Author Archives: alanhs961

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Educating Yourself Without Spending A Penny

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Educating yourself is one of the best things you can do if you want to improve your life. By educating yourself, you could make sure you get that promotion at work, start your own business, and do a number of other things. At the very least, it’ll make you a wiser, happier person! But usually, educating yourself means spending a fortune on higher education. Not anymore! Now, there are so many resources you can use to learn without spending a penny. Read on to find out how!

 

Use Online Courses

Online courses are your friend when you want to educate yourself. Some of them can cost a bit of money, but this will be nothing compared to what you’d spend on a course at a college or university. Some of the courses online you can find for free. There are many different sites you can find these courses on, but two of the most popular are Udemy and Skillshare. With Udemy you can find free courses and buy courses one at a time, depending on what you want to do. On Skillshare you sign up and pay monthly, where you can then access every course on the site. It’s up to you how you want to do it! With many courses you get support and people who are also doing the course, so you can share ideas and things.

 

Make YouTube Your Best Friend

YouTube is another fantastic resource. Whether you want to figure out how to make something from scratch or build a business from the ground up, YouTube has some inspirational content that could help. Why not listen to a video while you get ready in the morning, or watch something while you’re on a treadmill at the gym?

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Read As Much As Possible

Make sure you read as much as possible to educate yourself, from self-help books to interesting current events articles that will keep you up to date with the world. If you struggle to read or you don’t always have time, downloading podcasts and audiobooks to listen to can be just as beneficial. You can listen to these before bed, in the car on the way to work, or while you’re running/walking. If you utilize this time to listen to a podcast or audiobook, you’ll improve faster than you realize!

 

Do Things To Support Your Learning

Make sure you do things to support your learning, and you’ll retain this information and improve at a much faster rate. There are lots of studies out there that can clue you in, but a few of the things you should be doing are as follows:

  • Sleep – getting at least 7 hours a night will make you more creative and productive the next day! Get into a good routine.
  • Mediation – learn how to observe your thoughts rather than entertain every one of them and you’ll be less stressed, as well as able to learn new things much faster. You might just find yourself brimming with new ideas too!
  • Eating – eating nourishing foods will strengthen your body and brain. When you eat junk, you’ll feel like junk. This will make you reluctant to sit and do what you have to do to learn!
  • Exercise – exercise will give you confidence and make you feel happier in everyday life. You can double up your exercise with podcasts and audiobooks, or you can just sit down to study after a sweaty session. You’ll likely feel more focused!

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When Tech Attacks! Is Your Home at Risk?

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Wikimedia

 

The technological revolutions many of us are seeing in our home lives, or have seen over the past decade, have brought about a lot of benefits. But there are also a number of disadvantages. Your home safety may actually be at more risk than you think when you have a home with a lot of tech in it. We’re going to take a look at the most prominent risks in home tech and what precisely you can do about it.

 

Overpowering

 

The average home has more electricity running through it than ever. With strong technology cheaper and more accessible ever, many of our homes have several computers, at least one television, some games consoles, several smartphones… if you have all of these plugged in frequently, then you risk overloading your system. Of course, most homes have very sturdy electrical infrastructures. But you need to think of individual outlets, as well as the extension methods you’re using. Most people use very cheap multi-outlet solutions, as opposed to paying about $10 or so for a surge-protected one. If you’ve got a lot of electrics in your home, invest in good outlet solutions – or you risk overloading and causing fires.

 

Wires everywhere

 

Even in our supposedly wireless age, we’re still, well, using an awful lot of wires. These present a problem because they pose a fire risk if they get worn out or if you have way too many bundled together in the same location (which is something a lot of people do in modern homes), but also because they’re a tripping hazard. Where you can, you should look into wireless solutions for things. Even something as simple as finding the best wireless keyboard and mouse can help reduce the wire count to an important degree. Other peripheral items such as speakers are also becoming wireless, and even some PC monitors.

Pixabay

 

Data breaches

 

You may have heard of ‘smart homes’. Not all of us have what some would call smart homes, but many of us certainly have items that are making our properties lean in that direction. The Internet of Things gives us more use for data than ever – but it also provides a lot of entry points for cybercriminals. If they can access your WiFi – and this is much easier than you may think – then they may be able to access personal information such as payment details or even medical information, should you have those on your computers. Make sure your home is properly protected against external cyber threats.

 

Heavy objects

 

A lot of us have pretty big televisions now. It used to be that only very rich people have televisions that were sized beyond the 28-inch mark, but these days more people have televisions in the 40-inch region – precisely because they’ve become more affordable than ever. It’s worth remembering, of course, that these present safety risks because they’re so darn big. If you have small children or pets on your property, then you really need to give this some very careful though. Making sure such items are properly affixed to their surfaces, and that those surfaces are themselves properly affixed to the wall or floor, is an absolute must.

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Why Businesses Are Going Green

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The environment has become a bigger and bigger talking point over the past few decades, and an increasing number of businesses are taking the hint. It seems that almost every brand in the world is exhibiting the fact that they’re “going green”, and as you’ve probably figured, it’s not always out of the goodness of the CEO’s heart! Here are some of the key motivating factors that are prompting businesses to be more environmentally friendly.

Great PR

The most obvious reason that pushes businesses towards a greener way of doing things is it’s a great method to help their PR. Any brand that makes a big point of how environmentally friendly they are can gain the sympathy and loyalty of like-minded customers. More and more, we’re seeing companies that are making green changes, like recycling and reducing their waste, using recycled materials in their manufacturing, and applying processes that are better for the environment. Additionally, many companies are making large, public donations to environmental causes, like conserving endangered species, or setting up sustainable farming projects in developing countries. Whether the higher-ups at these brands care that much about the planet or not is always debatable, but the pressure from consumers is certainly having a positive effect!

Major Savings

Companies that make a point to reduce their energy consumption, and make their processes easier on the environment, not only help the planet, but also themselves in the form of reduced expenses. If you were to tell a modern farmer about how much agriculture is straining the world’s water supply, many of them would be liable to shrug it off. On the other hand, if you offered a way to check your irrigation water usage, and save a small fortune on your water bills, they’ll be much more interested! Large manufacturing firms are jumping on this bandwagon more than any other niche, due to the huge amount of carbon emissions they typically have to produce. For these companies, billions of dollars can be saved each year by investing in eco-friendly changes within the organization. Even smaller businesses, which may be struggling to keep their profit margins up, can have greatly reduced energy costs, simply by using energy-saving light bulbs and turning off computers when they’re not in use.

Government Incentives

We may be hearing about it more now, but the biggest shift towards green business occurred in the wake of the recession in the late nineties. The Obama administration’s economic stimulus plan provided a range of incentives for businesses to be more environmentally friendly in the form of tax credits, which freed up more of their capital. While Trump has promised to roll back a lot of Obama’s green policies, there are still various tax credits available to businesses that show eco-friendly practices, such as using solar power, or using hybrid or fully electric vehicles for their fleets and outsourced logistics. The immediate future of these incentives is uncertain, with the leader of the free world taking a lot of the environmental pressure off. However, it’s very unlikely that we’ll see green government incentives totally disappear.

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Technology For Saving Time And Money

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All business owners can save a lot of time and money if they invest in the latest technology. Indeed, I’ve been saying that on this blog since the day it launched. However, lots of people in the corporate world still fail to take heed. That means there are many companies out there that could improve both productivity and efficiency. With that in mind, I’ve taken the time to list some essential tech on this page. If your operation isn’t using it already, now is the time to make the switch. I guarantee these suggestions could boost your profit margins and assist you in achieving your goals. Of course, you don’t have to take my word for it. Find out for yourself!

 

  • Specialist accounting packages

 

The last thing you want to do is get in trouble when reporting your income to the tax man. Considering that, you should use software to ensure you never make a mistake. Some of the latest releases are excellent for that task. They enable you to record all spending and income automatically. So, there is no chance you could accidentally type the wrong numbers into your computer. Balancing your books will become easier than ever before. You will have no issue accounting for every dime that comes in and out of your operation. Best of all? The packages you require won’t break the bank. Some of them are available for only a small monthly fee.

 

  • Social media management tools

 

When it comes to marketing your business, most people will use social media. The only issue is that logging into all those different accounts can take a long time. You then have to spend even longer writing and publishing posts to expand your audience. Thankfully, help is at hand. There are many different social media management tools available right now. Some of them come in the form of software, but most are accessible online. Those platforms allow you to remain logged into all your social networks at the same time. You can schedule posts and repeat them across all your pages with the click of a button. That will help you to save a lot of time.

 

  • Dedicated business management software

 

All company bosses should research the latest business management tools. That is especially important if you employ a lot of staff members. A decent HCM software selection could save you a lot of headaches. Managing a large team of employees is always going to cause stress. However, you can make the process much smoother if you use the right packages. With that in mind, now is the time to perform as much research as possible. Read reviews, and speak to any colleagues to obtain recommendations. Your competitors are using software of that nature, so you need to jump on the bandwagon.

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As you can see from the info on this page, there are lots of ways in which technology could advance your operation. It’s all about keeping your ear to the ground and making use of the latest releases. Whatever you decide to do during the next twelve months, make better use of technology, and you should strive ahead in your market. Good luck!

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Avoid These Common Healthcare Mistakes

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There are a few things in our lives that we have complete autonomy over, and our health is one of them. Of course, friends, family and other people we know can have an impact on our health and the way in which we manage it. But at the end of the day, how healthy we are boils down to how well we look after ourselves, and that is our responsibility alone. However, you may be surprised at the number of people who regularly take chances with their wellbeing, and as a result, end up with health issues that could have been very easily avoided. Sometimes, this can be nothing more than a minor inconvenience, as you may develop a cold or a stomach bug that clears up on its own within a matter of days. Other times, you could end up playing with fire, and be putting yourself at risk of something much more serious. Your health is precious, and you can’t really afford to take chances on it – so with that in mind, here are a few common healthcare mistakes you need to avoid at all costs.

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Not getting checked out

How many times have you felt a bit under the weather, or noticed something odd on your body, but told yourself that it’s ‘probably nothing’? This is something that happens to millions of people every single day, as a huge proportion of us are reluctant to visit the doctor’s surgery. Sometimes, this is due to a genuine phobias of doctors (which a reported 20% of the population suffers from), and other times it is because we worry we are wasting the doctor’s time. With a healthcare system already stretched pretty thin, it is little wonder that a lot of people share this view. But as any health professional would tell you, it is always better to get anything suspicious checked out initially – as leave it too long, and you could end up with a much bigger problem on your hands. If you notice anything on the unusual side, visit your doctor as soon as you can, if only for peace of mind. After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

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Avoiding medications

There is a lot of conflicting information in the public sphere about what medication we should be taking for what ailment. Unfortunately, prescriptions do not always come cheap, and as a result many people from lower-income families are missing out on drugs they may desperately need to manage their symptoms. No one deserves to miss out on medication because of their financial situation, so don’t resign yourself to ill health just because your first option didn’t work out. If you need some assistance, you can get help for prescriptions here, and there are plenty of services designed to help those of us who need access to cheaper healthcare. For what they are worth, you could also look into alternative and herbal medicines, although do bear in mind that many of these have not been officially tested by medical professionals – so use with caution.

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Failing to get a second opinion

Many of us abide by doctor protocol in such a strict manner that we are reluctant to get a second opinion, even when we are sure that there is something wrong with us. Of course, it is very rare that a doctor misdiagnoses a patient, as, after all, they are seasoned professionals. But upon occasion, it can happen. Doctors are only human like the rest of us, and the odd mistake can occasionally be made. Usually, it is not to do with anything serious, so it’s not a matter of life or death. But it can still cause you considerable distress, especially if you have been feeling unwell for quite a while. The key thing to remember here is to go with what your gut tells you. If you feel it in your bones that your doctor is wrong, or that he or she hasn’t taken you seriously, book another appointment and request that you see someone else. You have nothing to lose by doing so – after all, the second doctor can either confirm what you original one said, or they could expand on your previous suspicions. Never under value the importance of a good relationship with your doctor. Sometimes, you may need to divulge very personal information to them, so it is important to make sure that you do not feel embarrassed, judged or uncomfortable in their presence. If you’re not happy with your current healthcare professional, simply find someone else – every patient has different needs, and there is bound to be a doctor out there who is perfect for you.


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Not looking after your everyday health

For the most part, diseases and accidents are out of our control – most of them just happen by chance, or are part of our genetic makeup. You can, however, exert a certain amount of influence over your everyday health, and how easily you catch common illnesses like flu and stomach bugs. Often, these types of infections are bacterial or viral, which means they can be passed on from person to person. However, if you already have a weak immune system, you will find that you are much more susceptible to catching them in the first place, and they will probably have a worse effect on you too. Make an effort to remain health-conscious on a day to day basis, regarding both the food you eat and the amount of exercise you get. A body filled with the right nutrients is much better equipped to deal with an infection of sorts than a body fed on nothing but fast food will be. So, with that in mind, try and make an effort to eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and protein involved. Even these subtle lifestyle changes can have a huge impact on your long-term health, and you will see your energy levels rise as a result too.

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Crashing Into The World Of Construction

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What Is The Construction Industry?

https://pixabay.com/en/crane-baukran-site-technology-2097426/

 

The construction industry is mainly concerned with the construction of buildings and engineering projects. These projects include highways and utility systems. This sector covers quite a broad range of jobs. From carpenters carrying out repair work to plumbers and electricians doing new work and alterations, construction is a big industry. Being in the construction industry is all about maintaining, repairing, and fitting. It can be in a variety of different materials from stone and copper to metal and wood.

 

Why Work In The Construction Industry?

https://pixabay.com/en/site-excavators-construction-work-1707144/

 

As of March 2017, the average hourly earnings for construction workers was $28.55 for 38.8 hours of work a week. This is higher than the average American worker earns, which is $24.57 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. So the wages are above average, and if you are a construction manager or an electrician you could be earning a lot more than this too.

 

The money isn’t the only benefit of working in construction. Not many other jobs allow their workers to see such immediate and tangible proof of all their hard work. Building hospitals and roads are hard work but at the end of it, you have something concrete to show for it. Which allows for job satisfaction. In other sectors you can feel like a cog in a wheel, never really sure of the impact you’re actually having.

 

Another benefit of working in this industry is that it supports the economy. The construction industry provides jobs and a huge injection of funds into communities. Working in this sector you will be helping to create an infrastructure which massively strengthens the country.

 

Construction is also great work for those who get bored easily. You’ll be working on different projects all the time and getting to know new teams. This is great for sharing knowledge and staying interested. Construction is also a skill which is valued all over the world, so you could potentially travel abroad and continue to work.

 

What Training Will You Need?

https://pixabay.com/en/adult-construction-hard-hat-man-1867771/

 

This largely depends on what area of construction you’re getting into. Here are three popular areas, and the training you’ll need to get into them:

 

Welding requirements usually include a high school diploma. You’ll also have to complete a welding test, this is usually set by an employer. This is important because your new employer has to see that you can wield welding materials like the ones found here,

http://www.weldingoutfitter.com/collections/welding-helmets. Some employers will also require you have obtained a degree from a technical school offering training too.

 

To become a carpenter or joiner you need to undergo training too. This training includes basic construction skills, wood operations, usually a diploma and some evidence of site carpentry. If you can master both joinery and carpentry you’ll be a useful asset.

 

A site manager earns the most money out of any construction job. So it follows that they have to undergo some training and have a lot of experience. A bachelor’s degree in construction management is essential as is some real world experience, and sometimes even a Master’s Degree is necessary.

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Love Thy Neighbor?

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https://pixabay.com/en/washington-dc-c-city-cities-urban-1607766/

 

Do you get on with your neighbor?

 

Studies show that way may not all feel neighborly love towards the people who live in the house next door. In fact, some studies suggest that around a quarter of us have had stern words with our next-door neighbors. There are various reasons why this may be the case, but most of the time, it all boils down to one of these common disputes.

 

Repairs And Maintenance

 

If one homeowner neglects their property and it becomes a mess, it can easily anger their neighbors as it will be an eyesore. This can also be dangerous if the homeowner isn’t seeing to important maintenance that is affecting other homes. For instance, some homeowners fail to call plumbing services about leaks, and the water can start permeating the terraced building’s walls into the neighbor’s home. Another example is when property owners don’t take care of their roof, and tiles end up falling onto a neighbor’s home. In these cases, you should speak to your neighbor and ask them to see to the repairs. If this doesn’t work, call your local council and report the property as dangerous. The homeowner could then be forced to act on the repairs or else be fined.

 

Noise

 

Another very common neighborly dispute is about noise. This is especially the case with neighbors who have teenagers and children who often play music loudly or turn the TV right up. It’s also often a problem in modern homes, as the property walls won’t be extremely thick. Most people speak to their neighbor if noise is a problem, and this often solves the issue. But what are you meant to do if your neighbor throws a very raucous party one night? If speaking to them doesn’t make things better, you are perfectly within your rights to call the police to break up the party.

 

Boundaries

 

Neighbors can easily fall out about property boundaries as well. This normally begins when one homeowner has a misconception about where the land around their home begins and ends. These kinds of arguments often start when a homeowner erects a fence around their house but puts it on someone else’s land. If this is a genuine mistake, then explaining to them should prevent the argument from developing. However, if a neighbor refuses to acknowledge the official boundaries, you might have to speak to a lawyer to help you end the dispute.

 

Pets

 

Unfortunately, arguments about pets often occur because the animal is badly behaved. This can be difficult to deal with as the neighbor isn’t directly causing the problem. However, the owner should always work to ensure that the animal is trained and not aggressive towards you. If you feel threatened by their pet, speak to them about your worries. A reasonable person should go to lengths to ensure their pet is much better trained and friendlier with other humans.
Disputes with your neighbor shouldn’t last forever; hopefully, these tips can help you solve yours for good.

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Maintenance Problems in Your House That Should Never Be Ignored

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We’re all busy people. We work hard and spend most of our time away from home, we have to look after our children and care for their well-being, and we also need to reserve a bit of time for ourselves. With so much to do and so little time, it can be overwhelming trying to prioritize certain tasks. Sadly, there isn’t much we can do unless we invent a time machine to slow down the world around us.

 

But because we’re all so busy, it’s easy to miss out on some important things in life that can really make a difference to our quality of life. Home maintenance is just one example of something that we all know about but rarely take into consideration. So let’s slow down for a moment and investigate these home maintenance issues and why you should never, under any circumstances, avoid them.

Source

 

Repair Your Seasonal Appliances

 

You never want to be caught in the winter without a working boiler and you don’t want to be caught in the summer without proper air conditioning. Freezing to death isn’t very fun and neither is dehydrating yourself. Ensure that you get all of these appliances fixed before the season comes around so that you don’t put your well-being at risk.

 

Pest Control

 

Pests are living creatures that breed and invade your home, making them very difficult to deal with especially during certain seasons. For instance, when it’s old, critters are prone to invading your home because it’s nice and warm and your house radiates enough heat for them to stay comfortable. If you don’t do a spring clean and declutter your house, then pests and rodents can invade and nest in your house. Places like the garage are perfect for things such as mice, and they can cause a lot of damage to your home in addition to your sanity if not taken seriously.

Source

 

Leaky Pipes

 

A leaky pipe is typically caused by a loose-fitting or a crack. These problems can amplify and spiral out of control if not properly maintained, resulting in permanent damage to your plumbing system or house. Unless you want to be mopping up the floors on a regular basis or promoting the growth of mould around your house, get in contact with plumbers in your local area and deal with these plumbing issues as soon as possible so that your home is safe from danger.

 

Smoke Alarms
What’s the only thing that will prevent you getting a serious injury when a fire starts? That’s right, a smoke alarm. If you thought that the constant beeping from your smoke alarm was annoying, then you’d be absolutely right because it’s designed to annoy you so that you’ll replace it. Don’t ignore the beeping and don’t ignore the fact your smoke alarms need power to run. In addition to just a smoke alarm, don’t neglect the importance of your carbon monoxide detector either. Ideally, you want to replace the batteries once a year, so take a note and put it in your schedule.

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You Don’t Realize How Much You Have Til You Move!

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Last November, I moved to a new place and made one big discovery in doing so, one that I think we all make when we move. It’s how much we have. And much of it is stuff we no longer need and maybe never did!

 

As you can see in the photo, I still have a few things to get rid of. I got rid of a great many things, some by selling them, and others I simply donated as they would have been too much trouble to sell and wouldn’t command a big enough price to go through the trouble of selling them.

It’s amazing, how we think we don’t have much, yet are often slowly accumulating more and more stuff. And I’m not really inclined to impulse purchasing as much as most people are.

Nor am I a pack rat by any means. I’ve known people who were pack rats and when I see their places, I shudder at the idea of what a move for them would be like, and it has helped me to avoid being one.

People who had visited me had often remarked at how open and uncluttered my place looked. But nevertheless, I’d still managed to accumulate lots of things I didn’t need which only added to the burden of moving.

Hopefully, this has taught me a lesson about keeping my own tendencies to accumulate things under better control. Now, part of the problem, and maybe it was a blessing in disguise, is that my new place, which I like better than my old one, does have one flaw. It has less storage space than my old place did, so it helped to force me to be more discriminating as to what to keep and what to give up. It also helped me do better at deciding if I really need something or if I just want it.

I also learned that I don’t need to save so much stuff and keep every book I read, every pamphlet that only looks mildly interesting, or every tool or electrical gizmo I’ve had even though it was replaced with a newer, better one.

And I don’t need to print everything, I can just bookmark it. Now that I have a smart phone, I can even access the info when I’m away from home.

Oh, I still have those impulsive thoughts jump into my head from time to time, where I think I need something or other, but I’ve learned to evaluate the thought more thoroughly now, and I do hope the lesson sticks this time.

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Me and Mom at Chanticleer Point and Vista House. 9/18/2015

 

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I’m Back!

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Me and Mom at Chanticleer Point and Vista House. 9/18/2015

Hi everyone! Just to let you know, I’m back! There still may be contributed posts, and I do want to thank all those who’ve contributed so far. I’ve learned a lot from your posts.

Anyway, I’ve been quite busy since I had to move recently, (Well, actually, last November.) And it does take time to settle in. Also, I’ve learned a few things about the move and also have ventured into Chromebook land. As a matter of fact, I’m using my new chromebook to write this post. I’ll be back to writing and submitting posts and hope you’ll read them.

As always,

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