#Free Floating Sharing Services

[bisrsrch]

IoT Solutions for Micromobility Market Trends: Current and Future

Micromobility vehicle manufacturers collaborate with IoT solution companies to upgrade their vehicles with IoT-based hardware and software. This research study focuses on putting forward IoT solutions' current and future potential for the micromobility market. The report includes an exhaustive analysis of different manufacturers in the market, market dynamics, and regional studies. To reduce traffic congestion and environmental pollution, countries worldwide are supporting micromobility to overcome these issues, which will boost the global IoT solutions for micromobility market.

Read an Overview of the Report at: https://bisresearch.com/industry-report/iot-solutions-micromobility-market.html

The growth of global IoT solutions for micromobility market is due to the rapidly rising demand for first and last-mile delivery markets and kick scooter-sharing. Investment from manufacturers in research and development activities in IoT solutions for micromobility is expected to push the market substantially. Rapid population growth and urbanization worldwide are forcing to switch into micromobility. Further, this will propel the global IoT solutions for micromobility market significantly in the years ahead. Though there are some challenges in the market, such as vandalism, thefts, improper parking of vehicles, and non-availability of required infrastructure, the ongoing vital developments in the market are expected to overcome them in the forecast period.  

E-bikes are battery-powered versions of paddle bikes, traveling up to 16 to 20 mph. E-bikes are reliable, easy to ride, reasonable, and help people live and move more sustainably. They are gaining popularity in countries such as Germany. They are replacing conventional bicycles, while in others, such as China, they replace fossil fuel-powered mopeds and small motorbikes. In 2021, Comodule, an E-bike connectivity pioneer, released a new product driven by the rise of the micromobility and connectivity industries. Some key electric bike manufacturers are Giant Bicycles, Aventon, Buzz Bikes, Lectric eBikes, and GT Bicycles, among others.

Free-floating services occupied the largest share in the market in 2020 due to their ease of implementation. Free-floating is a service for sharing vehicles without fixed stations to make public transportation options available across a city without needing a central hub. The mopeds or kick scooters can be strategically positioned in hotspot regions with high demand as long as it follows the city's micromobility regulations from where users can reserve and utilize a vehicle and park it wherever they want.

Request for the Free Sample Report at: https://bisresearch.com/requestsample?id=1285&type=download

Hardware is currently dominating the market in IoT solutions for micromobility. An IoT device can be easily installed to remotely control and monitor an E-scooter, E-bike, moped, or any other vehicle that allows the user to send commands to the vehicle and have them implemented and monitor its location in real-time and track any errors. The world's top shared mobility companies utilize Teltonika IoT devices.

Europe is dominating the market for IoT solutions for micromobility in 2020 and is expected to grow in the estimated forecast period of 2021-2031 due to various advantages, including the freeing up of parking spots, government regulations, the reduction of urban congestion, the reduction of air pollution, among others. The IoT solutions for the micromobility market in the U.K. are also extensive in volume in 2020 and are expected to increase exponentially over the forecast period. Therefore, IoT solutions for micromobility use in the U.K. are also growing.

The business dynamics section of the report examines the diverse factors that govern the global IoT solutions for micromobility market. This analysis provides an in-depth understanding of the present and the future directions in which the market is headed and the impact of various factors on the same. This chapter covers the major market dynamics, namely, drivers, challenges, business strategies, corporate strategies, and opportunities, analyzing several factors that positively and negatively affect the global IoT solutions for micromobility market.

#IoT Solutions for Micromobility Market #IoT Solutions for Micromobility #E-Moped #E-Scooter #E-bike #Free Floating Sharing Services #Station-Based Sharing Services #Corporate Sharing Services #Telematics #Security #Analytics #Dashboard #Rider and Operator Application #IoT Module #Sim

[googiekitsch]

IMPORTANT POST FOR ALL ARTISTS

IF YOURE IN NEED OF A WEBSITE WITH A FUCKTON OF GOOD COLOR PALETTES. GO HERE.

it's mostly a website used for pixel artists to share their palettes for free download, BUT from my experience as someone who does pixel art from time to time, using it as a resource for my regular drawings also works very good. theres big and small color schemes on this website

pixel artists are very very good at making color palettes and MANY of these are far more versatile than the regular coolors 5-color color schemes youll see floating around on art resource compilations. you can search up any tag to find the palettes youre looking for (the maximum amount of colors you can upload on a palette here is 256 so the sky really is the limit), and you can even search by the number of colors you want. theres literally thousands of free palettes put up by artists there for free downloadable use.

this is a really precious service and i always siphon people looking for color schemes here when i can. go check it out

[dcxdpdabbles]

I’ve seen you said you take prompts, so, I had an idea if you’re interested.

So, imagine Danny has an assignment from Clockwork, and as punishment for a prank he pulled where he messed with something and unintentionally pulled CW’s attention away from the timelines for long enough for the Flash to accidentally ruin the timeline, after the timeline was fixed Danny’s forced to go and fix every single broken clock in the solar system. This includes stuff like watches and the batcave clock, maybe a few timed bombs, something on the watchtower, villain bases, etc.. Everyone is extremely confused and concerned as to how and why this eldritch kid with the Mark of Kronos is appearing randomly in their secret bases. Danny isn’t just fixing the clocks, sometimes he pulls Shenanigans depending on where he has to go. If he sees clones in a lab, he’ll call up Dani and they’ll pull off a heist together and she’ll take care of teaching and raising them afterwards. Talons? Danny opens a portal to a section of the infinite realms and gives them their own island after having the yetis go through deprogramming with them and stuff. He sees some stuffy fruitloop batcave? Graffiti and glitter. Lazarus pits? Free smoothie! Of course, he’s respectful to civilians when he bumps into them, giving little unmeltable ice statues to kids, helping people who need it, etc. He fixes a family heirloom watch, bringing tears to a grandson’s eyes. He’s helping people while on his mission, while also messing with any fruitloops he finds. So all of these people around the world are just really confused and being like, what in the world, who/what is this kid?! And sharing stories about him online, painting him as a cryptid or god or whatever. The Justice League and the villains are just Concerned because the kid feels like Kronos, time, and death energy, and have no idea what he’s trying to accomplish. Maybe they think that working clocks give him power, idk, just thinking of the conspiracy boards about Danny as he goes through his punishment and fixes every single clock, including on other planets (Danny practically squealing the whole time as he meets *aliens* in *space*! What cool technology and life!) This is meant to be a punishment but Danny’s living out his dreams. Sure it’s boring at times, but all this traveling is interesting and can help him bond with Dani, so this isn’t much of a punishment for him. He gets to be mischievous and help people out, it’s a win-win. Meanwhile everyone else is thinking that the end of the world is coming and that Kronos has been reborn and is trying to take over the world somehow with clocks. If you’re willing to expand or add to this or make it your own, please do!

I love the idea of Danny just *poof* "Yes, hello, I am the clock-smith" in the middle of, say, the watch tower. Floating up to the clock wall to adjust the time while pulling out a manual on time zones in different parts of space. The watch tower is within Earth's intergalactic waters per se, but which Earth time did he set it to???

Should he anchor it to one place or just place a spell on it to show all the time zones in a cycle? Does Clockwork have a procedure for this?

Meanwhile, all the heroes in the cafeteria are jumping to their feet, some whispering, "A fifth dimension imp!" and others yelling, "It's Kronos!"

Wonder Woman kneeling before the flouting teen does not help these accusations, as she loudly proclaims, "It's an honor to be of service, Lord Kronos."

Danny looked down at her. "Oh hey, an Amazonian."

"Why have you graced us with your presence? Is there anything this lowly servant can help you with?"

".....Can you gather all the watches for me?"

"At once!" And that's how the rest of the heroes almost have heart attacks because Wonder Woman herself is rushing at them at terrifying speed to rip away any form of watch from their bodies. She's on a war path, and no one can stop her. They can see it in her eyes- she'll draw blood if she has to.

They hand over their watches without much of a fight, feeling like they are being mugged. Wonder Woman sprints away to the next few levels- the screams of fellow heroes echoing in her wake.

Batman isn't as willing to cooperate with Kronos until he knows why the god is here, but Danny doesn't give him much of a choice. Mostly because he is uncontainable. Thankfully, he seems fixated on watches (Bruce writes in his notes, "Can gods be autistic???), and he leaves once they are all fixed.

He changes everything to be precisely twenty-nine hours ahead of whatever time they originally were at. Wonder Woman basically barked at everyone to not switch them back, banishing her sword.

From there, Batman does research with his sons and daughters. Tim finds the information of Danny appearing throughout history to fix watches, and Hal finds similar historical text in Oa's archives—usually right before a horrible tragedy. Further investigation shows a horrendous discovery.

Danny adds or subtracts the same number of hours from the told time as before the tragedy.

He was on Mars three hours before the tipping point of the civil war when the tremendous green Martian massacre happened. He added three hours to the green Martian's capital clock tower.

He was there on Krypton twenty-five hours before the planet was swallowed up by a black hole and exploded. Every public area with any form of time telling was changed to twenty-five regardless of whether it matched the planet's time zone.

And now he was here in the clock tower.

Bruce realizes that they have only one hour left, so he commands everyone to rush about and search for what could be the issue. It's only thanks to the Speedsters' quickness that they find the malfunction in the tower's core—the thing keeping them flouting. Had they been one hour too late, it would have caused the Tower to get pulled into Earth's gravitational pull.

Leading to them crashing into Earth- right above the most populated country of the world, possibly killing millions and leaving the world without their heroes.

The tragedy is avoided but now everyone is weary of when or where Kronos will appear.

Meanwhile, Clockwork is watching the timeline, amused that they think Danny is him when, in reality, Danny is just picking a random time and sticking the clocks to match since it's less math.

#dcxdpdabbles #dcxdp crossover #Kronos' warning #A idea to your idea #I like the idea of Danny just being a clock smith and everyone going "A PROPHECY!?

[galedekarios]

the splendours of waterdeep

Gale: I hail from Waterdeep, the City of Splendours.

we've all heard gale introduce himself and there's a certain pride that colours his voice. but what exactly are waterdeep's splendours?

1. general noteworthy things about waterdeep

i) waterdeep is one of the cleanest cities in the realms

this is not only achieved by having many of waterdeep's buildings and facilities connected to a sewer system, but also through waterdeep's dungsweeper's guild. the members of the guild make their rounds through the city, sweeping streets, collecting trash, litter and refuse.

this service is paid for by taxes.

ii) waterdeep's water system

waterdeep boasts an extensive water system that enables the city to have free access to clean water. this free access comes in many forms: fountains, wells and bath houses. some establishment even have their own access to fresh water in form of tap water "with the turn of a knob", as volo puts it in his chapbook about the city.

iii) waterdeep, city of light

waterdeep possesses many signs and street lamps that are lit with continual flame spells:

hundreds of driftglobes also illuminate the city each night:

A driftglobe was a small glass orb that magically floated in the air and emitted light.

in addition to these magical means, so called lamplighters keep the streets lit - with the exception of the field ward and more dangerous areas of the dock ward.

iv) waterdeep and literacy

waterdeep is one of the most literate cities in the realms.

the font of knowledge is a temple to oghma, god of the domain of knowledge, in waterdeep. priests of oghma "valued, preserved, shared, sought, created, or uncovered knowledge and learning. [x]" the priests there offer free instructions and lessons in reading to everyone. the temple has a library, known as "the great library".

the city has many publishing houses and printing presses. books and chapbooks (short books containing various topics from memoirs to romances, politics, etc.) are popular, as are small and large paper advertisements that dot the streets and alleys. broadsheets are popular too in the city:

A broadsheet, also known as a short scroll, was a short, printed document which usually contained tabloid-style news or political rants. They were common in Waterdeep, where they were sold by broadcriers on the main streets.

some of these broadsheets popular in waterdeep are [x]:

The Vigilant Citizen, which was one of the most reputable broadsheets in the city.

The Blue Unicorn, which reported paranormal events such as haunted mansions or undead hiding among the nobility.

The Daily Luck, a sheet aimed at gamblers.

Horkle's Gossip Cauldron, whose style of writing was said to be profane and blunt to the point of rudeness.

The Mocking Minstrel, one of the most read broadsheets in the city, known for its caustic and sarcastic tone.

The North Wind, which focused on nobility gossip and fashion.

The Merchant's Friend

Halivar's Broadsheet

restaurants and other establishments in waterdeep often have printed menus that are placed outside, as well as handed out to those who choose to eat there.

2. the griffon cavalry

"Waterdeep doesn’t have the fabled flying ships of Halruaa, but it does deploy an aerial defense force. Brave warriors of the City Guard light out from the Peaktop Aerie atop Mount Waterdeep, riding fearsome griffons that have been bred and trained for that purpose. Each of the riders is equipped with a ring of feather falling — not merely to prevent death from mishap, but to allow them to perform stunning feats of aerial acrobatics. In both martial displays and in real battles against flying threats such as manticores, harpies, and outlaw wizards, the griffon riders actually leap off their mounts into the open air! For a breath-stealing moment, they fall like stones, closing in on their targets at incredible speed. Their opponents rarely see the griffon riders. When they are past the danger, the free-falling riders then suddenly halt in the air, drifting like feathers until their griffon companions swoop in and they regain their saddles. Working in concert with one another in this fashion, members of the Griffon Cavalry can rapidly eliminate any threat to the city — and even catch the body of the offender before it hits the rooftops below. Riders of the Griffon Cavalry are trained to stay above the rooftops, not because they fear crashing into towers and weather vanes, but because the smell of so much horseflesh in the streets below can sometimes drive their griffons into a frenzy."

[from: volo's waterdeep enchiridion]

3. the walking statues

"Over a century ago, just one of these eight behemoth statues stood visible at the northern foot of Mount Waterdeep, on a bluff called Gull Leap. Ninety feet tall, it resembled a bald human staring out to sea. Later events (discussed below) caused it to be transformed into the statue known today as the Sahuagin Humbled. When the Spellplague gripped Waterdeep in 1385 DR, six more walking statues suddenly appeared in the city, wandering to wreak havoc even as the Sahuagin Humbled remained motionless. The authorities and citizens of Waterdeep succeeded in stopping three of these new statues, breaking the Swordmaiden and the Hawk Man, and sinking the God Catcher into the street up to its waist. Then all the statues mysteriously stopped their rampage just as quickly as they had begun it. Tsarra Chaadren, the Blackstaff at the time, couldn’t command them to return to their former hiding places on the Ethereal Plane. Consequently, the city repaired itself and built up around them. Much later, in 1479 DR, the eighth statue — the Griffon — merged from the Ethereal Plane to defend Ahghairon’s Tower against intrusion. It roosted there for a time before flying to its current position near Peaktop Aerie on Mount Waterdeep. Once more, this activity seemed to be outside the Blackstaff’s control. Thankfully, all the walking statues have been dormant for well over a decade now, serving only as beautiful, cyclopean reminders of Waterdeep’s might."

[from: volo's waterdeep enchiridion]

the walking statues are:

the god catcher

the griffon

the sahuagin humbled

the great drunkard

the lady dreaming

the honorable knight

the hawk man

the sword maiden

below you'll find more lore and backstory about these walking statues of waterdeep:

[from: volo's waterdeep enchiridion]

edited to improve format and added text descriptions of the statues for easier reading:

the great drunkard

This walking statue stopped its rampage as it approached the Market, then fell backward and sat upon a building. When it settled, its arms fell limp at its sides and its head tilted forward onto its chest, giving the impression that it had fallen asleep. The statue’s huge stone battleaxe still stands nearby, its haft angled upright and its blade half buried in the cobbles. The rubble of the crushed building was long ago rebuilt into a broad stone stair (with railings and a ramp that drunkards are often rolled down) that ascends from the cobbles to the statue’s lap. That lap now holds a two-story tavern also built from the rubble, called Gralkyn’s Tankard. The unconscious pose of the statue and the tavern in its lap made the name of the Great Drunkard a natural fit.

the god catcher

This is perhaps the most famous walking statue in the city, thanks to its dramatic pose, its nearness to the Market, and the self-evident magic of its existence. The statue is of a well-muscled but impassive male human with its left leg sunk to the hip in the street, the result of a spell cast by the Blackstaff at the time of its rampage. Its left hand and right foot press against the ground as if it is trying to pull itself out. Its right arm is raised skyward, and above its open palm floats a sphere of stone. Its gaze looks up toward the sphere, and the pattern of bird droppings around its eyes gives it the appearance of weeping. All about the statue, climbing up its chest and on its knee and shoulders, is a tenement that carries the name “the God Catcher.” The tenement’s landlord is Aundra Blackcloak, an unsociable sorcerer who is rarely seen in the city except when she alights from the door carved in the floating sphere, which serves as her home. On the rare occasions when she wants to meet with city folk (typically to purchase odd substances for magical purposes), she appears unannounced on balconies or rooftops after dark. Her dealings are polite, though, and she pays fair coin. She never confides in anyone or talks about her own doings — and if anyone but she has ever seen the inside of her spherical home, they’ve said nothing publicly about it.

the griffon

The walking statue called the Griffon is shaped like the beast for which it is named. Though it stands on all four legs, its back is fully twenty feet off the ground, making it a mount fit for a storm giant. Although it has shown itself to be capable of flight, with the granite feathers of its wings spreading like a bird’s, the Griffon now merely stands in a regal pose near Peaktop Aerie atop Mount Waterdeep, looking to the southeast over the Dock Ward. Newcomers sometimes assume it to be a monument to Waterdeep’s Griffon Cavalry, but Waterdavians know better.

the sahuagin humbled

For years, the only visible walking statue of Waterdeep was known simply as “the walking statue.” It stood at the foot of Mount Waterdeep near the head of Julthoon Street. Then, after its critical role in defending the city against an invasion of sahuagin in 1370 DR, Khelben Blackstaff reshaped the statue into a sahuagin. It now bows low toward the House of Heroes on bended knee — a gesture of obeisance to the city, and an acknowledgment of the sacrifice of all who fought for the city in that war.

the lady dreaming

This fair lady caused much chaos when she was active. The statue has the appearance of a female elf, whose hair and clothing appeared to flow naturally as it walked through the city during the Spellplague. When the walking statues stopped, this one toppled onto its side, taking on the appearance of a titanic sculpture of a noble lady asleep in her garden.

the honorable knight

The Honorable Knight is a statue of a male warrior in plate armor with a shield and longsword. When the walking statues stopped, it bowed to those opposing it, straightened, sheathed its sword, and doffed its shield, setting it point down on the ground and upright by its side. It then ceased motion in this position, facing southwest toward the harbor, and looking for all the world like a castle guard standing at ease. The pose it assumed led to its naming, and it is viewed with respect by the citizens of the southerly wards.

the hawk man

This statue looks like a winged, hawk-headed being, and thus locals call it the Hawk Man. I can reveal that in fact it bears much resemblance to an aarakocra, one of the bird-people said to live in the Star Mounts in the High Forest. The statue’s wings are folded tightly against its back and have never unfurled, leaving its flight capability uncertain. It was brought low during its rampage across the city, and now it tilts decidedly toward the northeast due to a missing right foot — long ago broken up for building rubble, along with its right arm. Its left arm is extended out toward the north, palm forward as if in a gesture to say, “Stop.” The body has been hollowed out and turned into a tower shared by several wealthy tenants, which is officially known as Sparaunt Tower after its owner. The statue’s left hand extends over a courtyard to the north, wherein lies the entrance of a tunnel carved through the arm. Visitors and residents can ring a bell in the courtyard, whereupon a door guard acknowledges the ringer and lowers a rope ladder for tenants and expected guests (or a rope chair that is drawn up for guests who are infirm or laden with heavy items).

the sword maiden

This statue appears virtually identical to the Honorable Knight, except for its female form and open-faced helm. It was felled during the Spellplague after causing much chaos and slaughter. The residents of Waterdeep’s North Ward funneled much of their frustrated and dismayed reaction to its rampage into dismantling the statue, parts of which can now be found all over the North Ward, either incorporated into buildings or as bits of freestanding sculpture. The head of the Swordmaiden sits in a stand of tall trees in the center of the block of the North Ward bounded by Hassantyr’s Street, Tarsar’s Street, Whaelgond Way, and Ussilbran Street. The center of its jaw and mouth have been replaced by a door, which leads into the shop known as Thort’s Findings. Undevvur Thort is a wizened ex-adventurer who leans on a cane (which some locals insist is more than just a cane). He lives in the small shop, whose many levels, staircases, and landings fill the hollowed-out interior of the head, and which is crammed with oddments sold to Thort by adventurers and other travelers. These items bear little placards in Thort’s beautiful, flowing handwriting that identify them (or at least provide speculation as to their origin and purpose). Nobles and wealthy merchants who desire props for themed revels often rent some of Thort’s wares as decoration — and many sages, alchemists, and wizards visit him regularly in search of potentially useful items.

#gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep #waterdeep #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #baldurs gate 3 #bg3 meta #ch: gale dekarios #vg: baldur's gate 3 #series: baldur's gate #meta: mybg3 #misc: reference #for all your waterdhavian lore needs

[morallyinept]

Touch - A Joel Miller One Shot

Summary: Inspired by that GIF. You know the one. Yeah. Nuff' said.

Pairing: Post Outbreak Joel Miller x F!Reader (No name or physical description of reader, however they do have hair - length or colour not defined. Otherwise it’s you, bub.)

Word Count: 1.7K

Scoville Smut Rating:🌶️🌶️ “It's the emergence, of."

Check out my Scoville Smut Ratings here.

Warnings/Triggers: Oral M receiving/some belly worship/Joel all wet and in a towel.

NSFW. MINORS DNI! OVER 18’s ONLY. YOU ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT YOU READ.☝🏻Don’t come at me; you’ve been plenty warned.

I write for me, and I share with you. If this story isn't to your taste, that's fine. Just slip quietly out the back door. No need to make a fuss. It's just a work of fiction.

Author’s Note: The brain rot happened when I saw those GIFs floating around again this evening... this is the result of said brain rot. 🫠

MAIN MASTERLIST | JOEL MILLER MASTERLIST

Enjoy! 🖤

As he steps out of the shower, padding barefoot across the floor, a threadbare white towel is wrapped snugly around his waist; its thin cotton fibres absorbing the lingering pelts of water that cling to his skin. 

The towel, worn from years of faithful service, is slightly frayed at the edges and clings to his behind tightly.

Droplets of water cascade from his damp hair, trickling down his skin in rivulets, leaving behind a trail of tiny, glassy tracks that catch the dim light of the dingy room. The air is filled with the ghostly aroma of his soap, a crisp blend of eucalyptus and mint that lingers on his freshly cleansed skin wafting out at you.

Standing before the small, chipped mirror hanging on the wall, Joel lifts a wide-toothed comb, its teeth glistening with tiny diamonds of water caught from his damp hair. With practised precision, he draws the comb through his strands, guiding them back from his forehead in sleek, smooth strokes. 

Each pass of the comb tames usually unruly locks, coaxing them into submission as they cling to the dampness of his scalp. Each stroke brings a sense of order to the chaos, as they yield to the direction of his swift hand.

The dampness of his hair lends it a sleek sheen, accentuating the natural texture and revealing shades of chestnut and mahogany hidden beneath the shimmering silver layers.

As he combs his hair back, the flex of his arm reveals the taut strength that lies beneath the surface, the muscles contracting and releasing with fluid ease. Reflected in the mirror, his image takes shape, the chiselled contours of his bronze, weathered face defined by the stark contrast of wet hair against skin.

There's a sense of cool composure about him, an aura of strength and resilience that radiates from his every pore. Drops of water pool and cling to his temples, tracing a path down the curve of his jawline before disappearing into the recesses of the towel wrapped securely around his waist.

His posture exudes confidence, his towering stance commanding as he gazes intently at his reflection - the determination in his eyes mirrored by the unwavering resolve of his physical presence.

Then, those deep, trenching eyes find yours in the mirror, enticing you to crawl off the end of the bed towards him. Revelling in the feel of your palms sliding up his broad back and over his shoulders as you press ornate kisses into the centre of his spinal column. 

He smells really good; a carbolic free scent of freshly clean skin and musk. You inhale as you run your nose against the expanse of his upper back, cheeks resting against cool, drying skin. 

Joel turns to face you, briefly catching your lips against his whilst your fingers untuck his towel, letting it fall to its death around his feet. And you can’t help but follow as you lower yourself down on your knees, admiring up at him.  

You kiss over the thick shape of his hips, the swell of his paunch, lick over his slotted belly button with a gentle hum. Trace each little freckle and scar and jagged stretch mark.

Kiss over his fingertips as they find your lips, nip gently at his thigh, slip your tongue into the high crease of it; a flurry of damp, fuzzy hairs tickling at your jaw. 

His own thick fingers curl around his hardening cock, holding and stroking himself as your hands run over the soft, downy swell of his belly again. Letting your fingertips circle around the grey, silken hairs and golden, sun-eroded skin that's warm. Splaying your digits to reach wide and far over him; the scent of his cock inches from your face as he gently pumps.

You reach your arm up, stroking over his stacked chest; fingers gliding over puffy nipples and soft hairs that are smattered and patchy with grey. You stroke down his bicep, his forearm as he works his turgid cock inside a hefty calloused palm. Feel how the solid sinew and muscle moves and flexes with every stroke under your touch.

You run your fingers in the dark hairs that cover his arm and watch enthralled at his strength. Joel strokes a thick, weeping cock in his palm as your eyes drop to it and you lick your lips. 

“Ya want it?” Joel entices, his voice a low grizzle of gravel. 

Smirking, you nod up at him as he takes your exploring hand in both of his and slides it down his groin until you’re curling your fingers around his thickness. 

“Have it, darlin’. S’all yours.”

His cock is magnificent, a work of art. Flushed a tanned pink, uncut head swollen and wet. A shaft pebbled with swollen veins and ridges, a small puff of hairs at the base. 

Tongue barely tracing the tip, your breath is a soft tease leaving him hissing in want already. You lick under his length, gentle laps of your tongue from base to tip; end flicking over the frenum and making his thighs buck at that sensitive spot.

You love the way he twitches on your tongue. The way his jaw tightens as he grinds down on his teeth, the strangled little grunts he makes as he breathes.  

You kiss his head like a long lost lover, making out delicately at a pace that is sufficiently cruel in its tease. Lips puckering over him as you suck the bulb in; you circle around the rim, hands free, lips rolling over the tip and tongue still continuing that heady tease. Your hands stroking over his heavy thighs, sculpted with muscle, you can feel them ripple beneath your touch. 

“You taste so good, Joel… So hard for me.” You whine.  

You suck off the crystalised bubble of pre-cum seeping out of him; a simple purse of your lips around his tip, sweet salt flooding on your tongue. 

Thick around your lips, he slowly goes all the way down as you open wider. 

You’re a vision; hollowed cheeks, swirling tongue. Joel gulps; a stray, grey curl falling across his forehead as he stares down at you panting. Wanting.

Wanting nothing more than to pick you up and fuck you senseless; drive you deep into the mattress hollering his name, but his feet stay planted in place, your hands on his thighs and lips sucking around his cock. 

“Look a’me,” he husks as your mouth opens around him further to take him in deeper.

Your eyes flit up to his - two darkening orbs staring down at you, pink velvet lips parted. 

“That damn mouth, darlin’...” he groans looking skyward. Eyes glazing over and neck cords beginning to rise and twist. “Fuck, that’s good. God damn.” 

Massaging his balls as you suck him in deeper, your nose presses into that warm, puffy skin and breathes in the scents of bergamot and flesh. 

He starts to rock his hips, fucking gently into your mouth. His giant palm coming up behind your head as he slides further down your willing throat.

You love the touch of him, fingers tightly wringing at your skull, roots of your hair getting snagged. You work him up and down with your lips clamped tighter around his cock. Tongue massaging against his shaft, fingers massaging around his firm balls.

“Ya so good at sucking my cock.” He grunts.

“My cock, Joel.” You correct, a string of saliva threading from his shiny head to your lips. 

“Always yours, darlin’. So fuckin’ pretty like this for me, ain’t ya? Fuck.” 

You bring him to that point; that moment when he feels like he can’t hang on much longer. Your mouth popping off the end of his head and simply going back to just licking him, enticing a small growl at the back of his throat.

“Darlin’-” he warns. 

“Joel.” You reply coyly with a smirk. 

He likes the agony, you can see it in his eyes, despite his lips curling back. That beautiful excruciation when he’ll not quite leap, but will teeter dangerously on the edge and sway. It’s fucking gorgeous, the precarity of it all. The weakness in his strength, the painful desire in his eyes.

How his hips involuntarily buck and his thighs shudder. How his balls pull tighter in their swell around your fingers. How his cock flinches and throbs as your tongue brushes over sensitive spots. How you bring him to his knees with just your mouth. Tongue swirling around and lips closing over the head as you suck him back in. 

“Bet ya so wet for me, ain’t ya?” He groans, watching himself slide into your hot, wet mouth with a fevered pace now.

You want it, want him. Hard and thick in your mouth like this. Heavy against your tongue. It makes you wet, makes you positively buzz and flare for his fat cock inside your mouth.

You squeeze your thighs together, your slick already dripping out of you.

“Mhm.”

“Fuck.” He feels the vibrations on his head as you hum and murmur.

He always knows. Knows how you’re so wrecked for him. He pops out your mouth as you fist your saliva around him.

“Joel. Come for me. Please. Let me taste you. Let me please you… come for me, Joel.” 

He grunts at your soft compulsion, the way your skilled tongue slides over his tip, teasing into the slit and tasting the glossy liquid that drips silky out of him. 

You pump him faster, palms on either side of his cock, pulling back and forth, as he whines above you; a broad, towering totem of grunts and pants. 

“M’gonna come.” Joel takes his cock and pumps fast. An explicit snarl lacing around his teeth. Flared nostrils and a strained neck.

Roped, veined hand manhandling his cock as your mouth opens and your tongue rests on the underside of his head, waiting for your thick, creamy reward. 

“Lemme see.” He groans.

You open your mouth wider as he spills out in plentiful squirts into that wet flesh. Sweet expletives crack from him, gasps and wheezes tumbling out of his mouth in the giddy frenzy.

Pearly froth on your tongue, you suck and lick him clean, making his legs fully buckle.

A hefty hand brushes through his hair; damp grey curls fluffing up again with the heat coursing over his skin.

You lick your lips, holding his stare as he strokes down the side of your face with a thick finger; deep chocolate eyes melting down his cheeks, he regards you for a few moments looking all the way up at him with a blooming smile. 

Breathing out, Joel juts his chin out at you with a single nod towards the bed.

“Your turn, darlin’.” 

Thank you so much for reading this Joel story. I hope you enjoyed it. Comments are always welcome, as are re-blogs if you liked what you just read. Many thanks! 🖤

MAIN MASTERLIST | JOEL MILLER MASTERLIST

#pedro pascal #pedro pascal x reader #joel miller #joel miller x reader #pedro pascal characters #joel miller x you #joel miller x f!reader #joel miller tlou #joel miller smut #jett's writing

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Big Tech disrupted disruption

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

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/08/permanent-overlords/#republicans-want-to-defund-the-police

Before "disruption" turned into a punchline, it was a genuinely exciting idea. Using technology, we could connect people to one another and allow them to collaborate, share, and cooperate to make great things happen.

It's easy (and valid) to dismiss the "disruption" of Uber, which "disrupted" taxis and transit by losing $31b worth of Saudi royal money in a bid to collapse the world's rival transportation system, while quietly promising its investors that it would someday have pricing power as a monopoly, and would attain profit through price-gouging and wage-theft.

Uber's disruption story was wreathed in bullshit: lies about the "independence" of its drivers, about the imminence of self-driving taxis, about the impact that replacing buses and subways with millions of circling, empty cars would have on traffic congestion. There were and are plenty of problems with traditional taxis and transit, but Uber magnified these problems, under cover of "disrupting" them away.

But there are other feats of high-tech disruption that were and are genuinely transformative – Wikipedia, GNU/Linux, RSS, and more. These disruptive technologies altered the balance of power between powerful institutions and the businesses, communities and individuals they dominated, in ways that have proven both beneficial and durable.

When we speak of commercial disruption today, we usually mean a tech company disrupting a non-tech company. Tinder disrupts singles bars. Netflix disrupts Blockbuster. Airbnb disrupts Marriott.

But the history of "disruption" features far more examples of tech companies disrupting other tech companies: DEC disrupts IBM. Netscape disrupts Microsoft. Google disrupts Yahoo. Nokia disrupts Kodak, sure – but then Apple disrupts Nokia. It's only natural that the businesses most vulnerable to digital disruption are other digital businesses.

And yet…disruption is nowhere to be seen when it comes to the tech sector itself. Five giant companies have been running the show for more than a decade. A couple of these companies (Apple, Microsoft) are Gen-Xers, having been born in the 70s, then there's a couple of Millennials (Amazon, Google), and that one Gen-Z kid (Facebook). Big Tech shows no sign of being disrupted, despite the continuous enshittification of their core products and services. How can this be? Has Big Tech disrupted disruption itself?

That's the contention of "Coopting Disruption," a new paper from two law profs: Mark Lemley (Stanford) and Matthew Wansley (Yeshiva U):

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4713845

The paper opens with a review of the literature on disruption. Big companies have some major advantages: they've got people and infrastructure they can leverage to bring new products to market more cheaply than startups. They've got existing relationships with suppliers, distributors and customers. People trust them.

Diversified, monopolistic companies are also able to capture "involuntary spillovers": when Google spends money on AI for image recognition, it can improve Google Photos, YouTube, Android, Search, Maps and many other products. A startup with just one product can't capitalize on these spillovers in the same way, so it doesn't have the same incentives to spend big on R&D.

Finally, big companies have access to cheap money. They get better credit terms from lenders, they can float bonds, they can tap the public markets, or just spend their own profits on R&D. They can also afford to take a long view, because they're not tied to VCs whose funds turn over every 5-10 years. Big companies get cheap money, play a long game, pay less to innovate and get more out of innovation.

But those advantages are swamped by the disadvantages of incumbency, all the various curses of bigness. Take Arrow's "replacement effect": new companies that compete with incumbents drive down the incumbents' prices and tempt their customers away. But an incumbent that buys a disruptive new company can just shut it down, and whittle down its ideas to "sustaining innovation" (small improvements to existing products), killing "disruptive innovation" (major changes that make the existing products obsolete).

Arrow's Replacement Effect also comes into play before a new product even exists. An incumbent that allows a rival to do R&D that would eventually disrupt its product is at risk; but if the incumbent buys this pre-product, R&D-heavy startup, it can turn the research to sustaining innovation and defund any disruptive innovation.

Arrow asks us to look at the innovation question from the point of view of the company as a whole. Clayton Christensen's "Innovator's Dilemma" looks at the motivations of individual decision-makers in large, successful companies. These individuals don't want to disrupt their own business, because that will render some part of their own company obsolete (perhaps their own division!). They also don't want to radically change their customers' businesses, because those customers would also face negative effects from disruption.

A startup, by contrast, has no existing successful divisions and no giant customers to safeguard. They have nothing to lose and everything to gain from disruption. Where a large company has no way for individual employees to initiate major changes in corporate strategy, a startup has fewer hops between employees and management. What's more, a startup that rewards an employee's good idea with a stock-grant ties that employee's future finances to the outcome of that idea – while a giant corporation's stock bonuses are only incidentally tied to the ideas of any individual worker.

Big companies are where good ideas go to die. If a big company passes on its employees' cool, disruptive ideas, that's the end of the story for that idea. But even if 100 VCs pass on a startup's cool idea and only one VC funds it, the startup still gets to pursue that idea. In startup land, a good idea gets lots of chances – in a big company, it only gets one.

Given how innately disruptable tech companies are, given how hard it is for big companies to innovate, and given how little innovation we've gotten from Big Tech, how is it that the tech giants haven't been disrupted?

The authors propose a four-step program for the would-be Tech Baron hoping to defend their turf from disruption.

First, gather information about startups that might develop disruptive technologies and steer them away from competing with you, by investing in them or partnering with them.

Second, cut off any would-be competitor's supply of resources they need to develop a disruptive product that challenges your own.

Third, convince the government to pass regulations that big, established companies can comply with but that are business-killing challenges for small competitors.

Finally, buy up any company that resists your steering, succeeds despite your resource war, and escapes the compliance moats of regulation that favors incumbents.

Then: kill those companies.

The authors proceed to show that all four tactics are in play today. Big Tech companies operate their own VC funds, which means they get a look at every promising company in the field, even if they don't want to invest in them. Big Tech companies are also awash in money and their "rival" VCs know it, and so financial VCs and Big Tech collude to fund potential disruptors and then sell them to Big Tech companies as "aqui-hires" that see the disruption neutralized.

On resources, the authors focus on data, and how companies like Facebook have explicit policies of only permitting companies they don't see as potential disruptors to access Facebook data. They reproduce internal Facebook strategy memos that divide potential platform users into "existing competitors, possible future competitors, [or] developers that we have alignment with on business models." These categories allow Facebook to decide which companies are capable of developing disruptive products and which ones aren't. For example, Amazon – which doesn't compete with Facebook – is allowed to access FB data to target shoppers. But Messageme, a startup, was cut off from Facebook as soon as management perceived them as a future rival. Ironically – but unsurprisingly – Facebook spins these policies as pro-privacy, not anti-competitive.

These data policies cast a long shadow. They don't just block existing companies from accessing the data they need to pursue disruptive offerings – they also "send a message" to would-be founders and investors, letting them know that if they try to disrupt a tech giant, they will have their market oxygen cut off before they can draw breath. The only way to build a product that challenges Facebook is as Facebook's partner, under Facebook's direction, with Facebook's veto.

Next, regulation. Starting in 2019, Facebook started publishing full-page newspaper ads calling for regulation. Someone ghost-wrote a Washington Post op-ed under Zuckerberg's byline, arguing the case for more tech regulation. Google, Apple, OpenAI other tech giants have all (selectively) lobbied in favor of many regulations. These rules covered a lot of ground, but they all share a characteristic: complying with them requires huge amounts of money – money that giant tech companies can spare, but potential disruptors lack.

Finally, there's predatory acquisitions. Mark Zuckerberg, working without the benefit of a ghost writer (or in-house counsel to review his statements for actionable intent) has repeatedly confessed to buying companies like Instagram to ensure that they never grow to be competitors. As he told one colleague, "I remember your internal post about how Instagram was our threat and not Google+. You were basically right. The thing about startups though is you can often acquire them.”

All the tech giants are acquisition factories. Every successful Google product, almost without exception, is a product they bought from someone else. By contrast, Google's own internal products typically crash and burn, from G+ to Reader to Google Videos. Apple, meanwhile, buys 90 companies per year – Tim Apple brings home a new company for his shareholders more often than you bring home a bag of groceries for your family. All the Big Tech companies' AI offerings are acquisitions, and Apple has bought more AI companies than any of them.

Big Tech claims to be innovating, but it's really just operationalizing. Any company that threatens to disrupt a tech giant is bought, its products stripped of any really innovative features, and the residue is added to existing products as a "sustaining innovation" – a dot-release feature that has all the innovative disruption of rounding the corners on a new mobile phone.

The authors present three case-studies of tech companies using this four-point strategy to forestall disruption in AI, VR and self-driving cars. I'm not excited about any of these three categories, but it's clear that the tech giants are worried about them, and the authors make a devastating case for these disruptions being disrupted by Big Tech.

What do to about it? If we like (some) disruption, and if Big Tech is enshittifying at speed without facing dethroning-by-disruption, how do we get the dynamism and innovation that gave us the best of tech?

The authors make four suggestions.

First, revive the authorities under existing antitrust law to ban executives from Big Tech companies from serving on the boards of startups. More broadly, kill interlocking boards altogether. Remember, these powers already exist in the lawbooks, so accomplishing this goal means a change in enforcement priorities, not a new act of Congress or rulemaking. What's more, interlocking boards between competing companies are illegal per se, meaning there's no expensive, difficult fact-finding needed to demonstrate that two companies are breaking the law by sharing directors.

Next: create a nondiscrimination policy that requires the largest tech companies that share data with some unaffiliated companies to offer data on the same terms to other companies, except when they are direct competitors. They argue that this rule will keep tech giants from choking off disruptive technologies that make them obsolete (rather than competing with them).

On the subject of regulation and compliance moats, they have less concrete advice. They counsel lawmakers to greet tech giants' demands to be regulated with suspicion, to proceed with caution when they do regulate, and to shape regulation so that it doesn't limit market entry, by keeping in mind the disproportionate burdens regulations put on established giants and small new companies. This is all good advice, but it's more a set of principles than any kind of specific practice, test or procedure.

Finally, they call for increased scrutiny of mergers, including mergers between very large companies and small startups. They argue that existing law (Sec 2 of the Sherman Act and Sec 7 of the Clayton Act) both empower enforcers to block these acquisitions. They admit that the case-law on this is poor, but that just means that enforcers need to start making new case-law.

I like all of these suggestions! We're certainly enjoying a more activist set of regulators, who are more interested in Big Tech, than we've seen in generations.

But they are grossly under-resourced even without giving them additional duties. As Matt Stoller points out, "the DOJ's Antitrust Division has fewer people enforcing anti-monopoly laws in a $24 trillion economy than the Smithsonian Museum has security guards."

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/congressional-republicans-to-defund

What's more, Republicans are trying to slash their budgets even further. The American conservative movement has finally located a police force they're eager to defund: the corporate police who defend us all from predatory monopolies.

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

#pluralistic #coopting disruption #law and political economy #law #economics #competition #big tech #tech #innovation #acquihires #predatory acquisitions #mergers and acquisitions #disruption #schumpeter #the curse of bigness #clay christensen #josef schumpeter #christensen #enshittiification #business #regulation #scholarship

[strawb3rrystar]

can you do Blitzø x reader relationship headcannons or Moxxie x reader headcannons

The dumbass twins.

Pairing: Blitzø, Moxxie x GN! Reader

Warnings: Light mentions of their traumas, Blitz being emotionally distant (?)

Word count: 524

✰Masterlist

Blitzø:

✰Blitzø's love languages are definitely quality time and physical touch

✰He doesn't care what the activity is, he wants to spend the most time possible with you

✰Often, he'll curl into your side, or lay his head on your lap if your sitting on the couch or in bed

✰If your not, he'll float close by or stand next to you

✰It may come off as creepy at first, but he just wants to be around you, make sure you're okay

✰Also leaning into the physical touch aspect, he'll purr if you scratch under his chin

✰Kiss his scars and he'll kiss yours

✰Random compliments and flirtatious comments

✰Hugs you from behind and tucks his face into your neck. This will usually be when he's tired or upset

✰Speaking of upset, please let this poor imp vent to you. He desperately needs to let out all the repressed trauma

✰I can see Blitzø being a biter. He'll never NEVER break the skin. Just like a small love bite

✰He'll share his love of horses with you, and tells you all the different facts he knows

✰So NEVER make fun of him for it, even as a joke

✰He will cry

✰Blitzø might be emotionally distant at times, but it's nothing a little therapy can't help

✰I can see him being a good listener however

✰He might struggle with it at times, but he tries his best

✰But even if he's not the best partner at times, you still know he loves you

✰I mean, you wouldn't hang framed pictures of a person and have them as your lock screen and wallpaper if you didn't love them, right?

Moxxie:

✰Moxxie's love languages would be words of affirmation and acts of service

✰Sometimes, he need you words of encouragement to remind him you do truly love him

✰He'll have a habit of thinking he not good enough for you, so reassure him that he is

✰Like Blitzø, Moxxie loves to spend as much time with you as possible

✰This includes household chores

✰Moxxie loves to make you breakfast in bed

✰He'll let you pick the movie you watch or where you go out to eat

✰But he also likes to plan special evenings just for you

✰Moxxie also likes doing stuff to make your day easier

✰Like doing boring paperwork, or picking up the tasks that Blitzø gives you

✰Of course I have to also mention the gift giving

✰Moxxie isn't a big fan of expensive gifts

✰He like handmade ones instead, like a song or a ceramic bowl he made at a free pottery class

✰Another imp that desperately needs to vent, because again, repressed trauma

✰Moxxie is the best listener you could ask for

✰He can listen to you for hours on end without getting bored

✰And not just listening, he'll actively engage to keep the conversation going

✰But Moxxie also likes to go on rants himself, riddling off every fact he knows about the topic (mostly weapons)

✰He needs a partner who gives back as much love as he gives out

✰Because, this sweetheart has so much love to give it's insane

Star's notes -> I accidentally deleted Moxxie's part the first time I wrote it and it made me want to tear my hair out

(Thank you, sweet anon, for requesting!) (Requests are open!)

Taglist -> @samohxt2-0 @sunshines-bright | Join the taglist

#☆strawb3rrystar answers requests #helluva boss #helluva boss x reader #helluva blitzo #helluva boss blitz #blitzo #blitzø #blitzo x reader #moxxie #helluva moxxie #moxxie x reader

[crystaldivination]

“𝐘𝐎𝐔, 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐈 𝐃𝐎𝐍’𝐓 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐘𝐄𝐓”

𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐚 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 - 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞’𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲

PS: I apologize if the pictures are somewhat disturbing to you. I’m against insect consumption and have a great love for all living creatures and plants but I just find the aesthetic to be interesting.

🖤 my other pacs • paid services • buy me a 🍸

© 2023 crystaldivination | All rights reserved.

How to choose your pile? As always meditate or close your eyes before looking at each image. Trust your intuition and pick out an image you feel the most drawn to.

Disclaimer: this is a general reading which may or may not resonate with you. Take what resonates and leave out anything that doesn't. Feel free to choose another pile if you'd like.

PILE 1 - LONGHORN VODKA

Helllo pile 1, welcome to your pile. You choose this vodka bottle.

So as first glance your future spouse is someone who is quite different from others. This is someone peculiar. They could like stuff involving science, technology, space or anything that is extraordinary in a sense. Not something people would usually do in their free time or spent their entire time occupy with. But again who is weird here when you can’t even understand why you can walk and run on a planet that is floating in the space right? This person is very smart but in their own particular way. They like to question everything. They’re curious and seem to be always on the go to discover new things. So someone who can stimulate them and show or maybe even teach them new things would be their type. Your future spouse could be someone asexual or just someone who values feelings over looks. They don’t really care who you are or what you do for a living if you can’t score in the intellectual department. More so they couldn’t care less about your look. They’re very attracted to unique and intellectual people and they do seem like someone hard to please. Even more so because they always seem so immersed in their own world. Your future spouse is someone on the loner side. They don’t usually hang out a lot with friends, let alone enjoy surrounded by many people. They don’t give in to the loud noises, cool stuff that others are doing. They like being on their own, mostly because they feel like others don’t understand their kind of interest. They sometimes feel like an outsider but remind themself again that they enjoy their own company. They might even have their own invisible friends who they sometimes talk to. I imagine them sitting in the middle of a dark room working on something experimental. Super strange but at the same it feels like a strange genius type of thing. It makes me kinda sad that they somehow can’t connect with others on a personal and emotional level yet they’re very confident in themself. They know what they can and what they’re capable of. Someone who can share this side of them and accept them for who they are is very much appreciated. If someone were to be exciting yet patient enough to get close to them and open them up, I promise, you will never get bored with them. Once they get comfortable with you they likely won’t be able to stop talking and if they’re into you expect someone who goes beyond their boundaries and way to make you feel like the best person on earth. They can be very sweet and warm. A little shy yet have a very strong will. They’re a go getter. When they see something/someone that sparks interest in them, they’d not hesitate to go after it/them. Kinda interesting and cute I’d say.

Thank you for reading. I hope you liked it. Reblogs, likes and follows are highly appreciated. Have a wonderful day or night ‹𝟹

PILE 2 - TARANTULA VODKA

Helllo pile 2, welcome to your pile. You choose this vodka bottle.

Your future spouse is a cutie pie. This energy feels so light and innocent. They might even look pretty young and vulnerable as well. But do not be fooled. Underneath this seemingly harmless and delicate exterior there is someone well learned. They might’ve gone through a lot that some people can’t even imagine. While others could’ve been defeated by those hardships your future spouse only grew stronger and wiser. They are so admirable and respectable even if they don’t show it. On top of that they are really humble and have pure intentions in whatever they do. They don’t show up outwardly as arrogant nor have a "better than you" mentality. They’re a treasure guys. Very hardworking. They give their all in everything. On the one hand because that’s the evidence of their life now seeing how far they have come without giving up but also because they know hard work and self belief never betray you. They’re very strong both mentally and physically. They believe in a well-balanced lifestyle. For them it’s a "nurture your soul to support your physical human body and in turn you keep your physical form in check to function well". Health is definitely important for them. They care about the overall well-being, not only for themself but for others around them as well. They’re a humanitarian. They like getting involved in helping other people in general. They are helpful because they know how it feels like to be helpless and struggle. That’s why they help whenever they can and might engage in humanitarian activities such as volunteering or donating. Such a golden heart. They might also have a soft spot for animals or children. Objects or beings that seem to be needing care and attention. They could have grown up as an orphan or just being brought up by one parent only so they understand how much human and other being need protection and love. Despite all this they never stop believe in the good things, a better world. They believe everything can change and is never set in stone. They have a spirit of an innovator. They might not be well-known or what others called "successful" yet although everyone’s definition of success is different but I’m sure they will leave a mark for something important later on. They don’t seem to care about all that though as for them a peaceful and harmonious life is the best so they might stick to it but it seems like they’re so well-liked wherever they go with their action-oriented characteristics I believe they can’t go unnoticed. I’m taking a liking to your future spouse, pile 2 hihi. They’re so endearing, adorable and loveable in any sense. They’re keeper. Don’t let them slip out of your hands when you’re able to catch them! Hold on tight! Btw they could be a Virgo although I’m getting a lot of air energy as well and also water. Maybe Aquarius because of their nature. That also seems to fit the description about them :)

Thank you for reading. I hope you liked it. Reblogs, likes and follows are highly appreciated. Have a wonderful day or night ‹𝟹

PILE 3 - CENTIPEDE VODKA

Helllo pile 3, welcome to your pile. You choose this vodka bottle.

Your future spouse is really well-liked by the opposite genders. They are quite good looking and sociable. They know how to entertain others simply by their presence. They seem most likely like a high school crush kind of person or they are. Looks and appearance wise all good and well but there is a downside to them. They could be very reckless and childish. They could be a player as well because they enjoy the attention and spotlight on them. They opt for poor options if someone were on a higher mentality, not to say their decisions are all wrong but those can hurt or don’t help them in the long way if they’re thinking of their future. They go for fun and could neglect everything else that bores them or that doesn’t give them this adrenaline rush. They should really slow down. I think their environment or the environment in which they grew up contributes to these choices or behavior of them. BUT don’t blame that because we all can choose our own destiny. This is not an excuse to all or everything else. They like to be different but this is not the difference that makes you stand out from others in a good way. They may even are proud of their infamous reputation. But looking closely they’re not entirely empty and superficial. They have a heart of a leader. If they learn how to let go of the worldly pleasures, stuff and all the shortcomings they definitely can go far. They need to (re)build their inner values and system to create something more deep and meaningful to themself first then something that could benefit other people as well. As for now they still seem so inexperienced and vain which also can give way that they can still have the chance to learn from the world and everything else to grow to the person they want or are meant to be. They have the potential no doubt but everything is in their hand. They need to make the move towards their rightful path instead of straying away from it. They urgently need to work on their self concept. They could be very insecure deep down which shows outwardly as excessive attention seeking and pathological lying. They need to dig deep in themself to find their own purpose and reason for being. Despite that they’re not a bad person at all. As I said before they’re not all superficial. They may lack discipline but they’re actually quite courageous. They fight for the people they love and don’t hesitate to risk it all for them. Sometimes unfavorable but they need to know that only defending is not all. They need to be able to be in a position where they can protect others as they like and stand up for own their thing. Be able to be in their element while being the bigger person. I do not mean to rule the world but they need to think bigger and learn how to balance. If they were to encounter issues that they alone can’t solve, for them being in a difficult position, what would they do? They need to think long-term. Because they do have a strong protective instinct nevertheless and could go out of their way sometimes, anger issues and manner should be kept in check. Decide what they want and go for it. They might not believe in themself so that’s why they choose the easier superficial option. They’re making themself smaller than they are. I feel empathy for your future spouse so I do hope they can change for the better for themself and their vision overall. It’s time they need to surround themself by more developed and evolving people to gain inspiration as well as a different view from the world and themself to activate their motivation and good energy but not everyone starts off smoothly so this rugged and bumpy road will teach them valuable lessons that will lead and could help them grow into a good and successful person.

For pile 3 I feel like giving a lecture so this is a lil longer than the other piles…

Thank you for reading. I hope you liked it. Reblogs, likes and follows are highly appreciated. Have a wonderful day or night ‹𝟹

PILE 4 - SCORPION VODKA

Helllo pile 4, welcome to your pile. You choose this vodka bottle.

Your future spouse is someone sensitive. They most likely have intense emotions that are sometimes hard to process. You might’ve chosen this bottle because of the scorpion and indeed your future spouse resembles it. They are a hard one to crack. Always seem so tough on the outside but struggle quietly on the inside. They’re much more fragile than they seem. It’s so interesting to read for them because there is a lot to say about them but at the same time I cannot seem to catch enough about them as well. It’s hard to describe. They also seem so fluid. They could have a duality to them. At one moment they seem so open and social but at the other one so cold, secretive and distant. To me cold here doesn’t mean heartless or mean but more in a sense of they aren’t being expressive or don’t know how to express themself emotionally. They can get shy and nervous easily making them seem elusive and hard to get close to. They don’t necessarily seem intimidating but a push energy is evident. They could have a hard time letting others in as well. Trust issues seems to be the problem. Maybe they’ve been betrayed or disappointed before making them doubt and suspect others a lot. They might be scared of being hurt. This behavior can affect how they view themself and others especially in relationships and connections overall resulting in challenges and stigmatization in those areas. This also makes them feel super anxious, lonely and depressed all the time. They really need someone who can go easy on them and letting them have the feeling of trust again. But don’t forget! In them exists a sense of fearlessness, boldness and a burning desire. They’re dangerously passionate. Just like a scorpion they can kill. They’re not all desperation and guilt. So don’t even try to play them. I literally heard "never play me" like don’t you dare! Your future spouse is a highly reserved individual with a lot of self control. Their self defense is also no joke and always on mode. They know what benefits them and they go for it once made up their mind. They’re super sharp, quick and extremely savvy. They’re determined and never give up. They can be described and summarized in 3 words. Passion, creativity, and fierce loyalty. They keep things private and only allow others to see what they want them to see. Patience, confidence and a good sense of self is needed if you take interest in them and want to make them yours. Because they can also get attached easily a good amount of independence and individuality is needed in the relationship. This person could definitely be a water sign because they feel their emotions deeply. The intensity and struggle to come out to light also reminds me of 8th house and/or 12th house placements. Gemini as well because duality is present. What do you think?

Thank you for reading. I hope you liked it. Reblogs, likes and follows are highly appreciated. Have a wonderful day or night ‹𝟹

© crystaldivination ── all rights reserved. do not copy, translate, edit, alter, or redistribute my work. Plagiarism in any form is prohibited.

#crystaldivination #pac #pick a card #pick a card reading #pac reading #tarotcommunity #tarot reading #intuitive readings #tarotblr #pick a pile #free readings #free intuitive readings #free tarot readings

[fortheloveofallthings]

Steddie Florist AU - mini fic (inspired by a twitter prompt)

Eddie never bought flowers. Not once in his life had it even crossed his mind. But every afternoon before he heads into his shift at the bar he steals a glance at the perfectly styled man through the window organizing the bouquets. Every once in a while, Eddie would catch himself stopping dead in his tracks staring between the guy and the flowers, and every once in a while they’d make eye contact. His face would flush red as he quickly buried his face back in his leather jacket and rush into work.

Steve loved making bouquets. He loved flowers, and the chill of the cooler they were kept in. He loved sharing holidays with the strangers that came and went. He loved the curly hair and leather that floated across the windows from the storefront. And he loved that stranger’s rich chocolate eyes even more. The deer in the headlights look he’d stumble upon when their views locked. One afternoon, the man finally walked in and after all his failed attempts at love here he was ready to try again. He stood from where he was kneeling, “What brings you in?”

Eddie practically burst into the shop with no game plan in mind and stopped immediately at the entrance. Thankfully the man, much more gorgeous without the glare of glass between them, spoke first. “Oh um, not sure? I walk by everyday and uh thought id look around?” A small giggle escaped the florist, “sure man, look all you want. I’m here if you have any questions.” He flashed a well executed customer service smile then went to tend to some of the house plants across the sales floor. Eddie waded through the aisles curiously examining the buckets of roses and countless other flowers he didn’t know the names of. He lingered around the… “Seems like you like the dahlias” the florist said, lingering next to Eddie making him jump. “Shit man! You have a quiet step” “I’m sorry, Robin scolds me for scaring her all the time.” He looked away sheepish. “Well at least you can make it up to her with all these lovely flowers,” he nervously chuckled, “She must love that quality in her partner at least.” The florist laughed, “Shes not my girlfriend, no. Shes my best friend… and co-worker.”

Steve could’ve watched this man walk around the shop for hours. The curiosity he wandered with held a child-like wonder, an interest in the unknown and he had to go and scare the guy. The man sighed relief and got back to the flowers, “wait? These are dahlias? Like the murder?” Steve lost it at that, “like the murder!?” He laughed, held his stomach and everything. “Yes like that, but it was a flower first.” “Oh right, well maybe ill get one of these?” The man asked so unsure if that was even ok. “Of course, you want just a single one?” The man combed his fingers through his curls then rubbed the back of his neck. “Uh ya just one of the purple ones. Im sure theres an empty bottle at work I can put it in. Might be nice to have it on the bar.” They walked over to the counter and Steve wrapped the single dahlia in a sheet of black tissue paper. “This one is on me,” Steve winked. The man’s cheeks flushed pink and the guy avoided any eye contact like the plague. “You sure? I don’t mind paying,” He offered. “I’m sure, least I could do for scaring you.” The man took his single flower with utmost care turned towards the door and just before leaving he turned back to Steve. “If you’re free later, head over to the Red Dragon. Its only a block down the street, I’ll get you a drink on me. Just ask for Eddie if you don’t see me, sometimes I get stuck recycling the kegs in the back”

Part 2

#steddie fanfic #steddie #eddie munson #steve harrington #steve x eddie #florist au #tempted to make this longer

[reality-detective]

"Marines Were Freed from a Secret Jail That Were Brutally Tortured by Feds"

The six U.S. Marines freed from a secret federal jail said their captors—a mix of FBI agents and private security—tortured them relentlessly, deprived them of food and water, and forced them to defecate in 5-gallon buckets that got emptied only once a week.

As reported previously, U.S. Special Forces on March 8 liberated six Marines the federal government held without trial at a clandestine warehouse-turned-prison in suburban Long Island, New York. The feds had arrested the six for protesting peacefully outside the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Once freed, they were taken to Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, and treated for maladies and injuries sustained in captivity. This included dehydration, lacerations, puncture wounds, and burns. Alas, one Marine’s wounds were so severe that he went into septic shock and had a leg amputated below the knee.

When debriefed at the hospital, he said their jailors kept them on permanent lockdown in separate cells spaced far enough apart so they couldn’t communicate with one another. He recounted the harrowing ordeal of his arrest. Feds, he said, arrested him off-post near Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, then handcuffed and blindfolded him before driving him to a nearby airport or airstrip. He knew this because the feds put him aboard a small turboprop aircraft. During his debrief, he said he could hear propellers spin up minutes before the plane took off. His abductors shackled his ankles and fastened him to a seat. He was punched in the face several times and called a “traitor” during what he guessed was a two-hour flight. When the plane landed, he was struck a few more times, then, still blindfolded, put in a vehicle and driven to an unknown destination. He tasted blood in his mouth from being pummeled so hard and often and eventually lost consciousness.

He awoke in a decrepit cell that smelled like shit, its only furnishings a urine-stained cot and a 5-gallon bucket in the center of the cell. The guards, he said, beat the living daylights out of him every day—sometimes more than once a day—coming at him three at a time so he couldn’t adequately defend himself. One Morning four guards burst into the cell and tied his arms and legs to the cot, spread eagle, and they took turns stabbing him in the right leg with rusty pieces of metal, then cauterizing the wounds with an iron to prevent exsanguination. He guessed he’d been stabbed 20 or 30 times while the guards taunted him, saying other Marines in custody would share his fate. He said one guard urinated on his open wounds prior to them being cauterized.

The other five Marines told comparable stories, though their wounds were far less severe. They said they were fed only twice a week—stale bread, a few ounces of water, or a red liquid that looked like Kool-Aid but with bugs floating in it. One said the guard tried to feed him mashed potatoes with congealed gravy and tiny glass shards.

“These Marines survived the unsurvivable,” our source said. “There are more service members still in federal custody, not to mention the hundreds of civilians who could be dealing with the same torture. This is how the Biden regime treats combat veterans, as criminals, as domestic terrorists. We are working to free more of them.”

I'm sure we will hear about other experiences like this as the turmoil continues to unravel in our country. These sick fμcks think they are untouchable. I got news for you the deplorables will get the last say.🤔 I did not get any information about the perpetrators involved in these horrendous acts. My gut feeling is, they were executed on the spot.

#pay attention #educate yourself #educate yourselves #reeducate yourself #knowledge is power #reeducate yourselves #think for yourself #think for yourselves #think about it #do your homework #do your research #do your own research #question everything #ask yourself questions #ask yourself

[tiptapricot]

🌙✨Travelers of the night!✨🌙

The time has come for us to share the month of prompts for Moon KnightCember! This is a collaborative list put together and shaped by many lovely fans who have contributed ideas, designs, information, guidance, and more to make a fun December fan event for all!

This event is open to all forms of Moon Knight, from comics to the MCU show, and participants are welcome to create for any version or mix they desire. Prompts are available every other day to give people the ability to choose their pacing, and one or both prompts can be used depending on preference. When participating, please use the hashtag #MKcember2023!

Good luck in your creative fight, we can’t wait to see what you create!

Big thanks to @crystaljelly64 (who also did all the graphics here), @belablue222, @fdelopera and all the others that contributed to the making of this event! :-D

(Basic IDs in ALT and full image descriptions including written out prompt list and live links under cut! A transcript of the Cinco Pa’ Las Doce Instagram highlight is also included under Resources.)

[ID:

Image 1: The moon knight-cember prompt list. Moon knight envelops the prompt calendar with his cape, white cloth encircling the edges and black filling the background behind the prompts. The Moon Knight-cember title is written in stylized text above the calendar, the C a golden crescent dart and the background behind it light blue and snowy. The prompts read:

1st: “Headspace” and/or “Home Is Where The Heart Is”

3rd: “Supernatural Encounter(s)” and/or “Good Friends”

5th: “Cab-allero” and/or “Constellations”

7th: “Chanukah Sameach” and/or “Gelt and Gus/Crawley”

9th: “Candles” and/or “Chanukiah”

11th: “Chanukah Food” and/or “Dreidel”

13th: “Tzedek” and/or “Perseverance”

15th: “Shabbat” and/or “Kiddush Cup”

17th: “Rainy Day” and/or “VHS Tape”

19th: “Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives” and/or “Notes”

21st: “Judgement” and/or “Negative Space”

23rd: “Blast Off!” and/or “Sink”

25th: “Calm Before The Storm” and/or “Little Bug”

27th: “Floating/Blurry” and/or “Phone Call”

29th: “Reflection” and/or “Every Grain Of Sand”

31st: “Cinco Pa’ Las Doce” and/or “Together”

The days of Hanukkah, December 7th through the 15th, are highlighted in glowing gold. The rest of the prompt text is a light blue.

Image 2: A list of basic definitions for words on the prompt list. The definitions read as follows:

Caballero (Spanish): “Knight” ; “Gentleman”

Chanukah Sameach (Jewish): “Happy Hanukkah”; common greeting during Hanukkah

Gelt (Jewish): chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil and given to others to inspire charity

Chanukiah (Jewish): menorah or lamp used for Hanukkah

Dreidel (Jewish): spinning top; played with during Hanukkah

Tzedek (Jewish): “Justice”; “Fairness”; how things should be

Shabbat (Jewish): the Jewish day of Rest

Kiddush Cup (Jewish): cup of wine that’s blessed during Shabbat/Jewish holiday meals

Cinco Pa’ Las Doce (Spanish): “5 minutes til 12”; a New Years Eve song from South and Central America

Image 3: Text that reads: Links and Sources. For more info on Hanukkah and Shabbat, you can go to myjewishlearning.com, and you can also find examples of prayers and services from Jewish YouTubers!

Check out @belablue222’s story highlight “CPLD 🌙 🕰️” for more details on the song and tradition, as well as how it connects to Moon Knight! (Transcript from Instagram below ID)

Links and recommended posts will also be added below cut!

Image 4: text that reads: Slide 7: Text that reads:

Reminder!

During a time of folks using current events to spread hate and vitriol, it’s important to stand firm with love and support for Jewish people and make sure our spaces are firmly free of antisemitism. Fighting fire with fire is never the solution, and support and action for groups in peril does not and should not require falling to different types of bigotry or antisemitic tropes. MKCember is a celebration of a beloved Jewish character and all aspects of that should be respected and loved, and focus on joy and genuine exploration. While creating your works, be aware, be vigilant, and be informed, and together we can make something lovely! /end ID]

Resources:

MyJewishLearning.com

Chanukah Sameach

Gelt

Chanukiah

Dreidel

Tzedek

Shabbat

Kiddush Cup

Post by @fdelopera about engaging with Moon Knight and Jewish celebrations respectfully and carefully during this challenge

Cinco Pa’ Las Doce Instagram highlight (transcript below)

Transcript of Cinco Pa’ Las Doce deep dive by @belablue222:

“Cinco Pa' las doce: a cultural deep dive and its ties to the moon knight system.

Disclaimer: I am latina, but i cannot speak for all of the traditions practiced or not practiced in all latinoamérica countries due to how many of us there are, as well as how unique each of our traditions are. Because of this, I will be using traditions that are more widely practiced.

As we approach the end of the year, places all over the world prepare to bring in the new year with all sorts of traditions and customs. It is a time of celebrating, mingling, and integrating. It’s a time for one to connect to their background of where they come from, and embrace tradition.

New Years is especially important in latinoamérica, and has traditions that go back decades or even centuries. Today, i will be talking about a well known and beloved tradition, as well as others that are commonly practiced in central and South America.

Cinco Pa’ Las Doce

Written in 1963 and performed by Venezuelan actor and singer Néstor Zavarce, Cinco Pa' Las Doce is a hauntingly beautiful song about a person wanting to run home to hug their mom for New Years, with the sound of bells playing throughout the street. The song became immensely popular throughout latinoamérica throughout the years, and there are many different versions with many different styles, but the original one still remains the iconic classic widely known.

In typical tradition, people with gather together at 11:55pm on New Year’s Eve and spend time together, thinking about past memories, wondering what the new years will bring, and enjoy each others company as the song plays. Once the song ends, it is midnight, and people will celebrate this by doing many different traditions, here are a few of them that are most commonly practiced...

Typical traditions:

Fireworks: like a lot of other places, fireworks are often lit in the biggest of cities, or the smallest of villages, the colors brightening the sky of the new year.

12 uvas: eating 12 grapes at midnight is a tradition that is ment to bring good luck for the new year, and represent 12 wishes that will only come true if the grapes are eaten quickly.

Walking a block with a suitcase: when the clock strikes midnight, some people will grab a suitcase and walk (or even run) a block around their neighborhood for them to be able to travel and go to many places in the new year

Lentils: lentils have significance in many different ways for latam countries. some will eat lentils or lentil soup at midnight, others will pocket them or even wrap 12 of them in a bill, no matter what, lentils are meant to bring good fortune and prosperity for the new year.

Yet what does this all have to do with Moon Knight?

The Moon Knight system in the MCU are both Jewish as well as Latino. New years is a great way for them to connect with their latam roots, while also being respectful to their other traditions as well. They can enjoy latinoamerican foods that are customary to the winter seasons, sing songs in spanish, and enjoy many other things. they could even intigrate things or come up with new traditions so they can comfortably celebrate el año nuevo.

From an artistic standpoint, it's a good way to ponder what their relationship is with these traditions that have deep ties to family, and the potential effects it has on them due to their own relationship with their family. Do they struggle? Do they reclaim? Do they pass these traditions on?

An interesting thing to ponder to the ethereal bells of Cinco Pa' las Doce.” (End of transcript)

#moon knight #MKcember2023 #marc spector #steven grant #jake lockley #khonshu moon knight #layla el faouly #yehya badr #hunters moon #dr badr #the fruit is talking again

[oftlunarialmoon]

Uncommon but Fun Age Regression Activities

Ciao lovelies! Today I’d like to share with you all some Agere content! Today’s post is about uncommon but fun age regression activities. “Uncommon” in this case means not often mentioned on the lists of “agere things to do” that float around Tumblr, and other parts of the internet! Of course, I can’t prevent SOME overlap that may occur, but I have tried my best to include lots of age regression activities that I haven’t really seen mentioned elsewhere.

This list is designed specifically for Age Regressors in mind, but you could also find joy in this list even if you’re not an Age Regressor! If you’re here but don’t know what Age Regression is, check out our blog post on “What is Age Regression?” If you’re here because you don’t regress, but maybe just like fun things, you’re also in the right place! Like I said before, this list is not ONLY for age regressors, but it is designed for them. OK- so let’s get into the list! 😊

Uncommon and Fun Age Regression Activities!

Doing Meditation/Yoga:

Meditation can be a great way to center your mind and clear it out of negativity or bad thoughts. You can also find guided meditation podcasts on music streaming services like Spotify, but also on places like YouTube.

As for Yoga, there’s plenty of children’s Yoga that can provide some physical activity as well! Guided Children’s Yoga has become more popular over the years and I bet there’s YouTube videos for it.

Learning Dance Routines:

This activity can be good for all the K-Pop-loving kiddos out there, or for anyone who likes dancing. This is a great physical activity that can both count as exercise and creative expression.

Making Up Songs/Singing Karaoke:

Another activity great for creative expression, making up songs! Your songs can literally be about anything you want/can think of!

If making up songs is not your thing, try singing some Karaoke! You can sing along to any song that strikes your fancy.

Trying to Speak in another Language:

I love this activity, because learning new languages always makes me regress. Something about trying to learn something challenging and new really strikes that chord for me. Plus it can be fun to learn new alphabets! You can even find kid’s worksheets in whatever your target language is.

Taking a Free Online Course:

I adore learning when I’m small, so I love taking free online courses whenever I can find them. Sometimes your local library has access to sites that can provide you free online courses, so be sure to check their website!

Reading Kid’s Magazines Online:

Another service that might be provided by your local library is access to reading magazines online! My local library has access to kid’s magazines about animals, teen magazines, and more! I love reading through these when I’m small.

Browsing through the NASA online Image and Video Library:

The internet can sometimes provide great resources for regression, especially if you’re a space-loving kiddo like me! Maybe if the weather’s bad and you can’t stargaze outside, you could look at the NASA image library instead! https://www.nasa.gov/images/

#agere #age regression #sfw littlespace #sfw agere #age regressor #sfw age regression #agereg #age dreaming #sfw little blog

[astralisbelle]

Dead Man's Hand 6 - Lap of Luxury

Dead Man's Hand Masterlist tags: tags: engineer!reader, gambler!reader, loose canon timeline, eventual smut, fluff, action, casino aesthetics, touch starved reader, touch starved din, reader and din get on each other’s nerves, also they’re idiots, defrosting ice king din, cinderella vibes, everybody loves grogu

chapter summary: Canto Bight's opulent suite offers its fair share of comfort, amenities... and bath time shenanigans.

note: Thank you all so much for the likes/reblogs! Please keep them coming. If you like this story, let me know. Also remember that my ask box is open for short story requests/headcanons, etc. For your support, take a very silly and long part

“Your suite, sir. We hope the accommodations are to your liking.” The bellhop opens the door to the hotel room and bows his head, allowing them to venture inside. She takes the initiative, pushing past and striding in. Instantly, her eyes widen and she gasps.

The suite is larger than any apartment she had ever seen, so neat and luxurious. The window on the back wall overlooks all of Canto Bight, showing each light, each cruiser, every casino on the strip. She wanders in further, turning to the left to see the walkway to a door. Pressing the button next to it, it slides open and reveals the marble bathroom inside with a tub that could easily fit two, maybe three people. Next to it is a shower and then across is a double sink. With a giddiness in her step, she scurries across the suite and crosses the doorway, past the couch and lounge chairs, and into the main bedroom. The bed stretches wide with perfectly smooth, clean sheets that practically beg her to jump on it.

Behind her, the Mandalorian peeks into the room, touching the windows, looking underneath the bed, and sliding the closets open. Once he determines it’s secure, Grogu’s pram floats in, finding a place to park itself. “Hm.” He walks away from the room, continuing to sweep the rest of the suite.

“Since you are participating in the tournament,” says the bellhop, “food and drinks are complementary. Simply use the console to contact room service.”

“What does that mean?” she asks. “Food is free?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

For someone that grew up starving, that confirmation made her mouth salivate. She is going to order enough to feed a whole cantina. The Mandalorian emerges from the bathroom, reaching into his back pocket. “Thanks,” he says tossing a few credits to the bellhop. “We’ll take it from here.”

The bellhop catches the tip and smiles, bowing before taking his leave. Once he is gone, all of the excitement she was holding in bursts out at once into a happy yell. She tosses herself onto the couch, her feet kicking. “This is so cool!” She sits up. “Hell, I have no idea what I should do first! Order everything on the menu maybe? Take a nap?”

“You’re not ordering everything on the menu.”

“Tch. Kill joy.” She scratches her cheek. Come to think of it, he hasn’t had an opportunity to eat this entire time, has he? He must be starving. “...I have an idea. I think I want to take a nice, long bath. Why don’t you order food for us and you can eat in peace?”

He thinks on it for a few moments. “Fine with me.”

She bolts up, shuffling over to the tub. Inspecting the buttons, she sees that it comes with multiple features. “Hmm…” Pressing one starts the pipes and hot water gushes forth, filling the bottom of the tub. Another button mixes a shimmering soap with it, forming large bubbles. “Ah, perfect!” Just as she turns to shut the door, she looks down to see that Grogu had followed her, trying to peer into the tub. With a smile, she lifts him to the edge so he can see. “Looks fun, huh?”

He coos in response, looking up at her with those eyes that no one can resist.

Rolling her eyes, she peeks out the door. “Hey, uh… Mando? I can call you ‘Mando,’ right?” He responds from the couch.

“What is it?”

“Do you mind if I take Grogu with me?”

The Mandalorian does not response back quickly, but he eventually sighs and relents. “Just keep the door unlocked.”

“Unlock – seriously?”

“...Not remotely what I meant.”

She pouts, sliding back into the bathroom and closing the door, not putting the lock on it like he asked. “He’s so protective of you, isn’t he?” she says to Grogu, placing him on the sink counter. “It’s kind of sweet, actually…” She kicks off her shoes and pulls off her clothes, shedding off each article of clothing one by one. “Annoying.” She shakes out her hair. “But sweet.”

Grogu lifts his arms and allows her to pull his burlap shirt off, then the chain shirt underneath. Upon finding it, she laughs and holds it in her hands. “Aww! It’s so tiny! Is this beskar?” Grogu makes a happy squeak. “That’s adorable. Your dad is just a big softie, isn’t he?” She takes Grogu from the counter and steps into the hot bath, settling in with a long sigh, balancing him on her knees. “Stars, that’s amazing…”

The silky waters of the hot bath melt away the layers of dirt, leaving her skin smooth and unblemished. Bubbles cover the surface, a few of them floating and bouncing throughout the room. Grogu stares at his own reflection in one that flies near his face, popping once he pokes it. She slides her feet against the bottom of the tub, her knees inching further into the water so Grogu could submerge a little.

She looks around the luxurious bathroom, her shoulders sinking into the water as she breaths in the clean, flowery scent. What a weird moment. Here she is, living like a queen, bathing with a small child while someone waits on the other side of the door. It’s strange having someone physically close to her, especially a child. Even Grogu’s splashes make her smile and laugh.

For the first time in her life, she doesn’t feel so alone.

She thinks to herself that it’s time she washed her hair – that is sure to take a while. “Where is the shampoo…” It’s nowhere near the tub. Finally, she spots the bottle sitting atop of the sink, much further than her arm can reach. “Damn. Sorry, kiddo. Just give me a moment…” She trails off.

Grogu closes his eyes and extends a tiny hand toward the sink. What the hell is he doing? She glances between him and sink and then, she sees the bottle of shampoo. It’s floating towards them. Her reaction is completely involuntary, and she makes a loud noise in surprise, disturbing enough water to push some over the edge.

Rapid footsteps approach the door and it slides open. The Mandalorian barges in, blaster at the ready. “What happened?”

“Hey!” She snatches Grogu, using him to shield her chest. At that, his concentration breaks and the shampoo bottle falls to the floor with a loud pop. “D-Don’t look!”

“Ah…” She cannot see the Mandalorian’s expression, but the tone of his stuttering sounds tells her that he’s caught off guard. He clears his throat loudly, turning his head away and putting the blaster away. “Why did you scream?”

“I didn’t scream, I just…” She looks down at Grogu then back at the shampoo bottle. “Did you see that bottle floating in the air?”

He kneels down, picking it up. “No.”

“I swear it was moving. It was like… it was like the kid was–”

“Moving it with his mind? Yeah, he does that.”

“He–,” she frowns. “‘He does that,’ how long exactly has he been ‘doing that?’”

“I don’t know,” he responds, irritated. “Look, can we talk about this when you’re finished?”

“Oh… yeah, that’s fine…” She bites her lip. “Can… I have the shampoo, please?”

He sighs. The Mandalorian grabs the other bottles and sets them next to the tub, all the while his visor looking away. “Hurry up.” He walks out of the bathroom and presses the button to close the door. With him finally out, she sighs in relief.

She’s lucky the bubbles covered everything.

#din djarin x reader #din djarin #the mandalorian x reader #the mandalorian #the mandalorian x you #the mandalorian fanfic #work: dead man's hand

[magicalmeily]

I've made a google doc collection of 150 useful design and art resources! Whether youre just starting commissions or want to make your workflow more streamlined, I recommend checking it out

The full list is below the read more, but I suggest looking at the google doc as well sincce it will be updated more often. 

This list was created by @MagicalMeily

I encourage you to share this list with other designers, artists, or even students via this tumblr post, the google doc, or my tweet. Links marked as ‘Free/Paid’ usually means the free version has a lot of features anyway and the paid just has some extra templates or storage space. *Disclaimer - I haven’t used all of these services myself, so please let me know if anything dodgy slipped through the cracks, or if you have any others I should add.

I do not support NFTs or AI Art generators, so hopefully you won’t find any listed. Always double check commercial usage rights

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

COMMISSION SETUP

Collection of designers rates - Graphic Design Rates Master Sheet

TOS Example, Free to use (by kawa_kunn) - Twitter / kawa-kun.art

Tiktok walkthrough of a commission TOS form - artofthecatt

Longer Video of commission TOS form - How to Create a Commission Form

Commission Advice (by AerlyaGraphics) - Aerlya Graphics

Merchandise/printing services (by @sunshinehoney6) - Merchandise Resources

COMMISSION TRACKERS/MANAGEMENT

(Free/Paid) Clients can see your progress - Trello

(Free/Paid) Single user or collaborative project tracker - Notion

(Free) General Commission Management - Commiss.io

TEAM DESIGN/COLLABORATION

(Free/Paid) - Zeplin

(Free/Paid) - Notion

(Free/Paid) - Figma

(Free for Individuals) - Box

(Paid) - Sketch

FILE SHARING

(Free) - Google Drive

(Free/Paid) - WeTransfer

(Free/Paid) - Jumpshare

(Free for individuals) - Box

(Free) - Blindsend

MOODBOARDS

Design Inspiration

Image search for inspiration - Muzli Search

Makes and automatically sets out moodboards - Visualist

DESIGN PROGRAMS

2d Animation (Free/Paid) - Cavalry

Graphics, Photo editing, Publishing (One -off payment) - Affinity

Graphics, Audio, Video (Free, Browser) - Artboard Studio

Graphics (Free) - Inkscape

Graphics/Layout (Free/Paid, Browser) - Canva

Graphics, Photo Editing (Free, Browser. Can open Adobe files) - Photopea

Vector making (Free, Browser) - Vectr

Vector making (Free, Browser) - Vector Ink

Wireframing (Free, Browser) - Moqups App

GENERAL HELPFUL TOOLS/PROGRAMS

Bulk file renamer - Bulk Rename Utility

Bulk image resizer - ImageResizer

File Converters - FreeConvert

Image Upscaler - Waifu2x

Floating view of reference images - PureRef

Timezone converter - World Time Buddy

Twitter image crop guide by @dripchirp - Twitter Crop Guide

Learning how to use the pen tool - The Bézier Game

PORTFOLIO HOSTING/WEBSITE MAKERS

Portfolio hosting (Free) - Foriio

Portfolio hosting (Free with Adobe Subscription) - Adobe Portfolio

Portfolio hosting (Paid) - Portfoliobox

Website builder (Free) - Carrd

Website builder (Free) - Google Sites

Website builder (Free) - Weebly

Website builder (Free) - Wix

Website builder (Paid) - Squarespace

Make a blog you can use as a folio - Tumblr

(Posts Selective Folios) - Bestfolios

(Posts Selective Folios) - PFolios

(Posts Selective Folios) - Pafolios

(Posts Selective showreels) - Showreelz

LINK AGGREGATORS

(Free) Linktree

(Free) Lnk.Bio

(Paid/Free) Later

(Free) Solo.to

(Free) Campsite.bio

DESIGN MARKETPLACES

BOOTH

Gumroad

Ko-fi Shop

COLOUR

Various colour palette tools - Adobe Color

Colour palette search and generator - Coolors

Colour palette generator - Color Space

Colour converter, make colour palettes - RGB.to

Displays big brands colour schemes - BrandColors

ACCESSIBILITY

General design accessibility tips - Lemonly Infographics

Font accessibility tips - UXdesign.cc

Accessible colour combination generator 1 - Accessible color palette builder

Accessible colour combination generator 2 - Color Safe

FONTS FOR DOWNLOAD

Google Fonts

Adobe Fonts

Pixel Surplus

Fontesk

Befonts

Behance

Gumroad

Free Japanese Fonts

BOOTH

TYPE TOOLS

Displays inputted text in fonts installed on your computer - Wordmark

Identifies fonts on a web page  - Fonts Ninja

Typography Resources - Typewolf

Font Pairing Help - Fontjoy

Examples of fonts in context - Fonts In Use

Font Management - FontBase

MOCKUPS

Mockup World

Mr.Mockup

Unblast

ls.graphics

Anthonyboyd.graphics

Anagram Design

DesignHooks

Mockups-Design

STOCK PHOTOS/TEXTURES

Pexels

Unsplash

Barnimages

LostAndTaken

Freepik

Rawpixel

PATTERNS

Pattern Inspiration - Pattern Collection

Customisable Repeating SVG Patterns - Pattern Monster

Seamless background pattern maker - Patternico

Mesh Gradient Maker - Mesh Gradient

Make and print your own grids - Gridzzly.com

Downloadable Patterns - Subtle Patterns

ILLUSTRATION LIBRARIES

Toools Design

Irasutoya / いらすとや

Open Peeps

Humaaans

Open Doodles

ICON LIBRARIES

Paid/Free - Streamline Icons

Paid/Free - Flaticon

INSPIRATION GATHERING

abdz

Mindsparkle Mag

Behance

Dribbble

Muzli Search

100 Archive

Design Inspiration

BP&O

Pentagram

It's Nice That

DESIGN ADVICE/EXAMPLES/BLOGS/ ARTICLES

(Free) - World Brand Design Society

(Free) - AIGA Eye on Design

(Free) - Creative Boom

(Free) - The Design Team

(Paid) - UnderConsideration

LOGO/BRANDING DESIGN

Company logos categorised by letter/number/symbol etc - Logobook

Logo/Branding Examples - Logoed

PACKAGING DESIGN

Kawacolle

Packaging Design Archive

Packaging Of The World

WEB DESIGN

Siteinspire

Httpster

Lapa Ninja

Best Website Gallery

Dark Mode Design

Awwwards

Dribbble

(Wireframing) Moqups App

PUBLICATION/EDITORIAL DESIGN

Zine Creation Tips Masterpost - How to Organize a Zine 101

Editorial Design Examples 1 - Formagramma

Editorial Design Examples 2 - Pentagram

POSTER DESIGN

Typographic Poster Design Examples - Typographic posters

Poster Design Examples - Poster Poster

CHARACTER DESIGN

Character Design Library, Challenges, etc - Character Design References

Anime Settei/Reference Sheets - Settei Dreams

Historical Costume references - OSF Costume Rentals

V-DESIGNER/V-ARTIST

‘How to Design Your Own Vtuber Logo’ (by the-tragic-heroine) - The-tragic-heroine

Discover V-artists/V-designers - Heartist

V-Artist/V-designers Catalogue (Hiatus) - VTuber Catalog

Vtuber Resource Collection (by VTResources) - VTuber Resources

View badges/emotes will look like on Twitch - Twitch Elements

Resize badges/emotes to actual sizes - Twitch Emote Resizer

Vtuber based commission hub (beta) - VGen

PAYPAL ALTERNATIVES

Square

Stripe

Wise (previously TransferWise)

Kofi

Direct Bank Transfer

OTHER RESOURCE COLLECTIONS

Vtuber Resource Collection (by VTResources) - VTuber Resources

Designer Resources Collection - Design Resources

Merchandise/printing services (by sunshinehoney6) - Merchandise Resources

Typography Resources - Typewolf

#resource #design #Vtuber Support #masterpost #Master post

[earth2rin]

STRAWBERRY WINE

bakugo katsuki x fem!reader

just a drabble, lmk if i should turn this to a fic🤭

tooth rotting fluff, ooc baku, yes this is self indulgent…

~

cowboy!bakugo who is the sweetest gentleman in town to the naked eye, but is a gruff and angry person around people who know him.

cowboy!bakugo who works his butt off at 5:30 in the morning on his dads farm until 7:30 when he has to go to school. hardly ever going out with friends on weekends or staying out late on weekdays because he has to be up and early for his chores in the mornings.

cowboy!bakugo who’s daddy bought him a brand new ford f-150 for his 16th birthday, a token of appreciation and a thank you for all his hard work over the years. bakugo couldn’t stop talking about the truck for a whole week.

cowboy!bakugo who was blown away by your beauty when you knocked on his front door with a little piggy in your arms, claiming that it had strayed away to your dads pasture in the recent storm.

cowboy!bakugo who could not remember your face for the life of him. surely he had to have seen you before, you lived in teeny tiny town. and then it hit him. the pastors daughter. he’d seen your sweet face at the easter egg hunt after sunday service helping the little ones find eggs. he’d had you in a few classes over the years but never really spoke to you. he couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed you sooner.

cowboy!bakugo who sees your face every where now. walking down the hallways, finding your face in the gym during a pep-rally and he even noticed that you always sat in the front pew to the left during church.

cowboy!bakugo who always holds the door open for you, for anyone really, but the moment he sees you walking towards a door he’s the first to get up and hold it for you. his stomach churns a little when you give him that gorgeous smile of yours and tell him thank you.

cowboy!bakugo who starts talking to you more during chemistry class, after sunday service and even stopping to talk to you in the hallways sometimes. you guys conversate by the lockers, and bakugos friends are always behind you, kirishima wiping fake tears, sero holding his hands together as he sighs dreamily and kaminaris back facing bakugo as he wraps his arms around himself as if to mimic kissing someone. he always ends up punching them after he’s done talking to you for the stunt they pulled.

cowboy!bakugo who stutters over his words while asking you for your number, claiming it was solely for when the church had events and he could ask the date and time for said events (which him and you both knew was bull, but you still gladly gave him it with a smile on your face).

cowboy!bakugo who is constantly texting you in his free time, asking you about your day, how school was and asking if you wanted to hangout with him and his friends after school at some diner. of course you always said yes and you brought your good friends ochako and tsu along with you. you always shared a root beer float with bakugo, even if you got teased about it.

he always dropped you off last and would walk you to your front door. you would kiss his cheek and thank him for paying for your meal, even though he didn’t have to, and of course he’d insist that that’s how you treat a pretty lady. you’d both say your goodnights and 30 minutes later you’d both be on call with each other talking about all kinds of things.

cowboy!bakugo who’s asks your dad for his permission to ask you out on a date, and when your father allows it he gets to planning.

cowboy!bakugo who asks you out after hanging out with his friends while he’s dropping you off. you’ve got the biggest smile on your face as you nod vigorously and leap in his arms for a hug. he tells you he’ll text you the details when he gets home, and you both say your goodbyes.

cowboy!bakugo who begs his father to let him sleep in a little this saturday, because he’s taking you on that date friday night and he wants to spend as much time with you as possible. even if it means losing a little sleep.

cowboy!bakugo who comes to your house with a pretty bouquet of tulips, your favorite, looking so very handsome in his white american fighter shirt, rock revival bootcuts, white hey dudes and his grey and white lazy j snapback. he opens his truck door for you and drives you to the hidden location of your date.

cowboy!bakugo who jams out to george straight as he drives you way out on his dads pasture and you laugh as he sings off key to “write this down”. he just smiles at you and keeps singing horribly to hear those sweet giggles from you.

cowboy!bakugo who stops at a body of water surrounded by trees about 10 miles from his house. he backs up so his tailgate is facing the water and parks, going around his truck to open the door for you.

he leads you towards the tailgate and opens it, revealing thick blankets and pillows on the cargo bed. he helps you up and lets you get settled as he goes to the back cab and grabs a picnic basket he was hiding. your heart leaps when he joins you and you give him the biggest hug ever. of course he returns it and you both begin eating what’s in the basket.

cowboy!bakugo who stayed up all night and made a strawberry crunch poke cake, and heart jam cookies just for you because he knows you love strawberries. earlier that morning he made finger sandwiches and pasta salad and just before he left he made a mini charcuterie board for the two of you.

cowboy!bakugo who feeds you cheese and grapes and you laugh when you bite into the grape and the juice spays him in the face. you grab a napkin and wipe his cheek and he has the softest smile on his face.

cowboy!bakugo who cleans up the food after y’all are done and puts the basket behind you guys, and you both scoot up to the tail gate, feet dangling and watching the sunset. you lean your head on his shoulder and hold his hand, enjoying his presence.

cowboy!bakugo who plays music as the sun is finally setting and he asks you to dance with him. you happily agree and he goes and open his truck doors, allowing the music to be louder.

tennessee whiskey plays and you both are swaying to the song, holding each other close and singing along to the music. you both laugh a little because you’re kind of a bad dancer, so he insist that you stand on his feet.

cowboy!bakugo who after the sun is down and the stars are out, lays down on the blankets with you next to him and star gaze. he claims that this was the best place to see the stars, away from all the lights of the town. the earth is quiet, and it feels like it’s just the two of you here. it gets a little chilly and you shiver, he notices and quickly pulls you into his side and throws a fleece blanket over you two.

cowboy!bakugo who talks about anything with you, whether it be the mandela effect, mrs. johnson’s snaggle tooth or about how he wants to have his dads farm when he’s older. you listen intently and reply back to him, and he laughs when you suggest that you and him should just grab a pair of pliers and rip mrs. johnson’s tooth out.

cowboy!bakugo who gets all sweaty and clammy when he finally grows a pair and asks you to be his girlfriend. you don’t respond, and instead you press your lips against his soft ones, and let your lips do the talking.

cowboy!bakugo who grins and says “ ‘don’t think your answer was clear enough f’me, ya mind doing that again?” and you giggle and gladly do it again.

#not proofread #brain went brrr #bakugo katuski #soft and fluffy #bnha #i love cowboys #cowboy au #country boy #picnic date #so sweeeeeeeeeet #tooth rotting fluff #brainrot #bakugou x reader

[breakodawnclub]

1 Billion4Thriller and The Thriller 40 Challenge 2!

1Billion4Thriller

If you have been on Twitter or Instagram during Sept and October, y'all know it's that time of year again! It's time to celebrate Michael Jackson's epic accomplishments with the best-selling album of all time—Thriller! And I don't care what anyone says, Thriller is the official Halloween song!

Okay, so as you all know by now, and if ya don't, you will soon, lol! The MJ Fam is attempting to get Michael Jackson's amazing short film, Thriller, to 1 Billion views! So, Please stream the short film on YouTube as much as you can, but please watch other videos in between so you're not exhibiting bot behavior and for your views to count. However, to make things easier, you can also watch the following playlist on the flyer below! Just scan the QR code, and you are taken to the pre-made playlist!

The Thriller Challenge 2 (Starts this Friday, October 20th, 2023)

With the monumental success of Michael Jackson’s Album, “Thriller,” being the best-selling album of all time, the actual single, Thriller, has never reached #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart—and it’s by far that has changed! With the “Thriller Challenge 2,” MJ Fans the world over plan to get Michael Jackson’s single, Thriller, to #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart! We attempted this last year (albeit Thriller placed decently), but it didn't make it to #1, which is why we need more fans to participate! We can do this! So, please Stream and buy the single Thriller (only the song and not the album) as much as you can. Please only buy and stream the official album version of the song, which is on the original 1982 release of Thriller, Thriller 40, and Thriller 25—this is very important as all other versions do not count towards the Billboard for our goal!

While streaming Thriller, please do not loop the song—play 2 to 3 different songs by the J5, The Jackson’s, 3T, or other artists of your liking so that the streams are counted properly. And make sure the volume on your app is turned up. We understand listening to Thriller (though we love the song) a million times might be challenging; you can, therefore, turn your device volume down or mute it—but not on your app. Please keep the volume on the app itself turned up! This goes for when streaming on YouTube as well. For more tips on how to properly stream, please check out the following video:

P.S. Here is a pre-made #ThrillerChallenge playlist of mine that you can stream to make things easier! This is one of the playlists I created and used when I hosted one of last year's many streaming parties hosted by myself and many other wonderful DJs. (P.S. I still like—and am a Mystery DJ, but I like sharing with y'all here! Lol!) https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2HNr81pCxDGEcD4mUi7yeO?si=a81f5cd5ab184df5

Lastly, please participate in some of the Thriller Streaming Parties on the StationHead App if you can (there'll be many)! It's a great way to jam out to MJ, Janet, and the Jackson Families' music while chatting with fellow MJ Fam if you would like! However, You do not have to chat! Just come in and listen to the music. The reason why these streaming parties are so important is because for every listener a DJ has for the party, it counts as a stream for Thriller! So, say if a DJ has 100 listeners, then that's 100 streams for Thriller! It's that easy—and the guesswork has been taken out of creating a playlist. All ya gotta do is sit back and listen to the music. In order to hear the music and the DJs on StationHead, you must have a premium Spotify or Apple Music account! If you don't have one, please search the internet. There are always free trials floating around (just make sure they are legit). When the challenge is over, you can always cancel your membership if you no longer want the service.

For a complete listing of all the Thriller Streaming parties, please follow @AndJustice4Some on the X app (formerly known as Twitter.)

On Saturday, October 21st, from 7:00 p.m. to 11:55 p.m., I'll be hosting a Thriller Streaming party on the StationHead App! Please attend if you can! It's such an honor to get the chance to host a streaming party for the Thriller Challenge.

Please note: The #1Billion4Thriller and #TheThrillerChallenge2 events are not created by me. I'm just doing my due diligence as an MJ Fam and as one of the DJs for the Thriller Challenge, helping to get the information out!

In closing, today, the artist Drake has officially tied Michael Jackson as the male solo artist with the most No. 1 songs in Billboard Hot 100 History. Now, I'm not here to diss Drake, but let us be for real: the music that's being made today is not classic like many of MJ's and other legendary artists hit records. When Michael was selling millions of albums, there was no streaming; people had to actually go to the store (and sometimes stand in long lines) to support their fave! And if you ask me, there should be some distinction between physical sales and today's streaming—these are two different eras—it's unfair to compare the two. Today, with streaming being a click away, social media influence, and such—it's easier for artists to break records. I could make this post longer, but I'll chill as I do have a lot to say about this—but I'll save that for another post. At this point, it's all laughable. It's a skewed numbers game, and artistry is no longer at the forefront. At the end of the day, Michael's music will continue to be played millions and millions of years from now because Michael poured his heart and soul into his art while battling so many things. That being said, I hope this provides some extra motivation for to stream Michael Jackson's Thriller. Let's make Michael #1!

Blessings,

Midnight💜🌛

#MichaelJackson #ThrillerChallenge2 #Thriller #MJFam #Moonwalkers #KingofPop #Mj #StreamingParty #YouTube #StationHead #StreamThriller #Youtube