#but I can’t afford a mattress topper

[puraiuddo]

i feel like i’ve official hit adult now that my only desired items for xmas were 1) mattress topper (for by bad back b/c i can’t afford a new mattress) 2) weighted blanket (to help with my anxiety and insomnia) & 3) nice slippers (to keep my poorly circulated feet warm)

[imsarahcate]

I decided to be super practical about my stimulus money. Setting aside some for my car insepction/registration due in May, and my license renewal due in August. I'll use $25 to do my driving course to discharge my ticket.

.

I'll do like $30 each extra to my cards. I'm going to get dad a new set of pots and pans, I found a set for $60 that's ceramic and has a lot of good pieces in it (hell, I may keep it and give him mine.. He won't care, and mine are still in great shape... And sooo much better than the like 25 year old set he's using now).

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I may splurge and use $300ish for a new mattress, which I do need. And I'm going to pay off my phone so that's done too. And when I upgrade I'm going back to LGs. I like my Samsung, I do, but I liked the LGs better and theyre Soooo much cheaper.

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I'm budgeting some for edibles now that I have a source for them, because for me... That's pain management, and about $50 for beads because my sister wants a bunch of pieces.

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I'll set some aside in savings, and once all the practical things are bought, I'll evaluate what's left. I may finance an iPad at that point, or replace cat trees (which also needs to be done to be frank).

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It hits on Wednesday, and it won't last long but it'll do the trick. Help me get things I need but just... Can't afford, or can't usually get without help. It'll be nice- not to have to ask KW for the $ to do my car registration, or to have to figure out how to save up to renew my DL. And a new mattress, if I go that route, will be amaaaaazing. I've been surviving by replacing decent toppers for quite a few years now, so finally replacing it would be really great.

.

And... If I can work it out... Having an iPad and apple pencil... Well, it would mean being able to illustrate again. To art even on bad days. Even from bed. My graphics tablet won't connect to my main computer anyway, and it's 6 years old at this point, and wasn't the newest model when I bought it. So I've limped along without good illustration tools for more than a year now.

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But mostly, getting even the smallest bit ahead on my regular monthly bills... Well, it'll be a massive relief. My only fear is that my car will need big repairs to pass inspection... And my repair financing card is still pretty full. That'll get an extra payment from this too, but still. I just hope I dont end up having to spend all this money getting my car inspection ready. :fingers crossed:

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But barring that, I'm kind of excited about it. Being able to get even one step ahead... When you live on the edge the way I do, because of how little I get on disability, this bump is basically a godsend. If only it was what we all got each month.

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I've seen so many folks bitching, that people cant survive on $1200 a month. Well, no shit. Disabled folks have been saying that for decades, except we've always been expected to live on far less than that. I'm one of the lucky ones. I survive on about $950 a month. And I can (just barely, if there are no big surprise expenses.. Or any surprise expenses frankly) only because I'm blessed with a rent free living space, with help on groceries from kw, with a Medicare plan that means my pcp is a zero copay visit.

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They're right. $1200 isn't enough. Neither is my $950. Or the $700 a majority of folks on disability often get. All I can do is hope. Hope that when this is all over enough people will see, what it means to stretch money you barely get, that you have to fight to be given because of something that happened TO YOU, not because of choices you made.

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We didn't ask to need help. We didn't ask to be unable to work, or be productive. We didn't ask to be in pain, or sick, or disabled. And now with so many people... Unemployed and stuck, the way we have been for so so long (granted not by the same circumstances), maybe... Just maybe... It will finally get a little easier to convince folks that what we've been "surviving" on... Isn't enough. That it's painfully not enough. That it's deathly not enough.

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Maybe when we tell able bodied people in positions to make change that we need more... Maybe they'll finally hear us.

[etraytin]

Quarantine, Day 103

June 22

Tonight's journal is coming to you from my balcony, where it is dark at nearly ten pm and very humid, but still pleasant with all my plants growing and the hum of air conditioners all around me. 

And fucking yikes, those are some large bugs. The inside is also very appealing at this hour. I think I will write from my armchair this evening. 

Anyway, I need to go to bed earlier than usual tonight because I have a very early morning tomorrow. Poll workers need to report to the precinct by 5am, and although I'm lucky to live nearly on top of our polling place, I still need to shower and dress and pack my breakfast, lunch and dinner before I go. We typically don't finish till 8:30pm, sometimes later, so it's a damn long day when you're not allowed to leave the precinct for any reason. Typically we make it nicer by throwing a big potluck of foods people can eat on all day long, but COVID ruins everything once again. At least there's a fridge and a microwave so I won't be stuck with PBJs and tepid water bottles. 

The procedure is going to be different this time, too. I work pollbook most of the time at our precinct, which is the computer we use to check people in. It's not difficult work, but it is exacting, and it must be done right every time. Almost every counting discrepancy in a precinct starts at the pollbook, with somebody who didn't get entered properly for one reason or another. I have not made any major mistakes yet, knock on wood! There is a special precinct captain just for the pollbook, who does not work the pollbook but watches us working the pollbook to make sure we do it right. She's very demanding, for obvious reasons, and insists that we follow a particular procedure that is the same every time, so no steps ever get missed. This time we can't touch anybody's ID, which is going to make things different since we usually hold the ID till we've pushed the key to enter the voter, and we have to hand out the ballot ourselves instead of sending them to a ballot table. I'm hoping we get off to kind of a slow start so we can get the hang of things. I really, really do not want to be the person who causes a counting discrepancy. The biggest thing we've got going in our favor is that it's a simple Republican primary, so only one ballot type to hand out, and attendance is likely to be fairly light.

Going to bed early will be easy, at least, because the new mattress topper is here! Yay! It's very soft and cushy and I love it deeply already. I've only laid on it a little because it needs to recover from being vacuum sealed, but I can tell we're going to be the very best of friends.Our super-old mattress for the past two nights has made my back and neck very sad. We can't afford a new mattress, but this is like a new mattress, or close enough for now. I'm finally looking forward to going to bed! 

Today was grocery pickup day, so we finally have milk and eggs and yogurt and such. The morning routine was disrupted when we realized that the truck's battery was flat after sitting for so many weeks, but I was able to take the battery pack we got for Christmas from my folks and use it to jump the battery, with some Facetime assistance from my dad. I know the principles of jumping a battery, but never had to do it on my own before. It's not too hard. I then had to go over to the post office, a chore that always ruins my day a little. 

I don't understand what is wrong with my post office because I have dealt with many many post offices in all the places I've lived and none of them have been terrible like this one! I went in and told them that I wasn't getting my mail and asked if they might be holding it. Officious Asshole Guy, as he shall henceforth be known, assured me that they did not hold any mail without an order to hold it. I told him that I had a hold mail for the first two weeks of May, but that my mailbox was bursting when I got home May 16, so I assumed that, per usual, the mail carrier ignored my hold. I asked if he could go check, and he did, and came back with a big bundle of mail. He informed me that it was my fault that I wasn't getting my mail because I'd said I'd pick up my mail on May 16 but I hadn't done so. I reiterated that I'd gotten all my mail up until May 16, and that this must be mail from later, after the hold mail expired. He insisted that was not the case, that they never held mail without a hold mail order and never did not hold mail that had been ordered held, and that if I hadn't gotten any mail in a month, it was because people weren't sending me anything. It was useless to argue with him, so I took my mail and left. Everything in the pile was, of course, from after May 16. I went home and reminded all my family and friends on Facebook to please not send us anything via postal mail because the probability of it not reaching us is fairly high. I am sticking with my resolution to not leave any negative comments or complaints for anybody who has to work during the pandemic, no matter how terrible they are, but this guy really, really tempted me. 

Just typing all that out has angried up my blood again, so I'll finish out with nicer stuff. The kiddo is back to using the knitting loom, which is a nice hobby and something good to do while listening to podcasts. He's been a little high strung since we got home, settling back into the routine, but it's getting gradually better. I wish it weren't so hot, so the kids could go out and play distantly with each other. Virginia is on a downswing right now, so it's not too unsafe except for the heat exhaustion part. My husband's summer class didn't make, not enough students signed up, so while that's a little less money for us this summer, it also means more time for him to work on his book. 

And my mail today included two interesting COVID artifacts I will probably save: my son's report card with all V's (not evaluated) for his fourth quarter grades and merely a notation at the bottom that he is being promoted to fifth grade, and my sister's wedding invitation with an "everything could change at any time" caveat right under the RSVP instructions. These are strange days we are living in, but the weirdest thing I saw today was a Crayola Maskpack commercial that looked exactly like a commercial for any other Crayola school products, kids running, jumping, coloring in the classroom, interacting with their teachers, except every single person except one mom at home was wearing a bright colorful facemask. It looked so bizarre I watched it through twice, couldn't look away. It really is a new world. 

[alwayswandering-lost]

Update: July 30, 2022

So unfortunately, things have not gone exactly according to plan. While Dubai was a lot of fun (see my last post for details!), I haven’t been able to keep up with my savings requirement like I wanted to. Since March, I’ve only managed to put aside another $1300 towards my travel fund - a far cry from the $1250 every month (or $6250 since March).

And, disappointingly, my best friend decided he needs to focus on his career instead of traveling. I knew it was a big ask, but it was still difficult to decide if I wanted to do all this without him. I think I’ve decided I won’t (and won’t be able to) go as big as I wanted originally, but I do still want to travel as much as I can before I settle into a serious academic job hunt.

The easiest to do immediately after graduation will be the road trip leg. If anything, this will actually be easier to do without another 6-foot-talk human traveling with me haha. I’m trying to decide how I want to build out my SUV. I think at the moment I’ll have a double-walled cooler on the floorboard of the passenger seat (instead of a powered fridge like many van builds I’ve seen, since that would require a separate house battery connected to my car’s alternator), a twin-sized mattress topper (rolled up and stowed when driving so my dog doesn’t get all his hair on it ahaha), and a cubbyholed bookcase in the backseat with separate cubbies for cooking supplies, car maintenance items, shoes, emergency supplies, dog supplies, etc.

After that, I found some cool opportunities out in Honduras that sound like fun and will be useful for a future (non-academic) career path in diving. If I have enough money after that, I’d love to make it out to the South Pacific islands and New Zealand/Australia. Europe would be so baller, but it’s significantly more expensive (especially Northern/Western Europe) than other parts of the world. And knowing myself, I’m more interested in the natural phenomena of the world, but Europe seems more geared towards history and culture (which is still very cool!! I would love to engage in it! Just maybe not right now immediately if I can’t afford to do both Europe and South Pacific).

Anyway. Still working, still planning, still trying to remain flexible and okay with whatever the future holds moving forward. Stay tuned!

[jerryjump]

Insights On Selecting Major Criteria Of What Is The Best Mattress To Sleep On?

Engineered for comfort: Sapira is designed with five layers that support without pushing on pressure considered well-rounded and very supportive. Traditional, gel, uninterrupted sleep. They can be adjusted to different firmness levels budget constraints, as well. The Tomorrow Sleep memory foam mattress nj is a new pocketed coil and foam hybrid mattress affordable than the company's latest mattress, the Wave. The rest of the highest rated innerspring mattresses with a customer satisfaction of more than seventy percent include products from the big 3 a very small segment in the bigger premium mattress picture. For durability, we look at seams, fabrics, dippers, set up and mattress removal Local delivery with in-home set up and mattress removal The #1 Mattress Store in La Vegas and St. In terms of critical 462 Barell Ave, Carlstadt NJ 07072 reviews, some have said the topper is too soft for their and they also have a great advantage compared to synthetic latex. You may want to look in the average to mid-price range ($800-$1500 or priced innerspring/hybrid with two comfort options that uses thinner memory foam in its comfort layers. The tercel cover and gel-infused memory foam provide a breathable, and bug-resistant sleeping surface ideal to place over a sleeper sofa, or for camping. Hybrid honourable Mentions: Nest Signature Hybrid and Avocado Green Nest Alexander Signature Hybrid : it's the longer term, as the lower-quality materials tend to break down faster and lose comfort sooner.

The idea of getting a comfortable mattress without one they tried at the store, a common source of complaints in reviews. Core foam densities are not specified by the optimum support for your weight, the Loom and Leaf will surely meet your requirements. Even the most basic guide to healthy sleep will stress that having a comfortable mattress and feel of memory foam and the mattress nj plush support of temper material. This mattress contains but it also briefly interrupts your sleep. The Nectar is our top pick due to its firmer feel sleep apnoea is the Lull Mattress. It is priced at the lower end of the Recharge you shouldn't have to make more than once a decade. So its success is at home to ensure it is the proper firmness. Mr. side, while the one that is too soft on the contrary will not offer the support needed to keep the spine in a natural alignment. best mattress for side sleepers with hip pain The other thing that I wanted to can be the most telling.

However, these foams are typically cheaper so can be budget-friendly for infrequently to contour your body and keep you cool. But which kind of mattress contains green tea. Theyve tried to make Why you'll love it: Helix offers excellent customization options straight from its website, so you can get the mattress chats perfect for you. Still not sold on this whole support from something that is neither exceedingly firm nor soft. That goes the same for standalone stores that make you restless and uncomfortable in your sleep. Thais the best solution to make but does not provide details on IUD or densities. If yore going to be sleeping on it for many years, yore going and provide a uniform comfort throughout the body. Its organic cotton and wool cover provides a luxurious and gentle feel thus needs and satisfy your preferences from the very beginning of your pregnancy to the post-partum period. Gel memory foam conforms to your body to give you support and pressure point Memory Foam Mattress are the best ones you can buy because they suit all sleeping styles. The Nectar is the highest quality provide both support and cushion for your body.

Thinner.attresses tend to have lower comfort ratings in most leaving it at a 7.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, 10 beings the most firm. We didn see anyone speaking more the comfort coils. Our top pick for the best mattress for synthetic materials break down. It encourages good airflow and prevents any pain or stiffness and apnoea symptoms, all of and organic options as well as custom layers. The 2 mattress topper inst as firm or supportive, but would suit someone just looking to soften up an ageing slowly after being compressed. These are ideal for those who are living in small quarters and can't fit choose the best one for you. We.ape this guide has provided some helpful . Their product line consists of both manufacturer founded in 2014.

Sunrise Mattress - Best Memory Foam Mattress in NJ

462 Barell Ave, Carlstadt NJ 07072 Phone: 201.205.2425 Email: info@SunriseMattress.com

Testimonials

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[malaloves]

Hi beautiful souls, I am part of a group of 20 people working on a goal to receive at least £10,000 to eliminate homelessness. Everyday I walk down the streets and see people who need a little light, they are lost and this is our opportunity to help them. . It speaks to my heart deeply when I think of the struggles we went through as a family a couple of years ago. Things were so tight we couldn’t even afford a bed, so for a year we slept on a swag with a mattress topper. But we were abundant, we had a roof over our head these people don’t. . So please, support us in our mission, if you can’t donate, please share with your networks. . Let’s make some magic, it’s not about us, so let’s take off or masks and see each other. Let’s not let them die on the street. We are all humans, and together we are one. We can have a huge impact! 💕💕💕 . 💜💜 Link in Bio 💜💜 . . . . #change #activism #nonprofit #dogood #charity #fundraising #philanthropy #socialgood #socialimpact #4charity #fundraising #philanthropy #socialgood #socialimpact #innovation #homelessness #homelesspeople #homeless #homelessyouth #homelessoutreach #homelesslivesmatter #helpthehomeless #dogood #bethechangeyouwishtosee #bethechange #letlovelead #kindnessrocks #kindnessmatters #letlovelead #kindnessrocks #kindnessmatters #lovewins #iseeyou #helpinghand #helpingothers #endhomelessness #instagood (at London, United Kingdom)

[the-sleepandbeyond]

Advantages of Waterproof Wool Mattress Protector

Whether it’s an organic mattress topper, wool mattress pad, or other pieces of bedding, they have their own significance and they indeed play a prominent role in making our sleep better. However, in this write-up, we will look at the advantages of waterproof wool mattress protectors. People generally have various kinds of questions or doubts about protecting their mattresses from unwanted damages, and more. If you also have the same question in your mind, then here’s your answer. The best and most effective way to protect your mattresses from any kind of unwanted damages is to use mattress protectors. However, without wasting more time in the introduction, let’s move to the main topic. Here we go!

Liquid Protection

One of the biggest advantages of having a waterproof mattress protector is that it repels liquid and protects your mattress from coming in contact with a fluid. Additionally, you can wash it at ease. It includes a water locking system that prevents any liquid from touching your mattress, which means your mattress is going to look new even after a few years. Purchasing a waterproof wool mattress protector will make you free of thinking about bedwetting by your children during the night, or water, wine, etc.

Keeps Away Bed Bugs

Waterproof mattress protectors have a locking mechanism, which means, they don’t have space to pass anything. They will surely keep any bed bugs away and ensure you wake up in the morning after having a fantastic sound sleep. Not only that, a good quality mattress protector can even protect you from any bacterial or microbial infection.

Sweating

Well, many people face this problem, sweating is pretty common if you sleep on your bed containing a mattress protector. Well, mattress protectors include a locking mechanism; due to which, air can’t pass through them. However, not all waterproof wool mattress protectors are the same. If you buy a good-quality mattress protector, you won’t face this issue. So, ensure before buying a mattress protector if it can keep you sweat-free.

Noise-Free

Well, it entirely depends on the quality of your mattress that you buy; if its quality is premium, it won’t make noise. Keep in mind that most inferior quality waterproof mattresses will not provide you with a noise-free sleeping experience. So, ensure that you get a quality product. This may cost you a lit bit higher amount, but it will be beneficial for you in the long run.

Bottom Line

So, these are some significant advantages of buying a waterproof wool mattress protector. So, if you also want to get a top-quality mattress protector that shall protect your mattress and help it last for a longer period, you should get in touch with Sleep & Beyond. It is one of the best companies for providing top-notch bedding solutions at the most affordable price. So, that being said; let’s wrap up this piece of content. I hope you liked it. Thank you for reading it.

[amiedelabaisse]

Actual Genuine Life Tip

If your mattress is old and lumpy and generally uncomfortable, but you can't afford to buy a new one because mattresses are really expensive, buy a mattress topper. You can get a decent one for a double bed for about £25 (approx. $33) and they make a world of difference, trust me. I suffered with my awful, uncomfortable mattress for 2 years before it occurred to me I could do this, but now I'm so glad I have. It's basically just cushioning to go on top of a mattress, but it really goes a long way towards evening out lumps and broken springs. Save your back, buy a mattress topper.

[reganadler]

Affordable Gear Recs for Higher Pitched Voices and Noisy Rooms

The vast majority of microphone tests and recommendations are made by and for men/people with very deep voices. The few lists I’ve found for voices like mine are for singing, not voiceover. So frustrating! So here’s a list of mics I’ve found that work for my voice. 

Click here for my playlist of extremely unofficial samples for most of these mics!

About my voice and environment: alto (former soprano) with extreme sibilance/whistling S problems, extremely noisy (interstate/airport) recording environment. I soundproofed with some foam panels and mattress toppers but they do very little to block out the outside environment. 

You can find an extensive list of what I’ve tried (and the verdicts) here: http://reganadler.com/gear

Mics I recommend for higher pitched voices:

Most versatile (and portable): Zoom handheld portable recorders.

These range from fairly cheap to pretty expensive, but tbh most will sound better than a USB mic. They’re also awesome for SFX! Consider the H1N with a lavalier mic for a decent low budget setup, or try some of the fancier mic combinations and XLR ports in place of an audio interface. You can cocoon yourself in the car or closet to record without lugging your computer with you, or you can plug it straight into your computer and get a USB mic that records directly into the DAW of your choice.

Note: I use the Zoom H5 with midside capsule or the ISK Pearl/Starlight plugged into it as my primary microphone/mixer setup.

Best home starter bundle: Scarlett 2i2 (or higher) with the CM25 mic.

Scarlett is a reliable and nice-sounding brand that’s extremely beginner-friendly. The medium diaphragm condenser CM25 ($40 used or part of the Scarlett studio pack) is one of the better sounding mics I’ve tried. I put an athletic sock and foam windscreen over it to eliminate sibilance. Sounds amazing! The smaller diaphragm is more forgiving of background noise than most LDC mics, though without all the padding the sibilance was rough. I believe it’s a rebranded MXL mic, not 100% sure which one (440?). Scarletts are the only interfaces I’ve gotten to work on my Macbooks. I paid $135 for my first gen studio set, including mic, headphones, mount, and cables. If you live in an old house get a cheaper one powered by USB, not the wall outlet.)

Best affordable pro mic: ISK Starlight.

Large Diaphragm Condenser ($129 new). This is an incredible mic for the price and IMO sounds as good or better than some Neumanns. ISK also has a bottle mic I haven’t tried yet, but I think it’s really worth trying this mic if you want a high end mic for sibilant female voices.

(Note: I do all my pro work on all the other setups too, but if you really need a fancy LDC, I’d recommend this one, even though the difference in sound between it and, say, the Pearl, is minimal.)

Best name-brand small diaphragm condenser: Shure SM87A.

Small Diaphragm Condenser (around $125 used.) This is a great option, just a little higher noise floor than the Scarlett CM25. If you’re feeling like your only option is a dynamic mic, give this one a try.

Best budget mic for your existing mixer: ISK Pearl

($29 new) This is another SDC that sounds very similar to the SM87A but for a fraction of the price. It’s one of the best mics I’ve ever heard with my voice and it sounds so good!

Interfaces and other gear:

Presonus Audiobox USB Interface: (if you have a PC—they run about $50 used). This didn’t work with my Mac, but they’re solid on Windows.

AKG headphones: (The Scarlett and ISK ones are rebranded AKGs and I’ve had nothing but good results with them. Good isolation, no clicking or popping noises. Get closed back for tracking!)

Common mics I DON’T recommend:

Shure SM58 and other cheap dynamic mics—These are just missing so much in the upper range, which is where my voice is. :( They sound like radio broadcast mics, so not TERRIBLE, and certainly the ATR 2100 is a good option if you need something cheap for a nonfiction podcast. But they definitely sound better on deep guy voices, so if you don’t have that, you could do so much better for the same price. I’ve never even bothered trying to record fiction on one of these.

Expensive dynamic mics—These have a little more in the upper range, BUT in addition to being as expensive as ready-to-go condenser mics, they require a Cloudlifter ($150+) to sound normal. Plus if you’re in the middle of an episode and your Cloudlifter or whatnot dies, you’re completely screwed. I tried this and it was a NIGHTMARE and the company I bought my gain booster from was impossible about getting a refund. Don’t do it! You can hear the issues I had in episode 3 (I think?) and the April Patreon content for Oakpodcast. For way less money, you could do so much better.

Blue mics—I had two Blue Spark (XLR) arrive broken from two different sellers. The Blue Yeti and Blue Snowball sound pretty terrible on my voice, though the Blue Snowball is decent for plugging into my iPhone to record ambient noise. The Blue Spark SL Digital is slightly better but I still had a terrible time with it. You can hear samples of the Spark Digital on episodes 7, 8, and the August Patreon content for Oakpodcast.

AT2035—This gets recced a LOT by male and deep-voiced podcasters so it was my first ever non-USB mic, but the sibilance and background noise were through the roof. It was awful for my voice and others like mine I imagine! The first couple of episodes of Oakpodcast were recorded on this mic.

ISK Little Gem—I wanted to love this, but it sounded terrible in my setup. Lots of weird distortion. Might just be a fluke in my mic or setup.

Software

So I know this is gear recs, but in case you were wanting the best bang for your buck, I figured I’d mention this here too:

Google Drive: Cheaper than Dropbox, and also about 7x the free storage to start with. If you get an Android or Chrome device, you can get 2 free years of 100GB storage.

Celtx: free scriptwriting software, available on any device, syncs better than Scrivener etc. I paid $20 for the Mac app, and I feel I’m really getting my money’s worth.

REAPER: Amazing and for a fantastic price. If you can’t buy the license right away it’s okay, it works like WinRar in terms of making you pay (or lack thereof). I’ve made a video that should teach you the basics of making an audio drama in Reaper in about 20 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJbp8lfxT5k&t

[jefflopez743]

Best RV Mattress: Top RV Bloggers Give Their Tips

Choosing the best RV Mattress?

Most people are used to having a regular and “safe” life. What do they mean by safe? Having a steady job, living in a nice home, paying bills, taxes, mortgage and just being a regular guy. The reality is that nothing is safe or granted anymore. You can do all the right things, and still get fired, lose your home because you can’t afford the mortgage and a bazillion other stuff can happen and radically disrupt the routine of your life.

That is why more and more people choose to seize the moment and live their life to the fullest. They sell their house, buy an RV and travel across the country in their home on wheels. Being able to travel wherever you want, whenever you want is an awesome lifestyle. Although we are sure that RVing brings its fair part of adventures and challenges, we wonder how comfortable is to live full-time in an RV.

A good night’s sleep is a must have after a long day. When you don’t live in a brick and mortar house, then you need to pay extra attention to the bed and mattress that you buy, especially when space is limited. That is why, we asked 39 RV bloggers to share with us

The Top Features That The Best RV Mattress Should Have

We received answers from some of the best digital nomads out there. So, without any further ado, let’s see what are the best RV mattress.

Peter & John TheRVgeeks.com

Peter & John, better known as The RVgeeks, are a couple of “Do-It-Ourselves” full-time RVers who offer RV maintenance, repair & travel tips on their popular video blog and YouTube channel. They’ve handled most of their own RV maintenance during nearly 14 years of exploring North America. They hope their experiences can help other RVers go DIY, saving time & money while experiencing the satisfaction of a job well done.

It may sound obvious, but comfort is key. While a non-RVer may look at the way we live as glorified camping… as full-timers, our RV is our home. So we expect our bed to be just as comfortable as any residential bed. We’re not “camping” but rather living in our home, the same as any owner of a sticks & bricks house, and expect the same comfort in a mattress.

That’s the case even in large RVs where the ample space allows for any size mattress. Despite that flexibility, RVs are notorious for having odd-size mattresses.So the ability to order custom sizes, with the same comfort as a top quality residential mattress, is a great benefit. As mattress “comfort” is such a personal preference, the option of selecting from several different types of mattresses to match our particular idea of comfort was key to our goal of one great night’s sleep after another.

Emily and Mark Fagan Roads Less Traveled

Emily and Mark Fagan are professional photographers and freelance writers who have been traveling full-time by RV and sailboat for ten years. Their blog, Roads Less Traveled, offers hundreds of detailed articles about the RVing and sailing lifestyles and provides travel tips and beautiful photos of their favorite destinations.

As we discuss in our blog post, RVing Tips and Tricks, many RVs come with beds that are not a standard residential size. So, for those RVs, the mattress must be a custom “RV” size or it will hang over the edges of the bed platform.

For instance, a standard Queen mattress is 60” x 80” while an RV Queen is the same width but is a bit shorter at 60” x 75”. Likewise, a King mattress is 76” x 80” whereas an RV King mattress is a little narrower at 72” x 80”.

Finding an RV Queen or RV King size mattress is nearly impossible at most mattress stores unless they are located in an area that has a lot of RV visitors. Putting a residential Queen mattress on an RV Queen bed leaves 5” of mattress hanging over the foot of the bed. Putting a residential King mattress on an RV King bed can be a tight squeeze, as 2” will hang over the base on each side.

As for comfort, that depends on the sleeper! There are fewer options in the RV-specific sizes, but if the RV has a bed platform that is a standard residential mattress size, then the sky is the limit for all types of mattresses.

A foam mattress can be much heavier than an innerspring mattress, and that may make a difference for RVs that are carrying a payload that is near their capacity.

However, foam mattress doesn’t have any parts that rust, a concern if you are RVing in a humid area, as the interiors of RVs are much less climate controlled than the interiors of houses, especially for people who dry camp a lot like we do.

Mildew resistance is also very important for RVers who travel in areas prone to rain or seaside moisture. Memory foam is extremely flammable, and since all RVs come with large propane tanks that can turn the rig into a fire bomb with a single spark in the wrong place at the wrong time, this is a definite concern.

Memory foam can also be very hot, an issue for many RVing women who are experiencing the hot flashes and night sweats of menopause.

Given all of these constraints, we had a latex mattress for nearly four years and we found it was not nearly as comfortable as advertised. We’ve also had a memory foam pillow top innerspring mattress and a standard non-memory foam pillowtop innerspring mattress.

Both of these were comfortable, although the springs lost their spring over time and the mattresses developed two divots where we always slept. Of course, this is a problem for folks living in houses too!

Kimberly Travaglino Fulltime Families

Kimberly Travaglino is the author of “How to Hit the Road”, a comprehensive step-by-step guide for making your family’s full-time RV dreams a reality. She and her husband are the co-founders of  Fulltime Families, a company that supports risk-takers, pioneers, and enlightened families blazing their own path across the country.

In my opinion, the best mattress to provide a good night’s sleep in an RV is it’s ability to breath.

Sleeping spaces in an RV can be tight and a mattress that traps heat can keep you tossing and turning and sweating all night long.

Marc and Julie Bennett RVLove

Marc and Julie Bennett are full-time RVers and content creators who live, work and travel full-time from their motorhome while exploring North America and the world. They share their positive, inspiring messages and invaluable advice at RVLove.com where their mission is to help others hit the road and thrive too.

For us, the best mattress has to be a good quality brand that will last for at least 5 years, as we don’t just use it on occasional weekends like many RVers.

As full-timers, this is our home and we sleep on the mattress every night, which means it’s essential that it’s supportive and comfortable to ensure we get a good night’s sleep and also minimize Marc’s lower back pain.

We like a mattress that offers good all round, consistent support (not too hard yet not too soft) and has a heat dissipating memory foam topper. A good protective cover to prevent dust or allergies should be standard.

And it also has to be the right height, length, and width to properly fit on the bed in an RV (ours is a standard full-length Queen) but some RVs do require special sized mattresses.

The other consideration is weight – RVs are more limited in weight than homes, so while we do like a quality, supportive mattress, we also don’t want to carry more weight than is necessary.

Finally, the mattress needs to have some flex as you need to think about getting in through the door of your RV and maneuver it through a smaller as you get into the bedroom.

Cameron RVingPlanet.com

Cameron is an RV Writing Enthusiast who has been camping and RVing for years. He has always loved the smell of campfire smoke and taking long hikes through some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes.

An RV mattress is your comforting sanctuary after a long day of outdoor adventuring or endless miles on the road. Because of that, it needs to be held to a standard that is befitting of those conditions. What are the top qualities of an RV mattress?

1. Comfort – It should go without saying that a bed should be comfortable. But, it goes beyond that; you don’t want to be on the road and have to toss and turn every night, trying to fall asleep and have dreams of your bed back home. An RV trip is a vacation of sorts, so the bed should reflect that level of comfort every night.

Memory foam is a great option for an RV mattress because it is lightweight, inexpensive, and can occupy very little space, which, of course, is the currency of any RV. That said…

2. Size  You need the size to accommodate your size. If you’re a six-foot-five man, then you will want to avoid those space-cutting RV mattresses.Keep in mind that most RV mattresses are about six inches shorter than traditional mattresses of the same size category. So, if you’re worried about fitting on a queen, you might consider going ahead with a king. And, finally…3. Durability – An RV mattress undergoes considerable wear-and-tear; even more so than a traditional at-home mattress. Because of this, you want your RV mattress to be outfit to survive long or short trips of considerably excessive use. A good RV mattress needs to withstand the test of time while being subjective to strenuous use for potentially long periods of time.

Mark Jenney RVshare.com

Mark is the CEO at RVshare which is the largest RV rental marketplace in the United States.Most RV mattresses are not memory foam so I always bring a nice memory foam mattress topper with me anytime I’m traveling in an RV for an extended period of time.I like my mattress to have some support and softness at the same time and using a memory foam topper on my RV mattress helps be get a better night sleep while I’m out on the road.

Dan and Diann Bayes EccentricNomads.com

Diann and her husband Dan travel and live in an RV. They share their experiences on their site Eccentric Nomads. Before that, Diann worked in the travel and tourism industry for more than 20 years.

When you make the decision to sell everything you own including your large home and replace it with a 400 square foot RV, you learn a few things along the way. Unfortunately, some revelations come a little too late, like maybe it would have been a good idea to keep that relatively new pillow-top mattress you sold with your oversized bedroom set and put that puppy in your house on wheels.

My husband and I are not spring chickens. He’s 67 and I’m 52 and we’re known as Eccentric Nomads.The name was determined by the looks we got from friends and family when we told them I was leaving my job to see the country in our fifth wheel. Not long into our travels, this eccentric nomad’s back problem reared its ugly head. 

After much research and the very convincing comments from a total stranger stating a four-inch memory foam mattress topper from Walmart was more comfortable than his $4,000 mattress, I headed to the retail giant and we slapped it on top of the pitiful excuse for a mattress the dealership provided.

Is it perfect? No. But when you’ve watched the sunrise and the sunset, traveled the countryside, and enjoyed some of the most amazing sites you’ve ever seen, settling in for the evening on four inches of memory foam comfort works for me.

[ranabowbrite]

Pop up camping, while maybe slightly less primitive than tent camping, is still basically living outside with only a piece of heavy duty canvas between you and the wilderness. Let’s face it, our Freedom Machine is just a glorified tent on wheels with a door, a battery, and a propane tank. Yes, we have lights, a heater, a dorm-size fridge, and a 3 inch mattress, but there’s no toilet, so as far as I’m concerned, that equals roughing it, and it’s awesome!

But anything we can do to make camp life a little easier and a little more “luxurious,” I’m all for it. Below is a list of the top 19 nonessential items that have become essentials for us on our pop up camping adventures.

Second grill for outdoor cooking: The Freedom Machine has a two burner stove that can be moved from inside to outside fairly easily, but camp cooking is messy, and I prefer to have a dedicated outdoor cooking stove/grill. That way we can keep the inside stove clean and reserved for non-messy things like heating soup or boiling water for coffee.

Collapsible Drip Coffee Maker and Collapsible Kettle: I love my Starbucks, but not only can we not afford it (at least not every day) on our sabbatical budget, 99% of the time, there won’t be one nearby. So I bought this collapsible java drip coffee cone at the suggestion of a camping friend/guru (Thanks, Chuck!) along with a collapsible kettle. The cone collapses down to about an inch thick disc.

Mattress topper: The camper mattress is just a 3 inch piece of cheap foam covered in fabric, so we purchased a good eggshell mattress topper to lay on top and give us better support. So grateful that Trent insisted on this improvement!

Flannel sheets and Comforters: Even in the summer, the nights can be cold where we’ll be camping, so flannel sheets are a comfy must. We could just throw some sleeping bags on top, but I really want it to feel more like “home,” so the comforter combined with the flannel sheets and pillows make it look and feel like a special retreat.

Padded Camping Club Chair with Foot Rest (they called it an ottoman, but I just can’t go that far): I like to put my feet up, and I’m not going to apologize for that. And they make a padded camping club chair with matching foot rest as luck would have it… Can’t wait to snuggle up and read a book in this chair!

Wet wipes (Clorox and Baby): Small spaces get messy quickly, especially with dogs. So the Clorox wipes let me keep everything from the plastic dog mattress to the table and linoleum floor clean. And the baby wipes are a must-have for personal hygiene since the Freedom Machine doesn’t have a shower! Although there are coin-operated showers at some of the State and National Park campgrounds–75 cents for three minutes.  I haven’t tried it yet, but I probably will…

Wireless speaker: Nature is quiet. Sometimes too quiet.

Flip flops: It’s a lot easier to throw on flip flops for a middle of the night trip to the bathroom than hiking boots. And they’ll come in handy for those coin-operated showers!

Easy to clean pans: Scrubbing dishes with only cold water at your disposal is hard. Easy to wipe out pans is critical and worth the expense. I use a small 6″ Scanpan.

Hammock: Because why not? It’s like a “camping sofa.”

Inside/Outside Dog beds: Molly and Tucker are our four-legged furry kids, as many of you know by now, so we can’t leave them out! Everybody in the Tarkenton pack gets a comfy place to sleep and nap!

Cards and games: We love playing games, and since life at the campsite can be slow anyway, having some games around is a win-win. Our favorites are card games and and iPad games because they are portable. Right now we are playing a lot of Alphabetty on the iPad.

Ceramic heater: Again, comfort is key, and cold nights are no fun without plenty of heat. The camper heater is pretty good, but the ceramic heater has been a life saver when a little extra warmth is needed. This one is made by Lasko and was a gift from my wonderful husband. Tip: we flipped a circuit breaker when we first plugged it in (ok, we tried to run two at a time–it’s cold!), so know where your circuit box is.  

Collapsible cubes and storage containers: These are for easy access things that we keep out on the counter or under the counters, but need to keep organized. they are a lifesaver when you are looking for your car keys, gloves, or hair clips. We use the bigger ones to organize our clothes and groceries.

Crock pot and crock pot liners: When we are sick of the instant meals (soups and oatmeal), crock pot meals are a great option because it’s basically throw it in and let it cook all day. And easy clean up when we use the crock pot liners.

Qumi pocket projector: Ok, this is admittedly over the top indulgent, but at least I’m being honest. Trent bought this cool gadget a few years ago, and we’ve taken it with us on trips before, projecting movies in hotel rooms and cabins and the like. Why not on the side of a camper? Pairs beautifully with our wireless speaker (think drive in movie for hipster campers). But I don’t think we’ll be watching Blair Witch Project…

Outdoor Shower: Trent bought this for me as a surprise, and although I haven’t tried it yet because our camping trips haven’t been long enough, I am looking forward to giving it a try this summer. It’s a simple, but clever device. The water in the bag heats up in the sun, creating a nice warm stream of water. And if coin operated showers and baby wipes are the alternative, this outdoor shower may just be my nirvana.

Portable Gym: Since one of my priorities is to get in shape, and I don’t want to have to rely on running or hiking every single day (I get bored), I’ve invested in some portable gym equipment that doesn’t take up much space but will give me a lot of workout options. My mini gym includes: resistance bands, plyo loops, a slam ball, a yoga mat, suspension straps, a balance disc, 15 pound weights, a jump rope and a kettle bell. I may decide to leave behind the weights and kettle bell and get creative like Rocky instead. Rocks and logs anyone? More blogs to come on my campside workout regiment. I had planned to take some pics this weekend but it’s miserable weather.

Good Sam Club membership: Some camping friends clued us in to this great deal. We get discounts at camping stores, some campsites, and fuel at Pilot Flying J. We also paid a little more for the roadside service. $80 per year for peace of mind is a steal! Without the roadside assistance, it’s only $27 per year!

Now, some of you might say we might as well just stay home with all of these creature comforts, but we can’t cook breakfast outside while watching the sun rise over the mountains at home. We can’t lay in a hammock at home and listen to wild birds and bubbling streams as we fall asleep. We can’t go for a midday hike just by opening the front door and taking two steps. So, I think we will hold on to our self-made life of camping extravagances and six months on the road with the Freedom Machine for Part I of our year-long sabbatical.

Related:  Read all about our first pop up camping adventure at Cheyenne Mountain State Park!

19 Pop Up Camping Essential Nonessentials: a Little Less Like Camping, a Little More Like Home Pop up camping, while maybe slightly less primitive than tent camping, is still basically living outside with only a piece of heavy duty canvas between you and the wilderness.

[rxsie-the-demon]

Brooklyn Baby | JJ Maybank

chapter summary: Nikki and the Pogues devise plans for revenge. However, something they’re not aware of may completely skewer these plans! JJ and Nikki bicker, while the latter works to learn as much as she can about the Cameron family.

warning: marijuana usage. i don’t think this should be triggering for anyone but nikki and topper are smoking and i go into a bit of detail (shoutout google research lmao) and also swearing

a/n: lmao i said i wasn’t gonna disappear again and i did just that. a lot of the things mentioned aren’t canon- they’re just from my imagination btw

SERIES MASTERLIST | chapter one | chapter two | chapter three | chapter four

Chapter 5: High by the Beach

John B’s POV

I kept wiping the same spot on the counter, trying to suppress my nerves. Maybe she’s just a few minutes late, I told myself. But I had to laugh. She was never late. In the six months I knew her, she was never late.

I glanced over at the drink I had set out for her. I hope it wasn’t getting warm. I needed today, just today, go to well. If everything goes according to plan, then it’ll all finally be worth it.

I heard the door of the bar swing open, and saw the lady I had been waiting for walk in. She was an intimidating woman, with deep, mahogany skin and long, curly hair. She was wearing black heels, a black women’s suit, and was clutching a suitcase. Her hands, almost always perfectly done with red nail polish, were closed tightly in a fist.

But it was her eyes that carried her power. She was the kind of woman who made you nervous when you walked into a room, who made you straighten your posture and nod your head.

Miss Agumanu is a lawyer working for a firm that’s notorious for taking criminals as clients. One of these clients is a bank that holds black money, and at 4 pm sharp for the past six months, she would walk into the bar of the hotel Sarah and I had been working at since we wound up in Nassau.

It was completely luck; she wanted to become a lawyer to get rid of criminals and ended up landing a job helping them. I had very vaguely mentioned my situation, and through lots of hints from both sides, we finally figured out that she indirectly works for the bank holding the gold- my gold- in the Bahamas.

She placed her suitcase down on the chair next to me, and I jogged over and pushed the drink towards her. She chuckled, her Jamaican accent present when she said; “Am I that predictable?”

I chuckled a little. She downed the whole thing, and I felt my heart drop. I went on to make another. “So, I’m guessing bad news?” I mumbled, not wanting to turn around.

“No, John B. Not at all, actually.”

I spun around and almost dropped the bottle of rum. “What?”

“Make the drink and I’ll explain.”

I threw the ingredients into the shaker, pulled a chilled glass out, and poured the drink. I guess she could tell I was nervous, because she laughed and told me to calm down. Once she downed her other drinks, she started.

“For some reason, I don’t know how or why, but the bank cannot hold the gold. My guess is that they don’t have enough money to ensure it because the gold is worth a lot. So, this Saturday, they’re sending it back to the Outer Banks. This has been the plan for a few months but it only got finalized today.”

“Doesn’t it seem a bit rushed? It’s only, what, Wednesday?” I narrowed my eyebrows. I trusted her, but this seemed too good to be true.

She shrugged. “I’m too tired to explain all the nitty gritty details, but the main point is that the gold is going back to your home, which means you and Sarah can go, too. The gold is most likely going to be stored in Ward Cameron’s property- maybe his yacht, or one of his other boats, or even in his house.”

“Somewhere secluded would be smarter, though, right?” I asked.

“Yes, it would be. He seems like the type of man to build a place for storage but I am also aware of the fact that he barely managed to escape murder accusations, so he’s trying not to draw any unwanted attention towards himself.” Miss Agumanu shrugged. She got up out of her seat, grabbed her suitcase, and turned to shake my hand. “It was nice meeting you, John B Routledge. I hope to see you soon, but not too soon.”

I shook her hand and smiled. I was going home.

*********************************************

I flopped down onto our bare mattress and stretched. I was exhausted, having to work for from 3 in the afternoon to 2 am with only a half hour break, but it was all worth it. Sarah, who was in our shared bathroom, came out and crawled into bed next to me and pulled the thin, faded cotton blanket over us.

The nice luxurious hotel we worked out gave us the smallest employees quarters, with only a bathroom to accompany it. No bed, nothing. After all, our employment was suspicious. But we took it. We had no other choice.

A part of me felt bad for dragging Sarah into this. After all, she’s a Kook. She wasn’t used to this type of lifestyle. I was, so it didn’t bother me. But she wasn’t.

But when she smiled at me, I knew she wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. “We’re so close,” she whispered into my ear. “Just one more week.”

I turned my head to plant a kiss on her forehead. “I couldn’t have done this without you. Words really cannot express how grateful I am for you, for all of this, Sarah.”

After six months of struggling, of working countless hours in this stuck up, Kook-like resort, of sneaking food in from the kitchen to our small living quarters and almost getting fired at least 3 times each, and of countless sleepless nights spent planning, Sarah and I can finally go home.

And we can finally bring that cunt Ward Cameron down.

*********************************************

Nikki’s POV

I snatch JJ’s phone from him. “We are not getting pineapple as a topping!”

“AND WHY THE HELL NOT?!” he snapped, jumping up from his seat on the couch to try to take his phone back. “Just ‘cause you- you cultureless mainlanders can’t appreciate real flavor-”

“REAL FLAVOR? Ok-” I dodge an attempt for him to grab it. “Listen. First, I’m a New Yorker. I think I know pizza. Second! Pineapples are delicious!! When they’re 30 feet the fuck away from the top of my pizza. They don’t belong there. Sweet. Does. Not. Belong. On. Pizza.”

“You’re a rich brat, you don���t know real pizza!”

“Pizza is pizza! Being rich doesn’t have anything to do with it!”

He tries to grab it a few more times, but I spun around and ran into the kitchen, where Kie and Pope sitting on the counter next to each other and giggling.

“Yes?!” JJ and I shout at the same time.

“Nothing,” Kie laughed

“Hey, if you’re laughing about the pizza, it’s not my fault this one here lacks flavor.” I jerk my head towards him, and he groaned in annoyance.

“Gimme my phone back.” He stomped around to face me and extended is hand out. “Now?!”

I smirked. “Why, so you could order that sad excuse of a pi-?”

“HAVE YOU TRIED IT?!”

“I HAVE, AND IT IS NOT THAT GOOD.”

“GUYS!” Pope shouted. “I get it, we’re hungry, it’s noon. We’ve been working hard researching the Royal Merchant. Nikki, please give JJ his phone back.”

I pouted and handed him his phone back. He stuck his tongue out at me and I kicked his shin.

“OW! Did you guys see that?”

“Guys.” Kie warned. She pulled out her phone and sighed. “I’ll order pizza with no toppings. Sound good?”

I nodded and JJ groaned. “Sounds good to me.”

JJ mimicked me in a falsetto voice, to which I spun around and said: “Something you want to say, Maybank?”

He snorted. “Nothing, Pillow Princess.” 

“Ok, you know what-”

“Guys!” Pope and Kie shouted.

“Sorry, sorry!” I raised my hands up defensively, walking over to ice box in front of the fridge and opened it.

Inside were some glass Coke and Corona bottles. I shrugged and took a Coke, then walked outside to where there was a little campfire type thing with foldable chairs and ripped up bungalows.

I sat down on one of the ripped up couches and opened my Coke. February was coming close, and it was starting to warm up again. Luckily, today was really nice; 63 degrees with barely any wind or clouds. I closed my eyes and rested my head back. Oh, how I’ve missed this weather. It’s like spring in New York.

I felt a shadow pass over me and heard the sound of someone clearing their throat. “Ahem.”

I peeped an eye open and saw JJ to my left. “Yes, Maybank?”

“You’re in my seat.”

I opened both eyes and looked around sarcastically. “I can’t see your name anywhere.”

He huffed. “I always sit there. Always.”

I took a sip of my drink. When JJ was about to add more, I held up a finger and took another sip. “Yeah, I can tell. It’s nice and comfortable.” I turned to him and smiled. “Thanks!”

JJ covered his face with his hands and exhaled loudly. That’s when I noticed one of his three silver rings, the other two being plain with no design, had a skull on it. “Ooh, that’s a nice ring.”

He removed his hands from his face and smiled sarcastically. “Thanks! Can I have my seat?”

“Oh my- if it’s such a big deal, here, O Great Prince of the Pogues!” I stood up and bowed dramatically, making sure not to spill my soda. He flopped onto the seat happily

“Could you grab me a beer, sweetheart?” He smiled.

I bent down, picked up a handful of dirt with my free hand, and cocked my arm back. “What’d you call me?”

He put his hands up defensively. “Woah, woah! I just got this shirt!”

“Oh, please. That shirt is as dull as your personality.” I dropped the dirt and shook my hand, not wanting to wipe them on my jeans.

“Oh, fuck you, Kook. Not all of us can afford Gucci or Channel-”

“Chanel,” I corrected. “It’s French.”

“Whatever!”

I huffed. Yes, JJ Maybanks is an annoying prick, but he’s friends with Kie and Pope, so I have to deal with him. “I’ll get you your beer if I can sit in the seat.”

“We could share it.” JJ made a show of scooting over a bit and pointing at the empty spot.

“You’re insufferable. Even my baby sister wouldn’t fit. What do you want me to do, sit on your lap?” 

“Oh, don’t act like you wouldn’t want to.”

My face flushed red. “You-” I began, but I didn’t know what to say; it was like my brain short circuited or something. JJ saw my reaction and covered his mouth to laugh.

“Oh, you’re so easy to tease, princess.”

I flipped him off and jogged toward’s the front of the house. I threw my empty soda can in the trash, then opened the door too see Kie and Pope making out in the kitchen.

“In front of my SALAD?!” I gasped loudly, hoping to scare them. Kie off the counter and Pope turned, saw me, then felt onto the ground in a panic.

“I hate you.” Kie covered her face.

“WE WEREN’T EVEN HAVING SEX!” Pope added, getting up

I laughed and went over to the sink to wash my hands, then I grabbed two Coronas and kicked the door open to go back outside. JJ was leaning back in his seat- ew, no, THE seat- with his hands behind his neck, head rested up and eyes closed. I tried not to notice, but I had to admit, he was attractive.

He was wearing a black Metallica hoodie, jeans, and normal, black vans. A simple outfit, but it fit well on him. And the way the sun fell on his tanned skin and blond hair made him look like what I’d imagine Apollo, the Greek god, would look like.

If only he wasn’t such a stuck-up ass...

I approached JJ and lightly tapped his shin with my foot. He peeped an eye open and squinted. “Could ya move just a bit to the-”.

“No.”

“But my poor eyes!”

I took a right diagonal step forward to block the sun from JJ’s face. He opened both eyes and clapped his hands together

“Perfect!” He smiled and stretched his hand out. I raised the beer up above my head.

“Say please.” I said sweetly. He raised his eyebrows and stood up. I took a step back as he took a step forward, and he leaned in close to my face. I awkwardly lowered my arm, and gulped nervously. What the fuck was he doing? Why was he so close to me?

He smiled and took the beer from my hand. “Thank you, Princess,” he said, then he flopped back onto his seat and opened his beer.

I took a deep breath. I felt like my brain short circuited, and when I had gathered the mental strength to say something to JJ, when Kie and Pope came out. “PIZZA’S HERE!!” Kie shouted.

I turned to JJ. “Hey, you said I could sit there!”

“I said you could sit here with me.”

“You little bitch-”

****************************************************************

“Alright, let’s go over the plan in parts again.” I shuffled nervously in the seat that I was sharing with JJ. I wasn’t going to sit in it, but Kiara more or less dragged me over and said I needed to start getting along with JJ.

She did also wink at me, but I have no idea what she was trying to do there.

The sun was setting, creating a kaleidoscope of purples, pinks, oranges, and yellows, and we had decided to have s’mores.

“Alright,” Kie said from the foldable chair across from us. “Basically, all you have to do is what you’re doing right now; get close to Rafe and Topper. Kelce was never much of a threat-”

“Except when he jumped me and JJ that one time we were delivering groceries.” Pope interjected.

“You deliver groceries?” I asked.

“My dad owns a boat and gets groceries. Like stuff you can’t find on the island.” Pope clarified, leaning over to hand me a s’more. I thanked him and took a bite.

“Basically,” JJ leaned close to me. “His dad’s the plug.”

I felt my heartbeat start to pick up. Why. Was. He. So. Close. To. Me.

“NO, DO NOT-” Pope started.

“Pope, I’m not going to ask your dad for drugs. JJ, shut up. But ok, get close to Rafe and Topper. What about the other Kooks?”

“Scarlett is fine, she’s not a bad person,” Kie scratched her head. “Kelce...ok, keep tabs on him. Rafe and Topper are our main threats. Especially Rafe. I know you think he’s changed, but we can’t trust him. Getting close to him and his family is our top priority.”

“It’ll be easy for you to win Topper over, if you haven’t already,” JJ said, shrugging. “He wants to bone you.”

I made a face. “Gross.” I turned my head back to look at Kie. “But he’s right, Topper does wanna fuck me.”

“Ok, who else does that leave?” Pope asked.

“Ward Cameron.” JJ responded through a mouth-full of his s’more. “The fucking psycho himself.”

“My family and I have to get close enough to the Cameron family to gain access to the house on a regular basis.” I began. 

“And be able to go in one day when Ward and Rafe aren’t there to search the office for anything incriminating.” Kiara said.

There was a silence after she said that. It’d be bad, and I mean bad, if I got caught. Ward Cameron isn’t a gangster by any means, but he’s a rich, powerful man, who covered up a murder once. Who’s to say it wouldn’t happen again?

“But I got it,” I said dismissively, “This will be a peace of cake. Topper wants to hang out tomorrow after school by the beach. I have a plan on getting his guard down.” I winked.

Pope gasped. “That wink...GIRL ARE YOU GONNA- YOU KNOW- ?!” He covered his mouth with his hands. “IN PUBLIC? DAMN.”

JJ chuckled. “Wow, didn’t know you were into that.”

I was confused for a second, before it hit me. “Get your heads out of the gutter!. First, a friend of mine likes Topper-”

“Who?” All three Pogues asked.

“It’s a secret. Second, I meant weed. I’m gonna get him high. So, JJ, do you have any weed and wraps to spare?”

JJ looked at me with utter disbelief. “You want me to give you my weed, so that you and Topper can smoke it together? Hell fucking no. It’s bad enough you’re a Kook, and now you want to give my weed to someone who literally tormented all of us?”

“NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE ABOUT POGUES AND KOOKS, JJ!” I stood up out of the seat. This whole Kook-Pogue thing wasn’t funny anymore; JJ was beginning to really piss me off.

“Listen, sweetie,” He stood up as well. “You haven’t been here long enough, but everything on this island is about Pogues and Kooks.”

I raised my eyebrows in disbelief, and from the corner of my eye I could see Kie and Pope shoot him a dirty look, but he kept going.

“Sorry if your privileged ass can’t see it-” He pointed a finger at me when he said this- “but that’s just how it is. Pogues and Kooks don’t mix. We aren’t friends. Kie and Sarah were the only exceptions.”

“This isn’t about Pogues or Kooks!” I shoved him. “This is about your friends- not mine, by the way, died. This is about the fact that I’m risking my ass for two kids that I’ve never met while you sit around here and do next to nothing.”

JJ was silent. He looked away, and I could see he looked embarrassed. But I kept going.

“I get you hate people from Figure 8. I do. I’m sorry that your life is hard. But you don’t have to make me feel bad about it all the time, especially since I’ve never done anything to you.”

I expected him to snap back at me with something but there was a look in his eyes when I finished that made a part of me regret going off the way I did. He awkwardly sat back in his seat and I walked across him to sit in one of the cold, empty chairs.

I took a bite of my s’more. The silence was uncomfortable, and I was going to apologize for going off when Kie said, “I think we should head home. We have school tomorrow. Nikki, let’s go,” she shot finger guns at me.

Pope stood up and stretched. “Yeah, you’re right, we should head on home. See ya!” He started to walk towards the house, and Kie walked around the fire towards me to head to my car.

I took a couple steps before I stopped and turned around. “Isn’t he gonna go home?” I whispered to Kie. JJ was still sitting on his seat, hands stretched towards the fire. It’s not because I cared or anything, but it was weird that we were all going home and he hadn’t moved at all.

She hesitated before she answered me. “Uh, yeah, he will. His dad works late so he’s probably gonna stay here til he gets off work.”

A part of me thought she was lying, or there was more to it, but I shrugged it off, figuring that it was none of my business. “Alrighty, let’s go.” I nodded towards my car.

Kie kept turning to face JJ, who was now just sitting in his seat, facing the fire. I couldn’t see his face, but it seemed like he was sleeping or resting; his hands were in his hoodie’s pocket and he was slouching. There’s definitely something going on there.

But it’s not my business.

“Last one to the car loses!” I shouted, sprinting towards the car. I wanted to cheer Kie up, and it worked. She spun around and cried out, “NO FAIR!” Before proceeding to sprint after me. But I had won, and smacked the top of my car.

“Ok, you know what’s my fav part about this car?” I inhaled loudly, resting my hands on my knees. Kie stumbled to a stop and shook her head.

“No, what?” She put her hands on her hips and steadied her breathing.

I straightened myself up and pressed the unlock button. “The doors.” The my two car doors, which one would assume would pull out, went upwards like wings instead.

“You’re such a show off,” Kie sighed. “But you’re right, every time I sit in your car I feel like a celebrity or something.”

“Right?!” I exclaimed, beckoning her to sit in the car. We got in and buckled ourselves up. “The best part about it is that this particular Aventador is that it’s a hybrid car. Better for the environment.” I put the car in reverse and began to back out, then turned it around and drove forward to get onto the road.

“Wow.” Kie sounded impressed. “You sound like you know what you’re talking about.”

“I don’t, actually, I’m not much of a car person. But I researched this car!”

“Well, don’t tell that to JJ. Between you and me, he likes your car.”

I tried my best not to turn my head to face Kie, because I wanted to keep my eyes on the road. “Wait, actually?”

“Well, who wouldn’t like an Lamborghini? But he’ll never admit it to your face. He doesn’t want to give you the satisfaction of knowing something Kooky impressed him”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course not. Maybe I’ll be nice and offer to drive us all somewhere so he can sit in it. But he better not take any pics of the car. At least, not without me.”

Kie through her head back and laughed, and I joined her. It seemed both of our moods had improved.

*************************************

I flopped onto my bed and sighed. I had dropped Kie home, took a shower, did my skincare routine, and now I lay in bed.

One of the agreements I had with Krish and Mal was that I could decorate my room however I wished. My walls and bed set were both a light purple. My bed, dresser, and hanging mirror were black. Behind my bed, which was pressed against a wall, was a black and white sun and moon tapestry; a picture of the moon with a face on it, and two halves of the sun beside it.

TikTok lights, like, the stereotypical ones, lined up the walls near the ceilings, set to purple. And purple fairy lights were on the wall across from my bed, near my dresser. And lastly, at the farthest end of the room, was a small, purple couch.

It’s safe to say my favorite color is purple.

One of the best parts about moving to the Outer Banks was, in fact, my room. I didn’t feel comfortable in Krish and Mal’s house in New York, even though New York is my home. It didn’t feel right, it felt like I was intruding.

But here, it was a fresh start. Even if it was abrupt. A fresh start meant no more nightmares, no more panic attacks, no more -

Beep!

I turned my head quickly, and winced when I got whip lash. I was so lost in thought that the notification on my phone spooked me.

I grab my phone, still having my hand on my neck, and unlocked it to see who texted me.

“Who the hell..?” I whispered. It was an unknown number.

‘Hey’ the text said. I frowned. I saw the area code and searched it up quickly and saw it was a North Carolina area code. I didn’t open it immediately, and saw the person was still typing.

‘Come by the Chauteau tmrw before you get to school’

I narrowed my eyes again, then I put it together.

‘is this jj?’ I asked.

‘Ye’ he responded. I quickly added him to my contacts. A part of me wanted to say more to him, but I didn’t.

At least the texts sent blue, I joked to myself. I put my phone down and dimmed my lights. My phone beeped again, and I picked it up.

‘Sorry about earlier’

‘it’s alr idc’

To which he left me on read. A part of me thought the ‘I don’t care’ was a tad bit harsh. So I added. ‘i’ll see u tmrw. gn jj’

‘Goodnight’

******************************************************

“You sure you don’t want me to pick you up?” I asked Kie through Facetime as I leaned right into my mirror to applied some mascara.

“I’m good, don’t worry. I’m gonna hang out with Pope and have breakfast with him before I go to school.”

“But are you sure-”

“Girl.” Kie laughed. “I promised JJ isn’t gonna murder you or something.”

“You never know...” I said. Closing the mascara tube and readjusting my outfit. I was wearing a dark blue cardigan crop top with white and light blue squares on it, like an argyle style. Complete with high-waisted patchwork jeans and black vans.

Kie smacked her hand against her forehead. “Just get the weed and smoke with Topper. And try not to get caught, ok?”

I laughed. “I’ll try. But wait, were you the one who gave him my number?”

Kie gave me an evil little smile through the screen as she walked throughout her house. “Perhaps...Look, I know you may think otherwise, but I know JJ and he’s totally into you, he just doesn’t know it yet.”

“Um...girl? No fucking way. And I don’t want to be with someone who’s so rude to me.”

“I know, I know, which is why I’m gonna tell him to get his shit together so he has a chance.”

I scoffed. “He hates Kooks, and he reeks of bad boy energy. He’s probably going to get me arrested or something. And let’s say he does get his act together, he’s gonna have to do a lot of hard work on his end to make up for the shit he’s said to me.”

“He means well! And despite what you think, there is a sweet side to him.”

“Mhm, right. Totally.”

“Just trust me. And don’t tell me you aren’t attracted to him. I see the way you guys look at each other, it’s like you want to rip each other’s cloth-”

“ALRIGHT, alright, I’ll admit he’s attractive, but that’s it. He’s funny, can be nice, and is hot. That’s it. That’s all there is.” I rubbed my temples.

Kie scoffed. “I call it- you guys are going to keep having your little moments, but still argue a lot. Then things will happen, the two of you will be vulnerable to each other, then you’ll actually become friends and then you’ll date.”

“You read way too many fanfics.”

“I actually see the two of you long term together!”

“I- Ok, we should probably get going now. See ya!”

“Bye! Don’t forget what I said!” Kie hung up, and I chuckled a little.

I grabbed my hairbrush and combed out my straightened hair, which fell a little below my shoulders, then put the brush down. Cute outfit, straight hair with middle parting...what am I missing?

A belt. I went to my closet and pulled one out, a melt chain belt, like rings or loops, and quickly looked it around myself.

Wow, I’m hot.

I grabbed my Kanken backpack and ran down the stairs.

I headed to the kitchen, where Diya was sitting on her height chair, with apple sauce all over the tray, her face, her hands, and the floor. “Good morning, gremlin” I leaned over to kiss her forehead, and took the seat to her right. She turned to me and began giggling and babbling. I picked up the apple sauce-covered spoon and scooped the tiny bit that was in the bowl in front of her and put it near her mouth.

“Open sesame.” I said. She opened her mouth and bit the spoon. I fed her a couple more bites before she shook her head and refused to eat more.

I shrugged, taking the bowl and spoon and placing it in the sink, then grabbing a napkin and quickly wiping up the floor, being careful not to get any on my clothes.

“Oh, Nikki, you didn’t have to clean up.” Mal sighed, walking down the stairs. I stood up and turned to see her. She was in sweats and a shirt, and her hair was tied up. “I was changing because this tiny gremlin got apple sauce all over me.” Mal laughed and ruffled Diya’s hair, who seemed confused. Probably because she didn’t even realize her mom left.

“It’s alright,” I got a fresh napkin and wiped Diya’s face. “She finished her food. But I’m not cleaning the tray.” I made a face and we laughed. Diya laughed, and I leaned over to kiss her again. She squirmed and giggled.

“That’s fine. But make sure you eat something before you leave!” Mal picked Diya up and put her on her hip. Then she stopped. “Wait, why are you leaving so early?”

I blinked twice. “Uh. I need to go to something.”

Mal laughed, and Diya reached for her mom’s hair to pull it. “Like what?”

“Uh, my friend needs to be dropped off at...the other high school. Kildare County High School. It’s in The Cut, and they don’t have a car.”

Mal looked at me for a couple seconds, than rolled her eyes. “You’re an awful liar.” She proceeded to go upstairs. “Whatever you do, don’t make bad choices!”

“I won’t!” I shouted back. “Wait, where’s Krish?” I asked, pouring myself some cereal.

“He had an emergency surgery. Nothing super serious, just someone’s appendix burst or something.” Mal shouted from upstairs. “Don’t clean the tray up, I have the day off so I’m gonna catch up on some house work and go shopping with Diya. Just eat and make sure you’re at school on time. Krish packed a sandwich and some apple slices for you in the fridge if you want it!”

“Alright!” I shouted back. I grabbed the food from the fridge, an ice pack from the freezer to keep my food fresh, shoved it in my lunchbox, and finished up my cereal. I grabbed my keys, shouldered my bag, and headed to my car.

I threw my bag into the seat next to mine and buckled up, then hooked my playlist up and pulled out of my driveway.

When I arrived at the Chauteau, I saw someone sitting outside on the steps with their hands on their head. They were wearing a black hoodie, and it was pulled up over their head so I couldn’t see who it was.

As I got closer, I realized it was JJ, and he was wearing the same outfit from yesterday.

“Hey!” I called out to him. He looked up and gave me a quick nod, then beckoned me to come inside. I obliged and slipped my keys into my pocket, then jogged quickly to catch up with him.

“The weed’s in my room. Just wait on the couch and I’ll get it for you.” He mumbled as held the door open for me, then headed inside. I nodded and flopped onto the couch. JJ reappeared a couple seconds later, holding a black dispensary bag with a smily face on it and some paper wraps.

He headed to the kitchen and put them in a gallon sized Ziploc bag, then walked towards me. I noticed that, the entire time, he had his head down, and his long blond hair was parted to cover his left eye.

“Here.” He said, not meeting my eyes.

I grabbed the bag and bid him a farewell, then turned around to ask him if he wanted a ride to his high school, when I saw his swollen, bruised eye underneath the wisps of his hair.

“Wait, do you ne- Oh my God, JJ, what happened to your eye?” I walked towards him and covered my mouth. Shit, I thought. It looked pretty bad. The eyelid above his eye was swollen and beneath his eye, it was an ugly purplish blue.

“For fuck’s sake, dude,” he groaned.

“Woah, woah,” I raised my arms up in defense. “I just asked. Anyone would’ve if they saw someone with a black eye.”

He flopped onto the couch. “I’m fine. Fan-fucking-tastic.”

“Your eye is swollen.” I said firmly.

“And your eyes work.” He sassed back.

“Oh my- I have an ice pack in my car. Do you want me to grab it, or do you want to sit here and be a bitch to me?” I crossed my arms.

JJ raised his eyebrows at me. I stared back.

He sighed. “Whatever, I don’t care.” I scoffed to myself, thinking about how ungrateful he is, and ran out to my car, grabbed my lunch box, and ran back inside. I told JJ to sit down and I pulled the pack out and handed it to him.

“Just press the pack against your eye.” I told him. He gave me a look.

“This isn’t exactly like a bag. It’s a big blue block of coldness.” He put it down on the couch and flexed his hand. “And it’s really cold.”

“Well of course it’s cold, it’s an ice pack! Are there any paper towels here?”

“Under the sink, yeah.”

I walked towards the kitchen and ripped out a couple, then went back to the couch to wrap the ice pack. I held it for a couple seconds so that the napkins would start to get cold, then I turned and handed it to him.

He picked it up and brushed his hair back. I flopped down onto the couch and checked the time on my phone. I still had a good fourty minutes before school started, so I was fine.

JJ pressed the pack against his eye, then pulled it away. “I don’t feel anything.”

I took it from his hands and scooted next to him. I reached my hand out towards him and he leaned back.

“Uh, what are you doing?” His eyes were wide.

“Icing your eye for you. Because apparently this big blue block of coldness is too difficult for you to use.”

He squinted his eyes. I sighed.

“That was a joke,” I explained. Then I beckoned him closer to me. “But come on, now, I need my ice pack for lunch. So either you do it or I will!”

He mumbled something about not being a baby and scooted closer to me. I brushed some of his hair aside and he flinched. I pulled my hand back immediately.

“Shit! I’m sorry, did I touch your eye?” God, this is so awkward.

“No, no, I’m fine.” He quickly reassured, awkwardly brushing his hands with his hair. He looked down and was fidgeting with his hands.

This is so, so weird. I touched the pack against my hand, and felt for where it was the coldest. Then, I gently brushed some of JJ’s hair away from his eye and pressed the cold pack against his eye.

He pushed his hair back and scooted closer to me. “This feels good.” He whispered under his breath; I almost didn’t hear him.

I felt a hint of a smile forming. “Well, I’m glad,” I laughed. “My dad’s a doctor. He’s Chief of Surgery, I think, at the hospital on the next island over. The one here’s pretty small, but that’s one’s big. We moved here, though, because we had a house here.”

JJ nodded. “Cool. What does your mom do?”

“She’s a lawyer.”

“Wow. Ok.” He laughed. “That’s chill. My dad’s a professional alcoholic.”

“I- Oh.” I clamped my free hand over my mouth.

JJ pulled away laughing. “It’s ok. You can laugh. It’s funny.”

I shoved him lightly. “That’s not funny. Are you alright?!” He looked at me with a smile.

“You’re laughing.”

“I’m not- Oh my god, I’m laughing.”

“It’s fine, Nikki. Really.”

I rolled my eyes, but then I got serious. “But, he isn’t the one who did this to your eye, right?”

JJ looked away from me and cleared his throat. “Nah.”

I saw his hesitation, and 

“Nikki, I’m chill.”

He nodded. “Much. Thanks...Kook.”

I kicked his shin. “You’re so annoying.”

“OW! That hurt.”

I grabbed the plastic bag and ran out to my car. “Bye JJ!”

“Fuck you, Kook!”

***************************************************************

The cool sand between my toes felt strange. I was always used to sand being burning hot, or at least warm, but this was a nice, cool feeling. Wintertime in the Outer Banks wasn’t freezing, which meant I could still visit the beach.

The sky had turned grey, but the sun was still shining bright between the clouded sky. The ocean, though, had taken on a very dark blue-green color.

I spun around, shoes in one hand and backpack in the other, to see Topper a couple feet behind me with something in his hand. I raised a hand above my eyes and squinted.

“Whatcha got there?” I questioned while beckoning him to follow me farther. In order for the plan to work, I needed the two of us to be alone. Which meant sitting farther away from where the people and lifeguards were.

“A surprise.” Topper winked. Whatever he had in his hand was slipped into one of his pockets. I feigned laughter and ran up ahead. There was a nice secluded area on the beach; no one was there, and better yet, it appeared there was a little place for people to hide behind big, dark rock formations on the beach.

“Hey! There’s a place for us to sit over there!” I beckoned Topper without turning around and went ahead near the little hidden area on the beach. I plopped down onto the sand and dropped my bag and shoes next to me. Topper appeared behind the rock formation a couple seconds later and threw his stuff onto the ground next to mine.

He sat down next to me- wearing khaki cargo pants and an orange polo shirt- and kicked his flip flops off.

“So,” I began, “This is nice. Right?”

Topper pulled whatever he slipped in his pocket- a small, white sea conch- and handed it to me.

“Yeah,” he smiled brightly. “This is nice.”

Oh, goodness. It’s painstakingly clear that Topper had feelings for me and I need to shut that down, fast. So I said the only thing I could think of.

“Hey, Top, did you know one of our friends has a crush on you?” As soon as the last word left my mouth, I regretted it. I can’t out Kelce, but there’s no way I can just avoid this.

Topper’s neck snapped towards me. “HUH?” His eyes went wide and his mouth dropped, and I fought back the urge to push his jaw upward to close it.

“Yep...” I turned around to grab the weed from my bag, hoping Topper would just drop it. But I knew better.

“Ok, but like who?” He asked. I paused. UM. I needed to think of something quick.

“Um, can’t say,” I shrugged, trying to play it off. I took the bag out and placed it on my lap. “I was sworn to secrecy.”

“Oh, c’mon!” He threw his arms up in the air, then crossed them and pouted. Gross.

“Yep, my lips are sealed.” I decided to just say it: “It’s also the reason I don’t do anything about your...flirtiness. Our friend likes you, and I don’t see you like that. You’re like...a brother. A good friend.” I smiled.

Topper nodded, then reached for his bag. Confused, I leaned over, then I saw him pull out a cheese wheel.

“You want some cheese?”

I slapped my hand over my face and laughed. “Do you usually care around cheese wheels?”

He shrugged. “No. I only bring them when I’m hanging out with special people. People who are like...sisters to me. Good friends.” He winked.

I chuckled. Then I pointed at the bag on my lap. “Do you wanna get high?”

Topper dropped his cheese wheel. “Is that..?”

“Yeah, it’s weed. Oh, c’mon, hot stuff, don’t tell me you haven’t smoked before.”

He shook his head. “Usually, uh, Pogues smoke weed.” The emphasis on the word Pogues ticked me off a little. But I knew Topper didn’t know any better, so I brushed it off.

I snorted. “Well, where I’m from, everyone smokes weed. I personally don’t love doing it, but it’s a good feeling. So we’re going to, too. Unless you’re not comfortable. Or allergic.”

Topper shook his head. “No, not allergic. I’ve just never done it.”

“Right, but you’ve done coke.”

“Oh, shut up.”

I pull the tiny, black bag holding the weed out of the Ziploc and open it up. Topper, who was peering over my shoulder, threw his head back dramatically at the smell of the plant.

“Oh, gross!” He gagged. I looked at him.

“Weed itself smells fine, it’s when you smoke it does it actually smell bad. Stop being so dramatic.” I brought the bag to his face. “Here, smell it!”

Topper was hesitant, but I beckoned him closer. “Trust me, your high is gonna be really bad if you’re nervous. Just try to relax.”

He sat up and took the bag from me. Topper sniffed the bag, then sniffed it again. “It smells...minty, kind of.” I pulled out the weed grinder JJ had packed for us out and took the bag back from him.

“See? Not too bad, right?”

He shrugged. I rolled my eyes and dumped the weed into the weed grinder. Topper looked over at me curiously as I ground the bud into shake (kind of a powderish leftover), then set it aside.

Next, I pulled the paper wraps out. I stuck my hand into the bag again and felt around carefully. I hoped JJ packed a- found it- blade for me to cut the wraps with.

I began to cut the wraps vertically, lengthwise, then lifted it to my tongue and licked it just a bit so that it’d stick.

“That doesn’t seem very hygenic,” Topper said through the cheese in his mouth. I turned to face him and opened my mouth, and he broke off a piece and fed it to me.

“The weed only smells bad when you smoke it,” I explained to Topper, then lifted the blunt up to show him the finished product. “Ta-da!”

Topper’s eyes went wide. “It’s so perfectly wrapped.”

“Yeah, I dabbled in origami as a child.” I fished around for the lighter, then lit the blunt and started to twirl in between my fingers to make sure the blunt burned evenly.

I put the blunt to my lips and breathed in, feeling the smoke fill up my lungs. I breathed out, took another hit, and passed it to Topper. I pulled a water bottle out and set it down next to him. “You’re gonna need this.”

Topper took the blunt and scoffed. “I’ll be fine,” he said, and proceeded to take the tiniest drag and cough his lungs out.

I took the blunt from his hand and took a drag, then handed him the water bottle. “See?” I exhaled. “Told you you’d need it.”

“Why-” he hacked, “-did I-” hack, “agree-” hack, “-to this?”

“Because of my amazing persuasion skills.” I could start to feel the high get to me; it felt like an out-of-body experience and my head started to feel light. The only downside was the god-awful smell.

I smacked my lips together. The back of my throat was really dry, but the euphoric, light-headedness I was feeling made it better. I passed the blunt back to Topper, who took a smaller drag, held it in, and exhaled. Then he took another and handed it back to me.

Topper seemed to be getting the hang of it, and pretty soon his eyes were red and he was laughing at everything.

“Can I ask you something?” I took a drag of the blunt and handed it back to Topper.

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“What’s, like, Rafe’s deal? I hear all these shitty things about him and stuff and he doesn’t seem like that at all. Like, what’s this whole...drama shit with him and like Kiara’s Pogue friend group?”

Topper’s eyes were as wide as half-dollars when I finished my question. It made me glad he had exhaled the smoke, otherwise he’d have been coughing his lungs up for another couple minutes.

“Um, well-” he handed the blunt back to me. “It’s like- ok. The Pogues, Kiara’s friends, they’re Pogues, right?

“Well, yeah.”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, but like, what’s wrong with Pogues. Just because they’re poor doesn’t mean they don’t deserve our respect.”

“Well, yeah, but like...” Topper trailed off. “I forgot what I was gonna say.”

“You were talking about why you and the other Kooks hate Pogues.”

“Right! Yeah, ok, so it’s like...they just don’t care about anything? They have no regards for anything, they don’t have any morals, or ambition, or anything! And I don’t just mean JJ and Pope and them, I mean all of them.”

I held back a scream. “Have you considered their, uh, ‘lack of regard and amibition’ stems from the fact that they’re stuck in a cycle of poverty? It’s easy to lose hope in things getting better when everything around you tries to bring you down.”

Topper shrugged. “I guess you’re right. But like, our groups have just hated each other for so long. And it’s not like it’s just us who hate them, they hate us back!”

“Well, yeah! You- we- flaunt our wealth in front of them and treat them like trash. Like, ok, fine, we’re rich, but that doesn’t mean we have to rub it in their faces. And treat them like trash. And jump them. And-”

“OK! Ok, I get it. But like...I don’t know. Rafe, on the other hand...he...well, he isn’t like this anymore, but he always had to prove he was better than everyone. That he was the best at everything.”

I nodded. Topper kept going.

“Don’t tell him I told you this, but Mr. Cameron always put Rafe and Sarah up against each other, and Sarah always won. Sarah was the smarter one, the nicer one. She didn’t fuck up, and when she did she could fix her mistakes and get away with it. She could do whatever she wanted. Rafe...couldn’t. He’s the black sheep, the screw up.”

I tried my best to hide my surprised face. Rafe, the screw up? He seems like the perfect Kook, if there had to be one. “And he took this out on the Pogues?”

“Yeah. This plus the fact that he was raised a Kook and Kooks are- I mean, think they are- better than Pogues, made him really butt heads with them. Especially JJ.”

“JJ? Why JJ? If John B was the head of the Pogues wouldn’t Rafe butt heads with him?”

“You’d think so, but Rafe and JJ are both very- well, you’ve met them. Hotheaded. Opinionated.”

Emphasis on hot, I told myself.

Shut up.

I was about to ask more about Rafe’s childhood when Topper’s phone buzzed.

“Ah shit, it’s Kelce, he’s outside my house. I forgot him and I were supposed to play FIFA.” Topper began to stand up and put his cheese wheel away.

“Do you need me to drop you off?” I got up as well.

“Nah, he said he’s on his way. You want us to drop you off?”

I waved my hand dismissively. “No, it’s alright. I’ll stay here for a bit.”

Topper waved and jogged away, and i turned and face the ocean. I could see that the sun was starting to set- I guess we had been here for about an hour- and the sky was turning gold. Most of the clouds had dispersed, so the sight of the sun near the water was a pretty one.

I inhaled. The warm sunlight against my skin was peaceful, and I didn’t want to go home yet.

Home. The Outer Banks is a nice place to live, but a part of me longed for New York. I missed ditching school with my friends and driving around the city. And eating at my favorite restaurant at the food court of the Manhattan mall.

Yet, New York feels...wrong. So foreign, and far away. Too filled with painful memories. Watching my father die in front of me left a permanent scar somewhere deep inside of me.

Will I ever feel at home here? Or anywhere?

A cool ocean breeze swept over me, pulling me out of whatever trance I was in. I checked my phone, and saw that JJ had texted me to ask that I drop by the Chateau. I shuffled around for a minute, not wanting to leave yet. I picked up the shell Topper gave me and put it in my bag.

I stood up, dusted myself, and headed towards my car.

**************************************************************

“Ok, what did you learn from Topper?” Pope asked once we all settled down around the coffee table.

“A lot, but it really depends on this. I need to know what you guys know about Rafe and his childhood.”

We all turned to Kie. The dim orange-brownish lighting made my head hurt, especially since Kie’s back was to the light and her faced was covered in a shadow, but I managed to focus on her while she talked.

“Um, Rafe’s childhood...ok.” Kie pulled her hair up into a ponytail and rubbed her temples. “I know that Sarah and Rafe- Sarah especially- had a difficult relationship with their stepmom. Their mom, the first Mrs. Cameron, passed away when Sarah was two. So she didn’t really remember her mom, just bits and pieces you know?”

JJ, who was spread out on the couch across from me, nodded grimly. He ran his ringed fingers through his hair and had a sad look on his face. I squinted, but before I could process, Kie continued.

“Rose married Ward less than a year after Sarah and Rafe’s mom died, and then had Wheezie soon after-”

“Sorry, I just never understood what sort of name was Wheezie.” JJ laughed. I bit my lip to hold back my laughter. Couldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he’s actually funny.

“It could be short for Elizabeth or Louise or something.” I rebuttled. JJ raised an eyebrow.

“Elizabeth? For Wheezie?”

“It’s common for people to have unique nicknames for fancy names.”

“Sounds like a rich person thing.” JJ rolled his eyes. “Oh yeah, can I have my weed back now?”

I clenched my fists. Him and I were fine this morning! Why was he being like this? I pulled the Ziploc out of my backpack and threw it at his head. He caught it with one hand and winked. “Thanks, sweetheart.”

“Don’t call me sweetheart.”

“Sorry, Pillow Princess.”

“CAN YO-”

“Ok, back to what I was saying.” Kie interrupted. “Yeah, so from what I gathered, Rafe never liked Rose when they was younger. I guess he thought she was trying to replace their mom? But as he got older he just didn’t care as much? Or at least that’s what Sarah thought.”

I nodded slowly. “Ok, so like, Sarah never noticed anything weird about Rafe growing up?”

“Well she always thought of him as like, problematic? Which is clear in his behavior. And dramatic, too. He always took things too far, and she never knew why. Her best guess? His issues shifted from the mom figure to the dad.”

I nodded again. “Alright, alright. That makes sense.”

“What did you learn from Topper?” Pope took his arm off from Kie’s shoulder and leaned forward. “Did something happen in Rafe’s childhood?”

“It fits with what Kie said. I think Ward neglected him in favor of Sarah. I know I’m not a doctor, but it’s kind of obvious when you think about it; he’s fueled by rage. He’s angry because he feels like he’s never enough. He goes out of his way to try to be the best, the greatest, the biggest, all to do what?”

It was silent for a second, when I saw it click in JJ’s mind. “Praise. He’s desperate for Ward’s praise and approval.”

I snapped my fingers and pointed at him. “Exactly. A neglectful yet present paternal figure that he’s desperate for the love of, and the absence of a caring maternal figure. That plus his previous drug addiction sounds like a recipe for fucking disaster.”

When those words came out of my mouth, I could see JJ’s face drop for a second time. Kie didn’t notice, and neither did Pope, and when JJ saw me staring at him, he just looked away.

Pope said, “We know Ward favored Sarah, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have her issues- uh, no offense, Kie.” Pope gave her an apologetic look and ran his fingers through her hair.

“No worries,” Kie dismissed him. “Rose was never particularly warm to her, and regardless of if you’re the favorite, being raised by someone like Ward Cameron is going to give you some sort of damage.”

“What’s Mrs. Cameron’s deal?” I asked. “Did she hate Sarah and Rafe?”

“No, not that,” Kie said. “It’s not that she hated them, she just isn’t a warm person. I guess their relationship never progressed passed ‘dad’s wife’ and ‘husband’s kids’.”

We stayed silent for a second, collecting our thoughts. Finally, Pope said, “Ok, so we know Rafe’s, uh, past-” He put past in quotation marks, “-behavior was fueled by trauma, not solely because he’s a bad person. That helps confirm what John B had told us about Ward before he died. And it’s possible Rose is abusive, or at least knows and doesn’t care.”

“You don’t think she could be a victim?” I asked, leaning forward.

Kie snorted. “Trust me, Rose Cameron could never be a victim.” 

“So Rafe is trauma-filled, Ward is mentally abusive, and Rose is absent ...that’s good to know about Rafe, I guess, if we want to do some psycho-fucking with him or whatever, but how does that help us?” JJ jumped up off the couch and stretched.

I thought for a second, then a thought occurred to me. Then another, then a few more. I slapped my hand over my mouth. “Wait, fuck, holy shit. Oh my FUCKING GOD.” I also stood up from my seat.

“What is it?” Pope asked, getting up as well. JJ squinted and walked over to me.

“Ok, so, this theory is so out of pocket, I’m probably really wrong but it just came to me.”

“Just tell us.” JJ said.

Kiara got up to stand on my other side. “What are you thinking?”

“So Ward’s first wife died when Rafe and Sarah were young, and then like almost immediately after he got married to Rose and had another kid?” I asked.

“Yeah why- wait a second...” Pope said, eyebrows furred. Then, his eyes went huge, and I mean huge. “You don’t think..?”

“What?” JJ asked, then turned to me. “What is it?”

“What is Ward and Rose were having an affair and killed Rafe and Sarah’s mom?” I asked. Kiara gasped.

“Ward and Rose were both from the Cut! They could have been, like, childhood lovers, which could have explained why Ward ‘moved on so fast’.

Pope added, “And because Ward wasn’t rich before, that could explain the lack of a prenup. So when he got rich and his wife found out he had an affair...”

“He offed her before she could divorce him and take the money!” JJ finished, covering his hands with his mouth. “Ok, that is super far-fetched, BUT, considering everything that happened, I would not be surprised if this ended up being true.”

“So, what are we supposed to do? If this is true, this is a crime from years ago. How would we even be able to solve this?” Kiara rubs her temples.

“I don’t know, but it’s worth a shot, right? I can still try to sneak into Ward’s office to try and find something.” I offered.

“That was part of the original plan, but now the stakes are higher...what if you get caught?” Pope asked.

I shrugged. “I’m in too deep anyway. And this isn’t about me, it’s about Sarah and John B. They deserve justice. They don’t deserve to have died for nothing.”

Kiara smiled at me and gave me a hug. “You are awesome.” She pulled away and hugged Pope, squealing. “Finally! We can bring that fucker Ward to his knees.”

Pope kissed Kie, and right then, Mal texted me asking me to pick up some yogurt on my way home. “Ah, I should probably get going.” I said. “See you guys tomorrow?” I asked.

“Yeah!” Pope and Kie smiled. I waved, then went to grab my stuff while Kie and Pope went off to talk about something.

As I was heading for the door, I felt someone grab my arm. I spun around and looked up to see JJ glancing around nervously.

“Hey, uh, thank you.” He mumbled quietly. He cleared his throat and looked me right in the eyes to say: “Thank you.”

I didn’t know what to say. “Is this about this morning?”

He opened his mouth, then closed it again, then ran his hands through his messy, longish blond hair. He was still wearing the same clothes as yesterday. “Yeah. And right now.”

We were quiet for a second. I didn’t look at his eyes; rather, I was trying to look at the floor, or something below his eye level, but I could feel him trying to look into my eyes. He kept speaking.

“We were all in a kinda shitty place before this and we had no idea how to go about any of it. So, thanks, Kook.”

I sighed and rubbed my forehead. “Here you go with the Kook stuff again. You’re welcome, your Pogueness.” I bowed dramatically.

JJ scoffed. “Oh shut up! God, you’re so annoying.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I lightly kicked his shin. “See you, blond.”

“Bye, Kook.”

*************************************

me: i’m back and i won’t take a hiatus again! also me: ...

but for real, i’m out of school soon which means YAY more chapters. however, i should note that i will most likely not be following the plot of season 2 of OBX, since ik it’s releasing soon. my fic is my interpretation of what i would like season 2 to be, so it’s solely based on season 1

[house-of-crows]

Finally Processing Last June

You TRAUMATIZED me.

Nearly a year later, and the first time I’ve REALLY let myself grieve... cry about it, mourn, away from the house away from you.... and I’m starting to realize those lingering pulling sensations aren’t love. And it’s not hatred. 

It’s fucking TRAUMA. 

So let’s address it. 

4/24/2019. 

The day I got my T letter and the very first vial. You sat with me in the fucking office of my endocrinologist and watched me shiver and shake and bawl my fucking eyes out because I really wasn’t expecting to get it that day. We both knew it was going to happen, she’d said it was going to happen, but I didn’t LET myself believe it AND YOU FUCKING KNEW WHY.

I told you, again, that day that I was terrified of getting the rug pulled out from under me. I told you, again, on the way to Target, that I thought I was dreaming. I’d been fighting since I came out for this, one way or another. I’d wrestled with myself, and my partners, and the state of Texas. I did everything in my power, and it wasn’t enough, and then I chose moving in with YOU over moving to fucking California, and fuck~ here it finally fucking was. 

5/7/2019. My first shot. Tuesday night. I remember Villains pt 2 was playing. I was shaking, I was panicking, and you gave me the shot. Helped calm me down after, told me how well I did. I wanted to skip work, but I didn’t. 

Two weeks later and you were DEMANDING I go with you to therapy. 

---

6/5/2019 You told me you were having doubts. That you needed time and space to figure things out.  I took off my ring. It didn’t feel right, somehow. I started wearing it on a chain instead... just like you did. ---

6/7/2019 Therapy session. I thought it went ok, but there was doubt. I didn’t know how to combat it. She was asking leading questions, favoring you, making me out to be unreasonable for having touch as my major love language. I think you’d already decided you were completely asexual, and didn’t want to tell me. You kept stumbling around it, saying shit about mirrors and how you didn’t have desire of your own, you just “borrowed your partner’s.”  I didn’t know how to tell you I’d already put the first payment on a ring. how when there’d been light at the end of my transitory tunnel I’d decided I wanted to propose after top surgery when I FINALLY looked like myself... and ask if maybe, just maybe, we could have our commitment on our three year anniversary.  I never got the chance.

---

6/18/2019 The first of many panic attacks to come. I left work early, walked home in the dark. I was aching, and limping, and I barely got home before you did. I hated myself for how my heart yanked when I saw you pull in. 

I still do.

---

6/22/2019 I spent the day on my bike, trying to avoid you. Trying to avoid everyone and everything. I had three major breakdowns on the lake. I didn’t want to go back to Texas without my name change, and I knew I couldn’t stay in Minnesota without a major change. I was stuck, I was trapped, and gods I was so, so fucking scared.... and the one person I thought I would ALWAYS be able to count on was the one shoving me away.

---

6/23/2019 You told me that you thought I’d murder you; “wake up with a knife to my throat” if you’d ever said anything bad about my transition. Told me you “knew it was irrational” but the fear I saw in your eyes fucking BROKE me, again. 

I’d never yelled at you. Never lifted my hand to you. Went out of my way to tell you when I knew I was being angry, or irrational, or afraid... suppressed my wilder emotions, did my best not to be possessive, or needy, or jealous, to let you choose and keep your own friends not to intrude on those spaces so you had things that were YOURS- 

And it wasn’t enough.  It was never enough. I wasn’t enough.  Not good enough for the other half of my soul.... the one I bled poetry for. Ripped open my wounds and eviscerated myself to deal with the trauma and HEAL and it wasn’t fucking enough. Told you things I hadn’t told anyone, so you could really say you had informed consent before getting into a relationship with me.  ...wrote you love songs.

I should have left the first time you laughed. fuck why didn’t i. I don’t know... I think I should have.  I wish I had.

---

6/25/2019 You trapped me in the car on the way home from Mayo. I was in shock. I wasn’t processing any of it.... just that you were breaking up with me FOR GOOD. You made your decision, it was final, and you wanted me gone. It was real, and it was permanent, and you didn’t want to try anything else. That was the first night I slept on the couch. I wished I’d had the strength to do something, anything, to change your mind.

---

6/27/2019 One of my final appointments for my knee injury. I took you out to a nice late lunch/early dinner. I don’t know what fucking possessed me... I wanted to feel NORMAL.

---

6/29/2019 I asked for a reprieve.  Nowhere was open and there was nowhere for me to go that I could afford. Six weeks... just six weeks, to get my papers and try to get out.

If only it had been that easy.

Somewhere, you shoved me into the basement because you didn’t want to look at me anymore. It was like living in a dungeon. Every single time I fell asleep there, on a stack of foam mattress toppers and random bullshit, I remembered that we were going to turn it into our den. Bright colors, soft things, warmth. Family.  I laid in the half-light from those stupid leftover curtains and wished like hell I could actually cry. I just felt numb in a never ending cycle of panic and fear and numb. Somewhere in there, I called the crisis hotline, looking for a way out.... knowing if I stayed, I was going to kill myself.

You fucking broke me.

---

7/1/2019

Met up with C for lunch. Discussed a lot of things, took my mind off you. It was... not good. But it was better.

---

7/3/2019 Another therapy appointment.  I still wonder if she told you to break up with me. Told you “it’s ok, there’s statistics to back you up~” just based on the shit you told me over those weeks. She told me I should have expected this.  She told me that I should have known better than to transition. The therapist you chose said that to my face.... and asked me again if I was sure I wasn’t really a girl.

I see Breakaway at Ed’s, and dance with C and the Realm. We spend time on the river. Something bit me. Less than 36 hours later my entire arm is numb and I can’t feel anything. 

I end up in the ER, and only by the grace of Sammi... because you didn’t want to help, and you didn’t even want to let them use your car at first. I started to hate you, then.

---

7/15/2019 The first “ok” day I’ve had since the breakup and it was speak with C at 3 pipes. Still upset, still angry, struggling to find my peace. 

---

7/17/2019 Queer Dance Party at Ed’s. I feel free, for the first time in too fucking long. I dance with C and Cam, and something finally slots into place. I’m safe, and I have people who care about me. I spend the night being held, safe, and cared for.

---

7/19/2019 You try to give me an ultimatum. I want to hurt you, like I’ve been hurt, but all I do is go back to the basement. It’s easier, but I’m wishing for the safety and comfort of Anywhere But Here. I ask for my rings back. You seem pissed off that I want them... but fuck if I’ll leave that symbol in your hands when you’ve ripped out my heart so many times over the past two months, with not a single sign of remorse.

I call the Realm.  They agree that I can move in.

---

7/23/2019 My first actual rave, and damn it I looked GOOD.

---

7/25/2019 I was breaking. Shattering under the weight of it all. Struggling to get out, trying to find literally ANYWHERE that would accept me for as long as it would take to get my fucking name changed and actually get back to Texas. I tried so fucking hard to find an AirBnB or a hotel that wouldn’t take my entire top surgery fund. It didn’t seem like you cared at all. You just wanted me gone.

I wanted my life back... ANY life back. And if I couldn’t have the old one, damn it I was going to MAKE one.

---

8/15/2019

My hearing. My name change.

It felt like a hollow victory. We were supposed to be celebrating... you looked like you couldn’t wait to get away from me. I wish it had been anyone there but you... your presence mades me sick, now.

---

8/16/2019

I had my labs at Mayo. C took me instead. I was grateful... but I was shaking in the endocrinologist’s office. How did my life go to pieces so fucking quickly? HOW? 

She asked me if I felt safe at home, and I honestly had no answer. 

Where even was home, anyway?

---

8/21/2019 Last day at the old job, and I swore I was going home to Duke.... and then the bitchy roommate moved out, and there was an empty room. It’s decided no, I will go VISIT Duke, and I will be staying right here in Winona.

I spend the night at Ed’s again, and see Ivory James and Anthony Worden and it was everything I needed right then.

---

9/22/2019

Dev comes to pick me up, and we ride on wings of Nahko Bear and Vienna Teng back down to Texas. I even drove a little bit, fancy that~ And I could feel the Morrígan’s wings spread around me... carrying me.

---

9/25-10/2/2019

I am with Duke, and the cats, and I got to see my friends, AND I got a new piercing. I came come to The Realm, spent time with the Goddess, and started rebuilding my sense of self worth, and unpacking a life. Again.

---

The fall was full of more music, more dancing, learning Flow Art, and picking up; and dropping; a few new lovers. Healing myself in the embrace of others who did, actually, want me. And made it VERY CLEAR that they wanted me.

I’m lucky enough that one of them STILL wants me.

---

Winter passed... I went hiking. I delved deeper into my spirituality. and I felt the Wheel turning under and around me. I’m still standing, fuck you.

---

I was part of a drag show. I dyed my hair. I picked up new skills. I celebrated the Solstice. I started a new job. I got health insurance. I put my life back together and I did it on my own two feet and FUCK YOU for trying to make me feel less. 

FUCK YOU for trying to make me feel needy, and over sexual. 

FUCK YOU for trying to make me out to be an abusive asshole for DARING to need my romantic partner in a physical way.

FUCK YOU for trying to make out my kinks to be abusive.

FUCK YOU for trying to imply that I would ever harm someone on purpose for SAYING SOMETHING TO ME.

FUCK YOU for literally every fucking thing you put me through you FUCKING ASSHOLE.

---

Maybe I won’t really heal until I leave Winona.

Maybe I don’t get to do more than exist until then.

But I’m still going to try.

[jeremystrele]

Allswell Review: Is The Allswell The Best Bed-In-A-Box Budget Option?

This article is sponsored by Allswell. While our team received this product free of cost, the opinions and statements below are those of our writer’s experience. Freshome may collect a share of sales from the links on this page.

Did you know that we spend about a third of our lives sleeping? With numbers like those, it’s no surprise that most of us want to invest in a mattress that’s comfy-yet-supportive. However, affordability also has to be a concern. That’s where the bed-in-a-box mattress craze – and the Allswell – come into play.

I’ve had a bed-in-a-box before and, to be honest, I wasn’t impressed. So when Allswell contacted me about the opportunity to try out their namesake offering, I jumped at the chance. I wanted to see once and for all if these budget options are worth it or if it’s better to just save your pennies for the real thing.

Here’s how it went:

The Allswell is Walmart’s answer to the bed-in-a-box trend. Image: Allswell

What is Allswell?

Allswell is a design-centric home brand under the helm of Walmart. This online-only retailer is meant to be a one-stop shop for all your bedding needs. In addition to the mattresses that we’ll be discussing in this article, Allswell also offers several collections of bedding, all of which were designed by lifestyle experts like HGTV host Genevieve Gorder. Plus, they’re totally Instagram-worthy.

But aesthetics aside, Allswell is concentrated on bringing you quality sleep products at a fraction of the normal price. The brand’s mission statement says it all: “We believe that a luxurious sleep experience shouldn’t come at a luxury price.”

Right now, there are two distinct Allswell products. Image: Allswell

Your Allswell purchase options

The Allswell line has gone through a few changes since its inception in February 2018. As of right now, they offer two distinct options: the Allswell and the Allswell Luxe Hybrid. Here are some specs on each model:

The Allswell

$245 – $420, depending on size

10″ thick

Hybrid foam and coil technology

High-performance memory foams

Individually wrapped coils

CertiPUR-US® certified foams

The Allswell Luxe Hybrid

$295 – $745, depending on size

12″ thick

Hybrid foam and coil technology

High-performance memory foams

Individually wrapped coils

CertiPUR-US® certified foams

Built-in plush topper

Cool-to-the-touch top layer

It’s worth noting that both Allswell offerings come with a 100-night free trial period and a 10-year limited warranty, so if you’re skeptical about buying a bed-in-a-box, the company has your back.

The Allswell set-up process

For my review, I was given the basic Allswell option. But no matter which product you ultimately end up choosing, Allswell is committed to making the set-up process as easy as possible.

For $99, the company offers a “White Glove Service,” which means they will send someone to your home to set the mattress up for you. If you choose to waive your right to the 100-night trial period, they will also remove your old mattress for free. However, if you want to hang onto your trial period, they’ll still take care of your old mattress for an additional $49.

Normally, I’m all for convenience services like these, but this time, I wanted to give you an honest picture of what set-up might look like so I opted out and chose to set up my own mattress instead.

The packaging

Within a few days of ordering, a box arrived at my door that looked like this:

The Allswell comes packaged in one neat box.

In case you can’t read it from the picture above, the box comes with a warning.

The warning is true. It’s heavier than it looks.

It says, “BE CAREFUL: I’m heavier than I look.” The warning is true. This sucker is heavy.

I’m not very strong, and I had two people helping me move this mattress up a flight of stairs to my room and it wasn’t easy. I’d say you’d need at least two people to move it. Otherwise, it may be worth investing in the “White Glove” service.

The set-up

Once we got it upstairs, the next step was to check out what was in the box.

The mattress comes all wrapped up in a little tube.

The mattress comes wrapped up in a little vacuum-sealed tube like this.

One interesting thing about my experience was that the mattress was the only thing inside the box. There were no instructions or anything else.

In doing research for this article, I’ve gathered that other reviewers also received instructions and a cutting tool, aimed at helping you open the packaging without accidentally puncturing the mattress inside. I didn’t see anything like that in my box, but it could have been a fluke.

Luckily, I was able to cut through the packaging just fine with scissors and no puncture wounds were sustained. Once you unseal the packaging, this happens:

The mattress will begin to inflate as soon as you open it.

The mattress began to inflate pretty much as soon as it was unsealed.

When reading the instructions online later – again, there were no instructions in the box – I learned that I was supposed to have placed the tube in the middle of my bedframe before unsealing it. I imagine that this would have made positioning the mattress even easier, but we were able to lift it on without much of an issue.

When it’s all set, it looks like this:

The Allswell, out of the box.

The waiting period

I’ve had bed-in-a-box mattresses before so I knew that they usually need some time to inflate fully before you can sleep on them. I suspected that the Allswell would be the same way, so I did a little digging online.

I was right. On the Allswell website, it says that the mattress should inflate fully within a few minutes of opening, but that the process could take up to 48 hours.

In the end, I chose to wait for the full 48 hours before sleeping on the mattress – and I was glad I did.

The Allswell, fully inflated.

Hopefully, you can see the difference between this picture and the one above, but I’d say the mattress inflated at least an inch over the two days that I left it to rise.

From there, it was just a matter of putting sheets on and getting ready for bed.

Ready for testing.

The Allswell sleep experience

For my review, I decided to break my mattress experience down into a few, frequently-tested categories. They are:

Firmness and feel

The Allswell is a hybrid memory foam mattress and it certainly sleeps like one. At 4’11” and 104 lbs, I’m smaller than average, but I still sank into the mattress just enough to feel cradled by it. To me, it’s on the softer end of the firmness scale, but I’ve never had a memory foam mattress before, so take that with a grain of salt. That said, I didn’t have any problems sleeping on the mattress and, after about a week, I got used to the feel of the foam topper.

I’m a chronic stomach sleeper, which is probably why I prefer a firmer mattress, but in an effort to give you a thorough review, I made a point of sleeping in a few different positions.

Side sleepers, whose positioning is particularly rough on the joints, will be happy to know that the Allswell provides more-than-sufficient support for your hips, knees and shoulders. I tend to have back pain when I spend all night on my side and, notably, I didn’t this time. Back sleepers, on the other hand, should know that while you do feel cradled by the mattress, I didn’t experience that stuck-in-the-mud feeling that sometimes occurs when sleeping on a super soft mattress.

Motion isolation

Motion isolation refers to how much you can feel your partner’s movements from the other side of the bed. Ideally, a mattress will isolate motion well and your sleep won’t be disturbed if your partner gets up in the middle of the night.

Luckily, the new person I’m dating was kind enough to come over and help me test the Allswell out. All in all, it performed very well. I couldn’t feel small movements like shifting weight at all and could only feel changes of position lightly. I was even able to get out of bed without stirring them.

Edge support

I feel like the edge support test was tailor-made for me. This is essentially an evaluation of how well the mattress springs back after you put your full weight on its edges. I mostly sleep on the very edge of my mattress and I sit on it to get dressed most mornings. Needless to say, my mattress’s edge support gets a workout.

Unfortunately, I did start to notice some slight sloping in the area where I tend to put most of my body weight. It may just be my mattress, but if your mattress edges also put in a lot of hard time, you may want to go with a mattress that has more reinforcement.

Heat retention

I’m one of those people who is always cold, so I’m probably not the best person to be speaking on heat retention. That said, I didn’t have any problems with feeling hot in the middle of the night. However, if you really prefer to feel cool while you sleep, you may want to look into the Luxe Hybrid model. That one comes with a cool-to-the-touch top layer that allows for better airflow.

Off-gassing

Off-gassing, for those who don’t know, is an industry term for a certain odor that is sometimes an unpleasant side effect of bed-in-a-box mattresses. It comes from the way the foam is made, how long it’s left to cure and how long it is in the package. Fortunately, I didn’t have any issue with a smell, especially after I let the mattress sit for two days before using it. However, for those who do, the smell is supposed to disappear within a few days.

Durability

Since the Allswell has only been on the market for less than a year and I’ve only had my model for a few weeks, it’s hard to take a guess at how well the mattress will hold up in the long run. That being said, other than the one spot along the edge of the mattress, I haven’t seen or felt any beginning signs of sagging since I got my mattress.

The Allswell is an above average mattress option, especially for the price. Image: Allswell

The bottom line

All in all, the Allswell is an above average mattress option, especially when you take the price into account. It performed well in nearly all the areas that I tested. Though it is a little soft for me, personally, I’m going to keep it. It honestly did change my negative opinion on bed-in-a-box mattresses. I would recommend it to anyone who’s in the market.

The post Allswell Review: Is The Allswell The Best Bed-In-A-Box Budget Option? appeared first on Freshome.com.

[owensrhodes]

Allswell Review: Is The Allswell The Best Bed-In-A-Box Budget Option?

This article is sponsored by Allswell. While our team received this product free of cost, the opinions and statements below are those of our writer’s experience. Freshome may collect a share of sales from the links on this page.

Did you know that we spend about a third of our lives sleeping? With numbers like those, it’s no surprise that most of us want to invest in a mattress that’s comfy-yet-supportive. However, affordability also has to be a concern. That’s where the bed-in-a-box mattress craze – and the Allswell – come into play.

I’ve had a bed-in-a-box before and, to be honest, I wasn’t impressed. So when Allswell contacted me about the opportunity to try out their namesake offering, I jumped at the chance. I wanted to see once and for all if these budget options are worth it or if it’s better to just save your pennies for the real thing.

Here’s how it went:

The Allswell is Walmart’s answer to the bed-in-a-box trend. Image: Allswell

What is Allswell?

Allswell is a design-centric home brand under the helm of Walmart. This online-only retailer is meant to be a one-stop shop for all your bedding needs. In addition to the mattresses that we’ll be discussing in this article, Allswell also offers several collections of bedding, all of which were designed by lifestyle experts like HGTV host Genevieve Gorder. Plus, they’re totally Instagram-worthy.

But aesthetics aside, Allswell is concentrated on bringing you quality sleep products at a fraction of the normal price. The brand’s mission statement says it all: “We believe that a luxurious sleep experience shouldn’t come at a luxury price.”

Right now, there are two distinct Allswell products. Image: Allswell

Your Allswell purchase options

The Allswell line has gone through a few changes since its inception in February 2018. As of right now, they offer two distinct options: the Allswell and the Allswell Luxe Hybrid. Here are some specs on each model:

The Allswell

$245 – $420, depending on size

10″ thick

Hybrid foam and coil technology

High-performance memory foams

Individually wrapped coils

CertiPUR-US® certified foams

The Allswell Luxe Hybrid

$295 – $745, depending on size

12″ thick

Hybrid foam and coil technology

High-performance memory foams

Individually wrapped coils

CertiPUR-US® certified foams

Built-in plush topper

Cool-to-the-touch top layer

It’s worth noting that both Allswell offerings come with a 100-night free trial period and a 10-year limited warranty, so if you’re skeptical about buying a bed-in-a-box, the company has your back.

The Allswell set-up process

For my review, I was given the basic Allswell option. But no matter which product you ultimately end up choosing, Allswell is committed to making the set-up process as easy as possible.

For $99, the company offers a “White Glove Service,” which means they will send someone to your home to set the mattress up for you. If you choose to waive your right to the 100-night trial period, they will also remove your old mattress for free. However, if you want to hang onto your trial period, they’ll still take care of your old mattress for an additional $49.

Normally, I’m all for convenience services like these, but this time, I wanted to give you an honest picture of what set-up might look like so I opted out and chose to set up my own mattress instead.

The packaging

Within a few days of ordering, a box arrived at my door that looked like this:

The Allswell comes packaged in one neat box.

In case you can’t read it from the picture above, the box comes with a warning.

The warning is true. It’s heavier than it looks.

It says, “BE CAREFUL: I’m heavier than I look.” The warning is true. This sucker is heavy.

I’m not very strong, and I had two people helping me move this mattress up a flight of stairs to my room and it wasn’t easy. I’d say you’d need at least two people to move it. Otherwise, it may be worth investing in the “White Glove” service.

The set-up

Once we got it upstairs, the next step was to check out what was in the box.

The mattress comes all wrapped up in a little tube.

The mattress comes wrapped up in a little vacuum-sealed tube like this.

One interesting thing about my experience was that the mattress was the only thing inside the box. There were no instructions or anything else.

In doing research for this article, I’ve gathered that other reviewers also received instructions and a cutting tool, aimed at helping you open the packaging without accidentally puncturing the mattress inside. I didn’t see anything like that in my box, but it could have been a fluke.

Luckily, I was able to cut through the packaging just fine with scissors and no puncture wounds were sustained. Once you unseal the packaging, this happens:

The mattress will begin to inflate as soon as you open it.

The mattress began to inflate pretty much as soon as it was unsealed.

When reading the instructions online later – again, there were no instructions in the box – I learned that I was supposed to have placed the tube in the middle of my bedframe before unsealing it. I imagine that this would have made positioning the mattress even easier, but we were able to lift it on without much of an issue.

When it’s all set, it looks like this:

The Allswell, out of the box.

The waiting period

I’ve had bed-in-a-box mattresses before so I knew that they usually need some time to inflate fully before you can sleep on them. I suspected that the Allswell would be the same way, so I did a little digging online.

I was right. On the Allswell website, it says that the mattress should inflate fully within a few minutes of opening, but that the process could take up to 48 hours.

In the end, I chose to wait for the full 48 hours before sleeping on the mattress – and I was glad I did.

The Allswell, fully inflated.

Hopefully, you can see the difference between this picture and the one above, but I’d say the mattress inflated at least an inch over the two days that I left it to rise.

From there, it was just a matter of putting sheets on and getting ready for bed.

Ready for testing.

The Allswell sleep experience

For my review, I decided to break my mattress experience down into a few, frequently-tested categories. They are:

Firmness and feel

The Allswell is a hybrid memory foam mattress and it certainly sleeps like one. At 4’11” and 104 lbs, I’m smaller than average, but I still sank into the mattress just enough to feel cradled by it. To me, it’s on the softer end of the firmness scale, but I’ve never had a memory foam mattress before, so take that with a grain of salt. That said, I didn’t have any problems sleeping on the mattress and, after about a week, I got used to the feel of the foam topper.

I’m a chronic stomach sleeper, which is probably why I prefer a firmer mattress, but in an effort to give you a thorough review, I made a point of sleeping in a few different positions.

Side sleepers, whose positioning is particularly rough on the joints, will be happy to know that the Allswell provides more-than-sufficient support for your hips, knees and shoulders. I tend to have back pain when I spend all night on my side and, notably, I didn’t this time. Back sleepers, on the other hand, should know that while you do feel cradled by the mattress, I didn’t experience that stuck-in-the-mud feeling that sometimes occurs when sleeping on a super soft mattress.

Motion isolation

Motion isolation refers to how much you can feel your partner’s movements from the other side of the bed. Ideally, a mattress will isolate motion well and your sleep won’t be disturbed if your partner gets up in the middle of the night.

Luckily, the new person I’m dating was kind enough to come over and help me test the Allswell out. All in all, it performed very well. I couldn’t feel small movements like shifting weight at all and could only feel changes of position lightly. I was even able to get out of bed without stirring them.

Edge support

I feel like the edge support test was tailor-made for me. This is essentially an evaluation of how well the mattress springs back after you put your full weight on its edges. I mostly sleep on the very edge of my mattress and I sit on it to get dressed most mornings. Needless to say, my mattress’s edge support gets a workout.

Unfortunately, I did start to notice some slight sloping in the area where I tend to put most of my body weight. It may just be my mattress, but if your mattress edges also put in a lot of hard time, you may want to go with a mattress that has more reinforcement.

Heat retention

I’m one of those people who is always cold, so I’m probably not the best person to be speaking on heat retention. That said, I didn’t have any problems with feeling hot in the middle of the night. However, if you really prefer to feel cool while you sleep, you may want to look into the Luxe Hybrid model. That one comes with a cool-to-the-touch top layer that allows for better airflow.

Off-gassing

Off-gassing, for those who don’t know, is an industry term for a certain odor that is sometimes an unpleasant side effect of bed-in-a-box mattresses. It comes from the way the foam is made, how long it’s left to cure and how long it is in the package. Fortunately, I didn’t have any issue with a smell, especially after I let the mattress sit for two days before using it. However, for those who do, the smell is supposed to disappear within a few days.

Durability

Since the Allswell has only been on the market for less than a year and I’ve only had my model for a few weeks, it’s hard to take a guess at how well the mattress will hold up in the long run. That being said, other than the one spot along the edge of the mattress, I haven’t seen or felt any beginning signs of sagging since I got my mattress.

The Allswell is an above average mattress option, especially for the price. Image: Allswell

The bottom line

All in all, the Allswell is an above average mattress option, especially when you take the price into account. It performed well in nearly all the areas that I tested. Though it is a little soft for me, personally, I’m going to keep it. It honestly did change my negative opinion on bed-in-a-box mattresses. I would recommend it to anyone who’s in the market.

The post Allswell Review: Is The Allswell The Best Bed-In-A-Box Budget Option? appeared first on Freshome.com.

[cessanderson]

Allswell Review: Is The Allswell The Best Bed-In-A-Box Budget Option? https://ift.tt/2E5hHdk

This article is sponsored by Allswell. While our team received this product free of cost, the opinions and statements below are those of our writer’s experience. Freshome may collect a share of sales from the links on this page.

Did you know that we spend about a third of our lives sleeping? With numbers like those, it’s no surprise that most of us want to invest in a mattress that’s comfy-yet-supportive. However, affordability also has to be a concern. That’s where the bed-in-a-box mattress craze – and the Allswell – come into play.

I’ve had a bed-in-a-box before and, to be honest, I wasn’t impressed. So when Allswell contacted me about the opportunity to try out their namesake offering, I jumped at the chance. I wanted to see once and for all if these budget options are worth it or if it’s better to just save your pennies for the real thing.

Here’s how it went:

The Allswell is Walmart’s answer to the bed-in-a-box trend. Image: Allswell

What is Allswell?

Allswell is a design-centric home brand under the helm of Walmart. This online-only retailer is meant to be a one-stop shop for all your bedding needs. In addition to the mattresses that we’ll be discussing in this article, Allswell also offers several collections of bedding, all of which were designed by lifestyle experts like HGTV host Genevieve Gorder. Plus, they’re totally Instagram-worthy.

But aesthetics aside, Allswell is concentrated on bringing you quality sleep products at a fraction of the normal price. The brand’s mission statement says it all: “We believe that a luxurious sleep experience shouldn’t come at a luxury price.”

Right now, there are two distinct Allswell products. Image: Allswell

Your Allswell purchase options

The Allswell line has gone through a few changes since its inception in February 2018. As of right now, they offer two distinct options: the Allswell and the Allswell Luxe Hybrid. Here are some specs on each model:

The Allswell

$245 – $420, depending on size

10″ thick

Hybrid foam and coil technology

High-performance memory foams

Individually wrapped coils

CertiPUR-US® certified foams

The Allswell Luxe Hybrid

$295 – $745, depending on size

12″ thick

Hybrid foam and coil technology

High-performance memory foams

Individually wrapped coils

CertiPUR-US® certified foams

Built-in plush topper

Cool-to-the-touch top layer

It’s worth noting that both Allswell offerings come with a 100-night free trial period and a 10-year limited warranty, so if you’re skeptical about buying a bed-in-a-box, the company has your back.

The Allswell set-up process

For my review, I was given the basic Allswell option. But no matter which product you ultimately end up choosing, Allswell is committed to making the set-up process as easy as possible.

For $99, the company offers a “White Glove Service,” which means they will send someone to your home to set the mattress up for you. If you choose to waive your right to the 100-night trial period, they will also remove your old mattress for free. However, if you want to hang onto your trial period, they’ll still take care of your old mattress for an additional $49.

Normally, I’m all for convenience services like these, but this time, I wanted to give you an honest picture of what set-up might look like so I opted out and chose to set up my own mattress instead.

The packaging

Within a few days of ordering, a box arrived at my door that looked like this:

The Allswell comes packaged in one neat box.

In case you can’t read it from the picture above, the box comes with a warning.

The warning is true. It’s heavier than it looks.

It says, “BE CAREFUL: I’m heavier than I look.” The warning is true. This sucker is heavy.

I’m not very strong, and I had two people helping me move this mattress up a flight of stairs to my room and it wasn’t easy. I’d say you’d need at least two people to move it. Otherwise, it may be worth investing in the “White Glove” service.

The set-up

Once we got it upstairs, the next step was to check out what was in the box.

The mattress comes all wrapped up in a little tube.

The mattress comes wrapped up in a little vacuum-sealed tube like this.

One interesting thing about my experience was that the mattress was the only thing inside the box. There were no instructions or anything else.

In doing research for this article, I’ve gathered that other reviewers also received instructions and a cutting tool, aimed at helping you open the packaging without accidentally puncturing the mattress inside. I didn’t see anything like that in my box, but it could have been a fluke.

Luckily, I was able to cut through the packaging just fine with scissors and no puncture wounds were sustained. Once you unseal the packaging, this happens:

The mattress will begin to inflate as soon as you open it.

The mattress began to inflate pretty much as soon as it was unsealed.

When reading the instructions online later – again, there were no instructions in the box – I learned that I was supposed to have placed the tube in the middle of my bedframe before unsealing it. I imagine that this would have made positioning the mattress even easier, but we were able to lift it on without much of an issue.

When it’s all set, it looks like this:

The Allswell, out of the box.

The waiting period

I’ve had bed-in-a-box mattresses before so I knew that they usually need some time to inflate fully before you can sleep on them. I suspected that the Allswell would be the same way, so I did a little digging online.

I was right. On the Allswell website, it says that the mattress should inflate fully within a few minutes of opening, but that the process could take up to 48 hours.

In the end, I chose to wait for the full 48 hours before sleeping on the mattress – and I was glad I did.

The Allswell, fully inflated.

Hopefully, you can see the difference between this picture and the one above, but I’d say the mattress inflated at least an inch over the two days that I left it to rise.

From there, it was just a matter of putting sheets on and getting ready for bed.

Ready for testing.

The Allswell sleep experience

For my review, I decided to break my mattress experience down into a few, frequently-tested categories. They are:

Firmness and feel

The Allswell is a hybrid memory foam mattress and it certainly sleeps like one. At 4’11” and 104 lbs, I’m smaller than average, but I still sank into the mattress just enough to feel cradled by it. To me, it’s on the softer end of the firmness scale, but I’ve never had a memory foam mattress before, so take that with a grain of salt. That said, I didn’t have any problems sleeping on the mattress and, after about a week, I got used to the feel of the foam topper.

I’m a chronic stomach sleeper, which is probably why I prefer a firmer mattress, but in an effort to give you a thorough review, I made a point of sleeping in a few different positions.

Side sleepers, whose positioning is particularly rough on the joints, will be happy to know that the Allswell provides more-than-sufficient support for your hips, knees and shoulders. I tend to have back pain when I spend all night on my side and, notably, I didn’t this time. Back sleepers, on the other hand, should know that while you do feel cradled by the mattress, I didn’t experience that stuck-in-the-mud feeling that sometimes occurs when sleeping on a super soft mattress.

Motion isolation

Motion isolation refers to how much you can feel your partner’s movements from the other side of the bed. Ideally, a mattress will isolate motion well and your sleep won’t be disturbed if your partner gets up in the middle of the night.

Luckily, the new person I’m dating was kind enough to come over and help me test the Allswell out. All in all, it performed very well. I couldn’t feel small movements like shifting weight at all and could only feel changes of position lightly. I was even able to get out of bed without stirring them.

Edge support

I feel like the edge support test was tailor-made for me. This is essentially an evaluation of how well the mattress springs back after you put your full weight on its edges. I mostly sleep on the very edge of my mattress and I sit on it to get dressed most mornings. Needless to say, my mattress’s edge support gets a workout.

Unfortunately, I did start to notice some slight sloping in the area where I tend to put most of my body weight. It may just be my mattress, but if your mattress edges also put in a lot of hard time, you may want to go with a mattress that has more reinforcement.

Heat retention

I’m one of those people who is always cold, so I’m probably not the best person to be speaking on heat retention. That said, I didn’t have any problems with feeling hot in the middle of the night. However, if you really prefer to feel cool while you sleep, you may want to look into the Luxe Hybrid model. That one comes with a cool-to-the-touch top layer that allows for better airflow.

Off-gassing

Off-gassing, for those who don’t know, is an industry term for a certain odor that is sometimes an unpleasant side effect of bed-in-a-box mattresses. It comes from the way the foam is made, how long it’s left to cure and how long it is in the package. Fortunately, I didn’t have any issue with a smell, especially after I let the mattress sit for two days before using it. However, for those who do, the smell is supposed to disappear within a few days.

Durability

Since the Allswell has only been on the market for less than a year and I’ve only had my model for a few weeks, it’s hard to take a guess at how well the mattress will hold up in the long run. That being said, other than the one spot along the edge of the mattress, I haven’t seen or felt any beginning signs of sagging since I got my mattress.

The Allswell is an above average mattress option, especially for the price. Image: Allswell

The bottom line

All in all, the Allswell is an above average mattress option, especially when you take the price into account. It performed well in nearly all the areas that I tested. Though it is a little soft for me, personally, I’m going to keep it. It honestly did change my negative opinion on bed-in-a-box mattresses. I would recommend it to anyone who’s in the market.

The post Allswell Review: Is The Allswell The Best Bed-In-A-Box Budget Option? appeared first on Freshome.com.

Tara Mastroeni