Imagine for a moment that “mom” can’t get pregnant. So she goes to a fertility doctor and gets a sperm donor (a medical student) and has a baby. Yay! This is a true story. You decide at some point in life to take a DNA test and accidentally find out you have a whole lot of siblings. Same dad, different mom. Oops.
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I did one already with CRI but this one is with 23 and me. There is a new Netflix show called “Our Father” and it is pretty wild. I just ordered the one through 23 and me in case I accidentally have any siblings I don’t know about. It will be interesting to compare the results and see if there are any discrepancies. It will take awhile before I have any results, but I will be sure to post them once I have them. CRI didn’t have that option as they keep their results private.
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What If?
If abortions become illegal, under any circumstance, … then in 18ish years we can expect that the low-end hourly workers will return. Right? Because in theory, the last 20+ years or so, women have been aborting those babies, who never make it to the adoption or foster care system. Science and technology made it possible to women no longer have to breastfeed, so they use formula. Well now that there is shortage, the babies that did make it, won’t because they will die of malnutrition. Sorry ladies – that you didn’t want your nipples sore, so you took a pill to dry up your milk. It really makes me wonder if those women who decided to abort their mistake … if they will have consequences in the after life? Personally I think if you don’t want to have a baby, don’t put a penis in your vagina. I also know that if a woman is raped, that she can immediately have any traces removed within the rape inspection done with the nurse. Texas made it quite clear that there was a lot of unprotected sex going on that women all of the sudden had to admit.
The world is producing less babies. There are more people who are living longer that they are supposed to due to science, technology and medicine. Think about the millions of people who are alive because of a pacemaker. Exactly, and they are just a fraction of the people who faced death and survived.
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And did you see Dr. Strange 2? Wow, that should really be WandaVision 2.0 on steroids. No question now who is the strongest Avenger! I really liked that they introduced some new/old characters as cameos into the MCU. Isn’t it weird how you can buy crypto and not have to buy a whole coin/share? Like you can own .0000215 of one bitcoin. Bad week for Bitcoin as it dropped millions of portfolios. I think it was down to like, $28k, and it WAS trading at $48k the week before. Wow. No I didn’t buy any shares, I don’t have an extra $28k to buy an invisible magic money coin. But there are thousands that are selling their partial coin ownership.
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Frontier Airlines NOT Aaron Approved
Frontier Airlines cancelled my Vegas flights and put me on the red eye with wrong dates. WTF? No explanation or even an apology.
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I cancelled and booked Delta — first class, for free. How did I book it free? Miles baby. I have over 100 thousand use, via the American Express Delta Reserve card.
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Frontier doesn’t have airport lounges, free baggage, or even first class. Now they no longer have my business or endorsement.
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Look 10+ Years Younger
Hey guys – welcome back to my site/page! So you are probably wondering what I did to look so much younger. A really simple thing that guys (and girls) can do to look younger is to have your eyebrows professionally done. I’ll admit that I had/have an eyebrow “thing”. Meaning I am sort of a snot when it comes to judging people’s brows. And if I have ever mentioned your brows to you … well you probably deserved it. And hopefully with a little gentle guidance you went and did something about it. Plucked, tweezed, went to a salon. Some people are just genetically lucky when it comes to eyebrows and brow ridge. Others have to put a little work and effort into it. When I was young and in my 20’s this is what my eyebrows looked like. Over time, mens’ eyebrows do one of two things … grow crazy wild, or lose them all together. And sadly, some guys eyebrows turn white, which really makes them look older. So a very simple, and semi pain-free experience is to have your eyebrows microbladed. Individual hair lines are “tattooed” on your brows. Does it hurt? How does getting your teeth scraped at the dentist sound? Well that’s how is sounds, but it doesn’t feel like it. If it starts to hurt just say “Ow.” and she will put more numbing medicine on you. But literally it is just a few minutes of pain. My tattoo hurt more. Braces hurt more. So if you are in Colorado and you want to look younger and improve your looks you can call Maria at 720-779-4270 Palace of Aesthetics in Arvada. She said anyone I referred could have the same Groupon price of $160. Just mention my name and you are gold. I gave her nice tip since the normal price is $500. I know right? But now I can wash my face and go swimming without worrying about my eyebrows washing off. Ladies know what I am talking about. Plus, fuller thick eyebrows makes you look younger.
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So do you want to hear my eyebrow story? I guess now that I have semi-permanent eyebrows I can share my story. Back in junior high school I was sitting in math class and I overheard one of my friends making fun of this girl who had horrendous eyebrows. It was like the first thing you noticed about her and immediately all you could think of. They laughed and laughed and it stuck with me. At the time, I also had unkept natural eyebrows. But they were bad, and needed attention. I didn’t know what I was doing but I studied dozens of male models eyebrows and then I tweezed like cray. Man that hurt. It was awful. And because I didn’t know better, I used Sea Breeze on them afterward, and OMG that was the dumbest fucking idea ever. But I never had to worry about anyone making fun of my eyebrows. It wasn’t until I worked at the jewelry store that one of my friends asked if I ever thought about making my brows darker, instead of … overplucked. Well, COVID happened and I wasn’t going anywhere and so I just got lazy and let them grow back to what they were intended to be. And then I started investigating eyebrow makeup products, watched YouTubers videos/reviews and finally came to my own version of doing my brows. The EASIEST, fastest way to do them … for me, is using a semi-permanent tattoo marker, made by Bic, yes you heard me right. I just fill them in and it stays for a day. It was made for skin and it doesn’t rub off. Tah duh! Now this only really works for dark haired guys. While this is really pretty simple, it still takes a few minutes every day to do this. So that is why I opted for microblading. Guys can seriously improve their attractiveness/looks variable by doing this one simple beauty procedure.
So many of you are wondering what I thought of “Morbius”. Are you into vampire movies? If you are, then you will like this one. Do you like Jared Leto? Then you will like it. If you answered no, then don’t watch it. Wait until it hits HBOMax. If DC were to reinvent the “Batman” and not the original, they would turn a man into a “bat” by being bit by one right? Spiderman power syndrome. A guy who can control bats and drinks blood. Well, here he is, but his is called Morbius, not Batman. AND he is a bad guy. Personally I am WAY more into MoonKnight on Disney+. The whole Egyptian god thing is fascinating. And in case you forgot, taxes are due on Monday in the United States.
I bought a thousand dollars of airbnb, the other day and it already has gone up $16 in a few days. Who knows what it will be worth in 20-30 years? I used Robinhood if you need a recommendation. There were no fees when I purchased the stock. Super easy, super simple.
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Help Wanted
For the past few years, the economy has been experiencing staffing issues. And in case you forgot, over TEN THOUSAND baby boomers are retiring every day, … and have been for quite some time. Throw in the COVID work at home variable and now you have even more people that don’t want to go back to a “normal” job. And while millions of people stopped driving to work, they also stopped buying gas and changing their oil. Trickle effect. Did you know there were gas stations that closed and went out of business due to no customers? For some people gas prices can dramatically affect their weekly cash flow. Most people only have a ten gallon tank, so a buck or so more shouldn’t destroy everyone. No one is crying because the cost of meat as doubled. The reality is most people have a lot of extra money because they aren’t doing other things that they might spend money on; like fancy dinners and date night. Concerts and festivals are out and have been, but things are opening back up again. Although I still am not going to Coachella. There are still millions of people who aren’t vaccinated.
And here are the latest from the NY Times:
DAILY AVG. ON APR. 5
14-DAY CHANGE
TOTAL REPORTED
Cases
28,693
–1%
80,128,432
Tests
870,272
+13%
—
Hospitalized
15,383
–27%
—
In I.C.U.s
2,308
–35%
—
Deaths
602
–40%
981,112
Technically if you have been hiding out for 2 years, and most of society got the shot, in theory, you could be safe without the shot. You still need to wear a mask and wash your hands like cray, but it could potentially happen. Due to staffing issues, many savvy travelers are taking advantage of the Air B & B market. There are a lot of really expensive homes that are dedicated just to being rented by the night. VRBO is another resource that takes advantage of people who bought into the whole “timeshare” scam. Gosh, that one week a year sounded great until you can’t change the dates. I have sat through timeshare presentations and it sounds all neat, but the reality is you want to travel to different places, see new things. Even the hotel or resort they are selling will lose its wow factor after a couple of visits. As a smart consumer, you can just rent those rooms/homes for the weekend or whenever. You still won’t come close to spending the money you put into a timeshare.
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Think about it, you really only have so many years of fun travel … before you get old, can’t walk, need help or extra time. Those good years are usually the years you don’t have the time or money. Just don’t get sucked into thinking a timeshare is a good idea. Take those fun vacations, save up for it. It doesn’t have to be super expensive. Don’t stay in a villa. Rent an air b&b that is AS nice or nicer than a villa. Home owners you stay with are happy to give you a fresh towel. Hotels have extended wait times for everything. I told you a long time ago that harsh immigration practices would eventually affect you and your vacations. The Motley Fool recommends buying some air b&b stock. That is a market that is continuing to explode as smart investors are buying homes just to rent. Real estate in any form of investing is a good if not great idea.
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Pretty Privilege vs. Unattractive Tax
Did you know that these two “things” exist? I think we all can agree that a very attractive female with a knock-out body is going to get some if not a lot of favoritism. A lot of beautiful people say that they got where they are on their own, and not because of their looks. Yeah, I am going to have to call bullshit on that one. It is a known fact that if an employer has two candidates, equally qualified but one is more attractive, you can guess who gets the job. That’s right, the good looking one. After all, nothing helps the office when a handsome fellow joins the team and the ladies get gitty around him. On the other end of the spectrum is the “tax” that some people experience. While some people have never been discriminated due to their skin color, they certainly might have experienced it because of their unattractive looks. I had an unattractive overweight friend who couldn’t get help from a salesclerk so she could purchase her plus-sized clothes. I thought I was imagining things, but she was right. No one would help her. I thought it was kind of funny. I had no problem at all finding a cute salesgirl to check me out. Literally … and then when it came time to pay for it, I grabbed my friend. Poof. Like magic I was gone.
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I Work Hard For the Money!
Have you ever noticed that society is fickle AF? It encourages small creative individuals to go big or go home. But when they make it big, they want to knock them down. Just because someone has figured out how to earn money does not mean they are obligated to give it away. Kim (Kardashian) has worked hard her whole life to be successful. She sort of worked retail once. Not like me slaving away at Walmart and Bob’s Super Store, but kind of close. My VERY first job was cleaning cars at the local car dealership. I think I was paid $10 a day, but that was bank to me. While I didn’t know it at the time, it taught me to detail my own car for years to come. Every nook and crack cleaned with a Q-tip. That was before my days of throwing newspapers on people’s front porch.
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Yep, I was a newspaper carrier for years and years. I learned the value of customer service, earning tips, counting back change, and of course, a healthy dose of exercise every single day. I grew strong from carrying heavy heavy bags of paper, and then throwing those perfect cylindrical weapons of destruction. I also learned the very useful skill of prospecting and sales. When a new person would move into a renter house, I would deliver the newspaper for a week with a note saying it was complimentary from me. After a week, I would go knock on the door, introduce myself and sell them a subscription that they needed to pay for now. It was like, a whole $5. Worked every time. As a carrier I got one free subscription for myself … which I gave to them for a week. After getting used to reading it, people just wanted it. Today they call it a free trial subscription, one month free. Technically I was an employee, but I never paid any taxes to the IRS for my newspaper money. When customers would write a check to the Kearney Daily Hub, I would just signed their business name, and then my name and deposit into my personal checking account. Never once did they ask for an employee verification to prove I could deposit it. I guess after I got onto my bicycle and pedaled away they knew I was for probably the paperboy. “Oh no! That kid stole a $5 check!” Yeah, not likely some kid broke into a house and wrote a check to himself for $5. That would be just stupid. Gotta say, of all the jobs I have ever done, that was one of the worst. Think about all that shitty snow in the winter. Yeah, you can’t ride a bike very easily. And the summers. My God the summers were blistering hot. The worst ever.
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The torture didn’t stop there. In Nebraska they do this thing called “detasseling”. WTF is that right? Well,there are millions of ears of corn that grow little seed-like tassels that need to be pulled out in order to grow big. Well, children are exploited for slave labor and they do it. It is hard, hot sweaty dirty work. And I did it. One summer was all it took and I was grateful forever for my shitty job at Taco Johns.
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All of these horrible experiences taught me that being educated, smart and making wise financial decisions would prevent me ever having to do those jobs again. So if I could offer you one piece of advice that would/could change you forever, it would be … invest in real estate. And there is no reason why you couldn’t do that now. Just saying. Good in sales? Take the test and be a real estate agent. Have some equity/capital/savings? Invest in a rental property. If you are military or veteran, take advantage of the LOAN. Zero down. Buy low, hold it, sell high. When it appreciates on its own, take out another equity loan to buy another house. Rent it out, and when it appreciates, take out another loan for the down payment and buy another home. Rent it. It does not have to be in the same town the you live. $28 a day, is $10k a year. In 2 year, $20k, which is enough to find a starter home to rent. Home sales historically are the only for sure investment that will guarantee you an increase in value over a long term period. If you don’t have your own equity, do you know someone who loves and trusts you with theirs? Do your parents have thousands in their paid off home that they would loan you some of that in a home equity loan you promise to pay every single month on time? Do not buy at the peak of the market, only buy when a property is at its low point. Find a deal, something that might need a cosmetic face lift.
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Real Estate, ownership of it, will be a safe retirement plan. In 30 years from now, what would a brand new home be worth? New homes are still being built, who says you have to live in it to buy it? No one. Well, in Denver they have some weird rental home ownership laws. Don’t buy in Denver. It is overpriced and at the peak. Wait a few years when there are way too many properties for sale. There are new homes being built by the airport, in a community called Reunion. I think they start at $400’s. In 30 years it would be worth close to a million. Naturally you will need to have excellent credit to pull this off, but if you can and do, then when you retire you will have dozens of homes you can sell. What would a 4-5 bedroom new home rent for these days? I am guessing around $4k–$5k a month. A $400k mortgage is only $1700 a month, but you are collecting twice that in rent. Hmmm. That seems like a no brainer to me. Just saying. Say you got a full $5k a month for rent. Or $60k is about $40k in profit. JUST for having that $80k for your 20% down. You either pay it down fast, or you live off of $40k a year just for being the landlord. Now imagine you own 5 properties, each making $40k. That is almost $200k a year, … for doing nothing but be rich. Heck yeah, I think I like the sound of that. Don’t you?
“Being rich is all about mindset. Did you invest that stimulus check in AMC or MGM or did you spend it? Mindset.”
–Aaron M. Stephens, M.B.A.
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Travel Tips and Tricks
So if you didn’t know I am a seasoned traveler. I used to travel for work and I was on an airplane almost weekly. So when you are lugging heavy suitcases for what seems like miles, you learn a few tricks here and there to make your life easier. So I will share some of those with y’all while they are fresh in my mind.
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Get yourself a passport badge carrier. I just found a better one and linked it for you. I bought 2. One for me and one for my partner. I got mine from Viking Cruises, but you can easily buy one on Amazon or in the gift shop at the airport. Put your smartphone, drivers license, boarding pass, AirPods and regular earphones in there. Now you won’t forget where you put one of those items. Seriously, you will panic when you lose your phone in some irregular pocket. And I actually recommend getting the paper boarding pass and putting that in there too. That way you aren’t taking off your mask to unlock your phone or put in your passcode. Or you can screenshot the boarding pass if it isn’t in your apple wallet.
Use a bag/string backpack that folds up easily. Keep your coat(s) and extra clothes in there. When you are on the plane, you can put your coats in there and make it a pillow. The straps will hang nicely on your headrest. Take an empty water bottle through security and then fill it up with ice and your favorite beverage before you get on the plane. That goes for water, juice or alcohol. Mimosa anyone? If you aren’t driving and you are flying, chug a lug pooh bear. Keep it folded and flat in your pocket or carry-on until you get on the plane.
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Wear boots. They are easy on easy off. No laces or metal. They are more comfortable. Bring an extra pair of running shoes and sandals. People spend so much time taking their shoes on and off at TSA. Although if you get TSA Pre check, you can skip that step all together. I’ll just wear boots. They also make me taller. They are loud on tile and command attention when walking through a silent hallway or room.
If you are an apple person, then your AirPods have noise cancellation feature. Go into bluetooth in the settings, and go into the options. It makes a big difference when the plane is in the air. And you can block out crying kids. Keep those AirPods in your passport carrier when not in use. It is super easy to lose them or misplace them and then you are freaking out you just lost your $250 buds. Or just use your 3.5mm corded headphones with the airlines video screens. Delta will sell you a pair for $2 if you forgot, so don’t buy them in the airport.
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Depending on how much you travel, and how much you can withstand standing in lines, you may want to invest in a CLEAR membership. It lets you jump the TSA line. And when there is a thousand people waiting to go through the rat maze, it is super handy.
Do you check a bag or do you carry on? It depends on your airline, your budget, and your level of tolerance, … meaning, how much patience do you have to wait in another long line for your luggage. I have discovered the power of a very well packed carry on bag, thus eliminating the need to drag around another heavy bag, especially if you have a long ways to go. Suitcases through NYC is very common, as is it in Las Vegas.
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I traveled with a friend once who said she didn’t want to have to wait for her luggage, so only do carry on. It was difficult at first, but I was able to make it work by not packing too much. You could always buy more clothes and go shopping. That is another strategy. Only pack clean socks and underwear, one shirt, one pair of work out pants. Voila, now you are packed so light you HAVE to go get something to wear, or be forced to just wear the same jacket every day. I accidentally left all my hanging shirts and had to buy new shirts, while on vacation. It actually was a fun break from the normal stuff. Keep in mind, in pictures, if you are outside it is usually the same coat/jacket in every picture — unless you are going somewhere warm. For me personally, tank tops are super easy to pack and take up no room at all. And when you are on the plane, it gets super cold a few thousand miles in the air, so wear layers so you can shed and put them back on. Also think about what sunglasses you like best and the ones that you look good in photos. There is nothing worse than forgetting your sunglasses and then buying a cheap pair that look and feel not so good. Glasses and sunglasses are a part of your identity.
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Remember that the world is opening up again, and people are starting to travel more. There are still staffing issues, and as a result, less planes that fly, and less options for cancelled flights, delays, stand-bys, and …. long, long lines everywhere. Most people are considerate and there wasn’t any issues with masks. Sure in the airport, no one is policing you if you take your mask down. Just don’t take it off. Obviously with food and drink you don’t have to wear one. But everyone I talked to said they all had the shot and booster.
My advice is to pick your favorite airline and fly exclusively. I choose Delta. I wasn’t even in their little club but they treated me like a king. Of course it also helps to tell the flight attendants/gate agents, “OMG, I LOVE YOU GUYS! DELTA is my BITCH!” They laugh and tell me they love me too! Works like a charm every time. Hey — free upgrades don’t just happen magically on their own. It sometimes takes a little nudge of happiness for someone to make your wish come true.
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Fly the Friendly Skies
If you think I am going to write about the “No Fly Zone” request that has been ongoing since the war, you are wrong. I am talking about normal people flying coach, in the United States.I just got back from sunny Pensacola, and due to the time constraints was unable to secure a discounted flight through Frontier. Now I am not dogging on Frontier, and normally everything with that airline is just fine. They only fly certain days and very limited routes. Not good. They also nickel and dime you for everything. It is … in my opinion — for the budget conscious minded. You have to remember that everyone is in a different stage in their life than you. So what is costly to you, might be pennies to another. So, if you are like me, you go to the different sites, plug in your dates and see what costs what. Clearly there are price differences and some are way more than others. Why? Greed. Those seat prices change daily, and usually hourly. Some people see one rate while others see a discount. Some companies have deals that they buy seats at really low prices and then start selling them at a premium the closer the travel date. Frontier, Southwest and Spirit are all discount airlines. There are no tier levels. No first class. You get basic, very basic service. For some people that is JUST fine. You might have a second home on one of their direct flights, so you literally have no luggage as you have two homes full of clothes. I also discovered that if you are loyal and fly just one airline, they will reward you in forms of freebies.
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So where am I going with this? Well fortunately for me, I flew Delta this time. I decided it was worth the risk to apply for their top tier credit card, American Express Delta Reserve, which has a steep annual fee, $550. Naturally it arrived after I landed. I actually didn’t need to have the physical card as I was able to load it to my apple wallet, along with my boarding pass. Very cool. My electronic ticket, on my phone, also had my AmEx Delta card loaded, so when I checked into the lounge, they knew. One of the big perks is you get in their Sky Lounges, and you get 1 bag free, up to 8 people on your ticket. So that is like, $480, because you have to pay to get them back home. Bummer right? So what was new for me this time was the opportunity to request a complimentary upgrade from MAIN Cabin to Comfort Plus or even First Class. Well I quickly found out that those First Class seats are only awarded to Diamond Medallion, which I am not. However, 3 out of 4 air busses I managed to score a Comfort Plus seat, which was valued at thousands. And if you were sitting next to me from Pensacola to Atlanta, then you paid $1888 for the window version. I was in the middle, which is great so I can cross my left OR my right leg. And as silly as it sounds, it is much more relaxing to sit that way. Now, if you buy basic economy, which I guess must be like an Expedia ticket, you are not eligible for upgrades. So there were medallion members who I beat out for my seat. So I guess in “theory” my 3 seats were worth $5664 in total. That is CRAY CRAY!! I didn’t dare tell my new friend I got my seat for free, … with only an AmEx Delta Reserve card. And get this, … although I have been a SkyMiles member for 2 decades, I only had 300 miles recorded. So the secret is your goal is to be a silver medallion Delta skymiles member, with the AmEx card. Buy a main cabin seat, and get the FREE First Class upgrade. With the card you can bypass their flown miles and number of flights requirement by using the card. Sure you have to spend $25,000 in a year, but if you buy a new iPhone or two, new Mac Pro or two, a DSL camera with all the accessories, it won’t take long at all. And I personally have dozens of eye glasses with outdated prescriptions, so that could easily be thousands of dollars. And we aren’t even talking about really going shopping at the Cherry Creek mall. Vuitton could do some serious damage. I actually don’t have any luggage or bags from them. I sport a bright yellow Coach backpack. It’s on my Instagram. They say the upgrades are strictly based on tier-level, miles flown, … but I think we all know it really is up to the GATE agent who can override one passenger and give it to another, just like when you go to a restaurant and the VIP takes your table while you wait with the buzzer in your hand. If you are a “Chad” or a “Stacy” it is always in your best interest to let the gate agent know you are one of the hopefuls waiting for that upgrade. If you are an INCEL … and I don’t mean this in a mean way, but then do not check in with the gate agent. Hotties get priority over fuglies. And there are way more of those than you would care to know. I must just be super lucky because I sat between Chad and Stacy. And there were no babies on my flight. Thank God. They gave out free headphones in First Class and Comfort+ to plug into their headrest on demand video screens. Although literally everyone had their own AirPods plugged in. AirPods do not work with their system as there is no bluetooth. I watched part of the new Scream movie. Airlines aren’t dicks like they used to be by making you shut your devices off and take your headphones off. They let you zone out, fall asleep and they leave you alone. After you stuff yourself with awesome food in the lounge, you don’t want to eat a bunch of snacks. I had a very strong bloody Mary, so I took a nap.
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If you want to get the Delta Reserve card, click here. (Expires 06/08/2022) You will get 100k points that you can use to upgrade your main cabin flights individually, which is cheaper than using all of them at once for a free flight. If you buy a Comfort+ and you are medallion you will almost for sure get the First Class upgrade. But don’t do that until you reach at least silver. May the odds be ever in your favor. Sure it has a fee. But look at what I got in just one trip. Thousands of freebies. Food and drink. And if have to do a layover, 90 minutes is just perfect for deplaning, getting to the right terminal and getting food/drink and restroom. The app keeps you updated and if you have an apple watch, that also notifies you so you don’t miss boarding.
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Authenticator Security
Do you know what the authenticator app is? It is a special app kind of like what we use to remote log into corporate servers. There is this six digit code that changes every 60 seconds. Microsoft now uses it for Windows login screens, Google uses it, Dropbox uses it, and if you have a WordPress website, you should be using it too. So, let’s say someone somehow installed a virus or malware on your computer to try and steal your password … this app is a second level of defense, and actually probably your last level of defense. If they don’t have your app with your face to open the app, they will never find out that secret code. So if the hacker knew your password, or guessed it, they wouldn’t know the six digit code.
Personally I think credit cards like American Express should offer it as an option for members to guarantee their identity. They are quick to prevent fraud, but it would alleviate the question if it is an actual charge if they used the authenticator. Sure it is another step, but we are already doing it with sites that we use. The technical term is “Two Factor Authentication”. If you are using it, you should always safeguard your cell phone. I heard of a guy who got his phone stolen and the criminal used it to Zelle money to himself. Yeah, guess where those verification texts go? Yep, right to the thief.
After watching Inventing Anna on Netflix, I think it is a good idea to carry a credit card with a relatively low credit line. If you ever have to give a card that might be charged for more than your authorization (like $60k for a Moroccan hotel) the charge will be denied. “Here you can HOLD onto this card, but don’t charge it. You’re not going to charge it right?” hehehe … you can’t because I already maxed it out. 😉 The hotel — in Inventing Anna, DID charge the card without permission. I don’t know about you but if the hotel room is even close to $200 I am hesitant. I can’t imagine paying thousands upon thousands just to sleep in a bed. Crazy right? I guess when you are super rich you lose sight of the real value of money. And if gas prices make you cringe, I would recommend using a credit card that has reward points/paybacks. I figured my American Express Simply Cash card actually gives me back 7.5% for gas stations. So every little bit helps and adds up.
Hey guys – welcome back to my site/page! So you are probably wondering what I did to look so much younger. A really simple thing that guys (and girls) can do to look younger is to have your eyebrows professionally done. I’ll admit that I had/have an eyebrow “thing”. Meaning I am sort of a snot when it comes to judging people’s brows. And if I have ever mentioned your brows to you … well you probably deserved it. And hopefully with a little gentle guidance you went and did something about it. Plucked, tweezed, went to a salon. Some people are just genetically lucky when it comes to eyebrows and brow ridge. Others have to put a little work and effort into it. When I was young and in my 20’s this is what my eyebrows looked like. Over time, mens’ eyebrows do one of two things … grow crazy wild, or lose them all together. And sadly, some guys eyebrows turn white, which really makes them look older. So a very simple, and semi pain-free experience is to have your eyebrows microbladed. Individual hair lines are “tattooed” on your brows. Does it hurt? How does getting your teeth scraped at the dentist sound? Well that’s how is sounds, but it doesn’t feel like it. If it starts to hurt just say “Ow.” and she will put more numbing medicine on you. But literally it is just a few minutes of pain. My tattoo hurt more. Braces hurt more. So if you are in Colorado and you want to look younger and improve your looks you can call Maria at 720-779-4270 Palace of Aesthetics in Arvada. She said anyone I referred could have the same Groupon price of $160. Just mention my name and you are gold. I gave her nice tip since the normal price is $500. I know right? But now I can wash my face and go swimming without worrying about my eyebrows washing off. Ladies know what I am talking about. Plus, fuller thick eyebrows makes you look younger.
Have you ever noticed that society is fickle AF? It encourages small creative individuals to go big or go home. But when they make it big, they want to knock them down. Just because someone has figured out how to earn money does not mean they are obligated to give it away. Kim (Kardashian) has worked hard her whole life to be successful. She sort of worked retail once. Not like me slaving away at Walmart and Bob’s Super Store, but kind of close. My VERY first job was cleaning cars at the local car dealership. I think I was paid $10 a day, but that was bank to me. While I didn’t know it at the time, it taught me to detail my own car for years to come. Every nook and crack cleaned with a Q-tip. That was before my days of throwing newspapers on people’s front porch.
Get yourself a passport badge 
Use a bag/string backpack that folds up easily. Keep your coat(s) and extra clothes in there. When you are on the plane, you can put your coats in there and make it a pillow. The straps will hang nicely on your headrest. Take an empty water bottle through security and then fill it up with ice and your favorite beverage before you get on the plane. That goes for water, juice or alcohol. Mimosa anyone? If you aren’t driving and you are flying, chug a lug pooh bear. Keep it folded and flat in your pocket or carry-on until you get on the plane.
Wear boots. They are easy on easy off. No laces or metal. They are more comfortable. Bring an extra pair of running shoes and sandals. People spend so much time taking their shoes on and off at TSA. Although if you get TSA Pre check, you can skip that step all together. I’ll just wear boots. They also make me taller. They are loud on tile and command attention when walking through a silent hallway or room.
Do you check a bag or do you carry on? It depends on your airline, your budget, and your level of tolerance, … meaning, how much patience do you have to wait in another long line for your luggage. I have discovered the power of a very well packed carry on bag, thus eliminating the need to drag around another heavy bag, especially if you have a long ways to go. Suitcases through NYC is very common, as is it in Las Vegas.
My advice is to pick your favorite airline and fly exclusively. I choose Delta. I wasn’t even in their little club but they treated me like a king. Of course it also helps to tell the flight attendants/gate agents, “OMG, I LOVE YOU GUYS! DELTA is my BITCH!” They laugh and tell me they love me too! Works like a charm every time. Hey — free upgrades don’t just happen magically on their own. It sometimes takes a little nudge of happiness for someone to make your wish come true.
If you want to get the Delta Reserve card, click 
Do you know what the authenticator app is? It is a special app kind of like what we use to remote log into corporate servers. There is this six digit code that changes every 60 seconds. Microsoft now uses it for Windows login screens, Google uses it, Dropbox uses it, and if you have a WordPress website, you should be using it too. So, let’s say someone somehow installed a virus or malware on your computer to try and steal your password … this app is a second level of defense, and actually probably your last level of defense. If they don’t have your app with your face to open the app, they will never find out that secret code. So if the hacker knew your password, or guessed it, they wouldn’t know the six digit code.