#Quirky Stationery

[chicinvites]

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[luveline]

would you ever be willing to write the day spencer and stripper!reader met in the grocery store? i’ve always loved the concept when you’ve referenced it in the story, i would love to read it👀 you’re absolutely incredible and i can never say anything not anon to you because my blog is flooding you with notes constantly and i’m embarrassed😅

thank you for your request ❤️ fem!reader, 1.5k

cw for domestic violence and workplace abuse

There's this weird organic grocery store by Spencer's place that's far too expensive, but it's a ten minute walk, so that's where he goes. (Weird in separation to organic.) 

He needs a lot of groceries now he's home for the week. Bread, vegetables, rice, flour if he wants to try and make pancakes, which he does. He also needs a new pen to write a letter for his mom, but Leaven is slightly too small for a stationery section. 

He doesn't know what he'll say to her in this one. Maybe that the cases he's going on are easy, or that he's been reading about crows. She's not feeling well lately. It might help her to know he's doing gentle things, even if it isn't true. 

No, he thinks. Can't lie to her. He never lies to his mom. 

Eggs. Sugar. Coffee grounds. He fills his cart. It'll be a lot to carry on the way home, but better to do it in one go. He likes keeping busy but he's a human being, too, and he's looking forward to spending at least sixteen hours in bed after dinner tonight. 

You look tired, too. 

Your back is turned, but Spencer knows it's you. You must live close by, he's been seeing you duck in and out for months. Usually with a loaf of bread or a single box of painkillers tucked in your pocket. You don't steal, he'd be able to tell, and he wouldn't say anything if you did, anyways. All he knows about you is that you have a nice smile when you have the energy, and your voice is like silk. Purposeful or by nature, he's yet to guess. 

You're standing by the end of the aisle near the checkouts with a basket hanging from your fingers. All you're buying today is a box of pancake mix and a bag of peas. 

Weird, he thinks with a smile. Spencer likes weird stuff. It's quirky. 

You turn to see which checkout is empty and Spencer's smile abruptly drops. 

You have a bruise across half of your face. It isn't strictly fresh —he can see the split skin on your cheek starting to close in on itself, and your purpled eye is open (though barely). You're frowning. Spencer knows how bad it hurts to get hurt like that. For a split second he can't believe someone could do that to another person, and then he remembers the hundreds of women he's had the privilege to meet at their most vulnerable, who trusted him, and he thinks maybe he's capable of helping another one. 

“Hey,” he says. 

You meet his eyes with a funny smile. “Hey. Sorry, am I in the way?” you ask, your voice stretched, thin but not weak. 

“No, you're not, it's… I see you here all the time.” 

You hold your breath. When you talk, it rushes out. “So?” you ask wearily.

“Are you okay?” 

Your funny smile fades as Spencer's had. He supposes that's the talent of cruelty. Even when it's over, it's not truly over. Your bruise still hurts, and Spencer still needs to know you'll be okay when you go home tonight. 

“I see you all the time too. We've… we've actually spoken before, haven't we?” you ask after a moment. 

“Yeah, about spirometry. I was out of breath running and–” It doesn't matter. You asked him if he was okay, and he explained that he was, just that his lungs don't hold much air on account of his own laziness, and it doesn't matter. “Are you? Alright? It's a bad bruise.” 

“It's getting better.” 

It might be, but there's something so raw about seeing you standing there in your sweatpants too big for you and a hoodie with a hole in it, purple and yellow contusion across your eyes and nose like the clumsy stroke of a paintbrush. Spencer will admit to feeling sorry for you.

“Can I talk to you?” he asks, knowing this isn't the right place. “There's the cafe at the front? Let me pay for my stuff and–” 

“I'm really okay–” 

“You had a cast on your wrist two weeks ago and now you're here with a limp and a really bad bruise,” he says softly, imploringly, “I just wanna talk to you about it. You don't have to say yes, I'm not trying to be weird, but I–” 

You cut off his mile a minute speech with a small smile. “Okay. I'm not, you know, doing anything anyways. It'll be nice to sit down.” 

Spencer knows it's dumb, but he wants to show he has good intentions. He takes your basket out of your hands and nods toward the cafe past the checkouts. “I'll come and meet you.” 

“You don't have to,” you say, gesturing at the basket. 

“The damage is done, right? This place is ridiculous.” He doesn't like the way you're holding your hip. It makes him feel sick, even though there's no proof one way or another to say you've been hurt beyond your bruising.

He pays for his things and yours and meets you at the cafe. He's half expecting you to have bolted, but you sit at a table near the entrance, completely still. 

Spencer puts his two bags under the table and offers you your pancake mix and peas in their own bag. 

“Thanks.” 

“Yeah, no problem.” 

“It was my boss.” You look at your fingers, spreading them slowly over the table top. “I’m a dancer. Sorry. I know you’re going to ask.” 

“And he hit you?” 

“Yeah.” 

Spencer knows the number for every women’s shelter in every state, but he doubts it would matter to you. He can tell already that you’d say no. He can tell you’re scared, even if you don’t realise it yourself. “Is it getting worse?”

You can’t offer him anything else. He understands how that feels. There have been moments where he desperately wanted to tell someone, anyone, what was going on in his life, but he always holds his secrets like a perpetual ache in his throat. It’s like he can’t tell someone, even if they ask. 

Sometimes he just wishes they’d ask twice. 

“You can tell me. It won’t sound stupid,” he promises. He’s in some odd place between Agent Reid and young, terrified Spencer, determined to help you, but not sure how. “It’s getting worse, right?” 

“Yeah,” you say, the weight of tears on your tongue. 

“You’re a dancer. Is he just a boss– Does he… abuse you financially?” 

You laugh wetly. “He’s not my pimp.” 

He can feel his face heating up.’“No, but do you get paid on time? Everything you earn?” 

You shake your head. “No, I don’t get paid on time. He takes a percentage, and somehow there’s always another percentage, and then discipline. And now…” 

“Now he’s hitting you.” Very badly. 

“I’m not stupid.” 

Spencer frowns gently, talks softly, “I didn’t mean to imply that you were.” 

“No, I know, but I need you to know I’m not stupid. When we talked before, you– you’re so smart, I bet you know so many smart people.” 

He’s not sure where you’re going with this. Perhaps you don’t want to talk about being hurt anymore. It must be a kind of torture to be hurting and know that that hurting will come again. There isn’t an end in sight for you, just right now. 

“Can I buy you something to eat?” 

“I have money,” you say, taking your small purse from your pocket. There are a few notes wedged inside. 

“You can’t take painkillers on an empty stomach, and you should take painkillers again soon. You had some before you came, and they’re wearing off.” He meets your confused frown with a frown of his own. “Your hands are twitching like you want to move away from yourself.” 

“You’re very perceptive,” you say in that smooth murmur. Power clawed back, he thinks. You’re protecting one of the things you can control about how you’re seen when everything else is far from it. 

“I’m a profiler. Do you,” —he tries not to sound hoity toity— “know what that is?” 

“No.” 

“I’m an FBI agent.” You’re laughing as he takes out his badge. He joins you. “I know it sounds like I’m making it up.” Spencer offers you his identification passport slowly, so you know he isn’t wielding it around to be an asshole. “I’m in the behavioural analysis unit. We analyse the way people act. That’s why I know you’re in pain.” 

You take his badge, looking between his photo and his real face with a growing smile. “If you need all that to know I’m in pain, you’re not as smart as you think,” you tease, gesturing to the mottled skin of your bruise sweetly. 

Spencer buys you both cold sandwiches from the front of the shop and a drink to wash down your aspirin. It’s awkward, he guesses, but he’s used to that by now, and under it he can feel your palpable relief. You trust him to not hurt you, if nothing else, and he can work with that. 

[buggy-samaaa]

Caught, part 14

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19

Word count: 325

Content: NSFW — mdni, gender neutral reader, no y/n, second person POV, voyeurism, anal, masturbation, misuse of devil’s fruit powers, man musk, pillow humping, auralism

Tag list: @hey-august, @bbnbhm, @genius---jester, @lostfirefly, @ane5e

——

You headed to the stationery store once Buggy assured you he was feeling well. The food had helped him, but what really made him feel better was getting to talk to you, however brief it was.

He hoped you’d forgive him for what he was about to do.

Buggy went into the crew’s quarters and walked over to the shelf near your hammock, crossing his fingers for luck. He exhaled with relief when he saw your sketchbook, as he hadn’t been sure if you’d put it back before going to the store. He plucked it from the shelf and flopped into your hammock onto his stomach to flip through the book at his leisure.

“Let’s see what you’re hiding,” he said under his breath. Buggy went to the first page and saw that you had drawn yourself celebrating getting on his crew. It was a cute spread, with names and caricatures of the crewmates you had talked to on your first day. He continued to leaf through, finding humor in the things you decided to record in your sketch-journal; funny quotes from the crew, quirky customers, and embarrassing moments were littered throughout the pages. Why did you want to keep these from him? They were wonderful.

Buggy thumbed through the rest of the pages, trying to see if anything stood out to him before he put it back. Then he noticed one set of pages was very slightly thicker than the others. He perked up with curiosity. Opening the book to that set of pages revealed that you had taped extra paper on top to hide what you’d drawn beneath it. 

Buggy’s heart sped up when he saw the date on the top corner.

It was the date of The Incident.

He started to carefully peel the tape.

He shut his eyes, biting his lip as he removed the extra papers.

His breath quickened and he peeked an eye open.

What greeted him was mind-boggling.

[sebastianmichaelisslander]

Some random Othello headcanons I had

• Loves wearing ties with quirky patterns on them - think wee dog bones, penguins wearing bobble hats, little rubber ducks in a row, etc. He’d even get one with the periodic table on it.

• Has pulled some INSANELY beautiful women the few times he’s actually been in a relationship. And incredibly handsome men, too. Ronald often wonders how someone who’s as much of a hermit as Othello has so much game - but it’s his amiable, mellow nature and awkward charm plus that dirty streak.

• As I’d said in another post, he’s a great storyteller and incredibly entertaining. So he’s a lot of fun on dates, but once he gets over his nerves. Can get very flustered around those he fancies, especially since he can’t remember the last time someone caught his attention.

• Smokes on occasion (inspired by @dont-call-me-algernon’s fic) - keeping hard candy and, ofc, liquorice on hand helps.

• Has a fondness for the morbid and macabre - especially in literary works. Goethe’s Faust, Frankenstein, and any of Poe or Lovecraft’s works are his thing.

• He has an artistic streak and is unexpectedly good at sketching - especially given that he’s probably been drawing quite a few diagrams, too.

• Is extremely fond of the Shakespearean play of the same name. Not majorly into Shakespeare though he’s read all his work to pass time, but Othello stands out to him - and not just because there may or may not be parallels between him and his fictional namesake.

• Can play the oboe. Don’t ask - it just made sense to me. Not to mention it’s considered one of the hardest instruments to master.

• Has quite the collection of highlighters, tape flags, correction pens, bookmarks, and even stationery organisers. However, his things are still almost always everywhere.

[plannersbyfeb]

MINI CHECKLISTS AND MEMOS

I love me some mini printables.

I’ve always preferred having everything in front of me and for a while now, I’ve been thinking of memo pads. The stuff you can just stick onto your desks or walls so you can easily find what you need to do.

Except!

I’ve never found ones with designs I specifically liked. The round check markers or whatever they’re called can be quite rare to find in general stationeries and I also wanted a pretty quirky header to spice up the look! I have seen memo pads with grids and dotted paper textures, but again, quirky header! and compact size ; )

[ WHAT IS IT? ]

+ The Mini Checklist and Memo is basically just my design of a memo pad but since I only offer digital downloads, you can, instead, download these pages yourself and do with it as you usually would items like these!

[ WHAT DO I DO WITH IT? ]

+ With the variety provided, and compact size, you can use them as inserts in the journals or planners you already use or, as I’ve been saying over and over again, tape them into your desks or pin them in your boards! + They come with cutting guides so you can cut them easily. All you need are some good scissors or cutting apparatuses and you’re good to go! (Although, it’s best to make sure the blades aren’t dull so you won’t fumble when cutting through the vertical lines)

[ CAN I CUSTOMIZE IT? ]

+ YES. You can use any colored materials when writing on them. It’s your checklists! + NO. Unfortunately, there’s no option to edit the layout.

[ WHERE DO I GET IT? ]

+ You can download the checklist [ here ] and the memos [ here ]

[ IS IT FREE? ]

+ Somewhat. The item is on "pay-what-you-want" terms on ko-fi. If you'd like to support me, you can pay however much you'd like! Even just a dollar is enough for me ^^ But you can definitely input 0 to get it for free : ) + KO-FI will not require you to have an account, but you will need to provide an email for the invoice of your “purchase”

If you have any inquiries, requests, anything; you can definitely just DM me here or through my KO-FI!

I create my designs for free but if you’d like to support me, consider checking out my ko-fi!

▬▬▬▬▬ feb.

[justforbooks]

Ben Vautier

French conceptual artist known for his work featuring handwritten texts with quirky messages that had mass appeal

The French conceptual artist Ben Vautier – known simply as “Ben” – who has died aged 88, was best known for his Écritures – trademark painted epigrams in a simple cursive script on a monochrome background.

Instantly recognisable with their bold messages to the world, sometimes humorous, often political, always thought-provoking, his “writings” shout out from the canvas as if craving to be heard. “In my Écritures it is not the aestheticism that counts,” Ben said in 2010, in conversation with the curator Hans Ulrich Obrist. “I write to be read and understood. It’s the meaning that has to come across.”

The first Écriture, created in 1953, said, simply: “Il faut manger. Il faut dormir” (“You have to eat. You have to sleep”). It was an affirmation of life and the beginning of a series that would define his oeuvre for more than 70 years.

And, escaping from the walls, these mini-manifestos, which originated in the experimental culture of the Nice school of the 1950s, and Fluxus movement of the 60s, are now ubiquitous across France, to be found on postcards, stamps, wine labels, stationery and rucksacks.

Following Ben’s death, President Emmanuel Macron said: “On our children’s pencil cases, on so many everyday objects and even in our imaginations, Ben had left his mark, made up of freedom and poetry, apparent lightness and overwhelming depth.”

Born in Naples, Italy, Ben was the son of an Occitan French-Irish mother, Janet (nee Giraud), and a Swiss father, Max-Ferdinand Vautier. His grandfather was the Swiss painter and illustrator Marc Louis Benjamin Vautier. Following his parents’ divorce, Ben lived with his mother in Switzerland, Turkey, Egypt and Italy before they settled in Nice aged 14.He left the city’s Lycée du Parc Impérial at 16 and worked at a bookshop, Le Nain Bleu, where he first discovered volumes on the artists who would influence him. Interviewed last year for Forbes magazine and asked about his early artistic encounters, Ben said: “I picked only artists who shocked me because I was looking for something new, so I started with the abstract painters: Poliakoff, Soulages and Picasso. The shock of Marcel Duchamp came from a meeting with Arman, and after that, I opened up to the possibility that everything was art.”

“Everything is art” became his lifelong mantra, together with the other driving principle for Ben that “art must be new”. Elsewhere he said “My art will be an art of appropriation. I seek to sign everything that has not been signed. I believe that art is in the intention and that it is enough to sign.” When the Italian artist Piero Manzoni died in 1963, Ben signed his death certificate and declared it a work of art. And, following the birth of Ben’s daughter, Eva, in 1965, he signed her, as a new creation and a “living sculpture”.

Between 1958 and 1973 he ran a shop, Laboratoire 32, selling secondhand records, cameras, books and other publications. The space became a favourite meeting venue for artists of the Nice school, such as Yves Klein, César and Arman. N’importe quoi (Just anything), an installation composed of the shop’s interior, was acquired by the Centre Pompidou in 1975 and remains a testament to those early years in Nice.

In 1962 Ben had come to London as part of the festival of Misfits to perform a geste (happening) that involved spending two weeks living and sleeping in the window of Gallery One in Grosvenor Square, Mayfair. That year he met George Maciunas, founder of Fluxus, the Dada-influenced movement whose members, including Yoko Ono, Joseph Beuys and John Cage, engaged in experimental performances and events.

Fluxus encouraged a “do-it-yourself” approach in its artistic creations, valuing simplicity above complexity. Ben’s work embraced this approach and made the movement’s aesthetic clearly visible to the public, in art galleries and beyond.

Striking works include the self-referential Je suis transparent (I am transparent, 1970), a print edition in black writing on a see-through perspex background; and If art is everywhere it is also in this box (1972), with inscriptions in French, English, Italian and Nissart (a subdialect of Provençal), decorating four sides of a large plastic cube.

Initially selling as multiples in limited editions at his shop in the 60s, his productions soon moved into the mainstream, making his signed works available as mass-produced “Ben”-branded objects. He believed that there was “no art without ego”.

His works are now in private and public collections worldwide, including MoMA in New York and the Stedelijk museum in Amsterdam. Retrospectives have been held at the Musée d’Art Contemporain in Lyon (2010), Museum Tinguely, Basel (2015) and Museo Universitario de Arte Contemporaneo, Mexico (2022).

Arriving as a visitor in 2000 to Ben’s home in Saint-Pancrace, in the heights above Nice, which he shared with his second wife, Annie Baricalla, an artist whom he married in 1964, I was struck by the volume and variety of work that lay within and in the grounds of the house.

Commenting on this cuckoo-in-the-nest among a row of bourgeois residences that looked like a combination of fine art gallery, circus and junkyard, Ben confided with a chuckle: “Mes voisins me detestent.” (“My neighbours hate me.”)

He was a champion of minority languages, campaigning especially for Occitan – the tongue of southern France – and others, including Alsatian, Basque and Corsican, to be recognised in a country whose only official language is French. He reasoned that by preserving the vernacular, one can preserve the culture and dynamism of its people.

Ben’s first marriage, to Jacqueline Robert, in 1959, ended in divorce. Following Annie’s death on 5 June, “unwilling and unable to live without her”, according to a statement by his children, “Ben killed himself a few hours later”.

He is survived by his daughter, Eva, and his son, François, from his marriage to Annie.

🔔 Ben (Benjamin Vautier), artist, born 18 July 1935; died 5 June 2024

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[nochuelinha]

Too Sweet - Chapter 2: Coffee Black

After the exciting engagement day of Sara, I exchanged phone numbers with Ellie. I was surprised to find out she was the owner of an event agency that organized a variety of celebrations, including weddings. It was fascinating to see how Ellie had such a unique and multifaceted personality. From the moment we met, I could sense her quirky personality. Ellie was sarcastic, but in a fun and engaging way. Her remarks always came with a touch of humor, making each interaction more interesting. Additionally, it was evident that Ellie enjoyed flirting, a trait she exhibited with confidence and charm. Her playful banter and seductive gestures added a dose of lightness and relaxation to any situation.

I'm in a famous café in town, waiting for Ellie for our first meeting about the wedding, I had ordered a tea while waiting. I made a list of the necessary things for the wedding.

My list included:

Ceremony and reception venue: We needed to find the ideal location that reflected Sara's style and personality.

Date and time: Determine a date that was convenient for all involved and ensure we had enough time for all preparations.

Budget: Establish a realistic budget and find ways to maximize every penny.

Bride's dress and groomsmen and bridesmaids' attire: The choice of attire was crucial to ensure everyone looked stunning on the big day.

Decoration: Define the style and colors of the decoration that would create the perfect atmosphere for the wedding.

Buffet and menu: Select the food and beverage options that would be served during the reception.

Photography and videography: Hire professionals to capture every special moment of the wedding.

Music and entertainment: Choose the perfect playlist and ensure there was entertainment for all guests.

Invitations and stationery: Create invitations and stationery that reflected the theme and style of the wedding.

Logistics planning: Organize all details related to transportation, accommodation, and other logistical aspects for the guests.

As I reviewed the list, Ellie sat across from me, a wide smile on her face. I looked at her and returned the smile. "Good morning, Ellie."

“Good morning, sweetheart, what are you looking at with such concentration?" I raised an eyebrow at the new nickname and showed her my list. Ellie took the list with a curious smile, examining the items with interest. Her wide smile indicated she was excited to start working on the wedding planning.

"You're quite organized and methodical, aren't you?" I shrugged, and Ellie placed her order, black coffee without sugar. As we talked, it became clear to me that Ellie was not only a great listener but also an exceptional work partner. Her ability to understand my ideas and viewpoints, as well as contribute valuable insights, made our collaboration smooth and effective. I could feel an instant connection with her, and I couldn't wait to see what we could accomplish together during Sara's wedding planning.

The news that Sara had set a maximum budget for the wedding brought palpable relief. Although it wasn't a low amount, knowing we had a clear guideline to work with made us a little more at ease.As the weeks passed, meetings with Ellie became a comforting routine in our lives. Regardless of where we went afterwards or what we discussed in our meetings, our mandatory stop was always the same: the café. It was where we shared our ideas, planned the next steps, and strengthened our partnership.

Ellie was predictable in her choices, always ordering the same item from the menu: black coffee without sugar. It was as if that coffee was an integral part of who she was, an extension of her energetic and straightforward personality. I, on the other hand, varied my choices, trying different teas and coffees, but always appreciating the familiarity and comfort of our meetings at that café.

Noticing Ellie's habit of drinking a lot of coffee while smoking, I decided to address the issue with her, concerned about her health and well-being. When I mentioned it, Ellie laughed and explained that it was a way for her to deal with stress.

“Yeah, I know it might seem like a strange habit,” Ellie admitted, smiling slightly. “But for me, it’s a way to relax and relieve stress. Sometimes, work can be a bit intense, and coffee and cigarettes help me find a moment of calm.”

[miahsharing]

Unique and quirky Finds_Yobro

From vintage treasures to modern gadgets, the right item can brighten your day.

Find noelty gifts and stationery in Yobro gifts. info@yobro-gifts.com

[kettykika78]

Today 's my 45 birthday, happy me! I spent the day with my family, visiting the beautiful Lecce (Italy), and shopping nice stuff for me. In this photo a Vendula London Bag , a golden bee journal made in italy by Kartos, and a bullettin journal made in italy by OPENWOR(L)DS with a beautiful illustration by Manuel Fior.

Yay!!

[hms-tardimpala]

Top 5 French things you love (i.e. a meal, a place, a cultural quirk) 🇫🇷

Aahhhh this is so hard! I'm not all that fond of France, I look on my own country with a lot cynicism and dissatisfaction, but I can find five things for you.

5. Our history. French history is long (all places have long history, of course, but because Europe wasn't massively colonized, our history wasn't erased and we can look back very far), sometimes ridiculous, quirky, tragic. I love that the French and the English realized there was a people just beyond the sea and decided to fuck each other up forever. France was a main theater for the two world wars, which has impacted it in massive, fascinating and lasting ways (the traume is very much still here). There's always something interesting left to learn about French history.

4. French book trade laws. The book trade is the only one in all of commerce that benefits from exceptions, leniencies and government help that are written in law. For example, the price of books is the same wherever you buy them, which is why Amazon hasn't destroyed our book trade yet. I'm no longer a bookseller, but I think we can be proud of that.

3. Clairfontaine is a great stationery brand. Their notepads and notebooks are amazing, the paper quality is perfect. I absolutely love notepads, I buy too many, and I love working with theirs. I've written a whole self-published novel in Clairefontaine notebooks. We have great writing stuff is all.

2. Raclette (I'm willing to share it with Switzerland because of our geographical proximity). Raclette is a meal: you put a heating appliance in the middle of the table, and everybody melts cheese under it. Raclette cheese can be plain, or smoked, or be one of many variations. Then you pour the melted cheese in your plate, and add to it charcuterie that you've grilled on top of the appliance. Cured ham, sausages, pork in all its forms. It's also eaten with potatoes. Pour cheese on all that and eat. (I have no idea if you know this, I hope I haven't overexplained)

Toulon, my city. To most french people, it's kind of lame. Okay, there's not much to do, it's not overly cultural, it's not very pretty. It's way too hot. It's been a military stronghold for centuries, so it doesn't attract as many tourists as the rest of the southeastern coast. But it's easy to navigate, it's by the sea, and it's my home. It's backed by low mountains, half its harbor is military and the other is civilian. The high point of its history was the Napoleonic period, my favorite.

Thank you for playing and giving me an occasion to talk about my country, I hope some of it was of interest <3

[igotsnothing]

So, back to Lawrence-kun and Julian-chan… 🤭

But seriously… They are working with a smartphone which was a gift to the world from the mid-2000s on and Lawrence still doesn't get texting…? So, has he not engaged with anyone in the last 20 years? Lilith aside, who does he interact with? I assume he would know Rhys (also assuming it is the same universe), though I can't imagine that they get along in the friendly sense. From the Bureau, at least. I mean, Rhys would likely think Lawrence is ridiculous, but also understand how someone of their ilk could have these kinds of blindspots when you may have had to endure long periods of isolation depending on human-occult relations at any given time, but I can't see them having more than a professional type of relationship with a side of longevity breeds familiarity. So, aside from his ego and circumstances allowing him to see most beings as beneath him, what's Larry's deal?

First of all: HELLLLOOOWW!!! I missed you, dear friend! And then you spoil me like this, with lovely comments on my posts and likes and even an ask!!

I feel speshiaaall!! Thank you so much! You are the BEST and how lucky am I??? ❤️🍪

Alright! Time to address these questions.

I love the "vampires are crap at tech" trope- something I first saw in What We Do in the Shadows. I like this quirky weakness because it humanizes them; they may be immortal, but they were once human. And many of them would be quite old. I'd imagine some of them would have trouble keeping up with all the changes in the world. In some ways, it must be tiring and overwhelming. Lawrence's spotty use of technology is inspired by several of my older relatives. He can use the phone to make calls just fine- although he really only calls Lilith regularly. He doesn't text because: 1. He doesn't understand the need for it. 2. None of his vampire friends really text, either. They certainly don't text each other and they're probably the ones keeping stationery companies in business. Given that Larry is a snob and usually treats mortals like plebs, mortals are not texting him either. Larry is set in his ways. He gets his social needs met through prissy and pretentious "salons", which various covens hold on a weekly basis. He also enjoys patronizing different businesses...And that is the extent of it, until Juju comes along and rocks his world...

I hope that helps explain what's going on in that head of his...

Thank you for the ask! ❤️

PS- Rhys and Lawrence DO know each other and they have 0 patience for each other- but you know which two guys will eventually meet and really get along?...He he...Larry and Rhys will be forced to make nice FOR LOVE!! HA!

[dailyrandomwriter]

Day 609

I’ve mentioned in the past that one of the most annoying (but well meaning) compliments you can get for something you’ve created is someone saying you should sell it (or make Youtube videos on how to make it).

I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned how potentially weird that compliment can be though. One of the quirky things about being a creator is that you know all the bumps and barriers behind the scenes. You also know a lot of the smoke and mirrors that sometimes goes into creating anything.

Because I have such a stationery addiction (going onto two years now), if I’m not giving it away to other people’s children, I am often using that stationery to make cards, and I don’t think those cards are particularly outstanding. Not because I don’t like how my own cards look (unless they’re the really old ones), but because I know me.

That is to say, I have very particular tastes in stationery. Specifically I am a large collector of washi and PET tapes that have images on them. The kind you’d cut out and use like stickers. These tapes tend to be very elaborate or specific in design, and because my preference tends towards elegant rather than cute, I have a lot of tapes that are good for making cards to give to other adults.

So when people tell me, I should sell my cards, I feel weird about it, because technically that is someone else’s art, who printed it onto washi tape, which I ended up using to make a card.

And if you think they’re very elegant, that’s because my primary taste in stationery is elegant by nature.

[aurum-rays]

I watched Carrie Pilby on Netflix one day just very randomly. I liked it and I forgot about it until sometime back something reminded me of the movie and I watched it again. This time I loved it. I loved the winter, Christmassy aesthetics of the movie, the color palette of the film (some frames were very Pinteresty), and more than anything I loved the highly intelligent, quirky, sometimes cynical, and freakishly relatable Carrie Pilby.

So naturally after the movie ended I went online to see if anyone else shared the same love for the movie as I did. Unfortunately not many forum threads on it but I did find an hour-long interview of the original author. (which I still need to finish watching)

Let's dive into the book now. I read the book after watching the movie. I loved Bell Powley as Carrie and I wanted to know more about Carrie and her personality so I read the book and oh god was it good. I loved Carrie even more now. The movie is not exactly the same. They're quite different. Below I'll be talking about book vs movie so brace yourself for spoilers ahead!

The book was written by Caren Lissner and published in 2003 which was also her debut novel. The movie came out in 2017.

I love Carrie, the vibe of her apartment, cozy winter days, and her cheeky personality.

I love the book. It's hilarious. Carrie is hilarious. Her worldview and her opinions, her funny way of describing people all make for a hilarious read. But I was really surprised as to how different a lot of things were from the movie. Her and Ronald? I thought she thought he was not her type and a bit slow. I never expected he'd be the one she'd choose for the "she cares" part of the list. I felt it should've been Kara or her Dad. I understand Cy was too new for the "care" part but Ronald?? Like there's zero emotional connection there. She likes him cuz she sees him frequently? I dunno.

Something different in the book is that Cy is not really "in frame" for most of the book, unlike the movie. The movie is more of a girl meets boy which I felt they shouldn't have gone for considering Carrie and her quirky personality but more about that later. Unlike the movie, she doesn't end up with Cy in the book, or at least it's not implied.

My favorite character after Carrie is definitely Kara. There is so much, I mean so much stuff with Kara in the book. I don't know why the movie didn't explore the parts of Carrie's asexuality and the dynamic between Kara and Carrie. I feel like there should be a mini-series with book book-accurate story where they explore the sexuality part, Kara and Carrie's relationship, and a lot more of Carrie's personality.

One more thing that I felt the movie could've included was the smart and savvy nature of Carrie. I loved all the parts of her proofreading job especially the one where she takes two pages from different bundles and puts them on each other and up to the light to check for mistakes. That's Carrie! That's what separates her from the others. There are several more bits like these about her personality in the book that weren't in the movie like how she talks to the telemarketers on the phone, her movie lists, and how she has a constant urge to look up new words in her dictionary which I do a lot too and the whole bit with the couple in the window, her nerdy self, how much she enjoys shopping at stationery stores(I do too!). There were so many more quirky little things like these that made me go "I do that too", "This is so me".

The movie focused more on Cy and Carrie and then on Carrie and the professor. The professor parts were really toned down in the movie. When I read those parts in the book I just wanted to finish that chapter as soon as possible and I always skip it on my re-reads. I was really bummed they tossed like 90% of Kara's scenes from book to movie adaptation.

All in all, I absolutely loved the book a lot more. Carrie is someone I definitely want to be friends with (although I'm very skeptical if she does).

The book and the movie both have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year vibe going which I love the most. It's certainly an addition to the list of my favorite books. Thank you, Caren Lissner.

[iampikachuhearmeroar]

honestly, one of the worst group job interviews I ever did (minus the one where I accidentally made a vague sex joke in front of 60 people mid assessment day) was when I applied for a youth clothing store that also has a spin-off quirky millenial and gen z hipster stationery store (aussies will know exactly what retail chain im talking about lmao).

anyway. first of all, for this shitty retail job, I had to go all the way to southern sydney (where I don't live- specifically the suburb of Miranda) to go to the assessment centre at the local RSL club (which meant I had nice food at the end which was a win).

but GOD. when they filed us into the assessment room to split us into groups, we had to file in in a CONGA line where the people leading the interview had party poppers and streamers and we had to show our "party loving vibes and down to have fun boss bitch attitude!!!"

like gina and ross, for the LOVE OF FUCK. we're selling shitty over-priced clothes that should be really be sold at $5 a piece (ie what we make them for in bulk in bangladesh) instead of $50 for a pair of fucking yoga/activewear leggings (even if they ARE really comfy). we harass people at the counter to buy a $2 enviro canvas bag for our charity.... and back in the day, it was the bottled water. like hell I'm dancing into an interview in a fucking conga line, for the LOVE of god.

and plus, ironically, NEVER have I once had someone be this horrendously PERKY in store. hell, half the time there's only EVER one store clerk in the ENTIRE mega store or separate store, depending on which shop you're in. or maybe there's two people, but the other person's in the back. very occasionally, yes, they'll ask you about your day and help you style an outfit. but other than that, they never talk to you until you get to the counter.

WHY must we prance around in a CONGA line with streamers and be our "best perky selves" to sell FRIENDS or h**** p***** or some other 90s/2000s branded shit??? to sell strawberry scented spray hand sanitiser and face masks???? to sell a mini desk vacuum or a laptop stand??? to sell shitty jeans that rip after one wear (a testimonial from my friend that used to work there while we were in uni)???

like I obvs didn't get the job at this store bc my feedback on the day was "you're just not PERKY enough to bring the *insert the business here* brand alive in store to give our customers a positive, energetic, down to earth, spontaneous and fun loving immersive experience for our brand and charity!!!" like no shit. you made me travel nearly 2 hours by car, and go to my wits end with sydney parking and driving (I accidentally made my dad go up a one-way street..... the wrong way).... I'm tired as ALL hell just getting here.... for an interview that could've been SO EASILY conducted at my local fucking shopping centre for the local stores in my area. of course I'm not going to be too thrilled about acting like a fucking clown during this assessment centre.

like I get this brand did this assessment centre in sydney bc like "it's where head office is" or whatever the fuck. but my god. travelling to sydney from where I am, is a pain in the fucking ass. just conduct it locally, in my area, so I have more chance of being perky. but also. this "be perky and fun loving, dance in a conga line" bullshit for an interview, just feels like a spectacle that I have no energy for. just conduct the outfit selling and styling portion and make me watch the BS brand/company video and call it a day.

[stationerystore]

The Stationery Store: A World of Endless Possibilities

In our increasingly digital world, it's easy to forget the simple joy of a well-stocked stationery store. Whether you're a student, a professional, or a creative enthusiast, these stores offer a treasure trove of supplies that can make your life easier and more enjoyable. From practical items to unleash your creativity, let's explore what exactly you can buy at a stationary store.

1. Writing Instruments: The Basics

A good place to start is with the backbone of any stationery store - writing instruments. From classic ballpoint pens to sleek fountain pens, these stores offer a wide range of options to suit your preferences. You'll find pens in various colors, sizes, and styles, allowing you to express your personality with every stroke. Don't forget mechanical pencils, highlighters, and markers, which are essential for note-taking, studying, and organizing your thoughts.

2. Paper Products: The Canvas of Your Ideas

One cannot talk about a stationery store without mentioning its vast selection of paper products. Here, you'll find everything from notebooks and journals to sticky notes and index cards. Whether you prefer lined paper for structured writing or blank pages for free-flowing creativity, there's a perfect notebook for you. Sticky notes come in handy for reminders and quick messages, while index cards are ideal for studying, organizing, and brainstorming.

3. Organizational Tools: Streamline Your Life

If you're someone who loves to keep things neat and organized, a stationery store is your happy place. They offer an array of tools to help you stay on top of your game. Binders, folders, and dividers are essential for keeping your documents in order. Planners and calendars help you manage your time effectively, while sticky tabs and page flags allow you to mark important pages or sections for quick reference. With these tools, you can streamline your life and never miss a beat.

4. Art Supplies: Unleash Your Creativity

For the artists and crafters out there, a stationery store is a haven of inspiration. Colored pencils, markers, paints, and brushes are just the beginning. You'll find sketchbooks, canvases, and specialty papers tailored to various artistic endeavors. Need calligraphy pens or brush pens for elegant lettering? They've got you covered. From beginners to professionals, these supplies can unlock the artist within and turn your ideas into beautiful creations.

5. Miscellaneous Delights: Unexpected Finds

One of the joys of exploring a stationery store is stumbling upon unexpected treasures. From quirky erasers and fun stickers to unique gift items and novelty pens, there's always something to catch your eye. You might uncover cute stationery sets, decorative tapes, or even personalized stamps. These little delights can add a touch of whimsy to your workspace or make perfect gifts for friends and loved ones.

In conclusion, a stationary store is much more than just a place to buy pens and paper. It's a world of endless possibilities, where you can find the tools to organize, create, and express yourself. So, next time you walk past a stationery store, step inside and immerse yourself in the magic that awaits. You never know what treasures you might discover.