#it sometimes takes a while for registration to go through

[i-jop-what-i-see]

This is your reminder to make sure you’re registered to jop.

[catcze]

Wriothesley’s thighs are probably really strong, so I’m wondering, do you think he uses that to his advantage sometimes? I do. I think he wraps them around readers waist in the morning to keep them in bed lol and then reader has no choice but to stay until he lets them go

HE SO TOTALLY WOULD oh HE'S SUCH AN ASSHOLE IN THE MORNING !! I firmly believe that he is a huge cuddler, and this man will not let you leave the bed under any circumstances. You've gotta extract yourself by force. (if you can, that is.)

Wrio takes such advantage over the fact that the fortress is self-sufficient, and that there are days where neither of you are as busy. Those are the days where he'll wrap himself around you like an octopus, hold you close against his chest and will absolutely refuse to let you leave. Wraps his big arms around you and traps you, weaves his legs and thighs with your and makes it virtually impossible for you to get free.

No matter how much you try to shake him or whine or even if you try to smack his chest to wake him up, it doesn't work. All he does is roll the two of you over a little bit so that now he's crushing you to the bed with his body weight and forcing the air out of your lungs. And he can pretend that his still asleep all he wants— you can feel him smirking while you cuss him out and demand that he release you.

The only sure-fire way to get free as soon as possible is to give him a morning wake-up kiss. Like magic, you just give him the lightest of pecks on the lips, and he's suddenly awake and holding you tighter against him, deepening the kiss much farther than just a good-morning smooch.

And he still has the gall to run his hands through his hair after— to wink and smile at you lazily and say, "Good morning, sweetheart."

[ #Taglist registration here !! ]

[genderfluid-insomniac]

Lucifer showing reader a new ducking which slightly backfires

You were working on some documents for registration and construction for the hotel Charlie was working on when you heard some commotion in the hallway, putting your pen down when you heard a loud yelp and something fall over. The door burst open as Lucifer ran into the room with excitement overflowing from him and held something in his hand which was covered like it was a secret. “Name! Name! Angel! Look what I made!” The blonde joyfully ran over to you with a mile-wide smile and pulled you up with his staff so you were beside him. He looked at you with confidence as you smiled back at him.

Lucifer stuck his hand out while the other wrapped around your waist and pressed your cheeks together, revealing a rubber duck with a cute black hat and what looked like a bubble wand. He started speaking in a low growling voice, “Now presenting! The magic-tastical cartwheeling rubber duck!” He happily announced and laughed when the yellow duck did a cartwheel, adorably cooing over its machinery and bringing it closer to you. His inventions never failed to amaze you or make you smile and it didn’t help how goofy he was only made you more dazed with love.

You saw him give you a hopeful expression as he waited to hear your opinion. “Lucifer this is adorable! I love it! Please tell me it doesn’t shoot fire like the last one.” You spoke and winced at the memory of his first attempt at the fire-breathing backflipping rubber duck. That plastic toy ended up burning down a whole floor of Lucifer’s home when it malfunctioned and didn’t stop backflipping flames everywhere. Your boyfriend nervously laughed and looked away clearly embarrassed about the whole situation.

“No no. That rubber duck had a minor mechanical mistake. This one will have no issues and work perfectly! I already called Charlie to tell her about it and she’s looking forward to seeing it.” He said with fondness and genuine love. Ever since he and his daughter talked and worked out their issues in addition to their communication issues. It was heartwarming to see your lover happier than ever which also made him even more cuddly and affectionate which is impressive. You kissed his cheek and looked back at the duck, the bubble wand it had still pulling at your mind and wondering what it was for.

Lucifer caught your curious expression and smugly grinned, nudging you and raising it to both of your faces. “And not only does it cartwheel but it also blows bubbles!” He said but got interrupted when said duck started blowing more bubbles than you thought possible. Neither of you could see anything and you tried to keep a hold of Lucifer. “Luci! Just throw it!” You yelled and couldn’t help but laugh when he whined about having just made it. He was too cute sometimes. After a couple of seconds of arguing he threw it out the window with a pout plastered on his face as he sadly looked down at the duck fall on someone’s head with a squeak.

He turned to you with a disappointed expression and leaned his forehead against your chest, mumbling how he thought it was going to be his greatest work. You ran your fingers through his hair and cupped his face, smiling warmly at his conviction to still try again. “Sweetheart I’m sure you’ll get it! Your inventions get better and better each time!” You whispered and kissed his lips softly, realizing you both were sticky from the bubble formula, and both of you silently agreed to take a shower.

[fic-dumpster]

C’mere boy: A loyal hound

Hybrid Dog!Sanzu x F!Reader || 1.3k+ words

Warnings:Hybrid AU, no beta, unfinished, suggestive. MDNI

Adopting a hybrid was a good decision. After finishing college, settling into a monotonous life in an ordinary office job, and having no current amorous relationships whatsoever, you had plenty of time in your hands.

So that's where Sanzu came in. He wasn't precisely a baby pup anymore when you saw him for the first time in that cage. Seeing him in there broke your heart. Those blue eyes and that pink hair sent butterflies through your stomach. There was an indescribable pull that carried you in his direction.

The lady at the hybrid shelter told you he was a rescued fight dog hybrid. The scars adorning the corners of his mouth told you enough. Illegal hybrid fights are a common problem nowadays, such a horrible act for such beautiful creatures. And beautiful is exactly how you would describe that first impression Sanzu left in you.

The lady had tried to convince you to go for a puppy or a kitten, something easier to handle for a first-time owner like yourself. But you were stubborn, and once you made up your mind, there was no going back, and you were set on that pink-haired hybrid.

“He sure is a handful, be careful, okay?” the lady warned you again while you filled the adoption papers. “Bites and all!” You mindlessly nodded; it was the same talk, after all. But maybe you should have listened to the last part.

Once you were all set with the registrations and permits, a pair of shelter workers brought Sanzu out. The poor boy kept growling and snapping at them. who wouldn't? with how they were handling him. But one phrase that one of the workers said stayed with you, “Be grateful you’re getting adopted, you were on schedule to get euthanized,” and that still hunts you. Would have Sanzu died if you hadn't adopted him back then?

You recalled that first day, brushing your fingers through Sanzu’s mane, seldomly scratching his ears. He rested his head on your chest as his tail constantly hit the mattress with a thud. Things weren't as calm as they are now—a big scar on your hand reminds you of that, and so does Sanzu. Every time he sees it, you see sadness in his eyes.

It happened the same day you brought him home. You tried to take off his leash, but your sudden movement must have alarmed him. He snarled, and in a blink of an eye, your hand was in between his teeth. Red began to dreep from your skin, and Sanzu panicked. He let your hand go and stood frozen in place—your blood stained his lips. You understood; he was nervous in a new environment. And it was partially your fault for being too careless.

What shocked him the most was your constant apologies. He was expecting harsh words to fly his way or worse, a beating. But he only received your smiles and apologies. What was this? The poor hybrid couldn't understand your actions and reasoning.

It took you three whole weeks to get him to trust you near him with snapping and another two for Sanzu to finally let you in. And now, years later, you two were inseparable. Sanzu loved you too much that sometimes it got a little bit out of hand; you didn't complain, though; it just took you by surprise the first few times he did this strange ritual of his.

Every day after work, the moment you step into your house, you are tackled by the giant that is Sanzu; you feel that he knows he's bigger and corners you on purpose—pinning you against the door—both hands on your wrists. The first time, you got scared, thinking that he might have confused you with an intruder and was trying to bite your neck and well, off you. But that wasn't the case.

Sanzu doesn't like how you smell when you come home. He tries to find his own scent, and when he does, it’s almost fading away from your body, and that's not good.

“No good,” he growls as his head is buried in the crook of your neck. He moves, rubbing his cheeks against you, against your face and chest. The whole thing became a routine, but that doesn't mean it doesn't leave you as flustered as the first time.

Later on, you learned that what bothered Sanzu was the smell of the outside world on you, which includes friends, family, and your workplace. He always protests about how you should only smell like him.

Such memory made you laugh; Sanzu’s head moved with your chest, following your chuckles. “The things we went through,” you murmur, and you feel him stir under your hand. Sanzu has always liked this position, even if his feet are dangling from the bed's border. Something about hearing your heartbeat, he says. It's soothing, he says.

Another memory you could recall was when his first heat happened; it was a surprise because it shouldn't have been so soon, according to your calendar and what the shelter told you. They had injected Sanzu with something to stop heat cycles, which was supposed to last three months. You still remember the horrified face you made when that information reached your ears, for that was dangerous to any species. But it was already done, something about helping behavioral issues.

However, they didn't count on your ovulation triggering an early heat that left poor Sanzu dizzy with the intense aroma that emanated from you all the time. He has been with that injection for the most part of his life, so you can imagine how much it affected him when his body decided that he finally had someone to safely spend a rut with.

It was a Saturday morning; you were making breakfast as always, in your pajamas consisting of a pair of undies and an oversized T-shirt. You turned the stove off when you heard the sound of something breaking. As fast as your feet could take you, you walked towards the sound. It came from your room; probably Sanzu dropped another bottle of perfume, you thought.

You didn't even reach the door before it flew open; there stood Sanzu with drool dripping from his mouth, bloodshot eyes looking for something as his elaborated breathing mixed with a low rumbling sound that arose from his chest. For the first time in a long time, you felt scared. What was happening with Sanzu?

Sanzu had woken up alone, sweating and with a slight pain in his groin; there was also a delicious scent all over the room, especially in the sheet that you used. He began to sniff the air, and the more he smelled the room, the more his mouth watered from the sweetness his nose inhaled. It smelled like you, but there was something else... Something that made his slight pain turn into a new unbearable sensation. He needed more. Turning and yanking the sheets didn't help find the source; he didn't notice the mess he was making nor the lamp that hit the floor, too drunk in your lingering scent to care. That's when he heard you coming to the room; pulling the door open, Sanzu was about to ask you what that smell was when it hit him. You were the source of it, your crotch, to be more precise.

“More,” the pinknette hybrid gave a low growl as he approached your form.

“Sanzu, baby, what-” he didn't give you time to finish your sentence. In less than a second, you were pinned against the wall. Bulge rubbing desperately on your thigh, leaving wet spots on your skin. You knew there was no escaping him now; blood swelling his cock only made him want you more. Paws like hands clawed at your t-shirt, ripping it to shreds.

It all happened so fast. One moment you were standing and the next you laid naked on the floor. The hallway of your house was filled with growls and grunts…

[sparklypinkflightsuit]

Star Crossed: Chapter One

Pairing: Detective David Loki x Reader

Warnings: Swearing, Cheating, Intimacy Issues, Slow Burn, Reader is in an Established Relationship (for now), Sexual Themes, Eventual Smut. Investigative Inaccuracies. I think that’s it?

Summary: Your fiancé goes missing, and the handsome Detective Loki is put on the case. Was this meant to be, and will you ever find your fiancé?

—————————————

David Loki was not one for personal relationships. No, he had a hard time letting people in, and an even harder time with people even getting past his stony facade.

David didn’t mind, he actually preferred it. No one to worry about. No one to worry about him. No reason to rush home in the evening, giving him complete freedom to dedicate every waking moment to his work.

That was until the day he met you. Neither of you realised that was the day that changed everything for you both, when your eyes locked on your front lawn, as you stood, distraught, giving as much information as you could to the two officers who had arrived on scene first.

“He, uhm… he always leaves the house at 7:30 in the morning, and depending on traffic is usually home by 5:30pm.” You nodded, trying to recall your fiancés regular work schedule.

“Okay,” the tall cop taking down the information on his notepad nodded, “and you say you don’t have any issues, just a regular happy household?” He queried.

You nodded, “Yeah we’re happy. We have our routine and sometimes we have to go through the motions like any other couple, but we don’t typically fight, if that’s what you mean.” You confirm.

You loved your fiancé, but you had been together nearly 10 years, and the romance had begun to fizzle out. You were best friends and you still had other aspects of life that you enjoyed together, it just wasn’t in the bedroom anymore.

“Thank you ma’am. I think we have what we need for now. We’ll be back in touch.” The cop confirmed. He turned around and spotted Loki doing his rounds, looking out for any suspicious details.

“Ah, detective! I’ve finished speaking to Miss (Y/L/N), got the basics, registration plate, pictures of the missing person, yada yada. I don’t know if you want to speak to her about anything else.” He said, walking with his partner back to his car.

Loki nodded, and he walked up to where you stood with your arms crossed, biting at your fingers anxiously.

You had said goodbye to your fiancé, Carter, that morning in much your usual fashion, giving him a peck on the cheek as he walked out the door. He smiled at you as he turned around while walking down the drive, “Will text you when I get to the office, love you!” He called.

Carter was a good man, he had never done wrong by you, and you had never done wrong by him, and that is why your relationship was still happy despite the intimacy issues. You still had a lot of fun, and went on dates and had adventures from time to time, but every now and then you were reminded of what was missing, as you both craved something that simply was not there anymore.

Carter had not texted you that day, and you’d dropped him the odd message during the day to check if he was ok. You chalked it up to him forgetting and getting busier than usual at work.

But by 6pm, you began to really worry, as he wasn’t home yet. It was not like Carter, ever punctual, to be home late, he loved his routine. He knew dinner was always waiting for him, as you finished work at 4pm each day, so would never make you wait.

You called his phone and it went straight to voicemail. You tried him all night before eventually calling the cops. They told you to wait 24 hours.

Reluctantly you waited and waited all night, and by morning when he still hadn’t walked in the door, you decided to call his place of work. They confirmed that Carter did not show up the morning before.

You called the police to report this and that is when they sent out a few officers and Detective Loki.

“Miss (Y/L/N).” Loki nodded at you, extending his hand to give yours a shake, “I’m Detective Loki, I’ll be handling your case.”

You took his hand and offered him a week smile. “Thank you Detective. Is there anything else I can do? I feel so helpless.” Your hand shook in his, your mind giving you the worst scenarios all night, and you were exhausted.

“I just need to take a look around the house, would that be okay?” He said cautiously, noting how fragile you looked.

You nodded and gestured for him to follow you into the house. You showed him around each room and left him to do what he needed to do, while you sat in the living room, trying Carters number again.

After four more failed attempts you threw your phone across the room with a huff and drew your knees up to your chest in an attempt to control your breathing.

Loki came out of your bedroom upon hearing the noise. He bit the inside of his cheek when he saw how upset you looked. Loki hardly cared for adults, they often caused their own issues and their behaviours didn’t help them, but something was tugging on his heart strings for you.

“Miss (Y/L/N), is there anyone who can come out to be with you during this time? It might help to have some friends or family around-“

You shook your head, cutting him off mid sentence, “No, I’m not from around here and my family live abroad now anyway, I haven’t had a chance to make any friends here just yet. But I’m fine, I just want to focus on finding Carter.” You said sternly.

Loki nodded, his hands on his hips.

“Is there anything else I can help with Detective?” You asked, an awkward tension filling the room.

“Yeah actually, does your fiancé have a computer, or laptop, anything of that sort?” He queried.

“Yeah he has a laptop somewhere, I can try and find it.” You said, pushing yourself off of the couch.

You walked past Loki, taking in his oaky cologne, and started sifting through the drawers and cupboards in the bedroom. You eventually found the laptop stashed up at the top of the cupboard, and handed it to Loki.

“I don’t think he uses it much, but if it’ll help you find him, have at it. I don’t know his password though.” You shrugged.

Loki offered you a gentle smile, and tucked the laptop under his arm. He was about to turn to leave when you stopped him, with pleading eyes.

“Detective… what do I do now?” You asked, looking helpless. Loki felt incredibly uncomfortable in that moment, he was never good at this comforting business.

He shifted uncomfortably on his feet, before eventually making eye contact.

“Just take care of yourself, keep trying his phone, and try not to worry too much. We will find him.” He offered what he thought to be a reassuring smile, but to you it just looked like he was in pain.

You nodded, “Thank you.”

Loki left and drove to the station to get his team on cracking the laptop password. He didn’t know what he’d find but was hoping for any indication of where he could have gone. He would also check any accidents in the area between the house and Carters place of work for the cars registration plate, and would call local hospitals to see if anyone matching his description had been brought in.

Loki worked late into that evening, making calls and searching the internet for anything relevant, and by the time everyone had gone home, he was no closer to finding anything.

He decided to call it a day and would visit Carters place of work tomorrow, to see if any of his colleagues could shed some light.

As Loki drove home, a sudden thought popped into his mind, and he redirected his journey to your home.

Loki got out of the car and made his way up your cute little front yard, littered with pretty wildflowers, and a winding stone path leading to the front door.

He knocked gently, and waited for you to answer.

Eventually you answered the door, eyes red and puffy, clearly from crying all day.

“Detective?” You were surprised to see him at your door, and had felt a little deflated, part of you thinking it may have been Carter coming home. You suddenly had an even worse feeling, wondering if he had come to deliver bad news.

“Miss (Y/L/N), sorry to bother you so late. I just had a few more questions I was hoping to ask. I can come back tomorrow if now isn’t a great time?” He offered, suddenly realising his intrusion as you stood before him in a short, satin pyjama set. Loki diverted his eyes to the ceiling awkwardly.

“No no, come in, please. It’s a welcome distraction to be honest.” You mumbled, grabbing your cardigan and pulling it around you tightly. You ushered him into the kitchen.

“Can I get you a tea or coffee, Detective?” You offered, flicking on the kettle.

“No, thanks.” He smiled kindly, standing in the doorway of the kitchen. He scanned the pretty white and blue room, trying to form a mental picture of what you and Carter were like in your day to day.

“I was just hoping to delve a little deeper into what life is like for you and Mr Benson, on an average day to day. I know it seems redundant but we need to cover all bases, that’s all.” He blinked hard a few times, suddenly feeling like an imposing presence.

You turned to face him, leaning against the counter top. “Okay, let’s see…” you took a deep breath as you thought. “Carter leaves for work before I do every day, he gets up, makes us both coffee, leaves for work. I leave about an hour later. I get home about 4pm each day, and I’ll start dinner so that it’s usually ready by the time he gets home.

He’ll get home, we eat, he loads the dishwasher and we then watch tv for an hour or so. We take turns showering and then we sleep. We’re not all that exciting unfortunately.” You sighed, crossing your arms.

Loki nodded, scribbling down notes on his little notepad.

“And you told my colleague that Mr Benson typically gets home from work at around 5:30pm most days?” He queried.

You nodded, “Almost always, if traffic isn’t awful.”

“And what about weekends, do you do anything special then?”

You shook your head, “Not particularly, I paint in my spare time, I also enjoy gardening. Carter has some friends he often plays golf with. It’s not my scene so we don’t always spend the weekends together, but sometimes we’ll go out for the day, have lunch, see a movie, that sort of thing.” You said with a soft but sad smile.

Loki nodded, making a mental note as he noticed that this particular topic seemed to be a slightly sore topic.

Suddenly Loki’s phone buzzed, as a text from his tech team leader came through.

Rodger:

“Hey, got the laptop password. You might want to come and see this.”

Loki shoved his phone in his pocket and his eyes flicked up to you. “Thank you Miss (Y/L/N), that’s all I wanted to check. I’ll leave you with in peace.” He smiled at you genuinely, and went to head out the door.

“Detective!” You called, stopping him in his tracks. He turned around to face you.

“Could you not call me that? Makes me feel kind of old.” You chuckled, eyes lighting up for the first time since he’d seen you. “Could you call me (Y/N) if it’s not too much trouble?”

Loki smiled, looking down at his feet. He nodded, “Sure, but only if you call me David.”

You smiled at him, sort of pleasantly surprised at how the corner of his eyes crinkled when he smiled.

“Goodnight David.”

“Goodnight (Y/N).”

And with that David left, and made his way to Rodger’s house to see what he had found.

———————————————

- Chapter Two Here -

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

American Riviera Orchard sounds like the name a 14-year-old would use in a fanfic. Or give a horse.

My work involves looking at companies and I’ve looked at hundreds. I can honestly say I have never seen anything like ARO and I’ve come across Harry Potter-named companies and companies with “Top Secret” in the name. American Riviera on its own would have actually been a lovely name imo.

I checked on the California Business Search and American Riviera Orchard, LLC was incorporated in California on 28 February 2024. I was expecting it to be registered in California but incorporated in another state like Delaware, where company disclosure requirements are much more limited. (Very common for Californian-headquartered businesses to be incorporated elsewhere for this reason).

About Goop: Gwyneth Paltrow reportedly owns only around 30% of Goop, which is very normal even for non-celebrity companies. I would expect Meghan to also have below 50% ownership in AOR if she does it right. A lot of the successful celebrity entities / business ventures like that of Reese Witherspoon have the celebrity at the front-end and experienced executives and directors at the back-end (both important roles, not meant as a put-down comment - RW is a very underestimated kick-ass business woman).

I’m not surprised that the likes of Meghan got backing for a venture like this. I think the massive catch for her investors will be whether she can make a return on their investments. It seems to me while Goop’s… questionable items get news coverage, there is actually a range of different offerings like Goop Kitchen that has made it go past a merch-fest. (But my knowledge of Goop is limited - blessedly.) I can’t see Meghan matching that sustainable growth and variation based on her history. And the ability to take massive criticism and lawsuits like GW / Goop.

My celebrity knowledge is severely lacking, but I believe GP still has that Hollywood sparkle, despite having a reputation. It seems like Goop is supported by the stars, which then trickles down? If so, AOR will be Meghan’s ultimate test of her love-bombing Hollywood. She cannot get to Goop status off of the sugars alone. If she doesn’t get Goop status, she will need to strike a deal with the likes of Walmart / Target to really make money off of it. Drew Barrymore’s Flower Beauty seems to be a successful, non-luxury line like that?

Sorry for the essay, I saw “new company” and my brain immediately went “I’m so ready for this!”.

This is honestly super interesting, anon! Thanks for sharing! (And everyone can write an essay any time...god knows I put you through it sometimes!)

What's surprising about your research is that the registration was done just a couple of weeks ago. All the PR that I've seen has talked about how this has been in the works for over a year. If that's true, then why wasn't the registration done earlier?

You do it hit on the head with Gwyneth Paltrow and Goop. Gwyneth has real Hollywood bona fides - she has an Oscar, an Emmy, two SAGs; she's in Marvel; and she's a legit Hollywood nepo baby (mother is an award-winning actress, father is a director/producer) - and that rubs off a lot. As silly as Goop is and as much as everyone jokes about how out of touch it is, it's actually a real juggernaut in the luxury space that Gwyneth occupies. Goop serves a purpose and fills a necessary gap in the market - luxury wellness.

Just like Reese Witherspoon. Her brand serves a purpose and addresses a gap in the marketplace - classic Americana with a feminine twist and female-driven entertainment. It's purposeful. It's different. Not everyone can do a book club but she did, and it's wildly successful.

Meghan's American Riviera Orchard is just another in a long line of luxury wellness/lifestyle brands trying to copy Goop's success. Like Blake Lively. She launched her wellness brand, Preserve, in 2014 but it was just a Goop copy with nothing unique or different. It didn't fill a gap or offer a service, and it floundered, shutting down after less than a year. That's what I see happening with Meghan. There's nothing unique about about American Riviera Orchard that sets it apart from every other lifestyle brand and company. Meghan will be lucky if she can keep this going for at least a year.

But she isn't helping herself with that name. American Riviera Orchard. It's a mouthful, and it's such a mouthful that people will abbreviate it and however the abbreviate it, Meghan will hate it. It sounds like something one of the knockoff Kennedy family members would do to try and reclaim the JFK/Jackie/RFK aura, maybe the one who's married to StarLord.

IMO, Meghan should just lean into the wino allegations and buy a vineyard to make wine. It'd be very Brad and Angelina of her and the Sussex Squad would keep her in business year after year.

[fleshengine]

Porkbelly review I guess

Welp! I finished Star Fetchers: Escape from Porkbelly! In my opinion it's a solid 8/10, just like the base game. It's absolute gold, but there are some technical issues and the pacing feels... weird. Spoilers after the break tho. The original game (free) took me about 45 minutes to beat, and I played through it again to see the updated physics and stuff when I get Porkbelly. I've since sunk a total of 8.2 hours into the game total, so at $8 I'd say the DLC is definitely worth it.

Go play Star Fetchers, and give LK $8 for the DLC.

I did mean it about spoilers btw.

My issue with pacing are mostly difficulty curve related. The game is fine up until QT (the first boss) which is a hard boss that doesn't obey the rules that the previous fights have layed out. QT has a second phase that I had no idea how to pass for a while. She whips out two uzis and just starts spraying you and I kept dying. I think the attacks could be better telegraphed, or do less damage, either way the fight is really hard. After QT the fights are back to normal until the second boss, Matryoshka. Her attack is throwing fucking bombs at you, and I have no idea how to effectively dodge them. Her special boss thing is playing tennis with you with you guessed it, a bigger bomb. I found both of the bosses frustrating because they both just seemed to be DPS checks and in a game with this bad of hit registration, that's annoying.

The Return to Porkbelly section was fun. The pseudo on-rails bit was fun at first, but once you get to the room with a bunch of Rhinestone Cowboys it starts to wear thin. Because the bosses are essentially DPS checks, I made a build with huge DPS and nothing else. As such all of the cowboys were either dealt with in one punch or I sat there for 40 seconds crying and shitting and trying to land a hit. Which I couldn't. Because the hit-reg in this game is atrocious. There's nothing to indicate when you can or cannot hit someone in this game, the cursor turns red sometimes but for some enemies that's a fakeout and you take damage, and for others it's so brief by the time you react and swing you miss anyway. Anyway yeah the cowboys seemed too hard and piss easy at the same time and that's a really interesting line to walk. The Nevada and Zambezi being the addict and jesus from that one meme was funny, and I think I grabbed a screenshot. Wait lemme find it.

I was laughing my ass off at this.

Nevada's character arc (?) is neat btw, the entire game up until near the end I was like "she's the worst I hate her but I love her she's so great." But then we get to fight her and I just feel bad afterward.

Anyway, after she heals Zambezi, we get to the final showdown with Texas and man... I have no idea what is supposed to happen in that fight. My damage was so high I was able to shred through him, and I think I bugged out his phases or something because my computer froze and then there was a cutscene of us getting to the roof. The roof fight was neat, but I spent the whole time wondering if I had a secret invisible healthbar that was about to his zero. Anyway I won on my first try.

I was only able to beat QT the first time when I was high off my ass, and I was only able to beat Matryoshka and Texas while sick. What's wrong with this game that being impaired improves my performance?

Anyway game is good, I wish the hit registration made sense and I wish it was balanced better but you know what? It's a tiny team and the game is fun. It only made me scar myself a little out of frustration.

Anyway here's a bunch of screencaps I took of the game. Someone get me a Nevada hurt/comfort fanfic STAT

[tvchi]

The Challenge: About Loss

Disclaimers: DO NOT COPY OR REPOST MY WORK. DO NOT TRAIN AI WITH MY WORK.

Warnings: Mature Audiences ONLY: 18+, SMUT, Minors DNI- Nudity, Sexual Intercourse, Spitting, Gagging, Profanity.

Pairing: Jalen Hurts x black female Word Count: 2010

A/N: I wrote this because my book club is LIT (waaay better than yours) and we write our own short stories and present it to the group to read and rate. I thought I would just upload it on here for everyone to read. It's more romance than smut but I hope that yall like it! Your feedback is greatly appreciated because I'm really trying to get better. So Like, Comment, and Reblog as the spirit moves you. ❤️❤️🥰!

Summary: You're in class and are forced to do a group assignment. The absolute worse thing happens, you are paired with the most popular jock in the university. You can't risk failing this assignment. Will things heat up in the classroom? Stay tuned.

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“Good Afternoon, class! Today we are going to talk about loss!” she exclaimed as she slapped two large textbooks onto her desk. 

       Only Professor Martinez could be chipper about an otherwise dismal topic. This meant that a possible term paper was coming in the very near future. As her words still lingered in the air and the rest of the class began settling down, I went back to doodling on my page. I peered periodically through my curtain bangs at the board to see if she had written anything down, but the board remained blank. Some kids were texting and scrolling on social media, while others took this time to find the comfiest position for the best fifty-minute nap they were about to take today. The thing about Introduction to Medical Anthropology is it is kind of a bore. I mean, we are all required to take a “General Education” course at the College of Liberal Arts. My first choice was the class where they listened to vinyls all day and debated which was the greatest musical genre of all time, but I overslept on registration day, and it filled up. So, for the past couple of months, I’ve been here prying my eyes open through the medical corporate structure and its inner workings. I thought anthropology courses were supposed to be about the people, how they work, and all the stuff that tugged at heartstrings. You know, mushy shit. Instead, I’ve learned the quickest way to make a lot of money. It was giving “Who wants to be a Millionaire,” not Cumbaya. 

       I peered up once more at the board, and the word “loss” was written up in large capital letters. The room was now completely silent as if it held its finger up to its lips. I turned to get another pen and, as if right on cue, there he was. Eyes closed and head slowly falling forward, James Evans was never awake long enough for him to use any of those pens he was always borrowing from any one of the four girls he was always sitting next to. The college’s star athlete made sure he got his fifty-minute nap in, not wasting a minute. It must be nice not having people expect much of you academically. It must be nice having people offer you grades in exchange for physical labor. Or maybe not. I quickly grabbed my other pen, pushing thoughts of student-athletes aside, and started to take a couple of notes. Sometimes, I wrote notes not to remember key facts but because writing things down helped me stay awake. 

      “What’s the most gut-wrenching thing about suffering a loss?” Professor Martinez asked a now-settled down class.

      “I was wondering when we were gonna talk about Palliative care! Ok, when my aunt chose to be placed in hospice after getting chemo for 2 years, it was really hard for us. It was like she was giving up on herself. I was so confused, “ Kelly Gardner, the resident overachiever, replied. 

       I rolled my eyes. I mean, no offense to her aunt, but her niece is really annoying. Once she starts on one of her personal anecdotes, she never lets up. The class turns into this historical account of the Gardner family and all the shit Kelly doesn’t like. I mean with what I know about her family tree and her dog, she should invite me over for Christmas dinner. 

       “Thank you for sharing, Kelly. That must have been really hard. However, my line of questioning was more of a general question about loss, not hospice care. What about loss hurts the most?” said Professor Martinez. This time, her eyes scanned the room as if looking for someone whose face would betray them into sharing their familiarity with the subject. The room was quiet for what felt like ages. 

       “I think it’s the part where you remember something. Something really funny and you go to call them up. Then you remember that they aren't here anymore,” volunteered a small voice.

      I turned to face where the sound was coming from. A tiny girl that I never noticed before emerged from the sea of faces. She had a baby face that was smooth and had flush skin. Her hair was straight and jet black, arranged in two low,​​ neat buns. Her clothes were dark colored but neatly pressed. She wore a broach and other pendants around the breast pockets of her sweater. On her feet were leather combat boots with silver buckles, which I noticed because they almost swallowed her tiny legs that dangled in her chair, hovering over the floor. 

     “Nah, I think it's when you see pictures of them up, and everyone starts talking about them like they ain't here,” said another voice.

      “It’s the crying. Sometimes, you see or hear something, and you just start crying out of nowhere,” yet another voice said.

      “Holidays and birthdays”

      “Seeing the date of the last thing they posted on IG. Every time you go back to it, you start seeing how much time has passed. Like their last digital footprint”

      “How tight you get when you see the world going about its business like nothing ever happened. You start to do the same, and you find that you can’t move—not like everyone else,” said a deep, rich voice vibrating across the room. 

      I recognized that voice, but I couldn’t be sure. I turned my head to see who Loss had wrung a confession out of this time, and the voice came from James. He was looking intently at his hands, visibly frustrated. A silence spread across the room after that, each person presumably contemplating their own brush with Loss. 

    “Good!” Professor Martinez said, “Very Good! This week’s assignment will be to write about a time when you suffered a great loss. You will write about how you reacted, how everyone around you reacted, and whether or not any of those reactions coincided with any of the stages of grief listed in Kaufman & Morgan’s ‘The Anthropology of the Beginnings and Ends of Life’. You know, the required reading for this class.

      Groans were heard throughout the classroom. My attention turned from James to the front of the class, confused.

     “Yes, yes, yes, but what would life be without a graded assignment?” Professor Martinez sarcastically retorted. “What’s even better is that you don’t have to go through this alone. I will be assigning you all a partner! Please listen for your name and who you will be working with,” she finished as more groans were heard throughout the classroom. 

      And there it was. The dreaded group project. Something I’ve been avoiding all semester. Apart from the fact that I don’t like democracy, where my grades are involved, I’m not particularly fond of the talent in this classroom. 

     “Sarah and Sam,” Professor Martinez called.

     God, what do I have to do? I already call my grandmother four times a year and pretend to care about her prayer meeting gossip.

     “Celeste and Patrick”

      Fine, God! I’ll raise you another hour on the phone and pretend to care about the hymns for the Christmas choir selections.

     “Hunter and Malachi”

      Please, God, just don’t let her place me with someone dumb or worse…. Can’t read!

     “Adaobi and Jasper!”

      I stopped praying long enough to catch Jasper’s eye. We nodded at each other. Jasper wasn’t bad. I peer-reviewed a prose piece he wrote in another class, and it wasn’t that bad, actually. I can work with this. Thank you, God! 

    “Oh, I’m sorry. It was my mistake. I misread the names on the page for a minute. It’s been a long day. I meant to say Adaobi and James,” said Professor Martinez.

     My heart slowed to a halt. I peered over at James and then back down to my sheet of paper. This is when I started to question whether or not God actually loved me. I steadied my breathing and tried not to think about the cards I had been dealt. Instead, I would focus on how to make lemonade. I needed to get him comfortable with the idea that he had no input on this assignment and it would be a good idea for him to let me handle everything. Then, I would catch him up to speed when it’s done. I took a minute to draft and rehearse a speech, keeping in mind what I was going to say and when I would start working on the project. I pulled out my planner to look at upcoming deadlines.

    “Hi. I’m James. I guess we’re paired up,” he said, offering his hand and a quick smile.

     I quickly understood. What is it I understood? I understood how all people drooled and hung onto his every word. His waist, directly in my seated line of sight, was slim and fitted under his gray sweatpants. He stood tall, easily over 6 feet. He had a solid build, the kind all of the guys wanted and avid sports players had. Broad shoulders that looked like they could a pair of legs up and down stairs with ease. His Nike tracksuit remained open, revealing a white beater that hung onto his sculpted pecs and chiseled abs. His skin was a rich, dark chocolate hue and burnished. I’d never been this close to him before, and a part of me didn’t think it was safe to.

      “Hi,” I said. 

      “So, how did you want to do this?” he asked.

      “I don’t, but we have to. So this is how it’s going to go: I’ll write the paper and turn it in with both of our names on it. I’ll send it to you before I turn it in so you can read it and at least know what it’s about. Just try reading a page or two out of the required reading if she asks any questions. Outside of that, you can do whatever it is you do, “ I said matter of factly as I gathered my things to leave the classroom. 

     “Nah. I kinda fuck with this assignment. I wanna write on it too,” he said. I glared at him. 

     “Interesting, especially since I haven’t heard you offer up an original thought about any assignment in this class all semester. But how could you? You’re never awake. Look, some of us have to think about our GPAs for our future.” I retorted.

     “So you’ve been watching me?” he asked, looking intently at me with the corners of his mouth threatening to curl upwards. 

     “No one has to watch you. You do this thing called snoring, and it interrupts the conversations happening in the class. The class we paid to have.” I spat, avoiding eye contact, hoping he couldn’t tell that I may have over-exaggerated some details to prove a point. There was a pause for a moment.

     “Look, yeah, I sleep in class, but Professor Martinez could put a TV to sleep, and you know it!” he said.

      “I know that everyone around you hypes you and lets you do whatever you want because you’re supposed to save University sports and finally lead the football team to their first Sugarbowl ever,” I started. “But you can’t fall asleep in every class, not read anything, and expect to write a world-class paper just because you have a ‘dead homie.’”

      He glared at me. His eyes were fiery with rage enough to singe my face. His eyebrows furrowed, creating canyons of skin on his forehead. He gritted his teeth, tightening his jawline. I stared back, trying not to betray my pounding heart or sweaty palms. After an eternity, he dropped his gaze and headed for the door. I exhaled a breath I didn’t know I had been holding. Turned back to my desk to gather the rest of my things.

       “I’ll be at the tech center at 6 pm for the next two weeks if you wanna work on this together. If not, I guess Professor Martinez will be getting two separate papers”, I heard. Then the door closed shut. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Click here for Part 2 Click here for Part 3

Tags:

@thecapodomme @writers-of-tmblr @melaninpov @spaceslutsworld @nahimjustfeelingit-writes @mymusicbias @the-black-label @master-builder42 @miraculously-dumb-bitch @megamindsecretlair @hopefulromantic1 @tranquilfandomer @thadelightfulone @vivalaorgasm @hotgrlcece @planetblaque @blackgurlnhermoods @sweettea-and-honeybutter @andriaharris @kumkaniudaku @theblacklewinsky @nun0ir @iloveorangesworld @cocogoddess0g

[chronicillnesscaneffoffplease]

I graduated from my bachelor degrees yesterday. It still feels like a bit of a dream.

I’ve got two fancy pieces of paper now, and a fancy hat, and a feeling of pride that I made it through uni, let alone while my health crashed and burned around me, through multiple investigative surgeries and procedures, and so many diagnoses, in the midst of a global pandemic. I, and many of my friends, and my peers, we made it.

But the day took a huge toll on me. Wake up early to get ready. Ready includes the waist-high compression stockings I sometimes don’t have the strength to put on. Struggle with them for a solid while. A beautiful dress, with pockets!! Wear sensible shoes, with a low heel and additional arch support. Worry about tripping or fainting while walking the stage for a good long while. Instead, trip and fall on the way to registration, banging my knee onto carpet covered concrete. Ouch. Sit in the shade, with sunnies on, hoping I don’t develop a migraine while waiting for doors to open for us to be seated in the hall. Walk the stage without any issues, but lean heavily on the bannister as I cautiously take the steps off the stage. Let loose and allow myself a glass of champagne to celebrate after. Roll my ankle again, walking to a photo location after the ceremony. Start to feel exhausted, but know we still have dinner plans. Majorly enjoy dinner, almost forgetting that my stomach will hate me for it later. Still had to take my meds, still had to pay attention to most of my pain and migraine mitigation strategies on this day that’s so special, but cannot be just about me, because it is also about my managing my illnesses and how they are never going away.

So here I am at home, resting, nursing a twice sprained ankle, a sore knee, a gastro intestinal tract that can’t deal with the excitement and nerves and lovely celebration dinner, a flu-like feeling and thermoregulation issues and malaise (so a fatigue flare up basically). But it was worth it.

I did it. And I’m going to keep doing it at my own pace as long as I can. I’ve been accepted for an honours year (or 2- part time) and I hope to do more after that. Disabled and chronically ill people belong in academia. Our voices are important.

[captainaikus]

Imagine watching a movie or something with Oliver and he gets jealous of the actor. Or you being a fan on K-pop and he gets jealous of your bias cause you fangirl over them and refuse to notice him when you focus on your bias.

So he resorts to underhand tactics like stripping and begging for your attention. While you are glued to the screen fangirling and thirsting over other men. I bet he would be such a brat after all your fangirling is done.

&

On the topic about jealousy, have you wondered how Reo would act. Never had to work to hard for anything. Everything came easy to him, then of course he finds soccer, Nagi, and you.

Unlike Oliver, Reo is probably chill when you fangirl over TV personalities, but people you interact with on a daily basis are a different matter all together. The smiles your partner for a college class gives you seems a little to friendly. How he brings you coffee or how he just decided that a cafe is a better place to do the project when the library is available. Or how the over worked college student at Starbucks might just sometimes give you an extra treat or fill your coffee a little more than other, and to think they might even scribble their number on your cup. Yea Reo can't handle others looking at you. Because he knows you aren't in it for the money or fame he has, so what's to say you won't fall in love with someone else. ( after writing this I realize this could be really angsty). The one person Reo loves end up loving someone completely ordinary and nothing can bring them back because it was never about the lavishing gifts and high class restaurants that needs months in advance registration, it was instead all about love. And somewhere along the way Reo might have substituted his love and his time for money without even being aware he did so.

-🍀

Hm... I can definitely see that happening. But Oliver is gonna do something before you even complete your fangirling.

You were sitting on the bed while Jackson Wang is on the other side of the screen, asking people if they wanted a drink and checking to see if they were going to drive home safely.

Oliver was tired from the day of practice, wanting nothing more than to have a shower and sleep. It was normal for the two of you to take baths together and today was one of those days where he wanted to be pampered, your fingertips running through the tresses of his wet hair as you rubbed shampoo into it.

"Take a shower with me." he asked, pulling the sleeve of your shirt, trying to get your attention.

"I already did. You go on." you said, tapping on a new video, the music playing in the background, with you nodding your head to it. Oliver watched as you fawned over the singer, humming to his lyrics with an occasional "woah" when they rolled their hips on stage, a cheeky grin on your face. He watched until he had had enough. He was going to get your attention the hard way.

Taking off his jersey, he threw it at your head, his bottoms were the next thing to follow, as you took the pieces of clothing off your head, throwing it back at him in anger, his one hand catching it.

“What is your problem you dickhead.” you yelled, smelling the collar of your shirt that managed to catch some of his smell, making you gag.

“Gross.”

Pulling you by your legs at the bottom of the bed, he picked you up and threw you over his shoulder, walking towards the bathroom.

“Glad to know that you’re coming in the shower with me. Wash my hair for me too, Bambi?”

In short. He is a brat. 😤 he is my brat

Omg the reo proposal (T.T)

Reo doesn’t care if you have a moment of being obsessed over TV personalities. He is so mature for someone so young. He doesn’t get jealous, instead he likes to see you smile. He was falling for you a bit everyday and it lied in the small gestures. Coming from an affluent family, everything was given to him at the drop of a hat or simply got it when he asked for it, maids and butlers at his service when his parents weren’t around or the expensive trips and unnecessary things he bought for entertainment filling in the void of emptiness and boredom. He wasn’t used to loving someone so ordinary. Ordinary in the sense, cooking an extra lunch box for him, sending simple texts to him or placing a bottle of barley tea and bamboo shoot on his desk or the time you had gotten him a small lion keychain when you had gone to the zoo together.

You were nice to everyone. Maybe a little too nice that he had seen people around him fall in love with you too.

And maybe it was a piece of everyone he saw that made him close in on himself. Falling for someone ordinary had never been Reo’s intention, yet here he was, holding a charm that you had given him on his birthday, the cheap metal that held no light to his millions worth of estate yet his hand shook, not wanting to throw it into the ocean in front of him. He could still remember the face you had given him on the day when he had decided to break up with you.

“Why, Reo?”

He didn’t know.

“Did I do something wrong?”

No.

“Is it because I’m not like others?”

Yes. Because you were ordinary.

(Clover istg - I was gonna take another route -nsfw- but in reading further… angsty it was) and I’m working on angsty piece. Very angsty. Seems like Reo has made it into the first part with this thirst

[private-bryan]

How I bind my fics - Part 3

We ended part two with an assembled text block, which is perfectly functional as a book, but we're here for the hardbacks

Hardbacks start as greyboard for me, 3mm (1/8 inch), and we have to do a little maths to work out the size. We want a 3mm overhang around the top, bottom, and outside edge, which sounds simple (and it is for the top and bottom), but for the width we need to take a few mm away too, so the book can open flat. In this case, it ended up being 4mm narrower than the text block

We cut the cover and spine boards using our trusty L-ruler and knife, although sometimes I also score the line I want to cut and use the chisel

I like to make Bradel bound books, so we need to make a "hinge" for the spine to connect to the cover - the video explains it better than I could, but essentially it's a piece of thickish paper (120gsm) that we glue the boards to

We then need to line the inside of the covers, again with 120gsm paper, leaving about an inch unglued closest to the spine

These flaps are what the textblock's flaps will sit under later when we come to glue it up

It's starting to look like a book!

We can now move on to designing the covers. One day I'll get a A3 printer and be able to do full spread covers, but for now I break it into three - the front, the back, and the spine.

These are again designed in inDesign, and in this case I've made a background and a foreground for the front and back. This is because the backgrounds will be inkjet printed, and the foreground will be laser printed over top

(A higher res version of the cover background - I've tried to tally the fic to Erin's Diary, and hope I've shown Erin's personality a bit - there's a point when she stops labelling it a going to "Practice", and starts going to "James'"...)

The spine is laser printed directly onto coloured 150gsm paper - slightly thicker, as this bit will be under the most stress of the cover

The reason we're laser printing over top is so we can use toner reactive foil - it'll stick to the laser print but not the inkjet one

It's simply a case of taping the foil sheets down tight over the areas we want to foil, masking areas we don't (although if you're doing two colours like we are, my experimentation says do them together), then feeding it through a hot laminator before peeling the foil sheet off

(ignore the masking tape - its on areas we're cutting off in a minute)

Next we're cutting and gluing these pages onto the boards - the little boxes you can see jutting out from the edges are registration marks so I can pencil in on the revese where to line up the boards - we use the bone folder again to smooth them out, work out any air bubbles, and to push the paper into the nooks and crannies

Now we need to cut the corners, using my handy-dandy 3D printed template

We cut them so that when we fold it over we get a nice crisp fold

On that note, we need to glue the edges and fold them over, making sure to get the glue right into the edge of the board

We're very nearly there now - just need to wed the textblock to the casing

We start by dry fitting the block in the case, then carefully opening one cover and gluing the tabs down, followed by the other, again smoothing with the bone folder

Finally, we need to carefully glue down the endpapers to the board (no matter how careful or which order you do them in, the front paper always gets a little messy for some reason)

Et voilà! We have a book - it'll live in the press overnight while the glue dries, but once it's ready it'll take it's place between "In Their Thirties" (which I'm tempted to rebind now I have foil for the cover), and "Vacation James"

I'm sure there are seasoned bookbinders reading this going "No, you fool!", but I'm happy with the outcome. It's fun, and I love being able to have something in my hands at the end of it; I may not be able to draw fanart, but I can make something to show my love for my favourite creators!

Thanks again to @areseebee and @derrygirlstrash/@carouselunique for writing this really fun fic, and to @imstressedx for planting the notion in my head to do a step-by-step

Now, on to the next fic!

[ufsdirect]

How to Avoid Common Pitfalls in Car Finance Deals in Melbourne

When it comes to purchasing a car in Melbourne, many people turn to financing options to make the purchase more manageable. While car finance deals can be helpful, they can also come with potential pitfalls that could lead to financial strain if not carefully managed. To ensure that you secure the best deal for your situation, it's essential to understand the common mistakes people make when financing a vehicle and how to avoid them. Here’s a guide on how to navigate car finance deals successfully.

1. Understand Your Budget

One of the first steps in avoiding a financing pitfall is having a clear understanding of your budget. Before signing any loan agreement, make sure you know how much you can afford to spend on monthly payments without stretching your finances too thin. Include all potential costs such as insurance, registration, and maintenance fees in your calculations.

2. Shop Around for the Best Interest Rates

Not all lenders offer the same interest rates, and even a small difference can add up over time. It’s important to shop around and compare different finance options available in Melbourne. Whether you're going through a bank, credit union, or car dealership, take the time to explore various offers to find the one with the most favorable terms. Remember, a lower interest rate can save you money in the long run.

3. Beware of Hidden Fees

Some car finance deals come with hidden fees that can catch you off guard. These can include application fees, early repayment penalties, or balloon payments at the end of the loan term. Always read the fine print of the loan agreement and ask the lender to explain any terms that are unclear. This will help you avoid unexpected costs during the course of the loan.

4. Consider the Loan Term Length

A longer loan term may seem appealing because it results in lower monthly payments, but it often means paying more in interest over the life of the loan. Ideally, you should aim for a loan term that balances manageable monthly payments with the lowest possible interest charges. A shorter loan term may cost more per month, but it could save you a substantial amount in interest in the long term.

5. Don’t Overlook Your Credit Score

Your credit score plays a significant role in determining the terms of your car finance deal. If your credit score is low, you may face higher interest rates or be denied financing altogether. Before applying for car finance in Melbourne, take the time to check your credit score and address any issues. If possible, try to improve your score before applying for a loan to secure better terms.

6. Avoid Upselling at the Dealership

Dealerships may offer additional add-ons, such as extended warranties, insurance packages, or other extras that sound tempting but can significantly increase the overall cost of the car. While some of these add-ons may be beneficial, it’s important to evaluate whether you truly need them. If they’re not part of your budget or don't add significant value, it’s best to decline these upsells.

7. Be Cautious with Pre-Approved Loans

Pre-approved loans can seem like a great option as they give you a sense of security when shopping for a car. However, just because you're pre-approved doesn’t mean the terms are the best for you. Sometimes lenders offer pre-approvals with higher interest rates or hidden fees, so it’s crucial to review the loan agreement thoroughly before committing.

8. Factor in Depreciation

Cars lose value quickly, and this depreciation can affect your loan’s equity over time. Ensure that the value of the car you’re financing is reasonable in relation to the loan amount. If you’re financing more than the car’s actual value, you might end up in a situation where you owe more than the car is worth, making it difficult to sell or trade in the vehicle later.

Final Thoughts

Car finance Melbourne can be a great way to spread the cost of a vehicle over time, but it’s important to approach it carefully. By understanding your budget, shopping around for the best interest rates, reading the fine print, and being mindful of add-ons and hidden fees, you can avoid common pitfalls and secure a deal that works for you. Always do your research and take the time to make informed decisions to ensure your car finance experience is a positive one.

[indgrey]

Temporary Staffing Services Singapore: A Smart Solution for Businesses 

In today’s competitive business world, companies in Singapore face many challenges, including changing market needs and the demand for skilled workers on short notice. Whether you run a big international company or a small local business, staying flexible is key. One of the best ways to adapt is by using Temporary Staffing Services Singapore. 

These services are a great solution for businesses looking for short-term workers without the need to commit to long-term employment. By using Temporary Staffing Services Singapore, companies can easily fill temporary positions, meet seasonal demands, or find workers for specific projects. This helps businesses stay efficient while saving on recruitment costs and reducing the risks involved in hiring permanent staff. 

Benefits of Temporary Staffing Services Singapore 

1. Cost-Effective Staffing: Hiring permanent employees can be expensive because of long-term contracts and benefits. With Temporary Staffing Services Singapore, businesses can hire workers only when needed, which helps to control costs and make the best use of resources. 

2. Quick Hiring: Finding and hiring full-time employees can take time. By using Temporary Staffing Services Singapore, businesses can quickly bring in skilled workers, ensuring that their operations run smoothly without the delays often caused by traditional hiring methods. 

3. Access to Specialized Skills: Sometimes businesses need workers with specific skills that their permanent staff may not have. Temporary staffing services can provide access to professionals with the expertise required for short-term projects, helping companies meet their goals more efficiently. 

4. Reduced Training Time: Temporary workers hired through Temporary Staffing Services Singapore often have the necessary experience to start working right away. This reduces the time and resources needed for training, allowing them to contribute to the team immediately. 

Event Manpower: Key to Successful Events 

Another area where businesses often need flexibility is in hosting events. Whether it’s a corporate event, marketing function, or a social gathering, the success of an event depends heavily on having the right team in place. This is where Event Manpower services are valuable. 

Singapore’s events industry is thriving, with businesses frequently hosting conferences, trade shows, and product launches. To make these events a success, it’s important to have reliable Event Manpower to manage everything smoothly. 

Why Choose Event Manpower? 

1. Flexible Staffing: With Event Manpower, businesses can hire workers for the specific duration of an event. This flexibility helps companies avoid long-term contracts and only pay for staff when needed, saving both time and money. 

2. Experienced Workers: Managing an event requires skilled professionals who know how to handle logistics, customer service, and crowd management. Event Manpower services provide access to trained individuals who can ensure that your event runs efficiently. 

3. Saves Time: Planning and organizing an event can take a lot of time and effort. By using a trusted Event Manpower service, businesses can focus on the main aspects of their event, while the staffing is taken care of by professionals. This makes the event planning process much easier and stress-free. 

4. Smooth Event Operations: Well-staffed events are more likely to go off without a hitch. When you have skilled workers in key positions like registration, guest assistance, and technical support, your event is more likely to run smoothly, leaving a great impression on attendees. 

Why Choose IndGrey for Your Staffing Needs? 

Whether your company needs Temporary Staffing Services Singapore or experienced Event Manpower, IndGrey provides reliable solutions tailored to your needs. We know that every business is different, so we customize our staffing services to provide you with the right workers at the right time. 

At IndGrey, we make the hiring process simple and efficient. Our wide network of professionals ensures that we can find the best temporary staff for your specific needs, no matter what industry you’re in or the size of your project. 

When you need Temporary Staffing Services Singapore or Event Manpower, trust IndGrey to deliver the right talent to help your business stay competitive and flexible. 

Get in Touch with IndGrey 

Are you ready to streamline your staffing needs? Contact IndGrey to learn how our Temporary Staffing Services Singapore and Event Manpower solutions can help your business grow. Let us help you find the perfect team to meet your goals and ensure the success of your next project or event! 

[msmeregin]

Common Mistakes While registering under Udyam- How to Avoid Them

Introduction:

Whether one operates a micro, small, or medium business, getting the Udyam registration completed is the most important step to unlock all the benefits like government schemes, ease of loans, protection against delayed payments, etc available for your business to flourish.

The catch is that the process does not always happen without a hitch. Many business owners make simple mistakes that may cause unwarranted delays and headaches to the registration process. We have made it our duty in this article to take you through some common mistakes that you can avoid to ensure your registration goes as smoothly as it can.

1. Incorrect identification of qualifying beneficiaries for Udyam Registration:

One of the first hurdles in many entrepreneurs' quests is actually to determine whether the business even qualifies for Udyam registration.

Wrong category. Business entrepreneurs may feel that their investment falls under a particular category, but the monetary amount of their investment or turnover takes them somewhere else.

How to avoid it: Make sure you know the updated MSME categories. For Example- a micro-enterprise is one having an investment of up to ₹1 crore with a turnover of up to ₹5 crores, Confirm the criteria against registering.

2. Misrepresentation or Incomplete Paperwork:  Being on the right side of the paperwork can be tricky, but absolutely necessary when one is applying for Udyam registration. Such procedures involve lots of these required key documents: Aadhaar, PAN, bank details, as well as proof of your business's address, among others.

Common Error: Filling in some wrong information or submitting documents that do not square up. For instance, Aadhaar's information does not tally with what has been filled in the PAN card.

How to Avoid It: Ensure that you fill in all the details only once at the time of submission. and these details should be the same everywhere in all the supporting documents like Aadhaar, PAN as well as your business details. A little extra care here will save you a lot of time later!

3. Registration of the Same Business Multiple Times:

Sometimes a business owner with multiple businesses may get confused and feel that they need different Udyam registrations for the same business but for different activities. That can prove confusing down the road.

Common Error: You are registering the same business in duplicate because you believe that is what you have to do.

How to Prevent It: Mind that you only require one registration for one business, Udyam. If you have more than one company then yes, each of those needs its own but when it comes to a single business entity then you only register once.

4. Failure to Update Information and File Annually:

It does not end there when you have merely obtained your Udyam registration certificate. Many business owners forget this: they need to update their information if there are changes in investment, turnover, or any other aspect of the business structure.

Common Error: Failure to update when details change or forgetting to file annual returns.

How to Avoid It: Put a reminder on a calendar for annual filings, and promptly update your registration if there are changes in your business. This will keep everything running smoothly and avoid any penalties.

5. Choosing the Wrong Third-Party Service:

Even though Udyam registration is supposed to be a piece of cake, most entrepreneurs let the serviceman do it. It may be a good decision, but you should be cautious about which service provider you opt for.

Common Blunder: Selecting an unverified, overcharging serviceman, and as a result, either submitting incorrect data or overcharging him, leading to huge losses.

How to Avoid It: Use only trusted Udyam registration service providers such as RegisterUdyam.com, and they will provide professional help at affordable prices. Know ahead of time how much you are going to pay, and ensure that the provider has experience in getting registrations through smoothly.

6. Failure to Leverage Benefits Available Post-Registration:

Once you have registered at Udyam, you can take benefit of various features ranging from priority sector lending to providing government subsidies and protection from late payment. Unfortunately, business owners do not use all the perks.

Not making the most out of the benefits offered by registering at Udyam.

How to avoid it: Ensure you know what is in store with the MSME. Whether it be lower interest rates on loans, access to government schemes, or even better credit facilities, getting registered as a Udyam can open doors that will help your business grow. Keep an ear out and watch every opportunity!

Conclusion:

Mistakes are bound to occur. The good news is that they don't have to derail you. Please don't make these common mistakes and ensure your Udyam registration is as painless as it is efficient. Take time to know what to expect and also choose the right service for a difference.

The potential of such skill and efficiency offered by RegisterUdyam.com will be able to help businesses overcome various issues in the registration process. Whether you are at the moment of establishment or you wish to acquire assistance in the avoidance of compliance issues, we are here to help you every step of the way toward getting your business registered and prepared for expansion.

[hotchshands]

Chapter 1 | First Day of Class

Masterlist | Taglist | Other Chapters

Summary: The first day of class is upon you and first up is Professor Hotchner's lecture, Intro to Profiling. You've been anxiously waiting for this day to arrive, having picked out your outfit and prepared yourself for his lecture weeks in advance.

Word Count: 2.3k

Contains: professor!hotch x student!reader

A/N: Welcome to the first chapter of Teacher’s Pet, a Professor!Hotch AU (Yes, I changed the title for the second time). Oh, and imagine readers wearing the outfit above. Last thing to keep in mind, the university is totally made up, but the mechanics are modeled after my uni.

The start of the new semester rolled around quickly, signaling the end of summer and the start of yet another academic year. You weren’t looking forward to the start of the semester until you reviewed your course schedule and saw his name, Aaron Hotchner. The name alone brought back memories of why you registered for the class in the first place.

Fall registration rolled around sometime in March. You had put it off for a while, but you needed to sign up for a university lecture, as your school required every student to take two before graduation. Luckily you were able to take one relevant to your major, so all you needed was one more.

As you scrolled through the course catalog, you were doomed to be unlucky. Everything was completely out of your field of study, and none were remotely interesting, though there was one that sounded like it could be. Intro to Profiling? Hmm.

You click on the course to read more. As you read the course description, the class seemed to be more and more like something you should register for. The lecture meets on Mondays and has discussion sections on Wednesdays at 10 am. The course would be taught by Aaron Hotchner and some TAs would lead the discussion sections.

Aaron Hotchner? Because you weren’t a criminology major, you’d never heard the name before, so you decided to do some research. You did this every semester: Look up the professors and see if there were any major red flags before signing up for their courses. As you Googled Aaron Hotchner, all you saw were articles upon articles about his achievements at the Behavioral Analysis Unit or BAU. Most are about the cases he has worked on, and others about his leadership as the Unit Chief of the BAU.

Clearly, the man was well-educated in the field of profiling, not that it really mattered to you. Now for the ultimate final test: RateMyProfessor. You go on the site and type in his name. Thankfully, several results popped up. Most were from Georgetown University in DC, but a few were from your small private school.

The reviews varied, but they all had one commonality: the man was strict. “Insanely strict,” one reviewer put it. That same reviewer went on to complain that he "failed them." You started to become hesitate. As you continued scrolling through the reviews, more and more said things like “Don't take his class” and “He refuses to give A’s.”

As a person who craved academic validation in the form of a 4.0 GPA, straight As, and high praise from your professors, your brain was screaming RUN. However, a small voice in the back of your head told you to continue your research, so you did.

You read through some of the more nicer reviews. “He's strict as hell, but put in the effort, and you'll get a B.” another reviewer said. Another wrote, “Forced to take this horrible class, but my God, does the professor put the hot in Hotchner!” Your eyes widen at that. Secretly, you always wanted to witness the hot professor trope in action; maybe this was your chance.

You go back to Google and look for images of the man. Since he had been in the press quite a bit, it wasn't hard to find several photos of him in action. Some of the photos were from press conferences, others were taken from the scene. You study each picture you come across like it was a painting. You take in the lines on his face, the browns of his eyes and hair, and the mole on the right of his nose. Right then, your mind was made up; you were taking his class.

As you were preparing for the start of the fall semester, you huffed at all the clothes in your closet—or, according to you, the lack thereof. Hours later, you decide on a more preppy look. You choose a pale blue button-up, a plaid skirt, and a navy blue blazer for your outfit on Monday. The look felt like a cliche, the teacher's pet kind of cliche, but you wanted to impress Professor Hotchner, so you pushed the doubts aside.

The weekend could not have gone by any slower. By the time Monday came, you were antsy. You woke up later than you would have liked, at 8:30, giving you less than an hour to get ready if you wanted to be early for class. One thing you did not want to do was show up late on the first day, especially to Professor Hotchner's lecture. Another commonality those RateMyProfessor reviews had was that Professor Hotchner hated lateness.

You rushed out of bed, brewed yourself a cup of coffee, and got dressed. By the time you were dressed and ready to go, it was nine o'clock. Crap! You didn't have time to make breakfast, so you left the house, stopped in your favorite local cafe, and grabbed a quick bite and another cup of coffee. You were by no means a morning person, so caffeine was a must for a 10 am class, especially one you feared would kick your ass. He had better be worth it, you thought, as you made your way to the classroom listed on your schedule.

The campus was quiet in the mornings, so thankfully, you didn't have to deal with crowds of students. You searched the halls of classrooms before coming across room 213. The door was closed, making you think you were late, but when you glanced at your watch, it was 9:46. You sighed and slowly opened the door into the classroom. Your heart was pounding as you entered the room, which was empty except for one man. You gulp as you look around.

“You're early,” a deep voice spoke.

You look at the man standing in front of the class. He was facing the chalkboard, so you couldn't see his face, but you knew who he was. After he finished writing on the board, he turned around and faced you. “Well, I didn't want to be late on the first day, so...” your voice trailed off as you took in the man now facing you. He looks down at a sheet of paper on the desk in front of him. “What's your name?” he asks while looking at the sheet of paper.

“Y/N,” you answer.

“Y/N, Y/N... Ah, found you,” he mutters, assumely marking you present for class. The sound of your name falling from his tongue mesmerized you. His voice was deep and commanding, and you didn't know if it turned you on or terrified you. He looks up at you again, taking in your frozen state. “Well, uh, find a seat. We'll start at exactly ten o'clock,” he said, returning to work.

You walk toward the middle of the classroom, not wanting to sit in the front or back. Once you sit down, you take out your note-taking materials and wait as students begin to fill the empty seats.

As soon as the clock struck 10, Professor Hotchner began class.

“As many of you already know, the next fifteen weeks will be your introduction to the study of profiling. I will be your instructor on Mondays for the lecture portion of the class. On Wednesdays, my TAs will lead you in discussion. We'll get to introductions in a moment,” Professor Hotchner pauses, picking up a thick stack of papers before handing them off to one of the TAs, who begins distributing the papers to the students.

“The syllabus for the semester is going around. I expect you all to keep up with this, and should any of this change, I will let you know via email. Now, does everyone have a syllabus?” the professor scans the room before continuing. “Good. Let’s get started. My name is Aaron Hotchner. I’ve been a profiler for almost twenty years now and am the Unit Chief of the Behavioral Analysis Unit over at Quanco. My TAs are my colleagues who help me profile all sorts of cases from kidnapping to serial crime.”

Professor Hotchner goes on to talk about his work at the FBI. You dazed off into space shortly after. Rather than pay attention to what was being said, you paid attention to who was speaking. That one review was right. He was hot and completely your type—no one would ever know this because you knew admitting to liking older men would elicit judgemental looks of disgust. Although you were well aware of your preference, you couldn't help but feel like it was a fucked-up fantasy that would never come true. Regardless, it couldn't hurt to dream a little.

“I will expect a level of professionalism from you all and will require your undivided attention during class. If I catch you glancing at your phone, that will be the last time you will have it out during class. You may get away with stuff like that in your other classes, but not in this one. Do I make myself clear?” He pauses, remaining authoritative. The class nods as if this was the moment in the horror movie when the victims knew they were going to die.

“I also expect you to arrive to class on time as we start promptly at ten and end at eleven thirty. If you are late, you will receive dedications in your final grade. Attendance accounts for twenty percent. Remember that,” Professor Hotchner scanned the room, ensuring everyone understood his expectations. His eyes stopped toward the middle of the classroom where you were sitting before turning his gaze to the desk before him.

Man, he sure has high expectations. Do people really fail for being late? I was never one for lateness, but sometimes it's inevitable. I looked around the classroom. Everyone looked terrified, as if they were going to pee their pants. One or two students looked up to the challenge, eager to learn from him—makes sense considering he's the best profiler out there.

Professor Hotchner's firm voice continues, “For your midterm, you will present a profile. For your final, you will write a ten-page essay, which we will discuss in further detail later in the semester. Just note that if you pay attention in class, study hard, and take notes, you'll pass. You may not pass with an A, but I'll admit this class isn't an easy one, so simply passing is quite that accomplishment.” His eyes once again seem to gravitate toward you, and this time, they linger.

“I can already tell whose going to pass and who isn't, but I hope I'm wrong, and you'll all pass. So, prove me wrong,” Professor Hotchner chuckles as he prepares to go over the syllabus.

“How?” you ask before you even realize it. Once you realized you spoke, your eyes widened, and there you were, a deer in the fluorescent lights of the lecture hall.

A hint of a smirk appears on Professor Hotchner's face. You were eager to learn, and he liked that. “Body language reveals so much. I can learn a lot about someone just by observing them,” he spoke professionally.

You ponder his words before speaking, “So you can profile us based on our body language?”

Professor Hotchner's smirk fades and his expression becomes more serious. “No, not exactly,” he answers, his tone firm and serious. “Profiling is about using observations and knowledge to get a sense of a person's behavior. Body language is part of it, but a lot more work goes into it.”

You nod and go back to remaining silent.

Professor Hotchner finishes the class by going over the syllabus in great detail and answering questions, “Alright, that's it for today. I will see you all next week.” Students quickly begin leaving the lecture hall, and the TAs follow, leaving you and the professor alone in the big, empty classroom.

“I appreciate your questions in class today. I hope you'll continue asking questions throughout the semester. Don't be too intimidated by the content. I know it's a lot, but I can tell you're one of the brighter students in the class,” Professor Hotchner said as you exited the row you were sitting in.

You smiled at that. It was nice to hear a professor praise you for once. “Thanks, I didn't mean to interrupt you or anything—” you began before he cut you off.

“Nonsense. You didn't interrupt me.”

You pause at that. For someone so strict, you seemed nice, almost welcoming. “Well, uh, thanks away. I'll see you next week,” you said, turning to exit the room.

“Wait! I uh couldn't help but notice you don't seem like a criminology major, so why take this class?” the professor ejects, looking you over.

You face him, surprised that he knew without actually knowing you. “How did you figure that out?” you said.

He chuckles, looking down at his shoes. “Well, you're dressed like a schoolgirl. Your demeanor is curious yet kind, and you looked at me the entire class rather than at the syllabus or your classmates. Criminology students tend to be professional and overly confident and see their peers as competition. They show up to class right on time, not early, dressed like they already work at the FBI, and pay most attention to those around them.”

You were stunned. How did he observe all this in only 90 minutes? Was he really paying attention to you?

“So what's your major?” Professor Hotchner repeats his earlier question.

“Literature,” you answer.

He smirks, “That makes sense. It suits you. Hopefully, you'll find my class just as suitable.”

You smile, “I hope so, too. Goodbye, Professor.” You exit the class, taking one look back at him before closing the door behind you. He is going to be the death of me, you thought as you walked down the hall, anxious for it to be Monday again.

Taglist: @zaddyhotch @none-of-your-bullshit @snapessecretdiary @uselessnewt @presidentdangdang @lalaehlaa @de-duchess @targaryenswhxre @chicagotrio101 @barbeddreams @adrienneleclerc

[wonkrew]

Common Issues with Google Domains Not Showing on Squarespace and How to Resolve Them

When you encounter the frustrating issue of "my Google domain is not showing up in Squarespace," it can disrupt your online presence and hinder your digital marketing efforts. This article will explore common problems associated with Google domains not appearing on Squarespace, along with effective solutions to resolve them. Additionally, we will touch upon how partnering with a digital marketing agency in Chennai, like Wonkrew, can help streamline your online strategy.

Understanding the Basics

Before diving into the issues, it's essential to understand the relationship between Google Domains and Squarespace. Google Domains is a domain registration service that allows you to purchase and manage your domain names, while Squarespace is a website building platform that enables users to create and host websites. When these two services are not properly connected, it can lead to visibility issues.

Common Issues

Domain Not Pointing to Squarespace

One of the primary reasons your Google domain might not show up on Squarespace is that it isn't correctly pointed to your Squarespace site. This misconfiguration can occur during the setup process.

DNS Settings Misconfiguration

If your DNS settings are not configured correctly, your domain will not resolve to your Squarespace site. This includes issues such as incorrect A records or CNAME records.

Domain Propagation Delay

After making changes to your DNS settings, it can take some time for these changes to propagate across the internet. This delay can lead to temporary visibility issues.

Domain Expiration

If your Google domain has expired, it will no longer be accessible on Squarespace or any other platform. Always ensure that your domain registration is up-to-date.

SSL Certificate Issues

SSL certificates are crucial for securing your website. If there are issues with the SSL certificate for your domain, it may affect how your site appears online.

Caching Issues

Sometimes, browser caching can prevent you from seeing the most recent version of your site. Clearing your cache may resolve this issue.

Step-by-Step Solutions

1. Verify Domain Connection

Log in to your Squarespace account.

Go to Settings > Domains.

Ensure that your Google domain is listed and connected.

2. Update DNS Settings

Log in to your Google Domains account.

Navigate to the DNS settings for your domain.

Ensure that you have the correct A records and CNAME records pointing to Squarespace:

A Records: Should point to Squarespace IP addresses (e.g., 198.185.159.144).

CNAME Record: Should point to ext-cust.squarespace.com.

3. Check Domain Status

Ensure that your domain is active and not expired.

If it has expired, renew it through Google Domains.

4. Wait for Propagation

After making DNS changes, wait up to 48 hours for propagation.

Use tools like WhatsMyDNS.net to check if DNS changes have propagated globally.

5. Clear Browser Cache

Clear your browser cache or try accessing your site in an incognito window.

This helps eliminate any caching issues that may prevent you from seeing updates.

6. Contact Support

If all else fails, contact Squarespace support or Google Domains support for assistance.

They can provide specific insights into any issues affecting your domain visibility.

The Role of Digital Marketing Agencies

If you're still facing challenges or want a more comprehensive approach to managing your online presence, consider partnering with a digital marketing agency in Chennai like Wonkrew. Here's how they can assist:

Expertise in Domain Management: Agencies have experience handling various domain-related issues and can ensure that everything is set up correctly.

SEO Optimization: They can optimize your website for search engines, ensuring better visibility once the domain issue is resolved.

Holistic Digital Strategy: A digital marketing agency can help create a cohesive strategy that encompasses SEO, social media marketing, and content creation, enhancing overall brand awareness.

Conclusion

Encountering issues with "my Google domain is not showing up in Squarespace" can be frustrating but understanding the common problems and their solutions can help you resolve them quickly. By ensuring proper DNS configuration and staying on top of domain management, you can maintain a seamless online presence. Furthermore, collaborating with a trusted digital marketing agency in Chennai like Wonkrew can provide additional support and expertise in navigating these challenges effectively.By following these steps and leveraging professional assistance when needed, you'll be well on your way to establishing a robust online presence that effectively represents your brand and engages your audience.