are now in free float. One year later, in 2018, things get even worse. Revenue grows to 371 million, but operating losses mount to 85 million euros, thatās before interest expenses of 9 million. Even the beloved EBITDA figure turns negative, meaning the operating business before any expansionary or even maintenance capital expenditures is loss making. All regions are experiencing significant deterioration in their earnings profiles. Like for like sales are down 1% across the board. Thatās revenue, not profitability. The question naturally arises: is the Group approaching its natural saturation point here or this operational by nature? The operating cash flow is now 9 million while financing cost are close to 7 million. That leaves 2 million for maintenance capital for 74 own restaurants and 76 joint ventures ones. Describing this as financially tight, would be an understatement. Things are not looking good at this point. Yet the company still grows restaurants by 26 new sites. 64 million euros are spent on acquisitions, new openings, and maintenance costs, financed through a 20 million-euro equity raise and 72 million of new debt. The Company now has net debt outstanding of over 160 million euros. After the equity raise and by the end of the year 2018, Mayfair owns 47.4%, VAP Leipzig, Gregor Gerlachās entity owns 18.9% and the Sander couple own 15.5% of the company. Yes, the Sanders and Gerlach may have taken 100 million euros off the table, but they still have substantial skin in the game. Plus, Mayfair hasnāt sold a single share and instead injects more money into the company through the equity round. The stock has now fallen from its IPO price of 23 euros per share to under 6 euros by the end of 2018. Something must be done here. And indeed, there is pivot in strategy and a hard push for change. At last, the management team abandons its aggressive growth plan and curtails new openings significantly. Additionally, the team wants to run a thorough analysis of weak locations to then either discontinue or sell sites. In Europe, the operating focus will be put on corporate restaurants and joint ventures in major cities to ensure the ideal size and location to match the respective demographic target group. Outside of Europe, the franchising business is being expanded and at the same time a consolidation of the existing corporate and joint venture markets is being sought. All future investments will be reviewed to achieve higher rates of returns on new openings. Investments are also being made in the renovation of older restaurants. The goal in the future is to also open smaller formats, like Mini-Vapianos (less than 400 square meters) or Freestander at prominent transportation hubs outside city centers (currently in FĆ¼rth and Toulouse) to cater to individual location requirements, and to enter new partnerships. I am not sure why management hasnāt stopped all expansion altogether, bringing the ship in order first, getting profitable, clean up, all hands-on deck before considering any further expansions whatsoever. But again, itās easy to comment from the sidelines; maybe they saw white spaces that would be covered by competing concepts if they werenāt moving fast and aggressively enough. Although pushing internationally means competing with local players such as Jamie's Italian, Prezzo, Pizza Express, Wagamama, Nando's and many more which brings in its own dynamic. Management also aims to enhance guest satisfaction. This involves refining operational processes, reorganizing the support center, and refocusing on the core offering: providing fresh and high-quality Italian food at affordable prices for a broad audience. The group also aims to reduce waiting times, especially during lunch, while also improving the evening atmosphere. There is even what I would call an evolution, away from Vapianoās original concept, reorientating the customer journey. The ordering flow is being changed, offering guests synchronized preparations of all dishes while eliminating wait times at the cooking stations. The open show kitchen remains, staying true to original mantra of freshness and transparency but now guests can choose their preferred method of ordering through a mobile app, using a digital order point (kiosk), or by personally placing an order with a waiter. Guests can still freely choose their table and are then informed about the complete preparation of their order through a pager or their smartphone. This is a substantial deviation from the original concept, but a needed one. The group is also exploring and implementing the expansion of take-away and home delivery services but only at suitable locations, not universally across new openings. I am not sure why home delivery is even a priority here; it adds operational complexity. Itās better to clean up shop first and get back to the basics before adding new complexities. To be fair management does try to simplify. There are 49 different permanent dishes on the menu and additional 10 seasonal ones. Customers can choose from eleven different types of pasta. There is simply too much choice, and it makes orders complicated. The company announced to slim the menu down to its most popular and typical Vapiano dishes. Thereās no need for an Asian salad at an Italian restaurant. "We have to go back to the roots, i.e. classic, honest Italian cuisine" says COO Everke. Regardless, in November of 2018, the supervisory board pulls the plug on CEO Jochen Halfmann and replaces him with Cornelius Everke. Everke himself has just become COO five months ago. Since 2017 he was responsible for international expansion. From 2011 to 2017 that role was filled by Mario Bauer ā put a pin in that name, heāll play a key role in the groups fate later. Then nine months later, in the middle of 2019, Cornelius Everke quits. He essentially concludes that his skillset and experience in the areas of internation expansion is no longer needed in the foreseeable future. To put it differently: Vapiano has moved from a growth story and has become a restructuring case, and other skills are required for that job. In June of 2019 Everke says the following ā(weāve) made a bit of a mistake when it came to foreign expansionā. No sh#t. Vapiano postpones the presentation of the 2018 annual financial statements three times in the spring of 2019, citing negotiations over an urgently needed loan of 30 million euros. Itās not until the end of May that a binding loan commitment comes through from the financing banks and major shareholders. We are now in August of 2019 and the corona pandemic is just around the corner. Supervisory board chief Vanessa Hall takes over as interim-CEO and things are unravelling. Visitor numbers are declining; originally, it was planned to sell the US business but halfway through the year the buyer cannot come up with the money. But not all restaurants are performing poorly. The group's poor figures contrast starkly as an example with the experiences of the Swiss-German franchisee, who runs six restaurants. The Sodano family in Switzerland pays Vapiano a royalty of 6% of sales for the use of the brand. Enrico Sodano explains in an interview that they operate largely autonomously from the licensor. If an āaccidentā were to occur, he could immediately replace the Vapiano sign with Sodano, he says. The family concluded the rents and contracts with employees and suppliers independently. The Sodano family have six locations in Bern, Basel and Zurich, around one million guests every year and 350 employees. Things are going well on the ground. The delivery service theyāve built is offering them a second income stream. Expansion into Winterthur, St. Gallen and Lucerne are being planned; small locations with 150 to 250 square meters and an attached delivery service. Originally, Vapiano restaurants used to be huge but for such a large restaurant to be profitable, 800 to 1,000 guests per day are needed. Thatās possible in medium-sized cities, but not in smaller towns which is why the Vapiano group now also supports smaller formats. Back to our corporate drama. The 2019 annual report would be the last report the group files. By the end 2019 the outstanding debt of the company is at an astronomical 450 million euros. Revenue has grown by another 7%, produced by four net new openings through two JVs and two franchise restaurants but operating losses come in at 317 million euros. That sound like an absolute shocker at first but depreciation and amortization charges are 345 million, so that operating cash flow is actually positive but unfortunately capital expenditures and interest payments are so large that they are eating up all of the companyās operating cash flow. Then in the beginning of 2020 Corona hits with full force and the world shuts down. As a result of the measures to prevent further spreading of the virus, the group is forced to cease all global business operations (except in Sweden). While all these shutdowns are happening, the group is the middle of negotiating with its lending banks and main shareholders. There are additional financing needs for restructuring measures, even without a pandemic happening in the background. The situation is so dire that the company starts pleading to the German government to roll out the package of financial help more quickly. Unfortunately, itās to no end. The rapid closure of restaurants and the resulting lack of operating cash inflows in conjunction with the additional financing requirements, lead to the companyās final knockout punch. In April of 2020, the Vapiano group officially files for insolvency proceedings. The end of an era. New BeginningsBecause of the pandemic, the majority of the group's subsidiaries in Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark, the United States, Sweden, and China also file for insolvency or seek liquidation. The US business never gets sold in the end and is wound down. In the summer of 2020, significant group divestments occur, including the sale of 75% shares in the group's French subsidiaries, shares in franchisor companies, Australian subsidiaries, German subsidiaries, associated companies, self-managed restaurants in Germany, and insolvency-related sales in the Netherlands, Great Britain, and Sweden. The buyer of the Vapiano brand and one of these bundles of Vapiano restaurants is company named Love & Food Restaurant Holding, a consortium led by Mario C. Bauer ā a name I told you to remember. Bauer was a former Vapiano board member and led the national and international expansion, opening 200 sites in 33 countries from 2011 to 2017 until he was succeeded by Cornelius Everke. Bauer didnāt feel comfortable with the IPO at the time but clearly has a lot of managerial and entrepreneurial talent.The buyer consortium is an absolute A-Team comprised of European QSR top league hitters, including the founder of the Pret A Manger chain Sinclair Beecham; Henry McGovern, the founder and Ex-CEO of the giant international restaurant and foodservice operator AmRest; the Van der Valk Family that runs hotels and Vapiano restaurants in the Netherlands, and co-founder and ex-CEO Gregor Gerlach. The acquisition value is 15 million euros and entails 30 Vapiano restaurants in Germany, albeit thatās just the purchase price which comes on top of any capital investment needed to refresh and return the sites to its former glory. Nevertheless, just as a thought experiment, if you can get each site to 2 million euros of revenue and 400,000 euros in operating profit on average, which wouldnāt be an overly aggressively assumption given the companyās history, youāve got yourself a package that can deliver restaurant-level operating profits of 12 million euros or more. Itās not disclosed how much capex was needed to refresh the operations, just that fact that the overall investment plus purchase price was a middle double-digit million-euro figure. Stil, it probably was a decent purchase. The same consortium buys Vapianoās French business for 25 million euros just two weeks prior. After the transaction concludes, the master franchise is given to Delf Neumann and his Gastro & Soul GmbH. Neumann is an experienced operator, and he is ambitious to revitalise the brand with new services and products. For example, instead of pizza, the restaurants will be serving pinsa - a flatbread made from sourdough, wheat and rice flour, topped similarly to a pizza. It targets a more health-oriented customer base looking for a less calory heavy option. The menu overall is expanded by including a variety of vegan and vegetarian dishes. https://preview.redd.it/kpt7ea6red0d1.png?width=1242&format=png&auto=webp&s=c9930ced85ee364e9df414547cae06b47a03fc19 Today Neumannās Gastro & Soul GmbH operates 18 Vapianos on its own account and has 29 franchise sites, amongst other brands. By the year 2021, Vapiano operates 191 restaurants in 34 countries. This is around 50 fewer sites than before the bankruptcy. The number of branches is particularly thinned out in Germany ā from 80 to 55. Nevertheless, Vapiano's home country remains by far the largest market, followed by France with 35 restaurants and Austria with 15 locations. āWe have shrunk ourselves to health,ā says Bauer in the aftermath and there is no further shrinking planned. Quite the opposite, the smell of expansion is in the air again ā pun intended. Not as aggressively as before and with a new menu and ordering process. Overall, the team around Bauer is filled with industry experts with knowledge and networks gained over decades who have a great track record, a long-term view, and the staying power to let Vapiano breath and finds its way back to success. The pressure of being a public company with all the associated quarterly, half-year and yearly disincentives have been removed. The menu is changed and extended with new types of pasta and sauces with significantly more vegetarian and vegan dishes available. Guests can order with restaurant staff, at terminals or on their phones and there are barcodes attached to the tables identify the respective seat. The food is brought to your table, all at the same time if you are in a group, no more annoyances with waiting in line. There is a plan for smaller, 350 square meter locations, with half the number of guests and significantly fewer staff and less set-up costs required to make the economics work. Locations that capitalize on remote work and increased demand for local lunch options, higher population density with shorter delivery routes and therefore cost-effective in house delivery services are targeted. And Bauer is testing the concept of ghost kitchens, which operate without a dining room or service staff, focusing solely on preparing food for delivery services, which for obvious reasons have a very different operational set up and footprint. Original founder Mark Korzilius however is not entirely convinced. He is not a fan of the pinsa for instance and he considers Vapiano's pizza as its cash cow, flagship product and believes that the core Vapiano proposition of Pizza, Pasta, Bar that has given the company its original success is being diluted. He instead admires the competitor L'Osteria, saying theyāve done a better job by focusing on Italian classics, especially the impressively large pizzas that sticks out beyond the plate is leaving every customer in awe. The guys who run LāOsteria are the same guys who have built Vapiano with him in the first place. Bauer on the other hand, like a true business leader, remains undeterred, stating that he is frequently asked whether Vapiano's restart was bold or foolish. He believes in entrepreneurship, franchising, in his experienced fellow partners and importantly the Vapiano concept. By the year 2024 you can find over 140 Vapiano branded restaurant in 27 countries across the globe, including locations far away from its birthplace like Australia, USA, Columbia, Chile, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. And why not? Italian food is, and will remain to be, incredibly popular. Vapiano offers fresh and tasty food at affordable prices in a good atmosphere. This combination of attributes should attract a lot of customers. It certainly has in the past. For more stories: WIP Thomas Weitzendoerfer Substack |
2024.05.14 11:57 booksbay Best Mind Body Spirit Books To Change Your Life
 | Do you feel life is boring? Have you ever felt your mind needs rest, or are you feeling that you lack peace? Or are you unable to reach your goal? Need help with getting guidance? Want to seek help to come out of depression? A good self-help book will show you how to overcome the issues in that situation. On our website, there is a massive collection of body, mind, and spirit books that provide you with guidance and direction for your life through which you can change your perspective on tackling problems. submitted by booksbay to u/booksbay [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/qqvbjyu77d0d1.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=315923f97dd2af616688de4eaee97921b8ef5f9e Why is self-evaluation essential?In this fast-paced, busy world, sometimes, during the midst of problems, we may be packed up with negative thoughts in our lives, and at that point, we will be fully unable to see the positive side of the situation. During those hard times, we may need to get help from others. In this context, good books will always be your good companion to overcome such situations.Want to get those books to your home? Click HereHere, Iām mentioning some of the benefits of reading mind body spirit books:
Want to grab all these books? Check outThe balance between body, mind, and spirit is necessary for a good and healthy life. The main thing about it is that we often feel alone and by reading books, we can know that we aren't alone, that many people have been in the same situation and if they can survive, you can too. In the initial stage, the process of changing maybe difficult, but with maintaining perseverance, we can achieve good results.Our website has a best-selling section to make your work easy in selecting the best life-changing books, where the curated books list will be updated hourly. Some more add onās to our website are,
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2024.05.14 11:53 HyperSamLive1 Welcome
Welcome to the unoficail easyJet Holidays reddit community. Feel free to post images/ videos of your holidays. You can also ask questions if your thinking about going on a easyJet holidays. Please remember this is a unoffical group so if you need help with a booking you will need to contact easyJet themselves. Also do not post any images or information that may include you holiday refence number.
submitted by HyperSamLive1 to easyJetHolidays [link] [comments]
2024.05.14 11:44 leqi_ai_0509 PDFtoPDFf.ai: Compress Your Documents with One Click! Make PDF Editing Easier and More Efficient
 | In the digital age, PDF documents have become an indispensable part of our work, study, and daily life. However, traditional PDFs often come with limitations. Imagine receiving a PDF hundreds of pages long only to find it's too large, loads slowly, and makes it hard to quickly find the information you need; or when you want to edit a PDF but find yourself hindered by format restrictionsāit, it can be quite frustrating. submitted by leqi_ai_0509 to u/leqi_ai_0509 [link] [comments] To address these issues, we introduced pdftopdf.aiāa PDF document processing tool leveraging advanced OCR technology. It not only compresses documents with a single click but also enables editable features in PDFs. Whether you're dealing with books, documents, or newspapers, pdftopdf.ai can accurately recognize text and extract key information. In the upcoming articles, we will detail the features and advantages of pdftopdf.ai, as well as its applications across various fields. We believe that by understanding the powerful capabilities of pdftopdf.ai, you will be able to effortlessly tackle the challenges of PDF document processing, making your work and studies more efficient and convenient. PDF Compression: Smaller, Faster, More Efficientpdftopdf.ai's compression feature uses a unique OCR technology, different from traditional methods. Traditional PDF compression often involves reducing image quality and size, which can sacrifice clarity and readability. pdftopdf.ai, however, uses a more intelligent approachātext-based compression.
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2024.05.14 11:20 WolfMaster1997 My systematic approach to high-value B2B lead and deal generation / GTM.
In this post I want to break down how I think about and how I build custom B2B lead gen eco-systems that are designed to engage a cold prospect, educate and help them to then turn into $XX,XXX deals.
I'll share the metrics and best practices from my own experiences from working with around 20 b2b companies with varying deal sizes, starting from $5k marketing packages, to $90k/yr fintech solutions and $200k software dev & IT deals. If you don't agree with my approach, that's fine, there's multiple ways to skin a cat.
Fundamentals are mostly the same and we can split it in 3 main parts.
That might look like cold emailing and cold "linkedining" (new term) prospects an offer or asking if they're interested in this and that, on the spot.
This is not a good approach for one simple reason - no one want's to be sold to. Not to say that this direct approach doesn't work, for some it works good enough to stay afloat, but it's not something you can use to drive real, inbound interest in your services. Selling to prospects that you get on a sales call from 1 email or DM is extremely hard since you have to do the heavy lifting to educate them on the call and then you also have to sell them.
My goal is to turn this dynamic on it's head. Yes, we want to reach out to cold prospects. Yes, we want to run ads. But not to sell immediately. Rather, we're inviting and getting those prospects into our ecosystem where if they go through your educational materials like reports, case studies, how-to's AND have a real pain, they will come to you to solve it.
Let's break it down.
Traffic acquisition.
There's 2 channels I use to acquire traffic. Sometimes I use both, sometimes one or the other. For the most part that depends on the TAM and what we're selling.
1 - Paid ads (LI and META) are great if you need volume and your deal size varies between $5k - $20k. If you get it right, it's a system that scales easily so you can control demand and growth fairly easily too. It's also very quick and easy to troubleshoot since you can change a variable and see the result in next 3 days.
The ultimate goal of paid ads is to get as many people in your funnel as possible. The only logical way to do it is using lead magnets. Industry specific reports with unique insights that only your ICP would care about, easy-to-code tools that only your ICP would find useful (calculators work great for me), guides and courses made to solve a very specific problem, you get the picture.
We're giving away this free value in exchange for their email address. I can already hear people yelling "But giving away stuff for free only attracts freebie seekers" That's because you don't have a mechanism in place to convert that opt-in into a deal. (I'll go into in the next sections)
To make a great lead magnet I follow this mantra:
For us, around 20% of lead magnet leads opt-in into the next step of the funnel where we ask much more details. Company name, website, name, phone, etc, etc.
Do this step right and you'll get leads from your ICP opting into your funnel in droves, for cheap.
One little hack I do whenever I launch lead magnet campaigns is create 5-10 lead magnet ideas, create the ads and the landing pages, but don't create the lead magnet itself. Then run ads to those 5-10 lead magnets and see what your cost per lead is AND see what quality leads you attract. My baseline KPI's are sub $15 CPL on the initial launch and 3 out of 10 leads be real, actual companies that fit the ICP.
If you hit that initially, you can reiterate on the ads and the LP and get your CPL way lower.
2 - Cold outreach (LI and email) is great if you're after high ticket or enterprise level deals.
Cold outreach is great for huge target markets and/or very high value accounts. You won't reach Elon Mush through ads, but you could through cold outreach.
Instead of blanket-spamming 10k leads that might or might not need our service we do this.
"Hey Adam, saw that Houberz is looking for an engineer with deep understanding of X. I know first hand how hard it is to fill such roles.
I have a case study on how we did Y using X technology, thought you might be interested in giving it a quick read before you pull someone onboard."
This is the general gist of it. Combine it with reaching out to leads that are likely in-market and you'll average 15% reply rates. Blast 10k emails to random list and you'll get 0.5% - 1% reply rates.
That is how we get qualified traffic on the front end.
This is how we convert it into deals.
1.1 - Paid
Once you have people claiming your lead magnet, the magic happens on the thank you page. I've seen many people just have a generic thank you page that does not prompt the next action.
Wasted digital real estate.
Instead of leaving it blank, we either have a call booking page where we pitch a non-sales call that would help fix the lead a specific problem or a signup page for a live workshop.
2nd has higher opt-in rate, but has longer time-to-deal, 1st gives you 1-1 time with high value prospects, but is more expensive..
Ideally, run both. Best of both worlds.
On top of that, when someone opts in and claims your lead magnets, you can then email them on a regular basis as part of your newsletter which gives you another channel to nurture leads and throw offers their way.
2.1 - Cold outreach
As soon as you receive a positive response to your lead magnet offer, you send it over, find that person on LI and connect (so you have another channel and they see that you're a real human) then ask if they're struggling with a specific problem that your service can fix.
If they do, great, share more case studies, share how they could solve the problem themselves and then soft-pitch a meeting in which you propose to "continue the conversation"
For cold, each convo will be different so you will have to come up with helpful and relevant email responses on the fly.
Remember speed-to-lead. The faster you answer, the higher the chance of you pushing the lead to the next step of your funnel.
So do you need both of these acquisition channels? Do you also need to post on Linkedin and dance on Tiktok?
Depends on your business. Generally, the more eyes you have on you, the more deals you'll close. These two channels are foundation for myself and any business I consult, but to supplement that and build credibility, we're also heavily investing in LI organic.
Why? People who watch your ads and engage with your emails will check out your LI eventually. If it's barren, you won't leave an impression. If it's packed with valuable, funny, insightful and humanizing posts, not only your leads will connect with you, but they'll feel compelled to engage.
So it's not one system or another - it's all of them working in cohesion.
Thanks for coming to my ted talk.
submitted by WolfMaster1997 to Entrepreneur [link] [comments]
I'll share the metrics and best practices from my own experiences from working with around 20 b2b companies with varying deal sizes, starting from $5k marketing packages, to $90k/yr fintech solutions and $200k software dev & IT deals. If you don't agree with my approach, that's fine, there's multiple ways to skin a cat.
Fundamentals are mostly the same and we can split it in 3 main parts.
- Traffic acquisition
- Nurture & education mechanism
- Conversion mechanism.
That might look like cold emailing and cold "linkedining" (new term) prospects an offer or asking if they're interested in this and that, on the spot.
This is not a good approach for one simple reason - no one want's to be sold to. Not to say that this direct approach doesn't work, for some it works good enough to stay afloat, but it's not something you can use to drive real, inbound interest in your services. Selling to prospects that you get on a sales call from 1 email or DM is extremely hard since you have to do the heavy lifting to educate them on the call and then you also have to sell them.
My goal is to turn this dynamic on it's head. Yes, we want to reach out to cold prospects. Yes, we want to run ads. But not to sell immediately. Rather, we're inviting and getting those prospects into our ecosystem where if they go through your educational materials like reports, case studies, how-to's AND have a real pain, they will come to you to solve it.
Let's break it down.
Traffic acquisition.
There's 2 channels I use to acquire traffic. Sometimes I use both, sometimes one or the other. For the most part that depends on the TAM and what we're selling.
1 - Paid ads (LI and META) are great if you need volume and your deal size varies between $5k - $20k. If you get it right, it's a system that scales easily so you can control demand and growth fairly easily too. It's also very quick and easy to troubleshoot since you can change a variable and see the result in next 3 days.
The ultimate goal of paid ads is to get as many people in your funnel as possible. The only logical way to do it is using lead magnets. Industry specific reports with unique insights that only your ICP would care about, easy-to-code tools that only your ICP would find useful (calculators work great for me), guides and courses made to solve a very specific problem, you get the picture.
We're giving away this free value in exchange for their email address. I can already hear people yelling "But giving away stuff for free only attracts freebie seekers" That's because you don't have a mechanism in place to convert that opt-in into a deal. (I'll go into in the next sections)
To make a great lead magnet I follow this mantra:
- Has to be industry and role specific
- Has to solve 1 painful problem for the lead
- No surface-level, bait-and-switch teasing BS. (using lead magnet as a sales page is a big no-no)
For us, around 20% of lead magnet leads opt-in into the next step of the funnel where we ask much more details. Company name, website, name, phone, etc, etc.
Do this step right and you'll get leads from your ICP opting into your funnel in droves, for cheap.
One little hack I do whenever I launch lead magnet campaigns is create 5-10 lead magnet ideas, create the ads and the landing pages, but don't create the lead magnet itself. Then run ads to those 5-10 lead magnets and see what your cost per lead is AND see what quality leads you attract. My baseline KPI's are sub $15 CPL on the initial launch and 3 out of 10 leads be real, actual companies that fit the ICP.
If you hit that initially, you can reiterate on the ads and the LP and get your CPL way lower.
2 - Cold outreach (LI and email) is great if you're after high ticket or enterprise level deals.
Cold outreach is great for huge target markets and/or very high value accounts. You won't reach Elon Mush through ads, but you could through cold outreach.
Instead of blanket-spamming 10k leads that might or might not need our service we do this.
- Score companies based on fit (we use AI for this on scale by giving it bad fit examples, medium fit examples and great fit examples while also describing why each is bad, medium or great. Then we ask to output a score from 1-10)
- For companies that score 7 or higher, look at buying signals. Recent hires, open positions, growth or decline, recent funding, featured in news (why featured in news?) and, of course, technographics.
- Companies that display positive signals AND are a fit based on scoring, we send a personalized message automatically.
"Hey Adam, saw that Houberz is looking for an engineer with deep understanding of X. I know first hand how hard it is to fill such roles.
I have a case study on how we did Y using X technology, thought you might be interested in giving it a quick read before you pull someone onboard."
This is the general gist of it. Combine it with reaching out to leads that are likely in-market and you'll average 15% reply rates. Blast 10k emails to random list and you'll get 0.5% - 1% reply rates.
That is how we get qualified traffic on the front end.
This is how we convert it into deals.
1.1 - Paid
Once you have people claiming your lead magnet, the magic happens on the thank you page. I've seen many people just have a generic thank you page that does not prompt the next action.
Wasted digital real estate.
Instead of leaving it blank, we either have a call booking page where we pitch a non-sales call that would help fix the lead a specific problem or a signup page for a live workshop.
2nd has higher opt-in rate, but has longer time-to-deal, 1st gives you 1-1 time with high value prospects, but is more expensive..
Ideally, run both. Best of both worlds.
On top of that, when someone opts in and claims your lead magnets, you can then email them on a regular basis as part of your newsletter which gives you another channel to nurture leads and throw offers their way.
2.1 - Cold outreach
As soon as you receive a positive response to your lead magnet offer, you send it over, find that person on LI and connect (so you have another channel and they see that you're a real human) then ask if they're struggling with a specific problem that your service can fix.
If they do, great, share more case studies, share how they could solve the problem themselves and then soft-pitch a meeting in which you propose to "continue the conversation"
For cold, each convo will be different so you will have to come up with helpful and relevant email responses on the fly.
Remember speed-to-lead. The faster you answer, the higher the chance of you pushing the lead to the next step of your funnel.
So do you need both of these acquisition channels? Do you also need to post on Linkedin and dance on Tiktok?
Depends on your business. Generally, the more eyes you have on you, the more deals you'll close. These two channels are foundation for myself and any business I consult, but to supplement that and build credibility, we're also heavily investing in LI organic.
Why? People who watch your ads and engage with your emails will check out your LI eventually. If it's barren, you won't leave an impression. If it's packed with valuable, funny, insightful and humanizing posts, not only your leads will connect with you, but they'll feel compelled to engage.
So it's not one system or another - it's all of them working in cohesion.
Thanks for coming to my ted talk.
2024.05.14 11:19 laffinginmyroom [Task] [Task] Looking for Beta-Readers to offer me simple, honest feedback on a book of their interest ($1USD)
Hey guys!
I'm looking for readers with an interest in self-improvement, particularly in overcoming social anxiety. :) I'm a writer working on a self-help book titled "Essential Strategies for Social Anxiety: CBT Techniques to Conquer Self Doubt, Eliminate Fear and Build Bulletproof Confidence."
Scope:
I'm looking for passionate readers to give honest feedback on my manuscript before it's published. In exchange for your valuable insights, you will receive a FREE digital copy of the book once it's launched and also a payment of $1USD!
Requirements:
Sign-up form here: https://forms.gle/cf92VDMUrdpKJqaT6
Thanks for your time, and happy reading!
P.S. Feel free to share this post with anyone you think might be interested! The more honest feedback, the better!
submitted by laffinginmyroom to DoneDirtCheap [link] [comments]
I'm looking for readers with an interest in self-improvement, particularly in overcoming social anxiety. :) I'm a writer working on a self-help book titled "Essential Strategies for Social Anxiety: CBT Techniques to Conquer Self Doubt, Eliminate Fear and Build Bulletproof Confidence."
Scope:
I'm looking for passionate readers to give honest feedback on my manuscript before it's published. In exchange for your valuable insights, you will receive a FREE digital copy of the book once it's launched and also a payment of $1USD!
Requirements:
- Be an avid reader with a genuine interest in self-help and/or social anxiety topics.
- Be willing to read the manuscript and provide honest feedback on your thoughts, impressions, and overall reading experience.
- No pressure to write lengthy feedback ā your general impressions are more than enough!
- A FREE digital copy of the book upon publication.
- Payment of $1 USD for reading a book of your interest
- The satisfaction of knowing you're helping a fellow author refine their work and potentially reach others struggling with social anxiety.
Sign-up form here: https://forms.gle/cf92VDMUrdpKJqaT6
Thanks for your time, and happy reading!
P.S. Feel free to share this post with anyone you think might be interested! The more honest feedback, the better!
2024.05.14 11:14 laffinginmyroom [Task] Looking for Beta-Readers to offer me simple, honest feedback on a book of their interest ($1USD)
Hey everyone in slavelabour!
I'm looking for readers with an interest in self-improvement, particularly in overcoming social anxiety. :) I'm a writer working on a self-help book titled "Essential Strategies for Social Anxiety: CBT Techniques to Conquer Self Doubt, Eliminate Fear and Build Bulletproof Confidence."
Scope:
I'm looking for passionate readers to give honest feedback on my manuscript before it's published. In exchange for your valuable insights, you will receive a FREE digital copy of the book once it's launched and also a payment of $1USD!
Requirements:
Sign-up form here: https://forms.gle/cf92VDMUrdpKJqaT6
Thanks for your time, and happy reading!
P.S. Feel free to share this post with anyone you think might be interested! The more honest feedback, the better!
submitted by laffinginmyroom to slavelabour [link] [comments]
I'm looking for readers with an interest in self-improvement, particularly in overcoming social anxiety. :) I'm a writer working on a self-help book titled "Essential Strategies for Social Anxiety: CBT Techniques to Conquer Self Doubt, Eliminate Fear and Build Bulletproof Confidence."
Scope:
I'm looking for passionate readers to give honest feedback on my manuscript before it's published. In exchange for your valuable insights, you will receive a FREE digital copy of the book once it's launched and also a payment of $1USD!
Requirements:
- Be an avid reader with a genuine interest in self-help and/or social anxiety topics.
- Be willing to read the manuscript and provide honest feedback on your thoughts, impressions, and overall reading experience.
- No pressure to write lengthy feedback ā your general impressions are more than enough!
- A FREE digital copy of the book upon publication.
- Payment of $1 USD for reading a book of your interest
- The satisfaction of knowing you're helping a fellow author refine their work and potentially reach others struggling with social anxiety.
Sign-up form here: https://forms.gle/cf92VDMUrdpKJqaT6
Thanks for your time, and happy reading!
P.S. Feel free to share this post with anyone you think might be interested! The more honest feedback, the better!
2024.05.14 11:13 traveladvisor202 Ų§ŁŲ¶Ł Ų§ŁŁŲµŲ§Ų¦Ų ŁŁŲŖŲ¹Ų§Ł Ł Ł Ų¹ ŲŲ¬Ų² Ų§ŁŲ·ŁŲ±Ų§Ł
ŁŁŲ§ ŲØŲ§ŁŲ¬Ł
ŁŲ¹ ,Ų„Ų°Ų§ ŲØŲÆŁ ŲŖŲŖŲ¬ŁŲØ Ų§ŁŲ§Ų¬ŁŲ§ŲÆ Ų£Ų«ŁŲ§Ų” ŲŲ¬Ų² Ų§ŁŲ±ŲŁŲ§ŲŖ ŁŲ§ŁŲ³ŁŲ±Ų Ų„ŁŁŁ ŲØŲ¹Ų¶ Ų§ŁŁŲµŲ§Ų¦Ų ŁŲŖŁŁŁ Ų¹Ł
ŁŁŲ© ŲŲ¬Ų² Ų§ŁŲ³ŁŲ± Ų£Ų³ŁŁ:
*Ų§ŲØŲŲ« Ł Ų³ŲØŁŁŲ§: Ų§ŲØŲÆŲ£ ŲØŲŲ« Ų¹Ł Ų±ŲŁŲ§ŲŖŁ Ł ŲØŁŲ±ŁŲ§ Ų¹Ł Ł ŁŲ¹Ų§ŲÆ Ų§ŁŲ³ŁŲ± ŁŲ¶Ł Ų§Ł ŲŖŁŁŲ± Ų§Ų®ŲŖŁŲ§Ų±Ų§ŲŖ Ų£ŁŲ¶Ł.
*Ų§Ų³ŲŖŲ®ŲÆŁ Ł ŁŲ§ŁŲ¹ Ų§ŁŲŲ¬Ų² Ų£ŁŁŁŲ§ŁŁ: Ł ŁŲ§ŁŲ¹ ŲŲ¬Ų² Ų§ŁŲ·ŁŲ±Ų§Ł Ų§ŁŲ§ŁŁŁŲ§ŁŁ ŁŲ«ŁŲ± Ł Ų±Ų© ŁŲ¹ŁŁŁŲ§ Ų¹Ų±ŁŲ¶ ŁŲ«ŁŲ± Ł Ų«Ł Ł ŁŁŲ¹ World Trip Deal , booking.
*ŁŁ Ł Ų±Ł ŁŁ ŲŖŁŲ§Ų±ŁŲ® Ų±ŲŁŲŖŁ: Ų„Ų°Ų§ ŲØŲŖŲŲÆŲÆ ŲŖŁŲ§Ų±ŁŲ® Ł Ų±ŁŲ©Ų ŲØŲŖŁŁŲ± Ų£ŁŲ«Ų± ŁŁ Ų§ŁŲ£Ų³Ų¹Ų§Ų± ŁŲ§ŲŲµŁ Ų¹ŁŁ Ų£ŁŲ¶Ł Ų§ŁŲµŁŁŲ§ŲŖ.
Hello travellers, Are you looking for tips to avoid stress while booking your travels?
Here are some helpful suggestions to make the travel booking process easy and enjoyable:
*Start Researching Early: Begin your search early for flights and hotels to ensure the availability of your preferred options.
*Use online booking websites: there are many online booking sites with many offers such as World Trip Deal.
*Be Flexible with Dates: Being flexible with dates can save you money by finding better deals.
If you have any other tips for traveling. Please share your experiences!
submitted by traveladvisor202 to u/traveladvisor202 [link] [comments]
*Ų§ŲØŲŲ« Ł Ų³ŲØŁŁŲ§: Ų§ŲØŲÆŲ£ ŲØŲŲ« Ų¹Ł Ų±ŲŁŲ§ŲŖŁ Ł ŲØŁŲ±ŁŲ§ Ų¹Ł Ł ŁŲ¹Ų§ŲÆ Ų§ŁŲ³ŁŲ± ŁŲ¶Ł Ų§Ł ŲŖŁŁŲ± Ų§Ų®ŲŖŁŲ§Ų±Ų§ŲŖ Ų£ŁŲ¶Ł.
*Ų§Ų³ŲŖŲ®ŲÆŁ Ł ŁŲ§ŁŲ¹ Ų§ŁŲŲ¬Ų² Ų£ŁŁŁŲ§ŁŁ: Ł ŁŲ§ŁŲ¹ ŲŲ¬Ų² Ų§ŁŲ·ŁŲ±Ų§Ł Ų§ŁŲ§ŁŁŁŲ§ŁŁ ŁŲ«ŁŲ± Ł Ų±Ų© ŁŲ¹ŁŁŁŲ§ Ų¹Ų±ŁŲ¶ ŁŲ«ŁŲ± Ł Ų«Ł Ł ŁŁŲ¹ World Trip Deal , booking.
*ŁŁ Ł Ų±Ł ŁŁ ŲŖŁŲ§Ų±ŁŲ® Ų±ŲŁŲŖŁ: Ų„Ų°Ų§ ŲØŲŖŲŲÆŲÆ ŲŖŁŲ§Ų±ŁŲ® Ł Ų±ŁŲ©Ų ŲØŲŖŁŁŲ± Ų£ŁŲ«Ų± ŁŁ Ų§ŁŲ£Ų³Ų¹Ų§Ų± ŁŲ§ŲŲµŁ Ų¹ŁŁ Ų£ŁŲ¶Ł Ų§ŁŲµŁŁŲ§ŲŖ.
Hello travellers, Are you looking for tips to avoid stress while booking your travels?
Here are some helpful suggestions to make the travel booking process easy and enjoyable:
*Start Researching Early: Begin your search early for flights and hotels to ensure the availability of your preferred options.
*Use online booking websites: there are many online booking sites with many offers such as World Trip Deal.
*Be Flexible with Dates: Being flexible with dates can save you money by finding better deals.
If you have any other tips for traveling. Please share your experiences!
TravelTips #TravelHacks #TravelPlanning #StressFreeTravel #BookingTips #VacationPlanning #TravelFlexibility #TripPlanning
2024.05.14 11:12 Bianca_Raven_Black How to Start a Business ā A Guide From an Established Entrepreneur
For the past few years, I've been on a wild ride, starting (and successfully running) 8 different businesses. Along the way, I've devoured countless books, experimented like crazy, and even cracked the $1.5 million yearly revenue mark. Not too shabby, right?
But the most valuable lessons haven't come from textbooks - it's the trenches, the hustle, the real-world experience that truly equips you. That's why I'm here - to share the no-BS knowledge I've gained to help you start your business and avoid the pitfalls I stumbled into.
TL;DR: If youāve got your business plan ready, and are ready to officially launch your business, Tailor Brands can help you with business registration, branding, and getting your website up and running.
Think about it: being passionate about music is awesome, but if singing isn't your forte, building a music career might be tough. Same goes for that handmade soap dream in a town saturated with sudsy shops. Competition is fierce, so replicating what others already do is a challenge.
Finding Your Business Niche:
Choosing Your Business Model:
Before diving in, consider these factors:
What to Include:
Here's a quick breakdown:
Focus on your strengths and delegate the rest. You can't be an expert in everything, so find reliable freelancers or agencies to handle tasks outside your skillset. This will free up your time to focus on what you do best and avoid burnout.
Embrace the launch and learn as you go. Don't wait until everything is perfect before you start. Launch your business and iterate based on customer feedback. The most valuable lessons often come from making mistakes and adapting.
Outsource for efficiency and expertise. Find trusted partners to handle tasks like accounting, marketing, and content creation. This allows you to access specialized skills without the overhead of hiring full-time employees.
Aim for premium value. Consider setting higher prices in your market. This can lead to better profit margins and a more manageable client base, as high-value clients often require less hand-holding.
Pay yourself first. Don't wait for the "right time" to take a salary. Make your business profitable from the start and ensure you're financially rewarded for your efforts.
Build a sustainable business. Prioritize creating a system that doesn't require excessive working hours. Your business should support your lifestyle, not the other way around.
submitted by Bianca_Raven_Black to llc [link] [comments]
But the most valuable lessons haven't come from textbooks - it's the trenches, the hustle, the real-world experience that truly equips you. That's why I'm here - to share the no-BS knowledge I've gained to help you start your business and avoid the pitfalls I stumbled into.
TL;DR: If youāve got your business plan ready, and are ready to officially launch your business, Tailor Brands can help you with business registration, branding, and getting your website up and running.
Step 1 - Pick a Business Idea
Let's ditch the "follow your passion" cliche for a sec. Sure, loving what you do is important, but a successful business also needs two ingredients: profitability, and skills.Think about it: being passionate about music is awesome, but if singing isn't your forte, building a music career might be tough. Same goes for that handmade soap dream in a town saturated with sudsy shops. Competition is fierce, so replicating what others already do is a challenge.
Finding Your Business Niche:
- What are your passions and pet peeves? Can you create a solution that makes life easier for people who share your frustrations?
- What are you naturally good at? What do people seek your advice on?
- Imagine a 5-minute speech on any topic. What would you talk about?
- What have you always wanted to do but lacked the resources?
Choosing Your Business Model:
Before diving in, consider these factors:
- Funding: How much dough do you have to invest?
- Time Commitment: Can you be a full-time entrepreneur, or will this be a side hustle?
- Work Location: Do you dream of a home office, or is a dedicated workspace your jam?
- Interests and Skills: What sparks your passion and what are you naturally good at?
- Scalability: Do you want a slow and steady growth, or an explosive launch?
- Support System: Who's got your back as you launch your venture?
- Partnerships: Are you a lone wolf, or a team player?
- Franchise Opportunities: Does a pre-established system appeal to you?
Step 2 - Research the Market
If the market research says your product is everywhere, you gotta niche down. Take cleaning services for example. Forget general cleaning - maybe you specialize in pet messes or tackling garage nightmares. See where I'm going?Step 3 - Get your Business Plan Ready
Having a business plan shows you've got a thought-out strategy, not a guessing game. Planning helps you spot potential problems before you invest a ton of time and money. And it can help you track your progress and make sure you're on the right path.What to Include:
- Executive Summary
- Company Description
- Market Analysis
- Organization & Structure
- Mission & Goals
- Products or Services
- Marketing Plan
- Financial Plan
Step 4 - Choose Your Business Structure
Choosing a business structure depends on how much paperwork you want to deal with, how much personal liability you want to risk, and how you plan to grow your business.Here's a quick breakdown:
- LLC: Easy to set up, limited liability protection, but more paperwork than a sole proprietorship.
- LLP: Similar to LLC but for licensed professionals, easy to form, limited liability protection, but partners are liable for malpractice.
- Sole Proprietorship: Easiest to form, full control, but owner is personally liable for all debts.
- Corporation: Limited liability protection, complex to set up, double taxation (can be a plus in some situations).
Step 5 - Register Your Business and Get Licenses
- Pick a Business Name: Make it catchy and unique, and check for domain name and trademark availability.
- Register Your Business & Get an EIN: File with your state and get a registered agent. You'll also need an EIN (Employer Identification Number) from the IRS for most businesses.
- Licenses & Permits: Research the licenses and permits required for your specific industry and location. This might involve your local government or an attorney.
Step 6 - Plan Out Financials
- Bank Account: Open a separate account for your business to keep finances organized.
- Bookkeeping: Decide on software or hire a bookkeeper to track income, expenses, and generate reports.
- Break-Even Point: Figure out how many sales you need to cover your costs (fixed costs + variable costs).
Focus on your strengths and delegate the rest. You can't be an expert in everything, so find reliable freelancers or agencies to handle tasks outside your skillset. This will free up your time to focus on what you do best and avoid burnout.
Embrace the launch and learn as you go. Don't wait until everything is perfect before you start. Launch your business and iterate based on customer feedback. The most valuable lessons often come from making mistakes and adapting.
Outsource for efficiency and expertise. Find trusted partners to handle tasks like accounting, marketing, and content creation. This allows you to access specialized skills without the overhead of hiring full-time employees.
Aim for premium value. Consider setting higher prices in your market. This can lead to better profit margins and a more manageable client base, as high-value clients often require less hand-holding.
Pay yourself first. Don't wait for the "right time" to take a salary. Make your business profitable from the start and ensure you're financially rewarded for your efforts.
Build a sustainable business. Prioritize creating a system that doesn't require excessive working hours. Your business should support your lifestyle, not the other way around.
2024.05.14 10:51 mtufekyapan Marketing Guide For Shopify
Marketing is one of the most crucial operation for a Shopify store. There are lotās of tactics Marketing is one of the most crucial operation for a Shopify store. There are lotās of tactics to grow quickly and none of them not working. Well, if you looking for a way to create solid marketing plan, then this guide is for you. In this guide youāll learn
What do you see here?
Letās say we have a Shopify store that has some high-end, organic baby clothes targeting new parents.
Letās say you have a new Shopify store that has less than 500 order per month. You can hire expensive agencies, expensive experts to research the market, create market reports for you, etc. Even if you do that, I highly suspicious if it helps you.
However you can talk with your new-parent friends. Ask them about how do they decide to buy baby clothes? What they are looking for before completing their purchases? Do they get any expert opinion before making buying decision? How do they search online and what they want to see? Is there any great YouTube channels about this.
Donāt have any friends? Checkout your friends not a new-parents but parents and ask similar questions to them. If you also donāt have them, try to make new born friends. I know how hard it is but letās be honest here. If you donāt know anybody in your target audience, how do you manage to get know them? All of the successful stores I saw they have direct relationship with their target audience.
When you make your research with real people, then you can extend your project to online. Try to search as they do. What do you find? Deep in dive and take your notes.
Now itās time to analyze them.
Nope, it canāt. You need to deep dive into your market and find a sub-segment, a niche that will need your products much better than anybody else and afford it easily.
This is what I called ideal customer profile (ICP). Check out what is ideal customer profile and how to create your ideal customer profile posts to learn more about the concept.
For our hypothetical store, ICP can be something like this;
Demographics
Now we know our baby clothes Shopify store market, customerās buying process and our ideal customer profile.
First look at brand definition. AMA defines brand as āany distinctive feature like a name, term, design, or symbol that identifies goods or servicesā.
Branding is for creating and managing your brandās identity. It involves your mission, values, culture and public image.
Iām not an expert on brand, but I know how branding can be effective for your conversions and performance. Here are some checklist for you.
Now itās time to work on go-to-market strategy and crafting our marketing strategy.
You need a plan to introduce your store or new products to the market. This is what we called go-to-market(GTM) strategy.
Main goal of the GTM is letting people know that there is a new brand or product line. Itās similar to launch marketing. Key message here is there is a new products/brand launched and it offer the best for you. Give it a try, youāll love it.
All of your messages and communication should be parallel to this process.
Our focus is convincing people to try our products/brand. So I always offer a special campaign just for the launch to give people to a reason to try your products/brand.
For our hypothetical Shopify store we can run a special campaign for launch like;
Letās say you have GREAT advertising creatives and a huge budget and just spending it. Donāt wait to crack the code and having lotās of sales.
Your marketing strategy should be follow sales funnel. If you donāt have a high-converting sales funnel, you canāt expect people to buy from you. Check out How to Build High Converting Sales Funnel For Shopify post.
AIDA Sales Funnel Framework
Now we can continue with our hypothetical store example. Weāre selling high-end, organic baby clothes on our store. We crafted our ICP, empathy map, work on branding and created our story.
We can create a educative e-book like ā7 Harmful Chemicals Commonly Used in Baby Clothes and How to Avoid Themā and run some campaigns targeted new parents on social network (Facebook, Instagram or YouTube)
This ads will land on a landing page that gives brief information about why we should pay attention to chemicals in baby clothes for our little ones and make a promise like āI spend my last 5 years about researching chemicals on baby clothes and prepare this book for you and your little oneā. Also there can be a quick video about our story explaining our expertise in this field and why weāre building this brand.
We can ask for their email address to share the book with them. When they enter their email address, weāll send them this ebook.
After first email with the ebook, we can send a few more emails with easy to digest information about chemicals.
This will create an expertise image on our target customers and start to create a bond with them. Not a bad start, right?
At the same time we can use this content on our social media, right? Quick videos, infographics and posts about the chemicals in the baby clothes.
After getting a few thousands subscribers we can organize a webinar to answer questions. This will also a great content for re-used social media content and creating trust and expert image.
Then we can share a time-limited promotion with this people for a bundle. Like weāre running a campaign and these 5 chemical free baby clothes bundles 10% discounted until next week!
We can send emails about it and use this campaign for remarketing for only people who show interest in our e-book and webinar.
This is a very brief template of marketing plan.
Now letās take a look at more common one.
Donāt forget that marketing strategy is not a hope. Itās a well documented plan of actions designed for turning strangers into customers.
Inbound Marketing Channels: With the inbound marketing your customers will find you and start the interaction. Most common channel for inbound marketing is organic search engine optimization.
After creating high quality content, when customers search something online, they can see your articles and first interaction happens.
Outbound Marketing Channels: With the outbound marketing you reach out to customers. Facebook/Instagram/YouTube ads, influencer marketing, display ads, podcast ads can be count in this category.
As you can imagine inbound marketing channels takes lotās of efforts and time however over the time youāll have organic marketing channel and it brings you customer without needing any budget.
Outbound marketing channels generally works with advertisement models and you need budgets to run these channels.
Most of time I recommend to start with outbound marketing channels and then invest inbound marketing channels overtime. Donāt forget to check Mastering Paid Ads For Shopify post.
Succesful marketing plans should be supported by high converting growth and conversion plans. Donāt forget to check Growth Guide For Shopify and Conversion Optimization Guide For Shopify too.
to grow quickly and none of them not working. Well, if you looking for a way to create solid marketing plan, then this guide is for you. In this guide youāll learn
What do you see here?
Letās say we have a Shopify store that has some high-end, organic baby clothes targeting new parents.
Letās say you have a new Shopify store that has less than 500 order per month. You can hire expensive agencies, expensive experts to research the market, create market reports for you, etc. Even if you do that, I highly suspicious if it helps you.
However you can talk with your new-parent friends. Ask them about how do they decide to buy baby clothes? What they are looking for before completing their purchases? Do they get any expert opinion before making buying decision? How do they search online and what they want to see? Is there any great YouTube channels about this.
Donāt have any friends? Checkout your friends not a new-parents but parents and ask similar questions to them. If you also donāt have them, try to make new born friends. I know how hard it is but letās be honest here. If you donāt know anybody in your target audience, how do you manage to get know them? All of the successful stores I saw they have direct relationship with their target audience.
When you make your research with real people, then you can extend your project to online. Try to search as they do. What do you find? Deep in dive and take your notes.
Now itās time to analyze them.
Nope, it canāt. You need to deep dive into your market and find a sub-segment, a niche that will need your products much better than anybody else and afford it easily.
This is what I called ideal customer profile (ICP). Check out what is ideal customer profile and how to create your ideal customer profile posts to learn more about the concept.
For our hypothetical store, ICP can be something like this;
Demographics
Now we know our baby clothes Shopify store market, customerās buying process and our ideal customer profile.
First look at brand definition. AMA defines brand as āany distinctive feature like a name, term, design, or symbol that identifies goods or servicesā.
Branding is for creating and managing your brandās identity. It involves your mission, values, culture and public image.
Iām not an expert on brand, but I know how branding can be effective for your conversions and performance. Here are some checklist for you.
Now itās time to work on go-to-market strategy and crafting our marketing strategy.
You need a plan to introduce your store or new products to the market. This is what we called go-to-market(GTM) strategy.
Main goal of the GTM is letting people know that there is a new brand or product line. Itās similar to launch marketing. Key message here is there is a new products/brand launched and it offer the best for you. Give it a try, youāll love it.
All of your messages and communication should be parallel to this process.
Our focus is convincing people to try our products/brand. So I always offer a special campaign just for the launch to give people to a reason to try your products/brand.
For our hypothetical Shopify store we can run a special campaign for launch like;
Letās say you have GREAT advertising creatives and a huge budget and just spending it. Donāt wait to crack the code and having lotās of sales.
Your marketing strategy should be follow sales funnel. If you donāt have a high-converting sales funnel, you canāt expect people to buy from you. Check out How to Build High Converting Sales Funnel For Shopify post.
This article first published at MarketingLib.
Don't forget to check Growth Suite on Shopify App Store.
submitted by mtufekyapan to GrowthSuite [link] [comments]
- Definition of Marketing
- Market Research, Competitor Analysis and Defining Your Target Market
- Brand Identity and How to Create Your Branding
- Go-to-Market Strategy and Defining Your Marketing Strategy
- Inbound and Outbound Marketing Channels
- Marketing Plan Template
- FAQs
Definition of Marketing
American Marketing Association defines marketing as activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. SourceWhat do you see here?
- Marketing is not about activities, it contains activities, set of institutions and process.
- Function of marketing is not generating sales. Itās creating, communicating, delivering and exchanging offerings that has value.
- In this post weāll focus on Shopify stores marketing. However in the big picture marketing has not limited with companies. Marketing can be done within organization or society.
Market Research, Competitor Analysis and Defining Your Target Market
This is a practical guide for marketing so I want to continue with a hypothetical Shopify stores for each steps.Letās say we have a Shopify store that has some high-end, organic baby clothes targeting new parents.
Market Research
How can we do the market research?Letās say you have a new Shopify store that has less than 500 order per month. You can hire expensive agencies, expensive experts to research the market, create market reports for you, etc. Even if you do that, I highly suspicious if it helps you.
However you can talk with your new-parent friends. Ask them about how do they decide to buy baby clothes? What they are looking for before completing their purchases? Do they get any expert opinion before making buying decision? How do they search online and what they want to see? Is there any great YouTube channels about this.
Donāt have any friends? Checkout your friends not a new-parents but parents and ask similar questions to them. If you also donāt have them, try to make new born friends. I know how hard it is but letās be honest here. If you donāt know anybody in your target audience, how do you manage to get know them? All of the successful stores I saw they have direct relationship with their target audience.
When you make your research with real people, then you can extend your project to online. Try to search as they do. What do you find? Deep in dive and take your notes.
Competitor Analysis
When you done this market research, youāll also see there are some other brands. This is a huge subject but letās call these brands as competitor for now.Now itās time to analyze them.
- Checkout their branding strategy.
- What are their value propositions?
- What is hot about them? Return guarantee, free shipping etc.
- What is not hot about them? Poor product or store design, low UX on the website, etc.
- What people think about them? Google reviews, Trust pilot reviews, product reviews on the store.
- Are there any partnership or influencer program theyāre running?
- What is their Google/YouTube campaign strategy? Check it here.
- What is their Facebook/Instagram campaign strategy? Check it here.
Define Your Target Market
What do you say about our target market? Can all of new parents be our target market?Nope, it canāt. You need to deep dive into your market and find a sub-segment, a niche that will need your products much better than anybody else and afford it easily.
This is what I called ideal customer profile (ICP). Check out what is ideal customer profile and how to create your ideal customer profile posts to learn more about the concept.
For our hypothetical store, ICP can be something like this;
Demographics
- Age: 25-45 years old
- Gender: Primarily women, but also some men
- Education: College degree or higher
- Income: $75,000+ per household
- Location: Urban areas
- Occupation: Professionals, entrepreneurs, stay-at-home parents
- Values: Health, wellness, sustainability, social responsibility
- Lifestyle: Active, eco-conscious, family-oriented
- Interests: Organic food, natural products, childrenās activities
- Media consumption: Social media, parenting blogs, magazines
- Shopping habits: Researches purchases thoroughly, values quality over price
- Concerns about harmful chemicals in baby clothes
- Difficulty finding stylish and affordable organic baby clothes
- Wants to make sustainable choices for their children
- High-quality, organic baby clothes that are safe and healthy for their children
- Unique and stylish designs that make their children look and feel good
- A brand that shares their values and commitment to sustainability
- Researches products online before making a purchase
- Reads reviews and testimonials from other parents
- Shops at specialty stores and online retailers
- Willing to pay a premium for quality and sustainability
Now we know our baby clothes Shopify store market, customerās buying process and our ideal customer profile.
Brand Identity and How to Create Your Branding
Iāll follow the American Marketing Association (AMA) in here too.First look at brand definition. AMA defines brand as āany distinctive feature like a name, term, design, or symbol that identifies goods or servicesā.
Branding is for creating and managing your brandās identity. It involves your mission, values, culture and public image.
Iām not an expert on brand, but I know how branding can be effective for your conversions and performance. Here are some checklist for you.
- Design consistency is the key. Your visual identity should be consistent across social media, Shopify store, emails, product detail pages, etc.
- Copy consistency is the key. Your communication style should be consistent across social media, Shopify store, emails, product detail pages, etc.
- Experience consistency is the key. Letās say your brand looks like a high-end brand and when a new visitor visit your store first they see is an annoying popup saying want to get 10% OFF. This is simply how to destroy your brand.
- Craft a story and stick to it. What makes you create this brand? Faces behind the brand. This is a huge leverage for creating trust and building bonds.
Go-to-Market Strategy and Defining Your Marketing Strategy
So far we identified our target market and ideal customer profile. Check out competitors and creates the branding for our store.Now itās time to work on go-to-market strategy and crafting our marketing strategy.
Go-to-Market Strategy
Letās say you recently launched your Shopify store or add a new line of products.You need a plan to introduce your store or new products to the market. This is what we called go-to-market(GTM) strategy.
Main goal of the GTM is letting people know that there is a new brand or product line. Itās similar to launch marketing. Key message here is there is a new products/brand launched and it offer the best for you. Give it a try, youāll love it.
All of your messages and communication should be parallel to this process.
Our focus is convincing people to try our products/brand. So I always offer a special campaign just for the launch to give people to a reason to try your products/brand.
For our hypothetical Shopify store we can run a special campaign for launch like;
- Free shipping until X date.
- 5 different boy and girl bundle with 40% OFF to try our products.
Marketing Strategy
This is your plan of actions to sell or advertise your products. Now we can talk about selling part of the marketing.Letās say you have GREAT advertising creatives and a huge budget and just spending it. Donāt wait to crack the code and having lotās of sales.
Your marketing strategy should be follow sales funnel. If you donāt have a high-converting sales funnel, you canāt expect people to buy from you. Check out How to Build High Converting Sales Funnel For Shopify post.
AIDA Sales Funnel Framework
Now we can continue with our hypothetical store example. Weāre selling high-end, organic baby clothes on our store. We crafted our ICP, empathy map, work on branding and created our story.
Example Marketing Strategy
First step weāll work on attention step. Our focus is getting attention of our target market attention.We can create a educative e-book like ā7 Harmful Chemicals Commonly Used in Baby Clothes and How to Avoid Themā and run some campaigns targeted new parents on social network (Facebook, Instagram or YouTube)
This ads will land on a landing page that gives brief information about why we should pay attention to chemicals in baby clothes for our little ones and make a promise like āI spend my last 5 years about researching chemicals on baby clothes and prepare this book for you and your little oneā. Also there can be a quick video about our story explaining our expertise in this field and why weāre building this brand.
We can ask for their email address to share the book with them. When they enter their email address, weāll send them this ebook.
After first email with the ebook, we can send a few more emails with easy to digest information about chemicals.
This will create an expertise image on our target customers and start to create a bond with them. Not a bad start, right?
At the same time we can use this content on our social media, right? Quick videos, infographics and posts about the chemicals in the baby clothes.
After getting a few thousands subscribers we can organize a webinar to answer questions. This will also a great content for re-used social media content and creating trust and expert image.
Then we can share a time-limited promotion with this people for a bundle. Like weāre running a campaign and these 5 chemical free baby clothes bundles 10% discounted until next week!
We can send emails about it and use this campaign for remarketing for only people who show interest in our e-book and webinar.
This is a very brief template of marketing plan.
Now letās take a look at more common one.
- Post product photos on social media with lotās of hashtags
- Run a Meta campaign without any targeting, land people on product detail page
- Give them WELCOME10 discount if they enter their email address
- Send them 15 emails in the next 5 days to maximize your sales.
Donāt forget that marketing strategy is not a hope. Itās a well documented plan of actions designed for turning strangers into customers.
Inbound and Outbound Marketing Channels
Inside the marketing strategy, channels plays a vital role. There are lotās of ways to group channels. Iāll use most basic one.Inbound Marketing Channels: With the inbound marketing your customers will find you and start the interaction. Most common channel for inbound marketing is organic search engine optimization.
After creating high quality content, when customers search something online, they can see your articles and first interaction happens.
Outbound Marketing Channels: With the outbound marketing you reach out to customers. Facebook/Instagram/YouTube ads, influencer marketing, display ads, podcast ads can be count in this category.
As you can imagine inbound marketing channels takes lotās of efforts and time however over the time youāll have organic marketing channel and it brings you customer without needing any budget.
Outbound marketing channels generally works with advertisement models and you need budgets to run these channels.
Most of time I recommend to start with outbound marketing channels and then invest inbound marketing channels overtime. Donāt forget to check Mastering Paid Ads For Shopify post.
Succesful marketing plans should be supported by high converting growth and conversion plans. Donāt forget to check Growth Guide For Shopify and Conversion Optimization Guide For Shopify too.
to grow quickly and none of them not working. Well, if you looking for a way to create solid marketing plan, then this guide is for you. In this guide youāll learn
- Definition of Marketing
- Market Research, Competitor Analysis and Defining Your Target Market
- Brand Identity and How to Create Your Branding
- Go-to-Market Strategy and Defining Your Marketing Strategy
- Inbound and Outbound Marketing Channels
- Marketing Plan Template
- FAQs
Definition of Marketing
American Marketing Association defines marketing as activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. SourceWhat do you see here?
- Marketing is not about activities, it contains activities, set of institutions and process.
- Function of marketing is not generating sales. Itās creating, communicating, delivering and exchanging offerings that has value.
- In this post weāll focus on Shopify stores marketing. However in the big picture marketing has not limited with companies. Marketing can be done within organization or society.
Market Research, Competitor Analysis and Defining Your Target Market
This is a practical guide for marketing so I want to continue with a hypothetical Shopify stores for each steps.Letās say we have a Shopify store that has some high-end, organic baby clothes targeting new parents.
Market Research
How can we do the market research?Letās say you have a new Shopify store that has less than 500 order per month. You can hire expensive agencies, expensive experts to research the market, create market reports for you, etc. Even if you do that, I highly suspicious if it helps you.
However you can talk with your new-parent friends. Ask them about how do they decide to buy baby clothes? What they are looking for before completing their purchases? Do they get any expert opinion before making buying decision? How do they search online and what they want to see? Is there any great YouTube channels about this.
Donāt have any friends? Checkout your friends not a new-parents but parents and ask similar questions to them. If you also donāt have them, try to make new born friends. I know how hard it is but letās be honest here. If you donāt know anybody in your target audience, how do you manage to get know them? All of the successful stores I saw they have direct relationship with their target audience.
When you make your research with real people, then you can extend your project to online. Try to search as they do. What do you find? Deep in dive and take your notes.
Competitor Analysis
When you done this market research, youāll also see there are some other brands. This is a huge subject but letās call these brands as competitor for now.Now itās time to analyze them.
- Checkout their branding strategy.
- What are their value propositions?
- What is hot about them? Return guarantee, free shipping etc.
- What is not hot about them? Poor product or store design, low UX on the website, etc.
- What people think about them? Google reviews, Trust pilot reviews, product reviews on the store.
- Are there any partnership or influencer program theyāre running?
- What is their Google/YouTube campaign strategy? Check it here.
- What is their Facebook/Instagram campaign strategy? Check it here.
Define Your Target Market
What do you say about our target market? Can all of new parents be our target market?Nope, it canāt. You need to deep dive into your market and find a sub-segment, a niche that will need your products much better than anybody else and afford it easily.
This is what I called ideal customer profile (ICP). Check out what is ideal customer profile and how to create your ideal customer profile posts to learn more about the concept.
For our hypothetical store, ICP can be something like this;
Demographics
- Age: 25-45 years old
- Gender: Primarily women, but also some men
- Education: College degree or higher
- Income: $75,000+ per household
- Location: Urban areas
- Occupation: Professionals, entrepreneurs, stay-at-home parents
- Values: Health, wellness, sustainability, social responsibility
- Lifestyle: Active, eco-conscious, family-oriented
- Interests: Organic food, natural products, childrenās activities
- Media consumption: Social media, parenting blogs, magazines
- Shopping habits: Researches purchases thoroughly, values quality over price
- Concerns about harmful chemicals in baby clothes
- Difficulty finding stylish and affordable organic baby clothes
- Wants to make sustainable choices for their children
- High-quality, organic baby clothes that are safe and healthy for their children
- Unique and stylish designs that make their children look and feel good
- A brand that shares their values and commitment to sustainability
- Researches products online before making a purchase
- Reads reviews and testimonials from other parents
- Shops at specialty stores and online retailers
- Willing to pay a premium for quality and sustainability
Now we know our baby clothes Shopify store market, customerās buying process and our ideal customer profile.
Brand Identity and How to Create Your Branding
Iāll follow the American Marketing Association (AMA) in here too.First look at brand definition. AMA defines brand as āany distinctive feature like a name, term, design, or symbol that identifies goods or servicesā.
Branding is for creating and managing your brandās identity. It involves your mission, values, culture and public image.
Iām not an expert on brand, but I know how branding can be effective for your conversions and performance. Here are some checklist for you.
- Design consistency is the key. Your visual identity should be consistent across social media, Shopify store, emails, product detail pages, etc.
- Copy consistency is the key. Your communication style should be consistent across social media, Shopify store, emails, product detail pages, etc.
- Experience consistency is the key. Letās say your brand looks like a high-end brand and when a new visitor visit your store first they see is an annoying popup saying want to get 10% OFF. This is simply how to destroy your brand.
- Craft a story and stick to it. What makes you create this brand? Faces behind the brand. This is a huge leverage for creating trust and building bonds.
Go-to-Market Strategy and Defining Your Marketing Strategy
So far we identified our target market and ideal customer profile. Check out competitors and creates the branding for our store.Now itās time to work on go-to-market strategy and crafting our marketing strategy.
Go-to-Market Strategy
Letās say you recently launched your Shopify store or add a new line of products.You need a plan to introduce your store or new products to the market. This is what we called go-to-market(GTM) strategy.
Main goal of the GTM is letting people know that there is a new brand or product line. Itās similar to launch marketing. Key message here is there is a new products/brand launched and it offer the best for you. Give it a try, youāll love it.
All of your messages and communication should be parallel to this process.
Our focus is convincing people to try our products/brand. So I always offer a special campaign just for the launch to give people to a reason to try your products/brand.
For our hypothetical Shopify store we can run a special campaign for launch like;
- Free shipping until X date.
- 5 different boy and girl bundle with 40% OFF to try our products.
Marketing Strategy
This is your plan of actions to sell or advertise your products. Now we can talk about selling part of the marketing.Letās say you have GREAT advertising creatives and a huge budget and just spending it. Donāt wait to crack the code and having lotās of sales.
Your marketing strategy should be follow sales funnel. If you donāt have a high-converting sales funnel, you canāt expect people to buy from you. Check out How to Build High Converting Sales Funnel For Shopify post.
This article first published at MarketingLib.
Don't forget to check Growth Suite on Shopify App Store.
2024.05.14 10:50 The_Way358 Essential Teachings: The Meaning and Purpose of Life
The Purpose of Life for Man
One of the most direct verses on the subject of "the meaning (or purpose) of (human) life" in the Bible can be found in Revelation:"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."-Revelation 4:11This, of course, should prompt us to ask what exactly does God take pleasure in?
Conversely, what doesn't He take pleasure in?
"Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"-Micah 6:6-8God does not take pleasure in mere outward religiosity and ritual, but rather finds honest acts of love towards Him and others as more important when pertaining to our fulfillment of what God expects from us as His creation. God takes great pleasure in us doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with Him. This is what He requires of us. In other words...
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."-Ecclesiastes 12:13-14The Book of Ecclesiastes is an existential treatise on the futility of finding any meaning or fulfillment in life apart from God. In it, "the Preacher" (or "Teacher" in some translations) explores the limits of human experiences which may provide meaning or fulfillment in this life before the author of the book inevitably concludes that the only thing we can do that has any kind of meaning or permanence in the end is fearing God and keeping His commandments. The reason for this is because the march of time and our own mortality effectively make most human endeavors hevel. The Hebrew word "hevel" is translated as vanity in the King James.
The following is taken from BibleProject:
[...]In Hebrew, hevel literally refers to āvaporā or āsmoke.ā The teacher uses this word 38 times throughout the book of Ecclesiastes as a metaphor to describe how life is temporary and fleeting, like a wisp of smoke, but also how life is an enigma or paradox. Smoke appears solid, but when you try to grab it, itās like nothing is there.
The Preacher gives us a "reality check" by demonstrating how time and death effectively make things like scientific and artistic discovery (1:10-11), mirth (2:1), alcohol (2:3), architecture (2:4), amassing property (2:7-8), and luxury (2:8) all hevel. Materialism and hedonism fail to fulfill, and though wisdom and righteousness are acknowledged by the preacher to be advantageous, the righteous and wise are still often victims of injustice and unfairness in the world while the wicked get to prosper and have longevity at times (1:13-18). Generally, your life will probably be better by living in the wisdom given in Proverbs (Ecc. 7:11-12; 9:13-18), but it's no guarantee that you will have a good life as bad things still happen to good people, and good things still happen to bad people. This isn't entirely "hevel" but it's confusing and disorienting because things don't always work out the way we think they should in this life.The authorās basic goal is to target all of the ways we try to build meaning and purpose in life apart from God and then let the teacher deconstruct them. The author thinks that people spend most of their time investing energy and emotion in things that ultimately have no lasting meaning or significance. And so he allows the teacher to give us a reality check.
Again, from BibleProject:
Fearing the Lord doesnāt guarantee success in this life, but it is the right thing to do, and ultimately God will clear the "hevel" and bring His justice on all we have done. Therefore, we ought to keep God's commandments.So whatās the way forward in the midst of all this hevel? Paradoxically, the teacher discovers that the key to truly enjoying life is accepting hevel, acknowledging that everything in your life is totally out of your control. About six different times, at the bleakest moments in his dialogue, the teacher suddenly talks about āthe gift of God,ā which is the enjoyment of the simple, good things in life such as friendship, family, a good meal, or a sunny day.
You and I canāt control the most important things in our lives. Nothing is guaranteed, and, strangely, thatās the beauty of it. When I adopt a posture of complete trust in God, it frees me to simply enjoy life as I actually experience it and not as I think it ought to be. In the end, even my expectations about life, my hopes and dreams, are all āhevel, hevel. Everything under the sun is hevel.ā
The teacherās words come to an end, and the author takes over, bringing the book to a close. He says that it is very important to hear what the teacher has to say. He likens the teacherās words to a shepherdās staff with a goad, a pointy end that will hurt when it pokes you. But that pain can ultimately steer you in the right direction towards greater wisdom.
The author warns us not to take the teacherās words too far. You can spend your entire life buried in books trying to answer the existential puzzles of human life. Donāt exhaust yourself, he says. Youāll never get there. Instead, the author offers his own conclusion that we should āfear God and keep his commands; this is the whole duty of humans. For God will bring every deed into judgment, every hidden thing, whether good or evilā (Ec. 12:13-14).
Through Jesus, we see the Bible clearing the confusion many have, and still have, about God's commandments and what exactly they are (in essence, at least):
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."-Matthew 22:37-40The apostle Paul puts it like this:
"For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."-Galatians 5:14The apostle John, like this:
"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him."-1 John 4:16In other words, the first and second greatest commandments can be seen as inextricably intertwined, as one cannot truly love God without loving their fellow man, and vice versa.
So, to put it bluntly, the meaning, or purpose, of (human) life according to the Bible is simply love.
"What Does It Mean to Love Biblically?"
But, what exactly is love anyway? We know that, according to the apostle John, God is love. But, what does that mean exactly?The ancient Greeks had anywhere between four and eight different words for love (depending on the source):
- Storge: affection
- Philia or Phileo: friendship
- Eros: sexual, erotic
- Agape: unconditional, divine, selfless
- Ludus: flirtatious, playful, casual, uncommitted
- Pragma: committed, long-standing
- Philautia: self-love
- Mania: obsessive, possessive, addictive, dependent
This is what the Bible defines as true love, or at least, is the kind of love it's most concerned about.
In order to demonstrate to another that we love them, we sacrifice something. For God, He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins (John 3:16). For Jesus, he sacrificed himself to save us from our sins:
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."-John 15:13In essence, true love is self-sacrifice. Putting others before ourselves is the greatest kind of sacrifice.
God didn't have to send His Son, but He did. Jesus didn't have to accept the mission, but he did.
God loves you, and Jesus loves you.
We demonstrate to others that we love them by sacrificing our wants and desires for them. These sacrifices can range from really small, to really big. Loving others is a daily practice of making greater and greater sacrifices.
A stumbling block for many in their walk with God is the inability to love one's enemies and to love unlovable people as Jesus did. Itās difficult for us to show love to people we donāt feel love for; to people we despise or dislike. We also tend to struggle with extending grace and mercy to those whoāve hurt us. I myself often wonder whether I am even capable of loving everyone the way Jesus does.āYou can will to love people. Love is not a feeling. Love is a willing, and the Lord says to love people. He did not mean [to merely] feel love for themā ā A.W. Tozer
As I grow in my faith, I realize itās not that Iām incapable of loving like Jesus; Iām just not always willing to. My unwillingness to love indicates that I am unwittingly adopting the worldly view of love, which is based on feelings and merit. I am choosing not to love people I feel are underserving of my love. The more I study Scripture, though, the more I realize Biblical love is not a feeling or an emotion; itās a decision. It is an action, and itās sacrificial. Itās not something you feel; it is, again, something you practice.
Jesus commands us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30). He also said, āA new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one anotherā (John 13:34). Since the Lord commands us to love, that means it is within our power to do so; therefore, love is a decision we make. Although feelings will accompany love, itās not an emotion; itās the decision to love regardless of how we feel.āBiblical love is a choice to do good for another person regardless of what we feel. It is a decision to compassionately and righteously pursue the betterment of another person. This is why you can even love your enemies according to Christās command.ā ā Tony Evans
As believers, weāre taught to love our enemies, and do good to those who hate us, and if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, "turn to him the other also" (Matt. 5:39). Itās not easy to do; hating our enemies comes naturally to us because of our evil nature. It is impossible to love our enemies on our own strength; we need the help of the Spirit of God.
The decision to love your enemies arises from the decision to obey the will of God and the desire to be Christlike. We choose to love our enemies because God said so and loved us first. Jesus said we are to love as he loved us.
āBut God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.ā-Romans 5:8So Biblical love is sacrificial love. It is not a feeling but an act of will; the desire to put the welfare of others above your own. This type of love is not a love based on affection or emotion. Instead, itās agape love, a love that is not concerned with self but is concerned more with the good of others.
We are not going to like everyone, nor are we called to; we are called to love everyone regardless of how we feel about them. Itās possible to love someone without feeling love for them when we decide to love everyone the way God loves us. The more we love through our actions, the decision to love will become a choice the heart is more willing to make.
Again, this doesnāt mean you will like or feel love for everyone, but when you put your trust in the Lord and pursue wisdom and holiness through prayer and Scripture, you will naturally develop a love for others.
To put it succinctly: Biblical love seeks the best interests of others, even our enemies, often to the detriment of ourselves. "Best interests" here doesn't necessarily mean what the other person thinks are their own best interests. It just means we do for them what we know or believe is best for them, and what we know or believe is best for them should be informed by an active participation with the Spirit of God and by His Word (the Bible) itself. Feelings may or may not accompany this, but how we feel towards the other is not what determines whether or not we're exhibiting the love of God, in the view of Jesus and the apostles. In their view, it's about whether or not we can still decide to seek the best interests of those who might harm us, or who we might not even like.
What the Real Heavenly Treasure Is
Now, this all brings us to an important question that needs to be answered: Is it wrong to love God and others while making a reward the objective for doing so?We must ask this question, because all throughout Scripture we are told that the faithful followers of God will be "rewarded" some day for everything they've done to merit this. Giving an exhaustive list of passages that proves this point would be endless, but here are some examples of just a few:
"Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just."-Luke 14:12-14The answer to this question depends on what we define as "rewards." Most will typically adopt some vague idea of material possesions that await the believer when they get to heaven as one's reward for faithfulness towards God, or that the reward is simply an escape from punishment for one's own sins, or perhaps even some combination of these things both.
"I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."-Acts 20:35
"But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil."-Luke 6:35
However, none of these are the "rewards" the Lord is promising to those who obey the first and second commandments. If they were, our motivation to love God and others would ultimately be selfish. Think about it. Our motivation for rewards would inherently be me-centered, and not other-centered.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ gives the following command:
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."-Matthew 6:19-21We know there are heavenly treasures, because Jesus says so, but what are they? The issue of heavenly treasures or eternal rewards is riddled with question marks. Itās a subject that has been abused by some (āStore up treasure by giving to my ministryā) and left in the too-hard basket by others.
But the answer here is simple, and two-fold. One of our rewards are God Himself:
"After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward."-Genesis 15:1What is the reward of the seeker but to find that which is sought? If you are searching for God, you will find Him and He will be your very great reward.
"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."-Hevrews 11:6
Now, if you are the newest believer or the eleventh-hour worker, you will be as richly blessed as the oldest, most faithful saint. Eternity will not be divided into the haves and have-nots, for we are all one in the New Jerusalem.
But we can distinguish God our reward from the heavenly treasure that Jesus said can be stored up. You cannot "store up" more of God, after all.
So what are heavenly treasures? The answer may surprise you, but itās people.
"Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward."-Psalm 127:3What is the only thing you can take with you? People, a.k.a. eternal friends, a.k.a. spiritual offspring. This Psalm is not just talking about biological children. God has bigger plans for you and they involve spiritual children. Lots of them. Dozens. Hundreds. Thousands. Millions. Donāt limit God.
So much time and effort is spent debating heavenly treasures as though they were some great mystery. What are they? Jesus makes it plain: it's people.
- Just as Abraham was called to be the father of many nations, so are you.
- Jesus said those who followed him would be fishers of men. What is a fishermanās reward? Itās fish, or people in this case.
- What is the reward of the one who sows and waters the good seed? Itās a harvest of people.
- What is treasure that never wears out and cannot be stolen? Itās people.
It is children.
āSounds great, but I am no evangelist.ā You donāt need to be an evangelist to win eternal friends. Believers can live such godly lives that unbelievers will be won to the kingdom (1 Pet. 2:12; Matt. 5:16).
God's desire is to grow the worldās largest family and He treats people like treasure. This is obvious once you see it. Indeed, itās a theme that runs throughout Scripture:
"For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth."-Deuteronomy 7:6Like Jesus, Paul eagerly gave to the poor (Gal. 2:10). He did not give out of religious duty or to put a shine on his reputation. He did it because he loved people and wanted to share the love of God with as many as possible (1 Cor. 13:3).
"For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth."-Deuteronomy 14:2
"And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments;"-Deuteronomy 26:18
"To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;"-1 Peter 2:4-9
Life is a gift that is easily wasted. We can waste it running after inferior rewards that rust, or we can do what Jesus and Paul did and invest ourselves in the only reward that lasts: people.
God Is Faithful
Someone once asked me, "Why would God be concerned as to whether or not we 'have trust and confidence in him' when He's judging us and when He determines what our fate will be?"Having trust and confidence in God, according to the Biblical authors, is required for us to fulfill His commandment that we love Him, and thus also love others. (See Hebrews 11.)
As with a spouse, you cannot truly love them if you do not have some level of trust or confidence in them, and vice versa. All relationships require trust, from both parties. God wants us to trust Him that He will keep His promises towards those of us who love and follow Him. He also wants to trust us that we will enter the kingdom of heaven with a righteous and loving character. He doesn't want another rebellion in paradise, so He's trying to see if we truly love righteousness for righteousness' sake. A truly righteous person wouldn't want to rebel against Him when the time comes that they enter the kingdom of God themselves, because a person with a righteous character wouldn't ever do such a thing.
As Open Theists, we believe we're being consistent in our belief that God, at times, puts trials before us to test whether or not we will remain trustworthy enough in our character to be deemed worthy of entrance into His kingdom. The Classical Theist doesn't have the luxury of being consistent if they have this same belief.
In the Book of Job, Satan makes an accusation towards someone God has deemed as truly righteous: Job.
Satan assails Godās wisdom and character in running the world by alleging that people only serve Him because of what they get out of it. God protects them from disaster and blesses them in other ways. Their obedience, he is suggesting, isnāt really a free choice. "There is no genuine virtue in the world," Satan is claiming. "There are only self-serving bargains, and obedience for the sake of being protected and blessed is one of them. Hence, true holiness and virtuous obedience are an illusion." "Take away a personās protection," Satan insists, "and let me have my way with people, and they will stop living for God" (Job 1:9-11; 2:4-5).
God has so much faith in Job that he will not succumb to proving the false accusations being levied towards him and God's way of running things in general that He ends up accepting the challenge. For God, this is as much a test of His faith towards His servant as it is for Job for his Lord. The adversary, we see, was assailing Godās integrity and wisdom in overseeing the creation. Satan was, in effect, accusing God of being a Machiavellian ruler. In the context of this narrative, it was an assault that could only be refuted by being put to the test.
Had God simply forced Satan into silence, without proving him wrong, it would have simply confirmed the accuracy of Satanās charge. It would have shown that there is no integrity or wisdom in how God runs the world after all. "There is only the exercise of power, used to manipulate beings into obeying Him. People serve God only as a bargain, not out of genuine love."
No, the challenge had to be answered by having it put to the test. The most righteous man on the earth was thus chosen to be tested. If Job failed, the narrative suggests, then Satan will have made his point. If he succeeded, however, then Godās wisdom and integrity in running the cosmos will have been vindicated. Hence, the protective fence around Job is removed and Satan is allowed to afflict him.
In the end, Job proves faithful to God and is even referenced in the New Testament as an example of the kind of faithfulness He expected of first century believers facing persecution and trials:
"Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy."-James 5:11While most of us aren't dealing with the life-threatening kind of persecution that believers faced in the first century, for the very fact that the eschatological end of physical Israel and the Old Covenant system was fastly approaching for them (and already has approached), we still each face our own trials that God puts in our lives as individuals to see if we truly love Him. Job is simply the ultimate example of one who loved God because they chose to, not because God forced them to.
After all, you never know if your love is pure if it isn't tested...
2024.05.14 10:41 Paper-Blackstar Tomorrow I escape
Oh how sad I am. I've been planning this escape for years. And now that I'm finally here, with one more night on my... not-really-a-bed, just a... mat-on-the-floor with blanket and pillows...
I sob. Sob and cry and wonder why I feel all this pain. I'm the one who wanted to escape. To live my life to the fullest. To do all the things I love. To draw and sing, to wear my hair down and bake, to make friends and wear cute dresses, to have cats and be with the man I love and oh gosh how lucky I am that he loves me dearly and wants the best for me. He and his mum supported me so so much. My friend too. They are my chosen family.
But... why am I feeling so horribly sad...? Its because I'll never see my parents or siblings again. I feel so bad for my mum because she allows people to use her and by that I mean she does everything for my grown ass siblings. And my extended family all use her a lot too.
About my mum.
Sadly, shes religious. Prays constantly. Always telling us to pray. Donates money to needy. Forced me to pay zakkah. Buys counters to constantly recite, it's like digital tasbeehs and stuff to use wherever without looking or counting. You just press and then you get your number on a screen. She takes care of her mum sometimes. Often cooks for her. She often watches her sisters kids because her sister, my aunt... is ever so social and kinda just expects my mum to baby sit them. My mum cooks almost every day. Usually every other day because my dad refuses to eat old food. And when I say cook I dont mean something easy like whip up a pasta. I mean dishes that take at least more than 2 hours to cook. Mind you though, hes a chef and does cook sometimes in the house. But since he works he expects mum to cook and honestly if I were a man, I'd want that too. To come home from work to good food. Anyway...
I have siblings. One of which is a piece of good for nothing shit. Uses and abuses mum psychologically. For real. It's so sad. And mum enables this shit because she believes it's not actually my siblings behaviour. It's apparently a ghost. My other siblings are not of legal age yet. I will miss them terribly. They... will have to grow up a lot. Mum does a lot for them. Cooking. Cleaning. Honestly, I dont cook because mum does it. Nor clean. I avoided being with mum and basically without realising it, did that rock technique with her. Where I basically diffuse the conversation and stuff because I hate talking about Islam and just avoid being around her and stuff. I forgot what the technique is actually called.
I love her. Even if I'm sure her love for me is conditional. I wish to keep contact with her. But I worry about her health. Diabetes and general pressure issues. If she dies, my dad wont be able to take care of my siblings. My dad will cook for them and teach them how to travel to school and stuff. But besides that, he wont know about their medical conditions or history, he cant speak much English just some. He is smart but also not really? It's weird.
Mg siblings and mum is who I worry for most. The two siblings who arent over 18 yet. I dont care for the other one because they ruined my life and became such a horrible person. I get some of it is mental health issues so they need help but I'm speaking very specifically of their character before all this began.
Anyway. I escape tomorrow. Today is technically my last day ever with my family. I do love them. I wish to text or call them from time to time but I do think a period of no contact may be necessary for both them and myself to kind of... let this choice I made sink in. I've bought games for my younger siblings where we can chat and hopefully they keep this private. I do believe that they may understand me when they reach a certain age and be more accepting than my parents.
In my letter, I'm not sure if I should say I left because I wanted to live my life or because "God guided me" and play that card. I'm semi atheist. Sometimes I believe in God and other times I dont. Right now km not really sure what I am so I say semi atheist. I will cry and cry and cry after I've made it to my partner. He and his mum will hold me close and tell me I'm safe and loved and deserve to choose the life I want. I have support. We are gonna do so many things together that we couldn't before!
I'm an artist. In so many ways. I had to hide my art with my family. With my partner, he wanted them all displayed. For Christmas, I drew portraits, more like fantasy portraits of him and his mum and his cat. They still have it displayed in their house. It warms my heart. I draw, sew, sculpt with clay, paint sometimes, do traditional pencils drawings with colour and without, digital art, pixel art for working on my game, make plushies and I plan to sew my own dresses, I like styling my hair although my hair is pretty damaged sadly, no not with heat products, more of just unhealthy hair. What else...? I just love making things with paper like water fall cards and spinning cards and pop up books. When I confessed to my partner, at the time he couldn't be with me because he wanted to make sure he was ready, I made him a well designed pop up book. It had stuff we liked, camping, gaming, sleeping, loads of pop up and sliding elements. Then on our 1st anniversary, I made him an explosion box. He was absolutely in shock as he opened it over Skype. I plan to make an even better gift for next time. For Christmas he attempted something similar, he is very creative too. He made me a book of himself. Like a little toy for my to hold around with funny comments and his cat kinda touring me through his weak knee joints Haha and his heart which loves me 100% and his little nose which if I boop, doesnt do anything, nor the the little mole he has on his face. All these drawings and details, I love it so much.
Why did I write all that... I'm trying to cope right now. I want encouragement. I'm scared. But I know I have to do this. I dont want to cry or be sad. I wanna be happy because I have this opportunity to run away move out and be free. I've saved and saved enough for at least a few years. But I'll be getting a job in the new country after I learn the language officially. By going to school to learn the language I'll keep myself occupied and busy. At my partners house we will be playing games ans cuddling and making Lego stuff and drawing and going for walks and watching films so I know I'll be happy.
I just also know I'll wonder how my family are and worry those thoughts will eat into my happy time. I dont know how to go about this.
Please... I wanna move out on happy terms. I deserve to live. To think 7 years ago I was going to take my life because I prayed constantly to God and he didnt seem to reply to it... and then I became an ex Muslim and found a new friend and then a another one of which who became my partner... I never would have believed if someone told me, hey in some years you'll move away from your family have a loving boyfriend and be free from religion. I'd have slapped them maybe and said shut up you liar. Get lost.
But here I am. I didnt take my life. I won. And I'm gonna win again tomorrow when I take that plane. I'm just sad about missing my family. Even if they were unpleasant at times. I still love them.
But I deserve to live my own life. I can do this. One more night on my not so very comfy floor bed.
Paper Blackstar
I will never post from this account again. For updates on my situation, possibly a tutorial of how I escape, please see my other account, The Paper Blackstar. It has one post saying that it's me, and in the comments a mod confirmed.
submitted by Paper-Blackstar to exmuslim [link] [comments]
I sob. Sob and cry and wonder why I feel all this pain. I'm the one who wanted to escape. To live my life to the fullest. To do all the things I love. To draw and sing, to wear my hair down and bake, to make friends and wear cute dresses, to have cats and be with the man I love and oh gosh how lucky I am that he loves me dearly and wants the best for me. He and his mum supported me so so much. My friend too. They are my chosen family.
But... why am I feeling so horribly sad...? Its because I'll never see my parents or siblings again. I feel so bad for my mum because she allows people to use her and by that I mean she does everything for my grown ass siblings. And my extended family all use her a lot too.
About my mum.
Sadly, shes religious. Prays constantly. Always telling us to pray. Donates money to needy. Forced me to pay zakkah. Buys counters to constantly recite, it's like digital tasbeehs and stuff to use wherever without looking or counting. You just press and then you get your number on a screen. She takes care of her mum sometimes. Often cooks for her. She often watches her sisters kids because her sister, my aunt... is ever so social and kinda just expects my mum to baby sit them. My mum cooks almost every day. Usually every other day because my dad refuses to eat old food. And when I say cook I dont mean something easy like whip up a pasta. I mean dishes that take at least more than 2 hours to cook. Mind you though, hes a chef and does cook sometimes in the house. But since he works he expects mum to cook and honestly if I were a man, I'd want that too. To come home from work to good food. Anyway...
I have siblings. One of which is a piece of good for nothing shit. Uses and abuses mum psychologically. For real. It's so sad. And mum enables this shit because she believes it's not actually my siblings behaviour. It's apparently a ghost. My other siblings are not of legal age yet. I will miss them terribly. They... will have to grow up a lot. Mum does a lot for them. Cooking. Cleaning. Honestly, I dont cook because mum does it. Nor clean. I avoided being with mum and basically without realising it, did that rock technique with her. Where I basically diffuse the conversation and stuff because I hate talking about Islam and just avoid being around her and stuff. I forgot what the technique is actually called.
I love her. Even if I'm sure her love for me is conditional. I wish to keep contact with her. But I worry about her health. Diabetes and general pressure issues. If she dies, my dad wont be able to take care of my siblings. My dad will cook for them and teach them how to travel to school and stuff. But besides that, he wont know about their medical conditions or history, he cant speak much English just some. He is smart but also not really? It's weird.
Mg siblings and mum is who I worry for most. The two siblings who arent over 18 yet. I dont care for the other one because they ruined my life and became such a horrible person. I get some of it is mental health issues so they need help but I'm speaking very specifically of their character before all this began.
Anyway. I escape tomorrow. Today is technically my last day ever with my family. I do love them. I wish to text or call them from time to time but I do think a period of no contact may be necessary for both them and myself to kind of... let this choice I made sink in. I've bought games for my younger siblings where we can chat and hopefully they keep this private. I do believe that they may understand me when they reach a certain age and be more accepting than my parents.
In my letter, I'm not sure if I should say I left because I wanted to live my life or because "God guided me" and play that card. I'm semi atheist. Sometimes I believe in God and other times I dont. Right now km not really sure what I am so I say semi atheist. I will cry and cry and cry after I've made it to my partner. He and his mum will hold me close and tell me I'm safe and loved and deserve to choose the life I want. I have support. We are gonna do so many things together that we couldn't before!
I'm an artist. In so many ways. I had to hide my art with my family. With my partner, he wanted them all displayed. For Christmas, I drew portraits, more like fantasy portraits of him and his mum and his cat. They still have it displayed in their house. It warms my heart. I draw, sew, sculpt with clay, paint sometimes, do traditional pencils drawings with colour and without, digital art, pixel art for working on my game, make plushies and I plan to sew my own dresses, I like styling my hair although my hair is pretty damaged sadly, no not with heat products, more of just unhealthy hair. What else...? I just love making things with paper like water fall cards and spinning cards and pop up books. When I confessed to my partner, at the time he couldn't be with me because he wanted to make sure he was ready, I made him a well designed pop up book. It had stuff we liked, camping, gaming, sleeping, loads of pop up and sliding elements. Then on our 1st anniversary, I made him an explosion box. He was absolutely in shock as he opened it over Skype. I plan to make an even better gift for next time. For Christmas he attempted something similar, he is very creative too. He made me a book of himself. Like a little toy for my to hold around with funny comments and his cat kinda touring me through his weak knee joints Haha and his heart which loves me 100% and his little nose which if I boop, doesnt do anything, nor the the little mole he has on his face. All these drawings and details, I love it so much.
Why did I write all that... I'm trying to cope right now. I want encouragement. I'm scared. But I know I have to do this. I dont want to cry or be sad. I wanna be happy because I have this opportunity to run away move out and be free. I've saved and saved enough for at least a few years. But I'll be getting a job in the new country after I learn the language officially. By going to school to learn the language I'll keep myself occupied and busy. At my partners house we will be playing games ans cuddling and making Lego stuff and drawing and going for walks and watching films so I know I'll be happy.
I just also know I'll wonder how my family are and worry those thoughts will eat into my happy time. I dont know how to go about this.
Please... I wanna move out on happy terms. I deserve to live. To think 7 years ago I was going to take my life because I prayed constantly to God and he didnt seem to reply to it... and then I became an ex Muslim and found a new friend and then a another one of which who became my partner... I never would have believed if someone told me, hey in some years you'll move away from your family have a loving boyfriend and be free from religion. I'd have slapped them maybe and said shut up you liar. Get lost.
But here I am. I didnt take my life. I won. And I'm gonna win again tomorrow when I take that plane. I'm just sad about missing my family. Even if they were unpleasant at times. I still love them.
But I deserve to live my own life. I can do this. One more night on my not so very comfy floor bed.
Paper Blackstar
I will never post from this account again. For updates on my situation, possibly a tutorial of how I escape, please see my other account, The Paper Blackstar. It has one post saying that it's me, and in the comments a mod confirmed.
2024.05.14 09:43 Thenn_Applicant Dorian Merryweather, Lord of Longtable + AC
Reddit Account: u/Thenn_Applicant
Discord Tag: Garin
Name and House: Dorian Merryweather
Age: 49
Cultural Group: Reachman
Appearance: Dorian's chestnut brown hair has been greying for quite a while, however is short beard retains more color, including a few stray red hairs peppered throughout it. While his features have softened and gained some pudge as he aged past his prime, he remains in overall good shape. This is partly due to his great love of gardening and crop cultivation, which have left his hands and nails rather rough.
Trait: Numerate
Skills: Avaricious (e), Architect, Administrator, Investor
Talents: Language (High Valyrian) Cooking, Gardening
Negative Trait: N/A
Starting Title: Lord of Longtable
Starting Location: Opening Event
Biography:
It has been said; men grow tired of sleep, love, singing and dancing, sooner than war. As such, it begs the question, what does a man have left when he finally tires of war? In pursuit of an answer, of any answer, one half of Dorian Merryweatherās life was spent. He was the second son of Lord Arthor Merryweather of Longtable. Like many others born in a place of natural abundance, he longed for more, for something greater than a mere provincial estate. The tourneys of Highgarden, the hunts of Horn Hill and the books of Oldtown all called to him, and so he could never ride past his fatherās mild and verdant fields fast enough. Dorian counted himself lucky not to be the heir, for that meant he could pick where his future lay, unchained from the uninspiring home of his childhood. Instead it was his older brother, Bennard, who envied his free-flying lifestyle, contriving any excuse to join him on his escapades and agurk lessons and ceremonies he ought to have attended.
Lord Arthor was fairly permissive of this deriliction of duties, as the friendships forced on such journeys were worth more than lessons that could be repeated later, or tasks that could be handed off to lowborn stewards. The boys attended tourneys, balls, hunts and feasts, living the life the bards extolled as the height of reachmanās chivalry. The one time they did not shirk their duties was when their father had the honor of hosting King Mern and his court for a tourney on the Warriorās day. The Merryweather sons would present the king and his family with silver bowls of dilligrout, a most exquisite stew of capons, white wine and almond milk. They had the joy of tasting it once the Gardeners had their fill, a taste they would never forget. On the tournament field three days later, Mern knighted them both, though Dorian was only sixteen at the time, green as a knight could ever be.
Five years later, as news of Aegon Targaryen and his early conquests spread, the lords of the Reach were summoned to Goldengrove, where they found a veritable forest of Westermenās banners being planted beside their own. The fall of the Storm Kings had led to a whirlwind of diplomacy between the houses of Gardener and Lannister. The plan was presented to the lords with the two kings sitting beside one another on the dais as though they were brothers. They held up Aegonās letter of demands, scornfully reading it aloud and then proceeded to tear it up to a roaring acclamation from the hall. Standing there before the hall, Mern could hardly be called the Warrior incarnate. There stood a man well past his prime, old enough to be a grandfather and with no great victories to his name, in battle or on the tourney field. All the same, this man, whom they called their king, always seemed to know exactly what to say to win someone over. If heād declared war on hell itself that evening, the Merryweather brothers would probably still have marched off with him when the next morning dawned. Bennard and Dorian shouted as loud as anyone, death to the foreign upstart. That evening were betrothed to westerwomen theyād never met before, made plans for a real battle, which they had never fought in before, and drank, ate and sang as though the night would last forever. House Merryweather was not able to secure a command, yet King Mern remembered his stay at Longtable fondly. He gave Bennard and Dorian a place in the vanguard, and even adorned Bennard with a brooch of the order of the green hand the morning before the army Goldengrove, a momentous honor which Bennard would cherish for the remainder of his days. He did not have many left, as it turned out. The Field of Fire began like a dream, as the two brothers rode off at the break of dawn, two out of five thousand sets of gleaming armor atop proud warhorses. By the end of the day it had become a nightmare. Caught up in the maelstrom of battle, Dorian did not see the moment when their loss was assured, but the Gods know he could hear it, the creeping, hungry flames that descended on the reachmen like an army of its own. As hundreds were broiled inside their steel plate and thousands more choked on the infernoās horrible vanguard of black smoke, Bennard and Dorian broke and fled. They were not far behind the retreating Loren Lannister in their escape, but half a minute made all the difference. The lines of fire fanned out, hunting more living things to devour, and engulfed the two brothers. Dorian could feel how the flames spread from his surcoat to his undershirt, all the way down to the hairs on his chest, beginning to sear his skin. In a desperate act he threw himself in the Blackwater, and would have perished if not for the shoddy work of his squire that morning, which left him able to tear off his plate before he could sink. With bloodied, burn-marked fingers, he clung to the roots of a tree by the riverside, water up to his chest. He was retrieved after some time, how long he could not say. For the next two moons his mind was adrift, distracted from his pains by milk of the poppy. The next two were far worse, as he grew more lucid and realized the extent of the damage. A burn-mark stretched from his right thigh, all the way up his chest and left bicep to the apple of his neck. Many times over, flakes of dead or dying skin had to be peeled off by the maester as the scabs kept bursting with blood and clear liquid. By the end of that year he was able to walk again, though the burn mark would leave a feverish red mark across the front of his body, his new skin settling into twisted lines.
Bennard was far worse for wear, alive yet burned all the way to his face and crippled from a fall off his horse. His nose and ear-lobes had to be cut off, too burned to save, and even his eyelids were permanently scarred, unable to sprout new lashes. The more lucid Bennard became, the deeper his sorrow. Eventually he began refusing food. The new lord of Longtable would not eat anything his cooks set in front of him. In spite of his ever present pains, Dorian began going to the kitchens, reprimanding the cooks for their failings. He knew his brother well and knew his palette, and began ordering them to make his brotherās favorites. When he felt they were making mistakes, he interrupted their work himself. He was a stranger to the kitchen, yet would criticize how things were cut too roughly, spiced too little or too much. He was a terror to the cooks, yet they could not refuse him.
His attempts to intervene were however hampered by a newfound aversion to heat. The sound of the hearth, of boiling and searing, the general sense of warmth around him made him nauseous and caused his movements to seize up. Still, he went to his brotherās bedside every day, and afterwards he forced himself back to the kitchens. His sister, Lydia, tried to stop him at first, but soon found her protes fell on deaf ears, and so joined him, if only to leash him in when he went too far. Finally, there was only one dish they hadnāt tried; the dilligrout theyād once served to the late King Mern. Every time it was made, it came out wrong. It soon turned out the cook who had served them that evening six years ago had since retired, and his exact method had never been recorded or taught to anyone else. Dorian would first invite the man to Longtable, then summon him with armed knights when invitations were refused.
Theomar, the man who appeared before him, was a sorry sight, looking frightened and confused as he was taken to his old workplace. It was explained by his sons that heād been growing senile even six years ago, often snapping at the kitchen maids under him when his memory failed him. Since then heād gotten worse, seldom eating, let alone cooking. Something in the old manās eyes did seem to brighten for a moment when the sounds and smells of his old kitchen surrounded him, and Dorian ordered him to make dilligrout. Before long that faint spark had been drowned out by tears. He would start boiling capon or crushing almonds, only to leave the job half-done whenever he had to fetch something new. Serving maids were put at his disposal to bring him ingredients, yet an ingredient ordered would be met with a reprimand as he seemed to forget which dish he was making every few minutes. Finally Dorian snapped at the man, grabbing him by his collar and shouting accusations of treason against House Merryweather. By the time Lydia could restrain him and try to apologize, the man was a wreck on the floor. After watching it for a while, waiting for the man to get up and continue his work, even Dorian was overcome by pity and shame for what heād done. The old cook was praying to the gods, begging forgiveness for his failings. Dorian began to realize heād broken a great man down and would himself beg forgiveness. He offered the man his old cookās quarters back for the rest of his life, and promised his sons that his maester would tend to the man in his old age, that he would be fed from Longtableās stores.
At this point, he resolved to make the dilligrout himself. Through it all, Bennard was barely clinging to life, or rather being tethered to it by the will of others. He could only be fed when drugged down by the milk of the poppy, and the more often it was used, the less effective it became. Every day Dorian braved the kitchens, yet he could not recreate the flavor of that wonderful night. It was by the grace of the gods, perhaps with Theomar as their vessel, that Dorian would even come close. The old man could no longer cook, but over time he began to wander into the kitchens and sit down on a chair. At first Dorian thought the man only sought the warmth of the hearth for his weary bones, yet he discovered it to be more than that. Theomarās eyes were like clouded glass, yet they brightened every now and then, hearing almonds being ground, smelling capons searing in fat, as though it was stirring the kitchenmaster of yore back to life. Eventually Dorian began to walk up to the old cook with his ingredients, bidding him to smell or taste small portions. Sometimes he got simple instructions out of it, ātoo coarseā, ātoo sourā, āunderdoneā. Som times a mere nod or frown was all Theomar managed. Over the course of a couple of days, Dorian put together one final attempt to get the dish made rightWhen he arrived in Bennardās chamber, he was met with a look which brought forth discomfort that no flame could produce in Dorian. Plainly, raspingly, his brother asked him why he wouldnāt let him die. It was easy, Bennard reasoned. All Dorian needed to do was wait and become lord. The words almost made Dorian throw the dilligrout on the floor. Almost. He placed two bowls on Bennardās table, the dilligrout and one brimming with milk of the poppy. Dorian told his brother to make his choice. If he sought death, Dorian would let him, but he would not hear that it was an easy thing, watching his brother die. That evening, the milk of the poppy was carried away by the maester, the empty bowl of stew taken to be washed in the kitchens. From then on, Bennard ate what his brother brought him without complaint. He lasted just into the new year, dying on its tenth day. In the predawn gloom of the twelfth, Theomar died in his sleep
Dorian took up his lordly task joylessly. His old wanderlust returned, spurred by the horrible memories that now stained Longtable and the reach itself in his mind. The final straw came when their new Tyrell overlords, insisted on him marrying a lady from a dornish house. His previous betrothal had fallen through, as the parents of his western bride had not wished to draw the ire of the Targaryens by maintaining an old alliance meant to oppose them. Instead of obliging, he boarded a ship from Oldtown going east. It stopped only briefly in Planky Town before going to Tyrosh. Noting him to be a nobleman, a few of the cityās wealthy men would host him for a while, though they quickly lost interest when his lack of knowledge of trade became apparent. After that, he spent time in the markets and squares where the common people lived. His old curiosity was piqued, and he decided to embark on a quest of learning, fashioning himself another Lomas Longstrider. He moved on to Myr, and the experience was much the same in broad strokes, a few rich men showed interest and quickly lost it. As heād visited the dye markets he went to see the cityās famous artisans at work. One thing was notably different, he met a Tyroshi woman with green-dyed hair, going by the name Maryah. She was a trader, and the two had taken the same ship to Myr. She had been to Myr before and showed him many of its secrets. They spent an entire day in one of the vast delicacy markets so she could show him the many tastes of the city. Having no plans in advance, he asked where she was headed next.
Without a second thought he would join her on a journey to Lys. He soon understood it to be a test. It was not long before she teased him, speculating heād only joined her for a chance to see the famous pleasure houses. Evening after evening they stayed in the city and Maryah would tease and test him over the matter. Finally he told her heād renounce his betrothal for her, that there was no one else in his eye. She laughed, replying he would not have to. The next morning, Dorian awoke to find that she was already up, the green washed from her black curls. Maryah had in fact been Joanna Dayne, his dornish bride to be, having traveled the same route as him ever since his ship stopped at Planky Town to refill its food and water. She was already quite familiar with the three closest free cities, having served as a dornish envoy on behalf of its spice traders. As they planned their return to Westeros, Joanna asked him what else in the world he wanted to see. Within a few moons of being wed, they left Westeros, not to return for three years.The journey was what his mind needed, away from the Reach, its knights and tapestries, hunts and tourneys. Ultimately, the lords and knights of his homeland, for all their songs and poetry, lived every day in preparation for war, frivolous though the preparations were. Joanna showed him a different world, the remnants of Old Valyria. War was to be sure inescapable. Wherever they went, there were soldiers, tapestries, contests of arms, and yet the cities housed something else as well, a boundless potential for creation, commerce and growth.
Thanks to Joanna Dayneās knowledge their stays became far better planned, and they could enjoy the hospitality of wealthy locals far longer. She knew how to talk about the spice trade and similar matters, and Dorian began to pick up on it. On their second stay in Myr, he procured a great deal of fine parchment and began taking notes, everything from negotiation tactics and the prices of cloves or red peppers to court customs, as well as more eclectic pieces of knowledge, details of running an eastern estate, descriptions of technological marvels he had never seen in Westeros, and ingredients in the local food. By the time they neared Qarth he had quite the list of recipes, among other things. There he was even able to learn a few all the way from Yi Ti, as some local cooks catered to merchants from the Golden Empire. On their journey home theyād end up taking the opportunity to see the newly made port of Kingās Landing. By that time, a third member had joined their journey, their infant daughter Florys. Having left Longtable in the care of his sister and steward for three years, Dorian finally accepted the responsibility of running his ancestral home.
Longtable was considered to rule over some of the best lands in the Reach, ideally situated along the river with abundant soil which could provide two grain harvests in a year. Having seen the estates which supplied the great cities of the east, Dorian was all too aware of its comparative shortcomings. He found that the abundance of the land had a counterproductive effect, breeding complacency and carelessness. From his grandiose tour of the east, he went on a painstaking tour of his own lands, trying to get an overview of everything he ruled over. He paid the citadel a fee to send him half a dozen maesters in training for a season. These young men, literate and numerate, would serve his own maester in conducting a survey of the land, giving Dorian account of all resources at his disposal as lord. The results were quite varied.
Some peasants were found to have remarkable agricultural insights which they had no way of writing down, entirely reliant on passing the knowledge to their children. Knowing the risks of such a method of transferring knowledge, Dorian ordered such insights recorded. In other places there were farmers and communities who were unwittingly exhausting their soil. Instances of lack of fallow land, excessive grazing by cows and lack of crop rotation were also made note of, followed by edicts against such heedless practices. Septons, sheriffs and tax collectors were given written copies and were obliged to read them to the peasantry wherever it was deemed necessary. It also became part of the obligations of farmers to plant a set amount of clover in their fields and pastures, a practice some had taken up on their own but which had already become a standardized law among the estates belonging to Myr and Volantis. Irrigation was expanded and land inheritance was reformed to prevent the splitting of fields past a certain threshold.
Lord Dorian was not always successful. Some eastern ideas had been useful innovations which improved conditions across the board. In time he learned that the peculiarities of the westerosi system were sometimes necessary for the sake of stability, not merely the misshapen fruits of ignorance. His attempt to enclose part of the common lands proved abortive, as it nearly caused a peasant rebellion. A procession of aggrieved smallfolk headed for Longtable had to be dispersed by knights, armed with wooden clubs to prevent needless bloodshed.Two men were hanged and five sent to the wall, but the reform was thereafter abandoned, leading the populace to calm down. Dorian was not much of a military leader and had not wielded weapons since the Field of Fire. He became aware of his need to bolster his forces, a notion reinforced by the establishment of the Black Roses not long after his return, and again with the Kingswood Catastrophe
In the meantime, he and Joanna raised a family together. Three more daughters would be born healthy, with a couple of miscarriages and a stillbirth in between, also a daughter. Their travels did not entirely come to an end. In 13 AC they would tour the northern free cities of Norvos, Qohor, Pentos, Braavos and Lorath, which they had missed on their original journey. The lionās share of 17 AC was spent on a journey to the Summer Islands. At other times they would make shorter journeys around the Seven Kingdoms, where they felt more secure in bringing their older children along. Whether it was visiting Joannaās family in Dorne, tourneys and feasts in the Reach and West or even one trip to see the wall, a nameday wish by Florys, they were often on the move. Like most of their peers, they frequented Oldtown and Highgarden
The growing rift between the two queens and their children was a situation Dorian would watch with dread in his heart, remembering keenly how a generation of young men had been brought to the field of fire. To his mind, the Targaryen rule ought not go to waste. Like Valyria of old, it had begun with fire and blood, yet similarly peace and prosperity had followed in its wake. If only the dragons could stand united, perhaps another long peace like the one the Freehold once enjoyed could again be established. If not, another century of blood was upon them. Under Dorian, Longtable became a place where he sought to bring together people from across the kingdoms and forge unity over the dinner table, an attitude which somewhat vexed and confounded his more militaristic daughter and heiress, Lady Florys. Even amid her questioning of the viability of his peaceful ways when surrounded by those who would make war, a terrible sight would steel his resolve, watching the Mander burning green, every bit as terrible as the flames from twenty one years prior. That night he made a simple vow, never again.
The League of the Cornucopia, he would name his little group, a gallery of lords and ladies whose acquaintances heād made over the years. With these fellow gourmets he would share the culinary knowledge heād gleaned from his journeys in the east and west. Most unusual for a lord of his rank, Dorian came to spend a great deal of time in his kitchens, testing out recipes himself. On occasion, the dishes he served to his guests for these small, intimate gatherings would be the work of his own hands. The membership did vary from time to time, both based on who could make it and who he sought to bring together. Rather than a fully closed circle, the League is more like a form of feasting, only itās done for a much smaller crowd, without the public spectacle. Such occasions allowed for more refined foods which did not need to be served to hundreds and kept constantly warm over the course of hours like some common tavern stew. It also opened up an arena of more intimate diplomacy and negotiation for those who sought it, hosted on neutral ground by a lordly mediator, free from prying eyes.
Timeline:
25BC: Dorian is born, second in line to Longtable
24BC: His sister Lydia is born
9BC: House Merryweather hosts House Gardener for a tourney and feast. Dorian and his older brother Bennard serve the dish of honor to King Mern Gardener and his family. During the subsequent tourney, Mern knights both boys, despite their inexperience and lack of victory in the tourney
9BC-2BC: Dorian spends much time travelling the reach, attending events
1BC: Dorian and Bennard fight in the vanguard at the Field of Fire. Both are burned, Bennard far more severely than Dorian. Lord Merryweather is killed. Traumatized by the battle and his new maimed body, Bennard starts refusing food. Dorian desperately tries to re-create the dish they served King Mern eight years ago. The cook who made it has since gone senile, but eventually manages to help Dorian re-create it. He is given a place at court as apology for his mistreatment at Dorian's hands before this occurred.
1AC: Lord Bennard dies at the beginning of the year, leaving Dorian as lord of Longtable. His sister Lydia fulfills her betrothal to House Tarly, becoming lady of Horn Hill. At the prospect of marrying a Dornishwoman on the King's orders, Dorian decides to leave Westeros to put off his marriage. In Myr, he meets a woman calling herself Maryah, claiming to be a Tyroshi merchant. They fall in love and travel to Lys together. There Dorian promises to set aside his betrothal for her, whereupon she reveals herself as Joanna Dayne, his dornish betrothed.
1AC-4AC: Dorian and Joanna wed at Longtable, then depart on a new journey of the east. They reach as far as Qarth before turning back home. In 3AC, on the way back, their first child, Florys, is born while the couple are in Volantis, on the way home. They return via the newly built port of King's Landing.
4AC-8AC: Using knowledge from the east, Lord Dorian embarks on a project of rationalizing the agriculture of Longtable
5AC: Dorian and Joanna have their second child, a girl named Ellyn
8AC: Their third daughter, Desmera, is born
13AC: Dorian and Joanna spend a year travelling the northern free cities
14AC: Their fourth and final daughter, Gwin, is born
17AC: Dorian and Joanna undertake a journey to the Summer Islands with their children
23AC: The aftermath of the battle of Stonebridge brings back memories of the Field of Fire, as the Merryweathers watch burning slag run down the Mander
25AC: The Merryweathers travel to the celebration of the maturity of Aegon's sons
Family Tree:
Arthor Merryweather (father, d.1BC)
Cerelle Merryweather (pending family connection) (mother, d.20AC)
Bennard Merryweather (brother, d.1AC)
Lydia Merryweather (sister, b.24BC)
Glendon Merryweather (uncle, d.1BC)
Myrcella Pommingham (aunt, d.22AC)
Leo Merryweather (cousin, b.13AC)
Joanna Dayne (wife, b.26AC)
Florys Merryweather (daughter, b.3AC)
Ellyn Merryweather (daughter, b.5AC)
Desmera Merryweather (daughter, b.8AC)
Gwin Merryweather (daughter, b.13AC)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Auxiliary Character:
Name and House: Florys Merryweather
Age: 23
Cultural Group: Reachman
Appearance: [A short, muscular woman with wavy black hair, normally worn in a bun. She has high cheekbones and a proud demeanor. Her rigid strength stands in contrast to the more relaxed nature of the Merryweather court, one she finds overly lax and casual](0_0.png (896Ć1344) (discordapp.com))
Trait: Hale
Skills: Swords (e), Essosi Blademaster
Talents: Dancing, Fishing, Cooking
Negative Traits: N/A
Starting Title: Heir to Longtable
Starting Location: Opening Event
Timeline:
3AC: Florys is born in Volantis, while her parents are on their way home from Essos
10AC: Florys starts training under Saathos Trevelyan, her father's Master at Arms
13 AC: She joins her parents on a tour of Pentos, Braavos, Norvos and Qohor
17AC: She travels with her parents to the Summer Islands
19AC-23AC: As she comes of age, Florys becomes more critical of her father's desire for peace, viewing it as increasingly far-fetched amid the increasingly controversial regency and the impending succession dispute. She resolves to make the kinds of connections her father seems unwilling to, in case of war
25AC: She accompanies her family to the celebrations
NPCS:
Ser Leo Merryweather (Age: 37, Archetype: Magnate) Lord Merryweather's first cousin, he has become an indispensable agent in the daily running of Longtable. Despite his foppish demeanor and aparent laziness, he is highly capable and loyal in his task of increasing his family's fortune. He remains happily unwed
Saathos Tevelyan: (Age:48, Archetype: Master at Arms) The son of a Lysene father and a Myrish mother, Saathos initially sought a career in amongst Myr's military officers, however his family's relatively low status proved an impediment to further promotion, later compounded by a dispute with a superior. He met Lord Merryweather in 3AC and eventually travelled West to offer his services five years later, finding his career progress stonewalled in his home city. Well into middle age, he still looks firm and imposing as profesisonal a soldier ought to
submitted by Thenn_Applicant to ITRPCommunity [link] [comments]
Discord Tag: Garin
Name and House: Dorian Merryweather
Age: 49
Cultural Group: Reachman
Appearance: Dorian's chestnut brown hair has been greying for quite a while, however is short beard retains more color, including a few stray red hairs peppered throughout it. While his features have softened and gained some pudge as he aged past his prime, he remains in overall good shape. This is partly due to his great love of gardening and crop cultivation, which have left his hands and nails rather rough.
Trait: Numerate
Skills: Avaricious (e), Architect, Administrator, Investor
Talents: Language (High Valyrian) Cooking, Gardening
Negative Trait: N/A
Starting Title: Lord of Longtable
Starting Location: Opening Event
Biography:
It has been said; men grow tired of sleep, love, singing and dancing, sooner than war. As such, it begs the question, what does a man have left when he finally tires of war? In pursuit of an answer, of any answer, one half of Dorian Merryweatherās life was spent. He was the second son of Lord Arthor Merryweather of Longtable. Like many others born in a place of natural abundance, he longed for more, for something greater than a mere provincial estate. The tourneys of Highgarden, the hunts of Horn Hill and the books of Oldtown all called to him, and so he could never ride past his fatherās mild and verdant fields fast enough. Dorian counted himself lucky not to be the heir, for that meant he could pick where his future lay, unchained from the uninspiring home of his childhood. Instead it was his older brother, Bennard, who envied his free-flying lifestyle, contriving any excuse to join him on his escapades and agurk lessons and ceremonies he ought to have attended.
Lord Arthor was fairly permissive of this deriliction of duties, as the friendships forced on such journeys were worth more than lessons that could be repeated later, or tasks that could be handed off to lowborn stewards. The boys attended tourneys, balls, hunts and feasts, living the life the bards extolled as the height of reachmanās chivalry. The one time they did not shirk their duties was when their father had the honor of hosting King Mern and his court for a tourney on the Warriorās day. The Merryweather sons would present the king and his family with silver bowls of dilligrout, a most exquisite stew of capons, white wine and almond milk. They had the joy of tasting it once the Gardeners had their fill, a taste they would never forget. On the tournament field three days later, Mern knighted them both, though Dorian was only sixteen at the time, green as a knight could ever be.
Five years later, as news of Aegon Targaryen and his early conquests spread, the lords of the Reach were summoned to Goldengrove, where they found a veritable forest of Westermenās banners being planted beside their own. The fall of the Storm Kings had led to a whirlwind of diplomacy between the houses of Gardener and Lannister. The plan was presented to the lords with the two kings sitting beside one another on the dais as though they were brothers. They held up Aegonās letter of demands, scornfully reading it aloud and then proceeded to tear it up to a roaring acclamation from the hall. Standing there before the hall, Mern could hardly be called the Warrior incarnate. There stood a man well past his prime, old enough to be a grandfather and with no great victories to his name, in battle or on the tourney field. All the same, this man, whom they called their king, always seemed to know exactly what to say to win someone over. If heād declared war on hell itself that evening, the Merryweather brothers would probably still have marched off with him when the next morning dawned. Bennard and Dorian shouted as loud as anyone, death to the foreign upstart. That evening were betrothed to westerwomen theyād never met before, made plans for a real battle, which they had never fought in before, and drank, ate and sang as though the night would last forever. House Merryweather was not able to secure a command, yet King Mern remembered his stay at Longtable fondly. He gave Bennard and Dorian a place in the vanguard, and even adorned Bennard with a brooch of the order of the green hand the morning before the army Goldengrove, a momentous honor which Bennard would cherish for the remainder of his days. He did not have many left, as it turned out. The Field of Fire began like a dream, as the two brothers rode off at the break of dawn, two out of five thousand sets of gleaming armor atop proud warhorses. By the end of the day it had become a nightmare. Caught up in the maelstrom of battle, Dorian did not see the moment when their loss was assured, but the Gods know he could hear it, the creeping, hungry flames that descended on the reachmen like an army of its own. As hundreds were broiled inside their steel plate and thousands more choked on the infernoās horrible vanguard of black smoke, Bennard and Dorian broke and fled. They were not far behind the retreating Loren Lannister in their escape, but half a minute made all the difference. The lines of fire fanned out, hunting more living things to devour, and engulfed the two brothers. Dorian could feel how the flames spread from his surcoat to his undershirt, all the way down to the hairs on his chest, beginning to sear his skin. In a desperate act he threw himself in the Blackwater, and would have perished if not for the shoddy work of his squire that morning, which left him able to tear off his plate before he could sink. With bloodied, burn-marked fingers, he clung to the roots of a tree by the riverside, water up to his chest. He was retrieved after some time, how long he could not say. For the next two moons his mind was adrift, distracted from his pains by milk of the poppy. The next two were far worse, as he grew more lucid and realized the extent of the damage. A burn-mark stretched from his right thigh, all the way up his chest and left bicep to the apple of his neck. Many times over, flakes of dead or dying skin had to be peeled off by the maester as the scabs kept bursting with blood and clear liquid. By the end of that year he was able to walk again, though the burn mark would leave a feverish red mark across the front of his body, his new skin settling into twisted lines.
Bennard was far worse for wear, alive yet burned all the way to his face and crippled from a fall off his horse. His nose and ear-lobes had to be cut off, too burned to save, and even his eyelids were permanently scarred, unable to sprout new lashes. The more lucid Bennard became, the deeper his sorrow. Eventually he began refusing food. The new lord of Longtable would not eat anything his cooks set in front of him. In spite of his ever present pains, Dorian began going to the kitchens, reprimanding the cooks for their failings. He knew his brother well and knew his palette, and began ordering them to make his brotherās favorites. When he felt they were making mistakes, he interrupted their work himself. He was a stranger to the kitchen, yet would criticize how things were cut too roughly, spiced too little or too much. He was a terror to the cooks, yet they could not refuse him.
His attempts to intervene were however hampered by a newfound aversion to heat. The sound of the hearth, of boiling and searing, the general sense of warmth around him made him nauseous and caused his movements to seize up. Still, he went to his brotherās bedside every day, and afterwards he forced himself back to the kitchens. His sister, Lydia, tried to stop him at first, but soon found her protes fell on deaf ears, and so joined him, if only to leash him in when he went too far. Finally, there was only one dish they hadnāt tried; the dilligrout theyād once served to the late King Mern. Every time it was made, it came out wrong. It soon turned out the cook who had served them that evening six years ago had since retired, and his exact method had never been recorded or taught to anyone else. Dorian would first invite the man to Longtable, then summon him with armed knights when invitations were refused.
Theomar, the man who appeared before him, was a sorry sight, looking frightened and confused as he was taken to his old workplace. It was explained by his sons that heād been growing senile even six years ago, often snapping at the kitchen maids under him when his memory failed him. Since then heād gotten worse, seldom eating, let alone cooking. Something in the old manās eyes did seem to brighten for a moment when the sounds and smells of his old kitchen surrounded him, and Dorian ordered him to make dilligrout. Before long that faint spark had been drowned out by tears. He would start boiling capon or crushing almonds, only to leave the job half-done whenever he had to fetch something new. Serving maids were put at his disposal to bring him ingredients, yet an ingredient ordered would be met with a reprimand as he seemed to forget which dish he was making every few minutes. Finally Dorian snapped at the man, grabbing him by his collar and shouting accusations of treason against House Merryweather. By the time Lydia could restrain him and try to apologize, the man was a wreck on the floor. After watching it for a while, waiting for the man to get up and continue his work, even Dorian was overcome by pity and shame for what heād done. The old cook was praying to the gods, begging forgiveness for his failings. Dorian began to realize heād broken a great man down and would himself beg forgiveness. He offered the man his old cookās quarters back for the rest of his life, and promised his sons that his maester would tend to the man in his old age, that he would be fed from Longtableās stores.
At this point, he resolved to make the dilligrout himself. Through it all, Bennard was barely clinging to life, or rather being tethered to it by the will of others. He could only be fed when drugged down by the milk of the poppy, and the more often it was used, the less effective it became. Every day Dorian braved the kitchens, yet he could not recreate the flavor of that wonderful night. It was by the grace of the gods, perhaps with Theomar as their vessel, that Dorian would even come close. The old man could no longer cook, but over time he began to wander into the kitchens and sit down on a chair. At first Dorian thought the man only sought the warmth of the hearth for his weary bones, yet he discovered it to be more than that. Theomarās eyes were like clouded glass, yet they brightened every now and then, hearing almonds being ground, smelling capons searing in fat, as though it was stirring the kitchenmaster of yore back to life. Eventually Dorian began to walk up to the old cook with his ingredients, bidding him to smell or taste small portions. Sometimes he got simple instructions out of it, ātoo coarseā, ātoo sourā, āunderdoneā. Som times a mere nod or frown was all Theomar managed. Over the course of a couple of days, Dorian put together one final attempt to get the dish made rightWhen he arrived in Bennardās chamber, he was met with a look which brought forth discomfort that no flame could produce in Dorian. Plainly, raspingly, his brother asked him why he wouldnāt let him die. It was easy, Bennard reasoned. All Dorian needed to do was wait and become lord. The words almost made Dorian throw the dilligrout on the floor. Almost. He placed two bowls on Bennardās table, the dilligrout and one brimming with milk of the poppy. Dorian told his brother to make his choice. If he sought death, Dorian would let him, but he would not hear that it was an easy thing, watching his brother die. That evening, the milk of the poppy was carried away by the maester, the empty bowl of stew taken to be washed in the kitchens. From then on, Bennard ate what his brother brought him without complaint. He lasted just into the new year, dying on its tenth day. In the predawn gloom of the twelfth, Theomar died in his sleep
Dorian took up his lordly task joylessly. His old wanderlust returned, spurred by the horrible memories that now stained Longtable and the reach itself in his mind. The final straw came when their new Tyrell overlords, insisted on him marrying a lady from a dornish house. His previous betrothal had fallen through, as the parents of his western bride had not wished to draw the ire of the Targaryens by maintaining an old alliance meant to oppose them. Instead of obliging, he boarded a ship from Oldtown going east. It stopped only briefly in Planky Town before going to Tyrosh. Noting him to be a nobleman, a few of the cityās wealthy men would host him for a while, though they quickly lost interest when his lack of knowledge of trade became apparent. After that, he spent time in the markets and squares where the common people lived. His old curiosity was piqued, and he decided to embark on a quest of learning, fashioning himself another Lomas Longstrider. He moved on to Myr, and the experience was much the same in broad strokes, a few rich men showed interest and quickly lost it. As heād visited the dye markets he went to see the cityās famous artisans at work. One thing was notably different, he met a Tyroshi woman with green-dyed hair, going by the name Maryah. She was a trader, and the two had taken the same ship to Myr. She had been to Myr before and showed him many of its secrets. They spent an entire day in one of the vast delicacy markets so she could show him the many tastes of the city. Having no plans in advance, he asked where she was headed next.
Without a second thought he would join her on a journey to Lys. He soon understood it to be a test. It was not long before she teased him, speculating heād only joined her for a chance to see the famous pleasure houses. Evening after evening they stayed in the city and Maryah would tease and test him over the matter. Finally he told her heād renounce his betrothal for her, that there was no one else in his eye. She laughed, replying he would not have to. The next morning, Dorian awoke to find that she was already up, the green washed from her black curls. Maryah had in fact been Joanna Dayne, his dornish bride to be, having traveled the same route as him ever since his ship stopped at Planky Town to refill its food and water. She was already quite familiar with the three closest free cities, having served as a dornish envoy on behalf of its spice traders. As they planned their return to Westeros, Joanna asked him what else in the world he wanted to see. Within a few moons of being wed, they left Westeros, not to return for three years.The journey was what his mind needed, away from the Reach, its knights and tapestries, hunts and tourneys. Ultimately, the lords and knights of his homeland, for all their songs and poetry, lived every day in preparation for war, frivolous though the preparations were. Joanna showed him a different world, the remnants of Old Valyria. War was to be sure inescapable. Wherever they went, there were soldiers, tapestries, contests of arms, and yet the cities housed something else as well, a boundless potential for creation, commerce and growth.
Thanks to Joanna Dayneās knowledge their stays became far better planned, and they could enjoy the hospitality of wealthy locals far longer. She knew how to talk about the spice trade and similar matters, and Dorian began to pick up on it. On their second stay in Myr, he procured a great deal of fine parchment and began taking notes, everything from negotiation tactics and the prices of cloves or red peppers to court customs, as well as more eclectic pieces of knowledge, details of running an eastern estate, descriptions of technological marvels he had never seen in Westeros, and ingredients in the local food. By the time they neared Qarth he had quite the list of recipes, among other things. There he was even able to learn a few all the way from Yi Ti, as some local cooks catered to merchants from the Golden Empire. On their journey home theyād end up taking the opportunity to see the newly made port of Kingās Landing. By that time, a third member had joined their journey, their infant daughter Florys. Having left Longtable in the care of his sister and steward for three years, Dorian finally accepted the responsibility of running his ancestral home.
Longtable was considered to rule over some of the best lands in the Reach, ideally situated along the river with abundant soil which could provide two grain harvests in a year. Having seen the estates which supplied the great cities of the east, Dorian was all too aware of its comparative shortcomings. He found that the abundance of the land had a counterproductive effect, breeding complacency and carelessness. From his grandiose tour of the east, he went on a painstaking tour of his own lands, trying to get an overview of everything he ruled over. He paid the citadel a fee to send him half a dozen maesters in training for a season. These young men, literate and numerate, would serve his own maester in conducting a survey of the land, giving Dorian account of all resources at his disposal as lord. The results were quite varied.
Some peasants were found to have remarkable agricultural insights which they had no way of writing down, entirely reliant on passing the knowledge to their children. Knowing the risks of such a method of transferring knowledge, Dorian ordered such insights recorded. In other places there were farmers and communities who were unwittingly exhausting their soil. Instances of lack of fallow land, excessive grazing by cows and lack of crop rotation were also made note of, followed by edicts against such heedless practices. Septons, sheriffs and tax collectors were given written copies and were obliged to read them to the peasantry wherever it was deemed necessary. It also became part of the obligations of farmers to plant a set amount of clover in their fields and pastures, a practice some had taken up on their own but which had already become a standardized law among the estates belonging to Myr and Volantis. Irrigation was expanded and land inheritance was reformed to prevent the splitting of fields past a certain threshold.
Lord Dorian was not always successful. Some eastern ideas had been useful innovations which improved conditions across the board. In time he learned that the peculiarities of the westerosi system were sometimes necessary for the sake of stability, not merely the misshapen fruits of ignorance. His attempt to enclose part of the common lands proved abortive, as it nearly caused a peasant rebellion. A procession of aggrieved smallfolk headed for Longtable had to be dispersed by knights, armed with wooden clubs to prevent needless bloodshed.Two men were hanged and five sent to the wall, but the reform was thereafter abandoned, leading the populace to calm down. Dorian was not much of a military leader and had not wielded weapons since the Field of Fire. He became aware of his need to bolster his forces, a notion reinforced by the establishment of the Black Roses not long after his return, and again with the Kingswood Catastrophe
In the meantime, he and Joanna raised a family together. Three more daughters would be born healthy, with a couple of miscarriages and a stillbirth in between, also a daughter. Their travels did not entirely come to an end. In 13 AC they would tour the northern free cities of Norvos, Qohor, Pentos, Braavos and Lorath, which they had missed on their original journey. The lionās share of 17 AC was spent on a journey to the Summer Islands. At other times they would make shorter journeys around the Seven Kingdoms, where they felt more secure in bringing their older children along. Whether it was visiting Joannaās family in Dorne, tourneys and feasts in the Reach and West or even one trip to see the wall, a nameday wish by Florys, they were often on the move. Like most of their peers, they frequented Oldtown and Highgarden
The growing rift between the two queens and their children was a situation Dorian would watch with dread in his heart, remembering keenly how a generation of young men had been brought to the field of fire. To his mind, the Targaryen rule ought not go to waste. Like Valyria of old, it had begun with fire and blood, yet similarly peace and prosperity had followed in its wake. If only the dragons could stand united, perhaps another long peace like the one the Freehold once enjoyed could again be established. If not, another century of blood was upon them. Under Dorian, Longtable became a place where he sought to bring together people from across the kingdoms and forge unity over the dinner table, an attitude which somewhat vexed and confounded his more militaristic daughter and heiress, Lady Florys. Even amid her questioning of the viability of his peaceful ways when surrounded by those who would make war, a terrible sight would steel his resolve, watching the Mander burning green, every bit as terrible as the flames from twenty one years prior. That night he made a simple vow, never again.
The League of the Cornucopia, he would name his little group, a gallery of lords and ladies whose acquaintances heād made over the years. With these fellow gourmets he would share the culinary knowledge heād gleaned from his journeys in the east and west. Most unusual for a lord of his rank, Dorian came to spend a great deal of time in his kitchens, testing out recipes himself. On occasion, the dishes he served to his guests for these small, intimate gatherings would be the work of his own hands. The membership did vary from time to time, both based on who could make it and who he sought to bring together. Rather than a fully closed circle, the League is more like a form of feasting, only itās done for a much smaller crowd, without the public spectacle. Such occasions allowed for more refined foods which did not need to be served to hundreds and kept constantly warm over the course of hours like some common tavern stew. It also opened up an arena of more intimate diplomacy and negotiation for those who sought it, hosted on neutral ground by a lordly mediator, free from prying eyes.
Timeline:
25BC: Dorian is born, second in line to Longtable
24BC: His sister Lydia is born
9BC: House Merryweather hosts House Gardener for a tourney and feast. Dorian and his older brother Bennard serve the dish of honor to King Mern Gardener and his family. During the subsequent tourney, Mern knights both boys, despite their inexperience and lack of victory in the tourney
9BC-2BC: Dorian spends much time travelling the reach, attending events
1BC: Dorian and Bennard fight in the vanguard at the Field of Fire. Both are burned, Bennard far more severely than Dorian. Lord Merryweather is killed. Traumatized by the battle and his new maimed body, Bennard starts refusing food. Dorian desperately tries to re-create the dish they served King Mern eight years ago. The cook who made it has since gone senile, but eventually manages to help Dorian re-create it. He is given a place at court as apology for his mistreatment at Dorian's hands before this occurred.
1AC: Lord Bennard dies at the beginning of the year, leaving Dorian as lord of Longtable. His sister Lydia fulfills her betrothal to House Tarly, becoming lady of Horn Hill. At the prospect of marrying a Dornishwoman on the King's orders, Dorian decides to leave Westeros to put off his marriage. In Myr, he meets a woman calling herself Maryah, claiming to be a Tyroshi merchant. They fall in love and travel to Lys together. There Dorian promises to set aside his betrothal for her, whereupon she reveals herself as Joanna Dayne, his dornish betrothed.
1AC-4AC: Dorian and Joanna wed at Longtable, then depart on a new journey of the east. They reach as far as Qarth before turning back home. In 3AC, on the way back, their first child, Florys, is born while the couple are in Volantis, on the way home. They return via the newly built port of King's Landing.
4AC-8AC: Using knowledge from the east, Lord Dorian embarks on a project of rationalizing the agriculture of Longtable
5AC: Dorian and Joanna have their second child, a girl named Ellyn
8AC: Their third daughter, Desmera, is born
13AC: Dorian and Joanna spend a year travelling the northern free cities
14AC: Their fourth and final daughter, Gwin, is born
17AC: Dorian and Joanna undertake a journey to the Summer Islands with their children
23AC: The aftermath of the battle of Stonebridge brings back memories of the Field of Fire, as the Merryweathers watch burning slag run down the Mander
25AC: The Merryweathers travel to the celebration of the maturity of Aegon's sons
Family Tree:
Arthor Merryweather (father, d.1BC)
Cerelle Merryweather (pending family connection) (mother, d.20AC)
Bennard Merryweather (brother, d.1AC)
Lydia Merryweather (sister, b.24BC)
Glendon Merryweather (uncle, d.1BC)
Myrcella Pommingham (aunt, d.22AC)
Leo Merryweather (cousin, b.13AC)
Joanna Dayne (wife, b.26AC)
Florys Merryweather (daughter, b.3AC)
Ellyn Merryweather (daughter, b.5AC)
Desmera Merryweather (daughter, b.8AC)
Gwin Merryweather (daughter, b.13AC)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Auxiliary Character:
Name and House: Florys Merryweather
Age: 23
Cultural Group: Reachman
Appearance: [A short, muscular woman with wavy black hair, normally worn in a bun. She has high cheekbones and a proud demeanor. Her rigid strength stands in contrast to the more relaxed nature of the Merryweather court, one she finds overly lax and casual](0_0.png (896Ć1344) (discordapp.com))
Trait: Hale
Skills: Swords (e), Essosi Blademaster
Talents: Dancing, Fishing, Cooking
Negative Traits: N/A
Starting Title: Heir to Longtable
Starting Location: Opening Event
Timeline:
3AC: Florys is born in Volantis, while her parents are on their way home from Essos
10AC: Florys starts training under Saathos Trevelyan, her father's Master at Arms
13 AC: She joins her parents on a tour of Pentos, Braavos, Norvos and Qohor
17AC: She travels with her parents to the Summer Islands
19AC-23AC: As she comes of age, Florys becomes more critical of her father's desire for peace, viewing it as increasingly far-fetched amid the increasingly controversial regency and the impending succession dispute. She resolves to make the kinds of connections her father seems unwilling to, in case of war
25AC: She accompanies her family to the celebrations
NPCS:
Ser Leo Merryweather (Age: 37, Archetype: Magnate) Lord Merryweather's first cousin, he has become an indispensable agent in the daily running of Longtable. Despite his foppish demeanor and aparent laziness, he is highly capable and loyal in his task of increasing his family's fortune. He remains happily unwed
Saathos Tevelyan: (Age:48, Archetype: Master at Arms) The son of a Lysene father and a Myrish mother, Saathos initially sought a career in amongst Myr's military officers, however his family's relatively low status proved an impediment to further promotion, later compounded by a dispute with a superior. He met Lord Merryweather in 3AC and eventually travelled West to offer his services five years later, finding his career progress stonewalled in his home city. Well into middle age, he still looks firm and imposing as profesisonal a soldier ought to
2024.05.14 08:14 LadyCardigan90 Is this bodyshaming? I think I'm the one that's in the wrong.
I 33F had a relationship with a 32M for quite some time. Serious relationship, definitely felt like it could've been marriage material.
I never felt like I was one of the shallow people. I never needed tall men, or men wirh muscles. Given I'm only 5'3 I generally was happy with anyone my height or taller, which was pretty easy to do.
Ex bf was 5'4, that never bothered me. His body type means he would never be big or bulky, or built like a brick sh*house. That's fine. Without beating around the bush, with his height and his physique, he was similar to a pre-pubescent teenage boy. Very skinny, no leaness. He was not interested in the gym and that's OK.
Upon reflection of trying to figure out how to learn from.past relationships and grow from it, I had the realisation that I did end up getting an 'ick' in the sense that physically wise I felt like I was sleeping with someone under-age. It felt wrong even though my brain knew it was OK. This is where I feel I am in the wrong. But also there is something in some instinct part of my brain that says ' this body is not for you to be doing inappropriate things with".
Is there the potential that we could get back together, possibly, there was a lot of love, but also a lot of toxicity ( on my side, which is whay om trying to sort out) so I want to see if anyone has insights to help me out.
Feel free to call me the asshole.
submitted by LadyCardigan90 to dating_advice [link] [comments]
I never felt like I was one of the shallow people. I never needed tall men, or men wirh muscles. Given I'm only 5'3 I generally was happy with anyone my height or taller, which was pretty easy to do.
Ex bf was 5'4, that never bothered me. His body type means he would never be big or bulky, or built like a brick sh*house. That's fine. Without beating around the bush, with his height and his physique, he was similar to a pre-pubescent teenage boy. Very skinny, no leaness. He was not interested in the gym and that's OK.
Upon reflection of trying to figure out how to learn from.past relationships and grow from it, I had the realisation that I did end up getting an 'ick' in the sense that physically wise I felt like I was sleeping with someone under-age. It felt wrong even though my brain knew it was OK. This is where I feel I am in the wrong. But also there is something in some instinct part of my brain that says ' this body is not for you to be doing inappropriate things with".
Is there the potential that we could get back together, possibly, there was a lot of love, but also a lot of toxicity ( on my side, which is whay om trying to sort out) so I want to see if anyone has insights to help me out.
Feel free to call me the asshole.
2024.05.14 08:06 TerribleSell2997 UK E-Commerce Logistics Market is Dazzling Worldwide and Forecast to 2030
~UK e-commerce logistics market~ is estimated to grow significantly at a CAGR of around 9.6% during the forecast period. There exists a high penetration of the internet in the country; almost 95% of the countryās population uses the internet on a daily basis. Moreover, in 2018, UK ranked 7th out of 86 countries in the global inclusive internet index which depicts the easy affordability, availability, and relevance for internet users in the country. In the same year, the country ranked 8th in the logistics performance index which signifies the dominance of the logistics industry in the country providing a wide scope for the e-commerce logistics market. As per Eurostat 2018, over 81% of the total shoppers were e-shoppers in UK. Easy access to the internet, increasing online shopping trends and growing e-commerce logistics industry are some of the key contributors to the growth of the e-commerce logistics market in UK.
Get Free Sample link @ https://www.omrglobal.com/request-sample/uk-e-commerce-logistics-market
The companies which are contributing to the growth of the UK e-commerce logistics market include DHL International GmbH, Parcelhub Ltd., United Parcel Service, Inc., Yusen Logistics Group, and 3P Logistics Ltd. The market players are considerably contributing to the market growth by the adoption of various strategies including new product launch, merger, and acquisition, collaborations with government, funding to the start-ups and technological advancements to stay competitive in the market. For instance, in June 2019, Aldi, one of the UKās fastest-growing supermarket has extended its partnership with iForce for the future growth of its online platform for non-food products. iForce partnered with Aldi in 2015 for supporting the launch of its eCommerce platform for non-food Special buys and wine products. With the extension of the partnership, iForce can look at developing Aldiās online proposition to grow its market share across UK.
full report of UK E-Commerce Logistics Market available @ https://www.omrglobal.com/industry-reports/uk-e-commerce-logistics-market
Ā· Market Coverage
Ā· Market number available for ā 2024-2031
Ā· Base year- 2024
Ā· Forecast period- 2024-2031
Ā· Segment Covered- By Source, By Product Type, By Applications
Ā· Competitive Landscape- Archer Daniels Midland Co., Ingredion Inc., Kerry Group Plc, Cargill
Ā· Inc., and others
Market Segmentation
UK E-Commerce Logistics Market by Services
o Transportation Services
o Warehousing Services
o Other E-Commerce Logistics Services (Processing and Packaging)
UK E-Commerce Logistics Market by Products
o Baby Products
o Personal Care Products
o Books
o Home Furnishing Products
o Apparel Products
o Electronics Products
o Automotive Products
o Others (Grocery, Pharmaceuticals and Nutritional Products)
UK E-Commerce Logistics Market by Location
o International
o Domestic
Company Profiles
o 3P Logistics Ltd.
o DHL International GmbH
o iForce Group Ltd.
o MCI Logistics Ltd.
o Parcelhub Ltd.
o Quiet Logistics
o Spatial Global Ltd.
o United Parcel Service, Inc.
o Weengs Ltd.
o Yusen Logistics Group
The Report Covers
About Orion Market Research Orion Market Research (OMR) is a market research and consulting company known for its crisp and concise reports. The company is equipped with an experienced team of analysts and consultants. OMR offers quality syndicated research reports, customized research reports, consulting and other research-based services. The company also offer Digital Marketing services through its subsidiary OMR Digital and Software development and Consulting Services through another subsidiary Encanto Technologies.
Media Contact:
Company Name: Orion Market Research
Contact Person: Mr. Anurag Tiwari
Email: [info@omrglobal.com](mailto:info@omrglobal.com)
Contact no: +91 780-304-0404
submitted by TerribleSell2997 to Nim2908 [link] [comments]
Get Free Sample link @ https://www.omrglobal.com/request-sample/uk-e-commerce-logistics-market
The companies which are contributing to the growth of the UK e-commerce logistics market include DHL International GmbH, Parcelhub Ltd., United Parcel Service, Inc., Yusen Logistics Group, and 3P Logistics Ltd. The market players are considerably contributing to the market growth by the adoption of various strategies including new product launch, merger, and acquisition, collaborations with government, funding to the start-ups and technological advancements to stay competitive in the market. For instance, in June 2019, Aldi, one of the UKās fastest-growing supermarket has extended its partnership with iForce for the future growth of its online platform for non-food products. iForce partnered with Aldi in 2015 for supporting the launch of its eCommerce platform for non-food Special buys and wine products. With the extension of the partnership, iForce can look at developing Aldiās online proposition to grow its market share across UK.
full report of UK E-Commerce Logistics Market available @ https://www.omrglobal.com/industry-reports/uk-e-commerce-logistics-market
Ā· Market Coverage
Ā· Market number available for ā 2024-2031
Ā· Base year- 2024
Ā· Forecast period- 2024-2031
Ā· Segment Covered- By Source, By Product Type, By Applications
Ā· Competitive Landscape- Archer Daniels Midland Co., Ingredion Inc., Kerry Group Plc, Cargill
Ā· Inc., and others
Market Segmentation
UK E-Commerce Logistics Market by Services
o Transportation Services
o Warehousing Services
o Other E-Commerce Logistics Services (Processing and Packaging)
UK E-Commerce Logistics Market by Products
o Baby Products
o Personal Care Products
o Books
o Home Furnishing Products
o Apparel Products
o Electronics Products
o Automotive Products
o Others (Grocery, Pharmaceuticals and Nutritional Products)
UK E-Commerce Logistics Market by Location
o International
o Domestic
Company Profiles
o 3P Logistics Ltd.
o DHL International GmbH
o iForce Group Ltd.
o MCI Logistics Ltd.
o Parcelhub Ltd.
o Quiet Logistics
o Spatial Global Ltd.
o United Parcel Service, Inc.
o Weengs Ltd.
o Yusen Logistics Group
The Report Covers
- Comprehensive research methodology of the UK e-commerce logistics market.
- This report also includes a detailed and extensive market overview with key analyst insights.
- An exhaustive analysis of macro and micro factors influencing the market guided by key recommendations.
- Analysis of regional regulations and other government policies impacting the UK e-commerce logistics market.
- Insights about market determinants which are stimulating the UK e-commerce logistics market.
- Detailed and extensive market segments with regional distribution of forecasted revenues.
- Extensive profiles and recent developments of market players.
About Orion Market Research Orion Market Research (OMR) is a market research and consulting company known for its crisp and concise reports. The company is equipped with an experienced team of analysts and consultants. OMR offers quality syndicated research reports, customized research reports, consulting and other research-based services. The company also offer Digital Marketing services through its subsidiary OMR Digital and Software development and Consulting Services through another subsidiary Encanto Technologies.
Media Contact:
Company Name: Orion Market Research
Contact Person: Mr. Anurag Tiwari
Email: [info@omrglobal.com](mailto:info@omrglobal.com)
Contact no: +91 780-304-0404