edit: im the A, this is solved context: he abandoned my mom, he's single. so helping and giving should not be an issue and idc tbh he abandoned my mom so reparations. like $100 $200 $50 isnt anything over the period of 6 months bro with no other type of support even less emotional
what does $200 do for book supplies? mf works in a hotel with no fucking responsabilities DUDE'S A FUCKING SUPERVISOR AT A CASINO IN A VEGAS HOTEL WITH HELLA EXP RETIRED FROM ONE JOB working for fun.
what the fuck does $200 for school supples equal to only communicating for money didnt reply to me or ask me about school or if i needed help or food or gas or to pay for anything else. its been 4 months!! i just want grocery $ and a pair of converse. I DIDNT SAY THANK YOU FOR MY BDAY GIFT?? I DID AND
it was LATE!! WHAT ABOUT ALL THE ONES HE MISSED?! mf WORKS. THAT WAS FOOD MONEYY. IT WASNT A GIFT. IT WAS GROCERIEEEEEES.
MY DUDE IS RETIREEEED. i am unemployed. i am 24. HE WANTS ME TO GET A PHD so provideee >:(
like tf i got no funds running on the leftover of workstudy cuz im irresponsible as shit and he doesnt wanna help?? mf i was basically on the street and u took a minute to reply
dis is why ion ask for helpp
'i feel used' mf u abandoned my mom, reparations asshole. BUT IMA STAY QUIET
IMA STAY QUIET AND SIP MY LIL BOTTLE OF NEW AMSTERDAM thats been making trips for two months now since a white girl with parents that are engineers felt in the mood to give...cheap af $13. i love college...kinda...just cuz ur funny u get free stuff and cuz u can drive 🥲

Overseas jobs 19th May 2023
🇧🇭 Bahrain job openings Urgent requirement for leading furniture company Vacancies for oil and gas company.
🇰🇼 Kuwait job walkins Required urgently for leading chain of Cafes Leading money exchange company International fast food QSR chain.
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🇶🇦 Qatar job opportunity Consolidated contractors company Facilities management company Oil and Gas construction company.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia job openings Reputed Logistic transport company oil and gas construction company Sales Supervisors hiring for dairy company. Requirement for Burger outlet Hiring restaurant chefs Neom Sindalah island project. Urgently hiring for Catering division Mining Refinery and multidivisional fertilizer company Leading construction company. Electrical industrial company Al ras al mumayaz company Nabatat contracting company. Requirement for operation and maintenance project Service crew requires for burger king Vacancy for Petrochemical projects.
🇴🇲 Oman job openings Heavy equipment and plant division Oil and Gas maintenance projects Contracting company hiring for FMM division.
Jobs openings in abroad 0083 Download Gulfwalkin Alert Times PDF 👇
https://www.gulfwalkinalert.com/2024/05/jobs-openings-in-abroad-0083.html

I am making this post as response to a big truth that this sub is practically a "how do i get 200k not doing any work with no certs and also wfh."
I've currently got a job that pays abt 50K and have started a side business selling sheet metal. (Job sells me the scraps at very reasonable prices and i sell them at prices that are about half the price of new). This metal is perfectly good and new besides being the set size that my job makes as scrap.
I've opened an offerup account, a marketplace account and a Craigslist account. (For those wondering, i have improved my posts to the point i can tell you there isn't much tweaking to do on saod sites.
Currently i make some decent money from it, but I also understand that should my job choose not to sell to employees or if i were to switch jobs, the new job would have to make up the difference in pay.
However, as long as I can take it, does anyone have input on how you would expand on said career? Can't do shipping because of size, weight and dimensions. The cost makes it cheaper to buy new.
In terms of clientele, it's 97% new clients every time as is the nature of selling on these sites. (No real industry is searching for their supplies on offerup).
If you had the position I had, how would you advance the career to a point in which I could increase revenue (besides cutting out coworkers/competition).
Tia

If a Solo 2 is still in the works, we could very well see what happened to the organization after Dryden Vos’s death. Since we know Maul is in charge of everything, something drastic must’ve happened for him to go from a crime boss to a hermit on an ancient Sith world for at least a few years.
Either the Empire came to keep Crimson Dawn from getting too powerful, or the Rebellion decided they’d be a good target to raid for their supplies. Maybe Han and Chewie decided to burn Crimson Dawn to the ground. It’d be great to further build his reputation around.
That being said, we also don’t know where Qi’ra is, so we have to assume she’s either dead or in hiding by the time ANH happens. Either she dies on a job or Maul kills her for choosing Han over her commitment. This latter death would add another layer of complexity to Han if he first-hand witnessed her death.
With the status of Crimson Dawn itself, without Maul or Qi’ra around for leadership, the resulting power vacuum would make the organization collapse and be absorbed by other factions, mainly the Empire.
This is kind of another theory, but I think either the Guavian death gang or Kanjiklub may have been former members of Crimson Dawn.

Got an email from my job yesterday that they will stop covering semaglutides for weight loss starting in August. They will however still cover them for those with diabetes, wich I am one. Now I feel like I will have to jump through hoops to get my medicine covered or fear that in the future they may stop covering it for diabetics. I pay $60 for a 90 day supply with insurance and without it would be $2,500.

I've been in the current place almost a year, and it is rank. It's an old farmhouse that you struggle to keep warm in winter / cool in summer because it has no insulation and there's gaps under all of the doors and the windows that let the aircon / heat escape. It's 30 minutes from Woolies and work, an hour from Bunnings and a decent gym, and nearly 2h from anything more. You live off bottled water because the mains supply tastes like arse, it backs onto a railway so you can't open the bedroom windows at night if you like to sleep, mowing / whipper snippering is a nightmare with barbed wire fences that lean inwards and catch your clothes when mowing the boundary, the inside corners of the walls are that old and rotten they're literally being held together by that paint that you can poke a hole through... The list goes on. The kind of place the owners need to spend $50-100k on simple things, to bring it up to even the most basic standard for a rental.
It's the worst place I've ever lived in and I never would've considered it under normal circumstances, but it's all I could find in the 4 weeks of temp accommodation my job offered when moving here. I feel the rent they're charging is already too much when considering the location and the state of the place, but the price is being upped another $50 a week when the lease renews, to which I internally told them to eat a bag of rocks. With the lease is up in late-July, and I've started applying to just about everything else at a reasonable price within an hour's drive of work.
The problem I'm having though, is that I can't decide whether it's even worth the effort, considering I only intend on being in my job another 12 months or so, and then I plan to relocate again. As we all know, moving houses is a painful and expensive process, especially if you're not going to be staying longterm. So between the bond cleaning, relocation and lease break... I haven't rented enough to know whether the effort and cost is worth it.
My three main options at this stage are:

1. Stay put for another 6-12 months in this house - absolutely no chance of this happening
2. Find a new rental closer to town and cough up the costs of a bond clean / relocation for 12 months
3. Use the next 6 weeks to find a new job somewhere I actually want to live longterm, hand the 4 weeks notice in a month before my lease is up and leave then

This post has been more of an overdue whinge, but realistically, which option would you be going for?

Friend of mine was involved in this (he didn't send any money but they wasted like 2 weeks of his time thinking he had a job lined up) and I didn't see any information about it online, so I'm putting it here in hopes it gets indexed by search engines if anybody is ever suspicious this might be a scam and looks it up. It's a decently common fake check scam, where they send you a check and then ask you to pay somebody else using the funds from the check.
They have a fake job listing, and you will receive an email back from a "careers-webai.com" domain. They say they have reviewed your resume and would like to proceed further, and then send you a google doc with questions to fill out, and after that, they say they have reviewed your answers and extend you an offer of employment. The first red flag here is that they didn't have a video call interview, but it's not COMPLETELY unheard of. They say they will buy you company equipment before your start date (standard practice), and then right before your start date, they send you a scan of a check, telling you to deposit it via mobile deposit. This is red flag #2, I don't even think scans of checks are valid to mobile deposit and no serious institution is going to send you a check to purchase things, they will use their payroll provider to direct deposit it. After you provide proof of deposit, they then ask you to send the funds to their "accredited vendor" via zelle or venmo who will purchase the supplies for you. Major red flag, no actual company is going to ask you to venmo them.
I took a look at all the documents because I was curious, and it was all pretty legitimate looking. The interview questions were all related to the job listing and even quite technical. The job offer looks to be copied a real job offer and goes into detail about termination, benefits, stock, confidentiality agreements, etc. The check looks super fake though. I probably would have fallen for it until the check since I've had identical conversations with employers (that were real luckily).
The bank is opening a fraud investigation on him for depositing a fake check, which could result in account closure apparently, and a mark on his banking record. So even if you don't fall for the scam, you can still get ruined from it. I think the scariest things about scams like these is they are nearly indistinguishable from legitimate job offers all the way up until they try to get you to buy company equipment on a check. By that time you are already a week or two into the scam, maybe more depending on when you said you start date would be. People quit their current jobs, move, make big purchases, etc in anticipation of a job they will never have and can fall into financial ruin without even sending the scammer a penny.
The scammers venmo is "cherriesinruin", putting this here as well in hopes it gets indexed by search engines if anyone is suspicious and looks it up.

My roommate and I have launched an online store offering a wide variety of home goods and decor items, ranging from bathroom cleaning supplies and tools to picture frames and air purifiers. While we’ve made some progress—establishing our LLC, selecting initial products, and creating a website with the help of another partner—we’ve hit a bit of a roadblock.
Our team consists of three people:

1. Website and Product Selection: One of our partners created and designed the website and selected most of the products listed. 2. LLC and Shopify Setup: My roommate, who is also my business partner, established the LLC and helped set up Shopify. This entire process took only a couple of days. 3. Media Content Creation (Me): I am responsible for creating and scheduling video and photo ads for our social media pages. This role requires ongoing, indefinite effort. 

Despite our initial progress, I’ve quickly lost faith in the potential success of our venture. Here’s why:

1. Lack of Focus: Our product range is broad, competing against giants like Amazon. I’ve noticed other successful dropshipping businesses tend to focus on niche markets or a limited selection of high-quality products. 2. Content Creation Challenges: We’re working with only a handful of low-quality stock images. This makes it incredibly difficult to produce engaging content consistently. My partners expect daily posts, but the resources provided make this task feel almost impossible. 3. Workload Imbalance: I feel like I’m doing the majority of the work. While my partners spent a couple of days setting up the website and LLC, I’m left to indefinitely produce and manage social media content. This feels like a never-ending task, made worse by the very limited and low-quality materials I have to work with. My business partner doesn’t seem to care if the content is low quality and looks bad, as long as it’s consistent and steady for the algorithm. This frustrates me because I believe it ruins our image and undermines our credibility. 4. Perceived Value: I worry that our target audience will prefer to purchase similar items from more reputable sources like Amazon, given our lack of unique selling points and higher-quality visuals. 

Due to these challenges, I’ve considered starting my own business to do things my way, not to leave them out just to get my own thing going on. However, I genuinely want to make this current venture work so we can all succeed on this.
Seeking Advice on the Following:

1. Addressing Burnout vs. Grind Mentality: I’ve heard entrepreneurs say “I work like my competition is up all night” and “outwork everyone just GRIND GRIND GRIND.” Is this a realistic approach to success in a business, or is it more effective to implement periods of the day dedicated to business to avoid burnout? I’m sure the hyper-successful are just “wired” to work all night and most of the day. However, I am unsure if this is a great approach for entrepreneurs who have a day job and various commitments throughout the day. What is most effective in your findings? 2. Niche Focus: Should we redefine our business to focus on a niche product that we can order and create higher-quality content for? How do we identify a “winning” product in this saturated market? 3. Differentiation from Larger Competitors: How can we differentiate ourselves from larger competitors? Are there any specific marketing strategies or business models that have worked for you in similar situations? 

I wanted feedback so I can discuss this with my buisness partner, this will certainly be discussed between us Any insights or experiences you can share would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your help!

I have an undergraduate degree in physics and I am struggling to find a job.
Should I do masters in Finance or Data Science or Supply Chain. Please suggest best option for a good job.

I have an undergraduate degree in physics and I am struggling to find a job.
Should I do masters in Finance or Data Science or Supply Chain. Please suggest best option for a good job.

Just for the record, I'm a 42 year old man.
I tried my hand a bobbin lace back when I was a teenager. I made my own pillow, basically butchering an attempts at upholstery with cotton fabric over foam on a piece of plywood. I made my own bobbins with nails glued into the ends of short dowels. I used the materials I could buy myself, and fit in a backpack on my bike.
I found patterns, and punched the pin holes in the cardboard from cereal boxes. I was still able to make quite a few decent patterns, even a lace edged hanky for mothers day, which my mom still proudly displays.
Now, I have a decent job, and have some disposable income I can use to get a new setup. Where do you all get your pillows and bobbins? Are there pattern suppliers that have layouts on something more sturdy than paper? I know how to make it, I just need direction on where to get some good supplies and equipment.

Job Details
Job Title: Barista/Cashier - Fast Casual Mexican Breakfast Restaurant
Location: New York City, NY
Job Type: Part-Time
About Us:
Ánimo! is a new and vibrant restaurant concept. We’re a fast-casual Mexican Breakfast restaurant located in Midtown East of New York City. Our team is passionate about providing an exceptional dining experience to our guests, and we are looking for a skilled and motivated FOH Manager to join our dynamic team.
Our philosophy and values are endemic to who we are. We feel that these should highly resonate with the candidates applying to this position
Here are our core values
Customer-Centric Excellence: We prioritize our customers' satisfaction and well-being, dedicating ourselves to delivering exceptional experiences through outstanding service, genuine care, and meticulous attention to culinary details.
Passion for Authenticity: We embrace and celebrate the authenticity of Mexican cuisine, weaving the richness of traditional flavors into every dish. Our commitment to preserving and enhancing these culinary traditions is the essence of our brand.
Warmth and Compassion: We approach every interaction with warmth and compassion, recognizing the positive impact a friendly and caring environment can have on our guests. Our team is dedicated to creating not just meals but moments that leave a lasting impression.
Community Connection: We believe in fostering a sense of community both within our team and with our patrons. Building strong connections and contributing positively to the communities we serve is integral to our identity and success.
Optimism and Celebration: Our brand exudes optimism and celebrates the joy found in the simplicity of a delicious breakfast. We aspire to create an environment where every bite is a celebration, leaving our guests with a sunnier outlook on their day.
Position Overview:
As a CashieBarista, you will play a dual role, handling both the cashier responsibilities and crafting high-quality coffee beverages. You will also be the face of our restaurant, responsible for ensuring a smooth and efficient payment process for our guests. The ideal candidate will have excellent customer service skills, be detail-oriented, and possess a passion for providing a positive dining experience.
Key Responsibilities:

1. Cashier Duties:

-Greet guests warmly and provide a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
-Process customer orders accurately using the point-of-sale (POS) system.
-Handle cash, credit, and other forms of payment with precision and efficiency.
-Provide guests with receipts and any necessary information about their orders.
2.Barista Duties:
-Prepare and serve a variety of coffee beverages in accordance with established recipes and quality standards.
-Take customer preferences into account, such as adjusting coffee strength, sweetness, and other customizations.
-Maintain a clean and organized coffee station, including regular cleaning of equipment.
-Stay informed about coffee trends and provide recommendations to guests.

1. Customer Service:

-Address customer inquiries, take orders, and provide information about menu items.
-Ensure a positive and enjoyable experience for guests by delivering excellent service.
4.Order Coordination:
-Communicate customer orders accurately and promptly to the kitchen staff.
-Collaborate with kitchen and service staff to ensure accurate and timely order fulfillment.

1. Maintain Cleanliness:

-Keep the cashier and coffee station areas clean, organized, and well-stocked.
-Monitor and replenish supplies, such as napkins, cups, and condiments.
Qualifications:
-Previous experience in cashier and barista roles is preferred but not required.
-Strong customer service and interpersonal skills.
-Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and handle multiple tasks.
-Familiarity with POS systems and coffee brewing equipment.
-Positive attitude and a willingness to learn.
Benefits:
-Competitive hourly wage
-Opportunities for advancement within the restaurant team
-Dining discounts
-Positive and inclusive work environment
If you are a dynamic and versatile individual with a passion for both customer service and coffee preparation, we invite you to apply for the position of Barista/Cashier at Ánimo!. Join our team and contribute to creating a delightful dining experience for our guests in the heart of New York City!
Job Type: Part-time
Pay: $13.00 - $14.00 per hour
Expected hours: 20 – 30 per week
Benefits:
Employee discount Flexible schedule Paid training
Compensation Details
Compensation: Hourly ($13.00 - $14.00) plus tips
Benefits & Perks: Dining Discounts
Required Skills
Customer Service
Cash Handling
Point of Sale (POS) system operation
Barista Skills (Coffee Preparation)
Order Coordination
Cleanliness maintenance
Interpersonal Skills
Ability to work in a fast paced environment
Familiarity With POS Systems and Coffee Brewing Equipment
Positive Attitude
Apply here
Via needabarista.com

I decided to start a more "lore based" run, setting restrictions on myself on what kind of colonists i get and how i treat certain outsiders
Basically i am not allowed to host any "flesh based" colonists (i'm playing with the Persona Mechanoid Mod). However, slaves are 100% fairgame
explain to me, like i'm 5, what i need to do for slaves. Do i need to keep them contained in a space? can they be allowed to run around the colony freely? Do they breed as if they were normal colonists? I know there's "slave expectations" but what does this actually mean? will they simply not revolt so long as i keep their mood above a certain threshold? what actually affects their mood when they're slaves?
This is where the actual questions end
For those curious enough: I made my own scenario where i start with the "persona mechanoids" research (along with it's dependencies sadly, so i do also start with standard mechtech) 4 persona mechanoids, some steel and weapons and 2 bioelectric rechargers (for those who don't know, these charge bioelectric cells, which the persona mechanoids consume as "food"). The lore is that these mechanoids were sent as a "colonization squad" tasked to evaluate the rimworld on richness in resources, civilization, habitability etc. While the mechs themselves cannot allow regular fleshbags to join them, as this could potentially slow down their mission, throw away labor in the form of slaves is advised. Establishing friendly relations with any locals is not required, but could prove usefull, granted these locals are sufficiently technologically advanced (aka, tribals are a big no no) Reasons lore wise that flesh based colonists are discouraged: - Persona Mechs don't need sleep, only some downtime every so often - Persona Mechs don't require food, so no extensive food production is needed aside from any temporary colonists (think via quests and the like), prisoners and slaves (the latter two will of course get nutrient paste) - Persona Mechs don't need medics as they require the same care as regular mechanoids (in other words, they get repaired via the smithing job instead of medical
Reasons lore wise to only garner relations with technologically advanced civilizations:

• The "end goal" is to establish this planet as a brand new "hub planet" for interstellar travel, ridding it of primitives, reforming or eradicating pirates and other outlaws
• Primitives would lack the intelligence to comprehend living machines, especially after having encountered regular mechanoids, they would naturally be hostile (sadly idk if you can actually play around with the faction relations like that)
• Relations with technologically advanced civilizations like the Empire mean a decent supply of steel, components, advanced components, etc. Boosting mission efficiency by reducing the need to create said items themselves

Why are slaves allowed? - Minimal medical care - Minimal food requirements - Easily replaceable, unlike proper colonists - Free organs

We're looking for Full Time & Casual to join our team at South Melbourne. If you love coffee and people, talk to us!
People focused role and workplace culture Work with some of the worlds best coffee and equipment Potential for career development Padre Coffee is growing and we’re excited to be currently recruiting for our store in South Melbourne.
Who are we:
We’re specialty coffee roasters, wholesalers, and retailers.
Born in the dawning age of specialty coffee in Melbourne back in 2008, we’re both proud of our history and excited about the future. With bases in Melbourne, Noosa and Sydney, we’re firmly focused on ethical, sustainable growth and we’re always seeking to raise the bar with everything we do.
Of course, at the heart of our company are our people. We’re committed to building a workplace culture that supports personal development, collaboration, and teamwork. We believe in quality produce, sustainability, and in fostering long-term committed relationships throughout the supply chain.
Our community values, education, guidance, support and approachability, and this ensures the Padre bean lives up to its name, wherever you might find it. To work with Padre Coffee is to love what you do.
Who you are:
You love coffee. You have excellent communication skills and can build positive, lasting relationships with our retail customers.
You take pride in your work and enjoy working in a supportive and collaborative team environment. You enjoy variety in your daily tasks and perform well in a fast-paced environment.
You are personal, friendly, and professional.
Key accountabilities:
Maintaining high quality product standards through brewing and selling coffee Foster lasting customer relationships Brand ambassadorship Guide customers through our range of blends, single origins and extensive selection of coffee gear Work in a team to maintain a clean, approachable retail environment Actively engage in one’s own training and professional development Closely understand the network and responsibilities of our teams
Essential skills:
Excellent customer service experience Ability to work in a team Strong communication skills
Nice to have skills:
Management skills, experience In-depth technical understanding of specialty coffee
Why work here:
Industry leaders Supportive environment People focused workplace culture Career development opportunities Amazing coffee!
Remember, this is just a guide. If you see something on here that you can’t tick off – good, you can learn it here! In depth training is provided for all aspects of the role, all we ask is that you’re committed to your personal and professional growth.
We’d love to hear from you! Fill out the contact form on our website by hitting APPLY, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
Apply here
Via needabarista.com.au

Using a burner account because of the nature of this post.
I want to supply some context before jumping into the issue. I have two sisters and we were raised in a very emotionally, physically and domestically abusive household. We all went through a lot of dark and horrible things that children should never have to experience.
My eldest sister who this post is about has two children. Both not planned, and were born less than a year apart from each other. The father is in the picture but mentally unstable. My sister is not financially stable but always make sure that her children are fed well dressed and overall taken care of.
However the oldest of her children a five-year-old is out of control in terms of her behaviour. Drawing all her the house in Nutella, pens, makeup, etc. breaking toys, not listening to anything my sister tells her. Watching things too grown up for her on YouTube which is leading to her wetting the bed every night. She also has a new tendency of grinding food that my sister has bought into the carpet with her feet. Obviously this is not the child’s fault and is down to a lack of proper parenting
However I truly believe that my sister is trying to parent them, but is failing to get through to them. My sister has a very stressful life and itself her boyfriend is present but is in and out of jobs making them financially unstable and she relies on my father for money. She hates her job but has to remain there to try and fund their lives. Her house is the messiest house I think I’ve ever seen to the point where it is a safety hazard. She’s so stressed out that she smokes maybe five cigarettes an hour.
However,
She told me today that her five-year-old pushed her to her limits and she smacked her on the bum. This is something that makes me highly uncomfortable. And I’m not sure whether to report this social services.
It is evident that she cares for these children and love for them so much. I just don’t think she had time to learn how to parent or time to process the fact she was even having children to begin with.
Any advice is welcome, I’m not a parent myself, just a concerned aunt who wants to help.

Previous Part
I woke up to the smell of sausage and eggs. Over by the side of my bed was a tray with a masterfully prepared omelet and sausage to match. That’s not what caught my eye though. What did that was the little note stuck to the side of they tray.
“Sorry for terrorizing you- R”
Was scrawled in barley legible hand writing, Rocco’s I imagined.
“So it can cook but not write?”
I muttered to myself as I got out of bed.
A fresh change of clothes was laid out for me and I decided just not to question it. The clothes fit perfectly and I tried not to let my mind wander as to why that was while I ate breakfast. Rocco’s omelet was outstanding, for a trash panda he made a great cook but I have no idea where he would’ve picked that up. After I finished I brought my dishes downstairs and ran into Stein in the kitchen.
“The clothes fit don’t they? My eyes aren’t what they used to be, I should’ve just sent Rocco up to ask your size.”
“No no, they fit fine, and please don’t send Rocco to do anything without telling me. I think that might just give me a heart attack on the spot. I’m still really not used to all… this going on”
I said gesturing to the raccoon who had wandered into the kitchen and was now flipping me the bird with both his paws.

Stein nodded to me with what I hoped was understanding. As much as Rocco seemed harmless (Maybe… hopefully?) I really didn’t want the furry little demon arriving anywhere near me unexpectedly. We already saw how that went in the basement yesterday. I finished washing my dishes in the sink as Stein ate his breakfast. He seemed so calm and normal, compared to the things I’d seen in this house so far. If you took one look at Bianca you say she looked too good to be true. Rocco is… well, he’s a talking raccoon, that’s immediately strange. But when it came to Frank and Stein you couldn’t tell there was anything off about them. Honestly I still had trouble seeing where they fit into this whole thing.
I was lost in this train of thought as I went through the motions of taking my groceries out of the refrigerator where someone had put them. I didn’t even realize Bianca was standing behind me till she tapped my shoulder. Jumping out of my skin I screeched out,
“Jesus Rocco what the hell!”
Bianca went from serious to laughing hysterically in no time flat.
“He really has you spooked after last night doesn’t he?”
She barely got out between bouts of laughter.
“I’m sorry really, oh and I’ve got this for you.”
Chuckled Bianca, handing me a wad of cash with a face that didn’t look remotely sorry for laughing at me.
“Just for that I’ll take it! But I’ve got to ask, how do you have this much cash just lying around, isn’t that a little risky?”
“You’d have to ask my unc… Frank or Stein.”
Bianca answered, stumbling on the apparently familiar lie. As she said this Stein stood up from the table and answered my question.
“Researching the supernatural isn’t always safe but Germany pays its scientists well, even if we don’t work for them anymore.”
“Germany? When did you work with the German government?”
I asked, a sinking suspicion settling into the pit of my stomach.
“1941, The Führer requested me specifically and I met Frank there. Oh don’t look at me like that! I didn’t support his cause, he simply wanted to look into forces outside his control and that was my specialty. It was business nothing more.”
Stein responded, pointing his finger at me and sounding a little annoyed.
“But that would make you… there’s no way you’re that old. Uh I don’t mean!”
“Think nothing of it, if anything, it means our serum worked. Distilled it from the DNA of a few pureblooded vampires and designed it to slow human aging to a crawl.”
Bianca cut him off,
“Stein, I think I can see steam coming out his ears. Can we maybe give the supernatural stuff a rest? I know you’ve been around it all your life but I think its a bit much for him.”
“Yes, I suppose your right Bianca. I’ll leave you two be then.”
Stein surrendered, as he turned and walked out of the room. Like he hadn’t just dropped yet another bomb on me.
I held myself together much better this time. After talking raccoons and succubi, learning vampires apparently existed in such an offhanded manner just didn’t surprise me as much. At this point I was just about ready to accept any supernatural entity I’d ever heard of existed in some capacity. In fact that might be the best policy moving forward.
“Hey you’re not going to pass out on us again right?”
Bianca asked turning back to me, genuine concern in her voice.
“No, I’ll be fine. The more I hear about this kind of thing the better I am at just accepting it. It’s a lot easier hearing it from one of you guys than having it drop out of the sky at me.”
I joked, walking with Bianca to the door. I noticed my poor attempt at a joke was the first time I said anything about Imalone without feeling like someone would call me crazy. I couldn’t dwell on that for too long right now though, I had to drop off the groceries that had taken me a full day to get. In hindsight though, I’ve had worst trips to the grocery store.
The next few days passed without any real issues, I got things set up in the house and ordered some furniture with the money I got from Bianca. On the second day I figured I should go out and explore the town a bit. I was getting bored being cooped up doing normal things and apparently I wanted to throw a wrench in all that.
“Maybe a bar” I thought to myself as I walked out the door just as the sun had started to think about setting, “Those are always a good place to meet people”.
This is where I tell you I may be just a little awkward. Even back home I didn’t really get out and meet new people much but I figured now is as good a time as any to start. I threw together a quick outfit with the clothes I brought with me from home. Hopefully I looked at least a little bit presentable in khakis and a red dress shirt. I walked out my door and immediately saw Bianca’s house peering out over the town. I considered dropping by to see if Bianca wanted to join me. I had told her about the reasons I ended up in Eagles Peak but I still knew precious little about her. I assumed her past wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. I wanted to know what exactly drew someone like her to a sleepy little town like this. Maybe seeing if she wanted to join me would be a good opportunity to learn something about her? It’s entirely possible I just wanted to spend more time around her because she was drop dead gorgeous. Maybe it was because she was the first person I bumped into in town? I couldn’t put my finger on it and if we’re being honest I didn’t want to admit the real reason to myself.
That would have to wait for another day though. I had spent so much time thinking about it that by the time I snapped back to reality I was by the greyhound bus stop, well past her house. There was another bus stopped there and people were getting off of it. None of them looked like what I would call a local but its not like I’d really know what a “local” looked like here anyways. Still, this town couldn’t get this many visitors right? It was weird but probably had a completely reasonable explanation.
“The Eagle’s Roost” read the sign above the bar’s entrance, it was actually a pretty high class looking establishment. The fresh red paint gleamed against the faded whites and grays of the other buildings on the street. Inside, a well polished dark wood floor greeted me. The room was completed by a roaring stone fireplace and a well used set of stools by the counter.
“Hey there! Anyone home?!”
I called out into the empty bar.
“Give me a minute!”
Replied a deep gruff voice form the back room. Eventually a man emerged from the room, well I say man but what I mean was a mountain in human form. This guy had to be about 7 feet tall and built from solid granite. Seriously, the muscles on this guy would’ve put The Rock to shame.
“Little early to start drinkin’ isn’t it?”
The mountain grunted judgmentally.
“Well I’m new here I just wanted to see the town. I could come back later if you want.”
“New, why didn’t you say so! New here, I haven’t seen anyone new here in years! come sit down if you’ve got questions about this place I can probably answer them!”
The now elated giant boomed at me. He turned hospitable in an instant, offering me a drink on the house for his poor manners before. His name was Tucker and he’d come to the town years ago as a foreman for it’s mine. The mine dried up and the workers moved on but something about this town spoke to him and he decided to stay. He opened up this bar and the rest is history. Something about the way he talked about the mine did’t sit right with me though. He kept mentioning how it dried up like he was trying to convince me that was what happened. Plus a mine out here didn’t exactly make much sense to me.
“So you run this place alone then?”
I asked, more to be polite than out of genuine curiosity. We had started to run out of things to talk about after conversation about the mine dried up much like it apparently had.
“Never needed any help besides my wife’s, but most days I just run the place alone, yes. No sense in hiring help here, not many people looking for work outside of the ones working at that grocery store down the street. Anyways I should get back to work, its getting to be about time we actually open to the public.”
I turned my head to look at the sign I now realized was stuck to the door. “Eagle’s Roost Hours: 6PM-1AM every night”. I realized with embarrassment I had walked through the door an hour before opening. Tuck had been nothing but friendly though, and I almost felt bad for assuming the locals like him would want to shoo me away. After all, everyone I’d met so far had been nothing but nice, not including Rocco that is.
As I turned my attention back to my drink I thought about the mine again. I hadn’t seen any records of the mine Tuck mentioned in my internet searches of the town before I came here. Honestly it had been incredibly difficult to dig up anything on the town. I wasn’t necessarily the most thorough in my search, but mines tend to be a staple of the towns they’re located in. This mine in particular seems to be what the town was built on. I’m not sure what had me so worked up on this mine issue but I was sure it was important. I sat there at the bar, mulling it over and sipping on my drink when a hand slapped down on my shoulder.
The man it was attached to said something but I couldn’t catch it even if I wanted to. I was far to laser focused on the mark seared black into the mans hand, the exact same eagle that was burned into my back. I pushed him off and bolted for the door, all I heard behind me was the mans confused “What?” And Tuck shouting at him.
“Now what in the Blazes did you do to the poor kid Robert!”
I shot off into the street from the bar, no one was chasing me but the fact that the symbol was here had set me off like a deer running from a gunshot.
“What the hell happened to you?”
Called a now familiar, heavily accented voice from the alleyway.
“Rocco, what are you doing out here?”
I questioned, bewildered at finding him out in the open. I’d never admit it but seeing a familiar face, even Rocco’s, calmed me down a little
“I’m a raccoon in an alleyway, what do you think I’m doing, fishing? No, I’m rootin' around in the trash, Frank needs some lithium foil and he can’t be bothered to run out and buy some batteries himself, stingy bastard.”
He retorted, looking for all intents and purposes like a normal raccoon at the moment.
“Even if I were to guess I wouldn’t have even come close to that.”
“I live to surprise”
Rocco sneered, taking a bow dripping with sarcasm.
“Anyways Frank is back at the house right? There’s something I’ve got to tell him.”
I asked, turning and running as soon as I got a response in the affirmative.
“Yeah he is, what exactly is so importa…. And he’s gone”
I made it to their strange high house in record time and burst through the door like I owned the place. For some reason Bianca seemed completely unfazed as I crashed into the entryway without so much as a knock.
“You know, you don’t live here right?”
“Oh yeah, good to see you too Bianca. Anyways, were is Frank, or Stein for that matter I’ve got something to ask.”
“They’re in the basement.”
Bianca said pointing to the door without looking up from the book she was reading.
Her dismissive attitude didn’t even register to me as I made my way down the basement steps. I got to the bottom and an acrid scent assaulted my nostrils.
“Do I even want to know what that is?”
I called into the basement, announcing my presence. Frank emerged from a room to my side decked out in a full lab coat and goggles along with a hairnet to protect what little of his still remained.
“What do you need?”
“You guys seem to know a lot about the supernatural right? Well, does this symbol mean anything to you?”
I said pulling off my shirt and turning my back to show him the mark that woman had left me with. His reaction could best be described by the sound of shattering glass as he dropped the beaker he was holding as he saw the symbol.
“Where did you get that?!”
He yelled more than asked.
“Back in Imalone.”
“Imalone? What’s that supposed to mean?”
It dawned on me that I hadn’t explained it to him like I had Bianca, so I filled him in. I told him the whole truth this time, where the mark came from, what really drove me to Eagles Peak, all of it. Frank listened diligently looking more concerned by the minute, at some point Stein joined him. A similarly shocked look was plastered across his face. I swear he was turning white when he answered my question.
“It’s the mark of the Thunderbird, and from what you told us, you met… her in person.”
“So why do you look so worried about it?”
I asked, feeling a little worried.
“Well she’s marked you personally, most people that have that mark would’ve gotten it to show devotion or allegiance and it certainly wouldn’t have come directly from the Thunderbird.”
The way Stein talked about this “Thunderbird” made me think I may be in even deeper shit than I realized.
“So do you two actually know anything about the Thunderbird?”
I asked, hoping these two would know something considering their long study of the supernatural.
“Until recently I only knew of the native legends surrounding the creature. I heard of people marking themselves with that symbol so I assumed there must be some truth to the legends. But neither me nor Frank has ever seen the Thunderbird, much less seen it..er, her take a human form.”
Stein answered, sounding almost disappointed in himself. I got the sense that not knowing something like this really ate at him. Which was just further proven by what he said next, a grin suddenly appearing on his face.
“Frank, I think we have our next big research project on our hands then.”
“I’ll start pulling any records I can find of accounts like Keith’s here.”
Frank said, hurrying over to a computer in the basement corner that looked ancient.
“Yes and compare those to the various legends surrounding the Thunderbird.”
Stein responded, rifling through a row of cabinets against the far wall.
Those two seemed to be whipped into a frenzy by something they knew next to nothing about being dropped in their laps.
“Guys… Guys! Can we hold off on going full mad scientist mode for just a second I’ve got one more thing to ask!”
I yelled trying to get their attention. when they turned to me I could see the spark in both their eyes as they hastily responded in unison.
“Yes, what!”
“Have either of you heard about a mine in this town? Tuck at “Eagle’s Roost” mentioned it but I don’t remember seeing anything about it when I looked into this town.”
“Ah the mine, it’s out in the forest north of town somewhere. There was a collapse or something a few years after it opened and the town covered it up. It would’ve been very embarrassing for them to admit the screw up so they just… didn’t, that’s all there is too it.”
Frank answered, seemingly bothered by the mundaneness of that question.
“So the mine is still out there then?”
“Of course! What did you think it just walked away? No, leave us be we’ve got work to do.”
Stein snapped.
As I left the two to their business and made my way out of the house I ran into Rocco, several grimy batteries grasped in his paws.
“They uh… I don’t think they’ll need those batteries anymore bud.”
“God damnit! That’s what I get for trying to be helpful.”
Rocco yelled, as he threw the batteries against the wall. I had to chuckle at the absurdity of it all. Here I was walking past a talking raccoon on his way down to two scientists looking into a Thunderbird. That’s a real thing that’s currently happening to me. Just a few days ago simply seeing Rocco knocked me out almost immediately and now he was just a minor inconvenience. Could it be that I was actually adjusting to all the crazy things that had been happening around me? I sure thought so.
Upstairs, Bianca was still nose deep in her book at the kitchen table.
“Hey can I ask you something?”
“Yeah sure, what is it?”
“Ever been into the woods around town? There’s something I want to check out there.”
“I don’t usually leave the house all that much if I’m honest.”
Bianca answered, a touch of sadness in her voice.
“Do you want too? Leave the house I mean.”
“What are you getting at?”
“Well, I’m going to be headed out there tomorrow looking for the old mine.”
“And why are you looking for that?”
She questioned suspiciously.
“I have a feeling it has something to do with the mark that woman… and I forgot I didn’t tell you about that.”
Bianca looked up at me as she said with a smirk.
“I knew there was more to that story from the other night. Why didn’t you tell me?”
I’ll spare you the details but needless to say I told the story again. I really need to start bringing everyone together when I do these things, it would save me time.
“So that’s why you came here, and you think this mine has something to do with it?”
Bianca exclaimed excitedly. I could almost see the lightbulb going off over her head.
“Yeah that’s pretty much it, do you want to come with? I mean you don’t have to go but I”
She cut me off,
“You know what maybe I should go. Two sets of eyes gives us better odds right? And you have a bad history with forgotten places I seem to recall.”
Bianca said with a coy smile.
“That’s what we’ll do then, I’ll get some things ready and stop by tomorrow, we’ll leave from there.”
And before she had a chance to rethink her answer I left feeling pleased with myself.
My next stop was the hardware store on the other side of town. Of course I still had my travel bag from the good old Imalone trip but I figured I’d pick up some more tools that could come in handy.. I ended up with two heavy duty flashlights, some work gloves of various sizes cause I had no idea what size would fit Bianca, and a set of bolt cutters. It was only when I got up to the counter and the clerk gave me the stink eye that I noticed my mistake.
“You planning to break into something kid?”
Questioned the older guy cashing me out. I responded before my brain caught up with my mouth.
“I was planning on it but you guys didn’t sell balaclavas. So I guess I’ll have to wait.”
The man eyed me for a second then burst out laughing as he handed me my things. Which was good because I knew a few places back in Wisconsin where pulling that would’ve got me pulled into a backroom for questioning. Not a lot of people knew how to take a joke back home. Weirdly enough it was the first time I thought of home since coming here. Obviously I had family back there but we weren’t exactly close like I said before. I just found myself missing the familiarity of the area I had lived in for the past 24 years of my life. I think that’s why I came to the decision to call my mother when I got home later that night.
The whole walk home I had this strange feeling of being watched. No-one was there, I’m sure because I checked… several times. But even as I locked the door to my house and starting sorting out a bag of supplies for Bianca, the feeling didn’t go away. As I pulled out my phone to call my mother the feeling finally faded into the background as I got her familiar answering machine.
“Hi, you’ve reached Carla, leave your name and number after the tone.”
Straight and to the point as quickly as possible, that was the best way to describe mom and it showed even in her answering machine.
“Hi mom I bet you’re wondering where I ended up. Well I’m in New York now, in a sleepy little town. Its nice really, I already met some new people they’re… well they’re a bit strange but I think I might fit in with them. I’m still looking for a job but I had a really well paying temp thing the other day so I’ll be fine for a little while. Anyways, hope you’re doing well, love you.”
I teared up a bit as I ended the call, I hadn’t called my mother in at least a year. She never checked up on me and I never checked in with her. We’d see each other at family gatherings and talk but outside of that I didn’t really contact her much anymore. It was sort of a mutual agreement that we both had, we assumed the other was alright. But being this far from Wisconsin, this far from home, had finally caught up with me. I wanted to at least hear her voice, even if it was just a recording.
As I finished up packing for tomorrow I was quite proud of myself. I’d thought of just about everything, I dug some old hiking boots out for myself and some rope from my old travel bag. Several different sets of flint and steel and about three days worth of dehydrated food adorned the top pocket of both bags. I’d even found an old water purification kit that ended up in one of the duffle bags I brought from my apartment. In short, I was the most over prepared for an excursion like this I’d ever been. It did help push back the eyes I felt peering at me from somewhere over my shoulder, the feeling of being watched still not leaving me. Once I laid down and tried to fall asleep the feeling only intensified. Sounds of rolling thunder in the distance reminding me of my time in Imalone and the fury of the storm the Thunderbird brought. I felt strangely confident as well though, tomorrow Bianca and I may finally start to uncover some answers as to why I felt called to this town, and maybe even what this mark could mean for me.

First of all, I would like to say THANK YOU to all of you that showed so much love to my first post ever in Reddit!
Since my girl Millie got too much hate for wearing white and ruining the best photo of the wedding, I decided to write her sad story and share it with all of you. It's a LONG tale, full of ups and mostly downs (TLDR at the end of the post). Sooo, grab some cookies and popcorn while I spill the tea ;)
******WARNING******** The story features what I believe to be unsettling content (pregnancy loss) for some. It's hidden as spoiler, so please don't click it if it's a sensitive issue for you. <3
Our story starts with poor young adult who shall not be named (because I don't remember her name). God (me) had big plans and challenges for her, as she started with 0 simoleons in an off the grid island, with hopes of her becoming a millionaire. She moved in the big island without money, a place to sleep, a toilet, nothing. The challenge goes like this: raise money from beachcombing, buy a towel to sleep on, buy a bush to pee in, snorkel, plant and build a life from zero. And, under no circumstances communicate with another sim.
This challenge was too difficult. The loneliness and hardships, the struggle to just survive and find food, led this young girl to her death by drowning in the middle of the ocean. It was too soon, so God decided to try this challenge again, giving the new sim a head start.
That leads us to the protagonist of the story, Millie Carson.
Millie Carson is a young adult who moved in the same island, like a castaway. All she found on that island was a towel, some planted trees, a toilet bush and a grave.
The ghost from the grave came often to haunt and tease her and finally became her enemy.
At first, young Millie tried to stay away from other sims but, since they kept coming and visiting, God decided that it was ok for her to have some friends.
Millie's neighbors were Miki and Ali, a happy couple with two babies. They kept visiting and bringing food to their poor young neighbor, since she was struggling so much. Millie grew close with Ali, who came swimming to her island sometimes.
Meanwhile, Millie learned some skills that earned her some money and food. She became really good at fitness, gardening and fishing. Little by little, she earned enough money to buy diving supplies and took up some diving photography and treasure hunting. All those helped her build a tiny wood home which finally had a toilet and a shower and even a fridge. Life was getting better for Millie, until she started having feelings for her married neighbor...
Millie was attracted to Ali: his long blond hair, his green eyes and dark skin. To her surprise, Ali was interested in her as well. She tried to fight it but it was over her own power to resist. They made sweet woohoo and became a couple, while he was still married with two kids.
Love makes you do stupid things and that's what happened to Millie. She fell in love with a married man and, surprise surprise, she got pregnant with his kid.
While on her 1st trimester, she visited her neighbolover's home to tell him the news. His wife, Miki, opened the door and the sight was unbelievable: She was pregnant as well, on her 3rd trimester. Millie chatted with Miki as nothing was wrong and even socialized with her kids for a bit. But it was now time for Ali to learn the truth. Millie pulled him aside and told him everything.
To her surprise, Ali was content with being a parent to their child. Millie felt his support and fell even harder for him, causing her to do the unthinkable: Woohoo with him all over his tiny house while his wife and two kids were inside! They woohood EVERYWHERE: The small single bed, the kitchen sink, the counters, standing... They almost got caught by Miki, but hopefully she was so pregnant that it took her an eternity to reach the woohoo spot.
Millie started thinking about their future. Tormented by her jealousy, she asked Ali about Miki. Miki's super pregnant belly was an indicator that Ali still loves and woohoos with his wife, two-timing both women. To her dismay, Ali confessed his love about Miki, but he was willing to keep his relationship with Millie. But that wasn't enough for Millie...
Without hesitation, Millie served Ali an ultimatum: It's her or Miki. No love triangles, no hiding. Her kid needed a father and she needed support as a poor young woman. All those pregnancy hormones made her unreasonable - she came between a happy couple and now she felt that her lover's wife stole him from her, even though they were already together! The irony!
Millie couldn't get over her feelings, so she invited Miki over and told her EVERYTHING. That she was pregnant. That the father was poor Miki's husband. Miki got even yelled at for sleeping with her own husband. Millie was out of control.
Like a tsunami, a force that couldn't be stopped, Millie called over Ali and told him to break it off with his wife. It was now or never. Ali did as told and suddenly Miki broke down crying, hating life and those two who ruined it.
Eventually, Miki left and the.. happy couple were finally alone. Millie asked Ali to move in and he gladly accepted. He even proposed and they stayed engaged until after their baby girl, Angelique, was born.
Meanwhile, even though Miki was hating them, she still came over with extra food like a good neighbor. But her relations with the couple never improved much.
The happy couple decided to get married. Millie wore a pretty but simple boho white dress, hair down and golden jewelry. But her joyful smile was the prettiest jewel she could wear. It was a lovely, quiet wedding on the seashore, during sunset.
Soon after, Millie got pregnant again but wasn't ready or happy for it. Unfortunately, there were some complications with the pregnancy and baby Donovan was born dead. They buried him under a lemon tree and cried for many seasons about him.
Ali started helping Millie with gardening, fishing and diving. But his dream was to finally earn his degree in Communications. He still had 3 classes to pass and then he could enter the PR world. He soon earned his degree with a low to medium score and was ready to start working. There was a huge problem, though...
The island was off the grid and he could not apply for the job, not use the very much needed internet. A decision had to be made: Should they live on this island forever, living off the land, or they should move somewhere else and follow Millie's dream to become millionaires?
The choice was easy. The couple moved to Finchwick, in a big cottage house with a big garden, front and back. They brought with them the plants they had gardened with so much love and also bought some chickens. Life was good for a while, baby Angelique was growing but woohoo life was... fine.
Ali found a job in PR and had to work all day, even from home. He had to polish his charisma and writing skills and meet new people. So, that made Millie a stay at home mom, a gardener, a housekeeper. But there was no time for her lifestyle needs: outdoor living and working out. She became frustrated and was always in a bad and uncomfortable mood. She had gained a lot of weight from her pregnancy, she hardly recognized herself in the mirror...All this bad mood made her cranky. Everytime Ali tried to woohoo with her, she had no drive. So, their love life went down the drain...
Meanwhile, Ali was doing great at work, earning at least 2000 simoleons per day. He had met many people, and one of them became a really good friend of his. His name was Gabriel and he was thin, with black short hair, dark skin and modern makeup.
Ali was tormented by his feelings when he hang out with Gabriel. He couldn't understand how a man can be attracted to another guy like that. He was open to the idea, but had never acted upon it. It wasn't the looks - Gabriel was pretty basic. But there was something about the both of them that made him feel... amazing. The attention he got from Gabriel, the friendship.. It was like they knew each other from another lifetime.
Every time Gabriel came over, Ali got excited. He was interested in his words and inner world, not only his appearance. One night, he couldn't take it anymore. While they were talking the backyard table, Ali started flirting with Gabriel. Things got heated fast and they shared the most beautiful first kiss. That was exactly what he always wanted to feel, but was missing from his other relationships. He proposed to have woohoo in the home office, while Millie and Angelique were sleeping unaware upstairs...
They woohood hard and many times. It was a total WoohooFest. Morning came and Ali, having not slept at all, got ready to go to work. He didn't forget to kiss his wife goodbye, but he spent the entire day thinking about Gabriel. By night, he had decided to ask Gabriel to become his boyfriend.
Millie on the other side, was getting better. She bought a walking machine and she often went swimming in the river. Her woohoo drive was coming back strong and that meant more time with her beloved husband. They started woohooing more often, but Ali was also missing Gabriel...
God suddenly had an idea! Ali should ask Millie to have expanded woohoo with someone else, and that someone else couldn't be other than (yes, you guessed it) Gabriel. Ali went on and asked his wife and God told her that yes, it would be fun! So, unaware of God and her husband's plans, she happily accepted to engage in multiple sim woohoo...
Ali was so excited! He couldn't believe his ears! He immediately called over Gabriel and explained the situation. Gabriel accepted as well and it was time for Gabriel to meet with Millie. Millie tried to get to know him but for some reason he was distant. She tried to flirt with him but he didn't reciprocate. Millie got embarrassed and locked herself in her room for some time, to recollect herself. It shouldn't be so hard, right?
At the same time, Ali made his move on Gabriel and they woohood. Gabriel was more than excited to get together with Ali. So, why not Millie?
After Millie got over her embarrassment, she came out the room. Ali proposed having multiple woohoo and they did it. Everyone had a pleasant time.
After that, they got together two more times. But, the last time, at Gabriel's house, was the final blow.
Millie kept trying to flirt alone with Gabriel, not getting the message but, DUDE. He was NOT into her. It was heartbreaking. She tried so hard for her husband, her self esteem and again, she was turned down. A second choice. She didn't deserve it. And then, she though about it. The flirt between Ali and Gabriel. How they would have woohoo, the three of them, but Gabriel was rejecting her. It was time for answers...
Millie first told Ali to end the expanded woohoo agreement. It was too much for her. He wasn't happy about it, but he agreed. And then, she asked the million dollar question: "What's going on between you two?". Ali tried to hide it, told her they were only friends. But God was starting to feel bad about poor Millie, so had her ask again: "WHAT'S GOING ON BETWEEN YOU TWO?"
The answer was like a knife, going through her heart. Ali loved Gabriel and that's all she needed to know. Their woohoo life was non existent before and now had found someone who made him feel better, more... alive! That's all Millie needed to know. She went over to Gabriel and try to make a last, desperate woohoo pass at him. Once more, he rejected her. It was all so clear. She was the third wheel.
Her ego and her heart were stomped on the ground, like a cockroach. A beautiful, kind, hard working sim shouldn't go through all that. She headed back home, to the privacy of her bedroom and cried her eyeballs out. Ali didn't come home that night and went straight to work.
The next day, Millie invited Gabriel over. Oooh no, she wouldn't let him have Ali so easily. She would humiliate him first. He came over and she started yelling at him. Her face was red and hot, she was fueled by rage. She ending up giving him the beating of his life. When Ali came home from work, both his lovers were black and blue from fighting.
Baby Angelique started crying. She had woken up. Millie rushed upstairs to help her toddler with her needs, but Ali and Gabriel stayed downstairs. Ali tried to comfort Gabriel, asking him to stay. He didn't care about his marriage anymore. God led them to the hall upstairs, outside the bedrooms. They started woohooing again, right there, like animals!
Poor Millie, as she opened her daughter's bedroom's door, she caught her cheater husband in the act! THE AUDACITY!!! And if it that wasn't enough, when she went over to slap him, he acted like she wasn't there and went to woohoo in the shower with his boyfriend - AGAIN! WTH!!!
At this point, Millie knew it was time to give Ali the boot and kick him the hell out of their home, and so she did. After Ali's lover left, the married couple had a long, heated conversation that only had one outcome - Ali had to move out immediately.
So, he left and rented a one-bedroom apartment in the city. He also decided to ask Gabriel to live with him, and Gabriel happily accepted. A new chapter started for Ali but unresolved things were left in the middle with his wife that needed to be dealt with.
While all these took place, Millie had gotten close with celebrity Rahul Chopra. They became good friends and she was invited to his wedding. It was a one of a kind event because Rahul had a shotgun wedding with his wife when they were teenagers due to unwanted pregnancy. After many kids later, Rahul's eldest daughter, with the villainous valentine aspiration (long story) decided to break her eternally faithful parents up for fun. So they did break up, but they were so made for each other, like puzzle pieces, that it was impossible to not end up together again.
Rahul fell back in love with his wife and they decided to do it right this time. They planned the perfect wedding event in San Myshuno's park, during sunset. The whole family was there and their 2nd child, Philip (YA) would take the professional pictures of the wedding.
The ceremony started, everyone (almost) was seated and the photographer (and me) were preoccupied with taking the happy couples pictures. As the ceremony ended, the couple was ready to share their first kiss as husband and wife. The air was filled with confetti that floated playfully around them, the fireworks were set off behing them and the sun was showering them with the warmest rays. It was a one time opportunity to get the perfect picture. Philip got ready to press click. And then, she appeared.
Millie, clearly bothered and heartbroken by other people's love, made a run for the exit and ruined Philip's perfect photograph. The angry look on her face would forever haunt Philip's mind. Why would that woman ruin this happy moment and why the hell would she wear white at someone's wedding? I mean, you wouldn't mistake her for the bride, who wore an expensive wedding gown, but still... Something was wrong with this girl and Philip had to find out...
After the wedding, Millie went back home. The days passed and the divorce was not finalized. She asked her kid who she wanted to stay with, but without reply. She called Ali over, but he texted back he didn't want to come over. Millie had her -now child- daughter call over her dad. This time, Ali responded positively and soon after he arrived. Millie took him straight to the lawyers to see who will get custody of Angelique.
This time, God had no plans, God left it all to luck. So, unfortunately, Ali won custody of Angelique, who immediately went to live with him. Now, Millie was alone. Only her and her money and her baby son's grave in the front yard. Now she was angry, NOW HE WOULD PAY.
Millie grabbed Ali and went once again to the lawyers. It was now time to split the estate. At least 100k simoleons in the bank, plus whatever the house is worth. Millie wants to get everything, but once again, God won't interfere. She comes back home, head down, beaten - she lost 80k.
She turns to her new friend, Philip. He is basic, but he's a good guy. He lives alone in an apartment in San Myshuno, studies Fine Arts in university, comes from a good family. He also has a girlfriend that lives across the hall from him, but Millie doesn't know. And God tells her to come onto him. Now Philip has two girlfriends and God must interfere.
God and luck are playing games with Millie's life.
As I'm writing her story, there's only one thing I feel: Sad.
This girl started out with hopes and dreams. So I think that we should forgive her for attending a friend's wedding wearing white. Some God forgot to change her formal outfit and it was all she had to wear. She's going through a lot!
Her story ends for now, but if you guys like it I might write more about her life's adventures.
Also, what should she do with Philip? Let me know in the comments!
If you read this whole essay / story , you are amazing! And thanks! Hope you liked it! :)
TLDR: YA woman starts with 0 money in off the grid island. Wants to earn a million. Gets pregnant by married neighbor with kids. Marries him and they buy new home. They get pregnant second time, lose the baby.He gets a good job, meets new people, gets new guy friend, has woohoo with that friend. The 3 of them have expanded woohoo. Woman breaks it off. Woman confronts husband about loving other man, he confesses he loves him. Woman kicks him out and he lives alone in flat. The other guy moves in with him. Woman heartbroken, goes to friends wedding wearing white, is angry at happy couple's love, ruins the married couple kiss photo. Photo becomes famous on Reddit. Woman loses custody of only child. Woman loses 80k simoleons after splitting estate. Woman becomes girlfriend of the photographer from the friend's wedding. Photographer already has another girlfriend.
*****EDIT*********** I can't believe I forgot to write this, but Millie also drowned in the ocean while being fatigued from diving for treasures. I decided to not save and give her a second chance. Her life is dramatic, UUUUUUGH!!!!

In most cases when sales of a product have plateaued, market saturation is often used. That suggests there is more supply than demand for a given product. Western marketplaces are bursting with work options and ways to make money. Today’s young people must act smart and move quick to locate new employment opportunities.In most cases when sales of a product have plateaued, market saturation is often used. That suggests there is more supply than demand for a given product. Western marketplaces are bursting with work options and ways to make money. Today’s young people must act smart and move quick to locate new employment opportunities.

Suppose one wants to be successful in this field, they should focus on expanding markets, developing innovative technology, and uncovering undiscovered company prospects in highly profitable niche industries, among other things (Agarwal et al, 6). Businesses in crowded markets may cut the price of their products to gain a larger market share. As a result, businesses are always undercutting each other to attract new customers. Cost-cutting is a common strategy for firms when profits are stagnant (Simonazzi et al., 17). Unnecessary or avoidable cost savings are welcome, but they don’t address the underlying issue.

Where do I pay my taxes if I am a digital nomad?

According to the recent reports, westerners already pay too many taxes in a number of business entities. Due to the high cost of living in their new home nation, one out of every five American ex-pats is contemplating renunciation of their citizenship. Senators are concerned about how to pay for the deficit, and Senate rules prohibit raising long-term deficits through reconciliation bills. Consequently, more money will be available to Congress if the budget reconciliation plan generates more revenue. The United States will not make significant investments unless Congress makes significant adjustments to the tax structure (Michel et al., 89). Increased budget deficits could slow the long-term growth of the economy. In addition private investment or borrowing from other countries is used to pay for government borrowing when the economy is close to capacity (Chen et al.440). When a person is experiencing difficulties, it might harm their future well-being. To put it another way, the long-term impacts of tax policy are influenced by its incentives and its budgetary implications.
Digital nomads have historically been seen as a threat in some places, but several countries around the world are now actively seeking to attract this growing digital population through new remote work visas.
All this converges into a superstorm, and more and more people will opt for digital nomad opportunities. While tax regulations can vary significantly depending on where you are in the world, general guidelines may be helpful to for those seeking information on paying taxes as a digital nomad. Naturally, tax filing is done with the country of tax residence as determined by the place of a principal residence. Digital nomads, however, may encounter a variety of additional layers of tax residence due to their physical presence in other countries during a tax year. In addition, state/province/territory and local taxes may also apply.

Cancel culture and family safety issues

The cancellation culture has a lot to do with social media and if it hadn’t been for social media, pop culture would not have gotten the attention it has in the previous decade. In most case the cultures are frequently canceled by unfollowing, blocking, and publicly criticizing an organization or individual on social media. Due to their large social media followings, celebrity cancellations often garner much media attention. As a result of using social media to communicate with celebrities, many teenagers desire to emulate their peers. Most adolescent cancel culture is carried out online, primarily via comments and unfollows (Yar et al., 80). This can happen in the real world, such as at school or in extracurricular activities. They are often rejected, mocked, and disregarded by their peers, who have had their activities canceled. Most Western workers are experiencing job instability due to the growth of a “cancel culture” in the workplace (Dąbrowska-Kłosińska, 30). This can be a terrific method for teenagers to learn and grow, as their peers may call them out for using insulting words or acting inappropriately.

Investment analysis and forecasting as part of the individual development strategy

To produce an accurate financial projection, one must consider both general macroeconomic trends and your organization’s specific circumstances. Predicting how much money a company will generate and spend in the future is known as financial forecasting. A full estimate contains both short-term and long-term revenue estimates and costs that aren’t anticipated at the time of the estimate (Poorter et al.120). People who know how to create models are critical to financial forecasting firms that do a good job. Some people have extensive knowledge of the organization, its sectors, and the communities it serves to support them along the way. Similarly, data collection and analysis are critical to the financial forecasting process and the use of the software.

Scenario planning and personal life choices

Global events like COVID 19, inflation, or food crisis can impact our life choices a lot. To avoid reacting to events, we need to think about what might happen in the future. Scenario planning helps us do this. Scenario planning allows business leaders to consider what might happen, reflect on past actions, and devise strategies for positive and poor outcomes. Scenario planning is more than just a means to think about the future when it comes to financial planning. It can assist one in determining how much money you’ll make, how much money you’ll have, and how to manage hazards. Early warning indications of difficulties can be spotted by leaders who make their organizations aware of potential issues (MacKenzie et al.900). One can use scenario planning papers to quickly run through numerous scenarios and figure out the best course of action in the event of a crisis. Making a strategy in the event of an emergency is essential. Having a strategy in place is critical in the event of a product going viral and seeing a threefold increase in demand in a single day.

Building the right skills for the jobs of the future

To be eligible for future employment, one must possess the abilities that will be most in demand. Coding has taken off swiftly as one of the most sought-after skills. Almost any industry can benefit from the versatility and scalability of computer languages. People believe that coding is so prevalent in the workplace that it will soon become an essential skill for everyone. Learning to code is a difficult task. Learning how to code and the language you choose impacts how long it takes to do so (Moldoveanu et al.40). Before you begin learning how to code, look at several computer languages and determine which ones are relevant to your industry. Many people begin by studying HTML or JavaScript when learning a new language. After you’ve mastered the fundamentals, you can move to more popular and widely used languages like Python. It is possible to store and manage corporate data in the cloud while allowing employees to work from home.

Riding on global trends of tomorrow

By adopting an agile culture, knowing how to cope with ambiguity, pushing outside our comfort zones, and quickly adjusting to new trends, among other things, we achieve success. We all agree that the weather has gotten more erratic in the last few decades. Crop failure, sea-level rise, and water scarcity are exacerbated by global warming. Malaria and dengue fever epidemics are also on the rise due to the influx of people from developing countries. According to the Kyoto Protocol, 175 countries have agreed to begin the long process of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by signing it (Penalva et al., 340). According to business leaders worldwide, firms have a larger role in society and should do more than merely follow the law to reduce pollution. According to a McKinsey survey, this is the case. The “triple bottom line” refers to a company’s efforts to benefit its shareholders and its workers and the environment. Increasing numbers of businesses are waking up to the need to lower their carbon footprints, produce ecologically friendly products, and operate their operations for more than just quarterly profits.

References

Agarwal, Khushboo, and Veeraruna Kavitha. “Saturated total-population dependent branching process and viral markets.” arXiv preprint arXiv: 2203.16239 (2022).
Chen, Novia X., and Terry Shevlin. ““US worldwide taxation and domestic mergers and acquisitions” a discussion✰.” Journal of Accounting and Economics 66.2-3 (2018): 439-447.
Dąbrowska-Kłosińska, Patrycja. “The Protection of Human Rights in Pandemics—Reflections on the Past, Present, and Future.” German Law Journal 22.6 (2021): 28-38.
MacKenzie, Meredith A., et al. “Respecting choices and related models of advance care planning: a systematic review of published evidence.” American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine® 35.6 (2018): 897-907.
Michel, Adam N. “When It Comes to Taxation, Borders Matter—Europe and the US Should Act Accordingly.” Heritage Foundation Issue Brief 4855 (2018).
Moldoveanu, Mihnea, and Das Narayandas. “The future of leadership development.” Harvard business review 97.2 (2019): 40-48.
Penalva, Jose. “Innovation, personalised education and Little Red Riding Hood.” International Journal of Lifelong Education 39.4 (2020): 339-355.
Poorter, Lourens, et al. “Can traits predict individual growth performance? A test in a hyperdiverse tropical forest.” New Phytologist 219.1 (2018): 109-121.
Simonazzi, Annamaria, Jorge Carreto Sanginés, and Margherita Russo. “The Future of the Automotive Industry: Dangerous Challenges or New Life for a Saturated Market?” Institute for New Economic Thinking Working Paper Series 141 (2020).
Yar, Sanam, and Jonah Engel Bromwich. “Tales From the teenage cancel culture.” The New York Times (2019).
Authors

Paul Lalovich

Organizational Effectiveness and Strategy Execution Practice

Tesha Teshanovich

Organizational Effectiveness and Strategy Execution Practice

I am a single 30 yo F with no kids, I have a job currently in retail (healthcare) and I am a floater. For the majority of the past 3 years (graduated 2021 summer) I have had the same job but took on remote/rural area shifts so pay is higher, $95/hour, meals expensable (to certain limit), hotels paid, drive time, and mileage. These rural area shifts are usually 120-130 miles away from my home. I got news recently that someone else who is going to be paid less (1-2 years contract) is being brought on to replace me, plus another 2-3 employees in that area. I only have until the end of June to work and still have income from this job. After that I’m assuming they will reduce my hours and have me float in other closer areas for regular pay 76$ per hour. And not many floating shifts available. This is terrifying to me due to the bills, loans, mortgage I have to pay. I interviewed internally for a 2 year contract manager position in a rural area, 50k bonus, 84$ per hour, and a small amount to relocate. I would not be able to expense any of the previous things I mentioned as I’d be staff. The place is pretty and I love floating there as I can always come home after the shifts and relax in my own bed but moving there, is a bit scary to me. I’ll be 4-5 hours away from my parents/siblings, and I still have a slight attachment to my ex, 4 hours drive to him. There aren’t many food places nor things to do out there, just can enjoy the ocean mostly. I have to move out of my current house to rent it out, I just don’t know where to go? And move my stuff, I renovated it and never fully moved in, so mostly everything the garage. I prepared the listing but have not actually posted it. I know this will help me with taxes next year if rented out, it’s just sitting empty. I could possibly move in with my parents but that’s another 2 hours away from even my house. I’d probably have to switch districts and float elsewhere and take a pay cut or float while trying to find another job. The house is just sitting here empty and I’m never home, I wish I could rent out 2-3 rooms but hoa will not allow me to, either rent the whole house or sell. I don’t have enough saved to buy another house, if I was to live with my parents I could probably save another 60k in a year.
Currently bills/payments: -12k student loans 6% interest (started at 150K) -10k property taxes -$2280 monthly mortgage, 5% interest, for 30 year loan, $338k left balance. Current rental amount to rent it out would be $3300. I normally add $100 to my payment every month so about $2380 -$280 Monthly HOA -$80 Water bill -$100 PG and E bill -$130 phone bill and 2 subscriptions -$730 6 month car insurance -$1500 12 month home insurance -$1k-2k food, alcohol, vapes. I need to cut the drinking and smoking :/ though most of the food is expensed from work. -$100 on supplies for self care. No other real expenses, as I do my own lashes, nails, waxing, and hair extensions. Just for 4 month invervals for Botox I go in to a service.
Current savings/pay/investments: -$40k hysa at 5.05% interest -$112k in stocks/etfs -$12k in Coinbase/bitcoin -$3k in random CS ira -$53k work 401k
My take home is about $2k to $2.5k per week income from work. It can be higher when I work more hours but hours have been cut a lot lately. Gross income before taxes last year was $240k. I max my 401k part each paycheck. My car is about to give out eventually, 2009 Honda as well.
Any advice as to what to do? I feel like I haven’t accomplished anything, as if I’m behind in life. I really hope to find a partner I love as well and can settle down with but in that remote area job I’ll be working all day and not too many people out there to meet either. Thank you!