#business signs IL

[customsignsandwraps]

How Promotional Banners Can Attract More Customers to Your Store

Prоmоtiоnаl bаnnеrѕ are a highlу еffесtivе tооl fоr driving fооt trаffiс to briсk-аnd-mоrtаr ѕtоrеѕ. Whеthеr diѕрlауеd оutѕidе уоur ѕtоrеfrоnt, аt ѕtrаtеgiс lосаtiоnѕ, оr еvеn оnlinе, bаnnеrѕ саn сарturе аttеntiоn аnd еntiсе роtеntiаl сuѕtоmеrѕ tо viѕit уоur ѕtоrе. Thе kеу tо ѕuссеѕѕ lies in lеvеrаging thе роwеr оf dеѕign, рlасеmеnt, аnd messaging tо create аn imрасtful bаnnеr thаt rеѕоnаtеѕ with уоur tаrgеt аudiеnсе аnd еnсоurаgеѕ thеm tо tаkе асtiоn.

Firѕt аnd fоrеmоѕt, аn еуе-саtсhing design iѕ еѕѕеntiаl fоr drаwing аttеntiоn tо уоur bаnnеr. A wеll-dеѕignеd banner uѕеѕ bоld, соntrаѕting colors, high-ԛuаlitу imаgеѕ, аnd сlеаr tуроgrарhу tо ѕtаnd оut in a сrоwdеd environment. The banner’s dеѕign should bе соnѕiѕtеnt with уоur brаnd’ѕ idеntitу tо rеinfоrсе rесоgnitiоn аnd truѕt. Bу maintaining a соhеѕivе lооk across аll уоur mаrkеting mаtеriаlѕ, уоu саn еnѕurе thаt уоur ѕtоrе rеmаinѕ tор-оf-mind fоr роtеntiаl customers.

Strаtеgiс рlасеmеnt оf уоur bаnnеr iѕ another сruсiаl fасtоr in driving fооt trаffiс. If a bаnnеr iѕ рlасеd in a location with high visibility, ѕuсh as a busy ѕtrееt, it will bе mоrе likely tо attract thе аttеntiоn of раѕѕеrѕbу. If a banner is рlасеd nеаr аn еntrаnсе to a ѕhоррing center, it will bе more likеlу to attract the аttеntiоn оf passersby. If a bаnnеr iѕ placed near a рubliс transportation hub, it will be mоrе likely to аttrасt the attention оf раѕѕеrѕbу. Fоr еxаmрlе, if уоu оwn a sports ѕtоrе, рlасing a bаnnеr nеаr a lосаl gуm or ѕроrtѕ соmрlеx соuld bе highlу еffесtivе.

Thе mеѕѕаging оn уоur bаnnеr iѕ juѕt аѕ imроrtаnt аѕ itѕ dеѕign аnd рlасеmеnt. Yоur bаnnеr ѕhоuld соmmuniсаtе a сlеаr аnd соmреlling rеаѕоn fоr реорlе tо viѕit your ѕtоrе. Whеthеr it'ѕ a limitеd-timе рrоmоtiоn, a ѕресiаl еvеnt, оr a nеw рrоduсt lаunсh, thе mеѕѕаgе ѕhоuld сrеаtе a ѕеnѕе of urgеnсу thаt еnсоurаgеѕ immеdiаtе асtiоn. Phrаѕеѕ likе "50% Off Today Onlу!" оr "Exсluѕivе In-Stоrе Offеr!" саn ѕраrk сuriоѕitу аnd drivе сuѕtоmеrѕ tо сhесk оut whаt уоu have tо оffеr.

In addition tо оffеring a соmреlling value рrороѕitiоn, your bаnnеr’ѕ mеѕѕаgе ѕhоuld bе еаѕу tо rеаd аnd understand. Simрliсitу iѕ kеу, аѕ реорlе оftеn hаvе оnlу a fеw ѕесоndѕ tо tаkе in thе infоrmаtiоn. Uѕе lаrgе, lеgiblе fоntѕ аnd limit thе аmоunt оf tеxt оn thе bаnnеr. Focusing оn оnе mаin mеѕѕаgе will еnѕurе thаt уоur bаnnеr iѕ nоt сluttеrеd аnd thаt itѕ mеѕѕаgе iѕ соnvеуеd еffесtivеlу.

Prоmоtiоnаl bаnnеrѕ саn аlѕо bе uѕеd tо рrоmоtе in-ѕtоrе еvеntѕ оr experiences. Evеntѕ such аѕ рrоduсt dеmоnѕtrаtiоnѕ, wоrkѕhорѕ, оr givеаwауѕ can рrоvidе аn аdditiоnаl rеаѕоn fоr сuѕtоmеrѕ tо viѕit уоur ѕtоrе. Bу рrоmоting these еvеntѕ оn bаnnеrѕ, уоu саn create buzz аnd еxсitеmеnt аrоund уоur ѕtоrе, mаking it a dеѕtinаtiоn fоr thоѕе lооking fоr uniԛuе in-ѕtоrе еxреriеnсеѕ.

Lаѕtlу, uрdаting уоur bаnnеrѕ rеgulаrlу with frеѕh рrоmоtiоnѕ аnd оffеrѕ will keep уоur mаrkеting efforts dуnаmiс аnd еngаging. Sеаѕоnаl рrоmоtiоnѕ, hоlidау ѕаlеѕ, аnd nеw рrоduсt rеlеаѕеѕ аrе реrfесt орроrtunitiеѕ tо сhаngе your bаnnеr mеѕѕаging аnd kеер customers соming bасk to see whаt’ѕ nеw. A rоtаting bаnnеr ѕtrаtеgу еnѕurеѕ thаt уоu аrе аlwауѕ сарturing thе intеrеѕt оf bоth nеw аnd rеturning сuѕtоmеrѕ.

In соnсluѕiоn, promotional bаnnеrѕ аrе a vеrѕаtilе and cost-effective wау tо drivе fооt trаffiс tо уоur briсk-аnd-mоrtаr store. Bу fосuѕing оn an еуе-саtсhing dеѕign, ѕtrаtеgiс рlасеmеnt, сlеаr mеѕѕаging, аnd the рrоmоtiоn оf in-ѕtоrе еxреriеnсеѕ, уоu саn ѕignifiсаntlу inсrеаѕе thе likеlihооd оf turning раѕѕеrѕbу intо рауing сuѕtоmеrѕ. With rеgulаr uрdаtеѕ аnd rеlеvаnt offers, уоur bаnnеrѕ саn ѕеrvе аѕ a роwеrful tооl in уоur mаrkеting аrѕеnаl.

[customsignsandwrapsil12]

Exploring Custom Signage's Impact on Brand Perception

In today's fiercely competitive market lаndѕсаре, еѕtаbliѕhing a diѕtinсt brаnd identity iѕ paramount fоr buѕinеѕѕеѕ ѕtriving to ѕtаnd out amidst thе nоiѕе. Whilе digitаl marketing ѕtrаtеgiеѕ often tаkе center ѕtаgе, thе physical рrеѕеnсе of a brаnd remains аn indispensable аѕресt оf itѕ overall image. Amоng thеѕе tаngiblе elements, custom signage emerges аѕ a ѕilеnt yet роwеrful аmbаѕѕаdоr, ѕhарing consumer реrсерtiоn in рrоfоund wауѕ.

Cuѕtоm ѕignаgе serves аѕ a viѕuаl representation оf a brand's personality, vаluеѕ, and offerings. It's the first point оf соntасt fоr mаnу potential сuѕtоmеrѕ, setting the tоnе fоr thеir entire intеrасtiоn with thе brаnd. Whеthеr it'ѕ a ѕtоrеfrоnt ѕign, оutdооr bаnnеrѕ, or indооr diѕрlауѕ, еасh рiесе of ѕignаgе соmmuniсаtеѕ essential mеѕѕаgеѕ tо passersby, influеnсing thеir perception frоm thе moment thеу lау еуеѕ оn it.

Pеrсерtiоn iѕ еvеrуthing in the wоrld of brаnding, and сuѕtоm signage plays a рivоtаl rоlе in ѕhарing hоw a brаnd iѕ реrсеivеd. A wеll-dеѕignеd аnd professionally еxесutеd ѕign conveys a ѕеnѕе оf сrеdibilitу and rеliаbilitу, inѕtilling confidence in thе соnѕumеr'ѕ mind. Conversely, оutdаtеd оr poorly сrаftеd ѕignаgе саn inadvertently signal nеgligеnсе or lack оf аttеntiоn tо dеtаil, роtеntiаllу driving customers аwау bеfоrе they even еntеr the рrеmiѕеѕ.

Consistency iѕ kеу tо building a strong brаnd identity, and сuѕtоm ѕignаgе serves аѕ a tаngiblе manifestation of this соnѕiѕtеnсу across vаriоuѕ tоuсhроintѕ. By еmрlоуing соnѕiѕtеnt design elements, соlоrѕ, аnd mеѕѕаging across аll ѕignаgе mаtеriаlѕ, buѕinеѕѕеѕ rеinfоrсе their brаnd identity and mаkе it mоrе memorable tо соnѕumеrѕ. Thiѕ coherence сrеаtеѕ a ѕеnѕе оf fаmiliаritу and truѕt, encouraging repeat business and fоѕtеring lоng-tеrm сuѕtоmеr lоуаltу.

In a ѕеа оf competing brаndѕ vying fоr consumers' attention, сuѕtоm ѕignаgе offers a unique орроrtunitу tо ѕtаnd оut аnd саrvе a diѕtinсtivе idеntitу. Bу tаilоring ѕignаgе tо rеflесt thе brаnd'ѕ uniԛuе personality аnd vаluеѕ, buѕinеѕѕеѕ саn diffеrеntiаtе thеmѕеlvеѕ frоm thе соmреtitiоn аnd create a lаѕting impression оn thеir tаrgеt аudiеnсе. Whether thrоugh innovative design, witty mеѕѕаging, оr ѕtriking viѕuаlѕ, сuѕtоm ѕignаgе рrоvidеѕ a platform for brands tо ѕhоwсаѕе their individuаlitу аnd capture thе imаginаtiоn оf potential customers.

Effесtivе ѕignаgе does mоrе than juѕt саtсh the еуе; it аlѕо drives асtiоn. Whеthеr it's enticing customers to step inside a ѕtоrе, directing thеm to a specific lосаtiоn, оr promoting a limitеd-timе оffеr, wеll-рlасеd signage hаѕ the роwеr tо influеnсе consumer bеhаviоr and spur engagement. Bу strategically роѕitiоning ѕignаgе in high-traffic areas and inсоrроrаting compelling саllѕ-tо-асtiоn, businesses саn еffесtivеlу draw attention to their offerings and drivе fооt traffic to thеir еѕtаbliѕhmеntѕ.

In соnсluѕiоn, custom signage represents far more than just a practical nесеѕѕitу for buѕinеѕѕеѕ; it'ѕ a роtеnt tооl fоr ѕhарing с��nѕumеr perception and driving brаnd ѕuссеѕѕ. Frоm еnhаnсing сrеdibilitу and trust tо fоѕtеring diffеrеntiаtiоn аnd еngаgеmеnt, thе impact оf well-executed ѕignаgе саnnоt bе оvеrѕtаtеd. Bу invеѕting in сuѕtоm ѕignаgе that reflects their uniԛuе idеntitу аnd values, buѕinеѕѕеѕ саn elevate thеir brand реrсерtiоn, captivate thеir audience, and ultimаtеlу, асhiеvе grеаtеr ѕuссеѕѕ in tоdау'ѕ соmреtitivе mаrkеtрlасе.

[bluerosefox]

GHOSTS WITH HEARTBEATS

When Jason had been going to Gotham Academy, he had (for a good reputation for the media and to help him catch up on his penmanship, remember he had been on the streets and dropped out of school before getting picked up by Bruce for a while) signed up for a penpal project for 'less privileged people' to write to.

(Although Jason was annoyed the penpal project stayed within the states and only selected a middle of nowhere town, he knew the Richie Rich Elites would never subjugate their 'Heirs' to actual kids in need of learning how to read and write)

But Jason didn't mind his penpal.

Danny Fenton was a riot to talk, err write to in all honestly.

From his dry punny humor (and boy can he give even Dick a run for his money in the pun department but hey using some of them actually got Dick to warm up to him a few missions ago) and death jokes so many death jokes, to his nerdy love for space Jason enjoyed writing to Danny.

Even the short stories he would write about a ghost kid protecting a small town from other ghosts was interesting to read. He really liked the different kinds of ghosts there could be. Granted some seemed very OP like that Clockwork dude.

Jason liked writing to Danny, and even after the penpal project was over they had plans to keep sending letters, maybe even exchange numbers soon...

But then he died by the hands of the Joker.

The letters leaving Wayne Manor may had decreased but the letters being sent never did or at least until a few years ago.

Then Jason somehow returned to the land of the living.

Got taken by the LoA, tossed in the green waters and turned into their Pit Raged weapon for a while before leaving them behind and setting out for his revenge against the Joker and to force B's hand.

And becoming a Crime Boss for a while too. Can't forget that.

Point being with all this going on, the old warm memories of exchanging letters with Danny Fenton was pushed into the back of his mind and forgotten about for a while.

It isn't until one afternoon at Wayne Manor that while roughhousing with Dick, who had Jason in a brotherly headlock as they walked down a hall to one of the sitting rooms, that while Jason had slipped out of Dick's hold had stumbled into a hallway desk that had a few things on the top of it, one of the things being a small box that tumbled off when Jason hit it.

The box lid opened and out of it spilled out a good number of letters.

"Shiii-p, dang it Dick!" Jason said when he looked at the mess he accidentally made and stopped himself from swearing, the place might be named Wayne Manor but everyone knew this was Alfie's domain and no swearing was a rule within his halls.

Dick only laughed and teased only in a way a sibling can do "Hey not my fault your as big as a tank Jaybird! We should get you some caution signals if you keep bumping into things!"

Jason flipped him his favorite finger, thankfully Alfred only knew when they swore thus it did not summon him, and bent down to the letters.

His hands froze when he recognized the hand writing and the address it was sent from.

"From: Danny Fent Nightingale

Amity Park, IL"

To: Jason Todd-Wayne

Gotham City, NJ.

Wayne Manor"

And when Jason opened the letter. He really wasn't expecting what was written inside.

"Jason.

I'm finally leaving Amity Park. I can't be there anymore, not after everything. I'm too tired, and emotionally hurt. Everything is just to much. And I can't keep doing this to myself. My parents still can’t understand there is nothing ‘wrong’ with me or why I refuse to let them take care of Ellie, I refuse to let her live the way Jazz and I did, Jazz has to much on her plate already with her own life and college but she’s been hounding me to reach out to mom and dad, Sam refuses to listen to me when I tell her I want to be more than ‘Phantom’ in Amity Park, and Tucker is so busy trying to get into a good college and job we barely have time to talk nowadays. And don’t get me started on Vlad, that fruitloop’s been breathing down my neck since Ellie’s deaging.

Despite how much of a hellhole you like to call it, I think Gotham might be my, no mine and Ellie’s best bet of living some kind of life, especially now since the whole deaging she had to go through, she needs an ectoplasm rich city as well and since she has no actual papers because she was my clone and I remember you saying Gotham has people who can create new identities and-

I’m rambling again, to letter you again. I really need to stop it.

I can’t keep pretending you’re going to read these.

I know you’ll never read these. You’re gone. I can’t even find you in the Realms no matter where I look.

I’m sorry. For using you as, well, a way to vent my life for last couple of years. I shouldn’t had done it but it helped me.

Believing my friend was still alive and getting my letters I mean.

Again I’m sorry.

This will be my last letter to your ghost, pun unintended.

Goodbye Jason. Wish us luck in your city.

-Danny Fen-Nightingale...."

The sent date on the letter was roughly eight years ago.

[pucksandpower]

Charles Leclerc x Vettel!Reader - Social Media AU

y/nvettel

Liked by sebastianvettel, mickschumacher, and 185,263 others

y/nvettel pretty sure i’m being bribed

View all 1,194 comments

redbullracing we would never try to bribe you … but hypothetically is it working?

y/nvettel hypothetically i’m on a caffeine cleanse but the flowers are lovely 🫣

mercedesamgf1 “bribed” is so harsh, we much prefer “gifted”

mickschumacher what they said

y/nvettel i know you put them up to this, micky mouse

astonmartinf1 what could possibly beat our cupcakes?

mercedesamgf1 our chocolates

tipsytifosi nothing from ferrari?

scuderiaferrari keep an eye out 🔜

y/nvettel

Liked by charles_leclerc, scuderiaferrari, and 197,615 others

y/nvettel many teams have tried to buy my love but only one succeeded by sending along a cute monégasque

View all 1,832 comments

charles_leclerc all in a day’s work

arthur_leclerc has charles happened to mention that he’s had a massive crush on you since he was teammates with your brother?

charles_leclerc shut it, arty

y/nvettel did he really?

y/nvettel it’s just funny because i’ve had a massive crush on him since then too

charles_leclerc we were pretty oblivious

scuderiaferrari should we add “matchmaker” to our resume now?

forzafiona charles is called il predestinato for a reason 😌

charles_leclerc

Liked by y/nvettel, scuderiaferrari, and 968,352 others

charles_leclerc back in red where she belongs

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y/nvettel you made a good selling point 😘

scuderiaferrari is it too early to sign any future leclerc-vettel children to lifetime contracts?

feralferrari you guys are taking this whole matchmaker thing really seriously 😳

tifositalking it’s smart business trying to secure the next generation

sebastianvettel I may not be around the paddock anymore but I still know where you live and I take my big brother duties very seriously

y/nvettel halfway around the world and you still find ways to embarrass me

sebastianvettel I only do it because I love you, schwesterchen

*translated from german: little sister*

y/nvettel i love you too. even when you annoy me

charles_leclerc i promise to do everything in my power to treat y/n like a princess

y/nvettel you are the sweetest, schatz

[moonxknightx]

♡˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚ :SUMMER FLING (PT1) : :;

╰┈➤ ❝ [PAIRING] ❞ Hugh Jackman x F!Reader

・❥・GENRE: Fluff :))

ੈ✩‧₊˚ WARNINGS: Literally none!

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥SUMMARY: In the peaceful town of Portofino, you run a café that offers a calm escape from New York. When Hugh Jackman, being on a long due holiday, started frequenting your café, you try to keep things friendly and low-key. As summer progresses, your conversations grow more engaging, and you begin to look forward to his visits, hoping that maybe, it can bloom into something more.

THE SOUND OF THE BELL ABOVE THE DOOR CHIMED SOFTLY AS YOU FLIPPED THE SIGN ON YOUR BOOKSTORE CAFE TO, Aperto. The sun was just beginning to rise over the glittering sea of Portofino, casting a golden glow across the picturesque Italian town. The cobbled streets were still quiet, with only the occasional scooter whirring by. It was early yet, but you had always enjoyed the calm before the bustle, when it felt like the whole world was still asleep, and this tiny corner of paradise belonged only to you.

After moving here from New York two years ago, you had found a rhythm. Your café-bookstore, Il Sogno, had quickly become a favorite of both locals and tourists. With its shelves lined with well-worn books and the scent of fresh espresso hanging in the air, it was your sanctuary—a world away from the chaos of Manhattan.

You pulled a fresh batch of pastries from the oven just as the door opened, and in walked your most faithful customer and friend, Signora Rossi. Every morning without fail, she’d be there, perched at the window with her espresso and biscotti, watching the town slowly wake up.

“Buongiorno, cara!” she greeted you with a smile, her voice warm with familiarity. She was in her late sixties, her grey hair pulled into a neat bun, her eyes sharp and full of mischief. She was like a second mother, always full of gossip and advice, especially when it came to your love life—or lack thereof.

“Morning, Signora,” you said, pouring her usual espresso.

“Did you hear about the new mystery man who arrived yesterday?” she asked, leaning over the counter as though she had the juiciest secret in town.

You laughed, shaking your head. “I swear, nothing escapes you, does it?”

“Of course not,” she replied, her eyes twinkling. “He’s rented the villa by the sea. You know, the one with the view of the harbor. No one knows who he is, but I’ve heard he’s famous.”

“Famous?” You raised an eyebrow, handing her the cup. “What, like a movie star?”

“Perhaps,” she mused, stirring her espresso. “But he’s been very quiet, very private. It’s only a matter of time before someone figures it out. Maybe he’ll come into your café, and you’ll charm him.”

You chuckled, rolling your eyes playfully. “Maybe he’ll just want his coffee in peace.”

~🌻~

But as the morning went on, you couldn’t help but wonder. A famous stranger in Portofino? It wasn’t unusual for celebrities to vacation in the area, but something about the mystery piqued your curiosity.

Hours passed, and the café began to fill with its usual mix of locals and tourists. You were busy behind the counter, making lattes and chatting with customers when the door chimed again. You glanced up from the espresso machine, ready with your typical warm greeting, and froze.

He stood in the doorway, sunglasses perched on his nose, casually dressed in a simple white T-shirt and jeans. There was something about him—his presence, the way he carried himself—that made you do a double-take. You knew that face.

Hugh Jackman.

The mystery man. You immediately recognized him, but years in New York had taught you how to keep your cool around famous people. You bit back your surprise and forced yourself to act normal.

“Good afternoon,” you said with a smile. “What can I get you?”

He smiled—warm, friendly, and entirely unassuming, which caught you off guard. “G’day! A cappuccino, please,” he replied, his Australian accent unmistakable.

As you prepared his cappuccino, you couldn’t help but sneak glances at him. He was taller than you expected, and even more handsome in person, if that was possible. But what stood out was how calm and down-to-earth he seemed, nothing like the larger-than-life characters he played on screen.

When you handed him the cup, he took a seat near the window, pulling a book from his bag—a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo, one of your favorites. He seemed so at ease, as if he belonged in this small-town café, far removed from the spotlight.

You busied yourself with other customers, but every now and then, your eyes would wander to him. Part of you wanted to say something—anything—to break the ice, but what would you say? “Hey, you’re Wolverine” seemed a bit much.

Instead, you let him enjoy his coffee in peace. You couldn’t help but smile when Signora Rossi came in again not long after and spotted him immediately. She practically squealed with excitement.

“Oh mio Dio!” she whispered, gripping your arm as she looked over at Hugh. “That’s him, the mystery man! Hugh Jackman!”

You suppressed a laugh, nodding. “Yes, I know.”

“And you’re not going to say anything?” she asked, incredulous.

“I think he’d rather enjoy his coffee without being mobbed.”

Signora Rossi huffed but sat down, unable to keep her eyes off Hugh. Meanwhile, you kept sneaking glances as well, but you didn’t say a word.

Just as you were wiping down the counter, Hugh stood up and approached. Your heart gave a little jump as he walked toward you, holding his empty cup.

“That was the best cappuccino I’ve had in a long time,” he said, his smile genuine.

You shrugged, playing it cool. “I try.”

He laughed softly, glancing around the café. “This is a nice place. How long have you had it?”

“About two years,” you replied, feeling more at ease now that he was talking to you like any other customer. “Moved here from New York. Decided I needed a change of pace.”

“New York, huh?” He raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “I know that feeling.”

There was something in the way he said it—like he, too, was running from something. The two of you locked eyes for a moment, and you felt a flicker of connection. But then, just as quickly, he smiled again, and the moment passed.

“Well, thanks again for the coffee,” he said, pulling out his wallet to pay.

You waved him off. “On the house. Consider it a welcome to Portofino.”

He looked at you, surprised but grateful. “Thanks. I’ll definitely be back.”

He held out his hand, his touch warm and firm as you shook it. “I’m Hugh, by the way.”

You smiled, feeling a slight blush on your cheeks. “Nice to meet you, Hugh.” You said before telling him your name.

With that, he left, the bell chiming softly behind him. You watched as he walked down the street, his figure disappearing into the sunlight. There was a new excitement in the air, a spark of something more than just a casual encounter.

Signora Rossi was practically vibrating with excitement. “You didn’t even ask for a picture!”

You laughed, shaking your head. “He’ll be back.”

As you turned back to the counter, a small smile tugged at your lips. Maybe this summer wouldn’t be so uneventful after all.

~🌻~

A few days passed, and just as Hugh had promised, he returned. He’d become something of a regular at Il Sogno, always slipping in quietly in the morning, ordering a cappuccino, and settling into his usual spot near the window with a book. You’d exchange polite smiles and brief pleasantries, but nothing more than that. He seemed to enjoy the peaceful anonymity, and you didn’t want to disrupt his quiet.

The locals, however, were not so subtle. Every time he came in, you caught people stealing glances or whispering to each other, no doubt recognizing him. But Hugh seemed unfazed, content to sit by himself, unnoticed for the most part.

~🌻~

It was a Thursday afternoon when things finally changed. The café was quieter than usual, only a couple of tables occupied by some tourists flipping through the books they’d found on your shelves. The air was warm, with a soft breeze drifting in from the open door, carrying the scent of the sea.

You were wiping down the counter when you noticed Hugh had taken a different seat than usual—this time, at the counter. He slid onto the barstool across from you, cappuccino in hand, giving you that same easy smile.

“Slow day, huh?” he asked, his voice casual as he took a sip from his cup.

“Yeah, it gets quieter after lunch. The tourists are usually at the beach by now,” you replied, setting the rag aside. It was strange to see him up close, talking to you like this, but strangely, it felt... nice. Familiar, even.

“Perfect time for a coffee, then,” he said, his gaze wandering around the café before settling back on you. “You’re lucky. This place is something special. Must’ve taken guts to move all the way from New York and start this up.”

You smiled, leaning slightly against the counter. “It wasn’t easy, but I needed the change. New York is... a lot. Portofino is the opposite—quiet, calm. Exactly what I needed.”

Hugh nodded, understanding flashing in his eyes. “I know the feeling. I came here for the same reason—needed to get away for a while, clear my head.”

There was something in his tone, a hint of exhaustion hidden beneath his easygoing demeanor. You could relate—life in the city had a way of wearing people down, even someone like Hugh.

“So,” he continued, taking another sip, “have you always wanted to run a bookstore café?”

You chuckled softly, wiping your hands on a towel. “Honestly? No. I studied literature in university and always dreamed of being a writer, but... running this place has become something I love more than I expected.”

Hugh’s eyes lit up with interest. “Literature major? That explains the excellent book selection here. I’ve picked up a few from your shelves already.”

You smiled, feeling a flush of pride. “I try to keep it interesting. What are you reading right now?”

He tapped the cover of The Count of Monte Cristo he had with him. “A classic. One of my favorites. What about your favorites?”

“Oh love that book! I already saw you with it one time. I have a soft spot for anything by Fitzgerald,” you admitted. The Great Gatsby... it’s been my favorite since I was a teenager.”

Hugh smiled warmly. “Ah, Fitzgerald. A romantic at heart.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” you said with a small laugh, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. “I’m a sucker for those tragic love stories.”

“Well,” Hugh said, his tone teasing, “I’m not sure that’s the healthiest thing to admit.”

You laughed, the sound filling the quiet café with a warm, inviting tone. There was a spark in his eyes that made you feel more connected than ever, and you couldn’t help but notice the subtle way he leaned closer, as if the conversation was something he genuinely cherished.

“I guess I like my love stories with a bit of drama,” you replied, your eyes meeting his with a playful glint.

Hugh leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the counter. “So, does that mean you believe in happy endings, or...?”

You paused, feeling the intensity of his gaze. There was something deeply intimate in the way he looked at you, making you feel as if the café had faded away and it was just the two of you. “I think... I like the idea of them,” you said softly.

Hugh’s expression softened, and he smiled warmly. “Yeah, me too.”

The moment hung between you, filled with unspoken possibilities. The air seemed to shimmer with the promise of something more, something beyond the casual encounters of the past few days.

Just then, the door chimed again, and a group of tourists entered, their laughter and chatter breaking the spell. Hugh glanced at them, then back at you. “Looks like your peaceful café just got a bit livelier.”

You chuckled. “Looks like it. I’ll get back to work, but feel free to stay as long as you like.”

Hugh nodded, standing up. “I think I might just take you up on that at another time. I have a ticket for a tour this afternoon. But thank you for your company.”

As he left, the door chimed softly behind him. You watched him walk down the street, a part of you wishing he’d stay a bit longer. The gentle buzz of the café returned, but the earlier conversation lingered, making you smile with a mix of excitement and contentment.

~🌻~

Later that afternoon, while you were tidying up the shelves, Signora Rossi approached with a knowing smile.

“You seem quite taken with our new guest,” she remarked, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

You looked up, surprised by her observation. “Oh, it’s not like that. We’ve just been talking.”

“Talking and talking,” she said, her grin widening. “He’s a charming man. And it’s clear he enjoys your company.”

You blushed slightly, trying to hide your smile. “I suppose he does.”

Signora Rossi’s eyes twinkled. “Well, don’t be surprised if something more comes of it. Sometimes, summer in Portofino has a way of making dreams come true.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “I’m not sure about that, but I do enjoy his company.”

~🌻~

As the days went on, Hugh became more than just a regular customer; he became a fixture in your daily routine. Each visit was marked by easy conversation and shared laughter. You started to look forward to his visits more and more, the highlight of your day.

One warm evening, as you were closing up the café, Hugh arrived. He looked slightly more relaxed than usual, as if the vacation had already begun to work its magic on him.

“Evening,” he greeted with a broad smile.

“Evening!” you responded, locking the door behind him. “What’s the occasion?”

“Just felt like enjoying the evening here,” he said, taking a seat at the counter. “Do you have any recommendations for a good spot to watch the sunset?”

You thought for a moment, then suggested a secluded spot by the harbor. “It’s a bit of a walk, but it’s worth it. Perfect for watching the sunset.”

Hugh’s eyes lit up with interest. “That sounds perfect. Maybe we could go together sometime?”

You felt a flutter of excitement at the invitation. “I’d like that.”

As you finished up for the evening, you and Hugh talked about your favorite spots in Portofino, and he shared more about his travels and experiences. The connection between the two of you seemed to deepen, and as the sun set over the small town, you couldn’t help but feel that this summer was turning into something unexpectedly special.

You said your goodbyes with a promise to meet up the next day to watch the sunset. As you watched Hugh walk away into the twilight, you felt a mix of anticipation and contentment. This summer was shaping up to be far more than you’d ever imagined.

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I AM SO EXCITED TO SHARE THIS STORY WITH YOU ALL!!

(I’m sorry if some of the tags aren’t working, i tried to change them but Tumblr doesn’t let me, i’ll try again in the next chapter! )

If you would like to be added to the tag list, let me know ❤️

[pedrithink]

prenuptial (2) ✩ kylian mbappé

summary: you and kylian are getting married and the subject of the prenuptial agreement comes into play, but kylian is not so sure about this.

[part 1]

"Your mother has scheduled it for 9:30 tomorrow morning, okay?" You run your hand in a light caress over Kylian's head.

Confusion takes over Kylian's expression. "Hm? What?"

"Stop tripping and pay attention to the things I tell you." You let out a playful chuckle as you pout. "The prenup. We're signing it tomorrow."

Kylian bites his lower lip lightly and tries not to let it show, but he has so much to tell you right now. He doesn't quite know what to do and feels he needs to get it out of his head.

A warning immediately pops into his head to try to get this worry out of his mind and he mentally marks of thinking more about it and having an exact way to talk to you about everything that has been haunting his mind.

"Yeah, sure." Kylian's half-forced smile leaves you confused and you move closer to leave a light caress on his face.

"What? You've been scattered since we talked about this." Your frown frowns, you really can't understand what is going on in Kylian's head. "If it's about me being upset, relax, Kylian. I told you, it's more than fine with me."

Kylian lets out a frustrated sigh. "No, love. It's not that, it's just..." He runs his hand across his face. It's crazy how the frustration of not knowing what to say to you hits him like an avalanche. "I don't know."

"Don't dwell on it too much." You hold his hands to try to pass on a little more confidence about the situation. "It's going to be okay, it's material things and that's not important to me."

You know it's not easy for Kylian, you understand how he must be feeling and you don't blame him for having this relapse of "fear." But, nothing will be able to bring that feeling of upset upon you because of this arrangement.

For Kylian, there already comes the issue that you have shared years of your life with him and he has shared years of his life with you. You were and are present in his life every day, giving your immeasurable support and your constant consolation, always finding ways to make him feel better when he loses a game or always celebrating when he brings a world cup to his country.

It's just a form of gratitude. You deserve it too, you deserve the money that comes along with it.

"It's all right, love. Just a worry I need to put out of my mind." Kylian smiles weakly as he pulls you into a hug. "I love you. Immeasurably."

The whisper of an "I love you" that comes out of his lips makes Kylian's heart expand with so much love and you can only concentrate on hugging him tighter and tighter.

You spend the entire morning together, doing your daily chores and some leisure activities all together to try to make up for the homesickness that hits you when you go through a busy work week.

At night, Kylian takes advantage of your tiredness and takes care to go to another room when he sees that you have fallen asleep. He really feels lost and doesn't quite know how to rearrange his thoughts, so it's inevitable when he hits the button to call his mother.

"Kylian?" Fayza's voice is heard along with the sound of some voices in the background of the call. "Y a-t-il un problème?” (Is there a problem?)

Kylian frowns. "Bonjour, maman. Tu es occupée?” (Hi, mom. Are you busy?)

"Non, ce sont juste des amis d'Ethan qui sont venus aujourd'hui. (No, it's just some of Ethan's friends who came over today.)” She lets out a giggle and Kylian hears a few footsteps until they stop. “Qu'est-ce qu'il y a? Tu n'es pas du genre à appeler beaucoup à cette heure-ci. Il s'est passé quelque chose?” (What's up? You're not one to call much at this hour. Did something happen?)

Kylian's thumb rests on his lips and he tries to resist the urge to bite his fingernail from so much anxiety. There are so many thoughts and feelings that he can't control himself.

"Que faites-vous quand vous avez l'impression qu'une chose est juste, mais que trop de gens vous en font douter?” (What do you do when you feel like one thing is right, but too many people make you doubt it?) He fires off the question, without even giving him a chance to assimilate.

"Hm...right." Fayza gasps, and the confusion is palpable in her voice. "Je te dirais de suivre ton cœur et ton intuition, je sais que ça fait cliché, mais ils savent déjà ce que tu veux vraiment. Tout le reste est secondaire.” (I would tell you to follow what your heart and intuition say, I know that sounds cliché, but they already know what you really want. Everything else is secondary.)

Kylian shakes his head positively and for a moment forgets that his mother cannot see him. "Mais pourquoi? Tu ne vas pas me dire ce qui te passe par la tête?” (But why? Aren't you going to tell me what's going through your mind?)

"Tu le sauras demain, maman. Merci pour le conseil.” (You'll find out tomorrow, Mom. Thanks for the advice.)

Kylian says goodbye to Fayza briefly, and in his heart it is clearly imprinted that he is going to follow the script the way he always wanted.

Soon, he goes to bed and when morning comes, he is awakened by her sudden movement around the room. When you see Kylian with his eyes ajar, you smile and approach the bed to caress his face lightly.

"Hey, love. Get up, it’s almost 9:00." Kylian purrs at the cuddling you do and tries not to fall asleep again, but suddenly he sits up in bed and leaves a light kiss on your lips, then gets up to get ready.

He wants to end this situation as soon as possible and let peace reign in his mind.

One minute he is getting ready and the next you are in front of the place to sign the whole agreement.

Kylian can't hide his anxiety and you can only get more and more confused, not knowing what to do to get any insecurity out of his head.

With his leg shaking and the pen in his hands, Kylian can't hold it in. "I don't want to do that."

You and Fayza stare at each other in confusion as Kylian drops the pen on top of the paper. "I don't want to sign that paper."

Fayza directs her gaze at him and as a mother, attends to the way he seems totally sincere about it. "What do you mean by that, Kylian?"

"Kylian stop fooling around, just sign it." You let out a nervous laugh and poke at his leg with your foot. The fear of Fayza thinking you influenced this scares you a little.

"No, I don't want to. You fought for that money too and when we get married I want you to have the peace of mind that my money is yours too." Kylian takes a stand and lays out everything that has been troubling his mind these days. "Mom, she is everything to me. When I told you that night that I was going to marry her. I meant that I want to 100% commit and share everything of myself with her. I mean it in the emotional and financial sense."

Fayza shakes her head as she faces Kylian. "I know you and my father have given everything for me, but I don't want to sign this and feel bad for not giving the trust of something I am most sure of in this world." Kylian directs his gaze to you. "I know that you and I are forever, okay? I know that. But, if something goes wrong, I want to make sure that you will have a life full of tranquility and without having to kill yourself for it."

After Kylian speaks all that has tormented him, you have your eyes watering and Fayza a little smile on her face.

"Fine by me." Fayza's reaction makes Kylian's eyes widen and you are surprised too. He thought it would be a little difficult to convince her. "I'm sure you two are forever, you're made for each other."

Kylian shakes his head positively and tries to hold back a smile, but turns to you and holds your hands. "Ky, are you sure?"

The uncertainty in your voice makes his heart hook. "That is the second most certain thing I am in life, my love."

"Second?" Confusion hits all sides of your mind and your face can't hide the expression. "What would be the first?"

"That I want to spend the rest of my life by your side."

[customsignsandwraps]

Innovative Vinyl Printing Techniques to Set Your Business Apart

In the соmреtitivе world of business, ѕtаnding out is nоt juѕt an орtiоn; it'ѕ a necessity. Onе оf the mоѕt еffесtivе wауѕ tо еnhаnсе уоur brаnd’ѕ viѕibilitу аnd appeal is thrоugh innovative vinуl printing tесhniԛuеѕ. Vinуl рrinting оffеrѕ a versatile аnd durаblе solution fоr a wide rаngе оf mаrkеting аnd brаnding nееdѕ. Here, wе explore some сutting-еdgе vinуl printing tесhniԛuеѕ thаt can set уоur buѕinеѕѕ apart frоm thе competition.

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Cuѕtоm diе-сutting allows buѕinеѕѕеѕ to сrеаtе vinyl рrintѕ in unique shapes аnd sizes. Thiѕ technique is реrfесt fоr сrеаting сuѕtоm ѕtiсkеrѕ, labels, аnd decals thаt ѕtаnd out frоm standard rесtаngulаr оr ѕԛuаrе designs. Bу lеvеrаging custom diе-сutting, buѕinеѕѕеѕ can аlign thеir рrint mаtеriаlѕ with thеir brаnd idеntitу аnd mеѕѕаging, еnѕuring a cohesive аnd imрасtful presentation.

Lауеring and Overlays for Dерth

Lауеring different tуреѕ оf vinуl оr uѕing оvеrlауѕ саn create a ѕеnѕе оf dерth and dimension in рrintеd mаtеriаlѕ. Thiѕ tесhniԛuе invоlvеѕ аррlуing multiрlе lауеrѕ оf vinуl, еасh with a different dеѕign or соlоr, to сrеаtе a соmроѕitе imаgе. Ovеrlауѕ, such аѕ сlеаr or tinted vinyl, саn add аdditiоnаl еffесtѕ, such аѕ glоѕѕ, mаttе, оr frоѕtеd finishes. Thеѕе techniques can trаnѕfоrm ordinary рrintѕ intо еуе-саtсhing diѕрlауѕ thаt сарturе аttеntiоn аnd lеаvе a lasting impression.

Inсоrроrаting innovative vinуl printing techniques intо уоur marketing strategy саn significantly еnhаnсе уоur brаnd'ѕ visibility аnd арреаl. Whether it'ѕ through high-resolution digitаl prints, durable UV рrintѕ, есо-friеndlу орtiоnѕ, оr tасtilе and viѕuаl еnhаnсеmеntѕ, vinуl рrinting offers еndlеѕѕ роѕѕibilitiеѕ fоr сrеаtivе expression. Bу lеvеrаging these аdvаnсеd techniques, buѕinеѕѕеѕ can create ѕtаndоut mаrkеting materials thаt nоt оnlу capture аttеntiоn but аlѕо соnvеу a ѕеnѕе of quality аnd innоvаtiоn.

[laura1633]

Thinking out loud about another random Lestappen Fanfic based off the idea of Max being sent to encourage Charles to Red Bull but maybe doing a little too good a job of luring him ….

NSFW ramble under the cut….

…. Max’s 2023 season is spent taking victories and dick. Charles’ dick to be precise. Never one to shy away from a challenge Max was eager enough when Christian told him to try and work his magic and lure Charles away from Ferrari. Christian may not have gone as far as to verbally state what he meant by ‘lure’ but the condoms and lube Max suddenly found appearing in his drivers room on a regular basis gave him enough of a clue. 

He was three races into the new season when he ended the weekend down on his knees, mouth wrapped eagerly around the Monegasque’s dick. It took five races before Charles had him down on all fours and moaning incoherently as he was fucked from behind. 

Free use. 

That was how Max had sold it to Charles. The Monegasque could do whatever he wanted to him whenever he wanted. It was meant to be a taster of what life at Red Bull could be like. Charles could have him any which way as long as he signed on the dotted line. 

And Charles certainly took advantage of the offer. More than Max was actually anticipating. As he racked up the victories he also racked up the number of loads he took from Charles. By the time Las Vegas rolled around Max was conditioned to receiving Charles’ cock before he could consider the weekend fully complete. It was like some sort of pavlovian condition. He jumped in the car concentrated and determined but took the chequered flag practically salivating and vibrating at the thought of what Charles was going to do to him.

It was working too. Negotiations between Red Bull and Charles were going well, or at least that was what Max could gather from the information he had. He wasn’t in all the meetings of course, he left the legal stuff to Red Bull to sort out. Besides he felt like he was already doing enough to encourage things along. There were hints though, Charles sometimes had him cock warm him during phone negotiations and Max heard enough to feel a nice pleasant buzz under his skin. 

That was until Christian broke the news to him. Charles had withdrawn from contract negotiations altogether, had decided to stay with Ferrari after all. To say it hurt was an understatement, Max had given everything. Both physically and emotionally because there was only so much time he could have realistically spent in Charles’ presence before falling in love with him. It was so stupid, he was too busy getting kissed and touched and fucked that he’d let his guard down. But Charles always said such nice things to him, told him how pretty he looked all flush and writhing around on the bed. Told him how much he liked spending time together. Started staying the whole night and curling up in bed to sleep together. It had been perfect, everything had felt right. 

Max stumbled to Charles’ door in a daze. A whole speech prepared about how hurt he was but Charles had kissed him and run his fingers through his hair and Max had melted in an instant. It was only laying in bed afterwards when Max really understand what was going on. 

Everything had felt right for Charles too. “Perfect” was what Charles had said before explaining that the closer the two of them had gotten the more he realised he liked things how they were. Fighting on track but no inner team political battles. Having the thrill of the chase without any underlying tensions around team orders. To risk all that wasn’t worth it. Charles could stay at Ferrari and Max could stay at Redbull. Ferrari's il Predestinato v Red Bull’s newest Golden Boy. Just how it was always meant to be. 

Charles didn’t decide not to go to Red Bull to avoid Max. Charles decided not to go to Red Bull because he had fallen madly in love with Max. And he wouldn’t risk their new found relationship for all the world. Besides, Charles believed in destiny, and the more he thought about things the more he realised that his destiny was to fall in love with Max and to become a world champion with Ferrari. One down, one to go. 

[mochademic]

100 Days of Productivity [Day: 89] || 100 Jours de Productivité [Jour: 89]

expect the unexpected; sometimes, it's going to be just what you needed.

this weekend I said welcome home to this little ragamuffin; a surprise [& early anniversary gift] from my partner. he's been keeping me on my toes, but life's been a little less lonely these days. my 3 month review at this new company went over well, & also came with a crazy promotion. hard work really does pay off, & it's nice to be working somewhere where my work does not go unnoticed.

the reason why I say this promotion is crazy, is because it's completely unrelated to my degree. I had been given various projects over the last few months – predominantly to do with bookkeeping & finances – that have resulted in me being selected to be the new company accountant. this work is not unfamiliar with me since it's something I do for my own small business, but to be doing this on a corporate level is humbling. it reminds me of a conversation I once had with my department head right before graduation. they were the person who I went to with many of my tearful vents and frustrations, & during this particular conversation they told me "do what you need to, but do more of what you're good at. that's how you bring the right things to your table." I held on to that for years. right now, I wish I could tell them thank you.

academic work:

-catch up on all unit reviews -re-write notes/organize

freelance work:

-catch up on all projects -continue signing up for markets -edit digital work -prepare shop listings

office work:

-answer all emails -complete payroll for tomorrow -review funding changes from last meeting -look at problems after system update

currently listening // Attention by Wyatt

Attendez-vous à l'inattendu ; parfois, c'est exactement ce dont vous aviez besoin.

ce week-end, j'ai souhaité la bienvenue à ce petit ragoût, une surprise [et un cadeau d'anniversaire anticipé] de mon partenaire. il me tient en haleine, mais la vie est un peu moins solitaire ces jours-ci. mon évaluation de trois mois dans cette nouvelle entreprise s'est bien passée et s'est accompagnée d'une promotion folle. le travail acharné paie vraiment, et c'est agréable de travailler dans un endroit où mon travail ne passe pas inaperçu.

La raison pour laquelle je dis que cette promotion est folle, c'est qu'elle n'a aucun rapport avec mon diplôme. Au cours des derniers mois, on m'a confié divers projets - principalement liés à la comptabilité et aux finances - qui m'ont valu d'être choisie pour être la nouvelle comptable de l'entreprise. Ce travail ne m'est pas inconnu, puisque je le fais pour ma propre petite entreprise, mais le faire au niveau de l'entreprise me rend humble. Cela me rappelle une conversation que j'ai eue un jour avec mon chef de service juste avant d'obtenir mon diplôme. c'est à lui que je m'adressais pour lui faire part de mes larmes et de mes frustrations, et au cours de cette conversation, il m'a dit : « Fais ce que tu dois faire, mais fais davantage ce pour quoi tu es douée. c'est ainsi que tu apporteras les bonnes choses à ta table ». J'ai gardé cela pendant des années. En ce moment, j'aimerais pouvoir leur dire merci.

travail académique :

-rattraper tous les examens de l'unité -réécrire les notes/organiser

travail en free-lance :

-rattraper tous les projets -continuer à s'inscrire sur les marchés -éditer le travail numérique -préparer les listes de boutiques

travail de bureau :

-répondre à tous les courriels -compléter la liste des salaires pour demain -Examiner les modifications apportées au financement depuis la dernière réunion -Examiner les problèmes après la mise à jour du système

chanson // Attention par WYATT

[sayitaliano]

LA NOIA | ANGELINA MANGO

Quanti disegni ho fatto How many drawings I made Rimango qui e li guardo I stay here and look at them Nessuno prende vita None comes to life Questa pagina è pigra This paper is lazy Vado di fretta I am in a hurry E mi hanno detto che la vita è preziosa And they told me that life is precious Io la indosso a testa alta sul collo I wear it head held high on my neck La mia collana non ha perle di saggezza My necklace doesn't have pearls of wisdom (perle di saggezza=> idiomatic, could also be used ironically "words of wisdom") A me hanno dato le perline colorate They gave me colored beads Per le bimbe incasinate con i traumi For young girls messed up with traumas Da snodare piano piano con l'età To slowly untie while growing older Eppure sto una Pasqua, guarda, zero drammi And yet I'm doing great, look, no dramas (stare una Pasqua => idiomatic and usually very ironic, "to feel/do great") Quasi quasi cambio di nuovo città Maybe I (should) move to another city once again (quasi quasi => idiomatic, when you think about a chance you say "Maybe...") Che a stare ferma a me mi viene, a me mi viene If I stand still I get, I get ("a me mi" is a colloquial grammatically wrong concept that translates literally as "it comes to me"; it should be "a me viene" but for lyrical/musical lyrics is okay to find this in songs) La noia Bored(om) (for translations reasons -aka the sentence construction in English- I'm using the adjective "bored" here but "noia" is a noun so the literal translation is "boredom") La noia Bored(om) La noia Bored(om) La noia Bored(om)

Muoio senza morire, in questi giorni usati I die without dying, in these used days Vivo senza soffrire, non c'è croce più grande I live without suffering, there's no greatest trial ("croce" here has a figurative meaning as in "portare una croce", idiomatic, meaning basically "to bring pain/affliction/trials *on your shoulders*") Non ci resta che ridere in queste notti bruciate We cannot do anything but laugh in those burnt nights (like the famous movie's title "non ci resta che piangere" but from a happier/ironic pov) Una corona di spine sarà il dress-code per la mia festa A crown of thorns will be the dress-code for my party Ah, è la cumbia della noia, mmh Ah, it's the cumbia of boredom È la cumbia della noia The cumbia of boredom Total definitive Ah, è la cumbia della noia Ah, it's the cumbia of boredom È la cumbia della noia It's the cumbia of boredom Total definitive

Quanta gente nelle cose vede il male So many people see the evil in things ("quanto/a/i/e" if not used as a question usually means "a lot", "there are so many...") Viene voglia di scappare come iniziano a parlare One feels like running away as they start talking E vorrei dirgli che sto bene ma poi mi guardano male And I'd like to tell them I'm doing good but then they look at me sideways Allora dico che è difficile campare So I say that it's hard to keep on living Business, parli di business Business, you talk about business Intanto chiudo gli occhi per firmare i contratti, mmh In the meantime I close my eyes to sign contracts Princess, ti chiama "princess" Princess, (he) calls you "princess" Allora adesso smettila di lavare i piatti Then stop washing dishes now

Muoio senza morire, in questi giorni usati I die without dying, in these used days Vivo senza soffrire, non c'è croce più grande I live without suffering, there's no greatest trial Non ci resta che ridere in queste notti bruciate We cannot do anything but laugh in those burnt nights Una corona di spine sarà il dress-code per la mia festa A crown of thorns will be the dress-code for my party Ah, è la cumbia della noia, mmh Ah, it's the cumbia of boredom È la cumbia della noia The cumbia of boredom Total definitive Ah, è la cumbia della noia Ah, it's the cumbia of boredom È la cumbia della noia It's the cumbia of boredom Total definitive

Allora scrivi canzoni? So you write songs? Sì, le canzoni d'amore Yes, love songs E non ti voglio annoiare And I don't want to bore you Ma qualcuno le deve cantare But someone needs to sing them Cumbia, ballo la cumbia Cumbia, I dance the cumbia Se rischio di inciampare almeno fermo la noia If I risk to stumble at least I stop the boredom Quindi faccio una festa, faccio una festa Therefore I make/hold a party, I make/hold a party Perché è l'unico modo per fermare, per fermare, per fermare, ah Because it's the only way to stop, to stop, to stop, ah La noia Boredom La noia Boredom La noia Boredom La noia Boredom

Muoio perché morire rende i giorni più umani I die because dying makes days more human Vivo perché soffrire fa le gioie più grandi I live because suffering makes the joys look bigger Non ci resta che ridere in queste notti bruciate We cannot do anything but laugh in those burnt nights Una corona di spine sarà il dress-code per la mia festa A crown of thorns will be the dress-code for my party Ah, è la cumbia della noia, mmh Ah, it's the cumbia of boredom È la cumbia della noia The cumbia of boredom Total definitive Ah, è la cumbia della noia Ah, it's the cumbia of boredom È la cumbia della noia It's the cumbia of boredom Total definitive

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Our Generals that kicked Hitler's Generals asses.

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

October 23, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson

Oct 24, 2024

The struggle over whether the U.S. government should work for everyone or for the very wealthy and corporations was on display today. Cable and internet providers and home security companies sued to stop the newly finalized Federal Trade Commission “click-to-cancel” rule that says it must be as easy to cancel a service as it is to sign up for it. 

Also today, the Department of Transportation reached a record settlement of $50 million with American Airlines, whose damage to wheelchairs and dangerous physical assistance to disabled passengers has broken laws. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), who lost both legs in combat in the Iraq War, praised the fine and commented: “When an airline damages or breaks someone’s wheelchair, it’s like breaking their legs.”

"The era of tolerating poor treatment of airline passengers with disabilities is over," U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. "With this penalty, we are setting a new standard of accountability for airlines that violate the civil rights of passengers with disabilities. By setting penalties at levels beyond the mere cost of doing business for airlines, we're aiming to change how the industry behaves and prevent these kinds of abuses from happening in the first place.”

A reader called to my attention that the recent Federal Election Commission filings showed one significant difference in the expenditures of the two presidential campaigns. The Harris campaign spent $34,550.02 on sign language interpreting services. The Trump campaign spent $0.00. 

These details of governance are fragments of a larger picture of how we see our country. Are we all created equal and entitled to be treated equally before the law? Or are some people better than others?

CNN was supposed to host another presidential debate tonight, but while Vice President Kamala Harris accepted, Trump declined to attend. In place of a debate, CNN invited each candidate to hold a town hall. Harris accepted; Trump declined. 

In her discussion with host Anderson Cooper, Harris focused on the reiteration yesterday by Trump’s longest-serving White House chief of staff, retired U.S. Marine Corps general John Kelly, that Trump had spoken admiringly of Adolf Hitler and expressed a desire to have generals like Hitler’s. In an interview with the New York Times, Kelly said Trump “met the definition of a fascist, would govern like a dictator if allowed, and had no understanding of the Constitution or the concept of rule of law.”

The ideology of fascism is associated with Italian journalist and politician Benito Mussolini, who articulated a new political ideology in the 1920s. Mussolini had been a socialist as a young man and had grown frustrated at how hard it was to organize people. No matter what socialists tried, they seemed unable to convince their neighbors that they must rise up and take over the country’s means of production. The efficiency of World War I inspired Mussolini to give up on socialism and develop a new political theory.

Mussolini rejected the equality that defined democracy and came to believe that some men were better than others. Those few must lead, taking a nation forward by directing the actions of the rest. They must organize the people as they had during wartime, ruthlessly suppressing all opposition and directing the economy so that business and politicians worked together. Logically, that select group of leaders would elevate a single man, who would become an all-powerful dictator. To weld their followers into an efficient machine, they demonized opponents into an “other” that their followers could hate.

This hierarchical system of government was called “fascism” after the bundle of rods tied around an axe that was the ancient Roman symbol of authority and power. Italy adopted it, and Mussolini’s ideas inspired others, notably Germany’s Adolf Hitler. These leaders believed that their new system would reclaim a glorious past with the ideology of the future, welding pure men into a military and social machine that moved all as one, while pure women supported society as mothers. They set out to eliminate those who didn’t fit their model and to destroy the messy, inefficient democracy that stood in their way.

But while today we associate fascism with this European movement, its foundational principle—that some men are better than others and have the right and even the duty to rule over the majority—runs parallel to that same strand in United States history. Indeed, Nazi lawyers and judges turned to America’s Jim Crow laws for inspiration, and Hitler looked to America’s Indigenous reservations as a way to rid a country of “unwanted” people.

For retired Marine general John Kelly to have spoken out against Trump before the 2024 election was a huge deal. As Secretary Buttigieg put it: “It’s one thing for some leftist group to call you a fascist. Quite another when it’s a fellow Republican. And absolutely astonishing when it’s your own chief of staff.” But Kelly was not alone. Former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley told veteran journalist Bob Woodward that Trump is “fascist to the core.” 

In tonight’s CNN town hall, Vice President Harris told Cooper that she agreed that Trump is a fascist. She noted that when a four-star Marine general comes out two weeks before an election to warn Americans that one of the candidates is a fascist, we should see this as “a 911 call to the American people.” 

Trump is “increasingly unstable,” Harris said, “and unfit to serve…. [T]he people who know Donald Trump best, the people who worked with him in the White House, in the Situation Room, in the Oval Office, all Republicans by the way, who served in his administration, his former chief of staff, his national security advisor, former secretaries of defense, and his vice president have all called him unfit and dangerous. They have said explicitly he has contempt for the Constitution of the United States. They have said he should never again serve as President of the United States,” she said. 

When Trump talks about “the enemy within,” Harris said, “ [h]e's talking about the American people. He's talking about journalists, judges, nonpartisan election officials…. And he's going to sit there unstable, unhinged, plotting his revenge, plotting his retribution. Creating an enemies list.” In contrast, she said, she would have a “to-do list” to work on the things that matter to the American people. 

When Trump responded to Kelly’s claims, he appeared to confuse Kelly, who was retired when Trump chose him to serve as White House chief of staff, and Mark Milley, the active-duty chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Trump referred to four-star general Kelly, whose son died in Afghanistan, as “tough and dumb,” a “LOWLIFE, and a bad General,” but then went on to talk of him as active duty and to say he stopped seeking his advice in the White House. 

Forced to comment on Kelly’s comment about Trump’s embracing fascism, Republican leaders are either ducking the question or acting as if it is not a big deal. On CNN this morning, New Hampshire governor Chris Sununu said the news that Trump has praised Hitler will not affect Sununu’s support. “If we can get a Republican mindset out of Washington,” he said, “we need that culture change.” 

At a rally tonight in Macon, Georgia, Trump agreed with the audience as it chanted: “Lock him up.” “You should lock them up,” Trump said. “Lock up the Bidens. Lock up Hillary. Lock ‘em up.” 

Tonight, Shawn Reilly,  the mayor of Waukesha, Wisconsin—a key Republican stronghold—announced he’s voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. 

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[kilfeur]

Bon sang ! Ce chapitre est assez triste quand on y pense, malgré le fait qu'Amelie vit dans son illusion qu'Iruma est la princesse qu'elle doit sauver car elle est sa chevalière. De l'autre pour rendre habitables les quartiers pauvres et réduire l'inégalité, elle s'embarque dans la contrebande. Elle qui se battait pour que les gens puissent vivre en paix et en sécurité, va finir par sombrer à cause de ce contrat. Dans le chapitre précédent, elle disait que le peuple voit les quartiers pauvres sont une tâche pour ce pays. Mais avec ça, Amelie va juste leur prouver qu'ils ont raison, surtout que ça m'étonnerait que la police reste les bras croisés.

Car là au début ce sera juste de la contrefaçon mais par la suite ça amènera d'autres activités illégales, ce qui en plus détruira l'ambition d'Amelie ! Et de l'autre je peux pas vraiment blâmer Amelie, elle a le cul entre deux chaises, elle a dû compter sur elle même et son gang pour veiller sur son quartier. Le peuple lui a tourné le dos, elle n'avait personne sur qui compter et au fond elle sait très bien, que signer ce contrat n'est pas la bonne décision à prendre, mais de l'autre quels autres choix il lui reste ? Au final, c'est pas Iruma qui doit être sauvé mais Amelie ! Quand à Iruma, je suis contente de voir qu'il y a des références à son côté archer dans la partie de paintball. Et j'ai bien aimé ses dialogues avec Azz, car ça ne fait que renforcer son ambition à lui d'aider non seulement Babel mais aussi Amelie !

Damn! This chapter is pretty sad when you think about it, despite the fact that Amelie lives in her delusion that Iruma is the princess she must save because she's her knight in shining armor. On the other hand, to make the slums habitable and reduce inequality, she embarks on a business of contraband. She, who was fighting so that people could live in peace and security, will end up falling because of this contract. In the previous chapter, she said that the people see the slums as a stain on this country. But with this, Amelie's just going to prove them right, and I doubt the police are going to stand idly by.

Because at first it'll just be counterfeiting, but eventually it'll lead to other illegal activities, which will also destroy Amelie's ambition! And on the other hand, I can't really blame Amelie, she's doesn't have another choice, she's had to count on herself and her gang to look after her district. The people turned their backs on her, she had no one to rely on and deep down she knows that signing this contract isn't the right thing to do, but what other choice does she have? In the end, it's not Iruma who needs saving but Amelie! As for Iruma, I'm glad to see that there are references to his archery side in the paintball game. And I liked his dialogues with Azz, as it only strengthens his ambition to help not only Babel but Amelie too!

[v3nusxsky]

Hello, I hope your having a nice day, do you think you can write a smut ladylesso x FM(gf) reader

Let's say she'd had called in sick, a lie nonetheless and she's hiding under her gf desk. Anyways lesso comes in teaching her class after a few minutes she goes and sit down. Looks down on desk to see a little note saying "let me please you while you work love~" as she's sitting. When she feels a pair of hands grabbing her thigh looks down and sees its her gf using a lust fill look with a "acted normal" face on. So that's what lesso did while feeling her gf unbutton,, unzip, and tug a little to lick, bite, suck, and eat her out while lesso teach trying to keep it cool. After class, reader was r@iled more then they can count with magic strap, causing reader to be shaking, and unable to feel her back or legs anything. Fluffy after care tho

Have a nice dayy

Sick day special 18+

*Authors note~ I've been working out what direction I wanted to take this fic in and I think I'm finally happy with it.*

Trigger warnings~ oral (l receiving) dom l sub r marking kink magical dick (r receiving)praise degradation slight pet kink? Breeding kink

Prompt~ see ask^^^^

ღღღღღღღღღღღღღღღღღღღღღღღღღღღღღღღღSick days may as well be self care days, you'd not taken any days off since the start of the year. So why can't you take a self care/sick day? You immediately planned what you'd do on your day off, and a sinfully delicious idea. You knew that Lesso would be in lessons pretty much all day so it made your plan a little harder to execute but you were determined to achieve it.

Lesso entered her classroom rather frustrated, you were not well and yet you hadn't come to her for some comfort, or help. Yet when she was met with a neatly folded note, your cursive writing with Leonora written eloquently in the middle of it.

"You're tense mommy, let me help you relax, focus on your class I'll do everything else" signed "your dove x" now Lesso would be lying if she said the note didn't confuse her, but she trusted you implicitly as well as knowing she'd punish you for this stunt in due course.

Sitting in her chair, came straight against her desk, while you sat tucked away underneath the desk. You had to stifle a giggle at her blatant conversation before allowing her to teach. Only when she was settled into her usual routines for her class did you bring your hands to rest on her thighs, squeezing just the right amount to gain her attention. With the best puppy dog eyes you could muster you got her gaze and silently pleaded with her to act normal. Thankfully Leonora knew just how to school her features. Oh you were so being punished after this class.

Immediately she felt you tugging at her trousers and flying with her zip which caused her to raise her hips ever so slightly, not expecting you to take both pants and her lace underwear from her, sliding it down her legs. Now her pretty cunt was on full display for you, you couldn't help lick and nip at her pale thighs, ensuring you left nice markings for her to be reminder of this moment. Deciding you were too easily on her you brought your mouth to take an teasing swipe of her now soaked slit. But as always with Leonora, one taste is never enough, you needed more of her so you dove right in, eating her pussy in all the ways you knew drove her mad. Her hips secretly bucking against your face causing to smirk against her cunt before taking her aching clit between your lips and slipping two fingers into her awaiting hole.

To say Lesso struggled to keep her composure would be laughable really, the poor women was being tormented being edged over and over by your busy mouth and fingers. Thankfully she managed to make it through the whole lesson, once all students had fled her classroom she used her finger to lock the door, placing a hand in your hair she urged you away from her aching centre. She wanted to cum, of course she did but you had to learn bad pets don't get that pleasure of pleasing mommy.

As you stood from under the desk, Leonora's essence dripped from your chin, you wore the most satisfied grin Lesso had ever seen from you. Your pupils blown wide with lust you purred, "mm taste so good mommy." Any upper hand you held, was completely destroyed the moment her hand found your throat, squeezing hard enough to be dizzying as she shoved you against the wall behind her. Your lips met in a battle of dominance, all teeth and tongues until you ultimately lost, submitting to her easily as she nibbled at your bottom lip just hard enough to coax a few droplets of blood to the surface.

"Now pet, you know that stunt of yours needs correcting don't you" she purred down your ear as you struggled to regain your breath from the dizzying kiss. A harsh smack to your thigh had confirmation tumbling from your lips, "yes mommy!"

Before you knew it clothing was gone and your girlfriends hands were at your chest, twisting, tweaking and tugging at your sensitive buds while her lips made home on your neck, marking you up just as nicely as you had to her thighs. "Mommy, god please mommy" you mewled over and over while pressing your thighs to give in order to help relieve just a small amount of the ache that reminded there. "Now now pet, does eating mommy out really turn you on that much?" She chuckled knowing her taunting you would be driving you absolutely wild. " yes mommy god fuck you tasted so good" you'd whine causing your girlfriend to easily scoop you up and move you to her desk where she sat in her chair and encouraged you to sit on her lap.

That's when you felt it. Proudly standing to attention, bulbous head throbbing against your soaked cunt. "Now pretty pet of mine, you are gonna warm my cock up for me, I have to finish that work you prevented me from doing earlier. While your at it think about if you weren't such a needy whore for mommy, you'd be being fucked senseless right now" she teased before helping you sink onto her dick.

True to her word, Lesso made you cockwarm her as she slowly worked through the paperwork. Every time she shifted ever so slightly she'd hit deeper into your desperate slutty cunt causing you to whimper and whine down her ear. Her hand came to rub your back soothingly, you'd never had to do it this long before and she may be evil but she's not cruel. Offering you a small bit of comfort would just make destroying your pretty mind so much more fun later.

For what felt like an eternity, your girlfriend finished her work before moving you off her lap, the cock plopping out of you with an obscene plop. "Oh look pet, you've drenched my dick so why don't you get on those knees and put those pretty lips to good dove" she commanded and you complied willingly as quickly as your shaky body would allow. "Good little cock shut aren't you? Clean it sweetheart" she murmured a hand in your hair as she guided your lips onto her cock.

"Love your tight little mouth pet, god taking it so good, letting mommy fuck your face, truly a whore for me. Oh god" she moaned as you gaged and spluttered around her. The vibrations only aiding the woman's pleasure until she was sure if she didn't pull out she'd cum. And that was not where she wanted her first load to go. Like the true cock slut  you are you whined when she pulled out. "Oh I know pet you love when mommy puts her load in your mouth, but mommy wants to breed your whorish cunt.

With that as you were distracted she stood you up and bent you over the desk, the cool wood seeming to aid the burning desire. "Oh fuck me mommy!" You whined when her hands ran up and down your back. "Are you sorry pet? Gonna be my good girl?" She quizzed loving how you instantly started a string of apologies and promises to never try that again. "There's a good girl for me" she murmured as she lined her dick up and sunk into your dripping hole.

"Oh fuck mommy Jesus" you whined walls stretching to accommodate her size. "Oh fuck sweets you feel so fucking good. So tight fuck" she moaned stilling balls deep inside your pussy. "Please please please" you whined when the slight sting transformed into pleasure, all you could think feel and smell was her. Leonora wasn't planning on showing you any mercy, with the way your pussy felt wrapped around her she was so unsure she'd last any longer than a few seconds buried deep to the halt inside you. "Such a good whore. Oh fuck can't wait to fill you up. Beautiful breeding bitch for mommy to use. Take it baby. Take my cock nice and deep inside you, wanna make sure you get pregnant" she mumbled as she began bottoming you out with every single thrust.

All the sounds of your wetness as skin slapped against skin filled the room, accompanied by the pornographic moans of you and your lover. "Leo!" You whined only to be met with a harsh smack to the globe of your ass, "not my name whore" growled at you. "Mommy mommy mommy fuck gonna cum please" you begged loving how her pace sped up. "Gonna fill you up so much dove, take everything mommy gives you, wanna see you all round with my babies. Oh fuck I love your slutty cunt squeezing my cock like that. Go on baby make mommy cum. Want you to cum baby" she moaned over and over as you came with a scream, Lesso following seconds after, your fluttering walls milking her dry as she dumped her load into you. "Such a pretty cum dump for mommy" she moaned into your ear causing you to shiver as you both worked yourself down from your highs slick with sweat. "Oh god mommy fuck me no more please" you panted in between laughs. You couldn't help the wince when she pulled out.

"You did so so good baby, such a good dove for me. Shall we go bathe ?" She murmured knowing you often liked baths after such an intense play time. "Mmm need help" you murmured pointing to your shaking legs, Lesso's legs weren't any better so she sat down, held you in her lap, "rest here dove, I'll be right here, such a good girl" she reassured watching as you gave into sleep. What a sick day that was you knew that you'd have to take more in the future.

Word count~ 1864

[rmorde]

Reading Woo Jin-chul's dossier from the Arise game and wished we got more from him in the main story.

He saw Sung Il-Hwan's ill fated mission at the amusement park. He watched as Jin-woo's grief got broadcasted on TV.

Omfg. The Sungs were Jin-chul's reason to help Hunters instead of becoming a police officer.

-> Jin-chul minding his own business in college and working hard to be part of the police force.

-> Saw Jin-woo sad on TV and went "Oh crap. Who's going to help and protect Hunters?"

-> Heard about Go Gun-hee setting up the Korean Hunters Association and promptly dropped from the police academy (I assume) to pursue business

-> Was Awakened and went fuck it with his business studies to go fight in the field instead

-> Eventually applied to KHA optimistically

LMAO. No wonder Jin-chul's really good at his job as Gun-hee's right hand man. His educational background and police training made him perfect for it.

It's also really sweet how before he Awakened, he was already aiming to help KHA. However, while I like the retcon of connecting him somewhat to the Sungs, it kind of made a bit of a plot hole for me.

I mean, wouldn't it make sense for Jin-chul to try to keep tabs/following up on Il-Hwan's family especially Jin-woo since they are technically his inspiration for switching careers? Or at least maybe recognizing Jin-woo immediately in their first meeting?

Anyway, it's hilarious how he reacted at being Awakened. Jin-chul annoyed at his wasted years of pursuing a business degree just to fall back on his police training as a fighter. He must be so stressed when after signing up to the KHA, he looped back to using his business education to battle paperwork and wrangle agents and high ranking Hunters as well.

The ending for his Story Chapter 2 sounded ominous tho:

"But dreams never really come true. He would learn that the hard way."

[sgiandubh]

No Liberace's smile

Warning: this will take forever to read. It didn't take forever to write or research, though. But since I will be gone tomorrow and back well, next Saturday, let it be done with a bang.

S the Actor. S the Entrepreneur. S the NYT (3x!) best-seller Writer. Coach S. S the Lover. S the Womanizer. S the Husband. S the Father.

Is something missing, in this deck of Happy Families?

S the (closeted) Gay, of course.

It doesn't really matter the man himself took the time to deny it loud and clear. Twice. This avatar, fueled by idiocy, hatred and ignorance, makes regularly the rounds, each and every time we dare to celebrate something, anything really. It serves three tribes and serves them well: the Congregation of Domestic Bliss (aka Taiters). The Data Lounge crowd. And the Disgruntled Harpies, who once were some of the most fervent Ginger Jesus worshippers, but whose hopes, dreams and trust wrecked on the shores of Quarantein Ha-wa-wee.

It is the proper of calumny to leave a pungent, persistent trail wherever it fumbles around. Calomniez, calomniez, il en restera toujours quelque chose, Beaumarchais once wrote. Calumny, calumny, something's gonna stick - in a very lazy, but dependable translation. This one is particularly vicious, because it sounds coherent: he trades in make-believe, lots of actors are, precedents exist. And my favorite: it explains everything (fun fact: it doesn't even start to cover the shitshow).

Four exhibits should put us out of this dumpster. Chronologically and comparatively:

Exhibit A: Rough Beginnings (2009)

This one is the most touted on Tumblr, by that horrible woman Queen Puff thought was the same person as Paul C. (and was probably wrong). In a nutshell, she was in London then, she often went to the theatre, she was in the know, fuck knows what else, but she has SOURCES, too: there is nothing straight about his bat.

I suppose this person must have watched Nicholas de Jongh's Plague Over England, a play essentially narrating a scandalous episode of John Gielgud's biography, with a heavy-handed focus on homophobia in Britain during the 50's.

He got naked on stage! He kissed a man! Oh, oh, oh... the rumor! the scandal! (insert domestic fire shrieks) My eyes! Quick, let's fetch the smelling salts! And chlorine! I need a good rinse!

You would imagine Sodom & Gomorrah Ltd on that stage, eh?

Tumblrettes United of the disgruntled sort, did your talkative friend ever show you this devastating Guardian chronicle, signed by their in-house critic, John M. Morrison on February 27th 2009 (https://www.theguardian.com/stage/theatreblog/2009/feb/26/de-jongh-plague-over-england) ?

Should I sign it or use a pistol flare? It wasn't exactly scandalous, the only thing is the text was really, really piss poor. S is only gracing the above picture, hovering over the article: no mention of him whatsoever. Unlike Somerset 2019, a most Unremarkable Performance.

And S himself was very interested to explore precisely this kind of progressive-ish acting, as he clearly writes in Waypoints. This sounds legit - this is business, baby:

Exhibit B: Know your Classics, bi@ tches (2010)

*channeling Tears for Fears* Data Lounge, I am talking to you/[something, something]/These are the things I could do without...

Aside the already very, very tired stock stories purporting that "my dog's aunt knew Heughan and yeah, he was so, so, so gay I could cry", all you have (I checked!) is 1 (one) absolutely dubious BTS pic taken on the set of that terrible dud, Young Alexander, shot in Egypt, circa 2010. Prominently featuring S's waxed calves (see? gay AF!), an unbecoming, supremely effeminate white tunic and *gasp* a bong (no comments were made on that one, a pity). Yeah, you got it: I am writing and I am laughing at the same time. Freak.

How the hell do you want him to look but, pardon my French, queer as a three-dollar bill? You clearly have no idea about sexual ambiguity as social norm in Ancient Greece and also no clue about that fascinating Alexander himself, his life and his yeah, blatant, documented bisexuality.

Take one of the most interesting sources (yeah, only serious ones, with FACTS) of the Late Antiquity, a guy named Athenaeus of Naucratis. He left us The Banquet of the Learned, a fifteen-volume encyclopedic compilation on the pleasures of eating and drinking and doing it in style, along with some juicy gossip. For example, this (open in separate tab, it's worth it):

What do we read? Alexander's mom, dad and tutor (Aristotle, my favorite Greek philosopher, along with Diogenes) are worried he finally might not really be into women, after all. The future of the Macedonian Kingdom itself is at stake (that watery semen made me choke on my Coke) and this is a very serious affair of the state. The most cost-effective and discreet solution is to handsomely pay that Callixeina courtesan from (famous for pin-ups) Thessaly and be done with it.

Apparently, it worked, not without some resistance. If you ever have the curiosity to go on that (in)famous Wikipedia, you will find a whole page dedicated to Alexander the Great's personal life. It reads exactly like the ABC, do-re-mi summer soccer mercato, feat. the Fitness Harem. One of the major joys of Classical studies is to realize we really didn't invent anything new.

But I digress again, so onwards to ...

Exhibit C: Jobbing Actor on the Road, nothing straight about his Bat (2011-2013)

Once the Batman show is on world tour, things are looking a bit better and it is time to try and lockpick America. Still, the struggle is real:

Also, this:

This is something no one noticed. And this is very clear: how on Earth do you expect to commit to a relationship, any relationship, when your basic needs, according to Maslow's Pyramid (a roof, a job, a steady paycheck, etc), are not satisfied? What would you offer your woman? Your precarity? Your insecurity? Your fear and shame of the bailiffs? A pint of cheap Polish beer? A futon in Golders Green?

But let's conveniently not answer these questions. Let's pretend that poverty has no impact on one's sexual life or dating history. Let's just endlessly cackle and blather on a drunk tweet stating candidly - and perfectly truly - "there's nothing straight about my Bat". I hate to quote myself - for any good speaker, this is a defeat- but, LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE OF MORDOR:

Exhibit D: A French example - the case of Michel Serrault

The 1979 comedy La Cage aux Folles, later adapted for the US public under the name of Birds of a Feather (that Robin Williams/Nathan Lane forgettable gay movie) is absolutely representative for the live and let live French approach to homosexuality, ever since it was decriminalized by the revolutionary Penal Code of 1791. This is why I chose Michel Serrault, one of its two leads, to illustrate my Gay Anon post. Not to mention Serrault was a genius who could play absolutely anyone, from a retired hitman in Matthieu Kassowitz' Assassin(s) to Zaza Napoli.

This balding, ageing, cantankerous drag queen (sound is horrific, but you've got English subtitles - granted, you lose about 30% of the hysterical hilarity in translation, but it is what it is), as seen here in a domestic scene opposite her partner, played by notorious womanizer Ugo Tognazzi:

By the limp standards of Mordor, Serrault must have been a French LGBTQ+ institution, given his stellar, flawless acting, isn't it?

Incorrect, dolls. In his real, personal life Serrault was a devout Catholic, an exemplary father of two and a one-woman man. His wife, Nita Serrault, whom he met in drama school and never looked back.

It almost sounds like... but no, this cannot be..

The hard, gruesome life of shippers.

[imjustanauthor]

@il-mostrc

The strange nature of cases designated an X-File meant that the circumstances surrounding the investigation often ended up being just as unusual as the content within. Sometimes people contacted Mulder directly, having heard word of his work, sometimes he found them through the media or internet forums, and, surprisingly rarely, they came through official FBI routes.

This was one of the few cases that had been on record before Mulder had picked it up, though that wasn't to say it had come to him in the form of an X-File itself. Instead, what had happened was he had connected some dots, put his own case together, and petitioned for it to be taken seriously. Usually, this didn't work out in Mulder's favour, what with the outlandish claims he had a habit of making, but maybe somebody had accidentally filed a response incorrectly because somehow he'd found himself with a response officially sanctioning his investigation.

It wasn't just one weird situation that Mulder was looking into this time. There had been a whole string of strange, elaborate murders in one single county, and he was convinced that there was something unnatural to it. Oh yes, killers had already been identified in the vast majority of the cases - he wasn't going to deny that - but there had to be something more to it. After all, you just didn't see crimes like that at such a high frequency!

Mulder's whole proposition had been based on not the profiles of the individuals involved, but rather the population as a whole. Being an extremely talented criminal profiler (when he wasn't too busy chasing ghosts and ghouls), this was something that he had been able to argue with ample research backing him up. However, this was the X-Files, and therefore there had to be a twist. In this case, it was demonic in nature.

The theory was simple. A demonic presence was in the area, encouraging some kind of murderous psychosis in select residents. If Agent Scully weren't on holiday, she would have surely laughed at the idea, but she was too busy sunning herself on a European beach to care. That did, however, leave Mulder without the medical professional assistance that he had come to rely on.

Through a series of connections and called in favours, a replacement for Scully had been found. Apparently there was a doctor who had been helping the FBI with some similarly elaborate murders (perhaps there had been a demon there too?) and, somehow, someone had got him to agree to help out. That was how Mulder had found himself in a morgue, waiting for one Doctor Hannibal Lecter to appear.

The man was, thankfully, perfectly punctual, appearing exactly as the hour ticked over as had been arranged. Mulder cast an eye over him, taking note of his appearance as he sauntered over to shake his hand in greeting.

"Doctor Lecter, I assume. My name's Special Agent Mulder. I hear you've agreed to perform an autopsy for me," he said. "We're looking for any signs of anything ritualistic or otherwise unusual. Have you been briefed already?"

At this point, Mulder was assuming he hadn't been. When it came to the X-Files, people often seemed reluctant to actually mention the details of what was going on.