#built in on there and an app that tells you the weather' and not like full on all-in-one staples that many peoples entire daily lives and

[flying-potato2]

YES PLEASE USE NEWPIPE its so good you can download video+audio in a ton of different formats or just audio as m4a, and then you can use video transcoder from fdroid or github to change the codec to whatever you want. It is so genuinely amazing and doubles as an alternative youtube client AND it has no ads

One thing I really love about seedy anime websites and YouTube mp3 converters is like. They actually do what they say they’re doing. But they WILL try to trick you into downloading a virus. Like it’s almost just a greeting at this point. I try to extract a song from a YouTube video and it says free VPN installer tonight perhaps? Free VPN installer tonight queen? And I say YouTube-mp3 converter you sly dog, you know what I’m here for. Show me the goods. And YouTube-mp3 converter says ahhh you got me, no getting one over on you. Thought it was worth a try tho. Here you go king x

[aliensupastar]

shouldn’t feel like a crime

Rating: Mature

Pairing: Carmy Berzatto/GN!Reader

Word Count: 2.1k

Summary: You finally try Carmy’s cooking. Follow-up to “not wrong, but not right”

Part I Part III

Warnings: minor angst, comfort, fluff, depiction of an eating disorder, food and eating, healing?

A/N: first off, thank you all so much for the love on the first part! i wrote it as a comfort during a difficult time and it was so nice to see people enjoy it. i didn’t intend on writing more for it, but a few people asked for it and i finally got an idea for a follow-up! as a disclaimer, i wrote most of this before season 2 came out and edited it afterwards, but there are no spoilers. gif by emziess <3

Carmy is a good boss. You know this, you’ve known it for months. His sometimes-abrasive idiolect aside, he runs the restaurant like he cares about every brick that built it, every burner the crew uses to make each dish, every ticket that comes through that god-forsaken machine on the expo station. It makes any screaming match easily forgivable, and any nightmare lunch rush endurable. 

What you didn’t know was that Carmy could also be a good friend. Since your stint in the emergency room he’s made good on his agreement with you, without ever being overwhelming. He’s instead mercifully subtle. There’s a few bottles of lemonade kept in the office’s mini-fridge now, for when you get dizzy. He’s lent you that coat of his a few times, when the night air ends up chillier than you predicted that morning, and you’ve left your own jacket at home. And he never fails to give you a look, during the busiest hours at the restaurant, communicating quickly, and quietly: Are you good? And you know if the answer is no, he’ll let you take a breather without a single complaint, but you always respond with a quick nod and push through the rest of the shift.

In turn, you do your best not to worry him. You take vitamins and get better sleep and try to stop pushing yourself to the brink of passing out. You even eat one of your safe foods in front of him, at family while everyone else enjoyed the samosas Ebrahaim had cooked up that day, and for once it felt good to eat; the constant playful bickering and banter a welcome distraction from the usual stress that follows your meals. 

It’s nice. Maybe you don’t necessarily feel like you’re getting better, just more… stable. Less like you’re in a free-fall and more like you’ve got both feet on solid ground. 

When you go to leave after closing up one night and find that it’s raining, impeding you from making your usual trek to the train station, you turn back and head to the office. And a few months ago, you might’ve been too nervous around Carmy to even ask to stay in the restaurant an extra hour, preferring to brave the cold rain and let your clothes get soaked and heavy rather than hang around. You’re relieved, now, to find Carmy right where you left him when you said goodnight just a minute ago, ready to save you from a miserable trip home. 

“What’s up?” He asks when he spots you. 

“It’s raining.” You tell him, nodding your head in the direction of the back door. “Didn’t bring an umbrella. Do you mind if I stick around for a bit, just ‘till it stops?” 

“Yeah, it’s no problem, I’ll be here finishing up for a while, anyway,” He says, then continues after a brief pause. “Y’know you really gotta stop relying on that iPhone weather app.”

You scoff, shaking your head at his teasing. 

“You know I’m too lazy to start using another one.”

“I’m just sayin’.” He pushes out of his chair and walks past you, into the kitchen, grabbing a sponge and the container of soap water he uses to clean the countertops. 

“You want help?” You offer, already taking off your coat and tossing it onto the office chair. 

“Nah, you already clocked out. Don’t worry about it.” He replies, not even looking up as he begins to scrub, but you pick up a sponge anyway and get to work on the counter behind him. 

You fall into a comfortable silence for a while after that, only broken by the sound of rough sponges scraping away at the grime and the faint patter of rain on the roof of the building, and part of you wishes you had more opportunities for this. More time spent with him, outside of the hustle and bustle of the restaurant, even if it’s spent cleaning. His presence has become something you’d rather not avoid, even if it makes your heart race; the unique scent of him on the coat you’ve borrowed is becoming familiar, comforting. 

“Glad it wasn’t busy today.” Your train of thought is interrupted by his sudden comment, but you quickly nod. 

“Practically a miracle, for a Friday.” You agree, hearing him chuckle behind you. 

“Didn’t need that shit today, anyways, not while I’m on,” He says. He was working the stovetop today, alongside Sydney, making an efficient team as they churned out dishes quicker than the customers could file in. It made your day a little easier, the delicious aroma wafting from the kitchen while you savored the downtime granted by the slow day. 

“I’ve never tried your cooking,” You say offhandedly, but your words make him pause and look back at you, eyebrows raised in surprise. 

“Really?” He asks, and you nod. “You’ve worked here for months, though.” 

“I know.” You shrug. 

“How come?” 

That makes you stop scrubbing, turning slightly to look at him. 

“Think you know the answer to that one, chef.” You tease, before continuing to work. He huffs out a laugh, but keeps staring at your back while you scrub. 

“I could make you something.” He finally says, and it makes you truly stop, turning to face him fully. 

“Y’all just cleaned this whole kitchen.” Now it’s his turn to shrug. 

“I don’t mind.” You give him an incredulous look.

“I- If you think I’m gonna help you clean the stove and the plates again, you’re wrong.” Carmy just shakes his head, tossing his sponge back into the container of water and grabbing a few clean pans. 

“C’mon, I can’t have you walking around saying you’ve never tried the food at the restaurant you work at,” He says. “You like spaghetti?”

He’s casual in the way he asks, but you’re still standing by the counter, eyebrows raised in shock. Your mind is starting to race, the way it does every time you’re faced with food, but Carmy’s already pouring olive oil into a saucepan and brandishing his chef knife to chop an onion. 

You approach the stove he’s standing at carefully, like it might just burst into flames, and you can already smell the familiar scent of garlic and olive oil and god, he’s only been at it for a minute and it already smells like heaven in this kitchen. 

“Smell good?” 

“Yeah,” You practically breathe out. “Shit, smells amazing.” 

He smiles at that, a rare thing to see on his face. He’s thoughtful for a moment, before saying:

“This is, uh, Mikey’s recipe, actually.” 

Your eyes widen, a bit taken aback by his mention of his late brother. At least, his mention of Mikey to you. 

You’d learned about what happened to Michael just a few weeks after being hired, after having witnessed the heavy silence that overtook the room when he’d been mentioned, and asking Marcus after work what all that had been about. Since you received your explanation, you’ve tried to mind your own business when the melancholy that came with Michael’s memory returned, giving those who seemed to know him best room to process before getting back to work. 

Carmy’s never talked about Mikey to you directly; no one has. You’re not sure what to say. 

“Mikey, that’s… your brother, right?” You ask hesitantly, even if you already know the answer before Carmy nods. 

“Yeah. He used to run this place, before it was The Bear.” He tells you. 

“Before?” Your confusion and surprise seeps into your tone. “What was it before?”

“Still a restaurant, but, quick service. Italian sandwiches. We weren’t called The Bear, we were-“ He chuckles, caught up in reminiscing. “We were called The Original Beef of Chicagoland.” 

“No shit! This used to be The Beef?” He nods his confirmation and you’re instantly brought back, the memory faded like an old photo that’s been shoved into storage and forgotten. The only thing that wasn’t hard to recall was the sandwich you’d ordered, practically dripping with flavor, the exact kind of comfort food you’d needed that day.

“Been here before?” He asks.

“Yeah, I just- I didn’t recognise it.” You’d sat at a table across from the friend that dragged you to the slightly shabby establishment, silently relishing in the deliciousness of your food before the panic could set in, so enraptured by it you didn’t even care about the booming voice coming from behind a door that presumably led to the kitchen. Not even when the person it belonged to came out to the front and-

“Mikey, was he like, tall? Black hair?” You suddenly ask, gesturing how tall you’d remembered the man being, and now Carmy’s the one that’s confused. 

“Uh, yeah. You- you knew Mikey?” He sounds a little breathless when he asks, but you shake your head. 

“No, but when I came here before, he was still running the place, I guess. And just… loud as shit. Hard to ignore,” You look up and meet Carmy’s eyes. “Hard to forget.” 

You both share a laugh at that, at the memory of his brother that he loved, and that you barely even knew. 

“Yeah, that definitely sounds like him.” The sweet smile stays on his face as he chops and sautées, refusing to let you do more than start boiling the spaghetti for him. All you can do is watch the pasta and watch him as he navigates his brother’s recipe like it’s pure muscle memory. 

As much as you like to steal glances at him during opening prep, you don’t get to see as much of him during service hours. You’re just as busy working front-of-house, keeping people happy and keeping Richie off your ass, as he is while he’s trying to keep up on dishes. You don’t get a ton of chances to see him like this, in his element. He plates the finished spaghetti perfectly, in two bowls, so you know he won’t let you eat alone. 

Still, the anxiety in your stomach rises when you accept the fork Carmy hands you, and you can’t help but pause. He does, too, and you know he easily recognises the cause of your trepidation. 

“What’s up?” He asks, his voice gentle. You shake your head, trying to rid yourself of the conflict in your mind, but you can’t stop yourself from saying it. 

“Do you… just, maybe have an idea of-“

“I have no clue how many calories are in this.” He answers your question before you can even ask it, and you can’t help but let out a breath of amusement — at yourself, at him for somehow knowing. 

It’s his gentle smile, one that lacks judgment or pity, that pushes you to finally swirl the spaghetti around your fork and take a bite and-

Oh my god. 

You can’t help the moan that escapes you during that first bite, ignoring Carmy’s chuckle at your slight dramatics. You can see why he’s hot shit in the restaurant world; the dish barely looked fancy or complicated when he’d made it, certainly not as complicated as anything on the menu, but somehow it tastes better than any pasta you’ve ever had. You would say you’re in disbelief, but you don’t pause long enough to think about anything but this, how amazing every flavor bursting on your tongue is.

Carmy finishes his pasta before you do, but he stands next to you till your bowl is empty, before taking it over to the dish pit and beginning to scrub down all the dishware he’d used. And you stand there for a second, staring at his back, unable to process all the emotion filling you as he washes your bowl. The bowl he let you get dirty, because he wanted you to be able to try his food. 

The utter warmth flooding your senses is almost overwhelming.

Then, despite your earlier protests, you pick up the sponge he abandoned earlier and get to scrubbing the stovetop down again. You ignore the few warm tears that escape your waterline in the process. 

You mindlessly follow Carmy around as he walks through each room, shutting off lights and locking the front entrance and office doors. When you inevitably make your way to the back exit, you push open the door only to find that it’s still raining, worse than it was hours ago. You can only sigh and lean your head against the doorway in defeat. 

“Need a ride?” Carmy offers easily. 

You think back to the frame that sits on the countertop out front, holding a slightly crumpled index card: “I love you, dude. Let it rip.” Words you’ve seen nearly every day since your first on the job; you just now realize they’re probably Michael’s.

It feels like too much. The letting you stick around, the pasta, the… everything. 

You nod anyways, accepting Carmy’s offer, letting him lead you to his car, and he lets you lead the way home.

[recreationalfanfics]

Lab Rats x Twisted Wonderland Incorrect Quotes (these are all from the Lab Rats show)

Adam Davenport! Reader:

Crowley, after the overblots started happening: The reason I built Night Raven College was to teach you to control your magic. And I couldn't even do that...I feel like I failed you.

Adam! Y/n: Well, I'm glad someone said it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Azul, after Adam! Y/n came back from the underwater museum without the potion: How did you survive so long without oxygen?

Adam! Y/n: By breathing underwater!😃

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ace, when Malleus and Sebek walk by: Look out guys. The weather just got partly creepy with a 100% chance of annoying.

Adam! Y/n: Am I gunna need my umbrella for that?!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Overblot Character: and how would you like your lives TO END?!

Adam! Y/n: Livin' on Mars. Then I accidentally take off my helmet.

Chase Davenport! Reader:

Chase! Y/n, dealing with their first overblot: Everyone just stay calm. We can't afford to panic.

Deuce: We are calm.

Chase! Y/n: WELL YOU SHOULDN'T BE, WE'RE IN CRISIS!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chase!Y/n: We should just tell Professor Crewel.

Ace: Yeah, we tell Crewel and get it over with!

Chase! Y/n: ARE YOU CRAZY, WE CAN'T TELL CREWEL.

Deuce: IT WAS YOUR IDEA!

Chase! Y/n: WHAT, SO NOW YOU LISTEN TO ME!?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chase! Y/n: What if Epel isn't able to make it!? What if he gets caught in a traffic jam!?

Jack: On a broomstick?

Chase! Y/n: There could be birds!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chase! Y/n, after going into Commando Mode and beating up Floyd: Commando App disengaged!? Guys, why was I in Commando mode!?

Ace: Where you in Commando mode?

Deuce: I didn't see a commando mode!

Grim: OOH, that's good! Everyone, keep lying!

Bree Davenport! Reader:

Bree! Y/n, after they catch a basketball: What do I do with this!?

Ace: Throw it!

Bree! Y/n: *throws it at Jamil who didn't notice and knocks him out*

Ace: TO SOMEONE WHOSE LOOKING.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Crowley: And what do you have to say for yourself, Davenport?

Bree! Y/n: That boys are easily manipulated when their masculinity is threatened.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bree! Y/n, after Ace tries to get them to prank Riddle: Sorry, its not in my nature to be stupid and immature.

Ace: Good thing it's mine!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Trey: I'm baking these tarts for Riddle's mom. If we do everything right, we might just be able to get on her good side!

Bree! Y/n: The woman has many sides. None of them are good.

[nipuni]

Time for an old school blog post, Hello!

Just various updates about life and shows and clothes and some photos! Adding a read more cut because I talk too much 😊

Happy equinox everyone!! The mild weather has been wonderful for daily park walks. We have been taking our meals outside as often as we can to make the most of it before summer scorches the land and all life. The longer days allow for a lot more wandering too but the imminent return of the heat is also making the longing to move up north worse by the day. We miss the choppy ocean and seaside cliffs 😭 We love the silence and the rain and the nippy sea breeze!! it's like being suspended in early spring for half the year and a rainy autumn the other half, Ideal if you don't mind humidity, but that's what wellies and flat caps are for. We have been looking for properties to rent to show up everyday so for now we lie in wait.

Speaking of nature, a few months ago we discovered a free app called Plantnet that you use to take and upload photos of plants, trees, flowers and it will identify them for you. You keep a log with their locations and can share them too to help contribute to each local biodiversity database. It feels like a pokedex for plants. There are many apps like this one to choose from too. It's been so fun learning what all these plants are called and memorizing them! I recommend it, is like a little educational side quest to take on while stretching your legs and getting some fresh air. This is not an ad I promise lmao I just think it's neat! kind of sad feeling the need to clarify that.

This weather is also making me want to start making outfit posts again! It's been so long since I made any!! my winter wardrobe is mostly long wool coats or capes and boots so the inspiration wasn't there but now I'm ready to pull out all my stuff back from under my bed storage and experiment again 👏 I've also been meaning to share some of Nicolas outfits for ages too so there is more variety, could be fun!

Speaking of clothes, lately I've grown more and more frustrated with how poorly most clothes fit me to the point where I'm considering learning how to make them from scratch. I usually have to take in the tops and hem the bottoms but most things I try on are just built weird even if I fix the size, or maybe I'm built weird! I think it may be both. Nicolas also said he would love to learn along with me so we will probably embark on that adventure soon. OH and on a short tangent, I got myself a sort of binder-like top that flattens the chest a bit and I'm loving it! I'm very flat already but what little bust I do have has always bothered me when I dress and I've found I feel a lot more comfortable in this type of top. I'm glad I tried it out so if you feel similarly you may want to give it a go too, see how it feels!

On the media side of things we have also been watching more of David Tennant's work. We are still very much in love with him to an embarrassing degree, you can probably tell if you follow me anywhere, my likes on twitter alone give me away alksjdf and Nicolas isn't any better! if he used social media his would look the same lmao.

Since my last report we have watched and absolutely LOVED "There She Goes" we already want to watch it again honestly. The family dynamics for all his characters are always so real and refreshing!! Their relationship with their wives especially are always so believable in every series we've seen, the comfort and camaraderie, the banter and just friendship! You can tell they enjoy each other's company, it feels true. I love it so much!!

We also watched "Inside man" which was..a very stressful mess but David was incredible as always, also very hot and very pitiful which is always great, and Stanley Tucci was on it! so that's also fun.

Then we rewatched season one of Good Omens and the first 4 seasons of Doctor Who, with all the extra content like the Confidentials, deleted scenes, video diaries and more, they are just so good!! our list of favourite episodes keeps growing, season four is incredible, we are loving all these seasons even more the second time around!! Now we are probably going to start watching either Classic Who or Torchwood, along with more of David's work. We were trying to pick what to watch during dinner the other day and Nicolas was like 'damn, David is not in this though, I miss him' and lmao same so now we just watch one show without him and one with him right after to cope 😂

OH we have also been doing more historical reenactment! Since the last one in the 20's we jumped back to Regency times. We have been putting our outfits together for a ball soon and hopefully another one in autumn in the UK 😊 1800 is the farthest back in time we've been yet so it's been fun doing research, finding pieces and learning the dances in class but also very hectic. I'll share more about this soon!

Then we also have a couple of 1900 events coming soon, so I'll be sharing more Edwardian looks as well, our favourite era!!

Anyway I think that's all for now, thanks for reading to whoever is doing so!! I know this is long and not a popular blogging format anymore but I enjoy it a lot, maybe some of you do too 🥰 I will reply to some messages soon, I'm so sorry I'm so bad at keeping up with those!! I've read them all and cherish every word 🥺 Thank you for supporting my art and shenanigans as always!! I hope you have a great week!!

[queeniecook]

January 20

There's a gentle rain falling upon the island of Sulani as the Grant household wakes up for the day. It's a Saturday which thankfully means no school for AJ.

"Can't I do this later? I want to go talk to Rahmi. She has fun stories about her farm." AJ says with a sigh. 

"It's best to get it done and out of the way. Then you have the rest of the weekend to have fun." Naya tells him, she's helping him with his homework while her husband stares at the TV, watching the ending credits of some movie he found to watch. 

By the time Rahmi gets up and gets ready for the day, the rain had cleared up - almost like magic one could say. According to her weather app, it was supposed to rain all day. She leaves the house to go meet Ukupanipo at Sand Simoleon Beach.

"Is the weather around here always so unpredictable?" Rahmi asks after they've gotten in the water. She still isn't used to seeing her friend in his merman form. There's a certain ethereal beauty to him when he's in the water - in his element - but she won't be sharing that thought anytime soon. 

Ukupanipo's face breaks out into a huge grin. "When you have those of us who can change the weather, yes it can be. Normally I don't meddle with nature but I did tell you I'd bring you here today..."

Rahmi's eyes grew wide "You...stopped the rain?"

He nods his head "We can summon clear skies, among other things." He doesn't want to give away all "secrets" yet. 

"Well...thank you." Rahmi says with a smile, she feels a warmth spread through her chest at the idea of someone doing something like that for her. 

After their swim, they grill out fresh fruit for their dinner. Tomorrow she would be spending time with AJ and Apollo while Naya is at work. The guys want to take her to a local museum so she can see some of Sulani's history.

The duo eat their dinner, chatting here and there about their lives.

"Since you go back soon, there's one more thing I'd like to show you." Ukupanipo announces to his companion. He isn't sure if she'll agree to it or not. 

"Oh?" Rahmi asks, putting down a piece of fruit to look at him.

"I work at the island's bar and well, I'd like to take you there. Not while I work obviously but I'd like to give you a taste of the Sulani nightlife scene." 

Many things filtered through Rahmi's mind in that moment. Is he asking her out on a date? Or is this just a friend thing? Then her emotions kicked in. Panic and happiness were the main ones. "Sure."

Night begins to slowly creep in and Rahmi finds herself putting on some warmer clothes she brought with her. The fact that it's wintertime and she's been at the beach most of the day while her kids are dealing with snow back home isn't lost on her. She's been keeping in touch with her kids and they seem to be doing well, from what they're telling her anyway.

The pair spend time around a bonfire someone built on the sand until it gets late and they part ways.

Once Rahmi returns to the Apollo and Naya's house, she goes to Vera's old room and finds Naya sitting on the love seat.

"Did he ask you out yet?" She asks, almost giddy. Despite her own struggles in her marriage lately, Naya is a fan of love. She loves love and seeing people in it. 

"No. Yes...I don't know." Rahmi says, staring at the blonde. She tells Naya what happened at the beach.

"That's totally a date! Don't worry, I got your outfit covered." Naya beams. It's not often she gets to dress someone up. Apollo let her play dress up on him once and that was it - but that story is for the bedroom only.

[neithliveshere]

building my organization and productivity system part 1: school

hello interweb

this is a big project so we'll do this in parts.

first: school

I am finishing the last couple classes I need for my degree over the summer, therefore school is still an important part of my life.

Apps:

notion:

I am not a notion girlie, but I can't find an app that lets me build databases the way notion does. at least not one I like. I am a productivity app enthusiast so i've tried just about all of them and notion just works the best. Here is the template I use to keep track of my assignments. It is a mix of StudyWithAra's template and Notion's Assignment Tracker. The image above is the template I've made available for all of you! There are automations set up (the lightening icon), but I think everything is pretty self explanatory? if you have any questions don't hesitate to reach out.

edit: I have added a new section called "treats" to the database, to help motivate me to finish more of my work. I should add that this system is what I have developed while struggling to manage my chronic illnesses.

obsidian:

my one true love. i can wax poetic about why this is just a superior notetaking app, but that will be for a later post. for now, think of obsidian as a wikipedia database for all your notes. it allows for tags and backlinks and search and callouts... its amazing. love it there. uhm. a bit of a learning curve, but again a whole post on obsidian upcoming. here is a bit of an intro video for obsidian for students that I often return to. will reveal my obsidian notes in that post I'm working on.

timepage:

if you love stationery you might be familiar with Moleskine. they've built this wonder suite of productivity tools and timepage is the calendar app. I use this on my phone! its everything a calendar app should be and more. its super cute and functional and customizable. I use google calendar to create different calendars that i've color coded to correspond to different areas of my life. i use a couple different calendar apps but timepage is my school calendar. it tells me when to leave for class, how to get there, and how long i have to rest/study/eat between my classes. it shows the weather, alerts you of rain, and did i mention its cute?

things:

the adhd/depression/anxiety struggle is real. I have 101 different apps to tell me what to do and when. things is another one of those apps. one of my lovely friends purchased the mac app for me and it has been a game changer. i use things to organize my entire life, but in the screenshot above you'll see my school list. when notion is too overwhelming or i need to break down things a bit more, i use things.

youtube:

here are some youtube channels I recommend for motivation, for aesthetics, for background noise 1, 2, 3, for body doubling...

drafts:

cute little app. great for quick notes and also uses markdown so easy to copy and paste between drafts and obsidian. opens and closes quickly and syncs between your mac and phone for free! I write my speeches in here and also those last minute things your professor says after you've already put away your notebook.

anki:

just started using this because i am in desperate need for spaced repetition. i bought and set up a small remote using this video to help move through the flashcards faster. i am also terribly lazy so we definitely downloaded premade cards instead of making our own. still need to do a bit more research to be able to use this software properly, but it is good enough for now. I am supplementing this app with the flashcard app below.

brainscape:

i use this to learn whatever I am studying. recently it has been vocab and kanji, but I imagine I might add in grammar cards at some point too. if you are familiar with anki, brainscape has a similar system for "learning", meaning you rank the card after seeing the answer, deciding for yourself how well you know the material. I can also download the decks I make to use during my commute so that is super helpful. And it's free (with a subscription upgrade available)!

Supplies:

as for material supplies, you'll find some of my favorites below:

kokuyo campus semi B5 - 5 mm graph

kokuyo campus semi B5 - dotted 6 mm rule

zebra sarasa gel pen .07/.05

pentel energel .07/.05

pilot g2 .07/.05

zebra mildliners

bic mechanical pencils in .07

twsbi fountain pen medium/extra fine

platinum carbon black ink

hobonichi cousin

System:

okay so i'm not quite sure how to explain this in a way that makes sense, but i shall attempt it. the system as it stands has a few steps.

move weekly assignments and such from the syllabi to Notion

add due dates and deadlines into Calendars

move tasks to Things

plot study schedule onto Calendars

write essays using notes i wrote in Obsidian during class

study for Japanese using Brainscape and Anki for memorization

practice Kanji and writing in kokuyo campus notebooks

write scripts, quick notes, etc., using Drafts

migrate things from Drafts to Docs, Obsidian, Calendars, or Notion

commence studying using YouTube as background noise

---

that's all for now. I'm still working on the next few posts in this series, but I hope this is helpful or at the very least somewhat entertaining.

wishing y'all the best,

Neith

[weirdratwrites]

I like the idea of a creepy cozy setting.

You live alone ("alone") in the woods near a rocky beach. The mornings are so foggy you can't see past your porch, the days are overcast enough you'd think it was twilight, and the nights are as clear as glass. There's storms and high winds and all sorts of completely normal weather phenomena, but your normal is abnormal compared to those things.

You maintain your lifestyle throughout the day, and prep for Winter, and perform the tasks of your Job. What's your Job? Something. You can't really remember. The tasks don't really clear things up. You adjust antenna in the woods, and flip switches, and filter data that collects all day and night. Not that the data's particularly telling, either. 1's and 0's, random coordinates, and soundwaves.

It earns you money, at least. Money that you mainly use to pay for extra supplies through your services app, but money all the same.

And, like clockwork, those supplies come in at the start of each week. It's one of the few ways of telling time that matters at this point. You drift from shipment to shipment in a daze, breaks in your otherwise monotonous routine only lasting in your memory long enough for the next one to come.

Your supplies come in on a boat piloted by a man that you'd forget as easily as what you had for dinner last week, if he weren't your only physical contact with the outside world.

He wears overalls and knee-high waders and a boonie hat. None of it matches and all of it is well-worn. He's always smoking on something - cigarettes, usually, but he'll show up in a better mood with a cigar on his lip - and humming a toon that sounds just familiar enough to be nostalgic but not nearly enough for you to look it up and relieve the itching in the back of your brain that that nostalgia gives you.

Your supplies are simple fair, usually: freeze-dried mashed potatoes, rice, cans of vegetables, cans of soup, the occasional hunk of meat kept in a cooler that you'll need to run to the fridge as soon as possible, and then whatever additions you ordered. You started eating less when you got here, afraid of running out before the next shipment in those early days, and set aside the fair you found most unappetizing as a last resort. You've built up a good stockpile, now, however long you've been here (five years, the cans of butter beans tell you when you count them one night).

Your home - because that's what it is by now - has become lived in after being abandoned for however long. It's been repaired and furnished anew, and it's your safe haven in these lonely woods.

There's a plush sofa that you had to lug from the dock by yourself, and a new kitchen set, and a TV with a Blu-Ray player and shelves worth of content. A fire crackles in the woodstove year-round, combating a chill that's present regardless of the season, and rugs cover the otherwise frigid hardwood floors. The house is creaky, still, and you'll sometimes think you hear footsteps from the other side of the house, but it's always just you there (except for that one time, but that was more your fault for leaving a window open than Mama Raccoon's for raiding your cabinets).

You can't stay in your isolated slice of paradise, though. You only have this place because of your work, and you must continue to work to keep it.

It's usually boring, thankfully. You wait for a ping on your computer. Then you either walk out to adjust the heading of one of the 12 antenna sitting in the woods, walk to a substation to reset a breaker, or fiddle with your data until the computer is content with it. The walk to any of the antenna or the substation is far enough to be obnoxious, but not so obnoxious to be worth ordering some kind of transport.

On rare occasions, while you're out and about, something... exciting will happen, and that excitement will be enough for a lifetime, and you'll stay locked in your home for a few days.

There's always a sense of being watched out here. Sometimes, it's bad enough for your hairs to stand on end and your hindbrain to take over, taking cover behind closed doors until it goes away.

There's instances where you see Things out there, a shadow ducking behind a tree or some Thing standing in the distance, unmoving as you approach.

You've even heard Things, Things rushing you from behind before disappearing without trace once they get right behind you, or cackling Things in the distance that slowly surround you.

You've only ever met a Thing once, though.

She didn't follow you inside after trying to get into your blindspot all day, and you didn't invite her in either. Instead, she just stood there, on the other side of your screen door, head ducked like she was guarding her throat.

You messaged your superior from your computer in the basement, and you received a reply almost instantly. "Lock the doors, don't let it inside. Help is on the way."

Hard to argue with that, and she was still standing there when you went back up. She didn't even fight it when you closed the door in her face, nor when you locked the doors. She just stared, unblinkingly

"Help" turned out to be a dozen men on a boat decked out in the kind of combat gear you'd normally only see breaking up a riot. A quick check with you, and a number of scans and injections you still don't know the purpose of, and they were off.

You were told to stay in place and keep things locked down, and you did just that. They disappeared into the woods for a week, your usual duties out there apparently being handled by them, and left on the boat with as much fanfare as the usual delivery. A part of you forget to note the extra man leaving with them...

[writingdotcoffee]

Recent Writing Analytics Updates

I had a pretty sluggish January (hence no longer posts on the blog). This happens almost every winter — not sure whether it's the weather or the lack of daylight, but I'm way less productive.

I spent most of my time working on Writing Analytics. I redesigned and updated a bunch of things. Here's exactly what changed.

Time Goals for Projects

I'm super excited about this feature. I started using it immediately after building it. Most writing apps have word goals, but few let you set time goals as well.

Time goals can be a lifesaver when you're buildling your writing habit. In the begining, you may not be able to hit a specific word count every day. You don't want to be beating yourself up for missing a goal even though you showed up and did good work.

Tracking time instead of words is a great way to address this. Focus on putting the hours in, and the words will follow.

Writing Analytics lets you set an overall goal for a project (like spending 60 hours working on your novel over the next two months) or a fixed daily goal (e.g., 30 minutes per day). The scheduling algorithm calculates how long you should write every day and puts that on your Overview.

I like to use time goals for my Journal. I don't care how many words I write, but I want to spend consistent amount of time reflecting on my day. Right now, that's ten minutes every day.

Redesigned Project Dashboard

I updated the project dashboard to pack more information into less space. The old dials became progress bars. The schedule now tells you not only when you're scheduled to work on the project, but also how many words (or how much time) are due.

The progress chart at the top now shows both your words and time progress.

Improved Goal Scheduling Algorithm

The algorithm that schedules your goals now reacts immediately when you miss a day instead of maintaining the same goal until the end of the week.

Here's how your schedule will look when you miss a few consecutive days.

When I originally built the app, having the scheduler adjust instantly would be a little too stressful. You miss a day, and the next day's word count goes up. That was a mistake. Receiving feedback right away is much better.

Start Date for Projects

You can now set the start date for each of your projects. You can set up a project even if you don't want to start working on it immediately. Set a start date, and Writing Analytics will start scheduling goals for you when it's time to start writing.

Project and Session Shortcuts

The goal card at the top of your Overview now has buttons that let you create a new session and start writing immediately.

The cool thing about these is that they will pre-fill the goal in the new session form, saving you a few clicks.

Sessions also have a similar shortcut. You can start a new session without opening the old one.

Final Thoughts

So that was my January, pretty much. I have a few more things in the pipeline already. These should be out by the end of February.

Your support allows me to keep working on the app and making it better in an ethical way as a solo developer. Thank you 🙏.

And if you haven't tried Writing Analytics yet, now is a great time to do it!

[huzzle-app]

Networking Events for Students: Making Connections That Count

1. The Networking Dilemma 🤷‍♂️

Picture this: You walk into a room filled with suits, your heart starts racing, and suddenly you forget your own name. Classic networking anxiety, right? We’ve all been there. The struggle is real.

Solution: The Power of Preparation

Before the event, do a little stalking — LinkedIn stalking, that is. Know who’s who, what they’re into, and how your vibes might align. It’s like having a cheat code for small talk.

2. Icebreakers and Elevator Pitches

The dreaded “So, tell me about yourself” moment. Yikes! How do you condense your life story into a few sentences without sounding like a robot? It’s an art, not gonna lie.

Solution: Craft a Killer Elevator Pitch

Think of it like your Insta bio but for real life. Who you are, what you’re passionate about, and what you’re looking to achieve. Nail that, and you’ll slay every introduction.

3. Awkward Silence Strikes ⚡

The conversation hits a lull, and you’re desperately searching for something to say.

The awkwardness is palpable.

Solution: The Power of Curiosity

Ask questions! People love talking about themselves. Show genuine interest, and before you know it, the conversation will flow like it’s powered by Wi-Fi.

Ditch the event calendar scramble: Huzzle💚 puts campus events at your fingertips

Right, let’s get real, uni life throws enough curveballs at you without the stress of endless calendar checks and FOMO spirals!

We get it, uni students are busy. But that shouldn’t mean missing out on the fun! Between lectures, deadlines, part-time hustles, and trying to maintain a semblance of a social life, finding cool events on campus feels like hunting for a unicorn — mythical and frustrating.

Imagine this: you could ditch the endless scrolling, the missed opportunities, and the “damn, I wish I knew about that” moments.

Introducing Huzzle, the web/app that’s basically your uni BFF when it comes to events. It’s like having a built-in radar for all the good stuff happening around you, from guest lectures that’ll blow your mind to club nights that’ll make you forget about that looming essay (for a bit, at least).

Huzzle gets you. It knows you’re busy, it knows you have interests (even if they change faster than the weather), and it knows you don’t wanna miss out on the good times. So, here’s how it works:

Say goodbye to FOMO: Browse upcoming events by categories you actually care about — think “career boost,” “laugh attack guaranteed,” or “film * media.” Find something that tickles your fancy, and poof! No more feeling like you’re living under a rock.

Keywords are your new best friend: Can’t decide between that coding workshop and the Harry Potter trivia night? No worries, mate. Filter by keywords like “coding” or “Harry Potter” (duh) and let Huzzle do the hard work.

⚡ Register in a flash: Ditch the pen and paper faff. With Huzzle, registering for events is as easy as tapping a button. Boom, you’re in! More time for napping, pre-drinks, or whatever floats your boat.

So, are you ready to ditch the stress and unlock the full potential of your uni life? Checkout Huzzle, join the vibrant community, and start saying “yaassss” to the events that matter to you. ✨

P.S. Remember, a uni experience without a sprinkle of fun is like tea without the biccies. Don’t let FOMO steal your shine, mate. Huzzle it up!

Are you ready to level up your networking game and make connections that could shape your future? Let’s do this! 🚀🌟

[bradshawed]

lovebug x / moots only! send this + a character and i’ll give you headcannons on what your life would be like.

okay, imma say mitch app purely because I saw him on the list and went grrrr

join the party!

mitch will forever make me go grrr and shhh don’t tell anyone but that might have been the sole reason i added him onto list, he’s just so 😫

this might not be accurate at all or i might be a mind reader but i hope you life it and thank you for requesting xx

• mitch would burn the world for you if you asked. if anyone so much as gives you the wrong look..they’re dead. he loves you, all of you and would do anything for you. that man is down bad like so so bad

• i see you guys seeing each other for the first time at the beach. neither of you are looking for anyone and he’s more focused on getting closure in a sense after all the trauma and everything that happened that last time around and you’re just enjoying the summer weather, wanting to get out of the house for once, finishing the book you’re reading but he sees you. he wouldn’t be able to miss you to save his life and he’s hooked but he restrains himself because with his life, no one needs his baggage and you deserve more than a one night stand

• but then he sees you again and again, and this time it’s at the library and sure maybe he’s a little suspicious, a tad too overly cautious because in his work he has to be and he’s been hurt..bad. he’s grabbing some books on some new language or something and you’re browsing the isles, paying no mind to him.

• it takes a couple more times for him to gather the courage but he says hi and it goes from there

• he’s be so patient with you and so incredibly understanding, just like you are with him *soft!mitch soft!mitch soft!mitch* it takes time but you do both get there and then you’re both falling hard

• he doesn’t tell you about his job right away and it does cause a few minor bumps in the road but you’re worried and it’s not fun having the person you love disappear for months at a time, returning with bruises and broken bones. your relationship was built on trust and honesty, and you both sit down on the kitchen table when you couldn’t sleep and talk it through

• stan being stan. disproving, distrusting stan but also grateful stan when he meets you and realises you’re the one keeping mitch in check and the reason he’s being a lot less reckless lately (stan loves you after that and thanks you privately once you both have a talk and come to an understanding and you share some of your recipes and baked goods with him)

• baking at two in the morning when neither of you can sleep. mitch coming home to the house smelling like a bakery. having to eat sourdough bread for two weeks straight because you finally cracked the secret code

• protective!mitch. that’s all i have to say about that. but also you cleaning his wounds and making sure he changes his dressings and follows the doc’s instructions

• you remind him of home and make him feel safe. no one’s ever made him feel like that before and he’s forever grateful that it’s you

• he’d voice how much he loves you a lot because he’s scared of losing you when you’re both together for about the time that he was with katrina and when you pass the stage and keep going and doing things he didn’t get to with her, he realises it’s okay

[kyndaris]

Country Lights

It’s a yearly tradition that when the weather gets cold and the nights lengthen, Sydney celebrates the coming of winter with a light festival. VIVID has been an annual event for many long years, although I couldn’t tell you when exactly it all began. During the pandemic years, of course, VIVID was cancelled as people were shut inside, but since the ‘official’ end of the COVID-19 pandemic, VIVID has returned with a vengeance. 

Events have even sprung up in other parts of the state of New South Wales. One, of course, was held in the country town of Bowral. Known for its flower festival in October, the town is about a ninety minute drive from Sydney.

So, upon hearing of the event, my mother most definitely wanted to take a look and experience it for herself. She had seen a few videos and photos on the most holiest of phone apps: WeChat and wanted in. Thus, I and a few of her friends were roped in to accompany her for an all-women day trip to Bowral to see the sights and make some great memories along the way!

Of course, knowing that the lights wouldn’t be on until night covered the land, we had set up an itinerary for the day that would take us all around the Southern Highlands.

Our first stop was actually a town just past Bowral. One of my mother’s friends had done a search online for places that would tickle our tastebuds or be visually appealing. After driving down from Sydney, we headed to Berrima. There, we visited a small patisserie shop renowned in the area: Gumnut Patisserie.

As my mother was a lover of all things pecan, she ordered a pecan tart (although a perusal of their website actually advises that it’s a macadamia tart, so who can say), and one of our other members put in an order for a passionfruit tart. Once our coffees, and hot chocolate, arrived, we dug in. After all, life’s short so dessert ought to come first.

Once we had warmed ourselves up, we headed towards Harper’s Mansion. Bult in 1834 by James and Mary Harper, it is now a heritage-listed house. What made it stand out in little Berrima, of course, was the fact that the house was much grander than the other residences in the villages during the time it was built. Most houses in the area were slab cottages. In fact, it was modelled on those favoured by the middle-classes in Sydney with walls that were three bricks thick, laid upon a foundation of sandstone. 

After the Harpers passed away, it was bought by the Catholic Church in 1853 nd was used as a presbytery for the nuns of Daughters of Lady of the Sacred Heart. Later, it was rented out before being sold in 1970.

In 1978, it was acquired by the National Trust who repaired the house and it is now managed by local volunteers that provide simple tours of the house. On its land, however, a hedge maze was built along with an impressive garden. The maze, of course, was a must see and our small group of four Asian women found our way to its centre as well as out without too much trouble.

Our tour of Harper’s Mansion over, we decided to take a gander at the Book Barn. The Berkelouw Book Shop is located on the Bendooley estate, which is a winery. As for the book shop itself, it also serves as a restaurant. Sandwiched between the stacks, tables had been placed allowing guests to wander through and pick up whatever they may wish to peruse for lunch or an evening meal.

If there was a place akin to heaven, this would have been it.

From there, we headed to Bowral properly to check out a family-run vintage and antiques market called Dirty Janes. Lunch would be had at Harry’s @ Green Lane in the 2 PM slot. Why the restaurant only had two lunch slots was a mystery but I had to say that its main selling feature, which I wasn’t able to see a lot of, were the books that were crammed on shelves. 

But while the ones at Berkelouw could be flipped through and read, I had a feeling that the ones at Harry’s were most likely props to sell a particular atmosphere. Which is honestly a shame.

Still, it didn’t detract me from the collection of knives and beautifully displayed insect taxidermy cases that could have been bought at Dirty Janes. I, unfortunately, didn’t buy anything to commemorate it but I must admit that there were some pretty good paper weights to be had. Although, there were also pinned spiders...and that’s a real big fat no from me because they’re terrifying. AND WHAT IF IT WAS REAL?!

After looking through the wares of Dirty Janes, we strolled through the heart of Bowral before heading to the nearby lookout to see the sunset.

Once the sun had set, we headed to Centennial Vineyards where the light show would begin.

Words fail to describe the beautiful array of lights that shone up onto the sky. In an attempt to recreate the Aurora Borealis, so named from Boreas, the personification of the North Wind, the clever minds at the vineyards used light and smoke. To be perfectly honest, I’m unsure why it was called Borealis as Australia has its own name for phenomena that can be seen in Tasmania: Aurora Australis, but I suppose Borealis is the one that most people can identify.

This, however, was no show. Rather, it was a whole event with food trucks and space for families to lay out the picnic blanket to watch the sky above them change from red to green to blue to purple. Were it not so cold, it might have been a lovely night out.

As it was, my hands were near frozen until one of our group went and bought us some hot tea from a nearby vendor.

After about thirty minutes of admiring the colourful night sky, we headed back home to Sydney, which was a whole lot warmer than frosty old Bowral. And where I could catch up on some gaming as I raced to finish off a short indie game as Diablo IV had just released that Tuesday.

And also because SOMEONE bought it for me - the DELUXE edition, no less - despite the fact that I had only joked about friends getting it for me as an early birthday present. I wasn’t serious! And I didn’t expect it to be bought! 

I am, after all, an independent young woman who could have afforded it if I had really wanted it (which, I mean, I was probably going to buy it on the day of its actual release).

So, I’m warning you! They-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named! You know who you are! You read this blog!

I AM WATCHING YOU!

Stop being nice to me! I don’t deserve it!

Okay, now that my rant is over, I have to say that the Bowral light show, while not as comprehensive as the one in Sydney still had its highlights. Beyond that, it was a good day out with family and friends in what would prove to be a hectic long weekend in June.

[matchablossomhcs]

dead already // young mb in rome fic

The smell of rain on sun-warmed pavement. The shimmer of wet, uneven cobblestone in the yellow street lights. The empty beer cans crumpled along the walls in narrow alleys between houses painted in terracotta orange. The smell of cigarette smoke that always accompanies restaurants and bars open almost until dawn. 

The feeling of being small and unimportant when faced with the magnificent beauty of monuments that once upon a time have witnessed insanely impactful events in the history of the human existence—the wars, the times of greatness, the joys, the sorrows. The columns of emperors, raised in victory, stretching themselves into heavens, their reliefs telling stories where the statues were removed upon the change of rule. The triumph arches, massive in stature, looming over passersby, the statues at their tops regarding the world from all the way up there, reminding the onlookers of the glorious, old days. The churches, with tall towers and long, thin windows when placed in the middle of important piazzas, or pressed in-between buildings with strong facades and heavy doors. 

Kaoru didn’t know what to expect when he first landed in Rome, Italy—but it wasn’t…. this. The grandeur, the sheer strength of the architecture in the city, the impact of five cars honking at the same time, the fountains at every second corner, the plazas emerging suddenly between buildings and alleys. 

He feels out of place. There is no order, at least not as far as he can see. People step into the streets between cars and ignore the loud, honking complaints, and they smoke as they walk, and everyone seem to drink wine for breakfast. Even the weather is unruly—it pours when the bus spits out it’s passengers somewhere in the middle of the city, and then stops suddenly, just when Kaoru finally finds some small store with crates of beer bottles stacked by the entrance. His phone predicts the weather to be somewhere around eleven degrees Celsius, but his hair sticks to the back of his neck and indicates a higher temperature paired with humidity.

His headset ran out of battery as he was waiting on the bus, and he now he wanders the streets with faked confidence, following the little, blue dot of the maps app to the address Kojiro sent him a few days ago. 

New flat, check it out if you are free, the message said. Kaoru hasn’t seen Kojiro since he waved him goodbye at the airport four months ago. He hasn’t seen Kojiro since they hugged by the security at the busy airport in Tokyo, a gesture so familiar, yet suddenly intimate for no reason Kaoru can explain. He hasn’t seen Kojiro since he, overcome by a sudden feeling of utter loss and anxiety pulled at the ugly collar of Kojiro’s ugly shirt and kissed him, square on the mouth, his lips probably quivering in nervousness. He hasn’t seen Kojiro since he made a hmf! sound as Kaoru kissed him, and let out something akin to a whimper when Kaoru pulled away, hurriedly blurting out a last goodbye and storming off.

They’ve talked since then, of course. Their friendship has been built from the ripe age of three, and Kaoru cannot remember a time when he existed without Kojiro. They’re intertwined, whether they like it or not, and Kaoru sees Kojiro in his own habits, just as he sees him in Kojiro’s. 

They can’t be torn apart by a kiss.

They can’t be torn apart by Kojiro moving across the world. 

They can’t be torn apart by anything, and that’s why Kaoru saw the message, opened his laptop, and ordered plane tickets to Italy before typing out a I’ll be there next Wendesday, and the reference number of his flight. 

Kojiro answered with some silly emoji showing surprise, followed by a row of green hearts, and the week passed in a numb anticipation, anxiety, and a surprising lack of planning. Kaoru packed the evening before his flight, pulling clothes out at more or less random, surprising himself at his own willingness to ignore his (apparently not so) strict principles of deciding outfits and folding everything meticulously after the rules of madam Kondo. 

He doesn’t remember the flight, registering only sounds and movement of the masses at the airports, the wait for his bag surprisingly short, the bus trip at his destination surprisingly little annoying. He’s probably running on pure anticipation and adrenaline, and it feels surreal to finally be here, finally walking the same streets Kojiro walks again, the familiarity of a foreign space forming though the knowledge of Kojiro’s existence in this part of the city. 

Another street, another flight of marble stairs with stupidly low, wide steps, more cobblestone and uneven alleys. Some old lady is leaning out a window with a cigarette between her fingers, and someone further down the street is laughing into their phone. 

Kaoru watches as the little, blue dot of his position inches closer and closer to the final destination. If he was more of a romantic, more of a poet—if he was more like Kojiro, he’d think of butterflies in his stomach and the rosy flush of his cheeks as he remembers the warm timbre of Kojiro’s voice.

He isn’t a romantic like Kojiro, so he looks up at the dark sky and the stars, surprisingly clear in this side alley of slippery stone, and some ancient voice of an equally ancient philosopher he read once upon a time echoes in his mind. Something about stars and space and chaos put into order, and how their planet is but one of many, and how insignificant humans are, a mere millisecond on the clock of the world's existence. Maybe the philosopher isn’t that ancient. Maybe he wasn’t a philosopher at all, and maybe it’s just Kaoru’s existentialism showing in his numbing daze of excitement. 

Stop worrying, you dolt, Kojiro said when Kaoru must have let his anxiety show at Kojiro’s announcement about going to Italy to study. If we don’t follow our dreams, we might just as well be dead already. Do something stupid and hope for the best once in a while, he had said, and Kaoru had scolded him for being stupid and reckless.

Yet here he is, a week after that stupid message, four months after kissing Kojiro in some odd spur of the moment, afraid of being dead already as Kojiro so stupidly eloquently put it. 

A dog barks somewhere, a distant conversation pulls him out of his thoughts. Kaoru feels a bit dizzy from staring up at the sky, and he’s glad the alley is dark and empty and no one can judge him. He must look stupid, he knows, and even in his oddly dazed state he’s capable of scolding himself for maybe being a little bit of a romantic after all. 

He walks past more ruins of those grand monuments, the spotlights illuminating old stone a bit dimmer here between buildings, the fence emerging from the wall of a regular building and into the wall of the next one. Kaoru stops to look at it—the ruins, not the stupid fence—and finds himself feeling small again. Someone stood in his exact spot two thousands years ago and looked at the building and didn’t know that Kaoru would be here, two thousand years later, and that they would be coexisting in some odd form of time and space and multiverse that right now is beyond Kaoru’s comprehension.

Somehow, he shakes it off. The ruins will be here tomorrow too, just as they’ve been here, in various states of, well, ruin, for two thousand years. Kaoru’s existentialism is also everlasting, albeit probably for a shorter eternity than the old building. The ruins and his crisis can wait. Kojiro, texting a gotten into town yet? clearly cannot. 

As he reads Kojiro’s name on the message notification, the excitement returns threefold. It makes his fingertips tingle in anticipation, and his cheek flush again. It’s stupid, he tells himself, even though that romantic part of his (that doesn’t exist) is clearly stating otherwise. 

Another street corner, another flight of stairs, this time down and a bit shorter. The steps are crooked and polished by two thousand years of steps (or less, Kaoru doesn’t know the history). The marble is chipped where it meets the buildings it’s nestled between, and it’s nothing short of charming. A fountain is spitting out drinkable water at the bottom of the flight, the proof of the ancient aqueducts still running, more or less uninterrupted, since it was built. The glory of those romans is shown everywhere, from that water, to those alleys planned by someone centuries ago. How is he supposed not to feel absolutely inferior among all this grandeur? How is he supposed not to be dead already, when the architects and creators and great inventors and painters and artists left such a huge impact on the world, and he is but a speck of dust in comparison?

The blue dot on the map reaches its destination. The door is wooden and heavy, and locked. The light above it shines weakly, and it’s too dark for Kaoru to read. Which is your doorbell? he texts, and fumbles with the flashlight on his phone, fingers clumsy (from excitement? from lack of sleep?). His phone vibrates as he shines the flashlight on the brass buttons, trying to read the worn labels. No “Kojiro” on there; maybe he hasn’t put up his name yet, maybe it’s his landlord's name by one of those little buttons. He opens the message from Kojiro to check the answer, and tries to find it on the doorbells.

He never finds it, because he doesn’t have the time to. He’s distracted by quick steps that run on the other side of the wooden door. He never finds it, because suddenly the doors pull open wide, and Kojiro’s frame (was he always this tall?) fills the space. 

His cheeks are flushed, and his hair is messy, as if he’s brushed his hand through it too many times in the same nervous anticipation that is thrumming in Kaoru’s veins. His breath is short as if he ran (he did), and Kaoru’s breath hitches as if mirroring him.

“You’re here,” Kojiro says, and Kaoru doesn’t have any of his usually smart, witty answers to Kojiro’s stupid, unwitty questions. 

“I am,” he simply says, meeting Kojiro’s eyes. They’re shining, like the wet cobblestone, like the once-golden statues on top of the triumph columns now illuminated by spotlights, like the stars that for some reasons are brighter here than back home. 

“You’re here,” Kojiro repeats, and reaches out, and not reaching back simply isn’t an option. The chaos of the city, the planets, the universe, his mind—it’s all unimportant the moment he feels Kojiro’s fingertips against his. The feeling of being small and unimportant burns away under Kojiro’s amazed gaze as he smiles, almost bewildered, fingers closing around Kaoru’s bony wrist. 

Suddenly, he is pressed against Kojiro’s chest (was he always this big????), with Kojiro’s arms around him, and he is anything but small and unimportant—he’s the sun, the ruler on top of the column, the lover of emperor Hadrian that has countless statues in his image and a city called after him.

And as Kojiro finally, finally brings his hands to Kaoru’s cheeks and kisses him, not hurriedly and half-assed like Kaoru did four moths ago but properly, fiercely, mirroring all the emotions Kaoru will never be able to put into words—Kaoru has never felt more alive.

also to be found on ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/43434849

[ahhvernin]

..........I guess I’m OLD, because I dont think cars, bikes, scooters etc need apps to function. like dead zones still exist. Whatever happened to the solar powered cars that were being talked about like a decade ago.  IDK make a built in kit in the car that you can pedal to power your battery in case of an emergency in the middle of no where.  Like how cool would that be?  If you don’t have bike paths, but you still wanna cycle, but don’t wanna go to the gym, you can opt to cycle power your car in the driveway.  Like can we figure out a way to connect our treadmills and exercise bikes to power a battery for our car or appliances?  And not like some garage mcgyver set up.  Also, yesterday someone was talking about a smart fridge.  WHY DO YOU NEED....AN APP....For your fridge??? It cools food and drink, and freezes the other stuff. WHAT APP FUNCTION DO YOU NEED IT TO DO?? That a 3 second turn of a dial can’t do? Do you need it to dispense water when you are not home???  Do you need to lock your fridge to prevent people from having access to food and drink? Checking expiry of your food? if you’re not checking regularly what makes you think an app will make you more likely to clean out the fridge????  Also there are so many devices that tell the weather, your fridge doesnt have to be one of them.

Welcome to the future, where you don’t own anything and the stuff you rent stops working once your phone has no signal.

[wheelin-after-midnight]

03.

What did you have for dinner tonight?

Currently making a frozen pizza.

If you were given a million dollars, what would you spend it on?

Tell my brother I'm not moving, stay here until my own fully adapted house was built, hire a driver, save the rest.

Have you ever cried in front of your parents over a boyfriend or girlfriend?

Yeah.

What does your bedroom smell like right now?

I live in a studio, so no bedroom. But my place smells fine. I'm obsessed with cleanliness.

Have you ever shaved off your eyebrow before?

I have not.

Do you want to have a boy or girl whenever you have kids?

I can't have kids, but before I knew that reality I always wanted to be a boy mum.

Your pregnant with twins: What do you name them?

That's not that far out of the realm of possibility if I could have children. I'm a twin. What I would name them would depend on gender combinations, obviously. For the sake of the question I'll assume boy/girl. They would be Mateo and Abrielle. I picked those names before I knew I would never be a mother.

Describe your outfit.

White GAP hoodie, yellow hipster panties.

What gigabyte is your memory card?

I don't have one anymore, it got corrupted.

What brand is your digital camera?

I don't remember. I don't use it anymore. Canon, I think?

When was the last time you hung out with your best friend?

End of September when we saw a play together.

What is a movie you're waiting to see?

Wicked with Brittany next Saturday! I'm so excited. I've seen more movies in the theatre within the last year and a half than I have in the last decade and it's been awesome.

Who was the last person to cook something for you?

My sister in law when I went to family dinner last weekend.

Do you ever sit and think what if about something?

Is the sky blue?

If so, what is it?

What if it was my twin who had been disabled and not me? My life would be so different. What if things with my mother were different and she actually liked me more? What if I wasn't losing my home and didn't have to leave here? What kind of person would I have been without all the trauma? What if I actually fit in with my family? What if my life didn't feel meaningless?

What’s on tv right now?

Just the screensaver I have set.

Do you ever stop and smell the roses?

I try. I'm not as much that way as I used to be.

Where do you download music from?

I use Spotify Premium.

How many channels do you have on your tv?

None. Just streaming apps on roku and firestick

What are you most scared of?

Right now it's losing my home/complete independence and having to move next year.

If you were given a chance to bring someone back to life, who would you choose?

My first choice is my Nan always. Then Whitney Houston and her daughter or the girls that Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka murdered. That case has always bothered me so much.

Do you talk to any of your ex-boyfriend/girlfriend?

She's not my ex anymore, so yeah. Any that actually stayed exes, no.

If so, which one?

-

What is your mom doing right now?

I don't know. I don't care.

Are you currently listening to music?

No. I was before I went to put the pizza in.

What is the weather like right now?

Cold.

Do you like new music or older music?

I like a very large, eclectic variety of music.

If you could make a law, what would kind of law would you make?

Make it so that basic human rights laws that are/were long established can't be overturned or stripped away anymore. We need to figure out ways to improve the things that actually need improving in this world instead of going back and wasting time and resources messing with things that have already been fought for and won and established.

What was the last video game you played?

A word game on my tablet.

What is currently going on in the room you're in right now?

I'm doing this and my cat is sleeping on her cat tree while I wait for my pizza to cool a bit.

Do you know where your best friend is?

One is I think working, the other is probably home.

Who was the last person to comment you on Facebook?

I don't know. I don't post on Facebook anymore.

What is your display picture of on Facebook?

Myself.

Do you ever sit and think about the past?

Yes.

If you could relive any moment in time: what would it be?

Moments my Nan was still here. More recent would be seeing the Whitney Houston 1994 concert for a new South Africa in the theatre when they released the remastered Durban show for its 30th anniversary. Was such a great concert and an amazing time. I sang my heart out and bawled my head off. I wish I could experience it like that again, but I'm definitely gonna stream it the beginning of December.

Are you a talker or a listener?

I can be both depending who I'm around, but often more reserved and quiet.

What is one food you will not eat?

Creamed corn.

Do you eat anything now that you never used to eat?

I was a vegetarian for years, but I went back to eating meat for now. Hopefully not forever.

Have you ever kissed the same sex?

I'm a lesbian, honey.

When does school start this year?

I'm not in school anymore.

Do you ever shout for absolutely no reason?

I don't like yelling so I do my best to avoid it, but if I do there's a reason.

Have you stuck with your new years resolution?

I only seriously made one. To lose weight. Several years ago. I lost about 65 lbs and have maintained that for the most part.

Do you need to lose any weight right now?

Not really, no.

What is something you want right now?

My girlfriend.

Do you hate when you see teachers in stores?

Ugh yes. Especially when they ask how my life is going and what I'm doing since graduation.

What always puts a smile on your face?

My cat.

Where can I find you on a Saturday night?

Here or out with Brittany, probably.

What is the best thing about Sundays?

Idk. We have family dinner then. I'm not always enthusiastic about going, though I almost always show up anyway.

What is your music provider (itunes, windows media player)?

Spotify Premium.

How many songs do you have?

6,500

When was the last time you had a period?

This month.

Why do you think the sky is blue?

Because it is. I don't feel like being all deep or giving the educated answer to that right now.

If you could change the sky to any color, which would you choose?

The pinkish oranges it is during a sunset.

Is there anything wrong with you right now?

Yeah, but that's not anything I can control.

Do you hate when people stare at you?

I honestly don't really give a shit. If they do it long enough, I'll do or say something to make them stop staring and move on. I have bigger problems.

[smartdatatv]

The Cord-Cutter’s Guide to TV Antennas in Toowoomba: How to Make the Switch to Free TV and Never Look Back

It was a warm Saturday morning in Toowoomba when Jane realized she was done. Done with overpriced cable bills, endless reruns, and paying for channels she never watched. While she sat sipping her coffee, she noticed an old TV antenna perched on her neighbor's roof and thought, "Why not?" That thought sparked a journey that would not only save her hundreds of dollars each year but also give her access to better local channels than her cable package ever did. Jane became a proud cord-cutter.

And just like Jane, you too can make the switch in Toowoomba with a TV antenna that delivers crisp, free, and local channels—all without the monthly bill.

Why Toowoomba is Ideal for TV Antennas

Unlike larger cities where buildings can disrupt signals, Toowoomba’s relatively open terrain makes it ideal for antenna-based TV reception. Many residents can receive signals from the Brisbane transmission towers, providing a wide range of free-to-air channels.

According to ABC Australia, over 6.5 million Australians have already cut the cord, choosing free-to-air TV and streaming over traditional cable services. The trend is accelerating in regional areas like Toowoomba, where high-quality broadcast signals make this switch even more attractive .

Choosing the Right TV Antenna for Toowoomba

When it comes to TV Antenna Installation Toowoomba, the type of antenna you choose can significantly affect your viewing experience. Some of the key factors to consider include:

Location: If you live in a more rural part of Toowoomba or a valley, a high-gain outdoor antenna might be necessary. These antennas are designed to pick up weaker signals from distant broadcast towers.

Distance from Transmitters: Toowoomba’s location gives residents access to transmitters from both Toowoomba and Brisbane. A quality antenna installed at the right height can help you tap into these signals.

Weather Resistance: Toowoomba experiences a range of weather conditions, from blazing summer days to heavy rain. Look for an antenna that’s built to withstand the elements.

Installation Tips: What Most Websites Won’t Tell You

Most sites will talk about the basic installation process, but there are a few key tips that can improve your reception drastically:

Antenna Height Matters: The higher your antenna, the better. This doesn’t just mean putting it on your roof. If you can install it on a pole or a higher part of your roof, you’re more likely to get clearer signals.

Signal Amplifiers Aren’t Always the Answer: Many people believe that a signal amplifier will instantly solve reception issues. However, in areas like Toowoomba, where strong signals are available from nearby towers, amplifiers can actually cause interference. In most cases, a properly installed antenna works better without one.

Positioning Is Everything: Antennas are directional, which means they need to face the broadcast towers for the best reception. A small shift of just a few degrees can significantly improve the quality of your TV signal. Using an app like Antenna Point to locate nearby towers can make this process easier.

The Benefits of Going Antenna-Only

By opting for an antenna, Toowoomba residents can enjoy several benefits:

Cost Savings: One of the biggest advantages is financial. Australians spend an average of $70 per month on pay TV, which amounts to $840 per year . Installing a TV antenna in Toowoomba, on the other hand, costs a one-time fee of $200 to $500, depending on the equipment and installation service used.

Access to More Local Content: With an antenna, you’ll get access to local channels like ABC, SBS, and regional channels like 7 Toowoomba, which often carry more relevant news, weather, and sports programming.

Maintenance: When and Why to Repair

Even with the best antenna setup, repairs are sometimes necessary, particularly after heavy storms or years of exposure to the elements. If your signal suddenly weakens, you may need an antenna repair or adjustment. Local antenna services in Toowoomba can quickly diagnose and fix common issues, from re-aligning your antenna to replacing damaged parts.

The Future of Free TV in Toowoomba

As more Australians turn to streaming and on-demand services, local free-to-air channels continue to evolve. Toowoomba’s digital broadcast towers already transmit high-definition (HD) signals, and with more investment in broadcast technology, the quality is only set to improve.

Switching to a TV antenna isn’t just about cutting costs; it’s about regaining control of your viewing experience. Like Jane, who made the leap to antenna-only TV, you too can enjoy high-quality, free-to-air channels without the hassle of monthly bills. So, why wait? Explore your options today and take the first step toward a smarter, simpler TV experience.

By choosing TV antenna installation Toowoomba service, you're making a smart, future-proof choice for both your wallet and your viewing pleasure.

[hemaraj-897]

Python Projects for Fun: Creative Ideas to Learn and Enjoy

Python is a popular programming language that is easy to learn and very versatile. Whether you're new to programming or just looking for some fun ways to practice Python, there are plenty of creative projects that you can try. These projects are not only entertaining but also help you develop your coding skills. For individuals who want to work in the sector, a respectable python training in pune can give them the skills and information they need to succeed in this fast-paced atmosphere. Here are some fun Python project ideas that you can work on to learn and enjoy!

1. Text-Based Adventure Game

Do you love storytelling? You can create your own text-based adventure game in Python! It’s like writing an interactive story where the player makes choices that impact the outcome. You can start with a simple storyline and use conditional statements (like if and else) to guide the player through different scenarios. For example, you could create a mystery game where the player decides which room to enter or which clue to follow. This project is a fun way to practice your skills while telling a story that’s all your own.

2. Random Joke or Quote Generator

Imagine having a program that tells you a funny joke or an inspiring quote every time you run it. You can easily make a random joke or quote generator using Python. Start by creating a list of your favorite jokes or quotes. Then, use Python's random module to pick one at random each time you run the program. This project is a great way to learn how to work with lists and modules while having a good laugh!

3. Virtual Dice Roller

If you like board games, you can create a virtual dice roller in Python. You could make a simple program that simulates rolling a 6-sided dice, or you could make it more interesting by allowing the user to choose the number of sides. This project is very beginner-friendly and teaches you about random number generation and user input. It’s also handy if you ever lose a real dice!

4. Create a Simple Drawing with Turtle

Python has a built-in library called turtle that allows you to create simple drawings. You can use this library to draw shapes, patterns, or even small pictures. It’s like having a digital pen that you can control with code. This project helps you get familiar with loops and functions while allowing you to explore your artistic side. Start by drawing simple shapes like squares and circles, and then combine them to create more complex designs.

5. Make Your Own Calculator

Another fun project is building a simple calculator. It doesn’t have to be complicated; you can start by creating a calculator that performs basic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. This project will help you understand how to work with functions and user inputs. Once you have the basics down, you can add more features, like calculating percentages or finding the square root of a number.

6. Guess the Number Game

The "Guess the Number" game is a classic beginner Python project. The computer will randomly choose a number, and the player has to guess what it is. You can give hints like "too high" or "too low" to make it more engaging. This project is an excellent way to practice using loops and conditional statements. You can also add a feature that keeps track of how many guesses the player has made.

7. Weather App Using an API

If you want to learn something more advanced, try creating a simple weather app. You can use an online API (like OpenWeatherMap) to get the current weather information for a city. This project will help you learn about APIs, which are tools that allow different software programs to communicate with each other. You’ll also get to practice working with JSON data and using external libraries in Python.

8. Create a To-Do List

Staying organized is always helpful, and you can create your own to-do list application using Python. You can start with a simple version where users can add, view, and delete tasks. As you get more comfortable, you can make it more sophisticated by saving the tasks to a file, so they’re available even after you close the program. This project will teach you about handling user input and file operations. Enrolling in python online training can enable individuals to unlock  full potential and develop a deeper understanding of its complexities.

9. Build a Chatbot

If you’re interested in artificial intelligence, try building a simple chatbot. The chatbot can respond to basic questions like "What is your name?" or "How are you?" You can start by creating a list of possible questions and answers. As you advance, you can make it more interactive by using machine learning libraries to understand more complex conversations.

Conclusion

These fun Python projects are perfect for beginners and offer a great way to practice your programming skills. Whether you’re interested in games, art, or practical applications, there’s a project here for you. The best part is that you’ll be learning while creating something you can actually use or share with others. So, pick a project that interests you, start coding, and have fun with Python!