#Top Video Marketing Tips

[cwdigimark]

While researching social media marketing, I came across the following article: Top Video Marketing Tips for Your Social Media Marketing Strategy

While researching social media marketing, I came across the following article: Top Video Marketing Tips for Your Social Media Marketing Strategy

CHARLENE_INFLUENCER INFLUENCE & INSPIRE | ENGAGE & ENTERTAIN HOMEABOUTCONTACT WordPress Facebook Google Instagram LinkedIn Mail Pinterest TikTok Tumblr Twitter WhatsApp YouTube CHARLENE_INFLUENCERINFLUENCE & INSPIRE | ENGAGE & ENTERTAININVITATION TO ACTIONPlease consider signing up for our newsletter.Here’s how to contact me:You may read our previous blog by clicking the following…

[gothamundernightlight]

Random Shit the Waynes Do on Social Media

Dick:

- The white whale of D1 and Olympic gymnastics athletes; always stitches their stunts and challenges, executing them perfectly, but no one knows who he is or who trained him

- Shares pictures of random children, and the whole internet becomes a detective trying to figure out if Bruce Wayne adopted another kid or if his gymnastics students won another trophy

- Photo montages of Haley being the cutest, which slowly transitions into Haley in whatever cute hat the internet can send to Dick’s PO Box

- Random video of him skydiving while giving tips on what to do if your chute doesn’t deploy. He never deploys his chute doing the video and no one can tell if it’s a bit or not.

Jason:

- AI Voiceover text posts providing surprisingly insightful analysis into classic literature

- A full six part rant on the Broadway adaptation of “The Great Gatsy”

- Random selfies complete with wildly made up backstories of any and every new injury he has

- Prank war on Damian specifically (this was intended for Talia but his finger slipped and now the whole internet loves it)

Tim:

- Randomly goes live to do study/work/research with me sessions complete with an actually decent Lofi soundtrack that no one can find (He totally mixes it himself but won’t admit it)

- Did ONE social media vlog for WE’s marketing division and it went so viral he gets forced to do more. The dead eyed stare he gives the camera with every stupid dance the intern teaches him makes the video top-tier

- Cute couples videos with Bernard

- Skateboard tricks (and fails)

- Screenshots of text conversations between him and his siblings discussing the most random shit??

Cass:

- Dance routines/pre-show/GRWM videos

- Shakily filmed videos of her kicking Dick’s ass and everyone just calls her a baddie in the comments. She doesn’t know what that means but she appreciates the love.

- Her and Steph’s late night food runs with the two of them just belting out to a song in a dark parking lot

Steph:

- Posts riddles and puzzles and how to solve them. She’s really good at it. Riddler hates her.

- Apartment tour of all the purple shit she owns. She’ll never admit that the room she’s showing off is her Wayne Manor bedroom, so everyone believes she just has a moderately sized loft apartment somewhere and she just never shows the kitchenette

- Her and Cass’s late night food runs with the two of them just belting out to a song in a dark parking lot

- POV shots of her going up to the boys asking them random questions. Dick matches her energy. Jason tells her to fuck off. Tim is barely conscious. Damian always has an overly rational answer to take the fun out of it. Duke just stares blankly at her (he always comes back later with a proper answer now that he’s had time to think about it). Bruce just stares blankly at her

Damian:

- Art reveals that never get many views but he’s still proud of nonetheless. Dick always comments on them to hype him up

- Accidentally recreates a popular vine that went viral and it’s just him insulting fellow GA kids under his breath but one of them says hi to him and he’s instantly polite back. His most popular video

- The multi-part experiment of him trying to Pavlov Tim, and when it actually works, Tim just chases Damian around the manor. The video cuts to black frames after Tim takes a flying launch at him

- All the pet videos. There are so many. People try to cancel him for exploiting them, but Damian clearly demonstrates that he would never force his animals to participate for views and how they will just leave if they don’t want to do something. Batcow is in the background just two-stepping unprompted

Duke:

- Every morning without fail, he posts a daily sunrise pic of Gotham, with a positive affirmation caption. One day he’s sick and he wakes up to a thousand messages of people panicking because their favorite poster has disappeared. He never misses a sunrise again

- Passionate rants about local government. Will not shut up about it. He might be an anarchist, but he’s forever remain optimistic that one day the systems that define society will one day actually work for all people. Bruce has every single one saved so he can implement Duke’s ideas into reality

- Boxing videos of him training with Luke. It’s never meant to be a thirst trap…but sometimes it is

- Dumb selfies. Duke unironically loves taking them, no matter what face he pulls, what filter he uses, not even caring where he is. This gets him in trouble the one time he posts one of him leaning off the edge of a high rise roof

Babs:

- Constant lectures on cybersecurity and internet safety. She teaches this at the library as a volunteer but feels she can reach a lot of people by building a platform

- Computer build stuff. Brands reach out to her for her reviews and she thoroughly discusses each product in length

- Rarely posts about her disability, but absolutely tears people to shreds when they make ableist comments about her. The only time she brings it up first is when City Hall takes over a month to fix their elevator and she calls them out on it

Harper:

- Electronics repairs. She constantly takes things apart to teach people how to fix it, and this can range from toys to cars. On more than one occasion , her video has been interrupted by someone who planned to be using the vehicle she’s just taken apart

- 2 AM hair dye/maintenance sessions. She constantly gets comments from men being like “Therapy works too, y’know” or “No, you’re so beautiful? Why would you do that to yourself.” She responds to the comments with a video of a gun pointed at the camera with the sole caption being “Fuck Off.”

- Gym videos. She and Dick work out together and he’s the ultimate hype man

- Outfit montages of her getting ready for a random gala and she’s always pulling off the most masc-looking suits that look gorgeous on her

Helena:

- Target practice. She does all kinds of trick shots and crazy crossbow stunts in a wide variety of outfits. Her most popular video is of her in a corset and platform heels.

- Her and Steph bonding over all things purple

- Outfit of the Day posts. The girl has expensive tastes and she absolutely shows it off.

Bruce:

- Occasionally does promo stuff for WE (because Tim refuses to do all of it, and their social media intern won’t back down)

- Shares absolutely wild stories from his college years that somehow always get proven to be true even when the whole comments section is just like “this seems false???”

- Kid tour. He saw one mom do it and felt sad bc he’s never get the kids to agree, but somehow they all did (Alfred bribed them.)

- Shares everything from each one of the charities he’s involved with. Has reposted every single one of their posts on his own personal channel. It raises them hundreds of followers each time.

- One of the kids posted a video montage of Bruce being Brucie and it’s so utterly humiliating? But he won’t delete it because all of the comments say he’s their favorite billionaire and that’s more than his own kids will say.

- Random Pride Month post. Every year it catches people by surprise and every gossip magazine always wonders if Bruce is coming out. He’s just being an ally (and potentially is in denial).

Alfred:

- Prefers not to use social media, but one of the boys filmed him doing random things to teach the internet how to do things properly, like making the bed, doing laundry, etc. Is the internet’s favorite grandpa.

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Janet Jackson featuring Q-Tip and Joni Mitchell - Got 'til It's Gone 1997

"Got 'til It's Gone" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson, featuring American rapper Q-Tip and Canadian singer Joni Mitchell, from her sixth studio album, The Velvet Rope (1997). It was released as the lead single from The Velvet Rope, and Jackson opted for a less polished sound for it which resulted in an authentic blend of R&B, pop, and hip hop with traces of reggae influences. It contains a sample from Joni Mitchell's 1970 song "Big Yellow Taxi".

"Got 'til It's Gone" was met with mostly positive reviews from music critics, with most praising its fusion of Jackson's pop style with hip hop, and for its revealing theme. The song peaked at number 36 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart and reached number three on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. Internationally, "Got 'til It's Gone" reached the top 20 in several European markets, including France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, and the UK.

The accompanying music video for "Got 'til It's Gone" was directed by Mark Romanek and filmed at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, and was premiered right before the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards. Jackson portrays a lounge singer in the video, which takes place during the time of apartheid in South Africa. It was called a masterpiece by critics, winning a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video. It also received the most nominations at the seventh annual MVPA Awards, winning "Pop Video of the Year" and "Best Art Direction".

"Got 'til It's Gone" received a total of 55,4% yes votes.

[actuallysaiyan]

Kinktober Day 27: Sex Toys

warnings: smut, hookups, use of sex toys, squirting word count: 0.7k pairings: Aki Hayakawa x Fem!Reader teaser: And then you and Aki end up in this weird “will they, won’t they” situation. People start making bets on you two.

dividers: @adornedwithlight

taglist: @thissaintjessi, @cherryblossombankai, @sindulgent666, @shinysp4rk, @chilichopsticks

Working with Aki was actually a breeze. The guy was always on top of everything. He was always serious about every single job. You admire that about him. You knew about his past and what he lost, but still he continued to push through everything. He was strong, and he was very handsome as well.

So falling in love with him hadn’t been quite in your plans, but it sort of just happened. You couldn’t bring yourself to stay away from him. He wasn’t the most charming, but he made you feel something you hadn’t felt in a long time. And soon your flirting turned into something a little deeper.

He invites you over after missions. It’s usually just to unwind, drink and chainsmoke a pack of cigarettes between yourselves. But sometimes it turns into something more. Sometimes it turns into him pulling you into his bedroom to blow off steam. It’s always heated, intense sex. It’s never anything like lovemaking.

And then you and Aki end up in this weird “will they, won’t they” situation. People start making bets on you two. You’ve heard all the rumors. Instead of telling anyone of what you two do, you and Aki keep it mostly secret. They don’t know what you two have.

It’s definitely a weird bond, but you’re not ready to break it anytime soon. Aki keeps inviting you home to his place, and you end up staying the night more times than not. Eventually, you start leaving stuff at his place.

What surprises you is when Aki buys you little gifts. This makes you realize maybe he wanted something more. You don’t push him away and you certainly don’t say no to his gifts.

The one that really surprises you(and pleases you) is when he pulls out the pretty little vibrator he bought for you. It’s rose gold and has the clit sucking dual action. You’ve seen them in stores and in videos talking about the latest sex toys on the market. You knew it was expensive, but you weren’t going to comment on that.

“Want to try it out?” He asks as he pulls you onto the bed.

You barely have time to think before he’s kissing you. His kisses are always so passionate and needy, leaving you breathless and wanton for so much more. You nod your head, breathing out a soft “yes” when he asks you again. Aki is always one to make sure you’re comfortable with everything.

He helps you get undressed between soft kissing. And you do the same, relishing in being able to touch him. Then he helps you lay down on the bed. He grabs the toy, which he charged prior to you coming over, and turns it on. The steady vibrations begin to thrum and you already feel excited.

Aki grabs the bottle of lube and carefully lubricates you and the toy. Then he places the silicone tip to your aching bud. You let out a cute little moan, making him smirk. He’s got it on the lowest setting but still you’re already melting into the pleasure.

“How’s it feel?” he asks, slowly circling your clit with the toy.

You moan and grip the sheets, “So fuckin’ good.”

Then he presses a button. The vibrations and suction gets even more intense. Slowly, Aki edges you with the new toy. He goes up and down with the speed and intensity until he’s on the highest setting and your eyes are rolling back in your head.

“Fuck yes! Right there…please, Aki!” You beg for him not to stop.

Aki watches as your whole body arches off the bed. You let out a loud moan as your juices begin gushing out of you. He smirks again when he sees you fall off the edge so messily. You’re crying out his name as he keeps the toy attached to your clit. He won’t pull away just yet, making you squirt out more of your arousal.

When he finally does pull away, you’re gasping for air. Aki leans in to press a soft kiss on your forehead.

“Good girl, I can tell you love it.” He reaches over for the bottle of water. He hands it to you, “Take a breather before our next round.”

reblogs and comments always appreciated!

©actuallysaiyan 2024– do not repost on other platforms, copy, translate or edit my works!

[celebian]

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[bigdvmnhero]

relationships: dick & tim

word count: 6,019

summary:

“I—” Tim recalibrated. Desperately, he scanned Dick’s face—his features blurred over, a wall of nothing; Tim chipped away: “You were a kid, who’ll blame a kid? They won’t hurt anyone again. If you want to, to, to talk to anyone—but it was a long time ago, you’re Nightwing now—”

Tuesday morning: a video was uploaded to one of the deep web black markets. The footage, shot on those grainy vintage camcorders. But Tim knew that boy in the thumbnail; his eyes had memorized him, the heft and shape and dazzle of him, imprinting like an afterimage.

Or: a brother is a witness; there's your tragedy.

::

The apartment had that new-in-town smell: mothballs and desperation. Boxes upon boxes were strewn on the floor. One of them had a dirty plate forgotten on top of it. Old pad thai grease. Armed to the teeth in his full Robin regalia, Tim felt vaguely underdressed in Dick’s kitchen—like there was a speech to do, and he was already forgetting the words.

“Did I lose you again?” Dick said, through a mouthful of his second demolished mango. He was eating them fatherless-style. Dick had been talking about—insurance, maybe. “What’s up?”

Across him, Tim straightened. “Nothing, just.” Mortified, thinking about how I almost spritzed myself with cologne before coming here. What was this, prom? Tim just needed this to go better than last time, was all.

Last time: Tim’s absolute trashfire of a Bludhaven visit; Dick’s rictus of a smile; Dick’s face going bloodless in the half-dark as Tim mentioned Bruce’s adoption offer, absolute god-tier cringe; why’d he do that? It was the same look Dick wore, that first time Tim brandished the original Robin suit from its glass case. Of course Dick disappeared then, all dark and brooding into the night, seeyanara, or never; Tim never could stomach a Never.

He wanted to tell Dick he was working hard to learn it, too—the Bat’s art of Sheer Presence. The way its silhouette inspired awe, stillness. That lately Dick spooked easy, like an animal trying not to be seen. That on nights Tim was almost catatonic with grief, his first half-formed thought was, I want my brother.

Tim said, “It’s not every day you eat scrambled mangoes in Richard Grayson’s apartment.”

“Ever since I saw one of our knife-throwers eat it like this, I always wanted to try it.” Dick picked up a comically large knife and bisected the mango, carving the hairy seed out, before scraping its insides silly. He handed one of the halves to Tim, anointing it with a too-big spoon. Where was this man’s cutlery? “It’s supposed to look like a bowl, then you can walk around eating like that. Neat, huh?”

“Guess so.” Tim accepted Dick’s mango concoction with a smile. Maybe a spoonful, to be polite. Watch and weep, Alfred. “You know, I always wanted to try eating a mango like an apple.”

“Well, we got two left,” Dick snorted, digging into the plastic bag. “Make your dreams come true?”

Do, please. Truth was, Tim daydreamed of it often—no capes, no mission, the solace of a brother only a nightmare-city away, and his quiet balcony. If Tim was lucky, a heart-to-heart. Namely, about the No Good, Very Bad Year he was having.

Same one he was sure Dick was going through now, if only Dick deigned to tell him anything.

“Let’s try it together,” Tim said, conspiratory. “Skin and everything. Sprinkle some seasoning. Alfred would call it… positively diabolical.”

“Oh, I’d move heaven and earth to see that look on that man’s face again.” Dick tipped the mango-bowl into his mouth, then licked his lips with sticky satisfaction. “God. This stuff is top-shelf. Which sunny, tropical island did you pick them from, Tim—the Philippines?”

“Just a freebie. From a grateful citizen.”

Wow, and he was starting to lie to Dick the way he lied to Bruce: with alarmingly little remorse!

The truth: Tim had seen the streetcam footage. Dick Grayson liked to linger longer than normal by that market stall on Hammerstone; stuff was always overpriced, but he stayed for the small talk, exchanging recipes and turning over spotted fruit, face soft with a small secret joy until some goon on busted tires screeched by, or the disembodied voice in his comm summoned him back into the fold—exit Richard Grayson, bereft of mangoes.

“A freebie, huh?” Dick said.

Tim shrugged. “Stopped a mugging on my way here.”

“‘Course you did.”

Tim looked up to see a secret smile on Dick’s face, the dimple deepening. Tim ducked his head—it was always intense when Dick did that, holding your eyes to wait for his words to land. When Dick pushed himself away from the table, Tim was glad to look without being seen.

The scrape on Dick’s elbow matched Batman’s data: Nightwing smashed himself free from a plexiglass wall when it came down on him; there was that wispy patch of petrified-looking hair near his left ear where the flames nearly singed his scalp off. Take a few drunk accidental teenage arsons, a rice cooker, and a wall outlet that hadn’t been maintained since the 80s, and you get a nice, toasty residential building that collapsed in forty minutes. With their training, Nightwing should’ve been in and out in five, tops.

Dick coughed as he groped inside the cupboard. Lung irritation, Tim noted. Possible airway inflammation. Shoddy haircut. Dick must’ve tried to trim the charred split ends. If Tim was there. If Tim had covered his blind spot. If Tim was someone Dick could count on from time to time, maybe.

Maybe.

If, if, if.

“Sorry, haven’t stocked the fridge yet,” Dick said. “Water fine?”

“Yep,” Tim says, popping the P, and looked at the carpet the moment Dick’s stagelight-eyes turned his way. His gaze had scanned Tim with that same cataloging sweep earlier. If Dick noticed the weight of Tim’s Mission, paling him like some kind of sepsis, he said nothing. Tim knew what Dick was trying to do. This polite distance, not quite cold, not quite warm, was a dead sea any man could drown in. Bruce currently was. Dick intended to leave Tim here too, in the rolling distance, where no eyes could follow. Fat fucking chance.

Watch me on the trapeze, Tim, said Dick from the memory; staring from a boy’s impish face; those torch-bright eyes, holding his frightened ones. I’m going to do my act—’specially for you. And Tim had watched. And Tim had never stopped, how could he ever stop?

“So, this friendly visit…” Dick slid him a chipped mug of water. “B asked you to check in, or is this gonna be a regular thing from now?”

“Naw, I was just,” Tim waved vaguely. “around.”

“And you got free mangoes.”

Tim sipped. “Thought I’d share my spoils of war.”

The cold hard truth: Tim needed a reason to see his brother now. A work reason. No one wasted Nightwing’s time. While dodging stilted dinners at the manor and Bruce’s guilt-marred face, Tim had spent the better part of his days turning the adoption offer in his head, plugging a fake uncle into his stage-life, not calling Dick, and tracking transactions in the deep web black markets. He had a lead to a CP ring tied to Gotham’s cluster of orphanages—just more children slipping through Her fingers, with no one to come looking. But Tim was looking now. Ten years too late, maybe, but looking all the same.

Bless Barbara and her detailed surveillance notes. He’d set up the alert as instructed and lost himself in the Styx waters of rote work, wading deep, the world submerged into the dull clack of fingers on a keyboard.

Tuesday morning, a new video was uploaded—the price tag: half a million in crypto.

The preview was fifteen seconds long. The footage, cast in near-darkness, had grain matching those recorded on a point-and-shoot that hadn’t been in the market for at least eight years. JVC VHS-C Camcorder, that was how old it was. But Tim knew that figure in the thumbnail. Canary-yellow cape, bloodied knees and pixie boots. A costume for someone ten apples tall.

Only one Robin was fighting against the affliction that was Gotham in single digits. And Tim would know him; his eyes had memorized him, the heft and shape and dazzle of him, imprinting like an afterimage.

Watch me on the trapeze, Tim.

“Get a visual,” was all Batman said, when he called an hour before. This was a case he didn’t think Batman was even supposed to know about, but Tim didn’t press; that voice, floundering in the undercurrent, was all Bruce. “I’ll take care of things here.”

Lung irritation, Tim thought. Grainy footage. Bruce’s cryptic-as-hell phone call. Charred split ends. Nightwing’s casual suicidal patrols? Yeah, Tim was going to dry-heave across Dick’s apartment floor; the inside of his mouth was all sour, like something gone bad overnight. Dick knew about the leak, but not that Batman and his underperforming Robin were on the case, too. Tim was gonna have to do it again—like his first day at the Cave, digging up the memory of Dick’s ghosts, not letting the damn dead stay dead.

Dick threw a hand towel at Tim’s face with a laugh. “Wipe your mouth, Timmy.”

Nicknames, huh.

If Dick hated him, he was hiding it well. Like a child, Tim obediently cleaned the pulp from his mouth. Then, like a coward: “Could I—bathroom?”

read the rest on ao3

[stripedstarsblueflags]

Goodbye to a World

reading between the lines of the various goodbyes and dismissals to logan sargeant

Pt. 1: Williams App

full series

i don’t have to say a whole lot about the end of july. the wait is over! our second seat for 2025! carlos’s video which was professional and respectful and obligatory. williams garage’s video, which was appalling and shameful and disgraceful. we remember, we were there. something to recall, though– you guys remember how there was NO logan announcement? like NONE? we scoured social media like we were stalking our ex and there was nothing?

so we though– or at least, so i thought. i didn’t find the official logan departure announcement until weeks later, and i’m going to have to do this off the top of my head since in the past few days it’s been taken down, but i finally fucking found it– it’s in the williams app. hard to find because you have to scroll through five or six videos first, all under the category:

every time i genuinely think okay, this time it really can’t get worse, we smash through rock bottom like it’s a chassis in australia and hit another. even looking at this old screenshot makes my blood boil. i’m not going to be very coherent so let’s just break this down and phrase all the fuck-ups in a list:

- the only way to find the message is if you have the app. if you PARTICIPATE IN MORE TEAM MARKETING/PROMOTION PLATFORMS. you have to have an account, too. sainz gets eight posts on every single social the team can admin at once, including links, but logan’s post is essentially an easter egg.

- logan’s goodbye post isn’t its own post, it’s included in the sainz category. he doesn’t even get to be an individual figure leaving the team; he’s an event, he’s a side effect, just a domino tipped by another much more important decision. the end of his entire future is a footnote. it’s causation. it’s collateral.

- his cute lil article? it’s titled Thank you, Logan: His Williams Journey. it’s not even titled about logan. it’s williams saying “hey! look at us lovely guardian angels 😌 see how we took this poor little bird under our wings 😊 we’re so philanthropic and generous 😊 read along and find out all the amazing things we did for our little buddy!” it’s promo. it’s propaganda. in the midst of their announcement that he’s being kicked to the curb they take the opportunity to pat themselves on the back for everything they’ve done for him. it’s not enough to bury him alive, they had to dance on his grave too.

- i think there’s a good chance a robot wrote this. either that or they picked the most unoriginal journalist they could find.

that’s just humiliating. a thirteen year old on wattpad describing someone’s eyes as cerulean orbs makes a more captivating point than this.

- james consonants has one quote in the article. he’s the only one who’s quoted. the rest of it is about logan’s carer in junior series with williams driver academy. the last sentence is:

this is going to be more relevant in the posts ahead, when jv pops off once again. but can i also say how revolting it is that the message comes from james? when logan gets dropped early the wording gets a little different, but in the initial announcement (if you can even call it that) it’s all about james. what james has to say to logan specifically. williams’ whole thing is that they’re a family team, birds of a feather that stick together, they have each other’s backs and love and friendship and lalala all that bullshit. one would THINK it would be in their best interest to remember who they are. but nope. instead we get james making a point to single himself out so that he alone gets to show off how kind and forgiving and gracious he is to logan and the lack of a team statement gives the implication that the rest of the team didn’t even care. didn’t even notice. of course that isn’t what’s directly communicated but how sloppy and careless can you get with the wording that that message can even be interpreted IN THE FIRST PLACE?

all in all, williams is telling the world:

logan is not even worth effort. it’s not enough that they’re going to abandon his strategy, give him the shittier car, ice him out in his own team, not give his car any upgrades until over halfway through the season… they’re going to make sure we know that he isn’t even worth good writing. the lack of respect and decency and acknowledging someone as a human being with a sentient presence in the world is so severe that even on the fucking internet, where all they literally have to do so much pr and image management, they don’t have the words.

williams is making sure we all know: logan is so worthless he’s not worth taking the time to say that he’s worthless. they talk about underperformance, and this is the way they treat their team members. their fucking drivers. the faces of the brand.

it’s almost comical. it’s unbelievable. if someone was writing this in a story and i was proofreading, i’d tell them to tone it down, because at this point the antagonist is becoming too villainous to be believable; they’re a caricature, a parody.

but no. this is actually happening.

(to be continued)

[smilesession]

watching stupid videos of some woman who’s getting paid by the Coca Cola company to make Diet Coke look extraordinary delicious and tantalizing by making a big show about how cold it is, talking about how it’s been “marinated” to perfection because she’s let it sit in her refrigerator for fourteen days, with over-the-top marketing aesthetics convincingly disguised as “tips and tricks” on how to make your soda colder (= pop it in the fridge for a while). pouring it over “pebbled ice”. watching this as i sit in my un-airconditioned apartment with nothing to drink except the water in my water filter in the fridge that has needed its filter changed for a while. it’s been a week now of a heat wave where I’m at, every day over 100 degrees, in my un-airconditioned apartment. no air conditioning in here and no ice in the freezer either because i was putting all the ice i had (not pebbled ice, big oval chunks from a tray) down my clothes when I got home after driving home from my un-airconditioned job in my un-airconditioned car. there’s nothing to drink in my refrigerator except the water in the filter and half a steel reserve that I didn’t finish before I went to bed last night so I popped it back in the fridge this morning. my marinated steel reserve

[feetpiclovers]

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[rhaegang]

Felix is the first male Victoria Secret angel and he still models the girls underwear. I like the idea of Ollie being a full nerd for this one, awkward and awfully dressed and nobody understands how he pulled this iconic gorgeous model. Maybe their relationship gets revealed in one of those "what I eat in a day as a Victoria Secret angel" bc Oliver is the one that lovingly prepares everything Felix eats.

HMMMMMMM

I feel like Felix is far too large to model anything VS has ever made — they notoriously run small.

But maybe they’ve decided to get progressive & try to capture a new market segment with high-femme notions & lingerie for the masculine frame. And of course since that’s such a bold business move, they can’t afford to let it flop, so they sign *the* hottest new thing in male modeling — a nepo baby whose mother used to be a VS Angel, in fact, which is the only reason Felix Catton agreed to the contract…

At first, he thinks it’s career suicide, but Elspeth doesn’t let him turn it down. She sees the VISION.

And damn it, but after his first runway in those angel wings and strappy, greecian wrap sandals, Felix does too. He’s never felt hotter than when he was hearing all those shocked gasps and clicking camera shutters. He knows all eyes were on his miles of tanned legs below the lacy, cheeks-out shorts. He knows his broad shoulders look even more delicious when decorated with the satin ribbony straps on a babydoll negligée.

At the recommendation of the creative director, he lets his hair grow out a little longer until it floats around his face in beachy waves just like the women he walks the runway alongside. He starts wearing makeup and earrings in his day to day life, but it’s all rather tasteful. Just some brow pomade and BB cream and pearly highlight, maybe mascara on his lower lashes to really knock people over with his big brown doll eyes. Maybe an adhesive gem beauty mark under one eye. Nothing ostentatious.

His social media was already popular but it has EXPLODED. He’s had to hire someone to manage it all for him. Finding someone was too difficult to do himself, he got overwhelmed by all the options and the resumes and that, so he asked Venetia to do it.

She told him she found someone perfect for the job of not just running his socials but of being his 24/7 personal assistant. A photographer with graphic design experience who has been unemployed for ten months, so he’s desperate enough to deal with all Felix’s wild demands and harebrained ideas.

When Felix meets Oliver, he thinks the guy looks more like a software engineer than a photographer, but it doesn’t take long for him to realize the waxy Nerd coating is thin and what’s underneath is bitter and rich and sweet like dark chocolate and espresso powder.

The photos and videos Oliver snaps, edits, and posts to his socials are absolutely tip fucking top, too. View counts are through the fucking roof. Felix’s agent is SWAMPED with offers for booking him.

Oliver hates writing blurbs and captions though, so Felix takes to tiktok and reels to record short form content where he answers questions, rambles, and otherwise charms the hell out of all his followers.

It’s been about six months since Oliver was hired, and he moved into the guest room of Felix’s flat after the first month when he was insistent he needed more access to Felix’s “real life” to create the type of content his ‘roadmap’ required. (They started sleeping together like. A week after he moved in.)

That’s why Oliver is visible now and then in the background of Felix’s videos. It doesn’t take long for his followers to take note that this severe-looking, conservatively dressed nerd is a recurring presence. It’s confusing, and there are tons of questions in the comments, because Felix’s persona is entirely the opposite — spontaneous, progressive, boundary pushing, whimsical, coquette.

So Felix, still in his short, floral silk kimono robe and retro briefs with PINK branding across the ass, ambushes Ollie one morning. Oliver’s still got his chunky glasses on as he scowls at his giant 4k monitor while editing some photos. Felix gets his phone camera right up in there, saying cheerily, “Morning mate! You up for some Q&A with breakfast?”

And that’s how it comes out that they’re officially seeing each other: via livestream, over croissants and greek yogurt parfaits with green smoothie on the side (because Felix won’t eat his veg regularly unless Oliver puts them in a blender with pineapple and fresh coconut for him).

Followers still have questions. Too many questions. Because like, uh, how? How is THAT guy the one that Felix picked?

(They start to get it once Felix interrupts Oliver’s afternoon yoga for another stream, because holy shit, the sleeveless top and clingy yoga pants would be enough on their own, but that nerd is doing all kinds of intense upside down poses or holding himself up off the floor with just one palm, etc.)

[inamindfarfaraway]

So I saw your post here [https://www.tumblr.com/inamindfarfaraway/690058488775327745/batfamily-fanworks-that-purport-to-be-set-in-the] and oh my gosh YOU ARE SO RIGHT!

As much as I enjoy it, Hush is definitely to blame for this as it is held as THE end-all-be-all of all BatFam stories yet Cass (who an acclaimed ongoing series as Batgirl around the same time) was suspiciously missing from it along with Steph. Yet we only ever get flashbacks to Bab's time as Batgirl so that storyline also ended up cementing Bab's legacy as "the one and only Batgirl". Methinks a certain editor in charge at the time mandated for Cass and Steph to not appear in Hush because they-according to him-"were way too toxic" for said storyline. Because you see, as soon as he became a leading editor, his number one priority was getting rid of Steph and stripping Cass of her Batgirl role.

And so the age of darkness began...

First, there was War Games that solely existed to torture Steph in the most vile, most voyeuristic ways before killing her off. Then there was Robin: One Year Later, one of the worst, horrific character-assassination storylines since Spider-Man's One More Day, where Cass was suddenly turned into an over-the-top Saturday Morning cartoon villain obsessed with killing everyone, giving long-winded "together we can rule the world" speeches and being able to speak and write in fluent Navajo. ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT LANGUAGES IN THE WORLD. Then there was Redemption Road which, despite its good moments and happy ending, did even more damage to Cass's character. And finally, we have Battle For The Cowl which ended up pushing Cass and Steph so far into the background, they were basically erased from the BatFamily altogether.

Yet despite Steph's well-received run as Batgirl, DC's poor marketing and the lead up to the New 52 prevented the series from becoming a proper bestseller and it was cancelled without any fanfare whatsoever. Still, all those horrible decisions and storylines (like War Games and Robin: One Year Later) did such massive, long term damage to the characters that, even despite all the small good things (Steph's Batgirl series to the excellent Gates Of Gotham mini-series starring Cass), they were buried from public consciousness. As for Duke (another character, I'm a fan of), I think its just a case of him being a very recent character, a lack of marketing and higher-ups not knowing what to do with him.

As for the asshole editor who everything to burry the Batgirls, he was eventually fired for creating an "unsafe working environment". And yes, his name rhymes with "Ban Video".

As for the people who keep erasing Cass, Steph and Duke from fan works, I know it sounds depressing but hear me out: Fandom, be it comics, video games, films, cartoons, TV shows, ect, has an unconscious bias of white male favouritism. (Yes, I know Dick is Romani, Damien half-Arabic/Asian yet they're still quite white-passing)

YES! THANK YOU! ALL OF THIS!

It is so sad and frustrating that these bias persist even in communities that are meant to be about joy and love; but of course the Batfam fandom has issues with sexism and racism when the canon also has for so long. I'm sure most fans don't try to be prejudiced, but male and white-passing characters are so much more popular than others. The unfair treatment of Steph as Robin and both her and Barbara in making Babs Batgirl again for no reason is one of the things I wrote Robins: The Musical to vent about, and that's only the tip of the iceberg.

Thanks for the explanation! I was already familiar with most of the context you generously provided, but I still really appreciate it as a specific comics shame/recommendation guide and education for others. I wasn't aware of Gates of Gotham and will read it! Black Bat my beloved. Dan Didio when I catch you...

(My original post is here)

[simslegacy5083]

Not So Berry (Straud Descendants) Gen 9

Today's (9/26/2024) Episode: Rep Redemption

Luigi’s sudden illness delayed his plans to redeem his reputation after his embarrassing fight with the paparazzi at the Flea Market.

He wasn’t sure if it was just age, bad luck, or his multiple comorbidities ganging up on him, but his Bloaty Head symptoms lingered longer than they ever had before. Even with the support of his better half, he struggled to concentrate on anything productive for days.

The couples staggered work schedules had always left Luigi in charge of Skye while Noemi was at the office, but with his head feeling “like an overinflated balloon” he clearly wasn’t capable of providing a safe level of supervision for their boy.

Work on Project Daisy stalled as Noemi called off as well, making sure Skye “let daddy rest” while enjoying some playtime with their friends.

While Noemi was whisking Skye away Luigi’s older family members were coming over to keep him company.

Whether he was relaxing on the couch watching a movie with Grandpa Candor or playing a simple game of “Don’t Wake The Llama” with his Step-Mom, Luigi was glad to have the support of his loved ones to help him feel less alone.

When Luigi’s head finally started to clear he began his campaign to show SimNation he was sorry for his recent actions and intent on changing.

First up on the agenda was setting up time with a therapist and recording the dreaded apology video. True to her word Dr. Valasquez happily agreed to take Luigi back on as a patient, and their prior working relationship helped kick start the beginning of his emotional readjustment.

As for the apology video… it went about as well as he’d expected. His sincerity was hotly debated by some, while many others argued that his entry into anger management therapy showed that he was serious about doing better in the future. Either way, he was glad to be making the effort.

On the advice of his therapist Luigi started making some changes in his lifestyle that he hoped would improve his overall emotional state and leave him with the “spoons” to deal with those times when he was placed in stressful situations that caused his temper to flare.

He started by breaking the habit he’d gotten into of working straight through lunch at the office, taking a little time to work out his stress and get those good endorphins flowing with a quick workout in the facility's small on-site gym.

He continued his “de-stressing campaign” at home, calling up Maids United and arranging for their daily cleaning services package.

For a long time, he’d found many household tasks to be uncomfortable and nausea inducing, and now he and Noemi would be freed of those chores.

His wife, who had herself realized recently that she really preferred when things were kept nice and tidy, was equally excited at the prospect of having someone come in to help keep their home in tip top shape.

Finally, Luigi continued his long-standing practice of giving back to his community, which gave him both a reputation and emotional boost!

He knew his papa would be proud of him for his generous donation of simoleons to the local animal shelter, and it felt good to know that he was helping support animals who were waiting for their “forever home”.

When he maxed his cooking skill making treats for Rainy Day’s career day booth at the high school, the thought of the happy kids warmed his heart.

In the end Luigi felt that all his efforts had been worthwhile.

His anger management therapy was helping him make some positive life changes, and his good works made him feel good while helping others less fortunate.

When public opinion clearly began to turn in his favor once again, he was left with no doubt that he’d made the right decision.

View The Full Story of My Not So Berry Challenge Here

[l3x01d]

98' Furby Battery Contact Replacement/Repair Guide

What you'll need:

soldering iron, flux, 60/40 leaded solder, related safety equipment

size 1 bit Phillips-head screwdriver

needlenose pliers

new battery contacts (the little metal parts inside the battery compartment that touch the batteries) for AAs (the ones i ended up using i got on ebay and were called "Battery Spring Plate AA Battery Contact Nickel Plate 28mmx12mm for DIY 20 Pcs")

q-tips and very very thin/small disposable make up brushes (i found some marketed as stirrers for drinks or resin)

very thin/sharp pry tool or xacto (depends on how corroded the contacts are! you might not need this)

**If you're using this guide for other electronics: Pay attention to what each contact looks like and where it's placed. Take many pictures both close up and far away to help you later! The point is to try and recreate the contacts as exactly as possible. The most important part is that the batteries "contact" (touch) the metal. If there's multiple parts to the compartment (like on this furby) there should be metal connecting all the parts. This will become easier to understand as you read this guide.

This is xXToh-Loo the VoideaterXx! They've been hanging out on my work table while I worked up to changing their heavily corroded battery contacts.

I'm not gonna go over skinning them since there's so many guides/videos already online. I didnt think of doing this guide until after i finished so the pictures are of new/clean contacts. Sorry for any confusion this causes! step 1. open the battery compartment

step 2. clean whatever you can. i have no pictures of this but i used a combination of scraping the corrosion off with my xacto and cleaning it up with isopropyl soaked q-tips. ive heard white vinegar works really well but ive never used it. if you use white vinegar be careful not to get it inside the rest of the furby! also wipe it down after with water. (making sure its VERY dry before putting batteries inside. use distilled if at all possible. your water may have sediments or metals that could interfere with the batteries)

step 3. bend up the metal that connects the top right side of the contacts. wiggle them until they detach from the compartment. used an exacto or something similar to help with this if they're really stuck. be patient! this might take a while. ****If they really won't budge dont give up! You might need to scrape along the inside edge of the metal [or where you think the metal should be if theyre really rusted/corroded] with your exacto until you dig out a lot of the rust/corrosion. Then try and stab it repeatedly almost like slicing a bagel along the whole side inbetween the metal and plastic. Be careful not to hurt the plastic. Wiggle the exacto side to side all along the edge to break it free.*** Remove and dispose of the old contacts.

step 4. using the xacto and pliers do a similar thing to the other side. there are no metal flaps on this side so it requires more patience but keep going! i promise you'll get it out just be careful. once you get it detached from the back grip the spring with your pliers and pull it out that way.

Step 5. Do the same for the inner right side of the battery compartments. These are unique in that they have a long metal part coming off of the contacts. Remember this for later. You may have to open the casing to remove this part? I cant exactly remember. Just be careful and slow. I go over taking the casing off later on.

Ignore the rest of the contacts for now! Clean everything again to the best of your ability. It's time to take off the casing. There's six screws, two halves of the casing, and one back sensor button. Be careful taking the halves apart! There are speaker wires and I will detail how to do so.

Step 6. Take all six screws and the sensor button out. Keep them together!! They're small and rolly.

Step 7. Take off the casing. Start with the "pet" sensor facing you. Take off the Left casing completely. Crack the Right side a bit until you see the speaker. Grip both wires firmly. Tug it a little to get it out. It shouldn't take much pressure at all. Let the speaker hang and take off the Right casing.

If you tilt your furby up you'll see this spring. be carful with it! mine fell out so you might want to consider taking it out and putting it with your screws.

Pretty much the whole rest of this guide involves soldering. It's annoying but not something that will risk any electronics being destroyed so it's actually a pretty good beginner project.

Step 8. Turn on your soldering iron. Get your safety gear on.

Step 9. Desolder the wires on the side of the contacts and remove the contacts. You might have to really work at these ones! These were the worst ones in mine in terms of corrosion. Make sure there's no corrosion left on the wires. Be careful not to damage the wires with the iron.

Step 10. Clean the compartment again and make sure to get any corrosion on the internals (if there is any! mine didnt have any)

Step 11. Cut the tab off of one of the sets of contacts you have. Keep it and put it aside. Put this in the top Left slot in the compartment. Make sure to put the spring in the - slot and the dome in the + slot.

Step 12. Cut one of the contacts in half along the tab. Keep the tab on the spring side. Put it in the top Right slot in the - side. Bend the tab to secure it.

Step 13. Put the dome from the contacts you cut in half in the Left + slot. Put the tab BEHIND it and bend it to secure them. The domes on the contacts I got don't go out very far so I have to get creative.

Step 14. Cut two more contact sets in half. Cut a strip alll the way down the middle including the tab. Keep these strips for the next step.

Step 15. Solder one strip to the spring side a tabs width inside of the square. The strip should line up with the indent when placed into the compartment.

Step 16. Solder the second strip to the middle of the dome square. Solder another dome ontop of that to ensure the battery makes contact.

Step 17. Place these new contacts into the bottom right of the compartment.

Step 18. Cut another contact in half. Cut another strip off the bottom of a full contact set and THEN cut that contact in half. Solder the strips into the middle of the full spring and dome squares. Place them into the bottom Left of the compartment making sure the strips are through the hole that goes to the internals of the furby.

Step 19. Bend and trim both strips on the inside of the furby. Solder the wires to the bent strips. (Step 9 has a good pic of what its supposed to look like) Shove the second cut dome square behind the soldered in one in the compartment to ensure battery contact.

Make sure the metal contacts touches all the batteries and both long metal ends in the bottom right touches both top right bent tabs when the compartment is closed. It should now work perfectly! Put some batteries in and have fun. : ]

[cindylouwho-2]

RECENT SEO & MARKETING NEWS FOR ECOMMERCE, JULY 2024

If you are new to my Tumblr, I usually do these summaries of SEO and marketing news once a month, picking out the pieces that are most likely to be useful to small and micro-businesses.

You can get notified of these updates plus my website blog posts via email: http://bit.ly/CindyLouWho2Blog or get all of the most timely updates plus exclusive content by supporting my Patreon: patreon.com/CindyLouWho2

TOP NEWS & ARTICLES 

There is a relatively new way to file copyright claims against US residents, called The Copyright Claims Board (CCB). I wrote more here [post by me on Patreon]

After a few years of handwringing and false starts, Google is abandoning plans to block third-party cookies in Chrome. Both Safari and Firefox already block them. 

When composing titles and text where other keywords are found, it can be useful to have a short checklist of the types of keywords you need, as this screenshot demonstrates. While that title is too long for most platforms and search engines, it covers really critical points that should get mentioned in the product description and keyword fields/tags as well:

The core keywords that describe the item

What the customer is looking to do - solve a problem? Find a gift? Feel better? 

What makes the product stand out in its field - why buy this instead of something else? Differentiating your items is something that should come before you get to the listing stage, so the keywords should already be in your head. 

Relevant keywords that will be used in long tail searches are always great add-ons.

What if anything about your item is trendy now? E.g., sustainability? Particular colours, styles or materials/ingredients are always important.  

SEO: GOOGLE & OTHER SEARCH ENGINES 

Google’s June spam update has finished rolling out. And here is the full list of Google news from June. 

Expect a new Google core update “in the coming weeks” (as if we needed more Google excitement).

Google’s AI overviews continue to dwindle at the top of search results, now only appearing in 7% of searches.

Despite Google trying to target AI spam, many poorly-copied articles still outrank the originals in Google search results. 

Internal links are important for Google SEO. While this article covers blogging in particular, most of the tips apply to any standalone website. Google also recently did a video [YouTube] on the same topic. 

Google had a really excellent second quarter, mostly due to the cloud and AI. 

Not Google

OpenAI is testing SearchGPT with a small number of subscribers. Alphabet shares dropped 3% after the announcement. 

SOCIAL MEDIA - All Aspects, By Site

General

New social media alert: noplace is a new app billed as MySpace for Gen Z that also has some similarities with Twitter (e.g., text-based chats, with no photos or videos at this time). iOS only at the moment; no Android app or web page. 

Thinking of trying out Bluesky? Here are some tips to get the most out of it. 

Facebook (includes relevant general news from Meta)

Meta’s attempt at circumventing EU privacy regulations through paid subscriptions is illegal under the Digital Markets Act, according to the European Commission. “if the company cannot reach an agreement with regulators before March 2025, the Commission has the power to levy fines of up to 10 percent of the company’s global turnover.”

If you post Reels from a business page, you may be able to let Meta use AI to do A/B testing on the captions and other portions shown. I personally would not do this unless I could see what options they were choosing, since AI is often not as good as it thinks it is. 

Apple’s 30% fee on in-app ad purchases for Facebook and Instagram has kicked in worldwide as of July 1. 

Facebook is testing ads in the Notifications list on the app. 

Meta is encouraging advertisers to connect their Google Analytics accounts to Meta Ads, claiming “integration could improve campaign performance, citing a 22% conversion increase.”

Instagram

The head of Instagram is still emphasizing that the number of DM shares per post is a huge ranking factor. 

LinkedIn

Another article on the basics of setting up LinkedIn and getting found through it. 

You can now advertise your LinkedIn newsletters on the platform. 

Pinterest

Pinterest is slowly testing an AI program that edits the background of product photography without changing the product. 

Is Pinterest dying? An investment research firm thinks so. 

Reddit

If you want to see results from Reddit in your search engine results, Google is the only place that can happen now. 

More than ever, Reddit is being touted as a way to be found (especially in Google search), but you do have to understand how the site works to be successful at it. 

Snapchat

Snapchat+ now has 9 million paying users, and they are getting quite a few new personalization updates, and Snaps that last 50 seconds or less. 

Threads

Threads has hit 175 million active users each month, up from 130 million in February. 

TikTok

TikTok has made it easier to reuse your videos outside of the site without a watermark. 

TikTok users can now select a custom thumbnail image for videos, either a frame from the clip itself, or a still image from elsewhere.  

Twitter

You can opt out of Twitter using your posts as data for its AI, Grok. 

YouTube

YouTube has new tools for Shorts, including one that makes your longer videos into Shorts. 

Community Spaces are the latest YouTube test to try to get more fan involvement, while moving users away from video comments.

(CONTENT) MARKETING (includes blogging, emails, and strategies) 

Start your content marketing plans for August now, including back-to-school themes and Alfred Hitchcock’s birthday on August 13. 

ONLINE ADVERTISING (EXCEPT INDIVIDUAL SOCIAL MEDIA AND ECOMMERCE SITES) 

Google Ads now have several new updates, including blocking misspellings. 

Google’s new Merchant Center Next will soon be available for all users, if they haven’t already been invited. Supplemental feeds are now (or soon will be) allowed there. 

STATS, DATA, TRACKING 

Google Search Console users can now add their shipping and return info to Google search through the Console itself. This is useful for sites that do not pay for Google Ads or use Google’s free shopping ads. 

BUSINESS & CONSUMER TRENDS, STATS & REPORTS; SOCIOLOGY & PSYCHOLOGY, CUSTOMER SERVICE 

The second part of this Whiteboard Friday [video with transcript] discusses how consumer behaviour is changing during tight economic times. “People are still spending. They just want the most for their money. Also, the consideration phase is much more complex and longer.” The remainder of the piece discusses how to approach your target market during these times. 

Prime Day was supposedly the best ever for Amazon, but they didn’t release any numbers. Adobe Analytics tracked US ecommerce sales on those days and provides some insight. “Buy-now, pay-later accounted for 7.6% of all orders, a 16.4% year-over-year increase.”

MISCELLANEOUS

You know how I always tell small business owners to have multiple revenue streams? Tech needs to have multiple providers and backups as well, as the recent CrowdStrike and Microsoft issues demonstrate. 

If you used Google’s old URL shortener anywhere, those links will no longer redirect as of August 25 2024. 

[samarecharm]

Ryuji learns immediately that Akira is a little food goblin and in the worst way possible 😭 He eats literally anything, he doesnt attempt to ‘chef up’ anything he cooks. He draws the line at expired food but the food he makes for himself looks so fucking sad (ryujis words) that it might as well be garbage. And its not that Akira Wont cook or is averse to Learning how to cook, hes just. Busy. And he really doesnt balk at what most would consider bad tasting food. But ryuji does!!! He DOES balk!!!! He balks alot in fact! So while he knows he himself is not the Best cook in the world, he IS someone raised by his momma, and he will use everything she taught him to make food that Akira will ACTUALLY like and not just tolerate.

So he takes Akira food shopping in the market, picks out vegetables and spices and meats that Akira admits (embarrassed) he has never touched in his life. He tells Akira what to look for in markets, whats normally in season, what the appropriate prices are, what different cuts of meat are meant for, and Akira follows him like a toddler following their mother, looking at the displays listening intently. Hes a smart kid. Scary smart. And he picks and chooses whats worth investing into, whether Ryuji realizes it or not. So Akira listens and absorbs whatever Ryuji is telling him, bc Ryuji matters to him.

Ryuji has him on prep work duty. He shows Akira the easy way to chop and cube vegetables. Remembers halfway through that Akira is actually wicked scary with a blade; shows him a video of a professional cutting celery at lightning speed and is SO excited to see Akira replicate it near perfectly. Hes like a machine; chopping with such laser precision and Akira cannot help but feel a little bit warm when Ryuji openly compliments him

Ryuji is so loud and brash everywhere but the kitchen. Hes focused in a way Akira has never seen him be; listing off instructions and tips, carefully adding ingredients and measuring things by eye. While making the stew, he blanks on the amount of seasoning he should be adding, and before Akira can try to help him rubberduck, Ryuji video calls his mom. And Akira almost panics bc what if she was asleep? Or what if shes working??? But she picks up after two rings, wearing a nightgown and smiling huge and wide into the camera. Ryuji waves at her, and then moves the phone a bit to get Akira into frame. He does a very chill, not at all panicked and anxious wave and she smiles at him too.

Ryuji shows her the pot stewing and she comments on the coloring and texture of it. She pokes fun at him (‘oo did you go to a fancy market? Those beef cuts looks very nice’) to which ryuji waves her off, used to her teasing.

‘Have that young man try to season it; this is a team effort!’ And so Ryuji props the phone up so that she can see him and Akira by the stove top as she guides them. A sprinkle of this seasoning from top to bottom, yes perfect, and a pinch of that seasoning- ehh a little more than that- okay perfect, and add a ton of that seasoning in front of you- more. More. Ryuji I said a Ton, tell him i said a Ton- oh right he can hear me I SAID ADD A TON- okay thats it i think, if it comes out too salty, scoop some out and replace it with more stock or some water.

And from then on Ryuji just chats with his mom while Akira watches from his side of the counter; Ryuji mentions the nice lake that he wants to try fishing at, and some nice natural paths to run on in the mornings, and she tells him about her shift and the movie she saw the other day with some friends. Its very nice. It comes so easy to them; Akira cant remember the last time he got to hear his mom just chat about her life with him. Kinda hurts, but not really. Not when hes got Sojiro calling him, telling him about his day while Akira tinkers about at his desk. Its basically the same thing; even better when Akira thinks about it.

And then he thinks some more. And into the realization that Ryuji is here with him in his house cooking and relaxing and chatting with his mom. The tv is on in the livingroom buzzing at a volume thats barely audible. The setting sun is peaking through the curtains. His mom makes a snide comment about her coworker that makes Ryuji laugh a bit under his breath, and Akira is like. Painfully aware of how nice this feels. Warm and easy. It feels a bit silly to even say it but it feels domestic; it feels like home. And hes always been here, always lived here, but it didnt feel like Home as much as it did in this moment, with Ryuji idly chatting with his mom as he tended to the pot on the stove. He wants to capture this moment and keep it tucked away somewhere. And later on, when hes staring at the ceiling, head swimming as he tries to fall asleep, he’ll think ‘no. I dont want to just have this moment. I want more moments like this. I want to live in these moments again and again and again.’ Hes greedy like that, he thinks. He wants and wants and wants; wants so bad it makes his chest ache.

The stew comes out good. A bit salty, which Ryuji remedies by adding a bit more stock to the pot after theyve had their servings. Akiras face is a mix of childlike delight and contentment, eyes bright in that sweet and adorable way that has Ryujis face turning pink, suddenly a bit shy. Being complimented about his cooking is a different kind of nice hes not used to. Akira does a little happy bop with his head, the same bop he’ll do when he eats sweets with Ann.

“This is Really good-‘

“Oi! Please chew everything first before talking.”

Akira thinks its an act of love. In the same way art from Yusuke is an act of love, and the way Hangout Nights with Ann is an act of love; this is Ryujis. I want you to eat well. I want you to be well. Because I care about you. Ryuji cares so much. To come and stay with him. To cook with him, to live with him, even if for a moment. ‘My place…is right at your side.’ ‘Whaddya mean? Youre there.’ Like it keeps Akira up at night sometimes thinking of how much hes loved. It feels so foreign to him, yet natural all at once. Waking up to the rest of the breakfast Ryuji left for him after cooking. Ryuji listening to him ramble about some tech shit Akira knows only he truly cares about (Ryuji pays attention and tries to follow which is more than Akira can ask for). Like its a bit overwhelming but its nice. Its warm and loving and its nice.

Ryuji finds himself napping against Akiras taller frame on the couch, the movie they picked out failing to keep him entertained enough, and Akira thinks Ryuji feels the same way; its warm and loving and nice.

[jewelk595]

Effective Social Media Marketing Tips and Tricks

In today's digital age, social media marketing has become an indispensable tool for businesses looking to reach and engage with their target audience. To harness the full potential of social media platforms, it's essential to employ effective strategies. Here are three valuable tips and tricks for successful social media marketing:

Know Your Audience Inside Out: Understanding your target audience is the foundation of a successful social media marketing campaign. Start by creating detailed buyer personas that include demographics, interests, pain points, and online behavior. This knowledge allows you to tailor your content and messaging to resonate with your audience's preferences and needs.Additionally, use the analytics tools provided by social media platforms to gain insights into your audience's engagement patterns. Monitor metrics like post reach, engagement rates, and click-through rates to gauge the effectiveness of your content. Adjust your strategy based on these insights to ensure you're delivering the right content to the right people at the right time.

Consistency Is Key: Consistency is a vital element of social media marketing success. Develop a content calendar that outlines when and what type of content you'll post on each platform. Posting regularly helps you stay top-of-mind with your audience and encourages followers to engage with your content.Maintain a consistent brand voice and aesthetic across all your social media profiles. This builds brand recognition and reinforces your business's identity. Use scheduling tools to plan and automate posts, but don't forget to stay responsive to real-time trends and engage with your audience promptly.

Leverage Visual Content and Storytelling: Visual content, such as images, videos, and infographics, tends to perform exceptionally well on social media. People are naturally drawn to visuals, and they are more likely to share and engage with content that includes compelling imagery. Use high-quality visuals that align with your brand message and storytelling.Effective storytelling is another powerful tool in your social media marketing arsenal. Craft narratives that connect with your audience on an emotional level. Share success stories, customer testimonials, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into your business. Stories help humanize your brand and make it relatable, fostering a deeper connection with your followers.

In conclusion, successful social media marketing requires a deep understanding of your audience, a commitment to consistency, and a focus on engaging visual content and storytelling. By implementing these tips and tricks, businesses can build a strong online presence, foster customer loyalty, and drive tangible results through their social media efforts.