#lights sucks at bio reviews

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Endurance 1

Warnings: this fic will include obsessive behaviour, possible non/ducbon, bullying, and other elements which may not be specifically triggered. Please be cautious in continuing on to the story.

Character: Walter Marshall

Summary: A fellow gym go makes your workouts even more taxing.

Please reblog and leave some feedback, preferably in a reblog but you can always drop by my asks. I always love working in y'alls ideas with these AUs so I am so excited to hear from you.

As always, take care of yourself <3 be kind and be patient. Love you.

No tag lists. Please review my pinned and bio for guidelines.

You come out of the changing room and peek at the wall mirror as you pass. You admire your new bubblegum pink leggings and polka dot top. It’s a bit out there but you’ve seen neons in this place that make your retinas burn. Besides, you’ve never been shy when it comes to fashion. It’s not just your passion, it’s your job. 

It’s late enough that the bodies there are far and few between. You prefer the nights when the gym feels like a ghost town. The air is quiet but not stagnant.  

Your water bottle swings on its handle from your hand as your bouncy steps keep in time with the boppy music thrumming in your earbuds. Your workout mix is a nice blend of retro and contemporary bass hits. You catch yourself humming and stamp it down. Sometimes, you forget other people can perceive you, not that there’s many around to so.  

You find an empty mat. They all are. You put your bottle down and start your stretches. Your late night sessions help clear your mind though it never really stops. In your mind, you’re seeing pleats, seams, and ruffles. 

Your body moves without thinking. It’s all muscle memory. You’re no gym rat, you don’t go that hard, just enough to loosen up your muscles. Your note overly swoll as the young ones call it. You’re fit enough for a light jog and the stairs don’t leave you winded like they used to. 

After your stretches, you slurp loudly from the straw of your water bottle, walking with it still between your lips as you head for an elliptical. You can just let the repetitive motion take over. You pop your lips off the tub and slip the bottle into the little plastic holder on the side of the machine. 

As you climb up, you see another figure across the floor. The man sits on the end of a weight bench. For a moment, it looks, even feels, like he’s watching you. From there, you can’t see very well. You don’t wear your glasses in the gym since you lost a pair to a hungry leg press. 

You can make out dark hair and his burly form. Hazy but wide enough to clock. Most people around here are stacked. You’re too casual for all that. And you like a piece of tiramisu with your Friday lattes. 

You pick your speed and start to climb. You cling to the machine and rock your head to the music. Once more, your throat vibrates and you have to remind yourself to stop. You can’t help it, you love Destiny’s child. Does that date you? For someone working in fashion, you can’t ever risk that. 

You zone out, vision blurring as you let your body do the work. The sweat speckles and slicks across your skin. Damn, you might just be bootylicious after this work out. 

Your fitbit rumbles and you look down. You’re in the zone. You keep going until you hit thirty minutes and slow down. You cool off for ten minutes and swipe up your bottle, sucking on it greedily as you head back to the mats. 

You swing out your arms and stretch your legs in slowly lunges. You bend forward, touching each toe with opposite hand, lingering with your ass up as you brace your hips. A sudden clang has you standing straight so fast you nearly topple onto your butt. 

You throw out your arms to catch your balance as you let out a pathetic, ‘woah-oh-oh'. You look over at the man as begins reps with the heavy dumbbells. You’ve never gotten above the tens. His blue eyes flash in your direction and you give a sheepish smile. 

You don’t want to seem weird so you return to your stretches. Arms up, lean to one side, then the other. You hear a strange rumble, like thunder, and look over at the man as he continues to work his traps, staring at you. You could even call it a glare. 

You tap your ear bud as you face him, “sorry?” 

“Do you have to make that noise?” He snarls. 

Your brows pop up. We’re you humming again? Oops. 

“Sorry, I didn’t realise I was,” you smile and before you can tap play, he scoffs.  

“Typical,” he grumbles as alternates to biceps. 

He’s built. He’s arms are bigger than your head. Probably. You don’t think he’d let you compare for scale. You drop your hand without tapping. 

You get down and extend your legs in front of you. His breaths underline your movement as you bend one leg over the other and push your straight arm against it as you twist. As you do the other side, facing him, his gaze flicks over again. 

“You put more time into choosing that outfit than you do working out,” he shakes his head. 

You blanch. Oh wow. You must have been really out of tune if he’s that grumpy. You give a tight-lipped smile and keep going. He’s not the first grouch you’ve dealt with. Your editor is a chronic miser. 

You straight arms and legs and bend to touch your toes. You then pull your arms back and plant your hands. You lift your pelvis and torso and lean your head back, raising yourself in a straight line as you hang your head back. 

“Form is off,” he mutters. 

You lower back down and look at him again. 

“Oh, uh, do you have any tips?” You ask curiously. He grimaces. You push your shoulders up and tilt your head, “well, if you think of any, I'd be happy to work on it. I’d hate to hurt myself.” 

You get to your knees and groan as you push yourself to your feet. He tuts as gets down to plank, still gripping the weights. He lifts the left and puts it back down, then the right. You watch him for a minute, impressed by his strength. Your wary of lifting too much, you don’t trust yourself. 

“You think your cute,” he sneers under his breath. 

“Um, sometimes,” you hover across from him, “I just thought you might know more than me--” 

“Of course I do,” he puffs between lifts. 

“Mm, okay, well, I’d love to learn--” 

“They got trainers for that,” he snips as he finishes his reps and puts his knees down. 

“Right, um, sorry to bother then. I was only... asking,” you turn and grab your bottle. 

You flip the top up again and slurp. You get to the bottom, sucking air loudly up before giving up. He huffs and stands with the weights, slamming them back on the rack. 

“Do you have to make so much goddamn noise?” He stands straight and turns to you, crossing his thick arms. You stop short and part your lips. 

“It’s empty, I didn’t--” 

“It’s not the only thing’s that empty,” he taps his skull, “go back to the mall, girl.” 

You scrunch your nose, “you don’t have to be rude, mister.” 

“Honesty is a gift,” he snorts. 

You pull your chin back. You didn’t mean to annoy him and you apologised already. You’re a nice person but you don’t appreciate his tone. 

“Well, if I’m being honest,” you put your hands on your hips, “you’re not very nice.” 

He chortles as a crease forms in his forehead, “and you’re not as cute as you think.” 

“What does it matter what I think I am?” You challenge, “I didn’t ask you.” 

“No, you just float around like some airhead and disturb everyone else,” he accuses. 

You peer around, “there’s no one here.” 

He drops his arms and lifts his chin. He steps forward and you waver, just a bit, put off by his size.  

“I’m here,” he says. 

You blink. What does that mean? 

He takes another step and you stare at him, necks and cheek burning. His words strike an epiphany. It’s just you and him. He’s a lot stronger than you. 

Another step and you put your hands up, “mister, you better not come any closer.” 

He scoffs again, “or what? Are you going to cry?” 

You pout and shake your head, “no, but I... I could scream. Or bite.” 

He shakes his head, “what do you think I’m gonna do, girl? That’s what you do, isn’t it? Make yourself the victim. You need the attention to make you feel special.” 

He’s getting closer. 

“I said stay away,” you project your voice as best you can, “I’m not afraid of you, mister.” 

He chuckles and tilts his head. He stops, just a step away from you, “aren’t you?’ 

Your eyes meet his and you stand trapped in the snare of his glower. His blue eyes are deep and fiery, his chiseled face is framed by dark curls and a thick beard, and his chin is cleft handsomely. He’s fearsome, a bear in man’s flesh. You’re no more than helpless hare. 

You back away and his mouth slants in triumph. He’s won. You turn and gulp, gripping tight your bottle as your sneaker squeaks loudly. You scurry away, buzzing with adrenaline. 

“That’s right, you run away, girl, run as fast as you can,” he calls after you, “not very, I’m sure.” 

You keep a brisk walk as you hurry towards the locker room and push inside. Your heart is hammering and your breathless as you reach your locker. You put the bottle on the bench and clutch the sides of your head. You’re dizzy as you try to get a rein on your frazzled nerves. 

You thought you left the bullies behind in high school, over a decade ago. In that second, you’re right back in your teenage years. Your eyes sting with tears and your stomach churns with humiliation. That glimmer of insecurity creeps back into you. 

No, no. You’re an adult. You’re a grown woman. You have a job and a life you love. You’re nothing they said you were. You proved them all wrong and you will prove that butthead wrong too. 

[cloudgremlin]

I know Donnie is lauded as having a fragile back, but I would like to think that it’s not as bad as we make it out to be. Turtle (and Rise!boys) anatomy time!

BUCKLE DOWN THE TMNT SPECIAL INTEREST MEANS I INFODUMP SO MUCH, seriously there is. So much. Under the cut. Read at your own risk.

Although turtles with a hard shell are indeed much more protected than softshell turtles, I think we all worry about Donnie a bit too much. Softshell turtles still have a carapace- albeit smaller than a hard shelled turtle and made of bones fused with cartilage. You can actually see the carapace in some pictures of softshell turtles underneath their leathery shell, like in this photo:

(Courtesy of this incredibly unhelpful article which just says the same thing over and over again in different wording) (Cloud why are you using smooth soft shell turtle photos for everything. Well it’s because it’s a lot easier to find pictures of smooth soft shell turtles and as far as I know they’re fairly similar in the bone department, it’s just that spiny soft shells have those cartilaginous ridges along the top of their shell near their necks)

And there’s an absolutely lovely picture set of the bones here:

https://www.catawiki.com/en/l/87085421-no-reserve-price-chinese-softshell-turtle-carapace-on-a-custom-stand-bone-pelodiscus-sinensis-40-cm-18-cm-5-cm-non-cites-species

showing that softshell carapaces are indeed no joke!

Now the whole reason to be a shelled being is that you get to have all your musculature and important squishy bits enveloped all nice and neat and tidy inside of this carapace- for hard shelled bois this means a full metal set of plate armour except it’s, ya know, bone- for a softshell it’s more like a light armour set; ya know, a good solid metal cuirass an a nice gambeson that someone confusingly put on like a surcoat sir why did you do this, no, nooo, gambeson goes under the metal- oh why do I bother, it’s a turtle it can’t understand me. In any case, that leathery shell? It don’t have any important stuff. It’s just skin. The important stuff? Still under that bone carapace.

Anyways, this puts even soft shell turtles at a very distinct advantage when it comes to slashing back injuries- namely, the muscles and tendons and innards and everything are underneath a nice lil gambeson/surcoat and cuirass! Sweet! On humans we just have our back muscles hanging out there! Back injuries suck!!! Also, as far as I know, softshell shells do not bleed profusely so the danger of bleeding out is probably slim even from a large gash. There is more danger from crushing or bludgeoning, as soft shells do not have quite the structural strength of a hard shelled turtle’s scutes and larger shell and plastron.

Sidenote: I will not be getting into spinal injuries because this ramble is already so long and I’ve literally just gotten to my spec-bio of the Rise!tmnt boys but TLDR is that I believe spinal injuries would be harder for a turtle to acquire thanks to a much thicker bone structure around the spinal nervous system, but Any of the boys having a cracked carapace across the spinal area would be devastating because that’s where the nerves are, folks and when you sever nerves, it can get all bad and that’s when we get into stuff like paralysis! Fun times! Donnie would probably be a little more prone to spinal injury again due to not having quite as much structure as the hard shelled boys, but he would still have a lot better chance than a human to slashing blows. Again, bludgeoning/crushing is another ballpark, and I would argue that humans would actually win against turtles in bludgeoning at least as humans can bend and absorb that force, where turtles have a big solid bone piece that cannot flex to take some of that force away.

So, with this in mind, let’s review the footage. On one hand, the Shredder completely obliterated a TITANIUM battle shell, just ripped right through that thing. He would have no trouble going through bone! But if that was the case, any of our shelled bois would be having a bad time- scutes are hard, but not harder than titanium. If we were to agree that the boys’ hard shells would survive impact (I mean, they do in the movie… man what are those shells made of, plot armour?) then we should agree that Donnie’s carapace, the bone underneath that leathery shell, would still be intact as well.

OF COURSE, let’s remember these silly lil dudes are human-turtles not turtle-turtles and that comes with some very interesting facts. My favourite of which is that the boys can, in Rise only, bend their shells. Not only do the Rise teenage turtles have shells that follow the s curve of a human spine- if exaggerated- but it’s shown numerous times that the slimmer, bottom part (lower back area) of the shell can FLEX and TWIST which is SO COOL GUYS, we have given the turtles lower back movement insert Fire Elmo emoji here. Which means. These boys do not have the Full Fused Bone Carapace of regular turts all the way down their spine. Indeed, they have in my spec-bio opinion some weird amalgamation of a much smaller fused/full bone carapace covering the upper back, and what I can only assume is a horror story of scutes connected to a cartilage-like structure on the lower back, allowing for flexibility much closer to a human, with our more rigid ribcage at our upper back and thoracolumbar fascia + plethora of musculature down in the lower back. This means their lower backs would be more sensitive to damage, and could possibly mean Donnie doesn’t have ANY extra protection down there- he could just have the bone carapace on his upper back and then fairly regular human musculature underneath the leathery shell “gambeson” on his lower back. Which, if hit, would be very very very very very very bad, as Mikey would say. Much worse than the other boys, with their horror story scute and cartilage situation.

So let’s review the footage one more time. I would put forth that if a slashing blow came to his back when Donnie was standing upright, a lot of that blow would tear through his leathery shell and scrape across his bone carapace, possibly cracking/fracturing it. Due to the curvature of the boys’ spinal situation, it’s very unlikely that the blow would cause much damage to the lower back. And in the case of anything bulky worn on the upper back, the drag on the shoulders and upper back would sorta crumple the spine inwards unless you were already leaning or bending forward. Speaking of, if Donnie was in a leaning forward or curled position, such as protecting one of his siblings, THIS is where it would get all bad. Still not as bad as a human, again: thick leather shell and the boney carapace, but the lower back would be much less protected and there’s a good chance a lot of damage would be done to the musculature and nerves and spine, which means Big Long Term Injury Time.

With the show’s full coverage battle shell, I do think Donnie would be okay with only minor injuries to this kind of attack. BUT if he were attacked in this curled position with something only covering the upper back, there’s a good chance that cover would be mangled and dragged across the upper and lower back along with whatever slicey dicey instrument started the whole thing in the first place, causing extreme shrapnel-like damage and even tearing away full pieces of shell, which would spell even MORE trouble than getting just the slicey dicey on a naked shell. Remember kids, a clean cut is much better than a messy one. Both are very bad for your health of course, but like, one can be quickly tended to and stitched up while the other includes extensive medical attention and skin grafts and bone/shrapnel fragments picked out of places they’re not supposed to be and… yeah.

***

Okay, TLDR time, what have we learned? 1, even soft shell turtles are protected by a boney carapace that covers their important bits like musculature and innards. 2, the boys have plot armour because a Shredder slash like we saw in the show could easily tear through scutes if it could tear through a titanium battle shell. 3, the Rise boys specifically have a crazy horror story s curve lower back cartilage shell game that allows them greater movement and much more agility than the tmnt iterations with those full domed shells. 4, a purely upper back covering such as tizeline’s au Donnie’s amazing jet pack could potentially get caught by the blades and tear/gouge/mangle all the way down the lower back, causing even worse damage than no armour at all. All in all, Donnie is fairly better off than a human taking a big blow to the back, and the injury would most probably not be fatal- especially if that blow was a clean slashing cut like the Shredder so gave him in the show. Healing that leathery shell ain’t gonna be fun and there might be some fractures or cracks to the bone carapace, but it’s much better than having your ribs broken seven ways to thursday, your spine in shambles and your innards becoming outards.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk, I know all of this because my own au’s Donatello gets ko’d right across the back by the Yoroi Kuroi and Don has ZERO shell protection at this point in my au so I have been fiercely researching soft shell turtles and softshell shell injuries to try and figure out something at least somewhat plausible since both my Don and April’s mom in this au are medic nerds. I can’t believe my special interest in tmnt is making me learn so much turtle facts. Anyways, goodnight, I have to get up early tomorrow and I gotta make tea and drink it before bed.

Helloo! I have interesting question >:]. So you know how Donnie's battleshell gets absolutely shredded in the first shredder battle in the show? (pun intended) Welll since his battleshell is way less protective, will his shell actually get hit and scarred? Also will Raph, Leo, and Mikey see this if it happens, maybe even making Mikey rethink his morality a slight bit? (Not fully probably but just a small lapse in judgement). Also I love this AU!

ARGH okay so I'm having a real hard time figuring out how the events of the beginning of season two is gonna go down in the AU!!

Cuz like. Yeah. If Donnie isn't wearing proper armour then uh YIKES. OWIE. And here's the thing, I really like the headcanon that Donnie in canon actually did get hurt but Shredder in that scene, not very serious injuries, but that his shell still got a bit sliced lol. Again, Shredder absolutely DEMOLISHED his battle shell so it wouldn't be particularly suprising.

But also uh if Shredder attacks TSAU!Donnie as fiercely as he does in canon then uh I think that would actually just fucking kill him lmaooo his softshell doesn't stand a CHANCE. So regardless, that scene would go down differently in the AU anyway. And I don't want to give Donnie a life-threatening injury anyway (well at least not until the movie teehee) so IF he gets injured it'll probably be pretty minor. But regardless of the severity, Donnie's brothers would probably freak out anyway haha.

[watching-pictures-move]

Put On Your Raincoats | Office Ms. Conduct (Mills, 2022)

This review contains mild spoilers.

This is my third Bree Mills movie after Perspective and Teenage Lesbian, and while the last two used the porno format as a base to tackle more complex subject material, this one seems to simplify potentially complex material to force it into porno conventions. There are complexities in both, but in the other movies the movie tries to rise to their level and the note that they leave us on is more nuanced than one might expect given the genre, while here the complexities are eventually dumbed down, any thorns filed off, the conclusion leaving us on a fairly glib note. The movie's look at the difficulties of navigating modern workplaces with their insular corporate cultures and loosely defined responsibilities and skewering of CEO worship does ring true to an extent. But the ending, in which the heroine essentially files away her disillusionment with the company and its CEO and wholeheartedly embraces the company's culture by engaging in relations with the CEO in full view of the staff, rubbed me the wrong way. The movie frames this as a positive outcome, when really, in light of all that's come before, it's actually a little bleak. I would have liked to see a version of this that dealt with that honestly.

All that being said, this is essentially a lighthearted sex comedy, and on that note it's fairly diverting. Everybody seems to be enjoying themselves, and there's plenty of amusing dialogue that skewers corporate speak and mines it for its euphemistic qualities. (Some of the puns play better than others. At one point a character refers to the "climax" of a meeting, a phrase I'm not sure I've ever heard bandied about.) That being said, I'm not sure anything in this is funnier than the CEO talking to the heroine with a megaphone when they're standing right beside each other. And on that note, I'd like to highlight the Letterboxd bio of Jade Venus, the actress playing the CEO, who is described as "an actress and writer and looks swanky as heck." And as a porno, it does what it says on the tin, although I was little annoyed by the nonstop chatter of the supporting players during the last sex scene. If you are familiar with any of the performers (and I, ahem, may or may not be a fan of one or more of them), I can report they are in fine form.

Two final notes:

For the other two Bree Mills features, I watched truncated versions that removed all the explicit hardcore footage and paced the proceedings closer to mainstream features, while for this I watched the complete version as 1) no shorter version exists and 2) the runtime is pretty manageable at 106 minutes. This does suffer from the modern porno problem of sex scenes playing out at length, but I will concede I'm in the minority in trying to watch it like an actual movie.

Jane Wilde as the heroine claims that she's worked in many offices before, but apparently hasn't use desktops before, can barely type (she uses two fingers), and sucks at taking notes. I appreciate that her colleagues here are not the most welcoming, but I suspect she is unlikely to become a top performer at this workplace.

[pikaflute]

"let's play" of dethgame - the first level

i'm waiting for persona 3 to download so <3 im reviewing/talking about the dethgame. also thanks to @ghosty1111 for finding the iso file to this and an xbox emulator to play it on <3

starting off after booting up and entering the game: you kinda just spawn into the hub which is the living room of mordhaus. to your immediate right is the recording room where knubbler and skwisgaar are. you can also play the rhythm game which includes the song castratikron. i didn't play the rhythm game because the controls confused me (you use the triggers on the xbox controller, and i played with a ps4 controller). There is a music video that goes along with castratikron i just sucked at the game too bad.

moving on, there's the actual living room proper. nathan and pickles are on the couch, toki is playing on the computer, and murderface is playing a game. charles will occasionally walk into the living room and talk to the guys on the couch then go back down a hallway. you can follow him and that leads to an artifact room (which idk what it does yet).

there's no music in the hub as far as im aware. that or my computer sucks. the characters do talk to you (klokateers tell you to move out the way for example) and you can interact with the guys and they'll loop through a few lines. there's sound effects from the arcade and the tvs in the living room.

there's some lag, and pausing causing some of the model to jank out (nathan and toki's specifically) but that's to be expected from an unfinished game i guess!

under the stairs is the actual level select. there's easy normal and hard. i'll be playing on normal for gameplay purposes.

when you pick a difficulty you are shown the following levels: dethsewer, klokblocked, dethskank, dethfire, dethklown, dethliner, deftlift, and deftboss.

we'll be starting with dethsewer.

there's a cutscene! we start seeing the assassin talk with some guy (probably a tribunal guy) talk over a dead klokateer's body what is presumably right outside of mordhaus. the guy the assassin is with talks about killing dethklok in revenge. <3 aw like magnus. anyway the end of the cutscene has these two release some bio gas into mordhaus, which mutates two klokateers in the following cutscene. weird.

anyway CHARLES IS HERE. HI SMOOCHIE. he says a group of klokateers has not reported in and it's up to us (the player) to find out what happened while he gets ready for the gear branding ceremony. he tells us to make him proud. smiles and giggles. btw while this happening your klokateer character is peeing. and you can move the left stick to pee. fun.

anyway the level begins proper. you go forward to see a cutscene of two klokateers getting killed and a bunch of enemies flow in. music begins (its the beginning to awaken i believe?) and you finally begin to fight. stand beat up stuff, you can perform light attacks with X, heavy attacks with Y, grapple opponents with A, and use items with B. you can also enter rage mode with the left trigger when the yellow bar under your health bar is full (think the heat mechanic from yakuza). you can also sprint with the right trigger as well. enemies drop rage orbs that also heal you and fill your rage meter.

there are some combos you can do. when you grapple an enemy and perform a heavy attack you can suplex them or rip their head off. if an enemy is on the floor you can press y to put the boots to them medium style. you can also piss on them. by pressing left trigger and the grapple button you can enter the aforementioned rage mode which makes you stringer for a brief amount of time and enhances your weapons. you can also run and tackle enemy if you sprint at them just right.

anyway kill the enemies in this room and a scale sweep will play indicating you can progress. the game gives more tutorial as you walk through the hallway pummeling enemies. as you move forward you enter a room (as well as a cutscene) of a room which crushers and giant shredders. klokateers are shredding the enemies you've been fighting in these machines. this introduces you to a mechanic where you can perform a special execution near certain objects if a facebones icon appears (again like yakuza's heat moves!). when the cutscene showing the room off ended go forth and die started to play.

these enemies throw knives that get lodged into you. you can pull them out with the pick up button and throw them back at the enemies. careful of the crushers in here. if you get under them the game will tell you to kill yourself because you failed dethklok. its kinda funny. if you die however, a new gear is sent in your place and you need to do the level all over again. this section is long so it took a while before the gate opened.

awaken starts again and you unlock a new combo. once you enter in the next hallway you can pickup an axe and cut your enemies in half. literally. you enter a room with a punch of incinerators and a guy with a molotov. he will explode and set all people (enemies included) on fire so try and stay back so he sets his own guys on fire. throw the rest of the stragglers into the incinerators or kill em with your axe.

make your way down another hallway and into the next room and see one of those mutated klokateers from before, now there's more of them. they're a little more resilient tahn the normal enemies, but nevertheless. you can turn on a switch to lower the stairs that kills some enemies and opens progression. here's when i realized this game loops from an instrumental of awaken and go forth and die.

make your way upstairs to reach a checkpoint. hurray! you see a cutscene of a klokateer torturing someone with the gas but then dying to it. a klokateer comes on the monitor and tells you the gas is deadly and you need to find something in order to jam the machine to stop it. the bio gas seems to also affect your enemies infecting and mutating them as well. if you skip a cutscene by the way the game will sometimes say fuck you.

a blue bar appears on the bottom left slowly draining. if that bar drains its game over. refill the bar with blue cans all over the level. you're tasked with destroying three biogas fans. this part gave me trouble and i died once, which shows us a cutscene of the new klokateer being branded in our place. btw we start with klokateer #697 if you care to know. this is also where my game crashed so </3 i had to play this level again. i did a move where i pulled some guys guts out of his ass <3 brutal.

anyway the game tells me to throw enemies into the biofeedback machine to stop the gas (the thing in the center of the room). with the gas dealt with, more enemies pop into the room! however the game reveals a chainsaw for me to use. brutal. we make our make our way through this area and we reach the depths of mordhaus it seems. careful to not fall off the path into the water in this area or you'll go back to the last checkpoint (before the gas room). a new song plays here in this underground area: go into the water.

as you make you way through this section, rocks will fall on you from the ceiling crushing you and your enemies so be careful. make you way across a rock bridge to another area with a couple of enemies. a door will open showing another mutated klokateer kill a kloakteer. make your way up the stairs and enter a hallway with a "puzzle". the pads on the floor will shoot flames at certain intervals, so it's your job to maneuver your way through the fire without get burned. after that make your way past more traps (swinging axe and flame jets) and the standard fair of enemies.

after dying (the damn axes), there's a giant fire room filled with a bunch of incinerators and flame pads we saw before. and of course: enemies. try to stay away from the pads and keep in the middle. most of the enemies will burn themselves on the fire pads anyway. make your way to the door up top and hit b. you'll be treated to a cutscene of a bunch of mutated klokateers being burned. make your way to the door and the level is complete! hooray! and that's the end for now!

okay my review so far

THE PROS: its so fun. the controls are simple so combos are fun to execute. the environmental executions are so fucking cool to pull off and the gore and blood from enemies makes the kills so satisfying. your character is pretty well designed. there's some humor from the show mixed in as well. I also think the music is pretty good as well.

THE CONS: there's points where sections become trial and error. specifically the traps in the bowels of mordhaus section. sometimes the trigger to next area won't load causing a restart. audio mixing is kinda shit. the level also goes on for a little too long (that or kept dying to dumb shit) and the level of difficulty just comes down too to many enemies to handle at once. hit detection is wonky, and you can sometime be pushed by a combo into a level hazard. also jesus fuck the lag.

my complaints may have been fixed if the game came out. but it didn't. oh well! so far im having fun but im tired so i'll play more another time.

[joyful-soul-collector]

🎉Week 3: December 23-31🎉

Ten o’Clock Wake Up Call by @skeeter-110​ (Pt. 10 of Twelve Days of Christmas)

Summary: It's Christmas morning in the Stark-Rhodes' household.

Relationships/Tropes: Ironhusbands, Irondad, Papa Rhodey, Avengers Family, Kid Peter, Christmas

Review:  I loved the big snuggle pile at the end, and how excited Peter was for his dads to open their presents! It showed how even as a little kid, Peter's always cared more about others than he has himself

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Eleven Laps Around The Rink by @skeeter-110​ (Pt. 11 of Twelve Days of Christmas)

Summary: The Stark-Rhodes family goes ice skating with the Avengers

Relationships/Tropes: Ironhusbands, Irondad, Papa Rhodey, Avengers Family, Kid Peter, Ice Skating

Review: I loved how this showed Peter learning to skate, going from holding his parents hands, to skating from Tony to Rhodey, and finally to skating all on his own! Very cute

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Twelve New Months To Look Forward To by @skeeter-110​ (Pt. 12 of Twelve Days of Christmas)

Summary: The Stark-Rhodes' family celebrates the new year.

Relationships/Tropes:  Ironhusbands, Irondad, Papa Rhodey, Kid Peter, New Years Eve

Review: A perfect ending to the sweetest holiday series! It was soft and loving and I'm so happy to have read about this happy little family :D

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The Way I Love You ch. 3 by @littlemissagrafina

Summary: Peter Parker had a vibrant, happy presence. Anytime that he was around became brighter, happier. It was just the way it was. He was always moving, talking, just living, so when the lightness that his loved ones were so accustomed to seeing started fading, it scared them. A still silence built itself around Peter, snuffing out his usual exuberant voice. Dark and stifling. Those around him could only hope it wouldn't consume him. That it wouldn't take his smile. 

Or 

Five times that someone see's Peter struggling and one time he calls for help.

Relationships/Tropes: Irondad, Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Uncle Ben & Peter Parker, Aunt May & Peter Parker, Spideychelle, Depressed Peter Parker, Hurt/Comfort

Review: This story really shows how sometimes the best way to help someone who's depressed or just having a bad day is to do something small to make things a little easier for them. You often can't get rid of all their worries through a deep heart-to-heart and you certainly can protect them from everything yourself, but doing something small can make a bigger difference than you think

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Peter hides an injury prompt by @jen27ny

Summary: Peter, who already downplays every injury, takes the hint too close and hides a serious injury, and the Avengers learn the hard way why Tony really fusses every time he got hurt

Relationships/Tropes: Irondad, Avengers Family, Hiding an Injury, Crackfic

Review: Peter hiding his injuries is one of my favorite tropes, and this story did it really well! I love how protective everyone was of Peter by the end, and how they realized Tony wasn't exaggerating when he said they had to make absolutely sure Peter was fine haha

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Peter has ADHD prompt by @jen27ny

Summary: Peter’s ADHD starts to affect his grades

Relationships/Tropes: Irondad, Peter Parker Has ADHD

Review: This story was so sweet! I myself have ADHD so I love stories about Peter with ADHD and this one was great! I relate to Peter in that I sucked at Spanish, I've always dreaded going to that class haha. Very nice story!

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The Perfect Name by @honestmischief

Summary: Rhodey and Tony are drunk and in love

Relationships/Tropes: Ironhusbands, Drunk

Review: This ficlet was adorable! I loved how affectionate Tony and Rhodey were with each other, and how Rhodey said Tony was "too cute to be sad", it was so cute

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Christmas Pranks by @skeeter-110

Summary: Tony wraps up random things for little Peter to open while Steve records it all

Relationships/Tropes: Irondad, Stony, Papa Steve, Christmas, Pranks, Kid Peter

Review:  THIS WAS SO ADORABLE! I can't get enough of Cute Kid Peter, and this had to have been Cute Kid Peter overload honestly, I think I got cavities from the amount of fluff in this little drabble. Very worth it, excuse me, I have a trip to the dentist I need to make

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Peter Calls Tony Dad (B99 Style) by @jen27ny

Summary: Pretty much exactly what the title says

Relationships/Tropes: Irondad, Avengers Family, Peter Calls Tony Dad

Review: This story was HILARIOUS, I loved that moment in B99, and this fic emulated the silliness and teasing perfectly, and the bit about them going to fix the video game was great! I loved this!

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santa, come again by @jean-and-diet-coke

Summary: Christmas morning with the Starks!

Relationships/Tropes: Irondad, Rhodey & Tony, Rhodey & Peter, Bio Dad Tony, Christmas

Review:  This story was super adorable! I loved seeing how affectionate the three of them were with each other, and the softness of the story was perfect for the christmas season! I loved seeing both Tony and Rhodey be so gentle with Peter, and Peter being a sweet babbly child in return!

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“Aces come out of the deck” by Miss__Red 

Summary: “I’m ace,“ he blurred out, avoiding to look at Wade and staring down on his plate instead. “I’m sorry, if that’s a deal breaker for you and you wanna leave that’s okay, I understand,” Peter said quietly.

Or the one where Peter tells Wade he’s asexual and Wade is not reacting like Peter thought he would

Relationships/Tropes: Spideypool, Asexual Peter Parker, Pansexual Wade Wilson, Coming Out, Soft Wade Wilson

Review: This story was so so nice to read, actually made me cry a little. I love stories where characters are accepting of someone's asexuality and this is definitely added to one of my favorites. Super cute and super sweet

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“My Own ‘Spidey Sense’ Was Tingling” by @baloobird (Pt. 2 of The New Normal)

Summary: It has been a year since Peter Parker was diagnosed with Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis and he—like everyone with this disease—has to get an MRI scan done every year so the doctors can monitor his condition.

The scan itself is tedious but he’s used to it, it’s not his first one by any means. Peter knows what to expect, how loud it’ll be, how long it takes.

But this is the first scan where he’ll be completely by himself.

(Might be best to read the first story before this one)

Relationships/Tropes: Irondad, Uncle Happy, Sickfic, Chronic Illness, Neurological Disorders

Review:  Another great story about MS by @baloobird! This story was really well written, and I liked how Peter's anxiety over the MRI scan was shown and described, and I loved seeing Peter's thoughts about everything that happened! Very sweet story :D

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50 Christmas Ornaments My True Love Gave To Me by @joyful-soul-collector (Pt. 10 of Irondad Oneshots)

Summary: It was Christmastime in the Stark-Rhodes-Potts’ household, with Tony, Rhodey, Pepper, Peter, and Morgan all sitting at the table. Jingle Bells was playing quietly in the background, and each one of them was working on decorating a clear plastic christmas bauble, a growing pile of colorful ornaments in the center of the table.

OR

The Iron Family gets carried away making Christmas ornaments, and Peter talks to his dad about asexuality

Relationships/Tropes: Irondad, Papa Rhodey, Mom Pepper, Peter & Morgan, Pepperhony (Pepper/Rhodey/Tony), Christmas, Asexual Peter Parker, Asexual Tony Stark, Bisexual Pepper Potts, Pansexual James “Rhodey” Rhodes, Polyamorous Relationship

Review: Yes, this is my own fic and I’m recommending it because I like it, and I worked hard on it haha. Anyway I like the amount of representation I put in this one, I remember starting this and being like “should I have Tony with Pepper or Rhodey?” and then decided fuck it, why not both? Both is good :D

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If you look at any these stories, be sure to show the author your appreciation with a comment/kudos/reblog where applicable!

Click here for more fanfic rec lists!

[sinagrace]

As Pride Month comes to a close, it’s time I spoke candidly about my experience at Marvel Comics.

To date, I’ve always been honest about the joy of writing Iceman’s journey as an out gay superhero, but I’ve skirted around the challenges that came along with it. This is partially because I prefer to give off an upbeat vibe, and there’s also a fear that my truth will affect my career. With more corporations patting themselves on the back for profit-led partnerships wherein celebrities take selfies in rainbow apparel, and with buzz that Marvel Studios is preparing to debut their first gay character in the upcoming Eternals movie, there is an urgency to discuss the realities of creating queer pop culture in a hostile or ambivalent environment. Hopefully, my takeaways will serve as a guide for people in positions of power to consider when advocating for more nuanced and rich representation. In an ideal world, embracing our stories and empowering us to tell them will yield far more profitable (and way less messy) results than what I encountered while writing Iceman.

Stand by your people

It’s no surprise that I got the attention of trolls and irate fans for taking on this job. There was already backlash around the manner in which Bobby Drake aka Iceman came out, and Marvel needed to smooth that landing and put a “so what” to the decision. After a point, I could almost laugh off people making light of my death, saying they have "cancerous AIDS" from my book, or insinuating I’m capable of sexual assault… almost. Between Iceman’s cancellation and its subsequent revival, Marvel reached out and said they noticed threatening behavior on my Twitter account (only after asking me to send proof of all the nasty shit popping up online). An editor called, these conversations always happen over the phone, offering to provide “tips and tricks” to deal with the cyber bullying. I cut him off. All he was going to do was tell me how to fend for myself. I needed Marvel to stand by me with more work opportunities to show the trolls that I was more than a diversity hire. “We’ll keep you in mind.” I got so tired of that sentence. 

Even after a year of the new editor-in-chief saying I was talented and needed to be on a book that wasn’t “the gay character,” the only assignment I got outside of Iceman was six pages along, about a version of Wolverine where he had diamond claws. Fabulous, yes. Heterosexual, yes. Still kind of the gay character, though.

We as creators are strongly encouraged to build a platform on social media and use it to promote work-for-hire projects owned by massive corporations… but when the going gets tough, these dudes get going real quick. 

Believe in the work

You may be asking if my Iceman book was any good, or if I’m just being sour grapes over a bad work experience. Believe me, I asked that, too. From the get-go, my first editor asserted that Iceman would be DOA if it were “too gay,” while also telling me to prepare for a cancellation anyway, given that most solo X-Men titles don’t last beyond a year. Never mind that my work on Iceman had gotten positive press in the New York Times (in-print), or that in spite of (since-deleted) critical sandbagging, the series nets glowing reviews on Amazon… Marvel still treated me as someone to be contained, and the book as something to be nervous about. Do you know how hard it is to not argue with a publicist when he’s explaining the value of announcing Iceman’s revival via the Marvel homepage? Sis, that’s a burial. Instead of clapping back, I just went and got myself more press from the New York Times. From there, they tightened my leash. I had to get all opportunities pre-approved, and all interviews pre-reviewed. This would be fine if it was the standard, but I assure you: none of my straight male colleagues seek permission to go on podcasts promoting their books. 

What Marvel should have done is assign me a special projects editor. They should have worked with a specialty PR firm, rather than repeat a tiresome cycle of treating the book like a square peg, and getting confused when it’s a hit. 

Give us a real seat at the table

There was a moment before Iceman was cancelled where I wrote then-editor-in-chief Axel Alonso an email, pleading for a Hail Mary arc. I explained that Iceman was landing with a newer generation of readers who focused more on binge-reading than month-to-month periodicals. The series needed time in the book market before its true strength could be assessed. To Axel’s credit, he was warm to the idea and even gave me an extra month, but when he left Marvel that idea got brushed away. Of course I was right. The first two volumes sold like gangbusters thanks to word-of-mouth, librarian love, and support from retailers big and small. 

When the series returned, no one at Marvel asked me: “What do you think landed with readers?” Nor did they ask the question that Axel did: “What matters to your community?” So when I wrote what I thought the fans would be into, a story about a man learning to be a better ally in the war against hate, editorial totally missed its value.

Seat at the table pt II: The Shade of it all

All of the weird drama I put up with crystallized when I created a drag queen mutant, first called Shade, now called Darkveil. I told my editor that Shade would be a big deal for X-Fans, and asked how we should promote her. He said: “leave it up to the reader’s interpretation.” Everyone at Marvel shrugged off two years of goodwill and acted like I’d coordinated behind their backs on an announcement that made headlines. Beyond mentioning on Instagram the queens who inspired the character, I didn’t coordinate shit. Of course, their head publicist can’t admit that my quotes were pre-approved from an unreleased interview. At this point, I stopped believing that there’d be any more work for me. There were so many shady moves on their end that I’m still having trouble putting into language, but it all aligned with an experience I had in retail where a corrupt manager kept lying and moving the goal posts in order to keep me selling in a department I didn’t want to work in. I offered to give Darkveil a proper character bio, and I walked away.  

I recognize that some of my complaints can be filed under “this is freelance life.” I am aware that it was not a queer person of color who joked to me that “it’s not a matter of if Marvel fucks you over, it’s a matter of when.” That came from a cis white male. The same-day turn-arounds without warning, the work emails on Christmas week… that’s the freelance bullshit. Truly, I don’t even think of this as discrimination, I call it general ineptness. It is my belief that if we are telling stories about heroes doing the right thing in the face of adversity, wouldn’t the hope be to embody those ideals as individuals? Instead of feeling like I worked with some of the most inspiring and brave people in comics, I was surrounded by cowards. 

Truly, I hate writing this. In keeping with Pride Month, I am proud of the work I did on Iceman... I love the book! It sucks that I may be tarnishing its legacy going public about how the cookies were made. That said, the time for self-congratulating is over, and folks should be earnestly listening when they ask: what could we have done better? 

[disconnected-dragon]

Cyberpunk 2077 got pulled from the game store

so that’s fun.

It can join PT in game purgatory forever.

Least it might have a chance to get reworked and rereleased without all the glitches. PT-- God who the fuck knows when THAT will ever see the light of day. 

It sucks because I’m actually a big fan of Cyber/Bio/Synthpunk aesthetics. I was lowkey looking forward to playing that game. But I am glad I waited for the reviews tho. Sixty bucks saved!

I guess I’ll spend it on Control instead. That game deserves sixty bucks spent on it.

Oh, and if you’re looking for other Cyberpunk games to scratch the itch, I can provide. Not too many openworld-y ones, but here’s what I have in my limited experience.

-Katana Zero (this is like Hotline Miami was rocketed to the future and set in Japan. It’s really hard but ohh is it worth it.)

-Deux Ex (This is the Matrix without the Matrix. Please play this game, it’s not just the oh yeah meme, it’s epic. Down with corporations!)

-System Shock 1 & 2 (Bit dated, but holy shit this game rocks. It was the first to pioneer 3D level design, and the trope of “evil AI”. SHODAN is iconic for a reason. There’s supposed to be a remake coming out soon with a free sample available now, so if dated graphics annoy you, start there!)

-Observer (For the Silent Hill fans, this is kinda like if SH was Cyberpunked. It’s made my Bloober team, who have been knocking it out of the park lately. I’m so fucking pumped for the Medium. It has a darker theme then others on this list, but if you like horror, please give it a shot!)

Hope I did ok recommending games to fill the Cyberpunk hole in gamer’s hearts. Have fun playing!

[netflixbingger]

Scientific Theories, part 2

Chapter 2: You suck at lying

Word Count: 2474

Warnings: Cursing

Summary: Steve spills the tea of what happened on Halloween night, and apparently you have a study date with Billy.

Previous Chapters: (Not sure if that whole tag thing is still happening, so previous chapters will be linked in my bio)

Tag list below! (I just added everyone who commented about a part two on the previous chapter, I’ll remove y’all for the next chapter unless asked to stay on.)

Waking up with a splitting headache and nausea was a new one for you. You were never much of a big drinker, always sticking to be the designated driver. But last night was a different story, you don’t know what came over you, but you went wild. You remember talking to Tod about something stupid, and next thing you knew you were in the car with a very upset Steve Harrington. Any other moment you’d be squealing about the fact that he took the effort to drive you home, but seeing how you barely remember it, made you wheezy.

Opening your locker door you tried to be as quiet as possible as every little noise felt like a bullet to your head. But as the door opened, a pile of books fell to the floor with the loudest thud you’d ever heard. “Fuck me”

“Whoa Henderson, at least by me dinner first” the smooth voice filled the air, and for once you forgot about your head pain. Turning around you expected to look up and find the charming brown eyes but instead, you were looking down at a crouched Steve staking the fallen books in his arms. You smiled at the gesture, and butterflies began to attack your stomach as he handed you the books with the warmest smiles you’ve ever seen. Muttering a thank you, you turned around to replace the missing books.

“Sooo, how is your first hangover going?”

“What makes you think this is my first hangover?”

“Well, am I wrong?” he sounded cocky in his assumption, but he wasn’t wrong.

“No” you give him the side-eye before closing your locker and walking away. It was a risky chance to walk away like that, knowing it could have ended your exchange. But you were happy to hear the fast footsteps approaching and a light touch on your elbow, slightly pulling you to a stop. Trying to hide the smile on your face, you failed miserably as you turned around to face the boy. He stared down at you for a second before scrabbling his pockets, searching for something.

After a few seconds of attacking his pockets, he pulled out a ziplock bag. He almost immediately handed you the bag, shaking it a few times. You hesitantly reached for the offering and examined it. Inside you saw what looked like various nuts and crackers. You gave him a puzzled look, shaking your head in confusion.

“It’s for the hangover. I read somewhere that carbs and nuts help, and it always worked for me, so”

You let out a breathless laugh, “Well thanks, I’m not going to doubt you when it comes to hangover cures.”

He mouthed a silent“ha ha” before flipping you off and backing away. “Oh and Henderson? You got a little something right there” he motioned to his cheek, which was widened by his bright smile. Confused you reached for your own face to feel a crusted path of toothpaste. You immediately felt flushed, quickly rubbing the access off, you heard a slight chuckle come from across the hall. Once satisfied, you flipped the boy off, turned around, and continued walking down the hall.

 The first period dragged by as you listened to your history teacher blabber on the importance of the industrial revolution. Your head was still aching, and you were tired beyond belief. You tried hard to keep your head up as it felt like a ton of bricks, bobbing forward every few seconds. But were awoke the minute the class bell pierced throughout the room, and almost immediately you were packing up your belongings and marching down to the gym. This was almost routine for you, you had a free period and about twice a week you’d meet up with your friends and study on the gym bleachers. All the girls liked coming here in their free time as they got the chance to drool over the shirtless boys playing sports. You hated giving into the boy’s ego, but hey, you were only human and watching Steve play Basketball was always a plus. 

Walking into the sweaty room, you stayed close to the walls as you navigated towards the group of girls already seated. Once finding your friends through the scattered crowd, you said your greetings and sat down. You quickly glanced up before reaching into your bag, and you saw him. You couldn’t help the blush making its way to your cheeks as Steve came running out of the locker room in a pair of tight shorts. And by shorts, you meant short shorts. Shaking your head, you reached back into your bag and pulled out your homework. You’d occasionally look up to see Steve making a goal, or the boy chanting names. But for the most time, you focused on your work. You were about halfway through the page when you heard Nancy’s angry voice calling for Steve. You wanted to look up, wanted to know what was happening. But you didn’t want to be noisy, and you didn’t want him to know you cared. 

You didn’t even notice Steve returned until your friend was poking your shoulder for your attention. Looking up to see where she was pointing to, you saw Steve and the new kid, Billy, dribbling the ball rather closely. You could tell from across the room that Steve was pissed off as Billy was whispering things in his ear. Trying to lip read, you were left shocked as Billy motioned his head towards you with Steve’s snapping up in your direction. Embarrassed for being caught staring, you quickly looked down and began to pack up your belongings. You stumbled a few times trying to fit your books back in the bag, but once everything was settled you said your goodbyes and rushed out of the room. Typically you’d stay back to give Steve a silent hello, but the period was almost over anyway and you’d rather not be late to 3rd period.  

The rest of the day flew by and soon you found yourself getting ready for lunch. Gathering your needed supplies from your locker, you jerked as a hand slammed into the locker next to you. Looking to see who the hand belonged to, you were staring up at Billy Hargrove. You immediately didn’t like the guy, everything about him just screamed asshole. 

He sent a smile your way, and in return, you sent a scowl, “Can I help you?”

“You’re Y/N, right?” he licked his lips, his eyes scanning your face

“Yep, that’s me” you dragged out the last syllable, looking back at your locker to make sure you had everything, you hesitantly shut the door.

“So Iittle birdie told me that you’re the go-to tutor, am I wrong?”

“Ha, um, I guess that matters on what subject. Math and Science, yes. History not so much. But um, I can review any essay or stuff like that”

“Hmm” he let out a slight moan, leaning inward, “Now that all seems interesting, so how about my place later tonight, and you help me study”

“So typically I go to the library or the cafe for tutoring, and you never really answered my question, what topic are we talking about?”

“Come sweet thing, can you make an exception for me?”

“No.” you crossed your arms, giving him an annoyed look. “Look, Billy, I don’t really want to help you with whatever topic you need, but out of the kindness of my heart, I’ll oblige. If you want my help, my rules, and no exceptions”

He let his guard down for a second as he sent you a pissed off look, but his facade quickly went up as a beaming smile spread across his face. Leaning in, he tucked a piece of hair behind your ear and whispered closely, “Tomorrow, 7pm, library.” 

You were left speechless, standing there as he backed away with a seductive smile on his face, he sent you a wink before turning around and walking towards the cafeteria. Not wanting to give in to his tactics and follow him, you turned the opposite direction making your way towards the photo room. You wanted nothing more than to tell Johnathan about your exchange with Billy, but you were left disappointed to find him missing from the room. Confused, you asked for his whereabouts only to be furtherly disappointed to hear he went out for lunch with Nancy, leaving you alone again. 

With nowhere else to go, you found yourself eating alone in the art room, drawing what resembled a Demogorden for the hundredth time that year. As hard as you tried to get the image out of your head, you always failed. He was etched into your mind, and you felt like he never left. You were so entranced in your drawing you didn’t even hear the door open and close, nor the chair next to you drag across the floor. One moment you were alone and the next you felt a pair of eyes staring at you. Slowly turning your head you came face to face with none other than Steve. He had a concerned look within his eyes as he moved his head back and forth from your dark drawing and your worried face. Noticing how he was referencing your doodle with eyebrows raised, you crumbled up the piece of paper and stuffed it in your bookbag with ease.

Clearing your throat you turned back to the boy, “what are you doing here?”

He ignored your question and inched forward, quietly whispering, “everything okay?”

No. Nothing was okay. How could it be? Just last year you were fighting a monster from another world. Your best friend’s brother almost died, hell even your own brother almost died. You wanted nothing more than to vent and cry to the boy. You wanted to tell him all your fears, your never-ending nightmares. You wanted him to hold you and tell you it’ll all be okay, that it’s over now. But you knew you couldn’t. You knew he couldn’t. He wasn’t yours to express those feelings with, and you weren’t his to hold. He had Nancy. 

Nodding your head with a tight smile, you sent a thumbs up in his direction. But he didn’t seem amused at your state, slowly shaking his head in disappointment. “You’re a horrible liar, you know that, right?”

“Who says I’m lying? I’m fine.” you leaned back in your seat, crossing your arms in defense.

“No, you’re not. You want everyone to think you’re fine. But you are not. You do this thing when you lie.” He was trying to copy your pose, thumbs up and a tight smile, “you get all tense and give me a silent thumbs up.”

“I do not!”

“Bullshit. You did it right now and you did it last night”

“Last night?” Oh shit. What the hell happened last night. You’ve been trying to figure that out all day, what did you say? What did you do? Changing the topic, you asked, “Did I? Um, did I do or say anything last night?”

“No, you were fine. Pretty fucking funny actually. Now, Nancy. That’s another story.” You were immediately able to sense the heartbreak and sadness radiate off his body.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened?”

“Oh you know, she yelled at me for ignoring everything, calling our relationship bullshit, telling me she didn’t love me. You know, typical night.” He let out a breathless laugh, trying to turn the situation into a joke. But he failed, miserably. You could tell he was biting his cheeks, trying to hold back the tears.

You’d be lying if you haven’t dreamt about the day Nancy and Steve were officially over, wanting nothing more than to watch their relationship spiral downhill. But you thought it would be more satisfying than this, seeing the boy you liked almost break down in tears made your heart crush. You wanted nothing more than to tell him to forget about her, to move on with his life, that things were finally going to be better. You wanted to be selfish. But as much as you wanted those things, you couldn’t. It hurts too much to see him like this.

“I’m sure she didn’t mean those things, people say stupid crap when they are drunk” 

“Yeah, no she did. I thought the same thing until I asked her about it today, no response. Not even a fucking sorry”

You wanted to slap Nancy Wheeler.

“Do, um, so now what?” you were stuttering for words, not knowing what to say

“I have no idea”

“Do you still love her?”

He seemed taken back by your question, staring at you for a second before slowly nodding his head. “Yeah, I think I do.”

You felt demolished. Like a tiny ant getting crushed underneath a shoe. Every second that went by you felt your heart break into pieces.

“So, do something. My mom always told me that some relationships take work. Not always are the two people on the same stage? Maybe you’re just a little ahead of Nancy? You know?”

You refused to look at him, not wanting him to see behind the mask you’ve put on. But from the corner of your eye, you saw him slowly nod his head up and down. “So, buy her some flowers, say you’re sorry, girls like shit like that. And bam, everything is back to normal.”

“And you think that’s the best route to go? Pretend nothing happened?” His voice cracked mid-way through, obvious that he was still in pain.

You wanted to tell him no. You want to look at him and let him see the pain you were in. But you couldn’t, so you sent a quick smile his way, “yes.”

He looked at your smile for a bit, before looking away and nodding his head. Drumming his knuckles on the table, he got up, packing his belongings. You felt his hand on your shoulder, giving it a light squeeze before a mumbled “thanks” filled the silent air. You cleared your throat as he turned around and made his way out of the room.

Not wanting to think about what had just happened, you pulled out a piece of paper, hoping to be inspired to draw. But as you stared down at it, you got lost in trance. Too distracted by the running thoughts in your mind and the pain in your heart, you missed how Steve turned around to stare at you once more with a saddened expression. You missed the pain in his face when you told him to go back to Nancy and act like she didn’t just break his heart. You missed him shaking his head, somehow knowing you too well to tell when you were telling the truth and when you were lying.

Tag list: @marvelrose @naomiiiiiiiiiii04 @maggierheegreene @trashblackrainbow @oyoke @skatergirl765 @maggiesblogsblog @ginger-swag-rapunzel

[living-on-the-virge]

Delphiniums & Desire [CH 1]

Summary: Remy Savidge is just a broke 22 year old guy. His life is going terribly wrong and at this point he has nothing to lose, so with encouragement from his best friend Roman... He finds a sugar daddy. Except falling in love wasn't quite part of the plan. Pairing: Remile (Remy x Emile) Warnings: Sugar Daddy stuff. Note: Nope. [AO3 LINK]

Remy’s grip on the letter tightened, crumpling the sheets between his fingers. He groaned and threw the letter down onto his small kitchen table before turning to kick his wall. His neighbour’s dog barked, and he glared at the peeling wallpaper as if that would shut the dog up. It didn’t. Obviously. His stomach growled and he opened his fridge, finding nothing but a half empty bottle of some weird smoothie (Something Remus had left behind. Remy hated the stuff.).

Remy grabbed his jacket – Black leather, a gift he’d gotten from Roman – and headed out the door, pushing up his sunglasses as he moved. It wasn’t warm out, the crisp October air bit at his skin and orange leaves crunched under his boots, but the glasses were more of a comfort item than protection from the sun anyway. He made his way to the closest Starbucks and pulled out his wallet groaning when he only managed to pull out a few coins. He replaced his wallet and took out his phone instead.

It didn’t take long for Roman to pick up the call.

“Roman, honey, so you know I’m like, the bestest friend ever-“

Roman laughed. “Want a coffee?”

Remy looked around, squinting through his glasses. “Yeah, of course. How’d you-“

“I’m inside of Starbucks and I can see you, idiot. Come inside.”

Remy chuckled quietly as he hung up the phone, walking inside and seeing a flash of red in the corner. Roman. Perfect. He walked over and fell, rather dramatically, into the seat opposite Roman.

“Alright, spill,” Roman demanded, sitting forward in his seat. He cupped his face with his own hands, watching Remy.

Remy raised an eyebrow. “Spill what?”

“Something’s bothering you. My best friend senses are tingling. What’s up?”

Remy’s face dropped and his entire body seemed to mirror that. He crossed his arms on the table and rested his head on them. “My landlord is threatening to kick me out. Work is barely getting me any decent money. I have no food at my house and I’m broke.”

Roman’s expression softened and he reached over the table, taking hold of the hand closest to him. “Hey, Rems?” He said quietly.

“Mm.”

“You know you can stay with me and Remus, yeah? I know Remus is a lot to deal with-“

“He ate my fish.”

“Yeah, ok, ok. I know, trust me. He’s wild and it can be tiring, but he cares about you just as much as I do. The couch isn’t super comfortable but you’re free to crash with us for as long as you need.”

The corners of Remy’s lips twitched up into a smile. He sat back up and Roman squeezed his hand before pulling back.

“Or you could get a sugar daddy,” Roman shrugged as he took a sip of his drink.

Remy laughed, but the idea stayed in his mind for the rest of the meeting.

The two sat in the Starbucks for another hour, talking about whatever came to mind. Remy’s worries, while still definitely tugging at him, were pushed back in his head for a while as Roman talked about some new chaotic mixture Remus had created at home. When they finally parted Remy felt better. Not great, but anything was an improvement from his earlier mood.

‘Or you could get a sugar daddy.’

Remy took out his phone and scrolled through the app store, trying to find an app that didn’t seem so shady. He found one with good reviews and ratings and sighed. It’s not like he had anything to lose. Maybe if his ‘sugar daddy’ tried to rob him they’d feel bad at how shitty his living situation was and they’d leave him alone. He chuckled at the thought as he downloaded the app and set up a profile.

He spent the next hour looking through profiles, sending his favourites to Roman for his opinions. Some of the bios made him laugh. His eyes caught a flash of pink and blue and he clicked.

‘Emile Picani, 32’

Fun, Remy thought. That was only a ten-year difference. Much smaller than the difference between some of his other options. The profile looked a lot more casual than the others – A softer tone, multiple cartoon references. Remy smiled as he screenshotted the profile and sent it to Roman. He got an immediate reply.

‘Princey: look if you don’t fuck him, I will :P’

He took that as a good sign and clicked the ‘Start Talking’ button. His fingers froze over the keyboard as it opened. What was he supposed to say? How was he supposed to act? How did sugar babies do this?

“Just be like, casual. Be calm. What do you have to lose?” He muttered to himself as he started typing.

‘Remy Savidge: uhhhHHHH’

‘Remy Savidge: damn, you’re so pretty I forgot what I wanted to say’

Remy groaned to himself and threw himself down onto his bed. There was no way this would work, this was stupid. He couldn’t even send a normal, human sounding message to the guy. How was he going to convince a stranger to pay his bills? How-

His phone buzzed in his hand.

‘Emile Picani: Cute first move, sugar. You made me blush! Nobody on this app has managed that yet.’

Remy instantly messaged Roman. How the fuck was he supposed to reply? How the fuck did he actually get a response. What the fuck was happening. He was going to kill Roman for ever suggesting this-

Bzzz.

‘Emile Picani: Your profile says you’re new to this. I’d be glad to help you out. If you wanna keep talking, here’s my number!’

Remy saved the number without thinking and instantly texted it.

‘Remy: is it usually this easy to get a number? damn, ive been doing it wrong all these years’

‘Emile: Aww, sugar. You caught my eye more than everyone else. You wouldn’t believe the amount of people that start conversations with ‘Give me money’. It’s crazy.’

Remy smiled and instantly found himself sucked into the conversation. The two talked back and forth for the remainder of the night, and Remy found himself laughing multiple times. It was nearing 1am when Emile finally said goodnight.

‘Emile: Sorry to end things here. I need to get to sleep, I have work tomorrow morning. Maybe we could arrange a meeting on Wednesday? There’s a nice little café not too far from my office and I’m friends with the owner.’

Remy stared down at his screen. Already meeting? Did Emile want to talk about Remy actually being a sugar baby?

‘Emile: Unless I’m being too fast, or I misunderstood your mood. We could wait a little longer?’

‘Remy: no, no, just didn’t expect things to work like this. wednesday works. Some time in the afternoon? i like to sleep in’

‘Emile: Of course, sugar. I’ll see you then.’

Remy smiled as he turned off his phone and lay down. Now he just had to hope that this Emile guy was as friendly as he seemed. He closed his eyes and sighed. Now he just had to wait for Wednesday to roll around.

The café that Emile had chosen was nice. Not quite as busy as the Starbucks that Remy had gotten used to, but he appreciated the change. A friendly guy had greeted him as he walked in, all warm smiles and round-framed glasses and soft words. After learning he was waiting for Emile, the guy lead Remy to a table near a window and sat him down.

“Now, what can I getcha? Anythin’ catching your eye?” He asked, motioning towards the menu on the table.

Remy shook his head. “I don’t have any like, money right now. I’m good.”

The grinning man just laughed. “Oh, honey no. You’re waiting for Emmie, aren’t ya? You can order anything you’d like, that man is a softie and he’d’ve brought you something anyway.”

Remy felt his face grow slightly warmer as he looked down at the menu. “Uh- Black coffee and a blueberry muffin, please?”

He received a nod in return. “Of course. I’ll be right back!”

Remy felt the need to shrink back in his seat. Or run. What if this Emile guy didn’t actually arrive, or what if he did but he wasn’t nice, or what if Remy had to pay for himself, or what if this was all just some trap to harvest his organs for pie-

He hid his face in his hands. He’d been around Remus too much.

He heard footsteps and looked up, expecting to see a bright smile and a coffee, instead being greeted by one Emile Picani. Remy’s eyes widened behind his glasses. Emile was tall – Roughly somewhere around 6 feet tall if Remy had to guess, but either way he towered over the table. His hair was light brown and slightly curled at the ends, light freckles dotted over his cheeks and nose, and his eyes behind his glasses looked to be roughly the same light brown as his hair. He smiled and sat down opposite Remy.

“I hope you haven’t been waiting for too long,” He said. “Traffic was terrible today.”

Remy shook his head and shifted in his seat, kinda glad that his shades mostly hid his staring. “I haven’t like, been here for too long.”

It was then that the friendly man from before walked back out, carrying a tray with coffee and a muffin. His eyes lit up when he saw Emile, but he held back his excitement until after he’d given Remy his items.

“Emmie!”

Emile grinned. “Hey Patton! Hope you didn’t scare Remy too much while I was gone.”

Patton pulled a face of mock-offence hand over his chest. “I would never. Dee would for sure, but he’s not in today. Family emergency.”

“Shame,” Emile said, frowning slightly. “I was hoping to set up another session with him. Oh, well- I’ll take the usual please?”

Patton nodded and walked off again. Emile turned his attention back to Remy. “Sorry about all of that, I haven’t been in here for a couple of weeks.”

Remy shrugged and took a sip of his coffee. “It’s fine. I get it. I like, do that with my friends too.”

Emile sat back in his seat and rested his arms on the table. “So, lets talk about this. Since you showed up, I’m assuming you haven’t changed your mind about being a sugar baby?”

“No.”

“Good,” Emile smiled, and Remy felt Emile’s eyes burn through his shades. “So, lets set up a few ground rules before we discuss allowances. Is that ok?”

Remy nodded.

“Alright! So, since this isn’t a fully committed romantic relationship, I’m not going to be bothered if you… Hook up with other people when we aren’t together, or even find a partner. That isn’t any of my business and I won’t stop you from doing that.” Emile nodded his head in thanks as Patton put down a plate with a sandwich and a cup of tea. “I don’t work on Wednesdays or most Sundays, so I’m available to meet with you at least once and sometimes twice a week, and if you decide you want to meet more, you’re allowed to ask.”

Remy nodded along quietly as Emile spoke. Sure, he was listening, but he couldn’t help but pay attention to the small details in the older man. The way his hands twitched slightly as he picked up his cup, or the light freckles that ran down his neck.

“Anyway, for your allowance – Is there an amount you’d like to offer up before I say what I was thinking?”

Remy was pulled back out of his thoughts. He blinked a few times as he tried to come up with a number. “Uhhh. $300?”

“A week?”

“Y…Yeah? Is that too much?” Remy asked.

Emile paused for a second before laughing. “Oh, sugar… You really are new to this, huh? You’re precious. Alright, alright, my offer is $800 a week, as well as some gifts when I find something, I think you’ll like.”

Remy’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Of course. Is that ok? We can discuss raising it once we’re both more comfortable with everything and if both of our wants in the relationship change.”

Remy nodded and grinned as he finished his muffin. “Yeah, yeah, that sounds great.”

Emile’s phone buzzed in his pocket and he checked it. “Oh dear.”

He stood up, dropping a few notes onto the table. “Sorry, sugar. I’m needed back at the office for something. I’ll text you later? We’ll finish up all the final details of the arrangement and hopefully I’ll see you soon.”

Remy made a noise of agreement and Emile rushed out of the door. He let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. This was definitely a story to tell Roman.

[thebookworm0001]

Words cannot express how much i want either a gaming laptop or a pc

Friend, I understand you completely. It’s why I saved up for a long time to build my own. Did you come here for a how-to on how to build one for yourself? Probably not! But I’m gonna tell you how anyway because it is significantly cheaper to build yourself a pc than to buy one (and laptops are even more expensive).

So! You wanna build a computer? Here’s what you need:

-Motherboard. All the things plug into this. Very Important. Do not break. When handling, touch metal beforehand so you don’t shock it with static and fry it. Comes in 3 sizes aka form factors: ATX (standard). mATX (smaller). itx (holy shit its tiny) smaller=/=cheaper! all pretty much have the same layout and all come with a manual. front panel connectors are a bitch.

-CPU. Your processor! The thing that processes all the ones and zeros into shit you actually understand. Very expensive. Very delicate. Do not drop. Needs something to keep it cool. Lots of cpus will come with a cpu fan in the box but not all. They touch the cpu with a weird paste called thermal paste that helps heat go away. Fans or liquid cooling will screw into the motherboard over the cpu.

-GPU. The most expensive part of your build, probably. If you’re building a gaming pc it’ll probably be ~1/3 of your budget. It’s the thing that makes everything pretty and visible. Gotta have a graphics card to see what the ones and zeros are doing. Two brands rule the GPU market: Nvidia and AMD. Idk if one is better than the other but I went AMD because i could get a better one for cheaper so.

-RAM. Your computer’s short-term memory. Lots of RAM means more tabs of Google Chrome open at a time. 16 gigs will get you through just about anything. 32 is generally overkill. 8 is less than you want for a dedicated gaming pc since most newer games have a higher RAM demand.

-Storage. Comes in two forms: a physical hard drive (reliable but kinda slow at this point when compared to an ssd. definitely your cheapest option) or a solid-state drive (smaller than a HD. much faster. more expensive. generally comes either as a 2.5″ brick-looking thing or a stick called an m.2 which is even more expensive and even faster) You want enough of this to store your operating system and games on. Lots of people go with a base of 1 TB (1000 gigabytes) because games take up a lot of room. 500 can get you through if your library is smaller or you don’t mind rotating games on and off the computer. can get one big storage thing or as many as you want. some people have a smaller ssd to hold the operating system and frequently used games (so they load fast) and store everything else on a much larger hd.

-Power Supply. Pretty self explanatory. The thing that powers all the other things. You want one that gives you enough power for all the parts to work at the same time at max capacity. Don’t cheap out on this they can do weird shit like explode and break all your parts. Come in three types: non-modular, semi-modular, and modular. it just determines how many power cords are permanently attached to the power supply. non-modular are cheaper, but tend to have mustard-and-ketchup colored cords (not pretty) and they can be a pain to manage. you gotta hide those extra cords you aren’t using somewhere (which is why people like cases with a ‘shroud’ or little box that hides the power supply). Modular are more expensive but it’s really nice to only plug in the cables you need. 

-Operating system. Yeah you built the computer but you gotta have a thing that lets you interact with it. Windows is the most common. You can also get it for free. Kinda. Gotta flash drive? Go here and download the windows installer, stick the usb into your new computer and BAM! Windows is installed. You’ll have a nasty watermark and be unable to put your own background on it without an activation key (~$130 for Windows 10) but you can use it.

-Case. The thing you put everything else into. Can be plain black boxes or wierd illuminati pyramid things. Make sure the size matches up with your motherboard form factor. There are these little screws called standoffs in the case that secure the motherboard to it. The standoffs have to match up or the motherboard won’t fit. Power supplies and graphics cards also have to fit inside the case - make sure it’s big enough. Those dimensions will be listed with the info for the case and the individual parts. Case can come with fans or without. (You need fans. They keep your parts from heating up - which kills them. there’s also water cooling but its more expensive and scares the heck out of me. most cases only really need the fans that come with but you can add more.)

That’s it! (well. plus a monitor and keyboard and mouse and speakers/headphones but those aren’t the computer. also optional: rgb - the fun lights that make your case look like a unicorn barfed inside it. can be part of your fans or just strips of lights. lots of gaming motherboards have rgb built in. i like rgb.)

Sites like https://pcpartpicker.com/ will help you figure out the parts you need and if they’re compatible. Because it sucks to buy your parts and realize they don’t go together. The big ones? Motherboard and cpu. CPUs are generally made by either Intel or AMD. Currently, AMD is the best bang for your buck. Motherboards are designed to work with one brand of cpu - and generally specific chipsets. Motherboards will tell you the chipsets or series they work with (eg a 3000 series chipset which means it can work with any ryzen 3000 cpu like a Ryzen 5 3600 or 9 3900x). Motherboards will also only work with specific RAM depending on your CPU. There’s a support page on their sites that gives cpu and ram compatibility. RAM support pages show up like this:

which sucks (this is for the B550M AORUS ELITE (rev. 1.0) board from Gigabyte)

just google that module pin and the right shit will pop up. that first one is the  VENGEANCE® LPX 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4 DRAM 4000MHz C19 Memory Kit - Red (aka corsair’s vengence lpx line of ram with 4 8gb sticks of ram that run at 4000 megahertz in a fancy red case - you can see all that info in the pin number if you pay attention but its easier to google. the faster the ram [that MHz number] the more expensive. the more gigabytes the more expensive. ram also comes with rgb options. they are more expensive.)

Always makes sure stuff is compatible. Pcpartpicker will tell you if something isn’t. It’s very helpful. but also check the motherboard support lists. nothing else has compatibility issues generally: manufacturers want you to be able to use whatever parts you can get with their stuff so you keep buying from them.

sites like https://benchmarks.ul.com/ https://www.gpucheck.com/ and https://www.userbenchmark.com/ are great for comparing. wanna know if you can get a cheaper part that works just as well? go to these places. 

benchmarks.ul

gpucheck (RX Vega 56 vs AMD Radeon Rx 5600 xt)

userbenchmark (Jedi: Fallen Order recommended parts vs my own build)

Newegg.com is a really great place to buy your parts and it usually has the cheapest prices. Make sure to shop around though. pcpartspicker is pretty good about telling you where the best prices are, but sometimes amazon or newegg will drop their prices randomly. also with the plague times, prices and availability are fucking weird right now. stuff will be out of stock for weeks. just. pay attention and check frequently.

I really like this video for trying to figure out budgets. Only have $300 to spend? They got you. Have $3000? They’ve got a guide for that as well. There’s a ton of budget build guides out there but this is the most recent one I like. Motherboard prices could be down a bit due to the very recent release of the b550 chipset, but again, plague times are making computer parts more expensive. That channel has a ton of reviews actually (and step-by-step guides for building) and is geared toward the gaming-minded so if they say a laptop or prebuilt computer is good and fits your budget, check it out. Prebuilts make life easier for you, but you can end up getting a less-than-stellar quality with the additional cost of construction. plus building your own means you know exactly what to do when it comes time to upgrade your parts. 

once you put everything where it should go, turn it on! it might not work, that’s okay. you might not have plugged something in all the way! or maybe a part was dead on arrival. get that fixed and install your operating system. once that’s done - get connected to the internets (if you don’t have a wifi card installed you gotta plug that sucker into the wall via an ethernet cable) and start downloading drivers from the motherboard manufacturer’s website and the gpu manufacturer’s website. your motherboard might come with a dvd of them but if you don’t have an optical drive (dvd player) that doesn’t help you. update your operating system. then download your games and play! (you can also do this thing called overclocking where you go into the bios when your computer is loading and max out all your hardware’s settings but that isn’t necessary for casual gameplay and can also void your warranties)

i hope you enjoyed that infodump you didn’t ask for!

[fishtankfilter22-blog]

The Best fish tank filter for 10 Gallon Tank of 2020:

Dealing with fish is one of the most loosening up activities. Watching brilliant fishes (truly, angles since you have different kinds of fish) is quieting to the point that it truly helps individuals who have unpleasant outstanding tasks at hand. In any case, what is much increasingly upsetting is finding a messy 10 gallon fish tank. Envision your tank overflowing with algea and fish crap! On the off chance that you need to keep this from occurring, you should utilize the best channel for 10 gallon tank. You don't need to look far and wide for this – I have tried a pack and limited to the crème of the harvest. Right away, we should jump into my top decisions!

Tetra Murmur in-Tank Channel:

Tetra Murmur in Tank Channel with BioScrubber for Aquariums:

In the event that you are searching for an absolutely dependable in-tank channel to keep up the tidiness of your aquarium or terrarium, the Murmur in-tank channel with bioscrubber by Tetra may be the one that you are searching for.

Something that I loved about this item is its quietness. When I have introduced it in my aquarium, it has worked in complete quietness and get information from Mr Review Expert  . This is gainful for me since I effectively wake from little commotions .

Something else that truly bewilders me about this in-tank channel is its utilization of bio-sack channels. It forestalls staining of water because of fish nourishment. Moreover, the channels truly retain grime, soil, and different particles through its enacted carbon.

Cleaning this in-tank channel is simple. You should simply expel the base segment of the channel to get to the impeller. I had the option to evacuate the grime gathered in my 10-gallon aquarium by doing it.

What I don't acknowledge about this in-tank channel is the means by which solid its pull power. Once, my five-year-old girl set a little goldfish inside the aquarium. Show was so eager to watch it swim around the tank when its tail was sucked in by the channel. My girl was concerned in light of the fact that she believed that her new pet kicked the bucket. I quickly killed the channel to safeguard the poor fish. Fortunately, it didn't get harmed intensely and I had the option to move it on a little fish bowl (incidentally).

Marina Force Channel:

Is it accurate to say that you are looking for a ground-breaking channel that takes up just a small amount of your aquarium's space? In the event that you need to have the best in-tank channel, at that point the Marina S10 Force Channel ought to be remembered for your shopping list.

What I like about this in-tank channel is its self-preparing highlight. I don't need to check its working condition every now and then on the grounds that the channel is as of now doing it for me. It keeps grime and different particles from stopping up the channel, along these lines keeping the water and the aquarium clean consistently.

Another agreeable element of this item is its customizable stream control. I like managing the measure of water that would be siphoned once more into the aquarium. At last, since the channel itself is little, it takes just a little space in the aquarium. This implies more space for the fish to swim around!

Notwithstanding being amazing and having a self-preparing highlight, this channel works unobtrusively. This is advantageous for the individuals who like to keep an aquarium in their dozing room or office, much the same as me. With this in-tank channel, I can concentrate on numerous significant things without getting diverted by superfluous clamor. This is additionally great on the off chance that you like to rest quick around evening time.

What I don't actually like about this in-tank channel is the manner by which little the filtration limit is. On the off chance that you have a few goldfish and they have crapped, the channel will set aside a lot of effort to tidy it up.

Aqueon Quietflow E Interior Force Channel:

Do you need your fish to flourish inside your 10-gallon aquarium? At that point, what you need is a decent filtration framework that could without much of a stretch clean the water and keep it to tenable condition to the extent that this would be possible. On the off chance that you are as yet searching for a decent in-tank channel, the Aqueon Quietflow E Inner Force Channel will keep you fulfilled.

What I like about this specific channel is its simplicity of establishment. I can put the channel utilizing the gave attractions cups and clasps. Once introduced, I'm not stressed that it won't fall profound into the aquarium. Moreover, this channel takes just a little space inside the tank. This is significant for me since I need my fish to have the most extreme measure of room to swim however much as could reasonably be expected.

Not at all like other in-tank channels in the market nowadays, this item gives three degrees of filtration: mechanical, organic, and substance. The mechanical filtration handles the garbage and particles in the water. The organic filtration then again keeps the degrees of nitrite and poisonous smelling salts within proper limits. In the interim, the synthetic filtration keeps the water from having a terrible stench and staining.

What I don't acknowledge about this channel is its pull power. Once, it sucked one of my Betta fish. The poor fish got its left balance harmed. I needed to put an uncommon hindrance to keep the deplorable occurrence from happening once more.

Tetra Murmur PF10 Force Channel:

In the event that you are searching for an adaptable channel that can work for either a 5-gallon aquarium or a 10-gallon aquarium, the one that you are searching for is unquestionably Murmur PF10 Force Channel by Tetra.

What I delighted in about this channel is the means by which it very well may be utilized in either 5-gallon aquarium or 10-gallon aquarium. Most specialists go through additional money to get a different channel for their 5-gallon aquariums. With this, in any case, I don't have to spend additional money on two separate in-tank channels. All I need is this force channel to keep my aquarium clean constantly.

Another fabulous component of this in-tank channel is its three-phase filtration. It can assist you with cleaning your aquarium tank through the accompanying procedures: compound filtration, natural filtration, and mechanical filtration. This is really helpful to those individuals like me who need to keep their tanks clean without applying a lot of exertion all the while.

Beside its exhibition, I likewise compliment its totally quiet activity. It's so peaceful I here and there overlook that it's inside my aquarium. This is significant particularly in the event that you need to keep up a degree of commotion in your home.

This specific channel might be awesome, however it has one minor blemish. In the wake of changing my aquarium's water, the channel doesn't begin right away. I needed to slap it a couple of times before effectively restarting it. Once restarted, it kept having exactly the intended effect.

Penn-Plax-Course 300-Sub Aquarium-Channel:

Finding a decent in-tank channel that can be completely lowered is exceptionally testing. On the off chance that you need to enable your fish to flourish without agonizing over the channel holding them up, the Penn Plax Course 300 Submarine Aquarium Channel is an item that you ought to genuinely consider in your shopping.

What I acknowledge about this item is the way it is completely submarine. While different channels can be set inside the aquarium tank, they can't be completely lowered on the grounds that the electric parts may be drenched. Be that as it may, this specific channel was intended to be drenched, consequently amplifying its abilities without limit.

Another excellent component of this channel is its customizable siphon head. With this, I can choose which heading the water in my aquarium should stream. Something else that I genuinely like the most is the splash bar choice. It causes me circulate air through the tank to assist my fish with breathing oxygen appropriately. This is something that I haven't found in other in-tank channel items.

On the off chance that you need to keep the channel totally avoided sight, this item can assist you with doing as such. My aquarium appeared to be so regular in light of the fact that the channel is securely concealed away from sight. The plan permits it to be totally doused and truly, I love the delightful way I don't have to stress over that.

What I don't acknowledge about this in-tank channel is its attractions power. It can harm a little fish, for example, a Betta fish or a goldfish. I needed to put a little glass screen with the goal that the fish won't adventure into the channel's heading. I wish that the makers figure out how to keep this from occurring.

[dingletragedy]

one last night on this earth, can you teach me how the heart works?

ao3 link (part one)

London is one of Aaron’s favourite cities in the world. He’s so used to the stillness of village life that the buzz of the city makes him feel alive. Alive and brand new. There’s possibilities hidden down every street, hope in every bright light, and anticipation thrumming up every unimaginable skyscraper. It’s just a shame he’s not the one who’s made a life for himself down here, no, Adam has.

Truth be told he couldn’t be happier for Adam, but he can’t help the envy that flows through his veins. Aaron is stuck in Emmerdale still, the same routine day in day out. Work, eat, sleep. It’s not as if anyone is stopping him from following in Adam’s footsteps, well, anyone but himself. It’s just that he’s finally settled in Emmerdale, finally, after so many long years of feeling lost in his own body, he’s found a home. A home in his body, his mind, the village.

So of course he takes any and every opportunity to escape down the bustling city for a week. And Adam is more than happy to put him up, even goes as far as paying for his train tickets on occasions, desperate to see his best mate. Neither anticipated quite how painful the distance would be. Aaron now understands why people say losing your best friends is like losing a limb.

The thing is though, even spending the week with Adam can’t stop the gnawing feeling of loneliness eating him up, especially not when Adam ditches him for a date on the first fucking night. He’d matched with her on Tinder apparently, which Aaron scoffs at, because do people really still use that app? Her names Amelia, and that’s about all Adam knows about her considering they’ve only been talking for twenty-four bloody hours.

That feeling of envy is back again. Aaron can only wish he was as carefree and confident as Adam.

The hours tick by and Aaron betrays himself, somehow in the midst of feeling sorry for himself, he redownloads the Tinder app. Aaron’s had tinder for a lifetime but his profile hasn’t been updated since he was 20, he’s not exactly arsed about online dating, he reckons it’s overhyped and underwhelming. He finds himself scrolling through Tinder once a year, at most, when he’s exceptionally bored or having a dry spell in the sex department. Nothing has ever come of the swiping though.

The app alerts Aaron the second it’s finished downloading and curiosity gets the better of him.

He reviews his own profile first, and he instantly regrets his decision of entertaining his loneliness. It’s awful. Maybe this is why his previous success in online dating has been slim to none. He’s got two pictures up: the first is a silly photo of him and Adam, tongues poking out and shit-eating grins on their faces. The second is a picture his Mum had demanded she took of him after his first shift at the garage, his overalls are covered in grease and his own sweat has matted his hair to his forehead. Attractive, Aaron thinks. His bio reads a simple ’Not after anything serious’, and he cringes against it.

He doesn’t know what he’s after really, but with a bio like that he’s practically asking for unwanted dick pics. So he changes it.

Aaron, 22, Yorkshire. Mechanic. Trying this thing out again.

He’s happy to keep the simplicity of it without sounding like a creep.

Adam is pottering around in the kitchen, making himself (and Aaron) a predate dinner, when he stops and leans over Aaron’s shoulder. And Aaron curses himself for not being more secretive about his swiping, because suddenly Adam is acting like a small child on Christmas Day.

“Yes mate!” Adam exasperates when he notices the not-so-subtle app illuminating Aaron’s phone screen. “It’s about time you got yourself back on the dating scene.”

Aaron blows an unimpressed breath of air between his lips. But okay, Adam is probably right, only Aaron isn’t going to tell him that.

“You can’t swipe left on everyone,” Adam laments. “He was cute.”

“Nope.” Aaron flicks his finger again.

It's almost automatic. See a picture, swipe left, see the next picture, left again.

“Oh come on!  He’s cute, too!”

“And what would you know about it?” Aaron questions with a raise of his brows.

“I might not be gay, Aaron, but I do have a pair of perfectly good eyes.”

Fair point, Aaron thinks.

Adam rolls his eyes at him yet again. “C’mon, there’s gotta be someone here that’ll fit your exacting standards. Oh - what about him!”

“If you fancy them so much then maybe you need to start accepting that Ads.”

And he gets a punch on the arm for that.

With one final swipe left Aaron closes the app and Adam’s straight in his ear. “Oh come on mate, just give it a chance. Ya never know, you might just meet the love of your life.”

And so Aaron opens the app back up, to shut Adam up more than anything. He watches on as it refreshes itself, finding a new bunch of not-quite-right-men for Aaron to judge.

And then, the next profile comes up.

“Wow” he hears Adam blow out, frowning down at Aaron’s phone, “He looks like a bloody model”.

The photo staring up at them isn’t one Aaron expected to see on a site like this. It’s too sophisticated, too perfect, too gorgeous. Admittedly, this guy did have a really nice face. Aaron would have to be blind not to see that. If that's all they were going by, then he was definitely a winner.

He enlarges the profile, curiosity getting the better of him. Luckily the oven timer steals Adam’s attention back to the job at hand and Aaron is free to browse without judgement.

Robert, 24. It reads.

He’s a business manager or something fancy like that and he’s not at all Aaron’s usual type, but when he comes to think of it, what even is Aaron’s usual type? He curiously reads on.

Travelling between home and the big city.

Proud owner of an Audi R8.

Looking for someone to keep up with the demands of my non-existent social life.

I’m on Tinder because I’m Solo, what’s your excuse?

And honestly, that last bit goes straight over Aaron’s head.

He’s got four photos, dressed impressively in all except one, where he’s in his sweats and has a younger girl laughing at his side. That’s Aaron’s favourite. It looks like somebody's home, if the furniture in the background of the shot is anything to go by. It's taken from Robert's front as he leans against a wall, though he's in the middle of talking or laughing, his mouth open in a smile as he focuses on someone off camera to the side. He's got a can of cider in one hand, the other tucked into the pocket of his jeans. Casual yet jaw-dropping.

And yeah, for once Adam was right, he does look like a bloody model. A too-good-to-be-true model.

“Just swipe right will ya.” He hears Adam pipe up, and of course Aaron acts as if he has no idea what Adam’s talking about.

“Mate I’ve seen ya staring at his face for the last ten minutes. Just go for it”

“What’s the point anyway? He’d probably just be another nobody. Another one to add to the ever-growing list of nobodies.” Aaron falters. “Or, he could be the one” “I won’t meet the love of my life through a screen, Adam.” “And you won’t meet them cooped up in here all day either.” And, again, he has a point, but Robert is bloody gorgeous and Aaron is, well he’s Aaron. With one final look, Aaron sighs loudly and locks his phone, leaving Robert’s profile just sitting there, waiting for someone else to take the chance Aaron just threw away.

---

Robert is 24. Which doesn’t mean he has his shit together, because he doesn’t. But what he does have is a degree, and a more than successful job. And although technically he’s been an adult for six years, his downfall comes in the shape of dating. He's had relationships before, plenty, boys and girls, but never one that’s lasted longer than a year. Some may say commitment and Robert Sugden just aren’t compatible.

Except he’s got an invitation through the door this morning, another university friend is getting married and Robert really wishes he was at that stage of his life. He doesn’t mind being on his own for the most part, and it’s not as if he’s short of one night stands, but there’s something about the loneliness that digs at him, sometimes. The thought that maybe it’s too late for him, maybe he missed his chance somewhere along the way. There’s a party he should have gone to, or a train he should have missed. There’s someone he should have met by now, right?

He shakes his head of the thoughts but still finds himself scrolling through Tinder later that day, determined not to put his phone down till he’s fired off at least one message.

After an excruciating half an hour his thumb is throbbing in pain, but then gets to the profile of a man named Aaron, who is currently a few kilometres away, and he purses his lips. Because the guy’s picture has two attractive men on it, but one of them sparks Robert’s interest a lot more than the other. He looks young, but his profile also looks very outdated and Robert laughs against it, because it’s obvious this guy sucks at online dating. It really shouldn’t be so endearing. Robert gets plenty of attention online, but he wouldn’t exactly say he’s a dab hand at Tinder. A couple of one night stands and a few terrible dates isn’t anything to show off about.

Luckily the boy, Aaron, has another photo. And fuck, he’s wearing overalls. Robert claims he doesn’t believe in love at first sight, but he’s definitely feeling something at first sight.

As if by some miracle, Aaron has his Instagram linked to his account and although it’s is about as bare as his Tinder, it gives Robert the chance to do a spot of obsessive stalking. And even after thoroughly looking through all of Aaron’s 7 photos, he still can’t pinpoint what it is about the younger boy that’s making butterflies dance in Robert’s stomach.

At first, Robert thinks about swiping left because Aaron is, objectively, very hot. Maybe too hot. And Robert’s not sure he can handle the rejection. But then he reminds himself who the fuck he is and swipes right.

It’s a match! the app announces, and Robert wants to immediately fire off a message to Aaron.

So he does.

---

Aaron should know better by now than to leave his phone unattended in Adam’s company. If he doesn’t return to a camera roll full of ridiculous selfies, then he returns to a new match and message on Tinder.

Considering Aaron hadn’t swiped right on any of the 5o or so suspects he got through, and Adam is looking rather sheepish, it’s pretty obvious what’s gone on here. He gives Adam an earful, makes sure he knows exactly how pissed off Aaron is but stop abruptly when he unlocks the notification.

It’s a match, Robert likes you too. Getting chatting!

Aaron clicks on the message with a thudding heart and sweaty palms - Hey, tie your shoes! I don’t want you falling for anyone else.  - it reads. And can barely stop the laugh from escaping his lips.

Adam spots the bashful smile that Aaron is sure must be covering his face, “So, what did he say?”

“I don’t think that’s any of your business, do you? Anyway, haven’t you got a date waiting for you. You know you can only be fashionably late a number of times, Adam.”

And then he as much as pushes Adam out of the door, as if he’s shipping his moody teenager off to school. Once alone, Aaron has the time to think of a reply for Robert.

Aaron wasn’t one in favour of online relationships. He thought the whole process was awkward and unsafe. You never knew exactly who you were talking to online – they could be someone old and gross rather than what they proclaim to be. But he figured there was no harm in chatting to Robert, it’s not as if he was ever going to meet him.

Aaron: That sure is a shit pick up line for someone who claims to own an Audi R8.

Robert: Hey that’s one of my best! And not one I use lightly, thank you very much

Aaron: It was terrible mate Robert: Friend-zoned already? Ouch. Wounded :(

Aaron: What are we, 17?

Robert: God no. Well at least I hope not. Although I’ve got to admit you do look pretty babyfaced on those photos.

Aaron: Charming

Aaron: But yeah, I probably was about 17 then. I don’t use this thing much

Robert: Guess I should count my lucky stars then? ;)

Aaron: Are you always this dramatic?

Robert: What can I say, it’s all part of my charm

Aaron: Sure, mate ;)

Robert: Right go on then. you’ve got three questions. Pick wisely.

Aaron: Who said I want to ask you any questions? Bit sure if yourself aren’t you?

Robert: Are you always this mean?

Aaron: What can I say, it’s all part of my charm ;)

And Aaron has to take a minute out, because surely that can’t be right, surely he, Aaron Dingle, can’t be flirting? Aaron had never been a flirt, anyone would tell you that, in fact, the only way to describe Aaron’s flirting was hopeless. But after all of the few minutes he’d been chatting to Robert, he felt like he’d known him forever – which was strange because they hadn’t even talked about themselves yet - but Aaron felt comfortable enough to let his guard down for the first time in years.

Aaron bit his lip – wondering why he was analysing his own behaviour so much. Sure, Robert was fit, but that didn’t mean that anything was going to happen between them, so Robert’s opinion on him shouldn’t mean anything. But it kind of did.

There’s something about Robert that makes him never want to stop talking to him. Something so compelling, so different, so - exciting.

So he doesn’t stop talking to Robert, not until it’s nearing three in the morning and Aaron’s losing the battle he’s been having with his eyes to stay open.

Aaron says his goodnights to Robert and shyly suggests they pick up where they’re leaving off tomorrow. Thankfully he gets an eager response and falls asleep with this foreign, but warm, feeling in his chest.

---

They talk every day for the next few days, alternating between messages and silly photos of absolutely anything. It becomes a mainstay in Robert’s days, something he looks forward to when he wakes up and anticipates throughout the day.

It’s the fourth day of consecutive conversation when he dares to suggest something to Aaron. A skype call.

It’s Wednesday evening and Robert’s had the day from hell at work, but he’s made it past the halfway point, now there’s just a mere few days before he’ll be back in the comfort of his Leeds office, with people who actually know how to do their jobs.

He’s perched on his bed, the bedside lamp is creating a warm glow around the hotel room, the nights drawing in earlier every day now. And Aaron’s in the same position, Robert figures when his blurry figure takes over the screen. He’s wearing a long-sleeved white shirt and what appears to be a pair of tracksuit bottoms. Suddenly Robert feels like an idiot for purposely keeping shirt buttoned to the top and fixing his tie. Aaron looks gorgeous though, so much more so that Robert could’ve ever imagined. It’s obvious he’s the same boy from the few Tinder pictures, that cheeky grin is unmistakable, but he looks so different also. Older, as if he’s grown into himself, and there’s stubble now, stubble that Robert can’t wait to get his hands on. And his eyes, Robert doesn’t know what to say about his eyes, just that he hopes all his future children have those eyes.

Aaron’s voice is quiet and soft and delicate. Not at all the kind of voice you’d expect to come from someone with Aaron’s appearance. He sounds almost timid, nervous even, and a part of Robert hopes he is, because if Robert’s rapid heartbeat and sweaty palms are anything to go by, then so is he.

They chat for hours, Aaron lets Robert whine about work and Robert listens to Aaron as he moans about what a terrible host Adam is. Robert tentatively asks about Aaron’s plans for the rest of the week, he knows Aaron’s heading back to Yorkshire soon and, well, he wants nothing more than to see him - really see him - while they’re both down in London.

“Me and Adam are heading out tomorrow, he’s finally decided that we should do something other than play Fifa all day whilst I’m down! He said something about sight-seeing and then a few drinks, but what he probably means by that is pointing at the London and then sitting in a pub all night.” Aaron replies, and really, Robert is on awe of him. “Why?”

“Well I was just - um - wondering - if you - um,” He takes a depth breath and reminds himself who the fuck he is, “Can I take you out, Friday night?”

And Aaron’s back to biting his lip, a frown taking over his features. It does nothing to stop the nervous feeling tearing apart Robert’s stomach.

And suddenly Robert’s backtracking, “I mean if you want. It’s fine if you don’t I just thought-”

“Shut up idiot, of course I want to.”

“Yeah?” Robert questions with what must be a shy smile, one replicated by Aaron.

“Yeah.”

Three hours later he’s still there, on Robert’s computer screen, yawning and scrunching up his eyes and smiling without teeth. Robert smiles back at him and says, “You should probably go to bed.” And Aaron fake whines and says he doesn’t want to go to sleep when he could be talking to Robert instead - sleep deprived and inhibitions melted away. They spend another half an hour just ending the call, arguing about who will be the first to press the threatening red button at the bottom of the screen. And honestly, Robert feels like a teenager again with the way they're just looking at each other, unable to hold their laughter in.

And when Robert wakes a few hours later his laptop is still placed on his knees. Aaron’s face filling the dimly light screen. Aaron’s soft snores pouring out the tinny speakers. Aaron’s chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Robert falls back to sleep and for the first time ever, he dreams of a warm body and the deepest blue eyes.

[lastsonlost]

I needed Marvel to stand by me with more work opportunities to show the trolls that I was more than a diversity hire. “

Sina Grace on Writing Iceman at Marvel: “I Was Surrounded by Cowards”

Posted by Jude Terror June 28, 2019 48 Comments

As has been documented in various Bleeding Cool articles throughout the course of the book’s two series, one of my personal favorite X-Men comics of the past few years was Iceman, written by Sina Grace, and drawn it its first volume by Alessandro Vitti and Robert Gill and in its second and concluding one-shot by Nathan Stockman. The book breathed new life into a character who it could be argued hadn’t really received significant character development since his days in X-Factor in the 1980s. It’s true that it was “The Great One” Brian Bendis who wrote Iceman outed by Jean Grey’s invasive telepathy, but it was Grace who wrote adult Iceman coming to grips with this and learning to be himself and love himself, alongside, of course, lots of mutant action and drama. The book ended too soon, when it was really just getting going, IMHO.

With all of that in mind, it’s sad but not surprising to read Sina Grace’s comments, posted to his Tumblr, about his time at Marvel writing the book and what he says was a lack of support from Marvel while he dealt with online bullying as well as a lack of support and promotion for Iceman itself.

Grace writes:

As Pride Month comes to a close, it’s time I spoke candidly about my experience at Marvel Comics.

To date, I’ve always been honest about the joy of writing Iceman’s journey as an out gay superhero, but I’ve skirted around the challenges that came along with it. This is partially because I prefer to give off an upbeat vibe, and there’s also a fear that my truth will affect my career. With more corporations patting themselves on the back for profit-led partnerships wherein celebrities take selfies in rainbow apparel, and with buzz that Marvel Studios is preparing to debut their first gay character in the upcoming Eternals movie, there is an urgency to discuss the realities of creating queer pop culture in a hostile or ambivalent environment. Hopefully, my takeaways will serve as a guide for people in positions of power to consider when advocating for more nuanced and rich representation. In an ideal world, embracing our stories and empowering us to tell them will yield far more profitable (and way less messy) results than what I encountered while writing Iceman.

Stand by your people

It’s no surprise that I got the attention of trolls and irate fans for taking on this job. There was already backlash around the manner in which Bobby Drake aka Iceman came out, and Marvel needed to smooth that landing and put a “so what” to the decision. After a point, I could almost laugh off people making light of my death, saying they have “cancerous AIDS” from my book, or insinuating I’m capable of sexual assault… almost. Between Iceman’s cancellation and its subsequent revival, Marvel reached out and said they noticed threatening behavior on my Twitter account (only after asking me to send proof of all the nasty shit popping up online). An editor called, these conversations always happen over the phone, offering to provide “tips and tricks” to deal with the cyber bullying. I cut him off. All he was going to do was tell me how to fend for myself. 

I needed Marvel to stand by me with more work opportunities to show the trolls that I was more than a diversity hire. 

“We’ll keep you in mind.”

I got so tired of that sentence.

Even after a year of the new editor-in-chief saying I was talented and needed to be on a book that wasn’t “the gay character,” the only assignment I got outside of Iceman was six pages along, about a version of Wolverine where he had diamond claws. Fabulous, yes. Heterosexual, yes. Still kind of the gay character, though.

We as creators are strongly encouraged to build a platform on social media and use it to promote work-for-hire projects owned by massive corporations… but when the going gets tough, these dudes get going real quick.

Believe in the work

You may be asking if my Iceman book was any good, or if I’m just being sour grapes over a bad work experience. Believe me, I asked that, too. From the get-go, my first editor asserted that Iceman would be DOA if it were “too gay,” while also telling me to prepare for a cancellation anyway, given that most solo X-Men titles don’t last beyond a year. Never mind that my work on Iceman had gotten positive press in the New York Times (in-print), or that in spite of (since-deleted) critical sandbagging, the series nets glowing reviews on Amazon… Marvel still treated me as someone to be contained, and the book as something to be nervous about. Do you know how hard it is to not argue with a publicist when he’s explaining the value of announcing Iceman’s revival via the Marvel homepage? Sis, that’s a burial. Instead of clapping back, I just went and got myself more press from the New York Times. From there, they tightened my leash. I had to get all opportunities pre-approved, and all interviews pre-reviewed. This would be fine if it was the standard, but I assure you: none of my straight male colleagues seek permission to go on podcasts promoting their books.

What Marvel should have done is assign me a special projects editor. They should have worked with a specialty PR firm, rather than repeat a tiresome cycle of treating the book like a square peg, and getting confused when it’s a hit.

Give us a real seat at the table

There was a moment before Iceman was cancelled where I wrote then-editor-in-chief Axel Alonso an email, pleading for a Hail Mary arc. I explained that Icemanwas landing with a newer generation of readers who focused more on binge-reading than month-to-month periodicals. The series needed time in the book market before its true strength could be assessed. To Axel’s credit, he was warm to the idea and even gave me an extra month, but when he left Marvel that idea got brushed away. Of course I was right. The first two volumes sold like gangbusters thanks to word-of-mouth, librarian love, and support from retailers big and small.

When the series returned, no one at Marvel asked me: “What do you think landed with readers?” Nor did they ask the question that Axel did: “What matters to your community?” So when I wrote what I thought the fans would be into, a story about a man learning to be a better ally in the war against hate, editorial totally missed its value.

Seat at the table pt II: The Shade of it all

All of the weird drama I put up with crystallized when I created a drag queen mutant, first called Shade, now called Darkveil. I told my editor that Shade would be a big deal for X-Fans, and asked how we should promote her. He said: “leave it up to the reader’s interpretation.” Everyone at Marvel shrugged off two years of goodwill and acted like I’d coordinated behind their backs on an announcement that made headlines. Beyond mentioning on Instagram the queens who inspired the character, I didn’t coordinate shit. Of course, their head publicist can’t admit that my quotes were pre-approved from an unreleased interview. At this point, I stopped believing that there’d be any more work for me. There were so many shady moves on their end that I’m still having trouble putting into language, but it all aligned with an experience I had in retail where a corrupt manager kept lying and moving the goal posts in order to keep me selling in a department I didn’t want to work in. I offered to give Darkveil a proper character bio, and I walked away.  

I recognize that some of my complaints can be filed under “this is freelance life.” I am aware that it was not a queer person of color who joked to me that “it’s not a matter of if Marvel fucks you over, it’s a matter of when.” That came from a cis white male. The same-day turn-arounds without warning, the work emails on Christmas week… that’s the freelance bullshit. Truly, I don’t even think of this as discrimination, I call it general ineptness. It is my belief that if we are telling stories about heroes doing the right thing in the face of adversity, wouldn’t the hope be to embody those ideals as individuals? Instead of feeling like I worked with some of the most inspiring and brave people in comics, I was surrounded by cowards.

Truly, I hate writing this. In keeping with Pride Month, I am proud of the work I did on Iceman… I love the book! It sucks that I may be tarnishing its legacy going public about how the cookies were made. That said, the time for self-congratulating is over, and folks should be earnestly listening when they ask: what could we have done better?

so what’s my take.....

Personally I think the kid got used, plain and simple. Also this should not have come as a shock to anyone.

Look at how badly they treat their customers that pay them money,                  OF COURSE THEY’RE GOING TO FUCK THEIR EMPLOYEES EVERY CHANCE THEY GET. A box full of scorpions would have had more loyalty.

@thespectacularspider-girl

______________________________

little history lesson for you kids: tokyopop did practically the same thing with the rising stars of manga. They snatched up young Talent, use them, and drop them.

[broke-witch1]

How to clean your dirty notebook properly

How to clean your dirty notebook properly Since detergents are liquid and usually contain alcohol, many are careful with cleaners on electronic hardware. This caution is not wrong, but you can still clean screens with cleaning agents. This way, dust and fingerprints can be removed easily. These can lead to a drop in performance or, in extreme cases, even permanently damage the device. It is therefore highly recommended to clean the computer from time to time and to remove these impurities. There are a few points to consider when cleaning the PC, otherwise you will only make the situation worse. Do not spray the cleaner directly onto the screen, but into the cloth - otherwise liquid can run behind the display panel. Clean the corners of the screen with cotton swabs. Be careful not to put too much pressure on the display when cleaning, otherwise it will be damaged. With cheaper keyboards in particular, you should also make sure that you do not use excessive detergent. Sometimes the key labels are only printed here and can be easily removed. In the more expensive models, the buttons are more elaborately labeled with lasers. Light dirt like dust and fingerprints on the screen can be easily removed with water.

Why doesn't the keyboard work?

That means: Switch off the device and pull out the mains plug. 2. Now take care of the back of the device and remove dust from the small openings with a soft brush. 3. Moisten one of the microfiber towels with a little water and use it to wipe the screen.

When cleaning the keyboard with a vacuum cleaner, be careful not to suck in any keys. Make sure that the laptop is switched off so that you can e.g.

If liquids have been spilled into the PC keyboard, immediately disconnect the device from the power supply.

"Then you can use a cotton swab to clear the spaces in between." So that all the buttons can be put back in the right place, a photo should be taken beforehand.

Stubborn stains can be removed using a slightly damp microfiber cloth before everything is wiped dry with a paper or kitchen towel.

This is mainly due to the fact that the individual components cannot be disassembled on their own.

Yesterday a few tips. otebook (C50-A-1JM) an Intel Celeron chip, a 500 gigabyte hard drive and 4 gigabytes of RAM. Windows 8.1 is preinstalled. More expensive versions offer up to 8 gigabytes of RAM, a 1 terabyte hard drive and quad-core processors from AMD. It can be helpful here if you press the buttons next to it in parallel with your second hand so that the dust comes out more easily. Roll up the cloth to remove dust cleaning mud reviews . If this does not work, you can also use a cotton swab. Adhesive stains on the display, crumbs in the keyboard. But how do you get the PC or laptop clean again? Many people work on the computer every day, but cleaning is often neglected. Yesterday you will learn how you can clean your computer in the housing, the laptop and the accessories. With a few precautions, you can clean your computer yourself without damaging it. Since the cooling capacity of the fan drops due to the blockage with dust, the temperature of the laptop CPU or the fan has to reach much higher speeds than when it is clean. So if you have noticed that your fan has become louder and the CPU warmer, cleaning the fan can make sense. If possible, the Battery of Laptops can also be removed to get to all dirt-prone areas. Make sure that no cleaning agent runs under the keyboard or in other openings of the notebook. Coarse dirt can be easily removed with a commercially available vacuum cleaner. A commercially available toothbrush with slanted brush heads can also serve these models well. It also makes it under the sensitive keys. A dirty notebook requires a little more caution when cleaning the spring than a PC - the coating of the display is sensitive and the compact design makes access to the technical components more difficult. HP's Virtual Agent can help you solve problems with your PC or printer.

How can you deactivate the FN key?

The most common keys to get into the BIOS: Delete / Del. F2. F12. F1. F8. ESC. F10. More keyboard shortcuts for older PCs in the video div> div> div>

[thesunlounge]

Reviews 258: Riccardo Giagni

The newest release on Archeo Recordings is Kaunis Maa, an album of seaside guitar fantasias, ambient dreamspells, and hypnotizing rhythms from the mysterious Italian composer and guitarist Riccardo Giagni. I say mysterious because there is almost no information out there regarding Giagni’s body of work (though if you can read Italian or are willing to translate, there’s an informative bio within Blogfoolk’s review) and as far as I can tell, Kaunis Maa, originally released in 1988 on Stile Libero, is his sole album from the time period. Across the LP’s six tracks, I’m reminded strongly of the work of Joan Bibiloni, and many of the sounds here presage the modern balearic guitar vibe, with future flashes of Cantoma, Pablo Color, Troels Hammer, and Jacob Gurevitsch all swimming within Giagni’s ocean of new age ambiance. 

Joyously pounded drums dance beneath ecstasy angels as they sing across blue sky expanses, psych folk acoustics climb towards the sun while bass guitars alight on fluid fusion adventures, paradise synth cascades give way to Arabian vocal mysticisms, aquatic pianos glimmer through sea-spray distortions, and Latin rhythms sway beneath soloing jazz guitars, with everything touched over by an ethereal sense of beauty and a timeless romantic energy. What’s more, Simon Peter adds another piece to his small but increasingly essential discography with a remix of “The Closest Friend,” one that revels in jungle dub bass walks, echo-scatting horns, and swaying acoustic drum exotics while psychedelic blues guitars melt down from the heavens.

Riccardo Giagni - Kaunis Maa (Archeo Recodings, 2019) “The Closest Friend” is divided into two sections, starting with a bucolic introduction wherein soloing acoustic guitar lullabies drift above underwater choirs and unsettling ambient rotations. We then smash cut into a hypnotic drum ritual, with stomping and gliding tom tom rhythms overlaid by wild shouting…as if some ecstatic spirit is calling out from an eternal mountaintop. Paolo Costa’s expressive bass guitar journeys through progressive rock motions as breezy acoustic guitar melodies begin snaking upwards alongside ascendent synthesizer motifs until everything explodes into all out earworm bombast, with organs and synths soaring through cloud kingdom melodies and fanfares for gods of the sky while hypno-rhythms pound away and singing basslines ride strong. Then, Antonella Ruggiero’s operatic voice flies overheard…wordless and breathtaking…her spiritual incantations lifting the soul towards solar euphoria while elsewhere, the mix is suffused by psychedelic reversing fx, with fuzz solos running backwards and sucking in and out of existence. Near the end, ebullient shouts from the beginning of the song return, first adding a freewheeling sense of majesty to the balearic bliss out, then floating once more untethered above a smashing drum ceremonial.

In “And I Touch, And I Give” electronics colored in hues of deep blue intertwine with vocal synthesis, creating ancient mermaid hymns in the style of Iury Lech that underly a spellbinding display of emotive guitar soloing and gentle prog bass fluidity. Shadowy melodic transitions lead to sections of soft percussive tapping and sunshine radiance, as Paolo Costa’s basslines glide beneath warm glowing synthesis. And in moments of heartbreaking beauty, the mix reduces to soft cymbal pulsations, brushed snares, and expressive basslines while Giagni bares his inner soul through a chilling guitar performance...his romantic melodies carrying to spirit away to a paradise of cinematic melancholia. The peacefully stomping drum rhythms of “Donne di Gauguin” are backed by bouncing bass textures and aquatic organ chords. A guitar solos majestically over top, with single note runs dropping twilight incantations that are harmonized against by Costa’s lush basslines. At some point, cracking snare rolls sweep us down to the sea floor, where coral colored synthesizers dance on sunbeams as they filter down through the aquamarine ocean body. Elsewhere, the percussion takes on a ritualistic vibe while minimalist melodies weave trance webs and fluid throat vocals sing mysteries muezzin incantations. But eventually we sweep back into the ocean fantasy glide, now with spiritual vocalisms joining in over the rainbow-toned balearica.

“Kaunis Maa” features industrial kick drums locked to a metronomic cymbal pulse and everything seems to splash through layers of frozen reverb. Noise-shrouded snares occasionally blast through desolate corridors as synthesizers are reduced to a universal breath and ghostly piano chordscapes unfurl beneath blue sky guitar reveries. There are moments where we descend into dark tribal triumph, as smoldering waves of distortion hover and synths and guitar harmonize together through solar dream ascents. And in a particularly mesmerizing transition, the song gives over to a world of crystal fantasy, wherein fast motion guitars create a minimalist panorama of gemstone percolations and water wave refractions…all while hand drums add rhythmic urgency and pianos develop into new age cloudforms. The background is increasingly colored by synthesized symphonic majesty as choirs and orchestras blend into a fog of indistinction and at some point, Giagni alights on a bluesy guitar exploration, with scatting riffs and blinding solo runs glowing with mystical power. Then towards the end, after e-pianos dance through dream expanses, the song reduces to a strange panorama of looping psychedelics and blasting fuzz noise as it all fades away.

Shakers, sleigh bells, and slow motion bass pulses support a breathtaking guitar meditation in “La Bellezza di un Gesto Astratto,” with Giagni’s melodies wrapping the soul in golden threads of light. The background is filled with reverb shrouded whispers and echoing woodblocks as the track breaks down into an amorphous haze, wherein funereal organs obscure sky-seeking bass guitars. And during a passage of ethereal magic, palm-muted six string harmonics glow through clouds of angelic synthesis while Ruggiero’s expressive singing evokes the work of MJ Lallo. Later, the song explodes into something akin to a new age anthem, with guitars and synths dueling together through flamboyant stadium prog leads until playful angel voices drift in...their currents of dream energy intermingling with sizzling noise atmospheres. The final track from the original album is “Passeggera,” which comes to life as exotica rhythms and a bass guitar amble along diamond sand beaches. Bell tones, maracas, and mechanized woodblocks reflect sunlight beneath the Latin-kissed fusion groove while Giagni’s guitar moves between adventurous chord riffs and soaring leads and there’s a kinship with the tropical pop of Antena’s Camina del sol, though once Ruggiero’s voice enters, the vibe turns towards the Saharan spells of Amina Ben Mustapha. Smashing percussive sections see Morricone choirs sliding together with liquid synthesis before we flash back to the swaying beach pop. And as FM pianos give off a futurist glow, sun-soaked jazz soloing rains down, all scatting acoustic guitar fire playing out to the spirits of the sea.

Archeo Recordings’ loving reissue of Kaunis Maa ends with a special remix of “The Closest Friend” by balearic master Simon Peter. Trumpets are obscured by oscillating echoes and float on swelling cymbals while hallucinatory organ chords fade in, bringing shades of Spacemen 3. Tambourines rattle through delay fx and dubby basslines descend as a drugged out riddim slowly emerges, with pounding island exotics sounding as if heard through a dream haze. Electric guitars drop mirage atmospheres that waver across the stereo field while shakers and rimshots give the rhythm further shape and at some point, riffing chords enter...fragile, disjointed, free-sprited…like bluesy 90s psychedelia transported to an island paradise or the Velvet Underground soundtracking a hippie sunrise ritual. Simon Peter is content to go nowhere in particular, instead preferring to vibe out in a world of lackadaisical stoner shimmer, and during a section where the rhythms cut away, guitars are left to weave incandescent webs above layers of ocean magic. As we drop back into the narcotizing sway, echo laced trumpets return and cast seaside jazz spells above a bleary-eyed jam while swelling cymbals bring waves of white noise warmth. Then for the end, the track devolves into a hypnagogic coda of tambourine and shaker rhythms, ethereal guitar ambiance, and atonal crystal sequencing.

(images from my personal copy)

[shametheshadow]

Lair Review for Kaial

@pumpkin-bread (No payment necessary, I tend to get carried away)

Okay, so in general, your “The Wanderers/Refugees” tab is already my aesthetic~ I’m going to try and not make this all about them and choose my favorite out of each clan, so just know that I adore each of them! (Adariana is especially gorgeous! And Idylla’s WINGS oMG!!!)

Okay, so I love everything about this dude. His colors remind me of a sunset or like... warm firelight glowing against the night sky. A knowledge seeker, a trinket collector, and ... potentially unhappily betrothed???? Excuse me, more please! Have you ever seen the anime Snow White with Red Hair? It isn’t super similar, but he gives me the same feel as the main character. Someone who just wants to learn things and meet people but keeps getting sucked into marriages and court drama. But Moon’s theme is Andromeda so... he kinda just wins.

Dis boi deserves it all BI All of it. Keep an eye out for an upcoming message from Clan Safe Haven. He bootiful. He precious. He’s got fae lore and I loves me some fae lore. I can’t wait to see the theme you choose for him. Tortured artists are the best kind of artist.

I find that female imps are kind of difficult to dress without looking a bit too cluttered, so I almost passed this one up... but then I checked out her bio. Seeing the art really helped me focus on the dragon itself. I really like the starmap on this and even the facet with the accented edges... but let’s be honest... the lore is the main course. Celestial shapeshifter who harms those she gets close to? Hell yes. Has it become obvious that I love whimsy with a touch of suffering? And Astral Gardener is one of the best titles ever.

Okay, so originally I was going to leave the Beach House Dragons to honorable mentions because none of them are visually my kind of thing (Though Dram nails that Surfer boy look in every way!) but I knew Kismet especially was a special dragon for you. I just wanted to say that it’s really amazing how you made some really awesome lore out of a really heartbreaking ordeal. 10/10 Would vacation at this lovely’s beach house.

This gal is so purdy. I’m not partial to guardians, but I do think they wear glimmer the best out of any of the dragon breeds, and this girl is no exception. The light blues play well off of the white and orange body, and then you get the same effect on the wings with the dark blues against the black and orange. She has a lot of small parts that are nice to look at, that makes a really great whole picture. Which is furthered by her counterpart curse and her Black/Purple/Yellow contrasting image. Being a good witch brought in to bring balance is also interesting lore and I just love how the look of the dragons really sell that point. I kind of wonder how she would react and handle a witch who toes the line between good and evil, who could fall to either side at any moment.

I saved Amberspire for last because just... so... many... dragons. I don’t look at every one, but I have trouble picking only a few, and more dragons means more choices. However, I think I picked a good one. I think a couple times now I’ve made references to anime or wanting to see things as a cartoon, but I really do wish I could see this princess’s story in moving picture form! She’s pleasing to look at in both dragon and anthromorphic form and I’ve just sat here imagining a Tangled Series-esque adventure of this traveling princess dragging a Pallbearer around on crazy adventures. The black to red, semi-transparent smoke from her candle apparel along with the same look on the sylvan dress make a nice image. The reds on the whole play well with the light purples and then brilliant golden yellows. 

I very nearly did not chose this buddy because I thought he was kind of plain looking from afar, but I’m glad I gave him a closer look. I really love all the touches of blue, but then I scrolled down and saw him naked... and ho boi those wings add such a cool dimension! I wish I could see more of them. I really like how he’s a quiet, softspoken guy... who also is the most prone to throwing himself into danger. It isn’t often you see that combo and have the danger be an intentional thing they walk into xD

Honorable Mentions:

Cassis: Ooooooh~ Fallen, powerful fae lord? Tell me more!

Tronada: He’s got a really interesting look. Mostly the wings, but the lightning colored accents are a great touch. The bio blurb intrigues me.

The Beach House: Okay, so while Dram, in particular, struck my interest in both looks and the inverting surfer boy trope, this whole gang makes me want a cartoon about them. A cartoon simply because I think it needs those amazing saturated colors for a style.

Cavalier: My unicorn knight Nico (Who is also entirely devoted to his love) finds this one very interesting. He would like to meet Cav and maybe have a friendly sparring match one day. Cavalier’s current life is pretty much Goals for him.

Enrialla: PREEEEEETYYYYYY~! I love how the accent works on her.

Zerid: Also really awesome accent. I didn’t even notice at first, I thought it was just the dragon’s natural colors/genes and apparel giving him that look. The effect is subtle and eye catching at the same time. I had her and Lytra open in different tabs at the same time and the contrast between them was interesting. Like Lytra was early fall sort of colors and then Zerid reminded me of the very end of fall in contrast. 

Ivol and Ushi: I’d love to see some human art of them just being loud hippy minstrels in the middle of a mess hall.

Leviahna: Purple is my favorite color, and this gal does purple soooo right. If we could code our own pages I’d be really interested to see what environment you’d have her presented in because everything else is working so well together.

Archibald: Has anyone made it past Archibald? He seems like a magnet for some really scatterbrained, persistent sort of character to pester... setting off a zany adventure of him trying to keep them away and them somehow finding their way past him.

Ylva: Nearly chose her instead of Trina. I love her colors and lore! And the different bird species based skydancer is a neat look.

Asimov: Puuuuuuurdy!!

Magni: This guy looks really cool and I like how his familiar kind of matches.

I know this is a Pot calling Kettle situation, but dammit. MOAR LORE!