Guide to make money lei

Any veteran reader who comments in the newbie thread will be banned from WoT for 5 days. Please read the full the rules before commenting.
This is the newbie thread. Visit the veteran thread if you have already read the series.
For more information, or to see the full schedule for all previous entries, please see the wiki page for the read-along.
BOOK FOURTEEN SCHEDULE
This week we will be discussing Book Fourteen: A Memory of Light, Chapters 19 through 24.
Next week we will be discussing Book Fourteen: A Memory of Light, Chapters 25 through 30.

• April 17, 2024: Prologue and Chapter 1
• April 24, 2024: Chapters 2 through 6
• May 1, 2024: Chapters 7 through 12
• May 8, 2024: Chapters 13 through 18
• May 15, 2024: Chapters 19 through 24 <--- You are here.
• May 22, 2024: Chapters 25 through 30
• May 29, 2024: Chapters 31 through 36
• June 5, 2024: Chapter 37 (Part 1)
• June 12, 2024: Chapter 37 (Part 2)
• June 19, 2024: Chapters 38 through 49 and Epilogue
• June 26, 2024: A Memory of Light - Final Thoughts & Trivia

​

• July 3, 2024: Short Stories
• July 10, 2024: The Wheel of Time - Final Thoughts & Trivia

CHAPTER SUMMARIES
I have provided summaries for each chapter below and hidden them behind spoiler tags. There are no spoilers within the summaries. I've tried to make them as factual and unbiased as possible. If, however, you want a completely blind read through, then ignore what's behind the spoiler tags and proceed to the discussion below. I will not be guiding that in any way, so post any thoughts and questions you have. It will be other new readers who reply to you.
​
Chapter 19: The Choice of a Patch
Chapter Icon: Dice
Summary:
Elayne and Bashere realize they have been trapped between the army from Andor and another coming from the south. Rand meets Egwene in the White Tower and renews their friendship, reveals to her and Gawyn that Galad is Rand's half-brother, and discovers the seals Egwene has are fakes.
Mat is given ceremonial armor and his nails are lacquered to denote him as one of the Blood.
​
Chapter 20: Into Thakan'dar
Chapter Icon: Spears & Shield
Summary:
Egwene and her forces continue destroying Trollocs when an enormous gateway opens to reveal a large army with hundreds of Sharan channelers. Aes Sedai holding the power are attacked and slaughtered. Egwene and Gawyn hide until his Warder cloak.
Rand warns Aviendha that the Forsaken will attack once he engages the Dark One. He announces he will go to Shayol Ghul tomorrow.
​
Chapter 21: Not a Mistake to Ignore
Chapter Icon: Bull & Roses
Summary:
Bryne admits he should not have delayed his attacks against the Trollocs. Androl worries about Logain's darker attitude and Pevara worries the Turning broke Logain.
​
Chapter 22: The Wyld
Chapter Icon: Viper
Summary:
Egwene wakes and watches the Sharans sorting prisoners. Demandred arrives and introduces himself as Bao, the Wyld, and leader of the Sharan army. He sends a challenge to the Dragon. Perrin and Gaul track Hessalam to the command tent in Merrilor. Cyndane appears and tells Perrin he should learn to leave the World of Dreams at will and reveals Hessalam was invading Bashere's dreams.
​
Chapter 23: At the Edge of Time
Chapter Icon: The Age Lace Unraveling
Summary:
Gawyn leads Egwene out of hiding by using one of the Bloodknife rings. Egwene is saved by Leilwin. At Thakan'dar, Aviendha organizes circles and attack plans.
Rand begins climbing Shayol Ghul and Nynaeve notices his old wound has reopened as his blood stains the rocks. Thom guards the entrance to the cave and Rand forms a circle with Nynaeve and Moiraine. A voice thunders, "IT IS TIME. LET THE TASK BE UNDERTAKEN."
​
Chapter 24: To Ignore the Omens
Chapter Icon: Seanchan Helmet
Summary:
Mat convinces Tuon to move the army to support the Amyrlin's. Elayne rallys her army in Cairhien. The Windfinders battle the Dark One with the Bowl of the Winds to prevent tempests from destroying them. Ituralde wins a battle against Trollocs, but knows more will attack.

Wooga will not make any changes unless we organize a boycott
I sugggest: 1. Choose a date/time frame to boycott 2. Boycott means: no ad watches, no paying money in their store, no filling out surveys for diamonds. No playing the game. 3. We send demands to wooga and tell them we want them to stop fucking up the game. Stop taking away side games, stop memoirs tasks, actually do shit to improve game play that we've been asking for!
What demands do you want?
It takes time to organize a boycott but probably at some point during the next DL would be a good time. It does not have to be long first round of boycott could be 24 or 48 hours
Whose with me?

This isn't exactly civil service related, but they make you wait 25-30 years, then you are supposed to get a portion of your salary forever. That makes these positions attractive even though the salary is lower. Your contributions are invested in Wall St in various stocks and funds. They are technically "hedge funds" because they are supposed to guarantee the money will always be there, they aren't always looking for the highest returns and risk. NY also holds your "principal" money forever. They likely pay off the dividends. You never get to have that wealth. What I mean is all the contributions may grow to $2 million. Then they can pay you 4-5% off that and cover your benefit. I am sure NY is well managed and conservative. They could make much more but there is huge risk.
This video explains how 10K (or dripping in money (DRIP also means dividend reinvestment) )) can "potentially" be multiplied into millions (over that timespan). Nothing really risky, and you can do it ! That is pretty much where the pension line item is going. The big cost to NY is funding those pensions every month over thousands of employees.
Anything could be verified using a portfolio backtester: https://www.portfoliovisualizer.com/backtest-portfolio#analysisResults
Before watching it:
1) Past performance does not guarantee future growth, but it is very likely. Companies like Home Depot, National Grid, and Verizon are not going to stop skinning their customers.
2) The key is to find companies that GROW dividends. Even if the dividend is low. Even small growth can produce HUGE results in 25-30 years. Even if the stock drops for a period over that time, it can work to your advantage because you will buy more shares that will appreciate in the future. You will be reinvesting dividends.
3) Since you probably not likely a financial experts, best to put money in a good ETF, rather than pick stocks. ALWAYS reinvest dividends. Putting in money every month also "dollar cost averages." Sometimes you get a great bargain, sometimes you pay more.
4) If you are new, spend a few weeks doing research before putting in money. Not that this is high risk, but understand everything. There are other videos in the series. Again, see the portfolio backtester above, you can see what they funds WOULD have returned. Always set dividends to be reinvested.
5) After watching the video, you will probably think twice about wasting money on junk 😂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG2GSQFhI5w&ab_channel=John%27sMoneyAdventures

After a decade of trying different ideas with success rates varying between minimal to none, I finally found success (in my opinion) being a solopreneur and doing something I truly enjoy doing
I'll keep this as short as possible, maybe it will inspire some, or persuade others.

• Moved to NYC in 2013
• Started my first company in 2014 -Beyond Neutral, an alkaline forming juice company. (Extremely difficult category with a cold pressed, non stable, short shelf life product that costs a lot of $$ to ship)
• Started a juice shot company in 2015 - We learned some lessons from Beyond Neutral and pivoted to ShotCo. A line of gut, pre workout, probiotic, etc... type of healthy shots, we were one of three companies at the time that were doing this. We did pretty well but after 3 years shut down.
• 2018 - 2020 - Worked a shitty job I hated while trying to figure out what I'm going to do next
• 2020-2023 - Tried 5 different ideas but flopped early with all 5 for varying reasons (mismatch with co-founder, flat out bad idea, Covid, not enough capital, etc...)
• 2023 - 2024 - Started The Woof a 2x weekly B2B focused newsletter that covers all the latest in the pet space, or as one reader called us - "Morning Brew for the pet industry". I originally started it for fun, had no long term monetization strategy but more so just wanted to see if I could grow it organically. After 10 months of publishing regularly this month we've done more than the entire 9 months combined.

Entrepreneurship is hard, trying a new business is hard, self motivation is hard, marketing is hard, self promotion is hard, grinding is hard, building relationships is hard, making money is hard, scaling a business is hard. When reading all the success stories online, it makes it seem like being a millionaire is super easy, many of us get sucked into the promise of "if you just grind, you'll make it" and grinding it out definitely improves your odds, but like anything in life, nothing is guaranteed.
With that said, when you find that thing you enjoy doing, that gives you the flexibility you want and the income you desire and you start seeing how you can scale it and build it, that's super rewarding.
So is it worth 10 years of failing? That's for each of you to figure out for themselves. I look at it as tuition, I learned my lessons, took my knocks, "paid my dues" and now I can take those lessons and build upon them.

Hi, I (28f) have an only sibling (23M) who announced they were having a baby with their gf of 6 months. Although everyone was shocked (as both him and his GF are unemployed and still live at home with their parents) but regardless we were happy for them.
Recently my best friend (28F) had her baby shower and I helped coordinate and plan her shower. I want to make it clear that I didn't not fund my best friend's baby shower. Every penny I spent she immediately refunded me. (I live out of state and my family and friends live in another state) After her baby shower my brother and his gf insinuated that they'd be interested in having some of the items that were at my best friend's baby shower (I.E. cupcakes, certain decor, etc) sent them pricing for these items and was completely ignored.
Now here's my issue. We come from immigrant families who still have to work hard every day to make ends meet. My mother has multiple health issues including strokes and diabetes. My father has chronic back pain and suffers from mental illness but regardless they did the best they could for us. Recently money started missing from my mother's bank account. Small increments but adding up in the hundreds. Mother's Day recently passed and I sent my brother money to get her flowers. No flowers were given and now he won't answer my messages. He and his gf also invited my mother out for dinner on Sunday and... my own mother had to pay. My mom has been saving up to help them for the baby shower ( that they've haven't even started planning and she due in 4 months)
I don't play about my momma. So AlTA for not wanting to help with the baby shower due to these funds missing and the Mother's Day incident?

These offers are exclusive to Canadians (who are new customers to Simplii), excluding residents of Quebec.
Simplii Financial is a trademark and division of CIBC. Banking products and services branded Simplii Financial are offered by CIBC. You can access your money from any CIBC ATM in Canada without a fee. You can also withdraw money from any non-CIBC ATM displaying the Interac® or PLUS* signs. Additional costs may apply, including any fees from the owner of the other machine.
To get started with a No Fee Chequing Account, High Interest Savings Account or Personal Line of Credit please apply through the link, otherwise you will not receive the welcome bonus.
https://mbsy.co/6mpjfQ
When using my referral link or referral code (for mortgages), you must follow all the instructions to set up your new Simplii account and complete the eligible activities:

• If you open a No Fee Chequing Account or High Interest Savings Account, you must make a deposit of at least $100 within 6 months after account opening, and maintain a minimum balance of $100 for at least 30 days.
• If you open a Personal Line of Credit, you must use or spend a minimum of $100 from the account within 6 months of opening the account.
• If you open a Simplii mortgage, you must fund your mortgage within 120 days.

To get started with a Simplii Financial Mortgage please use referral code: 0009294970
If you open a No Fee Chequing Account by October 31, 2024 and add an eligible direct deposit of at least $100 a month for 3 straight months you'll earn an additional $400 direct deposit bonus!

I’ve been thinking about whether we should be completely transparent with our kids about our financial situation. On one hand, it feels important to teach them the value of money and budgeting, but on the other hand, I wonder if it could stress them out or make them worry unnecessarily. What do you all think? Did your parents discuss money with you growing up, and how did it impact you? Looking for some real experiences and advice here. Thanks!

These offers are exclusive to Canadians (who are new customers to Simplii), excluding residents of Quebec.
Simplii Financial is a trademark and division of CIBC. Banking products and services branded Simplii Financial are offered by CIBC. You can access your money from any CIBC ATM in Canada without a fee. You can also withdraw money from any non-CIBC ATM displaying the Interac® or PLUS* signs. Additional costs may apply, including any fees from the owner of the other machine.
To get started with a No Fee Chequing Account, High Interest Savings Account or Personal Line of Credit please apply through the link, otherwise you will not receive the welcome bonus.
https://mbsy.co/6mpjfQ
When using my referral link or referral code (for mortgages), you must follow all the instructions to set up your new Simplii account and complete the eligible activities:

• If you open a No Fee Chequing Account or High Interest Savings Account, you must make a deposit of at least $100 within 6 months after account opening, and maintain a minimum balance of $100 for at least 30 days.
• If you open a Personal Line of Credit, you must use or spend a minimum of $100 from the account within 6 months of opening the account.
• If you open a Simplii mortgage, you must fund your mortgage within 120 days.

To get started with a Simplii Financial Mortgage please use referral code: 0009294970
If you open a No Fee Chequing Account by October 31, 2024 and add an eligible direct deposit of at least $100 a month for 3 straight months you'll earn an additional $400 direct deposit bonus!

Hey Reddit. I met my current partner 5 months ago and we’ve been in a relationship for 2 months. He stays at my apartment 5 nights per week and I never stay at his. I’m almost always the one who pays for things that we share at my place, like alcohol, food, household items. I also pay for weed 100% of the time because I don’t think he wants to deal with buying it, but he always shares mine. I’ve also gotten him a couple nice presents like an expensive comforter for his apartment and Lego sets. That being said, he usually pays for things when we go out. In general, I’ve probably spent a bit more on him than he’s spent on me, though it’s probably not extremely uneven.
My boyfriend was previously in a relationship for two years that ended in April 2023. They lived together and I’m very confident that he payed for all of the alcohol and food in his apartment, as well as the household items. Apparently his ex was a huge drama queen and they fought all the time. I don’t know exactly what all of the fights were about but he mentioned that she always used to ask him to buy Lego sets for her. However he also said that she bought him an Xbox at one point because she loved to play Mario kart. Apparently she also wanted jigsaw puzzles for her birthday. I don’t know if he also got her a nicer birthday present than that but I think it’s safe to say he probably did. He also bought her a really expensive $500 Harry Potter Lego set which I really want too but I don’t want to ask him for because I’m scared he will be disappointed that I want him to buy me something like that.
The amount that I’ve spending is not sustainable for me, but to be honest, even if I had unlimited money, the fact that he almost definitely spent significantly more money on his ex than she spent on him would probably bother me anyway. I tend to be really jealous about being treated less well than other people by the same person because when I was growing up my mom beat me on a consistent basis but never beat my sister. I guess once she already fucked me up she felt like it didn’t matter if she kept fucking me up, but she wanted to keep a ‘perfect relationship’ with my sister. I’m going to therapy and trying to resolve this but it’s really hard to ignore this stupid sad and jealous feeling I get when I feel like someone else got treated better than me.
My boyfriend and I have an amazing relationship and aside from the money thing being somewhat unequal, he’s extremely kind and generous boyfriend in every other way. I’m terrified of bringing this stupid money thing up with him because up to this point I’ve never made it seem like I wanted anything from him that had anything to do with money, and I don’t want to disappoint him or make him feel used. However, I feel like I’m kind of bottling up my feelings about this and I’m scared that at some point I’ll blow up about it. I would much rather have a mature conversation about it before it gets to that point. But I really don’t want to make him sad. What should I do?

In what ways do you think your narcissist unmother sabotaged you?
For me I think she directly tried to sabotage me from succeeding in anything. She didn’t want me to succeed in activities/hobbies in various ways:
-not showing up to dances while other parents were bringing tape recorders. -showing up very late to pick me up from dance on purpose. -not helping me learn how to read or do any homework. -not teaching me about financial planning or anything to do with my career —ignoring my addiction to drugs when I was an addict. Didn’t care to see me use drugs. —verbal and physical abuse towards my learning disability/school. Calling me stupid. —abusing me at night before school so I was too tired to learn. Not letting me sleep. —making me walk miles to school in the cold so I was probably tired by time I got there. —basically not teaching me anything regarding skills I need to succeed. —not letting me be in activities much.
This is a Bachelors degree high earning woman my whole life by the way. She had money. She had skills. She is successful and has always owned property such as a house.
I have struggled financially my whole life and struggled in school growing up. I still struggle with self esteem to this day due to a lifetime of believing I was stupid. I am now in my 30’s learning new skills I always wanted to learn and do from dance to figuring out my career still. I feel the sabotage has really damaged my life. My unmother is making 80k a year now and has a nice house and brand new car. I’m paying half my paycheck for an apartment and making minimum wage. The financial aspects to this sabotage I don’t hear enough about.

These offers are exclusive to Canadians (who are new customers to Simplii), excluding residents of Quebec.
Simplii Financial is a trademark and division of CIBC. Banking products and services branded Simplii Financial are offered by CIBC. You can access your money from any CIBC ATM in Canada without a fee. You can also withdraw money from any non-CIBC ATM displaying the Interac® or PLUS* signs. Additional costs may apply, including any fees from the owner of the other machine.
To get started with a No Fee Chequing Account, High Interest Savings Account or Personal Line of Credit please apply through the link, otherwise you will not receive the welcome bonus.
https://mbsy.co/6mpjfQ
When using my referral link or referral code (for mortgages), you must follow all the instructions to set up your new Simplii account and complete the eligible activities:

• If you open a No Fee Chequing Account or High Interest Savings Account, you must make a deposit of at least $100 within 6 months after account opening, and maintain a minimum balance of $100 for at least 30 days.
• If you open a Personal Line of Credit, you must use or spend a minimum of $100 from the account within 6 months of opening the account.
• If you open a Simplii mortgage, you must fund your mortgage within 120 days.

To get started with a Simplii Financial Mortgage please use referral code: 0009294970
If you open a No Fee Chequing Account by October 31, 2024 and add an eligible direct deposit of at least $100 a month for 3 straight months you'll earn an additional $400 direct deposit bonus!

Everybody come and purchase , I’m gon use the money to get us more content ( teamwork makes the dream work )

Its far from original. Its a mix of many narratives across different genres. That's not a slam on it or anyone that likes it, just the reality. More importantly, understanding the ingredients to its success as a narrative not only gains a deeper appreciation of what it accomplished but also highlights what made Pt 2 fail narratively. Not that anything I say matters but, for reference, I taught film and screen writing for some years before returning to my field.
The story is nothing original. The idea of the older paternal mentor figure protecting and guiding a younger apprentice or child figure is a tale as old as time. The premise of man is the real monster has been around forever, as well, but in the "zombie" genre it was there from the start with Romero's "Night of the Living Dead". The characterization of Joel isn't even that remarkable as he shares the DNA of many seasoned warrior of few words characters in fiction. TLoU takes many of the best of these and makes them stand out with a few choice decisions.
First, brevity. TLoU is not a long game. It can be experienced casually in a day. This is one of its greatest strengths. Few cutscenes ever keep you from playing for more than a couple minutes. The cutscenes that are experienced are all purposeful and don't waste time. In fact, if you watch them, the dialogue and action moves fast, only giving breathing room for the most impactful of moments. The script and direction are tight to give what's needed, to feel what's needed, and then put you back in control. Furthermore, like Uncharted before but perfected, many story moments are gameplay moments through environmental design, dialogue prompts, or QTE. Ultimately, it gives players the narrative equivalent of a woman's skirt; long enough to cover what's needed but short enough to grab our attention.
Second, classical narratives. I used to ask my students who liked Star Wars: A New Hope. Hands always shot up. I asked why and would hear a bunch of reasons but I'd always turn it to Lucas following classical narratives and filmmaking. Spectacle aside, Star Wars followed the classical 3 act structure and the monomyth (Hero's Journey). These time proven structures can make good stories great, especially when you include the spectacle. TLoU had spectacle with what I said before of mixing brief cutscenes and story driven gameplay. The actual story, though, is nearly beat for beat on the Hero's Journey and engrosses us in its tale. Joel has something unique going in that he has 2 journeys, one of them only being referenced.
The first journey begins with Joel in his known world of the pre-apocalypse. He is a hardworking dad but far from who he'd become. The outbreak is what sends him on his journey. The loss of his daughter is the point of no return. Then...the story jumps into the future. We learn bits of his backstory but there is clearly a lot of details missing. Ultimately, he went from a survivalist who did reprehensible things but he also clearly had an offscreen "redemption" moment. When we start the game proper, Joel is again in a known stable world. He has carved out a life that he finds acceptably comfortable. This is where the second journey starts and why the game's narrative hits so well.
Call to Adventure- Tess arrives and, despite some apprehension, convinces Joel to recover their guns. This leads to Marlene recruiting them to smuggle Ellie.
Supernatural Aid- During the attempt to smuggle Ellie, they learn of her immunity and the significance of their "quest".
Point of No Return/Threshold- The Fireflies are dead and Tess dies. Joel must now continue to deliver Ellie despite his reluctance to such an impossible task and his discomfort being reminded of his past life.
Obstacles/Temptations/Helpers- The middle part of the game has 3 distinct chapters that force Joel to confront himself and grow. I'll be breaking them down.

1. Bill comes at a low moment for Joel. Confusion and sorrow from the loss of Tess, Joel finds Bill as a dark reflection, the future if he lets his pain consume him. While Bill helps Joel, he also serves as a lesson of what not to become. When Joel departs, he has processed some of his grief, is more committed to the quest, and has now opened up more to Ellie.
   
2. Sam and Henry arrive at a time Joel is beginning to open his heart. Through their journey, Joel can recognize the love he had and wants again. The tragedy of their final day is Joel really does open up with Sam and Henry and you see traces of happiness. Then...the morning comes.
   
3. Joel reunites with Tommy. While he is still open with Ellie, this entire chapter has Joel even more determined to pass Ellie off. The tragedy of Sam and Henry make him see that more time with Ellie will lead to more pain. He reassures himself that passing her off will get him the security he needs to live comfortably, that she's better off with someone else, and then his rageful response that all he's done has kept him and Tommy alive. Joel is dangerously close to embracing the temptation of Bill's life. Yet, it's none other than Ellie who brings Joel back.
   

Abyss- Joel and Ellie are at their most optimistic. They share more life details freely. They talk about the future (unrelated but this is also where Ellie mentions the entire "vaccine" procedure being easy because she doesn't like needles, highlighting that she never meant to sacrifice herself. Suck it Pt. 2). However, they find the Fireflies abandoned it and are ambushed by raiders. Joel is gravely injured.
Transformation- When Joel awakes to find Ellie missing, something in him is triggered. He goes on the war path to find and save her. When he does find her, he finally lets all his emotional guards down. She is his "baby girl". Ellie had, arguably since Tommy's chapter, embraced Joel as a father figure but now Joel no longer denies him being that.
Atonement- Ellie has been taken and soon to be murdered. Unlike the unfaithful show, the Joel that fights through the hospital is scared and anxious as he rushes to get to Ellie. Where he failed to save Sarah, he desperately fights to save Ellie (both from callous militaries convinced they are serving the "greater good"). In the end, he does.
Return- Joel returns to Tommy with Ellie. He has become a master of two worlds. Able to still be the one to make hard decisions but also able to open his heart. This is accentuated in his lie to Ellie. He knows she is wrestling with all her pain and gives her an honest answer in finding something to live for. When she demands him to swear, he lies, yes, but he does so to protect her emotionally. With Ellie's "ok", they begin their new life.
First off as I wrap up this essay, I refuse to acknowledge the sequel. I did even when it was announced. The first game was perfect as a stand alone experience. Furthermore, I don't acknowledge it as it is not even made by the same team or direction. Neil moved it forward and we see how that worked out. But it holds as much validity as the Star Wars sequels to me. Lucas sold it to Disney. This is not a genuine continuation of the original vision and I don't hold them as valid to what came before (though I also despise the prequels for other reasons).
I say this because I firmly believe the game concluded definitively with Ellie accepting the lie. She has been shown as perceptive and intelligent. She obviously knows the events are not as Joel said. The weight of her "ok" is far more impactful and reflects her own hero's journey. The truth is, she doesn't believe Joel. She knows he's lying. Every indicator of her pause, reflection, and line delivery reflect that. She says "ok" because the reality of Joel's speech to find something worth fighting for hits home. She has known nothing but abandonment, terror, and suffering. She still feels the pain of loss and wants to despair in survivor's guilt. But now...on the outskirts of a new stable home, she recognizes Joel now sees her in the same way she sees him. She knows he's shielding her from something horrible and will continue to protect her. Her "ok" isn't out of childish naivety but in becoming more like Joel and moving forward with determination.
In the end, while the franchise screwed the pooch, the original game utilized classic narrative structure through effective brief cutscenes and environmental story telling to tell a greatest hits from its various genres.
Anyways, here's Wonderwall.

Tl;dr: I am in need of a new computer and I’m looking at the Mac Studio, specifically the M2 Max with 1TB storage and 64GB memory. Is this going to be enough to keep up with the demands of Logic Pro 11 and all the new plug-ins for the next +/-decade?
Full story: about six years ago, I purchased a refurbished 2014 MacBook Pro. At the time, I wasn’t doing a whole lot of production - I just needed an all-around machine to carry me through my various workflows. Since that time, my home studio has taken off and I’ve been working with a lot more clients. It was on my radar to purchase a nicer desktop that would help me future proof a little better, because LPX (and a few other pieces of my workflow) had begun to start seriously chugging.
Then I met with a client last week, and my nightmare occurred: they spilled water on my MacBook Pro. It’s so old that it’s basically beyond repair, and because of this, I don’t think the client is going to compensate me for the full value of replacing the broken device with one that will do everything I need to. They have agreed to chip in some, but I don’t think it’s going to be a whole lot. With that in mind, my timeline for getting a new device has moved up. I haven’t had the chance to sit down and do a bunch of research on it, so I’m hoping you guys can weigh in.
I’ve been looking at several different options and evaluating my needs, and I think the best-case scenario (albeit one of the more expensive ones) for me in the long run is to switch over from a MacBook to a Mac Studio, and then snag one of the new iPads so I can stay mobile. I wouldn’t have a fully portable workhorse of a computer, but since the majority of my work takes place in the studio, I think this is probably fine, especially if I supplement it with an iPad for the rare instances of offsite recording (it does happen from time to time)z
I have a few questions about this, though; if you guys have answers for any of them, please feel free to share!

1. Mac Studios currently available have the M2 Pro and M2 Ultra available, whereas the MacBook Pros available now have a base-level M3. It seems that the maxed out M2 might have a higher ceiling than the base model M3? But I’m having a hard time discerning a clear answer. Can anyone speak to the efficiency differences?
   
2. I think it’s reasonable to expect about a decade’s worth of use out of a computer? So I’m aiming to purchase a machine that will be somewhat future-proof until the next major advancement. Given the age of the M2 chip, is there any reason to expect that it will date itself more quickly than a device with an M3? Is that something I need to be concerned about?
   
3. I’m still undecided on how much unified memory I want, but given my hopes of running many complex projects for multiple clients at once, combined with the other workflows I have for my personal life and my other job, I’ve been looking at picking up 64GB of memory, rather than the 32GN that the Studio has on its base level. Is this a fair amount? I don’t want to overkill, but I want to be set up to have this machine last a long time with (hopefully) little to no issues.
   
4. Storage is always a factor to consider. I make it a habit to purchase external drives pretty regularly and back up my projects often, but it’s always nice to be able to operate without having to shuffle files around too much. If I’m honest, I think the 512GB of storage that comes with the base model of the Mac Studio is probably fine, but as my business continues to grow, I don’t want to have as much worry about storing things as much as I do right now. I’ve also read that the 1TB SSD split its file storage between four quadrants of the SSD, whereas the 512GB can only split it between two. It seems that splitting it four ways would help make certain workflows operate a bit more efficiently and that only having two might have the inverse effect. I’ve read a few articles on this, but this isn’t my area of expertise. Does anyone have any experience here?
   
5. Finally, the age-old tech question: if I purchase this computer now, well, I regret it in a few months if the new model drops? It seems that Apple’s desktops are due for an upgrade, especially with the M4 chip dropping with the new iPad while the Mac Studio continues to run on M2s. Obviously, nothing has been confirmed about a new generation of Macs being slated for release, but can’t help but wonder if a release is right around the corner. I know it’s a longshot and it might not even change my scenario because I need a device quickly, but I’m curious if anyone has heard any information on this.
   

If you made it this far, thank you so much for reading, I know I ask a lot of questions and might be overthinking this, but I want to make a wise decision about how I spend my money, especially with how much these new devices will cost. TIA for your input!

These offers are exclusive to Canadians (who are new customers to Simplii), excluding residents of Quebec.
Simplii Financial is a trademark and division of CIBC. Banking products and services branded Simplii Financial are offered by CIBC. You can access your money from any CIBC ATM in Canada without a fee. You can also withdraw money from any non-CIBC ATM displaying the Interac® or PLUS* signs. Additional costs may apply, including any fees from the owner of the other machine.
To get started with a No Fee Chequing Account, High Interest Savings Account or Personal Line of Credit please apply through the link, otherwise you will not receive the welcome bonus.
https://mbsy.co/6mpjfQ
When using my referral link or referral code (for mortgages), you must follow all the instructions to set up your new Simplii account and complete the eligible activities:

• If you open a No Fee Chequing Account or High Interest Savings Account, you must make a deposit of at least $100 within 6 months after account opening, and maintain a minimum balance of $100 for at least 30 days.
• If you open a Personal Line of Credit, you must use or spend a minimum of $100 from the account within 6 months of opening the account.
• If you open a Simplii mortgage, you must fund your mortgage within 120 days.

To get started with a Simplii Financial Mortgage please use referral code: 0009294970
If you open a No Fee Chequing Account by October 31, 2024 and add an eligible direct deposit of at least $100 a month for 3 straight months you'll earn an additional $400 direct deposit bonus!

So I’ve grown up poor my whole life, I’m 16F and I just feel stuck. Constantly stressing about money I’ve had to pay my mom over 1 grand (ik it doesn’t seem like a lot but to me it is) when she didn’t have the money over the past few years (from my savings). I’m pretty good at saving and do what I can while making 13 an hour at a job I can’t stand. I pay for my own car and everything that comes with it. I have no clue what path to go down. I feel stuck. I don’t want to be like this forever but I don’t know where to start. I’m not asking to be rich now or asking to be a millionaire but just enough to actually LIVE I want to know how do I set myself up? What’s the best route to take? I don’t plan on college due to the fact I don’t want to end up drowning in debt. This is not for pity, im willing to put effort in but I don’t know how.

So my order has been paid for, still waiting for it to get to the warehouse. Reading the FAQ instructions, it's very clear that I will need to handle/pay for customs. What I don't understand and haven't found anywhere is when, where, and how this is supposed to happen?
Will the customs office contact me once the item gets there and ask for money? Does something need to be set up ahead of time?
I've also seen items under $800 don't have customs fees? Is that true?
Sorry for 20 questions, just want to make sure this goes smoothly.

Flaviar Coupon: https://fbuy.io/e7701d80-9aaa-4a37-80b6-b93fe0c0eeab/5ehsh8qc
Flaviar is a premium online spirits club that offers a unique and personalized experience for whiskey, rum, and other spirit enthusiasts. With a vast selection of high-quality products and a team of experts to guide you, Flaviar makes it easy to explore and discover new and exciting spirits.
If you're a fan of Flaviar, you'll be excited to know that you can now save even more with the Flaviar coupon code. By using the code https://fbuy.io/e7701d80-9aaa-4a37-80b6-b93fe0c0eeab/5ehsh8qc, you'll receive a 12% discount on your Flaviar membership. This is a great opportunity to try out the service or to renew your existing membership at a discounted rate.
The Flaviar coupon code is easy to use and can be applied during the checkout process. Simply enter the code at the designated field, and you'll see the discount applied to your total. With this savings, you'll be able to explore even more of Flaviar's impressive selection of spirits without breaking the bank.
Whether you're a seasoned spirits enthusiast or just starting to explore the world of whiskey, rum, and more, Flaviar is an excellent choice. And with the Flaviar coupon code, you can enjoy even greater value and savings on your membership.

Buying an office building.
There’s an office building I want to buy, it’s currently listed at 950k. And produces 115k Noi. It’s a high cap rate. I have some savings about 200k but I don’t know how to come up with the other 750k.
I was told that the rental income can be use to offset some mortgages. About 75% of that 115 so about 86k can be consider and added to my income when I get a mortgage. Would it make sense to get a 7-10% interest rate and lock this building down?
The building is 10670 sq ft and have long leases with medical businesses like dentist(2032) and health centers(2029). However there is 3 smaller spaces that expire 2025 and 2026. So far to me it’s already good looking but it’s really about the money.