#it was literally just that the shop owners needed more time to make their products so they were including free stuff to make up for it

[anon-sect]

Picture source: @its.my.shoez Instagram account

Tracey received a call from his supervisor to come straight to his office shortly after arriving at work. He began to wonder what his supervisor wanted so early in the day. He hoped it wasn't bad news. He really didn't need to hear that. He was having a bit of bad luck situations recently. He had been behind in his portion of the rent on the apartment, having his roommate to make up the difference. If that wasn't bad enough, his car was in the shop, having major repair work done to it. He had been forced to use Uber services to get to work. He didn't need any more bad news at the moment.

Tracey entered James, his supervisor's office. He motioned to have a seat.

"I called you in before you got started for a reason. There is no easy way to say what i have to tell you. Unfortunately, there were some budget cuts, and your position was one the company decided to cut effective immediately." James paused. "I am sorry to bring such sad news to you, but it's out of my hands."

Tracey definitely didn't want to hear that at a time like now. There had to be another solution. Honestly, if there was one, he would take it no matter what it was. "I understand that, but please, is there any other position that is open or available. I really can't take any more sad news right now." He pleaded to James, hoping there was something he could offer.

James had one other offer, but those who were released or fired would not take it due to the dangers it carried in accepting it. He decided to offer it anyway. "There is one opening available, but it carries a risk." He pulled out the contract and slid it over to Tracey.

Tracey looked over the paper and read it twice. There was a large bonus of $100k once done, but there was a risk. "So I get the $100k, and the other gets $50k once the year is up, right?" He asked, to be sure he understood right. He saw James nod yes to his question.

"But remember the risk you take. If the owner decides to forgo the $50k, you belong to him. There is no return." James paused. "You literally are placing your life in another's hands. You fully understand?" James reiterated.

Tracey needed something good. "Can I choose who owns me?" He asked back.

"Ordinarily, you really don't have a choice, but I will make this one exception since you really were a good employee. Just write in the name of who you want it to be and sign it. We will do the rest." James promised. He would at least do this one favor for a guy who was having a bad day. Tracey handed the paper back with his signature on it. He ran it through his copier and filed the original. He handed the copy back to him. "Take this to HR." He instructed him as he placed a call down to HR about the position.

Several hours later, Seth came into James' office. He motioned for Seth to have a seat. He slid over the shoe box to him. He watched as Seth opened it and was puzzled why he was receiving a new pair of sneakers. "We have been wanting to try out an experimental product, but no one ever took the offer. That was until your coworker Tracey signed up to do it." He spoke as he also showed the contract that Tracey had signed. "These sneakers are Tracey now. He is still alive, just that he is a pair of sneakers. He chose you to wear him for a year. The point of the experiment is to test the durability of our indestructible formula. All you have to do is treat him like normal footwear for a year. If you wish to conclude the formula test for both of you, he gets $100k bonus tax free, and you get $50k bonus check tax free." He added to his previous words. He waited for Seth to reply back.

Seth took out the shoes and examined them. It was hard to believe the sneakers he was holding were actually his best friend at work. He wondered why Tracey would even agree to this. "Why did he choose to be my sneakers?" He asked, feeling curious. Like, who would really choose to be another person's footwear?

"The company had cut his position in budget cuts. To stay on with the company, this was his only option." James reported honestly.

"So I wear him for a year and return him back, and he gets $100k bonus check and I get $50k bonus check, all tax free?" Seth wanted to be sure he understood right.

"Yes, that is your first option." James spoke.

Seth heard first option which meant there was a second option. "What's my second option since I have a first?" He asked wondering what it could be.

"Your second option is that after one year, if you decide to continue with the experiment for us, you get $100k bonus check tax free, but poor Tracey will have to spend another whole year supporting your feet. Every year that you continue, you receive a $100k bonus check tax-free, but that also means you subject Tracey to being your shoes." James paused to be fully serious. "Option two means you are in control of his humanity or return to human form. He specifically selected you to wear him. So I sense that he has some sort of trust in you to decide how long he will be supporting your feet." He finished.

Seth, like the thought of receiving a $100k bonus check. Yet, this was his best friend at work who he was about to wear on his feet for a year. To receive that bonus check every year would be awesome, yet that meant keeping his best friend as his footwear. Could he really do that to Tracey, he pondered.

"We will revisit your option in one year. Until then, enjoy wearing Tracey." James spoke.

Seth put the sneakers back in the box and left the supervisor's office. When he got back to his desk, he opened the box and whispered to his sneakers. "I have to say, $100k every year sounds so nice. Sorry Tracey, but I have to take option two. I hope you understand, but I promise to take good care of you as you take good care of my feet for a long time." He took off his current shoes and put on Tracey.

Tracey thought he knew his best friend well enough. He thought that he would only be sneakers for a year. He thought that Seth would not be tempted by the amount of money. He saw he was wrong. He saw the pair of socks on Seth's feet weren't exactly clean and had a slightly strong vinegar odor. It was pressed hard into his insole face. This was his existence, to live as sneakers for Seth for at least a year or possibly longer.

FIVE YEARS LATER.......

Seth enjoyed a rather smooth life. For the past five years, the job gave him a $100k bonus check for continuing to test their indestructible formula. He has used Tracey for every gym and workout session. He has worn him to work every day. He even tried cutting him with scissors. He did anything and everything to try to destroy his sneakers, yet he remained relatively unscathed. Not only that, Tracey was the most comfortable footwear he owned. He didn't exactly know how Tracey felt about being sneakers every year, but the money was coming in handy. He even wore him on vacations that he took each year. His life was great, thanks to Tracey choosing him instead of someone else. There were weeks where he wore the same pair of socks every day to thank Tracey for the money he wad receiving each year. Life truly was great with having a pair of indestructible sneakers.

#inanimate transformation #foot domination #sneaker transformation

[janetbrown711]

Tonight at Eight

Both Pigsy and Tang have blind dates tonight at eight, and there surely isn't anything suspicious about that at all

Ao3 Link

Pigsy dried off a chili-sauce stained bowl with a well worn washcloth and an eye heavy on the clock. It was barely 3:00 pm, but all Pigsy could think about was how he was closing up shop around 6:30 for a very, very important… date.

Heavens, it felt so embarrassing to admit to himself. Here he was, ill-tempered Pigsy, owner of the well-loved business Pigsy’s Noodles, father of a five-year-old, someone fully convinced his life had ended ten years ago, going on a date.

It felt childish, and it didn’t help that he’d basically dropped the idea of romance and love since Sandy–

No, he wasn’t going to think about that. He had something good to look forward to for once, and he wasn’t going to let the past ruin it… yet. Maybe. Who knows?

Pigsy sighed, adding the bowl to the clean pile and scolding himself for acting like such a teenager. He had work to do.

“You alright, Pigsy?” Tang asked innocently from his place at the bar.

Pigsy went to answer, but instead his grandmother laughed from the booth where she and Xiaotian were sitting.

“Jiejie is planning on closing early today for a ‘special event’.” She grinned at her grandson, who felt like he could just die at this point, but decided scrubbing the grill would be more productive.

“What? Psh, that’s impossible! Everyone knows Pigsy would rather die than close before ten,” Tang teased with a cheeky grin that made the chef roll his eyes.

“Bullying is reserved for family or paying customers, Tang,” Pigsy retorted.

“I’ll pay his tab then, Jiejie. Goodness knows that boy needs some meat on his bones.” His grandmother snorted and Tang turned pink, all while Xiaotian giggled.

“So– um–” Tang cleared his throat to ease off the embarrassment, “What’s this ‘special event’?”

His grandmother scoffed again and joined Tang by the bar, which Xiaotian was quick to follow with his crayons and coloring book in tow. “Good luck getting an answer out of him. He won’t even tell me.”

Pigsy rolled his eyes. “Can’t a man have privacy anymore?”

“Ahhhh, but if you don’t tell me, what will I talk about with the ladies at mahjong?” His grandmother shook her head, which made Xiaotian giggle more.

“Oh, does that mean it's something embarrassing?” Tang fully hopped onto the teasing bandwagon.

“No, it just means it’s personal, is all,” Pigsy huffed, eyeing a customer as they walked in, and made his way to the register.

Tang laughed before his eyes went to his book. “Well, if it helps, I’m going to do something totally stupid and embarrassing tonight too.”

At that, Pigsy’s grandmother’s eyes lit up, and she took Tang’s hands into hers. “Like what? Dancing? One of those American rodeos? What?”

“Ah, well–”

“Sir? I’m ready to order,” said the woman across the cashier, and Pigsy shook his head to focus.

“Right, right– what can I get for you?” he forced a customer-friendly smile.

The woman ordered some beef chow fun, and by the time Pigsy started cooking again, Tang was on the brink of a confession.

“Come on, after all the meals I’ve bought for you? To support that big brain of yours? It’s bad enough little Jiejie is acting like his father right now.” She shot a dramatic glare at the chef, before turning back to Tang. “Must you add to my pile of old-womanly misery?”

“Alright, alright, fine. I’m… Heavens, this really is stupid, Miss Xiahui.” Tang covered his face with his hands before taking a breath. “I’m… going on a blind date with someone I’ve never met, and I don’t know what they look like, or what their name is, or literally anything else. I’m going to get murdered, aren’t I?” Tang blurted out, making the chef’s grandmother laugh.

“I’m very excited for you, dear! You know, I’ve been trying to get Jiejie to sign up for one of those ever since he dumped Wujing, but does he take my advice? No!” She gave an exasperated sigh.

“Not true. I opened up this place because of you,” Pigsy retorted from where he stood by the stove.

“Oh, sure, but when it comes to clothes or photos or vacations or even a park I think Xiaotian would like it’s all ‘oh that’s too far,’ or, ‘I’m dressed fine’ or even, ‘this makes me look ancient’,” she snipped right back.

“I know you never left the forties, Lǎolao, but the rest of the world has.” Pigsy rolled his eyes.

His grandmother sighed again. “You see what I put up with Tang? No respect! And I actually deserve it, unlike some people.”

“R-right! Well– at least no matter what, we know that my night’s plans are definitely more embarrassing than Pigsy’s, so…” Tang fiddled with his sleeves like he always did when he was nervous.

“A night of romance is nothing to be embarrassed about. Why, my late husband used to take me out dancing at this old French-style café– I think it was destroyed by the Red Guard though, which is a real shame, you know, it was the romantic spot in the city.” She sighed dreamily.

“That sounds wonderful, Miss Xiahui. My date and I are just meeting at this one restaurant by the park” Tang smiled and got back to his noodles.

“If I didn’t know you any better, I’d say you’re ruining your appetite,” Pigsy’s grandmother chuckled.

“Can’t let him know I’m a complete mess, right?” Tang laughed pathetically.

Pigsy rolled his eyes and teased, “Don’t be so hard on yourself. I think it’s fascinating you can eat so much and manage to keep that whole ‘starving Victorian orphan’ look.”

Tang snorted. “Thanks.”

Pigsy winked and laughed before going back to check on how the noodles were doing.

“Oh, don’t mind Jiejie, he’s just jealous because he hasn’t had a date in six years.” The elderly woman patted Tang’s knee.

“For your information, I actually do have a date, and it's tonight, so you can cut out that whole teasing routine,” Pigsy quipped without thinking, and he could practically hear his Lǎolao’s jaw drop and eyes sparkle.

“You have a date tonight too?! Oh, this is just wonderful! Who’s the lucky person? Are they rich? Do they know you have your own business? Have you gone out with them before? Were they cute? Why wouldn’t you tell me about them! Jiejie, how could you not tell me you’ve been dating someone–! Are they actually ugly, and you were embarrassed to tell me? Look, it’s okay, Jiejie, sometimes it really is what’s on the inside that–”

“Lǎolǎo, please.” Pigsy turned and pleaded with her, pouring the customer’s noodles into a bowl and adding the vegetables.

“Oh, Jiejie, I’m just so happy for you, is all! My sweet little sunzi out in the world again! Maybe you can even find little Xiaotian a mother or another father! Oh, wouldn’t that just be lovely.” His grandmother hugged the coloring child, who looked around in confusion.

“Lǎolao, you’re going to crush the kid.” Pigsy’s face was dark red as he rang the counter’s bell and called out the order.

“Come on, I need some answers here. You know how boring my life has gotten since retirement,” his grandmother pleaded.

“Not much to say. It’s the first date, and I haven’t met them, either. Also, I thought you said you understood that I’m not Xiaotian’s–... you know,” Pigsy looked away as the customer took their food.

“Oh? A double blind date! Isn’t that lovely.” Lǎolao clapped her hands, completely ignoring his comment about Xiaotian. “Where to?”

“Some place they recommended.” Pigsy shrugged. “I don’t know much about it, but I don’t get out much.”

“Oh, this is so exciting! I almost wish I could tag along with both of you, but I have to take care of this little monkey man.” His grandmother smiled at Xiaotian and began to tickle him, filling the restaurant with loud squeals of delight.

Pigsy rolled his eyes with a chuckle, going to wash some dishes in the sink when he noticed Tang looking at him, tilting his head curiously. “What’s up?”

“Oh–! Nothing! I just– a date, huh? That’s huge, congrats.” The scholar smiled softly.

“Ah, it’s no big deal, really. I just… I don’t know. Heck, I don’t even know why I agreed to do this whole ‘blind date’ thing. It’s so strange not even knowing the person’s name,” Pigsy confessed.

“Hear you there. But in a way, I think that makes it easier to get to know them, you know? No images, fake names, it’s… comforting, in a way. Especially with the whole ‘background check’ feature so you know it’s less likely for anyone to be a serial killer, haha,” Tang rambled.

“Yeah, I guess that’s part of the reason I signed up too. I mean– that, and because I seriously never go out. Not that I necessarily want to go out more, but you know what I mean.” Pigsy snorted.

Tang laughed. “I do.”

Pigsy smiled before shaking his head and getting to those dishes.

“So… what’s your mystery person like?” Tang asked after a minute of dishwashing.

“Oh– well, you know… they seem real smart and stuff,” Pigsy hesitated to admit, glad to stay facing the sink, so Tang couldn’t see how red his face was becoming. “They’re kinda poetic too, but not in a traditional sense. I don’t even know if they know just how smart they are, it seems kinda natural to them. I dunno.”

“Oh, interesting.” He heard Tang laugh nervously. “I hope you have fun.”

After his face stopped feeling so hot, Pigsy finally asked, “What about you? What’s your mystery man like?”

“He’s really super sweet and considerate, you know? Not very technological, but– heavens, he always knows what to say. He’s also super funny and snarky, and he makes me feel all smart and important, which is crazy because like– it’s just me.” Tang blushed and looked down at his bowl. “He has no idea I’m practically broke. I’m kind of scared to bring it up, you know? Like– ‘hey, let’s go to dinner! Oh, and by the way I can’t afford anything so it’s all on you!’” Tang sighed. “I should probably just cancel…”

“What?! You can’t do that,” Pigsy immediately protested, getting his grandmother’s attention once more.

“What are you two talking about now?” She looked back and forth between the two of them.

“I was– ummm… considering canceling my… date?” Tang gave a sheepish smile, and Pigsy’s grandmother smacked him upside the head.

“Shǎchā! You are not doing that!” She scolded the scholar.

“Wha–?! Why not? I’m flat broke. I can’t even buy a garden salad,” Tang huffed, resting his elbows on the bar.

“So?” Pigsy snorted. “The payment is being lucky enough to enjoy your company, nothing more and nothing less. If he doesn’t accept, run out of the restaurant. Take his wallet if you can. Make him pay.”

Tang laughed. “That’s easy for you to say, anyone would be lucky to date a five-star chef.”

Pigsy rolled his eyes. “I am not a five-star chef–”

His grandmother interrupted him with a scoff. “My recipes are much better than anything that can be found in those froufrou places with the marble floors and glass ceilings– especially with your additions, Jiejie.”

“Gotta agree with your grandmother, Pigsy. Your recipes are one of a kind and anyone would be lucky to go out with a chef as amazing and talented as you.” Tang smiled with so much earnestness it made Pigsy’s cheeks flush again.

“Well, I think anyone’d be lucky to go out with anyone half as smart as you,” Pigsy countered, making Tang hide in his scarf a bit.

His grandmother had something of a smug look on her face when Pigsy glanced at her, but she quickly cleared her throat and started talking to Xiaotian about his drawing. The chef sighed, shaking his head and vowing to one day fully understand that woman.

“So… what time are you closing?” Tang ventured to ask.

“Around 6:30 to try and get some of that dinner rush money before kickin’ everyone out,” Pigsy glanced at the clock yet again.

“Smart. I’ll have to leave around 6 anyway to get ready and all too.” Tang fidgeted with his scarf.

“You going to want another bowl before then?” Pigsy couldn’t help but smirk a little.

“Har-har,” Tang rolled his eyes. “... but yeah, maybe.”

Pigsy laughed. “Don’t stress yourself, it’s a big day for us both.”

“Right, yeah.” The scholar smiled before going back to his current bowl.

Again, Pigsy’s grandmother looked amused at this, but when Pigsy looked, she acted like nothing was wrong and started complimenting Xiaotian’s drawing again.

Pigsy sighed, focusing back on his work as customers began to pour in once more. The chef managed to hold a steady pace that kept him fairly busy, though not busy enough to forget to make Tang another bowl of lo mein he teased him about. Tang ate, Xiaotian colored (even showed a handful to Pigsy when he could), his grandmother gossiped about some of the mahjong ladies, and overall it was a pretty solid work day. He wished Tang the best of luck on his way out, and wished some of that for himself when he closed the restaurant.

“So, you really are going on a date, aren’t you?” His grandmother teased as Pigsy locked the iron security shield.

Pigsy rolled his eyes. “I appreciate your trust in my honesty.”

“I’m just making sure before I get my hopes up. Heaven knows this only happens once in a blue moon,” she teased, making Xiaotian giggle.

“What’re you laughing at, mister?” Pigsy put his hands on his hips dramatically, making the kid laugh more.

“He’s laughing at the fact that you haven’t been on a date since before he was born, isn’t that right, my little dumpling?” Lǎolao pinched his cheeks, which made him whine and go behind Pigsy.

“Lǎolao–”

“I know, I know. It’s not my fault he’s as cute as a button, you know,” She defended herself before Pigsy rolled his eyes again and picked the kid up.

“Miss Xiahui is a lot like my mother, you know? No respect for boundaries. I’m so sorry you have to spend all night with her,” Pigsy apologized dramatically.

“S’okay! She lets me have cookies.” Xiaotian grinned wide, making the chef immediately give his grandmother a look.

“I’ve already told you it’s not my fault he’s so cute.” His grandmother raised her hands in defeat, making the chef roll his eyes yet again.

“If he gets cavities, you’re paying the dentist bill,” Pigsy huffed and started walking home.

“He’s not going to get cavities, Jiejie. Xiaotian knows how to brush his teeth very well, don’t you, dear?” Lǎolao patted the boy’s head as he nodded.

“Right,” Pigsy said. “Let’s just get home.”

“Yes, yes! We have to get you good and ready for your date! Oh, I’m so excited.” Lǎolao had dropped the teasing for genuine elation. “You know, I think if I looked I could find one of your grandfather’s old suits. Oh, you’d look just so handsome in it.”

“Oh, wow, Lǎolao, that’s really not–”

“Necessary? Of course it is! Tonight is a momentous occasion and I want my grandson to look his absolute best.” She ignored his protest and practically marched the rest of the way to their apartment.

Pigsy gave a nice, long sigh. “You’re gonna have a long night, kid.”

“No bedtime?” Xiaotian’s face lit up.

“Who knows.” Pigsy snorted and picked up the pace to follow his grandmother (who, for someone in their 80s, was rather spritely).

When they got home, his grandmother quickly pulled out old boxes and had him try on three suits before finally finding a Western Style from the 40s. His grandmother also gave him gold square cufflinks, as well as a blue and pink floral tie. He managed to at the very least convince her to let him wear his own socks and shoes, and after she spritzed him down with peach perfume, the look was finished.

“Lǎolao, you don’t have to do this, my suit is plenty good,” Pigsy pointed out as his grandmother straightened out his suit coat, looking like she was going to cry.

“No, no. You look absolutely perfect.” She smiled, finally stepping back to admire her work. “Your date will absolutely love you.”

“Lǎolao.” Pigsy’s face turned tomato red.

His grandmother chuckled. “I suppose we could use a third opinion.” She tapped her chin, before calling Xiaotian in from the living room, and in a moment, the five-year-old pattered over. “Xiaotian, do you think Pigsy looks nice?”

Xiaotian gave two thumbs up and a toothy grin. “Fancy!”

“See? You look perfect.” His grandmother smiled and patted Xiaotian’s head.

“I never said I looked bad, I’m just saying it’s– it’s a lot, and I really don’t know if I need Waigong’s suit–”

“Nonsense, Bajie. He’d want you to have it.” His grandmother cupped Pigsy’s cheek.

“It’s… a blind date from an anonymous chat site, Lǎolao. I really don’t think–”

“You never know, Jiejie. You could be meeting the love of your life,” She hummed.

“Right… sure,” Pigsy agreed to drop his protests for the sake of not dampening his grandmother’s spirits.

The elder pig demon smiled again, patting Pigsy’s cheek twice. “Now, let me find my camera; I want to capture how handsome you look.” She winked and left the room.

“Lǎolao, I really don’t have time for– never mind.” Pigsy shook his head when he realized she was just going to insist. He sighed, giving himself another once over in the mirror and adjusting his tie.

“You really think this isn’t too much, kid?” Pigsy asked Xiaotian.

The boy shook his head. “You look like a detective!”

Pigsy laughed, realizing Xiaotian was 100% correct. “All I’m missing is the hat, darn.” He snapped his fingers playfully.

“And a gun,” the boy giggled.

“Ahhhhh, that might be a bit much kiddo,” Pigsy chuckled, ruffling the kid’s hair. “You gonna be okay with just Lǎolao tonight?”

Xiaotian nodded. “We’re gonna watch Monkey Empire.”

“Again? Didn’t we just finish that?” Pigsy raised a playful eyebrow.

“Yeah, but I wannaaaaaa,” Xiaotian explained eloquently.

“Fair enough. Just don’t let Lǎolao spoil you too much, alright? And make sure you brush your teeth extra good, and put all your toys away for her. I’ll check on you as soon as I get back,” Pigsy said, fixing the kid’s hair since he just messed it up.

“Okie dokie, Piggy.” The boy grinned again.

“Found it!” Pigsy’s grandmother finally called from the other room, and she was back in a flash.

“Oh, you just look so handsome, I could eat you right up, you know that? Your date is a very, very lucky man,” the woman chuckled as she took a photo, not even waiting for him to pose or smile.

“‘Man’? I don’t know their gender,” Pigsy pointed out, but she just waved her hand and snapped another photo.

“Xiaotian, go join Bajie, I want to get my two favorite, most handsome boys together,” she instructed and Xiaotian ran to Pigsy. The chef scooped him up and they both smiled for the camera.

After a few photos were taken, Pigsy glanced at the clock and said, “Alright, are we done? I’m gonna be late soon.”

“Yes, yes, you can go,” His grandmother sighed dramatically– though snapped another photo anyway.

Pigsy rolled his eyes, setting Xiaotian back down before kneeling to his level.

“You promise to be good for Lǎolao?” He asked the five-year-old, who nodded seriously. “Good. I’ll see you later tonight, kiddo.” The chef smiled and stood before Xiaotian grabbed his pant leg.

“I’ll miss you,” Xiaotian whispered, and Pigsy… wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that.

“I’ll… be back soon, kid. Don’t stress yourself,” he finally said, patting the kid on the head again.

“Besides,” Lǎolao said, getting the kid to look at her, “you have a very fun night planned with your Lǎolao, and we’re going to have lots of fun, aren’t we, Xiaotian?”

“Yeah! We’ll watch Monkey King!” The kid grinned once more, making the elder pig demon chuckle.

“We most certainly will. And we’ll eat lots of cookies and candy and break lots of Bajie’s silly rules,” his grandmother enabled the kid’s natural desire for rebellion.

“You’re killing me, you know that?” Pigsy half-joked, arms crossed.

“It’s what keeps me young,” Lǎolao teased right back.

“Right.” Pigsy rolled his eyes. “Well, I gotta get going so–”

“WAIT!” Xiaotian suddenly shouted, running out of the room, while Pigsy and his grandmother just looked at each other in confusion. They didn’t have to wait long, though, as Xiaotian was back in the matter of seconds with a drawing in his hand.

“For luck!” He explained, handing it over.

Pigsy accepted the offering, laughing when he saw it was a very crude drawing of Xiaotian, Pigsy’s grandmother, Tang, and himself all eating noodles at the restaurant with even cruder hearts everywhere.

“I love it, kid. I’ll put it right here for safe keeping,” Pigsy complimented, folding the drawing so it fit right by his pocket square, which made Xiaotian so happy that, before Pigsy could prepare himself, the kid hugged him.

“Have fun!” Xiaotian grinned nice and big before stepping back and waving.

“I will.” Pigsy waved a little and headed to the door.

“Yes, have lots of fun! I expect to hear about tonight in great detail tomorrow!” His grandmother waved as well, to which Pigsy laughed and shook his head before exiting the apartment door and heading out into the night.

.o0o.

Pigsy arrived at the restaurant at exactly 7:57, three minutes early and before his date. The place was classy, but clearly small and not quite known in the public sphere yet. There was no need for a wait or reservation, so Pigsy was taken to an outside table for two by the fountain.

He could see why this mystery person would pick a place like this. It was nice, but hidden away, and not too expensive. His person was sensible and romantic, and this choice was a reflection of that.

Pigsy opened up the website on his phone, telling his date he’d arrived and got a table, before he settled himself down to wait and think (his favorite activity!).

Pigsy was totally going to fuck this night up.

He hadn’t been on a date in years, and even then, the ones he’d had with Wujing were full of personal mistakes he wasn’t keen on repeating. He knew for a fact he was going to sound incredibly stupid, especially in comparison to his eloquent partner, but that was hardly the least of his worries. Maybe he’d get too angry at something, and it would totally freak them out, or he’d bring up Xiaotian, and they’d hate that he had a kid (even though he wasn’t his kid technically, he was just his guardian, but that would also probably scare them away, creating a perfect lose-lose situation). And heavens, that wasn’t even mentioning the fact that there was a good chance Pigsy forgot to even tell them he was a demon– he was so unbelievably stupid like that.

At exactly eight o'clock, the waiter stopped by and dropped off two glasses of water before disappearing. Pigsy tried his best not to chug it immediately, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t get thirsty when he was nervous. To try and force himself not to, he kept tracing the rim of his glass again and again and again, while keeping an eye on the door.

A part of the chef wondered if his date stood him up. There were a handful of people already here; maybe his date had arrived, saw Pigsy, realized their date was a hideous pig demon, and simply slipped away. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time…

No, no. Pigsy had to wait and be rational. He needed to remember the little drawing in his suit pocket reminding him it was all going to be fine, even if it wasn’t fine, and he’d be okay. So instead of completely losing his mind and worrying to death, Pigsy placed a hand against the pocket that held the drawing and took nice, long breaths before taking a casual and normal drink of water.

However, just then, the restaurant’s door flung open, and Pigsy’s heart practically leapt into his throat as he saw–

Tang…???

No… no, yeah, that was Tang all right, panting with his back against a wall before he looked around the space. When he saw Pigsy, the scholar seemed to share the exact same confusion, head tilting, but he eventually approached the lone pig demon.

“Hey, Pigsy… What’re you doing here?” Tang asked, still catching his breath.

“Same as you, I guess,” Pigsy looked at the fountain, face turning red.

“Right, yeah! Man, that’s one hell of a coincidence, isn’t it?” Tang laughed.

Pigsy laughed as well. “Guess there aren’t many romantic spots left in the city.”

“Guess not.” Tang fidgeted with his scarf, looking around the restaurant.

“Your date not here yet?” Pigsy guessed.

Tang shrugged. “They said they were, but I don’t see them anywhere.”

“Maybe they just lied and said they were here when they’re really just on their way, I used to do that all the time.” Pigsy snorted.

“Yeah, maybe,” Tang laughed. “You– uh– don’t mind if I sit here for right now, do you?”

“Be my guest. You could use the water anyway,” Pigsy teased, and Tang graciously accepted the seat and water.

“I just– I don’t know, me and them agreed to meet here at eight, and I planned to be here at eight o’clock sharp, so I just– I don’t know. Maybe they stood me up– god, that would be so embarrassing,” Tang whispered that last bit to himself.

“Hey. Relax. You’re only five minutes late, and they aren’t even here yet. Besides, they’d have to be a complete moron to stand you up, of all people,” Pigsy pointed out.

Tang rolled his eyes with a little smile. “Yeah, yeah, thanks. Where’s your date?”

“Late, probably. Or maybe we’ve both been stood up, wouldn’t that be something?” Pigsy mused.

“Misery does love company,” Tang laughed sadly.

“He’ll show, I’m sure of it.” Pigsy tried his best to sound comforting.

“Thanks. I’m sure yours will too.” Tang did his best too.

Pigsy nodded, pulling out his phone again and checking to see if they’d messaged him yet, but he was greeted with the exact same screen as minutes before.

He sighed.

“So, you said your date picked this place?” Tang asked out of the blue.

“Uh– yeah. I’ve never been.” Pigsy shrugged.

“I’ve only been here once or twice, but their mango pudding is to die for; though, it’s not as good as yours or your grandmother’s,” Tang stated like it was obvious.

“Funny, my date recommended the mango pudding too. Must be really popular,” Pigsy recalled.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if it was, it’s amazing.” Tang fidgeted with his scarf again before pulling out his phone. “Though, I gotta ask– why would you agree to a restaurant? You always hate eating out?”

“It was a very persuasive review.” Pigsy snorted. “Besides, I didn’t wanna sound like a hard ass or anything, and it's not like I had any better ideas.”

“I’m sure that’s not true,” the scholar assured, typing something.

Pigsy sighed, looking around the restaurant at other couples drinking wine and being all couple-y, when his phone suddenly buzzed in his pocket.

ShiningAnthropod_Admirer: “Sorry I’m late! Where are you? Just got here.”

Pigsy looked around, and not seeing anyone by the door, he frowned, quickly replying:

FineCuisine81: “Check the outside section.”

“You messaging your date too?” Tang laughed.

“Yeah, they said they’re here, so…” Pigsy trailed off.

“Oh! So’s mine, so I should probably– like– go, haha,” Tang said, already standing.

Pigsy just smiled somewhat sadly as the scholar shuffled away, not giving the pig demon a glance.

Whatever, he was sure it wasn’t personal (or– he hoped, anyway) and so pulled out his phone to find another message.

ShiningAnthropod_Admirer: “Where are you sitting?”

Pigsy looked around only briefly before sending:

FineCuisine81: “By the fountain in the middle section.”

Pigsy tapped his fingers anxiously against the table, staring at his screen intently as three dots bounced around.

ShiningAnthropod_Admirer: “There's a lot of people here. I guess I should also ask what you’re wearing too, haha”

“More like lots of humans,” Pigsy muttered to himself.

No– Pigsy couldn’t be bitter, he was supposed to have fun. It didn’t matter if his date was looking around and clearly expecting a human, it was–

Pigsy placed his hand on his breast pocket and took deep breaths, reminding himself he was fine and loved, and he’d be okay.

FineCuisine81: “Old blue western suit and a floral tie.”

He waited with bated breath, barely even daring to glance around to see if his date was actually looking for him or not. He did catch another glance at Tang, which the scholar returned with a funny shrug that Pigsy returned, before they both just went back to their phones.

ShiningAnthropod_Admirer: “I still don’t see you. You aren’t lying about being there, are you?”

Pigsy knitted his eyebrows, almost offended if he didn’t understand how bad first date jitters could be.

FineCuisine81: “I promise I’m not.”

Pigsy wasn’t even sure he was breathing anymore with how nervous he was watching the screen. At one point, the waiter stopped by to try and ask him if he was ready to order, but he pushed them away immediately.

A minute passed, then two.

Then–

ShiningAnthropod_Admirer: “Are you sure you’re at the right restaurant? The Huayuan Restaurant? The one on Lianren Road?” FineCuisine81: “I promise.”

Pigsy bit his cheek. He knew it wouldn’t be enough– maybe he needed to do something.

FineCuisine81: “What are you wearing? Maybe I can find you.”

Pigsy barely had to wait a second for a reply.

ShiningAnthropod_Admirer: “Red and gold tang suit with embroidery along the sleeves and sides. Also glasses lol.”

Pigsy paused, because that–... No… No, it– it couldn’t be, Pigsy would know if it was Tang. There– there would be signs. He’d know. Pigsy wasn’t that stupid.

He saw Tang circling around the fountain again, and this time when he locked eyes with Pigsy the scholar sighed and sat across from him once more.

Tang suit. Gold embroidery. Glasses.

“I’m pretty sure my date is just lying about being here at this point. I mean– I’ve circled the entire place like– ten times, but I just– I’m a little glad your table is still empty too.” Tang laughed like he was going to cry.

Holy fucking shit…

“I-I– Tang, I’m–” Pigsy was utterly dumbfounded because the man sitting in front of him was his mystery man– the fiercely intelligent and kind soul he had spent months chatting with, being too scared of what he’d think if he saw his appearance. Iit was him. It was Tang.

“A-are you okay? You look a little shaken,” Tang laughed again, this time picking up a napkin to wipe his eyes.

Pigsy didn’t think, just grabbed Tang’s hands and stroked them with his thumbs.

“Wha–? Pigsy? Are you alright?” The scholar was clearly startled, but didn’t break the grasp.

“Tang, I-I– It’s– I’m–” Pigsy growled in frustration, words alluding him.

“Yes…?” Tang asked softly, his eyes sparkling like diamonds against the night sky and glasses.

Pigsy took another breath, feeling warmth radiating from Xiaotian’s drawing as he did, and said, “1940’s western suit. Floral tie.”

Tang pulled back a little, opening his mouth to speak, before he looked Pigsy up and down. It only took seconds before his eyes widened with recognition.

“No… no, no– you–? Me? No, you– you wouldn’t, I–” Tang shook his head. “I appreciate you trying to save my night, but–”

“Tang. My username was ‘FineCuisine81’ because I’m a chef and was born in 1981. I didn’t bring up the restaurant or Xiaotian or my grandmother or– much of my past really because you know I’m pretty hesitant about most of it,” Pigsy pleaded for him to understand.

“I-I– you– you wouldn’t–”

“C’mon, Tang. You know me– you know my snark by now, don’t you?” Pigsy tried to joke, but Tang snagged his hands away to cover his face.

“Pigsy, I-I– did you look me up? Is this some kind of– sick joke? Getting payback for all those stupid bowls of noodles?” The scholar was crying by now.

“Tang! I would never– I didn’t know it was you, but now that I do, I– I couldn’t be happier, I swear.” Pigsy smiled despite his overwhelming worry.

Tang shook his head. “No– I’m– I’m not good enough for you– I’m such a mess a-and I’m broke a-and scrawny a-and anxious a-and–”

“Tang, you’re plenty good enough– you’re so much better than me, anyways,” Pigsy laughed and sniffled. “You’re so smart and kind and likable and–”

“B-but you’re really nice too! A-and you have a real job that pays well and a loving grandmother a-and you’re a guardian– and me? I’m just some loser with a nose in a book,” Tang interrupted.

“We– There’s a reason we wanted to meet our ‘mystery person’, Tang. We both saw… something in them– something that made us want more” Pigsy smiled as he wiped away one of the scholar’s tears. “I… I really don’t want to throw that away because I’m scared.”

Tang finally opened his eyes enough to get another good look at Pigsy. It was terrifying to be inspected by him, but Pigsy managed to hold strong and met his gaze with a soft, tearful smile that eventually got Tang to laugh and shake his head.

“We are so stupid, aren’t we?” He asked, and Pigsy removed his hands.

“Oh, absolutely,” Pigsy couldn’t help but agree. “But hey– I’m sure Lǎolao’ll love to hear it took us a whole fifteen minutes to realize we were here for each other.”

“Oh, heavens, she’s never going to let that go, is she?” Tang copied the pig, the redness in his face starting to leave.

“I’m pretty sure she’ll hold it above us until the day she dies,” Pigsy chuckled. “On the bright side, though, at least we’re both idiots.”

“Fair enough.” Tang smiled and looked at the fountain. “I just– I really picked out a restaurant– I am so sorry, this food is going to be trash compared to yours.”

“Bah, I’m sure that’s not true if you like it.” Pigsy winked.

Tang’s face went red again. “Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure; I like instant ramen.”

“Only because it’s so cheap.” The chef snorted.

“You don’t know the depths of my depravity,” Tang refuted.

“Well, I’d certainly like to. That’s why we’re still here, isn’t it?” Pigsy wiped his own face.

“Y-yeah! It– it is.” Tang smiled shyly. “I just– wow, I’m so embarrassed. I mean, the suit, the tie–”

“Hey, how’s about we just forget about fifteen minutes ago, and start over, okay? No guilt, no anxiety, nothing. Just us having a nice evening out,” Pigsy proposed.

Tang thought about it for a moment before nodding. “I’d like that a lot, Pigsy.”

“Then, it’s settled. We drove here together and the waiter sat us together, and we’re now deciding which wine to order together. That good?” Pigsy asked.

Tang nodded. “Sounds perfect, Pigsy.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more.”

#lmk #lego monkie kid #freenoodles #pigsy lmk #tang lmk #my fics #mk lmk #pigsy's grandmother #idiots in love #miscommunication but not the annoying kind the cute kind #pre canon #blind date #stupid ass homosexuals #it's okay tho bc we love them #jfdsak;lfjdsa #everyone go listen to 'Tonight at Eight' as sung by Zachary Levi for peak vibes #it's only a 1:40 so it's not even long #also it slaps #so #fjdkaslf;jdsaj you don't gotta #...why am I even saying this no one reads the tags #anyways uh #this freenoodles drought is killing me so much I wrote fluff it's insane

[julesdaydreams]

Wolfstar One-Shot

based on a tiktok by @ziggityler I word count: 1852

Basically: Remus meets Sirius at the grocery store and proceeds to fall head over heels for the man. Also: A lot of flirting and sexual tension (I guess)

Remus was walking through the aisles at the grocery store, trying to find the last one of the ingredients he needed for his planned Friday night dinner with his friends. He was walking past the aisle where they displayed the haircare products, not really paying attention since he didn’t need anything, when something in the corner of his eye caught his gaze.

He turned his head, doing a double take at the man standing in the aisle, carefully reading the backside of one of the hair products they had. He was pretty, really pretty. All long wavey black hair, that clearly needed a lot of time and attention to look as healthy and shiny as it was, porcelain skin and high cheekbones. He was wearing a black leather jacket that looked very loved, a cropped shirt underneath with a print on it that Remus couldn’t quite read from his position. Low-rise jeans that showed off the man’s downright sinful waist and hips, that Remus felt the sudden need to hold on to with his hands, trace the soft skin with his fingers.

He suddenly snapped out of it, when the man turned to his side, catching Remus with his staring and throwing him an amused glance before putting the shampoo he was holding down and picking up a different one.

Remus’ feet seemingly began to walk on their own, down the aisle he really had no business being in. He came to a stop a few paces next to the man, trying to look interested in the hair products displayed, but really he had no idea what any of them where really for.

Even if he had been paying attention, it would’ve been for nothing, as the smaller man moved and literal heaven waved over to Remus.

He couldn’t describe the scent even if he wanted to, but it was something divine and otherworldly like the owner himself.

And clearly Remus’ brain stopped working because instead of getting home and thinking of the stranger for the next few days before forcing himself to move on, he opened his mouth like a fucking idiot.

“Excuse me? Could you maybe tell me which one of these products I need to use? You look like you know a lot more about these things than I do?”, he asked, making the stranger drop the shampoo he was holding into his basked before turning his attention to him.

And thank fuck for the shopping cart he could lean on, because Remus’ legs might have given out at how beautiful his eyes where.

Grey piercing eyes looked up at him and Remus would happily be ruined by the raging storm that lay behind them.

A smirk. And lord have mercy, Remus might actually combust on the spot under this angel’s attention.

“Oh darling, you have short hair. I don’t think any of these products will work for you. Buying them for a partner?”, a velvety voice inquired and Remus had to stop himself from practically shouting that he was single. If there was any chance that he’d get the man to call him “darling” just one more time, Remus could die a happy man.

“No! No- Uhm… I don’t have a partner.” Smooth, Lupin.

The angel hummed, a small smirk still playing on his lips and Remus desperately wanted to see it expand into a smile. Would sell his left kidney for it.

“What do you need these for then?”, came another question and well. Remus clearly had just dug his own grave because he had no other excuse for why he needed hair products that he now read where ‘to strengthen long hair’.

He accepted defeat. Maybe that was what he was destined to do anyways in the present of a divine being. He didn’t even feel ashamed about it.

“I guess you got me. I-” think, Lupin, THINK! “I actually wanted to ask you what perfume you’re wearing? You smell incredible.” Okay. That wasn’t too bad. Maybe a bit creepy to ask a stranger about something like that, but Remus didn’t want to be rejected just yet, postponing the inevitable really.

Still, it got him an actual smile from the stranger and is was everything and more than Remus could’ve ever imagined.

“Oh, thank you, love. That’s very kind of you. Do you want me to send you links where to buy the products I use?” Love, love, love. He called me love. Is he flirting? He looks like he’s flirting. Oh my god, what if he IS flirting?? Get it together, Lupin. He’s just a man! Except he’s got really pretty eyes and-

“Hello? Do you want me to send you some recommendations or not?”, an amused voice pulled Remus out of his thoughts and he actually processed the question he had been asked.

“You- You want my phone number?” He had to get it together, he was probably looking like a deer caught in headlights right now, but the thought of a literal angel being interested in Remus seemed unreal. Maybe he was dreaming. Or he was actually dead and this was an actual angel in front of him. It wouldn’t surprise him.

The pretty man chuckled slightly at Remus before something shifted in his eyes. Something dangerous and alluring that sent shivers down Remus’ spine and all over his body. He was in so much fucking shit.

“If that is something you want to give me?” The audacity of him. He actually sounded cocky. Like he knew he had Remus wrapped around his finger. Like he didn’t even care he had complete control over Remus’ body and soul if he wanted to.

“Yeah! Totally, I would really like that actually.” A phone was pressed into his hand and Remus almost let it drop when the other’s fingers slightly graced his own, sending a shock through his whole body. He quickly typed in his contact info before giving it back to it’s owner who only glanced at it once before pocketing it.

“Well, Remus. As nice at this was, I really have to get going. I’ll send you those links later, though, I promise.” The pretty man said, flashing him one last stunning smile before starting to turn around, another breeze of heaven reaching Remus. He couldn’t even think about how good his name sounded coming out of the man’s mouth, all thought process going to the fact that the angel was leaving and he wanted to prevent that.

“I really wish I could smell as good as you, right now.”, he blurted out. Silently cursing himself for being weird again, before he had even stopped talking.

However, it worked. Remus could’ve cheered, when the stranger turned back towards him, looking highly amused at Remus’ behaviour.

“You’re in luck. I always carry around some of my scented oils. You want some?”, he said, pulling out a small vial from his bag, showing it to Remus.

Remus could only nod dumbly, thinking about how he was going to walk around smelling the man’s perfume all day. Maybe he should cancel tonight’s get-together with his friends so he could spend more time thinking about the beauty standing in front of him.

“Could you put some on my neck?”. he heard himself practically beg, braincells having stopped working completely at this point.

“How do you want me to do that? I can’t reach up to your neck in the middle of the store, it’s going to look like I hit you!”, came the angel’ response. It sounded logical to Remus, but he figured he would think that about anything the stranger said, even if it had been complete and utter bullshit.

“What should I do then?”

“Get on your knees.” And that. Fuck. That was just- Remus didn’t even know. Maybe his mind was playing tricks on him and he was imagining the way those grey eyes sparkled at him mischievously, like he knew exactly what the implication was behind his words, what it made Remus think about. What Remus desired the second the connection was made in his brain.

He needed an out. He needed to save himself from getting a boner in the middle of the grocery store thinking about all the noises he could elicit from those red lips.

“Uhm- What?” He hoped he misheard. He hoped he understood the man completely right. He wanted it to be a dream and he wanted it to be reality. He had no idea what he would do if he heard correctly.

“You heard me. Get on your knees.” A challenging look, dark eyebrow raised slightly and Remus sank down to his knees right then and there without a second thought. If the angel told him to crawl on all fours he might’ve just done it.

A chuckle. A mumbled good boy, that had Remus’ head spinning and soon there were no thoughts at all as he looked up in those mesmerizing grey eyes.

Sirius put some of the oil on his pointer finger, touching Remus by the delicate skin behind his ear and he had to suppress a groan at the contact.

The eye-contact was something Remus had never experienced before. Goosebumps erupted all over his body as a slender finger dragged down the side of his neck and all the way down to his throat where it circled for a second, teasing just under the hem of Remus’ shirt, before dragging back up the other side of his face and rested behind Remus’ ear.

He didn’t breath when a thumb came up caressing his chin, tilting it up just that bit more.

Remus would never be the same again. He would never move on from this moment in his life. Would think about it later when his friends where enjoying dinner, joking about stupid things they did at school and Remus wouldn’t listen to a single thing, mentally still on his knees before his angel. He would think about it in a few weeks time when he was at a bar talking to another man who had blonde hair and he would wish it was black. He would think about it when he was old and grey, when he’d lived a good life and he would still say that this, this right here, was the best moment of his entire life.

The stranger dropped his hand and Remus just stayed there on the floor, shopping cart next to him long forgotten and he suddenly realized that he didn’t even know his angel’s name.

“What’s your name?” His voice came out scratchy, desperate.

“You’ll see it when I text you.” A wink. And he was gone.

---

From: Unknown number

9:57pm Hi, here are the products I would recommend you. twelve links attached

9:59pm I’m Sirius, by the way. Any chance you’re free for dinner tomorrow night?

My treat, x

#and then they lived happily ever after #Remus is obsessed with Sirius in every universe and would do ANYTHING that man asked of him #anyways go watch the tiktok story this is based on because I swear that man is such an icon #hp marauders #marauders fandom #remus lupin #sirius black #wolfstar #marauders #remus x sirius #wolfstar oneshot #short story #oneshot

[greentrickster]

So something good that started in my life last December was that I stumbled into a bit of luck and now have a deal with a nearby geek culture shop to sell plush mages I make. This was extremely fortuitous, because I created the design and concept back in 2017, had made about ten before forcing myself to stop, and, other than gifting one to a friend, still had them all, and was planning to find a holiday donation bin for a charity that accepted handmade stuff, because I was tired of them taking up space in my room. Like literally the only reason I still had them was because life was hectic and I kept forgetting to go check for where any local donation bins were.

This is very exciting, the owner's super nice and helped me set some stuff up so I'm selling on consignment, which means I only get paid when someone actually buys one, but I get a bigger cut of the money when they do.

My dudes, I have an income again.

It's teeny-weeny and irregular, but I have one, and, almost more importantly, a bunch of them sold during and right after the holiday rush, so I get to make more, and it's giving me something to actually do besides working on my mental issues and trying to fill my time while I gain the mental health and stability to get, you know. An actual job. I'm currently making a few more to put in the store, then I'm going to focus on making extra stock to have available for when the local anime convention (and it's stale, stale vendor's hall) arrives this spring.

Not only that, it means that I can make as many of these things as I want for now! And while it takes about a day to make one mage, I'm flexing hard on my status as a professional ADHD haver by having three or four on the go at once, but in different stages of completion. So if I feel like sewing I can one on this one, but if I want to do some pinning I can work on that one, and the third one's ready to finish stuffing and assembling whenever I feel like it, now I want to take a break to watch anime, oooo~ sewing mood again-!

Like, this is in no way I can turn this into an actual career, just because, like I said, it takes about a day to make one from scratch, going at a pace that's both productive and physically healthy for me and also, given that they're about twenty inches tall, made of primarily minky fabric, and being done by hand, that means that I am selling them for nowhere near what they're worth, because people wouldn't be willing to pay that much. Like, the minimum wage where I currently live is (a ridiculous) $7.50 an hour. If I made one of these guys in six hours, that would mean they'd need to cost $45 just to cover my time, never mind materials and the fact that this is skilled labour, and that is not the price on the tag, let alone my cut. They look deceptively simple for all the tricks and techniques that go into one (never mind the fact that minky is expensive fabric, the craft safety eyes I use are special-ordered and very good quality, and, oh yes, these little fellows are machine washable). I literally cannot make a livelihood doing this.

But, like I also said, it's giving me something creative to do that isn't just more reading, writing, and gaming. I love doing all those things, but this is a kind of physical activity that I've needed in my life, and making something physical is so different than writing, with the wonderful bonus that minky fabric is one of my favorite textures! As long as I'm strategic about my acquisition of materials, I'm not going to be losing money on this, and while it's something I think is going to end up paying dividends more in my mental health than in my wallet, I will be earning money for this. I'm getting paid to make plushies to my heart's content (or until I run out of materials for the moment) while watching anime/youtube and working on my mental health, and, for now, that's not only enough, it feels really good!

#my life #would have told you all sooner but was busy with holidays. catching plague. and going through an entire character arc in a couple weeks #my mages

[hotluncheddie]

Marmalade

things i noticed on my second watch / that i found interesting and thought i’d share.

visuals and ideas that i think help the film be what it is, add too the characters and create the movies main themes. [ notes but, fun notes :) ]

things about marmalade that cause doubt / are a clue:

puzzle piece on her neck (she is literally a piece of the puzzle) - tattoos become a major clue for Otis to figure out "is it big on her neck?" "yeah it's big."

was checking on mama Eda right before she died

mentions being pregnant at a high stress moment / moment of coercion

audience questions if she actually can't smell after the fart scene (which i still find weird, this is the only reason i can think for it)

tells store owner she gave him a £20 - honestly into question again "Marmalade had her own set of rules for everything."

lied about this being the first bank she robbed

hid the pills

things about baron that cause doubt / are a clue:

in the ice cream shop he talking offhandedly about what words are when spelled backwards "god is dog" etc

he knows about the other bank - speaks about it quickly and clearly - different cadence than normal

mentions multiple times about the rich taking more than they need, raising product just to get richer (robin hood)

instantly gives himself up after marmalade leaves the safe house, doesn't try and run at all

the comment about his hair and implying its inspired by rasterfariens he saw on tv - maybe used as a way to make Otis think he dumber than he is - i swear on my hair - loosing his job over it - starting the story too early 'you'll see, it's all about them details."

"How about I trust you, to trust me."

"I always likes glancing into other people worlds. But ain't nothin' don't come easy most days."

Multiple of these aspects also make baron less of an instigator for the crime. he was coerced, tried to call it off and was heavily emotionally manipulated through love and him mom. this makes him more sympathetic to Otis and the audience.

visual clues / noticings

masks - three faces - masculine and feminine aspects

reflections used often - baron looking into glass, picture frames, mirrors

heist scene - wearing same balaclava and mask - zoom in on baron could be peak into the actual heist

followed up by dance fantasy scene - partners working perfectly in sync - baron and marmalade, two sides of the same person

'dream big or don't dream at all' , 'while there's life, there's hope.'

Eda Lamram = marmaL adE

baron paints his nails pink when he dresses up to cross the blockade

baron pharmaceuticals

foster mom

"you only get one mama." - not true, another piece

marmalade at the grave (mama died and couldn't save me - true), marmalade at the abusers house (cages, cane - true), marmalade in form of Eda (while there is life there is hope - true)

card message = same handwriting as bank notes

#hotlunch #marmalade #marmalade spoilers #baron marmalade #<3 #film analysis #i guess ?

[curio-queries]

Run BTS: 047 | Protect the BTS Village part 1

Original Air Date: 03 APR 2018 Episode Length: 29:49 Total Parts: 2 YouTube English Subtitles: No Title Song: Blood Sweat & Tears

Synopsis: The iconic debute of the Blue Village saga. Think scavenger hunt meets a social deduction game (think werewolf/mafia for some, Among Us for others). I am completely biased by this concept. The best birthday party ever has was when my mom set up a scavenger hunt. When escape rooms became popular, i was so excited. so it's impossible for me to be objective with this episode. When I started watching Run BTS for the first time, i honestly didn't think there would be an episode that topped these.

Production: They do a great job with the location and getting coverage. the map graphic is a great piece of storytelling as well, it's a shame that it comes out a little stagnant with how little movement it's actually conveying so a more dynamic version would have helped with the pacing. The explanation screens are pretty excessive. i get that this concept is a little more complex and they are trying to avoid staff just rambling the setup, but this is definitely a crutch in these kind of eps. The art dep does a good job with what they need to do, but overall I'm not a fan. The one before the meeting is even more superfluous. I think we'd all rather have had more footage in the time consumed by that 'summary'. We just watched the scenes that it summarizes and we're about to listen to the members share it all with each other. The one after the meeting is quotes of what we just heard the members say...

Endearment: Call me crazy but I think these episodes have some of the best glimpses into authentic personality traits for the guys. They're honestly so bad at these types of elaborate setups that they have to spend the whole time focusing on that and less on being entertaining. so it feels a little more genuine.

Winner/Loser: see final part

Best Cheater: Jin, for that fake hint

Member Moments:

RM: Mechanic RM, doing such a good job trying to unravel the hints and figure out a meta of who is on his team.

JN: Bank President Jin, first instinct: make up a clue to point to Yoongi.

YG: Flower Shop Owner.... wait you can hear the intro to give it to me during his introduction?? i never noticed that before. Yoongi is so great in these kind of episodes, i don't know how to describe it, he's just the most chill version of dedication to the role playing and strategy

JH: Supermarket owner! I'm loving the irony of his description, "a social person with all the villager's info'... uh, with happens later with Jimin, Hobi clearly did not keep up with that trait! lol Hobi actually is pretty good at the searching aspect of these games, but you can tell he thrives in a team mentality. he knows how to point out what may be important and then brings it to someone else to get it to the finish line.

JM: Delivery man... i adore Jimin but you can tell that he struggled with the act. they clearly cut away from him every time something points to him being guilty. y'all i wasn't expecting to have any feels during this episode. the Jm/jk salute in the police station... i just wanted to watch a silly run ep, not be reminded of the ms.

V: Patisserie V! We didn't get much V coverage this episode, but we find out more about what he was up to in the next one.

JK: The least observant Police Officer in history. He literally picks up the hint and doesn't see it. Now it's obvious the guys were not given any direction regarding what they should be looking for, but the edit kindly points it out to the audience. bless poor JK's heart

Bonus Content: Much shorter than expected for this episode, and it's mostly the same scenes we had. does anyone know when the bonus content was released? it makes sense if it was before the final part, and they were trying to keep the reveal secret.

CQ Rank: 5

(CQ Eval Date: 04 FEB 2024)

Check out this post for my Masterlist of all episodes and descriptions of how I'm evaluating these.

Previous Episode: 046

Next Episode: 048

#run bts #ep.047 #bangtan sonyeondan #bts #youtube #jeon jungkook #park jimin #jung hoseok #kim seokjin #kim taehyung #kim namjoon #min yoongi

[anti-workshop]

SHAKY HANDS STICKER CLUB

Hey friends! I alluded to a big thing coming and THIS IS IT!

Patreon sucks ass but it's sort of the name of the game for fundraising things, and we need to raise funds, so here we are!

Do you like stickers? Do you like buttons? Do you like queer leftist shit as well as unique pieces of art you can adhere to the world or wear on your person? Please join our sticker club! You get stickers every month and maybe button/s if you want!

Check it out here -> STICKER CLUB

Also! More short designs will be coming soon! So stay tuned!

Read more below if you wanna know why we're doing this. Warning, it's long and sort of sad.

We started screen printing from one of our basements in 2020. It was, needless to say, the worst possible time to try and start a business. We barely survived and were able to move into the basement of the Milwaukee IWW's new union hall so we could all split the rent and make it affordable.

That was back in 2021. We were still struggling, but through word of mouth we got jobs and kept the lights on. We weren't really able to pay ourselves, but we all had second or third jobs so it was (mostly) fine.

We printed from that basement for about a year (and I hit my head on the ceiling and doorways hundreds of times) when a fellow wobbly and co-op enthusiast invited us to join his co-op as a DBA (doing business as). He sold us on the idea by offering to subsidize our workers' comp, general liability and book keeping expenses so we could try and grow sustainably. After some meetings we agreed to join as a DBA and we put our faith in this fellow worker whose intentions seemed pure and generous. We'll call him G.

Throughout the co-op's history some of our worker-owners' personal lives have been pretty chaotic. Working multiple jobs is stressful enough as a lot of you know, and so is navigating the continued stress of covid, having kids who are dealing with being bullied for being trans, all of us having major depression, adhd, etc. etc. We relied on each other, kept the lights on and just forged ahead, but there were some jobs that we delivered late or very late because of the chaos. G was understandably frustrated by these setbacks, as was I.

Because of the chaos, for about 5 months I was literally the only person working at the shop, performing literally every task from emails to quotes and mockups to invoices to pre-press, press, post-press and fulfillment. The Goncahrov shirts y'all purchased literally paid our rent, and I cannot thank you enough for that.

Then a fellow worker we'll call Z joined the co-op and saved my life. Z is amazing and I love him and owe him so much. He and I just kept at it and did what we could to care for our fellow workers who were struggling while away from the shop.

For about a year we've been trying to get an equipment loan to improve our processes because our little 4-color press and our flash and conveyor dryers suck ass. They're functional, extremely difficult to use, and they make our final product inconsistent and screen printing is a nightmare on them. It was all we could afford so we made the best of it and pursued a loan from a really cool cooperative lender that lends to other co-ops.

After a year of paperwork, making reports of our revenue and costs, analyzing our processes to improve them and show we were a viable business, they finally granted us the loan! We got a new press, better dryer, more screens and an incredible water-based digital printer/plotter combo that allows us to do stickers and decals and banners and buttons and other cool shit like that.

While we were applying for the loan, we were also pursuing a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the PPPWU (formerly the GCC) because we would be the only worker-owned co-op in our region (and maybe the US) to have the allied label, the most coveted union bug for printing. The local president was amazing to work with and we finally got awarded our union label and started paying dues.

It was around the time we began seeking the loan that G was doing and saying things we were a little confused by. He unilaterally fired two worker-owners in his co-op after months of mediation on my part to try and address interpersonal conflict. It's my fault for not seeing the writing on the wall then, but because he had done so much to help us, we justified his actions to look past our concerns.

Then, when those workers were gone he started to get abusive in text threads towards me and the other print folks, and we still looked past it because he had a lot going on in his life and that kind of stress can bring out the worst in anyone.

Well, a few weeks ago it came to our attention that we don't own our print co-op anymore, and we functionally stopped owning it once we signed on as a DBA. We thought we were all worker owners, but it turns out only I am, because I paid in at the time when I had the money. The abuse has escalated to the point that Z has quit, leaving only me the original creator the our co-op who we'll call M.

We're sort of trapped now. We're on the hook for rent at the shop until 2025, as well as the payments for our $30k loan, in a business that's been swept out from under us by someone we trusted who has become toxic and plainly cruel in his treatment of us.

Despite the stress and never really paying ourselves, I've enjoyed learning water-based screen printing and making garments people actually wear! It's been amazing! As the anti-workshop, we've been able to fund programs for our local IWW, the local tenants union and the local pro-palestine, anti-war committee. That has felt so good.

We've made our space an extremely queer, worker-focused spot for folks to learn the ins and outs of design and printing, which I am so proud of.

We're still here. We're still printing. We need to raise the funds to buy our equipment back by paying off this loan, so we can stop being a DBA of G's co-op and be our own entity again.

Failing that, we'll see what happens.

#sticker club #shaky hands #worker cooperatives #antiworkshop

[veryimportantsparkles]

So the story goes like this: I was trying to name some of my 400+ yet unnamed Wajas and I wanted to name one 'Mistral.' It's a pretty name, it's a .hack character but also just a good wind name. But I needed to be sure I haven't used the name before, so I searched my folders for the word. Sure enough, a plushie in my Gaia folder is already named Mistral. I wound up naming the Waja Mistralina. I'm simply not going to be able to give unique names to literally every png creature I own, there are thousands of them.

But anyways, I was reminded of Mistral, who wasn't even a character. She was an inanimate object. I bought her from a Gaia shoppe that tied into a breedable/changing pet species called 'Llirins.' I don't own any Llirins. Just some of the plushies! That's a key distinction in the way B/C Pets work versus how Mini Shops work. B/C pets are uniquely colored and get certificates that show their name and owner, generally have multiple growth stages and can breed. Those take a lot more time to create and those kind of shops often take a lot of upkeep to track peoples' RP and breeding lineages and all that other stuff. Mini Shops are basically just sales of graphics. It can still be a pet, or it can be a toy, or a potted plant, or a sword. Anything, you buy the right to use a png and usually there's no further involvement between shop and customer. SOMETIMES there are customization options. Usually not. Multiple buyers can buy the same png, like it's a mass produced product.

But y'know, now that I've been reminded of Mistral's existence, I really like her. That's a cute red dog with wing ears. I decided to revamp her, and now she's a living plush. She doesn't grow or breed, and I think I'm going to just call her species a 'dragon' because it's kind of nondescript beyond being a plushie. I've refurbished her into an OC that can walk and talk and have adventures and isn't tied to a dead Gaia shop thread from 2004.

And then to make sure I can draw the design from multiple angles, I put Mistral (red), Miranda (black), and Mirelle (orange) together in a scene. They are sisters! I have a few other Llirin plush in my Gaia folders, but I don't know if I want to do more in this variety. I'll probably move on to something else. But I'm happy with these three!

#doodles #gaia online #spawning new ocs from the notion of imaginary inanimate objects i theoretically own

[georgemrobertson]

A Deep Insight To The Benefits Of Online Shopping

The Internet has opened an all-new array of shopping activities and now most of the shopping is done through the Internet. Now in the current time, many people love online shopping because it has made our life easy. With the help of online shopping, there is no need to leave your home for the shopping. You can do shopping with your smartphone, laptop, tablet, or computer which is connected to the internet from any part of the world. Now with online shopping, you can get the benefits of overseas shopping. You will get the delivery at your described place.

In online shopping, you can get health & beauty products, clothing products, footwear, industrial tools, eating items, or any specific service you need like a plumber, repairman, etc. All these things are possible to find with the help of the Internet. You can find them in your area or far from your location as you like. If you are looking to buy health and beauty products in Australia, check the given link.

Benefits Of Online Shopping

Online shopping is simple and convenient:

This is without a doubt the most significant advantage of shopping online rather than in physical stores. Simply put, regardless of where you are in the world, you have access to the goods and services offered by online stores at any time of day or night. You can place an order at any time, day or night.

The best part is that you can place an order with just a few clicks of the mouse. This is especially important for people who don't have much time and can't afford to spend hours at the mall. Online shopping is sure to help you out if you can't go shopping in a traditional brick-and-mortar store because you have a tiresome work schedule, are a mother with children, or are just housebound!

It's simple to compare prices:

Online shopping is the best way to ensure that you get the most for your money if you are on a tight budget and want to maximize your savings. Simply put, you can compare prices before making a purchase when you shop online. You can always use search engines to compare prices from various vendors if the price comparison engines on most websites do not already exist. You will not only be able to save a significant amount of money by doing this, but you will also feel good about yourself because you will know that you have paid for something truly worth the money!

Most of the time, online stores have lower prices than traditional brick-and-mortar stores do. This is mainly because online stores only have to pay for hosting services, which are much cheaper than paying rent for a real commercial space. In addition, most owners of online businesses lower their product prices and profit margins to increase sales because they are well aware that most (if not all!) due to the advantages associated with pricing, a significant portion of their customers shop online. In addition, the online marketplace is well-known to be a highly competitive market for online stores; as a result, business owners will have difficulty offering the best price-to-quality ratio! If you are looking for an affordable website to buy home and living accessories in Australia then you need to check this website.

Their possibilities are endless:

The sky is the limit when it comes to shopping online, literally! In contrast to traditional live stores, where shelf space is limited, there are no limits to the possibilities. To put it another way, an online store will likely have a much larger selection of products than a physical store, giving you more options. With Internet shopping just a few clicks away, browsing various products has never been easier!

There are fewer marketing stunts to deal with:

There are fewer "purchasing traps" in online stores, as opposed to brick-and-mortar stores, which aim to lure customers into purchasing as many items as possible through attractive price discounts, sales messages, posters, or clever product placements.

To put it another way, online stores are much less likely to try to get you to buy additional items in addition to the ones you are already planning to buy that you neither need nor want. One of the many reasons why customers have decided to give online shopping so much credit lately is that the marketing strategies of online stores typically are less intrusive and more discreet than those of brick-and-mortar stores.

Before putting money into a product, you can look at it:

You can read a variety of customer reviews and testimonials before making an investment of your hard-earned money in a product or service, which is an additional notable advantage of online shopping that is exclusive to online shopping. Simply because they are looking forward to reading other comments and reviews, individuals are typically more than willing to provide an honest and objective review to assist potential buyers. You can now buy with confidence!

Very Private Shopping:

For almost all shoppers, discretion is of the utmost importance, particularly when trying to purchase something very personal or intimate. In some physical stores, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to shop discreetly, and this is especially important if you want to buy lingerie or personal items. Customers frequently feel too ashamed to even enter a live shop, much less make a purchase.

Fortunately, the owners of online stores are well aware of the significance of discretion, and as a result, they guarantee that the products will be shipped in an easy, concise, effective, and private manner. For those who are attempting to purchase adult items, this is also crucial.

Shopping online saves a lot of time:

Last, yet unquestionably not least, with a web-based store you don't have to stand by in line, to adapt to traffic or to convey the shopping sacks with you. You do not need to be concerned about the holiday rush or the raucous and obnoxious individuals who keep blaming the seller or cashier for their actual slowness. You can save a lot of time, money, and effort by shopping online!

How to Make Online Shopping Successful?

Keep your information safe

As the number of cases of identity theft rises, it is in your best interest to safeguard your personal information. Your data is kept safe on secure servers. Privacy and security policies and icons like a gold security lock should be looked for. Before making a purchase, read them.

Check out the Returns Policy

You shouldn't have to pay to send back an item that doesn't fit, but some online retailers don't give you that option. Examine the small print. Lingerie and swimsuits, for example, cannot be returned. Check to see if the return policy is compatible with your purchase strategy.

Learn about the merchant's reputation

There are a growing number of online retailers. Nevertheless, an increasing number of online retailers are ceasing operations. Be aware of the online retailer's reputation before making a significant purchase of clothing from them. Make sure the online retailer will still be around in the future. Visit our website if you are looking for a reputed store. We provide the best online deals in Australia to all our customers.

Have a clear strategy

Think highly of your requirements for online shopping. Make a plan out of your wants and needs. Stay true to this strategy. Avoid the urge to make impulsive purchases. The majority of the time, impulsive purchases result in regret.

#online deals #online shopping

[alotsgonnachange]

Danielle Bio:

Name: Danielle Dupont

Dob: Sept 7th / Virgo

Age: IDK 30 or something

Gender: cisgender woman

Pronouns: She/Her

Sexuality: Bisexual

Height: 5’6

Favorite Food: Espresso, Pain au Chocolat, or a good wheaty ale

Magical Specialties: Eclectic - mostly spells and potions

Familiar: None

MBTI: ENFP-A

Patron Arcana: The Sun

Ethnicity: I made up a country called Korgelsberg which is like France/Luxembourg vibes but with less money

Family: Orphan! Literally no idea!

Ocupation: Sex Shop owner

Love Interest(s): [explosion sounds]

Personality:

Danielle is energetic, charming, and amusing to interact with on a surface level. A saleswoman first and foremost, it’s a front that often doesn’t seem super genuine to some. Once you get to know her better, she’s actually very interested in having deep and philosophical conversations about anything, but particularly science and chemistry and sex. She fancies herself a collector and lives a maximalist life - finding that she often accumulates a growing menagerie of stuff whether it’s useful for her shop or just for her own interests. Despite this, she’s quite organized and deeply values routine. She can lose track of time very easily and is prone to missing or forgetting important things. She feels her emotions very deeply and often copes with this in ways that are less than productive.

Magic overview:

Danielle is something of an eclectic practitioner who specializes in sexual magic. What this consists of can include things as innocuous as candles, lotions, serums, tinctures, and lubricants. On the more complex side, she’ll have sex toys, outfits, tools, and other enhancers that she either makes or orders from vendors. Most of this involves a lot of knowledge of potions, chemistry, spells, and ingredients. She’s mostly self taught and considers herself to constantly be in a state of research. She also dabbles in visual and beautifying magic, along with facilitating intricate self care spells and rituals.

Height and Appearance

Danielle is the shortest, she is probably less than 5’6. She is also the palest. She has good facial structure and is very conventionally attractive, big blue eyes, pouty lips, blonde hair. She tends to wear makeup when she’s out and about. She’s busty and hourglass shaped. her stomach and thighs are chubby and if she gains or loses weight it’s there. She keeps her hair very long and cares for it meticulously to keep it in blonde ringlets. Her hair is like her CHILD ok. Secretly would like to dye it black at some point.

Dirndl style dresses (with and without the cinch like bodice). not super formal. may sometimes wear a scarf over her hair if it’s windy. Not afraid to get dirty but needs to look cute doing it. She has many comfortable dresses in blues, greens, whites and tans. Doesn’t like to wear blacks or purples Or reds.

Abridged Backstory

Danielle was born without any family or ties whatsoever and is unaware of her origins. She spent most of her formative years being bounced from orphanage to orphanage, some good, some bad. She did not have many real parental figures and had many behavioral problems (as one would expect). Once she began exhibiting magical abilities, she found ways to market herself selling flowers and offering services however she could. Unfortunately she spent many years resorting to theft and trickery to survive.

Her first ever job she got as a Busgirl/barmaid at an inn in an area that would resemble switzerland/germany. She would clean up and serve drinks and food and sing along to old Lieder that would often play in the establishment. Eventually her singing was noticed by a patron who offered to teach her lessons and employ her at the Opera house, which she accepted and this would become her first source of real income and security. She relocated and worked at the same performing arts center as Isabella and Ivan (Mutual friend of Isabella and Danielle).

Her time at the Opera house went well at first but she did a bit of self sabotage by being unprofessional and perhaps…breaking up a marriage and eventually called it quits and decided she wanted to go off on her own, much to Isabella’s chagrin. She’s spent most of her life in a semi-nomadic state, picking up knowledge, items, experiences, and hookups. She decided she wanted to open up her own shop at this point. She got in a real relationship but with a literal criminal and got caught up in both an abusive relationship and a crime syndicate which was messy and traumatizing for her, but she managed to escape and throw herself into learning/planning her shop in all of her spare time. However it’s permanently altered her trust, so forming new relationships will be difficult for her.

As A Friend: A good person to have on your side. She’s funny, charming, and ridiculous. She could use people in her life who are good influences and not likely to take advantage of her or make her feel small. She loves giving gifts (which can vary from expensive and rare to “do you want this eggshell???”) and gossip. She tends to ramble, and also would be over the moon if you would just let her talk for 3…or 35 minutes about her magical theories???? You might have to remind her of basic etiquette from time to time, but otherwise she truly means well and cares deeply for her friends. And if someone wrongs you, she is willing to do something VERY illegal to that person.

As A Lover: I’m gonna be so honest she is not for everyone. As a self proclaimed “love witch” and someone who studies sex magic and sells dildos for a living she feels like she intimidates everyone and these days worries about making a move. She fears being vulnerable and experiencing romantic love, but it is something that she wants. I think there will be some communication snags if you pursue her like not as a joke and express that you actually want her. Once there, she’s loyal, doting, and enjoys having someone to share company with even if it’s just doing domestic things.

Top and dominant. She prefers to be in control unless she knows a lover for a very long time or trusts them deeply. Very creative and of course keeps things fun and fresh due to her profession, but if you’d rather just screw without all the fancy stuff, she liked that too! It could also help her to have a long term romantic partner/fwb so she can make real connections and frankly….have better sex.

#danielle #my text

[ivy90com]

WE'VE GOT THE RENEWABLE MATERIALS BACKPACK YOU NEED FOR 49% OFF That's right, savings for you -- right here. At this store, we've reduced prices on our Renewable Materials Backpack, giving you more push to buy. Shop our selection of Women's Backpacks items, now for just $133.49! And if you don't love it, don't sweat it. We have you covered with our commitment to 100% satisfaction, backed by our easy return policy. This offer (and inventory) won't last forever, though. Buy today! RENEWABLE MATERIALS BACKPACK DETAILS Capacity: Below 20 liter Lining Material: Polyester Closure Type: Zipper & Hasp Gender: Women That’s an offer you don’t want to miss out on because nothing lasts forever! ADD TO CART the product variation you want, and become a happy owner! PRODUCT QUESTIONS & ANSWERS I got a question about the Color and Ships From. Is this all the options I have? You can see all available product variations right in the description of our Renewable Materials Backpack, so you’re welcome to choose any! Are the colors real? All the colors shown on the pictures of our Renewable Materials Backpack are real. However, keep it in mind that the exact shade you see on your screen depends on your device specifications and other technical factors. Do any extra fees apply? When placing an order, you can see the final price of the item including all the fees. So, after you have confirmed the order, no additional fees are charged. Why does it only cost $133.49? We have done everything possible to cut down the prices for our Women's Backpacks category and we are glad to know that they seem low enough. If I shared my opinion about your Coffee Grounds And Cork, wouldn’t you mind? We always welcome your initiative! So if you have anything to say about your new Renewable Materials Backpack, feel free to write a review. Do you mind if I post a photo of your product on Facebook or Instagram? You can freely share the photos of our products. Moreover, we’d be happy if you did. ORDERING & STORE POLICIES I want to send this item to someone else. So can you deliver to this person’s address? The buyer and the addressee don't have to match, so we can deliver your package to any place you’ll indicate. Thank you. Do I have to order only one product at a time? In other words, what if I need to buy more? We put no limitations on the quantity of products in one order as long as there are enough of them in stock. So you're good to go! I like the Coffee Grounds And Cork. Please tell me how to place an order? Choose the product variation you’d prefer and press the ADD TO CART button. Next, fill in your contact details and make your payment as per the instructions. That’s it! Using your order details, we’ll assemble and send the necessary package to you. How many of these do you have in stock? The number of these items in stock goes down every day as this is quite a demanded offer. However, there should be enough products for you to buy in case you place your order today. Can I find the same Coffee Grounds And Cork in a regular store? Offline stores offer a more limited product range in terms of the available variations. Moreover, they are likely to set higher prices on the same Coffee Grounds And Cork. Why should I buy from you? Because other shops sell similar products. It’s our top priority to provide you with the items of the highest quality and first-class customer service. https://ivy90.com/the-renewable-materials-backpack-is-made-from-coffee-grounds-and-cork/?feed_id=100&_unique_id=661be0ac005b0

[sminiac]

hello i love reading ur bf!xikers 🫶

i wanted to ask if u can write bf!seeun?

if requests are closed just ignore this ask😅

💌 — Oh my gosh I’m so glad! Of course, I gotchu!!! <3 (Y’all don’t understand how geeked I get receiving reqs, like I’m literally rolling around on the ground every time a new one comes in like a dog in grass)

Bf!Seeun who loves pretending to be a stranger that’s attempting to— and failing miserably at flirting with you just to see how you’d handle the situation. He’ll get these random and sudden bursts of inspiration for a new ‘scene’ that he’s hurriedly jotting down before the thought dwindles into smoke and slips from his grasp, then whenever he sees you next he’s whipping out his notes and “Okay babe, how about this.” He’s so cute, gets so serious about it, but at times he’ll catch himself giggling at your answers if they’re syrupy sweet, “Ahhh cute!” You can hear his voice in your noggin, can’t you? and now you can’t seem to get his hands off of you.

Ex: At some point this becomes a running joke in the dorm, the boys even jump in to help you deconstruct the question at hand and map out what the most effective yet petty method there is to satisfy your silly boyfriend, they’d even critique you on your answers 😭 “He’d want you to be more blunt.” “Maybe throw in a good grimace, yeah! Like that!” “Mm, be a little more mean, that guy doesn’t seem nice.” and you’re like: “Who doesn’t seem nice??? This is still Seeun talking????”

Bf!Seeun who is so a: “But Y/n said” type of boyfriend, and it’s never anything you’ve explicitly told him to do or to not do, it’s simply suggestions to help keep his health in check, or what skincare products to avoid, nevertheless he’s still— “Sorry, Y/n told me I need to go to sleep earlier tonight.” Whenever he’s asked to hangout with a few of his members, and “Y/n said that you shouldn’t mix those two serums together or it’ll irritate your skin.” Basically unsolicited advice, but you always know what’s good for him, wouldn’t it be unfair to keep your helpful tips all to himself? When him and his members are out shopping he’s always, “Y/n said those weren’t the best quality, I wouldn’t waste my money.” And it’s always so casual, just rolls right off his tongue without any forethought, the boys would get a good giggle out of it but almost always take his word for it because Seeun’s Y/n just knows best.

Bf!Seeun who I feel like loves having matching clothes/accessories! Like whenever he’s looking to buy a lil something for himself he’s always looking to buy a lil something for you too, and it’s always the exact same pieces. Does it every time he’s going abroad so that you’ll ’remember’ you have a very sweet boyfriend, as if you’d ever forget?? he’d be so annoying it’s so cute🤭

Ex: Seeun is a proud owner of those custom “I ❤️ my girlfriend” shirts, and he isn’t afraid to wear it in public!! he’s always making sure to pack it whenever he’s catching a flight just in case these girls try something. I feel like he’d also love those cute bff necklaces/bracelets, like the ones they sell at Claire’s yk? Would unironically wear it, showing it off any chance he gets.

Bf!Seeun who would repeatedly be found cuddled up to you in his bed during the mornings before the two of you were officially together by a handful of his members, and for the longest time he swore that the two of you weren’t a thing, stupidly the 9 all believed it to be true, not having the capacity to doubt him for a second, because they’re busy people, that was until they filmed the video in their dorm where everyone was being exceptionally annoying in attempts to wake all of the members up, and naturally he let his guard down when they decided to wake you next, and being startled out of your sleep by their loud noises and flashing lights surely couldn’t be enjoyable. Sweet boy, he didn’t have the heart to let you continue being scared, especially if you’re sensitive to loud sounds, forgetting that there was cameras set up and recording he quickly went to you, notably dramatic as he pulled your head gently into his chest, pecking small kisses into your hair, he had turned to look over his shoulder to scold the boys into silence, except it wasn’t his complaints that made them comply, it was that Seeun just kissed you? on the head? Seeun was holding you, comforting you, in his bed?

Ex: They realized soon after, because sure Seeun can be affectionate, but not quite like that. When they all got over the initial shock that Seeun does in fact have a partner the members were all quick to apologize, acknowledging that you were still new to being around them and they should’ve left you out of their chaos, they were all incredibly relieved to know that you weren’t terrified but merely jumped when they suddenly bursted back into the room and that Seeun was just being overly protective :,) Yujun will never let this go though, because of all people, he didn’t know?

Bf!Seeun who is always figuring out new ways to go about showing his love for you :(

Words of affirmation? With him you learn to find the sweetness in his simplicity, i think the feelings would be much too complicated and big to put exactly into words that he becomes overwhelmed it, sweet boy just adores you so much :( and it would take a while for you to realize, but once you become more familiar with eachother you’re always “awww🥹” when he’s just simply running the pads of his fingers softly under your chin, or he’s wrapping his arms around you, head moving to rest in the dip of your shoulder, nuzzling at you with this warm feeling spreading throughout his chest that he physically can’t stop himself from clinging to you.

Acts of service? Absolutely, the type to throw your towel in the dryer so it’ll be nice and warm when you come out of the shower/bath. This might also be completely random but bear with me, you know how some public restrooms have really unreliable locks? He’s so willing to be on door duty for you if you’re feeling a little wary, and he takes it very seriously, isn’t shy about telling people “My girlfriend’s in there, sorry!” Like he’s just so trustworthy 😭

Gift giving? Sometimes he goes out of his way to buy you the most atrocious, silly looking plushies and he thinks that he’s so hilarious for it, can’t stop giggling when he hands it to you. But he’s also always on the hunt for those cute Sanrio ones too, the type to not really know a lot about it but if he sees a familiar character he’s like “Y/n knows that one” and is so quick to buy it.

Quality time? When I think of Seeun the thought of him having the habit of following you everywhere pops up, like he’s so “where you going?” Every time you get up, so quick to follow you even if he doesn’t know where you’re headed, he’s so cute just silently trailing behind you, especially with his height I’m tearing up. Loves sitting in the bathroom with you while you shower, sometimes busied by whatever it is that’s on his phone, but I feel like he’d rather sit and talk to you, making you laugh, it’s hard to not get soap in your eyes when he’s distracting you by trying to be funny.

Physical touch? He loves hugging you from behind, such a cozy feeling, long arms draped loosely over your shoulders, chin resting on the crown of your head if the height difference calls for it. I feel like he’d have a habit of holding your finger, STOP because it’s such a small thing of him to do, like you walking in public with this tall, stoic looking guy cutely holding onto your finger with all 5 of his 😣 also head pats!! whenever you’re talking, cuddling, coming up to him for a hug he’s always gently patting at your head, soft subconscious smile on his face when you start talking :(

#bf!xikers #park seeun #park seeun x reader #park seeun imagines #park seeun fluff #xikers park seeun #xikers seeun #xikers seeun x reader #xikers x reader #xikers imagines #xikers

[witchern]

book recommendation time!! ✨

"blood in the machine: the origins of the rebellion against big tech" by brian merchant. tells the story of the luddites in early 19th-century england and how they rose up and literally smashed the machines that were taking their jobs away.

there's a whole like 5 pages i wanna quote to entice y'all but i'll just cut it down to these paragraphs that are sooo validating to read in print that they gave me heart palpitations:

Imagine dedicating years of your life to learn a difficult job that was supposed to guarantee you a good living – playing by the rules, you might say; going to school, learning a trade, investing incredible volumes of time and resources to obtain a modest level of station and security – only to realize that the deal was suddenly void. Your faith in systems working as intended would be as broken as a hammer-smashed frame.

Now, you do not know if, when, or how your job will vanish altogether, along with your identity. Imagine not having any other realistic options. What you did know was that someone else, with advantages you did not have, could suddenly acquire new technologies that would allow them to reorganize those rules for their benefit.

[...]

Maybe you don't even need to imagine this, because you live in the twenty-first century and have seen a corporation, a platform, or a manager use technology to rewrite the social contract that once defined your own job. Maybe you are a cab driver who saved up years to own your car and medallion, who knows miles of city streets as if they were your own backyard, only to have Uber show up on the scene, undercut prices with its store of venture capital and its algorithmic management system, and render your investment worthless. Or maybe you have worked for years as a salesperson, acquiring contacts and relationships with vendors, only to see your company introduce an automated portal that performs most of your role. Or maybe you are a writer or an artist who was let go from the digital media company that published your work, just as the outlet announced it would begin using AI to generate content. Or maybe you are a warehouse worker dependent on the job to pay rent for your family, and you are hustling to keep up with the array of robots on the shop floor. Maybe you are a truck driver who has trained yourself to weather the endless stretches of highway, and now you are reading about an autonomous big rig that drove itself from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.

Maybe you've just spent years in high school and college, studying and working around the clock to get good grades and to pad out your resume, yet the only jobs you seem to be able to find after graduation are benefits-free contract work through online temp agencies or gig apps.

[...]

Workers have been told for centuries that this process is normal, even morally good, because it will benefit society in the long run by making some products cheaper and more plentiful. [...] A craftsman could walk by the building where his work had been relocated to be done by a machine, while he might be hungry and the factory owner was getting richer. [...] There was no negotiation involved in this transfer of earning power, and to the worker it looked a lot like theft.

#*t #unionize your workplace / fuck AI / power to the people / etc etc #what's the address for chatGPT's headquarters bc i'll head over there right now with a sledgehammer and a box of matches

[aboutmilsekfurniturepolish]

​WHY PURCHASING FURNITURE POLISH ONLINE IS THE SMART OPTION

When it comes to enhancing your home, one of the biggest choices you'll make is buying furnishings. Furnishings polish not just adds functionality to space however likewise sets the tone and style of your home. With the surge of shopping, purchasing furniture polish online has come to be progressively popular. Gone are the days of going to several shops and spending hours searching for the ideal item. In this article, we will check out the advantages of purchasing furniture polish online and why it is the smart selection for contemporary house owners.

One of the greatest advantages of purchasing furnishings polish online is the convenience it provides. With just a few clicks, you can check out a variety of furnishings alternatives from the comfort of your own home. You no more need to invest hours driving from shop to shop, dealing with website traffic and car parking. The Milsek furniture polish buying permits you to save time and energy that can be much better spent on other tasks or tasks.

One more essential benefit of acquiring furniture polish online is the considerable option readily available. On the internet sellers have a much bigger supply compared to physical shops. This suggests you have accessibility to a vast array of styles, designs, and materials. Whether you're searching for a classic couch or a modern-day eating collection, you're sure to discover exactly what you require online. Furthermore, most online shops provide thorough item summaries, specs, and consumer testimonials to help you make an educated decision.

Price contrast is one more advantage of acquiring furniture polish online. With just a couple of clicks, you can conveniently contrast prices from various sellers, allowing you to locate the very best deal. Online retailers often use price cuts and promos, which can better minimize the expense of the furniture. In addition, many on-line shops supply complimentary delivery or distribution options, conserving you a lot more money. You can get the best Furniture Polish solutions on this page.

One problem that people usually have when acquiring furniture polish online is the inability to see and touch the product before buying. Nonetheless, reliable on the internet furniture polish shops usually offer high-grade pictures from multiple angles, in addition to detailed product dimensions. Some even provide online reality or augmented truth devices that enable you to imagine just how the furnishings will certainly look in your home. In situation you're not pleased with your acquisition, many on the internet retailers have adaptable return plans and excellent customer support.

To conclude, getting furnishings polish online uses many advantages, including comfort, a broad option, affordable rates, and problem-free buying. The capacity to contrast costs and review consumer testimonials enables you to make enlightened choices and locate the very best deal. While it's true that you can't literally evaluate the furniture before getting, the thorough item summaries and online visualization devices assist bridge that void. So, if you're seeking to equip your home, why rule out purchasing furniture online? It's a smart option that allows you to save time, energy, and cash without compromising on style and high quality. Education is a never ending process, so continue reading here: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furniture.

[darrendigitalgenetics]

WHY HIRE A FILIPINO VIRTUAL ASSISTANT

Outsourcing Virtual Assistants in the Philippines

Filipino VAs have characteristics and skills that make them unique and suitable to outsourced roles. As a result, the Philippines is one of the top VA providers in the outsourcing business. You will benefit from the following attributes if you engage a dedicated VA from the Philippines.

Hiring a virtual assistant from the Philippines will change your life.

This may sound like an exaggeration, but it’s not.

Entrepreneurs, startup founders, and small business owners spend countless hours on low-value and no-value activities. Estimates vary, but one business coaching firm studied time management and discovered that more than 30% of a business owner’s time is spent on low-value and no-value activities.

This means that during a typical 40-hour workweek, you spend 2.4 hours per day on tasks that someone else could easily do for you.

What would you do if you had two to three extra hours per day?

Would you spend time perfecting your product or service?

Would you teach your current employees skills to help them be more successful in their roles?

Would you take a yoga class or join a community service organization?

Would you coach your six-year-old’s basketball team?

When you sign up for a virtual assistant service, you can improve your sales, employee satisfaction ratings, health, and personal relationships all at the same time.

Do I Need a Virtual Assistant From the Philippines?

Feeling overwhelmed? Drowning in busywork? If the answer is yes, you’re like many other workers. Most knowledge workers find most of their day gets eaten up by low-value tasks, including:

Emails

Meetings (both important and nonessential)

Administrative tasks

Interruptions for nonessential tasks

Whether you’re the founder of an ecommerce shop or CEO of a consulting firm, outsourcing some of your work to VAs can save you hours and enable you to use that time for higher-value tasks.

VAs from the Philippines are particularly popular with business owners. Google “virtual assistant Philippines” and you will find pages of businesses that provide access to VAs in the country.

What are the Benefits of Hiring Virtual Assistants in the Philippines?

A strong work ethic, advanced English, and high education standards are some of the top benefits of hiring virtual assistants from the Philippines.

If you’re unsure as to why Filipino virtual assistants are so popular, here are five benefits.

1. Filipino virtual assistants are well-educated

In the Philippines, the literacy rate reached 99.27% in 2021.

Even more impressive? Filipinos aren’t just literate but college educated. Since 2017, college has been free to all Filipino students, and much of the population has taken advantage of this opportunity.

2. More than 90% of the Philippine population speaks English

The Philippines is the third largest English-speaking country in the world.

There are two official languages in the Philippines, Filipino and English. While the Philippines is very linguistically diverse, English is taught in schools from a young age because it’s used in government and business. As a result, the standard of English is very high.

3. Filipino virtual assistants have experience working with U.S companies

The BPO industry in the Philippines currently employs 1.44 million full-time employees and recorded $29.1 billion in revenue in the first half of 2022. This accounts for at least 7% of the Philippine economy.

4. Executives are impressed by their strong work ethic

One of the main reasons that the Philippines is so popular with BPO companies is because of the Filipino work ethic. A strong work ethic and a dedication to one’s employer are part of the national culture.

Managed virtual assistant companies usually have both full-time and part-time employees available to work in several time zones. Given their strong work ethic, remote work isn’t a problem either –– you can trust them to complete tasks on time.

5. Filipino virtual assistants are a cost-effective solution

VAs from the Philippines usually have much lower hourly rates than virtual assistants from Europe or the US. You won’t need to supply office equipment or desk space as you would with an in-person executive assistant either.

Plus, you can reinvest all the time you save back into your business.

#filipino virtual assistant #virtual assistant #virtualassistanceservices

[nbmsports]

'They are holding £15,000 - I basically can't afford food': Etsy sellers claim platform is imposing 75% reserves on their sales | Business News

Etsy, the global online marketplace used by millions, is facing claims from sellers it has been withholding thousands of pounds from small businesses by imposing reserves on accounts that take 75% of sellers' income for 45 days with no warning.Sellers say the company is retaining their income with little care for how it will affect families in a cost of living crisis. Pietra (her surname is not used for fear Etsy will shut her account), a Miami-based Etsy seller, told Sky News she has more than $20,000 (£15,463) held in two of her accounts in an enforced reserve that she is unable to access.

Image: Dan from Aylesbury runs a furniture business through Etsy Since 2015 she has designed wedding favours to sell on the platform full-time, balancing work with being a single mum.Her business was taking in more than $30,000 (£23,195) per month in orders. From that total, once production and shipping costs are removed, she is left with $8,000 (£6,185) profit. But after a reserve was placed on her account on May 18, she saw her income drop to just $444 (£343) in June."It's insane that in a two-month period my whole life went to hell because of this," she said. "They're holding $20,000 (£15,000) of mine, and I basically can't buy food."I've just reached two months of my rent being late and I've maxed out two credit cards, one for $5,000 (£3,800) the other for $6,000 (£4,600). It's been close to impossible to get out of bed."

Image: Dan says his business was going from strength to strength until a reserve was imposed on his account 'We haven't been able to pay bills' Dan (his surname is not used for fear Etsy will shut his account), from Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, runs a furniture business through Etsy which was going from strength to strength until a reserve was imposed on his account on June 14 without any warning."We currently have over £5,000 in reserve and it just seems to keep growing. We haven't been able to pay bills and this is our only source of income."There have been times this month when we literally do not know how we can keep the business going and our family fed because the items take a long time to make, have high material costs and Etsy are holding all of our funds, so we can't actually begin to make them when orders come in."

Image: Dan says he has around £5,000 in reserve with Etsy 'I've had to retrain'Anthony Whitworth, from Tadcaster in North Yorkshire, owns Etsy shop The Bizzy Box and is ranked in the UK's top three Etsy sellers.He's been running a thriving business for seven years through the online marketplace which has enabled him to make a good living whilst supporting his wife who has Multiple Sclerosis.His business pays Etsy over £35,000 in fees per year and has a 5-star rating from more than 63,500 sales, but since May his account has been put into reserve swallowing his income."I've had to retrain as a locksmith just to make enough money to keep things ticking over since May and in case Etsy goes seriously downhill in the long run."'Quite shocking'The Small Business Commissioner Liz Barclay told Sky News that over the past few months she has received a rising number of complaints from small business owners that online platforms are holding their money in reserves for a longer period of time than they previously did."Up until now, we have been hearing of online platforms withholding smaller amounts of money. This is the first time I've heard 75% being withheld in reserves and that is quite shocking."

Image: Etsy has a "purchase protection programme" which enables a customer to easily apply for a refund "These small suppliers are the lifeblood and the talent that drives your business success. They need to be paid as quickly as possible or they may go to the wall."Ms Barclay said the government has no jurisdiction over online selling platforms such as Etsy, which are not UK companies.She said the government is reviewing the tools it has to help small businesses get paid faster with a report expected to be published in Autumn.Read more from Sky News: Amazon to cut 9,000 jobs in its cloud services Thousands of small businesses face 'tough decisions'An Etsy spokesperson said: "Etsy Purchase Protection is designed to protect both buyers and sellers as Etsy covers the cost of refunds for all eligible orders; since launching last year, we have received positive feedback around this program."And while we understand that payment reserves can cause short-term disruptions to a seller's payment schedule, these temporary holds are common practice across marketplaces."'I'm worried I'll lose lots of sales'Sky News understands Etsy began using payment reserves in 2021.Reserves are not uncommon amongst seller platforms.Sellers who have been on Amazon for over a year and have processed at least 100 orders will have 3% of their daily payments held in a reserve for the purpose of covering transaction disputes.In comparison, Etsy sellers have shown evidence to Sky News that whilst in a "reserve", 75% of the amount they receive from orders is unavailable to them for 45 days or until they have provided tracking proof. Spreaker This content is provided by Spreaker, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Spreaker cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options. Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Spreaker cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Spreaker cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcastsThis means the money needed to pay for the product and ship it out is not received until after it is made and shipped.A lot of sellers don't want to force their customers to pay for tracked shipping because international tracking can rack up a huge cost.Steen Ross, from Norwich, has £1,800 held in a reserve on her Etsy account.She has sold custom costumes to a largely American customer base on Etsy for a decade and relies on her Etsy income to pay rent."Most of my sales go to America and about 90% of people don't want to pay the additional cost of tracking because it's so expensive, they are happy for me to just provide proof of postage."I'm worried that if I raise prices to include tracking, I'll lose a lot of sales, but if I don't Etsy won't release funds from my reserve before 45 days."Etsy's purchase protection programmeIn June 2022, Etsy introduced a new "purchase protection programme" which enables a customer to easily apply for a refund if they claim their item is lost or stolen.Since then, Pietra, Steen Ross and Dan claim they have experienced no-challenge refunds, where funds appear to automatically leave their reserve when a claim is made.These complaints have been echoed by hundreds of people online tweeting Etsy's CEO John Silverman and a Facebook group 'Etsy Reserve Strike' has been set up in the last month to organise a strike amongst sellers. Etsy has almost 90 million buyers worldwide and about 6 million sellers but last year, for the first time since 2012, Etsy experienced a fall in its number of users and sellers.Mr Silverman has dropped $24.4m (£18.7m) of his shares in the company since the beginning of February.As of 10 July, Etsy's share price sat at $85.83 (£65.56) compared to the all-time high share price of $297 in 2021. Source link Read the full article