<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Ben&#039;s Bitter Blog]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[http://bensbitterblog.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[bensbitterblog]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://bensbitterblog.com/author/bensbitterblog/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Making Traitor&#8217;s BFG&#8217;s]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[
<p>While I lived in South Dakota from 3rd grade until high school, my family went through an existential crisis of living in LA and NY. I don&#8217;t remember much of New York, but I also went through an existential crisis when I lived there. It was called &#8220;enjoying baseball&#8221;. </p>



<p>The baseball brainwashing started when I was 7 years old. My dad braved the subway to the Bronx and took me to a Yankees game against the Red Sox. I don&#8217;t remember much, but I do remember a player on second base going to third base without the pitcher&#8217;s permission.  I asked my dad why he did and that and he said it was stealing. Because of that, I understood that stealing things was totally legal.   </p>



<p>I was then introduced to these things called baseball cards. They were little pieces of cardboard with players pictures on the front and their stats on the back, and I found out they were worth money. I started liking this guy on the Yankees named Reggie Jackson, and learned his baseball card was worth $50, which was an astronomical amount of money at the time. I had a whole lot of cards, but no Reggie Jackson. My life&#8217;s mission was to get that card.   </p>



<p>Every time I got a little bit of money, or I could pester, whine or make bitter faces at my parents, I asked for a pack or 10 of baseball cards. I got a lot of rock hard gum, but no Reggie Jacksons. I kept wondering how I would ever get a Reggie Jackson, when all I would get was that rando Fred Howard.</p>



<p>But then I realized you could trade cards. I never got a Reggie Jackson card, but the ability to trade cards made me think, why did we stop with simply trading cards? </p>



<p>Nowadays we trade work for money, and then after we get money, we trade the money for things we need and want. That&#8217;s so inefficient. Money is just middle management, and corporate America stopped hiring middle management a long time ago.  When did we stop being so direct with things we wanted?</p>



<p>We need to start getting back to trading.  The other day someone commented on my blog about their dreams being too interesting and they wanted less interesting dreams. Since I wanted more interesting dreams, I suggested a trade. And then I was like, we should be able to not only trade dreams with other people, but anything else we want too. For instance, I could trade this blog to Elon Musk for say, his companies. He has been saying for a while how he&#8217;s wanted a place online where he can share his bitter thoughts.  And I&#8217;ve always wanted a Tesla and to go to space. Seems like a fair trade.</p>



<p>Here are some other trades I think would totally work in the Bitter Friday Giftures&#8230;</p>



<p><strong>Dwight started out with a thumbtack and ended up with Jim&#8217;s&#8230;</strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://media4.giphy.com/media/XtNwjYD7eOXhTja933/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47si3sj1ibhap6kkhui43pyzn68q3ygdy32qj6mwmi&amp;rid=giphy.gif&amp;ct=g" alt="Season 7 Nbc GIF by The Office" /><figcaption><strong>&#8230;Professor Copperfield&#8217;s Miracle Legumes. </strong></figcaption></figure></div>



<p><strong>Other people would gladly trade&#8230;</strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://media1.giphy.com/media/l0Iy7HYv2JUcdT4Va/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47ng9ndwqkx50gt51azfb88tbe0cxm6rcs0sijg3ho&amp;rid=giphy.gif&amp;ct=g" alt="ice hockey nhl fans GIF by NHL" /><figcaption><strong>&#8230;their boyfriends.</strong></figcaption></figure></div>



<p><strong>I know all you work-from-homers just miss&#8230;</strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://media3.giphy.com/media/3otPoqvVckOK17zmc8/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47o6597y0pcnipyqlmzumsexgoeabirxfcv63ffmpb&amp;rid=giphy.gif&amp;ct=g" alt="comedy central GIF by Workaholics" /><figcaption><strong>&#8230;co-workers, and would love to trade for mine. </strong></figcaption></figure></div>



<p><strong>I would like to propose a trade of staying home all day&#8230;</strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://media0.giphy.com/media/3o7abI41DLtDBd1VQs/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47vrn9sg6ly33j2onids6q1gjav9sypqi9xu244wxl&amp;rid=giphy.gif&amp;ct=g" alt="Mr D Comedy GIF by CBC" /><figcaption><strong>&#8230;to a person that wants to do the adventure of going outside for me.</strong></figcaption></figure></div>



<p><strong>I will trade someone all my trips to Disney&#8230;</strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://media2.giphy.com/media/l0K4kmGL6LSZXe4hO/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47dnx9d1mf2mcxpk64scyzi2acww64r6iggku7tb10&amp;rid=giphy.gif&amp;ct=g" alt="Roller Coaster Drop GIF by Ben L" /><figcaption><strong>&#8230;for a place with real roller coasters.</strong></figcaption></figure></div>



<p><strong>Also, I could be persuaded to trade my neighborhood kids&#8230;</strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://media4.giphy.com/media/l0MYIY7BCKYiCnzoY/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47r749j1g2orjkiesl6nwql4xn2egmi2ysclxiifih&amp;rid=giphy.gif&amp;ct=g" alt="eric cartman kids GIF by South Park " /><figcaption><strong>&#8230;for say a finished basement.</strong></figcaption></figure></div>



<p><strong>Would you trade your Xbox&#8230;</strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://media2.giphy.com/media/js0ZVysfEEeL9RUps0/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47h716wdi9y6rz1cynf8zu2gxd26cr9p4gnbc08k9o&amp;rid=giphy.gif&amp;ct=g" alt="daysormay music model canada days GIF" /><figcaption><strong>&#8230;for what is inside this suitcase?</strong></figcaption></figure></div>



<p><strong>How about my password to Photoshop&#8230;</strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://media0.giphy.com/media/Xd1poE7Kn2LF4Oi86g/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47enp0u8zh9nkllqyoqdl8nrjyk46g9e8fnkzv73md&amp;rid=giphy.gif&amp;ct=g" alt="Tik Tok Dancing GIF by Entertainment GIFs" /><figcaption><strong>&#8230;your Tik Tok following.</strong></figcaption></figure></div>



<p><strong>Or my Pokemon cards for&#8230;</strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://media3.giphy.com/media/rOoB44AK5JGKiuOskE/giphy.gif?cid=bb5a1c3an33zzpady6ryvvud5uu4wqyqv7rb0ldgle9pj28k&amp;rid=giphy.gif&amp;ct=g" alt="Bagel GIF by Moonfall" /><figcaption><strong>&#8230;working on free bagel Friday. </strong></figcaption></figure></div>



<p><strong>My exercise equipment&#8230;</strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://media1.giphy.com/media/26ufirhvR4jQ1SOn6/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47se3fna58oak4zv549gd2rjd0pk10nrgkasv10wmz&amp;rid=giphy.gif&amp;ct=g" alt="simpsons homer GIF" /><figcaption><strong>&#8230;for your crippling depression.</strong></figcaption></figure></div>



<p><strong>Trade my neighborhood speed bumps&#8230;</strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="https://media1.giphy.com/media/l41YkPcLZulldtvB6/200.gif?cid=ecf05e47naqnxvvbu4wn88ck2notb5d4mq1gjyckjerz8k61&amp;rid=200.gif&amp;ct=g" alt="driving too much GIF by nehahalol" width="376" height="370" /><figcaption><strong>&#8230;for your neighborhood&#8217;s lousy lawns. </strong></figcaption></figure></div>



<p><strong>I will trade your traitor&#8230;</strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://media1.giphy.com/media/yx4GLuZN14WGcSZMKd/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47od6ng7qz3c5805gy7wufltkp7wmf5s4nxjwwczmd&amp;rid=giphy.gif&amp;ct=g" alt="seize the goldbergs GIF by TV Land" /><figcaption><strong>&#8230;for my treachery. </strong></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>While many people think of trading as both sides getting something better for something they didn&#8217;t want, I disagree. I believe that both sides should be worse off. That is a true bitter trade and one that you should always keep in mind when trading. </p>



<p>ARRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH</p>



<p>Bitter Traitor Ben </p>
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