#i usually spend like..2-6 hours on each piece

[maxillo]

Devius Ex Machina OST - Exdeviant

[ofherpinkways]

I҉̡̯̺̜̅́͋̃͢͜n̸͐̈́͟͟͝ M̶̶҉̳͈̺͟͢͠͠ͅȳ̸̵̩̜͔͍̔́͟͟͢͡ R̴҉̷̨̖̮̉͑ͯ̑̋͟͠o҉̢̡̲͇̌͗̀͢͝o҉̢̡̲͇̌͗̀͢͝m̴̵҉̸̲̗̰̼͗͌̃̇͟͟͟͠͞͠

( My friends and I giggle about how the "Love ", "In my room " part sounds like Stewie Griffin singingI tried my best yall - 🤍🩰🧸)

cod men x fem reader fic based off the song(Warnings blood,gore,violence,please beware of the lyrics as they may cause triggers)

*tap* *tap* *tap* "Are you gonna let me in ?*tap* Hello? Hello ? "

You died two years ago on a mission , just "simple" way to go , getting caught in the across fire. "Just the wrong place,wrong time" they said

2:45 and the bell went off,thank God

Many people think i'm odd

He hasn't acted the same since, how could he ? You were the love of his life. The small flame of hope in his darkness and trauma. Now you're gone 6 feet under the below rotting way

But I talk with no one and I walk alone

And I avoid sunlight with a chalky tone

I get home and I don't say hi,it ain't no one there

He stopped talking to everyone completely , shutting everyone out as he rebuilt the walls. The walls that you were helping him break down. Instantly going to his dorm after every mission without saying anything

I don't care,I walk and go right up the stairs

To my room,get in bed and I just wait for dark

He sits in his dorm for hours on end lost in dark thoughts

Because that's when the real show starts

(Tap,tap) tap,tap on the glass go the piece of ass

He eventually started seeing things , YOU. He started showing up about year after your death

So young and pretty ,it's too bad she passed

There you stood again pale and cold

But she comes to my room and we talk at night

You've been showing up every night for about two months now

She's demonic and bloody but she holds me tight

Obviously it wasn't actually you. You stand there lifeless with glossy eyes and a sinister,stomach turning grin .(like the one smiles in Smile 2022) He didn't care

In my bedroom,with her,I'm never alone

And I kiss her cold lips until the morning comes

You guys spend the nights in heated make out sessions

Then she gone,I can still hear her voice loom

But she only exists in the dark of my room

Love,I can't ignore you

In my room

Do anything for you (tap,tap)

Love,I do adore you

He became obsessed

In my room

(Tap,tap go the piece of ass) you and I

I try and smile a lot but I'm always frontin'

But I do love a ghost and at least that's somethin'

She don't talk much and when she does,it gets cold

3:00 am now and the whole Base grows cold , nothing feels right

Usually we just lay there,where we hold we each other

We're lovers, we don't need others

The two of you stay snuggled against another

One of my mother's cats jumped up on the covers

And it scared my baby,'cause she don't like pets

The k-9's started to bark loudly outside of the barracks not liking the dark eerie presence in the air , causing you to leave him

So I twisted its fuckin' head off at the neck

"Look baby,it's bloody,it's gone,it's doomed

"please! come back to the room"

"I'll do anything for thee,don't ignore me"

This is more than a sick love story

There he sat begging and crying for you to return

Without you,I'd bring a shotgun to school

And I will if you want me to,for any reason

I hate that you leave when the lights come on

And if I had it my way the fuckin' sun would be gone

Love, I can't ignore you

In my room

Do anything for you (tap,tap)

Love, I do adore you

In my room

Tap,tap go the piece of ass) you and I

Love, I can't ignore you

In my room

Do anything for you (tap,tap)

Love,I do adore you

In my room

(Tap,tap go the piece of ass) you and I

He just wants you back

Sometimes I kiss her,I start shakin'

Your demonic self has him on a choke hold

She slips me the tongue and it tastes like bacon

There the two of you sit kissing in the dark,footsteps are near by

Uh-oh,something's wrong, baby's upset

you pulled away from him,your frown shifting to smirk

She told me she was spotted by the neighbor's kid

She can't come back now.'cause they know our secret

Unless I can make them keep it

One of the other guys "saw" you

If i do, she may come back to life

Now I'm in their yard with a shotgun and knife

Cut the screen,went and sun the kid

Blew a bowl of spaghetti in the side of his head

He got up and out of the dorm,pinning his own teammate,his own friend to the wall bashing his head against the brick wall in fit of rage

Then the daddy was next,next runnin down

He went after everyone else

I shredded his throat and he was quick to fall,tossed the Mossberg and gribbed the knife

Started stabbing the shit of his wife

One by one he got to everyone

Went home a bloody mess with a job well done (tap,tap)

Wash up and wait for my baby to come (tap,tap)

He cleaned himself up and sat in his bed waiting for you

Love, I can't ignore you

In my room

Do anything for you (tap,tap)

Love,I do adore you

In my room

(Tap,tap go the piece of ass) you and I

Love, I can't ignore you

In my room

Do anything for you (tap,tap)

Love,I do adore you

In my room

(Tap,tap go the piece of ass) you and I

There he sat waiting

I waited two, or three days, four days

Waitn' for the tap tap like always

Days passed and you still haven't shown up yet

I waited and hated this

I created a bloody mess

Guilt started to hit him

I waited for two, or three months, four months

Waitn' for the tap,tap just for once

I waited two, or three days, four days

Waitn' for the tap tap like always (where is she?)

I waited and hated this(why isn't she comin' back ?)

I created a bloody mess (tap,tap)

Worry started to hit him

I waited for two, or three months, four months(I fuckin' killed those people!)

He killed his teammates, his friends

Waitin' for the tap,tap just for once ("where the fuck is she ?")

I waited and hated this (tap,tap)

I created a bloody mess(why isn't she coming back?)

(Love) I waited two or three days,four days

GUILT

(In my room) waitin 'for the tap,tap like always (I can't believe I did)

WORRY

(Love) I waited and hated this

GUILT

(in my room,you and I)I created a bloody mess ("I killed them")

WORRY

(Love) I waited two or three months, four months

(in my room) waitin' for the tap,tap just for once ("where is she")

GUILT

(Love) I waited and hated this

(In my room you and I) I created a bloody mess

He went insane

[the-guilty-writer]

Big Day, Huh?

Request from anon: Can you do a Spencer daughter reader where she has autism, like she always needs his help (can she be young like kid age)?

Spencer Reid x daughter!reader (child)

Summary: Spencer's autistic daughter has an eventful morning at the BAU.

A/N: Thank you for the request! I've never written a young child before so I hope this is okay.

CW: autistic reader going non verbal, eating habits, overwhelmed

---

You sat under your dad's desk, off in your own little world, as you tried to take apart one of his pens in a manner that would let you put it back together.

You had the day off school, but your usual nanny was away on vacation so you got to spend the day with your dad at the office.

You took the metro every day with him to get you to school, but the ride to Quantico was about twice as long as your ride to school. Spencer had told you that ahead of time so you could keep track on your wrist watch. He was thankful that watching the clock go by had kept you occupied and calm at the same time. When your normal schedule was disrupted you didn't like it, but making things as predictable as possible in unpredictable situations helped you cope.

Just like your dad, you liked numbers. He told you how many metro stops it would be (12), how many blocks you'd have to walk (3), how many security checks you'd go through (2- the metal detector for you and a search of your bag), and how many floors the elevator old climb (6) to get to the BAU.

The bullpen was already busy by the time the two of you arrived, Spencer holding your hand so you stayed close. To get away from the busy visual of the office, you'd found refuge under his desk.

“You can tap my knee if you need anything, okay?”

Too overwhelmed to speak, you nodded in response. He helped you pull out your noise canceling headphones and then one of your stuffed animals- the kind with beads in it so you could play with the way the weight changed depending on how you placed it. You started with balancing it on your head, and then in your hand, and eventually your dad's shoe.

At the time that you would normally switch from reading time to math class you had asked your dad for something new to do.

“What about this puzzle?” He pulled a small sliding puzzle from your bag.

“No. Teacher gives us things not from our bag to do.”

Spencer hadn't considered this before, but it was true. During reading time you got something from your bag and during math time the teacher gave you handouts. So he'd given you a sheet of paper with some simple equations and a pen, purposefully making the problems easy so you wouldn't get frustrated.

After you had “turned in your work” your dad let you keep the pen. You'd always liked to take things apart and then put them back together and pens were no different. Spencer secretly hoped one day it would be something more cool, like a spectroscopy machine or a space shuttle, but pens were a good place to start.

Once you had taken the cap off the top, the spring easily fell out and then the ink. You were careful to line each of the pieces up on the floor to keep them orderly. Once you put the pen back together you clicked it a few times just to make sure it was working correctly before starting the process over again.

You checked your watch- it was nearly time for lunch. You tapped your dad on the knee. He scooted his chair back so he could look at you under the desk.

“Hey, what is it?” he asked.

“It’s lunch time,” you told him.

Spencer thought quickly- technically his lunch break wasn’t for another two hours, but it wasn’t worth waiting if it meant you’d have a stomach ache later which could possibly lead to a meltdown.

“Okay,” he said. “Let’s go eat lunch.”

You took your lunch box out of your bag and crawled out from underneath the desk. It was even busier now than it was this morning. You started to grind your teeth and clench your fists, feeling something you couldn’t quite pinpoint boil inside you. Your dad noticed immediately.

“(Y/N),” he cooed. “Can I carry you to the lunch room?”

You nodded and Spencer picked you up. As soon as you were in his arms, he wrapped his limbs around you tightly, providing you with a calming pressure. You buried your head in his shoulder and closed your eyes, reducing the amount of visual input your brain was receiving. The familiar smell of your dad’s shirt was calming and you balled your fists in the fabric, holding onto him tight as he carried you to the conference room.

Once the two of you were inside, he shut the door. Unless there was a case, the room would be empty other than the two of you. He helped you climb up into one of the chairs and unpack your lunch. You ate the same thing every day- a bag of apple slices, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with the crust cut off, banana chips, and some crackers. Everything was perfectly portioned as always. You ate each of them one at a time, never switching between foods but always finishing one before starting on another.

Spencer worked on files as you ate, keeping any crime scene photos carefully concealed from your line of vision. He knew after this it would be your normal rest time, and since change always made you tired, he hoped you might even take a nap.

Once you were finished eating, Spencer helped you clean up your lunch area. He closed up the files he was working on and thought about where you could possibly have rest time. You asked him to carry you back through the bullpen, to which he gladly obliged, and put your lunchbox away in your bag.

You yawned, clearly tired and a bit overwhelmed. “Rest time,” you told your dad.

“Do you want me to carry you again?” he asked.

You lifted your arms towards him, asking to be picked up. He carried you down the hall towards JJ’s office. There was a large leather chair in the corner of her office that you could curl up in for a little while, but by the time he reached her office door, you were already fast asleep in his arms.

“JJ?” Spencer said softly so he didn’t wake you.

“Hey, Spence,” JJ replied. She smiled when she saw you asleep in his arms. “Big day, huh?”

“Yeah,” he said. “Do you mind if we sit in the chair for a little bit? Just so she can get some rest?”

“Of course. Make yourself at home.”

Spencer walked over to the chair and sat down on it carefully. You stirred a bit in his arms but didn’t wake up. JJ closed the door to reduce the amount of sound in the room. Spencer kept you cradled in his grasp, feeling the softness of your breath against his shoulder and the gentle rise and fall of your tiny diaphragm against his body.

“You’re a great dad, Spence,” JJ told him. “She’s lucky to have you.”

Spencer smiled a bit. “She’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”

He began to feel himself relax. You were in a deep sleep now and the room was quiet other than the soft scratching of JJ’s pen against paper. He closed his eyes, telling himself that it would only be a minute, but before he knew it he was asleep too.

[crimson-kisses]

Ok umm. Yandere god Canada, America, Russia, Austria, Germany, and France with a nature Goddess reader.

🤡💧anon ~

Technically, I have already done this ask in a way so this will only contain some drabbles!! Hope you liked it. Austria is a new one, tho!

Warning: Contains usual yandere themes, toxic relationships and the like.

Other works related to the au [post 1 || post 2 || post 3 || post 4 || post 5 || post 6]

Tangled vines

Canada || Matthew Williams 🇨🇦

Sitting atop a grassy hill, surrounded by vibrant blooming flowers, Matthew watches you with an admiring gaze. The calmness you give off brings a sense of peace to his soul, and he could spend hours simply observing your serene demeanor.

However, beneath your calm exterior, a storm rages within. Containing your seething fury, you make a decision not to show Matthew the extent of your anger. He had held you captive, subjecting you to his relentless beasts—creatures both mortal and immortal, magical and fierce.

His mighty wolves encircle you, seeking solace and warmth, as if yearning for a mother's touch. But you are far from their mother, yet you dare not push them away, lest you lose half of your body.

While your injuries may heal, the pain would prove burdensome, and that is the last thing you desire.

Matthew has succeeded in breaking your spirit through fear, ensuring your submission to his will. Meanwhile, delicate creatures flutter around you, drawn to the beauty of the blossoming flowers, as if inviting them into an embrace.

Sitting on the hill, you keenly sense Matthew's loving gaze upon you, his watchful eyes drinking in every detail of your presence.

"Your presence brings me a tranquility I haven't felt in eons,"

He murmurs, walking closer to where you sit, his hands clasped behind his back. He stalks towards you, paying no mind to the flowers crushed under his boots as he positions himself besides you. In his outstretched palm, a delicate butterfly finds solace.

His eyes, a shade of soothing lavender, gaze at you with a glint of delight. He reaches out, intertwining his fingers with yours, binding them tightly together. The fluttering creatures find respite around both of you, creating a delicate barrier.

You manage to suppress a shudder at his words, a bitter irony lingering in your mind. For he has brought you nothing but misfortune after misfortune. Trapped in this place, guarded by unfathomable creatures, you find yourself drained and wearied. His clinginess, has only soured over time, leaving you with a distaste that grows stronger with each passing moment.

At the very least, he hasn’t taken you far away from your domain.

America || Alfred F Jones 🇺🇸

The palace of the divine king stood in all its splendor, a spectacular sight of celestial marble adorned with magnificent statues. Pearls of various kinds adorned every corner, while golden rings encircled the ceilings, creating an ambiance fit for the heavens.

Yet, for you, it was a personal hell.

Alfred had positioned you on his lap, gripping you tightly as he attended to his duties and other matters, leaving you unable to attend to your own responsibilities. Your connection to your own domain felt distant, slipping through your fingers like sand.

There was no solace to be found within these walls.

But of course, Alfred was busy with showcasing you, parading you around, while purposely disregarding your legitimate concerns. It often felt as if he intentionally sought to provoke you, to ignite his wrath within you.

Perhaps that was exactly what he desired.

There is no piece or a leaf of your domain to be found near his castle, his territory, his domain, because his insufferable pride wouldn’t let that happen anytime soon. Instead, he to claim you as his, not as an another immortal being, but his wife, his woman, his lover. That’s the only identity you ought to have in his eyes.

Except for the garden, a sprawling expanse adorned with lush nature, you were forbidden to enter without his presence by your side. He would lead you beneath the thick foliage of the trees, that’s where he pleased you as he so wished, over and over again, until he was satisfied. The flowers bloomed with an ardent passion, glistening with dewdrops that adorned the garden like delicate jewels. It was a place solely dedicated to your pleasure, a sanctuary of sensory delights.

As if he was saying without telling, that even in this sanctuary you cannot have solace or peace without him by your side.

His hands were now inching towards your thighs, the dress slipping away smooth as milk as goosebumps raised on your skin, he stared at you with a lustful gaze, sitting between your naked thighs.

"It’s always a pleasure to be on my knees for you".

Russia || Ivan Brangisky 🇷🇺

He was more than aware that the frigidness of his domain did not suit you well and often clashed with the climate of your domain. Frost clung to your delicate skin, causing you to tremble ever so slightly in the face of the biting cold breeze.

He inhaled softly through his nose, a smile slowly spreading across his lips as he imagined you snugly wrapped in his coat, finding warmth and comfort within its embrace.

Sadly, you had politely refused.

Ivan set a steaming bowl of hot soup before you, urging you to partake as he settled into a seat across from you. His gaze, filled with intensity, roamed freely over your form, appreciating your beauty. You were indeed a stunning woman, a captivating sight that was truly a feast for the eyes.

He held a special fondness for the moments when you brought life and beauty to his desolate domain, watching nature bloom in all its loveliness and delight. It was a sight that touched his heart and filled him with a rare warmth, a feeling he rarely experienced within his own realm and in his life as a whole.

And it was precisely because of this profound connection that he felt compelled to carry out what he was about to do.

With deep violet eyes sparkling with delight and a hint of amusement, he watched as a vibrant cluster of sunflowers flourished around his house. Your cheerful laughter and radiant smile tugged at his heartstrings, bringing warmth to the depths of his being.

You were undeniably enchanting, blissfully unaware of the healing power you possessed. In your presence, the scars that tore at his heart and the wars that ravaged his immortal soul seemed to fade away.

It was you, and only you, who had the ability to mend the shattered pieces and bring solace to his troubled existence.

Austria || Roderick Edelstein 🇦🇹

Glowing bluebells sway delicately from fragile stems, emitting a soft, ethereal glow. As you run your fingers tenderly across their petals, a melodic serenade reminiscent of piano keys fills the air. With a sigh, you become aware that you are under the watchful scrutiny of keen plum-colored eyes.

You have long stopped caring about such things, focusing on the peaceful arrangements of nature around you, swaying with their own set of tunes which was such a joy to hear.

Emerging from his hiding place, Roderick would reprimand you about the seemingly chaotic music that resonates in the surroundings. Swiftly taking control of the situation, and in response to his commands, the flowers obediently bloom and unfurl themselves once more. The melodies that fill the air follow his guidance, harmonizing in a more orderly manner.

At the very least, you would be near your domain and Roderick, as much as judgmental he is about some things, whether it be how your too much of a carefree woman or being agitated by your chaotic domain, he had no qualms about separating you from your home.

You supposed you will take what you get, as he exclaims that it is now time for dinner and grabs you inside his mansion by gently placing a hand on your waist and demanding you to clean yourself up.

It wasn’t all that bad, you supposed with an exasperated look directed towards him and go ahead, to wash yourself up for dinner.

Germany || Ludwig Beilschmidt 🇩🇪

You swim around the extravagantly colorful reefs with a burst of speed as dozen fishes follow your trail. Playfully, you swirl around and watch as they circle around you, filling your heart with warmth unlike the cold water which was your home.

Your tail, looked like a part of the nature itself, scales glistening with shades of green, mimicking hues of lush moss that clung to ancient stones, delicate tendrils of seaweed and aquatic flora intertwined with the moss-like scales.

It shimmered vibrantly in the ocean, as you glided through the vibrant reefs, leaving a trail of luminous pearls in their wake, so you could be easily tracked by the Deity of the twelve Oceans.

You feel the sudden change of current in the ocean, as he swims near you skillfully, his powerful tail a deep shade of forest green, with a golden hue.

The water lilies swim above you, blooming in your presence as they gently make way for the sunlight to fall upon you both. Following your and Ludwig's command with perfect harmony.

"You have been wandering quite a lot, I can’t help but be worried about you. I suppose the pearls were a good idea after all".

Solemnly you nod, as the former giddiness you shared with the fishes fades away into an empty space in your chest. Ludwig takes your hand and together you both take a dive, deeper into the ocean.

The pearls would make a fine jewelry for a more fortunate woman someday, you think, as Ludwig can’t help but collect few in with his hands.

France || Francis Bonnefoy 🇫🇷

A necklace adorned with a delicate array of ethereal feathers, gracefully embraced your neck. In the mirror's reflection, you could see the reflection of Francis, dreamy expression adorning his face, captivated by your appearance.

You swiftly avert your gaze from his, he gently takes a hold of your hand, pressing a series of tender kisses upon the top of your knuckles, his affectionate gestures ascending to graze your neck.

You don’t bother saying anything, not that he would listen to what do you have to say. Staying still, as he presses kisses across your collarbone, his hands inching towards the sides of your bosom.

In your divine beauty, you stood as a celestial masterpiece, crafted from stardust that cascaded across the vast expanse of the universe. With a single glance, you effortlessly ensnared his heart, drawing him into a realm of enchantment from which he could never escape. Your allure was irresistible and mesmerizing, leaving him forever spellbound by your radiant presence.

His adoration for you knew no bounds. He was madly in love with every curves of your body, his hands tenderly skimmed through the strands of your hair, cherishing each delicate strand. A shudder comes through you as he pushes your dress down, and then presses a passionate kiss on your lips, hands grabbing whatever they could find.

You were the nature's most precious treasure, indeed.

[its-a-me-mango]

One simple question... How long does it took you to make your beautiful Arts✨ (+ maybe some time in sketches too?)

Ooooo that's a difficult one for me to judge, I am very much someone who will draw for an hour, take a 5 hour break, and then work for 10 minutes before deciding to come back to it the next day. It's a whole process and it's hard for me to time myself lmao.

I want to say if I worked start to finish with no breaks, it would take me around 1 - 3 hours to complete something but it obviously depends on what it is! I can easily do a headshot sketch to finish in about an hour, full bodies tend to take around 2-3 hours but they can be more depending on the complexity!

Again it's hard to gauge the amount of time I spend on each piece because I take a lot of breaks in between and spread things out too. I've been able to get a lot faster with my art which I'm very happy with, I used to spend hours just on a single sketch, so I'm glad I'm past that!

Sketches that I do for asks usual only take me about 20-30 minutes, again depends how complicated they are, I try not to spend too long doing them so I can get more asks done!

I also usually work across mediums so again, hard to tell, I like to sketch traditionally where possible and sometimes line as well, so that usually splits things up and makes it complicated.

Since I'm here, I'll share a few traditional sketches just to show what I mean, I usually reline pieces because I'm not the best at traditional work! Some of these I've never bothered to finish or line so, exclusive look at my drawinggsss

wait I have more

Also fun fact, a lot of my pixel stuff is just me playing around with my traditional pieces! I learned how to do it a while ago and I've loved doing it ever since, it's very easy to do and looks great! Obviously I like to touch up things and edit a few things here and there but it's still fun to do!

Anyway thanks for asking! It's taken me years to get to where I am now and I'm happy that it no longer takes me like 6 hours just to complete something, means i can do even more art hehehe >:)

[kesoyotes]

How long do you typically spend on each TMayNT drawing? Of the ones you've done so far, which one took the longest? Which one was the quickest?

How long do you typically spend on each TMayNT drawing?

Truly it depends on the idea/prompt and how much time I have!

If it's a prompt I'm looking forward to (ie Day 1 and Day 6), then I'll probably put more effort into the drawing cause I want to give the best for the prompts I enjoy. I'll probably start ahead to make sure I can post it on the day cause I know I'll take a while on it. Finished pieces like that can take me anywhere from 3-6 hours, but I don't keep track of time (I get very "into the zone" while drawing lmao, but I am a bit of a slow artist sometimes so it can take me a while to finish things)

For other prompts such as Day 5 and Day 9, I didn't have a lot of time to begin with so they both look more on the sketch-y side. While not on the same level as my finished pieces, it's nice to experiment with those pieces and break away from my usual style

Of the ones you've done so far, which one took the longest?

Probably Day 13 (best Donnie)! Admittedly the drawing was for a DTIYS challenge and the prompt was not my main focus, but RotTMNT Donnie is my favorite Donnie so I figured i could kill two birds with one stone

Day 4 was also one that took a while, and I remember I had to leave home for a few hours so I was really crunching for time to finish that one. Luckily it got done on time 💪

Which one was the quickest?

Probably Day 2! I already knew I was gonna do RotTMNT April and I didn't put too much effort into the drawing in terms of effects and such so it was quick to get through

Thank you for the ask!

[sotwk]

Greenleaf's Day Out, Chapter 1: Surprise in the Kitchens (young Legolas family fic)

Completed Work: Chapters [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Summary: Third Age 250. While his parents are away from home, a mischievous eight-year-old Legolas escapes from his nursemaid's charge and spends the day tailing the elves he idolizes most: his four older brothers. This light-hearted tale from an elfling's eyes introduces the sons of Thranduil, Princes of the Woodland Realm, and their mother, the Elvenking's beloved Queen Maereth.

Word Count: 1k

Content: G-rated, fluff, family, comedy

To Read on AOC: Link

Divider credit: @firefly-graphics

Greenleaf's Day Out

Chapter 1 - Surprise in the Kitchens

Third Age 250

The Woodland Realm, Greenwood the Great

Though it was barely past the hour of dawn, the palace kitchens serving the home of the Elvenking of Greenwood were already alive and bustling with activity. First priority on their agenda as usual would be serving breakfast to the royal family.

That day, the work of the kitchens was slightly lessened by the absence of the king and queen from the palace. King Thranduil was on tour, visiting certain villages and inspecting sentry outposts near the Woodland borders. He was not to return until at least the next day. Queen Maereth on the other hand, was on a courtesy visit to Imladris, in acceptance of an invitation from some friends. She was expected back at the palace by that evening.

This left the King's five sons, the princes of the realm, to be served. The princes always started early in the morning, as their father kept a full schedule for them each and every day. Unless their parents called for a family gathering, the young royals ate morning meals in their respective rooms.

Aradiel, one of the palace cooks, bent over a hot bread oven. She stuck her mitten-covered hands inside and was drawing out a freshly baked loaf when she felt a tug at her skirts. Straightening up with the bread pan in her hands, she looked down to see a pair of huge blue eyes staring up at her.

"Your Highness!" she gasped, her surprise nearly causing her to drop the loaf on his shiny golden head. Fumbling with nervousness, she gave a quick curtsy to the elfling before walking briskly to the table and setting the bread down. "W-why have you come, my lord? Is there anything you need? Breakfast will be ready for serving in just a moment."

"That's excellent, because I'm starving!" the princeling announced. Much to Aradiel's bewilderment, he pulled up a chair to the table and climbed on it, his little legs dangling off the floor. With an eager hand he reached for the newly-baked bread, then withdrew it quickly with a wince.

"Careful, my lord," Aradiel said quickly. "It is still hot." She reached for another platter of bread at the fully laden table and set it before the prince. "Perhaps you would like this instead."

The child reached for the bread but wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Don't!"

"D-don't what my lord?" the elf-maid stammered.

"Don't call me 'Lord'!" he said, his face breaking into an impish smile. "It’s not my name. My name's Legolas." He stuck out his hand to the red-faced she-elf. "What's yours?"

"A-aradiel…my lord."

"Did you make this, Aradiel?" Legolas asked, as he pinched off another chunk of the loaf and filled his mouth with it. "It's delicious!"

Aradiel finally relaxed into a smile. "Thank you, your Highness."

"Prince Legolas!'' Both servant and prince turned to the kitchen doorway at the sound of the cheery, booming voice. Elvomir, a palace butler that supervised the kitchens, walked to their table with his fists on his hips but a broad smile on his face.

"Out exploring already, and at so early an hour?" he asked, shaking his head. "Are you not supposed to be in bed still? And where is Ninniel?"

"I'm not sure," Legolas replied innocently. He bit off another piece of bread and swallowed it. "She was still sleeping when I woke up. I was hungry but I did not want to wake her, so I came here."

"Tsk, tsk. She is probably still weary from chasing you around last night," said Elvomir. He looked up and spoke to Aradiel. "It's all right, you may return to your tasks. I shall attend to our guest here."

Artwork (found on Pinterest) - Credit to artist

Before a half-hour was through, the little prince managed to finish the hefty breakfast of bread, cheese, eggs and sausages that Elvomir served him. After gulping down the last of his milk, Legolas wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and thanked the butler before sliding off the chair.

"But where are you off to now, young Highness?" Elvomir called after him, as he headed for the door. "Perhaps I should escort you to your room--"

"You needn’t bother, Elvomir," Legolas replied, with a merry shake of his head. "I can find my way back. I know my way around the palace better than you think!"

Elvomir chuckled. "That's exactly what I'm afraid of," he said. "All right, off you go then! Back to Ninniel, and nowhere else before then, understood?"

"I promise!" Legolas called back, as his golden head disappeared through the door.

Just a short while after the youngest prince left, a harried looking maid-servant entered the kitchens.

"Good morrow, Ninniel," Elvomir greeted her cheerfully. "If it is your charge that you seek, you just missed him. He's had his breakfast and left here but a few minutes ago.

"Oh dear! How can such a sweet little elfling have the energy and cunning of a rascal? Now I shall spend the entire morning trying to find him!" Ninniel sighed. She sank into a nearby chair to catch her breath. "I cannot believe I overslept! How I shall pay for that mistake now!"

"Surely you exaggerate!" Elvomir said, chuckling. "Don't you fret so much! I asked his Highness to go straight to his room and meet you. Surely you will still find him there if you go now."

Ninniel had to laugh at that. "I wish I could share your optimism, but I should know better. Legolas is a good lad, but he possesses all the youthful mischief his brothers had, if not more. He does not enjoy having someone following him around, waiting on him hand and foot, so he would not let me catch up with him for as long as he can help it!"

She shook her head and sighed. "Part of me wishes to give him his freedom, but my duty to the Queen requires me to keep a close watch on him and at least TRY to keep him out of trouble!"

At last the elf-maid took a deep breath and got to her feet once more. "Well, I suppose I should get to looking for him now, though I'm doubtful of how much luck I could have."

She smiled ruefully at her own folly. "Clever little fellow certainly knew what he was doing when he snuck out on me this morning!"

Continue reading: Chapter 2 - Boxing Lessons

[the-ninja-legacy-whip]

I'm quite curious but how long does drawing usually take for you? Let's say for a tarot card for example?

Depends on how lazy in depth I want to go with it. Fully rendered stuff with glow and shading and effects and all the stops can take up to 2-3 days (if not a week, time permitting), but a quick doodle/sketch for an ask or something only takes an hour or so. On average a “usual” piece of mine doesn’t normally take more than 6-8 hours (unless it’s really detailed, like pieces for DTIYS or scenes with multiple people), but that’s cuz I’ve learned how to cheat the system :P

(but yeah most of the Timelapses I have saved are around 7 hours for the whole process)

Drawing/sketching by itself varies. Everything I do is initially drawn by hand, and while sometimes I can nail a sketch, like, right away, other times I can spend hours trying to get it up to snuff, or I only finish it like halfway and just touch it up digitally instead to attempt to save some time. Just depends on the piece, my mood, and the time on my hands snksnk

For the tarot cards specifically, ahhh…I’d put them around 6-8 hours each, so around my usual time, but the simpler ones like Jesse’s and Nya’s took less than that, while more complicated ones like Jay, Dareth, Lloyd/the FSM, took several days. I’ll consider it a sign of trying to improve each time, haha.

The initial sketch takes an hour or two, the cleaned sketch + lineart can take up to four (mainly cuz I have a shorter attention span during this part), and coloring, again, depends on the specific piece but can usually be done in a few hours too.

But also, with the tarot cards, part of the reason I made it a year-long project to begin with was to ensure that I would have enough time to make them mostly the best they could be! If I had attempted them all at once or back-to-back I probably would’ve given up, so I’m really glad I can say I’m almost done!!

[andstilliam]

Got a sleep score of 87 with 8 and a half hours and I still woke up exhausted, so I went and got a cappuccino from my favourite cafe. Skipped my morning chem class. Chemistry is really stressing me out. If I could drop the course, I would, but I can't because chemistry is fundamental to my major. I need the intro credits. Thankfully, for neuroscience, a 70% is not a required grade for chemistry. I do need a minimum of 70% in biology and and psychology to get into the Neuroscience program.

I like chemistry. I just haven't studied it in well over a year and so I have to review all the concepts from scratch. Additionally, I have chemistry 3x a week this semester and there's 2 pieces of work due before and after every class. So it's a lot of work and I haven't completed any of that so far because I'm literally catching up on basic review. The grading scheme for the course is also really weird and I'm still trying to understand it. Not to mention the GPA scale for this school generally speaking is off the charts. It's not like this anywhere else. It doesn't stop at 4.0, we have 4.3, like what even is that? I don't really understand the purpose of that.

I dragged myself out of bed this morning for a psych lab that I realized doesn't start until the end of September. So here's my reminder to check the lab schedule because I did the same thing for chemistry on Wednesday; showed up to a lab that hadn't started yet lol.

3 courses is full time at my school, so I'm glad I'm only taking 3 courses. Plus I knew it'd hit different taking pure sciences compared to CS.

Still waiting for 1 more person to drop the online psychology class within the next 4 days so I don't have to attend labs in person.

Anyway, I chose this school for a variety of reasons:

1) Minimal entrance requirements. I took the Arts route in high school so it wasn't even required to have grade 12 calculus or any of the pure sciences (though it was recommended). I took a few junior and senior credits to prepare myself, but it was not an academic requirement for the program.

2) Course flexibility. Most programs for both CS and Neuroscience require physics, up to 3 levels of Calculus, Linear algebra and Discrete functions. This school had the least math and no physics. Not that it's a barrier or advantage per se, but I thought that was different. It also meant that for CS in particular, I could take introductory courses that were applied in nature rather than spending the first 2 years of my degree taking pure sciences and maths before learning applicable concepts. The Neuroscience program is slightly different because you have to meet the requirements before declaring the major and so you do have to spend the first year taking the required chemistry, biology, psychology, math and stats courses. But again, that's only 1 year and you can still take electives on top of that.

3) They have a Bioinformatics minor. Bioinformatics programs are usually not accessible to undergrads. They may have a course available, but an actual major/minor is a rare find. This also means that I can easily take CS courses without being a CS major. A lot of CS departments are incredible exclusive and you cannot take a SWE or SWD course without having been accepted and declared as a computing student, which is an increasingly competitive program to get into.

4) Co-op opportunities. Less competition than bigger cities.

5) Research. Everyone knows U15s have outstanding research funding and variety in types of research offered to students and the community at large. At least, that's what's advertised. They are also open to undergraduate students whereas some other U15s are exclusively for graduate students only.

6) Unique programs. They have a grad program in Medical Neuroscience. Who doesn't want a Neuroscience degree with the term "Medical" alongside it? LOL........

7) Combined Honours programs. Double majoring is easier when you can split the courses for each major in half instead of doing 2 majors at once. Some schools will allow double counting, but only up to a certain number of credits.

8) Low CoL compared to a big city where I'm from. I can raise a family out here and own property.

[lpfreakification]

My age has caught up

Im 30.

I've turned 30 last month but was super busy with school that I didn't have the time to process it.

Having this free time this week b4 I plan out what I wanna do in July, I think im overwhelmed with options.

Reading this BL in the past hour doesn't help with my emotions. They make them go haywire. God, boys are cute 😭

My timing is terrible when it comes to dating. I think it was 2 or 3 years ago now that I read a BL manga called Love Doctor that got me into a spiral of emotions + an overwhelming longing for a boyfriend. I did try. He was alright. I could do better. Then school started.

This feels selfish of me wanting a boyfriend just to recreate fluffy yaoi moments. That's a delusional way of thinking, Perla! *whines*

From experience, I do have ideas:

Step 1: Go to a place of frequent visits (such as internet, Tumblr, school, computer lab, library, lobby, coffee place, restaurant, workplace???)

Step 2: Do my doodle thing until someone walks up to you + compliments them

Step 3: intros

Step 4: talk about work/hobbies

Step 5: Repeat steps 1 - 4

Step 6: Exchange contact info once u get comfortable/confident, when your face lights up when the other person arrives, or can't stop thinking about them.

... + idk. I never gotten as far as that 😅 I remember one piece of advice I was told that I struggle with, + suck at: follow-up/following up. Why does it have to take so much energy 😫

I feel troubled. I know that I don't really like to give, just take. Eventually, I will have to learn to give more often. I constantly think to myself that I'm gonna give them something in return for what they've given me. In the end, I can never physically execute those thoughts, and I end up wallowing in bed in guilt.

Either:

- depending on future boyfriend, I'd do anything

- stay the same

- feels the same way + we can both agree not to spend on each other but for ourselves.

...

Man, what am I doing with my life this week, wasting away in bed? I guess I'm just being lonely as hell since the wedding two weeks ago. Dammit, the cute aggression is stirring up.

Also, aren't I supposed to be taking a break after two months of animation grinding, too?

I... don't have a good work-life balance. I've explained this so many times, so I'll skip it. Hmmm, little bit of things here, little bit of things there, + a few days off for myself to do absolutely, positively nothing.

I do have an ideal routine that worked out so perfectly when I had an internship in 2020:

I did get the right idea of starting animation work at 8 am. After my sister's wedding, I started taking my meds earlier at 5:20 in the morning. Huh, the 9pm hour is still an accurate time for chilling. I have been falling asleep earlier than usual nowadays, b4 11pm.

...

Since I'm here, let's organize my ideas.

- KH:DDD

- Kickboxing

- School stuff

- Improving on some animations, need a specific list for that

- Haircut

Those are my main points. There's bound to be more little things in between that may come along the way. Like, my psychiatrist appointment tomorrow morning, the local annual 4th of July Parade, + Traverse City, Michigan in August (more details when the date draws near).

...

I'm feeling a bit better now that I got these thoughts out of my system :)

Imma go grab a cheesecake from the kitchen X)

Yep!

[s0nia246]

Tefnut Darshana "The Ones who Spits" "Deep-sea data broker"

Name: Tefnut Darshana

Rarity: 4̷̫͎͓̩̓͂

Weapon: Trident

Element: F̶͈̩͈͊̑ą̶̖̮̩̗͛͒̐k̷̛͔̞̋͜e̶̪͖̍̚ Hydro

Gender:Female

Sexuality: Pansexual

Birthday: June 25

Alternate Title(s):"The Ones who Spits", Deep-sea data broker

Nation: Currently leaving in Mondaslt

Affiliation: Herself

Tefnut: "All you need to know about me is I need clay to make bricks. Data. Data. I can't make bricks without clay.

Personality - Tefnut gives off a mysterious and otherworldly vibe. It's your opinion to see if that's a good or bad thing. She's a natural charmer and is resourceful. Adventurous, daring, and friendly by nature, thus making a fabulous company. Being intelligent, innovative, and optimistic makes it easy for her to adapt, easy to change. However, she can be unpredictable, restless, and emotionally inconsistent. Tefnu restlessness can be negative. Her edgy temperament and impatience can lead to hasty decisions.

Likes/ Hobbies - Loves reading aloud, traveling to new places, and collecting unique souvenirs. Tefnut has a passion for deep-sea diving, and she enjoys exploring the mysteries of the ocean depths. She also enjoys learning new languages and cultures, making connections with people from all over the world. Tefnut is a foodie and loves to try new cuisines and experiment in the kitchen.

Dislikes - Tefnut has a distaste for dishonesty and deceit. She also doesn't like being tied down to one place or routine for too long. Tefnut dislikes being indoors for extended periods and doesn't like when things don't go according to plan.

Skills - Tefnut has an excellent memory and is a skilled negotiator. Her innate ability to connect with people allows her to broker data deals effortlessly. She's an excellent swimmer and has extensive knowledge about marine life. Her adventurous spirit and resourcefulness enable her to adapt to various situations and thrive in any environment.

Character quirks:

1. Heavy sleeper

2.Perpetually interrupts when others are speaking

3. Tefnut loves to collect rare artifacts from her travels and displays them in her home. She can spend hours talking about the history and significance of each piece.

4. She has a habit of tapping her feet or drumming her fingers when she's bored or restless. It's a telltale sign that she's ready for the next adventure.

5. Tefnut has a unique laugh that sounds like a mix of a snort and a giggle. It can be infectious, and once you hear it, you can't help but smile.

6. She has a fear of heights but loves the thrill of skydiving. It's a conflict that she's still trying to work through.

7. Tefnut is terrible at telling jokes, but she loves to try anyway. Her punchlines usually fall flat, but her enthusiasm makes up for it.

8. She has a secret passion for karaoke and can belt out some impressive tunes when she thinks no one else is listening.

9. Tefnut has a sweet tooth and can't resist a good dessert. She's always on the lookout for the best bakery in town and loves to sample their treats.

Lore/ Backstory:Tefnut is based around a genshin impact theory called Samsara Theory or Teyvat Simulation theory. Tefnut's job is to observe, monitor, analyze, and run scenarios to find the solution of an "issue."

Tefnut never entered the simulation world herself. Her goal was simply to collect data on what was happening. She did not have any personal feelings toward that world. The world was merely an objective setting for her boss's experiments. However, the "issue" started affecting the real world after the accident.

Tefnut went to her boss in order to try to solve the issue. However, her boss went missing after the incident. He had left behind the research project, the experimental equipment, and a map that would help her find him.

The map was a piece of the prototype equipment. When it came time for her to collect the data she needed from the prototype equipment, she realized there were several problems she couldn't solve without going into the simulation world.

She tried to go into the simulation world, but something happened to the coding mechanism, and the system became chaotic with no way to control it.

Tefnut is currently trapped inside the simulation, but to her, all that matters is to find her boss and solve the "issue." She believes she will be able to figure out the "issue" if she finds her boss. That's why Tefnut sometimes has a glitching around her, but mostly, the glitching happens on her vision. As she moves through the simulation world, Tefnut uncovers more and more mysteries, leading her closer to finding her boss and the solution to the "issue."

She also begins to develop a personal attachment to the world she once only observed from afar. As she delves deeper into the simulation, Tefnut begins to discover that there may be far more at stake than just the resolution of the "issue." The very foundations of reality itself may be at risk.

[purplesurveys]

1793

Yesterday

1) What was the weather like? Did it change your plans in any way? It was extremely sunny during the day which kind of sucked, because yesterday my family played host to a family reunion on the rooftop and the weather made things feel a little uncomfortable. In the afternoon, while the sun did hide for a bit it ended up being super humid anyway, so in either case it really just ended up being a super sweaty affair lol.

We addressed it by making sure our aircon in the living room was turned on the entire afternoon, so that anyone who starts to feel super hot or dizzy can choose to go down – which is why it ended up pissing me off when I caught a few people not even trying to hide their bitchings about how hot it was at our place and yet refused to go downstairs when I offered. Complaints are classic Filipino guest things but something I've never learned how to tolerate so I was pretty irritated from the get-go of that damn reunion.

2) What did you do yesterday, anyway? Helped my parents host said reunion, for the most part. I was so exhausted from all the walking and hosting and socializing all over the house so ngl I was knocked out from like 5 to 8, right after people left ha. When I woke up earlier this evening I spent a few hours playing a game on my phone and now I'm here winding down with a couple of surveys. Not a very eventful Saturday which is how I prefer my weekends to be.

3) Did you eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner? What did you have? I didn't have breakfast as usual. Lunch wasn't a full meal for me, I just got like 3 pieces of sushi from our reunion spread. I also didn't have dinner and just made a cup of coffee which is still right next to me.

4) Did you do some form of exercise? What? If going up and down the stairs 200 times counts as exercise then it would be that.

5) Who did you spend the most time with? My sister. Out of the huge crowd at home, we knew each other the best so we stuck together, lol.

6) What television shows or movies did you watch? I finished Gyeongseong Creature super early on in the morning (like, technically I was watching it from Friday then it bled into the midnight hours of Saturday haha), then I also played a couple episodes of Friends for the very few people who were in my age group in the reunion.

7) What time did you get up and go to bed? I got up at like 9. Went to sleep at 3 AM earlier.

8) What was the best bit about yesterday? I can't decide between watching Gyeongseong Creature and getting to eat sushi.

9) What about the worst? Being bombarded with work messages on a Saturday. My work! Makes me! Depressed!

10) Did you talk to anyone on the phone? Who? Why? My mom needed help ordering additional food for the reunion so she called me up while she was doing last few errands at the grocery so I can take care of it.

Today

1) What time did you get up? I just got up and it's currently nearly a half hour past 8.

2) What are your plans for today? I'll be taking my family to my favorite ramen place for lunch, then later in the afternoon I'll be seeing my close friends for our super late Christmas party.

3) Have you eaten any meals yet? What did you have? None yet. I don't mind not eating for a few more hours because I'll be eating a lot today lmao, so I'd rather save up the hunger so I can fully pig out for both lunch and dinner.

4) Are you planning on seeing your friends or boyfriend/girlfriend? Yup! I'm seeing Angela, Reena, and Hans later for dinner/Christmas party. I don't think we've been together since...August? In any case, we'll be at our fav Korean spot so I'm looking forward to it.

5) Does your favorite television show air today? Breaking Bad ended 11 years ago.

6) Have you spoken to your parents yet? Nopes.

7) How many texts have you received? I haven't gotten anything yet for today.

8) Are you planning on going to bed early? I never do on Sundays because I never look forward to Mondays.

9) Have you done anything remotely productive today? Nope. The full load of my day will start in like an hour when we head to our usual Sunday mass and after that I'm going to be traveling everywhere hahaha. BGC for ramen, then I might have to shop for clothes for my Seventeen concert next week, then head home so I can drive out for dinner with friends.

10) How much money did you spend so far? Are you planning on spending more later? None yet as it's only 8 but I am for sure going to be pulling out my card a few times today.

Tomorrow

1) What time do you have to get up tomorrow? Around 8.

2) What do you hope the weather will be like? Chilly but not too chilly. Cold weather feels so good that it makes me miserable when at work, because when the weather is comfy like that all I want to do is rest. So it'll be nice if it were cold, but I hope it's not too comfy!cold that all I'll think about is why I'm not in bed, lol.

3) Is there anything you’re dreading about tomorrow? The fact that I have work and that it's Monday.

4) Is there anything important you need to do, or can you just relax? Nope, can't relax.

5) Do you have plans to see your friends? No, I never have time to during weekdays.

6) What do you hope will happen tomorrow? I hope my schedule will be nice to me.

7) Are you going to wake up at home, or somewhere else? Just at home.

8) If you don’t have any plans, what do you think you’ll end up doing? I'll be working.

9) Do you have to get a work out in at some point? Nope.

10) Will you be working or studying at all? Yes.

[parttimedragonslayer]

I’ve decided to run a 10k race in February, just under four months away. I’ve never run 10k before. I’ve done 5k and I felt that was pushing my limits, but I’m going to give it my best and keep a diary of my progress along the way. 

The race I’m doing is the Soja Kibiji Marathon, but just the 10k course, obviously. 

I’ve chosen a free program from The Marathon Handbook that is supposed to get me to a 10k in 12 weeks. There’s 16 and a half weeks until race day so I should have plenty of time to finish it, even accounting for the occasional missed day. 

This plan should take 84 days (12 weeks) and I have 117 days(16 weeks) to complete it so I’ve got some allowance for missed days as there will inevitably be. Against all good sense I’m starting on a Tuesday, and on the 31st of the month. 

I'm going to document it here. I've already been going for almost a week so the below is a catch up on the first 6 days.

:read more:

Week 1

Day 1 - Completed 31 October 2023, plus some extra

This run looked ridiculously easy to me, but I’m following the plan so I’ll do it. I’ve been running semi-consistently for a couple of months so this one was a piece of cake. Before starting this plan I was running 4-5 km and I’d do intervals of about two and half minutes run to one minute walk. I’d increase the running interval by one second each time I went out. A little mind game I played with myself to try and build a consistent running habit. As well as that, when I go to the gym to do weights I warm up with 10 mins running on the treadmill, about a 6:50 pace.

I tried to run quite a bit faster than my usual pace in the run intervals. It started a lot quicker, but was probably only a teensy bit quicker by the last interval. I’d gone out and turned around at the 8th interval, so after the 5 min cool down walk I started running again at a slow pace until I got home, which was about eight minutes. 

Mostly I was surprised that I ran non-stop for that long outside. I’ve been doing it inside on the treadmill, but I find running outside to be harder so I generally just do short intervals. 

Day 2 - Completed 1 November, plus some extra

Today was cross training so I went to the gym and did the usual weights program that I’ve been doing for a while now. I figure I’ll keep doing that for cross training until I feel like it’s starting to impact my running. 

My weights program is based on a three day split. Each day has a primary lift of either bench press, deadlift or barbell squat, followed by a secondary lift. Then I do accessory exercises but they’re pretty unstructured, just whatever I feel like really. The primary lift is done at a higher weight, the secondary is a lower weight and more reps. I try to do them in order, but as the gym has pretty limited equipment, sometimes I just have to do whatever is available.

Today’s session was about 45 mins or so. I started with bench press as primary- 4 sets of 6 at 30kg. Then followed up with deadlift as secondary - 3 sets of 10 at 42.5kg. Accessory exercises were front raise, lateral raise, lat pull down machine, and dumbbell overhead press. I finished with five minutes on the rowing machine. 

I usually start with 10 minutes on the treadmill but I skipped it today because I wasn’t wearing a sports bra and didn’t want to put the girls through that. 

Day 3 - Completed 2 November 2023

Rest day. Easiest day so far 😛

Day 4 - Completed 3 November 2023

This was still a pretty easy run really. One minute on, one minute off is not much of a push for me these days. I didn’t push my pace in the run intervals really, maybe I should have? This was the first early morning run I’ve done in a while and maybe I felt the lack of fuel?

Day 5 - Completed 4 November 2023

I’m counting a couple of hours walking around as a tourist to be my cross training. We went to Hiroshima for the long weekend and spend a couple of hours walking around Peace Park and Hiroshima castle so I figure that was sufficient activity to claim as cross training. 

Day 6 - Not completed 5 November 2023

Good to see that it’s taken me less than a week to fall off track from the scheduled plan. But to be fair on myself, I expected it and that’s why I’ve allowed myself 16 weeks to get through a 12 week plan. We got back from Hiroshima today about lunchtime and I intended to get my run done in the afternoon, but instead went to sleep. I had such terrible sleep the last two nights at our hotels. The first hotel we were at the mattress had zero support and we both just sunk into the middle. We moved to a different hotel the next night, which was much better, but there were only two pillows and Steve was tossing and turning all night because he didn’t have a leg pillow. Also, my new tattoo made it difficult because every time I rolled over I would brush against it. So with 2 nights of terrible sleep, I just crashed when we got home and napped for an hour and half. I could have happily napped longer, but I dragged myself out of bed because I knew I had to unpack and go to the shops and make dinner and all that other boring stuff.

[teamob]

Cloud Or On-Premise, What Should I Use For Employee Monitoring Software In India

Today we are living in a decade where nothing could be held under one's custody. We often delegate a couple of aspects to the third party and get the same done through them, however, this is usually done with adequate trust in the third party. But a lot of times things do not take place as expected and everything around us takes a toss.

Employee Monitoring Software has brought a tremendous evolution in most of the highly thriving companies in India as well as all around the world. And now assorted companies in India are considering giving this software an attempt because this software does everything that humans cannot do at certain times.

Nowadays, we encounter a bunch of things getting enhanced which is certainly better than the previous one but not under all sorts of circumstances, because in a few negative situations things do not transpire in concern with an individual's favour.

Discerning which software is reasonable for monitoring the Employees in the work environment is indeed a complicated task. Because we are living in a generation where technological aspects are in abundance. A prevailing situation in such circumstances is very common for a bunch of business organisations and it is a challenge that they need to encounter.

Now you must be wondering what to opt for your organisation between the Cloud and On-Premise for Employee Monitoring Software? So we are here to enable you to understand things better by furnishing you with the information on the provided notion.

What do you mean by Employee Monitoring Software?

This is the software which is designed to supervise the employees through a monitoring program which could be set up in individual systems at the organisation.

What is the task of Employee Monitoring Software?

This helps the Employers as well as the company in tracking the attendance, computing their performances, understanding the productivity level of an independent person and accumulating the evidence of hours they worked. An organisation needs to know if their employees are following the instructions promptly and are creating a healthy workspace in and around them.

Why is this Employee Monitoring Software an essential requirement for any company?

Well, this influential software advances the company in a handful of courses of action, for instance, it aids in deriving the utmost utility from each employee like never before. A lot of employees spend time on unproductive pieces of stuff which negatively affects the company.

Also considering that we are in the 21st century and gravely need something like this to transform our organisations for the best.

What are the benefits of Employee Monitoring Software?

1. It helps the personnel to thoroughly dedicate their work hours.

2. It increases the productivity of each individual.

3. It expands the growth of the company like never prior.

4. It cuts down the worthless time spent by personnel.

5. It allows the HR manager to sit back and not worry about the employee's performance, because this software does the job.

6. It improves the process at the workplace.

7. It commutes the hours worked and time spent idle.

8. It makes an attendance report.

9. It enables the HR department to look into the login and logout time of the personnel.

10. It calculates the number of days worked by the personnel.

11. It tracks the coordination of each individual and how they are working as a team.

12. It decreases the inefficiency.

13. Enhances the work quality of the employees.

14. Now let us move on to the core concepts, they are Cloud and On-Premise

What do you mean by Cloud?

Cloud computing is a range of assistance transmitted over the internet, or “the cloud.” It means using a remote network server to reserve and access data rather than relying on regular hard drives and private and confidential data centres.

What are the benefits of the Cloud?

1. Data Security

2. Backup and Restore Data

3. Improved Collaboration

4. Excellent Accessibility

5. Low Maintenance Cost

6. Mobility

7. Services in Pay-Per-Use

8. Unlimited Storage Capacity

9. Flexibility

10. Documental Control

11. Robust Disaster Recovery

12. Easy to Upgrade

13. Reduces Software Cost

What are the cons of the Could?

1. Internet Connectivity

2. Lower Bandwidth

3. Affect of Speed

4. Security Issues

5. Agreement

6. Inadequate Support

7. Variation of Cost

8. Loss of Control

9. Disruption of Cloud Services

10. Vendor Lock-In

What do you mean by On-Premise?

On-Premises Software is uncovered and operated within a user’s data centre. As such, it uses the user’s computing hardware rather than that of the Cloud provider.

What are the benefits of On-Premise?

1. Complete Data Control

2. Enables in Customization

3. Prompt Accessibility

4. No Operating Software Cost

5. Complete Hardware Control

6. Complete Software Control

7. Advanced Performance

8. Extensible

What are the cons of On-Premise?

1. Expensive

2. Lengthy Procedure

3. Risk of Data Loss

4. requires additional IT assistance

5. Needs a high skilled team

6. Requires Upfront Investment

But, which one of the software is better to opt for Employee Monitoring?

The Cloud is better than on-premise due to its flexibility, reliability and security, the cloud removes the hassle of maintaining and updating systems, allowing you to invest your time, money and resources into fulfilling your core business strategies. Also, Cloud storage is more secure than on-premise storage, which certainly makes it unique.

Moreover, when you are allowing the third party to handle things they can work more effectively and efficiently and they are indeed highly specialised in will get the thing done the right way.

Conclusion

Subsequently, we furnished the information regarding both the software and also mentioned a better option, all In all, it is totally up to the business organisation to choose what they want as the Employee Monitoring Software at the end, because everything has a solution if combated adequately then things will get sorted no matter what you have noted for.

Try out the TeamOB Employee Monitoring Software today!, please contact us.

Visit us at: - https://www.teamob.co.in/blog/3/cloud-or-on-premise-what-should-i-use-for-employee-monitoring-software-in-india

Call us: - +91 9307907814

Follow us: - @Teamob

[missguomeiyun]

dinner @ Bianco

Hey guys!

I dined in recently - at Bianco~

I don’t know how long this restaurant has been around for but I’ve been hearing about it from coworkers & umm.. .. yeah, it’s closeby-ish so I went with a friend after work for happy hour (more formally called Apervito Afternoon). They have this menu up every day from 2-5pm!

PS: their entrance is very unassuming & it’s like at a slant like this. It’s very awkward!

Interior space. I actually asked a friend beforehand about the dress code lol is it like a jeans type of place or more. .. business-y???? Hate to be underdressed but at the same time, I didn’t want to change at work -.-”

More interior~ I fixed the light settings on my phone camera so that’s why this appeared so much brighter =/ this is the same row of tables in the previous photo but this was taken from my chair.

The rest of the restaurant. The bar table plus diff kinds of chairs.

I liked the vibe actually. I also like the brick design in the corner there. Every section was a little different. My friend & I sat at a bar seating table. The chair was quite high lol was a slight struggle to sit on. Oh & it’s very casual. Like VERY casual. The girl who sat at the next table was wearing sweatpants if you wanted a reference.

Menu-reading time.

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I didn’t take a picture of the apertivo afternoon menu. Our server actually didn’t give that to us when we sat down (arrived around 4:15pm). I had to ask for it, & he was like. .. “I usually work dinner hours.. sorry about that.” & I was like. .. BUT IT IS NOT DINNER HOUR YET. Tbh, bcos of this. .. I didn’t want to tip the amount that I had tipped. In my opinion, that was an ‘error’ & I’m not sure what the true intent was.. . maybe he thought us 2 small Asian girls weren’t aware of the apertivo afternoon menu??  *shrugs* that is why as time goes by. .. I’m more & more against this whole tip culture thing. It’s literally their job. .. they get paid to bring diners the right menu given the time it is. Why should I have to tip? Anyway, that was just something that annoyed me. Oh & also, they don’t have a bell system like many Asian restaurants so. .. he was gone for while before I could ask for the apertivo afternoon menu.... ugh. All restaurants should have the bell!

Our mussels. SO GOOD! Comes with a generous amount of crostini.

This is normally $22 but between 2-5pm, it is $15. There are 2 options for sauces & we chose the white wine tomato sauce. Super tasty, & it was a lot of mussels. My only complaint was. .. it did not stay warm for long. Basically after eating 2 pieces of crostinis each, the mussels were cold.

Gnocchi di patate dolci. I didn’t try this bcos there weren’t that many pieces & I don’t like saucy gnocchi...

Here’s mine: the bucatini al pesto, with added shrimps for extra $6.

The noodle texture was interesting, & I liked the sauce! Although I thought it’d be more. .. lemon-y bcos it was supposed to be lemon pesto. I was very disappointed with the shrimps though. For $6, they gave me 6 pieces. .. but each piece was like half a shrimp, so really, there were 3 shrimps. I don’t recommend getting the add-on =/  Even though it was good. .. I’m unsure if I’m willing to spend a whooping $26 on this pasta dish for just the pasta & the sauce. ..

BUT the mussels though.. . YES!

[asia-ustaad]

17 Ways How to Make Money Online in 2022

 A Comprehensive Guide of Legitimate Ways to Make Money (on the Side)

Welcome to the best free lesson on the Internet for making money online if you’re seeking for reliable ways to make money online without having to first pay an in-depth training course (which usually seems to cost $97) about how to make money online.

1. Become an Online News Writer or Columnist

To generate money online as a writer or columnist these days, you don't need a journalism degree. Furthermore, many news websites could always use some assistance in obtaining local coverage. Some, like The Examiner, will pay authors based on the amount of ad income generated each piece written.

2. Buy and Sell Domain Names

Imagine becoming the first owner of Insure.com, which was purchased for $16 million in 2009. While most slam-dunk domains have long been sold off, there are still plenty of others that you can get your hands on for a low price and broker as a way to make money online. However, before you jump in, keep in mind that some experts question the long-term reliability of this method of producing money online. There's always the potential, though, that you'll come upon a valuable domain name for a future billion-dollar business. Here are some pointers from GoDaddy, probably the world's largest and most well-known domain name registry. Consider buying a blog that already has some inbound traffic, working hard for a year to develop the readership, and then selling the blog for a profit.

3. Do Data Analysis for Companies

Do you have a thing for numbers? If you have the proper credentials and experience, there are many of firms that compensate talented contractors who are good at data analysis, making this a potentially lucrative method to make money online. Flexjobs and TopTal are just two of the many websites that cater to freelancers with strong analytical skills.

4. Online Personal Trainer or Fitness Coach

Working as a part-time online personal trainer may be both physically and financially satisfying if you're a fitness buff with the appropriate blend of charisma and business savvy. Once you've established a reputation and a client base, it might easily become a full-time job for you. Examine how a few of the most popular fitness blogs generate money online through content sponsorships, affiliate profits, and product sales.

5. Sell Your Songs as a Creative Way to Make Money Online

Even though the music industry isn't as powerful as it was in the 1980s, there are still lots of methods for musicians to generate money online. SoundBetter, for example, allows you to offer your talents as a songwriter, producer, or session musician to tens of thousands of people each month. While Musicbed, Music Vine, Marmoset, and SongFreedom are great for licencing your music to TV shows, movies, and online series, Musicbed, Music Vine, Marmoset, and SongFreedom are great for licencing your music to TV shows, movies, and web series.

6. Subcontract Your Extra Work and Start an Online Agency

Spending your time focusing solely on inside sales (booking freelance contracts with high-value clients) and then subcontracting your work out to other freelancers can be a great way to make money online once you've established yourself in one of the numerous freelance verticals available online. You'll be building a business that can scale and grow beyond the hours you have to sell each day, rather than simply selling your time.

7. Create DIY or Cooking Videos

You know how you can't seem to get away from those top-down cooking or craft movies these days? There are people who make a career off of them, particularly those who also run their own food or travel blogs, as my partner and I do with our vegan cuisine blogs Vegan Anj and VeganTable. In fact, 78 percent of B2C businesses rely on user-generated content (such as these movies) for their marketing efforts. On sites like Darby Smart, you can sign up as a creator and potentially work with companies like Nordstrom, Mattel, and BarkBox. Alternatively, you can learn how to master PPC advertising and use the content to grow your YouTube audience and monetize through ads and views.

8. Edit Videos Online

Video is exploding in popularity. And an increasing number of people are seeking expert assistance in transforming their raw footage into viral-worthy material. As a video editor, you may easily make money online if you have the correct tools and a little skill. Look for relevant jobs on Mandy.com or ProductionHub after reading Fstoppers' article on how to become an online video editor.

9. Build a Niche Website

You may make money online doing something you enjoy if you can find an audience for your passion or pastime. Of course, saying it is easier than doing it. It takes time and effort to build a profitable niche website, and it is not for the faint of heart. However, if you can overcome the significant obstacles and confidently answer a few crucial questions about whether the internet business concept you're considering is viable, you can start creating it and eventually monetize it through advertising, affiliates, or other relevant digital items.

10. Become a Contract Customer Service Superstar

Do you enjoy conversing with others and assisting them with their problems? As a contract customer service rockstar for organisations all around the world, you can earn extra money. Because internet businesses are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, corporations are looking for personnel in various time zones to assist with user difficulties. Even better, if you've worked in customer service or retail before, you'll be right at home. To find chances, go to Indeed or one of the other remote employment boards I mentioned previously.

11. Buy an Existing Website (to Make Money Online Quicker)

Websites and stocks have a lot in common. Many are garbage, but some can create significant revenue for you, making purchasing an existing website a viable option for making money online (if you have an eye for spotting the diamond in the rough). You can buy and sell websites in the hopes of making money in the future based on their user traffic, current revenue intake, domain name, or other factors that could be a hidden cash cow that no one else has noticed. Interested? To discover more, go to marketplaces like Flippa and Flipping Enterprises.

12. Become an Online Notary

Wills, mortgages, naturalisation registrations, and firearm applications are among the hundreds of millions of documents notarized in the United States each year. While this has all been done in person for decades, there is a growing number of websites that allow notaries to provide their services online. You can sell your services online if you're already a notary. If you wish to get started, the National Notary's checklist for becoming a certified notary is a good place to start.

13. Run Corporate Workshops

Running corporate workshops online is another opportunity to put your talent and business talents to use. Businesses are always looking for new ways to educate their employees, and if you can bundle your skills into a one-day or half-day session, you can offer it to firms all over the world to make money online. Begin by establishing a portfolio, then reach out to influencers at relevant companies via LinkedIn to see if they'd be interested in having you educate their team.

14. Lend Your Voice to Voice-Overs

Another way to put your talent and business skills to good use is to run corporate workshops online. Businesses are always looking for innovative ways to educate their staff, and if you can package your abilities into a one-day or half-day session, you may make money online by offering it to companies all over the world. Begin by building a portfolio, then use LinkedIn to reach out to influencers at related companies to see if they'd be interested in having you train their employees.

15. Small Business Marketing Consultant

Consider refining your skills and putting them to work as a small business marketing consultant in your area if you have experience with marketing, SEO, or a knack for getting people excited about the products and services you use on a regular basis—especially if you can become a local SEO expert and help local clients rank higher in their search results. Businesses of all sizes are always looking for new ways to attract clients, which is where your company idea comes in. Start by introducing innovative small company marketing concepts to local firms, and you'll be sure to amaze your initial clients.

16. Rent Your Camera Gear

It's never been easier to rent out your photography gear that spends more time in your closet than in the field thanks to internet marketplace websites like KitSplit. Over 40,000 users use KitSplit to generate a passive income by renting out the photographic gear they already own, from cameras to lenses and everything in between.

17. Help Other Businesses Bring Back Old Customers

You don't have to start from scratch if you want to run an online business. Instead, you may help folks who already have a successful business to grow one (fast). Every service organisation has a huge list of prior clients that they're probably not keeping up with—but this is your chance to take advantage of their indifference. Getting a new client is up to 5 times more expensive than keeping an existing one. You're saving them money (and making your own!) by assisting businesses in following up and bringing back old clients. This type of follow-up service can be as basic as writing a series of letters for a client to assist them re-engage previous consumers (for videos, see this step-by-step guide)as well as other examples of pitches). All you need are some writing skills and some time to study and develop an efficient outreach campaign to profitable niche prospects. 17 Ways How to Make Money Online in 2022 Read the full article