#beige patelle

[thesecretcornerintheroom]

Don’t forget about me

Pairing: Kid (Dev Patel) x Female reader

Warnings: Tears, blood and injuries, angst and a lot of smut

🔞+

Word count: 1,897

CRASH! That’s the sound u heard that awoke u from your sleep. It was a hot summer night. The only sound in your room was an old fan running at the highest setting and the crickets from outside. You turn to the window, shocked to see your nightstand chaotic with all your belongings knocked over, the window wide open, and you look to the floor to see Kid sitting under the window, panting and holding his side. “did I wake you?” He said through quick breaths. His eye closed from sweat getting in, and his other eye squinting at you. You looked at kid's hand clutching his side, realizing he was bleeding. “Oh my god, what happened?” you said, discarding your thin bed sheets, running over to the window, closing it, and pulling the curtain forward, squatting next to him to meet his eyes on the floor. You grabbed his face, looking for any more bruises out of the ordinary from what he would usually get in a fight. He had a slight cut above his eye and a bruise on his arm, but the worst was the cut on his side. At least you prayed it was just a cut. You quickly put your arm under him to lift him “quickly to the bathroom.” as he rose, he grunted.

“I’m assuming you did more than just fight tonight,” you said, focusing more on the needle penetrating his skin with the thread to close the open gage on his side. Cause him to grunt in pain and take a breath. Kid was leaning on the sink now with his shirt removed and his sweatpants hanging low on his hips with his damp hair covering his face, peering down at you. Your curls were pulled back, and all you had on was an oversized t-shirt. “I think I’m getting closer to finding him,” he said, his voice deep but calm. You finished sewing him up. “You're not even close to him yet, and you're already hurt. This can only end worse,” you said, looking him in the eye. You knew his situation, you knew who he was talking about, and you hated that his heart was this unsettled, but you couldn’t blame him. “Take a shower. It’s too late at night for you to go home, and seeing how you came through my window and not the front door, I’m assuming you're not safe,” you said, looking him in the eye and his deep brown eyes they held so much emotion and thoughts you knew he was exhausted.

You were in your bed, the hot air sticking to you. You recounted how you got here and met the Kid. You were conducting a research study on poverty and culture. The affects it has on different marginalized countries. That’s how you ended up in India. You meet Kid because you were snooping in places you weren’t supposed to be. You asked questions to some dangerous men. Kid who was secretly stalking you because he watched everyone in the community, he came in and saved you. Ever since he’s been in contact with you (it’s been three months, and you have one more month left), you felt the bed dip beside you.

Taking your eyes off the beige wall of peeling paint, you turned to see a kid in bed lying on his back, his hair wet from the shower. He didn’t have a shirt, a patch adorned his stitches, and he wore a pair of shorts you washed the last time he came over from one of his excursions . His eyes were glossy and heavy and slowly turned to you. “I have to do this. He didn’t even know her name.” His voice was heavy. You turned to place your hands on his face, your thumb caressing his cheek as the tears fell from his face.” “You’re gonna let this consume you, and I’m afraid of how this will end,” I whispered. He looked at you, his eyes saying everything. If I asked him not to hunt down the man who changed his life for the worse, he would have felt torn. I knew the idea of not getting revenge was too strong over choosing me. I let out a deep sigh, holding back my tears. “This will be our last night like this,” you said, your voice dry. You could feel the tears pooling in your eyes. Kid's eyes became heavy, his body rigid. He softly shook his head. No, he knew what you meant by it being our last night. You leaned over, slowly adjusting to the thick air. Your nose met his nose as we kissed. A deep sigh was released from him. He drew the kiss as he rose from the bed, placing his hand on your thigh, gripping your thigh. You let out a gasp. You could feel the textures of his scared palms on your skin and how rough and warm they felt on your skin, taking mental notes of how that felt cause you knew you wouldn’t be feeling this forever.

I kissed him harder before pulling away. “you gotta be careful; you still hurt.” Before I could even regain my breath, he was kissing me again roughly, causing me to whimper. He kissed me as though he knew the moment couldn’t last forever. I felt like I saw stars from how great the kiss felt. “ lay down,” you said softly. Kid looked at you. He lay back down on his back, Kid, usually quiet, but you could tell he was lost for words. You rose off of the bed a little bit to remove your panties as you sling your legs over his waist. You sat on top of his lap, and you felt his hands slowly move from the side of your thighs to grabbing your waist.

You slowly started to move on his lap, your core rubbing up against his clothed member, causing him to moan.” Shit,” he said, his voice dry. You're where grinding on him at a steady pace, trying not to to hurt him. You could feel his member growing hard with his shorts and you becoming wetter. You grabbed his chin to have him look him in your eyes as you leaning over him so you lips caressed his. His mouth opened softly, panting from the feeling you were stirring up within him. You started to move your hips faster. “ promise me you’ll be safe. You said, your lips touching his as he let out soft moans. “Okay, yes, okay,” he said, moaning, looking me in my eyes. “ when this is done, you come to me, okay? You know where I’ll be,” you said, looking deep into his eyes, knowing he understood exactly what you meant.” he nodded yes, breathing deeply. He grabbed you and flipped you on your back now on the mattress. His eyes darkened, and his body glistened with sweat. “okay,” he said before he grabbed the bottom of your shirt and removed it from you. He disregarded his pants. He lowered his head to her neck. His teeth lightly grazed your skin before he nipped at your spot, causing you to moan. As he teased the spot on your neck, moans slipped from your mouth. He started to work his way slowly down his body, leaving bites and kisses on the way down your body, leaving you to shiver as his warm

Lips touched your body you felt the breeze from the fan was in your room take away his warm kisses. Before you knew it, the kid had your legs open, and his hands wrapped around your leg. You gasped moan as you felt him drag his teeth down your inner thigh, kissing and licking your inner thigh. The sting causes you to gasp in surprise from pain, followed by pleasure. You realized he was leaving a hickie on your inner thigh. Uuuh, you said, putting your fingers in his hair near the nape of his neck. “Don’t you forget about me,” he said in a deep voice. Before you could respond, he was blowing on your clit before he went in for a kiss on your clit, causing your body to rise off the bed. You felt his tounge circle your clit back and forth back and forth at a fast pace.was he? Was he making out with your clit? “Please, please, you cried out as he started to suck on your clit. You could feel yourself becoming wet, pooling around his mouth and dripping down your legs. You started to move your hip, subconsciously gripping the sheets. You were panting. No words were coming out. The only sound to be heard was a Kid grunting and your panting, and the sound of the silver fan running in the room. You could feel your breath begin to form in your stomach. “dont stop,” you said, loving this feeling of a tear forming in your eye. “Please, you croaked.”’you could feel Kid doing everything, licking, kissing, penetrating you with his tongue. You were unraveling so fast. The feeling finally hit you, causing you to moan. You felt the release, and your head was dizzy. The air was thick—you were trying to gain your breath. Kid moved back up to your face and kissed your nose. “I’ll find you again, I promise he said, looking into your tear-stained eyes. He entered you without a second thought, looking you in your eyes cause tear-stained eyes were now blurred, and you rolled them at the feeling of him interning you. He grabbed your one leg and brought it to his hip. His hip was now controlling the pace going in you at a steady pace; you were kissing your mind. “Come for me again, okay he said,” as his pace became more demanding. My moan became louder, his eyes not leaving my mind as his face fell into

My face. I love you, Kid said, his brown eyes holding so many emotions. Promise me you’ll still want me, he said as he went faster. The feeling of his warmth inside of me made me bite my lip and moan, his hips moving at a faster pace. He wrapped my leg in his

Waist as his finger played with my clit he started to Let out a slow moan, “Say it,” causing me to gasp, clasping onto his arm. “I love you I said, strained, focusing on this feeling. My body had this sensation that I knew wouldn’t last forever, but I wish it could last a lifetime. As he’s playing with my clit and his hips are moving, I can feel his movements becoming erratic. He let out low grunts. “Shit,” I said, that feeling turning in my stomach agin my legs started to shake “im finna cum” I said, and he grunted in agreement. The feeling was powerful. The air was thick, and our moans were in sync. We both were coming at the same time. I wrapped my leg around kid and brought him

Closer to me, he came within me. I felt the warmth of him within me. He was panting, eyes big, looking at what we had just done. He removed his still-swollen member from me

Seeing both of our juices together inside

I am now pooling on the bed. “Now I have to

Come back to you,” he said, sitting on the bed and looking me in the eyes.

[tergridguy]

Cigar of the Day: Rocky Patel White Label

This is Rocky Patel White Label from Esteli, Nicaragua, aged 10 years, Connecticut Shade Wrapper. Extra large, extra shiny, extra fancy band; Rocky wants us to believe this is a premium offering.

First taste makes me think of a camel wide; pretty mellow, little... bouncy?squishy? I don't know how to describe it. Like a big tasty springy mushroom. Bouquet makes me think of something being cured in a flu. Definitely enchanted forest vibes-- not creepy gothic enchanted forest so much as storybook-land. This would be the aroma of the Seven Dwarves if they were still allowed to smoke their pipes

I like Rocky but I feel like RP is incongruous to my aesthetic sometimes. This cigar makes me feel like I'm supposed to be getting ready for 9 holes of golf, then get ready to hit on the road for Foxwoods with the fella's, riding goombah style, guys in front, wives in back. That being said I'm not embarrassed to smoke Rocky ever.

Rocky Patel just makes so much, so many sticks across price barriers, geography, character, the identity should be diffused but I always feel like a Rocky tastes like a Rocky; for me there's definitely a Rocky Patel-TM experience,and generally I would say that experience is good.

Rocky Patel, and this cigar in particular, makes me think of the guys who watch football at Watch City Cigar. They wouldn't smoke this White Label during the evening but they would own this cigar and they would light it up at a little league playoff game. This flavor and aroma feels like a grass stain on a fresh baseball uniform, the feeling of nostalgic athleticism.

Almost halfway through I am again reminded of camel cigarettes, which is not a knock on it. This is like the Camel to Punch's Marlboro Red. The flavor echoes, resonating like sound in a sandy tomb open to the light, the temple level in Goldeneye 007 on N64 with all of the stone doors and chambers illuminated by light. I get imagery of beige, tan, khaki, limestone. This is a cigar meant to be enjoyed by a person who anticipates the need to remove grass stains from khakis.

The flavor profile has not evolved significantly in the second third. I will note that there have been no construction issues, it has burned evenly for about 40 minutes, halfway done right on schedule for a 6" 54 Ring Gauge stick. It has a great pull, really no technical issues at all.

I think I'll smoke this a little bit into the final third and then probably call it quits. I don't really think it's going anywhere. It has not significantly changed really since the very beginning. This is my experience with a lot of Rocky Patel cigars in the $10-20 range. They are quality products that provide a consistent experience but there is very little evolution or complexity that unfolds. I would like to see some kind of interesting development take place over the course of the experience. This is why Rocky hasn't won cigar of the year. The lack of dimension makes it more of a passive smoke than something I'm fully engaged in appreciating. Sometimes that's ok though.

[heymrspatel]

🌟 Macy's Tag Game Tuesday! 🌟

i was tagged by the queen herself @celestialmickey i bow down! and by @creepkinginc and @surviving-maybe 💙

name: julissa 🪐

age: old bridge troll 🧙🏼

where in the world are you? new york 🍎

the meaning behind your URL: well you see, mickey had an errand... mrs. patel i hope you didn’t jerk your husband off. i hope you left him and took the business, babe. 🗣️

your second favorite color: green. like trees. like forests. like flowy grass. 🌱

any pets? no 😔

favorite season: fall 🍂

last thing you read: catching up on intro to quantum dating! it's my comfort fic! 👨🏼‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏻

last song you listened to: do you like me by daniel caesar 🎵 (but do you? answer me!)

what are you wearing right now? a colorful striped sweater, loose fitting black pants rolled up, black converse high tops with little flowers and leaves and a moon and sun stitched on the side ☀️🌙

a hobby of yours: drawin', paintin' 🎨

your comfort show or movie: new girl 🤓

and finally, what are you up to today? working from the office today. currently sitting in an ugly beige cubicle. 😒

i'll tag @whatthebodygraspsnot @gallawitchxx @whatwouldmickeydo @metalheadmickey @you-are-so-much-better-than-that @squidyyy23 @y0itsbri @rereadanon @babygirlmickey @tanktopgallavich @lalazeewrites @sickness-health-all-that-shit @vintagelacerosette @xninetiestrendx if you want! if not i'm just handing you a tiny bowl of fruit 🫐🍓🍇🍒

[calicostorms]

[ID: Two gifs of Dev Patel as The Kid from Monkey Man. In both he wears a skimpy beige tank top. In the first he breathes out visibly; in the 2nd he readies a wrapped hand as if ready to throw a punch /END ID]

[oliolioxenfreewrites]

I wasn't tagged, but I saw @drchenquill do this and I couldn't resist! 🩶 I'll do Samir Patel from my Fortunes Found anthology series!

1. Which color do you hate?

"Hate" is a strong word, but if I were to choose one color that elicits a certain amount of distaste, it would be beige. It's just so bland and unimaginative. If all the sounds in the world would cease to exist, which sound would you miss the most?

2. If all the sounds in the world would cease to exist, which sound would you miss the most?

If all sounds vanished, I might miss the chaotic murmur of city life. It's a constant reminder that in this vast, indifferent universe, we're not alone

3. What is the first rule you learned as a child?

"Don't trust anyone completely." It's a harsh lesson, but life has a way of proving its truth.

I tag @elsie-writes, @inky-duchess, and @niacousland! if you stumble upon my answers feel free to answer!

Your questions are

1. Who did you wanna be when you grew up? Who did you actually become?

2. Describe your perfect day.

3. Favorite place to be alone?

[the-hindu-times]

Life of Pi 3/10/23

Woking New Victoria Theatre

Beginning life as a Man Booker Prize 2001 novel by Yang Marte, Life of Pi became a four-time Oscar winning Ang Lee movie in 2012, before being adapted for the Broadway stage by Lolita Chakrabarti in 2019. It went on to win five Olivier Awards after its transfer into the West End in 2021. It tells the story of 17-year-old Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel from Pondicherry, India; opening in a white-walled hospital where Pi is questioned about his remarkable 227 day sea survival, after the cargo ship he was sailing from India to Canada, with his mum, dad, sister and the animals from the family zoo, sank during a violent storm. We find Pi stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan and Royal Bengal tiger, called Richard Parker, for company. Pi and the tiger manage to co-exist for the entire journey, both sharing a strong desire to live. The veil between reality and imagination merges with Pi telling two versions of his survival and challenges his interrogators to decide which version they prefer. Pi explores the nature of reality and the role of religious faith in life although this never dominates the fundamental story of human survival and the spectacle of the staging.

RADA graduate, Divesh Subaskaran, makes a very impressive professional stage debut as the lead. He is charming in the role; with youthful high spirits and a playful attitude to religion whilst showing endearing warmth towards the wellbeing of the animals. He wonderfully holds our attention and showcases his athleticism as he leaps and bounds across the set. He is able to draw us into his storytelling no matter how incredible the tale gets and beautifully connects what happened in the past to the present day.

This narrative would be nothing without the wonder created by Tim Hatley's extraordinary set, with the design and the incredibly creative projections transporting you to several different worlds. With seamless transitions from one scene to another, at times it felt like the set was unfolding perpetually as layers, each more stunning than the last. There were three main contrasting environments created: The beige hospital room in Mexico, in which the interrogation takes place; The dramatic Pacific Ocean seas in which his lifeboat sails; and the wonderful colourful life in India before the voyage. Evocative pictures enhanced by clever little details in the projections, conjure the unimaginably vast strangeness of the ocean, thoughtfully bringing this incredible story and journey to life through each bold scene.

Along with Divesh, it was Finn Caldwell’s incredible and magnificent array of memorable puppets that were the equal stars of the show - in particular the main creatures: the unfortunate playful goat; the wonderful Zebra, who breaks its leg; the impressive orang-utan; and the vengeful Hyena... were all superb... but, it was the Bengal Tiger that dominated the action; It moved with a cat like smoothness as it prowled the cage; every breath and step immaculately choreographed. The puppeteers breathed real life and emotion into the creatures and made it look effortless. When the lights, puppets, projections and set all come together, the effect was out of this world, yet so real - like we were out there with Pi on the open seas.

Life of Pi stands as one of the most visually stunning theatre shows I’ve ever seen - in particular the second half; when you could really appreciate the artistry of the three puppeteers who were responsible for Richard Parker (my eye was quick to dismiss the handlers, in order to focus solely on the tiger’s movements).

While the book is more philosophical, this visually stunning stage adaptation is still full of heart and its core themes are still present; A tale of survival, endurance of human spirit, hope and examining what truth exactly is. We were gripped from beginning to end; with focus continuously pulled to fantastical stagecraft - a demonstration of the puppetry art form that makes you only see the creature and not the people behind it - that allowed us to easily suspend our disbelief and accept the tale, even when we finally know the truth.

Life of Pi is a must-see production and a creative masterpiece.

Mittal Patel

[funnywiccanwritingcorner]

Le Joyau le plus precieux - Candyfloss

Chapter IV

Joe Dalton was calmly reviewing a report with a fellow policewoman when suddenly a guy was slammed forcefully onto the latter's desk, knocking over the pen holder and a pile of papers. -This is the third time this piece of #@! of dog has peed in the alley next to my tea room, I bring him to you and you release him! Either lock him in a cage forever or I'll make him stop with a sharp knife!- Joe sat the unfortunate man down on the floor, whom he noticed was tied up with a white laundry cord: -Always pacific, eh, Jane?- -Pacific your sister, Detective; this pig's lucky we're in France and not in America, or I  would have hung him on a hook and beaten him like a carpet before handing him over to you!- -Hey, Patel, take him away. As for you, my dear, try to calm down a little, though it shouldn't be me to say it: you are no longer a bounty hunter; you retired to open a tea-room precisely because you got sick and tired of running around all the time, didn't you?- -Yes. That's why I defend my territory tooth and nail. Easy, since I was used to follow tougher guys. Dealing with idiots like that is like tying my shoes for me.- Dalton chuckled.

-Ah, Detective, do me a favour while I'm here: leave Billy alone, will ya? The kid is fine.- -It's nothing personal... It's just that since Amélie's been around, you know... The mother hen in me sees danger everywhere.- -Billy has no interest in such things. He's seeing someone, you know?- -Really?- -Tall, good-looking, with a beard. I have no idea who he is, but the guy seems happy, so stop bother him, all right? See ya.- Joe watched her walk away and thought back to the description. Could it be that she was referring to who he thought was?

He could not remember the last time he had a date. In fact, he didn't feel like he'd ever had one in twenty years, except with the occasional doctor. Swinging himself onto his feet, waiting, Billy looked insistently at his secondhand wristwatch. It was close to the appointed time, but he had arrived a little early in the bustling Place de la Concorde. After days of refusing, he had finally given in to Jesse's invitation to go out that Saturday; he had sheltered behind the excuse of having to work, but after all he could skip a day on which he had to cart around anyway and not be in the shop, or at least according to the actor's logic. For the occasion he had shaved and put on a clean shirt, but his hair had refused to cooperate with the brush, so the forest on his head had not been tamed.

Visibly agitated, he began to nag at the hem of his shirt, held out by his jeans ripped barely on his knees: "Come on, where did he go? What if he stood me up? What if he finally decides that he's no longer interested in me? I don't have many friends either, I could lose one without even having ever spent time with them!!!" Someone tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to jolt and turn around: Jesse was there, wearing the ever-present beige scarf around his neck over a black turtleneck jumper and a dark grey coat. -Hey! There you are! You're late.- -Actually, we're both early.- -Yes, but I arrived before you, so you are late.- The actor restrained himself from laughing at that funny expression: -We can continue discussing it, if you want, or walk to our next destination.- -... Let's go.- Giving him a little peck on the arm, Billy set off, but quickly turned back: -Listen, lead the way, you know the place.-

Sitting rigidly on the black wooden seat, his hands nervously clutching the edge of the tablecloth, looking around with the feeling that everyone was watching him, Billy was decidedly uncomfortable. Jesse noticed: -What's bothering you?- He put the menu down on the table top. -Huh? What are you saying?- -What's wrong?- -Uh...- The actor had arranged everything, so the boy's surprise at finding himself in an elegant restaurant had been a lot. But after a while the surprise was replaced by something else. -You see, man... The thing is... I'm not the type for such places...- -What's that?- -To cut a long story short...- He leaned forward slightly, and whispered: -My typical lunch or dinner is Thai take-out, pizza and burgers. I haven't eaten on a plate that isn't made of plastic in years!- Jesse blinked a couple of times, surprised. -And I'll tell you more- the other continued in a low voice, -Everybody's staring at me like I'm a a little monkey in the zoo! And I also understand why...- -If you prefer, we can go somewhere else.- -Where to?-

About twenty minutes later, the blondie found himself in front of a street food truck that prepared sandwiches, tacos and chips, with chairs and white plastic tables placed in front to seat customers. Not far away, the actor, sitting on the low wall of a flowerbed, waited for Billy, savouring the perfume coming from the kitchen that permeated the air. There were times when he forgot what life was like before success; not many years ago he too, with the other drama students, found it enjoyable to spend free afternoons eating "junk food" and doing funny imitations of professors joking with each other.

-Ok, here we go.- Billy handed him a closed cardboard box: -I got you the least dirty thing on the menu; it's a mess if you get sauce on your scarf.- -Thanks.- He opened the lid: inside was a sausage sandwich, still steaming hot. For his part, the boy had opted for a well-stuffed hamburger and two tubs of fries (one, however, he put near to Jesse), as well as two cans of beer. -Aren't you a little too young for booze?- the actor joked. -Every time I want a drink I get the exact same question! Do you want to see my documents by any chance?- -After all, your baby face, without the beard, makes you look younger.- -That's why I usually grow it a bit.- He tapped his finger on a can: -And they're non-alcoholic anyway, who do you take me for?- -A thousand apologies!- chuckled the other, grabbing and opening the nearest can. Smiling, Billy nibbled the sandwich with relish, thinking, "He noticed that I've given myself a settled down, then!" Holding up the can, Jesse declaimed: -A mug of beer is a meal for kings. The Tale of Winter, act four, scene three.- He lowered his arm and stared at Billy. -Shakespeare again?- -I can't control it...- -How many roles from his plays have you played exactly?- -I've lost count. To be honest, it would be easier to list which roles are missing.- He took a small bite of his sandwich. -I'll tell you, I know something of my own; we took classes in high school on Shakespeare... And don't take this the wrong way, daddy, but I find "Romeo and Juliet" meaningless.- Jesse raised an eyebrow, more at the nickname than anything else: -I don't mind, but it would be enlightening to know why.- -To begin with? The main characters are basically kids, who meet by chance and fall in love straight away! It doesn't work that way.- -You don't believe in love at first sight, then?- -No, I don't.- Billy seemed to frown for a moment, and bit into his burger so as not to continue. The dark-haired man realised this, and returned to the previous topic: -But, as you say, they were kids.- -Yes, but Romeo of all people goes and falls in love with the enemy's daughter? Apart from that, they kill each other to to stay together! That's crazy!- -They saw no other way out. So young and impulsive.- -They could have run away together before, without worrying about their families.- -Only after their departure, however, did the families reconcile. Running away would not resolve the conflict, and the feud would have continued.- -Mah. I still don't see the point.- Jesse smiled: -A tragedy is such because the protagonists often do not have a happy ending. You mean to tell me that you're the guy on the side of a classic happily ever after?- Before answering, the boy finished his burger, took a long swig of beer and grabbed his fries: -Not so much.- -No?- -I'm old enough to know that fairy tales are for kids. Hey, you better eat before it gets cold.-

-What are we doing here? -You've never been to a fair?- -Not recently.- Billy had chosen the next stop. There was a temporary fair in the city centre, and it was full of stalls of all kinds, from fortune tellers to prize fishing, as well as various shooting galleries and a Ferris wheel placed so that it stood out against the backdrop of the whole setting, packed with people. -I want to try target shooting, come on!- Pulling the other by the sleeve, with a sudden burst of vitality, Billy went in the direction of a stall where, by throwing three baseball shovels, you had the chance to score points by knocking down a pyramid of pins and win a prize. With a firm movement, the boy threw the first shot, missing the targets by a few centimetres. Jesse chuckled when he saw the other get angry and then muttered: -I was just warming up...- He threw the second ball, but it too ended up empty and indeed almost caught the owner of the bench. Again Billy huffed: -What the hell! All right, the third one is the good one!- With his last attempt he managed to hit a pin, but failed to move the adjacent ones. In practice, only the one at the top of the pyramid went down.

-See? I said I could do it!- the blond man strutted, -And anyway, it's a talent to only hit one of those things, isn't it?- He looked at Jesse, waiting for some kind of answer. -Certainly! It takes precision.- He once more curbed the urge to laugh. -You got ten points; you can choose from these prizes- said the owner, pointing to a part of the counter. -But they're all stuffed animals...- mumbled Billy, -Hey, daddy, I have an idea: you pick the one you like best; let's make it a present to you, shall we?- -Please don't call me daddy...- Looking at the prizes, Jesse spotted something interesting, and pulled it out of the pile of stuffed animals: it was a hamster the size of a sofa cushion, with brownish fur, round, shiny button eyes and chubby cheeks. -I think I'll choose this one!- Holding it in his hands, he showed it to the other with a cheerful expression: -He's adorable, isn't he? -Yes, cute...- -And you know what? He even looks a bit like you!- Blushing violently, Billy replied: -What are you talking about! That's not true!- He turned away abruptly: “If that thing looks like me and is adorable, you're telling me that-so am I!? What a fool!!!" Suddenly his vision blurred. He knew what it meant, and promptly began to search his pockets, but found them empty except for his wallet and keys. -Everything all right?- -Uh, yes...- He glanced around for some candy stalls, but didn't see any in the immediate surroundings. -Would you like to go on the Ferris wheel?- the actor proposed, attributing the other's agitation to embarrassment. -I suffer from vertigo...- -So... how about trying another shooting gallery?- The feeling of fainting had not come; Billy told himself that maybe he could hold out a little longer, so he adjusted his shirt: -I'm in! I want to see if you're as good as me!-

He was even more so, especially in the game of darts, where he managed to break the points record despite the absence of prizes to be won. Admiring him, with a hint of envy and clutching the soft toy in his hands, Billy watched Jesse throw the darts with fluid and really precise movements; although he didn't always hit the centre he had never missed the board. "Wow..." He felt his cheeks redden again; he shook his head and tried to come to his senses. Passing between one stall and another, evening soon fell, and with it came the time for dinner and the closing of the fair. The blond no longer felt the symptoms of low blood sugar, perhaps because Jesse's presence distracted him, and in a good way. -I missed the fun of a day with a friend- the actor said at one point. -How?- -Until six months ago I was a ghost in real life: my dedication to the theatre had absorbed me so much that I even forgot to take care of myself.- He looked at Billy: -I can say without a doubt that this is the first time I've really enjoyed myself since then.- Again the blood went to the boy's head, and his heart raced: -Ah, well, I'm glad you say that, daddy!- -You insist on calling me that, but I'm not that old!- He smiled, almost laughing. But at the next step, Billy felt weakness and a dizziness made him lose his balance. Promptly, the other man overtook him: -What's going on? Billy! Are you ok?!?- -I need to sit down...- They found a vacant bench; Jesse, thoughtfully, looked at the other taking his face in his hands: -You've turned so pale...- -It's nothing, I just... need something sweet...- -Wait here, I'll be right back.- He left him the soft toy, as if the object was to guard him, and ran to find a still-open stall selling candy or candyfloss. Looking mopey, Billy slowly picked up the hamster and held it in his arms. He felt depleted of strength, and mentally cursed his distraction; not having checked his pockets before going out hadbeen a huge mistake.

Jesse returned with a white plastic bag in his hand: -I found some chocolate, and I also bought a bottle of water to mix some sugar in.- -That should be enough...- He grabbed the chocolate bar the other was handing him and began to eating it. -What happened to you? It can't be low blood sugar; your lunch seemed substantial to me.- -No, I... You see, I had problems as a child, as far as eating was concerned, and as time went on time... Well, I developed mild hypoglycaemia. I get a low at least once a day, but all I need is a piece of candy or a lollipop to feel better.- He finished his chocolate and started sipping his water, already sweetened by Jesse, who sighed: -You gave me a fright.- -Well, now that you know...- He didn't finish the sentence, he was already quite dejected at being seen in that condition. The actor sat down beside him: -I'll have to remember to take some sweets with me, then, for our next outings.- The boy almost choked on a sip of water: -Huh?!? Next outings?!?- -You look surprised.- Billy really was. He was afraid that he would find his little problem pathetic, and that he would dumped him shortly thereafter, but if he was talking about forthcoming outings, perhaps such fears were unfounded. He swallowed: -It's that... um... well...- He looked down, fiddling nervously with the bottle: -O-ok... Just a chocolate, or two...- -Good.- Jesse stood up and held out his hand: -Can you stand?- -I think so...- -Then let me accompany you home for the time being, or I'm afraid you won't be able to ride your bike tomorrow.-

The neighbourhood where Billy lived was anonymous, not very noisy, lacking in colour compared to the rest of the city. -And here we are.- The blond took the keys from his pocket to open the door of the cubic, grey-faced building in front of them. -I'm surprised that someone with a personality as lively as yours lives in such a drab place- commented Jesse looking at the building. -Such flat calm is good for my light sleep, and the rent is low.- He slipped the key into the keyhole, then turned to the actor: -I'll be in the park again tomorrow, if you want...- -All right. After all, you said yourself that walking is good for me, Billy.- The latter smiled: "He remembered!" Waving the stuffed hamster in a gesture of greeting, Jesse said goodnight to the boy; but after a few steps he heard his oddly shrill voice again: -William.- -What?- He turned back. -My real name. It is William. William Harrison Bonney.- He put his hands in his pockets: -You wanted to know, didn't you?- The brunet smiled: -William... I like Billy much better.- The other blushed suddenly and fled into the doorway, closing it behind him and breathing laboriously: "Damn, damn, damn!!!" Resuming his walk, Jesse thought back to another quote, and a faint smile emerged on his face: "To my eyes he looks like a diamond between pieces of glass..."

[i-wanna-b-yours]

heaven and tea for the ask game

heaven: favorite color combinations?

Burgundy & Black, or Burgundy and Gold, Beige and Brown, Patel Pink and Brick-ish Red....there are so many...

tea: favorite films?

Decision To Leave, The Handmaiden, Crazy Rich Asians, Mamma Mia (1&2), La La Land, The Worst Person In The World

[cyphwr-web]

﹟ like or reblog 𓈒 ﹫ cyphwr-web ໑

﹉﹉﹉ ⭒۟ 🖇️ 𓈒ׁᴥ᷼੭ ﹪

psds by @aureangels @opulenceps

@glitterpsd ♡︎

[wally-b-feed]

Beige Zip Patel

[eveningoftheempires]

if it's not too much trouble, could you tell us what the ROs look like?

Of course it is not! A post like that has been coming for some time now, thanks for motivating me to actually write it lol

I am also going to attach people whose looks remind me of the ROs - I am not going to call them faceclaims, because the visions I have of my characters tend to be very specific and therefore it is quite hard to find someone who looks exactly like them. However, I thought it would be nice to share those inspirations, so it is easier for the readers to picture them!

Laurent, standing at 6'3 feet, with a lithe build of a scholar, carries themself with a lot of regality and elegance. The loose strands of long, wavy hair that broke loose from their ponytail and surround their oval face are a touch darker than their golden brown, soft skin. Their hooded hazel eyes - separated by a long, straight nose - are always hidden behind glasses. Their bottom-heavy lips often form a mysterious, almost smile, as if inviting you to try and find out more about them.

Inspirations: Jeenu Mahadevan, Nidhi Sunil, Nikesh Patel, Pooja Mor

Seraphim is the most muscular of the bunch, and the second tallest one as well, reaching 6'8 feet. Their olive skin is marked with many scars, both new and old. Always alert, amber eyes are situated under black bushy eyebrows, of the same color as the messy, short hair atop of their head. Below a crooked nose are full, dark lips, with white, dangerously sharp tusks peeking from between them like a warning.

Inspirations: Katy M. O'Brian, Henry Cavill

Vael makes up for their quite average height of 5'6 feet with their attitude. Their unassuming, petite build can be quite deceiving, since they are no stranger to a fight. Their cyan skin, dotted with markings of gold, certainly makes them stand out in a crowd. Long, pointed ears point out from locks of ebony, silky hair, mostly tied into a bun. Rounded, deep brown eyes are full of life and determination - contrasting with their always displeased, downturned lips.

Inspirations: Jessie Mei Li, Andrea Kevichüsa

Min has a build of an acrobat, allowing them to be agile and swift - their unassuming height of 5'4 feet helps as well. Their tawny beige skin is marked by faint freckles, which intensify on their round face. Black, straight, jaw-length hair could be seen as practical, if it weren't for the loose strands of a fringe that keeps falling into their dark, narrow, mischevious eyes. Upturned nose and smirking, heart-shaped lips complete their troublemaker look.

Inspirations: Park Bo Gum, Adeline Rudolph, Emile Woon

Noor, as typical among the dwarves, doesn't exactly intimidate with their height, reaching barely 4'8 feet. However, they make up for that with a powerful, muscular build. Their auburn, coiled hair is cut shortly, mostly for convenience. They have black skin with warm undertones and a few notable, although faint scars - one crossing the left corner of their wide lips. A soft bridge of a nose, defined cheekbones and dark eyes so deep you could drown in them give them a rather magnetic quality.

Inspirations: Ronald Epps, Maria Borges, Farima Kone Kito, Xavier Roger

Orion is of the most ghastly appearance. Reaching 6'9 feet, with long limbs and a deathly pale complexion, they make quite an impression. Thin, down turned lips are always covered with a black paint - the same that is used to emphasize their wide open, light blue eyes. Layers of grey, velvet hair fall down their back, quite unkempt for most of the time. It is quite easy to get startled by them when you notice them - if you notice them.

Inspirations: Hunter Shafer, Paul Boche

Thank you for the ask! 💖💕

[bobadookk]

woah, that life really can of pi 

[image description:

pi patel, an indian teenager and protagonist of the novel “Life of Pi”, kneels in salah, an islamic prayer. he is on a raft made of life jackets and oars. from his mind is a stream of consciousness that twists into a roaring tiger. he is wearing only beige shorts, and is starving to the point of having prominent ribs. there is a pool of blood surrounding his raft. bobbing underneath the blood is a decapitated head with no eyes, although the cross of christ is flowing out of its left eye socket. there are various bite marks on the head to the point of exposed brain matter. a turtle and a small school of fish swim beyond the pool of blood in the sea. the sky is red. There are white bubble letters in the sky that spell various words: “faith” “humanity” “zoology” “isolation” “regret” “3.14”.

end description.]

[campgender]

End of year meme: 12, 8, 21 (chosen at random i didnt even check what these questions were)

8) Which fashion trends did you hate?

ummm i don’t think i’m in touch enough with fashion trends to know lol. less beige society has progressed past the need for beige

12) What was your favorite movie of the year?

the green knight!!!!! i watched it twice, once with @joyfilledgender & @asdfghjklfancat and then again with @feargender , i thought it did a really fabulous job interpreting/retelling the story in a fresh way while staying true to the bulk of the text, and also dev patel is sooo pretty

21) Did you vote?

no (not much was happening locally back home & i’m living overseas at the moment so it wasn’t worth the ordeal)

[canceraquariuscancer]

Types of Aesthetics

*from Aesthetics Wiki

How to create your own aesthetic

Aesthetics 101: Create Your Own Aesthetic

Reminder: It IS possible to mix aesthetics and create your own. 

1. Color Theory 

The color wheel:

The color wheel is a starting concept of color theory. Primary colors are colors needed to create other colors. 

For paint, primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. 

For light, it’s red, blue, and green.

For printing, the colors are cayan, magenta, and yellow. They use subtractive color model, using the secondaries from light. 

We’ll be focusing on the RYB (red, yellow, blue) model. These colors are mixed to create secondary colors-red+yellow=orange, yellow+blue=green, blue+red=violet.

Complimentary colors:

Colors opposite on the color wheel-red & green, orange & blue, yellow & purple. These colors contrast with each other. 

An aesthetic using complimentary colors with full saturation would be Slimepunk. The main colors used are black, green, red, and purples. 

An aesthetic using complementary colors at low saturation would be Warriorcore. The main colors used are brown, red, green, and grays. It’s a common aesthetic on tumblr right now.

Full saturation can be an eye strain while low saturation can make certain images pop.

Split complementary colors:

Split complementary colors take two colors on one side of the color wheel (ex: red+orange) and pairing it with a color on the opposite side of the wheel (in this example, blue). This creates a sense of unity and a sense of energy. 

An example would be Fallencore. 

Analogous colors:

Analogous colors are colors beside each other on the color wheel (ex: red, orange, yellow). These go together harmoniously, creating a sense of unity.

Some aesthetics would be 

Light Academia. It’s main colors are beige, off-white, white, plaid, dim shades.

Red. It’s main colors are shades of red.

YamiKawaii. It’s main colors are black, red, pink, purples. 

Triads:

Triads are colors equally spaced on the color wheel; red, yellow, and blue or orange, green, and purple. 

Some aesthetics would be

Halloweencore. It’s main colors are orange, green, and purple, black, and red.

The Art Hoe aesthetic mainly uses triads-red, yellow, and red. 

Hatchimitsu Core also uses some triads in it’s color scheme. It’s main colors are cadmium yellow, navy blue, white, beige, and warm earth tones. 

          a. Saturation

Saturation uses a high to low scale, where 1 is gray and 10 is the brightest version of the color. This can make something look light or dark, but it doesn’t mean that is is. Saturation is great for focal point, but high amounts of saturation can worsen headaches and seem chaotic. Desaturation can seem tired or old.

 Neon/Florescent Colors:

Neons are highly saturated colors, causing a sense of chaos, disquiet, discomfort, and eye strain. 

An aesthetic using neons are Psychadelica

Scene uses neon colors, which separates it from emo, which main colors are blacks. 

Cyberpunk and Vapor Wave use desaturated colors to prevent too much discomfort. Vapor Wave’s main colors are blue, pink, and purple neons.

Pastels

Pastels are colors that have white added to them, making them tints, and have high value (closer to white than black). Pastels are often baby blue, baby pink, mint, lavender, and lilac. 

Some aesthetics using pastels are

Bubble Goth. It’s main colors are silver, blue, white, black, and pastel pink. 

Pastel Goth, using black and pastel colors. 

Soft Grunge

Pastel Punk, using pastel colors. 

Pastel aesthetics can also show femininity. Some examples are

Lolita and Mori Kei (Miri Kei’s main colors are green, brown, white, pink, and yellows).

It can also be used to convey sweetness and happiness, as used in 

Cottagecore. Cottagecore uses green, brown, yellow, cram, and off-white colors.

Candycore. 

Light Academia can also be put in patels.

Can be used to show child-like qualities like Kid Core, which main colors are pastels, neons, and bright colors.

And innocence and purity, as used in Angelcore and Fairycore. 

Earthtones 

Earthtones are desaturated colors made to look like nature. It includes browns, greens, blues, and yellows. It can symbolize life, nature, adventure, and the woods. 

Some examples of Earthtone Aesthetics are,

Naturecore, Adventurecore (also uses whites/off-whites), and Art Nouveau. 

Bright Colors 

Bright colors have high saturation, but of any hue. They seem childish and hard to style together or bold and by themselves in a single person or group. These are associated with the 70s and 80s, and 90s-early 2000s. 

Some exaples are,

Vintage/Retro

Nostalgiacore. Main colors are magenta, neon greens, bright reds, bright yellows, bright blues, and animal print. 

Art Hoe

Hypebeast 

Wormcore 

          b. Value 

Value is how much white or black is added to a color. If black is added, its a shade and if white is added its a tint. Value is about how light or dark something is. 

Tint=closer to white

Shade=closer to black

Darker colors are more serious, but not more masculine (the “little black dress”), however, tints are seen as purity (white is also seen as pure) and femininity. 

Muted Tones

Desaturated colors and low value. 

Closer to black. 

Used to make things old and official, like in,

Dark Academia. Dark Academia mostly uses earth tones.

Dolly Kei. 

Can be used to fit certain eras such as cryptidcore. 

Can also be used to seem dull and lifeless such as Lovely Darkness.

Gray Scale and Monochromatic Colors

They’re not actually colors, but are colors with different variations in values. 

Examples are

Poolcore, which mainly uses variations in blues.

You can see it in other colors like Purple. 

High Contrast

High contrast is a limited color scheme that relies on the contrast of black, dark gray, and white to achieve it’s effect. Many goths use this color scheme. 

Examples:

Vampire, mainly uses black and red.

Cybergoth. 

          c. Others

Jewel Tones

It was originally based off of crystals and precious stones. It’s main colors are medium to low contrasting purples, turquoise, aqua, emerald green, yellow, and red. It’s seen more in fall/autumn. 

Some examples are,

(obviously) Autumn; main colors being red, orange, brown, yellow, gold, turquoise, violet, and indigo.

Fractal Art

Ethereal 

Crystalcore 

Metallic

Metallic rely on metals. They can be silver, gold, bronze, chrome, steel, and copper.

Some examples are

Y2K, using silver and bright and vivid colors. 

Kinstugi, main color gold.

Crowcore, using rustic silvers, copper tones, white, green, and black.

Cyberprep, using chrome and leather. 

And, arguably, Holosexual, using holographic colors and metallics. 

Cool Colors

It can be cool colors like crimson red and ultramarine blue, and make a different feeling than warm toned reds and blues and make better purples and blacks in paintings, or colors associated with winter or water. 

Examples:

Sea Punk. Main colors are blue, green, purple, and blue.

Ice Punk. Main colors are white, pale blue, and muted pastels. 

Warm Colors

Warm colors are warmed toned, such as Cadimun Red, Cerulean Blue, and Cadimun Yellow. These colors will make better oranges. They’re associated with warmth, summer, or food. 

Examples: 

Coffee House. It’s main colors are dark brown, black, mustard, forest green, and maroon. 

Warmcore. Main colors are soft/pale yellows, warm white, and light grays. 

Golden Hour which is about sunsets, sunrises, and the color gold. 

No Color Pallet or Scheme

Examples:

Cleancore, main colors being pale blue, white, and mint green. 

Goblincore, main colors are earth tones.

2. Suffix Meaning

Academia focuses on academic styles. It doesn’t just focus on studyblr, it can go with other styles like Librarian Chic. It’s not limited to western academics, it can include academics from anywhere in the world.

Core N/A

Goth is a subculture that branches out of 80s punk. Dark clothes, Victorian, and Edwardian era fashion, makeup, and decorations are inspirations, but it has many branches to the aesthetic. Here is more information on goth subculture.

Kei is a Japanese suffix mainly used in the sense of “type”, and can range from theme to personality type. 

Punk is referred to as a time rejecting social norms or a subgenre of speculative fiction. It originated with Cyberpunk, born in a new wave science fiction in the 70s. It can involve anything that would fit into the fictional high tech dystopia, including fashion, architecture, music, products, vehicles, etc. Some exceptions are Pastel Punk and Sea Punk. 

List of aesthetics are posted seperately

[thesimpanions]

⭐️ N E W  V I D E O ⭐️ The Sims 4 | TOWNIE MAKEOVER: ZOE PATEL 🌺 | CAS + CC Links

Go watch the CAS video here: 🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

CC Links:

ZOE PATAL CC:GENERAL: Skin Overlay: https://oasisgoth.tumblr.com/post/175646311686/new-dna-skin-revamped-by-oasisgoth-i-got Skinblend: https://strik-e.tumblr.com/post/183013904794/wanna-easily-turn-your-sims-into-potatoes-weve Eyebrows: https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims4-hair-facial/title/mm-eyebrows-n17--velvet/id/1359397/ Lashes: http://kijiko-catfood.com/3d-lashes-version2/ Eyeshadow 1: https://crazycupcakefr.tumblr.com/post/182944229833/reupload-of-my-fall-eyeshadows-hope-you-will Eyeshadow 2: https://love4sims4.tumblr.com/post/159649024133/catplnt-a-nightmare-in-beige-eye-makeup-set Eyeliner: https://simandy.tumblr.com/post/171605780781/made-an-eyeliner-actually-4-but-yea Liner: https://crypticsim.tumblr.com/post/180694444347/passionfruit-liner-the-passionfruit-liner-is-a Blush 1: https://love4sims4.tumblr.com/post/178639316953/voidboredom-%EF%BE%9Fprecious-blush-a-full-body Blush 2: https://dangerouslyfreejellyfish.tumblr.com/post/165104610246/3k-followers-set-heres-a-few-items-ive-been Highlight: https://nesurii.tumblr.com/post/182508085171/amaryllis Highlighter: https://sagittariahx.tumblr.com/post/179920371155/body-highlight-download-sfs-tip-me-for-get Lipstick: https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims4-makeup-female-lipstick/title/gravity-lipstick/id/1443422/ Lipgloss: https://alhajero.tumblr.com/post/185072913035/nice-gloss-ugly-gif-or-at-least-i-thinkEVERYDAY: Hair: https://www.patreon.com/posts/28750048 Dress: https://moontrait.tumblr.com/post/186434515903/moontrait-cardigan-short-dress-another-dress-for Shoes: https://www.patreon.com/posts/wicker-wedges-26570863 Earrings: https://isjao.tumblr.com/post/170469878341/some-earings-3-different-style-of-earings-bgc Bracelet: https://www.renorasims.com/product-page/less-is-more-pearl-bracelets Nails: https://simlaughlove.tumblr.com/post/163327412088/sll-rainbownailsFORMAL: Hair: https://dust-bubbles.tumblr.com/post/184118709636/rielle-a-hairstyle-thank-you-so-much-for-3k Dress: https://mintiemarmalade.tumblr.com/post/187356380583/lover-dress-a-full-length-formal-gown-inspired-by Earrings: https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims4-accessories-female-earrings/title/gold-pearl-earrings--sophie/id/1310587/ Bracelet: https://www.renorasims.com/product-page/less-is-more-pearl-bracelets Nails: https://simlaughlove.tumblr.com/post/163327412088/sll-rainbownailsACTIVE: Hair: https://stephanine-sims.tumblr.com/post/169842819344/raven-hair-hello-who-doesnt-love-a-messy Jacket: https://babyvalentinee.tumblr.com/post/186528977398/cute-active-mini-pack-by-babyvalentinee-top Leggings: https://babyvalentinee.tumblr.com/post/186528977398/cute-active-mini-pack-by-babyvalentinee-top Shoes: https://theslyd.tumblr.com/post/146540946841/golden-goose-deluxe-brand-super-star-sneakersSLEEP: PJ: https://joliebean.tumblr.com/post/182787987096/st-valentines-day-gift-a-set-of-clothes Hair: https://www.patreon.com/posts/28750048PARTY: Hair: https://www.patreon.com/posts/28750048 Xio Top: https://dear-solar.tumblr.com/post/187076819275/the-chuuuuu-collab-this-is-a-korean-beauty-and Skirt: https://grimcookies.com/post/186093894930/its-here-this-cc-set-is-the-conclusion-of-months Shoes: https://dallasgirl79.tumblr.com/post/186457472618/havana-wedges-new-mesh-everyone-needs-a-summer Necklace: https://bethsims4love.tumblr.com/post/160823033598/so-i-have-been-messing-around-in-blender-and Earrings: https://alexaarr.tumblr.com/post/182768391261/1k-followers-gift Bracelet: https://veranka-s4cc.tumblr.com/post/142800259050/claire-necklace-bracelets-i-did-some-simpleSWIM: Hair: https://stephanine-sims.tumblr.com/post/169842819344/raven-hair-hello-who-doesnt-love-a-messy Swimsuit: https://www.patreon.com/posts/28750048HOT WEATHER: Hair: https://kiwibli.tumblr.com/post/173396890530/no-tears-left-a-hair-ok-the-reference-to-this-is Dress: https://theprismsims.tumblr.com/post/186936143538/%F0%9D%91%AE%F0%9D%92%86%F0%9D%92%87%F0%9D%92%8F-%F0%9D%91%AB%F0%9D%92%93%F0%9D%92%86%F0%9D%92%94%F0%9D%92%94-introducing-my-first-ever Shoes: https://www.patreon.com/posts/wicker-wedges-26570863 Earrings: https://kotcatmeow.tumblr.com/post/175860420013/isjao-hello-im-here-to-give-to-you-acess-toCOLD WEATHER: Hair: https://aharris00britney.tumblr.com/post/184586100451/dakota-hair Coat: https://renorasims.tumblr.com/post/181777277948/chablis-trench-coat-hiya-everyone-this-coat-was Boots: https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims4-shoes-female-teenadultelder/title/madlen-paris-boots/id/1319129/ Beanie: https://brohilda.tumblr.com/post/168800078426/beanie-baby-dedicated-to-oaksim-who-wanted Scarf: https://nolan-sims.tumblr.com/post/156167909408/nolan-sims-here-i-know-there-are-already-a

[explojohn-blog]

YOU, Shut Up and Pay Attention!

Capturing Attention in Social Media

            Apologies for being so ominous, but did it work? Now that I have you here, stay and read on for your intellectual stimulation. Social media is currently one of the leading sources for information flow in our day-to-day and professional lives and consequently, we are at the threshold of anattention economy, if not already there, among the ever growing, heavily congested real estate of social media (Lu et al., 2021). Brady et al. (2019) expresses that in boasting over three billion consumers online in social media’s attention economy, content must surpass $15 billion dollars’ worth of ads, newsflashes and propaganda, vicious political arguments, a ton of memes, celebrity updates, and individuals’ unique postings in order to garner any attention to be recognized. The author goes on to suggest that out-standing content is more likely to translate into consumer commitment (e.g., retweeting, commenting, reacting, etc.), and the content that catches or cashes the attention checks and dollars, enjoys the wealth of consumers’ engagement to their online content. Once the fortitude for content to arrest individuals’ attention is established, it has the potential to expand that audience and exercise social influence across multiple areas (Brady et al., 2019). After all that incredible data, not to underwhelm you but the question hovers, how do we gain viewer attention in social media? I will give you a few strategies to ponder.

Get emotional and be expressive! I knew a young man that gave a speech in his public speaking course titled, “Make them laugh, Make them angry, Make them cry.” At the premise of his speech was the notion to the class to invoke any strong emotional response in your public addresses. Brady et al. (2019) relays from research that ethical and demonstrative language apprehends attention far more greater than dispassionate rhetoric or display, and this may be a fraction as to why language exhibiting this method of communications are more likely to see higher distribution on social media platforms. The author goes on to express that moral and passionate displays are more polarizing in initial visual awareness than beige subject matter, and that attention apprehension is linked to increased sharing and retweets.

Shock value. An unsuspecting presentation can abruptly capture our attention as a result of the presence of nudity, blatant rebellion, ghastly images, sexual mentions, rudeness or moral violation and the shock presence spins a typical display into an astounding exhibition (Halvadia & Patel, 2011). The author expresses that Shock value arouses strong feelings within most consumers and eyebrow raising content in an ad significantly raises attention, procures memory and influences consumer activities. Additionally, the author cautions that while shock phenomenon may spawn an unforgettable impression on consumer behaviors and brand impression, one must consider how this style may impact their image or brand be it positive or negative with consideration to your target market, lifestyle, or backlash.

#Hashtagit. Twitter's retweet attribute permits users to share content via forwarding it to their supporters, and a special character known as a hashtag # which precedes a transmitted word with a subsequent tweet of that specific #, tows a page presenting the account of all tweets covering that hashtaged theme (Kenett et al., 2014). The authors express that this in turn generates a community of like minds discoursing that certain hashtag and encourages those of interest in the topic to apply the linked hashtag prefixed to their tweets as a means to increase the volume and audience of their tweet (Kenett et al., 2014). Hashtag # aka pound symbol, received this renaming and was made prominent by Twitter, though they were not the first to utilize this character (Dcosta, 2021).  The author explains that the # ‘s foremost usage on the internet is dated back to 1988 on a site called Internet Realy Chat (IRC) who applied it to groups and themes for transcripts, videos, or images centered on the available information across the early internet; predominantly for the purpose of locating specific sources of significant content. Further, the author reports as Twitter began to garner major attention, consumers who posted brief updates complained of irrelevant subjects, difficulty in finding required information, and an outcry arose for a more user friendly way to enhance communication. Voilà, Twitter users were sated with the now infamous IRC’s # that permeates multiple social media platforms today. As you apply this strategy, use the hashtag, #Johntoldme.

Maintaining Engagement in Social Media

 If getting attention on Social Media is a conundrum, how much more is maintaining it? Bradbury (2016) arguably relays that the traditional lecture has been perceived as an anachronism lacking efficiency based on the communal understanding that an egregious waning of student attention occurs 10–15 min into the discourse or lecture. If this is the debatable case of attention span and maintaining it in the halls of higher learning, how much shorter and disengaging could it be with the power to easily click away with a mouse or a swipe and on the next stimuli?  Let’s look at a few strategies that have been postured to maintain engagement in social media.

Give them an experience. Users are now able to amend, share, and redistribute original content by remixing it from its base intent in order to communicate their own unique experience meaningful to themselves and their followers (Di Gangi & Wasko, 2016). The author adds that this makes Social Media valuable in that it accommodates the desires and interests of consumers, and also reinforces audience interactions for the presenting and marketing of their perspectives to various outlets. Moreover, the author states that when the user forges an experience through social interactions with friends, acquaintances, likeminded persons, ideas, and commonalities this guides the users’ level of engagement higher. Give your audience an experience that relates to them and binds them to your content. For example, the author J.K. Rowling (#HarryPotter) didn’t just give us #Potterheads one manuscript to experience and then go on to another random writing, she wrote several books in a series that built a likeminded community lusting for more. You may or may not experience her type of success but your online series of experience content about, “Thoughts on why the ice cream machine at McDonald’s is always broken,” may draw you millions of followers or haters online, but hey, a million followers is a million followers.

RSVP : répondez s'il vous plait means please reply. In the Black community it is a running joke that Black people don’t RSVP, the jury is still out on that and the data has not been analyzed. However, I have noticed many on social media present an incredible post and when you react to it, there is no response from the writer as if they are just thinking out loud or thinking online rather. Parr, B. (2015) writes that salutation or response caters to our desire for validation and identification with others as it is among our important needs however clandestine for some.  The author explains that all animals crave attention, however, it is only the human animal that acknowledgment is a necessity as this validates our sense of belonging to be among a community that cares about our wellbeing. That true and authenticating reply to well-wisher’s reaction on your timeline, creates a social media context-ed feeling that, “I like you because you think like me (Parr, 2015),” even if that is untrue, good, bad or indifferent; you created engagement beyond attention getting.

Tag me please. An individual's amount of connections has a broad outcome on the distribution of content online (Chen et al., 2017). Additionally, the author shares (pun intended) that the number of friends or followers, provides the shortest route between two associates connected on social media and the power of that association is a convenience of extent, expressive intensity, familiarity, and exchange of services among the persons connected. As a result, Brady et al. (2019) states that should one user having a 1,000 or more connections being linked to a post, concluding in 10% of those connected redistributing it on their own their newsfeed entailing a 1,000 connections also, that single message will have easily transmitted, received reactions, or reproduced to and by well over 100,000 users. If you have something worthwhile to say and you feel you are the voice that America and the world needs to hear, tag someone or two and let the algorithms of Social Media spread your content. Oh, please get permission, that's Social Media etiquette.

References

Bradbury, N. A. (2016, November 8). Attention span during lectures: 8 seconds, 10 minutes, or more? Advances in Physiology Education. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/advan.00109.2016

Brady, W. J., Crockett, M. J., & Van Bavel, J. J. (2019). The MAD Model of Moral Contagion: The role of motivation, attention and design in the spread of moralized content online. Advance online publication. 10.31234/osf.io/pz9g6

  Chen, X., Van Der Lans, R., & Phan, T. Q. (2017). Uncovering the Importance of Relationship Characteristics in Social Networks: Implications for Seeding Strategies. Journal of Marketing Research, 54(2), 187–201. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmr.12.0511

Dcosta, C. (2021, January 14). History of hashtags introduced by Twitter for trending of the topics! Mindstorm. https://mindstorm.in/blog/history-of-hashtags-introduced-by-twitter-for-trending-of-the-topics

Di Gangi , P., & Wasko, M. (2016). (PDF) Social Media Engagement theory: - researchgate. Researchgate.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/299357565_Social_Media_Engagement_Theory

Halvadia , N., & Patel, R. (2011). Shock advertising and its Impact. Researchgate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/216570873_Shock_Advertising_And_Its_Impact

Kenett, D. Y., Morstatter, F., Stanley, H. E., & Liu, H. (2014). Discovering social events through online attention. PloS one, 9(7), e102001. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0102001

Lu, D., Ruan, B., Lee, M., Yilmaz, Y., & Chan, T. M. (2021). Good practices in harnessing social media for scholarly discourse, knowledge translation, and education. Perspectives on medical education, 10(1), 23–32. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40037-020-00613-0

Parr, B. (2015, March 3). 7 ways to capture someone's attention. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from https://hbr.org/2015/03/7-ways-to-capture-someones-attention