#if you're curious to read up on it‚ some Google search terms to help you are car‚ hammer‚ Predstrogen‚ Matt

[berf-a-smurf]

Reblogging because I'm a little unhappy t made money* from this post on blaze and people should see it for free!

They have a HUGE selection AND offer a Pay it Forward program!!!! I've been wanting a Tangle and spin ring for a while now so I'm definitely going to get them through FHS when I can 🇨🇦🤝

Please boost them 😊

*tumblr discourse in tags

We are a small Canadian stim toy business run by two autistic women.

Many places that sell stim toys are focused on the needs and experiences of parents of young autistic children.  Here at FlappyHappy, autistic needs and voices are centred over caregivers.  Our goal is to focus on autistic adults since so many shops market towards children and it can feel infantalizing. Our stim toys are also great for people living with trauma, ADHD, chronic pain, anxiety, or other needs! We want you to know that it’s okay to stim. It’s more than okay actually! If you benefit from stim toys, then they are for you!

We carry a mixture of your usual stim toys but also more discreet stim items like jewellery! We also carry our own array of handmade items that you can’t get anywhere else!

It means so much to us if you share this post or otherwise spread the word about us.

We also offer free worldwide shipping on orders of $70 CAD or more.

Website | Facebook | TikTok | Cohost

[jorrated]

Hiya Jo, sorry to come to you for this, but your post on Maya Knuckles was so cool I had to ask. You seem good at researching stuff, do you have any tips on looking for sources on specific groups of people? I've been struggling on finding good resources on indigenous groups from brasil... (I'm brazilian myself but i dont know where to start)

I wouldn't say I'm good at research, as I think I'm more insanely curious and just lucky LOL. A lot of times when I try to search for specific things I try absolutely everything until I stumble on whatever I was looking for!

But usually I start with a quick basic skim-read on whatever google gives you when you look up whatever your looking for. Most often then not it'll probably give a wikipedia page, some related news articles and some unsourced pages. A lot of times I won't use any of these, but it's a good way to get a feel for what you'll need to keep an eye for.

What I mean is that sometimes just looking for the main subject of the research wont actually give you what you're looking for. For example, when I was looking for Mayan stuff, it kept giving me Inca and Aztec info, which is cool, but wasn't what i was looking for. But since these 3 were usually grouped together, looking for Inca and Aztec books/resources actually helped me a bunch into finding what I was looking for, and more! So keep an eye out on how the subject you're looking for is COMMONLY described, what's usually associated to it, what people talk about the subject etc.

Then you can go actually searching for thing now, I recommend using DuckDuckGo! And always check if they got a source. Plenty of articles will say things that they've seen on other articles, which maybe are true! but then you always run the risk of getting incorrect facts. So always check, if it's not sourced, run another search with the info and see if another article has a source.

When you do find an article/book with a source THEN you can fall down the rabbit hole! No joke one sourced article can lead you to 5 sources, which most probably also have sources. So from there it's pretty easy to search up on references.

If you run into a dead end and still hasn't found what you're looking for I recommend checking what the wikipedia page is citing as sources. You might not be able to access everything there, but some links should be able to redirect you to somethings.

In terms of paywalled scientific articles, disabling javascript usually works (right click on the page -> inspect element -> find the gear on the top right of the window it just showed up -> scroll down until you see a checkbox saying "disable Javascript" -> and refresh page). But if that doesn't work, Sci-Hub is fucking amazing. Just put down your ref or DOI and voilá!

For books I recommend checking the Internet Archive! They usually have what you're looking for, but also half of the time you can just type "Book name PFD" and it'll usually come up after a few search pages. Just make sure you know how to download stuff without getting a virus in you PC.

Reverse image search can also be pretty useful if you find an image related to the subject, since you can link up to other articles/blogs.

If you're STILL running in dead ends, switching up languages can help (probably not your case since your brazilian and most likely already searching in portuguese but yknow). Google translate extensions can really help looking into pages with languages you don't know! It's not perfect but it might help you get a gist of it.

And lastly if you want to know more about Indigenous people from Brazil, I got a couple of reccomendations (most in portuguese btw)!

Centro de Referência Virtual Indígena

Probably the BIGGEST resource on historical and political information on Indigenous groups. It hosts around 2,3 million documents ranging from bills passed, to personal diary entries. (aaaaand can link up to a lot of other cool resources)

Observatórios dos Direitos e Políticas Indigenistas

Translated from their website: OBIND aims to obtain and systematize quantitative and qualitative data on territorialization processes, territorial management, interethnic conflicts, human rights and quality of life of indigenous peoples and populations in reserved areas or in urban contexts, in order to enable visibility, comparability, evaluation and guidance for indigenous policies and promotion of their rights, notably those pertinent to respect for their uses, customs and traditions and the exclusive enjoyment of the lands they traditionally occupy, recognizing for this the sine qua non condition of promoting indigenous autonomy and overcoming guardianship as assimilationist legacy.

Indígenas pela Terra & Vida

Youtube playlist about many different Indigenous people recounting their experiences and narratives.

GENOCÍDIO INDÍGENA E POLÍTICAS INTEGRACIONISTAS: demarcando a escrita no campo da memória

Book titled: INDIGENOUS GENOCIDE AND INTEGRATIONIST POLICIES: demarcating writing in the field of memory

[eductionblog]

So You Wanna Work in Australia on a Sponsored Visa? Here’s the Real Talk

If you’ve been dreaming of working in Australia but don’t have permanent residency or citizenship, you’ve probably come across the term “sponsored working visa in Australia.” And if you’re like me — googling endlessly, switching between job boards, and reading government pages that sound like they were written by robots — then welcome, you're not alone.

So let’s break it down in a human way, yeah?

What Even Is a Sponsored Working Visa?

Basically, a sponsored working visa is when a company in Australia says:

“Hey, we want YOU. We’ll vouch for you so you can come here and work.”

It’s kind of like an official invite to join their team — and Australia itself. The most common visa in this category is the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa, subclass 482. There are other types too, but this one’s the most widely used for international job seekers.

Who Gets It?

Here’s the type of person who usually gets sponsored:

Someone with skills Australia needs (think: nursing, IT, engineering, trades, hospitality)

With 2+ years of experience

Who can speak decent English (you’ll probably need to take IELTS or PTE)

And most importantly… someone who gets a job offer from an Aussie employer willing to sponsor

How Do You Even Find These Jobs?

It takes effort, but it’s 100% doable. Here’s where to look:

Seek Australia – Use filters like “visa sponsorship”

Hays – Great for skilled professionals

LinkedIn – Search “sponsorship available” and reach out to recruiters directly

Company career pages – especially in sectors like healthcare and tech

Student Circus – Specifically built for international students looking for visa-sponsored jobs. Only lists verified employers who are open to sponsorship

Hot Tip: Not All Companies Sponsor

Not every company can or wants to sponsor — it costs them money and time. That’s why targeting the right employers is key. Look for large companies or those that mention “482 visa” or “visa sponsorship” in their job posts.

What’s It Like?

I’ve seen international students and skilled workers go through this. Some get lucky quickly, some wait months. But if you:

Polish your CV

Focus your job search

Keep building skills

Stay visa-aware

...then you’ve got a real shot.

It can feel frustrating when you don’t hear back after applying, but that one “yes” can make it all worth it.

Is PR Possible After This?

Yes. This visa is often a stepping stone to Permanent Residency — through options like the ENS 186 visa, especially if you stay with the same employer for 2–3 years.

Final Thoughts

I’ve had so many conversations with job seekers feeling lost in the visa maze. My biggest advice? Don’t give up. Stay curious. Ask questions. Use the right platforms. And know that people do this every day — and so can you.

If you’re trying to figure this out and need a little direction, I’m just a message away. Been there, helped others do it, and happy to help you too.

Tag a friend who needs this and save this post for later.

#Australia #WorkAbroad #SponsoredVisaAustralia #TSSVisa #InternationalJobs #VisaTips #JobSearchAbroad #MovingToAustralia #CareerAbroad

[korshubudemycoursesblog]

Jio Network Outage Affects Thousands Across India

Reliance Jio users across India faced significant network disruptions today, with reports of outages peaking around noon. Over 10,000 users reported issues, with the majority experiencing "no signal" problems, while others faced mobile internet and JioFiber-related difficulties. The outage was particularly felt in regions like Mumbai and Thane, leading many frustrated customers to take to social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to voice their concerns using the hashtag #Jiodown.

According to reports, some users also experienced issues with the MyJio app, and there were unconfirmed rumors that the problem might be linked to a fire at a data center. Despite widespread complaints, Jio has not officially addressed the cause of the outage yet.

Other major telecom operators like Airtel and Vodafone Idea were not affected by the incident. Many hope the issue will be resolved quickly, as Reliance Jio is India's largest telecom service provider

Read more about -

The Ultimate SEO Course 2024: Beginner to Advanced SEO

If you’ve been curious about mastering the art of search engine optimization (SEO) in 2024, you’re not alone. SEO is the lifeline of the digital world, making sure websites and content reach the right audience. Whether you're a beginner or someone who's already dipped their toes into the SEO world, The Ultimate SEO Course 2024: Beginner to Advanced SEO is designed to guide you through every step. Let’s dive into how this course will help you become an SEO expert!

Why SEO Matters in 2024

SEO is more than just ranking high on search engines like Google. It’s about delivering value to your audience, building authority, and making your website a magnet for visitors. The rules of SEO are constantly changing with each algorithm update, so mastering SEO in 2024 requires keeping up with the latest trends and techniques.

For anyone looking to succeed in digital marketing, SEO is a non-negotiable skill. Whether you’re managing a blog, running an e-commerce store, or leading a corporate website, you need SEO strategies that actually work. That’s where The Ultimate SEO Course 2024: Beginner to Advanced SEO comes in.

What Does This SEO Course Cover?

This course is structured for everyone—whether you're just starting or looking to enhance your existing knowledge. Here's a breakdown of what you can expect:

SEO Basics for BeginnersIf you're new to SEO, no worries! The course kicks off by explaining the foundational concepts like keywords, meta descriptions, and backlinks. You'll understand what search engines are looking for and how to optimize your website for better visibility.

Keyword Research & On-Page SEOKeywords are the building blocks of SEO. You’ll learn the ins and outs of keyword research, using tools like Google Keyword Planner and Ubersuggest to find high-ranking search terms. This is where you'll grasp how to create SEO-friendly content that aligns with what people are searching for.

Off-Page SEO & Link BuildingOff-page SEO focuses on building your website’s authority, and the course shows how you can master this. You’ll learn ethical link-building strategies to get quality backlinks, which will significantly boost your domain authority and search engine rankings.

Technical SEOThis section covers the "behind the scenes" aspect of SEO, such as website speed, mobile optimization, and site architecture. In today's fast-paced digital landscape, optimizing your website for speed is critical—especially since Google uses speed as a ranking factor.

Local SEO & International SEOIf you're a business owner or a marketer for a local company, you'll love this part of the course. Local SEO ensures your business pops up when people search for services in your area. You’ll also learn how to take your SEO skills global by understanding international SEO techniques.

Content Strategy & SEOSEO and content go hand in hand. In this section, you'll learn how to create content that is not only engaging but also optimized for search engines. We’ll cover everything from blog posts to long-form articles to product descriptions. You'll also get a deep dive into the importance of updating and repurposing older content.

Advanced SEO TechniquesOnce you’ve mastered the basics, it’s time to move on to advanced strategies like SEO automation, voice search optimization, and AI-powered SEO. You’ll learn how to utilize tools like Google Analytics and Search Console to track your progress and make data-driven decisions.

SEO Audits & AnalyticsThis is one of the most critical skills you'll gain in the course. You’ll be able to run an SEO audit, identifying areas for improvement and taking steps to fix them. The course covers how to use Google Analytics to track metrics like bounce rate, conversion rate, and user engagement.

Staying Updated with Algorithm ChangesGoogle’s algorithm changes are one of the biggest challenges in SEO. Throughout the course, you'll learn how to stay ahead of these updates and how to adjust your strategy without losing your hard-earned rankings.

Key Takeaways from The Ultimate SEO Course 2024

Master Keyword Research: Finding the right keywords will help you rank for searches that matter.

Understand On-Page SEO: Optimizing your content, meta descriptions, and images are essential.

Become Proficient in Link Building: Get high-quality backlinks that will elevate your website’s authority.

Track and Analyze SEO Efforts: Use tools like Google Analytics to understand your audience and refine your strategy.

By the end of this course, you’ll have a firm grasp of everything from basic SEO principles to advanced strategies that will keep your website at the top of the rankings.

Why The Ultimate SEO Course 2024: Beginner to Advanced SEO is a Must

With the digital landscape becoming increasingly competitive, there’s no room for outdated SEO tactics. If you’re serious about building a long-term, sustainable online presence, you need the skills this course offers. It’s not just about quick wins—it’s about crafting a strategy that works for the long haul.

SEO is at the heart of all digital marketing activities. Whether you’re involved in content creation, paid advertising, or social media marketing, understanding SEO will improve your efforts across the board. You’ll become a more well-rounded digital marketer, equipped with the tools and knowledge to take on any SEO challenge.

Digital Marketing Course and SEO: The Perfect Pair

If you're looking to further expand your digital marketing skills, you might want to consider enrolling in a digital marketing course as well. Digital marketing covers a wide range of online activities such as email marketing, social media advertising, and more. However, SEO is a foundational skill that complements all these areas. Understanding SEO boosts your ability to succeed in digital marketing as it ensures your content is discoverable, which increases traffic and conversions.

SEO Trends to Watch in 2024

Voice Search OptimizationWith the rise of voice-activated devices like Google Home and Amazon Echo, more people are using voice search. Optimizing your website for voice search will be key in 2024.

AI in SEOAI is changing the way search engines rank content. In the course, you’ll learn how to leverage AI-powered tools to optimize your content for better rankings.

Mobile-First IndexingSince most users access the internet through their mobile devices, Google now prioritizes the mobile version of websites for ranking. The course teaches you how to ensure your site is mobile-friendly.

Core Web VitalsPage experience has become a major ranking factor. This includes metrics like load time, interactivity, and visual stability—known as Core Web Vitals.

Video SEOVideo content continues to dominate online platforms, and learning how to optimize videos for search engines is a must-have skill in 2024.

Conclusion

Investing in The Ultimate SEO Course 2024: Beginner to Advanced SEO is a surefire way to future-proof your digital marketing efforts. This course will not only teach you how to optimize your website for search engines but also help you understand the larger picture of how SEO fits into digital marketing as a whole.

Remember, mastering SEO is a journey, and this course is designed to guide you every step of the way, from being a complete beginner to becoming an advanced SEO professional. Ready to get started? Let’s take the first step together and turn your website into an SEO powerhouse!

[astros-turf]

So, just as an aside based on my last post that I probably will delete if it continues to go off the rails... If you think like this:

Then please consider a few things:

People come from a variety of educational backgrounds, and some people (like myself) were never taught *how* to research.

"Common knowledge" to you may not be common knowledge to others.

People who are actively asking for help in finding out *how* things work shouldn't be berated for simply asking questions.

If you don't think where you are seeing a question being asked is the right place, you are free to redirect them to the correct place to ask that question if you know of somewhere better, but insulting people doesn't help people learn.

I will say that again. INSULTING PEOPLE DOES NOT HELP THEM LEARN.

Plenty of very smart people are on tumblr, and while we may all be losers lmao, I have learned a lot of very important things on here from people that enjoy sharing their knowledge and sourcing their information. (Those are the kinda people I was looking for on my post because I am struggling to find them via tumblrs broken AF search lmao)

If the lovely person that commented that thinking I'm some idiot is reading this, my dear, I *have* researched the candidates. Im best friends with vote411.org and progressivevotersguide.com and I do my research and vote according to what I think is best at the time. However, that was not the point of the post.

The point of the post is that I am trying to find out: "is the correct option to vote for still Biden even tho I fucking hate how he's handling shit? What else can I do as a voter to help make the right changes? Is there any more I can do except for just voting for people who have similar values to me when an election comes up? Can I actually trust their campaign or is there a better resource out there?"

Because personally? I was homeschooled by abusive conservative Christians with a heavily bible influenced homeschool curriculum that my parents barely helped me with. I taught myself basically everything I know from researching shit myself and just googling stuff until it works. I still am not very good at math, my concept of sciences are fucked. I can read very well, but the comprehension of certain things still evades me just because I was not given proper building blocks to learn from and have no idea how to find beginner information for so many things.

I have tried many times to research how the presidental election system works, even wrote a 10 page paper on it in high school because I knew I didn't understand it and wanted to devote my time to learning it, but even then it was "corrected" by my parents that *also* don't know how the system works so they basically took whatever my 15 year old self wrote as fact so long as my punctuation was okay. I sorta can grasp it, but in a situation like our current one, what I am curious about is who the hell people like me are going to vote for. Because the way the electoral college works means we basically only have two options, even though on paper we are supposed to have numerous options.

Because my brain feels like there has to be a secret third option that I just don't know about because I'm not googling the right terms because I don't even know what to Google. And replies like the one I screenshot and shared above are EXACTLY the reason why most people don't ask questions. So I will say again,

If you want people to be informed on things you're already informed on, INSULTING PEOPLE DOES NOT MAKE THEM LEARN.

[seocoursetipandticks]

How do I start studying SEO?

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is one of the most valuable skills in the digital world today. Whether you're a blogger, business owner, digital marketer, or aspiring freelancer, understanding how SEO works can open the door to more visibility, traffic, and opportunities online.

But if you're completely new to it, the big question is: how do you start studying SEO? The good news is—you don’t need a technical background to get started. With the right mindset and a step-by-step approach, anyone can learn SEO effectively.

What are the Basics of SEO?

Before diving into tools and strategies, you need to understand what SEO really is. At its core, SEO is the practice of optimizing your website so that search engines (like Google) can better understand and rank it.

There are three main types of SEO:

On-Page SEO: Optimizing the content and structure of your web pages.

Off-Page SEO: Building authority through backlinks and social signals.

Technical SEO: Improving the site’s backend, like speed, indexing, and mobile-friendliness.

Knowing how these elements work together is the first step toward mastering SEO.

Start with Free Learning Resources

You don’t have to spend money right away. Begin with free online resources that offer structured SEO learning:

Google’s Search Central (formerly Webmaster Guidelines): This is the best place to understand what Google expects from websites.

Moz Beginner’s Guide to SEO: A friendly introduction to the basics.

YouTube Tutorials: Channels like Neil Patel, Ahrefs, and Backlinko offer great video content for beginners.

Dedicate some time daily to study these and take notes as you go. Try to apply what you learn by experimenting on your own website or blog, even if it’s just a practice project.

Learn By Doing: Practice is Key

One of the most effective ways to learn SEO is by getting your hands dirty. Reading alone isn’t enough. Create a simple blog or website using platforms like WordPress or Blogger. Then start implementing what you’re learning:

Write content with proper title tags, meta descriptions, and headings.

Use internal linking.

Try optimizing images.

Set up Google Analytics and Google Search Console.

The more you practice, the more confident you’ll become in applying SEO strategies in real scenarios.

Take a Structured SEO Course

Once you have the basics down, consider enrolling in a structured course that offers practical experience, mentorship, and real-time feedback.

If you're based in North India, you can Learn SEO in Chandigarh, where several reputed institutes offer hands-on training. These programs are ideal for people who want guided learning, updated course material, and opportunities to work on live projects. They often cover everything from keyword research and link building to local SEO and analytics.

Stay Updated with Trends and Algorithms

SEO is not a one-time skill. Google’s algorithm is constantly changing. What works today might not work next year. To stay ahead, make it a habit to follow reputable SEO blogs and forums like:

Search Engine Journal

Search Engine Land

Google’s official blog

Reddit’s SEO community

Join SEO-related communities to ask questions, share insights, and learn from professionals who’ve been in the field for years.

Use SEO Tools to Level Up

Once you’re comfortable with the basics, start exploring beginner-friendly SEO tools:

Google Search Console – For monitoring site performance and indexing.

Google Analytics – To track traffic and user behavior.

Ubersuggest or Ahrefs Free Tools – For basic keyword research and site audits.

Yoast SEO – A popular WordPress plugin to help optimize your posts.

Using these tools will help you develop a deeper understanding of how websites perform in search engines and what can be done to improve them.

Be Patient and Consistent

Lastly, remember that SEO is a long-term game. It’s not about overnight success but about building sustainable growth over time. Stay curious, keep experimenting, and don’t be discouraged if you don’t see results immediately. Progress comes with time, practice, and continuous learning.

Final Thoughts

Learning SEO might seem complex at first, but it becomes manageable when broken into clear, actionable steps. Start with the basics, practice what you learn, seek guidance through courses or mentorship, and keep yourself updated with the latest trends.

If you're looking for a practical, real-world introduction to this skill, taking the step to Learn SEO in Chandigarh can offer a great mix of theory and hands-on learning. It’s a skill that not only enhances your digital knowledge but also opens up a world of opportunities—be it freelancing, digital marketing, or building your own successful online presence.

[not-poignant]

I reblogged something last night about how sometimes people ask a question that can easily be googled because they want a human connection more than they want the answer quickly.

I also wanted to add that another reason is simply that Google is now way more terrible than it used to be, and there's no guarantee that someone will get the same answers that you do in an identical Google search. In fact, I can guarantee you they won't, and the more politically disparate your views, the more likely they are to get the kind of results you don't want them to get.

That doesn't matter as much on things like 'what's the best vacuum cleaner' (in which case human recommendations are often more meaningful than a single Google search anyway). But it does matter a great deal on political subjects.

Once upon a time, Google gave everyone exactly the same results if they all used exactly the same search terms. That might be before the time of some of the people here. But either way, these days, that's not what Google does. It caters search results specifically to you based on the algorithms of what you buy, what you read, and what you spend the most time looking at.

If you're an academic type who enjoys researching thoroughly, you're more likely to see .edu sites and peer reviewed articles in your results than someone who likes the tabloids and implicitly trusts Fox News. If you want that person to have access to the same level of information you have, you can't assume Google will give it to them. You don't owe them labour, but if you want a person to have that information, you may have to give it to them, or teach them how to find it beyond a flippant 'Google it.'

Oh, and above all of that, Google privileges the search results of the companies that pay them the most money to be the top in their rankings.

At any rate, the phrase 'just Google it' isn't really useful anymore. If you don't have the energy to help someone, don't help them and walk away. If you don't have the energy to put up with trolling, don't dismiss them with verbiage that implies that it's wrong to ask for help, because trolls don't care, and the people who are genuinely curious will feel like it's wrong to ask for help.

Note: None of this applies to sealioning, which is a shitty practice. You can push sealions back into the ocean where they belong.

Note 2: Alternative search engines are great.

[gideongrace]

7. "I just don't. Want to! Why is that so hard to understand?" + 40. "You might as well just walk around with a sign around your neck saying 'perpetual asshole' on it." 💜💜💜💜

Today is Steve's first day back at work since the accident and it's also Billy's day off so he's had nothing to do but sit and worry and think everything to death since Steve left this morning. 

He's been texting back and forth with Steve since then, trying to keep it light, keep it easy all while also texting Max and snapping at every single thing she says. Because no amount of time nor effort nor therapy could ever truly make him not the kind of asshole who handles stress real poorly. But. At least he isn't snapping at Steve. At least there's that.

//

Today is Steve's first day back at work and it's… good. It's great. It's… fine. Really. 

Okay, he's miserable. His feet hurt after only having been on them for three hours because after having been reduced to basically lying on his ass on the couch for months, his stamina is garbage and his arm is sore and his everything else aches seemingly just because the rest of his body parts didn't want to miss out on the party his feet and his arm are apparently having and…

It sucks. 

The only thing keeping him going is texting Billy, even if Billy is pretending to be cool about everything rather than be honest and admit how stressed out he is about this. Steve expects to head to Billy's apartment at the end of the day and find that he's punched a hole into the wall. He's got 'nearest hardware stores' pulled up as a google search tab in the browser on his phone, just in case.

"Oh no, by all means, go ahead, laugh at my misery."

Steve's head snaps up as Dustin comes stomping into the kitchen followed closely by Robin and rather than pay attention to what Dustin just said, Robin is on Steve in an instant, dragging the tall, ugly stool over from the far side of the kitchen for Steve to sit on because she can tell just by looking at him, can tell just from the way he'd been leaning against the wall that he's exhausted just by standing. 

He sits down in the proffered chair without complaint and Dustin continues on with his rant like he'd never been interrupted in the first place. "Like. I just don't. Want to! Why is that so hard to understand?"

Steve looks at Dustin, then at Robin, who shrugs uselessly, before looking back to Dustin. "I take it your date didn't go very well?" 

Dustin huffs out a breath in the most dramatic, most Dustin way possible. "No, it did not."

Robin giggles and shoves her hand in front of her face before muttering, almost unintelligibly, "Tell him what happened." 

Dustin's face crumples up so hard it begins to resemble a crushed soda can more than it does a face, but he says, "He showed me a naked picture of himself in the middle of the date as a way to, I think, proposition me for sex." 

Steve feels his eyes try to separate themselves from his skull. He has no idea what to say to that so he just winds up gaping at Dustin blankly and fighting his eyeballs and their unrelenting urge to flee.

"Oh, he was totally trying to fuck you," Robin says. "He wanted him some curly haired nerd boy real bad." She giggles uproariously.

Dustin makes a noise somewhere between a grunt and a squeak. "And, as I have said a million times before, I. Do. Not. Want. That." 

With a grunt of his own, though its one borne of exhaustion and not defeat, Steve gets to his feet and goes to pat Dustin reaffirmingly on the shoulder. "I know, man," he says, because he does.

Before meeting Billy, his dating life had been the exact same way. A complete and unmitigated disaster.

//

Max gets home from class sometime after one, spends ten minutes listening to Billy groan softly to himself and throw the same ball against the wall again and again and again before finally deciding she's had enough and dragging him out to Navy Pier. It's tacky and cliche and touristy… and also the only place in the entirety of basically landlocked Illinois that even remotely reminds either of them of California. And it's not that it looks the same. Or that it feels the same. But that it's a pier with a ferris wheel and that's about as close as either of them is going to get around here.

So they go. And sometimes they go a lot considering as they both quite frequently miss California but also love Chicago and the people they've grown to know and love here.

It usually cheers one or both of them up when they're bummed out or angry or sad or whatever and today Max drags Billy, same as always, thinking it'll work its usual magic, same as always. 

Only it doesn't.

They wander around the tacky little gift shops and nothing. 

She buys him an ice cream and nothing.

She offers to ride on the ferris wheel with him and nothing. 

The only thing that gets him to smile even a little is a bakery with some plain little cupcakes out on display that he immediately takes pictures of and then starts texting, she thinks, Steve. 

And that's when she gets the idea.

//

Dustin sighs. "Thank you, Steven. You on the other hand"—he turns to glare at Robin—"You might as well just walk around with a sign around your neck saying 'perpetual asshole' on it." 

Robin huffs, clearly unbothered by Dustin's accusation. "You know I support your right to not fuck whoever you please. I just think your reactions are funny." 

Steve's phone goes off and he struggles not to check it. 

"And a guy showing you naked pictures of himself in the middle of a date is hilarious," Robin says, grin nearly splitting her face in two.

Dustin scowls and Steve's phone goes off again and he loses the battle not to check it.

He has two texts from Billy. The first is a picture of some cupcakes with pastel blue icing. The second says, "Yours are better," and Steve can't help but smile.

When he looks up Dustin is still scowling only now it's being directed at him. 

"What?" Steve asks, fully not getting it.

Dustin grumbles something Steve doesn't quite catch, throws his hands up in the air full drama queen style and stomps back out to the front room.

"What?" Steve says again, this time to Robin. 

Robin's still smiling but the meaning behind it changes a little. Now it's less like she's having a good time and more like she's about to explain something to him. (And she just loves explaining things to him.) "He's just mad you have someone while all he can find are losers," she says.

"Oh." 

Robin shrugs like, "What can you do?" and she says, "Yeah." 

//

"I got an idea," Max says. 

Billy looks up, not exactly curious, but not… not curious, either. 

"Come on," she says, holding a hand out to him. He takes it, but he looks suspicious.

She doesn't tell him where they're going, just drags him to her car and makes him get in.

//

They arrive at the bakery and Billy sighs partly in annoyance with Max for coming up with the idea and making it some big secret, partly at himself for not getting it sooner than four blocks ago and partly in relief because annoyed as he might be at Max, he needs to be here and he's glad she's dragged him.

He walks in and the second he does, Dustin grumbles at him, "Of course you're here. Because you're perfect!" And it sounds like an insult, it has the tone of one, but Billy doesn't remotely get why or what for.

"Why—" Billy starts but Max's burst of laughter cuts him off.

Dustin makes a very loud noise and points to the kitchen. "Your boyfriend's in the back," he says, sour as anything.

Max laughs again and Billy just shrugs and heads for the back. He claps Dustin on the shoulder as he passes by and manages to keep his laughter to himself, but none of this impresses Dustin. 

The kitchen is worse (read: weirder) than the front room had been because the second Billy steps through this door Robin shouts, "Billy! Yes! Please take your idiot boyfriend home!" 

Steve glowers at her and slowly—much too slowly to mean anything other than he needs to be taken home right now—gets up off his ugly, little stool and comes to stand by Billy. "I'm fine," he growls.

This time Billy speaks before Robin can get to it. "Yeah... considering how long it took you to get up off your stool and walk over to me I'd say you're not." 

Robin nods at him and he nods back and Steve grunts, "What? Are you two conspiring against me now?" He looks to Robin. "Did you text him and ask him to come get me?" 

Billy huffs. "No. Max brought me. I was being miserable and she dragged me to the Pier and when that didn't work she dragged me here." He puts a heavy hand on Steve's good side and Steve melts under the touch almost completely.

Billy waits for Steve to say something, or for Robin to, but when neither of them does, he leans in and kisses Steve, gentle and quick. 

"Let's go home, yeah? This was good enough for a first day." 

Fortunately, this is all the convincing Steve seems to need and he lets Billy lead him out of the bakery and to Max's crusty, old orange Beetle. 

Max is incorrigible the entire drive back. She doesn't say anything in terms of words, but the smug smirk plastered all over her face says everything.

//

They go to Billy's without even discussing it.

Steve's not brave enough to admit it out loud yet, but he's started thinking of this place as 'home' as much as he hopes Billy thinks it is. And maybe he does. After all, Billy did say, "Let's go home?" didn't he? Not "Let's go to my place" or "Let's go, we'll pick where later" or even just "Let's go". He said, very specifically, "Let's go home." So maybe he meant it.

Or maybe it was just a casual slip of the tongue and Steve is overthinking things.

There isn't time to talk about it, though, even if Steve had wanted to, because Billy starts directing him towards the bedroom the second Max opens the front door and Steve is asleep the second he lies down on the bed and his head hits the pillow. 

[karakara14-blog1]

It's tough to identify a good job in this tight economy even for employees with lots of ability. That's why so many people are choosing to begin starting internet organizations. No matter if you're producing your own website, becoming an online affiliate or perhaps writing a blog for cash, you will have to fully grasp Search engine optimisation to get higher rankings. Here's some facts about how you can help it become.

To guarantee your web page is very positioned, you need to select the best key phrases for optimization. Accomplish this by making certain the key phrases you pick out are as tightly associated with the services or products you're supplying as you possibly can, as well as be sure you're utilizing terminology that folks actually look for regularly. The most important component of Search engine marketing is ensuring that your web site has distinctive and fresh articles. In case the content on the internet site does not show up elsewhere online, the various search engines will think about it far more very than duplicated information. On the very same token, more recent content is weighted much more remarkably than aging content material. To create a truly productive internet site as well as to improve search engine marketing, you must have completely unique content on your site. People will be consistently searching for new and unique material. Be sure that you don't backup it from yet another resource or paraphrase it. That may lower search engine marketing. Usually do not automatically redirect consumers to a different website. Search engines like google see this as being a harmful exercise. Even when you genuinely wish to hook up consumers to an alternative domain name, it will continue to appearance as if you try to cheat the major search engines. Rather, offer hyperlinks to the new articles, and inspire website visitors to simply click right through to the primary webpage. To find motor optimize your website, don't include over 150 internal connecting backlinks in your home-page. Too many inner hyperlinks using one site can diminish an online page's google search rank. Big amounts of hyperlinks also allow it to be challenging for guests to get the details they need easily. Whenever you in the beginning launch your brand-new website, send a push launch to neighborhood press who could be curious about covering the narrative. Even when you have a well established internet site, do a "transform" and distribute a push relieve for your new and increased unveiling. You might be amazed at how many magazines have room reserved for just these sorts of accounts. Upon having narrowed on the scope of your own business enterprise, you should take into account further refinement till you know specifically what search phrases you are trying to hit with the business. Although there is a lot of phrases and terminology that may appear to be Ancient greek to you when it comes to search engine marketing, it shouldn't stop you from making use of it properly. Please read on for some valuable Search engine marketing assistance and revel in an excellent web site! analyze each search term to successfully are generating your site based on the market you are considering. Wide open your internet site in a text message window browser to confirm for faults. You want to browse through everything, to make certain that keywords are clear which your website will not seem to be spammy. Crawlers will only see the things you have a look at within a text internet browser, so it is a great idea to consider this on your own. Make sure to research your keywords before putting them in your content material. Use sites like Google's Search term Additional Device or Term System to view what keywords and phrases are "hot" with regards to your subject material. By tactically making use of and setting search phrases like this, you can increase your ranking in the search engine results. Anyone who is completely new around the world of search engine marketing should start making use of available on the internet study resources to recognize by far the most beneficial key phrases for your certain kind of content material where increased visitor website traffic is necessary. By doing this, it will be easy to discover around how frequently search queries are performed using possible mixtures of phrases and words, assisting slim set of powerful options for any given topic. Maintain the content material of your respective internet site continuously increasing to keep the major search engines continuously exhibiting it. If it were actually a basic matter of great one time articles then anything good author could build an internet site. Clever Web marketers understand about and conform to the steady evolution from the rank and data file of search engine listings. Maintain your content ahead with continual optimistic transform and wise expansion. A great way to aid in seo would be to switch from AP fashion to "SEO style" for those recommendations in your body of your own webpages. The rep of search phrases and solidity be a factor in exactly where your site ultimately ends up on searches so veering from the strict guidelines of AP design will help improve views of your own web page. As you can see from your write-up earlier mentioned, there isn't anything at all that's excessively complicated about the procedure. It's essentially just things which you didn't yet know and didn't really think to check on for. So, to ensure your site is located, just remember to employ the Search engine optimisation suggestions that you've study above.