It's cold. But when it's winter it must be cold. And that's the problem. You either have to pay for heat or get tired with getting coal or wood, starting the fire and checking it doesn't spread. Going out is a torture. You have to put in a dozen layers of clothes. Underwear, pants, short-sleeved shirt, long-sleeved shirt, sweatshirt, boots, neck warmer, hat, gloves. To go out to a shop that is on the ground level or just around the corner, you need all this wearing and getting tired. Winter clothes are heavy, limit motions, sometimes even visibility, and are hard to put on and put off. So buying those is hard and even if you do, then they're hard to walk in. Summer and spring don't have those problems, because you can put on clothes for outdoors and indoors, just change boots and you're alright.
And winter is such a great time to get sick. And the worst thing is having a stuffed nose and have to breathe with your mouth, with this cold air. Throat damage guaranteed, plus this pain in the face from the cold air blowing in your direction. Summer and spring don't have such problems. And winter has the highest amount of deaths of all the seasons. I literally got a frostbite because I touched snow with my bare hands because I didn't have gloves on them. And if you're healthy and put on the clothes, there's another problem.
Getting around. Most of us are rich and have a car and can drive wherever they want. But if you can't, you have to use public transit. I don't have anything about just using it or the fact of the existence of public transit, but the quality of those in Poland, where I live, leaves much to be desired. You have to wait, in cold. In a city this isn't a problem as big as in the rural areas where buses function. These are often coming only in early mornings and in early afternoon, but even if they come more often, they often are late. And no matter the location, you often have to stand, and even if you find a seat, you can sometimes smell people who don't shower very often. Trams, trains, metros and buses are often heated, like most indoor places, we'll get to that later, and people coming there in winter are usually in jackets and sweat in those vehicles, especially considering how crowded they often get and how warm those crowded people are. You'll sweat like a construction worker after 8 hours of work during a heatwave. And driving doesn't save you from the effects of winter. You have to scrape snow from your car, the engine can not start or the visibility is low and roads are blocked or icy, you can skid easily and crash into another car, a pedestrian, a pole or a tree. Walking does neither. If snow falls, it's crushed by people walking, melts and freezes again, and or forms ice on the sidewalk. And you can slip on it and either break something or die. Each time I walk on it, I think I'm gonna die. Either i slip on it and land on a spiked fence, I land on the sidewalk and break something, or I land on the street and get run over by a semi truck or a car. If you manage to get to your destination, there's another problem.
All the buildings are heated, so if you're in winter clothes, you're going to sweat like a construction worker after 8 hours of work during a heatwave.
It's dark half the day. You go to work or school, dark, you go back, dark. And the other half it's cloudy and grey. And the whole world dies. No leaves, no grass, no flowers, some animals hibernate, just grey, cloudy skies and white brown combination of snow, soil, water and mud. No sun. Sure, there are Christmas lights but let's face it, they are only to hide the grey and dark.
It's a hard time for students. The semester ends. You have to pass everything. They throw a lot of tests and quizzes at you. You will tire yourself to death.
Winter sports and games. Snowballs. I hate snowballs. Even if the person who throws one is someone I like. Usually, I take it easy, but in my mind, I hate it. Ice skating. I can't do that because the nearest lake or skating rink is too far away to walk. I could afford that, but I would need to wear all those clothes, get on the bus, ask my parents for approval, get back. No way. Skiing. I live in a city surrounded by forests and farm fields. No way. Sledding. Those are easier because I have some hills in my neighborhood, but going out, taking the sled, going back. Nope. Snowman. Going out. No.
And there are, CHRISTMAS IN WINTER. I'm fed up with them. Literally a few days after Halloween and All Saints Day, all the shops and malls are decorated, and Christmas songs are playing on the radio and Christmas commercials on TV. "Last Christmas, I gave you my heart...":“Christmas promotion! Bone carp, only 21.37 per package or a withered Christmas tree, 69.69 each plus delivery for 3.21. Holidays for Christmas, Old Zealand, 666.66 both ways. Christmas loans, only in Pierogi Bank Polski." Don't take Christmas loans, that's the stupidest thing you can do in that time of the year. They're still up everywhere, wherever I go, whatever I look at. Until the day finally arrives, December 24, when you are completely fed up with it. And it's not like I hate Christmas. Christmas in their current shape and theme are asking for dislike. You want to get up, leave, and come back when all this madness is over. But it's nice that we have time off and we get presents and meet our family. In the summer we have more free time, and on birthdays and name days we also get gifts and meet our family. But always something. And then there's another holiday.
New Year's Eve and New Year, when humans celebrate Earth going around the Sun once again, while nothing besides it happens in nature and humanity on those two days. You can do whatever you want on that day, and in my case, it'll be sitting on the couch in pajamas, watching TV and eating some unhealthy snacks like chips. Most people will spend it partying with friends and family and doing stuff together. And then, they will count from 10 to 1 like if a rocket was starting, and then fireworks explore, and dogs are scared. Afterwards, people will start to go home. And then you can't sleep the whole night because some idiots have too much fireworks and firecrackers, which is also a problem the whole winter.

It's cold. But when it's winter it must be cold. And that's the problem. You either have to pay for heat or get tired with getting coal or wood, starting the fire and checking it doesn't spread. Going out is a torture. You have to put in a dozen layers of clothes. Underwear, pants, short-sleeved shirt, long-sleeved shirt, sweatshirt, boots, neck warmer, hat, gloves. To go out to a shop that is on the ground level or just around the corner, you need all this wearing and getting tired. Winter clothes are heavy, limit motions, sometimes even visibility, and are hard to put on and put off. So buying those is hard and even if you do, then they're hard to walk in. Summer and spring don't have those problems, because you can put on clothes for outdoors and indoors, just change boots and you're alright.
And winter is such a great time to get sick. And the worst thing is having a stuffed nose and have to breathe with your mouth, with this cold air. Throat damage guaranteed, plus this pain in the face from the cold air blowing in your direction. Summer and spring don't have such problems. And winter has the highest amount of deaths of all the seasons. I literally got a frostbite because I touched snow with my bare hands because I didn't have gloves on them. And if you're healthy and put on the clothes, there's another problem.
Getting around. Most of us are rich and have a car and can drive wherever they want. But if you can't, you have to use public transit. I don't have anything about just using it or the fact of the existence of public transit, but the quality of those in Poland, where I live, leaves much to be desired. You have to wait, in cold. In a city this isn't a problem as big as in the rural areas where buses function. These are often coming only in early mornings and in early afternoon, but even if they come more often, they often are late. And no matter the location, you often have to stand, and even if you find a seat, you can sometimes smell people who don't shower very often. Trams, trains, metros and buses are often heated, like most indoor places, we'll get to that later, and people coming there in winter are usually in jackets and sweat in those vehicles, especially considering how crowded they often get and how warm those crowded people are. You'll sweat like a construction worker after 8 hours of work during a heatwave. And driving doesn't save you from the effects of winter. You have to scrape snow from your car, the engine can not start or the visibility is low and roads are blocked or icy, you can skid easily and crash into another car, a pedestrian, a pole or a tree. Walking does neither. If snow falls, it's crushed by people walking, melts and freezes again, and or forms ice on the sidewalk. And you can slip on it and either break something or die. Each time I walk on it, I think I'm gonna die. Either i slip on it and land on a spiked fence, I land on the sidewalk and break something, or I land on the street and get run over by a semi truck or a car. If you manage to get to your destination, there's another problem.
All the buildings are heated, so if you're in winter clothes, you're going to sweat like a construction worker after 8 hours of work during a heatwave.
It's dark half the day. You go to work or school, dark, you go back, dark. And the other half it's cloudy and grey. And the whole world dies. No leaves, no grass, no flowers, some animals hibernate, just grey, cloudy skies and white brown combination of snow, soil, water and mud. No sun. Sure, there are Christmas lights but let's face it, they are only to hide the grey and dark.
It's a hard time for students. The semester ends. You have to pass everything. They throw a lot of tests and quizzes at you. You will tire yourself to death.
Winter sports and games. Snowballs. I hate snowballs. Even if the person who throws one is someone I like. Usually, I take it easy, but in my mind, I hate it. Ice skating. I can't do that because the nearest lake or skating rink is too far away to walk. I could afford that, but I would need to wear all those clothes, get on the bus, ask my parents for approval, get back. No way. Skiing. I live in a city surrounded by forests and farm fields. No way. Sledding. Those are easier because I have some hills in my neighborhood, but going out, taking the sled, going back. Nope. Snowman. Going out. No.
And there are, CHRISTMAS IN WINTER. I'm fed up with them. Literally a few days after Halloween and All Saints Day, all the shops and malls are decorated, and Christmas songs are playing on the radio and Christmas commercials on TV. "Last Christmas, I gave you my heart...":“Christmas promotion! Bone carp, only 21.37 per package or a withered Christmas tree, 69.69 each plus delivery for 3.21. Holidays for Christmas, Old Zealand, 666.66 both ways. Christmas loans, only in Pierogi Bank Polski." Don't take Christmas loans, that's the stupidest thing you can do in that time of the year. They're still up everywhere, wherever I go, whatever I look at. Until the day finally arrives, December 24, when you are completely fed up with it. And it's not like I hate Christmas. Christmas in their current shape and theme are asking for dislike. You want to get up, leave, and come back when all this madness is over. But it's nice that we have time off and we get presents and meet our family. In the summer we have more free time, and on birthdays and name days we also get gifts and meet our family. But always something. And then there's another holiday.
New Year's Eve and New Year, when humans celebrate Earth going around the Sun once again, while nothing besides it happens in nature and humanity on those two days. You can do whatever you want on that day, and in my case, it'll be sitting on the couch in pajamas, watching TV and eating some unhealthy snacks like chips. Most people will spend it partying with friends and family and doing stuff together. And then, they will count from 10 to 1 like if a rocket was starting, and then fireworks explore, and dogs are scared. Afterwards, people will start to go home. And then you can't sleep the whole night because some idiots have too much fireworks and firecrackers, which is also a problem the whole winter.

Are you a fan of bubble tea? Do you enjoy the art of making perfect drinks? Then becoming a bubble tea barista might be the perfect career path for you! Bubble tea, also known as boba tea, has gained popularity worldwide, with many dedicated tea shops opening up to cater to its growing fan base. As a bubble tea barista, you'll get to create unique and delicious drinks for your customers while also honing your skills in tea brewing, blending, and presentation. In this comprehensive guide, we'll cover everything you need to know about becoming a bubble tea barista, from the necessary skills and equipment to the different types of bubble tea and how to make them. So, take a sip, sit back, and let's dive into the world of bubble tea!
Teahee! Learning how to make delicious bubble tea is something that can be both fun and rewarding. To become a skilled bubble tea barista, it is essential to understand the necessary processes and techniques involved in making the perfect cup. If you are passionate about creating the best bubble tea Singapore has to offer, there are a few things you need to keep in mind to achieve your goal. First and foremost, you need to select the finest quality tea leaves and flavorful ingredients to create your signature drink. With a little bit of experimentation and creativity, you can craft unique and delicious flavors that will set you apart from the competition. Additionally, it's essential to master the art of brewing and blending, as these skills can be used to create a range of bubble tea drinks with different textures and consistencies. By following this comprehensive guide, you can become a top bubble tea barista in Singapore and delight your customers with the best bubble tea they have ever tasted.
Teahee, a comprehensive guide to becoming a bubble tea barista is incomplete without discussing the relevance of a Bubble Tea Course Singapore. To master the art of bubble tea, one must start by understanding its origin, components, and preparation techniques. A Bubble Tea Course provides a great learning platform for aspiring bubble tea baristas by equipping them with unique skills to create different flavors and textures while enhancing customer service. The course also covers hygiene practices, which is essential to maintain the quality of ingredients used in bubble tea preparation. In addition, the Bubble Tea Course introduces learners to the various types of tapioca pearls and tea leaves to use in their bubble tea and enables them to differentiate them based on their texture, flavor, and origin. As such, enrolling in a Bubble Tea Course is the first step toward becoming a competent bubble tea barista, equipped with extensive knowledge and practical skills to make delicious bubble tea that meets customers' specifications.
In conclusion, mastering the art of bubble tea preparation goes beyond just knowing how to mix the ingredients together. A Bubble Tea Course offers a comprehensive understanding of customer service, hygiene practices, and the different types of tapioca pearls and tea leaves to use in your bubble tea. This knowledge is vital for any bubble tea barista who wants to gain a competitive edge in the industry. By enrolling in a Bubble Tea Course, you will not only develop practical skills but also get equipped with extensive knowledge that will enable you to make delicious bubble tea that meets customers' specifications. Invest in your career by enrolling in a Bubble Tea Course today!

what commercial tea brewer do you use in your shop for black and green tea? please share model or link.

Imagine walking into a burning building, and everyone laughs and tells you the fire’s all in your head. When no one believes you, are you going to stay to burn up with them? Every passenger in that crowd waiting to embark on the luxury cruise was already dead—they just didn’t know it yet! I stared through the windows of the terminal at the magnificent Seastar, at the broken glass and spatters of blood that only I could see… and then I fled.
Without warning a single soul.
What would have been the point? My name is Cassandra—I see death six days before it happens, and can feel it if I shake a cold hand—but no matter what I do, I can never, ever prevent it.
My flight took me as far as the escalators before a flash of purple brought me screeching to a halt. Lily Tsuki? No—it wasn’t the purple-haired musician who’d given me with cruise gift card. But suddenly I remembered how I’d been looking forward to hearing her performance aboard this very vessel…
Oh God…
It was one thing to turn my back on doomed strangers. Terrible as it sounds, it’s a bit like reading about a catastrophe in the news. Quite another thing to abandon somebody I knew! Could I really leave her to become one of the bodies putrefying in the belly of the Seastar? Every time I ordered a drink at my favorite bar, I’d remember I hadn’t even tried to save her!
“Fuck!” I cried, fumbling for my phone. “Oh, fuck me sideways… how much time…?”
Ninety minutes.
Ninety minutes to get on board, find the musician, and… what? Convince her to disembark?
How?
And yet my feet were already turning toward the gangplank—because as it turns out, I would rather plunge headlong into a ship full of the rotting dead than face an empty piano bench and the guilt that no amount of alcohol would ever drown. But to have any chance at persuading Lily, I’d need to know how the passengers died. This meant that in addition to finding a purple-haired needle in a Titanic-sized haystack, a horrifying task loomed ahead of me. I was going to have to do something I had not done in a very long time—plunge directly into my vision. Walk into its very maw and face whatever gruesome horrors lurked at the source of that nauseating odor.
I was going to have to find the bodies…
… and whatever killed them.
Boarding
The stench was so overpowering after crossing the gangplank that I dropped to my knees and dry heaved. The flow of passengers moved around me past the concierge desk. I must have looked exceptionally sick, because a pretty girl in a suit skirt approached, asking if I needed assistance. She reached out a hand to help me up—cold!
I staggered away from her and inside. Then—because I felt I might throw up—quickly found my way out to the promenade deck and the blessed breeze.
Lifeboats hung overhead. Beyond the rail, the sea sparkled in the afternoon sun. Cushioned loungers lined the deck. None were in use, presumably because the pool, patio, spa, and other amenities on the upper decks had much more attractive areas for lounging. I leaned against the rail and gulped the air, listening to the waves splash against the side of the boat, noting blood spatters further down—but nothing signifying the cause of the blood. Just vague signs of violence.
After circling the entire promenade deck and spotting only the occasional bloody spatters, I gritted my teeth, pulled my shirt collar up over my nose, and plunged into the nearest door.
The Seastar’s interior had the atmosphere of a luxury hotel. People milled about the restaurant and shopping area, buzzing with excitement, talking about cabaret shows and fine dining, while perky crew members answered questions, all perfectly oblivious to the putrid sweet rotting stench. I’d most likely find Lily Tsuki at the piano lounge, but since I didn’t yet have any plausible explanation for what had happened to the passengers, I continued wandering, entering a bustling café overlooking the ship’s grand staircase. Stepping over an enormous blood stain on the carpet, I passed the counter, nauseated by the fancy pastries behind their glass cases, peering among the tables and chairs. Paused when I spotted an eyeball in a teacup. No trace of how it got there. No body with an empty socket. Just the eyeball, swirling in a congealed bloody jelly at the bottom of the cup…
I scurried away, snatching a cloth napkin to cover my nose.
The interior darkened as I ascended the central staircase. No electricity, I noted as I clutched the railing. Why would the power be cut? A storm?
But storms don’t scoop out eyeballs with a dessert spoon….
Coming onto deck 6, I peered down a long, dim corridor lined with passenger cabins. To passengers coming and going, the hall was illuminated by electric lighting—but since I was seeing the ship six days in the future, the narrow hallway vanished into blackness. With no way to enter the cabins, and nothing much to see here or in the other dimmed halls of the passenger decks, I ascended until I reached the pool.
Pool Deck
Deck 9 opened to wide panoramic windows, dining, a spa, and of course the pool. I emerged outdoors with relief, removing the napkin from my nose as the sea breeze gave some respite from the odor.
Around me, people partied in bikinis and beachwear and suits, sipping all manner of drinks around the sky-blue swimming pool. A young woman stretched on a blood-spattered lounger, oblivious to the gore beneath her tanned figure. A few bodies floated among the swimmers, bloated and discolored. My vision shimmered briefly as a teen boy swam right through one of the bodies, splashing as if it were not there. My heart lurched when I realized that it was his own, albeit dressed in different clothes—
“Oof!” I grunted as a small figure bashed into me, her arm grazing mine.
“Sorry!” cried a little girl in a pink swimsuit, bolting by as her mother yelled at her to watch out for people.
I tried not to think of how cold the little girl’s arm felt. Counted the bodies: eight in the pool. One by the towel bin, head caved in. I made a circuit of the pool, occasionally brushing against people—cold, cold, cold.
No survivors, it seemed.
But why?
That was when I spotted a shirtless old man sitting at a table under an umbrella. I froze, goosebumps prickling along my skin. Unlike the floaters, there was no obvious reason for his death. His back was to me, the bare skin of his shoulders gray and blotchy. In his hand he held a broken drinking glass. He was positioned in repose… so what killed him?
My heart quickened as I moved round to the front of him.
His mouth hung open, shards of glass and a mangled tongue lolling out, crimson trailing down his shirt front. The source of the chewed glass was obvious—the cup in his hand was broken, its jagged edges bloody.
He’d died choking on the glass.
“What the fuck is happening here?” I whispered.
Forward Stairwell
The jogging track and the sundeck—decks 10 and 11—offered a stunning bird’s eye of the pool and ocean, but I did not stop to take this in as I circled to the bow, opting to take the forward stairs down, rather than central.
The stench hit me like a cloud.
I had to stop as I descended into the dim stairwell, clinging to the railing, doubled over, gagging. It was so so bad. My eyes watered. My stomach bucked. And it was dark. Thank God for my phone’s flashlight. I fumbled it on and, napkin firmly over my nose, plunged down into the depths… The phone’s thin illumination flashed along the carpeted stairwell and the hall of the first of the passenger decks. I kept descending. Paused at an unidentifiable slick red mound. I was examining it under my light when a crewmember jogged up to me and asked, “Lose something, miss?” “Just my marbles,” I muttered, shooing the crew member away and inadvertently brushing his hand. Cold. I turned my attention back to the mound.
A slimy pile of intestines on the stairwell… trailing down to a disemboweled body.
Intestines… eyeballs… eating broken glass… nothing about this makes sense! I swiveled the beam to check further downward.
That was when I found the source of the odor.
My path down was obstructed by a mass of bodies. The ones underneath seemed to have been trampled, but the ones on top… I squeezed my watering eyes and retched against the wall. Some of the bodies bore horrible mutilations—fingers bent and twisted, joints out of alignment, faces smashed in and jaws torn open. Many more appeared to have been crushed in the press of bodies. Best guess, there was a wave of panicked people rushing upstairs from below, colliding with a wave of others fleeing down from above.
Why this staircase? What was near this part of the ship?
The cabaret lounge, I realized. No electricity. No elevators. This was the nearest stairwell to the auditorium.
Closer. I was inching closer to uncovering the fates of the passengers. And yet, I still had no idea what the passengers were fleeing from. Who were the attackers? Or… I thought of the eyeball. The glass chewed and swallowed.
An icy pinprick at the base of my skull whispered the question I didn’t want to ask…
Why? Why did some of the passengers go mad, and do it to themselves?
Piano Bar
I took the long way round to the cabaret theatre, going all the way back up the stairs and coming down on the central staircase, only to detour on hearing the notes of a piano. I found myself in a cozy lounge and spotted a purple-haired figure at the keys. And just in time—the ship was due to depart in less than half an hour!
“Lily!” I rushed over.
The musician’s face lit. “Oh it’s you, friend! You made it!”
“You’ve got to get off the ship!”
“Off the—”
“I know it seems crazy but you’ve got to! Everyone on board is going to die—I’ve seen it because I’m psycho!” I heard it a second later and smacked my forehead. “I mean—psychic! PSYCHIC!! I can see the future.” At her scrunched eyebrows, I burst, “Look I know how I sound, but I’ve been able to see things since I was a little girl, and I am telling you that this ship is going to go dark! The engines will cut out! People are going to flee and trample each other on that forward staircase…” Launching into a rapid-fire recounting, I was just getting to the eyeball in the teacup when she interrupted:
“You’re afraid of some sort of terrorist attack?”
“No, no! No! It’s almost like… a kind of madness, a contagion, that spreads through the ship—”
“A zombie apocalypse?”
“Not zombies…”
“Poltergeists? Possession?” She played a riff from a horror movie. “Should we call an exorcist?”
“We should leave!” I checked my phone. “Quickly!—"
“What an odd duck you are! I can’t imagine any sort of catastrophe as big as you’re saying. You know this ship has tons of safety protocols. And even if I did believe some disaster were drawing near—do you really think I could abandon crowds and crew?” She looked at me over her glasses, shimmering purple lips curving in a smile. “Listen friend, if this were the Titanic and I was the only one who could see the iceberg, I’d stay to steer us right, not run off leaving everyone to die!”
Icy fingers raked along my spine. Even if she wasn’t taking me seriously, she was right—I did have a moral obligation to save people. An obligation I’d been trying to fulfill ever since I was a little girl, until the attempt killed my brother, and even after, I kept trying for years and years…. until at last I realized that there is no way to change anything. That is why I call myself Cassandra. For the Greek prophet doomed to predict the future but never be believed. Try and prevent what I’ve foreseen? You might as well try and pluck the stars from the sky!
Every hand I’d touched was cold. Everyone on board would die.
My fists balled, fingernails digging so hard into my palms they bled. “You really have no idea what you’re asking of me…”
“Oh, I’m not telling you to stay. I’m just explaining why I have to. Besides, I’m under contract.” She winked and focused on her playing as guests entered and sat at nearby tables.
She had no idea! None whatsoever! If I thought there was even a sliver of a hope, I wouldn’t abandon people! Oh, if this happy-go-lucky musician understood the futility!!
But she will, came another, darker thought. She will know the full depth of the horror coming…
“No,” I whispered.
“Huh?” She shouted, “Wait—friend, where are you going?”
But I was not listening. The cabaret theatre—was the answer there? The reason for the crush of bodies in the forward stairwell? I rushed past the cafe with the eyeball in the teacup, through the grand doors into the cabaret hall—
—but the cabaret hall was surprisingly quiet, save for a light touch of classical music. A few passengers mingled here or there, unnoticing of the cadavers draped on chairs and tables. The stage itself was pristine, the wood smooth and polished in the fading orange light through the windows. Apparently, the origin of the panicked flight up the forward stairwell was not this grand entertainment venue—nothing here supported that theory.
Nonetheless, I gave the place a thorough search until my phone’s battery ran low, and then I returned to the grand staircase.
In one direction lay passenger cabins. In the other, the gangplank back to the port terminal and safety.
“It’s not too late to be a coward, Cass,” I said. “Run from the ship, run from the empty piano bench at the bar, find a different, cheaper hole in the wall to crawl into like—like the cockroach you are…”
Always the survivor, eh…?
Or… or, I could try just one more time. “‘Hope,’” my brother always said, “is the thing with feathers.”
And look what happened to him! flashed through my mind. My heart slammed against my ribcage. I’d just die too, unless I left in the next—how many minutes? I checked my phone, but it was dead. Like I would be if I stayed.
A horn sounded the Seastar’s departure. A distant cheer rose up from the upper decks and balconies. I felt a brief panicky impulse to run back out on deck and throw myself off the ship… but in truth, my fate had already been decided before the ship’s horn blew. I hadn’t been paying attention earlier, but I’d been rubbing and rubbing my hands, and finally realized they were cold. Probably had been since I’d boarded. I shuffled leaden feet toward the passenger cabins, guided by my phone’s light to the brass number plate for 4044—my cabin. Reached for the knob and stopped.
That smell—dread squeezed my intestines like a wet rag.
Smoke. Burnt meat.
I wrinkled my nose and opened the door.
Orange rays shone through the window, the sunset so vivid it almost gave the illusion that the room was on fire. The walls and ceiling were charred. The edges of the mattress and sheets a smoldered ruin. But the worst damage was the small sofa by the coffee table. Broken bottles scattered round. And there on the sofa—
My fingers went limp on the door handle as I stared into melted sockets of a body charred beyond recognition. A dark line encircled its wrist. The blackened remnants of a charm bracelet.
My bracelet.
While the man on the pool deck swallowed glass, I would succumb to the insanity here, dousing myself in alcohol and flame—
—immolating myself.
[Part 1]

This goes for any drink business. Obviously in Starbucks, you have to make the drinks in order for them to taste test but no one has the time to make it? No one has a batch ready to go and make. Am I right? Cafe, Boba shops etc. How do you decline in a nice way?

After performing some quick arithmetic, I estimated that if I could make $10 per hour and spend 5 hours per day taking surveys, I could easily make $300 to $400 per week. Again, not a lot of money, but if I did this, I'd be making the same amount of money I was receiving in government assistance when COVID hit. However, this time I didn't have to worry about seeking work or even having a job; instead, I could just sit at home and complete surveys while watching Twitch streams.
This marked the beginning of my six-month journey towards a survey-only existence. There have been some additional benefits to doing this, notwithstanding the increased money. While earning money via surveys is a pretty dismal endeavor, it has given me structure and a measure of self-respect. Now that I don't have to perform all the housework, my days seem longer and happier.
I get out of bed and cycle to the nearest coffee shop, where I spend $3.85 on a medium double espresso shot latte. I then ride back to my house and settle down, feeling all cozy, filling out surveys while watching YouTube videos and Twitch broadcasts. I feel more productive and can sleep better at night knowing that I'm not letting each day pass me by totally.
I rise from the bed and ride my bike to the closest coffee shop, where I spend $3.85 on a medium double espresso shot latte. I then take a ride back to my house, where I make myself comfortable and fill out surveys while watching YouTube videos and Twitch streams. Knowing that I'm not letting each day pass me by completely makes me feel more productive and helps me sleep better at night.
I'll provide a link to a survey application I use because I felt some of the folks on this site might be interested in participating in surveys as well.
https://www.probrandreviews.com/

EDIT for clarity: The businesses I have listed are in close proximity to the event and I either have not visited or don't have enough insight to know whether or not they and their staff/clientele would present a safe environment for all. I'd love to know whether or not the businesses on this list are safe spaces for the LGBTQIA community in Springfield. I know we have many inclusive, awesome, places, but for this event, I need to know my friends can walk/short drive from our event to get lunch or coffee or a place to stay that is completely safe and accepting.
Hey all, just looking for a bit of advice. I'm hosting an event this fall that is super-inclusive and I'm wanting to compile a list of locations where all attendees will feel safe. Many folks will be coming from across the US and Missouri, as we all know, is currently up to know good when it comes to the safety of queer folks. I am a queer person in a cishet passing relationship, so my idea of safety and inclusivity is likely skewed. If anyone has any intel on the following businesses, I'd sure appreciate it, especially in reference to trans/nb folks. This is the list of close businesses that I am unsure about. If you have info on the inclusiveness of these businesses, please let me know:

• Kingdom Coffee
• Black Lab Coffee
• The Press Coffee & Juice Bar
• Starbucks at The Brentwood Shopping Center
• Luck Cat Boba Tea & Taiyaki
• Starbucks in Price Cutter on East Battlefield
• The Big Biscuit
• Bambino's on Battlefield
• Cellar & Plate
• Amazin' Asian
• Catrina's Modern Mexican
• Dublin's Pass on Battlefield
• Nearly Famous Deli
• The Sub Shop
• Bellacino's
• Cheddar's
• Red Robin
• Gettin' Basted
• McAllister's on Primrose
• Galloway Grill
• The Rock
• Jimmy's Egg on Battlefield
• Señor Julian
• Yoshi Jen
• The Vīb Hotel
• Any Hotels to AVOID?

When somebody suggests you commit arson together, your reaction is most likely to differ based on the identity of that person. If anyone else had asked me to come along to burn down a building, I would have assumed it was a joke. However, being aware of Frankie Preston’s barely suppressed murderous tendencies made me take his request quite seriously. Of course, three main questions presented themselves upon first consideration.
“What building?”
“A small developmental factory owned by FunFlair.”
“Do you plan on burning it while there are still people inside?”
“Only one, and that one deserves to burn alive.”
Shelving my thoughts on that answer for the moment, I inquired as to when he was hoping to go about this endeavor.
“The sooner the better. My sister—you haven’t met her—found out that they’re going to move sites in the near future, so if I want to take revenge on my old boss easily, I need to do it now. It won’t be too difficult. I know the layout of the place really well, they can’t have changed much these last three years. It’s small, hidden but unprotected. A bunch of containers in some woods a couple hours from here. The human I hate most in the entire world is there, every night, working all alone.” His shoulders twitched. “I drove by the place a couple times, and I kept thinking about doing it, but I was too scared. Having you there would make all the difference.”
“It would?” I echoed.
“Yes! Sunshine, you’re strong. Amazingly so. I don’t want you to feel like I’m using you, but the thing is, I can’t do this on my own. If you tell me to go away and never mention this again, I will. That I swear to God. Or whatever sadistic omnipotent being has put me on this world to suffer.” He briefly glanced heavenward, or rather at the ceiling, then back at me. “I can’t hurt anybody, remember?”
I nodded along slowly. “This person, your old boss… what did they do to you?”
“Simply put, she’s why I hate everything.” He spoke with an uncanny intensity, staring past me like he was miles away.
“Who is she?”
“Her name is Philomena Wallis. She’s the one who keeps sending people after me. She wants me back to do fuck knows what to me because she's still pissed I screwed her over." He paused. "She did—does horrible things. You'd want her dead, too."
"Why isn't she in prison?"
"Nobody gets taken to prison if they're rich enough. Either way, what she does isn't technically illegal… and no one knows about it either. It's a tricky situation."
I took a deep breath. “Do you have a plan?”
“I do. We’ll go there at night, I’ll slip in and make sure the door to Phil’s workspace is locked, and then we’ll douse the whole thing in gasoline.”
“Are you sure you’ll need me for that? It doesn’t sound like you’d be inflicting hurt directly. I mean, you wouldn’t have to actually raise a hand to your boss, not physically. Or can you not do that either?”
“The risk lies rather within what could happen if she finds me.” He rubbed his arm, a look of uncertainty crossing his features. “I’m different when I’m around her. I can’t help it, she… she can just walk all over me. She made me be this way. There’s nothing to be done about it, except to get rid of her once and for all.”
“I’m not following. She made you be this way? What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said!” he snapped, only to shrink back and raise his hands. “Sorry! I’m so sorry!”
I stared at him in silence for a beat. “You’re terrified,” I said.
He glanced at his chucks, then back at me, looking like he wanted to say something but didn’t know what.
“Sad, too,” I added. “Sometimes, I can’t tell what you think, so I apologize if I’m reading this wrong…”
“You shouldn’t have to guess what’s going on inside my head anyways,” he muttered. “I can’t believe what I’m trying to rope you into again. It’s like I didn’t hear myself talk for a minute there.”
“I’ll help you.”
He raised a skeptical brow. “I don’t want to force you. I swear I don’t. I will do this, and I’d feel so much better if you came with, but if this is something you’re gonna resent me for in the long run…”
“The long run?”
“I mean—” He started playing with his gum again. “Are we not doing this? You really like me, I think?”
“I think we shouldn’t be talking about this in the same breath as committing lethal arson.” I rubbed my nose before letting go of a long breath. “If I can’t stop you from doing this, I’ll at least make sure you come back out in one piece.” I wonder if this is how Nettie Peterson usually feels.
Frankie beamed. “You will? You’re absolutely sure?”
“Yes. Here’s the plan, I drop off what I bought for my savior human and then we can prepare; do what’s needed. I don’t want to put this off. The sooner it’s over, the better.”
“Definitely,” he agreed with an eager nod. “I’ll drive you right over.”
“Good. And Frankie… you know precisely how I feel about you.”
We got on our way the following morning. The car ride lasted several hours, most of which I spent fast asleep stretched out on the backseat. It was a wonderful nap; I hardly felt any of the vehicle’s movements, admittedly a credit to the server’s abilities as a driver. Eventually, the road was getting too bumpy to ignore, and I drowsily lifted my head to find us pulling onto heavily wooded terrain. Upon noticing I was awake, Fran gave me a fleeting, quite obviously forced smile. After a few more minutes, we came to a halt on a clearing. I got out and produced a canister of gasoline from the trunk, handing it to Fran after opening the door for him. He looked strangely absent, gazing off into the distance with a vacant look in his eyes. He grabbed the offered canister and clutched it to his chest, almost like he was hugging it.
“We’ll be going the rest of the way on foot, then?” I inquired.
He nodded wordlessly.
I couldn’t hide my frown. The air around us was warm and fragrant, the moonlight shining through between the branches that seemed to reach out for us as we began walking. There was not even a hint of a breeze, and yet, a chill ran down my spine. My companion’s demeanor was nothing short of uncomfortable; he seemed to suck the warmth out of the atmosphere around us, together with my initial confidence and the sweet scent of pine needles. His silence instilled in me a clammy sense of dread, and I couldn’t shake it no matter how hard I tried. Normally, I would have probably appreciated the perfect calm and serenity of the lush forest around us, but seeing him in such obvious, unspoken distress drove away all my idyllic thoughts.
“This seems like an odd place to hide a factory,” I remarked, trying to open a conversation once more.
“That’s the point. You wouldn’t go looking for a doll manufacturer in bum-fuck nowhere,” he replied.
“It’s strange to think about. What kind of shady stuff can a toy manufacturer even get up to? Don’t get me wrong, I trust you when you say they’re bad people, I just wish you’d give me a little more information. I feel like I’m not getting something here.”
He let out a low hum. “You… are really innocent.”
“No, I’m not,” I argued, affronted.
“Not in a bad way. I said innocent, not naive. I’ve been cagey again, I know that, but the thing is, you’ll see exactly what I was talking about when we get there. You’ll understand everything, and to be honest, I’m very afraid of what you’ll think once you do.”
We finally reached the building Fran had told me about. If it could indeed be called a building. It looked more like something that had been thrown together by a larva using Lego bricks. It was, as predicted, a bunch of containers lined up and stacked atop one another, small corridors and open metal staircases connecting them. It seemed to be almost entirely empty—all the lights were out, except for a single one. From behind a window on the upper floor, filtered through gray blinds, a cool, bright glow shone down upon us. It bathed Frankie in its surreal luminescence that seemed completely out of place given our raw, natural surroundings.
“You were right,” I stated, tearing him from his rigor. “Seems like there’s only one person in there.”
“That’s Phil,” he mumbled. “I’m certain.”
“Then let’s do this.”
Frankie detached himself from the canister, peeling it off his body like a piece of clothing. I took it from his hands while he walked over to the nearest door, reaching into his pocket to produce a set of shiny, slim tools. Despite the darkness, he set his fingers to work on the lock. It didn’t take long at all for him to let out a satisfied sound, straightening up as he held the now open door for me. “I’m very skilled at lockpicking,” he said lightly, by way of conversation.
I couldn’t hide the admiration in my gaze, and I gave him a proud smile that briefly caused his features to soften. I had not yet crossed the threshold when he grabbed me by the wrist, holding me back. “One more thing,” he whispered, his voice suddenly ringing desperate again, “you won’t like what we might see in there.”
“I know,” I answered. “It was implied.”
Stepping forth into the dark room, the smell of plastic and coffee instantly hit my nose. Fran fumbled for a lightswitch before thinking better of it and turning on the flashlight he’d brought. We were clearly in a breakroom; there was a table in the middle surrounded by chairs, an espresso machine in the corner and several calendars and posters taped to the walls. Unsuspecting. Frankie didn’t comment, immediately moving across the cube and towards the door on the other side. It led out into a small corridor, improvised using more corrugated iron elements, and into another larger container. There was a desk with a computer in one corner and an empty operating table in the center.
A large shelving unit occupied the entire left side of the room. A closer inspection revealed that it held all sorts of small parts, though what they were parts of was beyond me. Opening the plastic drawers at random, I glimpsed all sorts of metallic and silicone pieces, forming strange little… thingies.
“What is all this?” I asked Frankie.
He had been standing by the operating table, staring at it with unblinking eyes. His expression was once more perfectly vacant. Not even his jaw was moving around his bubble gum. He didn’t look up, and for a minute, I wondered if he’d heard me at all. “Doll parts,” he suddenly answered, his voice lacking any inflection.
I frowned, picking up one of the tiny metallic objects and inspecting it closely. I could see what he meant now—it appeared to be a very small joint, perhaps for a finger. “When you said FunFlair made dolls, I thought you meant these stiff little baby dolls. I didn’t know they made them this detailed.”
“Oh, they can be detailed alright.”
“Is this, like, a robotics thing? Can they move on their own, too?”
Frankie let out a sharp, mirthless laugh that was much too short. He fell completely silent again, and it felt as though the room had gotten colder. I bit my lip, placing the finger joint back in its box. I tentatively reached out to Fran and rested a hand on his upper arm, only for him to flinch, drawing away as if burned. “D-don’t touch me right now,” he pleaded.
“I’m sorry,” I breathed.
“No, I am. Don’t mind me, okay? Let’s—let’s just go on.”
So we did. Another makeshift corridor led us over into the next container. The beam of our flashlight cut through the darkness, revealing a sight that made me stop in my tracks. There were several bodies propped up in the corners of the room, bodies that I only realized on second glance were artificial. They were of roughly the same size as the average person, with fully formed arms, legs and everything. Their faces however were different. Most of them weren’t even fully complete, the skin-like material not fully covering their heads and leaving the mechanical structures underneath uncovered. Their eyeballs—sitting in hard plastic sockets and unframed by lids—stared out at us blankly, utterly void and expressionless.
Cold dread began to seep into my bones, paralyzing me for a second before I managed to break from my stillness. Taking a step towards one of the lifeless figures, I bent down to get a closer look. Keeping my distance, I reached out a single finger to trace along one of the countless delicate wires peeking out from the soft patches of facial material. It was cool to the touch, making my skin crawl. I pulled back, turning to Frankie in bewilderment. “Wh-what is all this?” I asked hesitantly.
“That’s them. That’s the dolls.”
“Well, yes, I can see that but this… this is really, really unnerving.”
He let out a strangled, mournful sound. “I guess it is,” he said eventually, his voice low and flat. He knelt down beside me, a little closer to the doll, and started fumbling around with the back of its neck, clearly looking for something. Finally, I heard a little click, followed by a whirring noise as the doll jerked up its arm. I squeaked, scrambling back on my hands and rear, only to find my back suddenly pressed up against the chest of another mannequin. I hadn’t done a thing, but it instantly sprang to life; robotic fingers clamping down around both sides of my nape. The painfully fierce touch wiped away every last bit of my composure, and I let out a shriek that seemed to tear apart the relative silence. Frankie spun around to fix me with the beam of his flashlight, causing me to squeeze my eyes shut. My heart was hammering against my ribcage, seemingly exploding when the hands started pulling me closer against the lifeless, yet animate body.
The next thing I knew was that Fran had leapt forward and removed me from the doll’s clutches with one swift, powerful yank. My chest was heaving and I couldn’t suppress a low whimper when I pressed myself to his side, frantically glancing about my surroundings. My fangs were bared, but my racing pulse was admittedly overtaxing me. I couldn’t seem to form any coherent thoughts. My flight-instinct was kicking in, further setting off my panicked response when I realized I might end up involuntarily jumping dimensions again.
Suddenly, I felt Frankie’s hand on my cheek, the gentle pressure tilting my head up to make me meet his gaze. “It’s alright,” he said, his voice equal parts firm and understanding. The fog in my head lifted just a little.
“They’re not going to hurt you,” he went on, his thumb stroking the curve of my outer ear. However he managed to convey such certainty when he himself had been so uneasy mere moments ago was beyond me, and yet, I found myself believing him. My breathing slowed and I hazarded a second glance at the doll I had bumped into.
It had stopped moving, its body having locked into an unnatural, almost feral-looking position. It was cowering on all fours, its torso lowered and its head up. Its neck was bent at such an extreme angle that it was approaching the comical.
“What the fuck was that?” I whispered, the curse word escaping me before I could stop myself.
“Some of them have to be activated manually, others can be turned on just by touch. I remember that,” Frankie replied. “There’s no need to be afraid of them, though. Even if it’s hard to believe considering… well.” He gestured at the oddly crouching doll at our feet.
“Something’s very wrong here,” I muttered, unable to tear my eyes off the lifeless, incomplete face. “I didn’t even know they made toys like that.”
“They’re not for children,” Frankie said, his eyes glazing over once more.
“Are they, like, robots? Do they know what they’re doing?”
“Not if they’re lucky, they don’t.” He paused. “They’re not made to think. Any awareness they might have would be unplanned for.”
“And you really used to work here? Did you help build them?”
“We can talk about that once we’re out of here.”
I swallowed. “Look, I’m freaking out. This can’t be a normal production site.”
“It’s not. I wish you didn’t have to see this. It… it only gets worse. And your instincts aren’t failing you, none of this is right. If you want to back out, I don’t blame you. This place shouldn’t exist.”
I took a deep breath. I wished I had insisted on knowing the full truth before coming here, but it couldn’t be helped now. Instead of prying further, I pointed at the canister of gasoline. “Then let’s remedy that.”
Despite himself, Frankie smiled.
Instead of mirroring the expression, I felt my own features suddenly derail. “Oh crap.”
“What is it?”
“Do you think she heard me scream?”
X
1
2: deadbeat roommate
3: creepy crush
4: relocation
5: beach concert
6: First date
7: Temp work
8: roommate talk
9: a dismal worldview
10: warehouse
11: staircase
12: explanation
13: hurt
14: hospital
15: ocean
16: diner
17: government work
18: something in the caves
19: shopping cart
20: olms and Jewels
21: long hair
22: recruitment
23: waitresses

hey so at work these guys who dont normally work with me have came in( high chance of seeing them again) and for context they’re both polite and smiley, so you can get the idea of what they’re like a bit/its also worth noting some of this is a reach/extra detail thats probably pointless lol
So the first day i worked with him a little and it was just regular he was really smiley and said thank you a lot as i was trying to help him with the job we were doing/ but hes polite to everybody
Okay the next day we spoke a little bit more and just gossiped about like people our age ygm with his brother ( who is a lot more outgoing) and he seemed like he was trying to join in as well but he seems reserved so i’ve been like trying to smile at him a lot as a small hint and hes always smiling back Anyway according to my coworker we had to move heavy trees and apparently he hung back and waited til i went down as we were lifting them in pairs. We sort of hung around each other as much as we should but it’s pretty hard yk as we’re at work and anyway i asked where the nearest shop was and he explained and i was still a bit confused so he offered to walk down with me if i wanted( i said yea) and anyway when he came over to tell me he was gonna walk down ( i think he might have taken his brother maybe but not too sure) and i told him i had to finish up my job but id be like 20 minutes and was like but dont worry you can go ahead and he smiled at me and it was like no its okay i dont mind waiting and we walked down together like just me and him(we saw him brother in the car on the way and just said hi ( i think they’re close) but he didnt come with us) and we chatted but he was deffo shy ) and anyway later in the day we had to move some boards and i offered him a hand and he was like nah im good and i was are you sure as i dont mind helping:) and then i think it clicked for him and he was like ohhhh we can move them together if you want and gave me like a lot less to carry them him etc and he chatted little bits during the day. We were like looking at each other and smiling towards the end of the day
Anyway the last time i saw him was the end of last week thursday( i’ll see him soon i think but not sure when) and i came late and i noticed his brother was like chatting to him and gave him a thumbs up. His brother is really good at sort of opening conversations like getting them going so i think he finds that helpful?? Anyway we chatted a little bit but he(the guy i like) had to work with a different guy so he wasn’t really with me much during the day but i was with his brother who asked where i was during the day and said they expected me to be there and when i wasnt they were like”oh” and i was like the other guy i work with was here tho and he was like “yeah old school” anyway towards the end of the day we just chatted about random school shit( all of us are finished now) and his brother was telling me about a teacher they had and when he came over he explained what he was talking about quickly and he sort of took over like telling the story? anyway i was finishing clearing up and he offered me a hand like before he was leaving but idk if it was to be nice or more maybe? What do you think and do you have any advice for me

Cold coffee refers to any type of coffee that is served cold or chilled. It can be made using different methods and variations. Some common types of cold coffee include:

1. Iced Coffee: Regular brewed coffee that is chilled or poured over ice. It can be served black or with milk and sweeteners.
   
2. Cold Brew Coffee: A method of brewing coffee by steeping coffee grounds in cold or room temperature water for an extended period, usually 12 to 24 hours. The resulting concentrate is then diluted with water or milk and served over ice.
   
3. Frappuccino: A blended beverage made with coffee, milk, ice, and various flavors such as chocolate, caramel, or fruit syrups. It is typically topped with whipped cream.
   
4. Coffee over Ice: Regular brewed coffee that is allowed to cool and then poured over ice cubes. This method is simpler and quicker than cold brew but provides a similar chilled coffee experience.
   

Cold coffee is a popular choice, especially during warmer months, as it offers a refreshing and cooling alternative to hot coffee. It can be customised with different flavors, sweeteners, or dairy/non-dairy milk options to suit individual preferences.
Read: Cold Coffee at Its Best: A Sip of Happiness - Ajays
Beat the heat and indulge in a refreshing cold coffee experience at your nearest coffee shop

I feel some backstory is necessary to explain my situation. My parents were living together but not married when I was born. They were living in my father's childhood home, which he had inherited as his parents died before I was born. They didn't feel that getting married was necessary. My father passed away in a car accident when I was ten and didn't have a will, and as he wasn't married to my mother I inherited the house as well as all of his assets, which are used to pay the utilities on our home. My mother met my step father a few years after my father died and married him when I was twelve. My step father and step brother have been horrible to me ever since I met them. They treat me like garbage and had my mother conviced I was some kind of crazy criminal freeloader. I was always grounded for some random complaint or another. The day I turned 18 he tried to kick me out of the house but was of course reminded by my mother that I OWN the house and that I could live there as long as I wanted. Last month my mother suffered a stroke and died before she reached the hospital. I am the one who found her and I was absolutely devestated. I decided to stay at a friend's house because his parents were there for me when my father died and I felt safer there than with my dirtbag step family. After a few days I returned to my home to find that the locks had been changed and my key didn't work. My Step Father met me at the door and smugly told me that he owned the house now and I am not welcome in "his" home. He claimed he had the deed changed over to his name and that I could pick up my things on Sunday. I was too emotionally broken to fight him and just went back to my friend's house in tears. They promised me they would be able to take me to pick up my things and that they would help me sort out the situation when things had cooled down. We showed up Sunday to find every single thing I own set up on tables in our yard, for sale, and with several strangers sorting through my belongings. My Step Father was selling off my possessions, including many of my father and grandparent's things left to me, and demanded that I buy back everything. What happened next is something I will always be grateful for. My friend's mother talked to all the customers and explained the situation, and meanwhile her husband drove to the nearest bank and withdrew $5k of their savings. They are not rich and had been saving the money for a cruise. I will pay that back some day regardless of how much he keeps insisting it is okay. In the end I got back most of my stuff, save for my gaming PC which some kid had bought for an insultingly low $50 before I showed up, and my mother's jewelry wich I am certain is in some pawn shop somewhere. My grandfather's car, a beautiful Cadillac which was transferred into my name years ago, was sent to a lot on the other side of town with a "for sale" sign in the window. Yesterday I had to break into it and use the spare key under the passenger seat to drive it away. I recieved an angry text this morning telling me that if I don't "give it back" the police will be called and I will be arrested. This scared me. My name is on the insurance and registration papers in the glove box but I don't know if that's enough. Where do I even begin to get this sorted out? My Step Father has the lockbox with all of the important paperwork like the deed to the house, my car title, and all ofdocuments like my Social Security Card and passport. I doubt the police would let me back into my home without proof I own it, and I don't know if buying my own stuff back means I recognized it was his or something. And can I really be arrested for stealing a car I own if I don't have the paperwork proving I own it? What do I do?

RANT
So its meryenda time. me (18m) and my sister (11f) decided to buy milk tea from the local owned milktea shop. so ayun nga, we ordered our milk tea pero when its done may catch. we cant claim our order without picture of us holding the product being taken first. how absurd is that diba?? we kept on refusing to take photos kasi were in our pj's and some old tees (pambahay) and we're pretty introverted siblings kaya u can imagine how it much we are repulsed by the thought of it. we kept saying no thankyou but they kept on insisting paden and ang worse pa don is they wouldn't give us our order that are paid beforehand. i asked what they were gonna do with the pics ba and the ate said "ipopost namin sa facebook namin" then she added that "mag picture na kayo para ibigay na namin order nyo, di namin bibigay yan pag walang picture".
i was flabbergasted. i understand your struggle for being a small business in a heavily populated industry and alam ko na you will do everything to reach success and in order to do that u need to be recognized. recognition can be acquired in various ways and alam nating lahat na social media is a surefire and easy way to do that pero please. have some decency when dealing with customers. not all ppl are comfortable being photographed and this things should have rules and boundaries. you can see naman na sa other shops that do this stuff have the consent of the ppl in the picture before posting it diba. if you are following some trend please follow it correctly, professionally and ethically kasi imbis na it shows your shop good in a good light you are just harming your reputation and your business' reputation.
in the end i bribed my sis to have her take pics nalang since we have bayad naman na and they are really firm talaga. we just want our meryenda and wala kaming energy kasi kakagaling lang sa afternoon nap. long story short they posted my sister's pic in their page, we dm'ed the the admins of the page but they still haven't taken it down yet. its up for 3 days na
TL;DR: (actually, di to mahaba)
local boba shop wouldn't release our order without being photographed first. they posted my sister's pic without consent.
EDIT: thanks for the suggestions pero we dont want to file a complaint(s) kasi as i said its a small business and struggling one at that. plus it's bothersome.

Just noticed the shop nearest me is out of stock of the Fathers Day bath bomb.. do you think it will come back? Or best to order online?

1. How much did you pay for the coffeeshop?
$120,000.00 (est)
2. Where are you located and what's the name of the shop?
Classified. Now I know this makes it very hard to authenticate whether I own the shop or not, but...the risk of getting my business ruined by random troll on internet is too high. Hopefully, my reddit history proves enough that I made this in order to help others. I will not disclose any information that will reveal who/where/what business I am running.
3. Have you worked at a coffee shop before?
No
4. How old are you?
mid 30s.
5. Have you run any other business?
No. This is my 1st venture
6. Why did you decide to take on business?
The person I refer in my post as "Boba Boss" is a marketing expert who focuses on M&A. Meaning he builds up a brand, make it big, and sell it a at profit. In his original business, he has 70+ shop alone in the states I am currently live in. Once he saw there was no more room to grow, he decides to focus on his next business.
He saw a opportunity to start a new boba franchise business and I wanted to experience what its like to start a franchise business from ground up. So I took the chance.
7. What do you plan to get out of this project?
I personally believe you need 5 things in business to succeed. People , Sales , Money , Item , Marketing. I have never met a marketing expert, so I thought this was an interesting opportunity to learn from someone of his level.

In just under two weeks, ARMYs will descend upon Singapore to see SUGA!. Help an ARMY out and let them know about safety, how to get around, where to eat, tourist attractions, BTS-related things to do, or anything else that you think someone should know when they visit! (Special thanks to the mods for your input and feedback for this guide!)

BTS' Past Visits

Red Bullet Tour (2014 BTS Live Trilogy Episode II) at the The Star Performing Arts Centre (13 Dec 2014)

• Fancam
• Official photos by Hallyu Singapore
• Official photos of Hi-Five session by Hallyu Singapore. Session was for all Cat 1 VVIP ticket holders ($268), who got a Hi-Five Pass and Concert Poster. The first 100 VVIP ticket holders also got to go up on stage to get a "Dark & Wild" album autographed by BTS.

Music Bank performance (4 Aug 2017) at the Suntec Convention Centre

• Fancam
• Quiz game video
• Outing at the Merlion statue and Singapore flyer: Photos Set 1 Photos Set 2.

Love Yourself World Tour (19 Jan 2019) at the National Stadium
This made history as the first time a K-pop group held a concert at the venue (largest concert venue in the country) and tickets sold out in about 3.5 hours! (45,000 audience)

• Concert review
• Witty notice from the Singapore Police Force abt avoiding ticket scams (it uses the BTS song titles!)
• Bonus: Jimin picked Marina Bay Sands as his special spot in the BTS x Street Galleries collaboration with Google revealed on ARMY Day (July 9) 2022

Concert Venue

Do note that it’s currently the June school holidays too (26 May-26 Jun), so the Sports Hub and surrounding areas may be crowded with many other visitors besides the concert-goers. Please be mindful!

• Singapore Indoor Stadium, right next to the National Stadium (both are part of the Singapore Sports Hub) where BTS performed at their last concert here in 2019. In fact, the Indoor Stadium was then used as the waiting zone for the standing zone ticket-holders.
• Concert guidelines been posted yet (will update here when they are), but here are the general guidelines for events there (links opens a pdf)
• The nearest MRT station is the Stadium station, on the Circle line - here is a train map (with Stadium MRT circled out in light purple). You’ll know when you’ve arrived as the station design is quite unique! Go up the elevator and follow the signage - the path is sheltered.
• You can find Kallang Wave Mall right next to the venue, for a spot of shopping and dining before the concert (opening hrs:10am-10pm daily). There is another smaller mall Leisure Park Kallang located next to the carpark, which houses an ice skating rink, bowling alley and cinema alongside more food options. The open space in front of the MRT station and the two malls is where ARMYs are likely to gather to exchange fan support and stuff (latest info is that for recent concerts, fans have been prevented from gathering for fan support activities at the usual area, so many have moved to another open space nearby, the Stadium Riverside Walk, circled in this image).
• The nearest hawker centre (i.e the affordable street food) is Old Airport Road Food Centre, one of the oldest and largest hawker centres in the country. It is about 20 mins walk away from the stadium, or you can simply alight at the Mountbatten/Dakota MRT stations (one or two stops away from Stadium MRT station respectively); both are about a 5 mins’ walk away from the food centre. Here is a list of recommendations (unfortunately, not a lot of Halal food stalls here. Let me know if you need those).
• There is also a McDonalds’ & KFC near Mountbatten MRT if you want something more familiar, or potentially try whatever new promo is currently going on at these places.

Sightseeing/Activities

Non-exhaustive list (all prices are in SGD)

• National Gallery Singapore. There is a special Namjooning Tour as part of the Gallery Wellness Festival. Slots are fully booked for the guided tours on 25 & 30 June. You could try the self-guided tours instead, which start on 17 July. Gallery passes for general admission to the permanent galleries (needed to access the tour) cost $20 for non-Singaporeans aged 13-59. Closes early (by 3pm) on some weekends in June and July (see dates on website).
• National Museum Singapore. Has very interactive and engaging exhibits. Highly recommended (I used to be a volunteer docent there for abt a year). Tickets cost from $15 (for access to permanent galleries only)
• Singapore Zoo & adjacent parks (Bird Paradise, River Wonders, Night Safari). We have one of the best zoos in the world! Single park tickets cost $50. Multi-park options also available. .
• Gardens by the Bay. Pretty gardens with outdoor sections and 2 indoor air-conditioned conservatories - you may have heard of the supertrees that have been featured in the movie "Crazy Rich Asians" and K-drama "Little Women". Provides a welcome respite from the heat. It’s free to visit the outdoor areas, but it’s really worth it to pay for entry to the conservatories. There are various pricing packages, so best to check out the website yourself.
• Singapore Botanical Gardens is our first UNESCO World Heritage site, the first and only tropical botanic garden on the list. Admission is free.
• The Merlion and the Marina Bay area. I personally recommend going at night to see the famed cityscape of Singapore all lit up (the temperature’s cooler too!). Marina Bay Sands Mall has a light and water show every night. There is also the iLight Festival going on now until 25 June with artistic light installations (mix of free and paid attractions). Bonus: Yoongi wore a Merlion Singapore t-shirt in a travel-themed Lotte Xylitol ad!
• You can also ride the Singapore Flyer for an aerial view of our city like the boys did! Admission costs $40.
• Visit our ethnic enclaves, Chinatown, Little India, Kampung Glam and Geylang Serai to see old shophouses, shop for souvenirs and try ethnic food
• One of the fanbases here, BangtanSG, has teased an ARMY event from 11-13 June. Will update when more details are released.
• Sentosa & Universal Studios Singapore theme park - you can access the island via various modes of transport with varying admission fees. Transport within the island is free.
• If you don’t want to think too hard, the best airport in the world for 12 years running is also an attraction in itself! See the airport section below for more information.
• Singapore is also located in the centre of Southeast Asia - if you’ve never been in this oft-forgotten region of the world, take the chance to check out our neighbouring countries as well! Malaysia can easily be reached via bus, and Indonesia via ferry.

(Note: You may want to check out Klook for discount tickets/passes)

Dining

Singapore is a food paradise with various cuisines from the local ethnic groups, as well as international ones. For Muslims, there are a lot of Muslim-owned or Halal-certified options around (look for this certificate, or the label “Muslim-owned”), including most of the fast food chains like McDonald’s/KFC/Burger King/Subway.
Carrying some cash with you (~$10 per pax) is a good idea, especially if you’re venturing out to hawker centres; while many places now have an electronic payment system in place, cash is still king in terms of versatility, and anecdotally most hawker stalls prefer cash or will charge a credit-card payment surcharge.

Where to eat?

• Most of the malls have a good selection of dining options, ranging from the (relatively affordable) multi-stall foodcourts to fast-food restaurants, cafes, and more upmarket restaurants.
  • It can get crowded during lunchtime (12-2pm) as office workers come out for their break, so try to avoid those hours if possible, or make advance reservations.
  • If you are staying/shopping in Orchard Road, Far East Plaza (level 4 & 5) and Lucky Plaza (multiple levels) have relatively more affordable food options for the area..
  • There’s a myriad of other malls in the suburban areas outside of Orchard to be explored.
• Hawker centres: A “hawker” in Singapore refers to a street food vendor, and in Singapore they’ve been centralised into food centres to create an iconic Singapore dining institution. These places are generally not air-conditioned, but they are the most affordable dining option. If you see an item on a table even if it’s something innocuous like a tissue paper packet or name-card, it means the seat's been reserved (“chop-ed” in the local slang) by people who are off queuing for their food.
  • Look for stalls with the longest lines (the most popular stalls will have long queues all day long), but most stalls should have decent food.
  • Newton Hawker Centre (near Newton MRT station) and Lau Pa Sat (near Telok AyeDowntown/Raffles Place Stations) are probably the most well-known to tourists, but beware of touts and over-charging, especially at Newton.
  • Taking the MRT out to slightly less central areas like Ang Mo Kio, Toa Payoh, Kallang, etc. should bring you to other hawker centres that cater to locals.
• Order in: GrabFood and Foodpanda are the two most popular food delivery apps with extensive coverage all around Singapore. Deliveroo is also available. Just be prepared to pay upwards of $5 delivery fee during peak periods, and the listed online prices are usually higher than in-store. The apps also have pick-up available if you’d simply like to order in advance.
• The ethnic enclaves like Kampung Glam (Malay/Muslim), Chinatown and Little India have a higher concentration of the respective ethnic cuisines, but most places in Singapore have a good mix of different local and international cuisines

What to eat?

Breakfast (These are generally very affordable options that should cost you below $10 per person, particularly if you go to food courts/hawker centres)

• Tea/coffee with kaya toast and half-boiled eggs. Available at most hawker centres (usually at the drink stalls), and chains like Ya Kun Kaya Toast and Killiney Kopitiam in malls. Order tea/coffee like a local by referring to this guide.
• Among the fast-food chains, KFC offers the more local option of chicken porridge (congee)
• Roti prata, a south-Indian flatbread (also known as paratha in India, or roti canai in Malaysia), available at most hawker centres and Indian coffee-shops
• Nasi lemak, coconut milk-flavoured rice with a variety of side dishes (usual ones: omelette, fried chicken wing/fried fish, fried anchovies).
• Beehoon, rice vermicelli with a range of toppings like fish cake, luncheon meat (spam), chicken wings, veggies etc.
• Chai Tow Kway (“carrot cake” - it’s actually radish cake), Tau Huey (soya bean curd pudding) + Youtiao (chinese fried dough)
• Mee Rebus, a Malay noodle dish with thick & spicy potato-based gravy topped with hard-boiled egg, bean sprouts, fried shallots, tau kwa (fried beancurd) and spring onions

Lunch & dinner

• Chilli crab: I don’t have any personal recommendations, and it could be costly because the crabs are usually charged by weight, which may vary daily. The link gives a run-down of some popular places
• Hainanese chicken rice: Again, no personal recommendations, but you can find this in most foodcourts and hawker centres. You should be able to find one of these for $5 or less.
• Murtabak/Briyani: My favourite is ZamZam Restaurant (est, 1908) at North Bridge Road in the Muslim enclave of Kampung Glam, but there is a whole row of Singapore-Indian restaurants serving a similar menu there
• Everything under the sun :) Google maps & data coverage generally works well in most parts of Singapore, so search & explore! Some sites you can start at include Chope & Burpple.

Snacks

• A must try, it’s sold by any ice cream man you see roaming around with a popup like this
• We have a ton of bubble tea (boba) stores if you’re craving it, you’d probably find a bubble tea store or two within 20mins of walking anywhere. Koi/Gongcha/LiHo are quite standard options, and then there’s others like Playmade/Chichasansen with their own unique points. Here’s a list with 61 of them...
• There’re plenty of 7-11s and convenience stores around, as well as “mama shops” around public residential housing.

Getting Around

Singapore has a great public transport system. It’s really easy & cheap to get around on the MRT (mass rapid transit trains) and buses. Use Google Maps or the City Mapper app to navigate yourself and get route recommendations (the latter also has transport arrival timings and fare estimates. It also works in many cities globally, so is very useful for tourists). Various transport passes are available for tourists, but you can also use your contactless credit cards (Visa and Mastercard) to pay for the fares (no registration required).
In general, using the Circle Line (yellow) or Downtown Line (blue) should get you to most tourist attractions. Orchard Road (main shopping belt) can be accessed via the North South Line (red), between Orchard and Somerset MRT stations. Map for reference, with links to versions in Chinese/Malay/Tamil available for download.
Taxis and ride-hailing cars:

• We have Grab and Gojek in place of Uber.
• The largest local taxi fleet - the blue Comfort Cabs - also have their own ride-hailing app to compete, although they can also operate via the traditional meter & can be booked via phone call/flagged down as usual. Fares can be paid via cash post-ride or credit card for all these private car options.
• Ride-hailing tends to be very expensive. At peak periods, ride-hailing services could be even more expensive than taxis, but at least you know the price beforehand. All malls have a taxi stand where you can stand in queue and hop on the next available cab. Queues can be long at morning and evening peak periods, so avoid taking cabs then if you can.

General navigation
All signs are in English, and the locals - esp the younger generation - are able to speak English fluently. If you’re really lost, feel free to approach others to ask for help! People are generally friendly and helpful despite initial appearances :)
As a side note: in general, if Google Maps is asking you to circle around a building to get somewhere - don’t. You can cut through most places on the ground floor quite easily, even the residential buildings (unless they’re private properties like condominiums/landed housing). MRT stations are connected to a good number of places via sheltered corridors if they’re nearby enough. Enjoy the aircon & shade instead of walking outside in the heat if you can.

Shopping

• K-pop merch, CDs and DVDs: There is House of Kpop, multiple locations, the most central being at Singapore Post Centre, next to Paya Lebar MRT station (one MRT stop away fm the concert location), and Beadsofbullets at Level 2, Orchard Gateway. Popular Bookstore has a BT21 corner in some of their stores. The flagship store at Bras Basah Complex (near Bugist MRT) would likely hv the biggest selection (though really not that big). Kinokuniya Bookstore at Takashimaya Mall, Orchard Road, also has some albums, DVD sets and maybe even magazines (not sure if any BTS-member covers are available at that time). You can call ahead to ask if they hv stocks.
  
• Orchard Road is our main shopping belt, running from Orchard to Somerset MRT stations. You can find many shopping malls there, with collections ranging from upmarket to fast fashion. Check out Design Orchard, a retail space for fashion and lifestyle items by Singapore designers.
  
• For an old-style emporium experience drop by Mustafa Centre. It used to be open 24 hours but this was disrupted by COVID19 and now it is only open until 2am (best place for late night shopping!). It's not a glitzy mall, but has crowded aisles chock full of all manners of things, including snacks and souvenirs (avoid going on Sundays when it gets super crowded with migrant workers on their day off).
  
• Already mentioned above are the ethnic enclaves Chinatown, Little India, Kampung Glam and Geylang Serai with smaller standalone shops. Special mention for Haji Lane in the Kampung Glam area, a small street with cute boutiques.
  
• The many, many other malls scattered across the country - a brief list. For example, Paya Lebar alone (just another station up from Dakota!) is connected to several malls like Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ), PLQ 2, PL Square, Singpost centre, and a couple more within a 5-mins’ walk (Tanjong Katong Complex, City Plaza, KINEX etc.).
  

Weathewhat to wear

The weather is especially hot these days (max temp of up to 35 degrees celsius, or 95 Fahrenheit), with possible spurts of heavy rain at certain times of day, so dress light and carry an umbrella (most places do have sheltered walkways between buildings and bus-stops/MRT stations though, so don’t worry too much about getting around in the rain). Mall air-conditioning can be cold, so hv another layer (e.g. cardigan/wrap/scarf) on hand. Remember to hydrate frequently & avoid staying outdoors for too long!

Airport

• Singapore Changi Airport is often voted by travellers as the best airport in the world, with lots of shopping, dining and leisure options in the various terminals. BTS (except Jin who took a different flight) stopped over at Changi Airport on the way to New Zealand for Bon Voyage 4 (airport lounge scenes shown in Episode 1)! While you may not have access to the business class lounge like them, there are various other options to rest and hangout, like the many gardens (some even accessible from the public areas) and even a free 24h cinema (Terminal 3 transit area).
• Jewel Changi Airport which is attached to Terminal 1 is an attraction in itself. It's worth arriving 2-3 hours earlier than your flight check-in time to grab a meal and have a look around Jewel. A particular highlight is to take the skytrain between Terminals 2 and 3, cutting across the centre of Jewel, to get a spectacular view of the indoor waterfall. There is also shopping aplenty (Tip: Fairprice Finest supermarket at B2 Jewel has a nice selection of food and non-food souvenirs which are pretty affordable).
• There are various transport options for getting to the city from the airport. Public transport like MRT is convenient if you are travelling light, else there is a shuttle service to selected downtown hotels. Taxis and ride-hire cars can be expensive, especially with the airport surcharge.
• Sort of related, Yoongi gave a shout out to our national airlines (Singapore Airlines) for its great seat and amenities in business class in BV4! (He said: let's always fly Singapore Airlines in the future!). The airlines must have taken notice, because they recently announced that they would be adding BTS content like songs, MVs, LY New York concert, and Break The Silence docu in their in-flight entertainment system to commemorate BTS' 10th anniversary. An ARMY also spotted a write-up abt BTS in their in-flight magazine.

We’ve tried to achieve a balance between being succinct and informative, but certainly the above info is not exhaustive. So do feel free to ask in the comments below if the info you need is not here! Fellow SG ARMY, or those familiar with Singapore, feel free to chime in!

My (26F) sister-in-law (20F) doesn’t seem to understand the value of money. Context: she’s moving in with us to complete the next 2 years of her degree. I also pay majority of “shared” expenses between my husband and I like bills and groceries.
She’s worked at Walmart for a summer, took a year off to focus on college (totally understand), but when she lost her full-ride scholarship to her community college due to grades her parents essentially made her get a job to help pay for her tuition. She’s worked on the campus library the past year.
Every time she comes to visit my husband and I or their oldest brother, it becomes this thing where she doesn’t want to pay her own expenses unless it’s trivial things, like hundreds of dollars on K-Pop merch and Squishmallows. We’ll go to a boba shop, for example, and I ask if she is going to pay her own or if she wants me to, and she says, “well I only have $250…” Mind you, she pays no bills and her parents essentially give her an allowance for gas money until she gets a job again this summer. She doesn’t seem too eager to get the application process started at the moment.
I’ve told my husband that he should have this discussion with her because I don’t want to be seen as an authority figure over her, but I also don’t want to always cover her food expenses when we all go out.