#its like vice versa where you just forget these locations are real

[gaiaxygang]

these shots are so gorgeous 🥹 i love them

[grabthemhorns-old]

Damn, I can't hide over here xD In any case, if you're still up for it, how about doing the alphabet for Beel and/or Belphie?

Smut Alphabet - Belphie

Here’s my one for Belphie :3 he’s my fav boi, so this is a bit spicy and my fav one.

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

- You’ve never been snuggled and cuddled as much after sex as with Belphie. He wraps himself around you like he’s afraid you’ll leave or let go. He nuzzles into your neck, peppering it with kisses, soft, sleepy moans tickling your neck before he quickly falls asleep, moulded against your body, the warmth of his breath rhythmic against your skin. He’s nearly always first to fall asleep, and you don’t mind, happy to watch him fall away in your arms with a smile that’s only for you.

If the sex has been particularly rough though, he’s attentive, gentle, making sure any hurts are kissed away, touched away, and embraced. It’s these times that you’re first to sleep. He watches you, making sure you’re absolutely okay afterwards.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

- Belphie loves his Demon visage. His horns, his tail, his marks. He LOVES it when you touch any of them for any excuse. 

Grab onto his horns while riding him; stroke them gently while he lazily gives you oral; pull his tail while you peg him; bite into where his demon birth marks are, making your own mark. He loves it because it reaffirms that you love his demon form too, and that you’re no longer afraid. 

-He loves your thighs, he loves burying himself between your legs, with horns out and not, feeling warm and cosy, kissing, licking, drawing his claws lightly up and down the skin so lightly it tickles. He’ll happily tease you for so long between your thighs, his soft laugh rumbling against your skin.

But also...your neck. It’s fragile - a beacon of your mortality-, beautiful, a memory bad....that you both turn good. He loves the way he can feel and see your heartbeat against the skin; the way the skin feels thin beneath his lips, and the rumble of your voice, your moans as he touches you.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

- Usually, the lazy boy prefers to finish inside. And especially in your mouth. It just feels so good. But he has a particular preference for covering your face as messily as he can. He quite enjoys the favour being returned too.

Belphie will lazily clean up with his tongue if he’s in the mood.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

- He wants to share you with Beel, aka, threesome. 

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

- Belphie’s had plenty of experience. Maybe not as much as some of his brothers - his laziness taking over - but he knows what to do. Even with humans, since he used to visit the human realm a lot. But it’s been a while, and demon and human bodies need different treatment he’s soon reminded.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

- Anything that’s incredibly intimate. Limbs tangled, looking at you, close enough to kiss. Probably side to side. 

His other favourite is you on top, riding. So he can lay back and watch you in all your glory, his tail wrapped around you to steady you, his hands wandering as he pleases.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

- Belphie is more serious during sex, as he’s come to claim it as a time to grow and build with you. If he is humorous, it’s darker humour during your more kinky sessions, with that low, slow laugh you’ve come to know and love. 

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

- He trims himself mostly. He asks you what you prefer and does as such, happy to please you. There’s a white streak down there too, just like his hair.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

- Lots of Belphie’s guilt and regret comes through initially during your sex, and it’s intense. He wants to make it up to you, showing you how sorry he is, how much he wants to repent and love you. It almost spills into absolute adoration at times, and although you enjoy it, you remind him that this relationship is both ways. You make sure there’s time for him too - to nurture the fragility of his heart and mind as you both heal together, your unexpected love the gold between the cracks. 

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

- Being lazy, he doesn’t do it too often, but when you arrived the frequency did increase. He used to do it when you visited him in the attic behind the door, when he was manipulating you. He got off on it.

Then after it all, he didn’t do it for a while, the guilt weighing on him, but as he realised your smile for him was really real, he let himself jack off to the thought of you again, this time to just, kissing you, to holding you, to just wanting you. 

He sometimes lazily jacks off in the morning if he wakes up before you.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

- Choking and breath play. Belphie loves to use his tail to do so. And you both use it to make the bad memories of his hands around your neck, to good. It might take a while for you to trust him to do it - or you might crave it from the start - but however you do it, it’s one of his biggest kinks, and he loves that he can do it from lying on his back while you ride him too, as well as so up close he can feel the breaths he’s stealing away.

- TW: consensual somnophilia.

Another one he loves, is consensual somnophilia. He brings it up with you and you talk it through. He loves the idea of you sleeping and touching you, feeling you, waking you up with his mouth between your legs; with his fingers sticky. And he wants the same. He wants to be lazily woken with your lips around his cock, or pushed on his back, while you fumble on top, watching as his eyes slowly open, as his tail feels before his hands.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

- Either of your beds. Cushion piles. The sofa. Soft spaces that Belphie loves to nap on are his favourite places to have sex.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

- Touching and teasing. He loves it when you’re snuggled on the sofa or chair, or standing in the kitchen and being handsy, whispering against his ear. He loves it if the teasing lingers on for hours, or if it happens in places and moments that you both absolutely can’t do anything about it. If you tease him from afar, say in the RAD classroom, bending over, glancing from afar, crossing legs, showing off your neck, your thighs; sending dirty texts and nudes are a huge YES, and doing it throughout the day, as a long, long build up until you both see each other again into an explosion of fucking, is one of Belphie’s fav things.

-Dirty talk. Especially doing it in public places and situations like above.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

- There is very, very little Belphie won’t do. He is up for a LOT. 

A turn off is probably whips as it reminds him somewhat of Lucifer. But he can improvise. 

He also has a thing about being restrained himself and anything that makes him too claustrophobic due to being locked up. He enjoys bondage on you, but on him not so much.  

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

- Being a lazy boy, Belphie does a preference to receive, but when he gives, he gives good. He gives his all, for a long, long time, until you are absolutely spent. Part of it is from his favourite body part being your thighs, and he’s nestled comfortably right between them.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

- Slow and sensual is the default for Belphie. He loves to feel every movement and touch with you, taking in each curve and edge. Even when you’re both being kinky or rough, it’s often sensual and slow. You’d think it was just his laziness, the sloth of his mantle, but Belphie wants to etch every detail of you, to take in all of you now that he has you. He doesn’t want to forget a thing.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

- Belphie doesn’t do many quickies. He’s much more a fan of the build up of teasing, tension, to later when you can both go to your bed, cushions or somewhere that’s yours, and spend as long as you want to fuck. Sometimes though, his impatience will win over and he’ll drag you away. He’s more a fan of oral quickies.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

- Yes! Belphie is into trying new things with you that you neither of you have tried. There’s quite a bit he’s done with previous Devildom partners that he’s keen on trying with you - but he’s a little nervous about your human body, especially remembering how easily he broke it before.

He’s often the one to suggest new - and kinky - things.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

- Despite his mantle, Belphie can go as long as you need as as he wants during sex. Being a demon has its advantages. He will sleep even longer afterwards though to recover, and needs longer in-between each orgasm than others. He might not have the stamina to go and go and go, but he has it when it counts.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

- Belphie owns lots of toys! He’s a big fan. If he’s feeling particularly tired or lazy, he enjoys that a toy can do the work for him, and vice versa. You understand, and indulge him in this, buying new and fun toys for you both that you can share and enjoy together. He particularly enjoys using them on you, and also watching you use them on yourself until he gets the energy to join in or take over.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

- As we covered before, teasing is a BIG fav of Belphie. Between you both. The build up to sex is one of his favourite things and the teasing is a big part of that for Belphie. Also, having the upper hand in the teasing too is his favourite.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

- Belphie is usually quiet. He has low, longing moans that he loves to sound into your ear or against your neck with a kiss. He likes to muffle himself that way, or into a pillow or just against you somehow. He loves to encourage you to be loud though, to hear just how good he’s making you feel. 

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

- Belphie can cum solely from stimulating his horns when he’s really turned on, and sometimes the base of his tail.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

- Demon cocks relate to their visage. They have scales? So does their cock. 

Belphie’s birth mark spreads over his cock too, the black patches wrapping around the thick length with skin that is rougher than you’re used to. His tip is unique. It’s split, as if there’s two heads and it’s hella fun to suck, and the first time you felt it inside, it was wild. He didn’t feel self conscious about it when you first got together, as you hadn’t been the first non demon he’d been with, but he did warn you things would be...different.

He is also pierced. At the tip and once along the shaft. It's not his only body piercings, but you love how they feel in you and against your tongue.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

- His sex drive is high, but his motivation can be low sometimes from his mantle of Sloth. Your teasing together often negates that though.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

- Belphie falls asleep VERY quickly after. He loves just sinking into your arms, feeling loved, satisfied, and whole. He’s so used to falling asleep, but this time it’s different. He’s needed, wanted, and trusted. 

There are times though, when he stays awake, watching until you’re asleep, stroking your hair, listening to you breathe. There’s never really been a time when he didn’t want to sleep, but with you, he’d happily stay awake forever, watching, waiting, in love.

[a-dorin]

split | maul + reader + savage

 word count: 1,289

warnings: angst, cursing 

“How about a fic where Maul and Savage Opress realize that they love the same person?”

"you need to have more fluidity in your wrist," the zabrak snapped, his amber eyes glowing in the dim light, "do you want to die in five seconds during a battle?"

"go easy on her," a rumble captured your attention. 

"she's our apprentince," the zabrak snarled, "it's my duty as her mentor to train her."

"she's my apprentine as well," the second zabrak shrugged, "it's my duty as her mentor to give her support and guidance."

"well-"

"will you two just cut it out?" you snapped, your tone laced with fury. 

the two nightbrothers coughed, their eyes shooting daggers at one another. you exhaled, rubbing your temple, "this happens almost every single fucking day. i know the two of you are siblings, but come on. it's getting ridiculous and distracts me from my duties as your apprentice. half the time i'm baby-sitting the two of you ensuring that you don't rip out one another's throats."

"my deepest apologies," the golden zabrak didn't dare to meet your gaze, "i am sorry that you have to deal with this. usually my brother and i don't spat like this."

"i wonder what's gotten into us," the crimson zabrak muttered, shouldering past his brother, "i'm going to rest. i'm sorry, (y/n). as for you, savage, i would watch your tongue."

"yeah yeah," savage waved his brother off, "you forget that i tower over you maul!"

"i think i'm going to go to bed too," you mumbled, "goodnight, savage."

you made your way to your designated hut. it was only temporary, but you were content with it. ideally, in a few weeks, you would be in one of the richest chambers in mandalore, given the finest of luxuries. however, the three of you were stowed away on dandoran, planning and scheming. alliances were still being formed, the brothers hard at work. 

it was all quite impressive really, and you just happened to watch it all unfold before your eyes. darth maul and savage oppress were sith lords, maul the brains, and savage the brawn. the two nightbrothers discovered you one night, heartbroken and alone on coruscant. you were dumped on the street by your former lover, beaten and bruised. maul and savage were just passing through, but maul could sense a disturbance. he could sense you.

savage scooped you into his arms, the only thing you recalled from that night is the way savage held you. it was almost as if the sun came in the night, his golden skin gleaming with his ink. maul decided that it would be best that they rehabilitate you, then begin to train you. after all, the didn't mind your company. 

you were only twenty, but far more mature than most women your age. you were gifted in the field of medicine and science, providing the two men with your insight during your travels. since you had been a medic during the war, you often traveled to planets that were in need, aiding the wounded. the traumas and horrors you witnessed after battles gave you a mature composure, always keeping the level-head. 

since the night savage and maul saved you, you had been traveling with the two of them for about seven months, approaching eight. the three of you were going to depart from dandoran as soon as the brothers sealed the deal with the death watch. it was a powerful alliance, prepared to shake the planet of mandalore to its core. 

letting out a sigh, you sat on the edge of your cot, biting your lip. maybe you had been a little harsh on the boys earlier. after all, they were acting like children. it wasn't always this way. it seemed as if the boys were competing for your attention, always at one another's throat. whenever maul would spend time with you, savage would become irritable. and vice versa. 

however, the idea that the two nightbrothers were competing for your love was silly. besides, you were just their apprentice. masters didn't fall in love with their apprentices. both maul and savage were about a decade older than you. wasn't that a little... weird if they were attracted to you?

commotion filtered through the walls of the hut, your eyes narrowing. surely the two weren't going at it at this time of night. you peeked through the small viewport, and sure enough, the two brothers were outside quarreling, screaming at one another at the top of their lungs. 

your feet planted to the cold ground, your eyes searching for your boots in the dim light. seconds later, you located them, shoving your feet inside. yet, you didn't want to make your presence known to the two instantly. your curiosity was getting the best of you. you needed to eavesdrop first.

pushing open the door, you shivered as a chill ran through you. although it was summer, it was a cooler night than normal. maul and savage were arguing, throwing their hands in wild gestures. luckily, there were no weapons. yet.

your ears searched for their voices, finally picking them out. 

"i don't understand why you're always so hard on her," savage barked, his arms folded across his chest, "she's young, maul."

"which means she needs to pay attention," maul retorted, "she's a bright soul, savage, with an intelligent mind. or have you been too busy gawking at her curves to realize that?"

"her and i have complex conversations," savage scoffed, rolling his eyes, "you're too fucking busy controlling every aspect of her life to notice her favorite foods or the different ways she does her hair."

a quiet giggle escaped your lips. the whole situation was quite comedic, really. never in your life had two men been competing for your affection so avidly. it was quite hysterical hearing them bicker about you. 

finally, maul's tough exterior crumbled away, "savage, i only get so defensive because i-i.. (y/n) is the first woman i have ever met that actually has shown me that i am more than just a sith lord. she's shown me something that i have never experienced before. i get light-headed around her and my palms clam up. i feel a strong connection with her through the force. i-i love her, savage. i love (y/n)."

savage's arms dropped to his side, his eyes wide. your reaction was about the same, your heart racing in your chest, you breath hitched in your throat. there was no way this was real. this had to be a dream. a crazy, fucked up, dream. 

"i have to tell you a secret too, maul," savage murmured, his eyes cast at the ground, "i love her too." 

an audible gasp tumbled from your lips. tears welled up in your eyes, streaming down your cheeks. the two brothers noticed your presence, their expressions shifting from despair to horror. two, deeply hidden secrets bubbled to the surface in the night, splitting you down the middle. it was almost as if everything was in slow-motion, the world spinning around you. 

"i-i-i," you stammered, heart thudding in  your chest, "i can't do this."

"(y/n)," maul stuck out a hand, "wait, please-"

yet you didn't hear the last words of maul's statement. you locked the door of the hut, wrapping your pillow around your head. you screamed, a ear-splitting, horrid scream. maul and savage heard it clearly, their hearts breaking. 

no one fathomed that this was your destiny. no one fathomed that you would capture the attention of two sith lords, their hearts yearning for you. yet, you knew which one had your heart. the one who you fell in love with instantly, from the moment you first laid eyes on him. 

yet, how could your soul intertwine with one, without breaking the other?

tagged: @maulieber​ @smokahuntis​ @maulfrk​ @witchy-goth-unicorn​

[novelsandwine]

Why Travel Agents & Tour Operators Need To Focus On Authentic Local Experiences To Stay Competitive

The significant elements comprising the generic destination competitiveness model can help to identify the key success factors of destination marketing. One of the numerous approximate set of indexes used to determine location competitiveness, local experiences is one of the crucial points. Elaborate empirical and conceptual research points out the relative strengths and weaknesses of different tourism destinations, which could then be used to examine the effect of local experiences on the travelers and vice versa. 

The discerning travelers of the world love exploring unique experiences each destination has to offer and go much beyond remaining at the top suite of resorts. Choosing the best dining choices and spas has become passe. No online portal site can take you into the hidden nuggets of this destination except the indigenous folks. Therefore, to match the millennial's' definition of traveling, you will need to indulge with the locals which is far beyond any packed holiday or cookie-cutter alternatives. 

Blurring the boundaries of traditional definition of traveling It's essential for Travel Agents to understand that selling travel is truly selling happiness. Imbuing travel goals based on interaction with local people makes traveling more meaningful than ever. Authenticity, simplicity, and civilization are the new watchwords driving the development of the travel tourism industry internationally. The evolution of the entire new travel genre relies entirely on indulging in local experiences. It isn't about the best luxury experience but the inherent local touch will surely add magic to the holiday memory. 

Do not forget that the most valued luxury is encounter. Present-day culture travelers have moved past the familiar environs and enjoy the experience in itself. Clearly enough, tourists who like to break the mold are more interactive with neighborhood residents. This paradigm shift hasn't yet, entirely caught up with everybody yet. The focus of investments still stays on the conventional tourism-related components. To make a layered travel adventure, the hospitality sector is gradually promoting themselves as the portal site to the local community.

Although that may not be a necessity but local experience will surely offer a competitive advantage. Blending national culture and heritage into luxury travel tours need careful preparation and is likely to improve tourist's experience. Getting certified from the authorities tourism policies including inter-cultural education policy will help to makes the travel agents' start more impressive. Counter homogenization of the traveling experience is the new clause of the tourism authorities. 

Embracing local cultural tourism will have an impressive lasting effect on travelers with like-minded prognosis. Traditional vertical distribution chains one of the travel suppliers has given way to complex value chains and so in this increasingly competitive market, providers will need to seize every chance for competitive advantage. Collaborative advantage through government and local partnership is consequently a new standard. Local society and culture has become a vital part of tourism value chain. 

The incorporated inter-relationships between traveling along with other socioeconomic sectors are now conceived as a'value network'. Promoting Local Cuisine Sustainable tourism, which is tantamount to responsible tourism, has been a significant concern in the travel industry for the last couple of years. Experiencing the local culture mostly contours around the standard gourmet industry. Trying traditional food finishes the cultural experience of this area. Talking of the economic element, if you're eating at McDonald's, rather than benefiting the local community, a significant chunk of it leaves the regional socio-economic circle. 

The worldwide traveler's group include slopes the Western tourists and without much doubt, the demand for Western food is always higher than the regional recipes. While traveling for one night's stay, people may think it not important enough to link to the regional traditions. However, pennies in the pocket of the local cuisine industry help to uplift the local tourism industry on a bigger picture. Walking to a McDonald's or a KFC may fill your tummy but will neither increase the local tourism industry nor improve your experience. 

As an example, Vietnamese pho is now a huge attraction for travellers in Vietnam and if in Costa Rica, don't miss gallo pinto. Building connections with the regional folks isn't necessarily the only token you get in return but you really help to construct a perception about your nationality as a whole. A nation's heritage is rooted within the memories of the regional people and as the old people say, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach! Experiential travel - creating a deeper link The requirement for'experiential travel' is arguably the most significant in addition to systematic trend in global tourism. 

The term typically defines immersive, authentic, neighborhood, and much more active travel trend. Although some travel enthusiasts would love to assert that traveling is inherently'experiential' by nature and that the word is overused, the point is to make it more mainstream. Traveling consumer mindset has varied wildly in regards to local tourism and it is its level of significance varies widely how the general trend is approached. 

On a deeper psychological and more personal level, people want to travel better in the end of the day. Growing numbers of travelers shying away from the conventional packed travel booklet is unquestionably a valid proof of how local experiences matter for the new age travelers. Going Social Relying on technology and global networks of small and individual travel suppliers, travel brands are providing more connected experiences. 

Virtually infinite online matrix of social networking networks keep us connected no matter where we travel. But paradoxically enough these social networks are slowly isolating people in real life than helping them create closer to human relations. The online sharing portal pair travelers with the local citizen community and extend expertise to travel like neighborhood. 

With packed tourism dropping its appeal among modern day travelers digs the question of just what is authentic travel. Consumer data may reveal a section of those answers but monitoring social websites will give an organic outcome. For traveling brands targeting specific markets, assessing and adapting to the changing travel behaviour is significantly important.

[justgotham]

Time is running out for Jim Gordon and Gotham, and nobody is more acutely aware of that fact than Ben McKenzie, the actor who has portrayed the flinty Gordon for five seasons on the Fox series that shares its name with Batman’s hometown. “It’s a lot to take in,” McKenzie said about the Gotham series finale that airs tonight. “It really is one of those bittersweet moments. But the show was never an open-ended proposition.”

Tonight’s finale is titled “The Beginning…” but the name isn’t quite as ironic as it sounds. That’s because the drama was built to be a sort of “prequel procedural” that leads up to the familiar Batman mythology that DC Comics has been publishing since 1939. The narrative window would begin in Bruce Wayne’s youth with the murder of his parents, and effectively end with his first forays as a costumed crimefighter: Gotham would end when Batman begins. That graduation moment arrives tonight with the show’s 100th episode, the first to feature an appearance by the Caped Crusader in action.

Gotham fans are more than ready to see the Dark Knight in all his cowled glory, but the show’s creative team hasn’t shared that eagerness. Just the opposite. Executive producer Bruno Heller, the British producer best known for The Mentalist and Rome, has said he would never have developed the show if it was a traditional costumed-hero franchise. “I don’t think Batman works very well on TV,” Heller said back in 2014. “To have people behind masks? Frankly, all those superhero stories I’ve seen, I always love them — until they get into the costume.”

That has made Gotham an eccentric entry in the superhero sector, but not an entirely unprecedented one. Smallville (217 episodes, 2001-2010) still reigns as the longest-running television series ever based on DC Comics heroes, and creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar shared a similar aversion to costumed exploits. Their early mission statement was “no flights, no tights,” and the series held out until its final episode to put Clark Kent (Tom Welling) in Superman’s iconic suit.

For Heller and his team, the key to making a compelling Gothamwithout a Batman was to spotlight the hero’s trusted friend, James Gordon, the dedicated lawman destined to become the police commissioner of a city defined by its lawlessness and celebrity criminals. Gordon was introduced in the first panel of the first page of the first Batman comic book ever published, Detective Comics No. 27, the landmark issue that reached its 80th anniversary last month. Gotham added a key element to its version of Gordon — when Thomas and Martha Wayne are murdered, Gordon is the detective who handles the investigation.

Gordon is the good cop who holds on to his morals in a bad city that loses its marbles. The show found the man for the job in McKenzie, who had memorably portrayed LAPD officer Ben Sherman on the highly regarded (but lowly rated) Southland, which aired 2009 to 2013 on NBC and TNT. Before that, the Texan portrayed Ryan Atwood, a scruffy outsider adopted by a wealthy Newport Beach couple and the central character on The OC, the frothy Fox teen drama that aired for 92 episodes from 2003 to 2007.

“I had some things in common with the character,” McKenzie says with a shrug. It’s true, the 23-year-old actor trekked west from dusty Austin (instead of rural Chino) to Southern California, and bought himself a eye-catching Cadlliac DeVille that already had logged 17 hard years and 228,000 long miles. “That’s lot of miles.”

McKenzie has covered a lot of distance in his personal life while channeling the role of Gordon. In 2017, for instance, McKenzie married his Gotham co-star, Morena Baccarin, who has portrayed Dr. Leslie Thompkins on the series (and is well-known for her role in the Deadpool films as the mutant anti-hero’s love interest). The couple now have their first child.

For McKenzie, the end of Gotham closes a pivotal chapter in his screen life. But he’s also hoping that the final seasons will also someday represent a prelude to a different career story — one writing and directing. The actor directed the sixth episode of Season 5, and also directed one in each of the previous two seasons. McKenzie has also written the screenplay for two Gotham episodes: “One of My Three Soups” in Season 4 and “The Trial of Jim Gordon” in this final season.

McKenzie, the writer, didn’t exactly go easy on his fictional screen persona. The cop took a slug in the chest and hovered near death for much of the episode, stuck somewhere between “the here” and “the hereafter” in an existential courtroom where he had to defend his life.

‘I actually feel no sympathy for him at all,” McKenzie said with a chuckle. “The less sympathy you feel, the better, I’d say. The more pain you inflict upon the protagonist, hopefully, the higher the stakes are and the more emotion gets elicited. So I had to be a bit of masochist. Putting him through the ringer and having this existential crisis, this dream, where he’s on trial for his crimes and faces the loss of everything: the love of his life and his child at the same time. I think we got there. That’s about as high stakes as you can get. I think, ultimately satisfying, with the kind of emotional payoff we were looking for.”

That seems to apply to the season as a whole. The final episode is an epic send-off, too, with a story that flashes forward a decade (long enough for Gordon to sport a new mustache) and finds the Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor) returning from prison and Bruce Wayne returning to his ancestral home after years in self-imposed exile. It also coincides with the rise of the show’s off-kilter version of the Joker (Cameron Monaghan). “It’s fitting that he comes into conflict with Gordon and Wayne right at the end,” McKenzie said. “Cameron has been amazing and there was room for one more big flourish with the role.”

Most of the reviews have veered from good to great, encouraging news for the cast and crew of a series that had been uneven or over-the-top at times. “Everybody’s been very enthusiastic and positive,” McKenzie said. “The final season has been wrapping things up in the way the audience hoped we would.”

Gotham City is arguably the most famous city created in American popular culture since the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz (although Metropolis, Springfield, Mayberry, Twin Peaks, and Riverdale are other prominent spots on the map of un-real estate). Even without Batman, the city zoned by greed, paved in corruption, and mapped by trauma seems to have no limits as far as its story range.

“It’s extraordinary when you think about it,” McKenzie said. “The city itself is a character. There’s a lot of stories to be found in Gotham City. There’s a lot of stories being told from Gotham, too.”

It’s true, Gotham City will be the site of Batwoman, the pilot on The CW this fall, and for a string of upcoming feature films including Joker, The Batman, and the Birds of Prey project.

Also this year: a Harley Quinn animated series and Pennyworth (a series about Batman’s loyal butler) on Epix. Pennyworth and Gothamare unconnected in their story continuity, but both are from the tandem of executive producer/writer Bruno Heller (The Mentalist) and executive producer/director Danny Cannon (CSI franchises).

A passing reference in the 2016 film Suicide Squad identified Gotham City as a major metropolitan hub in the Garden State. The city’s location had been a vague matter for decades, but now it is officially part of New Jersey’s map, and Springsteen isn’t the only local hero named Bruce.

On Gotham, the city feels more like Al Capone’s Chicago than Dracula’s Transylvania. “There’s a specific look and style that Gotham has that sets the show apart. It’s visual identity is distinctive and it was really interesting to work within that as a director.”

Has McKenzie inherited anything Gordon, anything he will take with him forward? “Maybe. We have some things in common, too. He’s living in the same city I live in, New York, but just the slightly more dramatic version.  He’s had to figure things out on the fly and his life has changed and met the love of his life and had a child. There’s a lot of similarities there. But I haven’t bought a gun and I don’t go around shooting one. And I’m more a jeans and t-shirts guy. Although Gordon’s given me an appreciation for a good suit, that’s for sure.”

McKenzie said he’s learned a lot from the creative team he’s worked with, and he believes his acting has made his directing better and vice versa, as well. There’s several new projects that looks promising for McKenzie, both as an on-screen presence and writer or director. Still, saying goodbye to Gotham has been a sentimental exercise for the man who plays the taciturn detective.

“It’s hard. I’ve been through it a couple of times before. I’ve been on two shows before, so it’s been less daunting then before. I’ve built really strong bonds with these folks. We spent more time together than we do with our families for nine months a year. It’s been a joy and a experience I will never forget. I can’t forget.  I wake up every morning to my wife and child who happened during it. So yes, it’s been a city without limits for me.”

[allabouthousebuying-blog]

A Guide to Finding the Best Real Estate Agent

Buying or selling a house may not be a simple exercise because there is a lot of work involved. Besides, finding the right house is not easy. However, the process can be simpler if you find a good realtor. They will connect you with a potential buyer, in case you are selling or vice versa. The only challenge you may encounter is that there is a vast number of real estate agents which means you may not be sure if you are dealing with the right people. This article will guide you when selecting a realtor. Learn more about  houses for sale in escondido, go here.

First, you need to ask around to know some of the recognized realtors in your area. This will help you to have a list of top options where to choose from. But again, as you assess them, the primary factor you should have in mind is the industry knowledge. Just like any other industry, real estate requires a lot of knowledge. Otherwise, you may deal with people who will give you misleading information. The duration the agency has been in the industry is a key determinant of its suitability based on experience. Besides, you should check if it has a team of employees who understand what the process of selling or buying a house entails. Find out for further details on san marcos homes for sale  right here. 

The other aspect you should put into consideration is the flexibility in payments. Remember that you will charge for various services such as listing, relisting, etc. Therefore, ensure that you know if the company you have identified has different ways through which you can pay. Today, it is more convenient to pay online. On the other hand, you should not forget to evaluate the rates charged so you can make an informed decision. An ideal real estate agent should be reliable, have great customer service and charge fair rates.

Before you put pen on paper, check out if the company is registered. This is a requirement based on state policies. It will help you know if you are dealing with genuine people and not unscrupulous business people. Lastly, you should know that the location of the realtor will influence the process. If you are looking forward to buying a house, for example, an ideal agent should be within the area of your interest so you can be sure that whenever there is a property up for sale, they will be quick to alert you. Take a look  at this link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_estate  for more information.

[bennett-fan]

What is a smartwatch?

What is a smartwatch? 

Isnt it funny how it seems as soon as every few years a additional fragment of tech comes along and runs the combined gamut. That is manufacturers later Samsung, Motorola, or Sony scramble every higher than each other aggravating to get the best product to market. Most of them believe the thesame formula and press on it a bit here and there, but its not enormously often a company comes going on subsequent to something essentially unique.

Then once more unique is relative. endure smartwatches for example. I tend to bow to they are extremely unique for one simple defense (and well get to that in a bit), even though others think they are merely a gimmick- a current fad if you will.

5 swap smartwatchesI genuinely understand they are unique because of how popular smartphones are today. Just allow a venture out into the world and observe how many people use their smartphones constantly. One situation we tend to reach later than you have one is for eternity check it for notifications. We all reach it its a habit thats unconditionally hard to break. Thats where smartwatches come in and its along with why I think theyre unique, they can cut beside upon this infatuation to be tethered to a smartphone clearly because they come up with the money for that visual stimulation for you.

One of the most fascinating things that a smartwatch can do, or most of them can anyway, is be close to directly to your smartphone and display notifications, updates and messages right from your wrist. That means you dont even habit to tug your smartphone out of your pocket to check your latest email. You can simply point of view your wrist and glance next to real quick, leaving behind you later the opportunity to remain social or focused on what youre doing.

Okay, so that seems a bit silly later you think nearly it. Theyre helpfully a piece of wearable tech which achievement following a smartphone and eliminate your dependency on tech. The matter is, smartwatches can complete consequently much more than that. Which brings us to our first point, what are smartwatches and what can they do?

What Makes a SmartWatch Smart?

The first issue youre probably going to ask is what makes them suitably smart, right? in imitation of smartphones and smartTVs, smartwatches are considered to be smart because of the features they have to offer. They complete appropriately much more than a within acceptable limits watch, which has a certain strive for to keep track of time.

Its hard to portray smartwatches in their entirety without moving on smartphones too. At this narrowing in time, until a company comes in the works following a enlarged solution, most smartwatches must be paired like a smartphone in order to get the full experience. This is because a smartwatch all by its isolated is truly just nothing but a watch as soon as the talent to manage simple apps.

samsung galazy gear smartwatchThats not to tell a smartwatch isnt useful if you dont have it paired to a smartphone, it just means a lot of the unique functionality is removed from the equation. taking into consideration I said above, thats because a smartwatch generally augments your smartphone by displaying messages, notifications and updates in a more accessible manner.

Most smartwatches have a small capacitive touchscreen display, approximately identical to what youd find on the latest smartphones albeit in a much smaller form factor. Depending on the brand or model of the smartwatch, it operates just next a smartphone. You can install apps on it, customize or personalize it, or just view notifications in realtime.

Of course, some smartwatches dont have a touchscreen, and others have significantly less functionality. It just depends upon the model and brand. For example, the Pebble smartwatch (which first appeared upon the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter) offers all of the above. while the Martian Victory on the supplementary hand is a within acceptable limits smartwatch later a extremely little LCD screen that deserted displays simple notifications.

They change in price and functionality, but theres something approachable for everyone in terms of what you desire out of a smartwatch.

What are the Most Common Uses of a Smartwatch?

Because this ask is enlarged answered considering a immediate and simple bullet list, thats what Im going to use.

Receive and view notifications, messages or updates in realtime right on your smartwatch display Install apps tailored specifically for your smartwatch to move on functionality (only upon prefer models and brands) Personalize or customize the general screen melody and style (for the most allowance this has to reach like visual elements onscreen much next how you personalize your smartphone homescreen, icons, etc.) Keep track of time View manual updates or keep happening bearing in mind important meetings and tasks (select models and brands only) Looking good, or gone a unquestionable geek (depends upon how you see it and what model you select) Listen to music or collision and grind down (depends upon the model) What a Smartwatch Cant realize Well

You cant evaluate a smartwatch without after that outlining what they are not talented of doing, as a result over heres a bulleted list.

Smartwatches are not good for recommendation consumption, that is you dont want to use them to entrance extended text content or news Handle smartphones tasks and functions directly, or in extra words dont expect to be practiced to reply messages, emails or feint similar deeds right from your smartwatch Use apps designed for a smartphone, because most apps infatuation to be tailored specifically for the smaller screen and being activated from your wrist Snapping photos effectively, even if Im certain someday smartwatches will increase inline cameras (everything does these days) I dont see a practicable pretension to take on images later your wrist Play games, in my guidance touchscreen controls are difficult sufficient to direct forget having to distress a virtual joystick on such a little screen like one hand Offer unbelievable style, dont acquire me wrong there are some astonishing looking smartwatches out there and some of them even get beautiful darn near to mammal stylish (I personally love more minimalistic style watches), but a bulky wristwatch just isnt trendy to most Please keep in mind that the points made above are generalized. Not everyone will take over in the manner of them and some may have a alternating opinion, which is fine. allow the latter tapering off approximately style, for example. I personally have no concentration in style nor accomplish I care whether or not a smartwatch looks good. In fact, I tone that some of the watches see damn good, even sitting on a wrist. That mammal said, this list offers more of an mean entre to what smartphones cant do.

All Things Considering, Should I purchase a Smartwatch?

To be perfectly honest, no one can in point of fact reply this question but you and its legal of all things not just smartwatches. I wholeheartedly suggest work a fair amount of research into a supplementary piece of tech taking into account a smartphone or smartphone since admin to a local buildup and plopping down the cash. There are consequently many rotate brands and models to pick from, and thus many every second functions that they can total or not count up at all. You want to pick the model and brand thats right for you.

Worse yet, salesmen at most retail stores have some idea of what a product can complete but youd be hard-pressed to locate a valid expert. Admittedly, even someone subsequently myself who is high and dry in the world of technology, gadgets and computers doesnt know every there is to know. That is because there are correspondingly many brands, models, or product types there is no habit to know absolutely everything.

To put it bluntly, an Apple guru wont be competent to accustom the assist of an Android device and vice versa (unless of course they use both platforms upon a regular basis).

The dwindling here is that you desire to see at the strengths, weaknesses and features of every models and pick the one that fits your needs best. Looking at the points made above, attain you think a smartwatch will be worth your money? pull off you tone that a smartwatch can attain what you want it to? If the reply is no, and you want a particular feature or play in that hasnt been implemented still then you should retain off.

The technology will help in the coming years, and that means smartwatches will build up to the lessening where they can accomplish more than whats listed here. keep this information in mind later than once your neighboring purchase, and you cant go wrong.

[miraltru]

Memoranda game

Memoranda game full#

Memoranda game series#

Well, you find a few posters, but numbers are nowhere in sight – that’s because they are, in fact, represented by musical arrangement words instead (solo is 1, quartet is 4, and so on).

Memoranda game series#

For example, in one scenario the players need to find a series of numbers to a lock, and the hints say that the numbers are in the building on a poster. The same goes for puzzles – though there are up to three hints that can be used for each, the solution is oftentimes so otherworldly that it’s tough to see many players solving it without resorting to a guide. This results in constant checking of the inventory to see if the new thing you just picked up can be used with something else. Given that the game takes place in an imaginary setting, many of the puzzles and item combinations are odd and have little real-world logic behind them. The thought of creating tough yet logical and enjoyable puzzles in adventure games is what keeps their designers awake at night, but unfortunately in this case, it seems the developers were unconcerned. Characters can be interacted with for brief linear conversations.īut while Memoranda is designed to be a fairly by-the-numbers adventure game, its difficulty is what causes the entire experience to suffer. You’ve got an inventory (obviously), where items that you collect can be combined or broken apart. Mizuki also writes a quest journal of sorts that helps you keep track of the various tasks at hand. Further, the game helpfully includes a key that points out all items on the screen that can be interacted with, saving you from pixel hunting. You can walk through the levels, or quickly teleport by double clicking the exits of the screen to teleport out. Helpfully, the game allows players to quickly transition between locations using a map, which features handy quick tips about why each location is relevant. The town is comprised of a series of environment scenes, where you’re able to look at and/or interact with certain items in the 2D space. The gameplay elements are rather traditional. In the end, this is a mellow adventure that rarely picks up the pace and doesn’t really offer a satisfying or particularly interesting journey. I am not familiar with them, so it’s difficult to comment on how much was lost in translation from page to game. If this all seems like material from a fictional story, you’re not too far off – the narrative is apparently inspired by a series of Haruki Murakami short stories. And even Mizuki’s own problems typically don’t feel very involving, and at the end of the game you’ll be left with just as many questions as answers. A potentially interesting theme of transitioning from animal to humans is never explored. The world is quite basic and grounded in comparison, featuring a typical small town that you’ll explore, with typical bars, a pier, a bakery, and so on. Most of the characters are static and rarely serve a purpose beyond proving you clues for a puzzle or brief optional conversation. The game also revolves around characters transitioning from being an animal to being a human (and vice versa) depending on how they truly feel at heart.ĭespite the unique cast, the story doesn’t really take advantage. The story that follows involves many odd encounters – a runaway elephant, a cat opera-singer, a man who loves spaghetti, a talking moose head, and so on. Unable to sleep, she leaves her apartment and explores the town. Mizuki’s other unfortunate and odd problem is that she occasionally forgets her name, as if it is stolen from her. He refuses to let her sleep until he can. Just as she tries to fall asleep, after spending many days awake, she is disturbed by an imaginary old sailor.

Memoranda game full#

The story is inspired by various Haruki Murakami short stories that describe a surreal world full of lonely characters.Players assume the role of Mizuki, a young 25 year old woman, who suffers from insomnia. It could be a name, a loved one or even their own sanity! From a World War II veteran to an elephant taking shelter in a man’s cottage hoping to become a human, everyone in Memoranda has one thing in common: they are all on the verge of losing something. The beautiful hand-drawn adventure takes place in a quiet little town where a few ordinary people live together with some more unusual characters. But is she really losing her memory, or is there something else that could explain the strange situation? Memoranda is a game about forgetting and being forgotten!Ī point and click adventure game with magic realism elements that tells the story of a young woman who gradually realizes that she is forgetting her own name.

[ancient-debris]

rough draft phase 0: pre-conceptualization Deep in the minds of dreaming utopians, city-planners, artists, engineers, business-types, and visionaries of every stripe do little fragments of ideas they've had but almost forgotten about start to intersect more and more, unnaturally so. Their subconscious is made a servant of a place-to-come, a great town of industry, beauty, and truth. phase 1: rumors, prototyping In the corners of notes and the whispers of those effected, comes mention of a new place, those who mention it are not even sure if it is a real place or just conceptual, or a place that will be used to test a concept, or vice versa, nobody really knows what is going on, but in the back-areas of many places and fields there is some sense that something new is over the horizon. something that can almost be walked into. phase 2: in-the-know only The place is more real now, but only those who were blessed with the knowledge of the concepts to begin with can forge a way in. It's a quiet place, a sort of testing ground, a place before it's fully a place, like a party before its set up, on the outer bounds of things, between the lines. phase 3: secret garden The place seems a bit fuller now. Various figures move in, a lifeblood slowly stirs into the place, making things saccharine-sweet even in the midst of emptiness. Most people around are still just the founders, but occasionally new faces of the searching, dreaming, and pioneer-types are seen; Surprised by this little alcove that nobody has seemed to mention. phase 4: everyday name The place is now a town, and the town gains a common name. Something that seems new and old at the same time. sounds like the edges of words put together, or some old title of importance, or something so normal that it sounds almost too normal. Fullmore town. Strongmire. Edgewoods. Kotamaka. Blossomton. Foxborough. Hornbrook. Wolfs' Crossing. Foggtown. The names all sound like they could come from a country song or videogame. This all-encompassing Blankville. phase 5: boom town Blankville becomes known to the outside world. It gains the attention of some newspapers and government officials involved in this sort of thing. The town is added to most maps. For the more serious involved, the town is probed by government agents and drones, mapping it out more fully and storing the information about it in a series of secure locations, oftentimes the information is cryptographically mass-duplicated and broken up in such a way that it completely obfuscates the information but is programmed so that the information comes back together in one cohesive whole but only for a couple of minutes each day for decades. phase 6: incident Nobody knows exactly what happened or when it started, but the industry sector isn't happy. Some huge explosion of electricity or something. maybe a chemical leak. The sounds of screaming and frantic running can be heard. Glass shatters. The very roads themselves become shifted and bent. The power is out, the sky is stained dark red fading to black, the night is coming and the fog is rolling in.

phase 7: bad weather

The sun doesn't rise for a while, letting a cold, long night take its place. The sky is painted spectacularly with massive clouds of dark grey, off-white, sulfur yellow, orange-red and dark purple. They look brilliant, yet broken and chaotic. The colors don't make sense. Nothing that happened makes sense. It rains a lot, but doesn't feel quite like normal water… feeling more oily to the touch. Sometimes you swear you can see fumes coming out of the asphalt, or dead bodies where there are none. You dread that things will not get better.

phase 8: cut ties

The outside world starts to forget about Blankville, slowly but surely. It either gets chocked up to a "bad area" due to "the incident", never brought up to begin with, or only seen as a silly rumor. People who went there only once or twice forget about it. It starts disappearing off of most maps. A fair number of people in Blankville are able to escape and never mention it again the rest of their lives. To those still in Blankville, Cell signal and internet, even satelitte internet, starts cutting out around 10 minutes every hour randomly. The times on all clocks start to diverge at random.

phase 9: figures in the dark The borders of blankville seem hazier and more ethereal now, and as the dark mist rolls in and out sometimes you can see a twisted version of the real world at night, an empty desert, or a dark forest. a low-pitched crackling noise can be heard, like the breaking of an eggshell or static. Weird long-length whistling noises and clicking can be heard as tall faceless figures of indeterminate origin emerge from the borders and slowly but methodically they start hunting the residents of Blankville down, knocking on their doors and poorly imitating humans. The ones they capture are either abducted peacefully and carried off or torn apart nearly instantly, flayed in chaotic spiral patterns, essentially making human remains into long strings of gore. They move like insects almost, or maybe like octopi or cartoon characters at times. They have skin that looks like an oil spill and long, geometric-shaped bodies and limbs, with joints and hands that don't seem to make sense. Those who know of their existence or have seen them are at greater risk, as those who know the nature of the ones from beyond, are in turn known by them.

phase 10: total freefall The sky starts rapidly flashing between colors. Cracks in the sky itself start to form, before an impossibly loud snapping sound is heard. Sort of a mix between a sonic boom, bones cracking, ice cracking, a gong, and metal being torn in half. Everyone simultaneously experiences a strong sense of dizziness before passing out simultaneously. The sky is now a single, solitary tone: dark grey. No stars, clouds, sun, moon, or any celestial bodies can be seen. occasionally odd orbs and flashes of white-green, yellow, and red light can be seen flying above blankville.

phase 11: emptiness The mist is fading away. The figures from beyond retreat into it. The dark forest fades away, leaving only an infinite plane of grey, lifeless sand. For those left alive, Blankville is now relatively safe, so long as you can sustain yourself.

phase 12: return Eventually, yellow lines can be seen forming slowly in the sky, basking everything in golden light. Remaining buildings in blankville may undergo drastic change in size, shape, or style. The same goes for the residents there to a degree. Blankville is being gradually redeemed and brought back to life by a sort of cosmic coincidence, a conspiracy between the realms themselves and the thoughts of a new generation of founders and dreamers. However, those born in blankville after total freefall are cursed in a way, as their very soul is weakly tied to the same reality-trajectory as it. Leading them to have to constantly search and return to it every time it pops back up, else they might permanently fade out of existence.

love love love the concept of like, liminal locations but not in like the dumb aesthetic images way but like in the sense of like, towns and places that actually are on an elliptical orbit with the plane of consensus reality, like imagine if there was some town and it would go through phases where its like just coming into existence but its impossible for most people to reach it unless they have an "in", but then it eventually is congruent to baseline reality for a couple of years, then it slowly shifts away from baseline reality again and all the things anchoring it to the real world slowly get lessened over time, and it becomes harder for new people to move in or hear about the town, before the town sort of goes off the rails a bit and as it shifts away from reality paranormal events and weather take place but they never make a difference to the real world, and then like right on the verge before it falls out of the plane of reality completely it gets like infested with cosmic monsters and there's only one way to escape it, leaving the survivors of this event completely isolated in the town until they die, with a slim possibility that eventually the town might swing back towards reality again, inhabited by the survivors of the past terrors.

[onegayastronaut]

Another Chance at Love (Kara x Emma fanfic)

Requested by anon: I don’t know if you do this, but what about a mashup kinda thing, where Kara saves Emma from a dragon or something in Storybrooke, and they fall in love?

(A/N): I felt that this called for a one-shot! Sorry this took so long lol

Word count: 1441

It was a bright, sunny day in National City and Kara could not be in a better mood. Snapper hadn’t yelled at her all week, and she had made short work of the few criminals that had popped up. All in all, it had been a good week, and she finally had some free time to just fly around and feel the breeze on her face. She flew higher and sped up, while restraining a loud cheer as she flew across the sky. Flying like this always made her feel great, and just as Kara started to get tired, she felt this strange energy attracting her and pulling on her like a magnet. Opening her eyes, she realized that her speed had opened up a wormhole, and she was headed straight for it.

Flying through a wormhole was like nothing Kara had imagined. Everything seemed to be flashing in front of her eyes in a blur, and she wasn’t sure when or where she would end up. After what seemed like an hour (or was it ten minutes) the wormhole closed and Kara quite literally dropped ten feet off the sky on hard concrete. Confused and disoriented, Kara stood up and realized that she had left a small crater in the middle of the road. But before she could feel bad for damaging public property, she heard a distant roar of what seemed to be a huge animal of some sorts. It seemed as if this quaint town had bigger things than a Kryptonian to worry about at the moment.

It didn’t take much work for Kara to locate what was going on. Right in the middle of town, a dragon seemed to be ready to call this place its home as it breathed fire towards this lady who was trying to fight it. There was this white substance coming from this lady’s hands, but it didn’t seem to be doing the trick. Kara decided it was time for her to intervene before the dragon killed the lady (who was quite pretty she might add). Flying over quickly, Kara quickly used ice breath to push the dragon back. Sensing defeat, the dragon let out one last roar and flew away.

Kara let out a satisfied laugh and turned around to see the other lady looking at her in a curious way. She was wearing a red leather jacket and had her hair up in a ponytail, giving her a low-key rebel vibe.

“My name is Kara. What’s yours?”

“Emma. Emma Swan. You just saved my life, thank you.”

“No problem. Do you mind telling me where I am? I just came here from a wormhole and I’d very much like to get back home before my sister gets too worried about me.”

Just as Emma opened her mouth to answer, a group of people ran up to them. A little kid ran up to Emma to hug her and say “Mom you did it!”

Smiling sheepishly Emma introduced her family to Kara and vice versa. “Guys this is Kara, she just saved me from the dragon. Kara, this is my son Henry, my parents Snow and Charming, and my friends Regina and Hook.” Kara noticed how Hook flinched at the word “friend” but felt that more important matters needed to be addressed first.

“Are you…are you telling me that Snow White and Prince Charming are your parents? And Captain Hook is your friend?” Kara seemed to forget all manners as she was staring at everyone.

“Yes. You’re in Storybrooke, where fairy tale characters are actually real people.”

Kara was pretty sure at this point that Winn probably slipped some pot in her carton of brownies this morning. But on second thought, that dragon felt pretty real. Besides, dropping through a wormhole wasn’t something a little pot could help make up. Before she could think any further, Kara’s stomach growled like a feral dog, causing Henry to triumphantly yell “Pancakes at Granny’s!”

Seven plates of triple stacked pancakes and several looks of concern later, Kara finally felt that she was full. While she was eating, she had told Emma about being Supergirl and Emma had told her about being the Savior and all the villains she had faced down. Kara felt that that had more in common than realized. With that thought in mind, she decided that sticking around for a few days couldn’t hurt. Besides, Granny’s pancakes were the best that Kara has ever tasted.

As it turned out, Storybrooke wasn’t without its charms. Henry’s enthusiasm was fun, Snow and Charming seemed like nice people, and Kara learned that Regina was once the Evil Queen who realized that being a hero was more rewarding. But for Kara, the greatest person Storybrooke had to offer was the Savior herself. Emma could feel an attraction towards Kara, but she didn’t want to ruin anything by asking Kara out for a date. Besides, Kara needed to go back home. National City needed its caped superhero, and there was no sense in developing feelings for someone who was going to leave.

What neither party accounted for was Henry Mills. Henry, along with Regina, Snow, and Charming, were not going to allow true love from escaping the Savior’s grasp. Even though it seemed as if everything was going against Kara and Emma being together, the people knew true love when they saw it, and inter-dimensional distance was nothing in the face of that. With this in mind, Henry went on what he called “Operation Savior”. It was a top secret mission of having Emma and Kara realize that they had feelings for each other, and Regina was the only other person privy to the details.

It was six pm at Granny’s and Kara was on her third pecan pie. Granny was shaking her head in amazement when she was pulled aside by Regina. Together, they discreetly asked everyone to leave such that Kara and Emma could have the diner to themselves for the night. Operation Savior was officially underway.

At precisely 6:30 pm, Emma came into Granny’s with a look of confusion on her face. Kara as still eating at the counter (on her sixth pie by now), but nobody else as there.

“Hey Kara! Where is everybody? I was told to come her but nobody would give me any details.”

“I don’t know what’s happening either. Everybody just started leaving but Granny told me I could stay and eat as many pies as I want.”

Emma smiled at the innocent nature of the Kryptonian, and couldn’t stop the warm feeling that was spreading through her chest. It felt like this feeling was happening more often after Kara had come into her life, but she couldn’t quite believe that it was love. She could only hope that Kara felt the same way about her. It certainly didn’t help that whenever Kara looked at her Emma’s heart stopped a beat. Emma decided it would be a wise idea to sit down and figure it out on her own.

Little to her knowledge, Kara felt very much the same way about Emma. She couldn’t really put a finger on what she was feeling, all she knew was that she liked Emma very much and wanted to see her all the time. It was all pretty confusing for Kara so instead of saying anything she put her head on Emma’s shoulder.

As the minutes ticked by, it seemed as if Kara’s head was growing heavier on Emma’s shoulder. It was a solid fifteen minutes of comfortable silence before Emma said in a hesitating voice, “Kara?”

Kara lifted her head and looked at Emma. Emma felt like she was falling deep into Kara’s eyes, and before she knew it, she was kissing Kara. It truly did feel magical, and from the look on Kara’s face it was a mutual feeling. From outside the window they heard a cheer and saw Henry with Snow, Charming, and Regina apparently acting for this moment.

“I have to go back to National City, but I’ll be back before you know it with a portal key so you can come see me anytime you want.”

“Are you telling me I get to travel through time and space just like you?”

“Yes I am!” Kara was practically jumping up and down as she planted another kiss on Emma.

With that, Kara went out to say goodbye to everyone (including a very moody Hook) and was off after creating another wormhole near the clock tower. Emma watched her leave with the biggest smile on her face, knowing that she’ll see her one true love again very soon.

[ganeshkulariya]

Obsess to Find a Partner

Due to the feminist movement, women will endure one, solo lifetime without being regarded as a certain form of a societal pariah.

But with this particular specific step of progress toward equality, most individuals continue to be obsessed with finding and dating somebody. But, marriage isn't any longer a requirement for societal and monetary security. Thus, what's the real reason for this obsession? We've piled up 9 potential explanations.

Are Disney movies to blame?

Back in 1937, Disney released its very first animated fairytale film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In recent years which followed, Disney published a lengthy lineup of Fairy Tales, such as Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast.

For most millennials, these pictures were the oldest and formal education on connections. And the greatest lesson that they taught was a joyful finish equals finding love having an intimate partner.

This is a lesson that has become ingrained in our mind, although those are kids' stories, there exists a fantastic chance they will have made a significant effect on the way we view ourselves and our futures contract.

Famous love stories

Enjoy has become a popular subject for years and years. Plus a number of the very well-known love stories are still influencing us now. Think about Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet: finding and residing in love has been indeed essential that both these teenagers are dead by the drama's end.

200 decades before, Jane Austen composed powerful love stories too, such as Pride and Prejudice, that were prompted countless films, including from"Bridget Jones Diary, Bollywood, zombie thrillers to murder puzzles.

In summary, we love stories, and also we love copying them and reinterpreting them. We simply can not get enough of folks finding real love. And the messier it's, the higher.

Reality-TV

Truth television is typically a far cry from reality. But, reality may show exactly what viewers and the public are curious about -- even though we're too ashamed to acknowledge it.

And as soon as it comes to dating shows such as The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Relationship Naked, it's understandable Americans move ga ga for the locating somebody -- even when it isn't their partner.

When the summer growing season ends, the tabloids grab where the series left and folks trace the relationship using a vested interest. The same will also apply to royal and celebrity weddings. All of us love the enthusiasm and drama enclosing a brand fresh game, and individuals truly snore a breakup or divorce.

It is safe to mention the lifestyles of actors and royals do not impact us greatly better. But we attach as much significance and invest a lot in their own lives because you would like to observe relationships triumph.

Why? As individuals are enthusiastic about finding their particular perfect partner and ensuring their favorite individuals have among their very own, too.

Love songs have their place in this obsession

Virtually all songs are love music, and now there are countless of these. And such as books and movies, many songs are replicating exactly the very same narrative. They truly are simply interpreted differently with every celebrity.

It is safe to state that the sole real reason finding love, losing love, and finding love are indeed significant in music is as it is crucial in true to life.

And you may think dating shows and reality television are foolish, however, you might assert that those mediums are simply highlighting something which's been part of the individual mind for millennia.

Religion's hand in dating obsession

Still, another reason people seek somebody is that of religious customs. Most faiths still feel that marriage is the sacred marriage between two different people and that it's the second and crucial step before starting a household.

In some instances, a union is supposed to make every spouse better -- holier even. Therefore, for a few, acquiring a mate has a great deal of spiritual significance, too.

Let's not forget about biology and evolution

Although women and men are equal, we can not deny that both women and men continue to be different. Their anatomies will vary, their brains are very different, and also their menstrual balance differs, too.

Generally speaking, men are hard-wired to rescue and protect. For ladies, it's to interact and nurture. And by the evolutionary and biological perspective, it seems sensible that a person and a lady could like to detect the balance with one another.

This balance isn't exclusive to people though. After all, spirituality could be considered described as a fluid idea. The main point is people start looking for yet another individual to function as Ying with their Yang and vice versa. And if that pertains to homosexual or heterosexual couples, then it will not matter.

The main point is, we are apt to start looking for somebody to manage the storms life sets us and the support and love by somebody is the trick to this service -- that the secret we incline to find so urgently since we believe that this natural flourish to discover a service platform.

Certainly, the evolutionary perspective isn't the sole real booming force behind needing to find support and love in life. However, it's among many potential explanations that may have a minimal spin with this obsession.

The social rewards of having a partner

In society, there exists a fantastic incentive for somebody. Only consider it.

If you declare you are dating someone, or that you've got participated, or which you are engaged and getting wed, what exactly are the results? Folks are amazingly happy for you. After all, it is a fantastic thing.

However, from time to time, the reply moves beyond moves and joy into"Ultimately"

In summary, it seems as if there is this unspoken relief that comes if you are finally paired up with somebody. Now, your own life is finished, we almost appear to state. And since we need approval also to match, it simply makes sense that people obsess over getting somebody to get those things.

Still another incentive for locating somebody could be your benefit of a major wedding, gift registries, honeymoons, tax breaks, etc.,

We seek fulfillment outside of ourselves

The most gorgeous idea about finding somebody is he or she can love, accept, approve of care, and protect you. But the main reason we have been determined to get something to accomplish such things is we do not understand just how exactly to do this.

Self-love, self-acceptance, self-approval, self-care, and taking a stand yourself are incredibly crucial features. These demands are necessary because of emotional, emotional, and physical health.

Thus it simply makes sense that individuals find somebody to meet them especially if we don't satisfy ourselves.

We find a partner to avoid loneliness

Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, then you can like moments of isolation. But, nobody would like to have isolation. It's a health threat and may improve stress grades.

However, possibly one reason why people avoid solitude and search for somebody is really that we've not yet learned to love and love ourselves. We fight to learn intimately. Also to prevent coming face to face together, we all search for a partner.

Whether it is math, fairy-tales or cultural influences -- you can not deny that love is about us even if it isn't, we'll do all within our power to be certain it's going to likely soon be this way.

Are you looking for a perfect relation website? Who provide the best article and blogs on Relationship then visit Relation Status. In this website, you can read Love, Lifestyle, and Dating related tips and tricks.

Check these topics:

Relationship Blogs

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[newtospnfandom-blog]

Karaoke Night (Part 1 of ?)

Hey guys this is my first ‘completed’ story. I was at work tonight and a song came on that made me feel like writing a story instead of studying for my chemistry midterm this Wednesday.

Summary: After a weekend of feeling like Dean was treating her like crap Y/N decides enough is enough when he teases her about her singing. three years later they end up in the same bar where she sings the very same song. What will Dean do to make her believe he is sorry and has changed?

Words: 2123

Pairing: Dean x reader, past and future, not current. 

Characters: Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, Garth (mentioned), Reader, Andrea (Oc), Breanna (Oc), Cat (Oc), Emily (Oc), Allison (Oc)

Warnings: Angst... maybe? Probably not until later parts.

A/n: This is my first piece of fanfiction that I have written so please tell me what you think!!! Also I don’t know when I’ll be able to write the next part(s) so I’m sorry if you like it and then I take forever. ALSO, the setting for the second half of the story is a real place that my friends and I go to regularly, its awesome!!! So if you’re ever in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, you should definitely check it out. Lastly, if you see an ellipses (one of these bad boys ...  ) in the middle of the page that means that there was a change in the point of view from reader to Dean, or vice versa. Now, without any further ado... enjoy Karaoke Night!!

Carry on my wayward so-n!

There will be peace when you are do-ne

You practically yelled the words to one of your favourite songs while Dean sat at the other side of the bench seat, ensuring baby stayed on the small highway you were using to get across Indiana on your way back to the bunker. These last couple days were spent hunting a Rugaru in Cicero which turned out to be three of them. You had never seen more than one in a town at a time so neither you nor Dean were prepared for the reinforcements that were just out back, and with Sam at home with the flu you were outnumbered. You both got dinged up bad but nothing you couldn’t handle with a little special attention from each other once you were home.

Lay your weary head to re-st!

Don’t you cry no more!

Chuck, you loved singing!! That was until Dean started in with the teasing… He started howling in the way that movies portray a dog doing when they hear something they don’t like, he had done it before, and you knew it was a joke because Dean had told you many times that he thought you sang with the voice of an angel. You could have handled the teasing had your weekend not gone the way it had. While you and Dean slept together frequently you had never asked him to establish what your relationship truly was, and man were you regretting it. After hitting a dead end one night the two of you decided to hit the bar and drink the stress away with multiple beers, and then you assumed you would go back to your shared motel room and get rid of the tension that always built on a dead-end day of a case, but dean seemed to prefer the busty blonde waitress. While leading Tiffani out of the bar Dean managed to text you that he was taking her to the room and that he’d give you the all clear when she was gone… After all the mistreatment over the years and now he had the nerve to tease you about one of your favourite things the world… well that was the last straw!

“Dean stop the car” You said just above a whisper, unable to believe what you were about to do.

“What?” He asked, never taking his eyes off the road ahead of him.

“I said stop the car Dean.” A little louder this time, no chance of him not hearing you.

“Y/N, I was just bugging you, you know that” He looked a you, eyes slightly wide, a little bit of worry there and brows knotted together to form a questioning look. Not that you saw it, you couldn’t look at him. You had so many emotions going through you in that moment that if you saw those beautiful green eyes you would have broken and stayed once again.

“STOP THE DAMN CAR DEAN!!!” you practically growled and he jumped slightly before slowing down and pulling the impala over to the side of the road.  Once at a full stop you reached for the handle to get out of the car, but before you could escape Dean had both of your wrists in his hands and was pulling you to face him.

“What’s going on Y/N, my teasing has never bothered you before” dean said softly, so softly that you couldn’t stop yourself from looking up into his eyes. Dammit, why did he have to have the ability to look so sorry without knowing fully what was bothering you? You almost broke but were saved when suddenly you were startled by a loud moose call emanating from Dean’s pocket, signalling that Sam was trying to call Dean, probably to ask where you two were. Rolling his eyes, Dean released your wrists and yanked his phone from his pocket before answering.

“Sam, now isn’t a good time.” Dean said, but he didn’t hang up right away, that was your chance.

You wasted no time grabbing your duffle from the backseat pulling it over into the front and getting out of the car. If Dean was going to answer a phone call during that session it meant you were making the right choice. Looking both ways you saw a truck coming from the direction you were previously heading in with Dean. You booked it across the single lane highway and promptly raised your arm, thumb extended to show you were looking for a ride. Dean realizing your intentions hung up his phone and got out of the car and started to cross the pavement when the truck final reached you.

“Where Ya headed little lady?” The stranger asked as you opened the passenger door of his old Dodge truck.

“Y/N, please just talk to me.” Dean pleaded through the open driver’s side window.

“Dean, things haven’t been good between us for a long time, this weekend just emphasized that for me, I can’t go back to the bunker with you or I’ll let things go back to exactly how they were, and that’s not fair to me”

“Are you breaking up with me Y/N?” Dean asked, a hard expression on his face, the one he used when he was hiding his emotions.

“We were never really together that way and you know it Dean.” You stated, a single tear dripping down your cheek. “North, please” You said turning to the stranger between you and Dean. As he put the truck back in drive and checked the mirror to make sure he wouldn’t be hit by another vehicle when he pulled out of the shoulder of the road you thought to add one more thing to Dean. “Don’t follow me.”

Three years later.

It was Friday, your favourite day of the week, not because it was the start of another weekend but because it meant Karaoke with your favourite four people in your life. Every Friday Andrea, Breanna, Cat, Emily and you went to Rosarios, the best karaoke Bar in Edmonton. When you left Dean, you had decided to go somewhere you were sure he wouldn’t think to look, Canada. You settled down in one of the safest towns around Edmonton, it was called St. Albert and you felt like you could breathe when you finally got everything settled in your apartment. Within the first couple months you had met Breanna at a job you had gotten easily. Not a hunting job, but a real job. It felt weird to be able to say that about yourself. You worked at a Toys R Us for most of those three years, loving the look on children’s faces when they got the toy they wanted and being able to tune out the temper tantrums of the children who didn’t get what they wanted. You finally left last November when you had gotten a job working in a chocolate shop. Yummm. Similarly, to how bakers always smell like bread when they go home, all your work clothes slightly smelled like the wonderful confection. Cat, Emily and Andrea had all come into your life thanks to schooling and while not all of you were the same age you got along really well with each other.

In the beginning it was Cat’s idea to go to Karaoke, but once you were there you loved it. Sure, the Bar seemed a little sketchy, almost like a place Sam and Dean would go to if they ever travelled this far north, but the crowd was always super welcoming. Now that you had been coming every Friday for at least two years you knew that this was the only place you wanted to be on a Friday.

                                                             …

“Dude, I still can not believe I let you convince me to come to Canada to work a case!” Dean grumbled and he pulled into he small parking lot in the alleyway between the building and a graveyard.

“Hey, Garth said he has a cousin up here who knew this was our kind of thing but wasn’t able to take care of it due to not being a hunter and all, plus Garth was already taking care of some vamps in Texas and wouldn’t have been able to get here anytime soon. Besides, it was a milk run for you and I, we finished it in a day and now we get to go to a bar like you wanted and can head back home tomorrow relax” Sam replied with an annoyed tone, Dean had been complaining about Canada ever since Sam had told him the location of the case. ‘Canada?! Seriously dude. And what kind of a name for a city is Edmonton anyway?’ was Dean’s initial reaction to the news of crossing national lines.

“Fine, but this place better be good.” Dean stated as he shut off the impala.

“According to reviews online they have a decent selection of beer, great burgers and the best karaoke in the city.” Sam relayed the information he had already told Dean earlier that day when Dean demanded they go out together after they finished the case.

“What is it called again”

“Rosarios” Sam said before getting out of the car and heading for the door.

After being seated and ordering their drinks, a burger for Dean and a salad for Sam, it was close to 9pm, the time karaoke was supposed to start according to the information Sam gathered from Google, and just as that thought crossed his mind Sam and Dean heard the music that had been playing in the background cut out and a woman’s voice replace it.

“Alright we are ready to start off the night strong, lots of people geared up to sing you some songs tonight. Don’t forget that you can submit your song choices with your phone now, so you never have to leave the comfort of your table” The woman who ran the karaoke set up said in an excited voice. “How about we start off with one of our Friday night regulars, whataya say guys?” a bunch of cheers and a couple whistles sounded throughout the bar, indicating that they indeed wanted one of the regulars to go first. “Yeah, that’s what I thought, alright Y/N get on up here!”

Dean almost choked on his burger. With wide eyes he stared at Sam. There was no way that it could be her, his Y/n, the one that left him on the side of the road and took a ride with some random man in a truck, it couldn’t be her, could it? Slowly Dean turned in his seat to see you walk toward he little booth on the other side of the bar, grab a mic and back up a little so you could look at the large screen up higher on the wall.

“Give a round of applause for Y/N guys, she’s gonna sing some Kansas for us.” The tech woman said before starting the song for Y/N.

                                                            …

 “Alright we are ready to start off the night strong, lots of people geared up to sing you some songs tonight.” Allison, the woman who ran the karaoke set up, said in an excited voice. “How about we start off with one of our Friday night regulars, whataya say guys?” a bunch of cheers and a couple whistles sounded throughout the bar, indicating that they indeed wanted one of the people from your group to go first. “Yeah, that’s what I thought, Alright Y/N get on up here!”

As you walked to the booth to grab your mic you saw someone turning in their chair across the room but you chose to ignore it. People liked to look around and see where singers were sitting in case they wanted to tell them something about their singing afterwards. You grabbed your mic and went back toward your table a little way before turning back around to lookup at the large screen on the wall above Allison’s tech booth.

“Give a round of applause for Y/N guys, she’s gonna sing some Kansas for us” Allison said and then she started the song. You sang this song first every week to remind yourself of the incident that brought you here. You hadn’t told anyone about your former life so you were the only person in the bar who knew the pain behind this choice.

Carry on my wayward son.

There will be peace when you are done.

Lay your weary head to rest.

Don’t you cry no more

You didn’t go all out on the song like you used to but you still had fun with it with your pain filled past with Dean Winchester was behind you. Literally

@the--blackdahlia

[westyv86-blog]

A Tail of Snow

I do believe that my fingertips and I left you last night when I departed to try and locate the ever mischievous Snow. I promised I would enlighten you as to his nightly antics and well give you a slight insight as to why I blooming adore this feline.

Okay so Snows appearance in my life was actually due to my wonderful Hubby.....yes I am a married woman (shocking I am sure as I bet you thought I was married to Snow due to my well documented devotion). Now my husband really is one in a million, we have been married a year and its been great. Bloody hard I wont lie to you, marriage is, but we have at least one outburst of hysterical laughter each day so I am marking that down to be a successful marriage. I am extremely lucky in the fact that for some reason unbeknown to me my Hub seems to think I am wonderful and likes to pretty much make me happy any way he can.............that months happiness was determined by my need for a cat! 

Our home was not Snows first (or actually his last for that matter) as he used to live with Hubbys sister. She had at that time 2 boys (3 now) and they both wanted kittens which were happily received and named Rocket and Snow. Rocket was a placid thing and still is bless him, Snow seemed to like to cause trouble, mainly in the form of beating up their current pet (a beautiful black lap dog - I’m saying lap dog as I cannot remember his exact breed but he is small and would sit comfortably on your lap). We were asked if we would like to re home him as they knew I was desperate for a cat - of course I said yes.

As soon as I first met Snow I knew we had a connection, a real bond or meeting of minds maybe. He looked right into my eyes and that was it I was his wrapped around his paw completely. At that time we were living with Hubs Nan and so he was (due to needing vaccinations) confined to our bedroom. This meant that he would be meeting his new fur sister Millie. (I shall wander another day and introduce you to Millie our gorgeous Staffy cross who deserves a post all of her own). Snow instantly took to Millie and vice versa, I’m not sure that either of them is aware that they are different species but honestly that couldn’t be closer if they were true blood relatives. 

Within 2 days of having Snow we had figured out that he was going to keep us on our toes, as he was just an absolute nutter. Having spent most of his first day curled up on my tummy he decided the second day was his time to show us his wild side. Unfortunately Millie was the main one on the end of this. Under our bed was an old laptop box which of course as Snow is a cat he took and instant shine to. I watched as he spent 10 minutes carefully positioning himself inside the box and making himself very flat so the lid closed on him properly (his tail was still sticking out mind you - but I will admit it was impressive) and then he waited........ages. Finally Millie wandered in and much to her horror, shock and general amazement out popped Snow from his cardboard lair. Extremely pleased with himself he then jumped up onto the bed, had a wash and went to sleep. Millie ran out of the room and did not return for several hours. She has since forgiven him, but I do see her eyeing cardboard boxes with quite disdain to this day. It was later on that evening that Snow was to enlighten us further as to the cat he was to become. I had emptied his litter tray and refilled it ready for nighttime placing it in his crate with fresh food, water and a few treats. We climbed into bed, turned out the lights and went to sleep. Now as all you cat people will know - cat poo stinks - it literally burns your nose, eyes and throat. So at 2am I knew Snow had left me a little present for the morning to clear up, but at the moment it was duvet over head and sleep, poo was not on my agenda. Morning comes around and I awake to Snow purring in my face, his beautiful big eyes looking lovingly at me had me forget for about 10 minutes that he was meant to be in his crate at night. How on earth had he gotten out? As I looked over at the crate I was also wondering how exactly had he bolted the crate door behind him on his escape? Idiot woman that I am I had prepared his lovely little home for him and then bloody locked him out. Genius me! After a quick apology to Snow reality hit me and then the Hubby as I shouted at him “I smelt poo last night but its not in the litter tray.......where has he pooed?” The search began. I have and always will tell anyone that Snow is superior to all other beings and that morning I felt I had my first sign. As his litter tray was unavailable to him to due to my stupidity he had not lowered himself to just poop on the floor oh no not Snow. Instead he found the half full bag of litter and pooped in there. Now I am sorry but that is pure genius is it not? Never had I previously or have I since been so excited and happy about the placement of a cat poo!!

Now having let my fingers wander once again I realise I have not even informed you of the nightly antics of Snow which was the intended purpose for this post. Oh well it seems you will have to come back and find out more tomorrow, plus I get the great joy and pleasure of talking about him even more.

Fingertips logging off xx

[outspokeco-blog]

How To Choose A Marketing Agency

This post was originally published on the Outspoke’n Blog

How do you choose a marketing agency? This specific question has probably kept many business owners up late at night. As a business owner, usually, a time comes when you realize you need help marketing in order to grow your business. Unless you have a background in marketing, your expertise probably lies elsewhere. This a where a marketing agency comes in. Finding the right marketing agency will allow you to focus on what you do best. Unfortunately, finding the right marketing agency can seem downright impossible at times.

At Outspoke, we have spoken to dozens of business owners that have struck out when trying to find the right agency. It’s unfortunate and there really isn’t a manual on how to find, vet, and hire the right marketing agency. Until now. Armed with years of experience, we put together a guide to help you find and hire the right marketing agency.

12 Things To Consider When Hiring A Marketing Agency

1. Industry Experience Matters

Arguably the hardest part about finding the right marketing agency is the number of agencies to choose from. Did you know there are currently 100,000+ marketing agencies in the United States alone? That is a tough place to start.

So, what do we recommend? Start by looking for agencies with experience in your industry. To achieve real results, your marketing plan will have to be tailored to your specific industry and buyer personas. Each industry is unique and learning the nuances can take quite a while. While marketing agencies may serve clients in many different industries, industry experience matters. So does experience working with companies of a similar size as yours. Marketing multi-billion dollar companies are much different than marketing businesses with a smaller budget. Even if both of those companies operate within the same industry. Starting here will help to quickly narrow down your list of potential agencies.

2. Understand Your Needs

Clearly defining your needs is a key component when choosing a marketing agency. It is all too common however for businesses to schedule meetings with prospective agencies before clearly documenting their needs. Consider the following:

What goals do you hope to achieve in the next six months?

What is your budget?

How will you measure success?

Reputable agencies will ask you all of these questions in your initial discovery call, but it is important to keep these in mind when selecting potential agencies in the first place.

P.S. If an agency doesn’t ask about your specific goals and needs, that is a major red flag.

3. Set Expectations

Once you have defined and documented your needs, you need to set expectations with potential agencies. Make it very clear what results you expect, how communication will be handled, who will manage projects, deadlines, etc.

In our experience, most failed agency relationships are a result of skipping this step. When both sides don’t have clearly defined expectations and processes in place, it is nearly impossible to succeed. Be clear about what you expect.

4. Look for Partners

At Outspoke we have a partnership mindset, meaning we operate as if we are part of the businesses we work with. This means we are focused on real results, not vanity metrics or non-sustainable strategies. As a HubSpot Agency Partner, we have many clients that work with us for years at a time. These relationships are only able to last the test of time because of this partnership mindset

Pay close attention to the way agencies sell themselves and the relationships that come with it. If an agency seems too focused on closing the deal as quickly as possible, this is usually a bad sign. If an agency is willing to take time to get to really know you, your business and your goals, both short-term and long-term, they probably have a partnership mindset. The chances of someone caring about your business as much as you do are low. However, the right marketing agency will feel like this is exactly the case. Partners don’t sacrifice long-term success for short-term results. The wrong agency will.

5. The Beer Test

I once had a boss tell me, “I look for people with the technical capabilities and that pass the beer test.” Put simply, the beer test requires you to answer a simple question: would you want to grab a beer with the person after a long day work?

While we aren’t saying drinking beer with the agency you hire is required (it doesn’t hurt from time to time though!), this simple test generally helps weed out people that aren’t a good personality fit. The human element matters. We have several clients committed to 80+ hour per month retainers. This results in a lot of back and forth and time together. You don’t have to be best friends with the people at the agency you decide to work with, but a good personality match can make the relationship much more enjoyable.

6. Ask for References

Reputable agencies will have plenty of past clients and should be happy to share their contact information so you can ask about their experience. Imagine being able to talk to a person who is in the same industry as you and had an amazing experience with an agency you are considering. This would give you a lot more confidence than any flashy website or sales presentation.

If an agency refuses to let you talk to its past clients, run. At Outspoke we enjoy having our happy clients help us close the deal. Often times their confidence in us is all it takes!

7. Bigger Isn’t Always Better

Marketing agencies come in all sizes. Some “agencies” are actually just a one-person show. Other agencies have hundreds of employees and locations all over the country or world. Size alone shouldn’t be a determining factor, but you should consider it when hiring a marketing agency. Generally, smaller agencies are more efficient. It is much easier to manage a team of 5 as opposed to a team of 500. However, larger agencies often have more diverse skillsets in-house.

By now you have clearly defined and documented your needs and expectations. Does size matter? We can’t answer this question for you, but keep in mind the pros and cons of larger and smaller agencies. It’s not uncommon that we are contacted by larger agencies that need help with their workload. Struggling with efficiency, they often have more luck allowing smaller, more efficient agencies handle part of their workload. Speaking of outsourcing work, don’t forget to ask potential agencies what work they handle in-house vs outsourcing.

8. Outsourcing vs In-House

This may come as a surprise to you. A lot of marketing agencies sell work that they don’t actually complete. In fact, there are very few agencies that exist that complete 100% of work in-house. Make sure you discuss this with potential agencies. However, it’s important to remember that outsourcing work isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Hiring a marketing agency is outsourcing. Understanding what is being outsourced and why is critical.

At Outspoke we have several partners that we outsource work to and vice-versa. We have vetted these partners and trust their expertise. They fill in the gaps in our technical skillsets and allow us to offer additional services that our clients need. An important distinction to note — we have established partners that have been vetted and we are fully transparent up-front with potential clients about these partners.

9. Transparency Matters

Speaking of transparency, it really matters. One of the hardest aspects of outsourcing work is a lack of visibility into what is done on a daily basis. When you have a team in-house, checking on progress is as simple as walking down the hall. When you hire a marketing agency, you will have to let go of some control.

At Outspoke we try to reduce this feeling as much as possible. Our project management tool, Monday.com, allows us to invite a guest to their project board(s). This allows them to track in real-time exactly what we are working on, how many hours we estimate it will take, how many hours it actually takes and any roadblocks we may experience. It is important to discuss transparency with prospective agencies to ensure you will be provided enough visibility into the process to feel comfortable. What is required to feel comfortable will vary for every business owner, so be honest with both yourself and the prospective agency about your needs in regards to transparency. Feeling like you’re in the dark isn’t fun for anybody.

10. Balance Quality with Quantity

Depending on your budget, you probably can’t afford the most expensive agency. You may even be actively looking for inexpensive options. Finding a balance between quality and quantity is imperative. You are often better off spending a little bit more for a higher quality service. Many times the cheaper option ends up becoming more expensive. This happens for several reasons such as:

You have to hire another agency to fix bad work

The lower quality work reduces your growth rate

The turn around time is so long you miss an important deadline

It is a balancing act and one that is hard to master. More expensive isn’t always better, but neither is the lowest bidder.

11. Location, Location, Location

In the modern world, location is becoming less important with each passing year. Companies are now hiring globally as much as locally. As you begin your search for potential agencies, consider location. There are some services that require on-site work, such as a video shoot. Hiring a local agency for services like these is often much more affordable. You will not have to cover traveling expenses, hotels, or any other associated costs.

The majority of digital marketing services offered, however, can be completed from anywhere in the world. This provides a huge opportunity for businesses like yours. Imagine living in New York City where the cost of living is very high. Marketing agencies regularly charge $300/hour in these markets. If you only focus your search within New York City you will probably have a hard time finding affordable prices. By opening your search to emerging markets, like Denver for example, you can get the best of both worlds. A location with plenty of local talent and hourly rates that are much more affordable. Take advantage of the global economy that we all currently work in. There are so many opportunities if you open your search up geographically.

12. No Agency Can Do Everything

We saved the best for last. The number one red flag that we look for when considering partners is a company that says they can do everything. Look for agencies that have focus. Consequently, don’t be discouraged if you hear “no” from time to time. When agencies turn down particular work due to lack of expertise this can be a great sign. It means they aren’t focused solely on revenue. No agency has expertise in everything. What you need to do is find an agency whose expertise aligns with your needs. That is the holy grail and we hope this guide helps you find just that.

Did you find this post helpful? Head over to our blog to read some more. You can also drop us a line if you’d like to chat! If you’re into moving fast, hire us.

[yoga8melbourne]

6 Things to Take With You into 2019

6 Things I've learned that will make a (big) difference to your life.

If you're like me, around this time each year you'll take a short break from work, run yourself a little ragged over Christmas, and hopefully, if you're lucky, get a little time to yourself to do something for yourself. In this small window of time, away from the noise of everyday life, you'll likely take stock of the year that's been, and what the next year might bring. Maybe you'll even set some goals. Well, if you're in that head space, here's 6 things to take with you into the new year. These are lessons I've learned over the years - sometimes the hard way. You can have them for free - you're welcome :-P

1. Stop trying to find yourself. If you're feeling lost it's easy to fall into the trap of looking for what will "save" you. You look for the solution externally - in a partner (or potential partner), a trip, a change of job. Instead of looking for something, make a decision on what you want and go after that. It doesn't have to be a huge thing. In fact, small is better. I've found that the best way to start finding yourself is to start doing things. Pick something you've always wanted to do - learn an instrumnet, write a book, start a blog. Anything that adds to your personal development and can be started right now is perfect. Doing something in the here and now for yourself builds your self esteem, develops you as a person, makes you more interesting, and takes you from dreaming to doing.

2. Stop being comfortable. A friend and yogi told me how he was due to move out of a share house because the lease was up. Instead of finding another share house he decided to go stay at a backpackers for a couple of months. Not travel - literally move one suburb away in his home town and live with random, come-and-go strangers! Now that idea would terrify me. I like my own space. When I talked to him about why he just said he was keen to meet a heap of interesting people and this was the best way he could think of doing that. You don't have to be as dramatic, but don't we all get too comfortable at times? There's an old saying - Nothing changes if nothing changes. If you're a stay at home person, make an effort to get out more. If you're a social butterfly spend time with yourself. Do the yin to your yang or vice versa.

3.  Be more honest. This is distinct from the Jim Carrey film "Liar. Liar." where his character was cursed to ALWAYS say the truth. Being honest doesn't mean you have tell every idiot you meet that they're an idiot. Hopefully they already know that. Being honest means letting go of things that don't serve you anymore - that toxic friendhsip or relationship, a desire to please people, whatever it might mean for you. It doesn't mean you have to turn into a hermit or an a**hole, it means taking stock of what makes you happy and what doesn't so that you can give more of your time and resources to the former, and stop being so drained by things that aren't adding to your experience in this life. Start with one thing. See how that makes you feel, and then onto the next and the next, and see how quickly you have more time and energy for the things that truly matter to you.

4. Breathe. This one sounds ridiculous. You're breathing right now right? Ofcourse you are. I'm not talking about that kind of breathing. I'm talking about attentive breathing, conscious breath. Stop reading right now and notice your breath. Is it long or short? Deep or shallow? Smooth or rough? Left or right nostril dominant? Now take a long, deep, mindful breath. Let the breath fill you to the brim. Hold it a second, and then exhale that full breath real slow, as slowly as the time it took to breathe in. Repeat. And notice the results. Congratulations. You're meditating. See how much more relaxed and energized you feel - and that's after you thought you were already relaxed. Imagine what your breath is like when your under a dead line, or stressed about a relationship, or angry. STOP and notice your breath a few times each day. It will truly balance and enliven your daily life.

5. Connect. Studies have shown that people thatlive longer and are happier in life have more deep connections with others - friends, family, loved ones. We're not talking about your 1,236 Facebook friends, we're talking about culitvating relationships. Start with yourself. Get to know yourself. Take yourself on a date - where do you want to go, what do you want to do? Get dressed up. Make an effort. Leave yourself a little note before you go to bed that night - "thanks for taking the time and making the effort to show me a good time last night." Then take this idea to your friends and family. Spend some one on one time. Make someone dinner. Take them shopping. Listen to them. The final frontier is then to take this to people you know less well - a work colleague, neighbour, someone at the yoga studio, in your community. We've become more and more isolated and scared of making connections in case... who knows why? Maybe we think it will mean we have to make an effort, or care, or we think it'a a risk to share who we are. People are fascinating. Everyone has a story. We are social creatures. Who knows? You might hear someone's fascinating story, and I'll bet that you enrich not just your life but all those you connect with.

6. Don't get your sh!t together. That's right, DON'T. There's a meme that pops up on my social media every now and then that says "Don't grow up, it's a trap." Can you relate? There seems to be a lot of emphasis on getting your sh!t together these days. In other words, we are told to focus on sorting everything out, making sure we have the answers to everything, collect all of life's milestones (car, house, good job, family). All this can make us anxious and forever forward focussed - to some magical destination in the future when we are a fully formed and wise human. This place does not exist. All you have is this moment, this moment, this moment, now. I read a book in my 20's called Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. It's quite a convoluted tome on metaphysics mixed in with a guy's journey to understand himself and deal with a past breakdown. But the background narrative is two dudes going on a motorcycle road trip. One guy has the latest BMW. It's a wonder of technological advancement. It will never break down - until it does. And then God help you because only BMW technicians have any hope of fixing it, so complicated are its systems. The other guy, the one narrating the story has an old English bike. These bikes are notorious for breaking down. But... you can actually repair it yourself with a couple of spanners and some gaffer tape. Guy (A) wants to get to each evening's destination town by the quickest route possible every day. Guy (B) wants to explore all the backroads. Breaking down occasionally not only gives unexpected stops and insights into random locations, but it gives him time to notice what's around him, time to appreciate the journey. The point is, when we are so focussed on the future, on everything being perfect and making sure we have it all together we forget to visit the things life is teaching us everyday. We forget to look around and savour the scenery - whatever that might be. And if something does go wrong we find we don't have the tools to deal with it because we've never stopped and taken the time to work out how to fix something. Try this - next time you take a familiar route - to work or something - look around. Stop. Look at that tree. Gaze down the side street. Look up at the sky. Take it all in and be thankful for it.

Have a beautiful and enriched year. Thanks for reading and see you on the mat soon. Jamie.

[nellie-elizabeth]

Supernatural: First Blood (12x09)

This is one of those episodes where the objective quality of the content does not match my actual enjoyment level. In many real ways, this episode was not that great. It had some serious problems. But I, personally, with my brain turned off, really loved it. Let's talk.

Cons:

The reason this episode isn't actually that good, despite some hella awesome acting, action, and one-liners, is because all of the bells and whistles are resting on an extremely weak foundation. We all know it's stupid that Sam and Dean got taken in the first place. Why did they hang around with an unconscious POTUS, again? And then there's the fact that these top-secret government guys take these two men who they believe to have attempted the assassination of the President, and there's no urgency to figure out how they got to the president? They aren't at all concerned with how their security was breached? Their method is to just wait Sam and Dean out. They think the worst torture of all is loneliness.

This is another problem with the episode. We see Sam and Dean being left alone in tiny little rooms for six weeks, but we're not really shown what was so torturous about this to them. Did they start to lose their grip on reality? Did either of them try and talk to the guy who brought them their food? No. But apparently, in Dean's words, the torture of solitary is worse than Hell itself. Is it, though? Is it really? I find it hard to believe that these two would be broken by six weeks alone. If the show wanted to sell me on that, they needed to show, more explicitly, why it was difficult for them. Maybe being left alone with their own thoughts about their mistakes starts to make them unravel? Or maybe instead of being left completely alone, they are given glimpses of authority figures, and hints and suggestions that the other brother is being tortured as they sit there? Anything more than just a terminal case of boredom, which is what it seemed like.

And did Dean not try and pray to Cas? It should have been fairly easy for him to find them, you would think. There was no attempt to explain why it was so difficult for all of these magical beings to track them down. There's even a scene where Cas goes to Crowley for help, and Crowley basically shrugs his shoulders and says that because his police officer contacts aren't important enough, he hasn't heard where Sam and Dean are. I mean... he's a demon. His mother is a witch. A tracking spell? Something? There wasn't even a discussion of using supernatural means to track down the boys, and that seems like a serious oversight.

All of the flaws listed above are with the premise of the episode itself. There is one flaw that I need to mention that goes a little deeper: Billie the Reaper is dead. Now, don't get me wrong, the scene where Cas kills Billie to save the Winchesters is really emotionally affecting. It brought new depth and understanding to Cas' character, something that's definitely sorely needed. But... come on. Have we not learned our lesson about killing off our very few female characters? Not to mention our only living named character of color (unless I'm forgetting somebody... but if I am, it's not somebody with as much screen time even as Billie). I'm about damn tired of this! And from a story perspective, Billie simply never played enough of a role! There were so many cool things you could have done with this whole Death 2.0 thing, but... no. Another fascinating character wasted.

Pros:

You would think after four long paragraphs of flaws, I'd come down pretty hard on this episode. But the fact is, I really loved it.

The plot is really just about Sam and Dean escaping, and Mary and Cas doing everything in their power to find them. It's a simple story, in a lot of ways. It goes back to the promise we got at the beginning of this season that we would be focusing on smaller stories. I mean, a secret government bunker seems like it would be big stakes, but there's no all-powerful being trying to destroy the universe, here. It's just Sam and Dean being trapped, and finding a way to get back to their family. I liked the basic story.

Sam and Dean communicating silently and being on the same page is one of my favorite elements of this show. Since Supernatural is built, naturally, on the conflicts between these two, it's always a special treat when we see how cohesive and competent they are. They trust each other, and they don't need to talk much to know exactly what to do. These soldiers don't stand a chance against them, and it shows in their brutal efficiency. What with all the crazy Big Bads that the Winchesters have had to face, it's sometimes difficult to remember just how bad ass they truly are. This episode is a good reminder of that.

Dean is the one who comes up with a plan to get them out of their prison: Billie will kill them, and when they're taken from their cells, they get to come back to life one more time. The catch? At midnight, one Winchester dies permanently. It's a simple conceit, and it's not as if the boys haven't been in similar situations in the past. The thing that makes it so powerful this time is that Dean doesn't sacrifice himself to save Sam, or vice versa. They both make the deal, knowing full well that they might be giving up their brother to gain their own freedom. Dean knows that Sam would never agree to the deal if he phrased it in such a way that insisted he be the one to die. And since they spend all their time working on a way to escape their pursuers, when the moment of truth arrives, they still haven't discussed who is to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Of course, Mary jumps in and offers to be the one to die, so we never get to see how that conversation would have played out. But I just love the trust that Sam and Dean showed in one another. They were both feeling such dread about this moment, both obviously wanting to take the sacrifice for the other. But they weren't insisting, weren't shutting each other down, weren't falling on their swords without talking it out first. Character development!

On the other side of things, you have Mary and Cas, both looking for Sam and Dean while also trying to continue to hunt, filling the void of the Winchesters' absence. Cas was just... wrecked during this whole episode. Misha really brought his A-game. He was stressed, and tired, and so, so scared. He felt like he had let down his family, and it was so sad to seem him struggling with that. Mary is back to hunting, as she's not sure what else to do with herself while she and Cas both wait for information. I think my favorite moment was when Cas expresses his own inadequacy and failures as a hunter. He tells Mary that he tried to investigate a string of mysterious deaths, but he didn't know who to talk to, or what questions to ask. Mary later takes care of it for him, proving that she still knows how this whole hunting game works. It was a great scene, because it showcased how helpless Cas still is, sometimes, when he's dealing with the human world around him. It also parallels him with Mary, who, despite still feeling a bit like an outsider, is starting to get her head back in the game.

The British Men of Letters are brutal as ever, here. Cas enlists their help in finding Sam and Dean in the woods, and they use satellite imaging technology to pinpoint their location. Mick isn't having much luck in recruiting American hunters, since none of them are happy at the idea of taking orders from bureaucrats. I like that the British MOL is maintaining its presence, and upping the creepy factor. See, Sam and Dean managed to escape without killing anybody. Later, Mick and Mr. Ketch go back and kill everybody who knew about Sam and Dean, leaving a whole wake of ruthlessly murdered bodies in their wake. We're upping their threat factor without making them too much the focus. It's infinitely preferable to all that stuff with the torture-happy chicks from the first few episodes of the season.

And... let's talk about that ending. Holy mother of Chuck. Sam and Dean are facing a terrible decision: who should die? Mary offers herself - she is a Winchester, after all. She holds her gun to her own head, but just as she's about to pull the trigger... Cas stabs Billie with an Angel blade, killing her. And then. Cas gives a speech that makes this whole episode worth it, even if there hadn't been anything else to praise. He talks about how he won't let any of them die, because this sad little world needs every Winchester it can get. "You mean too much to me. To everything." He looks like he's about to burst into tears, and the looks that Sam, Dean, and Mary give him are just devastating. This is obviously going to have ramifications down the road, but from the look on Cas' face, he doesn't care. He'd risk anything to avoid losing a Winchester.

There you have it. This episode can get away with quite a bit, in my eyes, for the simple fact that it focuses on the subtle interplay between Sam and Dean, and it shines a big spotlight on Cas, giving him really meaty material and emotional scenes. That's all too rare in Supernatural, and it's enormously satisfying when it does come around. This damn never-ending show seems as impossible to kill as a Winchester. We've got a Season Thirteen waiting for us after this season wraps up... and I for one will definitely be tuning in.

7/10