Hoi everyone,
I'm new to the area and would be happy to explore the city and get to know your favourite hangout spots.
Apart from that, here's some interests of mine in case you have some specific recommendations for those:

• Analog photography
• Boxing (beginner looking for a gym to join)
• Knitting/Crocheting (any good yarn shops around?)
• Raising fruit/veggie plants
• Korean language/food (Lived in Korea for a while and speak the language, although it's getting a bit rusty now. Anyone wants to practice?)

Maintaining a clean and clear windshield is essential for safe driving, as it ensures optimum visibility on the road. However, the environment often throws various elements at our windshields, such as grime, bugs, and bird droppings, which can hinder our view. To combat this, modern cars are equipped with windshield wiper fluid reservoirs and spray systems that make cleaning a breeze. When the fluid level runs low, it's time to refill the reservoir to ensure uninterrupted use. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the easy steps to refill your windshield washer fluid at home. You don't need any special tools for this task; just a trip to the store and a few minutes of your time. Let's get started!

1: Locating the Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir:

The windshield washer fluid reservoir is typically found in the engine bay of your vehicle. Look for a reservoir with a blue cap featuring the windshield wiper symbol. While the exact location may vary depending on your car's make, model, and manufacturing year, you can consult your owner's manual for assistance. It is crucial to identify the correct reservoir to avoid accidentally tampering with other fluid compartments.

2: Opening the Reservoir Cap and Adding Distilled Water:

Once you have located the reservoir, carefully open the cap, ensuring it is undamaged. To refill the fluid, you will need distilled water, which is recommended to prevent mineral deposits and maintain the longevity of your washer system. Using a funnel, pour the distilled water into the reservoir slowly and cautiously. Be mindful not to overfill the reservoir, as it can lead to leakage and potentially damage other components.
During the refilling process, it is vital to prevent any debris or dirt from entering the reservoir. Even tiny particles can clog the fluid lines, hindering the spray action on your windshield. Take extra care to keep the area clean and free from any potential contaminants.

3: Checking the Fluid Sprayer:

After successfully refilling the reservoir, start your vehicle and test the fluid sprayer. Engage the wiper system and verify if the sprayer is functioning correctly. Ensure that the fluid is adequately sprayed onto the windshield in a consistent manner. Check for any abnormalities, such as insufficient spray or irregular spray patterns, which might indicate underlying issues. If the fluid sprayer is working correctly and the windshield is being effectively cleaned, congratulations! You have successfully refilled your windshield washer fluid, and your car is ready for the road.

Conclusion:

Maintaining a clear and clean windshield is vital for road safety, and refilling the windshield washer fluid is a simple yet important task. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily refill the fluid reservoir at home without the need for professional assistance or specialized tools.
Remember, regularly checking and topping up your windshield washer fluid ensures that you have a reliable and efficient cleaning system when you need it most. Additionally, using distilled water helps prevent clogging and prolongs the lifespan of your washer system. So, take a proactive approach to your vehicle maintenance, and with just a few minutes of effort, enjoy the benefits of a clear and unobstructed view on your daily drives. Stay safe on the road and enjoy the journey!
Also Read : How to Maintain and Drive a Diesel Car: Essential Tips for Optimal Performance

Attention small business owners and car enthusiasts!
Do you want to make your business or vehicle stand out from the crowd? Do you want to improve the aesthetic feel of your brand or product? Do you want to attract more customers and admirers with eye-catching designs?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you need to check out our quality vinyl decal and graphic service!
We are a team of professional designers and installers who can create custom vinyl decals and graphics for any surface and purpose. Whether you need a logo, a slogan, a pattern, or a picture, we can make it happen here at www.vinylprodenver.com
Our vinyl decals and graphics are:
• High-quality: We use premium vinyl materials that are durable, weather-resistant, and fade-proof. Our printing process ensures vibrant colors and sharp details that will last for years.
• Customizable: We can print any shape, size, color, and design that you want. You can choose from our wide selection of templates or upload your own artwork. We can also help you with the design process if you need some inspiration or guidance.
• Affordable: We offer competitive prices and fast turnaround times. We also offer free online proofs, free shipping on most orders, and excellent customer service. You won’t find a better deal anywhere else!
• Versatile: Our vinyl decals and graphics can be applied to any smooth surface, such as windows, walls, floors, doors, cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, bikes, helmets, laptops, phones, and more. They are easy to apply and remove without leaving any residue or damage.
Contact us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) don’t miss this opportunity to transform your business or vehicle with our quality vinyl decal and graphic service! Order today and get ready to impress everyone with your new look!

Attention small business owners and car enthusiasts!
Do you want to make your business or vehicle stand out from the crowd? Do you want to improve the aesthetic feel of your brand or product? Do you want to attract more customers and admirers with eye-catching designs?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you need to check out our quality vinyl decal and graphic service!
We are a team of professional designers and installers who can create custom vinyl decals and graphics for any surface and purpose. Whether you need a logo, a slogan, a pattern, or a picture, we can make it happen here at www.vinylprodenver.com
Our vinyl decals and graphics are:
• High-quality: We use premium vinyl materials that are durable, weather-resistant, and fade-proof. Our printing process ensures vibrant colors and sharp details that will last for years.
• Customizable: We can print any shape, size, color, and design that you want. You can choose from our wide selection of templates or upload your own artwork. We can also help you with the design process if you need some inspiration or guidance.
• Affordable: We offer competitive prices and fast turnaround times. We also offer free online proofs, free shipping on most orders, and excellent customer service. You won’t find a better deal anywhere else!
• Versatile: Our vinyl decals and graphics can be applied to any smooth surface, such as windows, walls, floors, doors, cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, bikes, helmets, laptops, phones, and more. They are easy to apply and remove without leaving any residue or damage.
Contact us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) don’t miss this opportunity to transform your business or vehicle with our quality vinyl decal and graphic service! Order today and get ready to impress everyone with your new look!

Attention small business owners and car enthusiasts!
Do you want to make your business or vehicle stand out from the crowd? Do you want to improve the aesthetic feel of your brand or product? Do you want to attract more customers and admirers with eye-catching designs?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you need to check out our quality vinyl decal and graphic service!
We are a team of professional designers and installers who can create custom vinyl decals and graphics for any surface and purpose. Whether you need a logo, a slogan, a pattern, or a picture, we can make it happen here at www.vinylprodenver.com
Our vinyl decals and graphics are:
• High-quality: We use premium vinyl materials that are durable, weather-resistant, and fade-proof. Our printing process ensures vibrant colors and sharp details that will last for years.
• Customizable: We can print any shape, size, color, and design that you want. You can choose from our wide selection of templates or upload your own artwork. We can also help you with the design process if you need some inspiration or guidance.
• Affordable: We offer competitive prices and fast turnaround times. We also offer free online proofs, free shipping on most orders, and excellent customer service. You won’t find a better deal anywhere else!
• Versatile: Our vinyl decals and graphics can be applied to any smooth surface, such as windows, walls, floors, doors, cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, bikes, helmets, laptops, phones, and more. They are easy to apply and remove without leaving any residue or damage.
Contact us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) don’t miss this opportunity to transform your business or vehicle with our quality vinyl decal and graphic service! Order today and get ready to impress everyone with your new look!

Attention small business owners and car enthusiasts!
Do you want to make your business or vehicle stand out from the crowd? Do you want to improve the aesthetic feel of your brand or product? Do you want to attract more customers and admirers with eye-catching designs?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you need to check out our quality vinyl decal and graphic service!
We are a team of professional designers and installers who can create custom vinyl decals and graphics for any surface and purpose. Whether you need a logo, a slogan, a pattern, or a picture, we can make it happen here at www.vinylprodenver.com
Our vinyl decals and graphics are:
• High-quality: We use premium vinyl materials that are durable, weather-resistant, and fade-proof. Our printing process ensures vibrant colors and sharp details that will last for years.
• Customizable: We can print any shape, size, color, and design that you want. You can choose from our wide selection of templates or upload your own artwork. We can also help you with the design process if you need some inspiration or guidance.
• Affordable: We offer competitive prices and fast turnaround times. We also offer free online proofs, free shipping on most orders, and excellent customer service. You won’t find a better deal anywhere else!
• Versatile: Our vinyl decals and graphics can be applied to any smooth surface, such as windows, walls, floors, doors, cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, bikes, helmets, laptops, phones, and more. They are easy to apply and remove without leaving any residue or damage.
Contact us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) don’t miss this opportunity to transform your business or vehicle with our quality vinyl decal and graphic service! Order today and get ready to impress everyone with your new look!

Attention small business owners and car enthusiasts!
Do you want to make your business or vehicle stand out from the crowd? Do you want to improve the aesthetic feel of your brand or product? Do you want to attract more customers and admirers with eye-catching designs?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you need to check out our quality vinyl decal and graphic service!
We are a team of professional designers and installers who can create custom vinyl decals and graphics for any surface and purpose. Whether you need a logo, a slogan, a pattern, or a picture, we can make it happen here at www.vinylprodenver.com
Our vinyl decals and graphics are:
• High-quality: We use premium vinyl materials that are durable, weather-resistant, and fade-proof. Our printing process ensures vibrant colors and sharp details that will last for years.
• Customizable: We can print any shape, size, color, and design that you want. You can choose from our wide selection of templates or upload your own artwork. We can also help you with the design process if you need some inspiration or guidance.
• Affordable: We offer competitive prices and fast turnaround times. We also offer free online proofs, free shipping on most orders, and excellent customer service. You won’t find a better deal anywhere else!
• Versatile: Our vinyl decals and graphics can be applied to any smooth surface, such as windows, walls, floors, doors, cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, bikes, helmets, laptops, phones, and more. They are easy to apply and remove without leaving any residue or damage.
Contact us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) don’t miss this opportunity to transform your business or vehicle with our quality vinyl decal and graphic service! Order today and get ready to impress everyone with your new look!

Hey all, using a throwaway for obvious reasons.
I've been with my boyfriend for nearly 3 years now. The first year or so was long-distance, and after hundreds of hours of Discord calls and a couple of visits, we moved in together and we've lived that way ever since.
On one hand, I feel emotionally cold towards him. I'm no longer sexually attracted to him (even though he is quite good-looking, in my opinion) and I'm afraid to admit that I may no longer be romantically attracted to him. On the other hand, I love and value the stability and honesty and patience that he affords. He's by far the most "sane" and communicative partner I've ever had- we've actually talked about these issues before, and basically decided to try and make it work. Now, though, I find myself questioning whether I'll ever find him attractive in those ways again.
It's hard, for many reasons, some of which are to do with our specific social situation (much of which does not actually have any bearing on whether we should stay together, in my opinion, but still complicates a potential breakup) and some of which are relevant to my posting this thread. Matters in question, which I would like feedback on, are:

1. Whether or not this sort of romantic and sexual decline is normal in long term relationships. I don't believe most sustainable couples suffer this badly this early on from such a decline in emotional interest from either party, but am I just well out of the honeymoon phase? Would this sort of decline be inevitable in any relationship?
   
2. Whether or not I'm overvaluing the very thing of romantic and sexual magnetism in and of itself. Do I just long for the high of the honeymoon phase once again? I don't believe so. I find myself irritated by him. I'm frankly cold to him when he absolutely does not deserve to receive that kind of treatment... He is a genuine romantic and a sweetheart and the fact that his advances so often rub me the wrong way is surely a sign that I should leave the relationship, and free us both, no? Surely a daily sense of being bonded and truly enjoying his company should be a necessary component of a lifelong relationship, right?
   
3. Whether or not this is simply an unbroken cycle perpetuated by some unaddressed matters of my psyche. This is the longest relationship I've ever been in, but two years seems to be about the pattern. That said, there have been various different reasons for wanting to leave. It isn't always just irritation and a sense of being fed up and a loss of romantic fire, as it is in this case. Perhaps my problem is that I'm not quick enough to end unsatisfying or otherwise doomed relationships, and two years is just the limits of my patience?
   

Worst of all is how he'll be affected. In fact, if it weren't for that, I think I would have done it some time ago already. He's extremely sentimental and it absolutely tears me up to think of all of our good times turning sour for him. So many songs and little details of our lives and hobbies that are tied up with memories of being together that I fear I may ruin.
I really just had to get this off my chest. I'll probably have made up my mind by tomorrow, but getting these thoughts out on paper was likely necessary. Thank you for reading and please feel free to give any thoughts or words of advice you may have.

Attention small business owners and car enthusiasts!
Do you want to make your business or vehicle stand out from the crowd? Do you want to improve the aesthetic feel of your brand or product? Do you want to attract more customers and admirers with eye-catching designs?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you need to check out our quality vinyl decal and graphic service!
We are a team of professional designers and installers who can create custom vinyl decals and graphics for any surface and purpose. Whether you need a logo, a slogan, a pattern, or a picture, we can make it happen here at www.vinylprodenver.com
Our vinyl decals and graphics are:
• High-quality: We use premium vinyl materials that are durable, weather-resistant, and fade-proof. Our printing process ensures vibrant colors and sharp details that will last for years.
• Customizable: We can print any shape, size, color, and design that you want. You can choose from our wide selection of templates or upload your own artwork. We can also help you with the design process if you need some inspiration or guidance.
• Affordable: We offer competitive prices and fast turnaround times. We also offer free online proofs, free shipping on most orders, and excellent customer service. You won’t find a better deal anywhere else!
• Versatile: Our vinyl decals and graphics can be applied to any smooth surface, such as windows, walls, floors, doors, cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, bikes, helmets, laptops, phones, and more. They are easy to apply and remove without leaving any residue or damage.
Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your business or vehicle with our quality vinyl decal and graphic service! Order today and get ready to impress everyone with your new look!

[Part 1](https://www.reddit.com/HFY/comments/131t1q9/first_contacts_part_1/)
[Part 6](https://www.reddit.com/HFY/comments/13xe87q/first_contacts_part_6/)
“Welcome to the Endeavour 2.”
Nathan had already chosen to name the frigate after his experimental warp ship, I wondered if that meant he intended to keep hold of it but the limited number of Doradul crew was my largest concern.
“Only 20 Orvangians?”
Nathan’s smile dropped away and he rose from his seat, “I am sorry Jin, the Axarli shot and killed several on the planet’s surface, these were the only prisoners they recovered.”
Halor the Doradul’s Secondary Ops Officer made the Orvangian Gesture of Greif from loss before taking the pilot’s seat that Nathan slid out of.
“I am glad to see you and Doc got to the shuttle safely, but you should probably get some rest, that’s what I am going to do now.” Nathan gestured back to the elevator.
Once we were aboard the elevator, he thumbed the button for Deck 9 where the shuttle was stored.
“What course are we on?”
“Halor plotted a course to a Federation System called Polivor, we will be there in about a day.”
Once we reached the shuttle Nathan and I gathered our things and headed for Deck 4 officer’s quarters. Nathan claimed the Captains Quarters and offered me the First Officers, it was nowhere near as comfortable as the Doradul, in that respect it was much more like the Endeavour, it was a single chamber with a bed, chair, desk, and storage compartments, no more than 6 square metres of floor and barely 3 metres high.
All I had in the way of possessions was a Laser Rifle, a Space Suit, and the pack of seeds from the Doradul, Purple Valuri Seeds my mother had given me when I left for the Doradul. The Chamber didn’t have enough lighting for flowers to grow, the gloom better suited to the needs of the Sovereigns or Euterians.
I Stowed my things and extracted myself from the space suit, it looked ugly now, not the smooth bluish appearance it had once possessed, there were dozens of scratches on its hard segments and the Separatist sealant was brown leaving a couple of dozen irregular dirty-looking smudges where I had sealed it.
My uniform was no better, torn and tattered I had been wearing it for hours when I was sent to recover Nathan from the Endeavour 1, it smelled dirty and pink staining surrounded the tears.
Entirely disrobed I lay on the bed and dimmed the lights, the last sleep I had managed was back in the escape pod, it felt like that was days ago. Despite my exhaustion, it wasn’t easy to fall asleep, perhaps it was the stinging of wounds or the death of so many Orvangians that I knew, sleep took over an hour to reach.
I dreamt of the first year I served aboard the Doradul, we were surveying systems in the Tilbas Sector, looking for worlds that would be suitable for Orvangian settlement, they were peaceful days wandering the stars in search of beauty and quiet, I had built many friendships with members of the crew, among them was Wula, she served as a Geological specialist, surveying planetary crusts for stability. I had gathered her family seal from her body when I was on the Doradul, hers and two others, Palos wasn’t exactly my friend, a support Engineer, he was after my job but I did not wish to see him dead and Worgan, I didn’t know him well.
I woke after a few hours, my bedding stained with lymph from a wound on my side, it had opened again as I had slept. The only thing I had to wear was my torn and stained uniform so I donned it again and headed for the medical bay on deck 3.
Doctor Hule and the Tilik Nathan called Doc were here, treating plasma burns on Sub Officer Florn, she had been a ground officer during surface surveying for the Doradul.
Doc moved over to the second bed and patted it with a tentacle so I hopped up and gestured to my reopened would “It started weeping again”.
“Not to worry, I can go over them all with more care now that there are no enemies at the door.”
Doc began to treat my wounds taking time to seal and patch each one, it took over an hour of work for him to finish and I did feel considerably better.
“Thanks, Doc” I slid off the bed and turned to leave.
“I suggest you also visit the quartermasters on deck 7, they can sort you out something clean to wear.”
Clean clothes and a shower sounded great so I headed straight to Deck 7, the Doradul’s own Quartermaster was here and she soon had the ship fabricate two new uniforms for me, both now showing the embroidery pattern for the Doradul as a Memoriam pattern, though she had not included an Endeavour 2 pattern.
The deck where my quarters were had a shower block, suited to the use of four so that all the senior officers of the frigate could use it at once. I was the only one there though so I took my time cleaning, ensuring that the grime of recent events was gone.
Finally clean I donned a new uniform and stowed the other in my quarters before heading to the bridge.
Halor was still in command, using the Pilots chair as a sort of captain’s seat as he reviewed the ship’s systems and supplies, not that the information was necessary, we would be arriving at Polivor in less than 20 hours now and he would most certainly be disembarking, we all would. This ship was evidence of the Separatists’ rearming against the treaty they had signed when they lost the war.
“Jin! I thought you would be resting after all that excitement.”
“Sleep is difficult, I was hoping we had a crew roster.”
“We do” he indicated an auxiliary console “But I am sad to say that neither of the Doradul’s Therapeutic officers are with us.”
I sat on the padded bar that counted as an auxiliary station seat and brought up the roster, Nathan and Doc were both listed as well as the 21 survivors of the Doradul, 84 had died in the attack on the ship, those whose seals had been recovered were also listed, so I added the three I had collected and quietly wept for a few moments at the losses we had taken.
Less than 40 seals of dead crewmembers had been recovered and were currently being displayed in the galley on deck 3 so that was my next destination, the elevator was in use so I took the ramps.
The Galley was busy, 10 of my crewmates from the Doradul were here some at a wall where 35 seals hung in memoriam of the lost, and others were sitting at tables with the separatist equivalent of ration packs.
I approached the memorial wall and hung the three seals I had recovered, Jola and Nero gave me sympathetic hugs in response. Jola had worked with Wula as part of the survey teams so she offered to make the bond and share memories of our friend and colleague.
We sat and shared our memories through the Bond, the experiences we had each gathered of Wula being integrated, the social evenings I had shared with her, and the work humour Jola had experienced, each memory we shared built a greater picture of our lost friend in our minds and helped us to become closer friends as a result.
After the bond was over, we sat together and ate, the Separatist ration packs were simple, a grain and nut disc with a side of dried berries all held in a small plastic pouch. It wasn’t as good as the fake chicken that Nathan had shared but it was enough to sate my appetite.
Others in the Galley were sharing memories and meals, we may have lost the therapists but our shared experiences were helping us to cope with the losses.
I was about to depart the Galley when Nathan arrived with Doc, Nathan’s arms were loaded with ration packs of his own kind, far more than he could reasonably eat, and Doc was carrying a couple of bottles of medication.
Nathan selected a table next to mine and began laying out and snapping tabs on containers, a total of eight each with the same markings as the fried chicken I had tasted. Doc opened the bottles and dumped the pills into a bowl.
Once the circles turned red Nathan tore lids off packs and released the delicious smell of chicken “Ok everyone, feel free to try some Southern Fried Chicken, Be aware that the coating is a little toxic to Orvangians, so please take an Anti-Toxin pill from Doc here before you eat!” he spoke loud and clear so that everyone turned their attention to him and the smell.
I moved swiftly to the table and dry swallowed a pill before selecting a piece of chicken and biting down. My first taste of this had been without the coating so I had not been able to experience the full delights of its flavours, the coating was quite spicy though the anti-toxin was doing a good job of keeping it from being painful.
Soon others were trying the food for themselves and Nathan found himself explaining that it was not meat once again, though most were satisfied with no explanation. The atmosphere soon became more jovial and Nathan asked Buddy to play some music by another Buddy, this time a musician called Buddy Holly.
The Chicken was soon gone but the uplifted spirits would not fade so quickly, Nathan chatted with everyone, sharing jokes and stories from his people. For a few hours, the galley was a happy place.
Eventually, Nathan and I headed to the bridge to relieve Halor and monitor systems during our journey. I had never served aboard a ship built by another species before, the console layouts and bridge plan here were designed for a mixed species crew with effort made to offer interface and seating flexibility for all the races of the Separatist movement.
Someone had already modified screen layouts to better suit the Orvangian standard and seats were largely configured for our lean forms, the pilot’s chair being the only exception.
“Nathan, you understand that the Federation is likely to want this ship for study.”
“Halor told me. It’s fine though just leaves room for an Endeavour 3.” Nathan followed the statement with a Grin, something the other Orvangians on the bridge were still not used to, but I found myself grinning back causing a surprised reaction from the rest of the bridge crew.
There wasn’t much to do at warp so much of our time was just familiarising ourselves with the ship and its many systems, the Endeavour 2 was originally just referred to as the TX210-B, a combat support Frigate with an arsenal of ship-to-ship weaponry, it was designed to fight, having no other purpose.
After a few hours we were relieved of duty ourselves, Florn being the next most senior officer, he had no experience commanding a ship, but his rank was just below mine and he did command ground survey teams so he would manage for a few hours of Warp travel.
Nathan and I departed the Bridge together “You hungry?” Nathan nudged me as he spoke.
“I haven’t eaten much the last couple of days.”
“Let’s head to my quarters and grab some food then.” We used the ramps to reach deck 4, Nathan’s Fabricator was set up on the desk in his quarters and six ration packs were stacked inside it.
“Your fabricator can make food?”
“Yes, I fed it some of the separatist ration packs and it can make a half dozen different food options from them.” He took a pack from the machine and held it out to me.
He cleared the machine and started it on the next load, then he gathered the stack he had built beside it, almost two entire batches worth and headed back up to the Galley. Once we arrived, he deposited all but one of the packs onto a table at the end of the room and selected a seat at another table.
As I sat with the pack he had given me I noticed that the writing on the pack that had been in Nathan’s language when we had shared chicken on the shuttle, was now all in Orvangian, indicating the instructions to cook the meal and describing itself as a ‘Closed Spicy Meat Sandwich with vegetables and Fruit Sauce’ once the circle turned red I tore open the top to reveal a pair of shell-shaped things, they didn’t look like sandwiches really, they smelled of cooked meat and spices.
“I had Buddy modify the ingredients to eliminate toxic properties so enjoy.” Nathan bit into the crunchy exterior and juices dripped from his chin as he ate.
It was delicious, though I still preferred the chicken he had provided before. Several crew in the galley helped themselves to a pack and soon the whole galley smelled of the spices and meats of this Human food.
Two of these sandwiches were a little much for an Orvangian so most of the crew were sharing packs. After I finished one sandwich Nathan asked “You going to eat that?”
“No.” with that Nathan demolished his third and seemed sated.
“Captain Nathan. Could Buddy play some more music?” the query came from Asor a junior engineer by rank.
“Sure! Buddy, can we get some Dolly?”
“Playing Dolly Parton.” Buddy began with a song about working long hours and soon the galley was full of Orvangians badly singing along.
Eventually, the poor sleep I had gotten over the last couple of days was too much for me and I departed the music and joviality of the galley and returned to my chambers, the small size and lack of a garden hit me again as I entered the metal box military officers call spacious quarters.
Exhaustion made sleep much easier this time and I managed a good six hours of rest, my dreams largely of my childhood and memories I had gained from my bond with Jola. When I awoke it was to the voice of Nathan “All crew, we shall be arriving at the Polivor system in one hour, All crew to stations.”
I climbed out of bed and donned a fresh uniform, depositing both my dirty and tattered one into the laundry chute before heading for the bridge.
Nathan was in the Pilots chair and Halor was standing at an auxiliary station, I took a position at the first officer’s console and examined the navigation data, we were now just 35 minutes from our destination.
That time soon vanished as we prepared the ship for arrival, we would look like a separatist ship so Halor had modified our transponder data to indicate that we were the Endeavour 2 under the Galactic Federations Flag, still, we would need to prove we were not hostile so I set the weapons to safe mode and prepared a transmission of my security code and a message to indicate our allegiance. Nathan prepared to take control of the ship’s course moments before the Warp drive shut down.
We dropped out of warp at 2.2 million kilometres from the Military Outpost in the outer system.
Two Separatist Cruisers were waiting for us, barely a thousand kilometres from our arrival point they immediately opened fire, particle beams lancing out at us with their crimson fury.
Nathan’s reactions were on par as usual, jerking the controls to starboard and hitting full thrust the moment he saw the ships. He managed to evade the worst of it but a blast cut a streak across the port side of the ship, two turrets were hit and auxiliary communications were burned off the ship.
“Jin, Arm Weapons, focus fire on the sunward side ship! Halor, get me data on the state of the system.” Nathan yelled orders as he twisted the Endeavour 2 among the beams.
I had set the weapons to safety thinking we would need to look non-threatening, it was going to take two minutes to get weapons back “Captain, two minutes for weapons!”
Halor set secondary displays to show the devastated Outpost and the distant flashes of conflict over Polivor 3 “Captain, there are 5 Separatist Battleships in orbit of Polivor 3 and the Military Outpost has been destroyed.”
He paused for a moment as though he could barely believe his next statement, “We are at war.”
​
[Part 1](https://www.reddit.com/HFY/comments/131t1q9/first_contacts_part_1/)
[Part 6](https://www.reddit.com/HFY/comments/13xe87q/first_contacts_part_6/)
(I hope everyone is still enjoying this story, Let me know if you are. As you may have noticed there is no Species Data Drop in the comments this week they will resume once another species makes an appearance.)

I look out in front of me, and perceive the sea lit up out to the horizon. I look around me: to my left and right, I see the limitless straight line of the beach, and behind it, the dunes -- all in space. With my gaze I make the space my own. The objects are clear and plain. I see the wind bend over to the ground, the reeds that keep the dunes in place.
I am at the center of this universe by means of my gaze, which sweeps across this space and lets me know everything in it. By combining these images of reality, I grasp it as a whole, and become a part of it as a result of my looking.
My sight constructs a universe for me. It reveals to me a directly perceivable reality composed of colorful, simple, harmonious images. But it also furnishes me with more subtle materials. I learn to read my brother’s or my enemy’s face. Transmitted images are superimposed on one another, and as a result, I now know that a given image belongs within a particular context of reality. It conjures up another image; I anticipate what I am going to see, but what is coming will in any case be located in space and will constitute part of reality -- deeper and hidden, in a sense, but still reality.
Such information is precise and pinpointed, and deals only with reality. Nothing else, no other dimension, is ever involved. …Sight has made me the center of the world because it situates me at the point from which I see everything, and causes me to see things relative to this point. My vision makes a circular sweep of space, working from this point: my point of view. But now I am tempted, as the center of the world, to act on this spectacle and transform this setting. What was missing in my vision was someone to act, and I am available.
Sight moves to action at the same time that it serves as the means of action. Again, without it, how could I act, since I wouldn’t even know what my hand was touching or what was within my reach? …I am a subject, not separated from what I look at. Rather, what I see becomes a part of me, as my action involves me in what I see. Images both permit and condition my action; they are always imperative. I lean out the window and look searchingly into the emptiness. Images of distance and depth thrust themselves on my consciousness. I know I mustn’t lean out any further.
The image defines and marks the boundaries of my action. The image does not induce my action, but establishes its conditions and possibilities. Without visual images my action is definitely blind, incoherent, and uncertain. Sight conveys certainties and pieces of information to me, as we have said. Such information is reliable. I perceive a gray ocean and an overcast skyline. This is unquestionable. The reality around me is a certainty in which I can be confident. It is neither incoherent nor deformed. I know, of course, that this is also something learned; there are no data coming directly from the senses, and the shapes and colors and distances I apprehend are perceptible to me because I learned them. My culture has furnished me with the very images I see. But however important this may be (and we must not push this idea too far!), it is still true that I see.
What a dreadful uneasiness takes hold of us when reality is submerged in fog…sight fails to furnish me with clear images and I can no longer act. The world loses its midpoint. It is off center because I cannot see it anymore. The center could be anywhere, but it is no longer located where I am.
In order for my sight to mislead me concerning reality, there must be some unusual phenomenon, like a mirage. The image is not ambiguous. This peach I am looking at is red and weighs heavily on the bending branch. This is absolutely certain. But the image is insignificant. It has no meaning in itself and must be interpreted. In the case of a fruit ripe for picking, the visual image gives me indisputable information, but if I stop there, nothing will happen. It must therefore be interpreted. In order to move from the vision of the fruit to "I should pick it" or "It can be picked," there must be an interpretation: an attribution of meaning to these real images of reality.
Another dimension must be added to sight: interpretation will come through speech. Thus the image contains within itself a deep contradiction. It is not ambiguous: it is coherent, reliable, and inclusive; but it is insignificant. It can have innumerable meanings, depending on culture, learning, or the intervention of some other dimension. For this reason I must learn to see, before looking at the image.
After seeing it, I must learn to interpret it. The image is clear, but this clarity does not imply certainty or comprehension. My certainty is limited to this directly perceived reality that my sight reveals to me. Nothing beyond that.
I call these images "vision" because they are connected with the other images I am accustomed to. I would be tempted to say in this case that the order is reversed. The visual image exists, and then I attribute a meaning to it; but the vision appears only as the illustration of a previously established meaning. No matter how insignificant it may be, the visual image is always rigorous, imperative, and irreversible. I saw what I saw. I cannot change the reality which is conveyed to me in this way, except through my action. There is no ambiguity at this point. Nor is there reversibility.
If I had only one "view" of my universe, I would be a participant in a totality which would be both terribly coherent and yet at the same time composed of fragments without any necessary relationship. The totality would be like a cloud of irrational dots which can form only the framework of an action, a change in the relationships between the points. But the cloud of dots cannot be used for understanding anything, because this pointillism of images is space but not duration. The image is present. It is only a presence. It bears witness to something "already there": the object I see was there before I opened my eyes.
I have a point of view, a location from which I see things, but it is situated within what I see and inseparable from it. Wherever I place myself, however I shift my position, I remain in the field of vision, I remain in the middle of what I see. I can never take my distance, act as if I were not present, or even begin to think independently of what I see.
At night, when I cannot see, a certain distance is established. This explains why the day’s events become so painful at night: the distance between me and the world around me allows for reflection and meditation. A flood of images overwhelms me, beckons me, and carries me along: an image I have seen follows immediately after the one I have just dismissed from my mind. I can never stop this movement of reality in space. I can never consider a given image like a diamond or a painting from which I can take my distance in order to be "myself," instead of being overwhelmed by the images composed of dots.
The image prevents me from taking my distance. And if I cannot establish a certain distance, I can neither judge nor criticize. Of course, I also feel pleasure or displeasure in what I see. I can find it beautiful or ugly. But this is not a critical process. No judgment is involved. Furthermore, what possible criticism or judgment can we make with respect to space and reality? In spite of the frailty we have all observed in a person’s testimony about what he has seen, everyone has the same certainty about anything he has seen. He has seen reality.
Sight involves a relationship with reality as established in space. It is an artificial construction. Medusa’s head transfixes whoever gazes at her. Whoever looks at the scenes on the shields of the Iliad is terror stricken. Sight introduces us to an unbearable shock. Reality when seen inspires horror. Terror is always visual. Horror stories play only on our visual sense and suggest representation.
In contrast, the spoken word can involve us in mystery or drama. It places us in situations of conflict and makes us conscious of tragedy. But it is never on its own terrifying or stupefying. We are dazed by sight -- by an image or a vision. The word takes us to the edge of terror only when descriptive and painting extremely precise images. Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories are an example. All the descriptions we have heard of Nazi death camps move us to revulsion and to a judgment that may be based more on strong feelings than anything else. The image of bulldozers pushing along mounds of skeletal corpses, which shortly before had been living beings, faces teetering from the machine’s pushing -- this image drawn from ‘Night and Fog’ moves us to abject horror. It terrifies us, because we see. Such terror results from the horror of reality.
Reality apprehended by sight is always unbearable, even when that reality is beauty. We have a horror of reality, perhaps because we depend on it so. Language, even when it is realistic, allows us to escape from this terrible reality. Sight locks us up with it and obliges us to look at it. There is no way out -- except by controlling and mastering the reality.
Images fall into a pattern with respect to each other, but sounds do not. Instead, sounds contradict each other and cancel each other out. I am listening to a Mozart concerto, and suddenly near me someone speaks. Or a visitor knocks at my door. Or someone starts noisily putting away dishes and silverware. Sounds produce incoherence. The noises I hear form no panorama of the world.
Alone among all other sounds there is one that is particularly important for us: the spoken word. It ushers us into another dimension: relationship with other living beings, with persons. The Word is the particularly human sound which differentiates us from everything else. In this connection a fundamental difference between seeing and hearing is immediately apparent. In seeing, the living being is one form among many. A human being has a special shape and color, but he is included with all the rest as part of the landscape: a discrete, moving speck. When I hear speech, however, the human being becomes qualitatively different from everything else.
The spoken word, even if it involves an essential proclamation or the thought of a genius, falls into the void, passes, and disappears, if it is not heard and recovered by someone. The ocean over there, even if no one contemplates it, remains what it is and what it was. I see it, and it produces a flurry of emotions in me. I leave. I go away, but it does not. The spoken sentence has sunk into nothingness; time has gone by, and there are no "frozen words" which can make themselves heard again later.
Thus speech is basically presence. It is something alive and is never an object. It cannot be thrown before me and remain there. Once spoken, the word ceases to exist, unless I have recovered it. Before it is spoken, the word places me in an expectant situation, in a future I await eagerly. The word does not exist on its own. It continues to exist only in its effect on the one who spoke it and on the one who recovered it. The word is never an object you can turn this way and that, grasp, and preserve for tomorrow or some distant day when you may have time to deal with it. The word exists now. It is something immediate and can never be manipulated. Either it exists or it doesn’t. It makes me what I am, establishes the speaking me and the listening me, so that my role is determined by the word itself rather than by its content. For the word to become an object, someone must transform it into writing. But then it is no longer speech. Yet even in that form, it requires time.
The word is, of necessity, spoken to someone. If no one is present, it is spoken to oneself or to God. It presupposes an ear; the Great Ear, if necessary. It calls for a response. Every word, even a swearword, an insult, an exclamation, or a soliloquy, begins a dialogue. The monologue is a dialogue in the future or the past, or else it is a dialogue incorporated into a monologue. Here again, time is involved. Dialogue develops according to a variable timetable, but dialogue cannot exist unless those engaging in it are inserted into time. Language is a call, an exchange. I avoid using the threadbare term "communication." It is not true that language exists only to communicate information.
Language never belongs to the order of evident things. It is a continuous movement between hiding and revealing. It makes of the play in human relationships something even more fine and complex than it would be without language. Language exists only for, in, and by virtue of this relationship.
Dialogue involves a certain distance. We must be separated as well as different. I do not speak to a person identical to me. I must have something to say which the other lacks, but he must also be different from me. Yet similarity is required as well. When Adam sees Eve he bursts into speech. He speaks because of her and for her. She was flesh of his flesh, bone of his bone; and yet different: a dissimilar similar person. Speech fills the infinite gap that separates us. But the difference is never removed.
Discourse begins again and again because the distance between us remains. I find I must repeatedly begin speaking again to restate what I have said. The result is an inevitable, yet rich and blessed, redundancy. The word is resumed and repeated because it is never fully explicit or an exact translation of what I have to say. It is never precisely received, never precisely understood.
The word reduced to the value of an algebraic formula with only one possible meaning would be useful for us in carrying out an identical superficial activity. But such language could never create meaning, and would never produce agreement and communication with another person. "Algebraic" language could never produce -- or suggest a story. Bees communicate pieces of information to each other, but do not produce anything like history.
The word can also obstruct and impede history, when mythical language immerses us in an ahistorical time that is repetitive and continually reduced to myth. Language is either historical or ahistorical, either a discourse on action to be undertaken or of a myth to listen to. According to the sort of language used, human history either arises and becomes a significant aspect of humanity’s existence, or else it remains on the level of everyday incoherence.
With insight, meaning becomes perfectly transparent. The other person’s words become mine; I receive them in my own mind. I experience utter intellectual delight, but a delight in my whole being as well, when I understand and am understood. The Word ushers us into time.
When I say that language normally deals with Truth rather than Reality, I only mean that there are two orders of knowledge, two kinds of references we use as human beings. There are references to the concrete, experienced reality around us, and others that come from the spoken universe. The spoken universe is our invention -- something we establish and originate by our words. We derive meaning and understanding from language, and it permits us to go beyond the reality of our lives to enter another universe, which we may call phantasmic, schizophrenic, imaginary, or any other name we choose.
I am certain that since the beginning, human beings have felt a pressing need to frame for themselves something different from the verifiable universe, and we have formed it through language. This universe is what we call truth.
The important thing is that the unique value of language lies in truth. Language is not bound to reality, but to its capacity to create this different universe, which you can call surreal, meta-real, or metaphysical. For the sake of convenience we will call it the order of truth. The word is the creator, founder, and producer of truth.
When it uses a loudspeaker and crushes others with its powerful equipment, when the television set speaks, the word is no longer involved, since no dialogue is possible. What we have in these cases is machines that use language as a way of asserting themselves. Their power is magnified, but language is reduced to a useless series of sounds which inspire only reflexes and animal instincts.
How often we have come up against a blank wall instead of a face, when the other person did not want to understand! How can we make him understand as long as he persists in that attitude? In reality, language is an extraordinary occurrence in which each person’s liberty is respected. I can oppose my word to the other person’s. Or I can turn a deaf ear. I remain free as I face someone who tries to define me, encircle me, or convince me.
In other words, of necessity I give my listener a choice to make. A situation where there is choice is a situation where there is freedom. But at the same time, I invite him to use the gift of liberty inherent in language, just as I have. He must speak in turn, consciously making use of his freedom. I invite him to start down the difficult road of self-knowledge and self-expression, of choice, self-exposure, and unveiling.
Language always involves the exercise of freedom. It is never mechanical, just as it is not an object! Subtle structural linguistic analyses are of course limited to texts; that is, to finite, fixed words rather than open-ended ones. Such analyses seem to account for everything…But they overlook one thing. Once the languages and lexicons, rhetorics, discourses, and narratives have been stripped of their mystery, one thing is left: language itself. It remains because it is history, and such linguistic analysis excludes history.
This is its second characteristic. The paradox, let us remember, is something situated beside or outside the doxa (opinion). The paradox is free of all doxa, but at the same time calls the doxa into question. Roland Barthes is right in showing that "the real instrument of censorship is the endoxa rather than the police."
Our civilization’s major temptation (a problem that comes from technique’s preponderant influence) is to confuse reality with truth. We are made to believe that reality is truth: the only truth. At the time of the controversy over universals, the realists believed that only truth is real. We have inverted the terms, believing that everything is limited to reality. We think that truth is contained within reality and expressed by it. Nothing more. Moreover, there is nothing left beyond reality any more. Nothing is Other; the Wholly Other no longer exists. Everything is reduced to this verifiable reality which is scientifically measurable and pragmatically modifiable. Praxis becomes the measure of all truth. Truth becomes limited to something that falls short of real truth. It is something that can be acted upon. The Word is related only to Truth. The image is related only to reality.
Of course, the word can also refer to reality! It can be perfectly pragmatic, used to command an action or to describe a factual situation. The word enters the world of concrete objects and refers to experiences of reality. It is the means of communication in everyday life, and as a result it fits precisely with all of reality. It conveys information about reality and takes part in the understanding of it. It can even create reality, producing effects that will become part of reality. Thus the word is ambivalent. But its specificity lies in the domain of truth, since this domain is not shared with anything else.
On the contrary, the image cannot leave the domain of reality. It is not ambivalent. At this point I can hear someone tempted to ask: "What is Truth?" I will carefully avoid answering by suggesting some specific content for the word. Such an answer would be challenged immediately, involving us in a long digression which would exceed my capacity. Without attempting this sort of definition, I can show what the object of truth can be, and this will serve to distinguish it clearly from reality. The very questions asked about truth can indicate its nature, replacing the answer that cannot be given. We can grant, then, that anything concerned with the ultimate destination of a human being belongs to the domain of Truth.
It does not matter if one can answer or not, nor does it matter whether the answer is personal or is objectified as philosophy or revelation. But when a person asks about his own life (consciously or unconsciously), then the real question of truth has been asked. And when anyone claims to have resolved it, he is lying.
When he tries to answer this question within the framework of reality alone, he has no answer to offer.
An individual can ask the question of truth and attempt to answer it only through language. The image, on the other hand, belongs to the domain of reality. It can in no way convey anything at all about the order of truth. It never grasps anything but an appearance or outward behavior. It is unable to convey a spiritual experience, a requirement of justice, a testimony to the deepest feelings of a person, or to bear witness to the truth. In all these areas the image will rely on a form. Images can convey a rite, and thus people have a tendency to confuse religious truth with religious rites.
An image can catch a psychological expression on someone’s face: ecstasy, for example. People will believe that they are seeing authentic faith, whereas all they have is a psychological state that can be utterly unrelated to faith. Such a state can be induced by a drug, for example. Faced with such a problem, those who identify reality with truth are so monumentally confused that they deny faith because a psychological state can be artificially induced! An image can show a body’s position, as in a photograph of clasped hands and bowed head, seeming to say that this is prayer. But in reality, no prayer is involved in this image; it could be only a joke. Even when no one is joking, an image is incapable of expressing the seriousness of truth.
…An image can report miracles, but only recorded miracles -- after they have taken place and grace has departed. The image can never penetrate as far as the holy place where the Word proclaims that an individual has become a new creation. The miracle is an expression of this new creation. No image is able to convey any truth at all. This explains in partly why all "spiritual" films are failures. When we insist on expressing spiritual matters this way through images, something other than truth is always perceived. Even more serious and alarming, truth tends to disappear behind all the lighting and makeup. It tends to vanish when squelched by images.
Our generation is characterized by the exclusive preeminence of reality, both at the factual level and in our preoccupations. We are moved in this direction by the marvels of technique, the prevailing tone of our time, the great concern about economic matters, etc. Our era is further characterized by an absolute identification of reality with truth. Marxism has prevailed absolutely in this matter, and science has finally convinced people that the only possible truth consists in knowing reality, and that the proof of truth is success relative to reality. Thus in the thinking of modern individuals the image is the means par excellence which communicates reality and truth at the same time.
This attitude concerning images can be held only if one confuses reality and truth to begin with, believing that a scientific hypothesis is true when it is confirmed by experiments. Such a hypothesis has nothing to do with truth, and is merely accurate. Of course, this preeminence of reality and this confusion coincide with the universal belief in the "fact," taken to be of ultimate value.
The image is an admirable tool for understanding reality. A documentary film of a riot enables us to penetrate the world of anger better than any speech could. But an image is explosive only if the spectator knows what it represents and if it is taken for what it is: a faithful representation of reality. An image becomes falsehood and illusion as soon as a person tries to see truth in it. At that moment, by means of an amazing reversal, the image loses all its explosive power.
When the image is understood to speak only of reality, however, it is explosive and terrible. At this point we discover a new problem. images in our society are always the product of a mechanical technique. Technique is truly an intermediary, since the universe of images is established for us by technique. But this is the equivalent of saying that we find ourselves in the presence of an artificial world, made by an outside force with artificial means. Therefore it is important to realize that stark reality is never conveyed to us in this universe of images. Instead we find a more or less arbitrary construction or reconstruction, with the result that we must constantly remind ourselves of the ambiguity behind the apparent objectivity of the image: it expresses a reality, but of necessity it presents us with an artifice. In this sense the image is deceptive: it passes itself off as reality when it is artifice; it pretends to be unilateral truth when it is a reflection of something that cannot be truth.

Occupation – Government employee
Age – 34
Location – Zimbabwe
My salary – $500 (paid monthly)
Side Gig Income – $0
Other income – negligible amounts from dividends received from my stock portfolio that I re-invest
Housemates – 4 (husband P, 6 year old L, 4 year old E and nanny F. My nephew M is around and makes appearances too)
​
Assets and Liabilities
​

Equity	$60,000 fully paid off
Retirement Balance	??	I contribute monthly, and employer matches fully. But because of changes in currency and hyperinflation, I don’t really count this as an asset
Savings	$1700	(went down due to travelling trying to get my passport done since it expired)
Current account balance	$660	Includes my mum's money since I'm managing her financial affairs while she's abroad
Loan from employer	$130	I took a personal loan from work, because the interest rates are lower than rate of inflation and repayment is over 18 months. Loan was used to make improvements on our house, and what wasn’t used, I bought shares on our stock exchange, due to hyperinflation, the amount I owe in US$ has gone down
Investments (shares in various counters on our local stock exchanges)	$1,186
Car	$4,000	Based on current resale value. Car was bought secondhand for cash

​
Income progression- (https://www.reddit.com/MoneyDiariesACTIVE/comments/vbbb7s/i_live_in_zimbabwe_making_3600year_and_i_just/)
​
Expenses
This year, my husband and I decided that he would take on the bulk of our expenses since I do most of the domestic work/childcare. Expenses I pay will be indicated. My salary is now for my expenses, my investments and my savings, and spoiling the kids. Husband caters for the family basics. There was a point last year when I felt my husband wasn’t as invested in the family because he barely did anything financially. By having him cater for all expenses, he is now definitely involved and invested. My husband’s income is just about the same as mine, slightly higher at some times.
​
My Expenses

Expense	Amount /period	Note
Car insurance and licensing	$300/annum	This is due in March, and I pay for the entire year
Petrol	$60/month
Electricity	$10/month
Airtime/data	$20/month
Groceries	$60/month	This is for additional groceries such as bread, veg and fruit bought during the month
Kids’ clothes	$40/month	I’m trying to build up their winter wardrobe so I try to buy them something each month
Makeup/clothes/toiletries/ supplements/hair	$30/month	I do not us this much monthly though
Water	$15/month	Based on last bill received in April. We do not get water consistently so bills are infrequent
Donations	$20/month	Ad hoc donations to a soup kitchen, and maternal health fun
Stock market investment	$50/month	May invest more or less, but I do try to buy shares every payday

​
Household Expenses (paid by P)
​

Expense	Amount /period	Note
Groceries	$200/month	Bulk grocery shopping of staple food items and toiletries
LP Gas	$30/approx. every 2 months	We buy when it runs out. Usually every 2 months depending on how bad the power supply is
Medical	$15/month	For OTC meds (painkiller, cough syrup, antacid stocked for emergencies) and any prescriptions
Pet expenses	$60/ twice a year	For vaccinations and checkups for 4 dogs. Pet food is covered under groceries
School fees for the kids	$347/ term	One kid has fees paid every month, the other every 3 months
Nanny	$80/month	Less than before as both kids are now in school fulltime, and nanny is there to get them ready for school and care after school for 3 hours.
DSTV subscription	$37/month
Transport for kids to/from school	$60/month	L gets picked up and dropped off at home daily, E is dropped off after school

​
Previous MDs - (https://www.reddit.com/MoneyDiariesACTIVE/comments/vbbb7s/i_live_in_zimbabwe_making_3600year_and_i_just/) and (https://www.reddit.com/MoneyDiariesACTIVE/comments/yc801g/i_am_33_years_old_and_i_just_graduated_with_my/)
​
MD Q&A
Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
Yes, I have a BSc in Accounting, a Masters in Accounting, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Taxation. My parents both have Masters degrees, and in my family, the bare minimum acceptable for education was getting a Bachelors. My mother paid for my undergraduate degree, and I paid cash for my postgraduate studies.
​
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money?
My parents divorced when I was very young. My dad is the wealthier of the two, my mum has always been middle-class. My mum brought me up with very little financial help from my dad, he only covered tuition and healthcare until I turned 18. My mum catered for everything else. My mum taught me how to look for bargains, how to save and invest, and also how to sometimes enjoy your money.
​
If you have, when did you move out of your parents'/guardians' house?
I would say I moved out at 26 when I got my current job. I had moved out when I got my first fulltime job, but moved back home when that contract ended
​
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself? Does anyone else cover any aspects of your financial life?
At 26 again. That's when I earned enough to cover all my bills without needing help. My husband P covers some aspects of my financial life, and my mum occasionally helps out with stuff for her grandchildren.
​
What was your first job and why did you get it?
I worked as a receptionist at my mum's law firm after finishing my A Levels (age 18) while waiting to start university. My mum gave me the job to keep me occupied and out of mischief, lol.
​
Do you worry about money now?
I worry about building generational wealth for my children. I want to make sure they will be set for life as adults. I do worry about money because hyperinflation is eroding my earnings and retirement dramatically. This is my second time losing my retirement. My mum and in laws are losing their retirement for the third time, so honestly our old age looks bleak if we do not invest outside of work pensions.
​
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income?
I receive negligible dividends from the shares I own, lol.
​
Day 1
0430 – I’m woken up by loadshedding. I sigh, rollover, and sleep some more
0600 – Alarm goes off. I turn it off, enjoy cuddles from P and finally get out of bed. Our water tanks ran out 4 days ago, and council has not yet deigned to give us water, so we rely on P’s parents and friends to give us water. I get my water that was warming up on the stove, and take a quick bucket bath. I moisturize, do my brows, throw my lace wig on (I cut my hair in January, and I’m at a really awkward stage where my hair looks bad when I wear it out all day) and get dressed. It’s cold in the mornings so I put on winter stockings and a black and white chevron patterned dress, nude ballet pumps plus my warm jacket. I get E from the couch where he was watching Cocomelon and my lunch bag out of the kitchen and we head off to his school. After dropping off E, I go to the office. No electricity means no elevator, so I go up the stairs. I see my boss’s boss and greet him as we do the ZESA (local electricity company) sponsored workout. I log in to the work register, fill up my kettle, and settle down to check out my work email. Nothing urgent came through overnight, so I go into my personal email. The wig company I patronize has given me a code for my birthday, and I’m wondering if I should pull the trigger on my cart. I decide to do a report while thinking this through.
My mum is currently working out of the country, so I am managing her local finances/obligations while she’s away. I remember I have to buy the prepaid electricity token for my childhood home as well as for the house she lives in when she’s working in the country. I spend $23 on electricity for both houses (mum’s money so doesn’t count)
1030 – After doing some firefighting and office gossip I have my breakfast. Today its rice, peas and 2 fried eggs. I sprinkle some peri-peri Aromat on top since I don’t have a sauce/gravy ad I have been craving spicy food lately. I also pop my multivitamin and supplements. I check my team’s work and send back anything that needs correcting. I also generate the multiple reports my boss expects from me. I suddenly remember I need to claim my allowance for performing a role that is higher than my actual position at work. I quickly complete the form, and send it to my boss for his signature. The extra money from this is what I use to fund my stock market investments. I also remind my team to send a report to me for consolidation by noon.
12.00 – I do a major push of all my work due today so I can relax after lunch. I compile my reports and set them ready to send. I also finish my first 2 litres of water of the day, and cue up the next 2 litres
1300 – Its lunchtime, and my work bestie and I head out around town**. I find shorts that L would fit and buy 2 pairs for $10**. We head back to the office and I have caramel popcorn for lunch. Then I remember I forgot to have my afternoon meds, oops. Anyway, more work before heading to an audit meeting
1630 – The audit meeting is finally over, and I rush to shut down my computer, pack up my things and go home. I have an agreement with my manager that as long as I make up for the hour, by either coming early or skipping lunch, I can leave work at 4pm. I had a total hysterectomy end of last year so I still can’t manage driving in heavy traffic. I arrive home, make the bed (P had not made it when he went to work), and harvest chilies from our garden that have ripened. I also harvest a local herb used as a flu remedy and lemongrass, so I can brew up a tea/tisane for the flu affected people in my house. I also pack L’s lunch for tomorrow, a pie, a naartjie and juice. It’s also F’s payday, so I give her US$80 (P gave me this money).
E says he is hungry so I feed him sadza and sour milk by his request. I multitask covering L’s school textbook while supervising his homework and watching Married to Real Estate and the Great British Bake Off. I then have my dinner of sadza, greens and beef. I have a chat with the kids about their day at school. P gets home.
1900 – P and my nephew M go to fetch water from P’s friend’s house. The city council still hasn’t opened up our water supply. I do some French on Duolingo while the boys wreak havoc in their playroom. I read L and E their bedtime stories and put them to bed. I decide to do my hair in cornrows while watching Masterchef Australia. They get home and I help them carry water indoors. I remember that when power comes back I need to boil tripe on the stove, so I cut it up, put it in the pot with water, salt and garlic, and place it on the electric stove. We have serious loadshedding these days, so we have a gas stove and solar power to tide us over. I take a quick bath and change into my pyjamas. While P watches TV, I read Wild Sweet Love by Beverly Jenkins and continue to do my hair in cornrows.
2200 – My arms are tired and I’m only halfway through with the cornrows. I give up and go to bed with P.
Total spent - $10
​
Day 2
0600 – I hear crying. E is in a bad mood today. I turn off my alarm, and go to see what’s wrong. E does not want to get dressed for school. I sigh, and help F dress him while he throws a massive tantrum. E is dressed, so I go do my morning routine of shower, moisturize, contact lenses, and eyebrow makeup. Today, I wear a green dress I took from my mum, black tights, nude ballet flats and a black and white coat. E gets put into the car by F, and starts crying for porridge. We are already late, so he learns that the consequence of refusing to eat his porridge on time is to go to school without having his porridge. It’s not a big issue though, as he gets fed at school. So I lock the doors and windows and drive him to school as he throws a tantrum for the entire 10 minute drive. I shove him into the school gate and head to work.
It’s another ZESA sponsored stair workout today. I log into the register, and fill up my kettle with water. I switch on my computer, check my work email and send off client emails to my team for their response. My personal email has an annual report from one of the companies I have shares in so I check out if there’s a dividend this year. I own a negligible number of shares in the company though, but 28c per share is quite impressive. I check to see if my stock exchange wallet has been credited with the money I transferred there so I can buy more shares. It still hasn’t so I send a follow up email o the enquiries desk at the stock exchange. I do have a stockbroker, but I prefer doing my trades myself. I also do some French on Duolingo before 8am.
0830 – Our HR is in a tizzy because people are late for work. I don’t make a big deal out of it usually, because salaries are shit and people are demotivated. As long as my team shows up and does some work, I’m ok. I approve some work, and warn my team about coming in a bit too late. I also tell a teammate that she will have to cover for me on Monday as I am taking the day off. Our internet connectivity is shit so I can’t log into our system to check some stuff. My work bestie gives me avocados from her house. I almost cry because I have been craving avocados, but been too cheap to buy them.
1000 – I have a really bad sore throat. I am also hungry since I haven’t had breakfast yet. I jot down my shopping list for the weekend and head to Pick ‘n’ Pay to buy carrots, green peppers, tomatoes, lemons, cheese, polony and bread. I also buy my breakfast/lunch, which is rice, beans, ox liver and egg salad**. It all cost $10**. I leave my shopping in my car, and go to the office to wolf down my food, and take my multivitamin and painkiller. I also receive my wigs that I bought in May. Perfect timing, as I want to wear a new wig tomorrow for our girls’ day out.
I do some more work, and remind my team to send me the information I need for my daily reports.
1300 – I go out to buy a few items I didn’t find in Pick ‘n’ Pay earlier**. I go to Spar and buy peas, eggs, soft drinks for the outing tomorrow and a sausage roll. Total cost is $10**. The outing has been deemed kid friendly, so I needed drinks for the boys to have tomorrow. I get back into the office, and spend the rest of the lunch hour working.
1600 – It’s finally time to go home. I send my email to handover work issues for the person who will take over my role on Monday while I am on leave. I also send my out of office email, and head home. The kids are at their grandmother’s, so I take a leisurely bath, put on my pyjamas and eat dinner. Then I watch Masterchef Australia until P and E get home. I also get in some French Duolingo practice
2000 – P goes out with his friends, so I snuggle up on the couch with E and watch TV. I put E to bed, read him his bedtime story and kiss him good night. I finally finish season 13 of Masterchef Australia, and move on to My Kitchen Rules Australia. I love Australian reality shows, ngl.
2200 – I go to bed P gets home and tells me some bad news about a friend of ours. I feel very sad for him. He cuddles me and we sleep.
Total spent - $20
​
Day 3
0700 – I wake up feeling like a truck ran me over. I get out of bed, and get ready to hand-wash our laundry. We still have no running water so we can’t use the washing machine. I play music while doing my laundry to keep me motivated
0900 – Laundry has been hung out to dry. F has cooked potato curry, so I boil eggs and water. I have my breakfast of potato curry, egg, multivitamin and coffee. Once I’m done, I give E a bath and dress him. I also bath, moisturize, do my brows and get dressed. I’m wearing jeans and a t-shirt today as my friends and I ae supposed to take our kids out for a playdate. Then I receive a message that the outing is cancelled since one of our group is really sick. I try to think of something I can do with E, since L is out having fun with his grandmother. I do my Swahili Duolingo practice.
1100 – The welder comes to do some work on our garage door. I monitor the work for a bit, and then my nephew takes over. E starts really bugging me to go out. So I put on my headband wig and sneakers, and pack a cooler bag with snacks and drinks. We head into town and I buy myself some ciders for $9. These are for me to drink when the mood strikes me. E wants to go to a resort by the lake so I oblige him. We pay $8 for our entrance. He goes to play on the swings, and I take pictures of him having fun. Another family turns up, and one of his classmates is among them. He’s so happy, and goes to play with his friend. I watch him running around.
1500 – I get a call from my friend that she’s in town with my cake. This cake was meant for the cancelled outing. I pack up our stuff, hustle E into the car and drive back into town. I let out some colourful swear words when I realise I forgot to get our change of $2. Anyway**, I meet up with my friend and get the cake, and pay her $30**. It’s so pretty. I call my MIL while still in town to find out what time she will be there so I can pick up L. She says it will be an hour, so E and I head home to drop off the cake so it doesn’t melt in my AC-less car.
1600 – We are back in town waiting for L and MIL. E wants an ice cream so I buy him one for $0.50 using money I had in my Innbucks wallet. MIL calls and asks me to head over to where she is to pick L up since she can’t leave yet. E and I get there. MIL gets me sadza and goat tripe stew, which I eat a bit of to be polite even though I am not hungry. When I’m done, I pack up the kids and drive home. I bath and change into my pyjamas.
1800 – I feed the kids, and we play until their weekend bedtime of 8pm. I read them their bedtime stories and tuck them in. I watch TV and iron my morning laundry while having a gin and juice until 9pm, and head to read in bed. P and my nephew arrive home from their amateur soccer league match and subsequent outing with the boys. I fall asleep soon after.
Total spent - $49.50
​
Day 4
0700 – I’m woken up by L demanding that I come and play with them. I am still sleepy so I fob him off.
0900 - F knocks on the door and tells us she is off to church. I finally get out of bed and get dressed. I see the boys playing relatively peacefully so I let them continue with their antics. In the kitchen, I find F had cooked breakfast, and since I’m starving, I heat up water for coffee. L surprisingly isn’t hungry so I serve up breakfast for P and me. I have my daily multivitamin. P heads out to go fetch water, while I bath, change and hang out with the kids. I also do my French Duolingo practice for the day
1200 – I have played with the dogs and kids, and I am exhausted. I collapse onto the couch and watch MKR Australia. P gets home, and naps on the couch. I give the kids haircuts and baths.
1700 – L is hungry and really wants cake, so I feed the kids a dinner of sadza and sour milk. Then some cake for dessert. I also pack L’s school lunch, which will be a polony sandwich, a cupcake and juice. The kids play until its bedtime at 7pm. The usual routine, bedtime stories and tuck in is done
2000 – P and I watch a movie while having some alcoholic drinks.
2200 – Bedtime for us
Total spent - $0
​
Day 5
0600 – It’s my birthday today. I am going all out celebrating myself since TW I tried unaliving myself twice in the past year. L wishes me a happy birthday before he goes to school. I get birthday messages from my mum, dad, SILs, and friends. I also get a call from my brother, his wife and their son, and they sing to me. I feel very loved today. P goes to drop off E at school today so I can sleep in
0800 – I am finally up and hungry. I cook a quick breakfast of boiled eggs, and a bean curry. P takes my car to get serviced, while I bath, moisturize, contact lenses, do a full face of makeup and get dressed for the day. Today I wear a tie-dyed cutout mini-dress and sneakers, and my wavy headband wig
1300 – P is home and he drives me to a hotel outside town near a renowned tourist site in our country. We have a platter of fried fish, chicken strips, pork strips, fries, and a salad to share and multiple Savannah Drys while there. It’s really nice getting to reconnect after a very tumultuous year in our marriage. P pays.
1700 – We drive around the area, before heading home. Once we get home, P and my nephew go on a hunt for water, while I feed the kids. P and I head off to take our showers. I remember why I don’t do a full face of makeup when it take a long time to get the makeup off my face.
1900 – The family sings happy birthday, and we eat cake. Birthday gifts were gin and chocolate. I hustle the boys off to bed. No story today, as they went to bed later than usual. P watches TV while I read my novel.
2100 – Bedtime for the grownups
Total spent - $0
​
Day 6
0530 – I wake up and lie in bed for a bit. Then I read my novel some more.
0620 – I am up, and take my bath, moisturize, do my brows and get dressed. It’s cold this morning, so I wear a yellow dress with black polka dots, black tights and ankle boots. I pack up the cake I’m giving to my colleagues, as well as my water bottle. E and I head out. I drop E off at school, and go to the office. I log into the work register, turn on my computer, and check my emails. There are a few pressing issues I need to get up to speed with. One of my colleagues gives me $50 as a birthday gift. I also hand out the cake to my team.
0900 – Work is pretty quiet today, so I update my MD. I also receive news that one of my nephews is getting married. He is not that much younger than me, and could be my younger brother, but it makes me feel so old.
Note on my family: In our culture, even distant relatives are given close relationships so the large number of nephews/nieces is from those relationships. It’s a big thing done to maintain close family bonds. I have 4 actual (in a Western sense) nephews and nieces who are all under the age of 6.
1000 – I head to the supermarket and buy bread, onions, carrots, pork chops, pork trotters and my breakfast and lunch. This costs $25. The meat is the main cost driver here. I have a sausage roll, my multivitamin, supplement and milk for breakfast. I remember that I need to check if my stock exchange wallet was credited, ugh. The website is refusing to load and I’m very frustrated. I finally log in and see the amount is still not credited. I email and send a tweet to the stock exchange. Hopefully the tweet will get them to start moving.
1200 – My boss is mad. One member of my team left his desk without informing me and there’s an urgent matter. I was about to go downstairs to give P the groceries, so I stick around for a bit before committing the same offence as my subordinate, lol. I quickly get back into my office and check on work, sign some papers and letters, and clear out my emails.
1300 – My work bestie has to run other errands at lunch so I decide to stay in the office. I check my personal email and see I have received a dividend of $0.27, lol. The share price will probably drop soon, so I will buy more shares in this counter if I can get them to increase my shareholding. My goal for this year is to breach the 10,000 share mark for one counter. I suddenly remember I have work to do, so I use my lunch hour to do the work, and then take a quick break to eat my lunch of fries and a sausage and do some Swahili Duolingo practice.
1500 – I am thinking of going home when one of my team members calls me to deal with an angry client. I go to the office, and find out it’s a surprise birthday party from my team. I am so happy, lol. We have more cake, and there’s also fruit and juice. I head home feeling so appreciated with even more cake.
1700 – P and my nephew go out to get water. I warm up my bath water, and give the kids their dinner. Today its rice and croc meat. I make L’s lunch for tomorrow, a toasted polony sandwich and juice. I also pack my lunch, rice, a fried egg and peas. And some cake for my work bestie’s kids. I take my bath; change into my pyjamas and hound E to eat his food. If we let that kid be, he would probably live on the bits of our souls he sucks out daily by being stubborn. I am feeling nauseous so I have plain rice with a bit of avocado. The kids watch cartoons, while I do some more Swahili on Duolingo.
1900 – Bedtime for the kids. Today, there’s no demand for a bedtime story, so I just tuck them in and tell them I love them. I read my novel as increasingly feel more nauseated. I end up going to hurl my guts out. P comes home and finds me lying limply on the bed. He gives me a cuddle, and goes to eat his dinner. I get up but smell fish, and run back to throw up. If I hadn’t had a hysterectomy, I would be doing a pregnancy test ASAP.
2100 – I go to bed, and lie in bed for a bit, before finally drifting off.
Total spent - $25
​
Day 7
0500 – I wake up feeling nauseated again. Ugh, this reminds me of having hyperemesis while pregnant. I put my water on to heat and get back in bed to read some more.
0600 – E comes to lie on our bed. I get out of bed, and go throw up. I get my bath water, take my bath, moisturize and put my contacts in. I look like a reanimated corpse this morning. I do my brows to try bring a bit of life to my face and get dressed. It’s very misty and cold today so I put on warm brown tights, a long black dress, my warm jacket and ballet flats. I grab my lunch and the cake, pop E into the car and head out. Visibility is extremely low, so I drive slowly. I don’t know why people like surprising other drivers by having their cars pop out of the mist without switching on their headlights. I successfully avoid the drivers who hate life and drop E off at school before heading to work.
0700 – I am in the office, and I log into the register, before turning on my computer and checking my work email. Not too much in there, so I check my personal email. My stock exchange wallet has finally been credited with the $100. I also ponder whether I should pull the trigger on a V-part wig.
I do my weekly report, and start doing some boring work in the system. I realise I didn’t save the work I did yesterday, so I have to re-do it, so I can have the list of error messages to send to ICT.
0830 – Everyone is in the office, so I do some reshuffling of duties, so that essential areas are covered while one of my colleagues is on leave. I give the cake to work bestie, who tells me how much her daughter was excited over the cake yesterday. It’s now time for me to put my head down and really focus on knocking out the system work today. I also log into an online training, and I listen while doing my work. My mum also deposits money for my birthday gift and to spoil her grandkids.
1000 – I log into my stock exchange account and buy shares for $99.14 (doesn’t count as spending, as the money was moved before the MD started). The deadline for other departments to submit their weekly reports to me for consolidation has passed so I start following up. One department is a big problem as they always send their report late. Le sigh. I draft a very passive aggressive email to them. I also decide not to buy the wig and instead ask the person making me my custom earrings that I got myself for my birthday to bill me the rest of the money so I can pay and move the remainder of the money in my account into savings. Our currency has taken an enormous hit in the last week, and is free falling dramatically. I’d rather keep USD cash than money in my account at this point. The training finally ends.
1100 – I’m getting hungry so I go warm up my lunch, sprinkle on peri peri Aromat and dig in. Yum. I also have my multivitamin and supplement. A lady who sells local snacks comes in. She persuades me to buy maputi (corn nuts mixed with roasted peanuts) for $0.50. I buy them for my afternoon snack. I end up sending the report with missing statistics, and tell the department to send directly to the compiler, as they were late. That was a very aggressive email tbh. I’m still hungry, so I munch on my maputi, leaving the peanuts because I don’t feel like eating them lately.
1200 – I see a missed call from a number I don’t know. I call and it turns out they had sent money to my mobile wallet mistakenly. I check the mobile wallet and it shows it had an extra $11. I send the money back to the person. Times are too tough to keep people’s money
1400 – I snack on a few skittles instead of having more food. I just want something to entertain my mouth, I’m not hungry at all. I review more work and drink more water. The jeweler has sent the payment request for the earrings. I pay $100 (total spent on the earrings comes to $200, which is worth it for sterling silver custom made Jewellery. I use $50 of the birthday money from my mum to cover for part of this expense)
1600 – Finally time to go home. I shut down my computer, and drive home. Once I’m home, I put on my bath water, and help L do his homework. Then I do some Swahili Duolingo practice and pack L’s lunch for tomorrow. He requested maize (corn on the cob), a boiled egg and a naartjie. His wish is my command for once. I also pack my lunch, a boiled egg, peanut butter sandwich and a bit of birthday cake. The jeweler sends pictures of the final product. They are absolutely gorgeous. Happy 34th birthday to me!!!
1800 – I serve the kids their dinner, and go to take my bath. P sends a text that he will be home late as they are working late today. I have my own dinner while persuading E to eat his food
1900 – Bedtime for the kids. I read them their bedtime stories, tuck them in and tell them I love them. Then I go to watch TV. I’m catching up on Married to Real Estate, Food Factory and Man Vs Food. You can tell that reality TV is my jam.
2100 – I decide to have some decaf black coffee and cake as my bedtime snack. P and my nephew arrive home. They are later than they thought they would be because nephew dropped his phone in the middle of the highway and they were searching for it. Because nephew’s ancestors were on the job, they found it intact. It’s a big deal because this is a major highway and huge trucks use that road constantly. I chat with P as he has his dinner and takes his bath.
2200 – Cuddles and bedtime for us
​
Total spent today – $100
​
Total spent this week – $204.50
​
Spending by categories
Food & Drink – $84.50
Home & Health – $0
Clothing & Beauty – $110
Transportation – $0
Fun & Entertainment – $10
​
Reflections on this week’s spending
The spending is pretty much about normal for me tbh (excluding the cake and earrings). I had quite a bit of petrol in the tank so I didn’t need to top up my tank this week. The converted US$ prices are a bit inaccurate since our currency had a big drop this week, and most of my spending is in local currency. I could reign in my spending a bit, and focus more on investing. However, I do enjoy using my money to bring joy to my kids and myself. Particularly myself after the absolutely shitty year I had.

Meta description: In this guide, we will walk you through some of the most critical aspects of an online MBA program to give you more clarity and understanding.

Online MBA in Marketing: What you need to know?

While the demand for online programs for MBA marketing learners has significantly increased in recent years, there are several gaps in knowledge due to which people need to make a well-informed decision. They often need to make a better choice or go for physical MBA classes instead of the online program. This mainly happens due to the need to understand its advantages and disadvantages. Either of the two scenarios usually takes place. First, the learners get so excited about studying online that they ignore the online MBA marketing degree program and settle down with a random choice.
Second, they discard studying remotely due to needing more understanding and clarity. Regardless, the results won't be in favor of the learners. Not only will they lose an opportunity to upskill themselves and get better career opportunities, but they won't be able to make anything out of special programs like entrepreneurship. This is why knowing more about the online MBA marketing degree is crucial.

Is an MBA in marketing a specialization program?

Online MBA marketing degree programs are specialized as learners need to focus on subjects related to marketing and business. If you consider a regular MBA with no specialization, you must study a vast syllabus based on different aspects of business administration, including marketing. Once learners opt for marketing specialization, the subjects will be based on it. Therefore, an online MBA marketing degree with a certificate is an excellent option for increasing the overall domain knowledge and developing advanced skills in business and marketing.
Certain online MBA marketing degree offer classes on specific aspects of management and entrepreneurship. Going for one such program will help you gather more skills in the business field and start a personal business from scratch. Of all the specializations, the online MBA marketing degree certificate program is undoubtedly the most rewarding as learners get excellent opportunities once they complete their post-graduation and apply for jobs.

Who should pursue an MBA in a marketing program?

One of the biggest questions that learners should know is whether they are eligible for an online MBA marketing degree. People can enroll for this post-graduation program once they complete their bachelors in engineering, computer applications, business administration, or any other subject from the science or commerce categories. Learners usually have to give an entrance exam that varies with different online MBA marketing degrees.
From the question pattern and curriculum to the examination difficulty level and complexity, there are several attributes learners need to focus on before they sit for the exam for the online MBA marketing degree program. Sometimes, the entrance exam can have two additional rounds other than the exam itself: group discussion and personal interviews.

What are the advantages of an online MBA in a marketing program?

The online programs for MBA marketing learners come with many benefits to explore before deciding. This will help us understand the factors influencing choosing an online MBA over a traditional program. Let's briefly consider why you should opt for an online MBA marketing degree post-graduation.

1. First things first, an online MBA offers a flexible class schedule. Learners won't have to sacrifice their day-to-day work to attend classes on time. Most online MBA marketing degree colleges provide recorded sessions to the learners, so they can access those resources and complete their studies anytime, at their convenience.
2. Also, an online MBA marketing degree with a certificate offers global recognition to learners, giving them enough exposure and visibility in the network to easily apply for jobs in most reputed companies worldwide.
3. Learners also meet some of the top-known industry experts through various conventions, exhibitions, and conferences organized by JAIN Online. As a result, online programs for MBA marketing learners offer great scope to grow the network and connect with industry leaders in marketing and business.
4. No one has to compromise their work life even after pursuing an online MBA marketing degree certificate. People can continue with their office and attend classes either in their free time or at night after their office gets over. Therefore, there's no need to squeeze one duty into another and get stuck in a mess.
5. Another significant benefit of online MBA marketing degree programs is that learners can apply for many jobs in the business and marketing sectors. Besides, if they have a bachelor's in computer application or engineering, they will also have more exposure and apply for jobs in technical fields.
6. People opting for an online MBA marketing degree with a certificate can choose any college they think will be good enough for them in another country. For instance, a person from the US can easily enroll in an online MBA program at Dublin University.

Tips to get the most out of an online MBA in marketing

There are specific challenges one may have to encounter in the online MBA marketing degree program. So, learners must have some tips and tricks to deal with emergencies and complicated situations.

1. Managing time is critical to succeeding in both work and education. Learners must find the delicate balance between these two sections and allocate appropriate time.
2. Digging deep into the curriculum of online MBA marketing degree programs can also help them decide whether the program will be ideal for their career.
3. Researching the career prospects and future of an online MBA marketing degree certificate program is essential. Once one obtains enough knowledge on this program, it will be easy to make any well-informed decision.

Conclusion

There is no denial of the fact that an online MBA marketing degree comes with a lot of challenges and difficulties. Many people need help understanding the program's scope and choose the wrong one for themselves. Although master's in MBA online are common, learners get apprehensive when they hear about online MBAs with specializations like business and finance. Therefore, knowing more about it beforehand will be more beneficial than one can imagine.
📷

According to the Regional Research Reports, the global ?textured variegates market size is estimated to grow from USD a million in 2022 to reach USD multi- million by 2033 at a CAGR of 4.8% from 2023 to 2033. The growth is primarily driven by several variables about which Regional Research Reports provides comprehensive insights and estimation in the global ?textured variegates market research.
The Regional Research Reports published the report on “global ?textured variegates market Report 2023 – Future Growth Opportunities, Latest Technological Trends, In-depth Analysis, and Forecast To 2033” provides the futuristic vision of the global ?textured variegates market along with the market size (Revenue – US$ Million) and estimates for the duration 2023 to 2033. The aforementioned research study examines various market segments in terms of formulation, form, application, end use, and regional. The competitive profiles of the top vendors of ?textured variegates products and their most recent developments are also included in the report.
Get Full PDF Sample Copy of Report@ https://www.regionalresearchreports.com/request-sample/textured-variegates-market/FB-1379

Global ?Textured Variegates Market Analysis

This report includes market size and forecast analysis for each segment - by formulation, form, application, end use, and geography. Additionally, for the years 2023 to 2033, compound annual growth rates for all segments have been provided. In addition to highlighting recent market trends for ?textured variegates, the study also provides information on upcoming trends that will affect demand. The global ?textured variegates market report also includes annual growth rates for each segment. Additionally, the report analyses the market from the standpoint of production and provides cost overviews for the ?textured variegates market as well as analyses of labor, raw material, and technology costs.
The market has been segmented by region: North America, South America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. Under North America, the report covers the United States, Canada, and Mexico; whereas Asia Pacific includes China, Japan, India, Korea, ASEAN, Australia & New Zealand, and the Rest of Asia Pacific. The key countries covered under Europe include Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, and the Rest of Europe, whereas the Middle East and Africa is comprised of the Middle East, Africa, and GCC countries. The report also includes market sizes for all regions and sub-regions as of 2022 and through 2033.
This report includes information about the major players, such as overview, revenue, interview record, gross profit, business distribution, etc. These details give the consumer a better understanding of the rivals. Additionally, it details the market's competitive landscape for all significant players identified in the global ?textured variegates market. Other crucial factors include the plant's location, the source of the technology, the downstream industry, and the contact details.

Top Key Players Profiled in this report are-

• Holland Manufacturing Inc.
• Parker Products
• Chemroy
• Dippin Flavors
• Majors Group
• Schlotterbeck Foss
• Montebianco S.P.A
• Pregel Australia
• Others

Report Details:

Make an Enquire before Purchase @ https://www.regionalresearchreports.com/industry-reports/textured-variegates-market/FB-1379
Report Attribute
Details
Market Size in 2022
USD a million
Market Size in 2033
USD multi- million
CAGR (2023-2033)
4.8%
Base Year for Estimation
2022
Historic Year
2018-2021
Forecast Period
2023-2033
Study Period
2018-2033
Quantitative Units
Revenue in USD Million and CAGR from 2023-2033
Market Factor Analysis

• Future Estimation and Forecast for the market
• PESTEL and Porter's
• SWOT Analysis
• Covid-19 Impact
• Upcoming Opportunity
• Market Attractive Index for each segment and region
• Investment pocket opportunities in the market

Regions Covered

• North America
• South America
• Asia Pacific
• Europe
• Middle East and Africa (MEA)

Countries Profiled

• US
• Canada
• Mexico
• China
• India
• Japan
• South Korea
• Indonesia
• Thailand
• Malaysia
• Vietnam
• Singapore
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Germany
• the UK
• France
• Italy
• Spain
• Russia
• Brazil
• Argentina
• UAE
• Saudi Arabia
• South Africa
• Israel
• Turkey

Customization Scope
Free 20% report customization with the purchase within a specific period.
Access full Report Description, TOC, Table of Figure, Chart, etc: https://www.regionalresearchreports.com/table-of-content/textured-variegates-market/FB-1379
The report provides extensive information about various factors that have been studied as contributing to the market's growth trajectory. The report also outlines the challenges facing the global ?textured variegates market. Moreover, it evaluates the bargaining power of suppliers and customers, the threat posed by new competitors and the threat of substitutes, and the level of market competition. The report also thoroughly examines the impact of the most recent government regulations. It summarizes the development of the ?textured variegates market over the forecast periods.

Global ?Textured Variegates Market Segmentation:

Market Segmentation: By Formulation

• Full Fat Textured Variegates
• Low Fat Textured Variegates
• Non-Fat Textured Variegates

Market Segmentation: By Form

• Powder
• Liquid

Market Segmentation: By Application

• Bakery
• Ice-Cream
• Confectionaries
• Others

Market Segmentation: By End Use

• Fast Food Restaurant
• Dessert Station
• Hotels
• Others

Regions Covered in the Global ?Textured Variegates Market Report 2022:

• North America (the United States, Canada, and Mexico)
• South America (Brazil, Argentina, and Rest of South America)
• Europe (Germany, UK, Italy, France, Spain, and Rest of Europe)
• Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia New Zealand, and Rest of Asia Pacific)
• The Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Rest of MEA)

The cost analysis of the global ?textured variegates market was carried out, considering the cost of raw materials, labor, and manufacturing, as well as the market concentration rate, suppliers, and price trends. Other factors, such as the sourcing strategy, supply chain, and downstream buyers, have been evaluated to provide a comprehensive and in-depth view of the market. The study on market positioning will also be displayed to report clients, providing target market, brand strategy, and pricing strategy into account.
Request For Report Description @ https://www.regionalresearchreports.com/industry-reports/textured-variegates-market/FB-1379

The report provides insights on the following pointers:

Market Penetration: Detailed study on the product portfolios of the top key players in the ?textured variegates market.
Product Development/Innovation: Comprehensive insights on the upcoming innovative technologies, RD activities, and product developments in the market.
Competitive Assessment: In-depth evaluation of the market strategies and regional and business segments of the leading players in the market.
Market Development: Detailed information on emerging markets. This study examines the market for various segments across geographies.
Market Diversification: comprehensive data on new products, untapped regions, recent investments, and developments in the ?textured variegates market.

Key Benefits for Stakeholders:

• The report offers a thorough analysis of market dynamics and trends for ?textured variegates, both current and future.
• Market estimations for significant market segments between 2022 and 2033 are prepared in order to conduct a thorough analysis of the ?textured variegates market.
• A thorough analysis of the ?textured variegates market is conducted by closely monitoring top competitors within the market framework and adhering to key product positioning.
• A detailed assessment of every region is given to identify the current market opportunities for ?textured variegates.
• The report includes a forecast and analysis of the global market for the ?textured variegates from 2022 to 2033.
• The report profiles and thoroughly analyze the strategies of the key players in the market to comprehend the competitive outlook of the ?textured variegates market.

The key questions answered in this report –

• What will be the Market Size and Growth Rate in 2033?
• What are the major Key Factors driving ?Textured Variegates Market?
• What are the limitations and Constraints in front of the market?
• Who are the Key Players in ?Textured Variegates Market?
• What are the Technological Trending Factors fostering the market shares?
• What are the Key Potentials of Porter’s five forces model?
• What are the Opportunities for Growth in Expanding the Global ?Textured Variegates Market?

I look out in front of me, and perceive the sea lit up out to the horizon. I look around me: to my left and right, I see the limitless straight line of the beach, and behind it, the dunes -- all in space. With my gaze I make the space my own. The objects are clear and plain. I see the wind bend over to the ground, the reeds that keep the dunes in place.
I am at the center of this universe by means of my gaze, which sweeps across this space and lets me know everything in it. By combining these images of reality, I grasp it as a whole, and become a part of it as a result of my looking.
My sight constructs a universe for me. It reveals to me a directly perceivable reality composed of colorful, simple, harmonious images. But it also furnishes me with more subtle materials. I learn to read my brother’s or my enemy’s face. Transmitted images are superimposed on one another, and as a result, I now know that a given image belongs within a particular context of reality. It conjures up another image; I anticipate what I am going to see, but what is coming will in any case be located in space and will constitute part of reality -- deeper and hidden, in a sense, but still reality.
Such information is precise and pinpointed, and deals only with reality. Nothing else, no other dimension, is ever involved. …Sight has made me the center of the world because it situates me at the point from which I see everything, and causes me to see things relative to this point. My vision makes a circular sweep of space, working from this point: my point of view. But now I am tempted, as the center of the world, to act on this spectacle and transform this setting. What was missing in my vision was someone to act, and I am available.
Sight moves to action at the same time that it serves as the means of action. Again, without it, how could I act, since I wouldn’t even know what my hand was touching or what was within my reach? …I am a subject, not separated from what I look at. Rather, what I see becomes a part of me, as my action involves me in what I see. Images both permit and condition my action; they are always imperative. I lean out the window and look searchingly into the emptiness. Images of distance and depth thrust themselves on my consciousness. I know I mustn’t lean out any further.
The image defines and marks the boundaries of my action. The image does not induce my action, but establishes its conditions and possibilities. Without visual images my action is definitely blind, incoherent, and uncertain. Sight conveys certainties and pieces of information to me, as we have said. Such information is reliable. I perceive a gray ocean and an overcast skyline. This is unquestionable. The reality around me is a certainty in which I can be confident. It is neither incoherent nor deformed. I know, of course, that this is also something learned; there are no data coming directly from the senses, and the shapes and colors and distances I apprehend are perceptible to me because I learned them. My culture has furnished me with the very images I see. But however important this may be (and we must not push this idea too far!), it is still true that I see.
What a dreadful uneasiness takes hold of us when reality is submerged in fog…sight fails to furnish me with clear images and I can no longer act. The world loses its midpoint. It is off center because I cannot see it anymore. The center could be anywhere, but it is no longer located where I am.
In order for my sight to mislead me concerning reality, there must be some unusual phenomenon, like a mirage. The image is not ambiguous. This peach I am looking at is red and weighs heavily on the bending branch. This is absolutely certain. But the image is insignificant. It has no meaning in itself and must be interpreted. In the case of a fruit ripe for picking, the visual image gives me indisputable information, but if I stop there, nothing will happen. It must therefore be interpreted. In order to move from the vision of the fruit to "I should pick it" or "It can be picked," there must be an interpretation: an attribution of meaning to these real images of reality.
Another dimension must be added to sight: interpretation will come through speech. Thus the image contains within itself a deep contradiction. It is not ambiguous: it is coherent, reliable, and inclusive; but it is insignificant. It can have innumerable meanings, depending on culture, learning, or the intervention of some other dimension. For this reason I must learn to see, before looking at the image.
After seeing it, I must learn to interpret it. The image is clear, but this clarity does not imply certainty or comprehension. My certainty is limited to this directly perceived reality that my sight reveals to me. Nothing beyond that.
I call these images "vision" because they are connected with the other images I am accustomed to. I would be tempted to say in this case that the order is reversed. The visual image exists, and then I attribute a meaning to it; but the vision appears only as the illustration of a previously established meaning. No matter how insignificant it may be, the visual image is always rigorous, imperative, and irreversible. I saw what I saw. I cannot change the reality which is conveyed to me in this way, except through my action. There is no ambiguity at this point. Nor is there reversibility.
If I had only one "view" of my universe, I would be a participant in a totality which would be both terribly coherent and yet at the same time composed of fragments without any necessary relationship. The totality would be like a cloud of irrational dots which can form only the framework of an action, a change in the relationships between the points. But the cloud of dots cannot be used for understanding anything, because this pointillism of images is space but not duration. The image is present. It is only a presence. It bears witness to something "already there": the object I see was there before I opened my eyes.
I have a point of view, a location from which I see things, but it is situated within what I see and inseparable from it. Wherever I place myself, however I shift my position, I remain in the field of vision, I remain in the middle of what I see. I can never take my distance, act as if I were not present, or even begin to think independently of what I see.
At night, when I cannot see, a certain distance is established. This explains why the day’s events become so painful at night: the distance between me and the world around me allows for reflection and meditation. A flood of images overwhelms me, beckons me, and carries me along: an image I have seen follows immediately after the one I have just dismissed from my mind. I can never stop this movement of reality in space. I can never consider a given image like a diamond or a painting from which I can take my distance in order to be "myself," instead of being overwhelmed by the images composed of dots.
The image prevents me from taking my distance. And if I cannot establish a certain distance, I can neither judge nor criticize. Of course, I also feel pleasure or displeasure in what I see. I can find it beautiful or ugly. But this is not a critical process. No judgment is involved. Furthermore, what possible criticism or judgment can we make with respect to space and reality? In spite of the frailty we have all observed in a person’s testimony about what he has seen, everyone has the same certainty about anything he has seen. He has seen reality.
Sight involves a relationship with reality as established in space. It is an artificial construction. Medusa’s head transfixes whoever gazes at her. Whoever looks at the scenes on the shields of the Iliad is terror stricken. Sight introduces us to an unbearable shock. Reality when seen inspires horror. Terror is always visual. Horror stories play only on our visual sense and suggest representation.
In contrast, the spoken word can involve us in mystery or drama. It places us in situations of conflict and makes us conscious of tragedy. But it is never on its own terrifying or stupefying. We are dazed by sight -- by an image or a vision. The word takes us to the edge of terror only when descriptive and painting extremely precise images. Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories are an example. All the descriptions we have heard of Nazi death camps move us to revulsion and to a judgment that may be based more on strong feelings than anything else. The image of bulldozers pushing along mounds of skeletal corpses, which shortly before had been living beings, faces teetering from the machine’s pushing -- this image drawn from ‘Night and Fog’ moves us to abject horror. It terrifies us, because we see. Such terror results from the horror of reality.
Reality apprehended by sight is always unbearable, even when that reality is beauty. We have a horror of reality, perhaps because we depend on it so. Language, even when it is realistic, allows us to escape from this terrible reality. Sight locks us up with it and obliges us to look at it. There is no way out -- except by controlling and mastering the reality.
Images fall into a pattern with respect to each other, but sounds do not. Instead, sounds contradict each other and cancel each other out. I am listening to a Mozart concerto, and suddenly near me someone speaks. Or a visitor knocks at my door. Or someone starts noisily putting away dishes and silverware. Sounds produce incoherence. The noises I hear form no panorama of the world.
Alone among all other sounds there is one that is particularly important for us: the spoken word. It ushers us into another dimension: relationship with other living beings, with persons. The Word is the particularly human sound which differentiates us from everything else. In this connection a fundamental difference between seeing and hearing is immediately apparent. In seeing, the living being is one form among many. A human being has a special shape and color, but he is included with all the rest as part of the landscape: a discrete, moving speck. When I hear speech, however, the human being becomes qualitatively different from everything else.
The spoken word, even if it involves an essential proclamation or the thought of a genius, falls into the void, passes, and disappears, if it is not heard and recovered by someone. The ocean over there, even if no one contemplates it, remains what it is and what it was. I see it, and it produces a flurry of emotions in me. I leave. I go away, but it does not. The spoken sentence has sunk into nothingness; time has gone by, and there are no "frozen words" which can make themselves heard again later.
Thus speech is basically presence. It is something alive and is never an object. It cannot be thrown before me and remain there. Once spoken, the word ceases to exist, unless I have recovered it. Before it is spoken, the word places me in an expectant situation, in a future I await eagerly. The word does not exist on its own. It continues to exist only in its effect on the one who spoke it and on the one who recovered it. The word is never an object you can turn this way and that, grasp, and preserve for tomorrow or some distant day when you may have time to deal with it. The word exists now. It is something immediate and can never be manipulated. Either it exists or it doesn’t. It makes me what I am, establishes the speaking me and the listening me, so that my role is determined by the word itself rather than by its content. For the word to become an object, someone must transform it into writing. But then it is no longer speech. Yet even in that form, it requires time.
The word is, of necessity, spoken to someone. If no one is present, it is spoken to oneself or to God. It presupposes an ear; the Great Ear, if necessary. It calls for a response. Every word, even a swearword, an insult, an exclamation, or a soliloquy, begins a dialogue. The monologue is a dialogue in the future or the past, or else it is a dialogue incorporated into a monologue. Here again, time is involved. Dialogue develops according to a variable timetable, but dialogue cannot exist unless those engaging in it are inserted into time. Language is a call, an exchange. I avoid using the threadbare term "communication." It is not true that language exists only to communicate information.
Language never belongs to the order of evident things. It is a continuous movement between hiding and revealing. It makes of the play in human relationships something even more fine and complex than it would be without language. Language exists only for, in, and by virtue of this relationship.
Dialogue involves a certain distance. We must be separated as well as different. I do not speak to a person identical to me. I must have something to say which the other lacks, but he must also be different from me. Yet similarity is required as well. When Adam sees Eve he bursts into speech. He speaks because of her and for her. She was flesh of his flesh, bone of his bone; and yet different: a dissimilar similar person. Speech fills the infinite gap that separates us. But the difference is never removed.
Discourse begins again and again because the distance between us remains. I find I must repeatedly begin speaking again to restate what I have said. The result is an inevitable, yet rich and blessed, redundancy. The word is resumed and repeated because it is never fully explicit or an exact translation of what I have to say. It is never precisely received, never precisely understood.
The word reduced to the value of an algebraic formula with only one possible meaning would be useful for us in carrying out an identical superficial activity. But such language could never create meaning, and would never produce agreement and communication with another person. "Algebraic" language could never produce -- or suggest a story. Bees communicate pieces of information to each other, but do not produce anything like history.
The word can also obstruct and impede history, when mythical language immerses us in an ahistorical time that is repetitive and continually reduced to myth. Language is either historical or ahistorical, either a discourse on action to be undertaken or of a myth to listen to. According to the sort of language used, human history either arises and becomes a significant aspect of humanity’s existence, or else it remains on the level of everyday incoherence.
With insight, meaning becomes perfectly transparent. The other person’s words become mine; I receive them in my own mind. I experience utter intellectual delight, but a delight in my whole being as well, when I understand and am understood. The Word ushers us into time.
When I say that language normally deals with Truth rather than Reality, I only mean that there are two orders of knowledge, two kinds of references we use as human beings. There are references to the concrete, experienced reality around us, and others that come from the spoken universe. The spoken universe is our invention -- something we establish and originate by our words. We derive meaning and understanding from language, and it permits us to go beyond the reality of our lives to enter another universe, which we may call phantasmic, schizophrenic, imaginary, or any other name we choose.
I am certain that since the beginning, human beings have felt a pressing need to frame for themselves something different from the verifiable universe, and we have formed it through language. This universe is what we call truth.
The important thing is that the unique value of language lies in truth. Language is not bound to reality, but to its capacity to create this different universe, which you can call surreal, meta-real, or metaphysical. For the sake of convenience we will call it the order of truth. The word is the creator, founder, and producer of truth.
When it uses a loudspeaker and crushes others with its powerful equipment, when the television set speaks, the word is no longer involved, since no dialogue is possible. What we have in these cases is machines that use language as a way of asserting themselves. Their power is magnified, but language is reduced to a useless series of sounds which inspire only reflexes and animal instincts.
How often we have come up against a blank wall instead of a face, when the other person did not want to understand! How can we make him understand as long as he persists in that attitude? In reality, language is an extraordinary occurrence in which each person’s liberty is respected. I can oppose my word to the other person’s. Or I can turn a deaf ear. I remain free as I face someone who tries to define me, encircle me, or convince me.
In other words, of necessity I give my listener a choice to make. A situation where there is choice is a situation where there is freedom. But at the same time, I invite him to use the gift of liberty inherent in language, just as I have. He must speak in turn, consciously making use of his freedom. I invite him to start down the difficult road of self-knowledge and self-expression, of choice, self-exposure, and unveiling.
Language always involves the exercise of freedom. It is never mechanical, just as it is not an object! Subtle structural linguistic analyses are of course limited to texts; that is, to finite, fixed words rather than open-ended ones. Such analyses seem to account for everything…But they overlook one thing. Once the languages and lexicons, rhetorics, discourses, and narratives have been stripped of their mystery, one thing is left: language itself. It remains because it is history, and such linguistic analysis excludes history.
This is its second characteristic. The paradox, let us remember, is something situated beside or outside the doxa (opinion). The paradox is free of all doxa, but at the same time calls the doxa into question. Roland Barthes is right in showing that "the real instrument of censorship is the endoxa rather than the police."
Our civilization’s major temptation (a problem that comes from technique’s preponderant influence) is to confuse reality with truth. We are made to believe that reality is truth: the only truth. At the time of the controversy over universals, the realists believed that only truth is real. We have inverted the terms, believing that everything is limited to reality. We think that truth is contained within reality and expressed by it. Nothing more. Moreover, there is nothing left beyond reality any more. Nothing is Other; the Wholly Other no longer exists. Everything is reduced to this verifiable reality which is scientifically measurable and pragmatically modifiable. Praxis becomes the measure of all truth. Truth becomes limited to something that falls short of real truth. It is something that can be acted upon. The Word is related only to Truth. The image is related only to reality.
Of course, the word can also refer to reality! It can be perfectly pragmatic, used to command an action or to describe a factual situation. The word enters the world of concrete objects and refers to experiences of reality. It is the means of communication in everyday life, and as a result it fits precisely with all of reality. It conveys information about reality and takes part in the understanding of it. It can even create reality, producing effects that will become part of reality. Thus the word is ambivalent. But its specificity lies in the domain of truth, since this domain is not shared with anything else.
On the contrary, the image cannot leave the domain of reality. It is not ambivalent. At this point I can hear someone tempted to ask: "What is Truth?" I will carefully avoid answering by suggesting some specific content for the word. Such an answer would be challenged immediately, involving us in a long digression which would exceed my capacity. Without attempting this sort of definition, I can show what the object of truth can be, and this will serve to distinguish it clearly from reality. The very questions asked about truth can indicate its nature, replacing the answer that cannot be given. We can grant, then, that anything concerned with the ultimate destination of a human being belongs to the domain of Truth.
It does not matter if one can answer or not, nor does it matter whether the answer is personal or is objectified as philosophy or revelation. But when a person asks about his own life (consciously or unconsciously), then the real question of truth has been asked. And when anyone claims to have resolved it, he is lying.
When he tries to answer this question within the framework of reality alone, he has no answer to offer.
An individual can ask the question of truth and attempt to answer it only through language. The image, on the other hand, belongs to the domain of reality. It can in no way convey anything at all about the order of truth. It never grasps anything but an appearance or outward behavior. It is unable to convey a spiritual experience, a requirement of justice, a testimony to the deepest feelings of a person, or to bear witness to the truth. In all these areas the image will rely on a form. Images can convey a rite, and thus people have a tendency to confuse religious truth with religious rites.
An image can catch a psychological expression on someone’s face: ecstasy, for example. People will believe that they are seeing authentic faith, whereas all they have is a psychological state that can be utterly unrelated to faith. Such a state can be induced by a drug, for example. Faced with such a problem, those who identify reality with truth are so monumentally confused that they deny faith because a psychological state can be artificially induced! An image can show a body’s position, as in a photograph of clasped hands and bowed head, seeming to say that this is prayer. But in reality, no prayer is involved in this image; it could be only a joke. Even when no one is joking, an image is incapable of expressing the seriousness of truth.
…An image can report miracles, but only recorded miracles -- after they have taken place and grace has departed. The image can never penetrate as far as the holy place where the Word proclaims that an individual has become a new creation. The miracle is an expression of this new creation. No image is able to convey any truth at all. This explains in partly why all "spiritual" films are failures. When we insist on expressing spiritual matters this way through images, something other than truth is always perceived. Even more serious and alarming, truth tends to disappear behind all the lighting and makeup. It tends to vanish when squelched by images.
Our generation is characterized by the exclusive preeminence of reality, both at the factual level and in our preoccupations. We are moved in this direction by the marvels of technique, the prevailing tone of our time, the great concern about economic matters, etc. Our era is further characterized by an absolute identification of reality with truth. Marxism has prevailed absolutely in this matter, and science has finally convinced people that the only possible truth consists in knowing reality, and that the proof of truth is success relative to reality. Thus in the thinking of modern individuals the image is the means par excellence which communicates reality and truth at the same time.
This attitude concerning images can be held only if one confuses reality and truth to begin with, believing that a scientific hypothesis is true when it is confirmed by experiments. Such a hypothesis has nothing to do with truth, and is merely accurate. Of course, this preeminence of reality and this confusion coincide with the universal belief in the "fact," taken to be of ultimate value.
The image is an admirable tool for understanding reality. A documentary film of a riot enables us to penetrate the world of anger better than any speech could. But an image is explosive only if the spectator knows what it represents and if it is taken for what it is: a faithful representation of reality. An image becomes falsehood and illusion as soon as a person tries to see truth in it. At that moment, by means of an amazing reversal, the image loses all its explosive power.
When the image is understood to speak only of reality, however, it is explosive and terrible. At this point we discover a new problem. images in our society are always the product of a mechanical technique. Technique is truly an intermediary, since the universe of images is established for us by technique. But this is the equivalent of saying that we find ourselves in the presence of an artificial world, made by an outside force with artificial means. Therefore it is important to realize that stark reality is never conveyed to us in this universe of images. Instead we find a more or less arbitrary construction or reconstruction, with the result that we must constantly remind ourselves of the ambiguity behind the apparent objectivity of the image: it expresses a reality, but of necessity it presents us with an artifice. In this sense the image is deceptive: it passes itself off as reality when it is artifice; it pretends to be unilateral truth when it is a reflection of something that cannot be truth.

Hello!
I have been using credit cards for the past 15 years or so. Until recently that I read about how to maximize card cashback and points, I only used two: Citibank Cashback (CL 600K) and BPI Blue (CL 450K). I had not been paying AFs since heavy spender and pay balance lagi every month. However, for the past 2 years ayaw na mag waive ni Citibank ng AF, mahal pa naman at 4500. Hindi ko pa ginamit ang "I will cancel my card" spiel though.
I am analyzing my spend pattern though. Ang plan ko is magkaroon ng 3-4 cards to maximize.

1. Card for Grocery - I spend 24k/month for grocery purchases. If hindi pa ulit mag waive si Citibank this year, i-cut ko na and upgrade my BPI Blue to BPI Amore. I heard waivable ang AF ni Amore, anybody knows the yearly spend to waive AF?
2. Card for Dining - I recently applied for HSBC Gold Visa, na approve naman. Will plan to use this solely for dining (I spend siguro around 8-12K monthly for dining including Grabfood). I heard waivable din ang AF for 100k annual spend, if true, pasok na ako dito.
3. Card for Other Purchases - I am currently applying for Chinabank Cash Rewards card, which gives 6% for other purchases (as long as non-grocery, non-gas, non-drugstore I think). Minimum of 1k transaction to qualify, and rebate cap is 1k only per month. I spend around 10-15k monthly for these purchases (e.g. shopping, etc). Ang catch lang dito is may AF na 300 monthly. Di ko pa sure if this is waiveable (may naka try na ba?). Also, may nakaka-alam kaya kung yung grab cash-in will earn the 6% rebate too?

Now, I have seasonal purchases. I pay around 100k annually on different insurance policies, and around 250K-300K annually for travel spends (airfare, hotel, entrance tickets, kain, etc.)
Would you advise for me to get a 4th card for the seasonal purchases? If yes, I am thinking either:

1. BPI Visa Signature - I am a preferred client so I am qualified for 3 years free AF, and yung CL ko sa BPI is qualified na to upgrade yung Blue ko to this. However ayoko magbayad ng AF after that, ang mahal pa naman and hindi ko maaabot yung 1.2M annual spend. Any preferred client who had their AF waived after 3 yrs?
2. EW Mastercard Plat - free AF for life so hindi ko na to iintindihin, though iniisip ko pa kung worth applying nga. Mababa kase ang foreign transaction fee ni EW. Kaso medyo mataas palitan sa 40 pesos = 1 point. I dont care much about the travel perks (e.g. lounges etc) mas concern ko yung cash back / cash credits.
3. BDO Amex Cashback - ok sana na unli yung cash back kaso not widely accepted ang Amex and I heard a lot of struggles using this online, etc. Ang gusto ko lang dito is 2% ang cashback sa grab cash-in at FB ads, pero di rin naman ganon kalaki ang spend ko sa dalawang yan, mga less than 5K/month lang din. Atsaka 2% cb din sa foreign spend, yun eh kung tatanggapin yung card hehehe.

OR - keep my 3 cards na lang and i spread ko na lang yung ibang seasonal purchases ko dyan, to get higher chances to waive AF? Need to retain lang talaga yung BPI ko kase yun lang ang maayos ang Foreign Transaction Fee, to be able to use for travel.
Any comments or suggestions? Will read all your feedback, thank you so much!

Everything in my inventory is up for trade. The most valuable items are listed here, the rest you can find in My Inventory

Feel free to Add Me or even better send a Trade Offer. Open for any suggestions: upgrades, downgrades / knives, gloves, skins / stickers, patterns, floats.

All Buyouts are listed in cash value.

KNIVES

★ Butterfly Knife Freehand FN #1, B/O: $2500

★ Butterfly Knife Ultraviolet FT, B/O: $822

★ Butterfly Knife Scorched FT, B/O: $616

⎯

★ Bayonet Tiger Tooth MW #1, B/O: $1300

★ Bayonet Autotronic FN, B/O: $1050

★ Bayonet Tiger Tooth MW, B/O: $629

★ Bayonet Bright Water FT, B/O: $326

★ Bayonet Safari Mesh BS, B/O: $233

⎯

★ Karambit Lore FT, B/O: $1110

★ Karambit Damascus Steel FT, B/O: $840

★ Karambit Freehand MW, B/O: $784

★ Karambit Bright Water MW, B/O: $759

⎯

★ M9 Bayonet Fade FN, B/O: $1801

★ M9 Bayonet Fade FN, B/O: $1801

★ M9 Bayonet Damascus Steel FN, B/O: $751

⎯

★ Nomad Knife Fade FN, B/O: $1156

★ Nomad Knife Slaughter MW, B/O: $544

★ Nomad Knife Blue Steel WW, B/O: $318

⎯

★ Flip Knife Marble Fade FN, B/O: $646

★ Flip Knife Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $574

★ Flip Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 1) MW, B/O: $552

★ Flip Knife Case Hardened FT, B/O: $257

★ Flip Knife Freehand FT, B/O: $255

★ StatTrak™ Flip Knife Bright Water FN, B/O: $287

⎯

★ Huntsman Knife Lore FN, B/O: $461

★ Huntsman Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $436

★ Huntsman Knife Doppler (Phase 3) FN, B/O: $353

★ Huntsman Knife Autotronic FT, B/O: $212

★ Huntsman Knife Bright Water FT, B/O: $129

★ Huntsman Knife Forest DDPAT MW, B/O: $129

★ Huntsman Knife Forest DDPAT BS, B/O: $123

★ StatTrak™ Huntsman Knife Rust Coat BS, B/O: $127

⎯

★ Bowie Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 2) FN, B/O: $375

★ Bowie Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 1) FN, B/O: $363

★ Bowie Knife Tiger Tooth FN, B/O: $269

★ Bowie Knife Crimson Web WW, B/O: $192

★ Bowie Knife Bright Water FN, B/O: $159

★ Bowie Knife Ultraviolet FT, B/O: $126

⎯

★ Stiletto Knife Slaughter FN, B/O: $616

★ Stiletto Knife Crimson Web FT, B/O: $412

★ StatTrak™ Stiletto Knife Night Stripe FT, B/O: $227

⎯

★ Falchion Knife Lore FT, B/O: $214

★ Falchion Knife Autotronic FT, B/O: $192

★ Falchion Knife Scorched WW, B/O: $105

⎯

★ Survival Knife Crimson Web BS, B/O: $216

★ Survival Knife Case Hardened FT, B/O: $198

★ Survival Knife Scorched FT, B/O: $111

⎯

★ Shadow Daggers Fade FN, B/O: $368

★ Shadow Daggers Doppler (Phase 3) FN, B/O: $228

★ Shadow Daggers, B/O: $201

★ Shadow Daggers Damascus Steel FT, B/O: $108

★ Shadow Daggers Ultraviolet FT, B/O: $105

★ Shadow Daggers Black Laminate FT, B/O: $99

★ Shadow Daggers Forest DDPAT FT, B/O: $85

⎯

★ Gut Knife Doppler (Sapphire) MW #1, B/O: $1700

★ Gut Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 1) FN, B/O: $223

★ Gut Knife Marble Fade FN, B/O: $203

★ Gut Knife Doppler (Phase 2) FN, B/O: $191

★ Gut Knife Case Hardened BS, B/O: $127

⎯

★ Navaja Knife Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $199

★ Navaja Knife Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $199

★ Navaja Knife, B/O: $138

★ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel FN, B/O: $111

⎯

★ Classic Knife Urban Masked FT, B/O: $146

★ StatTrak™ Classic Knife Stained BS, B/O: $168

⎯

★ Ursus Knife Doppler (Phase 3) FN, B/O: $476

★ Ursus Knife, B/O: $375

⎯

★ Skeleton Knife, B/O: $1137

★ Talon Knife, B/O: $608

★ Paracord Knife, B/O: $305

★ Survival Knife Forest DDPAT FT, B/O: $97

GLOVES

★ Moto Gloves Transport MW, B/O: $204

★ Moto Gloves Polygon BS, B/O: $142

★ Moto Gloves Blood Pressure BS, B/O: $84

★ Moto Gloves Blood Pressure BS, B/O: $84

★ Moto Gloves 3rd Commando Company BS, B/O: $63

★ Moto Gloves 3rd Commando Company BS, B/O: $63

⎯

★ Specialist Gloves Crimson Kimono WW, B/O: $1215

★ Specialist Gloves Tiger Strike FT, B/O: $672

★ Specialist Gloves Lt. Commander FT, B/O: $305

★ Specialist Gloves Lt. Commander BS, B/O: $140

★ Specialist Gloves Crimson Web BS, B/O: $137

★ Specialist Gloves Buckshot FT, B/O: $75

⎯

★ Driver Gloves Crimson Weave FT, B/O: $359

★ Driver Gloves Imperial Plaid BS, B/O: $229

★ Driver Gloves Overtake BS, B/O: $77

★ Driver Gloves Racing Green FT, B/O: $48

⎯

★ Sport Gloves Omega FT, B/O: $739

★ Sport Gloves Amphibious BS #2, B/O: $733

★ Sport Gloves Arid BS, B/O: $292

⎯

★ Hand Wraps Giraffe MW, B/O: $212

★ Hand Wraps Leather FT, B/O: $160

★ Hand Wraps Desert Shamagh MW, B/O: $101

⎯

★ Broken Fang Gloves Yellow-banded MW, B/O: $185

★ Broken Fang Gloves Needle Point FT, B/O: $67

★ Broken Fang Gloves Needle Point WW, B/O: $59

⎯

★ Hydra Gloves Case Hardened BS, B/O: $65

★ Hydra Gloves Emerald FT, B/O: $65

★ Hydra Gloves Emerald BS, B/O: $62

WEAPONS

AK-47 Case Hardened BS, B/O: $130

AK-47 Bloodsport MW, B/O: $79

AK-47 Fuel Injector BS, B/O: $76

AK-47 Fuel Injector BS, B/O: $76

AK-47 Bloodsport FT, B/O: $70

AK-47 Neon Rider MW, B/O: $60

StatTrak™ AK-47 Aquamarine Revenge FT, B/O: $72

⎯

AWP Fade FN, B/O: $1039

AWP Asiimov FT, B/O: $139

AWP Asiimov FT, B/O: $139

AWP Wildfire MW, B/O: $95

AWP BOOM MW, B/O: $93

AWP BOOM MW, B/O: $93

AWP Duality FN, B/O: $81

AWP Asiimov BS, B/O: $79

AWP Asiimov BS, B/O: $79

AWP Chromatic Aberration FN, B/O: $60

StatTrak™ AWP Hyper Beast FT, B/O: $68

StatTrak™ AWP Hyper Beast FT, B/O: $68

StatTrak™ AWP Electric Hive FT, B/O: $55

⎯

Desert Eagle Blaze FN, B/O: $623

Desert Eagle Emerald Jörmungandr FN, B/O: $241

Desert Eagle Cobalt Disruption FN, B/O: $81

Desert Eagle Cobalt Disruption FN, B/O: $81

Desert Eagle Cobalt Disruption FN, B/O: $81

Desert Eagle Printstream FT, B/O: $54

⎯

M4A1-S Blue Phosphor FN, B/O: $434

StatTrak™ M4A1-S Bright Water MW, B/O: $55

⎯

M4A4 Poseidon FN, B/O: $1465

M4A4 Asiimov BS, B/O: $55

M4A4 Hellfire MW, B/O: $50

⎯

USP-S Kill Confirmed MW, B/O: $72

USP-S Printstream FT, B/O: $69

StatTrak™ USP-S Kill Confirmed FT, B/O: $139

⎯

AUG Flame Jörmungandr FN, B/O: $234

P90 Run and Hide FT, B/O: $147

Five-SeveN Candy Apple FN, B/O: $61

Trade Offer Link - Steam Profile Link - My Inventory

Knives - Bowie Knife, Butterfly Knife, Falchion Knife, Flip Knife, Gut Knife, Huntsman Knife, M9 Bayonet, Bayonet, Karambit, Shadow Daggers, Stiletto Knife, Ursus Knife, Navaja Knife, Talon Knife, Classic Knife, Paracord Knife, Survival Knife, Nomad Knife, Skeleton Knife, Patterns - Gamma Doppler, Doppler (Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, Phase 4, Black Pearl, Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald), Crimson Web, Lore, Fade, Ultraviolet, Night, Marble Fade (Fire & Ice, Fake FI), Case Hardened (Blue Gem), Autotronic, Slaughter, Black Laminate, Tiger Tooth, Boreal Forest, Scorched, Blue Steel, Vanilla, Damascus Steel, Forest DDPAT, Urban Masked, Freehand, Stained, Bright Water, Safari Mesh, Rust Coat, Gloves - Bloodhound Gloves (Charred, Snakebite, Guerrilla, Bronzed), Driver Gloves (Snow Leopard, King Snake, Crimson Weave, Imperial Plaid, Black Tie, Lunar Weave, Diamondback, Rezan the Red, Overtake, Queen Jaguar, Convoy, Racing Green), Hand Wraps (Cobalt Skulls, CAUTION!, Overprint, Slaughter, Leather, Giraffe, Badlands, Spruce DDPAT, Arboreal, Constrictor, Desert Shamagh, Duct Tape), Moto Gloves (Spearmint, POW!, Cool Mint, Smoke Out, Finish Line, Polygon, Blood Pressure, Turtle, Boom!, Eclipse, 3rd Commando Company, Transport), Specialist Gloves (Crimson Kimono, Tiger Strike, Emerald Web, Field Agent, Marble Fade, Fade, Foundation, Lt. Commander, Crimson Web, Mogul, Forest DDPAT, Buckshot), Sport Gloves (Pandora's Box, Superconductor, Hedge Maze, Vice, Amphibious, Slingshot, Omega, Arid, Big Game, Nocts, Scarlet Shamagh, Bronze Morph), Hydra Gloves (Case Hardened, Emerald, Rattler, Mangrove), Broken Fang Gloves (Jade, Yellow-banded, Unhinged, Needle Point), Pistols - P2000 (Wicked Sick, Ocean Foam, Fire Element, Amber Fade, Corticera, Chainmail, Imperial Dragon, Obsidian, Scorpion, Handgun, Acid Etched), USP-S (Printstream, Kill Confirmed, Whiteout, Road Rash, Owergrowth, The Traitor, Neo-Noir, Dark Water, Orion, Blueprint, Stainless, Caiman, Serum, Monster Mashup, Royal Blue, Ancient Visions, Cortex, Orange Anolis, Ticket To Hell, Black Lotus, Cyrex, Check Engine, Guardian, Purple DDPAT, Torque, Blood Tiger, Flashback, Business Class, Pathfinder, Para Green), Lead Conduit, Glock-18 (Umbral Rabbit, Fade, Candy Apple, Bullet Queen, Synth Leaf, Neo-Noir, Nuclear Garden, Dragon Tatto, Reactor, Pink DDPAT, Twilight Galaxy, Sand Dune, Groundwater, Blue Fissure, Snack Attack, Water Elemental, Brass, Wasteland Rebel, Vogue, Franklin, Royal Legion, Gamma Doppler, Weasel, Steel Disruption, Ironwork, Grinder, High Beam, Moonrise, Oxide Blaze, Bunsen Burner, Clear Polymer, Bunsen Burner, Night), P250 (Re.built, Nuclear Threat, Modern Hunter, Splash, Whiteout, Vino Primo, Mehndi, Asiimov, Visions, Undertow, Cartel, See Ya Later, Gunsmoke, Splash, Digital Architect, Muertos, Red Rock, Bengal Tiger, Crimson Kimono, Wingshot, Metallic DDPAT, Hive, Dark Filigree, Mint Kimono), Five-Seven (Neon Kimono, Berries And Cherries, Fall Hazard, Crimson Blossom, Hyper Beast, Nitro, Fairy Tale, Case Hardened, Copper Galaxy, Angry Mob, Monkey Business, Fowl Play, Anodized Gunmetal, Hot Shot, Retrobution, Boost Protocol), CZ75-Auto (Chalice, Crimson Web, Emerald Quartz, The Fuschia is Now, Nitro, Xiangliu, Yellow Jacket, Victoria, Poison Dart, Syndicate, Eco, Hexane, Pole, Tigris), Tec-9 (Rebel, Terrace, Nuclear Threat, Hades, Rust Leaf, Decimator, Blast From, Orange Murano, Toxic, Fuel Injector, Remote Control, Bamboo Forest, Isaac, Avalanche, Brother, Re-Entry, Blue Titanium, Bamboozle), R8 Revolver (Banana Cannon, Fade, Blaze, Crimson Web, Liama Cannon, Crazy 8, Reboot, Canal Spray, Night, Amber Fade), Desert Eagle (Blaze, Hand Cannon, Fennec Fox, Sunset Storm, Emerald Jörmungandr, Pilot, Hypnotic, Golden Koi, Printstream, Cobalt Disruption, Code Red, Ocean Drive, Midnight Storm, Kumicho Dragon, Crimson Web, Heirloom, Night Heist, Mecha Industries, Night, Conspiracy, Trigger Discipline, Naga, Directive, Light Rail), Dual Berettas (Flora Carnivora, Duelist, Cobra Strike, Black Limba, Emerald, Hemoglobin, Twin Turbo, Marina, Melondrama, Pyre, Retribution, Briar, Dezastre, Royal Consorts, Urban Shock, Dualing Dragons, Panther, Balance), Rifles - Galil (Aqua Terrace, Winter Forest, Chatterbox, Sugar Rush, Pheonix Blacklight, CAUTION!, Orange DDPAT, Cerberus, Dusk Ruins, Eco, Chromatic Aberration, Stone Cold, Tuxedo, Sandstorm, Shattered, Urban Rubble, Rocket Pop, Kami, Crimson Tsunami, Connexion), SCAR-20 (Fragments, Brass, Cyrex, Palm, Splash Jam, Cardiac, Emerald, Crimson Web, Magna Carta, Stone Mosaico, Bloodsport, Enforcer), AWP (Duality, Gungnir, Dragon Lore, Prince, Medusa, Desert Hydra, Fade, Lightning Strike, Oni Taiji, Silk Tiger, Graphite, Chromatic Aberration, Asiimov, Snake Camo, Boom, Containment Breach, Wildfire, Redline, Electric Hive, Hyper Beast, Neo-Noir, Man-o'-war, Pink DDPAT, Corticera, Sun in Leo, Elite Build, Fever Dream, Atheris, Mortis, PAW, Exoskeleton, Worm God, POP AWP, Phobos, Acheron, Pit Viper, Capillary, Safari Mesh), AK-47 (Head Shot, Wild Lotus, Gold Arabesque, X-Ray, Fire Serpent, Hydroponic, Panthera Onca, Case Hardened, Vulcan, Jet Set, Fuel Injector, Bloodsport, Nightwish, First Class, Neon Rider, Asiimov, Red Laminate, Aquamarine Revenge, The Empress, Wasteland Rebel, Jaguar, Black Laminate, Leet Museo, Neon Revolution, Redline, Frontside Misty, Predator, Legion of Anubis, Point Disarray, Orbit Mk01, Blue Laminate, Green Laminate, Emerald Pinstripe, Cartel, Phantom Disruptor, Jungle Spray, Safety Net, Rat Rod, Baroque Purple, Slate, Elite Build, Uncharted, Safari Mesh), FAMAS (Sundown, Prime Conspiracy, Afterimage, Commemoration, Dark Water, Spitfire, Pulse, Eye of Athena, Meltdown, Rapid Eye Move, Roll Cage, Styx, Mecha Industrie, Djinn, ZX Spectron, Valence, Neural Net, Night Borre, Hexne), M4A4 (Temukau, Howl, Poseidon, Asiimov, Daybreak, Hellfire, Zirka, Red DDPAT, Radiation Hazard, Modern Hunter, The Emperor, The Coalition, Bullet Rain, Cyber Security, X-Ray, Dark Blossom, Buzz Kill, In Living Color, Neo-Noir, Desolate Space, 龍王 (Dragon King), Royal Paladin, The Battlestar, Global Offensive, Tooth Fairy, Desert-Strike, Griffin, Evil Daimyo, Spider Lily, Converter), M4A1-S (Emphorosaur-S, Welcome to the Jungle, Imminent Danger, Knight, Hot Rod, Icarus Fell, Blue Phosphor, Printstream, Master Piece, Dark Water, Golden Coil, Bright Water, Player Two, Atomic Alloy, Guardian, Chantico's Fire, Hyper Beast, Mecha Industries, Cyrex, Control Panel, Moss Quartz, Nightmare, Decimator, Leaded Glass, Basilisk, Blood Tiger, Briefing, Night Terror, Nitro, VariCamo, Flashback), SG 553 (Cyberforce, Hazard Pay, Bulldozer, Integrale, Dragon Tech, Ultraviolet, Colony IV, Hypnotic, Cyrex, Candy Apple, Barricade, Pulse), SSG 08 (Death Strike, Sea Calico, Blood in the Water, Orange Filigree, Dragonfire, Big Iron, Bloodshot, Detour, Turbo Peek, Red Stone), AUG (Akihabara Accept, Flame Jörmungandr, Hot Rod, Midnight Lily, Sand Storm, Carved Jade, Wings, Anodized Navy, Death by Puppy, Torque, Bengal Tiger, Chameleon, Fleet Flock, Random Access, Momentum, Syd Mead, Stymphalian, Arctic Wolf, Aristocrat, Navy Murano), G3SG1 (Chronos, Violet Murano, Flux, Demeter, Orange Kimono, The Executioner, Green Apple, Arctic Polar Camo, Contractor), SMGs - P90 (Neoqueen, Astral Jörmungandr, Run and Hide, Emerald Dragon, Cold Blooded, Death by Kitty, Baroque Red, Vent Rush, Blind Spot, Asiimov, Trigon, Sunset Lily, Death Grip, Leather, Nostalgia, Fallout Warning, Tiger Pit, Schermatic, Virus, Shapewood, Glacier Mesh, Shallow Grave, Chopper, Desert Warfare), MAC-10 (Sakkaku, Hot Snakes, Copper Borre, Red Filigree, Gold Brick, Graven, Case Hardened, Stalker, Amber Fade, Neon Rider, Tatter, Curse, Propaganda, Nuclear Garden, Disco Tech, Toybox, Heat, Indigo), UMP-45 (Wild Child, Fade, Blaze, Day Lily, Minotaur's Labyrinth, Crime Scene, Caramel, Bone Pile, Momentum, Primal Saber), MP7 (Teal Blossom, Fade, Nemesis, Whiteout, Asterion, Bloosport, Abyssal Apparition, Full Stop, Special Delivery, Neon Ply, Asterion, Ocean Foam, Powercore, Scorched, Impire), PP-Bizon (Modern Hunter, Rust Coat, Forest Leaves, Antique, High Roller, Blue Streak, Seabird, Judgement of Anubis, Bamboo Print, Embargo, Chemical Green, Coblat Halftone, Fuel Rod, Photic Zone, Irradiated Alert, Carbon Fiber), MP9 (Featherweight, Wild Lily, Pandora's Box, Stained Glass, Bulldozer, Dark Age, Hot Rod, Hypnotic, Hydra, Rose Iron, Music Box, Setting Sun, Food Chain, Airlock, Mount Fuji, Starlight Protector, Ruby Poison Dart, Deadly Poison), MP5-SD (Liquidation, Oxide Oasis, Phosphor, Nitro, Agent, Autumn Twilly), Shotguns, Machineguns - Sawed-Off (Kiss♥Love, First Class, Orange DDPAT, Rust Coat, The Kraken, Devourer, Mosaico, Wasteland Princess, Bamboo Shadow, Copper, Serenity, Limelight, Apocalypto), XM1014 (Frost Borre, Ancient Lore, Red Leather, Elegant Vines, Banana Leaf, Jungle, Urban Perforated, Grassland, Blaze Orange, Heaven Guard, VariCamo Blue, Entombed, XOXO, Seasons, Tranquility, Bone Machine, Incinegator, Teclu Burner, Black Tie, Zombie Offensive, Watchdog), Nova (Baroque Orange, Hyper Beast, Green Apple, Antique, Modern Hunter, Walnut, Forest Leaves, Graphite, Blaze Orange, Rising Skull, Tempest, Bloomstick, Interlock, Quick Sand, Moon in Libra, Clean Polymer, Red Quartz, Toy Soldier), MAG-7 (Insomnia, Cinqueda, Counter Terrace, Prism Terrace, Memento, Chainmail, Hazard, Justice, Bulldozer, Silver, Core Breach, Firestarter, Praetorian, Heat, Hard Water, Monster Call, BI83 Spectrum, SWAG-7), M249 (Humidor, Shipping Forecast, Blizzard Marbleized, Downtown, Jungle DDPAT, Nebula Crusader, Impact Drill, Emerald Poison Dart), Negev (Mjölnir, Anodized Navy, Palm, Power Loader, Bratatat, CaliCamo, Phoenix Stencil, Infrastructure, Boroque Sand), Wear - Factory New (FN), Minimal Wear (MW), Field-Tested (FT), Well-Worn (WW), Battle-Scarred (BS), Stickers Holo/Foil/Gold - Katowice 2014, Krakow 2017, Howling Dawn, Katowice 2015, Crown, London 2018, Cologne 2014, Boston 2018, Atlanta 2017, Cluj-Napoca 2015, DreamHack 2014, King on the Field, Harp of War, Winged Difuser, Cologne 2016, Cologne 2015, MLG Columbus 2016, Katowice 2019, Berlin 2019, RMR 2020, Stockholm 2021, Antwerp 2022, Swag Foil, Flammable foil, Others - Souvenirs, Agents, Pins, Passes, Gifts, Music Kits, Cases, Keys, Capsules, Packages, Patches

Some items on the list may no longer be available or are still locked, visit My Inventory for more details.

Send a Trade Offer for fastest response. I consider all offers.

Add me for discuss if there is a serious offer that needs to be discussed.

Application development world, one decision that holds profound implications for your project's success is the selection of an appropriate database. This choice is far from trivial. It directly impacts not only the performance of your application, delivering a smooth or laggy user experience, but also its scalability, determining whether your application can grow in stride with your user base or customer demand. Additionally, your database choice also influences the ease or complexity of managing your application, affecting how swiftly you can respond to issues and implement changes or improvements.
In the diverse landscape of database solutions, two names often rise to the forefront of discussions - Redis and MongoDB. These popular options each bring a distinctive set of features and advantages to the table, suiting them to different scenarios and requirements. As a result, they are frequently contrasted and compared, with developers seeking to discern which would be the ideal fit for their specific project needs.
Redis, standing for Remote Dictionary Server, is an open-source, in-memory data structure store. It can function as a database, cache, and message broker. The design of this key-value store results in lightning-fast read and write operations. This quality makes Redis a prime candidate for applications that necessitate real-time data processing.
On the other hand, MongoDB is a document-oriented database known for its flexibility and scalability. It is also open-source and employs JSON-like documents with optional schemas. These attributes make MongoDB a powerful tool for querying and indexing, further enriching its appeal.
Both Redis and MongoDB, with their unique strengths and characteristics, have carved niches for themselves in certain types of applications. However, the choice between them is not always clear-cut and can be influenced by a multitude of factors such as the nature of data to be stored, speed requirements, scalability needs, and more.
The goal of this comprehensive article is to illuminate the key facets of Redis vs MongoDB. By contrasting their features, strengths, and weaknesses, we aim to equip you with the necessary understanding to navigate this critical decision confidently. Through this guidance, we hope to steer you towards the right choice for your project, optimizing the performance, scalability, and manageability of your application.

What is Redis?

Redis, an acronym for Remote Dictionary Server, is an open-source, in-memory data structure store used as a database, cache, and message broker.
At the heart of our comparison lies Redis. An acronym that stands for Remote Dictionary Server, Redis is a potent and versatile solution in the data management space. It is an open-source tool, meaning that its source code is freely available, promoting transparency, community-driven enhancements, and adaptability to specific needs. The free availability of its source code aligns with the ethos of many developers, supporting the continued development and refinement of this high-performing software.
Redis operates as an in-memory data structure store, which significantly impacts its performance characteristics. The term 'in-memory' signifies that Redis stores data directly in the server's main memory (RAM), unlike other databases that store data on disk. This characteristic provides Redis with a substantial speed advantage, as accessing data in memory is considerably faster than retrieving it from a disk. As a result, applications using Redis can access and manipulate data with blazing speed, propelling their performance.
The versatility of Redis goes beyond just functioning as a database. It can also serve as a cache and message broker. As a cache, Redis temporarily stores frequently accessed data to reduce the time taken for data retrieval, resulting in faster response times. As a message broker, Redis supports the publishing of messages and subscribing to channels, facilitating efficient and real-time communication between different parts of an application.
Redis adopts a straightforward and effective key-value store design, allowing data to be stored as a pair where one element is a key, and the other is its corresponding value. This architecture is simple yet powerful, enabling high-speed read and write operations. Keys provide a method to identify data, and values hold the actual data itself. Due to this design, Redis excels in applications requiring real-time data processing where speed is of the essence.
Overall, the nature of Redis - its open-source status, its in-memory operation, its versatile roles, and its key-value store design - makes it an outstanding choice for certain types of applications. Especially in scenarios where real-time data processing is vital, Redis can offer a performance that truly sets it apart.
​

The Benefits of Redis: Speed, Flexibility, and More

Redis, as we've discovered, is much more than a simple data store. Its unique characteristics endow it with certain strengths that make it a robust tool in a developer's arsenal. The benefits of Redis are many, but two in particular stand out: its remarkable speed and its support for a range of diverse data structures.
Redis owes its blazing speed to its in-memory design. As data is stored and accessed directly from the main memory (RAM), data operations like read and write occur at a rapid pace. With Redis, you can achieve sub-millisecond latency, a speed that is often essential in today's dynamic and fast-paced applications. This speed advantage places Redis in a class of its own when it comes to applications that require real-time responses.
In practical terms, this means that Redis is an ideal solution for numerous demanding use-cases. For instance, as a cache, Redis can store frequently accessed data for speedy retrieval, effectively reducing application response times. It also shines in session management, where maintaining a fast, consistent experience for users across multiple sessions is crucial.
The application of Redis doesn't stop there. In real-time analytics, where data needs to be processed and insights need to be drawn instantly, Redis proves to be a valuable asset. Additionally, it is an excellent fit for message queuing systems, where its ability to quickly publish and retrieve messages ensures efficient and reliable communication between different application components.
Complementing its speed is another significant strength of Redis: its support for a wide array of data structures. Redis is not just a simple key-value store; it can handle data structures such as lists, sets, sorted sets, hashes, bitmaps, hyperloglogs, and geospatial indexes. Each of these data structures serves a unique purpose, and having the ability to choose the right one for the right task can be instrumental in building efficient applications.
This diversity in data structures offers a high degree of flexibility in handling different data types and use cases. For example, lists in Redis can be used to implement stacks, queues, or even a timeline of activities; sorted sets can be used to manage a leaderboard in a gaming application; and geospatial indexes can be used in location-based services like finding the nearest restaurant.
The pros of Redis lie in its exceptional speed and its support for various data structures. These advantages make Redis a compelling choice for a range of applications, from those requiring real-time data processing to those requiring diverse methods of data handling.

Cons of Redis

While Redis is indeed a powerful tool with a multitude of strengths, it is not without its limitations. Understanding these constraints is critical to making an informed decision about whether Redis is the right choice for your application's needs. The two primary limitations of Redis relate to its data persistence model and its relatively simple querying capabilities.
The first limitation revolves around Redis' data persistence model. As previously discussed, Redis is fundamentally an in-memory data store, meaning data is primarily stored in the server's main memory (RAM). While this design leads to fast data access and superior performance, it also means that data stored in Redis may not persist if the server is rebooted or encounters a failure.
​
Although Redis does offer mechanisms to mitigate this concern, such as snapshotting and append-only files (AOF) that allow data to be persisted to disk, these methods come with their own trade-offs in terms of performance and disk space. As a result, Redis may not be the best choice for scenarios where long-term, reliable data storage is paramount. Applications requiring a strong guarantee of data durability may need to consider alternative solutions or additional backup strategies.
The second limitation of Redis pertains to its querying capabilities. At its core, Redis operates as a key-value store, where data can be quickly accessed using a unique key. While this design works well for simple data access patterns and contributes to Redis' impressive speed, it may fall short in scenarios requiring more complex data manipulation.
​
Unlike databases that support SQL or similar querying languages, Redis lacks advanced querying capabilities. You cannot, for instance, easily perform operations like selecting all keys that meet a certain condition or joining data from multiple keys. As a result, Redis may be less suited to scenarios that demand intricate data analysis, complex searches, or advanced data manipulation.
In essence, while Redis is a high-performance in-memory data store that supports a range of data structures, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. The limitations concerning data persistence and querying capabilities should be carefully considered alongside its strengths. The right decision always depends on your specific use case, requirements, and constraints. As with any technology decision, the goal is to choose the best tool for the task at hand.
​

What is MongoDB ?

MongoDB is an open-source, document-oriented database, meaning it stores data in a semi-structured format similar to JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), known as BSON (Binary JSON).
Like Redis, being open-source, MongoDB's source code is freely accessible, fostering a culture of innovation, transparency, and community-backed improvements.
One of MongoDB's most significant selling points is its use of JSON-like documents with optional schemas. This design choice marks a stark departure from traditional relational databases that employ structured tables and rows for data storage. In MongoDB, data is stored and organized in documents, which can contain multiple fields and data types, offering a great deal more flexibility. These fields can vary from document to document, and there's no obligation to have a predefined schema. This lack of rigidity allows developers to adapt the database structure as the application requirements evolve, making MongoDB an excellent choice for projects where the data schema might change over time.
​
Another standout characteristic of MongoDB is its high scalability. As businesses grow and applications generate more data, the ability of a database to scale becomes paramount. MongoDB shines in this regard, providing features like automatic sharding and replication to handle vast amounts of data and distribute it across multiple servers. Sharding allows MongoDB to distribute data across several machines, efficiently managing large data sets. Replication, on the other hand, ensures data availability and durability by maintaining multiple copies of data across different database servers.
Beyond flexibility and scalability, MongoDB also boasts powerful querying and indexing capabilities. Unlike Redis, which primarily operates as a key-value store, MongoDB provides a rich query language that allows developers to perform complex read and write operations. Whether it's filtering data based on specific criteria, joining data across collections, or performing aggregate functions, MongoDB's querying language has got you covered.
​
Furthermore, MongoDB supports a variety of indexes, making data retrieval even faster. Developers can create indexes on any field within a MongoDB document, including fields within arrays, improving performance and efficiency.
MongoDB, with its open-source nature, document-oriented structure, flexible schema, high scalability, and robust querying and indexing capabilities, stands out as a potent solution for a wide array of applications. It is particularly fitting for scenarios where data schemas are flexible, large volumes of data are expected, or where complex querying and indexing are required.

The Benefits of MongoDB: Flexibility, Scalability, and Reliability

MongoDB, a favored choice among many developers and businesses alike, is characterized by a multitude of strengths. These strengths revolve around MongoDB's flexibility, rich querying capabilities, scalability, and ACID-compliant transactions, all of which contribute to its suitability for handling complex data structures, big data applications, and business-critical operations.
First and foremost, the flexibility that MongoDB offers is significant. MongoDB does not impose a rigid schema on your data, a departure from traditional SQL databases. This schema-less nature means you can store documents of varying structures within the same collection, allowing you to handle data that is inconsistent or evolving. You can add, remove, or modify fields as you go, which is particularly useful in applications where the data structure might change over time.
This flexibility extends to MongoDB's powerful querying capabilities. MongoDB provides a rich query language that supports a wide range of operations, allowing developers to perform complex tasks that go far beyond simple data retrieval. Whether you're filtering documents based on specific criteria, joining data across multiple collections, or performing aggregation functions, MongoDB offers the capabilities you need. This makes it especially suitable for handling complex data structures and requirements.
Next, MongoDB's strength lies in its scalability. It is designed to accommodate big data applications and scale horizontally through a process called sharding. Sharding is the practice of distributing data across multiple servers or clusters, which can enhance performance, manage large data sets efficiently, and ensure that your application can grow without being constrained by your database's capacity.
If you're handling big data or expecting high growth rates, MongoDB's sharding capabilities can help maintain high performance and prevent the database from becoming a bottleneck. This makes MongoDB a preferred choice for big data applications where scalability is a key requirement.
Finally, MongoDB is ACID-compliant, supporting Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability (ACID) transactions. This compliance ensures that all database transactions are processed reliably and that your data remains consistent even in the event of a system failure. ACID compliance is a crucial factor for many business-critical applications where data integrity and reliability cannot be compromised.
In essence, MongoDB's flexibility, rich querying capabilities, scalability, and ACID-compliant transactions make it a robust, versatile, and reliable choice for a variety of applications. Whether you're handling complex and varying data structures, managing big data, or dealing with business-critical operations that require reliable data processing, MongoDB has the strengths to meet these challenges.

Cons of MongoDB: Memory Consumption and Data Redundancy

Like all technologies, MongoDB is not without its drawbacks. It's essential to understand these limitations to make an informed decision about whether it's the right database solution for a particular use case. Two notable limitations associated with MongoDB are its sizable memory footprint and potential for data redundancy and inconsistency due to its document-oriented design.
Firstly, MongoDB has a reputation for being relatively memory-intensive. As a document-oriented database that maintains a variety of indexes to facilitate quick data retrieval, MongoDB requires a substantial amount of memory. This is particularly true when dealing with large datasets, as MongoDB keeps frequently accessed data and indexes in RAM to boost performance. In resource-constrained environments, this can pose a challenge. If your application is running on a device or server with limited RAM, MongoDB's large memory footprint could lead to suboptimal performance or even outages.
Moreover, while MongoDB is highly performant and can handle big data with ease, it may not perform as well as some alternatives, like Redis, for in-memory data handling. Redis is specifically designed for in-memory operations, offering exceptional speed and performance. So, if your application requires real-time data processing and instant data access, Redis may outperform MongoDB.
​
Secondly, while MongoDB's flexible, document-oriented approach is one of its biggest strengths, it can also lead to challenges. The lack of a predefined schema means that the same data can be represented in multiple ways across different documents. This flexibility, while advantageous in many scenarios, can lead to data redundancy if not managed correctly.
For instance, if the same piece of data is stored in multiple documents, any changes to that data must be updated across all instances, increasing the complexity of data management. If these updates aren't performed correctly, it can lead to data inconsistency issues. These challenges can be mitigated with careful database design and data management practices, but they nonetheless represent a trade-off of MongoDB's flexible, schema-less design.
While MongoDB is a powerful, flexible, and scalable database solution, these strengths come with trade-offs. The database's memory footprint and potential for data redundancy and inconsistency are important factors to consider when deciding if MongoDB is the right choice for your project. As always, the optimal database choice depends on your specific use-case, the resources at your disposal, and the constraints you're working under.

Redis vs MongoDB: Making the Right Choice

Embarking on the journey to select the right database for your application can feel like navigating a complex maze. Two potent contenders that often cross paths are Redis and MongoDB. Both have distinct strengths, and the ultimate decision largely hinges on your unique use case and specific requirements.
Redis can be your ally when your application demands lightning-fast data operations. Its in-memory nature and simplified data model provide unparalleled speed, offering sub-millisecond latency. If your application requires a robust caching system or real-time analytics, Redis shines bright as a choice. For instance, if you're building a chat application, a gaming leaderboard, or an ad-serving system where speed is critical, Redis can help you deliver an excellent user experience.
Furthermore, Redis is also an excellent fit for storing session information and user profiles. Many applications need quick access to user data for authentication and personalization, and the blazing-fast read and write operations that Redis provides can make these tasks significantly more efficient. The data structures that Redis supports, such as lists, sets, and hashes, can accommodate these scenarios well, further underlining why Redis could be the right choice for such requirements.
MongoDB comes into the picture when your application requires the handling of complex querying, high scalability, and flexibility in dealing with diverse and evolving data structures. MongoDB's document-oriented design and rich query language make it a powerful tool for applications that need to process complex data and perform sophisticated queries. It's ideally suited for projects like content management systems, mobile applications, and real-time analytics that require flexibility and robustness.
MongoDB's ability to scale horizontally through sharding makes it a reliable ally for applications expecting high data growth. As your application expands and the data multiplies, MongoDB's sharding capabilities ensure that your database doesn't become a performance bottleneck.
​
While comparing Redis vs MongoDB, it's crucial to remember that choosing a database isn't always a binary decision. The realm of application development is replete with examples of successful applications that employ a polyglot persistence architecture, effectively leveraging the strengths of multiple databases. For instance, you could choose MongoDB for storing business data that requires complex querying and flexibility, while simultaneously employing Redis for caching and session storage to capitalize on its speed. This approach allows you to bring together the best of both worlds, thereby enhancing the performance and efficiency of your application.
The journey to choose between Redis vs MongoDB should be guided by a thorough understanding of your application's requirements and the unique strengths of each database. By aligning these elements, you can make a well-informed decision that propels your application towards success.
​

Conclusion

Arriving at the juncture of decision-making, the path you tread in choosing the right database is laden with significance. This decision can profoundly impact multiple facets of your application, including its performance, scalability, efficiency, and long-term viability. The choice between Redis and MongoDB is no exception and warrants a thorough understanding of your application's needs, paired with the unique strengths each database brings to the table.
When it comes to database selection, the key is to immerse yourself in understanding your application's unique needs and demands. Does your application need to handle real-time analytics, where speed is paramount? Or perhaps you're developing a content management system that requires complex querying and a flexible data structure? Each use case presents unique needs that can be met more effectively by one database over the other.
Understanding the strengths of Redis and MongoDB is equally important in this equation. Redis, with its in-memory design and blazing-fast read and write operations, shines in situations demanding high-speed data operations, caching, and real-time analytics. Simultaneously, MongoDB, with its flexibility, rich querying language, and high scalability, proves to be a robust choice for applications dealing with diverse, evolving data structures, and expecting high data growth.
Once you've identified your application's needs and understood how each database can address these requirements, you're well-equipped to make an informed choice. This process may be intricate, but it's crucial to remember that it's not a race, but a journey. The goal is not to rush to a decision, but to carefully consider all the factors involved.
Remember, technology choices, like selecting a database, are not static, and you may need to reassess your decision as your application evolves and grows. By staying adaptable, continuously learning, and keeping the focus on your application's needs, the task of choosing the right database becomes less daunting and more of an enriching journey.
In conclusion, whether you choose Redis, MongoDB, or a combination of both, the objective is to align the database's strengths with your application's needs. This informed and balanced approach will ensure your application's robust performance and scalability, positioning it for long-term success. This may seem like a complex puzzle, but with a clear understanding of your application's needs and the strengths of each database, you're well on your way to solving it.
​
Related Articles -

• What is a REST API?
• What Is Node.js
• How to Get a Free Domain Name for Your Website
• 10 Pro Tips for Choosing the Perfect WordPress Theme
• How to install the OpenLiteSpeed Web Server on CentOS 7
• What is Virtual DOM?
• Best Web Hosting Providers Reddit
• How to Monitoring WordPress Sites
• How to Speed Up DNS Propagation
• How to connect to WordPress site with SSH/SFTP
• How Website Speed Can Impact Your Online Business
• What Is 'HTTP Error 500' and How to Fix It?
• Best WordPress Hosting Reddit
• How to Connect WordPress to MySQL Database
• Pros and Cons of Node.js in Web Development
• How to Bulk Edit Featured Images in WordPress