#is shipping prices absolutely insane? unfortunately

[asteria-argo]

Guess who finally has enough money to get themselves kurzgesagt merch!!!

#ME #the answer is me #is shipping prices absolutely insane? unfortunately #is that a price I’m willing to pay so I can finally get the calander of my dreams? yes #just starry things

[camirami]

I have soooo many thoughts about the Scott Pilgrim anime.

Unfortunately none of my friends have watched it yet so I'm quietly going insane. Fortunately Tumblr exists! So I get to scream into the void and rave about this gem!!

Going in, I felt the pacing for the first episode felt way too fast?? Was really disappointed because it seemed we skipped too many steps forward to the big fight? Then OHHH boy suddenly it made perfect sense.

Scott, btw, has immaculate rizz. Can't believe it worked.

I was on the fence whether or not that was different good or different bad, but the second episode kept me in. Third episode all but confirmed I wasn't jumping ship at any point

I absolutely ADORE how the other characters in Scott and Ramona's lives get a lot more love. Though we got some hints that the league wasn't all that bad in previous adaptations (well, mainly just the one ex), the anime really fleshes them out and shows hey!! They have their own side of the story!!

About Ramona: I'm glad they made it more believable that she's actually in lesbians with Scott. They switched their positions and instead showed her being the one to go completely gaga over him for the entire show, something the rest of the cast consistently point out makes zero sense!! Total dumbass move on her part. They're perfect for each other god

I know I praise the show for fleshing out characters, but I guess the price for that is some important figures get pushed to the background. I guess being an adaptation it assumes the viewer will have read and watched both the graphic novels and the movie and wouldn't need to know more about these characters? Honestly not too affected by that actually

That being said, the anime doesn't require you to immerse yourself in the preceding comic/movie. People new to the series will still have a blast!! But your viewing experience would be vastly enhanced if you actually did read and watch them because they go well hand-in-hand

The game and the movie had amazing soundtracks, so it's no surprise that the anime would deliver on that front as well (but I might just be a bit biased just because of the mortal kombat theme in the finale)

But actually surprising, is the voice cast was very good?? I knew going in the cast from the film was gonna be the English voice casts, but I was a bit skeptical because live-action actors don't always do a good job doing VA work (LOOKING AT YOU CRISPRAT). There was never a moment where they came off as awkward.

Despite some very glaring changes, the show retains pretty much the same story beats and themes as the book, but with an additional focus on Ramona's own tendency to run away from her problems. The finale still ends with them wanting and trying to be better for each other, but this time everyone gets a happy ending!! So I think that kinda makes it better than everything that came before it

My dad talked about how amazing he thought the Scott Pilgrim movie was and I'm gonna take SO MUCH JOY knowing he'll be seething by the first episode alone. This shit is so gay. Absolute 🔥

#scott pilgrim takes off #scott pilgrim vs the world #scott pilgrim #ramona flowers

[trinketfairy]

🍌

🍌 what’s your list of dreamies right now?

I definitely have a few that have been on my radar for a while now... This post is gonna get long, sorry in advance...!!

First up would be the 2inchGiraffe Richie Tozier and Eddie Kaspbrak plushies. These were a limited run, and unfortunately for the entire time they were running, I never really had the money to spend on getting these two. I really just wanted to be smarter with my money, but it's one of the decisions I regret making immensely because my chances of finding them again are slim to none. Still, I keep them on my holy grails list in the hopes that maybe, someone out there will be kind enough to let me buy theirs. A man can dream...

I've also had my eyes on the Snughouls Fairy Floss Bat for a while now, and it's one I definitely plan on getting one day soon! Again, it just comes down to money... I completely understand why these are as expensive as they are, because they're obviously high quality products from a small business, but until recently I just didn't ever have the sort of money needed to pay for USD to CAD conversion rates, as well as the abysmal shipping rates we have here. Hopefully soon though, I've been saving up now that I have money coming in on a more consistent basis!

Lastly we have the Prime Shiba 22in Rosalie the Wolf Dog plush. This girl is absolutely gorgeous, and I fell in love with her ever since I saw her first preorder photos on the website! Again, it's just another issue with money- I was only able to get my 4 other PS plushies through good luck, good timing, and an insane Black Friday deal, and the odds of this happening again literally only come once a year. Still, I'd be happy to pay full retail price for her since I want her that badly, but alas being an adult means having to exercise some kind of responsibility over my spending money.

Runners up include the Jellycat medium Bashful calico cat, Jellycat medium Smudge Changi lion, and the Squishables Mini limited carousel horse. I see these going on Ebay sometimes, with the former two more frequently than the latter, but oh man do these go for a pretty penny.. It's funny cause the JC calico cat is one that I really wanna use as a mascot, so I guess my taste really is that expensive!

I have a lot more that are on my wishlist/ISO list, but this covers the ones that are most wanted and/or not easily obtainable, for one reason or another.

[Ask game source]

#Yes I know it's 4am. I've had a hell of a night. It's personal #mailbox #plushblr #iso

[linnet92holder]

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[sunsoothed]

hair(care)

remember this post? yes i wrote the fic. with some angst and backstory as a treat! family bonding time and people learning to love. the ao3 summary is "Yohan first learns affection through money, then oil." which i think is really really funny.

word count: 1696

read on ao3

apologies for any errors, and enjoy!

-

The first time Yohan tries, it is before everything. He’s allowed to err here and there, require an entire braid to be unwound and redone. He’s allowed to experiment with the clips and the ribbons and decide when the act is complete and present his art to his niece and his family. Elijah is rightfully fawned over, cheeks bright and smiles brighter, holding onto her uncle and hiding her face in his shoulder with glee.

That was, of course, before everything.

-

If Yohan has touched a hair on Elijah’s head since, it is only to make a promise or only in her sleep.

The doctors will take care of you, don’t worry. Samcheon is here. I won’t let them hurt you any more than you already have been.

Midnight, in that agonising few months of hospital rooms and the claustrophobic rehabilitation centre. When Elijah is able to perceive nothing but her breath, Yohan, hands reverent; soothing his own fears through comforting his niece. Things will be okay. We’ll be fine. A few grounding breaths are never enough, not after he learns what those monsters took from his niece.

And when Elijah cries. When she first asks after her mother and father, why they aren’t by her side, why is it just samcheon everyday? When Yohan’s tears ring before hers, for the first and last time. I’m sorry, so is declared. I’ll fix this, so is promised. He holds her as close as he can permit himself to, and vows to burn down this world if she asks him to.

-

Elijah, once, four years since, on her tenth birthday, asks him, “Can you help me?”

Yohan will pretend like he hasn’t been starved of hearing those words. He follows her to her room, honoured of her trip halfway across the house.

“The girls at school,” Elijah fumbles about, wringing her hands together, “that… they wear their…”

He stands in her doorway, somewhat uninvited, waits for her to finish.

“They wear their hair, kind of… like this,” Elijah mimics some variation of a hairstyle best she can, two locks of her hair held in her hands, the parting off. “I was just…”

Yohan, unfortunately, understands little. “Do you need a haircut?”

Elijah’s hands fall, as does the thin hope upon her features. “It’s nothing,” she dismisses. “I only called you because ahjumma wasn’t in today. It’s fine.”

Yohan blinks. “I can help if —”

“It’s fine,” Elijah hisses. “I was mistaken.”

-

If there is any chance of that ever happening again, time will have to be reversed. Elijah turns twelve, and things change, and Yohan notes his laptop has been hacked.

He buys her a cake for her thirteenth birthday that finds itself smashed against a wall and a demand for no such recurrence.

Yohan will never disobey her. Not with things that she can control.

So he buys no cakes, but buys her a building and channels the affection he allows himself to feel once a month in an allowance that shocks Ms Ji despite the lifetime she’s spent in this family.

Once, there is a package of hair care products with their usual shipment of essentials, which Ms Ji makes a show of putting in Yohan’s way. When he relents, it only takes a tilt of head to the east of the house for her to get the hint. He never knows if Elijah uses them, but the list goes on to include some products out of the large batch he’d purchased, and Yohan considers buying another building.

-

On her sixteenth birthday, Yohan asks, “Do you want to have a birthday party?”

Elijah asks, “Who will we call?”

Yohan nods, for that is an apt answer.

-

When Kim Gaon comes, Elijah hates him more than usual. That, Yohan had expected. What he hadn’t was that this hatred would melt away faster than ice when met with fire.

The frist time Elijah sports a more delicate hairstyle than the usual ponytail, Yohan thinks it’s a trick of the light. But she turns her head when retrieving cereal, and her hair is still parted that way and a short braid runs from behind her ear into the clipped-back hair at the back of her head, and Yohan pauses to stare.

Instead of their noncommittal acknowledgement of each other each morning, he asks, “When did you…” and gestures to the back of his head.

Elijah shrugs, looking over at him impassively for a moment before pursuing her breakfast once again. Kim Gaon slides into view, grin perpetually etched into his face, asks, “Elijah, did it stay?”

To which Elijah smiles back, and now Yohan’s eyebrows remain shot up.

Kim Gaon continues to talk, “It’s experimental. We’ll try a different style tomorrow. Your hair’s long enough to make an intricate bun.”

Yohan ensures Elijah watches him conspicuously eye the both of them.

“Kim pansa,” he says, breaking the moment. “We need to go to work.”

-

The next day, and the day after that, Elijah wears her hair in different styles. Once it is a high bun with some small braids, once it is a different parting and a new set of clips. Yohan observes critically over breakfast as Elijah holds her head a certain way to ensure it doesn’t fall into her food, and thinks, how impractical.

She catches him looking, so she hoists a sour look, to which Yohan responds with an exaggerated tilt of his head, aiming to mimic her.

“Don’t make fun of her,” Kim Gaon’s imposing voice interrupts. “Elijah looks fantastic today.”

Elijah beams. Yohan is disarmed of a biting reply for he hasn’t seem her teeth take on anything but a stubborn baring of power in front of him. He spends the rest of the day replaying it.

-

When things so south and north again, when Elijah acknowledges, begrudgingly, that her uncle did not have it out for her father, Kim Gaon mediates harmoniously.

He spends an evening making them both chase the cat around the house.

It’s an inane idea, even Elijah hates it, but he tells them the reason Kkomi starts throwing things off their desks at four in the morning is because she’s understimulated, and that even a cat needs to exercise.

So it’s Elijah’s job to get her rilled up enough to run — in a cat’s terribly comic way — away from them, and Yohan’s to ensure she keeps running around.

He’s insane, is what Kim Gaon is. Elijah’s more than sure this borders on some ethical offense. Yohan sure seems to find some pleasure in making the cat scared for her life.

Gaon congratulates them both with a mid-evening coffee and snack break. Elijah actually, voluntarily, asks for Yohan to pass the plate of biscuits across, and thanks him — thanks him! — when he does.

Before they all retire to bed, after another shared meal, Elijah calls for him from down the hall.

“Yohan!”

He turns, maintaining what he thinks is a smile.

“Can you try and get some coconut oil?”

“What for?”

Elijah scrutinises him, gauging how he doesn’t understand something so obvious. “For my hair.”

Yohan nods, still not on the same page, but very much wanting to be. “I’ll get it,” he assures.

He doesn’t blink twice at the astronomical shipping price.

-

It’s a tall bottle, imported and primly packaged, that greets Elijah when she returns home from her weekly ice-cream run with Gaon.

She eyes it, suspicious, before their resident busybody stands in her doorway and says, “Oh, bujang-nim actually bought it for you.”

Elijah blinks at Gaon innocently. Yohan does listen to her sometimes.

“Material wealth,” Gaon seems to understand. “We’ll put it in your hair tomorrow, okay? Keep it in for a few hours.”

“A few hours?” Yohan voices, having just turned the corner, dressed as he usually is at home.

“What are you doing here,” Elijah mutters, shooting a scowl at Yohan as he stands in her doorway as well.

He scowls back, never one to back down from a challenge, as Gaon goes on about the benefits of oiling hair behind them.

-

“Don’t pull,” Elijah hisses.

“I’m not,” Yohan insists, but puts less force into his actions nonetheless.

Gaon and Ms Ji are monitoring them, mirroring each other with their arms crossed and leaning against opposite sides of the doorway.

Yohan sections Elijah’s hair into three parts after brushing through it, the fine-toothed comb surprisingly sparse of broken hair.

“Gaon has been helping me take care of it,” Elijah had explained, when he errantly asked. “What, did you think I’m some sort of wild animal?”

Yohan carefully collects some oil in his palms, completely foreign to this, eyes flickering up to Gaon for guidance. Gaon is absolutely no help.

So he trusts his instincts and starts at Elijah’s scalp, rubbing oil in, and ends with oil down his forearms and Elijah’s hair in a thick braid. She’s fast asleep.

“That means you did a good job,” Gaon whispers to him.

Yohan would smile, but such affection hardly suits his face. He pats Gaon’s face with an oily hand, leaves him spluttering, and grins to himself as he tries to wash the oil off.

-

It barely becomes a routine, because despite Gaon’s somewhat vast knowledge on hair care and what Elijah read online, washing oil out of your hair can be a nightmare. But Ms Ji and Gaon have observed their two sulking overlords interacting with an increasing frequency, even if it is sometimes just to disagree about an arrangement of clips or parting of hair.

Gaon had supposed, somewhat, that his bujang-nim had at least an understanding of style. In his discussions with his niece, though, when somehow colour schemes and draping becomes relevant, Gaon admits he’d underestimated Kang Yohan.

Later Elijah will decide she wants to dress for dinner as well, and Yohan will be the only one diligently obeying the formality. So much so that he will leave a guest in the company of the villainous home to attend to his niece’s requests. No one will ask about the pink bow in her hair, but it’s more than enough for Yohan to know that he tied it up.

#the devil judge #the devil judge fic #tvn the devil judge #kang yohan #kang elijah #kim gaon #is there a tag for the fam #lawful family #(?) #idk #whovie writes

[plasticnightmaredoll]

So that exists, the Prime 1 Studio "Godzilla vs Kong" Godzilla bust. It's 30 inches tall with a light-up feature for the dorsal fins and eyes. There is also a bonus version which comes with a "Godzilla vs Kong" nameplate.

It's gorgeous, right? I mean, the blue light up is so damn beautiful, and there is much insane detail on this thing. It looks exactly like Godzilla in the movie. Like, you could photoshop this bust into some scenes and people may not even notice the difference.

This is a high-quality collectible, a True Collector's™ type of Ultimate Collectible™.

What does it cost, though? Maybe it's not that bad...

(from Big Bad Toy Store)

(from Prime 1 Studio site)

HOLY FUCK OMG WHAT THE HELL OH SHIT WHAT IS THIS IS THIS HELL?????

Based on what Prime 1 and BBTS have, the release date will be from July 2022 to October 2022. That's a shitload of time to save up, and save up a little at a time instead of massive chunks.

It's a doable price.

Problems, though:

It's polystone resin, which is very delicate. I fear if I don't accidentally break it, it could arrive damaged because shipping and delivery services aren't always delicate. And if the bust would arrive damaged, you know I'm the kind of bitch to call the seller/company/manufacturer and tell them what's up.

It is between $1600 and $1800, and my ass isn't rich. At all. I'm not even making what I used to make as a web developer. I mean, I go from $47k per year to fucking $32k per year. Fuck me, right?

Both sites require a non-refundable deposit, so if I have to cancel the order, I'm out $160/$267. And I know BBTS allows cancellations of pre-orders, but Prime 1 Studio might not. Some sites don't allow pre-orders to be canceled. So, if I got the bust from Prime 1 Studio, I would have to pray to whatever gods exist that my shitty life doesn't tank in the next year.

WHERE THE FUCK AM I GONNA PUT IT? I DON'T HAVE SPACE. AT ALL. FOR THIS THING. AND IT NEEDS TO BE PUT SOMEWHERE SAFE FFFFUUUUUCK.

I need to pull out $160 or $267 as a down payment right now.

But there are positives:

It's easily going to be the jewel of my ever-growing Godzilla collection.

Prime 1 Studio allows for payments through installments (up to 15 separate payments). BBTS unfortunately does not. But with as much time as there before this thing to be released, it may not be that big of a deal.

It won't be released until mid to late next year, and it's only April of this year right now. So, there's a lot of time to save up.

I've seen much more expensive collectibles. This is a pretty tame, pretty standard price.

The negatives outweigh the positives, and I'm nowhere near rich, so it is insane to even consider buying this Godzilla bust. And I'm more worried about it arriving damaged than anything.

However..............

As cliche as it is, you do only live once, and this is a limited edition collectible. So, it's now or never.

Fuck everything.

I do what I want, when I want.

I'm a self-indulgent bitch.

I'm a selfish bitch.

I'm a dumbass bitch.

I'm a self-indulgent, selfish, dumbass bitch.

I'm an idiot who makes terrible choices willingly at times.

I'm a masochist as I seem to enjoy putting unnecessary stress on myself.

I make my own money, so it's my choice what to do with it.

My life is a disaster and I absolutely fucking hate it, so fuck it. If I am stupid sometimes with pitiful attempts to boost my pathetic serotonin levels, I don't even care.

I deserve this. Maybe that sounds egocentric (there is a reason I self-ship with Arkhamverse/Arkham Knight Riddler) but I deserve better than what I have been given.

Godzilla is my childhood hero, and loving him (platonically, ok?) has taught me how love can change over time, becoming much more complex, yet it's still love. It's just a better understanding of the love for the thing/person in question, a matured kind of love and not a superficial, simplistic, ignorant kind of love.

I mean, financially, purchasing this Godzilla bust is stupid, but my wallet has given up with arguing with me.

So, will I purchase this Godzilla bust? Will I go the way of The Stupid and throw down big bucks for this thing?

It's looking VERY likely right now.

#godzilla #gojira #collectibles #godzilla vs kong #gvk #prime 1 studio #toho #kaiju #just me being me #i'm so bored

[hermannsthumb]

From horny twitter: Hermann writes a very very detailed review of a vibrator online

not sfw below cut!!!!!!!!!!! 

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

Now, usually, Newt doesn’t mess around when he’s on the clock, because that’d be very unprofessional of him and that’s totally not who he is, but he’s in a little bit of a rut with his current project and could use the distraction. Online shopping is his favorite go-to distraction these days: he can lose himself in size charts and color options and hunts for coupon codes and forget, even for a few minutes, that the end of the world is accelerating towards them at an intimidating rate. Plus, he can write off half his shit as work-related expenses. Win-win. Though maybe not this particular search.

Newt has a pretty reliable arsenal of sex toys he’s used on rotation since he packed up and shipped across the world for the PPDC, but the ten-year warranty vibe he’s used since PhD #3 (and his favorite of the bunch) finally crapped out on him last week after a historically intense fight with Hermann got him historically wound up. Eleven years ain’t bad. After testing out a different charger, poking around in the wiring, and even going so far as to zap it a few times with some sorta-stolen drift tech to see if it stirred any life back into it, he finally decided it was time to just mourn, move on, and buy a new one. (Even if, unfortunately, his particular favorite model was discontinued when the company’s factory was destroyed in a kaiju attack and they never quite managed to recover. More casualties of the war.)

The sex toy market is truthfully booming during the apocalypse. It makes sense, Newt guesses—anything for a distraction. Personally, for Newt, orgasms tend to dampen his own existential dread, even if it’s just for a few minutes. He scrolls idly through a few Top Ten For 2023 listicles on various sex magazine websites to see if anything jumps out at him (some of the recommended toys are dildos he already has, and vibes that are a little beyond his k-sci paycheck), just hoping for something to jump out at him. Apparently he missed out on a limited-edition run of jaeger and kaiju-themed vibes and dildos that came out in early January, which he’s honestly a little pissed about—he’s the top expert on kaiju biology, god damn it! Didn’t anyone want to consult with him about their hypothetical junk? Accuracy matters.

“It’s all off,” Newt mutters grumpily as he examines a 360 view of one of the kaiju dildos. Trespasser. “It’s not even the right color. Fucking amateurs. Did they even try?”

“What are you doing?” Hermann says.

Newt slams his laptop shut. Hermann decided to cut his lunch break short today, apparently. “Shopping,” he says.

“You sounded awfully angry about something, is all,” Hermann says. He clacks over to his half of the lab and shrugs off his big parka, then pauses. “Do you need to...talk about it?”

“No,” Newt says.

Hermann breathes out in obvious relief. “Good,” he says.

He takes his usual spot at his chalkboard and resumes his calculating. Newt re-opens his laptop and scrolls away from Trespasser before he can make himself angry over anatomical inaccuracies again. The jaeger vibes from the collection are pretty cool, actually; the designs are a lot cleaner, and their artistic license is a lot more forgivable. The highest-rated of the set is one obviously (but not enough to invoke copyright infringement, if that can even exist for a jaeger) modeled off of Coyote Tango, with like, a million different settings, and an astronomical cost to match. Newt eyes it enviously. He could be shoving that up his ass right now if he’d just signed up for a stupid email list last year.

He follows the link to Amazon to read through some of the reviews enviously, too. Life-changing; best money ever spent; warranty lasts a lifetime. Ten stars across the board. Sold out, obviously. No idea when it’ll be back in stock. He could get the Striker Eureka model for twice the original cost as when it came out, if he wanted, but the idea of constantly having to associate the twenty-something punk Hansen kid with his intimate affairs makes him shudder.

A nine-star review for the Coyote Tango model from someone named MathLover69 is the only one to make Newt really pause, on account of how absolutely insane it is.

I saved quite a few paychecks to purchase this vibrator, and though the cost is steep, I must say it is absolutely worth it. As opposed to my normal vibrator (here another vibe is linked, and Newt’s eyebrows jump at that price, too), which has only five settings, an admittedly bulky body, and average battery life, the CT2023 has a generous ten, a sleeker design, and charges fully in a matter of minutes. The orgasms I have experienced while using it are higher in quality (and more numerous) than any resulting previously from masturbation, though I have not tried beyond setting six yet. It also works wonders for stress relief. (I have an incredibly irritating colleague, and nothing calms me down so much as a quick round with the CT2023 after a spat with him.)

The body is versatile enough to be either inserted into one’s—

Newt feels heat rise to his cheeks in spite of himself, and he skims the second paragraph of MathLover69’s review to get the gist of it—that there are, uh, plenty of ways to utilize the vibe, that it’s discreet and small enough to wear to work (if you were inclined to do so, as MathLover69 implies he might’ve been) and that when combined with the Yamarashi dildo, the pleasurable experience increased tenfold. Talk about oversharing. Jeez.

My only complaint would be that the design is a poor approximation of the real Coyote Tango, and for that I’ve docked a star. I would recommend this product.

“This guy is a total nut,” Newt says to himself.

“Hm?” Hermann says.

Newt considers the implications of showing Hermann the vibrator listing: Hermann will know he was shopping for sex toys, Hermann will know he was shopping for kaiju and jaeger-themed sex toys, Hermann will know he was shopping for kaiju and jaeger-themed sex toys during working hours a mere ten feet away from him. Embarrassing, but on the other hand, MathLover69’s review is too funny to not share with someone else. “Hey, Hermann,” Newt says, angling his laptop towards Hermann. “Look. Who comments shit like this?”

Hermann descends his ladder carefully and inches up behind Newt’s shoulder, squinting at his laptop screen. He immediately turns bright red. Newt must’ve offended his Victorian sensibilities with the mere suggestion of self-abuse. “Oh,” he says. “Er.”

“Way TMI,” Newt says. “Listen to this line. ‘With the Yamarashi toy inserted into one’s mouth, and the CT2023 inserted up one’s—'”

“Well, how else is one meant to review a masturbatory aid?” Hermann snaps, surprising Newt. He looks oddly flustered. “Details can be—er—helpful. Can’t they?”

“Sure, dude,” Newt snorts. “Except they’re obviously just screwing with people. They literally have a 69 in their username.” He taps at the MathLover69, and doesn’t mention—on behalf of Hermann’s delicate mathematician feelings—that the MathLover part is obviously meant as a joke too.

“Well,” Hermann says. “Perhaps it’s just his—er, their birthdate.”

Newt turns around to stare at Hermann, taking in his red cheeks, his red ears, and the gaze he’s fixed steadily on his shoes. It’s all Newt can do to not to gape at him. “Hermann, you’re kidding,” he says. “Right?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Hermann says.

“You didn’t,” Newt says.

“I,” Hermann stammers. “Well—”

“I didn’t even know you—”

“That I what?” Hermann says.

Newt gives a half-shrug. Hermann doesn’t seem the type to engage in any sort of vice, let alone this kind. And especially not with the type of sex toys he apparently gravitates towards. (If Newt was a little bolder, and had a little less shame and care for hygiene, he might ask to check out the Yamarashi, because anatomical inaccuracies aside, wow that sounds awesome.) “I mean, you know,” Newt says. “You’re kinda you. No offense.”

Hermann takes offense. “I am human,” he says. “I am allowed to masturbate, Newton, and I was merely attempting to educate other customers about the—product—with my thoroughness.” He adds, awkwardly, “My review was voted very helpful, as you can see.”

“Okay,” Newt says with a grin. “I get it. Sorry.”

Hermann marches back over to his side of the lab with a scowl. Newt waits until he’s sure Hermann’s not watching him, and is too distracted by muttering angrily under his breath, to bookmark MathLover69’s page of reviews.

It turns out (as Newt revisits the page later that night, in the privacy of his bunk) Hermann buys and reviews a truly staggering amount of dildos and sex toys, and on top of that, has absolutely zero filter behind the wall of anonymity. It’s to the extent that some of his reviews read like goddamn sexts.

It took me three occasions to successfully work myself up to taking in the entire length…

My orgasm was so pleasurable I alarmed my colleague with the noise I made, who believed me to have injured myself…

The highest vibration setting is a bit of a disappointment…

These are excellent for double penetration…

It also turns out Hermann is a veritable sex fiend. Or at least a masturbation fiend. Judging by his reviews alone, Hermann’s purchased more than a dozen different toys in the past three years alone. That’s four a year. One every three months. That’s not even including buttplugs, which (according to other reviews) he sometimes just wears into the lab (“work”) for the hell of it, which Newt isn’t even going to think about right now. How the hell has Hermann kept this much of his life under wraps? When the hell does he have time to jerk off as much as he apparently does? No wonder they never seem to have any fucking funding; all of Hermann’s paychecks are funneled directly into his—well.

Newt recalls the faux-injury incident Hermann mentioned in a comment with mild embarrassment. No wonder Hermann had been so weird and flushed when he opened his door, and made excuses to say bye to him so quickly—Newt just caught him (oh, boy) immediately following the best orgasm of his life. Well, mild embarrassment, and a little more than mild arousal. What Newt would’ve given to have been there five minutes earlier, to watch Hermann in the act of the best orgasm of his life, to maybe even be the one to cause it…

What Newt would give to use Hermann’s fancy-shmancy vibrator on him, or literally anything from his giant masturbatory arsenal. Or even just watch him use it on himself. Hermann’s just so damned buttoned-up and uptight—it’s all about the contradictions. Juxtapositions. Newt unzips his jeans and sticks his hand down his boxers. “Stupid Hermann,” he moans, as he begins to bring himself off to the image of Hermann with that stupid kaiju dildo down his throat and that stupid jaeger vibe up his ass. Negotiator of peace between the two? Stupid joke, stupid Hermann. Or maybe he’s picturing Hermann showing up to the lab, all plugged up and loose from using a different vibe on himself that morning. Or maybe Hermann pushing two dildos into himself at once. How the hell can he even manage that? Ass his size— “Oh, goddamn it,” Newt moans again, and comes all over his hand.

Whatever. It’s not like Hermann’s ever going to find out about this.

#newmann #maria's fanfiction tag #Anonymous #not sfw ////

[cina-full-moon-xanadium]

Do you know what the retail price for the SODO Ryuki figures are in Japan? I'd like to have a reference point because I want to know if it's possible to get at least the first 4 riders and their monsters without going over $150 USD since I understand that these are supposed to be cheaper made figures

Absolutely! Each retail SO-DO Ryuki box - as with any retail SO-DO - costs 450 Yen. As each figure requires two boxes to build, that’s 900 Yen per Rider; or about 8 dollars. A full case will contain 10 boxes (so one dupe in the case of Wave 1 which has four figures), and is retailing for 4950 Yen altogether; but many sites will offer a pre-order/early purchase discount -- AmiAmi, for instance, is offering a case right now for 3960 Yen, or about 36 dollars. So for the riders themselves... not too bad, really! Ryuki, Knight, Scissors, and Zolda (and a duplicate figure, most likely Ryuki himself) for 36 dollars plus shipping, and the same value should hold for future retail waves.

Where the Ryuki line gets more expensive and unfortunate though is the Mirror Monsters, which are all 2-packs and Premium Bandai exclusives. The Dragredder & Darkwing set is 6000 Yen, or about 55 dollars; while the Volcancer & Magnagiga set is 8000 Yen, or about 73 dollars.

If it were just the Riders themselves, I’d say 36 dollars for four is pretty insane value; but the mirror monsters come to about 128 before shipping so. Yeah. If you’re after the mirror monsters too it’s gonna cost you a pretty penny.

[tomatoofhappiness]

My Experience with Buyee: they steal ye stuff and make ye pay!

So I have encountered a pretty big problem with using Buyee.jp, which is sort of a middleman service to help you buy things from Japan if you’re not in Japan. 

I have used them before to buy a Rilakkuma plush, and because it was just one item and it was light enough to be post it via airmail relatively inexpensively. So it arrived and it’s awesome, and so I decided to give it a go again and ordered a bunch this time. Which led me to paying a ton of crazy sounding fees and overcharging shipping, and that was sea freight, so idk. Anyway, two and a half months later I receive my box from Japan. This box has about quarter of the items I ordered missing, so I go to Buyee customer service and message them saying hey my item numbers so and so are missing can you please check in your warehouse. 

Buyee response (copy paste): 

This is the Buyee Customer Support. Thank you for your email. We are sorry to hear that there was a problem with the package you received. We investigate each case according to the applied plan, and we have confirmed that you applied Lite plan to your package [00000000000] ----------------------------------------- *LITE PLAN Items that are purchased with [Lite Plan] are not eligible for compensation, even if the item is different from the seller's page, been damaged, or been undelivered during international shipment. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept any complaints or requests for refund. We apologize that we are unable to help with this matter. We sincerely suggest you apply for [Standard Plan] when you order or bid on items in the future, so that we can assist you with cases like this. Thank you for your kind understanding. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any other questions or concerns. Sincerely, Angelu Buyee customer support

_____

So the Plan they’re talking about is the additional fees charged when you are bidding for items at the time, you can select from various options which mean absolutely nothing and when you are bidding it only shows this line: “Lite Plan means there is no Insured Delivery or Item Inspection service included”. 

So, while hey I’m here thinking well, I’m okay if the item is not insured or inspected when it gets to your warehouse, I’ll get insurance when I’m posting it to myself for sure!  Only when you go to the depths of the website and dig out more information you find this:

“Lite Plan

Lite Plan means there is no Insured Delivery or Item Inspection service included.

Please understand that with Lite Plan, you are not eligible for the following services:

Receiving refunds in the event that your item(s) is delivered damaged, different from the auction/shopping page or different in quantity

Receiving refunds or requesting a claim/investigation in the event that your item(s) is lost during shipment

Contact the seller

You are highly recommended to apply for Standard Plan if you would like to be eligible to the above mentioned services.”

So honey, they’ve got it all covered from step one. As you are bidding for your stuff, they’re already saying that they can make claim to any of your shit that you pay for. 

There is absolutely nothing stopping them from stealing the things they like the look of, while also making you pay for everything. 

I know how exciting it is to buy things and bid on things and get things! Trust me, I’m with you on that! But in addition to the above, Buyee has a shitton of charges that they keep on adding and adding, so even if you think that you’re getting a bargain, you’re probably better off getting things on ebay or an import shop - not even kidding. After I added up the costs, it would’ve been cheaper for me to just get it from physical store at like a 50% markup :/ 

The charges and mistakes:

- initial service fee, 500 yen - Plan fee - varies but you get the idea that if you “cheap out” on the Lite Plan, you won’t get your goods - Consolidation fee - when they put stuff you ordered in one box.. - 1000 yen - VAT + TAX charges added on top - Ludicrous shipping fees - I have travelled a lot, and I know that you can ship a 66lbs/30kg box via sea mail for less than $80... But Buyee charges anywhere between $120-$250, I guess as they feel like? - Miscalculating weight of the box. I am a stickler for things, so I add things up carefully, based on their own numbers that they provide on the website, and calculate the fees using the calculator provided on their website. Then I get slapped with insane shipping fees for a 37lbs/17kg box, which arrives and everything says it’s 20lbs/9kg....  - If you want them to check that the item is not damaged - that’s a fee - They can take photos of your item, for a fee - You want them to hold your item for more than 30 days? - Daily fee - If you want “protective packaging”, that’s another 1,500 yen on top of everything! - I had a bizarre email to change the value of the package?? because it returned to their warehouse after I already paid the shipping fees and they have confirmed everything. Turns out they’ve misclaculated something again, and charged me another $60 on top. 

- Obviously, think about the customs duty you have to pay when your goods arrive in your country, which leads me onto my next point: - Miscalculating the cost/ incorrectly filling out customs form. I paid $60 customs for something that cost me $30 in total. How? Because Buyee slapped an incorrect price on the declaration. Again, no refunds or complaints pls

After going on review sites I’ve noticed a similar pattern. So unless you are ordering a single item, shipping it using airmail (DHL, EMS), and prepared to bear the costs - Buyee should be a pass. 

Anyway as my saga comes to a close I am looking at alternatives, but unless I find something less horrific I’m sticking to ebay. It’s not ideal, but at least there is some protection for you as a buyer. 

Beware, stay safe, don’t use Buyee. 

Just posting this out in the vast reaches of the internets, hoping that this will help some people out! 

#buyee #freight forwarding #buyfromjapan #review

[dippedanddripped]

Eric Emanuel lives and works in New York’s Garment District, not too far from the factory where he makes his eponymous label.

“I set my whole life up here,” he says. “I live here, my office is here, the factories are here, and I get to see the madness all day.”

The madness occurs every Friday, where Emanuel releases a small drop of products on his website, where they usually last about a few seconds before selling out, much to the chagrin of his hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers. His line consists of many sportswear staples that characterize other independent streetwear labels: hoodies, T-shirts, sweatpants, and even some thermals in the cooler months. But the one thing he’s absolutely nailed? It’s gotta be the shorts.

Indeed, whether it’s solid colors or out-there prints that range from florals, paisleys, or an insane print of the New York City skyline, Emanuel has become synonymous with some of the best above-the-knee knickers on the market. And unlike the other New York Knickerbockers, Emanuel’s shorts have been big winners for his brand. In the past couple of years, he’s gone from hometown hero to global collab king, working with beverage companies like Mountain Dew, sneaker companies like adidas and Reebok,  and now the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team on an array of covetable gear.

Emanuel’s personal uniform usually consists of a pair of his popular mesh shorts, a vintage tee, and a Yankees fitted. As a flex he’ll finish off the fit with a pair of his collaborative Reebok Club C sneakers, one of many models he’s done with the Boston-based sportswear label. But he’s also open to stepping up his game by switching it up with a pair of Gucci loafers, a clear co-sign of a trend that’s been spotted on Instagram. Then again, as Emanuel points out, part of the fun about his flagship product is it really isn’t that serious.

“I think that’s why the shorts have been such a success, because it’s not binary in the sense that you have to wear them in a certain way,” he says. “Wear it however you want, it’s a pair of mesh shorts.”

The king of shorts took a break from running his kingdom to talk about his rise to success, how he found his lane, and other project he has in the works. Ironically, it’s kind of a long story.

Where are you from Eric?

I’m from Syracuse originally, and then I moved here eight or nine years ago to go to FIT for marketing. Towards the end of my senior year I started making jerseys, and ended up running with that.

When did you start your label?

When I was getting out of school I didn’t want to go work somewhere, so I sort of just maneuvered — I was paying to make product off my credit card, I’d then move that balance to another card just waiting for that moment when a product would sell and I could pay the bill. Betting on myself, knowing some day it would work.

When does your shorts story begin?

The shorts would have been three years ago I think. I started with a heavier short — like a very traditional basketball short from Mitchell & Ness. But theirs wasn’t really what I wanted to wear. I didn’t like the big waistband; I didn’t like the weight. So I switched to something that’s practically my lacrosse short from high school — a very basic single layer short. That’s where I found success, but even so I would say it took until the end of last summer for it to really catch fire.

It seems when you do a drop every Friday it sells out instantly. Is that exhilarating or frustrating?

It’s frustrating. You would think that you’d be so excited to sell your product out in a day, that it should be this harmonious moment. Unfortunately, you have to deal with everyone who’s upset they didn’t get it. So I’m trying to find a balance of fulfilling the demand and going a little beyond it.

I had no idea this sort of “cozy revolution” would’ve taken over. Everything I’ve released over the past two months was made in the winter. The quantities were super low and it sold out way too fast. Then we had to stop making shorts for about two months and wait for New York to become a bit safer. It’s been a whirlwind.

How else has Covid-19 affected your business?

I pulled everything forward because I didn’t know where the economy was going. I didn’t know what was going to happen. And it sort of backfired in the sense that I ran out of product, and it wasn’t safe to continue making more until a month ago. That’s when we really hit the ground running. Everyone’s hungry to work, but it was very difficult to figure out how to do it in a safe manner. Now, whatever is made this week is being sold next week. And I’m very lucky that since I make the product in New York so I can sort of schedule it that way. In an ideal world, we would be six weeks ahead.

It’s pretty ballsy to call your product “The Best Shorts in the World,” but there it is printed on the packaging. What separates your shorts from others on the market?

I focused on a product that not necessarily everyone cared about. People would run shorts here and there, but it was never their core item. Instead of starting with a T-Shirt, I went into a market where there was less competition figured out how to own that. Why is it the best short? I think it’s because it’s essentially your favorite short, but a bit elevated. It falls little bit above the knee, you can size up if you want it to be baggier, and it just wears well.

There’s something for everyone. I personally like solid colors, but a lot of people love the patterns. The patterns tend to be motifs that I relate to at the time — sort of where my head’s at. I have an infatuation with rugs, so we ran with it. Luckily others seem to love rugs as well, because they’re probably the top pattern this season.

Speaking of balls, is there a recommended shorts-and-undies combo for maximum breathability?

Uniqlo Airism boxer briefs! I have such an appreciation Uniqlo basics. I’m there like once or twice a week.

At $98 a pop, that’s a good chunk of change, but it’s also not egregious. How do you justify that price?

I think $98 is a price most people are comfortable with given that they’re made in New York. If I had to wholesale these shorts, the retail should be at least $150 or $160. The fact that I do direct-to-consumer allows me to keep it at $98. At the end of the day, it’s not necessarily a “luxury product,” it’s a made-in-the-USA basketball short. It’s important to note that it’s made in New York and all the components are sourced from the United States. I get comments all the time of people saying: “Oh, he’s selling a pair of $10 shorts with a logo on it.” That’s not even close.

It’s expensive to make things here, but the craftsmanship speaks for itself. To speak on the process a bit: The mesh arrives; it’s sent to a cutting room; after that they’re sent to be sewn; a truck grabs them and takes them to be screen printed; another truck grabs them to where they’re steamed/pressed and packaged; and finally they’re shipped.

How does it feel to see people reselling your shorts?

I don’t think there’s a right answer for that. It’s a good feeling to know that your product’s in demand, but I’m also like: “Gee, I wish it went to the people that actually want it.” It’s frustrating when I see it on Grailed or eBay. People have commented that they wish I would do a pre-order so I can meet the demand, but I’m an instant gratification shopper — I want what I bought ASAP!

Beyond shorts, you’ve also done collaborations with New Era on caps, and kicks with both adidas and Reebok, how would you describe the EE signature touch to these products?

The partners I work with are all brands I grew up with. For the most part, I want all of the product I touch to remain as classic as it should. I may throw in my favorite “EE Pink” — PANTONE213C – the color blocking of the original product remains intact.

You’ve also got this 76ers collab coming up, right after another iteration of Iverson’s sneakers. Is it weird to be making basketball shorts when there hasn’t been a season until recently?

I always go back to one thing: Allen Iverson was always number one on my mood board. The recent collaborations are truly a dream come true. The lack of games hasn’t affected my desire for shorts — I love shorts with or without basketball, and whether it’s summer or winter. It’s exciting to see things kicking off this weekend though!

What other collaborations are you cooking up?

The Reebok Club C-EE is up next! My favorite shoe to date: an easy, everyday wear. It’s the first shoe I’ve done that my Mom and Dad can wear often, [laughs] that makes me so happy.

In the past you’ve experimented with fabrics like mohair, leather, and bouclé, both on shorts and sweatpants, is there a dream material you haven’t worked with yet?

I really love cashmere. Cashmere shorts would be amazing, but that seems like a pretty standard answer — so maybe GORE-TEX? That, and and more waxed canvas.

#sneakers #eric emanuel #shorts #allen iverson #streetwear blog #fashion blog

[drferox]

Actual ‘Big Pharma‘ Douchebaggery in Vet Medicine

There is a lot that could be said about ‘Big Pharma’, and most of it comes from the human medicine side, probably because it is a larger market and, well, USA. But even in the veterinary sphere I am seeing more generalized ‘douchebag moves’ made by large pharmaceutical companies.

A lot of the Anti-Pharma movement is just memes for the cult of health, that seems to think that vegetables and fresh air will cure all your ills. This is simply not the case, there are serious, legitimate needs for pharmaceutical products, but putting all those disingenuous memes aside, large pharmaceutical companies are definitely not playing nice.

The difficulty is that we need these companies to be conducting the research and development that advances veterinary medicine, but every time there is an advance there is significant push to capitalize on that advance which goes far beyond recouping investment if the share prices are anything to judge by.

And as a veterinarian, I often get blamed for the high price of treating animals. There are lots of factors that come into this, but the wholesale price of prescription (and non-prescription) medication is something that I can’t control.

Every business that sells a product has a mark up on everything they sell. You buy an item wholesale, you add your mark up and tax, then you sell it at a retail price. That’s how business works, and a veterinary clinic is still a business. There might be a fixed percentage mark up, or a fixed fee mark up, or a combination of both, but everything sold is marked up somehow.

But the wholesale prices are mostly set by the manufacturer, that is to say the ‘Big Pharma’ itself, though wholesalers or distributors might add a small margin, they make their profits with bulk buying and selling and the charging of delivery fees, not the products itself.

And the unfortunate reality is that the wholesale price of a drug is basically set by what the manufacturer thinks people are willing to pay, not what it costs to produce or even develop.

(NB: If you want to know what a wholesale price for a veterinary drug is, google a pet pharmacy, and their listed prices will be pretty close, or even below the wholesale price a vet clinic is paying. This is why we can’t compete with them. How are they getting it cheaper than our wholesalers? Hmm, I wonder.)

A couple of examples from the last ten years or so:

Cerenia (Maropitant) hit the market with basically a monopoly for an anti-emetic (stops vomiting) drug that doesn’t cause sedation, which in addition to it’s other medical uses has a significant potential for treating car sickness in dogs. Everyone used the injection, but far fewer people than expected were buying the tablets for that purpose, because they were expensive. After a couple of years of poor sales, those prices dropped to about 30% of their original.

Reconcile (Fluoxetine) was produced as a flavored chew for dogs, but it was 4 to 8 times more expensive than buying the human one and giving unflavored tablets, which most owners chose to do. As vets we’re legally obliged to used the veterinary registered product before the human one... unless the owner ‘requests’ it and we have the conversation about off label use. Which most people ended up doing because it was an awful lot cheaper. Reconcile was removed from the Australian market after a few years.

Vetmedin is a heart medication that greatly improves the quality and duration of life for most dogs it’s prescribed for. It’s really useful, but unfortunately expensive, especially for larger dogs. But its expense was just a fact of life for those that needed it, and many vet clinics were marking it up less than other products to make it more affordable. Until recently when the drug came off patent, and now a generic is available at 60% of the cost. So now the manufacturer of vetmedin is throwing about all these free product deals to try to keep their market share. If they can afford to give out that much free product, I’m pretty sure they could have lowered the price, or at least not raised it every 6 months, in these last 10 years while they had a monopoly.

Frontline Plus was offering insanely generous deals with free product for clients that bought a box in the twelve months before we stopped stocking it. Of course, by then we couldn’t even give it away.

I personally take a little bit of satisfaction seeing pharmaceutical companies go into a panic when their monopoly ends.

Some pharmaceutical companies take a different route, and copyright not the active ingredient, but the delivery method, which may be a separate chemical, or a structural component. Medicine isn’t just an active component mixed with powder or water. Some have very clever things going on, like slow release micro-spheres or encapsulated actives to produce a long duration of action or to bypass clearance mechanisms. And because they’re not drugs, as such, they’re not subject to quite the same copyright rules, which expire after ten years.

This is particularly frustrating because it means an excellent delivery method can’t be used for other drugs I would find useful in that formula, at least until someone’s copyright expires.

Speaking of copyrights expiring, there are some pharmaceutical companies out there that seem to exist only to wait for expensive meds to come off copyright, to then register a generic at significantly cheaper cost. Not gonna lie, I use these companies a lot, but their number one perk is giving the clinic more free stock, so they could have put their prices lower, if they wanted to. The other perk they gave us was sticky tape that was green.

All of this is old news though. The new douchebaggy moves have me very suspicious.

One company, one simply too big to fail, has announced it’s going to stop offering its products through wholesalers, instead forcing vet clinics to buy all its products from them directly.

This is suspicious, but also leads to worse service when it comes to ordering meds in a hurry. We also haven’t seen a price drop now the wholesalers are being taken out of the equation, and where we could previously bundle orders together from multiple different manufacturers to get free shipping from the wholesaler.

It may not look like much of a big difference, but if all the ‘big pharma’ groups do it, it makes it more difficult for smaller producers to gain a market share. Currently a clinic can do one big order to a wholesaler, and get products from all the different manufacturers. If they all split, the temptation is certainly there to just order from the few big ones to save on shipping and time.

Another, even worse offering by the pharmaceutical companies right now essentially amounts to a pyramid scheme.

This is what this particular pharmaceutical company is doing, which shall remain unnamed here, but Aussie vets probably know who it is:

Market a ‘new’ arthritis supplement. Claim it’s different for products with the same active ingredient because the extraction process is different.

Offer an online store where clients can buy this product directly, as well as all your other products, but an inflated price.

Give clinics a discount code they can give their clients, or anyone else. Purchases made with these codes are discounted generously, and the clinic earns a small commission for the referral.

The clinic is charged around about $1000 a year for this code, unless they buy and sell a lot of the product in question.

The vet clinic is charged a lump sum for the privilege of ‘maybe’ earning a commission for referring their own clients to the pharmaceutical company’s website.

That is not how commissions are supposed to work. It should be you make a referral, you earn money. Not you pay for the chance to earn your commission.

That is like Amazon saying “First you pay me money. Then you send me other people who pay me money, and I’ve give you a tiny cut.”

That absolutely reeks of a scam. And I can only really, desperately hope that business model doesn’t catch on.

Big Pharma absolutely chase the money. They make products they think there is demand and a market for (like flea products, ridiculous money is spent promoting flea products to vet clinics). Big Pharma is accused of a lot of rubbish that simply isn’t fair (all humans not needing the medication that makes their life livable/possible for example) but there are real shenanigans they’re up to as well.

#veterinarian #vetblr #vet #big pharma #pharmaceutical industry #medication #long post

[literarystudies]

How To Save Money On Textbooks

 - or, How to Not Go Broke Buying Books as an English Major -

Whether or not you’re studying literature like me, reading lists can be daunting enough as they are, you shouldn’t have to stress about the costs on top of that. Here are some of my best tips for saving money on your school/college/university textbooks.

Before anything else you should make a list of books you need to buy. Well, duh, right? The thing is you need to look critically at your reading list and make sure you know what is absolutely essential reading. Moreover, even if it is essential that you read it, ask yourself: is it essential that I have my own physical copy of this book? Does the syllabus mention only one or two chapters in the book that I will need to look at? In other words make sure you absolutely NEED to actually BUY these books.

Having a ‘master list’ makes it easy to keep track of your expenses, as well as which books you have bought and which you can get at the library etc. This might sound silly but last year I accidentally bought two copies of Wordsworth’s The Prelude and I also ordered Lyrical Ballads when I already had a PDF version of it that I got from another student.

So set up a checklist that will make it easy to keep track of your books: Which have you bought? Which are free online? Which do you have an ebook copy of? Which are you planning on renting or getting from the library?

A checklist can also help you compare prices while you’re in the process of buying books.

Now, on to the juicy details.

1. Buy second hand books

This is my number one tip for saving money as an English major! Used Book Search let’s you search across different websites to find the best prices. It’s a UK site but you can filter by US or Worldwide too.

Better World Books is my go to! They have free shipping anywhere in the world, plus an insane selection of books. They’ve got SO many textbooks - even the obscure philosophy ones I’m usually after.

AbeBooks acts like a big marketplace for second hand booksellers around the world. If you’re in the UK and the seller is too, you’ll likely get free shipping. Otherwise you can look for a seller that has a reasonable shipping fee to your country - they will usually also give you a discount on the shipping if you buy more books from them.

Thrift Books has free shipping within the US and $5 shipping for the rest of us. Though I haven’t used them personally yet, they look like they have a great selection of books and textbooks.

2. Check if you have access to any of these books online

The first thing to do here I think is to check if your university has an online library and which books on your list you have access to there.

For older books and ones that are past their copyright, you’ve got a lot of options:

Internet Archive

Project Gutenberg

Google Books usually doesn’t have newer books but it’s still useful for the previews, to get an idea if you will find the book useful

Open Culture doesn’t have a huge selection of humanities textbooks but there’s quite a few for STEM subjects

For fiction in particular you can also check out The Literature Network and subscription services like Scribd and Kindle Unlimited.

3. Rent textbooks

There are soooo many sites providing this service and it seems to be a really popular way for students to save money on textbooks. (Unfortunately I haven’t tried it yet as the majority are based in the US.) There are loads of options out there but you can start with Amazon and Chegg.

4. Buy older editions... sometimes

If you can’t find the book second hand and or to rent, you can consider buying a previous edition. You don’t have to go for the vintage edition from 1860 when it was first published. Even going one edition down will give you a significantly lower price.

The main problems with this are:

outdated information

pagination changes

In my experience with English and Philosophy outdated information hasn’t been much of an issue. Often the main changes will be reformatting or an extra chapter and a new forward. However, this will likely be very different for other subjects - let me know what you’re studying and if using an older edition textbook has been a problem for you.

As for pagination changes - it’s pretty easy to overcome: if your professor says read pages 156-170 and you go home and find these pages spans over two chapters on two different topics, it might just be that your older edition has that same info on, say, pages 150-166. From context you’ll be able to figure out which chapter is relevant - or you can just ask another student in your class.

5. Share a textbook

Lastly, a great way to get a new textbook without having to pay through the teeth is to split the cost with a friend! I’ve heard of students setting up a schedule or simply working together on the course that requires that textbook which sounds like a win-win to me.

I hope that you got something useful from this post and that you can now go live your best bookish life without breaking the bank! 

#studyblr #textbooks #English major #litblr #liberal arts #secondhand books #masterpost #home

[regrettablewritings]

Technically he wasn't included in the list of one's you could write for but I know you've written for him before, would you be willing to do a Matt Murdock x Reader for the ship meme? Either way, thank you. Your the best.

Crap, I knew I was forgetting something! Sure thing, though! Apologies beforehand if it’s not up to par – I did my best with all the crap going on today.

How differently do they think of each other now compared to when they first met?: When you first met Matt, you were just like everybody else and bought the schtick where he acts unassuming due to his disability. Nobody could blame you, that was the point of it. However, what stood out to you most was his apparently big heart: After all, most forms would turn you down upon hearing what little (yet all) you had to offer regarding the inhospitable conditions at your place of work.

But according to the Nelson part of Nelson & Murdock, any price was perfectly fine (“Feel free to throw in a blueberry pie,” he joked). And the Murdock half flashed a smile in your general direction, assuring you that they would get to the bottom of this. To your surprise, they not only did but also did so while treating you like an actual goddamn human being.

As for Matt, the first thing he thought of when he met you was, “She’s innocent.” Of course, he meant this in reference to your heartbeat when discussing your situation, as he always did when concerning a potential client. But the more he talked to you about the case, the subsequent things regarding your personal life he learned. And the more vivid of a picture he had in his head.Due to his reliance on sound and the things he could hear, as well as how secretive he actually was, Matt managed to develop a newfound opinion of you before you could of him.By the time the two of you accepted yourselves as a couple, Matt knew you as a resourceful type of person who wanted to make sure that the ones she cared about were comfortable and taken care of. However, if shit went down, you were absolutely not afraid to take a stand and call bullshit.You, on the other hand, still held your belief that Matt had a big heart. The problem was, it took a very long while before you also realized how self-destructive he could be. And it makes you worry tremendously. You still admire him, but you really wish he’d quit playing the martyr.

What do their friends/family think of their relationship?: Foggy’s beyond glad that you’ve entered Matt’s life because he foolishly believes that with a healthy love life, it’ll force Matt to have to reconsider his actions. He’s always been foolhardy, using the stigma of a docile blindman to convince others not in the know that he was careful with his decisions and actions. Perhaps having you and something to strive for besides the safety of Hell’s Kitchen might give him a reason to not be such a martyr and quit volunteering to jump in front of the swinging fist of some thug.Karen, similarly, is glad that there’s somebody who can look out for Matt potentially more because you’re more likely to be in a more intimate setting than she and Foggy would as just friends.Matt nearly won your friends and family over by the mere mention of him being a lawyer. Of course, it did come up that his particular firm was notorious for accepting cases with payments of pies, bananas, and IOUs. You really tried to hype up that this was due to Matt’s good hearted nature, but it was still accepted with some hesitancy.Otherwise, they don’t find him unpleasant and as long as you’re both happy and he treats you well, they can’t find too much to gripe about. (Though your folks still make occasional jabs at the question of his ability to provide for you in terms of a long-term relationship…)

How do their personalities/skills complement or contrast with each other?: Matt’s protectiveness works well with your need to assure the comfort of others. Additionally, you both have a sense of justice. The difference is that his involves dressing up like a devil and doing parkour around ten blocks of New York nearly every night and beating the shit out of people.

What is their favorite aspect of each other?: You enjoy Matt’s wit, and he enjoys how you can make a person feel comfortable. He keeps you laughing with his dry humor, and your thing for hospitality meant you helped repay Nelson & Murdock by redecorating the office to feel less sterile and unprofessional.

Do either of them have pet peeves about each other?: Technically speaking, Matt’s secretiveness and martyr complex isn’t a pet peeve. Nevertheless, drives you insane the most and really tests your relationship. He takes way too much upon himself with little regard for the effects; he’s certainly not a scale, because he constantly proves he can’t balance everything as well as he thinks he can.The thing that annoys him about you is arguably and comparatively chill: Sometimes you just do things too loudly. Cutting up food, slamming cabinets — the usual. You try to keep it quieter, you really do, but what’s normal to most others is loud to the man.

How would each reconcile with each other after a fight?: Matt’s lawyer mode unfortunately shines during arguments with you, and sometimes it results with him saying things that pierce you to the bone. The moment he hears you inhale sharply, smell the salt of the tears welling in your eyes, and hears a change in your breathing pattern, he knows he’s gone too far and regrets it. If you need space away from him, he doesn’t blame you and will probably hate himself: He made uncomfortable the one person who tries her best to make others feel happy and safe.If you’ll hear him out, he’ll likely give an apology riddled with self-deprecation until you’ve had enough. Unfortunately, his typical go-to is makeup sex as a result of him being used to doing that with Elektra. Given that you’re the first healthy relationship he’s ever had, he isn’t entirely sure of what else to do if this doesn’t suit your fancy; but Matt’s no quitter.He’ll try and do to you the things you do to him when you make him feel comfortable: Cuddle you, read stories (though, given that most of his literature is law books in Braille, you may want to skip this), order food from the Thai place down the street, and so on.On your end, usually all you have to do is apologize and Matt will hear it in your heart how truly honest you’re being and how much it’s hurting you to keep being angry with him. Once he hugs you close and whispers that the apology was accepted, you know all is better. Maybe not well, but better.

What would be their ideal vacation getaway together?: Matt’s never really ventured out of New York or gone on vacation for that matter. Wasn’t the entire point of vacation to see new sites? Of course, you’re not buying that crap for a minute. With Luke Cage and Jessica Jones and god knows who else is running about, you promised him it’d be okay if he took a break and went elsewhere for a week or two. Somewhere nice and fresh, away from the pollution of an urban area would be ideal. A nice, small town perhaps. Rural. Where you can both sleep in under linen sheets and breathe in the cleaner, country air…

Think of a new way (AU, different situation, etc.) they could have met for the first time: Matt was quite aware of how odd it was for a blind man to be wandering around such a shady area of the Kitchen. At best, people would scoff at him and try to bring him back to “a nicer area”; but at worst, they might attempt to mug him. He made sure to put extra focus on his awareness, praying that the noises and smells of the jazz club wouldn’t distract him for too long.Go in, eavesdrop, get out. Go in, eavesdrop, get out.He repeated this mantra over and over in his head as he recited the password to the doorman. He didn’t need to see to be aware of the quirked brow the guard wore when they heard the clicking of his walking stick, having realized that the red-tinted shades weren’t for fashion.Immediately, he could smelling the choking stench of cigars and alcohol and cheap perfumes and expensive colognes alike. With the rustle of his fingers, he could feel the fabrics of the bar patrons, hear the chattering and obnoxious guffaws of overly flirtatious women as men slapped their palms on the wooden tables, making their glasses rattle.Matt tried not to appear uncomfortable, pretending to feel around for a seat he could “see” quite clearly. He was beginning to wonder if it was worth coming down here to get a lead on a self-directed investigation. Surely there was another way…“Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage the lovely (Y/N) (L/N); she’s a little shy so be sure to give her a nice warm welcome.”Crap.If he tried to leave now, it might draw more attention than what he’d already gained as a visually impaired patron. Matt bit back a grimace as he slid into his seat, courteously joining the small crowd in light applause. No choice now but to go along with it, pretend he was enjoying the music when really his ears were scrambling to focus on a particular voice of the one suspect he was tailing.But, oh, was the attempt in vain.“There’s a saying old, says that love is bliiiiind… Still, we’re often told, ‘Seek and ye shall fiiiinndd.’ So I’m going to seek a certain lad I’ve had…in miiiiiiindd…”Matt had heard many voices in his life — possibly more than the average person, given his hypersensitive hearing.He could not say even years from that moment precisely what it was about your voice that made him lose focus in record time from his initial mission.Maybe it was that you sounded like Ella, only somehow sweeter than Ella. Or how your handling of the words made each syllable slink the the air with honey-like grace. If he allowed himself to indulge in a very rare instance of sappiness, however, Matt would have probably secretly humored that God blesses your voice to be particularly wondrous that evening.In fact, he very much did think so.“I’d like to add his initials to my monograamm. Wheeeere is the shepherd for thiiiiisss looooossst laaammbb?”Cross that: Your voice was bewitching more than anything to him. (And had his vision been available, his sight of you would only encourage such: A red, curve-caressing dress; hair styled to display softness even at a distance; devilish, red lips that one wouldn’t expect to produce such sweet sounds.)“There’s someone I’m longing to seeeee I hope that heeee turns out to beeeee… someoonne who’ll waaaatch… oooover meeeee…”Matthew Michael Murdock had only ever heard of love at first sight – and he already didn’t believe in such rubbish. But as he heard you on that stage, his focus now completely on you, he couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps love at first song might’ve been a thing. At the very least, infatuation at first song.He no longer cared how unusual it was for a blind man to be in a club in the seedier part of the Kitchen. Nor did he care with how much enthusiasm he applauded your performance. Hell, he barely cared about the reason he came here in the first place.He heard you thanking the audience with gleeful yet shy appreciation, followed by the sounds of you hopping down from the stage … and walking towards him! Matt felt like an imbecilic college student again, flustered at the realization that a pretty-sounding girl was coming for him! … And passed him. His heart calmed with a gut-jolting thud, only to pick up as he caught a whiff of your perfume. Wait … Lotion, he corrected himself. How unusual for a club singer to bathe her scent in lotion and not perfume. But to Matt, it was a tiny yet wonderful thing. It made him want to get to know you more.She might have something to say about our guy, he told himself as he listened for your movements. He could hear the sway of your hips as you waltzed on over and took a seat at the bar. He heard you talk to the bartender an a highly amicable manner and order your drink. He could hear the parting of your rich lips as you took a sip, a sigh of relief as your parched throat was finally aided. You noticed that this copper-brown-haired man was headed towards you before he did – the click-clacking of his cane cued him in to you in spite of his own personal use of the item.He could hear you producing a confused smile. He didn’t mind. “Good evening, Miss,” he uttered, turning on the Murdock Men’s charm, whatever that was. Whatever it was, indeed – because even years from that moment, you wouldn’t be able to explain precisely what it was about Matt Murdock’s voice that stood out from the many others you had heard up to that point in your life.Maybe it was because it was deep yet encased with warmth. Or maybe it was how even among the chatter of the bar patrons, his voice seemed to caress your ears as gentle hands would. Or maybe it was because the words flowed from such a lovely-looking man, of whom proved himself to be quite the conversational partner as the evening wore on.

Whatever the case, by the time the both of you had left, you were both questioning the same thing: Was love or infatuation at first sound a thing?

Send me a character ship

#good lord this came out terribly #i'm sorry boo i'm tired af and trying my best #i have a matt murdock thing in my wips so hopefully that'll make up for this when i finally finish it #character ship #character ship meme #matt murdock x reader #matt murdock imagines #matt murdock imagine #daredevil x reader #daredevil imagine #daredevil imagines #regrettablewritings

[awed-frog]

Hey, I've just seen your last anon and, is it even possible to study so much... I always thought I would have to choose between French literature, English literature, studying cinema, or some sort of anthropology class about mythology/ancient civilisations... You're saying it is possible to just... Never stop getting degrees in things??

Hi there! Well, to be fair I think it is possible - given a certain set of circumstances.

1) First thing: it depends on how your country understands higher education. What happens here, for starters, is that in some countries like the US (and increasingly the UK), university is seen as training for a job, whereas in Germany or Scandinavia it’s considered a place where you can learn who you want to be and how to become an active and responsible citizen? That’s why the American system discourages students from studying ‘useless’ subjects, while places like Sweden actually pay a salary to university students. 

(Edit: je vois que t’es Française - for some insane reason, France is rapidly shifting from the European to the American model, so you might have to do some digging to find a university that does things the ‘right’ way and is affordable.)

I experienced this different mindset first-hand when I was studying in the UK, and mostly hated the perspective of the ‘other side’? Like, even beyond the obvious like the outrageous price of higher education (I think I paidthe same price for one year in the UK as I did for my entire previous degree) there are other, sneakier things that I absolutely hated. For instance, here university libraries are public and free? Some books you’re not allowed to borrow if you’re not a student (for instance, those on specific reading lists), but mostly you can just sign up and walk right in - like, a friend of my mom’s, who teaches Italian in middle school, would research a different author every year - on his own, purely for the pleasure of it - he’d work in his local university’s library and enjoy the services of any enrolled student even if he was just a random guy (including borrowing books, borrowing books from other libraries which would be shipped directly to him, accessing articles from old or obscure journals and everything else). Meanwhile, in Oxford I had to swear an oath in Latin to even walk inside the library (okay, that was the fun part), and the second I finished my studies that was it - you can’t even go in and look at the spines of the books. 

(Another good example I actually wanted to write a post about is how in Italy this former agricultural worker currently aged 92 just obtained an M.A. in Philosophy? What happened was, he got depressed after his wife of 50 years died and he wanted to understand where her soul was, so he enrolled and completed a degree - and he could afford to, even on his pension - writing a thesis on Pascal, I think, and he’s told the press he now feels much happier and calmer? And this, I think, should be the purpose of higher education - to feed our curiosity, to help us along, to fill us with wonder at any age.)

2) That said, especially if you’re interested in studying humanities you need to get in the right mindset. Humanities was always about getting a job that would have little to do with your degree, and that is more true today than ever before. So as people, we need to get better at saying, ‘I’m learning this because I want to know more about it, but I won’t mind working in a different field’, and we need governments that will support this (for instance by lowering fees, allowing for part-time studying, encouraging lifelong learning). Until not so long ago, the idea that you should learn for fun and keep learning was not a thing only in Communist countries - even more conservative places like Italy, Switzerland or Germany had stuff like factory clubs, schools or choirs for workers, where grown-ass men and women could learn to do new things almost for free. This is slowly disappearing, because the new concept is that every skill should be immediately marketable (and people work longer and longer hours, so the idea that you’d spend two nights a week learning Korean or clarinet for fun has become a distant utopia for many).

3) And finally, what always helps is a supportive environment which understands your choices. I acknowledge and appreciate that without my family’s emotional and financial support I wouldn’t have done half the things I’ve done, and unfortunately people living in less friendly families and communities will have to plan much more carefully what they want to do and why, and be ready to stick with it even when they keep hearing it’s madness, or stupid, or that it doesn’t make economic sense. That said: be reasonable. Studying for more than one degree means not working 100%, which means less money, which means a less ‘normal’ lifestyle but also, and more importantly, a less safer lifestyle depending on where you live. Getting yourself in debt to study a non marketable subject could be very risky, especially if you’re in a country where you’ll have to depend upon your savings in case of illness or unemployment. So my advice is, be brave but don’t be reckless, and whatever you’ll study, study it well. Today there’s a new trend I’m watching with increasing horror: students are often allowed to pick and choose their curriculum, especially in humanities, which means skipping the ‘boring’ bits and taking, I don’t know, one class on Aragon, one class on Greek courtesans, and one class on the battle of Stalingrad - which is tempting, but don’t do that. Whatever you’re interested in, you’ll need to learn the basics, and also what generally happens is that the part you thought would be completely meaningless is actually the best - maybe because the professor teaching it is super charismatic, or maybe just because you’ll uncover a sudden interest for Etruscan pottery or Vikings settlements. 

Bottom line: everything you mentioned sounds really fascinating - if it’s possible, try to find out more about it, or sneak into some classes and see how they discuss those subjects? And then sit down, put on some rousing music and do some serious thinking: what jobs are you interested in? How is your financial situation? Will you be able/willing to work during your studies? Are you that curious about something you’re ready to spend half the night writing a paper about it? How will you find work in that field? And if you won’t, what’s your plan B? Can you study abroad? I know these are not easy questions to answer, and I certainly wouldn’t have been able to answer any of them at 18, but the world is different now from how it was in 1999, and sadly you guys need to be much more mature than we were. The silver lining is: I’m sure you can handle it. You’re a badass generation, and you can do whatever the hell you want.

#ask #university #college #higher education #students problems #sorry if i sound preachy or something #i'm just trying to be helpful #anyway #si t'étudies le français ou l'anglais #99% tu vas travailler dans une école #alors si ça te dit pas du tout #commence déjàà planifier autre chose #peut-être un blog si tu veux devenir journaliste #ou une troisième branche #dans un autre sujet? #l'anthropologie est hyper intéressante #mais là aussi #faudrais prévoir un parcours académique #alors concentre-toi #sur ce que tu aimes le plus #et ce qui te rapproche le plus #du futur que tu veux pour toi-même #le reste - y a toujours le temps pour l'apprendre #je connais de gens qui ont fait leur master #à 40 ou 50 ans #faut bien sûr beaucoup de motivation #mais c'est possible #whatever you do #all the best! <3

[kiraraneko]

Hi! I've been drawing for a long time, and am really wanting to get into a digital art career. Do you have any tips, or might be able to help per chance?

Hi there Zalupeh! OH boy, that’s a mighty complex question and I’m absolutely honored that you think I’d be qualified to answer it :’)I can tell you some lessons I have learned along the way, but I am by no means an expert and everyone’s artistic journey is very different. Before I begin, I feel it’s important to note that I have never attended any kind of specialized art institution and my only “career” experience has been with freelancing and occasional contract work, thus is the only thing I can give advice on.1. I’ll start with the one thing everyone can agree on: practice. Anyone with a skill they are trying to hone is going to hear this word a lot, and is never going to stop hearing it. It’s a word that is going to frustrate you, inspire you, and kick your ass sometimes, but it is the root of everything that makes art, art. Practice anatomy, practice styles, practice different media, practice practice practice. Some artists find success in a certain niche, but being flexible in what you can do artistically is never a bad thing and will open more doors for you.2. Now for something I feel many people (both artists and non-artists) have a hard time realizing: art is a job. I cannot stress this enough. Freelancing is actually many jobs, and I do not fault anyone for deciding to keep art as a hobby and getting a regular 9 to 5. You have to be your own boss, your own manager, your own tax agent, your own PR. You have to run your own social media, be engaging with your audience, maintain a gallery, portfolio, and/or website, create brand-recognition with your art, manage your own store and ship your own products if you decide to sell handmade items, keep yourself on schedule, balance your time appropriately, manage money and refunds if you take commissions, respond to customer messages and emails, the list goes absolutely on and on, and that’s not even including the mentally and physically taxing aspect of actually creating the art! You’ve got to be a disciplined and reliable person, otherwise you’re going to get overwhelmed very quickly. I’ve unfortunately seen it happen to many artists, and have of course dug myself into holes as well.3. This one is more open to interpretation: don’t sell yourself short, but also understand the market. There’s a caveat there because many people will scream from the rooftops “don’t undersell yourself!” while simultaneously having no idea what it’s like to try and get noticed in a market flooded with people who will paint you a mural for $5. (I feel terrible for those artists, because doing an insane amount of work for insanely little is a surefire way to burn yourself out.) Price your art for what it’s worth, price it for the time you spent on it, and don’t sell it for a price that makes you feel sad or resentful for how hard you worked on it, but the key here is less about price and more about standing out in the marketplace. There will always be someone willing to draw for cheap, so what makes your art so special? What makes someone want to give money to you instead of this other person? Sometimes it’s a unique style, a different material, an interesting idea, a set of colors you really like or theme you enjoy drawing most. You want your art to get noticed because it’s cool and unique, not just because it’s cheap. Prices come secondary to customers who truly enjoy and want your work.4. Let’s end on something I still struggle with: don’t be afraid of advertising. Remember when I said art is a business? Businesses survive on advertising - on getting their stuff in front of as many people’s eyes as possible. This can be done in any number of ways, but it should be understood that if you are trying to make a living off of art, people need to see that art. You cannot sit in a metaphorical corner by yourself and just hope that a fanbase springs out of the ground. There are instances of artists getting very popular almost overnight because something took off, but cases in which that happens is very rare and those people are very lucky and that is not something you should ever actually count on happening to you. You have got to put yourself out there - join groups that showcase the kind of stuff you like to draw, be social and engaging with those that express interest in what you do, take advantage of holidays and sales that might get you noticed, be open to collaboration projects, contests, or platforms you can get featured on, and lord don’t EVER apologize for posting your art. If people follow you, they want to see it. They want to see all of it. Post it everywhere. Ahaha well I think I’ve rambled on long enough, but hopefully there’s something in there that helps you! I tried to make my talking points fairly general and applicable to basically any freelancing craft, and of course anyone with experience in these things is more than welcome to add on to this post :)

#freelancing #digital art #artists #advice #drawing #artists on tumblr #freelance #zalupeh

[askfymx]

hi! first of all, thank you so much for all the work you do on this blog - as an older fan with a full-time job staying updated would be almost impossible without you all. second, i read your FAQ and i'm so sorry if you've answered this before, but do you know if there's absolutely anywhere i can order official mx apparel online? price and shipping isn't an issue, i just hate the thought of buying knockoff stuff from ebay sellers yet that's all i can ever find. thank you!

Hello! Thank you so much for this kind message~ I’m glad the blog helps you in any way :) About the apparel: unfortunately, i don’t think I can help. An official shirt was sold in Monsta X’s official website shop, but it sold out insanely fast - besides that, the most recent shirts (from the ShowCon) were also never available online (so far). They do sell all of these in the venues before their concerts, but I’m afraid we won’t be getting anything online… And even when we do, stuff sells out really fast and they never restock… That’s really the only official website I know of n_n I’m really sorry!

#reply #anonymous #i really wanted an hoodie as well n_n