#like i’m sure a $20 bust is great for you but it’s really not great for the artist

[not-those-kids]

please tip artists who are very clearly underselling their work

#i keep seeing ppl sell very detailed busts for like #20 bucks #and it’s very good artwork that i’m sure takes longer than their prices reflect #like i’m sure a $20 bust is great for you but it’s really not great for the artist #and they would charge more if ppl were more willing to pay more into art

[potentialguybodyswaps]

Body Exchange Program Part 1:

It all started with an app service called the Body Exchange Program, or B.E.P. For short

The concept of the app was to make a way for people to experience different types of lives, and it did just that. By swapping 2 peoples body’s

Of course it charged a small fee tho, however nothing too extravagant, just 100 dollars, pretty cheep compared to flying or driving somewhere else in the world for a vacation…

I was your typical skater boi, skinny as fuck, 4pack abs, but faint, really only had them cause I’d be too high to remember to eat, oh did a mention a stoner haha? Vaped, even had a bunch of different colored wristbands I’d wear all the time.

Growing up was kinda boring in my small town, nothing really to do besides skate around town and get High with my friends, which I was perfectly fine with, until I discovered I could have more

When the internet first discovered this app, the world went crazy, and I could see why, a lot of out of pocket swaps that you really wouldn’t think were Consensual like 50 year old bears swapping with 20 year old twinks started happening, really strange when those same duos decided to change from the temporary option to permanent, which both accounts would have to go into there settings and select.

My story starts shortly after I made my account and Input all the typical information you would as if goin on a dating website, with a couple extreme questions for your account, like dick size, kinks, ideal body swap

Account summary:

Tanner:

Age: 18

height: 5’10

weight: 135

Location: Kansas

Penis size: 5.5 inches

Kinks: body swaps (duh?)

Ideal Bodyswap: city boy, college, fit

Interests: smoking pot and skateboarding with friends

End summary.

The next day, when I woke up a received a notification at like 2 AM from someone that was a 100% match… not hard when you have such a short requirement list, wanting to do a 72 hour switch for the weekend

It was from some guy named Kyle with a summary of his account

Kyle:

Age: 21

Height 6’2

Weight: 195

Location:Florida State

Penis size: 8 inches

Kinks: anal, Asian chicks, Bodyswaps

Ideal Bodyswap: country/small town, stoners , people with fun lives

Interests: working out, fucking, drinking

Not seeing a picture or anything I decided to just press accept… I mean after all Kyle fit all my Criteria, bear minimal I could hope for is he isn’t ugly or fat, but since he’s interested in working out, and fucking, he’s gotta be some sort of catch, and boy was I right

The moment I pressed accept a 15 second timer started warning me to prepare myself, so I sat down… but that still didn’t prepare me for what was waiting on the other side

I snapped back to consciousness to me suddenly flexing my muscles in front of a mirror

“Wow I’m a walking cliche” I said outloud, of course a gym rat would be wearing a wife beater and checking himself out in the mirror lol. but I can understand why, I look fucking great. I said to myself while continuing to flex, normally I wouldn’t cause a bag of bones like me had nothing to flex, but now that I do…. Well… you know what they say, when I’m Rome

At that point I started spouting off random shit just to hear myself talked, I found my new deeper voice amusing

After a short time of making poses and just making faces in the mirror taking in my new alpha jock boy look, I receive a messaged from my old account

Tanner(really Kyle): hey bro, thanks for swapping with me, you’re kinda a bit scrawnier than I expected but at 135, idk what I should have expected haha. Anyways like I said thanks, I kinda just want to take a break from the way I party all the time, kinda hard to get and smoke weed around there without getting busted by cops or ratted out on by some of the basic bitches there…

Kyle (really tanner) it’s all good man, ya I really just wanted to get that college experience for a bit, go to some parties myself haha, I’ll be sure to keep up that reputation you clearly have haha. And ya, I know I’m scrawny, hence why I wanted to swap with someone fit, anything I should know about?

Tanner: ya, when you go to a party and the bitches try to get with you, try not to get hard untill it’s time to lay it down, otherwise my dick kinda hurts from being restrained in my pants, and the bulge is very noticeable too when it happens… guess I’m also curious what having a average dick is like, weird that I can’t swing it anymore

Kyle: thanks for the tip

I immediately closed out the app and proceeded to tear my shorts down at the speed of which you’d think someone was about to get assaulted, and they/it was about to get assaulted by my hand

“Jesus Christ” I said shaking to the left and right, I can actively smack myself with my dick, that’s so cool bro…

I started going though his texts, with my hand slowly stroking my new huge rod, untill I found a recent text from some chick that invited me to a party, scrolling up though it I saw her nudes she had sent Kyle before

My semi grew into a full on hard on and at that point I had to use all 8 inches of my glory, right?

After I busted a nut I left the mess on me and sent her a picture of it saying “can’t wait to see you”

When I showed up to the party I was immediately greeted with a budlight platinum, and was surrounded by friends/other party goers who new me

After having 6 beers, shit talkin with the new homies and trying not to blow my cover, that I’m not really Kyle, I finally saw the chick I was texting earlier and once we made eye contact, she made a jerkin motion with her head to the stairs, which she then went up.

Feelin a hardon starting to come, I quickly let my friends know I had to go, and rushed up the stairs, once I broke out of the group I could hear one shout “ya right, your going to fuck Jessica aren’t you!?” I turn around walking backwards and yell “fuck ya bro” as I corrected myself and bolted up the stairs

Once I found what room she was in, she was already naked, bent over, hands tied to the bed post with a ball gag in her mouth, she clearly knew what this guy liked, and not wanting to cause suspicion, I went with it

Climbing onto the bed I dropped my pants and spit onto my dick, sliding it into her ass, i came here to fuck, and fucking the dog shit out of her is what I was gonna do.

After that night I knew I couldn’t give this life up. Drunkenly checking the settings of the app I saw it, the make permanent switch

I clicked it and it sent me a message sayin waiting for the other swapper to agree

No way in hell was he gonna agree to keep my twinky body and lose almost 3 inches… “FUCK how can I make this permanent” I thought to myself

Rereading our messages it hit me, I’m signed in as him, all I have to do is sign into my account and accept, I mean it’s like 3 A.M, no way is he up/received this yet

So that’s what I do, moment I agreed to make permanent, my dick got rock hard at the fact that this is how ima always be now, college city boy, big dick alpha jock, could I have even asked for a better combo!

Next morning I got a message from Kyle from his account, he must have signed into his account since I signed him out of mine

Kyle: aye bro you ready to swap back yet? I kinda got caught smoking pot at the park in your body and got arrested, your other stoner friends bailed me out bro…

Tanner: dam that sucks bro, too bad it’s not a me problem tho

Kyle, how is it not a you problem? I kinda fucked up and I’m sorry bro

Tanner:cause, it’s your body now, the swap is permanent, check the settings

Kyle: …..

Kyle: wtf bro this isn’t what I asked for, I just wanted to smoke some pot and maybe not have such painful erections when my jeans can barely hold my dick for a bit

Tanner: good then bro, glad your happy you got what you wanted, I’m happy too, this body is fucking rad my guy, I don’t know why you’d give it up, I typed gaslighting the fuck out of him

Kyle: idk how you did it, but I know I didn’t agree to a permanent swap, my default setting is temporary and I don’t accept random permanent requests… nor would I send one

Tanner: oh but you did ;)

Kyle: just wait till I contact support, I hope they put you in the body of a fat old man for punishment. Rot in hell asshole

Edit: sorry for another fucking mini Novel basically lol

I’d like to give @tfstation a special thank you for letting me use one of his old story concepts (the concept of BEP, not the actual story, I wrote that) anyways lemme know what y’all think!!!!

[zimthandmade]

Sincerely curious! Since the kids in your AU have families and communities to go home to who know who they are, why the aliases at Wammys? Also - how did their parents react when Mello and Matt left for LA?

Ohh you're opening a book here haha I’m trying to answer as compactly as I can.

About my concept of Wammy’s, just so we’re on the same page: Instead of an orphanage for highly gifted children to become L‘s successors, Wammy‘s is a special boarding school for "twice exeptional“ children. They specialise in the education of intellectually gifted children with learning difficulties that are not able to fully unfold their capacities in a traditional school environment due to mental disorders such as Autism or ADHD or other issues. It‘s a tiny school, and probably the only one of this kind in the whole UK, with a maximum capacity of 60 students with approx. 20 teachers. L is still involved here but only really takes action on the best of the best. For the other kids, he’s more like a fun urban legend in Wammy’s and his name doesn’t hover above the kids as this unreachable and downright depressing entity everyone is so eager to surpass. No, these kids are just trying to live their lives.

About the aliases: Wammy‘s has kids from all walks of life from all kinds of different ethnicities and backgrounds. Multilingualism is absolutely common there. Many have difficult family relationships and have had a troublesome life. So, I think there's a high percentage of kids from immigrant families at Wammy’s, that maybe have names that are a little difficult to pronounce or have great potential for bullying and that’s Wammy’s way of tackling this? Or maybe Wammy’s sees this as a way for kids to practice self-expression? Maybe they’re just trying to get them all used to having to work with fake names, since L has his eyes on them to maybe one day replace him? Maybe it’s just a poorly executed gamification of daily life for kids that have it hard enough already? Like a neat little game of “How well can you keep something that should be easy to find out hidden from eveyone else”? And you know what the kicker is? The kids absolutely own this game. I’m not saying that Wammy’s is doing any good with their methods in my AU but at least they’re TRYING to offer the kids there some life quality (canon Wammy’s is a hellhole, let’s be real here). I’m pretty sure that the parents are advised to not use their kids real name on campus to not ruin that whole concept and they even go so far that they have seperate, relatively secluded parking places where parents can pick up their kids a little more discreetly. These are all pretty weak explanations in my opinion. But, you know, real life is sometimes stupid and boring too and things don’t always have to make sense. Or do you have a logical explanation to the alias conundrum? I’m grateful for any food of thoughts!

And about how their parents reacted when they left: Before his death, L suspected that some students from Wammy‘s House might pick up on his work on the Kira case. To protect their identities in case of his passing, he made arrangements for the families of the most likely candidates (namely Near, Mello and Matt but also some other kids) to be put in a witness protection programme asap. Overnight, the families were kidnapped, questioned, everyone was confused as hell and the agents could only tell them that their kid was "involved in a potentially compromising international crime busting whatever“. They just vanished and are now living in a different country under different names etc. They didn’t even get a chance to see their kid one more time. The authorities are still searching for Nikola (Mellos dad). Ivanka (Mellos mom) threw a massive tantrum and had several mental breakdowns at the news of her son being involved in serious criminal activities and even called Nikola (highly unusual, as they never ever have contact, ever!) in a moment of absolute despair and ranted about his bad influence on the boy. Ana and Jakov (Mellos siblings) couldn’t give two shits about Mello anyways and are more scared and angry about the whole situation now than they are worried about him. Chris (Matts dad) just hears “crime” and goes full “this is all my fault”-mode blaming himself for not being there for Matt enough. All of his optimism is suddenly out the window. Matt is such a weakspot for Chris, its heartbreaking. I’m gonna expand on that in a seperate little story about Matt and Chris’ life before Wammy’s. It’s gonna be adorable, promise.

Phew. Thanks for asking, taking the time to read and understand. Love you all <3

----

Mellos family | Matts family

#ask #death note #headcanon #au #wammys house #matt #mello #near #mihael keehl #mail jeevas #nate river #wammy boys #wammys boys #wammy kids #wammy's house #dn au 2.0

[jamdoughnutmagician]

Movie date?

Steve Harrington x Female Reader (Fluff)

Word Count:562 (short I know sorry.)

Warnings:Just some badly written fluff I guess?

Authour’s Note:I wanted to challenge myself by writing something that was on the fluffier side of things and I honestly found this so difficult. Not my best writing, but here it is nonetheless.

MASTERLIST

“Y’know, if you asked her out she’d probably say yes” Robin said as she nudged Steve with her elbow to get his attention.

“Huh?” 

"That girl you've been staring at for the past 10 minutes" she said as if it was obvious.

"I wasn't staring." Steve said defensively. 

Busted. And by Robin no less.

He knew that he recognised you, but he just couldn’t place you. All he knew was that he thought that you were cute.

"Uh-huh, you keep telling yourself that, Steve" Robin teases with a pat on his back "All I'm saying is that she's been here eight times this month, and she spends 20 minutes looking at all the tapes on the shelf only just to rent the same tape she's been renting for last eight times she's been here."

"Nothing wrong with having a favourite film, Rob" Steve points out.

"I'm not saying there is, but I've been watching her-"

"Oh! And I'm the one who's staring?" Steve throws back.

"-Shut up, Dingus. As I was saying, she only ever checks out her tapes when you're behind the counter. Her name’s y/n, she’s nice." Robin explains.

“Wait, you know her?” Steve asks.

“Yeah, she’s in band with me, she asks about you a lot, you know.” 

Yes! That was it! You were in the school’s band. You were in the year below him when he was graduating. 

“Steve, Footloose isn’t that good of a movie. I don’t know why, but for some weird reason, that girl is into you, I’m sure of it.”  

Steve chances a look over Robin’s shoulder, to see you. Steve’s eyes flick over and suddenly his gaze catches your eyes, before  you look away with a slight look of embarrassment at having been caught looking at him.

“Ask the girl on a date, Steve, otherwise all this pining might actually kill you.” Robin jokes.

Robin walks away just as you’re walking up to the counter with your video in your hand.

“Footloose again, huh?” Steve winces at his awful attempt at small talk. What happened to him? He used to be good at flirting. What was it about this girl that turned his brain to mush and had him grasping for the right words?

“Yeah I just really like this movie I guess?” you chuckle.

“I noticed. You come here a lot and you always pick it out. Not that I’m like watching you or anything, I swear.” He cringes. “That came out really creepy, didn’t it?” He laughs, fighting the blush that’s rising to his cheeks.

“Maybe a little, but I don’t mind.” You offer with a smile.

Steve huffs out a breath to calm his nerves before he thinks over what he’s about to say to you.

“Look, maybe I’m reading this situation all wrong, and I know we’ve never really talked to each other and I could be a complete dork for asking this, but can I take you out sometime?” His honey brown eyes look to you hopefully.

“Sure! My name’s y/n, in case you were wondering, Harrington” You can’t help but gently tease him.

“I know you like movies, how does the drive-in theatre sound? Maybe this Friday?” 

"It sounds good, Steve. I'd like that" You smiled.

"Good, good, great! How about I pick you around 7?" Steve offers.

"See you then, Harrington. It's a date." 

#steve harrington x female reader #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x reader fluff #steve harrington imagines #steve harrington fanfic #stranger things fanfic #steve harrington x reader fanfic #steve 'the hair' harrington

[literary-illuminati]

Book Review 64 – Poverty, by America by Mathew Desmond

I read Desmond’s Evicted a while back and found it a really excellent bit of sociology/journalism about the specifics and mechanisms of housing inequality and how modern slumlords exploit the poor. So this has been vaguely on my list for a decent while. Sadly, I found it a bit of a disappointment – more listing of facts and statistics that I already basically knew to support a manifesto than anything new or enlightening to me. Not that it’s bad, but if it was 20 pages instead of 200 I’m not sure much of value would really have been lost. Many such cases, I suppose.

The book is about exactly what it says is, a polemic decrying and investigation into why the United State’s poverty rates, and why extremes of material want are so much more common there than in comparable (poorer, even) western democracies. Refreshingly, Desmond has a clear thesis he doesn’t beat around the bush before saying – self-interest, essentially. The affluent benefit from having an underclass to extract resources from, and from excluding its members from the amenities they share, so they do. The book spends most of its wordcount enumerating and describing what Desmond considers the main problems: direct exploitation (underpayment, predatory financiers, slums, etc), an underresourced and misdirected wellfare state (compare the cost of middle/upper-class targeted programs like the mortgage interest deduction or tax-exempt savings accounts to the cost of adequately ending hunger or providing healthcare) and segregation (both spatial/residential and in terms of access to public or semi-public services).

It’s pretty traditional for a book like this to spend 90% of its wordcount diagnosing problems and then end with some publisher-mandated optimism and a chapter of solutions with a fraction of the care put into them as in the diagnosis. Desmond, to his credit, avoids this – each chapter includes both the problems and he considers the most feasible solutions to them to be. He actually makes a point of it, arguing that having practical, winnable goals that will actually improve things when achieved (and then celebrating them when they are) is a key part of any political organizing with a chance of actually working. Now, what I think of those solutions varies quite wildly, but they’re there and exactly what you’d expect for his politics – and speaking as someone whose been renting my entire life I wholly endorse fucking all the tax benefits you get essentially for having the cash on hand to make a down payment. (Relatedly, the book has a great deal of scorn for comfortable, affluent people whose progressive politics amount to lots of critiquing and zero actual positive action.)

Desmond is clearly writing this from the point of view of a(n inspirational) public intellectual; that is, by writing this he’s trying to call an audience and movement based around it into being. He likes the label Poverty Abolitionist and the central project of the book is basically trying to make it happen as an umbrella term people identify with – especially the affluent well-heeled people who read books like this, and might be persuaded to start boycotting companies for underpaying their employees or union-busting, or campaigning against government subsidies that benefit them instead of the poor. I did appreciate the relative hopeful tone, given the usual coverage of American politics – or, well, is ‘Washington was at least this fucked when it passed the Civil Rights Act or the New Deal” optimistic? Whatever the right word is.

Now, I’m summarized all this in ~500 words, obviously actually making the argument needs more space than that. But it really did not need to be as long as it was – a huge fraction of the wordcount is spent either restating arguments or just throwing around numbers and statistics without really contextualization (anyone who spends so much time comparing expenses and budgets across the decade should be legally required to adjust for inflation imo). There’s a good, well-cited (excessively cited, if anything. The footnotoes are like a fifth of the book) persuasive essay in here, but there is so much fat to cut around it.

Anyway yes, disappointing reading experience, given I was hoping for more sociology and less polemic. But as far as American political polemic goes, it’s pretty decent.

#book review #poverty by america #mathew desmond #nonfiction

[drivin-down-i-20]

I don’t really know how to start this kind of thing off so I guess I’ll just introduce myself? I don’t want to get too personal, for reasons that I’m sure you’ll come to understand later, but I can at least tell you my job. I’m an employee of my state’s Highway Patrol. I’m not a cop or anything like that; I clean up accidents.

Semis, mostly. I’m part of a crew that is responsible for the section of I-20 that cuts across my state. We get calls mostly at night, so we’re all night owls, perpetually sipping caffeine in one form or another. Except for that one guy, but he’s a whole story all by himself.

I’ve seen some of the most horrific accidents you can imagine. Cattle trailers overturned. Sleeping truckers. Spills. And I’d like to tell a few stories if that’s okay. I’ve never believed that people living and working in places where secrets are kept is a good idea. Especially when those secrets are kept by those who are supposed to protect them. This is the “I’m sure you’ll understand why later part.” This is a throwaway account and it’ll be deactivated when I’m through with these stories. In the meantime, feel free to shoot me any questions you’ve got. Asks. Whatever. I figure Tumblr isn’t as… monitored as Reddit so maybe I’ll be okay. Just. Spread it around yeah? Protect your people. Help them protect themselves.

I’ve never been a superstitious or conspiracy type person. I was raised hand to mouth and didn’t really have time to think about any of that. I did go to church. Mama made all of us go. I loved lessons in Sunday School about the great heroes in the Bible. David. Moses. Samson. Superheroes of the Bible the old woman who was my teacher called them.

As I got older though, I realized they were just men. People. David was a murderer, murdered a friend to steal his wife. Moses was a murderer, but I’ll be honest, I’d have done what he did too. Samson got himself in an entire bind over a woman. They weren’t to be idolized. They were to be learned from.

Guess this is what my first story’s like. Learn something from it. Maybe.

It doesn’t snow much where I am. Instead, we get the ice. Yeah that real good pipe-busting, road-slicking ice. It’s not every year, heck we get balmy Florida sun as many winters as we get ice, but it can happen.

Couple years back there was an ice storm that put the bits of the state that were affected on a screeching halt. No school, no stores open, nothing. So everybody stayed real snuggled and safe at home until the thaw. Which was the next day. Everywhere was just soggy with it. The grass squelched under your feet.

A “side-effect” of this thaw was heavy fog. There was a man, husband, dad of two, minister in a local church, who was on his way to prayer early that morning. He was in a hurry so he was doing what everyone else does on a hectic morning: speeding.

Ah hush you know you do it. And sometimes, it’s okay to do. Keeping up with the flow of traffic and all that. Dude had his high beams up. It was just another day.

Until he ploughed into the back of a parked schoolbus at top speed. Doubt the guy knew what hit him.

Wasn’t anything anybody could do for him.

The bus was higher than his vehicle so most of what happened to the bus, happened to the undercarriage. The kids were scared and some were a little scratched and banged up, but they were all okay. Liked to have scared the poor driver clear to death, though.

The man in a hurry had already be taken away when we got there. People don’t really like to think about what happens to a body when it dies. Releasing the soul is kind of how I think on it. You don’t realize how many muscles and tendons are contracting right now, holding you together. When you die, it all relaxes. Yeah you go through rigor mortis, but that’s only after.

Your bowels release. Your bladder releases. If you were in an accident like this man, your veins let go. And what your body was working so hard to contain, it leaves. And it’s everywhere. All that hurrying and anxiety to get where he was going, it stayed behind too. With his wife and his kids. And it haunted them. You know it did. You know they asked themselves how they might’ve stopped that day from happening. What if Daddy had just waited a few minutes? The bus would’ve moved on, the fog might’ve lessened. And he’d still be there.

So take it from me, who’s had to hose my fair share of the refuse of hurrying and impatience off the asphalt, both of sinner and saint, being late is still being alive.

Sorry for the heavy start, but it’s the nature of my job. I’ll go in a different direction with the next one. Not all of them involve death and tragedy. We got a call to a clean up about 4:30 one morning for a semi overturn. Fella had rounded down a turn-off, coming down an overpass and cut too sharp. Whole trailer flopped over. She was hauling, wait for it, soap. Dawn. Oh my God. It was. Everywhere. Smelled great. But good sweet Lord. We got our big, coarse bristle brushes to try and sweep it into some tarps, trying to keep it from poisoning wildlife or the ecosystem, but it just made it all suds up. Bubbles. Everywhere. And then the wind got to blowing. It was a mess. Even once we got to just hosing it, it was like something out of a cartoon. But I still laugh about that one though with the guys. We might’ve frolicked through them like slow motion princesses and taken pictures. They’re in my blackmail folder just in case.

This crew’s been together the longest of any one I’ve been on. Folks usually get tired of it and want to move on to something less strenuous. Which I get. It’s not for everyone. But I like it. Keeps the bills paid. You know. I’m not unhappy. And I get sweet overtime.

Me and this older guy are the old hands. Let’s call him Jake. Jake’s older than me and I guess you could call him the foreman. But it doesn’t really work like that. He just knows what to do for most incidents and we listen. Experience is valuable.

Jake and I started working together when I moved to this crew about seven years ago. I’d been town cleanup for a bit but it was so boring. So I put my application in through the DOT, Department of Transportation, and got hired. Got a raise too. I was over the moon. I’ve always been one to feel more awake at night and Jake was the same. Guess maybe that article I read somewhere about evolution conditioning some of us to stay up and tend the fire in the night is true. Feels like it.

I’m rambling.

We got a early morning call, pre-dawn. There usually aren’t that many vehicles on the road that aren’t semis at that time of day. We’d been working on our gear, making sure it was all ready to go. Takes a lot of stuff to do this job. We drive a high-powered diesel wrecker for one with a trailer, in case of big debris. We also have kits that range from everything from corrosive chemical spills to bodily waste removal. Special containers, neutralizers, discrete disposal units, all that stuff. So you have to keep all that useful. Make sure it’s not past the expiration and so on. When we’re not on a job, that’s what we do.

So we got a call out and headed out. There were about ten of us, me and Jake in The Big’un, that’s what we called the wrecker, and then the rest took DOT-provided pickups. You’ve probably seen them. Got the emergency strobes and flags on them.

The first thing I noticed was the smoke. Thick and white, just hanging in the air. FD was already there but they weren’t working on the truck. They were trying to put out what had spread over to the trees. It was a dry year and the woods were parched kindling; everything in a 200 yard radius of that truck was already cinders. The semi had pulled over and was just resting on the side of the road. PD had already blocked off as much of the road as they could to allow some traffic through, though there really wasn’t much.

The trailer had caught fire, that much was very obvious. Whatever had been inside must’ve not been secured properly and had flopped around, fallen over and either made a spark or reacted with another chemical. Whatever it’d been was hot burning too. The driver had been taken to the hospital already for third degree burns. Which was the first odd thing, when I thought about it later. The driver’s cab was fine. Scorched a bit on the back but fine. All the fire damage had been pointing away from it, toward the doors of the trailer.

I remember Jake, who was usually very reserved and placid, booming out orders to tow the trailer away from the original sight a bit. And I was glad too. The flames that were down in the woods were so bright and so hot. We wore sunglasses in the dark, trying to protect our eyes, and the heat was so bad that we were treated for mild burns to our faces and hands afterward. I had a beard then; I shaved it the next day because patches were burnt clean off.

We didn’t stay long. There weren’t any chemicals to clean up, just hauling the ruined trailer away to give the FD room to put that fire out.

When you work this kind of job, you end up seeing the same folks at the same event, you know? Jake was having some coffee when we got back to the call our office the next day. He’d had a haircut, a bad one. And his face was all blistered like he’d been at Daytona for a week. We all slathered up for a while after that to keep from getting ashy and peeling too bad. Jake looks like something out of a Viking movie. The Avengers Thor guy wishes.

“Everything okay?” he finally asked me, in that deep thunder voice he’s got.

“Shoot man, yeah. But crispy… Did they get the fire out?”

Jake nodded. “I know a bunch of them guys. Talked to ‘em this morning. Lot of ‘em out today with arc-eye and burns all over ‘em. Said the driver didn’t make it.”

That stunned me. “Didn’t make it? But the cab was fine!”

Jake had arched a confirming eyebrow.

I didn’t know what arc-eye was, but I googled it later. It’s what happens when welders don’t wear proper protection on their eyes. Looking at the arc like that can lead to severe irritation of the eye and even blindness in some cases.

“Said he died of severe internal trauma and heat-related injuries. Insides were cooked until they burst. Guy’s eyes were clouded white from the heat. Said it took a flyover all the way from Texas to finally put all of the fire out. They had it contained but their guys kept passing out from heat exhaustion.”

I remember being so staggered by this. And I remember looking for news about it later because that was really something. But I never did see any.

And I remember breaking that trailer down. How it was still hot. How the doors had been bent outward, the lock melted solid. How the fire trailed away. In a straight line.

Jake watched me as we worked. The way his eyes rested on me… it was like he was waiting for something. When we got the doors off, he’d taken his gloved hand and run his fingers through the grooves, elbowing me so I’d look at what he was doing.

It still feels so stupid to think this. Because who does this? Who makes this connection? It makes me feel crazy but it. It happened. The grooves weren’t melt patterns, like slag. They were claw marks. Pushed through the metal and ripped backward. Curled like paper. Peeled almost.

I’ve never said out loud what it looked like to me. But Jake made me put my fingers in those grooves. Curve my hand around that metal. Feel what it felt like. Feel the warmth living in that metal. And we looked at each other for a long time, not saying a word. Jake knew and I knew. And that seemed to be all he wanted. For me to know.

I thought about what else Jake had said about the driver. His friend in the FD had been pretty disturbed and had talked to him a while. Jake’s that kind of guy. You can talk to him. Something about him makes it easy for people. Comforting.

“FD lady said the man was screaming when they got to him. Burn victims do that, yeah, but she said he grabbed hold of them and wouldn’t let go. Had to pry him loose. Kept saying “seen” over and over. Y’know sometimes when the body’s been traumatized so bad, the mind can’t handle it. He was scared, though. The pain was bad but he was so scared that he just wanted someone to hold him.”

Sorry if the ending here is abrupt but…? That’s all I got for now. I have to get ready for work, and I’ve been thinking about maybe asking Jake if he’s ever seen anything else like that night. We’ve been on some other calls together but he’s been at this for nigh unto twenty years. We’ll see.

#personal post #drivin down i 20 #(creepypasta) #post 1 #text post #clean up crew #unreality #(JUST. A. STORY.)

[headingalaxys-spicy]

To prepare for college this year, I’m spending some time in my dorm before the semester starts. It’s the farthest I’ve ever been from home alone (like multiple states away) and I’m actually kinda scared. Could I pretty please have France, America, Canada, and or Germany and Italy comforting a friend via a phone call or something?? Doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just fluffy would be nice. Thank you so much in advance! I really love your works! :)

I’m glad you like my work thank you. 🥹

Anyways…

*BUSTS DOWN DOOR WITH 2P AMERICA’s BAT because I came here to BEAT UP THE SADNESS*

Some of these are voicemails that are meant to be supportive and be funny distractions. There are two dialogues because I couldn’t think of anything but all of them but, the same I hope you like it. And congratulations on a new year in college you’re going to do great.

🇺🇸 America 🇺🇸

“Yo Y/N How are you? How was the flight? How is (university name)? Have you met anyone yet that you have super awesome super hero movie marathons with? I also heard that there was this weird school tradition that your school does where students run around in their underwear during finals? Dude that sounds wicked awesome! Your school knows how to party! I want to join you ! ahahahahahaha!”

He lets out his signature boisterous heroic laugh. He goes on about Halloween plans and other things he wants to do with you on that weekend. He also wanted to take you apple picking, have cozy bonfires and cuddles sessions, pumpkin carving, and scaring the living hell out of Arthur. At least for now you knew you had a friend who’d come to visit you while you started this new chapter in life.

🇨🇦 Canada 🇨🇦

“Hey Y/N how are you?” He detected the concern in his gentle voice.

“I’m alright.” You say in a low cracking voice.

You got up from your bottom bunk bed in your dorm room. It was 20:13 and you wanted to watch the sun sink below the city’s outline. You glided your eyes across the campus watching few spots move about in your vision. Not too many people were on campus just yet and not all summer sessions had ended. You had been lost in your foggy tangled forest of thought you didn’t reconizge that you hadn’t responded to Matthew’s question. You remaind silent for over a minute. This prompted Matthew to repeat your nave several times until he reached his chreshendo that pulled your attention back to him. But you were still in your emotional haze.

“Are you sure you don’t need me to come and comfort you ASAP? I can if you’re really not feeling so well. I know it’s hard but I know you can do it. But you’re also really far away.”

“You’re right Matthew. It is all overwhelming and even just a little bit scary.” You think about all of the bad scenarios running through your mind and you feel your heart start to race and maybe even a few tears make their way to your eyes.

“Of course. Being an adult tends to be that way but, you are one of the strongest people I know…Building the life that you’ve always have wanted. Going through this is importaint but you can do it I know you can.”

The swirling tornado of emotions froze and you still had those lingering feelings with less intsneity.

After another long pause you told Matthew.

“Don’t worry Matt. I can survive until I see you and the FACE family again for camping in September. Where we’re going to prank FRA-”

“ALFRED!” Matthew Shouts. He was still seething over the curel prank that his older brother pulled on him last year.

“Ahem. Sorry aboot that Y/N hahah…Anyways I believe in you have fun and make sure you try all the best pancakes in your university’s cafes!”

🇫🇷 France 🇫🇷

“Oh mon ami how are you?”

“Fine I guess…..” He caught on to your lack of sparkle in your voice.

“Tell me darling what is it? This is your dream school no? Why so glum?”

You take in a deep breath and explain to him in detail all of the sad feelings that washed over you like high tides during a full moon. You tell him about the loneliness and how the separtaion makes you long to be at home and far away from your current location. This profound chnage in your life was overwhelming and you had no one to give you one of the good tight hugs that only people who knew you well knew how to give. Your voice was cracking over the speaker and France being an empath felt his own heart begin to crumble at your distress with the introduction of a new chapter in your life. He reained quiet and allowed you to drain your heart of sadness. The air was filled with your range of emotions and that helped clear your mind just a little. You wouldnn’t be like this always. But for now it was okay to feel the feels.

“You know I’m glad you’re talking to me Y/N. Is there any other way I can help you? I have already started to prepare a care package to send to you that has the most luxurious sweets. Macaroons, Madeleines, Mille Feuille, Mendiants, Mousse au Chocolat. It will be the magnificent MMMMMMM box.”

(I’m sorry, not sorry XD)

“Good-bye Francis.” You hang up with a deadpan look on your face and the faint traces of a smile trying to bust out.

“Wait Y/N NOOOO! I LOVE YOU DON’T DO THIS TO ME!” He frantically tries to call you back.

🇩🇪 Germany 🇩🇪

*Intentionally left a voicemail while you were on your flight. He wanted to be supportive but is better when he has a script and has rehearsed his lines of what he wants to convey.*

“Y/N I hope this message finds you well. When you land make sure you get some water as you’ve been in the air for over 8 hours you’re likely dehydrated and you should find some hearty food and rest. Also I hope your okay your smile faded rather fast when your turned from the group to head into the airport. It seemed like the reality of it all was beginning to hit you. You’re far away now but never out of reach of your friends and family that care about you. We’re all a call or text message away. Anyways I’m going to do that American holiday with you this year the Friendsgiving. Ja. So I hope you don’t have any plans the weekend before Thanksgiving because I rented out a cabin in Tahoe and have a nice itinerary so we can have the most fun. Viel Glück k Y/N. I know you’ll have a good semester and make new friends and aquaintaances. And remember take breaks. Call me when you’ve settled in okay? Tschüss.”

🇮🇹 Italy 🇮🇹

*Voicemail*

“Ve Ciao Y/N I hope your flight was nice and got to see some pretty views! Check your dorm entrance in 20 minutes there will be an Italian delivery guy that I know who runs one of the best Italian cuisine places in your area. I hope you like it it has a 5 course meal from the bread to the gelato and tiramisu. I know it can be lonely being in a new place but this is only temporary. You’re good at making friends. It’s how you met me hahah. Make sure we can at least talk once a week. Also we should be penpals we’re far away enough to where sending letters nowadays is a way we can make our friendship even more special! Anways call me soon and I miss you already. Hasta la Pasta ❤️”

#hetalia #hetalia fandom #hws #hws america #headingalaxys writes stuff #headingalaxys #alfred f jones #matthew williams #francis bonnefoy #hws france #ludwig beilschmidt #feliciano vargas #hws italy #hws germany #axis powers ヘタリア #ヘタリア #headingalaxys sweet #hetalia fluff #hetalia headcanons #hetalia fanfic writers #hetalia fanfiction writers #heta fic writers

[doberbutts]

So, apologies ahead of time for the phrasing in this, it’s such an awkward thing to word. I saw your post earlier that mentioned the first hint you had about being intersex was with your size, which is something that kinda made me go... huh. Huh. Because I also am on the larger size there - enough so that it can become really uncomfortable with tighter clothing and cis female friends I’ve discussed it with have expressed.... surprise? Disbelief? Vague concern? It’s also fairly common for the women in my family to start growing light facial hair in their 20s. After getting top surgery, my voice dropped a little too, just enough to be noticeable - which is something that I’ve never heard anybody mention as even like, a possibility. My mom’s always told me that I (and one of my sisters) probably have a little higher testosterone than “other girls” but it wasn’t a big deal. But now I’m not so sure.

Anyway I’m planning on trying to start T this summer (ironically when I mentioned this to one of my friends he said he thought I was already on T) and I’m just curious if there’s anything you’d recommend mentioning or looking into that might help me figure out if I might be intersex too??? I always kinda shoved it under the rug because I don’t feel like I look particularly ambiguous (even post op I don’t really pass as male) and I’ve never had any physical health issues that would tip me off, but these little things keep coming up and it’s always nagging in the back of my head. Regardless, thank you for sharing and talking about everything you do, I hope you’re having a great day!!!

Well first I want to say: natural variation exists for both male and female anatomy, and thus the question becomes "how small can a micropenis be before it's an intersex problem instead of just a man with a very small penis" and "how big can a clitorus be before it's an intersex problem instead of just a woman with a very big clitorus", which is very hard to quantify and often there are other, adjoining factors.

I have always been, ahem, on the bigger side. When i was young, I was convinced it was just a very small penis and it would grow into being a regular penis whenever my "balls dropped" during puberty, having no idea how puberty for boys works. Suffice to say that didn't happen (though there is an intersex variation where it CAN, believe it or not) and even before T as an adult I needed to keep pubic hair a certain length or the hair would catch under the hood and be *incredibly* uncomfortable, plus it's large enough that when I started wearing men's underwear which has a 😏 pouch 😏 on the front I noticed a dramatic increase in comfort.

I don't have sex with vaginas and don't even like looking at them or reading about them in porn so I didn't really know what size a clit is "supposed" to be until my ex was like "not that big". Eventually I did try to have sex with a girl and that ended spectacularly poorly but she was certainly smaller than me.

When I pack (which I can't do bc my dick is busted) I use a brand that is specifically made for trans guys on T and for cis dudes with micropenises, and again, even before T it was useable as a sexual pleasure device. I'm sure now, especially since I've gained some size, it'd fit me even better.

So you are "big" but are you "that big"?

As far as getting your own answers, nothing for it but to go to the gyn and an endo and tell them what you've told me. That's how I did it, and I got a solid answer after several years of looking for a doctor that would even listen to me, within about 3 weeks of pursuing diagnosis.

[shipskicksandgiggles]

14. 32. steddie. gimme. (please <3)

ask and you shall receive

prompts: “Pants!!! Pants!!!” and “You’ve never been on a first date? I don’t believe you.” (from this list)

read First First Date here on ao3

~~~

“Hey Steve, are you here? I was just wondering-”

“Woah woah woah woah!” 

“What the hell dude? Pants!!! Pants!!!”

“Maybe if you knocked like a normal person, we wouldn’t have this problem!” Steve shouted, pulling his pants on. “Can’t a man get dressed without worrying someone will barge into his room? How the hell did you even get into my house?”

Eddie sat down on his bed and pulled a pillow close to his chest. “Your hide-a-key is under a rock, Harrington. It does not take a genius to figure that out.”

“Ignoring that you broke into my house, what are you doing here?”

“No reason, I just had a question about a movie. More importantly however, why are you getting dressed up? Is the great Steve Harrington finally going on a date after such a long dry spell?”

He threw a sock at his face. “And what if I was? What if I was already on a date? You’d regret busting into my room like that if I had company, I’ll tell you that for sure, Munson.”

“Well I already caught you with your pants down, and I’ve seen you without a shirt on, so I can’t imagine it getting too much worse. Seriously though, who’s the lucky lady?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“I would actually. I know it’s not Robin or Nancy, and like half the ladies in Hawkins in your age range have already rejected you so I’m curious who she is.”

Steve finished fastening his belt buckle and raised an eyebrow at Eddie. “Does this really look like a first date outfit to you?”

“I don’t know, does it?”

“This is much more casual than what I would wear on a first date. First date outfits can make or break the whole thing. If you show up looking like a mess, you’ve already lost.”

“Should I be taking notes?”

“Maybe. What do you wear on first dates?”

“I’d probably wear something like what I normally wear I guess.”

“You guess?”

“It’s not like anyone wanted to go out with Eddie “The Freak” Munson. Then I was accused of murder and oddly enough that didn’t help with the whole dating scene, so yeah. I don’t have any idea what I would wear.”

“You’ve never been on a first date? I don’t believe you.”

“Start believing it, Steve-o. It’s fine, I’ll take your word on the outfit, but you have yet to explain why you’re wearing it.”

“Dude, you’re like 20, how have you never been on a first date? Whatever, whatever, moving on,” he said, waving his hand in front of his face. “It’s kind of for a stupid reason.”

“Which is…?” Eddie pushed, leaning towards him. 

“So, sometimes when I don’t feel like going out with a girl, I’ll take myself out. Just get food, see a movie, walk around by myself. It’s like a date, but without the effort that you go to with girls.”

“That sounds nice.”

“It is, and that’s what I was going to spend my night doing, but now I’m concerned about you, Munson.”

“It’s whatever man. There’s not really much you can do about it.”

“Hey now, there might be something,” Steve said. “We could always go out, I could walk you through what I usually do so you have an idea of what to do when the time comes.”

“C’mon Harrington, I’m not going to hijack your night of food and movies just because I’ve been the most unpopular kid in Hawkins my whole life. You’ve already got your outfit put together, and I don’t want to intrude. I can go at any time.”

“Who said anything about me changing? I’m sure we can find a compromise so I can walk you through this and we still have a good night.”

~~~

Half an hour later found them sitting in a Rally’s parking lot, sipping on sodas and milkshakes and sharing an order of fries.

“Fancy, I know,” Steve said. “Usually I’d take my date to a place with real tables.”  

“Like where?” 

Steve thought for a minute. “You know that diner on the main road coming into town?”

“The one that has the good jukebox?”

“Yeah that one. That’s a good spot. You can split a milkshake, get some food. It’s nice.”

“We can split a milkshake here too,” Eddie said, swiping Steve’s cup and taking a sip. “Vanilla, Harrington? Really?”

“Hey now, it’s probably better than whatever you got.”

“Wanna bet?” he asked, holding out his own drink. 

Steve took a drink and then immediately turned and spit. “What the hell is that?”

Eddie laughed so hard he almost fell over. “It’s Cherry Coke. Do you hate it that much?”

“I guess I wasn’t expecting that. Can I?” He held out his hand to take the cup again. This time, he didn’t spit it out. “That’s not terrible, but I think I’ll stick with my milkshake.”

“God, you’re such a stereotypical prep. Doesn’t it get exhausting?”

“Sometimes I need to go into an alternate dimension to blow off some steam, but usually I’m alright.”

They balled up their trash and tossed it in the nearest bin once they were finished. 

“You never did tell me what you usually wear,” Eddie noted. “I think you look good in what you’ve got on, so I can’t imagine what you wear on a first date.”

“I just try to look a little nicer,” Steve shrugged. “Like maybe wear a nice sweater, a good button up, pay some extra attention to my hair. It’s not like I dress up in a suit and tie but a little extra work goes a long way.”

“Makes sense. Where to next?”

~~~

“So when I go by myself, I don’t care so much about what I see, but if I were with someone, I wouldn’t think about what I wanted to see. So like on my own I might see SpaceCamp, but if I were with a girl, we might see The Great Mouse Detective. Disney’s all the rage.”

“Oh The Labyrinth is in theaters! Have you seen it yet?” Eddie was practically bouncing up and down with excitement. 

“I have not, but there is no better time than the present. Two for Labyrinth please,” he asked the attendant. 

He handed them the tickets and they made their way up to concessions. “You don’t need to pay for me,” Eddie told him. 

Steve shrugged. “Habit I guess. I always pay for whoever I’m with.”

“In that case, let me get your popcorn. Want any candy? I like red hots.”

“With your popcorn?”

“Stevie, I’ll dump the box into my popcorn.”

“It’s official, you’re insane. I’ll share with you.”

“That’s the spirit. Come on, the movie’s starting soon.”

~~~

“Holy that, that was incredible!”

“Bowie is a legend, man, I’m telling you,” Eddie said as they walked back out to the car. “Where to next?”

“If you were a girl, I would have picked you up at your house, so unless she wanted something more, I would drop her back off at her place. You however showed up at my house unannounced, so we’ll go back there.”

“And all of your first dates go like that?”

“More or less,” Steve said, turning onto the main road. “Sometimes we’ll do something else. Go see a concert, get coffee, or if there’s a sporting event going on we’ll go to that. Or sometimes we won’t make it to the date at all and skip straight to after.”

“Alright, alright, I respect that. Back to your place it is then.”

“You know, since you’re in a band, you might be able to get away with taking them to one of your gigs as a date,” Steve said offhandedly as they pulled back into his driveway. “It might be fun to have someone backstage waiting for you after the show. Plus some people really dig rockers nowadays.”

“Is that so?”

“The whole tattoos and jacket thing? For sure. And you play guitar, so that’s a major bonus. Chicks love that in a guy.”

“Good to know,” Eddie said, stepping out of the car. 

“You can come inside, by the way, I’m not kicking you out just because the date is over.”

“So now I can experience the after part of a Steve Harrington date?” Eddie teased. 

“Only if you ask nicely,” Steve returned. “And honestly, I was just going to change into sweats and watch bad TV if you want to join me.”

“That sounds lovely.”

True to his word, Steve changed into comfier clothes and even offered some to Eddie as well. After Steve changed, he sat down on the couch, pointed Eddie towards the bathroom, and started flipping through channels. 

Not much was on, mostly just reruns and game shows, so he picked a random one and let it fade to the background. 

Eddie emerged a moment later, looking much different in Steve’s clothes. “I’m guessing you don’t usually offer this to your dates?”

“I’m usually more invested in getting their clothes off, yeah,” he admitted. 

“Sex,” Eddie stated more than asked. 

“I’d be happy with a shirtless heavy makeout session if she didn’t want to go all the way.”

“Such a gentleman.” He sat in the armchair next to the couch. “What are we watching?”

“You’ve never made out with anybody either, have you?” Steve asked, ignoring his question. 

“That would be a negative. Going to give me some pointers on that too?”

“Wouldn’t hurt. Stand up, let me show you something.”

Eddie did as he was instructed. 

“So you want to let them control it at first. Let them hold your face, your neck, maybe they get a hand in your hair,” Steve said, cradling his face and neck lightly as he went over them. “Depending on who they are, they might tug a little on your hair, which you have the perfect hair for that, but it’s usually more about them guiding your movements.”

“As for how you move, start at their hips, and do what feels natural. Pull them closer, pick them up if you can, stuff like that. And if it leads to something more, well,” Steve tilted his head slightly. “That’s usually a more intuitive process.”

He became suddenly aware of how close they were, having demonstrated the movement by pulling Eddie flush up against him. 

“And who usually starts it?” Eddie asked quietly. 

“Usually it’s a pretty mutual decision.”

He met Eddie in the middle. 

“Mutual?” he asked between kisses. 

“Yeah,” Steve answered. “It’s mutual.”

He let himself be pushed backwards onto the couch where Eddie straddled him. He reached up and tugged him back down again. 

That damn hair. 

“Damn Harrington, you got something in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”

Steve practically growled. “Why don’t you come down here and find out?”

~~~

When he woke up the next morning, tangled around Eddie, he thought that that might have been the best first date he had ever gone on.

#steddie #stranger things #ellis writes #fluff #getting together #friends to lovers #fluff and humor #rey tag

[crystalelemental]

With the turn of the new year soon upon us, now is as good a time as any to present another rendition of my favorite sync pairs.  There are a lot now, but we’re keeping it to 25 to make sure it’s interesting.

25) Nanu.  Nanu’s such a fun unit.  Prior to his grid, the discovery of Screech/Bite utility kept him in a great position for F2P clears, supporting all sorts of threats like Kahili and Bugsy, or Dark-type pals like Masked Royal or Sidney.  I find myself constantly going to Nanu as a third partner.  But.  I’d be lying if I said I found him particularly consistent.  Screech is good, but often Leer feels just as valuable.  Bite only getting Aggravation 1 means 40% which isn’t great, and worse is tied to getting crits so he demands crit support even if his partner doesn’t.

24) Champion Iris.  I feel bad about it.  But C!Iris has dropped a lot.  So bad they took away her Champion designation.  Now she’s just Alt Iris.   It’s a tough life.  I think what happened here is, when you have a favorite for like over a year, eventually you reach the point where you want to try out other units.  That’s kinda what happened here, I think. She’s still good and fun, but nothing new has developed for her so I’m kinda like yeah, time to try other stuff.  Also there are a ton of Dragons, and I find myself really wanting to try those out instead, so she just doesn’t see much play.  Add in that she can be frustrating to work in Gauntlet sometimes, requiring higher-end tools than I’d like to utilize, and it’s...tough.

23) New Year Sabrina.  I still really like Sabrina as a character, but I will admit that unlike a Jasmine, Caitlin, or even Roxanne, Masters hasn’t really done anything all that interesting with Sabrina, who often feels very uninteresting.  Perhaps that’s why I’ve kinda meandered away from her a bit.  I still love the New Years alt, and find her traits fantastic...but I also have to admit she’s not doing much anymore.  I don’t get excited busting her out like I once did.  I blame competition.  Special Attack/Crit is a nice niche, but she’s decisively the worst option given how inconsistent crit rate is.  Her other buff skills are nice, but similarly inconsistent.  The one thing she does have is Endure, but now so does Winter Jasmine, who is way more consistent and useful and also I like her better.  So I feel bad.  Because I do love this alt.  But she’s definitely dropped in the rankings.

22) SC Lillie.  If you can believe it.  I do love Lillie, and I think this outfit’s adorable.  But also it’s...it’s just her original Nihilego cosplay in a different color.  I really think part of it is just that the outfit’s kinda boring.  Because otherwise, she’s a fantastically efficient special attack/crit buffer.  Who sees less use than SS Kris and SC Jasmine.  And often goes unused.  I feel weird about it.  Because she’s great utility, great design, great character.  But I’m rarely like...extremely hyped about bringing her in.  Not like the others.

21) Candice.  Candice is so much fun.  Like, as the original Common Grid leader, Candice was a shining beacon of hope for others to get similarly blessed grids, and also like someone who’d probably fall to like mid-tier performance.  She...did not do that.  In fact she’s still one of the best.  What’s more interesting is that she’s gone from just really good, to kinda absurd?  Like, her sync nuke can handle a lot of Gauntlet stages with minimal support.  Despite Fire-type weakness, she’s handled Entei and Moltres.  It’s just fun to see what kind of nonsense Candice can pull off.

20) Roxanne.  My girl.  Roxanne’s one of my favorite gym leaders, and despite being a common, Roxanne gets a ton of use.  The Endure effect was a beautiful thing to get in tandem with how much she buffs.  I feel like Roxanne isn’t particularly flashy as a unit, but what she does have is tremendous consistency.  She’s useful in almost every game mode, and performs well every time I bring her out.

19) Anniversary Lillie.  “Woah, what happened?”  Same thing with C!Iris.   But also worse, because her gimmick is kinda bad.  Piercing Blows has landed on “Not that useful” in my eyes, due to how hard it hurts DPS.   And her sync is such a joke that she’s the worst sync damage among Ghost-types if she misses Super Preparation 4.  It’s just...sad.  And at this point I find myself more excited to see what Shauntal’s grid looks like than running Lillie again.  I know a lot of people feared it, and wanted it not to happen...but I did want 5/5 Master Fair grids.  I wanted Lillie to get what she deserved.  Because this alt is really pretty, it’s a top tier pairing, and conceptually I love how it operates.  It’s just not what it used to be anymore.

18) Palentine’s Dawn.  Palentine’s Dawn has fallen on hard times.  I still love her.  The design is great, I love me a good debuffer, but she’s...okay, she’s entirely outclassed now.  Lucian is significantly more consistent, and even alleviates all gauge issues for free.   Palentine’s Dawn cannot compete with Lucian’s abilities.  It’s kind of funny just how hard he took over with just one move.  Dawn still has her utility, it’s just a lot rarer to see her used over Lucian.

17) Kahili.  Among flying types, I never really expected to gravitate toward Kahili. I always liked her design, but like most of Gen 7, she didn’t get much time.  Also Toucannon is anathema; my darling Pikipek evolved into this and I’m still sour. But here we are, with one of my favorite Flying-type damage dealers to run.  I think it’s the set.  Massive sync damage with Super Preparation on the side, or Defense Crush on Peck to really mess up Gauntlets.  She’s far from a world-beater, but I love getting Kahili to work.

16) Winona.  Another Flying girl, apparently I have a type?  Winona’s always been a top utility unit, and after grid, that’s been expanded to ludicrous extremes.  While the lack of MPR on Rain Dance hurts, Winona ultimately gets a lot to justify her use regardless.  Hurricane DPS is perfectly sufficient for most Flying-weak stages, and her sync nuke is pretty good when supported.  Granted, “supported” means SS Kris and Anni Skyla, but it’s super fun to watch her go.  Without that, the utility of Rain and Air Slash’s 60% flinch rate is divine.  Add in a trainer move that buffs speed for gauge control, and I legitimately find Winona more valuable than May.  I recognize May is far stronger and has MPR, but I find myself going to Winona every time.  She’s just great, and I love her.

15) SC Diantha.  Unlike a lot of others, there hasn’t really been strict competition for Diantha’s role as a favorite Fighting-type.  Diantha’s remained top pick for a good, long while, but I’m still enjoying breaking her out.  The ability to dominate any Gauntlet stage helps too.  She’s just so ridiculously good.

14)  SS Lyra.  I really, really love this unit.  Lyra’s outfit is adorable, and I love the added lore they give, setting it up as a dancer outfit from a prior era that was associated with Celebi.  And the battle performance.  I was supremely underestimating her.  Guaranteed flinch didn’t, and still doesn’t, feel like anything special.   Guaranteed Sleep is a thing with comparable effect, and it’s super janky thanks to consistently high resistance rates and single-target effects that mostly mess up timing.  Why would flinch be any different?  And the answer is...because Lyra’s flinch is a passive, that allows her to queue another move before it activates.  Resulting in guaranteed continuation of your gameplay flow.  Lyra...actually is the perfect utility tool.  Barring Gauntlet stages that are immune to flinch, Lyra’s a win condition on her own.  It’s great.

13) SS Dawn.  Nothing’s really changed here either, but I do want to reiterate, I love that it’s based off storybook princes she wanted to be like.  Something about that is adorable to me.  I will admit that as much as I adore the alt, I haven’t been using her as much.  I feel bad about it.  She’s great, but I’ve been taken with using worse offensive threats, and Dawn doesn’t help those out as much.

12) SC Hilda.  Similar to Diantha but more extreme.  Rock is hard to shop for.  Fighting at least has the occasional “I’m gonna try out Bruno” reaction, with the possibility of Wally if I ever wanted.  But Hilda is uncontested.  There is no other Rock-type.  Every common I’ve tried is terrible.  We really need BP or Lodge Roxanne to save that type for F2P.  But honestly, even if other options existed, Hilda’s supreme.  A cute dress for a fun character, and one of my favorite mythical Pokemon.  They’re fantastic.

11) Kris.  SHE’LL KICK YOU APART, OOO.  I adore Kris.  Masters does such a good job with her personality, and as a unit, I always kinda liked that she was a unit who had some kind of need.  But then it started to feel unfair.  She was literally the only unit in the game with unsalvageable accuracy issues.  Aaron was a glimmer of hope, but that just locked her into one option, which is never great.  But then, the expansion.  250% sync, 50% move, fixed accuracy, can buff crit to cap by herself.  Kris went from zero to hero real fast.  If I liked using her before, the acquisition of the best grid expansion just made her a delight.  Did you know she can easily truck Moltres with just Eggmon Blastoise?  Yeah.  Two uses of Rain is sufficient.  She can explode the second bar, and whatever’s left of the third.  She has to hold herself back from beating Moltres too hard in Bar 3 so Rain doesn’t leave.  Kris is ridiculous.  She’s become a go-to for all Water-weak content, and honestly content in general.

10) Lysandre.  Lysandre was always a fun option to use, especially in Gauntlet where he feels like someone who cannot die.  But truth be told, in the current era, Lysandre...feels ridiculous.  The full 5/5 grid, which I do have thanks to early player luck, absolutely rules.  Crit Strike 3 and Brainpower were perfect multiplier choices for him.  The inclusion of Downside Up is goofy, but it actually lets his trainer move buff his defenses, which plays into Healthy Buffer 5.  Lysandre got bulky again move damage now.  And being effectively immune to defensive drops means I’m willing to bet good money he’s one of the Latios solo options now.  It fixed his CS performance too.  Now his sync can actually threaten, thanks to 130% more damage behind it.  It’s so good.

9) SC Rosa.  You want to talk about what I love?  Debuffs.  Sure that won’t be relevant later.  Special Attack/evasion debuffs is such a neat combination, and the heavy debuffing of special defense off Seed Flare is just a delight.  SC Rosa has fantastic utility and the best Grass-type damage in the game, backed by great support tools.  Also, a super cute outfit, with Sky-Fome Shaymin.  Which I love.  This was such a good return.  Rosa was overdue for an alt, given her prominence in the game, and they did not disappoint.

8) Renegade Cynthia.  Still a favorite.  Nothing’s really changed.  Love the outfit, really love the role.  Do feel like she’s less exciting than she once was.  When the hype wore off, she feels more like a supporter to other Ghost-types I’m more excited about testing, but at least she maintains that relevance.

7) Winter Whitney.  This may be a touch of recency bias, but Winter Whitney rules.  Triple Terrain effects, spread debuffs/team buffs per attack, great flinch rate, legitimately absurd damage on sync despite Normal typing.  She can even tank.  She can even tank.  Whitney’s just ridiculous.  This feels so much more aligned to her as a character.  Miltank at least got good stuff with the grid, but the HGSS rematches always gave me the impression that Whitney is actually really interesting as a trainer, given some of the strategies she employs.  And Sawsbuck really feels like it fits her eclectic style.

6) Lucian.  I feel so weird leaving Lucian out of the top 5, but I stand by the favoritism that happens.  Truth is though, Lucian...might just be my most frequently used unit.  Lucian’s such a strange case of a 1/5 unit being ideal already.  Growl has that much utility.  Attack and special defense drops are great, AoE is fantastic, adding in a team speed boost each use is ridiculous. The fact that he then goes on to acquire this massive sync nuke at 3/5 is just icing. Lucian’s been useful in every mode.  He sets up fantastic clears in CS, explodes Gauntlet stages, and is integral to Day 1 no heal clears in Villa.  It often feels like there is nothing this man cannot do.

5) Winter Jasmine.  I feel like I owe Classic Red an apology for underestimating Supereffective Up Next as an applied feature.  Sure, it was because the rest of his kit doesn’t impress me while Jasmine’s does, but oooh man.  Jasmine is nuts.  SEUN on its own slams foes, but her bulk is absurd.  I have yet to see her drop.  To like...anything.  And she’s not even the one getting the immediate +3.  The fact she had double Potion MPR or the ability to block defense debuffs, or the ability to guaranteed paralyze foes that hit her, and can stack physical or special moves up next?  Jasmine’s been ridiculously fun to play.  I adore her.

4) SS Cyrus.  It is...hard to say this isn’t my favorite.  Look, I am Gen 4 fanatic, and a ton of that is Platinum and Explorers of Sky.  I loved Cyrus, I loved Darkrai, and the idea that we now live in a world where they partnered those two up?  I will never be over it.  It’s so perfect.  Add in that he’s the most consistent Dark-type damage dealer by a mile, while also providing Zone and sleep support?  Cyrus can do it all.  Not at once, but still.  He’s absurd, and I adore this one.

3) Halloween Caitlin.  Nothing’s changed, still the best.  I love Caitlin so much, and this alt is precious and devastating, and despite cries of her kit being niche, her stocks keep going up with plenty of units capping crit but not their needed offenses.

2) SC Jasmine.  While Winter Jasmine is gorgeous and I love it, SC Jasmine remains my preference.  This is partly just...Celesteela.  Jasmine and Ampharos felt so guaranteed that it could only work against them if they didn’t do it.  But putting Jasmine with my second favorite ultra beast?  That was unexpected and delightful, and she’s remained a favorite since.  Add in that she’s my favorite type of support, special attack/crit buffing, and can even drop special defense of the foe off a one-bar spam that guaranteed recharges the gauge it used?  Jasmine’s fantastic in so many ways.

1) SS Kris.  But I think Kris is still #1.  I adore this alt.  It’s gorgeous, it’s unbelievable role compression, it’s my favorite kind of buffing support.  Kris does everything I could want for a unit, and she’s kinda become my go-to for just about everything.  Even stuff that doesn’t strictly need Rain, I’ve started going to her even before Jasmine lately.  She’s just so good.  And the outfit’s fantastic, the pairing with Suicune is ideal.  Everything about SS Kris is still the best.  Top unit introduction for the year, absolutely.

#pokemon masters #favorite sync pairs

[drvitaltips]

Pushups with Weight: Get Stronger, Build Muscle

Push-ups are a classic exercise for a reason, but have you ever tried pushups with weight? Turns out, a little extra resistance can seriously boost your strength and muscle gains. If you want to level up your workouts, weighted push-ups might be what you need. Let's explore how to do them safely and get the most out of them! Why Try Weighted Push-ups? Here are some big reasons to add weighted push-ups to your routine: - Build Strength: Your muscles have to work way harder against that extra weight, leading to better strength. - Gain Muscle: All that effort is rewarded with a boost in the size of your chest, shoulders, and triceps. - Bust Through Plateaus: Stuck on regular push-ups? Weight can push you to the next level. My story: I've been into fitness for years. I'm always looking for new ways to challenge myself, and weighted push-ups have become a staple in my workouts. How to Do Weighted Push-ups Let's break down the basics of weighted push-ups: - Start Simple: If you're new to this, add just a little weight (like 5-10 pounds). Your form is way more important than lots of weight. - Perfect Form First: Even with the weight, your chest should nearly touch the ground, and your lower back should maintain a slight arch. - Ways to Add Weight: - Weight vest: Easy to wear, even distribution of weight. - Backpack with plates: Budget-friendly option, make sure it's secure. - Resistance bands: Provide varying resistance throughout the movement. Progression is Key As you get stronger, gradually add more weight or increase the number of reps you do. It's better to take things slowly and avoid injury! Adding Weight Safely Experience LevelRecommended Starting WeightBeginner5-10 lbsIntermediate10-20 lbsAdvanced20+ lbs Important: Listen to your body! If you feel pain, stop and rest. Variations to Try Once you get the hang of basic weighted push-ups, try these variations: - Weighted Incline Push-ups: Put your feet on a bench for an easier version that builds upper-chest strength. - Weighted Decline Push-ups: For a challenge, put your hands on a bench and your feet on the floor. These target your lower chest. - Weighted Diamond Push-ups: Bring your hands close together under your chest to really focus on your triceps. Tip: Want to learn more about push-up variations? Check out this great resource on the National Academy of Sports Medicine website: National Academy of Sports Medicine: https://www.nasm.org/ Safety First! Weighted push-ups are great, but let's be smart about it: - Warm-up Is Key: Get your muscles and joints ready with light cardio and dynamic stretches. Think arm circles and shoulder rolls! - Control the Movement: Avoid dropping down too quickly with the extra weight. Aim for steady, smooth movement. - Don't Ignore Pain: That's your body saying "slow down!" Sharp pain means stop and reassess. Myth Buster: A lot of people wonder if they're too out-of-shape to start weighted push-ups. Don't worry – everyone starts somewhere! Start with less weight and fewer reps, and you'll build up over time. How to Make Progress Consistency is the magic ingredient for getting stronger with weighted push-ups. Here's how to make it happen: - Choose Your Approach: Do you want to increase weight or do more reps? Both work, so pick your goal. - Workout Frequency: Aim for 2-3 weighted push-up sessions per week for the best results. - Recovery Matters: Let your muscles rest between sets to perform at your best! A Personal Note When I first started weighted push-ups, I could barely manage a few reps with a 10-pound plate. But over time, I worked my way up and the results have been awesome! So don't get discouraged – stick with it, and you'll be surprised what you can achieve. FAQs Let's answer some common questions about weighted push-ups: - Q: Are weighted push-ups good for beginners? - A: Yes, but start light and prioritize form. If you need to, modify regular push-ups first (elevated surface, knees on the ground). - Q: Will weighted push-ups help my regular push-ups? - A: Definitely! The extra strength you build carries over, making regular push-ups feel much easier. - Q: What if I can't do many weighted push-ups yet? - A: That's totally fine! Focus on progressing gradually. Even a few reps with good form is a great start. Key Takeaways - Weighted push-ups are a powerful exercise for building upper-body strength and muscle. - Start with a light weight and emphasize proper form for safety. - Progress gradually by increasing weight or reps. - Focus on consistency and be patient with yourself! Conclusion Adding weight to your push-ups can be a game-changer for your fitness. With these tips, you can safely introduce weighted push-ups into your workout plan and reap the benefits of a stronger, more sculpted upper body. Think about what else you'd like to explore on the topic of fitness – and let's write more! Fact: Did you know that weighted push-ups can help strengthen your core, too? It's true! Keeping your torso stable under the extra load engages those abs. Let's hear from you! Have you tried weighted push-ups? Share your experiences in the comments below! Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any decisions about your health. Read the full article

[the1975attheirverybest]

Hey yk theres a group chat on instagram that mattys in and yk yesterday he talked again in it and theres a screenshot of him saying hes gonna eat ass on stage and a couple of people issued it bc apparently there are a few 17yo in the group chat (one of them posted it i think) and its obviously a joke and the person who posted it said that most people are adults and it was a direct respons to an adults comment and its not anything weird or sexual and it didnt last more than 30 seconds and most people werent even awake for the conversation but i see a couple of older adults thinking its inappropriate and im not sure that its because im not as old but i don't think its a really big thing but i would love to hear your opinion about it

So, I have to say that I’ve been avoiding Twitter the last couple of days cuz my mental health is hanging on by a thread. So I haven’t seen the screenshots myself, but going off of what you’ve said here:

I think it’s dicey. Like, on the one hand, matty says shit all the time. Like, if this minor is someone who is familiar with “cumming to her lookalikes” and “bust into her hand” and “the type you just don’t fuck” or hell…matty saying that his tendency to reach for porn is entangled with his addiction….then this kid has heard all kinds of inappropriate things that maybe too much for their age. This comment wouldn’t be any different.

I’ve seen him doge potentially inappropriate conversations in group chats before. Like he’d reply to bluntly sexual comments and stuff either by simply liking them or only writing “haha” or like when someone was being extra flirty and shit with him then was like “follow me back” he replied with “but you’re the worst one” so he knows to tow the line really well. Idk if he like clicked on this persons profile and checked before replying to them or not. He probably just treated it the way that he would speak onstage. And he does say shit onstage.

But I have a sister. Who likes to remind me that she’s entered her 20s now. But in my mind she’s always gonna be 12 years old. And if I heated that some rockstar was talking about eating ass in her dms I would find that mf. I may not be that great at taking care of myself. But for my sisters??? You best believe I’m gonna fuck shit up. So, like, I get older peoples mentality. But matty has never been the sort of guy who will adjust the way he’s speaking for anyone. That’s who he is. And if he were worried about being taken out of context then he wouldn’t say half the shit that he does. I think he genuinely lives by the whole “I don’t have anything to hide cuz I’m not actually a bad person.” Like if anyone got suspicious of this kind of comment and went to dig deeper, he’s not Colleen Ballinger. Nothings gonna come up. So at worst Twitter hunts him for it for a while until he does the next “cancelable” thing.

He’s a lot of things but he’s not a sleaze. I think he tends to operate in good faith when it comes to fans. Cuz he knows we understand him. Which is what makes our connection with him so special.

[sarah-dipitous]

Hellsite Nostalgia Tour 2023 Day 235

Baby/Death in Heaven

“Baby”

Plot Description: shot entirely from within the impala, this episode follows Sam and Dean as they hunt a ghoul-like creature and try to make sense of an ominous dream

Would I Survive the First Five Minutes??: I’m GUESSING Dean’s not actually dead there, but he IS majorly unconscious

First of all, what a fucking weird episode concept

We are missing Jensen in shorts because it’s shot from inside the impala??? Rude. Like, if every other show can have scantily clad women washing cars, spn should show us Dean in shorts again. They may not even be scant

Sam, that’s not much of a smoothie

How does Cas know everything about pop culture now but doesn’t know what Netflix is??

How many years back y’all work that w****go case with Heather? Because y’all haven’t had time in the past like…six or seven

I can’t believe Dean’s not more annoyed with Sam for having sex in the back of his car.

It’s hard to be mad about seeing small moments between them in the car. Things normal people would say on long car trips, not always end of the world type shit and lying to each other all the time

WHY IS JOHN THERE??? GET OUT OF THAT CAR. It’s young John so not…AS bad as the John we all know and hate…but now I hate him too

It’s SO REFRESHING to hear them actually talk about what’s going on. Of course Dean is miffed that Sam didn’t tell him he got infected but………they’re talking about their literal DREAMS now. My heart is so soft

I don’t understand how what Dean is saying is any different than what fake dream John told Sam. That it’s up to them to bring down the Darkness, and that there’s no help…though I never really thought about what “god helps those who help themselves” means.

Good. Don’t indulge Dean calling a werewolf vampire hybrid a werepire

I knew his opposition to valet was about the car and not paying for it

Aaaaaaaand that’s why you don’t joyride the car you’re supposed to be valet parking, kids

“I’m mostly confused. I’m not sure how orange correlates with black in a way that is new” never ever change, Castiel

Dean, stop trying to make werepire happen. It’s not going to happen. Yeah, whisper is a lame name for whatever this…isn’t, actually.

The best thing about putting Cas on speaker while he’s in infodump mode is that he doesn’t realize Dean’s not there til he hears gunshots and Dean comes back in saying that it turns out he did shoot the deputy.

However, shooting him with silver bullets and decapitation DOESN’T SEEM TO HAVE WORKED. HOW.

If no one says “what’s in the box?” even once it’s a waste of putting the deputy’s still growling head in a cooler

Dean, DEFINITELY don’t try to make ghoulpire happen. DEAN. Stop calling it a ghoulpire. You sound ridiculous

Oh shit. The original victim’s wife is one of the……..ghoulpires (I don’t have subtitles on so I’m not going to try to spell out a name I can barely remember. Dammit, Dean). She beat Dean unconscious and stole the impala. She might be the alpha ghoulpire. (I’ve now typed that enough times to have my phone recognize it. Great.)

$20 says the purse left by the valet girl’s friend she went joyriding with has a penny in it minted before 1982

K she’s not the alpha. The deputy is. Omg…the hairpin Piper lost after her romp with Sam is find to get the handcuffs off Dean. The knife will decapitate him and the purse WILL have the penny. I’m sure of it.

Poor Baby. She doesn’t deserve this. She’s got no windows left. I know Dean will fix her up but damn.

That’s actually smart…instead of sifting through the pennies to find one minded before 1982, just shove them all in the ghoulpire’s mouth and hope for the best. Which does seem to have worked

I take it back. She’s got her passenger’s side windows left. To think we started this episode with a fresh wash, and now Dean’s rolling her totally busted up, engine barely working, hardly any windows left (and the ones she does have are covered in blood) out of the Oregon town. Poor Baby

“Death in Heaven”

Plot Description: with cybermen in the streets of London, old friend unite against old enemies

Does that mean we’re gonna get Not Vriska, Jenny, and Strax?? Perhaps a little River??

Ok, Clara, you pretended to be the Doctor once, let’s not get carried away and think you can pull that off again in the face of the cybermen

Missy calling the cybermen her boys is hilarious. I love it

Oh, Oswin! And Kate Stewart!! I AM excited to see her back! Both of them, really, but kind of mostly Kate

Join me in this episode where I try to figure out if I like Kate or Missy more of if I can simply simp for both

🎵I think I’ve seen this film before, and I didn’t like the ending 🎶 (and I mean like…three days ago on supernatural)

(I’m also now thinking about how I’m going to have to purchase season 4 of Sherlock…and within the next month because we are winding down on this project)

Why…would you incapacitate the Doctor??

I’m trying to trust the process but am I supposed to believe that human consciousnesses are being literally rained down into graves and THAT is somehow going to create more cybermen? Does that make sense to anyone else??

This guy working in the morgue would not survive the first five minutes of a Supernatural episode

The differences between how members of the government treat the Doctor and his authority on Earth is incredibly interesting. Harriet Jones immediately went behind Ten’s back to shoot retreating aliens out of the sky. Kate said Twelve’s word is literally law as soon as he boards this plane

The Doctor’s disdain for the military never fails to make me happy.

EXCUSE ME?? He’s president of EARTH? The DOCTOR?!?!

I had no idea Clara was canonically like a month older than me. She always seemed younger. Is Jenna younger than me? (Quick google break) She’s older than me! By like 8 months but STILL!!

I knew from the moment this cyberman showed up, it was Danny. But the sad head fall as he said “correct” when Clara (still trying to pretend to be the Doctor) said she’s an excellent liar. Oh it’s heartbreaking

The Master tried to either enslave or destroy the ENTIRE human race and Oswin is still like “she wasn’t even the worst” also…love that she used Missy’s new pronouns. Trans inclusive radical misogynist Steven Moffat wrote this one

Gotta love the Doctor’s subtle way of telling people “you’d make a really good companion.” When you only have to say “all of time and space?” And people know? Hell yeah

Everyone’s being advised to stay the hell away from cemeteries so of course we’re gonna plop Clara down in the middle of one. Makes sense

I can’t even take the trope of sex pollen in fanfic seriously, how are you going to try to make me take cyber-pollen seriously??

That’s a really good question. How DO you win a war against an enemy who can weaponize the dead?

I saw a post here the other day that I wish I had either reblogged or liked or thrown in my drafts about how the worst thing you can do to the Doctor is interrogate or torture him. Because the person being interrogated or tortured is the only irreplaceable person in the room, and you’ve just given the person whose main weapon is words a stage where their words are the most important thing. And it’s a little bit what Missy’s doing here. She fed info to UNIT about 3W, the company she founded to figure out how to turn the dead into cybermen, so it would bring everyone together including the Doctor to do her big reveal. I love her

(Oh this is a LONG episode)

I love her even more now. She’s singing “Hey Mickey” but replacing Mickey with Missy. We stan a bitch with audacity and confidence who’s definitely unhinged

Sorry rando guards and Oswin, but it was also really delicious when Missy killed you

They really need to stop underestimating how many cybermen are around

This is TORTURE. I don’t even like Danny that much but it’s AWFUL to have to watch him hear Clara say that she’ll always trust and forgive the Doctor. That she’s his best friend and he’s hers…….and she’s never lie to the Doctor. OMG.

YEAH! How shit do you feel now, Clara??

Missyyyyyyyyy, why’d you have to go and kill Kate too??

Missy has exactly zero hinges. I love her so much

Omg, yeah. Justified.

Yes, it was cool that the Doctor called the TARDIS to him and dove into it but…please. Some decorum.

I’m not saying that Danny’s necessarily wrong about the Doctor, I’m just saying that his hatred towards him has been the most complex of all the companions’ attachments. And I do think that Danny does…or did underestimate Clara a bit

There’s no way she did all this solely to give the Doctor an army as a birthday gift…oh…look, the Doctor has taken some undue authority roles over the years but that’s not what he wanted. And to make him the general of this army of cybermen because the only thing that will keep humanity alive is going out and conquering the rest of the universe is DIABOLICAL (I say kicking my feet and giggling)

See? Yeah. He’s an idiot with a box and a screwdriver (his words). So he gives the army to Danny, who gives the order to burn the clouds turning people into cybermen. I’ll admit it is a nice full circle moment

How did Kate survive that fall? *the dawning realization* one of the cybermen who was near the plane was her father. He caught her and saved her and I’m CRYING (I’ve seen very little Old Who, but I’m still crying)

Danny sending the kid he either couldn’t save or got killed (I truly wasn’t paying attention at that point) back to earth to live his life as he should

Omg, they’re lying to each other worse than the Winchesters. He didn’t find Gallifrey and she’s not still with Danny. Missy lied and Danny’s very dead now. Wtf? Why are they like this??

Oh thank god someone finally said that the two of them weren’t alright. BUT I WASNT EXPECTING IT TO BE ACTUAL SANTA CLAUS

#hellsite nostalgia tour 2023

[first-impressions-gaming]

The Last Case of Benedict Fox

Developed by Plot Twist

Published by Rogue Games

Release Date 2023

Tested on Xbox Series X

MSRP 24,99 USD

“All that glitters is not gold” is a perfect quote from Shakespeare to sum up what The Last Case stands for, or at least what it has to offer. My starting point for that quote lies in flashy trailers and screenshots for the game, eye-catching choice of colours, backed up by attractive graphic-design is always a “okay, that looks cool AF” moment in a silly 2-minute trailer, but the truth behind the trailer you are going to find in actual game may likely hurt you.

Let’s rewind a little bit: the game opens with a background story covering a secret cult operating and committing “atrocities” during world war I. Benedict Fox attempts to bust the cult yet things go south and he fights with a couple of cultists and escapes, then Benedict is to meet his sibling in a giant mansion to investigate a chain of murders after a phone call with him. We travel to this antique gigantic mansion which gives mysterious, dark, haunted and Victorian vibes low-key, the selection of a mansion with these details really fit game-wide graphic design.

Early in the game, one of the main quests is to find missing ritual scripts of the father, the thing is that the map expands as you explore and and there’s no tips given to you where to find quest-related objects (missing scripts in this case) to complete the quest even when exploration is set to the easiest option, and you end up randomly wandering around locations, you come across numerous locked doors and go back and forth. The gist of my criticism is I cannot figure out if this is a design-choice in favour of exploration or the objects are randomly placed around the map without foresight. As a player, I shouldn’t feel lost when I’m discovering the world I’m in, I should be encouraged as a principle. I wish objectives for main quests were designed with exploration in mind, exploration for sake of exploration sets back quests heavily and noticeable because you are losing your focus constantly and mindlessly running around is tiresome. 

As a tangible instance and comparison, total playtime for the game is around 5 hours and I spent at least 45 minutes focused on completing only one main quest, it never should take almost 20% of total playtime to finish a mission, a player expects to be motivated to progress, The Last Case fails at it, miserably.

As previously pointed out, The Last Case captivates you with a lively, colourful world with meticulous and detailed world-design which provides 2D movement in a 3D-depth world as a platformer. One of the highlights that I can share with you is the following clip, where 3D design really pops:

Furthermore, in this clip you can see location transitions, especially with contrast-colours:

There’re a few mechanics to mention as well, which are:

Pouch, Notes and Tattoos.

Pouch contains all sorts of items from consumables to mission-related keys, documents.

Notes lists button control tutorial, skills, quest notes, enemy types and major dialogue interactions.

Tattoos are mostly “skills” you can obtain from Mysterious Woman you rescue from mirrors when she’s trapped inside. Upon rescuing her, you can find her in the house.

The game also offers difficulty options when it comes to combat, puzzles and exploration. For example if you desire a more chill gameplay you can set combat to “relaxing” which deems you immortal and you can kill enemies with one shot, set puzzles to “not interested in solving puzzles” and the puzzles will be automatically solved on the condition that you collect all the objects for the puzzles as manually, and set exploration to the easiest option which provides you more instruction and guidance to find your way basically.  

The Last Case has this “great on paper, not well executed” sentiment to me all the way, it sure does not deliver what is marketed and talked about. The core gameplay is held back by questionable and not-actually-working-as-intended choices, which are map design, progression and navigation. 

#games #gaming #game review #the last case of benedict fox #playstation #xbox #nintendo #Youtube

[talenlee]

4e: When You Crit

I have never found feats or abilities that amplify the effect of critical hits to be exciting in 4th edition. There are plenty of them — almost every book features an effect that looks really cool and special, but it only fires off when you critically hit an opponent. You can have powerful effects on crits, mind you! Famously, D&D offers in its history, the Vorpal Sword, a weapon that decapitates on a crit – fight over, we are done. And the vorpal weapon is part of a powerful lineage of reasons to want to crit.

A while ago, a friend described for me the idea of a ‘raisins sentence’ where the excitement in the sentence increases every step, until suddenly dropping off a cliff, demonstrated with the phrase:

Would you like some chocolate covered raisins

The idea is that every part of this sentence is great but the raisins makes the whole thing disappointing. A lot of the crit-based feats, powers, and item rules are like that. Sure, crits are great! They can be very powerful, and making crits even better is even better still. But when a feat describes a strategy or a style of play that’s exciting that kicks in or triggers when you crit, all the air goes out of my enthusiasm.

Why, though?

Ehhh, a couple of reasons.

Now, I’m not about to bust out comparison tables, but to simplify if you can crit on 1 of the 20 numbers, then in a fight where you roll 20 dice, you’re probably going to get a crit. If you make one attack every turn, then you’re going to need 20 turns to expect to crit. I’m not used to 4e D&D fights taking that long and I play a lot of this system. That right there makes ‘when you crit’ effects seem pretty unlikely, especially because even in long fights where the odds are in your favour that it happens, you might not get your crit until towards the last third of the fight – and statistically, that’s likely about a third of the time.

This means that effects triggering on a crit don’t give a reliable output — you can’t rely on them showing up when you want them. You could get your crit effect that makes you hit super hard on an enemy that’s going to die instantly when you hit them. You could get your encounter-long buff or long-lasting bleed effect on an enemy that isn’t going to notice or care or need the effect.

This can mean ‘crit support’ lives in this weird space where no matter how powerful it is, it just doesn’t interest me much. Too unreliable!

I think though, that this is one of those signs of the lessons learned from 3rd edition D&D. In that edition, there were a few ways to get ‘improved crit’ — a critical threat range that could be expanded by the number the weapon started with. For a weapon that crit on a 20, that meant improving the crit got you a 19-20 crit range. For a weapon that started at 19-20, you got 17-20. For a weapon that started at 18-20 – and they were around, the Jovar and the Scimitar being two widely used examples – then your crit range expanded to six numbers on the dice, 15-20.

If your DM fell asleep at the wheel and let you use the 17-20 crit range from the Punch Knives in Sword and Fist (don’t use this, it’s dumb), then your critical hit range with just the Improved Criticals feat would streak up to 13-20, or almost half of all the possible numbers you can hit on. That was weapon choice + one feat, and there were ways to push it higher! A particularly aggressive build that didn’t compromise anything could run around critting on 9-20, and then it was just a matter of time before that character got effects like Vorpal on their weapons, and made every combat a sequence of hit rolls before they decapitated people. The damage became irrelevant, you just wanted to make sure you hit and then could follow up the hit with some ludicrous extra effects every time. And this is 3e, when most melee fighting characters were making 4-5 attacks a turn.

In 4e, this kind of build just isn’t very doable, at least, not like that. As good as a crit can be, you can’t really get these huge expanded crit ranges. There are weapons that crit on more numbers, but if that’s their magical property, they can’t be vorpal weapons. There are feats that make you crit more often, but they are often linked to specific feats and classes, and small windows of time like ‘until end of turn.’

Your only strategy, then, to get more crits under 4e, largely, is to roll more dice.

This can be pretty tricky, too, because the best ways to roll more dice is to make more attacks. Area attackers, like control archetypes (hello druid, I love you druid) get to roll a lot of dice, and that can be good, but they also don’t tend to get effects that do a lot on a crit on their weapons. Not nothing, but nothing as exciting as you see in melee weapons.

The generally-agreed upon, simplest way to do it, then, is to blend together the ranger with some avengerness, or an avenger with some rangerness, or a secret third thing (a bard poaching from both). If you take a pair of jagged weapons and twin strike your oath of emnity, you’re rolling 4 dice every attack and hoping to critically hit by rolling a 19 or a 20. Using our simplified math from up above, that means that you go from one likely crit every twenty turns to one likely crit every two and a half turns.

What’s more, if those weapons are light blades (like, say, daggers) you can attack with them on your off-turn with opportunity attacks in Paragon tier, which means you could be getting 8 dice rolls a turn, which makes a 1/10 chance seem more likely. That’s pretty exciting.

But but but I hear you say, but what about the Righteous Rage of Tempus? Righteous Rage of Tempus is amazing. The feat Righteous Rage of Tempus is available to any divine character (so, Paladins and Avengers) and it makes your next attack deal damage as if it were a crit.

And that’s it.

See, once upon a time, Righteous Rage of Tempus – and if you look it up in the book, it does still say it, – it says the attack is an automatic critical hit. This is obviously really strong, especially since you can control when it happens. You could load a character up with all sorts of ‘when you critical hit’ support, and then they open combat with a front-loaded attack to trigger all of them. And therefore, the fun police came along and changed it so the Righteous Rage of Tempus only gives you the damage of a crit up front.

Which is still cool, and it encourages you to build so that your crits have bigger and more dice rather than trying to crit a lot for secondary effects. That’s an interesting and cool different direction, and it also requires the build to be a bit less… lopsided without a crit.

Essentially then you have two build options that look at crits that I like. One, the crit-fishing avengangerard, and the called-shot crit-hammering Paladin/Avenger build that gets Righteously Mad at something.

Check it out on PRESS.exe to see it with images and links!

#DnD 4e #Dungeons &amp;amp; Dragons #Games

[stayathomesurveys]

043.

Do you like McDonald’s sprite? I don’t order their Sprite.

What age did you start becoming more independent? 20. I moved out and across the country. 

How do you like your oatmeal? I don’t eat oatmeal. Oatmeal makes my throat hurt.

Do you ever just dance around the house? Sometimes.

List 5 things you need to do soon. Find a way to make money consistently, get my sleeping schedule on track, get into a consistent work out routine, clean my apartment, meal prep.

What do you do when you start to feel sad? Lie in bed and binge watch tv shows as I have been doing. I’m miserable. I felt so great the first few days after quitting my job and now I’m left alone to wallow in my depression and anxiety all day. I miss working but I don’t miss going to work. I want to work for myself and I don’t even know where to start. It’s not like I have a cushy life to fall back on. I can’t ask my parents for money to get by until I can figure out what to do with myself. My boyfriend makes good money but not enough for me to just not work. But going back to working a regular job sounds absolutely horrible. I just want to find myself again and have hobbies and get back into working out consistently so I can lose this stupid fucking weight I’ve put on and not hate myself so much anymore. I am so sad. Deeply sad and lonely.

Have you ever been to a metal concert? No.

Do you like metal? Sure.

What’s your favorite Christmas movie? I like all of the classic claymation ones the most.

What about Halloween movie? I love the classic ones! The Halloween franchise, for sure.

Do you like the taste of cilantro? No.

Have you ever busted a window accidentally? No.

Do you remember those Bratz dolls? What were your favorite dolls? Yeah. My favorite was Cloe.

What was the last thing to bum you out? Life.

What is your summer anthem? I don’t have one.

Do you enjoy apples? Yeah.

Have you ever made apple butter? Do you like it? No. I have had it, it’s good. My ex-boyfriend’s dad really liked apple butter and I remember we went somewhere and I think we stopped at Buc-ee’s and picked him up some.

Do you own any pocket knives? No.

On a scale of 1-10.. How happy are you and why? 0.

Do you think diamonds are overrated? No.

How many languages can you greet somebody in? I don’t know, a few?

Do you have a favorite planet? Pluto, I guess.

Do you know how to play the flute? I used to! I played it in middle school.

What do you enjoy putting in your smoothies? I don’t know. I like berries.

What’s a medication that has really helped you? Lol.

Do you forgive easily? Nope.

Have you ever broken up with somebody? No, even when I wanted to end things... I wasn’t able to and basically pushed him away until he dumped me.

What was the biggest phase you went through when you were younger? Probably like my wannabe emo/punk phase.

Is there something you’ve been hiding from someone? No.

Do you believe in demons? Yes.

Have you ever seen a spider consume another spider? No.

What’s your favorite fruit? Oranges.

Do you ever go clubbing? No.

Have you ever been to a church camp? No.

Have you ever accidentally swallowed something you shouldn’t have? No.

Last book you remember enjoying? Hmmm... I’m not sure.

When was the last time you got scared? I don’t know.

Have you ever seen a boy band live? Yeah, the Jonas Brothers.

Have you ever been dehydrated? Yeah.

Have you ever shot a gun? Yes.

Do you use Facebook? Yeah, mostly for browsing and using the local buy nothing group.

Would you say you’re well educated on religious topics? To a degree.

What’s the longest you have walked at once? I’m not sure. I walked a TON in DC back in March.

Do you ever take those Buzzfeed quizzes? I used to do a lot of those.

How long was your last phone call? 41 minutes.

Are there a box of tissues on your bedside table? No.

Have you cut your hair here recently? Yeah.

Do you like skittles? Yes.

What is your favorite kind of cheeto? (spicy, regular, puffs.. etc. Puffs and flamin hot.

Do you have a skin care routine? Yes.

Do you know how to write in cursive? Not much anymore. I don’t remember the entire alphabet really well. My cursive never got “pretty” because they stopped teaching it 3rd grade. I grew up being told that by 4th and 5th grade, everything we did in school would have to be done in cursive... but by the time I got there, they ditched that. My cursive is horrible. I really want to start practicing, though.

What’s the closest thing to you that is pink? Part of a stuffed animal.

Have you ever watched a black and white film? Yes.

Did you used to read Dr. Seuss books as a kid? Yes.

What’s the longest you’ve had to wait in line for something? Hours.

What’s the sickest you’ve ever been? Hmmmm.

If you had to be named after an inanimate object, what would you choose? I don’t know.

What is one food you would not like to give up? Pasta.

Would you ever donate a kidney to a stranger if applicable? Yeah.

How many scars do you have? A few.

Do you have any unusual things wrong with your body? (I have different length arms and hands for example) I don’t know.

What did you last have to eat? Pasta.

When was the last time you visited a carnival? 2019.

Do you own a pair of those socks with toes? No.

What age did you stop trick or treating? that is if you celebrate Halloween at all.. 8.

What’s the best flavor of popsicle? Cherry.

Are you caught up on laundry? Kind of.

Does your car tend to get super messy like mine? 😅 Yeah, my boyfriend is a slob. It’s so embarrassing to get in and out of the car with people around. 

What search engine do you use? Google and bing.

#survey