#Engine Machine Shops near me

[solar-sunnyside-up]

Just found out one community association near me has a community toy library. Basically a community toy store where you sign out toys like you would library books.

And it really woke up how badly I want a library economy.

Cosmetic libraries in place of salons and make up stores- sign out hair accessories or jewlery, sign up for a haircut/makeup day with a vollunteer that you mesh with, etc..

Toy libraries to replace toy stores, holidays and birthdays now bring you down to borrow bikes and stuffed animals that have been loved by others, to borrow dolls and dollhouses and their endless closests and accessories.

Craft libraries filled with sewing machines and looms and supplies to make things, classes to learn how to do it, making clothes for friends never been so easy because the endless amount of patterns available. The craft clubs that would bloom from it. The ceramics and painting and welding art that could come out of it if we just all had time and access.

Engineering and woodworking libraries. We could be living in a real animal crossing Era of furniture! The weird and cool lighting and other oddities that would come from it!

Clothing libraries that are busy during the season change but also regular shopping. I dont use this dress I love anymore so I'll return it to the library and get something in this new color pallet for myself.

Kids libraries that yes, filled with toys but also cribs, highchairs, walkers, jumpers, pumps, bottles, cups, etc.. things that kids use less then a year at a time and never really get fully used before passing it onwards. Oh to be able to borrow a well loved crib or rocking chair for your newborn

[ghostofhyuck]

Deja Vu

It’s been months since you two broke up and Jeno got a new girl now. She’s pretty, nice, and exactly his ideal type. And yet, the ghost of you still lingers, maybe because Jeno brings her to the places you two used to go. 

Deja vu? Maybe. Or it’s just Jeno’s not over you. 

Word count: 2.2k

Tags: angst, fluff, ex to lovers (?) cheating if you squint really REALLY hard.

Song inspiration: Deja Vu by Olivia Rodrigo

AN: TDS3 D3 Jeno went topless and it was a sign for me to finish this fic. 

Also this is part two of this fic. Read it so that you can have more context, but this can still serve as a stand-alone. 

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

“So, where is this ride going?” you asked. 

“If I told you, it’ll ruin the surprise,” Jeno replied. A smile plastered on his lips as he took a quick glance at you before focusing on the road. 

It was five in the afternoon. The sun’s slowly setting, and the sky’s painted in its godly gold. It’s bright and warm, as the sun’s shine passed through the window of Jeno’s Ford Mustang. You just finished your last exam for the semester. After nights of cramming and chugging down coffee, you’re finally free from the semester. Vacation is just around the corner, and what’s the perfect thing to celebrate the end of semester other than celebrating it with your boyfriend?

You watched as Jeno drove smoothly across town, going down the coastal area where the sunset’s more pleasing to watch. You slide across the bridge and the next thing you know, the sun’s following you through the long bay of your town’s beach. 

Jeno knows how much you love the beach. It’s a safe place for you where you can get away from your university. So you two just usually hangout around the coast. 

Your boyfriend parks the car near the baywalk. He quickly turns off the engine, and just like the usual thing he does, he leaves the car first and opens your car for you. 

“You don’t always have to do this, you know that?” 

“But I want to,” he said casually just like the way his arms wrapped around your shoulders immediately, pulling you closer to him. You only smile as he gives you a small kiss on the head. 

“So, where are you taking me?” you asked once again. 

Jeno only hums as he stops, that’s when your eyes widen at the shop in front of you. 

“No way!” you shouted. 

“They just opened yesterday, so why not celebrate with a cup of yoghurt?” Jeno smiled. 

“Oh my god, I’ve been craving for it for so long!” you shouted. 

Jeno only smiles, internally patting himself good job. He knows everything about you, and he knows how lately you’ve been obsessed with yoghurt. Whether it be a drink or served in a cup, you’ll love it somehow.

“Did I ever tell you that I love you?” you asked your boyfriend who only lets out a chuckle before stealing a kiss on you. 

“I love you too bub, now come on, it’s a do-it-yourself, so get as many toppings as you want.”

When you entered the shop, you immediately separated from your boyfriend, eager to have a cup of yoghurt. Jeno watched as you grabbed a large cup before going to the yoghurt machine. He was smiling ear to ear as you moved to the topping and sauce section, picking carefully your toppings because you’re still a picky eater nevertheless. 

Eventually, he joins you as he grabs a medium cup and picks some toppings that suit his taste. After weighing the cup and paying for the dessert, the two of you went out where an al fresco area can be found. You two sat at the corner, digging on the delectable treat that you two are having. 

The sun is setting and you’re halfway on your cup, you could only stare at the sun. feeling overwhelmed but in a good sense. You finally finished your semester and your boyfriend brought you to a yoghurt shop. You couldn’t help but to smile. Things are better and you just feel so lucky to be here right now. 

“Having deep thoughts again?” Jeno asked, knowing that you tend to space out sometimes. 

“No, no deep thoughts,” you told him. “Just happy right now.”

“Oh really?” Jeno teases, “can I ask why?”

You only smiled, “of course because school’s over, and I have my handsome boyfriend treat me my favorite dessert at the moment.”

Jeno only smiled, gazing at you lovingly. He wonders if days are going to be like this. He likes this life of his. In this town where it’s just you and him, in a small yoghurt shop, with the sun setting on the background. 

And as Jeno stares at you, he couldn’t help but be in awe. Thinking how lucky he is to have a girlfriend like you. 

Your attention shifted to him, making him stare at you even more lovingly.

“Jeno,” you called out. 

“What?” 

“You’re spacing out,”

“What makes you think of that, yn?” 

“Yn?”

Jeno’s eyes widened. 

“Who’s yn?” 

The girl in front of him is not you. Her hair is in a different shade, falling along her shoulders, unlike yours who you usually tie in a messy ponytail whenever you’re eating something. She’s pretty, definitely pretty that it can make anyone turn their head. 

They stared at each other for a minute. That’s when Jeno realised that your name slipped onto his lips. 

Fuck. He thought. That’s when he remembered. It’s been months ever since you two broke up. Months after that night that was full of frustrations and arguments. Jeno barely recalled what you two argued about but he knew that you were crying and instead of comforting you, he stormed out of your place.

You two didn’t break up that night officially, you called it quits over a text three days later. Instead of calling you, Jeno lets it be. Thinking that you two were just never meant to be. 

Unlike you, Jeno found it easy to get over you. He’s a charming guy, so it was quick for him to find another girl that he can love again. 

Or so he thought. Because as he stared at the girl in front of him, he couldn’t believe that he called her by your name. 

“Nothing, it’s nothing, sorry,” he quickly apologised. Shifting his attention to the melted yoghurt on his cup. 

Maybe it was his fault. For bringing her to the places you two went. Jeno knows that there are a lot of places where he can bring her, but why does he always end up in the coastal area? On a particular yoghurt shop that you love? 

Jeno couldn’t help but to question it. He thought that he’s over you but it seems like the ghost of you still keeps on haunting him. 

You who’s always cheery. You who always have a certain sweet treat every semester. You who loves bringing your polaroid camera and taking photos of the people you hang out with. 

You, who was there for Jeno. Who loved him despite his flaws and even though he is lacking in some parts, you ignored it and loved him nevertheless.

He wasn’t perfect, but you weren’t looking for a perfect boyfriend. You love Lee Jeno no matter what. And you always say that to him. 

“Hey Jen, I’m done here, should we get going now?” Jeno snapped out once again when she spoke out again. 

He stares at his yoghurt. It’s all melted and doesn’t look appetising at all. He then glances at the sun and it’s barely touching the sea. If it was you who’s with him, you two will wait until the sun sets and set out when the stars are in the sky. 

But you’re not with him anymore, and he’s with a new girl. Who’s pretty, who’s nice, and is exactly his ideal type. Jeno had accepted it, after all. It’s not only him who’s moving on. He knows that Mark Lee’s making a move on you. He watched as you laughed with him over a cup of coffee a few weeks earlier. 

So it seems like you two are moving on. Good for you. He thought. You deserve someone better than him. While he knows that there are no other girls that can surpass you, Jeno hopes that at least for his side, he can be a better man for his new girl. 

The ride home was nothing but an awkward tense. Jeno keeps on glancing at her, who’s too busy on her phone. If it was you, your eyes would linger on the view outside — even though you’ve grown up in this area, you always love staring at the view. But at some time, you’ll shift your gaze at Jeno, who’ll reciprocate your giggles with a soft chuckle. His free hand lacing around your fingers, never letting you go until you reached your place.

“Watch out!” and luckily, Jeno stepped on the brake quickly. His eyes staring at the dog that just passed by. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t —” 

“No, of course not! The dog suddenly jumped out of nowhere,” she said in a soft tone, smiling as she pats Jeno’s shoulders. “You prevented it too, and there’s no accident that happened, so it’s okay.”

Jeno could only let out a sigh. Somehow, he feels like blaming himself because of the incident, if it wasn’t him thinking about you, then maybe he’ll be more concentrated on his drive. He tried to focus on the road, but you’re in his mind no matter how hard he tries to shake the thought of you. 

He didn’t notice that he just reached her place. It was as if he was driving out of instincts. 

“Thanks for dropping me off,” she said, smiling. 

“No worries,” Jeno only said, and before she left, she gave Jeno a soft kiss on the cheeks. Jeno watches as she gets out of the car, walks through her apartment and closes the door. 

But Jeno couldn’t move from his seat. He doesn’t know what to do. Frustrated, Jeno lets out a sigh as he rests his head on the headboard. He doesn’t want to fuck up. He already ruined your relationship, he couldn’t bear to ruin another one too. 

“I’m so stupid,” Jeno whispered. He opens his eyes and looks at the road. He knows that deep inside, he’s not yet ready to enter another relationship. It’s too soon. 

Not when you spent three years together, and broke up abruptly. Throwing everything you two had. Never had a decent closure or even a proper apology from each other because of what happened that night. No. The only thing Jeno wants more is to find closure from you, and perhaps, in the better light, 

you two can finally move on and find someone better. 

Jeno knows that partly, it’s his fault that things went downhill. So it's up to him to fix everything. He turned on the engine, and without any hesitation, drove to a familiar route that he memorised by heart. It was a gamble, but Jeno was willing to see the outcome of his indecisive decisions. 

As he reached your place, Jeno didn’t hesitate to turn off his engine, leaving his car as soon as possible. 

He walks towards your apartment, a sense of familiarity welcomed him. It felt like home and Jeno tries to brush off that feeling — that odd sense of missing a place that has been a home for him for years. 

Jeno stops in front of your door. He lets out a deep sigh before knocking on the door. For a minute, no one answered.

He knocks once more. Two, three, four loud knocks, in hopes that it can be enough for you to open the door. 

But within a minute, no one answered. Jeno took it as a sign. That maybe closure isn’t for you two. Jeno tried to ease his beating heart — he didn’t even notice that it had been beating abnormally ever since he arrived at your place. 

So he turned his heels around, walking a few steps when he heard the door open. 

“Jeno? What are you doing here?” 

As he turned around, Jeno was shunned. 

There you are, with your hair in a mess, wearing your favourite cinnamoroll-patterned pajamas. He saw how your round eyes became wider as he made eye contact with you — both yearning for something. 

“I…I —” Jeno decided to go near you. “I just, want to ask you how you have been.” 

That was stupid. That was so fucking stupid. Jeno’s mind was barely functioning when those words slipped out of his mouth. 

But you didn’t take it into something. You were just surprised. Jeno’s in front of you. The sense of familiarity to the man in front of you is still there. His scent, presence, and the feelings you had for him. It’s all still there. 

And you don’t know why, but maybe you just wanted to see if he still loves you. 

Because instead of answering him, you grabbed him by the neck and smashed your lips onto his. 

But in a quick second, you realised that what you did was stupid. You broke out of the kiss, and yet your hand remains on his. 

Jeno’s gaze shifted from a surprised one to something more familiar. Lovingly. You knew that stare, you’ve always loved that stare of his. You know that because you’re the only one who he gave that gaze with. 

And the next thing you knew, his lips crashed onto yours. You couldn’t help but to kiss him back with more intensity. His arms instinctively hold your waist as you attempt to balance yourself. He pushes you backward, making you two enter your apartment without breaking the kiss.

[jennifer-jeong]

haiii!! could I put in a request for boothill x an alcoholic engineer reader who’s personality takes a complete 180 when drunk? Like when sober they’re really quiet and a total introvert but when drunk they’re basically a party animal/super hype(the reason why they drink so much is because it helps them forget about their life problems like taxes and student loan debt, if I had to compare the reader’s personality to a character I’d say hiroi kikuri from bocchi the rock) but they’re like crazy smart when it comes to machines and stuff and even fixes up boothill from time to time

headcanons or a small fic is fine^^

HII I’M SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG I’ve just been out of the groove of writing for a bit but your request is so cute and I wanted to take a shot at it. Thank you for your request and I hope you like it!

Fluff + Suggestive | Boothill x GN!Reader A Few Drinks

CONTENT Fluff, suggestive, him flirting with you, you flirting with him, getting handsy, alcohol consumption, pet name usage, no reader pronouns used, CHARACTERS ARE 18+

WORD COUNT: 1227

It was a regular Friday afternoon in your personal workshop situated in your home on a planet not far off from Penacony and easily accessible via space anchors. The planet was mostly made up of plains, your house sat near a pond and was surrounded by grass and your tiny gardens that you filled with flowers and succulents. You were an excellent engineer working both for corporations as well as taking on smaller private contracts/projects occasionally. You were currently working on a specific cyborg’s finger joint, putting the finishing touches on the cybernetics before he came to have it attached to his robotic body.

You heard a familiar clicking of boots against the sidewalk to your open workshop door before an equally familiar greeting from the cyborg cowboy.

“Heya sweetheart, how ya been? Hows my dumb fudging finger treatin ya?” he chirped, his voice slightly grainy and robotic due to a lack of organic vocal chords.

You swivel around in your chair, giving him a small smile. “Your pinky was pretty messed up but I managed,” you replied quietly, a little anxious talking to the -handsome- man you knew killed people on the daily.

“Ah, ya always fix me up fine and dandy, I knew you’d be able to help,” he said as he walked towards your workbench.

You gave him a small chuckle at the praise and turned around to grab the fixed finger. “Thanks… now just have a seat on the-” you were cut off by turning slightly and being met with his face awfully close to yours. He had leaned over your shoulder to take a closer look at your work, his hands held behind his back.

Your eyes widened as you froze for a moment, unintentionally staring at him before looking away. He was looking at your work but when you turned away he took the opportunity to scan over your flustered self, grinning slightly at how cute you were.

You always treated him so sweetly, disregarding what he did for work because you knew about his past. How could he not find you adorable?

He pulled away to walk towards the table that doubled as an operating table when he or your other clients needed bigger fixes.

“Here?” he says knowingly.

You nod quickly before grabbing a few tools and setting up to attach the part back to his synthetic nervous system.

It was a painful few minutes of him watching you intently as you worked. He was sitting up, leaning back on his right hand, legs spread as he got comfy. His left hand was propped up into a sleeve to keep it still as you worked on it. You tried hard to not look up at him despite knowing he was staring down at you the entire time, probably with that teasing grin he always wore around you.

Once you were done and he finished paying you (with a generous tip no less), he suddenly wondered what you’d be doing since the work week just ended.

“So, whadda ya doin after closin’ up shop today? Ya ever go out for Friday happy hour?”

You whipped your head around to him at the mention of drinking before looking down at the ground, hoping you didn’t seem too eager to talk about alcohol.

“Y-yeah, I go every weekend,” you replied.

He raised an eyebrow and chuckled, “really? Ya didn’t really strike me as the drinkin’ type darlin’.”

You swallowed at his use of pet name.

“Yeah… it helps me get my mind off work and shit,” you shared with him, figuring it was fine to tell him about it since you already started to get to know each other pretty well during his visits. It was hard to explain, but you trusted him.

“Huh… Well, let’s fudgin’ go then!” He says, jumping off the table. “Lemme know when ya ready darlin”.”

“W-whoa there darlin’” Boothill says for the nth time after you two got to a vintage looking club in the city. You were stumbling a bit as he tried to prevent you from knocking anything over or getting yourself hurt. You kept bumping into him, grabbing onto his arms or his chest to stabilize yourself.

It was your turn to fluster the man.

After all the times he’d made you shy and bashful, him feeling your hands all over him in this context and not during some sort of repair procedure was really setting off his sensors.

You giggled in your drunken state and dragged him by his hand to the crowded dance floor. The current song was just ending and you heard the first few beats of one of your favorite songs. The crowd clearly also liked the song as you all started getting hyped. You started jumping and dancing in front of him as you held his shoulders. You even grabbed the attention of some nearby girls as they encouraged you and you did the same to them.

Boothill’s expression slowly morphed from curious shock to an endearing smirk as he laughed at your total 180 shift in personality as soon as you had a few drinks. His hands found your hips as you continued to dance all over him while he moved with the rhythm.

It was also in this moment that he realized exactly what you were wearing too, it was a pretty, skin tight top and ripped shorts, completely different from the baggy overalls and t-shirt you usually wore in the workshop.

He felt his body’s cooling system kick in a bit harder.

You noticed his eyes on you as you always did, but this time, with alcohol in your system, you decided to do something about it.

You pushed him into a nearby bar stool, forcing him to sit down and lean against the bar counter. You stood between his legs, hands on his chest as you leaned towards his face.

“Thanks for coming out with me Bootie~” you said with your eyes lidded, batting your eyelashes at him. His breath hitched at the sudden nickname usage that you’ve call him by before.

“I’ve been stressed about shit recently but this is fun” you giggle, “we should do it more often,” you add, looking him up and down, something he doesn’t miss.

He relaxes slightly, hands finding their place on your waist again as his signature grin comes out. You could tell he was still pretty flustered though, he was into it, but still a bit shy.

“You’re always looking at me like that, Bootie,” you say as you trace a finger on the underside of his jaw, making him look at you. “I don’t say it when I’m not drunk… but I hope y’know I don’t mind it,” you say with a smile and lidded eyes. Your finger trails off the bottom of his chin as he ever so slightly chases your touch.

You giggle again at his reactions to you, feeling a bit giddy knowing that he was as into you as you were into him.

You push off him to run back to the dance floor, calling out to him with the nickname you just gave him.

The cowboy adjusts his hat before blinking a few times, smiling, and exhaling the breath he didn’t know he was holding.

He follows you back to the dance floor as he thinks “I’m fudged.”

|| MASTERLIST ♡ || Thank you for reading! ||

[kirby0strombolli]

R U Mine?

matt sturniolo x reader

Summary: After a heated argument, Matt is determined to win back what's his.

Warnings: cursing, kissing, smut.

A/n: Based on R U mine? by Arctic Monkeys!

matt's pov

In my mind, when she's not right there beside me.

I go crazy 'cause here isn't where I wanna be

I don't want to be here.

As I trudged through my shift at the coffee place, every moment felt like an eternity, and I was already having a pretty shit day so far.

I'd currently spilled hot tea on myself, was late to work, and pissed on by a dog.

And hungover from last night.

So, to say the least, today was a shit day.

And I was on edge. She wasn't replying to my texts. She was all that I could think about. I couldn't focus on anything today.

Glancing at the previous messages I'd sent her last night, which she'd read, I sigh, my mind in a thousand places.

y/n <3 me R U mine? 04:25 ✓✓

Carrying a heavy tray of coffee, I glance at the clock, willing time to move faster, to see the girl I'd loved for so long, but it seemed to mock me, ticking away at a snail's pace.

The dull hum of the espresso machine behind me grated on my nerves, and the chatter of customers grated on my ears.

Everything was fucking annoying me.

Before I even have the chance to turn back to my tray, I feel an elbow in my face. Caught off guard, I drop the tray, and the shattering sounds meet my ears first.

I squeeze my eyes shut, gritting my teeth together.

I don't yell. I don't even act. I don't turn to meet whoever it was who had just pushed me off the edge.

'I'm going crazy.' I tell myself, 'being away from her'.

I'm pulled back to reality when I hear disapproving chatter, and my eyes snap open, to be met with annoyed faces.

Clenching my jaw, I almost rip my apron off my body, slamming it on the nearest table before grabbing my stuff and storming out the coffee shop, the door slamming shut behind me.

As I stepped outside, not daring to look back, as if it were planned, thunder rumbled overhead, unleashing a torrent of rain.

Thunder rumbled ominously overhead, mirroring my turbulent mood.

Great. Just- great.

With a sarcastic quip muttered under my breath, I quickly made my way to my motorbike, rain pelting down on me mercilessly.

But as I feel my phone buzz in my pocket, I stop in my tracks.

Without looking, I knew who it was. Her.

With my head bowed against the rain, I pull my phone out, checking the notification.

I was correct.

As I read the message, my heart jumped to my throat.

y/n <3 me R U mine? 04:25 ✓✓ y/n <3 We need to talk. mine in 10. me make it 5. ✓✓

I sigh in relief, and, not wasting a moment, before revving the motorbike engine, throwing my helmet atop my head, and steadying myself with a deep breath.

I could feel my clothes clinging to my skin, soaked through, but I hardly noticed.

I was numb.

All I could think about was the message I'd just received from the girl I couldn't even live without.

I couldn't help myself.

Even under the influence of alcohol last night, she was the only thing I could think about.

About her being mine.

And I can't help myself

All I wanna ever say is, "Are you mine?"

As Matt revved his motorcycle through the pouring rain, each drop felt like a palpable reminder of his urgency.

The rain pelted against his helmet, the sound mingling with the roar of the engine as he raced towards her house.

With each passing moment, his anticipation grew, the image of her lips haunting his thoughts.

The rhythm of the rain matched the pounding of his heart as he neared her apartment.

Each streetlight illuminated the path ahead, guiding him towards his destination.

In his mind, there was only one thing that mattered – for her to be his.

And as he approached her house, his pulse quickened with the promise of what awaited him beyond her door.

Without bothering to park the motorbike, I jump off, tearing my helmet off before making my way to her door.

I stop outside her door, staring at the white paint that coated it's frame.

The as if my thoughts spoke out loud, the door opened, revealing y/n.

Her eyes seemed to shine in the dull light of her apartment room, and the way she bit her lip left me feeling dizzy.

And the way her tiny shorts accentuated her curves...

As my eyes roam over her figure, I can feel hers on mine, too.

"What are you staring at, loser?" she teased, a playful smile gracing her lips.

My heart skips a beat, caught off guard by her words, and I look down nervously.

But as I feel her hands on my face, my anxiety disappears, replaced with desire as I look up, lips pursed about to reply.

She's a silver lining, climbin' on my desire

Before I could say anything else, she pulled me into a kiss, her hands buried in my soaked hair.

Pleasure surged through me as our lips met, the taste of rain and desire mingling in the air.

My hands roam eagerly over her body, pulling her closer to me as my hands rest on her waist.

As we pull apart, she winks with a sly smile and grabs my hand, electricity shooting through me.

Without a word, she backed into the room, drawing me with her like a magnet. I followed willingly, the intensity of her gaze pulling me closer.

Then, as soon as we were inside, our lips met once again, mine moving against her soft ones with urgency.

In the midst of our embrace, I kick the door closed behind us, the sound barely registering as we lost ourselves in each other.

I feel her smile against the kiss and we stumble backward together, willing to find the bed.

As we stumbled backward, we ended up on her unmade bed, our bodies entwined as we lay on our backs, staring up at the ceiling.

Our breaths slowed and I turned to her, scooting closer, my lips hovering above her collarbone.

I pressed my lips slowly, trailing down her neck, biting softly as I felt her tremble against me, yearning for more.

As I make my way back up to her lips, she gently pulls away, and smashes her lips against mine again.

This time the kiss was needy, full of light moans as I prod my tongue at her lower lip before slipping into her mouth, fighting for dominance.

I detach my lips from hers, panting for breath, watching her swiftly unbutton her shirt, pulling it over her head.

''Well, that was quick.'' I smirk and she hits my arm playfully.

I admire her semi-exposed breasts, peaking over the top of her bra, I feel myself get even harder than I was when she opened the door.

I groan as she palms me through my black sweats, my erection clear.

"Fuck." I bite the inside of my cheek as I look down at her, her hair dishevelled, her cheeks flushed, the red marks on her neck stating she was mine.

She still looked beautiful.

But I needed to know one thing.

"Before I do this, I need to know one thing." I lick my lips, awaiting a response.

"I'm ready, Matt." She looks up at me through my eyelashes, her hands reaching for my belt.

I shake my head, the question floating in my head.

She cocks her head, confused.

I brush away a strand of her hair, my nerves kicking in.

"Well, are you mine?" I bite my cheek hard, prepared for the worst.

She looks up in realisation, and with a smirk she replies;

''Fuck yeah.''

"Say it." I demand, pounding into her from behind, the room full of breathy moans and the squelching of my length inside her perfect cunt.

She says something inaudible into the pillow, letting out short whimpers after I grip her hair and lift her head from the pillow.

"Want to hear your pretty noises, yeah? Now say it." I grip her hips harshly and pound impossibly deeper into her, hitting that sweet spot several times as she yells my name.

"Fuck, matt...I'm yours." She whined, bucking her hips up to mine, her knuckles turning white from grasping the sheets.

"Good girl." I grunt, "Gonna come..." I'm barely finished as I feel her release around me, her cunt squeezing around my cock as I release my load into her.

I ride out our highs, with my head thrown back in ecstasy, hips snapping against hers, never wanting to stop as I hear her cries from under me, fuelling me to go on.

Eventually, my pace slows, and I slowly pull out, patting her ass, as I sit up, pulling my boxers back on.

I lean back against the frame of the bed, my arm resting on her hip.

When she doesn't move, I gently climb over her, and lay next to her, looking up at the ceiling.

"You good?" I ask, peering over at her, concerned.

"That was the best sex i've ever had." She slowly turns around to face me, her voice hoarse.

"mhm?" I smile, running my tongue over my teeth with a slow, deliberate motion, the gesture seemingly innocent yet undeniably seductive.

My eyes locked with hers, holding her captive in the intensity of my gaze, as if silently conveying my unspoken desires.

God she looked so good right now.

She nods, a small smile plastered on her face.

I grin, momentarily placing a kiss on her cheek before jumping up to the bathroom.

"All you and that pretty little cunt." I smirk, grabbing a towel and wetting it.

Before making my way back to her, I turn the water on, and grab some towels.

When I return back to her, she's barely sitting up, her lips red, hickeys along her neck, hair a mess.

She still looked like an angel.

"Hey, beautiful." I kneel on the floor, gently prizing open her legs, settling the towel above her cum-covered pussy.

"Who said I wanted to stop?" I look up at her; She has a smirk on her face as she moves the towel aside, caressing my face.

"I want your face in between my thighs so bad," She whispers, and I feel my just soft dick get hard again in the matter of seconds.

I swallow hard, gripping her thighs,"Yeah, ma?" She nods, biting her lip and I lower my face down, not breaking eye contact, working my way up to her cunt, peppering kisses down her thighs, biting harshly as she lets out gasps and soft moans, enough to make me come in my pants, there and then.

When I finally reached my destination, I paused, taking a moment to admire the sight before me. Her thighs were spread wide, her pussy glistening.

With a slow, deliberate motion, I spread her folds apart, not being able to resist the urge to bury my face between her thighs, to explore every inch of her with my tongue.

I traced slow circles around her clit, relishing in the way she squirmed beneath me, her hands clutching at the sheets as she begged for more.

I don't need to look up to tell she's enjoying this as she begins to grasp my hair, pulling on the strands lightly, making me groan, the vibrations from my voice making her even more wet.

I lick a stripe up her wet cunt, my eyes rolling to the back of my head at how good she tasted.

"taste so good, ma."

I can hear her hitched breaths and quiet whimpers, each sound of hers edging me to go faster. I begin to swirl my tongue over wet pussy, my nose brushing over her clit.

"don't stop, matt" she whines, bucking her hips up onto my face.

I plunge my tongue into her cunt, dripping with her slick arousal, and thrust it aggressively into her, my head buried deep between her legs.

Her broken moans and sobs go straight to my throbbing erection, not helping me as I swirl my tongue in and out of her, the lewd sounds enough to push me over the edge.

Her hands find their way to my hair again, and this time she pulls my brown locks hard, the pain subsiding into pleasure, and as I hum against her clit, she presses the back of my head impossibly closer to her throbbing pussy.

"Fuck, Matt- I'm close..." She gasps, in between pauses.

I mumble something inaudible in between her thighs, flicking my tongue over her clit at an ungodly pace.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, I'm gonna-" she whimpered, her voice strained with the intensity of her impending release.

But before she finished her sentence, I felt her squirt on my face, and her body arched against my face as I continued to plunge my tongue impossibly deeper into her, helping her riding out the waves of her orgasm.

Slowly, my pace stops, and I reach up to kiss her, savoring the taste of her arousal on my lips. As we pull away, I lick my lips, holding eye contact.

"So, how are you?" I ask, my eyes scanning her body.

"Good," She giggles against my chest, her cheeks flustered. I straddle her, pressing a kiss to her nose as she squirms underneath me.

I look down at my pants then back up at her.

"You really do know how to make me come."

[swan-of-sunrise]

Taking Care of Business (Chapter Forty-Six)

Summary: Din worries about (Y/N) and her inexplicable illness but when he returns to Nevarro from a hunt, he's met with a stunning surprise.

Pairing: Din Djarin X F!Reader

Word Count: 3.2k

Warnings/Disclaimers: None

A/N: Hi guys! I promised you guys fluff in this chapter, so fluff you shall receive! Thank you for reading, I hope you all enjoy!

Chapter Forty-Six The Surprise (Previous Chapter)

From the moment they first met, Din Djarin knew that Captain (Y/N) (Y/L/N) was a strong, intelligent and courageous woman. She could out-fly seasoned pilots without breaking a sweat, draw her blaster quicker than any hot-shot gunslinger in the Outer Rim and strategize the most complex battle plans with nothing more than a few words of intel and her immense determination. In all the time he’d known her, she’d survived cuts, burns, sprains, breaks, concussions and blaster wounds and had come out on the other side of all of them tougher and stronger than before, and that wasn’t even accounting for the injuries she’d sustained as a smuggler for both herself and for the Rebel Alliance. Needless to say, Din knew that his wife could take care of herself on and off the battlefield, which was why her current bout of illness was worrying him so much.

At first, Din chalked (Y/N)’s cramping, headaches and fatigue up to anxiety; in between helping him capture bounties for the New Republic, the captain had been hard at work preparing her brand-new seamstress shop for its grand opening, setting up the shop’s inviting interior by hand and training a handful of assistants to work the various machines. She was thrilled to finally make her dream of practicing her mother’s trade a reality, but it was clear that she was also nervous about the new venture. It wasn’t until her near-constant nausea and vomiting began that Din started growing concerned for his wife’s dwindling health; he’d all but begged her to visit Nevarro’s health clinic for a check-up, his mounting worry even trumping his deep-rooted mistrust of droids.

Unfortunately, the captain’s scheduled appointment clashed with Din’s mission to apprehend an escaped Imperial informant and just as he prepared to inform Captain Teva that he was unable to accept the mission, (Y/N) insisted that he still go after the bounty and that she’d be fine going to the health clinic by herself. Din, less than pleased with the arrangement but unwilling to add to her stress by arguing, kissed his wife and son goodbye and left for Manpha; he used all of his well-honed bounty hunting skills to track down and capture the Imp in less than twenty-four hours, dropping him off on Adelphi for Captain Teva to legally apprehend on behalf of the New Republic and speeding through the Hydian Way back home to Nevarro.

“Welcome to Nevarro, independent trade anchor and Outer Rim Hyperlane port. Please state the purpose of your-”

“Jarsa, I know you know that I live here. You don’t have to ask me to state the purpose of my visit every kriffing time I return home.”

Din could practically hear the docking bay manager’s exasperated eye-roll before she stiffly replied, “And as I’ve already told you, Mando, if you have a complaint about our regulations then you’ll have to take it up with Magistrate Karga. State the purpose of your visit, please.”

After muttering a string of curses under his breath, Din heaved a sigh and replied through gritted teeth, “Returning to my place of residence. Happy?”

“You may now initiate landing sequences. Have a pleasant day.”

Din grumbled a biting insult in Mando’a as he expertly landed the N-1 Starfighter down onto their assigned spot and jumped down from the cockpit the moment the starship’s engines shut off; he strode through the crowded docking bay with purpose and once he reached the city gate, he spared a glance at the nearby designated speeder docking lot. After spotting their blue and silver land speeder docked at the end of the nearest aisle, he all but jogged through the city gate and hurried down the crowded streets, finally skidding to a stop in front of his wife’s half-finished seamstress shop.

Leafy branches of purple and white flowers framed the shop’s doorway and the large window displayed two empty dress forms, both waiting to be fitted in the seamstress’s finest creations, and above the window hung a sign written in Aurebesh: House of (Y/L/N). Through the window, Din could see a couple of shop assistants organizing a rack of fabric bolts and he felt himself begin to relax when (Y/N) walked into view; the captain was directing another assistant as he balanced on a ladder and installed a hologram projector above a vacant niche, her authoritative posture and the way she practically glowed with excitement warming Din’s heart and making him smile for the first time in days. She was dressed in one of her original designs, a lavender jumpsuit and flowing silver-colored embroidered cloak that synched at her waist, and her hair was pulled into a simple style inspired by her Naboo heritage; she looks a lot healthier than she did when I left, he thought with an inward sigh of relief, maybe she was right and it was only a simple stomach bug.

“Mando!” Din turned to see Greef Karga striding down the cobblestone street towards him while his protocol droid teetered close behind. “Back already? That might’ve been your fastest hunt yet!”

“(Y/N) hasn’t been feeling very well lately, so I wanted to make sure she wouldn’t be alone with Grogu and the shop for too long,” Din explained before nodding towards the shop in question. “Have things been quiet around here today?”

The High Magistrate chuckled. “It has, but I did receive a few reports of your little guy getting up to some mischief by chasing Kowakian monkey-lizards in the main courtyard; other than causing a little ruckus and delaying the cantina’s food shipment by a few minutes, there was absolutely no harm done.” Din bit back a wince at that; since (Y/N) had fallen ill, Grogu’s behavior had been more unpredictable than usual and while they believed that he was only concerned for her health, his antics weren’t exactly alleviating any of their stress. “However, I was hoping that you and your lovely wife could explain to him that that sort of behavior’s really meant more for the city’s playground and not its busy streets.”

“Of course.”

“Good! Now, I have some business to attend to down at the docking bay, something about a disgruntled dock manager…” In that moment, Din was grateful that his expression was hidden away behind his beskar helmet. “Be sure to give Captain (Y/L/N) my best!”

“I will,” Din watched the High Magistrate and his protocol droid stroll down the street and when they turned the corner, he heaved a weary sigh and turned to enter House of (Y/L/N). A pleasant jingle sounded throughout the shop the moment he stepped through the threshold, causing everyone to look away from their tasks and towards the doorway; Din’s eyes were trained on the captain as her features were brightened by a happy smile and he was only barely listening as she dismissed her apprentices for the day, too distracted by her shining (Y/E/C) eyes and the way her jumpsuit hugged her curves beneath the sheer silver cloak.

“I think we’ll go ahead and call it a day. Thank you for all your hard work today, and have a wonderful rest of your afternoon!” (Y/N) called after the apprentices, locking the front door and rolling the privacy shade down over the window before launching herself into Din’s waiting arms with an elated laugh. “I wasn’t expecting you back until tomorrow! How’d the hunt go? Any injuries? How’s Captain Teva these days?”

Din chuckled, gently set her back down on her feet but holding her close to him. “Puhoi daab, ner cyar’ika alor’ad. The hunt was successful, Teva sends his regards and I’m not injured, but I’m more concerned about you right now.” He pulled back and removed his helmet, setting it down on one of the workbenches before holding his wife at arm’s length and examining her for any lingering signs of illness. “How did your appointment go?”

“The med droids said that it was just my body responding to stress; they suggested I eat some ginger root, drink plenty of fluids and get some rest.” Din breathed a sigh of relief but when he opened his mouth to interject, (Y/N)’s finger moved to rest on his lips to stop him and she gave him a knowing smile. “I bought some ginger root at the market after my appointment, I already drank two bottles of water today and we can go home, just as soon as I put some things away and lock up.” She lightly tapped the end of his nose with her finger as her eyes twinkled with affection. “Ner atin beroya.”

Shaking his head in playful exasperation, Din leaned down and gave his wife another kiss before letting her go and watching her fasten cloth coverings over displays filled with bolts of material; he took a seat at the nearby workbench, knowing better than to get in the captain’s way while she worked in her element, and he glanced inquiringly around the shop. “Where’s Grogu?”

“Asleep in the backroom; that little womp rat spent the morning chasing Kowakian monkey-lizards in the courtyard, and then he scarfed down an entire pack of roasted Kajaka Root before passing out!” When Din snorted in amusement, (Y/N) turned around with her hands on her hips and shot him a pointed look, all while fighting back a smile of her own. “Din, we can’t just let our son terrorize the citizens and local wildlife of Nevarro; we have to try and discipline him.”

He tugged his leather gloves off and nodded. “You’re right, alor’ad. I promised Karga that we’d talk to him and try to reign him in a little, but I don’t know how effective we’ll be; Grogu’s older than the both of us, after all.”

While (Y/N) breezed past with a tray filled with spools of colorful thread, she briefly paused to press a chaste kiss onto his temple and crossed the shop to place it in an open cabinet. “If we put our minds to it, we can do pretty much anything…even if it means finding a way to convince a fifty-plus year old Force-wielding child to behave himself. It’ll be a slice of uj’alayi, you’ll see!” She stacked another two trays of beads and embellishments in the cabinet before calling out, “R5, could you come here and lock these cabinets for me, please?” The astromech droid rolled out from the backroom and stopped in front of the data port near the captain, using his scomp link to close and lock all of the shop’s cabinets. “Thank you, R5.”

The astromech released a string of beeps and whistles as he rolled away, and Din watched the droid leave with the barest of smiles on his face. “You know, I think R5 likes it here.”

“A seasoned Rebellion veteran like R5 deserves a peaceful retirement,” (Y/N) replied, a mischievous gleam in her (Y/E/C) eyes as she shrugged her shoulders. “Well, a mostly peaceful retirement; he does have to put up with a grumpy Mandalorian on a regular basis.”

“Mir’sheb. You really must be feeling better if you’ve got the energy to tease your poor husband.” Din chuckled as his wife rolled her eyes and moved an empty dress form into the closest corner.

Glancing around the workbench he was leaning on, he picked up the captain’s well-worn holo-pad and swiped through her newest design sketches, marveling at the artistry and imagination present in every little detail. “Oh, those are some new designs for an upcoming line of maternity wear.”

Din swiped away from a panel of blouses and trousers to see a panel filled with day dresses and nightgowns, and he smiled up at (Y/N) when she moved to lean against the workbench. “They’re pretty, alor’ad. Some of your best work yet.”

“Thank you, sweetheart.” When he turned his attention back to the holo-pad, the captain’s fingers gently carded through his messy curls as she continued. “I still need to tweak the silhouettes and figure out which fabrics to use for certain designs. Luckily, I’ll be able to test them all out on myself before I decide which ones to produce for the shop.”

“Yeah, that’s-wait, what?” Din’s head snapped up and everything around him seemed to fade away as his widened eyes met (Y/N)’s; he was barely aware of setting the holo-pad down and turning in his seat to face her, his mind only able to focus on the soft hands cradling his face and the tears beginning to well up in his wife’s eyes. “…When you said you’d be able to test them out on yourself, did you mean…?”

(Y/N) nodded and smiled widely through her tears of joy. “I’m pregnant, Din. We’re gonna have another child.”

An overjoyed grin spread across Din’s face and with a laugh of delighted disbelief, he jumped to his feet and enveloped (Y/N) in a tight embrace that she was quick to return; the captain giggled when he suddenly lifted her off her feet and spun her in a circle, her sheer silver cloak fluttering around their legs and twinkling under the shop’s bright lights. When he set her down on her feet, she took him by surprise when her lips quickly met his in a passionate kiss; one of his hands held her cheek while the other slid down to rest on the curve of her waist, and he couldn’t contain his blissful moan as her fingers tangled into his hair. It was when Din noticed the captain’s knees weakening that he pulled away, chuckling at her noise of protest but making it up to her by pressing feather-light kisses along her cheekbone and forehead. “So that’s why you’ve been so nauseated and exhausted lately, isn’t it? How far along are you?”

“Five weeks,” (Y/N) replied, still a little breathless as she allowed him to brush and kiss her errant tears away. “The med droids prescribed me some prenatal vitamins and after taking them with a cup of ginger root tea, I’m feeling much, much better.” She kissed his palm and gazed up at him, her (Y/E/C) eyes sparkling with elation. “Are you happy, sweetheart?”

Din nodded vigorously, giving his wife a tender smile as his thumb delicately caressed the soft skin of her cheek. “I-I’m…Alor’ad, this is one of the happiest moments of my whole life. Ni kyr’tayl gar darasuum, ner cyar’ika riduur.”

“Ni kyr’tayl gar darasuum, ner cyar’ika riduur,” (Y/N) whispered back before standing on her tiptoes and capturing his lips in another passion-filled kiss. After several blissful moments, she pulled away and laughed a little to herself when Din chased after her lips. “And that’s just the sort of behavior that got us in this situation in the first place…”

“You said that you’re five weeks along? You know, I seem to recall an incident five weeks ago when you pulled me into the backroom and-” His wife hastily silenced him with a kiss and he chuckled against her lips as he readily kissed her back, leaning back after several heartbeats and moving his arms to hold her around the waist. “Are you happy, ner cyar’ika alor’ad?”

“I couldn’t be any happier, sweetheart.” Reaching down, (Y/N) took one of Din’s hands and moved it to rest on her abdomen; it was unchanged, free of any indication that the manifestation of their loving bond was growing within, but just knowing that their baby was there made Din’s heart burst with pure and unadulterated joy. “You should know that I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that Grogu’s known about his little brother or sister for quite some time.”

For a split-second, Din’s brows furrowed in confusion but realization quickly dawned on him. “Through the Force…wait, is that even how the Force works?”

(Y/N) shrugged. “I have no idea, but it explains why he’s been so excitable lately; the poor little guy’s been trying to tell us about the baby for weeks and we had no way of understanding him.”

As if he’d been secretly listening in on their conversation, Grogu’s floating pram drifted into the shop from the backroom and with a coo of happiness, he leapt into the air and landed in Din’s waiting arm; the child nuzzled his wrinkled green face against Din’s cowl before clinging onto (Y/N)’s jumpsuit, babbling excitedly as he stretched his clawed hand down towards her abdomen. “You excited to have a little brother or sister, kid?” Din and (Y/N) both burst into laughter at their son’s withering side-eye, and Din gave one of the child’s large ears an affectionate rub. “Yeah, I know, that’s a pretty dumb question to ask you. But now that we finally know what you’ve been trying to tell us, you’ve gotta behave yourself in public, okay? No more chasing the city’s vermin in the courtyard and stressing your mother out.”

Grogu responded by blowing a loud raspberry and somersaulting back into his pram, only to pull a small package of blue cookies out from under his blankets and begin munching on one. “Well, no one can say that you didn’t try,” The captain quipped, fighting a losing battle against the grin that was spreading across her face as her eyes sparkled with mischief. “After all, everyone knows that a bounty hunter’s negotiation skills are inferior to those of a smuggler.”

“Is that so?” Din smirked at their familiar rapport, wrapping his arms back around her waist and straightening his posture so that (Y/N)’s weight rested against his and their gazes were nearly leveled. “Any chance I can change your mind with a bubble bath and a package of Chandrilan chocolate?”

(Y/N) arched a playful brow at that. “You really think that bribery will work on me?”

“Of course, everyone knows that smugglers can’t resist a good bribe.”

“Mir’sheb!” Din chuckled at his wife’s exaggerated gasp of outrage, which was soon followed by a grin. “You’re lucky that I love you so much, Din Djarin.”

“Yes, I am. Right now, I’d wager that I’m the luckiest man in the galaxy,” He answered honestly and her eyes shone with tenderness as she held his face between her hands. “You and Grogu and this baby are my life, ner cyar’ika alor’ad, and I swear on all the stars I’ll never leave your side.” Tears filled the captain’s eyes and after pressing a sweet kiss onto his lips, she nuzzled her face into his cowl and tightened her hold around him; smiling to himself, Din briefly closed his eyes and rested his cheek against her head, savoring the feeling of holding his wife close and the sounds of his son’s content coos from his pram. “Ready to go home now?”

(Y/N) pulled away and her smile nearly took Din’s breath away. “I’d love nothing more.”

After slipping his helmet and gloves back on, Din followed (Y/N), Grogu and R5-D4 out of the shop and waited for (Y/N) to finish locking up before offering her his hand, which she readily accepted. As he walked hand-in-hand with his wife and watched in amusement as their dutiful astromech kept blocking Grogu’s attempts to steer his pram towards the city’s many food stalls, he sent a silent word of thanks to the Maker that after a lifetime of pain and loneliness, the universe finally saw fit to bless him with an aliit of his own and the promise of their clan’s suum ca’nara on the horizon.

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Mando’a Translations:

Puhoi daab, ner cyar’ika alor’ad-Slow down, my darling captain Ner atin beroya-My stubborn bounty hunter Alor’ad-Captain Uj’alayi-Uj Cake Mir-sheb-Smart-ass Ni kyr’tayl gar darasuum, ner cyar’ika riduur-I love you, my darling wife/husband Aliit-Family Suum ca’nara-The state of blissful rest and peace

A/N: I told you there'd be fluff! Thank you all so much for reading and commenting! I’ve created two Spotify playlists, one filled with of all my favorite music from the world of Star Wars and the other compiled with all the songs I listen to for inspiration while writing this series, so if you’re interested in checking them out the links are down below!

Star Wars Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2KuSKJhVOPPvxdJ9YHeo4M?si=2977ff31bf0c4bdd

Din Djarin/TCoB Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5HIv4pIIgtzRW3Nyv5x7ry?si=15e457550bd94966

Chapter Forty-Seven Taking Care of Business Masterlist

Tagging: @remmysbounty​ @sinon36​ @seninjakitey​​ @thatonedindjarinfan​​ @ginger-swag-rapunzel​​ @mostclevermiss​​ @momc95​​ @welcometothepedroverse​​ @sarahjkl82-blog​​ @elinedjarin​​ @ccomandercody​​ @crowleysqueenofhell​​  @goldielocks2004 @wondergal2001​​ @groovyqueer​​ @impala1967666​​ @fluffy-canada-pancakes​​ @icee228​​ @siimiasoi​​ @uncle-eggy​​ @amyg1509

[sirowsky]

--The Beauty of Mechanics--

This is the final of the Birthday Stories!

Description: Frankie's working away in his shop when an unexpected arrival makes him pause. Frankie Morales x Original Female Character.

Rating: Teen Warnings: Meet cute, a bit of shop-talk, fluff, Frankie's just a lovesick puppy. Mechanic!Frankie. AU. Word Count: 1500 Author’s Masterlist

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   The car sounded like it had swallowed a nightingale as it rolled up to the open garage doors of the workshop, and Frankie grabbed a towel to wipe some grime off his hands while he slowly walked out there to greet what was sure to be a new customer.    He didn’t recognize the car or the license plate, so it wasn’t one of his regulars, but he did recognize the make and model of the machine.

   A classic 1967 Mustang, one of his favorites. And this one was in mint condition, all black with silver detailing and tinted windows. An absolute masterpiece.    It looked almost alive and somewhat menacing when it was so well polished and it was clear that a lot of thought had gone into the styling, which was still true to the classic look, but utilized modern materials.

   When he got to the front left corner of it, the driver’s door opened, and his eyebrows shot up as he watched a woman step out and come towards him.    Not because he couldn’t believe, or for whatever reason felt, that women didn’t belong behind the wheel of such a car, but because this particular woman was even more gorgeous than her choice of vehicle.

   She was wearing dark brown worker boots, tight black jeans, and a black silk blouse to compliment the vehicle, but her short Pink!-style hair had a deep purple shade, fading into pale blue at the ends, a look which seriously suited her.    He also noticed that she wasn’t wearing any jewelry but had a Sinn watch around her wrist, a brand which boasts some of the toughest watches on the market, all of which gave him the feeling that this was no delicate flower of a woman.

   “Hey, sorry to drop by without an appointment,” she said while pulling off her sapphire blue Oakley sunglasses, revealing almost golden colored eyes.

   “That’s okay, I’ve got time. She sounds terrible,” Frankie replied, nodding towards the machine.

   “Yeah, I don’t know what happened, she was running fine five minutes ago.    Think you can take a look?” she asked, and he couldn’t help but smile.

   “She’s absolutely beautiful, I’d love to look at her all day. But yeah, pop the hood and I’ll see what’s going on.”

   She did as he asked, and the first thing he noticed was that this engine was custom built and by someone truly talented.    But at first glance, he couldn’t find any obvious cause for the racket, so he asked her to start it up so he could listen to the noise more clearly, and after just a few seconds he signed for her cut the engine again.

   “I’d say it’s probably coming from the exhaust. I’ll need to lift it up to know for sure.    You want me to try and fix it for you right now, or do you wanna make an appointment?”

   “If you have the time to take care of it right away, you’d be making my day,” she chimed, sounding absolutely astounded that he might actually be able to fit her in immediately.

   “Sure, I’ve only got a standard service scheduled for today and that customer is abroad, so it can wait. A beauty like this shouldn’t have to roll around sounding like a freaked-out crow,” he offered, and that made her smile, damned near taking his breath away.

   He asked her to drive it onto the ramp, letting her step out before he raised it, and she remained right next to him when he got to work. He noted that she was careful not to get in his way, though, and she didn’t attempt to criticize anything he did.    Instead, it seemed like she was just eager to learn more about the car and how to take care of it, which only made him enjoy her company all the more.

   “So, you were just out driving when it suddenly started sounding like this?” he asked, both to carry on a conversation, and to learn more about the problem.

   “Yeah, there was no indication at all that anything was out of order, it came out of nowhere,” she elaborated. “Normally, I’d have taken it to my regular mechanic, but he’s on vacation and I don’t trust his colleague with my girl. He’s way too sloppy.”

   “So, no pressure, then,” he chuckled drily.

   “Oh, I already know you’re a better mechanic than that guy, so you can relax,” she reassured him, which really did calm him.

   So many customers, and especially those with fancy cars of any kind, would get so uptight about him not putting a scratch on their expensive toys, that they’d deliberately try and put as much pressure on him as possible.    But this lovely woman was just concerned about him actually fixing the problem, and seemed to understand that adding any tension to the situation was only going to make that harder.

   “Have you done any work on it yourself?” he asked, trying to distract himself from the fact that she was rapidly becoming very attractive, in every possible way.

   “Pretty much the entire exterior,” she started, and he was mildly surprised by that. “I’ve never worked with painting cars, but I’ve been doing it as a hobby since my teens.    I’ve ordered, but sometimes also made custom detailing, like the new headlights and the grill. I love that sort of thing. Tweaking tiny details to achieve the most aesthetically pleasing look, but without taking focus away from the beauty of the entire machine.    I’ve always wished that I could somehow do that stuff for a living, but I’ve just never been able to.”

   Seriously?    With that level of talent she should’ve been working at a custom shop a long time ago.

   “Wow. It’s actually kinda hard to believe that no one’s taken an interest, because the first thing I thought when I saw this car, was that it looks fucking perfect.    You’ve got a really good eye,” he complimented, meaning every word, and she seemed truly grateful to hear it.

   “I just love to make cars look their best. Like stylists do with people, or real estate agents with houses. It makes me feel all buzzed to look at a gorgeously styled car, or motorcycle, or anything on wheels, really,” she elaborated, and for the first time since he met her, she looked a little shy, or unsure.

   As if she wasn’t used to being able to say these things without getting laughed at.

   “Well, I’m just a small business grease monkey, but I’m pretty good at what I do too, and I’m telling you, if I’d only had the means, I’d have hired you on the spot.”

   She smiled so warmly at him as she heard that, and it made something very pleasant spread through his blood.

��  It turned out that the problem was just the air intake tube on the catalytic converter, so it was an easy fix, and Frankie was almost a bit annoyed at that, because it meant that he would lose her company much too soon.

   “Okay, all done,” he announced once he’d lowered the car and had her start it up again to make sure that his diagnosis had been correct.

   “Great, I’m so glad it wasn’t something serious.    How much do I owe you?” she chirped, but he just shrugged, suddenly feeling quite unhappy.

   “Nothing. It took me less than fifteen minutes and that tube costs like a dollar,” he said, showing his hands in his pockets to keep them from moving around nervously.

   He really wanted to ask her out, but he felt like there was no way in hell she’d agree to that. He wasn’t nearly cool enough to hold the interest of a woman like that.

   “Oh. Okay…” she replied, suddenly looking so misplaced in his garage, with her quiet but strong confidence and overall powerful look, against the backdrop of clutter and dirt. “Well, if you ever need a paintjob, let me know.”

   “Sure. But I’d need your number for that,” he cheekily pointed out, thinking there was no chance he’d ever get it.

   Which was why, when she stepped over to a really dusty old car-door, standing leaned against the end of his workbench, and wrote her number in the dust, he just dumbly stared at her, unable to say a single thing.

   “I’ll look forward to hearing from you,” she said with a soft curve to her lips, and then she got back into her car and left.

   He stood there, still staring after her, unable to process what had just taken place, when his cellphone started ringing.

   “Morales,” he answered without even looking at the screen to see who was calling, because he was still staring outside, listening for the sound of that gorgeous engine.

   “Hey, Frankie,” he heard Pope on the other end, and the familiar voice broke through the stunned silence in his brain.

   “Santi… you’re not gonna believe what just happened at the garage…”

THE END

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Thank you for reading and helping me celebrate! I wish you a wonderful day <3

Tagging a few people who I think might wanna read these stories: @startrekkingaroundasgard @deadhumourist @tintinn16 @suttonspuds @tanzthompson @shsoba05 @f0rever15elf @justnat15 @lowlights @dornish-queen @radiowallet @spishsstuff @harriedandharassed @i-love-movies @tiffanypooh @chaoticfestninja @insomniamamma @pedrostories

[dudrents]

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[random-thought-depository]

I really dislike that Google has gotten rid of the page view format in favor of making you scroll down the whole list of results. Even when I turn that function off, it still shows the results in that format, just with breaks in the scroll. Pages are much better for keeping track of stuff while browsing through a long list of search results. Feels like the present set up is designed to encourage you to stop near what would have been the front page of the Google search results, and they don't care about what the user experience is like for people trying to do any in-depth research. I've also seen people say the search engine itself has gotten shittier, and I think they're probably right, but this is the change that's most noticeable to me.

Does anybody know if there's a way to get the page view format back, or can anyone recommend other search engines that still use it?

It really feels to me like the internet is getting more structurally hostile to deep engagement and is increasingly structured to encourage something like ADHD (I don't mean this as any sort of negative commentary on people with actual ADHD, but I think the particular kind of structural encouragement of ADHD-like cognition and engagement patterns I'm talking about here isn't a good thing). Long scrolling has replaced search result pages. That little box at the top of the Google search results page has replaced having to click links (note: I actually approve of this one, since it adds functionality rather than removing it, the links are still available, but I note it as part of the pattern). The primary focus of online socialization has shifted from blogs and forums to things like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Discord. Predictive text interfaces that offer to do a lot of the work of writing for you and in the process encourage you to make your writing less distinctive have replaced simple typing interfaces (I approve of predictive text systems existing as conveniences and aids, but it should be easy for the user to modify them or turn them off). The internet used to feel more like some giant communally run library, now it increasingly feels like a mall where you're encouraged to move quickly from shop to shop and lingering and slow browsing is discouraged. I guess it's all part of the internet being re-engineered to be a more efficient money-collecting machine, with everything else deprioritized; they want us hopping quickly from one thing to another so there's lots of opportunities to show us adds, and they want to supercharge rich get richer dynamics by doing things like restructuring search engines to encourage us to stop at the top results. As a post I saw here a while back said, our focus is being stolen. I don't like it.

[autor-614]

Nik 10: a teaser

  

Keep in mind that's it's just a demo in a way! there is much more for this story!

When one story ends, the new one will began 

It was a beautiful summer day, and in one small village, mostly surrounded by a wheat fields, there was a child, his name was Niko, he just turned twelve recently, he was quite excited that day, just one more year and he would be a teenager, Niko happened to know few older kids himself, he was always curious of how it would feel to be one of them, currently he was near one of the houses at the far end of his village, he was helping owner of one the houses, Mr Matthew to fix his tractor, well he was mostly just giving the necessary tools for the man, but still it was better than nothing, the old man was working on the engine of the machine, fully focused on his task, he was wearing green shirt with blue overalls, both which were old and bit dirty form the oil stains, he looked at Niko “You know you don’t have to sit here all day boy” the man said to the child who was standing next to him holding some tools, boy had his usual attire, quite big hat and a blue scarf, his coat was missing however, replaced by a white sleeveless white shirt, despite the fact that the sun was setting it was simply to hot for a coat “I know, but i want to!” the boy said cheerfully “Besides, you yourself helped me and my mom while our fridge broke, that’s just fair” he stated, now with a bit more calmer tone “Hm, if you say so” the man looked back at the engine and got back to work “How’s your mother?” Man asked, not looking away from his work “She’s doing well! thank you for asking” Niko smiled after responding, the man hummed as a response. 

“Okay i'm done with this for today” Matthew set his tools on the side and stretched “Oh…so…what can I do now?” Niko asked the man who now turned to him “You can go home..you really don’t have to be here if you don’t want to..” Matthew smiled slightly at the child who just gave him a puzzled look “But i do want to be here, if i can help someone why shouldn’t i?” Niko said that with a cheerful tone, but was serious at the same time, he clearly meant what he said, the man’s smile widened a bit “You just really want to help don’t you?” Niko smiled “mhm” he nodded not even thinking a second, Matthew chuckled a bit “Just don’t let that generosity screw you over” the man said in bit more serious tone as he stretched out and began to walk to his house “Now go home, it’s getting late and i bet your mother will get worried” as Matthew entered his house, the boy was left standing there, he placed the tools in the toolbox next to the tractor, and with that, Niko went on his way.       

Niko’s village wasn’t so special, but he still loved it, the part where Mr Matthew lived was the least populated and furthest from the center, there even was a small forest nearby, there was a single gravel road that lead to the center where few shops and a bakery were present, along the gravel road there were old houses from wood and stone, he looked at the sky, sun has almost disappeared behind the horizon, and stars were visible, Niko stopped in his tracks and just observed the scenery, most importantly the stars, there were a few, it reminded Niko of the barrens, the place he visited once, that one time when he had to save the sun of a dying world, he remembered that Adventure well, as well as people he met along the way Silver, Alula, Calamus, Proto, Cedric, Rue, the world machine, and many more, the most important one, was the voice, the voice that was guiding him all the way, from start to finish, he missed them sometimes, but he knew that they had to part ways, he just hoped that whenever they are, that they are doing well, Niko got dragged out of his thoughts when he noticed that one of the stars was bit biger and brighter then the rest, a falling star maybe? Niko never saw one in person, it would be cool if it was, he observed the star carefully, and noticed that it was getting bigger by a second, now Niko was now sure it was a falling star, he smiled a bit, but his smile soon faded as he realized that the star was getting bit too big to be a star, he watched more closely, the star turned out to be some kind of object, it was some kind of ball, it practically zoomed on the sky, Niko couldn't help but notice that the ball was losing altitude as it flew, soon the ball flew over the forest and disappeared in the tree crowns, soon after it disappeared, a loud thud could be heard. Niko just stood there, his mind racing and curiosity was at its peak, he quickly began to make his way to the forest. 

In the forest, Niko was making his way to where he saw the ball disappeared, he soon noticed that there were few broken branches, and a hole made on one of the thicker trees, it seems that the ball flew through it, Niko looked behind said tree and saw it, the ball was lying there, it made a small crater in the ground upon impact, Niko just observed it for a while, without much thinking he walked up to it, he crouched down next to it, it was quite small and made out of metal it also looked like it could be opened, he picked it up and that’s when a green light flashed from the ball and blinded him for a second, Niko covered his eyes, dropping the ball as he did so and turned away, after few seconds he turned back to it, it was opened now, he could see something inside, upon closer inspection, it looked like a large wristwatch with a wide band, primarily black and gray in color. It had a dark gray faceplate in the middle, like a watch dial, without much thinking, Niko reached out for the strange watch..but before he could grab it, the watch split itself open, and practically jumped on Niko’s hand, then it closed itself on it’s own, as if it was alive.

It all happened in mere seconds, so it took a while for Niko’s brain to process what just happened, but after he realized what happened boy jumped back with a yelp, he looked down at the watch and tired to look for some kind of lock, or a buckle, but there were none, that made Niko question how did that watch opened itself in the first place, then he tried to slid it off his arm but the watch wouldn't budge, almost as if it was glued to his arm, to see if he was correct he tried to push two of his fingers between the watch and his skin, but couldn't, the watch was in fact stuck on his arm, Niko began to panic as he realized it, he began to quickly shake his arm up and down in a desperate attempt to get rid of the watch, it obviously didn’t work, Niko walked back and forth with hands on his head, he was moments from full blown panic attack, he didn’t knew what to do, Niko then began to remind himself what his mother said to him once, (if you don’t know what to do, focus on looking for a solution, and don’t panic, panic always makes things worse.)

With that advice in mind, he took deep breath, and out, as he did so he heard some single beep sound coming from the watch, he looked at it and something changed about it, now there was a yellow hourglass shaped symbol in the watch’s dial, Niko taped the dial, nothing happened, he did it two more times with same result, he was confused by one more thing…well the whole situation was strange, but now Niko was puzzled by the fact that the watch wasn’t showing time, it was confusing to him because well..wasn't that the soul purpose of a watch? Anyhow, the boy inspected the watch more closely, looking for some buttons, or..anything that normal watch has, he found nothing however, out of options, he grabbed the dial and twisted it, to his surprise it not only worked but also did something, the watch made some strange sound and new symbol appeared on the dial, this time it was..a silhouette, it looked like some kind of lizard? it had a tail like one, but it was standing on two legs, Niko was getting more curious now, he twisted the dial again and the same sound came out, the new symbol appeared, now it was like some kind of ghost, at least it looked like it by the shape, Niko turned the dial again, but this time in the opposite way, and as he expected, the first silhouette showed up again, but this time, the dial sort of..popped off, it was still in the watch, it was just raised up, Niko’s eyes widened at the sight, his heart skipped a bit as well, did he broke it? he hoped he didn’t, without much thinking, Niko pushed the dial back into its position ...and as he did so, the yellow light covered his vision, he started to feel weird, he felt his body..changing, it didn’t hurt..it just felt..odd.

As his vision returned, Niko shook his head to get rid of dizziness and  tried to look at the watch, he instantly noticed two things, one, the watch was gone, second, the most important thing…his arm was blue, and thin, and his hand had three long black fingers, overall it was all wrong, and not how his arm is supposed to look like, Niko looked down at his body, and it was not his, he was something different, he could see the watch dial with the same yellow hourglass shaped symbol on his chest, his legs were weird and to top it all of, he could feel something..an extra limb in a way…he looked over his shoulder and saw..a tail, he had a tail now.

Niko tried to not panic…but he just couldn’t, he let out a squeal and tried to move away from the new limb, but as he did so, he crashed into a tree, which was more surprising then painful, mostly because said tree was to far for Niko to just slam into it, he was hyperventilating, he looked at the ball from which the watch came out from, he was much further away from it then he realistically should be, he tried to make a step, but his leg moved much faster then he expected, causing him to lose balance for a moment, he moved his arm, and it was much faster as well, Niko looked at the ball in the crater again, his panic was going down, not by much, but it still did, he decided to test something out, he took a breath and out, and decided to run up to the ball, as he tried to, he instantly zoomed past it and slammed into a yet another tree, he hit the symbol on his chest as he did so and fell on his back, the red light blinded him, and as his vision came back to normal, Niko was still lying on his back he rubbed his head, and to his relief, his arm was back to normal, he sat up and quickly checked his body, and luckly it was normal again, he let out a sigh of relief and looked at the watch, it was back to normal as well, as he was sitting there, only one question was on his mind, did that just happened?

[geopolicraticus]

Philosophy of the Open Road

I have finished listening to Why We Drive: Toward a Philosophy of the Open Road by Matthew B. Crawford.  I really enjoyed this book, though I am no doubt prejudiced in my judgment as I used to be a truck driver and I have spent much more driving than most people. His descriptions of the driving experience are remarkably evocative. Some years ago I listened to his earlier book, Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work, which influenced me enough that I have quoted it in several blog posts and newsletters. This recent book has more philosophical substance than the earlier book, and I suspect that I will come back to it to borrow ideas. Much of the book could be characterized as philosophy of technology, and since I have been thinking a lot about the philosophy of technology recently, several ideas in the book struck me as promising material for further reflection.  

The book also has a moral purpose, given exposition throughout the book, though in a subtle way, and not at all heavy-handed, as we might expect from a moralizing book. Crawford is interested in personal responsibility, and this theme runs throughout his reflections upon the relationship between human beings and the machines that we build. This argument for personal responsibility is often expressed in critiques of methods and expectations that would “idiot proof” our technology so that no one is injured by it. This naturally tends to the lowest common denominator, and so the rest of us have to live with a technological infrastructure designed around the idiots in our society. Crawford is righteously indignant about this, and rightfully so. His many criticisms in the book of over-engineered systems (my term, not his) and unnecessarily intrusive automation might be taken as a criticism of the technology itself, but this isn’t the case at all.

Crawford is a “gearhead” and takes obvious pleasure in a well running machine, being himself a motorcycle mechanic. Indeed, the final line of the book is revealing, as Crawford describes his experience of riding a motorcycle on winding mountain roads so that one can fully sense his exhilaration in the experience. He drives the point home with the final thought that this experience is made possible by a machine.  So despite all the criticisms of automation, this is not an anti-technology manifesto. That being said, it also is not another techno-optimist manifesto (such as I discussed last week). Crawford sees technology as something to be used by human beings according to our own choices; this isn’t quite the same as keeping technology at arm’s length, but more like establishing boundaries that we choose for ourselves, and not being forced to pander to “what technology wants” (to borrow a phrase from Kevin Kelly).

How a society ought to make use of the technology it builds is the supposed substance of innumerable “Science, Technology, and Society” programs, but in looking through this material I have not seen anything even close to being as insightful as Crawford’s exposition of the role that technology plays in our lives. In one interesting example, near the end of the book Crawford gives a description of the training that traditional taxi drivers in London have to complete before they are allowed into the profession, and he contrasts this with Uber drivers who know nothing more of the city than the passengers they carry around.

Crawford’s description of the mental map that London taxi drivers must construct in their minds reminded me of the mentats in Frank Herbert’s Dune, who, in a society that has chosen to forgo many of the functions of computers, master difficult intellectual tasks through a program of rigorous cognitive training. London taxi drivers are essentially mentats who have specialized in understanding transportation within London. And the fictional universe of Dune is not a world without technology; it is a world built on particular technologies, but it is also a world in which definite technological choices have been made, and these choices have driven the formation of distinctive social institutions.   

The mental maps of London taxi drivers seem fated to eventually become obsolete, like the memory palaces maintained before easy and inexpensive access to paper. I can admire the achievement of the London taxi drivers, and perhaps even see it as an attainment of intrinsic value that ought to exist, though its existence is contingent upon a class of persons (a guild) who maintain the skill and pass it on to the next generation. I can certainly imagine that there are today a sufficient number of persons willing to dedicate themselves to this way of life, but as the profession ceases to be remunerative, fewer and fewer will make the effort, and this particular manifestation of human knowledge will become a curiosity of history.

I don’t disagree with Crawford’s discussion of London taxi drivers, but the economic logic will eventually make this institution unsustainable, and Crawford implies that this is already starting to be the case, as Uber rides in London are cheaper than traditional taxis. There are active communities of hobbyists who keep obsolete technology alive, after a fashion, like those who speak dead languages; perhaps in the future there will be hobbyists who memorize the London street grid, though this achievement will have a different aspect when it is an individual attainment after the guild that maintains the tradition today disappears.  

Despite being a book about technology (the technology of cars and motorcycles), it is at the same time a very human book. I have listened to many popular science and philosophy books in which the substantive content was artfully padded out by personal anecdotes—one supposes that the author has been advised that the reading public have a limited attention span for anything difficult or abstract, so any ideas need to be alternated with human interest as if a spoonful of sugar to help the bitter medicine go down. Crawford’s anecdotes, of which there are admittedly many, have a point, illustrating his arguments with actual experiences. Many of the anecdotes are amusing and made me laugh. It is a rare book that can both entertain and advance new philosophical arguments.

[lostwithspace]

@galranrepard

@lostwithspace Danika tried her best to look convincing. Her eyes trained on the fellow blade. Judging by the bow rather than a salute she could tell that he probably wasn't in the military anymore. Luckily the fellow galran knew that he was an ally of the blades so the lieutenant commander didn't have to address that. "I see that. Looks like this ship could use some repairs. Nothing that our soldiers can't fix up while I come aboard to inspect your ship." She addressed being careful as not to alert the others of her true mission here. The blue, red, and white galra was short statured and curvy. However, she proudly held her form that athletically built to handle any dire situation. Hence why she was one of the few that ranked high in the Galra Empire. Without that and her wits she wouldn't have been able to keep her status nor be a member of the Blade of Marmora. Following her uncle's footsteps from fantasy to reality came with hard work and dedication. Danika ordered the few sentries and soldiers to help repair the smaller ship while she walked towards the entrance to where Rio was waiting. Once behind closed doors she could finally reveal her real intentions of coming to see her fellow blade brother. "So....why are you out here in this? Must be pretty serious if you have to go through an ion comet storm and have my commander bring me down to inspect on such short notice?" She noted. Her tail flicking behind her in agitation.

"The Moth has been through worse, but doesn't mean it handles well running into an ongoing storm without some preparations." The taller galra grumbled. "Just need to make sure the engineers get their work done properly to make sure I don't fly off with a landing gear still on the pad."

"I mean, it isn't a standard galra ship," he tried to correct himself infront of the higher ranked officer, "they may not know the proper ins and outs."

Rio escorted the officer up into the ship and to the entrance hall area, a utilitarian area with dim cool lighting around the edge.

To the left through two different arches was a connected bar and dining area. One room's wall lined with vending machines of various food options, tables with either chairs or benches were scattered across the floor, a bar with various spirits and drinks lined behind it and stools infront, all over looked by a window looking out the rear of the ship. The connecting room led to a more open area, a few tables lining around the outside, but with a pool table laying in the centre, and a few cabinet game machines near the hallway entrance

To the immediate right is an open doorway to a small shop, most shelves lined with general store inventory of food, drinks, non-standard amenities, but one corner has a collection of a few handmade or unique items from independent makers that Rio had obtained deals with. The back wall had a repurposed galran soldier droid with a shop keeper's apron wrapped around his front, standing next to a till and a small centre to send or receive packages.

Next to that entrance as a fourth door, closed, but stated to be "sleeping quarters" based on the painted label on the door.

Finally, across the entrance area from the large entrance that the gangplank was a more innocuous doorway, which if it wasn't currently open, would appear more of an outline on the wall. Beyond the opening lead to a more bare walkway, leading up to the upped side of the ship.

"Wait, don't you- Oh, of course, I guess with your own officer's club, my ship isn't as well known. I can't say what your commanders might be saying, but I was recently scheduled to come through for your crew." He gestured towards the few doors to either side.

"I'm part of a contract to offer some R&R to crew members on ships that don't get to stations or planet-sides too often, as a bit of escape. I'm here for a few rotations, your crew comes in, gets to drink, relax or stock up on some things they may not be able to get in their commissary. I also will take messages to the closest relays or delivery ports, have a bit of package deliveries if need be, or some can get a rest away from their cramped or crowded sleeping quarters." He listed it off very much in a fashion of someone who was sympathetic to some of those plights.

"I was expected," he put emphasis on that word with mild disgust, "but there was no warning message sent about the storm. Coming in from hyperspace into that rattled us up a bit. I do have a delivery to make here as well, Command sent me with parts for some upgrades, but I'm not sure if that's worth an immediate inspection unless there's a Blade to your throat."

Rio looked around a bit, and gave Danika a questioning look but went on with a professional tone. "Where did you want to start first? The flight deck and my quarters are up front where you can access the engines as well, I have the area back here, and the cargo hold down below."

[chocolatedetectivehottub]

coffee machine engineers near me,

coffee machine engineers near me,

Coffee machines are essential in both homes and businesses, ensuring that you start your day with a perfect cup of coffee. Whether you're running a coffee shop, office, or simply enjoy a morning espresso, having a functional coffee machine is key. But what happens when your coffee machine breaks down or needs maintenance? That's when the expertise of a coffee machine engineer becomes crucial.

In this article, we’ll explore how to find reliable coffee machine engineers near you, what services they offer, and why professional repair and maintenance are important for the longevity and performance of your machine.

Why You Need a Coffee Machine Engineer

Coffee machines are complex devices that require specialized knowledge to repair and maintain. While simple troubleshooting might resolve minor issues, complex problems, such as internal malfunctions or heating issues, need the skill set of an experienced technician. A professional coffee machine engineer can ensure:

Proper Diagnosis: Engineers have the tools and experience to quickly identify the problem, whether it's an issue with the water pump, heating element, or electrical connections.

Repairs and Replacements: They can repair or replace damaged components, restoring the machine to full functionality.

Routine Maintenance: Regular maintenance can prevent breakdowns and extend the lifespan of your coffee machine.

Safety: Handling electrical and water components of a coffee machine without proper knowledge can be dangerous. Engineers are trained to work safely.

Services Offered by Coffee Machine Engineers

Coffee machine engineers offer a range of services, including:

Repairs: Engineers can diagnose and fix issues with both domestic and commercial coffee machines. Common problems include:

Leaking water or steam

Weak coffee or no coffee extraction

Electrical failures or faults

Poor water flow or pressure

Routine Maintenance: Regular servicing ensures the coffee machine runs smoothly. Maintenance services might include:

Descaling the machine to prevent mineral buildup

Replacing worn-out seals or gaskets

Cleaning and lubricating internal parts

Checking the overall performance of the machine

Installation: If you're upgrading or replacing your coffee machine, engineers can handle the installation process, ensuring it's set up correctly for optimal performance.

Upgrades and Modifications: For those looking to improve their coffee machine's capabilities, engineers can suggest and implement upgrades, such as new brewing components or water filtration systems.

How to Find Coffee Machine Engineers Near You

Finding a qualified coffee machine engineer near you doesn’t have to be a challenge. Here are some effective ways to locate one:

Online Search: Conducting a search for “coffee machine engineers near me” on Google or other search engines is one of the quickest ways to find local technicians. Be sure to check customer reviews and ratings to gauge the quality of their service.

Local Directories and Listings: Websites like Yelp, Yellow Pages, or local business directories often list coffee machine repair services in your area. Many of these platforms also include customer feedback.

Manufacturer Recommendations: Many coffee machine manufacturers provide lists of authorized service providers or engineers who are trained to work with their specific brand. This is particularly useful if you have a high-end or commercial coffee machine.

Word of Mouth: Ask fellow coffee lovers, business owners, or colleagues for recommendations. Personal referrals often lead to trustworthy and reliable professionals.

Specialist Service Providers: Some companies specialize in coffee machine repairs and maintenance. These providers usually employ engineers who are highly experienced with a variety of coffee machine brands and models.

Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Coffee Machine Engineer

Before hiring a coffee machine engineer, it’s essential to ask the right questions to ensure you’re getting a qualified professional:

Do you specialize in the brand or type of coffee machine I own? Specific brands, like Jura, La Marzocco, or Breville, may require specialized knowledge.

What is your experience with repairing commercial or domestic coffee machines? Commercial machines often require more expertise due to their complexity.

Can you provide an estimate for repairs or maintenance? It’s always good to get an idea of the cost before committing.

Are you insured? Make sure the engineer is insured in case of any mishaps during the repair process.

Do you offer warranties on your work? A warranty ensures that if the issue recurs after repair, you won’t have to pay again.

Conclusion

Finding a reliable coffee machine engineer near you is essential to keeping your coffee machine in top shape, whether it’s a personal espresso maker or a commercial-grade machine. By doing some research, asking the right questions, and trusting experienced professionals, you can ensure your coffee machine stays in excellent working condition for years to come. Keep in mind that regular maintenance can often prevent costly repairs, so it’s always wise to schedule routine checkups to prolong the life of your machine.

Whether you need immediate repairs or just want to keep your machine running smoothly, don’t hesitate to contact a local expert to keep your coffee experience perfect.

2/2

4o mini

O

[msbarrows]

Okay, this was going to be a tag essay, but the tags kept being too long and it would have taken more than twenty of them, so f- it, full essay it is.

I cannot see the name "Mike Harris" and any words about transit in Toronto without losing my shit. Like yes, I know this article is about current problems due to Uber (and thank god Olivia is in, as someone who spent most of my years in Toronto living adjacent to and then in her neighbourhood, she is fantastic), but I was actually working for the TTC in the Engineering & Design Department as a receptionist/admin assistant (initially as a temp placement and then on contract for a few years) during the end of the Let's Move program, so this is a red button issue for me.

That *there are not enough expletives* asshole cancelled plans that were literal decades in the making and millions of dollars of investment in design, approvals, etc. for lines that would be in use today, alleviating so many of the traffic problems the streets and the existing transit lines have. IIRC the furthest out planning at that point was an estimated end of construction by 2012, which I think was for the subway line running west under Eglington all the way out to the airport (it's been 30-ish years the details are fuzzy now - though I very clearly remember that they had actually imported the boring machine for it, and had it down the hole and digging started at the point the Toejam In Chief cancelled everything).

Out of everything that was allowed to continue, there were only three projects - one station on the west University line (Finch West, which was already nearing completion), the new transit control centre (which was desperately needed, they had people ransacking junk stores across North America to find the vacuum tubes to keep the old one running - no I am not joking, it was that badly out of date), and the Sheppard line, which was meant to be eventually extended much further east beyond the initial section being built. (Say what you will about Mel Lastman, he at least fought for his constituents' best interests, and saw to it that the Sheppard line was not outright cancelled as well.)

So now Toronto has transit that is horrifically short of being able to move the kind of population it needs to, and has several times been forced to compromise and build "LRT" lines (aka dedicated streetcar lines) instead of new subway lines, because building a new subway line is expensive and takes time, and politicians tend to care more about short-term costs than long term infrastructure investment. Unless of course it's an f-ing multi-lane highway which eats up many more times the space required than any variety of improved train access (above or below ground) would, and sucks up vast amounts of money to maintain, but can be flogged off to their corporate buddies to profit off of (no I'm not bitter about the toll highway in the least, why do you ask).

I am glad that mass transit has again become something that Toronto and the various levels of government are improving, and that improvements and expansions of the transit system are ongoing. There's nothing like a stint in the budgeting arm of the maintenance department (where I also worked on contract for a while) to make you horrifically aware of just how dangerously underfunded and precariously maintained a lot of the system was back then. Like stuff still in use decades beyond its expected end-of-life year, and sometimes only still in use because the TTC's machine shops were manufacturing replacement parts themselves. Because doing a planned replacement of something would have come out of the city budget, iirc, but emergency repair was from a provincial fund, so why not pass the buck. Even if the emergency repair cost more, the equipment was arguably unsafe, and it was not a sustainable practice in the long term.

Politicians. Ugh. (See also: why I am a life-long anti-conservative).

Lies, damned lies, and Uber

I'm on tour with my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me TONIGHT in PHOENIX (Changing Hands, Feb 29) then Tucson (Mar 10-11), San Francisco (Mar 13), and more!

Uber lies about everything, especially money. Oh, and labour. Especially labour. And geometry. Especially geometry! But especially especially money. They constantly lie about money.

Uber are virtuosos of mendacity, but in Toronto, the company has attained a heretofore unseen hat-trick: they told a single lie that is dramatically, materially untruthful about money, labour and geometry! It's an achievement for the ages.

Here's how they did it.

For several decades, Toronto has been clobbered by the misrule of a series of far-right, clownish mayors. This was the result of former Ontario Premier Mike Harris's great gerrymander of 1998, when the city of Toronto was amalgamated with its car-dependent suburbs. This set the tone for the next quarter-century, as these outlying regions – utterly dependent on Toronto for core economic activity and massive subsidies to pay the unsustainable utility and infrastructure bills for sprawling neighborhoods of single-family homes – proceeded to gut the city they relied on.

These "conservative" mayors – the philanderer, the crackhead, the sexual predator – turned the city into a corporate playground, swapping public housing and rent controls for out-of-control real-estate speculation and trading out some of the world's best transit for total car-dependency. As part of that decay, the city rolled out the red carpet for Uber, allowing the company to put as many unlicensed taxis as they wanted on the city's streets.

Now, it's hard to overstate the dire traffic situation in Toronto. Years of neglect and underinvestment in both the roads and the transit system have left both in a state of near collapse and it's not uncommon for multiple, consecutive main arteries to shut down without notice for weeks, months, or, in a few cases, years. The proliferation of Ubers on the road – driven by desperate people trying to survive the city's cost-of-living catastrophe – has only exacerbated this problem.

Uber, of course, would dispute this. The company insists – despite all common sense and peer-reviewed research – that adding more cars to the streets alleviates traffic. This is easily disproved: there just isn't any way to swap buses, streetcars, and subways for cars. The road space needed for all those single-occupancy cars pushes everything further apart, which means we need more cars, which means more roads, which means more distance between things, and so on.

It is an undeniable fact that geometry hates cars. But geometry loathes Uber. Because Ubers have all the problems of single-occupancy vehicles, and then they have the separate problem that they just end up circling idly around the city's streets, waiting for a rider. The more Ubers there are on the road, the longer each car ends up waiting for a passenger:

https://www.sfgate.com/technology/article/Uber-Lyft-San-Francisco-pros-cons-ride-hailing-13841277.php

Anything that can't go on forever eventually stops. After years of bumbling-to-sinister municipal rule, Toronto finally reclaimed its political power and voted in a new mayor, Olivia Chow, a progressive of long tenure and great standing (I used to ring doorbells for her when she was campaigning for her city council seat). Mayor Chow announced that she was going to reclaim the city's prerogative to limit the number of Ubers on the road, ending the period of Uber's "self-regulation."

Uber, naturally, lost its shit. The company claims to be more than a (geometrically impossible) provider of convenient transportation for Torontonians, but also a provider of good jobs for working people. And to prove it, the company has promised to pay its drivers "120% of minimum wage." As I write for Ricochet, that's a whopper, even by Uber's standards:

https://ricochet.media/en/4039/uber-is-lying-again-the-company-has-no-intention-of-paying-drivers-a-living-wage

Here's the thing: Uber is only proposing to pay 120% of the minimum wage while drivers have a passenger in the vehicle. And with the number of vehicles Uber wants on the road, most drivers will be earning nothing most of the time. Factor in that unpaid time, as well as expenses for vehicles, and the average Toronto Uber driver stands to make $2.50 per hour (Canadian):

https://ridefair.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Legislated-Poverty.pdf

Now, Uber's told a lot of lies over the years. Right from the start, the company implicitly lied about what it cost to provide an Uber. For its first 12 years, Uber lost $0.41 on every dollar it brought in, lighting tens of billions in investment capital provided by the Saudi royals on fire in an effort to bankrupt rival transportation firms and disinvestment in municipal transit.

Uber then lied to retail investors about the business-case for buying its stock so that the House of Saud and other early investors could unload their stock. Uber claimed that they were on the verge of producing a self-driving car that would allow them to get rid of drivers, zero out their wage bill, and finally turn a profit. The company spent $2.5b on this, making it the most expensive Big Store in the history of cons:

https://www.theinformation.com/articles/infighting-busywork-missed-warnings-how-uber-wasted-2-5-billion-on-self-driving-cars

After years, Uber produced a "self-driving car" that could travel one half of one American mile before experiencing a potentially lethal collision. Uber quietly paid another company $400m to take this disaster off its hands:

https://www.economist.com/business/2020/12/10/why-is-uber-selling-its-autonomous-vehicle-division

The self-driving car lie was tied up in another lie – that somehow, automation could triumph over geometry. Robocabs, we were told, would travel in formations so tight that they would finally end the Red Queen's Race of more cars – more roads – more distance – more cars. That lie wormed its way into the company's IPO prospectus, which promised retail investors that profitability lay in replacing every journey – by car, cab, bike, bus, tram or train – with an Uber ride:

https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1RN2SK/

The company has been bleeding out money ever since – though you wouldn't know it by looking at its investor disclosures. Every quarter, Uber trumpets that it has finally become profitable, and every quarter, Hubert Horan dissects its balance sheets to find the accounting trick the company thought of this time. There was one quarter where Uber declared profitability by marking up the value of stock it held in Uber-like companies in other countries.

How did it get this stock? Well, Uber tried to run a business in those countries and it was such a total disaster that they had to flee the country, selling their business to a failing domestic competitor in exchange for stock in its collapsing business. Naturally, there's no market for this stock, which, in Uber-land, means you can assign any value you want to it. So that one quarter, Uber just asserted that the stock had shot up in value and voila, profit!

https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2022/02/hubert-horan-can-uber-ever-deliver-part-twenty-nine-despite-massive-price-increases-uber-losses-top-31-billion.html

But all of those lies are as nothing to the whopper that Uber is trying to sell to Torontonians by blanketing the city in ads: the lie that by paying drivers $2.50/hour to fill the streets with more single-occupancy cars, they will turn a profit, reduce the city's traffic, and provide good jobs. Uber says it can vanquish geometry, economics and working poverty with the awesome power of narrative.

In other words, it's taking Toronto for a bunch of suckers.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/29/geometry-hates-uber/#toronto-the-gullible

Image: Rob Sinclair (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Night_skyline_of_Toronto_May_2009.jpg

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

[most-informational-blogs]

How Technology Is Transforming the Car Repair Industry

The car repair industry has seen remarkable advancements in recent years, thanks to rapid technological developments. For Australian car owners, finding reliable services like car repairs near me or a trusted auto mechanic near me has never been easier. Let’s delve into how technology is revolutionising the industry and making car maintenance more efficient, cost-effective, and accessible.

1. Digital Diagnostics: Faster and More Accurate

One of the most significant technological transformations in car repairs is the use of digital diagnostic tools. These devices can quickly identify issues with a vehicle’s engine, brakes, or air conditioning systems. For instance, if you’re looking for car brakes repair or car air conditioning repair, modern mechanics can use diagnostic scanners to pinpoint problems accurately, reducing repair time and costs.

Benefits:

Eliminates guesswork, ensuring precise repairs.

Saves time for both mechanics and customers.

Reduces overall car service cost by avoiding unnecessary repairs.

2. Mobile Apps: Convenience at Your Fingertips

The rise of mobile apps has simplified the process of locating reliable car repair services. Whether you’re searching for car service Melbourne or need an auto mechanic near me while on the go, these apps connect users to local workshops, provide customer reviews, and even allow online bookings.

Popular Features:

Real-time quotes for car service costs.

Booking appointments with just a few clicks.

Maintenance reminders for tasks like DIY car maintenance or professional servicing.

3. AI and Machine Learning: Predictive Maintenance

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a pivotal role in the car repair industry. AI-powered systems can analyse a vehicle’s performance and predict potential failures before they occur. For example, an AI system might alert you about the need for car brakes repair or car air conditioning repair based on your driving habits and vehicle data.

How It Helps:

Prevents breakdowns by addressing issues proactively.

Extends the lifespan of your car.

Reduces the frequency of costly emergency repairs.

4. Electric and Hybrid Vehicles: Specialised Repairs

With the growing popularity of electric and hybrid vehicles, car mechanics in Melbourne and across Australia are undergoing specialised training. These vehicles require unique tools and techniques for repairs, from battery diagnostics to electric motor maintenance.

Key Impacts:

Dedicated workshops for electric and hybrid cars.

Enhanced focus on eco-friendly repair solutions.

Reduced emissions during repairs, aligning with Australia’s environmental goals.

5. Augmented Reality (AR): Training and Repairs

Augmented reality is transforming how mechanics learn and perform repairs. AR overlays digital information onto real-world objects, enabling mechanics to visualise the inner workings of a vehicle. For instance, a mechanic working on a car brakes repair can use AR goggles to view a step-by-step guide while performing the task.

Advantages:

Improves the skillset of mechanics.

Reduces repair errors.

Speeds up complex repair processes.

6. 3D Printing: Revolutionising Spare Parts

3D printing technology is making waves in the auto repair industry by enabling on-demand manufacturing of spare parts. Instead of waiting weeks for a specific component to arrive, mechanics can now 3D print parts on-site, significantly reducing repair times.

Applications:

Customised parts for older or rare models.

Faster repairs for critical components like brakes and air conditioning.

Lower overall car service cost due to reduced supply chain expenses.

7. Telematics: Remote Monitoring and Assistance

Telematics systems collect data from a vehicle and transmit it to a repair shop or app. This technology is particularly useful for fleet management and individual car owners. For example, if your vehicle’s air conditioning system is failing, telematics can alert a mechanic before you even notice the problem.

Benefits:

Real-time monitoring of vehicle performance.

Immediate alerts for potential issues.

Streamlined service scheduling.

8. Online Learning for DIY Car Maintenance

For Australians who enjoy DIY car maintenance, technology has made it easier than ever to learn new skills. Online tutorials, video guides, and virtual workshops provide step-by-step instructions for basic repairs and maintenance.

Common DIY Tasks:

Replacing air filters.

Checking and topping up fluids.

Basic brake pad replacements.

While DIY maintenance can save money, it’s crucial to know when to seek professional help for tasks like car air conditioning repair or complex engine diagnostics.

9. Eco-Friendly Practices: A Greener Future

Technology is also driving eco-friendly initiatives in the car repair industry. Workshops in Melbourne and other parts of Australia are adopting sustainable practices, such as recycling parts, using energy-efficient tools, and offering eco-friendly repair options.

Impact:

Reduces the environmental footprint of car repairs.

Promotes sustainable practices among car owners.

Aligns with Australia’s focus on reducing waste and emissions.

Conclusion

Technology has undeniably transformed the car repair industry, making services faster, more accurate, and convenient for Australian car owners. Whether you’re searching for car repairs near me, scheduling a car service Melbourne, or exploring DIY car maintenance, these advancements ensure a seamless and efficient experience. As the industry continues to evolve, staying informed about the latest trends will help you make the best choices for your vehicle’s care.

[protechmechanic]

Mobile Mechanic Services for Your Needs

Finding a trustworthy and easily available technician might be difficult when your car breaks down or calls for repairs. Luckily, nearness to mobile auto service providers is changing our method to vehicle maintenance. These services save you time and effort by delivery qualified mechanics right to your house. Whether your need is routine maintenance or an unexpected problem, a mobile auto service near me provides professional treatment without the trouble of visiting a conventional garage. Finding help for auto service is just a phone away with choices like 24/7 mobile mechanic services.

Mobile auto service is what?

Mobile auto service near me offers vehicle repairs and maintenance on the go help. This is a creative solution that replaces the need of time-consuming visits to a repair service shop or tow of your car. From engine problems to brake replacements, mobile mechanics arrive completely ready with tools and knowledge to analyze and solve a wide range of problems. Particularly when you're stuck on the road or at home, mobile auto services provide a great accessibility. Looking for a mobile mechanic near me can help you to interact with knowledgeable experts that value fast and effective service, so you can resume your drive.

Mobile Car Service Close By- Doorstop Regular Maintenance

A mobile auto service near me changes everything for regular maintenance. These services are accessible of your drive way, they address routine maintenance tasks including battery replacements, tire rotations, and oil changes. Having a mobile auto service near me lets you stop modifying your hectic schedule to fit vehicle maintenance. These provides at-home service so you can concentrate on your day while qualified experts carefully service your car.

Mobile Car Mechanic Near Me- Complete Repairs Anywhere

Mobile car repair close by provides the same quality of service as a conventional garage. The machinic are skilled in diagnosing and fixing a range of problems, including electrical problems, cooling system failures, and suspension repairs. Choosing a mobile car technician close by offers the advantage of giving full attention to your car. Many times, mechanics accurately describe the fixes to guarantee openness and confidence. When handling complex problems or critical breakdowns requiring quick attention, this service is very helpful.

24/7 Mobile Mechanic: Emergency Assistance Anytime

Regular office hours may not usually match with vehicle issues so, a 24/7 mobile mechanic is quite helpful in such cases. Available day and night, these services offer round the clock help for issues such as dead batteries, flat tires, or engine works. Long-distance visitors or those who depend on their vehicles for business will find a 24/7 mobile mechanic very helpful. 

Why Use Mobile Auto Services?

Busy people and families would find great value in the flexibility and convenience of mobile auto service near-by. They costing less than conventional repair shops, these services save time and help to lower stress. Whether it's regular maintenance or an emergency repair, choose a mobile mechanic close by guarantees top notional service provided to your particular needs. Vehicle care simpler with options like 24/7 mobile mechanic.