#custom walkaround

[cowb0y-cadaver]

it’s about time i posted the custom vampire walk around me and a friend made for our Chuck !! it was made from a bunch of different patterns, and the undershirt/ruffle/collar bit was completely freehand by me !! im so beyond thrilled with how it came out !!!

[offthewallfarming]

From Blank Canvas to Wow: Revealing Hand-Painted Art, Paronamic Prints & Sydney Framing Solutions

Adding the finishing touches to your home or office takes time, not to mention patience. You might have your furniture, sofas and chairs all sorted, but nothing quite personalises a space like the art on your walls – the only place in your decor to express your personality. At Off The Wall Framing, we curate and frame art for Sydney siders to perfection. Whether you’re enamoured with the quaintness of hand-painted home accents or drawn to the impact of a paronamic photo print of your favourite place, our artwork is hand-selected for its charm, design-savvy, and spirit.

Shop Hand-Painted Online in Sydney

Looking for something a little more, well, unique? Look no further than our gallery of Hand Painted Online in Sydney by renowned artists. Our selection features an eclectic mix of styles, colours and subjects – the only thing homemakers can’t do is pick only one! Have a look. The real benefit of hand-painted art is that no other piece is exactly like it; imagine the atmosphere created by an abstract of vibrant colours in your living room or a calming seascape in your bedroom.

Shop Paronamic Canvas Photo Prints Online in Sydney

A canvas photo print that stretches paronamically across the width of your wall is one of our favourite dramatic, immersive displays of your favourite memories and snapshots of the world’s spectacular moments. Whether you choose a sunset-spanning layout of 24 photos arranged over a single wall, this print option will turn your wall into a window into a sunny, colourful vista, a bustling cityscape, or your precious past. Think about having a giant, wall-length photo portraying the Sydney Harbour Bridge at sunset, and you have a good idea of the feel of a large paronamic photo print on your living room wall. Your guests would surely ask where you got it, and you could say you had it specially made. Those everyday displays of unbound imagination are a source of daily inspiration.

Canvas Printing Services Sydney

On the contrary, if you have photos you would like to show off proudly, we can help! Our Canvas Printing Services in Sydney shop offers canvas prints for your treasured photos. Our fine art canvas prints use high-quality materials and the best fine-art printing technologies. The variations are limitless! Turn that picture-perfect shot from a holiday into a paronamic showstopper, or make a gallery wall of a series of smaller canvas prints. You can personalise the size, finish, and framing to fit your space and style.

Beyond Canvas: Framing Services in Sydney

But the work hanging on your wall deserves the best frame available, so we offer various framing styles to suit your chosen job. Custom-cut wooden frames are our speciality—one size won’t fit all. We work with you to select the correct sizing so your work will be subtly yet beautifully framed for a comfortable, perfectly fitting look and to harmonise the piece within your room decor.

More Than Just Art: A Commitment to Quality and Service

The choice of artwork for home or office decor is a very private one. So, while we are obliged to maintain high service standards throughout our company, we at the Artery also take special pride in our exceptional consultancy service, whereby we help our clients select the perfect artwork for their taste and pocket. Our art advisers are always on hand to answer all your queries about choosing suitable artwork from our collections.

Shop Online or Visit Our Sydney Showroom

Whether you prefer to visit us online for a walkaround of our collection or want to buy the real thing and experience the artwork in person, you can explore our vast range of uniquely hand-painted items, our giant Paronamic Canvas Photo Prints Online in Sydney, art pieces, paintings and more on our user-friendly website or come on down to our Sydney showroom, where you can walk around and explore the artworks in person. Whatever you are shopping for, Off The Wall Framing can provide you with creative wall art to get your revamp underway. You can browse the Hand-Painted Photos Online Sydney selection, look at Paronamic Canvas Online Sydney, or try our Canvas Printing Sydney services and select just the piece you need to give your space the revamp you’ve been looking for.

SOURCE LINK : https://www.offthewallframing.com.au/from-blank-canvas-to-wow-revealing-hand-painted-art-paronamic-prints-sydney-framing-solutions/

[fyntix]

Innovative Web Design Trends in the Automotive Industry: What’s Next?

The automotive industry is experiencing a significant transformation, not only in vehicle technology but also in how manufacturers and dealers connect with their customers online. Web design trends are evolving, reflecting changes in consumer behavior, technology advancements, and the need for a more engaging user experience. As we look ahead, several innovative web design trends are poised to shape the automotive sector.

1. Immersive User Experiences

The automotive industry has begun to adopt immersive user experiences through technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). These technologies allow users to experience vehicles in a more interactive way, such as virtually test-driving a car or customizing it in real-time. Websites are now integrating 3D models and AR capabilities that enable potential buyers to visualize different configurations of vehicles right from their devices.

As these technologies become more accessible, we can expect a rise in websites offering immersive experiences. This trend not only enhances user engagement but also helps customers make more informed decisions, leading to higher conversion rates.

2. Mobile-First Design

With the increasing use of smartphones for browsing and shopping, automotive websites must prioritize mobile-first design. A responsive layout that adapts seamlessly to various screen sizes is essential. Mobile-first design focuses on creating a positive user experience on smaller screens before adapting it for larger displays.

Automakers are optimizing their websites to ensure fast loading times, easy navigation, and clear calls to action on mobile devices. Features like click-to-call buttons, location services for dealerships, and simplified forms enhance the mobile experience, catering to consumers who prefer to research and shop on the go.

3. Personalization and Customization

Personalization is becoming a key trend in web design across all industries, including automotive. Websites are increasingly leveraging data analytics to provide tailored experiences for users. This includes personalized vehicle recommendations based on browsing history, preferences, and demographics.

Incorporating customization tools that allow users to build their dream car on the website can significantly enhance engagement. By allowing users to select features, colors, and packages, manufacturers can create a more interactive experience that resonates with customers' desires.

4. Minimalistic Design

Simplicity is gaining traction in web design, with minimalistic aesthetics improving user experience significantly. Automotive websites are moving away from cluttered layouts filled with excessive information and graphics. Instead, they focus on clean designs that prioritize important content and imagery.

Minimalistic design emphasizes large images of vehicles, intuitive navigation menus, and ample white space, allowing users to focus on what matters most: the cars themselves. This approach not only enhances visual appeal but also improves site speed, crucial for keeping potential buyers engaged.

5. Integration of Video Content

Video content is becoming increasingly essential for automotive websites. With the rise of platforms like YouTube and TikTok, consumers are accustomed to consuming information through video formats. Automotive brands are now incorporating videos into their web design strategy, featuring vehicle walkarounds, customer testimonials, and educational content about new technologies.

This trend allows brands to showcase their vehicles dynamically, making it easier for potential buyers to connect with the product emotionally. Websites that effectively use video content can significantly enhance user retention and engagement metrics.

6. Enhanced Search Functionality

As automotive websites grow in complexity with more offerings and configurations, enhanced search functionality becomes vital. Users want to quickly find specific vehicles or features without sifting through endless pages. Implementing advanced search algorithms that include filters for price range, model type, fuel efficiency, and other specifications will streamline the user experience.

Additionally, integrating voice search capabilities can further enhance accessibility for users who prefer voice commands over traditional typing. As voice technology continues to evolve, automotive websites can leverage this trend to improve user engagement.

7. Sustainability and Ethical Design

With increasing awareness of environmental issues, automotive brands are focusing on sustainability in their web design strategies. This includes showcasing eco-friendly vehicles prominently on their websites and highlighting their commitment to sustainable practices.

Design elements that reflect an eco-conscious ethos—such as earth-toned color palettes, organic shapes, or nature-inspired imagery—can resonate well with environmentally-conscious consumers. Additionally, providing transparency about the company’s sustainability efforts can build trust with customers looking for ethical choices.

8. Integration of Chatbots and AI

Customer service is crucial in the automotive industry, where consumers often have many questions before making a purchase. The integration of chatbots and AI-driven customer support tools on automotive websites is on the rise. These tools can provide instant answers to customer inquiries, guiding them through the buying process and helping them find the right vehicle.

Chatbots can also assist with scheduling test drives or service appointments, enhancing overall customer satisfaction. As AI technology continues to advance, these tools will become even more sophisticated, providing personalized assistance based on user data.

9. Community Building Features

Creating a sense of community among customers can enhance brand loyalty in the automotive sector. Websites are starting to incorporate forums, blogs, and social media integration that encourage users to share their experiences and connect with others interested in similar vehicles or lifestyles.

These community-building features not only help foster relationships between users but also provide valuable insights into customer preferences and feedback that automakers can use for future enhancements.

10. Data-Driven Design Choices

Finally, data analytics will play a crucial role in shaping web design trends in the automotive industry. By analyzing user behavior metrics—such as bounce rates, page views, and engagement levels—automakers can make informed decisions about their website layouts and content strategies.

Data-driven insights allow brands to continuously optimize their websites for better performance and user experience. As technology advances, we can expect automotive websites to become increasingly sophisticated in their ability to adapt based on real-time user feedback.

Conclusion

The future of web design in the automotive industry is filled with innovative trends that prioritize user experience and engagement. From immersive experiences and mobile-first designs to personalization and sustainability initiatives, brands must stay ahead of these trends to connect with modern consumers effectively.

As these trends unfold, partnering with a digital marketing agency like FYNTIX can help automotive brands navigate this evolving landscape by implementing these strategies effectively while maximizing their online presence.

By embracing these innovative web design trends, the automotive industry can better meet the needs of its customers while enhancing brand loyalty and driving sales well into the future.

[sonycartv]

New 2025 Volvo EX90: A Luxury Electric SUV | Interior | Exterior | Test Drive | Drone shots

Volvo Cars today introduced its highly anticipated electric flagship SUV, the EX90. This groundbreaking vehicle marks a significant step forward in Volvo's journey towards a fully electric future. A New Era of Electric Driving The EX90 offers a combination of luxury, performance, and sustainability. With its sleek design, spacious interior, and advanced technology, it sets a new standard for electric SUVs. Impressive Range and Performance: The EX90 boasts a range of up to 310 miles on a single charge, making it ideal for long-distance travel. Its powerful electric motors deliver exhilarating acceleration and smooth handling. Cutting-Edge Technology: The EX90 is equipped with the latest in automotive technology, including a user-friendly infotainment system, advanced driver assistance features, and a sophisticated safety suite. Sustainable Design: Volvo's commitment to sustainability is evident in the EX90's design and materials, which prioritize eco-friendly choices. A Glimpse into the Future To learn more about the EX90 and its features, please watch the accompanying walkaround video, which includes exterior and interior shots, test drive footage, and stunning drone views. About Volvo Cars Volvo Cars is a global premium automaker headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden. The company designs, manufactures, and markets premium cars under the Volvo brand. Volvo Cars is committed to providing its customers with safe, sustainable, and desirable vehicles.

[misfitwashere]

Not PBY

Martin Mars ‘Experiences’ Offered

The owner of the last two flying Martin Mars flying boats is offering a last opportunity for enthusiasts to take the controls of the massive aircraft. Coulson Air Tankers is taking reservations for two Mars “experiences” in the former Navy transports before they go to museums. Neither involve getting airborne. The Water Taxi level gets customers a walkaround and 40 minutes of blasting around Sproat Lake at the company’s home base in Port Alberni, British Columbia. The Pilot Recurrency level puts participants behind the controls of the planes for low- and high-speed taxiing on the lake after a half day of ground school and a walkaround. The accompanying video, shot during the Hawaii Mars’s visit to AirVenture 2016, gives an idea of what to expect.

The two planes, the Hawaii Mars and the Philippines Mars, are being returned to flying condition and will be flown to separate museums later this year. Hawaii Mars is taking a short hop to the BC Aviation Museum at North Saanich, B.C., while Philippine Mars will head to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona. The planes were among four that were bought by timber companies in the 1950s and converted to waterbombers. They were retired from that role in 2011. Coulson is now focused on converting former Southwest Airlines Boeing 737s into air tankers.

[bikekharidoblogs]

Royal Enfield Wingman Launched With Super Meteor 650

Key Feature :

The Royal Enfield Wingman is equipped with many features to support its riders, a few prominent one are as follows:

a) Live tracking. b) Last parked location. c) Trip summary. d) Vehicle Alerts. e) Proactive support by the GRID team.

Royal Enfield introduces ‘Wingman’ connected vehicle solution in Super Meteor 650

Royal Enfield has launched a new connected vehicle feature named ‘Wingman’ for its Super Meteor 650 model. This rider-focused addition integrates vehicle connectivity through the existing RE App and gets backend support through a dedicated Royal Enfield Grid team.

The aim is to consistently provide riders with real-time information about their motorcycle, coupled with proactive support.

The Royal Enfield ‘Wingman’ is available for both Android and IOS devices. As part of the new feature roll-out, Royal Enfield has rolled out – trip summary, vehicle alert, last parked, and live tracking features -They were previously not available with the RE app.

You may like it : Best Bikes in India 2023

Wingman provides real-time information about the motorcycle’s health to the rider through an interactive dashboard in the Royal Enfield app.

Using this feature, the rider can get critical updates about fuel level, battery status, engine on/off status, and service alerts thereby ensuring he or she is always aware of their motorcycle’s condition.

Further, when the phone’s GPS is enabled, it allows location tracking, last parked location tracking and walk-to-my-motorcycle feature.

It provides the rider insights of the daily rides, riding patterns, trip information such as the ride routes, max speed, average speed etc, including sudden braking and sudden acceleration notifications.

You may like it : New 2023 Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 in Walkaround Video

Royal Enfield Wingman

You may like it : Best Electric Bikes in India

Riders can receive proactive Royal Enfield GRID support with real-time guidance and vehicle alerts. The Indian bike maker has set up a full-fledged customer support team who will reach out to the customers if a customer is likely to encounter a technical snag with their motorcycle.

They can also choose to call the GRID Support at a click of a button in the app in case of any assistance that may be required during the ride anytime and anywhere in the country.

[wimpydave]

Walkaround Tour ! Ski Doo Custom Sled

[renyen808]

Fire Emblem Engage: Is It Good?

Hey everyone! Anyone that knows me knows how obsessed I am with the Fire Emblem franchise. 

(Credit: Nintendo)

I loved every game in this new era that it is in, from Awakening, Fates, and Three Houses all building off of one another and creating amazing and engaging (hah) stories that make me want to play over and over again. Here, unfortunately, is not the case. SPOILER ALERT on the game in general along with any other one in the franchise, I am probably going to spoil it. 

Fire Emblem Engage is the latest installment in the franchise and it was…okay. 

(Credit: Nintendo of America YouTube Video)

I mean, it wasn’t bad, but it fell flat compared to its predecessors. You play as Alear, a male/female protagonist known as the Divine Dragon who was asleep for a thousand years. They have lost their memory during their slumber, and must navigate their foggy memories while fighting in a war against the Kingdom of Elusia.

(Credit: Fire Emblem Wikia/Fire Emblem Wikipedia)

Robin was essentially a standin for us, the player, since we could customize their appearance and have meaningful relationships with the other NPCs. Alear, however, has no way of changing their appearance, thanks to their hair and eye color being important to the story, and only has a fraction of the meaningful interactions that Awakening did. Robin’s memory loss was from them almost becoming a vessel for Grima, shattering their mind, while Alear was attacked by Sombron in a last stitch effort in killing them before dying himself. I feel that Robin’s memory loss plays better in the Awakening story rather than Alear’s memory loss in Engage. I know it is because they tried to strike magic twice with the memory loss, but Alear fell flat compared to Robin, Corrin, and Byleth.

The story is also not that great. Fates and Three Houses really stepped up their game from Awakening by having multiple storylines and alternate endings to have replayability, choosing a different path each time you play. Engage, however, takes a step back, and has one linear storyline, which is a huge bummer for me. I wasn’t a fan at first of the multiple stories, but I found myself entertained by them. Awakening is still my favorite in the franchise, and that is a linear story, but it is one that was told perfectly, didn’t feel cliche, and made me actually feel for the characters. Here, I just don’t care about what happens. I don’t care because I know what is going to happen in the end. 

(Credit: Gamespot)

The gameplay mechanics are an improvement for the series. Once you select the character you wish to move, they will follow wherever the joystick leads them, and will stop when you press an option that is available, whether that is just stopping and ending your turn, engaging with the Emblem you have equipped, using an item in your inventory, or attacking an enemy adjacent to your spot. You can be in your engaged form for only three turns, but it will charge over the course of the battle, allowing you to engage more than once during combat. There are different objectives that you have to reach depending on the chapter, such as ‘Rout the Enemy’ which just means eliminate every enemy unit, or sometimes it will be just a ‘Defeat the Bosses’ one where all you have to do is defeat the named enemies.

(Credit: RPGamer)

 Once the objective is reached, the chapter will conclude and you will have some dialogue before the afterbattle walkaround, something new added in Engage. After the battle, you are able to walk around the area and talk to all of your allies, regardless if you deployed them or not. You can also find ingredients, items, and animals, I’ll explain those later. Afterwards, you can leave the area and return to the World Map (in the beginning of the game) or the Somniel.

Along with that, the characters are not as memorable as in previous installments. I can name pretty much every character in Awakening, some from Fates and Three Houses, but not that much from Engage. I only remember Alear, but no other names off the top of my head. Also, the character relationships don’t play a big role here, so I do not feel the need to push relationships together. I loved choosing different relationships between my units, but ever since Three Houses, only the Avatar can obtain an ‘S’ rating, with characters having high relationship points going into relationships afterwards. As far as I know currently, the only ones who can be in relationship is Alear and whomever Alear chooses, but the conversations are not memorable and are mediocre at best. 

(Credit: Gamer Guides)

So, I bring up the conversations because these are the most memorable aspects of Fire Emblem. The conversations this time around are not as memorable as they were back in the day, where instead of Robin and Chrom embarrassing each other with bathroom run ins, we get Alear blankly talking to one of their allies. I haven’t played Engage in weeks and I cannot recall one conversation that has been memorable. 

The Somniel is basically your base, kinda like the school in Fire Emblem Three Houses. You can do different things here, such as cooking for yourself and two of your allies, working out, and training. These are just…okay. I wish it was more like Three Houses, where it seemed exciting to do each time, but for Engage, I kind of just felt like going onto the next chapter and getting it over with. The only part I found exciting, unbelievably, was the ring cleaning section. It is exactly how it sounds. You clean rings…and that was the most fun. 

Overall, Fire Emblem Engage is okay, an underwhelming sequel to the amazing Three Houses. It is a vital game to the series as a whole, improving on gameplay, but fails to capture what the previous games did so perfectly. I did enjoy playing it, but at the moment, have no desire to pick it up and play it again. I am more of the story based player, and the tactical stuff second, so with the story being as weak as it is, I cannot just look over it and say it is a good game where it could be improved. All in all, I say you should play it for yourself and figure out for yourself if the game is for you. 

(Credit: Game Rant)

Thank you for taking the time to read my post! If you enjoyed reading it, share it with a friend who may also like it as well. Comments are always welcome, but keep it nice. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and shouldn’t be attacked because of them. If you want to hear audio versions of these articles, you can find them on my YouTube channel ‘Screen and Joystick’. I will hopefully begin recording these first two episodes in the coming days. I will be posting two articles a week, starting next week, so I am excited to begin this journey with you all! Thank you for reading! See you in the next post!

[k12academics]

Want to know how training with Cat® Simulators systems can benefit your heavy equipment operator training program? To find out how, listen to the new episode of EarthMovers Media's "In the Dirt" podcast, where Cat Simulators Account Manager Jonathan LaBerdia and Mack Plovie discuss the many advantages of simulator training!   Jonathan shares his experiences with customers, including how Cat Simulators systems positively impact his customers' training programs, from teaching operators how to conduct a machine walkaround inspection to correcting operators' bad habits to keeping production equipment on the job site and much more.    Find out how simulators can make a difference in your training program! Listen to the podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/using-cat-simulators-to-train-your-people-w-jonathan/id1513504841?i=1000613226956 .

[meanderful]

Holiday Season on the High Seas

Our New Home

Happy New Year, dearest family and friends! And for those who celebrate it, I hope you had a lovely Christmas!

We last left off just as Sam and I were finishing our time in Alor. For the first time in our Indonesia trip, we had a hard deadline—on December 21st, we would be starting a liveaboard trip in the region of West Papua to explore Raja Ampat, a huge and famously biodiverse marine national park to the very west of Indonesia. This was the only thing we had booked ahead for the entire trip as it was one of our mega bucket list items.

Sorong, the city that the liveaboard trip would start from, is just over 1,000km as the crow flies from Alor. But as both Alor and Sorong are very remote, it was a case of patching together flights to make the journey work. This meant that Sam and I had to opt for a circuitous route of four mini flights across two days, travelling in a vast loop that covered three times the direct distance.

By the end of the final flight, I had noticed with some worry that I was starting to have issues swallowing, and by the time we reached Sorong, had one night to sort out our things, and then were picked up to start our liveaboard trip, I had completely lost my voice. Not excellent omens.

A dinghy took us out into the harbour, where La Galigo, our home for the next 12 days, was moored. She was a beautiful “phinisi” style boat, a kind of traditional sailing boat from south Sulawesi that had been converted to a) now be fitted out with motors, because otherwise there was no way we’d be able to make our long route around the marine national park, and b) run as a liveaboard boat. We were given a quick walkaround and shown to our cabin and it was clear immediately that she was a pretty luxurious boat for us, with wooden panelling all over the place, an air-conned restaurant area, our cabin on the deck above with several large windows looking out to sea, flushing toilets and warm-water showers, and a large dive deck at the back of the boat for prepping all the tanks and equipment. Its usual capacity was 14 guests (though our trip only had 9) plus a grand total of 17 crew members.

Photos Above: La Galigo; the restaurant area; our lovely cabin

The various guests slowly arrived and once everyone was on board, we slowly made our way out of the harbour as Fareez, the cruise director (i.e. coordinator, customer support, schedule planner, and general head honcho for the trip) introduced himself, and gave us a thorough briefing about the boat and the general down low on the rough outline of the trip.

Perfect Timing

That night I broke out in a full fever. It took me two days to shake it during which I was completely cabin bound (just sitting up hurt), with lovely Sam bringing me up food from the kitchen at mealtimes (though I was grateful that a covid test came up negative at least). By day 4 of the trip (Christmas Eve), I could leave my cabin and start to slowly move about the boat, just in time for a full Christmas Eve meal with all the guests and crew together in the restaurant area. The crew had decked it out in loads of decorations and the kitchen team made a huge effort with the meal so it was a joyful affair.

Photo Above: Christmas Eve dinner!

Though Sam and I had kept apart during the days, at night we had to sleep in the same cabin so even with the window open the whole time, it felt highly unlikely that he’d get off scot free. And indeed, on Christmas day he started feeling extremely rough and by lunch, he was in bed with a fever. And so now it was my turn to ferry up meals as Sam slowly recovered over the next few days.

Needless to say, neither of us could dive. I tried on one day somewhere in the middle of the trip and managed a couple of dives, but by the next morning, my ears had major problems and I realised I’d probably tried too early in my haste to get back underwater. There was absolutely no phone signal, which meant any external communication was out of the question (always lovely to have a break). Instead, I read for many many hours and enjoyed being on the boat itself, in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by little pops of tropical green as we navigated between the many islands. And whenever the dive site was suitable, I also snorkelled, floating over the vibrant reefs, or on one occasion, becoming a “manta drone” as I circled above a large manta ray who was herself slowly circling about 7 metres below me over a cleaning station on the seabed. Somewhere around day 8, Sam started to feel more himself and we could at least hang out together and have a good old giggle about how much of a farce our once-in-a-lifetime, bucket-list-level, most-expensive-holiday-ever trip was turning out to be.

Photos Above: view from the front of the boat looking back; sunset on board

There were a few land-based activities that Sam and I could participate in. On Christmas day morning (when I had recovered enough to walk about a bit and before Sam’s fever had hit), the two dinghies took all us guests and some of the crew on a twenty-minute journey through a maze of islets called “beehives” for their steep, limestone pinnacles. We then did a 20-minute hike (although, it was more of a climb really) up one of them, pausing at the top for the stunning view—though it was pretty cloudy that day, the turquoise waters and islets were still a sight to behold.

Photos Above: the boat ride to our hike; arriving at our chosen beehive; on the climb up; with Sam at the top; with some of the liveaboard guests and crew (photo courtesy of Sheila); the panoramic view

Later in the trip, we also paused on Pianemo island and did the boardwalk through the jungle to reach a panoramic viewpoint looking out across the ocean and surrounding islands.

Photos Above: Pianemo viewpoint with Fareez and some of the liveaboard guests (photo courtesy of Fareez); the view

I did eventually manage to get in the water on our final two full days, so that by the end of the trip I had managed 8 out of the total 36 dives—not bad considering how ill I’d been. It was pretty wonderful to be a) almost back to full health (aside from a lingering chesty cough) and b) back in the beloved ocean. Even after only a few days not diving, it felt like a complete joy to be back underwater, and I saw my fair share of various reef shark species, vast schools of fish (barracuda, jacks, yellow snappers), and an amazing, diverse array of coral.

A couple of days from the end of the trip, the crew spent the entire afternoon ferrying items from the boat to a tiny islet called Mioskon, which was just a small pop of jungle with one beach. After the final dive of the day, all the crew and guests were ferried over to the island, where a barbecue was in full force, plus a full banquet table set up. While a bonfire blazed, we ate sat on long cushions on the ground at the low tables. It was an impressive affair and must have taken the crew hours to orchestrate.

In the afternoon of December 31st, we arrived back in Sorong’s harbour, ready to disembark the next morning—which meant that our very final evening on the boat was also New Year’s Eve! In contrast to our disappointment of Christmas, NYE turned out great. After dinner, the entire (always extremely smiley) crew filtered into the restaurant area and did a super fun performance of a number of Indonesian folk songs. By 9pm (when all the guests were usually in bed after a long day of four dives), Sam pulled out a bottle of rum that he had thought to pick up in duty free, and we shared it with the three other guests who had stayed up plus Fareez, our cruise director. After several hours of chatting and laughter, we all made our way to the top deck of the boat to watch the new year roll in. And what an absolute spectacle it proved to be! For several hours before midnight, a fair few fireworks were consistently going off, but at midnight they increased in fervour, so that suddenly all around the harbour there were more than 100 separate firework displays happening—the scale of it was so mind boggling that we hardly knew where to look and stood transfixed turning around heads side to side. Added to this, boats across the harbour began lighting flares that shot up as red sparks into the sky, curving down over the water to be extinguished by the black-dark sea. Who would have thought that a remote city in the far west of Indonesia would be so crazy about fireworks! They didn’t abate for a full 40 minutes, easily the longest and showiest display(s) I’ve ever seen.

Photo Above: customary blurry New Year's Eve selfie, with the midnight crew (photo courtesy of Fareez)

On New Year’s Day, we disembarked the boat and spent the rest of the day catatonically tired and therefore not doing much except getting used to being back on land (you’d think this would have been more exciting but turns out we both love being on boats, even when we’re ill). And after all, it wouldn’t be long until the next adventure—my sister Jo was set to arrive the very next day!

[huuuugestmoney]

A notification on one's screen alerting them to their license needing renewed probably sounded innocuous enough, didn't it? Especially when everyone and their grandma's dog was getting the exact same message.

People reaaaally ought to question these things more often.

But they didn't.

Tipping his hat to the latest client come to attend classes, Sampo kept his customer service smile front and center. And then, behind his desk and safely pocketing tucking their licensing fees away, he adjusted his shades and went back to observing the oh so very diligent students come to complete their civic duty.

In all honesty, a good lot of these folks could probably do with the refresher, so it's not like he was doing them any disservice. . .

I mean, have you seen Penacony's drivers???

Then again, if all of Penacony's driving instructors were of similar caliber to the ones Sampo had managed to round up, he could hardly blame folks - this stuff was boooo-ring. Yikes!

Anyway. It was time for Sampo himself to get to work here. He'd saved the fun part for himself, of course: the practical exams! And he was scheduled for one quite shortly and so, doffing hat (he kept the shades though) and donning jacket, off he went!

Right on time, too.

Let none say Sampo didn't respect a little punctuality!

Checklist in hand, Sampo offered a small salute.

(Did she look familiar, this one? Uh... He sure hoped not.)

"Well hello there, ma'am! If I read correctly," he flipped through the papers, and gave pause. Huh. How'd she slip through his carefully crafted system...? "You, ah, aren't here to renew, but to take your very first driving test... ever...?"

...

Bah.

He probably didn't have much to worry about. She looked pretty stern, or serious, anyhow. Likely one of them model student types. Yeah. Nothing to. Worry about.

Ahem.

"Right this way, shall we? First things first--"

and on they began with a quick little 360 walkaround inspection, you know, the usual, before he opened the driver side door for her - not without a flourish, of course!

"Après vous."

jesus take the wheel

bloom commission: driving school

[offthewallfarming]

From Blank Canvas to Wow: Revealing Hand-Painted Art, Paronamic Prints & Sydney Framing Solutions

Adding the finishing touches to your home or office takes time, not to mention patience. You might have your furniture, sofas and chairs all sorted, but nothing quite personalises a space like the art on your walls – the only place in your decor to express your personality. At Off The Wall Framing, we curate and frame art for Sydney siders to perfection. Whether you’re enamoured with the quaintness of hand-painted home accents or drawn to the impact of a paronamic photo print of your favourite place, our artwork is hand-selected for its charm, design-savvy, and spirit.

Shop Hand-Painted Online in Sydney

Looking for something a little more, well, unique? Look no further than our gallery of Hand Painted Online in Sydney by renowned artists. Our selection features an eclectic mix of styles, colours and subjects – the only thing homemakers can’t do is pick only one! Have a look. The real benefit of hand-painted art is that no other piece is exactly like it; imagine the atmosphere created by an abstract of vibrant colours in your living room or a calming seascape in your bedroom.

Shop Paronamic Canvas Photo Prints Online in Sydney

A canvas photo print that stretches paronamically across the width of your wall is one of our favourite dramatic, immersive displays of your favourite memories and snapshots of the world’s spectacular moments. Whether you choose a sunset-spanning layout of 24 photos arranged over a single wall, this print option will turn your wall into a window into a sunny, colourful vista, a bustling cityscape, or your precious past. Think about having a giant, wall-length photo portraying the Sydney Harbour Bridge at sunset, and you have a good idea of the feel of a large paronamic photo print on your living room wall. Your guests would surely ask where you got it, and you could say you had it specially made. Those everyday displays of unbound imagination are a source of daily inspiration.

Canvas Printing Services Sydney

On the contrary, if you have photos you would like to show off proudly, we can help! Our Canvas Printing Services in Sydney shop offers canvas prints for your treasured photos. Our fine art canvas prints use high-quality materials and the best fine-art printing technologies. The variations are limitless! Turn that picture-perfect shot from a holiday into a paronamic showstopper, or make a gallery wall of a series of smaller canvas prints. You can personalise the size, finish, and framing to fit your space and style.

Beyond Canvas: Framing Services in Sydney

But the work hanging on your wall deserves the best frame available, so we offer various framing styles to suit your chosen job. Custom-cut wooden frames are our speciality—one size won’t fit all. We work with you to select the correct sizing so your work will be subtly yet beautifully framed for a comfortable, perfectly fitting look and to harmonise the piece within your room decor.

More Than Just Art: A Commitment to Quality and Service

The choice of artwork for home or office decor is a very private one. So, while we are obliged to maintain high service standards throughout our company, we at the Artery also take special pride in our exceptional consultancy service, whereby we help our clients select the perfect artwork for their taste and pocket. Our art advisers are always on hand to answer all your queries about choosing suitable artwork from our collections.

Shop Online or Visit Our Sydney Showroom

Whether you prefer to visit us online for a walkaround of our collection or want to buy the real thing and experience the artwork in person, you can explore our vast range of uniquely hand-painted items, our giant Paronamic Canvas Photo Prints Online in Sydney, art pieces, paintings and more on our user-friendly website or come on down to our Sydney showroom, where you can walk around and explore the artworks in person. Whatever you are shopping for, Off The Wall Framing can provide you with creative wall art to get your revamp underway. You can browse the Hand-Painted Photos Online Sydney selection, look at Paronamic Canvas Online Sydney, or try our Canvas Printing Sydney services and select just the piece you need to give your space the revamp you’ve been looking for.

[thewhitefluffyhat]

Thoughts on Deltarune Chapter 2

I wasn't even intending to write a Deltarune post, but here we are!

Have some extended ramblings/theorizing about Undertale, Deltarune, and the role of the "Player" vs character agency.

[Warning: full spoilers for ALL routes in both Undertale and Deltarune!]

.

Frisk’s Agency in Undertale

So I'm not sure how common this is nowadays (I haven't been following Undertale theories for a while), but I personally prefer the interpretation that there is no "Player" as an in-universe force in Undertale. I think it's a far more elegant story if the fourth wall isn't broken.

I'm also fond of the Narrator Chara and "Chara isn't pure evil until Murder Route teaches them to be" interpretations too.

And, of course, the third plank bridging those two is that I don't see Frisk as a just a pure, innocent cinnamon roll.

Because I like the story best when it's Frisk who chooses mercy or murder. It gives Frisk a much more complex character, if they are allowed to have the capacity for both immense kindness and immense cruelty. It even gives them an interesting implied character arc, if you take the natural progression path of True Pacifist > Murder Fun Times > Soulless Pacifist.

Just like Flowey, Frisk first tried to use their powers of Determination for good, but eventually they also grew curious and began to see the world as a game. And then they went too far and ultimately regretted it. Regretted it so much, in fact, that they were willing to sell their soul for just a chance to fix it.

After all, it's not you, the "Player," whose SOUL Chara wants. It's you, Frisk.

I also dislike the idea of an in-universe "Player" because that implies that "Frisk" is nothing but an empty shell - on ALL routes. All of those heartwarming moments in the True Pacifist route? All of the silly Flirt actions? Yeah, that's not Frisk, that's just as much the "Player" puppeting some poor kid's body as the events of the Bad Times.

Who knows what Frisk is truly like if their every action - good or ill - is controlled by some unseen, eldritch force? Now Frisk no longer has any characterization.

And given that said force overrides Frisk's agency, then isn't the "Player" evil no matter which route you take? It's become a story where they only "moral" choice is never to pick up the game at all. Hrm.

Anyway, but that's all Undertale. Which brings me to...

What the heck is going on in Deltarune?

Unlike Frisk=the Red SOUL in Undertale, we don't seem to control Kris=the Red SOUL in Deltarune. The game repeatedly underlines that the player only controls the Red SOUL, not Kris.

(Though, with stuff like the sound of the bathroom faucet only being audible when Kris's actual body is nearby - it seems like even when separated, the Red SOUL may still be perceiving through Kris's other senses besides sight...?)

With Spamton's dialogue and Kris's reaction after the non-Weird NEO fight, there's also a lot more emphasis in Deltarune of Kris (and the rest of the party!) being puppeted by some other force. And that's on top of all the stuff in the first chapter highlighting Kris/the Red SOUL's lack of agency.

Because of all those hints, Deltarune seems to be much more explicitly pointing toward that dark interpretation of Undertale - that the "Player"/Red SOUL is removing Kris's agency, regardless of route.

Indeed, I'm somewhat intrigued by the possibility that we/the Red SOUL might be forcing Kris to act nice just as much as we force them to act cruel. The way that Kris deliberately removes the Red SOUL in order to do some very suspicious actions might support that. As do some comments in Chapter 1, like characters in the post-Dark World walkaround noting how Kris is being less weird and more inquisitive than usual. Maybe Kris is the Knight and the Red SOUL is possessing them to undo their evil actions. Maybe the real Kris doesn't want to be friends with Susie and Ralsei at all!

But taking that interpretation to such an extreme also doesn't quite fit. Why does Kris slash the tires on Toriel's car? The only reason I can think of is that they want to keep Susie at their house. And why does Kris create the Dark World in their house? Is Kris creating the fountains because they want to have fun with friends? Especially right after the chapter emphasized how great the Dark World adventures were, that seems very likely.

There are also some smaller details too, of Kris interpreting the Red SOUL's input with their own spin (like saying things sarcastically), or of Kris chatting in a friendly way with Ralsei which the player/SOUL can't influence.

So, I'm pretty sure that even outside of the Red SOUL's control, Kris genuinely does like their friends.

Meanwhile, there were a lot of hints this chapter that Something Bad happened to Kris, Noelle, Dess, and Asriel when they went exploring in the forest by the graveyard. Most likely, they went into that ominous bunker south of the town. Is that incident related to Kris’s current strangeness?

And then, and THEN, there's the Snow Mercy route. That route seems to imply that the Red SOUL is both evil, and very much not Kris. Noelle says Kris isn't like themself, that their voice changes strangely, and she can still hear the creepy voice even when Kris is downed.

How to make sense of this all?

A Theory on Kris and the Red SOUL

One idea is that as scary and zombie-like as Kris looks without the SOUL, they're probably a nice, if lonely kid who desperately wants friends after their big brother went to college. (And possibly after something traumatic happened to them/their neighbor.) They're creating the Dark Worlds for the sake of fun and escapism.

But the Red SOUL puts an end to Kris's happy fantasies. Indeed, if the Red SOUL gives up, "the world is covered in darkness." So without the Red SOUL, would Kris simply keep creating fountains...? (What ARE the fountains, why can Kris and theoretically any Lightener create them?)

Maybe in the normal route, the Red SOUL is trying to gently help Kris move on and accept reality in some way. At the very least, I suspect Ralsei is working toward this goal.

But in that case... that's a pretty strange way for the Red SOUL to go about it, forcibly taking control of Kris to the point that the kid notices and seems to greatly resent it.

But what if the Red SOUL didn't have a choice about this arrangement either?

After all, the Red SOUL's customized vessel was discarded at the start of Chapter 1... and it was placed into Kris instead.

Here's a question: will Kris die if they're without a SOUL for too long?

Because there are an awful lot of moments in these games where characters break free of something they are bound to, but it doesn't end well: -Spamton collapses when his strings are cut. -The Darkeners can move freely outside their origin world for a while, but eventually turn to statues if they stay in another world. -Regardless of whether Berdly removes the Queen’s wires himself, he's exhausted and unable to fight any more after being under her control. -And when Kris takes the Red SOUL out of their body, their movements become slow and clumsy. Like it's a struggle for them to move at all.

Meanwhile in Undertale, post-Pacifist Asriel could maintain his form to say goodbye, but without SOUL(s), he inevitably returns to being Flowey.

So here's a theory: Kris died and/or lost their original soul. Perhaps due to some action/inaction on Noelle's part in the exploration incident. And as a last-ditch resort to keep them alive, the Red SOUL was somehow implanted in Kris.

(Also maybe Dess died/went missing at the same time...?)

And now, the Red SOUL the only thing keeping Kris around. 

But just like in Undertale, it seems like Deltarune SOULs have wills of their own.

Which means Kris's current state is similar to the Chara-Asriel fusion, or Omega Flowey, or even Frisk-Chara. Control of the body is shared. The difference is that instead of the SOUL we play representing the original owner/will of the body, this time the SOUL we're playing as is the intruder.

Essentially, this time around we are playing the role of the Chara-equivalent instead of the Frisk-equivalent!

(Though whether Kris themself is more of Chara or Frisk I’ll leave to other theorists...)

Anyway, while Kris likely wishes to be rid of the SOUL and dislikes this whole body sharing arrangement, they know they can't survive without it. And perhaps Kris being in a partially soulless state might explain why they do questionable stuff like creating Dark Worlds and slashing their mom's car tires in order to play with their friends. (Again, see also: Asriel/Flowey.)

But when the Red SOUL and Kris are in alignment, things go okay. The Red SOUL suggests commands, but Kris is willing to follow and seems to enjoy being with Susie and Ralsei.  

Let’s Talk About Snow Mercy

It's when the Red SOUL and Kris aren't in alignment... well. That seems to be what's happening in the Snow Mercy route. That kind of situation sure didn't go so hot with Frisk and Chara in Undertale, so I doubt this will end nicely for Kris and the Red SOUL either. At the very least, Kris seems to have been visibly upset after what happened with Noelle in this route.

(By the way, there are two other moments in Chapter 2 when Susie asks if Kris is okay - first after the normal Spamton NEO fight and subsequent discussion of what it meant and second after she and Kris approach the bunker.

Three different moments, but Kris appears to react similarly. Are all of these things related? The bunker, Kris being puppeted, and the events of the Snow Mercy route?)

Meanwhile, here’s a contrast. Undertale's Murder Route seemed to exist for the sake of curiosity and power - either the "Player" or Frisk's desires, whichever interpretation you subscribe to. And the changes to the world were all logical consequences of that - because of the Fallen Child's rampage, friendly NPCs disappear, major characters fight you more seriously, etc.

But the actions in Snow Mercy are... weirdly specific, weirdly unpredictable. It doesn't come across as a simple power trip. Instead, Snow Mercy is a bunch of really bizarre actions that feel even more mysterious to the player as they are to Noelle and Kris. I sure wouldn't have guessed that backtracking to the trash heap and freezing a bunch of enemies would lead to new items spontaneously appearing and then giving Noelle access to a scary new spell. It's like something straight out of a creepypasta!

The overall tone that comes across to me is that the Red SOUL seems to know what it's doing, even while the player is kept in the dark. And given Noelle's responses, it almost seems like the SOUL is trying to remind her of events/actions from her past, events which are obviously unknown to the player. All of which leads me to think that the Red SOUL has motives and goals of its own... so just like Undertale, this probably isn't a situation of the "Player" being a fourth wall-breaking force either.

The Red SOUL is its own character.

And I'm certainly curious to find out more about them!

[harleydavidsonbikepics]

2014 Harley-Davidson Sportster Iron 883 Custom - Walkaround - 2013 Montreal Motorcycle Show

2014 Harley-Davidson Sportster Iron 883 Custom – Walkaround – 2013 Montreal Motorcycle Show

Welcome to AutoMotoTube!!! On our channel we upload every day short, (2-5min) walkaround videos of Cars and Motorcycles. Our coverage is from Auto and Moto shows in North America and Europe – We visit different shows: Big, like Geneva, Frankfurt, New York, Detroit, Los Angeles or Paris Auto Show, to small regional, Classic Car, RV and Boat Shows. We have thousands of High Definition videos of…

[singledarkshade]

Learning The Changes

Summary: As Gideon begins to realise her situation is permanent for the moment, it's time for them to go on missions.  Sequel to Can I Return This Gift and Days Like This.

Author’s Notes: I’m having fun with this AU, hope you enjoy.

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

Gideon looked around confused as Rip parked his car in front of the Palmer Tech store.

“Date night is beginning to look a lot like my day job,” she noted annoyed, making Rip chuckle.

He got out the car and opened the passenger door, taking her hand to help her out, “You’ll like this.”

Smiling as he kept a hold of her hand, Gideon allowed him to lead her towards ‘Hidden Gems’ the rare book shop everyone thought he owned. It was an Argus front that they’d been using as a base for the past few weeks since this whole insanity had begun. Very few people ever came in which meant Rip could work on whatever Argus needed him to do and allowed privacy for them to talk.

“Where are we going?” Gideon asked as Rip led her through the back, to a door she’d never noticed before.

Rip smiled slightly, “The powers that be decided since we were going to be here a while then we need a proper base. They finished it earlier today.”

Before Gideon could ask, he flipped open a panel at the side revealing a number pad. He quickly typed in a six-digit code and the door unlocked.

“Oh my God,” Gideon breathed as Rip led her downstairs into what looked like the bridge of a starship.

“Welcome to our new base,” Rip told her with a smile.

Gideon moved to the multiple screens and slid her hands across the computer.

“Look but don’t touch,” Sara’s voice came from behind them.

“Come on,” Rip touched her arm, “I’ll show you around the rest.”

“What else is there?”

What else there was included a large gym area, cells, an interrogation room, an armoury, a tech room with things Gideon was desperate to get her hands on, a changing room with showers, bunks for the team and a backdoor exit to the Palmer Tech store through Sara’s locker.

“So, what do you think?” Rip asked as they took a seat in the main control room.

Gideon let out a sigh, “I take it this means you’re going to be here for a long time?”

“It means,” Rip took her hand, “That while we’re here we have a proper set up.”

Dropping her head, Gideon whispered, “I suppose so.”

Touching her chin so she would look at him, Rip said, “I know this is hard, but this will be good. It’s a place we can talk without worrying someone will overhear us. Besides, look at this place. As a techie, isn’t this a bit like a dream?”

Gideon smiled, “It is. It reminds me of a ship in my favourite sci-fi shows.”

“Then name it,” Rip told her.

“What?”

He shrugged, “Bases we use normally have a name of some kind, you name this one.”

Biting her lip, she shook her head.

“What would you call your ship, if you had one?” Rip asked.

She hesitated for a moment before replying softly, “Waverider.”

Rip smiled, “Welcome to the Waverider.”

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

 Gideon took a slow breath as Rip offered her his arm as they headed into the gala, the red dress she had been given for the evening was the most gorgeous thing she’d ever worn and when she saw herself in the mirror couldn’t believe how perfectly it fit her. Sara had fixed her hair up, a talent Gideon never suspected the blonde had, before Rip gave her the golden locket she was wearing, telling she needed it to wear it at all times. It turned out that was because it held a tracker so they could always find her. It took the sheen off it a little, but she obediently stood while Rip fastened it around her neck trying not to shiver when his fingertips brushed her skin.

Rip for his part was wearing a tuxedo and looked…Gideon forced herself not to finish that thought.

“Relax,” Rip said softly, “This is a simple mission to look around and find any information we can on the people who stole the formula. All you need to do is walk around the room and if you flash on anyone tell me.”

Gideon frowned at him, “That’s it?”

“See,” he smiled at her, “Simple.”

Nodding she took another deep breath and Rip started them into the main ballroom. As they moved further in, Gideon saw the bar and instantly recognised one of the people behind it. Sara was dressed in a terrible mustard and black uniform with her long blonde hair pulled back in a tight ponytail while she smiled sweetly at people she was serving. Getting a lot of good tips from what Gideon could see.

“Alright,” Rip said softly, “Do you want something to drink first?”

Gideon nodded.

He escorted her to the bar and flagged down Sara casually.

“What can I get you?” Sara asked with a smile.

“Sparkling water and…” Rip turned to Gideon.

She grimaced, “I’m guessing a wine isn’t a good idea.”

“Two sparkling waters it is,” Sara said.

Rip reached out and took Gideon’s hand, “I understand this is the first time we’ve ever been out in this kind of situation, but you have to relax. We’re not going to let anything happen to you.”

 Rip could feel how worried Gideon was about tonight. This was the first time that they’d been out in the field, all previous missions they had Gideon watching surveillance camera footage from the van but unfortunately due to the amount of people here tonight the cameras wouldn’t give the coverage they required.

He was trying his best to keep her calm, but not get too close. Gideon looked utterly gorgeous in the dress he’d chosen for her, and he was beginning to think he shouldn’t be the one choosing her outfits. Miranda always used to tease him how he had an eye for fashion and loved every outfit he’d ever found for her.

“Start your walkaround,” Sara hissed at him as she took their glasses, “I want out of here.”

Rip nodded and offered Gideon his arm. She nervously smiled as she took it, and Rip began to walk them around the room.

“Are there a lot of people in this room who could kill me without hesitation?” Gideon asked suddenly.

Rip shook his head, “Don’t think about that.”

She frowned at him.

“Alright,” Rip sighed, “Think about the fact that both Sara and I are trained to protect you instead.”

Gideon looked at him with big eyes, “Okay?”

Shaking his head, Rip started her walking, “If you flash on anyone let me know.”

 Gideon sighed in relief as she unzipped the dress and changed into her pyjamas. It had been a long night and not even slightly productive. She’d seen nothing to help which frustrated her. This thing in her head was supposed to make her useful but she’d been worse than useless while shaking in fear throughout the entire evening.

A knock on the window made her jump, and she slowly opened the curtain surprised to see Rip standing there. His bowtie was untied and the top buttons on his shirt open, he looked even better than he did when fully dressed.

“Are you okay?” he asked gently when she opened the window.

“I feel useless,” she sighed, “I was meant to flash on something that would lead you to the bad guys.”

Rip shook his head, “It’s not your fault our intel was bad. And you did well for your first proper mission.”

“I just feel…” she hesitated.

“Hey,” Rip reached out and took her hand, “Listen to me. You are not trained for this, and we are expecting so much but you are doing an amazing job. Trust me.”

Gideon dropped her head, looking up when Rip touched her cheek, his green eyes catching hers, “I don’t even know you.”

Rip sighed, “You know me as well as you need to, Gideon and you know that I will protect you with my life.”

She sighed, “I’m sorry, Rip. I’m just tired.”

“Then get some rest,” he said softly, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

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

 Sara was sitting cleaning some of her weapons when Rip headed down into the Waverider. Glancing at the screen, he could see Gideon at her station within Palmer Tech talking with her best friend.

“She’s fine,” Sara told him as he placed the coffee that he’d brought for her on the table, “Working away like the worker bee she is.”

“Has there been any contact from Waller about what happened last night?” Rip asked as he drank his tea.

Sara shook her head, “Not yet. Are you sure your girlfriend isn’t just glitching?”

“From what we’ve observed of the Intersect,” Rip reminded her, “If Gideon had seen anything then she would have flashed. Our intel must have been wrong.”

Finishing her task Sara took the coffee and frowned in thought, “What if we had her looking at the wrong thing?”

“What do you mean?” Rip asked.

“We assumed the sellers would be there last night,” Sara reminded him, “What if the buyers were there and the sale was set up last night.”

Rip let out an annoyed sigh, “Of course,” he began to type and brought up the surveillance they had from the night before onto the monitors, “What are you thinking?”

Sara moved to his side, “If it’s the same group we think it is then check decorations used. They like to hide symbols.”

Rip nodded and began to scan the screen with one half of the room, while Sara took the other.

“Look at this,” he said after a few minutes, “Do you see the gold patterns on the vases?”

Sara chewed her lip for a moment before she nodded, “Yes, that’s it,” quickly typing a command they waited a few minutes and watched as the system pulled together the information.

“Co-ordinates for a meeting tonight,” Rip said, “We should have known.”

“The meeting spot is in a crowded mall,” Sara told him, “We’ll need the Intersect to spot them within the crowds.”

Rip nodded, “I’ll let her know.”

 Walking into Palmer Tech, Rip instantly spotted Gideon talking to a customer. When she finished, Gideon turned and saw him. A smile touched her lips and Rip walked over to her. As they’d agreed, Rip wrapped his arm around her waist and pressed a quick kiss to the side of her mouth. It was as intimate as she was willing to let him be for public appearances, which he understood.

“I need to talk to you,” he murmured, “Can you take your lunch break now?”

Gideon nodded and turned to Cisco who was standing nearby, “Tell Zari I’m taking my lunch just now.”

“No problem,” Cisco waved at her before turning back to continue his sales pitch to the customer he was talking to.

Rip wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her out of the store towards the base. He made sure to stop at the café to pick her up some lunch, while he grabbed a few pastries for the base.

“So,” Gideon said as she took a seat, “I’m guessing something has come up?”

“It looks like last night our friends set up a meet for tonight to sell the formula,” Sara explained bringing up the symbols from the night before, “It’s not something we see often but some groups like to be awkward in the hopes we don’t catch them.”

Gideon nodded, “Then I guess we have another date night tonight.”

“We do,” Rip confirmed, “But on the bright side, as the co-ordinates are the near the cinema then that’s what we’ll tell people we’re going to. It also means, comfortable clothes tonight.”

“And shoes you can run in,” Sara added.

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

 Gideon grimaced as her brothers appeared in her room while she was trying to figure out what to wear for her ‘date’.

“You know,” Gary started.

“You’ve been dating this guy for a month or do,” Gilbert picked it up, “And we’ve been thinking…”

Gary nodded as Gilbert trailed off, “We want to meet him.”

“No.” Gideon told them instantly.

“Gideon…” they both said in unison before having a silent discussion.

Gilbert took the lead, as he normally did, “We just want to meet this guy. Your friends have already met him, and we want to make sure he’s good enough for our baby sister.”

“Especially considering how many nights you’ve been out with him recently,” Gary added.

Gideon rolled eyes, sometimes having two older brothers was helpful, even if they were barely older than she was, but then there were times, like this, she would happily be an only child.

“Fine,” she gave in, “I will ask him for dinner on Saturday night, is that okay?”

They nodded in unison before leaving her alone. Gideon sat on the bed and dropped her head into her hands wondering how her life had become so complicated.

After a few minutes, Gideon shook herself and pulled on the jeans, a blue sweater, and comfortable shoes she decided to wear. Pulling her hair up, Gideon grabbed her bag and started out.

“I’ll ask,” she threw at her brothers as she passed them before leaving their flat.

As always Rip was waiting for her in his car and she slid into the passenger seat, holding on as he sped away.

 The mall was busy, and Gideon watched everyone who passed them as they stood at the cinema pretending to work out what they wanted to watch. Rip’s arm was around her waist while he had her set just slightly in front of him, so she could feel him pressed against her.

“Anything?” Sara asked in her ear.

“Not yet,” Rip replied softly, making Gideon bite her lip as his breath ghosted off her ear.

Three men appeared suddenly, all looking as though they’d been found in Thugs-r-Us and Gideon knew instantly they were the men they were after. At her gasp they turned to look at them and Rip tightened his grip on her.

“Laugh,” he whispered in her ear, “Pretend I’ve said something funny.”

“You’ll have to pretend,” Sara noted, “Hunter is not known for his wit.”

Gideon chuckled, catching a slight annoyed look Rip gave at Sara’s words but it worked, and the men ignored them once more.

“They’re heading towards the employees only section,” Rip reported to Sara, “I’ll meet you there.” He turned Gideon, “I need you to go back to the van and wait for us.”

Gideon whispered, “Be careful.”

Rip nodded, “We will be.”

As he slipped through the crowd, Gideon started out the cinema foyer frowning when another man appeared. Smartly dressed, her mind spat out the information that he was a rogue Argus agent called Kinnerton, one who had been turned in by Rip after murdering several of his own people.

“Rip,” she called, frowning as no answer came, “Sara?”

Something had to be blocking the communication and, realising they wouldn’t know about the former Argus agent, Gideon turned and ran towards the door they’d gone through to warn Rip and Sara. Gideon skidded to a halt as she found them in the centre of stacks of chairs she quickly ducked behind surrounded by the three thugs and Kinnerton who was smiling smugly, his gun aimed at Rip’s head.

This was not good.

 Rip was seething as he glared at Kinnerton.

Once a prize pupil, the man someone else who had betrayed the beliefs Rip held and had killed several people Rip had trained alongside him. Rip could feel Sara at his side, coiled like a spring ready to attack but she couldn’t because of the guns trained on them.

“I’m here to buy something very special,” Kinnerton chuckled, “And getting to kill you is just the icing on the cake.”

Rip glared at him, he had so much he wanted to say but refused to give the bastard the satisfaction. A flash of movement caught his eyes and Rip realised Gideon was hiding behind some of the chairs. From Sara’s unclenching and re-clenching of her fist he knew she’d seen Gideon too. The Intersect was their priority so no matter what they had to get her out of here.

“I always wondered,” Rip suddenly spoke up, “What made you turn on Argus. What made you turn against the people who had worked with you for all that time but honestly I can see why now.”

Kinnerton frowned, “And why is that?”

“Because you know that you’re not exceptional,” Rip replied, “Like the others were, you rode on their coattails and when you knew they were going to surpass you, you couldn’t handle it. Because you are worthless.”

As Rip finished, Kinnerton let out an enraged cry and lunged towards him. Rip grabbed his arm and twisted as Sara attacked the three henchmen. Slamming his elbow into the other man’s face, Rip grimaced as Kinnerton flew towards the stack of chairs where Gideon was hiding.

Before she could run away Kinnerton grabbed her. Rip hesitated, and a smug smile touched the other man’s lips.

“Oh, I thought she was just a civilian in the wrong place,” Kinnerton laughed as he gripped Gideon’s throat tightly, “But she means something to you Hunter. I can tell. I’ve seen that look in your eyes before.”

“Let her go,” Rip snarled.

Kinnerton chuckled, “I might,” he leaned in and smelled her hair, “But she’s so pretty. I bet she’ll provide me with a lot of fun.”

Before Rip or Sara could do anything, Gideon’s face set and she slammed her elbow into the stomach of the man, as he gasped Gideon kicked him in the ankle, threw her head back to hit Kinnerton on his nose before hitting him in the groin with her fist.

As he doubled over in pain, Gideon ran to Rip allowing Sara to deal with Kinnerton as he moved her out of the room.

 “I’m sorry,” Gideon babbled as Rip walked her back to the van in silence, “I know you wanted me to get out of there, but you weren’t answering your comms and I needed to warn you he was here.”

“It’s okay,” Rip said softly, “But you have to remember our job is to protect you, not the other way around.”

Gideon shook her head, “I know but…” she shrugged, “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Wrapping his arm around her, Rip gave Gideon a tight comforting hug. Letting her go he smiled, “You didn’t need our help, where did you learn to do that?”

“Ray set up self-defence classes a few years ago,” Gideon shrugged, “I had forgotten about it until just now.”

“Well, I have a feeling Sara is going to set up some training after seeing you in action,” Rip told her.

Blushing Gideon smiled slightly, “Does this mean we’re finished for tonight?”

“Sara will have contacted the clean-up team, she’ll co-ordinate with them so you’re free for the night,” Rip told her.

Gideon grimaced slightly but before she could say anything else he continued.

“Since we’ve told everyone that we’re going to see a movie tonight,” Rip noted, “We could go see one.”

“Sounds good,” Gideon smiled before she added, “And it will give me some time to persuade you to come for dinner on Saturday with my brothers.”

Rip’s eyebrow raised.

“They want to meet you and they’re beginning to annoy me about it,” she told him, “It would sell us dating as well and make my life slightly easier.”

Rip nodded, “Of course. I’ll be there but first,” he offered her his hand, “What do you want to go see?”

[awesome-casuallyfamouscollector]

Lloyd Vehicle Consulting

Back in July 2019, I was invited to the press launch of the new MG ZS EV as a guest of the Planet Auto YouTube channel. The walkaround I filmed there on my old mobile phone which took just ten minutes (and is not edited) became the most successful video on my channel by far: (..) A couple of months later, one of my old friends from primary school (!) Richard Jackson offered me the chance to film his own MG ZS EV Exclusive, which was the first ZS EV delivered to a customer in the country.

Now, one year after he took delivery, I visited Mr Jackson at one of our Tweed Jacket Reviews filming locations, North Mymms Park near Welham Green in Hertfordshire, where I asked him about his ownership experience. With terrible editing and genuine music from Laurie Johnson, here is the sequel to these immensely popular videos. Nothing untoward, then!