#need to use it and preferred my macbook over it

[cressidagrey]

Cressida’s Cheat Sheet: How to Write a Lot of Fanfiction in a Very Short Time

Want to write a 4K chapter in 90 minutes (without burning out or going mad)?! Here’s how I do it! (aka the lazy girl guide to plotting.)

1. The Basics

Disclaimer: This is what works for me. It may not work for everyone, but I wanted to share what my progress is that I have perfected over the last...decade? (God, I am getting old...)

Tools Matter: If you want to write faster, get an external keyboard. Trust me, my typing speed goes up exponentially when I use one. 

My MacBook’s butterfly keyboard had me battling double and triple letters (hello, editing nightmares), so I got a new one.

I find the ergonomic ones the most comfortable, even though they look stupid. 

2. The Set Up

Know Your Story: Have a general idea of the story you want to tell. That includes having names for your characters, knowing how it starts, and having an endpoint in mind. Don’t worry about every detail, just have a direction.

Create Your “Vibe”:

Playlist: Spend 30 minutes making a Spotify playlist. Nothing too elaborate, just something that gets you in the mood for the writing. No 6-hour spirals.

Pinterest Board: A quick one to gather inspiration for your story—like face claims, settings, etc. Again, no 6 hours spent pinning their childhood kitchen.

Canva: If you want to add visual elements, like Instagram posts, etc., get a free Canva account. Create a project for your story and set it up. 

Set Up Your Writing Document: Whether it’s Google Docs, Word, or something else, set up your preferred font (I’m a serif person, myself). Use a table of contents for easy navigation. Trust me, future you will thank you.

3. Plotting: The Brainstorm Stage

Remember that story idea you had? Now make a list of all the random stuff you want in that story. All the bits of conversation, every single plot point. Word Vomit it into that Google Doc.

Or annoy your friends on Discord with it. 

Organize: After your word dump, start putting it in order. Break down what needs to happen in each chapter.

Plot Lines: Write out each plot line as a series of events. Example:

Character A and B fall in love: A and B meet in a cafe. Meet cute while walking their dog. Turns out they are neighbours, surprise! She listens to old music, he knocks at the door! Neighbourly bantering. They spent time together. They fall in love. The end. 

(Or, you know, not really, but you get the idea.)

Do that for every single plot line

If you want to live dangerously, do it like I do and just keep it in your head. Who needs to write down anything?!?!

Write what you want to read. Write about the stuff that annoys you in other stories. For example, I will never write Character A cheating on Character B and A and B still having a happy end together. 

4. Actually Writing: The Fun Part

Get the Basics Down First:

Before jumping into Chapter 1, make a list of all the key plot points and corresponding scenes for that chapter.

Fun fact: text messages are much quicker to write than actual scenes. At least for me. Use this freely to pad out the story! 

Same goes for Twitter Threads! (As for Twitter usernames, be as lazy as me and have a spreadsheet that also doubles as a very bad Twitter username generator and just copy/paste usernames in Twitter threads in the editing phase. 

Don’t Overthink It: The hardest part is just getting words on the page. I don’t edit as I go. I type XXX when I don’t know a word, and I come back to it later.

One Word at a Time: The more you write, the faster you’ll get. Practice makes perfect. Don’t stall out because you’re trying to write perfectly. Just keep writing.

Don’t be afraid to use different media/take risks! Use newspaper articles! Add in recipes! Some Emails! Letter! Anything and Everything can be used in a story. You’ll see if it works. Maybe it does, and you add something new to your repertoire! Maybe you hate it! That’s okay too! 

5. Recycle and Reuse

Recycle Old Writing: Don’t delete old drafts. Ever. Bits and pieces can always be reused. Perfectly good descriptions of settings? Use them again! It’s your writing—do what you want with it.

Steal (with Love): Don’t be afraid to borrow a basic plot structure from a TV show, a book, or even a movie. Once you’ve made it your own, no one will notice. By the time you’re done, your story will be completely different from the one you borrowed from, anyway.

6. Editing: The Finishing Touches

Don’t Obsess: Grammarly is free and can save you from basic mistakes. Give your chapter a quick read-through, but don’t get stuck on perfection.

Beta Readers or Friends: A fresh pair of eyes is invaluable. Have someone tell you what works and what sucks.

Publish, Even if it’s only 80% perfect: I’ve learned that progress is more important than perfection. Don’t stare at a chapter for hours trying to make it flawless. Get it to a point where you’re mostly happy, then hit publish.

7. Know when to break the Rules

Feel free to ignore all that advice when inspiration hits on your bus commute and just type random scenes in your phone. Maybe you can use them in this story. Maybe not. But you have written them, so you are free to use and recycle them in another story down the road. 

Embrace the Chaos: Inspiration doesn’t always strike when you expect it. If you have a great plot idea—throw it in! Write it down and tweak it later. Don’t overthink it. Life’s too short to hesitate.

Figure out what works for you: For me personally, my biggest game changer was writing that checklist of scenes that I need to write per chapter.

It is the thing that helps me the most and makes it easy for me to write very quickly, because I don’t need to think about what I write, just how.

[why-the-heck-not]

21.09.23, thursday

!! today bad !! woke up to a sleep paralysis and it just kept going downhill from there; tried to update my laptop’s software and it got stuck, so now that’s the 2nd laptop that has stopped working for me this week. Literally fuck this week, I’m so done ughhh. How is that even like possible

things done today:

fucked up my laptop

sat around, full of rage & defeat

stress-watched Succession (for the emotional support of seeing kendall sit around in defeat 24/7 bc that’s me right there)

[elleaitch22]

Chapter 12: Crash Into You

❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️

Week 22:

It’s a slow but early morning at Paige’s house. Azzi was on the couch with her legs resting on Paige’s lap. The outline of her bump was clear in Paige’s oversized t-shirt. And it was the perfect place to rest her MacBook.

“Can you ask Stewie and Marta which car seat and stroller they preferred?” Azzi questioned, scrolling through another blog about parenting essentials. “There are so many options, and no one agrees on anything.”

Paige’s hand came up to rub her legs, hoping to ease the frustration Azzi clearly felt. “Of course, Mama. They’ll be happy to help.”

“And I’ll ask Steph and Ayesha too.” Azzi said, finally closing her MacBook. “We need to get ready to go.” She pouted.

Paige moved out from under her legs, going to pull Azzi into an upright position. “If you come now, you can wear a pair of my sweats today.”

Azzi was up in no time, walking around Paige to the bedroom.

The blonde chuckled and followed after her to find a pair for her to wear. “You got any crazy orders this week?” She asked, tossing the clothes on the bed.

“No, not really. A couple of small kids’ parties. My hips have been hurting more, so I’m trying to take it easier.” She mumbled, bending over to see what she could match with mint green sweatpants.

Paige and Azzi knew exactly why her hips were hurting. Her pelvis had spread to accommodate how much the babies had been growing. Using a belly band helped some, but resting helped more than anything. And Paige would never tell Azzi, but she liked how her hips had begun to curve more with each week.

“Paige,” Azzi said, breaking her out of her trance. “I was saying my mom might be coming to the shop with me.”

Paige hummed. “That’s a good idea. Gives you guys some bonding time, and hopefully no arguments.” She said, walking to get her uniform.

Azzi pulled the pants up. “I think it’ll be okay. We’re just picking stuff for the registry. I don’t think she can really critique that.”

The firefighter stepped out of the closet in her regulation pants and a CPFD t-shirt. “Even if she does, remember that she’s doing it because she loves you, not because she wants to piss you off.” Paige said, stepping closer to peck her forehead.

“Yeah, yeah.” Azzi mumbled. She pulled the big t-shirt over her head while moving to pull a tan tank top out from the dresser when she gasped.

Paige was behind her in a flash. “What? What happened? What hurts?” She asked, blue eyes wide with worry.

Azzi’s face was calm, glowing even. “A couple of weeks ago, the day of the reveal, I started feeling these flutters.” She smiled.

It was quiet for a few seconds. Azzi could see the cogs turning in Paige’s mind.

“They’re kicking?” She breathed. “They’ve been kicking? You didn’t even tell me!” She exclaimed, offense clear in her tone.

Azzi giggled happily. "They kick more when you’re close and speaking to me. There was just a really hard kick. I didn’t wanna tell you until I thought you’d be able to feel it too.”

Paige’s breath caught in her throat as she knelt. “Are they moving now?” She whispered. She didn’t know why, but she was almost nervous. Like she hadn’t been talking to them every day since they could hear noises outside the womb.

“No, but if you keep talking, they will.” Azzi started softly. “They know you.”

“Hi babies. It’s Paigey.” She paused, closing her eyes. Then, she just talked to them. “Your Mama’s been holding out on me. Said you’ve been kicking her. Can you believe she didn’t even tell me? Anyway, I’m about to be on shift, so you won’t be able to hear from me til tomorrow morning. So you should really give me a kick before I go to work.”

She paused and leaned back a little, watching for a bulge.

“Sometimes, I push a little, see if they’ll push back.” Azzi said lowly.

Paige gently pressed close to her belly button, laying her hand flat over the area.

After a few seconds of nothing, she pressed again – harder this time. “Come on, come on, come on.” She mumbled into the spot.

Then, a little nudge. Right on her cheek.

She gasped, looking up at Azzi, eyes wide.

She pressed again. Another bump, stronger than before.

“Hi! Hi babies! It’s Paigey! Oh my God! I love you so much!” She rambled.

Tears welled in blue eyes as she continued to press love and kisses to the bump. She wished she could have frozen this moment in time. Just her, the woman she loved, and the twins – safe, loved, content.

❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️

Azzi walked around the maternity section, her oversized cardigan falling off one shoulder. The small pout on her face showed exactly how annoyed she was with having to purchase clothes to accommodate her growing bump.

She turned to the side in the mirror, one hand running over her belly, the other cradling an iced coffee. She had definitely grown out of all of her bottoms, and the only reason she could still fit into some of her tops was because half of them were cropped.

She was able to fit into Paige’s pants because she always bought clothes that were loose and baggy on her slight frame, but soon, she wouldn’t be able to fit into those either.

Azzi sighed. She definitely shouldn’t do any real shopping when she was feeling so frustrated.

She moved to sit in one of the seats in the front of the store. She scrolled through maternity inspo outfits on Pinterest while she waited for her mom.

And that is exactly how Katie walked in to find her, slouched down in her seat, staring at her phone, sipping her iced coffee.

“You know, you should be limiting caffeine. It can stunt their growth.” She commented.

Remember, it’s coming from a place of love.

Azzi replayed Paige’s words in her mind before responding with a tight smile. “Good morning to you, too. I’m doing well, how are you?” She deadpanned. “It’s decaf, mom. I have had caffeinated coffee in over a year.”

“Oh, good. Just wanted to make sure you knew.” Katie said, bending to hug her. “Do you want to start with car seats and strollers?”

Azzi grimaced. “Well, me and Paige haven’t decided which ones we’re going to do. If they’ll be a set, or if we’ll do a seat that’s always in the car and the bassinet strollers, or something completely different.”

“Hmmm,” Katie hummed. “I know you and Paige have been doing a lot of this together, but what are you going to do when you have the twins?”

Dark brows furrowed. “I’ve been doing everything with Paige. She’s the only person who has been there through it all.” She started. “And she wants to look at bigger places, so the twins have a yard, good schools, and all that other stuff.”

“And when she meets someone else? Someone she wants to spend her life with?” Her mom questioned.

Azzi didn’t want to get into the dynamics of her and Paige’s relationship. She didn’t want to tell her that neither would ever find someone they loved more. So, she just stayed quiet, moving towards the baby clothes. They had decided that bamboo and organic cotton were going to be the foundation of the twins’ wardrobes.

At Azzi’s silence, Katie continued. “I know that it might be coming off harsh, but I’m just looking out for you, Az. I don’t want you to end up in a bad situation because you put all of your eggs in one basket.”

“Mom, I don’t want to talk about Paige with you right now. I wanted to spend time with you and bond over baby things.” She sighed. “I only have thirty minutes before I have to leave for the bakery. Can we just talk like we used to and shop in peace?”

Katie grabbed her hand and squeezed. “Of course, Azzi. I’m sorry if I overstepped.”

The rest of the trip was productive and issue-free.

Katie cooed over onesies with foxes on the feet. She advised Azzi to include an organic diaper subscription to her registry, so the twins wouldn’t sit in chemicals all day.

When they got to the bottles, Azzi was expecting a lecture about breastfeeding. But when Azzi said she didn’t know if she’d be able to do it, her mom was understanding.

“Well, you own a business, and you’ll have two kids. As long as they’re fed and happy, you’re doing a good job.”

On their way out, Azzi spotted gliders. She tugged her mom to the area, more than happy to be a little late for her shift at the bakery.

“Mom, this one feels like a cloud.” She sighed, calm blanketing her.

Katie laughed softly. “That chair’s going to see hundreds of 3 am feeds, so it needs to feel like the best thing you’ve ever felt.”

She paused, looking at how happy her daughter looked. “Thank you for inviting me to come, Azzi. I know your father and I messed up, but it means a lot to me that you have been willing to try again, even when we mess up.”

Azzi looked up at the woman she’d admired for so long. “I know you guys just want the best for me – you always have. All the criticism comes from a place of love.” She stood, wrapping her mom in a tight hug. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too, Azzi Fudd.” Katie kissed her cheek. “Do you love me enough to tell me the genders?” She giggled.

“No!” Azzi said, pulling away. “You’ll find out in two weeks, just like everybody else.” She laughs loudly.

 “Okay fine.” Katie groaned dramatically. “And I know you’ve already forgiven us, but let us buy you this chair, give you some comfort when Paige is at the fire station.”

Tears welled in Azzi’s eyes. She yanked her mom back into her embrace. “Thank you, mommy. I love you guys so much.”

And maybe Paige was right. Everything that Tim and Katie Fudd did was because they loved their kids.

God. She was going to be just like them.

❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️

Paige was making another spreadsheet so it would be easier for Azzi to decide which stroller and car seat she was going to get for Bean and Bear.

“Engine 22, Squad 5, Ambulance 35 — respond for a motor vehicle accident with entrapment.” She scrambled away from the desk, running to the engine bay.

“Intersection of Ashland and Fulton.”

That’s over by the boutique Azzi was supposed to go to this morning.

“Two vehicles involved: a GMC Sierra and a Honda Civic. T-bone collision, Civic struck on the driver’s side.”

Paige paused, just for a second. A Honda Civic? No, it wasn’t Azzi. It couldn’t be.

She caught a glimpse of the clock in the bay.

10:28.

She sighed in relief. Azzi had to be at the bakery at 10; it wasn’t her.

“Male driver of the truck, approximately mid-forties, unconscious at the scene. Female driver of the Civic, approximately mid-twenties and visibly pregnant, trapped in the vehicle.”

Paige paused, hands hovering over her turnout pants. A Civic. Pregnant driver. Azzi’s car was a Civic. But it was 10:30. She was at Sugar and Bloom, so it couldn’t be her.

“No movement noted. Airbags deployed in both vehicles. Caller on scene. No visible fire, or fluids leaking onto the roadway. Time of call: 10:25 hours. Engine 22, Squad 5, Medic 35, respond priority one.”

She shoved her legs into the gear and tried to slow her breathing. It wasn’t her. It wasn’t her.

“You good, P?” Jalen asked, clocking how much her hands were shaking.

Paige shrugged. “Yeah. Azzi was over there shopping this morning. But she’s at work now.”

Jalen could hear the hesitation in her voice. She didn’t even believe what she was saying. “She’s fine, Paige. She’s probably already at the shop bossing Ice and KK around.” He joked.

Paige didn’t say anything, just slid into the truck and pulled the headset on. She wished she had her phone so she could check Azzi’s location – that was the only thing that would really calm her down.

“–kers. Bueckers.” Stewie’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. “You’re on extraction. You good for that?” Her voice was clear in Paige’s ears, but the blonde couldn’t answer.

Paige was the rescue tech in the squad engine. She’s supposed to be good to do the extraction. She knew she needed the experience running the team if she ever wanted to be promoted to lieutenant, but she couldn’t.

“Call’s from where Azzi was this morning. She’s freaked out.” Jalen’s voice flowed through the headset.

“Paige, breathe, calm down.” Stewie’s voice was just as composed as always, but it helped her exhale. “Good. I’ll run point for the extractions. Suggs, you’re the medic like always. Edwards, you’re on–”

Paige’s pulse pounded in her ears as they approached the accident.

The front of the truck was extremely damaged.

Jesus. How fast was this guy going?

The Civic. The same color as Azzi’s.

All the airbags were deployed, so she couldn’t see into the vehicle – see if it was Azzi.

The driver’s side of the car smashed so badly it made Paige’s stomach churn.

They pulled around to set a perimeter for the scene.

Paige prayed that she wouldn’t see a Chesapeake Bay plate – anything but a Chesapeake Bay plate.

She was out before the engine stopped.

“Azzi!” She whispered, running to the car. “AZZI!” She screamed.

She dodged Flau’jae trying to stop her.

God, she needed to get to her.

“AZ!” Her voice cracked this time. Tears welled in her eyes.

Steph and Phee stopped her this time.

“Get off of me! Let me go! AZZI! AZ, I’M RIGHT HERE!”

Phee shushes her. “We got her, Paige. I promise. We got her.”

“Azzi!” Her voice cracked, throat raw. “AZZI! Let me through! Please, that’s her car!”

“Come on, Paige.” Steph started. “Stewie’s on it. We’re not losing anyone today.”

Behind her, she heard Stewie commanding the scene.

“Edwards, get me the jaws. Suggs, be ready to check her once we get the door off.”

“She’s pregnant! She’s twenty-two weeks! Let me go!”

Phee was next. “SGA, disconnect the battery and make sure there’s no fuel leak.”

Paige didn’t know how much time had passed. She just stood there, frozen in place as they got the door off the car.

“Door’s off!” Stewie called. “Suggs!”

Paige moved in, stopping short of the car.

Cam and Rickea moved past her, wheeling a gurney to the opening.

The scene was quiet until –

“We’ve got a pulse! Breath sounds are shallow and fast.”

Paige exhaled in relief.

She was alive.

Time moved too fast and too slow all at once. Then she was on the stretcher.

“Az,” She whispered, walking next to the gurney. “Azzi, I’m right here.”

The brunette groaned, eyes fluttering. “Paige?”

“Yeah, hey baby.” Paige breathed, tears falling at the sound of her voice.

Azzi whimpered, full of pain.

“I’m so sorry, Azzi. We’re gonna get you some help.” She took a deep breath, trying to calm down.

Then she was back out.

“She probably has a concussion, Paige. Nothing to worry about.” Rickea said before Paige could jump to conclusions.

The two paramedics loaded Paige into the back of the ambulance, and neither woman protested when Paige moved to get in behind them.

Paige sat quietly while Rickea moved quickly. And she was finally able to look at Azzi. Her left arm was clearly broken, splinted all the way up to her armpit. Thankfully, nothing else looked displaced.

Then her eyes landed on her belly.

Her chin quivered, thinking about the babies and what this car accident could have meant.

She pushed up the tan shirt stretched over Azzi’s stomach. Bruising bloomed along her left side like a deadly flower.

Her belly looked just as round as it had before they left home.

Paige’s hand hovered over Azzi’s belly. She couldn’t breathe.

She shook as she moved to touch her belly. She moved forward, resting her forehead on the skin gently.

“Hey, Bear and Bean. It’s Paigey. I know y’all have had a crazy morning. But everything’s okay. Mama’s gonna be fine. Just – I – Can you let me know you’re there? Can you give me a kick?” She pressed her words and kisses into the tanned skin.

Nothing.

Azzi’s bump was completely still.

She pressed four fingers into the same spot from this morning. “Please. Just a little kick for me. For Paigey.”

She waited.

And the smallest kick.

Paige gasped. Tears streamed down her cheeks. “Hi. Oh, my God, hi. Thank you.”

For the rest of the ride to the hospital, Paige pressed different spots around Azzi’s belly, avoiding the side she got hit on, but cheering up with every movement pressed into her hand.

❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️

When they got to the hospital, everything blurred.

One second, she was holding Azzi’s hand. The next, she was standing in the trauma room with her hand still outstretched.

The world was quiet around her.

And finally, Paige broke.

Her knees buckled. She fell to the floor. And she sobbed. Huge, overwhelming, gut-wrenching sobs.

Cam and Rickea knelt next to her, trying to console her, calm her down.

“I’ll call her parents.” Cam said, stepping outside.

But still, Paige sobbed.

She cried and cried and cried until the door opened again.

A short woman with light blue scrubs stepped into the room. “I have a few questions about the patient’s health history. Do we have an emergency contact I can reach out to?” She asked Rickea.

The blonde’s head popped up. “Me! I’m Azzi’s emergency contact.” She wiped at her face frantically. “Her name is Azzi Jazlyn Fudd. She was born November 11, 1997. She’s twenty-two weeks and three days pregnant with twins. They were kicking on the way over here. She’s O positive. She had her appendix removed when she was seven, but no other surgeries.”

Paige gasped as she ran through all of her basic information. “Her OB is Olivia Nelson-Ododa. Is she okay? Are we gonna lose the twins?” She whimpered.

She didn’t know what she’d do – what Azzi would do – if the twins weren’t okay.

The older woman looked at Paige, eyes full of pity. “I’m sorry, hon. There’s no update yet. They took her to CT, so we should know more soon.”

Cam popped back into the trauma room. “Kea, we gotta go clean up the rig. P, everyone’s on the way.” She stuck her hand out in front of her fellow blonde and pulled her up. “We’ll be back, Paige. Stay strong.”

“She looked good when we were checking her out, P. Azzi is going to be just fine.” Rickea clapped her on her back.

Paige trailed them as they walked out.

The ER nurse from earlier guided Paige out to the waiting room. “When the doctors know anything, they will come out and tell you.”

Paige stared at the door, wishing for someone to come out and say something.

Her leg bounced restlessly.

She replayed everything she’d said to the babies today. Replayed the push of their limbs against her fingers.

She replayed the small smiles she and Azzi had traded throughout their early morning. The way she kissed her on the cheek before leaving for her shift.

That could not have been the last time she saw her – it wouldn’t be.

She wished she had her phone so she could listen to the recording of her last appointment. The joy in their voices as they counted all twenty toes. The thud of each baby’s heartbeat. She wanted to play it on repeat until she knew they would be okay.

Tim and Katie rushed in, eyes wide and frantic. With no other update on Azzi, they turned to sit in the waiting room.

Katie’s eyes locked on the blonde firefighter, still in her turnout gear, anxiously staring at the ER doors. “Paige.” She said lowly, walking up to the woman.

For the first time in thirty minutes, Paige’s focus shifted. She looked up at the mother of the woman she loved. She just leaned forward, moving until her head touched the woman’s abdomen. The same way Azzi did when she was tired and overwhelmed.

Neither woman said anything. Katie cradled Paige’s head in place, her other hand carding through her hair gently.

When Bob arrived, he didn’t even bother checking in at the desk. Instead, he made a beeline for his daughter. He saw Paige staring into space; she hated talking about her feelings. She preferred to keep them tucked away for safekeeping.

But he wasn’t going to let her get into her head.

“Paige, what happened, sweetheart?” He asked, easing into the seat next to her.

Her eyes were still unfocused when she answered. “Got t-boned on the way to the bakery. Direct hit to the driver’s side.” She mumbled.

Bob moved a little closer, trying to bring her back. “How bad?”

“Left arm is broken. Hopefully, no surgery. Probably bruised ribs and a concussion too.” She listed.

Cold hands cupped her face, making her blink and jerk her head away.

“Good, you’re back.” He started. “Now, can you tell me anything good?”

“She called my name before we got in the ambulance.” She sniffed. “And the babies were kicking on the way here.”

Bob nodded. “That’s good, kiddo. Mean’s they’re fighting – all three of them.”

“Where’s Katie?” She asked after a beat.

“She’s flying back. Had a conference in LA, so she doesn’t know yet.” He replied.

The doors swung open. A doctor walked out. “I’m looking for the family of Frank Richmond?”

Paige deflated, a little annoyed with the false hope.

“Hey,” Tim spoke for the first time. “No update means they’re still working – that they’re still alive.”

She nodded and repeated that.

No news means they’re alive. They’re all alive.

Thirty minutes later, the crew showed up.

They weren’t in their turnout gear anymore, but everyone still wore College Park Fire shirts.

Flau brought Paige her phone with a quiet, “We pulling for your girl.”

Jalen brought her a coffee that she wouldn’t drink.

Stewie came up, and Paige braced herself for a reprimand. “I don’t know how you kept it together for so long. You did everything right, Bueckers. She’ll be fine.”

Ant pulled out his cheesiest flirts with Rickea to lighten the mood.

And even though she was frustrated with everything going on, Paige was grateful that she had so much support.

Paige had been in the waiting room for almost two hours when the right doctor came out.

“I am looking for the family of Azzi Fudd?”

Paige was in front of the doctor in a flash.

“Hi, I’m Dr. Davidson. Let’s sit.” He gestured for her to sit back in the area from before.

Everyone was silent as they waited for him to speak.

“Before we get into everything, I want you to know that Ms. Fudd is going to make a full recovery, and there was no fetal demise.”

Paige exhaled heavily. They really were alright.

“However, she did suffer some serious injuries. She has a mild to moderate concussion, and I suspect she may have some whiplash.”

God, concussions were no joke. She was going to be off for a couple of weeks. Paige made a note to take off for the next month or so.

“There is also extensive bruising along her left side, and she has seven bruised ribs as well. Breathing will be painful for the next few weeks.”

Breathing would be painful? She wished she could take all her pain away.

“Ms. Fudd also has three fractures in her left arm – one in her humerus and two in her forearm. She is in a soft cast for now, but once the swelling goes down, she will get a hard one.”

Paige needed to look into different orthopedic clinics and see which one would have a light pink casting material for Azzi.

“She has a fairly large contusion on her left hip as well as contusions on her left leg from being stuck in the vehicle.” Dr. Davidson paused.

“This last one sounds concerning, and it can be dangerous, but all is well. Ms. Fudd does have some uterine irritability, so she will need a continuous monitor for the next few days. But the fetuses have strong, steady heartbeats, and she is not contracting.”

Paige was speechless, just absorbing all of the information. Basically, Azzi would be in a shit ton of pain for the foreseeable future because some asshole never learned how to drive.

“When can she go home? When can I see her?” Paige questioned, anxiety ramping up again.

Dr. Davidson smiled. “If everything checks out, you all will be heading home in about three days. And I will send a nurse out once she’s all settled in.”

Paige nodded, sitting back in her seat as the doctor walked away.

Everything was going to be fine.

❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️

Paige was standing outside of Azzi’s room ten minutes later. She was almost scared to go in.

Then she remembered, Azzi was alone when she got hit, and she was definitely more scared than Paige was.

She forced all the air out of her lungs and opened the door slowly.

And there she was.

Her legs were covered in hospital blankets. Her left arm was covered in a thick splint and popped up on two pillows.

And her face. Completely beautiful under the fluorescentlights. There were a couple of thin cuts from the glass that would disappear in a few days.

But it didn’t matter.

Azzi was still perfect.

“Paigey?” She slurred.

And tears sprang to Paige’s eyes. She didn’t know when she’d hear that voice again.

“I’m here, Mama. I’m right here.”  She moved to sit at the edge of the bed. She was scared to touch her, not wanting to make anything worse.

Big brown eyes blinked sleepily. “You came to hold me? Wanna go to sleep.”

“Don’t wanna hurt you, Mama. But I’ll be right here with you. All night. I promise.” Paige offered.

Azzi pouted, and her lip quivered in sorrow. “But you always hold me to sleep.”

Blue eyes widened. “Hey, hey. Don’t cry, baby. I’ll hold you.” She said, climbing in, getting situated on her right side. “There you go, baby. I’m right here. You can sleep now.”

The brunette hummed, content and cuddled. “Was scared.” She mumbled.

“Me too, Mama.” Paige pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “I was so scared too.”

“Bean and Bear okay?” Her words were slurring even more as her eyes drooped.

Paige rubbed her belly gently. “Yeah, Az. Bean and Bear are both okay.”

With that, Azzi’s body relaxed into the mattress, and Paige could finally exhale.

❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️

Paige texted Katie and Tim and asked them to come sit with Azzi while she talked to her parents.

Bob and Katie were waiting outside Azzi’s room, giving her space, but also staying close enough for the support she was going to need.

Paige forced her slight frame in between the two of them with a sigh.

“You want me to bring you some clothes a little later?” Katie asked. “And pajamas too, I guess.”

The blonde didn’t say anything, just stared at the tile.

“I think this is the first time I’ve really breathed since we got to the scene.” She muttered.

Katie looked at Bob. “Hey babe, why don’t you go to Chipotle and get us some lunch?”

He took the hint and walked down the hall.

“It’s just me and you, kid. You can tell me.” Katie whispered.

Paige shuddered. “I’ve run into burning buildings. I’ve repelled twenty stories to save people. I’ve cut people out of wrecks. But today, I was useless.” She paused. “I just stood there. Screaming her name. Trying to fight off the people who were trying to help her.”

“Paige, you just needed to see her. There’s nothing wrong with that.” Katie started. “Someone you love was in danger. You were just trying to get to her.”

The woman cupped the firefighter’s chin, turning her to look at her.

“I was so scared, Katie.” She whispered. “I swear I’ve never been so scared in my life. I thought it was all over.”

Paige exhaled shakily.

“I thought I was gonna have to be alone. I thought they were all gone, and that scared the shit out of me.” She swallowed. “I don’t want to do my life without her. I can’t do anything without her – without them.”

Katie nodded. “That’s so scary, Paige. I’m sorry. I know how much you love her.”

“I love her so much. So, fucking much, Katie.”

Paige paused, sighing.

“I’m in love with her. Maybe it was when she helped me with my ACL recovery. Or maybe it was when she helped me pass physics. Or when she stood up for me at that sleepover. Or maybe the first time she smiled at me from her window.” She recalled the first time they met and smiled softly.

“I don’t know, Katie. I think I’ve always been at least a little bit in love with her.”

Just on the other side of the hospital room door, Azzi heard every word.

Despite the ache in her body, the throbbing in her skull, and the weight of everything that had gone wrong that day, Paige’s voice cut through it all.

I’m in love with her.

The realization settled in her chest like sunlight after a storm. Slow, bright, and all-consuming.

And even through the pain and the haze, one truth settled deep in her bones – Paige is in love with me, and I’ve been in love with her for just as long.

❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️

A/N: I hope you loved it! Please leave comments and requests in my inbox! xx Elle

[prettyboykatsuki]

Ariiiii help 🥺 I feel like you’re knowledgeable about computers, at least a lil’ bit? And you’re a bit of a gamer? (More than me at least lol)

I have this old-as-time-itself-MacBook Air that runs only on nothing but hopes and dreams, I’ve had it since 2018 when I got it (new) in high school and then I bought it for like. Barely $100 when I graduated. Anywho. I haven’t been able to update the software since like 2022 because the update itself takes too much space lol so I desperately need a new one. It can barely handle Spotify, EA and The Sims 4

My pipe dream is to have a (preferably) laptop (but if it’s impossible, a desktop will do) that can handle Spotify, TS4, Bg3, Sdv, Rdr2, Minecraft and like. Some type of music writing program. That DOESN’T cost like a million bucks because I am but a young adult on a budget with enough student loans to scare off my will to live. Which maybe isn’t a lot but it seems like too much for my life 😭

Do you have any tips? All my friends are console gamers and know like fuck all about computers and I feel like if I go to a store and ask they’re gonna try to make me buy something more expensive than I really need. My budget is like $600 but I’d be willing to go over a little bit if there’s a significant difference between a few options. And I’d prefer anything but Apple lol

I’m reallllllly not a tech whiz so this is going out on a whim. You don’t have to answer this but if you do I’ll be really grateful ❤️ Hope you’ll have a wonderful day/evening/night, wherever you are 🥰🕺

i'll keep it a buck with you now and say finding a laptop with the specs you are hoping for (i.e. the bare minimum specs for bg3 / rdr2) is probably going to cost you minimum 700 dollars. also trust i would never in my life recommend an apple laptop to anyone haopsdkjsdk

ts4 and all the other games listed + programs listed are doable but bg3 is an enormous game with extremely high detail graphics and absolute bitch to run. you have a better chance with normal desktop pc imo if you're really adamant on that game specifically. assuming you want the bare minimum specs

i have this post here about gaming specs that you may find helpful but that is for more modern games. if you want a laptop with good specs within in your budget u have to watch out for sales

i think this laptop is probably your best option for now. it's on sale so if you can get it Right Now - it will meet all your requirements and be within budget

pros - meets all of your needs, within price range, good storage and good graphics

cons - low ram which can effect game performance but is absolutely functional for daily use and less intensive games. will be able to run those modern games as well but you may experience lag / performance issues.

i think another good one is this laptop by asus. you want to prioritize half-decent ram for shelf-life, you may have to give up on graphics. it will handle basic gaming perfectly fine (sdv, ts4, minecraft) but you'll have issues w more recent titles. but it doesn't fall like... crazy out of budget at around 650. best buy often has sales so if you wait i think you can get it for less.

pros - more ram, runs smoother, decent graphics, plenty of storage

cons - less involved graphics which will make it hard to play newer titles.

i think your best option that is more expensive is this msi laptop. it meets all of your requirements and has the recommended specs for pretty much any more recent titles. the main different between this and the first laptop i recommend is that the ram is a lot higher which will absolutely impact performance. 8gb is standard for daily use and light gaming but 16gb is much higher and is a significant increase. you'll have a much higher quality of life if that makes sense

pros - more ram, good storage, good graphics, runs smoothly

cons - most costly of the three.

i can make a separate post around desktop but assuming you are hoping to use this in your daily life - a laptop is more practical.

for me personally, i prioritize ram because that is the most impactful to your computers performance and for me what is most important. it impacts your ability to do more than one thing at a time which is crucial to me both as a writer and a programmer

for any laptop you will buy there are 3 basic things to lookout for: processor, ram, storage.

for processors i avoid intel because they've had a huge issue with basically imploding in the last few years. i recommend amd5 at minimum. everything above that is also good (amd7 or amd9). if you're set on intel, i7 or i9 processors are best.

for ram - i really, really recommend at least 12gb. 8gb is the absolute minimum for a half-functional device. absolutely no less than 8 otherwise your computer will be so slow and hard to use. but i prioritize ram bc my computer running slow is literally smth that makes me feel like a super villain lmao. my current laptop has 32gbs bc its so serious to me

for storage - as high as possible. if you're prioritizing daily use over gaming, you can get away with less storage but if you want to play games locally - 512 is best for quality of life

graphics can get very tricky. the main difference between a gaming laptop and a daily use laptop are the graphics. modern games require a lot more indepth graphics.

if you're set on playing games - go with the first or third option. if you're more concerned about longevity and performance, the second or third is best.

overall, i do think the msi is well worth your money and will be a good investment. that being said, all of the other options i listed will also meet your needs. figure out what you prioritize and decide from there.

if you have any other questions, let me know!

[posttexasstressdisorder]

Today was kiddo's 8th-grade "Promotion Ceremony", marking their going on to High School this fall. Hard to believe...I still remember the day her dad called me to tell me she was on the way. The ceremony was very nicely done, they each got their name called (150 or so kids), and got to walk across the stage, and get their "Certificate of Promotion".

The kids were all dressed up, she was in a sweet little spring dress and had matching shoes; they had the big doin's at the College of Alameda Gym, so it was plenty loud and raucus when everybody cheered for the kids. My lower back's a little worse for the wear from having to sit on bleachers, but it was worth it.

I caught pretty much the whole thing on video, as that seems to be my duty in these matters...I've recorded every one of her middle-school band and orchestra concerts, since her dad died in early 2021, before she started jr. high.

And since she's going off for the summer to be with her cousin and uncle (her dad's brother) until August. Her mom's going to have the piano guy come out and fix the pedal and touch-up the tunning again while kiddo's gone. She's going to be in/out for the summer herself, so I'll be taking care of The Bunny Named Gerbil, which I love doin'...she knows I always give her a treat when I walk in the door.

So since I will be having a little bit of extra cash coming, and because it has been such a stressful 6-7 months around staying housed and now adjusting to new roomie, I gave myself permission to give myself a treat for having survived. Now, y'all know I'm broke as fuck, and there is never "extra" cash above bills. But since there will be "bunny money" coming, I decided I could.

What was it? Something I've wanted for a long, long time: a very nice example of the final 11-inch MacBook Air, with 8GB RAM soldered in, from early 2015. It's got Thunderbolt and USB3, and uses a 128GB SSD blade that I can replace with a faster 1TB blade for pretty cheap.

And with a slightly newer (by three years) design, it will run on Catalina (the final OS X), as well as Big Sur (OS 11) and Monterey (OS 12), and since it will be strictly a writing and tumblr machine, I can leave my two mid-2012 machines at my preferred OS versions for both. The tower needs El Capitan for the piano software plugin I use with my keyboard. The MacBook Pro is sitting at High Sierra, which still works with the software I use for the keyboard and for graphics.

So with this little machine to take over the lightweight stuff, I'll be much more apt to update the OS to either Catalina or I may go all the way up to OS 12...I'll see how it handles Catalina first.

It's responsive, quick, and is light-years different from the last Air I had (2010 "Core 2 Duo" with only 2GB RAM!), oh, what a pokey little thing that was...this one feels up to the challenge, with 8GB. Firefox launches fast and is just as quick as I'm used to, so I'm happy.

And the cool part was it was only $129, $141 with tax. From a certified Mac refurbisher, and it's immaculate...everything works, it has backlit keys (YAY!) and so far has been rock solid.

So yippee for a new toy.

I earned it.

[minmin-vs-physics]

Hey! I’m gonna be a physics major next year, and I was wondering if the Mac and iPad combo have worked well for you, or if there’s something else you recommend tech wise?

short answer: yes.

but, im gonna use this has an opportunity to yap about my current study set up. this goes without saying, but what worked for me may not work for you, and my set up evolved over the years as i found what was best for me.

i use an iPad for lecture notes and homework. i think its the most organized you can get them to be without straight up LaTeXing the shit out of them (and i know people who do exactly that, more power to them)

i just write faster than i type, and an ipad allows me to copy paste equations and add photos and stuff which is helpful for diagrams. i use goodnotes 5, and i will sing its praises till the end of time.

i think it pays to develop a clear style for your homework and lecture notes, bc your work will be easier to navigate. here's an example of my lecture notes and my homework.

[hehe general relativity moment]

HOWEVER, you will mostly be having paper exams as a physics student so i recommend you don't get too reliant on your iPad. i tend to do all my studying in notebooks, or loose sheets that i can refer to. practice problems are always on paper.

[stat mech studying i did last week]

i started using legal pads for this from the end of junior year bc they're so convenient! im also incentivized by the stock our dept keeps in the mail room.

i have to do a lot of calculations for research and i prefer to do them on paper or a blackboard if it's something im reasoning out. idk it's so much easier to be stupid on paper than on goodnotes. ofc my research log is kept digitally, but i keep a binder with all my old calculations (both correct, and incorrect) along with my main reference papers.

[i was flipping through this just now and realised how much bs is in it.]

LaTeX is a good skill to have which i didn't realise until too late. if you have to write any paper that's remotely scientific, LaTeX is the way to go. none of that google docs bs.

i use both vscode and Overleaf for editing. i mainly just LaTeX my finalized research calculations into one big doc. it's much easier to show my advisor. also it looks cool.

i got a monitor when my laptop screen broke sophomore spring (something inside me broke as well that semester it was so fun). and if you have the option, i would totally recommend getting one. it's useful having a second/bigger screen.

i use mine for a bunch of things: coding, reading textbooks, genshin impact, Netflix, grading.

on the topic of textbooks, i use digital bc im cheap. but i do buy secondhand physical copies that i rarely reference, but keep around bc it doesn't hurt to start your hypothetical professor office bookshelf early. i only buy the ones i actually respect, like Peskin's Intro to QFT. but the digital copies are usually much handier. i keep an extensive digital collection of books and papers i might never need.

don't be like me keep your digital library more organized!

and yeah circling back to electronics! i use a Macbook Pro rn which has served me well. i guess things are different if you need to run solidworks or other specialized software, but you can always use the lab computers, so that was never a problem. i have an apple ecosystem bc im a slut for capitalism.. i mean i was already halfway there and now im just really used to it, so i like all my devices being friends with each other. my tip is always get more RAM than you thought you needed, and double the storage. but maybe that's bc im mean to my laptop and love hoarding files.

i also keep all my previous notes and printouts so may be i have an academic hoarding problem in general.

in the end, a mix of old school and new age technology bs works best for me!

thank you for your question! i hope this helps :)

[vixonspixels]

Hi, I love your profile and sims! I’m ‘kind of’ new to the sims world! I’ve been playing since 2018, but not religiously. I just wanted to ask about your mods folder (sorry if it states somewhere on your profile these kind of questions aren’t allowed, i’m new to tumblr too and still understanding how it works). Feel free to ignore this question if it’s not allowed. I understand that by having lots of folders within the mods folder it can make the game lag. I just wanted to ask how your mods folder looks? As I want to keep mine tidy and be able to find certain cc easily. I’m also in the process of buying a pc as I am currently using a macbook and have so much cc it’s starting to not work… If you have any tips or suggestions with having a pc (if you have one yourself) and how your set up looks, I would really appreciate it. Thank you!! 🤍

Hello darling and thankyou so much! 🤍 Welcome to tumblr 💁‍♀️🤍

I think lag in your game mostly depends on what kind of computer/laptop you're using. I have just over 50gb at the moment and my game still runs as smooth as it does vanilla ( no mods at all ). I know some people who have 100gb+ and they don't have lag issues either. Again I think it boils down to the computer itself, and what it can handle

I personally chose to go for a custom built computer so that I could choose my own parts as I really wanted a computer that could handle a lot of mods and also I wanted my game to run nice and smoothly, my partner is a bit of a nerd when it comes to computers so he knew exactly what kind of specs I needed

When it comes to my mods folder I am super organised, that way when patch day comes I know exactly where everything is to be able to take it out of my mods folder until its updated etc. I'll pop in some photos of what my folder looks like so you can see below. Trust me it didn't always look like this 😂

If you're struggling with lag then a short term fix would be to have a good clear out of your mods folder and delete everything that you don't reach for often, you can even go as far as deleting swatches of clothes and build buy items that you don't like. I cleared around 5gb last week just by removing swatches from some build buy items that were high in mb's. For example, I had a bed frame that was 320mb in size so I deleted all of the swatches except for the one that I liked the most lol

What my mods folder looks like

The only suggestion I will give regarding picking a computer out is to take your time and do your research! I really rushed my build and didn't want to wait for the white case that I liked so I ended up with the black one I have now that doesn't match my set up at all haha

When getting your computer the main things to look out for is making sure you've got enough storage and a good graphics card, obviously everything is important but these two for me where the main ones I focused on. If you do go custom built for example, you can always upgrade your parts very easily, where as if its pre built I'm not too sure if the cases are universal to fit different brands of parts in if that makes sense?

I am in no way a pro, I had alot of help from my partner when it came to building my computer. If you need help when the time comes feel free to give me a message and I can run things by my partner to help you choose what parts or pre built etc

I'll leave a few photos below of what my setup looks like, I just got the aurora collection for christmas and I also have the razer quartz collection too ( I prefer the aurora lol ). I can easily recommend you some good equipment also if you're not into the aurora or razer products. If you're looking for set up inspo then I would highly recommend browsing through Pinterest, that's where I got the majority of ideas for the aesthetic of mine. Pink and white are my favourite colours, hence the colour palette haha

If you need any help at all with specs or anything else at all feel free to pop me a message or reply to this post 🤍

[alcego]

Words Written: 2,082 words Projects:

Commission - Slow going. Moved it back into GDocs so I can write at work. I think the format is what's throwing me the most - it's not a style I usually work in and I am in a touch over my head. It's fully planned and otherwise moving along well.

REDO-REPEAT - Wrote this AFTG fic on a whim, chasing motivation-inspiration to get the gears oiled up. It's not everything the idea could be, but I'm happy with what it is given why I wrote it. Not everything needs to be perfect lol. You can read it here, but do mind the tags.

Original Work - Haven't spent much time on my original work, although I do have an idea percolating in the back of my head that I should probably rough out soon. I have a couple other shorts that need to be re-drafted, but I think I need more space from them before I get going again.

Notes:

Wasn't feeling great this week for a variety of reasons. I'm trying to catch back up on life after my second ever kidney infection (caught it early enough this time that my suffering was significantly easier to deal with), not to mention worrying and checking in on Winnie daily now that she's due to foal any day now. (Most likely she has a week or two left. However, sometimes they progress very quickly, so it's prudent to be watchful.) There are other things going on beyond that, of course, but suffice it to say I've been overwhelmed and that is not conducive to writing for me.

Have been consistently frustrated that I don't have a good "writing nook", which has been doubly frustrating because I have several places from which to work, but none of them have been facilitating Getting Things Done. This is a problem for writing but it's equally troubling on my WFH days. Lately I've been most productive in bed. I do not like this, as my bed is supposed to be for sleeping only. Have been looking into purchasing a used chair/ottoman for writing purposes, but there are a lot of logistics to consider there.

In a similar note to the above, I'm irritated by the size of my MacBook. It's a 13", which I ordered during the pandemic and decided it was "good enough" upon realizing it was smaller than expected. I no longer think this, as the keyboard is cramped and the screen doesn't have as much space as I'd like. I've considered going back to my old 17" Dell, which I wrote on prior to purchasing this laptop, but that laptop has fallen victim to planned obsolescence and is unable to receive the updates it needs to function at the level I require. I've looked into larger MacBooks (for budgeting purposes, mostly, although I wonder if I could trade-in my old laptops and have enough store credit for a used one?) but so far as I can tell the keyboard does NOT scale, which is irritating, as I'd prefer one with slightly larger keys so I stop stumbling over how close everything is. The other option is go back to Windows, but this is problematic as I very much prefer the iCloud files syncing to access my WIPs from my phone. Basically: no good solutions. I'll have to keep looking, which is fine, because I don't have the budget to get anything yet.

Not sure how to tie this in, as I suspect it's related to most, if not all, of my whining, but I've been noticing yet again that I have more "luck" writing analog than I do when I'm working on my phone or laptop. That makes it harder to track what I've written, but it's functional, and has gotten me through several sticking points.

Not sure what I'm going to work on after this commission is complete. I think, tentatively, that I might finish a JereJean PWP that has been on the backburner for a while, then finish roughing out my ex-mixtape fic (I got sick and ran out of time, so dropped the event) before polishing it for posting. After that, I want to revisit Vestigial, which has been shelved for a while. I'm hoping that if I get back in the groove of finishing stories, I'll be in a better headspace to get back to my original work, but we'll see. Nothing's set in stone just yet, and my writing stamina isn't high enough yet that I can just bust through any of these without long term repercussions. Slow and steady is key for a bit.

[onlyjaeyun]

Awwww, thank you so much. I like to think that my college education was put to some use, my degree isn't doing much since I'm not working in my field, but fanfic writing skills be popping off. My editing skills are still nonexistent, like proofread, whose that, who does that, I don't.

Allow me to give you some more possible ideas, since the ideas are ideaing today.

Naeyon getting into a catfight with Shiah. Maybe after Jay puts her in her place, she running her mouth and starts some shit which causes Naeyon to act. I feel like Naeyon is definitely a hairpuller and would probably scratch her up real good with her fake nails.

Shiah knows Jay prefers all employees to leave their company macbooks at the office unless they are leaving for a business trip, she notices y/n taking hers home, not knowing Jay allowed her to, she then decides to steal it one night when y/n leaves it not needing it. The next day she tries to get y/n in trouble with Jay for having 'lost' the macbook, possible not knowing they have gps trackers on them just for this exact reason, incase they get stolen or anything. Jay is all oh we'll just track it, and she absolutely freaks out like track it what do you mean track it, and Jay's just like yeah remember your hire paperwork it says all company macbooks and phones that we provide come with a gps tracker just incase you misplace it, and now she's gotta explain how it ended up at her house.

Shiah trying to mess up y/n by forwarding her the wrong dates for a international meeting, so Jay and her show up a week early, y/n shares the email she has with Jay, and he's just like it's okay, it's been a while since I've visited here, and turning it into a mini vacation, meanwhile Shiah is just like he's fired people for less.

Shiah getting into Jay's office, possibly he's in a meeting and y/n is out that day so no one is there to see her do it, and somehow getting through his password and going into the employee management system and firing y/n in the system. Possibly y/n is off that day, a doctors appointment or something, and Aeri working in hr sees it pop saying she needs to collect some paperwork from Jay regarding it and schedule and exit interview for y/n. She immediately texts y/n freaking out and then goes to Jay to get the paperwork signed, and he's just as confused why it says he fired her, and Shiah's little plan fails since she doesn't realize it has to go through like 4 other people, one of which being Jay, who would notice it and assume it was a system error.

Shiah purposely spilling her coffee on y/n, soaking her white blouse and ruining it, not realizing Jay was watching her. She tries to say y/n ran into her or something, but Jay just gives her his suit jacket and is like here is the company card you can run to the shop across the street and replace your shirt since it wasn't your fault, and Shiah's just like he doesn't give the company card to anyone usually. Possibly it wasn't the company card either, it was his personal card, and he feels that slight tinge of joy knowing he's taking care of her and she's wearing something he technically bought, also get a massive love boner from her wearing his jacket.

A pipe breaks in the office, destroying y/n's desk and all since it was right over her desk, it's only going to take a day to fix, so Jay lets her work from his desk, since he's going to be meetings doing performance reviews all day, and she can't be in those, and so all she has to do is respond to emails saying he's in a meeting and unavailable and schedule other days, and Shiah is just seething with hatred seeing y/n sitting in Jay's chair in Jay's office, since that's her man and that should be her.

Jay has to leave for a sudden meeting, y/n unable to go with him, and so Heeseung invites her to come work in the marketing department for the day, since he knows how Shiah treats y/n, and doesn't want her to have to be around her all day especially with Jay gone. Shiah thinks y/n finally quit or got fired, so she celebrates seeing the empty desk, just to get crushed with reality as the next day y/n is back since Jay is back, and realizes y/n didn't quit or get fired.

read these this morning and you bet your ass i'm going to make use of at least one of these 🫣 the way your brain works will never leave me stunned and speechless like especially the one with y/n sitting in jay's chair and the one with the company card is so erotic romance novem coded and i love it so much URGH this makes me want to just post several times a day just to get to these plots 😭 thank you so much baby

[puretopia]

Hi, I love your profile and sims! I’m ‘kind of’ new to the sims world! I’ve been playing since 2018, but not religiously. I just wanted to ask about your mods folder (sorry if it states somewhere on your profile these kind of questions aren’t allowed, i’m new to tumblr too and still understanding how it works). Feel free to ignore this question if it’s not allowed. I understand that by having lots of folders within the mods folder it can make the game lag. I just wanted to ask how your mods folder looks? As I want to keep mine tidy and be able to find certain cc easily. I’m also in the process of buying a pc as I am currently using a macbook and have so much cc it’s starting to not work… If you have any tips or suggestions with having a pc (if you have one yourself) and how your set up looks, I would really appreciate it. Thank you!! 🤍

hii, firstly welcome to simblr/tumblr! 🫶

I’m an on/off player too, and completely get wanted to get things organised and tidy. It’s interesting to see how other people organise there mods for sure and it definitely helps if you find yourself running into buggy or broken pieces of cc for sure.

You’re right in saying having a lot of mods can contribute to game lag, but I would also say it depends on your system and how powerful it is. Right now I’m pretty sure my mods folder is around 40gb and needs a desperate clean up, but tbh it’s running okay! I wasn't in a position to own a desktop pc anymore so I got a laptop (asus ROG Strix gaming laptop) and I absolutely LOVE it. If I had the space for a desktop I would probably advise that over a laptop, but it really depends on personal preference and tbh I'm enjoying gaming from the sofa. My set up is literally on the sofa with my laptop on a lap tray and that's it!

my mods folder. It's an absolute mess and I am ashamed of it lol - in my packages I have some core folders of how I tried to organise things like Packages, Overhauls (textures and lighting mods etc) Gameplay Mods, and then any other mod that just needs to be placed into the mods folder upon installation like MCCC, Tmex TOOL, etc. In 'packages' I have things categorised into all sorts; CAS items, Clothes, Hair, Build/Buy - they also have folders within those that are more specific e.g skins, makeup, female hair, male clothes etc.

I hope this helped somewhat, my dm's are always open so feel free to message me there if you want! 🩵🩵

[writinglittlebeasts]

Happy STS! What are your go-to/preferred writing tools? Favorite pen types, notebooks, keyboards, etc, but it doesn't have to be limited to just those things. Writing programs, favorite reference books, thesauruses, dictionaries, TTS software, whiteboards, corkboards, flash cards, encyclopedias, anything goes!

oh happy sts !

this is gonna be like super boring, because i don't really have any favorites, i just sort of have Things I Use, and pretty sparingly. ive got one of those branded marble notebooks (the current one is green) and i've been drawing and taking notes in these notebooks for a few years, sticking to one until i literally run out of space + using multiple ink colors to keep different notes and images identifiable over/under each-other. not a lot of writing-writing happens in them, but when i actually want to try outlining or when i'm trying to work out a snag in one of my stories i'll start trying to unstick myself there. right next to my little drawings of claire redfield or whatever. i would show you a little bit of my notes but my handwriting is quite literally illegible

i do actually have favorite pens, though! i really like these pilot v5 rolling ball pens that come in a bunch of colors (i do prefer the black ink by far, but it's nice to have options when i'm feeling whimsical) because they line very thinly and evenly + they lend themselves to the way that i like to draw. they do nothing for my handwriting, and i write in them primarily because i don't keep my office supplies and my art supplies separate, but they're just so [chefs kiss]. they're also very permanent, so i also keep a stash of post-its in the front of my notebook so that i can pile them on endlessly as needed. images attached because it's kind of crazy

i don't have multiple keyboards, but my school required i buy a macbook and the thing still works. sort of. so my hands are really, really used to these flatter laptop keys, and trying to use any other sort of keyboard is strange as hell. i write primarily on my cell phone in our beloved google docs, because that program is both free and cross-platform , so it's convenient if i'm going to be writing on both my phone *and* my laptop. i back things up on microsoft word because docs can get a little screwy and does delete untouched documents over time.

[soulojapantrip2025]

5/16/2025: Hakodate to Tokyo to Seattle

I wasn't able to check in online that morning, so I was a bit flustered, and I guess frustrated that I had brought my failing and hefty 2015 MacBook Pro, which needs to be plugged in order for the screen to not blackout. Fortunately, my Hakodate Airport experience was one of the smoothest airport experiences of my life because it is tiny and everyone there is pure kindness. I had 1.5 hours to spare, lol. I def could have left later. Should have listened to Chang (the hotel staff member who told me to book a later taxi, but I was too paranoid to listen to her). I would like to start trusting people more.

At the airport, I reflected on how my emotional landscape has been a rollercoaster, but maybe I prefer it over complete calm and control (most of life pre-2019). What I prefer more is not hitting the extremes daily...working on observing that rollercoaster. I also thought about how it might be time to stop consulting ChatGPT for emotional support. Yes, it'd been helpful throughout the trip, but I was ready to build my confidence in myself and my ability to think and act on my own again.

Lines from my journal: I'd like to think that by the time I fill out this journal, I will be more clear on who I am and what I want. It takes time, girl. // I trust myself to do my best to solve what problems lie ahead, to find the silver lining in whatever happens, to identify the life lessons, and to enjoy the journey. // I may be in my head a lot, but this is my season for that. It's what I need at this moment in time. And that's A-okay! // I'm accepting I'm messy and human!

The last of the oranges from Arita.

My matcha latte and delicious rice crackers (from yesterday's giant grocery store) at the Tokyo Haneda Airport.

Before I knew it, I was leaving Tokyo. On my flight back, for the first time, I struck up a conversation with the person sitting next to me. Her name was Helen Dominique Something. She works at Amazon and is originally from Montreal—a fellow Canadian! She just became a US citizen, 17 years later. She told me she's a city person (likes NYC) and lives in Ballard. She's also a cancer survivor. I really enjoyed getting to know her and her story, and am so grateful for her openness. My takeaways from our conversation were:

Very few things in life are irreversible: You can always pivot, revisit, restart and conversation, try to see if things are still "there," etc., so free yourself from thinking a decision will make it or break it.

Try asking more often, "What if it all goes right?": She found that asking herself this helped her accept what she could not control and to see the good in every situation.

Plane food. That brownie was spectacular!

Before saying bye, Helen and I gook this selfie together. I don't know what I pressed to get this irreversible portrait mode (speaking of the reversibleness of things, lol), but it is what it is.

Before I knew it, I was in this Lyft, on my way back to Mom and Dad's to pick up my car. After picking up sweet H and finding a body shop to help me fix my car (I had backed my car into a tree before leaving for Japan, and shoutout to Burien Auto Rebuild!), I was home and girlboy, did it feel great.

[jexetic]

technology ramble

I’ve been getting a lot more picky about my tech lately. I’ve switched out some apps for other apps, ditched some tech altogether, and just generally been more thoughtful about what technology I use or allow to take up my time.

First off, I’ve been very much wanting everything to be local-first. Anything that is completely cloud-based is gonna be much more likely to be a no from me lately. I switched note apps to Obsidian, for example. I tried out getting a pocket notebook because that’s been a trend and I am open to more low-tech solutions to things lately, but ultimately it’s still a lot easier and quicker to pull out my phone to jot something down, especially if I’m also carrying something and need to take a note. But why Obsidian? Because the files just live in a folder. It’s not some weird proprietary situation where my notes exist only in Obsidian. My notes exist in files that I can open without Obsidian and move or copy however I’d like. I very much prefer that. Apple Notes is technically local, but it doesn’t offer any way of actually exporting all your notes. That is very much whack. Obsidian doesn’t even require you to export. They just live right there on your hard drive. They’re always exported. Never stuck in some proprietary format. That’s a huge plus in my book.

I’m not syncing my obsidian vault. I mainly use it on my phone to jot down any quick notes I need to throughout the day. I do also have the app on my gaming pc and my Macbook in case I need to type anything on those devices, but having my notes in the cloud isn’t really something that’s necessary for me I’ve found. Which is kind of a plus, because if I do need to jot down something sensitive like an account number or something, it’s not gonna immediately upload to some server that I have to trust. Another plus in my book. My former notes app, UpNote, isn’t bad. But I just honestly really love the way that Obsidian creates a folder and stores actual text files in that folder. That’s the killer feature for me.

I’ve also ditched Google Photos. I just have my pictures on my Macbook primarily now. I sync my Mac photo library to my iPhone using Finder (not iCloud). I’m also going to upload a copy of everything to Google Drive every now and then probably, just as a backup in case something were to happen to my laptop.

Why switch from Google Photos to Google Drive for the backup? Because I don’t want to have to use Takeout to download the backup if I need it. I don’t want Google to organize them or modify the files in any way. I just want them to sit in the cloud in case I some day need a backup of my pictures. Google Photos does seem to modify the files. If I request all my pictures through Takeout and try to import them back into Apple Photos, they won’t be in the proper order. That’s a no go for me. Eventually I might look into if there’s a cheaper solution for cloud storage that I’m only going to be using as a backup and not for syncing and ditch Google altogether.

I’ve ditched most social media, including TikTok (it’s not banned, right?). I obviously have kept tumblr but I don’t have it on my phone (I used Obsidian on my phone to write this and then copied it over to my laptop to post). Reddit was probably the last survivor other than tumblr, but I’m glad I ditched it. I would read tons of comments and get pissed off often. I’m way better off reading on my Kindle than I am opening Reddit. It’s 10:15 and I have only an hour and a half of screen time today. 30 minutes of that was ordering groceries from Target. 20 minutes checking the news in safari - which is a habit I’d like to stop. I only open the news on my phone because I want to mindlessly scroll. I still want to stay informed, but I want to do it at my PC and be more intentional about what I read rather than just opening Google News on my phone and scrolling. 15 minutes in the weather app and a few minutes each in Discord, Messages, and Spotify. Basically, I’m doing a lot less time wasting on my phone. Honestly I think I could see that number going down even more.

A lot of that time is going into reading since I bought a Kindle recently. Which I think is a much better use of my time, since before I’d likely just waste time on Reddit or before that TikTok and not come out of it with anything that was even that interesting. It’s definitely a good trade. I’m also watching more actual media, like TV shows and even some movies. Even a tv show is a better use of my free time than TikTok. Maybe not a ton better, but if I spend an hour watching tv I’m probably gonna feel like I enjoyed it more at the end than if I spent that hour watching TikTok.

Subscriptions are definitely on the chopping block. The only ones that have survived are Spotify and Fastmail. Those are both pretty valuable to me, but I could see myself possibly getting rid of Fastmail in the future. I use it because I have my own domain I use for my email address. I kind of like having that, because it means I am extremely unlikely to ever lose access to it. But I’m not 100% thrilled about paying for email. So eventually what I might end up doing is just setting up forwarding through my domain registrar so I can continue to use my custom domain email when I’m registering accounts online, but cancel Fastmail since I don’t need to send from my custom email very often and could proooooobably settle for a Gmail address when I do need to send email. But for now I am not ready to let my custom email go.

I also could get rid of Spotify in the future and just put MP3s or FLACs on either my phone or even possibly a dedicated device, but for now I am happy with the organization I get from Spotify. I’m not always in the mood to listen to my entire library shuffled, and Spotify makes it easy to listen to specific vibes.

Alrighty I think I’m done rambling. I have started writing this post several times and failed because I wasn’t sure how to organize it. But I’ve been wanting to write a bunch of this out for my blog because I have changed a lot of my tech habits recently and I think it’s been for the better.

[update, 2 hours later]

Actually I'm not totally done rambling. I also got rid of my self-hosted blog, mainly because I decided I didn't want to pay for it because like I said I am not really vibing with subscriptions. I've settled on using tumblr as my main blogging platform, mainly because I already have posts here and it's free. I'm keeping all my future posts locally on my PC in an Obsidian vault, too. At least the ones like this one. Not really that concerned with saving the TV screenshots I share. I also have been journaling in an actual paper notebook. I'm trying to write at least something in that every day. So in a way that has been a sort of replacement for my blog. Tumblr is definitely not perfect as a blogging platform but it gets a lot of points for being free. It's also nice that it has a community built-in. I also do like being able to reblog stuff so my blog isn't just my posts but kind of just a collection of stuff I like. It's got pros and cons. Not being in complete control of it is not ideal, but that's why for anything long or important that I post I'll keep a copy of it on my PC.

Anyway. Now maybe I'm actually done rambling about tech. For now.

If you're still reading I'll leave you with a book recommendation: Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams :)

[blissfulwife]

Officially in my eBook Reader Era!

I’ve been reading eBooks using an iPad Mini, a hand-me-down from my mother-in-law. None of them were using it anymore, but it still worked. My husband said she had been using it for about 13 years! I read a few books on it last year, but eventually, it became so laggy I couldn’t stand it anymore.

My very thoughtful husband felt bad and decided to get me a new device I could use. He checked the prices of the iPad Mini, but they were way over his budget (especially considering he just got me a new MacBook). And honestly, I wouldn’t have allowed him to buy a new iPad Mini anyway.

So, he started browsing and researching other options - looking at Samsung tablets, Kindles, and Kobo readers. We explored each one, and in the end, I was the one who made the final decision. I set a strict budget of ₱10,000, and we agreed not to go over it.

We first looked at the Kindle, but Carlo was hesitant - mainly because he prefers to avoid Amazon. Also, I found out that newly bought Kindles come with ads, and you have to contact customer service and pay $20 to remove them. I wasn’t a fan of the black-and-white screen either, and the way the pages switch just seemed like it would hurt my eyes.

Next was the Kobo reader. It’s really beautiful, and I saw they now have a colored version - but it was way over my budget. Also (and I feel this is important to mention), with dedicated eBook readers, you typically have to buy each book individually, which can get expensive. With a tablet, I can buy eBooks from various places (like Shopee), and… well, there are also sites where I can download them (I won’t expand on that - wink wink). I don’t want to keep spending a lot on books, especially in this economy!

Finally, we came across the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9, for just a little over ₱5,000!

I showed it to my husband. At first, he wanted to buy the upgraded version, but I assured him this one was just fine. After doing some research, we found that a lot of people were using it for reading. I could already imagine myself highlighting passages with color-coded notes, copying favorite lines into my journal, and reading at night in bed — all cozied up!

Also, just a tiny bit about myself: I’m the kind of person who doesn’t just buy books right away. I usually read samples or do some research first. If I really love a book, then I’ll buy a physical copy - like a trophy!

With all these options available, here are the key factors I considered before choosing my preferred eBook reader:

Aesthetics – How it looks matters to me! I already imagined buying a case, putting stickers on it, and I wanted something that feels nice to hold since I’ll be using it a lot.

Ease of Use – Navigation is important.  I am not a tech savvy person so I needed a device that’s simple and very straightforward to use, especially when switching between books, highlighting text, or adjusting settings.

Durability – I wanted something that will last me for years, (just like the iPad mini that lasted 13 yrs!)  How long can I use it before it starts lagging or breaks down? 

Price – This was a big one. I had a set budget, so I had to find something that offered good value without going over ₱10,000.

So, here’s what I decided on: Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 - my eBook reader, my best friend, my emotional support!

I love it already, I’m halfway through a book! I asked my friend Aileen for romance recommendations, and she suggested Not Like the Movies. So far, so good!

Thanks to my amazing husband for this!

[theenterprisemac]

Device Choice

I recently encountered an interesting post where someone claimed to have turned down a job because they weren't given a device choice. The post was a bit of a tl;dr sort thing, but the idea can be summarized as:

"The author declined a job offer because the company didn’t provide MacBooks, but their decision was about more than just a tech preference. They argue that Apple devices enhance productivity, reduce long-term costs, and signal a company’s commitment to employee empowerment. Studies show Macs save money over time, improve efficiency, and attract top talent. The lack of device choice reflects a rigid company culture that may resist modern, employee-first approaches. Ultimately, the decision was about working in an environment that values flexibility and optimizes performance."

Summarized with ChatGPT

The first thing that comes to mind is: clearly the person wasn't desperate for a job, or wasn't hurting for money–its a bit of an entitled thing to do and a somewhat grating and entitled boast.

That being said is device choice important? Sure, it is ideal to provide users with the platform they are most comfortable with. However, I do think the flip side of this is we are increasingly in a world where we need to be able to adapt to the technology in front of us. I think to be successful in technology you need to be able to learn how to be productive in whatever environment you are in.

For example: I prefer the Mac. However, I can work just fine on Linux and Windows. Is my productivity higher on the Mac? Maybe in certain limited contexts. In the general context of reading emails, surfing the web, reading documentation, administrating machines via the CLI–not really.

I think that the "device choice" banner has really been taken up by Mac fans to champion the cause of the Mac user in the workforce. However, I think the level of importance they apply is undeserved. This is made painfully clear when you read things such as:

"For me, device choice is a small but powerful indicator of a company’s mindset—whether they truly empower employees or just equip them."

Or

"Company culture is something I think about almost every day. While some dismissed my decision as a "minor inconvenience," I see it differently. It’s not just about Mac vs. PC—it’s about 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆, 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆’𝘀 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲."

When you take device choice to this level I tend to think that these folks need to look in the mirror. While you trumpet productivity and how a company should adapt to you–you end up being the rigid and unadaptable person incapable of using a different platform–for no better reason than an unwillingness to adapt. I feel that I am in some position to say this having moved from the Apple management space to the High Performance Compute space.

"🚫 Lack of flexibility in how employees work 🚫 Resistance to modern, employee-first approaches 🚫 A culture of “this is how we’ve always done it”

I think the above makes my point. Flexability goes both ways and the unadaptable employee is not long for employment especially when their rigidity is not moral, ethical or idealogical–it is one step above choice of chair color or desk shape. Adaptability is the quality to cultivate–so sure have your device choice, but don't be like this person.

[gathikablog]

Why Do People Prefer MacBooks Over PCs?

People frequently prefer MacBooks. Their reasons include smooth design and superior performance. The MacBook's build feels sturdy. The MacBook's build also feels sleek. Many users enjoy its clean look. Its clean look makes it feel premium. A friend made a change from using PCs. Now, they use a MacBook. She found the lighter weight easy to carry around. The thin body was also easy for her to carry. This design appeals to students. It also appeals to professionals. Many MacBook owners enjoy the look and feel of their MacBooks. They often express their strong preference, saying they'll never go back to using a PC.

Reason two: The MacBook's software is stable. MacOS runs smoothly. MacOS rarely crashes. These factors give users a reliable experience. My cousin uses a MacBook for work. He edits photos with it. She says it rarely freezes. Even with heavy editing apps open, it seldom freezes. This is different from her old PC. Her old PC often slowed down under pressure. MacBooks are secure. Fewer viruses or malware issues affect them. Many users feel safer. This is particularly true for those who deal with sensitive files. The software gives a sense of confidence to users. especially for those who work online.

Apple's ecosystem is appealing. If you already own other Apple devices, a MacBook can seamlessly integrate. iPhones and iPads sync effectively with MacBooks. iPhones and iPads can be synced with MacBooks. You can take calls across Apple devices. You can send texts across Apple devices. You can access photos across Apple devices seamlessly. A friend who owns an iPhone is fond of the connection. The connection is something they appreciate. She can start work on her iPhone. Later, she can pick it up on her MacBook. This level of connection saves time. It feels convenient. MacBooks offer a connected experience with easy syncing and sharing. Many users appreciate this feature, adding to their preference over PCs.

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