#ive been using this box set up for my dice for a while but this is the neatest its been absolutely

[isaacathom]

my dice collection, which I just went through resorting and putting away :)

My current count is 27 full sets (3 of which are metal, and i think 3 of which are sharp edge in some capacity), 30 d20s (1 of which is The Big Metal One, and 1 is obsidian), 12 d12, 7 d%, 23 d10, 6 d8, 29 d6 (1 of which is the Big Wood One, and 1 is amethyst), and 8 d4 :)

I've also included at the bottom the 'character sets' im currently using my two ongoing campaign characters, Naielle Odelia and Zimri Maier respectively. They each have a core set (clear with pink-flower-esque inclusions and translucent blue-pink with gold inclusions, respectively) and then a bunch of other dice pilfered from my other sets. Zimri should arguably have way more d6, but I'm gonna start rolling most of their spells digitally because On God.

[purplesurveys]

1244

1. Have you ever seen two movies at the theater in a row? No. I don’t think I have the attention span for that, regardless of how much I enjoyed the movie.

2. If you were to go to Starbucks right this second, what do you think you’d order? Iced Americano and maybeeeeeee a chocolate cheesecake or their barbecue chicken sandwich.

3. Do you own any dice? Yes.

4. Do you like to wear cardigans? I do like them and wish I had more because I think they suit me, but it’s not really a priority either.

5. If I were to ask you nicely, would you please consider making a survey for me and everyone else? I can try but will probably quit halfway through because I’m not super good at coming up with questions that haven’t already been asked.

6. What is the worst thing a child has ever done to you while you were babysitting? None of my cousins ever misbehaved towards me when I had to look after them. The worst thing I saw was a kid punching my sister in the stomach, but he cowered as soon as I came over and begged not to tell on him lmao.

7. If you wear contacts, do they tend to get really dry after only wearing them for just a couple hours? I don’t wear contacts and am generally not a fan of the idea of dropping things in my eye haha.

8. Have you ever watched any British television shows? Like...Mr. Bean? Lol sure, I guess. I don’t watch a lot of it though.

9. Do you own a nightgown? No. I don’t see it as a necessity.

10. If you could get any pet right now, what would you? I’m more than ok with my two dogs.

11. Have you played Grand Theft Auto: IV? If so, what do you think of it? Yeah I’ve played every game in the series. I don’t have too many memories of GTA IV though...my favorites were mainly San Andreas and GTA V.

12. How often does your internet disconnect? With our old connection it probably went out once or twice...a year maybe? It definitely didn’t run into a lot of issues. But we recently switched our service to one that’s able to provide a much quicker connection, but it’s been a bit of a compromise because it has issues a bit more often than the one we used to have; it goes out for a few hours several times in a week, which can be a hassle for my work from home setup.

13. Have you ever actually been stuffed into a locker? No, our lockers were too small to stuff a person in them.

14. Do you / did you decorate the inside of your locker at school with stuff? I didn’t. We weren’t allowed to.

15. How many teenagers do you know who have babies? I don’t know teenagers with kids now, but I have several classmates from high school who gave birth when they were in that age range.

16. Is there a fan in the room you’re in right now? Yup, mine is always on unless I was purpose wanted to sweat my ass off.

17. Do you believe that chivalry is really dead? No but it should be, as should any sexist institution predicated on the idea that only men are real people. <

18. If you have one, what’s your favorite novel by Chuck Palahniuk? I don’t have any.

19. Do you get your surveys from your subscriptions page or do you actually go to specific sites and search for them? Tumblr, or Bzoink if I can’t find any interesting ones from here.

20. How much is your cell phone bill each month? I use prepaid, so this doesn’t apply to me.

21. And why the heck is Cingular now AT&T? I really don’t care.

22. Have you ever made a house out of a giant cardboard box? It was possible, as a kid.

23. Have you ever made a tent out of sheets in your bedroom? This one, definitely. It was easier to do this hahaha.

24. What’s the coolest thing you’ve made with Legos? I was never creative. I only made towers.

25. When you make a survey, do you answer your own questions? I’ve never made my own survey.

26. If you could keep your parents or trade them for other parents, which would you pick? Ugh this question is so cruel...I would change my mom’s personality, I guess. I don’t know if I’m willing to trade her.

27. Do kiwis make you think of testicles or is it just me? No, I don’t think about kiwis ever.

28. Do you think it’s cool how peroxide gets all fizzy when you put it on a cut? I don’t think about this either.

29. Is there a piggy bank in the room you’re in? No.

30. If I had the power to give you one thing right now, what would it be? A loaded bank account.

31. Do you want to get pregnant right now? Not now, but I do want to be able to have this experience someday.

32. Do you know anyone who doesn’t like the internet? My grandma hates the whole tech thing and has refused to learn anything beyond the landline phone.

33. Do your grandparents know how to operate a cell phone? My late grandpa did and paternal grandparents do. Like I said, only my maternal grandma hasn’t bothered to catch up with gadgets.

34. Have you ever housed a friend for a long period of time because they had no place to live? No, and I’m not sure if this is something my mom would be receptive to. If I had my own place, I would do this for a friend in need in a heartbeat.

35. If you have a favorite comedian, have they ever been in a movie? I don’t have a favorite comedian.

36. How many sets of twins do you know? Three off the top of my head. Two sets from my high school, and the other set were my classmates in an English class I had in college.

37. Has anyone ever made fun of you for using proper grammar? I don’t think so.

38. Do you own any hemp jewelry? Nope.

39. Have you ever cut carpet with a carpet cutter? No, I didn’t even know that that’s an actual thing, so thanks for the new information.

40. Are there any books you want to read? I’m not really eyeing any book. Haven’t for a while now.

41. Is it before of after 3 pm? Before, I guess. It’s 4:03 AM.

42. If you have younger siblings, are you very protective of them? I can be of my sister. I have virtually no relationship with my brother.

43. If you have older siblings, are they very protective of you? I’m the eldest. 44. What are your plans for New Year’s Eve? I don’t plan that far ahead.

45. Would you like a beer? Eugh hate beer no thanks.

[lovemesomesurveys]

1. Have you ever seen two movies at the theater in a row?   No. I’ve wanted to do that, but just never have for whatever reason. 

2. If you were to go to Starbucks right this second, what do you think you’d order? A hot venti peppermint white chocolate mocha with soy.

3. Do you own any dice? Yeah, the pairs that come with some board games I have.

4. Do you like to wear cardigans? No.

5. If I were to ask you nicely, would you please consider making a survey for me and everyone else? I have no creativity to come up with questions. 

6. What is the worst thing a child has ever done to you while you were babysitting? My brother and cousins would just be super annoying at times lol.

7. If you wear contacts, do they tend to get really dry after only wearing them for just a couple hours? --

8. Have you ever watched any British television shows? I don’t think so.

9. Do you own a nightgown? I count these t-shirt dresses I’ve been into lately as nightgowns. I wear ‘em around the house and sleep in them, so. They’re so comfy.

10. If you could get any pet right now, what would you? I’m happy with my doggo.

11. Have you played Grand Theft Auto: IV? If so, what do you think of it? Nope.

12. How often does your internet disconnect? I very rarely have any issues with my internet.

13. Have you ever actually been stuffed into a locker? No, but that was one of the things I thought happened before I started high school due to movies. Unfortunately, it probably does for some people, but that wasn’t my experience and I never witnessed anything like that. High school for me wasn’t at all like it’s portrayed in movies and TV shows.

14. Do you / did you decorate the inside of your locker at school with stuff? I didn’t have a locker, actually. I didn’t want one.

15. How many teenagers do you know who have babies? None at the moment. 

16. Is there a fan in the room you’re in right now? There’s 4.

17. Do you believe that chivalry is really dead? No.

18. If you have one, what’s your favorite novel by Chuck Palahniuk? I’ve only seen Fight Club, I haven’t read the book.

19. Do you get your surveys from your subscriptions page or do you actually go to specific sites and search for them? I get them from fellow survey takers on here for the most part, but Bzoink and LiveJournal as well if my dash is dead and I’m forced to hunt for them on my own haha. 20. How much is your cell phone bill each month I honestly don’t know because I’m on a family plan that my parents and brother take care of.

21. And why the heck is Cingular now AT&T? Wow, this is super old.

22. Have you ever made a house out of a giant cardboard box? I don’t think so.

23. Have you ever made a tent out of sheets in your bedroom? Yeah.

24. What’s the coolest thing you’ve made with Legos? Nothing cool.

25. When you make a survey, do you answer your own questions? I don’t make surveys.

26. If you could keep your parents or trade them for other parents, which would you pick? I wouldn’t trade them for anything, I have amazing parents. 27. Do kiwis make you think of testicles or is it just me? ...

28. Do you think it’s cool how peroxide gets all fizzy when you put it on a cut? No.

29. Is there a piggy bank in the room you’re in? No.

30. If I had to power to give you one thing right now, what would it be? Good health.

31. Do you want to get pregnant right now? Nooo. Not now, not ever.

32. Do you know anyone who doesn’t like the internet? I know people who don’t spend as much time on it, but no I can’t think of someone I know who doesn’t use it at all or have any interest in it.

33. Do your grandparents know how to operate a cell phone? Yeah, they both have smartphones. 

34. Have you ever housed a friend for a long period of time because they had no place to live? No.

35. If you have a favorite comedian, have they ever been in a movie? I don’t have one.

36. How many sets of twins do you know? One.

37. Has anyone ever made fun of you for using proper grammar? No.

38. Do you own any hemp jewelry? No.

39. Have you ever cut carpet with a carpet cutter? No, I’ve never cut carpet at all.

40. Are there any books you want to read? There’s so many books I want to read.

41. Is it before of after 3 pm? It’s way later, it’s currently 10:39PM.

42. If you have younger siblings, are you very protective of them? Yes.

43. If you have older siblings, are they very protective of you? We don’t have a close relationship. It’s not a bad one or anything, it’s just different.

44. What are your plans for New Year’s Eve? I’m positive I’ll be here at home with my family watching the NYE stuff on TV as per usual and that’s perfectly fine with me.

45. Would you like a beer? Nooo thanks.

[pbandjesse]

Its my last day of my 20s!! It only feels a little weird. But I was weepy today. I dont think it was related. I think I was just. Having a hard day. Emotional. But it was still mostly good. 

I slept alright. Getting up was hard but James came in at 830 and said he was going to bike to the store and would be back around 9. So it gave me a little time frame to wake myself up and get dressed. 

So I did that. But I was down. Just felt sad. I got washed and dressed. I was happy with my hair. I love my new sweater. It was the first time Ive worn  it and its really great. Very soft. But I was still sad. 

I have some aches and pains. I need to make an appointment to see the dentist soon. And I have a weird wound in the back of my knee. I tried to feel alright but it was hard. 

James got back and made me a bagel. I played a little animal crossing. And he worked at his desk. SweetP really likes the desk. It lets him be tall. 

Eventually though James asked if I was ready to go out and I wasnt feeling great. But I wanted to feel better. So off we went. 

First we went down to the harbor. We were squish hunting and I wanted to hit up 4 places. CVS, Marshal's, Five Below, and Target. Because they were each in a set of two spots. So we wouldnt have to keep moving the car and parking. 

CVS was a bust. They didnt have any of their easter stuff out and they didnt have any valentines ones left. We walked the aisles just in case one was misplaced but no dice. So across the street we went to Marshal's. 

Better luck there! They had a bunch of the goofy ones with the hair. An owl. Some unicorns. But I ended up getting a cuddler. I really would like the dragon one but this pegasis spoke to me. Its a very good hug. And it was on clearance. The cashier liked him too. Mostly because he was purple but I think they look like Guy Feiari. 

We went to the car and headed out to the next places. A car almost hit us when we were leaving but James kept us safe. We were just a little shaken up. 

We went to Five Below next. At first I was like. Aw man no luck. They just had a little unicorn. But I did get a mini brand surprise pack. James was trying really hard to cheer me up but I know I was radiating sadness. 

We checked out and as we were leaving James noticed that we didnt see that they had all the new easter squishes by the door! 

I was super excited. The cashier said that they just put them out but people had been calling for a week. I didnt want all of them. I got 5. I was super excited about the cow and the octopus but the goat and pig were really cute in person. James liked the carrot a lot but I want to make the bottom more pointy so they will need work. 

We still went to look at target. This target had a lot more then the one yesterday. I ended up getting a very large dragon. I almost went for the bunny loaf but I am excited about my dragon. 

We picked up some tissues and floss too. Because we are adults. Adults who were hunting for stuffed animals. And then we headed home. 

My mood was up for a little there but it dropped back down again. I was sad. It sucked. 

We went home and James would make up an at home picnic. It was to wet outside to try to do a proper one. But he made the food look all nice. He even made deviled eggs and green salad. It was a really nice meal. And we talked about my sads and he tried to understand what he could do to help. But I was just. Going through it. 

I did get another gift today. He got a surprise box of beanie babies from an antique store in Hampden. And they were almost all beanie baby birthday bears. So later in the day I would hang up a shelf for them in the studio. I think they are very cute. It was funny though because there was no february but thats okay. I like the clown ones a lot. I think they are all very cute. 

I had work to do though. After lunch I worked on the Capybara for Gaby. I finished him up fast enough that James was able to take him to Gaby when he went to take a bike ride. And that was nice. And it gave me a little time to be alone and chill with my own feelings. 

I worked on my last drawing for the 30 day project. And then I went to play animal crossing. I made a rose garden and a carnival area. I want to work on the carnival more but it was still fun. 

James got back and we talked about pancake dinner. He went to go bake in the kitchen and eventually the sun was looking really golden in the living room so I wanted to take pictures but we were having trouble with the camera and so we missed the golden light. But we still got a couple pictures. 

But then I was just. So sad. I got overheated and I just needed to go lay down.  went and laid in the studio and watched videos for a while. Eventually James came and laid with me. Until around 6 when he went to go make up pancakes for dinner. 

We had a nice dinner. And then it was time for him to go play a game with his friends. I stayed and talked for a bit. Showed off my new squishes. And my new piercing. I actually rattled my piercing a little today and the top one hurts a little. But I can tell how well its healing so Im not to worried. 

I have been hanging out for the last hour. I made outfits for the week. Played around with my renfaire costume, coming up with more accessories to make it more believable. Its been nice. 

And now I am just tired. I am ready to take a shower and get some rest. 

Its  my birthday tomorrow! I hope its just. A good day. James had to work. But I hope to like. Read. Maybe take a drive. Just have a nice day. I hope you all have a good day too. 

Goodnight everyone. Take care of yourselves!!  

[nervousandstoned]

THOMAS: ??? 

THOMAS: What the...?

THOMAS: Oh wait! I totally forgot I nngh- AH SHIT- made an ask blog! 

THOMAS: I really like the series! It’s a horror-romance rpg. Kissy Kissy, Bang Bang! IV is supposed to be the most intense game in the franchise.

THOMAS: In the newest game, you play as Yuki Yamamoto, bi-gender dumbass who is in love with this guy named Kenneth Miller- but someone else is in love with Kenneth and that someone kidnaps you and locks you in her cabin out in the middle of the woods with like three- shit- three other characters and you have to escape before she catches you! I don’t know the full story since the game just- ah SHIT- came out, but it’s my favorite game franchise.

THOMAS: It’s the first game they’ve released with an LGBT+ protagonist, and the youtubers and game reviewers who- SHITBALLS- got it pre-release said it was really inclusive and awesome! Sadly... I will not be able to purchase it though :(

THOMAS: And yes, I do happen to play video games a lot. Usually horror games, but I own all the Viva Piñata games, I have Minecraft so I can- (squeak) - COCK- play it with my brother, and Overwatch. I’m a Junkrat main!

THOMAS: Anyways... Hey, I have an ask blog and they’re wondering how your day at the mall has been!

TWEEK: DKJSGKFDSJN OH SHIT THEY CAN SEE US? ABSKJDF AAAGH- HOW DOES THAT WORK MAN?! OH GOD HAVE THEY BEEN WATCHING ME THIS ENTIRE TIME? SHIT SHIT SH-

THOMAS: No... They haven’t, Tweek. I think the blog just started working right before I came in here- shit! And I think it only follows me around.

TWEEK: mMMM... Alright I believe you, Thomas...

MARJORINE: We’ve been having an alright day! I originally came to pick up a new set of drumsticks from the store Kenny works at.

KENNY: Yeah, because you snapped your drumsticks in half by playing your set too hard during our last rehearsal.

MARJORINE: You can’t expect me to not get excited! The song is a headbanger, honey. I just... I can’t help but get super into it! Anyway... Kenny had just gotten off work and Tweek got here half an hour ago to get new dice and such for our superhero game!

THOMAS: Well, you see... It’s actually not too complicated.

THOMAS: Marjorine, Tweek, and Kenny are all in a band. Everyone in town knows who they are... However, I- FUCK- guess I befriended them all in different ways outside o-of the uh... Band thing they have going.

[Thomas has blocked out any background noise while he answers the question]

MARJORINE: What if HE shows up to the game, guys? And if HE shows up, what if HE brings his gross boyfriend? I can tolerate Corey. He’s Thomas’s brother, he’s a good kid! but... Not him. He brings out the worst in him.

THOMAS: Marjorine and I actually met at the library through a Dungeons and Dragons club that Kyle had started-(squeak)- in middle school, before she came out as a girl. She wanted to be a classic human paladin and I was a cool homebrew faun bard. She- shitfuckass- and I went out for a bit until she came out, then we kinda just went our separate ways since I’m gay. Although, we’re- COCK!- definitely still friends.

KENNY: I doubt they’re gonna be there, sugar. Besides- if he is, Kyle, Scott, and I will keep them in check. Plus, if Thomas is coming, we’ll have him as backup too. There’s no way they’ll fuck us over if we have four of us who know how to kick ass.

THOMAS: I met Kenny through Kyle. He uh.... He introduced me to Kenny when I invited him and his family over for Hanukkah back in the fifth grade. He’d brought Kenny and Kenny’s siblings along with his family since Kenny had been spending the holidays with- shit- them that year due to some issues back home. 

THOMAS: ... Kenny’s the whole reason I actually came out to my mom if I’m being completely honest. He’s awesome.

TWEEK: Make that five, Ken. Let’s not aargh- forget you’ve been teaching me self defense... And I know how to box.

KENNY: Oh yeah, you’re right, huh?

TWEEK: Yeah.

TWEEK: Anyway, Thomas, you got anything in mind for your character?

THOMAS: And then there’s Tweek. Man, uh, I actually met Tweek when he and Craig were a thing. After they split up, I dated Craig for a while, and then Tweek. Then Tweek and I separated again and he went back out with Craig up until last year. I... I actually fuck- I actually uhm... I never stopped having major feelings for him, if I’m being totally honest.

THOMAS: But I’d never have a chance with him now that he’s fully dedicated and in a relationship with Marjorine and (squeak squeak) Kenny. Plus, unfortunately, we just stressed each-other out 24-FUCKINGCOCKASS-7...

TWEEK: Thomas?

THOMAS: Huh? Wha-...?

TWEEK: I asked if you had anything in mind for your character, man. Since, ya know, Kyle used to yap all about our superhero game and franchise bullshit all the time to you when we were younger.

THOMAS: Oh- uh, yeah, I kinda do. I have a bunch of doodles and notes in my sketchbook out in my truck.

TWEEK: That’s good. Anyway, uh. We’re gonna meet up at my ngh- parents’ coffee shop tonight for the superhero roleplay. Bring dice and that sketchbook of yours. I think we’re expecting a total of 11 people tonight, counting ourselves.

TWEEK: Are you okay with that? You don’t personally know three of them, but they’re all super cool.

THOMAS: O-oh, yeah that’s just fine! I’ll uh... I’ll see you there at...?”

TWEEK: Aah-! Just be there by 4 o’clock, okay? I’ll- 

[GROUND BEGINS SHAKING VIOLENTLY]

THOMAS: What the fuck-?

KENNY: Guys, what the hell are you standing around for?! Get under something!

[LIGHTS GO FLICKER AND GO OUT]

TWEEK: GRAASALKF I CAN’T SEE ANYTHING!!

THOMAS: I can’t either!!

KENNY: Wait- what the fuck- is that a light?!

THOMAS: L...light?

[... CONNECTION TO ASK BOX LOST ...]

[... RECONNECTING ...]

[... PLEASE WAIT MOMENTARILY ...]

[... ... ...]

[... RECONNECTED TO ASK BOX ...]

[... THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE ...]

[laurelnose]

Im going to need u to explain to me what u said in the tags of the modding post in Simpleton words cause I'm. A fucking idiot when it comes to computer shit and the arm wrestling in TW2 is genuinely the most stressful thing ive ever had to endure in a video game

Also i forgot to mention this in my last ask abt being an idiot— i love u! You're rly cool. That's all ^`^

aw! ilu too anon. 

ok first of all: if the arm wrestling is the only thing about w2 that you want to fix you don’t have to fuck about with any of the unpacking nonsense! you do have to be playing on PC. I’m using this mod to always win dice poker/arm wrestling. steps as follow:

download whichever version you want (always win only arm wrestling, always win only dice poker, always win both). the file is a zip folder and you can put it wherever you want. 

extract the contents of the zip, also to wherever you want. inside is a README.txt and a file called base_scripts.dzip. you can ignore the readme, it’s just the description of the mod from the nexus site in a text file.

find your witcher 2 folder. if you’re playing on Steam, you’re looking for something like C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\the witcher 2\CookedPC. if you’re not sure, here’s how to view your Steam installation path. if you’re on GOG it’s usually C:\GOG Games\The Witcher 2\CookedPC. if not, you can find the installation path in the GOG launcher by clicking Witcher 2, then the settings button to the right of the center top bar, then “Manage Installation > Show folder”.

there should be a base_scripts.dzip already in the CookedPC folder—copy it somewhere else for backup or rename it to something like base_scripts_original.dzip

go back to your downloaded mod folder and drag and drop the mod’s base_scripts.dzip into the Witcher 2 CookedPC folder. if it asks if you want to replace the existing base_scripts.dzip say yes (but make sure to have backed up or renamed the original first!)

ta-da! load up W2 and go dunk on some arm wrestlers.

if you want to fix a BUNCH of things about W2 it’s a little harder. 

base_scripts.dzip is basically a special kind of zip folder with a bunch of smaller script files zipped into it. so for instance, the arm wrestling mod changes only the minigame scripts, while Conversation Skills Always Succeed changes only the scene_function script. technically, those don’t conflict, except the changed files have been packed up into two different base_scripts.dzip, and you can only have one base_scripts.dzip.

some mods don’t mess with base_scripts.dzip at all. True Encumbrance Remover (sets all item weights to 0 because inventory management sucks) is another one you can just drag and drop right into CookedPC, not even any file replacement required. the way to check if you’re going to need to do some fuckery for nexus mods is on the Files tab; click “Preview file contents” and if you see a base_script.dzip in there, it’ll require some fiddling if you want to use it with other base_script.dzip mods. how to do the fiddling: 

you will need:

Gibbed RED Tools

probably a copy of W2 on GOG because Steam’s a little bitch about DRM. if you have it on Steam you can redeem a free GOG copy of W2 here using the CD key you find in the Steam launcher here: 

you can try doing this modding process with Steam files, but it’s entirely possible that it’ll throw errors for you talking about file access, and if so... switch to GOG and install Witcher 2 again. i know it’s a pain to have multiple launchers but if you’re willing to fuck around this much with mods it’s not THAT much of a pain. 

ok! step 1: getting into base_scripts.dzip with Gibbed RED tools

download Gibbed RED Tools and extract the contents. you can put the resulting unzipped folder wherever you like, just make sure you know where. 

open up the windows command prompt—open the start menu, type in “cmd”, right click the program that comes up, and hit “run as administrator”. SCARY BLACK PROGRAMMING BOX. it’s ok all we have to do is type some stuff in! hit enter after every command and be sure to include all the spaces and quotation marks.

hit enter! ok now we’re inside the Gibbed RED Tools folder. we want to tell it where the original base_scripts.dzip is, and what folder it should unpack that file into. create a new folder somewhere for the unpacked files to live and then type in the next command!

first command moves us from the default folder into the folder that contains our Gibbed RED tools. the command structure is: 

cd "path to Gibbed RED tools"

so for instance:

cd "C:\Users\laurelnose\Downloads\Gibbed RED Tools"

it should unfurl a whole long list of file names! you can navigate to the folder you told it to unpack to and see all of the little script files that make up base_scripts.dzip. now we’re cooking.

the command structure is:

Gibbed.RED.Unpack.exe "location of base_scripts.dzip" "place to unzip file to"

so for example:

Gibbed.RED.Unpack.exe "C:\GOG Games\The Witcher 2\CookedPC\base_scripts.dzip" "C:\Users\laurelnose\UnpackedBaseScript"

go back to nexus mods and pick out all the base_scripts.dzip mods you want. say, Conversation Skills and Dice Poker/Arm Wrestling. or even more than that, as many as you want! repeat these steps for EACH MOD INDIVIDUALLY:

find out which files they modified. Conversation Skills is nice because they say right in their description that they modified  game\scenes\scene_functions.ws . other modders, it’s a little tougher; Poker/Wrestling doesn’t say, so i had to poke around in the “posts” tab until i found a user saying that it modified game\minigames\dicepoker.ws and game\minigames\wristwrestling.ws 

download the mod, and extract the contents into a folder. create a new folder wherever you’d like—name it whatever, but you’re going to be making one for each mod so to keep them straight something like ModNameUnpacked might be best.

go back to command line. if you closed it before, repeat the cd command to get back into the Gibbed RED Tools folder, otherwise you can just use the unpacking command again to unzip the mod’s base_scripts.dzip into your ModNameUnpacked folder. 

open up the unpacked folder and navigate through the folder structure until you find the file they said they modified. so for Conversation Skills, find scene_functions.ws in the game\scenes folder.

for instance:

Gibbed.RED.Unpack.exe "C:\Users\laurelnose\Downloads\ConversationMod\base_scripts.dzip" "C:\Users\laurelnose\Downloads\ConversationModUnpacked"

pull up your unzipped original base_scripts.dzip from the previous section. move the modified file from the mod folder into the same place in the original base_scripts.dzip folder. so scene_functions.ws goes in game\scenes in your original base_scripts.dzip folder. let it replace/overwrite the original scene_functions.ws. 

repeat this for each mod individually. if you’re doing a lot of mods you’re going to end up with a lot of folders! we can delete them later. if by some unfortunate chance you want two mods that modify the same .ws file you’d have to actually figure out which lines each one modified and rewrite your original .ws file to include both, so... idk don’t get yourself into this situation lmao

ok, now that you’ve pulled out the modified scripts from each mod you wanted and put them into your unpacked original base_scripts folder, it is time to pack that sucker up into a regular .dzip again!

back into command line. again if you closed it before, use the cd command to get back to your Gibbed RED Tools folder, otherwise the new command we’re using is:

Gibbed.RED.Pack.exe "location to put the packed folder\base_scripts.dzip" "location of files to pack up"

this time it won’t put out a whole list of files, because it didn’t pull out any files, it packed them up all neatly. check the location you told it to put base_scripts.dzip and if it’s there you’re golden!

so for example:

Gibbed.RED.Pack.exe "C:\Users\laurelnose\base_scripts.dzip" "C:\Users\laurelnose\UnpackedBaseScript"

pull up your Witcher 2 CookedPC folder—if you haven’t already backed up or renamed your original base_scripts.dzip, do that—and move your newly-created base_scripts.dzip full of all your lovely mods into the CookedPC folder!

you can now delete all of the ModNameUnpacked folders you created. if you need to start over, just delete the modded base_scripts.dzip and either move your backup into the CookedPC folder or change the name of the original back to base_scripts.dzip and that should undo all of your changes. worst case scenario you have to uninstall and reinstall, but that shouldn’t happen if you backed up your base_scripts.dzip!

[adollinthewood]

Batchix Dark Elf Unboxing~

otherwise known as one very very late birthday present!! id been eyeing @batchixdolls‘s work for a while, and when i saw she was getting ready for another dark elf preorder, and that the preorder would open on my birthday... i just knew i had to have him..... so! time to meet cadfael:

!!!DOLL NUDITY UNDER CUT!!!

first off, a rather beat-up box. not to lie i was a tad worried

but there was a lot of padding! inside was a pretty bag, those weird air-pillow things, and some bubblewrap

out comes the bag, and theres also a smaller bag! as well as something in an individual bubblewrap layer...

SWORD!!!! (the small bubblewrap was a really cool resin sword that i now love so so much) 

inside the little bag was the coa, and batchix's buisness card! i may or may not be thinking of using this bag to hold my favourite set of dice :3c

and, finally, i started to free cadfael from his wrappings...

oh my god......  i was sent a picture of his faceup by buff before she mailed him, but seeing it in person? i love it a whole lot... and his skin is such a nice light grey as well!!

i absolutely adore the new hands batchix sculpted for this round of elves. such lovely pointy nails~ he deserves some hand blushing me thinks...

and hes finally fully freed... hes able to kneel really well :0c

he stands too!! its a little bit finicky because his feet like to be close together. but overall it was easy to get him to stand. i love his sculpting!! he's the most realistically-proportioned doll ive gotten. im really a fan of it >:o

oh what beautiful profile... and one of the things i fell in love with... that nose...

...and then i went to put his eyes in and the top magnet on his headcap popped out. ill superglue it back in later

continuing on the small streak of bad luck, im apparently out of eye putty. :/ so heres me awkwardly holding his eyes in with my fingers. however he does look very nice with eyes in. im loving the dark purple i bought for him

temporary clothing so family doesnt have to look at his dong... its so big because its 1/3 size. hes fuckin Swimming in it

his hands get lost so easily in this coat. (its more like a robe on him honestly)

finally we have him sitting on a bookshelf. which is his home for the time being until i can get a doll stand. you can also see that i repurposed the elastics that were keeping the bubblewrap on his hands to keep said hands from dissapearing into the depths of his robe

im planning on making his outfit my first sewing project. hes meant to be in sort of an old norse-viking style outfit. my need for at least vague historical accuracy combined with his uncommon size makes me want to try and make his clothes myself

no wig yet as well because his hair is Super Long. gonna need a custom one overall, i adore him, and im so happy he finally arrived! hes so handsome ;o;

[darkspellmaster]

Thoughts on E3 2018 -EA

I’m going to start this out by saying right now that I’m basing my review of Nintendo on what they showed in the Treehouse as well as the main direct. So the score is going to be based on what we know by the end of day three of the treehouse, and the same for the other groups if they had additional presentations after their main show.

So let’s start with EA….Oh EA….

Starting out with the Host Andrea Rene, who I feel got stuck in a rock and a hard place with this weak presser, as she’s known for being a better host for her other appearances. Honestly, I somewhat had to honestly cringe on her segment with Respawn’s developer Vince Zampella due to the weird comment about getting to hold a light saber. Like I don’t know if she was trying to be funny, sarcastic, or sexy here? I was confused with it. Again, I don’t blame her for the conference, but I didn’t feel like she was a good fit for this given the response. Then again, I don’t think that anyone could have made that Conference work.

As for the games shown, I have a few thoughts.

Battlefield V looks nice, presentation wise, but given that it’s mostly a cinematic trailer, we didn’t really get to see a lot of in game footage. What we did learn though from Dice was that the environments are now destructive, and you can dive roll out windows (which might be interesting if you’re into that) as well as having movable artillery (which didn’t happen in the last game) which could be useful if you’re into that. Also they reiterated the lack of Loot Boxes and premium passes, yet didn’t mention anything about a deal with microtransactions. On top of this they’re bringing back a Battle Royal to the game.

There’s not much I can say on this other then what has been said already, although the fact that it’s pretty much what DICE has been doing in regard to the main series anyway. Given that leveling up has some ties to currency, I’m wondering if in lieu of loot boxes they’re just going to microtransaction this game. What has me a bit worried about the Single player aspect of the game is that there’s hints that it’s going to be tied into the live service which makes me think that it’s going to be limited play offline, and for someone that prefers playing mostly off line…

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order had no trailer at all. Just Respawn’s Vince Zampella explaining what it is. I’m not even sure if they were planning to have it be something to be presented (why even mention it if it’s not ready to be?) but it was a really odd vibe with that moment. The game itself doesn’t seem to have a lot going on. What we know was that it’s taking place between Episodes III and IV, and deals with a padawaan that escaped from Anakin’s moment of being nutty and you can use lightsabers. However, unless this is Kaan’s story we’re kind of running into the whole “Luke not being the last Jedi” story thus nullifying the line that Yoda said somewhat. Unless he or she never takes the Jedi oath.  I mean, sounds cool, but we don’t even know what sort of type of game it is. We do know it will be out during the Holiday season 2019. So that’s a plus, but I would think that we’d at least have gotten a quick moment of something to see.

Star Wars Battlefront II made me roll my eyes a bit, as it was repeated trailer footage over and over, which personally annoys me, but I guess was the only thing they had to show. So we saw the new Solo Content, Yay –I guess? And learned we’re getting an expansion for the Clone Wars with Obi Wan, Grievous, Dooku and Anakin showing up for that. No surprise that EA had the Director of the game saying that they made some mistakes over EA actually apologizing for their horrible practices. Yeah, no EA, you don’t get a pass for any of the BS you pulled this past year.

Unravel 2 by  Coldwood Interactive  came out the day of the conference, which was a nice change of pace. I will say this much the creative team was nervous, but showed a great deal of love for Yarny and his new companion. The fact that this is local co-op is a plus, and seems to be a fun game. Already I’m loving the blue Yarny and it looks like it’s going to be a strong story. The one thing that was rather sad about this game is that it’s not coming to the Switch and –apparently according to the development team via Twitter –they don’t have the resources to do that, even though this game and the previous one would have been a good choice for the Switch. The fact that the team said it wishes they could do it makes me wonder if EA is sending any money the way of the Originals teams that they have. If not, they should start considering porting games like this to the switch because I can tell you it will sell even more over on that console then the Xbox and PS4.

Sea of Solitude is yet another Indie that I would say saved the EA presser from falling into a F grade and leaves it at an E. The creative director from Jo –Mei games, the creators of this game from Germany, Cornelia Geppert, was extremely cute and excited to be on stage. Her infectious excitement made people applaud even more when they put the trailer on the screen. The thing that caught my attention about this game is that it covers the idea of depression and loneliness in a very strong and very direct way. The designs of the monsters and the story about a human becoming a bird like creature, which I think has ties to German folklore is really cool and again, I wish this was coming to the switch, although we don’t know at this point if it will or won’t. If EA was smart it would allow for it.

And then EA decided to screw up the love that was being given to them via the indies by pulling out…a mobile game of Command and Conquer.

Command and Conquer: Rivals…I have words about this. The original game series was a Real Time strategy game that had a lot of complexity to the creation of the game play and the set up to maintain and manage your resources while taking out the opposing team. The last game of this nature from the Command and conquer franchise came out in 2013, on PC, and then Victory was shuttered. Which leads us to the new game. Command and Conquer Rivals is mobile and while the team does boast some former members that worked on Command and Conquer a lot of the game play relies on the idea of tapping the smart phone screen. There’s no camera movement so you’re in a static place and can’t see what’s around you to figure out what you need to do. Given the reaction to Rivals so far, it seems like people are not too happy with the situation. This game, apparently, is trying to get in with the Clans like games. Which makes me wonder if we’re going to see a lot of money grabs from EA on it.

Something slightly worse was the whole shoutcast that was put up by EA, and that I wound up skipping because it seemed way too staged. The fact that it’s also a one vs. one deal makes me think that they’re going after the Pokemon go crowd as well.

The final piece from EA was the Bioware game that I’ve been dreading…

Anthem, is…in a word…Sad. I don’t mean it’s sad in the sense that it’s physically depressing to see as it has the same sleek Bioware style, that’s not the issue. I expected nothing less from Bioware and the team behind this game. My issue for the sad comes from the fact that it’s a Game as a Service, or GAAS. Which means it’s on line all the time, and that means if you have crappy internet connections you may as well skip this game. While they mentioned that the game will have no loot boxes, there was nothing about no microtransactions, and, given the nature of the game and the whole “We have content for years to come” it makes me think that this is going to end up catering only to people who like to play Destiny. The fact that normally fans of Bioware tend to like RPGs, and thus more single player affairs over multiplayer affairs makes me think that EA is trying to use Bioware to grab at the GAAS players. Now, on the one hand, it’s true that there are a lot of players that like GAAS games, and I’m not saying that they’re bad. The issue becomes, again, if you don’t have the net for it, and given the FCC crap that just went through it makes me wonder how badly this whole thing will work out. Also if you don’t like Always online games you may as well pass on this because that’s all this is going to be.  How do you manage to make Iron Man fighting Monsters seem dull. Great Job guys at doing that. 

We also saw notices about Fifa 19, and it’s practically become a monopoly given that Konami and another studio lost their license of the Championship and another tournament from Soccer. Not much changed  other than some sort of mini game, and then we had Madden and NBA, and I think that was it. I didn’t pay much mind to a lot of it because after seeing the indie presentation it felt like EA had lost touch with what makes for a good presentation….

So over all I would give EA an E, the indie area of their presser was nice and gave some bit of hope, but the over all presentation of mostly Online games and sports games, felt like EA has forgone making actual games and is now pretty much a version of Blizzard Activison.

[lalka-laski]

1. Have you ever seen two movies at the theater in a row?   I have at the drive-in. There's always double features.

2. If you were to go to Starbucks right this second, what do you think you’d order? I just tried the funnel cake latte a couple weeks ago and LOVED it, so probably that.

3. Do you own any dice? I don't believe so.

4. Do you like to wear cardigans? I wear them for convenience but honestly I don't look very good in them. I'm broad shouldered but flat chested so wearing cardigans with a low cut top just make me look like a board. LOL

5. If I were to ask you nicely, would you please consider making a survey for me and everyone else? I don't make surveys, just take them.

6. What is the worst thing a child has ever done to you while you were babysitting? The kids I've babysat have all been well-behaved and nothing traumatic comes to mind. Except once when I was putting a girl to bed and she went "are you sure there's nobody in the house?" BITCH WHAT DO YOU MEAN

7. If you wear contacts, do they tend to get really dry after only wearing them for just a couple hours? –

8. Have you ever watched any British television shows? Of course. Britcoms are my favorite!

9. Do you own a nightgown? Actually yes, although they're more like sleep shirts.

10. If you could get any pet right now, what would you? I'm ok not having pets

11. Have you played Grand Theft Auto: IV? If so, what do you think of it? Never

12. How often does your internet disconnect? Kind of often at my apartment. I only connect to the guest wifi as opposed to the wifi for my individual unit because I'm too lazy to type in my long-ass password.

13. Have you ever actually been stuffed into a locker? Uh no.

14. Do you / did you decorate the inside of your locker at school with stuff? I honestly didn't, which is quite unlike me.

15. How many teenagers do you know who have babies? None currently but I knew a few teen moms.

16. Is there a fan in the room you’re in right now? Yep on my desk

17. Do you believe that chivalry is really dead? I guess in the strictest, most traditional sense? But that's not a bad thing.

18. If you have one, what’s your favorite novel by Chuck Palahniuk? I've never read anything by him, surprisingly. I think because I'm so turned off by the type of guys he seems to attract as readers.

19. Do you get your surveys from your subscriptions page or do you actually go to specific sites and search for them? I get most of them from this girl I kind of cyber-stalk. She posts the best surveys! 20. How much is your cell phone bill each month I'm not sure because it's a family plan

22. Have you ever made a house out of a giant cardboard box? Mmm nope

23. Have you ever made a tent out of sheets in your bedroom? Oh yes. I loved making forts!

24. What’s the coolest thing you’ve made with Legos? I've never built anything with legos I don't think. 25. When you make a survey, do you answer your own questions? I don’t make 'em

26. If you could keep your parents or trade them for other parents, which would you pick? God, I wouldn't trade mine for anything! 27. Do kiwis make you think of testicles or is it just me? That's def just you buddy

28. Do you think it’s cool how peroxide gets all fizzy when you put it on a cut? I guess?

29. Is there a piggy bank in the room you’re in? Nope

30. If I had to power to give you one thing right now, what would it be? A fast-forward through this workday so I can get home and get back in bed!

31. Do you want to get pregnant right now? I wouldn't *MIND* it however Glenn & I would like to be officially married first, and I'd like us to be more financially stable. And preferably have a house or townhome.

32. Do you know anyone who doesn’t like the internet? The only person I can think of who doesn't use it is my grandfather.

33. Do your grandparents know how to operate a cell phone? I only have one remaining grandparent and he can barely operate his landline.

34. Have you ever housed a friend for a long period of time because they had no place to live? Nah. A day or two, yeah. But nothing beyond that.

35. If you have a favorite comedian, have they ever been in a movie? I like Jim Gaffigan stand-up a lot, and a few other comedians who's names escape me.

36. How many sets of twins do you know? Several

37. Has anyone ever made fun of you for using proper grammar? I've actually been ridiculed for using "big" words. The same guy also made fun of me for being a college graduate so, not really sure what those insults were about ha.

38. Do you own any hemp jewelry? Nope

39. Have you ever cut carpet with a carpet cutter? Uh no.

40. Are there any books you want to read? I have a few on my TBR list but that won't happen 'til I finish the one I'm currently reading. It's taking me forever because the writing is so dry and boring.

41. Is it before of after 3 pm? Way way before

42. If you have younger siblings, are you very protective of them? Yeah but I don't need to be. She has a good head on her shoulders.

43. If you have older siblings, are they very protective of you? She is, yeah. And she's scary too!

44. What are your plans for New Year’s Eve? Glenn & I usually have a cozy night at home with champagne and homemade appetizers. I have so much fun cooking up a whole spread and then relaxing for the evening. It's way more my speed than the rowdy NYE parties of my early years...

45. Would you like a beer? I mean I'd love one but it's 8 am and I'm at work so

[suckitsurveys]

1. Have you ever seen two movies at the theater in a row?   I think so.

2. If you were to go to Starbucks right this second, what do you think you’d order? A venti green tea latte.

3. Do you own any dice? I do. I have purple polyhedral dice from my brief stint in D&D life. I hung onto them because I think they are pretty neat just to have, but now the are just sitting in a drawer somewhere. I literally haven’t touched them in 7 years. 4. Do you like to wear cardigans? Sure.

5. If I were to ask you nicely, would you please consider making a survey for me and everyone else? I’ve done it before. Maybe @tapiooocasurveys and I could collaborate and come up with a good one.

6. What is the worst thing a child has ever done to you while you were babysitting? I mean, nothing too crazy, but my niece drew on the walls when I was babysitting her once. That’s really the worst thing I could think of besides like, vomit and poop stories, which aren’t really their fault.

7. If you wear contacts, do they tend to get really dry after only wearing them for just a couple hours? Yeah, which is why I don’t wear them often.

8. Have you ever watched any British television shows? Fawlty Towers comes to mind.

9. Do you own a nightgown? Nope. GAH this question reminds me of this girl who used to take surveys in the LiveJournal community who was stuck in the 1950′s with her shitty world view and was like openly racist. Almost every time a survey asked what she was wearing she would answer with “a nightgown” which always made me think of her in like this long cottony grandma nightgown because I’m pretty sure she was actually an 80 year old woman and now I can’t get it out of my head GAH.

10. If you could get any pet right now, what would you? More kitties please.

11. Have you played Grand Theft Auto: IV? If so, what do you think of it? I haven’t.

12. How often does your internet disconnect? WAY TOO MUCH.

13. Have you ever actually been stuffed into a locker? I’ve voluntarily gotten into one before.

14. Do you / did you decorate the inside of your locker at school with stuff? I did! I always had pictures and stuff in there.

15. How many teenagers do you know who have babies? None currently.

16. Is there a fan in the room you’re in right now? Yes, there are a few.

17. Do you believe that chivalry is really dead? Whatever, just fucking be nice to everyone.

18. If you have one, what’s your favorite novel by Chuck Palahniuk? I’ve never read anything by Chuck Palahniuk.

19. Do you get your surveys from your subscriptions page or do you actually go to specific sites and search for them? I mostly get them from Kayla since she seems to find them before I do, which makes me a little upset because I want her to comment on my answers like I do with hers sometimes! Haha.

20. How much is your cell phone bill each month? I have no idea oops.

21. And why the heck is Cingular now AT&T? Wow this is old.

22. Have you ever made a house out of a giant cardboard box? Yes.

23. Have you ever made a tent out of sheets in your bedroom? Yup.

24. What’s the coolest thing you’ve made with Legos? I have no idea.

25. When you make a survey, do you answer your own questions? Of course.

26. If you could keep your parents or trade them for other parents, which would you pick? Nope.

27. Do kiwis make you think of testicles or is it just me? Sure.

28. Do you think it’s cool how peroxide gets all fizzy when you put it on a cut? It’s kind of neat, sure. Apparently the fizz means it’s killing germs and that appeals to me.

29. Is there a piggy bank in the room you’re in? Nope.

30. If I had to power to give you one thing right now, what would it be? Money.

31. Do you want to get pregnant right now? I want to get pregnant NEVER thank you.

32. Do you know anyone who doesn’t like the internet? I don’t know.

33. Do your grandparents know how to operate a cell phone? Good lord no. She has one but definitely cannot use it without help which kind of defeats the purpose of her having one.

34. Have you ever housed a friend for a long period of time because they had no place to live? I haven’t.

35. If you have a favorite comedian, have they ever been in a movie? Yeah, he’s been in a few.

36. How many sets of twins do you know? I know one set on a personal level; my cousin who does my hair and her sister. There’s another set in my family that we never see, and I know a set I went to school with. I wish I knew more tbh!

37. Has anyone ever made fun of you for using proper grammar? No.

38. Do you own any hemp jewelry? I do.

39. Have you ever cut carpet with a carpet cutter? What.

40. Are there any books you want to read? I want to read the book Kayla got me whose name is escaping me right now. I also would love to re-read all the Ramona Quimby books for fun.

41. Is it before of after 3 pm? Before.

42. If you have younger siblings, are you very protective of them? --

43. If you have older siblings, are they very protective of you? Ugh, my sister is very protective of me and I dislike it A LOT. She tries to protect me from too much and she like, thinks she has to be my mom since our passed. I don’t like it. It’s a weird feeling because when I was younger I looked up to her SO MUCH and wanted her advice on everything and trusted her judgement but ever since she got together with that fucking asshole, I have started to realize she’s not always right about everything and it’s kind of upsetting because that’s my sister and I love her but she needs to not try to be my mother.

44. What are your plans for New Year’s Eve? Mark and I were in Holland, MI.

45. Would you like a beer? Sure.

[idolizerp]

[ LOADING INFORMATION ON OLYMPUS’ LEAD VOCAL KIM SEWOON…. ]

DETAILS

CURRENT AGE: 29 DEBUT AGE: 21 SKILL POINTS: 15 VOCAL | 07 DANCE | 04 RAP | 14 PERFORMANCE SECONDARY SKILLS: Lyric writing

INTERVIEW

i. they called him dirty when he walked into the audition, bad hair colouring and clothing thrown into one big chaotic avant-garde piece on a body. he put the same chaos where his mouth was, fighting early judgement with a whip in the mouth. they couldn’t get rid of it then, there was too little time to teach an old dog new tricks, so, instead, they groomed him - cleaned up his appearance and cut his tongue rounder. he became the unlikely mix of sweet and toned down sour, his appearance serving for a cold demeanor while an inviting, proud smile emphasized all the fairy tales coming from his mouth. it cleaned up for anything straightforward that slipped out. there was little way to foresee how big his next step would be and how close he’d be willing to get to the edge of acceptable behavior. he played a game, nimble fingers rolling the dice exiting and eye catching – undeniably hard to ignore.

ii. it seems that everything about him is different when he comes back from the army. from his stance and walk all the way to his demeanor, he’s changed for the better or worse. there’s an aura of a grown up around him, a lack of a rebelling teenager smirk prominet. the calm and collected attitude is a whole other extreme none of the fans, members or staff in the company are used to. it was like a fall of personality, about which he found himself conversing in the company. after a head was nodded (‘make the change smoother, we don’t need culture-shock’ – as if the lost member coming back wasn’t one in the start), the new him was observed by a panel of others - one that seemed to be consisting of the whole world, as for the first six months comments about how different he seemed and how well he did in ‘tell me’ were the only things he heard. with ocean’s calm in his eyes and a smile of zen, he nodds along it and falls into an open discussion when given the chance. matured, they say, as they pat his shoulder. now he’s a real idol.

BIOGRAPHY

i. it was dead silent as they dined. not that many more voices ever rang in the household, ice walls tall and proud between each person kneeling behind the table. the most vivid sound in his memory is his father flipping pages of a newspaper while his mother blew into a spoon to cool down the tasteless everyday broth. the youngest pair of eyes behind the table were the only ones looking up, flickering between the rustling of a page turned and a human produced breeze throughout the whole hour of dinner. silence of strangers was natural for a family with discord, words the equivalent of static to each other’s ears as they leave the mouth. a man of authority whose uniform was glued to his frame no matter the occasion, controlling and prideful of sucking the life out of a rose-cheeked ten year younger prima ballerina who fell before her career could even start after a cruel twist of faith. or, rather, an ankle. and then there’s the kid - round, dove eyes and striking up conversations, questions raised fading into the dull atmosphere in the room having received no reaction. the best the young soul could do was chew at his rice as his curious gaze turned more spiteful with each evening passing.

ii. the first time the two gazes turned to their blood was when he smashed his metal chopsticks against the table, sound resonating in the dimly lit room. the boy who grew up in silence and in between cold demeanor was so surprised at the attention the original rant he had been writing in his head ever since realization that strangers is a more fitting way to describe the group of three than family.

“i- am bleaching my hair.”

he had never seen the visual of mother chocking and his father patting her back as something like a hiss left his mouth. from the look of it, it was directed at the notorious. it’s amusing, the reaction. so much so that he buys the silver box himself out of his pocket money for lunch. the work is sloppy and slightly remindful of one dropping a sunny-side egg on top of their head, but this time he’s the only one behind the table looking down, relishing with the slightest uplift of the corners of his lips as chopsticks hit them with peaces of food.

iii. everything in the open is based on obtaining a reaction, books read and subjects learned left to the darkness of his bedroom. but the hair colours changing with every other season became a casual occurrence. whatever ink left marks on his skin after the boy hit legal age along with the delusion of independence dried in the heads of his closest strangers. the turned man with the preference of an oil and fire combination slowly swung on his chair behind the table as he honked for attention much more purposefully than the teenager had a few years back.

“i’m auditioning.”

“where?”

“to be an idol.”

a hand hits the table, making the plates dance along to the song of the young man’s victory. one he also celebrated in his head as the amusement he longed for was back on his features.

“you don’t even sing.”

“you don’t know that.” he shoots his mother down, ignoring the bull-like breaths taken from his left, undeniable anger sprouting in his own tone. a spicy atmosphere would have felt endearing hadn’t the woman on the right opened the door of connection - the same one that didn’t exist in the household.

“can you dance?”

that’s more like it.

“can’t everyone?” no, he figured out later.

the fizzle coming out of his father’s nose was distracting, an image of a hog, breaths fogging up right at the tip of his nose. the image put up on the same wall of ice between the family members as an accomplishment, the boy has enough decency to thank his mother for the meal before excusing himself.

“son, you’re too old.”

“you would surely know that, mother.”

iv. too old. that didn’t seem like a reasonable factor but not all minds thought alike. it was one lesson the young man learned while standing in front of multiple panels, judges and camera tests. the habit of shooting blindly at any comment made – defense mechanism of sort – was effective only in front of ones he developed it in the first place.

the answer was always too similar “you can talk and have a good voice but it doesn’t make up for what you’re lacking. you’re a bad dancer, you’re attitude needs fixing, your appearance is dirty.” in the end it was all wrapped in a nice bow of not enough time for him to make up for what he was lacking and develop what he naturally had. no matter how many philosophies on time, it doesn’t wait, - by the years it might have taken the nineteen year old lacking, he would have become an unattractive age for a debuting idol.

after a twist of faith of his own, a thought flashes in his head that maybe he was, in fact, too old for this. he thought about it all the time as sweat dripped down on the floor from the tip of the nose of the crouched man after the n'th practice of the same dance routine or singing his breath out as songs blared loudly in the room. it was undeniable he lacked, stamina most of all, the nickname of ‘five’ sticking to him like glue as the trainee found himself showing the palm of his hand at people who tried talking to him in the moments of practice.

“five more minutes.”

in his defense, he was genuinely trying.

v. debut, comebacks and stable attention make time slip past digits like sand. it mixed well with the loud siren he was, portrayed as an unlikely sweet and sour that complimented his sharp eyes, he felt himself prospering even when labeled a growing concern inside of his group no matter how shiny and glittery the company served the lead vocalist.

the way his manager pushed a letter in front of him, typing on the letter too formal for it to be one of a fans’ was implicate, eyes quickly scanning trough the paper, the content triggering memories from teenage years. his father’s pushes in the ‘righteous’ direction with an underlying traditional want for his son to step into his shoes flashed in vivid, bleeding colour. except that the company had much more than family ties with the twenty-six year old. a contract straight from hell signed with his blood.

‘olympus’ sewoon early military enlistment’

not so breaking when most netizens seemed to have foreseen it, already blaming him for the breakup of the group in ten more years or so. meanwhile the man turned into a rebelling teenager once more, much more silent under contract as he hissed at the pains of the needle of a tattoo gun sinking into soft flesh, making as many feelings in pictures and words. they were the last kicks of a newborn before learning how to crawl.

vi. the comeback is rather underwhelming, a few waves and a subtile smile at a fan or two waiting before hiding in the comfort of the company van that picked him up.

h i d i n g.

he’s back unrecognisable. the changed body frame and stance couldn’t beat the absence of a once booming voice. eyes somehow softer, just like his new neutral smile, he became an observer – calm and collected, lingering somewhere in the back. a man with a the perfect ratio of gentleman and silence, all on top of an endearing visual. truthfully, he fell out of what was labelled as ‘himself’ as he marched between men dressed in neutrals. strategies replaced acting on impulse, encouragement bowed in front of a set amount of rules he got used to under the strict influence. cash pools of tattoo parlous suffered from the lack of the man under the gun even after he came back. conversations with fellow members becoming mellow, awkwardness heavy in the air after the reappearing of the two year lost member with collages of it molded into small videos all over internet. the company’s hair dressers were ecstatic - at least they didn’t have to guess what colour his hair would be when they show up to work anymore, because everything stopped abruptly.

kim sewoon became an enigma. there, but not really. loud, but not quite. attentive, but somewhere in his own head. a man lost in the papers he kept scribbling on ever since he developed the habit of lyrical thought during night time while away.

truthfully, he was becoming his father. the only thing he was lacking was a uniform.

[adambstingus]

10 Fun, Cheap Date Nights You Can Have At Home (That Aren’t Netflix)

How often have I babbled on about the importance of keeping the romance alive in your relationship? Im not trying to be annoying or repetitive, but it is important! I am a firm believer that religiously practicing date night on a regular basis is crucial to relationship health. Let me be mores specific. Im not talking about a double or triple date where the conversation is flying six different ways. I do love those group dates with my favorite couples, but I am talking about the importance of one-on-one dates with your boo. Setting aside quality time to spend with your hubby with no distractions is like an apple a day for your relationship.

To keep these date nights interesting, youll want to mix it up and try new things. Obviously, date night has the potential of becoming a very expensive activity. Try hitting up Groupon and Living Social for not only cheap dates, but dates you would have never thought of yourself, like flying trapeze classes or a painting class at a local bar. But for those of us that arent rolling in the dough, these internet deals can still be a splurge. Dont worry, I am here to tell you that you can still have a date night every two weeks (or once a month, whichever you fancy) at home and on a budget. Here are some creative ways to make your date night romantic, entertaining, and low cost.

1. Living Room Camping

This is one has sentimental value to me. When my fianc and I first started dating I was going through a rough time in generally and the bad days at work didnt help. When Id had a particularly crappy day, I would come home to find a good old fashioned fort in the living room. The outside was made with sheets and furniture; inside he made a comfortable cushioned floor using pillows and comforters. We would take refuge inside the fort and forget about all of our problems. Dont knock it until you try it! Use your fireplace or some candles as a mock campfire, roast some marshmallows and tell ghost stories. How does that not sound like a good time?

2. Outdoor Dining

If youve got a nice or even just a clean backyard, use it! Set up a small table for two outside complete with candles and a bottle of wine. Put on some nice background music and have a good old fashioned backyard dinner. Its very romantic. Unlike eating on patio of a restaurant with twenty other couples sharing your moment, this makes for a very private and intimate setting. Think your backyard or patio doesnt have the ambiance needed for outdoor dining? An easy fix is to hang cheap outdoor lights. Its amazing how one detail can work wonders on setting the mood.

3. Boudoir Photo Shoot

Okay, so if you are a little more on the reserved side (cough, prude, cough), this one may not be your cup of tea, but hear me out before you rule it out completely. Date night is supposed to be all out coming together with your significant other and getting intimate. I think this is pretty intimate, not to mention fun for all parties involved. Start by choosing a designated back drop like a free wall, a hanging sheet, the bed, etc. Pick a few different pieces of lingerie to change into. Give your guy a camera (prob best if its not a camera phone, dont want these pictures accidentally getting posted on Facebook or Instagram), and let him take control of the photo shoot. Youre the model, he is the director. Enjoy (insert winky face here).

4. Wine Tasting

If you and your guy are wine-os, youll love this one. Use your kitchen table, bar, or coffee table. Set out a few different bottles of wine and glasses. Make sure to set out some food that pairs well with what youll be drinking, think cheeses, veggies, bread, etc. No food equals getting drunk way too fast, passing out early, and a nasty hangover. That being said, take your time as you would if you were in Napa on a rustic vineyard. Swirl, sniff, sip, and then discuss your opinions on flavor and stuff. Obviously I am not well educated on wine specifics, but you dont have to be to enjoy this. Its just you and your boo, no wine snobs to make you feel dumb. If you are a wine snob, great! Youll have fun with this one too and there wont be any amateurs to slow down your night. Remember to light some candles and put on background music!

5. Game Night

Game night can go one of three ways and Ill leave it up to you to try one or all three. The first is nostalgia game night. Choose your favorite childhood board games (mine are Candy Land and Operation) and laugh at the memories over a bottle of wine or your favorite beer. The second is adult game night. This includes a more grown up version with games like Cards Against Humanity. The third is x-rated game night. Go to your local sex shop or search online for an intimate adult game. There are tons to choose from involving blind folds, melted chocolate, and roll of the body part dice. Whether you choose PG, x-rated, or all three, game night with your handsome babe is sure to be loads of fun.

6. Project/Craft Night

With all of the hours we spend pinning cool crafts on Pinterest, this option seems very appealing. But please, for the love of god, do not make your significant other do something he will hate like knitting or scrap-booking. Choose a house project youve been meaning to get around to or a fun project you can both be involved in. Make sure this is an activity that interests BOTH of you, not just you and not just him. Youll also make sure this is something that is more fun than it is hard work, remember you are doing this as a date. Order a pizza or take out and of course you can add alcohol to the mix if you fancy. Put on your favorite Pandora station and get to work. My man and I did this as a date night with a painting I had seen on Pinterest. It was a hand painting in which each family members hand was in a different color and the prints were all over the canvas, overlapping each other. It looked really cool, so we tried it and of course included the dogs. It was interesting night to say the least, dogs and paint can get messy. No matter, now we have a somewhat decent piece of handmade art to hang in our home.

7. Karaoke

Yes, Blake and I have done this and it was so much fun! We didnt plan on it, it just happened. We started one night with tacos and margaritas, an hour later we were taking turns on the Play Station 3 mic and singing our little hearts out. A bit of heads up, this may not be the greatest idea if you have close proximity neighbors who dont like crappy singing and loud music. If you can, do this! Such a great way to let loose with the one you love. Not into singing? No problem, make it a dance party instead. Im not a video game person, not in the slightest, but karaoke and dancing games are perfect for this. We have Sing Star and Just Dance for Play Station. If you dont have these games but want to try them, check your local rental store or RedBox. You wont regret this one!

8. Spa Session

I know what youre thinking, my manly man wont even get in a bubble bath. First of all, that sucks for him. Second of all, he will end up truly enjoying this one if he approaches it with an open mind. Okay ladies, dont torture your men! No tweezing, waxing, or anything else that is painful and/or will change his appearance. Thats how youll send him running and screaming out of the bathroom. Instead, make this a relaxation effort, not a make over. Run a warm bubble bath with salts and scented oils. While youre waiting for the tub to fill, start with a face mask. I like the warming ones, they immediately send my mind into relaxation mode. Help your beau apply and rinse off his mask. Slip into the tub together and just relax and talk. For added romance, carefully place a few candles safely around the tub and bring a glass of wine for each of you. Just dont get so relaxed that you fall asleep, because after the tub youll want to move it into the bedroom and take turns giving each other back massages. Stop by a body shop like Bath & Body Works for some aromatherapy massage oil. Best spa session ever.

9. Cooking Class

I know I said in home and I meant it. When I say cooking class I dont mean attending an actual cooking class, I mean doing your own cooking class with just the two of you. Find a recipe from a cooking magazine, book, or show that sounds delish to both of you but neither have any experience with cooking such a dish. You will work together, sharing the tasks at hand. And I mean for you to cook an actual gourmet meal, not Mac & Cheese from a box, no matter how much you crave it sometimes. This is your date night activity, so have some fun with it. Put on your aprons and help each other chop, season, and stir the ingredients. When youve completed your edible masterpiece, its time to dig in. Sit down to a table set for two and cheers each other to your cooking accomplishment.

10. Star Gazing

Its back outside for this date night. Sometimes all you need is star-filled night sky to add that little extra bit of romance. If you have a cozy backyard (and ideally a fire pit to keep you warm), take a thermos filled with hot cocoa or spiked cider, a blanket, and your loved one to do some star gazing. Do some research before hand and make a game of trying to spot certain constellations. If you have a stable flat roof, set up some lawn chairs and enjoy the view from up there. Be careful getting on and off your roof! No back yard or accessible roof? Take a stroll down to your local park. Odds are, it will be deserted after dark and the jungle gym style toys make for great seats.

No matter what you choose to do on your date nights, make sure you are focused on each other. Make it about you two and nothing else. Hopefully Ive inspired you to try something new with your partner in crime. Maybe one of these unique date nights will start a spark and youll be truly glad you branched out. If nothing else, simply relish in the company of your loved one.

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/2017/07/27/10-fun-cheap-date-nights-you-can-have-at-home-that-arent-netflix/ from All of Beer https://allofbeercom.tumblr.com/post/163476190967

[lovemesomesurveys]

1. Have you ever seen two movies at the theater in a row?  Nope.

2. If you were to go to Starbucks right this second, what do you think you'd order? Well, I wouldn’t cause it’s 12:02AM so it’s late and it’s closed, BUT I would get their smoked butterscotch latte that they have out right now. Sooo good.

3. Do you own any dice? That come with board games, yes.

4. Do you like to wear cardigans? I do.

5. If I were to ask you nicely, would you please consider making a survey for me and everyone else? No, sorry. I’m not creative enough to come up with questions.

6. What is the worst thing a child has ever done to you while you were babysitting? I’ve only babysat my lil bro and cousins, but man they used to fight and be bratty when they were kids. I would get so frustrated. I used the ol’, “If you don’t stop then I’m going to call mom!” bit, which didn’t always work.

7. If you wear contacts, do they tend to get really dry after only wearing them for just a couple hours? I don’t wear contacts. The idea of putting them on and taking them off freaks me out.

8. Have you ever watched any British television shows? I don’t think so, actually.

9. Do you own a nightgown? Yeah.

10. If you could get any pet right now, what would you? I’m not ready to get another pet right now, but when we do we would get another dog.

11. Have you played Grand Theft Auto: IV? If so, what do you think of it? I have not.

12. How often does your internet disconnect? Not often.

13. Have you ever actually been stuffed into a locker? No. I was actually worried about stuff like that before I entered high school cause of movies and shows I saw as a kid.

14. Do you / did you decorate the inside of your locker at school with stuff? I didn’t have a locker. I didn’t want one.

15. How many teenagers do you know who have babies? Currently none, but in a couple months I will.

16. Is there a fan in the room you're in right now? No.

17. Do you believe that chivalry is really dead? Nah. I’ve seen it, experienced it.

18. If you have one, what's your favorite novel by Chuck Palahniuk? I haven’t read any of his books.

19. Do you get your surveys from your subscriptions page or do you actually go to specific sites and search for them? Normally I just get them from fellow survey takers I follow on Tumblr, but sometimes no one is posting or I can’t find one I like or haven’t taken recently, so I search on Live Journal. That’s where this one came from.

20. How much is your cell phone bill each month? I’m apart of a family plan, and for three of us with our data plan and phones and such it’s like $200 and something. Pretty crazy.

21. And why the heck is Cingular now AT&T? I’m guessing AT&T bought them? It’s been that way for so long that I forgot. When I got my first cell phone it was Cingular.

22. Have you ever made a house out of a giant cardboard box? I might have as a kid, I don’t recall.

23. Have you ever made a tent out of sheets in your bedroom? Yesss. My cousins and I used to do that a lot.

24. What's the coolest thing you've made with Legos? Nothing cool. Just simple stuff.

25. When you make a survey, do you answer your own questions? I don’t make surveys, so.

26. If you could keep your parents or trade them for other parents, which would you pick? I would never trade my parents for anything in the world. They mean the world to me. My mom and I are especially close, she’s my rock. They’re my biggest support system. They have always been there, encouraging and supporting me along the way. They have been through all my ups and downs, and always will be.

27. Do kiwis make you think of testicles or is it just me? I remember when I was younger kids would call them monkey or gorilla balls or something. Kiwis just do not sound or look appealing to me.

28. Do you think it's cool how peroxide gets all fizzy when you put it on a cut? No.

29. Is there a piggy bank in the room you're in? Nope.

30. If I had to power to give you one thing right now, what would it be? A clean bill of health.

31. Do you want to get pregnant right now? NOOOOO.

32. Do you know anyone who doesn't like the internet? Yeah. Or people who don’t go on it that often or spend much time on it when they do. Just like a quick check in or so.  Or maybe they’re just normal and actually have lives. I spend an excessive amount online. Ha.

33. Do your grandparents know how to operate a cell phone? Yes, as they both have one and have had cell phones for a long time now. They both have iPhones. 

34. Have you ever housed a friend for a long period of time because they had no place to live? No.

35. If you have a favorite comedian, have they ever been in a movie? Kevin Hart has been in a shit ton of movies.

36. How many sets of twins do you know? I know of one.

37. Has anyone ever made fun of you for using proper grammar? Not make fun, but they’ll make comments about it because I use it even when I text. I’ve had people tell me how they can’t tell what tone I am using because I guess adding a period at the end makes it sound “serious”. Like when I put, “Okay.” my brother thinks I’m mad or something lol.

38. Do you own any hemp jewelry? No.

39. Have you ever cut carpet with a carpet cutter? Nope, nor have I ever cut carpet.

40. Are there any books you want to read? There’s a lot. I read using the Kindle app, and I have a Kindle Unlimited account. I can access a ton of books through that, so whenever I finish one I look for another. It recommends me books based on what I read previously and such. There’s always something for me to read.

41. Is it before of after 3 pm? It's 12:34AM, so that makes it way before 3PM.

42. If you have younger siblings, are you very protective of them? Yes I am.

43. If you have older siblings, are they very protective of you? I wouldn’t say very protective, no. Not that they don’t care or that we have a bad relationship, it’s just that we aren’t as close as my younger brother and I because we didn’t grow up together.

44. What are your plans for New Year's Eve? New Year’s Eve was just another day. I was not in the celebratory mood whatsoever. Last year was awful, and just a week before my dog passed away. I didn’t give a shit about New Year’s Eve.

45. Would you like a beer? Ew, no.

[samanthasroberts]

10 Fun, Cheap Date Nights You Can Have At Home (That Aren’t Netflix)

How often have I babbled on about the importance of keeping the romance alive in your relationship? Im not trying to be annoying or repetitive, but it is important! I am a firm believer that religiously practicing date night on a regular basis is crucial to relationship health. Let me be mores specific. Im not talking about a double or triple date where the conversation is flying six different ways. I do love those group dates with my favorite couples, but I am talking about the importance of one-on-one dates with your boo. Setting aside quality time to spend with your hubby with no distractions is like an apple a day for your relationship.

To keep these date nights interesting, youll want to mix it up and try new things. Obviously, date night has the potential of becoming a very expensive activity. Try hitting up Groupon and Living Social for not only cheap dates, but dates you would have never thought of yourself, like flying trapeze classes or a painting class at a local bar. But for those of us that arent rolling in the dough, these internet deals can still be a splurge. Dont worry, I am here to tell you that you can still have a date night every two weeks (or once a month, whichever you fancy) at home and on a budget. Here are some creative ways to make your date night romantic, entertaining, and low cost.

1. Living Room Camping

This is one has sentimental value to me. When my fianc and I first started dating I was going through a rough time in generally and the bad days at work didnt help. When Id had a particularly crappy day, I would come home to find a good old fashioned fort in the living room. The outside was made with sheets and furniture; inside he made a comfortable cushioned floor using pillows and comforters. We would take refuge inside the fort and forget about all of our problems. Dont knock it until you try it! Use your fireplace or some candles as a mock campfire, roast some marshmallows and tell ghost stories. How does that not sound like a good time?

2. Outdoor Dining

If youve got a nice or even just a clean backyard, use it! Set up a small table for two outside complete with candles and a bottle of wine. Put on some nice background music and have a good old fashioned backyard dinner. Its very romantic. Unlike eating on patio of a restaurant with twenty other couples sharing your moment, this makes for a very private and intimate setting. Think your backyard or patio doesnt have the ambiance needed for outdoor dining? An easy fix is to hang cheap outdoor lights. Its amazing how one detail can work wonders on setting the mood.

3. Boudoir Photo Shoot

Okay, so if you are a little more on the reserved side (cough, prude, cough), this one may not be your cup of tea, but hear me out before you rule it out completely. Date night is supposed to be all out coming together with your significant other and getting intimate. I think this is pretty intimate, not to mention fun for all parties involved. Start by choosing a designated back drop like a free wall, a hanging sheet, the bed, etc. Pick a few different pieces of lingerie to change into. Give your guy a camera (prob best if its not a camera phone, dont want these pictures accidentally getting posted on Facebook or Instagram), and let him take control of the photo shoot. Youre the model, he is the director. Enjoy (insert winky face here).

4. Wine Tasting

If you and your guy are wine-os, youll love this one. Use your kitchen table, bar, or coffee table. Set out a few different bottles of wine and glasses. Make sure to set out some food that pairs well with what youll be drinking, think cheeses, veggies, bread, etc. No food equals getting drunk way too fast, passing out early, and a nasty hangover. That being said, take your time as you would if you were in Napa on a rustic vineyard. Swirl, sniff, sip, and then discuss your opinions on flavor and stuff. Obviously I am not well educated on wine specifics, but you dont have to be to enjoy this. Its just you and your boo, no wine snobs to make you feel dumb. If you are a wine snob, great! Youll have fun with this one too and there wont be any amateurs to slow down your night. Remember to light some candles and put on background music!

5. Game Night

Game night can go one of three ways and Ill leave it up to you to try one or all three. The first is nostalgia game night. Choose your favorite childhood board games (mine are Candy Land and Operation) and laugh at the memories over a bottle of wine or your favorite beer. The second is adult game night. This includes a more grown up version with games like Cards Against Humanity. The third is x-rated game night. Go to your local sex shop or search online for an intimate adult game. There are tons to choose from involving blind folds, melted chocolate, and roll of the body part dice. Whether you choose PG, x-rated, or all three, game night with your handsome babe is sure to be loads of fun.

6. Project/Craft Night

With all of the hours we spend pinning cool crafts on Pinterest, this option seems very appealing. But please, for the love of god, do not make your significant other do something he will hate like knitting or scrap-booking. Choose a house project youve been meaning to get around to or a fun project you can both be involved in. Make sure this is an activity that interests BOTH of you, not just you and not just him. Youll also make sure this is something that is more fun than it is hard work, remember you are doing this as a date. Order a pizza or take out and of course you can add alcohol to the mix if you fancy. Put on your favorite Pandora station and get to work. My man and I did this as a date night with a painting I had seen on Pinterest. It was a hand painting in which each family members hand was in a different color and the prints were all over the canvas, overlapping each other. It looked really cool, so we tried it and of course included the dogs. It was interesting night to say the least, dogs and paint can get messy. No matter, now we have a somewhat decent piece of handmade art to hang in our home.

7. Karaoke

Yes, Blake and I have done this and it was so much fun! We didnt plan on it, it just happened. We started one night with tacos and margaritas, an hour later we were taking turns on the Play Station 3 mic and singing our little hearts out. A bit of heads up, this may not be the greatest idea if you have close proximity neighbors who dont like crappy singing and loud music. If you can, do this! Such a great way to let loose with the one you love. Not into singing? No problem, make it a dance party instead. Im not a video game person, not in the slightest, but karaoke and dancing games are perfect for this. We have Sing Star and Just Dance for Play Station. If you dont have these games but want to try them, check your local rental store or RedBox. You wont regret this one!

8. Spa Session

I know what youre thinking, my manly man wont even get in a bubble bath. First of all, that sucks for him. Second of all, he will end up truly enjoying this one if he approaches it with an open mind. Okay ladies, dont torture your men! No tweezing, waxing, or anything else that is painful and/or will change his appearance. Thats how youll send him running and screaming out of the bathroom. Instead, make this a relaxation effort, not a make over. Run a warm bubble bath with salts and scented oils. While youre waiting for the tub to fill, start with a face mask. I like the warming ones, they immediately send my mind into relaxation mode. Help your beau apply and rinse off his mask. Slip into the tub together and just relax and talk. For added romance, carefully place a few candles safely around the tub and bring a glass of wine for each of you. Just dont get so relaxed that you fall asleep, because after the tub youll want to move it into the bedroom and take turns giving each other back massages. Stop by a body shop like Bath & Body Works for some aromatherapy massage oil. Best spa session ever.

9. Cooking Class

I know I said in home and I meant it. When I say cooking class I dont mean attending an actual cooking class, I mean doing your own cooking class with just the two of you. Find a recipe from a cooking magazine, book, or show that sounds delish to both of you but neither have any experience with cooking such a dish. You will work together, sharing the tasks at hand. And I mean for you to cook an actual gourmet meal, not Mac & Cheese from a box, no matter how much you crave it sometimes. This is your date night activity, so have some fun with it. Put on your aprons and help each other chop, season, and stir the ingredients. When youve completed your edible masterpiece, its time to dig in. Sit down to a table set for two and cheers each other to your cooking accomplishment.

10. Star Gazing

Its back outside for this date night. Sometimes all you need is star-filled night sky to add that little extra bit of romance. If you have a cozy backyard (and ideally a fire pit to keep you warm), take a thermos filled with hot cocoa or spiked cider, a blanket, and your loved one to do some star gazing. Do some research before hand and make a game of trying to spot certain constellations. If you have a stable flat roof, set up some lawn chairs and enjoy the view from up there. Be careful getting on and off your roof! No back yard or accessible roof? Take a stroll down to your local park. Odds are, it will be deserted after dark and the jungle gym style toys make for great seats.

No matter what you choose to do on your date nights, make sure you are focused on each other. Make it about you two and nothing else. Hopefully Ive inspired you to try something new with your partner in crime. Maybe one of these unique date nights will start a spark and youll be truly glad you branched out. If nothing else, simply relish in the company of your loved one.

Source: http://allofbeer.com/2017/07/27/10-fun-cheap-date-nights-you-can-have-at-home-that-arent-netflix/

from All of Beer https://allofbeer.wordpress.com/2017/07/27/10-fun-cheap-date-nights-you-can-have-at-home-that-arent-netflix/

[allofbeercom]

10 Fun, Cheap Date Nights You Can Have At Home (That Aren’t Netflix)

How often have I babbled on about the importance of keeping the romance alive in your relationship? Im not trying to be annoying or repetitive, but it is important! I am a firm believer that religiously practicing date night on a regular basis is crucial to relationship health. Let me be mores specific. Im not talking about a double or triple date where the conversation is flying six different ways. I do love those group dates with my favorite couples, but I am talking about the importance of one-on-one dates with your boo. Setting aside quality time to spend with your hubby with no distractions is like an apple a day for your relationship.

To keep these date nights interesting, youll want to mix it up and try new things. Obviously, date night has the potential of becoming a very expensive activity. Try hitting up Groupon and Living Social for not only cheap dates, but dates you would have never thought of yourself, like flying trapeze classes or a painting class at a local bar. But for those of us that arent rolling in the dough, these internet deals can still be a splurge. Dont worry, I am here to tell you that you can still have a date night every two weeks (or once a month, whichever you fancy) at home and on a budget. Here are some creative ways to make your date night romantic, entertaining, and low cost.

1. Living Room Camping

This is one has sentimental value to me. When my fianc and I first started dating I was going through a rough time in generally and the bad days at work didnt help. When Id had a particularly crappy day, I would come home to find a good old fashioned fort in the living room. The outside was made with sheets and furniture; inside he made a comfortable cushioned floor using pillows and comforters. We would take refuge inside the fort and forget about all of our problems. Dont knock it until you try it! Use your fireplace or some candles as a mock campfire, roast some marshmallows and tell ghost stories. How does that not sound like a good time?

2. Outdoor Dining

If youve got a nice or even just a clean backyard, use it! Set up a small table for two outside complete with candles and a bottle of wine. Put on some nice background music and have a good old fashioned backyard dinner. Its very romantic. Unlike eating on patio of a restaurant with twenty other couples sharing your moment, this makes for a very private and intimate setting. Think your backyard or patio doesnt have the ambiance needed for outdoor dining? An easy fix is to hang cheap outdoor lights. Its amazing how one detail can work wonders on setting the mood.

3. Boudoir Photo Shoot

Okay, so if you are a little more on the reserved side (cough, prude, cough), this one may not be your cup of tea, but hear me out before you rule it out completely. Date night is supposed to be all out coming together with your significant other and getting intimate. I think this is pretty intimate, not to mention fun for all parties involved. Start by choosing a designated back drop like a free wall, a hanging sheet, the bed, etc. Pick a few different pieces of lingerie to change into. Give your guy a camera (prob best if its not a camera phone, dont want these pictures accidentally getting posted on Facebook or Instagram), and let him take control of the photo shoot. Youre the model, he is the director. Enjoy (insert winky face here).

4. Wine Tasting

If you and your guy are wine-os, youll love this one. Use your kitchen table, bar, or coffee table. Set out a few different bottles of wine and glasses. Make sure to set out some food that pairs well with what youll be drinking, think cheeses, veggies, bread, etc. No food equals getting drunk way too fast, passing out early, and a nasty hangover. That being said, take your time as you would if you were in Napa on a rustic vineyard. Swirl, sniff, sip, and then discuss your opinions on flavor and stuff. Obviously I am not well educated on wine specifics, but you dont have to be to enjoy this. Its just you and your boo, no wine snobs to make you feel dumb. If you are a wine snob, great! Youll have fun with this one too and there wont be any amateurs to slow down your night. Remember to light some candles and put on background music!

5. Game Night

Game night can go one of three ways and Ill leave it up to you to try one or all three. The first is nostalgia game night. Choose your favorite childhood board games (mine are Candy Land and Operation) and laugh at the memories over a bottle of wine or your favorite beer. The second is adult game night. This includes a more grown up version with games like Cards Against Humanity. The third is x-rated game night. Go to your local sex shop or search online for an intimate adult game. There are tons to choose from involving blind folds, melted chocolate, and roll of the body part dice. Whether you choose PG, x-rated, or all three, game night with your handsome babe is sure to be loads of fun.

6. Project/Craft Night

With all of the hours we spend pinning cool crafts on Pinterest, this option seems very appealing. But please, for the love of god, do not make your significant other do something he will hate like knitting or scrap-booking. Choose a house project youve been meaning to get around to or a fun project you can both be involved in. Make sure this is an activity that interests BOTH of you, not just you and not just him. Youll also make sure this is something that is more fun than it is hard work, remember you are doing this as a date. Order a pizza or take out and of course you can add alcohol to the mix if you fancy. Put on your favorite Pandora station and get to work. My man and I did this as a date night with a painting I had seen on Pinterest. It was a hand painting in which each family members hand was in a different color and the prints were all over the canvas, overlapping each other. It looked really cool, so we tried it and of course included the dogs. It was interesting night to say the least, dogs and paint can get messy. No matter, now we have a somewhat decent piece of handmade art to hang in our home.

7. Karaoke

Yes, Blake and I have done this and it was so much fun! We didnt plan on it, it just happened. We started one night with tacos and margaritas, an hour later we were taking turns on the Play Station 3 mic and singing our little hearts out. A bit of heads up, this may not be the greatest idea if you have close proximity neighbors who dont like crappy singing and loud music. If you can, do this! Such a great way to let loose with the one you love. Not into singing? No problem, make it a dance party instead. Im not a video game person, not in the slightest, but karaoke and dancing games are perfect for this. We have Sing Star and Just Dance for Play Station. If you dont have these games but want to try them, check your local rental store or RedBox. You wont regret this one!

8. Spa Session

I know what youre thinking, my manly man wont even get in a bubble bath. First of all, that sucks for him. Second of all, he will end up truly enjoying this one if he approaches it with an open mind. Okay ladies, dont torture your men! No tweezing, waxing, or anything else that is painful and/or will change his appearance. Thats how youll send him running and screaming out of the bathroom. Instead, make this a relaxation effort, not a make over. Run a warm bubble bath with salts and scented oils. While youre waiting for the tub to fill, start with a face mask. I like the warming ones, they immediately send my mind into relaxation mode. Help your beau apply and rinse off his mask. Slip into the tub together and just relax and talk. For added romance, carefully place a few candles safely around the tub and bring a glass of wine for each of you. Just dont get so relaxed that you fall asleep, because after the tub youll want to move it into the bedroom and take turns giving each other back massages. Stop by a body shop like Bath & Body Works for some aromatherapy massage oil. Best spa session ever.

9. Cooking Class

I know I said in home and I meant it. When I say cooking class I dont mean attending an actual cooking class, I mean doing your own cooking class with just the two of you. Find a recipe from a cooking magazine, book, or show that sounds delish to both of you but neither have any experience with cooking such a dish. You will work together, sharing the tasks at hand. And I mean for you to cook an actual gourmet meal, not Mac & Cheese from a box, no matter how much you crave it sometimes. This is your date night activity, so have some fun with it. Put on your aprons and help each other chop, season, and stir the ingredients. When youve completed your edible masterpiece, its time to dig in. Sit down to a table set for two and cheers each other to your cooking accomplishment.

10. Star Gazing

Its back outside for this date night. Sometimes all you need is star-filled night sky to add that little extra bit of romance. If you have a cozy backyard (and ideally a fire pit to keep you warm), take a thermos filled with hot cocoa or spiked cider, a blanket, and your loved one to do some star gazing. Do some research before hand and make a game of trying to spot certain constellations. If you have a stable flat roof, set up some lawn chairs and enjoy the view from up there. Be careful getting on and off your roof! No back yard or accessible roof? Take a stroll down to your local park. Odds are, it will be deserted after dark and the jungle gym style toys make for great seats.

No matter what you choose to do on your date nights, make sure you are focused on each other. Make it about you two and nothing else. Hopefully Ive inspired you to try something new with your partner in crime. Maybe one of these unique date nights will start a spark and youll be truly glad you branched out. If nothing else, simply relish in the company of your loved one.

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/2017/07/27/10-fun-cheap-date-nights-you-can-have-at-home-that-arent-netflix/