#Gotta troubleshoot getting those right on paper

[ray-of-color]

When I tell you that I would literally die for them I mean it whole-heartedly

#the owl house #toh hunter #toh willow #toh spoilers #toh clouds on the horizon #huntlow #winter #hunter x willow #I feel like the color for Willow's skin + outfit is not it #Gotta troubleshoot getting those right on paper #But for now this is what I have #I was trying not to make her as pale as Hunter but now I'm just worried I ended up making it a whole other different kind of incorrect #someone please help me lol

[extremelyblackandwhite]

handmaid - 35

PAIRING: mob!sebastian stan x ingenue!reader

WARNINGS: age gap, guns

A/N: once again i am veryyyyyy late but i rly don’t wanna let go of this fanfic. hope you enjoy this chapter x

NEXT CHAPTER

The static sound of silence and the full view of darkness was what she woke up to. She wasn’t sure when she had lost conscience but at the moment the only thing she could see was the flickering light of a single lamp dangling overhead. Sometimes breaking through the silence, the irritating and yet somber noise of single drops of waters hitting the ground would make themselves heard leaving Y/N to feel like she was in imminent danger. As she tried to move, she noticed her ankle was tied to a shackle bolted to the ground which grounded her in the reality she had found herself in. However, instead of screaming or wondering what to do her first instinct was to lay her freed hands on top of her textile covered stomach trying to almost feel for the wellness of life growing inside her. 

Taking a deep breathe, she looked around, trying to understand where she was yet the low light room didn’t give much. However, the existence of a staircase a few inches away from her led her to believe she found herself in a lower floor than regular, maybe some sort of basement. Wherever it was, it was quite clear to the young handmaid it was a hard enough place to escape. The sheer chilliness of the room made her scared enough for her own safety, wondering what plans Mr. Williams had for her and if she would ever return to her life. What she’d give to return to the life she had known, in that sheltered, clueless mindset everyone believed she have. 

She sighed, biting onto her lip so she wouldn’t start crying. Her mind kept rushing, rushing too fast even with the events and stories told to her by the same man who now held her captive. She wondered what all of these years were, they surely weren’t truthful yet unlike lies they were palpable, palpable years of being placed right under everyone, hearing whispers of several other high society people pitying the orphan taken under a powerful’s family’s wing. What good was it to train someone to be submissive for the rest of her life for her safety? It was useless as she was standing idly at the feet of the same man who had brought her mother’s demise. 

All those thoughts did no little to help to tears remain in their ducts and soon, a few of those were rolling down her cheeks hitting the ground along. Along with this, one of her hairpins fell to the ground, the sound removing her from her pitying state. She grabbed it from the floor, looking at the details through the veil of her teary eyes. It was a rather sharp hairpin, she herself had noticed that prior when the hairstylist had stuck it into her hair, lightly scratching her scalp. 

Her eyes moved from the sharp edges to the shackle around her ankle and the key hole just a bit centred in the metal. Shaking like a leaf, she inserted the hairpin into the keyhole, shimmying it enough to cause the lock to give in, freeing her in the process. She found herself dumbfounded with it before quickly getting on her feet and climbing up the stairs to the door. Her hand gripped the door handle and pushed it down, however, the door proved to be locked. She sighed, looking around the room for any exits but there were no windows or any other doors. There was a drawer unit and her most hopeful self hoped there would be maybe a pair of spare keys.

Her hands rushed through the drawers which were mostly empty except the very last drawer where a small razor phone was. She looked around, ensuring her safety before she grabbed the phone with shaky hands, sighing in relief once she noticed one small bar on signal. Y/N quickly pressed the number on the phone, bringing her nails to her mouth as she waited and waited for the recipient to pick up but nothing came out of it. 

     - Please pick up ... I really need your help, I ... - she interrupted herself as she heard steps from above her. Quickly, she stuffed the phone back on drawer, rushing over to the chain which she shackled on her ankle again. 

The door opened rather fast, beams and beams of light streaming through the badly light room which hurt her eyes. Two voices were distinct and her eyes were glued to the door as Mr. Williams walked in with a smug look, however, it wasn’t him that made her heart beat a bit faster, it was Sebastian coming from behind. His pristine ironed suit was completely wrinkled, his tie loose enough to dangle around his neck, heavily wrinkled forehead, a very far cry from the put together man he normally was. 

    - You have a visit, birdie. - he stopped Sebastian from taking any steps further towards her. Ignoring her, Mr. Williams turned to face the mob boss, taking a particular pleasure in seeing him in agony over his own actions. - Told you she was safe. All it takes is just a signature and you can give her a happy ending. 

    - No, before I sign anything you gotta assure me that once you have that document she can go. - Sebastian wasn’t stupid. If there was a spark of his father that lingered in this psyche it was a very analytical and rational thinking, troubleshooting if you’d like to call it. For all he knew, he would sign those papers and Williams would do whatever he pleased with Y/N. The mob boss just couldn’t risk it with her. No, her safety came first. - She leaves, I sign it. 

    - Why should I believe you won’t just back away once she leaves? 

    - You’ll just have to trust me. 

    - You better not play me. Even if she’s out of this room, I have my own ways of making sure she doesn’t leave. - he threw the key towards Sebastian who strutted towards Y/N. Her gown was severely messed, almost a symbol of what he had done to her. It was his fault she was all over this mess, he could’ve protected her, he promised her he would protect her and here she was, shackled to the ground. He could feel his heartbeat pounding against his skull as he uncuffed her, hands still shaking. 

   - You’re gonna run. Okay, angel? You’re gonna run, run as far and fast as you can and you won’t look back, okay? - Y/N’s eyes didn’t seem as worried as he would expect, instead they held this creased look as her hand moved to cup the side of his face, the other hand pushing a piece of his hair away from his forehead. 

   - What about you? - her eyes quickly moved from Williams to Sebastian.

   - Angel, it’ll be okay. You gotta run, okay? Run. - he helped her onto her feet, expecting her to start running the moment she was up. Instead, she stood a few seconds immobile looking at him as her mind told her something bad was coming. She could just feel it, nevertheless the push on her back by Sebastian caused her to start running up the stairs. If only she could get to Dan or Mr. Forrest, they surely could help Sebastian.

Sebastian watched her leave, his heartbeat calming down as he realised she was safe. It didn’t matter what else would happen, she was safe and that was all that matter. Maybe Williams was right, maybe this wasn’t the life for him, a life with her sounded better, a life with her just sounded ... simpler, easier. Just him and her somewhere in a small town starting a family. With that thought in mind, he has handed the document and a black pen, his eyes wondering to the line asking for his signature. It almost seemed to mock him, mock him for not being able to keep a dynasty and her safe. With his gaze away from the paper, he quickly signed it, handing it over to the despicable man.

Mr. Williams smirked out of delight, eyes turning upwards to the door, giving one of his men the sort of look that led some doubt into his mind. This quickly got confirmed as the door was firmly locked, the darkness barely lit by the lamp on the ceiling involving the two of them.

    - You probably don’t remember her mother, you were too young but god ... does she resemble her, those beautiful eyes, exactly the same. Sometimes the universe does give you a second shoot. Maybe I couldn’t be with the mother but I guess the daughter will do just fine. - he raised his arm towards the now ex mob boss, pointing his gun at him. - After all why should I only control one family when I could control two?

   - YOU FUCKING BASTARD! - before he could make any moves towards him, a shot burst through his leg, weakening his stance sending him against the floor. 

   - Did you seriously think I would let you go on and marry her? Get her family support and gain your position back? I didn't peg you for a gullible one but I guess I was wrong. - he chuckled taking another shot to the same leg. - I will take such pleasure in raising your kid. I will raise your child to know just how weak you were, how you never rose up to the challenge. You will cease to exist, gone, just like things should be. 

His mother used to talk to him about death when he was younger, how people just shouldn’t fear it and that when it comes everything is white. Sebastian had to disagree as once another bullet hit him, this time close to his stomach, he didn’t see white, no, he saw her. He saw her, the very first time he saw her on the floor, he saw her eyes peaking from the covers whenever she would sleep near him, her touch, and her laughter. In that moment all he wished was for her to be somehow outside the house, to be safe, far away from all of this. Maybe it was this hope, this conviction that kept him pulling on the single thread belonging to his life. He really hoped she was safe.

   - Drop it. - a feminine voice boomed through the room. Mr. Williams furrowed his eyebrows turning around to a scenario he never expected to experience. Y/N had her arms forward, holding one of his guns and point it at it. - I said, drop it. 

    - Well, well ... - he lowered down sightly, placing the weapon on the floor before putting his hands up. - What are you gonna do, birdie? You’re gonna kill me? 

    - Shut up. - her hands were far from being stiff, shaking with the fear of the situation she was standing in but still firmly holding her revolver. 

    - What are you gonna do, birdie? You’re gonna shot me? For who? Him? Listen to me, Y/N, you and I are the same. We work hard and those above us mistreat us. Join me child, you will have the power you deserve. You won’t serve anyone else, no more hand me downs, no more screaming. 

    - I will not join you, you’re not powerful, you’re a coward. You’ll never be anything other than a coward even if you become the head of the family. You’re a coward, only cowards murder innocent, only cowards are so insecure in their own skin they would crave power. - she lowered her weapon. - I will not be the one to kill you. 

    - Well, isn’t th ... - he was interrupted by a gun shot echoing through the room sending him onto his knees leaving only a very weak Sebastian holding the same revolver he had placed on the ground.

    - She won’t but I will. - she had never seen this side of him. He sounded cruel, cold yet she couldn’t blame it, what she could do was be worried about him as he held a weapon with one hand and the other hand held onto his gashing wound. - I will kill you, slowly, painfully. Before you’re dead, I will make sure all your stupid bastards are dead, all your men are dead, and I will have you front and centre to their deaths. 

    - Y/N .. - the man winced in pain from the gunshot, eyes looking up to the handmaid who had took a few steps back.

    - Don’t you fucking say her name! - he shot him once more, no sign of mercy in his actions. 

    - Sebastian. - she called out to him, effectively gaining his attention. There were no words exchanged, she just looked at him, her lip trembling ... disappointment even. 

There are moments in your life when you can chose to be the villain or the hero of your story. You can either live being the villain or others can tell your story and keep it on. Sebastian looked at her, from her eyes to her hands laying on top of her stomach. No, he wouldn’t be the villain, he wouldn’t be his father. He lowered his weapon, cuffing the man he most despised where he had just had the woman he loved captive.

Once that was done, whatever was left of the adrenaline keeping his wounds from hurting ran out and the pain overtook his muscles, sending him against the ground. Y/N rushed from her standing position, lowering herself to catch him before his head hit the ground. She pulled him over her lap, pushing his hair away from his face. 

   - C’mon, you have to get up. - she spoke softly but he could hear the underlying anxiousness. - You have to get up, we have to get out of here, okay? Just you and me. 

    - No, angel. - he reached to his pocket, her music box still there, and he placed it softly on her hand. - I don’t think I can. You can, you can go, take the next plane out of this place, go to France ...

    - No. - she threw the box away. - You have to get up, you will get up, you’ll come with me to France. Just us, no one else. 

    - You deserve everything you’ve ever dreamed of. 

    - You are my dream. 

tag list: @lilya-petrichor​​​​​​​​ @xoxohannahlee​​​​​​​​ @irespostthingsiwanttoseelater​​​​​​​​ @nikkipea​​​​​​​​ @madisonpillstrom​​​​​​​​ @cevans98​​​​​​​​ @thelostallycat​​​​​​​​ @sideeffectsofyou​​​​​​​​ @anxiousdreamersworld​​​​​​​​ @captainchrisstan​​​​​​​​ @lookiamtrying​​​​​​​​ @sarge-barnes-sir​​​​​​​​ @stuffforreferences​​​​​​​​ @thebadassbitchqueen @sebastianstansqueen​​​​​​​​ @nsfwsebbie​​​​​​​​ @strangerliaa​​​​​​​​ @emzd34​​​​​​​​ @everything-is-awesomesauce​​​​​​​​ @dreams-in-blxck​​​​​​​​ @krismeunicornbaobei @buckysteveloki-me​

#sebastian stan #sebastian stan x reader #sebastian stan/reader #sebastian stan x you #sebastian stan/you #sebastian stan x y/n #sebastian stan/y/n #sebastian stan au #sebastian stan imagine #sebastian stan fanfic #sebastian stan drabble #mob boss!sebastian stan #mob!sebastian stan #mobster! sebastian stan #mafia!sebastian stan #mafia boss!sebastian stan

[cancerbiophd]

Hey! I’m sure this is a question you get asked a lot but how did you decide that a PhD was for you? I’m about to enter the last year of my undergrad and have really enjoyed the lab work I’ve done previously but it feels like a rather large commitment when I’m not 100% sure I’m going to end up in research at the end of it. I was just wondering how you knew it was what you wanted to do!

Hello!

I actually have never been asked that question before, which was surprising for me too. I get a lot of “how did you know lab research was right for you”, but never specifically about how I knew a PhD was right for me (or maybe I did and I just didn’t answer it well), so I’m really glad you asked!

As you said, it really does come down to answering yes to both these statements: 

The career path I want is best accomplished with a PhD

I am willing to commit to the challenging journey of 5-6 years of grad school (+1-3 years of being a post-doc, if applicable to your field)

So here are the reasons how I knew getting a PhD was the best past for me:

I loved research. And I loved research beyond just doing benchwork--I loved the brainstorming, the experimental design, the analyzing of results, the troubleshooting of the unexpected, the dissecting of both broad and fine details as you solve a puzzle, the moment when you realize you just discovered something no one else has ever seen before, and communicating those exciting results. I was infatuated. When I was working as a lab tech in a cancer research lab after undergrad there were nights where I couldn’t sleep because my brain just would not stop brainstorming new ideas and questions about my research. I told that to a current grad student in the lab at the time and he was like “You know what that means? You have the mind of a grad student.”

And I wanted to broaden my skillsets. I could do a few techniques really well, but I really wanted to learn more, and I also wanted to learn more about those techniques--why do this, and not an alternative? What would happen if we tried this? I wanted to explore more. 

Going off of that, I wanted to keep learning. And not just looking up wikipedia articles by myself; I wanted formal training (because I had no idea what I needed to learn). And I’ve always been good at learning in a classroom setting so I knew I would excel at that part in grad school. 

It would lead me to the career path I wanted, which was to work at a biotech company as a leader of a research team and then become a consultant. True, a PhD is not required for that in many cases, but a PhD would better prepare me for those roles

I enjoyed writing and orally communicating about my research. PhD’s do metric ton of writing (grants, papers, reports, etc) and oral presentations (conferences, meetings, collaborations, etc). And I really enjoyed (and was good at) all that. 

I wanted to be in a position where I could lead and mentor. As someone with the highest degree in the room, institutions look to the PhDs for direction. So PhDs will become leaders--whether it’s a lab of their own in academia, or a team in an industry setting, etc. Even grad students have undergrads, or have to TA. And I was ready for, and wanted, all that. 

I was good at wearing a lot of hats. PhDs don’t just do a singular task; during grad school we learn to be versatile (you have to be in an academic lab setting), and that versatility carries through later as we become excellent multitaskers and are good at adapting to new challenges. And as someone who has always successfully juggled school and work and multiple extracurriculars, and had experience being a rockin lab manager (in the lab I worked in after undergrad), I knew I was up to it. 

I loved working by myself but I also loved working as a team--and that’s a necessity for research in general, even for non-PhDs, but PhDs are more likely to have to excel at both. 

I was mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially ready for the challenges and commitment of 5-6 years of grad school (plus 1-3 years of being a post-doctoral fellow, if applicable). Grad school is tough as balls, and you have to be just as tough, or at least have the resources to help you. I took a gap year of 2.5 years after undergrad to a) figure out what the heck I wanted to do/get research experience and b) mature to the point where I could be ready for something like grad school. I feel that working as a full-time lab tech really allowed me to immerse myself into the closest setting of a grad student in my field as possible. Being there 40 hrs/week really is different than when you’re an undergrad researcher popping in for 2 hours/day. I also took a grad-level class to see if I could mentally balance class and research. I know that’s obviously not an option available to everyone (nor is it necessary), but that’s just how I knew that every part of me could handle the rigors of grad school. 

Going off of that, I had a lot of grit and discipline. Sometimes that’s all you have left to get you through the day in grad school when everything else feels depleted. Grad students do a lot of things they’re not motivated to do, but we gotta get it done anyway, and sometimes grit is all we have to make our limbs move. 

PhD holders and PhD students at the time were telling me I’d be great at pursuing one. They know better than anyone what it takes, and they knew I was ready. 

Also dang, I’d be lying if I said money didn’t play a role in it. I graduated college in 2011 during the grand ol recession, and the job market stunk. I saw that options for biology majors were slim to none (I was extremely lucky to have found my lab tech job), so I knew I had to either wait it out until the job market bounced back, or make myself a more attractive candidate for the workforce, or both! (Let’s not talk about the economy during Covid lol). Also, the thought of making over 100k with a PhD was attractive. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, but money does buy happiness, because money buys food and a roof over your head and warm clothes and healthcare and hobbies so uh, yeah, I did get the highest degree possible partially for the money. 

So why not a Masters? That’s a good question!! And the truth is: I didn’t know I could accomplish most of what I wanted with a Masters. And that was my fault for not doing my own research, but I think I was just.. surrounded by PhDs (both in my academic lab setting and in my family) and the thought of doing a Masters never really occurred to me. Also, idk, I knew in my heart and in my bones I wanted a PhD, so I’m not sure if I would be happy with a Masters. 

Lastly, because this list is personal to me, getting a PhD would get me off my mom’s shit-list and end her endless emotional abuse towards me being worthless, etc. Long story, but yeah, it did factor into it as kind of a bonus point. 

So thar’s my spiel.  

One last thing I want to add: though continuing research is the most common career path for PhD holders, it’s not the only one. Here’s what else is available for PhDs (from the book Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development by Toby Freedman)

If the image is hard to see, there are 4-ish main branches, and then some sub-branches (and even more specialized sub-branches that aren’t labeled):

R&D: Discovery research, preclinical research, bio/pharmaceutical product development, project management, clinical development, regularly affairs, medical affairs

Services: Recruiting, law, venture capital & banking, management consulting

Operations: Bio IT, quality, operations

Commercial Operations: Business development, corporate communications, product support, sales, marketing

And that’s just in the industry sector--academia, government, and non-academia/non-govt research institutions are also obviously available as career choices, though those would focus more on R&D (and also teaching). 

You obviously don’t need to know the specifics of your career path before committing to grad school, but I think you should have a general idea that what you want to do would best be accomplished with a PhD. 

If you’re still on the fence, I would advise:

Talking to more grad students or degree holders--both PhD and Masters (our Gradblr Discord is great for that!)--to paint a bigger picture.

Informational interviews are also great, especially if you’re interested in learning more about those career paths above. 

You can also explore the field a bit more in-person by starting off with a Masters (less time commitment than a PhD, though more expensive), or an entry-level research job like I did. 

Best of luck! 

#genestudies #grad advice #job advice

[yet-another-saberface]

Interim Headcanons: Fuyuki -> Orleans

This is the first in what’ll be a series of story posts that are ‘Interims,’ or what takes place in between singularities! (Other than the eventual events.) They have less heavy story content but are still necessary because they do contain character stuff.

This one has a fic section roughly in the middle of the post! It’s around 1500 words & in the first person POV, which is actually what I’m most experienced with writing, so I hope everyone can enjoy that! There should be another short fic post coming out before I start on Orleans that’s less story and more slice of life stuff, but I’m still figuring out what exactly I want to do with that and had everything else done, so I decided to post it now!

We’re summoning some people, so get ready!

Between Fuyuki and the first real singularity, Eva practically refuses to have any downtime. She’s told that she should take it easy, let her leg heal, and wait for them to pinpoint the appropriate rayshift point. At some point they’ll help her set up the summoning circle for backup, but until then, she doesn’t need to be doing anything.

Instead of following those orders, Eva essentially ends up doing the work of multiple people herself. She hangs around the command room, usually standing the entire time, and will rush over to help anyone that seems to be having any difficulties. One of your numbers seems off? She’ll double-check it for you and if it’s correct she can explain exactly why. Tech isn’t working? Not her area of expertise but she’ll troubleshoot it until she can’t anymore, at which point she runs off to find Da Vinci. Something weird happening magically? You better bet she’s all over it and probably pushing you out of your workstation to handle it herself.

After a day or two, Roman notices what’s going on and takes her aside. She’s promptly banned from the command room unless someone asks for her to be there.

She tries to hide her disappointment… Which is surprisingly easy when the only emotion you can really convey at the moment is ‘tired?’ She heads back to her room, takes her boot off, and collapses onto her bed trying to figure out what else she should do, falling asleep in the process.

She wakes up around a full day later with a brilliant idea.

She’s gonna set up the summoning circle and perform the ritual herself. She forgets about the boot and immediately rushes off the Chaldea’s library with the intent of double-checking her memory.

She actually ends up spending a lot more time in the library than she intended when she finds out just how expansive it is. There’s all the books on magic she’s read before, along with literally everything else she could ever hope to find. This is how she finds herself filling a crate with somewhere upwards of 15 books and dragging it back to her room after leaving a note so people know who took them.

Mash catches her as she’s heading back with the books, glad to see that she seems less tired. When Mash offers to help with the books, Eva tries to say no, until Mash notices that she isn’t wearing her boot anymore. 

“Senpai, did Doctor Roman say your ankle is okay now?” “Uh… Wait. Right. My ankle is injured. Still. Crap.”

It’s only then that she starts to notice how the pain is coming back from all the unsupported weight she’s been putting on the injury, and finally accepts Mash’s offer to help with the books. When they finally get them back to Eva’s room, Mash makes sure that Eva actually puts on the boot this time. Afterwards, Eva is posed with a question she’s not sure if she should answer.

“What are you planning on doing with all of these books?” A pause. “I was just going to refresh my memory! I’ve done a lot of research into servants and stuff in the past, but I’m not sure how much of it I actually remember…” “That’s a wonderful idea, Senpai! Do you mind if I borrow some of these?” “Oh… No, go ahead! Just uh… Not this one, I was gonna start here!” She conspicuously grabs the book on rituals.

She spends the rest of the day reading up on how summoning rituals work, and later that night, when the fewest people possible are awake, she sneaks off to the summoning room that was pointed out to her earlier… 

        I open the door to the summoning room to find darkness. It’s unexpected, unsettling. Darkness is not something easily found in Chaldea, where everything is lit up with screens and fluorescent lights. It’s fitting, I guess, that humanity’s last hope should be constantly illuminated. But if that’s the case… Then why is it here, of all places, that I find darkness? Doubt creeps into my mind, as it always does. Millions of questions spring from that first one, slowly weighing me down, and looming over me like a shadow. Is this really a good idea? Maybe there’s a reason they said I should wait for their help setting this- No. I can’t just not do it. I need to prove it. That I’m capable of being the Master that saves humanity. And this is the first step. The light from the hallway illuminates just a bit of the room, but it’s enough that I can see that a circle has indeed already been drawn on the floor. Good. Now I just need to take care of… Everything else. I feel around on the walls by the door for a light panel until I finally knock my hand against it. The room lights up in blues and whites, unlike anything else in the facility, leaving me in awe. This is definitely the place to be doing magecraft. Glancing around a bit more, the room appears to be empty… With one exception. Tucked into the back right hand corner, there’s a small stack of white crates. Okay, then. Let’s start there. I make my way around the edge of the circle that takes up most of the room, ducking my head a few times as I try not to disturb any of the floating bands of light throughout the room. I don’t know exactly what they are, but I can’t afford to take any risks. When I reach the boxes, and carefully remove the lid of the top one to find it full of prism-like stones, each one containing every possible color. They’re big enough that I can only fit one in the palm of each hand, and are lighter than I expect. I set the one I’d been holding back down in the box, rummaging for the book I’d stuffed into my pocket before coming over here. I skim through the pages for just a second before landing on the one I’d marked earlier. Stones, stones… Gems, maybe? Why are these here? I’m halfway down the page when it hits me. They’re probably catalysts. I have no idea if they’re meant to summon anyone in particular, but there’s little chance they’re anything else. Summoning’s supposed to be easier with a catalyst, right? There’s several boxes of these… Surely using a few wouldn’t be noticed. And besides, most catalysts stick around even once the summoning is complete. Most of them. Hopefully that’s how these work. Given that I’m unsure what exactly they are, I grab 3 just to be safe after setting my book down on the floor. With one in each hand and a third tucked against my chest by my upper arm, I carefully inch a toe into the summoning circle. Nothing happens. …Okay then. It’s probably not activated yet. That’s good. I set the stones down in the very center, one at a time, so that they’re arranged in a triangle formation, before walking out of the circle as quick as I can. Still, nothing happens. Good. No surprises. I put the lid back on the box, grab the book, and then walk back around to close the door for good measure. Something tells me I don’t want anyone walking in on this. Circle, catalyst, mage… There’s no way this is as easy as it seems, is there? There’s gotta be a catch to it. But… If there is one, it’s definitely not mentioned at all. So all I can do is hope that what works in theory works in reality, like always. So I set my book down and stand my ground in front of the door, facing the circle. Don’t screw up the incantation. Remember how you changed it. Remember your theory. This is all gonna work out just how it’s supposed to. I take a deep breath. I blink. And before I speak, I picture it in my head. A drop of ink hitting paper, spreading a deep blue color across the white page. With that, I can feel the familiar hum and warmth of magic circuits spread through my body, giving me focus. I can do this.

“Let silver and steel be the essence. Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation. Let my own hope and faith in humanity be what allows it. Let a wall rise against the wind that shall fall. Let the four cardinal gates close. Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the kingdom rotate. Know this; I am all the good remaining in the world. I stand against all the evil threatening our world. And it is I that shall come to have dominion over that evil. Heroic Spirit, attended to by the three great words of power, Come forth from the right of restraint, keeper of the balance!”

As I progress through the lines of the chant, I can feel more and more magical energy building up in my body, desperately trying to be released. But that heat, that feeling of everything building up, cannot compare to what happens as I end the spell. All of the energy is pulled from my body at once. I can feel each and every individual nerve fighting against it, to no avail. It’s like my heart has stopped beating, yet is also beating too fast. I’m hit with a sudden migraine, yet the next second, it seems like it was never there in the first place. And all the while, I’m forced to close my eyes because the room, once dimly lit, is now full of a blinding white. And while they’re closed, images flash through my mind. Fire. Death. A silhouette, unidentifiable. And finally the back of a boy, my age, in a Chaldea uniform, standing at the ready. I hear something incredibly loud, some sort of boom, though maybe that’s not the best way to describe it, followed by a much quieter cracking noise, as the light behind my eyelids fades away. My hearing starts to recover, but I’m scared to open my eyes. I have no idea what just happened. Did it work? Was all of that meant to happen? The book hadn’t mentioned any of that. So I stand there, listening and breathing. Hoping against hope that everything is okay. Until I hear someone speak. “I ask of you, are you my Master?”

As I finally open my eyes, another girl stands before me in the center of the circle. The stones are gone. (Dammit.) As she looks at me expectantly, her green eyes seem to see right through me. I can’t tell if I’m being judged or not. But as I take in the rest of her, I do my best to offer a response, however quietly. “Yeah. I… I’m your Master.” It’s barely more than a whisper, riding along a shaky breath. So much for seeming confident. We stand in silence for a few more seconds as I catch my breath. It worked. It really worked. That’s a Servant. Right there. In front of me. That I summoned. This time when I look at her, I begin to notice things without trying beyond her physical appearance. For starters, she’s a Saber. Wait a- That’s not any Saber. That’s. “You’re King Arthur.” “That… Is correct, Master,” she replies, showing slight confusion. “Holy… Okay. Um.” As I’m pausing to take a breath, the door behind me slams open. I jump a bit, and when I land, pain shoots through my leg. My boot broke during the ritual. I glance behind me to find Mash, Roman, Da Vinci, and a few other staff members staring. “Senpai, what did you-” “IsummonedaServant,” I blurt out, trying to shift as much weight off my right foot as possible. When everyone keeps staring, I add on a halfhearted “...Sorry?” There’s a collective sigh from the group, none of whom really seem to know what to do. “You do realize we told you to wait, right?” Roman asks. “Yes, but I thought I could handle it, because I’ve studied this a lot, and clearly I can handle it, because it worked, so-” “Chaldea actually has an alternate summoning system-” Da Vinci starts, but I cut her off. “...Oh. Of course! That… Makes a lot of sense now.” I find myself looking towards the ground. “Why’d I go and do this?” I add at the last second, quieter than the rest. “Don’t worry, this is nothing I can’t handle!” Da Vinci responds. “Just make sure to let us know before you summon anyone again, okay?” “Okay,” I respond, still quiet. When no one else says anything, Roman speaks up again. “All right then, everyone else should get back to what they were doing.” He glances at the leg the boot had broke off of, even more worried than before. “Mash and…” “Saber,” the other Servant answers. “Right. Mash, Saber, can you help Eva to the infirmary for now?” The two of them nod before stepping over to me and adjusting so that each of my arms is over one of their shoulders. I cringe a bit when I have to adjust my right leg, and soreness is slowly starting to spread through the rest of my body. This idea is continually turning out to have been way worse than I thought it would be.

So, as it turns out, Eva continually doing things that put strain on her injury has set back the healing process, and even when it does heal, it’s likely still going to be weaker than it was. She won't need a cane or anything, but she should still be wary of it and avoid relying on her right leg too heavily from now on. Running and other simple physical activity is fine, but should she need to say, kick something, she should absolutely favor her left leg unless she’s made the necessary precautions and given her right ankle the support it needs to prevent more injuries. 

They get her a new boot and she’s essentially grounded for 2 days, not allowed to leave her room. They also start cutting the lights in her room on a schedule for as long as she’s grounded so that she’s forced to sleep.

She emerges, somehow, both less tired and more grumpy. Everyone catches on pretty quickly that she’s getting antsy because she’s not allowed to do anything, so they decide to set up the summoning system and let her try out a summoning that won’t make her injuries worse.

She’s initially hesitant to try any summonings with the more tech-heavy system, but she eventually agrees to go ahead with it after Da Vinci spends over an hour explaining every intricacy of how it works and how it differs from normal summoning. It’ll work, according to magical theory, so she doesn’t have anything to lose by trying it out.

This time, instead of just a single servant, she actually manages to summon several, those being Medusa, Caster Cú, Archer Emiya, and Saber Alter.

The tension between the 2 Sabers is pretty obvious, so Eva does her best to make sure that they aren’t forced to interact much while still spending time with and attempting to understand each of them. Since they’re both pretty reserved, it’s a slow process, but at least she figures out pretty quickly that they both really love food.

Cú is still salty that he’s not a Lancer, but is still glad to have at least been summoned again. He’s actually rather surprised by just how much Eva immediately puts value in him. She starts carrying a notebook around with her, and will write in it whenever she notices something new about Runes she didn’t know before. He actually tries to help her use Runes at one point, but it ends up blowing up in both their faces because Eva was focusing more on her anxiety than on the effect she wanted to achieve. 

Eva knew literally nothing about Emiya, so more than pretty much every other Servant that’s around, she tries to seem professional around him. That completely collapses when he catches her in the kitchen at 3 in the morning halfheartedly making grilled cheese. From then on she’s a lot more casual and every once in a while she pesters him incessantly about Reality Marbles. She’ll probably eventually figure out that he knows more about the Sabers than he lets on.

Medusa actually surprised Eva a bit. While Eva knows a lot about her from mythology, it took awhile for her to figure out anything about her as a Servant, other than what she could discern from practice battles. The first real bit of progress she makes is when she finds Medusa reading in the library. Now they just kinda have one of those “sit and read in silence together” type friendships.

Eva isn’t exactly all hyped up for whenever the next singularity is identified, but she promises herself that she won’t be scared to go and do whatever’s needed in order to correct it. After all, she has more allies this time, and it seems like her magecraft is getting better by the day. Now all that’s left is to save humanity.

New Servant Log:

Artoria Pendragon (Saber)

Artoria Pendragon (Alter)

Cú Chulainn (Caster)

Emiya (Archer)

Medusa (Rider)

I actually have an excuse to tag people and that makes me happy

@contractgreen​ @panyum​ @withanina​ @campanulabell​ @delfinaschiffer​ @princessaslan​ @armageddon25​ @patproductions​ @xviicprc​

#fgo #fate go #fate/go #fate grand order #fate/grand order #oc #fgo oc #mastersona #gudasona #Eva #mashu kyrielite #saber #saber alter #artoria pendragon #heroic spirit emiya #cu chulainn #medusa (fate) #my writing #headcanons #story mode hcs #interim hcs #Eva why are you like this #someone get this child a sedative #like an ambien or something #maybe then she'd sleep #like a normal person

[thelightofthingshopedfor]

as usual, an unrealistic list of things I’d really like to get done over the three-day weekend, which is not super likely to go well considering I’m posting this at 5 fucking p.m. but whatever:

gaming-related

I have exactly a month left on my (so far unused, whoops) PC Game Pass subscription, so I need to go over my wish list again and identify

which games have achievements

each game’s average playtime so I can prioritize

which ones interest me the most (emphasis on spooky games because...it’s spooky season)

try Fallout 76 once it finally finishes downloading, because I played the free weekend on Steam before and this is Microsoft, and...I think my character should just be on their servers but I don’t actually know hahahaha yeah that super didn’t work, maybe in a week when our billing cycle restarts I’ll try redownloading and reinstalling it, and anyway I did download and test a couple other Game Pass games

cancel my current SWTOR subscription so I’m not still paying for that while focusing on Game Pass games

play one of a few Flash games on my to-play list, if there’s something short

misc/housekeeping

check out my current backup situation and see how hard it would be to modify, I mean at some point I have got to set up an actual system but for some reason that’s intimidating so if what I currently have is at all usable, I should add to it

and then verify my drivers. I don’t know what’s wrong with my PC and I’m really not sure how to figure that out but since Memtest86 ran for three fucking hours and came back clear, it seems like this is the next major step in the troubleshooting process okay I actually didn’t do this but I did try some other things that also didn’t work

finish claiming all the Black Panther comics

a tiny bit of room cleaning? maybe?? I actually already did a very tiny bit, and this is something (one of...many things) I could do while on a call with friends, which is also in my plans

open a couple packages from one of said friends, which keen-eyed readers might note was in a to-do list ages ago oops

check Tumblr drafts

work on modifying or fixing some masks that currently aren’t working well

send an email that’s been on my to-do list for...a while

actually another email would be a good one too

keep trying to get Hazy to learn that letting people handle her paws results in good treats, so we can make an appointment for a Petco nail trim (and ideally clip them ourselves, sometimes)

ah fuck I still need to finish my will

creative

mildly edit the short fic I posted a few days ago, give it a title, and toss it on AO3

as always, some typing would be really really good

so would...some writing...

make some more potion bottles with, uh, random stuff I’ve collected on recent walks around the neighborhood (other potion bottles with other random ideas I’ve had wouldn’t be a bad idea either...and I would like to try one of the Youtube tutorials I found for making tiny hourglasses, but I guess that’s probably not a priority)

do a little reorganizing in my giant to-do lists for a) 1/6-scale projects and b) lyrics for titles

doing more research on parts for a 1/6 female Loki is really not urgent but...I might want to...and some things are on sale right now...

repair Tiny Loki’s tiny mask

rewrite my paper list of prioritized projects, which I needed to do anyway, but now I’ve also lost the original and that’s very annoying (also make a pocket for it in my notebook so this is less likely to happen again)

make designs for a few new Pride Cap shields, maybe? it really would not take long to make just a few, and now is when I should be adding stuff to Etsy if I have any hope of like...holiday sales

for that matter, now would be an extremely good time to at least start planning what kinds of holiday-specific things (and/or other new listings) I might be able to make in time to list them on Etsy

mental health

write up a post for the ADHD Reddit and maybe other related places

experiment with Notion and Airtable as organizational options

research some bullet-journal layouts to see if anything seems like it would work for me

in general, spend some time just kind of...brainstorming the type of system that would be useful for me in keeping my shit together, so I have a better idea of what I’m looking for (also probably helpful to list like...the big problems I’m trying to fix)

see if Penzu seems like a good option for a keeping-my-shit-together strategy I have in mind from my latest therapy session, and if not, do a little research on other journal-type possibilities

shopping I probably shouldn’t be doing

make a Michaels order tomorrow when both coupons will be active, because...there are some Halloween things that are somehow already sold out at the nearest store but I still want them...and they’re available at the store all the way across town...so...

possibly go to an estate sale benefiting the rescue group where we got Scully and Hazy, which is also all the way over on the other side of town but if I’m going over there anyway, I might as well

some stuff in my Etsy cart that I don’t want to miss

ditto eBay, I think mostly in my cart but also check watch list

AliExpress is also having some sales and yes there are more tiny things I want to buy for Loki’s arcane workshop, shut up (but also if I’m going to buy another Hot Toys body, this time for Thor, I gotta...take some measurements)

politics

call legislators

I really don’t know why I bother but I’ve found a bunch more articles recently that I’d like to throw on Facebook

for that matter at some point I’m probably just going to do a Facebook post like “hey, if you care about me at all, please consider voting Biden,” which also probably won’t make a difference but like...there’s a tiny chance it might

actually write those Sierra Club letters to voters that I meant to do like...two weeks ago...and maybe also some postcards, idk

maybe go to a thing Monday afternoon

also maybe just like...look through my links and folders to see who’s doing textbanking? like I don’t necessarily have to do any of it this weekend, just figure out what’s available?

........hmm this is all a terrible idea, probably, in part because my brain is looking at this absurdly long list and still going “oh shit, oh fuck, we’re forgetting something major aren’t we!!!”

#for future reference #bad adult #why...am i Like This

[cosmosogler]

hi guys. didn’t do much today, but i did troubleshoot a web site problem for one of my classes, got all my drc papers together, went to therapy, did my dishes, and finished a comic scene. or, the first half of a scene, which is a full post. 

still getting bowled over by waves of sadness. mom called me this morning and again recommended that she and dad take me to get another cat in a week and a half. but i’m just. really not in the mood to think about that right now. or imagine myself with another cat in the future, right now. 

i hope i have the energy for classes tomorrow. gotta get to my homework assignments and stuff. they’re already coming in and piling up. labs start next week and i’m teaching again. i’ll have to review the semester labs over the weekend and try to put together some lecture notes... it still sounds too hard. 

my therapist said that one thing she really appreciates about me is that, even when i make a mistake or mess up, i’m still always trying to do things right. when i make a mistake i try to learn how to do it right. i’m always pulling myself up. she said i’m very resilient. i’ve heard that a couple times. but i feel so exhausted all the time. 

like i totally understand when people don’t have the energy to get out of bed, or don’t have the energy to do something, or go to a social gathering. i don’t know how i do those things. i don’t know where i get that energy. i sure don’t feel it! i don’t feel like i got that energy! yesterday especially, i just kind of... found myself doing things. like, “oh, i’m on the bus now i guess. i’m at the doctor now i guess. i’m watching harrison and keegan talk now i guess. i’m telling a joke now i guess. i’m cleaning up snoopy’s toys now i guess.” 

i don’t dare tell people “i can do it, so you can too!” because i don’t know how i do it. i know that i really shouldn’t be able to do it. i hope people don’t think i expect them to work as hard as me. i don’t even feel like i’m working hard. i feel like i’m caught in a riptide paddling and paddling frantically and never reaching the shore. i rarely ever feel like i’m getting anywhere. i hope i don’t secretly have high expectations of people. i try to cut that out. i try to meet people where they’re at and see where they wanna go before i tell them to go anywhere. 

i tell people “god had to nerf me because i’m too powerful” and that’s really, honestly becoming my best guess about how i do it. i keep becoming more powerful so i keep getting hit with the hard permanent hurts. one day i’ll punch god in the face. i’ll, uh, absorb amestris and punch out the moon, which is also god, or truth, or me, or everything. watch me do it. hold my beer.

... i miss snoopy. i wish i could pet her. i wish i could give her more cookies and meow back at her when she makes those “brrt” noises at me. when she made them. i miss eve. i hope my parents are taking care of her. i know they don’t play with her or push her to get up and out of the house as much as i do. i hope she’s happy. 

#i like being able to ramble unchecked because sometimes wild fanfictions pop out

[apaigeofpaper]

Paper Making Process

This is the approach I took for making my notebook paper. Each image is in order (top to bottom / left to right) and briefly explains what’s going on, but I’ll elaborate a bit more here.

I started off just diving right into the paper making without refreshing my memory on it first (bad idea). Before my success was a lot of trial and error, with about six fails before finding my groove. Contributing to those fails was not looking into other methods of making the paper and just trying to make one specific tutorial work for me.

I started off by making my mould and deckle out of cheap Michael’s canvas frames, and screen door mesh from Home Depot. I tore the canvas off of the frames, and trimmed the mesh to size. I stapled and wood glued the mesh to one frame making the mould, then glued the empty frame (deckle) to the mould. This is definitely wrong, and as soon as I thought about it again I just had a “you gotta be kidding me” moment realising I fucked up. By this time it was dry so I had to chisel it apart and attach a new screen. Not a big deal, but a waste of time. (This was pre-tutorial check up)

Now with the actual paper making. I’ve been stocking up on recycled paper that’s been getting tossed into my family’s bin since November-ish. I’d been shredding it and had it stored, ready to go. The paper I used wasn’t specific at all, there’s newspaper, old notepaper, envelopes, everything. This made the slurry a super deep grey and I wasn’t expecting it to be that dark. However, mixed in with the water bin seemed to lighten it up a little and pull a lot of the dark inks out. I was mostly focused on just getting the basic paper made first rather than experimenting with textures and colours.

After adding the blended paper into the water tub I stirred it to get the paper bits floating (the only thing I had was a tub storing a bunch of VHS tapes way bigger than necessary, but it did the job fine). Then I dunked my frames into the tub and scooped while holding it flat to make a mostly consistent thickness and let it drain to a drip.

This next part is where I ran into issues. After removing the top frame I had to blot the water out of the paper. I tried a few different things for this.

1. I flipped the mould onto a towel (recommended in the tutorial) paper side down. This way, I could blot through the screen and the towel would absorb the opposite side’s water. But when I lifted the mould, the paper was sticking to both the towel and screen which broke it apart completely. This happened a few times afterwards even with my successful method, which I’m thinking just means I wasn’t patient enough with removing the water. When I did remove enough water the second go, The paper was getting pressed so deep into the towel that it couldn’t be removed.

2. I replaced the towel with a sheet which was a much smoother texture and not fuzzy at all. This still was giving me issues and the paper didn’t want to come off of the sheet. I think this maybe could have worked if I had a thicker pulp, so I added more pulp to the bin making the paper thicker although I gave up on the sheet method anyways because it was pretty messy. 

3. I tried newsprint. This had a 50/50 success rate with the paper sticking / releasing so I kept troubleshooting.

4. This is when I looked at a different tutorial where a lady used two splatter screens instead of a mould and deckle. I made use of my mould and deckle still but then placed a splatter screen on top of the mould when the deckle was removed to absorb the water through. This method worked perfectly unless I didn’t remove enough water, so I stopped rushing the process and took my time sponging it.

Finally, after blotting the paper, I would flip it onto this flat board I took from my garage to let the paper dry flat. If it came off with some bumps I would roll it with a brayer that I already own. In hindsight I wish I pushed a bit harder to remove some of the screen texture since the board side of the paper came off super smooth, but it wasn’t too shabby!

My next post talks about the drying process.

#packagedesign #notebook

[xdrvparts]

A Comprehensive Guide to Common RV Problems and How to Solve Them

If you’re like most RV owners, your motorhome or travel trailer is your pride and joy. It’s the key that unlocks your access to adventure your home away from home that makes every destination feel comfortable and just familiar enough to get you amped up to explore.

But anyone who’s been on the road for longer than a couple of days knows that RV issues are pretty much unavoidable. After all, it’s a house that movies. Technology is pretty amazing, but we’re talking about a big, heavy vehicle with some super complicated systems. A few things are bound to go wrong from time to time!

What’s worse, RV repair and maintenance costs aren’t exactly known for their affordability. Even when you’re working with a trustworthy mechanic, you can easily find yourself taking out a second mortgage to foot the cost of relatively simple repairs.

Good thing this is 2018, the age of the internet… which means instant access to a plethora of RV maintenance information and 101-style articles. You can even find step-by-step RV maintenance tutorial videos on YouTube!

Along with learning how to DIY simple repairs (or how to find the best instructional resources), this post will also help you learn which preventative maintenance steps will help you keep your rig issue-free in the first place. A little bit of regular effort goes a long way toward keeping your rig rolling for many happy years and camping trips to come.

It may take a little bit of elbow grease… but we promise it’ll be worth it.

COMMON RV PROBLEMS AND HOW TO FIX THEM

RV camping is a pretty amazing, high-tech travel lifestyle — but it’s actually been around for a while. Just about a century, in fact; you can learn more about the fascinating history of RVing in this RVshare post.

The good thing is, all that history gives us a good idea of which RV repair problems you’re most likely to face. Some mechanical breakdowns are simply more common than others. What’s more, many of the clever, handy campers in the RV world have shown us how to take care of some of these common maintenance issues, which can help you avoid paying top dollar for professional repair services.

We’ve also learned a lot about the simple, regular maintenance that will keep minor repair issues from blossoming into bona fide problems. A little bit of effort now can keep your rig running smoothly for years, not to mention helping you avoid major repair costs.

Let’s start with some of the most common RV problems, and go over a few of the easiest troubleshooting and prevention steps.

RV Roof and Leak Repair

When it comes to RVing, water leaks aren’t just a scary possibility: they’re pretty much inevitable. Even the toughest modern-day motorhome finishes will eventually cave to the pressures of the elements. Sealants harden and crack with age and motion, no matter how high-tech and well-made they may be.

And unfortunately, this ever-present bogeyman can wreak some serious havoc on your camper. Water damage does more than just stain your interior. It can also damage delicate moving parts, rust out metal fixtures, and even cause dangerous short-circuiting in your RV’s internal electrical system.

So, of course, it’s important to get ahead of this constant threat and minimize your chances of water leaks before they happen. The good news is, it’s relatively easy to do so — it just takes a few preventative maintenance steps performed on a regular basis.

First of all, always store your RV under a waterproof, UV-resistant cover. If you can, an indoor storage facility — or at least one with a roof — is your very best option.

We know, however, that renting a covered storage facility slot isn’t always an achievable option. In those cases, opt for a high-quality RV cover, which will help protect your investment even when it’s parked outdoors. When shopping for a cover, make sure you look for one that’s both waterproof and UV-resistant, which will help keep your finish as sound and seepage-free as possible. And keep in mind that, although these covers can cost several hundred dollars (depending on size and features), purchasing one still a whole lot cheaper than doing major repairs after water damage. Plus, it’s a one-time expense, as opposed to the drawn-out cost of renting a storage facility or constantly performing repairs after your rig sustains water damage.

Another way to resist leaks for as long as possible is to apply a new coat of RV roof sealant once a year as a preemptive strike against broken seals. You probably already know that you can use Dicor or a similar product to tackle existing, localized leaks… but it’s way better to stop them before they start in the first place.

Finally, always take the time to thoroughly check your RV for water damage before and after every single trip, as well as when you put the rig into or take it out of storage. Look for signs of stains along every seam and seal on your rig’s interior, paying special attention to roof openings like your bathroom or kitchen vent fans and your RV air conditioner.

Although finding a leak would be a major bummer, learning about it as soon as possible will help you to mitigate large, or even irreparable, damages. Here’s our guide to checking your RV for water damage.

Minor Issues with your RV’s Electrical System

Let’s get one thing out there straightaway. If you’re at all uncomfortable handling electrical issues, it’s a good idea to hire professional help. After all, with other DIY repairs, you run the risk of causing damage to your rig. But with electrical DIY repairs, you run the risk of causing yourself serious damage — i.e. injury or even death.

But there are certain minor motorhome and travel trailer electrical problems that the average around-the-house handyman can take care of without serious intervention. For instance, occasionally you’ll find the switches or push-buttons in your circuit breaker panel stop functioning. Replacing these is a very minor procedure.

The same goes for the outlets you find throughout your RV’s interior. If you find one malfunctioning, it may be due to the common use of the clip-together style of the receptacle by RV manufacturers. These receptacles cut through wires’ insulation, clipping to them in order to make contact and run an electrical current. They’re simple, and thus a money saver… but they’re also prone to becoming lose (and, thus, not working). You can easily replace them with the same type of outlet boxes you use at home, which will solve the issue and create a more reliable source of power.

RVers also frequently replace their RV batteries, especially when they’re planning to upgrade from a generator to a solar panel system. Lithium batteries are lighter, longer-lasting, and don’t require anywhere near as much maintenance. They’re also relatively simple to install and set up yourself, though you’ll also need an RV power inverter and a few other components.

Plumbing the Depths: RV Toilets and Water Systems

When you’ve gotta go, you’ve gotta go. And if you have issues with your RV toilet — or any other part of the plumbing system, for that matter — you’ll quickly find your camping adventure at an uncomfortable standstill.

Fortunately, many RV plumbing issues are simple enough to troubleshoot yourself. For example, a common cause of RV toilet clogs and backups is simple user error: too much toilet paper or too little water can keep your camper potty from proper flushing. Making sure everyone knows the right way to “go” will go a long way toward avoiding any problems.

Another common error is to leave the black water drain pipe open constantly if you’re hooked up to a sewer connection. But doing so is a bad move: it will allow all the liquid waste to drain first, which can lead to a sticky, sludgy clog in your holding tank or sewer drain pipe — the type of clog you do not want to have to deal with on your vacation. (Or ever.)

If you’ve already got a clog, the only thing to do is to snake the line, which is usually best done from the RV’s exterior (through the black tank drainage valve) as opposed to from inside through the commode itself. Depending on the severity of the clog, some campers have also reported success using plain old hot water. However, keep in mind that you may not have the skills (or the equipment) to perform this part yourself. Commercially-available products like Draino are unlikely to help and can also have negative interactions with RV toilet chemicals.

In some cases, the clog will be bad enough that you’ll need to get professional help regardless of your at-home plumbing abilities. The good news is, with the above information in mind, you’re unlikely to cause the problem again!

Other common RV plumbing issues include leaky pipes, which may be over-tightened in the case of PVC/flex piping or corroded in the case of old-model metal fixtures. If you’re comfortable removing and replacing pipe fixtures at home, chances are you’ll be able to do so in your motorhome as well — though keep in mind that your system may require specially-made parts, which are designed to withstand a motorhome’s motion without cracking or breaking.

A final word about RV plumbing: If you’re planning on traveling to cold locales during the wintertime, you’ll need to winterize your rig just like you would your home to keep the pipes from freezing. You’ll need to use a specially-made RV antifreeze to do it safely, and utilize your RV water pump to spread it throughout the system.

Keep it Cool with These Common HVAC Troubleshooters

Depending on when and where you’re headed, your RV’s air conditioning isn’t just a luxury — it’s a necessity. That’s especially true since a lot of us do our big yearly trips over the summer when temperatures can get downright brutal.

There’s nothing worse than coming home from a long day of sweaty adventures looking forward to a nice, cool couch retreat… only to discover the “cool” part isn’t happening. Fortunately, however, there are lots of RV HVAC (heating/ventilation/air conditioning) repairs you can do without calling a professional RV AC service.

For instance, if your air conditioning unit is running, but you notice the air coming out of the vents isn’t exactly cool, the problem could be as simple as having dirty RV air vent filters — which means the solution could be as simple and cheap as replacing them. (You should perform this step as a preventative maintenance routine on a regular basis, anyway, so you might as well keep a stock of them on board both for those periodic changes and in case this happens.)

Another common RV AC issue has nothing to do with the AC unit itself — rather, it could be that your thermostat is busted, and not properly communicating with your air conditioning unit!

Replacing an RV AC thermostat is a relatively simple operation that can be performed with common hand tools. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to upgrade from analog to digital if you’re in an older RV model.

Finally, even in the worst-case scenario — your RV needs a whole new air conditioning unit — it’s actually not that difficult to DIY your solution.

RV Slide Out Problems

For all the benefits of the extra space, RV slide-outs can provide, this technology does have some drawbacks. For one thing, all those moving parts are vulnerable to rust, corrosion, and plain-old aging.

On the one hand, it’s kind of unsurprising that the whole moving section of a room would be a prime site for technical issues. The exact thing that makes this technology so amazing is what puts it at risk for problems. But as with so many other parts of RV repair, performing regular maintenance can help keep your slide-outs in proper, working order for many years to come.

For one thing, take advantage of every opportunity to lubricate your RV slide-out arms. This will ensure the longevity of the moving parts, which will go a long way towards preventing sticking issues. An affordable, commercially-available product like WD-40 will do the trick — and you’ll doubtless find tons of other applications for it elsewhere in your rig.

Another common RV slide-out the problem? Leaks. All those seams and seals are just begging to be infiltrated by every RVer’s worst enemy: unwanted water.

Keeping your slide out seals lubricated and soft will help extend their lifespans. A few squirts of UV-resistant 303 each time you operate your slide-out do wonders. Of course, all seals eventually harden and crack with age and use, at which point you’ll need to replace them. And as with all other parts of your rig, it’s a really good idea to check and double-check for water damage often. That way, if and when it does emerge, you can fix it before it spirals.

RV Brake Repair

When you’re driving such a heavy vehicle, stopping is important. (Actually, stopping is important no matter what vehicle you’re driving.)

And it’s a well-known fact that over time, certain brake components break down. That’s how they create the friction that stops you in the first place!

From topping off your brake fluid to actually replacing the brake shoes, drums, or rotors, if you’re comfortable doing mechanical work on other vehicles, you can easily translate those skills to your RV. You’ll need the proper equipment, of course, like a strong jack to lift your travel trailer up.

EASILY-REPLACEABLE RV PARTS

Although most RVs are outfitted with high-quality components, it’s just a fact of life: things break sometimes.

Fortunately, many motorhome and camper parts are pretty simple to replace, even if you don’t consider yourself particularly handy. Here are a few common areas where a replacement might do just the trick.

RV Lights

Just like the light bulbs in your house, the light bulbs in your RV will burn out periodically. Depending on the specific light fixture, a standard 100-watt bulb might not fit… but that doesn’t make the replacement any less simple. Ensure you have back-up bulbs in stock for all the lights in your RV you use most commonly. That way, when you suddenly flick the switch to no effect, you’ll be able to fix the problem in a jiffy. (Just make sure you have the switch set to “off” before you do so to avoid electric shock and burns!)

If you replace the bulb and find the light still isn’t working, you could be dealing with a deeper electrical problem, such as something to do with the wiring. If you’re comfortable going into your RV’s electrical systems, you can remove the light fixture to see what’s going on below the surface. However, if in doubt, don’t hesitate to contact a qualified electrician. Saving a little money isn’t worth risking electric shock!

RV Windows and Seams

You know that water damage we keep talking about? Another prime access point is the same one the sunlight filters through all your RV windows. Keeping them closed is one thing, but those seals also play a big part in keeping the interior of your rig nice and dry.

RV windows are also prone to other types of damage. For example, an errant stone thrown by a tire while you’re cruising down the highway can crack or shatter your RV window glass. The good news is, replacing or resealing RV windows is pretty easy. All it takes is a screwdriver and some good RV sealant.

RV Awnings and Canopies

Your RV’s awnings may seem like a luxurious extra, a quick and easy way to extend your living space by adding a shady, outdoor patio.

But for those of us who camp in hot locales — which is most of us, especially during the summer — those awnings actually serve a much more functional purpose. Shading the windows can help keep your RV’s interior temperature cooler, which avoids putting undue stress on your HVAC system.

What’s more, the LED lights on modern RV awnings can help guide you to your campsite after nighttime excursions, which can help you avoid safety issues, especially if you’re wild camping or boondocking. In short, your awning actually does a whole lot of heavy lifting… so it’s important to take good care of it!

We’ve written before about awning maintenance, including this easy guide to cleaning your RV canopy of dirt and debris. However, replacing your awning is also totally doable — and with some of the fancy, pre-lit, automatically-unrolling models on the market, it’s a great opportunity for an upgrade.

RV ACCESSORIES TO KEEP YOUR RIG IN SHIP SHAPE

We write a lot about RV accessories here on the blog, and for good reason. In some cases, the right gadgets can help you keep your rig’s sensitive systems safe.

For example, although most RV hookups at developed campgrounds and parks have their electrical and water outputs regulated, you never know when something could go wrong — and cause a short in your rig’s wiring or a pressure problem with the plumbing.

A simple water pressure regulator with an attached gauge is a great way to circumvent a potentially costly problem, especially since it costs less than $50 to get one. Considering the complexity of an RV’s plumbing system, it’s a worthy investment to protect yourself from dealing with a messy hassle.

On the electrical side of things, you might consider a power line monitor, which you can use to check the wiring, polarity, and voltage of your shore power hookup before you subject your RV’s wires to a potential surge. It’s also a good idea to use surge protectors on your RV’s interior to adding a further layer of protection between your expensive electronic items and potential lightning strikes and other electrical mishaps.

There are plenty of other RV accessories that can help extend the lifespan of your RV’s systems and appliances. For example, using X-Chock wheel stabilizers in your travel trailer will help keep your leveling jacks from doing double duty, and may even help your tires last longer since they won’t be moving around so much when you’re camped. It might not seem like it, but even kitchen gadgets can be an aid to making your motorhome more long-lasting: adding an Instant Pot to your rig’s kitchen means you’ll be putting less stress on your other cooking devices, like your microwave or oven, for example.

RV REPAIR DOESN’T HAVE TO BE SCARY

We hope this post helps you rest easy, knowing that RV maintenance and repair doesn’t have to be a nightmare. In fact, with a little bit of foresight, planning — and yes, maybe a little bit of sweat — you can often avoid frustrating RV repair issues (and expensive RV mechanical services) in the first place.

And if you’re not sure how to tackle the common troubleshooting issues we’ve outlined above, don’t be afraid to turn to the camping community for help! From RV forums to YouTube tutorials to the comments and community right here at RVshare, most campers are happy to lend a helping hand to others learning the ins and outs of these unique vehicles.

Finally, don’t forget the most important part: Once your rig’s in ship shape and ready to go, get out there and do some exploring in it!

This comes from https://xdrvparts.com/blogs/news/how-to-solve-common-rv-problems

#RV parts #RV problems #xdrvparts

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16 Signs that You're in a Relationship with Your Laptop Computer And Keyboard

New Post has been published on https://giveuselife.org/16-signs-that-youre-in-a-relationship-with-your-laptop/

16 Signs that You're in a Relationship with Your Laptop Computer And Keyboard

Computer Keyboard Now not Working

There are numerous issues that may interfere with the Working of a Computer’s keyboard. Those problems can stand up due to physical harm to keyboard, or because of a faulty software. This newsletter talks in detail about These problems and the possible methods of addressing them.

There are numerous issues that may interfere with the Working of a Computer’s keyboard. Those problems can stand up due to physical harm to keyboard, or because of a faulty software. This newsletter talks in detail about These problems and the possible methods of addressing them. TAGGED Below: Pc Computers

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There can be a host of motives why your Computer’s keyboard is Working inconsistently, or worse, has completely stopped Running. While it is recommended which you get a expert technician to have a have a look at the keyboard, you may fix common troubles in your very own. Noted under are some common motives in the back of a dysfunctional Computer keyboard. We’ve got additionally provided a few steps with a purpose to help you in troubleshooting These problems.

Trouble

Certain keys of my Computer don’t characteristic properly. After I kind These keys, there may be no output at the screen. Every now and then, I want to press Those keys firmly to get a result.

Reason

This issue can be brought on because of the subsequent motives: A liquid substance is spilled on the keyboard. Accumulation of dust inside the keys. Put on and tear of keys While gambling games. Absence of lubrication.

Answer

Take out every key and with the help of a small screwdriver, pry all of the keys. As the keys come to be unfastened, they may honestly pop off. Moreover, take out the rubber piece present Below every key. Maintain the keys and rubber portions in extraordinary bins.

Easy the keyboard from the inside. Get few cotton swabs/ear buds, and barely dip them in water. Avoid an excessive amount of exposure to moisture, as extra water can harm the keyboard. Meticulously Clean the whole keyboard, laying extra emphasis on key areas.

Start cleansing the keys which have been eliminated and stored within the box. Use foam rubber to Smooth each key on my own. This could assist in disposing of any sticky substance present on the keys. Follow any family purifier and allow them to dry for 15 minutes. Afterwards, wash all of the keys well by means of the usage of warm water, and permit the keys to dry absolutely.

Spray a family cleanser at the small rubber pieces stored inside the container, and carefully rinse them in heat water. Soak Those rubber portions in paper napkins for fast drying.

Location all keys (dealing with top-down) on a flat surface. Apply slight lubricant and leave them to dry.

Once you have cleaned and lubricated all the elements, reassemble the keyboard carefully. Start by using putting all rubber additives on the keyboard, after which restore all keys in their respective positions. Use your finger and press down all keys – separately – firmly in order that they suit properly in the slots.

This procedure will take you a most of 2 hours. cleaning and lubricating the keyboard within the above-Cited technique regularly can prevent it from everlasting harm. also, one should remember that Pc keyboards are sensitive, and are not intended to be used for playing games for a long period. To prevent harm, you could use an external keyboard to play video games at the Computer.

Trouble

My Pc’s keyboard kinds incorrect characters.

Motive

While a keyboard types wrong characters, it’s miles probable that the Problem is software related.

Solution

Follow the direction:

Manipulate Panel → Local and Language Alternatives → Keyboards and Languages → Exchange Keyboards → Superior Key Settings Pick out the choice, ‘Between Enter Languages’ and click on ‘Alternate Key Collection’. Pick ‘Not Assigned’ for ‘Switch Enter Language’ and ‘Transfer Keyboard Layout’. Click ‘Adequate’ to use the changes.

Trouble

My Pc’s keyboard types numbers rather than letters.

Purpose

This could be because of a software difficulty, or it’s far feasible that you can have enabled the digital lock inadvertently.

Answer

Press Fn + Num Lock or Fn +Shift + Num Lock.

This will disable the virtual lock. If the Problem persists, continue with the following:

Start → Search → Device Manager → Press Input

Rather, you may also open the ‘Device Supervisor’ by means of the subsequent route,

Start → Manipulate Panel → Administrative Tools → Laptop Control → Device Manager

The ‘Tool Supervisor’ will listing the hardware of the Laptop. If you see a yellow exclamation mark towards the ‘Keyboards’ icon, uninstall the driving force. Deploy it once more and restart the Laptop. If the above-Stated steps don’t remedy the issue, you may need to try the following alternative:

Unplug the Pc from the strength supply and remove all the external hardware this is connected to it. After shutting down the Computer, put off its battery and look ahead to five mins. Location it again once more, and start the Laptop.

there’s a possibility of a damaged document interfering with the Running of the keyboard. On restarting, the Computer resets all the files, and gets rid of the mistakes which cause hardware and software program issues.

Some other purpose which can Motive the keyboard to act inconsistently is presence of incompatible hardware/software inside the Laptop. you may strive to test whether that is the case by way of strolling the Laptop in ‘Secure Mode’. If the keyboard works inside the ‘Safe Mode’, the Hassle is software program related. You want to carefully test the keyboard drivers, and if any driving force is missing/defective, down load the drivers from the software company’s website.

Those have been some motives which could intervene with the Working of a Laptop’s keyboard. We advocate our readers to Observe all of the safety suggestions before opening the Computer on their own. If the Hassle persists, it is encouraged to get the keyboard checked from a certified technician.

16 Signs that you’re in a Dating along with your Laptop a few relationships go beyond all boundaries. They’re pretty much pure love and commitment. Like your obsessive Dating along with your Pc. Ahh, the reality that you are analyzing this in your Computer is the first sign, and There are many extra under which show your maddening love for your lappy. Have a glance!

You end off your work, and also you leave for domestic. All you may reflect onconsideration on is going domestic, turning it on, and all of the feasible things you may do with it. We are speakme about your Pc, BTW. Yup, the very idea of going again to your dearest lappy is sufficient to deliver a extensive smile on your face.

You are not the handiest one, this occurs to most. We have become obsessed on technology. And, if your phone is your first-class pal, your Computer is the love of your lifestyles. That is right, your Laptop may be the only authentic love of your existence. test out the Signs and symptoms and confirm it your self.

#1 You don’t let other humans touch your Laptop

Noooooo… that is the way you react When someone attempts to apply your Laptop. it’s far YOUR Laptop, and you’ll Not share it with a person.

#2 Your Computer is always prepared

The whole thing is smartly prepared in folders and your Computer is prepared to perfection. You do not care in case your room is a massive mess, this is secondary. In spite of everything, your priorities are totally sorted.

#three you may spend a whole day + night time together with your Laptop

You do not even realize Whilst the day ends and night time starts offevolved, whilst you are together with your Laptop. you can be with it all of the time. Regrettably, you gotta visit work.

#4 Your Laptop is totally updated

you may No longer have the state-of-the-art of Everything, however your Pc sure does. It has the modern day version of home windows, an up to date anti-virus, and all the cool apps in it.

#5 Difficult Power Crashing is your largest nightmare

you could nevertheless sense the pain you skilled Whilst your Hard disk crashed. It changed into like the worst day of your life, and you almost were given a heart attack While that came about.

#6 You realize it is constantly gonna be there for you

Your Computer is your most effective authentic companion. whether you are disappointed or happy, bored or excited, you know it’s going to be via your aspect, usually.

#7 You spend numerous time together in bed

Even sleep does not be counted when you are along with your Laptop. There have been several nights whilst you dozed off together with your lappy. Properly, you don’t remorse those nights in any respect; in truth you cherish them.

#eight You’re taking it anywhere you move

whether or not it is a assembly, a small experience, or sleepover at a friend’s Vicinity, your Laptop Must be with you. you may neglect to take greater clothes, but No longer your Laptop. You move on holidays together with your Pc.

#9 You actually have a special call for your Laptop

This one is such an apparent signal, specifically when you have a lovely and silly call for your Pc. and you do need to get a few life, BTW.

#10 It knows all your secrets and techniques

there is nothing, actually nothing that you hide from your Laptop. It is aware of all of your secrets and techniques, passwords, and what Not. There is lots of honesty and transparency on your Dating.

#eleven Your pals and family are jealous of her

The amount of time you spend together with your Computer has made your female friend/boyfriend very insecure, and They are sure you adore your Computer greater than them. Even your pals and circle of relatives are jealous.

#12 You select speaking to humans on-line

#13 domestic is where the Pc is

You can not prevent dreaming approximately all the matters you may do together with your Computer once you go home. Weekends are more-special for you, as you could spend greater time together with your dear one. You cancel plans just to stay home with it.

#14 while you are with it not anything can distract you

You want you could simply hold a “do Not disturb” board when you are with it. And, you get so engrossed with it, that you do not even realize that you are hungry. Now, if this is not love, then what is.

#15 you can type without looking on the keyboard

Nicely, this shouldn’t come as a surprise, because you are familiar with every inch of your Computer. you can kind something blindly.

#16 You do not want to allow it move

Even in case your Computer has emerge as really antique, and now subsequently it’s time to permit it pass, you simply absolutely cannot. Even the thought of buying a new one hurts you extra than some thing, and you may do all you can to try and Hold it with you.

How to Pick out a Computer for Youngsters In case you wish that your kids end up tech-savvy from a young age, you might need to bear in mind getting them a new Pc. On this Buzzle article, we shall inform you A way to Pick out laptops for Kids, and additionally list a number of the satisfactory ones within the market at gift. TAGGED Under: Computer Computer systems

Youngsters and Computers at the East Rock Magnet Faculty in New Haven, Connecticut, laptops are assigned to college students from the 0.33 grade onwards. This has led No longer handiest to an average development in their check ratings, but has also motivated them to study extra. We are all aware of the growing need of gift times, for introducing youngsters to the world of Computer systems and the Internet. In any case, if They’re conversant with the usage of These machines from a younger age itself, they’ll be in a better function to carry out Well, each in Faculty and the professional international once they grow up. Yet, how a lot of us could willingly hand over our pricey over-the-top Laptop to these infants?

Really, we need to look for different Options that our kids can use to play and get their arms dirty with. Presently, there are a number of laptops in the market to Select from. But, we can’t simply pick out one from them by using the use of the equal standards of choice that we would use Even as buying one for ourselves. For Youngsters, a one-of-a-kind set of factors should be taken into consideration.

inside the following strains, we will have a look at a number of These predominant points of consideration, after which listing out five of the excellent laptops for Kids that you could Select from Presently.

factors of consideration

Mobility and display-Length Considering Youngsters are usually energetic and could be moving around plenty with their laptops, it’s miles really helpful to Pick those with smaller screen sizes, as they may be less complicated to hold Underneath the palms or in backpacks. also, the much less typical Length of these laptops could result in minimal bulk and decreased weight, making them more portable.

Usually, laptops with screen sizes of as much as 11.6 inches could be ideal. For teens, you can take into account better sizes of thirteen.three, 14, or maybe 15.6 inches, but Those sizes will truely affect the portability thing.

Processor The simple video games and educational software that most smaller Youngsters may be the use of won’t require a whole lot of processing electricity. For this reason, it’s far advisable Not pass overboard At the same time as choosing the Computer processor.

An Intel third or 4th generation Middle device or an AMD A8 of the latest generations must p.C. more than enough punch. But, do word which you must try to stay clear of the older era finances chips, together with Intel Celerons and Pentiums, as well as vintage AMD chips.

RAM and Garage RAM starting from 2 to four GB may be enough to ensure that the Laptop isn’t slowed down Whilst more than one utility software program and utilities are established and strolling.

Nowadays, 500 GB Tough drives are preferred in maximum laptops, which is enough Garage area for Kids.

Connectivity As a long way as connectivity goes, a Computer having the fundamental array of connection Options ought to be sufficient for the confined use that youngsters are possibly to put them to., Ethernet, and more than one USB ports is all that would be required, and anything extra might be undeniable useless.

Battery Backup A very good battery backup is proper for any transportable Tool. But, one shouldn’t put money into laptops with sizeable batteries, specially for more youthful Kids. A battery backup of 5 to 8 hours have to be extra than sufficient even for teenagers who would possibly need to take their Computers to high school.

Computer cum Drugs For accelerated portability, you ought to don’t forget entering into for a Laptop which may be converted to a tablet by way of detaching the display screen. This way, you may get popular devices for your Children in one move.

Price You need to keep in mind that the Computer you’ll be shopping for your toddler goes to handled roughly (in particular if the kid is Underneath 10 years of age). No matter how durable a version is probably, in a palms of the little ones, it’s miles guaranteed to take a beating, and will want preservation or even alternative.

As such, spending too much on a child’s Computer isn’t really useful, and as an alternative, one must pass in for one this is on the decrease quit of the Rate curve. Preferably, one have to choose a Laptop in the Price variety of $2 hundred to $400.

be aware: For terribly younger Children (five to 8 years), unique educative laptops are to be had, that have a miles decrease specification than the ones noted above. For this reason, They’re priced lots lower as Properly.

top 5 Laptops for Children

1) VTech Wi-first rate fine Rate: $64

in case your youngster is Below the age of 8, then possibly a complete-fledged Computer Laptop is probably an overkill for him/her. Therefore, it’d instead be better to choose the VTech Wi-first-rate, that is a toy-cum-mastering Pc, best for small children. This Laptop comes preloaded with a complete of one hundred twenty fun sports that Youngsters can enjoy doing on the Splendid 4.5-inch coloured display. These activities are designed to assist little Children analyze useful arts, inclusive of foreign languages, math, technology, etc., all in a laugh and interactive manner.

2) Asus Transformer E-book first-rate Rate: $247

The Transformer E-book from the stables of ASUS is a very good preference for Children. it’s a 2-in-1 Computer cum tablet, and so, you’re spared the catch 22 situation (and possibly your kid’s tantrums!) of having to Select Among the ones. It packs in a 1.33 GHz Intel Quad Core processor, along with Intel HD graphics, making it a totally succesful little machine. It runs windows 8.1, and has a ten.1-inch show, which should be pretty sufficient for all your kid’s gaming and learning wishes.

3) Acer Aspire Switch Detachable Computer fine Price: $249

Every other 2-in-1 Laptop, the Aspire Transfer is the correct candidate for a succesful first Pc for a child. Offering a 1.33 GHz Intel Atom processor, and Intel HD snap shots, this little gadget packs more than enough juice to run a plethora of tutorial software, fun video games, and different entertainment multimedia. It contains an internal 2 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of Garage – both of which we experience are enough to meet the wishes of preteens. Moreover, the pre-established windows 8.1, and the 10-inch display which may be indifferent and converted into a pill, extensively usaits choice-quotient.

4) HP Chromebook 11 first-class Fee: $229

Absolutely, business and professional software which include the Microsoft Workplace Suite aren’t going to be of a lot use for young Children. Consequently, rather than entering into for a full-fledged Laptop, you may recollect going for the HP Chromebook 11, that’s both lighter and cheaper.

The Chromebook eleven runs at the Samsung Exynos 5250 ARM chip, in place of the everyday Intel CPU, and is Consequently able to provide a stable battery backup of 6 hours on a single rate. The 11.6-inch screen have to be sufficient eye-candy for the babies, and the lesser malware-susceptibility of the pre-established Chrome OS will make sure that the Chromebook 11 remains blanketed and purposeful without needing any additional interest.

five) Dell Inspiron Convertible fine Price: $399

The Inspiron Convertible isn’t any child’s play toy, neither in terms of its overall performance nor close to its heavy Fee tag. This Computer, we feel, ought to be taken into consideration simplest if your teenage child indulges in a whole lot of CPU-intensive activities, together with video modifying, gaming, multimedia, and so forth., which this Pc will without difficulty be capable of cope with, way to its Intel Pentium N3530 processor and Intel HD images. Similarly, its 4 GB internal RAM, 500 GB Difficult Force, 11.6-inch display screen, and seven.five hours of battery backup, all speak volumes approximately its performance skills. To top it all off, it is able to be used both, as a Laptop as well as a tablet.