#and its literally a task that takes all of like 5 minutes tops and ive been doing it pretty much since we moved in over a year ago now

[mbat]

how ive been feeling lately

[beelziebabie]

Title: Alphabet Headcanons with Beelzebub

Time Started: 4:25 AM

Time Finished: 5:30 AM

SFW or NSFW?: SFW

Reader insert?: Yes

~

SFW:

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Beelzebub has a strange way of showing you affection. He’ll shower you in snacks and different foods until you cant eat anymore, then wait until you can eat to feed you to the brim again. He’s trying his best ok

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

You knew each other from your arrival in Devildom, but your friendship really blossomed when you had to move in with him temporarily. He opened up to you and you respected him a lot for that, especially since you are just a human, no one special. Soon, even after you got your room back, you started hanging out in his room again just to talk with him.

So many movie nights. Only because you want to watch a lot of movies and he just wants popcorn. Secret tips to the kitchen at night, going to Hell’a Kitchen during lunch, all that jazz. He’s obviously a pretty good cook, so if you’re lacking in that department he will surely give you some pointers.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Is pretty open to cuddles but fairly shy about it. Even if he wants a short hug, he’ll give you hand a light squeeze to get your attention, then stare at you with puppy dog eyes and its hard to say no to that. His favorite way to cuddle you is to envelop you in his arms, most of the time picking you up. When spooning, he likes being the big spoon because it makes him feel like he’s protecting you the way he couldn’t for “others.”

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

Like I said before. Definitely good at cooking. Give him any recipe and he’ll be able to make it better than what you’d expect. He’s decent at cleaning, but most of the time when he cleans up after himself he’ll just get hungry again from thinking about how the mess was made. He’ll go back to eating right when he’s halfway done cleaning. The cycle continues.

And yes, he does want to get settled down, but not yet. He isn’t ready. He’s already pretty mature but he has a lot of anxiety of not being able to protect the little one good enough. He doesn’t want a repeat of what happened.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

Gently but also very straightforward at the same time. Right at the end of the day, because he would want to ruin their mood for the entire day. He’s give them a huge hug first (depending on the reason why he’s breaking up with them) then tell it to them straight up. He’d explain why straight after, apologize, then leave to give them some time to think.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Very loyal. Super super loyal and would do anything for his partner’s sake. Again, he doesn’t want to get married right at the moment, but when he’s older and stronger he’d definitely consider it.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

GENTLE GIANT. Snacks and cuddles always available if you ever need it, just say the word. The average demon is taller than the average human by a long shot, and on top of that Beelzebub is taller than your average demon. He’d carry you wherever you’d want to go, always at your beckon call.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

Loves hugs so much. Ive said this a lot before but he really, REALLY likes the feeling of being able to shield you from anything that could potentially harm you. He doesn’t initiate the hugs often. His hugs are very warm and cozy, like sitting in front of a fireplace. But sometimes hug sessions get interrupted from his grumbling belly lol

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

Not very fast. He’s scared to get attached too quickly and end up losing you. So he’d wait until it was unbearable to wait any longer. Then he’d probably say it on accident and will be so flustered about it.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Not the jealous type! But when he does get jealous its obvious. He’ll eat a little bit less than usual, he’ll look a bit angrier, and it’ll be easier to tick him off.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Collarbone and neck kisses when he’s feeling Intimate, Forehead and cheek kisses for something cuter. Especially likes forehead kisses because it reminds him of his height different between you two. When you share your first kiss, he’ll of course taste like food. But past that, he tastes like peppermint and cherry, quite an addicting flavor if you ask me. He probably keeps multiple packs of gum on him just to make sure his breath is fresh.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

So so protective. Since theyre young, naive, and weak, he’d use that as even more of a reason to protect them from literally anything. Plastic fork? Dangerous. Doll? Dangerous. String? DEFINITELY dangerous.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

When he wakes up he wastes no time in getting ready. If anything he rushes, a lot. Just to get downstairs and eat. But when he isnt rushing, he’d actually lay in his bed for a good 10 minutes before actually getting up. His mornings are kind of slow, when he isnt hingry that is.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Cuddles all through the night. He’ll only let you go if its an absolute emergency. If not, don’t expect to be getting up until his next snack break.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

I said this earlier but he started opening up to you when you had to move in with him. He says everything slowly, because thinking back on those times hurts him a lot. You’ll definitely need to hold him through it, even if its just holding his hand.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

Not very easily. He’s also very east to please, too. Just don’t eat his food and everything is good.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

All depends on his relationship with you. When youre starting off as friends, he wont pay any mind to the little things you do. But as your relationship progresses he starts to notice them and honestly he gets a bit flustered by it.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

The first time you cook something for him. It wouldn’t taste the same as anything else he has ever eaten before. He would love it so much that he would beg you to make him food more often.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Ive already covered this and its kinda nnoying now lmao

And no, he wouldn’t want to be protected. He believes that he is strong enough to protect himself and he doesn’t want to burden anyone.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

Tbh not much for dates and gifts and stuff like that. For anniversaries however, he’ll take you out on a date to one of his favorite restaurants, or cook a huge meal for both you and him. He’d eat most of it though.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

He eats a lot. And he eats anything that fits his appetite, even if its not actual food. And sometimes when you’re together his hunger will pop up again and he’ll need to eat something before continuing. You don’t blame him, but he feels a bit bad about it.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

Not very concerned at all. He’ll occasionally dress up but only if he’s being told to. Other than that, no, he doesn’t really care much about his looks. He just wants to look presentable enough to go out.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Also depends on your relationship with him. If you’re just a friend who he occasionally talks to, then no, he wouldn’t care much about you. But anything past that he would feel like you are becoming more and more part of him.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

idk lmfao

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

In general, he wouldn’t like it if you were sneaky when it comes to food. Please don’t ever steal his food. I’m begging you.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

Cant sleep without holding something. Whether it be a pillow or a person, he needs to hold something while going to sleep. When you came into his life he slowly eased that onto you, starting with just sitting on the bed with you as you slept, then he would lay down with you and drape his arm across you, then after that he’d hold you just like a child would to a teddy bear.

~

NSFW version coming right after this!

(sorry if theres spelling mistakes lmfao im so tired sorry)

[livebloggingmydescentintomadness]

So I'm absolutely disgusting as a human being like I've got bin bags from months ago in my room because I just can't get myself to take them downstairs and in the bin cause I live with other people and therfore only wanna take a couple at a time but everytime I take some i get new ones before I can take more and now I've got fucking fruit flies or something in my room and idk where from bit like any tips? Cause I kinda wanna kill myself rn because I'm supposed to be a fucking adult part 1

And this so far beyond gross and I hate it I hate trying to manage shit like this alone like I really hate it and everytime I try to clean I just get so overwhelmed and then I start to breakdown and its so fucking stupid like if I just kept on top of it, it'd be fine but I can't I've always had this fucking shit I just don't even see the mess until I'm having to do an obstacle course to get in my bed and moldy fucking food is sat there then I fucking realise part 2

And i hate myself I wish I was able to keep up with this shit, I wish I fucking could keep on top of it and clean up like a normal fucking person but I'm fucking useless my dad was right and I fucking hate myself I have showered in weeks, I have cleaned my room fully (like taken all the bins and everything) since fucking last year and like I just hate myself I wish I was normal I wish I wasn't useless but god I'm gross and I don't know why even I just don't see it and put it off part 3

And i dont know why I do that like I really don't get it I've been the same all my life like I just don't see the mess building up until I'm literally living with fucking bin bags all around me, moldy food and fucking fruit flies (fruit flies are a first but I fucking hate them) and just im trying to clean and I don't fucking know how to I don't know where to start I've got like 10 bin bags fruit flies somewhere in here and I don't know what to do please help part 4

Like ive tried lists, Ive tried breaking it down into smaller tasks, I've tried listening to stuff and doing it but everytime I just get so overwhelmed and like end up breaking down and hating myself for it getting this bad like I just don't know what to do anymore I hate myself for being so gross but like how do I stop it like I wish I knew I try but like how can you change something you don't even notice until its a problem and then once it's a problem it's too overwhelming to deal with part 5

hey there, sweetheart, listen to me for a minute here. do you want to be living like this? 

of course you don’t. that’s a stupid question. you just said you hate this a dozen times, you’re so distressed by this situation that you say you’re contemplating suicide. that’s how desperately you hate living like this.

what does that tell me? that tells me that the force that has you living like this is incredibly powerful. that tells me that what has you living like this is, at present, stronger than you are. nobody just chooses to live in a way that makes them want to die if they have an alternative. nobody decides to stay in a situation that makes them miserable if they could just make a choice to fix it, right? 

this isn’t you. YOU are made miserable by this, so what’s putting you in this miserable place is not you as a person, it’s something in your head that’s the mental and biochemical equivalent of the berlin wall. you’ve tried to get around it in every way you can think of, but it continues to keep you separated from the life you want to be living.

that’s not laziness, that’s not poor character, that’s not failure. that’s a disorder. that is a real, concrete illness in your brain that is genuinely, literally impeding your ability to function.

believe me, darling, when i say that i understand. i am surrounded by messes that i’m embarrassed by and want to clean up desperately, but i’m held back by crushing fatigue and i don’t have the strength to pick the trash up off the floor or get down on my hands and knees and clean up the cat pee stains that are a couple years old. i’m stuck in a limbo of trying to survive my own illness and being forced to ignore disgusting messes that would make me much more sick to try and clean. i fucking hate it.

and because i understand, i want to tell you that i am, in all sincerity, incredibly proud of you for how hard you’ve been trying. you have been trying so, so hard, and just because you haven’t succeeded doesn’t mean that your trying is meaningless. you’ve tried and you want so, so badly to get better. that is meaningful. i do not think less of you because of the mess your illness has put you in. 

it’s not your fault that you’re sick. it isn’t your fault. you’ve tried so hard.

now, i’m going to ask you to do something really hard, but because you’ve had the strength to try so hard, i believe that you’ll have the strength to do it. okay? please don’t dismiss what i’m going to ask you to do right away, even though you’ll want to.

i want you to ask for help. 

if you trust one of the other people in your house, then go to them; if not, then any friend or family or whomever you know locally that you trust. i know everything in your brain is screaming against it, but i want you to ask that person you trust to help you to clean out the trash from your room. it will be awful, and you’ll cry, and you’ll hate it, but then the mess will be gone and you’ll be able to breathe again. 

(what you’re calling fruit flies are probably gnats, which i’ve gotten several times due to potatoes or onions rotting in the pantry. get rid of the rotten food they’re eating and they’ll go away. if they don’t, you can get a sticky fly strip to hang up and that will help to catch them.)

now, i know that’s already asking a whole lot, but i’m going to ask you one thing more, because even a deep-clean of your room won’t solve the problem. i want you to ask for help from a mental health professional. since you’re calling them ‘bins’ i’m guessing you’re british (in america we usually call them trash cans or garbage cans/bags), so hopefully mental health services aren’t prohibitively expensive where you live, but even so this is my therapy resources tag, but also - this is very important - my going to therapy tag. that one has posts that will hold your hand through every step of finding, selecting, going to, and talking to a therapist for the first time. i know it might be difficult for you to get there, but please ask someone to help get you to a therapist, because you urgently need one.

i know all this is fucking overwhelming and probably feels utterly impossible when you’re surrounded by garbage and haven’t showered in forever and you just want everything to be done with, but please please please listen to me. you are seriously mentally ill. at the very least you have major depressive disorder. you need professional help, because you can’t do this alone. and that is not, i fucking swear to you, something shameful.

you can’t “try harder” your way out of this. you’ve tried as hard as you can, and you’ve reached the end of your abilities. that’s okay. it’s fucking okay to need help. it’s okay to need someone to do things for you sometimes. you would do something for someone else if they needed it, wouldn’t you? if someone couldn’t open a jar because of their arthritis, or couldn’t reach a shelf because they’re in a wheelchair, you’d help them without judging them or thinking they’re pathetic, wouldn’t you?

i know mental illnesses can be so much more riddled with shame, especially considering your depression has a megaphone of self-loathing in your ear 24/7, but i promise you that things can get better if you’ll accept help. you can get treatment that will change things, that will make it so that your trying goes farther, so the wall starts to come down. you aren’t hopeless. and even more importantly, you aren’t useless.

you are a good and valuable and worthwhile human being, and you deserve to receive the help you need to get back on your feet. i promise. you are worthy of help, and it’s not failure to ask for it. it’s really, really fucking brave to ask for help.

i know this is overwhelming and horrible. i wish i could be there and help you right now, or at least be able to tell you to your face that you are anything but useless. but i believe with all my heart that you are a worthy person in a shitty situation with a shitty disorder sabotaging all your best efforts, and i believe that you can not be so miserable if you get the help you deserve.

since i can’t say everything i’d like to, i’m going to give you a bunk of tags and i want you to go through them as best you can: depression, executive dysfunction, how to talk about it, suicide, coping skills, mental illness resources. and while i’m at it: parental abuse, abuse tactics, abuse resources, abuse tips, and abuse support, because from the way you talk i’m concerned that your father is emotionally abusive. 

i know that’s a lot i’ve thrown at you, but you don’t have to digest it all now, you can bookmark this and come back to it as you can. in fact, please do, because i want you to reread what i’ve said to you again every time the self-hatred becomes unbearably loud, and i want you to remember that i care about you. i don’t judge you. i want the best for you, and i believe in your strength and your worthiness. i believe that you aren’t useless, but also that you’re so much more than merely useful. 

you matter, and you’re important, because you’re a human being, not because you provide anything or do anything. no amount of mess can ever change the fact of your worth.

[rixxy8173571m3w1p3]

The Truths Found On Petram Viridios IV (1/?)

What started out as an idea for a short one shot grew into a multichap that I'm almost done editing. I think 🤔 it'll be either 4 or 5 chapters long depending on how long each chapter will be after I'm done editing. Anyway, I hope you guys will enjoy.

In this fic you learn how easily things can change, but how it effects you isn't always a bad thing.

________________

Chapter 1: The Phenomenon

There was little difference to what was happening around you at the moment. There were no little green men, or yellow submarines, neither were there tangelos, or bags of golden rings, but there was a blue-haired man with plenty of dreams. Still, life was swell; summer was around the corner, and you were reading in the garage just to be near Zeta-7; he was working on his latest piece of tech, and you were distracted by his charming quirks and ticks. If you hadn't known any better, you'd say it was business as usual. Yet, it was because you had been acquainted with Rick that the previous blindspots of your world were made known to you; conscious of the rare events which were going to take place in another quadrant of space.

A phenomenon was going to occur; one which would not happen again for another 1000 years; the blooming of the Milleannos flower. Legends say that those who touch its pollen might live forever, and those who smell its perfume might be cured of all that ails them, but those claims were supposedly unsubstantiated. There was to be a gala to celebrate the occasion; all in attendance were respectable, distinguished guests and because of Rick, you were also invited, but there were rules; strict guidelines which were to be obeyed unless you wished to throw away your life. And although you weren't happy about them, you were willing to abide by them for Rick's sake. However, there were a few things you didn't understand. "Rick, why won't we be allowed to dance together?"

His hands paused their activity, and his body sagged a little; dreading the reminder not because he's informed you already, but because it pained him to remind himself that he couldn't spend a once in a lifetime occasion with you. "B-because according to the laws of Petram Viridios IV, you are assigned a um - a party companion which is determined according to the alignment of your spine, carbon dioxide levels, as well as daily water intake. And due to the variety of guests, everyone must stand at least six feet apart to avoid air poisoning. However, if given an a-air helmet in order to assist with breathing, then I believe that the last rule isn't as severe. It's - there is a-a lot to remember."

Currently, he was piecing together the circuits and connecting the wires which would power his reflective shield. It was going to be worn under his dress shirt and would be undetectable under their scanners; as a precaution of course. "Ricky, you know I barely drink water." You weren't a fan of water, but you enjoyed flavored beverages and if you did drink water, it was always carbonated first. "I mean, I can get past the distance thing, but what am I supposed to do if I'm assigned to someone I don't like, and have to spend hours being bored and jealous that you're next to gorgeous, realistic fembots from Westworld?"

Unlike you, Zeta-7 drank so much water, you wondered how he wasn't rushing to the bathroom every five minutes. The only other people who drank that much water were beauty gurus who wanted to keep their skin in tip-top shape; you could really try harder if you wanted to. Good naturedly, he answered. "Gosh, y-you don't have to worry about that. I know a fembot when I-I see one."

You raised a brow at this, but seeing as he meant it literally, you listened on. "No s-siree, I won't be assigned a party companion because I'm going t-t-to be assisting the king in protecting their sacred relic."

How Rick became designated to assist with such a task was beyond you, but there seemed to be a glimmer of slight pride in the fact that he'd be so lucky and privileged as to be near the legendary flower, as well as to the beings who revered it. He was determined to find out the truth behind its properties, and if his hypothesis proved true, then he had a plan. You enjoyed when he was diverted with schemes; not the kind which was evil in nature, but the ones which could end happily or inconclusively. Anyway, you two were discussing how to go about it all.

The discussion had gaps of pause where he'd need to concentrate on bits of wiring that needed to be soldered or bent. Without distraction, you were more aware that it was humid, especially with the garage door being fully open for proper ventilation; bits of your hair stuck to your face and to the back of your neck despite how you'd try to tie it. As annoying as it was, it did have its draw; every so often, you'd catch Rick staring and you'd feel a thrill for it could be a year or ten years, but his shy tendencies would never stop being endearing; why he felt the need to reign himself when you were cool with him checking you out was something you hoped he'd someday become more comfortable with, but for now you'd simply giggle and wink at him to let him know you knew. He did his best to focus on the task at hand, but it wasn't going as well as he had hoped for it happened more than once that you'd have to hand him a tool he was blindly reaching out for. "You wouldn't happen to know who my party companion is," you inquired, as you were tying your hair up for the umpteenth time. "do you? And if you do, can't you change them?"

Giving you that look which always preceded his speeches of why he couldn't do that random illegal thing, he explained with kindly patience. "I could change th-the records, and assign you to someone I know, but that wouldn't be legal."

"I know."

"However," he brightened as he paused his work to face you fully. "I do have a copy of the guest list. Give me a-a moment to pull it up on my computer. Hmm," he wondered more to himself then out loud. "that's odd."

"What is it?"

Drumming his fingertips on his workbench, he double-checked his calculations, then went over and wrote it all out on a chalkboard to be sure. Tapping the freshly used chalk tip to his chin in thought, leaving a little powder on his face, he nodded when it seemed satisfactory. "According to um - to my calculations, it's possible that it's either the Salamandrian chemist, V'gha Khadaka or the Chordatan Knight, Noathamas."

"Is there a correlation between the two?"

"Other than their similar water intake levels, they both enjoy their privacy. However, I'm a-a little stumped as to how it might be possible to be assigned to them both. None of your occupations are similar, neither is there a species similarity, but I'm sure I'll figure it out before the event."

Great, just great. That sort of information wasn't all that helpful, but you pressed a kiss to his cheek to ease the worry which he had been hiding. You wondered if it was too late to back out, but for the most part you were determined to be there for him, even if it meant odd company. "Alright. Um… is there something I should keep in mind before I go dress shopping?"

A quick glance at your current outfit made him smile. You were wearing an old band tee and jeans with so many patches, that they were more patch then jean. "I-I don't think so. Almost anything is fine. Though, y-you might want to avoid plant-based materials in favor of synthetics just in case."

"Okay, I think I can do that, but don't be surprised if I look like I just walked out of a 1980s prom. I'll have you know that being slightly flammable is a dream of mine."

He chuckled at that and patted your shoulder. "Hohoho, I'm sure it'll be fine. You - you always look pretty in whatever you wear."

"If you mean that I'll be so fine, that I'll light up the room with my razzle-dazzle, then you better watch out. You never know who'll be charmed without my knowing."

Now, there had been little to no weight to your phrasing just now, but he felt differently. Giving your shoulders a squeeze, there was a distant, far off look in his eyes that you could only recall from specific occasions. It was a mix of longing, sadness, and regret, but you couldn't pin it on what exactly. It was as though he were trying to convey by sight that there was something he ought to do, that he ought to say, but as quickly as it had appeared, it left and was replaced by acceptance. He pulled away and returned to his previous task while you used a spare computer to begin the search for the perfect dress. He said it'll be fine, and you certainly hoped so.

____________

Adjustments in gravity made you feel as though you could jump in and out of craters as though you were wearing moon shoes; that is until you stepped onto a ship or station, then you felt as though you had fifty pounds tied to each foot. You were grateful for the terrain stabilizers that Rick placed in your flats a few adventures ago, otherwise, you would've already been worn out.

You two arrived a few minutes apart by way of the designated ship which held a variety of guests. To explain, the ship itself was a marvel and a work of beauty as far as intergalactic travel was concerned; its mechanical parts were held together by a compound whose main ingredient was a type of scarlet amber. Piece by piece, it had been crafted by a mixture of living matter and tech so advanced, that it'd have taken 300 years of Earth-based studies to understand a fraction of how one of its panels could work; probably sooner for someone like Rick.

Your eyes trailed the conduits as you were led through hallways that seemed to spiral and spill into larger hallways with varying temperatures and design and you wondered how it was those conduits crossed over and branched off like veins, but you had no time to find out and didn't feel privileged enough to ask as you were led into a cabin. Multiple voices hushed, but resumed to their usual loudness once you had settled into what appeared to be a loveseat with the coloring and texture of a pumpkin; it was your assigned seating, but it was not as soft as you would have liked.

It wouldn't be till later that you'd find out that Rick had traveled in a cabin on level 4 while you had been on level 2. In your cabin was a being composed of pure energy, with a name not spelled in letters but in frequencies, who was one of the musicians. A few feet away, was V'gha Khaḍaka; he was tall, sure-looking, had smooth, striped skin which glistened, and a tail strong enough to break someone's spine in a blink; the good thing was that he hadn't been trained in combat, but was simply a scientist who enjoyed the pursuit of knowledge. And a few feet away from the Salamandrian chemist was the knight Noathamas; he stood at half your height, but his chest was puffed out in such a way that made him appear larger, while his round amber eyes and curly whiskers gave him a soft, cuddly appearance; you had been warned by Rick that his appearance did not reveal much about his character and to watch out for him.

It was uncommon but not unheard of to be assigned multiple party companies as you had been; you were matched up to both V'gha and Noathamas due to your odd chemical makeup. Who would've thought that drinking a La Croix before leaving home would confuse their scanners? Goodness, you were grateful that it was a quick trip, and when it was time to depart the ship, you were escorted by two guards before you were given a helmet; it was nearly invisible except for its indicator light which was shaped like a flower, and it blended in with your dress; a colorful sequin cocktail dress you found on eBay. Not far from you were both your companions, who gave off the impression that they were your entourage rather than dates for the night. You saw Rick from a distance, and you knew he was trying to play it cool, but his eyes were sparkling with affection, although he knew he was supposed to suppress it due to the strict traditions imposed by the royal family; he looked away as he was escorted by six guards, but part of you wished that he hadn't.

You took a deep breath to calm your giddiness; this wasn't the time to allow your emotions to carry you away and affect the mission which was to get through the evening. V'gha could pick up on your subtle changes in body language, and thanks to a universal translator in your helmet, you could understand him. "From what I understand," he commented with a surprisingly smooth, velvety voice. "he's the smartest man in the universe. Is that true?"

"Maybe," you replied nonchalantly, "but he's more than just a brain. I heard he's a great lover. Not really my type," you lied because Zeta-7 suggested that you keep the details of your relationship with him a secret; again for safety, but you thought boasting up his reputation wouldn't hurt. "though, to each his own."

"Do you know him personally?"

When questions like this were thrown at you, it made you wonder about the curious people who meant it to sound nice, but in actuality wanted to test the waters as to how much can they ask so soon. Glancing at your nails, you feigned disinterest. "I'm not sure if I'm allowed to give out that type of information."

"You two are the only humans here." he stated matter of factly. There were humanoid beings but he was right. "It doesn't take rocket science to figure that much out."

"How would you know," you retorted with an air of certainty. "you're not a rocket scientist."

"You're right, I'm not. However, I do dabble into it from time to time. I'm sure he does too. I can smell the exhaust from here."

Hmm, perhaps this event was going to be more interesting than you thought. You shared a look of understanding with the chemist, and thought that perhaps you wouldn't need to be so wary of him; his charisma gave him a charm you hadn't yet decided if it was welcomed or should be ignored; whether his earlier comment was out of egotism or curiosity. And before you could make a comeback, Noathamas commented. "Shall we find our assigned seating and continue from there?"

"Sounds fine. Why don't you two walk ahead," you suggested with a coolness you didn't know you had. "I'll be sure to follow."

When you were sure that they were far enough, you took out your miniature glass terrarium necklace, which held a shrunken sunflower that had an iridescent shimmer on its petals; the one Rick had given you after a memorable date; it was made to remind you of how he saw you and you were very glad it had gone undetected under the scanners you passed through. And in your mind's eye you could still see the glimmer and shine of his electric blue eyes as he had taken in your appearance this afternoon before you two departed Earth; oh how he had wanted to kiss you and hug you but had refrained from doing so in order to double-check if he had all his supplies. His compliments had been many as he drove into the inky blackness of space, but when he parked at the station which was at the midway point, and you two lined up to board the ship which took you to this strange world, his face became neutral; his job made him good at that. You kissed your lovely necklace, replaced it so that it laid underneath your dress collar, and your heart called out to him in the void which was Petram Viridios IV; hoping you wouldn't have to go the through the evening without seeing your beloved again before you made yourself appear neutral and made sure to stay at least six feet apart from everyone in your midst.

Tbc

[leerings]

tips on making through debilitating depressive episodes when you got EXECUTIVE DYSFUNCTION!

i know a lot of people have made these but i just want to make one (mostly for myself? but hopefully it helps others?) idk its cathartic and im going through it so let me live!!!! also some of these are just general depression tips because um... executive dysfuntion doesnt impact everything! also my experiences are specifically with ADHD but im assuming theyll apply to others. 

1) Keep up with hygiene: this is probably the most important thing to do in my opinion. its nearly impossible to want to do anything if you havent taken care of the basics. if showering is too hard, brush your teeth, wash your face, and use dry shampoo... but honestly, even if its the only thing you do and you end up doing it at 9pm, try to take a shower. it will help. 

2) Keep the sad song playlist at bay: its sooo easy to stare at your ceiling and wallow as you listen to mitski for hours on end, but ive noticed that, for me, it just keeps my mood stagnant -- never better. usually when im Going Through It i cant bear to listen to anything up beat or happy, but an easy solution for that is listening to relaxing classical, folk, r&b, etc music. honestly as long as it doesnt remind you that you feel like shit it will be better.

3) Try to talk with your friends: yeah, yeah, adhd makes social media and texting really difficult. for me, when im in a mood, i literally can not text back, make posts, or do anything social. (even though i scroll through social media endlessly, without interacting?) but often this is simultaneously a contributing factor to why you feel bad -- humans are social creatures, we need interaction whether we want it or not lol. try to strike up a text conversation, it can be short, just remind yourself that there are people who care about you and like talking to you. and hey, if you can manage, maybe try to get a quick 30 minute meal with someone. theres less talking, social interaction, and food! which gets me too...

4) Eat as best as you can: i know some people binge eat when their depressed, but im the other side of the coin -- i never eat, i cant muster up the energy to leave bed to find food, mostly because nothing is appetizing in the first place. especially when im on my medication, eating feels nearly impossible. i try to see food as a fuel source when i cant find any joy in it -- even though the experience is unpleasant, my body is loving it. pro tip: leave dried fruits, crackers, your favorite bag of chips, etc under your bed if you’re like me! it makes the whole process a lot easier, and theres less of a hassle in getting food so you might as well eat what you stashed. :p.

5) Clean: after a few days of not doing anything, youre room is gonna start looking like shit. its just an accumulation of your depression and disorganization from adhd, and for me, it makes me feel worse and worse as my room gets dirtier and dirtier. the most important thing ive learned is to tackle one task at a time -- clean the top of your desk, shove all the clothes on your floor into your closet, make your bed... you dont have to do everything in one day. sometimes hiding the mess is a good alternative, and lets you deal with it at a later date while you still have the benefit of a seemingly decluttered room.

6) Try to do something productive: imma be real with you this is one i never follow, but its also really important, especially when youre feeling depressed at a busy time in your life. aim for 5 or 10 minutes of doing an assignment, see how you feel and if you can continue. if not -- thats ok, youve already made a dent, and you can try again later in the day! taking it in 5 to 10 minute increments makes it more manageable, and less of a commitment.

7) Vary what you do: again, so easy to get into hyperfocus and watch 8 hours of sims architecture videos on youtube. try not to let yourself fall into a hole like that. of course, video watching is great, but try to throw in some other of your interests that are more stimulating and interactive. i find myself mindlessly watching videos without even thinking about or absorbing what im watching. its important to branch out -- whether that be video games, drawing, singing... whateva!

im sure there’s more things you can do, and im also aware that these dont apply to everyone. i just think its important to have a realistic baseline of tasks when you feel like you cant do anything. obviously, you shouldnt live like that every day, and you should try to branch out more, but if you ever get stuck please try to take care of yourself! and if this helps im really glad! it helps me! oh and finally -- if youre feeling like this and you havent already, please reach out for support because you literally need it. talking to myself because im still not in therapy but im forcing myself to start this summer because c’mon man this is ridiculous. kbye<3!

[hellyeahomeland]

“Paean to the People” | Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter

“Paean to the People” picks up right where “All In” left off. Carrie and Anson are speeding through the streets of Budapest Moscow Budapow. In this opening shot, their car is the only one on the bridge, adding to the feeling of just how on their own they are, without diplomatic cover, as they try to distract Yevgeny long enough to get Simone on that plane.

The arrangement in this shot!! Everyone whose face is visible is serving so much face. Simone is like, “don’t look at me.” Bennet (with facial hair!) is like, “are you fucking kidding me?” Doxie (with some pretty great side eye) is like, “I am NOT getting stuck in Budapow.” And Ms. Pink Scarf is like, “What am I doing here again? What is my job?” You and us both, Pink Scarf. You and us both.

Let’s give a full round of snaps to Sandy this season. She brought the sassy realness and Russian know-how the whole dang time. This show needs all the female energy it can get and this shot of her pulling out the chair for Clint’s “time out” is incredible. We’re not sure if she’ll be back for season eight, but if she won’t, we will miss her so.

Both Carrie and Anson know what’s at stake in this mission but in this moment, it’s Carrie who has to convince Anson how far she can and will go. We hate to say it, but the moment of recognition shared here between them screams “America First” when Quinn tells Carrie to get in the car and stay down. If seven seasons of Homeland have taught us one thing, it’s that these people all follow the same code: Get in. Get down. Shut up. Mission over self.

IJLTP.

We will hand it to the Homeland props department for getting the birthday right on Simone’s fake Carrie Mathison passport (it’s April 5, 1979). But!! Her middle name is spelled Anne, not Ann.

Simone spent a lot of time obscuring her face from the Russian officials in that car, but this glimpse of her expression after she asks Saul if he’s really going to leave Carrie--the Carrie who CLIMBED A FUCKING ROOF LIKE TWENTY MINUTES AGO TO GET TO SIMONE--in Budapow. That is a pursed lip and evil eye if we ever saw ‘em.

...And, of course, the guilt is written all over his face.

We are CACKLING at the dude in the white jacket in the background. We are not sure if he is just a really bad extra or some random stranger who saw Claire Danes in a Budapest train station and needed to share else he was met with a chorus of “pics or it didn’t happen” from his friends.

Sara and Doxie have the same birthday (November 4), which further solidifies that he is her forever man and the best Carrie Angel of them all.

We talked about the strong “America First” vibes above and the whole sequence of Carrie running through the train station is giving us heavy “The Smile” vibes, too. After seven seasons, it’s difficult for some moments not to feel like explicit callbacks from earlier episodes. After all, maybe looking at a mirror in a crowded marketplace is just Carrie’s favorite American spy woman move. But this shot, and Carrie’s smile later, are so specific that we think the homage is intentional.

IJLTP, II.

Real talk though, you really get a sense of the loneliness of the office here, as Beau faces away, back to the camera, surrounded by those heavy curtains.

Lesli Linka Glatter is a choreographer by training and she’s talked before about the diligent preparation she does before directing a Homeland episode. In sequences like these--filmed, acted, and edited with such specific clarity--that training and preparation come through loud and clear. Every shot has a purpose and we’re exposed to all angles of the action. It really is like a dance.

Here, the slow reveal of Yevgeny coming around the corner ratchets up the stakes as Carrie waits, a sitting duck in the locked room.

And here’s our duck. What’s so great about thrilling and suspenseful action sequences like this is the human moments they’re contrasted with. We can see the fear in her face as she contemplates whether to go down in a blaze of glory. She’s not made of steel. She may only have seconds left to live. She may be a hero but she is not a superhero.

Yevgeny delivers a BudaPOW (sorry, we couldn’t resist) with his punch to Carrie, but her moment of defeat is quickly transformed into one of triumph with the news that Saul and his “package” have achieved lift-off.

This smile, guys. Damn. Claire Danes is in a class all her own.

Delirious, glorious laughter. When was the last time we saw Carrie laugh?

It doesn’t last long, of course. The first rule of Homeland is that if Carrie smiles, shit’s about to get fucked up. “At least she had this moment,” we all whisper quietly to ourselves.

The shots of Saul looking down from his window at the city of Budapow--Carrie in it God knows where, the proverbial needle in the haystack--are powerful. He has left her there. And now he has to get her back.

We love this shot of everyone arrayed out like this, watching Simone’s testimony in The Room Where It Happened. Though we would like to point out that it’s hard to take Bennet seriously without facial hair. Dude, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere. Get on it! (Also there are so many VESTS this season! We count two in this shot alone.)

IJLTP, III.

This is the sequence of shots after Keane says she’ll do everything she can to get Carrie back. There was some chatter about going to Anson first (looking pensive), then Saul (looking sorrowful), and finally Max, who looks the most doubtful and suspect of them all (and, of course, almost hidden behind the others in the back). Sara actually thinks closing with Max is the most powerful. He’s been by Carrie’s side, through thick and thin, all seven seasons of this show. And after the trauma of losing Quinn last season, it’s easy to see how history may be replaying itself for him, this time in agonizing slow-motion.

So many “Pilot” vibes. This show loves playing with reversals and bookends, and having Carrie be the prisoner now is one of the most stinging of them all.

Sara would just like to say that she even looks beautiful in a Russian prison.

The book Carrie’s reading here is called Where Avon into Severn Flows, which is actually a short story by the American writer Harold Frederic and part of his book The Deserter and Other Stories: A Book of Two Wars.

Here is the opening paragraph of the story:

“A boy of fifteen, clad in doublet and hose of plain cloth dyed a sober brown, sat alone at one end of a broad, vaulted room, before a writing table. The strong, clear light which covered him and his work fell through an open window, arched at the top and piercing a stone wall of almost a yard's thickness. Similar openings to the right and left of him marked with bars of light a dozen other places along the extended, shelf-like table, where writers had now finished their day's labor, and, departing, had left covered horns of ink and cleansed utensils behind them. But the boy's task lagged behind fulfilment, and mocked him.”

It’s easy to see the parallels. Carrie is held in a Russian prison, also dressed in plain, ill-fitting clothes. She sits in a broad, vaulted room with a plain writing table nearby. Carrie might have won the battle, getting Simone back to the United States, but here in this cell, her success must feel fleeting and the irony of her current circumstance mocking.

Some major “There’s Something Else Going On” vibes here. (Sorry, we’re just gonna point out all our vibes.)

We’re just gonna call this pose from Costa Ronin the Yevgeny Lean (#IJustLikeHowHeLeans). On a more serious note, some credit needs to be given to Ronin, who brought Yevgeny to life and made him feel like a fully lived-in person. His habit of leaning back, feet propped out before him, is just one small example, but it’s representative of the care and attention he put into crafting such a three-dimensional portrait of one of the most interesting villains in the series’ history.

IJLTP, IV. 

And that IJLTP shot of Carrie, alone in that Russian prison with the stakes (i.e., her mental health) now clearly defined, is followed by the rather astounding hero’s welcome that awaits Keane back in the West Wing. This reminds Sara of those tunnels that sports teams would form after a game for everyone to run through. And now Sara wishes Keane had run through the tunnel, high-fiving everyone.

It’s Tie Color Time! Note that Beau is now back to the blue tie, having resumed his position as Vice President.

Talk about sweet karma. The scene between Paley and Keane is remarkable for a few reasons. First, Paley does all the talking. Keane doesn’t even give him the respect that comes with a response. He lowers himself to his knees, literally begging for her mercy.

Keane is often shot from below, highlighting her stance and power. But here, it’s a point-of-view shot. We see what Paley sees: this woman, whom Saul once claimed could not “rise above her own vindictiveness,” closing in on him, a bird of prey who’s finally made her catch. And then she spits in his face.

The Washington Monument, which sits due east of the Reflecting Pool, adds great dramatic effect to this beautifully shot (and scored) moment after Keane leaves her meeting with Paley. Despite the monument’s great size, in these shots its height matches Keane’s, which is likely intentional.

As the monument was being completed. Joseph R. Chandler, a Freemason and member of the House of Representatives said:

“No more Washingtons shall come in our time ... But his virtues are stamped on the heart of mankind. He who is great in the battlefield looks upward to the generalship of Washington. He who grows wise in counsel feels that he is imitating Washington. He who can resign power against the wishes of a people, has in his eye the bright example of Washington.”  

As she drives back through the DC streets at night one last time as President, she’s clearly at a crossroads. History has its eyes on her. (We will also continue to make ALL the Hamilton references.)

We’re not sure if this moment was scripted or if it was a choice by Claire in the moment. Either way, what’s happening? If she praying? Thanking God? Carrie’s relationship with religion and atonement has been basically nonexistent since the show devoted attention to it in season five. We wonder if, like Brody before her, she may be discovering--or rediscovering, as it were--it while in captivity, a salve for her inevitable isolation.

A few things to note from this headstone:

It’s the tenth anniversary of Andrew’s death.

Are we really meant to believe Keane is old enough to have had a kid in 1979? Elizabeth Marvel was born in 1969, which means she’s playing at least ten years older than she actually is. Sara does not buy this, but whatever.

Andrew is born mere weeks before Carrie, which in hindsight kind of shifts the relationship between Keane and Carrie in season six. Carrie really could be Keane’s daughter, and if Carrie indeed did see her in some small part as a mother figure, it frames her conflict with Saul last season--and the battle for Carrie’s loyalty--in an even sharper light.

This is just a gorgeous light, the rows of headstones filling the bottom half of the screen and the large, overgrown tree framing Keane in the top half. It’s her figurative “moment alone in the shade” (figurative because she’s not really in the shade, but y’all catch our drift).

Again, it was impossible to properly capture the moment when Carrie congratulates Aleksandr through anything other than a gif. The quiver in her voice, her attempt at a forced smile. After this moment, the lighting in the room shifts--she is literally forced to see the light, as the direness of her circumstances are fully revealed.

This is the last time we see Carrie before the “seven months later” coda, so now’s as good a time as any to talk about the truly tremendous work she did this season.

From the opening episode, Claire took us on the tenuous, tumultuous journey of Carrie’s war with her own mind and the battles waged within. Every episode, every moment was brought to life with exacting precision. Sometimes we loved her, and sometimes we hated her, but Claire’s commitment to every moment never wavered, whether it was seducing Dante, having nightmarish visions of her bloodied daughter, or inching her way across that GRU roof.

The throughline of this season of Carrie’s mental health makes this moment and the final scene land with even more crushing weight than they otherwise would. When Carrie experiences a breakdown so harrowing and frightening, she goes to extreme lengths to restore her own sanity. In the last three episodes of the season, we see just how invaluable that sanity is--her mind is both her greatest asset and greatest liability.

Carrie knows here what’s about to happen. She stares, eyes wide open, almost as if she’s glimpsing into the future at what lies before her. There’s no safety net this time, no pills or ECT to pull her back or hit the reset button. But for as much as she knows that she’ll lose her mind (in every sense of the word, it turns out), there is also great uncertainty, looking into “the bottom of a black hole with no walls.”

Something we find super interesting about this sequence is just how many perspectives LLG gives us of Keane’s speech, whether it’s Wellington’s from inside the Oval, Saul in his office, or Yevgeny in Budapow. Again, LLG’s choreography background comes shining through. For almost the entire speech, we see her presidency--and what turns out to be its final moments--through everyone’s lens except her own.

LLG doesn’t shoot Keane center-frame, without some extra filter of a screen, until the very end of the scene, after the speech is over. Keane talks earlier about wanting to speak directly to the American people, from the heart, but what we actually get is everyone looking at screens, at the filtered version of this woman and her office, a metaphor if ever there was one for her short-lived presidency.

As her speech (which, like Washington’s Farewell Address, focuses on the need to not let political parties and divisions tear apart the country) nears its end, we do see Keane center-frame. But, again, it’s a shot of her center-frame on the screen, and her appearance is somehow altered and filtered.

(A quick note about her wardrobe: Keane starts the day grieving for her son at Arlington, and she keeps on the same black clothing during her speech, a signal of the impending end of her presidency. The dangling earrings are also an interesting choice, and an unusual one for Keane, who usually wears studs or conservative-looking hoops. Like Carrie in “Species Jump,” this is as close as she’ll get to “letting her hair down,” and the unconventional jewelry choice conveys the peace she’s found with her decision.)

And now the lights come down on Keane and her presidency, in every sense of the word.

The dynamics of this scene remind Sara of the end of “The Choice,” when Saul sees Carrie in that hall of dead bodies after thinking she’d died in the explosion. They shared a moment of recognition at the end of that scene, standing in stark contrast to what unfolds here.

Here’s our first good shot of Carrie, and there’s a lot to take in. The swollen face and unkempt hair are startling, to say the least. Under her bulky black coat she’s wearing white (you can see a peak of her shirt here but her pants--not visible in this shot--are also white), indicating she’s been in an asylum.

The season opened with Carrie running on a treadmill, athletic and strong, the buzzy chords of jazz blaring in our ears. It ends with our heroine on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. She’s feeble and unsteady, running away from the Russian guards and straight past Saul. We hear jazz again, but it’s slower and somehow weightier.

As Saul gently brushes the hair from her face and looks into her eyes, calling her name, she is seemingly unable to recognize him. Her eyes dart from side to side, up and down, but his remain steady on her, and we can see (and share) the concern and devastation etched on his face.

She’s searching, and so is he.

[maritzaerwin]

The Future of The Accounting Profession: 10 Mega Trends for CPA Firms in 2020

The accounting industry is one of the competitive industries in the world. This is because the accounting profession demands the utmost accuracy. With a huge workload in place, achieving 100% accuracy becomes even more challenging for CPA firms.

This is the reason new trends keep emerging with the passing of every year to streamline the accounting processes. So, what’s in store for 2020? Let’s dig deeper into the same.

Top 10 Trends in The Accounting Industry (2020 and Beyond)

1) Digital Revolution

Digitalization has revolutionized the whole world, and the accounting industry is no different. With ‘tax digitalization’ being made mandatory by governments all over the world, a change is seen significantly in business practices, and the way accountants communicate with their clients.

As per a Forrester report, clients stated they need mobile solutions by the accountants to resolve their financial issues since they spend most of the time on their Smartphones. This is the reason CPA firms are taking every possible step towards digitalizing client communication, with some of them even thinking of launching their own Apps. 

2) Artificial Intelligence (AI)

As per The Sage Practice of Nov 2019 report, 66% of accountants are ready to invest in artificial intelligence, with 55% of the same likely to be using the same by 2024. The reason so many accountants are opting for AI is due to the fact it processes large data volumes at an extremely high speed, along with providing enhanced accuracy and productivity at a much lower cost at the same time.

This 24/7 available ‘virtual team member’ not only takes care of repetitive day-to-day and complex tasks but paves the way for informed decision-making. Going by the Practice of Now study, 58% of accountants are looking forward to automating various tasks with the help of AI, robotics, and machine learning in the coming 3 years. 

3) Immediate Connections

In the digital age of 2020, CPA firms and clients will easily connect in real-time, leading to enhanced transparency and security. Transaction recording, which used to be a time-intensive task, can now be done within seconds, along with allowing access to everyone who wishes to see the validated changes.

Digital tools like mileage trackers help accountants engage clients in a much better way. For instance, using specific algorithms, a trip can be auto-detected by the tracker to ensure the accountant’s app tracks every financial transaction on the Smartphone of the client, avoiding any last-minute tax return hassle.

4) Automated Accounting Processes

Automation is refining the accounting industry as never before. With features like real-time reporting, monetary applications’ management, smart billing, auto-reconciliation, automation is being preferred by CPA firms more and more with the passing of every day. This is the reason; a report by ACCA has confirmed that over 50% of C-level professionals are expecting automated accounting development. Apart from this, decision-making becomes quicker since data is sorted and made available at a fast speed.

Top Accounting Automation Tools:

After you assess the potential of automation tools to benefit your accounting processes, the next step is to choose the right one as per your specific needs.

i) Intuit QuickBooks

Intuit’s QuickBooks is one of the most popular accounting software that helps meet accounting needs, from tracking income and taxes to tax reporting and tracking, creating estimates and invoices, etc.

ii) FreshBooks

This is an apt choice for solo business owners and freelancers for carrying out essential accounting tasks like invoicing, time tracking, reports, payments, and more.

iii) Xero

Apart from carrying out the basic accounting tasks, Xero comes with 24/7 live chat support and is also a significant option when it comes to integrating. With over 600 integrations, managing payroll, inventory, invoicing, etc., becomes a cakewalk. 

iv) Zoho Books

For small to medium-sized businesses, Zoho is pretty much the best choice. It comprises easily understandable graphs and dashboards for streamlining your accounting process, with the automated payment option adding to its glory.

v) Wave

If you are looking for a majority of basic accounting features like bookkeeping at literally no cost, Wave is the name for you. However, payroll services and payment processing which are integrated with the tools of bookkeeping are chargeable.

vi) Netsuite

This is one of the best choices if one is looking to take care of the entire accounting back-office processes since it is the world’s leading ERP and accounting program.

According to the U.S. Accounting Today, the global accounting software market is estimated to reach 11.8 billion dollars by 2026.

Also Read — 9 Best and Low-cost Accounting Softwares for Small Businesses (2020)

5) Data Analytics

 Now, accountants have to play a role greater than that of advisors. Now, they must have qualities that can influence the financial planning and decision-making of the business owners. These qualities come in the form of valuable financial insights that they provide to the owners through the help of data analytics.

With this, they are able to support strategies that not only lead to enhancing process efficiencies but the ability to manage financial risks. As per the Journal of Accountancy’s article, “The Next Frontier in Data Analytics,” CPAs are working on their skills to perform continuous auditing and monitoring, along with full data sets’ analysis to aid better financial planning.

6) Outsourcing Accounting Functions

Outsourcing CPA accounting services are revolutionizing the way CPA firms operate today. Most of the CPA firms look forward to outsourcing their repetitive and day-to-day tasks to outsourcing firms to save time and overhead costs. This allows them to focus on the core business activities for business growth and productivity.

The outsourcing industry incorporates the use of the latest technology to carry out its accounting operations and if we talk about the U.S. market, the following technological trends are creating the biggest impact:

Robotic process automation.

Bookkeeping work.

Tax compliance.

Management accounts.

Cybersecurity and Safety.

7) Blockchain

Blockchain technology has benefited multiple industries. With respect to the accounting industry, it has already reduced the costs of maintaining ledgers and reconciling accounts. Also, assets’ history and ownership accuracy are guaranteed with the use of this technology.

This means accountants can have a clear view of their firms’ available resources and obligations. As per a report by Statista, projects that were blockchain-based witnessed an investment of almost $ 1 billion.

From the 3rd quarter, 2016 till the 4th quarter, 2019, the following represents the number of Blockchain wallet users worldwide.

Since the creation of virtual currency Bitcoin in 2009, Blockchain wallets have been increasing in numbers, reaching over 44 million by December 2019.

Image Source – Statista.com

8) Advisory Services

Advisory services are the next wave of financial solutions in the accounting industry. CPA firms and accountants look forward to providing strategies for growth and profitability. This has been made possible with the elimination of repetitive and manual tasks, paving the way for accountants to spend additional time on data analysis, providing intelligent financial insights and advice.

Leading U.S. Accounting Firms as of March 2020

Image Source – Statista.com

9) Big data

As per a survey in 2016, 59% of professionals stated that analytics skills and data science would become necessary for the managers of finance and accounting by 2020. Big data supports firms by providing them with data platforms combined with expanding opportunities, with finance experts and accountants playing their parts in the background.

They identify which big data is of maximum use and turn the same into actionable insights for strategic decision-making. This means CPAs and accountants will be able to analyze favorable and unfavorable situations in advance through big data analytics and support the owners in preparing for the same.

From 2011-2017, Big Data Market Size Revenue Forecast Worldwide

Image Source – Statista.com

10) Offshore Staffing and Remote Work Setting

 It is always hard for employers to find the best talent for their team. This makes broadening the candidate hiring and search requirements. Now, employees have the option of dictating a few of their employment terms, which includes having a remote and flexible work setting.

The Associated Benefits: 

No potential client loss.

Minimize fear against employees’ losing.

Qualitative checks.

Offer a little extra to your customers.

Hire the offshore team as per your business cycle.

Greater profitability without additional efforts.

Best option to save overhead costs and deal with situations like coronavirus shutdowns.

Looking Forward (Conclusion)

This concludes the fact that a lot of trends are going to reshape and refine the accounting industry like never before in the future.

As per the 2019 Practice of Now report, almost 85% of accountants said an adoption pace is needed in their country to leverage technology in the accounting operations. Apart from this, multiple reasons were given by the CPA firms when asked what’s making them lag behind in terms of technology adoption.

This included a lack of funding and time (38% and13%), lack of expertise (25%), confusion, and more. As far as incorporating the use of technology into every CPA firm is concerned, it will take some time. However, going by the pace it is being accepted at, that day is not far away.accountingtoday.com

The post The Future of The Accounting Profession: 10 Mega Trends for CPA Firms in 2020 appeared first on CareerMetis.com.

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[recentanimenews]

Gainax at 35 and Before: A Look Back at the Daicon Openings

  Gainax Studios was officially founded 35 years ago today, and would go on to bring us classics like Royal Space Force - The Wings of Honneamise, Aim for the Top! Gunbuster, FLCL, and (of course) Evangelion. Hideaki Anno, Takami Akai, Hiroyuki Yamaga, and the rest of the studio's founders have created memborable titles throughout the years. But before Gainax was Gainax, they were a group of art students making shorts under the name Daicon Film: specifically, a now-famous pair of openings for the aforementioned science fiction convention.

  They brought us here, and now we're taking you back again: to the two creations that caught the eye of the anime world and showed what we were in for in the years to come!

  DAICON III: A New Opportunity

  In 1981, the trio of Anno, Akai, and Yamaga were commissioned to create a short opening feature for the upcoming Nihon SF Taikai. The event, which began in 1962 and still runs to this day, changes its name depending on where it's being held and by whom. When in Osaka, it is referred to as DAICON, literally "big con," but also a pun on daikon radishes. '81's event would be DAICON III.

  With the help of Toshio Okada and Yasuhiro Takeda, the three produced the 5 1/2-minute short in an empty room of Okada's house. The three worked non-stop, with a hand here and there on tracing and painting, on as much of a shoestring as you can imagine. Vinyl "cels" were cut from a roll mocked up by a vinyl manufacturer at a fraction of typical animation cel price, and they got what they paid for when it came to durability. A tripod-mounted camera was used for filming, and with no timing sheet to work from, Anno called out the shots himself.

  The result was this:

    While obviously the work of a small team, the DAICON III opening shows immense amounts of promise. Anno was already known for his mechanical animation skills thanks to a local tire commercial, and it shows through here. Akai animated the characters, including the superpowered schoolgirl. The story is simple (our heroine is tasked with protecting a glass of water, with which she waters a wilting radish that becomes the spaceship Daicon), and makes room for innumerable references. Look for cameos out of Ultraman, Godzilla, War of the Worlds, Starship Troopers, Star Trek, and Star Wars... and yet, there are no characters from works by Osamu Tezuka.

  After a heavy hint from Tezuka himself, the team made sure not to repeat the omission.

    DAICON IV: Message from Another Time

  Nihon SF Taikai would return to Osaka in 1983, and the group now known as Daicon Film would return as well... but this time they had increased in number, budget, and ambition.

  The opening to DAICON IV credited a dozen people with production, and was made under far more grueling conditions. With animators working overnight in a studio situated inside a textile factory, it's no wonder the animation quality increased exponentially—and also no wonder they chopped the project's initial 15-minute runtime down to less than 1/3 of its original ambitious length.

  One unpleasant production schedule and an (unlicensed) ELO track later, they had the DAICON IV opening. Our schoolgirl was back, but now all grown up and sporting a Playboy bunny costume. The animation is gorgeous, frenetic, and sometimes chilling. After fights between a cavalcade of sci-fi and anime heroes, an atomic bomb wipes out the earth, followed by a beam of light from the spaceship Daikon resulting in a flourish of rebirth. Finally, there's a flurry of characters—and if you had trouble keeping track in the rest of the video, just wait.

    With copies of both animations being sold to recoup production costs, the DAICON openings are arguably the first ever OVAs. Beyond that, they're a cultural benchmark, both for anime fans and for the creators who are still making amazing anime to this day.

    The DAICON Legacy

  Even if this is your first time seeing the shorts, some of the visuals may look strikingly familiar. There's been no shortage of callbacks to the iconic openings over the years, both within and outside of Gainax.

  FLCL fans will likely recognize the flying bunny girl from Haruko's own adventures... though with fewer swords and more robots and guitars. In case you miss the reference, she even gives a shout of "Daicon V!" to drive it home.

    Earlier on, the studio paid tribute to the DAICON girl in Otaku no Video, the story of a pair of anime fans who go on to start their own studio and become "Otakings." The OVA is based extremely loosely on the early days of Gainax, with Studio GIANT-X making their debut with a character named Misty May... who, like the DAICON girl, transforms from a schoolgirl into a busty bunnygirl.

    A much more on-the-nose depiction of Daicon Film's early days occurs in the series Blue Blazes, based on the manga by Kazuhiko Shimamoto. Shimamoto attended the Osaka University of Arts with the founders of Gainax, and the original manga and resulting adaptation serve as a biography of the founders' early days. In a recreation of a backstage moment from DAICON III, Toshio Okada plays Osamu Tezuka, berating his younger self for "forgetting something." One wonders just how clearly that moment is etched into his memory.

    Fans of Densha Otoko will recognize the animation and the music from the anime adaptation's opening: a tribute to the DAICON IV opening, representing the ambition and accomplishments of anime fans. As an added bonus, the music is licensed this time!

  The studio we came to know as Gainax was established a year after DAICON IV, and they've gone on to create some of our favorite series over the last few decades. Happy birthday, Gainax!

  Are you a fan of the DAICON openings? What's your favorite Gainax anime? Let's celebrate 35 years of awesome shows in the comments!

    -----

Kara Dennison is the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of OEL light novel series Owl's Flower, with writing credits across the Internet. She blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos. Her latest book, Vanishing Tales of the City, is now available for pre-order.

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[thekoreanlass]

I am pleasantly surprised to know that a respectable actor like Kang Ha Neul is actually the protagonist in this mystery-thriller film ‘Forgotten‘. Of course, his character doesn’t deviate much from his usual geeky roles, but he continues to show his charm in such a genre despite the tragedy that comes after.

The movie alone, though loses its fire at the ending, stands out because of its unconventional way of story telling that totally duped me into thinking what is in front of me is real when everything was just nothing but a lie to uncover a truth that had been missing for so many years.

The Story

Jin Seok (Kang Ha Neul) moves into anew home with his family–his mother, father and older brother who had a limp on his leg. He suffers from hypersensitivity, but with medication he is able to live normally.

One night, while it was raining hard, JIn Seok witnesses his older brother Yoo Seok (Kim Moo Yul) being kidnapped by a group of men that dumped him into a van and left. After nineteen days of being gone, Yoo Seok suddenly returns home, but he doesn’t remember anything from his disappearance. Jin Seok, on the other hand, starts noticing some changes about his older brother, including the limp on his leg being gone, making Jin Seok’s suspicion grow about his brother. It doesn’t help that Jin Seok keeps hearing sounds from the locked room where the house’ previous owner stored his belongings, making him even more paranoid of his surroundings and the people around him.

Thoughts:

 ‘Forgotten’ fooled me into believing that all is good between Jinseok, his brother and his family. I would have been thankful to have someone like Yoo Seok as a brother too, but the too much mystery surrounding him eventually gave a strong feeling that something is definitely up with the perfect older brother. However, it was far from the psychotic brother I thought he will turn into. It made everything I visioned actually wrong just when I thought I could predict what’s to come next.

Plus, that locked room right across their room constantly brought chills to my spine as we were duped into thinking that some ugly ghost would actually pop out from that room when it was nothing but a stupid prop to the real setup of the story. The movie almost turned into a horror story, but I guess that’s their sly strategy to fool us and  overwhelm us with something else. And gosh, that worked on me.

I skipped some parts when it came to the locked room and whenever Jin Seok was investigating about his odd older brother who came back, because I couldn’t really tell what was to come next. It frustrates me that I am kept in the dark, but then as I skim through the entire story, I think it’s amazing how they came up with how the entire film was executed. It may seem confusing to an outsider because the film didn’t start in the order where it was supposed to show the past, but I think the sequencing, the plot itself is intelligently written and done.

I was so mindblown when I realized who Jin Seok and Yoo Seok really is, since they aren’t who we think they really are.

Jin Seok thinks he’s still back in the 90s when all he needs to think about is passing his exams, but then the reality is it’s already the 21st century and Jin Seook is nothing but a lonely old man, who is the suspect to a crime years ago and is being unwillingly and unknowingly dragged back to the house where he allegedly killed a wife and a daughter. The happenings of that year were reenacted together with the help of undercovers who wanted to know the truth of that night and pretended to be his family members.

Because apparently, he accepted the task from someone called ‘Bluebeard’ on the internet to kill his wife and claim his insurance money that he thinks will better the lives of his daughter and son. Out of pure desperation to get Jin Seok’s older brother have his operation, he takes the bait, but unfortunately also kills Bluebeard’s daughter. That night he’s also seen by the son, who Jin Seok fooled into counting to a hundred ten times in his room, so he could make his escape.

Later, Jin Seok finds out that his brother’s surgeon was actually in fact the same ‘Bluebeard’ that assigned him to kill his wife in exchange for money. Bluebeard eventually hears from his son over the phone that both his wife and daughter is killed. He is struck with grief and somehow he ends up with a brawl with Jin Seok and he’s thrown of the edge of the rooftop of the hospital. Jin Seok was able to hold onto him, but the doctor’s hand slipped and he died.

Years later, after the case of the mother and daughter being killed was closed and buried under the mud, some detective who is adamant to solve the case finds Jin Seok and tortures him while telling him to confess his crimes. Jin Seok apparently deletes the distressful memory of those times and denies he had killed them. So, out of desperation of the authority to know the truth, they devised a plan that will make him remember the past: lead him to believe that his family is still alive and go back to the crime scene to later reenact that night.

In the first scene, if you will remember, this is the part when he is seen in a car with his family. They were moving to their new house, which was actually the real crime scene. That’s why Jin Seok feels familiar when he sees the house. It’s because he had been there before.

Jin Seok also hears something from the locked room, because stupidly enough there were people there watching everything that they were doing from a monitor screen. It wasn’t because it was haunted. Then the time Jin Seok sees his brother being kidnapped, it was actually when Yoo Seok was taken by the real police for doing an illegal investigation of the past crime. He wasn’t able to come home for 19 days because he had to pull some strings to get out.

By the time he was back home, Jin Seok has become even more sensitive and suspicious. He was able to discern between his dreams and reality and somehow realized the changes in Yoo Seok. One, he doesn’t have a limp because he’s never gotten into an accident. Two, Yoo Seok is in connivance with the police that went to their home to investigate, because they are actually in the same boat and they are the people in the locked room.

Until such night happened when Jin Seok heard his fake mom talking over the phone to Yoo Seok, telling him her observations. Jin Seok tries to cover up his own undercover, but he eventually gets caught. And when he managed to run away and go to the real police, that’s when he figured out he’s not really a twenty year old teen but instead a wrinkly old man born in the 70s. It devastated him to know this, but Jin Seok eventually gains back his memory afterwards.

There are some struggles that led him to being confined in a hospital bed and Yoo Seok admitting to the twisted truth. The fact that Yoo Seok is actually the same son whose family died and was left alone to fend for himself. He tries to inject something to Jin Seok’s IV to eventually kill him for what he’d done, but Yoo Seok changes his mind and drops the injection because he knew that behind his mother and sister’s death is an even worse man, ‘Bluebeard’. His father.

Tragically, in the end, Yoo Seok jumps to his death and out of guilt, Jin Seok injects the solution that Yoo Seok was supposed to use on him and he eventually dies.

The plot twist and execution is really daebak. They made a total fool out of me for most of the movie and saved itself in the last 30 minutes by revealing the cruel truth. However, the intelligent plot creation becomes forgettable because of how things wrapped up: everyone dies.

I mean, it’s sad enough that Jin Seok killed somebody out of desperation and someone manipulated him and made him waste two years of his life while deceiving him. But what tops death in the ending? This is the type of film I absolutely hate. If ain’t for that plot twist and the flashback in the credits, my heart wouldn’t have softened for this film.

If you’re wondering what happened then, they showed one of Jin Seok’s happy memories when he’s being greeted by his family from the other side of a lake. He smiles happily at them, but then meets a little boy, who he runs into and talks to with a grin on his face. The boy is later whisked away by his family, but at the same time that boy’s memory of Jin Seok was very pleasant. He clearly liked the younger version of Jin Seok.

That same boy Jin Seok met by the lake, however, is the same man whom he took away a family from, Yoo Seok.

Looking back, those are time when you’ll think, fate has its cruel way of letting two people meet twice. Once, when they were both happy. But because of our bad choices, somehow we end up meeting these people, we once before came across with, in a bad situation later. If only those happy times could be preserved, but then again fate has its way of mocking us back.

Over all, the movie is great if you don’t mind tragic endings. The execution, plot twist and acting is quite flawless. The movie is also able to set a mood that is deceiving in the beginning, leading us to the eventual turn of events we will not ever expect, which is really good. The tone of the movie, however, is pretty dark. It’s a film genius, but I don’t think people will have the same opinion about it like how critiques would praise it for its unique strategy, especially with all of them dying.

Rating:

I would have really hated the film because of the sad ending, though it’s a genius in the way sequencing was done and how they deceivingly and strategically filmed the entire thing. Luckily, the last few minutes were worth the watch. Poignant and nostalgic, yet smacks some life lessons into you. Rating this film, I’ll give it a 3.9 out of 5.

 91%

Profile

Movie: Forgotten (English title) / Night of Memory (literal title)

Revised romanization: Gieokui Bam

Hangul: 기억의 밤

Director: Jang Hang-Jun

Writer: Jang Hang-Jun

Producer: Park Joon-Sik

Cinematographer: Kim Il-Yeon

Release Date: November 29, 2017

Runtime: 109 min.

Genre: Mystery / Thriller

Distributor: Megabox Plus M

Language: Korean

Country: South Korea

Plot Synopsis by AsianWiki Staff ©

Jin-Seok (Kang Ha-Neul) moves into a new home with his older brother Yoo-Seok (Kim Moo-Yul), mother (Na Young-Hee) and father (Moon Sung-Geun). Jin-Seok suffers from hypersensitivity, but with medication he is able to live normally. One rainy evening, Jin-Seok sees his older brother being thrown into a van by a group of men. After 19 days of silence, Yoo-Seok returns home, but he doesn’t remember anything from his disappearance. Jin-Seok though notices enough changes in his older brother’s personality and behavior that he begins to suspect that the person who has returned is not Yoo-Seok. Meanwhile, Jin-Seok keeps hearing sounds from a locked room temporarily storing the previous home owner’s belongings.

Film Review: ‘Forgotten’ – Tragedy with a great plot twist I am pleasantly surprised to know that a respectable actor like Kang Ha Neul is actually the protagonist in this mystery-thriller film '

[dunghillxx]

I’ve been trying to think of a topic to write about since I decided that I was going to try writing things out. There just hasn’t been one singular topic that’s bothered me lately. There’s been a few things that have crossed my mind that have bugged me, but nothing substantial. Nothing that needed venting about. But since I want to stick to the promise I made to myself, I’m going to write about work last night.

I work overnights at a LTC facility for veterans. I adore my job. I love the generation I get to work for. Veterans are very special people and I’m honored to be able to give back to them when they gave so much to us. It’s not where I expected to work straight out of school. I wanted to work in a hospital. I wanted to be doing nursing skills all day long and challenging myself all day long. I wanted to have that feel of a “real nurse” straight out of school. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the hospital job I wanted, and time was ticking away...as well as my savings, so I took the job of opportunity. And it just so happened to be the facility I worked at as a CNA. Don’t get me wrong, I do love my job. I was actually bummed when I passed my boards for the simple fact that I would possibly never set foot in this facility again. But little did I know, life had different plans for me. My journey at this facility wasn’t quite over yet. 

There’s times where I find my overnight position monotonous. Repetitive. A little boring if I may. But then there’s other times where I’m like “40 lives are in MY hands and MY hands only. How could that ever be boring?” The treatments and skills I do almost never change. Insulins. Blood sugars. Creams, lotions, powders. Nebulizers. They never change. These people are 60+ They have no new diagnosis. They rarely get new treatments. What they get is what they have been getting for years usually. Every now and then I am challenged though. I’ve dealt with a heart attack. I’ve dealt with faulty foleys. I’ve had SOB, difficulty breathing. I’ve dealt with pain and discomfort. I’ve dealt with confusion. Dementia. Paranoia. Psychosis. I’ve dealt with loneliness. Depression. And unfortunately, many deaths. All of these have challenged me. This is all new to be as a new graduate. I got very little experience in nursing school. My skills were kept at a minimum. I pulled the short stick for 4 years. Probably from my lack of confidence and shyness. I got the shit end of the stick and missed out on a lot. So any skill, no matter how big or how small, I am excited to do. I am happy to do. Everything is a challenge in some way or another, because well frankly, I’ve never dealt with it before as the nurse in charge. I’ve always been a nursing student that could easily be bailed out when things got tough. Now, I’m on my own, essentially. I’m in charge. I make the big decisions. It’s kind of scary if you really sit down and think about it. 

I love my job, but sometimes as a new nurse, I get sick of it during its monotonous stages. Am I missing out on learning? Am I losing skills by being here? Am I going to forget everything I learned in nursing school by working at a nursing home? These are things I occasionally think of..and then I’m smacked right back into reality and humbled by an experience with a resident and I just feel like..well..an asshole for ever thinking those things. Who cares if I work in a nursing home? I’m learning every day. More about myself, about my residents, about nursing. Sure, I’m not inserting IVs and dealing with high risk medications, I’m not doing other intense nursing skills. But I do some. I still make decisions. I’m learning more about who I want to be as nurse. I’m learning about compassion and care. And you know what? Working with veterans...sometimes all they really need is just someone to freaking pay attention to them. To listen. To care. To make their feelings feel validated. 

Last night, it was the day the doctor comes in. These are always crazy days because she writes a million orders for the residents, because well, she hasn’t seen them in a week, sometimes longer. A lot happens in that time. As licensed staff, we are responsible for putting these orders into the computers. That’s what I was working on for part of the night. My supervisor always helps 24 hour check the charts every single night. This is a mandatory thing to do, whether the doctor showed up that day or not. This assures that no orders were missed and that all orders are double/tripled checked to make sure they were entered correctly. I put the orders in and my supervisor was 24 hour checking them to make sure it was all correct. She is usually on the floor with me for a max of 2 hours. Last night? She was there for probably 4 or more hours. She is also a chatty person, which is okay. I don’t mind. I like listening to people. She has a lot of stories, she’s been a nurse for years, she has things to share. That’s cool, I like to hear the stories. I’m always up for learning. But I was getting frustrated last night with her. I don’t know why. I think it was because I wasn’t getting any of my work done because I was distracted by her. She was asking a lot of questions, talking to me about many different things, asking for help with orders, etc. Now, I’m not a rude person. I won’t tell someone they’re bothering me or distracting me, especially someone in charge of me. So, I was trying to be respectful and listen to her and help her. But, it was nearing 5am and I hadn’t gotten any of my tasks done that I needed to get done. 

On top of that, we had a resident who’s room is directly in front of the nurses station, getting up literally every 5-10 minutes. And since I’m parked right in front of his room, who do you think helped him back into bed every. single. time? Me. Not the supervisor. Not the CNAs. Just me. He didn’t even need anything. He just wanted to let me know he��couldn't sleep and wanted to be helped back in bed...so he could try again...for the 900th time to fall asleep. I found myself getting frustrated, I’m not sure if it was because of him or my supervisor or just a combination. I don’t know. But I felt exhausted from it all. I’m not sure if he could tell I was getting a little irritated or what. But by the 30th time I helped him back into bed he looked at me and said “Dell (he calls me that), I don’t know what is wrong with me. I just can’t sleep. I don’t mean to annoy you. I just want to go to sleep and can’t.” Guess how quickly that statement slapped me on my ass? REAL QUICK. I felt like such a jerk for even CONSIDERING being annoyed with him. Of course he couldn’t sleep. He had 3 seizures that night. He had just gotten taken off a controlled drug due to a reaction. He was coming off from it...hard. This medication helped him sleep, helped with his anxiety, and helped control his seizures. And he was cut off from it cold turkey. He has a brain tumor causing his seizures, which is clearly rapidly progressing. He has COPD. He has all of this going on and was having a difficult night and all I could think about was how I annoyed I was that I was put a little behind in my paperwork. 

It’s situations like this that make me glad I work here. I was so focused on myself that night, that I wasn’t paying attention to a resident who needed me. When I stopped worrying about how I was possibly going to get all my work done in time and focused on the resident, things began to go more smoothly. I sat down with him and found out something that he thought would help relax him so he could get at least a few hours of sleep. We couldn't medicate him, because the medication was taken away. He didn’t want a snack or drink. Didn’t want to read or watch TV. Didn’t want to play a game or do anything of that sort. So, I offered music. He was okay to try that. I put on Hymns for him, and he was quiet for the next couple of hours. If I had just taken a second to speak with him and figure out what he wanted to do, I could have come up with a solution earlier. But I was so focused on myself and my problems, that I didn’t bother asking. These are the situations that are helping me grow as a nurse. They’re helping me discover who I want to be as a nurse. I don’t want to be the person who is so caught up in getting stuff done, that I ignore my patients basic needs. I know getting your work done is important, but so isn’t showing compassionate care to the people who need it. I vowed to myself when I passed my boards that I would never be the nurse that passed on something to my CNAs that I wasn’t perfectly capable of doing myself. Of course, it is important to delegate and to not try and take on the world, because it’s simply impossible to do it all yourself. But why ask the CNA to get a drink of water for a resident. Or ask them to come all the way down to this resident’s room to put him back to bed for the 100th time when I’m sitting right there and can do it? I think every person needs humbling moments like this to stay true to who they are. If you spend less time stressing about what you’re not getting done and focus on the task at hand and try and find a reasonable solution, something as simple as just asking the patient that is being cumbersome what you can do to help, you’d be surprised at how easily the problem can be resolved. These are reasons I enjoy nursing.