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ffamranxii · 3 years

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Sailor Stars thoughts:

1. The anime does its absolute best to make the Starlights unlikable. Taiki is a fucking asshole (he won’t even give a dying girl, who he explicitly was taken to visit, an autograph, and tells a bunch of children that their grandfather’s theory about souls becoming stars is dead wrong), Seiya is a Nice Guy who hits on Usagi constantly despite being told multiple times she has a boyfriend, and Yaten is a mildly sarcastic cardboard cutout. I know the manga doesn’t expand on them much but the anime is supposed to help make these people real. Counterexample is Chibi-Chibi, who hardly speaks in the manga and relies on her cuteness alone to be likable. They gave her a very cute voice because it was literally all they had to work with, given how often Chibi-Chibi actually appears

2. The dub cast for the Starlights is frankly awful. As civilians, Taiki alternates between a woman trying too hard to make her voice deep and having a bad cold, Seiya sounds like a prepubescent boy, and Yaten sounds like a woman (which they’re not, as civilians); as Starlights their voices are VERY high pitched, especially Yaten’s. Their sub voices just sound like woman talking a bit deeply and then normal women.

3. Why the FUCK did Toei think literally changing sex was less controversial than crossdressing? The Starlights are women and have always been women. Plus, them being male civilians in the anime creates a paradox, because if they’re men with sailor crystals who can become senshi, why can’t Mamoru - who is confirmed multiple times throughout the series as carrying the earth’s star seed and thus being Sailor Earth - do the same? Naoko said Mamoru can’t be a sailor senshi because he’s a man, but the Starlights don’t abide by this rule, they change their fucking biological sex

4. Why is absolutely no one concerned that Chibi-Chibi, a THREE YEAR OLD, just goes off on her own and has her own little adventures? She wanders into some strange old man’s house and they’re all “oh that’s just Chibi-Chibi,” and no one is worried that a literal stranger invites a three year old into his house where he gives her toys and candy? The 90s were WILD, man

5. Why does Chibi-Chibi, again who is THREE YEARS OLD, have a thigh gap?

6. This one’s on Naoko because it’s like this in the manga, but the anime is supposed to expand on the universe so I blame them too: Why does literally nobody question Chibi-Chibi’s motives? Some strange pink haired child who fucking falls out of the sky one day up and brainwashes Usagi’s mom into thinking she’s her second daughter, and nobody bats an eye at this? That’s sus as fuck and literally the only question anyone has is “is she your kid or Chibiusa’s?” She doesn’t even have a NAME, “chibi” is just a random word she says!

7. I am DIGGING the mobster feel of the Animamates’ civilian forms. Especially Iron Mouse and Tin Nyanko, who clearly launder money through a shady car dealership.

8. The Starlights’ only redeeming qualities are their snazzy entrance music and Seiya’s red suit

9. Why is Aluminum Siren the only Animamate who understands that a senshi has a pure star seeds? Like, y’all killed the senshi of your home planets to take their star seeds so YOU could be senshi (which is presumably why Galaxia wants more seeds, to make more Animamates with them), shouldn’t you know that?

10. Aluminum Siren/Lead Crow are trying their damn hardest to give Harumichi a run for their money in the quest to become the Best Space Lesbians.

11. So the Moon Kingdom fosters loyalty through child soldiers. I’m assuming Queen Serenity has her own senshi in the form of our senshi’s mothers, etc. (Which begs the question of if the Asteroid Senshi are supposed to be the future kids of our senshi or if they too are child soldiers from the asteroids they’re named after.) Kinmoku seems to foster loyalty by having the Kakyuu’s senshi fall in unrequited love with her. (In the manga it’s stated Kakyuu has a husband who died when their planet was destroyed.) I mean, whatever works, right?

12. I LOVE Tin Nyanko’s dub voice. She’s only around Usagi’s age and she sounds it

13. The dub actress for Lead Crow seems like she’s half assing it. Her voice doesn’t raise properly when she yells, she never sounds really angry, and it’s just so odd. I find a lot of dub voices do this, while the original Japanese VAs will scream their lungs out into the mic

14. On the reverse, Galaxia’s voice actress is a badass. She’s supposed to have a deep menacing voice but I like the one they gave her in the dub. She’s quiet, and sounds almost kind, and that’s a fucking TERRIFYING sort of villain we don’t see a lot of. Even when she’s pissed she doesn’t raise her voice.

15. Why are Lead Crow and Tim Nyanko the same height? Lead Crow is like 5’10 and Tin Nyanko is 4’11 like Sailor Moon

16. As an aside, Tin Nyanko and Lead Crow don’t like each other, which reminds me of the cats vs crows trash can showdown in Haikyuu lol

17. Haruka’s hate boner for Seiya gives me life

18. FINALLY someone calls the Starlights out on being assholes but it’s only after Makoto sees them harassing a THREE YEAR OLD (Chibi-Chibi). Literally everyone BUT Usagi thinks they’re assholes. “They sing such beautiful songs!” Bro. You can sing pretty and still be a fucking dick.

19. Lead Crow goes after Sailor Moon only after reading Siren’s notebook. Ditzy SIREN is the smartest Animamate, lord help them

20. Kakyuu’s dub voice is SO GOOD. She’s my favorite minor character, I’m still bitter they didn’t show Sailor Kakyuu

21. Seiya’s crush on Usagi was so awkwardly shoehorned in. I hate it. Jesus fucking Christ Usagi is sobbing in the goddamn rain about how much she misses Mamoru and Seiya is STILL coming onto her.

22. It is literally so fucking funny to me that Mamoru spends all of Stars fucking dead. He’s just a perpetual damsel in distress.

23. Rei literally lectures Usagi about leading Seiya on and how “you need to do the right thing and tell him you already have someone,” AS IF USAGI HASN’T BEEN DOING THAT AT EVERY AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITY. THE FIRST TIME THEY MET SHE SAID SHE HAD A BOYFRIEND, SHE’S TOLD SEIYA OVER AND OVER THAT SHE ISN’T INTERESTED IN HIM, THAT SHE’S GOT A BOYFRIEND, THAT SHE LOVES HER BOYFRIEND. The fucking MISOGYNY here, like it’s Usagi leading Seiya on instead of Seiya being a fucking Nice Guy who can’t take no for a goddamn answer. Shut the fuck up, Rei.

24. Pretty sure under Kakyuu’s headdress is a pair of odango

25. The fact that Iron Mouse and Aluminum Siren both die when their bracelets are removed yet Tin Nyanko doesn’t implies that Tin Nyanko was the original Sailor Mau. Mouse and Siren dying implies that forcing senshi powers on a civilian is dangerous and that Galaxia’s bracelets are the only thing keeping them alive (albeit brainwashed). Yet Tin Nyanko seems to revert to “good” when one of her bracelets is destroyed. Galaxia has to intervene and kill her personally. Tin Nyanko may have offered her senshi powers to spare Mau (this applies only in the anime; in the manga she’s explicitly said to have killed Sailor Mau)

26. Oooh Galaxia’s angry voice is so commanding and sexy

27. Don’t gimme that “we love Usagi but we love you Starlights just as much.” No you fucking don’t. The whole death scene in the anime is just so... ugh. Bad.

28. The Outers fighting Galaxia is hilarious. They’re supposed to be stronger than the Inners yet Galaxia never even has to get out of her chair to kick their asses. The writers were trying real hard to make us fear the worst and back the senshi into a corner but literally they’ve made this an impossible battle to win that only becomes winnable due to plot armor.

29. Rewatching Stars and classic after Eternal and Crystal makes me miss the battle damage the fuku took. The new series always has them looking pristine, but in classic they actually get roughed up and battle scarred. It makes it more real.

30. Aww how come Uranus and Neptune got to keep their names when they joined Galaxia? I wanna know what whack ass Animamate name they would’ve gotten. (Also Galaxia literally just sent them out like Pokémon, wtf)

31. I feel like Saturn dying shouldn’t be possible since she’s literally a senshi of death but... whatever, go off I guess.

32. So.... Uranus and Neptune joining Galaxia to try and take her star seed is a cool idea that absolutely did not happen in the manga, and needed more than half an episode of development. Would’ve been a cool plot if it wasn’t so rushed.

33. So much of this season was rushed so they could tie the series up at a beat 200 episodes. If they really didn’t want to go over 200, they should’ve cut the Nehelennia arc (which isn’t in the manga anyway) and and focused on developing the Animamates, this sweet Harumichi betrayal plot, and explaining Chibi-Chibi??? Her existence makes no sense without Sailor Cosmos, and they just... didn’t include her??? Wtf

#sailor moon #ffamran watches anime

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adventuesofanescort · 5 years

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Adventures of an Escort: Vol. II

Opening Scene:

[animated] *inspired by Sleeping Beauty* Song: Rendition of Disney SB - The Gifts of Beauty & Song / Maleficent Appears / True Love Conquers All

Madeline dances across the screen, each time reappearing with someone different (alternating between Gabriel & Travis)

Transition:

Screencap of the date, time, & cosmic location in the universe

Loma Linda, California, United States of America, Earth, Milky Way Galaxy, 3rd Plane of Existence

Transition:

Set up the scene with stills from botanical miniature/doll versions *inspired by Hereditary & Dinner with Schmucks taxidermy mouse scenes*

Main Character: Madeline Ophelia Rusalochka, Age 16-17

Incarnates: Magdalena, Mary Magdalene, Maddie from Hush, Aurora, Venus, Aphrodite, Vesta, Pandora, Athena, Artemis, Lilith, Kali Ma, Eliza from Daughter of Smoke & Bone Series, Rose Quartz from Steven Universe, Snow White, Princess Tiabeanie from Disenchanted, Sophie from Howl’s Moving Castle

Appearance: Lightskint, warm brown loosely curly hair, skinny, innocent school girl appearance

Seemingly sweet and docile young ballerina and violinist, private catholic student. Trilingual (Hindi, English, and Arabic), works at the library, frequently master-bates in public or with inappropriate items.

Lives in small renovated shed with her strict, religious parents living in the main house, possibly with a young sister whom she adores.

Spends her time writing, drawing faeries and mythological characters, and gardening. She keeps an epi-pen by her when doing it because she is deathly allergic to bees. She grows aloe vera to rub on her self harm scars. She does a lot of laundry, hanging clothes on clotheslines.

She has an extremely aggressive side to her, and is diagnosed with mild terrets, OCD (strict daily routine down to the minute, intrusive thoughts, counting steps, & self harm) & paranoid schizophrenia (voices constantly whispering that They are watching, safety advice and exit strategies, inappropriately sexual and blasphemous thoughts, nonsensical secrets of the universe, telling her that she is a prophet and a descendant of gods, etc).

Madeline hallucinates messages from Heaven coming from the lips of those around her, in random moments, so she has a hard time following conversations or knowing what is and is not reality - often seems standoffish because she’ll choose to just not respond to people if she doesn’t trust herself to know exactly what they said.

She has a constantly feeling of being watched and actually is by fae, creepers, & paranormal phenonemon. She thinks she has 10 different stalkers in any given moment, and does experience strange attacks from random men/zombie hallucinations. Scary paranormal things are always happening to her, with dark figures in the corners of her room when she steps in, and faces popping out at her when she turns the lights on, plus people in the rearview mirror of her car smiling, etc. She makes wards to hang around her house and garden, and frequently smudges, prays, and casts spells for protection.

She has two best friends - they spend time smoking weed at the lake and exploring the orange, pomegranate, and avocado groves.

She drives distractedly throughout the entire film, and the audience feels extreme tension in the anticipation for her to crash, but she never does.

She’s in a lame boring relationship with her goody-two-shoes neighbor Gabriel whom she has known forever. He’s always trying to initiate awkward car sex but she doesn’t want to take his virginity, so she always stops him.

Gabriel, Age: 16

Incarnates: Angel Gabriel, Dionysus, Jesus, Krishna

She cheats on him for money during “after school tutoring sessions” with her Latin teacher who's into BDSM. He kills himself on her 17th birthday.

*Smiley Library where Madeline works*

Notes: there is scary engraved faces and lions heads in the pillars and a beautiful garden courtyard* Best location ever.

When her teacher dies, she takes up private violin lessons during that time lost instead. She begins weekly violin lessons from Travis, and instantly develops a crush on him - to which he pays little to no mind.

Travis, Age: 23

Alias: Lucifer, The Morning Star, The Angel Michael, Ares, Mercury

Personality: Aggressive, mysterious, abusive, extremely acceptive, protective & loving.

One day, Madeline sleeps outside in the tent. She falls asleep stargazing, and wakes up in sleep paralysis with lots of yellow eyes staring in from above the tent. There is a creak in the gate and all of their heads turn abruptly towards the noise, and they scatter. She is still unable to move when someone or something sneaks in to the tent and rapes her. She passes out, and is unsure in the morning if it really happened. Walking back to her home from the backyard, she is startled by her neighbor Gabriel who grabs her by the wrist. They ride to school together.

In her music lesson later on, Travis notices a bruise on her wrist. He asks about it, and she says her neighbor did grab her there earlier, but she doesn’t know and begins to cry. He sits beside her and consoles her. She’s wearing a tea length dress, and he begins starts touching her thighs, slowly hiking it up and rubbing on her. As her sobs subside, he notices more bruises between her legs, and pauses. He tells her “That’s enough [crying]. We only have 5 minutes left of class. Play.” She sniffles, straightens her, regains composure back. He fingers her while she cries silent tears.

They begin an extremely physical relationship, violent and sexual. He trains her to reach full blown orgasms while playing the violin impeccably. At times he’ll slap and taunt her when he’s angry or if he’s annoyed at her, and she’ll fly at him punching and slapping until he restrains her. He sometimes makes weird and ominous comments like “You’ve always been mine” or “You’ve always been such a fighter” as if he's known her for a long time.

She likes him because he keeps her grounded, and she never has to pretend anything around him. He also seems to see and hear both her schizophrenic thoughts and the paranormal phenomena around her. He even suspiciously seems to be influencing, if not causing them, as it is all significantly less active when he’s around. But above all, he is her protector and one of the only people she views as an equal, as she has a habit of expressing subtle narcissism and vanity (despite glaringly uncouth thoughts of superiority).

He seems to love her more than anyone else, akin to an extremely protective brother’s love. He operates as if him loving her is a fact of the universe and possibly an obligation, rather than a feeling or conscious choice, which she finds comfort and security (permanence) in.

Her parents can never know she and Travis are together. The audience feels the constant anxiety/dread of not knowing when they are going to get caught.

Her parents eventually do find out and are disillusioned and disgusted by her nature. They put her in sex addiction counseling and intensive therapy.

During her first solo therapy session, her psychologist claims to be a psychic and inserts other misplaced spiritual things into the conversation. At the end of the session, the therapist gives her a tarot reading on her past, present, and future. She says Madeline is of the highest of royalty. She is in grave and targeted danger. And in her future lies death & self destruction, from which creation will surely be borne.

She tells her things about all directions of time existing stacked on top of each other, and some of her words echo the thoughts the voices tell her. She lives creeped out.

One night, Madeline experiences extreme stomach pains and cramps. After hours of pacing, pain, and debating if she should go and get help - the pain finally breaks. She’s sitting on the toilet, trying to push out poop it seems, when her eyes suddenly widen and she abruptly scoots herself from the seat.

Madeline gives birth on the floor, and there is a graphic splat/thump of the bloody tiny stillborn baby that comes out of her. The baby moves a little, but she doesn’t care/pretends not to notice.

She buries the child in a decorated shoebox in the garden backyard. In the morning, she finds the plot dug up in an unnaturally neat circle with a ring around it, and a perfect mound of dirt next to it. The shovel is shown in the middle of the garden, thrown unceremoniously. She plants Lilly of the Valley (Mary’s Tears) there.

Note: Lily of the valley is a symbol of humility in religious painting. It is considered the sign of Christ's second coming. The power of people to envision a better world was also attributed to the lily of the valley.

It is night. Madeline is holding a small white bear, looking off into the distance expressionless, eyes glossy with unshed tears. Travis appears at her door. He immediately knows that she isn’t pregnant anymore, and demands answers. She doesn’t reply, ignoring him and steeling herself. He pushes her off the bed, asking what did she do over and over. He gets on top of her, screaming at her with his lips inches from her ear, spit flying. She kicks and struggles, trying to move her face back and forth and using her hands to protect and make space between them. He finally gets off of her, and she scrambles up, wiping hair and sweat and spit from her face. She’s out of breath, disheveled, and her bottom lip is torn and bloody. He looks at her and steps forward. She steps back and he punches a hole in the door, making her jump. She grabs her shovel, brandishing it, and tells him to get the fuck out.

Madeline takes up boxing,

Transition: 3 months later caption, 11am. Pretty embellished wreath or wood panel covers the hole Travis made. Madeline opens the door and the text falls away.

She goes into her backyard, wrapping up her fists, and using a punching bag and stand in her backyard. She puts on music and goes ham, quieting out the rest of the world. Creatures lurk at the edges of the garden, approaching slowly, getting closer as the song crescendos. There is a looming figure about to reach out and touch her, with two smaller dark figures crouching in its wake. Madeline spins around, punching the hair, but catching nothing. She yanks out her headphones. She is alone, all is still. She looks around, angry and uneasy. The beautiful noises of nature pick up around her. The wind begins to roar, making the chimes sing chaotically. She looks to find a nebulous sky with two moons. She blinks and the chaos ends abruptly. The sky is normal, and all is calm once again. But it is now night. The caption says 6pm.

Scene ends abruptly.

She is trying to unlock her door, and pauses - listening to her sister laugh from inside the house. Her eyes soften at the noises, and then widen again just as a gloved hand claps around her mouth and nose, covering it with white cloth. She falls limp and someone picks her up her slack, throwing her into the passenger seat of a security vehicle. She catches a glimpse of the man right before she passes out. It’s her weed dealer, who’s business is actually a front for a human trafficking ring.

Setting: 12123 South Figueroa.

She comes to, alone in a room, wearing a lacey nightgown. There are vicious ghosts in the room that scare her, and she goes running out of the room to the outside. She takes in her surroundings for a moment until she sees and hears terrifying zombie sounds approaching her. She’s chased up the stairs and runs into an apartment unit, walking in on Travis violently fucking a prostitute. The weed man bursts in, apologizes respectfully to him by name, and yanks her out of the room. He tells her they don’t have much time and he tries to make her look presentable. Women and girls are all standing uniformly down the apartment stairs, like mannequin displays. Weed man positions Madeline on a step, and slaps her, telling her to stay still and look pretty or else. He yanks her hair from her ponytail.

A black cars rolls up the driveway and an old fat man climbs out of the backseat. Wheelman schmoozes, talking up the girls, and taking him through the list of girls - they are all named after a particular goddess. Weedman introduces Madeline as Aphrodite. Inspecting his options, the man scans the girl’s bodies and settles on Madeline.

Weedman grabs her and pushes her inside a unit with him, telling her to play nice.

youtube

The old man immediately starts kissing on her. He sits her on the bed and begins to have his way with her. She has seemed catatonic since seeing Travis. As things escalate, and he begins to be rough with her. She wakes up a little and starts to protest, but sensual choking turns to strangling as the song rages on.

Madeline struggles with all her power. The strangling lasts for two minutes in an extremely uncomfortable and gruesome fight for her life.

She dies as the song comes to an end.

The Funeral

Song: Dream Sweet in Sea Major by Miracle Musical

Madeline’s body is in glass coffin placed in the middle of a greenhouse cathedral. The audience has only a view of her and the backs of funeral goer’s heads, who are sitting in single chairs arranged in ominously straight lines. The presence of flailing charred bodies struggling beneath the chairs flickers in and out.

Credits (Funeral Contin’d):

[animated] same song plays as credits roll

Madeline’s glass coffin is in the middle of a meadow. Nymphs, fae, animals, dwarves, the trees, and other mythological figures slowly start appearing at the edges of the clearing. More creatures show up, tentatively entering the foray and paying respects to her. A teen girl with dark hair stands looking aloof. A small blonde haired boy in a white cloth shirt and too-small pants hops from foot to foot near her.

A dark figure, who was before almost imperceptible, is watching from the sidelines head bent, eyes intent on Madeline’s face. He steps into the clearing and every head turns her way. He spreads his black wings and holds the stance, as the song reaches a crescendo: “above a blinding star” (5:37)

The screen goes dark and all is silent for a moment.

Easter Egg

Screencap of the date, time, & planetary & universal location in the universe: Soddom & Gamora, Gaia, Olympia, 5th Plane of Existence

[not animated] The screen opens from the middle, revealing a close up of freckles. The picture zooms out to reveal Magdalena in her pink haired glory sitting on a ledge like a gargoyle, with her huge wings folded behind her. She is scanning the scene below her, eyes narrowed. She hones in on something and gets ready to leap off her platform.

The screen goes dark. The end.

#aoaev2

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bastardnev · 6 years

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That Guy Next Door

im finally fuckin posting this dad au fic im losing it, i meant to post this earlier but tumblr kept glitching so!!! here it is!!

anyways as i’ve said a few times already, this fic will be updating on a weekly basis, which means that there’s gonna be one new chapter every friday until all of them have been uploaded. i hope you all enjoy this fic as much as i enjoyed writing it!!

link to ao3

tagging: @tylerblacks @joonhobi @rivela @aliciasfox @sailor-slam-dunk @kidvoodoo @smolsammich @simulated-heat @douglas-leon-michael (lemme kno if you wanna be added to my tag list!!)

Chapters: 1/16 Fandom: World Wrestling Entertainment, Professional Wrestling Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Mustafa Ali/Pac | Adrian Neville, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added Characters: Mustafa Ali, Pac | Adrian Neville, Wade Barrett, Original Child Character(s), Other Character Tags to Be Added Additional Tags: Rating will go up, wink wonk, Parenthood, Single Parents, Post-Divorce, Alternate Universe - Parents, god for a sec i didn't think there was a parent au tag on here and i was gonna be so confused, First Meetings, Other Additional Tags to Be Added Summary:

"yo" "do me a favor when you get home" "i can see there’s someone new moving in next door" "introduce all of us to him plz n thx"

Single parent Neville was convinced that he would never find love again following his divorce. Little did he realize just how much these four texts from Wade would change his life.

The more that time passed, the more it seemed like Neville was never going to be able to escape this stupid little office.

He was never going to get away from his desk. From his computer. From his phone that never seemed to want to stop ringing for thirty goddamn seconds. From the sounds of his co-workers typing away on their own keyboards. From his boss who almost always seemed to have some new, pointless assignment for him to complete whenever he passed by his cubicle. Such were the woes of working for such a big company…

He told himself that this job was only temporary. Every day he would remind himself that he was only going to be there until he was back on his feet following his divorce. As difficult as this was, it wasn’t going to last forever.

But then a time where he was financially secure enough to start looking for a different job arose, and Neville didn’t jump on the opportunity to leave. He had wanted to stick around for awhile longer to make sure he had completed everything, so that the poor bastard who took this secretary -- no, administrative assistant -- position after him wouldn’t be swamped with missed deadlines and unfinished projects. He didn’t mind staying for a few more days.

Those days turned to weeks. Those weeks turned to months. Those months turned to years.

It had been almost three fucking years since he had the chance to quit, and yet there Neville was, still typing out emails and arranging appointments for higher-ups who couldn’t give any less of a shit about him if they tried.

Sometimes he would stop while in the middle of working, staring intently at his mouse cursor, debating just walking out and leaving this hell behind and never looking back. No one appreciated him. It would make more sense to go elsewhere, wouldn’t it? Where he wouldn’t have to work unnecessarily long hours just to earn a decent pay? Where a boss would actually seem grateful for the work that he puts in?

It was as he would have these thoughts, however, that he would catch sight of the pictures resting next to his computer monitor -- those of two little girls, smiling at the camera and looking so full of life.

His little girls.

The older one was Jennifer, though she was only ever called that when she was in serious trouble (which wasn’t often, now that Neville thought about it) -- otherwise, she was simply known as Jen. She was definitely more like her mother, from having the same light brown hair to the same headstrong personality. Though she was only nine, she was incredibly independent -- almost too independent, however, as she was often too stubborn to ask for help when she was in tough situations.

Then there was Daisy -- ‘Daddy’s favorite,’ as she claimed whenever Neville would do something nice for her (even if he had also done the same thing for Jen). She was six, and even at such a young age she was already showing signs of being just like her father. That is to say, she was becoming a bit of a smartass. True to the little sibling stereotype, she essentially lived to spite Jen, always making sure to say whatever it was she least wanted to hear just so that she could appreciate her over-the-top reactions.

These two lovely children were depending on him. Neville couldn’t quit and risk losing out on money when he knows that they’re counting on him to take care of them.

With that thought in mind, he continued typing.

If he was lucky, then Neville’s drive from the office back to his home was relatively short, the traffic scarce despite it technically being rush hour.

Unfortunately, that day was not his lucky day.

Despite never actually having met the driver of the minivan that he was stuck behind, Neville felt like he was deeply familiar with their personal life, considering the amount of bullshit on the back of it. There was a stick figure family decal on the back window -- a father, a mother, two little boys, and one little girl. Down on the bumper there were multiple stickers proudly announcing to the world that there were two honors students in the family. What about the third kid? Neville found himself thinking, fingers tapping impatiently on the steering wheel. Are they not good enough for a sticker?

His phone vibrated in the cup holder next to him, and he glanced down at it for a moment before focusing back on the road, pulling up a little once the traffic started to move. He heard the phone vibrate a second time. A third time. By the time the fourth vibration occurred, Neville looked back down at the device and took it in his hands, wondering just what in the hell was so urgent that it required sending that many messages.

Then again, considering that the only person who ever texted him nowadays was Wade, there was no way it was actually anything of substance.

Wade “Freeloader” Barrett: yo

Wade “Freeloader” Barrett: do me a favor when you get home

Wade “Freeloader” Barrett: i can see there’s someone new moving in next door

Wade “Freeloader” Barrett: introduce all of us to him plz n thx

Typical. Wade was once again trying to get Neville to do something for him. It seemed like all that Wade had done since moving into the downstairs apartment in Neville’s house was try to butter him up for something. That man truly has not changed since college…

Though Neville ribbed Wade for his tactics, even going as far as to jokingly refer to him as a freeloader in his phone, the truth was that he didn't have any negative feelings towards him at all. In fact, he was actually incredibly grateful for him. Wade had been employed when he moved into Neville’s home after his divorce, but he’d been laid off not too long after, and he’d had no success finding a job ever since. It seemed like every time things were looking up for him and he might have found something other than the occasional odd job, the position was always given to someone else, and as such he was never able to pay his share of that month’s rent.

He was always willing to babysit whenever Neville needed him to, however -- which was fairly often, seeing as his job sometimes required that he stay late at the office. Had it not been for him, Neville would have had to worry about paying a sitter on top of all of the bills and everything else. Difficult as things may be, he was glad to have a close friend like Wade.

Someone actually bought that house, though? Neville thought. It’s been on the market for ages. He could only vaguely remember the small family that used to live there before they abruptly moved because of the father’s job. Though the last thing that Neville wanted to do was give Wade what he wanted, he had to admit that he was just as curious as he was about this new neighbor…

Me: And why should I do that? Can’t you go over there yourself?

Wade “Freeloader” Barrett: your texting while you’re supposed to be driving??

Wade “Freeloader” Barrett: dangerous

Wade “Freeloader” Barrett: tsk tsk

Me: *you’re

Wade “Freeloader” Barrett: SHUT UP

Me: Also I’m in traffic, asshole. Now tell me why you can’t do it yourself?

Wade “Freeloader” Barrett: because i just woke up from a nap and have a killer headache and am in no mood to actually socialize

Me: What makes you think I’M in the mood to socialize? I just had a long day at work.

Wade “Freeloader” Barrett: because you’re the cuter one between the two of us and it would be better if he saw your pretty face instead of mine

Wade “Freeloader” Barrett: you could win over anyone with those eyes of yours

It was at that moment that Neville placed his phone back down in the cup holder -- partially because the traffic was beginning to move and he needed to start driving again, though mainly because he’d read enough. Wade always tried to compliment him whenever he was too lazy to do something for himself, and Neville was ashamed to admit that this strategy worked more often than not.

This time was going to be different, however. After a long day of typing away at his desk and going straight into bumper-to-bumper traffic, it was going to take a lot more than some sweet talking to get him to introduce himself to a total stranger.

Neville finally pulled into his driveway about fifteen minutes later, turning the car off and leaning back against the seat with a sigh. Somewhere along the way it had started raining, the droplets of rain tapping rhythmically against the windshield. He loved the rain -- that is, when he didn’t actually have to go walking through it. It was a short walk from the car to the front door. Even so, he was not looking forward to getting wet…

As he gathered his bearings, he took a quick look out of the passenger side window, and he noticed that there was a light on inside of the house next door, and there was an unfamiliar car parked in the driveway. So Wade was telling the truth when he said that there was a new neighbor. Wonder what their story is.

The neighborhood that Neville lived in wasn’t bad by any means, but he didn’t think that it was an area that anybody would want to willingly move into. Most of the residents tended to keep to themselves, the extent of their interactions with one another being a quick ‘hello’ and nothing more. Wouldn’t someone looking for a place to start their new life look for someplace more interesting? Whoever this new person was must have had no other options.

...Then again, it wasn’t like Neville really cared about what this new person thought. He had more important things to worry about then whatever was going on in their mind.

Neville resigned himself to his damp fate and exited the car, making sure to lock it before trekking through the rain and up the front stops until he reached the door. Despite it being closed, he could hear what sounded like a commotion inside -- just what he needed after the day he’d had. What are they fighting over now ? He clicked his tongue and opened the door, bracing himself for whatever the latest controversy was.

“Jen, you said yourself that you didn’t care if she ate your leftovers or not.” The first voice that Neville heard was that of Wade, who was clearly trying to mediate an argument between the two girls, standing in front of Jen while Daisy hid behind his back.

“I said I didn’t want them! I never said she could have them!” Jen had her arms crossed.

“I never ate them, though!” Daisy peeked out from behind Wade, clutching his shirt, dark brown curls falling over her face. “I swear! Why would I want something that you touched?”

“Uh… Hello?” Neville decided to speak up, prompting the three of them to look over in his direction.

“Daddy!!” Daisy let go of Wade and went charging towards him, now opting to hide behind him instead (and prompting a “What, am I not a good enough shield for you?” from Wade). “Jen’s bullying me again!”

“I am not!” Jen insisted. “She’s the one that did something wrong! She ate my food!”

Of all the ridiculous arguments that these two could have had, they had to have one over chicken tenders? Were fights over toys going out of style? “Okay, listen,” Neville started. “Jen, you did say that you didn’t mind if someone else ate them. And Daisy, you shouldn’t insinuate that anything your sister touches is dirty.”

Daisy blinked at him. Neville couldn’t imagine why she looked so confused, seeing as he made a perfectly good point.

“Nev,” Wade said. “She’s six. I don’t think she knows what ‘insinuate’ means.”

“Right… Okay, how about this -- don’t say that anything she touches is dirty. There, is that better?”

Daisy nodded this time. Neville knew her too well, though. It may appear as if she understood, but in reality she was plotting her next move. Chances are she had plenty more insults ready to unleash the moment that Neville’s back was turned.

Jen made a disgusted sound and stormed into the hallway, bounding up the stairs towards her room. Now that her enemy had disappeared, Daisy deemed it safe enough to emerge from hiding, heading towards the kitchen. Neville pushed his glasses up his nose as he watched her go. “How did that argument even start, anyway?” He asked.

“Hell if I know.” Wade shrugged. “I was minding my own business when Daisy came running in here claiming that Jen was going to kill her. Again.”

“Did she even eat the leftovers?”

“No, she didn’t.”

“Then who…” He squinted at Wade. “ You ate them, didn’t you?”

“...Maybe…”

“Of course you did.” Neville sat down on the couch, rubbing at his temples.

“What, did you expect me to speak up? Angry Jen isn’t fun to deal with. The last thing I wanted was to be on the receiving end of her wrath. She clearly got that gene from you.”

“Ha ha, very funny.”

Wade took a seat next to him. “Enough about that, though. What happened with the new guy next door?”

“I didn’t talk to him.”

“What?” He looked disappointed. “Not even after I asked you so nicely?”

“Trying to get me to do something for you by buttering me up isn’t always going to work, Wade. I told you that I had a long day today and I wasn’t up for introductions. I’ll get around to it when I’m not exhausted.”

Wade huffed, propping his feet up on the coffee table (and having them shoved off by Neville a few seconds later). “All I’m trying to do is help you get back out there…”

Neville looked at him, eyes narrow. “Excuse me?”

“Oh, did I say that out loud? Oops.” Wade was acting as if that were an accident, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out that he’d clearly meant for Neville to hear him.

“What do you mean that you’re trying to help me ‘get back out there’?”

“Well, y’know…” Wade began to play with his nails, avoiding Neville’s gaze. “I thought you and the cute new guy next door might want to chat for awhile, maybe hang out sometime, that’s all.”

“You-- Wait, you actually want me to date this guy? This guy who I’ve never even met? Are you kidding me?” Neville had learned so much about Wade in the years that they’d known each other, but never once had he shown any interest in trying to play matchmaker. “Why do you want this so badly?”

“I just thought it would be nice! I know you’ve been lonely lately--”

“And just how would you know that?”

“Nev, I’ve been your friend since college. I’ve been living with you ever since you and Marina split. The last few years have been rough for you romance-wise, and it’s obvious that it’s taken a toll on you.”

Neville swallowed at the mention of his wife’s name. “How do you know ?” He repeated, growing a little impatient.

“I feel like I hardly ever see you smile anymore,” Wade continued. “It’s not that you never smile, it’s just… genuinely happy smiles are pretty rare for you these days. I thought that maybe finding you a nice guy to hang out with would help lift your spirits a bit -- and who knows, something great could come out of this. You should give him a chance.”

Neville knew that he was probably being rude, but he still rolled his eyes, shaking his head and once again pushing his glasses up his nose. He knew that Wade didn’t mean any harm. He was one of the few truly good people that Neville knew, and he would never do anything to hurt him.

This, on the other hand, while it didn’t hurt him by any means, was on a whole different level. “Wade, listen… I understand that you’re just trying to help,” Neville started. “I appreciate that you’re looking out for me. But I know I’ve told you before that I’m not interested in finding a partner at the moment. I have a family to support, and I don’t have time to be fooling around with romance right now.”

“Okay…” Wade’s shoulders drooped. “Sorry if it seemed like I was forcing you into something that you didn’t want.”

“No need to apologize.” Neville stood up from the couch, stretching. “I gotta go get changed. These clothes are so damn uncomfortable.”

“It’s times like these where I’m almost glad I don’t work,” Wade commented, watching Neville as he made to leave the room. “Otherwise I’d have to wear stuff like that .”

“I envy you, I won’t lie.”

Neville arrived at the top of the steps and started to make his way down the hallway. He briefly stopped in front of the door to the girls’ room, knowing that Jen was most likely still stewing inside. He knew that she would get over it eventually, but it still bothered him knowing that she was angry with the wrong person. Maybe once she calms down we can tell her… Though Wade will probably be scared shitless while we do it.

He continued down the hall and made it to his own room, taking off his jacket and tossing it onto the bed. He was about to start undoing the buttons on his shirt when he noticed that the window was open, and he let out a little annoyed noise. Great, now the floor is wet…

It was when he went over to close it that he once again caught sight of the house next door -- in particular, his eye was drawn to the window. He could see that there was someone moving around inside, but he was only able to see his back. There he is, the man of my dreams… or so I’ve been told.

Neville wasn’t in the mood to be accused of being a creeper, so he quickly shut the window and closed the blinds, resuming his undressing. Whoever the hell this new guy was, he wasn’t interested in watching what he assumed were his dinner preparations (nor was he willing to strip right where he could see it).

For all the complaints that Neville had about his job, there was one thing about it that he did like -- the fact that he was able to work from home on Fridays.

He was set up at the kitchen table, lazily scrolling through the emails that were gradually piling up in his inbox. Most of them didn’t even concern him -- in the beginning they were about figuring out what time would work best for everyone for the next meeting, now most of them were people debating which day of the week would be better between Monday and Tuesday. I’m stuck in that office anyway regardless of the day, so what does it even matter? Neville thought to himself, taking a sip from his coffee mug as he went to work deleting some of the messages.

“What a sight to behold.” Neville looked up from the screen and found that Wade had entered the room. “You’re still sitting here working and drinking from that ‘World’s Okayest Dad’ mug. Don’t you think you should give yourself a break?”

“I already took my break earlier,” Neville replied just as he heard another chime ring out from his laptop -- the meeting would officially be on Monday, despite numerous complaints. Incoming shitstorm.

“Take another one. What’s stopping you? It’s not like anyone can tell that you’re not working.”

“They’ll tell when I’m not responding to any of their emails.”

“So if you don’t respond immediately after they send it to you then they’ll know that you’re slacking off? Sounds rough. Glad I’m not working there.”

“You’re not working, period .”

“Exactly, and who would want to with those regulations?” Wade went to the fridge and dug around inside until he came back with a bottle of water, unscrewing the cap and taking a sip. “Hey, where are the girls? I haven’t seen them all afternoon.”

“Outside in the yard.” Neville nodded his head in the direction of the back door. “I’m surprised they’ve been playing for so long without getting into a fight.” Right as Neville finished saying that, he heard a thud and the unmistakable sound of Daisy yelling “Ow!” “Ah, I see I spoke too soon.”

A few moments later, both girls stumbled into the kitchen through the back door. “Daddy, Daisy threw the ball over the fence again,” Jen complained, elbowing her sister in the side.

“Ow-- It wasn’t my fault! She was the one who threw it.”

“You said you were ready for me to throw it!”

“No I didn’t!”

“Yes you did! Daddy, didn’t you hear her say she was ready? She’s lying again--”

“Alright, alright, that’s enough,” Neville interrupted her before she could say anything more, and he pushed back his chair. “You two head back outside and wait in the yard. I’ll go get the ball for you.”

Jen and Daisy looked at each other before they both walked back outside, the two of them getting into a brief scuffle in the doorway since they couldn’t decide which of the two of them got to go through first (Jen ultimately won by reminding Daisy of who the older sibling was). Neville pinched the bridge of his nose once they were gone, letting out a sigh. “What am I going to do with them…”

“Well, you can start by getting their ball,” Wade said.

Neville made a little frustrated noise and stood up, though it was as he was about to leave that he noticed the cocky smirk on Wade’s face. “What’s up with you?”

“Nev, how did you get the ball the last time they threw it over the fence?” he asked, leaning back against the counter.

“Uh… I went into the yard and got it?”

“You realize you can’t do that anymore, right? Since there’s now someone living there. That’s trespassing.”

“What’s your point?”

“My point is that you’re going to have to get the new neighbor’s permission to go back there and get it. You two are finally going to meet.”

“Oh God, are you still on this?” Neville huffed. “I told you that I’m not interested in being in a relationship right now. Let it go .”

“I never said you had to date him. Just that you’re gonna be meeting for the first time.”

“Maybe so, but I know you’re thinking it.” He waggled his finger at him. “And let me tell you this: I’m going to go next door, ask for the ball back, and then come right back here. No bullshit, no stopping inside for coffee or whatever, no nothing . You got that?”

“Whatever you say, mate.” Wade still didn’t look entirely convinced, but he didn’t press the issue any further and left the kitchen, leaving Neville all by himself.

What a pain in the ass… Neville shook his head as he watched Wade retreat downstairs. He waited until he was gone before exiting into the hallway and walking towards the front door.

The moment that the early-August heat hit his face, Neville immediately regretting going outside. God, how have those kids been playing out here for all this time? He despised the thought of meeting his new neighbor while drenched in sweat, so he decided to stop wasting time and briskly started the trek over to the house next door.

“It won’t take him much longer, calm down!” Neville could hear the faint sound of Jen reprimanding her sister from his own yard.

“We’ve been waiting foreverrrrr…” Naturally, the next voice he heard was that of Daisy.

Five minutes. It’s been five minutes since they asked. At most.

Neville looked up at the house that was now in front of him, and he marched up to the door with authority, determined not to let Wade’s nonsense get in the way of what he came here to do. He didn’t come here to flirt or do anything of that nature -- he was not going to let the wannabe matchmaker that lived in his basement cloud his judgement.

He rang the doorbell and took a step back, crossing his arms and waiting for some sort of response. He could still hear the sounds of Daisy and Jen bickering from the yard. He debated taking out his phone and asking Wade to keep an eye on them, but it was right as he reached for his pocket that the door opened.

“Hi, I’m—” Neville stopped himself once he got a good look at the man now standing in the doorway, his mouth hanging open slightly.

“Um… How can I help you?” The man asked, brown eyes narrowed in confusion, like he couldn’t figure out why this stranger was gaping at him on his doorstep. It was those same eyes that Neville found himself suddenly lost in, momentarily forgetting just why the hell he was there in the first place. That’s a good question -- how can you help me?

Neville cleared his throat, shaking his head and snapping himself out of his trance. “Excuse me, I’m sorry to bother you, but my kids accidentally threw their ball over your fence. I was wondering if we could get it back.”

“Oh, that’s what that was?” He smiled. “I heard yelling coming from next door and was wondering what had happened.”

“Ah, well, you know how little girls can be sometimes…”

“Trust me, I do. I work with them. I can toss the ball back over for ‘em.”

“Thank you.” Neville returned his smile. “Again, sorry to trouble you. I know you’re still busy unpacking.” Neville could see the moving boxes that were sitting in the hallway. “Don’t mean to interrupt.”

“Don’t worry about it, it’s not a problem at all. Hey, what’s your name, by the way? I’m Mustafa.”

“Mustafa…” Neville repeated. It was a nice name. “I’m Adrian.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Adrian.” There was that infectious smile again. Neville found himself quite liking how his name sounded coming from his mouth -- and he normally hated his first name. “You’re the first person around here that I’ve actually spoken to, you know that?”

“That doesn’t shock me.” He frowned. “The people around here aren’t exactly the nicest. They don’t really do things like greeting new neighbors.”

“That’s a shame… But at least I have one nice neighbor in you . That makes up for it.” Mustafa shot him a wink. “I should probably go get the ball now -- I’ll catch you later, okay?”

“Okay! I’ll, uh… see you around.”

With that, Mustafa shut the door, and Neville let out a breath that he didn’t even realize that he was holding. Finally, it was over . He had done what needed to be done, and now he could go back home and rub it in Wade’s face.

I didn’t linger at all. Neville thought with a sense of triumph as he went down to the sidewalk. Wade was so sure that I was going to fall head over heels for him within thirty seconds of knowing him. Not even close.

…Still, Neville thought it was a bit strange how he had acted when Mustafa first opened the door. Everything about their conversation was normal with the exception of the beginning. Neville had been completely entranced by him, especially those eyes … What was that all about?

Neville’s moment of contemplation didn’t last very long, as he was interrupted by the gleeful sounds of his daughters, whose ball had just been returned to them. He was overthinking things, as usual. He only felt this way because Wade planted the seeds in his mind.

This was nothing to dwell on.

#mustafa ali #neville #adrian neville #wwe fanfiction #mustafa x neville #jess.txt #i sincerely apologize if you're on mobile rn and can't see the read more because this is a Long Chapter #dad au

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hongkongartman-mlee · 4 years

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Life Is Made Up Of Funny Little Things And Only The Lucky Ones Can Feel——Hong Kong Accomplished Comic Artist Maggie Lau

Comic books are a reflection of the happy and the sad. They also mirror the good and the bad. Comic artists tell you how they feel about the world by their characters. Mickey Mouse is happy and good. The boys of South Park are happy but bad. Spider-Man is sad but good. The Joker is sad and bad.

I love the comic work of a Hong Kong artist Maggie Lau. Her comics are in the simple and short form of 2 to 4 sequential juxtaposed panels which depict funny scenes. Panels are accompanied by descriptive narrative and dialogue. The characters are often modeled after Maggie, her husband and 2 children. Her comics are not abstract, alternative, violent or romantic. The stories are sweet, witty and positive. They are mostly based on observations on the daily life of the author as a ‘full-time’ housewife. To give you an example: a boy told his mother that he was ranked the first place in class. She asked, “For the best performance?” The son said, “For the worst performance.”

Maggie said, “I am an ordinary person who enjoys an uneventful life. When humble and satisfied, I can view the beauty of a world made up of funny little things that I, being the lucky one, can have the luxury of joy to appreciate.”

“I have grown up with my readers. They are my age or slightly younger. Now, their kids are my fans too,” she smiled. A skill is something taught. A talent is an inborn ability. The ability to draw came naturally for Maggie when she was a girl. Her father however said, “No matter if you are talented or not, drawing shall never become your career because it is hardly an income-bearing business!” At university, Maggie studied textile. She found an office job in 1990. Computers then started to change the world and the idea of a ‘blog’, the personal online homepage of a computer user, became popular. In the late 90s, Maggie created her comic blog and her works became well known in Hong Kong. She ventured to design a ‘flash game’, which was a big hit in the 90s, called ‘Hong Kong-style cafe’. The game required you to cook local fast food for customers as fast as you could. Sure of her success, Maggie quitted her job and became a professional comic artist. The series of comic books about a female character Mag who was critical of the little things happening at home and in life was quite an accomplishment. Maggie’s startling career began from then on.

I asked Maggie, “Where do your inspirations come from?” Maggie, graceful and pleasant, said, “I always carry a notebook. I observe. When my wild pulse detects anything funny. I jot several things down in my notebook and they will turn to be my short stories.”

I asked again, “Do you plan to write a long story, or try something new and exciting?” Maggie replied, “No, I am easy. Nothing is worth doing unless it does not mean pain or difficulty. Failing to plan is not planning to fail. One can do whatever she wants when she is a single girl. My life has become different after I get married and take responsibility for it. I am a housewife and want to be a good mother. My ambition is no longer to sail around the world or be the top dog in the field. I enjoy what I have. For me, success is incidental or accidental.”

I can feel Maggie’s resolute adherence to her belief. So, I changed the subject. I said, “Any advice for a budding comic artist?” Maggie nodded her head, “To ensure continuation and progression, irrespective of any income or not, is the most important thing for a young artist. Just keep on drawing! You do it for your passion or interest, and not for money or success. Do believe in a fate that may simply fall on you. But, when something unfolds, do not walk away from it. Take it up and do well!”

The true beauty in a woman is reflected in her heart. The true beauty in an artist is embodied in her soul. Of life’s two great prizes, Maggie Lau won all. She also took cash on top of her prizes because of her present wonderful vocation.

MLee

#Maggie Lau #Comic Book #Hong Kong Comic Artist #Mickey Mouse #South Park #Spider-Man #Joker #Flash Game #Hong Kong-style Cafe

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darkammarketing · 4 years

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Functional Blog Design | Analyzing Blog Layouts, Sidebars, Content Tables

When you are deciding which brand deserves your money, what is the most important factor you look at?

While you might focus on product quality or fast customer service, the data shows how for an increasing number of buyers, trust is becoming the #1 factor.

But what does it mean to ‘trust a brand’? It’s a hard question to answer because trust means different to different people.

Some like to know that you have a good track record and that you are protecting their personal data. Some want to know that you are involved in the social cause they care about. Some want to see what other people have to say about your product or service. And some just might care if you have a flexible return policy.

This is where your blog and content climb to the stage to take the central role of building customer trust. Every blog post they read, every infographic they scroll through, and every video they watch is moving them one step closer towards conversion. So your goal should be to design a blog that will keep them around for as long as possible.

Whether you are starting a brand new blog, giving new life to an old one, or just looking for ways to reduce your nasty bounce rate percentage – reading the rest of this guide should be on top of your to-do list since it lists all the necessary steps needed to build a functional blog design.

Designing a welcoming blog homepage

You have probably come across this study that shows how people need only 50 milliseconds to form an opinion about the visual appeal of the website they are visiting.

While this gets cited a lot because it is a flashy number, in the grand scheme of things, it is irrelevant. If your blog is designed well, it will look good whether you look at it for 10 milliseconds or 20 minutes.

The same is true the other way around. The only thing that really changes is the hope that, if people stay long enough to look past the visual mess, they might get pulled in by the quality of your content.

There are hundreds of superbly designed blogs you can use to boost your creative spark. However, don’t fall into the trap of clinging to designs that look the best. There is something to be said about functionality too.

To get the best of both worlds, before you start any work on your blog, you need to answer 2 questions:

What kind of feature images do you plan to use (if any)?

Does your content stretch across multiple distinct categories?

Let’s explore why these things matter by looking at some examples.

Let’s talk about blog layouts

There are some creative blog designs out there, but we will concentrate on the 5 most common ones.

1. Standard grid

Probably the most used approach to designing the main blog page. Here are a couple of great examples from HelpScout and Marketo.

While you can find blogs that use 2, 4 or even 5-column layouts, 3 seems to be the sweet spot. That is probably because the 3-column layout gives you just enough room to show of your featured image, title, and post description, all while giving desktop users the ability to reach 10+ different content recommendations with just a single mouse scroll.

2. Uneven grid

This approach gives the page a little bit more dynamic and enables you to put more focus on the content you want to highlight by giving it more space on the grid. It can be a neat way to throw in some lead magnets into the mix as well.

3. Single column layout

Another very common approach to blog design. On the pictures below, you can see how Limble CMMS and WiseStamp use this same approach, but with different results.

Limble CMMS created custom images so they let them shine and catch the reader’s attention. However, because of this, with a single mouse scroll, visitors don’t see more than 2 content suggestions.

On the other hand, WiseStamp decided to sacrifice their featured images in a way, but in return, they are able to fit multiple content suggestions into a single screen.

Additionally, if you go and open their blog, the first thing you will see is actually a slider that sits on top. This is a nice way to add some interactivity to your blog if that’s something you’re a fan of.

4. Grid split into categories

Not much different from your standard layout with multiple columns. Here’s how Alexa implemented it.

This is an approach you should consider if you plan to feature distinct categories (like in the example above) or if you have content aimed at specific groups (like entrepreneurs/ marketers/ designers). An alternative to this is to feature a drop-down category filter or to include the categories into your website navigation.

If you have trouble deciding how to define your categories, one possible solution is to look at your buyer (or reader if you are not selling anything) persona profile. In essence, if you have X fairly different buyer personas, you might want to define one category for each persona.

If that doesn’t work for you, I recommend reading this post on choosing blog categories from CoSchedule.

5. Minimalistic approach

By minimalistic, I basically mean without a featured image and post descriptions. This is perfectly Illustrated by Ahfrefs’s blog.

This might be a smart choice for blogs that are not consistent with their featured images. Not something I would recommend because, without featured images and post descriptions, you only have your title to generate interest.

This works for Ahrefs because they have already built up a lot of brand trust and people can be sure that every title they click on will feature valuable advice.

One flipside of this design approach is that you can fit a lot of content suggestions on the screen, especially if you split it into more columns. This can be seen at A List Apart homepage.

Polishing user experience

Here are a few simple tweaks you can implement at your blog to improve user experience regardless of the grid/layout you decide to use:

implement a search function

add the ability to filter content based on category/tags/author/publish date/popularity

include “time to read” stamp

implement the progress bar so readers have an easier time tracking where they are

add back to top button at the end of longer content pieces

show the engagement rates for every single piece (views/comments/number of shares/number of likes)

make sure hyperlinks are clearly visible by using a contrasting color

add a table of content for longer blog posts

Now, don’t go and implement everything from this list. Choose the things that work for you. For instance, if your content gets a lot of shares but very few comments then show only the metric that represents it in a better light.

What is the purpose of your sidebar?

If there is one thing we often overlook when it comes to blog layout, it is the sidebar. That is not to say that blogs aren’t using it, what I’m trying to say is that they are not using it to its full potential.

Besides usual things like search, tags, and most popular content, you should consider other things that will keep readers engaged.

A good example again comes from WiseStamp that features short tutorials that showcase their product.

The sidebar elements are made to “stick” so they are always visible on the screen while you scroll through content.

While I can’t know for sure, this is probably an attempt to offset the general disinterest in sidebars. Our attention will always be on the content we came to read or watch. If you have a really important message you want to bring forth through the sidebar, you want to keep it in sight at all times.

Make maximum use of your sidebar. Quizzes, calculators, rotating testimonials, social media feeds, comments, lead magnets…these are all elements that can build trust, increase engagement, and maybe even earn you some leads.

All of that being said, they are some arguments against the sidebar. For instance, a case study from ImpactBND shows that removing the sidebar and slapping a CTA at the bottom of the post actually improved their conversion rates.

What to make of it? Should you use the sidebar or not?

Since there are a lot of contradicting recommendations out there, it is obvious that there is no universally right answer that works for everyone. Personally, I prefer having a sidebar, as I believe that when you use it in the right way, it brings way more good than bad.

If you do plan to use one, decide on 2 or 3 items you want to feature and stick with them. After all, cramming a bunch of stuff in the sidebar can steal too much attention from the content itself. Not respecting the white space is a common web design mistake that applies to blog design too.

Optimizing blog content

The content needs to be readable, big sections need to have clear separations, and the whole structure just has to make sense.

The devil is, as they say, in the details.

As someone who both reads and writes a lot of long-form articles, here is some additional quality of life design tips that will assits in a functional blog design and make your content easier to consume:

1) Make links open in a new tab

This is a good way to avoid back button fatigue.

All external links should be opened in a new tab so the users can quickly come back to your site whenever they want. There are some debate around internal links and should they be opened in a new tab. Both approaches have their own set of (dis)advantages so use what seems best to you.

2) Include navigation bar/content table for longer content pieces

As more and more companies adopt content marketing, we’re already witnessing a shift towards video and long-form content as the leading content formats. This ultimate guide presents a perfect example of good design with UX in mind with a content table and a clear distinction of different sections.

For those that want to take this a step further, I’ve seen some blogs that featured a clickable content table in the left sidebar (showing H2 and H3), which made it really easy to navigate through a major piece of content.

On the picture below, you can see a similar implementation on our website.

3) Put some thought into interlinking

Internal links are another way to keep people exploring your blog. However, do not link to other posts just for the sake of linking. Make sure the posts you link to are relevant and add value to the post at hand.

And, for the sake of all of us, use relevant anchor text so we know what to expect when we click on the link.

4) Don’t let technical difficulties get in your way

It would be a shame to put all this effort into your content and blog design just to have your page load so long that people leave before they read a single word. This probably shouldn’t even be mentioned at this point but designing your blog with mobile device users in mind is paramount.

5) Do not forget about the search intent

Since we are talking here about keeping visitors engaged in your content, it is crucial to understand the importance of search intent.

In essence, when people type in a query in search engines, they have a specific need they are trying to solve. If your content doesn’t match their search intent, they’ll be gone in a second, and this will definitely hurt your SEO efforts.

As Joshua Hardwick from Ahrefs sums it nicely in his piece on search intent: “Relevance is the foundation of SEO success.”

There’s no way to get around good content

The content is k… I hate that overused phrase so I’m not going to finish it.

We all know this, but it has to be said. Without good content, all of this effort means nothing. Looks can only get you so far. If your blog doesn’t have a personality, people simply won’t be interested in getting to know your brand. And it is naive to think this won’t affect your bottom line.

To build top of the line content resource center, make sure you put enough effort into both looks and personality.

The post Functional Blog Design | Analyzing Blog Layouts, Sidebars, Content Tables appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog - Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

from https://adobe.ly/2TNxiEu via IFTTT via Blogger http://bit.ly/2vW2JEL

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rudra-writes · 5 years

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Pallas and Telurin - Human mafia AU (Part 1)

An alternate universe scenario written with Telurin’s player. Telurin Lenkov, avtoritet and bodyguard in the Russian mafia, protects a young barista named Pallas LeCherie, and his mother and sisters, from a predatory loan shark.

The Blue Rose is a coffee and tea shop tucked away on Walnut Street. The menu is sophisticated, but the environment is comfortable and homey. Here patrons could order their choice of coffee: Black, dessert coffee, and everything in between, or loose-leaf tea from around the world, served in a ceramic teapot. Sandwiches, fresh-baked cinnamon rolls, fruit bowls, and cookies are available to those who are feeling peckish.

On the whole, Pallas enjoys his job. To be a barista in a location he would frequent anyway is ideal for him. It doesn't really pay enough, though - He has his mother and sisters to think about.

Recently, a gym has opened not far from the cafe's location. On the whole, though, this is not a popular destination for gym rats, and Pallas has yet to see many new patrons.

Unbeknownst to Pallas, the gym was merely a front, huge newest one for the local Bratva, or Russian mafia. Telurin was the byki and most trusted Avtoritet of the local Pakhan, Belaar. The gym was under his area of enforcement, and he had spent most of the early morning walking a half step behind Belaar as he toured the facility. Belaar had wanted to see where his money was being laundered.

It had been a trying morning, to say the least. Telurin prefers to be active, doing things, and protective detail always makes him tense. He steps into the Blue Rose still trying to ignore the feeling of eyes boring holes between his shoulderblades. He rolls his shoulders and then pulls the bottom of his suit jacket to straighten it afterwards, the fabric stretched taut over his broad shoulders and chest. The suit was just another tactic he used to intimidate people, it accents his size and it lets the lowlifes he deals with know their place in the hierarchy.

Telurin walks up the counter and raps his tattooed knuckles on the wood in lieu of ringing the bell. "Coffee, black."

Pallas steps up to the counter as he has countless times before, wiping his hands on his apron. As he turns forward, the sight that greets his eyes is not a person's face, but the broad chest of a black, impeccably crisp suit, and a tie.

Pallas looks up. His clear blue eyes widen and his lips fall open slightly.

This is, by far, the most intimidating person Pallas thinks he has ever served in the Blue Rose. The man is tall, with a bodybuilder's physique, and hard features. The all-black suit and tattooed knuckles, coupled with his height and icy expression, all add up to Someone Who Should Not Be Fucked With.

Yet somehow, instead of being repelled by this dangerous-looking man, Pallas feels drawn. He is magnetic -- Older than Pallas, but ruggedly handsome. Pallas could feel his eyes darting between Telurin's features and the tattoos on his knuckles. What sort of tattoos are they? His hands are so large and strong. Is he a wealthy businessman? Pallas would have liked to get a closer look, but at the moment, it's all he can do to avoid staring.

The little blonde boy waiting on Telurin swallows and seems to finally remember what to say. He's pretty, with a smooth, pale complexion, and thin wrists and hands. "Will that be all?"

Most of the tattoos are on his fingers, where rings would go, in varying designs. Two of them feature skulls, contrasting strangely with the cross of the rosary that peeks out from the right cuff of his suit jacket. The man’s eyes rake over Pallas, quick, judging, before he breaks into a predatory smile.

“No, actually.” His diction is heavily influenced by his accent - Russian, or at least Eastern European. He points with two fingers toward the pastries behind the glass counter. “What do you recommend, I’ll take one of those.” It’s a question, but there’s no lilt to his tone to indicate it is.

Pallas had not expected Telurin might be interested in a pastry. He had expected the scary-looking man would take his coffee and be about his business, but instead, he remains close, and Pallas must serve him.

By now, Pallas has had a few moments for the gears to start turning in his mind. Although he had never before encountered anyone in the mafia directly (that he knew of), he is aware that criminal enterprises are alive and well in his city. They had always seemed distant, however. Far away. Something that happened to other, less reputable parts of town, to other people.

Now all of a sudden, this wolfish man is bearing over him, smiling at Pallas in such a way that the young man feels like a caught mouse.

'I'm shaking. Am I afraid?' Pallas's thoughts race through his mind as he pours Telurin his coffee, looking up to glance at the pastries. It's all he can do to try to keep his voice steady. "If you ask me, our frosted pumpkin chocolate-chip and walnut brownies are the best. I should know, I help make them in the morning." He smiles nervously.

It isn't necessary for Pallas to come out from behind the counter to give Telurin his coffee and one of the aforementioned pastries on a wrapper directly. Somehow, though, to do anything less didn't feel like it was enough, and so this is precisely what Pallas does, offering Telurin his order, as if it were a peace offering.

Telurin watches every move this young baker and barista makes, and he keeps his wolfish smile as Pallas comes around the counter to offer him the brownie. How sweet this one is, to bring him this sweet directly, and he takes it with both hands, one on top and one below, engulfing Pallas’s hand and the wrapped pastry for one brief moment between their warmth. His ice blue eyes gleam as he watches the smaller man retreat back behind the counter. He peels a bill from the fat stack he pulls from his suit jacket pocket and slides it on the counter with a smirk.

"Keep the change, myshka." He says, taking his coffee and his brownie and heading out the door.

He comes back several times over the next week, always in the morning, always impeccably dressed in a sharp black on black suit, always ordering a coffee and whatever pastry Pallas wishes to serve him, as long as the little barista had made it himself. He looks at Pallas hungrily every time he's in, that wolfish smile hovering around the corners of his lips as he continues to fluster the smaller man.

It's almost a week later to the day when Telurin enters the cafe and realizes that something is off about Pallas, he looks upset about something despite his usual greeting. Telurin frowns, and when Pallas hands him his pastry - a beautifully done chocolate croissant this time - he catches the smaller man's wrist gently.

"Zayka, what is wrong? Come, take a break and tell me." His tone is imperative, but he lets Pallas's wrist go, letting him decide on his own to join him at a nearby table or not.

The hairs on the back of Pallas's arms all but stand on end when his thin hand is between Telurin's for the first time. The older man pays and disappears out the door, leaving the blonde barista gazing after him.

It seems that the mafia man was pleased by the service, for he returns, becoming a regular patron in the mornings. Pallas is unsure how he feels about this. The man does nothing overtly threatening, but his presence causes Pallas to feel as if he's being scrutinized by a hungry predator.

'Does he look at everyone like that?' He thinks furtively to himself, while he pours Telurin's coffee.

As the days pass, Pallas finds himself anticipating when Telurin will come into the cafe.

'It's a minute to. Will he not come today? I can't be of any real significance to him.' As a service worker, Pallas was used to being invisible and of no consequence. When Telurin steps through the door that morning, Pallas finds the ends of his mouth smile in reaction to him.

#human AU Pallas #Telurin #mafia AU

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norbertolathrop-blog · 6 years

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10 Useful Tips From Professionals In celebration.

You Will Never Thought That Understanding celebration Could Be So Beneficial!

It has now become the standard of different societies in every edge of the world that people dress up to attend various events or occasions. Whether you and also your pals are normally wild and looking for much more extreme ideas or typically traditional and wishing to branch out a bit, a dream lingerie event can broaden your horizons as well as provide you a brand-new viewpoint.

10 Common Mistakes Everyone Makes In event.

The campus has lots of pupil organizations to obtain associated with for whatever your interests may be. There are likewise sufficient chances to work with school whether it remain in the dining halls, as a resident aide, working as a tour guide for UGA, and even as a bus driver. With a little creativity and also creative thinking, you can create an enjoyable birthday party for your child without spending a lot of money. Easter themed celebration invitations can be handmade, with few arts as well as crafts materials, or can be pre-made invites. While looking for the location, try to find the ones that not only offer the hall but other centers as well, like catering, decor as well as DJ. There are a lot of personal party venues Houston TX where, you can pick the ideal one. A couple of weeks notice will be adequate, and also a suggestion to confirm your presence a few days prior to the party. Just all that you truly need to do, is mow your yard down weeds and all the day prior to the event. The DUP is additionally packed with creationists with numerous event participants also participants of the Caleb Structure, which is one of the leading creationist pressure teams in Northern Ireland. Below are some ideas as well as suggestions that you can make use of for straightforward birthday celebration celebration occasions provided listed below, making your kid's birthday wishes become a reality. You need to examine the appropriate privacy policies of those third parties when supplying information on a function or page run by a 3rd party. SECTION 3 - Graduation Event Decorations: These free graduation flag as well as cupcake mattress topper layout downloads will assist you extend your spending plan, because you can print them at home. The host just invites a variety of people and supplies a lot of food as well as alcohol. Planning your Super Bowl party will certainly spend some time, yet ultimately it will be well worth the initiative. Carries a considerable choice of Sweet 16 event prefers and decorations specially made for the Dessert 16 celebration. For a bachelorette party, you might wish to offer penis popsicles as a prize to the champion or prophylactics as well as blindfolds as party favors. You could have the party at a buddy's residence or in an elegant cafÃ© if you want to delight. In regards to cost, it is determined by the number of hrs for the rental, kind of pictures, as well as various other fundamentals which one desires. The city is absolutely remarkable ... you can locate anything there, specifically when it involves songs!

Comprehending The Background Of party.

For appetizers, the typical visitor has the tendency to eat 5 items each hr for the initial two hours of an event and also 3 each hr for every hour longer that the event lasts. You don't have to clean up the celebration preparation or stress over the number of people you can fit in your residence. If you run out of concepts, inspect the checklist of imaginative, irresistible ideas of bachelorette gifts Anything from stunning underwear to house decor things might excite your bachelorette and also create an appropriate mood for the whole event. And also if the host can lay her hands on a Gotham City scene setter, she herself will end up being a 'incredibly hero' in the eyes of her kid. Section 230 was meant to overrule previous instance regulation which consistently held that on-line carriers were accountable as authors and speakers for third party city nyc, vyzvabezicihopasu.info, content. You do not actually get a sense of the local area due to the fact that the university is so huge it actually dominates the city of Ann Arbor. However, when you additional Extra Personalities you can accommodate a celebration of up to 200. One alternative for those aiming to decrease their expenses is to travel withandnbsp; express bus solutions go to every one of the main airports in London and also tickets expense simply a few extra pounds each method. So this Halloween birthday celebration, get out as well as arrange the creepiest, most frightening, and craziest birthday event ever. In addition, video games might be figured out by the age of individuals attending commonly the party. No birthday event would be complete without some fun event foods to feed your guests. The initial event was for 45 of my co-workers and also the adhering to week I hosted an additional event for 45 of my closest friends. As many people recognize, a senior prom is an extremely unique event as well as as a result having interactive Senior prom parlor game and printable tasks for the visitors will certainly make it very unique. If your good friend, the bride-to-be is a lady (so to speak) as well as favors the old English methods after that you can set up a Victorian-style tea party with all the basics like scones, finger sandwiches, elegant cakes, warm tea as well as shoelace doilies. Just choose from a few of the lots of Mickey Computer mouse event supplies readily available to help you complete the complete style. Making an Under the Sea celebration supplies list should be among the initial steps to planning an event and it should include different event products that include designs such as coverings, corals and also fish. The very first Open Iftar in the USA was held last year in Rose city, Oregon As well as this year, the occasion was especially charged, coming much less compared to 1 Day after 2 people were eliminated withstanding anti-Muslim physical violence Over 600 people turned out for the Open Iftar at a regional community center, resting on folding chairs and also on the ground, inside and out.

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darkammarketing · 4 years

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Functional Blog Design | Analyzing Blog Layouts, Sidebars, Content Tables

When you are deciding which brand deserves your money, what is the most important factor you look at?

While you might focus on product quality or fast customer service, the data shows how for an increasing number of buyers, trust is becoming the #1 factor.

But what does it mean to ‘trust a brand’? It’s a hard question to answer because trust means different to different people.

Designing a welcoming blog homepage

You have probably come across this study that shows how people need only 50 milliseconds to form an opinion about the visual appeal of the website they are visiting.

To get the best of both worlds, before you start any work on your blog, you need to answer 2 questions:

What kind of feature images do you plan to use (if any)?

Does your content stretch across multiple distinct categories?

Let’s explore why these things matter by looking at some examples.

Let’s talk about blog layouts

There are some creative blog designs out there, but we will concentrate on the 5 most common ones.

1. Standard grid

Probably the most used approach to designing the main blog page. Here are a couple of great examples from HelpScout and Marketo.

2. Uneven grid

3. Single column layout

Another very common approach to blog design. On the pictures below, you can see how Limble CMMS and WiseStamp use this same approach, but with different results.

On the other hand, WiseStamp decided to sacrifice their featured images in a way, but in return, they are able to fit multiple content suggestions into a single screen.

4. Grid split into categories

Not much different from your standard layout with multiple columns. Here’s how Alexa implemented it.

If that doesn’t work for you, I recommend reading this post on choosing blog categories from CoSchedule.

5. Minimalistic approach

By minimalistic, I basically mean without a featured image and post descriptions. This is perfectly Illustrated by Ahfrefs’s blog.

This works for Ahrefs because they have already built up a lot of brand trust and people can be sure that every title they click on will feature valuable advice.

One flipside of this design approach is that you can fit a lot of content suggestions on the screen, especially if you split it into more columns. This can be seen at A List Apart homepage.

Polishing user experience

Here are a few simple tweaks you can implement at your blog to improve user experience regardless of the grid/layout you decide to use:

implement a search function

add the ability to filter content based on category/tags/author/publish date/popularity

include “time to read” stamp

implement the progress bar so readers have an easier time tracking where they are

add back to top button at the end of longer content pieces

show the engagement rates for every single piece (views/comments/number of shares/number of likes)

make sure hyperlinks are clearly visible by using a contrasting color

add a table of content for longer blog posts

What is the purpose of your sidebar?

Besides usual things like search, tags, and most popular content, you should consider other things that will keep readers engaged.

A good example again comes from WiseStamp that features short tutorials that showcase their product.

The sidebar elements are made to “stick” so they are always visible on the screen while you scroll through content.

What to make of it? Should you use the sidebar or not?

Optimizing blog content

The content needs to be readable, big sections need to have clear separations, and the whole structure just has to make sense.

The devil is, as they say, in the details.

1) Make links open in a new tab

This is a good way to avoid back button fatigue.

2) Include navigation bar/content table for longer content pieces

On the picture below, you can see a similar implementation on our website.

3) Put some thought into interlinking

And, for the sake of all of us, use relevant anchor text so we know what to expect when we click on the link.

4) Don’t let technical difficulties get in your way

5) Do not forget about the search intent

Since we are talking here about keeping visitors engaged in your content, it is crucial to understand the importance of search intent.

As Joshua Hardwick from Ahrefs sums it nicely in his piece on search intent: “Relevance is the foundation of SEO success.”

There’s no way to get around good content

The content is k… I hate that overused phrase so I’m not going to finish it.

To build top of the line content resource center, make sure you put enough effort into both looks and personality.

The post Functional Blog Design | Analyzing Blog Layouts, Sidebars, Content Tables appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog - Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

from Marketo Marketing Blog https://adobe.ly/2TNxiEu via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Marketo Marketing Blog

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