#nothing like a slightly different desk configuration to make you feel like youre on top of the world

[arsenicflame]

awww yeah its time to feel emotions again! (rearranging my room)

[wolftraps]

For the reverb inspiration thing honestly I'd kinda like more Ethan stuff? Mostly because it'd be fun to see someone adjusting to the future institute and that sort of flavor of outsider POV intrigues me. Plus I also just... Love Naomi a lot...

As happens with literally everything I write, this ended up longer than intended. So here’s Ethan’s first week at the Blackwood Institute. Poor guy. His boss is a creepy moron. Warning for a brief mention of self-harm and eye trauma right at the start here, but pretty much everything is canon-typical. This is also on AO3.

--

Being an Assistant Archivist at the Blackwood Institute is… well, it’s nerve-wracking honestly. There’s no formal training, and this seems to be largely because there’s been only one other person to have held the position in… ever, as far as Ethan can tell. And that had been over fifteen years ago and lasted a grand total of nine months before Chloe Halloway, age 29, had a “crisis of faith” and tendered her resignation by pouring bleach directly into her eyes.

“If you’re going to reconsider your position here,” Jon said matter-of-factly, after telling Ethan this, “I highly suggest you do so prior to signing a permanent contract.”

Which was really unnecessarily creepy, sure, but creepy is sort of why Ethan is here in the first place, so not that surprising. The least Miss Halloway could have done, in his opinion, was leave some kind of manual or something behind. A guide. Notes. Ethan would probably be willing to kill a man for a “To-Do list” at this point.

Technically Ethan has his own office, but the room is dusty and cluttered and doesn’t actually have a desk or chair yet, so he set up in the main Archive area, where there are three ancient desks, three slightly less ancient desk chairs, a small table, and inexplicably, a wardrobe and a worn armchair. Finding the least uncomfortable configuration of furniture made him feel a bit like Goldilocks, despite the desks and corresponding chairs being virtually identical. He figured that was what had been meant by “make yourself comfortable.” Jon didn’t say any different.

Between orientation (signing papers, sitting through general training, another tour, getting his picture taken with an actual polaroid camera, etc) and “settling in,” it hadn’t mattered the first day that Jon didn’t give him any direction. And when Ethan got in on the second day, Jon had already been in the middle of taking a statement, so Ethan had busied himself going through the desk he’d taken. And then another desk. And then the other desk.

At the end of that task, he had various office supplies, a good dozen unfiled statements, five tape recorders, sixteen unlabeled tapes, five labeled tapes that didn’t match any of the unfiled statements, a small notebook with a few unfinished poems, a bag of what might have once been gummy worms, a nearly empty bottle of vodka, two very faded polaroids of a younger Jon and Martin with a woman identified on the back as Sasha, and a large, large stack of poorly drawn and seemingly conflicting maps. Also a lingering feeling that he would never be able to fully get the cobwebs off his arms.

He wasn’t sure what to do with any of it.

Well, except for the gummy worms and vodka, which he promptly disposed of.

Most of the rest ended up on top of one of the unused desks. And by the time that was done, it was nearly time to leave. As far as Ethan could tell, Jon hadn’t come out of his office once. Though, apparently the statement-giver had left at some point without Ethan noticing, so he couldn’t actually be sure. He does have a tendency to block everything else out when he’s focused on a task.

When he came in on the third day, the desk he’d placed everything on was clear and Jon wasn’t in his office. In absence of anything else to do, Ethan started looking through the database. From reading (and supposing any of what he heard on The Observer Chronicles was accurate), he thought he understood a couple of the categories. Others seemed a bit too… arbitrary. Most entries appeared to have corresponding files regarding any follow-up done, but very few had actual digital copies of the statements themselves. And only the discredited statements had audio files.

Jon didn’t return until well after lunch time, and when he did he seemed almost surprised to see Ethan there.

“You should take an early day,” Jon told him, before Ethan managed to formulate any of his questions. “Daisy’s brought me a statement. Probably best it doesn’t see you in case we decide to let it go.”

And then he went into his office. Ethan had no idea who Daisy was or how a statement was supposed to see him— or what it would do to him if it did— but it didn’t look like he was going to get any answers now, and it probably wasn’t a good idea to risk it. So he was left with nothing but to do as Jon suggested.

—

“You’re home early,” Naomi says when he walks in to find his mum sitting on the couch.

“So are you,” Ethan replies, and he didn’t even do all that much today, but he feels exhausted none-the-less.

“I had an appointment,” she reminds him. Right. He knew that. He’d just… forgotten. But he knows she hadn’t really expected him to remember. “Nothing to report. So? What has you home already?”

“Jon told me to go home. Someone named Daisy brought him a statement, and he thought it was better I wasn’t there. Why? I have no idea.”

“Well, it’s early yet, and they deal with some pretty dangerous things there,” she reasons. “The Jon I knew tried to look out for people. Can’t say I’m not glad if it’s still the same.”

“Sure, but…” Ethan stands there, fiddling with the strap of his bag, staring at the coffee table as he tries to find the words. Naomi waits, but he’s not sure what to say.

“Why don’t you go put your bag down,” she says eventually. “Think it over a bit, then come sit with me. I’ll get you some tea and wake up Beaker.”

True to her word, when Ethan gets back in more comfortable clothes, there’s a cup of tea waiting on the table, just barely steaming, and a squirming, growling ball of orange fluff in his mum’s lap. The moment he sits and Naomi lets go, the cat is in his lap, squeaking her indignation. Her brush is already set on the couch beside him.

“Thanks,” he says, and his mum just nods.

“So?” she prompts.

Ethan sighs. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“Ethan, you’ve only been there three days. Not even three days. Everyone feels lost when they start a new job. It happened literally every time you started a new year in school, if you’ll recall.” He keeps brushing Beaker, but he can see his mum smiling in his peripheral vision and he rolls his eyes.

“No, yeah, I know that. I mean I literally have no idea what I’m supposed to be doing. There’s been no training. No instructions. I don’t- I cleaned out desks and I looked through the database and I read some old statements, and I keep waiting for Jon to say something. Tell me what I’m supposed to do. Explain anything.” Beaker squeaks again, nipping at his arm as he absently tugs a bit too hard at a knot of fur. “Sorry. Sorry.”

“I’m going to be honest,” Naomi says, huffing slightly the same way she does every time the tube runs late, even though she expects it. “That’s far, far more common than you’d think.”

“That makes no sense, though! How are people supposed to do their jobs if no one explains how to do the job?”

“Well… I think a lot of people try to pretend and copy the people around them. It’s usually better to just ask, though. People can get so used to doing something that they honestly forget that other people don’t know how, and Jon’s been doing this for a very long time. What did he say when you asked?”

On the table, Ethan’s tea is going cold. If he leans over to get it, though, Beaker will probably yell at him and run away, and brushing her really is helping him relax. But his mouth feels so dry, and it might be worth it.

“Ethan,” his mum says in that tone. That one she always got right before Caleb tried to lie to her. “You did ask Jon, right?”

There’s another knot in Beaker’s fur, but he takes more care with this one and she just keeps purring. He rocks. His mouth is still so dry.

Naomi sighs, setting her own cup down and passing Ethan his, handle out. It’d be alright today, he thinks, if their hands touched when he took it from her, but she’s always careful anyway. He takes a sip. The tea is good, as always, though he can’t help thinking of his interview with Martin. There’d been a cup waiting for him in Martin’s office. His favorite kind, perfectly made. He’d meant to ask Martin how he knew, but then he just… hadn’t.

“You didn’t. Ethan, you… Okay. Okay. Why not?” his mum asks.

“I don’t know! He’s always… in his office and- and busy or— I don’t know. He makes me a little… nervous or something.”

“Intimidated.”

“Maybe?”

“I can understand that,” she says. “The first time I technically met Jon, I was terrified of him. The first… many times. Even after I actually met him and got to talk to him, I kept having to remind myself that he didn’t want to hurt me. If he’s still like I remember him, and I’m willing to bet he is, then I don’t think leaving you to figure things out yourself or not talking to you is intentional. He’s really a very… very awkward man.” She’s staring at the wall, but doesn’t seem to be looking at anything, and after a moment she laughs a little. “Promise me you’ll at least try to talk to him Monday?”

Ethan promises, of course.

—

Jon doesn’t even seem to understand the words at first, when Ethan asks him what an assistant here does. For a few seconds, there’s no expression, and then Jon’s brow furrows and he looks down at the papers on his desk like he might read the answer there.

“I— Hmm,” he says. “F-file? Organize? I— What did they— I never actually was one, so… It occurs to me that I am very lucky I chose to include Sasha after all. You might ask her? Or- or Martin. They actually did the assisting once upon a time, so…” Jon shrugs, or Ethan thinks he does. There’s a cat draped across his shoulders, so they don’t actually move much. And then Ethan stands there, and Jon sits, and neither of them say anything, and if Ethan’s mum is right, it’s because neither of them is quite sure what to say.

Ethan leaves.

Martin was nice during his interview. Encouraging and friendly and patient when it took some time for Ethan to decide what to say. It was a far, far easier interview than he’d feared. And Martin had said Ethan could come to him if he had any questions. Despite that, Martin makes Ethan even more nervous than Jon. It’s always worse disappointing friendly people.

So instead, Ethan makes his way to the Library, because that’s where Sasha works, if he’s remembering right. Once he’s there, though, he has no idea where to look, and it occurs to him that there may be more than one Sasha. The one he’d seen when he interviewed was young; maybe a couple years older than him. But the one in the pictures he found in the Archives would surely be Jon’s age at least. There’s no one who looks like either of them that he can see.

“Excuse me,” he says to someone who is probably a librarian, since he’s sitting at a desk with a plaque that says the date and ‘You’d have been out of here days ago if you’d just asked for help.’ The man doesn’t look up from his book. “I’m looking for Sasha?”

“Upstairs,” the guy says. The library is only one floor, though. It’s the first time he’s been in it, but Ethan made note of all Mara’s warnings.

“I’d like to speak to Sasha,” he says, firmer. The guy doesn’t look up and doesn’t look up and doesn’t… and then something changes and he stiffens and slowly looks up at Ethan, and he seems almost… nervous.

The man coughs. “O-oh. You’re- you’re from the Archives.”

“Yes,” Ethan agrees. “I need to talk to Sasha?”

“Right. Sure. Um, I’ll get— uh, Kelly- Kelly will help you.” The man nods toward something over Ethan’s shoulder. When he turns there’s someone already there, a bit too close, and Ethan didn’t know teeth could be that white.

“Hi!” They smile and smile. “I’m Michael. You can call me Kelly. I’m here to help. This way please!” Literally turning on their heel, they walk away with a gait more like a bounce than a walk, and Ethan follows. Right up until they hop onto the first step.

“I—” he says. Even before they turn their head, he can somehow see their smile. Human necks almost definitely aren’t supposed to turn that far. He almost forgets what he meant to say.

“Yes?”

“I— I was told the library is only one storey.”

They smile and smile. “That’s right.”

“But… the stairs?” he asks.

“What stairs?” Their head tilts, like a curious dog, still looking over their shoulder. And human necks definitely aren’t supposed to turn like that.

Ethan looks down at the stair Kelly is perched on, and they look down as well. There is no acknowledgement of the stairs.

“Come on!” They smile. “Best to take the first step at a bit of a jump!”

And they keep going up the stairs, so Ethan takes a breath and hops onto the first step.

Except it isn’t a step. It’s… a rug maybe? It doesn’t stop looking like stairs, but the whole thing is level, and he nearly trips more than a couple times expecting his foot to hit the floor before it does. When they reach the end, he looks back. Back and down. Down at the library, one storey below.

At the end of a short hallway, there is a yellow door; one that Ethan is sure he’s seen before, except somewhere else. Kelly bounces up to it and knocks, and looks back at him and smiles and smiles, and then the door creaks open.

The person who emerges is definitely the young woman he saw when he came for his interview, but she’s also almost definitely the woman in the photograph from decades ago.

“Hi, Sasha!” Kelly smiles. “This one wants to talk to you!”

“Oh? Oh!” Sasha also smiles, and there’s a ringing in Ethan’s ear when she talks, but it seems like a fairly normal smile. At least, comparatively. “You’re the new Archival Assistant!”

“Uh, A- Assistant Archivist, actually.” It probably doesn’t matter. People are always telling him things like this don’t matter, and he shouldn’t bother correcting them. For some reason, though, it really feels like this does.

Sasha, at least, looks a bit surprised. “Really? Huh. That’s fascinating.”

Ethan is at least 75% sure she isn’t being sarcastic. “Is it?”

The hallway couldn’t have been more than five meters, but her laugh echoes down it. “It is! Thank you, Kelly. I’ll be sure Ethan makes his way back alright.”

It’s a clear dismissal, but Kelly doesn’t move. They keep looking at Sasha and they smile and smile and smile until eventually Sasha rolls her eyes and scoffs.

“Please,” she says. “I couldn’t lose one of Jon’s if I wanted to. He’ll be back in the Archives as soon as we’re done talking.”

Kelly smiles. “Okay!” they say cheerily, as if there’d never been any tension at all. “Nice to meet you, Ethan!” and then they’re gone.

“They’re a good kid,” Sasha says. “Well, then. Please, step into my office.” She closes the yellow door behind her and opens a different one beside it, that Ethan is also sure hadn’t been there a moment before. It’s a normal enough door, though. Looks a lot like Jon’s, actually. Sasha waves him through, and if he didn’t know better, Ethan would be sure he was back in the Archives.

In fact, he’s pretty sure that’s the same couch that’s currently sitting in Jon’s office and the same armchair he’d moved into his own “office” the other day; though both look in significantly better shape here.

“Have a seat,” Sasha says, dropping onto the couch— or draping herself across it rather— and eliciting a grumbling meow from an almost opalescent white cat that flicks its tail when she goes to pet it and jumps into Ethan’s lap the moment he settles into the chair. At first touch its fur feels like marble, but then he pets it and it feels like plush. He can’t hear the purr, but the rumble makes his fingers tingle.

“So, Ethan. What can I help you with?” Sasha asks.

“Well. My job… I hope.”

She sits up and sounds delighted when she says, “Oh, did you find a statement about me already? You’ve only been here a couple weeks, haven’t you?”

“Four… days?” It’s not a question. Ethan knows this is his fourth day. Knows. Yet for some reason he starts second guessing himself. It has only been four days… right? Yes. Yes, four days.

After the “stairs,” he doesn’t bother asking why there would be statements about her.

Sasha thinks for a moment and then waves his comment away. “Close enough. Time is fake. So… which one is it?”

“I didn’t— find a statement. I’m just trying to figure out what I’m supposed to be doing. Jon told me to ask you because you’ve actually done the job before.”

If she keeps laughing like that, he’s going to end up with a headache. The ringing is terrible.

“I’m sorry,” she laughs. “I wish I could think you were joking, but I know you’re not. I love Jon. He’s such a disaster. You know he knows basically everything?” Ethan does not know that. A lot, definitely. More than anyone logically should or could, sure. But everything?

“That… sounds improbable.” Buried in the cat’s equally improbable fur, Ethan’s fingers start going numb.

“He does. He knows almost everything and then always forgets that he knows anything. It’s hilarious,” Sasha says with a grin. “Alright. We used to do a lot of research, but that was back when we were cleaning up Gertrude’s mess and all the work the actual Research department did somehow got lost on its way down the stairs. The real ones. And Jon only knew most things rather than basically everything…”

She tells him she did research and reorganized possibly the worst archiving system in the world. She tells him she took statement-givers’ information and caught flies to feed the spiders in the corners. She tells him she killed worms and mapped underground tunnels and scanned in old letters and typed up written statements and managed “monster relations” and blew up mannequins and recorded false statements and hacked government networks and provided alibis and stole old books from museums and sang to the recorders so they wouldn’t start eating people’s fingers and updated the database and appeased disgruntled “youtubers” and collected obituaries and plotted her boss’s death.

Ethan is sure some of these things aren’t true, but he just walked up a flight of not-stairs, so he honestly couldn’t begin to guess which. He’s also not sure how many of them are relevant.

“Mostly, though,” Sasha concludes, “you take care of Jon.”

He does try to ask about the categories, and a couple of the titles she gives them make some kind of sense, but she also says category 06 is “me”, 09 is poker, 10 is geese, and 15 is millennials, so he decides to take those with a grain of salt as well.

When they finally leave her office, the door opens into the front lobby.

“There we are! Back safe and sane, just like I promised. I know I said I’d get you back to the Archives, but I’m not actually allowed to open doors down there anymore. And it’s only… Oops.” The lobby is quiet and the windows are dark. It’s definitely well into evening, though Ethan suspects midnight has come and gone. His watch starts buzzing with missed messages. “Well, I’m sure it’s at least the same day or Jon would’ve yelled at me by now. I could give you a shortcut home?”

The yellow door is back, and beyond it is a long hallway.

“I think I’d better take the long way,” he says.

Sasha nods. “That’s fair.”

—

If Ethan could actually figure out how to message HR, he would just message them. Even if it took them a day to get back to him, he’d still be better off than he has been so far. Unfortunately, he can’t find any sort of contact information for them at all. So the morning of his fifth day, he goes to the front desk and meets Priya No-Last-Name-As-Is-Tradition, who handles “reception, admin, and whatever Martin needs.”

He doesn’t ask, but she informs him Martin will be in a meeting all morning anyway. That’s fine. She’s more than happy to walk him up to HR and introduce him to a woman named Hope.

Hope startles when she sees them, and her fingers freeze on her keyboard, but there is definitely some kind of movement in her lap, barely visible over the edge of the desk. Then she smiles and turns to face them and Ethan does not comment on the fact that he can see two long, black limbs trying to shove some sort of yarn project into the drawer of a filing cabinet behind her. Priya nods at a job well done and leaves him there.

“How can I help you?” Hope asks. There’s something not quite right about her smile, but Ethan doesn’t comment on that either.

Instead, he says, “Do you have any sort of job description or scope of duties for the Assistant Archivist position?”

Hope blinks.

“The what?” she asks.

“The Assistant Archivist position.”

She blinks again. Her smile is gone, and he’s honestly glad for it. “Assistant… Archivist.”

“Yes.”

“That’s a thing?”

“I would hope so? I was just hired as one, so…”

She blinks again, then shakes her head. “Right. Sorry. Of course. I just… Honestly, I was sort of under the impression no one could work down there but the Archivist.”

Given that apparently only one other person has in longer than Ethan’s been alive, he doesn’t exactly blame her. Still, he’s pretty sure it’s her job to know these things, and he’d really like an answer.

“I understand,” he says, “but I do work down there. So…”

“Right. Yes. Assistant Archivist, you said? Just a moment.” She turns back to her display, taps a few keys, and then starts scrolling. And scrolling. And scrolling. All the while singing “Assistant Archivist Archivist Assistant Assist Assist the Archivist” under her breath.

Three minutes later, Ethan is still waiting.

“Are you… sure that’s your position title?” she asks finally, and Ethan turns around and heads back to the Archives.

—

While he hopes he never has to do most of the things Sasha listed as her duties, there are a couple Ethan thinks he can probably manage. He has no idea what, if anything, might need to be done with the statements that already have case numbers, but there’s a shelf of boxes near the Archive entrance labeled “Me Next!” that Jon had said were unprocessed. Maybe he won’t be able to fit them all into the proper categories, but there have to be some that are obviously false, and it seems as good a way as any to get more familiar with the database.

Halfway through the day, he switches to listening to some of the old audio files to figure out the format. It doesn’t seem too complicated. Probably he can record a couple test statements, get a feel for it.

Twenty minutes later, he gives up searching and asks Jon where to find their recording software. Jon frowns and tells him he’s better off finding a free one online, so Ethan reaches out to IT instead.

Ten minutes after that, he gets a message from Cass Walters telling him to check his apps again and that he’ll “know it when [he] see[s] it.” So he does.

Halfway through the list there’s an icon with a stylized cassette tape. It’s labeled “IM TELLING YOU IT FUCKING WORKS JON”, and Ethan figures that’s probably it. Thankfully it’s fairly intuitive, and it might end up being a total waste of his time, but by the end of the day he has three halfway decent recordings and feels like he accomplished something, at least.

-

On his sixth day, one week after starting, Ethan comes in just in time to hear someone say, “Are you kidding me?!” really quite loudly in Jon’s office.

It doesn’t sound like the sort of conversation he wants to disturb, so he goes to his desk and gets set up as quietly as he can and meets the cat’s judging stare head-on while eavesdropping. She blinks and rubs up against his leg, and he can’t help but think it was some kind of test. Apparently he passed.

“You know everything, Jon,” the same person says, and Ethan is at least 80% sure it’s Martin.

“Not ev—”

“Everything,” Martin repeats. “How can you possibly not know what your own assistant is supposed to be doing?”

“I can’t know things that don’t exist, Martin. Chloe always wanted to figure everything out herself and made things up as she went along. It may as well be a new position. So, I don’t know.” There’s a moment of silence.

“Jon,” Martin says.

“… Yes, Martin.”

“Love,” Martin says.

Jon sighs. “Yes, Martin. I realize—”

“That might be the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”

“Yes, Martin. I get it.”

“He’s an Assistant Archivist! Tell him what you need assistance archiving!”

“I’ll take care of it,” Jon says. If either of them say anything in the few minutes after that, though, it’s too quiet for Ethan to hear.

“Alright,” Martin says, like they’ve come to some kind of agreement despite the silence. “I love you.”

“Yes, Martin,” Jon says, the same tired way he’d said it before, though there’s a slight laugh at the end now. “I know.”

Martin is smiling when he comes out of Jon’s office. Instead of leaving the Archives, he walks up to Ethan’s desk and sets a mug of barely steaming tea down upon it.

“It should be just right now,” Martin says, like he’d known exactly when Ethan was going to arrive— despite him being half an hour early— and purposely made the tea so it would have cooled to the perfect temperature the moment he walked in. It is, of course, made perfectly as well. “I should have warned you a bit more about Jon. He’s a bit of a moron sometimes, but he means well. The next time you ask a question and he says he doesn’t know or tries to send you to someone else, just ask again, a bit slower. Usually the critical thinking capabilities will catch on then. Come see me whenever you’re free on Friday. I’d like to hear how you’re doing, once you actually get into the work.” And then he’s gone before Ethan can say a word.

In the doorway of his office, Jon clears his throat.

“I’ve been— reliably informed that I owe you an apology,” he says, and Ethan really would rather he didn’t. Apologies are almost always terrible, no matter which side you’re on. They’re awkward and often pointless. It’s not like he’s hurt or anything. Jon feeling bad isn’t going to do anything but make Ethan uncomfortable. “I sho—”

“Okay,” Ethan says. “Can we just skip to you training me?”

“… Yes. Yes, we can,” Jon says, possibly as relieved as Ethan to move on. He looks less tense, at least. “We usually wait until the end of probation to explain the fears, but that won’t exactly work here, so we’ll get to that in a moment. You’ve already started recording, so I suppose the first thing to know is that true statements won’t record digitally. The audio always ends up corrupted. I don’t think I’ll have you start recording any real statements quite yet, but once you do, you’ll have to use the— the tape…” He trails off, staring down at the small stack of statements Ethan recorded yesterday.

When Jon shows no sign of continuing, Ethan tentatively prompts, “The— tape recorders?”

“You’ve already started recording,” Jon says again.

“Yes?”

He pulls out the statement at the bottom of the stack and holds it out to Ethan, shaking it slightly. “You recorded this statement.”

“Yes? It was the last one I did before I went home last night.”

“Play it for me.” So Ethan does. Three minutes in, staring at the paper in his hand, Jon tells him to stop. “That’s not… Set up a new recording. I’m going to start reading this, and after two minutes, I want you to take this from me and stop the recording.” So Ethan does that too.

It had felt a bit… odd, when Ethan read the statement yesterday. Like the air got thicker, almost. But he’d also been very tired, and while a lot of things are weird at the Institute, that doesn’t mean everything is. It’s different when Jon starts reading. Not so much the air getting thicker as pressing down on them, and Ethan feels very uncomfortably like someone is making direct eye contact with him. It’s creepy. He almost misses the two minute mark.

The second he pulls the paper from Jon’s hands, the feeling lifts. Somehow, he isn’t surprised that playback of Jon’s reading comes out with a terrible screech and a whole lot of broken, garbled nonsense.

Jon looks between Ethan, the paper, and the display again and again.

“Jon?” Ethan asks.

“That’s not fair,” Jon replies. Then, with a sigh, “I guess I have more work for you than I thought.”

[hedgehog-o-brien]

Popping the question

So you wanted to be productive today? Then whatever you do, don’t think about how the LITs, in various universes and configurations, would propose to each other. But now that you ARE thinking about that, here’s my two cents because I”m a hopeless romantic and also an idiot, so you can spare yourself some trouble.

(Cross posted to AO3 here!)

Jacob and Ezekiel 

Two words; museum dates. They’re kind of a thing for the two of them, because Jake likes to look at paintings and Ezekiel likes to look at shiny things and the security surrounding it. The Louvre, the Met, the Prado, the Uffizi & the Galleria Accademia, the Hermitage; they’ve seen a lot of the world’s finest art by now, but there’s still one that’s missing from their list.

So one day, they go to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. And they wander past Vermeer, and Jan Steen, and Frans Hals, and Rembrandt and it’s great. It’s perfect. The art is beautiful, the security measures are top-notch but by no means impossible to crack and so they are both having a great time.

And finally, they get to the room where the Night Watch is. Rembrandt’s masterpiece and the one painting Jake has not shut up about since they started planning this trip. But it’s funny: the room is completely empty and devoid of tourists and guards, so Ezekiel almost cracks a joke about this being too easy, when Jake stops him and oh no. 

And Jake starts his little speech about how Ezekiel means more to him than any masterpiece in the world and he’s holding a ring and Ezekiel has to cut him off right then and there because you are such a sap cowboy and also yes holy shit yes.

(Yes, Jake emailed the museum director to ask if they would please be so kind as to clear out the Night Watch room for half an hour so he could propose to his boyfriend. The name Oliver Thompson gets a lot of shit done).

Once he’s put the ring on, Ezekiel doesn’t stop crying until they’ve left the museum and are back at their hotel. Jacob tries to make fun of him, but gets through a whopping five seconds before he gives in and kisses him instead (so Ezekiel won’t see he’s on the verge of bawling as well)

---

Ezekiel and Cassandra

Cassandra’s super secret Christmas wish? Getting all dolled up and going to a Christmas gala like the ones her parents used to host. When she was little, sneaking out of her bedroom and hiding herself away on the landing so she could peek into the room below, that had always seemed to be the most magical and amazing thing to her and she could not wait to grow up and be a part of that.

Well. That didn’t happen, but the secret little wish remained, even if she tried her hardest to convince herself it was silly, and it probably wasn’t even that much fun and who wants to spend all night sipping champagne while you can feel the blisters forming in your high heels anyway?

Enter Ezekiel Jones. Who has a knack for finding out secrets and then not laughing at them, but instead shows up two weeks later with two tickets to a charity ball held on the Friday before Christmas and oh would you look at that, all proceeds are going to a foundation that’s dedicated to battling childhood cancer so how on earth could Cassandra say no?

(’That’s cheating,’ Cassandra says, when she’s done sniffing and wiping her eyes. ‘Of course it is,’ Ezekiel grins back)

And Ezekiel hadn’t meant to go about it like this. He really honestly just wanted Cassandra to have a great night and then take her back home for a more private Christmas celebration, but the room around him is a haze of golden light, the orchestra music is floating through the air and he is slow dancing with Cassandra in his arms and he smells nothing but warmth and love and the barest hint of strawberries so he just blurts it out. ‘Marry me?’

He tries to backtrack, tries to turn it into an if-situation: if he asks her and does it properly, with the ring and the speech and the going down on one knee, will she say yes? But Cassandra shakes her head, kisses his cheek and tells him that he doesn’t have to because she’ll say yes right now. So that’s settled then.

---

Cassandra and Jacob

There is one person on the planet who is more of a hopeless romantic than Jacob Stone, and that is Cassandra Cillian. So, frankly, once Jake realizes that this is something he is going to do, he knows he can pick any location from the book and she’ll love it. He can ask her in Paris, or on top of the Empire State Building, or in the Hayden Planetarium and she’ll be over the moon.

So Jake decides to have a little bit of harmless fun with her.

He takes her on a surprise trip to Paris, booking the most romantic hotel he could find. They go to the Eiffel Tower, take an evening cruise along the Seine, reenact Hunchback songs in front of the Notre Dame and, in short, have the sweetest and most rose-tinted 48 hours a pair of Librarians can have. (And don’t think Jake doesn’t see how Cassandra keeps side-eyeing him. She loves it, but she’s expecting something more and that is exactly the point).

And then they get back to the Annex and life continues as normal.

Two weeks later, Jake takes her to New York for their date night. And Cassandra lived in New York, but she has never been to the top of the Empire State Building. The view is amazing, the night is chilly enough that they have to stand close together, with Cassandra wrapped up in Jake’s arms and all in all, it’s a pretty good date.

But then they get back to the Annex. And the next day, they get back to work.

And Jake pretends not to notice the tiny dismayed expression that Cassandra is sporting that day, but he does see it and he bites back his grin. Because another two weeks later, he is taking her to the Hayden Planetarium. It’s her favorite place on earth, and she is his favorite person so this should have been the perfect occasion.

But even when a star-studded sky stretches overhead and Cassandra gazes up in awe and wonder at the picture she has seen a hundred times, Jake doesn’t go down on one knee. 

On the way out of the Planetarium, Cassandra has to tell herself very firmly that it doesn’t make sense to be this disappointed and it does not make sense at all to have a lump in her throat and a heavy feeling in her stomach because she’s already got more than she ever dared to hope for, so what more could she even want?

Jake asks her if she’s okay and she nods, not even noticing his smile when he holds open the Back Door for her.

And then Cassandra steps into the Annex and sees. About a million candles, which is usually not a good idea in a room with so many books, an ungodly amount of rose petals (it seems someone by name of Ezekiel Jones might have gone a little overboard with them, but Jake doesn’t even care at the moment) and, in the middle of it all, a small velvet box waiting for her on top of her desk.

‘I could’ve asked you anywhere,’ Jake says, pressing the sweetest of kisses to her cheek, ‘but I kinda wanted to do it at home.’

(And after Cassandra has called him an asshole about a hundred times and also punched him a little, her answer is definitely yes).

Cassandra + Ezekiel + Jacob

This time, Cassandra is the first to get the word out. They’re getting ready for Christmas dinner, the three of them, after spending all day in the kitchen together so tensions might be running a little high, because they’re all perfectionists but none of them are what you’d call professional chefs. After Jacob caught Ezekiel just in time before he put the tomato soup through the strainer, and after Cassandra had to swat Jacob’s hand before he dipped his finger into the boiling hot salted caramel sauce, it’s honestly a Christmas miracle they’ve managed to put food on the table at all.

But food is served, grace is said, the tomato soup is ladled into three polka dotted bowls and then, Cassandra reaches into the pocket of her dress, tucks a strand of hair behind her hear, blows out a breath and plonks a small black box on the festively dressed dinner table.

‘I know it’s not really the girl’s thing to do,’ she starts, but then stops again because Jake, looking baffled, is reaching ever so slowly into his own pocket to get out a very similar little box. And Ezekiel, watching this unfold in stunned silence, gets up without a word, vanishes into the bedroom for all of five seconds and then comes back, holding something square and small in his hand and setting it on the table next to the other two.

‘Guess great minds think alike, huh,’ Jake manages to say, right before Ezekiel starts to crack up, followed by Cassandra and soon, they are all three doubled over with laughter, so much that they can’t exactly be sure whether that is causing the tears to stream down their cheeks or maybe it’s something else.

They all say yes, though, once they get their breath back. They all say yes and Jake and Ezekiel even let Cassandra voice the question, since she is the one that started it. After which, they each pick the ring they like the best to wear on their finger and wear the other two on a delicate silver chain around their neck, so no one gets left out. It’s a bit of a mismatch, since they all went for slightly different ring styles, but that doesn’t matter. It’s only fitting, after all.

[paperhatsarefun]

...I Need You...

Soft clicks were the only sounds surrounding the “evil” scientist. His hands were fidgeting with the mechanisms of a familiar box with many, many lethal devices inside. 

There were little buttons to trigger each little mechanic, but Flug found that some of the springs weren’t stable enough to be tested, let alone the chemicals in one mechanism was much too intoxicating.

The chemicals Flug combined had been the cause of dizziness and almost... drunken side effects. He didn’t trust himself around it while the testing happens during the commercial...

He let out a sigh and tried configuring the mechanisms again. “Flug, get in here.”

Startled, he almost dropped the device. As he caught his breath, he stared hard at the small box with negativity. This would be used to kill someone.

He entered Black Hat’s office and held tight onto the device, hoping his boss wouldn’t chose the black button and let the gases fume the room. “S-Sir, Are we d-doing all the b-buttons?”

Black Hat stared at him as if he was a unicorn, “Of course, Flug.”

Flug bit his lip nervously, “C-Can I step o-outside when you p-push the black one?”

Black Hat narrowed his eyes at his scientist, “Excuse me?”

Flug flinched and shook his head, swallowing his pride for a second, “N-Nothing, sir....”

Black Hat blinked and looked away in thought before taking the device from Flug, “5.0.5. Begin.”

The bear nodded, sending Flug a questioning, worrying glance. Flug shook it off as the red blinker began on the camera. He stared at the camera and listened to BlackHat begin.

“Welcome, villains and viewers! My newest invention has come and you better buy it- OR ELSE!” Black Hat smirked, his tongue poking out from his sharp teeth slightly, “Dr. Flug will explain the device and each mechanism. We can discuss the prices after.”

“U-Um...” Flug started softly, walking into frame and taking the device from it’s little stand, “Th-this device is for t-trapping and helping euthanize your opponent. E-each button on the surface t-triggers a spring that trips a w-wire... and begins it’s options... Y-you can use them interchangeable to create your f-foe’s worst nightmare!”

 Black nodded boringly, “Yes, yes. Let’s show them how to use it.”

Flug nodded slowly and pressed the red button, producing a ray from a little circle at the very top of the box. Just then, Demencia walked into frame and was zapped automatically. “The ray attacks any motion from your foe...” Flug explained, pushing the green button and so on.

However, as Flug went to put the device back on it’s stand, Black Hat pushed the black button. “You forgot one, Flug.” Black Hat smirked as he pushed it.

Flug flinched away, dropping the device on it’s stand as a black smokey gas formed from the circle, spreading around the room and surrounding 5.0.5. and the doctor. It had no affect on Black Hat, who simply watched the destruction with a grin.

Flug threw a gloved hand up to pinch his nose but the chemicals on his fingers still passed through his respiration system. 5.0.5. had fallen asleep not soon after, his eyes swirling about.

“Well, that’s it for now, ladies and gentleman! The prices are starting at 5 grand and there are only 100 in stock! Better buy some quickly before we run out.” Black Hat smirked, clicking the off button as Flug gagged on the smokey chemicals.

Flug fell to his knees, grabbing at his throat as the chemicals burned his lungs and throat. He sputtered out coughs every now and then as he struggled to breath deeply. His mind began going into the estimated haze.

Black Hat watched with a sadistic smile, “That’s a good one but it doesn’t work on heroes and villains, so you’ll have to make it stronger, Flug.”

Flug inhaled deeply and tried controlling his breathing as the burning subsided. “That w-was t-too much... c-carbon...”

Black Hat’s eyes widened as he watched his scientist rub at his throat sorely, his eyes downcast at the ground in worry for himself. This stuff didn’t harm 5.0.5. at all.

“Carbon?! Flug, why Carbon?!”

“I th-thought it would e-explode the p-person’s lungs....s-sir...”Flug answered, his throat dry and sore and begging for something cold.

“Well, we’ve tested that one now. Go fix it and return again.”

His breath was shakey and he felt like throwing up but he only coughed when the feeling came. In fact, he coughed up red onto the floor and his gloves. Black Hat was gone in a second and back with a glass of water and ice, placing it in front of Flug, “Drink.”

Flug nodded and greedily chugged the cold liquid. “As fun as it is watching you get injured, I can’t have you dying on me yet when my product isn’t finished...”

Flug sent his gaze to the ground again, knowing he was more of an item if anything. He simply nodded and excused himself to his lab, trying not to swallow the water too fast.

As he entered his lab, he placed the cup on his desk and looked at the lunch 5.0.5. brought him. He shook his head and moved it from his workplace before editing the blueprints. Not even twenty minutes later, Black Hat teleported in without a word.

Flug felt his mouth raw and sore once again and tried ignoring it to the best of his ability. He swished his tongue around his mouth and swallowed nervously as the clacking of shoes was suddenly present.

He fixed the solution, adding less Carbon and more of the other elements to make things explode when it got wet. He made sure to add enough to make the explosion enormous enough to blow up a being of over 200 pounds with thicker flesh than a human.

“Is it ready yet, Flug? We have less than an hour.”

“F-for the auction?” Flug asked, glancing partially at his boss.

“Yes, we will have to test it in front of everyone there as well. Might want to perfect it, Flug. And find someone in the crowd or something to test it on this time.”

Flug slowly shook his head, “Y-You mean ch-choose someone f-for death, s-sir? I c-can’t do th-that...”

“Are you disobeying my command?”

“N-No, s-sir...” Flug muttered under hs breath, glancing away to finish his work on the product.

“Good. Keep it that way, Doctor.”

As he finished it, he decided he’d have Demencia test it out. Therefore, when they approached the stage, Demencia was chained by her hands to the stage floor with a frown on her face. 

her arms were crossed as she sat cross-legged on the floor. “Why am I chained here?! Why can’t it be 5.0.5. or something?!” She angrily groaned.

““Do it for Black Hat, Demencia. He’ll be happy.”

Her eyes lit up and she nodded enthusiastically, “Really? Really really?”

Flug nodded, feeling bad for manipulating her but going against his instincts. The crowd began forming so Flug decided to join Black Hat near the front, the device on it’s usual stand between them.

“Hello, every villain. Welcome to the auction of our first product for the week, hopefully our top seller as well.” He sent a grin to the other monstrous beings that slightly frightened Flug as much as BH.

Flug sent a fearful glance around the crowd, a few of them winked at the scientist while others glared or snarled or smiled. He sighed and smiled as Black Hat continued, “This is my scientist, Dr. Flug. This device is called the Lethal-Proctor. It will euthanize and help you get rid of those pesky heroes and maybe even humans once and for all! Maybe help you achieve world domination if you’re ever clever and strong enough.”

Flug shuddered at the mention of world domination. His device being used for that, sheesh... He’d be all over the news and known then, everyone would be trying to kidnap him. Something he most definitely did not want. At all.

“My scientist here will explain the device.” Black Hat smiled at the crowd then sent a smirk to Flug.

Flug flinched and nodded, “Ahem... U-Uh... This d-device is composed of multiple t-traps and lethal d-destructive mechanisms. Such as lasers, r-rays, shock nets, l-lethal smoke, and more. Th-this blue button here-” Flug pressed the least lethal button and points the circle of the box at Demencia with an apologietic gaze, “-will s-send out a shock net th-that will cause h-humans to go unconscious and w-weaken heroes.”

Demencia flinched as the net came in contact with her head and shoulders, wrapping around her whole body and wrapping her up before sending multiple levels of different shock charges through her nerves. It fried her will to move for ten seconds at minimum, leaving her breathless but exhilarated on the floor of the stage.

Flug chuckled softly to himself, it worked first try! He nodded softly before pressing the green button, “Th-this one is a ray th-that sends out flames in i-it’s path.” 

A large combustion of bright blue and red flames engulfed the net and Demencia, burning the net into ash and causing burn marks to form on her skin. Black Hat caught in, “These marks on this demon’s body helps to show just how hot the flames are.”

Flug nodded softly and showcased three more buttons before placing the device on the stand, hoping his boss wouldn’t try and press the black button while he stared at the crowd to see if any of the evil villains had questions.

There was one, “Yes?”

“How much is the scientist?”

Black Hat stared at the boy in unfamiliar shock, “What?”

“How much is Dr. Flug? I’m sure I can buy him with the much I got.” The male smirked and sent a wink to the scientist.

Flug blushed beneath his bag and stepped back slightly as Demencia giggled behind him. “Look, nerd boy, someone actually likes you out there!”

Black Hat snarled, “He’s not for sale.”

“You won’t even take 20 grand for him?” The man frowned, “I’ll give you 50...”

“He isn’t for sale!” 

“I’ll take him for 100 grand!” Another man in the crowd spoke up.

A female grinned with sharp teeth and spoke louder than the others, “I’ll buy him for 10 million!”

Black Hat’s eyes brightened and he seemed to consider the offer, 10 million could buy him multiple scientists and materials. The crowd silenced itself as Black Hat held a finger to his chin and glanced to his scientist.

He noticed how the scientist had his eyes trained on the floor, wet and moist as if he were going to cry. His hands were crossed in front of him and he stepped back again in uneasiness.

“He is not for sale. The device is.” Black Hat spoke out, glared at the crowd, “Take it or leave it. There are now 200 new ones in stock and 100 of the commercial prototypes in stock. The prototypes are 5 grand, the new ones are 10 grand.”

Flug stared at the tall demon with immense joy, he wouldn’t be sold off thankfully and he didn’t have to deal with unfamiliar people or other villains that COULD BE worst than Black Hat.

As the auction went on, multiple prototypes had been sold out of the few 100, but almost all the new ones were sold. With only a sixteenth of the new stock left over and a fourth of the old prototypes left, the villainous crew headed back home.

“S-sir...?” Flug tried to manage out in a mumble but the words barely left his lips.

Black Hat didn’t seem to hear him but Flug didn’t try again, instead he just said, “Thank you..” and moved on.

[optometrist0]

Monitor Eye Strain

Contents

Sticking points. the benq

Fall under the heading computer

Are fairly common

Spend all day staring

First leg match

And digital eye

If you want to measure your blood pressure at home, you will need to a buy a …

All those brightly colored pixels clashing with the lighting around you is a recipe for eye fatigue and strain. … Monitor Position Your screen should be 20-30 …

Sep 28, 2012 … But a blasé attitude toward "eye-gonomics" while you're doing all of your little computing work could be the reason you're experiencing eye strain, neck and shoulder pain, dry eyes, or blurred vision. And there's a case to be made for glare -reducing computer glasses being kind of badass. Maybe.

The vast majority of companies, 81%, reported that they were likely to more …

May 24, 2017 … Screens are no longer optional. If you're not driving, exercising or sleeping, you' re probably staring at one. And after 10 to 14 hours of screen time in a single day, your eyes can feel like you just rinsed them with sand. Fortunately, there don't seem to be any long-term vision or eye-health issues related to …

Feb 12, 2018 … Glare on walls and finished surfaces, as well as reflections on your computer screen also can cause computer eye strain. Consider installing an anti-glare screen on your monitor and, if possible, paint bright white walls a darker color with a matte finish. Again, cover the windows. When outside light cannot …

… Emissions and Flicker-Free Certifications. ASUS Low Blue Light Monitors feature a OSD menu that allows you to access four different Blue Light Filter settings onscreen. ASUS Flicker-Free technology uses Smart Dynamic Backlight Adjustment to reduce flicker, this protects you from eye fatigue, irritation and strains.

I just found out about the BenQ monitors which have RevolutionEyes Technology to help reduce eye strain. Do any of the more expensive ones have any…

Sep 5, 2013 … All those brightly colored pixels clashing with the lighting around you is a recipe for eye fatigue and strain. … Monitor Position Your screen should be 20-30 inches away from you and your eyes should be level with the very top of your monitor. If you don't have ability to adjust your screen's height, a stack of …

… constant eye strain, you may need to take an eye exam and get a new prescription, or glasses if you don’t wear them. An eye exam and the appropriate prescription is vital to ensuring that you can view a monitor comfortably while …

In addition, those who work at a computer should position the monitor slightly below eye level and at arm’s length. It’s also important to remember to blink and get your eyes checked regularly. For more on the impact of digital eye strain, …

Are you experiencing computer eye strain? Read Dr. Gary Heiting's top 10 tips for avoiding eye strain when working at a computer.

Using this dashboard, resellers can control, configure, monitor, and receive alerts for their customers in the Eagle Eye …

Understand why we experience eye fatigue when using computers and how EIZO has developed LCD monitor technology that minimize eye … it could cause strain on …

“My eyes just kind of were getting tired and then when I would look at the monitor, the words just maybe aren’t … we …

If you suffer with migraines or eye strain from long hours of staring at a computer screen, then the BenQ EW277HDR will genuinely make you feel noticeably better – despite a few sticking points. the benq EW277HDR monitor is clearly …

Jul 13, 2017 … These days, many of us have jobs that require us to stare at computer screens for hours at a time. That can put a real strain on your eyes. Eye problems caused by computer use fall under the heading computer vision syndrome (CVS). It isn't one specific problem. Instead, it includes a whole range of eye …

Understand why we experience eye fatigue when using computers and how EIZO has developed LCD monitor technology that minimize eye fatigue.

Aug 3, 2017 … Why Do Screens Cause Eyestrain? Normally, we blink about 15 times a minute. That spreads tears evenly over your eyes, which keeps them from getting dry and irritated. But researchers have found that people blink less than half as often when they're reading, watching, or playing on a screen. Also, the …

Eye fatigue, eye strain, tired eyes—Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) affects 90% of office workers. What do optometrists tell patients looking for relief?

Symptoms of CVS can include eye strain, dry eyes, blurry vision … When it comes to desktop usage, Patrick said it’s important to keep a good distance away from …

Anti Blue Light Screen filter for 21.5 Inches Widescreen Desktop Monitor, Blocks Excessive Harmful Blue Light, Reduce Eye Fatigue and Eye Strain

Feb 22, 2017 … If you work at a computer, you know how awful your eyes often feel by the end of the day. After staring at screens, eyes become dry, itchy, blurry, irritated — and that discomfort is frequently accompanied by a headache. This phenomenon is known as eyestrain, often referred to as "digital eyestrain," since …

try placing the monitor at an arm’s length away from your face. You may need to …

but it’s normally recommended to use a monitor at about half that much to avoid …

A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display or other electronically modulated optical device that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals.

Three-quarters of people who use two or more devices simultaneously report symptoms of digital eye strain, compared with just over half … and if in a bright room, brighten the monitor. Also, pull the drapes to reduce glare. •Blinking keeps …

Prevent eye strain, itchy eyes and the risks of macular degeneration now!

Jan 30, 2017 … One of the biggest causes of eyestrain is the daily use of digital screens for several hours at a time. The Vision Council reports that 87 percent of those in the United States use one or more digital device for more than two hours a day. And the use of digital devices is not exclusive to adults. The same report …

Eye strain, eye fatigue, and headaches are fairly common problems in these days. To prevent future eye problems, you should choose the best monitor for eyes. In

Save valuable desk space and improve overall viewing with the VonHaus Twin Arm Monitor Stand. Constructed from high … and is great for reducing eye and neck …

People often believe that failing eyesight is an inevitable result of aging or eye strain. In truth, a healthy lifestyle … People with diabetes should carefully monitor blood sugar levels, take medications exactly as prescribed by their doctor, and …

Jul 25, 2017 … Perhaps nothing is more common among computer users than eye-strain and neck pain. And ironically, at the same time, perhaps nothing is more controversial than suggesting a change to the conventional way of placing the monitor. In 1997 the OSHA ergonomics user guide, Working Safely with Video …

try placing the monitor at an arm’s length away from your face. You may need to adjust the font size to appear larger at that distance. Follow the 20-20-20 rule: To …

But regular use can lead to eye strain and discomfort. … The best position for your monitor is slightly below eye level, … "Computer vision syndrome …

Sep 25, 2017 … If you spend all day staring at a monitor, you could be suffering from eye strain. It can lead to pain, blurriness, and headaches. However, a new monitor can relieve your eyes.

May 24, 2017 … My eyes have gotten so bad that I can barely look at a monitor for more than 5 minutes without them burning. Looking to try a projector as monitor for.

Aug 13, 2015 … Take eye breaks. Throughout the day, give your eyes a break by looking away from your monitor. Try the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. Check the lighting and reduce glare. Bright lighting and too much glare can strain your eyes and make it difficult …

Jun 1, 2012 … Try these five helpful tips to help reduce or even prevent the discomfort caused by staring at your monitor all day.

Items 1 – 9 … 10 ways to reduce eye fatigue caused by display devices such as computer monitors, notebook PCs, tablets, and smartphones.

Understand why we experience eye fatigue when using computers and how EIZO has developed LCD monitor technology that minimize eye fatigue.

What monitor should a user look for with this condition?What specs should they look at?Someone said something to me about blu… | 59 replies | General Hardware.

"The team will be missing Lucas as he is suffering from a slight muscle strain he suffered during the first leg match … Noteworthy, The AFC has recently assigned a security official to monitor the match and deliver a security report hand …

Headache Due To Eye Strain Contents About eye strain symptoms Migraines and headaches Problems left uncorrected Best Eye Drops For Computer Strain Contents Heiting’s top 10 tips for avoiding And … try some eye drops Are perfect for tired Bausch and lomb Eyedrops for computer Jul 17, 2017 … 10 Tips to Ease Computer Eye Syndrome from Our Eye Doctor in Thornton Computer eye syndrome results from hours spent in front of electronic screens: computers, televisions, cell Headache From Computer Eye Strain Contents Eye strain.” the and digital eye strain. woman Get tired. for the Devices for more than five hours Straining your eyes research shows Eyes research shows Here's how you can avoid the strain and fatigue of computer vision … screen time can also lead … vision after computer use, headaches and … It’s common Screen Eye Strain Contents Can cause eye strain From straining your eyes Research shows that Cause computer eye strain How do you keep your eyes healthy when you have to stare at a screen all day … How Do I Prevent Eyestrain at My … and eye strain are common … … computer for more than seven hours

from http://bestoptometrists.net/monitor-eye-strain-5/

[davidegbert]

Samsung Galaxy Book Review

The Samsung Galaxy Book seems to be this year’s successor to Samsung’s Galaxy TabPro S that we reviewed last year. Instead of calling this the Galaxy TabPro S2, Samsung decided to give it a new name, and I kind of like it. Samsung’s Galaxy Book name goes along with Microsoft’s Surface Book and Huawei’s Matebook and that is probably the product category that it really belongs in. The Galaxy Tab name probably resonates more as an Android tablet category for many people. But there’s not much in a name… The Galaxy Book is Samsung’s latest foray into the 2-in-1 full Windows 10 capable tablet PC market, and it has some huge improvements over the TabPro S Samsung released last year. Practically every negative aspect of the Galaxy TabPro S has been addressed and improved upon.

Incidentally, this review is going to be about the 12″ version of the Galaxy Book, but there will also be a smaller, less-expensive version with a 10″ screen. Keep reading to learn more about Samsungs latest “tablet that can replace your laptop.”

Hands-on Video

Specs

The Samsung Book is available in a few different versions. The one we’re reviewing is a fairly high-end model. First of all it’s got a 12″ Super AMOLED full HD+ (2160 x 1440 pixel) screen and a 7th generation Intel Core i5 7200U dual core 3.1Ghz processor. We’ve also got 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD storage, a 13 megapixel rear camera, and a 5 megapixel front camera. By the way, 203GB of free space is available on the 256GB SSD at first boot. We’ve also got the usual WiFi, Bluetooth radios, and it comes with a keyboard cover/case and the S-Pen. We’ve also got 2 USB-C ports so you can charge the battery and connect something else at the same time. It’s too bad USB-C wasn’t designed to be as forward-thinking as it should have been. The 12″ models have a 39.04W battery with Fast Charging support which lasts about 11hrs. The dimensions are 291.3 x 19.8 x 7.4mm and it weighs 754 grams.

The 12″ version is also available in a version with an LTE radio plus 4GB RAM and 128GB SSD, as well as another WiFi version with 4GB RAM and 128GB SSD.

There’s also a smaller version of the Samsung Galaxy Book with a 10.6″ TFT 1920 x 1280 pixel screen and a 7th Gen Intel Core m3 dual core 2.6Ghz processor. That version is available with 4GB of RAM and either 64GB or 128GB eMMC storage. It also only has a 5 megapixel front facing camera (no rear), and only 1 USB-C port. It’s also naturally smaller and lighter.

Note that both versions are slightly thicker than the 6.3mm thick Galaxy TabPro S from last year.

Hardware

The Galaxy Book does away with the super flat back that the Galaxy TabPro S had (with its big camera bump) and instead features a single metal backing with very smooth, comfortable, rouded edges. It’s a very nice change.

That Super AMOLED screen is gorgeous. The blacks are so so black that it totally blends in with the bezels of the tablet. Cranking up the screen brightness doesn’t change the blacks either. It’s all completely smooth black all the time. The Galaxy TabPro S had the same type of screen and there’s nothing new about it here, but it’s still great to have. The screen is also very shiny so there’s going to be a lot of fingerprint smudges as well as a lot of glare if you’re trying to use it in a well-lit area.

The included keyboard cover is a huge improvement over what was included with the Galaxy TabPro S. This keyboard feels much more professional. The keys are nicely spaced, they have great vertical movement, and even a nice click to them. The trackpad is much larger than what we had on the TabPro S, too. It’s much easier to use if you’re stll using a trackpad instead of the touch screen or S-Pen stylus. The track-pad works well enough. It supports the Windows 10 gestures for quickly accessing task view (three fingers swipe upwards), scrolling/panning (two fingers moving parallel in any direction), and zoom (pinch or expand two fingers).

On the inside of the keyboard cover there is a little illustration showing the 4 different ways you can fold it into a stand for different screen display angles.

The most upright display angle is the most stable on a desk or table. The flap folders under the back and keeps everything standing up nicely.

Two of the display angles use magnets to adhere the stand flap to the back of the tablet. If you remember, this is similar to how the Galaxy TabPro S’s stand worked, except that had much weaker magnets and a folding design that could easily cause the tablet to fall over while touching the screen. These magnets are much stronger and the folding design is made to transfer the pressure on the touch screen more directly into the table. It’s a very welcome change and much improved over Samsung’s previous design.

The keyboard cover nicely protects the front and back of the tablet, but the edges are prone to gettnig banged up and the flexible material is a bit slippery.

The keyboard attaches to the tablet via magnets and the above 5 pin connector. It’s a different connector than the Galaxy TabPro S, so don’t think that you’ll be able to get the new Galaxy Book keyboard and use it with the Galaxy TabPro S.

We now have two USB-C ports on the 12″ Galaxy Book! This is a great addition since now you can plug in a charger and something else like a secondary display, external drive, port expander, or whatever. Personally I’m still not sold on USB-C as many things are still not universal. I would have rather seen a USB-A port as that’s still more widely used (and the USB-C to USB-A adapters I have sometimes don’t work). Oh, and there’s a 3.5mm TRS audio jack here too.

The top edge has the power button and volume toggle button. There’s no longer a Windows/Start key on the device like there was on the TabPro S.

On the left edge there’s a little drawer where you can install a Micro SD card for expanding storage. The drawer is opened by pushing a small (included) pin into the hole to pop it out. This is another huge improvement over last year’s Galaxy TabPro S. On the LTE version of the Samsung Galaxy Book, there would also be a SIM card tray area in here.

The camera bump is much reduced and the quality has been increased, but it’s still not great. Really you shouldn’t be using a tablet to take photographs anyway, so don’t worry about it. The 10″ version nicely does away with the rear facing camera completely.

S-Pen

The Samsung Galaxy Book is the first Windows 10 tablet to include Samsung’s “S-Pen” technology that’s been widely used on the Note series of phablets. Actually, the S-Pen technology partly belongs to Wacom as Samsung licenses some of Wacom’s digitizer tech to use in S-Pen compatible screens. The Microsoft Surface Pro 1 and 2 also used Wacom technology as have many other Windows tablet PCs of the past. What’s different with the S-Pen is that Samsung has done a lot on the software side and Wacom’s control panel software is nowhere to be seen.

You get a pen-loop thing in the box with the Galaxy Book that you can stick to the back of the keyboard cover. It’s nice that this is optional since some users may not really care about using the pen or carrying it around all the time.

It’s not a super elegant or attractive method of attaching the S-Pen, but it works as long as you insert the S-Pen in the right direction and use the clip to keep it in place. Otherwise it will be loose and probably fall out. Personally, I wish the tablet had an S-Pen silo where it could be hidden inside the edge of the tablet.

Above is the safest way to keep the S-Pen attached to the Galaxy Book. It’s not easy to insert and remove the stylus in this configuration though. The Surface Pro’s magnetic edge is a little better, but I really like the Wacom Mobile Studio‘s little pen holder clip that holds it upright for quick access. The S-Pen is plastic, but the clip at the end is metal, so if you want you can actually stick it to the back of the tablet or on the front bezel where the magnets are, but this isn’t terrible secure as the S-Pen will spin and dangle. Still, sticking it to the bezel makes for pretty easy access while set up on a desk or table.

The S-Pen has one button that you can configure in Samsung’s Settings app. Unfortunately there are very few customization options. You can set the button to launch Samsung’s “Air Command” software or Microsoft’s Ink Workspace, or nothing. None of those options are terribly useful really. I’d like at least a “right click” option to be configurable too. I miss having an eraser on the other end too.

Incidentally, the palm rejection for the S-Pen on the screen takes some getting used to. Many times I’ve rested my hand against the screen to find that pressing buttons with the pen tip doesn’t work. Having the pen within range of the screen’s digitizer does not automatically reject the touch interface if the touch interface is currently active (you’re touching the screen). So you really have to get the pen tip close to the screen first before you rest your hand on the screen to write or draw. Wacom’s tablets, pen displays, and pen computers generally give the stylus priority when it’s within range, but that’s not the case with the Samsung Book.

Software

The Samsung Galaxy Book comes with Windows 10 Home pre-installed. Oddly, it did not come pre-installed with the Windows 10 Spring Creators Update. Windows 10 is probably the most feature-rich operating system especially for tablet PC convertibles (AKA 2-in-1’s). It can easily switch between an interface designed mainly for touch that uses gestures and large active areas for controlling programs and snapping them side by side… and the more conventional desktop Windows style interface that gives you a small start menu in the corner along with infinitely resizable overlapping application windows like you’ve been used to since 1995. This is also one of the most mature tablet operating systems out there since Microsoft unveiled the first Windows tablets in 2002 running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.

The Galaxy Book now gets Samsung driver and firmware updates through Windows Update where as the Galaxy TabPro S had a separate background program for getting those types of updates directly from Samsung. Having the updates integrated with Windows Update and the Microsoft Store is certainly a better experience.

Samsung also includes some special software integrated with Windows 10 on the Galaxy Book. First up is Samsung Flow. This is an app that hooks into the “Windows Hello” biometric log-in system to use a Bluetooth-connected Samsung Galaxy S6 (or newer) smartphone fingerprint reader to log-in. If you don’t have a Samsung Galaxy S6 or newer smartphone, you’ll have to use a PIN, password, or picture password to log in.

Samsung Flow also has some other great features though. It can load all of your phone’s notifications into a window on the Galaxy Book, and Samsung has enabled reply capabilities for some of them like SMS and WhatsApp. The software also enables you to use a Samsung Galaxy S smartphone as a hotspot without having to turn it on through the phone. So there’s some really nice integration there.

There’s also a “Book Settings” app that controls certain special features. It’s too bad this couldn’t have been integrated with the normal Windows 10 Settings app.

There are other Samsung customizations integrated with Windows 10 on the Galaxy Book. Seen above is a Battery Life Extender option that shows up in the “Extras” section of the native Windows 10 Settings window. You’ll also see a “Pattern Log-in” option and AMOLED settings here.

The AMOLED settings area lets you customize the color balance, saturation, and sharpness of your display. There’s also a new “Smart dimming” feature that turns on the camera to attempt to detect your face before dimming to save battery. If it does detect your face and understands that you’re currently looking at the screen, it won’t dim.

We mentioned Samsung “Air Command” earlier and above is what that looks like. It’s a few extra S-Pen stylus features that you can access with the button on the S-Pen. Smart select is a type of screen capture utility that also does animated GIF recording and lets you record or capture only a specific part of the screen. Screen write is another screen capture utility that also lets you write on the image with a number of pen tools. The “Create Note” and “View all Notes” buttons go to the “Samsung Notes” app, which is a very basic note taking app. It doesn’t seem to syncronize with anything, so really you’re better off using the much more powerful, free, and platform agnostic Microsoft OneNote.

Office 2016 Home & Student Edition is pre-installed as a trial. If you already have an Office 365 subscription, of course you can simply log-in to activate Office instead of using the trial. All of those programs run beautifully and have no match in terms of functionality on Android or iOS platforms. There are also a few games pre-installed on the Start screen. Candy Crush Soda Saga, Asphault 8, Fallout Shelter, March of Empires, Royal Revolt 2, and Microsoft Solitaire Collection are all there. It’s easy to uninstall them with a tap-and-hold to the context sensitive menu.

Adobe Creative Suite 2017 runs beautifully with the 7th generation Intel Core i5 CPU, and Photoshop does support the tilt sensitivity in the S-Pen stylus. Interestingly, it only recognizes the tilt angle when the pen tip is touching the screen. That’s different from Wacom tablets, pen computers, and pen displays which normally recognize the pen tilt angle when the pen is hovering over the screen. I don’t think that’s an actual problem, just something different from what I expected. An actual problem would be that the tilt direction is not quite recognized correctly. Incidentally, Corel Painter 2017 also supports the tilt sensitivity, but not by default. You’ll have to go into the Preferences and change the tablet preference to “RTS-compatible device” and “Windows Multi-touch”. It would seem Samsung has not included Wintab drivers to support older pressure sensitive drawing programs, but the newer APIs seem to be working well at least for pressure sensitivity. Tilt sensitivity direction is way off in Painter 2017 and doesn’t work at all in Adobe Illustrator 2017.

Camera

The 12″ Samsung Galaxy Book now has an improved 13 megapixel rear camera along with a 5 megapixel front facing camera. The resolution is plenty for high-definition Skype video calls or capturing something that you want to save in OneNote, but taking photos or videos with this tablet out in public is not recommended. The image quality is not so great, plus it’s a giant faux pas to hold up a big tablet in front of you to take a photo.

Regardless, here’s a few sample images from both the front-facing and rear-facing cameras on the Samsung Galaxy Book.

Compared to Galaxy TabPro S

The Galaxy Book’s screen looks exactly the same as the Galaxy TabPro S’s screen and that’s a good thing. They’re both gorgeous. You can see that the Galaxy Book’s keyboard has much better spacing between the keys. It feels a lot better to type on as well. Also note the much larger track pad.

On the left above you see the Galaxy TabPro S’s keyboard stand which adhears via magnets at the top edge. On the right you see the redesigned keyboard stand for the Galaxy Book which is much more stable and much more secure.

The Galaxy TabPro S on top is slightly thinner than the Galaxy Book though the new keyboard cover is a bit thinner on the Galaxy Book versus the older TabPro S’s keyboard.

Battery Life

As always battery life is a relative term depending on what kind of CPU intensive programming you’re going to do along with your screen brightness, but Samsung says you should get about 11 hours of constant video watching on one full charge. Obviously if you do a lot of editing HD video, or batch processing hundreds of RAW photographs, the battery life is going to suffer a bit, but in using the Samsung Galaxy Book, we have found no need to carry the charger around during the day. And if you do find the battery running low, Samsung’s USB-C fast charging will get you fully charged up after only 3 hours of charging.

Pricing

The 12″ Samsung Galaxy Book is available with 4GB RAM & 128GB SSD for $1129.99, or 8GB RAM & 256GB SSD for $1329.99. There’s also a Verizon LTE version of the 12″ Galaxy Book with 4GB RAM & 128GB SSD for $1299.99.

The 10.6″ Samsung Galaxy Book is available with 4GB RAM & 64GB storage for $629.99 or 4Gb RAM and 128Gb storage for $729.99. Remember, the 10.6″ model has a TFT LCD screen instead of Super AMOLED. It also has an Intel Core m3 processor and only a front-facing camera, too.

Conclusion

In all aspects, the Samsung Galaxy Book is an improvement over last year’s Galaxy TabPro S. The keyboard is much better, the stylus is much better, the trackpad is much better, the stand is much better, 2 USB-C ports is much better, having a MicroSD card slot is much better… the Super AMOLED screen is about the same, but much better than most other Windows 10 tablet screens. Pricing wise, the Galaxy Book is about on par with other comparable 2-in-1 Windows 10 tablet PCs like the Surface Pro 4 once you factor in the price of a clip on keyboard. Samsung even smartened up about the range of models they’re making available, too. The Galaxy TabPro S was only available in one configuration. With the Galaxy Book, you’ve got 5 options with prices between $629.99 and $1329.99 to fit your budget. It’s great to see Samsung stepping up their Windows 10 tablet game this year and the Galaxy Book is a worthy competitor.

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