#Fitness Gadgets 2024

[techtoio]

Best Fitness Gadgets to Boost Your Workout Routine

Introduction

Staying fit and healthy has never been more important, and with the right fitness gadgets, you can take your workout routine to the next level. These innovative devices not only help you track your progress but also keep you motivated and engaged. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best fitness gadgets available today, how they work, and why they might be the perfect addition to your fitness arsenal. Read to continue link

[gofitnesspro]

Top Fitness Trends You Need to Know in 2024

Top Fitness Trends: The fitness industry continues to evolve, with new trends emerging every year. Here are the top fitness trends you need to know in 2024: Hybrid Fitness Models Combining online and in-person workouts, hybrid fitness models offer the flexibility of home workouts with the social and motivational benefits of group classes. Integrated Online and In-Person Classes Flexibility:…

[justposting1]

Health and Wellness: Finding Fitness Inspiration for a Stronger, Happier You

In a world filled with busy schedules, sedentary lifestyles, and endless digital distractions, making time for health and fitness can be challenging. Yet, maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle is one of the most powerful ways to improve both physical and mental well-being. Whether you’re just starting out or need a boost of motivation to continue your fitness journey, this article will guide…

[techdriveplay]

2024 Father’s Day Ultimate Gift Guide for Every Type of Dad

Father’s Day is just around the corner, and finding the perfect gift to celebrate the special dad in your life can be a challenge. Whether he’s a whiskey connoisseur, a tech enthusiast, or a fan of outdoor adventures, there’s something out there that will make his day extra special. In this TDP Father’s Day Gift Guide, we’ve curated a selection of top-tier gifts that cater to every type of dad,…

[healthfitness10]

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Thinking the unthinkable

On SEPTEMBER 24th, I'll be speaking IN PERSON at the BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY!

Time and again, I find myself thinking about radium suppositories: specifically, I get to thinking about the day that the consensus shifted from "radium suppositories are great" to "stop putting radioisotopes up your ass."

The thing is, people really liked radium-based quack remedies. They drank radium-infused water, smeared radium cream on their faces and bodies, and yes, rammed radium suppositories up their assholes:

https://maximumfun.org/episodes/sawbones/radium-girls/

The fact that this made whatever ailed you sicker didn't deter the radium true believers: if you're getting sicker, then you must need more radium.

When I think about the debate over radium, I imagine that the people who understood that radium was really bad for you must have run up against critics who told them they were being unreasonable. "You can't tell people to stop using radium. Tell them to use suppositories with less radium. Tell them to use them less frequently. But you can't just tell people, 'stop putting radium up your asshole.' They won't take you seriously."

About 20 years ago, I started pitching various institutions that reviewed consumer tech policy on the idea that they should reject any product that had DRM. After all, DRM didn't just restrict how you used a gadget today, it provided a facility for nonconsensually, irreversibly field-updating that gadget to add new restrictions tomorrow. How could a reviewer in good conscience say, "Go ahead and buy this device if you need this feature," if they knew that at any time in the future, the gadget's maker could take that feature away and leave the buyer with no recourse?

Here's the warning I (half-seriously) suggested magazines run alongside such products:

WARNING: THIS DEVICE’S FEATURES ARE SUBJECT TO REVOCATION WITHOUT NOTICE, ACCORDING TO TERMS SET OUT IN SECRET NEGOTIATIONS. YOUR INVESTMENT IS CONTINGENT ON THE GOODWILL OF THE WORLD’S MOST PARANOID, TECHNOPHOBIC ENTERTAINMENT EXECS. THIS DEVICE AND DEVICES LIKE IT ARE TYPICALLY USED TO CHARGE YOU FOR THINGS YOU USED TO GET FOR FREE — BE SURE TO FACTOR IN THE PRICE OF BUYING ALL YOUR MEDIA OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AT NO TIME IN HISTORY HAS ANY ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY GOTTEN A SWEET DEAL LIKE THIS FROM THE ELECTRONICS PEOPLE, BUT THIS TIME THEY’RE GETTING A TOTAL WALK. HERE, PUT THIS IN YOUR MOUTH, IT’LL MUFFLE YOUR WHIMPERS.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/12/08/playstationed/#tyler-james-hill

No one took me up on my offer. Over and over again, magazine editors, managers of nonprofit review outlets, and indie gadget reviewers told me that it was unrealistic to publish a roundup of, say, this year's portable music players with the recommendation, "Just don't buy any of these. None of them are fit for purpose."

In other words: No one wanted to publish, "The correct amount of radium to stuff up your asshole is zero."

But the correct amount of rectal radium for you to administer is "none" and the correct car for you to buy today is none of the cars:

https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/privacynotincluded/articles/its-official-cars-are-the-worst-product-category-we-have-ever-reviewed-for-privacy/

This isn't the first time the correct automotive recommendation was "don't buy any of these cars." Back before seatbelts came standard in cars, the correct car was "don't buy a car." Sometimes, the correct answer is "none of the above." Even if that makes you sound unserious, the alternative is that you counsel people to put radium up their asses in a bid to seem "reasonable."

Today, DRM-infected products are routinely downgraded and bricked:

https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/5/24236237/ftc-software-tethering-letter-consumer-reports-ifixit

Even when companies face public uproar over these disastrous decisions and vow to reverse them, they can't, because these downgrades are one way:

https://www.stereocheck.com/news/music/unfortunately-you-cant-revert-to-the-old-sonos-app-anymore/

That's bad enough when it's your smart speakers, but what about when the company bricks your wheelchair:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/06/when-drm-comes-your-wheelchair

Or your $100,000 exoskeleton:

https://paulickreport.com/news/people/paralyzed-jockey-michael-straight-wants-to-keep-walking-but-manufacturer-wont-repair-exoskeleton

The reality is that we're living at the end of a catastrophic experiment in deregulation and its handmaidens, corruption and regulatory capture, and there are lots of "normal" things that we just need to stop doing. Not do less of them – just stop.

Like, the correct amount of collusion between realtors representing sellers and realtors representing buyers is zero:

https://www.latimes.com/business/real-estate/story/2024-03-19/realtor-rules-just-changed-dramatically-heres-what-buyers-and-sellers-can-expect

We got that one right, but there's plenty more that we're still engaged in this pathetic, denialist bargaining over. What's the correct degree to which White House officials should cycle back into working at the industries they oversaw? Zero. How many times should such a person come back to work at the White House? Again: zero:

https://prospect.org/power/2024-09-19-next-administration-can-stop-ethics-scandals/

When the Biden admin dropped its executive order on ethics just hours after the inauguration, they trumpeted that it "went further than any other towards slowing the revolving door and limiting conflicts of interest while in office":

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-ethics-commitments-by-executive-branch-personnel/

And it did. But it was also full of loopholes, because banning these conflicts of interest altogether was viewed as politically unserious, so the correct amount of radium up the administration's asshole was set at non-zero. The result? Well, it's about what you'd expect:

https://therevolvingdoorproject.org/what-the-hell-is-anita-dunn-even-allowed-to-work-on/

Congress hasn't updated consumer privacy law since 1988, when it took the bold step of…banning video-store clerks from telling the newspapers which VHS cassettes you took home. Since then, a coalition of commercial surveillance companies and the cops and spies who treat their data-lakes as massive, off-the-books anaerobic lagoons of warrantless surveillance data has prevented the passage of any new privacy protections for Americans.

The result? Stalkers, creeps, spies (both governmental and corporate), identity thieves, spearphishers and other villainous scum are running wild, endangering every American's financial, physical and political wellbeing. The correct amount of commercial data-brokerage for America is zero:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/12/06/privacy-first/#but-not-just-privacy

In other words, we should order every data-broker, every tech giant, every consumer electronics company and app vendor to delete all their surveillance data. All of it. The correct amount of radium in that asshole is – as with every other orifice zero:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/08/07/revealed-preferences/#extinguish-v-improve

From the perspective of the radium pitchmen, the most shocking thing about the past four years has been antitrust enforcers – like Lina Khan, Rohit Chopra, and Jonathan Kanter – who refused to bargain about how much radium we needed to stick up our butts. Fearless of being branded as "unserious" and "unreasonable," they seriously, reasonably said the right amount is none, actually.

None. Which is why they're so mad at Khan and co. Which is why they're so bent on getting Kamala Harris to fire Khan – despite the fact that this would burn precious political capital in the senate. Some people just love the feeling they get from a radium suppository – especially the suppository salesmen:

https://prospect.org/politics/2024-09-19-lina-khan-doesnt-need-to-be-confirmed-again/

The paperback edition of The Lost Cause, my nationally bestselling, hopeful solarpunk novel is out this month!

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/2024/09/19/just-stop-putting-that-up-your-ass/#harm-reduction/a>

Image: Museum of the Health Sciences https://www.uab.edu/amhs/

[nanamis-bigtie]

lucid love

↬ kinktober 2024 x voting event | round 2 | masterlist

cw: fantasy elements in modern setting, smut, sexual dreams, fictional stimulants, reader with a vagina, BDSM & dark themes present in some rounds, aged up characters available as options in some votings, further warnings vary by story summary: after having a taste of your first lucid love, you return to potionary in hopes for another thrilling experience a/n: wow, thank you so much for a warm welcome to lucid love! your tags gave me inspiration to power through illness and proceed with event, not giving in to the delay 😤 tag list: @thesacredfanfics

You've apparently been expected as Shoko's eyes are fixed on you as soon as the ring announces your arrival.

"I knew you'll be back soon," she doesn't bother to stub her cigarette this time. Thick smoke swirls around her and over the counter, filling your nostrils with a deep scent of cherries.

Another magical gadget, tobacco replaced with a potion imitating its effects without the poignant side effects.

"Was it good?" She investigates, her eyes narrowing much like cat's as she studies your expression. Your cheeks prick under the intensity of her gaze; you bet she could turn even the most stoic person into a flustered mess, if she only wanted to.

"Very good." You don't want to reveal too much but she's not pressing further, instead pulling the same thick binder from under the counter.

"Are we staying in the same collection or maybe you've decided on something…more particular?" She's teasing you, a shadow of smirk dancing on her lips as she's pulling at her cigarette. 

"I'll throw myself on your mercy again."

"You're my favorite kind of customer, you know? Let's see…"

A set of three leaflets is presented to you again.

"They're from various lines but they're aiming for a similar vibe as what you've tried. They're our bestsellers. And this one—" She taps one of them with a faint smirk. "—I can recommend myself. But the other two are as good, I can promise, don't imprint on me too much."

There are 45 prompt & character(s) combos divided into 15 votings, 3 options to choose from per each round. Option with the highest number of votes wins. Themes vary, from very vanilla, through kink and fetishes, towards dark content and monsterfucking. Everyone will (hopefully) find something for themself 😤

If you don't want to miss fic posting time and next votings, you can ask to be added to a tag list! I'll try to keep more or less the same time of publication (so, 3pm CET) but I can't promise I will always fit there.

[iceclew]

Did I spent all my f*cking free time and last week on drawing like a mad man? Yes I did. Was is Kaiju OC ref sheets only? Yes it was. And did I draw not one, not two, not three but actually four at a time? Yes I did.

Detailed Ref sheets of the Queens Squad below let's gooooo ... ᕕ(⌐■_■)ᕗ

I'm gonna show you in the order I drew it, you may realize I did change the style a bit. And they don't have surnames, I just gave 'em a random letter., lol

y/o = Char is .... years old y/o.s. in D.F. = .... years of service in Defence Force C.P. (w/#7)= Combat Power (with No 7 weapon equipped)

Meggiiiee :o She's a char I came up with in...like 2015 ╥﹏╥ (I'm old) and it was a char in the Legend of Korra-Universe. I sorta transferred her story into the kaiju-verse, and well... I love her a lot :D Also not me struggling with drawing guns/sniper rifles ... :) I wanted to give her a cool gadget but messed up xD Her name wasn't Megumi at first, but I had to change it to fit the japanese Kaiju-verse.

Anouk aka. Anu-chan :3 Yeah, also LOK-verse. She's from 2012 ಥ_ಥ (I'm oooold). Used to be a ice/waterbender, but I redid her skillset completely.. I just didn't feel it in this verse. She should get a special prompt too, but I forgot didn't do that as well :)

Panpanpan :O Pan is the oldest OC, but at the same time the newest I came up with (early 2024). I feel like OCs very often do have at least a little resembles with yourself, whether it's looks or personality. Pan is the character who most resembles me in both :D (very much because it's the newest, lol) But she's a bit over the top nice.

Kari ma gurl c: It's so weird, but I sorta forgot most of my OC's names... ╭( ๐ _๐)╮I mean Pan didn't have a name at first, and for the rest of 'em I had to look up old files, older work on dA and so on.. I hope I am right with 'Kari', I literally am not sure anymore :D Also a char I did early 2024, and it was initially for the BNHA-verse.

*struggles to find more words*

uuh... well... I'mma leave this here now..( 〃．．)

[seo-julie]

Natsu Kanna - The Child Mechanical God Ep 2

Characters: Kanna, Makoto, Keito, Kanata Release: 25/7/2024 Proofreading: leen Translation: seo-julie

Season: Spring Location: Seisoukan courtyard

✧

Kanna: Sigh… Senpai, you don't know anything, do you?

This is the latest sleeping device I developed, and I call it “Sleep Peacefully Anywhere-kun”.

Keito: What's with that name? It sounds something like that of an unsuccessful comedian's name.

Makoto: (Hasumi-senpai, your straight man¹ act is prompt and precise… I need to learn a thing or two from you.)

Kanna: The name doesn't matter. It's not like I'm the one naming it. 

Based on the latest ergonomics research, this bed is perfectly constructed so that anyone can get a good night's sleep instantly.

In addition, there is also a function that increases the effectiveness of recovering from fatigue by several dozen times. If you doubt it, would you like to give it a try?

It seems like both of you couldn't sleep, just like me. If you use “Sleepy-kun (abbreviation)”, then you'd be in a dream in no time. 

Makoto: Ah, I might be a little interested.

Hehe. I buy all those latest gadgets even when I'll probably use them only once and then throw them into the closet.

Kanna: As long as there are such curious customers, my job will not disappear.

Makoto: Job? If you're at Seisoukan, doesn't that mean you're an idol as well?

Kanna: For the time being, yes. But my main job is something else.

Kanna: Calling myself an inventor might sound shady, but that’s what I do. 

Makoto: Ah, I think I've heard of it somewhere. I see, you're that "Deus Ex Machina²", aren't you?

Keito: What is with that name? It sounds like a name made up by someone with chuunibyou. 

Makoto: (As expected! Your straight man act is so good, please let me call you master!)

Keito: Why are you looking at me with such sparkling eyes…?

Kanna: I didn't come up with that nickname for myself. "Deus Ex Machina" is not a very promising name. 

Keito: A mechanical god…? Are you actually an ingeniously crafted robot that looks like a human?

Makoto: Ahaha, he does give off that same vibe.

Kanna: …People often said that.

Anyways. Everyone, why don't you try using this bed for a while?

As an apology for causing you both concern, I'll give you two a good night's sleep.

Makoto: Ah, as I said earlier, I'm interested~♪ Do I just lie down here? And sleep peacefully until morning?

Keito: H-hey, wait, Yuuki, don't be so careless now–

Kanna: Alright.

Keito: Woah!?

(W-what? I was suddenly pushed from behind…!?)

Makoto: W-whaa, please don't crash on me, Hasumi-senpai! This bed was probably made to fit only one person!?

Kanna: –Good night, seniors.

Please sleep in peace. This way, you'll forget all the troubles of reality.

Location: Makoto's Dorm

Makoto: ……

(Ah, huh? I, was I sleeping? Was it all just a dream?)

(That was such a strange dream… But, yeah, it had to be a dream. It was so unrealistic.)

(I had a weird conversation with a weird kid under the moonlight. It's a dream, and no matter who you talk to, they'll all say, 'So what?' Such a trivial story.)

Ahaha. I must be having all these unrealistic dreams because I play these games all the time. Stop having weird delusions, I need to face reality–

Keito: Yuuki! Are you there?

Makoto: W-whoa, what a surprise!? H-Hasumi-senpai? Is there anything I can help you with?

Keito: Do you remember what happened last night?

Makoto: Yes?

Keito: I wonder if that was a dream after all… A dream is a dream, my memory is getting hazy and I can't remember much anymore.

Didn't we see a strange machine and child last night? 

Makoto: Um… No but, it was a dream, right? But, huh, did Hasumi-senpai have the same dream as well?

Location: Seisoukan courtyard

Kanna: …

(Sigh~... Looks like by interfering with their cranial nerves, I was able to erase their memories, but it seems like there was something I forgot to subtly erase.)

(Not yet, it's not yet perfect.)

(If the results are lower than what the developer expected, if the product does not perform the desired functions, then it is an utter failure…)

(...Just like me.)

(Commercialization would be difficult. There's still room for improvement.)

Kanata: Hm~m h~m?

Kanna: Is there something troubling you?

Kanata: ? Yes, well, you know, I like taking “cold baths³”. But this, “season” is a bit too cold and I'm afraid I might catch a “cold”–

Kanna: I see. Well then, why don't you try this invention.

This is called, “Kettle that Makes Everything Hot-kun”.

(Humans find things that are alike in only appearance to be ominous.)

(This uncanny feeling… Even so, I too want to overcome it.)

(I'm…)

(Not… a machine.)

Kanata: ? What's wrong~?

Kanna: No… Sorry, it malfunctions sometimes.

Kanna: (As of this moment, not yet.)

(But, I'm sure someday...)

¹ The original word used for this was “tsukkomi”. It's from what I think is a troupe(?) known as boke and tsukkomi. Boke and tsukkomi are loosely equivalent to the roles of "funny man" or "comic" (boke) and "straight man" (tsukkomi) in the comedy duos of western culture. Which is why I have opted to use straight man for the tl. ² Deus ex machina is a Latin calque from Greek ἀπὸ μηχανῆς θεός (apò mēkhanês theós) “god from the machine”. The term was coined from the conventions of ancient Greek theater, where actors who were playing gods were brought on stage using a machine. ³ The original word used was “mizuabi” which literally translates to “bathing in cold water”.

Directory

[sparrowsong-7]

Character Dump Time!

Figured I'd keep an up to date primer on all my OCs, since some of their details have changed.

(Updated as of 10/13/2024)

Ayami Ami (formerly Ayami Tsukimori)

Age: 22 (post EW)

Race: Lala Ra (half Lalafell, half Au Ra)

Pronouns: She/Her

Gender: Trans Woman

Jobs: Black Mage, Red Mage, Summoner, Pictomancer, Reaper, Samurai

Born as an Au Ra to the Tsukimori Family, Ayami had a rather rough childhood, something that reached a head when she ran away from her home at the tender age of 11. Her lonesome journey took her to Ul'Dah, where she'd live on the streets until Cocobuki of the Thaumaturge's Guild took pity on the girl, bringing her inside and changing her life forever. Eventually she would hear the call of adventure and set out with her best friend Mel in search of glory.

Throughout her journey, Ayami has gone from a meek, unassuming adventure to a veritable force of nature. She would also transform from an awkward Au Ra to a confident Lalafell thanks to a rather potent Fantasia. Rather than seeking fame and fortune, Ayami instead used her new form to fake her death, leading the world to believe that Ayami Tsukimori perished during the Final Days.

Now going by the name Ayami Ami, she wanders where her heart may take her, taking in the sights and knowledge that she stumbles across.

Memello Mello

Age: 25 (post EW)

Race: Dunesfolk Lalafell

Pronouns: She/Her

Gender: Cis Woman

Jobs: Machinist, Gunbreaker, Dark Knight

A Sharlayan runaway, Memello (often simply Mel) grew up as a magitek prodigy in a family that had no care for the machines. In a fit of desperation, frustration, and fear Mel stole as many supplies and gadgets as she could from a gleaner store house and caught the quickest boat to Eorzea, hoping to start a new life using her skills. While Mel had nothing to her name her prowess made waves that would soon reach the ears of one Cid Garlond, who would quickly offer the young girl a job at the Garlond Ironworks.

She would eventually cross paths with Ayami Tsukimori, irrevocably changing the course of both their lives. Some years later, they would set out together in search of adventure, hoping to strike it big. What they never expected was to be recruited to the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, eventually becoming Warriors of Light.

Unfortunately, after Zenos took her leg and her confidence in their climactic battle at the edge of existence, Mel was left unable to continue her adventuring. This, followed by the loss of her love Crescent, Mel spiraled into a deep depression, one that she had only recently recovered from.

Crescent Sparrowsong

Age: 20 (?)

Race: Elezen, Doll

Pronouns: They/them

Gender: Non-Binary

Jobs: Reaper, Paladin

Born to the Seventh Epopt of Troia 20 years before the Flood of Darkness, Crescent was seen as an enigma by their people. Eschewing from the traditional norms of Troian society, Crescent instead took up the blade, spending their life training to one day lead Troia's military. That day eventually came, and with it the Contramemoria...

When the dust had settled and the world was consumed, Crescent took to floating aimlessly in the abyss of their world, their memories slowly fading until one day they stumbled upon a void gate with a voice that beckoned them forward; Hear, Feel, Think

Crescent would find themself in the snows of Coerthas, body formed back into its original shape. From there, they would attempt to pick up the pieces and figure out just where they were and how they wound up here.

Years later they would fall to a great foe, seemingly leaving the mortal coil. In truth, a portion of their essence remained tethered to Ayami, allowing them to live on as a spirit. In time, through the combined efforts of Corin, Mel, and the Scions, Crescent's soul was tied to a custom Doll body, allowing them a second chance at a true life.

L'vinia "Fay"

Age: 1500+

Race: Doll

Pronouns: It/Its

Gender: Ungendered (Doll)

Jobs: Machinist*

*L'vinia doesn't fall under the standard job umbrella, drifting closer to being a gunslinger than a machinist.

Dormant for over 1500 years, L'vinia was discovered by an expedition team in the ruins of a Amdapori fringe town just on the outskirts of the Twelves Wood. Its dormant body transferred hands countless time as a curiosity before winding up in the hands of the Seedseers of Gridania. There it would remain until its body came into direct contact with Ayami, stirring L'vinia to life once more.

Once obedient to a fault, L'vinia was freed from the enchantment placed upon it by its former master with the help of Ayami and Cait Sith. Now truly free for the first time in its life, L'vinia chose to steal a Manacutter and fly off to parts unknown, leaving only a note begging its former friends not to follow. Where it's been all this time is a mystery to everyone, though talk has been spreading in Shaaloani of an unkillable gunman who bears a striking resemblance to the wayward Doll...

Corin "Fay"

Age: 27

Race: Vierafell (half Viera, half Lalafell)

Pronouns: She/They

Gender: Intersex Woman

Jobs: White Mage, Pictomancer

An orphan left for dead by the mages of Mhach, Corin was found by the enigmatic Lady Fay and brought in to study the arts of White Magic in kingdom of Amdapor. There, she wiled away the hours, growing closer with her fellow apprentice L'Vinia. All seemed right with the world.

But then Mhach attacked, sending legions of voidsent to attack Amdapor Keep during what would one day be called the War of the Magi. Panicked and afraid, Corin was shepherded along by Lady Fay into being the centerpiece of a ritual drawn up to fling her through time. Unfortunately, the ritual put Corin into a half stasis, locking her in the rift until the appropriate point in time had been reached. Now over 1500 years late, Corin awakes in a bed in Mel's cottage, bereft of memories.

Lithryn Willowbough

Age: 1467 (linear age), 5064 (total age)

Race: Kaldorei

Pronouns: she/her

Gender: cis woman

Class: Hunter

Hero of the Alliance, Huntsman of the Hidden Path, Champion of Azeroth…

The Knife Eared Drunk…

A hero very far from home, Lithryn has taken to forming bad habits, making enemies with anyone she can, and just generally being a nuisance to those around her. But underneath her rough exterior is a woman deeply broken by the loss of her home, desperately trying to find some semblance of normalcy in a world so different from her own.

Proficient in at least a dozen combat styles and wielding magicks the likes of which no one has seen on Etheirys, Lithryn is a veritable force of nature when she fights, quickly ending engagements before they can even really start. Perhaps as time wears on she can find a place and purpose in this new world.

[ethoryweek]

Ethory Week 2024 Prompts!

How it works: Create a post for one or both of the prompts for each day, or skip a day if you feel like it! This blog will reblog every post made in the #ethoryweek and #ethoryweek2024 tags on the day of each prompts. Here are the prompts:

Day 1, January 14th - Comic Con or Concert

Where are Ethan and Rory going to hang out or on a date? Are they dressing up and going to panels? Or are they dressing up and seeing their favorite artists live?

Day 2, January 15th - Sleepover or Night Out

What do these two do when they're hanging out at night? Would they rather get comfortable in their PJs or dress up for a night on the town?

Day 3, January 16th - Pep Rally or After School Clubs

What would Ethory find more exciting at school? A pom flinging, devil costume wearing Pep Rally? Or a logical laser chess battle after school?

Day 4, January 17th - Free Day

Take this day to share any Ethory fan works that don't fit into any prompts! Go wild, skys the limit!

Day 5, January 18th - Vampire or Seer

Ethan and Rory aren't your typical teens, so how do their Vampirsm and Visions interfere or benefit their love lives?

Day 6, January 19th - Board Games or Movies

What would they enjoy doing together more? Some classic board games or classic action movies? What's their favorite games or board pieces?

Day 7, January 20th - Ghost Hunting or Pranks

What do Rory and Ethan enjoy watching/doing more? Hunting ghosts or pulling pranks? What are their favorite gadgets for catching the supernatural or pulling off the perfect practical joke?

Ask box is open if you have any questions!

[techtoio]

The Complete Guide to Wearable Tech: Smartwatches and Fitness Trackers

Introduction

Wearables have changed the way we interact with digital space. Today, smartwatches and activity trackers have grown into indispensable assistants in matters of health management, communication, and productivity boost. And now, this all-in guide helps you to learn everything about new devices to make a competent choice regarding the one to use. Read to continue...

[livewireprojects]

Pride Month 2024 Sonic Sketches

Second pic made in Procreate, kinda excited about it

Made a few sketches for pride month, kind of started out with a comic were Silver comes out to his mom as bisexual along with a pic of Blaze after telling her dad then decided to draw everyone at a pride parade & showing their pride

Everyone here is kind of based on my own ideas for the characters especially Mephiles since anything involving him has to do with the version I made for him for post-06 reboot. Also some stuff is in color(Blaze's forehead gem, Cosmo's necklace, Amy's headband, Sonic's hair clip, ghost aura stuff) cause it seemed fitting due to the meanings behind the colors on the pride flag.(Like purple for soul)

Middle row

Like the text says Blaze told her dad & he made her a frog hat to support her. He's a nice/friendly guy that cares a lot, it's unfortunate that Blaze's late mom was so terrible & left with Blaze for her own intentions.

Rouge & Knuckles at pride, I was a little worried about how well I got Rouge's bisexual flag makeup. I eventually fixed up the lipstick & added matching earrings. Knuckles unintentionally looks like a pirate cause I can't draw his hat at angles. So yeah my version of Knuckles & Rouge are bi, Knuckles use to date Sonic(in my ver) & Rouge has some interest in women in the past.(Especially Topaz at one point)

Here's Blaze & Silver, Silver has a bi flag cardigan. Pretty much at some point the two realized together they're bi. They eventually told their parents(well Blaze's mom is gone so she only told her dad) & they luckily have supportive families.

Surge isn't in my Lost Prince stuff but I thought she & Amy were cute together in the fanart people made. I also think Metal was interesting with Amy, at some point gets with her in the future in my Lost Prince AU. Metal at some point stops working for Eggman & tries to make their own identity after a talk with Sonic especially since they were becoming more sentient. Metal wasn't sure what he wanted but eventually figured things out.

Right row

The context of the sign is that this is meant to be Tails, Cosmo(revived as a plant/mobian chipmunk hybrid) & Cream when they're older & in their teens or later. The time skip is mostly cause at the moment Cream is pretty young in present day, Tails is too but he's slightly older. I guess you could say Tails & Cosmo had a puppy love or something then things got serious when they were older when Cosmo returned then later Cream joined them.

Cream is pretty accepting of who she's into, I dunno what Cosmo is into(I guess technically bi since she's dating Tails & later Cream when Cream joined the couple), Tails I think maybe straight but I dunno. At the very least Tails is supportive of his friends & brother.

Context for this is just I wanted to add Vanilla & her late spouse so them from the future. Added Vector cause him & Vanilla are kinda cute so he's her relationship from the future. So Vanilla's late partner is my OC Cake who despite willing to be called a dad by their kids(Cream & at some point Sonic cause I like the idea of the rabbits adopting him) & only them, Cake was nonbinary. The rabbit family is pretty accepting of people.

Decided to bring in Gadget & Zero/Infinite, the guy in the corner is Zero's late dad who I'll explain at a late point

And then there's these three. I'm not entirely sure what my thoughts on Shadow & Mephiles are, at some point I think I realized demisexual felt right for Shadow. Like I said before any of my thoughts on Mephiles are specifically for the version I made of him for post-reboot in Sonic 06. I was originally thinking of giving him the male gay pride flag but given what I've done with him in Lost Prince AU I kinda realized he fits in with demisexual too. While my version of Sonic identifies as male he likes dressing in whatever he wants & isn't exactly gender-conforming.

Sonic mostly dressed up for pride & tied a pride flag to his neck like a cape. For some reason Mephiles is the only one I tried making designs for on his outfit.

Here's a cropped version of the comic. Pretty much Silver & Blaze realized they were bisexual, at some point Silver got the courage to tell his mom & later his dads.*

For some context Silver's mom is male & in a relationship with men*, he's pretty accepting so Silver doesn't need to worry much. However his worries are understandable because of being around Blaze a lot & seeing how her mom treated her. Blaze's mom was strict & caused a lot of issues that Blaze is still recovering from. Blaze left with Silver & Venice at some point leading to meeting her dad & becoming estranged from her mom. Her mom is gone now but as said Blaze is still recovering. Silver's family(along with Blaze's dad) understand & reassure Silver, Venice & Blaze that the three are accepted/safe.

*I dunno if the marriage is legal at best I know Silver's dad & his mom's marriage is legal. Venice's(Venice is Silver's half brother) dad went missing for a few years(Eggman was behind it) & ended up joining the relationship after being rescued/talking things out. Venice's dad was able to be part of the wedding as another groom but I dunno if this counts as official/legal by human standards.(I guess technically official by Mobian standards)

Thought I'd make a version without the color for everyone to see. The text about the frog hat is missing because it was connected to the frame I made for the comic involving Silver & his mom.

[7grandmel]

Todays rip: 19/01/2024

Fragile Snowman (Remastered)

Season 3 Featured on: Inspector Gunner 2 With Critic

Ripped by MtH, IAmMelloYello, Chaze the Chat

Following up directly on yesterday's post, one of the most notable events that happened during Season 3, one that was covered with a lot of love by the SiIvaGunner team in MAGFest 2019: SiIvaGunner Presents - High Quality Ripping, was the Nostalgia Critic takeover. Somehow, despite running the blog for half a year's time at this point, I still haven't ever gotten to touch on this event, despite being one of the more fondly remembered parts of the Season. And, well, there IS kind of a reason for that?

See, what initially started as an event celebrating old YouTube reviewers in general (hence Inspector Gadget's presence during it and in the album), transitioned into a purely-Nostalgia Critic event - but rather than celebrating Doug Walker's legacy in particular, the takeover took a different approach. Playing on Walker's gimmick as a reviewer in particular, the event was focused specifically on being a "nostalgia"-event - in other words, aiming to specifically bring us in the audience back to the days of Season 1 through every rip uploaded. This theme wasn't quite as...immediately apparent as many other takeovers, be it with rips like Totally Shaaking Out Right Now in the Harlem Shakeover, or Fell From a High Place (Reprise) during the Minecraft music event. Because while those events pretty radically changed to a core theme, this nostalgia-themed event instead saw the channel return to a status quo it once had - reuploads of several prior-lost Season 1 rips, new rips that were intentionally simplistic and often off-key, and an overall focus on the kinds of jokes that were all the rage in Season 1.

It was a genuinely really fun time, yet it was simultaneously hard to think of a fitting rip to represent it all with - in my eyes, it's one of those events that only truly worked in the moment, surrounded by all these rips that formed a cohesive whole. But Fragile Snowman (Remastered) is as close as it gets, I think - a loving remake of a true classic of Season 1. I've talked before of just how much I love it when rips of all sorts get dug back up for another shot at live with Violet Snow Memories from earlier this year, and this event was really the first time that we ever got a concentrated dose of that feeling throughout an entire takeover - and despite the rip of today's post only being two years old at that point, the nostalgia for it had already set in for me.

As described by Chaze the Chat in the aforementioned MAGFest panel, a big part of the fun with Season 1 was its sense of...spontaneousness, that you never really knew what to expect due to there simply not being much of any expectations set up by prior channel history in the first place. And as a result, we got a lot of rips much like the original Fragile Snowman - a mashup between Snowman as featured in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Fragile by Tech N9ne. There's a lot of rips like this even today, mashing up more chill video game music with hip-hop music that doesn't necessarily have much memetic quality, and while a lot of them can slip through the cracks of the SiIvaGunner audience, Fragile Snowman really did stick - enough to warrant two remasters made of it, with Fragile Snowman (Remastered) being the final stop the rip's made thus far.

There's so many small things fixed and tweaked in this final remastered version, yet it still sounds exactly as you'd imagine a mashup between the two songs to sound - which is, really, the best tell for it being an excellent remaster. The Nostalgia Critic takeover, while less bombastic and loud than many other events, was one that most every SiIvaGunner fan loved specifically because it focused on something we were ALL fans of - SiIvaGunner itself - and reminded us of just how far we'd come in just two short years. All these years later, there was indeed another event somewhat similar to this Nostalgia Critic takeover that happened just recently in Season 7, but...that's a story for another time.

[techdriveplay]

What Are the Top Tech Gifts for 2024?

As technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, finding the perfect gift for the tech enthusiasts in your life can be a challenge. Whether it’s the latest in wearable tech, innovative gadgets, or smart home devices, the market is brimming with options that cater to every interest and need. Here’s a comprehensive guide to what are the top tech gifts for 2024. Statistics and Market…

[spy-flair-extraordinaire]

Hello everyone!

This March, I will be hosting a Spy Kids art prompt series! I'm calling it March of the Spy Kids, after the month the original movie was released in.

Click on the keep reading button to learn about the rules and the prompts. ⬇️

The rules to this are:

Use hashtag #March of the Spy Kids or #March of the Spy Kids 2024, either with or without spaces.

Make sure it is only related to Spy Kids.

No NSFW, in__st,

Do this in any medium you want! Digital art, traditional art, pixel art, writing or comic.

You don't have to do every single one of them. You can skip some if you want, especially if you don't have the time

There's no set order. You can do any of them in any order, except for the last two days.

Most importantly, have fun!

Never send an adult to do a kid's job!

How to do the prompts

Favourite character(s): Draw or write about one or more of your favourite characters

Favourite villain(s): Draw or write about one or more of your favourite villains

Favourite gadget(s)/vehicle(s): Draw one or more of your favourite gadgets or vehicles, or write an analysis about them

Favourite movie(s): Draw or write anything that represents one of your favourite movies in the series

Screencap redraw/Favourite scene(s): Either grab a screencap to redraw, or draw or write one or more of your favourite scenes in a new way,

Siblings: Draw or write about either one or both sibling protagonists. Choose either the Cortez siblings, the Wilson twins (and baby, if you like), or the Torrez-Tango siblings

Parents: Draw or write about either one or both spy parents. Choose either the Cortez parents, the Wilson parents, or the Torrez-Tango parents

Piblings: Draw or write about a spy uncle or aunt. Choose either Uncle Felix, Uncle Machete, or Aunt Marissa.

Grandparents: Draw or write about a spy grandparent. Choose either Grandpa Valentin or Grandma Helga.

OC: Draw or write about your Spy Kids OC

You have been activated: Draw yourself as a secret agent, Spy Kid or not

New Player: Draw yourself as a Game Over player/avatar

Fooglified: Draw yourself as a FoOglie

Ships: Draw or write a ship, romantically, platonically or queerplatonically (no NSFW or in__st)

Headcanons: Draw or write out any Spy Kids headcanons you might have

Chibis: Draw any character or more as small chibis

Family time: Draw or write about any family, birth or found, from the series, either in a group or just a few family members

Floop it up!: Draw or write about anyone from Floop's FoOglies. Either Floop, Minion, the Thumb Thumbs, or Carmenita and Junito.

Crossover: Draw or write Spy Kids in a crossover with another series (ie. Ben 10, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Kids Next Door etc.)

AU: Draw or write any character in an AU

Create a gadget: Got a new silly gadget idea fit for a Spy Kid? Draw it out and/or tell us what it does

Robot buddy: Either draw one or all of the Spy Kids' robot buddies (R.A.L.P.H., Argonaut, Bronson), or design your idea of a new robot buddy

Spy outfits: Either draw your favourite spy outfits, or design your idea of a new spy outfit

Strange creatures: Either draw one or all of the strange creatures throughout the franchise, mutant or otherwise, (FoOglies, Romero's mutant animals, Pogo Toads), or design your idea of your own strange creature.

Your assignment is...: Draw or write about the Spy Kids or Spy Families in any mission scenario anywhere in the world

Formal/undercover fashion: Draw any character who's a spy in formal wear, or clothes they're wearing while undercover.

Relaxing time: Draw or write about any character in their down time or on a holiday

Colurful: Draw any character in a colourful palette of your choosing

Memories: Draw or write a character flashing back to or recalling a memory (either canon, semi canon or headcanon)

Brithday/anniversary: Either draw or write a character celebrating a birthday, or draw an anniversary piece of SK1 (doesn't have to be big)

Free day!: Draw or write literally anything