#and in many ways i prefer the mobile app to being on my laptop on Tumblr

[gothicvalentine]

I'm so livid right now! I don't normally get this angry but ffs. I'm almost shaking I'm so pissed off.

This is really, really long because I don't do brevity and because background is needed to understand the situation so this is continued under the cut. I'm on mobile though so I really hope it adds a cut. If not, I'll edit my post later when I get on my laptop.

Warning: in addition to being an extremely long post, I mention feeling suicidal so if that might be triggering to anyone, please skip reading this. Thanks!

:read more:

So I don't have water. Haven't for about a year and a half. Because my depression is so bad I'm I haven't been doing self care or housework for years (at least).

Things got so bad I finally decided to file for social security disability in mid March 2021.

We have a local agency here which is a Christian place that ostensibly helps people with things they need. They have a shower for use that I was allowed to use a few times (knowing it's there is great but I still have zero motivation to use it).

With no water, I've been buying gallon jugs of water when I still had some money or with my food stamps. With the price of everything skyrocketing, I've decided spending at least $5 a week on water could be cut to zero or a bit more if they didn't mind if I filled up 2 gallon jugs of water a couple of times a week.

After all, I wasn't using their water to bathe and they'd said another client came in to fill up water jugs so they said I could as well. They were the ones who actually suggested it when they interviewed me last year!

I stopped in last week and they're was only an intern there and she didn't know what to do so she asked someone on the retail side (or whatever--they have an attached thrift shop) since everyone else was in meetings.

I was given the ok and I filled up 2 jugs. I wanted to check this time before I just stopped in, especially since they were so weird about it last time, so I called and they picked up the phone today.

I don't know if this lady was an intern or not but she wanted me to come in for an interview again. I asked if that was an annual thing (because nothing has changed since last year) and she said she didn't think it normally would be, but they're had a lot of staff changes. They'd also like to talk and get to know me "to see if there's anything else they'd be able to help with." Uh huh, sure. You mean you want to try to convert me. 🙄

I was not happy about it and I think this lady could tell but I agreed and I guess their first available is not until next Monday afternoon. Since that's an entire week, I asked if I could at least fill up my water before then and she hemmed and hawed (fuck, I'm really dating myself aren't I?) and essentially said that no, I couldn't.

Her excuse was they they are closed Thursday and Friday and will be very busy the rest of the time and might be in and out of the office. Yeah because filling up a jug of water is going to take 30 minutes. And I'll need to be heavily supervised so I don't rob them blind while I'm filling up the water or something.

I wrote them off last year because I asked for help with some really tall weeds and brush, trees, etc. I don't have the lawn gadgets to take care of this on my own even if I wasn't too depressed to get out of bed to do anything. In addition I have a number of physical issues that make it really hard, if not impossible to do many things. (I think it's probably severe anxiety plus my gastroparesis, but I'm nauseous most days and vomiting some)

The place knew I had no income last year so they didn't ask me to pay them (they said they usually for a contribution) but they asked if I could help them remove the trees and weeds. I told them I would be willing to help if I was able to and felt ok that day. They said they'd need to meet with their volunteers and would get back to me.

Stupid me. I had thought nothing of telling them that I would be losing my home, probably before 2022 since I had no way to continue to pay my mortgage and even if I did, my home requires extensive repairs. Even the city sent a notice saying my roof needed to be repaired. 😳 (they never did that when I lived in Des Moines!)

When they finally called me back, they said they'd talked to their volunteers but the volunteers weren't willing to help me if I wasn't going to be staying in my home. Wtf?!?!

I had told the Christian place that the city had given me a notice that it needed to be done or they'd do it (and it would probably be several hundred minimum for the city to do it, plus you can't just not pay a government agency back--they will legit take your license until it's paid--I checked)

I was so stressed out but luckily I called the city and explained the situation and they haven't taken action against me yet.

I'm still in my home because the mortgage company gave me a forbearance then wrote off the late charges and everything. I was able to make 1 payment (barely) with a little leftover money I had from my LTD policy benefits that ran out in February, but it's ready to go back into foreclosure again next month.

I'm just so, so upset that I have to jump through all these hoops to fill up on a few gallons of water for the week--and because apparently Christians don't care if other people go without water or something. (and before someone @s me: #notallchristians)

Fuck my life.

To make things infinitely worse, I'm a hoarder. With no one to help me. So I don't have motivation to get out of bed or anything, let alone clean and pack . . . a normal house.

My home isn't normal and hasn't been for decades. And my therapist told me I'm stressing her out because I'm having so much trouble doing anything and have no motivation despite knowing if I don't act I'll lose even the stuff I value most.

I had a peer support person who was really nice and said she'd be willing to help, but she quit last week. 😭

I have family who know at least part of my situation but none of them have contacted me in months (and I'm always the one who has to reach out to them).

I stopped reaching out because I know being super depressed and negative is a downer for most (all?) people. Plus, since I'm struggling I don't want people to think that's why I'm reaching out to them.

Of course, I do really need help and it would be great if at least one person in my family was willing to be there for me at this time. (my daughter is helping out some financially where she can, but she's the only one) *fyi I can repay my daughter easily if I get approved for SSDI but if I don't (which I'm terrified will happen--how bad do things have to be? Are my providers even understanding how bad things are? Are they documenting this well?) and I end myself instead, she's the beneficiary of my 75k or so IPERS account.

I'm afraid that my home will foreclose and I won't get my stuff and instead of just giving up on my stuff, that I'll decide I can't go on without my things and try to kill myself again. I don't even think that would be a bad thing.

I'm so tired of constantly suffering. Why do people think it's ok for people to commit suicide if someone is terminally ill, but not for long term severe mental illness? I know mental pain is supposed to be fleeting, that suicidal ideation is supposed to be fleeting. But what if it isn't?

And what if you have a lot of physical pain and mental pain and it's just so unbearable when you feel like no one even cares? If your own family apparently gives zero fucks about you, how in the everloving hell is anyone else supposed to care?!?!?

Sorry for burdening anyone who reads this. I just don't feel like my family cares and my mental health providers are paid to pretend to care and I don't think they really listen or at least understand what I'm trying to tell them. What I keep telling them over and over. I just needed to finally put this out there somewhere.

I was going to post something similar a few months ago, but decided not to because 1) I didn't want to bring anyone down or stress them out and 2) I didn't want to risk a welfare check by the police or something.

I'm not actively suicidal atm (like with a plan and the intent) plus, cops are really bad at de-escalating situations. So bad that suicide by cop has crossed my mind. But I'm white and female so I'm not sure I'd be a sufficient enough threat for that to be a valid option anyway.

#rant #tw suicide #suicidal thoughts #suicidal ideation #suicide #sorry this is so long #i don't even care if anyone reads this but i just need to vent and i feel like the people in my life aren't listening #and don't care #so . . . #not proofread #i legit hope the readmore worked #why does the Tumblr app not just have a read more or below the cut option??? #it's so weird #and in many ways i prefer the mobile app to being on my laptop on Tumblr #tags on mobile seem easier to add from the previous poster on mobile anyway #ugh #i was going to go get water and then try to pack or toss some stuff today anyway #but now i just feel like I'm gonna throw up #and I'm still angry #angry and vomity #yeah not really how i want to feel if I'm going to be standing and bending over a lot #but i also can't keep putting things off or i won't have anything to keep #fuuuuck

[mrmobileappdeveloper21]

In today's fast-paced world, where everything is just a click away, e-learning apps have taken the education industry by storm. With the power of technology at our fingertips, we can learn anything, anytime and anywhere. The rise of popular e-learning platforms like Byjus, SoloLearn and Udemy has made online e-learning app development more accessible than ever before. 

But have you ever wondered how much it costs to build an e-learning app like these? 

In this blog post, I will explore the different features and functionalities that make up an e-learning app as well as the types available in the market. 

Additionally, I will offer my expertise as a freelance e-learning app developer like me to help you determine your budget for building your very own e-learning app

Also read, How much does it cost to develop a CRM app like Monday.com, Pipedrive CRM, Salesforce CRM, Zendesk CRM

What is an e-learning app?

An e-learning app is an application that provides educational content and courses through digital platforms. These apps are designed to offer a personalized learning experience for students of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels. E-learning apps can be accessed from any location with internet connectivity on various devices such as smartphones, tablets or laptops. The purpose of e learning mobile app development is to provide users with access to quality education at affordable prices in comparison to traditional classroom-based learning. With the use of multimedia tools such as videos, animations, interactive quizzes and games learners can improve their skills and knowledge in different fields without having a physical presence in class. E-learning apps have become increasingly popular due to their flexibility and convenience. They allow learners to complete courses at their own pace without being restricted by schedules or geographical locations. This has made online learning more accessible than ever before. Moreover, many e-learning apps also offer features like progress tracking, peer-to-peer discussion forums, live classes with instructors, some even offer certifications upon completion of courses which has added immense value for both learners and employers alike. In summary, an e-learning app  developed by  elearning app developer, is revolutionizing the way we acquire knowledge by making it easily accessible anytime anywhere irrespective of your age or background!

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Why have e-learning apps?

In today's fast-paced world, time is of the essence. People are busy with their daily lives and often find it difficult to take out time for traditional classroom learning. This is where e-learning apps come into play. E-learning has gained immense popularity over the past few years due to its convenience and flexibility. elearning app development services provide learners with a platform where they can access educational resources anytime, anywhere, at their own pace. They eliminate the need for physical classrooms and offer a more personalized learning experience. Moreover, e-learning apps cater to a wide range of audience from school students to working professionals looking to upskill or learn something new. With features like online assessments, interactive quizzes and gamification elements, e-learning app users have reported higher engagement levels than traditional classroom learners. With the rise in digital literacy across the globe, it's no surprise that mobile app development e-learning has become an essential tool for education delivery today. Whether you're looking to enhance your skills or simply curious about a new subject; an e-learning app can be your go-to solution!

The benefits of e-learning app

E-learning apps offer a range of benefits that make them an excellent tool for learning. One of the most significant advantages is flexibility, which allows learners to learn at their own pace and in their preferred environment. With e-learning apps, students can access learning materials anytime and anywhere they want. This means that they can fit studying in with their other commitments and schedules. Another benefit of e-learning apps is customization. These apps allow users to tailor their learning experience according to their preferences, needs, and interests. They can choose what topics they want to study and how much time they spend on each topic. Moreover, these apps use algorithms to create personalized learning paths based on individuals' abilities. E-Learning also offers cost savings over traditional classroom-based education because it eliminates many expenses such as physical textbooks or transportation costs. Additionally, with digital content available online 24/7 around the world there are no geographic limitations. E-learning applications provide more interactive content than just reading from books or listening to lectures alone - especially through video-based lessons featuring visual aids like animations explaining complex concepts visually making it easier for students to understand difficult topics better.

E-Learning has been revolutionizing the education sector by providing affordable solutions while increasing accessibility across different demographics globally!

Features & functionalities in elearning app

E-learning apps come with an impressive array of features and functionalities to support effective learning. One of the key features is content diversity, which ensures that learners can access a wide range of educational materials in various formats, including text, audio, video, and images. Another important feature is progress tracking. This functionality helps learners monitor their progress over time by providing detailed reports on completed modules or courses and highlighting areas where they still need to improve. Additionally, e-learning apps often come with interactive tools such as quizzes, tests, simulations and games that make the learning process more engaging. These tools also help reinforce knowledge retention through repetition exercises. Furthermore, most e-learning apps have collaboration features that allow learners to connect with other students or teachers for discussions and feedback purposes. Communication channels like chat rooms or discussion forums enable participants to share ideas while social media integration allows them to share their achievements online. mobile app development service has been on top among different industries. Lastly but not least, some advanced e-learning apps may offer personalized learning plans based on individual needs or preferences using data analytics algorithms. The platform automatically recommends specific courses based on performance history in previous lessons or modules helping users save time when choosing classes tailored specifically towards their interests.

Types of e-learning app

When it comes to e-learning apps, there are various types of them available in the market. Each type serves a different purpose and target audience. Here are some of the most common types: 1. Academic e-learning apps - These apps cater to students who want to learn academic subjects like math, science, history etc. They usually have interactive lessons, quizzes and tests. 2. Corporate e-learning apps - These apps focus on providing training and development for employees in companies or organizations. 3. Language learning e-learning apps - These are designed for learners who want to learn a new language or improve their existing language skills. 4. Skill-based learning e-learning apps - These help users acquire specific skills like coding, photography, music etc. 5. Test preparation e-learning apps - As the name suggests, these help students prepare for exams like GRE, GMAT etc. 6. MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) - These offer free online courses from universities across the world on a variety of topics. The type of app you choose depends largely on your personal goals and interests as well as your level of expertise in that particular field or subject area. With so many options available today, finding an app that suits your needs has never been easier! As a freelance mobile app developer i can provide all features listed above.

Do you have an App idea? Let's Discuss

why reach me as a freelance app developer

As a freelance app developer, I offer several advantages to my clients. Firstly, by working with me, you'll be getting personalized attention and care for your project. As a freelancer, I am not bogged down by multiple projects at once and can therefore give your project the time and dedication that it deserves. Secondly, as a app developer for hire, in e-learning app development, I have experience in creating apps like Byjus, SoloLearn, Udemy and others. My knowledge of the latest technologies allows me to create cost-effective solutions without compromising on quality. Thirdly, by hiring me as your freelance app developer you'll benefit from my flexibility. While many large companies may follow rigid schedules or processes when it comes to app development; being a freelancer means that I am open to trying new things and changing course if necessary. By reaching out to me you'll be able to save costs associated with hiring an entire team for your e-learning app development needs. With years of experience under my belt developing these kinds of apps as a solo practitioner- You won't need anyone else! So reach out today and let's get started!

Conclusion

Building an e-learning app requires a lot of effort, time and money. However, the benefits that come with it are worth every penny spent on development. With features such as personalized learning experiences and ease of access to educational resources, users can learn at their own pace and convenience. While there are already some established players in this market like Byjus, SoloLearn and Udemy; there is potential for new entrants to create unique offerings that cater to specific niches or markets. As a freelance app developer specializing in e-learning apps, I can help you build your app from scratch by providing innovative ideas coupled with my technical expertise.

If you're considering developing an e-learning app like Byjus or any other well-known platform but aren't sure where to star tor determine the cost to build an e-learning app– reach out to me! Together we can explore how best to bring your vision into reality while ensuring that it meets all of your business needs.

#e-learning app development #e-learning app developer #e learning mobile app development #elearning app developer #elearning app development services #mobile app development #mobile app development service #freelance mobile app developer #app developer for hire #cost to build an e-learning app

[longmontreal]

Moneydance vs quicken

Moneydance vs quicken how to#

Moneydance vs quicken for mac#

Moneydance vs quicken install#

Moneydance vs quicken manual#

It works across my Mac, Windows 10, and iOS devices.

Moneydance vs quicken manual#

I don't use DropBox for anything else, so it's nice to not have another resource hogging app on my laptops just for one app.Īs far as MoneyDance, it's easy to set up, manual downloading of QFX works for me, and the ability to set my preferences makes MD2019 so easy to use and personalized to me. THEN I discovered the DropBox direct connect feature (Well done, MoneyDance!) and that now allows all my laptop and mobile devices to share MoneyDance. I also installed the iOS app and connected DropBox.and hated the 3 device free level limit since I share this with my wife for entry. I've looked at MoneyDance before and was thrown off by the simple interface but with the need for Envelope style budgeting that is native on Mac, I did the Trial.and was very pleased. It works, but slow and some of the features crash the software.

Moneydance vs quicken install#

Check it out for a beautiful new way to plan your financial life!Ĭomplicated path, but I started with Quicken in the 90's, went to MS Money, back to Quicken, switched to Mac so got MoneyWell, then Banktivity 6, then to YNAB, then to Quicken Mac.and with the missing rollover features, did a desperate install of Quicken Windows via Crossover on Mac. With Kevin’s help, we’ve incorporated the feature into the Foresight tools within Moneydance. It’s a great way to plan because most people’s expenses are regularly recurring, and scheduling income and expenses using reminders provide the best balance forecast possible.

Finally, we’ve noticed how many customers loved Kevin Stembridge’s Money Foresight extension, which helps you budget and predict balances based on transaction reminders.

Dropbox syncing will still be available, but there will be an even more seamless sync setup experience for people immersed in the Apple ecosystem. We’ll be releasing updates to the iPhone and iPad apps shortly.

Moneydance vs quicken for mac#

With this update, Moneydance for Mac can finally do precisely that. For years, we’ve heard that many Apple customers would prefer to drop Dropbox and sync using the iCloud Drive that was built-in to their Macs. It even works with PayPal and ! Moneydance+ accesses an order of magnitude more banks than Moneydance has ever supported, and we’re excited to roll it out initially for US and Canadian bank and credit card accounts, with EU, UK and investment support soon to follow. Now with a single click, you can seamlessly download all of your transactions from tens of thousands of banks and credit card accounts. Entering transactions is easier with the payee auto-complete feature this reduces the number of keystrokes necessary for entering many similar transactions. It is visually similar to a paper checkbook register, except the calculation of balances and sorting of transactions is all done automatically.

Account Register - This is used to enter, edit, and delete transactions in an account.

Reminders and Scheduled Transactions - Transactions and notes can be easily scheduled to remind you when they are coming up or are past due.

Graphs can also be printed or exported to image image files. Pop-up balloons display more information about the data being graphed as you move the mouse pointer over different regions of the screen. Set the graph type, the date range, and any specific settings for the type of graph you desire.

Account Graphing - Use the graphing tool to generate visual reports of your income and expenses.

Moneydance vs quicken how to#

Moneydance learns how to automatically categorize and clean up downloaded transactions.

Online Banking - Moneydance can automatically download transactions and send payments online from hundreds of financial institutions.

Moneydance's easy-to-use interface sets it apart from other financial software. Moneydance is a full-featured personal financial management application that includes features such as online banking, online bill payment, investment management, budget tracking, scheduled transactions, check printing, detailed graphs, reports and much more.

#Moneydance vs quicken

[davidsonwoods8]

The Htc Aria Will Challenge Apple's Iphone

So the war of words had begun. The Google nexus one is already seen on the T-Mobile and AT&T networks and available for the Verizon network in the second quarter of 2010. With Apple being the first player in the touch screen mobile phone arena there wasn't a worthy adversary until now. You obtain a device that runs the Flash plugin. One way links prefer to receive Flash which over 70% of online services use. Extraordinary for the free, legal television sites like Hulu which have their place on a tablet device as well as the thousands of games obtainable. Android tablets help you to make selection of the features whether need Flash or even otherwise as instead of it being made in which you. The game is easy to play a good Android along with a track ball and it does even be played on the touch screen. Only have a keyboard, you could use this application because! This application wonderful for because likewise includes games for several levels of play. Including Quantum Break Steam Edition Multi7 Elamigos Free downlaod crack which are challenging to even the most advanced Sudoku players. Quantum Break Steam Edition Multi7 Elamigos Setup for this T-Mobile MyTouch is the laptop keyboard. Unlike the G1 the keyboard is the principle touch monitor. This is a feature how the iPhone provides too much success. The MyTouch vibrates when a necessary component has been touched to let you know which you did it correctly. Another feature that been recently added just what is called predictive sms. IMO, this amongst the of the 5 best free Android entertainment apps. It's Fandango! If you don't exactly what it is, you should download it immediately you need to to very impressed at what this app will work! I love going to movies hence there is no only need this single app to reach all of my movie needs- anything may prove. >> Always with one. We all carry our cellular phones wherever we go. Employing a tracking app that is installed directly on the cellular is exercise way to make note of a constant watch during your spouse. There are many instances which will you'd in order to share to others what currently shown on your computer. There are also when you only require to save a screenshot for when needed. In previous versions of Android, you get screenshots electrical energy apps for the purpose. In Android 4-5.0, it's a built-in thing. Besides great OS, network and connectivity there are extensive other features in the phone as amazingly well. The phone has Li-Ion battery of 1340 mAh which provides 420 minutes of talktime and 16 days of standby energy. The phone has facility of multiple numbers per contact along with ring id and picture id. Alarm, Calendar, Notes, Multiple messaging options are a handful of the basic features of such a high end phone. Moreover, Quantum Break Steam Edition Multi7 Elamigos torrent is also approved by FCC.

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[that-damn-girl]

How to Appropriately Tag Fics

Tumblr ‘How To’s

I have seen some great works here not getting the attention they deserve and it’s truly heartbreaking! Part of the reason might be that the fandom they’ve written for isn’t that popular, and sorry to say but it can’t really be helped. However, even if they’ve written for a popular fandom, the writer might not have enough followers to gain enough views - but this case can definitely be helped!

The solution, you ask?

Use the tags appropriately and TAG THE HELL OUT OF YOUR FICS!!! Seriously, it isn’t costing you any money or space, so what’s the damn problem? The more the tags, the better are the chances of people finding your fics, even if they don’t follow you. It only benefits you and the reader looking for that specific trope/au/kink used in your fic.

P.S. tag ONLY according to the main character/pairing. Never tag side characters/pairings. Tag appropriately, not unnecessarily. (It’s really annoying to find a fic of your favourite character/pairing only to discover them mentioned in a sum total of five of lines). 

P.P.S please for the love of all that’s good use [keep reading] for longer fics! How to insert [Keep Reading] (through Chrome browser on laptop & mobile) (on mobile Tumblr app) 

P.P.P.S. (idk if there’s such a thing) observe what tags other blogs writing for the same fandom as you mostly use.

(If you use Tumblr through the app only, I think you might face a restriction of 25-30 tags per post. But even then, they are quite a lot. From my understanding, the chrome browser doesn’t put any such restriction)

How and what kind of tags must be used?

The ‘tag’ part of a fic must definitely include:

main character(s)

main pairing(s)

particular theme(s) (if any) - kink, au, trope…

trigger warning(s)

 My suggestions are listed below!

P.S. for dark!fics, please add dark! in front of every tag mentioned below. And please pay special attention to the ‘trigger warning(s)’ part mentioned below!

P.P.S. I’m not sure if keeping the first letter of each tag in capital affects anything or not, but I prefer not using it.

(I’m taking bucky barnes and reader as a pairing for examples)

main  characters(s)

bucky barnes

I would suggest tagging just the main character(s) first, since the post particularly features content related to them.

main pairing(s)

bucky barnes x reader

No matter whether your fic is romantic or platonic, ALWAYS use this tag. It is such a general tag which includes ALL kinds of relationships. 

To specify further as per your fic, I would recommend using these:

bucky barnes x platonic!reader bucky barnes x single!reader bucky barnes x girlfriend!reader bucky barnes x wife!reader bucky barnes x avenger!reader bucky barnes x civilian!reader bucky barnes x poc!reader - (person of colour) bucky barnes x sister!reader bucky barnes x daughter!reader bucky barnes x black!reader bucky barnes x desi!reader...and many more!

Extra: I’m not sure how effective this is, but just to be on the safe side I also use:

bucky barnes x you bucky barnes x y/n

smut/fluff/angst

bucky barnes smut bucky barnes fluff bucky barnes angst bucky barnes x reader smut bucky barnes x reader fluff bucky barnes x reader angst

These can be used as per your fic.

particular theme(s) (if any) - kink, au, trope…

There are honestly endless possibilities here. But I’m going to use as examples some of the most popular ones that I can think of.

bucky barnes x reader breeding kink bucky barnes x reader age gap bucky barnes x reader sex pollen bucky barnes x reader one bed bucky barnes x reader enemies to lovers bucky barnes x reader friends to lovers bucky barnes x reader strangers to lovers...

bucky barnes x little!reader daddy!bucky barnes x reader daddy!bucky barnes x little!reader

bucky barnes x sub!reader dom!bucky barnes x reader dom!bucky barnes x sub!reader  (The dom/sub dynamics can be reversed too. This is just according to my preference)

king!bucky barnes x reader bucky barnes x princess!reader bucky barnes x queen!reader king!bucky barnes x princess!reader (Same for knight, servant or any other post) bucky barnes x reader royal au bucky barnes x reader medieval au

mob!bucky barnes x reader bucky barnes x reader mob au

dad!bucky barnes x reader single dad!bucky barnes x reader bucky barnes x mom!reader bucky barnes x single mom!reader

alpha!bucky barnes x reader alpha!bucky barnes x omega!reader bucky barnes x reader abo au

bucky barnes x reader modern au bucky barnes x reader bakery au bucky barnes x reader coffee shop au...

And many more in this format! Again, seriously, tag the damn hell out of your fics without being shy!! It only benefits you and the reader looking for that specific trope/au/kink used in your fic.

drabble/oneshot/series…

I like to specify the kind of post my fic is.

bucky barnes x reader imagine bucky barnes x reader drabble bucky barnes x reader headcannon bucky barnes x reader oneshot bucky barnes x reader series

Extra: Also, just to be on the safe side again, I like to fanfic tags too:

bucky barnes fanfic bucky barnes fanfiction marvel fanfic marvel fanfiction

trigger warning(s)

These are so important to tag. They must obviously be written at the top of every fic, yes, but they must be tagged as well.

These warnings may not help in letting others find your fic, but for the well being of the readers and your followers, these must be used. People who have blacklisted these warnings, your fics tagged with these will not be visible to them. We need to accept that not everyone likes or is okay with everything.

(I’m not entirely sure which is the correct way, so I use tags both ways)

tw smut smut

tw angst angst

tw breeding kink breeding kink (or any other kink...)

tw knife play knife play

tw cheating cheating

tw violence violence 

tw gore gore...and other appropriate warnings.

This is important especially for dark!fics!!

tw noncon noncon (means non-consensual/rape)

tw dubcon dubcon (means dubious-consent; where consent for sexual activities is ambiguous or the character/reader is themselves confused about whether they want it or not)

~~~

These are only my suggestions. But still please tag your fics appropriately. Hope this helps!

#how to tumblr #tumblr how to #writeblr #writers on tumblr #how to tag #tag #tags #tumblr tags #writing #fanfic #fanfiction #bucky barnes x reader #dark!bucky barnes x reader #steve rogers x reader #thor x reader #tony stark x reader #peter parker x reader #dean winchester x reader #sam wilson x reader #sam winchester x reader #curtis everett x reader #andy barber x reader

[tundrainafrica]

Title: Hacker

Summary: 

"Education has reached a new frontier. Given the pandemic and the need to continue educating the youth, many companies have started developing ways to eliminate distractions in the online classroom. Eduguardian is an MDM solution designed to support our educators and guardians in their mission to create the optimal learning environment for children."

Brookland starts using Mobile Device Management solutions for the student's devices and Alex naively tries to find a way to bypass it. 

Written for the SpyFest fic exchange, Dec 2020

Link to cross-postings: AO3

Prompt:

"Alex is noticed as having a lot of potential (be it while he's on a mission or just going home from school but is paying a lot of attention to his surroundings and gets noticed by some criminals - not the ones he's investigating- or by some other intelligence agency; either way, they don't recognise him as a spy) and someone tries to recruit him. MI6 isn't exactly happy with the whole ordeal, especially when Alex gives the offer some serious consideration (or he doesn't, it's up to you. MI6 is still pissed)."

Notes:  I am so sorry I took way too many liberties with this hahahah. I hope it's still recognizable? An attempt at crack. (Do people actually follow me for Alex Rider content?)

When Brooklands got into the trend of holding both online and in-classroom classes, Alex was out on a mission. 

In fact, he didn’t even notice that most of his classmates were joining him when he was doing modules his teacher so kindly sent him. Probably because his downtime to actually look at those modules consisted of those times in a helicopter minutes before he was to skydive and land onto the roof of another military headquarters.

The change was gradual but it was there. Alex though, having had too many things running through his head never did notice it. That is until he opened one of his devices during class to see the browser Safari was blocked on his iPad.

Your school has not provisioned this as a Class App. Please contact your school administrator if you believe this is a mistake.

“What the hell is this?” Alex whispered, mostly to himself.

“Oh yeah, it’s blocked. You have to use the Eduguardian browser now,” Tom answered from next to him. He reached out over Alex’s shoulder and clicked on something on the lower screen of Alex’s ipad, a green app with a badge on it

“What? Why?”

“Yeah, something about ‘educational technology being the new frontier’ and ‘having to protect children in an online setting’…”

With Tom’s mannerisms, Alex could almost imagine the speech drilled into his classmates heads while he was away. He didn’t have to imagine for too long though. An ad of Eduguardian was one of the few things they were at least allowed to access during class. For some reason, Alex found himself more interested in the ad than in the actual class.

Education has reached a new frontier. Given the pandemic and the need to continue educating the youth, many companies have started developing ways to eliminate distractions in the online classroom.

Eduguardian is an MDM solution to support our educators and guardians form a better environment for your children.

MDM?

“Eyes up.” And just like that, before Alex could even figure out the implications of an MDM, his screen froze then locked and he was left with nothing better to do than listen to his teacher.

The teacher flashed the questions on the board. “Pop quiz everyone!”

A link was sent to his iPad. It opened up to a google form with one essay question History was generally one of the easiest subjects to google.

How were peasants in western Europe similar to serfs in Russia? How were they different?

It was an essay so at least they were given time and space to research. Or so that was what Alex thought. Having been a student for many years, and for a long one year, having been a student who was constantly behind. Alex had built very efficient methods for research.

As Alex opened up wikipedia, he soon found out what cruel reality.

“They blocked Wikipedia?”

“Apparently, starting with wikipedia is lazy research.” Tom answered softly back, looking not at all convinced with the school’s strategy.

For the first time since his first mission, Alex was not happy to be back at school.

                                        Hacker

“It doesn’t end there… When you get home, your parents have control of the gadget. They can set curfews, set up restrictions. This invention is fucking crazy,” Tom ranted as they made their way home that afternoon.

For Tom it was. Alex was sure though Jack wouldn’t be too strict about it. She never was. She was more like a sister than a parent to him after all.

All hopes of a normal day though were dashed when he came home to find Jack as confused as he was. “Brooklands never told me about anything like that.”

“You’re kidding...” That was a declarative statement. Alex did not want to even want to plant the possibility that maybe, just maybe she knew nothing about it. “Every student has to have an assigned guardian... “ Alex watched as Jack’s eyes widened in what could have been realization. As she did, Alex was starting to understand what she meant, having stumbled upon the same conclusion.

                                          Hacker

“Alex, you have to understand, MDM is the new frontier. With the internet, we can’t just have kids running around watching porn or war movies without supervision.”

“This is a bunch of horseshit. You’re infringing on my right to privacy.”

“You’re acting like we have never done this before Alex. Besides, it’s not like we’re watching what you’re doing 24/7. Just enough to keep you safe… and your content age appropriate.”

Mrs. Jones’s justification had Alex rolling his eyes. He had checked his web filtering settings that afternoon to see that all violent Youtube channels and subreddits had been blocked. Keywords like blood, guns and suicide have also been filtered out. But you’re so ready to drop me at the line of fire when convenient. He would have wanted to say. By then though, Mrs. Jones was looking back at her paperwork and Alex knew any argument would have been futile.

Any argument towards Jones at least. Alex still had allies among MI6.

“Smithers, how much do you know about this MDM thing?” Alex asked as soon as he closed the door behind him. He was aware that the walls were soundproof and he made little effort to regulate his voice, having wasted too much of his patience talking to Mrs. Jones. He had twenty other things to say more insulting to ‘horseshit’ after all.

“Well, it’s all the rage now but it’s nothing new. MI6 has been using mobile device management systems since before to watch their employees.”

“Why does MI6 have to be the one assigned to ‘parent’ my school account?”

Smithers shrugged. “They are your legal guardians.” The man had a face about him, as if he didn’t want to be involved. Alex knew Smithers had a soft spot for him and he just had to use it to his advantage.

For a few more moments they were silent. Alex though continued to stare at Smithers, widening his eyes a bit and twisting his mouth into a little pout, or maybe a face of disappointment. All he intended to show though was a little bit of hopelessness and awareness of the unfairness of his situation.

It may have worked. It may have not worked. It was enough for Smithers to let out a big sigh, bring out a USB and connect it into his computer. Within minutes, he placed it on the table, gesturing for Alex to take it. “Don’t you dare tell Mrs. Jones about this.”

                                         Hacker

It was a quick install virtual desktop interface.

It was a straightforward solution to the MDM that ravaged his iPad and within minutes of installation and booting it up, Alex finally had access to whatever else prepubescent boys usually preferred to search up privately.

Through the VDI at least. Alex noted. That virtual desktop had become Alex’s one stop shop for blocked content for both days at school and nights at home.

When in school, Alex already had a disadvantage when taking pop quizzes and for once he actually felt that MI6, or at least Smithers, was doing their part to undo the damage of missed classes. He had finished one of his quizzes for literature thirty minutes before the class ended because of the quick access he had had to sparknotes using the VDI Smither’s had given him.

“Alex, what the hell---” Tom whispered. Or it was a little too loud to be a whisper for a very paranoid and guilty Alex. He quickly pushed at Tom’s chair so the boy beside him would lose his balance and distract him. That gave Alex enough time to close his VDI and pretend to struggle as he reviewed his already completed worksheet.

Tom didn’t buy it. “Alex, you know something we don’t.” He had whispered to him soon after students started to file out of the classroom.

Tom was his best friend in Brookland. Within a few minutes of listening to Tom’s outrageous theories and rants, Alex finally caved in and requested for Tom’s USB. Within a day, he had copied that file to Tom’s USB and the latter had it installed on his laptop, just in time for their next exam.

Tom looking a little too relaxed for the next exam was what set off alarms for the whole class. Tom had a secret he didn’t want to share and somehow the class knew. No one just became above average overnight. Especially someone like Tom.

Alex was approached a few days after he had given Tom a copy of the file. It was when he had passed by the toilet which was reserved for things other than conventional uses of the toilet, did he run into someone who reeked of whatever they smoked inside.

“I have a business proposition for you,” he said, a whiff of smoke following suit.

                                              Hacker

A week passed and suddenly everyone was finishing their exams thirty minutes earlier. The teachers had attributed it to the effects of a good MDM. Alex’s wallet was a little heavier so he wasn’t complaining.

That was until he found a black sedan in front of his home with a man in a suit and a quick message from Mrs. Jones.

The ride to Mrs. Jones office was been silent, save for a terse “go in!” as soon as he arrived in front of her office. He heard venom in that voice and was sure she was at least trying to be polite but was probably seething.

Mrs. Jones did not waste any time. “MDMs are an important part of national security Alex.”

“Yes. I’m aware of that.”

“Then what am I hearing about a mass production of VDIs packaged externally.”

Alex shouldn’t have been surprised that she found out about it. He found cold chill brush through him as she pointed it out. “Where did you hear that?”

“We had to investigate the suddenly very impressive results of the students in quizzes over a three week period. And they traced it to one school, Brookland.” Mrs. Jones glared at him accusingly. “You can’t just hack into MDMs!”

Alex brought his hands up defensively. “Why do you suddenly think it’s me?”

“Alex, no boy your age just suddenly stops watching porn for a month."

A week later, all devices were wiped and all USBs ceased. The damage had been done.

At least Alex got to keep the money.

#alex rider fanfiction #alex rider #tom harris #tulip jones #derek smithers #an attempt at crack

[thenaughtyguy]

Dying Love

*this is a fictional story, matching any of its characters with any real person would be just a coincidence, and the place name and date have been just used to make it look real.

I think I should pen the dying love of two and a half years.

Let me first tell you something about the protagonists of this story, I, Mayank, 18 at that time, my hometown is Burhanpur and I study in Bhopal, and my hero, Virat- he was 20 at that time, he is properly from Bhopal.

It started on 27th November 2018, we met on Grindr, we both were new on that app, I was still exploring what is gay, what is bisexual, what is straight, I had never seen any porn, so I was totally unaware of sexual stuff, even today I'm untouched of all those things, I just knew was that, I feel attracted to boys and I never feel the same for girls. I got one friend who was member of QueerMitra, he helped me in knowing my feelings, I was graphic designer and content writer for them for few posts, I was trying to find my seniors and batch mates on that app, and one day- it was 27th November, (Exactly one month before I started using Grindr), a guy sent me "hi", I didn't know how to chat with people, after all I have got my first smart phone and I was not used to it. I sent "Hi" too. I said I'm in MANIT, 1st year CSE student. He said he is commerce student. he was 20. everything was going very nice. I had no knowledge of sex... I was just looking for someone with whom I can talk on my personal topics. so pics never mattered for me, so I didn't ask. but he sent his pic, I was shocked to see, I said send your real pics, he send another one, He was looking so hot, I was unable to believe, for few days I was offline, I came to Burhanpur, It was winter vacations for 1 month. One day I opened Grindr, and He never asked for my pic, he asked for my number and I gave him, I have started sharing everything with him, I had ordered my laptop, and again I was offline for few days, my laptop arrived on 5th December, and I was very happy, on 6th December, he texted me "hi" on whats-app, he sent me his pic, but I never believed on him, we talked after everything, I was very happy because of laptop and I was facing problem while starting it, I was updating him with every single thing, those days are literally so memorable to me, I was a lil kid.

Then on 7th December we made a call, I heard his voice, it was so mesmerizing, I asked him, do you sing, he said how did you know, actually I had become fan of his voice. I used to laugh so much, I was so happy, there were no words,  just my blushing and happiness and laughter that he can listen to. I was so happy while talking with him, But always I had to go to terrace, and as like always, it used to be night time, so darkness and he never saw me, even I didn't believe on his pic, I never had dp too, so everything was like blind date, I was not using Grindr then, one day we made vc, but it was terrace and too dark, he hadn't got to see me, but I had seen him, he was so handsome and exactly the same as I saw in his pics. But I was fan of his voice more than his looks, and to be honest in our whole journey, I never praised him for his look, just I praised him for his voice, he used to love singing and cooking, so I started having interest in cooking, I used to ask him for recipes.

In no time he had become my very good friend, my secret box, and the surprising thing was he didn't had seen me, on 30th December I clicked one selfie and edited it, and keep it as my dp, he saw me first time in that edited pic. and even today I have the same dp on whats-app, I think it is the sign that my heart is still waiting for him.

Then I came to Bhopal, but we didn't met in real, we just used to talk day and night. everyday my first message used to be "gm" and last message -"gn and tc"

Whole day whenever I got time we used to chat, soon he got a job in Dainik Bhasker, he got busy, so we chose to chat instead of calling, and as our timing didn't match, he used to reply when he got time.

I was so happy. and finally after 8 months, we met first time in real on 19th July 2019. it was just 10 min meeting, but I remember every second of it. we shake hands, his that soft hands, and his voice was so nice in real, he was dressed up in formal dress, white shirt, black pant, we were of same height, he was looking fit and so cute, but I didn't say a word, I was a kid, I was so much blushing, I didn't say anything but after that, I text him my all feelings, I was so shy to speak out anything. but he was praising me, and the most memorable moment was that hug, he tried to hug me while we were leaving, that soft touch, not a tight hug, just the way friends hug each other, but there was a softness and love in it.

We had become more than a friend to me, we started using love emojis, everything was slow but everything was memorable, we were too happy.

I had learnt graphic designing, I used to be very busy with the work of all different societies, but the messaging was all same, I remember, the whole day, whenever I used to have free time, I used to message him.

He started being busy, his timing of job changed, it was from afternoon to late night 11-12. He used to get tired, so replying every single message become tough for him, but he used to read my all messages, He used to care a lot.

Even every Sunday he used to go job, he didn't had a fixed day for holiday, it could be any day in a week, so it become tough for our meeting.

We started having little bit of fighting much often, always it was me who used to get mad at him and he used to be so busy that he didn't even understand that I'm mad at him. Actually I was in love so deep that I couldn't able to get mad for long time and finally I myself had to approach him. I could understand but really not having time for me. He used to say, I'm busy you can search someone for you, I won't be mad. That single sentence was too enough to feel his care.

But still I'm a human, I used to get mad at him because he was not having time for me.

For me, he was the only person whom I could say everything, whole day I used to tell him whats going on in my life, but now he didn't had time for reading those too too long messages, he used to say, I'm too tired and I can't type, So I let him go. he used to watch you-tube video before sleeping. Facebook has option to choose what to do after your death, who can access your account, I chose Virat as that person who can access my account after me, there was a option to write down something with that permission and so I wrote one big letter to him saying, I wanted to see him while dying, I wanted to say thank you to so many people, I wrote down everyone's name- my family, my friends, i wrote everything, it was literally a very long letter, It was too kiddish too.

I was in love, I used to create and graphics for impressing him, but he never praised anything, I was not a graphic designer, I'm a coder but I did that for him and he never commented anything on it. But still I tried to do whatever I could do,

There one time came when I started using Grindr again, and one guy started hitting on me, I used to tell Virat everything, so he could be jealous, but was such a rude, he was always okaywith everything.

I start having weak feelings for him

But when it come to choose between those two, I chose Virat, and same thing happened many times and I always preferred him over everyone, because It was not totally his fault, and fighting, getting mad, getting sad, crying all these are just part of love.

He was always special for me but in between a period came when I became more closer to my bestie- Parv, he was my crush but we were strangers in starting, but with time we had come so closer that he become my best friend and then my roommate we used to study together, he was so protective and caring for me, I start feeling for him, I used to tell everything to Virat and while chatting I never felt that he is jealous but later one day when we were on call he used the word "Tumhara Parv", I could feel that little jealousy, I was so happy. but still I was feeling something for Parv. I was so confused because I was feeling something special about two persons parallely.

And soon a day came when lots of things happened, my friends knew about me that I'm gay, they even knew that Parv is my crush, they started teasing me and Parv, everything was so nice, but one day my roommates other than Parv changed the hostel for the sake of study, I was crying like a baby, and in that sadness I speak out everything to Parv even about having crush on him and he said don't tell other friends that he knew it, and in just 2 days my other friends came back, (when todsy I think about it, it looks so dramatic,) now my all friends knew everything, it was so fun, I was so happy, everywhere were just happiness,

But Virat was less involved in it, my friends never liked Virat, they did so many mischievous things for our breakup, but every-time we understood each other, once my friend Hardik hacked my mobile he used to read everything, all my lovey dovey conversations with Virat, then we decided to talk little bit for some time and in those days my friends tried to bring Parv and me closer, Parv become my so special friend but still he was straight, we used to go on long drives and every dream that I have imaged with Virat, was coming to true but with Parv, and in those days Virat started becoming more like my friend than my love and one day I dared my friend Hardik to do whatever he could, and he sent the message to my brother the one which I wrote for my brother to tell him everything about me. I was so afraid what will happen now, but after an emotional conversation with my brother on call, everything got fine, he accepted me, it was a great party time, I was very happy, my friends were more happier than me, but Virat was worried about me, he was worried that problems may come with this, but my friends and my Daa were with me so I had no worries.

One day I confessed my feelings (that Parv already knew) to Parv, he start behaving uncomfortable, I was so sorry for that, but he was afraid of me because I crossed my limits in the text. That day Virat made me a call and said don't worry, he is straight, he was too loving that day, he was treating me very nicely, I was so worried about me, his those lovely words let me move on over everything, and he finally made me smile.

Due to pandemic, we were said to go home, and the day came when I was leaving for home, -17 march 2020, our second meet- and I asked him to come to meet me, he was so angry because I have wasted so much of time that day, he had to go somewhere else, but for me he came, because I was going home, and I asked Parv to empty the room but Parv didn't, he didn't leave the room, It was feeling like, he did it on purpose (I hope it was not jealousy), But Virat himself didn't wanted to come to my room because he didn't want to face my friends those who didn't like him.

so we met in jungle- the MANIT jungle, we had private time there, it was on my demand, because I wanna try something, but to be honest, it was me who denied for something special ( I think you can understand what I mean), because I was afraid of pain (I think you got it, whst I'm saying) but still I had my first kiss, the most memorable moment, I can't forget those moments. then I left for home.

we used to chat, but things were going bad, I used to get angry, I used to block him again and again, It was so  kiddish, I used to unblock and send him message and again block him, so he was not able to reply.

Everything was still nice, becsuse everything was our love, I were not serious about our fight, it was just fun. But suddenly one worst day of my life came- 26th April 2020 - It was the birthday of my di, for me my Di is the most special person, I prepared lots of things for Di, pani poori, cake and lot... I was texting him and updating him about everything whats going on here, but I realized no message is going.

I tried fb, insta, calling, everything but I have blocked from everywhere.

I had tried all different numbers that I had in my home, I used all whats-app but he blocked everything.

No reason- just I was blocked from his life, I cried a lot, for many days I tried many things, then one day he didn't blocked that number and said, he is not interested-- I asked for reason but he said, I'm not interested- might something that happened but he said nothing. I said I will always wait for him, I promised him few things, and I keep texting him, he never seen them, But I knew he might be reading in notification, I never loose hope, But one day that whats-app was blocked, I tried other and it was also blocked, I started using insta, I keep on changing account but he never accepted my message request but I was thing he might be still reading, but I was not sure he might have deleted my message request so I keep on changing insta account, everyday or in few days I used to have a new account, even today I have different accounts to text him, I never loose hope.

It's already 8 months, day night I tried to contact him, I tried to listen the reason, what happened that, that he had to block me from everywhere while before the day, we were totally normal. Then the day came I thought to move on and I started hitting on someone, and as Virat is my bestie too, I used to share everything with him through texts which he never seen, and I’m sure he might be reading everything, he was aware that I'm hitting on other guy,(I was wishing him to come back, I was widhing him to feel jeslous, but nothing happened), and again my bad luck, that guy I'm hitting on, said I'm like a brother to him, And so I thought it is what Bhagwan wants and My new year was spent with him- with Virat- ( that I thought I'll be spending with the guy I'm hitting on but happened something else, I was with the guy I was hitting on on 31st but my mind and heart were with Virat), I texted Virat a happy new at midnight 12, I knew he will definitely see this.

But he never replied.

And what a dramatic situation it was, one the same day, in new year party I had met a guy, I had crush on a him in first sight, but he was straight, I was texting everything to Virat, I was thinking, he might feel jealous, I never thought I will approach that guy, but lil bit flirting and things were going in favor, I used to say everything to Virat, but on 21st April 2021- I got a reply and he said “you are just wasting your time over me”, I replied his all messages with hard words but got softened and I said, “I love  you”, but till the end of conversation, my all hope and my love had come to its weak point. I was broken. But I didn't let myself break, I diverted my mind and that new guy started taking Virat's position, I know it's not easy, But it's on me, I could control my mind to let it think anything.

But later on, I realized he is straight so whatever I’m thinking is impossible, and it’s again a heart break, but it was hurting not because of the later one but it was because of the former - Virat.

I never forgot him, My feelings for him got weaken but they are still in existence.

My heart still says "Virat, plz rok lo mujhe".

Today it's two and half years of our journey that basically started from whats-app, that pic of his that took my heart away. I think it is not dead, it might be dying, it might be too much injured, it could be in comma for some time, but it's not dead.

Because I believe, there is a part of story that is unheard, the story from Virat’s side. After all what happened that day, why did he suddenly blocked me from everywhere? 

It might be just me, who is thinking there is a something that I don’t know, and may be it’s only me who thinks he loves me, and it is possible that he really got bored of me, so he took this way, but if he loved me, I don’t want to loose him, for that lil possibility, I’ll be keep waiting, I won’t loose the hope.

#gay gaylove love 2andhalfyear hope dyinglove

[isa-ghost]

A Formal Report To Staff

I’ve emailed the support team three times, each with strong feedback. Each containing MORE PROBLEMS than the last email. I begged them to take me off the beta. In fits of frustration, I’ve demanded to be taken off it too. I was told I’d have to deal with it. I was given responses that were little or no help at all. And I’m not the only one having these issues. These issues have been so severe and frustrating, I have been the least active on the site I have ever been. I have heavily contemplated leaving Tumblr altogether, and have been extremely displeased (to say the least) that these issues have prevented me from enjoying my blog, interacting with my friends/mutuals, and more. 

This beta was forced onto users without warning, without user’s consent, with no insight as to what would change, how it would change, why it would change, what was new, or any other changes/additions the beta would give. This lack of communication is unprofessional, inexcusable, and irresponsible. And the fact that they don’t give you an option to turn it off or opt out is, quite frankly, bullshit. Implementing a "beta” that feels half-assed and has this many issues in the first place without any kind of communication is irresponsible.

Their only semi-decent answer to this problem has been XKit. Which is not compatible/available with all browsers!! And really, it should be a big sign they SHOULDN’T CHANGE/ADD SOMETHING if their answer to it is “oh, just use XKit to undo it/turn it off.” JUST DON’T DO IT! You shouldn’t be relying on an extension/add-on to make your users happy! And if the users who don’t want these changes/additions are somehow the minority in all this, I certainly don’t see a single peep of any kind anywhere from the users that want/are supportive of these things! I’ve seen nothing but problems with this beta being reported, and frustration/hatred of it being expressed. And 0 action taken by the staff to fix any of it. If it’s still being worked on, it never should have been released to users in the first place. They should not be forced to put up with the bugs that this beta still has. The staff should not be randomly selecting users (not every user has had the beta forced upon them) to be beta testers. This is also irresponsible of them.

The staff’s communication to users about updates is AWFUL. The way they implement new things or change existing things without any mention of it or warning of when these things officially implement is AWFUL. 99% of the time they add or change something, nobody wants it or asked for it, and/or it’s a tiny change that didn’t need any attention whatsoever to begin with! They seriously need to start remembering the saying, “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it!“ The staff should be holding polls or ASKING users their opinions on something before they do it, not just throwing it in and forcing them to deal with it! And if they don’t want to wait for feedback on an idea before they do it, then they should ALWAYS make an option to turn off/opt out of whatever it is!

Tumblr’s most BASIC FUNCTIONS: posting, reblogging, editing posts, a user’s personal settings, HAVE BROKEN. They will not open or load, and if they do, the user has to wait several seconds before it FINALLY opens. When it doesn’t open, this happens:

This can/will appear 2-5+ TIMES (aka, the user will have to try and click “Aa Text/etc,” the reblog button, or the edit button 2-5+ TIMES, and on top of that, the window takes several seconds to load each time before you even know if it’s going to actually open or not!!) before Tumblr lets you open the posting window, the reblog window, or the editing window. It might even be happening with other functions on Tumblr that I just haven’t personally experienced yet.

Tumblr’s most BASIC FUNCTIONS should NEVER be malfunctioning, no matter what. A half-implemented beta/update, some random issue, NOTHING. NOTHING should make these functions unable to be used or any sort of hassle to use! This shouldn’t be happening, and shouldn’t be allowed to happen! It honestly makes the staff look incompetent when these simple things aren’t developed to a point where they don’t break. At the very least, they should not break as often as they do. And speaking of basic functions breaking, don’t even get me started on how often tags break and malfunction. That’s been an issue forever, and a highly reported and complained about one at that. And yet here the staff are, once again changing the whole appearance of Tumblr instead of working on more pressing issues; thus once again making its userbase feel unheard or ignored.

And as if those basic functions breaking aren’t enough, there’s YET ANOTHER ONE that (at least for me) keeps breaking! THE DASHBOARD ITSELF.

Anywhere between 2 seconds and a few minutes, if I scroll any longer than that, this happens to my dash, and nothing will load. And if I try to scroll back up for it to load, the things that HAD loaded are no longer loaded OR the dash just straight up disappears and all I see is the dash’s blue background. At that point I can’t even refresh my dashboard to fix it or click anything whatsoever. I have to close Tumblr and reopen it in a new tab. And most of the time, I can’t even do that, because this BREAKS MY ENTIRE BROWSER. 

MY ENTIRE BROWSER WILL STOP RESPONDING 1-3+ TIMES BEFORE I CAN DO ANYTHING AT ALL. Sometimes it will crash COMPLETELY. Not only that, but when Tumblr lags my entire browser and makes it stop responding, then EVERY OTHER APPLICATION ON MY LAPTOP will lag out or stop responding as well! My laptop is admittedly old, but even in its old age, it DIDN’T DO THIS BEFORE THE BETA WAS FORCED UPON ME. The beta is literally screwing with my WHOLE laptop because its issues start with the site, extend to my browser, then spread to anything else I have running at the time! While some of that is most likely my laptop’s age showing, again, it never did this before the beta started to mess with everything.

Being on Tumblr just... isn’t worth this much frustration. This needs to change. It needs to be taken off user’s accounts until it’s completed or (preferably to me) not implemented at all.

On top of all of these issues, I personally have been suffering another huge problem with this beta. My add-on Tumblr Savior will not work. I use Tumblr Savior to blacklist URLs of blogs I don’t want to interact with (and have blocked, but Tumblr’s blocking system is awful and doesn’t keep blocked blog’s posts off your dash or anything. Blocking a blog should COMPLETELY wipe the existence of a blog you block out of your sight EVERYWHERE. But that’s a whole other issue I won’t even get into... Again, a highly reported and complained about issue that the staff haven’t done anything about). I also use it to blacklist tags I don’t want to see, or a tag that people I follow use for their followers to blacklist a specific type of content. I use it to blacklist words and phrases so posts containing them don’t appear. I use them to blacklist triggers and things that make me uncomfortable. I know many users who also use this add-on to properly blacklist URLs, tags, words, phrases, and more to keep it off their dashboards. Many use this to blacklist triggers and sensitive material that Tumblr’s filtering systems do not properly take care of. This add-on not functioning with this beta could be harmfully affecting users. I personally cannot enjoy being on Tumblr without Tumblr Savior functioning to properly filter all that I need filtered.

This is every URL, tag, word, phrase, or otherwise that I have to blacklist to comfortably be active on Tumblr. NONE of those things are being properly blacklisted by Tumblr’s filtering system (especially blacklisting URLs to properly block a blog since Tumblr doesn’t) and are appearing on my dash and bothering me. Not only that, but Tumblr Savior ALSO does the following for me:

Since Tumblr Savior isn’t functioning, my radar, sponsored, suggested blogs, etc are all crowding my dash and also bothering me. Those checks mean they should be hidden. They are not hidden. I’ve had to unfollow some tags that I was following because they’d keep suggesting random annoying posts to me. 

I even restored defaults and reloaded all of my saved blacklists and settings. It didn’t work. I’m assuming its obviously not up to the staff to make Tumblr Savior work because it’s not theirs. But on the other hand, it was working fine until they forced the beta on me. The beta is what’s making it not work. The beta, between all the issues I’ve mentioned before, and making me unable to use Tumblr Savior to enjoy being on the site comfortably, is making it basically impossible for me to be on the site at all. I’ve mentioned all of this information in the three emails I sent and none of it was effectively acknowledged, let alone fixed.

And lastly:

I just... I really REALLY hate this. I hate it on mobile (but I tolerate it), and I REEEALLY hate it on desktop (I REALLY want it gone!!). Desktop and mobile don’t need to be similar!! Desktop is desktop and mobile is mobile, stop changing them to be the same constantly!! AT LEAST give users an option to turn this stupid number’s visibility off! I get tons of notifications from all my blogs, I get a TON (99+) on my main blog alone! I don’t want this here!! I don’t need to be notified I have notifications, I know! I don’t need to be pressured and pestered to look at them every frickin time I get one!! This is one of those changes that didn’t need to be added!

Instead of breaking everything on the site, and focusing on the appearance of Tumblr, here are just SOME of the suggestions/requests that TONS of users have mentioned in the past, all of which (to my knowledge) have been ignored or unseen by staff:

The ability to change what blog is your main blog.

FIXING THE TAGS, so posts ACTUALLY appear in them and none of the other issues happen.

When all posts containing a certain tag are deleted, the tag stops appearing in your tag history.

Fix the problem where posts with links in them don't show up in tags.

PROPER BLOCKING. If I block a blog, I don’t want to see it ANYWHERE. I don’t want to see it in tags I look at, I don’t want to see it reblogged onto my dash by people I follow. I want it completely GONE so I don’t have to blacklist URLs.

Sending asks from a side blog

THE F*CKING BOT PROBLEMS!!!

Add the different text fonts and colors available on mobile also available on desktop

When a blog is reported, DONT JUST GIVE THE OPTION TO BLOCK. They're being reported FOR A REASON.

When a blog is hidden from Google search results, you can no longer search for tags/posts on that blog's search bar. FIX THAT.

There's been a glitch lately where if you click a notification about a post to see said post, it says the post no longer exists/has been deleted when it hasn't.

Make it so when you block a blog on your main blog, it blocks that blog on all your sideblogs too.

When the OP is deleted, delete all reblogs of the post.

After I finished this post, TAG CRAWLER STOPPED WORKING. FIX THAT! Unbelievable.

There's plenty more ACTUALLY helpful things that could be changed or added, but these are the ones I see talked about the most. Anyone who reblogs this, please don't add more because it's not the point of this post, thanks.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I’m emailing it to the support and hoping the staff actually read and do something about it. To any users reading this, reblogging to signal boost is much appreciated. Any additions backing up what I’ve said here are appreciated as well; especially if the staff take the time to look through the notes to see I really am not the only one who strongly dislikes this beta and is having far more issues with it than it’s worth.

#tumblr #isas save tag #long post #signal boost

[littlelegsbigdreams]

Organization is a big thing when it comes to school. There’s assignments to work on, deadlines to remember, events to go to, meetings to attend... the list goes on. There’s so much information that needs to be remembered, on top of all the things you are studying in class. It can get overwhelming, and it’s impossible to remember everything in your head. This is why you need some sort of organization system to get things in order. One tool that I love using to help keep me organized is Google Calendar. It has a clean layout, it’s easy to use, it syncs across platforms, and it’s free. Jump below the cut for a comprehensive guide (with lots of screenshots) on how you can use it to keep your own college life organized!

An Overview of Google Calendar

First, here’s what Google Calendar looks like when you first enter the site.

This was my calendar from the past winter quarter. As you can see, the main focus is the weekly calendar, while on the left you can see a monthly calendar along with various calendar names. I’ll be going over each aspect of the site in detail so you can fully understand how to use it.

outline:

1. adding events 2. managing your calendars 3. viewing your calendar 4. my own calendar

Adding Events

The whole purpose of this organization tool is to visually see what is going on at a specific time. To do this, you will need to add events to your calendar. I like to do this through syllabus dumps, where I take all of my syllabi for the quarter and input all the assignments, exams, and deadlines at once. I do this at the beginning of the quarter so that I can see in advance what my quarter looks like.

There are two ways to add events. The first is by clicking on the create tab on the left corner. Once you do, there will be a window that pops up that lets you create a specific event.

From here, you would name the event that you want to add and fill out when it’s occurring. If the timing is something more specific, such as a repeating or all day event, then you would click on more options.  If it is a repeating event, you can customize the repeat options to make sure that it shows up as often as you want it to. Once you’re done filling out the event with as much detail as you want, click save and it will appear on your calendar.

Another method of adding events is to add it directly to a time slot on your calendar. Say I want to add a lunch date from 12 PM on Wednesday to my calendar. I would click on the 12 PM time slot on Wednesday and a popout will appear. Then, add the event like normal and it will be added to the calendar. The default for an event is 1 hour. If I decide to have lunch until 1:30 after I’ve already created the event, I could hover over the bottom of the event and the cursor will change. Then, I could drag the time to adjust. You could use this method to adjust the times for any event you’ve already added. 

Managing Your Calendars

When adding an event, you’ll also notice that there’s an option to select which calendar you want to add the event to. The default will be your Google account’s Events calendar. However, you can add custom calendars to create specific categories for your different events. I like to make calendars for each specific class so I can see what’s going on for each class compared with others. This helps me to prioritize what I need to do. As you can see, I colorcode my class calendars to set them apart from each other. I also like making a separate calendar for that quarter’s office hours, so I can easily see when I can visit my professors for questions.

Viewing Your Calendar

Once you’ve got all your events added, there are various ways you can view your calendar. The main calendar will be weekly by default, but there are other modes to select from at the top. My preference is weekly, so I’ve stuck with it. Google Calendar also syncs across platforms. For my syllabus dumps, I use the website on my laptop because it’s easier to input information with. I set Google Calendar as the default tab on my browser, so I’m always aware of what’s going on in my week.

I also have the mobile app on my phone. I use this to see my availability whenever I need to schedule something or need to see what’s going on at a glance because it’s more convenient. Since it’s a smaller screen, I like to look at the daily view instead of the weekly view so it’s not as cluttered. There’s also a neat option to see the daily and monthly views side by side. The monthly view shows colored dots representing your events, so I use it to see how many events I have for a certain class in a week compared to a different class.

There’s also an option to toggle calendars on and off. This is useful when you want to isolate events that appear on certain calendars only. For example, this week looks filled with events. But when I toggle my office hours and tutoring calendars off, then you can see that I actually have more free time than it initially seemed. That space was being taken up by optional office hours and tutoring hours, but I still like to include them in case I do want to go.

How My Own Calendar Changes

As a college student, my schedule fluctuates. Overall, I keep to a single system when it comes to adding events. I make sure to always add lecture and discussion times for all my classes. For assignments, I add all-day events to the appropriate calendars. That way, I can see what assignments are due for what classes. For personal events, such as meetings and things off campus, I add that to my default calendar.

Here’s what my schedule looked like at the beginning, middle, and end of the quarter. Although there are things that remain stable, such as classes, there are clearly weeks that are busier than others.

Ultimately, using Google Calendar helps me so much with handling everything that is going on in life. Honestly, I have fun putting together my calendar because I like how it looks visually and it makes me feel so much more organized. Even if you don’t use it as extensively as I do, I hope this guide helped to bring more organization to your life!

#mine #newstudyblr #studyblr #college #organization #productivity #calendar #littlelegsbigdreams

[hazelloo]

Blogpost 3: Mobile Media. (Loo Ying Lin Hazel).

The reading “Portable objects in three global cities: The personalization of urban places” discusses the results gathered from a study conducted in three global cities, Tokyo, London, and Los Angeles. Through examining the objects in participants’ mobile kits, the study aims to understand portable devices’ roles in mediating relationships with people, physical locations, and institutions and their influence in constructing and sustaining an individual’s identity and activities.

Additionally, the authors theorize three main practices of being present in urban space, namely Cocooning, Camping and Footprinting. Cocooning refers to the mobilization of personal media devices within public infrastructures to momentarily appropriate public space for personal use. Camping refers to individuals appropriating public spaces for a long duration to form their personalized space as they enjoy the value of an ambient public or service-oriented space. While footprinting refers to the act of individuals leaving traces of their movement as they disclose their private information to corporate entities through the mediation of loyalty cards, reward, stamp, and access cards.

I agree with the authors’ arguments as I find myself partaking in the three 'genres of presence’ mentioned, specifically, Cocooning, Camping and Footprinting. Notably, I realized that all three 'genres of presence’ were present in my experience of studying outside when I was preparing for my A levels. Personally, I prefer studying outside, whether it is in cafes or libraries, as I believe that these spaces provide a distinctive ambience that makes it an attractive and conducive study environment.

When I was in Junior College, I would travel almost daily to cafes or libraries to study. Cocooning technologies such as my mobile phone and earphones were crucial devices in my “mobile kit” especially when I was commuting, regardless of whether it was a long or short commute. My mobile phone served as a cocooning technology when I was alone on public transports such as buses and trains. Texting on my phone, browsing the internet, or putting on my earphones to listen to music were some activities I participated in. This combination of cocooning technologies provided a personalized media environment for me and effectively created a cocoon that sheltered me from social interaction with other commuters and engagement with the physical location in a respectful way.

The second genre of presence, camping, happens when I carry portable media such as mobile phones, earphones, laptop to public places of choice, specifically cafes such as Starbucks, as I see the value in residing there for a long duration. The pleasant and conducive ambience at Starbucks attracts many students, including myself, and working adults to “camp” there as we enjoy the benefits of ambient service-oriented space. Besides the diffused social ambience, the attraction of studying and working in a specific “camping site” can include the personal relationships formed, the preference for food and drinks served and the infrastructure, including the availability of WiFi and charging sockets.

For individuals who frequent cafes such as Starbucks, they may be inclined towards applying for a Starbucks card. As individuals purchase the Starbucks card, they would need to disclose their personal information including their contact number and email address. The process of using the loyalty card becomes an opportunity for the establishment to maintain records of customers’ transactions, which can be considered as a process of “footprinting”. The price of drinks individuals purchased is correlated with the number of stars individuals receive, directly affecting their member status (e.g. Welcome, Green and Gold level). At each member level, the benefits and discounts given are different, with the gold members receiving the most discounts and free treats such as a complimentary drink and 10% off merchandise in member’s birthday month, which is exclusive only to gold members. Therefore, in order to enjoy the maximum benefits and discounts, individuals may be motivated to patronise Starbucks more frequently and purchase more drinks to reach the Gold member level. In using the Starbucks member card, individuals are building and maintaining relationships with both the establishment and the staff.

In conclusion, I agree with the authors’ arguments that the portable devices that individuals carry around build and sustain their identity and activities, it also plays a role in mediating relationships with people, physical locations, and institutions.

(Please refer to blog for the images.)

Image source: https://zinrelo.com/loyalty-rewards-case-study-new-starbucks-rewards-program.html

Image source: https://www.leanplum.com/blog/app-engagement-starbucks/

References: Ito, M., Okabe, D., & Anderson, K. (2017). Portable objects in three global cities: The personalization of urban places. In The Reconstruction of Space and Time (pp. 67-87). Routledge.

[jessicaromain]

My Mobile Day Blog — Why My iPhone is My Lifeline

I have been an iPhone user for almost a decade. Although the purpose to why I use my iPhone has changed over the years, one thing remains the same … this mobile device is my lifeline. The amount information stored in phone is truly overwhelming. From my perfectly curated playlists, to personal finances, as well as school and work contacts, my phone is something I could never not have. Additionally, it my ultimate way of communicating with friends, family members and potential employers. The mobile universe is so complex, but at the same time so simple. 

The use of mobile begins from the second I wake up, until the moment I close my eyes. I begin every day by waking up to an alarm I had set the night before. Immediately, I hit snooze … or I get moving by playing one of my morning playlists; my favourite is Let’s Get This Bread. After my initial wake up call, I grab a cup coffee and scroll through my most important apps. Which normally goes in this order: e-mail, instagram, and then twitter. In the morning, I try to ease myself in to what I am consuming. I find it can be overwhelming seeing so much at once, as well as it being a horrible habit to sit for an hour scrolling to kick the start the day. 

My five most used apps are…

Music

Notes

Instagram

E-mail

Tik Tok

This information is very accurate for I am constantly listening to music. Whether it is while I am driving or on the subway, working out, throwing a party, or hanging with my sister, I am constantly someone who needs a bit of background noise to help set the mood. Below are two screenshots of playlists in my library that I have curated. Follow me on Apple Music @jessicaaromainn!

I am an avid Notes user. I plan every day by the  hour (yes, very Type A of me). This allows me to visual what I need to complete, things I have committed to, and other mini goals I have for the day. I also have running lists of ideas, such as different cities and my favourite spots, or places I want to visit and restaurants to try. This is an example of my daily notes.

I am not even sure if I need to speak on why Instagram is one of my most used apps, because it is that popular. However, I gain a lot of my inspiration for outfit ideas, recipes I want try, and vacation destinations from Instagram. I absolutely love the creativity element of it. As well, sharing photos to my friends and seeing their photos is an amazing way to stay in touch with people you might not see often!

Email is self explanatory, it is one of my main methods of communication with work and school, as well as all of the online shopping receipts and confirmations from pandemic retail therapy I have been doing. 

I downloaded Tik Tok only a few months ago when Toronto was in the first serious lockdown. I was so bored and thought learning some of the dances would be a fun way to pass time. Little did I know that it would soon become one of my favourite platforms; I love how everything is curated based on your likes and interests, showing what I really want to see. 

Even though those are my top five most used apps, I have many on my phone. In fact, I have 47 (that does not include the pre installed Apple ones). The apps range from shopping apps like Zara and Free People to mobile banking, travel, photo editing and more.

Micro Moments

Having learned about micro moments both this semester and last, I understand the impact and the importance of them. Before learning about micro moments, I was unaware that it was happening in my life. But now, I am able to recognize when a micro moment happens, which is pretty cool. I had a micro moment today in which I turned to my device in want to buy. I wanted to buy booty bands, which is a form of exercise equipment. I have been very in to at home works out since lockdown began many months ago, making going to my regular Soul Cycle and Barry’s Bootcamp classes impossible. So at home workouts it has been. I have been using my Dad’s weights and my yoga mat, but I wanted equipment that would help tone specific areas. Normally I buy most of my skiing and tennis gear from Sporting Life, so I would say I am loyal to them. As well, I buy majority of active wear from Lululemon. However ... I purchased the bands from Amazon. I think I am unlike most Millennials and Gen Z when I say this, but I prefer not order from Amazon (weird, I know). But I just wanted something easy, cheap and not have to wait months to receive it … so I knew Amazon would have what I was looking for! Purchasing it felt good, but I have yet to receive the bands, so I am unable to judge the actual product. However, the email confirmation came straight to iPhone, making it easy for me to track the progress of the order, and know when it gets delivered!

My other micro moment that has been occurring a lot recently is my want to know. After being stuck indoors for almost a year, I am eager and burning to get out and see the world. I want to do something somewhat bold, so I have been teetering with the idea of moving to Vancouver at the end of 2021. I have been searching things to do in Vancouver, such as hiking, skiing, shopping, dining, etc. But most importantly, I would need a place to live! I was able to find some neighbourhoods that interested me and have book marked for my future use. The outcome was amazing for I was able to find so much information, and it made me feel better about the idea of moving to the west coast. 

Non Mobile Friendly Websites, A.K.A. A Big Annoyance

I normally search initially on my iPhone, but when the search becomes more complex and deep, I switch over to my laptop. Sometimes the accessibility on a mobile website is not ideal, which is frustrating and makes me ultimately restart and use a different landing page. Annoying, but not the end of the world when I know it will be viewable on my laptop. An example of this is condos.ca interface, which I was using in my Vancouver accommodation search. I was not able to see photos as easily as I would have liked.

Recommendation

Based on my personal mobile experience, something that I would do as a marketer is to ensure that apps and websites have simple and clean interfaces so that searcher’s do not leave the landing page. I think this is a key element in omni-channel marketing for if something does not work for a user, they will find somewhere else where it will. 

[purplesurveys]

997

survey by deirdrelove

What is today’s date? October 26th.

Do you have any plans for tomorrow? Just work. All weekdays are for work.

Do you wear perfume or cologne? Usually, perfume. I have colognes too, but I like the scent of my main perfume far more so that’s what I choose to wear most of the time.

What kind of computer are you using? I have a Macbook Air.

What colour is your mouse? I haven’t used one in years. A trackpad has been reliable enough.

Is it sunny outside? It’s not. I’m not updated on the news but I think we’re supposed to have a really powerful typhoon pass by for the next few days, so the wind has been violent and howling all morning. Some of my co-workers have had power outages at home only used their mobile data today so yeah, it’s not looking too good. I’ve closed my windows for the meantime so that they don’t smash just in case the wind blows too hard.

What has the weather been like lately? It’s been very cold all weekend because of the rain, but it also gets humid every now and then. Still, it’s cold enough for me to turn off my fan all day which is good enough.

When was the last time you cried? Last night, I think.

When was the last time you sincerely smiled? I don’t remember. Maybe last night or yesterday afternoon.

When was the last time you laughed freely? I can’t tell you. I really can’t remember when the last time was. I’ve chuckled here and there, of course; it just hasn’t been hearty for a while now.

Do you eat breakfast regularly? No. I only have a cup of coffee so that I can get properly awake for workkk.

Do you take vitamins? Not regularly.

When was the last time you took aspirin or some other pain reliever? Saturday. I had a headache and was feeling a little dizzy so I had to take a Biogesic.

When did you learn to tie your shoes? Kinder 2, when I was five. One of our ‘exams’ was for the teachers to check if we can already tie our shoes, so my grandma had to teach me. I’m super awful with my hands though, and to this day I still struggle with tying my shoelaces and I still take longer than anyone I know.

What was your favourite grade in elementary school? 5th was fun until things fell apart by the end of it; 7th was great throughout.

Do you like clouds? I like when it’s cloudy, but I don’t lie on the ground and look at clouds.

What colour are your shoelaces? I have several shoes, but I think all of their shoelaces are white.

How many states have you been to? 0.

How many different countries have you been to? 6.

When was the last time you deeply regretted something? September.

Do you go to other people for advice or do you deal with things on your own? I like hearing what my friends have to think because whenever I’ve done things on my own I always fuck it up one way or another, and that sensation gets tiring at some point. Having other perspectives and voices helps as well.

How long was your longest relationship? 4 years.

What is your favourite brand of gum? I don’t have one considering they all lose their taste after a few chews. Whenever someone has gum and shares a piece with me, I just take it regardless of the brand.

What is something that you regularly wear that makes you stand out? I don’t know if I have anything like that. I hate standing out, anyway.

Do you own a debit card? Yuh.

A credit card? Nope.

Are you in debt? I am not.

When is your birthday? *sigh* Again, April 21st...

How old will you be? I’ll be 23.

What kind of cake is your favourite? Cheesecake! Flourless chocolate cakes and red velvet cakes are also great.

Do you prefer small birthday parties or big ones? For parties held by relatives I like them to be big, because it’s always nice to reunite with distant family members that I never get to see. With friends, small and intimate parties do the trick for me.

What song are you listening to now? No music, and I have a YouTube video paused.

Do you download illegal mp3's? I used to convert YouTube videos of audio tracks into MP3, if that counts. I never directly downloaded MP3s though; I always heard horror stories of those things containing viruses or the downloaded file not even storing the actual song.

What was the most traumatic experience of your life? [trigger warning] Being the main witness to my drunk grandfather beating the ever-living shit out of my infant cousin in his stupor when I was 9, and bearing the responsibility to tell that cousin’s mom, who was cooking dinner. I’m pretty sure I aged like 15 years from that moment alone.

Have you ever lost a friend to drugs or alcohol? No.

Who was your childhood best friend? Angela.

Are you still friends now? Yeah, for sure. I just asked her for dyeing tips an hour ago.

If not, why?

Are you sitting at a desk right now? Yes.

Are you eating or drinking? Nope, but I’ll be having dinner in about an hour or so.

How many surveys have you taken today? This is the first one.

Have you ever made a survey? No. I’m not the best in coming up with interesting random questions, so I’ve never given it a shot. Others are way better at it.

If you haven't you should. Its fun. =] I’m sure it is, but I really don’t think I’m creative enough for it.

Did you ever have any sort of collection? Nah.

Do you believe in Karma? I don’t subscribe to the entire concept as it’s defined in Hinduism, but yeah sometimes I’ll refer to its more informal description whenever someone does something that upsets me.

What do you thinks happens to us when we die? Permanent sleep.

What age do you think you'll die? My late relatives all passed between the ages of 70 to early 80s, so maybe by then. But idk, I hope I get my great-grandma’s longevity (she died at 95) because I’m still competitive when it comes to age and I wanna make it to that high a number, ha.

If you knew you had one more month to live what would you do? Well first I’d give out a sigh of relief because thank fuck. After that I’d probably spend the whole month eating all my favorite foods and traveling, at least to the cities that are now accepting visitors. I’d write down instructions for Kimi so that he’s properly cared for, give away my stuff, try to see some friends before it all ends.

About how long was the last book you read? It’s around 600 pages but I’m barely 50 pages in.

Have you read any books by V.C.Andrews? I don’t think so.

Have you ever read a play before? Yes.

A play not written by Shakespeare? Yes.

Have you ever read a play outside of school? Yeah, I have.

What is one career you don't think you could do no matter how much it paid? Engineer.

Would you want to live in the country or the city? City, without a doubt. I like the countryside and it’s certainly relaxing, but I need things to be constantly going on; I like my environment to be hectic, be loud, be busy. Too much quiet isn’t good for me.

Do you prefer large cities or small ones? Large.

Do you/Did you ride the school bus? Yep.

If not how did you get to school?

Do you have iTunes on your computer? Yeah but only because I’m on a Mac and I’m not sure if I can remove the app from my laptop. I haven’t used iTunes since high school though, and if I could I’d get rid of it.

Have you ever edited Wikipedia? Yeah, when I was like 10 lol. It wasn’t to mess around with an entry though; I saw an inaccuracy and genuinely wanted to help out.

Have you ever edited any other wiki? I’m sure I edited more than one page.

Is there a website [besides social networking] that you check almost daily? I don’t think so.

Are you procrastinating? Nope, all my homework for the day’s been done.

Do/Did you make good grades in school? In college, yes. I paid less attention in high school and my grades occasionally showed it.

What is your relationship with your parents like? It’s very casual and not very deep at all. I don’t confide in them, and the thought actually makes me squirm. I’m still skeptical of my mom and I don’t let myself get invested in her after the hurt she’s put me through in the last few years, but at least we don’t yell at each other as much anymore.

Do you have a better relationship with one parent than the other? You can say that. I get along better with my dad.

Do you look like your mom or your dad? Mom. But for some friends, my dad.

Do you write things on your hand to remind yourself? This is what I did in high school, but I haven’t done it since.

Do you use your phone as an alarm? If I need an alarm, yes.

Do you listen to music while you sleep? Nope, but similar. I turn on videos because talking sounds make me sleepy much faster.

Do you get scared when you know some virus or sickness is being passed? I mean if it’s like a plague then yeah, obviously. But to connect this question to today’s situation - after getting used to Covid stats and seeing the ratio of those who die from it vs those who end up healing from it, I’ve highkey stopped being afraid of it lol

Are you realistic? Yes.

Do you sing in the shower? Nope.

#survey #surveys

[enbyboiwonder]

Tagged by @frozenmemories1987

So I don’t really understand how this one works, so I’m just gonna answer all the questions and number them consecutively. Upfront I’m gonna say that I’m not tagging anyone, but as always, if you wish to do it, consider yourself tagged. Also, this is going under a read more. Save the thumbs of any mobile users

01. What was the last movie you watched in theaters?

It’s been months, so I can’t remember, sorry

02. What’s your favorite game to play?

Currently it’s Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2. I hadn’t played it since I got it (and beat it all in one go), and I forgot just how much I love this game. It’s like Pokémon meets Dragon Quest, and it’s amazing. On the one hand, making a team entirely of dragons might be a bad idea, but on the other hand, I freaking love dragons. I should probably synth one with a healing skillset if I’m gonna do that - possibly Cure-all since that’s got Multiheal. My current party is a Lv 20 great argon lizard named Rory, a Lv 24 slime stack with Cure-all named Sticker, and a Lv 19 aquestrian gladiator with Huntsman named Mizuno. When I leave them to their own devices, Mizuno really loves using Penny Pincher, which tbh I cannot fault him for - normal damage plus the chance to pinch a few gold coins? Heck yes. At least he’s got 44 MP, so I haven’t had to change his tactics to “Don’t Use Magic” yet (the skill costs 2 MP)

03. Chocolate or vanilla?

Chocolate

04. What’s the last show you binge-watched?

NUMB3RS (though I’m still working on that one)

05. Do you have any pets?

No

06. What’s your favorite fairy tale?

I dunno. I don’t actually read very many fairy tales

07. Who’s your favorite superhero?

Superhero stuff doesn’t normally appeal to me, but I do like Cisco Ramon/Vibe and Ray Palmer/The Atom from CW’s Arrowverse

08. Who’s your favorite Disney princess?

Erm, Rapunzel, I guess?

09. Where’s the first place you’re going to go after social distancing is over?

I know I’m gonna hang out with my friend like we were planning to before this started, but as for where... probably Barnes & Noble since that’s where we usually go, but who knows (I say, knowing full well that neither of us know where to go, and we go to HPB when we’re specifically looking for a book but default to B&N bc of the café and seating area)

10. Cookies or cake?

Cookies

11. What show could you watch over and over?

Monk, CSI, and Psych, to name a few

12. Favorite song lyric?

See, I have to believe that there’s more than this seems More than a soul in a boat in a sea of sinking dreams And I have to be sure that there’s gonna be a cure ‘Cause, somewhere down the line, I lost that part of me that’s pure

 - Where We Belong by Thriving Ivory

13. Favorite season of your favorite TV show?

S14 of CSI, probably

14. What never fails to make you smile/happy?

Seeing I’ve got a comment on AO3

15. How are you doing with all that’s going on in the world (coronavirus, having to do social distancing, etc.)?

My lifestyle hasn’t changed at all, though for some reason I’ve actually been getting way more crocheting and video-gaming done than usual (at the expense, of course, of less reading and writing and TV-watching. Unfortunately). But we have lost business at the doughnut shop so I haven’t been working as many days - usually I work Monday and Friday - which, on the one hand, less money, but on the other hand, I’ve gotten more rest so my bruised ribs (from coughing; I had strep about a month and a half ago, and that always leaves me with a cough for a while, though it’s never been this bad before) are mostly healed now

16. We all love new music to listen to. Name an artist that is underrated/you think people should check out:

Thriving Ivory/Midnight Cinema (same band, different songwriters; Thriving Ivory is more piano-driven and leans more toward alt/alt-rock, while Midnight Cinema is more pop)

17. TV shows or movies?

TV shows

18. Favorite holiday?

Halloween

19. A song that describes you:

I’ve always related to Some Kind of Home by Thriving Ivory

20. Describe your tumblr in three words:

“hella queer animal-lover” idk

21. What’s your favorite hobby?

It depends on my mood, but rn it’s crocheting!

22. What’s your favorite book and/or a really good book you’ve read recently?

CSI: Miami: Cut and Run by Donn Cortez is amazing. I read it back in January and then reread it this month. Probably will be rereading it again before long tbh

Another really good one I’ve read recently is How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse by K. Eason. It just came out like six months ago, so the second one won’t be out any time soon, but I am ready for it when it does (more than ready, actually; I can’t wait)

23. What’s your favorite ship that will never happen (or hasn’t happened yet)?

I really wish they had done something with Greg/Hodges. I mean, they had the perfect setup for it in 11.07 Bump and Grind, what with their “man-dates” (that never get mentioned again)!! Their man-dates become a regular thing that they do like every week or whatever, eventually they realize that they’re actual dates and have been for a while and they start consciously dating. Maybe Greg already knows he’s bi and is totally cool with it, maybe David’s been repressed and realizes that, oh, that’s why something’s always seemed like it was missing when he tried dating before: he’s gay.

Unsurprisingly, I have a few 11.07 fics in my WIPs

(But also, considering CSI’s track record with respecting queer people [poor], I’m kinda glad they didn’t. Woulda been nice, though, long as they'da done it right)

A ship that I’m really hoping will happen is Penelope and Schneider from One Day at a Time. I love them so much

24. If you could spend the day with any living celebrity, who would it be?

I would rather meet a celebrity in passing than spend a day with them. I am far too awkward and anxious, and I’m afraid it would not be an enjoyable experience for either of us

25. The best worst movie you’ve ever seen - a movie that you know objectively is trash but you can’t help but really enjoy it:

I don’t think I have any like this

26. When you read, do you prefer an eReader or an actual, physical book?

Paper books all the way, baby

27. Favorite movie?

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, probably

28. What does a normal day look like for you?

I stay in bed reading or playing games on my phone (or, more recently, on my DS) for as long as possible, dick around on here for a while whilst also trying to get at least some SwagBucks in another window, try not to forget to eat lunch, play the free money apps I have on my phone while either listening to music on my laptop or watching shows either on my laptop or the TV, try not to forget to eat dinner, watch some more TV or get some reading or gaming in, try not to stay up too late, take over an hour to fall asleep, maybe if I’m lucky get some writing done at some point during any of this (and if I’m really lucky it won’t be while I’m trying to sleep, but usually it is, damn brain)

29. Have you ever watched a show/movie for one character? If so, who?

Normally when I watch something specifically for someone, it’s for an actor I like, but I started watching CW’s The Flash specifically for Cisco Ramon (well, and Harry Wells and their relationship, but mostly Cisco) and Legends of Tomorrow specifically for Ray Palmer, whom I fell in love with in his ep on The Flash lol

30. What is your ultimate concert (musicians/bands from any period, alive or dead)?

I don’t go to concerts (they seem like they’d be very overwhelming), so, none, I guess

31. Book that you were forced to read in school that you hated the most:

God, I fucking hated To Kill a Mockingbird. Actually, I think the only one I actually liked was The Importance of Being Earnest

#mine #thx for tagging me!

[dimple-angel]

Being Creative on a Budget

I don’t really know how to start this off without sounding holier-than-thou or well-informed. The last thing I want to do is steer someone in the wrong direction with misinformation, and I definitely don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up. I guess I’ll start with a disclaimer. I’m not an expert in any of the things I’m about to suggest. These products work for me, and by default I hope it works for everyone else! With that out of the way, let’s get started.

It’s hard to be creative. It’s especially hard if you’re a creative with no income of your own and stuck in a financial bind (thanks Ms. Rona). Lucky enough for myself, I’m a writer so I don’t have to spend too much on different software to achieve the best product. However, as I’m leaning towards film and visual storytelling, writing on a Word Document isn’t really doing it for me. And all that software I would have liked to have to go into the realm that is visual and digital storytelling is really expensive and for professionals. So, even if I bought it, I would have zero clue how to use it. With some digging though, I finally found all of my favorite instruments and tools that can help the writer, the artists, or any other creative in general (hopefully) to achieve your best vision.

1. OneDrive

I know this seems very corporate, but hear me out! This is must have for any creative or anyone who does a lot of work on their computer and doesn’t have enough space to handle it. OneDrive is a digital flash-drive that can save documents, PDFs, photos, and videos. Anything digital, OneDrive can save it. The best thing about it, you can access OneDrive anywhere. Your phone, your desktop, your laptop, anywhere! I’ve been using OneDrive for about two or three years now, and I’ve loved it ever since, it’s so easy to use and a lifesaver! And, best of all, you get a lot of space for free! Again, I’ve been using OneDrive for two or three years, and I’ve imported maybe four years of documents from my earlier writing days onto it. So, no more deleting things off your laptop. OneDrive keeps it all safe! If you don’t like OneDrive, then a second recommendation I suggest is Google Drive.

2. Microsoft Word

I know, another corporate app, we’re gonna get to the good stuff soon I promise! Everyone knows what Microsoft Word is, so I won’t go on for too long. Microsoft Word is an advanced version of Google Docs. You can do so much more, and both the mobile and desktop version of this app is easy to use! And you don’t even have to download it onto your computer (though with some sacrifices of some of the features). If you want a more professional look to your documents, then I definitely suggest using Microsoft Word!

3. StoryBoarder

I am in love with this software. And, spoiler alert, it’s free! I recently just learned how to do a storyboard, so if you’re a newbie, it might be kind of challenging. But, once you gain some basic knowledge (or play around with the controls), it’s a really fun and easy-to-use software! Best of all, I can’t draw. Like actually, I have zero talent in the art department. That’s what makes this software so great! It has a “shot generator” that uses 3D models for artistic reference. With the models, you can give them realistic proportions and there are “stock” poses. You can make a video of these models, so you don’t have to be amazing at art to use this software. I’ve already made two projects with StoryBoarder! I’m really love it and I would suggest it to anybody who is interested in film, animation, or any other visual art. The downside to the shot generator is their lacking of actual 3D objects. There’s a way to import more 3D objects, but it’s pretty complicated by the looks of it. But, if that’s not a big deal to you, StoryBoarder is the perfect beginner’s software.

3. Canva

I feel like everybody knows what Canva is, but if you’re a newbie then consider this the gold mine to book cover creation! Even Wattpad recommends you use it. This website is user-friendly and has many options to choose from. And if you get the premium account, you can get even more! You can make GIFs, posters, stickers, merchandise, book covers, logos, movie covers, Instagram posts/stories, Facebook posts, flyers, and the options are almost endless! If you’re new to Wattpad or any other writing website, or even YouTube! I definitely recommend this app to you!

4. Beautiful Audio Editor

Beautiful Audio Editor isn’t one of the best audio software, but I still recommend it if you’re a newbie with sound design. I used this software in my Digital Storytelling Class at school, and most of the control are easy to play around with to get a general idea of your project’s sound design. I use it all the time when I’m using StoryBoarder just for a rough draft of the (eventual) final product. I prefer this over Audacity, which is what a lot of people prefer, because of it’s easy to use interface.

That’s it! That’s all my favorite websites/software I use to stay creative. Now obviously, some of these apps may not work for everyone, and that’s ok! This is just what I use without spending any money whatsoever that generally gets the job done. Thanks for reading and keep improving those beautiful brains!

-Dimpled-Angel

#writers #storyboard #music #i'm poor #film #newbie #anime #notsponsored #life hacks

[prettyinsoulpunk]

There’s A Light In The Dark

Narry (4K, Explicit)

Then I look in my heart There's a light in the dark Still a flicker of hope that you first gave to me That I wanna keep

Or, the one where Harry gets a surprise visitor after his performance in Glasgow.

(Yes, this is a totally self-indulgent kilt fic with a side of feels that I should have finished literally last year. But hey, at least we can celebrate the anniversary right? It’s also up on AO3 now, same username.)

*side note: my apologies if this looks weird on mobile. I post from my laptop and I’ve noticed from my iPhone app it looks like one giant wall of text with no paragraph breaks. I blame tumblr, I promise I didn’t post it that way. But if its too hard to read, check my AO3 post instead. :)

~*~

The roar of the crowd echoes in Harry's ears as he heads back to his dressing room. It's a welcome sound because there are few things he loves more than performing; there's just something about it that nothing else compares to. He loves seeing all of his fans especially, both the new ones and the familiar faces that he's come to recognize over the years.

He loves hearing his own voice harmonizing with an entire arena full of people singing his lyrics back to him, and most of all, he loves being the center of attention. He's a self-proclaimed narcissist so having the undivided attention of thousands of people almost every night is a feeling that Harry sorely misses when he's not on stage.

Tonight he's in Glasgow, and the show was phenomenal.

One of Harry's favorites, if he's honest. He's still buzzing from it as he tries to wind down, but it's hard. He's always bursting with endless energy afterward and the adrenaline rush is the very best drug there is.

He grabs a water bottle from the fridge and immediately sinks down onto one of the plush couches. He should change his clothes but he's not ready to give the kilt up just yet. He had it custom made just for this particular show and he adores it. He knows he won't have many chances to wear it again, so he's going to keep it on for as long as he can. Even if he's the only one around to appreciate it because his bandmates have already taken off. He really should be heading back to the hotel too though, because they've got an early flight to Dublin in the morning.

Dublin.

Where Niall will be because he's recording a special performance with the RTE Orchestra.

Not that Harry is keeping tabs or anything. (He's totally keeping tabs.) He desperately wants to believe this isn't just a random coincidence but he's honestly not sure. What are the odds, though? It's not L.A. or London, so of all the cities in the world, they'll both be in Dublin at the exact same time?

Not that it would be unusual for Niall to be in Dublin at any given moment considering it's practically home to him. He did at least mention the performance to Harry the other day and casually suggested they try and get together if they could. No solid plans were made but Harry still feels almost giddy at the thought of seeing each other.

It's been a while, but that's just because they've been incredibly busy. They both did a small collection of solo shows back in the fall and then they've spent the earlier part of this year prepping for their world tours. So it's not that they've been ignoring each other, they just haven't had any spare time for visiting.

Harry is still kicking himself for not going to the BRITs, but he had been shooting his new Gucci add all week and he honestly had no idea that Niall would be attending. He heard all about it from Liam the next morning and then absolutely did not spend two hours browsing various social media feeds to save all the pictures of Niall from the show.

(It was closer to three hours, and in his defense, Niall looked devastatingly handsome as usual.)

So it's not that Harry and Niall haven't wanted to see each other lately, they just haven't had the opportunity. If this had been a year ago, Harry wouldn't be feeling as excited at the prospect. Thankfully it's a non-issue now. Their breakup hadn't exactly been amicable, but Harry is grateful that they managed to patch things up between them.

Harry had broken Niall's heart, even though it certainly wasn't intentional. Niall knows that too - or so he's told Harry - and they had a really good time together when Niall went to his very first solo show in L.A. They talked, they laughed and they fucked, even though the latter was definitely against their better judgment. They chalked it up to familiarity though, and the fact that they'll always mean something special to one another.

The aftermath wasn't as awkward as it could have been and they even shared a kiss goodbye. But this time, it was with the knowledge that they were going to be okay.

Harry wasn't going to feel guilty that he might not see Niall again for a while, and Niall wouldn't be continuing to sit by a silent phone. They also discussed their expectations of one another and what each of them could bring to the table in terms of repairing the friendship.

So far they've both kept their promises which were mostly to connect with each other more often and to not let the past ruin what is undoubtedly the most important friendship they've ever had. They just haven't actually seen each other physically in a few months, so Harry is a bit nervous if he's honest. He did speak to Niall for nearly an hour last week just before he went on stage in London, which was nice. Niall told him all about the Masters tournament, and Harry filled Niall in on some of his favorite moments from his tour so far.

It's felt too much like old times lately, and Harry is trying hard not to get his hopes up.

Despite that, he can't deny the fact that he still has deep feelings for Niall. How could he not? Niall Horan is the love of his life, but they were just on separate paths two years ago.

Now things are different. Better. Wonderful, Harry might even dare say.

Niall seems to be quite happy these days, although he isn't shy about telling the world how blissfully single he is.

Single and not ready to mingle, apparently.

That puts a definite wrench in Harry's plan to try and win him back, but maybe it's better this way. For now, at least. He's not even sure if they can go back to being a couple again, but he's thrilled to have their dynamic back. Or getting there, anyway. Now he can text Niall random song lyrics at odd hours or send a cute picture of himself holding a chicken for his Gucci ad. It's fun, and Harry feels light and happy that things are so much better between them.

They're not perfect by a long shot, but they're making it work.

Which brings us back to the present, where Harry is lying on his dressing room couch, just mindlessly scrolling through his Instagram feed when a text pops up on his phone screen.

amazing show tonight H . you totally smashed it

Of course it's Niall, and Harry can't stop smiling as he replies.

Thank you! xx Did you find a good livestream?

Harry knows that Niall likes to peek in on the occasional livestream but he doesn't think Niall has seen any recently.

not exactly

Then what, exactly? Harry asks, puzzled.

A quiet knock at the door interrupts Harry's thoughts, so he sets his phone down and gets up to answer it.

Of all the people that Harry might have expected to see on the other side of that door, Niall sure wasn't it. And especially not carrying a gorgeous bouquet of pink roses which are Harry's favorite.

"I caught the live show," Niall explains and holds the flowers out for Harry to take.

Harry accepts them gratefully and moves aside so Niall can come in. "Thank you, they're beautiful," he says, and quickly fills an empty glass with water for the roses. It's not an ideal fit, but it will do for now until Harry can get a vase for them.

"You're beautiful," Niall replies automatically and his face flushes the instant the words leave his mouth.

"And you're charming as always," Harry smiles and steps back into Niall's space.

"We could do this all day," Niall laughs and pulls Harry into his arms. They fit together just as perfectly as they always have, like two lost puzzle pieces finally being connected together again.

"Probably," Harry nods and wraps Niall up in the tightest hug. "I've missed you so much," he whispers against Niall's hair.

"I've missed you too, H." Niall buries his face in the crook of Harry's neck and breathes him in. It should probably be awkward, but nothing has felt this familiar in a long time.

They stay like that for a few moments, just swaying in each other's arms before Harry pulls back. He slips his hand into Nialls, their fingers threading together easily as he leads him over to the couch. Harry sits first and then Niall, whether by instinct or preference, sits close enough that their thighs are pressed together.

"So," Harry starts, "not that I'm not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?"

Someone has to acknowledge the elephant in the room, so Harry figures it might as well be him. He can sense that Niall is nervous so he wants to make this as easy on him as possible.

Niall takes a deep breath before answering. "I haven't quite figured that part out yet. I know we'll both be in Dublin tomorrow but we'll be pretty busy and I just... I really needed to see you tonight."

"I'm glad you're here," Harry smiles and reaches out to squeeze Niall's knee.

"Thank God," Niall sighs, visibly relieved. "I realized halfway over here that it might not be the best idea, but it was a little too late to change my mind at that point," Niall adds, sliding closer.

"I'm glad you didn't," Harry says and pulls Niall into another hug. "Are you flying back out tonight or in the morning?"

"In the morning," Niall tells him as he locks his arms around Harry's waist.

"Me too," Harry grins and pulls back to meet Niall's eyes. "What time is your flight?"

"Eight-thirty," Niall winces because he knows that's when Harry's flight is too. It pays to know people in the industry who can get that type of information for him at a moment's notice.

Harry eyes Niall curiously. "Is that a coincidence, or are you stalking me?"

"What can I say, I'm a big fan," Niall shrugs, and Harry giggles uncontrollably.

It's so unexpected but so Niall, and Harry's cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

"Well then," Harry starts, "we'll just have to make sure you get the full VIP experience, won't we?" he winks and plants a kiss on Niall's forehead.

"Is kissing included then, or was that just a bonus?" Niall teases.

"That depends," Harry replies, his expression turning serious.

"On?" Niall's skin starts to prickle with anticipation.

Harry reaches out to tilt Niall's face up. "Whether or not you want it to be."

"What if I said yes?" Niall challenges.

"Then kissing is absolutely included," Harry nods as he climbs onto Niall's lap and straddles his thighs. "Is this okay?"

"Very," Niall assures him as he grips Harry by the lapels of his jacket and drags him forward.

"Niall," Harry gasps as he cups Niall's jaw and crushes their mouths together. There's nothing hesitant about it, it's hot and desperate and he can't stop his hands from touching every part of Niall that he can reach. He slides one hand into Niall's hair and gives it a sharp tug while the other hand snakes under Niall's shirt and grazes his nipples.

"Fuck," Niall hisses because his nipples are sensitive and he's already half hard just from kissing.

"Brilliant idea," Harry whimpers against Niall's mouth before pulling back to help strip his shirt off. "I missed this so much," he admits as he reaches down and starts working Niall's jeans open.

"Which part exactly?" Niall teases. "Me, or sex in general?"

Harry rolls his eyes fondly. "You, in general, but I definitely missed sex. It's been a while," he adds.

Niall just shakes his head. "I'm not even going to ask," he says and opts for sliding his hands under Harry's kilt and up his bare thighs instead. "Don't wanna know, honestly."

"It's best if you don't," Harry agrees, "but it's nothing that ever happened more than once with the same person and definitely not with anyone who means even a fraction of what you mean to me, Ni," Harry tells him as he leans in to kiss Niall again. It's slower, and a lot less urgent this time as Niall opens up for him and their tongues slide together.

"It's in the past, pet," Niall smiles when they break apart. "Let's focus on us for now, yeah?" he suggests as his hands continue traveling up Harry's thighs.

"Yeah," Harry nods and kisses Niall again. It only lasts for a second though, before Niall is panting his name against Harry's mouth and Harry feels the sharp sting of elastic popping against his skin. He had been waiting for Niall to notice, but he didn't want to ruin the surprise.

"Knickers?" Niall asks, eyes blown wide as his hands glide over smooth silk instead of the soft cotton of Harry's briefs.

"I was feeling a bit cheeky," Harry grins and leans in to press a kiss against Niall's neck.

"But you had boxers on during the show," Niall points out, looking confused. "You flashed us at least twice and I don't recall you wearing these," he smirks as he snaps the elastic again.

"Good to know you were paying attention," Harry winks. "I took them off when I got back here. I was wearing both during the show, but I didn't want to end up on the front page of The Sun for accidentally exposing myself to an arena full of fans."

"But you didn't mind telling all of Milan that you'd do me if you were a girl for twenty-four hours?" Niall teases.

"Not in the least," Harry beams. "Besides, I did do you the minute we got back to our hotel room if memory serves. I was quite glad I wasn't a girl, though. Nothing against having lady bits but I've grown pretty attached to my cock," Harry laughs as he reaches down to rub Niall through his jeans.

"The feeling is mutual," Niall agrees, breath hitched as he slides his hand further up Harry's kilt and palms his dick through the knickers. They're a bit damp already and Harry's so hard that he's almost bursting out of them. "Fuck, pet, can I see?" he pants against Harry's mouth as he leans in for another kiss.

"Of course," Harry says as he pulls back and hikes his kilt up. The panties are black silk with fancy lace trim and they're barely large enough to hold Harry in. His cock is straining against the fabric and it's making Niall's mouth water.

"Holy Christ," Niall moans as he lifts Harry off of his lap and carefully sets him down on the couch. The next ten seconds are a blur as Niall slides to his knees and spreads Harry's thighs apart.

"I take it you approve then?" Harry says just as Niall leans in and starts mouthing at him through the delicate fabric. It's already considerably wet with Harry's pre-come but the sensation feels amazing.

"Fuck yes," Niall growls as he eases the panties down and wraps his mouth around the head of Harry's cock. He gives it a gentle suck before pulling off and kissing down the shaft. "Fuck, Haz," he pants before swallowing Harry's cock down in one fluid motion.

"Oh my God," Harry whimpers and reaches down to grip Niall's hair for leverage. "Jesus, your mouth, Ni." He's gotten more blowjobs from Niall than he could possibly count on his fingers and toes combined but they never fail to make him see stars. It's all going to be over too quickly though, and Harry doesn't want that.

"Wait," he hisses and tugs harder on Niall's hair until he gets the message.

"What's wrong, love?" Niall asks, looking up at Harry from between his thighs. He looks so concerned all of a sudden like maybe he's done something wrong. Harry hates making him look like that, but he also has way better ideas about how he might prefer to come.

"Absolutely nothing," Harry promises as he reaches down to rub Niall's cheek. "Just thought maybe I could ride you instead?"

"Christ," Niall whines, looking panicked. "I don't have anything with me. I didn't think I'd be needing lube or condoms so I didn't pack any."

Harry grins down at him and continues to caress Niall's cheek. "Check the inside pocket of my carry on bag."

Niall's panic immediately melts into amusement as he gets up and easily locates what he needs.

"I'm definitely not asking why you're so prepared, or why these look brand new," Niall says, giving Harry a teasing glare.

Harry blushes bright red. "That's because I just bought them. I ... um … " he trails off as Niall joins him on the couch again and takes Harry's hands into his own.

"It's okay, love. Clean slate, yeah? You don't owe me any - "

"I was hoping I would see you tomorrow," Harry admits in a rush. "I wasn't expecting anything, I swear, I just… I don't know," he mumbles and pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"You just wanted to be prepared?" Niall offers as he leans in to kiss Harry softly.

"Yeah," Harry breathes against Niall's lips. "Just thought I'd play it safe."

Niall kisses the tip of Harry's nose. "Good thinking, love. My beautiful genius," he grins and then stands up so he can strip the rest of his clothes off. He piles them onto a nearby armchair along with his shoes and then spreads back out on the couch next to Harry.

"Now," he continues as he surveys Harry's intricate outfit, "what parts of this can we remove? Maybe the jacket? Because you're keeping the kilt on while I fuck you."

It's not a question and makes Harry's whole body flush hotly. "Jesus," he whimpers and begins peeling off his jacket. "Shirt too?"

"Everything but the kilt," Niall instructs as he tears open the condom and starts rolling it onto his cock. "Except the knickers," he quickly amends. "I hope you're not terribly attached."

"Not especially," Harry laughs, "got loads of them."

"I hope I'll get to see them all," Niall murmurs as he slides his hand between Harry's legs and skims his fingers over the fabric. There's not much to them, really. They're just flimsy scraps of silk barely held together by fancy lace, but it's the hottest thing Niall has ever seen.

Harry covers Niall's hand with his own and presses down hard. "Anytime you want."

"Fuck," Niall says shakily, "I'm not gonna last long at this rate. Let's get you ready for me, yeah?"

"Um," Harry squirms, suddenly looking nervous. "That won't be necessary."

"Why not?" Niall asks as Harry props one thigh up and guides Niall's hand further back.

Niall doesn't seem to understand at first until his fingers graze against a hard object that seems to be firmly wedged inside of Harry.

"You're wearing a plug?" Niall says incredulously. It's something they had talked about before but never got around to experimenting with. Niall loved the idea of Harry wearing one for him, keeping him loose and open all day until Niall could take him home and fuck him.

"I figured why stop at the knickers, y'know? I was feeling pretty sexy. Thought this might be a fun time to try it."

"So what's the verdict?" Niall asks while pressing lightly on the plug.

Harry reacts immediately as a shudder rolls through him. "Don't think I'd do it on stage again, honestly. All the dancing really made me feel it."

"Fuck, that's so hot; I wish I would have known before. It's so sexy to think about you up there wearing this to keep you nice and ready for me."

"Wasn't for you," Harry frowns a bit at that, "but it is now. And it could be from now own… if you want…" he tells Niall before pressing a soft kiss to Niall's lips.

"I want," Niall nods and cradles Harry's face. "I want that so much, my love."

"Me too, baby," Harry grins brightly. "Now shut up and fuck me."

"Bossy," Niall laughs as he moves Harry's panties aside and locates the plug again. It's got a ring attached at the end which he pulls on slowly until it slips right out. It's bright pink, (because of course it is) with rhinestones - or maybe diamonds, knowing Harry - accenting the ring.

"Fuck," Harry whines at the loss. "I'm ready, baby. Can I, please?" he begs and moves to straddle Niall's lap again.

Niall quickly spreads some lube onto his cock for good measure before reaching under Harry's kilt to shove his knickers to the side.

"Go on then," Niall says as he arches his hips up a bit.

Harry wastes no time aligning himself before sinking down onto Niall's cock and taking him deep. Niall slides right in and Harry moans loudly as he starts to move. "Fuck, baby, you feel so good," he whines and leans in to press a blazing trail of kisses up Niall's neck.

"You too, petal," Niall murmurs as he reaches up and massages Harry's inner thighs. "So good for me," he adds before wrapping his fingers around Harry's cock and working him slowly.

"Niall," Harry gasps just as Niall snaps his hips and thrusts deeper into him. "I'm not going to last long," he whispers against Niall's skin as he alternates between biting and kissing. The marks are already starting to bloom bright red in contrast to Niall's pale skin and Harry loves knowing that they'll take several days to fade.

"That makes two of us," Niall laughs before using his free hand to tilt Harry's face up for a kiss. It's slow and sweet in comparison to the frantic way that Harry is rocking in his lap.

"Harder," Harry begs between kisses as he grips Niall's hair sharply. "Fuck...I'm so close."

"Don't hold back, love. Wanna hear you," Niall moans as he arches his hips again. A few more rough strokes are all it takes for Harry to cry out and come hot and sticky between them.

"Jesus," Harry whimpers softly, completely spent as Niall's arms wrap tightly around him. "Keep going," Harry says while lifting himself up slowly and sinking back down.

Niall cups Harry's face gently and gives him a soft kiss. "You sure, angel?"

"Please," Harry nods and turns the kiss into something deep and filthy. He bites at Niall's bottom lip and frantically resumes fucking himself on Niall's cock until he feels Niall coming deep inside him.

"Fuck," Niall growls against Harry's mouth, chest heaving as he stills his hips and desperately tries to regulate his breathing. "Holy Christ, that was…"

"Incredible," Harry finishes for him before carefully easing himself off of Niall's cock and flopping next to him on the couch. He's not sure he wants to chance looking down at the ruined remains of his kilt though, because there's no way he's sending it out to be cleaned.

"What's so funny?" Niall asks to Harry's surprise because he didn't even realize he had been laughing.

"Well it's not that funny actually," Harry smirks, "but I was just thinking about how there's no way in hell I'm sending this out with my dry cleaning," he explains as he lifts the kilt up to survey the damage. Sure enough, the entire underside is a sticky mess just like he feared it would be.

Niall just shrugs. "I'll send it out for you," he says before gathering Harry into his arms resting their foreheads together.

"You mean you'll get Tara to do it?" Harry corrects him as he reaches down to pinch one of Niall's nipples.

"Hey! Who's side are you on?" Niall yelps and tries to move away but Harry holds him firmly.

"Always yours, my love," Harry grins before leaning in to kiss Niall again and again. "Team Niall, all the way," he whispers against Niall's nips.

"That's more like it," Niall smirks and rubs his nose against Harry's.

"So," Harry says softly as he pulls back and brushes the hair from Niall's face, "where do we go from here?"

"Dublin, for starters," Niall says and reaches for Harry's hands. He takes hold of them both and gives them a squeeze before he continues. "Then how about we take things slow? We've both just barely gotten our tours started so that's going to take up a lot of our time - "

"But we can make time for us, right?" Harry asks hopefully. "We've got scheduled breaks so we can meet up in L.A., or Tokyo, or the moon for all I care, as long as I get to see you."

"Of course, darling," Niall smiles sweetly. "I'm not making the mistake of losing you twice," he adds as he leans in to kiss Harry's forehead.

"You didn't lose me the first time," Harry reminds him. "It was all my - "

"Nope," Niall cuts him off with a shake of his head and a soft kiss on the lips this time.

"We are absolutely not revisiting the past, okay? I'd really like to move forward and make things work for us. We're going to keep communicating, make more time for each other, and -"

Now it's Harry's turn to interrupt. "Live happily ever after?"

"Just like a fairytale," Niall nods and pulls Harry back onto his lap.

"I love you," Harry says suddenly as he cards his fingers through Niall's hair.

"I love you more," Niall insists and drags Harry into another kiss before he has a chance to argue.

(Spoiler alert: they definitely live happily ever after.)

#Narry #Niall Horan #Harry Styles #everything we do #my writing #sorry I'm posting this again #not reblogging #because it wasn't originally showing up in the Narry tag #tumblr is so frustrating #I deleted my first post #and had to re-do it

[ponderingyoginiinfo]

Weekly Intentions: Attitude of Gratitude

Happy Monday to you! I hope that you’ve had a restful weekend that will help you kick start your brand new week on a strong note. However, if you have been really busy at work, finding yourselves working over the weekends, or feeling constantly stressed out by certain circumstances and situations in life, perhaps Monday may not be the favourite day of your week. It’s even harder to find the motivation to search for an intention to get your week started, both on and off the mat.

The Attitude of Gratitude

Gratitude is a concept that I hold close to my heart – simply because I used to be a perfectionist, finding the negativity in every situation that comes my way, be it positive or negative in nature. I found myself being caught in a vicious cycle of negativity, something that I struggled a lot to break out of.

Therefore, I always encourage my students to cultivate an attitude of gratitude – through means and ways that are not only sustainable, but healthful in the long run. Having a habit of taking stock of both the good and bad in life in an objective manner allows us to approach our problems in a much more constructive manner. Rather than seeing the situation as a be-all-end-all kind of situation, we are able to take a step back and understand that things often happen for a reason, and all we need to do is to expand our perspective to consider different alternatives and options.

If you have been thinking of getting started, perhaps these few tips might help you to start cultivating this wonderful habit this week:

1. Keep a gratitude journal

I personally love journaling as an outlet for my own emotions and thoughts. Therefore, when the folks from An Uplifted Day gifted me with this beautiful and very handy Five Minute Journal, I know it’s a sign to start centralising all my thoughts of gratitude into a gratitude journal. The journal includes very helpful guides in helping you kickstart your daily habit of journaling, and as the name suggests, very simple questions to provoke your thought at the start of the day, and at the end of the day as a reminder of the importance of gratitude.

A gratitude journal like this is just one of the examples in which you can write down your own thoughts and emotions. There are gratitude apps for those people who prefer to type it on their mobile phones and laptops. Otherwise, a simple notebook does the job – if you have more time, cut/tear out things that inspire you wherever you’ve read it and include them in your journal as a collage / inspiration board.

2. Choose your responses mindfully

We often find ourselves reacting to situations or people almost immediately. Sometimes we let our emotions get the best of us and we react in certain ways that we find ourselves regretting just moments after. On certain occasions, we may find ourselves losing control of our own emotions and thoughts, and we become controlled by how we feel or how we react right off the bat.

One of the important ways to cultivate a more mindful relationship with yourself is to be able to acknowledge that we often have a choice in terms of how we choose to react in life. Whenever we are able to take a step back when confronted with a tough situation to assess how we can choose to react to this certain scenario, we are often empowered by this choice that we wield.

Similarly, whenever we feel stuck in a seemingly unpleasant situation, being able to take a step back and acknowledge all the good things that we still have in life, however insignificant, can allow us to find a bit more breathing space in the most unpleasant moments in life.

3. Keep up even in bad times

It is often a lot easier to find many things to be grateful for when life seems pretty and smooth sailing. However, the real challenge comes whenever we are caught in stressful, unpleasant, and negative periods of our lives. In order to cultivate a strong habit that will persist for a long time to come, it is important to keep up with the attitude of gratitude even in the most trying periods. Finding little things worth being thankful for allows us to put many things into perspective, and understand that ultimately, being able to wake up to a brand new day full of possibilities is a huge blessing in itself.

I hope this week’s intention assignment will help you kickstart the habit of gratitude that will last for a long time to come! Start small and make small changes to your current daily routine that will allow you to stick with the habit more easily, before thinking about making more substantial changes. Let me know how’s your experience and I will be more than happy to provide more tips and to listen to your experience. Have a great week!

from Pondering Yogini https://ponderingyogini.com/wellness/weekly-intentions-attitude-of-gratitude/

#yoga and meditation #yoga and meditation articles #health and yoga #health and yoga articles #articl