#I DONT WANT TO HAVE TO CHARGE MY HEADPHONES I WANT TO PLUG THEM INTO MY PHONE AND HAVE THEM WORK

[synecdokidoki]

headphone jack... I miss you... please come back

[give-grian-rights]

I joined an frc team

-GRABS YOU-

hello and welcome to the first day of the rest of your life . first robotics competition CHANGES YOUR BRAIN CHEMICALS

you want to survive? LETS DO THIS

1: NO MATTER WHAT try and stick it out. Get the grades, get the hours, get the permission to travel to at least ONE competition- especially one that stays in a hotel, since I know some teams will skip out on hotels for events close to them. I don't think ANYONE, in any scenario, should say "this isn't for me" until they go and experience one full event.

2: if you don't use deodorant YOU WILL BE EXECUTED . no matter what your job is, there is going to be at least ONE point throughout the day where you are shoulder-to-shoulder with someone . if theres a time to be self conscious its then . use Convention rules as reference

3:you will be tempted to fucking come out of the closet at least at one point . you do NOT KNOW how much it hurt to skip out on a cool write-your-own-pronouns pin because i refused to use she/her and wasn't comfortable writing any. proceed with caution as you see fit.

4: are you surprised by number four? YOU SHOULDNT BE the women. ohh the women are so pretty. my entire high school (aka: less than a year ago) was me being OUTRAGOUSLY STUPID whenever i saw a fem presenting person . oh my god. oh my god they are all so hot. and then those hot students become hot volunteers and alumni and the gay never leaves. there was a trans woman mentor at one competition she rocked we talked with her for like an hour

5: if your team. goes to far competitions. TAKE A BLANKET AND PILLOW. new kids sometimes do NOT get this memo. do it. get silly with it, to what your team permits. our team, being older than me myself, gave up . . most rules. involving the bus. for better or worse.

6: bring a hoodie. i dont care where you go. bring not just a blanket, but a hoodie. so worse comes to worse you can put it on the floor and sleep. that was a fun 8 hour bus ride.

7: if you have a remotely decent team. you will be killed on site if you cuss at a competition. one kid's "bad" or immature behavior can lead to your entire team being disqualified to any award not related to robot performance.

8: LEARN HOW TO EAT AT LEAST ONE BASIC FOOD. this one might be silly but it could've killed me (dramatic). eat pizza. even if you have to take off the cheese just. figure out a way its worth it. FIND SOMETHING TO EAT FOR BREAKFAST. at least one breakfast food, for if you're at a hotel that serves you. experiment a little. find something that works for you.

9: exercise what free stuff you take with caution . i have probably ten-fifteen pounds of buttons and pins, and i do not. genuinely do not. think thats an exaggeration.

10: headphones . soft, subtle earbuds. battery packs. and a BACKPACK. my senior year, i composed myself of:

fanny pack, attached to it my wallet which had a buckle, so i could easily access my money. a change purse also attachable, so i have somewhere for coins obviously.

reusable, collapsing drinking cup

a folded up draw-string bag, for hoodies, or eccentric amount of free stuff

one to two battery packs with a charger. if you have friends (or want to make some), consider having other types of chargers too!

wall outlet plug, incase i need to charge at a venue

miniature hairbrush

hand sanitizer

gum. a great way to make friends

a folded up sandwich bag with various medicines, and a piece of paper that describe which each medicine is (ibuprofen, anxiety meds, etc).

i genuinely considered wearing two fannypacks at the same time. also, tying your hoodie around your waist for extra storage works too.

AND MY PERSONAL FAVORITE HACK:

tampon box . your venue bans outside food or drink? tampon box with pads and tampons on top. contraband inside. almost NEVER looks. better to put it with team stuff like scouting equipment and spirit gear but a worthy inclusion. Same goes for if you have a backpack with pockets!

put food/drinks at the bottom, menstrual products on top. doesn't matter what you present as. lie. say your girlfriend needed it since she doesn't carry a bag with her to competitions. putting SOFT STUFF that mumbles wrappers crinkling also helps, like an extra hoodie. though I personally wouldn't matter to much about that, since competitions are LOUD especially when you're entering the venue when the doors first open.

a lot of the time though, security aren't too bothered. especially if you dont make it obvious.

this is my first robotics season as a college student. i don't like my team enough to go back, but god. god do i fucking love this program.

[identity-theft-101]

Not sure why and not going to think more about it but maybe Lilia would like to hear stuff about cinematography? I feel like it's a maybe with Vil? Definitely with Rook as I feel like Rook would listen to anyone about anything because he

Heck I bet talking about cinematography to Grim, Ace, and Deuce may get them wanting to make a short film.

I do think I'd find random info about cinematography interesting. Any random tidbits ya want to share?

Lilia would probably enjoy my bullshit!

(Vil and rook scare me lol)

Random knowledge:

Framing of scenes can be super important for the story! Making the choice to have certain items or a certain POV for a shot can complete change the intended energy for a scene.

The vertigo effect was invented in the 1940's and used for the movie 'Rebecca' but it didn't get the desired effect right until 1958 with the film 'Vertigo'.

It is created by rolling the camera AWAY from the Focus and simultaneously zooming IN. It is used to create an air of dramatic unease!

My least favorite equipment piece is a crane due to the annoyance of setting up and moving the sucker.

My favorites are the gimble and shoulder mount!

Gimbles are used to create a steady-cam while the camera has to move a lot. This is really handy for action scenes if you want a POV that's kinda IN the action!

They are basically good for anything that requires the camera to be moving frequently to maintain certain shots and you DONT want the camera to shake artistically.

Extreme Close Ups are a good way to make the scene feel claustrophobic or like it's closing in

My favorite film in a cinematic sense is "The secret Life of Walter Mitty"

Other bullshit:

Audio is the make or break with many films. If you have shit audio and it's not artistically intentional, restart.

You can get the best sound effects by doing the weirdest thing!! (Tree fall down? Break/eat celery next to the mic)

This is called 'Foley' and its one of of my favorite things!

I was often in charge of soundtracks becuase I loved keying up sound effects and music tracks! I also have big ass Audiophile style headphones.

Horror films aren't scary to me because I am too busy looking at the camera angles and giggling like a fangirl

My favorite silent film is Nosferatu

I have hearing loss from being the designated sound guy- People always yelled into my mic as a prank (I would have a headset plugged into the mic to make sure i got good sound)

I also often doubled as a "SCRIPT SUPERVISOR" which is in charge of continuity between shots, (ie I made sure your hat didn't change to a diffrent hat between scenes)

My film team hated me as script supervisor and storyboard manager because I was "too ocd about it" and would correct things "too often"

I still want to fucking fight them over that

They also cut a lot of my audio effects from the final version of the short film and that made me even more pissed

I used to "Lone Wolf" a lot of my projects becuase everyone hated to work with me due to my work style (or just hated me lol)

I often let actors improv dialog becuase it felt more natural and I was horrible at story-telling! It was a pain to edit, but the reactions and emotions were GOLD

I really like dramatic lighting! I would often use lighting that would give harsh shadows, one of my favorite lighting sources was actually bonfires.

Fucking love horror films, they go absolutely HARD with soundtracks and specific shots (Extreme Close Ups my beloved ♡♡♡)

[illfoandillfie]

How about “Actually I just miss you” (from the 5 word prompts) with pedro?

oooo cute okay! kinda did something i dont normally do with this one and flipped back and forth between reader and pedro so hopefully it works skfjksjfksdjs also she a fluffy one

Pedro’s eyes were tired and he had to squint at his too bright screen as he typed, the fluffy comfort of his hotel suite bed beckoned to him. But he couldn’t sleep until he was sure you knew he was safely back on the ground. Of course you’d be asleep now anyway and wouldn’t see his messages until the morning but now that he’d had the idea to message you he couldn’t let it go. If he’d had his way he would have made a stop back home for a night or two just to see you. He’d tried to fit it into the itinerary but between two different production studios requiring his presence, the timing hadn’t worked it. It never did. **

You had to rub your eyes a few times before you could properly read the messages displayed on your phone. They’d come in while you were asleep and you were not yet ready to get out of the comfort of you bed so lay there, body twisted awkwardly, groggily attempting to read them while the phone remained plugged into the charger. As your brain slowly woke up you realised they were from Pedro (and that your phone was completely charged and could be unplugged.) The first had come in around one in the morning.

Pedro: Heading to the airport. SXSW was incredible, wish I was heading to you but still needed in Canada.  Talk soon! 🛫

The second had been sent a few hours later

Pedro: So tired 😴 Flight landed fine, on my way to hotel. I know you’re alseep right now (like I want to be 😆) but I hope tomorrow’s a good one for you. ✌

You chuckled as you read them and sent off a quick reply telling him to sleep in or at least drink an extra coffee, and wishing him luck with the filming. It was sweet that he’d thought to tell you he arrived safely but you’d long given up hope that his considerate actions were a symbol of affection deeper than friendship. He was a considerate and sweet guy. So you pushed the disappointment about not seeing him aside and set about your day.

**

The next day, sometime around mid-morning, you heard your phone ringing and dug it out from under the work that had piled up on your desk. Your employer had decided to keep everyone working from home which was nice, though without Pedro around you were fast losing touch with the outside world. He’d always known when you needed to escape the confines of your place for even just a fifteen minute walk. So when you looked at the number flashing on your screen you thought maybe he’d sensed your growing frustration. “Hi Y/N,” he said as you answered, a smile clear in his voice, “Have I caught you at a bad time?” “Nope. Perfect timing. I was about to make a fresh coffee. I cannot look at my computer for another minute.” His chuckle crackled down the line as he pictured you leaning against your kitchen bench to talk as the coffee machine spluttered away. “How’s filming?” “Uh yeah, fine.” he said, pulled from his reverie, “They’re setting up the next scene now. I just wanted to ask you something quickly.” “Oh, yeah, what is it?” “Umm, well, d-, I was wondering if yo-” he paused for a second and then said all in a rush, “I think I left my headphones at your place, I just wondered if you’d seen them.” “Oh. That’s what you called me to ask? Pedro, you haven’t been here in like a month.” “I know, I meant to ask earlier but um...” he tapped his phone against his forehead, annoyed at himself, and let out a sigh before continuing, “Y’know, don’t worry about it. They were just my backup set, I can buy new ones. Anyway, they’re calling me I’ve got to go, bye!” You barely got your farewell said before Pedro hung up in your ear, leaving you more than a little bewildered.

**

The next day brought an equally baffling call from Pedro. You were on your lunch break when the phone rang and you barely looked up from your book to answer it, surprised when you once more heard his unmistakable voice. “Pedro?” “Yeah, hi,” “Long time no...chat.” You cringed at how awkward you sounded. “I know,” Pedro said with a airy laugh, “Quick question.” “I haven’t seen your headphones, if that’s what you were wondering.” “No, no, I wanted to ask...what was the name of that show you recommended?” the phone dug uncomfortably into the space between his thumb and forefinger as his grip tightened and he fought the urge to throw it across the room, “I’ve got some downtime and needed something new to watch.” You had to think for a minute, completely thrown by the question, before you could remember what you’d recommended to him before. “You know, you could have just texted me that.” “Yeah, I probably should have. Sorry for interrupting.” “No, it’s fine. Just a bit weird.” “Mmm, well, I should let you get back to work. Have a good day.” Once more Pedro seemed in a rush to hang up on you and you felt more confused than ever.

**

Three days in a row you received an unexpected call from Pedro and by the third you were a little annoyed. The man seemed so eager to stop talking you wondered why he’d bothered to call in the first place. And each time you picked up he asked you an inane question of absolutely no importance as if he were trying to waste your time or get your hopes up. So, when you got that third call you were already halfway to being pissed off as you picked up. “Pedro, really? What is it this time? Did you leave some useless object at my place? A travel mug maybe? Or is it that you need another tv show to watch and forgot how to text?” Pedro swallowed thickly as you ranted and blurted out the first excuse that came to mind, “I have a package being delivered and I forgot to reroute it so I was hoping you could pick it up for me.” “Oh.” You felt suddenly embarrassed about everything you’d said, “Yeah of course I can do that.” Pedro kicked himself for yet another terrible lie, he was getting no better at it despite how frequently he was doing it. Of course this was the worst one yet since there was no package en route. He held his breath for a count of three and slowly released it. “Actually...” The pause seemed to last much longer than it should and, already feeling guilty for getting snappy, you worried that Pedro was about to decide he hated it. “Actually, truth is there’s no parcel. I just miss you.” “Y-you miss me?” You were more confused than ever. “Yeah. A lot. I was going to ask you out when I got back home. On a date.” You felt your cheeks heat up and your heart began to pound at double speed, “I’d like that. I’ve missed you too.” For a moment Pedro couldn’t speak, his smile taking up too many muscles, “Okay then. That, uhh, that’s good. So when I get back.” “Maybe I could fly up to you one weekend instead.” “You could do that?” “As long as you promise to stop hanging up one me so fast.” Pedro laughed, he deserved your teasing, “Deal.”

[heyitsyn]

Manager!Seijoh Part 9

a/n: hehehe this was inspired by that iconic picture in pinterest of akaashi turning into a child

summary: you signed up to take care of grown teenagers who are capable of taking care of themselves-not children

for more seijoh content, check this masterlist out!

LMAO IS IWA KICKING HIM AND IS THAT MATTSUN SLAPPING HIS FLAT BUTT

so like,,,, you were at a complete loss

this was literally the last thing youd ever think of and you didnt even think it was possible for this to happen!

but before that

get in losers we’re going on a flashback

it was a wednesday so duh practice was normal after school

but you read on your weather app that it would be thunderstorming so you were worried on how the others would walk home and even texted oikawa if he could cancel the after-practice practice

but since the spring competitions were getting close, he wanted to get as much practice as possible, even sometimes doing monday practices, and the coaches were usually out the door once mandatory practice hours were over, letting the boys do more practice with no worry since you were there to handle it

the boys were in the gym practicing and stuff but you could hear the thunderstorms from the distance, the smell of rain already filling the gym

and you knew none of these boys owned or carried an umbrella with them so you were going to go and buy umbrellas for when they go home

‘you guys, ill be right back. im going to go to the store down the street, okay?’

the look you gave to iwa made him nod, knowing he was the one really in charged, since oikawa wasn’t really capable of handling everyone

‘i want to come’

kyo said but you stopped him, placing a comforting hand on his arm

‘ill be really quick so dont miss me too much’

‘come back soon, y/n-chan!’

‘be safe!’

iwa made sure you were bundled up with a raincoat and had your umbrella on hand before you went on your journey

ugh team moms have my heart

thankfully, the store had more than enough for the boys and you were trying to hurry because it was now raining heavily and you wanted to run back so they wouldnt worry

the cashier rang up your total and you were just giving her your card when a VERY BRIGHT LIGHTNING striked from the sky and a VERY LOUD thunderstorm rang in the distance

your heart thumped and it mightve just been your managerial instincts but you knew something was wrong

oh god oikawa must be freaking out right now since he absolutely hates thunderstorms

your worries were evident on your face so the cashier hurriedly handed you your bag full of umbrellas so you were able to sprint out of the door and too much in a hurry to even open your umbrella

the run to the school felt like it was a 10-mile run and when you finally ran towards the gym doors, you slowed to a speed-walk

but you froze

the lights were off and you could hear the screams of a child

well,,,,, more like, children

you entered the gym and fell on your butt in surprise

in front of you, were 9 toddlers who were thankfully covered by the now too-big clothing

they couldnt be over 3 and a half feet tall and looked like they were around 3 or 4 

‘i-i-iwa-san?’

you stuttered and reached a hand forward towards the baby with the black spiky hair but he cried louder, clutching on to the brunette baby

‘oh god’

you were finally starting to realize this situation

‘oh my god, what do i do’

you mumbled, standing up and panicked eyes wandering over each child

they were chibis

3 chibis were sleeping and you could tell each boy by their hairstyle

kunimi, yahaba, and mattsun were sleeping on top of the blue shirts and white shorts

kindaichi was hiccuping, seemingly done with his crying, while oikawa was bawling and screaming with iwaizumi holding on to his hand tightly, eyes also teary

makki was bleary-eyed and watari was just sitting there, eyes wide and lips parted but kyo, with hair turned to his original color yet the same sharp yellow eyes, looked on the verge of crying, hands reaching out to you

you immediately grabbed ahold of oikawa and you were thankful that their shirts were still over their tiny body

‘its okay, oikawa-san, its okay’

thunder rumbled again and this time, woke up the others in fright causing them to also start crying then the others started their own crying because everyone else was crying

you kept oikawa on your arms but ran to check on individual player

‘no,no,no! its okay! look! ball!’

you presented the stray volleyball next to iwaizumi and you guessed he was holding it before he transformed into this child form

‘IM SCARED!’

kindaichi shouted while sobbing and his loud voice startled yahaba even more and got him to cry harder making the others follow suit as well

‘oh no’

you whined and was slowly going crazy by the crying noises

you dont have any siblings so you never got the experience of having to take care of be around a toddler

maybe you should calm each child individually

that would work, right?

you remembered the method you used on oikawa once during training camp and you were hoping that his child self would still use the same calming routine

the speed you had to find your headphones and plug them in to your phone then his ears and playing the ‘big bang theory’ theme song was A S T R O N O M I C A L

you placed him in front of you and wiped the tears that trailed down his chubby cheeks while his little hands held on to your shirt

his cries started to slow down until it was just whimpers and you placed a kiss on his forehead when he finally quieted down

but while you were taking care of their captain, kyo was yelling at yahaba and making him more upset and cry even harder

‘MEAN DOGGIE!’

yahaba shouted and tried to hit kyotani but he hit him back

you pushed both children away and sat them down on their beehinds in front of you

‘no. we dont hit, yahaba-san, and we dont make fun, kyotani-san. time out for you two’

yahaba glared at the floor with tears pricking his eyes but one look from you made him hold it in and bite his lip

iwaizumi looked like he was finally getting ahold of himself as he was calmly sitting down with makki and mattsun by his side

you chortled when mattsun still possessed the same teasing smirk as he did when he was a teenager and his red eyes were now filled with mischief along with makki

iwa looked up at you with bright eyes, as if waiting for a reward or a compliment, and you swallowed your squeal before crouching across him and caressing his cheek

‘good job, iwa-san. iwa-san is a good boy’

he smiled, a smile youve never seen before, then snuggled closer to your palm

the only one really crying was kindaichi while kunimi and watari were also just sitting down

kindaichi’s sobs echoed throughout the gym and as you walked closer, you heard his stomach growl and you instantly knew how to calm him down

the sausage you picked up to feed the strays with kyo later was still in your bag so you peeled the wrapper about halfway and handed it to him

kindaichi stared at it and you had to guide it in his mouth to start eating just to ensure him it was safe and he could eat

the thunder seemed to have died down and all that remained was rain

the boys were starting to shiver from the cold and you were sure the heat in the gym was working before you left but now it wasnt because of the power shutting down

it wouldnt be good if they remained in this cold environemnt and you suddenly remembered that you were still soaked from the rain and was getting colder by the second

maybe it was the panic that shot up your adrenaline and didnt let you realize your own situation

each boy had their jackets thrown to the side but you quickly put it on them so you could bundle them up as best as you can

their shoes were too large for them so you ran to the storage room where there were plastic bags that you used to tie around their feet with their socks

iwa noticed your trembling body and he shakily stood up and ran over to you

you finished tying kindaichi’s bag when you noticed iwa standing there with his arms stretched towards you

‘hug’

he squeaked and you sniffled before wrapping him in your arms and holding him close to you

it seems iwa still possessed his protective instincts from before

by the time all the boys were ready, the rain thankfully reduced to simple sprinkles and you made everyone hold hands

the boys stood on a row in front of you and you seriously talked to them

‘no matter what, never let go of your friend, okay? even you yahaba, kyotani’

the two gave each other a glare but they still clenched each other’s hands

you grasped oikawa and iwa’s hands and the others formed a chain with mattsun holding iwa’s and makki holding oikawa’s and so forth

you figured you could just leave their bags in the gym so you were walking as fast as you could towards home where it would be warm and a safe place to figure out a plan

natsu has seen a lot in his years of living and from being in nekoma in general

but he has been shocked to see this

it was already late and your parents were both at some business trip and he knew you were supposed to be home already but you werent

he was about to call you when the doorbell rang and he figured it was just some person convincing him to be christian

he opened the door, exasperated and irritated

‘listen, im the biggest sinner that has ever-Y/N!’

he shouted in surprise 

there, you stood, shaking and red with a bunch of toddlers

what in the world

‘natsu. m-move’

you stuttered out and he couldnt help but do what you said and he made way for you and the little ducklings

the little boy from the back, the one with yellow eyes, glared at him as he walked past and natsu shook his head in disbelief

‘wha-’

you ran to the temp screen button thing bro i dont know what it is but i have something like an echobee thats like that to turn up the temperature in the house

the boys were still excitedly babbling on about some movie and they were singing songs 

‘PONYO PONYO PONYO-’

poor natsu just stood at the archway by the living room

‘oi, y/n. please tell me you didnt kidnap a bunch of kids’

there was no teasing tone, just pure confusion

you didnt look up from the temp thing and you configured it to rest at 75 degrees fahrenheit fyi

‘something happened. something weird and bad happened. it shouldnt even be possible but it did and im so confused and i dont know what to do’

you rambled and you turned to look at the kids

natsu noticed your frazzled form and he gently grabbed a blanket to drape over you so you could get warm and led you to sit on the couch

‘just tell me, babes. we’ll figure it out’

he reassured and you sighed

‘i-i,,, was g-going to the-the convience store to-uh-get some umbrelllas for the boys but,,, when i was there,, there was a big thunder and boomed and lightining and i knew,,,,i knew there was something wrong and something had happened so i ran back and then bam! i saw them as kids!’

natsu trailed over from your face to the boys and he started to piece together that yes, this was your team

the brunette boy he messed around with and the one with the adorable eyebrows

‘y/n,, babes,, did you dabble with voodoo? bad juju?’

he whispered and you almost cried

‘no! why would i?!’

‘THEN WHY THE HELL ARE THEY BABIES?!’

‘I DONT KNOW! IM NOT DUMBLEDORE!’

‘what are we going to tell their parents?!’

‘that their kids turned to babies?!’

‘yea right! might as well tell them the earth is flat!’

you both went silent for a bit before natsu sighed then turned to you

‘babes, go and shower. go and get warm while i take care of the kids. youre soaked and youre freezing and you’ll get sick. besides, they shouldnt be that bad, right?’

not even caring to answer that question and completely not hearing it, you nodded and groggily went to go bath

the boys saw you leave and they looked at natsu with either wide scared eyes or glaring eyes

especially the boy with the yellow eyes

natsu smirked

‘i know you. what was it? dog? crazy dog?’

there was clear offense in kyo’s face and he easily jumped to natsu’s lap and grabbed his hair to tug on it

‘yey! play time!’

oikawa shrieked and everyone shouted in agreement before joining kyo

natsu screamed as they punched his stomach and pulled his hair

you were in the middle of rinsing your hair when you heard the screams and you thought it was the boys but you recognized them as natsu’s

you continued showering

the boys were having fun beating up your cousin and natsu seriously wondered if you were taking your sweet time just to let them have their fun

‘oi! if you dont stop! i wont let you play mario kart!’

the boy with a middle part stopped tugging his hair followed by the one with the spiky turnip looking hair

‘maiyo,,,, kat?’

ALKSDFJLSDKFJDFKJDS BABY KINDAICHI STILL NOT BEING ABLE TO SPEAK PROPERLY

natsu saw them both stop and he excitedly sat up

‘yea! mario kart! you want to play mario kart?! oh my! its so much more fun than playing with natsu-nii!’

he didnt care what they wanted to do as long as it didnt involve him being getting beaten up so he quickly assembled the console and they all rallied around natsu as he set up the game

‘okay. we can play with 4 players at a time. who’s going first?’

there was a bit of hostility among the children as they turned their former soft gazes to hard and competitive looks

‘me!’

‘i wanna!’

‘me!me!me!’

‘stop it kawa-chan!’

‘iwa-chan ow!’

there was great uproar while natsu sighed in relief and leaned against the back of the couch, watching in amusement

there were punches thrown, some shoves, but they ultimately decided on players

begrudgingly it was kyo, kindaichi, mattsun, and watari

the others stayed behind with a pout on their lips and sulked

but as soon as they started playing, those sad looks disappeared and they scooted closer to watch it with interest

‘GO MAKKI! GO!’

‘KENKEN HURRY!’

the only one who wasn’t so in to it was the one with the spiky black hair and green eyes

‘hey, kid, what’s wrong?’

natsu asked and he didnt answer but just looked at him before turning to watch the tv silently

he was about to ask again when you appeared and the boys cheered at your arrival before turning back on the game

you were refreshed and you sat on the loveseat next to natsu’s place on the couch

‘they seem to be having fun’

you smiled but natsu crinkled his eyebrows then pointed to a figure behind the rest

‘the kid’s just been sitting there. i dont know if hes just like that or what but hes not really doing anything’

‘oh, thats just iwa-san. hes normally like that. look. iwa-san! can you please come here?’

at the call for his name, the boy perked up and he excitedly clambered over to sit on your lap

he leaned his back against your chest and you ran your fingers through his hair

‘why are you just sitting there, hm? do you not want to play?’

you spoke softly and he shook his head, eyes still on the match

‘friends are happy when playing. i like my friends. im okay’

despite the very child-like voice, there was a sense of maturity in there and you weren’t sure if they still carried the same memories as they had back when they were already teenagers

‘iwa-san, do you know me?’

you asked and he looked up to look at your face

then he shook his head

‘no’

you blanched

and so did natsu

‘so let me get this straight, kid. you let some random stranger take you to their house?’

iwa shrugged

‘she help me and friends. she nice’

you almost squealed but held back and you tightened your arms around him

‘youre sweet, iwa-san’

‘y/n, you could literally be charged of kidnapping right now’

natsu ruined the moment and you glared at him

‘im just trying out a way to help them. and besides, they couldve screamed and cried and ran out but they didnt so i didnt take them against their will’

natsu rolled his eyes before standing up

‘well, im hungry. and these kids cant exactly have take-out. imma go see if we have any food left’

he left you alone with the kids and you encouraged the others to win by cheering for them and smiling at the way they were laughing

man, no matter what age, you still love them

natsu peaked his head out from the doorway

‘we got dino nugggets’

you nodded

‘those should be good’

natsu returned to his spot on the couch and you stared at him

‘what? im too scared to do anything to the oven. remember when i broke the other one?’

you sighed and shook your head

iwa noticed you needing to get up so he was about to move when you placed him on natsu’s lap

‘iwa-san, natsu-kun will take care of you for now, okay?’

iwa didnt object but he didnt like it either

you were pressing the timer on the oven and you opened it to change the racks when you noticed a small figure and hands and feet trying to climb in

in shock, you dropped the rack and grabbed kunimi’s small body

‘kunimi akira! what were you thinking?!’

the baby’s eyes were half-lidded and he looked really tired and the oven was radiating warmth and he thought he could climb in it and sleep

but you knew that he would literally DIE 

you ran him back to the living room and natsu was shocked to hear of what happened

‘HUH?’

‘yea. so try and make sure none of them does something dangerous’

you pleaded and he nodded before taking kunimi’s hand and urging the kid to sleep on his lap instead

you were finally cooking the nuggets and while it cooked, you were grabbing any leftovers for you and natsu to eat

there was little bit of rice and some tonkatsu left so you heated that up and continued to cook until everything was finished

‘boys! natsu! dinner!’

at the mention of food, the kids dropped the controllers and raced to go to the kitchen

natsu trailed behind with a half-asleep kunimi in his arms and iwa who held his hand

‘FOOD!’

kindaichi and oikawa shrieked

you gave each boy their own portion of food and you gave natsu his dinner

‘to be honest, i was surprised we had enough nuggets’

natsu was surprised at the nuggets you still had in the freezer

you shrugged

‘at this point, im not even surprised at anything anymore. i think im just in a dream and im controlling it and somehow, the universe is bending itself to help me’

natsu stared at you as if you grew three heads before chuckling and returning to his food

however

there was no such thing as peaceful dinner with the boys

yahaba was crying that kyo took some of his nuggies

kunimi tried to have one bite of his chicken before toppling over to the side and falling asleep

mattsun was tricking makki by pointing somewhere and when the brownette turns, he would take a nugget

oikawa tried it and iwa almost fell for it but he caught his best friend in time resulting him to hit the choco-hair boy and making tooru cry from the booboo

you sighed, rubbing your temples

‘i swear. my head’

you whined and natsu patted your back before he disappeared somewhere, presumably his room, to get away from the madness

your temper was rising and with how exhausted youve been and the incoming cold you feel is making you irritated

‘BOYS’

of course they stopped as they got scared by your tone and if they were teenagers, they would have the same reaction because youve never used this tone on them

‘kindaichi, wake up kunimi. kyotani, matsukawa, eat your own nuggets. yahaba, oikawa, stop crying. kyotani apologize to yahaba for eating his nuggets and hug him. you too, iwaizumi apologize to tooru for hitting him and hug him’

‘BUT-’

the boys started but you shot them a look

‘NOW’

‘sorry’

they mumbled and they looked at you before going to give the other a hug

‘bakakawa’

iwaizumi mumbled and tooru was about to cry but you scolded iwaizumi again

‘iwa, we don’t call people stupid’

he stared at you then turned away, an obvious pout on his lips and pushed his plate away to sulk

wow 

is parenting this hard?

watari calmly ate his food and you smiled

you scooped him in your arms and you held him close

‘come on, everyone. when youre done eating, how about we watch ponyo? hm?’

as if they werent just sulking, they all cheered and abandoned their food to go running to the living room where you put the movie on

halfway through the movie, someone wanted something sweet

you had iwa on your right, mattsun on your left, watari on your lap and oikawa by your feet so you werent exactly at the position to make something

‘nee-chan, i want choco’

makki asked and you sucked in a sharp breath to calm yourself from how cute he was

you gently asked the others to move so you could go but they held on to a part of you

mattsun and iwa with your arms, watari holding your shirt, oikawa holding your leg

‘come on, guys.do you want choco?’

‘but-but-but’

oikawa blubbered

‘please dont go’

mattsun pleaded quietly

‘ill be back! i swear! please?’

begrudgingly, they let go and you stretched out your legs when you stood up then walked to the kitchen

as you opened the door, you were looking through something when you saw a reflection from the glass of a face

you shrieked and looked behind you, expecting some murderer but it was actually a line of the boys

it was like they followed you into the kitchen like ducklings following their mama duck

‘kyotani!’

you wheezed, seeing it was his face that you saw with those beautiful eyes

‘we missed you, nee-chan’

kindaichi whined with a small voice

you noticed that kunimi wasnt with the group so you assumed he was asleep on the couch

‘you scared nee-chan, boys. but it’s okay’

their puppy eyes made you cry inside but you ushered them to go to the dining room so they could wait there for their drinks

you poured chocolate milk for everyone except for tooru as he was lactose intolerant so you gave him chocolate oat milk

they brought the glass to their lips as you drank coffee and they lit up at the delicious taste

‘mmmm’

they giggled and you chuckled before reaching over to wipe makki’s top lip

‘thank you nee-chan!’

oikawa grinned and they all agreed

‘youre welcome. nee-chan will take care of you when you need it’

by the time midnight struck, you were already in a cuddle pile with the boys

they all fell asleep and you were being laid on by the others

natsu came down for water and saw you being smothered by bodies but he thought it was cute so he took a picture for you to see in the morning

he found the remote and turned off the movie and tv before wishing a whisper of a good night then headed back to his room

the room was filled with snores and you were dead asleep

but you couldnt help but squeeze back the tiny hand that gripped yours

--------------------

mrs l/n and mr. l/n groggily made their way up to the front door

‘god, its so late. im so tired. i want to sleep’

mrs l/n complained

mr l/n immediately fished out his keys and he turned the door to enter their home

it was very quiet and dark so they figured that both you and natsu already went to bed

they dumped their luggage at the entrance, bothering to unpack tomorrow and were making their way to the kitchen for a water 

mrs l/n was making her way to the bathroom when she heard a groan from the living room

her eyes shot wide open and she thought she was so tired that she was hallucinating

but nope

her eyes transfixed itself on a figure that was standing at the middle of the living room

with a shaking hand, she reached over to flicker the lights on and she shrieked at the sight of a naked man

tooru felt sleep immediately leave him at the sound of the woman’s shriek and his eyes fell on someone by the doorway and she was not staring at his face

instead

down there

he followed her sight and my god

oikawa screamed

a/n: hehehe happy new years!!! well,, belated new years!! but we really starting the new year with a buck naked oikawa and a traumatized mom aren’t we? but i hope everyone had a great holiday and im so excited for the start of the new year and what it has in store for us!!! sending much love!!!

[pbandjesse]

My throat feels all gummy. It is probably allergies. But man it is annoying. 

Today was an excellent day for the most part. I slept alright but man getting up was hard today. But once I got up things were okay. I was a little snippy when I found that the laptop wasnt plugged in last night and so I had to bring the cord with me and I was pretty upset. I felt bad for being snippy though. So yeah I wasnt in the best head space. But James made me lunch and gave me hugs and sent me off to work. 

GPS was still on random mode because it took me the weirdest way possible. It was real pretty at least. Lots of nature. But also so weird!!

I got to work around 830 though and the two new kids were there. Theyre twins! All the kids I have are lovely and fun to hang out with. I got all their schedules written on the board. Which only had a few issues because. They are children. But we got things done and it was a really good day. 

I worked on the first aid portion of my class. There wasnt a test at the end but it was a lot longer than the CPR. It took me a lot of today to work through it. But I got it done. 

I also worked on a few frogs and got things up and going on the instagram page. Felt productive. I checked in on the kids a few times but really this job is wicked easy and they dont need me much. Just gotta refocus them a few times. 

Me and the two older girls went outside around lunch for a bit. Played with my circus silk. It was a lot of fun. The brother of the twins came out to join us and me and the twins stayed out while the younger girl went back to class. 

We went back inside and I spent some time teaching them all how to sew. We made little felt patches. They would tell me they were failing when they had loose threads. But I would show them how to fix it and they were just like OH! and then moments later tell me again they messed up and had to start over when that was not true. But by the end they were telling me what they wanted to make next. Very sweet. 

Once everyone was done with their classes we headed outside and man. What a perfect fall day. We played with the silk. We made a leaf pile! We jumped in the pile! The girls went inside to grab cardboard boxes to help us make the pile bigger. And once we were done with that we used the boxes to slide down the hill and that was stupidly fun. I had a great time. 

Soon we went inside. The youngest girl was very tired and was throwing a little bit of a fit. Mostly whiny. So I gave her a piggy back ride inside. And we all washed our hands and had juice. 

But then it was time for me to go home. I wrote notes to their moms, saying how great the kids are but also saying please send more info for this one class we cant figure out, and to please send headphones along. And then I was off. 

I headed to a joanns to get some more large eyes for the large frogs I am working on. I meant to get cotton and I forgot. Felt dumb esspecially because I used ALL my cotton to stuff these guys. Ugh. 

I stopped for a sandwich and fries. And I am glad I did because I got stuck in traffic for like 15 minutes and while I was sitting still on the highway it was nice to have fries and a drink. 

I got home around 430. I was tired. I ran into Mr Will on the corner. Told him how well my online store is going. He was really excited for me. Including the upcoming commissions we have broken the $400 mark! I am so excited about how well things are going. And I hope it just grows and I can make other things too. But the frogs are great and I love them so I am pretty happy. 

I got inside and unpacked my stuff. And played animal crossing for a little while. I wanted to catch snails. So I did that. But then I heard sweetP chittering at a squirrel out on the fire escape so I had to go get him inside and decided that was when I would get to work on my frog stuff. 

I stuffed the large frogs. And had a lovely conversation with someone who has made a few orders. They encouraged me to open commissions for them. So I have done that. I will have to get more large eyes. And not at the store because I paid the same for 100 eyes on ebay as I did for one pair of eyes today in person. Gotta be smart. 

I did get really upset though because I thought I was printing test labels to get the paper lay out correct but I wasnt. I was getting charged. And so I wasted like $6. So I feel very very dumb and bad. James and Jess tried to make me feel better. But it is still hard. 

I am pretty tired though. I have been laying in the studio writing for a while. Researching. I thought I had missed an order and so I went through all the orders matching paypal to instagram and writing down everything in my spreadsheet. It took forever but I will just do it as they happen from now on and that will keep me more organized. Im so afraid I will miss an order.  I have already made mistakes sending the orders to the wrong people because of paypal vs instagram names. But I am doing my best and thats all I can do. 

Now though it is after 9. And I want to go get a shower and wash my face and get ready for bed. I dont have class with the kids tomorrow but I do have the in person portion of the First Aid/ CPR class. So that will be all morning it seems. But then I can go home. But what I will actual do is go and buy more cotton fill and maybe go to the thrift store. I think it will be a nice day. 

I hope you all have a great day. Take care of eachother and be safe. Wash your hands. Goodnight!!

[iamforevercaptured]

Darkblade (s1 e12)

going to do just one ep tonight but will try to do them more often in case anyone cares. this stupid adorable show has become one of my comfort shows. 

oh ya cuz that's smart marinette. it won't work, ive seen this in a movie before DONT TRUST THE BOX

takes out hearing aids, pulls out headphones, does not plug headphones in, hits play, hears nothing, realizes problem, like an idiot. ok hold on this idiot needs cookies and where is my cat?? Ok im back with orange jaffa cakes, and no cat.

aww tiki is the best pep person. they are so cute

YOU LIVE NEXT DOOR HOW ARE YOU ALWAYS LATE

wait how does alya know that i thought she was new this year

uhh ok i have questions on this supposed blackmails. like dude everyone is scared of spiders to some degree. how does chloe know scrapbooking-wait no i know the answer to that one. I love that they encourage her to run but like guys oversleeping is an actual problem and y'all shouldn't make it sound like a joke. (spot the insomniac, its the one who gets triggered on sleep jokes) ...ok maybe encourage was too strong a word? 

alya you really think our girl thought this through??? lol

but its cute that they feel they can come to her

OMG that head pat? so cute! ALYANETTE

oh sabrina hun

i love how when new characters are introduced sometimes the animators forget about previous story play and try to convince you that it isn't a new thing lol like “he’s been here the whole time”

SABINE YOU DONT JUST LET ANYONE INTO YOUR HOME UNSUPERVISED omg sabine be smart 

our adorable son omg sunshine boy

okayyyy thennnn crazy backstory but uh ok...

freaking paparazzi

i can't get my jaffa cakes out T.T

#freethejaffacakes2k19

bless his speech

NADIA’S LITTLE LIFTING OF THE CAMERA LOL

i...i dont get how no-one sees these idiots transform...

poor gorilla

omg i cant do this, it’ll b too messy jus trying to get them open *cries in french*

true words of a dictator in the works

wow she took forever to go upstairs. sabrina suggests yarn. chloe calls her a dingbat. thats officially my new favorite insulting nickname.

THE BOX!

he looks so forced omg

best friend goals

LB CHAT NEEDS YOU but uh how?

YES you got this Mari!

chloe its um locked...you have nothing??

alya translating is wonderful

CHAT BABE that pun tho i freaking love this ep for chat content

oh jagged not the time lol

MARI’s FACE omg its almost as good as chloe saying “quit chloe” realizing what she said then hiding

i love that tiki helps Mari think things through and manage her anxiety, its freaking precious

mylene and ivan awww

TAKE CHARGE MARI and alya rubbing her gf’s success in chloe’s face #alyanette

again i jus...i get time is short but isn't your identity like a secret?

CHAT IS FUCKING PRECIOUS

ah yes the colorful acrobats that save paris lol

well alrighty then. thank you animators for that night hitting the wall. kills me every time.

Somebody please make a gif of the knight flying into the wall. I need it.

what was her plan here?

FORTNIGHT: MIRACULOUS EDITION

I’m so sorry

ah yes ill sit here and wait for the black wall to envelope me. run people!

about time for that charm. i love this charm lol. And chat’s confidence.

~pound it~

ok wait two things. 1) chat didn't use his catalysm so why is his ring beeping?? 2) so did miraculous ladybug put the people back on the ground or are like a ton of parisians standing on the roof now completely confused?? (if you caught Chat’s catalysm tell me where)

Adrien your chat is showing. i also love how they look after him all confused like wait is that really adrien?

*la gasp* sabrina lol *more gasps* *more gasps* ok guys

Alix is really short, like i didn't realize she was shorter than mylene. they pulled a mike wazoski on her lol

I WANNA SEE MARI BEING CLASS REP AND KICKING ASS AT MULTITASKING WITH ALYA

wait guys can you imagine if mari becomes major someday, wait no nvm i want fashion designer extraordinaire mari 

and can I just say, A++ Chat content this ep.

[scaredgirlsilly]

i fucking hate everything holy shit why is everything wireless i just want to listen to music why cant i just plug my headphones in why does it have to charge my headphones die and now i wanna kill myself it would be so much easier if i could just plug them in but NOOOOOO we have to get rid of the audio jack for some fucking reason because wireless headphones are the future well i dont fucking care thats fucking idiotic why would you take that away its such a stupid thing to get rid of. no no no we cant figure out a new material to produce the electronics with so we arent profiting off of fucking child slavery in the global south no no no that HAS to stay but the AUDIO JACK?????? now THATS a useless feature absolutely nobody uses that anyway except for all of the people who do but we dont care about them. we dont want to be accomodating to the largest amount of people we just want to please enough people that everyone else gets dragged along in the vague conquest of PROGRESS

[agilenano]

Agilenano - News: The Best Audio Equipment of 2019

CGMagazine The Best Audio Equipment of 2019

With the advent of new technologies such as smart assistants, Wi-Fi speakers and more advanced Bluetooth headsets, the audio landscape has gotten much more interesting in recent years.

It seems everyone is looking to jump into the space, offering an exciting and diverse series of products all looking to snag your holiday dollars. From Sonos, to Amazon, there are countless devices that look to play your music while at home, or even on the go. With so many options, its challenging to decide which devices are the right ones to suit your needs.

This is where CGM comes into the picture. We have taken the time to sort through all the products currently on the market and find the best and most powerful ones to suit your audio listening needs. As always, CGMagazine only endorses products we have tested, so there always can be a piece of gear that while amazing, has not made it into our office for review.

Sonos Move

The Sonos Move carries forward years of technology and refinement and packages it into a relatively convenient, easy to understand device. The addition of a 10-hour battery, Bluetooth, and easy charging makes the Move one of the most exciting and most versatile devices Sonos has released in a long while.

Sonos has spent years developing the Move, and from the sound quality to the design, this effort and attention to detail is seen throughout the device. It sounds good and can take the punishment needed to be a speaker on the go. From drops of rain to general wear and tear, the Sonos Move is built to last.

Sonos set out to make the ideal Wi-Fi portable speaker, and they succeeded with the Move. This is a testament to the quality and time Sonos spends on their products, building devices that both last and sound great. While not for everyone, if you are already a part of the Sonos ecosystem and are in the market for a new speaker, look no further than the Sonos Move.

You can purchase the Sonos Move for $499.99 at Bestbuy or directly from Sonos.

Echo Studio

With the Echo Studio, Amazon is finally admitting good enough no longer cuts it within smart speakers. Amazon was one of the first on the smart speaker scene with the original Amazon Echo. Now, years and countless Echo based products later, Amazon is finally offering an option that competes against the likes of Sonos or the higher end range of Google and Apple smart speaker entries. While it is a more costly option, the Echo Studio offers tremendous value for the price, ushering in a truly fantastic sounding speaker, that also happens to be equipped with Alexa.

Sitting at the top of the Echo Studio is a 55mm mid-range speaker, that utilizes the cut-out to maximize bass output while playing heavier songs. There are three 55mm mid-range speakers in the Echo Studio, one faces up, while the other two act as left and right. To push the audio forward, Amazon has a single 25mm tweeter. If that were not enough, the Echo Studio also features a 133mm downward-facing woofer to ensure all the songs have the impact the original creators intended.

Amazon has done a fantastic job building a high end for its echo line, and the Studio stands as one of the best speakers you can get for sub $300 CAD. While I hope Amazon improves on the inputs if they iterate on the Studio next year, as it stands now, the Echo Studio is a great value and an all-around fantastic sounding speaker.

You can buy the Echo Studio from Amazon for $259.99.

Lucid Sound LS41 Headset

Times have changed since then as headsets have entered the luxury sphere, with pricier entry points and more features cropping up on the regular. Enter Lucid Sound, an emerging headset maker whose goal is to fit right into this luxury sphere. While they havent been around for very long, their new LS41 flagship headset is a triumph that very much puts them on the map with crisp sound quality, comfortable design, and intuitive features.

The LS41s sport 7.1 DTS Headphone:X Surround Sound that manages to bring an impressive layer of immersion to gaming. While playing, I regularly noticed sound cues that I dont normally hear on my standard headset. As a result, I felt even more immersed in the world of the game, and it made for a truly cinematic sound experience.

The LS41s are rather pricey, clocking in at $200.00 USD, and are no doubt out of many gamers peripheral budgets. That being said, if you do have the money and are interested in a great wireless headset that packs impressive sound quality and comfort then the LS41s are a great choice.

You can buy the Lucid Sound LS41 from Amazon for $259.99.

Sonos Ikea Symfonisk

When you think of high-end wifi audio, you dont tend to think of Ikea, yet in a recent partnership with Sonos, they are looking to change that. The Symfonisk is a result of that partnership, a simple, yet exciting bookshelf speaker that sounds good, and brings with it all the power of Sonos, only a bit cheaper, and with that special Ikea style.

At first glance, it may be hard to imagine this speaker holds the power of Sonos behind it. It looks very Ikea, with simple lines, and all fabric covering. But once you plug it in, and set it up, things change. The IKEA Symfonisk sounds fantastic far better than the $149.00 CAD pricetag would suggest it should. It would be hard to compare it to the Sonos One, although for most people it has a similar sound profile. It is powerful and elegant in design, making it an ideal addition, especially if you want to avoid the tech, smart home house look.

Sound-wise, the IKEA Symfonisk has a bold, full-bodied sound that will more than fill most rooms. And while the balance may be a bit heavy on the treble, overall, the IKEA Symfonisk sounds good and strikes a good balance for most audio setups, especially with some basic tweaking to the EQ.

For the price, the IKEA Symfonisk makes a fantastic addition to the Sonos family of products. It looks good, sounds fantastic, and will fit into most living spaces with ease. While it may not have the sound profile of some of the higher-end Sonos range, it more than makes up for that in price and style. It is a great speaker and a great gift for anyone looking to jump into wifi audio this holiday.

You can purchase the IKEA Symfonisk at Ikea starting at $149.00 CAD.

Astro A50 Headset + Base Station

For those unfamiliar, the Astro A50 are a pair of premium $399.99 CAD headphones that are equipped with a flip-down microphone and a base charging station. There are two models: PlayStation 4/PC and Xbox One/PC, with a switch on the headphones themselves that determines which of the available two the headset will interface with. Built by ASTRO Gaming, these are meant to be top-quality gaming headphones.

The charging station serves as the A50s anchor and link to your device of choice. It can smoothly hook up to a PC with a USB cable, and can be attached to either a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One (we are reviewing the PS4 model) with a slightly more involved, but well explained and quick setup process using an optical cable. The base must be plugged into a device, otherwise the headphones will not work. You have to commit to a location.

The Astro A50 headphones are a perfect fit for gaming. These headphones have good sound, a convenient wireless design, and a comfortable fit you can wear for long gaming sessions without any fatigue. They have a clear and reliable microphone, a good battery life with power saving features (annoying as they are), and an excellent sound for both gaming and listening to music. For gaming, and for stationary activities like watching shows or movies, these headphones are worth their asking price.

You can by the Astro A50 at Bestbuy or Amazon for $299.99 CAD.

Creative Outlier Air

Ever since the 3.5mm headphone jack became a rare commodity, the race to build the best possible Bluetooth headset has been on. Everyone from Razer, Samsung to Apple have thrown their hat into the ring, offering a wide range of options, all with advantages and disadvantages. Now Creative Labs, the company behind some of the best sound cards of the 90s is stepping in, with their new Outlier Air. This small sport wireless headset promises sweat-resistance, in-ear controls, and hours worth of battery while on the go, all for $69.99 USD. While not the best available, for the price, the Outlier Air is hard to resist.

Built for consumers looking to be free of wires, the Outlier Air offers an easy design and concept. They manage a fantastic battery, in headphones and with the case, meaning you will have little to worry about while on the go or working out. The IPX5 certification means sweat, minor water spillage, or even the sporadic downpour should be no issue, at least were the headphones are concerned.

While the Outlier Air may not be the best headphones on the market, they offer an amazing value for money proposition. The Outlier Air are comfortable, affordable and is packed with features that should satisfy even the most discerning buyers. While they dont have the polish or isolation seen in other brands, for the cost, the Outlier Air is a must-buy for anyone looking to go wireless.

You can buy the Creative Outlier Air on Creative for 74.99 USD.

Jaybird Tarah Pro Bluetooth Headphones

The Jaybird Tarah Pro are headphones built for the runners, athletes and fitness nuts out there. They are solidly built, corded headphones that feel good and sound great. While not true wireless headphones, for the people these headphones are built for, that is a bonus there is little chance of dropping and losing a headphone while on the go.

The Jaybird Tarah Pro are a good balance between utility and craftsmanship. They feel comfortable when worn and look good up close. There was clearly a lot of time and effort to build a Bluetooth headset that can withstand an active lifestyle and still look stylish while doing so. They fit comfortably even when using them over long periods or while working out or being active.

The Jaybird Tarah Pro charge quickly, are easy to get setup, and most importantly, sound great. Often sport headphones put so much attention into making them rugged or able to withstand water that audio is an afterthought. Thankfully, thats not the case here. Audio feels natural, allowing the music or spoken audio to shine even though Bluetooth audio compression. From electronic, vocal, to instrumental, everything sounded good, with no aspect of the audio greatly overpowering a piece of music.

The Jaybird Tarah Pro are not the highest end bluetooth headphones you can buy, but they are some of the most well rounded, most well equipped sports headphones we have ever tested. They sound good, are comfortable to use, and are just plain nice to look at. If you are looking to a gift for the indoor or outdoor athlete in your life, look no further than The Jaybird Tarah Pro. They will make any fitness enthusiasts very happy.

You can buy the Jaybird Tarah Pro for $199.99 at Bestbuy or Amazon

Amazon Echo Dot with Clock

In a modern world where we are constantly surrounded by smart speakers and devices, the concept to use that power to ask the time seems silly. According to Amazon, one of the most asked questions of Alexa is the time, so it makes sense that at least one of their devices would come with a clock built-in. Enter the Amazon Echo Dot with Clock, a simple addition to an already great device that somehow makes it infinitely more useful to people.

This new $59.99 USD smart speaker, places an LED digital clock in front of the already fantastic design of the Echo Dot. It seems like a no brainer for the little device, and it works wonderfully. With this new addition of a digital display, the Amazon Echo Dot with Clock also has a few other tricks under its sleeve to use this new readout.

Ultimately, Amazon has added a great new feature to an already great device. Do I feel it is a game-changer for the echo range of products? No, but what it does do is give a quality of life improvement that was much needed. If you are looking to pick up a gift, or want to enter the world of smart speakers, the Amazon Echo Dot with Clock is a great starting point. It is simple, inexpensive, and a great addition to the range and a must-buy for anyone looking for an inexpensive smart speaker.

You can buy the Amazon Echo Dot with Clock from Amazon for $59.99.

The post The Best Audio Equipment of 2019 appeared first on CGMagazine.

Agilenano - News from Agilenano from shopsnetwork (4 sites) https://agilenano.com/blogs/news/the-best-audio-equipment-of-2019

[cstesttaken]

HTC U Ultra starts shipping this Friday

You are here:Home>HTC U Ultra starts shipping this Friday

HTC U Ultra starts shipping this Friday

HTC recently updated its U Ultra product page to say that the device will begin shipping to buyers on March 10. Pricing for the unlocked HTC U Ultra is $749, and it’s currently available from HTC in blue, black, and white color options.

The U Ultra has a few features that HTC likes to highlight. One is its secondary display, a 2.05-inch 160×1040 screen above the main 5.7-inch 2560×1440 display that can give you quick access to app shortcuts, contacts, notifications, and more. And then there’s the Sense Companion, an assistant that learns from your usage and makes recommendations based on it, like recommending a restaurant if you’re away from home.

HTC is also touting the U Ultra’s camera performance. It’s got a 12-megapixel rear camera with features like phase detection autofocus, laser focus, optical image stabilization, and a pro mode with manual controls. Meanwhile, the front camera features a 16-megapixel sensor.

Other features of the HTC U Ultra include a Snapdragon 821 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, a microSD slot, a 3000mAh battery, and a USB-C port that you’ll use for charging and for plugging in headphones since there’s no 3.5mm headphone jack here. On the software side, the U Ultra comes preloaded with Android 7.0 Nougat.

HTC sells the U Ultra unlocked with support for GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz, 3G UMTS AWS/850/900/1900/2100, and LTE bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12,17, 20, 28, 38, 39, 40, and 41. When I asked about support for VoLTE and Wi-Fi Calling on T-Mobile, HTC’s Jeff Gordon said, “I can confirm VoLTE and WiFi Calling on the HTC U Ultra will work with T-Mobile.”

The HTC U Ultra has a nice look thanks to its glass front and back, but because it’s not being offered by T-Mobile, you’ll need to live the unlocked life (aka the one without EIP or JOD) if you want that glass body to be yours. To get a closer look at the U Ultra, you can visit HTC’s product page at the link below.

This is the first HTC device I have liked for a few years now. Alas, I just purchased the Mate 9 and repurchased the Axon 7. Decisions, decisions…

I like it but know it will be $549 before summer.

Too bad this wasn’t brought to the carriers.

Agreed. I am really enjoying the Mate 9 right now and haven’t even taken the Axon 7 out of the box. I think I’ll wait on this for the price to drop as well.

I believe HTC said there would be a 10 sucessor this summer.

The battery is pretty small to power the big display and secondary display. Also removing the headphone jack isn’t going to help HTC.

Didn’t hurt iPhone that much.

Apple has much more sheep

Apple could create a phone that u have to scratch and sniff to keep the screen on and the herd would follow… And id be investing in fingertip accessories lol

I’m using the iPhone 7 Plus currently but I can’t wait to get rid of it.

Huge step backwards for HTC. They just copied Samsung and LG for this one and called it a day instead of further refining what magnificent of a device HTC One series is. It’s not even IP68 like most high-end flagships shipping this year….

A non issue for those who dont shower or swim with their phones

Say whaaatt?? There are still people out there that DONT take their phone in the shower with them? Remind me to unfriend them.. lol But seriously, for the price of this HTC u could get 2 V20s (at least at the $360 price I got mine).. if ur gonna charge premium prices, u need to provide premium devices. In 2017 having a device that u can handle with wet hands, or not have to flip out about because your 3yo niece decided to throw her toy and knock over a glass of water next to your phone… its kind of a requirement.

You’ll need two V20, when the one goes into a reboot loop and the other one the GPS dies! I’ll glad to get a real phone that will be trouble free again since my V10 and V20 issues.

Well so far its been good. However my S7E is the main phone aNd the v20 is a backup…. But u act like HTC or anybody else doesnt have their share of problems…. If HTC was all that they wouldn’t be strugglin like they are. I’m not doubting that this will be a great phone.. Im doubting the value when u factor in the price..

You can get a bad phone from anyone, but for LG to know of a known issue with the Motherboards on the G3, G4, G5, V10 and V20 and will not do anything once the factory warranty is up is the problem. High end phones should last over a year or two! My HTC One and 9M are still going unlike my V10 (13 months) and V20 (2 replacements within 2 months). Don’t even get me started on the Samsung S4,S5, and Note 7!

2 years? Impressive Well good for you.. And there’s a million people that could make the same argument for each other device out there….. Just so happens that theres millions MORE in the corner of the other manufacturers.. Again im not saying that this wont be a good phone., my issue is with the pricing for such a marginally impressive phone from a company thats gasping for marketshare.

And not only that.. The 2nd screen? Really? I mean damn, they could have at least switched the position of screen 2 with the front facing camera, or put it on the bottom, maybe even allow it to function as the home row when the screen is on and always on for notifications and other stuff when the screen is off. But they copied the V20.. Not saying that the v20 is even all that (again, it was a good DEAL) but for an almost $800 price tag, i want something that doesnt look and function just like the device thats sellin for half the price…. If HTC wants to get back to mainstream relevancy they need to really knock it out the park with their flagships and not some ME 2 device with an AI system that has to learn you (so it’ll be a while before u can fully enjoy that feature), and a camera with a bunch of nicely labeled attributes “ultrapixel..AAHHH” thats almost as good as the market leaders in the price segment. Unless they’re content with where they stand in the industry which might not be so good for those investors…

Or dont be a sheep to trends and make it your own. Instead of whining speak with your money and get one that you feel suits you. The s7 is cheap nowadays

Hey hey now dont go getting your panties in a bunch. If you want to pay top tier for last years tech, be my guest.. hope u love it. Nobody is whining over here I’m speaking from a business prospective. Apple is in a position where they can offer mid-range tech at a premium price, Samsung is too although they’re definitely feeling the pressure from other makers.. HTC isn’t in that same position…. they went from being a market leader to not even being considered in the rankings for global market share. Thats a problem. If they expect to draw “sheep” from any of the other herds, they’re going to have to come up with a pretty compelling reason as to why any of us “sheep” would want to divert our dollars to them. This U Ultra just doesn’t cut it AT that price point. And if they ever want to reclaim any of the glory they had during Android’s early days they’re going to have to go balls deep to innovate and properly price their products in order expand their customer base. One of the best phones of last year was manufactured by HTC but they cant even claim the recognition for it..

The paragraph of a whiny kid haha

1) He’s not whining and 2) he’s right.

He is merely whining nothing more

Just keep telling yourself that, sweetheart.

Question.. I have the HTC m9 didn’t upgrade to the 10 cause at the time they didn’t have it.. add on the 2yr bull.. so I’ve been googling and trying to read reviews on this phone.. you caught my attention when you said about ” paying top money for last year’s tech.. so can you help me pick a phone.. I’ve always had the HTC so I’m used to that.. plus SHIT Sprint won’t even carry it. I need a new phone.. Android.. much appreciated

Pretty soon you will have the S7 Edge for 400 again like T-Mobile had them last week..And jump on the T-Mobile wagon..Get jump on demand and no more you have to wait 2 years two change phones..You can jump 2 times a year you be like leasing the phone, just don’t go crazy buying cases and accessories for it if you’ll be jumping often anyway.

Such like the iphone, made my fox conn with Samsung parts

I think y’all are missing the point. HTC is charging a high price for this phone when other phones in the same price range has IP68 rating. Why pay $750 for this phone when the G6 and S8 is around the corner. Seriously this phone should be priced around $650 . Nokia is smart pricing their phones in the mid range. At least Nokia is smart enough not to price their phone to high since Apple and Samsung has that market on lock right now.

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Source

https://www.tmonews.com/2017/03/htc-u-ultra-starts-shipping-friday/