Ariana Arghandewal
@PointChaser
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Freelance writer, editor, content strategist covering rewards travel and credit cards. Co-founder of #TRLT
Joined September 2012
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"Why did the prince buy plane tickets for his 80 falcons?" "So he could see them fly."
#badjoke
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@MikeBotkin_
Sell those tickets (you can get at least $10k for those seats). Use the proceeds to fly to one of her European stops, where floor seats are much cheaper. You can enjoy a little vacation, with plenty of cash in your pocket.
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Happy New Year from Dubai! I may be stuck in traffic, but at least I can nap right after the show is over.
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Gave up my seat on my Alaska flight home from San Diego. In turn, I got a $650 flight voucher, an upgrade to first class, $25 in meal vouchers and a free hotel night (where they had my Hilton # on file and upgraded my room).
#winning
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@girlziplocked
It’s actually wild how women have full-time jobs while also being the primary caretakers. Also, how parents can provide not just the basics but things like iPads and cell phones to each kid is mindblowing to me.
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@christaylor_nyc
Is she doing this to stir up controversy or are we witnessing reverse evolution in real-time?
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Contrary to popular belief, Delta SkyMiles are not worthless.
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“Women in Afghanistan are forced to wear burqas.” Some women wear burqas, in Kabul most wear hijab with their faces uncovered. I’ve literally walked past TB security checkpoints with my face uncovered and had no issues.
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My favorite part is that the governor had to get on national television today, asking people to reduce their power usage to prevent an outage. Not some PG&E spokesperson – the governor.
#poweroutage
the best part of living in california is when they shut off power to entire cities when it gets hot because pg&e, the monopoly power company here, is held to such shit standards that their power grids literally start catching fire in the summer if we don't do rolling blackouts
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@AntonioSabatoJr
Because he wants to prevent thousands more dying during a pandemic. Awful guy!
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@MikeBotkin_
I sold my tickets to the Toronto show. I used the funds to buy cheaper FRONT ROW seats to the Singapore show and used points to fly and stay at hotels. I got a 2-week trip to Asia, better seats and earned a small profit. It was well worth it.
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Today is my last day at
@thepointsguy
. The past year and a half has been a great learning experience and I’ll always appreciate TPG for being one of the few travel sites to keep everyone employed when the industry took a nosedive.
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You guys. This
@CurioCollection
hotel has the most insane pool I’ve ever seen. It’s built inside a Roman-era cistern and guests can book it for private use.
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First thing I did this morning was pack a carry-on with essentials and leave it by the door. When they gave the evacuation order, I was ready to go. Many of my neighbors were still packing as the fire trucks showed up and police ordered them out.
“My recommendation is that all the citizens in California be ready to go if there is a wildfire. Residents have to have bags packed up with your nose facing out your driveway so you can leave quickly. Everybody should be ready to go.”
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“Women are not allowed to work.” I’ve seen women working as teachers, hair stylists, shop owners, catering managers and university professors. Here’s a shot my dad took yesterday at Kabul University of a female professor teaching a men’s class (women’s classes are held today).
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@vikkie
The other day I spent $6.50 on iced coffee and realized that’s what I paid for a whole bottle of cold brew in quarantine.
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Things are far from perfect in Afghanistan. But to blatantly lie about the above is vile. It hurts ordinary people who rely on tourism for their livelihoods. It perpetuates this idea that Afghanistan needs foreign interlopers to fix its problems.
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Ok Waffle House is freaking amazing. This burger tops in-n-out. The waffle is top notch (I didn’t even bother with syrup bc that sweet tea was already all syrup). I don’t think grits are for me but overall this meal gets five stars.
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This was the hardest thing I’ve ever written. It took three days and multiple rewrites for me to articulate 20 years of frustration.
@BusinessInsider
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Just saw an influencer on IG brag about spending 12 hours in an airport lounge, courtesy of her credit card. Spending half a day indoors to gorge on a glorified Costco buffet when you have plenty of time to visit a city is not the flex people think it is. That’s the current state
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Some people are generous w/ their time, effort or money -
@pizzainmotion
is all of the above. Today he drove hours out to help me & I can’t overstate what a difference it made. Did I mention we didn’t meet until today? He showed up for a bunch of strangers. That’s a good human.
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THANK YOU to everyone who chimed in. This was super helpful. I've got my itinerary set and am just waiting on the green light from the client. This is for an interpreter gig in New Mexico (even though I'm flying into El Paso), where I'll be working with newly arrived refugees.
I'm in Istanbul and need to get to El Paso by Friday. Cash fare. Doing a search now, but does anyone know a quick way for me to make that happen? I'm ok driving in from a different airport, since the pickings are slim.
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“Women can’t go anywhere without a male companion.” I flew here without a mail companion - three other women on my flight did too. No questions asked. My cousins and I have gone shopping alone, as literally thousands of others are doing here. You do not need a male companion.
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@rkobell
The secret is finding a lucrative niche. If the publication can generate a lot of revenue from your content, you'll be paid much better.
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“Girls can’t go to school.” Incorrect. There are some exceptions but in general, girls are going to school as far as college. Here’s a photo of schoolgirls getting out:
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This one’s for all the folks who helped with my fundraiser back in September. Just at this base alone, the money covered 197 pairs of shoes
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I cannot emphasize how incredible the Afghanistan National Museum was. Seeing 2,000+ year-old artifacts, tools from the Neolithic period and even antique cars from the royal/presidential car collection - it totally blew me away.
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@StopAntisemites
@Delta
This is petty and completely out of line. You’re gonna interfere with someone’s livelihood because you disagree with their stance on a genocide? What if someone doxxed you like this? Get a life and stop being a heartless troll.
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I was told I’d been upgraded to a room with a nice view. 😂😭
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My parents have been in Europe for the past week.
Me: When do you want to fly home?
Dad: Sunday.
Me: I only see economy class on Sunday.
Dad: We're not in a rush. Any day is fine.
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I’m baffled at the misinformation fellow Afghans are spreading about Afghanistan right now and it’s infuriating. The economy sucks and people rely on tourism dollars. Stop with the lies. Here are just a few, with photographic evidence:
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SMH at people emailing us, calling masks a “personal choice” and political. There’s an airborne virus killing people around the world. All you’re asked to do is cover your nose & mouth around other people. If all lives matter, why is this the hill you want to die on (literally)?
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My favorite thing I’ve seen in Kabul, ever. This guy built his own mini Ferris wheel and charges for rides!
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Taking note of the travel brands who are radio silent to my press inquiries now vs. when I worked for TPG. I'm the same writer, telling the same stories and trying to grow my own platform. Yet I hear crickets.
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I'm finally doing it: Applying to law school this fall. Grateful for any advice, esp. from NYU and Stanford law alumni.
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@nvbrflush_
@PopBase
"I'm not your princess, this ain't our fairytale. I'm gonna find someone someday, who might actually treat me well.”
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@aaron_con_choco
I would say I can’t believe CA lawmakers would sign off on infringing freedom of the press in this way, but that’s where this disastrous leadership is headed.
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As for me, I’m excited to return to freelancing, restart my blog and give the trolls a comment section to complain in. You’re welcome. 😉
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Be nice to yourselves. There are so many extravagantly incompetent people out there not getting fired, you're going to be ok.
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Living in CA is fun. Especially when it’s 104 degrees, there’s a raging fire in the area and PG&E shuts off the AC.
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That’s the house I was born in. Just the around the corner from Kabul University where my mom was a student. How she managed two kids and a husband with school is beyond me.
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“Music is banned in Afghanistan.” Only live music. I went to an engagement party where people danced to music. The security guard at the natl museum listened through earbuds while patting me down 10 ft away from the TB. I’ve heard music blaring through stereo at TB checkpoints.
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The hotel I'm staying at: We can't clean your room because COVID.
Also: Masks are optional.
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My cousin needed a last-minute flight to Australia. A one-way cost $1500 on United. Instead, I had him buy 20k Lifemiles for $660 during a 100% bonus sale. Saved him $900 and he’s flying direct. Win-win.
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@ADioumaev
@maxseddon
Didn’t this happen in 2010 with Ana Chapman and co? There were several families who were exposed as spies and ended up being exchanged for American prisoners.
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I believe this guy is from the UK. He’s been in Afghanistan since last fall. He speaks accent-less Pashto now and has become a local celebrity.
I felt very safe visiting Afghanistan and plan on going back with a group. If you’re interested, DM me!
حبيبي پکتيا ته راغلم
تاسو زما پشتو او لونګى سنګ خکارى نظر راکړى
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@CramerTracker
Are they? I see nothing but astronomical prices everywhere. I think people are just sick of the outrageous Airbnb fees.
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Has anyone else reached the stage where multi/segment itineraries just aren’t appealing anymore? Thinking back to my 2013 trip to Sydney where I flew for 36 hours (excluding stopovers) and loved every minute. Now I’m dreading a stopover in Amsterdam.
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To all the armchair experts and mansplainers out there: Please stay in your lane and don’t f***ing lecture me on something you know nothing about.
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I’ve been using Lyft’s “pick me up later” option to save 10-20% on rides and each time, I’ve been picked up within minutes. When lots of drivers are around, you won’t actually wait 5-15 minutes, as estimated.
#traveltip
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So
@lonelyplanet
launched its points vertical and I'm beyond thrilled to have my first byline on the site!
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Going back to full-time writing/blogging soon, which I'm super excited (and nervous) about. My first six pitches just got approved and even though I've done this a thousand times, I'm weirdly terrified about getting started!
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I just parallel parked for the first time in a long while. Walked into Philz and a nice man offered me tips on how to do it right because “No offense, but that was the worst thing I’ve ever seen.”
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The media loves making Afghanistan seem like a dark, terrible place where bad things happen. It’s one of the most beautiful, culturally rich and resilient places on earth. Don’t let a color-coded chart keep you from seeing the world.
Afghanistan is safe. Tourists are flocking to Afghanistan because security allows everyone to travel across the country. Instead of being happy, some sore losers are trying to cast a negative light on this positive development.
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I had some anxiety about going back to the freelance life, but 2 weeks into it, I've never felt more productive & accomplished at the end of a work day. I'm only paid for the work I do, which means I spend more time getting things done or trying to get more work. So far so good!
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I worked for
@RESCUEorg
at a safe haven for Afghan refugees between November and January. I witnessed a lot of messed up things, none of which IRC did anything about. I’m spilling all the tea.
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@StandbyWithMe
I’ve stayed at a couple of hotels like this (Hyatt houses tend to have them). I love how the part of the shower where all the water goes is the part that’s uncovered. Who made that genius design decision?
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Here in Istanbul they fine you 1000 TL for not wearing a mask. Everyone just wears a mask. No fistfights.
Here’s what happened on our
@delta
flight from
#Miami
to
#Atlanta
tonight after a passenger refused to wear a mask as per policy and then gets into altercation with flight attendant. Video via
@kingcoreythefirst
on IG
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This is nicest than any wedding hall I’ve been to in the US. The crazy part? It’s just one in a row of them.
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@tamimasey
Women are working. Have you been to the airport? Banquet halls? Museums? They’re going outside without a mahram - as I did. No one made a fuss. Two women on my flight were traveling alone and had no problems.
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@SanaSaeed
@andersoncooper
Precisely why I quit writing for CNN. They’re pulling the same tricks from their Iraq war-era handbook and it’s absolutely vile.
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@AirJlb
The biggest bush admin lie was that he was going to war to liberate the women. The photos of Kabul women in miniskirts were not representative of the country. Just a small subsection of city folks. Hijab has always been a part of Afghanistan’s dominant culture.
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I've had more job interviews this week than I've had in my entire life. The takeaway: I owe everything to my blog. Every skill, qualification, knowledge, etc. Also, I have no clue how I convinced anyone to hire me after college. What did I even talk about in my interviews?
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I think I’m going to quit my job and become a points blogger.
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Full flight and I got assigned a middle seat. Asked the gate agent if it was possible to switch, not expecting it to happen. 10 minutes later she calls me up and gives me a Comfort+ aisle seat. Never hurts to ask.
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Loving Delta's award rates right now. I got tickets to Chicago for 7,500 OW and a last-minute flight to NYC for 18k when every other program was charging 35k+.
Meanwhile, cash fares for domestic flights are out of control.
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This has to be some kind of record. I went to nap in my
@qatarairways
Qsuite and woke up TEN hours later.
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Just boarded a SW flight. My 4-yo niece sits down and then says loudly “How do you turn this chair into a bed?!”
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My dad’s got his first covid vaccine today, being in the 65+ group. I’m surprised he got it so fast (and that it was offered to him proactively). But most of all I’m relieved. Hopefully we’re not too far off from vaccinating everyone and getting back some semblance of normalcy.
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I got fired twice in three months for reporting unethical behavior at work. Clearly my tolerance level is low, but it got me thinking: How common is stuff like this? Is it why people are quitting their jobs en masse? Or does everyone else just accept it and keep going?
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I’m over the negativity. If you contribute nothing constructive to my newsfeed, it’s time to unfollow. Nothing personal, I just don’t have time for nonsense anymore.
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When I’m bored I do things I say I’m not going to do.
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These Amtrak discounts are wild. Fares from Boston to New York are going for $31 in coach and $58 in business class. Using the small group discount, seven seats come up to just $100 in coach or $186 in business. For all passengers, total. 🤯
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Hilton Aspire really earned its keep this trip. Annual free night covered a $1800 room, diamond status saved me ~$200, got me late checkout/early checkin. $250 credit is going to take a chunk out of the insane transfer fee. Priority Pass got me into the TK lounge during a delay.
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No. Just no. All you had to do was circulate this picture weeks ago and people would have stayed home.
@ZachHonig
@realDonaldTrump
The swab SHOULD be unpleasant. It needs to go deep into the nasopharynx (straight through the nose or deep in the throat). When I do it to patients, if they cry out a tear, I know it was done correctly. (screencap from New England Journal of Medicine video).
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No social distancing or masks. This should go well.
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Finally got a vaccine appointment. It's 10 days away and I'll have to drive an hour for an 8 AM appointment on a Saturday, but it's happening.
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Caved and got the Hilton Aspire card. The surprising part? I checked my account the same day I was approved and my status was already upgraded to Diamond.
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Just came across a "Best travel credit cards for students" story. The list included the Sapphire Reserve, Amex Platinum and Ink Business Preferred - cards that any normal student with no income or credit can qualify for.
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Tip: If you want to read an article behind a paywall, just copy/paste the URL into the Wayback Machine. Great alternative when incognito doesn't work.
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My decision to still wear a mask at the grocery store has been vindicated.
About half of adults infected in an outbreak of the Delta variant of Covid-19 in Israel were fully inoculated with the Pfizer vaccine, prompting the government to reimpose an indoor mask requirement and other measures
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Biggest difference between my routine in Turkey vs home: I don’t rely on coffee for energy. I just eat their amazing breakfast with vegetables, protein, fruit and I’m fine all day.
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Looks like I’m going to Istanbul tomorrow. Flight is booked, bags are almost packed, but you never know.
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Shoutout to
@AmericanAir
reps Sue and Maya at O’Hare. They helped out a group of refugees who can’t speak/read English. Sue offered to change their seats so they’re in the same row, while Maya walked them to their seats.
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Today I earned just over 24,000 miles. Far from a personal best, but making progress towards my November goal of 200,000+.
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Some people are hell-bent on portraying Afghanistan as a scary place full of backwards people who need to be saved. Contradicting that narrative = being a TB sympathizer.
Two things can be true at once: 1.) It’s safer & less corrupt. 2.) Other things suck.
@PointChaser
I’m trusting prominent Afghan women activists who are speaking out. You, on the other hand, basically are a privileged tourist visiting family who for some odd, contrarian reason wants to legitimate the Taliban.
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Observations about money:
1. The smaller the bills, the more tattered they are (they circulate more)
2. When I pay for a 250 AFG purchase or less w/ 500 AFG ($5.70), most merchants struggle to make change. Goes to show how bad things are when people don’t have > $3 in change.
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I don’t like to call out hotels on social media, but the Hilton Santa Barbara is an absolute dump. Dirt in the bathtub, vents covered in thick layers of dudt, no soap in the bathroom, sheets that smell like urine and old frying oil, unresponsive staff - this is a one star hotel
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Got to AMS and there was a guy in the arrival hall just handing out free covid tests to everyone who walked in. We need this everywhere!
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My Lyft driver is taking covid safety very seriously.
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When you clear out negative in your life, positivity follows. Right after I did this, a slew of amazing opportunities came my way. I also had the highest traffic day in 5 years & thanks to my new partnership with
@mediavine
, I can now earn a living producing content for my blog.
Quit my lucrative freelance writing gig of 7 years. It just clicked and I had to do it. Good news: All the content I wrote for them this week goes on my blog.
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My favorite moment in 2021 happened at Fort Pickett, VA. For two weeks, I operated on pure adrenaline, spending every waking hour buying or thinking about shampoo, soap, baby powder and shoes. Thousands of people had essentials bc you all enabled this - thank you! (I think 🤪)
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After 8 years I finally redeemed my Radisson points. Three nights in Dubai over New Year's eve for 150k. Saved my sister $800. Best sister ever, I know.
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My brother asked which credit card to charge "a large purchase" to. How much? "$1k." Me: "It's cute that you think that's a large purchase."
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