#how to use the yoga triangle

[gremlin-girly]

Kinktober 28

Massage

Pairing: Masseuse!Ari Levinson x f!reader

Tags/warnings: SMUT, breast/nipple play, clit play/teasing, vaginal fingering, massage, improper use of massage oil lmao (pls read labels before use), voice kink/talking you through it (kinda), fully clothed vs partially clothed, praise kink, praise (good girl), petnames (sweetheart, baby) happy ending 😉, multiple orgasm, squirting

Not beta'd. I do not give permission for my work to be translated, reposted, copied or fed into an AI machine.

Summary: When you're gifted a massage package by your family to help you relax, you don't realise just how much you need to let go...

word count: 3.1k

Banners by @/cafekitsune

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Spas were never really your thing.

Being the resident stress-head of your family, taking time off or just relaxing in general was near-impossible.

So naturally, your family pitched in to get you an exclusive spa trip at the Brass Angel Hotel for your birthday full of luxury packages and facilities for you to enjoy. However, you being you, you were busy fretting about your home, and your job, to fully relax.

Aroma therapy made your head hurt. The free meditation class had you spiralling silently as a woman in hotel branded yoga pants and polo annoyingly dinged a triangle beside her very monotonous instructions. The only thing you had enjoyed so far from the services provided was the mud face mask; until the following morning your skin broke out in a red rash.

You were beginning to think you were allergic to relaxing.

By the third day of your trip, and second dose of antihistamines, you only had one treatment booked at the end of the day; a full body massage. From the booklet you'd been given on the first day, it outlined several massage packages to choose from, from deep tissue to hot stone.

Following the instructions, or moreso the warning, that came with your package; you undressed behind a screen, left clad in only your panties and a white fluffy towel one of the freakishly happy reception staff handed to you. You don't notice that the masseuse has entered until you step out catching you so off guard you yell in surprise.

You clap a hand over your mouth immediately and he holds up his hands in surrender, looking equally as shocked as you. He was tall, almost comically so, with broad shoulders and a muscled frame hidden beneath the periwinkle cotton polo uniform of the spa and a full hickory beard that matched a mane of hair. He was gorgeous.

"I'm so sorry," you gasp. "I didn't know you were there."

"Don't be. Rachel is supposed to tell me when a client is in the room so this exact thing doesn't happen." He sighs and offers you a sheepish grin. "I'm Ari, I'll be you masseuse for today."

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Ari walks you through everywhere he plans to touch from the top of your neck to the tips of your toes. However, it's very difficult to pay attention when Hercules is stood before you, describing in agonisingly seductive detail what he's about to do to you. Somehow, you're beginning to regret not doing the massage first.

"Feeling a little pain is normal but it's good pain."

"Good pain?" You raise an eyebrow at him. "That seems like an oxymoron."

"Depends on who you ask." He says simply that flirtatious grin still plastered on his face. Your face flares red and Ari chuckles. "Look, if it's too much you can tap out at anytime and I'll tone it down."

"Alright." You sigh and Ari makes a sweeping gesture to the massage table. You grip the top of your towel to secure it as you crawl awkwardly onto the table, placing your face into the oval gap.

"I'm going to have to move your towel." Ari says. "May I?"

"Sure." You say a little too nervously for your liking. You barely feel Ari's hands fold the soft towel down your back, your ass barely covered. You breathe out quietly, thankful Ari can't see or hear you.

"I'm going to start at your neck and work my way down, okay?" You can here the shake of a bottle as you give a quiet yes. You still jump when Ari's warm, large hands find placement on either side of your of your neck. However, as soon as his soft, oiled hands begin working at your tense muscles, your eyes flutter closed and you sigh.

"So," Ari says after a few moments, fingers gliding over your shoulder blades. "How has your spa experience been so far?"

Melting into the table, you begin detailing the last two days of your so-called relaxing trip; enjoying every hum of acknowledgement Ari makes as he kneads your flesh on your left shoulder. He was right about it being a good pain and he was damn good with his hands; although, perhaps because he was so deliciously attractive your brain thought his skills were better than they really were. The velvety feel of his fingers brushing against your skin, following the contours of your body had you fighting to focus on talking and not thinking about filthy things. The cherry on top of your spa retreat would be to make a fool of yourself in front of a hot masseuse.

Ari chuckles when you recount your mud mask incident. "You've not had much relaxation then."

"You're telling me." You huff as Ari moves around to your right side, mimicking the movements he had done on the left. "If I hear one more whale song I think I might just go insane."

Ari snorts and you can't help but feel a little triumphant.

"What's it like to work here?" You ask, staring at his shoes. Awfully big.... "Bet you meet all kinds of characters."

"Eh," Ari presses down and pushes his interlaced hands up the right side of your spine. "I'm not here much. It's temp work for me but I agree that the forced relaxation can be a bit...much."

He begins to work at your shoulder and you hum happily as the muscles melt beneath his fingers. But then the pain begins to increase and you frown trying to concentrate on forming your next sentence.

"What do you - oohh - want to do?" You manage to puff out, a gentle moan slipping past your lips until you clamp them shut. The pain doesn't increase but it's barely tolerable and you try to take deep breaths.

"I have a job with a friend of mine. We're going to be-"

Ari's thumb presses against the tightest part of a knot in your shoulder causing you to interrupt him with a loud, breathy curse. Embarrassment rushes you and you immediately begin to apologise.

"Don't apologise." Ari says, continuing to work the knot making you squeak as you fight for your life holding back moans of good-pain pleasure. "Unless you'd like me to stop?"

You contemplate it for a moment but you don't really want to cut your time with Ari short.

"N-no. Keep going." You stammer out, clearing you throat. "Please."

"Sure thing. Remember to tell me if it's too much and you don't need to hold back any...sounds."

Your cheeks burn and you stop yourself from squeezing your thighs together; you know damn well he's smiling.

♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️♨️

Who knew that the soles of your feet also needed massaging? You hadn't.

And by God did it feel fantastic.

Ari's hands worked magic as he made his way around each muscle, lavishing them with precise attention. By the time he'd reached your legs you were jelly on the table, humming and moaning with delight freely in between conversation.

"Okay, now for your thighs." Ari says, his hands running up the backs of your thighs, once, twice before moving back down to the back of your knees. Focusing on the left leg first he begins his kneading process before stopping midway up the thigh when his hand brushes with of your inner thighs and you tense.

"You're gonna have to open them wider for me." His voice is lower than before, quieter, and you hate that you feel a rush of heat at his words when he's just doing his job.

"Um sure." You wiggle your legs not even a millimetre wider and you hear Ari's rumbling chuckle again.

"Wider, sweetheart."

You do as instructed and open them wider, ignoring the sweet pet name on his tongue and how you can feel an already prominent damp patch grow in your panties. You can feel your heart thud against the leather of the table and pray that Ari can't hear it as he works his way upwards to the curve of your ass, barely covered by the towel. His fingers graze the sensitive skin of you inner thigh, tantalisingly close to your aching pussy, when they press down hard making you groan.

Your thigh muscle tingles under his touch, his other hand under the swell of your ass almost holding you steady. The thought of what his hands would be in bed crosses your mind; thick, strong fingers that can expertly draw groans from you should also be able to draw moans just as easily.

You push the thought away quickly whilst Ari works away at you for another ten agonising minutes, while you jump and squeak when he rubs at your inner thighs.

"Alright," Ari says taking a step back from the table. You take this as the cue that you're done and you start to lift your head but Ari continues. "That's your back done. You'll need to turn over."

"Turn over?!" You squeak, feeling the drape of the towel over your back again. You strain your neck to look at Ari who's smiles warmly down at you with a nod.

"You can't get half a massage." He points out and you feel a wave of stupidity flood you for a moment. "But I will need to get to your pecs so um..."

Ari shrugs and clears his throat. "I will be touching the top part of your chest so you'll need to drape the towel or we can forgo them all together."

"Right." You say dumbly and swallow when his blue eyes keep looking at you, waiting for a full answer. "I'll just... drape the towel?"

Sensing your nervousness, Ari holds up his hands in surrender. "How about I start from the bottom this time? Thighs then arms then chest. That way you have plenty of time to decide properly."

"Sounds good to me." You try for a smile and you just about swoon when Ari gives you that cheeky grin back.

"Great. I'll turn around so you can get ready."

"Mmhmm."

You push yourself up, taking a moment to admire the span of Ari's toned back under the company polo as he looks at the wall, before shuffling yourself onto your back carefully and adjusting your towel. Keep your head up so it doesn't fall through the small hole, you notify Ari that you're done. He turns and smiles before plugging the hole with a matching foam piece so you can lie back comfortably once again. You don't jump this time when Ari's warm hands start to work at the topside of your thighs and continue with your easy chit chat.

"Do you get many weirdos asking for massages?" You ask the cieling.

"Plenty." Ari says while drawing tight circles into your supple flesh.

You're thinking about how it'd feel to have those circles drawn on your clit and can't help but feel like one of the weirdos you just asked about.

"Lots of people ask for happy endings." He adds quietly. Your clit twitches and your force yourself to stay still as a flush blossoms up your neck and cheeks.

"O-oh?" You swallow your spit, throat suddenly dry, and lift your head enough to peek at him.

Big mistake.

There's Ari, focused on manipulating the flesh of your thigh, looking gorgeous and when moves to the bottom of the table his eyes flash briefly and he smiles. Your horniness skyrockets. It looks like he's about to crawl between your legs and bury his face between your thighs.

But then he moves around to the next thigh and you try to hide your disappointment by reading the labels of the various lotions and oils advertised for sale on the shelves.

"Women more than men." He says nonchalantly beginning the same process on your other leg.

"I'm actually not all that surprised." You say, eyeing up a vanilla scented lotion.

Ari's hands work in tandem as he looks up to give you another panty-dropping smile. "Really? What makes you say that?"

Because you're hot.

"Uhhh..." You scramble to think of anything answer but the above settling for a flirtatious comment that has you inwardly cringing instead. "Well, you're not half bad with those hands."

Ari's grin widens and he pushes a down on a tightly wound knot and you hiss out a groan. "Not half bad, huh?"

You manage a smile through the ache in your thigh. "Not half bad at all."

The rest of the topside massage is quick. Ari's work on your arms is a lot faster, albeit more painful at your biceps. When he reaches your chest, for the first time throughout your massage you notice he hesitates.

"I'm gonna touch here now." He says quietly, his fingers barely brushing the skin of your chest. Your breathing hitches and your nipples brush against the thick fluffy towel. "Tell me of it gets too much or if you want me to stop."

"Okay." You respond airily as his fingers push down where the hardness of your ribs meets the softness of your breast, kneading small circles into the tissue. You sigh with delight, both hating and loving the sensation he can pull from you.

"Feeling okay?" Ari asks with a smirk, oily drawing patterns across the swell of your breasts. From your laboured breaths your towel has moved down a little and Ari is using that to his advantage, squeezing at your supple flesh. His hands are dangerously close to your nipples and you're sure he knows that he's melted your brain.

"Yeah," you puff out, half lidded. "Feels nice."

"Do you want me to continue?" He's looking at you expectantly, begging you to say yes.

And you do.

"Yes." You murmur, barely recognising your own voice. Ari whips the towel away from you, exposing your panty-clad body to the room and you fight the urge to squeak and throw your arms over yourself. Glancing to Ari with burning cheeks, your heart jackhammers when you see the hungry look he's giving you, his slick hands cupping your breasts as he watches your expression.

"Remember what I said before, sweetheart," He says lowly, groping and squeezing at your tender flesh, letting your breasts slip through his hands, once, twice, thrice.

You're trying to focus on his words but the way your hard nipples brush against his soft, oiled palms, you're practically putty in his hands.

"W-what was that?" You half whimper, swallowing your moans in your throat, and peering up at Ari who's blue eyes dance with desire and warmth.

Although gentle, there's a definite pinch to both of your hardened peaks that make you gasp a moan.

"Don't hold back any of those pretty sounds you want to make," He murmurs, leaning closer over you. "I want to hear them all."

His beard is soft just like you imagined when his lips brush yours, his hands still busy groping and massaging your tits.

"Still feels good, doesn't it?" Ari murmurs, his eyes locked onto yours as he breaks the kiss.

Your chest heaves as you try to suck in a breath. "Mmhmm."

Another pinch, less gentle and a little more reprimanding that makes you groan. The intensity of his stare, the magnetic field surrounding you both since you entered the room finally coming to a head.

"I need to hear your words, princess."

One hand remains on your right tit, pinching and squeezing it gently intermittently, while the other reaches down between your legs to find with your clit over the damp cotton of your panties.

"Y-yes it still feels good. Oh fuck," The instant Ari's finger drags along your bundle of nerves you gasp loudly but it doesn't deter Ari's exploration. He presses down and draws tight circles, grinning devilishly as you writhe at his touch.

"That's right baby, you're doing so well." He praises, hooking your panties to the side and dragging a finger through your arousal, and bring it back to your clit.

It's all too much and all too little all at once. There's so much attention being lavished on your relaxed body that you can't think clearly. Ari's hands work in tandem so expertly that you know your thoughts about him being good in bed earlier were correct. The fact that his voice, both soothing and strained, is showering you with praises as he guides you through your first orgasm of the night.

"That's it, you're doing so well sweetheart. Cum for me, just like that."

You have to bite down on your lip to stop yourself from yelling out as Ari's index finger strums against your clit quickly, occasionally slipping between your folds to gather more hot slick before continuing to prolong your pleasure.

"I've got you," Ari says quietly when your hands grip the sides of the massage table hard, your orgasm teetering on that blissful edge. "You can let go for me. You can do that for me can't you beautiful?"

Ari takes advantage of your limp relaxed form to nudge your legs wider, fingers dipping into your soaked cunt and you spasm around them, choking on your breath as Ari rips a second orgasm from you. You push yourself onto your elbows, legs splaying wider still as Ari's fingers find your sweet spot and move against it; massaging like they'd done to the rest of your muscles. Your legs writhe beneath you, the pleather of the table squeaking beneath your grip as yet another orgasm rushes towards you. Ari releases his hand that was focused on your tits, moving it to the back of your neck to support you as his mouth finds yours.

Your mouths move together, Ari's tongue swiping at yours. You're lost in him. You bring your hands to his shoulders, bunching the cotton shirt beneath them as you hold onto him for dear life, his thumb swiping at your clit as he swallows your moans of ecstasy like air. Your walls tighten around his fingers once more and you can only plead his name quietly like a prayer, your brain too lost in lust to form anything coherent.

"Go on, give me one more." Ari urges against your lips, nipping gently at your bottom lip. "I know you want to."

Floodgates release and your legs shudder as you cum hard over Ari's fingers, still pumping as you gush with a whimper. You'd feel more embarrassed if your body didn't feel utterly slack. Euphoric didn't even begin to cover it. Even as Ari's fingers slow and exit your cunt with a wet pop, your boneless body slumps against him as you pant for air. Ari holds you up with ease, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead.

"You're lucky you're my last client." He chuckles, his solid cock is visible through his cotton slacks as he grins down at you. "But now that you've had the taster, how about we head to your room for the full package?"

[tillichan]

❀˖° Love Triangle Matchup for @alt--er--love °˖❀

The first time Kunikida Doppo met you was when you were involved as a victim in the case of Armed Detective Agency. You spent a lot of time with Agency members, helping them to catch the suspect. Especially with Doppo and Osamu, because these two were assigned to this case. Kunikida Doppo sincerely believed in his ideals, he was sure that his future significant other will meet all the parameters of the section titled "Spouse" in his notebook. But once Doppo met you, his confidence wavered. You were just is perfect the way you are, doing your best to confront your traumas and helping the Agency, that Kunikida began to admire you. And not only as a great person. Of course, this hadn't escaped Dazai's attention.

Dazai: Kunikida-kun, you know, if you look at loved one long enough, this person will fall in love with you too. Kunikida starts staring at you without even blinking. Dazai: It was a lie. Kunikida: DAZAI!!!

Thanks to Osamu, the whole Detective Agency knew that he is in love with you. Doppo realized it fast too and started his attempts to win you over. He was a little awkward, as much as he wanted to cover this up, he couldn't. In his ideal world Doppo imagined himself as a cool gentleman, but reality was cruel. The day he finally decided to ask you out, Doppo stuttered a little, but thanked you and breathed a sigh of relief, as soon as you agreed. This was the first time Agency members saw Doppo that happy. Doppo confessed you at the end of your first date, making sure that everything was perfect. He invited you to the not too crowded art cafe, you mentioned recently, ordered a hearty meal and beverages that reminds you two of the days you spent together, investigating the case and gave you your favorite flowers. He had received a lot of advice from Dazai. Fortunately, he didn't use it. Doppo wanted to show you a seriousness of his purpose, that's why he said: "I have feelings for you. Would you like to be my girlfriend and marry me one day?"

• Doppo acts very gently and considerately towards you. He keeps notes in a separate notebook dedicated to you. Your likes, dislikes, your wishes, special date, all these facts can be found in his notebook. It slowly begins to resemble a diary, not just a notebook with facts about you, because Kunikida tends to get carried away and write notes about your possible future for example. • He works at Armed Detective Agency, it means that he went trough a lot and has seen a lot of bad things. As you do, Doppo wants to get better, so he absolutely loves how you push each other to be better. Your personalities perfectly compliment each other. Doppo tends to be more logical and think first, you're more empathetic and have more social intelligence than him. • You dream about all-consuming love? Well, Doppo maybe isn't the most romantic person, but he's extremely loyal and loving. Rest assured, you're his one and the only, he'll do his best to make you happy. Yes, Doppo is awkward sometimes, you has this power to turn stoic Kunikida into a blushing mess without even trying, much to delight of Dazai. Osamu finds it so enjoyable that his colleague is head over heels, he can't stop teasing him. • Doppo admires you a lot, you're just so talented person, not to mention that you're activist and volunteer. He joins you whatever you do. You have a new design project? Doppo made a note to learn more about it. You painted or wrote something new? He definitely wants to see it! You're reading a new book? Doppo will read it too to discuss it later with you. The new sports seem interesting for Doppo, he doesn't mind to do yoga or figure skating with you, he'd like to teach you some self-defence moves too. • Doppo had planned a perfect propose for month. But he proposed to you at the dock after a hard battle. At that moment he thought he'd never see you again, because you all were close to the end of everything. That's why as soon as he saw you Doppo hugged you tightly and then he got down on one knee and pulled out a ring box. "I want to be with you forever. Will you be my wife?" • Your wedding was held in the circle of close relatives and friends. The members of Armed Detective Agency were especially happy, some of them almost cried when you and Doppo spoke your wedding vows, promising to be together forever. Kunikida was very nervous, because he can't believe that this ethereal person agreed to be his wife. Looking at you in your wedding dress, Doppo smiled softly and was ready to cry too. • The members of Armed Detective Agency are happy that you and Kunikida are together. Fukuzawa is the person who encouraged Doppo to ask you out and gave him a lot of advices. He supports your relationships more than anyone. Atsushi, Kyoka and Tanizaki siblings love you as their older sister. "We won't forgive you if you hurt her!", they usually tell Doppo. Dazai mostly enjoys teasing Doppo, but he is jealous too.

Falling in love with you was the last thing Dazai Osamu expected out of his life. You were just a victim and witness in their case, nothing special. But Osamu was drawn to you, because he has always admired kind and empathetic people like you. First time, Osamu flirted with you as with all the other girls just to tease Doppo. But as soon as he realized that he began to develop feelings for you, he closed and distanced himself from you. It's almost impossible to start dating with Osamu, he's too afraid to have a true feelings for someone. He's afraid to lose the person he loves again. That's why nobody will ever know that he had a little crush on you. Osamu did his best to forget about you too. The one thing that gives away Osamu's feelings is that he acts more distantly with you. It's very strange, especially since he flirts with every single girl like there's no tomorrow. But his colleagues attribute it to your relationship with Doppo, that Osamu decided not to ruin your love. And somehow they are right, of course. Osamu truly thinks that Doppo is better significant other for you than him.

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

Hi everyone,

I found a helpful article from ADDitude talking about ways to stop catastrophizing.

This excerpt is going to be somewhat long, so I apologize in advance:

3 Ways to Stop Catastrophizing:

To shift toxic worry into something productive, you need to first recognize that you are catastrophizing. This happens when your brain’s amygdala (the fight, flight or freeze) organ in the limbic system-the emotional region) figuratively takes over your thinking brain (your prefrontal cortex) by activating adrenaline and cortisol. Your entire being is focused on obtaining safety and feeling secure. Basically, the part of you that runs from tigers and steps aside from racing cars begins controlling all your responses.

1. Dismantle the “What-Ifs”

To regain control, turn down the volume on your catastrophic thinking by remembering past successes, tools, interventions, and statements you’ve used to overcome perceived dangers. When I’m in a “what-if” spiral, I shift my thinking to “What could go right?”

Follow your “what-ifs” to the end of the line. Ask yourself, “What if this happened? And then what? And what if that happened? And then what?” Keep going until there’s some resolution. Can you live with that resolution?

Try to consider best-case outcomes in addition to worst-case scenarios. What might happen that could be positive? Can I predict any happiness instead of pain?

2. Set Up a Buddy System

Toxic worry intensifies in isolation. So, set up a buddy system with someone you trust who can offer a different perspective. Who could you call or text if you’re in a poisonous worry spiral? Do you have a therapist, coach, or counselor? Whether you are concerned about perfectionism, personal relationships, or sociopolitical injustices, who could be your ally in these dark moments?

3. Create a Plan

Come up with a plan for escaping your next spiral. Make a list of self-soothing actions to take when worry rears its ugly head. Post it somewhere accessible, like on your phone or sticky notes at home. Your plan can include settle-me-down phrases such as “I’m afraid, and I know how to be brave” or “Things work out, keep breathing.” It can also contain a list of activities to slow your reactivity, such as drinking a glass of water, walking outside, cuddling a pet, getting a hug, etc. Here are some more ideas:

Exercise. Daily exercise pumps up your endorphins, which bathe your brain with good feelings. When I wake up feeling “ugh,” a run or bike ride gets me out of my negative headspace.

Create a playlist. Categorize songs into different playlists on your phone, label them “angry songs,” “sad songs,” “happy songs,” “how-to-stop-worrying songs,” etc.

Practice mindfulness to interrupt the pattern of negative thinking. Meditate. Do yoga. Listen to the birds. Drink a cup of tea. Do a crossword puzzle. Play Wordle.

Try triangle breathing. Breathe in for four counts, hold for four counts, and exhale slowly for six counts. Do several rounds of this.

As always, the full article will be linked below if anyone wants to read more. I hope many of you found this helpful.

ADHD

Catastrophizing

[optimal-living-lab]

 How to make body fit without gym

There are many ways to get fit without going to the gym. Here are some useful tips :

Walking is a simple and effective way to improve your cardiovascular fitness, bone strength, and body fat reduction. You can walk for 30 minutes a day, or try interval walking for more intensity.

Taking stairs instead of elevators can help you burn more calories and strengthen your legs. You can start with a few floors and gradually increase the number of stairs you climb.

Bodyweight exercises such as planks, push-ups, squats, jumping jacks, and lunges can build your muscle tone, flexibility, and balance. You can do them at home with no equipment, or use household items like water bottles or furniture as weights or props.

Shadow boxing is a fun way to improve your upper body strength, coordination, and balance. You can punch at the air in front of you, or follow a video online for guidance. Don’t forget to move your feet and add some defensive moves as well.

Yoga can increase your flexibility, muscle tone, and mental well-being. You can practice yoga at home with a mat or a soft floor. There are many poses for beginners, such as tree pose or triangle pose. You can also follow a video online for instruction and inspiration.

Barre exercises are inspired by ballet and can tone your legs, core, and arms. You can use a wall, a bar, or a piece of furniture to hold on to. Some of the exercises you can try are knee lifts, ballet squats, and deep lunges.

If you want to focus on some specific areas of your body, you can try some of these exercises:

Glute bridge can help you tone your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. To do this exercise, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips off the floor and squeeze your glutes at the top. Hold for a few seconds and then lower your hips. Repeat for 10 to 15 times.

Tricep dips can help you strengthen your triceps, shoulders, and chest. To do this exercise, sit on the edge of a chair or a bench with your hands on the edge and your legs extended in front of you. Slide your hips off the edge and bend your elbows to lower your body until your arms are at a 90-degree angle. Push yourself back up and repeat for 10 to 15 times.

Side plank can help you work on your obliques, core, and hips. To do this exercise, lie on your side with your elbow under your shoulder and your legs stacked. Lift your hips off the floor and keep your body in a straight line. Hold for 30 seconds and then switch sides.

Lateral raises can help you sculpt your shoulders, arms, and upper back. To do this exercise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a pair of water bottles or books in each hand. Raise your arms to the sides until they are parallel to the floor. Lower them slowly and repeat for 10 to 15 times.

These are just some of the ways you can get fit without a gym. You can also try cycling, swimming, skipping rope, or any other activity that you enjoy and that makes you sweat. The most important thing is to be consistent and have fun! 😊

[workingforitallthetime]

“Oh, gross!” Rutger drops the couch cushion. She’s already found a weird assortment of disgusting stuff inside the half-couch and the battered chairs at the seniors’ house – decaying chicken nuggets, vape cartridges, Canadian coins – but the used condom is the worst. “Frankie, do we need any more?”

Frankie assesses the stack of cushions Rutger’s piled up on the seat of the most stable chair. “It’s probably enough.”

“Thank god.” Rutger shoves the couch cushion back in place, shuddering when she remembers she slept there last night. It’s been fun camping out at the hockey houses for welcome week, but she’s excited to move into her dorm room this weekend.

She perches on top of the cushion pile. Frankie said she’d only do Rutger’s braids if she didn’t have to bend over. That’s worth all the gross discoveries under the cushions. Frankie does good French braids. Rutger usually goes with a ponytail instead of asking Frankie for the favor, but she needs braids for today’s cowgirl look.

Frankie parts Rutger’s hair down the middle and separates out three strands on one side. Rutger tries to figure out which app she can open on her phone with Frankie right behind her. She ends up scrolling slowly through Instagram while Frankie finishes off her first braid.

She’d asked Frankie to be cowgirls with her and Seamus, but Frankie said it wasn’t her thing. Rutger’s not sure what Frankie’s thing actually is. She’s known Frankie since they were kids and Rutger still hasn’t figured it out. Today Frankie’s wearing a sports bra and yoga pants, no theme at all. Boring.

Rutger’s Instagram feed disappears, replaced by a FaceTime photo of her and Cutter at U18 worlds, each of them biting one side of a silver medal. She can’t remember whether the medal was hers or his.

She wishes he wasn’t calling so early. She hasn’t met any of Cutter’s teammates yet, and she doesn’t want to see any of them over FaceTime when she’s halfway braided. It would be rude to ignore him, though. She swipes open the call. “Hi, babe!”

“What’s up?” Cutter’s shirtless and in sunglasses. It looks like he’s in the middle of a crowd of similarly shirtless people at an outdoor party. Rutger can barely hear him over the music.

“Up and at ‘em, yeah?” They must get started early in Boston. Everyone at her house is still getting ready for the day: thumping up and down the stairs looking for parts of their outfits, mixing vodka in jugs in the kitchen, setting up the table for Corners in the main room. She holds the phone so only the side of her face with a completed braid is visible. “Say hi to Frankie!”

“What up, Frank?” As Cutter makes his way through the crowd, bare shoulders in basketball jerseys and bikini tops pass in and out of the frame around him.

“Hey, Cut.” Frankie nods at him and starts Rutger’s second braid, indifferent.

Rutger pulls the phone back in front of her now that it looks like Cutter’s not with anyone in particular. “How’s your day going?”

“Fucking best day ever.” Cutter launches into a detailed explanation of welcome week at BC. Rutger wiggles with impatience on top of her cushion throne. Finally, Frankie snaps a rubber band around her left braid and tells her she’s done.

“Thanks, Frankie!” Rutger picks her cowboy hat up from the couch and pops it on her head. She heads upstairs, looking for a full length mirror so she can show Cutter how cute she looks: the jeans she hacked off into a miniskirt, her cowboy boots. She and Seamus made tops out of bandanas.

At the top of the stairs, she finds Seamus coming out of Moyle’s room. “Shea! Does that room have a mirror?”

“Nope.” She tugs at the knot behind her neck. “Does this look…”

“Say hi to Cutter!” Rutger spins and holds the phone all the way out so Seamus can fit next to her in the frame. It’s not as good as if they had a mirror, but they look super cute together. Rutger was able to get away with one bandana folded into a triangle, tied over her chest with the point downward. Seamus has a lot more to work with in the boobs department so she tied a red bandana and a blue bandana together into sort of a bikini top, knotted around her neck and behind her back.

“Hi, Cut.” Seamus smiles at him. “Good times out there?”

“Fucking awesome.” Cutter pans the phone around him, too quickly for Rutger to see much besides lots of bodies. Is that a mudpit?

Rutger pulls Seamus into the bathroom. The mirror doesn’t go all the way down but it’ll have to do. “We’re cowgirls!”

Cutter tips his sunglasses down so he can see the screen. “You look hot, babe.” Rutger pops her hip out and serves cowgirl duckface.

“I’m out.” Seamus kisses her on the cheek, which looks so cute in the mirror but Seamus ducks out the door before Rutger can capture the pic. She’ll have to get her to do it again later. Meanwhile, she preens for Cutter, tugging at the ends of her bandana to show a little sideboob, just enough to stay tasteful but still look hot if one of his teammates were to pop up over his shoulder.

“Wanna see more of that later.” Cutter leers at her. It’s quieter on his end now, no other people in the frame. He leans back against a brick wall, maybe the side of some BC frat house.

“I’ll figure something out,” Rutger giggles. Another reason she’s looking forward to moving into the dorm. There’s no way she can lock herself into the bathroom at the house long enough for phone sex. She and Seamus can probably work out an arrangement with their dorm room, though. Cutter can wait until the weekend to remember what her tits look like.

A clanging from outside disrupts their conversation. “Pictures!” Rutger recognizes Moyle’s howl. It sounds like she’s beating on a cowbell. 

“Oh, I have to get out there!” Rutger flips the camera around so Cutter can see the full scene in front of her as she clatters down the stairs in her cowboy boots. Her teammates are filling the front porch and milling around the yard, everybody dressed up in their welcome week finest.

Moyle said she didn’t care what the girls wore as long as everybody looked cute and showed some skin. In Moyle’s case, that apparently means black leather hot pants and a matching fetish bra, visible through the cut-open armholes of a sleeveless t-shirt that says Let Me She/Them Tiddies. She’s also wearing fishnets over legs that she’s probably never shaved in her life. Rutger would not wear one single piece of that outfit, even the mirrored aviators or the excellent mullet. It works for Moyle, though.

It looks like the guys made the rest of Rutger’s freshman teammates wear adult diapers, except they ran out of supplies so half of them are just wearing boxers. “Look at Gavin!” Rutger squeals and pans over to Gavin in a Speedo with a USA flag on it. Cutter cackles.

“Rookies on the porch,” Moyle orders, and Rutger’s class starts to coalesce. Seamus links elbows with her and tries to pull her toward the group.

Rutger looks down at Cutter. “I have to go…”

“Call me later?”

“Sure, yeah…” Half her classmates are posing on the porch rail and the other half are lined up behind them, blotting out the light on the porch so Rutger feels like she’s in a cave.

Adam turns around from the center of the back row. “Rutger, get in here,” he bellows, stretching out an arm to let her in between him and TJ. 

“Is that Fantilli?” Cutter’s eyes are narrowing under his sunglasses, Rutger can tell.

“Love you, babe, talk later!” She slides her phone into the back pocket of her skirt as she scurries into the photo. Cutter’s always been weird about Adam. Whenever they played the Steel, he’d hover around while she and Adam caught up on the concourse afterwards, usually with a possessive arm over her shoulder. Nothing that Rutger couldn’t solve by being extra sweet on the bus ride back to Plymouth, just to reassure Cutter that he’s her guy. They were meant to be: Rut and Cut.

“Nice crop top.” She pokes Adam in the ribs under the ragged edge of his Raptors t-shirt, sliced off halfway through the logo. His too-short cutoffs almost match her and Seamus’s homemade denim skirts. Adam’s never satisfied with the bare minimum, like the other guys in their boxers or Frankie in her black sports bra. He’s always going to go the extra mile to be a little more ridiculous, a little more fun, just like Rutger is.

“Yours too.” Adam tugs on one of her braids, not hard enough to interrupt her big cowgirl smile or her perfect cowgirl pose.

She and Adam hit it off immediately, four years ago at CAA camp when he showed up for 80’s bowling night in slitted sunglasses and a hideous pair of neon jams. Rutger was dressed as an aerobics instructor in a leotard and legwarmers. They were the only ones on theme. Adam’s been one of her best friends ever since, and after years of seeing him on the other side of the ice in a Team Canada jersey, this season they finally get to play together. Rutger beams for the phone cameras held up in front of them. This is going to be the best year ever.

[victorluvsalice]

Hey, do you remember this post I made where I shared a silly heart-shaped shell build with the outside painted to resemble the polyamory flag colors to celebrate Polyamory Day? And then the tags on this post I reblogged featuring a "third wheel" bed where I mentioned I was working on turning said shell into a house for my Valicer OT3?

Happy Valicertine's Week, it's time to share the completed house! :D Well, mostly completed -- as you can see, I did not do anything with the area AROUND the house. ^^; Landscaping is not my strong point, and I was very focused on getting the interior done up just the way I wanted. Which took a lot of doing, let me tell you. ALT free placement and "bb.moveobjects on" were VERY heavily used in this particular build! But I got it done up to my satisfaction, and now it's time to show it off to all of you! :D Here are some of the key fun facts about this build:

-->You may notice a very strong theme of yellow, blue, and red in this build -- that's because those are the colors I chose to represent Smiler, Victor, and Alice respectively. I wanted to use as much of them throughout the house as possible, so I tended to favor those objects that had a bit of each color somewhere within them. Though as you can see, I wasn't afraid to use other colors -- green is well represented in the dining nook in the kitchen; two of the bathrooms are more tealy than anything else; and the furniture in the living room tends toward the maroon/purple. Because I like purple. :p

-->As you might imagine, the layout of this house was a bit of a bitch to figure out, mostly because, well, it's a fucking HEART. That is not a shape that lends itself well to being divided up into livable space! But I think what I came up with works well enough -- yeah, all the of the rooms are pretty small, and the bathrooms in particular are kind of cramped (being crammed into triangles or that weird M-shape at the top between the heart bumps), but it's not the worst.

-->Also, yes, this is house with one bedroom but three bathrooms. XD Look, I couldn't think of another thing to turn that "M" room into, and the triangles were well-suited for being small bathrooms on the side! My justification is that Victor, Alice, and Smiler definitely don't mind sharing a bed, but they'd all prefer to be able to use the toilet whenever they like, thanks.

-->In the bedroom, you may notice that we have a double bed underneath a loft bed? That was directly inspired by the "third wheel" bed post I linked up above -- I just had to do it in a different configuration because Sims 4 doesn't have any beds like the one in the post. The idea is that they can all cuddle in the lower double bed if they wanted -- but if one of them (usually Alice, hence why the loft bed is red) really wants to sleep "alone," they can go up onto the loft bed. I have to admit, though, making that bed combo REALLY drove home how few actual loft and bunk beds we have, even with the fifty million bits of DLC they've released since making them a thing. EA, you wanna convert a few more of these single beds we have lying around?

-->My big thing about this house was giving Alice, Smiler, and Victor each their own, equally-sized room for them to do their own things in. Alice's room has the Cottage Living typewriter computer for her writing, a Digitalistic Sketch Pad for drawing, a Moschino camera and tripod for taking pictures, and chess for unwinding; Smiler's room has a big fancy computer and a smart speaker for them to have fun with; a chemistry bench for them to whip up chemical concoctions on; a guitar for them to play; a yoga mat for them to do yoga; and a microphone for them to sing/tell jokes; and Victor's room has a very fancy grand piano for his music, his own Digitalistic Sketch Pad for drawing, and a nice easel for painting! I'm not ENTIRELY sure they're all equally sized, because Smiler's room had to go in the middle, and thus ended up a little small just so it didn't cut off the hallways on either side -- but then again, Victor and Alice both lose some floor space to their big curved walls, so maybe it evens out. *shrug* Plus it's probably worth noting that Smiler gets the most activities in the living room with that games table and the console beside the TV.

-->Fun fact: If you have High School Years and Growing Together? That little "thrifted" floor cabinet from the former makes an excellent "games cupboard" as the decorative puzzles and board games from the latter fit very well in/atop it. :) As does the more risque board game from Lovestruck. XD

-->Doing the kitchen was one of my favorite parts of this build -- I genuinely had a great time fitting together cabinets, counters, appliances, and decorations. I am an absolute sucker for making a kitchen look properly cluttered and lived-in now for some reason. XD And those kitchen shelves from Cool Kitchen Stuff! They need more love. (And proper slots to fit things on! Did I really need to MOO that cookie jar and teapot up there, EA?)

-->No, I have no idea if everything in this house is usable or if a Sim could actually live here. I decided early on that this had to be a "show house" so I could use MOO to my heart's content. And also so my Sims didn't have to cram themselves into a heart. XD

So yeah, that's the build! Though, yeah, given all the interior walls in this particular house, you could probably tell that taking pictures of it was a bit tough. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to go right into the house and be able to take a tour of it?

[thebibliomancer]

Earth X #5

Thor seems different than usual.

It’s probably the braids.

Earth X: what you get when you ask Alex Ross to write a Kingdom Come tier story for Marvel. It is Bad Future! Uatu the Watcher has been blinded and he’s forced Aaron to be his seeing eye robot.

If you’re wondering what their dynamic is, it’s this:

The world is a mess with mind-control squids and body-control forever teens. Everyone has been mutated and Reed Richards blames himself. Many of the heroes we know are dead, retired, or in the clutches of the squid or the kid. And the world may be destroyed by vibranium or humanity may super-evolve into space gods.

As we go on and learn more about this setting, there are more and more plot threads.

Captain America in a flag yoga and Wyatt Wingfoot went to California to investigate the Skull, a horrible teen with the power to control people. The Skull took Wyatt for his growing army but left Steve alone because it was funnier that way.

While Steve sits and despairs about the hopelessness of the situation, circus Daredevil shows up and offers to become Steve’s new sidekick.

I am alarmed that this guy is relevant to the plot.

Also… I’m kind of wondering if he’s supposed to be Deadpool. Not actually Wade Wilson Deadpool himself but he has a lot of Deadpool energy and almost nothing to do with Matt Murdock. Alex Ross usually doesn’t like anything introduced after the death of Barry Allen but I wonder if he liked Deadpool enough to want to include someone like him.

This circus Daredevil is given an actual origin in a prequel from a few years back but the idea is sticking in my mind.

He’s red and black, he wants to work with Cap, he’s got an irreverent sense of humor, and he’s got a healing factor so strong he can’t die and has little self-preservation instinct anymore.

Anyway.

The Inhumans continue their journey to find their missing prince. Last issue, Reed Doom promised he’d help by getting a Cerebro and reprogramming it to find Inhumans. He takes off - using a teleportation device made out of Lockjaw… Aww, best doggo is dead? This really is Bad Future.

Reed leaving causes the Doombots of Castle Doom to suddenly register the Inhumans as intruders.

Their fight against the bots leads Medusa and Luna to discovering Dr Doom’s time platform… and Reed’s notes on it, reflecting he really wants to use it to save Sue from exploding but he doesn’t know when he’d stop altering history if he started.

Elsewhere, Cyclops is contacted by Corsair, Havok, and Polaris. FROM SPACE!

They know something bad is going to happen to Earth and want to bring Scott away to space safety.

He refuses to leave without Jean, even though she chose Wolverine over him in the love triangle.

Also, when Alex Ross doesn’t like a character, you know it. And he seems to hate Wolverine.

The appendix reveals that all the psychics are dead (Professor X, MODOK) or depowered (Jean).

Not sure yet why but it means there’s nobody to counter the kid or the squid.

Over in New York, Kid Bruce and Gorilla Hulk visit Sorcerer Supreme Clea.

Clea and Wong explain to Bruce that Strange’s astral form was destroyed while it was out of his body. His body still lives but he’s essentially dead. And that’s why Clea is sorcererly supreme.

So Bruce explains what he’s there for. He’s been having the oddest recurring dream.

Of Captain Marvel on his Death of Captain Marvel deathbed. In the dream, he rises out of bed and shows the assembled crowd of friends, allies, and respected enemies that he has the universe inside him. And then dies.

A universe inside a person sounds to Clea like Eternity. But Eternity is dead. Despite being the universe. Not sure how that happens.

Bruce really wants Mar-Vell to explain the dream to him so he asks Clea to dunk him into the Realm of Death.

I feel like there’s intermediate steps you could try but what do I know.

And geez, Bruce’s dream of the universe inside a dude and visiting death to interpret it on top of the world possibly ending and superpowered menaces running amok with nobody to stop them… This universe is a mess.

(By the way, the appendix notes that Carol Danvers is the current Captain Marvel and that she’s in space helping the Kree on their destroyed capital. So Earth X gets two more tallies for things the 616 would copy later.)

Now then. Let’s talk cover Thor.

Earth X wants to paint the entire history of Marvel with one brushstroke. Superpowers and even super genius is the result of Celestial meddling.

The gods were mentioned in issue 0 as being in conflict with the Celestials but I guess Ross didn’t feel like actual gods fit the picture he was painting.

On Earth X, the Asgardians aren’t gods. They’re super advanced shapeshifting emphatic aliens with no personality of their own who take their identity from those who observe them.

They came to Earth and were viewed as the Norse gods so the Norse gods they became.

Their powers became what people expected them to be. Their personalities became what people expected them to be.

I have no idea how this alien race of blank slates managed to invent space travel.

I don’t particularly like this worldbuilding idea for Thor’s slice of Marvel. His mythos feels diminished if it’s just aliens play-acting old stories.

Anyway, girl bod Thor is fighting some storm giants that made their way to Midgard* alongside the Iron Avengers, who Thor treats as friends.

*Earth

Tony Stark in his isolation somewhere tells the Iron Avengers to respond to another crisis because Thor’s got this one handled.

Vision in a cool hood wants to argue, feeling Tony is being manipulated by President Norman Osborn but ultimately does what Tony asks.

Back of the book appendix info: when the mass empowering event started, Tony sealed himself in isolation, afraid of being changed. He didn’t know but Scott Lang Ant-Man snuck himself and his daughter Cassie into Tony’s isolated environment to try to protect her. But she wound up changing anyway. And now they’re stuck because they can’t leave without compromising Tony’s sealed environment.

The people outside that were mutated came to resent Tony for not being mutated so kept trying to attack his bunker or whatever. So he created the Iron Avengers and gave them his dead friends’ personalities.

Honestly, I can’t wait for the issue that focuses on Tony. There seems to be a lot to unpack.

Also in appendix news, Osborn went on a secret killing spree of supervillains before he took power. He wiped out a lot of Tony’s rogues gallery, for example. And he was never elected as president. He just had himself declared as such and a jaded mutated populace went okay whatever.

Earth X is a mess.

After fighting off the storm giants, Thor calls Loki out as responsible for the attack.

Interesting new design Loki. Could do with you being less interpersonally gross though.

Unsurprisingly, Loki is behind Thor’s new look, having somehow tricked Odin into turning his brother into a woman as his latest trial of humility.

And if Thor goes back to Asgard to tell Odin that Loki is up to his shit again, Loki will lock Thor away from Earth so he can’t stop his evil scheming.

This is a weird plot point.

I’ve heard that it inspired Jane Foster Thor but I’m pretty sure both this and Jane Foster Thor were inspired by the What If where Jane Foster became Thor.

Thor seems only mildly irritated by this whole thing but sheesh, with everything else going on why throw this in?

Earth X is a mess. Captain America is demoralized and wearing the flag as a toga. Cyclops is depressed and lost the love of his life, again. Spider-Man is depressed and has a Venom daughter. Reed is depressed and blames himself for the state of the world.

And Thor has been rule 63’d. But at least he’s not depressed?

[arthurhwalker]

Lenovo Yoga Book 9i Review

The hype for this device is warranted. That said, some of the features are incomplete, or "coming soon." There's a lot of really great reviews of the device that talk specifications. In short, the specs are great. This review is going to about how the device fits into my own use case, and the features that mattered to me most.

Yep. I'm going to make it all about me.

Text Entry

Being able to use two screens in landscape, one above the other, or side by side in portrait mode is a show stopper. It's really difficult to have that set up, and have it fit comfortably in your daily carry bag. Being able to set a document window to cascade between both screens in stacked landscape mode is done by tapping five fingers on the screen. It's so good.

Also, it comes with a Mystery Triangle. No idea what it's for, but it is magnetic and has instructions on it for assembly. I found at least one thing it can do, but probably isn't intended for.

Pen holder?

Pictured below: 65w Charger, Lenovo 2-channel quiet Bluetooth mouse, keyboard accessory, stylus, and Mystery Triangle.

The Bluetooth keyboard accessory is excellent. Best of all, the keyboard is included. Literally, the best travel sized/weight Bluetooth Keyboard accessory I've seen is just quietly bundled with the Lenovo 9i.

Key travel, latency (I type very fast if I want to), and feedback are great. I know the device is designed to take pen input, but I love making text with it. They way the keyboard rolls up into the stand to protect the keys from havoc while traveling in my bag is really nice. A lot of thought went into the accessories for the Yoga Book 9i.

The effort paid off.

Pen Entry

You make some sacrifices here, but I'm not convinced it is Lenovo's fault. Being able to draw on the deck display while using the lid display to view your reference material is awesome. Pen input is pretty good, but I'm still wrestling with getting tilt and other functionality to work as I'd prefer. It doesn't seem to matter which application I use, there is a little jitter.

The device will take pen input on both screens simultaneously but that experience is heavily dependent on the applications, and what pen protocol they are using. Overall I'll be doing my finishing work at 300 dpi at home on my Thinkpad with a Wacom Cintiq. Will I do front end digital art, pixel art, and sketching on my Yoga Book 9i?

For sure.

It's an 8.5 stars drawing experience that feels like a 10 because the displays are both OLED, and vary closely matched in both color and brightness. I haven't applied any film to the deck, but the included stylus has pretty good resistance without it. My other favorite stylus works great, too.

User Experience

Microsoft's software products have been in steady decline for over a decade. I didn't think Microsoft had anything left to ruin after Windows 10, but they broke new ground with Windows 11. User experience isn't anywhere on Microsoft's list of priorities these days, and anything Windows 11 does well feels accidental.

Fortunately, Lenovo goes all out to smooth things over wherever they can. They have software running that helps curate the experience for the user. In some cases it does better than put lipstick on the pig that is Windows 11. With screen gestures and touch input particularly, I forget the pig exists.

There are many "coming soon" features that promise to make the experience great, utilizing both displays for function and neat visual aesthetics. If Lenovo does all they've promised with regard to features, the user experience would go from good, to great.

The bad news is that the display scaling is kinda stuck at 200%. You can change it, but you have to change it for each display, every time you log in. When you turn your computer on in the morning to get started working, you'll be changing the scaling, if you don't like it at 200%

For me, the 200% scaling is perfect, and I imagine it will be a for a lot of people. If that is not ideal, it becomes an arduous daily chore to open the display settings, and change the scaling to the desired amount. It is likely that Lenovo will fix this with an update.

If you're having this issue, head to Lenovo's Forums and hit this post. It has some work arounds, but also reply in line. Bump it up. Thanks.

I'll update this review if I find a silver bullet or if Lenovo issues and update that fixes the issue.

Darkness

During the Pandemic my spouse was ill (not with COVID, something else). Being able to sit next to her in the dark, and continue my work without disturbing her was pretty important. At the time I had an Thinkpad X1 Carbon that I had Lenovo's power management settings on it. With the screen brightness bottomed out, and the machine set to run quiet as I could get it, I was able to continue working.

After my spouse's recent surgery, I found myself in a similar situation. She basically needed to sleep for a month to heal, and I needed to be able to watch over her, and continue my work.

Using the Yoga Book 9i in a dark room to make text is great. With the backlighting turned down to nothing, the software keyboard (Lenovo's, not you Microsoft) is perfect. It can be set to give feedback, and a little noise, or nothing at all. The OLED displays turned all the way down are perfect for viewing text, without adding enough illumination to a room to disturb a sleeper.

It's also really cool looking in the dark. Perfect for writing science fiction.

My ears ring constantly after having COVID, and now I'm pretty sensitive to coil whine from devices. The Yoga Book 9i is almost as quiet as a fanless ARM SOC. Almost.

Sound

The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i can be really quiet, but it can also be really loud. If you were using it to run Dungeons & Dragons at a venue, and needed something to play music and sound effects, this device has the best sound on a portable device I've heard. I have one other Lenovo Yoga with a sound bar hinge from a couple years back. The sound on it is really good, but nothing like the Yoga Book 9i.

You can take the Bluetooth speaker out your bag if you're carrying one.

That said, make sure you fully update all the sound drivers. My Yoga Book 9i came with a lot of crackle pop out of the box. Once I updated all the drivers, the sound was perfect. I didn't need to touch a thing.

You will absolutely annoy other people at the coffee shop while watching cat videos on YouTube.

Mobile Workspace

I've been carrying a Thinkpad X12 Detachable Tablet, a Thinkvision M14 portable display, Lenovo Pen Stylus, and Lenovo Bluetooth Mouse as my standard portable workspace. It sets up nicely on a coffee shop table, and let me do my things while I'm traveling.

It's a really nice set up, fits well in my bag.

The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i does the same thing without all the hunting for accessories. Everything you need comes with it. Also, you aren't stuck with two landscape displays stuck side by side, or with extra stands to make your preferred viewing experience work.

It also takes up less space on the table, and I don't have to bring another keyboard as a sidecar to render digital artwork with the pen.

I haven't run into battery life issues with the Yoga Book 9i. I really expected to find myself searching for an outlet more often, but it hasn't been a thing. I assumed the magnetic stand and keyboard accessories would mess with it my bag, and I'd find the device running fans and being crazy in standby mode. Nope, it's been fine.

If it sounds like my expectations were low in terms of the hardware, it is because they were. I was pretty sure I'd buy one, review it, and return it. I'm keeping mine, and riding out the bumps as Lenovo updates and completes software features. I think it'll be worth the wait.

Accessories

All that's missing is the perfect bag or sleeve for the Yoga Book 9i. I'm using a Waterfield Designs Sutter Tech Sling right now, and it is pretty ideal. I have a number of Lenovo's other two-compartment cases that worth pretty well, but nothing that is "the one."

Other than that, carry an extra big microfiber cloth. With three Thunderbolt 4 ports I haven't found the need for dongles or docks unless I'm at home.

Bundled Software

Lenovo ships this device with a Smart Note and Journal application. You can take a Smart Note on the Lock Screen, save Bookmarks, and there is a Smart Reader app in the works. I usually dismiss bundled software, but Lenovo gave these apps some great features.

I might not use Journal, but I will be using Smart Note.

Branding

I've owned or laid hands on every version of Lenovo's Yoga Book devices over the years. My Yoga Book Gen 1.5 (Ruby Red) and Yoga Book C930 still get used, because they are that good. I've had the Android version of the Gen 1, Windows Version of the Gen 1, and used the LTE (Eurozone) Yoga Book C930.

Is the Yoga Book 9i a "Yoga Book" as Lenovo has defined them? Yes, and no.

The Yoga Book 9i is not a 10" ultraportable that defies the traditional categories of clamshell vs. tablet / detachable device. It is a 13" clamshell laptop that comes with the best wireless keyboard and mouse offerings, and the second best stylus Lenovo offers. The stand accessory that bundles everything up is awesome.

It does not fit in my vertical computer bag designed for 10" - 12" form factor devices. It would be unwieldy to hold like a book, in hand, and read text from the displays.

It does provide a computing experience you can't get anywhere else. Lisa Gade didn't even try to explain this in her review. You'll either look at this device and wonder who it's for, or know instantly that you need one for your use case. Like other Yoga Books of the past, there is nothing to compare the 9i to.

There are other dual-screen devices, but they don't compete with the Yoga Book in my opinion. They are not necessarily better or worse, they just don't provide the same experience.

Have a question?

Find me on most social media platforms, @ArthurHWalker

Pictured Below: One use of the Mystery Triangle?

[peerlessscowl]

TOA Anniversary; Mun Day!

Celebrating TOA and the people who contribute to make our group what it is.

Repost, don't reblog. Only fill in what you feel comfortable sharing!

Happy anniversary, TOA! Here's to many more years spent together.

tagging: you! come closer

---

Name: tches

Pronouns: she/they

Birthday (no year): Dec 22

Where are you from? What is your time zone? I'm currently in Colorado, but I'm not American djfkld and I live in Mountain timezone (MST/MDT)

Roleplay experience: About five or six years? All LJ.

Got any pets? My beloved one-eared baby Coriander, whom you have all seen me posting. I also live with two GSDs, Ursa and Solo.

Favorite time of year: Winter!

Some interests and things you like: I have so many interests, so many hobbies. I like languages and history and writing most. Cooking also. I hope sometime in the next year to write my first novel finally. I try to be active and used to really enjoy it before The Bad Period - I used to rock climb and hike every day, and during the pandemic I was buff. Nowadays I'm a lot more sedate.

Some funfacts & trivia about you: Here's two truths and a lie: my spine is made of titanium, I'm directly related to Erik the Red, and I'm a licensed yoga instructor. Have fun!

What non-Fire Emblem games do you play? Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, Octopath, Triangle Strategy, Pokemon. Some indie games.

Favorite Pokemon type & Pokemon: Fire, Gyarados (close tie with Delibird)

How did you get into Fire Emblem? :thinking: I was looking through the GBA games in the video game aisle of the PX, and saw Blazing was on sale. That was it. Not much fanfare.

What Fire Emblem games have you played? All except Archanea, Thracia, and Tellius.

First Fire Emblem game: Blazing Blade

Favorite Fire Emblem game: Blazing Blade

Any Fire Emblem crushes? Listen Jeralt can get it.

If you’ve played the following games, who was your first S support? - Awakening: Lon'Qu - Fates: Kaze - Three Houses: Claude (but I like Hubert best) - Engage: Pandreo

Favorite Fire Emblem class: Mercenary-Hero

If you were a Fire Emblem character, what would be your class? :thinking: Not to be biased, but probably Mercenary-Hero

If you were a Three Houses character, what would be your affiliation? Blue Lions

If you were an Engage character, which Emblem would you Engage with? Probably Sigurd. Dat Momentum.

How did you find TOA? I knew of it in the periphery because I thought I'd check the Raven tag to see who else creates Raven content on Tumblr. I saw the post where mirae dropped him. Then in February, Elf popped into a mutual server and posted, I checked the Wanted List and saw my boy. And here we are.

Current TOA muses: Raven, Igrene and Beowolf

Who was your first TOA muse? If you don’t have them anymore, could you see yourself picking them up again? Raven. My son with every disease, always and forever.

Have you had any other TOA muses? I've also written Sigurd and Saber. Fly high kings, legends in my heart always.

Do you think you have a type of character you gravitate towards? Sad Family TM. Joking aside, I like to think I have a pretty good range, and I still have more musetypes, simply waiting to be released from their enclosures.

What do you believe you enjoy writing the most? I love writing rage, and horror. On the flip side, I also genuinely love writing cheesy, healthy romantic fluff. Duality of man. And of course I froth at the mouth for Family. Reaches -

Favorite TOA-related memory: When I flipped from writing Sigurd re-proposing to Deirdre immediately to responding to a Hector interaction with Raven. Also, when Sigurd got accepted - my heart rate skyrocketed, I was so excited.

Got any delusions that didn’t see the light of day in TOA that you’d like to share? We'll see what the future (Halloween) holds.

How do you pronounce TOA? The acronym! T-O-A, but blended together. Teaoea

[yogawithkp]

INCREASE HEIGHT WITH THE HELP OF YOGA POSES OR ASANAS..

Are you sick of feeling underappreciated because of your height? Do you aspire to command respect and confidence among any crowd? You need look no further than the age-old discipline of yoga. Yoga offers a number of asanas (poses) that can assist accelerate development and enhance your height in addition to its myriad other mental and physical advantages. In this article, we'll look at a few yoga poses that have been scientifically proven to provide quick, observable benefits. Let's start a journey to realize your growth potential, so spread out your mat and get ready! **1. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)** **2. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)** **3. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)** **4. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)** **5. Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)** **6. Salamba Sirsasana (Supported Headstand)** On your quest to gain more height, incorporating these yoga asanas into your daily regimen could be a game-changer. To get quick and noticeable results, you need consistency, patience, and good technique. Always pay attention to your body, move slowly, and take pleasure in the experience. You can maximize your potential for growth and stand tall and self-assured by combining these asanas with a healthy lifestyle. As a result, enjoy the benefits of yoga and watch as your height increases. TO READ THE DETAILED ANSWER AND READ THE FULL EXPLANATION OF ABOVE ASANAS WITH ILLUSTRATIONS, THEN CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK :

[earthvitalsignimpact]

🧘‍♀️ ASHTANGA YOGA FINAL EXAM 🧘‍♀️

💡 Test your knowledge and see how well you understand the tradition of Ashtanga Yoga!

🌿 SECTION 1: Multiple Choice (MCQ) 📚 (Choose the correct answer)

What is the Sanskrit name for the Ashtanga Primary Series? A) Yoga Chikitsa B) Nadi Shodhana C) Sthira Sukham Asanam D) Yoga Sutras

How many asanas are in the Ashtanga Primary Series? A) 50 B) 75 C) 41 D) 36

What is the main therapeutic focus of the Primary Series? A) Strength & Endurance B) Nervous System Activation C) Detoxification & Healing D) Increasing Muscle Mass

What is the correct breathing technique used in Ashtanga Yoga? A) Kapalabhati B) Ujjayi C) Bhastrika D) Wim Hof

What is the final resting pose in every Ashtanga practice? A) Savasana B) Tadasana C) Samasthiti D) Baddha Konasana

Which of the following is NOT a fundamental component of Ashtanga Yoga? A) Vinyasa B) Pranayama C) Bandhas D) Tantric Rituals

Which Drishti (gaze point) is used in Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)? A) Nose B) Thumb C) Big Toe D) Third Eye

How does Ashtanga Yoga prepare the body for long periods of meditation? A) Strengthening the core muscles B) Opening the hips and spine C) Developing body awareness and stability D) All of the above

Why do Ashtanga practitioners avoid practicing on full moon and new moon days? A) To respect the cycles of nature and avoid injury B) Because the energy is too weak for practice C) Because Pattabhi Jois said it was bad luck D) To give the body time to recover

Which Bandha (energy lock) is associated with the throat and breath control? A) Mula Bandha B) Uddiyana Bandha C) Jalandhara Bandha D) Maha Bandha

✅ SECTION 2: True or False (T/F)

T/F: The Primary Series is also called "Yoga Therapy" because it cleanses the body and mind.

T/F: The Mysore method allows practitioners to move at their own pace while being guided by a teacher.

T/F: Ujjayi breathing should be forced and loud during practice.

T/F: Jump-throughs and jump-backs build upper body and core strength in Ashtanga.

T/F: Practicing on a full moon day increases flexibility and strength.

T/F: The Pattabhi Jois lineage is responsible for modern Ashtanga Yoga.

T/F: The Vinyasa count in Ashtanga is linked to the breath and movement.

T/F: Yoga Chikitsa (Primary Series) is mainly designed to purify the nervous system.

T/F: Ashtanga can help with mental clarity, focus, and emotional resilience.

T/F: The reason for avoiding practice on moon days is that the body is more vulnerable to injury due to shifts in energy.

✍️ SECTION 3: Short Answer (SA)

What are the three Bandhas and their role in Ashtanga Yoga?

Explain the importance of Tristhana (three focal points) in Ashtanga.

Why is drishti (gaze) important in practice?

How does daily Ashtanga practice impact the nervous system?

What is the purpose of self-practice (Mysore style)?

How does avoiding practice on Full Moon and New Moon days align with yogic philosophy?

What are two poses from the Primary Series that aid digestion, and how do they work?

What are the Eight Limbs of Yoga (Ashta-Anga)?

What is the Sanskrit term for Sun Salutation?

How does Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation) connect breath, movement, and energy?

🎉 SECTION 4: Fun & Creative Questions

If you could rename one pose in the Primary Series, what would you call it and why?

What is one personal breakthrough you’ve experienced in Ashtanga Yoga?

If Ashtanga had a theme song, what would it be? 🎶

Describe how Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutations) make you feel in three words. ☀️

If Pattabhi Jois gave you one secret yoga tip, what do you think it would be? 🤔

Imagine you are teaching your first Ashtanga class—what’s the first thing you’d say to your students? 🧘‍♂️

What’s the funniest thing that’s happened to you while practicing Ashtanga? 😂

Which Ashtanga pose do you struggle with the most, and why? 😩

What’s your favorite post-practice meal or drink? 🍵🥑

If Ashtanga Yoga was a superpower, what ability would it give you? 🦸‍♀️

What’s your dream location for an Ashtanga retreat? 🌎

Which Ashtanga pose makes you feel like a warrior? 💪

If you could practice Ashtanga with any historical figure, who would it be?

What animal best represents Ashtanga Yoga, and why? 🐍🦅🐒

What is the ultimate goal of Ashtanga Yoga?

If Ashtanga was a movie, what would be the title? 🎬

Describe your Ashtanga journey in one sentence.

If you could add one new pose to the Primary Series, what would it be?

What advice would you give to a new Ashtanga student?

What’s your mantra for a strong Ashtanga practice?

📝 ASHTANGA YOGA FINAL EXAM - ANSWER KEY

🌿 SECTION 1: Multiple Choice (MCQ) 📚

A) Yoga Chikitsa

B) 75

C) Detoxification & Healing

B) Ujjayi

A) Savasana

D) Tantric Rituals

C) Big Toe

D) All of the above

A) To respect the cycles of nature and avoid injury

C) Jalandhara Bandha

✅ SECTION 2: True or False (T/F)

True

True

False (Ujjayi should be gentle and controlled, not forced or loud.)

True

False (Practicing on a full moon increases the risk of overexertion or injury due to high energy, not flexibility.)

True

True

False (Yoga Chikitsa primarily cleanses the digestive system and strengthens the body, while the Nadi Shodhana series purifies the nervous system.)

True

True

✍️ SECTION 3: Short Answer (SA) - Example Responses

Three Bandhas:

Mula Bandha (Root Lock) – Engages the pelvic floor, stabilizes energy.

Uddiyana Bandha (Abdominal Lock) – Draws energy upwards, lightens movement.

Jalandhara Bandha (Throat Lock) – Controls breath retention, protects energy flow.

Tristhana (Three Focus Points in Ashtanga Yoga):

Breath (Ujjayi) – Creates rhythm and control.

Posture (Asana) – Develops discipline, flexibility, and strength.

Drishti (Gaze) – Enhances focus and deepens awareness.

Drishti (Gaze) is important because:

Prevents distractions during practice.

Improves concentration and meditative absorption (Dhyana).

Ashtanga’s Impact on the Nervous System:

Regulates sympathetic & parasympathetic balance.

Deep breathing activates the vagus nerve, reducing stress.

Purpose of Mysore-Style Practice:

Encourages self-discipline and deeper awareness.

Allows students to develop independence while refining alignment.

Why avoid practice on Full/New Moon Days?

Full Moon: High energy, risk of overexertion/injury.

New Moon: Low energy, body naturally needs rest.

Two poses that aid digestion & why:

Marichyasana D: Twists the intestines, promoting detoxification.

Paschimottanasana: Compresses the abdomen, stimulating digestion.

The Eight Limbs of Yoga (Ashta-Anga):

Yama (Ethics)

Niyama (Personal discipline)

Asana (Posture)

Pranayama (Breath control)

Pratyahara (Withdrawal of senses)

Dharana (Concentration)

Dhyana (Meditation)

Samadhi (Liberation)

Sanskrit name for Sun Salutation:

Surya Namaskara

How does Surya Namaskara link breath & movement?

Each inhale/exhale is synchronized with a movement, creating flow and rhythm.

🎉 SECTION 4: Fun & Creative Questions (No right/wrong answers!)

These are self-reflective & personal preference questions. Here are some example answers:

Rename one pose: Kurmasana → "Turtle Mode Activated." 🐢

Personal breakthrough: Holding Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana without falling!

Theme song for Ashtanga: "Breathe" by Pink Floyd! 🎶

Three words to describe Sun Salutations: Energizing, Meditative, Grounding.

Secret yoga tip from Pattabhi Jois: "Practice every day. Don’t think too much!"

First thing you’d say when teaching a class: "Your breath is your guide. Let’s begin."

Funniest moment during practice: Face-planting during Bakasana (Crow Pose)! 🤦‍♀️

Hardest Ashtanga pose: Supta Kurmasana (Sleeping Turtle Pose)!

Favorite post-practice drink: Fresh coconut water! 🥥

Superpower from Ashtanga: "Floating effortlessly through life!" ✨

Dream Ashtanga retreat location: Himalayas or Bali! 🌿🏔️

Pose that makes you feel like a warrior: Virabhadrasana (Warrior Pose)! 🦸‍♀️

Historical figure to practice with: Krishnamacharya or Buddha!

Animal that represents Ashtanga: A snake—because of transformation & flexibility! 🐍

Ultimate goal of Ashtanga: Self-realization & balance.

Movie title for Ashtanga: "Breathe Through It." 🎬

One sentence to describe Ashtanga: "A journey inward through discipline and breath."

New pose for Primary Series: A deep spinal twist for more detoxification!

Advice for beginners: "Just keep showing up!"

Mantra for strong practice: "One breath, one movement."

🏆 FINAL SCORING

✔ Each MCQ & T/F = 1 point ✔ Short Answer = 2 points ✔ Fun Questions = Self-reflective (Bonus points for creativity!)

💯 SCORE GUIDE: ✅ 45-50 Points → Ashtanga Master! 🌟 ✅ 35-44 Points → Strong Yogi! 💪 ✅ 25-34 Points → Dedicated Practitioner! 🧘‍♀️ ✅ 15-24 Points → Keep Practicing! ☀️ ✅ 0-14 Points → Time to roll out the mat! 🧘‍♂️

📢 Discussion Time!

💬 How did you score? Drop your results below! 📩 Which question did you enjoy the most?

Remember: The real test of yoga isn’t in the exam—it’s in your daily practice. 🙏✨

[poddarbschoolsblog]

Manipura Chakra: The Powerhouse of Energy and Transformation

Introduction - The Manipura Chakra, also known as the Solar Plexus Chakra, Fire or Sun Centre is the third energy center in the human body according to the ancient yogic tradition. It is derived from Sanskrit, where "Manipura" means "City of Jewels", signifying its immense power and potential. Positioned at the navel region, this chakra governs personal power, self-confidence, and transformation. It is associated with the element of fire, symbolizing energy, determination, and willpower. 

the Manipura chakra is where the Apana Vayu and the Prana Vayu meet in a balanced system. These two functions of energy regulate the inward & upward and downward & outward flow of energy from the body. 

The function of Prana Vayu (vital air) relates to life-giving energy, vitality, respiration, circulation and the intake of energy (inhalation/absorption). Whilst the function of Apana Vayu relates to excretion, urination, menstruation and the downward flow of energy (exhalation/excretion).

The Divinities of this Chakra are Vishnu and Lakshmi. Lord Vishnu is symbolic of the evolving human consciousness that no longer contains any animal characteristic. Goddess Lakshmi represents material and spiritual prosperity, which blossom and prosper with God's blessing.

The Significance of Manipura Chakra - The Manipura Chakra is often considered the "Power Chakra" because it influences personal growth, ambition, and self-discipline. It is responsible for:  

Self-Esteem and Confidence – A balanced Manipura Chakra helps in overcoming fear, self-doubt, and insecurity.  

Personal Power – It governs our ability to take action and make decisions with conviction.  

Metabolism and Digestion – It regulates the digestive system and provides physical vitality.  

Emotional Stability – A well-balanced chakra leads to emotional resilience and inner harmony.  

Characteristics of Manipura Chakra  

Location: Solar Plexus (above the navel, below the rib cage)  

Element: Fire  

Color: Yellow (symbolizing energy, wisdom, and intellect)  

Symbol: Ten-petaled lotus with an inverted red triangle  

Mantra: Ram (Chanting this sound enhances energy flow)  

Associated Organs: Digestive system, liver, pancreas, stomach  

Imbalance and Blockages in Manipura Chakra  

When the Manipura Chakra is imbalanced or blocked, it can result in several physical, emotional, and psychological issues, including:  

Low self-esteem and lack of confidence  

Indecisiveness and lack of motivation  

Digestive disorders like ulcers, indigestion, and diabetes  

Anger, frustration, and aggression  

Conversely, an overactive Manipura Chakra may lead to arrogance, excessive control, and dominance over others.  

 How to Balance and Activate Manipura Chakra  

To harmonize the Solar Plexus Chakra, one can adopt various techniques:  

 1. Meditation and Yoga  

Chakra Meditation – Visualizing a bright yellow light at the solar plexus can stimulate the energy flow.  

Yoga Poses – Practicing Navasana (Boat Pose), Dhanurasana (Bow Pose), and Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) helps in activating this chakra.  

 2. Breathing Exercises (Pranayama)  

Kapalabhati (Skull Shining Breath) and Agnisara Kriya are powerful techniques to ignite the fire energy of Manipura.  

 3. Affirmations and Mantra Chanting  

Repeating positive affirmations like "I am strong, confident, and fearless" boosts self-worth.  

Chanting the Ram mantra helps in cleansing and activating the chakra.  

4. Diet and Nutrition  

Consuming yellow-colored foods like bananas, pineapples, and corn enhances the energy of this chakra.  

Spicy foods, ginger, and turmeric aid in stimulating digestion and energy.  

 5. Crystals and Healing Stones  

Using Citrine, Yellow Jasper, and Tiger’s Eye can help in balancing the energy of Manipura Chakra.  

Poddar Business School, one of the best colleges in Jaipur, embodies the Manipura Chakra, or solar plexus chakra, which is considered the main seat of energy and transformation. The Institute nurtures the self-confidence and leadership skills in students through overall development, experiential learning, and practical exposure. Thanks to rich placement opportunities, Poddar Business School lays the foundation for a successful career.

[starseedfxofficial]

Unveiling the Multi-Timeframe Ascending Triangle: A Master Trader's Secret Weapon If you’ve ever stumbled across the term “Multi-Timeframe” combined with “Ascending Triangle,” you might have thought it sounded like a complicated yoga pose. In reality, it’s one of the most powerful yet underappreciated tools in the arsenal of savvy Forex traders. But why is it so effective, and how can you leverage it to stay ahead of the curve? Stick around, because this isn’t your run-of-the-mill trading guide—we’re about to dive deep, sprinkle in some humor, and uncover insider tactics that will transform how you trade. The Ascending Triangle: More Than Just Lines on a Chart Picture this: You’re walking into a packed coffee shop, and there’s a queue at the counter. The line doesn’t budge, but every few minutes, someone finds a seat. That’s an ascending triangle in action: steady demand (support level) meeting occasional resistance (a line of people leaving), creating a scenario ripe for a breakout. In Forex trading, the ascending triangle is a bullish continuation pattern. Price action consistently tests a horizontal resistance line while forming higher lows—a clear sign of mounting buying pressure. But here’s the kicker: traders often fail to zoom out and see the bigger picture, which is where multi-timeframe analysis comes into play. Why Multi-Timeframe Analysis Is the Ultimate Cheat Code Imagine watching a movie through a keyhole versus sitting in an IMAX theater. Multi-timeframe analysis is like switching from the keyhole view to IMAX. You get the complete story, spotting hidden setups and validating trends with laser precision. - Macro Perspective (Daily Timeframe): Identify the overall trend direction. Is the market bullish, bearish, or stuck in a sideways grind? - Intermediate View (4-Hour Timeframe): Confirm the pattern. Spot ascending triangles forming within the larger trend. - Execution Zone (1-Hour Timeframe): Fine-tune your entries and exits. Look for specific breakouts or candlestick formations. For example, if the daily chart shows an uptrend, the 4-hour chart displays a clean ascending triangle, and the 1-hour chart aligns with breakout signals, you’ve just unlocked a high-probability trade. How to Spot and Trade the Ascending Triangle Across Timeframes Step 1: Identify the Trend (Daily Timeframe) Start by marking key support and resistance levels. If the daily chart reveals a clear uptrend, you’re on the right track. Use moving averages (e.g., 50 EMA) to confirm momentum. Bonus tip: Combine this with Relative Strength Index (RSI) to gauge overbought or oversold conditions. Step 2: Pinpoint the Pattern (4-Hour Timeframe) Zoom into the 4-hour chart and look for the classic ascending triangle formation: - A flat resistance level. - Higher lows converging toward resistance. Pro Tip: Use Fibonacci retracement levels to check if the higher lows align with significant levels (e.g., 38.2% or 50%). This adds confluence to your analysis. Step 3: Execute with Precision (1-Hour Timeframe) Finally, move to the 1-hour chart for entry signals. Watch for: - Breakouts above resistance with increased volume. - Bullish candlestick patterns like engulfing or hammer candles. Set your stop loss just below the most recent higher low, and aim for a risk-to-reward ratio of at least 1:2. Trail your stop loss as the price moves in your favor to lock in profits. Common Myths (Debunked) About Ascending Triangles and Multi-Timeframe Analysis - Myth: “You only need one timeframe to trade successfully.” - Reality: That’s like baking a cake without preheating the oven. You’ll miss crucial context and end up with half-baked trades. - Myth: “Ascending triangles always break out upward.” - Reality: While it’s a bullish pattern, false breakouts can occur. Always wait for confirmation before entering. - Myth: “You need expensive tools to analyze multiple timeframes.” - Reality: Even free platforms like TradingView can handle this analysis. It’s not about the tool but how you use it. Elite Tactics for Trading Multi-Timeframe Ascending Triangles Leverage Divergence Combine the ascending triangle with RSI or MACD divergence. If price forms higher lows, but RSI shows lower highs, it’s a sign of weakening momentum. Use this to anticipate potential breakouts or reversals. Volume Analysis: The Silent Hero Pay close attention to volume. A breakout accompanied by a volume spike confirms institutional participation, increasing the likelihood of sustained movement. Scaling In and Out Instead of entering your entire position at once, scale in as the pattern develops. Similarly, take partial profits at key Fibonacci extension levels (e.g., 1.272 or 1.618). Case Study: Turning $1,000 Into $5,000 with Multi-Timeframe Ascending Triangles Meet Sarah, a part-time trader juggling work and Forex. Using multi-timeframe analysis, she identified an ascending triangle on EUR/USD: - Daily Chart: Clear uptrend with price approaching resistance at 1.1000. - 4-Hour Chart: Higher lows forming, with Fibonacci confluence at 1.0950. - 1-Hour Chart: Bullish breakout with a volume spike. Sarah entered at 1.1010 with a stop loss at 1.0950. She scaled out at 1.1100 and 1.1200, turning her $1,000 account into $5,000 in just three weeks. The secret? Patience and multi-timeframe alignment. The Final Takeaway: Think Like a Pro, Trade Like a Ninja Trading is part art, part science, and part knowing when to sit back and let the market come to you. By mastering the multi-timeframe approach to ascending triangles, you gain a strategic edge that most traders overlook. Remember, it’s not just about spotting patterns—it’s about understanding the story behind them. Essential Takeaways - Use multi-timeframe analysis to validate ascending triangles. - Combine technical tools like RSI, Fibonacci, and volume for confluence. - Scale in and out of trades to optimize profits. Ready to take your trading to the next level? Check out our free resources at StarseedFX and join a community of elite traders. —————– Image Credits: Cover image at the top is AI-generated Read the full article

[popculturealchemy]

a bouncing ball . . . a pixel . . stressed. unstressed. follow this code. . the path of least resistance. . now resistist that path. . now find it again . . . William burroughs . . queerdom . . a place to hide. . . . feeling like that pixel . . bullet holes .. . . we know you're back . . language. . . a type of mask .'. a type of code between two people. that third person . the triangle . . the discharged electron . . keeping things going . . not being a bad thing . . perspective being weird. . . we're not living in a black hole, it out there . . water isnt a metal. It just looks like it. you're not swimming in metal. and no, you don't love that.

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surving something at one point.

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concection

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oops

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this glass full of water is bending in on itself.

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how can that be?

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liquid measuring cup.

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analog. tech

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that swivel on the end of a tape measure

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the whole world.

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that pixel of choice

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yoga

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fiding balance

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on purpose

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like them

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a narcissist

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controlling balance

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doesn't mean positive

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lets rid that

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electron

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defying god

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pulling head out

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seeing the pixel with our head removed from the anus

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your welcome.

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sarcastic meaning.

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hope you like being indoors

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sky people

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new light

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we tilted the orbit

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we control time.

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this is how much you get

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this is your mass

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coaagulating around mountains of masss

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from when we came. our ass.

liquid.

magma

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water meaning liquid in greek

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liquid.

Including molten.

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this liquid liquid thing.

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just like we said.

but with fewer words

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philopphy verbos. but more complete.

.

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a reduction

.

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.

.

hamburgers. primal.

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not a reduction

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not a recipe.

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finding order through chaos.

It was already done once.

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And they remembered to record it.

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why aren't we using certain tech

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people dying

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the pixel

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In the begining

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that chance of chance and multiple choice.

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to make the chance to take the chance that someone else is learning this for me.

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someone else.

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for me

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touch it

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Its mine

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.

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scaring horses.

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words move too slowing.

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scaring nature

.

slowing down too much to understand

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deeper meaning

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ocean

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Its to flow

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water is everywhere

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volume is control

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how do I highlight highlighter.

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I'm overlapping with you to see how we affect each other.

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maybe i'm like water.

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or oil

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heavier water

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.

affecting orbit by moving things

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a fuckup we fucked up before we were born.

.

a fuckup that lead to profit.

.

adaption.

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memecoin.

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at least we have death

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at least theres a hypothetical end.

.

ends never really being found.

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.

boundaries in matter dont matter.

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blurry. without pixel

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without

.

black hole

.

.

sending it out

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a hat.

mario

.

.

why are you teaching this to us

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.

better games?

.

enjoying this area.

don't want to attract certain types

.

.

.

understwanding story.

.

.

japanese history.

manga

.symbolism

art

2D

facing choices on an island much longer than we have.

not knowing the difference between NE Japanese culture

not knowing SW japanese culture

wanting to spell that right

.

.

.

to be heard.

for not making a mistake.

.

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there is a point.

.

I guess its not very loud.

.

I like whispering

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I like holding people

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.

feeling feelings.

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pixels together.

better.

3d matrix of humans

.

.

closer

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less space

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more understanding

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.

logic

.

.

or something.

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yoga.

.

breathing

.

my audience can handle space sometimes. I actually have different writing styles not that I think about it. I don't really want to get put into a box. A defined righting style.

Overly thinking but not overly thinking.

sometimes I write faster when I have a promt

sometimes I can write and look at the world at the same time

.

like a french painter and his eisal

.

a portlander . a stand. a typewritter.

unlimited ink

.

.

all thats fit to print.

.

.

all the vinyl you could ever need.

.

.

..

filiing in the pixels to fill in the pixels.

.

breathing deep.

.

remembering the glue

.

keeping it simple

.

keeping it neat

.

remembering to rest

.

find simple pacing

.

something we can all follow

.

a beat

.

mario

.

konga

.

donky kong

.

kill screen

.

learning too much

.

.

don't go too fast.

.

dont keep up

.

white rabbit injured.

.

setting the wrong pace

.

.

.

.

greyhounds used instead

.

.

pixel on couch

.

filling in the dots in the black.

.

50 shades of black. My bedroom

.

.

.

this page

.

typing you in

.

.

tying you in because you bought this book

.

.

everyone is telling you

.

.

to write this

.

.

how did you even know what to say?

how did you say that exact thing?

I tied you up. you just don't remember

.

I had all the tools ready. You consetented

.

.

and now your hooked.

.

stuck in the logic of pixels.

.

maybe enjoying our side of the work

.

.

.

wanting to be tied down while also tying things down.

.

a boat

.

a norwewgian

.

ropes

.

tying things down

.

long isolation

.

big product

.

.

.

out at sea forever.

.

whats taking so long

.

.

I just got my pixel.

slow down

.

.

.

I'm navigating this blackness.

.

.

the blind spot I forgot about.

.

who put that there

.

crying

.

.

.

bottom right corner

.

Iris.

looking out

.

weird dot in my right eye

your left.

.

the invention of you.

you.

.

you.

that distant pronoun.

guey.

dude.

thing.

.

.

this you you subscribe you. This is you.

heres a mirror.

.

.

Thats not how I see me.

.

thats how you see you.

you seeing you seeing me.

.

using your black dot. not mine.

.

I'm looking at weird variables.

.

different weights.

.,

feeling unbalanced.

.

but having this sway

.

still working on it.

.

feeling good.

,

doing yoga

.

detatching.

.

tldr

.

[maashaktiyogbali]

How to Avoid Injury in Yoga Practice

How to Avoid Injury in Yoga Practice

Yoga, often revered for its holistic approach to health and well-being, is a transformative practice that nurtures the mind, body, and spirit. However, like any physical activity, yoga comes with a risk of injury if not practiced mindfully. At Maa Shakti Yog Bali, a Yoga Teacher Training School in Bali, we emphasize the importance of safety alongside the pursuit of progress in your yoga journey. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced practitioner, these guidelines will help you practice yoga safely and avoid injuries.

1. Understand Your Body’s Limits

Every individual’s body is unique, with different levels of flexibility, strength, and endurance. Acknowledge your limits and honor them. Avoid comparing yourself to others in class or pushing beyond your capacity. Overstretching or forcing your body into poses can lead to muscle strains or joint injuries. Instead, focus on gradual improvement and listen to your body’s signals.

2. Warm Up Properly

A proper warm-up is essential to prepare your muscles and joints for the practice ahead. Simple movements such as cat-cow stretches, gentle twists, or sun salutations can increase blood flow and improve mobility, reducing the risk of injury during more intense poses.

3. Learn Proper Alignment

Alignment is the foundation of safe yoga practice. Misaligned poses can strain muscles and ligaments, leading to discomfort or injury over time. Attend classes with experienced instructors who can guide you in achieving correct alignment. If you're practicing at home, consider using online resources or tutorials from trusted sources, and always proceed with caution.

4. Use Props When Needed

Yoga props like blocks, straps, and bolsters are not just for beginners—they’re tools to enhance your practice and prevent injury. Props help you achieve proper alignment and provide support in challenging poses. For instance, using a block in Triangle Pose can prevent overstretching while maintaining stability.

5. Avoid Overtraining

While consistency is key in yoga, overtraining can lead to fatigue and increase the likelihood of injury. Balance intense sessions with restorative practices like Yin Yoga or guided meditations. This approach allows your body to recover and rejuvenate.

6. Communicate with Your Teacher

If you’re attending a yoga class, inform your teacher about any pre-existing conditions, injuries, or limitations. At Maa Shakti Yog Bali, our instructors prioritize individual needs, offering modifications and adjustments to ensure a safe and enjoyable practice.

7. Engage Your Core

Core engagement provides stability and protects your spine during poses. Whether you’re transitioning into a Downward Dog or attempting a Headstand, activating your core muscles can prevent undue strain on your lower back and improve overall posture.

8. Practice Mindful Transitions

Injuries often occur during transitions between poses rather than in the poses themselves. Move mindfully and avoid rushing. Maintain awareness of your breath and body movements, ensuring you stay grounded and in control.

9. Respect Pain as a Warning Sign

Yoga should never cause sharp pain or discomfort. If you feel pain during a pose, ease out of it and reassess your alignment or approach. Pain is your body’s way of signaling that something isn’t right. Gentle discomfort while stretching is normal, but sharp or persistent pain is not.

10. Rest and Recover

Rest days are as important as practice days. Allow your body time to recover and rebuild strength. Incorporate practices like yoga nidra or gentle restorative poses to soothe tired muscles and calm the mind.

Final Thoughts Injury-free yoga practice is about balancing effort with ease, progress with patience, and ambition with awareness. At Maa Shakti Yog Bali, we guide our students to embrace yoga as a lifelong journey, emphasizing safety, mindfulness, and self-compassion. By integrating these practices into your routine, you can deepen your yoga experience while protecting your body and mind. Embark on a safe and fulfilling yoga journey with us at Maa Shakti Yog Bali—where every pose is a step towards holistic well-being. Namaste!

[ananyasme]

The Ultimate Guide to No Camel Toe Leggings: Comfort Meets Confidence

When it comes to activewear, comfort and confidence go hand in hand. However, one common issue many face with leggings is the dreaded camel toe. Fortunately, no camel toe leggings are revolutionizing the way we think about stylish and functional workout wear. In this guide, we’ll delve into what makes these leggings special, why they’re a must-have, and how to choose the perfect pair.

What Are No Camel Toe Leggings?

No camel toe leggings are designed to eliminate the awkward and uncomfortable bunching that traditional leggings sometimes create in the crotch area. They achieve this through thoughtful design features such as:

Seamless Construction: Many no camel toe leggings use seamless designs to minimize fabric gathering.

Special Gussets: A triangle or diamond-shaped gusset helps redistribute tension and prevents fabric from riding up.

Double-Layer Fabrics: Added layers or strategically placed panels offer extra coverage and reduce visibility.

High-Quality Materials: Fabrics like spandex, nylon, and polyester blends are crafted to provide both stretch and support without clinging too tightly.

Why Choose No Camel Toe Leggings?

Enhanced Comfort: No more adjusting your leggings during workouts or throughout the day. These leggings stay in place and feel great.

Boosted Confidence: With no risk of embarrassing wardrobe malfunctions, you can focus on your performance or daily tasks.

Versatility: Whether you’re at the gym, running errands, or lounging at home, these leggings are suitable for all activities.

Stylish Designs: Brands offer a range of colors, patterns, and styles, so you never have to compromise on fashion.

Features to Look for in No Camel Toe Leggings

When shopping for no camel toe leggings, consider the following factors:

1. Material and Stretch

Opt for leggings made from premium, sweat-wicking fabrics that provide a four-way stretch. This ensures the leggings move with you and maintain their shape over time.

2. Seam Placement

Look for leggings with flatlock seams or seamless designs. These reduce friction and eliminate the risk of fabric bunching.

3. Waistband Fit

A high-waisted, elastic band provides additional support and prevents slipping during high-intensity activities.

4. Gusset Design

Check for a gusseted crotch, which is key to avoiding camel toe while enhancing mobility.

5. Opaque Fabric

Ensure the leggings are squat-proof and provide full coverage, even during stretching or bending movements.

Top Brands Offering No Camel Toe Leggings

Here are some popular brands known for their innovative designs:

Lululemon: Renowned for their Align leggings with buttery-soft fabric and thoughtful gusset placement.

Gymshark: Offers seamless options that combine style with functionality.

ALO Yoga: Known for their luxurious feel and camel toe-preventing designs.

Athleta: Features inclusive sizing and leggings with excellent gusset construction.

Nike: Provides performance-oriented leggings that cater to active lifestyles.

Styling Tips for No Camel Toe Leggings

Pair with a Longline Top: Tunic-length tops or oversized hoodies provide extra coverage for casual wear.

Layer Smartly: Add a lightweight jacket or tied flannel for a trendy, layered look.

Choose the Right Undergarments: Seamless underwear can further reduce the risk of unwanted lines or discomfort.

Caring for Your Leggings

To keep your no camel toe leggings in top condition:

Wash in cold water on a gentle cycle.

Avoid using fabric softeners as they can break down elasticity.

Air dry to prevent shrinkage and maintain fabric integrity.

Final Thoughts

No camel toe leggings are a game-changer for anyone seeking both comfort and style in their activewear. By investing in a quality pair, you can enjoy all-day confidence and seamless performance. Whether you’re hitting the gym, practicing yoga, or just lounging, these leggings are designed to keep you feeling your best.