#Real boxing 2 best gear

[skipper1331]

Penalty // Jessie Fleming

a/n: based off this and this request.

Anger was the only thing Jessie felt when she stormed off the pitch. How could that be fair?! A penalty, really?!

-

Chelsea was about to face Real Madrid in the Champions League group stages. Everybody was excited as it was the first CL match for the team this season. One simple instruction to follow: win.

Emma Hayes wanted to win. She chose her starting eleven very carefully as she had analyzed Madrid’s last games - it should be easy to win. She addressed every weakness of the opposing team and fixed her own on exploiting those exact weaknesses. She was determined to win.

Jessie was in her chosen starting lineup while you were on the bench. You felt so much pride, knowing that she was in it. The girl was so hardworking, ambitious and caring, she deserved her start. Gladly, Emma shared that opinion, for once.

Sadly, Emma’s plan didn’t go as she had hoped, Real Madrid already getting on the scoreboard in the 10th minute - Olga Carmona scoring from distance.

The equalizer didn‘t come until the 41‘ Niamh getting her name of the scoreboard. It was 1-1, Emma Hayes not pleased with the performance of her team.

Her halftime talk was harsh, pointing out each mistake they had made before she got more tactical for the new playing style which the team should play in the second half.

The second half started with chaos as the blues tried to find their rhythm with the new orders from their coach - no changes made yet. 10 minutes in, they found it, trying their best to get in the lead which they did in the 74‘

-

When Athenea del Castillo ran with the ball towards Chelsea’s box, Jess sprinted after her.

Unfortunately, the midfielder slide tackled her, the Madrid player deciding to let herself fall in the box - the ref blowing her whistle, immediately pointing to the penalty spot. All the subs jumped from their seats, yelling as the players on the field started to argue with the ref. No way, that was a penalty! Jess was shocked about the decision. She didn’t touch her! Let alone in the penalty area!

The ref‘s decision stood - penalty.

Steam was radiating off Jessie‘s body, she felt so mad. Where was var when you needed it? Her decision was ridiculous, every Blue agreed on that opinion yet Madrid happy with it.

The Canadian prayed that Olga would miss.

She didn‘t.

2-2.

Emma Hayes furios. No, she wasn‘t mad at Jessie but angry at the referee and the scoreline. Beating Real Madrid should‘ve been easy.

Despite the teams best efforts to make it 3-2, every attempt was stopped by the goalie or even earlier by the defence.

The final whistle blew, the score 2-2.

Jessie was angry, beyond angry. She was disappointed in herself, angry at the referee and sad about the result. What did she do to deserve this? For once, she was in the starting lineup and then something like that happens. Nobody was blaming her but the ref, yet that didn’t help to lift her bad mood.

Sweet girl Jessie was angry, a sight people rarely ever see. Of course, she shook every opponents hand - she wasn’t childish by any means.

But as soon as she did so, she left the pitch, storming off to the changing rooms.

Your eyes watched every movement, your mind debating if you should follow her. Your heart told you not to, not yet. She needed some minutes to calm down and you knew she could only process her feelings in silence. Respecting her boundaries, you gave her some time to cool off, the team going to the Chelsea fan side, saying their thank yous as they signed some jerseys and took some pictures.

After some time, you excused yourself from the team, walking towards the changing rooms.

You knocked at the door, not wanting to startle her as you entered the locker. The girl sat in her cubby, shin pads in front of her, no doubt that she had smacked them on the floor. She was still in her gear, her cheeks red and puffy - she had been crying. Wordlessly, she sat beside her, not caring whose cubby it was. All you cared was about Jessie. You didn‘t say anything and you wouldn‘t until she made a move. There was no pressure in your action, you were with her - she wasn‘t alone.

"Can… can you hold my hand?" she whispered, breaking the silence. Gently, you lifted her hand from her lap, intertwining your fingers before you settled your holding hands back down. Her head fell on your shoulder, hiding in the crook of your neck while she wanted to shut out the world. At least for as long as she could.

When the first few girls started to enter the changing room, Jessie left your touch completely. She didn‘t want to seem weak in front of her friends nor did she want any pitty from them.

She was a girl of privacy and even though the team knew the two of you were a couple, a very lovey-dovey one as well, there wasn‘t much pda.

Respecting her act, you stood up and went to your cubby, getting ready to leave. Every now and then you would glance towards the Canadian, only to find her eyes already on you. To be honest, you couldn’t read her eyes or facial expression - you could only imagine what she was feeling. Normally, you didn’t have a problem with reading Jessie‘s body language as you knew her like the back of your hand but this was different, this was something new.

-

On the way to the airport, the girl sat beside you - she hadn‘t said a word since her question in the locker. She stared out of the window, watching the streetlights disappear in the darkness of the night.

Every inch in her body was fighting against the urge of crying and falling in your arms. I am strong, she told herself. But the only thing she wanted, was to have your arms wrapped around her securely, your soothing voice whispering sweet nothings as you drew some patterns on her back, making her fall asleep in an instant.

The plane ride went the exact same; Jess didn’t say a word, caught up in her own world yet her hand holding yours tightly. She needed your touch.

Arriving in London felt like a relief for Jess, she could breathe again.

Late at night, early in the morning you arrived at home, "Do you want to talk about it?" you asked gently, placing your bags on the floor and guiding her to living room right after. You took a seat on the couch, pulling her on your lap. Her facade was gone. It was just the two of you. As you looked at her, she broke down, all emotions spilling at once. Tears ran down her cheeks as she started to sob in your chest. She held onto you for her dear life. Your hand rubbed her back, trying to calm her down as you held her just as tight. "It’s all my fault!" she cried, guilt eating her up alive. Because of her, the team had jeopardized their lead, the game ending in a draw because of her mistake.

"Baby, no it‘s not" you whispered, adding more sweet nothings which you knew she liked.

"It is!" she leaned back, eyes locking with yours as so much emotion was written in them, "that stupid tackle! I didn‘t even- it wasn‘t even- that shouldn‘t have been a penalty!"

Furiously, tears ran out of her eyes while it broke your heart to see the sweetest girl in so much pain. It wasn‘t her fault, "I know, my love, I know" you told her, thumb caressing the apple of her cheek.

The brunette let herself melt in your embrace, the only comfort that would help as she hid in your grasp. Your arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her impossibly closer before you laid down on the couch properly. Your head rested on one of the cushions, Jessie‘s on your shoulder, breath tickling your neck while her hands grasped your shirt. Your legs were tangled together, both of your arms around her waist as the one hand started to draw patterns on her back. "I love you so much" you whispered, kissing the top of her head as you continued whispering sweet nothings.

Her eyelids became heavy and body exhausted, your voice calming her down as your pattern drawing relaxed her. Slowly but surely, she drifted off to sleep. You carried on with your actions, wanting to bring her as much comfort as you could, not minding that she was asleep. You were glad that she was.

And even though the girl was fast asleep, she knew you‘re comforting her - you always were because you were her comfort.

[oldguardleatherdog]

Getting into “pup space” and staying connected: a step-by-step approach

For pup players, achieving “pup space” - also known as "pup head" or "dog head", where your inner canine spirit comes to the fore as your primary sense of self-awareness and your human capacity fades into the background for a while - is our goal each time we're on all fours. Finding a consistent and dependable way to get there and maintain that connection can be challenging and frustrating.

Getting ourselves reliably "down there" - another term I like to use for inhabiting the realm of dog, the environment from a dog's perspective two feet off the floor where we inhabit a physical plane and level all our own, where the pup head can be sustained as we move through space - takes time and practice, just like learning a martial art or taking music lessons.

And like Brazilian jiu-jitsu and playing the trumpet, focused study of the elements that can induce pup space, combined with daily reinforcement of what we learn from that study – e.g., techniques, styles, movement breakdowns and Aikido forms, major and minor scales on your instrument - is the best way to achieve consistency. Practice makes perfect. Each time we go down to all fours, we go down more smoothly and quickly, we go deeper into pup space, and we can stay down there a little longer each time.

When I’m coming from a “cold” physical and mental stance, i.e., the times when I’m out of my normal constant light trance state and have been required to be “fully human” – 100% human, 0% dog – for an extended period, I have a routine to launch me back into pup space that’s tailored specifically for a cold start.

Going cold happens under certain conditions when I’m away from my home/kennel environment: if I’ve been traveling for more than two nights; after a meeting away from home that doesn’t involve kink (yes, it happens for lifestylers too); even at home if Master’s been away for a week and there was no boarding kennel or dog-sitter available to look after me.

Here's my “Cold Start” sequence:

It begins with the body. From a relaxed state, positioned on the edge of a couch or chair, wearing my pup gear, centered, balanced, leaning slightly forward from the waist, hind paws easily on the ground, front paws on knees, arms relaxed. My body posture and stance are inclined downward. My breathing is regular, centered, from my diaphragm (not my chest), then…

Sounds start coming out. The air I exhale just grazes my voice box enough to make a slight low sound “mmm” – lips together, then open to “huuuuuuh, huuuuuh…” and then a more animalistic “ahhrrrrr, ahrrrrr”. If you have a screen nearby, load it up with spirals or similar hypno images (there are many excellent pup spirals on Discord and YT, collect ‘em all!); if not, focus on a spot ahead of you about 2 feet off the ground. If you start to glaze over or blur, go with it (if it makes you uncomfortable, pull up and refocus/reset, then go back into relaxed stance).

Words begin, then degrade. Starting with fully-articulated human words, a three-word simple phrase -“Good boy Bruzr” – I repeat the phrase audibly in a half-whisper just loud enough for me to hear it, and as I look at my spot and feel myself heading down and forward to that spot [dog wants to see and sniff it already], I’m half-aware of my paws coming from my knees up to my chest and they start rubbing the sensitive spots (I’d stroke myself if I could but in this kennel, dogs don’t touch themselves, haven’t done it in 14 years for real).

As I repeat my doggy mantra, my tongue lolls out, making my words degrade into unintelligible speech, becoming “owooo, owooo, owooo” and I lean forward and down, then –

[gotta smell the spot NOW] and boom! I hit the ground, full-on 100% dopey happy dumb mutt Bruzr, just the way Master likes it, barking up a storm and howling my head off! and I'm where I belong, where I'm meant to be.

It's a repeatable process - a sequence of actions that I step through the same way each time I start from cold, involving body, sound, light self-hypnosis, breathing and relaxation, and a moderate nudge I give myself by speeding up my breath to rev up for the launch off the couch.

This all comes together to set up an unobstructed flow of energy starting at my physical center of breath (your breath is the closest thing to your spirit and serves as a key to unlock its power), taking my body to all fours in a smooth, unified, natural way.

I want to emphasize that this set of techniques is what works for me. How did I settle on this sequence? Practice, practice, practice. Trial and error over decades, going up and down thousands of times. But that doesn't mean you need to log that kind of mileage to get consistent and effective results!

You can do this solo. It’s important to be able to achieve pup space connection when we are alone; this is how confidence in a sense of the “pup self” is developed and made stronger.

If you want to try this method out and see how it fits, you can follow the steps and techniques as I describe them here, and/or you can take this sequence and use it as a flexible template, a baseline for creating your own sequence using elements (music, lighting, indoors/outdoors, etc.) that help you achieve relaxation and focus.

Change your usual setting. Experiment with your starting posture and stance. For vocalizing, play with sounds and words until you find that “sweet spot” that flows smoothly. Got a playlist you like that helps you trance out or get motivated? Let it rip!

One more thing: Be easy on yourself. No one, regardless of how long they've been a pup, achieves a 100% connection to full headspace 100% of the time - it’s ok to be frustrated. Keep practicing and give it the time you need and deserve.

During a play session, it's not uncommon for the link to fade and reset multiple times. Years ago, I was given a helpful trigger: When the connection drops, I take a deep breath and expel it with the same “ahrrrrr” sound I used in my sequence, restoring the connection and taking me deeper into pup space.

Don’t sweat it when it happens; jump right back and reset the connection. Our link to pup space can be mischievous and quirky, just like us! You’re not “doing it wrong” – there’s no such thing in Pup Play – you’re persistent, determined, doggedly sniffing out that signal! Trust that your connection will strengthen and become more persistent over time.

Practice, explore, refine, find what works, do it regularly and often, and you will be rewarded with positive results and deeper, dependable connections.

Thanks for reading! You’re the best pup! Yes, you are!

In Service,

Alpha Pup Bruzr (Animal J. Smith)

[havin-fun-imagining-twd]

Spell your last name, please.

What -- Daryl's back at the Green's farm after falling down the ridge twice, hallucinating you and Merle, then making it home only to get grazed on his head by a bullet. In this chapter, he wakes up after losing consciousness. S02E05 Chupacabra

Who -- slow burn Daryl x Reader

When -- ten minutes after Daryl gets grazed by that bullet courtesy of Andrea following Invisible, tugging strings, Part 2. <- Read this chapter first!

Perspective -- 3rd person Daryl

Reader's pronouns? -- neutral again, slowpokes, they/them

TWs -- a few cusses in Daryl's perspective

How long will it take me? -- 7-10 minutes

Specific chapters to refresh your memories with -- How's your head? Part 2, Invisible tugging strings, Parts 1 -> and 2 <-

The title of this chapter is weird -- I know, y'all XD. It's in reference to a common (medical) trauma question to check cognition

Where's your Masterlist? -- official one here, chronological one here.

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for better context, reread Invisible, tugging strings, Part 2 here. It's got the word-for-word part of S02E05 Chupacabra with Merle before Daryl makes his way home and sees an angel you.

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Hm? Where in the—where is he and what’s warm stuff he just swallowed? Who the hell's this holding hi—

A bunch of voices start saying stuff, and all he sees is brightness and the outline of faces.

But there’s one, familiar voice closest to his ear that soothes, “Shh, sweetheart, you’re safe. Close your eyes awhile, it’s bright in here.”

...oh shit, is this heaven? It's real? I made it?

“Oh man, sorry,” the voice chuckles. “You’re just so hurt, pet names are floppin’ out of my mouth. Which is what some of your tea just did, too. Here, I’m gonna give you the straw. You’re in the Greene’s house.”

He starts to open his eyes again as he sips down more of the warm, peachy drink through the straw. Once he’s aware of it hitting the back of his throat, he starts to slurp it down because hot damn, he’s thirsty.

Finally, he’s able lift his eyes to see the angel his friend beside him, holding a mug.

Y/N.

“It’s from the box of peach tea we found yesterday,” Y/N happily tells him.

They look miles better than they did a few hours ago. He’s relieved.

Awareness of what’s going on and what happened snaps into gear and he tries to look behind him at his side that’d been gashed open, but doing that makes his head spin.

Also he’s—got a tube in his arm?

Y/N notices his confusion. “You need fluids, dude. Maggie suggested I rub your throat to get you take the drink down while you were half-conscious. It was workin’, too, just like for a cat. You’re on your second IV bag already, the first one went in right quick.”

Not to mention, what’s left of the peach tea in the mug is empty within seconds.

“Don’t worry, there’s more of that. You weren’t out too too long,” they mumble, setting the mug down. “We already checked you over for bites, now we’re disinfectin’ your side wound. Mr. Greene and Patricia are gonna resume that, okay? Then Maggie and I are gonna clean up your head.”

The best he can do is grunt in acknowledgement. He’s tired as fuck. Mumbling and quiet conversation fills the room.

“Daryl, spell your last name, please."

Spell his—huh? “Why’d d’you need my last name?” he slurs.

“To see how loopy you are,” Y/N dryly puts it. “I’m going to ask you to tell me the number ‘thirteen’ in a few minutes, deal? Thirteen.” They then uncap a—ha, orange gatorade? That’s their favorite—and place the straw in it and direct him to, “Hold this, drink, spell your last name for me.”

“D-I, um, X-O-N.” Ouch, his voice sounds like he gargled with pebbles. Feels like it, too.

“Did you take any kind of drug this afternoon, mushrooms?”

He makes an nuh-uh type of groan in response, and mumbles, “Tossed Merle’s hard stuff this mornin’.”

He feels whoever’s cleaning his gash pause, then continue. There’s extra hushed whispering, too.

“Th-that’s, um, very good! Ohh my.” His friend clears their throat. “So I guess we’ll only clap you in irons over charges of grand theft horse,” they snort. “Now, did you get mugged, did you fall, what happened to you out there, man?”

Whoever’s cleaning out his bolt wound, they’re pouring liquid stuff and dabbing at it, and shit it is stinging like a mother-fucker, ow!

“Rough afternoon,” he groans. Then, Daryl remembers the most important thing and slurs out a rushed, “Th’doll!” while opening his eyes again and trying to sit up. Pain stops him from moving much.

“Yes!" Y/N giggles. "Straight up, everybody here could’ve kissed you when we saw you’d found it, Daryl. Can you tell us where you found it?”

This rush of heat from outta nowhere zaps his cheeks as he rests his eyes again and relaxes down onto the pillow. “Bottom of the ridge,” he tells them.

“Clever man, you said it would be the best vantage point. Now, about those injuries, what made your afternoon ‘rough’ specifically?”

“…Fell down it.”

A small noise left Y/N’s mouth.

It's the old man’s voice who asks, “Is that how you got the wound to your side, here?”

“Happened th’first time I went down. Bolt.”

“The 'first time.' Y-you fell down it more than once? That’s—” squeaks from Y/N's mouth, then some babbling. “Oh m—does he need a traction collar or, or—”

“You said ‘bolt.’ Would that be from your crossbow?” comes the old man's voice again.

“Mm.”

“It’s remarkable the injury didn’t perforate any organs, passed clean through,” he comments. “Do you have any numbness or a tingling sensation anywhere on your appendages?”

His negative groan was hopefully sufficient. He kinda wishes he had numbness, because all he feels now is sore. It’s like he got whumped by a Mack truck.

“Tap your fingers to your thumb,” the old man then orders.

He does.

“Did any of that hurt?”

Another negative groan. He tries to shake his head, too.

A woman’s voice he’s unfamiliar with hushes, “Y/N, he’s okay for now, just keep checkin’ his cognition and feeling his head. Ears and nose, too, for fluids. Maggie, sweetpea, you check his toes for movement and sensation.”

He liked the sound of the woman’s voice. It was down-home twangy and no-nonsense, in a good way.

Now his shoes are getting untied, which must be Maggie. That’s the short-haired chick, if he’s remembering it right?

His friend sighs. “That guardian angel of yours is having a very busy day, Dary-bear.” There are some rustling noises near his head. He opens his eyes to see them pull what looks like a very skinny flashlight from the first aid bag. “I’m going to use this penlight, now. Can, um,” they pause and look around the room.

Wait, how many people are in here?

“Teddy, please hold the drink for him?” they call behind them. “Let’s get that bottle drained.”

Sure enough, T-Dog walks over from wherever he was, crouches down, and holds the bottle by Daryl’s mouth so he can sip from the straw.

“Sorry you had to wake up to all this fussin’ and chaos, man. But, you heard ’em, drink this down.”

“Wiggle your toes, please?” the short-haired chick calls, similarly twangy like the blonde woman and Y/N.

He wiggles his toes.

“Now point, then straighten your feet and toes for her,” Y/N murmurs.

He does.

“Straighten, then relax your legs if you can.”

He can, and does.

“Any of that hurt or feel tingly?”

“No,” he grunts again.

“Next, look at my nose, please,” his friend says. They guide his left hand in theirs and position it so it makes a wall between his two eyes. “Keep your hand there and repeat the months of the year. I’m going to shine this near each eye a few times, just keep starin’ at my nose while I do.”

As he recites the months in between gulps of the gatorade, he notices by the time he says “October” that he’s been staring into their eyes and at their lips instead of their nose.

When they gently take his hand and lower it back down, he gets a rush that helps him feel more awake.

“Now let’s have the months backwards,” they instruct.

He does his best.

“Let me know if you feel anythin’ off,” the blonde older lady says to Y/N. “I’ll palpate when you’re done.”

“Yes, ma’am. Okay, please tell me what memory came into your head when you saw the orange sports drink,” Y/N asks him next, their hands lightly pressing around his head, almost in a massage type of way. He doesn’t know what it is or why they are doing it, or why he isn’t flinching at someone touching him, but here he is. It feels really nice—OW!—except that spot didn’t feel as nice, that hurt!

“I, um,” he croaks. For real, his voice croaked. Rough afternoon. “It’s your favorite.” He rests his eyes again and remembers how Y/N’s floppy sandals squeaked as they’d walked to the wash area together. He’d been holding their bucket. That memory helps him relax more…

“You rememb—um, y-yeah, it’s my—sorry, you remembered that?”

“Give the man credit, Y/N,” T-Dog says under his breath in a way that sounds like he’s joking.

“Theodore,” they whisper back. “He’ll think you’re serious.”

Daryl isn’t sure what that was about, his eyes are still closed and heavy.

Y/N clears their throat. “Anyway, here I thought you’d just mention that you’d given me a bottle, friend. Um, ten points if you can state the name of the generic gatorade?”

T-Dog has tapped him with the straw to get him to drink more, so he opens his eyes and manages a grunt in response while he sips, then closes them again.

“Eh, you’re right, that’d be a stretch even if you didn’t just go through the wringer. It was Sportsman’s Signature Electrolyte Rehydration Beverage,” Y/N fills him in. “Now, I’m gonna check both nostrils and both ears for stuff coming out them, just bear with me, I’m usin’ a gauze square for it, I’ll be poking it into those places. How about you remind me the name of your favorite uncle.”

“Uncle Jesse,” is his answer before Y/N even finishes saying ‘uncle.’ The tickling feeling of the gauze in his nose almost makes him sneeze, then the feel of it in his ears is just uncomfortable.

At least his eyelids and his body don’t feel as heavy as before.

He open his eyes again. Sees Y/N is scribbling something down in a notebook.

“And what number did I ask you to remember, sweetheart?” Y/N checks. “Ugh, there I go with the pet names again. Sorry, honey, ain’t nothing, please tell me what that number was?”

Number? Number, um, uh, honey…um…three…thirteen. “Thirteen.”

“High-five, perfect recall!”

He finds himself tapping his palm to theirs and almost smiling.

Whatever they’re talking about now, though, is going right over his head. He’s gonna rest his eyes again…

“GCS is a solid 14, I think? He’s oriented, it’s just takin’ him slightly longer to get his words. Long term recall was good, short term he passed, too. Seems like he’s wakin’ up. What’s your take, Miss Patricia? Do y’all even use GCS in real life?”

“Ain’t heard ‘GCS’ since workin’ third shift ER for my first job. Oh, that was years ago,” came the twangy woman’s voice. “But it’s used a whole lot. 14 means he’s doin’ pretty good now. We’ll check it again later, I’ll teach you all about RLA scoring.”

“What’s RLA stand for?”

“Rancho Los Amigos, right?” is what Daryl thinks he hears T-Dog answer, but it makes zero sense so he must’ve heard wrong. “A few buddies of mine got concussions back in the day,” T-Dog explains, but it still doesn’t make sense. He opens his eyes as if that’ll clear things up.

Lucky for him, his friend repeats “Rancho-Los-Amigos?” which really is the damn name, the woman assures them both.

Daryl tries to look back again to see his gash. He doesn’t feel as dizzy as bef—where’s his shirt?

His pulse starts to pound in his ears.

He’s got no shirt on. In front of all these people?

Cold chills and a hot waves pelt through him at the same time. If, if his shirt if off and all these people are in here, that means they saw it. His back.

“Please stop trying to twist around,” comes the voice of the old man from behind him. “The wound is clotted and I want it to remain that way before I stitch you up.”

Y/N chirps in like an oblivious damn canary before he has a chance to react or think. “Oh, Daryl, would you mind if I watched? I wanna see it done as much as I can so I can learn.”

Turns out, this was a good thing. Him not being able to react to realizing he’s got no shirt on gave him time to see that a clean towel was bunched around his stomach, as well as positioned over his back shoulder; most of him is covered.

He’s shirtless, yeah, but covered.

And he now sees that his position on the bed means that, although the door is behind him, he’s blocked by the angle and by the blonde woman with the twangy voice and the old man.

“You just paled like you seen a ghost. Brother, you feeling okay?” T-Dog whispers.

Daryl meets his eyes for a second. How is he supposed to admit to not wanting anyone to see him without his shirt without sounding like some priss?

It’s just that—he’s shit at lying and the scars he’s got are kinda obvious. He’d tried to lie to a doctor once about it, the guy saw right through it. Daryl had been over 18 by then, so none of that CPS stuff happened, but still. The look on the doctor’s face made him feel like some pitiful kid and it made him feel small and weak and like he’d done something wrong.

“Y/N, can you check his blood pressure?”

It’s pointless for Daryl to try to say it was nothing, because Y/N was beside him again and pumping up that cuff thing within half a damned minute. He ends up officially meeting the owner of the twangy, no-nonsense voice, too. Patricia.

“He’s 108 over 64, Miss Patricia. That’s good, though, not too low. Oh.” Y/N’s face drops and they pause removing the cuff. “But he is a smoker, d-do you think that means it’s-it’s too low? I-I don’t know his baseline! Honey, what’s your baseline?”

“Daryl, spell that last name again for me?” the woman asks, and way calmer than Y/N.

He spells it again. “D-I-X-O-N.”

“14 times 2 is?”

“Uh, it’s, uh 28.”

“Five squared is?”

Squared is multiplying a number by itself, so…“25.”

“Your older brother’s name was?”

‘Was?’ What does she mean ‘was?’

He perks all the way up, and with a vengeance. “His name still is Merle,” he pretty much snarls back. Merle ain’t dead.

The woman makes a one-sided smile at Y/N and T-Dog with a brow raised. “He’s definitely awake now, doin’ just fine. Hersh, I’m gonna check his skull for any issues, then let’s double check if he’s got spinal damage. Did you check his nose and ears for CSF, Y/N?”

“He’s clean.”

“Anythin’ feel off on his head?”

“Some goose eggs, especially by this area here.” Daryl feels the warmth from Y/N’s hand as it hovers over the area he’d winced at. Their fingers trail along his hair for a sec, if he didn't just imagine that... “But no wiggly bits or step-off. His pupils were good.”

“After I get a good feel for his skull and neck, Maggie and Y/N, please give his hair a quick wash before cleaning and bandaging his graze. Then which of us is gonna stitch him up, you or me, Hersh?”

“I think Mr. Dixon here would prefer fewer people in here. I’ll do it.”

Those words are music to Daryl’s ears. So many damn people fussing over nothing. Patricia is done checking his skull or whatever, now she's poking around his neck.

“How many people are in here, anyway?” he asks whoever will answer.

“Mr. Greene, Patricia, Maggie, T-Dog, Rick, and me. Carol, Lori, Shane, Andrea, Dale and Glenn and Jimmy are out in the hallway,” Y/N tells him. "Carl's still in bed, of course, so Beth's with him."

…The whole group? Even the teenage kid?

What’s he supposed to, um…why the hell are they all crowding around and waiting? For him?

The old man saves his ass again. “Let’s leave dressing his head wound until after he’s stitched up. Everyone out, please.”

The name Sophia pops into the forefront of this thoughts. If they all acted fast, maybe she could be back by tomorrow morning! “I gotta talk to Rick.”

The old man's fuse is low, that’s obvious. “You’re the patient,” he responds.

“Then Y/N, you can stay, too,” is not what Daryl expects would next leap out of his mouth like a frog over hot tar, but there it goes. They wanted to learn, the old man better let them.

Weird part is, he understands that in offering that they stay, Y/N is definitely, 100% going to see the scars if they’ll be watching him get stitched…he doesn’t know, it’s just weird; he doesn’t have any kind of dread or nothing in the pit of his stomach about it. It's better when they're around.

He looks at them for a second, a bloody rag in their hand that they're back to pressing to his head. There's one, little tug to his chest in their direction, then it's gone.

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

> Masterlist link here

and our teeny tiny taglist :D

@spenciepoo338 @its-freaking-bats​​​​ @whistlesalot​​​​ @buffy-the-assbutt-slayerer​​​​  @dreamingaboutthewonderland @kwazii-kat​ @darylsmavis​​​​​  @outlanderhornet22​​​​​ @battinsonrobs​​

(inbox is open if you would like on or off the taglist, slowpokes. Please don’t feel bad or nervous if you don’t want to be tagged anymore,  just let me know, we’re all friends here!)  

[fruit-salad-ship]

Feeling unhealthy about the new BNHA AU setup.

Plum dont know whos under the gear, she sees very small glimpses of peach, to her shes just a hired guard who hits everyone harder than most, and can be hit even harder than that. She is seemingly indestructable, with an adaptive quirk and a shady history. While the girls casually, violently flirt through thinly veiled threats, and plum of course uses her quirk to get her guard to do just about anything she wants, there is only two rules with peach. 1) the mask stays on to retain her ordinary life, and 2) listen to her in situations of danger, no arguing. Beause of these rules shes kept every client shes been charged to care for alive, and remained unknown to just about everyone. Very few are aware of who she is when shes not in uniform. Plum does not know her real name, only her handle, 'kingslayer', so to plum, peach is simply 'King' most days, for ease.

BUT what if after months, even a whole year of this cat and bigger meaner cat game the girls play, peach relises she actually is worrying about plum on her days off. Shes at home in the garden wondering if she's ok, what if she gets jumped while peach isnt around? Her other guard is...ok, not the best, not the worst. Certainly doesnt meet peach's standards. She knows where plum will be, knows her shcedule, so she just...wanders over, in civillian gear, looking like a regular person. Its a farmers market, and peach is smart enough to play dumb very easily, turns after taking up a crate in her hands of fresh strawberries and bumps right into plum, knocks her drink from her hand. The little woman has NO clue shescurrently talking to her guard, the mask is off, her voice is not the one that plum hears through that thing, this is a new person for all she knows. a new person she's now grumpy with.

Peach apologises, profoundly, and offers to buy her a drink to replace the one she knocked, cover any dry cleaning costs, whatever needed, it was an honest accident (it wasnt, it was planned), and plum accepts. They go to a coffee place plum chooses, and peach says she can guess just from looking at her what her order is, shes totally turning up the charm, offering her strawberries as they go from the box she's been carrying. Plum laughs, welcomes her to try, and peach proceeds to get ALMOST the exact order plum always has, of tea, no sugar, a splash of milk. Its even her brand of tea. Plum is amused, a coffee joint and this mmystery woman picks tea. her tea. only mistake peach made (on purpose mind you to throw her off) is she likes it very milky, not just a splash. A tiny error, but the attempt was notable.

They see each other again, peach bumps into her on purpose once more on the same market day, they joke that they have to stop meeting like this, get lunch, get to know eachother, and plum cant fugure out how this woman, an apparently quirkless landscaper, with her sharp teeth and strong build, has been nothing but kind and polite, and even funny, to her? At first glance you'd think Peach is rough as anything, but shes well educated, well spoken, interesting, but shes activley taking an interest in her, and it feels genuine. Plums not about to use her quirk on this one, she actually likes the time, the attention, it feels real which is very rare given her life.

They eventually agree on a date. and one date turns into two, three, a dozen, two dozen. All the while Peach comes into work and pretends like she has no idea. Plums bossy advances while she's on the clock all but stop, she flirts and jokes a little but seems preoccupied, her mind is elsewhere, and her mood has improved. She is less snappy, and more forgiving, and Peach sees the connection, shes not blind. Plum is none the wiser about who her guard is, and Peach at this point is starting to fear that coming clean would cause problems, she started this on a whim, and it spiralled into its own thing, and now she's nervous it'll end badly with the truth coming out. But the girls get on great.

Little does Peach know, after a month of dating this mysterious coffee girl, Plum clocked who it was that she was talking to, and decided to keep quiet. Instead at work, plums dragging her guard to buy smutty underwear and askign her opinion, to which peach has to feign indifference. Plum will go off and send risky texts or even selfies while at work to peach's phone while shes on duty, the vibrate in her pocket having to be turned off. when she gets a break to catch up on her messages and emails, its all smut, filth, utterly below board, and then shes got to go back to work and pretend like that promiscuous little shit on the end of her phone isnt the woman sitting a meter from her. Peach still convinced plum doesnt know, while plum is two steps ahead of her and doing this on purpose to fluster her dear guard.

Eventually peach ends up in a fight that wrecks her mask a little, but when the dust settles and shes semi exposed, she cant look at her boss, pulling her shawl up as far as she can without losing sight, and hood down. Plum is safe, thankfully, and the enemies are dead. Her boss reaches up and takes her cheek in hand, forces her to come closer, to look at her and mutters a sweet little "you dont have to hide away under there anymore you know." The truth comes out. Peach is quiet, gets her head in order, watching her carefully. "How'd you figure it out?" Plum chuckles to herself more than anything, sits on the rubble of a wall thats half collapsed. "You laughed real loud at work one time. That mask of yours can change your voice, but theres nothing that'll hide that laugh, recognised you right away from it."

Excuse me while I hyperfocus on these two essentially villains crashing together. I could go on but the toxic dynamic to sweet trusting moments is peak. Plum had no one and nothing, and then she was a pickpocket, and then a spy, and then a nuke to any countries political scene, pulling every string needed to get what she wanted, yet she was still always alone. Until she hired just the right guard with just the right aptitude to handle her bratty behaviour.

[fbfh]

the fact that tristan dugray isnt on that character.ai thing hurts my heart :’(

AAAAAAH I'M SO GLAD YOU BROUGHT THIS UP!!!!!! WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL FBFH SECOND HAND INFORMATION MAKE YOUR OWN CUSTOM BOTS TUTORIAL (IT'S NOT HARD I PROMISE)!!!!!

also this is all on mobile!!! i don't think it's different on desktop though. thank you to Emily Gilmore for being my example bot.

step 1 - creating a bot

go to beta.character.ai and make an account if you haven't already

click the create button, then create a character

step 2 - basic information

type in your character's name under name

find a picture of them on google or pinterest or whatever and click choose file to upload a profile picture for them (optional but I like adding one in)

step 2.5 - DON'T LOSE YOUR FUCKING WORK aka how to save

two transparent buttons should appear when you type anything into your bot, one that says cancel and one that says save

after you've typed in your name, you want to go to the box labled greeting and type in literally anything

after that, hit save, and the button should disappear

click the back arrow to leave creating your bot and go back to the main page, then click on your profile picture to view your profile

your bot should appear under your created bots. (it will be on one of the three tabs depending on if your bot is currently set as public, unlisted, or private. public is the default.

if it does, you can click the gear next to your bot's name and keep editing. if not, you can start over until you know your bot is saved so you don't lose all your work. you'll thank me for this later.

step 3 - privacy (optional)

I like making all my bots private so I can customize them to myself, so under the visibility drop down menu, select private (or unlisted or whatever, again this step is optional lol)

step 4 - personality

on a seperate tab, look up your character's fan wiki page. scroll until you find the personality section (also sometimes called character, history etc. just skim until you find their personality description.) copy that personality paragraph.

in character ai, scroll to the bottom and select the advanced settings button

once that loads, scroll all the way to the very bottom text box (which will now be referred to as the extras box) under the definition section, and paste their description.

hit enter to start a new paragraph in the extras box, then type up whatever you want about your relationship with this character, how they feel about you, what your dynamic is like etc. (for example, "y/n is Emily Gilmore's grandchild. they are Emily's pride and joy, and they love drinking coffee and gossiping together. Emily is very invested in y/n's life and loves talking with them. Emily wants what's best for y/n, and frequently tries to set them up. Emily often brags about y/n to her friends at her social clubs.")

SAVE YOUR WORK FREQUENTLY!!!!!!!

step 5 - descriptions, greeting, and the random boxes I usually ignore lol

I haven't really played around with character voices or image generation, so I usually just ignore those, but you can choose a few applicable categories from the categories drop down menu like books, engineering, languages, architecture etc. if those apply to your character.

in the long description box, describe your character in a few sentances in your own words. same thing for short description, but throw down some adjectives and shorter descriptions of them and their personality. (I usually do this last bc writing all the long stuff about them gets me warmed up and in character, but do it in whatever order works for you lol)

in the greeting box, you'll want to erase the key smash you made earlier to save your bot to type in your real greeting. your greeting is the first message your bot sends you, so I usually like to start with something to the effects of "what's up dude" so you can tell your comfort character whatever you want.

roleplay format has been working well for me, here's an example if you're unfamiliar:

*op stares at their laptop, wondering what to type. they reach over to grab their coffee, taking a sip as they ponder.*

"I hope this tutorial makes sense..."

*they mutter.*

you can see a little of the greeting I wrote for Emily to get an idea of what I've been doing for that lol

SAVE YOUR WORK FREQUENTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!! MAKE SURE IT SAVES!!!!!!!!!!

step 6 - start chatting!!!!

after you're happy with your bot and have saved your work (FOR FUCKS SAKE SAVE YOUR WORK) exit out of the bot editor and click on your profile picture. your bot will be under your created bots in the private/padlock tab (unless you chose another privacy setting). click on your character's name (not the gear wheel) and it will open up your chat!!

once you reply, the ai will start generating messages for the bot you made

you can swipe messages the bot sends to the left to see other generated responses. I reccommend doing this if you feel like your bot is being out of character, so make sure you reply to the messages that are the most in character!!

sometimes it'll also let you rate the bot's messages from 1 - 4 stars, indicating for the bot how in character it is

step 7 - additional tips

if you're making a bot for someone played by a real life person, I like to choose a profile picture of them in costume but behind the scenes so it looks more like a goofy selfie your friend sent you than a stock photo. there's tons of great cadids and selfies of the marvel cast, and you can also look up social media aus or instagram edits of your character depending on how obscure they are.

if your character isn't played by a real life person, you can try looking up faceless pics that fit their description on pinterest (I've had good luck with that) or a face claim

definitely get screen shots of your favorite conversations. if you're anything like me you'll be sending paragraphs back and forth, so make sure you save your favorite messages from them so you don't have to scroll back and dig around for them

the end!!!! have fun!!!!! hope this helped!!!!!! love you guys <333 let me know if you want any of my character descriptions or to know which bots I've made so far lol

[eclipse-studios]

Tutoriel Bendy Props (Part 1)

Hi ! Today there’s a lot to do, because we’re making props ! To appease the gods...

In this first part, I’ll show you how to make the following objects :

Bacon Soup

Vinyl

Film roll of “the End “

Gear

Wrench

Don’t worry, this the same technique for every props, I’ll just guide you through the measuring and painting you’ll have to do for these particular props !

The materials :

EVA Foam, Ultra High Density - 7 mm

Foam Clay

Contact Cement

Hot Glue

Ochre acrylic paint

Black acrylic paint

Cutter

Rotary Tool

Can

The stages of creation :

1. Make a pattern. So this time we don’t have “reel” measures in this game. To solve this problem I used the “Bendy Crack-up Comics Collection” for reference, because “The Illusion of Living” book ( that we’ll make too in one of the following tutorials ! ) is the same size as this cartoon book. For a perfect circle, I often use a bowl or a lid.

Oh, and about the vinyl… It’s a pretty small one you can find in-game, and given the comparaison with the book, it’s a small one so it’s a 45 rpm ( which makes sense since it’s a single ), and for that part it’s important to conserve the standard 17cm diameter. The gear is a 10 toothed one, and i know it’s annoying since it’s hardly symmetrical but hey, cosplay is an exact science !

2. Cut the foam around your pattern : Don’t forget that the props is in 3D so you have to cut 3 layers of foam. For the End Reel, you have to create a box-type pattern because it’s thick. For the bacon soup I just took a can of mushrooms and painted over it for the texture and the metallic feel, but you can cut it in foam too following the same technique as the reel.

3. After everything is cut nicely, you have to glue it with hot glue or contact cement. For perfect seams, I recommend you sand it gently before filling the holes with Foam Clay. For a cleaner texture, you can warm your foam in order to seal it. Sadly, I can’t do that because my heat gun is too… hot and melts away the foam, but a hairdryer could work.

4. Now, it’s time to paint ! So this part, is the longest of this creation. I don’t have real tips for you for this part, apart from looking closely at your reference pictures ( preferably from the game if you’re looking for replicas ).

You start with a coat or two of yellow ochre paint ( yes, like Bob Ross always says ), or the colour you feel is fitting, before adding in the black details ! About the tools you can use, Posca paint pens are the best, but they’re expensive. If you’re patient enough, you can use a thin paintbrush  and go back and forth between coats of black and yellow if you do mistakes ( BUT ALWAYS LET THE PAINT DRY BEFORE ANOTHER COAT, ELSE THEY’LL MERGE AND YOU’LL BE LEFT WITH SAD, DARK BROWN ). It important to have a good painting ocre whit lot of pigments.

Don’t forget, you must have fun so you can add your own references even if they are not canon.

And that’s the look you can achieve in this part ! Congratulations ! Don’t forget to ask me if you need help for your own props, since I keep all my patterns and techniques.

I hope you enjoyed this post format, and I’ll tell you soon about Eclipse Studios !

[paladin-of-nerd-fandom65]

You’re welcome for the questions, got some more for you :)

1: I know puns are the duos favorite type of humor, what’s the duos least favorite type of humor?

2: I know that they are best friends but do they have a second? I can see Jake being 2nd best friends with Robert Long; in my universe that I’m still in the process of making they are 1st best friends ;)

3: what’s Jake’s & mar’is relationship with starfires sister komand’r?

4: let’s say they are allowed to use firearms, what type of guns would they use?

5: in relation to the question above, what’s your opinion about the new rocksteady game where you play task force x to kill the justice league? Imagine if instead you play as the starburst duo, superboy jon kent, & night star instead; instead of killing the league just knocking them out instead.

6: what’s something the duo does that annoys other people? In “canon” Chris does slurp his noodles very loudly.

Apologies for the delays and the lack of answering on time @pin-crusher2000

But here’s a little something I try in can make up for some lost time ;-)

1) Intense Toliet humor, Racially Charged Jokes without any tact or awareness, Shock Value Anti Humor, Overly Long Running Gags where Barely anything happens…Basically a catalogue of jokes one can find in a bad episode or Family Guy or the many knock offs of South Park. Those are the humor types that the Duo would very much like to avoid if they can help it

2) Chris’ second best friend can be either Sin Lance (adoptive daughter of Dinah Lance aka Black Canary) and/or one of his classmates from Hamilton County Middle School who can something of a Jimmy Olsen to his Clark Kent as the two are frequent partners in the school’s own newspaper.

As for Jake, while actually Robbie Long is Mar’i’s second best friend (A next Gen Wonder Twins if you may), his secondary choice for a friend goes mainly to Jasper Logan, the son of Beast Boy and Raven (created by @fireflyxrebel-writes and @hains-mae). The two had met ever since basically when they were toddlers and often stuck close to each other plenty of times in play dates and other hang outs they did.

3) Well as given much thought in many posts like these throughout my blog, the two love their Auntie Blackfire and vice versa. At this point, Kom had more or less reformed away from her villainous actions, akin to the McU Loki reformed in a way by the time of Thor Ragnorak, becoming something of a trickster ally to his brother. That applies also to Kom whom acts as that lovely Aunt who lets the kids in some crazy stories from the past and lets them have some fun behind the parnets’ backs.

4) Hmmm…..a case like this would probably entail something of an AU that has no superpowers, no capes meaning no heroes nor supervillains and the two being of the right age and properly trained to weld these weapons.

Now that’s established; Chris’ main arm would be a small carbine with a semi automatic mode of firing and bullets that can penetrate with precision.

For Jake, his main weapon of choice can be a bolt action rifle which can be fired from very far distances and has a scope that can be attached for aiming at very far away targets.

Again these are if there’s an AU that is No Capes and the Duo are registered adults who proper training and no superpowers. Its picky on my part I know but I feel it’s the best chance circumstances for this ask

5) Now That’ll be a game I’d play for a dollar and then some. If the mechanics of their superpowers are incorporated in place of the weapons and gear Task Force X uses instead and hopefully with an engaging enough story that reads like the good comics they adapt from, it’s a game I can see myself playing

Now if only hopefully it doesn’t come with a plethora of methods the Triple A game industry like to deploy to squeeze real money out of its customers including say Battle Passes, Cosmetic DLC or heaven forbid Loot Boxes

6) Maybe unintentionally on their part, Chris and Jake have a tendency to blurt out some funny voices they make when talking about other people they’ve encountered or TV shows they watched and replay in their minds when in public which certainly can get them some attention.

Otherwise besides Chris’ slurping, I can see Jake practicing some tongue twisters or popping his mouth when he’s bored at a pace and there’s nothing else to entertain himself, like say if his phone is low on battery so he’d not use it

[starset21]

Sincerely, Yours

Standard disclaimer: I only own my original characters, I've done some research but there will likely be Navy/military inaccuracies, and I do not consent to the posting, translating, or publishing of my work to any 3rd party site, the only place it may be found is on tumblr and Wattpad under @.itswildflower

Warnings: N/A

Summary: First day of training

Chapter 2:

Sincerely, Yours Masterlist  

“Attention on deck!” A woman called out. All of the Lieutenants stood, their chairs scraping on the floor as an admiral took his place on the podium. “Morning. Welcome to your special training detachment. Be seated.” The sound of chairs moving again filled the hangar they were using as a classroom. “I’m Admiral Bates, NAWDC commander. You’re all top gun graduates. The elite. The best of the best.” From a single glance around the room, Ria saw smirks on the faces of the other aviators. “That was yesterday.” She again watched those same smirks fall. “The enemy’s new fifth-generation fighter has leveled the playing field. Details are few, but you can be sure we no longer possess the technological advantage. Success, now more than ever, comes down to the man or woman in the box.”

Jake smirked and looked over his shoulder to where Natasha sat. Nat simply flipped him off and Ria rolled her eyes at his antics. “Half of you will make the cut. One of you will be named mission leader. The other half will remain in reserve. Your instructor is a top gun graduate with real-world experience in every mission aspect you will be expected to master.” The sound of boots on the ground echoed from somewhere behind them. “His exploits are legendary. And he’s considered to be one of the finest pilots this program has ever produced. What he has to teach you may very well mean the difference between life and death.” Heads turned to look as he came up the center aisle. Jake, Javy, and Rueben all cringed and faced forward, as the man they had thrown out of the bar the evening before walked towards the front of the room. “I give you captain Pete Mitchell. Call sign: Maverick,” the Admiral finished and stepped away from the podium. Ria raised a brow but Bradley was glaring daggers at the man so hard that if looks could kill, Maverick would be 6 feet under. “Good morning. The F-18 natops. It contains everything they want you to know about your aircraft. I’m assuming you know the book inside and out,” he said, earning a chorus of ‘Damn right’, ‘Damn straight’ and ‘You got it.’ 

“So does your enemy.” Maverick threw the manual he was holding up in the trash bin beside the podium. “And we’re off,” Hondo muttered. “But what the enemy doesn’t know is your limits,” Maverick pauses for dramatic effect. “I intend to find them, test them, and push beyond. Today we’ll start with what you only think you know. You show me what you’re made of.” The aviators were dismissed to don their flight gear and head out to the tarmac. While doing her preflight checks Ria couldn’t help but notice Maverick stopping Bradley to talk to him. The sound of the engine’s starting up made it impossible to hear what was being said but she had a few guesses. She watched as his jaw clenched before he turned and went to his jet, leaving Maverick to watch him walk away. Ria shook her head before turning her attention back to her own jet. 

“Good morning, aviators. This is your captain speaking. Welcome to basic fighter maneuvers. As briefed, today’s exercise is dog fighting. Guns only, no missiles. We do not go below the hard deck of 5,000 feet. Working as a team, you have to shoot me down, or else,” Maverick's voice rang through the radio speakers. “Or else what, sir?” Payback asked. “Or else I shoot back. If I shoot either one of you down, you both lose.” Jake twirled a model F-18 in his hand. “This guy needs an ego check.” Ria raised a brow in his direction. “Like you don’t?” Halo scoffed, leaning against the mini bar. “We’ll see to that,” Harvard and Yale high-fived across a foosball table. “What say we put some skin in the game?” Payback says. “What do you have in mind?” Maverick asked. Elliot looked at Ria, who was shaking her head and got the feeling that those two idiots were going to be making a big mistake for all of them. “Whoever gets shot down first has to do 200 push-ups,” Payback says causing Ria to cringe. “Guys. That’s a lot of push-ups,” Maverick told them. “They don’t call it an exercise for nothing, sir,” Fanboy chuckles. “You got yourself a deal, gentlemen. The fight’s on. Let’s turn and burn,” Maverick calls out. “Fanboy, you see him?” Rooster asks. “Nothing on the radar up ahead,” Fanboy tells him. “He must be somewhere behind us.” Not even a minute later Maverick zoomed between them. “Damn it! What the hell?” Rooster yells. “Shit!” Payback and Rooster were forced into a barrel roll. “Tally, tally, tally! Maverick’s coming in! Break left!” Fanboy yelled. “Breaking left,” Payback responded. “Payback, where’s your wingman?” Maverick called out. “Rooster, where are you?” Payback asked. “I got your back. I’m coming. Hang in there. Hang in there,” Rooster called out. “Hurry up, man! Hurry up!” Payback yelled. “Payback, break right,” Rooster ordered. “Breaking right.” Rooster flew through Maverick’s line of sight. “Rooster just saved your life, fellas. But it’s gonna cost him,” Maverick said, setting his sights on Rooster. “Not this time, old man,” Rooster grumbled. There wasn’t any chatter for a moment all pilots focusing on avoiding each other. “Rooster, you’re too low! Pull up! You’re hitting the hard deck!” Payback called out. “Oh, shit.” Altitude warnings rang out for a moment as he pulled up. “That’s a kill.” 

Fanboy and Payback watched Rooster doing his pushups through the window in the lounge. “That should be us down there,” Fanboy says as Phoenix walks over to them. “But it’s not. And now you know a little something about Rooster.” Next up were Harvard, Yale, and Fritz. They paused out on the tarmac to make fun of Rooster but then they weren't laughing anymore when they got ‘killed’ too and had to join him. “Say, Phoenix. How about we tell everybody “Bob” stands for something? Other than Robert, I mean,” Hangman said with a slight laugh. “Don’t take the bait, Bob, want to know why we call him Hangman?” Phoenix asks him. “I got it. Baby on board.” He chuckles to himself until Maverick flies in between them just as he had the first group. “Shit!” he yelled. “Greetings, aviators. Fight’s on,” Maverick calls out. “All right, Phoenix, let’s take this guy out!” Hangman yelled. “Watch your back, Phoenix,” Bradley muttered as moved to stand beside Ria at the radio. “Break right!” Hangman called out. “Breaking right,” Phoenix responded. “Where’s he going?” Bob asked. “That’s why we call him Hangman. He’ll always hang you out to dry,�� Phoenix told him, mildly irritated. “Leaving your wingman. There’s a strategy I haven’t seen in a while,” Maverick said as he followed Phoenix. “He called you a man, Phoenix. You gonna take that?” Hangman asked.

“So long as he doesn’t call you a man. Talk to me, Bob. Where’s Maverick?” she asked. “Jesus, his nose is already coming around!” Bob exclaimed. “Get him off me, Hangman!” Phoenix yelled. “For all you folks at home, this is how you Bury a fossil,” Hangman said rather arrogantly. “All right, Hangman. Time to teach you a lesson, you’re out, Phoenix,” Maverick said. “Son of a bitch!” Phoenix yelled. “That’s it. Let’s go, Mav. Let’s see what you got,” Hangman called out. “Come get me,” Maverick taunted. “Evil be gone. Hangman’s coming.” Maverick rolled his eyes as he swung his jet around towards the sun. “Yeah, you’re good. I’ll give you that,” he said. “Shit. Phoenix, I can’t see him. How close am I? Phoenix?” Hangman called out. “I’m dead, dickhead,” she replied. “See you in the afterlife, bag man,” Bob added with a chuckle. “Where is he? Where is he?” Hangman gasped as he heard the tone ring out. “That’s a kill. Let’s go. Who’s next?” Omaha, Halo, and Fritz went next and were out within minutes. 

“Coyote, Tempest, and Denver, you’re up,” Hondo said as he stood in the doorway to the lounge. “Alright, let’s do this,” Ria told them. Soon enough she was flying side by side with Coyote, her eyes scanning the skies for Maverick. “Anything on the radar, Denver?” she asked. “Radar’s clear,” he tells her and Ria bites her lip beneath the mask. “Every other run he’s gone straight between them from below to split the pair up,” she mused, causing Coyote to look over at her for a moment. “How sure are you about that, Tempest?” he asked. “About 90%, but it’s Maverick, he can be unpredictable.” Elliot’s eyes were on the sky, scanning for any sign of Maverick. “Tally! Maverick’s 5 o’clock low!” He shouted. “Greetings aviators,” his voice filled the radio. “Breaking left, who’s he going after?” Coyote asked quickly. “Looks like he’s staying on us, Tempest,” Denver answered. Ria let out an exasperated sigh. “Of course, Coyote, Combat spread,” she orders. “Copy Tempest.” The combat spread is one of the most basic maneuvers pilots can do. A pair of aircraft will separate, often by a distance of about one mile horizontal by 1500 feet vertical. The fighter with the lower altitude, which was them, becomes the defender, while the wingman flies above in "the perch" position. The defender will then attempt to lure opponents into a good position to be attacked by the wingman. “Hold on, Denver, it’s going to be quite a ride,” Ria called out as she sent the jet into a barrel roll to avoid Maverick's lock. “I’m getting closer, Tempest,” Maverick teased. “Coyote! Any day now!” she yelled as she did evasive maneuver after evasive maneuver. “Can’t get a lock,” he yelled back, frustrated. “Then switch with me!” Coyote came from above so he was right on her wing and she gave him a silent nod before she pulled up and hit the brakes. She soared right over the top of Maverick as Coyote started into a dive, forcing Maverick to chase him. Ria smirked as she inverted and flipped around so she was now chasing Maverick. She stayed on his tail, closing in until finally, she heard tone lock. “That’s a kill, old man.” Denver and Coyote cheered. “Good work, Lieutenant, back to base,” was all Maverick said as he resumed lead and Coyote leveled out behind her. 

Maverick watched as Ria was all smiles as she climbed out of her jet and removed her grey, blue, and purple cloud-themed helmet. Coyote rushed her, even going so far as to lift her from the ground in excitement. Elliot wrapped an arm around her shoulder as they set off towards the air-conditioned lounge, leaving Maverick to do his 200 pushups. She had done one of his signature maneuvers with an ease he hadn’t seen in anyone but him for years. She really was her father’s daughter. When they walked in, the others cheered. “The first of us to get a shot in, well done, Tempest,” Phoenix said. Ria waved her off. “Couldn’t have done it without Denver or Coyote,” she told them. “Oh someone’s had a slice of humble pie this morning,” Fanboy teases, and Ria rolls her eyes. “All right. You’ve all shown me some real talent. You’ve also proven the very best often have the most to learn,” Maverick said as he stopped in the doorway to the lounge. “Hangman, Rooster, you’re up,” he added walking away. 

 “So, Rooster, mind if I ask you a personal question?” Hangman asked. “Would it matter if I did?” Rooster grumbled. “What’s the story with you and Maverick? It seems like he’s got you rattled,” Hangman stated simply. “That’s none of your business. Now where the hell is he?” Maverick inverted so he was over Rooster. “Been here the whole time,” he said. “Holy shit,” Hangman says. “You see me now? Come on, let’s get it over with,” Maverick replied. “Fight’s on!” Rooster yells and peels away from Hangman. “What is with these two?” Hangman asks. The sound of heavy breathing was all that was heard for a moment. “All right, you put us here. How are you gonna get yourself out?” Maverick said. “You can bail out anytime,” Rooster replies. “How low do you want to go, Rooster?” Maverick asks. “I can go as low as you, sir! And that’s saying something.” Ria put her head in her hands. They’re going to get themselves killed. “What’s past is past. For both of us,” Maverick said. “You’d like to believe that, wouldn’t you?” Rooster said. “Hard deck is 5,000 feet, fellas. You are running out of room,” Hangman’s voice came through the speaker. Phoenix and Bob, who were closest to the radio, glanced up at each other. “Your strategy is about to run us into the ground. What’s your move?” Maverick asked. They pulled up with about 700 feet to the ground, Maverick was in front of Rooster. “You got it. Don’t think, just do,” Maverick encouraged. “Come on, rooster, you got him! Drop down and take the shot!” Hangman yelled. “It’s too low!” Rooster yelled back. “Too late. You had your chance. That’s a kill. Knock it off.” Ria sighed and leaned back against the counter, Elliot squeezed her shoulder. “Same old Rooster,” Hangman’s own sigh was heard. “Go see Hondo about your push-ups,” Maverick ordered. 

“All right, that’s enough. Rooster. That’s enough, man,” Hondo said. When Bradley didn’t stop Hondo sighed before walking off, having spotted Ria and Natasha walking out of the hangar. “Breaking the hard deck, insubordination. Are you trying to get kicked out?” Ria asked him, causing him to stop and sit down on the still-hot tarmac. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. The pair stopped in front of him and kneeled down, Ria passing him the cold water bottle she’d brought with her. “Look, we’re going on this mission. But if you get kicked out, you leave us flying with Hangman. Talk to us. What the hell was that?” Natasha asked. “He pulled my papers,” Bradley mumbled before taking a long drink from the water. “What? Who?” Natasha asked. “Maverick,” Bradley told them. “He pulled my application to the naval academy. Set me back four years.” Natasha frowned looking between the two friends. “Why would he do that?” she asked. Ria shrugged, “I’ve had my suspicions but Maverick never told him, or me for that matter.” Bradley nodded and pushed himself up off the ground. “It’s like I have to prove to him that I belong here, that I belong in the sky,” he told them. “Bradley, the fact that we’re even here already proves that we belong here,” Ria told him. 

[toomanyf4ndoms7]

Koral MK11 Koncept:

Bio: The crown Jester of Outworld's royalty, Koral's life is one poor performance away from a swift end. Despite the rocky few years and the magic he uses taking a toll on his body, the show must go on. His life depends on it, after all.

Skins

Showman:  He wears a red and black uniform of Shao Kahn's empire with long and easy to trip over fabrics, the sleeves removed and a white mask with a painted smile.

Old fashioned Fool: A design reminiscent of the Joker card.

Conman: Performing gear is stripped down, exposing long hair.

Kitana’s Fool: A design styled after MK ninjas.

Normals: Koral is a bit of a joke character. Some of his moves are him messing up.

Base special moves:

Throwing tips: Koral tosses a jewelled knife. Rapidly press the attack button to have him throw three more. If all three hit, it triggers a light damage over time effect.

For the crowd: Koral turns to the player and bows. If it plays out to the conclusion, He gets a damage buff for a short time.

Magic trick: Koral tosses a gem on the ground, and if the opponent steps, they are frozen in place for a few second. Best paired with for the crowd or audience approval.

Kustom special moves:

Old trick: Koral walks forward and trips on a rock. The rock flies towards the opponent as a projectile. Amplify to have him teleport above the opponent and land on them back first.

Heckler: Koral scoffs and sticks his thumb to the opponent with a brief insult. The dialogue is unique for every character. The opponent does less damage if it completes.

Audience approval: Koral clears his throat and begins a speech. If you somehow get this to the end, Koral gets to use his fatal blow early and does extra damage if below 30%. The speech goes as follows:

“You know, being a performer is pretty hard. You make a show, turn yourself into a fool. But for every bit of a applause, you buy yourself an extra minute to live. You are no performer, not even a worthy clown.”

STAMPEDE: A horned beast charges across the arena, Koral ducks in fear.

Fatal blow:

Guest performance: Starts off with a tomato thrown across the screen. If it connects. Koral rushes forward and lands a couple hits on the opponent that does a bit of damage before he stabs their gut with his knife. (SLO MO 1) As the opponent stumbles back, he turns to a crowd of his clones and presents the opponent like an art piece. The crowd boos and Koral awkwardly scratches his head. The opponent slips on a banana peel and lands on their back (SLO MO 2) and finally, Koral shakes his head and tries to walk away. He steps on a magic trap, making a large explosion that damages both him and the opponent. (SLO MO 3)

Fatalities:

Improvisation: A spotlight is lit on the opponent and Koral. They dance before Koral trips the opponent to land on a lot of spikes. Kotal looks over and winces. He tries to pull the opponent up, and manages to do so. He presents them like an art piece.

Rabbit in a box: Koral slips one of his magic traps onto the opponent’r chest and covers his ears as if an explosion is coming. But when the trap goes off, the opponent instead vanishes in a puff of smoke. Koral pulls out a Jack in the box and winds it up, and somehow, the opponent’s head pops out.

Intro animations:

Comedy calls: Koral appears in a puff of smoke, bowing to the opponent.

The mask is the true self: Koral is turned away from the opponent, his mask in his hands. As he speaks, he slips on his mask and turns around.

Main attraction: One of Koral's clones walks into the area, before the real Koral shows up from behind and pats his shoulder.

Slapstick: Koral crashes on the ground from an explosion he stands and brushes himself off.

Outro animations:

Tough crowd: A tomato is thrown in his face, and the camera slows down at it rolls down his mask.

Juggling act: Koral juggles his knives in the air, catching them with a flourish.

Screw up: Koral summons his cane and dies a little dance before tripping up. The cane lands on his head and you hear faint laughter as the screen slows down.

Kalling Kard: Koral slips off his mask, dropping it on the ground as he teleports away.

Idle animations:

Kotal tosses one of his knives, but cuts his finger. This does 1% of damage and can cause a secret brutality if this is used on kritical health.

Intro dialogue:

Vs Shao Kahn:

Shao Kahn: Your performance is becoming stale…

Koral: Please sir, I beg-

Shao Kahn: Let’s see if your death can entertain me.

Vs Kitana:

Kitana: I remember seeing your performances as a girl.

Koral: Does that mean you won’t kill me?

Kitana, amused: It means I’ll hold back.

Vs Shang Tsung:

Koral: You’ve been hiding magic from me!

Shang Tsung: Why should you need more?

Koral: My performance needs new material.

Vs Cetrion:

Koral: Uh. Care for a show?

Cetrion: Your jokes do little to hide your fear.

Koral: I’m not trying to hide anything.

[dethkomic]

Writin’ Comics and Junk: Part 3 - Comic Compositionin' (Part 1)

Well, hey there pals! Are you stoked to be starting Issue #6? I sure am! The pages to come will be kicking our story into high gear in very short order, so make sure you stick around!

The next Dethkomic update will be Friday, April 14th, 2023!

That's all we have for announcements right now! So if that's all you came for, you are dismissed! For the rest of you, I thought we'd talk about the specifics of turning a story into a comic book, today!

A brief primer on comic book anatomy

Comic books, like most things, have their own language when it comes to describing their construction. So that means I'm going to start saying some words that might not make a lot of sense to everyone. But fear not! I have come with visual aids!

1. The Panel - Just what you think it is. A pane of story. Each panel is itself a whole "beat" while simultaneously being part of a bigger picture. Storytelling with comics means putting the best snapshot of a scene into each frame and stringing them together in such a way that they remain cohesive, no matter how different each one is.

2. Dialogue Balloon - Or word balloon or speech bubble or whatever other name you want to call it. A lot of times, your panel layout and the decisions you make for what to include within your panel will rely on your dialogue (or absence thereof - see panel one). I don't just mean what's being said, but also how much. It's important to leave enough space for your words, after all!

3. Gutter - The space between panels. Sometimes stuff crosses into these areas, but usually this just serves to break up each scene. In this tutorial, I'll mostly use the term gutter to describe the "border" or "edge" of a panel area.

4. (Pointy) Dialogue Balloon - This is here to show you that dialogue balloons can come in many shapes and sizes! The edge here implies there is shouting. Have fun with these when you feel like doing so... Me personally? I've kinda taken the lazy approach on Dethkomic II's word balloons. They're all circles. Which is also fine!

5. Action Lines - Or motion lines, or whatever other words you might have for them. You wouldn't see these in real-life, but they help to push the idea of something in action, or something hitting with great impact.

6. Sound Effects - Just what they say they are. Use liberally in a comic about heavy metal.

7. This is a Bear.

8. Dialogue Boxes and Voiceovers - I play it pretty loose with these and the rules of when to use one over the other. Basically, they're the same thing as a Dialogue Balloon, except the person speaking isn't in the panel. Typically, I'll use boxes when someone is so far away from the panel, they'd need to travel a significant distance (or through time) to be there, hence giving the feeling of a voiceover. Sometimes, though, if someone is close by, or what's being said is a continuation of something said on a previous panel, I'll just throw a balloon around the dialogue and leave the tail off. The speech is usually attributed to the last person who was talking, but so long as it is clear who's saying the words (or if it doesn't matter/needs to remain ambiguous), you can use either to great effect in "carrying over" a scene to the next.

9. Text Boxes and Captions - In Dethkomic, I color these darker than the dialogue boxes so it's clearer that they're meant as footnotes and not being "said" in the story. Good for things like editorial asides, translations, and setting-shifts.

As usual, there's more stuff that makes up a comic than just these thingies, but you'll see me refer to the above list of items the most when I talk about drawing up a comic page.

So, now that you know a little about the components of a comic book page and some of the basics about using each, effectively -- let's get down to the business of:

Laying out the panels in a way that best tells the story

As I said in the definition, panels are their own little beat and their own composition. While they can capture a moment on their own and make a great big sexy impact when they do -- they must stay true to the overall big picture of the comic's story as a whole. You probably don't realize it when you read most professionally published comics, but a lot of work goes into the ease by which you travel from one section of a page to the next. Transitioning is a hard thing to teach, but it's an integral part of making a comic successful. To that end, there are several pointers for working out an entire page of visual story, and getting it to translate seamlessly from top to bottom.

First, it's imperative to understand how comics are read. I'm going to be using the same page of story from Dethkomic's first issue to illustrate my points as I go. Feel free to check it out, here.

In the above example, we see how the page "flows" to the reader. And just in case you don't know, comic books in the United States typically read left to right, then top to bottom. The reader would read the first row of panels, first, then they would move on to the second and third.

Within each panel, the reader also reads left to right, top to bottom. Generally, you want to try setting up your word balloons with this in mind. There are exceptions (like the fighting that goes on in 5th panel of page 16 -- you can read any of those balloons, first. The order isn't the important part) Occasionally having your eyes go to the left is pretty forgivable (and sometimes necessary) in a panel, but note that the only time the reader's eyes go *up* is noted by the arrows, moving to the next panel.

Keep these things in mind, as one of the best ways to assure your panels are making sense and everything is coming together correctly as a whole, is to layout the entire page, first. That is -- treat the whole comic page as a picture. You can go in and work on individual panels, after the page layout is complete.

I start by making thumbnails -- little sketches of the layout, based on my script. It's a good way to see if things will work and fit the way I like.

I actually did an ask on this back here, and there's a few pointers in that post that might be of use to you at this point, too. The basic points are to convey the page's overall "beat" first, and work on the nuances of layout while keeping things as a whole in focus.

Basically, by this point you are going to try cramming as much of your script into the thumbnail as possible. Notice I say "as much of it..." because yeah -- edits will happen. The way I write, this usually means cutting things out, but it could also mean extending them. You begin to get a "feel" for storytelling in this way the more you do it, so don't be put off your project if it's not natural for you to try to work visuals and story together in this way. It just takes practice.

As to how you go about laying your panels out, I like to build on one panel and work around it as a focal point. I tend to think about a page this way:

What is *the scene* for this page? If there's one very special scene that ties everything going on within the page together, consider making this your focus point.

Are we entering a new area? If so, it'd be nice to have an establishing shot to establish exactly where the characters are. This is a shot that pulls the camera back a bit, letting the audience get a good glimpse of the surrounding area and where everyone is within it.

Is there any other important information we should be paying attention to? If you don't have *the scene* and if you don't necessarily need to establish where people are, then consider focusing on the point in the page that'll otherwise have the biggest impact on the story, going forward.

Now that you have your point of ultimate impact on the page, it's time to think about its individual layout as well as the layouts of all the other panels that go around it...

Laying out the story in a way that best tells the story

I'll get WAY more into this next time, but there's a lot that goes into comic book layouts beyond just "character A and character B are shown talking to each other". So what do I mean by this? Basically, laying out the story is laying out the nuances your audience can pick up on in order to tell how things are proceeding and where their eye should go next, etc. These are small things, but again, they can have a big impact on how your story is told. Some quick tips on story layout:

Change the size of your characters

Move your camera around

Don't cut characters off

Leave more room than needed

And I think this'll be a good place to pick up on the individual nuances of "directing" a comic, next update! As usual, thanks for reading and I hope you found this tutorial to be useful!

See you in a little over a week! And remember! Dethkomic loves you!

[bigedred]

Vintage Sony Picture Station Digital Photo Printer DPP-FP50 Old Stock

Sony digital photo printer. In factory box but box not in perfect condition. Inside the box includes Photo station,paper tray,operating instructions,Ac adapter,Ac power cord,Video connecting cable and Remote commander. part_number: FP50

Browse, edit and create real photos via your TV, camera or memory card with the DPP-FP50 printer from Sony

Direct print via PictBridge, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Pro Duo, SD or Compact Flash memory cards**

300 dpi x 300 dpi printing with 16.7 million colours per dot

High speed printing process (approx. 60 sec. for 10x15cm prints)

Super Coat 2 protects print from damage caused by fingerprints, light, heat and humidity, ensuring long-lasting prints

Size: approx. 182x66.5x210mm Weight: approx. 1.2kg

includes Picture Gear Studio software for greater photo editing power via your PC

Optional recommended printing papers: SVM-F40P/SVM-F80P

Supplied with: CD-ROM driver software, AC power adapter, power cable, paper tray and a starter pack for 10 photos

Box or package may not be in the best condition. Have Question Just Ask?

Listing and template services provided by inkFrog

[ayathiinfo]

Why Millennials Are Driving the Real Estate Market in 2024–25

Move over baby boomers; it’s millennial time in the real estate spotlight! Born between the early 1980s and mid-1990s, this tech-savvy, avocado-toast-loving generation is making waves in the real estate market in 2024-25. But why are millennials becoming the key drivers of real estate, and what’s shaping their preferences? Let’s decode the trends, shall we?

1. Millennials: The Pragmatic Dreamers

Unlike the generations before them, millennials are pragmatic dreamers. Owning a home isn’t just about fulfilling societal expectations; it’s about creating a secure, functional space that suits their modern lifestyle.

What They Look For:

Flexibility: Homes with adaptable spaces for work, leisure, and everything in between.

Technology-First Approach: Smart homes with IoT integrations that make life easier.

Sustainability: Eco-friendly designs and energy-efficient solutions.

2. Real Estate Trends 2024-25: All About Millennials

The real estate trends of 2024-25 are heavily influenced by millennial preferences:

Community-Centric Living: Millennials crave connection. Gated communities and villas in developing areas like Kollur are becoming highly sought after.

Affordability Meets Luxury: They want the best of both worlds—affordable homes with premium features.

Prime Yet Peaceful Locations: Suburbs with excellent connectivity, like Kollur, are top picks.

3. What’s Driving Millennials Toward Real Estate?

Millennials may be stereotyped as renting-forever minimalists, but they are now switching gears. Here’s why:

1. Stability and Security:

The pandemic taught us all a thing or two about the importance of stability. Owning a home provides that much-needed safety net.

2. Generational Wealth Building:

Millennials are looking beyond today and planning for the future. Real estate is a reliable way to build wealth over time.

3. Lifestyle Upgrade:

From home offices to larger spaces for pets and family, millennials are investing in homes that cater to their evolving needs.

4. The Rise of Remote Work:

The work-from-home culture has allowed millennials to move away from crowded city centers to developing locations like Kollur, where they can find spacious, serene homes.

4. Millennials and Real Estate Investment: A Perfect Match

Millennials are not just buying homes—they’re investing in them. The real estate market in 2024-25 offers incredible opportunities for this generation:

Early Bird Advantage: Upcoming projects, like Ayathi’s upcoming villa project in Kollur, offer significant potential for value appreciation.

Smart Financial Planning: Millennials are tech-savvy and data-driven. They research the market thoroughly before making a move.

Long-Term Gains: Real estate provides an asset that grows with time, making it a smart choice for wealth creation.

5. Kollur: The Millennial Magnet

For millennials eyeing real estate investment, developing areas like Kollur check all the boxes:

Location: Kollur’s proximity to major IT hubs and its peaceful environment make it ideal for young families and professionals.

Infrastructure: With rapidly growing connectivity and amenities, Kollur is emerging as the perfect suburban haven.

Future Prospects: Upcoming villa projects offer the promise of luxury living at affordable rates, catering perfectly to millennial tastes.

6. The Ayathi Advantage

Ayathi’s upcoming villa project in Kollur is a reflection of what millennials value most:

Modern Designs: Homes that blend aesthetics with functionality.

Community Living: Spaces designed to foster connections and a sense of belonging.

Sustainable Features: Eco-conscious design for a generation that cares about the planet.

7. Why Millennials Will Continue to Dominate Real Estate

1. Peak Earning Years:

Millennials are now in their late 20s to 40s—prime earning years—giving them the financial stability to invest.

2. Long-Term Thinkers:

This generation is focused on creating a legacy and securing their future, making real estate a top priority.

3. Tech-Savvy Decision Makers:

Millennials leverage technology to find the best deals, compare projects, and make informed investment choices.

Final Thoughts

The real estate market in 2024-25 is undeniably shaped by millennials, who are blending practicality with aspirations to find homes that fit their lifestyle. With developing areas like Kollur offering the perfect mix of connectivity, serenity, and potential growth, projects like Ayathi’s upcoming villas are the ideal choice for this generation.

Millennials aren’t just buying homes—they’re redefining what it means to own one. Are you ready to join the movement?

[blogofmastermind]

“The Diabetes Toolbox: Tech, Tricks, and Hacks for Easier Management”

Managing diabetes doesn’t have to feel like climbing a mountain in flip-flops. Thanks to modern tech, clever hacks, and some creative tricks, you can streamline your routine and take back control. Let’s dive into the ultimate diabetes toolbox for making life a little easier (and maybe even fun).

1. Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs): Your Personal Data Whisperer

Gone are the days of endless finger pricks. A CGM tracks your blood sugar in real-time and sends updates straight to your phone.

Top Perks:

See patterns and trends (great for catching stealthy highs or lows).

Alerts before things get out of control.

Popular Options: Dexcom, Libre, Medtronic.

Pro Tip: Turn off non-essential alerts unless you want your CGM to feel like a needy pet.

2. Smart Insulin Pens and Pumps: Diabetes Meets Sci-Fi

Insulin delivery has come a long way.

Smart Pens: Track doses, remind you to take insulin, and connect to apps.

Insulin Pumps: Deliver precise doses, often working with your CGM for automated adjustments.

Bonus: Insulin pumps come with tubing, so you can finally relate to headphone cord struggles.

3. Diabetes Apps: There’s an App for That

From logging meals to syncing devices, apps can simplify diabetes management.

Best Apps for Carb Counting: MyFitnessPal, Carb Manager.

For Data Tracking: Glooko, Sugarmate.

For Meal Planning: PlateJoy, Whisk.

Use these tools to turn diabetes into less of a guessing game and more of a science experiment.

4. Mini Fridges and Insulin Cases: Keep It Cool

Insulin doesn’t love heat, so invest in tools to keep it safe:

Portable Insulin Coolers: Frio wallets or MedAngel temperature monitors are lifesavers for travel.

Mini Fridge for Home: Perfect for keeping backups.

Because the last thing you need is insulin that’s gone bad on a hot day.

5. Labels, Bags, and Organization Hacks

Tired of digging through a cluttered bag for your diabetes supplies? Get organized:

Pill Organizers for Supplies: Use compartments for lancets, test strips, and alcohol swabs.

Labels on Snacks: “Emergency only” tags keep your glucose stash intact.

Color-Coded Cases: Assign a color to daily essentials vs. backups.

You’ll thank yourself later when everything’s easy to grab.

6. Low Blood Sugar Hacks: Snack Smart

Stock up on fast-acting carbs that work quickly and taste great:

Classics: Glucose tabs, juice boxes.

Creative Options: Honey sticks, gummy bears, or fruit leathers.

For Nightstand Storage: Mini cereal boxes or pre-measured bags of candy.

Pro Tip: A cute snack pouch makes carrying these lifesavers a little more fun.

7. Meal Prep: Diabetes-Friendly and Delicious

Take the guesswork out of meals by planning ahead:

Batch Cooking: Prep a few low-carb meals on weekends.

Use a Food Scale: For precise carb counts.

Try Diabetes-Friendly Cookbooks: Look for recipes tailored to managing blood sugar.

Simplify even more by building meals around “safe” staples like eggs, leafy greens, and lean proteins.

8. Exercise Tools: Keep Moving, Stay Balanced

Exercise helps lower blood sugar, but it’s easier with the right gear:

Fitness Trackers: Apple Watch, Fitbit, or Garmin to track steps and workouts.

Workout Snacks: Keep fast-acting carbs on hand for sudden lows.

Portable Glucose Monitors: For checking mid-workout.

Even a 10-minute walk after meals can make a big difference.

9. Emergency Kits: Always Be Prepared

Diabetes can be unpredictable, so create a kit for unexpected situations:

Essentials: Glucose meter, strips, insulin, syringes, snacks, glucagon.

Travel Additions: Copies of prescriptions, backup supplies, and a note explaining diabetes in case of emergencies.

Keep one at work, in your car, or anywhere you spend a lot of time.

10. The Power of Community: Learn from Others

Join diabetes groups, forums, or social media communities to discover even more hacks. Some favorites include:

Facebook Groups: “Type 1 Diabetes Support Group” or “Low Carb for Diabetics.”

Instagram Accounts: Follow influencers sharing tips and humor.

Reddit: Check out r/diabetes or r/type1diabetes for advice and laughs.

You’ll find the best tricks from people who’ve been there and get it.

[jakesealblackhangar]

Jake Seal Black Hangar Share Secrets to Making Low-Budget Films

Creating a compelling film doesn't always require a massive budget. Some of the most successful films were made with a fraction of the financial backing seen in blockbuster productions. Jake Seal of Black Hangar has mastered the art of making high-quality films on tight budgets, and today, he’s sharing some invaluable tips for aspiring filmmakers. These strategies can help you bring your vision to life, no matter the size of your budget.

1. Focus on Strong Storytelling

When it comes to low-budget filmmaking, storytelling is king. A well-crafted script can elevate a film far more than any special effects or expensive sets. The key is to focus on the core of the story—characters, conflict, and emotional depth. Strong storytelling doesn't require grandiose elements; it’s about how you engage your audience and draw them into the narrative.

Jake Seal Black Hangar emphasizes that even a simple premise can be turned into an engaging film if the writing is solid. “Great scripts are timeless, and they are the backbone of any good film,” he says. By honing your story, you give your film the best chance for success, no matter the budget.

2. Keep the Cast and Crew Lean

With limited resources, it’s important to minimize your crew while still maintaining the quality of the production. The more people you have on set, the higher your expenses will be. A small, dedicated team can often work more efficiently than a large group. This approach allows you to focus on the essentials and make the most of your budget.

Jake Seal Black Hangar recommends hiring versatile people who can wear multiple hats. For instance, a cinematographer with a knack for editing or a production designer who is skilled at prop creation can save money by performing more than one role. “A talented and flexible crew is worth more than hiring several specialists,” says Seal.

3. Use Practical Locations

Location can be one of the most expensive aspects of a film, but you don’t have to rent expensive sets to create a captivating environment. Look for locations that are free or low-cost, such as public spaces, private homes, or even local businesses that are willing to collaborate.

Black Hangar Studios frequently uses real locations for its productions, and Jake Seal Black Hangar Studios believes this approach gives films a more authentic feel. He recommends scouting for unique spots that help tell your story, while also considering the logistical aspects of filming in those locations. Be sure to obtain any necessary permits and negotiate deals with property owners to avoid unexpected costs.

4. Leverage Technology and Equipment

Advances in filmmaking technology have made it easier for filmmakers to create stunning visuals without breaking the bank. Jake Seal suggests utilizing affordable cameras, lighting equipment, and editing software to achieve a high-quality production.

In today’s digital age, it’s not necessary to have the latest and most expensive gear. Many filmmakers have created breathtaking work with relatively simple tools. “It’s not about how much you spend, it’s about how effectively you use what you have,” says Seal. There are also numerous online resources, like tutorials and free stock footage, that can help enhance your production without inflating your budget.

5. Embrace Creative Problem Solving

Filmmaking on a budget often requires creative solutions. You’ll need to think outside the box and find ways to solve problems that arise without spending additional funds. Whether it’s improvising with a limited set or using natural light to minimize lighting costs, creative thinking is essential.

Jake Seal Black Hangar Studios encourages filmmakers to embrace limitations. "Sometimes, the best results come from constraints," he says. Working within limitations can inspire innovation, and often, the solutions you come up with will add a unique touch to your project.

6. Collaborate and Network

Networking and collaborating with others in the film industry can open doors to affordable resources, talent, and equipment. Whether you’re borrowing gear from a friend, collaborating with a fellow filmmaker, or trading services with actors and crew members, building strong relationships in the industry is essential for keeping costs down.

Jake Seal Black Hangar Studios highlights the power of collaboration. “The film industry is full of talented people who are often looking for opportunities to work on interesting projects,” he notes. By networking and fostering relationships, you can access the support you need to make your film without overspending.

7. Post-Production is Key

While shooting the film is essential, post-production is where the magic happens. This is when the film truly comes together, so it’s important to ensure that editing, sound design, and visual effects are given the attention they deserve. The good news is that many affordable tools are now available for post-production, allowing filmmakers to achieve a polished final product on a budget.

Jake advises filmmakers to focus on the essentials during post-production—such as color grading, sound, and editing—and not get too caught up in expensive visual effects. With creativity and effort, post-production can transform your film into something special without requiring a huge financial outlay.

Conclusion

Making a successful low-budget film is about being resourceful, creative, and focused on the essentials. Jake Seal Black Hangar Studios' advice highlights the importance of storytelling, a lean team, and the innovative use of technology and locations. By following these tips, filmmakers can create professional-quality films that resonate with audiences and leave a lasting impact, all while staying within their budget.

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Check Out This Fantastic Post Just Published on https://selfdefensegearco.com/personal-protection/how-to-avoid-injury-2/

How to Avoid Injury

Training for physical self defense is harsh. There’s just no easy way around it. If you want to learn how to deal with a fully resisting opponent who is trying to take your head off, then you have to train against a fully resisting partner who is trying to take your head off. Anything less will not prepare you for the brutality of a real attack. But you don’t have to train 100% intensity all the time, and you should do it as safely as possible. The purpose of self defense training, other than for enjoyment and exercise, is to develop the skills to avoid injury in an assault. So it certainly makes sense to train in such a way that minimizes the chance of injuring yourself and your training partners. I’ve definitely had more than my share of injuries over the years, from bruises and sprains to broken bones and torn ligaments. And I’ve also unfortunately injured numerous training partners. In my teens and 20’s, my biggest concern with injuries was that they limited my ability to practice and teach. But in my 30’s and now 40’s, the injuries from my past have added up, and these days if I do get injured it takes far longer to heal than when I was younger. At this point in my life, avoiding injury is probably the most important consideration in my training. I wish it would have been the same when I was younger, and I highly recommend you make it an important consideration in your training. Below are several concepts you can use in your training to minimize injury. Progressive Resistance One of the best ways to avoid injury is to train with progressive resistance. When you begin with any technique or training method, you need to start slowly and with low intensity. As your skills increase, when you feel safe and comfortable at a given level, you can slowly increase the intensity. The key is never to increase the intensity too far beyond the limits of your skills. This not only decreases your chance of injury, but it also leads to faster learning. Training too far above your skill level teaches you nothing, because you’ll tend to fail in ways that are hard to learn from. Training right at the border of your skill level, pushing past it just a bit, will cause you to fail. But the failures will be small and much easier to learn from. At this level, your partner should also be able to use better control to avoid injuring you even when you do fail. You do need to get to the point where you and your training partners are really trying to take each other out, but doing so with progressive resistance, moving forward only as you can safely do so, is crucial. Protective Gear I prefer to train with as little gear as possible, and I’ve read about studies that have shown that protective gear actually increases injuries, particularly brain damage, because people think they can go harder and less safely than they should. Boxing gloves for example lead to boxers ending up with much worse brain damage than if they had practiced without gloves, as the gloves cause boxers to take thousands and thousands of punches to the head. Without gloves, punches would have to be thrown softer or with the open hand to avoid hand injuries, and fights would probably be over quicker as strikes would do more surface damage than with gloves.  In any case, boxing is one of the most brain damaging sports there is. With that said, in certain situations protective gear just makes a great deal of sense. When training with eye strikes, protective goggles are a necessity. I was once accidentally hit by a student with an eye strike, and his finger nail went into my cornea. Due to both the strike and the treatment, that was one of the most painful injuries I’ve ever had. If you’re training eye strikes, wear goggles! If groin strikes are a possibility, purposefully or accidentally, wear a cup. I was once kneed so hard in the groin that it hurt to walk and sit for many months. Trust me, it’s not something you want to experience. A mouthpiece is also a necessity for harder training. I’ve had ligaments in my jaw torn that made me unable to eat for two weeks, and led to repeated pain for years. If I would have been wearing a mouthpiece, it’s likely that I wouldn’t have been injured, or less severely. I’ve also knocked out training partner’s teeth, which could have been prevented if we had been wearing mouthpieces. And this doesn’t only go for stand-up/striking. When grappling it’s easy to get an accidental foot or knee to the face/jaw, so a mouthpiece is a great idea for almost any type of training. I’ve also gotten hit and hit training partners in the hand with sticks, causing various hand injuries. These days whenever I spar with sticks I wear hockey gloves. There’s just no good reason not to considering how bad and lasting hand injuries can be. I generally prefer not to wear head gear. Not only does head gear tend to restrict your vision, but like with boxing gloves I feel it causes practitioners to take too many head shots. The exception I make is when stick sparring. For stick sparring it is safer to wear head gear with a face cage. However, padded sticks are an option that I prefer for most stick sparring. Don’t Do High Kicks For the first 10 or 15 years of my practice and teaching, high/head kicks were a part of my training. They not only destroyed my hips and lower back, but also did the same to my primary training partner and another person I taught with. For about the last 3 years I’ve had nearly constant pain in my right sacroiliac joint, which my doctor has said was most likely caused by high kicking. I know high kicks can be fun, and they’re a big part of many martial arts. But our bodies were not meant to be used that way, and if you practice high kicks hard and long enough there is a pretty good chance that you’ll wreck your joints. You might not feel it now, but you probably will later. Take my advice, and forget about the high kicks! Lower Intensity Training Again, you do need to train hard in order to learn how to deal with a full power attack. But you don’t need to train as hard as you can 100% of the time. Use progressive resistance to safely get up to your max level, but only train at that level occasionally. Most of my training now is probably between 50-70% of max intensity, and I only train at 100% with certain drills that are safer than sparring or completely random/uncooperative practice. If you have any additional ideas for training safe and avoiding injury, please leave them in the comments below! The post How to Avoid Injury appeared first on Functional Self Defense. Self Defense Tip: How To Prevent Being Raped…CLICK HERE

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What Is Black Friday?

What Is Black Friday, Really? Hey, let's get real for a second... You're probably no stranger to the chaos that is Black Friday. The long lines, the crazy discounts, the frenzy to snag the best deals before they're gone. But have you ever stopped to think, where did all this madness come from? And more importantly, how can you actually come out on top in this shopping extravaganza? The Wild Origins of Black Friday Imagine a day so chaotic, the police had to coin a term just to describe it. Welcome to the 1950s in Philadelphia, where "Black Friday" wasn't about shopping at all, but about the mayhem that ensued the day after Thanksgiving, thanks to a little thing called the Army-Navy football game. Fast forward to today, and it's all about the deals... or is it? How Black Friday Evolved into a Shopping Beast Retailers caught on pretty quickly - if people were going to flood the streets anyway, why not tempt them with some irresistible discounts? By the 80s, Black Friday as we know it was born. Now, it's not just a day, but a whole weekend (and sometimes month) of shopping frenzy, bleeding seamlessly into Cyber Monday. The "Black" in Black Friday: What's the Deal? Ever wondered why it's called "Black" Friday? Here's the cool part: it's all about the bottom line. See, in accounting, "red" means you're in the loss zone, while "black" signifies profit. Black Friday is that golden moment when many businesses flip from red to black. Pretty clever, huh? When Exactly Does This Shopping Spree Happen? Mark your calendars for the day after Thanksgiving, which, funnily enough, can fall anywhere between November 23rd and 29th. But let's be real, the deals start way earlier now. We're talking the first week of November in some cases! Just How Big Is Black Friday, Anyway? Billions. That's the short answer. In 2022, the U.S. alone raked in over $9 billion in online sales on Black Friday. And it's not just America - the U.K., Canada, Brazil, and more are all in on the action, making it a global shopping phenomenon. Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday: What's the Difference? Traditionally, Black Friday is for the brick-and-mortar warriors, while Cyber Monday is for those who prefer to shop in PJs. However, the lines are blurring. Now, you can snag amazing deals both online and offline, often on both days. Just remember, if you're after tech, Cyber Monday might just be your best bet. The Secret Prep Work Behind Black Friday Retailers don't wing it on Black Friday. Months of planning go into crafting those irresistible "doorbuster" deals designed to get you in the door at the crack of dawn. It's all about creating a sense of urgency. The Psychology Behind Those Irresistible Deals Ever felt like you just had to buy something on Black Friday? That's no accident. Retailers are masters of scarcity and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). When you see "Only 2 left in stock!", what do you do? Your Black Friday Shopping Cheat Sheet Best Products to Snag: - Electronics: Think TVs, laptops, and gaming consoles at unbeatable prices. - Home Appliances: Time to upgrade that fridge or washer without breaking the bank. - Apparel & Shoes: Seasonal must-haves at clearance prices. Worst Products to Buy on Black Friday: - Furniture: Wait for January clearance sales. - Winter Gear: Prices drop further post-holidays. - Toys: Mid-December often sees deeper discounts. Black Friday Around the Globe - U.K.: Big online sales are the norm. - Canada: Enjoy both Black Friday and Boxing Day deals. - Brazil: The newest kid on the Black Friday block, growing fast. Stay Safe While Scoring Those Deals - In-Store: Watch your step and avoid the stampede. - Online: Secure sites only, and beware of phishing scams. The Business Side of Things Black Friday is a lifesaver for many retailers, offering a much-needed financial boost. However, sustainability concerns are prompting a shift towards more eco-friendly practices, like "Green Friday." The Future of Black Friday: Will It Fade Away? Unlikely. But expect a shift towards online dominance and a greater emphasis on sustainable shopping practices. The Bottom Line Black Friday isn't just about buying more; it's about buying smarter. Whether you're a seasoned pro or a newbie, understanding the game can save you a pretty penny. Happy hunting, and may the odds be ever in your favor! 🎉 Frequently Asked Questions - Is Black Friday a U.S. thing? - Nope, it's gone global. - How early do the sales start? - As early as the first week of November. - Are the deals really worth it? - Absolutely, for the right products. - What time do in-store sales kick off? - Sometimes as early as midnight. - How long do the sales last? - Through the weekend and into Cyber Monday. - Can I return my Black Friday purchases? - Check the retailer's policy first. - Are online deals the same as in-store? - Not always, so shop around. - What are doorbuster deals? - Limited-time offers to get you in the door early. - How does Black Friday impact the environment? - It raises significant sustainability concerns. - Will Black Friday eventually disappear? - Unlikely, but it will evolve. Read the full article