#why does a console cost more than my rent

[connorthevgfan78]

Oh wow, the price increase between the PS5 and PS5 Pro is insane

Anyways, here's a graph that shows what PlayStations could cost if they keep this trend of price increases up:

[hailbop1701]

ReaperXFemaleReader

Doom: To Hell And Back

Chapter 2: The Ark

Hey guys! I'm happy that the first chapter did okay. If you would like to get tagged please just let me know.

A man who strongly resembled a weasel walked towards the group. Holding out his hand he said, “ Sandford Crosby, UAC public relations.” Sarge had no desire to shake hands with him so he dropped it without missing a beat. 

“Now follow me, please.” he continued and you tune out the rest; only hearing snippets of the conversation. You looked around with mild interest as you and the others stopped in front of the Ark. The man stopped and cleared his throat, “Welcome to the Ark, gentlemen.” he paused seeing you for the first time. “And lady.” 

You raised an eyebrow as the computer announced, “ Initiating molecular mapping drive. All personnel, prepare for activation.” The weasel gestured for you all to stand back a bit. “ Keep your distance from the core or you might get sucked in,” he said with a nervous chuckle. 

Beside you, the Kid leaned towards Goat looking nervous, “You...You done this before?” he asked lowly. Goat gave a noncommittal shrug, “Once. Training Mission” he said and you turned away from the conversation. You really didn’t want to think about it; Ark travel left a lot to be desired. It wasn’t gonna be fun. You wrinkled your nose at the floating silver mass in front of the room, ‘Ugh this is gonna suck.’ you thought. 

Sarge told the weasel man to shut down the surface elevator for the standard six-hour quarantine.  “Target receiver initialized. - Ready to proceed. Ark Travel, 15 seconds.” the computer spoke and Reaper stepped forward. Within seconds the silver mass swallowed him completely. 

“Crow. You’re up.” Sarge said, jerking his head towards the front. Breathing in through your nose, you step forward. The computer counted down and before you knew it; you were gone. It felt like nothing, and everything all once. But sooner than it happened, it was over. You stumbled forward and gritted your teeth against nausea, taking in a sharp breath through your nose you’re faintly aware of someone guiding you to sit down. 

“That’s it. Head between your knees,” they whispered, you look up through your lashes and see Reaper there. All you gave him was a groan in response. “I hate Ark travel.” you mutter. Reaper chuckles humorously, “Yeah it’s not my favorite either.” he murmured back. Squeezing your shoulder one more time before he stood back up and watched as the others came through. You were pleased to see that some of the others fared a bit worse than you. 

Portman couldn’t hold it in. As soon as he stepped through the Ark he threw up; you weren’t sure what was worse. The smell or his complaining, “ Why we gotta come all this way? Why can’t UAC rent-a-cops take care of this bullshit?” 

You rolled your eyes and got up off the floor with a kind hand from Duke. The kid panted and straightened, “ Is it always that rough?” he asked still looking rather pale. 

“Believe me, it used to be a lot rougher. There was a time when Ark travel was susceptible to, let’s say, - major turbulence.” a man in a silver chair said rolling towards them. The poor kid looked confused, “What does he mean?” he asked incredulously. 

“He means he went to one galaxy, his ass went to another,” Reaper said without skipping a beat.  You smirked, “And here I thought he was doing a terrible impression of Darth Maul.” you muttered so only the closest to you could hear. Reaper coughed covering a laugh, Duke snorted not bothering in being discrete, and the Kid smiled; he relaxed a little at your words. Good. 

The man in the chair gave Reaper an unimpressed look, “Call it a scientific miscalculation. Unbelievable as it may seem, UAC does make the odd tiny mistake. Marcus Pinzerowsky. You can call me Pinky. Follow me.” 

You all move away from the Ark after Pinky. Sarge asked where the personnel who weren’t locked down in the labs were. Without looking up from a computer console Pinky responded,  “ In the atrium.” 

Sarge nodded, “Pinky, put us up.” Punky hit a few controls and glanced up, “ Activating remote personal surveillance.” he said. “Circle out men, on my three,” Sarge ordered. 

You got into the circle and turned your body slightly to the left, 

“One.” 

“Two.” 

“Three.” 

With a snap and click, you pointed your weapon at the person across from you which just so happened to be Reaper. He had his weapon pointed right back at you; and without really thinking you crossed your eyes and stuck out the tip of your tongue. And you really had to give it to the guy, he tried his damnedest to keep a poker face. You knew he was amused though by the subtle huff and the twitch of his lip. Sarge looked at you with only mild exasperation and shook his head. You merely gave him a thousand-watt smile as he gave orders. “ People, this room is a code red, which means no one gets in without our permission. It stays ours at all costs. Mac, stay here with our friend and secure the door. Men, on me. Let’s move out. Open the door.” 

People whispered around them, the atrium was abuzz with activity. A man approached Sarge, concern etched on his face. “When can I start evacuating people out through the Ark?” he asked Immediately. “We’re at a level 5 quarantine, nobody goes anywhere,” Sarge said ending the discussion right then and there.  

You watched out of the corner of your eye as Portman sauntered up to a group of women trying to convince them that it was quarantine protocol to do a strip search. Duke shifted next to you and snorted, shook his head. “On behalf of all men. I’m sorry,” he whispered. You smirked and tilted your head up to reply but his gaze was fixed on something else. Or someone else. 

A woman about your age walked with a purpose up to your group, right past Portman ignoring him. Her blonde ponytail swung back and forth until she made it to a stop beside the head of security.  “ Sergeant, this is Dr. Samantha Grimm, UAC science officer assigned to retrieve data from the lab.” 

“Sergeant.” Dr. Grimm politely greeted, and her eyes slid over to Reaper. “Hello, John.” 

“Hello, Samantha,” Reaper muttered back clearly uncomfortable. ‘Oh He’s not happy’ you thought dryly. “Hello Samantha!” a voice said excitedly next to you; rolling your eyes you elbow Duke in the ribs making him hiss. 

“Sarge, this operation is a code red. We really don’t have room for passengers.” Reaper said cooly. Dr. Grimm bristled, “ Excuse me, but I have orders to retrieve data from three servers: Anthropology, Forensic Archeology, and Genetics.” 

“This is a military operation Doctor. We’re really not here to retrieve your science homework.” Reaper ground out. ‘Oh boy.’ you thought with a slight wince. 

“Look, I got an idea. Why don’t you ask your CO what your orders are?” Dr. Grimm asked almost too sweetly. “This is better than daytime TV,” you muttered under your breath. Duke snorts and shifts a little when Goat glares at him. 

Sarge sighed, “ To contain and neutralize the threat, protect the civilians, and retrieve UAC property.”  he said monotonously.  Dr. Grimm looked completely satisfied, while Reaper looked utterly peeved. ‘Yeah, bet they’re siblings.’ you thought finally.  Dr. Grimm walked away, leading them onward. 

“Is this going to spoil my day? Sarge asked eyeing Reaper. The man in question scowled, “No, sir.” 

Duke let out a low whistle, “ Tell me you didn’t let a fine-looking piece of ass like that get away from you, Reaper.” 

Reaper looked grossed out for a split second before saying, “She’s my sister.” 

“No shit!” Duke exclaimed happily. ‘Fucking called it.’ you thought smugly. ‘Only family can piss you off like that.’ 

As we walked toward the pressure door Dr. Grimm explained the layout of the labs. “There’s three sections to Carmack’s lab complex. Archeology, Genetics, and Weapons Research.” 

“You test weapons up here,” Duke asked surprised. You wanted to retort with a smartass remark but Dr. Grimm beat you to the punch. “ Well, it’s a dead planet. You want that tested here, where it’s safe, or in your own backyard?” 

“Been there, done that, got the radiation poisoning.” you automatically chirped earning a few chuckles. Dr. Grimm smiled at you and continued. “ We’re primarily an archeological operation. Weapons Research is in its own separate facility. It had nothing to do with Dr. Carmack’s work.” 

Somehow that didn’t make you feel any better. Something was wrong here and you could feel it in the pit of your stomach. “How many inside when the lab shut down?” Sarge asked looking down at the good Doctor. “Only Dr. Carmack’s team. That’s six people. In one of the carbon dating labs, there was an internal phone left off the hook.” she said warily. 

“Did you get any information from it?” Sarge asked. Dr. Grimm looked at the head of security who then held up a small device. What you heard sent a deep chill down your spine and into your very core. Even after the recording was turned off you could still hear the screams echo around in your head. 

“Open the door.” 

@thottiewithashotgun

@dw-writes

@lauraaan182

[thelittlesttimelord]

The Littlest Timelord: The Fall of the Eleventh Chapter 24

TITLE: The Littlest Timelord: The Fall of the Eleventh Chapter 24 PAIRING: No Pairing RATING: T CHAPTER: 24/? SUMMARY: Elise Smith is now a teenaged Timelord. In addition to losing the Ponds, the fields of Trenzalore are calling. But first they have to figure out exactly who Clara Oswald is.

The Doctor stormed into the TARDIS and pulled the monitor around. “She's just a girl. How can she be?”

The monitor showed them the girl from the Dalek Asylum, along with a number of different photos from the current Clara’s past.

“She can't be. She is. She can't be.” He shoved the monitor away. “She's not possible.”

“We’ll figure it out. We always do,” Elise reassured him.

They picked up Clara and set off on her first real adventure.

“So we're moving through actual time? So what's it made of, time? I mean, if you can just roll through it, it's got to be made of stuff, like jam's made of strawberries. So what's it made of?”

“Well, not strawberries. No. No, no, no. That would be unacceptable.” The Doctor straightened his bowtie.

“And we can go anywhere?”

“Within reason. Well, I say reason…” He’d ended up in a myriad of odd places.

“So, we could go backwards in time.”

“And space, yes.”

“And forwards in time.”

“And space. Totally. So, where do you want to go, eh? What do you want to see?”

“I don't know. You know when someone asks you what's your favorite book and straight away you forget every single book that you've ever read?”

“No. Totally not.”

“Well, that's a thing that happens.”

“And? Back to the question?”

“Okay. So…So…So…” Clara ran towards the doors. “So I'd like to see…I would like to see…What I would like to see is…” She spun around. “…something awesome.”

The Doctor ran around the console and then led Elise and Clara out of the TARDIS.

Clara had her eyes closed.

“Can you feel the light on your eyelids? That is the light of an alien sun. Forward a couple of steps. Okay. Are you ready?” the Doctor asked Clara.

“Yes. No. Yes.” Clara opened her eyes.

“Welcome to the Rings of Akhaten.”

The Rings of Akhaten was an asteroid belt orbiting a huge star.

“It's…”

“It is. It so completely is. But wait, there is more.”

“More what?”

“Wait, wait, wait.” The Doctor looked at his watch. “In about five, four, three, two…”

The asteroids parted to reveal a golden pyramid.

“What is it?” Clara and Elise asked.

“The Pyramid of the Rings of Akhaten. It's a holy site for the Sun Singers of Akhate.”

“The who of what?”

“Seven worlds orbiting the same star. All of them sharing a belief that life in the universe originated here, on that planet.”

“All life?”

“In the universe.”

“Did it?”

“Well…it's what they believe. It's a nice story.”

“It’s beautiful,” Elise said.

“Can we see it? Up close?” Clara asked.

The Doctor held out his hand.

Clara took it and they ran back to the TARDIS.

Elise stood there looking at the star.

Clara grabbed her hand and pulled her into the TARDIS.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

They stepped out into a marketplace.

It was filled with a wide variety of alien species, some of which Elise had never encountered before.

“Where are they all from?” Clara asked.

“Oh, you know, the local system, mostly,” the Doctor said.

“What do I call them?”

The Doctor started to point out the different alien races. “Well, let's see. Ah! There go some Pan-Babylonians. A Lugarlirakush. Some Eukanians. A Hooloovoo. Ah!” The Doctor walked up an alien and started speaking a language that sounded like gibberish to Elise and Clara. “That chap's a Terraberserker of the Kodonian Belt. You don't see many of them around anymore. Oh! That's an Ultramanta! Do you know, I forget how much I like it here. We should come here more often.”

“You've been here before?” Clara asked.

“Yes, yes, yes. I came here a long time ago with my granddaughter.” He grabbed Elise’s hand and pulled her over to a stall. “I brought you and Amy once.”

Elise furrowed her brows in confusion. “Did you?”

“You don’t remember?”

“I think I would have remembered this place.”

The Doctor shrugged.

Clara caught up to them.

He picked up a basket of blue orbs. “Exotic fruit of some description.” He scanned them. “Right. Non-toxic, non-hallucinogenic. High in free radicals and low in other stuff, I shouldn't wonder.”

Clara and Elise took a bite of it.

Clara shook her head, but Elise on the other hand felt like she’d tasted it before. The Doctor said they’d been here before so maybe she ate one as a child? The memory was there. She could feel it, but she couldn’t remember it.

“Do you like it?” the Doctor asked.

Elise nodded and the Doctor handed her the basket.

“You actually like it?” Clara asked Elise.

Elise shrugged. “Alien food.” Elise pointed to herself. “Alien.”

“So, why is everyone here?” Clara asked the Doctor.

“For the Festival of Offerings. Takes place every thousand years or so, when the rings align. It's quite a big thing, locally, like Pancake Tuesday.”

They kept walking and Clara ran into an alien who started snarling at her. “Oh! Er, Doctor!”

The Doctor walked up and started barking at the alien.

“What's happening? Why is it angry?” Clara asked.

“This isn't an it. It's a she. Dor'een, meet Clara and my daughter Elise. Elise, Clara, meet Dor'een.”

“Dor’een?”

“Loose translation. She sounds a bit grumpy but she's a total love actually, aren't you? Yes, you are. No, actually, she's just asking if we fancy renting a moped.”

Clara barked and the Dor’een barked back. “So, how much does it cost?” Clara asked.

“Not money. Something valuable. Sentimental value. A photograph, love letter, something like that. That's what's used for currency here. Psychometry. Objects psychically imprinted with their history. The more treasured they are, the more value they hold.”

“That's horrible.”

“Better than using bits of paper.”

“Then you pay.”

“With what?”

“You're a thousand years old. You must have something you care about.” Clara walked off.

The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver and shook his head, putting it back. He looped his arm threw Elise’s and they ventured back into the marketplace. The Doctor watched Elise marvel at all the wares around her.

“I always thought I loved it on Earth, but you know what? I think I like this more,” Elise told him.

“Because it reminds you of Gallifrey?”

Elise’s steps faltered for a second. Never let him see the damage. “We may look human, but we never will be.”

The Doctor patted her hand.

They kept walking until they found Clara near the TARDIS.

“What have you been doing?” the Doctor asked her.

“Exploring.”

Elise grabbed Clara’s arm and dragged her along with them.

“Where are we going now?”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

They entered an amphitheater that was facing the pyramid.

The ceremony had already begun, so they quickly took their seats.

“Are we even supposed to be here?” Clara asked.

The Doctor hushed her.

“But are we?”

The Doctor hushed her again.

The girl on the pedestal turned around and smiled before starting to sing.

A song was coming from the pyramid too.

The Doctor pulled out a brochure. “They're singing to the Mummy in the Temple. They call it the Old God. Sometimes Grandfather,” the Doctor explained.

“What are they singing?” Clara asked.

“The Long Song. A lullaby without end to feed the Old God. Keep him asleep. It's been going for millions of years, chorister handing over to chorister, generation after generation after generation.”

Everyone around them held out their hands.

“What are they doing?”

“These are offerings. Gifts of value. Mementos to feed the Old God.”

The offerings dissolved as everyone around them started to join in with the song, including the Doctor.

Hearing the Doctor try to sing along brought back many happy memories of him singing her to sleep. Elise set her head on her father’s shoulder.

There was a rumbling noise and the singing stopped.

An energy beam grabbed the little girl and pulled her towards the pyramid.

“Okay, what's happening? Is that supposed to happen?” Clara asked.

“Help!” the little girl screamed.

“Is somebody going to do something? Excuse me, is somebody going to help her?”

The Doctor and Elise got up, running back into the now empty marketplace.

“Why are we walking away? We can't just walk away. This is my fault! I talked her into doing this,” Clara said.

“Listen. There's one thing you need to know about traveling with us. Well, one thing apart from the blue box and the two hearts. We don't walk away.” He walked over to Dor’een and talked to her for a second, before turning to the two women. “I need something precious.”

“Well, you must have something. All the places you've seen, there must be something,” Clara said.

The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver. “This. And I don't want to give it away, because it comes in handy.”

“You're a thousand years ole and that's it? Your spanner?”

“Screwdriver.”

Elise rolled her eyes and took off the bracelet she was wearing, the one she never took off for anything.

The Doctor grabbed her wrist. “No.”

“We need a moped and you don’t want to give up your screwdriver, so what else do you suggest?”

“Your mother gave you that. Do you really want to give up the last thing tying you to your family?”

Before the two could argue about it even more, Clara took off one of the rings on her hand and dropped it in the box.

The two Timelords stared at her.

“It was my mum’s.”

The Doctor released Elise’s wrist and refastened the bracelet. He placed a hand on her head and kissed her temple, before Elise shoved him away from her.

She looked at the bracelet, trying to conjure up memories her parents. But she couldn’t. Nothing existed before her life with the Doctor.

There was nothing tying her to her birth family. She only wore the bracelet because it like it was a part of her.

[13-reasons-ideas]

Finding Peace In Another Part 24

A/N: This chapter contains SMUT. DO NOT read if you are under 18 or are uncomfortable with smut. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I apologize for the delay. I started my old job back and it has been really busy. Hoping to use Thursday and Friday to get ahead some. As always, feedback is appreciated and much love.         

Saturday night, Bailey and I ventured out to school to go to the game. “Can I drive?”

“No. My car, I drive.”

“Ugh fine. Can I drive on the way home?”

“I’ll think about it.” Not freaking likely Bailey. He whistled as we pulled up to the school.

“I didn’t realize there actually were different buildings at American high schools. How do you know where you’re going?”

“Same way I did back home. Trial and error. And friends giving me directions or walking me to class. What did you think I meant the other day when I said they helped me out when I got here?”

“I don’t know.” We began walking to the football stadium. “Is it just me or is everyone staring at me?”

“Not you. Her.” Cyrus said, popping out of the crowd. “Name’s Cyrus.” He nodded to Bailey.

“Bailey.” He nodded in return, “why are they staring at her?”

“She’s dating Montgomery de la Cruz. People are going to stare.”

“I didn’t think he was ‘stare at his girlfriend’ bad. Becca, what did you leave out?”

“Nothing important. He just… tends to have issues dealing with his emotions is all.” I explained. Bailey stopped in his tracks and grabbed my hand, his expression hard and his eyes cold.

“Issues?”

“Not with me. I was serious the other day. He wouldn’t lay a hand on me.”

“Fucking better not.”

“If it makes you feel better, I don’t like the guy but I really don’t think he’s the type. To hurt women, I mean. He pretty well keeps his outbursts restricted to guys.” Cyrus added, quickly.

“Good.” Bailey said, putting an arm around me, out of habit. People did double takes but when I flicked him in the face gently, they lost interest.

We made it to the bleachers and found decent enough seats. The girls next to us, noticed the stranger in their midst and stared at him a moment, blushing, before turning back to each other and giggling about how cute he is. I know he’s cute. Before one girl could make a move, I cut her off. “He’s with me. He’s my best friend. He isn’t from here and he isn’t staying, trust me. It’s not worth the trouble.” The girls looked shocked and Cyrus burst out laughing. Bailey looked astonished that I would prevent him from whatever “moves” he could have made.

“Did you see that?” He asked Cyrus.

“Dude don’t worry about it. You dodged a bullet with those two.”

“Oh?”

“Blonde doesn’t understand the concept of a one-night stand and the brunette doesn’t understand ‘not my type’.”

Bailey shivered, “thanks Becky.”

“Bailey! What did I say about you calling me Becky?”

“I know, I know. But you love me so you can’t do anything about it.”

“I could call Jessica and tell her how much you miss her.” I challenged. He gulped and squeaked.

“I take it Jessica is not missed?” Cyrus asked. I bent over laughing.

“No. Psycho tried to pin a pregnancy on him a year after they broke up.”

“I didn’t do so good in science, but I do remember that you have to have sex with someone to get them pregnant and also pregnancy doesn’t last a year and a half.” Bailey said. I looked out at the crowd still gathering and waved at some of my other friends.

“Think you can use some of that dating an athlete privilege to make them move?” Cyrus asked me, leaning over Bailey.

“My what now?”

“Dating an athlete privilege. You’re dating Liberty High top end of the food chain. You get special privileges because of it.”

“And how do you know this exactly Cy?”

“I hear talk.”

“Right. Uh, I can try I guess?” I shrugged. Cyrus leaned back to watch the show and tapped Bailey to do the same. “Excuse me ladies, would you mind moving somewhere else?” I asked politely. They each raised a sculpted brow at me. Bailey coughed, but I could swear I heard a “firmer” in there. “Do you realize who I’m dating?” I raised a brow back at them. They sat for a second trying to place me, when they did, their eyes widened, and they immediately stood and stepped up to the next row. Cyrus laughed and slapped my knee; Bailey joined in shortly after.

“That was the greatest thing I’ve seen all week. Did you see their faces?”

“If I knew you could have had that kind of power at home, I would have pushed for you to date an athlete a long time ago.”

“We didn’t go to school events. You don’t go to school events.”

“I know but if you could have made people move, I might have.”

“Hey Becca, Cryus. Uh… Stranger.” We heard Alex say near us. We all turned to him.

“Hey. Did you want to sit?” I offered, scotching over some.

“Sure.” He said, sitting down. He turned his attention to Bailey. “Do I call you hat?”

“Depends, do I get to call you cardigan?” Seriously thought he was going to say cane.

“Alex.”

“Bailey. I’m in town visiting Becca.”

“Oh cool.”

“It was a surprise visit. I got home from school the other day and he was sitting on my doorstep.”

“Sneaky. Zach mentioned something about picking your friend’s brain.”

“He did. I told him all sorts of things about her. I’m told he’s my replacement, so I had to give him many details.”

His comments drew my attention. “What exactly did you tell him Bailey?”

“Stuff.” He smirked.

“What stuff?”

“I’ll let him fill you in after I leave.”

“Bastard.” I huffed.

“But I’m your bastard.” He said, pulling me into a close side hug.

“I suppose I’m stuck with you.” I sighed, overdramatically.

“That you are.” He laughed, kissing the side of my head. I felt Alex and Cyrus’ eyes glued to our exchange.

“Before you jump to conclusions, he’s just my friend. He’s almost a brother to me.”

“This is purely platonic. We’ve been best friends for years.”

Cyrus shrugged. “Okay, whatever works for you guys.”

“Does Monty know how close you are?”

“Yeah. We talked about it Thursday and again this morning. After they covered me in waffle batter and flour.”

“And you smothered him in Nutella.” Alex made a gagging motion to Cyrus.

“Not like that you perv. I swiped Nutella across his face.”

“Oh. Okay.” He nodded, obviously not really believing me. I shrugged.

Our discussion bounced from topic to topic after the game started. Truthfully, I wasn’t very interested in what was happening on the field. I was only there to be supportive to my friends and my boyfriend. It was a close game. So close in fact, that we only lost by a two-point conversion. I pulled out my phone for the first time all night right as the game ended and texted Monty, I’m sorry sweetheart. If you can wait until Tuesday night, the consolation sex will make up for it, I’m sure. I added an I love you but quickly deleted it before hitting send. It’s not the right time to say it nor is it something to say via text the first time.

Monty responded around twenty minutes later, I guess I can wait. Are you coming to Bryce’s tonight? Bailey is welcome to come. I realized then, that I hadn’t thought of my… incident… all day. “Hey Bailey, you feel like going to a party tonight?” I hope he says no….

“Will there be alcohol?”

“I assume so?”

“Then sure.” Fuck. I sighed discreetly before texting back, he’s down.  I don’t know if we will stay long though.

That’s okay. See you in a bit, babygirl.

“Shall we?” I asked, as I stood up and grabbed hold of my bag.

“Yeah, sure. It was nice meeting you guys.”

“You too.” My friends replied.

We walked arm and arm back to my car. As I was grabbing my keys, Bailey spoke up, “can I drive now?”

“Is this still my car?”

“Yes?”

“Then no.” Bailey pouted at my response but got in the car anyway.

I zipped home and parked in the garage, figuring there was no point in parking at Bryce’s and then driving home from there. It would take more gas to turn on the car than to get home. I made a quick stop in the house for a lighter sweater and to drop off my purse. People were already milling around the front yard when we arrived. I stopped briefly at the front door, trying to rid my brain of thoughts of what happened the last time I walked through this door.

“Becca.” I heard Scott call from the living room. I shook my head slightly and waved at him. Monty was walking towards him, but when he saw me at the door, he redirected to walk in my direction.

“Hey beautiful.” He said, pulling me against his side. He shared a nod with Bailey.

“Hey handsome. What are you drinking?”

“I’m not entirely sure. Something mixed with some kind of vodka, I think. Zach made it.”

I furrowed my brow and reached for his cup, sniffing it. It didn’t smell too offensive. “Can I have a sip?”

“Sure.” He replied, handing me the cup. It wasn’t that bad. A little heavy on the vodka but not horrible. I smacked my lips together a few times, trying to place the flavours.

“I think it’s apple juice and peach schnapps.” I looked at Bailey and watched as he looked around the room.

“You realize this is like a six-million-dollar house back home, right?”

“Yeah. I think mine would be around four?”

Monty coughed. “Four million dollars?”

“Yeah. Our housing bubble never burst, so houses are super expensive. What would cost one or two hundred thousand here, would cost four to five there. It’s stupid.”

“Fuck. How do you afford to live there?”

“Renting. Even though that’s stupidly expensive too. Everything is more expensive in Canada.”

He shook his head and took my hand, leading us to the kitchen. “Pick your poison. You want a beer Bailey?”

“American beer? No thanks. I’ll just let Becca mix me something.”

“I was going to go with a vodka cranberry, do you want that? I know you don’t drink apple juice, so I won’t try to hunt down Zach.”

“Sure.”

After I mixed our drinks, the three of us went off in search of the rest of our friend group. I spotted Justin and Zach talking and called over to them. They waved for us to come and chat.

“Vodka, apple juice, and peach schnapps?” I asked Zach.

“How did you know?”

“She’s still got it.” Bailey laughed, high fiving me. The boys looked at us, confused.

“My friends used to mix me drinks and stuff and make me guess what was in them. I was right most of the time. Oh, and Justin, this is my best friend Bailey. Bailey, this is Justin.” They waved to each other.

“So, you used to be fun?” Scott asked.

“I’m still fun. Right Monty?”

“Yes. You are very fun.”

“Your boyfriend saying you are fun doesn’t count Rebecca.” Zach chided.

“Fine. I’m fun, right Justin?”

“Hey now. Don’t drag me into this.”

“She’s fun.” Bryce said, as he walked over to us. I shivered and blinked slowly. Just ignore him. The fact that it’s his house doesn’t matter. Pretend he isn’t here.

“Thank you, Bryce.” I said, shoving my arm towards him to prove my point.

“Any time Becca. Enjoying yourself Bailey?”

“Yeah. Nice house.” Oh man. Bailey doesn’t like him. Hopefully he can keep his mouth shut until we leave.

“Thanks?” His attention was grabbed by someone else, near the back door, so thankfully he walked away and left us alone. I turned to Monty and after making sure he was in good hands, we left Bailey with our friends.

“So, about this consolation sex…?” Monty started as we found a quieter spot in the house.

“What about it?”

“What would it entail exactly?”

“Depends on what you want it to entail. And that’s just something you’ll have to wait to find out about.” I smirked, slyly.

“Babe. It’s Saturday. Tuesday is like an eternity away.”

“Montgomery. It’s less than three days away. If it’s that big of an issue to wait, you’re a big boy, I’m sure you can use your imagination.” He blinked at me a few times. “What?”

“You just… you look so innocent. And then stuff like that comes out of your mouth and….”

“And what?”

“I don’t know what to do with it.”

“What will you do with me?” I asked, batting my lashes.

“I don’t know yet, but you keep that up, Bailey will be spending the night here Princess.” He grumbled, boxing me in against the wall.

“He might be a little pissed off about that.” I whispered. Monty shrugged his brow as though he didn’t care, and then placed a heavy kiss to my lips.

I stuck close to Monty for the rest of the night, too nervous to be left alone in the house, even if it was full of people. Bailey and I left around midnight after I cut him off. Justin was Zach’s designated driver, so he kindly helped me get Bailey home safely and tucked in bed.

The next few days went by quickly. Bailey and I spent much of our day Sunday trying to soak up as much time together as we could before he left on Tuesday morning. We shared a teary eyed see you later when he left. I promised to visit home soon, and he promised to call me as often as he could.

My friends tried to cheer me up as best they could at school but the only thing that I was looking forward to, was a quiet night alone with my boyfriend, having possibly wild consolation sex. I beat Monty to my place since I had taken to bringing my homework to Peer in order to avoid seeing Bryce every afternoon. There wasn’t much I could do in the mornings or if I was having lunch with Monty, but even a small reprieve from being around him was enough for me to get through the day.

When he arrived, I had already changed into one of his shirts, that was really more of a very short dress on me and taken my pants off. My underwear poked out slightly when I walked or reached for anything. As such, he was significantly more reluctant to help me reach anything I needed. I could feel his eyes on me as I pondered what to have for dinner, or even if I was hungry enough for an entire dinner. My appetite had reduced since my… the thing… happened.

“Do you want to just skip dinner?” I asked.

“What else did you have in mind, Becks?” I sauntered over to where he was sitting at the island and pulled myself up onto it. Perched on the edge of the countertop, I leaned in closer to him.

“I can think of a few things.” I whispered, seductively in his ear.

“Is that so?” He whispered back, rubbing my upper thigh. I nodded vigorously. He stood up and leaned closer still to me. Taking advantage of the closeness of his body to mine, I placed my fingers through his belt loops and pulled him to me, in a searing kiss. He growled low in his throat and in one swift motion, pulled me up and held me to his body. His shirt rode up as he held onto my butt with one arm and had the other around my waist. He pulled away from the kiss before setting me down on my feet. I looked up at him, doe eyed as he took advantage of our size difference and towered over me. I felt about ten times smaller than I was. I went to protest, but he picked me up bridal style and took off towards the stairs. Monty carried me all the wait to my room and unceremoniously dropped me in the middle of my bed.

I sat there with my knees parted slightly and watched him. I watched as he closed the door and pulled off his shirt over his head. I didn’t even bother trying to hide the fact that I was once again, mentally drooling at the sight of him shirtless. He caught me staring and smirked. My eyes widened more as he went for his belt. We were both shocked as a growl tore its way from my throat. Woah. “Did you want to do that babygirl?”

“Yes please.” I nodded, my voice sounding small. I sat up some more and went to remove my top.

“Leave it.” He said, sternly. I could feel my underwear begin to soak through at his tone. I nodded and lowered my arms. “Good girl.” I beamed, flashing him a wide smile. He chuckled and shook his head. I waited very patiently while he puttered around my room. This is some kind of test. Or at least, I thought I was waiting patiently. The quiet whimpering was an indication of the opposite. “Patience little one.”

I opened my mouth to speak but when he looked at me, I closed it. Finally, finally he sauntered over to my bed and climbed towards me. I slowly moved back until my back hit the headboard of my bed. I tried really hard, but I couldn’t help the giggle that escaped. He looks like a giant cat crawling towards me. Does that make me his prey? Monty stopped when he reached me, and once again, I couldn’t stop myself. I leaned forward and kissed his nose softly. He smiled and kissed mine back. I kissed him again. It was less intense than the one in the kitchen, but still had just as much passion behind it. I followed as he leaned back on his heels.

He had me right where he wanted me. He placed his hands at the bottom of the shirt and pulled up on it. We broke our kiss only to remove it. I took my chance while he was pulling off my shirt and reached for his belt. Surprisingly, he let me unbuckle and pull it off and undo his jeans before he stopped me. With my wrists in his hand, he was able to regain the ounce of control he had lost and push me back down onto the bed. I groaned and pretended to struggle as he readjusted my legs to a more comfortable position and straddled me. “Did I say you could do that, Princess?” he asked, his voice commanding yet condescending.

“No.” I squeaked, shaking my head for emphasis. I guess I must have looked slightly afraid to him because for a moment he relaxed and was back to my loveable Monty again.

“Are you okay with this?”

“Absolutely.” I stated, earnestly. That was all he needed to hear before he was back to his domineering role. I had to bite my lip to hold back my grin at how hot I found the situation.

“Stay. No moving.” He instructed. I fought the urge to acknowledge the instruction and watched him get off the bed and remove both his pants and boxers in one go. I whimpered wantonly and felt a muscle in my arm twitch. I think he assumed it was a muscle spasm because he let it slide.

Once again, he climbed on the bed and crawled towards me. This time he acknowledged my bare chest, having ignored it when He removed my top. Though it was a struggle, I managed to stay still as he rolled and pinched my nipples. I feel more naked than he is right now in just my underwear. I gasped when he pinched one particularly hard. He chuckled, darkly and did it again. I couldn’t help but cry out that time. Seeming to be satisfied, he moved his hands down my body, to my light pink panties. He wasted no time, removing them and immediately rubbing my clit with his thumb. I groaned loudly and squirmed. All stimulation stopped. “Still.” He waited a moment for me to relax again before he resumed his ministrations. I managed to stay still that time.

After he determined I had had enough stimulation, he had me sit up and gave me the go ahead to touch him. I jumped at the chance. My hands instantly found his cock and began stroking at varying speeds. I’ve never been much of a patient person. His grunts and moans only spurred me on more. It wasn’t long before he pushed me away. I looked at him wide eyed. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No. No no. You did everything right.” He assured me, his thumb rubbing my cheek. I smiled and hummed, leaning into his hand. After he made sure I was calm, he began maneuvering my body, so I was on my hands and knees. I arched my back as low as I could and leaned my weight on my elbows. He growled at my eagerness and willingness to be in this position before I felt his cock rub against my folds. I gasped and moved forward slightly. He pulled my hips back into position somewhat roughly and I purred. I could feel him trying not to laugh.

When he entered me, I had to hold back a scream. It felt so good, my brain had already began turning to mush. He groaned behind me, loudly. As he began thrusting harder and faster, he leaned forward to cup my throat and carefully guide me back into a kneeling position. Ignoring my instructions to stay still I leaned into him and brought my arms up and back to wrap around his neck. I felt myself getting closer to my orgasm and knew he could feel it. He reached down to precisely rub my clit and we both began to chase our orgasms. My vision went black for a few seconds and I was there. When I opened my eyes, Monty was lying me forward and back down on my elbows. He went to my bathroom and grabbed a washcloth, cleaning my lower half as I curled up. He made me sit up long enough to put my shirt back on and make room for him to get into his spot. I was out by the time he pulled me against his broad chest.

[hookedontaronfics]

Last Call - Part 2

Rating: Mature/Explicit Pairing: Taron x Reader Warnings: Cursing, Plenty of smut [Oral, Unprotected Sex] Find the first part HERE. A/N: Multiple readers requested a second part to my one-shot Last Call, so here it is! I truly hope you enjoy it! x

It hadn’t been a mistake, but you sure as hell regretted it. He hadn’t exactly been your first one-night stand, but the problem remained; you’d always been able to walk away before without much thought. Sleeping with Taron had been an entirely different experience. The problem, of course, was that you now couldn’t get him off your mind.

His charming smile was everywhere you looked, reflecting back to you in car windows as you passed them by on I-5, in the storefront windows as you hurried toward the Paramount, in every cute brown-haired, bright-eyed boy who tried to catch your eye. None of them were Taron, of course; you knew where he was at that very minute, still at the WaMu Convention Center, making his fans happy. You needed desperately hard to figure out a way to not miss him; that he’d gotten under your skin felt both dangerous and dizzying. You couldn’t, wouldn’t be seeing him again, so getting a grip on this little fascination of yours was of utmost importance.

You once again nodded your hellos to your hotel co-workers before taking your place at the bar. Your boss was thankfully not working tonight; you were grateful you’d be working with Dave because he’d not only keep things light-hearted and fun but he was also very gay - no temptations there. Still, since no one was at the bar at the moment, you pulled out your phone and started scrolling through the Taron Twitter feed. Most of what you saw there you regretted seeing; why anyone in their right minds would tweet some of that stuff was beyond you, but there was also a large cadre of respectful fans who had made it their mission to spread Taron’s merits far and wide. 

You were lost in the myriad of pictures when someone tapped you lightly on the shoulder; you nearly jumped out of your skin and banged your shin against the dishwasher. “Owww!” you groaned, rubbing it as you turned to greet your very tan, blonde-tipped co-worker. Dave could have been a California surfer for all his looks, but here he was in Seattle making drinks for the elites. He always said he stuck around because Seattle actually celebrated the LGBTQ lifestyle but personally, you figured he stuck around for his perpetually on again-off again relationship with Joe, the next-door cafe barista.

“Who’s that fine piece?” he asked, having looked over your shoulder at your phone as you’d been scrolling.

“He’s an actor,” you said a bit dismissively, but Dave just kept going on.

“Strong jawline, kind eyes, adorable smile, broad chest,” Dave said, before snapping his fingers. “Mmm, he’s that Kingsman kid, isn’t he? All grown up and ready to -”

“Dave!” you cut in. “Jesus. I get it, he’s hot as hell,” you laughed, your cheeks turning pink against your will.

“Noooo,” Dave said, his eyes going wide. “You slept with him?” he squealed, clapping his hands together.

“Oh my god, we’re not having this conversation right now,” you groaned. “How’d you know?”

“You have a tell, sweetheart, everyone does, it’s totally fine. We’ve only worked together for five years,” he smirked as you covered your face with your hands. “So how’d that happen?” he asked, wanting you to dish on the details. And normally you would, but something about this felt different, so you just mumbled something about helping an overly friendly drunk person up to his room and, well, straight into bed. 

Well, technically against the couch, but who was keeping score? You blushed again at the thought of last night, the sounds he’d made, the way he’d felt inside you- … you had to stop thinking that way or you were going to have a very uncomfortable shift being horny half the night.

“Anyways, Dave, he was drunk, he probably didn’t even remember it, and I’ll never see him again, so…” you trailed off as he looked at you sympathetically.

“Oh, honey, you liked this one, didn’t you?” he asked, and you nodded. There was no point in lying - it was probably written all over your face.

“Yes. No. I don’t know, Dave. He stood up to our shitty boss for me and was kind and thoughtful and he had absolutely no need to be any of those things to me,” you said, getting a far-off look in your eyes. “But it doesn’t matter!” you insisted again. “Let’s just get this work day over with,” you said, needing to focus on anything other than Taron.

Sundays always seemed to bring an interesting mix of clients, and the evenings were usually more laid-back too, so you let yourself ease into the flow of it, and truly enjoyed working with Dave, especially as he rattled on about his weekly sexploits, as he called them; there really was nothing TMI with Dave, but you didn’t mind. Your secrets were always safe with him, and he would always have your back.

“Oh, honey, don’t look now, but there is an absolute dreamboat at 9 o’clock,” Dave whispered in your ear as you were polishing water spots off a clean glass. Of course you were going to look, so you grabbed a rag and moved to that part of the counter, trying to look like you were inspecting a stain as you raised your gaze up - and nearly choked on your own spit when you saw Taron standing in the bar’s doorway, so obviously looking for you. You gave Dave a look and he gestured to you to “deal with it” before going to check up on your clients for you.

“Holy shit,” you said as Taron spotted you and started walking over, the cutest damn smile growing on his face. For just one moment you allowed yourself to get lost in that smile, the way it made his eyes scrunch up. He was dressed simply in black jeans and a black tee, the shirt sleeves tight around his biceps and highlighting them just so perfectly. Oh, he could hold you down with those muscles, you thought, before cringing slightly at that. Thinking those things would only get you hot and bothered with no way to remedy the situation.

“What are you doing here?” you asked when Taron finally got to the bar. He looked slightly confused at your cold reception; it wasn’t your proudest moment.

“You left me last night,” he said, not even a question, and you felt his gaze on you as you dropped yours down to the floor. “I woke up alone and I thought I could deal with that. But the thing is, I couldn’t stop thinking about you at all. You were on my mind all day. I took hundreds of pictures with other girls, but y/n, they weren’t you. I needed to see you again.”

“Well, here I am,” you said, holding out your arms before letting them drop to your side. “I don’t know what you want from me. You’re going back to London, I live here. This isn’t a romance,” you said quietly.

“Romance doesn’t have to last a lifetime. It can be just for a single day,” he replied. You looked up at him leaning against the bar, his gaze so earnest and vulnerable it took your breath away. “Why don’t you say we give it a chance?”

“I’m kinda at work…” you trailed off as Dave swung by you.

“No you’re not. It’s a slow night and I’ve got your tables. I’ll even hold your tips for you,” he said with a wink. “So go on,” he grinned, fairly pushing you out from behind the bar. “Go have the night of your life!” Everyone really should have a Dave in their life, you thought as you found yourself walking out of the bar with Taron in a complete change of events. You noticed vaguely that he was toting his suitcase with him; he must have already checked out of his hotel room. Just then his phone started ringing and he looked at it, wincing slightly before silencing it and pocketing it again.

“What was that?” you asked him, a bit suspiciously.

“Nothing,” he said quickly but you wouldn’t let it go. “I missed my flight. My agent is livid,” he said but with a grin. “He’ll deal and I’ll book another flight,” he added with a nonchalant shrug. Of course booking another flight was no big deal to him, considering where he’d been put up last night, you thought. Still, despite being obviously loaded, he remained humble and unassuming, and you really liked that he didn’t flaunt his status, even if he was wearing a watch that probably cost more than your month’s rent.

“So where are we going, then?” you laughed as you both stood there on the sidewalk outside the hotel.

“I kind of didn’t already have a plan. I figured I’d just have to wait for you at the bar half the night, which I mean, you know I would have done for you,” he grinned. “Having time with you sooner is a pleasant surprise.”

“Well,” you said, running your fingers through your hair. “We can just grab a bite to eat,” you said, smiling at him.

“Perfect. And then after that, I’ll take you all the way up there,” he said cutely, pointing to the top of the Space Needle. A part of you wanted to tell him it was just a really expensive and over-glorified elevator ride, but his excitement over it was infectious and you weren’t about to dash his hopes.

You both quickly walked back to your car; you got to drive since Taron had just been chauffeured around Seattle and didn’t have a rental of his own. You kept having to remind yourself that he wasn’t even on your level.

“Pardon the mess,” you said as you quickly cleared the front passenger seat of its accumulation of empty water bottles and discarded receipts. He didn’t seem to care about the state of your car as you dug around the back for an extra shirt you knew you had stashed amongst the various bags and boxes of random stuff. You clambered into the backseat and tried your best to hide from passersby. 

“Close your eyes,” you giggled to Taron as you shucked off your work vest and button-down, even though he’d technically already seen you in a far more undressed state. You exchanged those for a light blue frilly blouse, let down your hair from its clip and touched up your makeup quickly, all in about five minutes’ space, before climbing over the middle console into the front seat. You’d had plenty of practice with quick changes in your car.

“Can I open them now?” Taron giggled lightly, his eyes still actually squeezed shut, and you laughed at that. You had to appreciate his sense of chivalry, that was for sure.

“Of course,” you grinned at him as he looked over at you, his eyes roaming over your body as he looked clearly impressed at your transformation.

“Like what you see?” you asked a bit cheekily.

“Very much so,” he smirked back, sending a thrill through you. You clamped your legs together, fully aware of how much skin your skirt showed off as he licked his lips slightly. But you both kept your hands to yourselves or you wouldn’t be making it to dinner at all.

You both pulled up Google on your phones and tried to decide on a place; finally, you suggested a restaurant called The Walrus and The Carpenter that you had always wanted to try. It offered the right mix of fresh seafood and American tapas, as well as specialty cocktails, and once Taron agreed it sounded like a good choice, you made the drive uptown. You were able to snag a table with only a little wait time, and found the food to be even better than you had imagined. The drinks were enjoyable and the company even more so, and soon you had both filled yourselves to the brim with fresh oysters, small plates of peppers, beets, kohlrabi and cheese, and finished it all off with marionberry cake.

Taron paid the tab without a second thought, and soon you both were off to the Space Needle. You’d only been up once before; the views really were pretty, and the few clouds hugging the horizon as the sun was close to setting would probably set off a spectacular view. “What are you thinking?” Taron’s voice broke through your thoughts; you hadn’t even realized that you’d been smiling a bit dreamily while you drove.

“How this has been one of the most pleasant evenings I’ve ever had,” you said honestly, looking over at him briefly, his lovely green eyes focused on you.

“It’s been much the same for me,” Taron grinned, reaching over and taking one of your hands in his. You couldn’t help it; you squealed a little bit inside. You knew that this couldn’t last but you told yourself there was no harm in living the dream for today.

You parked and Taron once again paid, even though you had offered to cover your ticket. You took the ride up, Taron keeping his hand at the small of your back in a sweet manner. No one else in the elevator seemed to pay you any mind. Once you arrived at the top, the views did not disappoint. You both spent some time just gawking at the sunset, the water, the city stretched out below, taking cute pictures together and just having fun. At one point he had his arms wrapped around you and his chin resting on your shoulder, his warm body pressed against you, and you couldn’t stop the racy thoughts rolling through your mind.

Almost as if he could hear your thoughts, Taron cleared his throat and asked “Shall we go then?”

“Sure,” you said a bit breathlessly. You could only imagine where this night was going to end up. Once you were safely seated back in your car, Taron pulled you in close to him.

“Been waiting to do this all damn day,” he whispered before pulling your mouth to his. You closed your eyes and savored the feeling as he kissed you, soft and slow and sweetly at first. But as you returned his kisses, they deepened, becoming needier, hungrier. One of his hands wrapped around behind your head as the other ran along your bare thigh, sliding up under the hemline of your skirt. You moaned slightly and gave his fingers access to your core, already growing wet in anticipation of his touch.

But then he pulled away, both of you panting, leaving you hot and definitely bothered, but you knew you were still parked in a very public space and getting arrested for indecency wasn’t high on your list of life accomplishments.

“Should we go book a hotel room somewhere?” Taron asked, fidgeting slightly and you were all too aware of the tent in his pants.

“No, I have a better idea,” you grinned, putting the car in gear and pulling out as quickly, but safely, as possible. He’d left his hand on your thigh, but didn’t make a move to distract you any further. Seattle traffic could get scary at times, and you did your best to take the backways you knew to avoid the worst of it, grateful when you finally pulled into the lot of your red brick apartment building on Rainier Avenue.

Taron raised an eyebrow at you once you were parked. “No one has to know a thing here,” you grinned back at him as he fairly attacked you with kisses again, peppering your face with them until you shrieked with laughter at it.

“You are bloody brilliant,” he grinned at you as you both got out of the car. You told him to haul his suitcase up because you had a feeling he wouldn’t be sneaking out at night the way you had left him in the hotel. You led him up to your second-floor apartment, mentally walking through it and hoping there wasn’t anything too embarrassing left out, but despite how you treated your car, your apartment was usually in pretty orderly shape.

“Well this is cute,” he grinned as you let yourselves inside and he looked about him. “It reflects you,” he grinned, pulling your hips into his and making you gasp slightly. “Now… Where were we?” he asked, his voice a low murmur that went straight to your groin. He crashed his lips against yours, no longer worried about seeming needy, and you could feel his erection growing even more, pressing against your leg as he trailed his kisses across your jawline and down your neck, finding a spot that made you weak in the knees and nipping your skin with his teeth.

“Taron,” you whined slightly, but he seemed absolutely determined to take his slow time with you, to make you feel every bit of what he could do to you. You could only shiver in anticipation as his fingers trailed along your waist. He gripped your shirt and slowly pulled it off you, and you were grateful you’d chosen a cute lacy black bra over the boring nude one that morning. His eyes grew dark as he took in the sight, his fingers brushing over the swell of your breasts in the bra.

“I didn’t get to appreciate this last night,” he smirked at you, making your breath catch in your throat a bit as he dropped those heated kisses down to your chest, leaving your nerves on fire wherever his lips traveled over your skin. He reached around you and unhooked your bra, letting it drop to the floor before taking one of your pert nipples in his mouth, rolling his tongue over it and making you moan loudly. He pinched the other one gently with his fingers, causing you just enough pain to be pleasurable as he sucked at your breast greedily before moving down your stomach, nipping and sucking spots on your skin.

You never wanted him to stop, and voiced your displeasure when he pulled away for a moment. “Patience,” he smirked, grabbing your hand and pulling you toward your bedroom, but then must have changed his mind because he tugged you toward the bathroom instead.

“Only one place for a dirty girl like you,” he spoke, as you both stepped into the small cramped space. He wrestled with the tub handle, making you laugh as it totally broke the mood.

“It’s tricky,” you giggled, turning the water on to warm up and stepping out of your skirt, standing there in only your panties as Taron rid himself of his shirt and pants pretty quickly too. He pulled you in for more kisses again, before noticing the dark bruises along your hips from the night before.

“Oh God, I did that to you?” he said, brushing his fingers over your hips so delicately it nearly tickled.

“It doesn’t hurt, and don’t you dare apologize for giving me the best night of my life,” you said firmly, as another one of those breathtaking smiles lit up his face.

“Best night of your life, eh?” he asked. “I think I can do better,” he said gruffly, and you moaned again at the thought as you stood there and admired his physique. He was built, but not overly so, and it gave him a sort of everyman quality that could put anyone at ease.

“God, you’re beautiful,” you breathed, and your comment seemed to have caught him slightly off-guard. He tried to bluff his way out of the compliment but you put your hand on his chest and shook your head. “I can’t believe you don’t see it, but you are. Let me help you feel it, at least,” you whispered as you ran your hand over his still-clothed bulge. The groan that rumbled in his chest was enough to set you aflame. You pulled his boxer-briefs down and sat back on the edge of the tub, running your fingers along the shaft of his cock, appreciating what was right in front of you as your mouth salivated for him.

You pulled him close so he was standing between your outstretched legs and leaned in, placing some teasing kisses along his hip bones and down the trail of hair before finally placing a kiss on the tip of his engorged cock. “Holy fuck,” he hissed, his hands tangling in your hair as you licked the vein on the underside. He tried to buck into your mouth but you held him back, smirking at the power you had over him in that moment. There was nothing sexier than seeing a man like this, head thrown back and in the throes of the pleasure you were giving him.

Finally you gave him what he wanted, taking his cock in your mouth, sucking hard as you moved, your fingers digging into his butt cheeks as you let him thrust into your mouth, trying to avoid gagging around him as he sought his high. You could tell he was close when his groans gave way to grunts and you let him slip out of your mouth with a pop, earning you a slight yank of your hair that he still had a hold of and making your eyes water slightly.

“I want you to cum inside me,” you said, your panties thoroughly soaked by this point. You needed him, and you needed him now.

“I like a woman who knows what she wants,” Taron said, still a bit breathless as you stood up and he helped you out of your panties. You stepped into the tub and pulled the diverter valve for the shower, feeling the hot water against your skin as Taron followed you in and pushed you against the wall, biting your lip slightly as his hips pressed against yours. You were all too happy to lift a leg around his waist as he grabbed his cock and stroked it a few times before pressing into you. You’d nearly forgotten how full he made you feel, and you had to hold onto him to keep from sliding down. He had his hands flat against the wall to steady you both as he slowly started to pull out and push back in, gazing at you fully the entire time. It was probably the single most intimate sex you’d ever shared with anyone.

He couldn’t resist kissing you again, swallowing your moans and adding his own as beads of water glistened on his skin. You held onto him tightly, fully overwhelmed as he picked up his rhythm; the angle meant he was hitting you in the most delicious place. You could feel the edges of your orgasm drawing together already as Taron fairly started to pound into you, losing his composure as he barreled quickly toward his climax, desperate for it now. Suddenly and all at once powerfully, your orgasm tore through you, the waves of pleasure making you forget time and place as you screamed Taron’s name out loud. He was barely ten seconds behind you, grunting in your ear as he spilled into you, both of you overwhelmed by the feeling of it as he held you there for a few moments, both of you trying to come down together.

When he was sure you could stand on your own he finally pulled away, spent and totally exhausted but also really, stupidly happy. You would never get tired of seeing that dopey grin on his face. Neither of you said much as you slowly got yourselves clean before the hot water ran out. You had taken a few moments to run the soapy loofah over his chest, wanting to stretch out this time as long as you possibly could before it would all be over.

Eventually you both stepped out of the shower, wrapping yourselves in towels and having to leave the bathroom as the amount of steam that had built up in there was making it hard to breathe. You both dried off and got dressed in pajamas, and Taron pulled you cutely onto your bed with him, having to displace several stuffed animals to fit, which made him chuckle. You laid side-by-side, nearly forehead to forehead with each other, just gazing at each other, still in that post-sex glow. He reached over and caressed your cheek sweetly. You could have stayed like that forever with him.

“Come with me to London,” he said softly, and it took you a moment to process what he had said.

“What?” you asked, a bit in disbelief.

“You don’t seem happy here,” he said, and he was right about that. “Quit your job. Leave your shitty boss behind. You could find work anywhere in London,” he fairly pleaded.

“Taron, I- … That’s not even realistic,” you replied, feeling your heart beginning to race. “I have bills to pay, and just, things I need to take care of here.”

“I could help you with the bills, and I’d be patient. But we could make it happen,” he said in such a vulnerable way that it hurt your heart a bit to deny him again.

“I couldn’t ever ask you to do that,” you shook your head.

“Then call it a loan, if you must. You could pay me rent to stay in my flat with me, for all I cared. I just want you with me. Nothing is impossible. Just imagine it, just try, you and me in London.”

“You are so sweet, Taron, but I hardly know you,” you said, brushing his still-damp hair back. He looked a bit crestfallen until you added, “But maybe we could date for a little bit first, do the long-distance thing.”

“And then you’d consider it?” he asked hopefully.

“Sure, babe, I’d consider it,” you said as he hugged you close and buried his face against your chest. You smiled at that and let him hold onto you, feeling emotions you weren’t used to feeling. It made you both anxious and elated as the night enveloped you both. As you started sliding headlong toward sleep, you wondered how this green-eyed stranger had managed to get so far under your defenses. And the real truth of it was that your last call had suddenly made you hope for a forever.

Keep reading! A third part has been added HERE.

[random-imagines-blog]

Imagine your first Christmas while dating a member of the Justice League (Alternate Endings)

Requested by: Anonymous

Christmas was always a big thing to you when you were little. Waking up, going into the living room and seeing the ribbons on presents sparkle with the lights on the Christmas tree was a magical experience. And then the impatience when your parents would make you eat your breakfast first, and you would squirm as you took the biggest mouthfuls, just to get it down quicker. The radio softly playing Jingle Bells when you opened the first gift of the year ... It faded as you grew older. Christmas was embarrassing when you were a teenager, and nearly forgotten about when you were an adult. But now that you reached your six month anniversary with the most amazing person that you could imagine - you knew you had to attempt to bring back some of the magic.

Arthur Curry

There was only one town that Arthur felt comfortable in, and that was the small town in Iceland where he would occasionally surface and drink his fill of whiskey. That meant that you had to go to him, rather than hope that he would come to you. You rented a small house in the town, and made it your second home so that you could be close to him, and it was here that you had decorated everything to fit with the Christmas season.

While Arthur was in the water, doing whatever it was that he did down there, you dragged a pine tree into the house on your own, cursing at the needles that were now all over the wooden floor, but decided to throw them into the fire that was lit in the fireplace to add more of that fresh winter smell that you associated with the season.

The only problem with the tree is that you couldn’t quite reach the top of it to put the star. It was just a small, store bought star that was very impersonal but flying your decorations from home would cost more money than you were willing to put into it. Not everyone could be as rich as Bruce Wayne, after all.

You made do with the tinsel, and the ornaments that you found in the general store. You didn’t understand what any of the words meant, since you barely spoke Icelandic, but attempting to say them as you hung them on the tree was amusing enough for you. Once again, you tried at the star at the top of the tree, pulling a chair from the kitchen into the living room and standing on it but alas - the tree and the roof were both much too tall for you to manage.

“What are you doing?” A gruff voice from the door caught your attention. A gusty wind, complete with thick snowflakes, blew into the room, making you feel chilly despite the fireplace being close to you.

“Putting the star in the tree, what does it look like?” You huffed, and stood on your tiptoes, reaching towards the trunk of the tree to keep your balance.

Arthur chuckled and stepped inside, finally closing and latching the door behind him. “Why?”

“Because it’s Christmas next week? I have to get you a waterproof watch or something - that’s an idea.” You were getting close - the star was almost attached but you slipped. Instead of finding yourself on the floor, two strong hands were around your waist, keeping you raised up. You looked at Arthur’s face, who averted his eyes to the lopsided, half-hanging star.

“Are you going to put it on or what?” He asked. You smiled and guided him to lift you a little higher so you could fix it, and then let him bring you down to the ground.

“There, now we can put up stockings. This one is yours. I don’t know what it says but it looks manly.” You let go of him and grabbed the larger stocking, which was a deep green with white trim, while the one you got for yourself was magenta. On his was written ‘Pabbi.’

Arthur looked at it and looked at you affectionately, with a grin on his face. “I’m your Daddy now, am I?” He asked with an eyebrow cocked.

Barry Allen

Barry had always been particular about his things. Only after two months of dating did he feel comfortable enough to let you sit in his second favorite chair rather than a bean bag that he hardly ever used and sat moldering in the corner.After four months of dating, he made you an account on his gaming consoles and let you play when he was there, but he kept them firmly shut off when he wasn’t. Now, at six months - you were going to force his hand a little bit and hope that it worked out well for the both of you.

On Christmas day, Barry went to go and see his dad, and let you stay alone in his little hideout, with the promise that you wouldn’t go out and leave it unlocked and exposed. You put your hand over your heart and agreed to those terms, then Barry rushed on out to the prison. You speed-dialled Bruce, who was number three on your phone after Barry and Alfred, and your Christmas gift to Barry arrived in record time.

A couple of things had to be moved, but you did everything so carefully that not only was nothing broken, you managed not to smudge anything with your fingerprints. You promised Bruce a favor in return, then put on the last few finishing touches in the room by wearing a Santa hat, and adding some tinsel to the top of the TVs, and a large bow on top of the new present.

An hour after he left, Barry returned, but the surprise swept him off his feet - literally. He clumsily slid halfway across the room, wearing out the soles of his shoes almost instantly. “What’s - what’s this?” He asked, his hands on his shiny new gift.

You made a deal with Bruce. In exchange for the fixed up wreck of one of his batmobiles, nonfunctioning of course because Barrie did like buttons a little too much, you would owe him a favor of his choosing. Anything as long as it didn’t involve hurting Barry, of course.

The Batmobile didn’t have wheels, nor did it have the top so it was a convertable style. Barry jumped right on in, and looked as excited as he did when he first ran around in Bruce’s Batcave, looking at everything.

“It’s your new favorite chair. I hope you like it.” You said, leaning over the hood, balancing yourself on your elbows and looked through the windshield. “I did have to move a few things but I can help you find new places for them.”

“I love it!” Barry said, putting his hands on the steering wheel and then honked the horn, making you jump slightly from the startling noise.

“Merry Christmas.” You said, once you collected your nerves.

“Merry Christmas.” Barry said, hands still on the wheel.

Diana Price

Diana was working late at the museum, though she could have taken the day off if she had wanted to. Though she had been away from her home island for decades, she still did not have a grasp on Christmas and why it was important to people. She preferred to just continue working, and treat it like just another day.

You, however, were the opposite. You took the whole week off, from Christmas Eve to New Years day. You told Bruce that unless it was actually life and death of the planet, not to give you a call because you did not feel like swooping in and saving the day when you could be at home in an ugly knitted Christmas sweater, drinking hot chocolate with festive marshmallows.

In the sleek Paris penthouse with the view of the Siene, you were playing your favorite Christmas movies on the tv. You were just coming up to the end of the Polar Express and were browsing what you should pick next when Diana finally came home. It appears even Wonder Woman could get cold, for she kept herself huddled in her black faux-fur coat.

“You’re just in time - Elf or The Grinch?” You asked, holding up the two DVDs for her to pick one. She took off her shoes and glanced over, her eyes barely taking in the bright colors of the movie covers.

“What is a ... grinch?” She asked, trodding over in her bare feet to take a closer look at the green creature.

“I know you’ve never done the whole Christmas thing but the Grinch? You’ve never seen the Grinch?” You said in dismay. You popped open the case and slid it into the DVD player, cutting off the Polar Express early. You knew how it ended, it didn’t matter if you missed it. “Come on, get comfy, have some of my hot chocolate.”

Diana joined you with curiosity, and during the movie, she was on the edge of her seat. The colors of the animation were so vibrant, she couldn’t take her eyes off of them. Colors that would be garish in the museum she worked in but fir perfectly in the film! Her hand went over her heart at the end, when everything turned out to be just fine. You had spent more time taking in her reaction than you had watching the movie.

“That was the grinch.” You grinned when it was over. “What did you think?”

“This grinch ... he was bad but he became good. I like that.” Diana smiled. “Now ... what is Elf?”

Victor Stone

“Victor, it’ll be fun, please? You’re the only one I know who could figure something like this out.” You used your best puppy dog pout, and held onto the string of Christmas lights that you had draped around Victor’s shoulders. Just from touching him, the lights were turned on despite them not being plugged into an electrical outlet. “If you’re not going to do it for me, then do it for your dad.”

Victor would do anything for you - if he thought that it was worth his time. It wasn’t that he was arrogant, he just had many other things that he would rather be doing, like research against the enemies of the Justice League. He was literally built for hacking at this point, and could be doing a lot of good. But corresponding up the Christmas lights to shine and shut off to the rhythm of Jingle Bell Rock?

“Victor...” You said, seeing how much he was thinking about it. “This is our first Christmas together, the three of us. We can make things feel ... comfortable.”

Victor inhaled sharply but then breathed out slowly. “Fine.” He muttered.

“Thank you!” You stood on your tiptoes so you would be able to reach his still-human cheek and press a kiss onto it. “Dinner will be ready in about half an hour, text your dad, will you?”

You left him to go into the kitchen of the apartment that the Stone men shared. Silas Stone had managed to find the recipe book that his late-wife had put together using magazine recipes cut and pasted right in. The perfect Christmas Turkey, the creamiest mashed potatoes, the stuffing with the most fiber - it was all here and you did all that you could to make the meal just as she would have. You wanted to make her proud, despite not knowing her.

As you set the table, you checked on the lights that Victor had programmed. It had only taken him a solid two minutes to do it. You pressed play on the CD player, and the lights started to flicker. It brought more joviality to the room. You were missing a Christmas tree, but the lights would have to do.

“Smells good in here!” Silas said, coming home from STAR Labs, rubbing his hands together to eliminate the last traces of cold. “Is that Jingle Bell Rock?”

“Sure is.” You grinned, setting the turkey down on the table. Never in your life have you felt like you were a part of a family like this. It was peaceful, it was happy, and you weren’t going to let anything bring you or the Stone men down today. “Victor did a great job with the lights. Do you want to do the honors of carving the turkey?”

Victor, who had been in his own head looking at Arkham files of someone he had been hearing about, turned to look over at you and his father, eye brightly glowing. It never scared you away, how much of him had been replaced by robotics. You knew the Victor Stone that was within. You softened him up with a smile and pulled a chair out for him.

“Yeah, I’ll do it.” Victor said, finally giving in, shutting the majority of his programs down so that his full focus would be on his family for the night.

Clark Kent

“I think that’s the one we need, right there.” You said, stopping in front of one of the larger trees in the lot. “That’s going to fit a lot of ornaments, don’t you think cutie?” You asked, looking up at Clark who stood behind you and adjusted his glasses.

He took a good look at it then smiled. “If you think that’s the one - then it’s the one.” He agreed with you, and called over the owner of the lot to purchase it. Once he took the payment, he scrambled off so he wouldn’t have to offer to help carry it out of the array of other trees and bring it to the parking lot.

“It’s not going to fit in the truck, is it?” You asked, realizing that only after it had been paid for. You pursed your lips and tried to think of a solution to the problem. You could only think of one, and it meant looking up at Clark with a hopeful expression on your face.

He didn’t need to hear your words to know what you were thinking. Looking around to make sure no one was looking, he picked up the tree as if it were a light, fake one, and rested it against his shoulder. “I’ll meet you there?” He asked.

“Meet you there.” You confirmed, and kissed him on the cheek. Looking around one more time, Clark held tight to the tree then jumped into the air. Unlike most men, he didn’t come back to the ground right away, but rather flew in the direction of Metropolis Children’s Hospital.

You slipped out of the lot and got into Clark’s truck and followed the man in the sky, looking up whenever you were at a red light or a stop sign to see if you could still spot him. He was much faster in the skies than you were on the ground, so of course he managed to beat you there.

When you walked into the lobby, Clark was standing near the tree, but there were a good dozen children between him and it. When you approached, he put his arm around you and together, you took in the happy little faces of the children. “They had a special donation from Superman this year.” Clark announced. “Heard it from one of the nurses when I got here.”

“Wow! What lucky children.” You said, pretending to be amazed. “You know what - I think that the ornaments that you kids made last week would go perfectly on this new tree, what do you think?”

The kids all cheered, and nurses came forward to take the sicker ones in wheelchairs back to their rooms to collect the paper ornaments that they had made days before in an attempt to bring about the Christmas spirit. You wrapped your arms around Clark, and pressed your cheek against his chest.

“Thanks for doing this for me.” You muttered so that no one else would hear.

“It was your idea.” Clark said. Being a nurse in the Children’s Hospital wasn’t easy, but you wanted to bring joy, life and festivity into the halls, and having a superhero bring in a Christmas Tree was the best idea that you had in a long time. Seeing those smiles was worth the price, and Clark’s cold flight. His jacket was still damp from the falling snow, but you didn’t care - he was warm underneath.

“Merry Christmas.” You said, hugging him tighter.

“Merry Christmas. Now let’s go see what other ornaments we can find.” Clark said, shuffling along the hallways with you still holding on.

Bruce Wayne

Being with Bruce had meant that you had to get used to the glitz and glamour that came with being a celebrity’s partner. The three hairdressers working on your hair at the same time, being contacted by designers days before an event because they want to dress you, but the worst were the flashing cameras. Lights coming at you from all sides, every angle, and knowing that if you had made the slightest mistake, it would be in the tabloids in the morning.

But you know what?

Bruce was worth it.

You waved off the hairdressers and the make up artists and just ran a brush through your own hair. You dressed yourself in clothes that you had picked out three years ago. They weren’t in style but so what? It was the Wayne Christmas Party. Though it would be full of celebrities, you wanted to feel as comfortable as you possibly could. This was the you that Bruce saw just about every day when you visited one another - not a doll version. If it was good enough for him to fall for, it was good enough for the paparazzi.

The lights assaulted you and Bruce as you stepped out of the limousine and onto the walkway that would lead up to the mansion where the celebration was being held. A five piece band were conjoined near the walkway, playing some old Christmas favorites. Right now, it was Winter Wonderland, which did fit with the snow on the ground.

Bruce took your hand and helped you onto your feet, and you smiled at him gratefully. He looked handsome in his all-black attire, and you held onto his arm with confidence. Neither of you paid much attention to the cameramen as they hollered for you to pose or look in a direction or tell them who you were wearing that night. Bruce went so far as to raise a hand to get them to quiet down, but then the two of you proceeded up towards the well-lit house.

There was a band in there as well, playing 'Let It Snow’, couples were dancing, canapes and truffles were being served to anyone who even glanced at a server, and flutes of champagne were on every table for the taking.

“It looks beautiful.” You inhaled, seeing the beautiful gowns, the crystals hanging off of the chandeliers, and the large tree with the presents underneath it - most of them to charity but a couple to Bruce from old friends.

“Alfred did a good job.” Bruce nodded, looking admiringly around. He took off his jacket and it was given to a butler to be put into a wardrobe with the other coats, and another came and helped you to take off your own coat. Once your arms were exposed, Bruce’s knuckles caressed up and down them, bringing an electricity that made the hairs stand on end and your skin erupt in goosebumps.

“How about we dance?” You asked.

“I’m not a dancer.” Bruce said, stiffly.

“Consider it to be my Christmas present, then.” You insisted, tugging him onto the dancefloor. The song changed to 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’, and you wrapped your arms around Bruce’s neck and rested your head on his shoulder. You could hear his heartbeat, faster than the tune of the song but still a pleasant rhythm.

“You’re very persuasive.” Bruce joked, putting his arms around your waist, and leading you into a turning slow dancing.

“That’s why we work well together. You’ve got to have a bit of fun in your life somehow.” You teased his always serious demeanor.

“Well, since it is Christmas...” Bruce said, surprising you by moving a step back, taking your now free hand and lead you into a twirl.

“Still full of surprises.” You giggled, finding yourself back in his arms afterwards.

“Just wait until you see your present.” Bruce said, confidently.

[williamfloodug]

Buying Equipment to Become a Videographer

This is the place the vast majority who need to begin a profession as a videographer are frightened away, yet this need not be the situation, even with a little spending you can get some great quality gear which will overcome any barrier among novice and genius. This article will ideally help you on your way. 

Camera 

Clearly to be a videographer you will require a decent camera equipment for rent, which abandons saying, no one will utilize your administrations if your video is of a low quality. 

New or utilized? I purchased my first expert camera. However long you're cautious when purchasing used gear, it tends to be an extraordinary method to begin your videography business. Clearly there is consistently a danger yet you can make some huge investment funds. Ensure you see the camera working and invest energy testing all the highlights before giving over your cash. When purchasing new it's all set into a shop to evaluate the camera first yet know the costs online can be somewhat less expensive. For costly hardware, it is even merit wheeling and dealing at your nearby retailer to cut the cost down somewhat, it is consistently worth difficult, they can just say no. It is consoling to have a guarantee on the camera which is insubordinately a favorable position when purchasing new. 

It merits purchasing HD. Not all videographers are utilizing HD but rather it is about the correct time purchase or move up to superior quality. After everything you would prefer not to be deserted before you've even begun. 

Not all videographers own their cameras, there are a great deal of organizations out there which offer great day by day rates for camera rental, I frequently utilize these when I'm taking a shot at a venture which requires a different camera arrangement, this can turn out to be more savvy at that point purchasing additional cameras which may not be utilized all the time and will in the long run need updating as innovation improves. For a bigger more costly buy it can likewise be a smart thought to lease the camera you need to purchase to watch that you are settling on the correct choice. 

When purchasing any gear consistently take a gander at audits on the web and do your examination, so you realize that the camera has all the highlights you will require. 

Mouthpiece 

There are not many videographers who utilize the mouthpiece which is worked into the camera, this is on the grounds that they are ordinarily of a low quality and would be able to clamor from the camera. Remember sound is half of your creation. 

In the event that your camera has proficient yields, which you would expect on every single great camera, at that point it merits purchasing a decent quality receiver, without a doubt you ought to be taking a gander at a shotgun mic. These are the most directional everything being equal and can be utilized to get sounds from longer separations; they can be mounted to the head of any great camera. There are various sorts of amplifiers out there however in the event that I needed to name a standard receiver, a fired firearm mic is it. 

Various amplifiers will be helpful in various circumstances, for instance some wedding videographers will have a shotgun receiver joined to their camera yet additionally mic up the husband to be with a lapel mouthpiece, (a little mouthpiece which appends to attire) to record the pledges. 

Stand 

This can likewise be a basic device when making video however ensure you purchase a decent quality stand or it could be only a misuse of cash. So what is a decent quality stand? All things considered, you ought to be hoping to purchase a stand with a liquid head, this will give you a smooth activity when recording, contingent upon the nature of the head. Liquid heads have greasing up liquid in their mount; this permits a much smoother camera development than with a non-liquid head. Numerous shops sell the mount legs and the head independently, this is something I've generally loved as you can supplant or overhaul the parts independently without purchasing a total stand. It might merit bringing your camera into the shop to evaluate the mount before getting it. Ensure that the mount can take the heaviness of your camera; the exact opposite thing you would need during a creation is for your camera to overturn. 

PC/Software 

On the off chance that you are perusing this on the web, you most likely effectively own a PC. Contingent upon the details it might as of now be appropriate for video altering; odds are however you will need to update it. 

An enormous hard drive is basic when altering video as the video documents you will be chipping away voluntarily regularly be huge, particularly on the off chance that you are working with top quality video. It very well may be valuable to have various hard drives, with all your video records being put away on an auxiliary drive. This will improve execution, as the main movement on the subsequent drive will be video related, without all the typical foundation activities occurring. In case you're purchasing another hard drive ensure it's at any rate a 7200rpm drive. 

Memory is additionally something worth overhauling; I saw a colossal contrast in the PCs execution when I updated the memory of my PC, without it I found the product hindered my PC and the time it took me to alter was expanded. 

Fundamental is a firewire port, this is utilized to associate your camera to your PC to move the video. Numerous new PCs accompany a firewire port, if your PC doesn't have one you should purchase a firewire card. Know there are various places of firewire accessible to ensure you show signs of improvement. 

On the off chance that your processor is moderate, consider updating this as well, you needn't bother with the best processor out there however its consistently ideal to have an expedient processor. 

Numerous individuals think you need a great video card to do video altering, yet they are incorrect, as long as you have a sensibly decent card to begin with, cash will be better spent on different updates. 

I could continue posting significantly more overhauls however I have an inclination that I've named all the significant ones, different updates worth considering are an additional screen and a dvd copier. 

You should get some product to alter the video, these can run in capacity and cost. Well known items with proficient videographers are Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro or Vegas Pro yet there are less expensive choices out there, it merits investigating a few surveys and evaluating a few demos of the product before buying your favored decision. Simply ensure the product has all the highlights you require. 

Lighting 

This can be fundamental relying upon what sort of work your taking on, for instance at a wedding you don't have the opportunity to set up lighting and should manage with the conditions on the day or potentially utilize a mounted light, though the creation of an organization preparing video will be inconceivably improved by the utilization of a decent full lighting arrangement. 

Likewise with a very remarkable videographer pack you can spend as meager or as much as you might want. There are some phenomenal lighting packs out there yet for myself who does a ton of open air work shooting corporate occasions, it's not worth spending a fortune on lighting. This is one motivation behind why it's a smart thought to choose what sort of work you might want to represent considerable authority in, it makes purchasing the hardware a ton simpler and less expensive. At the base you should presumably possess enough lighting for an essential three-point arrangement. Additionally helpful is a mounted light which sits on top of your camera, this is normally associated with a different battery which can cut onto your belt or loom behind you. 

Earphones 

Continuously get yourself a decent arrangement of earphones, it's occasionally astounding what the mouthpiece can pick up, so you will need to screen the sound consistently and make any alterations likewise. 

[mimusa]

The Ultimate Glossary Of Terms About Decorative Concrete Floors Brisbane

The stain unquestionably made depth and also still left bluish regions that look actually neat! I actually like how the stain impacted the overall appear.

As opposed to "drying," as classic paint does, the epoxy hardens resulting from a chemical response among the elements. The resulting area may be very tricky and sturdy, And that's why it can be utilized so often in large-website traffic, industrial applications.

Uncomplicated and visually appealing surfaces is often developed inside a cost-successful way with Retail polished concrete. Polished concrete can be utilized on existing concrete floor surfaces or over the style and design stage.

It is particularly durable and it has a fantastic Visible. My wife And that i recently experienced 950 sq/ft of Audacity Lodge laminate in color "Napa Reverie" put in as a result of our new addition.

When it is feasible for the DIYer to rent the tools and do this function, it can be no easy feat. For that reason, sprucing concrete is Ordinarily finished by pros with the instruments and experience to make it happen effectively.

We’ve served many Countless folks Evaluate contractors and get quotations for professional and residential projects.

This really is just one illustration of a decorative concrete project that adds attractiveness, uniqueness and color to an Office environment frequented by young children and Older people, alike.

Despite having cracks over the seams, it’s definitely a major improvement about bare plywood. The cracks are hairlines, practically nothing important at all.

The flooring method is flexible more than enough being developed all over obstructions including columns, corners and curves. It is strong adequate to have walls, partitions and consoles designed instantly on it.

How Is Decorative Concrete Finished? By decorative concrete, stamp patterns and models are designed to accomplish a practical feel and appear from the pure stone it is actually mimicking.

In several instances we might get you many estimates that will help you locate the very best deal and help you save. No venture is simply too massive or way too tiny for our community of concrete flooring specialists.

This brooklyn art gallery was in Determined need to have of a completely new concrete surface area. The prevailing concrete was anything but gallery good quality. Being a concrete micro-topping contractor, Decocrete was capable to resurface the concrete employing a polymer modified cement overlay to provide the g...

But in the long run, I’ve identified I've A simpler time retaining hard surfaces clear (like Wooden or concrete or tile), then softening the spaces with spot rugs.

With our Major concentrate on decorative solutions, the businesses you’ll obtain right here can customise your concrete in plenty of ways.

[sending-the-message]

The Suicide Case I Should Have Never Taken by JaniBeez

I had been a private investigator for about eight years now. I made an honest living helping others in any legal way that I could.

I had just finished my final meeting with a client. It had taken me a good while to console the man and assure him that the pictures of his cheating wife were one hundred percent real. I put him in contact with a well-known divorce lawyer who occasionally hired me to do some behind the scenes work. The distraught man paid me in full and left with the pictures.

I leaned back in my chair, shutting my eyes, and letting out a rough sigh. It had been a slow two weeks and that promiscuous wife had been rather meticulous in her habits. I pulled out a small glass and the bottle of whiskey I kept in my desk.

“Amos,” Nina called out from my door after an abrupt knock. “Your one o’clock is here. Mr. Evan Samuels.”

Nina stepped aside and allowed Mr. Samuels into my cozy office. I put the bottle away as Mr. Samuels took his seat across my desk. He was insanely well dressed and managed to make me feel even more disheveled than usual. His grey suit was obviously tailored quite well to his body and must have cost more than my monthly rent.

“Mr. Samuels.” I greeted, standing abruptly and extending a hand forward.

He took it, shaking my hand in return before we were both seated across from each other.

He crossed his legs, looking down a moment as though getting ready to present something lucrative. He took a deep breath before he spoke.

“I represent a client who would like a murder investigated.” He began.

I raised an eyebrow.

“The murder victim is my client’s brother, however, the murder was ruled a suicide. My client obviously disagrees with this conclusion, ergo, why I am here. We would like you to continue with the investigation.”

I couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped my lips. Mr. Samuels cocked his head to the side in what I perceived as annoyance. I grabbed the whiskey, unscrewed the lid and poured myself a drink.

“Sir, we doesn’t investigate murders.” I picked up my glass, bringing it up to my lips. “You’re better off searching for a larger firm and getting people who are more suited to those types of ca-“

“You will be paid one hundred thousand dollars.” He interrupted.

My arm holding the liquor paused and I put the cup down.

I rested my elbows on my desk, clasping my hands together, dumbfounded. I could pay off all the debt I had incurred from my previous gambling problem, pay off the loan I had to take out to open my firm, give Nina and my partner a huge bonus, buy my wife the diamond ring she deserved, and STILL have enough money left over to bump up our savings account.

“Fifty thousand will be paid upfront.” Mr. Samuels continued. “The rest when the job is done. If you don’t find anything, the initial payment is still yours. You can either receive it in cash or a check if you prefer.”

This had to have been some sort of gimmick. “If you’re serious, why would your client come to a small firm for this sort of case?”

“People don’t recognize P.I.s from small firms. My client wants you to be as incognito as possible during your investigation for fear of scaring the murderer off.”

I leaned back and crossed my arms, studying his face. Mr. Samuels signed and reached down to the floor to pull up a brief case I hadn’t noticed him carry in. He stood, setting it on my desk and punched in the combination. He spun the case around and opened it.

At first, all I saw was a thick blue folder. Mr. Samuels removed it to reveal something more lucrative. Resting inside were stacks of crisp one hundred dollar bills, clasped together by bands that read “$1,000”. The man wasn’t kidding. Whoever his client was, they were willing to pay some serious money.

I graciously accepted the offer as I’m sure anyone would. We shook hands and got the necessary paperwork out of the way before he handed me the worn blue folder.

“Inside is all of the information of that police report. Photos, suspects, etcetera. It took a lot to get that file so don’t lose it.” Mr. Samuels informed me.

“How was it obtained?” I asked, cautiously, glancing up at him.

His eyebrows furrowed. “Your only concern is trying to solve the murder. Nothing else, Mr. Winston.”

As much as I wanted to question his suspicious answer, I brushed it off and guided him to the entrance of the firm. He gave me his card and we shook hands one last time.

“Fiona!” I called out happily, slamming the door to my house behind me.

My wife and I lived in a small two bedroom home in a quaint suburban neighborhood. Our house was a pale yellow with white trim around the windows and a sometimes leaky roof. Our lawn was neatly trimmed (when I had the time, of course) and Fiona had taken it upon herself to grow exquisite red roses under our windows at the front of the house. Those roses had once been in a bouquet that I had gifted her.

As much as we were struggling to pay the bills, I never heard Fiona complain. She worked at an Italian restaurant as a waitress and threw everything she earned to our bills and our savings account. She was a hard worker and rarely asked me for anything. Anytime I vented our money frustrations, she would always sit me down in the living room and lovingly massage my shoulders. As she kissed my temple, she would always whisper into my year that as long as we had each other, everything would be okay.

Even though she had this impenetrable bubble of positivity around her, I somehow still felt inadequate. She deserved so much more than the life I provided.

I threw the briefcase full of money onto my arm chair and waiting dramatically with my hands on my hips, chest out, as though I were Superman.

Fiona emerged from the kitchen, still dressed in her uniform. Her long chestnut hair was tied into a cute messy bun atop her head. Her brown doe eyes appeared tired. She had just gotten off her shift by the time I came home. She had an eyebrow raised with a suspicious grin on her crimson lips. “What’s going on?”

“Open that case.” I announced triumphantly, gesturing towards it with my head.

She glanced towards it before shifting her eyes back at me, skeptically. “I’m not going to find like a…snake in there am I?”

I snickered, crossing my arms and taking a seat on the couch adjacent to the armchair. “It’s the answer to all of our problems.”

Fiona sighed, but I could see her struggling to stifle her smile. She sat down in the chair and placed the briefcase into her lap. I carefully watched her expression, wanting to soak in the moment. She unclasped the locks and the case creaked open. Her eyebrows raised immediately and then scrunched together.

“Where did you get this, Amos?” She questioned unevenly, peeking up at me.

“This lawyer came into my office today and said he represented some guy. He offered me one hundred thousand dollars to solve a murder case. Fifty thousand was paid upfront and we get to keep it no matter what the outcome is. Even after I divvy it up between the folks at the office, there’s still enough to us to pay off our debt.”

That classic Fiona smile that I loved spread across her rosy cheeks. “Are you serious?”

I nodded, standing up as she set the money aside. She embraced me, wrapping her arms around my neck, squealing with delight into my ear. I pressed her delicate petite frame against my chest, inhaling her light vanilla scent. I loved seeing her happy like this.

We could finally breathe and relax with our finances. I could buy her something nice and spoil her for once.

“I’m so proud of you, Amos.” She told me excitedly before pressing her lips to mine.

We kissed passionately for a few heated moments before I carried her to our bed for the night.

After some libidinous sex, I stayed up to review the file that Evan Samuels had handed me earlier. According to this, a man named Edward Norton committed suicide in a warehouse just on the edge of town. He shot himself in the head with a shotgun. He had left behind a note, annotating that he had bequeathed his possessions to his brother, whom I assumed was my mystery client. He had left behind a cheating widow.

The report seemed straightforward, but there were slight indiscrepancies. For example, Ms. Norton hadn’t been the only one having an affair. Edward had kept two other mistresses on the sidelines. Neither of them had known he was married. I would have originally thought that his cheating wife had pushed him over the edge, but it seemed unlikely if he was carrying out affairs as well. However, I had been wrong before.

Maybe he thought he could keep his wife and the other women. Once his wife found out, she confronts the other women? The other woman are shocked that he kept his marriage a secret and all three women desert him.

Nonetheless, I was being paid to treat this like a murder case. The suspects I had in mind were obviously the widow and Mr. Norton’s mistresses. Why would he go all the way to some decrepit warehouse to shoot himself?

I shared my thoughts with my partner, Marshall, the following day. “We should check this warehouse out.” I announced, pacing around my office as Marshall sat brushing his fingers across the picture of the crime scene.

“Shouldn’t we be following these women around? This took place just under a month ago.” He answered with a southern twang, tilting his head as his eyes grazed the forensic files.

I nodded, leaning against the wall with my arms crossed. “It’d be interesting to see how they’re living now that their lover is dead.”

“I know that Samuels guy wants us to be on the down low for this case, but we’re gonna have to speak to these women, eventually.”

I agreed with him and our own private investigation commenced. You would be surprised on how much information a person can find out by a simple social media pull. One of the mistresses had moved two hours away prior to Mr. Norton’s death. She had posted her move-in date into her new home with the name of the apartment complex plastered over her page. She posed with her cat in front of the sign. The other one allegedly still worked in town as a dental assistant. Her place of work was presented on her page as well.

Marshall and I decided to split. I would stay and investigate the dental assistant and he would trail the one who had moved away. It would be good to find out what had made that woman leave town.

We hadn’t been given a timeline and Mr. Samuels hadn’t contacted me back no matter how many messages I had left on his phone. This case was pissing me off more than anything else.

To shorten the last few weeks, Marshall and I had tailed the mistresses. Marshall had confronted his suspect and asked her why she moved away. When he explained how he had found her, she immediately deleted her Facebook profile and packed all of her belongings. Within three days, she had moved to God knows where.

Luckily, she had agreed to be interviewed. Marshall had recorded the conversation. I was sitting in my office with a notepad open in front of my when I pressed the play button. Marshall introduced himself as private investigator who was treating Mr. Norton’s death as a murder.

Mistress #1: Are you sure nobody followed you here?

Marshall: I’m sure. I just have a few questions about Edward Norton that I’m hoping you’ll answer.

Mistress #1: Let’s just make this quick.

Marshall: Were you in love with Mr. Norton? If so, did you know he was married?

Mistress #1 (sniffles): Yes, I loved him. He didn’t tell me he was married. I only found out when his wife confronted me. He told me he was going to get a divorce so that we could be together, but then…they said he committed suicide.

The sound of tissue paper and a nose being blown came from the recording.

Marshall: Do you believe that’s what really happened?

Mistress #1: N-No. He was such a happy person when he was with me. We were going to go to Italy this summer.

Marshall: I know this is hard to talk about as his death was only about a month ago, but I greatly appreciate you agreeing to this interview. I’d like to know why you moved away.

Silence. A creaky noise that sounded like someone shifting in their chair.

Mistress #1: To run away.

Marshall: From who?

Mistress #1: Y-You have to keep this to yourself. This is off the record, but…I don’t know if it’s a man or woman who killed Eddy. They called me from this unknown number and made me leave him. Told me to skip town and that if I told the police about the phone call that they would kill me.

Marshall: What makes you think this threat was credible?

Another pause.

Mistress #1: I found Jubilee in my kitchen when I got home from work the first time I ignored it. My cat, I mean. Whoever they are…they broke into my house and literally dissected her. T-They hung her up with her ribcage open in the middle of the kitchen. I found her head in the microwave. So I left.

I paused the recording, my eyes snapping up to Marshall in disgust.

“What the fuck? Is there any proof this happened?” I inquired.

Marshall shrugged from across my desk. We were both seated in my office. “She goes on to say that she cleaned up the mess by herself and didn’t inform the police. There’s no pictures of the scene, but there were pictures of her cat that she posted online before. No more pictures after though.”

I inhaled deeply and pressed play again. The rest of the transcript went on with the run-away mistress imploring that Marshall drop the case. After that interview, as I said before, she deleted all of her social media and moved away again.

“How did it go with the other woman?” Marshall asked, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

“She…” I breathed, shaking my head. “Didn’t want to talk at all. In fact, she screamed at me and told me that if I ever approached her again at she would call the cops and file for a restraining order.”

“I think at this point we need to give this recording to the police.” He suggested, brushing back his black hair.

I considered it before speaking. “We need a little more evidence. They had already previously ruled this as a suicide. I think it’s high time we talk to his wife.”

“Has Samuels answered your calls or texts?”

“No. It’s starting to irritate me. We need to speak to Mr. Norton’s brother after we interview his wife.”

Marshall agreed and collected her address from the blue file.

Once we arrived at the home of the former Mr. Norton, I felt slightly apprehensive about the whole situation. Ms. Norton lived in the upper class neighborhood on the other side of town. I researched the address to find out that she lived in a Mediterranean style five bedroom, three bathroom home. I couldn’t help but lament that this was the type of home I wanted to give to Fiona one day.

I slammed the car door shut before trudging up the driveway with Marshall in tow. It was late afternoon by the time I rang Ms. Norton’s doorbell. Nobody answered even though there was an additional car in the driveway. I strained my ears, swearing that I had heard footsteps.

Marshall took it upon himself to ring the doorbell again and fist the door rather loudly.

“Ms. Norton!” He called out. “We’re private investigators hired to look into the death of your late husband. Please-“

The door flung open. Standing in the door frame was a blonde, elegant, middle aged woman. Even though she was attractive, there was an exhaustion to her eyes that went deeper than her physical body.

“Why are you looking into his suicide?” She spat out aggressively. “Hasn’t he caused everyone enough pain?”

“Ma’am,” I began steadily. “We were hired by Mr. Norton’s brother. He believes that your husband was murdered.”

“Brother? What brother? Eddy didn’t have a brother.”

I glanced at Marshall. We shared the same look of incredulity. “He’s paying us one hundred thousand dollars to prove that his death was a murder, Ms. Norton.”

“I have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about. I’ve known his entire family for eighteen years now. He didn’t have any damn brothers or sisters.” She was staring daggers at us. “Remove yourself from my property. I won’t ask again.”

She shut the door, retreating into her home.

“What the hell is going on?” Marshall breathed as we turned away and got into the car.

I couldn’t answer him. I checked my phone again, smacking my teeth. That pompous lawyer still hadn’t answered me back. I tried emailing, texting, and calling.

“Let’s just get to the warehouse. Let’s just check the warehouse real quick. Whether we find something substantial or not, we’re turning all of this over to the police. It’ll be way over our heads at this point.”

The warehouse appeared abandoned. Somebody had to have owned it though. By the time we arrived, it had been late into the afternoon. The sun was steadily setting over the horizon, limiting the illumination within.

We had our flashlights on us as we approached the crime scene. There was dried up blood splattered on the concrete floor. Nobody had bothered to clean up the mess.

Why would anyway want to come all the way here to off themselves? Not only was the remnants of the scene disturbing, but it seemed so morbid to do it here.

“What’s that?” Marshall was shining his light something small and white on the ground a good couple feet away. He approached it and bent down to pick up the square object.

“Hey, Amos…it has your name on it.”

“What the hell are you-“

It was a DVD case. Sure enough, the name Amos Winston was written in sharpie. I was so confused. What was my name doing on a DVD case in the middle of an abandoned warehouse? I crouched down, picking it up and opening the case.

PLAY ME ALONE

“Are you gonna watch it…?” Marshall asked me nervously.

“I…I suppose I will. We need to find out what’s going. This getting more suspicious each day. Either someone having a laugh or we’re dealing with something more sinister.”

We left then. On the ride back to the office, I couldn’t help but let my mind race. My stomach threaded with anxiety the closer we got to the firm. I was baffled by the turn of events. Marshall’s interview was disturbing enough. Who would go through so much trouble to filet a cat and present it in such a foul way? It was strange that Evan Samuels had gone dark, especially since Ms. Norton had insisted that her late husband was a single child. Cars and lamplights went past us, but my mind was on the DVD with my damn name on it.

Marshall was at a loss for words as well. We had gotten paid to prove that this was a murder, but by whom? Evan?

A sense of foreboding overwhelmed me once we finally arrive back at the office thirty minutes later. “Wait outside the office.” I instructed my partner.

Marshall looked like he wanted to protest but gave a firm nod. “I’ll be just outside the door.”

I closed the door and immediately fired up my laptop. My finger tapped impatiently against the wood of the desk as it loaded.

Finally. I punched in my password and the screen loaded, somehow, much more painfully slowly than usual. Once everything was up and running, I placed the DVD into the tray and waited until the automatic program launched a video.

It started. Whoever had the camera was aiming it at a pair of feet. They slowly moved the camera up along the body. The person was wearing black yoga pants. It seemed as though they were lying on a bed. Wait a minute. It was my bed. Fiona’s sleeping face merged into the picture. It seemed as though she were taking a nap in the middle of the day. Someone had broken into our home to take this.

My stomach dropped, but I couldn’t stop watching.

There was a cut scene. The camera was zoomed into my wife’s smiling face. It panned out, revealing her in the middle of the restaurant at her place of work. She was bringing drinks to a table on the other side of the restaurant. Another cut scene to a much darker place with a face taking up the screen.

It wasn’t an ordinary face. I could tell it was a man but he was wearing a white plague doctor mask. His eyes were covered by white film that matched the mask. The camera jiggled momentarily before becoming perfectly still. He had placed it on a tripod. He took a few paces back to reveal that he was standing in the warehouse. He had set up spotlights around a bed. He took a dramatic bow before stepping aside to reveal Fiona strapped to the bed, staring around wildly and thrashing violently at her restraints.

Her arms and ankles were tied down tightly, providing almost no slack. “Help!” She cried out. “Someone please help me!”

He turned to face her and placed a hand precariously on her thigh. Fiona tried to buck her hips to throw his hand away from her, but it just made him slap his other hand down against her thigh.

“Please just let me go!” She begged desperately, tears running down her cheeks. “I’ll give you anything!”

Her pleas only seemed to excite him. He dipped his hands under the fabric of her pants and ripped it down the middle and did the same thing to her panties.

I was frozen in disbelief. This wasn’t happening. This wasn’t real.

He unbuckled his belt, pulled his pants halfway down and positioned himself accordingly between her legs. She was hyperventilating and crying as the inevitable came. He roughly penetrated her, causing her to gasp aloud in pain. Her face contorted as she began to shriek at the assault.

“Stop!” She pleaded, but the attacker didn’t relent, seemingly getting more excited at Fiona’s distress. “Help!”

“Amos!” She called out, turning her head away into her shoulder. “Amos!”

AMOS, AMOS, AMOS, AMOS! She continued to wail.

She was begging me to rescue her. But I wasn’t there. He raised his fist and punched her square in the jaw. She continued to howl, but the rapist didn’t stop hitting her.

Eventually, she stopped moving. A blank expression overcame her as she was being raped. The video stopped.

“Marshall!” I yelled out, taking the DVD out with shaky hands.

The door opened quickly. “What was it?”

“Call the police! Fiona’s been kidnapped!” I cried, snatching my keys from the desk. “Let’s go!”

Marshall followed closely behind me as he dialed 911. We climbed into the car. “What am I supposed to tell them?!”

“Someone kidnapped her and took her to that fucking warehouse! The video was of a man who was raping her, Marshall, he was raping her in that God damn warehouse!” I couldn’t help the tears that were streaming down angrily.

I sped through the town, running red lights and almost crashing into some idiot kid on his phone. I was only ten minutes away when I wasn’t driving like a maniac. We had just been at the warehouse and had only found that wretched DVD. I needed to check our home. Maybe the kidnapper returned her or fuck, I don’t know.

Marshall passed the phone to me and I frantically explained the situation to dispatcher on the other end. I made sure to keep my voice as even as possible so that I didn’t have to repeat myself. I told the woman on the other end of the line about the video that we had found along with the address of the warehouse and where I lived.

I pulled up on the border of the side walk in front of my house. The light outside our door was off. I had left this morning in a hurry and gave Fiona rushed peck on her smooth cheek. The last thing she said was that she had something important that she wanted to tell me, but that it could wait until I came back home.

I cursed myself silently as I unlocked the door and flipped on the lights. “I’m in my home, checking to see if my wife is here.” I informed the dispatcher as I tore through the house.

“Sir, we are sending a dispatcher to the warehouse and to your home immediately.”

“Please hurry.” I implored before hanging up and stuffing my phone into the back of my jeans.

“Amos, wait!” Marshall called after me as I dove into the house. “It might not be safe!”

Damn safety. The only thing that mattered was finding Fiona. Marshall caught up just as I was entering our bedroom. At first glance, there was nothing.

“Fiona!” I yelled to the rest of the house, ducking down to check underneath the bed. “Fiona!”

I slammed my fist down onto the floor in frustration as I straightened before checking the closet. I checked the other room, the kitchen, the attic, and our little woodshed in the backyard. Fiona was nowhere to be found on the property. The only thing I had found was the coffee pot still on with the strong, burned liquid inside. There hadn’t be any signs of a struggle. Nothing to indicate that she had actually been kidnapped except for the video with my name on it that I promptly turned into the police when they arrived.

My stomach turned when I handed the officer the tape. I didn’t want anyone else to watch that horror show, but it was in the best interest of everyone that I involve as many people as possible to help locate my missing wife.

They asked me come down to the station. It only made me angry. I should have been out there looking for Fiona and that bastard who had stolen her. I was ready to wrap my thick hands around his throat just to dig my short nails into it until I broke the skin and ripped his esophagus out.

The police kept me in their interview room and Marshall in another one. They already knew my occupation, so I was familiar the faces that came in and out of the room. I was asked where I had been that day and explained that I had spent the day with Marshall in my firm going over the appalling we had gathered on the new case that we were working on. I included that we had made a trip to Ms. Norton’s house, providing the times, before concluding that my partner and I had made a trip to the warehouse where we found the video.

I disclosed the money that we had been paid and made sure to stress that a man named Evan Samuels had hired us.

You know the whole story already, up until this point at least. I controlled my composure as best as I could, but my fists were shaking the entire time. They finally released me after three hours of questioning.

By the time I had gotten back into my car, it was 11:33PM. The detectives had been nice enough to drop me back off at my home. I would have a cop car parked outside as surveillance just in case the man in the plague doctor mask returned.

I drove around town the rest of the night, hitting up every place I could think of, driving slowly past any suspicious looking houses, all the while, shoving cheap energy drinks into my system.

Marshall had wanted to come with me, but I waved him off and insisted he go home to his wife. I trusted the man, I really did, but I would have wanted to make sure that Fiona was all right if the roles were reversed.

The police filed the missing person’s report and sent out an alert. The local radio and T.V. stations picked up on the story and I amassed a number of volunteers to help me search for her. Posters were put up all over and it was the talk of the town.

Six day later, one of the detectives called me while I was staking out Ms. Norton’s house to inform me that they had found Fiona alive. I exhaled the breath I had been holding as he explained that she had been found on the side of the road, naked and delirious. A truck driver had wrapped her in a jacket and called an ambulance.

She was on her way to the hospital so, naturally, I found myself there as well. Marshall, his wife, Fiona’s coworkers, and her sister, Lily, were waiting for me.

Lily was the first to spot me walking up the aisle. Her shaved head and dark magenta lips weren’t hard to spot from the rest. “They won’t let us see her. Not until the detectives are done asking her questions.”

“I-Is she okay, at least?” My fingers were jittery.

Lily lowered her voice, shrugging. “I don’t know. I can’t imagine what she must be going through. The doctors told her they gave her some painkillers but that she’s talking. We’re just waiting until we can talk to her.”

This almost seemed like some sort of nightmare out of Gone Girl. Except this time, my wife wasn’t a psychopathic killer and I wasn’t a cheating asshole. Marshall appeared as though he wanted to say something. He opened his mouth, closed it. What exactly can to say to a man whose wife had been kidnapped and raped? He gave me a tight hug instead, squeezed my shoulder and gave me a sympathetic look before sitting down. I appreciated that. I didn’t want to talk anymore. I just wanted to see my Fiona.

I sank back into green cushioned chair in the ER’s waiting room next to my sister-in-law and Marshall. I was leaning forward with my hands clasped as though in prayer. I couldn’t think straight. I was so tired and completely numb.

The doctors and the detectives eventually came by to inform us that immediate family members were permitted to see Fiona.

Lily motioned me forward and followed me to her room. When I finally saw Fiona, I fought hard to keep my composure together. Her ribs her bandaged up and her face was swollen. She was staring up the ceiling with wide eyes as though she were terrified. Even through the heavy drugs the doctors had given her, she was still reliving her nightmare over and over again. Lily and I went on either side of her bed, but Fiona wouldn’t so much as glance at either of us.

“Fiona.” I called softly, placing a gentle hand over her own.

She flinched away, yanking her hand out from under me. “Where were you?” She stared at me with beautiful doe eyes, accusingly. They were red and brimming with tears.

“I tried looking for you-“ I stammered.

“Where were you?” She repeated, her face scrunching up as the tears spilled over. “I called for you. I needed you and you weren’t there.”

Her words pierced through my heart. She was telling me everything I had dreaded to hear and continuously denied during my search for her. Guilt overwhelmed me at last. I wanted to console her more than anything. I needed to tell her that it wasn’t her fault, that everything would be okay, but word were caught in my throat.

“You weren’t there, Amos.”

“Amos…” Lily’s voice reached my ears.

She kindly removed me from the room, explaining that Fiona just needed more time. She went back inside and left me standing in the hallway. I stared at the floor, feeling like an absolute failure. The feeling only grew when I was finally about to take Fiona home after a few days.

The police continued the investigation and interviewed everyone involved again, but came with no leads.

She would barely utter two words to me before she left the room to occupy another portion of the house. She would take her pills and sit by the window sill. For weeks it went on like this. She was as calm as anyone could be, but she was still in a state of shock.

I took time away from work to be with her to support her. I tried to be a good husband, but I just didn’t know how to handle the situation. I told her that I loved her and she would always meekly respond back, returning her feelings. It seemed like she didn’t believe me. I implored that it wasn’t her fault, but she would never respond. The roses that she had planted slowly died. She had stopped tending to them.

I wanted to talk to her about what happened, but I didn’t know how. She had told the detectives and doctors everything, but insisted that her hospital file kept locked down. How do you ask your wife whether she was sodomized? Did she see his face? Did he speak to her?

I couldn’t have her relive that. I did all that I could. I brought her flowers and I would cook her favorite meals. She barely ate anything I fed her and lost a dramatic amount of weight in the coming weeks. Each time I tried to reach within her depths, she would withdraw into herself more. She would barely let me touch her.

I needed Fiona now more than ever. I wanted to be intimate with her just so I could show her that no matter what happened, I was still completely in love with her. Months went by and slowly, but surely, she let me touch her again. A five second hug or a small kiss but we still hadn’t had sex yet.

I know it sounds selfish, but I desired normalcy again. Even though she gave me small temporary relieves of affection, Fiona wasn’t back. She had mentally vacated.

“I don’t want to be here anymore.” She murmured suddenly as we were watching T.V.

“Do you want to come to the grocery store with me?” I asked eagerly. She hadn’t left the house once yet.

She shook her head and stood up. “I’m gonna go take a nap.”

I watched her shuffle away, sadly.

When I returned back from the grocery store, I found Fiona in the bathtub, naked in lukewarm water. She was dead. She had set the bottle of pills on the floor and left me a note telling me that she had been pregnant and that we would have had a baby together. The doctors informed her that she had lost the child and because of the trauma, she would never be able to have children. She couldn’t live with it anymore.

I tried to resuscitate her, but Fiona was gone. After that, everything was a blur. The funeral came and went quickly. Lily had slapped me after the eulogy. I hadn’t spoken at her funeral. I couldn’t. It was my turn to be empty.

The love of my life had betrayed me and left me alone in this godforsaken shit hole of a world. I blamed myself for it all. All because of that stupid case. I drowned myself in work, taking on cases. I became an alcoholic. It wasn’t enough to fill the void. Our debt had grown exponentially so, inevitably, the house was foreclosed and I had to move out. I was too desolate to care. Marshall let me move into his house with his wife while I tried to pick myself back up.

Through the whiskey, I eventually found myself back at the warehouse during one of my adultery investigations. Once inside, I went up to the highest rafters, each slow step on the stares echoing loudly, but there was nowhere around. Nobody would hear me, just like nobody had heard Fiona.

I tied the rope around the railing, confident that it would hold me body weight. I had tied the noose weeks before, constantly deliberating on whether I could do it or not. I was drunk and I wanted to be with Fiona.

I put my head though the noose, pulling it tightly and stepped over the railing, sitting on the other side and staring at the ground. I could see the bloodstains from Edward Norton’s suicide and the area where the rape had been staged.

I took one final lung full of air before letting myself fall down. The fall didn’t break my neck like I had planned. I gurgled as my body fought for breath but I welcomed death. My vision blurred and the rope snapped.

I woke up in the hospital with broken bones and lacerations from the forty foot fall. Marshall had found me, suspicious that I had signed away the firm to him, and had stopped answering my phone. I was on suicide watch and had a neck brace.

I was only awake for a few hours when a phone ringed next to me. It wasn’t a hospital phone. A tiny, black burner phone had been placed next to me with a white note that read:

Answer me

My heart dropped and I snatched it up, flipping it open.

I could hear heavy breathing on the end of the other line. “You were supposed to be my next victim.” The voice was deep and masked by technology, like those drug dealers who spoke for documentaries.

I tried to speak, to ask who the fucker was, but my throat was too swollen from the rope to get anything out.

“It’s like a game.” The voice continued with a chuckle. “How much can I take away from someone before they decided to commit suicide? I took away your darling wife’s baby along with her dignity. I honestly didn’t intend for the permanent fertility damage, but it worked out quite well in my favor, didn’t it?”

They spoke so casually, as if commenting lightly on the weather. “And no, for your information, it wasn’t the idiot Evan Samuels. Maybe I’m your partner. Maybe I’m Ms. Norton? As you might already guess, I’m adept at playing this game. I’ve got plenty of people under my thumb. Hmm…what could I compare it to?”

A pause and an excited breath. “You’ve read the Bible haven’t you? You know the story of Job, right? God takes away everything from his livestock to his family just to see if he maintains his faith through the whole damn thing. Fortunately, he does.”

I was breathing heavily now, fury coursing through my veins like fire. The heart monitor was ticking fast, alerting the nurses.

“Oh, are you mad?” The voice whined, playfully. “Keep in mind that I didn’t actually kill anyone. I mean, I did rape your gorgeous wife and cause the miscarriage of your unborn baby, but that kind of stuff happens all the time. What doesn’t happen is suicide. And I’m sad to say that you only won the game on a technicality: your rope snapped!”

My fist was clenched, my body strained and ready to kill.

“But hey, don’t hold it again me, okay, buddy? People make their own life choices. I’ve gotta run. I’m plotting for my next pet project.”

The line cut off and I was left there screaming and thrashing, ignoring the pain that seared my body as the nurses entered, alarmed.

X

[c-h-l--o-ee-blog]

Tips On Making It Through The Holidays Within A Recession

This architecture column remembering the 10th anniversary in the 9/11 Terrorist Attack was supposed to be a target examination of the structural disappointments in the World Trade Center properties or perhaps just how people in my community have been honoring the particular victims regarding September eleven, 2001.

Selling about E-bay in addition to affiliate market place does not need virtually any investment. However, you may need to allocate long hours to promote products and services. Needless to say the earnings will be handsome. Making money fast with these methods depends on the investment decision of your money, effort and time.

For these and other causes, it's worth taking the time to be able to design the program for your canine. We will offer a number of suggestions below. First, we're going explore a few important details to consider before launching his course. Then, we'll take a look at activities you can do together with your dog - both off-leash and on.

Getting or booking or borrowing a game console will allow the lady to play some games, also many of the more recent consoles allow DVDs or even CDs to be played to them as well. This makes it possible to avoid having to experience both the DVD player, CD player as well as the game system. Games of every type are for sale to the woman to play, dependent on the woman interests. The games carry out cost about $50. 00 average, and this may also be an option. Borrowing some games from your friend or relative can be another option. Letting movies in addition to games may also be rented coming from local video clip stores or from a snail mail order video service. A few of these also permit the woman to watch movies limitless on her computer, as well.

One of the must annoying things about unexplained infertility is the fact no one can give you a concrete solution as to what goes wrong. A lot of us would like to believe that fertility is an exact science, and as such, we expect typically the doctors that individuals trust to have answers to the questions our company is asking. "Why can't I get pregnant? So what do I need to perform differently? " When the physicians don't have straight answers, all of us spiral right into a roller coaster regarding emotions which can be anything but effective.

They are monuments within Malta which can be even more aged than the Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Egypt. There are regarding twenty-three Megalithic monuments in Malta. College students have asserted as to why these monuments can be found in such a little piece of land, but the point is that these archaic structures are plentiful in Malta.

Presently there also is a multitude of ribbons you can earn, by doing numerous things like harvesting from forest, animals, purchasing decorations, browsing and assisting friends. These kinds of ribbons are a good way to earn lots of money plus experience! Opportunities are unlimited on how you may enhance your farm. The best way stays to be a daily player plus take advantage of this much as you can!

[japanessie]

Okay, so I know you're primarily a MFS fandom but I don't know who else to ask so maybe you can answer or know someone who can? I went to my first One Ok Rock concert (it was actually my first rock concert ever; Hiroki got me in to rock so it made sense that another Moriuchi was the first rock concert I went too. Kinda wished it was MFS, though not that One Ok Rock isn't good). Anyway, I noticed it looked like they had a support guitarist in the background. Does anyone know who he is?

Hello (^^)

You mean you saw a person with a guitar onstage or you heard additionalguitar sounds different from the ones Toru was playing? I’ll answer forboth situations.

1. The person you saw was most likely the guitar technician. In anyrock concert, the guitar tech is normally the most active because hehas to stand by a lot more compared to instruments like drums, bass andkeyboards. Guitar strings tend to break easily or go out of tune duringperformances. It’s the guitar tech’s job to fix this quickly. Also,some guitarists set different tunings for different guitars, dependingon the songs. The guitar tech will ensure the musician grabs thecorrect guitar. Often, these technicians are people who can play thoseinstruments as well. You don’t want someone with zero knowledge aboutguitars to handle your guitars, right? So, normally, before the bandmembers arrive at the venue, these technicians will be there first, dothe setup and sound-check on behalf of the band.

2. Additional guitar sounds from the background. These are just backingtracks. A lot of time, bands that have heavily layered musicarrangement have to rely on pre-recorded backing tracks to reproducethe music they made in the studio. There will be an audio engineer atthe side of the stage with a console table handling this. He has tomake sure the tracks are played at the correct sequence or the band’sperformance will be ruined. Both OOR and MFS heavily use backing tracksat their live concerts and that audio engineer is crucial to theirshows.

Why it’s unlikely that OOR has a support guitarist?It is NOT a viable option both financially and logistically. A supportmusician means an additional cost like a full band member. Themanagement would need to arrange his accommodation, transportation,work permit, visa etc. Not to mention, paying his salary. Logistically,an additional musician still needs his equipment to be properly set upand rigged just like the real band members. His speakers need to be upthere with the band or it will mess up the acoustics of the show. Toomuch hassle. Using backing tracks controlled by an audio engineer iseasier and much cheaper.

Everyone wants cost effectivenessAnyone remembers when OOR first came to the USA and played twoshowcases? Notice how Tomoya was playing a different drum set in NYCinstead of his own set that he played in LA? The management clearlydecided to rent another drum set in NYC because it was cheaper andfaster than having to ship his drum set from LA. This is not a newphenomenon. Mr.Big’s vocalist Eric Martin went the extra length ofpaying local musicians from the cities he toured in to save money onstaff salary, accommodation and transportation. He only needed to paythose local musicians for their services and those guys were happy theygot to perform with him. Win win situation (^^)

A situation when a support musician is necessaryMany years ago, Metallica’s vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield suffered2nd & 3rd degree burns from a stage accident. Metallica had to employ a supportguitarist and also longtime friend, John Marshall from the band Metal Church to play his guitar parts to continue touring. The guywas not hidden in the background. He was properly introduced to thefans and he performed equally like a band member. So, this is the kindof situation when a band would get that support musician.

[wanderingfadz]

Hong Kong is one of the major cities in Asia and the world. Landing at the airport, the immigration does not stamp your passport. Instead, I was given a piece of paper that looks like a bus ticket which has the date you arrived. It’s up to you to figure out when your visa expires which is normally 90 days after entry. The first thing to figure out was how to get to the city. I took bus number A21 that passes through the city centre.

Before you exit the arrival hall, there will be a counter selling express train tickets and the Hong Kong rechargeable transport card called “Octopus”. First time purchase includes the deposit and top up totalling HKD150. The journey takes around 45 minutes to an hour. I would recommend sitting at the front seat on the upper deck of the bus so that you can admire the view especially when the bus passes through the Tsing Ma bridge. The express train was expensive for me.

#gallery-0-11 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-11 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; } #gallery-0-11 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-11 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

First time payment of HK$150

Tsing Ma Bridge :Spans a few kilometres as seen from the upper deck of the bus heading towards the city centre

I stayed at YHA Mei Ho hostel in Sham Shui Po which is a few kilometres outside of the main tourist area. There were other choices especially at Chungking mansion smack in the middle of Kowloon, the centre of all the action in Hong Kong. After reading the reviews of the hostels there, I decided to pay a bit more. Check in was at 3pm though so I had loads of time to wander around the area.

View from the top of the hill behind the hostel

The hostel used to be part of a public housing scheme but now converted into a hostel. At the ground floor of the building, there’s a small museum detailing the background of the area.

The public housing in the area started due to the need to house fire victims after one of the largest fires to happen in Hong Kong ( which was back then a British colony ). Behind the hostel building is a hill that you walk up by stairs and admire the landscape. There will be lots of people here during sunset either to exercise or to take photographs. There’s also a market that spans across a few streets nearby the area such as Un Chau, Fuk Wing, Fuk Wa streets and Cheung Sha Wan Road.

I would say the city centre is full of markets both day and night. The livelier spots were in Tsim Sha Tsui and Kowloon. Just walk along Nathan road and you will stumble upon all the famous markets. You can also stroll through Kowloon Park that also contains the Kowloon Mosque. Apart from the Kowloon Park , there are a few small parks along the road where you can see the residents hang out playing chinese chess, basketball or even sing karaoke.

#gallery-0-12 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-12 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-0-12 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-12 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

While you wait for the sunset, perhaps you can walk along the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade which has an almost similar view as the Star Ferry Pier. Unfortunately, when I came there were major construction works going on and some attractions such as the Avenue of Stars along the promenade were closed. However, the Garden of the Stars was still opened. the garden contains the statues of some of Hong Kong’s famous artists. Nearby is the Hong Kong Museum of History ( HKD 5 for students ) and Science Museum.

Viewed from Kowloon towards Central on the island

By sunset, the buildings on both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon turn bright with light displays. I preferred the view from the Kowloon pier near the Star Ferry Terminal looking towards Victoria Harbour on Hong Kong island. A lot of the bus lines will stop or pass through here.

Trams in Central, HK Island

To get to Central district on Hong Kong Island, you can either take the metro ( cost a bit more) or the more scenic but slower route via the ferry from Star Ferry Pier ( HKD 2-2.80 one way depending on weekday or weekend ). Ferries are frequent throughout the day. The ferry stops at Victoria Harbour next to the International Finance Centre Building ( containing a mall and offices ) and takes around 20 minutes.

The area around Central and Wan Chai is where a lot of the sky high buildings housing international financial companies are located. All these buildings are crammed on a tiny strip of flat land served by the Island line and a few tram networks. Have a ride on the trams if you don’t feel like walking. Trams rides are simple to use as it operates from East to West of Hong Kong Island on both directions. Enter from the back and exit from the front. There’s also shopping malls and the bar area called Soho where people unwind at the end of the working day.

Another attraction on the island is the Central – Mid level escalators and walkway system. Most parts are one way so depending on the time of the day, the escalators might head upwards or downwards. Tough luck if you are headed the opposite direction of the escalators as it means you’ll have to use the stairs. Along the way up, are high rise residential buildings ( I can only imagine how much it would cost to rent or buy ), mosques, supermarkets etc. It’s like a community of it’s own. It’s pretty amazing how on weekends it feels like it’s far away from the hustle and bustle of the city below because it’s so tranquil and quiet up there.

If you don’t fancy taking the stairs back down, you can also use the community buses. They are small buses for up to around 15 people though. I didn’t get a seat so I decided to walk back down along the roads. The roads are narrow and steep hence the reason why the big buses can’t make the journey up. On the way down, I stumbled upon the Botanical Gardens. It is not very big but who would’ve expected there to be space for a Botanical Garden in the midst of the concrete jungle. Entrance is free. Sweet!

One more major Hong Kong attraction is Victoria Peak which can be reached via tram. Queues are horrendous ( I waited for 1.5 – 2 hours on a weekend and missed the sunset). My tip would be to go up the peak early in the day by taking the double decker buses from Victoria Harbour / Central.  Sit on the upper deck as the bus will terminate at the peak anyway. This is assuming you don’t mind missing the sunset. Even if you want to see it, I would still prefer the bus up than the tram. Not sure how the queues are on weekdays though.

Night view from Victoria Peak

The view from the bus is wonderful as it snakes it’s way along the hair raising and narrow roads up the hills. Other reasons why you take the bus up is because it’s cheaper and the traffic will be headed downwards towards the city in the daytime so you would be going at the opposite direction.

You can take the tram on the way down and the queue would not be too bad. I was disappointed with the view from the tram as it was covered by trees. There were a few glimpses of downtown area here and there but the tram is usually packed so you won’t be able to enjoy the scenery anyway. The journey is also very short hence an anti climax after waiting so long for the ride.

At Victoria Peak , the tram stops in a mall and you will have to go up a few floors to get to the observatory at the top of the building. There’s an entrance fee. The view is amazing and you’ll start to wonder how they managed to fit in more than 7 million people in such a small mountainous area.

Another tip is to go outside to another building ( that is closer to the main bus stop ) next to the observatory building. Go up to the viewing platform and you’ll have an almost similar view as the observatory. The drawback is some of western side of the city is blocked by the structure that houses the mall / observatory I referred to earlier. If it’s any consolation, the free viewing platform has free wifi.

So the highlights of my HK trip were :

1. The day and night markets as well as the shopping areas along Nathan        Road passing through Mong Kok, Jordan, Yau Ma Tei, Tsim Sha Tsui and       Kowloon.

2. Watching the sunset from Kowloon Public Pier next to Star Ferry                     Terminal

3. Taking the public ferry to cross to Hong Kong Island and the Central-             Mid  Levels Escalators.

4. Bus and tram ride to Victoria Peak

EXPENSES

Accommodation @ YHA Mei Ho (3 nights) = HK$ 570

Transport ( Octopus card ) = HK$ 250

Food ( mostly junk food 🙂 ) = HK$200

Other personal expenses = HK$110 ( including the HK$5 student entry to the Museum of History )

TOTAL = HK$1130

You can follow me on :

Instagram : wanderingfadz

Facebook page : wanderingfadz

                      Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of the major cities in Asia and the world. Landing at the airport, the immigration does not stamp your passport.

[baitrotate1-blog]

Review: Why the JW Marriott resort in Venice continues to frustrate me, and why we return (Part 1)

Links on Head for Points pay us an affiliate commission. A list of our partners is here.

This is my review of the JW Marriott hotel and resort in Venice. 

I have reviewed the JW Marriott in Venice before, two years ago to be exact.  We were there again over the August Bank Holiday for what was our fourth consecutive annual three day visit, so I though it was worth covering again.

All of the photographs below are from my 2016 review, but the text is fully updated.  It seemed relatively pointless photographing exactly the same things again which is why my daughter looks younger than usual.

Since this was our fourth trip, you would assume that we love the hotel.  That is not true.

Every year it turns out to be a frustrating experience.  If Four Seasons took it over it would be outstanding, but JW Marriott lets too many things slip through.

Let me explain why we returned.  With kids, the mainland hotels (when I write ‘mainland’ I mean the main island) are not ideal – rooms are generally small and you won’t find a pool or outside space, let alone a kids club.  Hotels on their own islands (Cipriani, Kempinski – ex St Regis – and JW Marriott, plus the Excelsior etc on the Lido) have a lot more to offer.  The weather is also so hot in Summer that a private island is more attractive than the city centre.

Marriott Rewards has one feature which I rate highly – the ability to ‘buy up’ a reward night to a better room for a nominal sum at the time of booking.  Not all hotels offer this, but JW Marriott Venice does.

We paid €200 on top of the usual 40,000 Marriott points per night for a Junior Suite which was selling for well over €500.  The suite took two rollaway beds for the kids and still had plenty of space for a sofa etc.  My Marriott Rewards Platinum Premier status got us two adult breakfasts for free so we only paid half-price for the kids breakfast.

I’m getting ahead of myself, however.

The JW Marriott in Venice opened five years ago.  It is on a private island and requires you to take a boat to and from St Marks Square.

It is bit further into the lagoon than the Cipriani and next door to the island hosting the Kempinski, previously the St Regis. The fact that St Regis threw in the towel after just one year tells you how hard it is to make money here – the long crossing from the mainland makes it an unappealing place to stay during winter storms.

From the airport you are looking at €120 each way for a water taxi unless you take the boat to St Marks Square and then get the free hotel boat across.  For the last two years we have arrived by train and taken a water taxi from the station, which costs a fixed €90.  My kids and I think that Venice water taxis – especially when speeding across the lagoon at full throttle – are the coolest thing in the world and we consider it €90 well spent!  My wife hides inside.

Arrival

We arrived in Venice by train as we came from the hugely impressive Cavallino Bianco family hotel in the Dolomites.  If you’ve got kids and want a very classy mountain retreat in a picture perfect mountain town, take a look at Cavallino.

You can’t fail to be impressed by your arrival at the JW Marriott as you pull into the private dock:

The check-in staff continue to be poor.  Every year they do something to annoy me.  This time it was the announcement that they were “delighted to give me a junior suite” – which, of course, was exactly the room we booked.  I don’t think that this hotel has ever given an upgrade to a Marriott Rewards elite member, although at least this year they didn’t waste my time trying to sell me one.

Our room

There are rooms scattered across the island.  The rooms in the outbuildings are more expensive and have private gardens or a plunge pool.  You are never more than two minutes walk from the hotel so don’t worry about being isolated if you book one of those.  We stick to the main building.

Your best choice with children is, in my view, one of the square Junior Suites at the back.  Even if there are only two of you travelling I would recommend taking one of these because they are well shaped compared to some of the other slightly confusing room layouts.

At one end of the suite is the bed.  The TV console is in the middle and, behind that, you have a sofa and table.  The two rollaway beds for the children – which are free if your kids are under 12 or a shocking €120 each per night if they are not – were by the window.

The TV set spins around so you can watch it from the sofa or bed.  The channel choice is pretty poor, however.

The bathroom was very large, clean and modern with Aromatherapy Associates toiletries:

and

The room had a large balcony overlooking the grounds as well.

I can’t knock it.  This was a very impressive room.  There is also a coffee machine, not pictured.

There is a big problem, however.  Wasps.  Lots and lots of them.  Plus flies, ants and pretty much every other insect you can imagine.

This was a very hot Summer across Europe and insect infestation has been a problem in a lot of places.  It is a particular problem here, and the staff admit that they cannot find the nests on the island.  My wife left the patio door open at one point and a large number of insects got in.  During the night we were all badly bitten – my kids looked like they had chicken pox.

Amusingly, the restaurant tills are pre-programmed with a code for a 20% wasp discount.  If you get attacked whilst eating outside, you get a discount as we found out one day.

Kids club

The JW Marriott Venice has a permanent kids club although there is no outdoor space, despite having a whole island at their disposal.  It is charged at €25 per child per day, unless you pay the voluntary €39 per day ‘resort fee’.  With two kids it is cheaper to pay the resort fee, except for the fact that you need to pay the fee for every day of your stay – you can’t pick and choose.

The ‘resort fee’ – which is voluntarily – is a complete waste of time if you don’t need the kids club as virtually nothing else of interest is included.

What is shockingly poor, though, is that the ONLY way to get the staff to unlock a bike so you can ride around the island is to pay the resort supplement.  As we there for three days, we were basically asked to pay (€39 x 3) €118 to rent four bikes for 15 minutes.  We might have (begrudgingly) paid €10 but not €118 ….

The pool

The pool has picked up substantially in the four years we have been coming here.

Originally, this was probably the worst kids pool ever built in the context of what could have been done.  I could never understand what Marriott and the architects were thinking.  You have a WHOLE ISLAND to play with and you build a pool which is ludicrously narrow.

It is also is far too deep.  No child under 13 can stand in it.  There is no shallow end.

The hotel has addressed this, in part, by building a good-sized paddling pool next to the main pool.  This is still not ideal because if your kids are beyond paddling age but under, say, 13 – which I reckon is the age they can stand in the pool – they are still stuck.

The hotel has also added a lot of additional sun loungers over the years, as well as a parkour climbing course and some other outdoor toys (not pictured).

There is a bar and restaurant by the pool.  The wasps made it very unpleasant to eat here, and at €11 for a can of coke it wasn’t a cheap place to get a drink either.

That’s the end of Part 1.  To read the 2nd part of my JW Marriott Venice review, click here.  If you are reading this via email, you have not been sent Part Two and will need to click through to the main Head for Points website.

The hotel website is here if you want to find out more.

Source: https://www.headforpoints.com/2018/09/11/review-jw-marriott-resort-venice/

[alexendarjon32-blog]

Online

Hosting Minecraft game servers - allows you to place your game server on a special platform, with the ability to independently manage important elements of the game and server (console and other), if you wish to make changes to the gameplay.

What do you get by purchasing Minecraft game hosting?

By renting a hosting service, you get high-quality services, ranging from a pleasant free bonus in the form of a place on the site, up to access to an important control panel and access to your server's FTP. We can provide you with the cheapest Minecraft server hosting at any time .

If you wish, you can fully or partially grant access to the control panel to others. You can always install the desired plugin or mod on your game server. In case of problems, our technical support will help you.

Our main differences from other competitors?

Hosting servers are very reliable in operation, but even in case of small technical problems, we immediately solve them. You can also always contact Technical Support, who will answer your questions anytime, anywhere. Not a single client will be left unanswered, whether he is a novice or a pro. Due to the convenient location of servers in the territory of large DP in Russia and Europe, we can guarantee safe and fast work without significant failures. But it is worth noting the most important factor that can be called the main one - we provide the cheapest hosting for Minecraft servers of different versions and this in no way affects the quality of services. Our rates will delight anyone who wants to buy hosting Minecraft , at a bargain price.

How can I pay for minecraft server?

Paying for Minecraft servers will cost you a lot, thanks to the affordable offer. But even so, we carry out promotions on a regular basis and offer discounts, which allows you to take advantage of this successful event and buy Minecraft server hosting at a reasonable price. You can make the payment yourself, by any electronic method or by bank transfer. Installation takes less than a few minutes, and after that you can contact support and ask questions that interest you. Below you will find screenshots of the control panel and other information that relates to hosting servers for the game Minecraft. We are best hosting of game servers, in the open spaces of which, you are looking for a game site to your liking, without making much effort. Having made the decision for yourself to become the administrator of your own game hosting, you have got to the address. Thanks to a competent and responsive support team you will create the best game hosting, whether you are a professional or a novice administrator. Service specialists are ready at any time of the day or night to come to the rescue, to listen and help make the right decision, to solve a technical difficulty, or simply to advise. If you are looking for a cheap gaming hosting, with a powerful those. software - you have come to the right place, as we have selected ultra modern iron with high performance and located in the best data centers in France, Germany, Russia. Service prices are very affordable. just make sure to spend a few minutes of your time. The host team of the game servers has created an up-to-date and easy-to-manage panel, the easiest of users will appreciate the ease of working with it. A forum was created to help clients, where you can find a lot of useful information, talk on various topics, and if you want to leave a review or suggestion for improvement. Actual proposals will be implemented as soon as possible. In order for our customers to be calm over the development process of their sites, a team of specialists developed and implemented the latest DDoS protection system. After the above mentioned, to say that cheap hosting of game servers - surely yes, because with such a bunch of advantages, keeping our prices up-to-date is a very difficult task. Contrary to everything hosting game servers successfully cope with this task, so that you enjoy your time with us.We will be glad to help in undertakings in the open spaces of our service. Thank you for choosing the best! Sincerely, Administration.

HOSTING SERVERS MINECRAFT , OFFERS YOU, DEAR CUSTOMERS:

Minecraft hosting rental services will delight their customers with excellent quality from the moment they acquire a minecraft gaming host until they leave the playing field. A high-class team of our hosting expert’s minecraft has put a lot of effort into creating a powerful and, most importantly, comfortable “playground” for game lovers and game lovers. Not unimportant, and for many clients, the fact that we provide the cheapest minecraft server hosting will be a significant plusin the vast expanses of the Internet networks. Tariffs that we offer are stable, and over time, it will only be a pleasure to please all our customers who wish to buy a minecraft server. And, of course, the game hosting minecraft from qualified and responsive technical support for players of all levels, from beginners to pro. No player who rented a hosting server minecraft , will not remain without a clear and comprehensive answer.

HOSTING GAME SERVERS MINECRAFT "IN STEP WITH THE TIMES."

In the process of painstaking work, constantly developing and improving our game hosting minecraft , experts have developed and installed an exclusive and powerful protection against DDoS, thereby moving minecraft hosting to the leading positions. Our customers have already appreciated the degree of protection of already “their” purchased minecraft servers , leaving a large number of positive reviews. Our team has developed a convenient in terms of functionality forum where everyone can leave a review or request, which will be considered without fail and, with its actual “importance”, is fulfilled. Actual in our opinion was the section «FAQ», which was developed by our game hosting team minecraft . Our user hosting servers minecraft, gets everything you need to manage the server, in the absence of any plug-in in the panel, and there are 18706 there, you can easily install any plug-in, thanks to full access via an FTP client. In a matter of seconds, the owner of the minecraft hosting server can perform any actions thanks to the latest panel developed by our specialists. The minecraft hosting designers have done an excellent job on minecraft gaming hosting , using harmonious colors and exquisite colors in their design. Undoubtedly, with all the above advantages, our minecraft hosting remains in the category “the cheapest minecraft hosting” .

HOW DOES HOSTING MINECRAFT SERVERS SURPRISE AND DELIGHT PLAYERS?

To stimulate even more customer interest in our hosting of minecraft servers , we have developed an interesting way to encourage players. It consists of the following systems: - Minecraft gaming hosting once a week provides a promotional code for a discount of 10-15%, if you wish to buy a minecraft server , and guarantee our regular players 20%; - we have developed an affiliate program, which gives players the right to receive a bonus in the form of financial compensation to your account, for bringing friends to our minecraft hosting through a special link in the panel; - we offer a nice bonus, which gives you two more days to extend minecraft hosting , at the end of your lease term, before the server is canceled. - There is a free trial period for using the server for a period of 24 hours.

IN MY HEAD THE QUESTION IS BREWING WHY IS OUR HOSTING?

Real-time technical support. The ability to change the tariff / slots after ordering. Ability to install your own server assembly. Change MineCraft version with one click. Affiliate program - bring a friend and get 10% from his payment. Creation of backup copies (server backup). Monitoring server load . The ability to protect your server in the Firewall section of the control panel. The ability to add co-owner of the server. Charts online servers. Low ping. Functional server console with sending commands without RCON participation. Full access via client . In the "Add-ons" installed more than 19,000 plug-ins. Our servers are located in the best Data Center. Weekly promo codes, discounts, promotions. Reinstall the server with one click. Full, free with * , you can attach your domain. Task Scheduler, with which you can restart or turn off the server, send a command to the console at a specified time. Protection against DDoS attacks on equipment. Powerful Intel processors. High-speed SSD drives.

Why you need to order a game hosting from us?

Our hosting of game servers is available to absolutely everyone, the prices on our game hosting will pleasantly surprise you. Our game hosting proved to be a high-quality hosting of minecraft servers, as well as hosting server’s cs 1.6. Here you can buy minecraft hosting and samp servers hosting. Hosting minecraft servers is an indispensable service on the market It is impossible to explain the secret of the popularity of the game Minecraft. It covers all categories of the population, all ages and social classes. Simple to primitivism engine and pixel graphics inexplicably makes fall in love with himself. Therefore, minecraft hosting always remains in the TOP of user demand. Hosting minecraft is a convenient opportunity to build your own world, to set there such rules that you will like. But on its own platform, the issue of security and reliability becomes even more relevant. Therefore, our minecraft hosting meets all modern standards, as a platform for creating a server on a hosting server with mods.

How to buy a minecraft server?

The procedure is performed in literally two steps. Fill out the form and choose the vending tariff. In addition, you can purchase a minecraft hosting server through any payment system that is more convenient for you. We also know how important it is for the webmaster to quickly communicate with technical support. Alas, many modern companies are deaf to their customers. Our hosting minecraft goes the other way. Responsive and competent consultants, technical support staff are always happy to answer any questions you may have. In order to convince you of the honesty of the future cooperation, our hosting minecraft is provided with a test period. So, you can check all our words right now!

Tremendous opportunities

Our minecraft hosting is convenient personal settings, both for the experienced user and for the beginner. The broadest functionality allows everyone to use their favorite utilities. The latest version minecraft hosting is from 1.5.2 to 1.12.1 of your choice, you can even install your own kernel, plugin support (proxy) for combining bungeecord servers and a universal admin panel. The administrative panel gives the owner the opportunity to set operations on a schedule, manage his own server remotely, use the latest configuration features. And, besides, our hosting minecraft provides: Full access to FTP files. At the same time, the FTP client is not limited in principle. Continuous monitoring of data and statistics at any time. A huge number of mods. Many plugins. Or rather, our hosting minecraft makes it possible to connect more than 23,000 plug-ins!

Question of the price of hosting minecraft servers

How much does it cost to buy hosting minecraft servers? Yes, and reliable, with wide functionality. Sounds expensive? Not really! Our prices are loyal to customers. Basic rates start literally from ten rubles. A huge range will allow you to choose an option for almost any wallet and buy minecraft server for many "in the teeth"! And in our case, cheap minecraft hosting- this is not a synonym for the word: poor quality. Tariffs differ in the amount of RAM, the number of players. But the level of service remains consistently high. Thanks to a balanced combination of powerful servers located in Europe and the flawless work of our specialists, we have achieved a wide flow of clients. That is why we don’t have any reason to chase prices. We have created a hosting minecraft that anyone can afford. We are not unsubstantiated. Using our hosting minecraft, you get: The ability to permanently save data. If you lose, you can restore them in just a few clicks. Reliable and affordable system around the clock without interruption. Our hosting minecraft never "falls" even for short periods. Full protection from cheaters. Built-in firewall will make your gaming world as secure as possible. Protection against DDOS attacks with Arbor. The best hosting of minecraft, after all, should easily survive the software attacks of possible detractors, this is what makes hosting minecraft game servers better, isn't it ?. SSD - a place that is allocated to custom MineCraft server files (regardless of the size of the standard build server files) Memory - the maximum amount of RAM that is allocated for the MineCraft game server WEB Hosting - full-fledged virtual hosting for sites. Allowed remote MySQL connections. Connect your domains. PHP 5.4. Panel ISPmanager Pro 4. Rating, monitoring and top minecraft servers with IP addresses, online, statistics and user votes for projects in Russia and other Russian-speaking countries. To find a Minecraft server, use the Search, select a server by mods or a server by plugins. You can find or select a Minecraft server for playing online with friends either with your launcher with mods or without a launcher, with mini-games, unique gameplay and community. Read and write your reviews about minecraft servers, share your opinion with others! Be a part of one of the largest and best gaming hosting sites for Minecraft and the CIS! We already have more than 100,000 users, and over 30,000 Minecraft game servers have been created with the help of our service, and you also have your own personal server for your favorite game! Read the full article

[dipulb3]

2020 Acura NSX review: The softer side of supercars

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/2020-acura-nsx-review-the-softer-side-of-supercars/

2020 Acura NSX review: The softer side of supercars

It’s a wide boi.

Andrew Krok/Roadshow

Supercars are supposed to miss the forest for the trees. These ragged-edge cars focus so intently on high-speed performance and high-cost trimmings that they’re often tough to truly utilize on a daily basis, relegating them to weekend warriors at best. But not the 2020 Acura NSX. This Japanese scalpel is more than ready to rumble on a backroad, but it carries a softness that gives the car more than enough pliancy to make for a quality grocery-getter, albeit one that’s a bit over equipped for the task.

Like

Ever-present hybrid power

Impressive in daily driving

Never stops being fun

Don’t Like

Mediocre infotainment

Persistent windshield reflections

No Individual mode

Before I even get behind the wheel of the 2020 Acura NSX, I’m hit with that familiar kind of supercar weird-for-the-sake-of-being-weird-ness. On approach, the thin door handles pop out to greet me, which is a fun parlor trick. Thankfully, the doors open in the normal direction, as the NSX has absolutely no problem turning heads without bringing atypical hinges and butterfly doors into the equation.

With interesting angles in every direction, from flying buttresses out back to the aggressive front bumper, the NSX is like most other supercars in that it’s damn near impossible to blend in anywhere. Even beyond the show-off styling, my tester’s $6,000 Valencia Red Pearl paint job isn’t about to let that happen.

First impressions come quickly after sliding past the NSX’s door. Despite the body’s relative position to terra firma, the seating position is a little higher than I expect, giving me a greater feeling of normalcy than I encounter in, say, a McLaren or a Lamborghini. Visibility is quite good in most directions, with loads of forward sight (thanks in part to way-thin A-pillars) and superb blind-spot coverage from the mirrors that sprout from the body like antennae. The view out back is fine, considering there’s an engine a few inches behind me. Be mindful of the sun’s position, though: Too many direct rays from ol’ Sol and the front windshield begins to resemble a cheese grater thanks to serious reflections of the massive speaker grille below. It can be really annoying, especially in spirited driving or slow-speed neighborhoods where children and squirrels are likely to be in the street.

Overall, the NSX’s interior quality feels worth the $150,000+ cost of admission. Soft leather covers most of the dashboard, door panels, center tunnel and steering wheel, and what isn’t made from the smooth stuff is bedecked in carbon fiber (a $2,500 option) and satin aluminum. The small bit of piano black trim on the transmission controls, which should be very familiar to most recent Honda or Acura owners, is the only part of the interior that feels a little low-rent, and only then it’s because of its propensity to accumulate finger grime. The cup holders are small and only attach to a slot on the center console, but you can tuck them into the diminutive glove compartment when not in use. Other storage comes by way of wallet-sized slots in the door panels, a key- (and mask-) sized slot in the center console and a small hinged cubby against the rear firewall that houses the USB port. It’s tight, like many supercars, but there’s still a decent amount of room for my 6-foot frame to get comfortable.

Most mid-engined supercars throw owners a storage bone by way of front and rear trunks. But not the NSX — electric motors and other hardware live under the hood, so the only cargo storage is located aft of the engine. Not only is the trunk small, its proximity to the twin-turbo V6 means whatever goes back there has to be heat-tolerant. Put your bags of ice in the passenger-side footwell.

All of those silly concerns melt away from the second I push the start button. Just behind my head, the 3.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 growls itself awake before quickly settling into a quieter idle, something neighbors are bound to appreciate. A push of the Drive button puts the nine-speed dual-clutch transmission to work, which provides just a smidgeon of slip as first gear engages.

In the default Sport mode, the NSX proves to me that it can absolutely function as a daily driver. Despite lacking air or McLaren’s complicated hydraulics, the NSX’s static suspension is surprisingly comfortable, soaking up a wide variety of bumps and humps without unsettling the car or its occupants. The chassis’ inherent stiffness remains obvious, but the ride is far smoother than I went in expecting.

Small issues with the cabin disappear completely once the speedometer starts to rise.

Andrew Krok/Roadshow

Gear shifts are unobtrusive, and in low-rev situations, the V6 (which produces 500 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque on its own) is content to putter along quietly — if it’s even running at all. In Quiet mode, the NSX will use its small battery to operate like any other hybrid, silently hustling along under electric power alone — Sport offers electric-only operation, too, but in more limited quantities. The V6 cuts in and out with little, if any jostling in the cabin. It’s Prius smooth, in a good way.

Twist the mode knob to Sport Plus, and the NSX emits some sort of magic substance that causes me to forget about literally anything that isn’t the car or the road directly ahead of it. I feel the frenetic energy start to rise as the engine dramatically increases its volume at all times, even though it’s a little meh on the tonal front at lower revs. The V6 calls on the help of three electric motors — two up front, one out back — to generate a net 573 hp and 476 lb-ft. As you’d expect, the electric motors absolutely assault me with torque at a moment’s notice, and it’s really evident in tight corners, where the front axle helps pull me through as Continental SportContact performance tires grip the pavement. It’s easy to approach a corner with more speed than expected, but thankfully, it’s also easy to shuffle out the other side. Between those points, optional carbon-ceramic rotors ($10,600!) will scrub speed with both excellent modulation and impressive haste, over and over again. It’s impossible not to have fun in the 2020 NSX.

My only real gripe here is that I wish I could mix and match the modes. I get it, Acura put these modes together to make sure the car exemplifies whatever it’s after, but if I really wanted to daily drive this car, I’d want the engine constantly in Sport Plus with the suspension in Quiet. Why the hell can’t I have that?

You never really hear the NSX’s turbochargers spool up until you really glom on the throttle, then it’s all you’ll hear.

Andrew Krok/Roadshow

One thing that Acura has in common with every other supercar manufacturer is its middling-at-best infotainment system. Ripped straight from, oh, every single Honda Civic on the dealership lot, the NSX’s 7-inch head unit packs suction-cupped-Garmin-era graphics, just-OK response time and limited functionality. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are on offer, which means it’s pretty easy to ignore the standard setup altogether. The motif changes from red to blue depending on vehicle mode, but I kind of wish Acura could have put its own unique spin on this — or at least upgraded the 2020 NSX to the most recent (and prettier) version found on the Odyssey and other large adult Hondas. The gauge cluster is entirely digital, too, and while it’s weird that it’s tilted away from my eyes, it provides me with all the data I could possibly ask for. It’s easy to mess around with, too, thanks to super-simple scrollers on the steering wheel.

As for safety systems, you get… parking sensors. And non-adaptive cruise control. Want anything else? Buy a TLX.

With a starting price of $159,495 after destination, the 2020 Acura NSX is almost competing with two separate classes of high-performance vehicle. On the one side, you have the hardcore non-supercars like the Porsche 911 Turbo, the Mercedes-AMG GT R or, if you don’t need a six-figure window sticker, the mid-engined Chevrolet Corvette, all of which are excellent cars, but all of which lack the “What was that?” emotional appeal of proper supercars. Speaking of which, the NSX is positioned against some big names here, too, like the Audi R8 and, if you want to drop another $30k, the McLaren 570S. Those cars are more along the lines of the NSX, but they’re also a fair bit sharper than the Acura, too.

When a car is engineered with performance at the top of the masthead, comfort has to be put back ­­into it. Sometimes it requires complex components, other times it just doesn’t happen very well. But the 2020 Acura NSX does an excellent job blending daily usability and performance in a way that other supercars don’t. Does it leave a little bit of skidpad rating on the table? Sure. But I’ll be damned if you can find a more entertaining way to commute in comfort.

[topfygad]

Travelmag – How to leave your rat-race world

Do you hear that?

The sound of rain putting the windowpane.

The nervous steps of a disgruntled man coming nearer to your cubicle.

The cellphone ringing but once more.

You’ve had it. You’re pining for a change of scene. A bit of extra day off work and rather less of your superior’s moaning would do wonders, you’re satisfied. And that gown code, if solely it didn’t exist. You’re dragging your ft once you’re presupposed to race.

I perceive you. The rat race kills the rat even earlier than the hamster wheel squeaks.

I inform you what: depart the day by day grind behind. It’s simpler than you suppose. Think about your self sleeping in every single day and dealing from the consolation of your house, clad in nothing however pants.

I do know you need monetary safety. You need to proceed to earn money. On the one hand you might do with a freelancer’s freedom, however on the opposite, you don’t suppose you might have the identical rights as an worker.

You’ll be able to, however…for those who’ve already examined out platforms for freelancers, likelihood is you haven’t even scratched the floor of what’s on the market.

Let me introduce you to Peter’s story. At 40, this man went location-independent and, to place it in his personal phrases, he ‘freed himself of his also-ran go well with and his suffocating tie’.

How Peter Ended up as a Freelancer

‘You recognize,’ Peter would say to me, ‘it’s at all times the identical. You give up and hope every part is healthier in your new job. However just a few weeks later you realise that no one helps you familiarise your self rapidly. No one has time to indicate you the ropes, and what your predecessor has left behind is a multitude.’

A pc programmer in his teenagers and self-taught in capital markets, Peter used to work at numerous funding firms as a stockbroker and dealer for twenty years. 5 years in the past, he was sick of observing gray brick partitions in entrance of his places of work and uninterested in bosses that may by no means be happy, as he says. Sufficient was sufficient.

He based a multi-national enterprise and was constructive that life would turn into rewarding now. However then, the English expertise entrepreneur skilled first-hand the inefficacies inside recruiting. Flawed hires, wasted money and time. Once more – one thing needed to change.

Peter wasn’t alone. Failing to rent the fitting individual isn’t an unusual phenomenon within the UK. In accordance with a brand new report from the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), two out of 5 vacancies are stuffed with the improper candidate, regardless of the numerous monetary prices of creating errors. Apparently, it prices UK companies billions every year.

As probability would have it, he met Sarah at BFI London Movie Pageant in 2016 – a managing director of a number one post-production and visible results inventive studio. That girl had been championing the range inside the world of tech and visible results and selling the work of freelancers and impartial staff.

Her enthusiasm for the world of freelancing was contagious. Peter felt compelled to do what he realised he’d lengthy been craving and broke into the gig market – a choice he hasn’t regretted to today, regardless of the growing regimentation.

How Peter Felt After Taking the Plunge

In a phrase: free!

He revelled in his freedom to decide on the sort of work that appealed to him, to find out when it was time to buckle down and when to knock off, to say no to a shopper he couldn’t be bothered to work with and to decorate or undress the way in which he preferred. Above all, he loved working from anyplace, not simply from London, New York or Bangkok.

Sounds good, however do freelancers roll in cash?

Maintain your horses!

Right here Are a Few Details and Figures

The gig financial system is on no account all about badly paid driving or supply jobs. Quite the opposite, the IPSE Freelancer Confidence Index report reads that the weighted common day price for a freelancer is as much as £525. In accordance with RSA’s survey carried out earlier this 12 months, solely 16% are within the driving or supply business. 59% of UK’s freelancers are offering administrative, skilled or inventive companies, and you’ll find freelancers throughout all occupations.

In different phrases, an awesome majority of UK’s freelancers reside proof that the gig financial system isn’t synonymous with low-paid donkey work.

Okay, however what about late or no fee for delivered work?

You’ve acquired some extent there.

In accordance with a survey by fintech firm Ormsby Avenue, about half of all freelancers have considered giving up freelancing as a consequence of late funds. Extra so due to work they don’t receives a commission for, which occurs each on occasion.

Even so, the variety of UK’s freelancers has been rising and was estimated at 2 million in 2018. Within the age of Brexit, plenty of folks don’t know what their employers are as much as. Will they sack you, outsource and even shut down? This insecurity is without doubt one of the the reason why the freelance neighborhood is rising.

Accenture and Deloitte each predict 30% of the UK’s workforce will likely be freelancing or gig working by 2020. Within the US, this may rise as excessive as 50% by 2020.

So what are you presupposed to do with poor payers? Chase them and danger dropping these shoppers? Employment rights might be a value value paying for, however turning into a ‘permalancer’ – a freelancer that works with the identical organisation for an extended time frame – has its downsides too.

Within the face of the rising variety of self-employed people and freelancers, alongside the much-documented rise of the ‘gig financial system’, the UK authorities has introduced that the Intermediaries Laws (IR35) reform launched to the general public sector in 2017 can even be rolled out to the non-public sector in April 2020.

IR35 goals to tax ‘disguised staff’ who’re working via their very own firms and utilizing the tax advantages which might be obtainable however are nonetheless working in the same or equivalent method to that of different staff.

If a self-employed particular person is topic to IR35, the customer must deduct revenue tax and nationwide insurance coverage contributions from funds made to freelancers. Because the non-public sector depends closely on freelancers, this reform is sure to have a substantial affect on the whole gig financial system within the UK.

In a nutshell, so that you can escape IR35, not solely does your contract must display that you simply’re in enterprise, but in addition your working practices should present that you simply’re working by yourself account. This can be a thorny difficulty, and the three key components to think about are:

• management & course concerning milestones quite than an open-ended pile of labor • private service vs. the fitting to produce a substitute • mutuality of obligation to supply and perform work

Conscious of IR35, Peter was searching for an umbrella firm and stumbled throughout nodal.com this 12 months. Not solely does Nodal enable him to get the very best deal whereas staying clearly inside IR35 guidelines, avoiding one-off preparations which may not stand as much as authorized scrutiny, Nodal can also be the primary blockchain-powered freelance market.

‘Not like different platforms, Nodal doesn’t cost extortionate commissions to freelancers, comparable to 20% on the primary £250 earned with a purchaser. As a substitute, they cost a small proportion to recruiters,’ Peter raved.

Safety from IR35 and the fee scheme aren’t the one elements that exhilarated Peter a lot. ‘The truth that timesheets are immediately recognised towards invoices and funds are automated through ledger expertise makes my life hassle-free,’ he stated to me.

Since I’m a freelancer myself, Peter piqued my curiosity and prompted me to dig just a little deeper. I’ve discovered that Nodal verifies and validates expertise constantly. They file them at any time when an motion is accomplished, making the platform reliable, clear and even-handed between employer and freelancer. That’s implausible as a result of it permits AI algorithms to match the fitting candidate with the fitting job, and assured verification of expertise slashes time and prices spent on improper hires.

On the spot entry to a expertise pool of candidates, peer rankings, date availability, sensible contracts to place an finish to the persistent difficulty of late fee and unfair scope creep, assured weekly funds, integrated insurance coverage to all freelancers – all inside Nodal – what else would you like?

Journey!

Effectively, freelancing will get you out of the rat race and allows you to journey extra. Freelancing is the approach to life that allows you to management your workload, your work relationships, and the variety of your breaks. You’re your personal boss.

A greater work-life steadiness, time financial savings, and fewer stress all contribute to extra happiness. In accordance with Upwork’s Freelancing in America 2018 examine, 51% say that no amount of cash would get them to take a conventional job. No marvel! Having the ability to work from anyplace is the epitome of freedom.

Docs, social staff, fats pharmaceutical cats, blue boys in blue, rabbit breeders and different extremely necessary contemporaries, every part I’ve stated doesn’t apply to you. Take it with a pinch of salt and please proceed to put on white coats, noble costumes and uniforms. Don’t even toy with the concept of turning into a freelancer. We want you, or hopefully we received’t.

Be that as it could, if everybody slept in and undressed at work, life would turn into fairly sophisticated once more.

Philipp Meier is a Freelance Journey and Content material Author, Copywriter, English/German Translator and Proofreader. He has a ardour for Thai tradition and travelling off the well-trodden vacationer path within the Land of Cheeky Smiles. Discover him at https://ift.tt/2Ur5ism or through e mail at pm@writerphilippmeier.com.

Copyright © 2020 Philipp Meier

source http://cheaprtravels.com/travelmag-how-to-leave-your-rat-race-world/