#but no one has really tackled benji as far as i know

[nodominion]

I'm gonna need each one of you that voted for Benji to give me at least 10,000 words exploring his inner person and character, please, thanks.

[mintyvan]

Pacifier - Benji Spinoff

filling the requests “OMG I would sell my soul for that Benji spin off" + “are u sure u write all the lids cause... where’s benji” + you and benji are dating but you’re trying hard to keep it under wraps + straightening benji’s hair for @vanfictionforall 

author’s note Originally I had written the first third of this for a song preference, and someone mentioned a spinoff, and I was like... finally, I can do the Benji fic. A big soz to @vanfictionforall for having the Benji request in my inbox for literally a year - girl, I don’t even know if you have a blog anymore, but if you do, hope you see this! I finally got around to it. 

_______________________ 

She said “I’m feeling like it’s putting on When you say you don’t need me And you want nothing of me.”

“Come on, Y/N,” Larry laughed around a mouthful of chips. “You’ve got to like him. You know you do.”

“Nope.”

“The way you look at Benji is the way I look at Lou. And we all know how I feel about Lou,” Bondy said, blowing smoke out of his mouth as he precariously leaned back in his chair. The rest of the Catfish crew laughed.

“Oh! There he is! The man of the night!” your cousin Van said as Benji re-entered the room. All night, ever since you’d hinted to Van about your crush on Benji, the news had spread like wildfire in the group. Every time Benji would get up to leave, the conversation would recommence.

“And why am I the man of the night?”

“Hopefully later you’ll see,” Bondy winked, and Benji rolled his eyes. He was used to supposedly mindless banter.

“Hey everyone, why don’t we play an old favorite of mine, a game of spin the bottle? There’s enough of us here!” Van said, winking. The winks from everyone were getting annoying and you regretted telling them anything about your crush on Benji at all.

“I don’t mind kissing Van,” Larry piped up, and settled himself in front of Van. You laughed, and still didn’t understand what Larry saw in your cousin.

“Actually, could I just speak to Benji for a second?” you asked. They definitely weren’t expecting that.

“Sure, Y/N,” Benji said, to the happiness, and dramatic irony, of the group.

You led Benji outside onto Van’s back patio, and from inside, the boys could see you discussing with him about something, your smile slowly growing wider and wider as you spoke frantically, and then as Benji spoke. At last, through the window, the guys saw you both stick a middle finger in the air, and your lips met for the first time of many.

“Guess we don’t need to play anymore, then?” Bondy snickered, shaking so hard that he fell over in his chair.

****

When you walked in and saw the glances from the other guys, you knew your plan had worked. 

Funny enough, for a week or so you’d been trying to find some way to tell the other members of Catfish that you and Benji had been dating. You had hinted to Van that something was up, but obviously the melodrama of it all had transpired into a much wilder reveal than you’d hoped for.

“So you’re together, then?” Larry inquired. You nodded.

“It’s about time,” Van laughed. “I suspected, but didn’t want to say anything.”

“Oh, and the entire group teasing her about it is your way of not saying anything?” Benji cockily replied.

“Oi!” Larry’s voice screeched from the kitchen. He had gotten up to make himself another drink. “You knew about that?”

“Well, we’ve been trying to tell you losers for a while, but you can’t take a hint,” you shot back at Larry. “We’ve been together for like 2 weeks.”

“Love you’ve been on tour with us for that entire time. How’d you hold back?” Bondy asked, genuinely curious at the lack of PDA you and Benji had shown in that amount of time.

“We didn’t know whether to keep it a secret or not. But you fucks were so annoying that we just went and did that,” Benji laughed, his long arm motioning outside to the patio. 

“At least we don’t have to hide anymore,” you said, giving Benji knowing looks. He caught your gaze, remembering the same moments you’d almost been caught this far.

“Shh! Benji!” you whisper-yell, tugging him down by his belt loops back into the bushes, hoping to quell his whooping laughter. The thistles were scratching at your elbows. There were leaves in his hair.

“What’s wrong, babe?” he asked, dazedly crouching beside you, shirt material being pushed by the branches at his back.

“They can’t come over here, cause they’ll know the girl you were making out with was me!” you yelped, tugging his shoulders further down so his wild leaf-crowned hair wouldn’t poke above the shrubbery.

“We’ve got to do something about this hair,” you chuckled, pulling leaves from his strands once he’d settled down into the mulch.

“Just cut it off,” he slurred, moving to kiss your cheek.

“No! I love it,” you said, caressing the wiry strands. “That lad in your band has amazing curls. Why don’t you take some of his advice?”

“Not into it,” he said, lying back on a bush. You were sure it was poking and scratching his back, but drunk Benji never became aware of such things until the next day.

An idea popped into your head that made you look at him with narrowed eyes and a wry smile. When he realized what you were on about, his eyes widened.

“Hell no, Y/N.”

“Oh, yeah.”

“Not a chance!” he half-yelled, and tackled you into the mulch.

****

That “not a chance” had done nothing for him, because a few days later he was sat in your beauty chair at work, surrounded by a few friends.

“Dunno why you’d do something like this for him, Y/N, but we’re all for it,” Van snorted, rifling through the magazines in the salon as you surveyed Benji’s hair situation. Van hadn’t been keen on coming, but wanted to be present for the whole process in order to tell the story later.

“Dunno why he’d agree to do this with her, either, ‘cause he’s vehemently opposed to any of us touching it at all,” Bondy said, spinning lazily in a vacant chair next to Benji. Bondy’s friend Lou was discussing conditioner with your fellow esthetician Maddie, asking about how to get the right “bounce” to his curls. Thankfully, the salon was having a slow day, or every employee in there would have been monumentally irritated.

“I’m all about that new look,” Benji said to you, and you both laughed. You made eye contact with him in the mirror, and your hands absentmindedly caressed his hair. It was a moment until Van decided to interrupt.

“Right so when we gettin’ on with this?” Van asked, antsy. You couldn’t tell if he was ready to go or if he just wanted the results now.

“I’ve plugged in the iron, Van, it’s heating up now. We’ve got to give it a few more minutes so it gets as hot as it can. I only want to run over his strands once, because it could damage them if I have to go over them more than that. I’m going to use a product to prevent frizz and heat damage as well. You’re going to be looking like Cher in no time, babe,” you laughed, turning to Benji.

“I’m so going to regret this.”

“Look on the bright side. People won’t recognize us when we go out.”

“Why would you care about that?” Bondy asked pointedly. Panic bubbled up in your chest.

“Well, uh... he’s in one of the biggest bands in the UK.”

“Right,” Bondy stated. He stopped the slow spinning of his chair, now deep in thought. “Gonna go out for a smoke,” he nodded to you and Benji, and left.

*****

“I look like a show dog!” Benji exclaimed, eyes wide in the mirror. His locks were now twice as long, hanging limply at his shoulders, the curls pressed flat against his head. The rest of the group guffawed behind him. His silky black hair looked like he’d gone back to his middle school scene phase.

“Where’s your Sonny?” Van laughed, pressing his hand against the wall as he hunched to contain his laughter. 

“You’re so dead, Y/N,” he whispered, and immediately pivoted to chase you around the salon. You squealed, dashing between swivel chairs around to the back rooms, Benji hot on your heels. As you reached the supply closet, you realized you were at a dead end.

He grabbed you and turned you to face him, eyes mirthful, sly smile playing on his lips. “Got you,” he whispered.

His lips fell onto yours, pressing softly but soon moving faster as the kiss heated up. His arms wrapped around you tightly as the kiss deepened. 

Close footsteps immediately broke you apart. Your heart beat wildly in your chest.

“What you doin’ in here? We’re trying to leave now,” Lou popped his head into the room. 

“Just showing Benji which shampoo he needs for his new silky locks!” you said, your voice rising a few octaves as you grabbed the nearest bottle of whatever. You hoped it didn’t betray your actions.

“Oh. Alright. Meet you in the car?” Lou asked.

“Mhm!” you and Benji replied simultaneously. Benji smiled sheepishly.

There were more memories of you two sneaking around on tour, but the mention of your name brought you back into the conversation at hand.

“Y/N, you’re a really lucky gal, Benji’s a great guy,” Van said, taking a bite of pizza. “I mean, it’s a bit weird that my cousin is dating someone who I also consider to be my brother, but I guess --”

“Gross, Van,” Benji replied. You smiled at your cousin’s weirdness.

“But I guess there’s no one I’d rather see you with. I can really see this working out.”

[calvinjohaanson]

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[ben243s-transformation-stories]

Am I Dreaming?

Am I dreaming? I must be. Things like this don’t happen. They can’t happen. Can they? I reach down and pinch myself. It hurts. A lot. I guess I am not dreaming.

I walk a little further down the street. Once I come upon a store window, I stop and look at my reflection to take stock of my situation.

I still can’t believe what is going on. I stare at my reflection and confirm that I am still completely naked. No, that’s not quite true. I am wearing a dog collar around my neck. A blue nylon one that looks kind of cheap, but is somehow fitting.

Otherwise I remain the same, at least as far as I can tell. Same shoulder length curly blond hair that nearly covers my blue eyes. Same face. Same arms. Same legs. Same chest. Same hands and feet. Same… everything else. Now fully exposed for the world to see.

As I stand on the street staring at myself like a deranged lunatic, several people pass me. I know they can see me, but they walk on by like nothing is out of the ordinary. I’m sure if I saw a virtually naked man standing on the street I would notice. Heck, I would probably stop and take in the sights, but that’s just me.

Something in my mind tells me I am missing something important. Other than my clothes I mean. I can’t quite place it. Every time I think I am going to catch it, it skitters away and hides in some dark corner of my mind.

I glance up at the street signs, and realize that I am not that far from my boyfriend’s house. Seeing as I can’t do much about my situation standing here on the street, I decide to head towards his house.

Kevin’s house is only a couple of blocks away, but it is right through some of the most populous areas in the city. As I walk through the streets, I find myself amid a bustling crowd of people. As before, I am allowed to make my way with hardly a notice. I even see several people that I know, and they simply ignore me.

It’s not that they can’t see me. They are clearly making their way around me. I even walk into people’s way, and they change course to avoid me. They are simply choosing not to acknowledge my existence. No matter how much I rack my brain, I can’t make heads or tails of their behavior.

After what seemed like a lifetime, I finally made it to my boyfriend’s house. I stood outside debating what to do next. Should I just go up and nock on the door? How am I going to explain my current state to him? Heck, would he even pay any attention to me? So far no one else has.

I spend the next several minuets playing out possible scenarios in my head. I could try to go home, but it is a good distance from here, and with no car or money for the bus would take me hours. What if people decide to start noticing me? The last thing I want is to be arrested and charged with a crime. There is a park nearby. I could sleep there and try to figure out what is going on.

No. I need to tackle this head on. The only one I can trust is Kevin. If he ignores me I will just have to make him pay attention. It may be fairly warm now, but it will get colder tonight. I’m going to need a place to stay and something to eat. Something tells me that might not be so easy to find somewhere else.

With my mind made up, I stride up to the door and knock. As I wait for an answer, I am grateful for the hedges Kevin keeps out front. Usually they are a nuisance, their thorns scraping my arms and legs. At least now they were blocking certain sensitive areas from view, making me a little more comfortable and relaxed.

As the door began to open, something in my mind started to get very excited. I was practically jumping out of my skin with joy when the door was finally fully open and Kevin stood there staring at me.

What happened next took me by surprise. Kevin looked me up and down, and said, “There you are Benjy. Good Boy. I’m so glad you made it home. I thought I’d lost you!” Next, he grabbed the leash that was hanging by the door, and attached it to my collar.

I was in shock. Benjy? That isn’t my name. At least I don’t think it is. For some reason I knew that wasn’t my name, but I couldn’t remember what it really was. I tried to say something to Kevin to correct him, but all I could manage was a pathetic sound that could easily have been mistaken for a bark.

Kevin led me around the house and out into the back yard. He kept going on about What a god dog I was, how happy he was to see me again, how he though I was lost forever, and how he would be more careful when walking me from now on.

Apparently, at least according to Kevin, We had been out for our daily walk, and I had seen a squirrel. I dashed off after it, breaking the cheap leash Kevin had bought. He claimed he had looked for me for hours without luck.

No, that couldn’t be right. I am a human. Not a dog. Right? I looked down at myself. Yep, still clearly a human. Why couldn’t anybody see that? I was starting to think I was losing my mind. Which probably wasn’t all that far from the truth. I was finding it harder and harder to recall anything beyond this morning. How in the world did I get into this situation?

I didn’t have much time to think about it because Kevin led me to his fenced off back yard. He led me in through the gate and took off my leash. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a shiny bone shaped tag. I tried to read what was engraved on it, but for some reason the letters made no sense to me. He quickly attached it to my collar, and said, “There, now if you wander off again, someone can help you find your way home.”

While the tag surely weighed only a few ounces, once it was attached I could almost feel the weight pulling down on my neck. Something in me changed. I can’t quite put my finger on why, but for some reason my view of Kevin changed. I was starting to think of him less as a boyfriend and more of an owner.

Kevin reached out and started to pet my hair, and rub his hand along my back. This sent waves of pleasure through me. While this still seemed very strange to me, with each passing second it was starting to feel more and more natural.

Soon Kevin decided he wanted to play with me. He picked up a stick and threw it out into the yard. I looked at him for a second. The something compelled me to run out, chase it and bring it back to him. The first time, I picked the stick up with my hands. When I brought it back, Kevin seemed happy, but he gave me an odd look. The next throw, something made me scoop it up in my mouth. The taste made me sick.

I can’t explain what was happening, but as Kevin and I played in the back yard, I started feeling as if an outside force was trying to take over my mind. The force was getting stronger with each passing moment. It wasn’t long before I realized that my mind was being overtaken by the instincts of a dog.

The more I played the more my human persona slipped away, only to be replaced with the instincts of a dog.  It was controlling my actions, making me behave more and more like an animal. It took all the concentration I could muster to avoid dropping on to all fours.

Before I knew it, I was tired and panting. Kevin was about ready to take me inside for the night, but insisted that I take care of my business while I was out there. A wave of embarrassment passed over me. I wasn’t sure I could do what I needed to do outside with him watching me.

I found a nice spot where I was hidden behind a bush, and against my better judgment, gave the dog a little more control. Before I knew it, I was done. I had to admit I felt much better. Only now the dog was insistent one thing. Food.

Regaining what little composure I had left, I carefully made my way back to Kevin. He praised me for being a god dog, and petted me a few times before leading us back into the house.

Once inside, He made his way to the kitchen. I followed close behind to find him placing two bowls on the floor. One was filled with water, the other with what appeared to be dog food. The smell hit my nose and I thought I would gag, but for some reason it turned into the most delicious thing I had ever smelled.

Without thinking, I dropped onto all fours and proceeded to eat every last scrap of the food, and drink nearly all of the water. Once I was finished, my face was covered in water and dog food. I did my best to lick it off, but my tongue just wasn’t long enough.

Kevin laughed and cleaned my up as best he could. Normally I would have resisted, figuring I could do it myself, but for some reason I found myself enjoying it. Kevin’s attention sent waves of pleasure through my body. I was disappointed when he stopped. Tossing the rag into the sink, he made his way into the living room.

I stood there on all fours in the kitchen for a few minuets trying to decide what to do. A little voice in my head kept telling me this was wrong. I wasn’t his pet. I was his boyfriend. That sounded somehow both right and wrong at the same time. Using what will I had left, I managed to pull myself up onto two feet and walk into the living room.

Walking was more difficult that I could have imagined. I didn’t remember having this much trouble when I was just a toddler learning how to walk. I had to stop every few steps to steady myself; clinging on to anything I could reach to avoid falling on my butt.

When I finally made it to the Living room, Kevin was seated on a couch on the far side. There was nothing but open floor between me and him. I made up my mind that I had to get closer and try to talk to him, and figure out what was going on. That turned out to be a huge mistake.

As I started into the room, my legs gave out. I started to fall forward and caught myself with my hands just before my face smashed into the rug. Great. Here I was on all fours again, and try as I might, I couldn’t get up. I seemed to be stuck in this position by an unknown force.

I crawled the rest of the way over to Kevin and, without thinking about it, sat like a dog at his feet. He looked down at me and smiled. He reached out and patted my head, calling me a good boy. Immediately I was filled with pleasure at his touch. The feeling totally overwhelming my human mind. I tried to say something, but all that would come out were barks.

Before I could regain any semblance of my humanity Kevin dozed off, leaving me to my own devices. It took almost an hour before I could think clearly enough to make any progress on trying to find out what was happening to me. I decided to explore the house and see if I could find anything that would give me a clue.

As I made my way down the hall, I passed in front of a full-length mirror.  I spent a few minutes taking in my reflection. Everything seemed normal, other than my being on all fours, wearing just a collar. For some reason, the more I stared, the more I saw myself as a dog. It started to feel more and more real to me. Obviously being a human was just a dream.

Luckily Kevin dropped the remote he had been holding, and the noise broke me out of the trance. I quickly moved down the hall and away from the mirror before I lost myself completely.

I was shocked when I reached the bedroom. Inside I found a large dog bed that I knew hadn’t been there earlier. Fortunately Kevin wasn’t big on neatness, (Like I’m one to talk!)  and I managed to pull on some of the clothes hanging out of the drawers with my teeth to get the drawers open.

No matter which drawer I looked in, there was no sign that I had been there. Kevin had given me a drawer to store some underwear, and some sweats for when I spent the night. That drawer was now filled with pile after pile of unmatched socks.

Thinking Kevin had put my things in the closet, I tugged it open, only to find a fairly large heap of mostly dirty clothes on the floor. After digging through it for a minute I found nothing of mine.

I thought about grabbing some of Kevin’s clothes to put on, but I just couldn’t make my body move in any way that would accomplish that.  I was also strangely repulsed by the idea of covering myself. I could tell that no matter how hard I tried, I wasn’t going to get anywhere. Frustrated, I made my way back to the living room to see if I couldn’t communicate with Kevin.

I couldn’t help but notice as I moved around the house that I was starting to get more and more comfortable on all fours. It became easier to walk, and I was moving with more speed and agility. Being on all fours seemed right to me, and I was having trouble remembering moving around any other way.

Kevin was still sleeping when I got back to the living room, so I jumped up onto the couch. I inched closer, and intended to give him a push with my hands to wake him. My body interpreted the commands my brain was sending a little differently. Instead of a gentle nudge to wake him up, I leaned over and licked him in the face.

I was starting to panic. At the rate this was going, I would be completely a dog, at least mentally, in no time. I was sure I didn’t fancy spending the rest of my life as my boyfriends pet, but something inside me kept telling me that it wouldn’t be so bad and that’s the way things were supposed to be.

Upon feeling my wet tongue on his face, Kevin awoke and sat upright. After a second or two of confusion, he looked over at me. I thought for sure I saw some hint of recognition from him, but it faded quickly. A look of displeasure crossed his face, which resulted in me being kicked off the couch.

I tried everything I could to get some kind of message across to him. I even tried charades. I really hate that game!  Either I was really bad, or Kevin was dumber than I thought. Maybe both. Nothing seemed to make any impression on him. To him I was nothing more than his dog.

By now I was exasperated and resigned to my fate. I was going to be this way forever. At least I still looked human. Right? Little did it register that subtle changes had already begun to my body. My body hair had already started to thicken, and my legs were reshaping themselves.

I decided to return to the dog bed to curl up and sulk. It must have been more comfortable than it looked because I was out like a light as soon as my head hit the cushion.

After a few minuets, I began to dream. It seemed like a normal day to me. I was out with Kevin and we were having a good time. It wasn’t long before I noticed that although I was walking upright in the dream, I was still wearing just the collar. Attached to the collar was a leash, which Kevin was holding in his hands.

We walked through the main areas of town this way, everyone complimenting Kevin on his cute dog. I couldn’t help but blush each time I heard it. Once we came to a large park in the center of town, Kevin let me off the leash and we spent the afternoon playing fetch. I would catch the ball in my mouth and run it back to him so he could throw it out into the field again.

After playing a few other dog games it was starting to get dark, so Kevin leashed me back up and started to lead me back to his house. I felt tired yet excited at the same time. It was the most fun Kevin and I had ever had together. Even better than when we made out. I could hardly believe it.

It seemed so real to me. I couldn’t tell if I was recalling an actual event or if my mind was making it up. Maybe this is how I got to be lost this morning? It still didn’t explain how I got into this mess in the first place.

As I continued dreaming the story continued to unfold. We were walking the path we had taken dozens of times. I recognized all of the buildings and even some of the people. As we were crossing a street, something caught my attention. I veered away from Kevin as the walk sign changed. He was surprised enough he dropped the leash as I went running away.

I pursued my prey through several alleys and ended up nearly choking myself when the leash caught on a fence. I pulled a little harder and the ring snapped freeing me. I ran a few streets more, but had lost whatever it was that had caught my attention.

I looked around and realized I was lost. I didn’t see anyone or anything I recognized. I started trying to find my way back home. All of the back alleys looked the same. I was afraid I would never get home.

I must have been thrashing about in the bed because the next thing I knew, I was awakened by my head banging against the floor of the bedroom. Judging by the light streaming through the window, it was early morning. The first sensation I felt was hunger, and an urge for more dog food. Then another more pressing urge hit me.

I ran to the bathroom, but finding my face about eye level with the toilet, everything that had happened yesterday flooded back into my mind. I had to get outside. Quickly. I ran into the kitchen to see Kevin sitting there enjoying his breakfast. When he saw me he opened the back door and let me out into the yard.

I was disappointed at how easily I relieved myself. It meant my transformation was progressing. If I had the presence of mind to check, I would have noticed that I was now almost completely covered in a nice layer of blond fur. And my, I guess now, rear legs had almost totally reshaped themselves. My feet were now more paws than anything else. I wouldn’t be walking upright again anytime soon.

Returning into the house I found a nice bowl of dog food waiting for me. I was starving, so I quickly gobbled it down. As I ate, the memories of eating anything other than canned or dry dog food faded from my mind. This time I didn’t have any trouble licking the food from my face. I also noticed that I had done a better job getting the food in me instead of on me this time.

With my immediate needs taken care of, I tried to process my dream and what was happening to me. It seemed reasonable, with the information I had access to, to believe that my dream was a fairly good replay of how I came to be wandering the streets. Now I just had to pin down how I got into this mess, and how to get out of it before I became nothing more than an ordinary dog. Easy.

I tried to formulate a plan to get the answers, but I was never good at that sort of thing. I was always better at improvising, and it looked like that might be exactly what was called for in this situation.

Kevin was still sitting at the kitchen table working on his computer. I made my way around the table, careful not to make too much noise, and positioned myself in a place where I could see the screen. I could barely make out what he was working on from the odd angle and my decreasing ability to understand written words. The pictures gave me a pretty good idea of what he was doing.

I waited patiently until Kevin went to the bathroom, and then reached out putting my front legs onto the table. My fingers were getting stiff, and felt numb, but I was still able to manipulate the computer well enough to look at his emails and web history. It took all the concentration I could muster to make any sense out of it. I was crestfallen when I couldn’t find anything. I just barely got things back to where they were when Kevin came out of the bathroom.

Kevin suggested we go for a walk. I was hesitant at first, still not thrilled with the idea of walking around in public naked. I gave in quickly when I realized that I wasn’t finding anything of use here in the house. Maybe a quick trip around the neighborhood would give me the information I needed. At least it was a nice warm day.

As we walked through the streets, my body continued to change. My fingers grew shorter and reshaped themselves into toes. I now had full paws on both my front and rear legs. I hoped that wouldn’t keep me from doing whatever I needed to do to change back.

My fur had now mostly come in. It was nice and thick and gave me at least a little sense of being covered and made me feel more comfortable. Though it was warm. I soon found my tongue hanging out. Much to my surprise, panting is a very effective way to keep cool.

I caught a look at my body in the glass of one of the office buildings as we walked by. (I had long since given up trying to make heads or tails of the business names.) With the exception of my still human head, and body shape, and lack of a tail, I could tell that I was becoming a yellow lab. Could be worse I thought. I could be turning into one of those awful yappy dogs. Thinking that way made me feel a little ashamed of myself, but only for a second.

As we walked, something must have triggered my mind. Perhaps an unusual sight, sound, or smell. A memory came floating to the surface. It was hard to make heads or tails of the isolated memory, but as we continued more and more pieces floated to the surface. Before long I had the beginnings of a story.

Kevin and I were walking down a street not unlike this one. In these memories much to my surprise, I was fully dressed and human. Kevin had been lamenting the fact that he had never been allowed to have a dog as a kid. He went on and on about how jealous he was of the other kids when he saw them with their dogs. I mumbled something about wishing I could help him with that. I had always had dogs as a kid, and they were part of the family. I couldn’t imagine growing up without one.

Just as I finished speaking, a strange man stepped out of the alley and said one simple word. “Granted”. With that he disappeared. Kevin and I looked at each other, but we were both baffled.  We were about to continue on our way, when a sudden light hit me. When I could see again, I was standing next to Kevin naked save for my collar.

The memories faded at that point. Although my mind was running a little slower than normal, I managed to put two and two together. Obviously the strange man was some kind of wizard or genie. He mistook what I said for an actual wish, and though he was helping by turning me into the dog Kevin had always wanted. Great, me and my big mouth. At least now I knew what was going on.

Clearly I had to find this whatever and stop him before he could do this to anyone else, and maybe get him to turn me back. A strange feeling interrupted my thoughts. Looking back, I watched as a tail grew from the base of my spine. Without any prompting from me it quickly started wagging, clearly in response to the exhilaration I was feeling. I didn’t have much time left.

I couldn’t tell if Kevin’s senses were allowing him to relive the same memories as I was, or if he was whether or not he understood their meaning. It seemed all to clear that the answer was no when he started to turn around and head home. I had come this close. I couldn’t turn back now.

I had to keep going. I started pulling on my leash, hoping it wasn’t any better quality than the last one Kevin had bought. Unfortunately he seemed to have learned from his mistakes (why now?), and the leash held. I strained and pulled with all my might. I could feel my body changing more and more with each passing moment, but it would be worth it.

By the time I convinced Kevin that I wasn’t ready to go home and wanted to continue on my walk, the only thing even remotely human remaining on my body was my face. I didn’t have time to care, because the longer I procrastinated the dimmer the memories got and the more I lost myself to the dog I was becoming. I had to remind myself I was human every few moments, lest I slip away completely.

Something was driving me towards an alley just a few blocks away. I started to pick up a scent that I recognized. I could feel my nose flattening and getting darker, my face pushing out into a muzzle as I tried to follow the trail.

I was listening for anything that would indicate the presence of the man I was seeking. While I was glad that I was starting to be able to hear more clearly, and from further away, I knew what it meant. My ear had gotten long and floppy and moved upward on my head.

I tried to resist, but couldn’t help sneaking a glance at myself in a window as we passed by. I was now totally transformed. I looked like nothing more than a dog. You would never have known I had ever been human. I just hoped the added fidelity of my senses was worth it, and I hadn’t done anything irreversible.

When we finally reached the alley, I found a scent I recognized. I couldn’t see him right away, but I knew my prey was somewhere among the dumpsters and junk strewn about. Something about the scent triggered another memory- So familiar- Yes! This must have been what I was chasing when I got lost. He must have done something to my memory so I wouldn’t catch him!

I could tell Kevin was hesitant to enter the alley, but I could tell the only way to reverse what was happening to me was in there. I turned and, to my surprise, and I think Kevin’s, growled at him. This surprised him enough for him to drop my leash. I took the opportunity to dash into the alley following my nose.

I didn’t take long before I finally found what I was looking for. Using my snout and paws, I managed to move a few crushed boxes enough to expose a figure lying prone on the ground. He didn’t look like I remembered, but the smell was the same. He had to be the same one.

I wasn’t sure what to do next. I reached out with my paw and gave him a push. He groaned a little, but barely moved. After a few more pushes and some insistent barking, Kevin made his way over to see what had caught my attention. He knelt down beside the little man, and I could see that some hint of recognition crossed his face.

Finding a small box, Kevin scooped the man up, and placed him inside. Grabbing a hold of my leash, he started to lead us home. I only hopped the man would survive long enough to fix me before I lost what little humanity I had left. On the walk home, I tried as hard as I could but found myself slipping more and more.

When I was able to finally retake control of my body, I realized a few hours had passed. I was in the back yard, and could hear Kevin in the kitchen. Luckily he had left the door ajar, and I was able to push it open enough to enter. I found Kevin seated at the table caring for our prisoner.

As I approached the table I could hear that he was doing better. When he saw me, he turned to face me, and got a relieved look on his face. “Thank you for not eating me, and saving my life.” I gave a half hearted bark, letting him know that I was a little hurt with that remark.

“Sorry, Sorry” he continued. “I am not of your world as you may have guessed. I am from the world of the Fay- A fairy if you will. I try to help people as best I can, but my magic has a way of, how do you say? Oh yes, back firing. I am sorry that I caused you so much trouble.” That was the understatement of the year.

“I must return to my home if I am to survive. But I think I have enough power left to fix your problem and rectify my mistake. As you have been so kind to me, I will give you a choice. (A) I can return you to how things were before this happened. You will never have met me, and will lead a long happy life with your boyfriend. (B) I can leave you as a dog, but restore your humanity. You will have a human life span and will be able to think and speak as a man. Kevin will be your owner and I know you will have a full life. (C) I can make you anthropomorphic. You would be able to speak and think like a human, and move on two legs, but you will retain the best features of the dog- added senses and strength, fur, a tail etc. or (D) I can make it so you have always been a dog. You will be nothing more than an animal. You may find this life most fulfilling if you want to leave all the cares of human life behind. I will give you a long lifespan and you will remain with Kevin as the dog he always wished to have. I can think of no greater act of love.  I have limited time. You must choose now.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Each option had its pluses and minuses. I wasn’t sure how I could ever pick one. Taking a deep breath I made up my mind. I choose:

(A). I looked up at the man and barked “A” at him as best I could. Somehow he managed to understand me. He took a moment gathering his energy. After a few minutes of strange chanting I began to feel funny. I looked over at Kevin, and could tell he felt it too. With a final scream a blinding light filled the room. After what seemed like an eternity, the light began to clear. Kevin and I found ourselves sitting at the Kitchen table about to enjoy a nice lunch. As the last of the light faded, we noticed the man and box had gone, but the significance of that quickly faded from our memories. After a second or two, or conversation resumed, and we finished the plans we made, heading out to catch a movie at the Cineplex. Clearly this had been the right choice.

(B) I had to admit my life hadn’t been anything really special, and every time Kevin interacted with me as his pet I felt a level of bliss that was unsurpassed by anything I had experienced as a human. I looked up at the man and barked “B” at him as best I could. Somehow he managed to understand me. He took a moment gathering his energy. After a few minutes of strange chanting I began to feel funny. I looked over at Kevin, and could tell he felt it too. With a final scream a blinding light filled the room. After what seemed like an eternity, the light began to clear. I looked up at the table to find the box and man had vanished. Kevin looked over at me and started petting me. “That feels Wonderful” I said. It took me a moment to realize that I had spoken and not barked. Kevin smiled and continued to pet me as waves of pleasure ran through my body. Over the next couple of days, Kevin and I spent our time the next few days playing and getting ready for our new life. Playing with Kevin made me feel wonderful and I could tell he was enjoying having a pet as much as I enjoyed being his. Every sensation was amplified, and more powerful than anything I ever felt as a man. The only thing I didn’t like was the trips to the vet. Yuck. I let Kevin know in no uncertain terms if he ever tried to have me neutered, he would be sorry. We were closer than we had ever been as people. I knew that I had made the right choice.

(C) Anthrodogs? I had to admit the idea was appealing. I liked the feelings that my enhanced senses provided. This body had potential. But was limited as a dog. I looked up at the man and barked “C” at him as best I could. Somehow he managed to understand me. He took a moment gathering his energy. After a few minutes of strange chanting I began to feel funny. I looked over at Kevin, and could tell he felt it too. With a final scream a blinding light filled the room. After what seemed like an eternity, the light began to clear. As my eyesight returned, I realized my point of view was much higher than before. I looked down at my body, and ran my hands along it. It felt wonderful and powerful. I could hear every little noise. I sniffed Kevin and was practically intoxicated by the scents of his body. I may not be able to go out in the day without a disguise, but we didn’t do that much anyway. While I often go the urge to play like any dog, Kevin and I found the sex to be extraordinary.  We eventually moved out to a more secluded area where we could frolic in the woods together. Kevin and I were never closer, and I know I made the right choice.

(D) A normal pet? I had spent most of the last few days trying to avoid that. I looked over at Kevin, and realized I hadn’t seen him this happy in a long time. I thought back on my own life and it dawned on me that it hadn’t really been all that worthwhile. I had been kicked out by my parents when they found out I was gay. That had really taken a toll on my mental health. I had drifted through life, and if Kevin hadn’t found me when he did, I don’t know what would have happened. I looked up at the man and barked “D” at him as best I could. Somehow he managed to understand me. He took a moment gathering his energy. After a few minutes of strange chanting I began to feel funny. I looked over at Kevin, and could tell he felt it too. With a final scream a blinding light filled the room. After what seemed like an eternity, the light began to clear. I looked over at master and could tell he was happy. This made me happy. I barked at him. Master reached over and petted me. It put me into a state of pure bliss. I wagged my tail, and jumped up on him, licking him in the face. We couldn’t have been happier. As the last of my humanity slipped away, I knew I had made the right choice.

Meanwhile, in some reality just outside our own, a small man appears in a flash of light. He is hunched over and clearly in pain. He stands straighter, drawing power and strength from his surroundings. After a few moments he begins to stagger home, sure that he will face some punishment for his mistakes, but at least he was reassured and bolstered with the knowledge that he had been able to set things right.

[thisdaynews]

New Zealand v Great Britain - BBC Two & text coverage

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/new-zealand-v-great-britain-bbc-two-text-coverage/

New Zealand v Great Britain - BBC Two & text coverage

New Zealand v GB LionsBBC Two

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You need one to watch live TV on any channel or device, and BBC programmes on iPlayer. It’s the law.

Find out more

Live Reporting

By Jay Freeman

All times stated are UK

44 mins

Post update

New Zealand 2-2 Great Britain

It is Great Britain who make the first move of this second half as either side look to score what could be a crucial try.

However they’re held up once more. The Lions have looked impressive at points in this match, but they’ve only got two points to show for it.

40 mins

Kick-off

New Zealand 2-2 Great Britain

New Zealand get the second half under way.

A big 40 minutes awaits for both sides.

Posted at 4:584:58

Post update

HT: New Zealand 2-2 Great Britain

Robbie Hunter-Paul

Former New Zealand international on BBC Two

Kieran Foran’s injury is a massive blow. They would have prepared all week for him to be running the show.

They’ve not been very creative and when they’ve tried to move the ball, they’ve come up with errors.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Posted at 4:554:55

comments

Steve Till:Good completion from Great Britain but one try in 120 minutes of test rugby against Tonga and New Zealand is just not good enough.

Griff:Decent but cautious first half.

Disappointing that the Lions feel the need to whine at the ref after every single decision. The Kiwis are acting like grown ups even though majority of calls against them.

Eric:Can see it’s two teams that have been working on defence this week.

announced his retirement from the sport earlier this week.

The South Sydney Rabbitohs, England and Great Britain forward has been forced to quit at the age of 30 because of a shoulder injury.

“This decision was one of the hardest I’ve had to make in my life, however it was out of my hands,” Burgess said. “I am no longer able to be myself on the training field and consequently the playing field.”

Posted at 4:514:51

Post update

HT: New Zealand 2-2 Great Britain

Jonathan Davies

Former Great Britain international on BBC Two

They’ve had great defence, they’ve been patient, but they’ve got to be more clinical. Jonny Lomax has added something and Jackson Hastings has got to get himself into the game a bit more.

Posted at 4:504:50

Post update

HT: New Zealand 2-2 Great Britain

Denis Betts

Former Great Britain international on BBC Two

It was a war of attrition. Great Britain did really well, but you want some more points out of that pressure.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Posted at 4:484:48

‘Lions need patience’

HT: New Zealand 2-2 Great Britain

Great Britain hooker Josh Hodgson:

“We need to keep sticking to what we’re doing. We’re completing our sets well.

“We just need to be patient.”

Posted at 4:444:44

Half-time

New Zealand 2-2 Great Britain

Blimey, New Zealand should have been through to score the game’s opening try.

Benji Marshall almost runs through the Lions’ backline but the visitors are given a reprieve as his offload attempt goes nowhere and Chris Kendall blows up to end the half.

39 mins

Post update

New Zealand 2-2 Great Britain

Brian Noble

Ex-Great Britain coach on BBC Two

That’s a bit more expansive from the Kiwis. You thought for all money that they were in at the corner.

39 mins

Post update

New Zealand 2-2 Great Britain

This is stunning stuff.

New Zealand work their way into the Great Britain 10 and, on their last tackle and with the Lions well and truly rattled, Jahrome Hughes attempts a hastily-worked offload.

However Ryan Hall is on hand to win back possession and the Lions get out of jail and work back upfield.

36 mins

Post update

New Zealand 2-2 Great Britain

The first show of expansion by the Kiwis sees them make a 70-metre march upfield before they’re held up by Great Britain short of the 20-metre line.

The hosts are slowly working their way back into this match.

34 mins

Post update

New Zealand 2-2 Great Britain

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

What have New Zealand got in response to Great Britain’s dominance?

So far, not a lot! A rare move into the Lions’ half sees the visitors easily win back the ball.

Just over five minutes remain in this first half and it’s still all square.

Posted at 4:374:37

comments

Jonathan Logan:How good is Joe Philbin – so underrated by so many people!

Briggsy900:Get Ian Watson in as GB coach! We might play more expansive rugby league then! Need to get Hastings on the ball more, he’s unstoppable when expansive rugby is being played.

Watson, who guided Salford Red Devils to the Grand Final last season, is one of Wayne Bennett’s assistants on this tour.

29 mins

Post update

New Zealand 2-2 Great Britain

Jonny Lomax is the latest Great Britain player to get within touching distance of the tryline on their fourth tackle.

John Bateman attempts to kick and chase to find a route through but it’s well caught by Jahrome Hughes as New Zealand are once again forced to restart within their own 10.

27 mins

Post update

New Zealand 2-2 Great Britain

Another agonisingly close run to the line from Great Britain!

This time Gareth Widdop offloads to the onrushing Jermaine McGillvary on the wing but he’s well tackled right on the verge of the turnover.

This is some period of dominance for the visitors. New Zealand don’t know how to deal with Great Britain’s pace with the ball at the minute.

26 mins

Post update

New Zealand 2-2 Great Britain

Brian Noble

Ex-Great Britain coach on BBC Two

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Great Britain are in the ascendancy here. They’ve got to turn it into some points.

25 mins

Post update

New Zealand 2-2 Great Britain

New Zealand are playing a dangerous game, here.

What looks like half the Great Britain players on the field manage to hold up the Kiwis into their own in-goal area and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck manages to escape with the ball before he wins a penalty after drawing a high tackle.

Wayne Bennett’s Lions side look inspired and somehow, they don’t have a try for their efforts. Yet.

23 mins

Post update

New Zealand 2-2 Great Britain

A succession of smart passes from Great Britain see them get on the verge of the whitewash again, but the ball is lost and New Zealand get a set of six of their own.

This is better from the visitors. After a shaky start, they’re beginning to put the pressure on the Kiwis.

Read More

[ncmagroup]

How do you stop an irate customer from spreading the news?

By Young Entrepreneur Council

No entrepreneur wants his or her customers to be unhappy. Not to mention that it’s bad for business. We asked 17 entrepreneurs to share their fixes for handling irate customers.

  1. Don’t React First

Listen and put yourself in his or her shoes–it makes a difference. Most people want to react, but the most important thing is to fully understand the problem and see it from the customer’s point of view before reacting. It’s easy to truly care about them. And once you truly care about them, it’s a lot easier to solve their problem. —Dan Price, Gravity Payments

  2. Find the Median Between Needs

Customers are human beings. Ask yourself what you would really want in their situation. Find the median between what you need and what they need. You can call it a compromise, but in reality, it’s a sacrifice. For example, discounting their bill shows that you’re willing to share their pain. That goes a long way. —Benji Rabhan, ConversionCore

  3. Be on Their Team

We teach our customer service reps to always be on the same team as the customer. For example, a customer wants to return a product outside of the return policy window. Instead of saying, “Sorry, it’s too late to return the product,” we tell them to say, “It looks like this purchase is outside of the return window, but let me see what I can do for you.” Then the customer sees the rep as an ally–not as an enemy. —Laura Land, Accessory Export, LLC

  4. Use Their Insight

Unhappy customers can be a goldmine for how you can improve your product or service. Listen to them, and see it as a gift. —Suzanne Smith, Social Impact Architects

    5. Don’t Disagree Right Away

Never flat-out disagree with an unhappy customer. This will only make the conversation more adversarial. It’s far more constructive to be empathetic and agreeable with customers. Then you calm the customer down and also potentially learn from them. —Christopher Pruijsen, Afrostart.io

  6. Let Them Lead to a Solution

I love having these types of tough conversations. They lead to solutions that make customers happy, which is always gratifying. They also might lead to solutions that can fix a problem you didn’t realize you had. It’s the best type of market feedback! —Peter Awad, GoodBlogs

  7. Make the Customer Whole

Apologize for and explain the situation, issue a refund (if applicable), and offer an additional benefit for sticking with you. Have a set strategy for specific problems, but personalize each response. Great customer service can turn unhappy customers into brand advocates; poor service does exactly the opposite. —Carlo Cisco, FoodFan

  8. Tell Them They’re Right

When a customer is unhappy, the most important thing is for them to know they were heard. The best way to do this is to start by agreeing with them. After you establish that you understand them, they will be much more receptive to being flexible on how the issue is resolved. —Raoul Davis, Ascendant Group

  9. Listen to Them

When there is a problem, the first thing you should do is listen and understand what happened from the customer’s perspective. Then ask the customer exactly what would make him or her happy. It’ll win them over for life. If you can give more than what the customer asks, then you will gain a major fan. You’ll also be surprised at how listening can benefit you personally. —Derek Capo, Next Step China

  10. Apologize to Them

There is nothing more frustrating than hearing someone say, “I’m sorry if you have been inconvenienced.” Passive language makes it sound like the customer chose to be frustrated–not that you delivered a poor experience. Begin with “I’m sorry,” then move to “How can we make this up to you?” You’ll not only make that person happy, but you’ll also learn how to improve. —Aaron Schwartz, Modify Watches

  11. Call Them

Every company has unhappy customers. A customer can and will mostly express his or her displeasure through email or by a review. Human contact is the best way to tackle the issue head-on. You’ll notice a customer may be more relaxed and open to reason on the phone. He or she is likely to be very appreciative when a higher-up or even the owner of a company takes the time to pick up the phone and call. —Pablo Palatnik, ShadesDaddy.com

  12. Respond from the Top

To resolve problems, have your company’s CEO reach out directly to the customer. If the customer sees that the issue has been escalated to the top executive without having to ask for it, it will deliver the message that his or her satisfaction is a top priority. —Robert J. Moore, RJMetrics

  13. Evaluate their Expectations

When a customer is unhappy, there may be a very good reason for it. It’s important to take advantage of this situation. Ask the customer about the origin of his or her discontent. Then it is up to you to evaluate and improve the situation. Make sure to ask the customer about his or her expectations, too, to avoid any communication issues. —Thomas Kjeldgaard, SplashPost

  14. Make it Right

I’m not going to say that the customer is always right, but I feel like I need to always make it right. If we have to go above and beyond to reconcile a difference or repair hurt feelings, we’ll do it. I suggest asking a lot of questions. Ask why he or she is unhappy. What happened that made him or her feel that way, and what does he or she want you to do to about it? Often the customer just wants to be heard. —John Meyer, Lemon.ly

  15. Ask One Question

One way I deal with an unhappy customer is by asking, “What exactly is happening or not happening for you?” Then, I give him or her all the time he needs to explain, despite my urge to end the conversation. I remain as quiet as possible, then use phrases such as, “I can tell you are very upset and will do my best to resolve the problem” whenever the customer demands a response. —Jay Wu, A Forever Recovery

  16. Give Personalized Attention

When a customer has a problem, one thing that can be really irritating is going through contact forms and automated email and not being able to talk to a real person. As much as possible, give customers personalized attention so that they feel heard and have a positive experience in resolving their issue. —Matt Ehrlichman, Porch

  17. Give Customers Validation

Acknowledge their unhappiness honestly, and make it clear that you’re working towards a clear and expedient solution. The only time things get contentious is when you’re unable to acknowledge the mistake that was made. A clear validation of the customer’s concern and a corrective plan usually to fix the issue. —Adam Cunningham, 87AM

  Go to our website:   www.ncmalliance.com

17 Ways to Deal With Unhappy Customers How do you stop an irate customer from spreading the news? By Young Entrepreneur Council No entrepreneur wants his or her customers to be unhappy.

[wjwilliams29]

12 Inspiring Workspaces from Awesome Digital Marketers

As many of you know, cognitiveSEO likes tackling in-depth, extensive digital marketing topics. We like going all analytical with our blog posts and case studies. There are two reasons behind it. One – to find as many solutions as possible to questions we marketers have. Two – we enjoy to dive deep into research and learn new marketing tips. 

  We’ve decided to write something out of our comfort zone: an article dedicated to awesome workspaces belonging to great digital marketers.  This article has proved to be more than just a novelty for us: it has been a genuine highway to fun. 

    But one way or another, creating a set of cool digital marketer workspaces seemed a hip idea, therefore we gave it a go. Plus, it is a great way of proving Cynthia Rowley’s theory which goes like this:

  I’ve got a theory: if you love your workspace, you’ll love your work a little more. Cynthia rowley Fashion Designer at Cynthia Rowley

Each desk has a personality similar to its owner. So we went hunting for the best workstations in the marketing field. We wanted to find out what type of personality they have based on their workstation.

Stay with us on this journey and you’ll discover: 

how we paved our path to delivering the “coolest workspaces in the digital marketing world”;

which marketers accepted the challenge, and disclosed their office spaces/coworking spaces;

who they are;

their pics and must-have gadgets, and eventually;

what to learn from this experience.

  These are the professionals who spiced up our “Cool Marketing Workstations” list:

  A Down-to-Earth Guy’s Workspace by Jack Meredith

The Minimalist’s Office by Eduardo Yi

The Bold One’s Work Desk by Wilson Hung

The Winner-of-’Em-All’s Workspace by Sean Bestor

The Restless Traveler’s Office by Tomas Laurinavicius

The Practical Guy’s Office Desk by Benjamin Beck

The Rebel’s Office by Sol Orwell

The Artist and Marketer’s Workspace by Ty Magnin

The Marketing Guru’s Office Desk by Derric Haynie

The Champion’s Workspace by Sujan Patel

The Magician’s Office by Benji Hyam

Superman’s Office Desk by Aaron Orendorff

  The Roll-out

  From the very beginning, the article generated a fun-mode-on atmosphere at cognitiveSEO. Although we were the ones writing the blog post, guess we ourselves were the most eager ones to hear from the digital marketers we outreached to.

  There are not tens, nor hundreds, but thousands of people who delight in creating inspiration boards on Pinterest regarding their home, office space, garden and so on. Probably, you are one of them too. Compiling this set of inspiring workspaces from digital marketers around the world was like a Pinterest activity. Which is kinda awesome!

  But the cherry-on-top was the sneak peak we were about to be introduced to.

  Fellow marketers across the globe, people we admire and look up to, either from wide-known organizations or fresh start-ups, have disclosed the aces up their sleeves when it comes to devices, gadgets and things they couldn’t live without on a daily basis.

  It all started from a Slack post:

    A few days later, we already had answers from notable marketers such as Sean Bestor, Benjamin Beck, and Sol Orwell. Great! Just a few more to enlist in our challenge and we could call this article a success.

  Browsing them you’ll see how different professionals are from one another. Needless to say, their digital workspaces too. Apart from details such as shape, size, or location, you’re soon to notice how diverse these marketers are from one another. Hipsters, neat freaks, minimalists, clutter fans, you name it, they’re all there.

    All digital marketers who accepted the challenge had to answer to a couple of questions:

  Take a photo of your cool desk setup, upload it to your favorite file sharing service and share it with us.

What’s on your desk? Make a list of items and share your reasons why you can’t live without them.

  Without further ado, let’s see the coolest digital marketers workstations in our industry.

    1. A Down-to-Earth Guy’s Workspace by Jack Meredith

  Roost stand: Getting a Roost stand changes your life. Never be hunched over again. Jack Meredith Senior Growth Marketer at Kettle & Fire / @jvmeredith

  Jack Meredith is a Senior Growth Marketer at Kettle & Fire, and co-founder at Open Eye Signal, a web design, and marketing consulting company for SMB’s and start-ups. He is a growth marketing junkie and full stack marketer, with a taste for early stage companies.

  These are the items you’d normally see on his desk at work:

  Asus VS239H-P 23-Inch Full HD 1920×1080 IPS HDMI DVI VGA Back-lit LED Monitor. Not the greatest monitor but it gets the job done for a marketer;

Roost stand: Getting a Roost stand changes your life. Never be hunched over again;

Logitech K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard: Reliable, found via wire cutters;

Logitech Wireless Marathon Mouse M705: Reliable, found via wire cutters;

AKG K 240 Semi-Open Studio Headphones: Cost-effective headphones that give Bose and Beats headphones a run for their money.

    2. The Minimalist’s Office by Eduardo Yi

  My desk setup is very minimal—and that’s intentional. eduardo yi Lead Content Marketer at Teachable / @eduardoyi

  Eduardo Yi is the Lead Content Marketer at Teachable, a job he loves having, as he states in his LinkedIn bio. As a digital marketer, I’m just happy to have found a career path in which work means nerding out, he says. That’s creative thinking, for sure!

  In a similar tranquil vibe and with youthful transparency, he told us what he uses at work on a daily basis:

  My desk setup is very minimal—and that’s intentional. I have very little stuff lying around to avoid distractions.

A second screen, keyboard, and mouse are all I really have in there.

The standing desk also helps me stop procrastinating, just because I get tired of standing and feel like I should just get stuff done so I can go sit.

I also have a plant, which is not mine…but I water it sometimes anyway.

    We already like the guy. There’s much to learn from him. In wisdom, we can all learn how true and topical the saying “less is more” is.

  Our mind can make associations in an instant and thus lose its focus, yet if we try to keep ourselves concentrated, we should take the example of Eduardo and try to get rid of every distractor that is standing in our way of having the job done.

  3. The Bold One’s Work Desk by Wilson Hung

  Airpods: Totally worth it. I can walk around the office or stretch while I’m on calls. wilson Hung Growth Marketing at Kettle & Fire / @wilsonghung

  Wilson Hung is in charge with Growth Marketing at Kettle & Fire, and previously with Growth at SumoMe. In addition, he created wilsonhung.com, a growth support company.

  Wilson wrote detailed essays on growth featured in Forbes, ConversionXL, SumoMe, and shared by Andrew Chen, Guy Kawasaki, and 500Startups. Were he to talk about his life experience, he would start telling you how he quit his job as a chemical engineer to apply a data-driven and scientific approach to acquiring customers. His life roadmap is quite inspiring; if curious, check here.

  When asked about what’s usually on his desk, here’s what he said:

  Dual Monitor Setup: this is critical as it allows for increased productivity. Left monitor will normally be Slack, or a data set (spreadsheet), where as the Main monitor will be the “productivity/working” monitor;

Far Right Task Management with Sticky Notes: Segmented based on “Completed This Week, High Priority, Medium/Low”. I can never keep my Trello board updated, but something about seeing it all the time on my desk helps prioritize my workload. Every Monday starts with prioritizing my week/sticky notes;

Bluetooth Mouse + Keyboard: Again, spend extra money on tools you use every day. Don’t settle for using your laptop’s trackpad. Instead, improve your ergonomics and also productivity (mouse set up super high sensitivity will allow you to click/move around that much faster);

Airpods: Totally worth it. I can walk around the office or stretch while I’m on calls;

Notepad + Notebook: I use notepad for one-off things like sketching funnels, pricing, random thoughts. I use the notebook for meetings + keeping organized so I can refer back to meeting notes + action items;

Aeropress + Coffee: Coffee at my office sucks, so I make my own =) Plus it’s a good routine in the morning + after lunch and helps me take breaks;

1L Water Bottle: Gotta stay hydrated, and the bigger the bottle, means less times you have to get up and refill.

    4. The Winner-of-’Em-All’s Workspace by Sean Bestor

  Air Traffic Control Headphones: No joke, I use these all the time. I write best in absolute silence. $20. Sean bestor Former Content Marketer at Sumo / @sbestor15

  Sean Bestor from Sumo was among the first ones to send a picture of his digital workspace and must-have gadgets.

  Sean has an extensive experience as a creative digital strategist and marketer. Plus, he has a track history of being a multiple award-winning copywriter.

  By the time we collected answers from fellow marketers, he was still working at Sumo, writing the coolest stuff on the web, quoting him from LinkedIn. At the present, he is a Digital Strategist at Whole Foods Market, a company that has been on Fortune’s Best Places to Work List every year for 20 years straight. You should also check his website, it’s pretty cool and info-packed.

  And because humor never hurt anybody, he chose to embrace it and make us giggle. See for yourself in the lines below:

  My computer – A definite upgrade from the “Speak and Spell” I had in 1st grade;

Notebooks – I sketch landing pages, product pages, funnels and ad ideas in here all the time. Can’t have enough of these;

Tiny Alcoholic Drinks: As a warm-up to my bigger alcoholic drinks;

Beats Headphones: For when it’s time to get creative with maximum base;

Air Traffic Control Headphones: No joke, I use these all the time. I write best in absolute silence. $20;

Camelbak Eddy: A gift because apparently walking to the faucet and putting your face under the spout 20 times a day is frowned upon;

Signed Champagne Bottle: From my initiation at Sumo, everyone signed it;

Cubs Hat: I don’t actually like the Cubs. But on a retreat, we got to watch them play (the year they won the World Series). That was pretty fun;

Autonomous Stand Up Desk: Just a game-changer. Though honestly, I sit on the couch most of the day.

    5. The Restless Traveler’s Office by Tomas Laurinavicius

  To organize my daily to-do list I use Todoist and physical notebook from Collins. Tomas Laurinavicius Lifestyle Entrepreneur at tomaslau.com / @tomaslau

  Tomas Laurinavicius is a digital marketing, media contributor, and writer, but could easily be taken as a wanderer. He is 25 but has checked more things than others could do at this age. He describes himself as having an ENTJ personality, hence his thrive, charisma, and confidence.

  Tomas is a lifestyle entrepreneur and blogger from Lithuania, writing about habits, lifestyle design, and entrepreneurship on his blog and weekly lifestyle newsletter – tomaslau.com. Simultaneously, he is a contributor to many renowned media, business, and marketing outlets in the world, such as Forbes, Observer, Huffington Post, Influencive, Creative Cloud and The Next Web. He enjoys sharing his knowledge and coming with effective solutions that inspire others.

  His latest ambition and desire is to travel the world and empower 1 million people to change their way of living life from that day on.

  But getting back to cool digital marketers workspaces, let’s see his:

  MacBook Pro 13″ is the most important machine I use daily to run my business, write, learn and plan my travels.

To improve my posture I recently invested in STANDapart, a featherweight laptop stand, Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse to keep things clean and wireless.

To organize my daily to-do list I use Todoist and physical notebook from Collins.

Most of the other time I use iPhone 6s Plus, for reading Kindle, Scribd and iBooks. Alternatively, I use my iPhone to take quick digital notes, get directions for coffee shops I want to try next and take photos.

For the last 2 years, I kept my workspace extremely minimal and portable while traveling to over 30 countries.

    Lessons to learn, you ask? Needless to say we need more courage to do what we dream of. There’s not much you need to know about Tomas to see his thrive towards making his dream a reality. He put effort in achieving this, but more important, he put ambition. And we guess this works as a marketing tip too.

  6. The Practical Guy’s Office Desk by Benjamin Beck

  Mouse – With my laptop being so high I need a mouse and I like to game so I like a wired mouse more than a bluetooth. Benjamin Beck Founder of Link Building Class / @ben_beck

  Benjamin Beck is one professional that likes things to be clear and straightforward, but never leaves quality and client satisfaction out of topic. He is the creator of the free email course Link Building Class. The platform sends you comprehensive lessons on link building techniques deployed by top professionals to rank higher in some of the harshest industries. All for that nerve racking way of increasing organic rankings and traffic.

  Beck is set on helping businesses succeed online, thus he came up with benjaminbeck.com. As an online marketing specialist, Benjamin comes with an enviable set of skills meant to solve start-ups, charities, and small businesses’ problems in connecting with customers and growth.

  Guessing you’re anxious to find out what’s on his desk, we shall proceed further with the list:

  Roost Stand – Portable laptop stand that saves my neck!

Bluetooth Keyboard – Portable so I can still type fast;

Mouse – With my laptop being so high I need a mouse and I like to game so I like a wired mouse more than a bluetooth;

Headphones – I just got some Bose noise cancelling headphones which are nice;

Messenger Bag – I use a Timbuk2 bag to carry all my gear wherever I go. Have had it for 4 years now.

    Beck usually works remotely, which undoubtedly has its perks. Nice background! Should one ever want to take a break and do some fun exercise, the climb walls are right at hand.

    7. The Rebel’s Office by Sol Orwell

  I like pictures. On the left is a pic at my sister’s wedding, in front of me is a pic of my woman and I at NYE, and on the right is me as a baby with my grandparents (my grandpa was a badass – literally born on the streets, rose to become a Supreme Court Judge). Sol Orwell Co-Founder of Examine / @sol_orwell

  Apparently, traveling has become a real phenomenon. Interesting enough is that traveling is not just a medium to escape the ordinary work life or procrastinate duties, but it’s more of a boost to your inspiration and fuel to your work binge.

  Sol Orwell, 30, is just the right match to this trend. One thing Orwell couldn’t live without is traveling. For him, having independence is paramount, and he doesn’t let anybody control his time and freedom of movement.

  Sol Orwell is a well-known digital marketer, mostly known for co-founding Examine.com, a site selling reports on nutritional supplements, and for speaking about entrepreneurship. Over 15 years of entrepreneurship, 6 companies, over 8 figures generated – all these surely must point to an inspiring professional.

  He likes to say that he is semi-retired, and we can see both the sense and the irony, as we know his free lifestyle. He says he’s living the immigrant dream, as he likes creating companies in different niches and then hand them over to someone else, people who are able and entitled to make the most out of them. If curious for more, you should check this.

  Here’s what he wrote us about his work essentials:

  It’s my work space, so I like to keep it simple and clean.

I like pictures. On the left is a pic at my sister’s wedding, in front of me is a pic of my woman and I at NYE, and on the right is me as a baby with my grandparents (my grandpa was a badass – literally born on the streets, rose to become a Supreme Court Judge).

I have my Field Notes (every time I meet people I take it with me – I never use my phone for any notes), and my Productivity Planner (which keeps me on track).

Otherwise, I Just have trinkets I have picked up from travels and others have given me. Eg the little toy “dog” on the left was given to me by my buddy Andy Morgan, who flew all the way from Tokyo to Toronto because we invited him to a potluck we were hosting. It reminds me of all of the crazy connections I’ve made through the Internet.

  Not only he is a valuable, inspiring marketer, but also a great story-teller. He made us dive deep into visualizing the people, places, and objects mentioned by him.

    8. The Artist and Marketer’s Workspace by Ty Magnin

  MacBook Pro with 16gb ram. I spend so much time on my computer. Having a fast one with a big screen is worth the investment. Ty magnin Director of Marketing at Appcues / @tymagnin

  Ty Magnin is Director of Marketing at Appcues, and previously first marketer at Work Market, with extensive experience as a digital and content marketer. Having roots in poetry and film production, he is one authentic fellow marketer.

  Simultaneously, Magnin built tymagnin.com, where professionals can learn how to boost upvotes on ProductHunt, build blog audiences, and scale self-services. He is talking big numbers, in support of his tips and tricks, all experienced by himself at first hand with his marketing strategies.

  His philosophy is “fewer but better”, which has greatly impacted the way he approaches blogging, email marketing, customer stories, and life in general. His experience as a video producer and writer helped him shape both his lifestyle and skills. One thing he learned is this: “Most of marketing is writing. I think if you have a love of writing, you get focused on the particulars. That attention to detail plays out when you’re writing marketing copy and orchestrating campaigns”. More on his career roadmap as a successful digital marketer here.

  Because we particularly enjoyed reading his list and the little stories attached to each thing on his desk, we’d like to share it with you:

  Macbook pro with 16gb ram. I spend so much time on my computer. Having a fast one with a big screen is worth the investment;

Sticky notes with frameworks/themes. I need constant visual reminders to make an idea a habit. These sticky notes help remind myself of the important frameworks I’ve set for the marketing team to keep us aligned;

Matcha tea. I can’t drink coffee. It makes me tense. Matcha green tea has let me switch off of it, and it’s great for you;

Headphones. I often listen to the same song on repeat all day when grinding it out. Music helps me focus sometimes;

Second monitor. I like using this because it helps my posture. I’ve had this background image for years now—it’s the New York Public Library and always inspires me to work and study hard;

Off to the left you can see my standing desk. Sometimes it’s great to extend my legs;

Hat from Bali. No real reason this is here other than I like wearing it.

    9. The Marketing Guru’s Office Desk by Derric Haynie

  Business cards, 23 inch monitors, speakers. Derric haynie CEO at Vulpine Interactive / @SixPeppers

  At present CEO at Vulpine Interactive and Co-Chapter Director at Startup Socials, Haynie manages to rock that work experience as a marketer. With several high positions as CEO, Head of Growth, Co-Founder, or President, Derric Haynie is the entrepreneur to go to when in need of counseling and effective solutions. In addition, he enjoys working with his wife, Shana Haynie, in running events on marketing, entrepreneurship, and startup growth.

  Vulpine Interactive is about social media marketing, in terms of content, branding, engagement, and analytics. It helps professionals across the globe to manage and grow their teams, innovate their social media strategies, and build powerful brands and passionate fans.

  As for Startup Socials, this one is a global events company meant to connect and empower people in the startup ecosystem.

  Eager to find out what Haynie’s workspace looks like? Brace yourself, as you’ll be surprised:

  Business cards.

23 inch monitors, speakers.

I have this button that says “Fuck” on it, and when you hit it, it says something ridiculous. It’s for stress relief.

Mic stand and camera are very important as well.

    Don’t know about you, but we love the sense of humor marketers display nowadays. After all, that’s all life is about – knowing how to deal with things and situations. Interesting, though, how much you can grasp from a concise snippet as such.

  Talking of humor, we have a challenge for you: Spot the button in the picture!

  10. The Champion’s Workspace by Sujan Patel

  Batman Clock. I’m a big batman fan and even have a batman tattoo on my arm. The clock reminds me to have a life and help people as the clock was a gift from someone I helped through a tough time. sujan patel Co-Founder of WebProfits / @sujanpatel

  With a vast experience in digital marketing in general and SEO, content marketing, PPC, social media in particular, Sujan Patel outruns many marketers with his knowledge. He is a data-driven marketer, entrepreneur, and avid writer for publications as Forbes, WSJ, Inc., and Entrepreneur Magazine.

  His hobbies are growing companies and helping others solve problems. Sujan is the Co-Founder of WebProfits, a growth marketing agency. He says he enjoys sharing everything he knows and usually creates more content than most consume.

  Our advice is to check his website, and join his weekly newsletter or get in touch with him, as you’ll benefit from a lot of rich, useful information.

  Although he usually works 80 hours/week, Sujan Patel loves hitting the gym in the early hours of the day when most of us are snoring out loud. If he’s not there, you’d most probably find him at the race track racing cars and motorcycles, or conquering the skies while skydiving. Interesting though how sometimes hobbies emerge from fears – at least that’s what happened to him and his fear of heights.

  Getting back to workspaces and must-have tools that change the world, here’s Sujan’s workstation:

  Batman Clock;

Macbook Pro 13inch;

iPad Pro 12inch used mostly as a 2nd monitor;

Unicorn Pen;

Notebook;

I’m a big batman fan and even have a batman tattoo on my arm. The clock reminds me to have a life and help people as the clock was a gift from someone I helped through a tough time;

Macbook Pro & iPad Pro are perfect for travel and working anywhere;

I use a pen & notebook to write down things that I need to remember, brainstorm and doodle. I also use evernote but I haven’t been able to replace goold of fashion pen and paper;

I hate clutter and things. I try to keep my life simple as all I really need is a computer, phone and internet connection to live 90% of my life.

    11. The Magician’s Office by Benji Hyam

  Nothing. Benji hyam Co-Founder of Wordable / @benjihyam 

  Benji Hyam is the Co-Founder of Wordable and Grow and Convert, with massive experience as a digital marketer, having also previously run marketing for two VC backed startups. His experience in the marketing industry has lead him to successfully outrun fellow marketers, and leave a mark in each company he worked with.

Wordable, previously Postable.io, is a SaaS web app where professionals can import posts from Google Docs to WordPress in one click. Content managers, blog editors, and solo bloggers love it and call it a revelation. Nevertheless, their motto stirs your curiosity: Try it. It feels like magic.

  Grow and Convert is here to offer articles, training, and services for you to become a top 1% content marketer. Featured in publications as Entrepreneur, The Huffington Post, Growth Hackers, and ProBlogger, Grow and Convert is a content marketing agency and consultancy for growing businesses. Benji makes the magic happen on the content strategy and promotion side of the company.

  And because magic is simpler than most of us think, Hyam told us about his secret tools for making wonders happen:

  Nothing. I’ve been traveling for the last year and half doing the nomad thing and it helps me write when I have a computer, a nice view and no distractions.

  Undoubtedly, you’re dead curious to see for yourself what nothing really looks like.

      12. Superman’s Office Desk by Aaron Orendorff

  Books, books, and books — most notably, behavioral economics texts like ‘Misbehaving’ by Thaler and ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ by Kahneman, along with ‘The Customer Challenge’ because that book continues to blow my mind when it comes to content marketing. Aaron orendorff Founder and CEO of iconiContent / @iconicontent

  Aaron Orendorff is an inspiring digital marketer, the Founder and CEO of iconiContent, Content Marketer at Shopify Plus, and Communication & Philosophy Faculty full-time member.

  Orendorff was featured in Forbes 25 Marketing Influencers to Watch in 2017. With extensive knowledge and experience in content marketing and communication, he contributed on many occasions for business, tech, and marketing publications such as Mashable, Entrepreneur, Huffington Post, Lifehacker, Inc., Fast Company, Business Insider, Success Magazine, The Next Web, Content Marketing Institute, Copyblogger, MarketingProfs, ConversionXL, Unbounce, and more.

  His motto is “Saving the world from bad content”, and aims at helping professionals improve their content strategies, content marketing, and copywriting techniques.

  One way or another, his career path is amazing. Curious enough to see what his digital workspace looks like? The photo will just make you regret your desk isn’t sending a similar smart vibe as Aaron’s:

  Two MacBook Pros to separate my work for Shopify Plus from personal projects;

A horizontal monitor for writing — always on Google Docs — and a vertical one for taking screen shots and doing research;

Microsoft’s Natural Ergonomic Keyboard and Mouse to save my wrists from all the hard, hard work of being a full-time writer;

Flexible cell phone tripod and camera remote for taking non-selfie selfies and posting them to social media — the engagement on those is crazy;

Books, books, and books — most notably, behavioral economics texts like Misbehaving by Thaler and Thinking, Fast and Slow by Kahneman along with The Customer Challenge because that book continues to blow my mind when it comes to content marketing;

Beats Headphones for high-quality remote meetings and calls;

Picture of me and my girls to remind me what matters;

A figurine of the Three Little Pigs a former college student gave me because I use that story over and over to teach my one great, educational love: outlining.

    Conclusion

  After such a rich array of photos and smart gadgets to empower you in your quest of changing the digital marketing ecosystem, we ask: What’s to learn from these millennials?

  Apart from triggering a fun mode-on atmosphere and giving food to our restless curiosity regarding fellow professionals in the industry, we believe situations like this create bonds.

  Nevertheless, it is inspiring and challenging to see how others perform at work, what they do, where and how. Witnessing digital marketing influencers at work can empower us, fellow marketers, to strive for more.

    In another train of thoughts, it’s interesting how most digital marketers have attached stories to the enlisted tools and gadgets. Objects often trigger memories and once you share them you let others be inspired. There’s a lot to learn from these stories and life snippets, and we’re glad we’ve come to learn them.

  Charlie Chaplin said once that a day without laughter is a day wasted. We can all agree on that. Digital marketers sure know the perks humor has. This is one of the many and main reasons we enjoyed reading their list and researching about them.

  We created a set of snippets both from websites bootstrapped by the above-mentioned marketers, and from their Twitter accounts. They prove the rule that a fine sense of humor can sometimes indeed make the difference. Enjoy!

  Sean Bestor

    and

  Sol Orwell

    Derric Haynie

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