#Guru does show off your cool art

[temper-temper]

Would you kick the ball across the field to the goal post if it chained down the dog's of war from getting the lambchop of victory this guaranteeing you're in the lead for winning the mashed potato offensive?

I think it’s time to shave

vvvvvvvrrrrrvvvrrvvvvvvvrrrrnnnn

[smokeys-house]

Since the dawn of formalized armed combat there's been dudes selling their own brand of bullshit martial arts and marketing it as hidden or superior, like dueling treatises that involve the use and technique of various non weapons/uncommon "weapons," or like 80s VHS combat tutorials for divorced men with pent up aggression, it's not a new thing per se. But.

There's this guy I'm aware of who advertises "flexible tools" as superior EDC self defense. What does he mean by this? Well, to put it simply, a bit of rope with a metal bit at the end. Usually it's a round knob but lately he's been selling his little grappling hook doodads that are small enough to fit in your hand, and boy howdy some of the shit he claims they're good for truly boggles the mind.

Now, I'm no expert in the field of armed combat, but I am generally experienced and well versed in a variety of armed and unarmed combat. I know that sounds like tooting my own horn but really I'm just autistic about historical combat. Anyway there's a LOT of very good reasons why flexible weapons were never popular outside of a few small or strange examples, most of which are not... very clear on the use case scenario of such and are more given as a "wouldn't that be cool" type of example for displays of martial prowess.

Regardless, it does not take an expert to know that swinging a little metal C shape on the end of some paracord at an attacker is going to do little to nothing. Even if you confirm the hit, it's not buying you any distance or stopping power or giving you mechanical advantage over your opponent, and pain compliance is entirely reliant on whether or not you manage to somehow grappling hook a rib or something.

ALSO, consider that accessing or drawing a hook on a string from wherever you're keeping it is going to be near impossible to do in a combat scenario. Good luck and hope it doesn't get tangled lol also have fun unspooling it. He also shows off a few slashes with the lil hook before he's unspooled it to buy time but. Brother that is not how this works. That's getting you no where and maybe even getting u killed for escalating the situation with a weapon.

BEHOLD, THE ONLY ENEMY SUITABLE FOR FELLING USING A HOOK ON A STRING:

🐟 🐠 🎣 🐡

Do your research and training if you plan on carrying a weapon of any kind, don't trust social media self defense gurus.

[rpmemesbyarat]

Hello Tumblr people. I’m 31 years old and I’ve been on Tumblr since 2014. That’s not really old, and that’s not really a long time, but I know it’s older and longer than a lot of other folks. Tumblr is a space mainly populated by teens and twenties, and I know when I was in that age group, I thought 31 was a Real Adult (TM) Which, shit, it’s not, it’s really not, especially not for me, but nonetheless, I have learned some things in my time that I wish I could impart to my younger self, and instead will impart to y’all. Take what you like and what works for you and leave the rest, I’m no expert or guru or authority on anything, I’m just trying to be helpful. Being nice costs nothing. I once was standoffish to someone who came and chatted to me in IMs. That guy later died. True story. I feel terrible about it to this day. I was wary and kind of snotty in those days and I regret that. It’s one thing to be careful about strangers approaching but that wasn’t what I did here. It costs nothing to be nice. It costs nothing to be friendly. To do stuff like show interest in others, care about what they have to say, comment when they share things about their day. These are tiny things that cost nothing but give so much. Don’t pass the opportunity by. And definitely don’t snub someone for no reason. If you don’t want to interact, you don’t have to, but don’t be cold about it unless it’s legitimately because you’re uncomfy with this person and want them to go away. Your safety and comfort do come before any obligation to be nice, but I hope it’s clear that’s not what I’m talking about here. Be a candle that lights other candles. You know what else costs nothing? Encouragement. There’s nothing stopping you from telling others what you like about their content, what they post, what they create, what thoughts they have, the things they say, or just how passionate they are about something. There’s nothing stopping you from saying you hope the best for someone going through a rough time, or how cute their pets are, or how you’re glad they got themselves a treat today. You don’t need to be someone’s therapist ---I know I sure don’t have the emotional energy for that--or have solutions for them, you don’t need to force yourself to say anything insincere or that you don’t have the spoons for, but when you can, say something positive to others. First impressions can be wrong but gut feelings are often right. Like I said, being nice should NEVER trump your own comfort or safety. If you get weird vibes from someone, book it. Sure, you could be wrong. I’ve been wrong about a lot of people. I’ve also been right about others, and should have left when I had the chance before they could prove to me how right I was. Technically, there was nothing stopping me. It was online, after all. I could have just vanished and they’d probably never have tracked me down or made contact again. But I was lonely, and socially awkward, and like many people, most of my human contact was online, and I thought that this was worth it. It’s not. Whatever kind of friendship or therapeutic RP or free art or support or compliments or advice you’re getting from someone online. . . it’s not worth it if they’re mean or creepy too. Whatever you are getting, you can find it somewhere else, in someone else, who won’t make you have to put up with that kind of crap for it. If something feels wrong, don’t wait around for it to get worse. Yes, you may be incorrectly judging a situation and running from nothing, but it’s better you run from nothing than NOT run from SOMETHING. And I know that things like anxiety disorders, trauma, and just different communication styles can make it hard to judge these things (I’ve thought people didn’t like me before just because they were far less effusive in their typing style than I am, and I was wrong) but if you really feel uncomfortable, like this person has said mean or sexual things to you, it’s not just the brain weasels telling you lies. If you’re truly in doubt, get another person’s opinion, but also don’t let them convince you “it’s nothing” if it feels like something. Trust yourself. Creeps, like children, will test your boundaries. Kids will do shit just to see what they can get away and how far they can push you before you put your foot down. Creeps are the same. They’ll start with stuff that you can easily ignore, brush off, and put up with without feeling it’s worth ditching the whole friendship over. But they’ll rarely let it stay there. They’ll typically escalate it if they’re not rebuked. Rebuke them. It can be scary. It can be hard. I know this. I know it firsthand. But feel no sympathy. Feel no fear. Tell them off and pack your bags. They want to know how much you’ll put up with? Show them----nothing at all, that’s what. Don’t be afraid to change your views but don’t feel the need to broadcast it. I’m never getting a personal Tumblr. Because I’m glad they weren’t around when I was a teen. I would have posted things I don’t believe now. Same for when I’m in my 20s. And I bet that will the be the case in my 40s, 50s, and 60s too. Our lives are journeys of changing, learning, and unlearning. And that’s great. But if you post every step of your journey for the world to see, there are those who will use it against you, even if it was stuff from years ago that you should be applauded for growing from, not derided for having ever believed in. Not to mention that what’s the most up-to-date woke terminology and politics changes very rapidly, and what was acceptable when I was a teen is not the preferred lingo now, and it’s likely going to keep changing, and there will be people who find your posts and don’t care about that either. I realize Tumblr gives us a format to metaphorically scream our present beliefs and show how right what you believe is, and the urge to reblog when you see something you agree with wholeheartedly is strong. And if you’ve got a blog that doesn’t easily connect back with you, or you don’t plan to have for the next five years, or whatever, go ahead. But if your blog can be easily connected to you, and therefore could be connected to you again in the future, it wouldn’t hurt to be a bit judicious. I’m not saying “don’t take a stand on anything ever because you might change your mind and/or someone might drag you”, I am saying that in the age of cancel culture and people deep digging for ancient receipts, young people are no longer getting to have their journeys, with all their rooms for fuckups and re-thinkings, that I and those before me got to have, and I think that sucks. By all means, take a stand on what you believe in now, fight for it with all your heart, just also don’t make it too easy for other people to use it against you should you ever change your mind---and don’t be afraid to change your mind either, even when it’s against the grain of what’s presently popular opinion. Find things out for yourself when possible You know how when they taught you things in school about history and America and whatnot and now you’ve found out that there’s so much they DIDN’T tell you, and at least half of what they did is a very edited sack of hooey? Well, the same is true of Tumblr, Facebook, and other online spaces as well as real life. We all laugh at our Boomer parents and grandparents who share clearly false stories on Facebook because they can’t tell that it was clearly crafted to incite their anger or endorsement based on how it’s tailored to validate their beliefs, but I see the same thing happen here. Loads of tale gets touted as “true” on Tumblr because they have been made to appeal to us emotionally by validating our beliefs. But just because our beliefs may be good or progressive or what have you, does not mean that everything that appeals to them is going to be true. When you see a post circulating that claims something really cool about history or such is true, I suggest fact-checking it. This will help halt the spread of misinformation---even if it’s harmless---and help you build your critical thinking and research skills. This does not mean “you must change your views” it means “be skeptical even when something validates your views” People on our own side can lie, and that’s not harmless even if it seems so---contributing to a culture of misinformation is NOT harmless, and we’re less likely to be skeptical of claims that validate what we already believe. Don’t fall for this. That’s all. I hope something in here was valuable to you. If not, thank you for reading and I hope you have a great day!

[princesssarcastia]

Just wanted to say I love your tag "the last great american queerbait" bc yeah. It really does feel like we'll never see this level of bait in a major media property again. Which is probably a good thing, but it makes spn all the more unique...

thank you! that's from @biggersons on this post here. excuse me while i now ramble about this bullshit

i'm sure someone else has said this before on this hellsite, but YES. supernatural is one of the last of a dying breed, certainly one of the most iconic. supernatural was thee CW show to end all CW shows before it was cool. one of the last shows with such a dichotomous fan base, with dudebros vibing with all supernatural's surface level masculinity and violence on one end, and queer people screaming into the void about intricate rituals dean creates to touch the skin of other men on the other. hell, it was one of the only popular shows on TV in 2020 that still did 22 episode seasons; certainly nearly the last sci-fi/fantasy shows to do it.

remember that post about the difference between queerbaiting, queer coding, and subtext? FOR 15 YEARS SUPERNATURAL DID ALL THREE SIMULTANEOUSLY. its a work of art. homophobic, homophobic art. also racist. and sexist. why am i enjoying this content again?

There were so many different writers and directors and showrunners and camera operators even, that you have:

the showrunners and the marketing gurus running a long-con advertising will-they-or-won't-they-(they won't) queerbait on the queer people screaming into the void because the execs want their money AND the dudebro money but hate the queer identity and the fact that they kept rubbing their queer little hands all over supernatural's manly man masculine characters...

the writers who Been Knew queer coding dean and cas and getting it under the homophobic execs' noses, to the delight of their queer audience...

and the writers who were just monkeys at typewriters churning out nonsense with moments of shakespeare who kept loading on more and more subtext that made the queer audience want to take them by the shoulders and shake their heads right off.

frankly given this mess the only person left who gets to speak with any authority is misha collins, which—

this combined to make a show that is near incomprehensible as a whole but can be sanely consumed in smaller chunks or through fanfiction that burns out the stupid stuff. There's NO way it makes sense if dean and cas aren't madly in love with each other. none. the plausible no-homo ship sailed in like season 7, or like the second time one of them watched the other die and grieved like a widower.

and yet. those dudebros, with allll their money and viewership, are still there. still watching. and so the CW tries to have its cake and eat it, too. for fifteen, fucking, years. because they fear the homophobic backlash if they just fucking commit.

they were too afraid that they would stop making something profitable to realize that they could have made a work of art, that they could have made HISTORY.

no one else will do it like them again. no one will ever even get the opportunity. i can't see anything ever again coming close to having the kind of cultural impact supernatural has, that weird mix of americana and masculinity and brief flashes of themes that make your breath catch and crave more. supernatural was a mirror of american culture in the best and the WORST way, and I don't know that TV creators have the range or the desire to ever reflect us back to ourselves like that again.

there are more explicitly queer shows now that are so much better and more heartfelt, with production teams that aren't remotely predatory. I adore them all! we need them! we deserve them! I want more of them! supernatural should not be a template for anyone ever because it was objectively terrible!

but their was something magical about the tentative hope in the air while it was still going, that little voice in the back of your mind that says, it's been fifteen years!, maybe it will grow beyond its origins, maybe they can learn from their mistakes, maybe they can reach for the happy ending that is right in front of their faces if only they would look past their prejudices long enough to see it. to see us. that's why the show blew up again in the fall of 2020, during the U.S. election, because on a meta level it was reflecting our culture and the moment back to us once again.

of course, in the grand american media tradition, they set that hope on fire. one last queerbait for the road.

so. yeah. its the last great american queerbait.

[dapple-grey-mare]

atla social media headcanons

(brainstormed with my friend when we were messing around/being completely serious with our love for the characters)

in this modern au, iroh is the fire lord and lu ten is the heir. also, bending and the avatar is still a thing.

beware of shameless sukka and mai lee because those are the only ships i will accept no arguments about. (i’m also a zu/tara and t/aang shipper but you won’t find anything romantic about them in here)

read below the cut because it’s a lot

katara posts aesthetic photos and inspirational quotes on instagram and sokka never stops teasing her about it 

(he won’t admit it, but there are days where he gets super stressed and reads one of her posts and immediately feels better)

sokka keeps posting about suki (they’re not dating yet) and everyone hates it (but also loves it)

he also posts videos of stupid stuff he does alone and with his friends, as well as livestreaming q&a

(katara: sokka you aren’t actually famous)

sokka unironically vlogs

toph posts random pictures (usually of her feet or of the ground) and pretends it’s because she’s blind and can’t take proper pictures and everyone knows she’s just messing with them

but everyone does add alt text to their photos so toph can hear what’s in the photos and captions

the actual reason why toph is bad with instagram is that she wasn’t even allowed to have a phone when she was younger, as her parents thought it would be unsafe for a little blind girl (they were wrong)

the gaang eventually realizes that toph isn’t entirely messing with them and help her through everything

she now knows that she can post videos and will not stop filming her earthbending or her sessions with a blindfolded and vulnerable aang that she beats up in two seconds

aang posts a bunch of pictures of appa (who is a dog? still a sky bison? we don’t know)

zuko and suki don’t have instagram (zuko says it’s because he’s royalty and he doesn’t want to get stalked and suki just likes to do the exact opposite of what sokka tells her to) but their friends continue to pester them about getting accounts

zuko ultimately caves, but as a “fuck you” to all of them, he posts a selfie with suki captioned “say hello to my best friend and the only valid person in my life besides my mother and uncle”

sokka is outraged and he, along with katara because she’s the nosiest, find zuko’s account password, gather all of his friends and family (the valid family members only), take a selfie with all of them, post it with the caption “the best people around” or “the people i love most in the world” or smth uncharacteristically cheesy like that, then wait for zuko to notice

it gets a million likes

he eventually does notice and he swears to delete it but doesn’t

mai also does not have an instagram and she does not cave despite their constant badgering

she does cave, however, when ty lee asks her. she only needs to ask once.

azula is just subtly posting pictures with the royal palace as the background because she likes to flex

every year, katara posts a family picture on mother's day and/or her mom's birthday

also on mother’s day, each member of the gaang (even zuko because he really would do anything for his best friends) posts a picture of katara and very seriously celebrates her as a mother

they do the same with zuko on father’s day

every time aang posts, without fail, everyone in the gaang comments “BABY 🥺🥺🥺” and they refuse to stop

they convince iroh to make an official account for the jasmine dragon to bring in more business, but both iroh and zuko have no idea what they’re doing with it

so the rest of the gaang posts posters and menu items but since they all have different styles, every post is wildly different and customers are really confused

katara is all about the aesthetic and posts pics of her order almost every time, sokka livestreams and sneaks random videos of zuko working, aang actually really tries to help with marketing but it’s all just pictures of the menu which hardly every changes, toph has a schedule for posting pictures of chair legs, suki is the only competent one and with katara’s help, makes cool posters and edited videos

the first time someone tags zuko in a picture on their account, all their followers freak out about the fire nation prince in their game night or cafe outing

since then, they make a point to get zuko in all of their photos

as well as the occasional lu ten or iroh

suki’s first post is a video sokka took of her practicing martial arts with her warriors and at first, she was a little hesitant to exploit the kyoshi culture but kyoshi herself appeared and gave her permission to show off their badassery

since then, she’s posted tutorials and practice/teaching sessions

she’s also a makeup master and she posts standard makeup tutorials too, but she refuses to post a tutorial on the kyoshi makeup look in case people start appropriating it (sokka understands and stops asking her)

katara doesn’t like to show off her bending on social media, especially since it’ll mess up the aesthetic of her account, but once zuko posts a video of him practicing because sokka dared him to (he really can’t resist a dare), katara gets annoyed and does the same

it becomes a competition of sorts, but they never mention it outside of their posts, so the rest of the gaang doesn’t know if they should intervene or encourage it

(toph obviously encourages it, aang is conflicted)

(sokka is secretly rooting for katara, but he likes to annoy her further by cheering zuko on)

it’s pretty neck and neck for a while, but katara is a faster learner and surpasses him

zuko gets really upset with this and decides to post of a video of him practicing with his dao swords, since katara can’t do any fighting outside of her bending

(katara: that’s cheating, you’re a cheater, i hate your guts)

(she doesn’t)

sokka keeps trying to make zuko post a video of the dancing dragon and aang really wants to, but zuko refuses

they all have a shared youtube account with videos of them sparring, playing games, or just chilling

azula is in one of these videos and roasts each of them, and it’s the most liked video on the account

(toph is laughing the entire time but the second azula gets to her, she throws a rock in her face and the video ends)

sokka posts gaming videos and vlogs on his youtube, zuko draws the line at youtube, aang has a camera on his staff and livestreams the view of the ground as he’s flying, katara makes cooking videos, suki is a makeup guru, and toph is their designated guest star when they’re running out of content because viewers love her

every time sokka is in a post with a girl that isn’t katara, he gets shipped with them, so he starts baiting viewers with intentionally vague wording and shots that could be romantic

eventually, sokka and suki start fake-dating to get the extremely pushy viewers off his back, but in pure rom-com style, they fall in love for real

ty lee makes shopping vlogs and makeup hauls and these are the only things mai will say no to her about

one time, suki had toph try and do her makeup... it did not go well

(suki: i swear to kyoshi, you did this on purpose)

a lot of sokka’s vlogs involve him, aang, and toph lounging on the sofa (all of them but zuko share an apartment, zuko is trying to convince his family to let him move out of the palace) watching tv and eating chips

katara and suki hate it but they allow it as long as they clean up the mess

they draw the line once they catch the three of them simultaneously fart

(suki: sokka, i’m dating your sister now)

[justjessame]

Starting Over Chapter 51

How does someone get ready to meet a Master of the Mystic Arts?  Well, if Bucky Barnes is in control of your preparations, you first are pampered into a state of utter contentment after being brought to the very edge of heaven, but that’s ONLY if you have Bucky as your tour guide.  Once he felt certain that I was in better shape than I woke up in, and while I was a gasping mess again, I can assure you that I felt far more content than I had when I woke up - he pulled me into the bathroom and helped me shower.  

“Let me help you out, Mrs. Barnes,” shaking my head, I gave him my hand, but he took more initiative than that, scooping me up and lifting me from the tub so I didn’t have the slightest chance of slipping.  

Laughter bubbled out of me, even as I tucked my face into his bare neck.  “You’re ridiculous,” he didn’t put me down, not until he carried me into our room and I was going to complain that I was wet and we didn’t have towels in our bedroom, but I missed him grabbing a couple before he left the bathroom.  When he set me down, holding up a towel to start drying me, after wrapping one around his waist to keep from distracting me - I reminded him of just WHY he was ridiculous.  “We’re not married YET, Bucky Barnes, so you’re jumping the gun on calling me that -”

He was grinning down at me as he dried my hair, so at peace that it made my heart beat faster.  “YET being the important word in that sentence, Brooke.” Leaning down he stole a soft kiss, before continuing to dry me, moving the towel to my neck and shoulders.  “I like how it sounds, don’t you?”  

The smile that spread across my lips told him more than my words ever could.  And that kept us on task - drying and dressing, Bucky did let me take control over my hair and makeup, then with a promise that Dr. Stephen Strange wasn’t nearly as formidable as I might be afraid of, then together we headed to the shed to get into the car and drive into Greenwich.

“Greenwich?” I buckled in and had a travel cup of juice while he had his cup of coffee.  “There’s a magical power base in Greenwich Village?”  

Bucky chuckled and we were off.  

“OK, so give me a head’s up,” I finished my juice and so far our little bean was letting me keep it.  “What am I about to walk into?”  Bucky was driving with more confidence than I would through the streets to get us to my appointment with the doctor/magic person.  

Squinting out of the windshield he considered my question.  “Sam says there are the Big Three,” I turned so I was facing him as he drove, listening to the wonders of what Sam Wilson had to say on this subject.  “Androids, Aliens, and Wizards.” Bucky’s dimple came out and he glanced over to see if I was paying attention, seeing my rapt pupil stare, he went on.  “Now I disagreed, because that’s ridiculous for so many reasons, not the least because Dr. Strange identifies as a sorcerer, I think.”  

“Yeah, I can see why that would be problematic to Sam’s well thought out logic,” my dry tone had his teeth coming out to join his smile.  

“He’s arrogant, and a bit of a know-it-all, but he was one of the best neurosurgeons in the world before his accident,” I nodded, that made sense, most people who had that kind of press let it go to their heads.  “He gave it all up to study with a master, and ended up in charge of protecting the Sanctum here,” he was parking in front of a beautiful building in Greenwich Village.  “He might come off a little -” he turned off the engine and turned to face me.  “The important part, Brooke, is that he might be able to figure it out - whatever is causing you so much pain and trouble when you’re sleeping.  And with our little addition,” his hand fell to my flat stomach and mine covered his automatically.  “I just want you to have some kind of peace, sweetheart.”  

I met him halfway for a kiss before he got out to help me out of the car.  Then with a very deep breath, linking our fingers, we climbed the steps so I could finally meet the good doctor.  

Dr. Stephen Strange did not answer the door, instead a man dressed as I imagined a Tibetian monk might have opened the door and introduced himself as Wong.  Before I could say a word, or Bucky could, a man wearing a cape and bearing an incredible resemblance to a magician my dad hired for one of my birthday parties descended the massive staircase with a flair that I thought many an actor would envy.  The doctor was in, I presumed.  

“Ah, yes, Sergeant Barnes,” he greeted Bucky with a pleasant voice, somewhat warmer than I was expecting.  “And this must be your lovely fiancee, Brooke Ashley.  A second congratulations is in order, I believe, since you are going to be adding to your family as well.”  He offered his hand and I tried to close my mouth - how had he?  “I apologize, Miss Ashley, I like to prepare for my appointments ahead of time.”  His hand was cool and enveloped mine easily.  “Now, while Wong keeps Sergeant Barnes company, why don’t you and I take some time to chat privately.”  

He took me into what looked like a library, but it wasn’t only filled with books.  Offering me a comfortable chair, he sat across from me and the silence descended as he studied me.  I looked around with interest, wondering if he’d allow me to photograph the Sanctum sometime, it was gorgeous - the way the light came through the windows and struck -

“We can discuss your photography at a later time, Miss Ashley,” my head snapped back so our gazes locked.  “I think you’re here for a more delicate reason.”  

Great, the therapy part.  “Yeah, my fucked up mind is filled with nightmares that I can’t possibly be having because those of us who got Snapped into nothingness shouldn’t have any memories of anything since NOTHINGNESS.”  I sighed.  “And they’re getting worse.”  

Dr. Strange, leaned forward and stared straight into my eyes.  “I don’t think you believe that, Brooke, and I don’t either.”  My eyebrow rose.  “Well, not the part about them getting worse, that’s a common side effect with your current condition,” he waved it off, like that part wasn’t important at all. Bucky had warned me - arrogant and I think he might have wanted to say brief and impatient.  

“Are you saying that we weren’t all just GONE?” I stared at him, a challenge clear and heavy on every word.  “That isn’t what every other person seems to think.”

“You’ll find that I’m not like every other person, Brooke.”  At least he wasn’t intent on calling me Miss Ashley.  “And I’m not insinuating that ALL of us were somewhere defined and definite, but I do think that you were.  I think that you were somewhere very unpleasant, Brooke, and I think that it’s because when Thanos snapped his fingers, instead of you being Snapped out of existence, you slipped through the cracks into a -” he stopped.  “It’s difficult to explain, so let me show you -”  

Whenever a mystical magical guru with a medical license offers to “show you” anything, ask for some sort of guarantee that you won’t experience a more extreme form of vertigo than you ever have in your entire life - and also some sort of contract that stipulates that he won’t hold you responsible for the vomit that you WILL end up liberally applying to his lovely cape, that may or may not have a mind of its own.  

What he showed me was how layered time was, how vast and infinite the universe, dimensions,  and choices could be, and how easy it would have been for someone like me to slip through a crack when the huge purple turd tried to go halfsies with the population of EVERYWHERE.  While he admitted it could take time to pinpoint where I’d been, if we even needed to, he felt that unlocking the mystery to break me free from the pain of whatever I’d witnessed or experienced while trapped there for five years might be simpler.  

The cape had whipped itself off and flapped away, clearly upset that it was wearing my breakfast juice after my stomach had gone on a magical ride that I hadn’t had fair warning about, and we were reseated in the chairs facing one another.  

“The easiest beginning,” Stephen, as he gave me permission to call him, offered as I took a deep breath.  “Would be meditation.  Clearing your mind of any fear or worry about what you MIGHT see when you go to sleep.”  I nodded, thinking that I’d tried it, but not with the knowledge that I was actually RIGHT about the five years I’d been gone.  “Don’t try to replace it with butterflies and rainbows, just empty your mind, allow your consciousness to replace it with whatever YOU need to - trust yourself to heal yourself.”  It sounded a bit woo woo silly, but why not?  “Two nights,” he held up two fingers as if I couldn’t count it myself.  “Just two nights, Brooke, and then come back.”  

We found Wong and Bucky in the foyer waiting for us.  Bucky looked relieved to see me, as if I’d have gotten lost or sicker - but then he noticed the loss of the cape.  

“If you send me the dry cleaning bill for,” I offered to Stephen, but he waved it off.  “Are you sure?”  

“We have a way to clean it up,” Wong assured me, and I bit my lip.  Mystic magic freaked me out a bit, but if it helped I’d be a believer.  “Do you need something to help with the nausea?”

I didn’t actually say yes or no, he was handing me a bag of tea, explaining that it would help if I drank it every morning and when I was feeling ready to throw up everything I’d ever thought to eat.  “Thank you,” he smiled, patting my hand and telling me that he’d see me in a few days.  

Bucky helped me into the car, and as we drove away from the curb he asked me how it had gone.  

“Aside from covering his cape in vomit?” I shrugged.  “He says that I wasn’t where most of the other Snapped went.”  Bucky nodded, glancing at me to get me to keep going.  “He thinks that I slipped through some crack and went into a different dimension or timeline?”  It wasn’t clear, but at least I wasn’t crazy.  “I’m going to try meditation for the next two nights, a mind dump, basically.”  

“Makes sense,” he offered, reaching for my hand and bringing it to his lips when I gave it to him.  “Wong swears by that tea, by the way.”  

“Does Wong have that much experience with morning sickness?”  He chuckled and shook his head.  “At this point I’ll try anything, I’d like to keep SOMETHING inside of me for more than a few hours.”  

“Yeah, I know.”  He sighed.  “But I guess now it’s been confirmed, right?”  

I smiled at how excited he sounded.  “Yes, Bucky Barnes, now it’s been confirmed.”  His grin grew.  “All that’s left is dinner with Connie so you can announce our engagement.”  His Adam’s apple bobbed so I knew he swallowed hard.  “Do you want a cup of my anti-puke tea for courage?” 

[impala-dreamer]

When Sam Wore A Kilt

SPN FanFic

~ Sam has a new costume to go undercover with and Y/N cannot help herself...~

Sam x Reader, Dean.

1,612 Words

Warnings: NSFW. Sexyness. All the pre-loving goodness.

A/N: This is for my 'Fic Imitating Art Challenge'... Art/title by @feelmyroarrrr, fic by me! Hope you enjoy :)

Feedback is Gold ~ My Masterlist ~ Become A Patreon

Y/N pushed open the motel room door and let it slam shut behind her, not caring about anything other than plopping down onto the closest bed. The day had been long and disgusting.

Dean looked up in passing as she fell face first onto his bed, eyes still churning through the article in the magazine she’d left that morning. "How'd it go?" he asked, curious as to why her jeans were caked in dust to her knees.

"So nasty," she mumbled into the comforter. "Anyone know how many air fresheners it takes to get the dead body smell out of a basement?" she asked rhetorically, rolling over onto her side. The movement sent a wave of stink up to her nose that crinkled on impact. "Or out of clothes? Gross."

"You'll get used to it. I don't even notice anymore." Dean turned to the next article, 'How To Tell If He's Really Into You Or Just Wants Sex'.

“Sure you don’t, Guru Winchester,” she scoffed, sitting up on one elbow. “I saw you gag in the morgue last week.”

“That’s totally different,” Dean said nonchalantly, mentally clicking through the checklist. “I had too much breakfast sausage.”

“Mhm…” Her hum of disbelief turned into a whistle of shock as Sam stepped out of the bathroom. “What the…”

“Is it that bad?” he asked, face instantly blushing.

“No…” Y/N’s eyes were wide and amused as she looked him up and down. “God, I love undercover work.”

Sam was clad in a classic red kilt, complete with belt, knee high socks, and dress shirt. A formal black jacket hung behind the bathroom door, ready for him to shrug into. “Really?”

Dean bit back his laugh but Y/N stood up, floating over to him with stars in her eyes. “Sam Winchester, I never knew you had such beautiful calves…”

His cheeks burned as red as his kilt. “I…”

Teeth dug into her bottom lip as Y/N approached, the draw of the new Scotsman in the room too much to resist. She hooked a finger around his belt and leaned up on her toes. “Whatcha wearing under that kilt, Sam?”

His breath came in on a shaky gasp and he backed away quickly, clearing his throat and reaching for his jacket. “Uh… We ready to roll?” he asked Dean, trying to ignore the heat pulsing off of Y/N’s hand.

Dean nodded and stood, tossing the magazine onto the bed. “Let’s go!”

“Sam…” Y/N’s pout nearly knocked him off of his feet, but Sam kept his cool. “You’re not gonna tell me?”

He stumbled to reply, not used to her forwardness at all. “M-maybe later?”

She laughed sweetly and let him leave, calling over her shoulder before the door shut. “Don’t think I won’t hold you to that.”

Y/N was clean and settled in by the time Sam returned that night. He was still dressed to kill and thankfully a bit more relaxed. Dean was nowhere to be found and Y/N’s head buzzed with ideas when she saw that Sam was alone.

"Well, hello there, Mr. Winchester."

Sam grinned as he shut the door. "Hi."

"How was the party?"

"Oh, just...great." He wobbled a bit, tripping as he tried to toe off his shoes. "Crap."

Y/N laughed and sat up, eyeing him suspiciously as she swung her legs off the bed. "Sam?"

He hummed innocently in response and steadied himself against the door.

"Are you drunk?"

Sam scoffed and tried to open his jacket. “That’s… no.”

Y/N gasped and bit her lip to hold her excitement at bay. “You are. Oh my goodness.”

“Shut up.” Sam’s cheeks were bright again, but not just from embarrassment. He managed to shed his jacket and then untucked his shirt, pulling the stiff white fabric from his waistband.

“How much does it even take to get you drunk? I’ve never seen this before.” Y/N slowly rose from the bed and tiptoed towards him, one bare foot in front of the other.

“Champagne,” Sam confessed. “Lots and lots of champagne. And… Irish Mist? What is that?”

“Delicious,” Y/N smiled and licked her lips as she neared him.

“It was.” Sam laughed, giving up on his shirt buttons and leaning back against the door. He slumped down a bit, legs spreading out to brace him up.

“I think I like you like this,” Y/N cooed as she stepped between his legs.

Sam stared down at her with glassy eyes, pink lips wet and gently parted. “Like what?”

She lifted a hand to run through his hair and Sam closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. “All drunk and happy,” she said softly. “And in a kilt…” Her kiss caught the side of his mouth and Sam laughed quietly.

"You gonna ask me again?"

Y/N dropped down off her toes and looked up coyly as she slid her hand firmly down his hard chest. "Ask what, baby?"

Sam moaned as she pinched his nipple through the stiff dress shirt. "Ask me what's underneath," he whispered, dipping his chin to chase her lips again.

With a quick tug, Y/N pulled the front of his shirt free from the kilt, nearly popping a few buttons as she yanked. "Why don't I just find out?" she teased before flicking her tongue across his waiting lips.

Sam shuddered and grabbed her face, big hands covering her cheeks temple to jaw as he held her still for a proper kiss. She let him lead up top, but dropped her hands, slowly sneaking up beneath the heavy wool to find him bare and hard.

“Oh, Sam...oh my.”

“Had to go authentic,” he said, practically panting into her mouth as Y/N wrapped her fingers around his quickly stiffening cock.

“Very glad you did…” She pumped him gently, hand working slowly to bring him to life as he attacked her mouth with sloppy kisses. His tongue was hot and sweet; his usual minty taste replaced by something light, almost fruity.

"Fuck…" Sam moaned as you rubbed your palm over the tip of his erection, his head pushing back against the door.

"Oh, we're gonna fuck," she laughed, letting go of him to get back to the buttons on his shirt. He tried to protest, reaching for her hands, but she kissed him dumb and slapped his fingers away.

"You just relax."

She started at the already open bottom and carefully undid each tiny clear button, slowly peeling back the shirt until his perfectly tanned, heavenly carved and chiseled torso was revealed. She kissed a line down his sternum as she pushed the shirt off his big shoulders, tugging it down until it snagged on his thick arms.

Sam hummed happily; words that got caught in his throat as her lips grazed his nipple. His stomach tensed as she kissed further down, his tight abs revealing themselves as he pushed out a loud breath.

"God, I need you so bad," he managed, tongue sealed by the booze, brain melted by her touch.

Y/N licked at the hard lines of his hips as she toyed with the ornate leather belt, taking her time to reach his cock again even though it poked through the plaid, calling to her.

“Please…” Sam grunted as the belt crashed to the floor. His left hand fell to his thigh, gathering up the skirt, ready to pull it up and away for her, but again, Y/N slapped his hand away.

“Nope,” she warned, suddenly climbing back to her feet and pulling away.

He watched her leave with troubled eyes, mouth hanging in shock, cock twitching against the wool. “What?”

Y/N stripped slowly as she walked to the bed, tossing her shirt over her shoulders and stepping out of her cotton panties. Sam swallowed hard but stayed propped against the door, unsure of her plans, but loving the reveal.

“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” he whispered, mouth flooded with hunger for her.

She smiled and lay on the end of the bed, legs spread and knees high, elbows holding her up so she could watch him drool. “So are you, big boy.” With one hand she played with her tits, kneading the firm flesh as she looked him over. “Why don’t you come over here and show me just how beautiful.”

Sam cocked a sexy grin as he pushed away from the door and started across the room. He moved like a runway model; champagne twisting his hips just so, all shyness gone from his system. Two feet from the bed, Y/N stopped him, a single hand raised.

“Right there,” she grinned. “Now, show me what’s under that kilt, Sam. Show me everything.”

He moved like a jungle cat, long lines swaying seductively with each movement as he opened the kilt and slowly pulled it aside. His cock was hard and long, it’s own weight making it hang down between his thighs. Y/N spied a sheen at the tip and licked her lips, imagining the delicious saltiness on her tongue.

“Gorgeous,” she praised, running a hand down her body to tease her pussy.

Sam chuckled softly and fisted his cock, watching her fingers disappear for a second into the hot slick of her cunt. “Thanks. You too.”

Her hips rolled, grinding her clit against the heel of her hand and Y/N hissed at the ache. “How long ‘till Dean gets back?”

He glanced quickly at the door, then the clock on the nightstand. “About twenty mins,” he said with a shrug.

“Well then,” she cooed, spreading her legs nice and wide for him. “We better get a move on…”

2019 Forever Tags:

@akshi8278 @amanda-teaches @arses21434 @because-imma-lady-assface @burningcoffeetimetravel @colagirl5 @cosicas-cuquis @cosmicfire72 @courtney-elizabeth-winchester @covered-byroses @crashdevlin @dean-winchesters-bacon @deansenwackles @deansgirl215 @dolphincliffs @dubuforeveralone @emilyshurley @emoryhemsworth @ericaprice2008 @eternal-elir @feelmyroarrrr @flamencodiva @focusonspn @gayspacenerd @herbologystudent252 @hobby27 @ilsawasanacrobat @justcallmeasmodeus​ @katymacsupernatural @lastactiontriciawrites @maddiepants @mariekoukie6661 @meganwinchester1999 @missjenniferb @mrswhozeewhatsis @our-jensen-ackles-love  @peridot-rose @pisces-cutie @risingphoenix761 @roonyxx @roxyspearing @sandlee44 @shadowkat-83 @spnbaby-67 @spn-dean-and-sam-winchester @spnficgirl  @supernaturaldean67 @supernatural-took-me-over @thehardcoveraddict @tmiships4life @wegoddessofhell @winchesterprincessbride

[imagine-organization-xiii]

Hey!! Can I get the org as youtubers?? Love your writing!!

Xemnas

Internet cryptid. Rarely shows his face. Uploading schedule is random and everyone is always surprised and excited when he decides to post a new video.

Everyone flocks to his channel for his voice. Most of his videos are of him reciting poetry or short stories. Has the perfect voice that makes you feel as though you’re listening to an audiobook. That being said, he goes pretty far into the ASMR thing, usually with his low voice reading to you, but everyone loves it so he doesn’t really want to change.

Doesn’t go to conventions or events, partly because he wants to keep the mystery of his appearance alive and partly because he doesn’t like meeting people.

Xigbar

Literally posts whatever the hell he wants, maybe once or twice a week depending on how busy he is. His channel is very Jenna Marbles-esque in the sense that he goes off the rails all the time. He’ll video himself trying a new workout routine, attempting and failing to cook a meal, going to a gun range another day, getting Xion to paint his nails in another video, telling stories about why he wears an eye patch that get more and more ridiculous as he goes on, etc.

Chill with fans. He’s super casual and actually likes meeting fans. Will be cool with you if you’re cool with him and don’t treat him as some big celebrity. He’s just a random guy who makes a few videos on the internet and that’s how he wants everyone to see him.

Xaldin

A workout channel, of course! Does a series of different types of workout routines that are good for different people with different body types and different levels of energy. A very body positive channel! Also has a series on different types of diets and the positives and negatives of each - more in regards to living healthier lifestyles than losing weight.

Went viral during a collab with Lexaeus about healthy food and organic versus non-organic fruits and veggies.

Will definitely talk to fans if they meet on the street or by chance, but doesn’t really go to conventions. He does videos because he finds it fun, not because he wants to be famous.

Vexen

Has a Bill Nye the Science Guy type of channel where he teaches people about the wonders of science and how science can answer nearly every question you might have about the universe. Did a whole, scathing series about climate change that went completely viral and caused quite a few stubborn conservatives to condemn his channel, but he’s fairly well-liked throughout the entirety of the scientific community.

One of those rare Youtubers that actually has a day job as a scientist for some fancy laboratory or university.

Doesn’t really like meeting fans because he doesn’t know how to talk to people, but will happily talk if someone strikes up a conversation that happens to be particularly intriguing.

Lexaeus

Honestly, this man has a cooking channel, but the actual cooking content varies. He has a whole series about cooking tips and hacks, as well as good tools to have in your kitchen. Videos concerning food range from beautiful aesthetic baking recipes for cookies and cupcakes to an Epic Meal Time level of food insanity.

His fans are intimidated when approaching him because he’s so large and intimidating, but they soon realize that he’s actually a sweetheart and is happy to answer questions and give tips to his viewers when he meets them.

Zexion

Mostly does reviews about things. The majority of them are about books, but he’ll sometimes do movies if they were book-to-movie adaptations. His reviews are fair, brilliant, and well-thought out, so he’s actually been approached by several movie studios that wanted him to review scripts before they start production.

Feels like he’s awkward around fans but they don’t think so. Gets exhausted by social interaction so he’ll talk to people, but he has to take some time alone afterward to re-charge.

Saix

Makes How To videos and educational videos. Saix’s channel is something you stumbled across when looking for tips for writing a resumé or for tips when going into a job interview.

Fairly informative in his videos, if a bit long-winded. The videos are worth the full watch, though, because he has some scathing, dry humor that you enjoy.

Did a whole series on his channel about politics - the important of voting, explaining governmental processes, explaining impeachment, giving information about various candidates, etc. This is the series that really made his channel fly up in subscribers.

Awkward with fans and doesn’t know how to interact with people fawning over him. Stopped going to events after some girl groped his ass because he felt too uncomfortable.

Axel

A travel blog! He goes all over the world - worlds - exploring the sights and local favorite spots. He gets a little extreme sometimes because he likes to try everything, whether that’s scuba diving with sharks, sky diving, riding camels through a desert, rock and mountain climbing, etc., but he likes to have the full experience.

He also does gaming, mostly group games like PUBG or Overwatch or Gary’s Mod games that he can co-op with Roxas.

Absolutely loves meeting fans. He really cares about his fans and loves making conversations with them - everyone finds him really easy to talk to, so they flock to conventions when they hear he’s going to be in attendance.

Demyx

A music channel! He writes his own music, does covers of popular songs, experiments with different instruments, does online lessons and teaches how to tune certain instruments.

He also does some travel stuff with Axel, depending on where Axel happens to go. They always have a lot of fun together so they like to collab whenever they have the chance.

Adores meeting fans and gives some really awesome hugs!  Gets super excited and flattered whenever anyone recognizes him in public.

Luxord

Does a little bit of everything. Got popular with doing unboxing videos for different types of subscription boxes. Also does a follow-me around where he goes to different sights around his hometown and explores things. Has a series of videos about classic foods and snacks from England.

Surprisingly, he first went viral for a video explaining what Brexit was and why it was important to vote.. Everyone was super impressed with the resources and information that he gave in the video.

Doesn’t mind meeting fans but doesn’t go to conventions or events. He’s usually pretty busy, so he’ll probably stop for a picture and a handshake and be on his way.

Marluxia

Marluxia’s channel is a mash of makeup tutorials and gardening tips. He has the most phenomenal garden that people love to look at and makes videos about soil pH, fertilizer and composting, and which plants go well with different types of environments and weather.

But then he also has his beauty guru side where he makes these incredible makeup tutorials that people can’t understand how he can possibly have such a steady hand when doing his contour and eyeshadow.

Viewers are a combination of 60 year old men and women looking for gardening tips and teenagers looking for makeup tips. Is fine with talking with the teenagers but will absolutely have hour-long conversations with anyone who starts talking to him about his plants.

Larxene

Self-defense, particularly for women who need to protect themselves but they could be applied to men, too. Good friends with Xaldin and has him on her channel a lot, usually when she needs a test dummy to try out new moves on. It helps her viewers to know that even though she’s small, she can still take out guys twice her size - and that her viewers can, too!

Sometimes does makeup tests with Marluxia because she can make some wicked sharp eyeliner wings.

She’s pretty cool with meeting fans as long as you’re cool with her. Do not hit on her or think you have a right to monopolize her time just because you’re a fan. You will regret it.

Roxas

Roxas is first and foremost a gaming youtuber. He loves video games and would play them all day every day if he could. Sometimes does charity livestreams on Twitch and he’s raised a lot of money for good causes!

Doesn’t really have a particular kind of game he plays - has a fondness for Nintendo, but he’ll play a little of everything. it really depends on what kind of mood he’s in at the time.

Gets really shy around meeting fans but he loves his fans to pieces! He thinks that they’re all super awesome and give great recommendations for new games he should try.

Xion

Craft videos! Xion loves arts and crafts so you can bet that she’s going to be showing you how to make different projects in an easy and fun way that doesn’t cause too much stress. She also dabbles in trying different types of painting, sculpting, sketching, nail art, etc., and makes awesome tutorials that are easy to follow.

Gets embarrassed around fans because she’s super flattered that anyone would love her videos enough to watch them consistently.

Xion gets the occasional fan that’s a little… too familiar with her, but she usually has someone with her when she goes to cons and events, so they happily act as her bodyguard.

Collabs with other Youtubers a lot, particularly Lexaeus, to everyone’s surprise. They usually do videos together when Lexaeus makes some kind of sweet dessert.

[gumptin]

wtfock review s3e7 or things get spicy AGAIN

- milan and zoe sleepover MILAN AND ZOE SLEEPOVER

- zoe paused MID WINE SIP when she heard the words “senne’s brother”

- “he will kill his brother” okay AND?

- wait lol there’s clips missing in this playlist oh no what happened BACK UP i see A MURAL

- M O Y O C H O K E B I T C H

- “how many chicks do you know who spray?” uhhhhh Noor???

- when jens says your exact words.... king!

- they just go and post this bigass painting of robbe’s face on insta

- milan ZEROED IN on that insta post bitch has 20/20 vision and he USES IT

- the only thing that matters to me in any remake is that they include the guru line so honestly anything could happen at this point and i wouldn’t care bc I got my favorite line

- “what’s wrong” DID YOU FORGET THAT HE LITERALLY GOT BASHED OR

- oh okay he didn’t forget Had Me Worried For A Moment There

- SANDER LITERALLY PAINTED ROBBES FACE ON A WALL NOTHING MILAN IS SAYING MAKES SENSE ITS LIKE THEY GIVE THE CHARACTERS NEW CONFLICTS BUT KEEP THE SAME REACTIONS/EFFECTS FROM OG AND IT DOESNT MAKE SENSE NOTHING MAKES SENSE

- look at robbe CLEANING we love a FUNCTIONING MEMBER OF THE FLATSHARE we love A HELPFUL KING

- if it’s viktor i’m ending this review right fucking here

- okay so bye ✌️ see y’all next time

- viktor stop dressing like a private school boy challenge

- a knife! NO!

- HUG HER YOU BITCH

- shut up about the mural SHUT UP

- homophobia? yeah moyo’s got it!

- this is kinda mean but aaron looks like a hobbit

- jens’ character in this season is just “gay rights!” personified

- put a picture of moyo on that dart board

- just two gays bonding over coming out trauma Nothing New

- senne needs like... anger management therapy

- just two gays and a sad girl  THATS LIFE BABIE

- for some reason i thot zoe knew

- zoe: robbe likes boys? Oh My God This Is Brand New Information For Me Wow!

- the PAIN in milan’s eyes when robbe says “are you crazy” SAKSKDKDMKF

- “everything is complicated” such as the plot to this show changing every episode?

- YASMINA!!!!!!!!

- yeah... i’m gay... keep scrollin

- amber is like that tweet about “collecting homos” like that’s every vilde character

- yeah... he’s gay... keep scrollin

- robbe said “Yes” with his WHOLE CHEST and EVERYTHING

- luca doesn’t care if ur gay but Actually She Does Bc She Wanna Get Groovy With Robbe And It Will Never Happen

- “dancing and singing and musicals” ew could never happen bc robbe HATES the arts we’ve established this much

- aaron has the right attitude i’ll give him that

- is yasmina a THEIF bc SHE STOLE MY HEART with that smile

- luca and jens should bond over being rejected by robbe

-luca: “we can do a rainbow version” robbe: “suddenly i became straight”

- jens does that finger motion thing and robbe’s like “I GUESS I GOTTA”

- MOYO GET THAT FACE OFF YOUR FACE

- absolutely no one is laughing huh... silence from the crowd

- do you really want to go to the spot where your face is just painted on a huge wall?? idk about robbe but i would cry if my face was on a wall like Who Actually Wants That

- okay imagine this scene... everything is exactly the same... but they’re on hoverboards

- what if you’re just walking around and you see a nice mural of some boys face and you’re like “what a cool piece of art” and then You See The Bitch In Question

- 420 bro... come on we blazin... fuck sander we lit

- that door said SCREEE

- aw fuck

- okay i’ve noticed two very loud door slams in this season during two very important scenes and i feel like it means something but i’m not smart enough to figure it out

- sander: *has eyes* robbe: oh jeez.

- leather noises

- IN EVERY UNIVERSE 🥺🥺

- what if someone just walked in while sander has robbe against a wall like.... they’re literally in public i

- SANDER WHAT THAT TONGUE DO

- okay gays.... that exact situation happened to me with my docs one time oh god????

-horny actions from robbers side... good for him

- aw they held hands while gettin it on maybe true love does exist

- last words: you have now idea how much i had to restrain myself from making b*ttom jokes about robbe...

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #261

“i hate you for every time you ever bled for me.”

If you have a job, how long is your shift? I'm unemployed. Do you ever wear your hair in a pony tail? It's too short for that. What language did you take up in high school? Latin for one semester, then I took four of German. Do you like sunflowers? It's illegal to live in the South and not lmao. Have you ever held hands with someone in a car? Yeah. Would you rather be called honey or baby? Hunny. What is your favorite card game? Even though I never learned it super well, I used to enjoy Magic: The Gathering and have actually been like dying to play it for months lmao. How many emails were you sent today? None. What was your favorite Christmas gift you got last year? Well I mostly got money life chose I didn't get to use, lol. I honestly don't really remember anything else prominently... sounds bad, but yeah, so is my memory lmao. What have you thought up yet for this year’s list? Well it's only April, but a treadmill or something like that is at the top right now. Do you have any embarrassing usernames? Ha ha, none that I still use. Do you have a backpack in a shape of an animal? No, but I almost got a meerkat one. But it was too small. :'( Have you ever waxed your legs? OW no. My hair is too long and thick. Have you ever taught a little kid to flick people off? lol wow no. Have you ever itched yourself until your skin was raw? I do that remarkably easy, especially on my legs. I literally have long scars from it. Do you always clear your history after using the computer? No. Have you ever had your food stolen by a bird? Ha ha nah. Are you responsible for stuffing someone's stocking? No. Do you make your own smoothies or juices? No. Do you like oatmeal raisin cookies? I absolutely hate raisins. What age do you think is too old to still live with your parents? It greatly depends on a lot of things: the person's health, financial position, etc. Have you ever watched Bob's Burgers? A couple times. It was pretty funny if I remember correctly. Denim, leather or varsity jacket? UUUUGGGGGHHHHH leather. I've wanted one since middle school. ;_; Has a teacher ever caught and read a note you were passing in class? No. I honestly didn't pass notes, but I find it mean as FUCK when teachers do this. Privacy is a goddamn thing that should be respected. I do not support passing notes in class, like you're there to learn, but having it shared in front of all your peers is not the fucking answer. I get heated about this shit. What's your favorite perfume that you own? I only own one that's called "Blush" from rue 21. It smells really nice, though. Do you clean things that are already clean when you're bored? No. I'd rather clean something that isn't already. Do you have an older brother? Yes. What do you do when someone overweight complains about being overweight? Lol I'd probably say "mood," but it depends on our relationship of course. Like there're times to be humorous and light-hearted about it and other times when you don't make it about you. If they're clearly more sad and especially if I don't know them well, I'd say something like "I understand," because I can almost guarantee I do about this. Have either of your parents ever been to jail? No. Have you ever been to jail? No, I'm a good noodle. :) Are your collarbones prominent? No. ;_; You can see them, yeah, but they're not like very obvious. It's one of my biggest motivators to lose weight though because I am dyinnnnggg for dermals there, but I think it would look weird without that contrast. Have you ever in your life worn overalls? When I was a kiddo. Ugly things. Do you own anything tribal print? No. Do you watch any beauty gurus on YouTube? I'm not even very interested in beauty, yet I love Jeffree Star??? Nikkie is cool too. I've found I watch more for personalities than content, in all genres of vids. Do you like Skittles? More like LOVE. Do you have a PillowPet? No. If you do, what kind of PillowPet do you have? N/A Do you have sleep paralysis? Thank the fuck to god no. That shit sounds absolutely terrifying. Is there anyone at home right now you wish wasn't? No. Do you like Placebo? Tbh I can't think of one song by them rn. I know I've heard them, Mom's even got a CD I'm sure I've tried out long ago when I got into her music, but obviously nothing stood out well enough, at least back then. Has anyone ever carried you to bed? As a kid, yeah, usually my dad. Could you happily date someone prettier than you? Yes???? Do you know anyone with cancer? Both my mom and grandmother right now. Are you easily offended? No. Do your parents buy you most anything you want? HI we've always been poor so no. Not just that, but they knew better than to spoil us. Have you ever tried to jump a fence? I have. Do you watch My Strange Addiction? No. How attracted are you to the last person that kissed you? A bit above moderately ig. Have you ever known a white supremacist? HUNNY I live in the South. In regards to who do you think "what if?" Jason as a fucking whole is my absolute "what if." Do you like the smell of a barbecue? Yes, even though I enjoy like almost no food at most of them. Doesn't stop it from smelling good. Has anyone ever called you apathetic or unemotional? I can't even imagine someone calling me that, no. I'm the polar opposite. How much money do you spend in a month on clothes or accessories? None in the average month. What was the last clothing item you wore that doesn't belong to you? A pair of Mom's pants. I didn't have any clean pairs. Do you own anything with your state or providence's name on it? No. Got no interest in sporting anything relating to a boring-ass, bigoted, racist state. How often do you hold back from saying what you are thinking? WOW A LOT!!!!!!!!!!! Do you like the Paranormal Activity movies? Yeah, I do. I mean yeah, they're fake, but what horror movie isn't even though it claims it is, honestly. How do you like your oatmeal? Apples & cinnamon with a bit of sugar. Does it make you feel better when an ex starts dating someone unattractive? No. Appearance doesn't mean shit when it comes to what the heart wants. What's your favorite way to eat peanut butter? In a sandwich w/ grape jam. Do you fall in infatuation easily? Infatuation, I'm not sure. Who has initiated most of your first kisses? Considering almost all previous relationships, usually me as they all knew I needed to go slow. I'd only do it if I was aware they'd wanted to kiss already, though. Do you like bows? Omg yes, cute shit. Has a boyfriend ever made you breakfast? Yes. Jason first went to college to be a chef. Are you more likely to show affection through your words or your actions? Probably words when you consider I'm slow with physically doing that, but I'm honestly really affectionate either way when I'm comfortable with you. Do you like Cheez-Its? VERY MUCH SO omg keep them away from me. Do you ever use coloring books? Not anymore. How do you feel about instrumental music? I have to be in the mood for it. Have you ever been on a trapeze? No. What's the coolest natural event you've ever witnessed? I still don't know to this day what it was, but I THINK it was a star exploding. Scared me, man. Seeing the big lunar eclipse last year was also wicked cool. Do you know how to use chopsticks? HA, I never could. Not with my tremors. Do you buy chocolate after Valentine's Day when it goes on sale? No, I don't need chocolate. Do you think bunnies are cute? I would fight God to give a lop-eared bunny one (1) pet. Do you personally know anyone who is an author? I've had a friend get something published in a magazine before, and during one stay at the psych hospital, I met a published poet. His stuff was really good. Last time (if ever) you were on an airplane, where were you going? Otw home from Illinois. Do you know anyone who is left-handed? Yeah? I'd assume everyone would at least know one... If people could read your mind, what would they usually find? The thought "I'm bored" every five minutes. What's a song that makes you feel happy? "Jump" by Van Halen came to mind first. How did you meet your best friend? YouTube. Do you need money to be happy? To a degree, yes. Money can buy happiness - but again, to a degree. Saying it doesn't is bullshit. What's a good idea you've had recently? Probably just OC ideas, lmao. I've thought of some decently cool stuff recently. what is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Cinnamon rolls uggggghhhhhh How many slices of pizza do you usually eat? Two or three if I'm seriously hungry. If you could switch places with someone for a day, who would it be? Is "Mark's girlfriend" even remotely surprising lmao but no seriously she's an amazing and productive person like I WISH. What's the last song you listened to? "Roots" by In This Moment is on rn. Do you like the movie Zootopia? Ye! Do you ever go on Pinterest? Yeah. What's the last kind of chocolate you ate? A Reese's. Tell me a line from the song you're listening to: "I'm stronger than I ever knew - I'm strong because of you." Have you ever participated in a march/protest? No. Have you ever performed in front of a large audience? Yeah, for dance classes and school stuff. What did you eat the last time you went to the movies? Popcorn. I may have gotten sour gummies, too? Idr. Who was the last person to see you cry? Mom. Do you listen to music every day? There are rare days where I don't. I'll be watching too many actual videos. Do you have a hard time making decisions? A STUPID hard time. I'm extremely dependent, including when faced with decisions. I second-guess myself with everything. Do you start the shower water before or after you get in? Before. How many times have you been to a museum? A good number of times. We live pretty close to an art + science one. Are you going to be getting any new pets soon? Most likely not. Would you rather be a Panda or Grizzly bear? A panda so it wouldn't be legal to shoot me lmao. Do the stairs in your house have carpet? We only have one floor. Can you do a twirl like a ballerina? Oh wow, no. Even when I was a dancer, I SUCKED at that. When you were younger, were you ever in a relationship with someone you now realize was way too old for you? No. Is your family dysfunctional? To a degree. How old were you the first time you travelled alone? 22? What's the longest hotel stay you've ever had? I don't know. Not long. We only ever really stayed at one when we had to go to Myrtle Beach for annual dance competitions, and those were only like, a weekend. What architectural style was your childhood home? Uhhh idk. Very normal. Tell me a bit about your last relationship. What was it like dating them? It was great, but also stressful because of distance. What's the largest animal you've seen in the wild? Maybe like a large buck or something. Do any of your friends or family members have strange occupations? Not that I'm aware of. Have you ever been in weather so severe that you feared for your safety? Oh yeah. What political issues are the most important to you personally? Gay rights and the pro-choice stance. Does your neighborhood have a community garden? I've never even heard of such a thing. What small thing makes you automatically distrust someone? Acting secretive or cryptic about who they are as a person. Of all the states/provinces in your country, which one is your favorite? Visually that I've seen a good number of pictures of, Utah. Are there any obscure foods you've eaten that most people have never tried? I very much doubt that. What's the kindest thing a total stranger has done for you? I'm unsure. Have you ever used a meal kit delivery service? Yeah, I did one of those diet things before... but the name is evading me, even though it's super common. Nutrisystem, maybe? Do you have any pets? If so, how old are they? Venus is around five, and Roman is two. Do you have any psychological issues rooted in events from your childhood? My psychiatrist and former therapist predict my discomfort around men, particularly when they're behind me, and extreme fear of rape is rooted in two kids from pre-k that used to chase, randomly hug the hell out of, and try to kiss me. I'd actually entirely forgotten about it until we really started to dig deep, so I guess it's a repressed memory. Do you remember your locker combinations from high school? WOW no, son. What's your favorite DIY crafts youtube channel? I don't watch DIY stuff. What was your high school's mascot? Firebird. Who were your best friends in high school? Hannia, Megan, Maria, Girt, and Dennis were The Crew. Who was your first boyfriend or girlfriend? Aaron was my brief puppy-dog love, but Jason was my first real boyfriend. Would you rather sleep on the top bunk or bottom bunk? Bottom. If I slept on the top, but bottom is getting crushed lmao. As a little kid though when Nicole and I shared a room, I had to have the top bunk until I got a bit older. What insects are you afraid of? BEETLES, CICADAS, AND LARVA GET THE FUCK OUT. Honestly most insects scare me to a degree. Have you ever had a secret admirer that left you notes? I think the aforementioned Aaron did in middle school at least once before we dated. What was your favorite thing to do at sleepovers when you were younger? Swimming in the pool, if they had one. What's one way in which you're still a child? I'm dependent as shit on my mom. What's one way in which you're old? I now say "back in the day" sometimes lmfao. Do you feel old or young? Or do you feel both at different times? Both at different times. Did you ever skip a grade or get held back a grade? No. When you look at your baby pictures, do you recognize yourself? Only once at a certain age. What is your favorite thing to do in the pool? Just kinda swim around and think, or watch nature. Have you ever taken a picture at the perfect moment? I know I have, but they're evading me, gaaaah. What color(s) eyeshadow do you wear the most? I only ever wear black. What’s your favourite brand of peanut butter? Uhhh never really paid much attention to brands. Do you put all your stuff for class in one binder or several? When I was in school, I had one binder with dividers, but I also had specific folders too. What’s your favourite Lunchables meal? The nachos. How many languages can you recite the alphabet in? Two. What’s your favourite flavour of sunflower seeds? I hate those. What’s your favourite flavor of muffin? Chocolate oof. Have you ever had carpal tunnel? I do. I haven't had problems in a couple months, though. Are you one of those people who is really smart but has no common sense? OW FUCK OFF. How old were you when you met your first love? I was just shy of 16. Did you get ice cream from the ice cream truck when you were little? Do they still have an ice cream truck where you live? We occasionally did as a kid, but they definitely don't have that where we live now. Has the last person you kissed met your family? She met my mom, dad, and younger sister. What was the last strong emotion you experienced? Who was responsible for it? Remorse. Myself. Have you ever had to cancel a bank account? Yes. Was the last conversation you had an argument? No. If you knew you had the right person, would you marry them today? I am not in the financial or mental position to get married right now. Where was the last place you got completely wasted? I've never been "wasted." If you could have anyone as your roommate, who would you choose? Sara. Have you ever changed the prices of items at a store? Wow no. Well, MAYBE when I actually worked in stores and I was supposed to, but I don't remember doing that. Do you go for walks often? I never do because of having no area to (my house is along a dangerous curve), and I need to be very careful because of muscle atrophy in my legs. I need to have easy access to a place to sit and recover or else I get very close to collapsing. As mentioned, I desperately want a treadmill. Would your parents disown you if you got pregnant? No, I'm 24 years old. My mom would never in her life do that at any age anyway. How strange do people say you are? Idk?? That's not something I really try to find out because my AvPD would possibly make me cry asldkfjwe. Have you opened food at a grocery store & ate it without or before paying? I would never do that without, but I have before in cases of being very dizzy and knowing I desperately needed food. How artistic are you? I think I'm pretty artistic, but more in concept than actuality... Like I have so so so SOOOOOO many ideas, particularly with drawing, I just don't. Do it. Can you legally drive? Not currently, because my permit has been expired since last year. Did anything dramatic go down yesterday? No. Do you find smoking unattractive? Very. Have you ever been in a situation where you had to be around your ex everyday? No, thankfully. Have you seen someone recently you used to talk to, but don’t anymore? No. Are you comfortable sharing drinks with your friends? No; I don't even share drinks with family. Honestly, have you ever written something on a bathroom stall? No, I hate that shit. When you were a kid did you ever look up “sex” in the dictionary? Actually no. I literally didn't learn anything about it 'til family life in the 5th grade. Is there anything written on the shirt you’re wearing right now? No. Are you shorter or taller than most of your friends? I'm a normal height, really. Honestly, do you double dip? If I'm sharing, no. All you have to do is break the chip. What was the last junk food you ate? I had a little bit of popcorn yesterday.

[adulttrio-imagines]

can you do "K: What’s their Youtube suggestions look like? " and "Y: What movie could they watch over and over again? " for the Adult Trio? Please

I’m not really much of a movie person, so I just wrote what I think they would enjoy. Hopefully that’s fine with you, and thanks for waiting!

“K: What’s their Youtube suggestions look like? "

Hisoka

Hisoka’s suggestions would be a strange mix between a nineteen-year-old sorority girl and your average tween boy. Drama channels, Tea spill channels, makeup channels, splattered with decent helpings of prank videos or extreme stunts. What he watches depends greatly on his mood, sometimes he winds down to the latest beauty guru gossip with a wine glass in hand, maybe he’s searching for recommendations to update his make up collection, or he’s up at three am spiraling into a cycle of vicious prank videos. Occasionally, he watches rant channels just to feed off the negative energy as the person in the screen screams their heart out, he finds it oddly relaxing.

Chrollo

You can bet that Chrollo’s search history is filled with the strangest and most damning of things. With things ranging from the mass production of CDs to the usage of chalk to a brief historical guide to the middle ages, if it is a topic he has probably seen an in-depth video explaining it. He’s the type to go into the rabbit hole and emerge with the most random of facts, which he will then cross check with other references to ensure validity before reporting his findings to the Troupe members. I can also see him watching restoration videos of old art pieces, since he appreciates the educational value behind them, and uses it as a form of scouting and as a form of relaxation. As a guilty pleasure, he also watches unboxing videos although he isn’t entirely sure why he likes them either.

Illumi

If anything, Illumi is more of a deep web user since it provides more valuable information to him. When he does have the time to relax and watch videos, he tends to stick with the news, although he can really get into watching those disturbing artsy videos with no real intention besides making you feel creeped out. The more unnerving it is, the better. He is so removed from his emotions that anything that can make him feel anything just wins in his book. I see him being more of a podcast person, where he doesn’t need to look at the screen but can just listen to as he does his own thing in the background. It is not that he is particularly interested in the topic, but just likes the noise in the background.

"Y: What movie could they watch over and over again? "

Hisoka

While he isn’t particularly interested in movies, he does like cinemas for all the wrong reasons, it’s dark, decently crowded and you have to sit next to him, so there is always someone he can pester if there is no one else in immediate vicinity. He’s the type of guy who likes talking throughout movies and throw popcorn at the people sitting in front. If you both go for a highly anticipated film, he will read up on spoilers and ruin the movie for everyone as he reveals the plot as the movie goes along. If you both got placed near the very end, he will try to do indecent things with you and see how much you can both get away with before someone realizes you’re doing the nasty at the back.

As for his actual taste, he does like comedy, especially if it’s dark, but he can work with dry stuff too. A creative adventure movie and decent humor is a premise he would enjoy. He also likes trashy, over-the-top shows, and loves a big, all out family feud complete with food fights, partly because he never had a family and lives vicariously through those films. On a side note, he isn’t too impress with action shows with large explosions since he has lived through them and believes the directors are just trying too hard to make everything seem cool, but he will watch them if you want. In all honesty, he can watch just about anything as long as it keeps him entertain long enough.

Chrollo

Chrollo enjoys his books more than his movies, simply because it lets him absorb the information at his own pace and there isn’t some external force directing him through the scene. I see him being more of a documentary kind of guy, since it’s informative and the slower pace is something more up is alley. While he only started watching nature documentaries when he was younger for the soothing voices to lull him to sleep, he has since uncovered a whole different realm of educational videos. He has a strange fascination with murder mysteries or the supernatural and I can imagine him binge watching on a whole series for a day or two and repeating this cycle every couple of months.

If he does watches movies, he’s the type who likes to rewind and re-watch scenes multiple times, even if that scene happened 20 minutes ago. He also re-watches it a couple times before pausing to think, process it and ask for your opinion on it. I see him enjoying mystery films with hidden meanings and religious symbolisms. He likes gritty, dark shows with a nice dosing of angst and plenty of double-meanings, and if the movies are psychological dramas, even better. I imagine he’ll enjoy a premise similar to Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons. While it is not something he will necessary watch, something with a plot like that will keep him interested.

Illumi

Illumi’s interest walk a fine line. On one hand, he loves dark gothic art with beautiful cinematography and nice wide-angle shots overlooking a whole city bathed in moonlight. On the other, he is attracted to anything involving the aesthetically disturbing, and is also a big fan of body horror where he gets to see the changes done in real time. Seeing how he is willing to morph himself into grotesque shapes, I can see him enjoying movies that are willing to contort the human body into impossible forms. I would say the ideal movie for him is something bleak yet hauntingly beautiful, and progressively gets more and more disturbing as time goes on. If there is an additional martyr or sacrificial love sort of thing going on, he would appreciate it even more as long as it is not done too over the top.

When he was much younger and closer to all his siblings, he would occasionally bend to Killua’s whims and watch old animated action/adventure movies with him. He enjoyed the simplicity of the shows, but he enjoyed it more because it would make his brother so happy. Now those tapes are burned and he can barely remember any of the scenes but the songs stuck with him, which he catches himself humming softly on some nights.

[itsmeezaki]

7 DIY Projects for Your Old Hard Drive

Don’t throw out that old disk drive from your computer! Yes, that’s albeit you’ve got a flowery new solid-state drive (SSD) or if your hard disc drive (HDD) finally gave up. Whether it’s functional or not, your old drive still has some cool uses.

What you are doing with it depends on whether the disk drive is functioning or dead. But surprisingly, a functional old HDD has fewer uses than a dead one.

So roll up your sleeves and inspect a number of these DIY projects to recycle, reuse, or repurpose an old disk drive. Projects For Working Hard Drives

If the drive remains working, don’t waste that space. it's still valuable storage for your data. The thing is, you don’t get to use it inside a computer any longer. 1. Turn It Into a transportable Drive Don’t throw out that old disk drive from your computer! Yes, that’s albeit you’ve got a flowery new solid-state drive (SSD) or if your hard disc drive (HDD) finally gave up. Whether it’s functional or not, your old drive still has some cool uses.

What you are doing with it depends on whether the disk drive is functioning or dead. But surprisingly, a functional old HDD has fewer uses than a dead one.

So roll up your sleeves and inspect a number of these DIY projects to recycle, reuse, or repurpose an old disk drive. Projects For Working Hard Drives

If the drive remains working, don’t waste that space. it's still valuable storage for your data. The thing is, you don’t get to use it inside a computer any longer.

Depending on the drive and therefore the enclosure, you’ll be ready to use it with or without an influence adapter. As a rule of thumb, power adapters are helpful for desktop (3.5-inch) hard drives, while adapters aren’t usually needed for laptop (2.5-inch) drives.

You will find many enclosures and cases on Amazon, including the straightforward AmazonBasics disk drive enclosure. you would possibly even want to seem at a docking station for multiple hard drives. 2. Build a NAS Box With an Old disk drive

In case you have already got a drive or don’t have use for one, it'd be time to create your network-attached storage (NAS). Your hard drive’s contents are going to be accessible from any device connected to your Wi-Fi.

There are different levels of NAS. If you’re fine with spending some money, you'll buy a NAS box just like the TerraMaster F2-220 and easily enter the drive.

If the disk drive doesn’t work any longer, data storage is out. But you'll still recover data off a dead drive, and therefore the drive’s physical parts are still valuable. For any of the projects below, you'll be got to open it up and strip its parts, which may be a pretty easy process.

The above video has all the steps you would like to disassemble the drive and use its parts. 3. DIY Magnetic Knife Block

Hard disk drives contain large neodymium magnets. we have a full guide to get rid of HDD magnets safely. Each drive will net you two strong magnets.

Instructables user tzhy shows the way to use two planks to make such a magnetic knife block. You won’t need any special tools for this, but if you don’t have wood glue or other simple hardware tools around, your local hardware shop should have it.

Once you’re done, you’ll get a neat magnetic knife block that you simply can hang above your kitchen. Knives will stick with this block like magic, making it super convenient. 4. Cubicle Rear View Mirror (or Other Mirrors)

hard drives cubicle mirror

The platters inside a tough disc drive can act as perfectly polished mirrors. Be a touch gentle while dismantling them, you don’t want chips or scratches here. But if you catch on out whole, it’s the right mirror.

You can get creative in your cubicle by turning this into a rearview mirror. All you would like maybe a large thumbtack. Mount it on your cubicle, place the thumb tack within the center, and you'll always see who is trying to creep up on you from behind.

Use old disk drive platters as a pocket mirror

Platters also can become signal mirrors (i.e. a mirror that reflects sunlight to point out your location). aside from being handy in survival scenarios, it also can be an honest safety tool for bicyclists.

In case an easy mirror is all you would like, then platters can double up as pocket mirrors too. It’s a pleasant arts and crafts project. 5. Turn Platters Into a Geeky Wind Chime

If you've got several old drives, harvest the platters and switch them into a wind chime. It’s a simple DIY project that puts your geek cred out there for the planet to ascertain.

Most of the project uses the parts you dismantle from a drive, just like the base plate and therefore the mounting ring. You’ll need a robust line to carry all the plates, of course. Run the lines through the ring and into the corners of the plate. Attach a platter to the top of every line.

There you go, your geeky wind chime. It’s one of the foremost creative upcycling ideas for drives. 6. Make a Hidden Safe With a tough Drive Case

hard drive safe

Once you remove all the parts inside, what does one do with the disk drive case itself? Instructables user bobert610 says it makes a cool safe to store your stash where nobody will suspect it.

It’s also the simplest safe to construct. remove all the parts, then insert one among the screws within the corner. Your “hard drive safe” will act as a swiveling case to stash your emergency money. 7. Fancy disk drive Clock

An old hard drive’s parts are perfect to create a fresh clock, complete with LEDs and other cool bits. You’ll get to buy clock movement and hands separately.

DIY guru kip kay, host of 1 of the simplest tech channels on YouTube, features a wonderful video guide for this project. Kipkay’s method is more refined and therefore the outcome looks fantastic:

That said, he uses several parts that DIY beginners won't have, or would wish to travel to their local hacker-space for. Here’s an easier version for a vertical desk clock, which looks mighty cool once you add the keyboard keys.

[gumroad]

Bad*ss product ideas that have turned into giants on Gumroad.

One question we get again and again over here at Gumroad is... What are some product ideas that will make me some moolah?

It is a great question, a lovely question. It is the type of question we like to hear. In fact, we like the question so much that we created this massive article to better answer it.

But, let’s hit pause for a moment. 

For those of you who have never heard of Gumroad... we don’t sell bubble gum. But, we can certainly help you sell your bubble gum. That is... if you are a bubble gum craftsman. 

We can help you sell anything, actually. 

We are a super simple e-commerce and audience building software for creators, educators, writers, designers and influencers looking to make money doing whatever it is they love. 

Thus far, we have helped thousands of creators collectively make over $200 million (that is million with an “M”). 

Now, where were we? 

Oh. Yes. Product ideas to sell on Gumroad.

5 product ideas selling like crazy on Gumroad that you can draw some serious inspiration from.

It doesn’t matter how sweet Gumroad is. If you don’t have a product idea you are crazy about, then our platform isn’t going to do you much good. 

Fortunately, we are going to play cupid for the next fifteen minutes and introduce you to a few creators on our platform that have created wildly awesome things that are now selling like hotcakes... Chocolate chip hotcakes. 

(Side note: who the hell calls pancakes, hotcakes?)

While we would prefer you don’t just outright steal any of these product ideas –– that’s a big no-no–– we are extremely confident they will spark some serious inspiration in you. 

Or, at least we hope so. 

Without further ado, here are some product ideas on Gumroad we ourselves are chomping at the bit to buy...

1. A series of illustrated essays about The Office (the TV show not the actual office, that would be boring).

Shea Serrano is a former teacher that today makes his living slinging words as an author and journalist. He is extremely well known for his works over at The Ringer and ESPN’s Grantland (RIP). 

In his spare time, he will entertain the Twittersphere with his hilarious thoughts on sports, culture and everything in-between.

And, when he isn’t doing that, he is writing essays about The Office. 

In July of last year, Shea chose Gumroad of all places to shower the world with his Dunder Mifflin riffings. We were beyond flattered.

Shea’s ten brilliantly illustrated essays about The Office made its debut with a single tweet...

“we made a thing it’s 10 illustrated essays about The Office and you can pay $20 and then own it and look at it on your phone or computer or whatever it’s beautiful go get it... http://scrantonproject.com” 

And, it was all history after that as Conference Room, Five Minutes took Gumroad by storm. 

You can buy this digital product for the paperless world, here. Or, you can start selling a digital product (or a paper product), here. Decisions, decisions. 

In all seriousness, what product ideas can you pull from Shea Serrano’s recent essay series? 

If you have a favorite TV show (and don’t we all have a favorite TV show?)... share your thoughts about it, craft some pretty pictures and illustrations around it and then just make it into a digital downloadable product like an ebook. Chances are if you love the show, others do, too. 

And, in Shea’s experience, people will pay a pretty penny to read things about things they love.

2. A comic book about falling in love with a vampire at a blood drive.

Marketing gurus adore firing off phrases like “find your niche”... “niche down”... “there’s money in the niches”. 

If you are one of the lucky few that have never heard these phrases, what they mean is to find a small segment of the human population that is willing to cough up their hard-earned money for whatever the heck it is you are selling... and market to them.

The problem many creators run into is attempting to create a product that appeals to everyone. And, in doing so, they end up creating a product that appeals to absolutely no one. 

But... but... what if there aren’t enough customers in my niche for me to make a living (or half of a living)?

Our answer to that is... My Very First Vampire Blood Drive... a comic book about a girl that goes to a blood drive and ironically falls in love with a vampire. 

Who is the target market? 

Folks who enjoy comic books about mortals falling in love with vampires. 

This little masterpiece has sold like crazy and it’s proof to the Gumroadsphere, and really the world as a whole, that there is money in the niches.

If comics about vampires make your mouth water, you can get your hands on My Very First Vampire Blood Drive, here. Or you can sell a comic book of your own (or really anything for that matter), by gently rubbing your thumb, here.

Vampires aside, comic books tend to do really really well on Gumroad.

If you tore through comic books as a kid and have a cool niche obsession... create a story around it, turn it into a comic book and sell it on Gumroad. There is a good chance others have that cool niche obsession, too. 

As Fred, the serial-entrepreneur, says in the tightly packed coffee shop in Silicon Valley to the young aspiring wide-eyed entrepreneur... “there is money in the niches, young blood.”

3. An alternative indie comedy channel with a cult following.

Sam Hyde is a comedian birthed from the Rhode Island-based comedy group, Million Dollar Extreme or MDE. The three-man comedy squad ignited the web with giggles during the early 2010s as they captured videos of themselves hilariously screwing with random unassuming folks.

Hyde, in particular, gained a cult following as he pulled bigger, badder, much more public facing stunts like his “2070 Paradigm Shift” TEDx Talk speech at Drexel University. Give it a watch. It’s incredibly uncomfortable. 

By 2015, Hyde’s career had reached an all-time high after he sold a show to Adult Swim. Unfortunately, what goes up... has a way of eventually coming down. Shortly after it aired, Adult Swim decided to cancel the show due to Hyde’s extremely controversial humor. 

Hyde is still chugging, though. The comedian has now thrown a price tag on his giggles and has placed his shows and stunts behind a paywall on Gumroad, charging his fans $5 a month. 

While here at Gumroad we certainly don’t support Hyde’s more controversial humor, we do support creative expression. 

Regardless of your stance on Hyde’s humor, his success on Gumroad’s platform is hugely inspiring, which we will touch on in greater detail here momentarily. 

But, first, if you have a dark twisted sense of humor, Hyde can be found here. And, if you want to create your own comedy show, you can get the ball rolling over on Gumroad, here.   

Now, back to the inspiration. Whether you’re the next Kevin Hart or the least funny person in the world, there is one major lesson that can be pulled from Hyde... 

Youtube Channels, podcasts and blogs have allowed creators to build large followings... but they have made it very difficult for these creators to monetize these followings. 

Whether you’re a comedian creating skits on Youtube or some thinker that is sharing her insight on her blog, why not offer exclusive content to your audience behind a paywall on a platform like Gumroad?

You can still record your regular show or write your weekly blog post... but maybe, in addition to this, you offer exclusive content just to your paid subscribers. 

Mark Manson, the author behind the New York Times Best Seller, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, does this on his website. 

He has published hundreds of articles for free. But, offers exclusive content to subscribers who are willing to cough up a few extra dollars each month. 

It seems to be working well for him. It probably would for you, too.

4. A digital handbook that teaches folks how to sketch like an architect.

Besides having a name right out of a 007 movie, David Drazil knows a thing or two about architecture. And, more specifically, sketching architecture. 

Drazil is a budding architect, graphic designer and CG artist from the Czech Republic currently living, working and creating really awesome Gumroad products in Copenhagen, Denmark. 

Somewhere on Drazil’s path as an architect, he had a very exciting and lucrative realization... architects can draw really well and there are probably a few people out there that would be willing to pay to learn how to draw like them. 

No, we aren’t for certain if his realization was this long-winded nor worded quite like this (we can’t read minds, after all)... but you get the idea. 

Ultimately, some thought of Drazil’s led him to create the hugely popular digital handbook, Sketch like an Architect, where he teaches both aspiring architects or just folks looking to draw like them, how to breathe life into beautiful architectural pictures. 

What product ideas can be inspired from Drazil’s work?

If you’ve lived on this Earth for at least a decade, there is a good chance you have a hobby or a skill or a passion that you are better at than 99% of people. 

So... make a handbook. 

If you know how to whittle wood… make a handbook.

If you know how to care for succulents... make a handbook. 

If you know how to make delicious homemade ice cream... make a handbook.

If you know how to make backpacks out of recycled cement bags... make a handbook. 

Sometimes, the best product ideas are simply sharing what you already know and slapping a price tag on it. 

Heck, you don’t even have to slap a price tag on it. Drazil, for example, let’s his customers choose what they want to pay for his Sketch like an Architect handbook. 

You’re a good guy, Drazil. And, a gosh darn good architect. 

Anyway, if you’re a horrible drawer and want to change that, you can get your hands on Drazil’s handbook here. And, if you have a handbook you want to create yourself, why not sell it on Gumroad?

5. A piece of software that helps writers (and non-writers) write better.

We are sure you have probably heard of the acronym “K.I.S.S.” before... and no, we aren’t talking about the iconic 80s rock band. 

It stands for Keep It Simple Stupid. We like to play nice here at Gumroad so we use the word “Silly” rather than “Stupid”. But, you get the idea. 

Anyhow, it is advice often given to novices overcomplicating things that don’t need to be complicated. 

When it comes to writing, both writers and non-writers tend to struggle with the acronym, using big complex language and jargon that is difficult to understand. 

If you are in business, you’ve probably been a victim of this. 

Do any of these ring a bell? 

Circle the wagons. 

Low-hanging fruit. 

Move the needle.

Core competency. 

Open the kimono.

Put out some feelers.

Thankfully, there is an app for that. Brothers Adam and Ben Long created Hemingway, an application that proofreads writing for wordy sentences, adverbs, passive voice and other horrible lexical atrocities. 

In a lovely interview with The New Yorker, the Long brothers shared some of the back story behind their creation…

“After spending our days writing, we realized a common mistake: sentences easily grow to the point that they became difficult to understand. The worst part is we didn’t realize we were doing it. Our text was more clear and persuasive when we kept it simple. While complaining about it on the phone, we decided there should be an easy way to help people realize when their writing was too dense.”

The duo decided to create a product that would scratch their own itch. And, thus, the Hemingway App was born. Obviously, named after Ernest Hemingway, the author known widely for his tremendous brevity. 

While not everyone is capable of creating a software application, the Long brothers are certainly not technology whiz kids. Nope. Adam works in marketing in North Carolina and Ben is a copywriter living in the big apple. 

A lovely aspect about being alive in 2019 is that it is possible to create a software application... even if you don’t have the chops to built it yourself. 

If you have an idea, sites like Toptal, Guru and Upwork allow you to breathe life into that idea... and sites like Gumroad let you sell it. 

If you tend to get a bit long-winded with your writing and are guilty of getting a little fancy with your language, you can check out the Hemingway app right here. If, on the other hand, you have an idea you’d like to turn into a piece of software, get set up on Gumroad so you can sell it once it is alive. 

Which of these product ideas are right for you? 

Gumroad is wonderful in that it offers everything you need from an e-commerce and audience-building standpoint whether you’re selling software or coloring books. 

However, this makes coming up with the perfect product idea to sell on the platform, challenging. Hopefully, you were able to draw some serious inspiration from the product ideas we just shared that have turned into giants on Gumroad.

Quickly, let’s do an episode recap before you dive into ideation mode, shall we? 

One... 

Product ideas don’t always have to be crazy original. They can simply be you sharing your thoughts on a popular TV show, movie, book or sports team in pop culture. That’s what Shea did with Conference Room, Five Minutes. 

Two...

Product ideas don’t have to appeal to everyone. In fact, it might be better if they only appealed to a select few people. Niching down (oh lord we hate that word) is good for business. If you’re skeptical, My Very First Vampire Blood Drive should dissolve this skepticism. 

Three...

Product ideas can be as simple as offering great exclusive content to the audience you’re already giving away free content to. If you have an audience, be it large or small... there is a good chance you have some super fans existing somewhere in there. Ask those fans to pay for exclusive content... they just might. Ask Sam Hyde. 

Four...

If you know how to do something reasonably well, you know how to do that something better than 99% of people in this world. Why not charge to teach that skill by making a handbook like the architect that might be an undercover 007 agent, David Drazil. Better yet, if you don’t know what to charge, just ask customers to pay what they can... 

Five...

Scratch your own itch. And, if you don’t know how to make a back scratcher yourself, you can always hire someone else to make it for you. The Hemingway Editor is a great example of a marketer and copywriter deciding they were fed-up and downright tired of long-windedness, jargon and complex language. So, they created a back scratcher. And, if you by chance aren’t technically savvy... find someone who is. 

And, once you create a product that just might change the world, don’t forget to sell the damn thing on Gumroad. 

By Cole Schafer.

Cole is a marketer and ink-slinger that runs a tiny (but mighty) creative writing shop called Honey Copy that helps brands grow with pretty words.

[extraneousdominomask]

I don't understand the hate for Sly 4. Can you explain why you think the game sucked?

Alright. I’ll give you a summary of the major issues I have with Sly 4, and try to keep it brief. Here’s an itemized list of 30 years of disagreements (Sweet Jesus):

-First off, the first half of the game is fucking incredible. (If that sounds like a weird place to start, that’s only because it is.) The opening recaptures the spirit of the games wonderfully - and given I was a returning fan, fresh off an eight-year hiatus, that was amazing - Japan is beautiful and builds well, and Cotton Mouth Bluff is probably my favourite level in the entire damn franchise.Even leaving aside how I can’t pretend bad installments of my favourite things didn’t happen - that’s just not how my brain works - part of the reason Sly 4 irks me is because it had so much goddamn potential. It’s an updated Sly Cooper game where he and the Gang go on time-adventures. We were so close to something incredible. This should, by rights, be my favourite game in the series, and also of all time.I’m angry because I care.

-Carmelita’s redesign. She was already a very sexualized character, but she used to have sensible jeans and a sense of vaguely realistic athleticism. Sanzaru insisted on pushing the sexualization further, and since we started at a pretty advanced point, it got taken to frankly disgusting levels. Her waist terrifies me. You can see her ribs. The badass Interpol inspector is now worryingly underweight. It legitimately creeps me out.

-I don’t like the caveman level. This is the least analytical gripe, I admit that. I just… don’t like the caveman aesthetic. Never liked the Flintstones or anything similar. That’s just subjective.What’s not subjective is how the Gang ending up in just the right place and time to stumble across another of Le Paradox’s lieutenants is a strong contender for the least likely coincidence in all of fiction. But whatevs. Them improvising an escape while falling down a cliff was cool.

-Likewise, as Cooper ancestors go, Bob is very underwhelming. He’s a big ugly block who reuses the Guru’s joke. Instead of Henriette or Slaigh or anybody else in the Vault or Henriette, we got this guy. Great.

-The Grizz. Unfunny character with an awful boss fight. Complete bungling of what a graffiti is or does or sounds like. Unnervingly racist.

-The Penelope twist. Good god in heaven, what even was that? I mean, I was interested. I gave the game the benefit of the doubt, all ears for what the explanation was. Unfortunately, that explanation never came. We’re still not sure what the hell was going through Penelope’s head. She’s just evil now. A lovable character, funny and endearing and not overly sexualized (which in this series is rare), just… twisted. For no real reason.There’s zero textual information justifying her decisions. Especially because the focus is entirely on Bentley, giving her no room to explain herself. And sure! Bentley’s great, I love him, but I also love Penelope and I also love(d) their in-practice painfully brief relationship. I want Geeks in Love doing Crimes Together, not a half-assed betrayal twist.

-Ms Decibel. Irritating to watch. Retread of both Octavio and the Contessa. Has no reason for having mind control powers. The fact it’s just “ha ha there is a trumpet in her nose” genuinely irritates me. This isn’t hard sci-fi, but it ain’t Looney Tunes either. Try harder.The Joke Is That She Is Fat And Ugly. Ha Ha Ha.

-The Carmelita belly dance. Sweet CHRIST. If I keep coming back to this, it’s because it’s gotten me progressively angrier ever since the first time I played it and felt an uncomfortable churn in my gut.This shit is genuinely disturbing. She is coerced. Why did Sanzaru think this was a good idea? Everybody in the writer’s room signed off on this; anyone who may have wanted to stop it didn’t manage to. Then it got animated and designed and Grey DeLisle was called into the booth to voice how beloved strong-willed icon of my childhood Inspector Carmelita Fox was deeply uncomfortable with this sexual act three men she was close to were forcing her to perform. I don’t find this shit amusing. Kids play these fucking games, man.

-Carmelita’s (lack of) use in general. She gets some good moments when she’s first dragged along, again making Tennessee’s level the best. Then she storms off during Bob’s. Then, after wandering back and calming down? Next to nothing. She’s barely there.Bentley shutting down over Penelope’s betrayal was a perfect opportunity for her to take charge and show off her tactical prowess as an officer. What did we get? “Uh… let’s go with Galleth’s plan, then walk forward through Penelope’s front gate. idk guys” Outside of objectifying her, Sanzaru had no idea what to do with her, and it shows.

-The underwhelming climax. The finale of Sly 2 felt earned. The original three all had great final acts, but I bring up the second because it resembles the fourth. In both, there’s a last-minute upset where everything the Gang has accomplished so far is suddenly snatched away.But Sly 2 built that feeling. From the moment Jean Bison sees through the Gang’s disguises, things get worse and worse. The time they spend in stony silence, hiding in that battery, really creates a sense of encroaching dread. Things are going wrong, but they’re going wrong slowly. And that’s worse.Sly 4 - perhaps due to a dwindling budget - rockets through where that suspense should be. “Le Paradox showed up and stole Carmelita and then his plan worked and he was king of everything and we were sad but we went to fight him anyway.” wow. my emotions. i’m so invested.One of the lines I can particularly remember is “I don’t ever remember feeling so defeated.” Oh, you don’t, Sly? Not when you lost every Clockwerk Part at once? Not when Clockwerk was reassembled and Neyla merged with him? Not when you watched your parents be murdered in front of you?It’s 100% Tell, 0% Show. That’s not how you do a finale.

-Le Paradox. God. Just… god. Obnoxious in a way that isn’t entertaining. An awful, nasty character who does not receive an adequate level of comeuppance for his overblown, overwrought crimes. Rapey. He hates Sly for something Conner did; Sly has no agency here, he’s just a victim, pulled into the story because he’s directly threatened over something he had no part in. That’s bad writing. Bad writing which retreads other, more interesting antagonists.Doesn’t hold a candle to Clockwerk, Arpeggio, Neyla or Dr M. Unlike them, Le Paradox survives his game, which a) feels like too light a punishment if everybody else got a dramatic death and b) creates the worrying prospect they intend to bring him back. Ugh. Would work fine as an insignificant filler villain; instead, has means, power level, and (intended) gravitas outstripping Clockwerk. Total disconnect between his persona and his stupid, childishly powerful plan.Bigger =/= better.Skunks don’t come from France.

And, of course, the grand finale. The last thing to happen to Sly Prime. To this day, four and a half years later, the current state of the original series, and what may well be the overall ending at this point no matter what Sanzaru originally intended long-term. Everybody sing along at home~!

-A terrible cliffhanger ending with no sequel greenlit!

There. That about covers it. For me, anyway. Everybody has their own take.For the record, every box in that brain meme is a genuine opinion of mine. Sly 4 is most certainly a Sly game. It has amazing art and great moments. It brought in a ton of new fans, and kept the franchise going. That can’t be undervalued.But it’s the most flawed installment by a wide, wide margin. Sly 1 was rough, but a lot of that feels like beginner’s jitters. 4′s flaws feel more like huge, enthusiastic strides in the wrong goddamn direction, made by well-meaning people who are super excited to bring the franchise to places I do not want it to go. Like Sexual Objectification Town.

I don’t hate it blindly, but I can’t pretend I love it. I’m not gonna repress my negativity. This is my blog where I talk about Sly Cooper. And when I talk about Sly 4, I won’t skip over its flaws. In the vague hope that maybe, if I explain how and why these things don’t work, there’ll be less of these mistakes in the world. For my own writing, if nothing else. Straightening out my emotions into coherent, rational analysis. Looking toward the future.

…that and because it’s cathartic.

[iamandco]

  PHOTO: COURTESY @BETINA_GOLDSTEIN VIA INSTAGRAM  Fall is the best time of year for being creative with our nails. With inspired color palettes in the most fabulous muted shades, the season gets our blood pumping. Falling leaves, pumpkin spice and monsters, oh my! Check out these nail designs that will be everywhere this fall. Fall Nail Designs View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Nail Room & Co (@thenailroomchats) on Aug 18, 2019 at 9:45am PDT How can you incorporate fall greens into your favorite trendy nail art? The Nail Room & Co. (@thenailroomchats on Instagram) demonstrates with this calming double-wave design.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Betina R. Goldstein (@betina_goldstein) on Aug 12, 2019 at 12:15pm PDT While these nails aren’t painted with an actual color-- other than clear-- the nude is essential to their design. Betina Goldstein (@betina_goldstein on Instagram) creates these rhinestone cuffs with Swarovski crystals. If we had these nails, we’d never look back.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nails_Ruby💎 (@nails_ruby) on Mar 19, 2019 at 9:39am PDT Ruby (@nails_ruby on Instagram) puts the gradient nail trend to the test using these soft browns with slight purple undertones. I am absolutely a fan of these and hope to see them more often. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nail Stylist // Luxe press-ons (@perfect10customnails) on Jul 29, 2019 at 12:10pm PDT Jessica Harris’s (@perfect10customnails on Instagram) jade stone nails are press-on and fit for any gemstone lover. The intricate balance of the teal with the white is iconic.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Designed By Tony Ly (@tonysnail) on Aug 17, 2019 at 6:13am PDT Tony Ly’s (@tonysnail on Instagram) deep red suspended-glitter nails are flawless and we love them. The fiery glow of the sequins excites me and reminds me of a cool evening with a burning sunset.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chaun P. 🇰🇭 (@chaunlegend) on Aug 4, 2019 at 7:55am PDT Chaun P. (@chaunlegend on Instagram) has a knack for fade nails and these are no different. He uses bright, rust-orange polish to complete this fall nail look. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ˗ˏˋ𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐞ˊˎ˗ (@nailart_bygracie) on Nov 10, 2018 at 7:21pm PST Nail artist Gracie (@nailart_bygracie on Instagram) introduces pumpkin spice season with these beautiful olive and nude nails. The pumpkin tips are the perfect accent for fall.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by 🅛🅐🅡🅡🅔🅖🅤🅘 🅝🅐🅘🅛🅢 (@larreguinails) on Aug 14, 2019 at 12:12am PDT These wood resin nails are incredible. Nail guru Luma Larregui (@larreguinails on Instagram) gets our hearts pumping with this unique blue and brown design. She actually embeds tiny bits of wood inside the nails.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by L (@elleaseen) on Oct 12, 2018 at 3:34pm PDT Candy corn is totally underrated, so these gorgeous rusty candy corn nails by L (@elleaseen on Instagram) are IT. They blend four shades of rust into one delectable set of fall nail inspiration.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Betina R. Goldstein (@betina_goldstein) on Oct 10, 2018 at 8:54am PDT Spooky eyeballs are one of my favorite Halloween-inspired candies. These half moon spooky eyes by Betina Goldstein (@betina_goldstein on Instagram) get us ready for the witching hour in the most satisfying way.  Fall Nail Color Trends I was ready for summer to be over within the first few weeks of it (for us Floridians, that means April-- four. MONTHS. AGO). Let me tell you, it was a LONG summer. We had dripping hot temperatures close to 100 degrees, and the inability to cool off because the beaches were out of order (Tampa Bay had flesh-eating bacteria, yikes). But, here we are with the taste of fall on our tongues, soon to be officially christened as of Labor Day weekend-- we’re almost there! Fall 2019 is sure to be an epic season because DUH, our favorite colors are back and bigger than ever. Yes, sure, they look a little different than they did a year ago, but so do we! Speaking of new shades, here are six of our favorite fall colors that are brand-new for Fall 2019.  Green Fall Nail Color Trends Green nails are difficult to pull off on a good day, but these fall-toned greens are perfect for the 2019 season. They are much darker and more muted than average, so anyone can pull them off.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Betina R. Goldstein (@betina_goldstein) on Oct 10, 2018 at 8:54am PDT Nail artist Vlora (@rajanas_nails on Instagram) loves this satin-finished green shade and we can see why. The color is rich and streak-free, a major plus in the nail world. It’s the perfect green and we love the single matte nail on each hand. Nice choice, girl!  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nail Love by Kylie (@naillovebykylie) on Aug 17, 2019 at 7:25am PDT Utah-based nail artist Kylie (@naillovebykylie on Instagram) is ready for fall with these sublime, matte army-green nails. The shade is pretty neutral as far as greens go, so you don’t even have to worry about them matching your outfits. This is the ideal green for fall.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝓜𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓪 𝓑 (@nailsonthames) on Aug 15, 2019 at 9:05am PDT British nail guru Marta B. (@nailsonthames on Instagram) shows off the next big green for fall, straight from OPI’s Scotland collection. Shade Things I’ve Seen in Aber-green is described as an edgy green with brown undertones. Fall 2019 better be ready because this color is one of my favorites.  This deep emerald green nail polish by Marc Jacobs Beauty will be your new fall favorite. While green nail color is can be daunting, this sweet green is deep and sensual. It will make you feel sexy, elegant and alluring. Take your power and get this nail color at Sephora .  Nude Fall Nail Color Trends Nudes and neutrals are ordinarily straight-forward and mostly the same year to year. We have more of a variety now though. The fall 2019 season is meant for nudes with brown and pink undertones and other less common neutral shades.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by MILLENNIAL BEAUTY (@millennialbeauty) on Jul 8, 2019 at 8:04am PDT Millennial Beauty (@millennialbeauty on Instagram) gives us a taste of the pink nude trend for fall. These creamy, pink-nude nails with gold-glitter accents are the perfect accessory for an autumn wedding. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝓜𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓪 𝓑 (@nailsonthames) on Aug 14, 2019 at 9:00am PDT Marta B. (@nailsonthames on Instagram) showcases these bewitching, dusty-mauve nails by OPI. Another color from their fall 2019 Scotland collection, shade You’ve Got that Glas-glow is as enchanting as it is creamy.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Valori Boss (@gaudyoctopus) on Aug 11, 2019 at 11:16am PDT These soft tan and yellow nude nails by Valori Boss (@gaudyoctopus on Instagram) are enticing and the fitting accent to a fall wardrobe. Because every color involved is a neutral (even the black), they match anything and everything.  Essie’s Wild Nudes nail polish collection is only available online through Ulta , but it brings the ultimate definition to the phrase “unusual nudes.” Nude colors are typically pretty basic, but these babies come out of left-field with their color choices, and it couldn’t be better. Color Clothing Optional is the ideal shade of pinky-brown nude for the fall 2019 season.  Plum & Brown Fall Nail Color Trends Purples and browns are some of the most popular nail colors year-round, so why should fall be any different? These plum purples and nude browns are ravishing and command attention.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by All The Nail Polish Things (@polish.lab.rat) on Aug 16, 2019 at 7:37am PDT Nail artist Larissa (@polish.lab.rat on Instagram) tests out one of OPI’s new Scotland Infinite Shine shades for her Instagram post. We adore the perfection of the glowy plum tone. Shade Boys Be Thistle-ing at Me is available at Ulta Beauty.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rachel AT Schmitz (@rachels.nailsparation.station) on Aug 16, 2019 at 1:00pm PDT Rachel (@rachels.nailspiration.station on Instagram) is a self-proclaimed “dip-powder enthusiast” and loves to use the powders in her nail looks. This pretty purple-toned red and rose-gold combination is in our book of fall ‘19 looks to try.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by JoLinn (@jolinncreates) on Aug 10, 2019 at 4:35pm PDT Nail enthusiast JoLinn (@jolinncreates on Instagram) takes fall nails to the next level with these matte pinkish, coffee-colored nails. The matte quality of the color makes them appear almost velvety and we think it is incredible.  Purple shades don’t have to be difficult to embrace this fall season with this combination of purple mini polishes by Deborah Lippman. Available at Sephora , this set combines inky plum with soft lavender and literally every purple shade in-between.  Deep Blue & Dark Teal Fall Nail Color Trends Blue is a popular shade for summer, but darker versions of blue and teal are essential to your fall color palette. Here are some of our favorite shades. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝓜𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓪 𝓑 (@nailsonthames) on Aug 17, 2019 at 8:57am PDT Marta B. (@nailsonthames on Instagram) is on point with her color-testing. This shade from OPI’s Scotland Infinite Shine collection for fall 2019 is the crown jewel. Shade Nessie Plays Hide and Sea-k ’s glitter is multi-faceted and deep, although it does appear to be a much brighter color on the Ulta website.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by ›◈‹ Antonia ›◈‹ (@mausigrau) on May 12, 2019 at 7:37am PDT While navy blue is a foolproof transitional shade for fall, Antonia (@mausigrau on Instagram) featured this deep Essie blue in mid-May. The color is hot and definitively perfect for both seasons, but particularly for fall.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vixxen Nailz🥀 (@vixxen_nailz) on Aug 17, 2019 at 8:37pm PDT Vixxen Nails (@vixxen_nailz on Instagram) knows how to work fall blues with this sexy set. Her blue shade is rich and decorated with golden gems and a gold-glitter underside.  Get your favorite fall 2019 blue nail polish at Target for the low. Essie nail polish is long-lasting and insanely good quality to boost your manicure for the autumn months. After School Boy Blazer is a gorgeous shade of navy, a perfect transition from summer to fall.  Maroon & Wine Fall Nail Color Trends As I’m a redhead, I tend to wear wine and maroon all year long. Everyone else? Well, the best time for maroon is autumn! Fall is here and so are these sexy reds. Check out our favorite shades.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jennifer Dye (@chroma_nails) on Aug 15, 2019 at 4:19pm PDT This pretty wine shade, worn by Jennifer Dye (@chroma_nails on Instagram), is the irrefutable winner for best fall reds. The color is sweet and really does resemble a glass of wine. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Erika’s Nail Studio (@erikasnailstudio) on Aug 16, 2019 at 10:23am PDT These nails by Erika (@erikasnailstudio on Instagram) are giving us major fall vibes. She alternates the design on each nail, featuring watercolor, glitter and a regular satin-finish.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Michelle Lee (@heymichellelee) on Aug 16, 2019 at 5:33pm PDT Michelle Lee’s (@heymichellelee on Instagram) geometric, negative-space nails feature a solid maroon shade. It looks brilliant in its simplicity.  Mischo Beauty’s Front Row Creme nail polish is the obvious choice for a toxin-free nail color with durability fit for a queen. Their Scarlet shade is the all-around best shade of deep red for the autumn months. Don’t just let us tell you this, get it at Macy’s and try it yourself .  Rust Orange Fall Nail Color Trends Orange reminds me of Halloween, and Halloween is right around the corner. These rusty orange shades are impeccably suited for the current fall season.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by IBD South Africa (@ibdnailsa) on Jul 2, 2019 at 1:21am PDT IBD South Africa (@ibdnailsa on Instagram) has the right idea with these rust orange stiletto nails. Not only is the color attractive, but they are extremely eye-catching when paired with the stiletto length.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Delphine🧸 (@delphine_debray) on Aug 16, 2019 at 2:35am PDT Delphine (@delphine_debray on Instagram) is winning with her short, rust orange nails for fall. We are here for it, girl! OPI’s Scotland collection has us covered for this year’s fall favorites . Available at Ulta Beauty , shade Suzi Needs a Loch-Smith is a “copper-kissed orange” that will wow anyone who sees it. The color is the perfect rusty orange to get your autumn leaves on, seen here on Marta B. (@nailsonthames on Instagram). So What Do We Think? Fall is our favorite time of year, and we cannot wait to see these gorgeous colors in action. The deeper shades of purple, teal and blue are quintessential to the summer-fall transitional period and add a bit of depth to the traditional fall color palette. Every year rusty shades of orange, olive and maroon come back full force with slight variations. We love each one more than the last, and couldn’t be more excited to give them a try ourselves.