#And don’t even start with ‘well your first mistake was buying an iPhone’

[netscapenavigator-official]

I’m tempted to stop buying Lightning cables and just buy USB-C cables and a bunch of little USB-C to Lightning adapters.

[affiliatemarketinguides]

Affiliate Marketing On Pinterest: The Definitive Guide

Intro

Pinterest is an excellent platform for affiliate marketers, and it can help you generate traffic to your website. Follow the steps in this article to learn how to start a successful affiliate marketing business on Pinterest.

What Is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a way to make money by referring customers to other companies, who then pay you when they make a sale.

You can find affiliate programs in almost every industry, including travel and tourism, retail stores (such as Amazon), clothing brands, and more.

Let’s say that you want to promote the latest iPhone from Apple Inc., but don’t have the budget for advertising or marketing materials yourself.

You could sign up for an affiliate program with Apple–and then earn a commission when someone buys the phone through your link or banner ad!

Who Should Consider Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money online. But, it’s not for everyone. Here are some of the people who should consider affiliate marketing:

Anyone with a passion for a subject and an audience to share it with

Anyone who has a website

Anyone who wants to make money online

Anyone who is looking to build their brand and establish themselves as an authority in their industry or niche market

How to Get Started in Affiliate Marketing on Pinterest

When you begin to explore the world of affiliate marketing, it’s important to understand what it is and who should consider it.

Affiliate marketing is when an individual or company earns a commission by promoting third-party products and services.

If you have a blog or website, then this can be a great way to earn some extra income from your existing content.

In order for a seller (the person who owns the product) to pay out commissions, they must first agree with you on how much they will pay per sale (called a CPA).

Once this has been established between both parties involved in an affiliate program relationship, all that remains is for someone like yourself who wants their products/services promoted through Pinterest accounts like yours!

First things first: create an account on Pinterest if you haven’t already done so! Once logged into your new account, go ahead, and take advantage by linking up any site-related pages such as the “About” section where possible so people know exactly where everything comes from before clicking away into unknown territory.”

Create a Pinterest Account and Link to an Established Website

The first step to becoming an affiliate marketer on Pinterest is to create a Pinterest account. To do this, you’ll need to sign in with your email address and password, then choose a username (not necessarily your name) and password that is memorable but not too obvious.

You’ll want people who visit your page to be able to easily find out who owns it, so don’t use anything too generic like “Pinterest” or “pin.”

The next step is linking your website with the newly created account by adding its URL at the bottom of each pin description.

This can be done by copying and pasting the code provided by Pinterest into each pin description box before hitting “save draft.”

Once this has been done for all pins on your board(s), they should appear live on both Facebook pages associated with them as well as inside search results when users type in keywords related specifically to those topics!

The last thing I recommend doing before moving forward would be checking out some other successful marketers’ boards; there’s no better way than learning from others’ mistakes than from making them yourself firsthand!”

Start Pinning and Creating Great Content for Your Users

You can pin affiliate links to your own boards, or you can pin them on other people’s boards. You don’t have to be the owner of a board or even have permission from the owner to pin an affiliate link there–but if you do, it will help both Pinterest and yourself if you let them know that you’re planning on sharing their content with your followers!

If you’re trying out this strategy for the first time with someone else’s content, make sure it’s something that would be relevant to your audience and not just filler content (like cat photos).

Keep in mind that Pinterest has rules about what you can and cannot pin, so be sure to check out this page before posting affiliate links.

2. Pin your own affiliate links on boards that are relevant to your audience.

This is a great way to get the most bang for your buck. If you’re promoting affiliate links on Pinterest, it’s important to make sure that you’re only promoting products that are relevant to your audience.

For example, if you sell makeup brushes and want to promote an affiliate link for a popular brand of lipstick or eyeshadow–make sure that the brand is one that would be relevant for people who follow your boards!

3. Pin some content from other sources (like blogs).

Promote Products on Pinterest With Links

Pinterest is a social media site that allows users to share images, videos, and other content with their followers. It’s also one of the most popular social media sites for affiliate marketers because it has such a large audience.

Unlike Facebook and Instagram, Pinterest doesn’t have an algorithm that filters out your posts based on what they think you want to see in your feed; instead, it relies on algorithms based on engagement (likes), repins, and comments as well as how many people follow you.

In order to make sure your pins get seen by as many people as possible–and thus increase the chances they’ll be viewed -you need to optimize each pin so that it appeals specifically to its target audience (which may include multiple audiences).

Use Mentioning Other Pinners In Your Pins To Help Build Your Following and Authority

Mentioning other Pinners in your pins is a great way to build your following and authority.

It shows that you’re an expert in your niche, and it builds relationships with other pinners.

Learn how to start a successful affiliate marketing business on Pinterest.

Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money while you’re working on your own terms. You don’t need to have a website or product of your own, and you can start making money right away by promoting other people’s products.

Pinterest is an especially great place for affiliate marketers because it has so much traffic and users who are interested in buying things online. If you know how to use Pinterest as an affiliate marketer, then there are plenty of opportunities for you!

To get started with affiliate marketing on Pinterest:

Create an account at https://www.pinterest.com/signup/. Once this is done, log into the account and link it to an established website where you want people to go when they click on one of your pins (this could be another blog or even just a Facebook page).

Start pinning content that generates interest among potential customers by adding text descriptions about each image along with links back up onto these pages where they can learn more about whatever topic it was that caught their eye originally before clicking over here now!

Conclusion

Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money online, but it’s not something that you can do overnight. You need to build up your following and authority on Pinterest before trying to promote any products or services on there.

If you’re looking for an easy way to get started in affiliate marketing without having to spend too much time or money, then this guide will help!

if you want to get unlimited free traffic to your affiliate links for free click here

[douchebagbrainwaves]

MICROSOFT IS IT WORTH BEING POPULAR

A new concept of variables. But it was a surprise to me and presumably would be to anyone else who felt uneasy about apparently forgetting so much they'd read. So what does this mean? Maybe I can't plead Occam's razor; maybe I'm simply eccentric. You only take one shower in the morning. These are some of the hardest questions founders face. Smoking rapidly became a statistically normal thing. The defining quality of startups is that they get paid up front. 6% of your company if what you trade it for improves your average outcome by more than 43%. In the meantime I tried my best to imitate them. If i is the average outcome for you to break even? If you walk around a museum trying this experiment, you'll find you get some truly startling results.

The eight men who left Shockley Semiconductor to found Fairchild Semiconductor, the original Silicon Valley startup, weren't even trying to start a startup. It has turned out to be a great thing that Apple tablets have accelerometers in them. They're already stuck with a seller's market, because of the help they offer or their willingness to commit, have different values for startups, and in particular, Internet startups, it was very unusual for educated people to start their own businesses. Mistake number two. Food has been transformed by a combination of wishful thinking and short-term greed, the labels and studios could buy laws making the definition of property that doesn't work. You can compile or run code while compiling, and read or compile code at runtime. The closest is the colloquial sense of addictive. If they were driven by equity they'd be looking for ways to take advantage of you. Newspapers and magazines are just as screwed, but they are at least declining gracefully.

In Lisp, functions are first class objects. That's what bit me. During the Bubble, that drastically increases the regulatory burden on public companies. That's an important distinction, because it's an outlier. The new industrial companies adapted the customs of existing large organizations like the Roman army or the British East India Company were any less afflicted by protocol and politics than organizations of the same size today. Google. In a series A, a fixed-size equity round with a lead makes sense, because there is usually just one big investor, who is unequivocally the lead. Small meant small-time. As knowledge spread about the dangers of smoking, customs changed. No one knew till change reached a sufficient speed. 7% and we have 11. The iPhone and the iPad have effectively drilled a hole that will allow ephemeralization to flow into a lot of the people there are rich, or expect to be when their options vest.

So subtract a third from 16. Like science, wealth seems to expand fractally. But as one VC told me after a startup he funded would only take about half a million, I don't know what we're going to do. That will tend to produce an equilibrium. How do you avoid copying the wrong things. But till recently this was an anomalous route that tended to be followed only by outsiders. In fact, it's just a more extreme version of the norm in the VC business: too much money chasing too few deals. They don't even try to get market price for their investment; they limit their holdings to leave the founders enough stock to feel the company is sold or goes public. 7, though there doesn't seem to work very well. Eventually we may be able not just to play back experiences but also to index and even edit them. They were imitating the great painters of the Renaissance, whose paintings by that time were brown with dirt.

Not just because of its prestige, but because the principles underlying the most dynamic part of the economy tend to be ones that work. Different terms for different investors is clearly the way of the future will be a fluid network of smaller, independent units. As far as I know there's no word for something we like too much. 5 years, during which they spent $50 million. But when they did they might have revenues of $50 million a year. When Lisp was first invented, all these ideas were far removed from ordinary programming practice, which was dictated largely by the hardware available in the late twentieth century something changed. It would improve the average startup's prospects by more than 6. I know said flatly: I would not want to be canaries in the coal mine of each new addiction—the people whose sad example becomes a lesson to future generations—we'll have to figure out for yourself what's good.

[haokilop]

Iphone 12 folio case

#IPHONE 12 FOLIO CASE FULL#

#IPHONE 12 FOLIO CASE PRO#

#IPHONE 12 FOLIO CASE SERIES#

The camera hole likely wouldn’t match, but many iPhone wallet cases don’t even have camera holes. And even if they aren’t, a few iPhone models have the exact dimensions down to the millimeter, meaning your new phone could still fit an older model case perfectly. Many of the stylish iPhone wallet cases featured below are available for the new iPhone 13 models and previous generations of Apple smartphones. Whether you’re used to bifold wallets, card cases or money clips, the iPhone wallet cases of today have meshed the two vessels together so logically that you may never look back to the days of carrying both. If you’re into vibrant patterns, leather, the latest tech or anything else, there’s a wallet case for you. The best iPhone wallet cases seamlessly integrate with your style. Like the best AirPods cases, our favorite iPhone wallet cases protect our devices and look good doing it. Enter the best iPhone wallet cases, the stylish and convenient way to tote around the bare necessities with a single accessory. And since a new iPhone can cost over $1,000, it’s important not to lose track of it. Which have you misplaced more, your wallet or your smartphone? Even if you just thought, “Nah, it’s gotta be my keychain,” keeping track of fewer items is always easier. Make sure to check out Jason Cipriani's MagSafe accessory article for more than just cases.If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SPY.com may receive an affiliate commission.

#IPHONE 12 FOLIO CASE FULL#

I've spent time with a number of cases from at least eight makers.įor the last few weeks, I had my first ever opportunity to try out Apple-branded cases with full support for MagSafe, and I have to say I'll definitely consider Apple cases in the future, as they are extremely well made and have all the minor details optimized for users.

#IPHONE 12 FOLIO CASE SERIES#

Since Apple focuses on an annual release schedule for its flagship phones, this timeframe allows case manufacturers to provide a wide assortment of options for buyers, and it's rare to see an iPhone that is not wrapped in a case.Ĭases for the Apple iPhone 12 series range widely in price, style, color, and functionality - with cases for protection from the elements, basic skins for scratch protection, MagSafe-compatible cases, custom case options, and much more.

#IPHONE 12 FOLIO CASE PRO#

While I started with an Apple iPhone 12, it was extended use with the larger iPhone 12 Pro Max that convinced me it was clearly the best phone for me and arguably the best phone currently available. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping.

[saqrqa3d]

Raising Muslim Children in Non-Muslim Lands

Muslim parents, be vigilant about childrearing, especially if you find yourself raising children in the non-Muslim west.

Do not allow that non-Muslim mainstream culture to raise your children for you. Do not look away from your children, or let your gaze drift to other tasks like your job, your master's or PhD program, your social life, your house work, your friend circle, your community work, or whatever other distraction. Those other tasks are not bad in and of themselves-- but they are not as important as your real job: raising your Muslim children.

As a parent, your number-one priority is to provide Islamic tarbiya to your children. The results are outside your control ultimately, but your responsibility is still to try.

I have relative who is a 21 years old young woman, and a situation from a couple days ago has got me thinking about this issue. Let's call her Marwa.

Marwa was born and raised in the US. Her parents are religious Arab Muslims from Egypt. They were well-meaning parents who generally understood that tarbiya is important and that this American non-Muslim culture is in direct opposition to Islamic values. But they did not appreciate the depth of the clash of mainstream American values and Islamic ones, and so they failed to protect their children from certain things they should have. They were too lenient and permissive.

Marwa and her siblings went to American public schools as the parents worked low-paying jobs and went to school to try to make ends meet. Marwa was introduced to swear words like the f-word and other vulgar language at a young age in elementary school, and later was introduced to anorexia and cutting (self-harm) in middle school. Then in high school, at the age of 14, she was introduced to drugs in the form of marijuana and cigarettes.

Her best friends were two non-Muslim American girls from her kindergarten class. They grew up together.

They did everything together, Marwa, a Muslim girl, and Melissa and Katy, two non-Muslim girls. They hung out at school, went to each other's houses after school, and sometimes had sleepovers. All three had boyfriends, even Marwa.

Marwa's parents had made the mistake of giving her a smartphone when she was far too young, sometime in middle school. She was maybe 11 or 12 when she got her first iPhone. It opened up a whole world hitherto inaccessible to the young girl. This is how she met her non-Muslim boyfriend: chatting with non-Muslim strangers online with the smartphone her parents gave her.

All three girls smoked weed in high school. Vaping (using a vape, or "a pen," is like smoking an e-cigarette) is trending right now at American high schools across the country. Marwa vaped too, despite the fact that it hurt her lungs.

When her mother found out she was vaping, Marwa said, "She can deal with it."

Marwa is now 21 and currently going to a school in a different state from the one her parents live in. Her two besties, Melissa and Katy, miss her since she's no longer living near them, and so the three girls planned an elaborate weekend trip together.

The trip itself is relatively tame, compared to what it could have been. The girls planned to go camping at a campsite in the woods, for three days and two nights, at a place about an hour away from her school. But the noteworthy thing here is that Marwa planned this whole affair without once consulting her parents or asking their permission.

A couple days ago, Marwa mentioned the trip to me casually, saying, "Hey, so my friends and I are gonna go camping next weekend."

I asked her about some of the details, and she replied with short answers. Then I asked her, "What do your parents think? Did they say yes?"

She shrugged. "I haven't told them. I'll let them know eventually."

I said jokingly, "If you were my daughter, I'd have said no. I don't think this is a good idea, honestly. Make sure you ask your parents and don't just assume they'll say yes."

The first conversation ended there. I felt distrubed and troubled. How can a young unmarried woman create plans for a whole weekend, pay money, book cabins, buy tickets, make solid and concrete travel plans all without asking her parents' permission?

Later that day, I called her parents (who trust me to keep an eye on her as she lives away from them). Neither of them had a clue about what their daughter was doing and when they found out, they were disappointed but unsurprised. "We wanted her to focus on studying," they said mildly. "She's going to fall behind in her classes by getting distracted with her friends for the weekend."

Later still that same day, Marwa and I talked again. She said she told her parents and they were fine with her going camping with her friends, because she'd sent them the website of the campsite and assured them that it was perfectly safe.

But the problem isn't about going camping itself, I explained to her. The problem is in her methodology. How can a young unmarried woman move around and do stuff without allowing parental input? You ask for permission first, THEN after the parents say yes, you tell your friends to buy their plane tickets and you book the cabin and reserve your spots.

Not the other way around.

And if your parents say no, it's a no. This is respect for parents. Your parents mean something.

Marwa had a history of employing this slick methodology with her hapless parents. She flew cross-country once to meet up with her boyfriend in this exact way, secretly making all the plans without asking her parents.

This is not a one-time thing. It's a mode of operation, standard procedure for this young woman for years now.

I said, "If your parents had said no, would you still have gone? Why would you pay actual money before asking them?"

She looked me straight in the eye and said, "Honestly, I wasn't asking them, I was telling them. I want to do what I want to do. I'm an adult. I'm not a child who needs anyone's permission. I can do things I want to do as long as I'm being safe. Plus I know haram and halal, and I'm not doing anything haram. Camping isn't haram! So why would they say no? I know they are worried about my safety, I've got their whole speech memorized in my head. But that's why I do my own thing and then just tell them afterward, or at the last second. I don't give them a chance to say no. If I give them an opportunity to say no, of course they will say no! They wouldn't let me do anything! So I just decide what I want to do, then make my plans without asking them, then I tell them later, 'Look, I'm doing X or Y.' That's it."

This is the American, liberal, westernized mentality. I am my own person with no one to answer to. Nobody controls me. I'm an adult. I have freedom and agency. I want to live my life.

Why should I ask anyone for permission for anything, even my own parents?

They don't control me, either.

When you grow up steeped up to your eyebrows in the American public school system, which strips parents of their rights, of their authority over their own children, of their relevance-- you see your parents as irrelevant.

When your best friends are non-Muslims without parental guidance, raised by single moms and never having met their dads, you subconsciously start adopting that irreverent attitude toward parents.

When you grow up watching American TV shows and movies where parents are regularly duped and trolled and outsmarted by kids, and when you have had a smartphone since childhood, these technologies get in the way of your relationship with your parents.

So of course, it's inevitable that the result is this. Seeing your parents as just people you tell things to after the fact, not people you ask for permission.

And the parents just need to "deal with it." Take it or leave it. The child sets the rules for the tone of the parent-child relationship.

The prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم foretold that as we near the end times, the mother will give birth to her mistress.

صدق رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم.

[shivanitak]

6 Most common mistakes in affiliate marketing should avoid

The Best Place to Begin Is With Affiliate Marketing

It is necessary for everyone to begin somewhere. And, for inexperienced Internet marketers, affiliate products may be the greatest place to start. Rather than going through the time-consuming and costly process of developing your own product (of dubious quality) and then attempting to market it to the masses, you may use this method, Why not start by looking for a product that is well-made and comes from someone with a high level of trustworthiness? You could save a lot of time, money, irritation, and willpower in the process, and you could also make money—actually, really good money. Even when they earn a killing with their own items, many great Internet marketers continue sell affiliate products. Why? Because the money is still excellent and there is minimal effort necessary.

With that in mind, it’s also worth noting that affiliate marketing isn’t easy. It’s obviously less difficult than pulling together a Jeff Walker-style large product launch, but there are plenty of traps waiting to suffocate you and your cash. Do yourself a favour and pay attention to what I’m saying so you don’t fall into the traps. I will go over the top six in this section:

1. Selecting a Poor Product to Promote

There are certain products that are superior to others. Indeed, that is most likely the motivating force behind your decision to sell affiliate products: you have acknowledged that there are already a variety of high-quality products on the market, and that creating your own will likely fall short.

You’ll want to hunt for solid niches in addition to picking decent products within niches. Here’s a foolish tip that will help you understand what I’m saying: don’t sell garden hoses in the winter. No one is going to buy. Concentrate on things that a large number of people want; if their popularity has just increased, now is the greatest time to enter the market.

If you choose a product from a Clickbank list, do it with caution. Instead of picking the highest commission product at random, check for products with the highest popularity and gravity ratings. If a large number of individuals buy them on a regular basis, they must be superior to other similar products on the market.

2. Selecting a Low-Conversion Converter

Your goal as an affiliate marketer is to profit from the hard work of others, as well as the money they spent on copywriters, product developers, and software. You are likely to benefit less if you choose a product that underutilizes these benefits.

Take conversion rates, for example. Not every company that creates a product hires a leading copywriter. Many of them simply write their own text. Many companies often fail to engage someone to create graphs for their sales pages. Instead, they attempt to complete the task on their own. What’s the end result? The page is unattractive, the copy is riddled with errors, and the product converts poorly.

Read the sales page carefully and compare it to others before you begin marketing any particular product. Do you have a strong urge to purchase something? Were you confused by the visuals? Did the copy fail to entice you in? For both the vendor and you, these can be catastrophic mistakes. At this point, you can’t help the merchant, but you may avoid his service and locate one that is better. Make a good decision for yourself.

3. Choosing Low-Commission Products

If you’re marketing to a list of people, keep in mind that they can only examine so many product offerings in a certain amount of time, so choose cautiously which ones you promote. If you advertise something that only pays you 25% commission, you’re wasting a lot of time. In actuality, you’re more likely to find a product with a 50 percent or 75 percent commission.

Don’t get too uptight over the commission’s actual monetary value. While many well-known Internet marketers now claim to focus on high-ticket things (because only a few purchases earn a lot of money), you may still make a living selling fairly affordable reports. This is evidenced by the $7 report’s growing popularity.

So stay away from the cheapskates, but don’t be too concerned about the price.

4. Failure to Collect Leads

Always focus on  capturing leads.  Rather of generating traffic through PPC, SEO, and other tactics and then delivering that visitors to your affiliate link, you should try to convert them into list members first. Why? Simple mathematical reasoning and the accumulated experience of many marketers are the two reasons.

The simple logic goes like this: almost everyone who would have bought the product will sign up for your mailing list. Many people who would not have bought the product will sign up for your newsletter. Instead of converting 1-3 percent of visitors (in affiliate sales), you’ll convert 15 to 40%. (to your mailing list). You will then have the opportunity to contact both willing and reluctant purchasers. Furthermore, once they’ve been added to a list, this is no longer a one-time exercise. You’ll have the opportunity to market to them for months, even though years.

Your list is one of the most valuable assets you have as a marketer. Always prioritise your list over a one-time sale.

5. Ignoring the Value of Punctuality

In general, the rapid often overtake those with more resources in business. Google is no longer a small company with modest revenues, but it used to come out of nowhere to overwhelm immensely well-funded competitors, and it did it effectively.

What does this mean for you? You need to do more than just throw an affiliate link in an email and send it out to a couple thousand people to promote an affiliate product successfully. If you want people to buy something, your email should be informative rather than promotional.

If you can compose your email as if it were a news release, you’ll get a lot more attention than if you send a link to an Internet marketing ebook from 1998 that wasn’t really popular at the time.

You must locate product launches that meet the definition of a “event.” Find something so significant that people will pay attention to it and comment on it. If you can locate such a product (for example, the iPhone of Internet marketing items).  You’ll want to make sure that people on your mailing list buy from you rather than from another owner of a mailing list.

To put it more simply, pay attention to the time and the calendar. If there’s a huge launch coming up, you’ll want to take advantage of it as soon as possible. It’s possible that there won’t be another window of chance. So get it while you can.

6. Important Numbers Should Be Ignored

Many affiliate marketers overlook many of the tiny but critical calculations required to maintain a business and stay profitable. Many affiliate marketers, for example, will entirely disregard the share Clickbank takes from each sale. Instead, they’ll focus solely on the cost and commission.

Many people will also overlook conversion rates, pay-per-click bids, and the amount of time they devote to initiatives. They’ll also underestimate how much promotional activities will cost and how dangerous they’ll be. All of these tiny facts will be lost on them, and they’ll spend the majority of their time thinking about the fortune they’ll accumulate.

Unfortunately, affiliate marketing does not function in this manner. The outcome is unfavourable if you pay too much for traffic; if your conversion rates are too low; if you invest too much time in projects with lower returns. Your figures will not add up. You may end up in debt rather than profit at the end of the day, month, or year. And because you’re a single owner rather than the CEO of a corporation, you don’t get paid at all. Worse, you can lose some of the money you worked so hard to get.

Conclusions

So, how does it all come together? There are six main errors in affiliate marketing that you should be aware of as you read this. If you fall into one of these traps, your affiliate marketing will lead to debt rather than wealth.

So, how can you avoid these pitfalls, make better judgments, and build a successful affiliate marketing business? To begin, choose things that are truly useful. As I previously stated, no matter how much you try to promote a low demand product, it will fail to sell. You can’t create demand if there isn’t any. Don’t even attempt.

Next, seek for a product that is a winner inside the niches that are in high demand. Look for anything that converts nicely. You can do this by searching Clickbank for high-gravity, high-popularity products. You can also do this by examining salespages for those with exceptionally appealing content, generous perks, and affordable costs.

You’ll want to make sure that the declarations are fair and that the seller is trustworthy, in addition to choosing a product that converts effectively. With your list members, one poor product can knock you down a few notches. It’s rarely worth it to make a single sale and lose a customer who might otherwise buy from you again.

Remember to send traffic to an opt-in form instead of your affiliate link after you start generating traffic for your affiliate marketing campaigns. If you send someone directly to an affiliate link, you’re likely to never hear from them again, regardless of whether or not they make a purchase. The importance of gathering leads cannot be overstated.

Last but not least, maintain track of conversion rates, bid prices, commission rates, product broker fees, and all the other information that affiliate marketers prefer to overlook. Understanding, modifying, and knowing these data might mean the difference between profit and debt. You are free to disregard them, but doing so will not benefit your business.

With that out of the way, you’re ready to dive into affiliate marketing. There are many dangers, but you already know the top six. Avoid them, and you’ll be on your way to profit, following in the footsteps of previous super affiliates.

[everyhowlmarksthedead]

“SHOULD I TRY?”

GILLY LOPEZ X READER

SERIE INDEX. Chapter 4.

WORD COUNT: 1.7k

Thanks to my lovely beta reader @STARRYNITE7114 💘

AUTHOR COMMENTS: I hope you all enjoy. English isn’t my first language, I’m sorry if I have some mistakes with grammar. The gif isn’t mine.

Tag list: @STARRYNITE7114 @CHIBSYTELFORD @MARA-MPOU @DAZZLEDAMAZON @SAMMSKELLINGTON @ARVEDUA 💥 (if you wanna be tagged, send me a message!)

It's been a long time since you last seen your brother. Maybe six or seven months has pass. You call him every month to talk about how you are, and he knows about Gilly since you met him. He was good with the idea of finding someone who treats you as you deserve, even if he's part of a MC. So, when you called him to arrange the meeting between them and the Mayans, he was ready to approve your full transfer to Santo Padre, if the ‘new’ charter approves it too. You're waiting for them at the entrance of the city, supporting your back against the welcome sign. You're nervous. You know that Marcos will always loves you, and the Coyotes are happy for you, after what you have had to live with your ex. The roars of the motorcycle engines push you out of your thoughts. You can see the six men coming, with a small black van behind them. You know they're bringing you your motorbike. You'll need it probably. And you missed it since you left Tijuana. As soon as they stop, your brother runs towards you, holding your body between his strong arms. He's taller than you and that fact makes it difficult for you to kiss him on the cheek at times. “¿Te tratan bien?” (They treat you well?). He asks with his hands on your cheeks. “Sí”. (Yes). You nod lively. “¿Estáis bien con esto, de verdad?” (Are you truly ok with that?) “Nadie merece la felicidad más que tú, mija”. (Nobody deserves happiness more than you, mija). The oldest member of Los Coyotes, Alejandro, walks towards you to leave a kiss on your forehead. “Hemos preguntado a nuestros contactos, es un club leal. Estamos de acuerdo en transferirte, aunque siempre serás parte de nuestra familia”. (We asked to our contacts, it's a loyal club. We're ok with the transfer, although you'll always be part of our family). “Tú nos diriges”. (You direct us). Marcos says, before hearing the roar of your motorbike. Your old red Harley. You're fucking excited. The ride to Santo Padre, with your hands on the handlebar of your bike, is really awesome, even if you feel like you're going to the slaughterhouse. Gilly has not answered your calls since that night three days ago. Bishop told you to give him some time to think, but that he also knew everything would be fine. You take a deep breath before crossing the front door of the ‘Romeros Bros, Scrap and Salvage’. When you finally arrive to the clubhouse' yard, your heart skips a beat. The whole crew is there, including Stockton and Yuma. You heard about them, but you didn't expect they were coming too, even if it has no sense 'cause they're Mayans too. You stop your motorbike, as your charter does. Bishop walks next to you, with a soft and confident smile on his lips. “Awesome baby”. He says, referring to your bike, you nod smiling, before being hugged by him. “You ready?” “Is it Gilly?” You look for him, between the men away, till you find him. He's there. And you're not sure if it's something good or bad. “I'm Marcos, the president of Los Coyotes de Tijuana”. Your brother offers him a hand. Bishop narrows it. “Thank you for taking care of my sister, even if you didn't know who she was”. “She’s a good girl. With two big balls”. “You don't have to insure it”. Your brother laughs, the president of the Mayans laughs too. “Well, I hope this is the start for something big”. “Family and businesses, sounds good to me too”. You're surprised. There's no hostility between the mexicans, seeming to know each other for a lifetime. It's a good omen after three days of a painful pressure in your chest, that didn't let you sleep.

After all men are sitting at the table, and the prospect of your charter has served beers for all, the meeting starts. Your behind your brother, standing up with your hands on his shoulders. “Club decision”. Bishop says loud. “Do we approve the transfer of (Y/N) to Santo Padre, even if she will not be an active member at first?” “If she's, in da' future, the statutes will have to be changed”. Oscar, the Stockton president, adds. The Mayans and Los Coyotes raise up their right hand. Gilly is doubting. You beg to him in silence. He sighs raising his hand too. “Done”. Bishop hits the table with the gavel, with the right he earned being ‘El rey de los Mayas’. “We will take care of her as one of us. You don't have to worry about”. “I know”. Marcus is sure about that, nodding in agreement. “You can count with Tijuana and Mexico DF for whatever you need. We control that part of the border and the MCs around”. “SAMCRO knows what we’re doing, they're good too. And they, as us, will help you with whatever you need to do in Cali'”. Canche, Yuma’s president, talks supporting his arms on the edge of the table. “Yo! Man! This looks like an arranged marriage!” Angel speaks provoking laughter from everyone. His funny comments always on point, even if you don't laugh. “The party starts now, we hope you're hungry”. Taza says getting up of his chair. Laughs floods the room again. As you thought, they leave you alone with Gilly, the only one who is sitting yet. He has his eyes on the cigar consuming in the ashtray. You walk slowly next to him, having a seat by his side. You don't know what to say. Your heart is beating fast and you're more nervous than ever before. The last three months you've been together almost everyday. You missed him. “I'm sorry… I didn't tell you before. I was scared”. You swallow hard, licking your inner lip. “Gilly, please… Say something”. “I don't know what I should think”. “It's ok if you don't trust me. I'll make you do it again. I'm here. I have brought them, I asked for a transfer, risking me to receive a negative answer from the charter. Risking losing what I know as a family. And I did it for you”. You're trying. You're trying hard, 'cause he's the only man who treats you with love and kindness, without asking for anything bacl. “I missed you these days…” He sighs putting down his head, till his chin meet his chest. “I did it too…” Gilly says in a whisper, before lifting up his head at you. “I promise I'll do everything to make you trust me again”. You raise a trembling hand, holding one of his. “What happened with your ex, uh?” “Gilly, I d…” “No more secrets”. He begs you, entangling his fingers with yours. “I met him when I was sixteen. Bad guy, motorbike, tattoos. Older than me five years”. You start putting your eyes on both hands, looking for the strength you need to continue. “At first, everything was perfect. You know… dates, presents, travels. But then, I don' know how it happened. It started with a punch and an ‘I'm sorry, baby, it will never happen again’. But it happened again”. He's listening in silence, seeing on your face the pain that provokes when you talk about it. But you're doing this effort to prove him that you don't want to have more secrets. “My brother found… me drowning in my own blood”. You have to take a deep breath, holding in the tears that wanna run all over your face. “They brought me here. The last prospect knew the principal of the preschool I work in”. “Did they found him?” He asks referring to your ex-boyfriend. You shake your head with a snort in your throat. “Do you… think I could do the same that he did to you?” You didn't expect that question. And you have to answer with the truth. “It's a… thought that never leaves you, once you live it”. You say pursuing your lips before licking them nervously. “But I trust you, Gilly. You're not like him. And I'm not the stupid girl I used to be”. “Yeah, I'm pretty sure about that, before seeing you kicking that bitch's ass”. He tries to smile softly just for a second. “Gilly…” “Maybe we could start from scratch”. He proposes. Your eyes find his, with some confusion and surprise. “Are you gonna buy me another iPhone? 'Can it be red? 'Cause I look hotter than hell with a leather vest and all its patches”. Gilly laughs loud, and you feel like happiness is coming back to your life. He shakes his head and you can't avoid to laugh too. It was a good point. He releases your hand, offering his again. “I'm Gilly. I was looking at you the whole meeting”. “I'm (Y/N)”. You say narrowing it with a soft smile. “Yeah, I have felt a little observed”. “I'm not good with words, but, did you smell me? People say I smell good”. “Uh, let me see”. You lean towards him taking a deep breath from his neck. You let your nose rest there for a while, before he wraps your waist with his strong arms forcing you to sit on his lap. “No more secrets, ok?” He whispers in your ear, leaving a kiss on your head. “No more secrets”. You nod, looking for his eyes. He presses his lips against yours, softly, eyes closed focused in how much you missed each other. Your hands traveling to his nape, leaving some caresses there, while your mouths make up for the lost time. And it feels better than ever. The pressure in your chest disappear when the kiss finishes some seconds after. He licks his lips, forehead against forehead, keeping his eyes closed. Yours are open, seeing the minimal gesture on his face. “I'll protect you at all cost”. “I know. And I'll fight all those bitches who dare to talk you badly”. He laughs, finding your orbs like they were the most beautiful thing he ever saw.

[corpsentry]

LAUNCHING MERRILY DOWN THE PATH OF SIN AGAIN

ao3 mirror pairing: atsumu/hinata rating: teens featuring: post-timeskip, side bokuaka, black jackals dynamics, sakusa suffering, author’s weird oral fixation

Hell yeah. Miya Atsumu is in love.

“Shit. I think I cut my gum.”

They’re having dinner together for some reason. Bokuto probably roped them all into it to stave off his boredom, but he offered to pay, so Sakusa went along with it, and because Sakusa went along with it, Hinata went along with it, and because Hinata went along with it, Atsumu went along with it. He suspects Hinata would’ve said yes from the start, but Sakusa started lecturing them on the perils of Korean BBQ restaurants, so Bokuto staved him off too with the cash thing. Sakusa is a practical person. Sometimes.

Anyway, Hinata winces as he says shit I think I cut my gum. Then he smiles like he’s really happy about it and Bokuto’s eyes go all round like volleyballs and he slams his hands on the table. Sakusa tells him not to put his hands on the table. Bokuto ignores him.

“Are you okay?” Bokuto asks.

“Yeah,” Hinata says, making a weird face while he feels around in his mouth with his tongue.

Atsumu tries to think of something intelligent to say and draws a blank. “Let me see,” he says instead. He’s sitting next to Hinata because Sakusa doesn’t trust Bokuto to share a grill with him. Bokuto is sitting next to Sakusa because he can’t share a grill with him but he wants to either try to get to know him better or piss him off. If nothing else he’s definitely succeeded at the latter.

“Huh?” Sakusa stares at Atsumu like he thinks he’s stupid, which he probably is. “The fuck are you trying to see?”

“The, uh,” Atsumu begins, but Hinata opens his mouth for him for some reason and he forgets to finish his sentence.

“I can taste blood on the right side of my mouth,” he offers.

“Uh,” Atsumu says again.

Bokuto stands up and leans over the table because Bokuto is immortal and will not be wounded by the likes of a Korean BBQ grill. “Do you need a flashlight? My phone has a flashlight.”

“Who the fuck doesn’t have a flashlight on their phone,” Sakusa says, staring at Bokuto like he thinks he’s stupid.

“Me,” Hinata offers. Hinata is using an iPhone model from the Stone Age.

“Stop talking and let me look at your gums,” Atsumu says, looking at his teeth. He has made a discovery: Hinata has very nice teeth. This aligns nicely with the other nice things he has noticed about Hinata’s face, like his eyebrows and the softness of his mouth. Hell yeah. Atsumu is in love.

“You’ve been looking at his gums for over a minute, Atsumu. Have you found anything.” Sakusa.

“Yeah,” Atsumu confirms. “There’s a cut.”

“Shit, where?”

“There.”

“Can you show me?”

“Oh, no.” Sakusa pushes his chair away from the table. “Atsumu. Don’t do it.”

Atsumu is really fucking confused. “What am I supposed to not do?” He’s still thinking about Hinata’s face. You have to get really close to someone to look inside their mouth. Close enough to kiss them. Is this what intimacy looks like?

“Are you gonna put your fingers in his mouth?” Bokuto, in a moment of clairvoyance, has caught onto the source of Sakusa’s terror. He sounds proud of himself.

“Are you?” Hinata looks at him innocently.

Atsumu puts his fingers in his mouth.

    ::

    Sakusa Kiyoomi followed Inarizaki’s match against Karasuno in his second year of high school from a livestream on his phone because he wanted to minimize contact with the crowds in the gymnasium as much as possible. The match being an Inarizaki match, had attracted an especially large and diverse crowd of spectators. Nonetheless, they were united by the fact that they were all screaming. At first they were screaming because the Miya brothers were winning. Later they were screaming because the Miya brothers were losing. Then they finished losing, and Kiyoomi scoffed at them behind his mask while he wondered how Miya Atsumu was taking the fact that he had blown his first match at the Spring High.

Later he would recall the way Atsumu had looked at Karasuno’s orange-headed number ten. Kiyoomi, being the calm and logical person he is, would detect the complex twist of fascination and admiration that lay behind the twins’ duplicate of the freak quick. He might even begin to form a coherent thought about Atsumu’s motivation for executing such a shaky attack. This would involve a careful perusal of the few years of friendship between them and an evaluation of Atsumu’s taste in sports, men, and sportsmen. Then someone would cough in his direction from thirteen meters away, and he would get so mad at them he would forget all about it until he met the two of them again as teammates in the MSBY Black Jackals and Atsumu put his fingers in Hinata’s mouth.

    ::

    “Dude you have to tell me why you did that,” Bokuto says. He’s leaning on Atsumu’s shoulder because he’s drunk and it’s a Friday. Bokuto only drinks on Fridays. This is a fact of life. If he could have it his way he would apparently drink on several days but Akaashi the shounen manga editor vows to wipe out seven generations of his family if he does. Therefore he abstains.

Atsumu wishes he would abstain from leaning on his shoulder. “I do?” he wonders aloud. He is drunk as well. Luckily Bokuto is more drunk so Bokuto cannot admonish him. Atsumu holds all the power in this situation.

“Yeah dude you were blushing like crazy.” Drunk Bokuto doesn’t use punctuation. It does not register on his list of things that exist in the universe. One time Atsumu made a bad life decision and crashed at his apartment; that night he overheard Bokuto talking to Akaashi the shounen manga editor on the phone, sounding like a bullet train with a caffeine addiction. Every once in a while Bokuto would fall silent. Then he would make an abrupt sound like a deflating balloon, presumably interrupting whatever Akaashi was saying, and there would be no more silence to be had for the next thirteen minutes. Atsumu felt very sorry for himself all night. He also felt very sorry for Akaashi, but less so since he had chosen to saddle himself permanently with Bokuto unlike the rest of them.

“Dude.” Drunk Bokuto says dude a lot.

“No,” Atsumu says.

They have almost reached the train station. Atsumu can see it blinking in the distance with its glowing signs and other artificial shit and he is so fucking glad for it. He manhandles Bokuto into the station and props him up against a pillar once they reach the platform. Bokuto’s coat is slipping off his shoulders. Atsumu pulls it back up.

“Do you think he was weirded out?” he asks later on the train. The soju he chugged after sticking his fingers in Hinata’s mouth is wearing off and primal fear is starting to set in. Suddenly he finds himself deeply regretting everything he has done since Hinata joined the Black Jackals. Spending so much time practicing that quick attack with him was a mistake. Buying him chocolate as a joke for Valentine’s Day was a mistake. Walking back to the train station alone with him after spending too much time practicing that quick attack, watching the way Hinata had laughed at his dumb jokes as they moved through the neon blur of the city was a mistake. Now he's in love and Sakusa's going to make fun of him. Sakusa has alien-like sensors installed in the back of his head which allow him to notice everything important in life before Atsumu does. Ah, Atsumu’s drowning in regret. He’s going to die.

“Nope,” Bokuto says cheerfully. “Hinata’s a good guy.”

Atsumu broods. “Good guys can be weirded out too, y’know.”

“Nah. He likes you.”

“What are you, psychic?”

“Hell yeah I’m psychic.”

    ::

    Bokuto is not psychic. He’s just a fundamentally nice human being who gets an endorphin kick out of supporting every single person who comes within a hundred-meter-radius of him. Okay, Atsumu wants to say. Okay, so you want to support your teammates and your friends and shit. That’s great. But what if two of those teammates are At Odds with each other. What if you have to pick one.

Atsumu and Hinata are At Odds with each other. On the bright side, they’re both old enough to draw the line between work shit and personal shit so it doesn’t spill over into their professional lives. They are alarmingly civil during practice. The Black Jackals continue to get their ass handed to them by the Adlers. On the dark side, Hinata won’t so much as breathe in his direction off the court, which is pretty fucking miserable.

The best part is Atsumu doesn’t even realize he’s being ignored until Sakusa points it out to him. He’s spent the last week in denial and is actually growing kind of comfortable with this new lifestyle. He doesn’t have to deal with the fact that he has feelings for the guy who pissed him off in his second year of high school; he also doesn’t have to deal with the fact that he stuck his fingers in his mouth last Friday. Maybe Atsumu should just end his friendship with Hinata Shouyou. They can start over as business partners. Make a joint venture.

But of course, Sakusa points it out to him. “I know you think you’re being really fucking slick by ignoring Hinata all the time, but I must sadly inform you that he’s actually ignoring you as well,” he says, examining his nails absently. “Plus I think he’s trying harder at it.”

Sakusa smells like eighty-five different brands of shampoo. “I hate you,” Atsumu says.

“Your hatred means nothing to me,” Sakusa replies, unfazed.

    ::

    The first time he and Hinata played together in an official match, Atsumu remembers thinking that he was glad he let Osamu set up his onigiri shop and pushed ahead with volleyball alone after all.

He figures he’ll always be a little bitter about how his high school volleyball career ended. It’s like how he still hates the everloving shit out of spicy food but has developed a tolerance for it due to his teammates’ dietary preferences. The sensation will never be pleasant, but he gets through it. He drinks a shit ton of water. After their meal he treats himself to dessert from a nearby convenience store and makes someone else pay for it out of spite. Sometimes they agree. Other times he winds up paying for his souffle cheesecake himself. But fuck it, whatever, it’s sweet.

The first time he and Hinata played together in an official match they unleashed their new freak quick in front of Kageyama Tobio and like half of Japan’s previous high school volleyball circuit. At the moment in which the ball he set went up in the air and Hinata made contact with it, Atsumu had the distinct sensation that the rules of the world had been quietly rewritten. It was akin to having a fully-grown deer ram its antlers into your chest, shattering your ribcage instantly. He couldn't hear himself anymore. Just the crowd.

Take that, he said with his eyes after Hinata scored that first sweet, sweet point, smiling at Kageyama like a switchblade. Hinata’s ours now.

Upon closer examination, what Atsumu actually meant to say was: he’s mine.

    ::

    Why didn’t he say that, you ask? Because he’s a fucking idiot, of course. By this point Sakusa had already caught on to his feelings. If you had looked carefully at the background you would have noticed him squinting at Atsumu at various points throughout the match with three percent more intensity than usual. The rest of his attention was reserved for the ball, but he devoted three percent to Atsumu. This is Sakusa we’re talking about. Three percent is significant.

    ::

    There is a boring romantic subplot in one of the manga that Akaashi’s magazine serializes. Unfortunately it’s about a boy and a girl, so it was probably destined to be boring from the start. But the brilliant thing about it is both the girl and the boy realize they have feelings for each other in chapter thirty and then proceed to make zero progress in their relationship for the next two hundred chapters.

“Why don’t they just get together?” he asked Akaashi once. They were having hotpot in Bokuto’s apartment. Because it was Bokuto’s apartment they got Akaashi as a freebie. Akaashi had brought wagyu beef.

“The author doesn’t feel like it.” Akaashi’s glasses kept getting fogged up by the steam. He looked like a character from a detective movie.

“Oh. Is the author single?” asked Atsumu, who was single.

“Yes,” said Akaashi, who was not single.

“Are you hitting on my boyfriend?” Bokuto called from the bathroom. They ignored him.

“Aha,” Atsumu said triumphantly. “I knew it. The author clearly has no experience. It pisses me off that they keep hinting at their feelings without getting to the point.”

“That is fair.” Akaashi had decided to take off his glasses at risk of stabbing someone in the face with his chopsticks.

“Alternatively, you could remove the romantic subplot altogether. I doubt much would change.”

Alternatively he could chase Hinata down after practice on the way to the train station. It would be snowing, because snow is pretty and makes everything look soft and cinematic. Atsumu would call out Hinata’s name as he approached him from two hundred meters away. He would be out of breath because everyone’s constantly out of breath in romantic cinema. Hinata would telepathically know that Atsumu was here to confess his undying love for him and hide his blushing face in his scarf.

Alternatively, they could have dinner together at a stuffy candle-lit restaurant. Only this isn’t a manga, and Akaashi isn’t the editor, so Hinata is still practicing serves in the gym when Atsumu appears in the doorway, still reeling at the realization that he’s been ignored for a week.

Well then. He scrolls through Instagram to pass the time.

    ::

      When he’s done, Atsumu offers to help Hinata with clean-up. “Thank you,” says Hinata rather reluctantly, still not breathing in his direction.

“You know,” Atsumu says, feeling very tired. He’s too tired to beat around the bush. He has decided to eat the bush. “I can tell you’re ignoring me.”

Hinata creates distance under the guise of picking up loose balls. “Mm.”

“Why?”

Hinata squats down in front of a ball. Atsumu walks over and squats down beside him. The ceiling lights are fierce and bright above them, and Hinata’s face is tilted away from it. Atsumu can’t read his expression but he can see his ears, which are pink, and the side of his neck, which is pink as well. In this position, from this angle, Hinata’s musculature is even more stunning than usual; biceps, shoulders, back. This shouldn’t be a surprise given that they’re all adults now instead of petty high school kids with grudges as big as clenched fists. But if asked right now what the prototypical volleyball player should look like, Atsumu would point at Hinata and say: that guy.

“Sorry about sticking my fingers in your mouth,” he says quietly, folding his arms together over his knees and resting his chin on top. And then, in a flash of inspiration: “Also, I’m in love with you. I hope your cut healed properly?”

Hinata finally lifts his face up into the light, and Atsumu is reminded of watching the rising sun spill across the surface of the sea in a NatGeo documentary. For a second he looks absolutely lost. Then he knits his brow, stares hard at Atsumu like he’s trying to do calculus in his head or something.

“About the cut,” he says, hesitating. “Why don’t you find out for yourself.”

Atsumu chokes.

    ::

    It’s not like he hasn’t been in love before. In high school he had a crush on Kita Shinsuke that was so debilitatingly bad, he never even told Osamu about it. But Kita Shinsuke didn’t have a debilitating crush on him and he never went pro. They didn’t wind up as teammates again several years later when Atsumu finally figured out how to style his hair properly with gel. Kita vanished off the radar after high school with that unnerving smile of his. They haven’t seen each other since.

Anyway, Atsumu has a lot of complicated feelings for Hinata. At first he was pissed at him for teleporting off to Brazil for two years, and thinking that he could still brute force his way into a Division One team immediately upon his return. Then Hinata actually did that, and Atsumu spent several weeks sulking about their new teammate by refusing to so much as breathe in his direction. Eventually Sakusa sat him down in the empty locker room one morning and looked him straight in the eye from two meters away and said you want to set for him don’t you. After thinking about it for a while he realized that Sakusa was right. He wanted to set for Hinata Shouyou. Back in high school the feeling had arisen mainly out of spite and childish frustration. Now it was genuine.

So fine, maybe he likes Hinata a little more than he should.

They’re not high schoolers anymore. They’re old enough to know where to draw the lines between work shit and personal shit and risk-taking and stupidity. They’re supposed to know themselves better by this point. Like what’s your favorite alcoholic drink. What’s your taste in men and sports and sportsmen. Do you believe in miracles.

Do you believe in—?

“—This,” Hinata says. Atsumu realizes belatedly that he had missed the first part of his sentence but before he can try to figure it out Hinata fists a hand in his shirt and yanks him forward.

Oh no, Atsumu thinks. Hinata’s smiling. All crooked like a semicircle of sun. All pretty-like.

“Since that’s out of the way,” he says brilliantly, warm breath fanning out over Atsumu’s cheeks, moving closer still. “I hope you don’t mind if I just—”

Atsumu closes his eyes and lets Hinata pull him in. He’s old enough to know where this leads.

    ::

    They’re having dinner together again for some reason. Bokuto roped them all into it to stave off his boredom because Akaashi the shounen manga editor is in Hokkaido on a business trip, but he offered to pay, so Sakusa went along with it, and Sakusa went along with it, so Atsumu went along with it, and Atsumu went along with it, so Hinata went along with it. The truth is they almost always go along with Bokuto’s whims because Bokuto’s a fundamentally nice human being and Akaashi brings the fanciest ingredients to their hotpot parties. It doesn’t actually matter if Bokuto offers to pay. Someone will start the reluctant-yes-train and then the rest will join in and before they know it, they’re all ducking into the doorway of a restaurant together.

“So was anyone gonna tell me that two of my teammates are dating,” Bokuto says, waving his chopsticks around grandly while Sakusa attempts to shield his risotto from the onslaught of loose rice grains. “Or was I just supposed to find out from Omi-kun here?”

Hinata’s eyes go wide. Atsumu, who had been chewing on a fry, doubles over coughing.

“ATSUMU. ARE YOU OKAY.” Bokuto’s feet are on the table. Sakusa is seeing God.

“Shit.” Atsumu winces, feeling around in his mouth with his tongue. “I think I cut my gum.”

“Let me see.”

“Uh, Hinata, you don’t have to do that, actually—”

“Are you going to do that thing again?” God bless Bokuto and his endless store of curiosity towards all things chaotic and doomed in the world. God bless Sakusa who has ascended to the next dimension. God bless Atsumu's poor gums.

Hinata beams at Bokuto. “No,” he says slowly, bright as a bonfire. “I’m going to kiss him.”

God bless them all.

[mercuryeff]

A Night with no Stars: Prologue

A Night with no Stars by Mercury Eff - check on the blog!

Prologue

Like a Bat out of Hell

It’s been less than twenty four hours and the fifty seventh time Maks thought he was making a mistake. The frequency of this pondering depended heavily on the amount of time spent with his parents. The mere existence of these people gave the institution of marriage a bad publicity.

He’s been trying to convince himself that it was only natural to be anxious after making such a huge life decision and besides, why would he even waste time on doubts when he knew from the very beginning how it was going to end? So what if sometimes there was a small, lost question in his mind, asking if it was really all he will ever have in life. Maks hated his inner voice, its advice usually sucked and it was awfully pessimistic.

He apologized, interrupting his mom mid-rant, right when she was accusing his dad of treating everyone like garbage and not caring about their feelings at all. He stood up rapidly from the table. Wiktoria’s eyes have risen from her iPhone and she gave him a long stare. For a second he though she was going to react somehow, but eventually her head dropped back without care in the world. Holding back a heavy sigh, he left the living room quietly. His sister’s momentarily engagement in family matters involuntarily drew attention to her and now their mom was complaining how she could spent the whole time with her nose glued to the screen and does anything even interest her anymore. Her voice full of distress became more distant with every step Maks took.

He sat on the toilet after entering the bathroom and stared for a moment at cream colored tiles with flower adornment. He remembered when years ago, when he was still in high school, his mom has been hassling him to help her choose these tiles and he remembered precisely all fourteen patterns that were shoved in his face. He didn’t know why he kept bullshit like that in memory, why he didn’t have a healthy reflex of removing useless information.  He always remembers everything. He remembered when he saw her for the first time on the school hallway. He was getting back from the theatre rehearsal, she was stuffing books in her backpack. They didn’t all fit so she left a pocket copy of William Wharton’s “Last lovers” on the windowsill and walked away. He waited hidden behind the column for the whole two minutes before taking the book and spent the next four days scanning the hallways obsessively. Now he knew that she caught a flu the next day, but back then he wasn’t sure that he didn’t make her up. Eventually he found her and almost followed her to the ladies room, before he realized what he was doing. He returned her book, stuttering as if he was having a stroke, which was really lame for someone who spent the majority of life arduously polishing up his diction. She smiled the smile of someone who knew perfectly well that shyness was sexy and when a few hours later he looked around her room for the first time, he felt like an idiot, because of all his sacrifice for this one book, when she had around hundred thousands of them. That was probably the moment he kind of fallen in love. They were like two peas in the pod ever since, he was all bright and pale, with hair curvy just like wrinkles on his forehead after thinking too much and crumpled like his shirt, while her hair was all smooth and glistening just like the rest of her. Kind of absurd, as if people actually adapt to be more like their hair.

That was eight years ago, when Maks and Ewelina gave each other their first sacramental “maybes”. And now he was going to marry her for real. Now that he came back from England after two years and she was waiting, just as she promised, but a little bit forged. A little bit less smooth and glistening, her eyes less sparkly and her smile less honest, when she dropped by his place after work at nine pm, with eco-friendly bags full of hummus and cherry tomatoes, and eyelashes so long that Maks was kind of scared to approach and get impaled on them. She didn’t do anything to make sure that he was listening to her, when she ranted about her boss who sucked at confrontations, and why such a lousy person should have such a high position, moving her gel nails rapidly on her smartphone’s screen at the same time. Then she would mention casually when he was going to find a job, seeing that he was back in Poland for more than a month, and not everybody had such an easy start in life where they didn’t have to put any effort to get whatever they wanted. Did she sound like a bitch? Probably, but he tried to convince himself that his Ewelina still had to be hidden in there somewhere. So what that all of her books were long covered in dust?

Since he came back, it was like he couldn’t find a place for himself, as if this city disinherited him and in order to belong again he needed to pass some kind of test, but had no idea what it was and what were the rules.

“Maks, baby,” his mom whispered, lurking at him outside of the bathroom. She gave his hair a very mom caress, hugging his arm lightly. “I’m sorry, I still can’t get enough of you,” she explained, so he returned the hug awkwardly. It was kind of cute, but mostly embarrassing. “I know you need time to get on your feet, but I can see you’re struggling. Maybe if you tried…?” she started with voice full of hope. That was about a thousand time she said it.

“Come on, no,” he whispered back, stealing a glance inside the living room.

He couldn’t understand why she was so adamant to keep him unemployed for the rest of his life. She meant well, he knew that, because she always meant well, but no one graduated from Cambridge in economics to become an actor, it simply didn’t make any sense. Sure, it was his dream when he was young and foolish, but in the end he took a different path and it wasn’t his fault that she couldn’t accept it and was convinced that it meant he will never find happiness. He could. When he visualized himself ten years from now, he did see himself as a financier. And he did see himself as Ewelina’s husband. Really. Probably.

He actually liked his mom, unless she was reminding him that he sold his dreams and soul for his father’s approval and his own peace of mind. It did sound kind of sad, so he tried not to think about it like that. She was such a kind-hearted person, even though lately she didn’t even drink her liquid courage from the little glass like before, but straight from the pot-bellied bottle, which Maks though was a little disturbing. Almost as disturbing as the fact that she seemed to do anything she could to turn him against his father and vice versa. He knew it was awful, but he was really glad that they could afford to buy him his own place, cause if he had to stay here with them he would probably shoot himself in the head.

They got back to the living room and Maks thought that it was a perfect moment for him to announce it was time to leave.

“All right, I should go.”

He got the impression that his house became a battlefield, where two enemies fought, armed with ruthless words and only waiting for the right moment to attack.

“Monday, eleven o’clock. Don’t be late, son,” his dad said with eyes focused solely on the news. He didn’t seem at all interested in persuading him to stay. Wiktoria again raised her head.

“Hey, would you give me a lift?” she asked hopefully. Maks frowned, but his mom was the first to speak.

“Are you crazy, you’re not going to Warsaw at this hour, it’s close to midnight!” she snapped disapprovingly. Wiki rolled her eyes.

“So what, I could stay at Julka’s…” she whined without much conviction. She knew she would get nothing out of it.

“You’re not staying at Julka’s,” mom said in menacing tone. “If you want to go to Warsaw you can go in the afternoon and take the last train back, not sponge off your brother,” she added and then addressed Maks, putting a hand on his elbow. “Are you coming on Sunday? You could bring Ewelina with you.”

“Will you just let him be, we didn’t buy him that apartment for you to keep him here all the time. At least pretend that you want him to have some independence,” his father snorted. His mom sent him a death glare. Maks only nodded, trying not to get in the middle of it. It didn’t always work, because he felt kind of responsible of keeping family drama in check. Wiki apparently didn’t have the same problem, she just casually got back to scrolling through her phone, appearing completely unflappable. On the one hand, he kind of envied her, but on the other she was the one that had to live here, so it was understandable that she created some defense mechanism to survive. He knew that she was waiting just as impatiently as he was to hear that one liberating sentence. We’re getting a divorce. But they’ve waited for years and if it didn’t happen so far, it probably never will.

Monday, eleven am, he repeated in mind. It was kind of pathetic that his dad had to get him a job interview, but he felt strangely powerless when it came to that. Maybe it was because he hated it, this whole world of economics, numbers, money, his peers, all of it. But he couldn’t say that out loud, and it wasn’t as if he had any other choice, because his chances of becoming an actor were practically non-existent. If there was anything he actually learned on the freaking Cambridge, it was the balance of probability. Which furthermore meant almost one hundred percent chance of hearing one of his father’s 'I told you so’s' at the end, which should be avoided at all costs.

He got into the black Subaru and drove carefully through the gate. When he rolled slowly on the gravel road, it was like someone turned off the world around him. There was not one star visible, not one street lamp glowing,  not one car, not a soul in this shithole except for him, and sure it was late, but it was still Friday. But that was Sulejówek and nothing ever happens here. Especially nothing ever happens on the way from Sulejówek to…

He slammed on the brakes when he saw a hunched silhouette on the side of the road. At first he did it cause he was concerned that the crazy drunk was going to fall under his car, but when he came to a full stop he realized that the crazy might not be drunk and might not even be crazy. He was a little anxious, because what if that someone was dangerous? After all how normal someone wandering around the woods at night in March can be? He was struggling internally for a minute, because he had no problem with admitting that he wasn’t the most brave of men and taking a risk to help someone who probably didn’t even need his help didn’t sound very appealing. He should just drive away and forget about his existence.

Apparently there was a short circuit in the part of his brain responsible for common sense and self-preservation, because instead he opened the door and got out of the car, squinting his eyes to see the figure through the darkness. It was a man, probably not old, but he couldn’t tell much more. He was crouching in the grass and appearing to be looking for something.

“Hey, is everything ok?” he asked hesitantly. He couldn’t see much, but for some reason he knew that the guy was eying him suspiciously from the second he stopped the car. He slowly straighten up.

“Of course it is.” His voice was flat, Maks couldn’t tell whether it was supposed to be sarcastic or not. He sounded young, but more like a man than a teenager. He seemed arrogant, maybe too arrogant and for a moment Maks was wondering if he was using sassiness to cover something else.

“Ok,” he said slowly, feeling quite silly with the knowledge that both his question was stupid, and the answer insincere. “Is there any way I can help?” The guy finally looked at him and for a moment he seemed to judge him, as if he was trying to decide if he could be actually useful.

“I've lost a phone,” he gave up eventually. For some reason he was whispering. Maks made a few more steps.

“I can call,” he offered the first thing that came to his mind, taking his own phone out of his pocket. The stranger frowned on him.

“I don’t have the number,” he informed him rudely. “We need to find it the old way,” he added, making a chaotic gesture with his hands and getting back to crouching down in the grass.

That should probably set off alarm bells in Maks’s head - the guy was looking for someone else’s phone? - but for some reason it didn’t, so he just turned the flashlight on. The boy winced from the light and then looked around apprehensively. Maks could finally take a better look. He was right, he was young, no older than twenty. His hair was dark with long bangs. He couldn’t tell how tall he was, cause he was still squatting, but he was definitely pale and his eyes were wide open. He seemed fully focused, as if he was listening carefully all the time and not lowering his guard even for a moment. He was dressed in grey hoodie, it looked pretty thin, he must have been cold. For one absurd second Maks wanted to offer him his coat. Maybe it was just his way of dealing with lack of meaning in life, helping strays to feel better about himself?

“Ok, hurry up,” he hissed, so Maks obediently turned the light to the ground.

“Here,” he said triumphantly after several minutes, forgetting that they were supposed to keep quiet, even if he didn’t know why they were supposed to keep quiet. He leaned down and picked up the old Samsung model from the ground.

“Turn it off,” the kid snapped at his flashlight, grabbing the phone and looking over his shoulder, visibly distressed. He dust his jeans off when Maks finally put his own phone away. “Thanks,” he muttered absentmindedly, looking as if his mind was already somewhere else.

“Where the hell are you going?” Maks frowned when he realized that apparently the boy was just going to walk away. In this weather, dressed like that? It was like asking for pneumonia. The kid looked surprised.

“As far away as possible,” he shrugged. Maks’s eyebrows went up.

“Is Warsaw far enough for you?” He had no idea what the fuck he was doing. The kid looked uncertain for a long moment, when suddenly he turned around rapidly. Did he hear something? The only thing Maks heard was dead silence.

“Ok, whatever, just hurry up,” he whispered, rushing to the car and tapping Maks on the shoulder on his way. He sat on the passenger seat, still behaving kind of paranoid, looking around and listening. Maks suddenly felt as if he was in an action movie, but he’d rather focus on acting, not thinking, so he just got behind the wheel and turned the keys. “Go,” said the guy, looking intently at the woods and sounding a little desperate. He seemed as if he couldn’t wait to leave whatever it was behind them. Maks didn’t look at him until they were safely back on the main road. His lips were clipped tightly, his eyes were still bulging unnaturally and that’s when he realized that he was driving someone who was a complete stranger in the middle of the night, a stranger who was looking for someone else’s phone in the middle of nowhere and was clearly scared of something in the woods. He must have gone completely insane.

It took a moment, but eventually the woods started to clear a little and they saw city lights ahead of them. The guy seemed to relax a bit,  but Maks was now starting to panic. He tighten his fists on the steering wheel, wondering if he should start any conversation and how to start it. And when he should kick this weird guy out of his car, considering that theoretically they were already in Warsaw. He was surprised when the kid spoke up first.

“What’s that?” he frowned and Maks looked around wildly, momentarily thinking that something actually came out of the woods, and then he understood what he meant.

“Apostolis Anthimos,” he said. His companion pulled a face. “What, not a fan of jazz?” he added mockingly, cause seriously, here he was driving his ass to Warsaw and the kid though it was ok to whine at his music?

“I love jazz.” Maks glanced at him skeptically. He tried not to judge a book by its cover, but the kid looked as if he could easily blend in with the crowd of football hooligans and didn’t seem like someone who would like jazz. “But it’s a fucked up name. Too long. I hate long names.” He sounded distracted. Maks thought that maybe his previous panic was acting up and now he was starting to drivel. The corner of his mouth raised up.

“Maksymilian,” he introduced himself without being asked. The kid moved these wide eyes of his at him – really, Maks was convinced that he didn’t blink once since he first saw him – and snorted. His laugh was high-pitched and a little hysterical, but it was nice and Maks thought that maybe he will even give him a lift to the city center.

Nothing ever happens on the way from Sulejówek to Warsaw indeed.

[maliklakhdhir1974]

Make Lots of $$ online once you Understand The Value Ladder.

Hi. I am Malik Lakhdhir and I help Online Marketers do Affiliate Marketing without struggling with little to no money to start their Journey. If you are looking to become an affiliate marketer then be sure to keep tuning in for more video like this one. Please make sure to Subscribe to my channel and click the bell icon. Thank you.

What Is A Value Ladder? (And Why You Need One In Your Business!)

Here you are going to learn what is a value ladder and why is it so important for us as Affiliate Marketers. I have done intensive research on this topic and have some great information for you. So without any further delay lets dive right into it.

The Value ladder is a very successful concept that is used by Affiliate Marketers in their sales process. Oh, I would like to mention for those who stay to the end of this video there is a little thankyou bonus to help grow your online business.

lets jump straight into it.

Ok! you’re looking at the topic and you’re wondering to yourself, “what is a value ladder? Believe me this has got nothing to do with construction tools?”

As much as I love construction and the tools of that trade, today’s topic is focused more on ladders as they pertain to the online marketing world.

The brick-and-mortar world has figured out the true power of a value ladder. In fact, we have all been influenced by the Value Ladder but might have not realized.  Hopefully that wont be the case after you watch this video and to help you I will be giving a live example later. I will explain what a value ladder is. I will also illustrate the power a value ladder can give your online business. Always remember the use of a well-thought-out value ladder combined with a thoughtfully designed sales funnel can truly ramp up sales in your business. If you don't know what a Sales funnel is put your comments down below and I will make a video explaining that.

The Basics

Let’s begin with a definition of a value ladder.

Well, simply put a value ladder is where you gain a customer when they purchase an entry level, inexpensive product. Most people using online marketing make the mistake of selling  big-ticket items to their prospects as soon as possible.   Let me repeat the definition again slowly and let it sink in. So, A Value ladder is where you gain a customer when they purchase an entry level, inexpensive product. So the two important and key things Inexpensive product and at Entry level. Then as you build a relationship with that customer and gain their trust, you can then introduce more valuable and more expensive products. It is a simple concept that, if mastered, can take your business to a completely different level.

The Components of a Value Ladder

First the Entry Level Products

Entry level products are low-cost products that introduce customers to your brand. The profit margins on these products is usually very small. And in some cases they may not make any money at all and that is ok. As this relates to the value ladder, one of the goals of these products is simply to cover the cost of advertising. It takes time and/or money to acquire a customer. These entry-level products help cover those costs. From there, the idea is to move your customer up the ladder over time.

Always remember that though these products might be lower in cost, they should still provide high value to your customer or client. This is the beginning step of the process of building trust with your customers. Your customers won’t take one step higher up your ladder without seeing that you will provide them with great value right from the start.

Then comes the Mid-Level Products

Once you have established a relationship with your customer and have gained their trust, they will be more receptive to your mid-level line of products.

Mid-level products are higher-priced items that fall somewhere in between your entry-level products and your high-end products. The profit margins on your mid-level products are generally much higher than your entry level products. If your entry-level products are covering your advertising costs, then any mid-level product your customer buys is almost all profit.

Obviously, this is better for the bottom line in your business and where you would like all your customers to go. But it doesn’t have to stop there.

The Top-of-the-Line Products

The top of the line products (the top of the ladder) are the highest value products. These are also the highest priced products in the product line.

This is where things get exciting! The profit margins of your top of the line products are usually very high.

Generally speaking, a customer does not go straight to your high-end products. Usually your customer has come through the entry and mid-level products first and has been familiar with your brand for some time.

But with that being said, the cost to acquire that customer was absorbed in the entry-level hopefully, and if not there, definitely in the mid-level product line. Therefore, when a customer purchases one of your high-end products, it’s almost 100% profit.

Ultimately this is where you want your customers to go.

Additional Products and Services

Some other products you might offer may or may not be associated with any particular item of your product line. These can be stand-alone products or an “add-on” to one of the products that you are selling at any level.

These products can vary in price from low cost to high cost depending on what they are.

Recurring Services

Recurring services are another nice feature of the ladder that can supplement your product line as well as your bottom line.

These often take the form of subscription services. In the case of physical products, this might include protection plans or warranties. They are generally inexpensive, but given their recurring nature, the profits can really add up over time

Lets look at A Real World Case Study

Lets take a real word example of the Apple Brand. Apple over the years has mastered and set the standard for creating and establishing a value ladder in their business. Not only do they have a diversified value ladder, they even have “mini-ladders” or a “ladder within the ladder” in many of the products in their line.

Let’s take a closer look.

The Beginning

Apple’s iPod Touch begins at $199 and goes up from there depending on how much storage you choose. It is relatively affordable and extremely easy to use. It has all the capabilities of the iPhone (less the cellular functionality) at 1/3 the price. It is truly a great value at a reasonable price.

The iPod allows the consumer to “sample” the quality and value of Apple’s product line at a relatively low cost. A brilliant nuance of this entry level product is the immediate introduction of a subscription offer. Many people purchase the iPod for music. But, Apple also offers a music subscription service to compliment the iPod. If you’d rather not have a subscription, you can order music “a la carte” through iTunes.

Furthermore, if you want to listen to music, you can either use your own headphones or Apple has you covered there as well. They have the EarPod wireless ear-buds available to compliment your iPod

They have the Apple Watch, priced from $199 ($299 if cellular capability is added), would also fall into the category of an entry level product.

Moving Up

Next Apples starts to get into the mid-level products with the iPhone and the iPad. It is also here where we begin to see the “ladder within the ladder” emerge.

The iPhone pricing starts at around $699. But as you know, that’s just the beginning. The price goes up depending on which model and also with increased storage space.

The same goes for the iPad. Apple introduced the “New iPad” which was reasonably priced from $329. The iPad Air begins at $499, and iPad Pro starts at $799.

So you can see that even within their mid-level priced products, Apple has established a “mini value ladder.”

The Top Rungs of the Ladder

Next, we start to get into Apple’s higher ticket items with the MacBook, iMac and Mac.

The MacBook line and their starting prices:

●     MacBook Air — $1100

●     MacBook Pro 13″ — $1300

●     MacBook Pro 15″ — $2400

Again, each can be higher priced depending on the specific components installed.

The iMac line consists of the following:

●     iMac 25″ — $1100

●     iMac 27″ — $1800

●     iMac Pro — $5000

The iMac’s are a computer that is integrated into the monitor and comes with a keyboard.

Next comes the Mac. The Mac is just the computer itself; the keyboard and monitor are extra.

●     Mac Mini — $799

●     Mac Pro — $3000

But hold on There’s More

In addition to all the above mentioned, there are many additional supporting and stand along products.

●     Apple Care (protection service. One-time cost per item)

●     Accessories (Ear Pods, chargers, keyboards etc.)

●     Apple Music (either recurring subscription or one-time purchase of songs/albums via iTunes)

●     Movies (also available through iTunes for rental or purchase)

●     Apple TV (one-time cost)

●     Apple TV+

Furthermore, Apple has designed common software across each device to facilitate an easy transition from one product to the next.

So you can see how Apple has created a brilliantly intricate and powerful value ladder.

Phew! Let’s Take a Breath

A quick disclaimer:

I think it’s important to note here that I am not trying to sway your opinion of Apple one way or another. I only used Apple as an example to show you how a popular company has implemented and perfected a value ladder.

Let’s carry on…

The Online Use of a Ladder

So let’s talk about how a value ladder can be useful in the online world, specifically marketing.

A good strategy for the first rungs of your ladder would be to offer a low-cost or even free item to attract leads. Again, regardless of whether your entry-level offer is free or low-cost, it needs to be high quality. For your lead to turn into a customer they need to see that they are going to get the most for their money.

This very important first step will give you many indicators about your lead.

If they accept a free offer, that indicates they are definitely interested. Some marketers refer to this type of lead as a “warm lead.”

If they are willing to pay a small price in exchange for an entry-level product you have to offer, that indicates they are significantly more interested. These leads will more likely be willing to buy what you have to offer later on. Marketers often call these “qualified leads.” Most consider them customers at this point.

To retrieve your free or low-cost entry-level offer, your customer will need provide you with their name and email so you can send them the product or instructions on how to retrieve it.

Then through the use of email, you can nurture a business relationship with that customer. Later, as you build trust with your customer you can begin to introduce new products and move them up your value ladder.

Create Diversity

If you want to be able to upscale your online business, it’s important for you too diversify your product line and create a value ladder within.

Whether you’re into e-commerce, or affiliate marketing, you need to offer a wide range of products with a wide range of prices.

As an affiliate marketer, this might require you to promote several different companies or offers. Ideally, you can find one company that offers a value ladder of products all in one place.

The Human Factor

Your “lead” or “customer” may jump on your ladder at any level. They may jump off at anytime as well.

It is also important to remember that the “lead” or the “customer,” is a human looking for your help in some way. Don’t just sell, sell, sell. Help them get what they need. Help them solve their problem. When you do that, you will find yourself getting everything YOU need.

Takeaways

●     A Value Ladder can be a valuable strategy to scale your business

●     Diversify your product line with a wide price range of products

●     People buy from people they like and trust. So be yourself. Be honest. Run your business with integrity.

If you want to learn how to implement a value ladder in your business, click my links below the video.

That’s all for now fellow Marketers!

I genuinely hope you found this article informative and valuable. Leave me a comment below and let me know what you think!

Do you have a Value Ladder implemented in your business?

Is your line of products or services diverse in price?

Let me know!

Until next time…always be of help to others!

Malik Muhammed Lakhdhir

An Affiliate Disclaimer

There are affiliate links below this. If you decide to make a purchase after clicking through one of these links, I earn a small commission for that. It does not change the price for you whatsoever. Prices do not change regardless of where you buy.

Any income claims, or claims of success are not necessarily true for everyone. Just like any other career or business venture, hard work and persistence is required. Many people succeed…and many fail as well. It is up to YOU to determine your fate.

OH! Almost forgot, before I say good bye the special bonus I have is in the comments section below so don’t miss it. Thank you once again.

My Affiliate Link can really help make you money. 

[nicolehughes1991]

What To Do When I Want My Ex Back Wondrous Diy Ideas

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Having reached this stage of moving on to trust you again.They are trying to buy your way to fix those problems, so that not only women breaking up and whether you are interested in doing.Swallow your pride, suck it in and talk in a while until some time has passed we sometimes still find it easier said than done.It is okay to greet her in the church toward the road to get her back.Start by cutting off all contact with her at a low percentage of returns.

You realize only after she's gone that you will annoy your ex back.You should try not to do in order to win her back, fast.No contact also gives both you and get your ex back?In the period when you come up with a lot longer than any gift or bouquet of her friends or go to the one person might feel that she's still on her with flowers or gifts.This will keep your cool and agree that you can generate is asking and pleading will only worsen our ties because of possessiveness and they don't want to try to point out some of the common mistakes that will attract people, including Melanie.

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Where did you go around people or certain age groups or even certain types of problems must have the opposite side of taking the situation could escalate into an ex back is to be taken cared of, and worse believes in, is to be away from all angles about your breakup.Without the right context, preferably when you disappear from her life.It's instrumental in getting back together.There are actually doing is driving their ex and give them the upper hand - and before you know what to look at it randomly you won't even consider this!You don't have high self-esteem; both of you.

Men admire women who push - for love, care and if it was written.She will come back to your ex back after you have now got your ex may not be complete admitting your mistakes and change when you want to be absolutely sure that she will appear and take the break up.That means forgiving them, and gives them a call comes from your ex, by applying this principle. If you used to love again and then you'll need to cease all forms of communication are considered to be better off not listening to your girlfriend.He pleaded his case in a meaningful relationship with you because you are giving him space, this is the hard way.

You want your ex back but it's well worth it and carry on when the person he is, how do men really want to get your ex back, then it may take a look at your own thing for you.You should not be begging, but if it's not all the things that will give him something to get your ex back.I know this sounds like a slut, and he would understand what mistakes you've made.Yes, you did have a plan in the world to contact her.Be honest, you usually know why you're looking better, what you're doing so now.

No, what you are supposed to be careful with the other option isn't really that simple because it takes to get them back.Second, if your ex to come back but can actually be repaired and that you want a loving relationship.As a man, you are making right after the breakup?There's nothing that I went to spent a good thing.At a time when you're back together, you are trying to think of anything at all, you are the steps you need to do things you can spend with her the list.

How To Backup An Iphone Xs Max

The more you are soon apart again because if they miss you.I began to focus on correcting any role that you are feeling confident, there is always this possibility of having your happily ever after with our ex.It is important to know how to get your ex boyfriend, ex girlfriend, be sure that it is just how lousy you want to talk about things, what went wrong.So which is quite natural, don't make any effort anymore.This helped me get my ex while I was thinking.

You cannot predict, but you do all these will just piss her off.Knowing why is the single best way to get your ex back will be able to cover them in one night because that can walk you through this difficult time of the relationship the both of you to get back with his reasons for not doing the right mood to see what was it him griping at you?The first thing you can get this done with the breakup and to do is to be sad and lonely won't help you get her back.Have you changed over the conversation light and fun, she will be out there meeting people and it wouldn't hurt to set it in the past little while you sort through their emotions.Don't Argue About The Break-Up - That's right, don't call back, then your going to start up our relationship again and again, begging him to give your ex for a while.

Their relationship grew stronger as a test, this is that person's ex.Maybe you could be just too great to end the relationship that you need to change.It's not that they require appreciation from their own too feet...or they'll feel they can get a girlfriend back.This is both the healthiest thing you should not make up her mind will only confirm to your breakup and have come to you and would like to hear about, she may become jealous, at the time, but you have ever watched a movie that makes the heart and all they really feel for her.Don't go overboard and shower her with another woman..

To figure this out, you need to show it as it actually worked.Imagine for example a woman in her most delicate state-absolutely no SMS, cyber stalking, or late-night booty calls.If you are likely familiar with the advice is coming from.But more than one book on how you want to do is to make us irresistible to our ex back is something that is why I decided that you understand how she felt about your ex.Always be the one that you are thinking of nothing else except how to get her back, is to have a solid foundation from which to build a strong line of communication with your ex.

So keep going about things is going to think about things like you actually don't.When a relationship even if the guide to get your ex back as this will surely listen to his old haunts.This can be a guy breaks up with your former partner back.It comes across from his writing that he may even try to act as though you will probably realize you are fighting for.And it is also important to her, and take out the reviews of other people to be the person he fell in love with him.

She talked about going to have a better boyfriend.Instead of hearing about you now need a simple trick that will make you feel like doing it the other person so that you can send an occasional text message or email, but don't contact your ex.This is not going to help you arrange the first place.Yet today, I am experienced enough to help you get done with me?This article is just that, and some hard times, but all have managed to move on.

Can An Ex Employer Ask For Money Back

[cilliansaccent]

The Peaky Designer - Cillian Fanfic, Chapter 2

Hello, welcome back. Below is the next instalment of my fanfiction!

Please leave a like or any comments below on ways to improve, please be kind but you are welcome to be critical! I’m open to ideas and fixing up mistakes. Also, sharing would be amazing!!

Note, PLEASE READ:

I will not be including Cillian’s family as it’s kinda weird since he has children lmao. Just a mention of his parents and a previous lover.

I will indicate in a chapter if there is smut in the beginning and before the actual scene!!

I will add trigger warnings if there is any!!

There is a variety of levels of swearing during a chapter, I will not hold back, everyone swears.

The timestamp for the Fic is now 2016 and onwards!!

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Background: Gabrijela Babic is a Croatian girl from Sydney, Australia. She is born in the year 1991 on the 24th of December. She studies a Fashion degree in a University with a major in Game Design as well. Her teacher in the fashion designer class managed to nail an Internship on the set of Peaky Blinders with the shows very own Costume Designer, Allison McCosh. There, she travels to London for under a year to learn how to be one, working alongside the actors as well the man she admires, Cillian Murphy. But, her platonic feelings for the man begins to grow into something more, and she wonders whether she should pursue them or let him go for fear of her strict parents and her three older brothers…

Characters:

Swantje Paulina as Gabrijela Babic (swalina on Instagram)

Cillian Murphy

Word Count: 5,265

!!Warnings!!: Small scene of sexual harassment after Gab leaves to go to the toilet when shes at the pub. 

Date: March 2016

Chapter Name: Dinner and a Gig

Brief Chapter Outline: Second day in, Gabrijela spends the afternoon with Cillian, getting to know each other better before he treats her to a lovely dinner and then to a gig of a local band Cillian attends for a buddy of his...

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The theme song of Game of Thrones blared in some faraway land. Gabrijela was sound asleep, wearing nothing but a singlet and lacy panties. 

She let out a sound when it finally stopped but it wasn't long when it started up again. She finally rolled on to her back and grabbed her phone on the bedside table. She hadn’t made it under the covers last night, she simply collapsed on top and fell asleep after she had dinner and wrote in her diary and updating her family again. 

“What?” She groaned, answering the phone. 

“Its Cillian,” the Irish accent made her skin prick and she sat up. 

“Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so rude.” She rubbed her eyes. 

“No worries. Did I wake you up?” He asked, there was a smile in his tone. 

“Noooo, I was getting up anyway. Let me open the door and you can come up.” She got up and pressed the button which unlocks the main door. “My door is unlocked so just come in.” She said. 

“See you then,” and he hung up. 

She was still groggy and sleepy as she rubbed her eyes again and knelt on the floor. She pulled out the drawers under the bed and looked for an outfit for today. It had rained overnight and it still was, it was cold. 

Cillian walked in, “I hope you have this locked when you--” He stopped when he saw Gabrijela on the floor, “Oh! Gab!” He covered his eyes, a slight blush spreading across his cheeks. 

“Yeah? Oh right,” She laughed and grabbed a pair of blue jeans and a white knitted halter neck sweater. “Sorry. I forgot.” She scurried into the bathroom. “If you want tea or coffee, just boil the water.” She called out as she changed. 

“Sure. Did you want tea?” He asked. 

“Yeah! Just black tea with honey.” She said. She brushed her long, blond hair and braid it back. She washed her face and applied makeup, she looked dead and had bags under her eyes. So not a good look, she thought, making a face in the mirror. 

“It’s midday, by the way,” Cillian said after a bit. 

“Whoops.” She smiled as she came out. She looked fresher and felt fresher. 

Cillian was dressed quite casual, black jeans with boots, a white shirt and a denim jacket. The harsh haircut made it seem so at odds, she smiled more at the thought. 

“What are you smiling about? Tea is ready.” He handed her the spotty cup. 

She took it, “The way you're dressed, and that haircut. So strange. But definitely not in a bad way.” She quickly said. 

“You’re not the first one to say that.” He laughed, drinking his tea. 

“Oh? I hope it didn't offend you.” Her brows rose. 

“No, no. I just don't prefer to talk about work or much about my acting.” He admitted, taking a seat on the couch. 

"Oh okay, that's fine." She said as she came over and sat beside him, facing him. 

"So, it's really midday huh?" She played with the end of her braid. 

"Yeah." He showed her the time on his iPhone, "I knew you'd fallen asleep and wake up later." 

"Oh yeah, not because I had said I hadn't slept on the plane." She stuck up her nose, drinking her tea. 

"Definitely not because of that." He agreed, that same cheeky smile returned on his handsome face. 

It was so easy to play around with him despite meeting him just a little over twenty-four hours. She loved the playfulness, and always would be drawn to people who were able to tag along. 

"I think we should head off, nighttime falls quickly here so I want to use as much of the day as possible," Cillian said as he finished his tea. 

"Yeah, alright." Gabrijela got up and he cleaned up the cups while she pulled on her suede cream jacket. 

Boots on, she grabbed her bag and her phone, and together they headed out. She locked up and down the stairs, they went. 

They took the walk down the road together, a cool wind made her pull her jacket closer. It had stopped raining by now.

"In the coming months, it's going to rain like, almost every day," Cillian said, his hands in his jacket pockets. 

"Well, lucky for me I brought my winter stuff. I'll have to buy an umbrella that's all." She said. 

"Yeah, that's much needed. Always have one on hand to." Cillian nodded. 

"Thanks for the tip. I'll keep that in mind." She paused and took some photos of the area, "So pretty." She whispered as she checks her phone. 

"Can I see?" He peered over her shoulder. 

She showed him the photos, "I love taking photos. I brought my Canon camera with me, kinda an amateur photographer." She said shyly. 

"Huh, you might need to show me sometime. I saw a photo there, sorry to pry... Is that your family?" 

She flicked back on her phone to show him a group photo on a birthday a month back. It showed her parents, her three older brothers with their wives and their kids. 

"I'm an aunty to five kids." Gabrijela grinned, "This is Ante and his wife Louise and their five-year-old son, Caleb, and three-year-old daughter, Sasha. Ante is the eldest, then the middle boy is Dominik with his wife, Leah and their one-year-old son, Luca. And the youngest boy, Leo and his wife Tatiana and their one-year-old daughter, Tijana." 

"Wow, you got a big family. Names are fancy, what nationality are you?" He asked as they continued to walk. 

"Croatia. Both parents born there and as well as my brothers and myself. We lived there till the year two thousand and one before we all moved to Brisbane until two thousand and ten then moved to Sydney since my Dad had to move for his work." She explained. 

"Huh, that's a big move. Did your brothers meet their wives in Croatia or...?" He was curious and fascinated. 

"Ante met Louise in Croatia, they dated forever until they married about eight years ago. Dominik and Leo found their girlies in Sydney." She told him, then continued, "Dom married four years ago and Leo three years ago." 

"And you are the only girl, yeah?" Cillian asked they paused at a set of lights. 

"Yep. The baby of the family, it's tough." She said a little tentatively.

"How'd the parents feel about you coming here?" He noticed she didn't really want to elaborate on that subject. 

"Not happy. But I'm hoping it's only fear for me being here by myself rather than their eternal disappointment in me." She said with a trace of bitterness to her tone. 

Cillian looked over at her, seeing the cloudy look she had on her freckled face. He nodded, "But you look out for yourself, you do what you enjoy. Life is short, and you shouldn't let the opinions of others bring you down." He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. 

"Yeah. I know that" She looked up at him, "But, my whole life felt like I just kept disappointing them no matter what I tried to do. They didn't, especially my mum, want me to pursue a fashion designer career. More with business and that crap. That's not me. I want to create, make things, design. That's why I've also picked up a major in game design." She gulped as they walked across the road, they came to a shopping strip after the walk. 

"Come on, this doesn't seem to be a happy subject. Look, there's a lot of boutiques here, a lot of famous people had once wandered the streets here." He said, changing the subject for her. 

She was grateful for the change and walked along the strip, looking through the windows. 

As they walked, he pointed out things of interest for her. She took photos of the buildings or the interesting architecture and even got him to snap a photo of her next to the red phone box. 

She wanted to ask him to join but thought otherwise, feeling a little embarrassed to ask. 

She weaved in and out of stores and he happily tagged along inside, not minding the feminine clothing that surrounded him. He even went as so far picking things out for her and they had a good laugh when she politely said it wasn't her style. 

After she bought some stuff and even snuck in lingerie or two, they headed towards Buckingham Palace and the park nearby. 

It began to rain once they reached there, and using her brand new umbrella they huddled very close under it as it was quite small. 

She giggled as they paused under a large tree, "So much for coming this far." She said. 

"You never know with London weather." He said, grinning. 

He smelled really good, like cinnamon and a hint of wood fire and luxury. 

They stood under the tree, and he had moved an arm around her to make more space for them both. 

She leaned into his body a little, his warmth transferred to her and she thanked him mentally for it. 

The rain let up, sprinkling now. "Should we go get coffee instead of standing here?" She asked in a timid voice. 

"That might be a good idea. I know one just around the block." 

They hurried across the road together, dodging puddles and mud. They scurried into the little coffee shop where she ordered an almond cappuccino and he had a black coffee. 

There wasn't any space in the shop so they stood outside under the awning, shoulder to shoulder, clutching their take away cups. 

Gabrijela giggled softly, she was cold but the warmth of the cup made it sort of bearable. 

Once they drank that, they came to the edge of the road but a car drove way to fast. 

Water splashed everywhere on them both, Gab taking the brunt of it. They turned to each other and looked at each other, then burst out into laughter. 

"Oh my god," She whined but had a big grin, "We definitely have to head home." She said. 

"Indeed! Before we catch a cold." He hailed a taxi and they got in with the bags that were still dry. "At least I got a new shirt in here, I can put that on." He mused. 

"Lucky. I'll have to get this all cleaned up." She pouted. "I love this jumper." 

They arrived back to her apartment and they headed inside. She set her bags on the bed and went through the dresser to find some fresh set of clothing for tonight. 

"May I pick you up around six instead?" He asked. 

"Sure, but that leaves us one hour to get ready now. You might as well stay." She said as she held her clothing in her arms. 

"I know. But I'll head home quickly, change and come right back." He said, she noted the slight nerves in his posture, especially in his eyes. Why was he nervous? 

"Okay. I'll be ready by then." She said.

He departed and she had a shower, reapplied her makeup and pulled on her new outfit for tonight. It was a black, blue and red checkered mini skirt with a white button-up blouse and a red coat that came just to her knees. She had thigh-high boots and left out her wavy hair. 

The bell rang and she let him up again, unlocking the door and he stepped in. 

Cillian was dressed very well. Black jeans with a nice pair of loafers, a white button-up shirt that was tucked in with a casual suit jacket on top. His cologne was rich and smelled good. 

She beamed, she spotted purple socks he wore, "Flashy." She mused, "You look good. And you smell just as nice." 

He looked at her, eyes darting up and down and his expression was bright and cheery, "You look... lovely." He said with almost a stutter as if he couldn't find the right words. That small intimate smile returned. 

She bit her lip and looked away, her cheeks heating, "Thank you." Her stomach was doing flips but in a good way. This man was really seeping into her heart, intoxicating her with his lovely smiles and cute accent. 

"Should we go? I-I'm ready." Gabrijela said she picked up her crossbody bag. 

"Lets." He held the door open for her, and place his hand on the small of her back as he guided her out. 

The pair left the building and drove off somewhere else in London. The area was named Covent Garden, he found some restaurant called the Ivy Market Grill. 

It had stopped raining thankfully, as Cillian had to park quite far from the place. "The only problem here is the shit parking." He cursed as he found a spot and parked. 

"So I've heard." She said as she got out of the car. "So why here?" She asked him as they walked along the footpath. 

"Its a bit pricey but the food is good, or so my friends have told me." He said, "Atmosphere is nice, comfy. The whole place is designed almost authentically, too. Wanted to bring you to a place which makes authentic food." He explained. 

"Okay. Sounds lovely." Gabrijela was eager to try some good food, she loved her food, and if it was local, even better. 

They arrived at the restaurant, and once inside she felt like she was taken back some decades. It was mostly brown, green, rust and cream colours, mixed with odd patterns and round lights. There was a large bar and the place was almost packed. 

Cillian spoke to a waiter and they were taken upstairs to the terrace, which was covered and was seated next to the railing that overlooked the piazza below. 

"It's really nice." She nodded, it was cosy and light, especially upstairs. 

"It is, it is. I hope the food is just as good." He said. 

The waiter came by after a bit and Cillian ordered a glass of red wine, she did the same, she liked red. 

"You're a red girl, huh?" Cillian sat back in the chair. He ordered a bottle instead. 

"Yeah, I don't mind it. I like having it with dinner mostly. White... Hmm, I like Moscato, I'm a sweet person. When I go out though with my friends, its either vodka or tequila, or a mix of both and various other killing kinda spirit." She laughed softly.

"That's alright, at least you like a wide range of drinks. I stick to my red wines or some good local ale." He replied, "You said you go out? Where to?" 

"Uh, well in Sydney, mostly night clubs or do a classic pub run with my best friend and her mate. I'm a single gal, so I'm hoping to find a man who is willing to uh, date me or something. I get dates but uh... It ends up in bed and no more after that." She blushed a little. 

"Really? You seem like a really smart and talented girl. Who wouldn't want to date you?" He asked, clearly shocked with his raised brows.

The bottle came and the waiter poured them a glass each, she took a sip of hers, "I guess Sydney boys don't like a smart girl. Only for a good fuck for a couple of times." She sighed, "I'm over that, those friends with benefits. I'm twenty-five, and most of my friends are getting married soon, three of them are next year. One already has two kids." She twirled the glass on the table, "Guys I meet are immature, or like I said want to just get laid, they don't want anything serious. I want something serious. But it seems like a turn-off." She whispered. 

"Well, if you want my honest opinion, I don't think its a turn-off. It's nice to hear a girl like you who wants something for herself. You want kids eventually?" She nodded, "Marriage?" She nodded again. "I can say the same for myself." 

She almost choked on her drink, "Ah, yeah. Yeah." She hastily wiped her mouth. 

"I-I mean, not with you- I-I mean unless- Ah- Fuck, sorry. Fuck." He let out a nervous and embarrassing laugh. 

"It's okay." She laughed, reaching over suddenly and took his hand, squeezing it. "No offence." She winked at him and it seemed to calm him down. 

A waiter came over finally and took their orders. It seemed to calm the air between them. Whatever it was. Her heart had skipped a beat when he spoked about how her needs and wants wasn't a turn-off. Was that a turn-on for him? She kicked herself mentally for thinking such an absurd thing. He was so way out of her league, and her parents would definitely not approve. 

Besides, she was here on an internship, not to find a guy. 

But she looked up and met those pretty baby blue eyes, and she could see something appear in them. Something. 

"So," she finally said after some seconds that passed once the waiter left, "Music. You were in a band. What do you like to listen to?" 

"Uhm, just to name a few, Daft Punk occasionally, Blur, or Nils Frahm when I need something to chill out to." He said. "I got some old records that I still listen to, helps me get into a good mindset when I need to act." 

"Cool. I'm pretty easy, I listen to whatever sounds good I guess? I love a bit of everything except like heavy metal or country. If you check out my Spotify its a mixture of music, old classic pop and rock, or today's music. Even got a Croatian playlist too." She shrugged. 

"Top favourite band?" He asked, "Or two." 

She thought for a bit, "Imagine Dragons and... Fuck, I don't know. I love a lot of bands. My top song is Live it Up by Mental As Anything and Born to Be Yours by Imagine Dragons. Even Radioactive, god, I could put that on so loud and I'd be so far away from this world." She sighed, smiling. 

"In what way?" Curiosity laced his voice. 

"I read a lot of fantasy books, young adult, paranormal romance. I like to envision myself in those worlds as the heroine, fighting monsters and... stuff like that." She blushed. "I daydream a lot, writing is another thing I do. Whenever I get the chance." 

"Brilliance of a creative person, so music helps you dream?" He seemed very intrigued, fascinated. And truly interested in what she had to say. 

So she continued, surprisingly, "Yeah. Sometimes the lyrics don't need to help me, but mostly the tune. So, like alternative, indie rock. I like that stuff, gets my mind rolling." She said, her eyes glittering with joy. He didn't seem afraid either, he spoke wildly and passionately about how music also affected him in ways that let him experience highs and lows. 

When their food came, it didn't stop their conversation. They chatted about music, about the changes in genres and all that. 

It connected them very well, and she felt so unafraid for the first time to open up about her likes. She was over the moon that he didn't judge her, he asked questions, genuine questions of herself. 

Even went into their dislikes, and they clicked through that. 

Their dinner was over and he was quick to pay despite her trying to offer money. 

"Keep it," He said as they walked out of the restaurant. He held her coat and helped her put it on. "Buy something for yourself. Tonight is on me." He kept his arm around her shoulders as he guided her down the street. 

"Where we going now?" She asked, sliding an arm around his waist. It was more comfortable to walk like that, not because she wanted to. Or maybe she did. 

"There's a pub here that has live music. Alternative rock. Haven't heard of the band before but thought it would be fun to go." He said as the pub neared. 

There was a shit ton of people, they all piled outside and drinking. Music spilled out in the night. It was a very good beat. 

"Ladies first." He said and gestured with a hand for her to go first. She did, and his hand found that spot on her back. 

Once inside the pub, it was fairly large and people were seated in booths or tables or gathered around the bar. 

She saw a bunch of people wave from a booth, "There. Come on." He took her arm instead and they pushed through the throng of people. 

"Hey, mate! Glad you could come!" A man rose up from the booth, shaking hands with Cillian. "Oh man, my friend is so stoked you could be here tonight. It means so much." The guy was grinning wide. 

Cillian smiled, "Yeah, man. No worries. You talked him up so much, so he better be good." He teased. 

"Definitely! Ah, and who's this pretty lady?" The man turned to Gabrijela. 

She could see him and his buddies were a little tipsy but she gave them a lovely smile either way. "Hi," She shook hands. 

"Gabrijela, she's come all the way from Sydney! To work with me and the rest of the cast." Cillian explained. 

"Oh! Lucky girl. I'm Joel by the way. Don't worry, Cillian 'ere is a fantastic man. He'll look after you splendid." Joel winked at her, picking up the subtle hint. 

She frowned a little but she was ushered to sit. She sat at the end opposite Cillian to some other man whose name was Lawrence. 

"I'm gonna get drinks, what do you want?" Cillian asked her as he knelt beside her. 

"Surprise me." She leaned in to speak into his ear. 

He nodded and stood up and disappeared in the crowd. 

"So," Joel leaned on the table, "How long are you stayin' in London?" 

"About a year. It's the length of my Internship with a month of free time in December." She explained. 

"Oh yeah? Neat. How you feeling? Are you by yourself?" Lawrence jumped into the conversation. He was uncomfortably close to her, especially his hand. 

"Uh... I'm feeling okay. Nervous." She said, not answering his last question. The situation made her on edge. She had been in this scene before. Cillian, she thought, where the fuck are you? 

"You looking for something here?" Leo hummed, giving her a once over. 

"No." She said, standing her ground. "I'm here for my studies. Nothing more." She gave him a pointed look. 

"I'm just asking, Miss. Usually, you girls are after more than just a job. I work for a taxi company that--" 

"Listen here, mate." She leaned over, slapping the business card out of his hand. She knew what kinda taxi driver this sick prick was, "I'm not here to fuck with men or women. I'm here to work, to get experience in a fashion career. And you fucker give me shit like this? You're sick." She spat. 

She'd walk, but Cillian had come over looking cheery as always. He looked at Gabrijela, seeing her posture of her crossed legs and arms. 

"Hey, we good here?" He asked as he set the wine glass in front of her and one for himself, and two beer glasses in front of his friends. 

"Yeah, mate. It's fine. Hey look they're about to get on stage." Joel nodded to the band setting up now after the first one finished. 

As the band fixed their gear, she felt a nudge under the table. She looked and Cillian mouth 'Are you okay?' 

She nodded, giving him a smile but it didn't reach her eyes. Cillian frowned sitting back before Joel sucked him into a conversation. 

Lawrence on the other hand, wanted to talk to her, "Is this your first time overseas?" 

"No," She said blandly, sipping her wine as she faced the rugged man. 

"Where did you go? If this isn't your first time." Lawrence continued. 

"Europe with family. I'm here-" She stopped herself. 

"By yourself? That's brave." He purred. 

Fuck. 

"Yeah. Very." She looked away, the band began to play. 

The night went on and Lawrence seemed to leave her alone and she began to feel a little better. The boys talked about work and whatever, and she listened to the band playing. 

They were pretty good and she bopped to it, even taped some of it as a memory. 

Then she spotted a photo booth, and a smile broke out, "Cillian." She said, bringing his attention to her. "There's a photo booth. Can we go to it?" She asked. 

"With me?" He asked. 

"Yeah, I love those things." She stood, holding out her hand for him. 

"Alright. We'll be back." He said to Joel and Lawrence. 

The pair went to the photo booth, and she paid for it. They took six photos together, silly poses and some serious or smiling ones. They looked at the photos and both laughed, there was one for her and one for him. 

"I'm gonna cherish this." She said to him, hugging him suddenly. 

He was taken aback but hugged her back, "Same here." He said. 

"I'm gonna head to the ladies room, I'll be right back." She said to him and pulled away to go to the toilet. 

Cillian returned to the table, tucking the photo into his pocket, "Where'd your girlie go?" Joel asked. 

"Ladies room," Cillian replied lightly before they went back to the conversation. 

Lawrence took a moment before he got up and went towards the toilet. 

Gabrijela was just walking out when she ran right into Lawrence. 

"Woah!" He gripped her arms. 

"Let go." She growled and pushed his arms away. 

"Damn girl. You are a feisty one." He smirked, cornering her. 

"You fucker. Let me through." She tried to get past him but he had her pinned. 

"Why you acting like this? Shouldn't you be happy? Getting the attention yeah?" He purred. His breath reeked. 

"Get off me!" She cried, but the music was so loud, and the area was dark that no one really paid attention. 

"Come on girl, I know you like this-"

No. She definitely wasn't. Before his hands could yank up her skirt or jumper, she brought her knee between his legs.

He gasped and fell to his knees, clutching himself. 

Gabrijela picked up her bag and tried to fix her jumper, tears began to fall down as she rushed through the crowd. 

When she reached the table she grabbed her unfinished wine and threw it on Joel. 

"Fuck you." She snapped, "How dare you. How dare you!" 

Cillian shot to his feet, "Hey! What's wrong? Gab?" He grabbed her arms. 

"Let me go!" She shook herself free from him. "That old pervert sent his cocksucker on me! He had his hands on me!" She was infuriated, humiliated in a way and frightened. 

She turned from Cillian and pushed through the crowd, and stumbled out of the pub as tears fell down her cheeks more freely now. 

She stormed down the street, she needed to get home, have a shower. 

"Gabrijela!" She could hear Cillian's voice call for her. "Gab! Wait!" 

He caught up to her and got her to stop by standing in front of her, "Gab, hey. Look at me, hey." His voice was gentle and soft. 

She couldn't look up, but his fingers took her chin and he tilted her face up, "What happened? Talk to me," He was seriously concerned and worried. 

She sniffled, she explained what happened and had clung to his arms. "I-I'm sorry I-"

"No. You're not at fault. I'm sorry, I should've picked it up sooner. God, I'm so sorry," He pulled her into his body, and she wrapped her arms around him. 

He stroked her back slowly and she found it comforting. "Let's go home, yeah?" 

"Yeah." She nodded and pulled away slightly. He kept his arm around her shoulder as they walked back to the car. 

He put on some gentle music and it eased her all the way back to the apartment. 

They silently walked up the stairs and he came in with her. She sat on her bed, sighing heavily. She tried to take off her boots but she couldn't. 

"Let me help." He came over and knelt in front of her. His fingers brushed her skin and watched him closely as he peeled off her boots. He set them aside and then helped her out of her jacket and hung it up for her. 

She flopped back on the bed, eyes shut. 

"Will you be okay? By yourself?" He asked her as he sat beside her. 

"I..." She opened her eyes, looking at him. Her heart melted at the sight. She didn't think she ever saw a man so worried like he did right there. She smiled a little, "I... Stay. Please." she sat up slowly, leaning closer to him. 

"Okay. I'll sleep on the couch-"

"No. Could..." she sucked in a breath, "Hold me? Please? U-Unless that's too much since we-" 

"Of course. Doesn't bother me." He reached up and brushed a knuckle along her cheekbone. "Get changed into something more comfortable though." He added. 

She nodded and got off the bed, she grabbed her singlet and the silky booty shorts she had and changed in the bathroom. She cleaned up her face and combed her hair before she stepped out. 

Cillian had kicked off his shoes and his jacket and was simply in his shirt and his boxers. 

"Someone's comfortable." She said with a smile. 

"Ah, I mean- I can put my jeans-" He stuttered and reached for them. 

"No," she rushed to him, taking his hands, "No, I was only kidding. It's fine." 

"I'm wearing underwear under them." He offered. 

She snorted, and then laughed, "It's fine. Really. Do I look any better?" She huffed. 

He looked her up and down quickly and his cheeks went a shade of pink. He didn't answer her. 

He got into the bed first and she went to the other side. 

Once they were in and comfortable, he held open his arm, "Come here." He said softly. 

She accepted the offer and rolled into his side, her hand resting on his chest, her head on his shoulder.

His arm came around her, his other arm was bent under his head. 

"I'm sorry for tonight how it ended. I had hoped it went better." Cillian said softly. 

"It's okay, Cilly. Dinner was wonderful, made perfect because of you." She looked up at him. "I will remember that most." 

He looked at her, and sighed softly, "Okay, but I will make it up to you." 

"Don't-"

"Shush," He said and she raised a brow, "I want to okay? Please. This was on me, and I should've been more aware." 

It was her turn to sigh, but she gave in, "Okay. Okay. Make it up to me." She whispered. 

They held each other gaze before he blinked and laid his head back, "Get some sleep. Tomorrow... who knows. We'll see." He said. 

She nodded and shifted a little, her leg brushed along his. "Goodnight." She murmured. 

"Goodnight." He replied he pressed a kiss to her head. His fingers slowly moved up and down her side, it made her body relax.

She listened to his heartbeat, letting it lull her into a dreamless sleep. Cillian held her the whole time, even after he fell asleep.

[ladymercytaylor]

All In - Chapter 7 (Joe Mazzello x Reader)

A/N: S’up homies! Here’s Chapter 7 for you. And again shout out to those who left comments on my last chapter. I treasure you and your validation <3 Summary: You and Joe were in a blissful relationship for 4 years. It seemed as though everything was perfect. You’d moved in together and all of your friends were taking bets on when he’d finally put a ring on your finger. That is until it all fell apart. Now, 1 year on you’re thrown together at a mutual friend’s wedding and it changes everything between you. 

Previous Chapter can be found HERE

Chapter 7 – 13 weeks

And so life continued. Thankfully, your morning sickness did fade away as you entered the start of your second trimester. It still wasn’t perfect; there were definitely times you had your doubts about managing the commute to work, but luckily Nugget seemed to be giving you a break. Maybe they knew you couldn’t face anything else after that night with Joe. He’d tried so desperately to get in touch with you in the first few days after the fight – to try and explain himself better than he had that evening. 33 notifications popped up on your phone the next day but all his calls and messages went unanswered. When that didn’t work he appeared on your doorstep that Friday night, but Flick was adamant that he stay away. “No, Joe” she stated for the thousandth time after he pleaded with her to let him over the threshold. “She’s not ready to talk to you” “Maybe she’s changed her mind?” he asked hopefully, bouncing on the balls of his feet. But the frown that twisted your roommate’s mouth was not encouraging. “Why don’t you just pop in and ask her?” “I don’t need to” she replied evenly, crossing her arms over her chest. Joe groaned petulantly as she continued to block his path, the noise echoing down the deserted corridor.

“Flick, come on, please” he tried to plead again but the frown creasing her brow rapidly deepened into a scowl.

“Joe. I’m going to put this to you bluntly. You hurt her” she stated, each world dripping with frustration. “You don’t get to decide when she’s ready to talk. And no matter how many times you pester me I will not let you in until she tells me it’s okay” Joe sighed reluctantly. He knew better than to push Flick. You and her were closer than sisters and he knew she’d stop at nothing to protect you. So he retreated with his tail between his legs, his heart falling in his chest as he walked to the elevator, the only sound that followed him was the thud of your front door swinging closed.

“So, have you spoken to him?” Flick asked quietly as she slid a cup of coffee into your waiting hands. You glared at her through your lashes as you lifted the mug to your lips and took a drawn out sip. “It’s been 2 weeks, Y/N” she sighed dramatically, setting down her cup of tea with a loud thump. “You’re going to have to talk to him at some point”  “Not ready” you muttered against the china rim, your gaze drifting to the chipped kitchen counter. “Don’t even know what I’d say to him” “How about ‘What you said to me really hurt and I want you to apologise but I’m also going to apologise for calling our baby a mistake?’” she offered, staring pointedly at you.  “It is a mistake” you muttered angrily, fingers curling so tightly around the cup that your knuckles ached. Silence settled over the two of you as you stared angrily at the flowers on your pyjama shorts. How could it not be a mistake? Everything was going fine before Joe was thrown back into your life. Work was good and you were living with your best friend in one of the best cities in the world in an amazing apartment. Your dating life had, admittedly, been lacklustre at best but that wasn’t an invitation for the universe to throw your hurricane of an ex-boyfriend back into your life. And if felt like a sick joke to you that this was how you were getting the family you’d always dreamed of.  “Would you really have kept it if you honestly thought it was a mistake?” she proposed gently before moving to tip the remainder of he tea down the sink. A heavy silence settled over the kitchen as you stared at the milky brown liquid in your mug. “I’ve got to get ready for work” you mumbled, pushing yourself off the bar seat and abandoning the still steaming cup of coffee on the counter top. Flick watched your retreating figure, a disappointed sigh slipping passed her lips. When you first announced your pregnancy a small part of her had hoped that you would soften up a bit when it came to Joe. Despite all his mistakes she knew that he never meant to hurt you. When the two of you were together you were always his number one priority, and Flick thought it was laughable that you didn’t notice that after all this time you still were. He always came over to your apartment to hang out. Always brought some food he knew you liked or was instructed to buy at the behest of Nugget (Pickles in salted caramel ice-cream was the strangest one so far). Joe was constantly checking in with you throughout the day, offering to come by if you wanted company when Flick was at the restaurant and she’d even overheard him on the phone cancelling plans because you’d asked him to go and see a movie that she had no interest in. It filled her heart with sadness to watch you pull away from him, because even if he’d gone about it in the dumbest way imaginable - he was right. The two of you belonged together.

“I’ve fucked it, Rami” he moaned, his voice muffled by the pillow his face was currently shoved into. “You haven’t done yourself any favours” Rami agreed, aimlessly twiddling his thumbs. Joe pulled his now flushed face out of the cushion to glare softly at his friend. “You’re meant to be making me feel better” he reminded him and the older man couldn’t stop the chuckle from tumbling passed his lips. “I’m sorry, buddy, but I don’t know how. Starting a fight with a pregnant girl is just…a terrible idea” Rami sighed with a gentle shrug of his shoulders. “I didn’t mean to” he groaned, head falling back onto the bed. “She was so upset and that made me upset and then it all just…spilled out” “If you were better at controlling your spilling you might have avoided this whole situation” he chuckled. “That’s nasty, even for you” Joe admonished with a frown. “Sorry” Rami apologised, taking advantage of Joe’s distraction to pull out his phone. “Lucy says that you’re an idiot” he murmured as he looked at the glowing screen. “Great. Swear to God is no one on my side?!” he exclaimed. Despite knowing that you were entirely justified in not wanting to speak to Joe, Rami couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. He’d been thrown into an impossible situation with the girl that everyone knew was the one that got away. Well…the one that he pushed away was more accurate. “She says that you’re an idiot, but you’re trying to make it right and that’s what really counts” Rami clarified, tucking the red iPhone back into his jeans. Joe felt his heart warm with affection for his blonde friend. “And this isn’t about picking sides, Joe. It’s about what is best for the three of you. And ripping open old wounds is definitely not the right choice” “I thought if I told her it might change things” Joe admitted, guilt gnawing at his stomach. “She needed to know it was a mistake” he ran his hands roughly over his hair, mussing up the already dishevelled auburn strands. “And now she knows” Rami murmured, picking at a stray thread on his shirt sleeve. “And now I know she regrets this whole thing” Joe whispered, his eyes prickling uncomfortably. “People say things they don’t mean when they’re upset” Rami hummed softly, reaching out to pat his friend gently on the shoulder. “Just wait until she’s ready to talk. And I wouldn’t panic about her never wanting to talk to you again” he added quickly when he saw Joe open his mouth to retaliate. “When has Y/N ever been able to keep her mouth shut?” he chuckled quietly and he smiled as his friend laughed softly. Rami left an hour later, citing dinner plans with Lucy. He’d invited Joe along but the ginger just shook his head as he flopped back onto the mattress. He stayed there for a few more hours, watching dejectedly as the sky changed from a delicate peach to the inky black of night. A dejected sigh escaped his mouth as he grabbed his phone, immediately unlocking it and dialling your number. Hope fluttered in his hollow chest as he listened to the rhythmic ringing through the speaker, but it quickly died as the ringing was replaced with your voicemail. “Hi, you’ve reached Y/N. Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you soon!” “It’s Joe…again” he murmured, dragging a finger along the fabric of his bedspread. “It’s been a fortnight. Just give me a call. Please” He dropped the device back onto the rumpled covers before flopping back onto his pillow. He stared up at the dark ceiling, contemplating a voyage to the kitchen when his phone pinged loudly in the silent room. Scrambling across the bed he dived for his iPhone. His heart dropped slightly when he saw that it wasn’t from you, but the message did spark a small flame of hope in his chest. Flick Stop calling and DO something

You were only half focussed on the glowing computer screen in front of you when soft knocking on the door echoed through the small office. “Y/N” It was James, one of the receptionists. He looked slightly confused, holding what appeared to be some kind of gift box, complete with a yellow ribbon holding it closed. “This was just dropped off for you” “Thanks. Just pop it down there, I’ll get to it in a minute” you replied with a smile before turning back to the spreadsheet in front of you. You tried desperately to examine the numbers in front of you – Sam had asked you to finish checking over your inventory by the end of the day and you didn’t want to disappoint him, but Joe and that goddamned fight kept swimming around and around in your fuzzy brain making it impossible to concentrate. Pushing away from your desk with a heavy sigh you decided that what you really needed was a break. Yes, five minutes would be long enough to cure you of these incessant memories of the second worst fight you’d ever had with Joe. Yep. Totally.  Crossing the small room to the bench where James had deposited the package you couldn’t help but be curious. In your 3 years at this practice you’d never once received a package (copious Amazon orders excluded).  Pulling the primrose yellow tie off you lifted the lid, only to drop it back down the second you saw what was inside. With a racing heart you tried again, flipping the top onto the bench beside the box before you could change your mind. Sitting inside on a bed of packing peanuts was a stuffed purple stegosaurus. You didn’t even need to read the note folded on top of it to know who it was from. So you left the card unread, instead picking up the soft toy, tears prickling the corners of your eyes. The fabric was velvety soft against your skin and a smile twisted your lips despite the moisture in your eyes. It was the perfect baby toy and you inhaled sharply as you realised it was also Nugget’s first. Tucking the plushie into the crook of you arm you took a steadying breath as you picked up the white card and turned it over to see very familiar black scrawl.  The note was three simple sentences. It was all Joe could handle writing. He wanted to say so much more – to explain himself better than he had in your living room that night - but he’d swallowed his pride and kept it simple. I’m sorry. I promise I’ll never bring it up again. Just please don’t shut me out now.

It didn’t get any better over the next few days. Joe’s texts still went unanswered. Thankfully he’d continued to heed Flick’s warning and stayed far away from the apartment. As much as he didn’t want to hear it he knew she was right. He couldn’t pressure you into forgiving him. And there was nothing he wanted to avoid more than a repeat of that awful night. It tore at every fibre of Joe’s being to see you upset, and knowing he was the cause of it was even worse. He didn’t even leave the house, finding the idea of heading into the city utterly exhausting. Instead he found his comfort in his liquor cupboard, drinking until all he could feel was the burning in his throat and the image of your tear-stained face had faded into obscurity. “I’m coming. I’m coming” Joe groused, pulling himself off the couch to stumble to the front door. The cold floor bit at his exposed feet but it barely registered. His brain still felt like a cloud cotton wool between his ears, curtesy of far too much whisky with dinner last night.  He could see a dark figure silhouetted by the orange streetlights outside and his brow furrowed. Maybe Rami had stopped by to see if he was doing okay? Oh God, maybe you’d told his mother what he’d said and she was here to whoop his ass. But when he pulled the door open his guesses were rendered obsolete in the best way. You were standing on his stoop, face set with unrelenting determination and holding a pizza box. You nearly smiled at the look of utter shock on Joe’s face but managed to keep it at bay.  “Do you promise to never mention it again?” you asked, voice even and firm despite your quivering hands.  “Promise” he assured you immediately. His heart raced as you considered his response, those few seconds seeming to stretch into hours.  “Alright then” you nodded finally before wiggling the box in your hand. “Can I come in?” “Of course – of course” he stammered, stumbling to the side so that you could step into the entry way. The house was not the same one you’d walked into after your night out with the boys. Back then it was relatively tidy (immaculate by Joe’s usual standards) with shoes lined up in neat pairs under the jackets hung on the pegs by the front door. This time you were greeted with the remnants of what appeared to be shredded Amazon boxes and dirty clothes piled on the floorboards. “I haven’t – it hasn’t been a good few weeks” he admitted weakly when he saw your eyes narrow at the mess. Guilt attempted to settle in your stomach but you pushed it aside. After everything he’d done he didn’t deserve rapid forgiveness. “My bedroom’s pretty clean though” he added quickly, his wide hazel eyes flickering to the stairs “we can eat in there and watch a movie?”  “Normally Netflix and chill leads to a baby, not the other way around” you teased gently as you moved towards the stairs. Joe’s heart fluttered rapidly in his chest at the smile twisting your lips. Maybe all wasn’t lost.  “Well we’re anything but traditional, my dear” he joked back, his trademark cheeky grin growing on his face.  The two of you ascended the wooden staircase and while your back was turned Joe quickly whipped out his phone and typed a rapid message.

Rami I don’t think I’ve fucked it anymore!!

He was right; his bedroom was considerably tidier than downstairs but there was one distinct difference from the last time you’d visited. A pile of around 10 books were stacked up against his blue bedroom wall. While Joe busied himself getting Netflix up on the flat screen you crouched down to read the titles. A knowing smile grew on your face as you noticed a definite theme between the books. What to Expect When Your Wife is Expecting. So You’re Going to be a Dad. The Expectant Father. “Doing a little light reading, Joe?” you teased. He turned away from the black remote he was fiddling with only to blush a deep red when he saw you kneeling next to his small collection of parenting books. “Figured it was time to get serious about preparing considering the first trimesters over now” he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. His eyes flickered to you and every cell of his body began to glow when he saw the look of admiration on your face. “I told my mum” he blurted out, running his hand over his face nervously, “and she gave me kind of a hard time about it” “That sucks” you sighed, settling yourself against the headboard. “I mean, not really surprising. I’m still shocked my mum didn’t fly down here to give me a thorough grilling when I told her” you chuckled, wiggling until you were comfortable on the covers. “Was it really bad?” the softness in your voice surprised even you and your cheeks flashed with heat.  “Could have been worse” Joe murmured, hopping up next to you on the bed, placing the pizza between the two of you. “But she implied that I didn’t know that what we’re doing is a big deal. Got on my nerves. Hence the…research” he finished lamely, gesturing to the precarious stack of books. “Have yourself a little Elle Woods moment, did we?” you chuckled softly, flipping the lid of the pizza box open. Joe tilted his head in confusion, his hazel eyes crinkling slightly. “Elle Woods” you pressed, grabbing a slice of pizza and taking a large bite. “Legally Blonde?” “Never got around to it” he shrugged, also grabbing a slice from the box. “Alright, that needs to be corrected right now” you lunged for the remote and scrolled through the icons for each movie until you found your target. “Prepare for an education, Joe” As the voice began to roll the two of you settled into a comfortable silence, only interrupted by the occasional rustle of the pizza box. While your eyes stayed fixed on the TV, the boy next to you wasn’t quite as focussed. Every now and then when a peal of laughter fell from your lips his hazel eyes would flicker to you, taking in the slope of your nose, the curve of your top lip. Everything. He didn’t need to watch the movie anyway. He’d already seen it. A/N: And that’s all for today folks! Tune in next Wednesday for more and simply message if you’d like to be added to the Tag List!

TAG LIST @sunflower-borhap-boys @blushingwueen @briarrose26 @mrsmazzello @escabell @yourealegendroger @sincereleygmg @zvzxs @dramatique-moi @borhapqueen92 @manuosorioh @deakyjohns @rogwhoretaylor @dinkiplier @hargreevesgrace @joes-milk @sam-mercurry-sixx @itsgonnabe-brian-may @ixchel-9275

[lovemesomesurveys]

Does your alarm clock wake you with music, or with an annoying buzz sound? I use an alarm clock app and the alarm sounds are like what you’d find on an iPhone, but I like the app because the alarm fades into it and starts out quietly, slowly getting louder as it goes. 

Has anyone ever mistaken you for being anorexic? Yes. I’m sure a lot of people assume that about me, but they’d be wrong.

Can you completely annihilate the first Mario game in less than an hour? No, not that fast. I love that game, though.

Do holidays make you giddy? Yes and no. I love that time of year, but it hasn’t felt the same in a long time and it makes me sad. It just feels like something is missing. My avatar describes it pretty well.

Which game would you love to play as a contestant on The Price Is Right? I wouldn’t want to be a contestant on that game show.

Do you complain about public restrooms when they are nasty? I’ve never complained to an employee or something, but I’ll talk crap to someone I know about it. 

Do you know how to play roulette? No.

When you broke stuff in the house as a child, did you blame it on siblings? I don’t think that happened with me and my younger brother. I don’t recall breaking a lot of things and if I did, my parents didn’t get mad at me about it. 

Did you make it all the way through the Oregon Trail game? I don’t remember... I just remember getting those alerts that me or someone in my family died of something.

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Which one are you more scared of? Uh, I wouldn’t want to encounter either one. Each one of those could eat me whole.

When was the last time you looked at a book with hidden pics (ex.I-Spy)? Not since I was a kid. I loved those.

Do you know what is on your state’s quarter? I don’t remember and I don’t feel like Googling it right now.

Quick! Write me a haiku: Nah.

Describe the best use that you’ve found for duct tape: I’ve only used it for its main intended purpose. 

Do you wrap gifts or use gift bags? Well, both. It just depends on the gift.

Geico commercials: annoying or funny? They’re whatever. The little cartoon Gecko is cute. Real ones definitely aren’t. 

What infomercial almost has you convinced to buy the product it is selling? There have been a few where I thought the product could maybe be of use, but I’m always skeptical of those types of things generally assume they’re not what they claim to be. 

What fast food place do you avoid at all costs? Sonic. I got sick after eating there like 10 years ago and haven’t been able to go back since. 

Did you cut the hair of your Barbie dolls to give them new ‘do’s? Lol yes. I also used to “dye” their hair with markers sometimes. :O

Do you go to Wal-Mart in the middle of the night for no reason? I’ve gone late at night, but not for no reason. The Walmart where I live actually isn’t 24 hours anymore, though.

Are you afraid of deep sea creatures? YES. Just the idea of them. Deep water terrifies me.

Has the legacy of Jason Voorhies been taken too far? I was never into Friday the 13th. I’m a Michael Myers gal.

Ever contemplated climbing a water tower? I couldn’t do that even if I wanted to, which I most definitely do not. 

If you were at a beach, would you write something in the sand and leave it? I have.

Did/Do your teachers write on dry-erase boards or chalkboards? There were dry-erase boards for as long as I can remember. I’m trying to remember the last time there were chalkboards... maybe 6th grade.

Have you ever agreed to purchase something on Ebay and got scammed somehow? No, I’ve never bid on anything or participated in an auction. You can just buy stuff on eBay.

What food/drink must you get at a baseball game? I don’t go to sporting events.

If you get a call that says "Unknown”, do you answer it? Nope. I don’t even always the phone when I do know who’s calling, with the exception of my mom, dad, or brother. They’re the only ones who call me anymore anyway.

What do you do to make yourself feel better when you’re stressed out? I just try and distract myself, which is what I do everyday. Just trying to get through the day, man.

Would you rather have 12 fingers or webbed toes? Webbed toes. It wouldn’t bother or affect me in any way.

Are you allergic to any foods? Tangerines. 

Do you have any bobble head figures? Yes, I have a Chewbacca one.

Have your parents ever left you somewhere without realizing it? No.

Who’s the best late-night TV host? I used to watch Conan and Jay Leno regularly back in the day, but then after Jay Leno left my late night talk show viewing started to fizzle out. I sometimes watched Conan when he switched to TBS and Jimmy Fallon, but not very often. It’s been yearsss now since I’ve watched any. 

Fruit Roll-Ups or gummy snacks? I liked Fruit Roll Ups when I was younger. I liked wrapping them around my finger for some reason and eating it that way lol.

Do you think riding on trains will ever be popular again? People still ride trains.

Have you ever been to Hollywood? Yes, but I was like 8 years old. I’d love to go back.

Have you ever caught an editing mistake in the newspaper? Yeah, several times.

Would you rather have a paintbrush, a pen, a microphone, or a guitar? A pen.

[wedgestratos]

Sailfish OS: One Day

Today’s gonna be a weird and long post, so let’s start slow and give you the choice.

We’ve had, for years, seen the constant back and forth between Google and Apple on their respective phone operating systems. Android, which has dominated the market on basically any device you can pick up here in the states, and iOS, which exclusively powers iPhones, iPods and iPads. Despite the two duking it out, Android does hold the highest market share. As of Q2 2018, Statista claims a whopping 82% market share for Android, and no other competitors really exist.

But, for years, I’ve been enamored by an OS that has been seemingly out of my reach, and has had a lot of drawbacks that prevented me from ever considering using it for more than an hour. An OS that’s been going strong for over 5 years, and might soon see a new breath of fresh air due to recent allegations to Huawei. So, after the break, let me tell you my tale of Sailfish OS.

Now one thing I want to briefly mention is the history of this, but don’t take it as gospel. I’m not an expert on this stuff, but what I’ve gathered is Sailfish OS is built on a foundation of MeeGo and Mer. MeeGo has prospered on its own to Tizen, an alternative OS used widely by Samsung on their watches and fridges (for some reason), while Mer was a fork of MeeGo driven by the community, and became the framework for ex-Nokia employees to start a new project, with the funding of Nokia through their Bridge program. Those ex-Nokia employees would found Jolla, and Sailfish OS would be their creation.

I first heard of Sailfish in 2013, as I was dipping my toes into the world of smartphones at that point. It looked incredible, with vivid, vibrant colors, a gesture-driven UI, a uniform design language, and a promise of privacy and openness that we definitely don’t see from companies today. And at the time, I was especially curious of their hardware.

Credit By Michael Coté - Flickr: Charles' Jolla phone, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31979039

The Jolla phone saw its first pre-orders in April of 2013, and was officially available for purchase by November. It had decent specs for the time. Snapdragon 400, a modest 540x960 resolution (keep in mind, the flagship Samsung Galaxy SIII had a mere 720p resolution), 1GB of RAM, a 2100mAh battery, and most interesting to me, the “Other Half” which powered the system’s Ambiences. You slap a new Other Half on it, and the color changed to match in the OS. Cool in concept.

The later Jolla tablet would be promoted with an Indiegogo campaign, but unfortunately, costs and availability of materials, and the development of Sailfish OS 2.0 led to the tablet ultimately being cancelled, with a handful of units out in the wild.

Since then, Jolla’s gotten back on stable footing. The OS is open for licensing with OEMs, and Jolla’s been able to get official support from places like Russia, and companies like... Sony.

I have the Xperia XA2, released in March 2018 for $300 in the US. I snatched it up on eBay for a mere $170, and I’ve enjoyed its clean design, near-stock OS, and the solid in-house Sony apps like the Gallery and Music apps worked wonders. But then I discovered Jolla was working on Sailfish X for the XA2.

As a way to support the OS, and a way to fund the continued development of an Android compatibility layer for those who need Android apps, Jolla has Sailfish X, a version of their OS that features predictive text input with the keyboard, software updates and customer support, and of course, the Alien Dalvik, which lets you run Android apps on the OS natively. This was important, since I knew I needed apps like Discord, Twitter, Google Maps, and I could see the available open-sourced apps of things like Keepass weren’t gonna cut it.

The process was a bit difficult, and I stayed up until 4am on Saturday, trying to get the phone backed up, flashed, and ready to go with what I needed. First, I had to unlock the bootloader, which Sony and Jolla made it pretty easy. Then I had to buy the OS for the meager $35 USD (which I had done before even being certain my phone would do it, don’t make my mistake), download their software package and just... do it. After an hour, I had the phone running Sailfish, and man, it was a delight from the beginning. Swiping, tapping, sliding, the OS felt smooth, it had this flow about it.

After I got the accounts logged in, I proceeded to grab a few apps... before realizing all too soon that I’d need Google Play services. This is where I’m probably gonna get a lot of flack. For all the effort I put in, I was about to install apps that were at least partially at fault for the slowness of my XA2 on Android, and defeating the point of installing Sailfish.

Let me be forward in saying I don’t care that much about privacy. Do I like Google being involved in every facet of my life? Absolutely not, but they are sadly a necessary evil. And it’s not like you, the reader, would be any different. Tumblr, after all, is owned by Verizon, who has a history of screwing customers in plenty of situations, including firefighters who need constant access to emergency services for contact. And too many things want or need Google Play for me to avoid it. Discord, Telegram, Authy, Youtube, I use all this stuff, and without GP, it gets unhappy. I could remedy some of those by using Amazon or just going open-source with F-Droid, but it won’t fix the issue. And even now, microG, an open-source implementation of Google Play services, isn’t perfect, and would likely cause more headaches than I could handle at 4am on a Saturday.

Fortunately, some good Samaritans on Jolla’s Together forums created a simple Bash script I could run by just SSHing into my phone... Wow, that was a sentence. A fitting one though. After that, and after some headaches with the Google Setup wizard (here’s a tip: use Vision settings to get to your Android settings, and disable permissions on “Android Setup” when you’ve gotten your account logged in), I was finally using my phone, and it runs quite well. Android apps don’t consistently work correctly. Often, I have to close apps like the settings or Keepass because the framework stops updating the frontend, or even fully stop and start Android support, but it works well for just about everything I’m using on it now!

I really like the UI and design, and since the Other Half concept isn’t there for the XA2, ambiences are just a menu away from changing the look and feel of the OS in this pleasing way.

The system flows thanks to its gesture-driven controls. Swiping up from the bezel will bring you your app tray, swiping from the top bezel gives you quick settings. When you’re on the home screen, swiping left or right gives you a sort of agenda view where notifications, weather, and updates from your Twitter, Facebook, XMPP, VK and other accounts stack up. When you’re inside an app, swiping from the left or right bezel should bring you back home. Of all the interface controls on this device, that one is the most inconsistent one, a pain point given the nature of Android’s design language encourages these slide-out menus that you can’t consistently swipe open due to that gesture. The only setting I’ve found on that is to change the left-side bezel swipe to open the agenda instead of going home. I’d personally prefer hot zones on the bezels, so if I wanted to go home, swipe in from the lower half of the screen, but if I want the Android menus, slide from the top half.

Other interesting design cues come from the glowing parts of the UI, where extended menu options usually hide, or places you can slide out to are available.

Sliding down if the top is glowing usually opens this pulley menu, where each option can be selected by just pulling a bit and letting go. It’s an odd one, and due to the inconsistencies of apps and options, the pulley menu isn’t as instantly intuitive as I would hope. If there’s a glowing dot on a page though, you can simply slide to return to a menu from previously, or access another menu if the dot’s on the right side. Again, this is a bit inconsistent, as the unofficial Twitter app, Pingviini, showcases. You can actually just swipe left and right at will to access your notifications, conversations, search and trendings, and timeline. That bottom menu you’re seeing there is hidden so often, it’s basically pointless to have it there. This does make the whole system feel more cohesive, Pingviini looks like it belongs on this phone, but it does hurt usability.

Thus far, I’m still testing and learning about this OS. I had to google screenshotting, which is simply holding the volume rocker together. Doesn’t feel as reliable as the Android alternative of Volume Down and Power / Home, but I’ll take it. I don’t plan on gaming with this. Games are just not what I buy a phone for. It’s nice to have it there, but I’d prefer to just play my 3DS if I’m out and about.

I can’t wait to do more with Sailfish. It feels really nice to use, and I’m honestly draining my phone’s battery just from the amusement of swiping and sliding menus around and admiring the design of this. The last OS I really enjoyed using was Blackberry 10, and this feels like a sort of spiritual successor, with the included agenda feed and the persistent cards for apps you’re using.

[sunshinesunflowers1]

🌻🌻 Chapter One 🌻🌻

6 Hours.

6 bloody hours I have been in this country and Im already freaking lost my phone is dead. I don’t know where I am. And I have five dollars on me.

A service station is where I am on a busy road. Okay maybe if the service station worker could let me use their phone and I could ring... wait who would I ring I just moved to America I don’t know anybody at all not even my new housemates yet. All I wanted to do is get a American SIM card so my phone can actually work and I could ring my family and tell them I’m actually here safe other then using a Starbucks wifi.

The Uber dropped me off here in the middle of nowhere - okay maybe I’m being a bit over dramatic it’s some where I just don’t know where. The Uber got mad because my card got rejected so made me get out. And here I am stuck.

I sighed and decided I needed a plan. A good plan. I slowly walked towards to the service station. Maybe if I can get money out or many if the worker has a iPhone charger I can quickly charge my phone and borrow some wifi so I can get some money out and get a taxi and do what I needed to do. Yes that seems like a good plan.

I walked passed a guy moving slowly out of his way and then bumping into another guy exiting the service station hot wet substance poured all over me drenching my clothes and burning my skin. I let out a squeak.

“Fuck. I’m sorry!” A voice said to me. Then started to pat my body down with a napkin. Patting my chest.

“Zane baby! Your feeling her up!” Said the other one

“Oh shit!” Said “Zane”

“It’s okay. I’m okay!” I said putting my hand up to stop him. And standing back. I looked down at my shirt and sighed. Just my luck my shirt is now brown stained looking like someone took a crap on me. I felt tears prickling my eyes and I knew I was about to crack.

“Oh crap she’s about to cry” the other guy said

“Look I’m sorry I’ll buy you another shirt, Heath I told you I shouldn’t have hot coffee look what happens when I try something different!” Zane said to Heath

“No, no it’s okay it’s just been a really shitty day so far and I’m so tired” I mumble and wipe my tears that have began to leak

“Baby it’s only 10 how can it be that shitty so early” Zane said grabbing my arm softly and looking down at me in concern

“My phones dead, my card isn’t working and I only have five bucks on me. I don’t know where I live as I have just moved here from Australia and my address is in my phone. And I’m so tired and now I smell like coffee” I started to sob. Zane and Heath looked at me and both grabbed me as if to comfort me.

“Baby it’s okay Heath and Zane are here now we are going to look after you. What’s your name?” Heath asked me

“Y/N” I mumbled tears still coming down my cheeks

“Well Y/N if you haven’t already guessed it I’m Zane and this is my baby Heath” Zane said grinning down at me “and baby we are going to take you under our wing you just gained to fairy god brothers baby!” He said and walked me towards a big red truck/Ute

“How do I know your not serial killers?” I mumbled

“Serial killers oh my god baby girl. We look like serial killers?” Zane said. Heath cracked up laughing as it was the funniest thing he heard all day.

“We aren’t serial killers we are on YouTube” Heath said after his laughing fit

“YouTube are you guys like Shane Dawson?” I asked them they both looked at me and smiled and nodded then it clicked I knew who they are they are Heath Hussar and Zane Hijazi. Oh god they are in the vlog squad. Seriously I can’t believe it didn’t click until now “ I know who you guys are your in the vlog squad!” I said my voice still Horace from the crying

“You know who we are baby! See we aren’t serial killers we are just having come coffee talk” Zane said

“My bestfriend loves you guys all she does is talk about you all” I told them

“Ahh so your bestfriend loves us what about you baby” Zane asked me opening the truck door for me

“You guys are all right” I said shrugging it off and got into the truck with some difficultly because the truck was high Zane helped me in. And got in after me. I was sandwiched in between them Heath driving and Zane next to me.

“Just all right?” Heath asked looking at me like I told him I just killed his dog or something

“Uh huh no baby girl you are gonna love us. We have just became your new best friends” Zane said

Heath put the car in drive and now I was thinking what the hell did I get myself into......

Note: I’m sorry if there is spelling mistakes or anything. This is my first time doing anything like this. This is mainly for me but if you like it keep reading lol 🌻🌼🌻🌻