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[caddraft1]

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[cottonlemonade]

How You Met

word count: 1111 || avg. reading time: 5 mins.

pairing: post-time skip Sugawara x chubby!Reader

genre: fluff

warnings: spoilers

You cradled the stack of books in your arms as you looked through the large shop window onto the street outside. It had started to rain and people hastened by the unassuming storefront with umbrellas or their bags raised above their heads. It wouldn‘t be long before the foot traffic would die down completely, you thought. Although, in your opinion, there was no better place to escape to during a rainy afternoon than a secondhand bookstore. Grabbing your handy dandy footstool you made your way to a section near the back to sort away the volumes people had left lying around.

As you moved some paperbacks to the right to make more space, the battered little brass bell hanging above the entrance chimed.

“Good afternoon!“, you called out. Putting on your most inviting customer service smile you looked around the shelf to greet the new patron but all you saw was a swoosh of a little rain-damp jacket disappearing into the manga section. Shrugging your shoulders you went back to sorting, enjoying the comfortable silence of the shop and the soft sounds of the radio playing in the back.

However, after about a minute or so when you were just contemplating going to ask if you could help, you heard a quiet sob. You looked around again, thinking maybe you just imagined it, but kept your ears perked. Another suppressed sound made you climb down your footstool.

Behind the very last bookshelf sat a little boy, maybe six or seven years old, curled up to a ball, crying into his folded arms.

You approached him carefully.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

The boy lifted his head a bit. His big dark eyes were filled with tears, his lips puffy and red as if he had bitten them to muffle any sounds. He hiccuped.

Your expression softened. He reminded you of your little brother. He had the same scrunch in the nose, when he was sad.

"Can I get you anything?", you asked gently, offering a kind smile.

He shook his head and hid his face in his arms again, trembling from a new wave of sobs.

You got down on your knees and rummaged in your pocket for a tissue. You were so focused to not frighten him that you didn't notice another ring from the bell above the door.

"Here.", you held out a tissue to the boy and he took it hesitantly.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Again, a tiny shake of the head. You thought for a moment, then nodded to yourself as you shuffled a little closer to him. What would your brother need in this situation?

"Would you like a hug?", you asked.

The crying boy eyed you with uncertainty at first, wiping his tears on his sleeve. But your chubby figure paired with the rather motherly look in your eyes probably put him at ease because in the next moment he held out his short arms.

You embraced him at once, one hand on the back of his head, and one drawing soothing circles over his damp jacket.

The warmth of your hug made him break down even more. He cried into your shoulder and you held him, now slowly swaying back and forth like you did whenever your baby brother was upset.

"It's gonna be fine.", you said calmly, holding him tighter.

You sat like this for a couple of moments until finally his breathing became calmer, steadier.

"Would you like another tissue?" you asked eventually.

He nodded, rubbing his eyes. You looked around in your pockets again. "Shoot, wait, I think I still have some behind the counter."

But before you got up an outstretched hand, holding a tissue appeared next to you. You jumped a little and looked up to a rain soaked guy, a little older than you.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

The crying boy took the offered tissue.

"You alright, Yusu-chan?", the newcomer asked, concerned.

You moved protectively in front of the child in case this guy, sweet as he may look, was who the boy ran away from.

But “Yusu-chan”, still in your arms, nodded and sniffled, “Yes, sensei.”

The young man held his hand out to you to help you up.

"Thank you.", he said in a quiet, relieved voice, so that the boy couldn't hear, "I've been looking everywhere for him."

"No problem.", you replied, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"You’ve already done more than enough, thank you very much." He bent down to pick up the boy, who immediately nuzzled into his neck.

You blushed under his genuine smile.

"I'm Koushi."

"Y/n."

"Yusuke.", said the little boy, composing himself and turning to you, his arms still around Koushi‘s neck, "I'm really sorry for crying on your shirt, miss."

You chuckled, "Oh, don't worry about it. Are you feeling a bit better now?" You reached out to pat his head and he leaned into the touch like a puppy might.

"A lot." He gave you a wide smile, exposing two missing front teeth. It would have looked sweet if the puffy eyes and red nose didn't break your heart.

For a moment the three of you just stood there a little awkwardly. "We should get going.'', Koushi said, using his free hand to ruffle his wet gray hair and considering you thoughtfully.

You nodded. Yusuke just looked back and forth between the two adults, confused.

"Well then... have a nice evening."

And so they left. You sighed when the jingle of the bell died down after the door had closed.

Staring absentmindedly after them for a few heartbeats you absurdly wondered if you‘d see them again, before shaking your head and going back to work.

A few moments later the doorbell chimed again.

"Good afternoon!", you called diligently, "I'll be right with you."

You slid the little stack of books in your arms in place and went to the front. Koushi stood by the register, nervously playing with his fingers.

"Hello again.", you smiled, your heart fluttering in hopeful excitement, "Did you forget something?"

"Yeah, actually... I was ... I was wondering if you would like to grab some coffee, maybe."

Your stomach pulled a little. "Sure, my shift ends in 2 hours."

"Great, I'll pick you up."

You both smiled at each other unsure of what to do next.

"Okay then. See you in two hours."

He turned around to leave and walked right into the door.

You winced in sympathy as he rubbed his forehead.

"That's a pull."

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Tech workers and gig workers need each other

Catch me in Miami! I'll be at Books and Books in Coral Gables on Jan 22 at 8PM.

We're living in the enshittocene, in which the forces of enshittification are turning everything from our cars to our streaming services to our dishwashers into thoroughly enshittifified piles of shit. Call it the Great Enshittening:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/09/lead-me-not-into-temptation/#chamberlain

How did we arrive at this juncture? Is it the end of the zero rate interest policy? Was it that the companies that formerly made useful things that we valued underwent a change in leadership that drove them to make things worse? Is Mercury in retrograde?

None of the above. There have been many junctures in which investors demanded higher returns from firms but were not able to force them to dramatically worsen their products. Moreover, the leaders now presiding over the rapid unscheduled disassembly of once-useful products are the same people who oversaw their golden age. As to Mercury? Well, I'm a Cancer, and as everyone knows, Cancers don't believe in astrology.

The Great Enshittening isn't precipitated by a change in how greedy and callous corporate leaders are. Rather, the change is in what those greedy, callous corporate leaders can get away with.

Capitalists hate capitalism. For a corporate executive, the fact that you have to make good things, please your customers, pay your workers, and beat the competition are all bugs, not features. The best business is one in which people simply pay you money without your having to do anything or worry that someday they'll stop. UBI for the investor class, in other words.

Douglas Rushkoff calls this "going meta." Don't sell things, provide a platform where people sell things. Don't provide a platform, invest in the platform. Don't invest in the platform, buy options on the platform. Don't buy options, buy derivatives of options.

A more precise analysis comes from economist Yanis Varoufakis, who calls this technofeudalism. Varoufakis draws our attention to the distinction between profits and rents. Profit is the income a capitalist receives from mobilizing workers to do something productive and then skimming off the surplus created by their labor.

By contrast, rent is income a feudalist derives from simply owning something that a capitalist or a worker needs in order to be productive. The entrepreneur who opens a coffee shop earns profits by creaming off the surplus value created by the baristas. The rentier who owns the building the coffee shop rents gets money simply for owning the building.

The coffee shop owner can never rest. At any moment, another coffee shop can open down the street and lure away their customers and their baristas. When that happens, the coffee shop goes bust and the owner is ruined. But not the landlord! After the coffee shop goes bust, the landlord's asset is more valuable – an empty storefront just down the street from the hottest coffee shop in town.

Capitalists hate capitalism. Faced with a choice of retaining their workers by paying them a fair wage and treating them well, or by saddling them with noncompetes that make it impossible to work for anyone else in the same field, and obligations to repay tens of thousands of dollars for "training" if they quit, bosses will take the latter every time. Go meta, baby.

Same for competition. Faced with the choice of competing to win the most customers with the best products, or merging so that customers have nowhere else to go, even the bitterest of rivals find it remarkably easy to intermarry until our corporations landscape is so interbred the dominant firms all have Habsburg jaws. Think: Facebook-Instagram. Disney-Fox. Microsoft-Activision:

https://locusmag.com/2021/07/cory-doctorow-tech-monopolies-and-the-insufficient-necessity-of-interoperability/

Enshittification has complex underlying dynamics and a reliable procession of stages, but the effect is quite straightforward: things are enshittified when they become worse for the people who use them and the suppliers who makes them, but nevertheless, the users keep using and the suppliers keep supplying.

There are four forces that stand in the way of enshittification, and as each of these forces grows weaker, enshittification proliferates.

The first and most important of these constraints is competition. Capitalists claim to love competition because it keeps firms sharp: they must constantly find ways to improve products and cut costs or be swept away by a superior alternative. There's a degree of truth here, but that's not the whole story.

For one thing, competition can "improve" things that we would rather see abolished. Critics of the GDPR, the EU's landmark privacy law, often point to the devastation that enforcing privacy law had on the European ad-tech industry, driving small firms out of business. But these firms were the most egregious privacy offenders, because they had the least to lose, lacking the dominant position of US-based Big Tech surveillance companies.

Having the least to lose, they were the most reckless with their privacy invasions – but they were also the least equipped to pay expensive enablers from giant corporate law firms to hold off European enforcers, and so they were obliterated. The resulting lack of competition is fine, as far as privacy goes: we don't want competition in the field of "who is most efficient at violating our human rights":

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/04/fighting-floc-and-fighting-monopoly-are-fully-compatible

But there's another benefit to competition: disorganization. A sector with hundreds of medium-sized, competing companies is a squabbling mob, incapable of agreeing on the site for an annual meeting. An industry dominated by a handful of firms is a cartel, handily capable of presenting a unified front to policy makers, and their commercial coziness provides them with vast war-chests they can use to suborn governments and capture their regulators:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/05/regulatory-capture/

Competition is the first constraint. When there's competition, corporate managers fear that you will respond to enshittification by defecting to a rival, costing them money. They don't care about your satisfaction, but they do care about your money, and competition hitches their ability to satisfy you to their ability to get paid by you.

Competition has been circling the drain for 40 years, as the "consumer welfare" theory of antitrust, hatched by Reagan's court sorcerers at the University of Chicago School of Economics, took hold. This theory insists that monopolies are evidence of "efficiency" – if everyone shops at one store, that's evidence that it's the best store, not evidence that they're cheating.

For 40 years, we've allowed companies to violate antitrust law by merging with major competitors, acquiring fledgling rivals, and using investor cash to sell below cost so that no one else can enter the market. This has produced the inbred industrial hulks of today, with five or fewer firms dominating everything from eyeglasses to banking, sea freight to professional wrestling:

https://www.openmarketsinstitute.org/learn/monopoly-by-the-numbers

The endless and continuous weakening of competition has emboldened corporate enshittifiers, who operate on the logic of Lily Tomlin in her role as an AT&T spokeswoman: "We don't care. We don't have to. We're the phone company":

https://vimeo.com/355556831

But the drawdown of competition has also enabled regulatory capture, by converting cutthroat adversaries to kissing cousins. These companies have convinced their regulators not to enforce privacy, consumer protection or labor laws, provided that the gross violations of these laws are accomplished via apps.

This is where tech exceptionalism is warranted: while the bosses that run these companies aren't any nobler – or more wicked – than the Robber Barons of yore, they are equipped with a digital back-end for their businesses that let them change the rules of the game from moment to moment.

Think of labor law: as Veena Dubal writes, gig-work companies practice algorithmic wage discrimination, turning your paycheck into a slot machine that pays out more when you are more selective about which jobs you take, and which then docks your pay by tiny increments as you become less discriminating about answering the app's call:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/12/algorithmic-wage-discrimination/#fishers-of-men

This is a plain violation of labor law, but the fiction that gig workers are contractors, combined with the opacity and speed of the wage discrimination back-end, lets the companies get away with it.

But the monsters who hatched this scam are no worse than their forebears, nor are they any smarter. Any black-hearted coal-boss memorialized in a Tennessee Ernie Ford song would have gladly practiced algorithmic wage discrimination – but there just weren't enough green-eyeshade accountants in the back office to change the payout from second to second.

I call this "twiddling" – turning the knobs on the back end to continuously adjust the business logic that the firm operates on:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/19/twiddler/

Twiddling is everywhere, and it is only possible because "it's not a crime if we use an app" has been accepted by (captured) regulators. Think of Amazon's "pricing paradox," where deceptive search results – which Amazon makes $38b/year on – allow the company to offer lower prices, but charge higher ones:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/06/attention-rents/#consumer-welfare-queens

The first constraint on enshittification is competition – the fear that you'll lose money when a disgusted customer take their business elsewhere. The second constraint is regulation – the fear that a regulator's punishment will eat up all the expected gains from an enshittificatory move, or even exceed those gains, leading to a net loss.

But the less competition there is in a sector, the easier it is for the remaining companies to capture their regulators. Say goodbye to that second constraint.

But there's another constraint – another one that's unique to technology, and genuinely exceptional. That's self-help. Digital technology is infinitely flexible, which is why managers can twiddle the business logic and change the rules on a dime.

But it's a double-edged sword. Users can twiddle back. The universal nature of digital products means it's always technically possible to disenshittify the enshittified products in your world. Mercedes wants to charge you rent on your accelerator pedal via a monthly subscription? Just mod the car by toggling the "subscription paid" bit and get the accelerator for free:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/24/rent-to-pwn/#kitt-is-a-demon

HP tricks you into installing a "security update" that sneakily disables your printer's ability to recognize and use third-party ink? Just roll back the operating system and you won't be forced to spend $10,000/gallon to print out your boarding passes and shopping lists:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/11/ink-stained-wretches-battle-soul-digital-freedom-taking-place-inside-your-printer

Self-help – AKA "adversarial interoperability" – isn't just a way to override the greedy choices of corporate sadists. It's a way to hold those sadists in check. It's a constraint.

Imagine a boardroom where someone says, "I calculate that if we make our ads 25% more invasive and obnoxious, we can eke out 2% more in ad-revenue." If you think of a business as a transhuman colony organism that exists to maximize shareholder value, this is a no-brainer.

But now consider the rejoinder: "If we make our ads 25% more obnoxious, then 50% of our users will be motivated to type, 'how do I block ads?' into a search engine. When that happens, we don't merely lose out on the expected 2% of additional revenue – our income from those users falls to zero, forever."

Self-help is the third constraint on enshittification. But when competition fails, and regulatory capture ensues, companies don't just gain the ability to flout the law – they get to wield the law, too.

Tech firms have cultivated a thicket of laws, rules and regulations that make self-help measures very illegal. This thicket is better known as "IP," a term that is best understood as meaning "any policy that lets me control the conduct of my competitors, my customers and my critics":

https://locusmag.com/2020/09/cory-doctorow-ip/

To put an ad-blocker in an app, you have to reverse-engineer it. To do that, you'll have to decrypt and decompile it. That step is a felony under Section 1201 of the DMCA, carrying a five-year prison sentence and a $500,000 fine. Beyond that, ad-blocking an app would give rise to liability under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (a law inspired by the movie Wargames!), under "tortious interference" claims, under trademark, copyright and patent.

More than 50% of web users have installed an ad-blocker:

https://doc.searls.com/2023/11/11/how-is-the-worlds-biggest-boycott-doing/

But zero percent of app users have installed an ad-blocker, because they don't exist, because you'd go to prison if you made one. An app is just a web-page wrapped in enough IP to make it a felony to add an ad-blocker to it.

This is why self-help, the third constraint, no longer applies. When a corporate sadist says, "let's make ads 25% more obnoxious to get 2% more revenue," no one says, "if we do that, our users will all install blockers." Instead, the response is, "let's make ads 100% more obnoxious and get an 8% revenue boost!"

https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/16/23763227/uber-video-advertising-ads-taxi-food-delivery-apps

Which brings me to the final constraint: workers.

Tech workers have historically enjoyed enormous bargaining power, thanks to a dire shortage of qualified personnel. While this allowed tech workers to command high salaries and cushy benefits, it also led many workers to conceive of themselves as entrepreneurs-in-waiting and not workers at all.

This made tech workers very exploitable: their bosses could sell them on the idea that they were doing something heroic, which warranted "extremely hardcore" expectations – working 16 hour days, sleeping under your desk, sacrificing your health, your family and your personal life to meet deadlines and ship products ("Real artists ship" – S. Jobs).

But the flip side of this appeal to heroism is that it only worked to the extent that it convinced workers to genuinely care about the things they made. When you miss you mother's funeral and pass on having kids in order to meet deadline and ship a product, the prospect of making that product worse is unthinkable.

Confronted by the moral injury of enshittifying a product you care about, and harming the users you see yourself as representing, many tech workers balked at the prospect. Because tech workers were scarce – and because there were plenty of employment prospects for workers who quit – they could actually prevent their bosses from making their products worse:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/25/moral-injury/#enshittification

But those days are behind us, too. Mass tech worker layoffs have gutted tech workers' confidence. When Google lays off 12,000 tech workers just months after a stock buyback that would have paid their wages for the next 27 years, they deliver two benefits to their shareholders. It's not just the short-term gains from the financial engineering – there's the long-term gain of gutting worker power and stripping away the final impediment to enshittification:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/10/the-proletarianization-of-tech-workers/

No matter how strong an individual tech worker's bargaining power was, it was always brittle. Long before googlers were being laid off in five-digit cohorts, they were working in an environment where harassment and predation were just part of the job. The 20,000+ googlers who walked off the job in 2018 were an important step towards replacing the system where each tech worker's power was limited to their moment-to-moment importance to their bosses' plans with a new system based on a collective identity.

Only through collective action and solidarity – unions – could tech workers hope to truly resist all the moral injuries of their bosses enshittification imperatives. No surprise then, that tech unions are on the rise:

https://abookapart.com/products/you-deserve-a-tech-union

But what is a little surprising – and very heartening! – is what happens when techies start to self-identify as workers: they come to understand that they share common cause with the other workers at the bottom of the tech stack. Think of Amazon's tech workers walking out in solidarity with Amazon's warehouse workers:

https://gizmodo.com/tech-workers-speak-out-in-support-of-amazon-warehouse-s-1842839301

Superficially, the bottom rank of the tech industry is as different from the tech workers at the top as you can imagine. Tech workers are formally employed, with stock options, health care and theme-park "campuses" with gyms and gourmet cafeterias.

The gig workers who pack, drive, deliver and support tech products aren't even employees – they're misclassified as contractors. They don't get free massages – they get AI bosses that monitor their eyeballs and dock their paychecks for peeing:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/11/robots-stole-my-jerb/#computer-says-no

Gig workers desperately need unions, but they also derive extraordinary benefits from self-help measures. When an app is your boss, another app can make all the difference to your working conditions. Take Para, an app that fights algorithmic wage discrimination by allowing gig workers to collectively and automatically refuse any job where the pay is below a certain threshold, forcing the algorithm to pay everyone more:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/08/tech-rights-are-workers-rights-doordash-edition

Para is fighting a grim legal and technical battle against companies like Doordash, whose margins depend on atomized workers with atomized apps, prohibited from countertwiddling. This is a surprisingly effective tactic: in Indonesia, gig workers co-ops create suites of "tuyul" apps that modify the behavior of their bosses' apps', unilaterally securing concessions that they lack the bargaining power to secure by other means:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/07/08/tuyul-apps/#gojek

Tuyul apps and other forms of countertwiddling aren't a substitute for unionization, they're an adjunct to it. The union negotiator whose rank-and-file are able to modify the apps that monitor and control their working conditions operates from a position of strength. "Please give my members more bathroom breaks" is a lot weaker than, "If you want my members to stop hacking their apps so they can piss when they need to, you're going to have to give them official bathroom breaks."

This is where solidarity between the high-paid tech workers at the keyboard and low-paid tech workers on the delivery bikes comes in. Together, they can wring more concessions from their bosses, sure. But unionized coders can give their unionized delivery riders the apps they need to countertwiddle and increase the bargaining leverage of all the workers in the union. And when unionized coders' bosses force them to put enshittifying anti-features in the apps they care about, unionized front-line workers can run counter-apps that disenshittify them.

Other sectors are already working through versions of this. The ouster of the old corrupt leadership of the Teamsters ushered in a new, radical era that produced historic wage and working condition gains for drivers and the abolition of the two-tier contract system that eventually destroys any union that tries it.

That change in leadership was possible because the Teamsters organized the Harvard Grad Students, and those Harvard kids memorized the union rulebook. At the historic conference where the old guard was abolished, it was teamwork between the union rank-and-file and the rules-lawyers from Harvard that turned the proceedings around:

https://theintercept.com/2023/04/07/deconstructed-union-dhl-teamsters-uaw/

We are deep into the enshittocene and it is terribly demoralizing. But by understanding the constraints that kept enshittification at bay, we can rebuild them, and shore them up. Labor organizing among all kinds of tech workers isn't just a way to get a better deal for those workers – it's key to the disenshittification of all our lives.

I'm Kickstarting the audiobook for The Bezzle, the sequel to Red Team Blues, narrated by @wilwheaton! You can pre-order the audiobook and ebook, DRM free, as well as the hardcover, signed or unsigned. There's also bundles with Red Team Blues in ebook, audio or paperback.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/13/solidarity-forever/#tech-unions

[lumariea]

Stardew Curiosities

Location: Nestled in the heart of the Crescent Ward, Stardew Curiosities occupies a modest, ivy-covered storefront just off a quiet side street, blending seamlessly among local shops and residences. Positioned close enough to draw regular customers from both the Harborfront and Moonspire Isle, the shop is frequented by locals, mages from the Academy of the Arcane Wind, and the occasional elite customer from Moonspire. The crescent-shaped alley glows at night with enchanted lanterns, creating a subtle path toward the shop’s front door.

Shopkeeper: Fenwick Starfall, the eccentric and slightly reclusive half-elf wizard, has made his shop a local curiosity. Known for his storytelling and vast knowledge of arcane lore, he often spends his evenings discussing enchantments and local legends with customers over a cup of herbal tea. His shop is famous for the enchanting spells that cause its sign to change with the moon’s phases.

Key Features Inside:

Lunar Scroll Section: A dedicated corner displays scrolls tied to moon and weather magic, highly sought after by students and professors from the Academy of the Arcane Wind.

The Skylight Orb: Centered on a shelf is a large crystal orb that reflects the night sky. Fenwick claims it connects to Lumaria's floating islands, helping adventurers and scholars track celestial shifts.

The Crescent Cabinet: This glass case holds rare, precious items, including Bottled Stardust and the Moonlight Pendants—items that have garnered a local following among Crescent Ward residents for their subtle protective charms.

Services Unique to the Crescent Ward:

Apprentice Enchantments: Fenwick provides guidance and simpler enchantments for young magic students at discounted rates, fostering goodwill with the academy.

Dream Interpretation: As many citizens of the Crescent Ward work late or face unpredictable shifts, Fenwick offers readings and interpretations of dreams and omens—a favorite among the Crescent Ward’s superstitious locals.

Secret Features & Rumors:

A rumor whispers that Fenwick’s shop hides a concealed, spell-warded vault rumored to protect dangerous relics collected from across Lumaria. It’s said only those who can pass his “Crescent Challenge” (a subtle magical test Fenwick conducts) are granted access to his rarest items, kept locked away until the “right” seeker finds them.

[realtasuantrai]

modern au - caster and lancer (hereby called sétanta (lancer) and aiden (caster)) are former military who both work at caster's "Plants and Ect." shop.

Sétanta is generally a freelance woodworker- it gives him something to do with his hands and keeps him busy. He has a lot of energy, generally a lot more outgoing than his older twin brother, Aiden, and is the one who basically created the storefront from scratch and vague input from Aiden. Has trauma from his days in service, but generally it doesn't bother him as much as it does his twin. He's mainly called "Shay" because his full name is a mouthful (Shay-dan-da). Friendly and sociable, but also tends to cuss every other word because "why not".

Aiden, on the other hand, is the owner of "Plants and Ect". His therapist told him he needed a hobby to occupy his time, and so he started growing plants. Got a service dog for his PTSD because he got really bad one day and even his twin couldn't get him out of it-- but Culann can! Lost sight in his left eye because of a knife, has a nasty scar over said eye and keeps it covered with a cloth tied around his head. Sétanta generally secures it for him every morning after they've both woken up fully. He makes his own tea and is a fantastic cook, generally selling snacks in his store to go with the various teas or just as snacks to nibble. Sometimes gets really bad flashbacks so secludes himself to his room.

Culann is Aiden's service dog who just seems to be a well-trained pet. He has a collar that says "SERVICE" on it, as Aiden doesn't want to draw too much attention to the fact he needs a service dog. He's a sociable dog, much like Aiden's twin is sociable, and adores those his owner adores. However, if Aiden is in trouble or needs help, Culann will generally go for Sétanta, as the twins aren't too far from one another, and get him to help.

Out of the two, Aiden is the oldest by twenty minutes. He's also the voice of reason while Sétanta is just the sociable party animal.

They live in the house connected to the storefront, which has a basically huge-ass druid sanctuary in the back with items made by Sétanta for them to hang out and chill back there. They're usually in the sanctuary if the store's closed.

[not-poignant]

If you don't mind me asking why did you stop working as a professional artist? Your work is amazing! I could totally see your animal artwork being in kids picture books or even on wrapping paper

Hi anon!

I'm so so glad you enjoy the art! That makes me happy. Feel free to check out my DeviantArt because there's a lot more there than elsewhere. :D (Eventually I'll probably be using ArtStation or something like that too dsalkfjsa).

I stopped working as a professional artist because of money. I make more money as a writer than I ever could as an artist, despite giving art my all. Not to mention that art gave me repetitive strain injuries in my wrists (that I still have to this day) as well as eye-strain and a few other physical ailments that I still have to be careful of.

While writing is hard on the body, it could never be as hard or challenging as my particular art style was. And after a while it just got hard to justify working that hard, in that much pain, for like 0.50c an hour. And while I don't make that much more these days, I definitely make more for less suffering!

But yeah it was purely a financial/economical decision. I still actually do make art! But I no longer do commissions, and I pretty much only do it when I feel like it. But some of the things I've done this year alone include:

I think professional traditional art is also in some ways less disability friendly than writing. Or at least the kind of writing I do. I'm a traditional artist, and the easiest ways to make money as a traditional artist are to go the gallery circuit, which requires visiting galleries, pitching to them, and being seen at gallery shows (all things I could not do), or to go the mass production circuit via selling prints and so on. But I also can't go to print shops. And I can't drive. And I can't get to the post office (Glen posts all my art for me). As a result, I have to use a lot of POD services (and I do have a Redbubble storefront!), and anyway, it just didn't work out.

I still sort of think of ways to monetise the art on occasion. Which is usually trying to go beyond the lifespan of just selling an original piece of art. I tried prints, that didn't didn't work out. I tried colouring pages, that didn't work out. Children's picture books are the least profitable form of writing and art-making out there, unfortunately (people don't know this, but it's the most competitive writing market out of all of them, with the least longevity, because kids grow out of picture books, so while a few authors make a mint, most authors and artists make a pittance). I released an oracle deck and that made me about $900 this year which... is both good and not great or sustainable.

So yeah, that's why. Because while I'm not making a liveable income still, it's more liveable for less labour. My decision to quit art was purely down to income, which is why I know if things get dire with writing, I will do the same with writing, because I have given away a creative career that I loved before.

That being said, I have the particular satisfaction of knowing that my artwork is owned / has been commissioned by a cameraman / cinematographer that worked with David Attenborough across many of his series, and filmed birds of paradise on location more than once (he purchased almost all of my birds of paradise illustrations). By a head zookeeper at London Zoo who got so many pieces we became friends and are mutuals across social media, and I got to meet her in 2019 and she took us 'behind the scenes' to spend a lot of personal time with penguins and we chatted for ages.

Because I've done so much creative natural history illustration I've made connections and friends with biologists and zoologists all over the world, and it's been a humbling privilege to have been able to draw the favourite animals of some people, especially when those animals rarely get artwork in general. And I still love animals, so I do still draw them.

But it likely won't ever be my main job again sdalfkdjs

[t0kidal]

Return From Origins Part 5

________________________________________________

( Hello! Today, we’re going shopping

Masterlist ) 

________________________________________________

“mMnn!” 

“Iruma-sama, it’s almost done, please hold on a little longer.”

Iruma was getting fitted for a new wardrobe and Sullivan opted to take everyone as a fun family outing.

He was probably a little apprehensive about the measuring tape.

Meanwhile, Sullivan and you deigned to wait for Opera and Iruma outside in an adjacent drawing room, looking at different designs. 

“I think a good pair of shorts and shirts would be good for him..” you start. “He also needs long socks and shoes, such will be perfect for practical uses like hunting and staying warm without over heating.”

‘Hunting?’ yeah, the demons servicing you are a little confused but brush it off as a Sullivan’s daughter thing. (All the strong demons are already strange on the regular.)

“Mou~! I want more cute clothes for the coming Summer! Imagine! Our cute little boy in a sailor suit!”

“Hmm, he’s still a baby right now though... maybe it’d be better to stick with mid weight onesies? We can still get some spring showers and he’s not quite old enough to maintain his body heat...”

“W-why don’t we move on to an ensemble for the Ms?”

~~~

Now, it probably wasn’t the best idea to come out into the public, but Balam managed to concoct two perfumes, one for now (gentler) and one for as he grows (stronger). As for you, it’s been about a month, some wilder habits are hard to kill off but you’re adjusting alright. The real issue, however, was whether or not your eyes would ever go back to being normal looking. They haven’t yet, but masks and veils should provide a temporary remedy till they do.

As part of your reappearance to society, shopping was a critical necessity; especially as your get up of Opera’s spare clothes, a delicate veil, and long untamed hair, due to just how much there was (and unspeakable damage), didn’t really pair well.

“Welcome, Lord Sullivan.” Ah, you were here.

“Hi Hiii~! I’m here to get a wardrobe tailored for my daughter here~!”

“Understo-“ they’re cut off as they get a glimpse of your ensemble. “…”

You rub the back of your neck.

“Would you like for us to call for a hair dresser as well? My colleague runs the boutique next door.”

Sullivan looks to you.

“That would be nice, thank you.” You took the liberty to respond at that.

~~~

Fresh cut, fresh wash, fresh clothes, you looked…

So damn good.

Absolutely drop dead, on my knees, step on me please, gorgeous.

Opera and Iruma shared the same starry eyes expression as Sullivan took the opportunity to snap some good transformation photos.

“Mmamamama”

“I’m here Iruma.” Opera gives your look a nod of approval and a satisfied ear twitch as you take your son.

“We look pretty good, don’t we, Irumamamama.”

He giggles his baby giggle.

“Why don’t we break for lunch now? I feel refreshed but also a little worn, we’ve been busy.”

Hours of shopping and hours of grooming will do that to you.

“Fufufu~ as you wish~! I hear there’s a nice sweets shop nearby.”

“I meant food first, Su-… Da-… Father.”

“Huuu~ C’moooon~ just this once~?”

“My Lady is right Master, we ought to eat a proper meal and then have desert. Besides, you already ate so many chocolates on the way over, did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

“Hmph~.” He pouted…

~~~

“Kalego-kun? What are you doing here?”

“Hng!” You swear you could see him age a couple centuries just by hearing Opera call him.

After a lovely lunch, which felt so relaxing not having to catch it yourself, you relented to your father’s (it still felt a little odd referring to him as such) begging and went to ‘King’s Sweetery’.

Iruma was calm in your arms but you could see how he gazed with so much wonder at the colorful storefront.

Unlike your former schoolmate as he struggled to maintain a gentler heart rate.

“Opera,” you decide to spare the near death demon, “would you please stop Father from buying the whole store? We don’t need Iruma getting any cavities now.”

Opera absolutely knew what you were doing but obliged all the same, especially since what you said was true, Sullivan was discussing what appeared to be a contract with a very distraught looking manager.

“As you wish, my Lady.”

“…”

“…”

Once Opera was out of earshot you hear Kalego breath a sigh of relief before recomposing himself and staring stoically at you with crossed arms.

“… He’s… oddly well behaved.” Great start, Kalego.

“Well, I’d say it’s because he’s mine but… we both know otherwise.”

Iruma, chose that exact moment to stare curiously at the stern demon.

“Would you like to say ‘Hi’? Iruma?” You start to step closer to Kalego, a smile forming on the exposed half of your face.

“Tsk, are you sure that’s a good idea?”

To be honest, not really. It didn’t take a scientist to know that Kalego as a person took to children like oil to water, and vice versa. But… you wanted to ensure that, with your slow assimilation to society, Iruma would have an easier time with his current support and more.

Plus, unlike most babies, Iruma was a special case.

“Gaah!” He cooed sweetly.

“… what are you looking at?”

“Wuuuuu aaah! Ah!”

And to your surprised, Iruma makes as though he’s reaching out to Kalego, before settling and slowly mimicking the grumpy demon’s stern expression.

“Wuuu.” Like a little growl escapes his lips, till it’s followed by a giggle.

Needless to say Kalego wasn’t all too thrilled and his frown deepened.

“It’s not polite to mock others,” with much hesitation, Kalego reaches out a finger… and pokes his cheek.

“Wuh!” Pouts Iruma.

“Heh…” Kalego smiles, not entirely malicious, but catches himself after the look you give him and coughs to clear his throat.

“I am, Naberius Kalego.” He gently offers his hand to shake. (Very professional)

“Wuu..!” Iruma, very cutely places his own hand into Kalego’s.

“There’s a good boy, Irumaaaa” you tickle him and follow his cute giggles with little kisses.

“Hmph, now are you satisfied?” Stern once again you see.

“Yes yes, much appreciated, Kalego.”

“Kalego! You gotta try this!” Hm? Oh! It’s Shichiro. “I bumped into Opera-senpai and Sullivan-sama and we got a great deal o- Oh! Y/n! You’re here too! And is that Iruma?”

“Yes, look how cute he looks in his new clothes!”

“Adorable~! You’re looking good as well! That hair cut suits you!” It’s promptly ruffled by a large, gentle, hand.

“Thank youuu, Shichiro. Did you come out with Kalego?”

“Well, I was just out and about when we happened to come to the same shop and opted to spend the rest of the time catching up.”

“And speaking of catching up,” says Kalego. “I’ll catch up to you later Shichiro, I need to go before that fiend comes by-”

“Oh? Is that my dear Kouhai?”

“Hng!”

~~~

Kalego could not catch a break. He just wanted to go home and enjoy the wine he just bought, instead - and while he enjoys his colleague’s company - he’s now in a sticky situation, named Opera.

Opera was a menace. 

But you... 

If it weren’t for that veil he might’ve assumed that you had never changed, humble, willfully, fearfully, strong.

But the eyes that stared back at him just two weeks ago don’t lie, rather, they say too much.

You’re back now, yes, but for what reason? A whim? It sounded like a whim. Going off the rails could’ve been a whim, though you might insist that it wasn’t. 

Course, the child in your arms suggested some truth to that.

‘Who was the father?’ he quickly shut that down. It wasn’t any of his business after all... but how could you fall into such a situation? who was the scumbag to sire this child and leave you alone with him? Another ‘Returned’?

And ‘Iruma’, small, blue, soft, ‘Iruma’, how would you raise this boy? Would he turn out like you? Strong? Insecure?

‘Lovely?’

Tsk, he was having a lot of useless intrusive thoughts today... The wine by his side would be a surefire remedy for such.

Yet, despite the scornful thoughts in his head, his heart felt something... odd shift watching you interact with your son.

A similar odd from when you went to school together.

~~~

Shichiro observed his colleague get lost in thought, a strange occurrence but yes, even the great guard dog of Babyls could get distracted. It’s something he tries to do when being talked at by a certain senpai but had never succeeded at before.

Not that he blames him, he knew that Kalego missed you too. Your absence had a strange effect on everyone, especially as you succumbed to your evil phase and went off grid. 

It was almost evident that demon society at the time, when the strong ran rampant through the halls and the weak cowered or ran away, was to blame for your transformation.

Given that you decided to take in such a squishy child as your son, it only made sense for your return, and your hope, that things were different. 

‘But thank the demon king that you were back.’ He smiled behind his mask as he reached out and began to stroke your locks, the familiar, and unfamiliar, texture soothing him with a moment of peace from his thoughts. 

‘I missed you just as much.’

You were strong, humble, wild and so full of life; it caused his heart to swell and his eyes to grow wide in wonder each and every time you shattered the expectations set for you. Even in Babyls, even returning now. 

~~~

(Sorry i went a little off grid myself there. and Thank you for reading this far! I hope you enjoy the next part! that is, right after I write the Next chapter for The Alef!

Hope you have a good one!)

[printpallondonsblog]

How to Choose the Right Banner Printing Service in London for Maximum Impact

Banners are a powerful way to promote your business or event in a bustling city like London. With so many banner printing options in London, it’s essential to find a banner printing company that offers quality, efficiency, and customization to meet your specific needs. Here’s what you need to know when choosing the right printing partner to make sure your banners are memorable and effective.

Why Banners Work in London’s Market

With a vibrant crowd and constant foot traffic, London is the perfect place to use banners to catch attention. Banners are versatile, durable, and cost-effective, making them one of the most popular marketing tools for businesses of all sizes. Here’s why they work:

High Visibility: Banners are large, eye-catching, and can easily be spotted in busy locations. Whether displayed in a shop window, at an event, or on a building, a well-designed banner grabs attention.

Customizable Design: Banner printing services in London offer endless design options, from colors and fonts to layout and graphics. This flexibility lets you create a banner that represents your brand and conveys your message effectively.

Durability: High-quality banners are built to last. Whether it’s for a short-term promotion or a long-term display, they can withstand the elements, making them a great investment.

Key Things to Look for in Banner Printing Companies in London

When it comes to banner printing in London, there are a few important factors to consider to make sure you get the best results:

Print QualityThe quality of your banner reflects your brand. Choose a banner printing company that uses advanced technology and top-grade materials. This ensures vibrant colors, clear images, and a professional look that leaves a lasting impression.

Customization OptionsEvery business has different needs, and good banner printers offer multiple customization options. Look for a company that provides a variety of materials, sizes, finishes, and printing techniques. This allows you to tailor your banner to your event, location, and target audience, creating a product that truly aligns with your brand.

Quick Turnaround TimesSometimes, banners are needed at short notice. A reliable banner printing company in London will offer same-day or next-day printing services for urgent projects. Make sure to discuss your timeline with the printer to ensure they can meet your deadlines without sacrificing quality.

Customer SupportClear communication and support make the entire printing process smoother. Look for a company that provides design assistance, offers helpful recommendations, and keeps you updated throughout the project. Responsive and friendly customer service can make a big difference in ensuring you get the best final product.

Why Choose a Local Banner Printing Company in London?

Opting for a local printing company can offer several benefits:

Convenient Pick-Up: You can pick up your order locally, which eliminates waiting for shipping and saves on delivery costs.

Better Understanding of the Market: Local companies understand the unique trends and preferences of London’s audience, allowing them to give you tailored advice for your banner design.

Eco-Friendly Options: Many London-based printers offer sustainable printing solutions, so you can create banners with minimal environmental impact.

Common Uses for Banner Printing in London

There are endless applications for banners. Here are some of the most popular ways businesses in London use banners:

Event Advertising: From festivals to trade shows, banners are the go-to choice for promoting events and guiding attendees.

Sales and Promotions: Announce discounts, special offers, or seasonal sales with eye-catching banners that draw people in.

Storefront Displays: Use outdoor banners to capture the attention of passersby and invite them into your store.

Make Your Mark with Banner Printing in London

Finding the right banner printing service in London is key to getting a banner that stands out in a city full of vibrant advertising. With professional print quality, customization options, and reliable customer support, you can create a banner that effectively promotes your business and engages your audience. Investing in quality banner printing is a great way to enhance your brand presence and make a memorable impact on potential customers.

[sbfacade01]

Enhance Your Building’s Appeal and Strength with Glass and Steel Structure Installation Services in Singapore

In today’s competitive business landscape, creating an inviting and visually striking building is essential for any commercial enterprise. High-quality shop front glass installation services and durable steel structure installation services in Singapore play a key role in achieving this. From storefronts that draw in customers to robust steel frameworks that ensure long-term stability, these services offer both functional and aesthetic advantages that can elevate your space.

Why Choose Shop Front Glass Installation Services?

A well-designed glass storefront adds a professional and polished look to any commercial building. Here’s how it makes a difference:

1. Enhances Curb Appeal

A thoughtfully installed glass shop front can be one of the most effective ways to capture attention and increase foot traffic. A sleek glass facade allows passersby to view your products and store interior from the outside, creating a welcoming atmosphere. With the right shop front glass installation services, you can ensure that your storefront reflects your brand's image and engages potential customers, contributing to higher customer interest.

2. Maximizes Natural Light

Glass storefronts bring ample natural light into the interior space, enhancing visibility and creating an open, airy feel. Natural light not only reduces reliance on artificial lighting, which lowers energy costs, but it also positively impacts customer mood and employee productivity. Well-placed glass installations can help create a brighter and more inviting atmosphere, making it an ideal choice for businesses.

The Importance of Steel Structure Installation Services in Singapore

Steel structure installation services in Singapore offer unparalleled strength and durability, making them an essential part of modern construction projects. Here are some advantages of opting for these services:

1. High Strength and Stability

Steel structures provide the necessary support for larger buildings and withstand various environmental stresses, including high winds, earthquakes, and even fires. Their high strength-to-weight ratio ensures stability without adding excessive weight, allowing architects and builders more design flexibility. This makes steel a top choice for constructing resilient commercial spaces.

2. Efficient and Cost-Effective

Steel is known for its durability and long life, making it a cost-effective material for building construction. Unlike other materials, steel requires minimal maintenance, which saves on future repair and replacement costs. Furthermore, steel structures can be assembled quickly, reducing construction time and allowing projects to stay on schedule, an essential factor for businesses aiming to operate efficiently.

Combining Glass and Steel for Modern Building Solutions

Integrating shop front glass with steel structures offers numerous benefits. The glass enhances the building’s aesthetic appeal, while the steel structure provides the necessary support and durability. This combination creates visually appealing and robust buildings that make a statement while offering practical functionality.

By choosing professional installation services for both glass storefronts and steel structures, you ensure the highest standards of safety, compliance, and durability. Investing in quality installations is a decision that adds both immediate value and long-term savings to your commercial space.

[caddraft1]

The Role of Glazing Shop Drawings in Building Standards

Glazing shop drawings are detailed, technical drawings that illustrate the specific glazing materials and components to be used in a construction project. Commercial glazing involves designing, manufacturing, and installing glass for commercial buildings. Glazing is a very essential element in the building construction. It increases a building’s safety, environmental sustainability, and visual appeal. For more details, read our blog https://caddraftingservices.in/blog/the-role-of-glazing-shop-drawings-in-building-standards/

[signsmiami]

Explore the Right Sign Company Near You: Everything You Need to Know

Are you looking for a reliable sign company near you? Signs are everywhere to help us find our way, tell us where to go, and give businesses a chance to stand out. Choosing the best sign company nearby can make a big difference! This guide will explore why the keyword "sign company near me" is so handy and how you can best find the local sign company that answers your needs.

1. What is a Sign Company

A sign company manufactures all kinds of signs. Think about the last time you saw a restaurant sign, store name, or even a road sign, which was probably manufactured by a sign company. A professional sign company can manufacture signs for Stores and shops, Restaurants and cafes, Roads and safety signs, and Specialized signs for events.

If you search for a sign company near me, you will find a local company that offers the right signs promptly.

2. Why Choose a Local Sign Company

When you search for a sign company near you, you find several benefits of local companies:

Quick Service:

 It will take much less time when you are near the sign company.

Personal Support: 

Local companies know about your area and audience.

Support for Local Business:

 Choosing a local sign company fosters the growth of local businesses!

Whether it is a sign for your store, a banner for an event, or a safety sign, a sign company near you can provide these benefits and many more.

3. Types of Signs You May Need

The best sign company can manufacture any type of sign that you need. Here are some examples:

Storefront Signs: 

Large signs to direct your customers to your store.

LED Signs:

 Vibrant colorful signage that can be visible at both day and night time.

Neon Signs: 

The neon glow creates the specific attraction of drawing the eye.

Window Decals:

 These are applied on the windows as stickers or graphics giving some kind of glittering effect.

Locating a sign company near me would allow you to find the perfect signage suited for your aesthetic appeal and goals.

4. Why "Sign Company Near You" Matters for SEO 

If you want to come up in the list of which people are looking within your location, the importance of "sign company near me" matters to appear. Search engines comprehend what type of search phrase they can give local result results if it contains a key phrase "sign company near me". Why is this phrase a key to rank:

Higher scope of ranking: Search engines favor local words

Connect with Nearby Customers: Reach potential customers in the vicinity of your place.

Builds Trust: Customers have more trust in local businesses because they are visible and can engage personally.

Using "sign company near me" tactfully in your search is bringing in local traffic, thereby making it easier for your customers to find exactly what they need in less time.

5. What to Look for in a Good Sign Company 

Now, how do you decide on which sign company to pick? Look for the following qualities:

Experience: How long have they been producing signs?

Portfolio: Check out some samples of work they've done in the past.

Good Reviews: Look up online reviews to see what other customers say.

Customer Service: Friendly, helpful service makes everything a little easier.

Location: A sign company near me is generally a more convenient option.

A good sign company will walk you from start to finish and guide you through choosing the right sign for your needs.

6. What to Expect When You Work with a Sign Company

Generally speaking, dealing with a sign company near me is quite smooth. Here's usually what takes place:

Pre-Consultation: They discuss the ideas you've got. They will ask you the kind of sign you're looking for.

Design Phase: They develop a design that meets your vision

Feedback: Chances of making changes will come.

Manufacturing: The sign company will start creating your sign once the design is complete.

Installation: Some sign companies even help you set up the sign.

Through a sign company near me, you will be given a more personal experience. They can guide you on each step of the process from planning to installation.

7. Tips for Choosing the Perfect Sign Design 

Some businesses may need more specific kinds of signs than others. Some tips are listed below for your reference.

For Restaurants: Colorful inviting signboards to attract food enthusiasts.

For Stores: Bright, bold lettering can add a big pop to your store.

For Offices: Professional clean designs fit in very nicely.

If you are in search of one of the above styles, by seeking a sign company near me, you can find a few people who have experience with the best sign design for your area.

8. Why select King signs Miami as your "Sign Company Near Me"

If you reside in Miami, Kingsigns Miami is the place to go. Here is why

Wide Range of Services: They provide signs for all requirements.

Professional Designers: Professional designers will assist in producing a sign that represents your brand.

Quality Materials: The signs are built to last.

Quick Turnaround: They work fast to meet your deadline.

Kingsigns Miami is a sign company near me that understands the needs of local businesses and delivers top-notch service.

9. How to Reach a Sign Company Near You

It is not hard to get in touch with a sign company:

Call them: You can get a quote with a simple call over the phone.

Email: You can send them an email about your design ideas.

Visit Their Website: Most sign companies have websites with examples of their work.

For King signs Miami, check out their website at Kingsignsmiami.com to learn more or get started on your sign.

10. Conclusion for Selecting a Sign Company Near You

With so many sign companies out there today, it's a good way to help local businesses and know that you are getting a custom experience by choosing one close to you. They are aware of the trends in your area and will create signs speaking directly to your target audience. From fun, creative designs for stores to classic looks for offices, they will work with you to make something special.

When you need to seek a sign company near you, remember that King signs Miami has everything one needs to make a company shine. From fantastic customer service to quality signs, they are here to help make such a big impression.

With this guide, you'll know exactly what to look for in a sign company near me and how best to find the right one. Happy sign shopping, here's to popping your business out of the ordinary!

[basketleaftea]

How to Launch a Tea Pop-Up Business on a Budget - Basketleaf

Starting a tea pop-up business is an excellent low-investment way to enter the thriving tea market. Pop-up shops offer flexibility, minimal setup costs, and allow you to reach potential customers without the commitment of a long-term storefront. With strategic planning and creativity, best business under ₹1 lakh is possible. Here’s a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to help you get started and maximize your budget.

1. Identify Your Niche and Brand Concept

The first step in creating a memorable tea pop-up is to define your niche. With so many tea brands in the market, your brand needs to stand out by focusing on a unique theme or target audience.

Choose Your Niche: Are you offering wellness teas, iced teas, premium blends, or a combination? Deciding on this upfront will guide other business choices.

Create a Brand Identity: Your brand’s logo, colors, and messaging should reflect the experience you want to offer. Think about catchy, memorable brand names and designs that attract attention.

2. Develop a Budget-Friendly Business Plan

Even with a small budget, having a solid business plan can help you make cost-effective decisions and ensure you cover all essential expenses.

Set a Realistic Budget: Allocate funds for essential items such as permits, ingredients, packaging, equipment, and branding materials.

Define Key Expenses: For a budget under ₹1 lakh, keep your expenses lean by prioritizing low-cost venues, affordable decor, and minimal staffing.

3. Find a Suitable Location for Your Pop-Up

One of the biggest advantages of a pop-up business is the ability to choose affordable, high-traffic locations. Find a spot where your target audience frequents, such as markets, festivals, or busy street corners.

Consider Local Markets and Events: Farmers’ markets, festivals, or shopping fairs are excellent for attracting foot traffic. Many of these locations have affordable rental options.

Collaborate with Local Businesses: Partner with cafes or retail stores that complement your brand. A temporary setup within an existing business can save you venue costs and attract a ready-made audience.

4. Choose Affordable Yet Quality Ingredients

Source quality tea leaves and ingredients without overspending. This can be done by building relationships with local suppliers or purchasing in bulk.

Sourcing Locally: Buying from local tea suppliers can reduce transportation costs and connect your brand with the local economy.

Experiment with Affordable Blends: Rather than purchasing expensive ingredients, experiment with classic and locally popular blends like chai, lemon tea, or herbal infusions that are affordable yet in high demand.

5. Invest in Basic Equipment

Keeping your equipment costs low is essential. Here’s a list of affordable yet essential items for a tea pop-up:

Kettles or Tea Warmers: Invest in a few portable kettles or tea warmers to serve hot tea.

Dispensers: For cold brews or iced teas, a beverage dispenser can allow for self-service, reducing the need for extra staff.

Reusable or Biodegradable Cups: Environmentally friendly packaging appeals to modern consumers and can be cost-effective if bought in bulk.

6. Design Simple, Cost-Effective Packaging

Packaging is a key part of branding, and you can make an impact without overspending. For a pop-up, focus on simple, practical packaging that emphasizes the freshness and flavor of your teas.

Use Kraft Paper or Recycled Materials: These materials are affordable and environmentally friendly, aligning with the current trend of sustainable packaging.

Brand Stickers and Stamps: Rather than investing in custom-printed cups, you can use branded stickers or a custom stamp to personalize plain cups with your logo.

7. Build an Eye-Catching Display

The visual appeal of your pop-up can draw people in, so design a simple, eye-catching setup that highlights your brand and products.

Portable Furniture: Use small tables or foldable stands that are easy to set up and transport.

DIY Signage: Create your own signage with chalkboards, posters, or banners. Clear, bold signs with your brand colors will help attract customers.

Minimalist Decor: Simple decor elements like tea crates, plants, or LED lights can add charm without adding much cost.

8. Set Competitive Pricing

When pricing your tea, consider both your costs and what the market can bear. For a budget-friendly pop-up, it’s best to keep prices attractive to encourage sales volume.

Bundle Deals and Sample Offers: Offer combo deals or small samples to entice customers to try multiple products and increase your chance of making larger sales.

Introductory Offers: Offering discounts or limited-time deals for your first few days can help build a customer base and boost sales.

9. Promote Your Pop-Up on Social Media

Social media marketing is a cost-effective way to create buzz around your pop-up. Instagram and Facebook are great platforms for sharing updates, attracting customers, and building brand recognition.

Leverage Location-Based Hashtags: Use hashtags relevant to your city and business (#BestBusinessUnder1Lakh, #TeaPopUp, #Basketleaf) to reach local audiences.

Offer a Sneak Peek: Share photos or videos of your setup and the teas you’ll be offering. This builds anticipation and gives potential customers a reason to stop by.

Collaborate with Influencers: Local food influencers can help promote your pop-up. Offer them a free sample or discounted product in exchange for a shoutout.

10. Collect Customer Feedback and Build Relationships

Pop-ups are not just for sales; they’re a great opportunity to interact with your customers directly. Use this chance to gather feedback and start building a loyal customer base.

Ask for Feedback: Keep a feedback form or encourage customers to leave a review on your social media page. This helps you understand what’s working and where to improve.

Engage Customers: Show appreciation by offering discounts for returning customers or a free sample with a purchase. Simple gestures help build loyalty and repeat business.

11. Evaluate and Adjust for Future Pop-Ups

After each pop-up event, analyze what worked well and where you could improve. This will help you refine your strategy for future events and grow your business efficiently.

Track Sales and Customer Responses: Keep a record of sales, popular items, and customer feedback. This data will help you make informed decisions about future investments.

Plan for Scale: Once you’re comfortable with your setup and costs, consider expanding to new locations or investing in a regular pop-up schedule.

Conclusion

Starting a tea pop-up business on a budget is a smart way to test your concept and build a customer base. By focusing on cost-effective sourcing, smart branding, and effective promotion, best business under ₹1 lakh budget and create a memorable experience that attracts tea lovers. With careful planning and a passion for tea, your pop-up business could become a stepping stone to a successful, full-scale tea brand.

[pwddigitalagencysblog]

Navigating the Digital Terrain with Web Development in Perth

The digital landscape is ever-changing, and within this dynamic environment, web development remains a critical aspect of establishing a powerful online presence. In particular, businesses in Perth seeking to broaden their reach must recognize the importance of comprehensive web development services. From crafting bespoke website designs to implementing robust digital marketing strategies, companies are looking for ways to stand out in the bustling online marketplace.

The Importance of Professional Website Design & Development

Web development in Perth encompasses far more than just creating a visually appealing website; it's about delivering an immersive user experience that keeps visitors engaged and encourages conversions. Professional website design & development set the foundation for a successful online platform by focusing on usability, aesthetics, and functionality. A well-designed website acts as a virtual storefront, reflecting your brand's vision and values while showcasing your products or services in the best light possible.

With attention spans growing shorter, it's vital that your website loads quickly and offers intuitive navigation to help potential customers find what they're looking for without hassle. This level of detail in design can significantly improve user satisfaction and ultimately contribute to higher retention rates and increased sales.

Amplifying Your Reach with Digital Marketing

In conjunction with solid web development practices, digital marketing is essential for businesses aiming to increase visibility and drive targeted traffic to their websites. Strategies such as search engine optimization (SEO), Google Ads, social media marketing, branding, and video production work hand-in-hand to create a cohesive online marketing campaign.

SEO practices ensure that your website ranks highly on search engines like Google for relevant keywords associated with your business offerings. This organic approach helps draw in visitors actively searching for the services you provide. Meanwhile, Google Ads can give an immediate boost in visibility by placing paid advertisements directly in front of potential customers when they're most likely to engage.

Social media marketing leverages platforms where your audience spends significant time daily — from Facebook and Instagram to Twitter and LinkedIn — allowing you to build relationships with current clients while attracting new ones through strategic content creation and community engagement.

Branding plays a crucial role throughout all digital marketing efforts by ensuring consistency across all channels. It allows businesses to establish a recognizable identity which resonates with consumers on both visual and emotional levels. Moreover, video production has emerged as an influential medium due to its capacity to convey complex messages quickly while providing entertainment value that enhances shareability across social networks.

Expanding Possibilities Through eCommerce Solutions

For retail-oriented businesses or those selling products online, integrating eCommerce capabilities into their web development strategy is non-negotiable. A seamless shopping experience from browsing through checkout is paramount for converting visitors into buyers. Implementing secure payment options, easy-to-manage product inventories, and personalized shopping features such as wish lists or recommendation engines can significantly enhance the customer journey.

In conclusion, mastering web development in Perth requires an amalgamation of technical skills and creative visionary thinking aligned with strategic digital marketing approaches. A holistic service offering that includes advanced website design & development coupled with tailored digital marketing solutions will pave the way for any business looking to thrive within the competitive online arena. Through dedicated expertise across various facets — SEO optimization, ad campaigns management or engaging social media tactics — companies can harness the full potential of their digital footprint.

PWD Digital Agency

Address: 3 Loftus St, West Leederville WA 6007, Australia

Phone: (08) 6146 0195

[signsandengraving]

Stand Out with Custom Branding from Signs and Engraving Centre Inc.

In Toronto’s busy business landscape, standing out is essential to success. At Signs and Engraving Centre Inc., we offer a full range of custom signage, engraving, and printing services designed to help your business get noticed. From eye-catching outdoor signs to personalized engraving, our solutions are crafted to elevate your brand and make a lasting impression. Here’s how our services can help you connect with more customers.

Outdoor Signs: Draw Attention with Professional Signage

Outdoor signs are one of the most effective ways to ensure your business gets noticed. We create high-quality, weather-resistant signs tailored to your business’s unique style. Whether it’s a storefront sign, a billboard, or large signage for commercial properties, our custom outdoor signs help attract more foot traffic and make a strong first impression.

A-Frame Signs & Sandwich Boards: Engage with Passersby

A-frame signs, also known as sandwich boards, are ideal for attracting people walking by your business. These portable signs are perfect for promoting sales, events, or daily specials right outside your shop. Our custom A-frames are durable and visually appealing, helping to turn passersby into customers.

Pylon Signs: Reach Your Audience from Afar

Pylon signs are tall, freestanding signs designed to make your business visible from a distance. Ideal for businesses in high-traffic areas or plazas, our custom pylon signs help customers find you easily. With bold colors and clear text, these signs increase your visibility and set your business apart.

3D Letters: Add Dimension to Your Branding

Custom 3D letters bring depth to your signage, making your business name or logo pop. Crafted from materials like foam, metal, or wood, our 3D letters provide a bold, professional look that grabs attention and reinforces your brand’s image. Perfect for storefronts or interior branding, 3D letters add sophistication to your space.

Wall & Window Decals: Personalize Your Space

Wall and window decals offer a simple yet effective way to bring your brand’s personality to life within your business space. Whether you want to display your logo on a window, showcase seasonal promotions, or add decor to your walls, our high-quality vinyl decals are easy to apply and remove. Decals make it easy to transform any surface into a branding tool.

Pull-Up Banners: Portable Promotions for Any Event

Pull-up banners are versatile and portable, making them ideal for trade shows, events, or in-store promotions. These easy-to-set-up banners feature vibrant graphics that capture attention wherever you go. With custom designs, our pull-up banners are a convenient way to showcase your brand in a professional setting.

Awnings: Stylish Shade for Your Storefront

Awnings provide shade and protection while enhancing your storefront’s appeal. Available in a variety of colors and styles, our custom awnings complement your branding and create a welcoming entrance for customers. Whether fixed or retractable, awnings add both style and functionality to your business.

Labels & Business Cards: Essentials for Professional Branding

Labels and business cards are key tools for building a professional image. We offer custom printing services that create high-quality labels and business cards tailored to your brand’s look and feel. Whether you’re networking or packaging products, these details make a lasting impact on customers.

Vehicle Wraps: Take Your Brand on the Road

Transform your vehicles into mobile advertisements with our custom vehicle wraps. Made from durable vinyl, our wraps allow you to promote your brand on the go, reaching a broader audience with every drive. This mobile advertising solution is an excellent way to increase brand awareness and attract new customers throughout Toronto.

Custom Stamps: Convenient and Quick Branding

Custom stamps make it easy to add your business’s logo or information to documents, invoices, and packaging. Our personalized stamps are convenient and professional, providing a quick way to brand your paperwork with minimal effort.

Engraving Services: Create Unique, Personalized Gifts and Awards

Our engraving services allow you to add a personal touch to awards, plaques, gifts, and more. Perfect for employee recognition, client appreciation, or special events, our engravings are crafted to make each piece feel unique and meaningful.

Awards & Trophies: Recognize Excellence with Custom Designs

Celebrating achievements is essential for motivating and retaining great talent. Our custom awards and trophies are made from high-quality materials and designed to honor excellence. Whether for employees, clients, or business milestones, our personalized awards help build a culture of appreciation within your organization.

At Signs and Engraving Centre Inc., we’re committed to helping businesses in Toronto and the GTA succeed. Contact us today at 416.855.9070 or 647.718.1001, or email us at mail@signsengraving.com to learn more about how our custom signage and branding solutions can help your business stand out. Visit signsengraving.com for more information.

[dlcgroup]

Shops for Sale in ROF Insignia Park Sector-93: Future-Proof Your Business

The commercial real estate market in Gurugram is thriving, and one of the most promising locations to invest in is ROF Insignia Park Sector-93. Known for its prime location and modern amenities, ROF Insignia Park offers an excellent opportunity for entrepreneurs and businesses looking to establish themselves in a vibrant environment. DLC Group, a trusted name in real estate advisory, recognizes the value of this development and offers insightful guidance for investors.

In this article, we’ll explore why ROF Insignia Park Sector-93 is a great choice for shop investments, how it can future-proof your business, and the unique advantages it offers.

Prime Location in the Heart of Gurugram

ROF Insignia Park Sector-93 is strategically situated in one of Gurugram’s most rapidly developing areas. Sector 93 is well-connected to major highways, such as the Dwarka Expressway and the KMP Expressway, making it easily accessible from Delhi, Gurugram, and other neighboring cities. This convenient location draws a large footfall, making it an attractive place for retail businesses to flourish.

Additionally, Sector 93 is surrounded by residential communities, office complexes, and educational institutions, ensuring a steady stream of potential customers. This thriving catchment area means a continuous influx of people who may be interested in the products or services offered by businesses within ROF Insignia Park.

A Modern Shopping Experience

The design of ROF Insignia Park emphasizes contemporary architecture and a customer-friendly layout. The development includes wide walkways, attractive storefronts, and ample parking facilities, all aimed at creating a hassle-free shopping experience for visitors. With aesthetically pleasing spaces and well-organized interiors, businesses can display their products in an appealing environment, capturing customer attention and enhancing sales potential.

DLC Group, known for its customer-centric advisory, highlights ROF Insignia Park’s modern infrastructure as a key factor for those seeking commercial spaces that appeal to the modern shopper. The open design and easy access make it ideal for a range of businesses, from fashion boutiques and electronic stores to cafes and grocery outlets.

Benefits of a Mixed-Use Development

One of the standout features of ROF Insignia Park is its mixed-use setup, which includes both commercial and residential spaces. This combination is ideal for businesses as it generates consistent foot traffic from residents who live nearby and regularly visit shops for daily needs. The mixed-use design is a successful formula in modern urban planning because it fosters a sense of community while providing a reliable customer base for local businesses.

As DLC Group points out, having a shop in such a development gives businesses a unique advantage over standalone stores by providing them with an already established customer base. With people living, working, and shopping within the same vicinity, your business is bound to benefit from regular visits by nearby residents and working professionals.

Affordable Investment with High Returns

Gurugram’s commercial real estate market is competitive, but ROF Insignia Park Sector-93 stands out due to its affordable pricing and potential for high returns. Compared to other commercial spaces in Gurugram, the shops here are priced attractively, offering businesses a cost-effective way to establish a presence in a prime area.

DLC Group emphasizes that investing in ROF Insignia Park is not only budget-friendly but also holds great potential for future growth. As more people move to Sector 93 and nearby areas, the demand for quality shopping and commercial spaces will rise, resulting in increased property values and potential rental income for investors.

Flexible Shop Sizes to Suit Various Business Needs

ROF Insignia Park offers shops in various sizes, catering to different types of businesses. Whether you’re looking to open a boutique, a restaurant, or a small office, there’s a suitable space for you. With options ranging from compact shops to larger commercial spaces, businesses can choose a layout that best fits their requirements without paying for more space than they need.

DLC Group appreciates this flexibility, which allows both established businesses and budding entrepreneurs to find spaces that match their budgets and business goals. This adaptability makes ROF Insignia Park an attractive choice for both new and seasoned business owners.

Advanced Security and Safety Features

In today’s retail environment, security is a top concern. ROF Insignia Park Sector-93 has invested in advanced security measures to provide peace of mind for business owners and customers alike. With round-the-clock security, CCTV surveillance, and a well-trained security team, ROF Insignia Park ensures a safe shopping environment.

These features add value to your business and enhance customer trust, making it more likely for customers to return to a secure and well-maintained location. DLC Group also highlights the importance of investing in secure commercial spaces, as it fosters a safe environment for conducting business and helps build a loyal customer base.

Supportive Real Estate Advisors like DLC Group

Choosing the right property for your business can be overwhelming, but with DLC Group as a real estate advisor, you have access to professional guidance throughout the process. DLC Group’s experienced team helps investors navigate the market, choose the right shop space, and make informed decisions that align with their business goals. They offer personalized advice and support, from property selection to financing options, helping businesses establish a strong foundation in ROF Insignia Park.

With DLC Group’s insights, investors gain a clearer understanding of the potential growth in Sector 93 and how it can benefit their business in the long run. Their expertise in commercial real estate is invaluable for anyone looking to future-proof their business.

Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Infrastructure

ROF Insignia Park has incorporated eco-friendly elements into its design, such as energy-efficient lighting, rainwater harvesting, and waste management systems. These sustainable practices not only benefit the environment but also reduce operating costs for businesses in the long run. Sustainability is becoming increasingly important to consumers, and businesses located in eco-friendly spaces can attract more customers who prioritize environmentally conscious practices.

DLC Group supports these green initiatives and recognizes their long-term value. They advise clients on choosing properties that not only offer modern conveniences but also contribute positively to the environment and community.

Potential for Long-Term Growth

The growth potential in Sector 93, where ROF Insignia Park is located, is significant. With more residential and commercial developments underway, the area is expected to become a major business hub in Gurugram. This growth will lead to a steady rise in property values and an increase in demand for retail spaces, positioning ROF Insignia Park as an excellent choice for long-term investment.

DLC Group predicts that the influx of businesses and residents will make Sector 93 a hotspot in the coming years, and those who invest early stand to benefit the most. This future growth ensures that your investment in ROF Insignia Park will continue to appreciate, making it a wise choice for those looking to secure their business’s future.

Conclusion:

ROF Insignia Park Sector-93 offers everything that a modern business needs to succeed: a prime location, a mix of commercial and residential spaces, affordable pricing, flexible shop sizes, advanced security, and a commitment to sustainability. With DLC Group guiding you through the investment process, you can be confident in making a decision that aligns with your business’s long-term goals.

Investing in a shop at ROF Insignia Park Sector-93 is more than just purchasing a property; it’s a step toward future-proofing your business in a fast-growing area. With the increasing demand for quality retail spaces in Gurugram, this investment promises not only stability but also growth in the years to come.

Contact Us:

Delhi Land and Constructions

448, 3rd Floor, Sector-19B, Dwarka,

New Delhi, India

Mob no- +91981009944

Mail- info@dlcgroup.in

[ightsuptoday]

The Importance of Professional Commercial Christmas Lighting for Your Brand

When the holiday season approaches, businesses begin to think about how they can enhance their brand presence and attract customers. One of the most effective ways to do this is through professional commercial Christmas lighting. This practice not only beautifies the surroundings but also communicates a sense of warmth and festivity that resonates with customers. In this article, we will explore the various aspects of commercial Christmas lighting, its impact on brand image, and why investing in professional services, such as those provided by LightsUpToday, is essential for businesses looking to thrive during the festive season.

Enhancing Brand Visibility and Appeal

The holiday season is a crucial time for retailers and service providers alike. As customers flock to look for the perfect gifts or festive experiences, the competition intensifies. Professional commercial Christmas lighting serves as a powerful tool to enhance brand visibility. When a business is adorned with eye-catching lights, it stands out amidst the seasonal hustle and bustle. The right combination of colors, designs, and placements can draw in potential customers, encouraging them to explore what the business has to offer.

Moreover, well-executed lighting design can evoke emotions associated with joy and celebration. Studies have shown that aesthetic appeal plays a significant role in consumer behavior. A beautifully lit storefront not only attracts attention but also creates a welcoming atmosphere, making customers more likely to step inside. By investing in high-quality lighting from a reputable company like LightsUpToday, businesses can create a memorable first impression that lingers long after the holiday season.

Building a Stronger Brand Identity

Every brand has a unique identity, and seasonal decorations are an extension of that identity. Professional commercial Christmas lighting allows businesses to express their values and personality in a visually impactful way. For instance, a brand that focuses on sustainability can use energy-efficient LED lights to showcase their commitment to the environment. Similarly, a luxury brand might opt for elegant, sophisticated lighting designs that reflect their upscale image.

By aligning the lighting theme with the overall brand message, businesses can reinforce their identity in the minds of consumers. When customers associate a specific aesthetic with a brand, it fosters brand loyalty and recognition. With LightsUpToday’s expertise in creating tailored lighting solutions, businesses can effectively communicate their brand story during the holiday season, leaving a lasting impression on both new and returning customers.

Creating a Festive Atmosphere

The holiday season is synonymous with celebration, and creating a festive atmosphere is crucial for businesses looking to engage their customers. Professional commercial Christmas lighting plays a pivotal role in transforming ordinary spaces into enchanting environments. Whether it’s a retail store, a restaurant, or a corporate office, the right lighting can elevate the ambiance and make the experience more enjoyable for visitors.

Imagine walking into a retail shop adorned with twinkling fairy lights, colorful displays, and shimmering decorations. This kind of atmosphere not only puts customers in a festive mood but also encourages them to spend more time in the store. In turn, this increases the likelihood of making a purchase. Professional lighting services like those offered by LightsUpToday understand how to create immersive experiences that resonate with customers and enhance their overall perception of the brand.

Boosting Social Media Engagement

In today’s digital age, social media plays a pivotal role in shaping brand image and consumer engagement. The holiday season presents a golden opportunity for businesses to leverage their festive décor for social media marketing. Professional commercial Christmas lighting can serve as a stunning backdrop for photos, encouraging customers to share their experiences online.

When customers post pictures of themselves in front of beautifully lit storefronts or festive displays, it generates organic publicity for the brand. This user-generated content not only enhances the brand’s visibility but also builds a community of loyal followers. By collaborating with experts like LightsUpToday, businesses can ensure that their lighting designs are not only visually appealing but also Instagram-worthy, inviting customers to engage and share.

Ensuring Safety and Compliance

While the allure of dazzling lights can be tempting, it’s essential to prioritize safety and compliance when implementing commercial Christmas lighting. Hiring professionals for the job can mitigate risks associated with electrical hazards and ensure adherence to local regulations. LightsUpToday specializes in providing safe and compliant lighting solutions, ensuring that businesses can focus on their holiday strategies without worrying about potential liabilities.

Moreover, professional installers are equipped with the necessary tools and expertise to handle complex installations, minimizing the risk of accidents. This peace of mind allows businesses to fully embrace the holiday spirit without compromising on safety. By trusting LightsUpToday with their lighting needs, brands can confidently showcase their festive spirit while prioritizing the well-being of their customers and staff.

Cost-Effectiveness of Professional Services

While some businesses may consider DIY lighting solutions to save costs, the long-term benefits of hiring professionals far outweigh the initial savings. Professional commercial Christmas lighting not only ensures high-quality results but can also be more cost-effective in the long run. Professionals have access to commercial-grade lights and equipment that are designed for durability and efficiency, reducing the likelihood of malfunction or the need for replacements.

Additionally, by outsourcing lighting installation and maintenance, businesses can save time and resources that can be better spent on other aspects of their operations. LightsUpToday offers competitive pricing and tailored packages that cater to various budgets, making it easier for businesses of all sizes to invest in professional lighting solutions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the importance of professional commercial Christmas lighting for your brand cannot be overstated. It serves as a vital tool for enhancing visibility, building brand identity, creating a festive atmosphere, boosting social media engagement, ensuring safety, and offering cost-effective solutions. By choosing experts like LightsUpToday, businesses can transform their spaces into festive wonderlands that attract and engage customers, fostering a sense of community and holiday cheer.

As the holiday season approaches, it’s time for businesses to think strategically about their lighting needs. Investing in professional Christmas lighting is not just about aesthetics; it’s about creating meaningful connections with customers and enhancing the overall brand experience. In a competitive landscape, standing out is essential, and professional lighting can be the key to achieving that competitive edge.