#or a little drawing or a sticker or something. I take away 500 things and there are still a million there. Even when I thik I'm being

[icewindandboringhorror]

Pages from trying to keep a little sketchbook-scrapbook type thing going for two weeks lol. I gave myself specific rules in hopes they might all end up more cohesive/consistent seeming, but alas, scribbly chaos reigns, it seems

[keepyourpantsongohan]

Hills of Marigold

Before that, we must find love and fill the vessel with it. (Chapter 500) | Discord Secret Santa 2020 for @chavelink​. | AO3 | Holiday Prompt: Day of the Dead.

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It starts with Kakashi’s sticker chart.

Naruto is not quite old enough for the Academy yet, but his eagerness to become a shinobi is almost as vast as his ability to turn his home upside down the minute his parents look away.

Though Kakashi’s duties don’t usually leave him much time for babysitting, he knows more than most how rare it is that the Hokage gets free time, so he volunteers himself twice a month to be subject to the hurricane that is five-year-old Uzumaki Naruto in his sensei’s stead.

Out-running Naruto is not the problem. Kakashi is certainly fast enough to reach him before he can do any permanent damage. What really perplexes Kakashi is how to keep a five-year-old entertained. Naruto is more loud, curious and insistent on clinging to Kakashi every minute of he’s around than anyone he’s ever met. (Even Gai can be reasoned with, Kakashi thinks, trying to make rice with two sticky hands tugging on his jōnin blues.)

“Why can’t we eat ramen instead, Kakashi-niichan?” Naruto complains, scrunching up his face.

“It doesn’t have any nutritional value,” Kakashi replies, sighing.

Naruto pauses, and though Kakashi’s eyes are on the stovetop, he knows the younger boy is frowning. “What’s that?”

“Vitamins and minerals. Those things are in the vegetables you’re going to eat.” He eyes the other pan, and decides it’s time to plate the sweet potato and broccoli. Naruto doesn’t look particularly enthused, so Kakashi reminds him, “If you want to become a ninja, you’ll have to eat the kind of food which makes you stronger.”

At the mention of the word ‘ninja,’ Naruto’s face lights up. “Hey, Kakashi-nii, teach me a jutsu!”

It’s not the first time Naruto has asked, and Kakashi usually flat-out refuses. Naruto is destructive enough without any shinobi techniques. But an idea suddenly strikes Kakashi. “How about we make a deal?”

The deal Kakashi proposes is premised on the most basic of tactics Minato-sensei has instilled in his team: Positive reinforcement. If Naruto behaves well enough, Kakashi will teach him something.

It becomes clear to Kakashi in the first hour or so that Naruto’s impatience outweighs his focus. With the prospect of a ninja technique on the line, he is far more concerned about hassling the information out of Kakashi than he is about washing up after lunch, or cleaning his room. So it falls on Kakashi to improvise.

Kakashi holds up the latest Ichiraku flyer. “You see these stickers?” he asks.

“So we are getting ramen?” Naruto asks, bouncing on his heels.

“Not today.” Carefully, Kakashi peels up a circle which announces a 10% off deal on yakisoba. “If you can earn five of these stickers, I’ll teach you how to knock someone my size off of their feet. But I’ll keep the flyer with me, so there’s no cheating.”

Kakashi’s plan is more effective than he could’ve predicted. Not only does Naruto manage to keep himself clean the rest of the afternoon, but his attempts at taijutsu tire him out to the point where, for once, he is asleep in bed by the time Minato and Kushina come home.

“Are you interested in becoming a jōnin-sensei, Kakashi?” Minato asks him with a wide smile.

“Not on your life,” says Kakashi, shunshin-ing away with a wave.

—

Whether he likes it or not, Kakashi does become something of a teacher to Naruto. The young boy, distracted as he is, doesn’t shy away from hard work, as long as it’s something that interests him. After a while, they make their way through some basic attack and defence strategy (though Naruto seems to rely much more heavily on the former). Kakashi even tries to work with him on chakra control, but despite his size, Naruto’s chakra reservoir is enormous, so even gathering chakra to his palms proves difficult.

By the time they take a break in the late afternoon, Kakashi half-wishes he could reach for the book in his pocket and spend the rest of the day letting Naruto practice, but he knows shinobi at this age usually need supervision. He sighs, passing his hand over the dandelions wistfully.

“It’s not fair, y’know,” Naruto complains, sprawled out on the grass. “How come I can’t make my hands work like yours, Kakashi-nii?”

“You’re five,” Kakashi tells him, as if it’s that simple.

“But Sasuke can—”

Kakashi hears Naruto complain about Sasuke, his habitual playmate, often. Itachi’s little brother, if the name is anything to go by. Kakashi isn’t sure if Naruto sees Sasuke as his greatest enemy or best friend.

“It doesn’t matter how quickly you can learn. What’s important is that you work at it.” Kakashi says firmly. Sensing Naruto needs more reassurance, he adds, “Besides, Sasuke may not have as much chakra as you do.”

Naruto mulls this thought over, tugging the grass into his small fists. “Why not?”

Kakashi thinks of Kushina, and the overwhelming energy it must take just to contain her presence. “It seems to run in your family.”

As if summoned by these words, Kakashi feels a shift in the air which marks Naruto’s mother’s arrival. The sure-footed sound of her sandals landing on a tree branch, the smell of coconut oil from her hair, and the loud chakra signature which matches her son.

“It’s time for dinner, y’know!” Kushina announces, hands on her hips as she jumps down. “Minato made grilled saury, and I won’t have you boys coming back when it’s already cold.”

“Food!” Naruto says, hopping to his feet with a grin. He grabs his mother’s hand. “Let’s go, kaa-chan!”

Weakly, Kakashi tries to raise his hands in a warding gesture. “Actually, I have some food at home—”

“Nice try,” Kushina says, grabbing the collar of his flak vest with her free hand. “You’re coming too, Kakashi.”

Kakashi sighs, letting himself be tugged along. “Aren’t I too old for you to still be force-feeding me?”

“If you want to be a ninja, you have to eat strong things,” Naruto pipes up from Kushina’s side helpfully.

“You tell him, Naruto!” Kushina says, grinning at her son.

“I don’t like being a sensei,” Kakashi mutters under his breath, while Kushina and Naruto laugh at him.

—

Despite Kakashi’s words, dinner at the Uzumaki household isn’t so bad. Kushina may give him too many helpings of saury, Minato might be far too concerned about his social life, and Naruto might try to dump his vegetables on Kakashi’s plate, but there is a warmth in their home in which Kakashi cannot help but feel caught up.

It is this same warmth which has him linger after dinner is over, handing plates over to Kushina as Minato carries Naruto off to bed.

“I want to thank you, y’know,” Kushina says gently. “Naruto thinks pretty highly of you.”

Kakashi ducks his head, cheeks ruddy over the edge of his mask. “I’m not doing much.”

“He really looks forward to those stickers, and your lessons.” she says. Her eyes drift towards the fridge, where Naruto has stuck a colourful paper with his assortment of Ichiraku coupons. “I was wondering, do you mind if I join you both next time? There’s a place I’d like to show Naruto. And you, if you’re willing.”

The request leaves Kakashi taken aback. While Kushina doesn’t often leave the village, he knows she’s as busy as Minato-sensei, overseeing most of the genin and chunin missions in his stead. But Kushina’s eyes are sincere and bright, so he cannot bring himself to question the request.

“Ah, sure,” he replies. “What did you have in mind?”

What Kushina has in mind, it turns out, is a week-long trip to the coastline. It requires Kakashi to turn down a two-man mission with Tenzō, and an invitation from Asuma to join his former classmates for Yakiniku, but he is curious about what could Kushina could want to show them so much. A curiosity which only grows when he realizes that Minato-sensei will be joining them.

Kakashi leans against the doorframe, straightening up when his sensei walks in, backpack in hand. “Is it really okay for you to be leaving Konoha for a week, sensei? I mean, Yondaime-sama?” he corrects.

“I wouldn’t be leaving if I didn’t think so,” Minato replies firmly. “Our village is made up of more than just the Hokage, Kakashi. Shikaku-san will look after the the jōnin, and Chōza-san will see to the genin and chunin. Sandaime-sama has agreed to deal with any emergencies. Konoha will be fine without us.”

Kakashi’s brows draw together. “Whatever Kushina wants us to see must be important.”

Minato smiles. “I’ll leave it to her to tell you the rest. Let’s get going.”

—

It occurs to Kakashi, as they head east, that he has never seen Minato and Kushina on a mission together.

It is something to behold. They keep pace with each other naturally, even with Kushina carrying Naruto on her back. And though Kushina’s presence is louder and bolder than Minato’s, there is a synchronicity in their movements which makes Kakashi think of celestial bodies moving in each other’s orbit. It strikes Kakashi with the memory of being five years old himself, seeing two smiling faces looking down at him in the moonlight.

As they stop to rest for the night, Kakashi puzzles over if he’s ever taken a trip like this, just for the sake of it. If he has, it’s hard to recall. At Naruto’s age, his world had been so different.

Even his sensei has changed somehow, he decides, looking at Minato, Kushina and Naruto piled beneath one blanket. More at ease with the world, he thinks, watching as Naruto’s knee digs into his father’s chest. He hears Minato whisper something to Kushina, and watches their hands intertwine, musing on what it would be like to look so certain of his place in life.

“Don’t look so gloomy,” Kushina tells him the next morning, as they pack up. “You’re not on duty today. You can relax. Maybe even smile.”

“I relax,” Kakashi replies, crossing his arms.

Kushina laughs, reaching upward to muss up his hair. He wonders when he outgrew her. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

The last half of their trip passes quickly. They stop in a seaside village long enough for lunch, but from thereon out, the rest of their trip is past far enough from the forest that the landscape remains full and vast before them.

Kakashi takes note as they pass over rolling hills filled with marigolds, adding unusual brightness to their path. Kushina’s speed finally slows down to a walking pace, and it allows Naruto to stare with open-mouthed appreciation at their view.

“Orange is my favourite colour,” Naruto announces, holding up a flower right up to Kakashi’s visible eye.

“I believe you,” says Kakashi.

Kakashi wonders if this is another trait that runs in their family, as he watches Kushina gather a bouquet of her own. Minato looks on with fondness, taking their son into his arms instead, so that his wife can move more freely.

When Kushina is nearly done, Minato approaches her and tucks a flower into her hair. His gaze is warm and soft in a way that makes Kakashi feel like he should look away. He wonders yet again why Kushina has asked him here, with their family, bright and orange and whole.

Kushina turns to Kakashi. “We’re almost there.”

Flowers clutched in hand, they walk until the flowers give way to grass, and until that grass shifts to sand. Though it’s approaching sunset, the water still shines with its warm reflection, straight through the lapping waves to let its bright golden twin rest at their feet. The salted air fills their lungs with every breath.

Wordlessly, Kushina removes her shoes, and Minato takes them into one hand and watches her walk slowly across the sand. Kushina approaches the edge of the water. Marigold petals fall into her footsteps, somehow unmoved by the changing winds.

“Mito-sama,” says Kushina, clear and certain over the breeze. “It’s good to visit you again.”

It only occurs to Kakashi then just where Kushina has taken them. Beyond the horizon line, though he’s never seen it, he’s almost certain there would’ve once been an island. The tide looks calm now, but he’s heard of the powerful current that few shinobi would be able to navigate unscathed.

Kakashi doesn’t expect Kushina’s call to be answered, if her words are for the person he suspects. To his surprise, however, he does hear something, a melodious whisper, by wind or water, that makes Kushina turn to them with the widest smile Kakashi has ever seen.

“Mito-sama,” Kushina says, with nothing pride in her eyes, “There’s someone I’d like you to meet. Naruto?”

Minato sets his son down on the sand, and lays an encouraging hand on top of his hair. “Go on.”

Naruto is uncharacteristically quiet as he approaches his mother, gazing up at the horizon as he might a new friend. “The name is Uzumaki Naruto!” he proclaims, to the sea.

Kushina’s arms come around Naruto, allowing him to lean his back against her legs. “You told me once that I needed to fill this vessel with love. Naruto... it’s more like he makes the vessel bottomless, because he fills it with more to love than we ever thought possible. He eats lots, and grows every day. He’s really good at making friends. He’s not in the Academy yet, but he’s always doing his best to learn. He’s probably a little too much like me, but I see Minato in him too. We’re a family now, y’know?”

With that, Minato steps forward. Kakashi’s eyes are so fixed on the scene in front of him, he doesn’t notice Minato looking at him until a hand touches his shoulder. “Kakashi,” he says gently, inclining his head towards the water.

Hesitantly, Kakashi walks in step with Minato. When the sand grows wet beneath his feet and his toes are lapped at by the tide, he feels Naruto grab for his hand. He stares at the small fingers for a moment, feeling Minato’s palm still resting on his shoulder, and strands of Kushina’s long hair brushing against all of their backs.

Kushina listens to the wind’s rhythm intently, and continues. “You know Minato. We’ve been walking side-by-side since we were kids. And now, we look over the village together. I think you would like the way it looks now.”

Kakashi feels Kushina’s eyes turn to him. “And this is Kakashi. He’s like a little brother to me. Or like... an older brother to Naruto. I think he’s still too scrawny to be someone’s uncle. He takes too many missions, and he doesn’t spend enough time being a teenager, and he’s always slouching— but he also cares about people more than almost anyone, in this land or the next. I think he likes being Naruto’s teacher, no matter what he says. He’s family too.”

Swallowing against a suddenly tight throat, Kakashi tries not to let Naruto feel his hand shake. “Nice to meet you, Mito-sama,” he says, when he can find his voice.

He cannot make out the wind’s song over the sound of his thudding heartbeat, but he does feel a light breeze against brush against his forehead, leaving the same warmth in its path as his mother and father did when they pressed a goodnight kiss to his temple. His eyes widen.

“I’m glad you could join us, Kakashi,” Minato says, squeezing Kakashi’s shoulder.

In turn, Kakashi’s grip on Naruto’s fingers becomes tighter, if still gentle. “Me too.”

[neerasrealm]

just imagine this: slender and jack are going out and bc all the responsible pastas are out they hire a babysitter (y/n) to look after slendra. she’s rlly shy at first but eventually she and y/n become best friends (and they steal slender’s gramophone to play some music while they make cookies and maybe wreck the kitchen in the process depending on y/n and slendra’s combined skills)

I ABSOLUTELY ADORE THIS REQUEST AND I HAD A BLAST WRITING IT sorry it took so long school murdered me plus I was jumping from draft to draft and just. A lot happened ok. I didn’t get all the prompts in because I couldn’t work em in but I feel like I did good. I loved writing y/n just subtly noticing that this house Is Not Human and it- it was a fun dynamic to do gshdjdshj Also new hc this is the origin story for y/n in the poly slenjack fics

You're starting to have regrets about taking this babysitting job. Maybe it was that you'd seen too many slasher movies, or maybe you were just paranoid. Or maybe it was the fact that you were dragging your bike through the woods in order to get to the address you'd been given. The sane part of your brain is saying that this is dangerous and you should turn back, but the broke millennial part of your brain is saying that the $500 paycheck is too good to pass up. I mean- $500? For babysitting for one night? That's insane! It’s gotta be a joke right? Maybe it is. Maybe you are going to be murdered horribly tonight in the middle of the woods. 

You’re broken out of your thoughts by the sight of- a house. Presumably the house you’re supposed to be babysitting in. It’s gigantic- more of a mansion than a house. The outside looks refined and welcoming. There’s even flowers planted around the place. Cute pink pansies and blossoming bushes of roses. You look around hesitantly, then wheel your bike along up to the front door. You very carefully lean it against the wall and look around some more. How come you never heard about this place? I mean- a giant house in the woods? Why has that never come up? You’d think someone would talk about it, right?

As you’re looking around this odd place you realise something. It’s sprawling with cats. At first you only noticed a couple, and assumed they were pets, but now your counting has hit the double digits. Why do cats hang around here? Are they all pets? Is the owner of this mysterious house a cat person? Or do they just- kidnap cats? What if you’re babysitting a cat…

Okay no that’s dumb. You turn around again and knock on the front door. It’s silent for a moment, and out of awkwardness you look down at your feet. You’re standing on a fancy doormat that reads ‘welcome’ in elegant cursive. The door opens and your head shoots up to attention. 

Standing in the doorway is a tall man. Far taller than you. His skin is deathly pale, almost white, and his hair is neat and blonde. He’s wearing a suit, and as he looks down at you you realise his eyes are the brightest blue you’ve ever seen. 

‘’M-mister Schlankwald?’’ you ask, stepping back and away from this strange man. He nods and smiles.

‘’That’s me.’’ he holds out a hand to you. ‘’You must be y/n, yes? The babysitter?’’ he smiles gently, and you realise he actually- looks kind of nervous. That’s a tad reassuring. You take his hand and shake it. You nod.

‘’Yeah, that’s me.’’ you say. He steps aside and you cross the threshold. As you take your coat off you look around. Past the small entryway is a large living room. There're three whole couches, and a few more armchairs scattered around. There’s a large TV surrounded by cabinets full of DVDs and videogames- it looks like a very luxurious place. And also there’s more cats just- hanging around in various places, but you’re not really paying attention to them. Your attention is grabbed by the person standing in the living room. He’s- insanely tall, with long black hair, striped socks and sleeves, feathers on his shoulders for some reason and- bandages. Just wrapped around his torso. He’s also wearing a grey crop top, and what you assume to be white face paint. His nose is striped too, and cone shaped. Everything he’s wearing is either black or white. You stare at him in surprise and just- disbelief. He raises a hand in greeting.

‘’Ey.’’ his voice is deep and rough. ‘’Ye’re th’ si’er?’’

You blink for a moment, not sure what he- even just said. ‘’Y-yes?’’ you say, hoping that’s the right answer. Apparently it was, because he smiles at you.

‘’Ah!’’ he steps towards you and leans down, holding out his hand. ‘’Me name’s Jack. pleased ta mee’ ya!’’

You shake his hand and nod. ‘’I’m y/n.’’ you murmur. Jack stands back up and you look over your shoulder at Mr Schlankwald. He gestures to the other male.

‘’This is Jack, my husband,’’ he explains. ‘’Do excuse the makeup. He’s a performer, you see.’’ 

‘’Ah.’’ you relax a bit. A performer...that makes sense. I guess. You look around a bit. ‘’So uh- where’s the kid?’’ In all this strangeness you almost forgot why you hiked into the deep dark woods. 

‘’Righ’ ‘ere.’’ You turn to look at Jack again and watch him step aside to reveal a small girl who’d apparently been hiding behind him before. Her eyes widen as she comes into view and she stares at you. Her skin is a dark, almost reddish-brown colour. Her face is peppered with freckles and her hair hangs around her shoulders. It’s bright blonde, like Mr Schlankwald’s, but a bit more yellow. She quickly skitters back to Jack’s leg and hides behind him again. You frown. Jack looks at you. ‘’She’s a bi’ shy.’’ he murmurs. He crouches down to the girl. ‘’Ey, luv, i’s okay. Th’ si’er isn’ gonna ‘urt ya.’’

‘’Wh-wha’ if I scare ‘em or say somefink?’’ she mumbles. She has the slightest hint of her father’s accent, but more- refined almost. And a lot easier to understand.  

‘’Ye’re no’ gonna, ye’re a smart girlie, ain’t ya?’’

Mr Schlankwald taps your shoulder and you look over at him. ‘’We- haven’t gotten a sitter before, so she’s a little nervous about the whole thing.’’

You nod. ‘’That’s alright, I’ve had shy kids before.’’ you smile at him. He seemingly brightens up. 

‘’Righ’,’’ Jack’s voice interrupts you two. You look at him as he stands up. The girl shyly steps out from behind him and Jack lightly pats her head, ruffling her hair. ‘’We’d be’er ge’ goin’, luv.’’

‘’Of course.’’ Mr Schlankwald says. He shakes your hand once more and then looks at the girl. He holds out his arms and she quickly runs over, hugging him tight. ‘’Be good now, won’t you my dear?’’

‘’I will.’’ she mumbles. Her parents step away, with Jack heading for the door. Mr Schlankwald looks at you again.

‘’Her bedtime is at nine thirty, snacks are in the kitchen,’’ he nods towards a door behind you. ‘’Feel free to help yourself.’’

‘’Got it!’’ you chirp back as they leave. Once the door has closed it’s just you and the girl. She turns slowly and looks at you. You smile at her and lean down to her. ‘’Hiya.’’ you greet. ‘’I’m y/n. What’s your name?’’

She gulps and steps towards you. The tiny child looks you dead in the eyes and holds out her hand to you. ‘’I’m Slendra. Slendra Jackson.’’ she says with all the authority of a business CEO. you almost, ALMOST, crack up laughing but force yourself to take her seriously. You shake her hand.

‘’Well nice to meet you.’’ she retracts her hand. ‘’How old are you, Slendra?’’

‘’Fo-’’ she stops. ‘’Eigh'. I’m eigh'.’’ she folds her hands behind her back, just like her father did. You smile at her. She takes after her father, you suppose. It’s cute. 

‘’So what do you like? Got any hobbies?’’

‘’Uhh…’’ she toys with the sleeve of her striped shirt. ‘’I like...music...and bakin'...I like readin' too and uh-’’ she shrugs. ‘’That’s abou' it, I guess.’’

You nod. ‘’I see.’’ you smile at her. ‘’So what do you wanna do? We got…’’ you glance down at your watch. ‘’Three and a half hours to kill.’’ She shifts on her feet and shrugs again. You tilt your head at her. ‘’We could watch TV...maybe draw something? Are you hungry?’’

She seems to perk up a little bit. ‘’I have drawin’ stuff in my room,’’ she says. ‘’We could do tha'.’’ there’s a glint of excitement in her eyes. ‘’I-if you want to.’’

‘’Of course I do,’’ you stand up and smile at her. ‘’Lead the way.’’

Slendra smiles a little in excitement and turns, heading quickly up the stairs. You follow after her, looking around curiously. This place is massive. Upstairs is a hallway with doors running all along the right. Each one is decorated differently. One is striped, with ‘laughing jack’ written on it, another is pink with a castle-shaped sign on it that reads ‘Sally’ and under it ‘& Dina’ is written in what looks like sharpie. The one right across from the stairs that Slendra climbs up has a metal sign on it, decorated with a skull and crossbones, that reads ‘Kate’s room, keep out!’

You follow Slendra up the staircase and arrive on the third floor. Slendra leads you to her room. Her door is also decorated, with flowers and butterflies and bowties. Her walls are purple, and the room kind of reminds you of...and office. She has a large desk covered in boxes and papers. Shelves are piled high with toys and trinkets, and she has a massive bookcase stuffed to the brim with- well, books. Fairy lights hang over her bed, which is large and round and covered in pillows and plushies. Glow in the dark stickers decorate her ceiling and walls.

Slendra grabs a large plastic tub from under her desk and drops some paper sheets onto it. She picks up the tub and smiles at you. You frown. ‘’Isn’t that heavy?’’

‘’Huh?’’ she looks at the box. ‘’I guess- I’m kind’ve strong though.’’

You smile a bit. ‘’I bet you are.’’ you step towards the door and open it. ‘’C’mon. If you need help with that I’ll take it.’’

Slendra shakes her head and walks past you. ‘’I got it.’’ she says, holding her head up proudly to show off how big and independent she is. You smirk a bit and follow after her. You walk past the hallway of odd doors and through the living room into the kitchen. Slendra places her box on the dining table and smiles over her shoulder at you. You glance around the kitchen. it’s- well, a normal kitchen. The fridge is covered in children’s drawings and magnets, but oddly no photos. Thinking about it now, you haven’t seen a single photo up on the walls. Odd.

‘’So you like drawing, huh?’’ you say to Slendra. She pulls out a chair, which has a big ginger cat sleeping on it. She pets it and nods.

‘’My brother Helen is an ar'ist. He lets me join 'im sometimes, and he teaches me a lo'.’’ she smiles over at you.

‘’Your brother’s name is Helen?’’

‘’Yeah.’’ she tilts her head. ‘’It’s a unisex name innit?’’

You- don’t really have the heart to say no, so you just nod. ‘’How many siblings do you have?’’ you ask, watching the ginger cat roll over. Slendra scratches its stomach. 

‘’Ten.’’ she replies without batting an eye. You freeze for a second. You blink. Huh- so- Mr Schlankwald, the strange gay man who lives in a mansion in the woods, apparently has eleven children. You slowly tilt your head.

‘’How many people live here…?’’

‘’Fourteen, though my uncle Ivan sometimes comes to visi', so maybe fifte- oh!’’ she’s interrupted by the ginger cat suddenly jumping down off the chair and wandering off somewhere. She climbs up onto the now empty chair and looks over the table at you. "Dad left snacks for us," she points over at the counter by the fridge. "Do you wanna grab some?" 

"Oh uh- sure." You walk over to the counter Slendra pointed to. There's some plates and a bowl covered in tin foil, probably to keep the cats from eating whatever's been left for you. You grab one of the plates and peel away the tin foil. You're greeted by a plate that's sectioned into thirds. Each third contains...snacks? Of some sort. One section is miscellaneous coloured potato chips, one is full of little black squares that look like...seaweed? Maybe? And the third section looks like- thin slices of various vegetables. Dried out to a crisp. You slowly glance over at Slendra.

"What're uh- what're these?"

"Oh! Dad's healthy snacks. They're real good." She smiles. "Try one!"

You hesitate, then reach to grab one of the potato chips. They're all different colours. Orange, red, yellow- even a couple purple ones. You grab a yellow one and very carefully bite into it. Your eyes widen as you chew. It's...good. really good. A nice balance of cheese, onion- are those chives? Yeah! Chives. Fancy. You pick up a second, orange one and toss it into your mouth. It's a bit sweeter, but still just as good. 

Pulling aside the foil on the bowl you're greeted by popcorn, nuts, and various shaped potato chips that also appear to be homemade. You grab one and toss it into your mouth, and get hit with soy sauce and spices. Surprising, but still really good. It reminds you of asian takeout. You take the foil off the last plate and- "Oh! Cookies!"

"Yep! Dad made 'em especially for you." Slendra says as she opens the box she brought down and pulls out a few things. "He always tries to make sure we have food for guests. Every time we ge’ a visitor he tries to feed 'em."

"Huh…" you grab the plates very carefully and carry them over to the table, setting them down between you and Slendra, who's already begun her drawing. "What is your dad like anyway? How'd he afford a giant place like this?" You ask as you wander back over to grab the bowl you left.

"Oh uh- well-" she suddenly seems nervous. "He said tha’…" she pauses for a moment, like she's thinking. "He invested in stocks b'fore the economy wen’ bad." She finishes, speaking like she's reciting a line. You smile a bit.

"I see." You put down the bowl of various snacks and grab another potato chip. Slendra reaches over and grabs one of the black squares of seaweed, biting into it and crunching on it happily. "Weird that I never heard about this place, huh? Giant mansion in the woods…’’ Slendra stares at you, eyes wide. ‘’...That’s full of cats for some reason…’’

She nods and smiles sheepishly. ‘’Heheh, yeah…’’ she puts down her pencil and grabs a thin, dried out tomato slice, crunching on it quietly. ‘’Dad feeds 'em. He loves cats.’’

‘’Huh.’’ you grab a cookie from the plate and bite into it. It’s soft and crumbles in your mouth. Like shortbread, but with deliciously sweet chocolate chips. Without thinking you reach for a second one before you’ve even finished your first. ‘’So what’re you drawing?’’ you tilt your head at her. 

‘’Fairies.’’ 

‘’Oh yeah?’’ you lean over to get a look. You were expecting to see friendly, childish drawings of little people with wings, but instead...you’re greeted by creatures with odd proportions, eyes in odd places, sharp teeth and mean expressions. ‘’...oh.’’ you regain your composure quickly. Kids sometimes draw scary things, it’s normal- probably. ‘’You’re really good at drawing.’’

‘’Ehh…’’ she shrugs. ‘’I guess. I’m still learnin'. Helen says I’m gettin’ better though!’’ 

You smile a bit. ‘’Keep practicing. By the time you’re ten I bet you’ll be amazing.’’

Slendra laughs a bit. ‘’I only really draw when Helen asks me if I want to.’’ she murmurs. ‘’I mostly like to sing.’’ 

‘’Oh yeah?’’

"Uh-huh. Dad taugh’ me to play piano, and pops taugh’ me the accordion." She grabs a handful of popcorn, chips and nuts from the bowl and calmly grabs a single nut, putting it in her mouth and crunching on it softly. "I'm learnin' ukulele right now."

"Wow," you tilt your head at her. "Guess your parents can afford a lot of tutors for you, huh?"

"Nah, we're all homeschooled."

"Oh." You blink in surprise. "Does your dad do all of that?"

"Uh-huh. He's real smart." Slendra puts down her pencil and neatly puts her page aside. She delicately grabs a couple more snacks. She has awfully good table manners. A thing that comes from her father, you guess. ‘’He makes learnin’ fun too. My brothers say school is real borin’.’’

‘’Huh…’’ 

You spend a couple hours sitting there with her, watching her draw odd creatures and talk about her even more odd family. The cookies have been eaten, and most of the other snacks are gone completely. Including the seaweed squares, which weren't actually all that bad when you tried them. And now you're lounging back in your chair, petting a chubby chausie cat that's apparently named Brian. 

"So...he covered up...the hole in the wall...by making more holes."

"Yep."

"...No offense but this Jeff guy sounds pretty dumb." You say. Slendra laughs a bit as she puts away her coloured pencils, dropping them back into the large box of supplies she brought down. 

"Jeffery is a good boy, he means well." She murmurs. She grabs the last of the dried out tomato slices and crunches it down. "Wha’ now?"

You shrug. "I dunno. Whatever you want." you smile at her. She frowns in thought, then suddenly perks up. 

"Oh! I could practice my music," she looks suddenly excited. "Dad has a lo’ of records in ‘is office. Could we listen to those? And I can play along with my ukulele."

You shrug and smile at her. ‘’Sure, I don’t see why not,’’ you tilt your head. ‘’Where’s his office?’’

‘’Downstairs.’’ Slendra hops off her chair and grabs the box. ‘’I’ll grab my things! You go wait.’’ she adds before quickly leaving the room. You laugh a bit and grab the last couple potato chips, then the half-empty bowl, just in case. After nudging Brian off your lap you walk down to the basement and look around. There’s a few rooms, but the thing that catches your attention the most though is the lounge area that’s full of comfy looking chairs and cabinets stuffed with videogames. And also the cats, there’s even more down here, but you’re kind of used to them by now.

You glance around at the doors down here. There’s three doors on the left, and none of them are really decorated. There’s a couple other doors, and one of them has a large padlock on it for some reason. The one next to it, surprisingly, is decorated. Fish and deep sea creatures are painted onto it. You’re pulled out of your thoughts by footsteps on the stairs. You look towards them and see Slendra running down them with a ukulele in hand. She grins at you as she walks up to you. You notice she has a small concertina accordion hanging off her waist from a shoulder strap. ‘’Dad has the door locked,’’ she says as she walks past you towards the last door on the left. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out...a cat claw…? You frown. ‘’I can ge’ it open though.’’ 

You watch her attempt to pick the lock with the claw. ‘’uh...I don’t think that’s gonna-’’

‘’Click!’’ the door opens as if to spite you. Slendra grins over at you. 

‘’Told you!’’ she chirps. She walks into the office and you follow her in, bemused. Inside the office is...odd. Grey walls and carpet, lots of bookshelves, a cat tree in the corner, and comfy looking wicker chairs in front of the desk. On the walls are photos of Slendra and other kids who you assume to be her siblings. There’s an...odd painting hanging on the wall across from the door. It contains two faceless white beings, a similar being with black eyes and no mouth and a strange creature with similar black eyes and a wide smile. You frown at it. Abstract art, you suppose. The creatures remind you of Slendra’s drawings. 

‘’Here we go!’’ Slendra catches your attention again. She’s knelt on the ground, looking through a drawer stuffed with records. You glance over at a table in the corner of the room. To your surprise, it isn’t a record player, it’s a gramophone. An old looking one at that. Must be an antique. It honestly wouldn’t surprise you if Mr Schlankwald was a collector or something like that. Slendra gets up and very carefully places a record on the player and drops the needle. It’s silent for a couple moments and then a delicate piano starts playing. Slendra strums her ukulele and begins to sing.

‘’I know...you belo-o-ong to so-omebody ne-ew…’’ her voice is almost...mesmerising. You relax despite yourself as she sings along. ‘’But tonight, you belo-ong to me.’’ Maybe you’re imagining it, but you swear you can hear multiple voices coming from her. Or maybe it’s just the vocals from the record. You’re not really paying attention. Instead you sit down in one of the wicker chairs and watch her. ‘’Although…’’ she smiles a bit. ‘’You’re a apa-a-art, of my he-e-a-art,’’ her eyes catch yours. They seem to glint a moment and something- odd, passes over you. You suddenly feel extremely relaxed, all tenseness leaving your body. You lean back in your chair. ‘’And tonight, you belo-ong, to me.’’ 

-------

You don’t remember much else from the evening after that. Just that Slendra continued singing along to the greatest hits from the fifties and sixties. Things start to become a bit less fuzzy around nine thirty. Her bedtime. You read her a bedtime story, told her goodnight with a wide smile, and took a seat on the couch downstairs. Which is where you are now, watching a movie in the dim lighting. You feel...good. Really happy for some unknown reason. Not that you’re complaining.

The front door opens and you glance over as Mr Schlankwald steps inside. He closes the umbrella he's holding while Jack shakes himself off, kind of like a dog. Mr Schlankwald looks over at you and smiles. 

"Ah, hello." He steps towards you, with Jack following after. He strides past the blonde and collapses himself in one of the armchairs. Somehow his makeup is still flawless despite the rain outside. "How were things?" He asks, tilting his head. He seems nervous, slightly. Jack opens one eye and looks over at you.

"Good," you sit up. "No trouble at all. She behaved excellently, we just sorta...chilled." you smile a bit. "She's the most well behaved kid I've ever looked after honestly. She didn't even complain when it came to her bedtime."

"Oh!" Mr Schlankwald smiles a bit. "I'm glad to hear that- we were worried, eheh." He reaches into his pocket, pulling out his wallet. He frowns. "Hm...Jack have you got three hu-"

"Righ' 'ere luv." Jack reaches into his striped sleeve and pulls out a small wad of notes. Mr Schlankwald smiles and takes them, folding them up neatly before holding them out to you. 

"Five hundred, as agreed." He says as you quickly count the money. You knew you'd be getting that amount but still, actually holding the money now you can hardly believe it. You stand up quickly.

"Thank you." You barely manage to get the words out. "I had a great time babysitting her- I uh- I've babysat some real demons before so uh- heheh-" you're just rambling now because of the sheer elation of actually being given five hundred fucking dollars. Mr Schlankwald smiles, as polite as ever.

"Well, if we ever need another sitter we'll call you." He says, walking over to the door. He grabs your coat from the coat rack and holds it out. Quickly, you walk over to him and take it. He opens the door while you put it on. "Do get home safe," he murmurs. "Does your bike have a light? Do you need an umbrella?" He frowns at you, apparently worried. 

"No, no. I'll be fine." You give him an anxious smile while you pull your hood up and step outside. You grab your bike, flicking on the light on the front of it. Mr Schlankwald smiles at you, pleased to see that you won't be in the dark going home. You walk off towards the forest path you followed earlier and wave over at him. 

"Get home safe!" He calls as he waves back.

"I will!" You turn away from him and smile wide.

That's the best babysitting gig you've ever had. 

You really, really hope they call you back for another night...

[petulantbois]

*·˚ ༘♡﹙ george sear, demiboy, he/they ﹚— look who it is! it’s AARON ADAMS, the TWENTY year old PASTRY CHEF hanging around SWEET TOOTH BAKERY. i’ve heard they can be quite SELF-INDULGENT & WEAK-WILLED, but the residents swear they’re really LEVEL-HEADED & CARING. they remind most people of FRESH BAKED DESSERTS, MESSY COUNTERTOPS & COLORFUL THROW BLANKETS, and i think i can see why. 

backstory.

for the longest time, aaron lived with expectations of his parents --- and often exceeded them --- straight a’s turned into top of his class while most valuable player turned into varsity captain. and while he always managed to balance this with having fun and goofing off, he watched as his accomplishments became impossible standards for his siblings to live up to. it was three days before the deadline to submit his college applications that he decided to go completely off course --- he threw out the list of pre-approved ncaa schools and switched them for schools with culinary arts associate degree programs.

and then he stayed silent, hiding away acceptance letters, until his mother found one in the mail and asked him why savannah tech was sending him things. to say that they were disappointed wouldn’t be quiet right --- his parents were hurt and confused, angry at both aaron and themselves, hurt that he had felt as though he couldn’t go to them. they managed to talk it out, agreeing that it was for the best that he follow his own dreams rather than their dreams for him. 

and that’s how he found himself in savannah alternating between shifts at his job at the local target, classes at the community college & nights living it up with his classmates. the next two years were arguably the best in his life, a time of freedom and self-exploration, no longer stifled by his parents' expectations / presence he dove headfirst into any opportunity to learn something new about himself --- including many opportunities to make out with his classmates of all genders. it was over the summer, during pride, that he first heard the term non-binary and despite feeling like the term might fit him, it took several late nights of research before he said something.

the decision to come home was made easier by the available position at sweet tooth bakery but it was only meant to be temporary. in aaron’s mind, it went a little like this: move home, save money / develop recipes, open up a bakery somewhere else.

trivia.

the second thing that he does every morning, after going to the bathroom, is feed his sourdough starter and mix the discard into his daily face mask. he repeats this before bed, though his nighttime discard gets set aside for use in recipes. 

constantly having to give his neighbours / friends the extras of what he bakes and will show up to get together with a batch of a new recipe to be like ‘oh haha was just trying something new and wanted to share .... do you like it?” 

genuinely really good taking and giving constructive criticism --- knows the difference between being constructive and being rude and will toe the line in a fight --- but is not a fan of unasked for advice and will make that very clear from the moment you open your mouth.

has what is probably one of the ugliest cars in roseford, a honda civic hatchback that’s nearly 30 years old --- it’s covered in scuffs and dings, the left rear bumper was poorly spray painted to cover the rust and the black spray paint serves only to draw attention to the rough texture. the rest of the car is a faded lime green with a single strip of red where the paint has begun to chip off along the entire driver’s side --- the hood is covered in a mix of old and new bumper stickers in an attempt to cover the fact that it’s an entirely different color from the rest of the car and a stick figure family decorates the hatchback’s window. bought it for $500 and will tell anyone that asks that he’s never getting rid of it.

doesn’t eat a lot of meet & tends to stick to meatless options in restaurants --- it’s mainly a financial choice b/c he looks at prices of good meat and is like ‘sigh, that’s so expensive’ but on a moral level refuses to eat meat that isn’t sourced in a way that limits both the environmental impact & the suffering of the animals

has an obsession with soft blankets and novelty pillow covers - owns roughly 27 different throw blankets in a variety of colors, all of which have matching cushion covers - just has a giant tote in his closet of pillow covers and the line closet is half blankets.

[adorableipodreview-blog]

Best Adorble i Pod  2020

Apple is the uncontested ruler of tablets. The word iPad is equivalent with "tablet." Chances are on the off chance that you own a tablet by any means, you have an iPad.

Macintosh's tablet setup is more shifted than any time in recent memory, and a fresh out of the box new iPad joined the group a year ago. At $329.99, the 10.2-inch iPad is the least expensive iPad Apple has ever sold, yet it's very ground-breaking, bolsters the Apple Pencil, and is frequently on special for as low as $249.99.

The remainder of the iPads are similarly slick and incredible (if not more so). We've tried almost every iPad that has been discharged in the course of recent years, and these are the most perfectly awesome iPads you can purchase.

Here are the best iPads in 2020:

Best iPad in general: 2019 10.2-inch iPad

Best mid-go iPad: 10.5-inch iPad Air

Best little iPad: 7.9-inch iPad Mini

Best iPad Pro: 11-and-12.9-inch iPad Pro

Best iPad pointer: Apple Pencil

Best iPad console: Logitech K780

Refreshed on 2/13/2020 by Joe Osborne: Updated costs, realities, and arranging. Expelled 9.7-inch iPad as it's not, at this point ready to move in new condition.

The best iPad by and large

On the off chance that you own a maturing iPad or iPad Mini, the 10.2-inch iPad is an incredible update. Clearly, in the event that you have an iPad Air 2 or an iPad Pro, you don't have to get the upgraded one. The iPad is for any individual who has consistently needed an iPad, yet couldn't bear the cost of the $500-in addition to sticker price.

The 2,160 x 1,620-pixel goal on the 10.2-inch model is sharp and clear. The A10 processor is as yet competent (despite the fact that it's not the iPhone 11's A13 chip), the battery life is long, and you can even purchase things on iPad with Apple Pay, on account of the Touch ID unique finger impression sensor.

The best part is that this iPad bolsters the original Apple Pencil, an unfathomable pointer with for all intents and purposes no slack. You should pay $100 extra for the Pencil, however in the event that you like to take notes or draw on your iPad, it is well justified, despite all the trouble. Normally, any Bluetooth console additionally works with the iPad, so on the off chance that you need to utilize it as a semi PC, you can get an incredible console.

You essentially can't beat those specs at that value point. Tantamount Android tablets cost several dollars more, and the iPad despite everything has a superior application library and embellishment support.

The aluminum manufacture looks and feels premium. Both iPads are very light, as well, so you can joyfully marathon watch Netflix in bed or take them with you. Tech geeks will say the iPads have an exhausting old structure, however it's dependable. Additionally, the aluminum fabricate is solid.

Geniuses: Incredible cost for an iPad, smooth aluminum configuration, Touch ID for security and Apple Pay, dazzling screen, bolsters the Apple Pencil

The best mid-extend iPad

The new iPad Air sits directly in the center of Apple's iPad arrangement with its totally estimated screen, $499.99 cost, and extraordinary specs.

In the event that you don't need an iPad Pro, however you don't need the Mini and you won't bargain and get lesser specs, the iPad Air is the tablet for you. It sits directly in the center of the iPad setup, and it has all that you need.

The new iPad Air keeps a similar generally speaking structure as past age iPad Air models, so it has the Home catch and bigger bezels contrasted with the new iPad Pro models.

In spite of the fact that it appears to be identical, there's a great deal of new tech inside. The new Air runs on Apple's A12 Bionic chip, so it's quick and responsive. The tablet likewise bolsters the original Apple Pencil, which is generally viewed as the best pointer for drawing on a tablet, and it has a sharp 10.5-inch True Tone screen with a goal of 2,224 × 1,668 pixels.

You can purchase the iPad Air with either 64GB or 256GB of capacity, and it comes in three shading choices: Silver, Space Gray, or Gold. You can likewise pick either a Wi-Fi-just association or a blend of cell and Wi-Fi associations.

Close by the iPad Air, Apple is likewise selling a Smart Keyboard, which is incredible for those of you who need to utilize your tablet as a PC when there's no other option, however it's no iPad Pro. On the off chance that you need to accomplish more with your tablet, we suggest the Pro models.

Aces: Good value, pleasant sharp screen, works with the Pencil, new processor

The best little iPad

The iPad Mini was at long last refreshed in 2019 with every single new spec and backing for Apple's Pencil pointer inside a similar plan.

At the point when the first iPad Mini came out, I needed it right away. I've never preferred large tablets, and its little size appeared to be great. I'm not the only one in my affection for little tablets, yet for a considerable length of time, Apple has left the iPad Mini arrangement to mull without an update — as of recently.

The 2019 iPad Mini is Apple's spending plan amicable little tablet. It might not have the new plan we were seeking after — those thick bezels are still there alongside the home catch — however it has all the most recent specs we needed in this update.

It's controlled by the ultra-ground-breaking A12 Bionic chip, and it underpins the original Apple Pencil. We're excited Apple gave the Mini Pencil support, as it's the best pointer we've at any point utilized, and it makes the Mini an extraordinary tablet for note taking or drawing.

The Mini's True Tone, 7.9-inch screen has a sharp 2,048 x 1,536 pixel goal, as well, so you can truly appreciate watching recordings, perusing, and making on the screen.

You can pick between 64GB or 256GB of capacity and three shading alternatives: Silver, Space Gray, or Gold). On the off chance that you need to hold the cost down, you can get the Wi-Fi-just form, however there is likewise a Mini with both cell and Wi-Fi associations.

Geniuses: Compact, reasonable, new processor, sharp screen, works with the Pencil

The best iPad Pro

Mac's iPad Pro comes in 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes with equipment inside that is so top of the line these tablets can outperform a few PCs.

The new iPad Pro is a masterpiece. The tablet has thinned down bezels, a dazzling sharp screen in two sizes, a ludicrously amazing processor, and huge amounts of incredible accomplices to go with it, including the Apple Pencil.

You can get it in 11-and 12.9-inch screen sizes to suit your inclinations. The 12.9-inch screen is incredible for advanced specialists who need space to meander, while the 11-inch model is extraordinary for the vast majority's needs. Both iPad Pros have truly elevated screen goals: 2,388-by-1,668 pixels (11-inch model) and 2,732-by-2,048 pixels (12.9-inch model).

Notwithstanding which model you purchase, the iPad Pro is a force to be reckoned with. The A12X Bionic processor is so powerful it can outperform a few PCs. Apple's entrance level model accompanies 64GB of capacity, yet you can get up to 1TB on the off chance that you need to go through a ton of cash.

We suggest getting the new Apple Pencil in the event that you like to take notes or draw. It might cost $129.00, yet it is justified, despite all the trouble. The Apple Pencil is the best pointer I've at any point utilized, and the new form even charges remotely and attractively connects to your iPad for simple stockpiling.

Apple's Keyboard will likewise cost you a chunk of change, so we suggest going for an outsider case and console.

There are three drawbacks to the iPad Pro, from our perspective: It's costly, it won't supplant your PC, and you need to pay extra for the console and the pointer. Something else, it's an extraordinary tablet that is definitely justified even despite the expense — on the off chance that you have the cash.

Masters: Gorgeous screens, new plan with littler bezels, amazing specs, very good quality execution, Pencil is brilliant for drawing, two screen sizes

The best pointer

The original Apple Pencil is the best for the 9.7-inch and 10.5-inch iPads, while the second-age pointer is perfect for the new 11-and-12.9-inch iPad Pro models.

Throughout the years, I've tried a ton of pointers from organizations like Adonit, 53, Wacom, and the sky is the limit from there. None of those pointers can measure up to the Apple Pencil. Regardless of whether you purchase the original Pencil or the second, you're getting a pointer that was made by Apple couple with the iPad.

Accordingly, the Pencil works with the iPads' screens in uncommon manners that no different pointer can. The outcome is improved weight affectability and an astonishingly low degree of dormancy. You won't notice a slack since it's vague. At the point when you utilize an Apple Pencil, you really feel like you're utilizing an ordinary graphite pencil.

There are a couple of contrasts between the first-and second-age Pencils: the second-gen model has remote charging and attractively appends to the side of the iPad and it was made for the new 11-and 12.9-inch iPad Pros, while the primary gen Pencil is for the more seasoned 9.7-inch iPad and the 10.5-inch iPad Pro. The original Pencil likewise works with the 2019 iPad Mini and iPad Air. The principal gen Pencil accuses of a lightning port on the end and doesn't connect to your iPad. It's likewise somewhat less expensive.

Pick whichever sounds good to you, however the second-gen Pencil's simpler charging technique and attractive fascination in the iPad make it a victor in our book.

Stars: It works with even the least expensive 9.7-inch iPad, absence of dormancy, pressure affectability, made for the iPad's screen, simple to charge, agreeable to hold

The best console for your iPad

The Logitech K780 works with any gadget, associates remotely, and offers a full-sized console with fulfilling keys for composing.

The Logitech K780 is the best Bluetooth console for pretty much any gadget, including the iPad. Without a doubt, it is anything but a console case, so it won't secure your iPad and give a console, yet that implies you get a full-sized console with a number cushion and fulfilling keys that have great travel.

The K780 bolsters associations with various gadgets, so you can utilize it with your iPad, telephone, and PC on the off chance that you need. The roundabout keys are agreeable to type on in light of the fact that they are full size. Logitech additionally consolidated a tablet and telephone remain into the console's plan, so it's anything but difficult to prop your iPad up without expecting to purchase a different stand or case.

The main drawbacks here are that it needs AAA batteries to run and it's not the most compact console you can purchase. On the off chance that you need an increasingly versatile alternative, the foldable iClever Ultra Slim 3 Keyboard overlap up to 33% of its measure and can be utilized in both remote and wir.. Read more

[regionalstorms-blog]

self care

self care stuff self-care masterpost: http://aph-russia.tumblr.com/HAPPY http://thefudanshiotaku.tumblr.com/post/130698471507/yeahdaddypearl-zixxie-distract-yourself-some for when you're feeling suicidal: http://becausewecandothistogether.tumblr.com/suicidal http://www.crisischat.org/chat/ after a lapse: http://internal-acceptance-movement.tumblr.com/post/54209755472 (scar excuses) http://youtu.be/7nIpeMfwfWk make everything okay button: http://make-everything-ok.com a little pick me up: http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~geoffo/humour/flattery.html having an anxiety attack? http://www.relaxonline.me.uk/sa1/index.html talk to someone: http://www.7cupsoftea.com/ chat rooms: http://betterthandarkchocolate.tumblr.com/chat cute stuff!! http://self-care-kit.tumblr.com/tagged/cute cut the screen, not your skin (TW: blood): http://www.fataltotheflesh.com/ (random things) watch any cartoon: kisscartoon.com kissanime.com (same thing; anime) Alternatives for when you’re feeling angry or restless: Scribble on photos of people in magazines Viciously stab an orange Throw an apple/pair of socks against the wall Have a pillow fight with the wall Scream very loudly Tear apart newspapers, photos, or magazines Go to the gym, dance, exercise Listen to music and sing along loudly Draw a picture of what is making you angry Beat up a stuffed bear Pop bubble wrap Pop balloons Splatter paint Scribble on a piece of paper until the whole page is black Filling a piece of paper with drawing cross hatches Throw darts at a dartboard Go for a run Write your feelings on paper then rip it up Use stress relievers Build a fort of pillows and then destroy it Throw ice cubes at the bathtub wall, at a tree, etc Get out a fine tooth comb and vigorously brush the fur of a stuffed animal (but use gentle vigor) Slash an empty plastic soda bottle or a piece of heavy cardboard or an old shirt or sock Make a soft cloth doll to represent the things you are angry at; cut and tear it instead of yourself Flatten aluminium cans for recycling, seeing how fast you can go On a sketch or photo of yourself, mark in red ink what you want to do. Cut and tear the picture Break sticks Cut up fruits Make yourself as comfortable as possible Stomp around in heavy shoes Play handball or tennis Yell at what you are breaking and tell it why you are angry, hurt, upset, etc. Buy a cheap plate and decorate it with markers, stickers, cut outs from magazines, words, images, what ever that expresses your pain and sadness and when you’re done, smash it. (Please be careful when doing this) The Calm Jar (Fill a mason jar or similar with colored water and glitter. When feeling upset or angry you can shake it to disturb the glitter and focus on that until the glitter settles.) Blow up a balloon and pop it Alternatives that will give you a sensation (other than pain) without harming yourself: Hold ice in your hands, against your arm, or in your mouth Run your hands under freezing cold water Snap a rubber band or hair band against your wrist Clap your hands until it stings Wax your legs Drink freezing cold water Splash your face with cold water Put PVA/Elmer’s glue on your hands then peel it off Massage where you want to hurt yourself Take a hot shower/bath Jump up and down to get some sensation in your feet Write or paint on yourself Arm wrestle with a member of your family Take a cold bath Bite into a hot pepper or chew a piece of ginger root Rub liniment under your nose Put tiger balm on the places you want to cut. (Tiger balm is a muscle relaxant cream that induces a tingly sensation. You can find it in most health food stores and vitamin stores.) Alternatives that will distract you or take up time: Say “I’ll self harm in fifteen minutes if I still want to” and keep going for periods of fifteen minutes until the urge fades Color your hair Count up to ten getting louder until you are screaming Sing on the karaoke machine Complete something you’ve been putting off Take up a new hobby Make a cup of tea Tell and laugh at jokes Play solitaire Count up to 500 or 1000 Surf the net Make as many words out of your full name as possible Count ceiling tiles or lights Search ridiculous things on the web Colour coordinate your wardrobe Play with toys, such as a slinky Go to the park and play on the swings Call up an old friend Go “people watching” Carry safe, rather than sharp, things in your pockets Do school work Play a musical instrument Watch TV or a movie Paint your nails Alphabetize your CDs or books Cook Make origami to occupy your hands Doodle on sheets of paper Dress up or try on old clothes Play computer games or painting programs, such as photoshop Write out lyrics to your favorite song Play a sport Read a book/magazine Do a crossword Draw a comic strip Make a chain link out of paper counting the hours or days you’ve been self harm free using pretty colored paper Knit, sew, or make a necklace Make ‘scoobies’ - braid pieces of plastic or lace, to keep your hands busy Buy a plant and take care of it Hunt for things on eBay or Amazon Browse the forums Go shopping Memorize a poem with meaning Learn to swear in another language Look up words in a dictionary Play hide-and-seek with your siblings Go outside and watch the clouds roll by Plan a party Find out if any concerts will be in your area Make your own dance routine Trace your hand on a piece of paper; on your thumb, write something you like to look at; on your index finger, write something you like to touch; on your middle finger, write your favorite scent; on your ring finger, write something you like the taste of; on your pinky finger, write something you like to listen to; on your palm, write something you like about yourself Plan regular activities for your most difficult time of day Finish homework before it’s due Take a break from mental processing Notice black and white thinking Get out on your own, get away from the stress Go on YouTube Make a scrapbook Colour in a picture or colouring book. Make a phone list of people you can call for support. Allow yourself to use it. Pay attention to your breathing (breath slowly, in through your nose and out through your mouth) Pay attention to the rhythmic motions of your body (walking, stretching, etc.) Learn HALT signals (hungry, angry, lonely, tired) Choose a random object, like a paper clip, and try to list 30 different uses for it Pick a subject and research it on the web - alternatively, pick something to research and then keep clicking on links, trying to get as far away from the original topic as you can. Take a small step towards a goal you have. Re-organize your room Name all of your soft toys Play the A-Z game (Pick a category ie. Animals, and think of an animal for every letter of the alphabet Have a lush warm bubble bath with candles! Do some knitting Do some house hold chores Alternatives that are completely bizarre. At the least, you’ll have a laugh: Crawl on all fours and bark like a dog or another animal Run around outside screaming Laugh for no reason whatsoever Make funny faces in a mirror Without turning orange, self tan Pluck your eyebrows Put faces on apples, oranges, or other sorts of food Go to the zoo and name all of the animals Color on the walls Blow bubbles Pull weeds in the garden Alternatives for when you’re feeling guilty, sad, or lonely: Congratulate yourself on each minute you go without self harming Draw or paint Look at the sky Instead of punishing yourself by self harming, punish yourself by not self harming Call a friend and ask for company Buy a cuddly toy Give someone a hug with a smile Put a face mask on Watch a favorite TV show or movie Eat something ridiculously sweet Remember a happy moment and relive it for a while in your head Treat yourself to some chocolate Try to imagine the future and plan things you want to do Look at things that are special to you Compliment someone else Make sculptures Watch fish Youtube funny videos! Let yourself cry Play with a pet Have or give a massage Imagine yourself living in a perfect home and describe it in your mind If you’re religious, read the bible or pray Light a candle and watch the flame (but please be careful) Go chat in the chat room Allow yourself to cry; crying is a healthy release of emotion Accept a gift from a friend Carry tokens to remind you of peaceful comforting things/people Take a hot bath with bath oil or bubbles Curl up under a comforter with hot cocoa and a good book Make affirmation tapes inside you that are good, kind, gentle (Sometimes you can do this by writing down the negative thoughts and then physically re-writing them into positive messages) Make a tray of special treats and tuck yourself into bed with it and watch TV or read Write words in the sand for them to be washed away Alternatives for when you’re feeling panicky or scared: “See, hear and feel”-5 things, then 4, then 3 and countdown to one which will make you focus on your surroundings and will calm you down Listen to soothing music; have a CD with motivational songs that you can listen to Meditate or do yoga Name all of your soft toys Hug a pillow or soft toy Hyper focus on something Do a “reality check list” – write down all the things you can list about where you are now (e.g. It is the 9th November 2004, I’m a room and everything is going to be alright) With permission, give someone a hug Drink herbal tea Crunch ice Hug a tree Go for a walk if it’s safe to do so Feel your pulse to prove you’re alive Go outside and attempt to catch butterflies or lizards Put your feet firmly on the floor Accept where you are in the process. Beating yourself up, only makes it worse Touch something familiar/safeLeave the room Lay on your back in bed comfortably (eyes closed), and breathe in for 4, hold for 2, out for 4, hold for 2. Make sure to fill your belly up with air, not your chest. If your shoulders are going up, keep working on it. When you’re comfortable breathing, put your hand on your belly and rub up and down in time with your breathing. If your mind wanders to other things, move it back to focusing ONLY on the synchronized movement of your hand and breathing. Give yourself permission to…. (Keep it safe) Create a safe place for yourself and take yourself there Lay on the grass and watch the clouds. You can try to make pictures with them too. Light a candle and watch the flame Alternatives that will hopefully make you think twice about harming yourself: Think about how you don’t want scars Treat yourself nicely Remember that you don’t have to hurt yourself just because you’re thinking about self harm Create a safe place to go Acknowledge that self harm is harmful behavior: say “I want to hurt myself” rather than “I want to cut” Repeat to yourself “I don’t deserve to be hurt” even if you don’t believe it Remember that you always have the choice not to cut: it’s up to you what you do Think about how you may feel guilty after self harming Remind yourself that the urge to self harm is impulsive: you will only feel like cutting for short bursts of time Avoid temptation Get your friends to make you friendship bracelets: wear them around your wrists to remind you of them when you want to cut Be with other people Make your own list of things to do instead of self harm Make a list of your positive character traits Be nice to your family, who in return, will hopefully be nice to you Put a band-aid on the area where you’d like to self harm Recognize and acknowledge the choices you have NOW Pay attention to the changes needed to make you feel safe Notice “choices” versus “dilemmas” Lose the “should-could-have to” words. Try… “What if” Kiss the places you want toSHor kiss the places you have healing wounds. It can be a reminder that you care about myself and that you don’t want this Choose your way of thinking, try to resist following old thinking patterns The Butterfly project- draw a butterfly on the place(s) that you would self harm and if the butterfly fades without self-harming, it means it has lived and flown away, giving a sense of achievement. Whereas if you do self-harm with the butterfly there; you will have to wash it off. If that does happen, you can start again by drawing a new one on. You can name the butterfly after someone you love. Write the name of a loved one [a friend, family member, or anyone else who cares about you] and write their name where you want to self harm. When you go to self harm remember how much they care and wouldn’t want you to harm yourself. think about what you would say to a friend who was struggling with the same things you are and try to be a good friend to yourself. Make a bracelet out duct tape, and put a line on it every day (Or any period of time) you go without self harm. When it’s full of lines, take it off and make a chain out of all the bracelets and hang it up somewhere where you can be reminded of your great progress. Alternatives that give the illusion of seeing something similar to blood: Draw on yourself with a red pen or body paint, or go to a site such as this, where you ‘cut’ the screen (be aware that some users may find this triggering, so view with caution) Cover yourself with plasters where you want to cut Give yourself a henna or fake tattoo Make “wounds” with makeup, like lipstick Take a small bottle of liquid red food coloring and warm it slightly by dropping it into a cup of hot water for a few minutes. Uncap the bottle and press its tip against the place you want to cut. Draw the bottle in a cutting motion while squeezing it slightly to let the food color trickle out. Draw on the areas you want to cut using ice that you’ve made by dropping six or seven drops of red food color into each of the ice-cube tray wells. Paint yourself with red tempera paint. ‘Cut’ your skin with nail polish (it feels cold, but it’s hard to get off) Use red food colouring on your skin Alternatives to help you sort through your feelings: Phone a friend and talk to them Make a collage of how you feel Negotiate with yourself Identify what is hurting so bad that you need to express it in this way Write your feelings in a diary Free write (Write down whatever you’re thinking at that moment, even if it doesn’t make sense) Make lists of everything such as blessings in your life Make a notebook of song lyrics that you relate to Call ahotline Write a letter to someone telling them how you feel (but you don’t have to send it if you decide not to) Start a grateful journal where everyday you write down three: good things that happened/ things that you accomplished/ are grateful for/ made you smile. Make sure the journal is strictly for positive things. Then when you feel down you can go back and look at it. Alternatives to make you feel a sense of reality: try slapping countertops getting fresh air going to a bookstore or a music store and just getting lost in it take selfies play guitar, feel the strings under your fingers I think I am, therefore I am Read a book, get lost in the unreality of that, and then remember your reality Talking to someone, asking for reassurance a run or walk (especially through a ‘pretty place’) use one of the ‘sensation’ alternatives

[wellpersonsblog]

Acts of Kindness for Kids

Looking for some Acts of Kindness for Kids? Here are 75 simple ideas that can be done by kids young and old to help make the world just a little bit happier!

Hi friends!

Wanted to pop in to talk about random acts of kindness for kids. A couple of weeks ago, I shared the photo above on Instagram with the following caption:

Lately after swimming lessons we’ve been passing a lady on the corner with a cardboard sign. A few weeks ago Squish asked what it said so I told him, “Homeless. 2 kids. Need help”

We talked about how sometimes bad things happen and people need a little extra help. And about how lucky we are to have all that we do because there are a lot of people out there with less.

One of the biggest lessons I want to teach my kids is to always help when they’re able whether it’s with their time, money or resources.

He seemed to understand but quickly moved on to another topic. This week we saw her again and totally unprompted, he said “Mom, we should get a snack for her and her kids.” And I couldn’t resist.

I recognize that there are people out there who hold signs like that as a scam. But in my heart I want to believe she’s a good person who just needs a little extra help right now.

So I turned around and we went into the store. He picked out some of his favorite crackers and I added granola bars and water and he marched across the parking lot and handed her the bag.

Talk to your kids. Have the hard conversations. Teach them to BE THE CHANGE. They’re listening.

In a world full of so much hate raise them to know the importance of being kind and helping others.

So here’s to hoping there’s a couple kids in my house learning this important lesson and a couple kids out there who are a little less hungry for the next few days.

  Today Squish heads back to school and thus our #100milesummer challenge comes to an end. We hit our goal 12 days early. That means we did 100 miles in 72 days. Squish walked, biked or scootered every single one all on his own. He learned to ride his bike without training wheels. Little Miss mastered her scooter and did several miles completely on her own as well. I’m so proud of them.

  Now that school is starting, we were looking for a new challenge. I realized that from the first day of school until Squish’s birthday is 75 days. After our random act of kindness after swimming lessons, I thought it might be fun to put together a list of 75 random acts of kindness so we could tackle one each day from no until his birthday.

  Here’s the list I came up with-

75 Acts of Kindness for Kids

1) Pick up trash (this could be at a park, on the side of the road, in a store) 2) Send someone a card 3) Donate some old clothes or toys 4) Leave drinks for the garbage men (especially if it’s hot out!) 5) Leave cards for your neighbors on a walk 6) Pay for the person behind you in line 7) Leave a dollar in vending machine 8) Tell someone’s manager what a good job they are doing (maybe you had a great server at a restaurant or cashier at the grocery store) 9) Send a postcard to a friend (even if you’re not traveling, grab one for your fav local spot!) 10) Make meal or snack for mom or dad 11) Leave nice chalk messages on a walk (ie Have a great day! or Thanks for being a great neighbor!) 12) Make blessing bags for the homeless (fill a bag with a reuseable water bottle, socks, underwear, gloves, tooth brush and other hygiene items they might need) 13) Give a stranger a compliment 14) Invite someone to play with you (at school, at the park, for a playdate) 15) Leave crayons/ coloring book somewhere (the auto repair shop, the pharmacy, a cart at the grocery store) 16) Drop off food for firefighters or police officers 17) Make a fabric scrap blanket to donate (get a few scraps of fabric, make cuts along the edges and tie them together) 18) Make cards for sick kids at the hospital 19) Decorate a jar to save spare change to donate to charity 20) Bring your neighbor’s trash bins up driveway after trash day 21) Leave positive, empowering notes on the mirror in public bathrooms (You’ve got a great smile or you look fabulous in that color, etc) 22) Decorate a bookmark to leave in a library book before you return it 23) Bring allergy-friendly treats to a holiday gathering 24) Teach someone something new 25) Collect pop tabs for Ronald McDonald 26) Leave sand toys at park 27) Decorate hand sanitizer for nurses or teachers 28) Leave a note and flower on a windshield telling someone to have a great day 29) Bake cookies for someone 30) Hold the door for someone 31) Write a thank you note for a coach or teacher 32) Color pictures for nursing home residents 33) Hide a note in daddy’s wallet or mommy’s purse 34) Offer to take a pic of a mom and her kids 35) Record an “I love you video” for grandparents 36) Make playdough for friends 37) Bake muffins for your parent’s coworkers 38) Hide a new Hot Wheels car on the playground for a kid to find 39) Put away carts in the parking lot 40) Make birthday boxes for a food panty- include things like cake mix, frosting, balloons, candles 41) Support a local farmer (shop for some fruits and veggies at the farmers market) 42) Plant wildflower seeds by the side of the road, in a parking lot etc 43) Leave a jar of bubbles at the park for others to play with 44) Make sandwiches for the homeless 45) Leave pennies for Sandy or a quarter in the cart at Aldi 46) Let a parent sleep in 47) Take out the trash 48) Do something nice for your siblings 49) Paint “I love you” rocks or tokens 50) Hide a joke for someone to find 51) Tell someone what you love most about them 52) Donate old towels to an animal shelter 53) Donate old books 54) Leave snacks for the package delivery people 55) Spread holiday cheer for an upcoming holiday (mini pumpkins with happy faces on them, heart stickers, christmas ornaments) 56) Adopt a family for Xmas (Salvation Army, Angel tree etc) 57) Leave an envelope of coupons in a shopping cart 58) Make a homemade birthday present for someone 59) Turn a jar or can from recycling into vase and fill with flowers for someone 60) Buy someone a cactus or succulent 61) Make a card for the bus driver 62) Help do the laundry 63) Bake treats for a new neighbor 64) Make a busy box to leave at a restaurant (Get a lunchbox and fill with crayons, stickers, small toys and other things to entertain kids while waiting) 65) Mail a hug (Stretch your arms out wide and trace your hands, arms and head. Cut it out and fold it up to mail) 66) Park far away to leave closer spots for someone who needs them 67) Send a good luck card for back to school 68) Help rake leaves 69) Buy something locally made 70) Leave tennis balls at a dog park 71) Wash the car 72) Pick up toys without being asked 73) Ask someone how you can help them today 74) Draw a picture for a teacher 75) Read your sibling a book

I tried to keep these acts of kindness for kids pretty general but some of these are tailored slightly to our family, the time of year etc so feel free to adjust as needed. You could pick and choose from this list to make a smaller challenge if you wanted!

I wanted to turn our list into a book so we can bring us with it over the next couple of months and refer to it when we’re deciding which act of kindness to do. I also wanted to make it somewhat visual since my kids can’t read yet, so I found images that depict the acts to make it easier for Squish to identify the one he’s looking for or make a decision.

If you’re interested in that version, you can grab your free PDF copy below. To save paper, you can print 2 or 4 pages per page when you print it out and then just cut out all the pages and staple them into a book of 75 acts of kindness for kids! (Obnoxious amount of star stickers not included)

Enter your email below to grab your free PDF! And if you start this challenge, be sure to share on social media and use the hashtag #bekind75

Start spreading kindness!

Enter your email for the free PDF.

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Enjoy! –Lindsay–

  First found here: Acts of Kindness for Kids

[darcyfarber]

The 6 Things Real Estate Agents Forget to Mention

Maybe you’re looking at a buying a home and not entirely sure what the true cost of home ownership will be. And as a prospective home buyer, chances are good you’ve heard at least one of these sales pitches.

  You can start building equity.

Owning is cheaper than renting.

You can fire your landlord.

While these may or not be true, the one true fact remains: buying a home will be the largest financial decision in your lifetime.

Depending on market dynamics, a mortgage can be cheaper than rent. But, when you take into account extra expenses, that advantage disappears fast. That cute property in an up-and-coming neighborhood may also be the recipient of sharply increasing property taxes. If it’s an older home, maintenance could tack on thousands per year in added costs. Think about this – when your hot-water heater goes out, you can’t call the maintenance man because now you ARE the maintenance man. 

Therefore, before you sign the dotted line on your mortgage papers, here is a list of things you must-know before making the largest financial decision in your lifetime.

What is the ACTUAL Cost of Home Ownership?

So, you’ve been looking at houses lately online. On one site, you found a mortgage calculator that calculates your average monthly payment. For some properties, the amount is about the same compared to what you already pay in rent. For others, it can be cheaper.

These tools trick countless buyers each year. Shortly after getting the keys to their new home, many encounter costs beyond what they encountered renting. Don’t be caught unaware – here are just a few expenses that will be new to you as an owner.

1. Closing Costs

Think you’re ready to buy now that you got a down payment lined up? Hold on – you’ve got closing costs to account for as well. These pay for title searches, title insurance, and other miscellaneous costs. On average, this expense is between 2.5%-5% of the property’s value. For a $300,000 home, expect to shell out an additional $7,500 to $15,000.

2. Home Inspection

Technically, this step is optional, but it really isn’t. A house that seems solid on the surface can have serious issues lurking within. If the roof is about to fail, paying $500-$1,000 for a home inspection now could save $5,000-$10,000 later.

3. Property Taxes

As a homeowner, you won’t just be paying the bank – the government will have its hand out, too. Let’s say you’re looking at a $300,000 house in Las Vegas. The city assesses an average tax rate of $1.15 per $100 of assessed property value. According to the math, you’d have to pay $3,450 in taxes this year. Unless the economy tanks, this amount will rise each year as the value of your house increases.

4. Homeowner’s Insurance

If a tornado totals your home, you aren’t the only one who loses. The bank does as well, as you’ll likely walk away from your mortgage, leaving them with bad debt. As a result, homeowner’s insurance is practically mandatory – brokers won’t lend to customers who refuse it. Each year, you can expect to pay between $600 to $2,000 in premiums, depending on where you live.

5. HOA and Condo Fees

If you buy a condo or a house in a specific neighbourhood, you may have to pay HOA/condo fees. Here’s why – in these living arrangements, residents use common facilities. These include gyms, common areas, splash pads, playgrounds, and so on. By paying these fees, you’ll be contributing your share of repair and maintenance costs. Expect to pay an average of $200 per month to maintain amenities.

6. Maintenance and Repairs

Of all household expenses, this one is the most insidious. You can go years without a major repair, and then a string of multi-thousand dollar incidents happen. While newer homes have low repair/replacement costs, you should still spend a minimum of $300 annually on preventative maintenance. On average, Americans spend $2,000 per year maintaining their homes.

As you can see, owning your own home is just a bit more involved than renting.    

Only One Unexpected Expense Away From Financial Disaster

As climate change worsens, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes will occur more often, and with greater severity. When it comes to wind, your homeowner’s insurance has you covered. However, most policies do NOT cover flooding.

According to historical records you found at City Hall, your house is outside the 200-year flood zone. However, 200-year floods now happen with disturbing regularity. Knowing this, it’s plausible a 500-year flood could inundate your home, leaving you with a gargantuan repair bill.

What if you live on a hill? Unless you’re among the 22% who don’t live paycheck-to-paycheck, a damaged roof/dead furnace could leave you in dire straits.

Those who don’t plan for the worst are left reeling when the worst happens. In the following sections, we’ll ensure you’re prepared for whatever comes.    

Start with a Plan: AKA The Budget

In life, many of us make it up as we go along. According to a 2017 survey conducted by U.S. Bank, 41% use a budget to manage their finances. However, this means a full 59% of us have no plan when it comes to managing our money.

We splurge on that $2,000 tropical holiday, even though it’ll only leave us with $1,000 in checking. Then, we come home to an ice-cold house. Cost to replace the furnace? $3,000. Dang.

With a little fiscal discipline, though, these crises can become minor annoyances. In 2019, the average household took in $60,000. If your mortgage payments are less than a third of your income, you can save up a maintenance fund.

Jump Starting Your Budget

Let’s start by drawing up the foundations of your budget. List all sources of reliable income – these include your paycheck, government grants, alimony, passive revenue, and so forth. If you are self-employed, use your average monthly income over the past year.

Roll Out Your Expenses

Now define your expenses. Add up fixed costs, like your mortgage, property taxes, utilities, child care, and others. Then estimate variable expenses, like groceries. You can do this task by averaging out the cost over 4-8 weeks. Finally, track discretionary spending. Go over several months worth of bank/credit card statements and highlight expenses that were wants rather than needs.

Take your expenses and subtract them from your income. This result will give you an accurate picture of where you stand currently. No matter the outcome, you can likely find efficiencies in your expenses that can help build a maintenance fund.

Start by looking at energy use. According to the World Health Organization, 65 degrees Fahrenheit is the optimal indoor temperature for healthy adults. By turning down your thermostat from 75 degrees in winter, you can save 10% on your heating bill.

At the grocery store, start shopping off-brand. By swapping out all name brands for their generic counterparts, you can save anywhere from 30 to 50% per meal.

Speaking of which, cook more at home. According to Forbes, the average price of a home-cooked meal is up to 75% less than the restaurant’s equivalent.

These are just a few examples. Soon, you’ll expand your surplus at the end of the month, which you can channel into a household contingency fund.  

Creating a Safety Net for Future Home Repairs

Saving up a rainy day fund can protect you against financial disaster. However, it still doesn’t prevent the four-figure repair bills when they come due. While these events are inevitable, the sticker shock associated with them isn’t.

A home warranty can even out the annual maintenance when it comes to the cost of owning a home. What are they? Home warranties are service contracts that cover the systems and appliances in your house. Like homeowner’s insurance, you pay a monthly premium. Whenever something goes wrong, you call your firm. After confirming they cover your issue, they dispatch a technician to your address to fix it. Apart from a small deductible, you pay nothing out-of-pocket.

Instead of paying $300 to fix the stove in February, $1,000 for the air con in July, and $3,000 for a new furnace in December, you only pay monthly premiums, plus deductibles. The average home warranty costs about $800/year, or $66.50/month – think you can find room in your budget for that?

Also, there are so many different home warranty companies to choose from and it can be overwhelming to find which one is the best for you. They all tell you they’re the best, but are they the best for you?

I am a huge fan of ReviewHomeWarranty.com to get a list of the best home warranty companies right now. Look over and compare the top-rated home warranty companies and then make the choice on which is best for you.

Make Your Home a Blessing – Not a Curse

Owning a home can be one of the biggest blessings or one of the greatest curses of life. Before you hire a real estate agent and make the largest financial purchase in your lifetime, know your numbers.

It’s up to you to determine how much you can really afford based on what we explained in this post. Remember, there are more costs than what the real estate agent and mortgage calculator will tell you. Create your plan, stick to your plan, and let your new home be a blessing.

The 6 Things Real Estate Agents Forget to Mention published first on https://mysingaporepools.weebly.com/

[kennethherrerablog]

The 6 Things Real Estate Agents Forget to Mention

Maybe you’re looking at a buying a home and not entirely sure what the true cost of home ownership will be. And as a prospective home buyer, chances are good you’ve heard at least one of these sales pitches.

  You can start building equity.

Owning is cheaper than renting.

You can fire your landlord.

While these may or not be true, the one true fact remains: buying a home will be the largest financial decision in your lifetime.

Depending on market dynamics, a mortgage can be cheaper than rent. But, when you take into account extra expenses, that advantage disappears fast. That cute property in an up-and-coming neighborhood may also be the recipient of sharply increasing property taxes. If it’s an older home, maintenance could tack on thousands per year in added costs. Think about this – when your hot-water heater goes out, you can’t call the maintenance man because now you ARE the maintenance man. 

Therefore, before you sign the dotted line on your mortgage papers, here is a list of things you must-know before making the largest financial decision in your lifetime.

What is the ACTUAL Cost of Home Ownership?

So, you’ve been looking at houses lately online. On one site, you found a mortgage calculator that calculates your average monthly payment. For some properties, the amount is about the same compared to what you already pay in rent. For others, it can be cheaper.

These tools trick countless buyers each year. Shortly after getting the keys to their new home, many encounter costs beyond what they encountered renting. Don’t be caught unaware – here are just a few expenses that will be new to you as an owner.

1. Closing Costs

Think you’re ready to buy now that you got a down payment lined up? Hold on – you’ve got closing costs to account for as well. These pay for title searches, title insurance, and other miscellaneous costs. On average, this expense is between 2.5%-5% of the property’s value. For a $300,000 home, expect to shell out an additional $7,500 to $15,000.

2. Home Inspection

Technically, this step is optional, but it really isn’t. A house that seems solid on the surface can have serious issues lurking within. If the roof is about to fail, paying $500-$1,000 for a home inspection now could save $5,000-$10,000 later.

3. Property Taxes

As a homeowner, you won’t just be paying the bank – the government will have its hand out, too. Let’s say you’re looking at a $300,000 house in Las Vegas. The city assesses an average tax rate of $1.15 per $100 of assessed property value. According to the math, you’d have to pay $3,450 in taxes this year. Unless the economy tanks, this amount will rise each year as the value of your house increases.

4. Homeowner’s Insurance

If a tornado totals your home, you aren’t the only one who loses. The bank does as well, as you’ll likely walk away from your mortgage, leaving them with bad debt. As a result, homeowner’s insurance is practically mandatory – brokers won’t lend to customers who refuse it. Each year, you can expect to pay between $600 to $2,000 in premiums, depending on where you live.

5. HOA and Condo Fees

If you buy a condo or a house in a specific neighbourhood, you may have to pay HOA/condo fees. Here’s why – in these living arrangements, residents use common facilities. These include gyms, common areas, splash pads, playgrounds, and so on. By paying these fees, you’ll be contributing your share of repair and maintenance costs. Expect to pay an average of $200 per month to maintain amenities.

6. Maintenance and Repairs

Of all household expenses, this one is the most insidious. You can go years without a major repair, and then a string of multi-thousand dollar incidents happen. While newer homes have low repair/replacement costs, you should still spend a minimum of $300 annually on preventative maintenance. On average, Americans spend $2,000 per year maintaining their homes.

As you can see, owning your own home is just a bit more involved than renting.    

Only One Unexpected Expense Away From Financial Disaster

As climate change worsens, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes will occur more often, and with greater severity. When it comes to wind, your homeowner’s insurance has you covered. However, most policies do NOT cover flooding.

According to historical records you found at City Hall, your house is outside the 200-year flood zone. However, 200-year floods now happen with disturbing regularity. Knowing this, it’s plausible a 500-year flood could inundate your home, leaving you with a gargantuan repair bill.

What if you live on a hill? Unless you’re among the 22% who don’t live paycheck-to-paycheck, a damaged roof/dead furnace could leave you in dire straits.

Those who don’t plan for the worst are left reeling when the worst happens. In the following sections, we’ll ensure you’re prepared for whatever comes.    

Start with a Plan: AKA The Budget

In life, many of us make it up as we go along. According to a 2017 survey conducted by U.S. Bank, 41% use a budget to manage their finances. However, this means a full 59% of us have no plan when it comes to managing our money.

We splurge on that $2,000 tropical holiday, even though it’ll only leave us with $1,000 in checking. Then, we come home to an ice-cold house. Cost to replace the furnace? $3,000. Dang.

With a little fiscal discipline, though, these crises can become minor annoyances. In 2019, the average household took in $60,000. If your mortgage payments are less than a third of your income, you can save up a maintenance fund.

Jump Starting Your Budget

Let’s start by drawing up the foundations of your budget. List all sources of reliable income – these include your paycheck, government grants, alimony, passive revenue, and so forth. If you are self-employed, use your average monthly income over the past year.

Roll Out Your Expenses

Now define your expenses. Add up fixed costs, like your mortgage, property taxes, utilities, child care, and others. Then estimate variable expenses, like groceries. You can do this task by averaging out the cost over 4-8 weeks. Finally, track discretionary spending. Go over several months worth of bank/credit card statements and highlight expenses that were wants rather than needs.

Take your expenses and subtract them from your income. This result will give you an accurate picture of where you stand currently. No matter the outcome, you can likely find efficiencies in your expenses that can help build a maintenance fund.

Start by looking at energy use. According to the World Health Organization, 65 degrees Fahrenheit is the optimal indoor temperature for healthy adults. By turning down your thermostat from 75 degrees in winter, you can save 10% on your heating bill.

At the grocery store, start shopping off-brand. By swapping out all name brands for their generic counterparts, you can save anywhere from 30 to 50% per meal.

Speaking of which, cook more at home. According to Forbes, the average price of a home-cooked meal is up to 75% less than the restaurant’s equivalent.

These are just a few examples. Soon, you’ll expand your surplus at the end of the month, which you can channel into a household contingency fund.  

Creating a Safety Net for Future Home Repairs

Saving up a rainy day fund can protect you against financial disaster. However, it still doesn’t prevent the four-figure repair bills when they come due. While these events are inevitable, the sticker shock associated with them isn’t.

A home warranty can even out the annual maintenance when it comes to the cost of owning a home. What are they? Home warranties are service contracts that cover the systems and appliances in your house. Like homeowner’s insurance, you pay a monthly premium. Whenever something goes wrong, you call your firm. After confirming they cover your issue, they dispatch a technician to your address to fix it. Apart from a small deductible, you pay nothing out-of-pocket.

Instead of paying $300 to fix the stove in February, $1,000 for the air con in July, and $3,000 for a new furnace in December, you only pay monthly premiums, plus deductibles. The average home warranty costs about $800/year, or $66.50/month – think you can find room in your budget for that?

Also, there are so many different home warranty companies to choose from and it can be overwhelming to find which one is the best for you. They all tell you they’re the best, but are they the best for you?

I am a huge fan of ReviewHomeWarranty.com to get a list of the best home warranty companies right now. Look over and compare the top-rated home warranty companies and then make the choice on which is best for you.

Make Your Home a Blessing – Not a Curse

Owning a home can be one of the biggest blessings or one of the greatest curses of life. Before you hire a real estate agent and make the largest financial purchase in your lifetime, know your numbers.

It’s up to you to determine how much you can really afford based on what we explained in this post. Remember, there are more costs than what the real estate agent and mortgage calculator will tell you. Create your plan, stick to your plan, and let your new home be a blessing.

The 6 Things Real Estate Agents Forget to Mention published first on https://justinbetreviews.tumblr.com/

[siliconwebx]

Rocking California’s “I Voted” Sticker in CSS for Election Day 2018

Oh hey, so tomorrow (tomorrow!) is Election Day here in the United States. We're not in the business of making political endorsements or anything like that at CSS-Tricks, though we do endorse that everyone exercise their right to vote.

I did exactly that two years ago and posted a CSS rendition of the "I Voted" sticker that came with my California mail-in ballot.

See the Pen I Voted Sticker by Geoff Graham (@geoffgraham) on CodePen.

Fast forward to today, and I received a new sticker in the ballot sporting a fresh design:

Credit: Los Angeles Magazine (source)

I have a little time, so I'm going to try to re-create this sticker in CSS and walk through my thought process as I do it. Feel free to follow along if you'd like!

Breaking down the elements

Anytime I'm given a design of any kind, I like to pretend that my eyes have the superpower of X-ray vision and can see through the design as if it were a skeleton. This helps me start to think through how many elements I might use in the HTML.

OK, I think I'm going to start with something like this:

<!-- Main Circle --> <div class="sticker"> <div class="sticker__top"> <!-- Will use ::before and ::after to create halves --> <h1>I Voted</h1> </div> <div class="sticker__bottom"> <!-- The list of languages --> <ul> <li>Item</li> <li>Item</li> <li>Item</li> <li>Item</li> <li>Item</li> <li>Item</li> <li>Item</li> <li>Item</li> <li>Item</li> <li>Item</li> <li>Item</li> <li>Item</li> </ul> </div> </div>

I'm also going to throw in some base styles on the <body> so I can jump right into the rest of the sticker.

See the Pen "I Voted" Sticker HTML by Geoff Graham (@geoffgraham) on CodePen.

OK, nothing fancy so far. Really just looks like an unordered list with a heading with some terrible contrast between the content and background.

Working on the main sticker container

I think I'll set up the container, which is the main circle. I'm going to use a fixed width and height, then use border-radius to round it out and into the shape of a circle.

Oh, and I ought to take care of that dark text and also add a border while I'm at it, so I can see what I'm doing.

.sticker { border: 20px solid #fff; border-radius: 100%; color: #fff; height: 400px; width: 400px; }

See the Pen "I Voted" Sticker HTML 2 by Geoff Graham (@geoffgraham) on CodePen.

The alignment is all off. Seems like a good spot to drop in some flexbox. This will allow me to center our elements horizontally. I think going with a single-column layout will take care of the vertical alignment.

.sticker { display: flex; flex-flow: column; align-items: center; border: 20px solid #fff; border-radius: 100%; color: #fff; height: 400px; width: 400px; }

Yep, that helps.

See the Pen "I Voted" Sticker HTML 3 by Geoff Graham (@geoffgraham) on CodePen.

The last thing I want to do with the sticker for now is split it up into two halves — a top and a bottom. OK, so yeah, I have explicit elements for those in the HTML (.sticker__top and .sticker__bottom). I could use background-color on each element to make the top half blue and bottom half red, but I actually like the idea of using a linear gradient instead with a hard stop at the halfway mark.

.sticker { background-image: linear-gradient( to bottom, #080968, #080968 50%, #080968 50%, #F81616 50% ); border: 20px solid #fff; border-radius: 100%; color: #fff; display: flex; flex-flow: column; align-items: center; height: 400px; width: 400px; }

Hey now, looking much sharper already!

See the Pen "I Voted" Sticker HTML 4 by Geoff Graham (@geoffgraham) on CodePen.

Time to deal with the top half

The top and bottom halves both occupy 50% of the sticker's height, so the selectors can be combined to hit them both at once. Plus, I'm using flexbox, so I can simply flex those items.

.sticker__top, .sticker-bottom { flex: 0 50%; }

The top half is super weird. The way I see it, there's two rows: one that contains the stars and stripes and the other that contains the heading. I'm going to turn to flexbox again to draw that layout.

.sticker__top { display: flex; flex-flow: row wrap; position: relative; }

That's not really going to change much at the moment because, well, I haven't done anything to define elements for the stars and stripes in the HTML. I'm thinking of using the ::before and ::after pseudo elements on .sticker__top to make those. Again, they can be combined since they share some common properties and values.

.sticker__top::before, .sticker__top::after { content: ""; height: 45%; /* Had to play with this a bit */ margin-top: 2em; /* Move away from the top edge of the sticker */ }

I'm going to cheat and use SVG for the stars. I mean, I guess that's not cheating but it sorta feels like a deviation from a "pure" CSS way of doing things. Oh well.

That said, the stripes can definitely be made in CSS, again, with the same linear gradient background technique that's used to split the sticker up into blue and red halves.

.sticker__top::before { background-image: url("/path/to/star/image.svg"); background-size: 35px; /* Magic number, depends on the image used. */ } .sticker__top::after { background-image: linear-gradient( to bottom, #F81616, #F81616 14%, transparent 14%, transparent 28%, #F81616 28%, #F81616 42%, transparent 42%, transparent 56%, #F81616 56%, #F81616 70%, transparent 70%, transparent 84%, #F81616 84%, #F81616 98%, transparent 100% ); }

That's cool but, crap, things are out of order.

See the Pen "I Voted" Sticker HTML 5 by Geoff Graham (@geoffgraham) on CodePen.

I'm so thankful flexbox has an order property. I'm going to order the stars, stripes and heading at 1, 2 and 3, respectively,

.sticker__top::before { /* Same as before... */ order: 1; } .sticker__top::after { /* Same as before... */ order: 2; } .sticker__top h1 { order: 3; }

If I stop here, the shape of the stars and stripes would be all off and the heading font would be sloppy.

border-radius is still a good way to get the stars and stripes to follow the same circular path as the sticker. The rub is that the bottoms of them have to maintain a flat edge. Since border-radius is a shorthand property, I'm going to drop border-top-left-radius on the stars and border-top-right-radius on the stripes.

It's also worth noting that the stripes are a little wider than the stars. Maybe a 55-45 split? I don't know. I'll go with that and also use relative positioning on the stripes so I can push them to the right a bit to add separation between them and the stars.

.sticker__top::before { /* Same as before... */ flex: 45%; } .sticker__top::after { /* Same as before... */ flex: 55%; position: relative; left: 10px; }

The stars and stripes should flex with the size and width of the heading. I had to play with the font family, font size, letter spacing, and text transform to get something that looks pretty nice. In case you're wondering, I wound up using Raleway for the font. It's not precise, but close enough... at least to my untrained typographical eye.

.sticker__top h1 { font-family: 'Raleway', sans-serif; font-size: 4em; letter-spacing: 3px; line-height: 0; text-transform: uppercase; order: 3; }

See the Pen "I Voted" Sticker HTML 6 by Geoff Graham (@geoffgraham) on CodePen.

Alright, so now the bottom half is making my skin crawl. Gotta tackle that.

Style up the bottom half

So much has already been done. The element for bottom half is already there in the HTML and is sized and positioned the way it should be. I think stripping out the bullet points of the list items and removing the left padding from the unordered list will clean things up a lot.

.sticker__bottom ul { list-style: none; padding: 0; width: 100%; /* Gotta take up the all of the bottom half */ }

But, that's not going to cut it completely. I want that list to run horizontally, wrap lines, and to allow the list items to occupy open space. Yep, that sounds like flexbox again.

.sticker__bottom ul { display: flex; flex-flow: row wrap; align-items: flex-start; justify-content: flex-start; /* same as before... */ } .sticker__bottom li { flex: auto; /* Flex as much as you need, guys */ margin: .75em; /* A liiiiitle breathing room between items */ }

See the Pen "I Voted" Sticker HTML 7 by Geoff Graham (@geoffgraham) on CodePen.

Now I have to make a few tweaks to .sticker__bottom. Specifically, I'm going to make it a little narrower (80% of the full sticker width) to get it off the edge of the sticker and then round its edges... though it might not actually need rounded corners since content is not going to overflow.

.sticker__bottom { border-bottom-right-radius: 100%; border-bottom-left-radius: 100%; width: 80%; }

And, now center the text. I guess that can go on the parent .sticker element since nothing on the sticker is technically left-justified.

.sticker { /* same as before... */ text-align: center; }

Finally, I'm going to do my best to replace the dummy content with the "I Voted" translations. Let me go look those up.

(Heads over to Google Translate.)

Meh, I couldn't find everything I needed. I'm sure it's my lack of patience, but I wound up using some alternatives:

<ul> <li>Yo voté</li> <li>我投票</li> <li>나는 투표했다</li> <li>Bumoto ako</li> <li>Я проголосував</li> <li>मैने मतदान किया</li> <li>أنا صوتت</li> <li>Ik stemde</li> <li>Szavaztam</li> <li>ฉันโหวตแล้ว</li> <li>Anigu waxaan codsaday</li> <li>Tôi đã bầu chọn</li> </ul>

I'm going to have to play around with the font size and to get the same sort of alignment as the IRL sticker, which has rows of: 4 items, 3 items, 3 items, 1 item, 1 item.

Here's where I landed:

.sticker__bottom ul { display: flex; flex-flow: row wrap; font-size: .75em; align-items: flex-start; justify-content: flex-start; list-style: none; padding: 0; width: 100%; }

To get the last two items off the same line, I'm going to single out the second-to-last one using :last-child() so that both of them always flex 100%:

.sticker__bottom li:nth-child(11) { flex: 100%; }

See the Pen "I Voted" Sticker HTML 8 by Geoff Graham (@geoffgraham) on CodePen.

Ding, ready!

I'm going to call this one baked. I know, I know. I should cross-browser test. It would also be wise to find graceful fallbacks for older browsers that do not support flexbox. And, some responsiveness would be nice to have. Maybe someone would like to take those up and share. 😉

Is this the best way to make the sticker? Probably not. For example, I bet there are some interesting things that can be done with clip-path instead of the way I fumbled through background gradients. And, if I had to do it again, I might even consider going with a CSS Grid layout on the parent because there are clearly opportunities to work in two directions instead of one.

But that's the beauty of CSS. There's more than one way to accomplish something.

Happy Election Day, friends. 🇺🇸

The post Rocking California’s “I Voted” Sticker in CSS for Election Day 2018 appeared first on CSS-Tricks.

😉SiliconWebX | 🌐CSS-Tricks

[itsworn]

2018 NSRA Street Rod Nationals … Bigger & Better

The first weekend in August has long been the time we set aside to go to the NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. If we can’t make the drive there is always following it online or go old-school and begin to count down the days until it appears in our favorite magazine (STREET RODDER, of course!).

And why should this year be any different as the 49th annual get-together was served up at the Kentucky Exposition Center where it has been since 1997 … I believe. (A little background on the KEC: It’s a large multiuse facility originally built in 1956. It’s the sixth largest facility of its type in the country with 1.3 million square feet of indoor space. It also houses two arenas, Broadbent Arena and Freedom Hall, where the Sunday award-winning vehicles are shown, almost 700,000 square feet of Class A exhibit space (of which there were 273 exhibitors), nearly 500 acres of outdoor planning space (on grass and concrete). A majority of the 1.3 million square feet is contiguous. (So finding a place to park shouldn’t be an issue.)

And for those of you who enjoy celebrating anniversaries be prepared for next summer when the 50th comes around. We haven’t been made aware of what the NSRA might have in store but being the 50th I’m guessing we will see lots of cars and street rodder types we possibly haven’t seen in some time.

Aside from the weather being outstanding (which is saying something for Louisville in August!) you could feel the added excitement in the air … for whatever the reason. We could tell the spectator crowd was big, 62,201 people walked in, and this was especially noticeable on Friday and Saturday. As for the car count we did see window stickers at 10,190, making this one of the largest in years … another sign that all is right in the world of street rodding. To this we noted cars parked in areas we hadn’t seen street rods in for some time. There was no denying this was a good year.

When you say an event had “… everything from soup to nuts …” that’s generally interpreted as a good thing, meaning there were all sorts of goodies going on to keep your interest. The 49th NSRA Nats had it all from the world of entertainment with the likes of Sawyer Brown to the Endless Summer Band … and who hasn’t heard Wings Kallahan and his daily sunrise to sunset playing of the oldies but goodies from his remote station located outside the center doors of the main exhibit building.

If wandering the acres of grounds looking at every manner of hot rod doesn’t wear you out then make sure to wander the nearly endless aisles of exhibitors inside. To this you should have seen the Builders’ Showcase in the main hall inside the exhibit building where for the past 12 years (since 2006) you can see about 30 of the best examples from a myriad of builders our industry has to offer.

There is also the NSRA Super Prize Program and this year (the 31st year) the Nats package was worth $66,867 (featuring 44 companies—meaning over $28 million in prizes has been given away to rodders over the past decades). That’s an achievement. However, the prize everyone has their eye on is the NSRA Giveaway Car (featuring 50-plus companies). This year Waycool Customs in Pittsfield, Illinois, built the Brockmeyer Designs 1932 Ford Victoria. In order to win you must be a registered participant with your car on the grounds of the Expo Center at the time of the drawing. You must be present at the drawing, and if your lucky entry number is drawn you must verify ownership in your name of the registered vehicle. Taking home the Deuce was Charles Senn of Louisville (short drive home!). His ride to the Nats was a 1968 Firebird; now he has an early and late hot rod; can life get any better?

There are fan favorites, such as Pro’s Pick sponsored by Classic Instruments, where a dozen outstanding rodding examples are selected by an industry judging panel, 29 Below (for younger builders the program is now in its 32nd year) sponsored by Vintage Air, Mopar Country (in its 43rd year), new products section (this is a must for all hot rodders in attendance), and a really good program the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) Education Days. These hourlong seminars are designed with you, the homebuilder in mind, to help you with virtually every aspect of car building in an effort to make you better at your hobby. Time well spent. Other favorites are the Safety Inspections, Powermaster Testing, Commercial Way (sponsored by UPS), and my personal favorite … Michigan Hot Rod Association Rod Repair Shop. For many, many years they have come to the rescue of countless street rodders who have found themselves behind the proverbial “eight ball” when things go wrong at the Nats. A special thanks to these guys helping all those in mechanical need.

On the subject of New Products this year’s winning companies were JJ’s Rods for their firewall boots ($0-$200 category), Classic Instruments for their 1964-1966 Chevrolet pickup direct replacement instrument cluster ($201-$1,000 category), CarCapsule for their indoor car capsule ($1,001-$5,000 category), Fatman Fabrication for their 1963-1966 Chevrolet pickup complete chassis ($5,001 and up category), and Watson StreetWorks for their backup camera console monitor (Safety Related category).

As for the more physical among us there was the Streetkhana (autocross NSRA style) that was aptly handled by the American Streetcar Promotions and ran Thursday through Saturday. There were awards handed out for three classes that were broken into Pre-1949, Post-1948, and a Vendor Class (guys who know how to drive and have the horsepower to make it happen).

And to wrap things up there was the Circle of Winners held at noon on Sunday and it is here the 48 outstanding vehicles from the show are honored in the arena for all to see. And what a way to wrap things up; it’s one of the last four-day shows in the country and it still provides plenty of excitement to keep rodders interested. We are always amazed at how many rodders arrive early in the week and are all set up and ready to go by Tuesday and the show doesn’t start until Thursday. Like we mentioned earlier you could feel the added excitement this year and the number of entrants and spectator crowd coupled with the great weather made this a special year. And writing about special, all of us should be excited to see one another next year at the 50th … now that’s saying something.

Painless Performance Products Top 100 (Indoors)

Jon Hall | Saginaw, MI | 1927 Ford Starting with a body and chassis from Shadow Rods, students from Washtenaw Community College’s Custom Cars and Concepts Program created this elegant roadster. Complete with a nailed-to-the-ground stance, Holley Sniper-equipped 355ci Chevy mill, and decadent PPG Deep Maroon Gloss, it rolls on bronze wheels from The Wheelsmith topped with Diamond Back rubber.

Sonny & Debby Freeman | Lafayette, LA | 1957 Chevy Rolling on an Art Morrison GT Sport chassis, the team at Mike Goldman Customs added a 900hp Whipple-supercharged LS7 V-8 from Mast Motorsports to lay down the power to a set of custom wheels from Curtis Speed wearing Pirelli tires. The body features a coating of Axalta Butter Yellow vibe while inside a custom interior by Paul Atkins adds comfort with cool from Vintage Air.

Bruce & Judy Ricks | Sapulpa, OK | 1963-1/2 Ford Bruce’s Galaxie 500 is the ultimate sleeper. Built by Steve Cook Creations it features a ground-grazing stance, subtle coating of Axalta deep green, and rolls on steel wheels with caps and red line tires. Punch comes from an all-aluminum 496ci Ford FE with 622 hp from Craft Performance with comfort courtesy of Sculpt Garage and chrome from Jon Wright’s Custom Chrome Plating.

Seth Wagner | McHenry, IL | 1950 Ford There’s just something cool about a classic mild custom. A perfectly shaved body glows in PPG burgundy while a 312ci Ford Y-block V-8 wearing an Autotrend Tri-power EFI adds plenty of go. Inside a classic bench seat adds comfort with Vintage Air setting the temps and a Ford Crestliner wheel navigating the course.

Mike & Glenna Young | Derby, KS | 1949 Buick With over 120 custom body modifications by Chris Carlson Hot Rods, this Buick Sedanette is all class featuring a mild chop, 1956 Buick headlights, peaked and extended quarter-panels, and Martin Senour graphite color. A 383ci Chevy mill with EFI from Imagine Injection Systems adds power linked to a 700-R4 trans while inside vintage T-bird bucket seats are covered in fawn leather.

Tom Simpson | Knoxville, TN | 1925 Ford Packing 239 ci of Flathead power breathing through a two-pot intake while singing through a set of lake pipes is totally wicked. Rolling on a set of bigs ’n’ littles with red wires and a polished black suede body completes the look. Inside, plenty of custom aluminum sets the pace, complete with gauges from Speedway Motors monitoring the vitals and a tall Lokar shifter pulling gears.

Suzy Bauter | Thompsons Station, TN | 1963 AMC Rambler Built at home in a two-car garage, including all custom fabrication, this wagon sees plenty of autocross action. Coated in PPG Washington Blue with a custom-sewn interior by Suzy, it’s all business in the engine bay thanks to 5.3L Chevy V-8 for go-power while Baer brakes add plenty of stopping power. The package rolls on 18-inch US Mags shod with BFGoodrich Rival S tires.

Curtis Hofstetter | Mechanicsville, VA | 1933 Willys Gassers are guaranteed to raise your adrenalin level thanks to their mile-high stance and endless attitude. For plenty of impact a 355ci Chevy V-8 wears a 6-71 supercharger topped by a pair of 750-cfm Holley carbs dumping gases through custom headers. A razor-sharp body wears PPG custom blue metallic gloss while classic Halibrand-style wheels sport Mickey Thompson tires.

Robert Anderson, Savannah, GA / 1936 Pontiac A custom chassis from Roadster Shop with an IRS from Kugel Komponents adds a perfect stance, especially when combined with one-off wheels from EVOD Industries. Built by Legens Hot Rod Shop the body features an endless array of custom updates and is covered is custom-blended white pearl from Axalta. A Chevrolet Performance supercharged LT4 brings the go with 650 hp.

Dale Carpenter | Birmingham, AL | 1930 Ford coupe Another awesome homebuilt hot rod was this cool Model A sporting a perfectly balanced chop, Deuce grille, tombstone taillights, and two-tone paint scheme. A Ford modular V-8 adds plenty of visual impact and sets the pace topped with an Autotrend EFI dumping spent gases through homespun headers. Inside it’s a cool tiki theme with Classic Instruments monitoring the vitals.

Painless Performance Products Top 100 (Outdoors)

Ronald James | Paducah, KY | 1933 Ford coupe Pure tradition never goes out of style. This Falkstone Gray Desert Tan 1933 coupe retains a basically stock body but a proper stance, yellow steelies, and a well-dressed flathead motor leave no doubt that this coupe is pure hot rod. Inside you’ll find tan leather and a shifter leading to an early Ford tranny.

Bob Oney | Lebanon, OH | 1932 Ford roadster Bob Oney’s latest hot rod carries a heavy Lobeck look with a blood-red body, subtle louvers, and traditional big ’n’ little stance. Pete and Jakes front and rear suspension along with American Rebel wheels provide the proper stance. Power comes from a 383 stroker topped with a FiTech injection system. Inside a simple leather seat, Classic Gauges, and a Bell-style wheel complete the package.

Gary Gregory & Fred Graffe | Stewartstown, PA | 1962 Ford Galaxie convertible The superclean lines of the 1962 Ford convertible make a perfect platform for hot rodding. The team at Lucky 7 rod shop stuffed a dual-turbo Ford Coyote underhood and filled the interior with deep burgundy leather, making for a 600-plus horsepower, comfortable top-down cruiser.

Jim Talaga | Plainfield, IL | 1947 Ford Sportsman The Ford Sportsman is seldom seen in hot rod circles. This burgundy beauty has a 4.6 Lincoln motor underhood and rides on a Heidts IFS. Tan leather, Vintage Air, and Autometer gauges update the interior while Coker wide whites on 16-inch Vintique steelies complete the look.

Bruce & Judy Ricks | Sapulpa, OK | 1956 Ford Victoria Most people don’t notice this Ford has been wedge-sectioned 4-3/4 inches beginning from the front fender and tapered back to the quarter-panel. A 427 Ford Racing motor is fed by eight-stack EFI and a TREMEC six-speed mixes the gears. Inside two-tone brown leather covers the bucket seats, Classic Instruments monitors the motor and Vintage Air keeps it all cool.

Bill Wynne | Royal Palm Beach, FL | 1932 Ford Victoria Black Deuce Victorias always catch our eye and if they happen to be powered by a 246-inch Flatmotor that’s even better. Vintage Air, Classic Instruments, and several red cows cover the inside of the car. Pete and Jakes parts and Wheelsmith wheels combine to create the proper rake.

Bob Bosse | Nicholasville, KY | 1936 Ford Cabriolet Cabriolets bring the best of both worlds: open air motoring and roll-up windows. This superclean 1936 relies on traditional mods like red steelies, wide whites, and black and white rolled and pleated seats behind a 1940 dash. Haneline instruments, Vintage Air, and a Lokar shifter complete the package.

Bill Cheek | Lancaster, PA | 1940 Ford Tudor We just don’t see enough 1940 Tudors finished to this high standard. Under the flawless black body you’ll find TCI suspension and a 401 Nailhead Buick nestled between the rails. Inside black rolls ’n’ pleats combine with Vintage Air, Classic Instruments, and a Lokar shifter connected to the 200-R4 tranny. It is simply a perfect package.

Gregory F. Denk Jr. | Overland Park, KS | 1932 Ford three-window coupe Hot rodding is all about attitude and this coupe has plenty of it. From the 402 big-block Chevy with over-the-frame headers, to the Wheelsmith wire wheels wrapped with Coker Excelsior tires, this is one bad coupe. A B&M shifter grabs gears and VDO provides the vital signs.

Tim A. Kinslow | Wanamaker, IN | 1951 Plymouth Suburban Post World War II America took to the open road traveling in station wagons. Today hot rodders are doing the same thing, often in the same cars. Of course modifications like a modern Mopar 360 EFI crate motor hooked to a TC518 tranny beats that old flathead-six. A Mustang II suspension provides stance, handling, and ride. Inside red and white upholstery matches the Cherry Red PPG paint.

Best Ford in a Ford Terry Gervasi’s Model A Coupe Written and Photographed by Gerry Burger

Hot rods and mathematics go hand in hand, and yet somehow when I was taking geometry my high school teacher forgot to mention the relationship. You see, geometry is a branch of mathematics concerned with questions of shape, size, relative position of figures, and the properties of space. While my teacher may have failed to connect these angles to important things like chopped tops, over the years I have found cars that work as great geometry textbooks. The car on these pages would be considered an advanced geometry textbook, so let’s take a quick lesson.

Terry Gervasi had owned a Model A coupe for a long time. He had always dreamed of finishing the car and having a traditional chopped coupe. As the years went by he decided it might be best to bring the old coupe to a professional shop. After doing some research and seeing several Hot Rod Garage cars, he contacted Ray Bartlett in Denton, Maryland, to do the build.

When the car rolled off the trailer and into The Hot Rod Garage the team discovered a poorly chopped 1931 Ford coupe. As a matter of fact the top had been cut so poorly it was beyond help and it was quickly determined a new top would be required for a proper top chop. A search for a new Model A top showed that most good tops were attached to good bodies. Not wanting to cut up a good car just for the top, Ray looked for other options. It was time for some basic math. Since there was a Deuce five-window in the shop a quick study with a tape measure indicated a 1932 Ford coupe roof could be made to fit.

Now every hot rodder knows 1932 parts cost more than Model A parts but this time that theorem proved wrong. Thanks to United Pacific you can now buy a brand-new stamped steel Deuce five-window coupe. A quick call to United Pacific and all the required panels were on their way to The Hot Rod Garage. A complete roof and the cowl top panels were all they needed.

Now comes the geometry lesson as The Hot Rod Garage set about doing some incredible geometry work, and after spending well over an hour looking at this car we can tell every angle, shape, and relative position is spot-on. As a matter of fact, the contours, angles, and shapes are so perfect many rodders have no idea the number of modifications on the car. The top of the doors are a combination of 1931 and 1932 parts, the rear Deuce window remains unchopped while the windshield frame has been cut and laid back on the perfect angle. The Deuce cowl has been meticulously blended with the Model A cowl. The fenders are 1932, the grille shell is a 1932, and mixing and matching continues throughout the car. When the car was finally back together again the laser-straight panels were covered with PPG black urethane.

Inside the car a 1932 dash is filled with Classic Instruments and Vintage Air. A Lokar shifter finds the gears and black leather fills the cabin. Yet another critical angle is proper hot rod rake. This is accomplished by the use of a Super Bell dropped axle with Pete and Jakes hairpins and shocks. Of course the American Rebel wheels are the proper diameter, with 16×8 rear wheels and 16×4 fronts. Take a quick look through those wheel windows and you’ll find Wilwood brakes on all four corners.

When it came time to power the coupe, Terry knew he wanted a traditional Blue Oval motor under the hood. To that end a 302 small-block Ford motor now displaces 347 ci. An Edelbrock carb feeds the Ford motor and a C4 Ford transmission passes the power back to 9-inch Ford rear, completing the all-Ford driveline.

In the end it was the incredible packaging, subtle yet major modifications, and the overall attention to detail that drew us closer to the car, but when we saw the great Ford driveline we knew this car was the perfect candidate for our Best Ford in Ford Award at the 2018 NSRA Street Rod Nationals.

The post 2018 NSRA Street Rod Nationals … Bigger & Better appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

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[aquiliscreations-blog]

Some things I’ve learned

It’s not easy being a full-time artist. Money-wise it’s feast or famine. I’m either doing really well, or I haven’t sold something in months. I’ve learned quite a bit and I wouldn’t change a thing. I figured I’d share for other artists out there.

#1 There is no Time for Procrastination.

     I’m not always good at getting on the ball in the mornings. Mornings are rough for me in general, and I’m usually in denial about being conscious. I find that the longer I procrastinate on a project, either waiting to start or waiting to finish, the harder it is to actually do the project.

#2 Walk the Talk

     If you call yourself a full time artist, you should be creating everyday. Even if its a 15 minute doodle. I’m also not very good at this. If I wake up later than normal I feel like I’ve wasted the day, and therefore can accomplish nothing. This is a fallacy. Steal the time to work on something

#3 It’s OK Not to be Perfect

     Perfectionism is the enemy of creativity. As a perfectionist in most things I do, this has been a very hard lesson for me. Even if you can’t get that one detail just right, you have to know when to call it finished. If you keep overworking your piece, not only do you stand the chance of ruining it entirely, but you are also preventing yourself from moving on to your next project. This, however, does not mean quit working on something because you’re scared to mess it up.

#4 It’s OK to Experiment

     It’s OK to work in a different medium then you’re used to. It’s OK to try a different style within the same medium. Not all of your work has to look the same. Especially early on it’s important to try different things to find your style.

#5 You have to promote yourself

     As an introvert this is very hard, but no one is as invested in your work as you are. No one will promote you if you don’t promote yourself. This can mean going to art events and talking to everyone, or having a large online presence, or both. It’s not easy, it takes dedication. Prepare a short and concise artist statement about your and what you do. Memorize it and be ready to tell people about it when you ask

#6 It’s not all about You

     When you’re networking don’t just talk about you and your work. Listen to what other artists and art enthusiasts have to say. Take genuine interest in it. Building art relationships is much like building friendships. And you never know who you’ll be working with in the future. You don’t want to come off as self-obsessed in your first impression.

#7 Take High Quality Images of Your Work

     This seems like common knowledge, but I’ve seen some pretty terrible images of art. Most smartphones now have decent cameras, but they aren’t the best for art. They don’t capture the fine detail. You want at least 300 dpi  images for submitting to shows. If you can afford it, consider buying a DSLR camera. If not, you’re a member of an art community, I bet you know someone who has one, and for a small fee, or trade, can help you out. Don’t ask for it for free. They’ve spent as much time learning their art as you have yours.

#8 You’re Your Own Worst Critic

     I’m never happy with my work. I’m just not. I find one detail I hate and I fixate on it. Most of the people I know seem to love my work, but I have a very hard time believing it, and it slows down my creative process because I get very down about it.

#9 Create an Online Portfolio

     It may not get much traffic in the beginning, but and online portfolio can really help you when submitting to exhibitions, and many request them on their applications. It’s easy to find cheap hosting. I use SiteGround and their built in Site builder. You don’t have to be a web guru to make and elegant and professional looking online portfolio. If you don’t believe me, you can check out mine. I’m nearly computer illiterate. I pay for my domain name, www.aquiliscreations.com, because it looks more professional than say, www.weebly.com/aquiliscreations.

#10 Have Business Cards Made

     I know it sounds like work, but it’s easy to go to a site like VistaPrint and design your own business cards. You can almost always find promo codes. My latest order is 13.94 for 100 business cards. They currently have a special for 500 basic one sided cards for 9.99 (plus whatever extra you add on.) Usually, I put the name of my business (it’s ok if you don’t have one) I add my artist name, and I state what I do. (Artist, pianist, musician, etc.) I also list the mediums I work in, but this isn’t necessary. I also add my phone number and e-mail. If you’re not comfortable with phone number, just do your e-mail.

#11 Have an E-mail Set Up Just for Your Art

     I know it doesn’t sound important, but it looks more professional. For example here’s mine, AquilisCreations@gmail.com. Other things that could work for me are: Aquilisedwardsart@gmail.com, or Aquilis@Aquiliscreations.com. All of these look much more professional than Babylove1979@yahoo.com.

#12 Use Keywords on Your sites

     Whether its a Facebook page, or an Online portfolio, looking into SEO (search engine optimization) can help you gain more foot traffic. Using keywords like art, painting, drawing, your name, artist, where you’re located, your subject matter, etc. in the Titles of your page or home page, and the file name of your images you upload can help you come up in search engines. For Example, if you search Aquilis Edwards, I’m the first 2 listings on Google. If you search Aquilis Creations, pictures of my art are the first things to pop up, and the entire front page of the google search is linked to my patreon, my facebook, my portfolio and my etsy in some way.

#13 Put Yourself Out There

     Submitting your work to exhibitions and galleries can seem daunting, but it’s worth it. You may feel like your art isn’t good enough, but you’ll never know until you try, and you have a good chance at getting feedback if you’re rejected. So it’s a win/win. Some shows have entry fees. Usually between $15 and $35 in my experience. That can make it more daunting, but it’s an investment in your future. Not only does it give you a chance to sell your work, it also gets your work in front of your ideal audience, art connoisseurs and collectors. You can find Art opportunities at Artopportunitiesmonthly.com and ZAPP. You can sometimes find opportunities with no entry fee as well.

#14 Create an Artist Resume or CV

     Even if you don’t have a large amount of experience, you should still create a CV. Include any classes you’ve had, whether formal or informal. Include any shows you’ve had, even if they are group shows. Include any art you’ve sold, even to private collectors. Include any classes you’ve taught even at community centers. (If you haven’t volunteer!) Do some research and look at examples to show you how it’s done.

#15 Never, Ever Give Away or Trade Art for Exposure

     It doesn’t work out. Chances are the person offering exposure just wants to get art for free and has no influence over a large audience. I did this once for a charity event. I’ve yet to see a single penny from the so-called exposure. This isn’t an unpaid internship. You’ve spent years developing your skills. You’ve spent money, whether on training or supplies. Don’t give your time and money away for free. Just don’t do it.

#16 Learn How to Price Your Work

    Underselling yourself isn’t doing you any favors. Prices too low can make your work seem insignificant. Prices too high can drive away customers due to sticker shock. If your a novice, you’re prices should be a little less than a professional. There are two ways to price your art, per square inch, or for time. I prefer the square inch model, because it prevents works of the same size having vastly different prices that make the artist look inconsistent. if you’re prices are too high you can always come down later. It’s hard to raise prices.

#17 Do the Work because YOU Love It.

     Its one thing to take commissions. Many artist make a good living that way. However when you don’t have a commission and you’re just painting for things to have in stock or in your portfolio, don’t try to pander to an audience. Do work you’re passionate about. You can certainly tell the difference in a piece the artist loved doing and one they did because they felt they have to.

#18 Don’t Do this For the Money

     Lets face it, making a career out of art is hard. Don’t do it because you want to make money, you may never make enough to sustain yourself, and that’s perfectly OK. Make your art to express yourself, to let your creativity run wild, and because you are passionate.

#19 If you have Art Block, Do it anyway

     Don’t wait for inspiration to strike, work even when you don’t feel like it. Make it a habit. Practice. Do nonsensical things. Sit down, start with a line on your canvas and see what grows from there. This is how you learn new techniques, find new subjects, and generally grow your creativity. Many times, once you start, inspiration will find you.

#20 Love Yourself

     Even when you feel like a failure, love yourself. When you haven’t made a sale in months, when you feel like your art isn’t good enough, when you just know you’ll never make it, pamper yourself. Get together with your people who make you laugh, who make you feel genuinely loved. Listen to the music that makes you feel good. Take a bubble bath with a glass of wine. Take yourself out on an artist’s date. Don’t let yourself wallow in the self pity and despair.

I hope that this has been helpful or inspiring. If I can help just one aspiring artist on their journey, I’ll be a happy girl. Cheers and Happy Arting!