#detailing for resale

[techdriveplay]

DIY Car Detailing Tips for a Professional-Looking Finish 

With the right car detailing tips and a bit of effort, you can elevate the appearance of your car, enhancing its beauty.

Achieving a professional-looking finish on your vehicle doesn’t always require the hands of a pro. With the right car detailing tips and a bit of effort, you can elevate the appearance of your car, protecting its value and enhancing its beauty. This comprehensive guide provides essential car detailing tips to help you achieve that sought-after professional finish, from interior to exterior…

[abbaswift]

daily searching for taylor tickets on ticketmaster and axs, trying not to remember when i almost got two centre middle bowl tickets for the price of one nosebleed resale ticket 💔💔

[ecoverdevaletingco]

Why Auto Paint Enhancement is Crucial for Your Car in London

When it comes to keeping your car looking its best, an auto paint enhancement packages in London is a smart investment. This service enhances the paintwork by eliminating imperfections and restoring that brand-new shine, giving your vehicle a refreshed and vibrant look.

Restore the Glossy Finish:

Over time, various environmental elements like road grime, dirt, and sun exposure can make your car's paintwork look faded and dull. A paint enhancement service revitalizes the shine and brilliance of your vehicle's exterior, imparting a refreshed and new appearance.

Remove Minor Scratches:

Surface imperfections such as minor scratches and swirls can be distressing for car owners. Paint enhancement effectively addresses these flaws, restoring the vehicle's immaculate condition.

Increase Resale Value:

Enhancing your vehicle's visual appeal can significantly boost its resale value. Prospective buyers are more inclined to consider a vehicle that appears well-maintained.

Shield Against Environmental Factors:

An improved paint finish not only elevates your car's aesthetic appeal but also offers additional protection against environmental hazards, including UV radiation, road tar, bird excrement, and more.

Now that you know what paint enhancement is and why it's vital for your car. Let's talk about where you can get this service. Ecoverde Valeting Service is your go-to place for all your car detailing needs in London. They are not the typical car detailer centres where you come across often. They are different and offer personalized, top-quality services that cater to your car's specific needs.

Ecoverde Valeting Service understands that every car is unique. That’s why they take time to study each case thoroughly. They offer a tailored solution based on your vehicle. Their auto paint enhancement package in London aims to restore your car’s paintwork to its original glory. They don’t believe in rushing through the process. Instead, they take meticulous care in ensuring your car gets the best treatment it deserves.

The price of their auto paint enhancement package may be higher than others. But they guarantee you, the quality of the work. You will get the best value for every penny spent. Quality auto paint enhancement service is their priority. They strive to attract clientele who value and prioritize the same.

For the best results, trust Ecoverde Valeting with your auto paint enhancement package in London. Their skilled technicians provide exceptional care to ensure your car looks stunning and stays protected for years to come.

[giasmashrepairs]

Beyond the Wash: Exploring the Different Levels of Car Detailing Services

Are all car detailing services the same? Explore the different levels of car detailing services with GIA Smash Repairs.

[sirfrogsworth]

Smartphone cameras are NOT getting worse. (See below for phone photography tips)

I've now seen 3 pro photographers reviewing the iPhone 16 and complaining the cameras are "worse" and blaming Apple for not including revolutionary new camera technology.

And I suppose this is partly Apple's fault. Their marketing and hype machine always goes overboard. But also, that's just how marketing works. Samsung has a "200 megapixel" sensor and Sony has a "Zeiss" lens. And I think it is unrealistic to expect smartphone companies to say "This product has entered the iterative phase and each new model will only be marginally improved over the last one."

Smartphones (from any brand) have become an appliance. You don't buy a new model of microwave every year. And you don't expect every new model of microwave to have new revolutionary technology. And that is pretty much the expectation you should have with most computer hardware from here on out.

And in some ways, that is a good thing. That means the design of the phone has pretty much been perfected and it will last you a long time if you take care of it. You will not be left behind and your phone will be able to handle any new software for most of its lifespan.

So, is Apple getting lazy or is there a reason their hardware is stagnating?

It seems that neither money nor marketing can change the laws of physics.

They cannot make transistors much smaller. Phones and computers are about as fast as current hardware designs can make them (unless there is a shocking scientific breakthrough). From here on out, heavy compute tasks that are beyond your phone or computer will be done in the cloud on giant computer clusters. Thankfully computers and phones seem to be plenty fast for the majority of tasks we ask of them.

I remember Katrina telling me her new computer didn't seem any faster. And I explained the computing tasks she does regularly were not really affected by the increased power and speed of her new computer. If something took 0.1 seconds before and now it takes 0.05 seconds, that is twice as fast. An increase in speed that looks fantastic in advertisements. But it is hard for our brains to perceive. She just didn't do anything on her computer that took it long enough for her to notice. But having a faster and more powerful computer/phone will increase its lifespan and resale value, so it is still prudent to get the best things you can afford at time of purchase.

And I'm afraid smartphone cameras are hitting their own hardware limitations. They can't make the sensors much larger to get better depth of field and low light performance. And cramming in more megapixels doesn't actually add much more detail, if any.

It's physics.

Again.

You cannot get any more performance out of a small plastic lens. Why do you think pro photographers haul around 10 pound lenses still?

There is a formula for detail that never seems to be explained in any camera marketing.

Here is the simplified version...

Detail = Sensor x Lens

Let's say 1 is perfection. You have a sensor that performs at 0.5 and a lens that performs at 0.2.

The total detail will be 0.1.

But in the new model you increase the performance of the sensor to 0.8. WOW! That's so close to 1!

The total detail will be... 0.16.

Now let's imagine we've discovered a magic, physics-defying tiny plastic lens that performs at 0.8 as well.

The total detail jumps to 0.64!

But we all get sucked into a wormhole because we violated the laws of the universe.

Even if you were to design a near perfect (perfect is impossible) sensor that scores 0.99.

Without that magic plastic lens... 0.198

This is why I put Samsung's "200 megapixel" sensors in quotes. Because when paired with the same tiny plastic lens, there isn't much improvement. And that's why a 12 megapixel DSLR from 10 years ago with a giant honking lens can still capture more detail.

Most of the quality from smartphone cameras comes from the computational software processing. Phones actually take many photos at once and combine them to get you a decent image.

While that is still improving a little bit each generation, those improvements are stagnating as well. Until image processing can do a better job of inventing more detail realistically, smartphones are going to have to obey the laws of physics.

So... why are photographers saying the iPhone cameras are worse?

First, the ultra wide angle lens looks softer in low light.

And if you zoom between 1x and 5x, the images look less detailed.

But neither of those things make the cameras *worse*. In fact, the cameras are better for the most part. It's just that Apple decided to compromise on one aspect to improve another. Probably due to market research telling them most people prioritize certain things over others when taking photos.

They increased the resolution of the ultra wide angle sensor to match the detail of the main sensor, but that seems to have lowered the low light performance of the ultra wide. So in good light, you will see an improvement in sharpness. But they could not increase the sensor size to compensate and smaller pixels can have trouble with dim conditions. They probably discovered that people mostly use that lens in good light and they would appreciate the bump in detail more.

But pro photographers often photograph in more challenging lighting conditions because you can capture a more artistic shot. I don't think I could have gotten this shot on a smartphone.

But photo normies are just taking pics of their kids doing weird kid shit.

They aren't really trying to push the limits of their ultra wide angle lenses.

And they increased the zoom of the telephoto lens to 5x from 3x because most people never used the 3x. So images at 5x look great now, but unfortunately if you use anything between 1x and 5x, your image will be *digitally* zoomed. Which is never as good as optical zoom. They basically crop the photo, zoom in, and add sharpening.

So they prioritized people having longer reach and more zoom at the expense of that middle zoom range. Every camera system makes tradeoffs and compromises.

And I hate that I always feel like I am defending Apple, because they do have misleading and dishonest marketing regarding a lot of aspects of their tech. But hating on Apple gets more clicks so content creators also make misleading and dishonest claims.

And so we are just surrounded in a circle of hyperbole from all sides.

Now, if you know these limitations, you can change your approach to photographing stuff to keep them from being an issue. You can reap the benefits without dealing with the new compromises.

Here are some tips to help owners of the new iPhone, but also everyone else too.

Smartphone Photography Tips

Whenever possible, try to use the main 1x camera at only 1x zoom. This has the largest sensor with the most detail and works best in the lowest light. Only use the ultra wide or telephoto if you cannot get the photo otherwise. If you aren't sure you have enough light for ultra wide, take the photo, and then as a safety, take two photos with the main camera side by side and stitch them later with a pano app.

"Zoom with your feet" and don't use "in-between" zooms. Let's say your lenses do 0.5x, 1x, and 5x zoom. Even though you have the option to use other zooms, like 2x or 3x, that is going to compromise your picture quality. It is essentially going to crop your photo and enlarge it, which causes a loss of detail. If fact, if you use 4.5x instead of 5x, your picture will probably look like trash. You are always going to get better results if you can move closer or step back so that you are using the native focal length of your chosen lens. For example, let's say you are taking a photo and you judge the best framing to be at 4x. But you still have 10 feet of space behind you. If you back up and then zoom in to 5x, the phone will switch to that lens and you will get a much clearer picture.

Rule of thumb...

1 to 3x... try to move closer.

4 to 5x... try to move back.

If you hit a wall and end up at 4.5x, you might see if you have a panorama mode and try that instead. Switch to your 5x and do the pano. Or you can take two photos and then stitch them together with software later on. (Stitching panos with an app later will give better quality than pano mode, especially in low light.)

Low light needs stability. Get some sort of stabilizing device for low light photos. Either a phone case that lets you stand up the phone on its own or a mini tripod.

This thing folds to the size of a credit card.

Your phone will detect when it is stable and not being handheld. It will then automatically extend its shutter speed allowing it to drink in more light and give you a better picture.

Tripods are photography magic and will improve your low light photos quite a bit. Motion blur of moving subjects can still be an issue, but photos of a cityscape or landscape will look great.

For selfies, shoot a little bit wide and then crop in. This goes a little contrary to my earlier advice saying cropping lowers detail, but this is specifically for shooting a face. The 0.5x and 1x lenses on smartphone cameras are fairly wide angle. This can cause unflattering proportions with human faces. Wide angle lenses exaggerate distance. Near things look very near and far things look very far. To a wide angle lens, the tip of your nose looks like it is super close but your ears seem like they are a mile away. And that's why you may look a bit "alien" in your selfies.

People's natural instinct is to "fill the frame" with a face. The outer edges of a wide angle lens are more distorted than the very center. So try to keep faces away from the edges of the frame.

And one other trick you can do for selfies and pictures of faces is step back a few feet. Sometimes this is hard, especially with selfies, as your arm is only so long... but if you can take your face photos from just a little bit farther back, you will almost entirely eliminate unflattering distortion. In some cases, just stretching out your arm as far as it will go is enough.

Then you just crop the image with the framing you originally wanted, and your facial proportions will look great.

An example...

Here the distortion is bad because I am not in the center and the lens is too close to my face. The lens thinks my nose is really close and my ears are in Canada.

But when the lens is farther back the edge distortion is less prevalent and my nose and ears (relative to the lens) seem roughly the same distance away. So my proportions look great, but I don't quite have the framing I want.

But with a little cropping...

For social media there is still plenty of resolution to crop in. Cropping isn't bad, it's just always better to use it as a last resort or in a special circumstance like this. I get roughly the same framing as in my wide angle shot, but I don't look like I'm behind a door's peephole trying to sell you the Good News.

I wish they made a "mini" selfie stick that only extended a foot or so. With the main camera that is usually all people need to undo any wide angle issues. I have one of those mini tripods and that works well, but there is no activation button so I have to do a timer. Mirrors work great to help you get some selfie distance.

In any case, all cameras have limitations and compromises. Clickbait titles saying something is WORSE THAN THE OLD ONE are frustrating and wrong.

And people upgrading phones every year are silly. All current name brand smartphones have promised at least 5 years of software updates. I think Google and Samsung are offering 7 years on some models. And Apple has always just let you use your phone until it literally will not work with new software. Which has worked out to 8 years in some cases (with a battery swap).

Phones are now appliances. For now, hardware will improve 10 to 15% from generation to generation until physics breaks. So if you want a 50% improvement, wait 5 years and you'll think your new phone is awesome. If you upgrade every year, it is going to be difficult to see the change.

I hope to be starting a little course on smartphone photography in the near future. All modern phones are capable of taking amazing pictures. And as long as you understand their limitations you can mitigate or avoid them. And that is what I plan to teach.

[xamaxenta]

Details of the Two Pirate Kings preorder goal charm I did for @oppokezine (resales open rn!!!)

The concept was utilising the nostalgic pokemon red/blue GB game cartridges as the frame and having Roger and Luffy reflect each other

I felt Koraidon was a very fitting Pokémon for The King of Pirates 🔥

[snoopyrpc]

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES FOR WHEN I FEEL STUCK OR BORED. most people, myself included, are prone to writer's block, and while this can be an extremely frustrating process to get to, i try to use this as an opportunity to approach it in a fun way. i thought i'd share some of my favourite activities that might be of use to other people.

create a movie library. if your muse is someone who likes movies, make a list of their favourites on letterboxd or imdb, or even serializd for those that prefer tv. you can make lists for ones they've seen and enjoyed or haven't seen but would like. i use letterboxd for this quite a bit and sometimes even add some notes within my lists detailing my muse's thoughts and reviews of the movies.

make a sideblog. i know that many people do this already, but aesthetic sideblog for your character can be extremely helpful and fun to maintain. you can build these however you like! i like to use mine to post photos that my muse would like, faceclaim content, playlists and songs, ships/dynamics inspo, headcanons, silly text posts, and a variety of other things. if you're unsure where to look for content you can post on your sideblogs, @museinspo has a variety of things for many types of characters and is a really helpful place to start. they have a great detailed tagging system to make it easier to find content best suited to your muse. some tags that you can also look through could be #character inspo, #ship inspo, and #muse inspo.

play a barbie dress up game. most people who know me can attest to how much i love this — building a closet for my characters' style. every muse is different, so this can be a fun exploration activity. pinterest is a frequently used resource, but what i like to do most often is browse resale websites like depop or poshmark because i like the variety of styles and the fact that you can find some things you might not see in every store! i have many muses who like to wear silly graphic t-shirts, handmade, vintage, and eclectic styles, so this tends to be the best place to search. you can also do this with any website that sells styles you like for your muse. i like to think of this as a dress up barbie game since that helps me maintain the fun aspect of it all.

build and decorate a barbie dreamhouse. on the topic of barbies, you can do the same activity with furniture, homewares, trinkets, toys, art and decor. build your muse their barbie dreamhouse, fill it with things they would collect and feel at home with. browse furniture websites. ikea, crate and barrel, pottery barn, anthropologie, and west elm are all great places to look for ideas. if you really want to get into it, architectural design (i particularly like this article listing recommendations for furniture retailers) and dezeen (has the added bonus of being able to search for things based on location, if you're looking for example of interior design specific to your muse's city of residence) have extensive articles on both exterior and interior design. etsy is also a great place to look for antiques, vintage style, and more eclectic items.

feed them. if your muse is a foodie or likes to cook, come up with a menu for them. read food blogs and restaurant menus, think of what they'd like if they went out for dinner or what they'd cook at home. i will sometimes make up an imaginary dinner party for muses when its applicable and plan out what they'd like to serve or be served in that situation. food can be a great way to get to know your muse because it can tell you so much about their personal tastes, their current lifestyle, and their cultural background. while food is something that is prevalent in everyone's life, different people will have different approaches to it. this can be especially fun if you look at the menus for restaurants and shops local to your muse's area! read about what's popular in their neighborhood, take the specifics of that culture into consideration.

consider history. think about the time and place in which your character was born and raised in. how would things like pop culture, trends, media, neighborhood, and society affect them? this will differ with every character's upbringing and background, so take all that into consideration as you explore resources. for example, say that your muse is inspired by something like punk subcultures in the 1990s. what music, movies, and clothing styles would have been prevalent at the time? try looking into the history of the underground scene, you can even look further back than that particular decade to understand its roots and how the subculture go to that present moment. how would current events of the time affect what's being put out there and how would the changes within the world cause your character to evolve in their mindset or interests?

study movement. often times we study physicality in terms of what the character looks like as a static image (their hair colour, face shape, clothing, etc) and less about what it looks like when they look like when they are in movement. consider things like their gait, posture, facial expressions, or even specific tics. how do they move when they're on the go and in a rush, compared to when they're confined to a room? how do they position themselves in a bed or on a couch? what does their face tell you about them when they speak? what does it not tell you? a lot of behavior and emotion is not limited to dialogue, but rather how a person composes themselves through body language. you can learn so much about someone by being observant of them even without dialogue. it can be helpful to watch videos or movies and study an actor's movements with all this in mind. i often find myself watching videos with the sound off, just to pay closer attention to body language and try to understand what they are saying without verbal communication.

feel free to reblog if any of this is helpful to you. i maintain the belief that roleplay should always be fun and the best way for me to do that is to treat it like a barbie game. remember that not all character development revolves solely around written words, but rather the environment and details you put into them.

[neorph]

*   LIGHTSEEKER  :   A PRO CARRD TEMPLATE  this is a minimalistic template designed for single muse blogs. includes a static header and four built in pages [ home landing page, guidelines, a detailed muse profile page and verses page ] and other features ; it is optimised for viewing on computer screens but is functional on mobile, albeit a little wonky looking.  this template requires AT LEAST A PRO PLUS ACCOUNT AND A FREE SITE SLOT  [  you can use my referral code NEORPH  to upgrade your account  ] and is for  PERSONAL USE ONLY.    DO NOT REMOVE CREDIT, REDISTRIBUTE OR MODIFY FOR RESALE.

!!  PLEASE MAKE SURE TO READ ALL TERMS & INSTRUCTIONS BELOW CAREFULLY PRIOR TO PURCHASING: ALL SALES ARE FINAL.

      ➝         feel free to move elements around and adjust to suit your own needs ( i do not recommend editing extensively unless you're confident in using carrd ) but  DO NOT COPY SECTIONS OF MY TEMPLATES TO MERGE WITH OTHERS OR "DRAW INSPO" WITHOUT PERMISSION. 

     ➝          DO NOT TOUCH THE CREDIT. don't attempt to pass it off as an accident or anything of the sort, there's no excuse.  DO NOT CLAIM AS YOUR OWN WORK OR REDISTRIBUTE / SEND THE TEMPLATE, WITH OR WITHOUT MODIFICATIONS, TO ANYONE ELSE.

THIS IS A PAID RESOURCE & CAN BE PURCHASED HERE FOR  $12.00+ USD . PLEASE REBLOG OR CONSIDER BUYING ME A COFFEE IF THIS IS USEFUL !

[iwanthermidnightz]

✨ERAS TOUR NOLA N1✨

my eras tour search started the moment she announced in november 2022. we all frantically signed up to make sure we were verified fans to *possibly* get a code to buy tickets, but for many of us that never happened.

I didn’t think it was in the cards for me to make it to eras tour after not being able to go to any shows, but in the last few weeks I manifested any positive vibes I could and searched tirelessly for tickets. I followed resale accounts for info on the tickmaster drops, and spent literally days refreshing the queue in case it opened up for those of us previously waitlisted. the second the queue opened I tried to enter but wasn’t let in. same goes for family also trying to get tickets. I told myself if it was meant to happen it would and focused all of my energy on some sort of miracle happening the day of…. and it did.

with the help of literal ticket fairy @9w1ft I was able to secure a ticket friday morning for the first nola show that night, and I spent the rest of the day grinning like a little kid. even though i was suffering (and still am) from an ear infection, go figure, I felt so relieved. so my sister and I decided to try to get some merch that morning, but the lines were so long and sizes were running out so we walked around the city.

i have never seen a city go all out for taylor like new orleans. from a swiftie welcome center at the airport, to hotels, small businesses selling merch, the zoo, friendship bracelet stations everywhere, local bars, restaurants, city wide eras themed events, to taylor’s music being played everywhere. the stadium even hung a two huge friendship bracelets on the outside. the preparation and anticipation from everyone everywhere did not go unnoticed.

it was incredible, and the pure joy in the streets was palpable. everywhere you looked there was glitter, sparkles and happiness. it made me so happy!

it didn’t truly sink in until i got to my seat and took in the view (@9w1ft pat yourself on the back girl!) i know it sounds weird but it felt like all the hard times i’ve gone through for the last year and a half disappeared. what did it for me was being around 65,000 people who were experiencing and spreading copious amounts of pure joy because of taylor and her music. you could feel it. THIS is what she does for people. and it was powerful. to think of everything going on in the world, and then going to this place that felt safe and happy and carefree. it’s an irreplaceable experience. and I wholeheartedly take back what I said about people going to 3+ shows. I would go every chance I got too if I knew it would feel like that.

the thought and attention to detail taylor put into this show is mind blowing and is a masterclass of artistry and the impact she’s had on pop culture and music for the past 18 years. the stamina and ability to perform for three hours every night is also insane, and she does it so effortlessly. I could go on and on about how truly magical it was and how grateful I am to have had the chance to finally experience it. it was a long time coming. i’ll always remember what it felt like to attend the iconic eras tour! it’s a love letter to her fans.

thank you taylor, we love you!

💚💛❤️🩵🖤🩷🩶🤎💙🤍

[bluerose-sims]

Big Valentine Collecion 

New meshes

Custom thumbnail

All lods

All maps

Compatible with HQ and Base Game

Collection of 12 garments

Hyun Jacket Acc in gloves category

Harness Acc in wrist category

DOWNLOAD

I have worked a lot for this collection, detailed so that it has the highest quality in the game mainly, low poly, with specular maps for better detail in the textures

So please don't redistribute, respect the work that has led to doing this, hours of creation, if you don't like you don't use it, you can continue playing without it, but respect the work of others

NO CONVERSIONS FOR RESALE IN OTHER GAMES 

[oozeandgoo-art]

Adoptable - Cordyceps Archer

Do you want to take over this character?  I'm selling this design! Auction starts now and ends midnight (EST) 3/8! Bid here: https://forms.gle/rqa4ptksAtPxvDTM6 (You can also view current bids by following the linked spreadsheet in the form!) Starting bid is $200; autobuy (if you're not about all that) is $400.  Piece is a standard-sized mixed-media (primarily watercolor and ink; some glitter gel pen, acrylic marker, and food dye as well) piece painted in pink, orange, blue, and gray. The full piece includes one full-body back ref, one partial-body full-color illustration, one partial-body partial-color illustration, and several detailed "design notes" in fine black ink! Please be aware: colors are a little different in person due to the nature of photographing a painting; there may be some differences between digital and traditional versions. The piece was also ripped and has been glued back together and securely reinforced from the back with another piece of watercolor paper, unfortunately; I have dropped the price from my intended starting bid accordingly, and will not be charging any additional fees for the original artwork, in deference to the fact that it's damaged goods.  Final owner of the character can request two rounds of adjustments (ie: modifying colors, retouching stains and dingy spots, etc) from me for free and other rounds for small flat fees worked out between the two of us. The final owner can also request glitter on the traditional ref sheet if they so desire, at no additional cost! And final purchaser gets all final rights to the character and art, including resales and merchandising - once you've paid for the character, they're all yours. 

[laurarobert22]

Hey Swifties 🥰

TICKET ALERT! 4-Day Countdown!

Reliving Taylor Swift's Toronto magic! Mom surprised me with Nov 14 tix, but I already had Vancouver ones! Unforgettable night, singing together!

UPDATE: 2 TICKETS ALREADY RESOLD!

ONLY 2 TICKETS LEFT!

VANCOUVER TICKETS RESALE:

Section A12, Row 8, Seats 5-6

Seamless Ticketmaster transfer or active email

Price negotiable!

Please, I don't want these tickets to go to waste! I'd love for a true Swiftie to enjoy them! DM me to grab the last 2 tickets!

Event Details:

Date: December 8th

Legitimacy guaranteed! I'll provide proof of purchase if needed. Transparency is key. Let's make this transaction smooth and secure!

DM me ASAP to snag the last 2 tickets!

[dollieroulette]

An Exciting Development--

The last Mystery Doll purchase of the year! I had been holding off posting about him due to some....somewhat shady practices from the estate company (who I am going to leave anonymous, haha.) A quick explanation! (EDIT: Quick. Lol. Sure, Rose. ok.) I saw this doll lot on an online bidding site-- got excited, figured I'd give it a go. The pictures left a lot to be desired; slightly blurry, no real details other than the box.

(I see you, Dollfie Dream insert.) So...the original pictures were not great. More under the cut!

Hm. Great. Still! I am intrigued! So I shot him a message asking for clearer photos-- he gave me his phone number to call or to text for more information (not entirely uncommon for estate sale/resale folks.) and I did so, eager to see if I could puzzle out what I was looking at before jumping all in on bidding. He sent me these pics after I asked:

The back of a Modoll head.

A mystery head-- is this the head that goes to the Modoll back? (Spoiler: It is not)

oh- ok. Maybe this guy is the modoll head? (Spoiler: Again, no.)

Mm. Oh. Ok. Alright.

Ok, yeah, see this I'm intrigued by. Alright! I was pleased, I thanked the man and put in a bid! It should be noted here that I've left some photos out-- there was some old con merch included that belonged to a con staff person. I figure I'll spare them the possibility of being doxed, as I'm not sure what led them to getting rid of their project doll and con merch. (Estate auctions, especially this sort of auction, are not always a result of the object owner's death-- in this case, I think that maybe the person who owned this doll sold off their belongings as a lot. They likely are still kickin'. At least I hope they are!) So, from here things got weird. I was in the process of researching (Image searching and the like) when I found that the estate sale company had also listed it...on ebay. For 800 bucks. Lol; ok. New pics led me nowhere really other than to confirm that this was, in fact, the same lot I had just bid on three days prior on an entirely different site. I was a bit anxious but obstinate. Write that on my grave.

I realized he did this probably because during our conversation I explained why the doll having, y'know, human parts wasn't all that strange? It was just a doll. With anatomy. He seemed to think that it having "male parts" made it..."adult". We both had a laugh about that. Following that I explained why I was interested in the doll-- I knew that he MAY turn around and go "oh I want more for this," but I cannot resist the urge to explain one of my hyperfixations. I guess he missed the bit where I said, "This doll is potentially worth a pretty penny-- however, without seeing it in person I have no way of knowing if it's legit or not, and most people do not want to spend much on a fake doll, which this could very well be." So uhhh...he took the first half of that sentence and tried to list the damn thing at close to the original cost for...the doll on front of the box. Which, uh, this doll is not. Nor is it in the sort of condition that would sell for 800 bucks. Whatever~! Whatever. I won the previous auction for....

Thirty Two American DollARS.

And then anxiously waited for the doll to ship to me. Which, after some trouble (The USPS did not scan the box it was sent to me in ONCE, leaving me AND the sales person very nervous.) it DID ARRIVE. HOWEVER. It arrived while I was out of town-- 14 hours out of town. Further inspection would have to wait...although I did force my buddy Mallory to unbox him to take a pic of his bod for me.

She made a point to tell me that this process was weird as all hell. "It's fine, it's art." I assured her. "I am deleting these pictures immediately. Also, I'm not putting his clothes back on." She responded. Fair enough. What an interesting fellow, though! Who's bod is this? Also he appeared to be -big sized-, which was exciting. As per usual, I turned to the BJD Discord. They pretty immediately got the bod narrowed down to a LUTS model-- this one, specifically. Rad.

The head though-- no clue. Maybe a DIM Minimee? Possibly a sculpt meant to be a specific jrocker or visual kai artist? We couldn't get it hammered out. It didn't help that the back of his head was uh... bad. It was bad. Whoever owned him previously was very obviously trying to mod him for -some reason- and had scraped off or cut out any sign of company name. Ah well. I'd have to wait till I got home to examine him in person. And GOOD NEWS. I AM HOME. I HAVE EXAMINED HIM IN PERSON. I'm losing light steadily so probably won't post for another day or so with the "Check out all the parts" update, but-- SOON. I can confirm, however, that the body looks to be legitimate. The dress, too, was unopened and very well made-- leading me to believe that it is also a legit dollfie dream outfit. As for the other bits? Not a clue. We have two heads missing the back plates and a set of hands that belong to the dollfie dream on the box. One head is still a mystery and the other seems to be a dollzone head-- slightly bigger than my previous fella, but not by much. :) So there we have it! The last doll of the year. Expect a couple more posts in regards to this massive fella.

[ecoverdevaletingco]

How Car Paint Correction in London Enhances Your Vehicle’s Value

Navigating London’s streets often leaves cars with scratches, grime, and faded paint. Thankfully, car paint correction in London services are here to help. These specialized treatments eliminate imperfections, giving your car a showroom-quality finish that lasts.

The Impact of London’s Climate on Car Paint

London weather is known for being unpredictable, with frequent rain, pollution, and exposure to harsh UV rays. Over time, these environmental factors can cause damage to your car’s paintwork. Rainwater can leave water spots, while the high levels of pollution in the city can create grime that sticks to your vehicle’s surface. The lack of sunlight during the colder months can also prevent proper drying, leading to paint blemishes like oxidation and fading. Car paint correction services in London help eliminate these imperfections, restoring the paint’s original gloss and providing protection from future damage.

Removing Swirls and Scratches

In London’s busy urban environment, it's easy for cars to accumulate unsightly swirls and scratches. These can be caused by improper washing techniques, brushing against trees or other vehicles, or even the general wear and tear of daily driving. While these scratches may seem minor, they can significantly reduce the visual appeal of your car. Paint correction is a professional process that involves using specialized tools to buff out these imperfections, leaving your car with a smoother, more even surface. By removing these swirls and scratches, paint correction restores your vehicle’s aesthetic appeal.

Preserving Your Car’s Value

Your car’s exterior is one of the first things people notice, and it can have a significant impact on its resale value. A vehicle with faded, scratched, or oxidized paint can make a poor impression on potential buyers. Car paint correction not only restores the look of your vehicle but also helps preserve its resale value. By investing in paint correction, you’re ensuring that your car remains in excellent condition for longer, protecting your investment and enhancing its marketability when the time comes to sell.

Long-Term Protection and Shine

Paint correction doesn’t just fix visible imperfections; it also provides long-term benefits. After the correction process, a layer of protective sealant or wax is often applied, offering an extra barrier against dirt, water, and contaminants. This protective coating helps keep your car’s paint shiny and new, making it easier to clean and maintain. For London drivers, this means fewer trips to the car wash and less time spent scrubbing away grime. It also helps maintain the car’s appearance through changing weather conditions, ensuring it looks its best year-round.

Don’t let London’s conditions ruin your car’s appearance. Choose professional car paint correction services London for a flawless finish. Contact Ecoverde Valeting Service today to explore our exclusive car valeting and detailing packages in London.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for not telling a close friend about a concert?

(🥀emoji to find this)

I (16F) have multiple different friend groups at my school, and of these groups, the two girls I’m closest with are “Rose “(18F) and “Gale”(16F). As long as they've known each other, Rose and Gale have never really gotten along due to their personalities clashing. (Gale thinks Rose is bitchy and Rose thinks Gale is overbearing. There’s other, more minor stuff, but that’s the general summary.) They don’t talk or hang out unless I ask both of them to be at an event with me. It’s also important to note that Gale is in my grade(HS junior), but Rose is a senior, and this is the last year that I will be going to school with her since she has college next year.

Last summer, the three of us went to a concert together for an artist we all love, and while it was really fun overall, there was this constant underlying tension between the two of them. At the end, they nearly got into a stupid fight (I was waiting in a merch line alone and don't know the details), but the majority of the time they were civil. They both told me privately afterwards that while they had a really fun time, they wished the other person hadn’t been there. I understand that they’re both entitled to their own feelings about the other, and while I wish they got along better, I know there isn’t really anything I can do to get them to get along, so I’ve tried to limit the occurrences where the three of us might all be at the same event.

It just so happens that the artist we went to see is doing another tour next summer, and Rose and I were hanging out at school when the announcement dropped. We immediately went to check out where the nearest venue the artist was playing at was, and it’s a stadium tour. This is important because the last time we saw this artist, they were performing at an outdoor general admissions space, so tickets were significantly cheaper. The stadium tour cost roughly double the amount we paid last time for our general admission tickets ($62.50 each for the first concert and ~$130 each for this one), and it was much harder to get tickets in a good section that were next to each other without going broke. We also had to keep prices in mind because I was going to be buying the tickets for us with my parents' credit card, and Rose, who only carries cash and doesn't have credit card access, would be paying me back in cash. My parents warned me ahead of time that they'd be annoyed if we spent too much on the tickets, so we had to make sure we didn't overspend.

Because of this, Rose and I made the decision that we would only get tickets for ourselves and not tell Gale, with our decision being motivated half by the cost and half by the fact that Rose does not want to go with Gale. The concert is now almost entirely sold out, and resale prices will cost you a minimum of 300 bucks for one ticket in our seat section. We haven’t told anyone we know about this except for the other three people in our friend group and two seniors we are casual friends with who got tickets to the same concert. Gale wasn’t at school that day, so she didn’t hear any of the conversations Rose and I had about the concert at school. Since this concert is over the summer, it’s also probably going to be one of the last major activities Rose and I will be able to do together before she goes off to college next year.

I might be the asshole in this situation because I know Gale would have LOVED to come to the concert and has expressed wanting to see that artist again in the past, but I intentionally didn’t tell her about it because of the money and her negative relationship with Rose. AITA for not telling Gale?

What are these acronyms?

[lawleon]

Complete FuniFuni Collection!

After many years of hunting I was finally able to complete my FuniFuni collection! I almost never see these plushies discussed in comparison to Fumos so I thought I'd talk about what I understand about them since the Circle that made them, Phantasm Screen, seems to be completely defunct. The initial run of Reimu, Marisa, and Sanae first showed up in July 2009 and the most "recent" additions, Satori, Orin, Remilia, and Flandre first showed up in August 2010. The only record of legitimate online sales of these plushies I can find is an old entry on Melonbooks for the hanging strap version of Orin from 2010. Some evidence suggests they were sold on Toranoana and at IRL events as well. They were most likely distributed at a few more events and probably at IRL bookstore/doujin shops after the final set was made before the Circle closed up shop. I would reasonably expect that all of these plushies are roughly a decade old, and no more new ones have been made since then. As time has passed it has obviously become more difficult to find online auctions for some of these, you can still find auctions for Reimu, Marisa, and Sanae somewhat often, but the plushies released later don't show up as often since there were fewer distributions of them. The full sized version of Satori was particularly difficult for me to locate, I think I won the only auction for the full sized Satori plush I had seen in 5 years? (For the absurd price of $12 plus shipping.)

These plushies are smaller in comparison to Fumos.

In my opinion the Funis are generally a bit more detailed than Fumos. More fabric types are used, with a lot of the frills Touhou outfits are known for are made of lace on the Funis versus the satin ribbons that Fumos use.

Additionally, if you'll forgive me for talking about plushie tooshie, Fumos generally stick with the exact same basic design for the area where the plushie sits, but Funis are willing to go into detail even down to the footwear. The bloomers are modeled like actual clothing, and look at Satori's socks and house slippers!

Let's talk about tags. In a world with bootleg Fumos, the presence or absence of a visible tag was probably the first thing people attempting to obtain one were taught to look for. Scalpers are not trying to duplicate Funis for fat stacks of cash so whether or not a Funi has a tag is more of a personal preference, or for a feeling of reassurance. I was able to obtain 12/13 of my Funis with tags, pictured below. (Did you think I was going to let the absence of a tag prevent me from buying the only Satori I had seen in like 7 years?)

Anyways, I've been hunting these for a long time and I'm very happy to have completed my collection. If you also enjoy Touhou plushies and are annoyed/infuriated with the resale market Fumo prices, and a character you enjoy is available in the limited selection, consider a FuniFuni instead. They are a highly detailed alternative plushie that generally sell for a fraction of the price of a Fumo. If you're interested in picking up any of these cuties you'll have to hunt on auction sites, but with the existence of Buyee now making proxy services easily accessible to most people, it's easier to get Funis for decent prices from JP Yahoo Auction. If anyone else out there is hunting for these I do wish you luck. Anyways, I need to get back to being mad about the fact that there aren't any Shinmyoumaru plushies, or goods in general. See'ya around!