I went permanently NC with my emotionally abusive mother yesterday. This is the letter I sent her.
trigger warning: mention of suicide** *** additional context: my name here is abbreviated and any other names are replaced with bracketed descriptions. I wrote this letter and made the NC permanent (a decision I was coming to anyway) in response to her breaking temporary NC boundaries. She messaged me on my husband's birthday with the excuse of wanting to give him a gift, then called herself a third parent to our kids saying that she's concerned about hurting their emotional development by not seeing them anymore. *** Here's the letter: 5 years knowing my children was more than you ever deserved to get. If I had known 6 years ago what I know now, you never would have met them at all. You used me. For my entire fucking life. Every bit of my anxiety and depression comes from you raising me to be your personal therapist, but you've spent all that time manipulating me into thinking that my issues were exaggerated, imagined, or my own fault for not 'finding the right medication.' It's no wonder I never found a medication that worked for me, because your abuse has always been the real problem. In the letter you wrote me last summer, you said there was something standing in my way. And you were absolutely right about that part; you just didn't realize that 'something' was you. I have no trust, hope, or love left for you anymore. It's just gone. You bring no happiness to my life, only sadness, disgust, and anger. My life is significantly better without you in it, and I wish more than anything that I had cut you out of it the moment I turned 18. After my letter to you in June, you told me you would look into the things I wrote about, and I was hopeful for a moment. I thought that maybe you would do some reading, self-reflection, or therapy (ideally all three), but it's clear from your messages that you've done none of those things. We can't work on our relationship if you have no understanding of what you did wrong, and especially if you think that WE need to work on it when the problem is one hundred percent YOU. Your 'apology' in July was not only an afterthought, it was also half-assed and fake. I bet even your kindergarteners know that a real apology is genuine and addresses something specific. I told you very clearly how you fucked up, and now you expect me to be the one to guide you and tell you how you should change? I thought I made it clear that I'm done doing your emotional work for you, but you're seriously STILL asking me to do it? How about I help you out, one last time. Here are some specific apologies you could try on for size: "C, I'm sorry that I never bothered to recognize or treat your obvious anxiety as a child, despite you telling me every night about traumatizing nightmares with bloody stakes driven through your loved ones' palms as well as your own (at 4 years old, no less). Hmm... Maybe I should also be sorry for repeatedly telling you in vivid detail about the Catholic imagery I found terrifying in my own childhood. But then again, I needed a cuddle buddy and your horrifying nightmares were such a convenient excuse to keep you sleeping in my bed for years. I guess getting that physical comfort for myself was more important to me than your mental health and emotional development." "C, I'm sorry I told you at 10 years old that you were the only thing keeping me from committing suicide. It's no wonder you always had to handle my emotions with so much fear and caution, and felt you had to sacrifice your own emotional needs for mine. After all, survival for both of us depended on it. Oh, and my bad that I also told you very specifically that those suicidal feelings were your sister's fault. And then proceeded to complain about her and put you in an uncomfortable position between us your whole life. Totally my fault that you never got to have a close relationship with her. Whoops." "C, I'm sorry that I also ruined your relationship with your only remaining grandparent. Who knew that complaining to you about her constantly for years would have negative effects? When I told you repeatedly how much she lies when she compliments people, who knew that would mean you could never trust a single nice word she (or anyone else for that matter) said to you? Although, I would have destroyed that relationship anyway when I took in [a cousin's kids who were taken away by CPS]. I'm sorry I cried on your shoulder the whole time about how horrible all three of them (and so many others) were to me. I'm sorry for making you feel like you were my only source of support, effectively isolating you from the rest of the family, as I struggled to deal with the terrible and needless decision I made just because I wanted to feel like a hero. Whoops again." "C, I'm sorry for always bragging about how nice and civil I was to your dad after our breakup, then turning around and complaining to you constantly about him too. I'm sorry for convincing you he wasn't responsible enough to make you wear a seat belt, suncreen, or a life jacket without you nagging him. It must have sucked having to act like a stressed-out parent when you deserved to relax and enjoy being a child. I'm sorry for openly resenting him for being the 'fun parent' when he took you bowling and mini golfing and camping, even though I never really attempted to do those things with you myself. After all, they cost money. And it was more important to me to spend my time complaining to you about how much money you cost me, how hard it was to be a single mom, and how little your dad's child support covered. I'm sorry for making you feel guilty about enjoying your time with him, rather than admit to myself that there might be a good reason you didn't enjoy time with me as much." "C, I'm sorry for calling you a bitch when you ran away at 15. I thought you were lying about forgetting to make an appointment to cover up how lazy you were. Never mind the fact that I diagnosed ADHD in myself years ago and that you very likely have it as well. How was I supposed to recognize it in you or care about your feelings when I had my head so far up my own ass with my National Board Certification? After all, you had been my main emotional support up until then, and when you started to focus more on yourself that support was ripped away from me. God forbid I act like an adult and figure out how to get it from a healthier source." "C, when you came to me for support as a teen thinking you might be bisexual, I'm sorry for scoffing and saying flat out, 'no you're not.' You never sought support for that (from me or anyone else) again, but since you still feel the same way at 29 years old, maybe immediately dismissing you like that was a disrespectful and shitty move." "C, when you came to me for help with your own suicidal thoughts as an adult, I'm sorry that I wasn't more supportive then, either. How was I supposed to know that sending you a tragic article about a young mom that committed suicide (with the comment 'I won't let this happen to you!!') would only pile more stress and guilt onto you? Or that nagging you to get medicated wouldn't help a damn thing when being stuck living with me was the actual problem? That was the last time you came to me for help, so that means your depression couldn't have been that bad in the first place, right? Toootally okay for me to go back to treating you like a selfish, lazy asshole after you stopped seeking my help." ...You know, sometimes I find myself wishing that your abuse had been physical rather than emotional. At least then maybe I would have figured out sooner what a piece of human garbage you are, and maybe it would have been harder for you to convince yourself that you were such a saint. At least then maybe I could have protected my sense of identity and self-esteem instead of being brainwashed into thinking you were actually a good parent and that I was the selfish piece of shit in the equation. Maybe I could have had some room to love and nurture myself if I hadn't been expected to sacrifice my own emotional needs to nurture yours. Maybe if my wounds had been on the outside, it wouldn't have been so easy for you to pretend they didn't exist. I get that you have mental issues that aren't your fault. And that you drown yourself in medications to 'deal' with them. I get that it was hard to be a single mom, and that you had a lot of hard shit to go through. I do understand what caused you to lean on me so heavily. But none of that even slightly excuses you continuously sacrificing your daughter's mental health to save your own selfish ass. "C, what would I do without you?" ...Well, it's time to find out. Because I'm done with your bullshit. Forget about having any contact with the boys. Ever. You've had two whole months to research emotional parentification and at least attempt to grasp what went wrong with your parenting. But it's obvious you haven't even bothered to try. You clearly have no understanding of what you did wrong or how much damage you caused me, and I'm absolutely certain that you would continue to head down the exact same path with the boys if I let you. Your idea of a good time with them is snuggling together in your bed while they watch TV and you scroll on your phone pretending to listen to them. Every time you talked about missing them, it was all about the hugs and love and physical comfort that they bring to YOU. Well guess what? They don't need any of that stuff from you, and you're not fooling anyone by pretending that your concern is about them and not about you. Since June 8th, they have asked to see you only once. I told them that you had a cold that you didn't want to pass to us, but you were doing okay and they shouldn't worry. They haven't brought up visiting you AT ALL since then, or even asked about you. I've been extremely careful not to say a single negative word about you to them, or around them, so the obvious result is that I just don't talk about you. And since June 8th, I've heard the phrase "I miss grandma" exactly once. That's it. They don't feel forgotten at all; they're forgetting you. The truth is that they never really needed you. I was just stupid enough to foster your belief that they did for the sake of protecting your ego, and encouraged them to take care of you emotionally much like I did as a child. I knew how important it was to you to be special to them so I was always careful to cultivate that relationship behind the scenes ("I bet grandma is missing you and feeling sad, would you like to draw her a picture so she'll feel happy?"). Now that I've finally escaped your brainwashing and stopped doing that, you're sometimes featured as a side character in their dreams or stories, but otherwise not really mentioned. In the absence of my encouragement, they haven't shown any interest whatsoever in drawing you pictures or calling you. The 29 years you got with me and the 5 years you got with them is way more than you ever deserved, but I'm going to leave you with one last gift. That gift is that I will allow you to remain a fond memory for the boys (at least for now). When they reach adulthood I won't have a problem telling them the full story, but for the moment I'll let you rest easier knowing they still remember you as the nice, loving person you've always pretended to be. I haven't decided yet what to tell them in the meantime, but it's something I will definitely be bringing up in therapy this week. I'm going to do everything I can to protect them from any trauma related to this, but any negative effects they may experience from you being gone are NOTHING compared to the negative effects you would inevitably bring to their lives if I allowed you back in. You being gone has not only been beneficial for me, it's been beneficial for them too. Between all the therapy, reading, and self-reflection I've been doing, I've been able to separate my own parenting style from the terrible manipulative garbage you've been force-feeding me since they were born. I've been reparenting myself while I parent them the way I wish I could have been raised. And you know what? They are THRIVING. You never (sincerely) apologized to me for a damn thing in my life, so I started apologizing to them on the occasions I slip up. I explain why I got frustrated enough to yell, but that it still doesn't excuse my behavior. I take responsibility for my mistakes, apologize with full sincerity and tell them what I'm going to do differently in the future. When they get upset about something, I validate their feelings and speak to them as human beings rather than manipulating, distracting, or tricking them into doing what I want. When I talk to them I don't raise my voice an octave the way you do, like you're talking to an adorable pet. I tell them that all of their feelings are normal and okay, and that everyone else experiences them too. And when I parent this way, their tantrums take a fraction of the time they used to. Most are prevented entirely. I'm seeing them reflect the behavior I'm modeling to them with us and with each other, and I'm so proud of who they are and how much they're growing. They're getting really good at using words to communicate their needs and emotions, they're inquisitive and confident, and they have both told me explicitly, unprompted, that they love themselves. Have you ever felt that way? Like you love yourself? Because I sure as hell didn't feel that way until separating myself from you. I was only ever allowed to love the parts of myself that meshed well with you, and anything else was dismissed, made fun of, or shamed away. Now that I can accept that the negative voice in my head was actually yours and not mine, I feel happy and free. I feel like a person worthy of unconditional love and joy, without having to fight your voice in the back of my head nitpicking everything I do and telling me to feel guilt and shame instead. The boys are so much more happy and mentally healthy than I ever got to be as a child, and I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure they get to keep growing up that way. If you really love them (and me) as much as you say you do, the kindest thing you could ever do for us is to stay out of our lives for good. I will be blocking you after sending this. Don't contact me, [my husband], or the boys ever again. No more gifts for any of us, no matter what the occasion. If you ever show up in person I will not hesitate to call the police and seek a restraining order if I have to. Down the road when the boys are physically back in school, I will make sure that the teachers and school officials know you're no longer authorized to pick them up or see them. I hope that you can respect these boundaries and none of those measures will be needed, but we're prepared to do what it takes to protect our children from your abuse. It's too late for me, but it's not too late for them. I wish you the best of luck in healing yourself and finding happiness, as long as it's no longer at my family's expense. I've found my happiness in my freedom from you, and I'm never letting it go. Goodbye.
[FNV] Extreme FPS Issues when Looking in Certain Directions
I had this issue early on starting this modding session a few days ago following the nuclear modlist 2020 guide. I think i had just reached the end of the animals creatures sections or the large scale textures section when i sorted my load order through mod organizer 2 then started a new game. I spawned, with alternative start, with the NCR outside of Primm when the problem first occurred. Looking towards Primm itself the fps went down below 20 at least. So i quit and moved some things around i think, or i may have then actually moved onto the large textures section then restarded once i had done that. Loading into Primm the lag had gone so i continued modding. Loaded it up a few more times in the process in some areas there was lag and in others not. At camp golf for example looking towards Vegas i got lag. One time i loaded outside the NCR camp near Searchlight, no lag, another time there was lag when looking at the fire i think. Then towards the end on the road to Vegas before that rest stop just after the bridge, bad lag looking left or right (especially left towards that place with the robots). So i disabled everything from the early sections of the guide, disabled my part 1 mods merge which has the earlier mods in it and the lag continued. Any ideas? Load Order: FalloutNV.esm DeadMoney.esm HonestHearts.esm OldWorldBlues.esm LonesomeRoad.esm GunRunnersArsenal.esm ClassicPack.esm MercenaryPack.esm TribalPack.esm CaravanPack.esm YUP - Base Game + All DLC.esm Interior Lighting Overhaul - Core.esm RobbableCaravans.esm BraveNewWorld.esm ArizonaOverhaul.esm FreesideOpen.esm OWNB - Open World.esm New Vegas Redesigned 3.esm Functional Post Game Ending.esm MoreMojave.esm TLD_Travelers.esm FINAL Seachlight Airport NCR.esm More Perks.esm More Perks for Dead Money.esm NVStripOpen.esm WMR.esm FCOMaster.esm Gomorrah Redesigned v2.esp Bitter Springs Redesigned.esp JIP Selective-Fire.esm Another-Kick-in-the-Head.esm The New Bison Steve Hotel.esm 3DNPC_FNV.esm More Perks for Honest Hearts.esm 3DNPC_FNVGeneric.esm 3DNPC_BlueNote.esm More Traits.esm JokerineStripMall.esm More Perks for Old World Blues.esm Project Nevada - Core.esm Project Nevada - Equipment.esm Project Nevada - Rebalance.esp Project Nevada - Cyberware.esp GRARG.esm More Perks for Companions.esm Project Nevada - Extra Options.esm DWCNV.esm oHUD.esm CFWNV.esm Stalker Weapons Pack.esm Tammer's NIF-Bashed Weapons Mega-Pack.esm WeaponsOfTheNewMilleniaAndMTindle.esm Tammer's NIF-Bashed Armor and Outfits Pack.esm Navmesh Fixes and Improvements.esm BurrowingCreatures.esm Interior Lighting Overhaul - L38PS.esm YUP - NPC Fixes (Base Game + All DLC).esp Unofficial Patch NVSE.esp The Mod Configuration Menu.esp Ammo Count Memory.esp FOVSlider.esp BetterSaves.esp MigMultiCase.esp Diagonal movement.esp Water Breathing Tweaks.esp EmptyWeapons.esp Watter Putter Outter.esp NPCsSprint.esp RobbableCaravans_TLDPatch.esp HelplessFalling.esp ArizonaFPEGPatch.esp Arizona-YUP.esp LoadOrder1.esp Big Bears.esp Skinny Bears.esp BushSounds.esp Project Reality Footsteps.esp Improved Sound FX - DM.esp Improved Sound FX - HH.esp PowerArmorSize.esp CIB Bighorners - HH.esp LiveDismember.esp Magazine Vending Machine Replenish.esp Vurt's WFO.esp Simply Uncut - New Vegas.esp Primm Restored.esp IMPACT.esp dD - Enhanced Blood Main NV.esp FirstAidReborn.esp Improved Sound FX - Weapon Sharing Fix.esp Midloadorder.esp No More Double Open & Close Sounds.esp Improved Sound FX.esp Private Property EXPIRED v13.esp Legion Quests Expanded.esp New Vegas Landscape Overhaul.esp Logic and Consistency Fixes.esp Project Nevada - Rebalance Complete.esp Project Nevada - All DLC.esp Project Nevada - Gun Runners' Arsenal.esp EVE FNV - ALL DLC.esp LateLoadOrder.esp The True Revival of Luxury - An Ultra-Luxe Overhaul.esp outsidebets.esp FreesideOpenPatch.esp Uncut Wasteland FSO OB.esp Harvestable Cave Fungus.esp Explosive Sounds Overhaul.esp Distant Gunfire Sound Fix.esp Asterra's Many Fixes.esp Windows of the Mojave v1.2.1.esp JackalFaction.esp Mojave Raiders.esp Novac Reborn.esp VendorsAndAdventuresMojave.esp Realistic Wildlife.esp CorpsesUseVanillaSkeletons.esp CIB Bighorners.esp LightUpAndSmokeThoseCigarettes_edisleado.esp lightupandsmokethosecigarettes_dm.esp Critical Damage Overhaul NV ALL DLC.esp Ragdolls.esp FreesideOpen-Ragdolls.esp populatedcasino-medium.esp Ultimate Illness Mod.esp vault22FloralOverhaul.esp 31 New Food Items.esp Functional Post Game Ending - Populated Casinos Medium Patch.esp More Perks Update.esp NVR3_YUP Patch.esp LegionAIFix.esp StripOpenMain.esp Goodsprings Reborn.esp Mojave Wildlife (FO3-Style).esp OWNB - Red Canyon Overhaul.esp NewVegasUncut 123457 Merged.esp Functional Post Game Ending - Uncut Extra Collection Patch.esp Alternative Start.esp ILO - YUP Patch.esp lexx_brahmin-betsy.esp Primm Legion.esp JustHoldBreath.esp JustWeaponHweel.esp JustLootMenu.esp MigNammo.esp Realistic Movement.esp Stat Choices.esp Inspector.esp MigPerkSorter.esp BigBrainArcade.esp BetterMercArmor.esp HireAndRecruit2.esp Zebumper - Hygiene.esp ActuallyUsefulCharisma.esp Loot Unconscious Victims.esp Power Armor Carries Itself.esp Leave Conversation NV - Normal.esp Bullet Impact Increased LOD.esp RealisticLaunchedExplosiveSpeed - EVE.esp Real Rad-X.esp Real Radiation Suits.esp Real Radiation Suits- Science Suit Rad Protection.esp FlashlightNVSE.esp JIP Improved Recipe Menu.esp More Perks for Companions Update.esp More Perks for Dead Money Update.esp More Perks for Old World Blues Update.esp MorePerksFixed.esp JIP Companions Command & Control.esp MigFortune.esp MigMeltdown.esp Save Hotkeys.esp UltimateUnarmedMeleePerkTweaks.esp Cannibal Reborn.esp TinCansToScrapMetalAndReverse.esp WhetStoneRepair.esp WMR_DeadMoney_R.esp WMR_DeadMoney_S.esp WMR_GunRunnersArsenal_R.esp WMR_GunRunnersArsenal_S.esp WMR_HonestHearts_R.esp WMR_HonestHearts_S.esp WMR_LonesomeRoad_R.esp WMR_LonesomeRoad_S.esp WMR_OldWorldBlues_R.esp WMR_OldWorldBlues_S.esp WMR_Vanilla_R.esp WMR_Vanilla_S.esp Securitrons auto-repair regen health.esp Project Nevada - Cyberware Additions.esp Ownerless Trash with DLC.esp MigSticky.esp New Vegas Redesigned 3.esp ArizonaArmy.esp BraveNewWorld-FPGE.esp MM Caravan Guard.esp YUP + EVE + IMPACT.esp Cloth Impacts - Decal and Effects.esp YUP-PN Patch.esp PA Footsteps.esp KFE - Refill Water Bottles.esp ThrowableFixes.esp Axe.esp migWellRested.esp Project Nevada - EVE All DLC.esp OWB-Path Lights - Darker Nights.esp OWB-Path Lights.esp Toxic Cloud Fix.esp NVR3_MojaveRaiders Patch.esp 1nivVSLArmors.esp FourEyesBetter.esp FourEyesDynamic.esp TrooperOverhaul-Dragbody.esp NV3Patches.esp rotfacetoriches.esp Simply Uncut NV - Freeside Open Patch.esp No Witnesses.esp Functional Post Game Ending - Outside Bets Patch.esp RoadsReborn.esp VulpesCompanion.esp PrereleaseRestored.esp chemsets.esp BraveNewWorld-YUP.esp BraveNewWorld-OutsideBets.esp Bedroll Kit Mojave Vendors.esp PowderGangerImprovement.esp Eddie Hears An Explosion.esp More Traits Update.esp More Perks for Honest Hearts Update.esp More enemy at final battle.esp VincentVincent.esp Arizona-OutsideBets-Patch.esp T4-plugin.esp Functional Post Game Ending - Strip Open Patch.esp C2O_HH.esp MuchNeededLOD.esp Repair Metal Armor With Any Metal.esp Glasses Fix.esp UnderwaterFX.esp 1nivPNSLPatch.esp NVR3_LegionAIFix Patch.esp NVR3_ArizonaArmy Patch.esp OldWorldBlues_K2LobotomiteMaleFix.esp K2_HonestHeartsTribals.esp HairPatcher.esp Better Burned Man.esp Project Nevada CSA.esp JIP Realistic Weapon Overheating.esp Melee Reach Fixed Ultimate.esp BraveNewWorldPatches.esp HTRP-Vendor Supply Refresh.esp NVR3_ProjectNevadaEquipment Patch.esp BraveNewWorld-ArizonaArmy.esp BraveNewWorld-FreesideOpen.esp BraveNewWorld-UncutWastelandNPCs.esp IRNPC.esp NaturalWaters.esp EnhancedGrass.esp Groundcover Overhaul.esp pipboy2500_edisleado.esp Mannequin Rce.esp zzjayHairsFNV.esp IMPACT - AllDLC.esp Improved Sound FX - HH Sharing Fix.esp Improved Sound FX - LR Sharing Fix.esp Improved Sound FX - GRA.esp Improved Sound FX - OWB Sharing Fix.esp RealisticBulletsTracersGRA.esp Improved Ballistics Effects V2.esp Project Nevada - Dead Money.esp Project Nevada - Honest Hearts.esp Project Nevada - Lonesome Road.esp Project Nevada - Old World Blues.esp Cowboy Expanded PN.esp Grunt Expanded PNM.esp DLC Weapon Integration.esp True Leaning.esp NPCs Can Miss.esp NerveReimplemented.esp 3DNPC_Velius.esp Primm Reputation Restored.esp Freeside Food & Supplies.esp Acoustic Space Overhaul.esp Radioactive Tumbleweed Cut Content.esp More_Freeside_Thugs.esp NVR3_1nivVSLArmors Patch.esp NewVegasRedesignedType4-Patch.esp BraveNewWorld-MojaveRaiders.esp 3DNPC_HopeLies.esp NCRTrooperOverhaul.esp Primm Garrison V2.esp Strip Hotel Rooms.esp NVR3_OutsideBets Patch.esp Strip Wall Billboards.esp FNVD_Freeside_Arms_Dealer.esp new billboards.esp athornysituation.esp Street Light Restoration.esp GolfWaterScene.esp Mojave Raiders - TLD Patch.esp Near Death.esp WorkingCrimsonCaravanTraders.esp RobbableCaravans_GRARGPatch.esp Functional Post Game Ending - YUP Patch.esp Raul Repairs Everywhere.esp F4 Intimidation.esp Type3 Leather Armors-lvld.esp FNVOppositeTraits.esp LimestoneLOD.esp Type3 Leather Armors.esp Arizona-UncutWasteland-Patch.esp NVR3_TrooperOverhaulDragbody Patch.esp NVR3_LegionQuestsExpanded Patch.esp BraveNewWorld-NCRTrooperOverhaulDist.esp Legion Safehouse Upgrade.esp YeehawLaFemme.esp Integration - Couriers Stash.esp RPM - Remove Pre-order Messages.esp Tutorial Killer.esp Mojave Nights.esp Scarred Race.esp NCR Salute.esp More Realistic Aiming.esp Blanket_NV.esp Enhanced NPC Awareness.esp Economy Overhaul.esp Improved Casinos 3X.esp Improved Casinos 4X.esp Improved Casinos 2X.esp Unfound Loot.esp DrugVisuals.esp restoresleepforjet.esp DoctorsTakeTimeToHeal.esp Wild Wasteland Integration.esp Real Recoil.esp B42Inertia.esp B42Bash.esp HTRP-Daily Vendor Restock.esp ANiceOakTree's Hairstyles For FNV.esp Interior Lighting Overhaul - Ultimate Edition.esp tmzLODadditions.esp FNVLODGen.esp CFW-DLC.esp 001 Project Weaponry.esp SWP40 Patch 01.esp SWP40Pistols.esp CamonPack - Blachnick - Scottmack.esp CamonPack - Blachnick.esp Jswords4free.esp Jswords4freeDMGPlus5.esp Jswords4sale.esp Jswords4saleDMGPlus5.esp Wastelander Pack.esp Dead Money - Automatic Rifle fix.esp FNV Vlad's Weapon Emporium.esp TTW Capital Armaments.esp ae86seiryuu.esp ae86seiryuu_easy.esp Karabiner98k.esp KP31.esp mac10.esp ScottmacksBastardGun.esp M1903A3Springfield.esp ScottmackImprovisedPPSh.esp M-1 Carbine.esp RemingtonModel1858Conversion.esp Scrap Weapons Complete.esp Scrap Weapons Recipes Only.esp FarquharsonRifle.esp Sharps.esp RangerHuntingCarbine.esp RangerHuntingCarbineSequoia.esp HeinzChineseArmory_HH.esp emalphi_ar10.esp Campo_Giro.esp PSWeaponPack.esp RemingtonRollingBlockRifle.esp Auto5.esp RemingtonModel8.esp WesternRifles.esp Wester Pistols AntHill.esp Western Pistols.esp JPumpGuns4Free.esp JPumpGuns4Loot.esp SupportRifle.esp SupportRifleGruntPatch.esp LightSupportWeapon.esp DoublePump.esp MojaveSandyDesert.esp Weapons.esp RotaryCannon.esp HeinzLaserRevolver.esp FNV 20mm AutoCannon.esp hz_Empty Clicks.esp 5mm Weapons Pack DLCs.esp FNV Heavy Assault Machine Rifle Mk. 2.esp M-30 Lw. Drilling.esp FNV Break-Lever Revolver.esp FNV SlingRazor.esp FNV Necromancer's Blade.esp FNV Particle Diffuser.esp ProjectRealityMkIv5HDR.esp Bashed Patch, 0.esp
First | Prev | Next Wallace The stew Valentine had provided was hearty fare, prepared with some of the stock carried in our remaining pack, and bottled water fetched from below. She'd even worked out sleeping arrangements, despite us being down one tent and one bedroll. The sky was clear enough, so hoping it wouldn't rain, she'd reworked the tent and groundsheet into a makeshift bedroll. Both it and her own bedroll had been set up near the door, clear of the golf-ball-sized gravel that covered most of the roof. Not that the concrete was going to be much more comfortable, but after ten or so hours at a forced march, I was tired enough that it wasn't likely to matter. And there was the sky. A sheet of stars unmolested by artificial light, and so bright that it seemed unreal. I'd lived in big cities all my life, where the best I might see would be only the very brightest stars, Orion's belt perhaps, and the inner planets. But as I sat there and ate my stew, it felt as if the whole galaxy was laid out, right before my eyes. In fact, I finally understood why it was called 'The Milky Way'. Without all the lights of a city to drown it out, a thick arc of white could be seen, like drops of milk against the black sky. Perhaps it wasn't the galaxy I knew, but it was a galaxy, seen not through a massive telescope perched atop a mountain and carefully shielded from the lights of civilization, but with the naked eye. "Such childlike wonder," Valentine remarked, and meeting her gaze, I found she was smiling, "And here I thought I had a brute for a travelling companion." I gave her a wry smile, "Sometimes it does feel like I'm a skinny little nerd trapped in a giant's body." She set her bowl aside, "What did you do before all this? You say you know how to fight, have you played bodyguard before, or is your family from the landed nobility?" "Neither, learning how to fight was just one of many nerdy hobbies," I admitted, "No, I guess the closest analogue would be a scribe? The tech my job relied on is probably a couple thousand years off for Pelignos, maybe five hundred for Parabuteo." Valentine smirked, "I cannot help but laugh at the image of those huge hands clutching a tiny quill. I would have thought that one your size would have played to those strengths, indulging in martial, rather than scholarly pursuits." I shook my head, "In a modern military my size would probably be more a liability than an asset. Those pistols you have, for example, imagine a weapon like them, but with a dozen times the power. Then imagine they never fail to work, can fire ten times a second, and are accurate out to half a mile. And that's just what the average man might carry, our equivalent to siege weapons have ranges measured in miles and throw explosive shells that have enough force to level small buildings. My strength wouldn't do a whole lot for me, and I'm a damn big target." Valentine's expression grew a great deal more serious, "With such weapons, war among your people must be particularly terrible." I let out a long breath, "Yeah, yeah it is. But on the whole, I'd say it's better. It's better now than it was fifty years ago, and fifty years ago it was better than it was a century ago," I was silent for a long moment, pondering, "Makes me wonder about Simon. He probably has a pretty good idea of just how much life sucked for most of history, and I bet he can justify anything to himself if it's in the name of bringing some twenty-first-century civilization to Pelignos." "And building a harem of sorceresses and noblewomen, that's just a bonus?" Valentine asked, a sour expression on her face. "Prick probably thinks he deserves it," I shrugged, "A reward for good behaviour." I was roused, brought to a drowsy half-wakefulness by a soft chiming sound, and was ready to roll over and go back to sleep when I felt a small hand on my shoulder, shaking me awake. I yawned and sat up, the cool night air chilly against my bare skin. Valentine had elected to sleep in her jumpsuit, but my clothes had still been all run through with dirt and grit from my encounter with the landslide, so they'd been washed and hung to dry while we slept. Valentine's gaze lingered on my chest as she quieted the enchanted chime and secreted it away in one of her pockets. But her gaze wasn't desirous or hungry. Instead, it was jealous, resentful even, though in the dim light of the magical torch turned low, I doubted she realized I could make out her expression. She turned her back and busied herself with packing up camp while I dressed. There were a few patches of damp at the cuffs, but that would dry in time, and it was a hell of a lot better than spending another whole day in dirty, itchy clothes. "Alright," I said once I was done, "I'm decent." Valentine twisted the head of the torch, and the brightness increased. "Almost done here," she said, "Have we any other business here, or shall we be off?" "There's a safe downstairs that I'd like to take a look at before we go," I recalled. "Very well, you investigate, I'll be down in a moment," she promised. I picked up my backpack full of granola bars and other sundries, slung the poleaxe, now with a braided strap fashioned from the remains of the tattered case it had come in. I ducked inside, yawning as I descended the stairs, and brought my torch alive. The sudden brightness made me squint and turned the light down to a level that was comfortable before investigating the safe. It looked very much like an oversized and overbuilt locker, painted beige and done in quarter inch steel instead of sheet metal. The lock wasn't the stereotypical dial, but an electronic number pad. I knew I could crack a combination lock, but it would take a while, and I didn't know if it was worth the delay. An electronic lock was a different story however, especially since I didn't know how many digits were required. It might be trivial, or it could be practically impossible, particularly if there was a limit to how many times a wrong entry could be made. First step of cracking uncrackable passwords, look for the sticky note. There was nothing stuck to or on top of the safe, so I checked the desk with the ancient computer. But there was nothing stuck to the monitor, under the keyboard, or in any of the drawers. Returning to the keypad itself, I noticed that five of the digits were noticeably more worn than the others. Assuming no duplicates, I think that's five to the power five possible combinations? So... five, twenty-five, a hundred and twenty-five, six hundred and something... So about three thousand or so possibilities. Still far too many for me to try in any reasonable amount of time. I could probably do it in a couple of days, but it probably wasn't worth the trouble, for all I knew the coins would contain so little mana that it would be a waste of time. Something to ask Valentine once she gets down I suppose. I gave the lock a jiggle, and found that after cracking the paint that it could slide a few inches to each side. Hmm, that was curious, like it had been stuck on by magnets. I just couldn't get enough leverage on the smooth metal to pull it off. I recalled a metal ruler I'd noticed while rummaging about the desk, and slipped it in between the lock and the door of the safe. I heard the stairs creak slightly as Valentine descended them, and had just popped the lock off the door when she joined me. "Any luck?" she asked. There was a hole in the door about an inch across, and a wire ran through from the back of the lock. I didn't have a whole lot of slack, but I got a clear look at the back of the lock, and the nine-volt battery that powered it. "I think I can get this thing open, have you got a knife?" "Have I got a knife," she repeated in a mocking tone. I pried the battery out, "Fine," I laughed, "Can I borrow one of your knives, pretty please." "Only because you asked so nicely," she insisted, pressing the hilt into my open hand. I cut the wires as close to the lock as I could, and with the battery still in hand, stripped a bit of plastic from the end of each wire. I was careful not to let the wires slip back inside, and twisted one around the larger of the battery's terminals. With that done, I touched the remaining wire to the other terminal, and was rewarded with a chunk as the solenoid retracted, unlocking the safe. "I am," I informed her, "A genius." "What treasures have you discovered for us today, oh wise one," she said in a wry monotone. "Let's see," I mused, checking each of the shelves in turn, "Some useless documents, a little handgun, a pair of magazines for it, and I don't know, a couple grand?" I picked up the pistol, a slim and compact Saturday night special. It wasn't a bad looking gun, with a heavily blued finish and dark wood grips, but my fingers wouldn't fit the trigger guard. I pulled back the slide halfway and found the chamber loaded, though the safety was on. "You want it?" I offered, "It's not much good to me." "It appears rather feeble," she observed, though she accepted it all the same. "Compared to those wheel locks you've got, yeah, probably, but you get more than two shots," I checked one of the magazines before handing both of those over, "Six actually. It won't take down a horse, but a man would find it a little startling." She took the magazines, and I spent a couple of minutes, making sure she understood how it worked before returning to the remaining contents of the safe. I pulled out a wad of cash with one hand, and a fistful of rolled coin with the other. I'd reasoned that if a box of old tools held enough mana to buy a really lovely poleaxe, then it was fair to assume that the coins, in a much more convenient package to carry, would be of at least some use. Though I doubted the same could be said for the linen bills. "Is there much mana in either of these?" "Those coins, absolutely," Valentine nodded, "It varies depending on the metal, but mana of any type is valuable, if not to us, than to trade with someone else. I don't know what sort of mana those papers would have though, and I'm not certain that they'd contain much mana in any case." I furrowed my brows, looked down at the bills clutched in one hand, frowned, and then looked back up at her. I found her grimacing, her gaze on the floor. "Oh," I said flatly, realizing for the first time that I'd never actually seen her use her own magic. "Yeah," she sighed. "So, how much of it was bullshit?" I asked simply. "I know about magic," she promised, her gaze still on the floor, "I can even do magic, but beyond metals and gemstones, I'm not familiar with where the various mana types can be found." I let the bills flutter to the floor, and stuffed the rolled coin into a pocket, "I feel like that's kinda important when it comes to doing magic." "Magic-users are a jealous sort," she said with a stiff shrug, "Beyond metals and gemstones, they do not share such details with others. Not even among each other most of the time. Learning how to use magic is easy, at least if you have the discipline. It's the understanding of mana itself that keeps magic out of reach of most people." "Valentine," I began gently, "I'm not going to hurt you." Her gaze snapped up to meet mine, and I took a step back, hands spread. "It's okay," I promised. She swallowed and relaxed the white-knuckled grip she'd been keeping on the little pistol, though I could still smell a sweet perfume scent hanging in the air. "It's okay," I repeated, "You said you could smell when someone was angry, right? Do I smell angry now? Did I smell angry before you started trying to dose me?" She let out a breath, and some of the stiffness came out of her shoulders, "I'm sorry," she said in a small voice. "I just need to know two things," I promised, "And then we can keep going. First, can you, for real, do magic? Second, can you teach what you do know?" "Yes, and yes," she insisted, "Give me some of those coins, and I'll prove it." I handed her one of the rolls, quarters I think, and she unwrapped the end and took out three of the coins. After a moment, two of the coins crumbled into nothingness, and she was left with the remaining coin as it danced through her fingers. "Steel, iron really, as that's what steel is largely made of, contains Metal mana, Movement mana, and Protect mana. I used Metal mana from one coin and Movement from another to move the remaining one telekinetically." "That's good enough for me," I assured her, "I'll pack up the rest of this, and we can be on our way." She still seemed unconvinced, waiting awkwardly while I looted the safe, but at the very least she'd put away the pistol. Kneeling down to get the last of the rolls at the bottom of the safe, I glanced over at her. She still seemed a little bit like a frightened doe, ready to bolt at the slightest indication of danger. "Come on," I prodded, "Say something insulting, that always seems to make you feel better." She gave a little start, and then a hand came up to hide her guilty smile. "Come on, let's hear it," I teased. She shook her head, her hand still over her mouth, and her cheeks turned a darker shade of purple. "You've clearly come up with something, why don't you just-" "You are so easy to please," she said in a strangled laugh, "It's not surprising that Temerity was able to get you into bed." I chuckled and zipped up my backpack. "I want to learn magic," I told her, standing, "I don't care what or how much. Anything is a start." The little bell over the door rang once more, perhaps for the last time, as the tide would soon come to sweep clean the landscape, and we stepped outside. And we both froze. Hoofbeats, and a hell of a lot of them, could be heard pounding down the road. "Kill the light," I hissed. The light was out almost before I finished speaking, and I felt her grab my arm. With just the starlight to guide me, I could just barely see, the world reduced to splotches of dark grey in minutely different shades, but it was enough. I got the two of us behind the gas station and onto the downslope of a nearby drainage ditch. With just the tops of our heads sticking up above the rise, we watched as fourteen horses came thundering around the large hedge to stop in front of the gas station. Only seven of the horses bore riders, and each carried a much larger and brighter version of the torches Valentine had brought along. One a surprisingly young male fey, one a mature looking elf woman, and five elf men. The fey was dressed in well-appointed riding clothes and bore no weapon, while the elves were armed and armoured. Not true knights, like I'd seen fighting with Temerity, these elves looked more like scouts. Cuirassiers, perhaps, as their armour was limited to a helmet and breastplate each. The woman had a brace of pistols strapped to her breastplate, and all had a spear strapped to the saddle and a sword at their hip. In the still night air, they were close enough that I could make out the woman's words as she ordered two of the elves into the gas station. Looking for us, evidently. Two more did a circuit of the building, though we were far enough back not to be seen. The two who'd gone inside reported our absence, and re-mounted their horses before the whole lot went speeding off once again. "The hell?" I asked once they were far enough that I dared to speak. Valentine slammed her fist into the ground, "I hate this. I hate all of this. This is such utter bullshit. I hate that I'm tiny and weak. I hate that I need an amulet that cost a small fortune to be able to do what anyone else can do. I hate that I need to flee in the night like a thief, and I hate that I can't just do as I please without some gods damned servant thinking he can bring me to heel." "Is that who that was?" I asked as I squinted after the lights speeding off into the distance. "Seems he rounded up some sellswords and decided to come after me," she seethed, "probably looking to curry favour with one of the other houses. I don't know how he convinced them he could afford their services though." "They've got to be tired by now," I guessed. "Wallace, I'm not exactly concerned for their comfort." "Not what I mean," I said gently, "Just think, for them to catch up to us when they did, they must not have stopped to rest. They would have had to make up all the time it would have taken for the kid to realize you were gone, plus the time it took to round up and convince the mercs. Not to mention all the time lost as they followed our tracks through the forest. They've got to be tired." "Plus the time to get the horses down the ramp," Valentine added, still seething with anger, though now with a note of control, "There's special carriages, it takes ages. And they would have had to find another way round the cliff that collapsed on us. All the same, I don't fancy the odds." Thinking back on that, I couldn't help but clench my teeth. At the time I'd been worried about the stupid pack I'd lost, but in hindsight, the worst of it was the clarity it gave to our path. Sure they would have had to find a way around, but seeing that, there would have been no doubt we'd gone that way. In truth, the asphalt road had probably saved our bacon. With pine needles leaving tracks like snow and the landslide acting as a clear marker, the hard tarmac finally cast some doubt on where we'd been and how long ago. "We may yet be able to evade them," I pointed out, "We left late, which ordinarily would be a bit of a pain, but in this case, it's an advantage. I bet the kid's assuming you left as soon as the sun was up, so they still think we're a couple hours ahead of them. How much longer till we hit the halfway point anyways, an hour or two right? Whatever the kid promised, I can't imagine those mercs are keen to risk getting swept up by the tide. We play keep away for long enough, and they'll head back." "For us, an hour or so, but longer for them. They're riding light and have spare horses," she explained, "Maybe twelve hours." "Decision time then," I said grimly. "We either keep going and try to slip past them, or head back and try to get to the first rest stop on the way to Caniforma." Valentine was quiet for a moment, except maybe for the sound of her teeth grinding together. "We press on," Valentine said finally, her mind made up, "Returning to one of the cities is a last resort. There's no guarantee we won't happen across another lickspittle, gagging for whatever rewards some patriarch might heap upon them. Twelve hours, then I'm free."
[Book Summary] Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose
Book name: Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose Author: Tony Hsieh About: Delivering Happiness resembles an autobiography of Hsieh with business and life lessons sprinkled throughout the story. This summary attempts to keep the plot and structure of the book while emphasizing the lessons. Quick summary about the author: Tony Hsieh co-founded LinkExchange, which was later bought by Microsoft for $250 million. He then started an investing, playing poker, and a whole bunch of other things before the 2008 recession. During and after the recession, he doubled down on being the CEO of Zappos, an online shoe company. After Amazon acquired Zappos, Hsieh claims to have found the path to profits, passion, and purpose. The structure of Delivering Happiness: ——————————————————
Introduction: Finding My Way SECTION I: PROFITS Chapter 1: In Search of Profits Chapter 2: You Win Some, You Lose Some Chapter 3: Diversify SECTION II: PROFITS AND PASSION Chapter 4: Concentrate Your Position Chapter 5: Platform for Growth: Brand, Culture, Pipeline SECTION III: PROFITS, PASSION, AND PURPOSE Chapter 6: Taking It to the Next Level Chapter 7: End Game Epilogue
—————————————————— Introduction: Finding My Way
The author, the CEO of Zappos, recollects of the moment Amazon.com acquires Zappos as a jumping point in the book about his “path.”
Section 1: Profits
In Search of Profits
Worm Farm
Hsieh was young and aspired to become a worm farmer (his parent’s profession), but let the dream die after he failed to breed worms.
Growing Up
Hsieh was very focused on money when he was young. Before elementary school, he sold his self-written and self-published newspapers to his friends and his barber but later stopped for obvious reasons. Hsieh lists many more of his young and failed business ideas, but then transitions to a “successful” button business.
Dialing for Dollars
More childhood memories.
Classic Economics
Hsieh describes his high-school life. He always tried to do the least amount of work while getting decent grades.
College
Crowdsourcing: Never went to a single class in Bible studies but organized a massive study group to create the most comprehensive study guide. Hsieh did well in Bible studies.
Sold pizzas, met Alfred, who bought his pizzas and sold to his roommates. Realized although he made more money than Alfred, Alfred made $20/hr compared to his $2/hr. Alfred would soon become the CFO and COO of Zappos.
College interviews for jobs: he didn’t care about what company or location, only salary and amount of work mattered (high and low respectively)
You Win Some, You Lose Some
Out in the Real World
Hsieh and a friend land a $40000 “software engineer” job; however, they soon find the job to be boring. The pay was good, but when Hsieh and his buddy started on a side project, they decided that it was best to quit after only five months of working and focus full-time on their Web site business.
Startup
After a week, they got bored with their startup idea and were bored out of their minds. They had nothing to do, until one day, out of sheer boredom, they thought of a business idea which would later become LinkExchange. Hsieh recalls that growing the company, from first emailing his favourite websites to having floods of emails of people wanting to be signed up, to being offered $1 million to buy the company and turning that down, to being offered $20 million by Yahoo! and turning that down again.
In that emotional rollercoaster, Hsieh felt that the situation was them against the world and that they were living the time of their lives. Hsieh even remarked that he had the opportunity to not work a single more day in his life, but the reason he abstained from selling the company at $20 million was that he was still young and preferred adventure.
Rapid growth
“24/7 adrenaline high”
But as the company started to expand, soon they had to get larger offices. Soon, Hsieh realizes that there were faces in his office he had never seen, and it was a unique experience to him, and he welcomed it, at first (Foreshadowing: this is not good). Once the company reached 100 employees, Hsieh recalls a time when he couldn’t bother waking up and going to work: at that moment, he realizes that his attitude towards LinkExchange has changed. Hsieh viewed his own company more like a job (like his previous job) rather than the closely-knit culture club before. His company sold to Microsoft for $250 million, but when the deal was done, he wasn’t happy, just relief and apathy. The contract stipulated that he and his friend stay at the company for at least 12 more months, and Hsieh said to himself that he promised to do his bare minimum just not to get fired.
Note: Later in the book, Hsieh heavily emphasizes the importance of the culture of a company and the importance of a tribe like feeling where everyone knows each other—basically a large group of tight-knit friends.
Cruise Control
I made a list of the happiest periods in my life, and I realized that none of them involved money. I realized that building stuff and being creative and inventive made me happy.
Hsieh had basically beaten life. He invites a group of 15 friends on a cruise to party hard and to have Vegas poker every week. However, this type of life was making him miserable: he knew he was wasting his time. He realizes that money and this “success” did not make him happy; instead, chasing his passion brought genuine joy.
Hsieh decided to quit the company (and not receive the full amount stipulated in the Microsoft agreement). Many people thought he was insane, and Hsieh also admits that it was a scary decision, but also a turning point in his life.
Diversify
New Ventures
Hsieh started an investment fund with a friend. Met a guy who had an idea for an “Amazon for shoes,” which would soon become Zappos. Hsieh invests in his business and slowly accumulates to 27 companies in his investment fund. Hsieh finds being an investment fund boring and discovers poker.
Lesson: Realization: “Looking back, a lot of our growth happened that way. We’d just throw ideas against the wall to see if they’d stick, improvise, and make it happen”
Poker
Hsieh started to get interested in poker. At first, he believed poker to just be about luck, being able to bluff, and reading people. He soon realized that it was much more mathematical and that he can practically guarantee winning if he used math and not intuition. He compares it to always betting tails on a coin that has a 67% chance of landing on tails. The coin may get heads, but in the long run, he will come out winning. It was fun and challenging because Hsieh was constantly learning through both reading and playing.
He soon noticed similarities between poker and business:
Evaluating Market Opportunities
Marketing and Branding
Financials
Strategy
Continual Learning
Culture
Largest lesson
I realized that whether in poker, in business, or in life, it was easy to get caught up and engrossed in what I was currently doing, and that made it easy to forget that I always had the option to change tables. Psychologically, it’s hard because of all the inertia to overcome. Without conscious and deliberate effort, inertia always win.
Dabbling
Hsieh started day trading but lost a lot of money.
They were expensive lessons, but I guess what I ended up learning was that it’s a bad idea to invest in industries you don’t understand, in companies you don’t have any control or influence over, or in people you don’t know or trust.
As our group grew, I realized that forming new friendships and deepening the connections within our burgeoning tribe was bringing both a sense of stability and a sense of excitement about the future for all of us. The connectedness we felt was making all of us happier, and we realized that it was something that we had all missed from our college days. It was something that, like many people, we had unwittingly lost upon graduating from college, and we didn’t realize how much we missed it until we accidentally re-created it for ourselves.
Hsieh finally understood techno music. At first, he disliked it. Now he recognizes that it is to be enjoyed as a group. Recalls a time going to a warehouse rave with friends, found moment to be spiritual.
Vision
Don’t network. Instead, build the number and depth of your relationships.
Hsieh creates a massive party on his birthday. Emphasizes that the birthday date is just an excuse to have a large party with his “tribe” as a way to thank and give back. One woman thanks Hsieh for spending his money on creating life-long memories these party-goers would remember.
Incubator
Dot-com crash. Discovered his passion was proving everyone wrong (by succeeding despite odds). Joined Zappos full time and not just investing.
Tweets to live by:
“A great company is more likely to die of indigestion from too much opportunity than starvation from too little.”
“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.”
“Told ghost stories with friends last night. Now wondering whether ghosts sit around campfires and tell each other People stories?”
“To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. To not dare is to lose oneself.”
Be humble: “in the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but int he expert’s mind there are a few.”
Section II: Profits and Passion
Concentrate Your Position
Figuring Things Out
The economy is crashing, and Hsieh is in a dire situation. His fund is out of money, and Zappos is losing too much money each month. Layoffs happen. Hsieh sells off all of his property except the one he is living in to finance Zappos. His parent’s restaurant also fails to reach its sales projections. But in this dire situation, Hsieh finds out that this business has become his new “tribe”.
Believe
At the current rate, Zappos was not going to survive. Hsieh came up with a plan with a close friend. To finance this plan, Heish needed to get $2 million. He planned to take almost everything he had left in his name and liquidate it in a fire sale (Including his party loft). His friend would have objected to that if he had found out.
Reasoning: They had taken Zappos this far; there was no turning back now. Also: Hsieh had undying belief in Zappos and his friend.
Improvising Inventory
One of the most stressful situations for Hsieh: Zappos signed up with another company (eLogistics) to manage the inventory and shipping. However, it turned out to be a disaster. Zappos lost 20% of inventory when a truck carrying shoes overturned (estimated $500K), and the organization of the shoes is a mess. At the same time, Hsieh had a planned vacation to hike a mountain in Africa with a significant other.
Snows of Kilimanjaro
He was sleeping in Africa on a mountain. There was an offer to buy his party loft, which would give Zappos 2 months extra before bankruptcy. Turns out it was a dream. (This was during the recession)
Summit
Hsieh recalls the gruelling experience of climbing the African mountain: bleeding noses, caught a cold, eight layers of clothing that made his diarrhea difficult. Finally, he made it to the summit, and there were “Tears welled up in my eyes.”
End of an Era
Hsieh finally sold his party loft for a 40% loss against the advice of his family. He believes selling it to be the right thing to do as it was following another partner who sacrificed his career to be part of Zappos
Kentucky
Zappos is in charge of their inventory and shipping now. (Not eLogistics anymore)
Growing up
Hsieh talks with his friend and tells him that he should read Good to Great by Jim Collins.
He talks about what separates the great companies from just the good ones over the long term. One of the things that he found from his research was that great companies have a greater purpose and bigger vision beyond just making money or being number one in a market. A lot of companies fall into the trap of just focusing on making money, and then they never become a great company.
Juggling Act
Zappos was saved, received funding. Recalled the feeling leading up to the moment was like drowning in deep water while seeing and swimming towards the surface, unknowing whether or not you would make it.
At Zappos, it was a very tight-knit community where all the company goals were well known.
Platform for Growth: Brand, Culture, Pipeline
Viva Las Vegas
In a company, “Never outsource your core competency.” Zappos did that with eLogistics, and they messed up the shipping.
Zappos moved its entire company headquarters from San Francisco to Las Vegas. 70 out of 90 Zappos employees moved because of the strong culture.
New hires were told about company culture. Book culture created.
Ask Anything
“Looking back, a big reason we hit our goal early was that we decided to invest our time, money, and resources into three key areas: customer service (which would build our brand and drive word of mouth), culture (which would lead to the formation of our core values), and employee training and development (which would eventually lead to the creation of our Pipeline Team). Even today, our belief is that our Brand, our culture, and our Pipeline (which we internally refer to as “BCP”) are the only competitive advantages that we will have in the long run. Everything else can and will eventually be copied.”
Cultivating the Culture Book by Jenn
note: The following is quite advanced:
Hsieh emphasizes the need to focus on company culture, and one method is through a culture book where it is a book with all employees’ ideas on what the company culture is and their honest attitude towards it (can be negative).
But, the culture book is not about the book …it’s about the culture
It is a short term expense, but a long term investment
Hsieh notes that many aspiring entrepreneurs want his company’s culture book as a role model, but he tells that every company’s culture will be different, and that’s good.
Branding through Customer Service
Hsieh notes that most of their marketing is spent on improving the customer experience and letting the customers do word of mouth advertising.
For example with Zappos: free shipping on shoes both ways, 365-day return policy, and 24/7 call center, which is heavily promoted (opposite of what other companies do: hiding contact information). Hsieh views the above expenses as marketing expenses. Hsieh also believes that the telephone is still a great marketing tool in the current era as it is the best way to have the undivided attention of the customer and to build a relationship with the customer.
Hsieh claims that a significant trap most marketers fall in is focusing too much on trying to generate a lot of buzz when they should be focusing on building engagement and trust.
Hsieh focuses on maximizing customer experience rather than efficiency: such as staffing warehouse 24/7 when most efficient would be letting orders stack on.
Building relationships with the consumer: no scripts for call centres, no upselling, if a customer asks for a shoe that is out of stock, Zappos call centres will help find the specific shoe on a competitor’s site and direct them there. Hsieh claims that doing this helps build trust and creates a life-long customer.
Culture
Zappos’ company tour for vendors soon turned into a company tour for everyone who wants to experience Zappos culture.
Hsieh claims that culture and brand are on the same face of the coin. Although at first brand may lag behind culture, it soon will merge into the same thing. To sustain a positive brand, companies must focus on company culture and not just on advertisements. Ex: Car company brand and culture (interactions with car companies, not the same).
Zappos hiring process: Technical interview, then cultural interview. All newly hired employees go through a 4-week course on customer service and then must complete two weeks of working in the call centre (no matter if the new hire is a software designer, lawyer, etc.). Then Zappos offers the new hire an additional $2000 to quit.
However, not all the company culture is organic; some were artificially put in. For example: having a mini test of matching employees face to name every day, having the only entrance be the lobby, etc.
Core Values
Made a list of core values (Hsieh regretted not doing this earlier). Although this may resemble something marketing departments of other companies will put out and staple to a board, Zappos is willing to commit to these values by hiring and firing based on these virtues.
Core values:
Deliver WOW Through Service
Anything worth doing is worth doing with WOW! In other words, things should be done with so much innovation, efficiency, expertise, creativity, that the result yields a WOW from both internally and externally of the company.
Embrace and Drive Change
Prepare and embrace constant change. Hsieh notes that people from larger companies had a difficult time adapting to the rate of change at Zappos. Although change can come from any direction, change is encouraged to come from the “bottom-up,” from the frontlines closest to the customers upwards.
Notes that although others could copy Zappos’ website, shipping, etc., they cannot capture Zappos’ culture and the rate of change.
Create Fun and a Little Weirdness
Encourages employees to create their own enjoyment by being a little “weird”. Note that Hsieh does not advocate for extreme weirdness, just enough to spice up the culture and daily life.
Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded
Essential to be bold and daring, but not reckless. Encourage taking risks and making mistakes, as long as lessons are learned.
Pursue Growth and Learning
Keeping a company sustainable is a cycle. Face challenges, learn, overcome the challenges, and repeat. Like it or not, the cycle will not stop, and learning is a never-ending process.
Build Open and Honest Relationships with Communication
Communication is usually a weakness in any business, and it’s necessary to focus on clear and supportive communication.
Ex: during 2008, Zappos needed to lay off 8% of employees. Instead of spinning it as some restructuring event, Zappos remained truthful to both employees and the press.
Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit
Hsieh tells of a time when one of his employees’ husband died and didn’t have anybody to comfort her. She called her senior manager, and her manager gave her all her phone numbers and told her to contact her whenever she needed comfort. Zappos is one extended family.
Do More with Less
80/20 rule
Always strive to be more efficient.
Never do something that is “good enough.” Good is the enemy of great, and Zappos is a great company.
Be Passionate and Determined
Have a positive, optimistic, but realistic attitude towards everything you do, as such passion and determination is contagious and will inspire others.
Be Humble
Be humble.
Hsieh notes that the above criteria have a part in the interview, and many excellent candidates able to help grow the company in a technical way are not hired due to the “be humble” criteria as many of them come off as egotistical. Hsieh states that other large companies hire them, and that’s why they have an inferior company culture.
Lesson on vendors: Normal companies treat vendors like enemies and are after short term gains by squeezing the last dime out of them. In reality, it’s better to treat vendors with respect and build alliances. Case study: Zappos vs Nordstorm.
Every last Friday of the month, Vendors come to Zappos’ golf party. Has a party every year to celebrate Vendors. Vendors get all company insider information. Zappos celebrates vendor milestones with more parties, etc. (ex: first $1 000 000 sales).
Note: This summary is over 40000 characters long. The rest is continued in my comment below.
I wake up in the middle of the night, my sheets and pillow drenched in every human fluid imaginable. I run into the bathroom with an icky feeling rising in my chest and vomit it all in my toilet. I stare into the bowl, dry heaving for at least a minute, my heart pounding. I return to my bed to find that this was not the first time I vomited that night, just the first time I did awake. This went on for as long as I can remember. It used to be just every once and a blue moon, but then it started happening every night. I tried a couple of doctors, but they all told me the same thing. Whatever was wrong with me was most likely in my head. No. I really didn’t want to see a shrink; they creeped me out. But as I had to keep washing my sheets over and over again, I realized I couldn’t keep doing this anymore. I needed a way out. Dr. Wu was surprisingly not creepy at all. He was kind and offered me some m&m’s from his glass bowl, but I told him no thanks. I think candy, all of it, is gross. There’s this weird artificial quality to it, no matter the type or flavor. If I put a piece in my mouth, my tongue is bombarded with this saccharine, rancid, acidic sensation. The thought of it made me gag a little in Wu’s office. I tried to control myself, but I think he noticed. I told him my situation, and he asked what my sleeping situation was like on a normal night, what my dreams were like. I said I don’t really dream. He raised a brow at me, and after talking for a little bit he told me what he thought was going on. My mind was repressing something, something it didn’t want me to know or to experience again. Wu suggested that I keep a dream journal. As soon as I woke up, I would write whatever I could remember. I would bring my journal to him during our sessions and talk about it. Sounded stupid to me, but I did it. After my nightly vomit, I scribbled down whatever was swirling around up there. My hand seemed to almost move by itself as I just stared down at the page. There were only flashes at first, glimpses of moving images, but as I wrote about it, as I talked about it, more and more of it became vivid to me. It was familiar. The images stitched themselves together into one piece, one dream. I had the same dream every night for years and I didn’t remember it all, but as I read it back to myself, I knew every detail of what happened. It was real, hazy, but real. It always started the same. I was holding my mother’s hand, must’ve been seven or eight years old then, and we walked across the parking lot to the Green Acres Mall. It was this huge white building that laid at the edge of town. Nothing beyond it but miles and miles of woods. We came around to the back, where a whole crowd of adults and their kids floated around the edge of the paved asphalt. I smelled the faint hint of meat being barbecued and I heard the endless chatter of the hundred or so people deep in my ears. Mom put me behind a red line with a bunch of other kids, and I looked up at the yellow banner hanging above us: Green Acres’ Happy Easter Hunt! That’s right, mom signed me up for the town’s annual egg hunt. She said I was good at finding lost things around the house and maybe I could win some money while I was at it. Bang! The sound of the starter pistol rained in the air, and we all ran off the asphalt and into the woods. Seven eggs of different colors needed to be found, and the kid who got them all was gonna get a hundred and fifty dollars. I wanted the money, mom wanted the money, so I scrambled into the nearest bushes and just destroyed everything in my path. I practically tore bushes apart like paper. I climbed up branches. I even hid in the brush and watched for other kids. Maybe I could’ve grabbed an egg out of their hands after they’ve got it for me. The kids were brutal though. In my sweep, I saw many throw hands over the brightly colored plastic eggs. There was this one fat kid that actually took a bite out of another’s hand to get a blue egg. Anyway, I realized quickly that this game wasn’t for me and I just tried to keep to myself. Making my way to the very edge of the clearing the adults made for us, I ran my fingers through a patch of tall grass. Nearby, there was a yellow rope tied between two trees. That was their attempt at creating a barrier for us. My young brain barely paid any attention to it all. Then something caught my eye. Something shined between the trees, a glimmer. An egg? Maybe. It was a sparkling one too. Maybe it was a special egg that was worth more. Maybe the grown ups put one beyond the barrier for only the really good kids to find. I smiled as I inched toward it. A twig snapped. I looked back and found that the fat kid was moving in on my territory, my egg. No sir, that egg was mine! I jumped into the thick brush between the trees. There was nothing there. I rolled down a little hill, my head slamming into the mount almost every second. My knees dug into the ground, my neck sprung back before I finally flopped face first onto the grass. My jaw ached. I started spitting up the grass my mouth had picked up, but the flavor hit me. I rolled the blades around in my mouth for a little bit as I rubbed my jaw. It didn’t taste like dirt, and I knew the taste of dirt very well at that time. It actually tasted kinda sweet. The texture melted into a little powder on my tongue, and as the powder turned into syrup, I had got a hint of some kind of fruit. Strawberry? No, it was more of a green apple. I looked down at the grass, and it was much greener and brighter than it had been before. Even the grass on golf courses wasn't this green. Standing up, my eyes wandered through the surroundings. The trees and the bushes were just as bright and green. They were almost glowing like neon, even in the daylight. I gazed into the sky. It was purple, I think, or purple was the only color my eyes could get a handle on. Looking at the sky was like gazing into a kaleidoscope of twisting rainbows. Dizzy, I was so dizzy, but I kept looking at the sky. Was the sun orange or red? How many suns were there? I had to keep looking, keep staring into the sky. There was a rustling in the brush. I tried to see what it was, but now there was this haze over everything. It just came from the bushes. It emerged from out of the woods. My eyes tried to focus, but its form only became clear as it got closer. It was white and yellow, a white figure in loose yellow overalls. One strap wasn’t even buttoned, just flapped around in the wind. The figure had arms that swung lazily at its sides. Casually and without hurry, it paced toward me. It stood over me, blocking the sun with these things hanging from his head. I squinted. Through the haze, I could only make out a red bow tie wrapped around the neck, nothing from the face. “Hey there,” he said. His voice sounded weird, distorted, like he was talking to me through a buzzing fan. “Can I take your picture?” “What?” I was still trying to make out his face. “Your picture,” he repeated, “can I take it?” He smiled a little bit; I could see that. His face was pure white, like the rest of him, but it didn’t seem to be a part of him. His face moved and folded when he talked. As my vision started to focus on it, he whipped out a black box. “Cheeseburger!” The flash burned my retinas. I shoved my hands into my eyes and collapsed onto my knees. Rubbing away, I felt them sting and water more than they ever have in my life. I opened them to find the figure swirling over me. “That hurt!” I yelled. “Who are you?” “I’m Mr. Funny Bunny.” He scampered off, leaving behind a yellow shadow of himself in his place. I was out of there. I ran, but the world seemed to spin around me. My eyes looked at a couple of trees, but when they looked away, the trees followed. I looked down at the grass, but when I looked back up, a transparent image of the grassy field floated around in my vision. I would close my eyes, but everything was so bright that the shapes of everything would shine through my eyelids. And there was the smell. That sugary smell of fake fruit wafting up from the grass overcame my nostrils. I could almost taste it in my mouth again. I bumped into a tree and hung onto it for dear life as I rubbed my temple. Everything was still spinning. My senses were all being stung at the same time. “Mommy! Mommy!” I flung myself off the tree. I dashed through the woods screaming my head off. My eyes darted around for anything solid, anything coherent. I screamed and screamed. A big mass blocked me, forcing me to the ground. “Hey, watch where you are going!” The mass formed in front of me. It was the fat kid. His square head glared down at me as he chomped down some of the grass. My jaw trembled. “We have to. We got to. We—” “Did you see any eggs?” he asked. “What?” I forgot about the eggs. I forgot about a lot. Fat pulled me up by my shirt. His disgusting hot breath slapped my face. “Did you see any eggs? I wanna know! You got any?” He pushed me up against a tree. “Listen,” I tried to say, “Something is. Something isn’t. Some. . .” He wasn’t listening to me anyway. Fat’s head turned. A gaping hole laid in the ground surrounded by a ring of dirt. Or was it brown sugar? Whatever it was, Fat was transfixed by it. He headed toward it as I slid down the tree. I braced my head in my arms. I didn’t want to look. “Don’t do that!” I called. “Shut up!” he said as he made his way. Through my fingers, I saw him standing at the edge for a moment, and then he kneeled down. “I got a pink one!” he blurted. Fat then laid on his belly at the edge of the hole and reached in. “Come back!” “Quiet! I will pummel you!” “I’m telling you!” I screamed. “This is weird!” He just reached further down there, rolling himself off the edge. His legs clinged to the grass as his torso hung down there. He slid down deeper into the hole. “Got it!” I looked. Fat waddled his way back, tossing around his plastic egg. “Too easy,” he said, “Way too easy for the bestest one around.” I agreed with half that statement. Legs shaking, I pushed myself back up the tree. “We gotta go,” I said with some spittle. “This place isn’t good.” Fat’s image still wavered in front of me, but I could still get the impression of disgust from his blurred face. ”Whatever,” he said, “I’m winnin’ this, and I—” Fat turned around to face two figures coming close. They kept coming in and out of focus, but I could see that one had glasses and the other had pigtails. I squinted. They were holding hands too? “Hey, where did you find that egg?” Glasses asked. As he tore more blades of grass off the ground, Fat snorted. “In that hole. I think there’s a whole bunch in there actually.” “Really!” Glasses sprinted over to the edge. “Down in here?” “Yeah, just keep lookin’,” Fat said, chomping on the grass. He walked away from the rest of us, only stopping to munch on the greens. I stumbled over to Pigtails. “How did you get here?” She jumped away from me a little bit, must have spooked her. “Um, well, um, we were just walking around and, um, we went into some bushes, and. . .” “Can you take me the way you came?” I blindly reached for her arm. “I can’t see good. I need my mom.” “Um, um, okay.” She wrapped her fingers around my wrist. I took a breath, probably the first real one I had in awhile. She guided me forward. “Hey, I think I see them!” Glasses yelled out. He leaned onto his knees over the edge of the hole. I opened my mouth to call him. It wrapped itself around his knees and sucked him down there. She screamed and the ground shook. A little mount bubbled out of the dirt. It moved, the ground itself moved toward us like a wave of water. We ran, gripping tightly onto each other. We ran past Fat, who must have seen it also, because he ran as fast as he possibly could. Rapidly, I blinked at the world around me. The ground was the sky and the sky was the ground. The bright colors swirled around. I didn’t know where I was running. Pigtails dragged me along, yanking me by the wrist as she screamed. It rumbled as it came toward us. The sound ate my ears as it came closer and closer, the sound washing over me, through me. We were knocked over as it came right under us. My jaw was pressed into the grass again, but I barely noticed the pain. That smell, that saccharine smell of the grass was so strong that it choked me. I jumped and gagged from it. Rotten, the grass was rotten now. “Where is it goin’?” Fat asked. We huddled together on the grass and looked. The wave kept on going forward, not bothering with us at all. “Woah! Woah!” Something was up with Fat. He pushed his egg out toward us. Blinking, I couldn’t decide if what I was seeing was actually happening, or just my vision acting funny again. The egg shook in his open hand. It shook until the plastic shell crackled. A hole split open on the top of it, and something oozed out of it, dripping onto his hand. He tilted his head and raised his hand to his face; he sniffed then licked it off his palm. “Chocolate!” Fat said. “Hot chocolate!” I crawled behind Pigtails as the egg shell disintegrated. It seeped an endless fountain of chocolate all over his hands. He just kept licking at his palms, sucking on fingers. He mumbled as he engorged himself on his hands. Words clogged my throat. I wanted to throw up. We stood and backed away from him as he lapped away at the chocolate eating him. He stopped. He threw his finger out of his mouth and screamed. Steam rose out of his hands, and I felt it. I actually felt the chocolate boiling his flesh. He rolled onto the ground as the burning chocolate worked its way up his arms. I wrapped around her, closed my eyes. He squealed and screamed. Then I heard a crackle. I wanted to run. I think we both did, but it’s like we were frozen there in that moment. When I opened my eyes, a mount of dirt formed by him. He laid there, arms out, his body a dark brown. Two hands came out of the dirt. Blindly, they padded the ground for a while, found his shoulders, and dragged him down with them. She let out a creak from the back of her throat. The sound of it brought me back to something resembling reality. I shook her by the shoulders. “Go! Go!” I dragged her as I ran, and the rumbling came again. It followed us, but I tried to focus on what was ahead of me. Squinting, I tried to make the world come back into some shape, make the blur turn into a way out. It rumbled next to me, passing me. I ignored it, only gripping her hand tighter and running faster. I didn’t notice until it was too late. A dark spot formed at the bottom of my vision, rising out of the ground. I was heading right toward it. I stopped. We fell as the mount exploded. “Cheeseburger!” My entire face burned at the flash. I closed my eyes and everything was still just pure white. She cried from somewhere. I blinked and blinked until I could see where she was, where he was. Forcing my eyes open, I spun my head around. I saw him coming around me, swinging his arms, but he held something too. He swung around a long stick as he walked. It was some tool, like a shovel or a. . . Too bright. I had to shut my eyes. I heard her cry and I crawled after her, running my fingers through the rancid grass. I kept feeling around for something. I stretched out to touch anything in front of me. Nothing. Nothing out there. I leaned over an edge and fell. My brain jiggled as I rolled onto my head, probably three or four times. I laid in the dirt, my neck in agony, and heard her scream again. I don’t know what happened to her. Tremors went through my hands as they felt around the dirt. Minutes passed before I could open my eyes again. When I did, I headed for the closest shape nearby, a tree tall enough to block out the sun. I felt around for its roots, and as soon as my fingers grazed against the bark, I followed it toward its source. Through watery vision, I noticed a dark spot at the base of the tree. A hollow? I reached out to make. The base of the tree was hollowed out. I crawled in, curled up in the little pocket of dirt under the tree, my back against the wood. I rested my head between my knees. I was in there for a while, shaking. Even if my own mother called out to me, I’m not sure I would’ve left that spot. Then there was a thud. The tree vibrated, dirt falling on my head. I choked down whatever bile was in my throat at the moment. Thud. I ground my teeth together. It was just gonna pass by. It was just gonna pass by. Thud. I folded my knees into my stomach. Thud. Please. “What’s up, doc?” He peered in, a basket in one hand, half a carrot in the other. He tilted his head at me, shoving the carrot into his mouth. I could hear the grinding and munching of his teeth right in my ear. “Is something wrong? You seem sad,” he spat. I just couldn’t. It was like I wasn’t even in my body anymore. “Is it because you're lost?” He reached into his basket, pulling out another carrot. “Don’t worry, what’s lost is found. What’s gone comes back again, you know?” His ears flopped down. “Carrot for your nerves?” My eyes glazed over, I stared into space. “No,” he said, tossing it at my feet, “I bet a boy like you wants some candy, don’t ya?” Placing the basket down, he pulled out something wrapped in tinfoil. “You like chocolate bunnies? I think they’re absolutely delicious.” He shredded the tinfoil and laid it in his open palm for me. I really didn’t want it, but my hand reached for it. Maybe I thought it would please him? Maybe I had just given up. He clobbered the bunny with his fist, scattering chocolate everywhere. “Hollow!” he yelled. “Why are they always hollow? That’s not good candy. That’s not good at all.” Jamming his hand back in the basket, he whipped something else out. “How ‘bout a marshmallow birdie, huh?” I laid there, my mouth gaped. He leaned in closer, flying the bird around. “Here’s the birdie, here’s the birdie. Where’s the nest? Where’s the nest?” he said, flying it to me. “ Oh, there it is! Here comes the birdie!” The bird was shoved into my mouth. He covered my face and made me chew that tasteless, squishy, gooey, chunk of rubber glue. When he let go, I spat out as much as I could, but it was stuck to the inside of my mouth. He dug into the basket. “Would you like jelly beans with that?” he asked, shoving a mountain of them into me, most rolling onto the ground. They almost cracked my teeth, releasing their waxy fruit syrup onto my tongue. “Everybody likes Easter grass!” His glove was a plunger, and he just kept forcing new concoctions into my mouth. Acid rose high and higher in my chest until I spewed chunks all over myself. I heaved and I coughed. “What’s the matter?” he asked. “Don’t like it? Well I’m sure we can find something in here for you.” He dumped the basket on the floor and rummaged through the colored candies. My fingers wrapped around the discarded carrot. He mumbled to himself. “Cotton almond candy? Fluffy sweet money?” Giggling, he picked up some pieces from the ground. “How about some sugary—” His scream echoed through the hollow as I put the carrot through his eye. Something splattered onto my face and I rubbed it off, some kind of hot jelly. He clawed at his face and hopped out of the tree. I crawled my way out into the light. I went forward and never looked back, trees and bushes wiping by me. Dozens of branches must’ve slapped my face, but it didn’t slow me down. I ran and I screamed through the woods. Eventually I found the yellow rope and dashed underneath it. Next thing I knew, I was running through the mall crowd, heading straight for my mother. I tackled her and begged her to take me home. Worried, she picked me up and took me back to the car. I held her in a death grip as I shook in her arms, tears and snot rolling down my face. And that was the dream, always like that. It never changed. I told the whole story to Wu and asked if it made any sense. If it was a repressed memory, then why was it so weird? He suggested that since whatever happened to me in Green Acres was at such a young age, maybe the dream was my mind’s way of dealing with the incident, altering information until it was something that it could understand. He suggested that I go out to find what really happened that day. Last Sunday I had to help my mom move into her new apartment, so I thought I would ask her about it, but I really didn’t want to. As I talked to Wu and as I remembered more about what happened, the less control it had over me. I wasn’t throwing up anymore. For the first time, I was getting a good night's sleep. But it itched at the back of my mind. I needed some answers, so as I unpacked mom’s last box, I asked her. Mom didn’t really seem so keen on talking about, barely taking attention away from her dishes. She said that she remembered me freaking out after the hunt was over, but I wouldn’t or couldn’t tell her what was bothering me, I just kept crying. The next day, I went back to normal and acted like it never happened, so she didn’t press me about it. The only other thing she remembered was that it was the last Easter egg hunt Green Acres ever did. It just went away and no one in town ever talked about why. I was gonna ask her more, but she told me to grab her pictures so that she could put them on her shelf. I went and grabbed the album out of the box, and a Polaroid fell to the floor. Taking it, the bile rose in my throat and I covered my mouth, barely holding the vomit inside me. I saw myself at that moment he took the picture: confused, mesmerized, ill. There was one word written with marker at the bottom. Found.
18 Best Things To Do In Nha Trang – What To Do & Where
Normally called the Riviera of The East Sea, Nha Trang, which also means “white sand” in Vietnamese, has a long stretch of wonderful coastline; miles of sandy beaches with mountains at the end, historical attractions, and a few great beaches close by along with over 19 islands. It is no wonder that Nha Trang nowadays is among the most popular destinations for tourists, both domestic and international. Actually, Nha Trang is commonly known as a beach city of Vietnam which belongs to Khanh Hoa (Khánh Hòa) Province. Also, Nha Trang is the center for politics, culture, economy, science and tourism of Khanh Hoa Province. When traveling to Nha Trang, you will not only be able to discover a lot of worth-visiting attractions, but also have a chance to experience and enjoy a number of both meaningful and fun activities. There are a variety of things to do in Nha Trang. The ideas range from going for sightseeing, swimming, to taking in the pleasure of viewing the exotic wildlife. If you are looking for what to do when visiting Nha Trang, then note down some points in this article before departing your trip.
Best Things To Do In Nha Trang – 18 Great Ideas And Activities
1. Go For Waterfall Crossing And Trekking
Nha Trang has some beautiful waterfalls and the most well-known among them are Ba Ho (Ba Hồ) and Fairy Spring Waterfalls. So, one of the most interesting and also challenging things to do in Nha Trang is waterfall crossing and trekking. Ba Ho is a series of three waterfalls which are worth spending one hour of your trip from Nha Trang and could be counted as one of the most impressive Nha Trang attractions. On the other hand, the Fairy Spring waterfalls are actually a steam of water doubling up as a swimming hole in summers. Nicely surrounded by lush greens, those waterfalls are a reminder of the fairytale jungles that we have all at least one times heard about in the childhood.
2. Dive And Snorkel
Diving and snorkeling might be the most popular things to do in Nha Trang that almost tourists enjoy. Just simply tread a little offshore and you will find many islands which offer this type of activities. However, if you are interested in snorkeling, the best idea is to avoid the windy season from October to December as the weather is not ideal for snorkeling. While snorkeling, you also have a chance to see the underwater life. And, if you want to get a scuba certificate here, then it is also a good idea. In reality, Nha Trang nowadays has over 10 dive shops, so it is a “buyer-friendly” market. Those people who are looking for certification will find that the amount of money they have to spend here will bring a huger value, with PADI open-water courses provided with full equipment rental. However, there is an advice from experienced travelers is that, as with other places in Asia, you had better check what you are achieving for your money and warrant that you speak to the Teacher or Instructor, not just a simple “salesman”. Remember, diving, particularly training, should not be assessed and chosen by just the price. Some suggestions about places for snorkeling and diving: § Rainbow Divers (PADI-National Geographic Dive Centre): No. 90a, Hung Vuong Street. § Angel Dive (SSI Dive centre): No. 1/33 Tran Quang Khai (Trần Quang Khải) Street § Octopus Diving (PADI Divecentre): No. 62 Tran Phu (Trần Phú) Street § Vietnam Explorer (SSI Divecentre), No. 02 Tran Quang Khai (Trần Quang Khải) Street § Amigos Divers: No. 60, Nguyen Thien Thuat (Nguyễn Thiện Thuật) Street § Scuba Zone: No. 1/16, Tran Quang Khai (Trần Quang Khải)Street § Sailingclubdivers: No. 72-74, Tran Phu (Trần Phú) Street
3. Set Sail
When it comes to sailing in Nha Trang, there are various places to go around here, and also a lot of boat companies offering boat trips. This is a great chance for you to see the different islands off the mainland and a trip will often include snorkeling, a visit to the aquarium along with a fish farm plus with plenty of boat grub and alcohol. Generally, these tours are aimed towards the crowd of 18-30 people. Shop around to find a boat trip that suits your need. It is ideal if you would like to see more of Nha Trang than just the simple mainland.
4. Shop Around
One of the main things to do in Nha Trang is shopping. Tourists could purchase a variety of items from both the outdoor shops and malls. They will find handicrafts, dry seafood, clothes, and other items. The majority of people will enjoy having their meals at the rows of restaurants which face the bay in Nha Trang’s northern part. Travelers coming to this city find it almost impossible to feel bored. It is because they could indulge in different activities and its night life is wonderful. Among common destinations for usual shopping Nha Trang is Dam Market, also known as Cho Dam (Chợ Đầm) in Vietnamese. Cho Dam is considered as the biggest market in this vibrant city and its central hall presents everything from clothes to watches. Looking for doing some relaxing activities? Do not leave your desk till discovering the suggestion of things to do in Nha Trang below!
5. Relax On The Beaches
Having a series of amazingly beautiful beaches, famous beaches in Nha Trang boast their reputation. The most famous is Nha Trang beach, which has clean blue water, swaying palms, and a pleasant promenade. Though in the midday heat, it s rather quiet, in later afternoon, there are a large number of locals and visitors walking around here and having a great time while children’s screams sway the air accompanied with every wave. The square, the promenade, and the sand at the Lotus Tower on this beach are incredibly available with activities.
6. Eat Street Foods
While walking along the streets of Nha Trang, tourists will cross a lot of street vendors as well as their tasty home prepared meals. Because this is a coastal city, so Nha Trang seafood is fresh and bountiful. Actually, in order to try the real taste of street food, it is recommended to get out of the tourist centre. There are some good places to eat while walking distance or hiring a short scoot with xe om. There are some must-try street foods you should not skip when visiting NhaTrang, which are: § Thit bo nuong la lot (Thịt bò nướng lá lốt): this dish is a popular street snack often eaten in the late afternoon. Beef is deliciously wrapped in lo lot leaves and then grilled. The leaves will impart an herbal flavor to the beef meat while still holding in the tasty juices. The best place to try this food is on Bach Dang (Bạch Đằng) Street, right at the intersection with Mac Dinh Chi (Mạc Đĩnh Chi). Here customers will sit on miniature plastic stools and enjoy the food while also seeing the daily lives of people walking around. In addition to Thit bo nuong la lot, you also enjoy other tasty snacks, including Banh Trang Nuong, which is made by grilled rice paper topped with some simple ingredients like green onions, quail eggs, minced mushrooms. This smokey, savory and crunchy treat just costs you no more 10,000 VND each. § Nem nuong Ninh Hoa (Nem nướng Ninh Hòa): this is a type of food suitable for dining experience. Found throughout Vietnam, but Nem Nuong in Nha Trang is particularly different from that in other cities. Originated in Ninh Hoa district, nem nuong Ninh Hoa is now well-known in the whole city of Nha Trang. Your dish will be filled with platters of the grilled pork meat balls, rice paper, lettuce leaves, fresh herbs, rice vermicelli, garlic, and chilies. As a customer, you will make wraps by your own and then dunk the roll into the tasty fish sauce which is sweet-spicy. There are some places for you to try nem nuong Ninh Hoa, which are at Ngoc Tien (Ngọc Tiên) (No.59 Le Thanh Phuong (Lê Thanh Phương) Street), or at Nem Dang Van Quyen (Nem Đặng Văn Quyên) (No. 16A Lan Ong (Lãn Ông) Street). § Banh Can: another great street food in Nha Trang to enjoy is banh can, which are mini rice flour pancakes skillfully topped with fresh /dried meat and seafood, egg, cooked in the round pans over hot coals. These pancakes are well served with fatty pork meatballs along with shredded mango (green type). In order to eat, you need to add three parts mentioned above into a bowl which is dressed with chopped green onions so that all the flavors will get soaked up. Now, you could find Banh Can (bánh căn) all over Nha Trang. According to many experienced tourists, the best place to try this dish is at no.51 To Hien Thanh (Tô Hiến Thành) Street. § Seafood: Nha Trang is very well-known for its seafood (hải sản). If you want to get the best experience, it is recommended to head to the seafood restaurants in Nha Trang, but enjoying seafood along the beach supplied by local vendors also brings to you a unique experience. Normally, seafood is priced by its weight. Just simply eye the display of the creatures put in buckets and on ice, then point at the items you want and ask for the price per unit. With the price agreed between you and the vendor, indicate the amount you want, watch the vendor weighs it and write it on the bill. You can choose the seafood you want by yourself and then decide how you want it be cooked here. You could often choose barbecued, steamed, hot pot or fried. Just a plate of steamed squid along with four prawns fried with shallots is enough for an individual to enjoy. Do not enjoy the food without having a Saigon beer to flavor up your experience. However, it is worth noting that Vietnam could be hard on vegetarians (chay) because many of the Vietnamese dishes as well as street food often has some kind of seafood, meat, or fish sauce. However, herbivores could still try some versions of classic Vietnamese eats such as grilled lemongrass grilled with beef or pork wrapped in lo lot leaves, with a little bit mock meat made of bean and soy.
7. Join In A Cooking Class
Because Vietnamese food is starting to be recognized and appreciated all over the world, joining in a cooking class is a great idea for any tourist to experience this wonderful cuisine in the closest way. A half of day of taking a class often starts with a trip to the nearby market to select and buy fresh herbs, meats and spices. Then, when coming back to the kitchen, you will know how to deal with a wok and the right way to chop, slice and grind. § Location: No. 72 Nguyen Thien Thuat (Nguyễn Thiện Thuật) Street, Nha Trang
8. Try Out Nha Trang Paintball
Another great idea in this list of things to do in Nha Trang is to take part in Nha Trang Paintball. The Nha Trang Paintball operates two paintball excursions per day. As a player, you will be provided with a gun, necessary equipment and protective gear. Then, the instructor will divide teams to compete with each other for the matches. If you are interested in this activity, then do not forget booking in advance. Bring your personal towels along with clothes to change after finishing the game. § Location: No.117 Nguyen Thien Thuat (Nguyễn Thiện Thuật) Street, Nha Trang
9. Enjoy Mud Bath
Though sitting in a mud tub sounds a little bit odds, it has become one of the must-try things to do in Nha Trang. The mud is claimed to have various benefits for health, particularly thanks to its healing properties. Believe it or not, the salty mineral water as well as mud baths could help eliminate dead skin cells, promote your body absorb minerals, increase dieresis, strengthen your bones, decrease stress and fatigue, relieve aches, rheumatism and trauma, make your own skin fine and smooth, decrease blood sugar level, balance the decrease of chloride and support with some urinary tract problems. So, if you feel a little bit embarrassed when sitting with a stranger in the tub, then think about these benefits.
10. Play Golf
If you are a person who loves playing golf, then you will not feel alone in Nha Trang as there are some professionally designed 18-hole golf courses in Nha Trang, including Vinpearl Complex, Diamond Bay Golf Course. Location: § Vinpearl Complex, in Hon Tre Island, just across the bay of Nha Trang; § Diamond Bay Golf Course, at Diamond Bay Resort, Nguyen Tat Thanh (Nguyễn Tất Thành) Street, Nha Trang Keep reading this detailed list to discover more interesting things to do in Nha Trang, Vietnam that will strongly amaze you!
11. Join Motorcycle And Bicycle Tours
Bicycles and motorbikes are available for tourists to rent from shops and hotels in the tourist centre of the city. In case you do not care much about the heat, then cover sights in the city, such as Long Son (Long Sơn) pagoda, markets, Ponagar Cham Towers by riding bicycle. For those who want to hire a motorbike, then day trips to Ba Ho (Ba Hồ) Waterfalls, the mud baths, Doc Let Dốc Lết Beach, Bai Dai (Bãi Dài) Beach are interesting ideas. Actually, driving in Nha Trang might be less intense than in other busy cities of Vietnam, like Ho Chi Minh (Hồ Chí Minh) City and Ha Noi (Hà Nội), and the pace here is rather slow. Nonetheless, Nha Trang should not be your first try when it comes to driving a motorbike. If you want to rent, then the motorbikes will cost about 80,000 VND each day, while the automatic scooters will cost about over 100,000 VND each day. Now, helmets are required by Vietnamese law. While motorcycling, you should be careful of roundabouts and watch out for trucks and buses – remember the bigger the vehicle is, the less the person driving it will danger both their lives and others’. A variety of motorcycle tour enterprises are available in Nha Trang and “Easy Rider” is a great option. If you want to enjoy the great, peaceful countryside of north central coastal region of Vietnam, then riding a bike is the best way to do. There are some organized tours which will take you through rural areas while also guiding you to visit some historic sites. You can combine riding bicycle with rafting down the Cai River (Sông Cái). Normally, tours include light lunches.
12. Enjoy Boat Cruise
Flanked by over 70 islands, Nha Trang’s sea water is clear so plethora of boat trips along with the easy availability of booking agents is really a self-explanatory. The common trip route includes Mun (Mun), Mieu (Miễu), Mot (Một), and Tam (Tằm) islands. A trip on a packed boat often includes lunch, transport, and a few stops for sunbathing at beautiful beaches along with an aquarium with no fees. Actually, boat trip in Nha Trang is a synonym for “booze cruise” because the trip is much more about drinking than seeing fish. There are some choices when it comes to boat trip for tourists. For example, the most popular with those packers is the Funky Money which includes stops at floating bars, and fun and memorable live entertainment from the Funky Monkey Boy Band. You could book directly from the official office or from your hotel. If you want to get a family-friendly, upscale experience, Emperor Cruises will offer both day and overnight trips on the luxury junk exploring Nha Trang bay. The day trip will include seafood lunch along with alcohol, full equipment for snorkeling. The sunset cocktail plus with dinner cruise is more affordable, with unlimited cocktails, wine, beer, and a five-course seafood dinner.
13. Relax With Blind Massage
While walking Nha Trang’s tourist centre, you will see a few places presenting the title of blind massage. Just one hour of body massage costs less than 100,000 VN. It brings an experience similar to hybrid between being tenderized with a tough steak and Thai-style pressure points, throughout your whole body, from head to toes. The strokes actually are vigorous and massagers do not use hot stones.
14. Experience Hot Air Balloon Ride
Built in Hon Tam Island, the newly renovated centre for hot air balloon rides operates near Pham Van Dong (Pạam Văn Đồng) Street. The hot air balloon has a protective net plus with solid handrails. The rides will take you to the height of 150 meters with about 15 to 20 stop for you to enjoy the spectacular panoramic bird’s eye view of the whole Nha Trang city. You can also take unique, breath-taking aerial photos of the bay as well as the sea beyond.
15. Visit The National Oceanographic Museum
Another idea in this list of great things to do in Nha Trang is checking out the National Oceanographic Museum (Bảo Tàng Hải Dương Học Quốc Gia). Located at the far south end of this city, the museum is ideal for those who are not the fan of diving as here they will find tanks of marine life along with stuffed birds as well as sea mammals.
16. Visit A Fishing Village
Visiting around 10 kms south of Nha Trang, you will find a few floating villages. These places have majorly been populated by poorest people over many years who cannot afford a true house on land and they nearly make a living out of fishing farming and fishing. Nowadays, they could also make an additional income from tourism in places like Nha Trang because a lot of tourists like to pop by and witness the special way of their life. Visiting around the village on their small boats is really a well worth experience. The easiest way you can do it by ordering one of the organized boat tours out of the city center, and also making sure that the boats popping by the floating villages.
17. See The Vinpearl Resort On The Cable Car
The cable car linking Nha Trang to Vinpearl has a length of over 3km and is held over 9 pillars. Before this transporting form was developed, there is only one way to reach Vinpearl – by boat. The cable car of Nha Trang travels a distance of about 3320 meters, contains 65 booths, where the cabins could accommodate up to 8 individuals. It is capable of transporting of about 1500 people each hour and is considered as the longest ropeway in both Vietnam and in the world. With just 9 minutes, you can go from Nha Trang to Vinpearl by using a cable car. Previously, the ferry takes about 20 minutes while the boat takes 7 minutes. So, this cable car is not only the most shortest and convenient path to Vinpearl, but also allows tourists to see the spectacular view of the privileged bay of Nha Trang and Nha Trang city from above. It is recommended to enjoy this experience at night as it will give you a really special moment to witness the whole Nha Trang in beautiful night lights.
18. Go Ahead To Yang Bay
The last idea when it comes to things to do in Nha Trang is heading to Yang Bay, a charming excursion from the city. Upon getting there, you can find three separate sets of falls: Yang Bay, Ho Cho, and Yang Khang. Nevertheless, when getting to Yang Bay, it rather matters to climb to discover all of three waterfalls. Being surrounded by mountainous and forestation terrain, it is a good idea for those who want to escape from the crowds of the beach for a while. I have picked up a few great things to do in Nha Trang along the way in my list. In general, Nha Trang has a remarkable range of fun activities catering to most market segment. Don’t worry if you travel with your family as there are also various family activities and children will be never bored when holidaying anywhere in Vietnam. And, for singles and young couples, Nha Trang also offers an exciting experience and is reckoned as one of the culinary Vietnam’s centers. If Nha trang does not leave an unforgettable impression on, then I bet that nothing in Vietnam will.
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