#High-Speed Box Production | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

astroeleanor · 2 months ago

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°💸⋆.ೃ🍾࿔*:･Your 2H Sign = How To Make More $$$ 💳⋆.ೃ💰࿔*:･

Your 2nd house is the part of your chart can show you the best side hustle ideas to increase your income. Look at the sign on your 2nd House cusp, its ruling planet, and any planets sitting there. They symbolize out how you monetize.

The 2nd House is the House of Possessions: movable assets, cash flow, food, tools, anything you can trade. The sign on the cusp sets up your style of 'acquisition' (Taurus = slow‑build goods, Scorpio = high‑risk high‑reward holdings), while the ruler’s dignity and aspects describe reliability, or lack thereof, of income.

Planets inside the 2nd act like tenants shaping the property: Jupiter here inflates resources, Saturn conserves but can pinch, Mars spends to make, Venus monetizes aesthetics.

Because the 2nd is in aversion to the Ascendant (no Ptolemaic aspect), you often have to develop its promises actively: wealth isn’t “you,” it’s something you must manage. So, let's look at the kind of side hustles you can do to increase your revenue!

♈︎ Aries 2H: Physical, Fast, ACTION-Driven

(Aries rules motion, competition, fire, physical activity, force)

Personal trainer or group fitness instructor.

Manual labor gigs like junk removal, or yard work (physical and gives instant results.)

Motorcycle/scooter delivery (Uber Eats, DoorDash): speed + autonomy? Very Aries.

Selling refurbished sports equipment.

Pressure washing services, which is oddly satisfying AND includes aggressive water blasting lol.

Fitness bootcamps in local parks (Mars rules the battlefield… or, in this case, bootcamps)

Pop-up self-defense workshops

Bike repair and resale (hands-on + quick turnaround)

Car detailing (mobile service). You vs. grime. Who wins? You.

Sell custom gym gear or accessories.

♉︎ Taurus 2H: Sensory, Grounded, Product-Based

(Taurus rules the senses and the material world, it’s a sign connected to beauty and pleasure)

Bake-and-sell operation (bread, cookies) at markets. Taurus=YES to carbs and cozy smells.

Meal prep or personal chef (nourishing others = peak Taurus.)

Sell plants or houseplant propagation, you’re growing literal value.

Create and sell body care products: lotions, scrubs, soaps… (Venus-ruled.)

Furniture refinishing for resale.

Offer at-home spa services (facials, scrubs.)

Curate and sell gift boxes (Venus loves a well-wrapped present.)

Do minor home repair or furniture assembly.

Build and sell wooden plant stands or decor (wood + plants + aesthetic = Taurus.)

♊︎ Gemini 2H: Communicative, Clever, Multi-Tasking

(Gemini = ruled by Mercury = ideas, speech, tech, variety, teaching)

Freelance writing or blogging.

Transcription or captioning services.

Resume writing/job application support.

Social media management (multitasking + memes.)

Sell printable planners or flashcards (info = money.)

Offer typing or data-entry services, which are low lift & high focus

Sell templates for resumes, bios, or cover letters, Mercury loves a system!

Write email campaigns for small businesses, you can become the voice behind the curtain.

Teach intro to AI tools or chatbots (modern Mercurial real-world applications.)

Create micro-courses on writing or communication.

♋︎ Cancer 2H: Caring, Cozy, DOMESTIC

(Cancer rules the home, food, feelings. It’s the nurturer through and through)

Home organization services, give cluttered homes and their owners love.

Baking and delivering comfort desserts (cookies = hugs in edible form!!)

Make and sell homemade frozen meals, nourishing the body AND soul.

Offer elder companionship visits (heartfelt and so needed.)

Run a daycare or babysitting service. Moon=family.

Run a laundry drop-off/pickup service.

Custom holiday decorating (homes or offices), make it feel like home anywhere.

Help seniors with digital tools (basic tech help.)

Create sentimental gifts like memory jars or scrapbooks.

♌︎ Leo 2H: Expressive, Bold, Entertaining

(Leo rules performance, leadership, fame, visibility, and the desire to SHINE)

Portrait photography (kids, pets, solo, couples.)

Event hosting or party entertainment.

DJ for small events or weddings.

Basic video editing for others (help THEM shine!)

Personalized video messages. charisma = income.

Teach short performance workshops (confidence, improv) to help others own a stage.

Become a personal shopper.

Sell selfie lighting kits or content creator bundles.

Host creative kids camps (theater, dance, art.)

Make reels/TikToks for local businesses (attention = currency.)

♍︎ Virgo 2H: Detailed, Service-Oriented, Practical

(Virgo rules systems, refinement, discernment, organisation, usefulness)

Proofreading or editing work. Spotting a comma out of place or “their/they’re” being misused = Virgo joy.

House cleaning or deep-cleaning services.

Virtual assistant (email, scheduling, admin.)

Sell Notion or Excel templates. Virgo: spreadsheets.

Bookkeeping for small businesses.

Create custom cleaning schedules or checklists.

Offer “organize your digital life” sessions.

Specialize in email inbox cleanups.

♎︎︎ Libra 2H: Tasteful, Charming, Design-Savvy

(Libra = Venus-ruled = style, beauty, balance, aesthetics)

Styling outfits from clients’ own wardrobes.

Become a personal shopper.

Bridal/event makeup services (enhancing natural beauty = Libra.)

Teach etiquette, the power of grace

Curate secondhand outfit bundles.

Custom invitations or event printables that are pretty AND functional.

Offer virtual interior styling consultations.

Sell color palette guides for branding or outfits.

Create custom date night itineraries (romance, planned and packaged=Libra!!)

Style flat-lay photos for products or menus.

Do hair, make-up, nails, etc.

♏︎ Scorpio 2H: Deep, Transformative, Private

(Scorpio rules what’s hidden, intense, and powerful, alchemy, psychology)

Tarot or astrology readings.

Energy healing or bodywork.

Private coaching for money/debt management.

Online investigation or background research (Scorpio = uncovering hidden information)

Teach classes on boundaries, consent, empowerment, etc.

Sell private journal templates for deep self-reflection.

Moderate anonymous support groups or forums.

Specialize in deep-cleaning emotionally loaded spaces (yes, THAT kind of clearing.)

♐︎ Sagittarius 2H: Expansive, Global, Philosophical

(Sag rules teaching, travel, and BIG ideas)

Teach English (or any other language) or become a tutor online

Sell travel guides or digital itineraries, help others travel smarter=Sag

Rent out camping gear or bikes (freedom for rent lol.)

Ghostwrite opinion pieces or thought blogs, say what others are thinking!

Create walking tours for travelers or locals.

Sell travel photography.

Become a travel influencer on the side.

Translate travel documents or resumes.

♑︎ Capricorn 2H: Strategic, Structured, Business-Minded

(Cap rules time, career, limitations, long-term value)

Resume or career coaching, help others climb the “mountain of success”.

Freelance project management.

Property management or Airbnb co-host (passive-ish income.)

Sell templates for business (contracts, invoices).

Create accountability coaching packages.

Sell organizational templates.

Freelance as an operations assistant (the CEO behind the CEO.)

Build a resource hub for freelancers or solopreneurs (structure = empowerment.)

♒︎ Aquarius 2H: Innovative, Digital, Niche

(Aquarius rules tech, rebellion, and the future. But it’s also connected to community!)

Tech repair or setup.

Build websites for local businesses, or anyone else for that matter.

Sell digital products (ebooks, templates).

Run online communities or Discords.

Host workshops on digital privacy or tools. Collective knowledge (Aqua)= power

Build and sell Canva templates for online creators.

Curate niche info packs or digital libraries.

Help people automate parts of their life or business.

♓︎ Pisces 2H: Dreamy, Healing, Imaginative

(Pisces rules the sea, the arts, spirituality, dreams, and all things soft)

Pet sitting or house sitting, caring for beings + quiet time? It’s perfect for this energy.

Sell dreamy artwork or collages.

Offer meditation classes or hypnosis.

Teach art to kids or adults.

Custom poetry or lullaby commissions (very niche tho.)

Sell digital dream journals or prompts.

Make downloadable ambient music loops.

Create printable affirmation cards.

Design calming phone wallpapers or lock screens.

Offer spiritual services (tarot or astrology readings, reiki, etc.)

Thank you for taking the time to read my post!Your curiosity & engagement mean the world to me. I hope you not only found it enjoyable but also enriching for your astrological knowledge.Your support & interest inspire me to continue sharing insights & information with you. I appreciate you immensely.

• 🕸️ JOIN MY PATREON for exquisite & in-depth astrology content. You'll also receive a free mini reading upon joining. :)

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covid-safer-hotties · 7 months ago

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Price to power to size to portability, the AirFanta 3Pro is one of the best on the market. Here's the latest review (Also preserved in our archive)

Afiliate links if you want this guy to make a buck from your purchase: www.amazon.com/stores/AirFanta/page/0D35BA0F-6AFE-48BB-BB83-E984C65192D4?asc_campaign=c192889518f863d96d278a446b3a951d&asc_source=01H1P39M5ZSG9J6WR6B1HBK9M0&language=en_US&linkCode=sl2&linkId=be7b5afa91953d14a40a0b6fb293d6aa&ref_=as_li_ss_tl&tag=namespacebran492-20

air-fanta.com/?dt_id=2137762

AirFanta is a name that I hear more about every day. While it’s a relatively niche company, it’s quickly becoming well-known – at least within the air quality ‘enthusiast’ community – for performant yet affordable air purifiers and air quality monitors. I’ve been using the AirFanta G2 Air Quality Monitor for quite a few months now, but the two products that have always interested me the most are 3Pro and 4Lite air purifiers.

After having the 3Pro set up inside my office for over two weeks now, I am happy to be able to present my full review of the device. For anyone unaware, this purifier is designed to filter a massive amount of air (we will discuss the CADR and more soon!) at a relatively affordable price. It does this by being essentially a pre-assembled CR (Corsi-Rosenthal) Box – a form of air purifier that was itself created due to the need for affordable and effective air purification devices.

While the 3Pro doesn’t embrace the typical DIY aspect of traditional CR Boxes, it has the advantage of having proven performance (no need to worry about whether your DIY box is effective!) and being ready to go out of the box. However, perhaps my favourite aspect of this device over traditional CR Boxes is how easily obtainable it is. While this probably isn’t an issue for anyone in the U.S. or Europe, I find it hard to source good HEPA filters in New Zealand at an affordable price. The 3Pro ensures I don’t run into this issue.

In today’s review of the AirFanta 3Pro, I want to answer a few key questions. Firstly, how does it perform? Secondly, how does it compare to more ‘traditional’ air purifiers? Finally, and most importantly, is the 3Pro worth the markup compared to making your own CR Box at home? By the end of the article, I will share the answers and my opinions regarding each of these questions. Let’s dive in!

The key selling point of the AirFanta 3Pro is its fantastic CADR – especially at this price. For anyone new to air purifiers, CADR stands for clean air delivery rate, which indicates how much air an air purifier can clean and deliver in a set period. The measurement typically used for CADR is CFM, or cubic feet per minute. A higher CADR in CFM indicates the purifier delivers more clean air.

CADR is calculated by considering both the filter efficiency and the airflow through the filters, making it a much better metric (and the standard for air purifiers) than airflow alone. Most CADR tests use a room of around 30m3 and test how much faster the purifier removes particles from the air than if they were left to settle naturally without any other influences.

So, what is the CADR of the 3Pro? It is quite impressive, 413cfm (702 m3/h) at full speed. To best put this in perspective, I recommend reading the fantastic HouseFresh review to see how it compares to other devices currently on the market (spoiler alert; it performs very favourably). I also believe these official figures, as multiple other sources have confirmed them.

The AirFanta 3Pro uses HEPA H11 filters, which are rated to provide ≥ 95% filtration. It’s worth noting that while this figure may not seem that high and that while many air purifiers use higher-rated filters, the H11 filters used here aren’t necessarily bad. That is because, unlike respirators and masks, air purifiers are not designed to purify the air as best possible on a single pass. Rather, if an air purifier can continually filter the same air after multiple passes through the filter, the particle count and concentration will be significantly reduced.

This is important to note because H11 filters are less dense, allowing for better airflow and generally with less noise. Compared to masks, you can think of the balance between filtration and breathability – generally, the more filtration a mask or respirator provides, the less breathable it is. The same goes for air purifiers. The key difference here is that purifiers are designed to have air pass through them multiple times, unlike a mask or respirator, which only has one chance to filter the air before the wearer breathes it. This is why, despite having ‘only’ an H11 filter, the 3Pro can achieve a fantastic CADR.

Of course, this is a very simple explanation, but it’s important to clarify this because I can predict many questions asking, ‘But why weren’t better filters such as HEPA H13 filters used?’. While I can’t speak for the exact answer (you’d have to ask Adam from AirFanta about that!), it’s likely to strike a balance between single-pass filtration performance, airflow, and noise level. While we’ll dive into it soon, I believe complaints about the H11 filter will quickly disappear once you see the performance that the AirFanta 3Pro has to offer.

It’s also worth noting that carbon filters are available, which will provide filtration through adsorption for VOCs and many odours. While I didn’t get these filters to test, some people will opt for them to help manage VOCs. Since these add another layer to the filter, they will likely slightly drop the CADR, but probably not enough to make any significant impact (and, of course, the extra filtration is a big benefit).

AirFanta also has a full list of third-party certifications and test results, which can be viewed here. Interestingly, both bacterial efficiency and viral efficiency reports from Guangzhou Institute of Microbiology Group Co., Ltd. (a CNAS-accredited laboratory) have been provided, and both reports show a > 99.99% decrease in particle concentration after 60 minutes of use in a 30m3 room. The bacterial test goes further and shows the results after 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and 45 minutes. These results show a ≥ 95.63%, ≥ 99.91% and 99.99% drop in tested particles, respectively.

These results show that, at least in a room around 30m3 in size, the AirFanta 3Pro can reduce bacterial and viral particles by ≥ 99.9% in 30 minutes, with 60 minutes seeing a near complete removal of such particles. While we can’t tell exactly what size the particles were in this testing (at least not without paying for access to the original standards), these results are very promising. Potentially worth noting is that since the 3Pro is rated for 702 m3/h, there would have been around 23 air changes within one hour in the 30m3 test chamber. Therefore, the ≥ 95.63% is after almost six air changes, and ≥ 99.91% after around 12.

Of course, these tests and the stated CADR are at the device’s maximum fan speed, which isn’t ideal in many situations. While it’s important to know a device’s maximum performance when needed, it’s more likely you’ll want to leave the device running at a lower speed either all the time or at least quite regularly. Below are the stated CADRs at different fan speeds:

6 – 413CFM 5 – 374CFM 4 – 321CFM 3 – 247CFM 2 – 141CFM 1 – 57CFM Of course, I was also curious to run some tests myself, but I must make the disclaimer that my tests are far from scientific. That said, I wanted to perform some testing similar to a real-life setting where the AirFanta 3Pro is likely to be used. As such, I decided to set up a test room. I measured this room to be 25.6m3, which is about the size of a standard bedroom (it is a bedroom!). While this room is smaller than what I believe this device is intended for, it’s the most controllable room in my house regarding airflow as it only has one door and one window, which can easily be closed and no other forms of ventilation or air disturbances.

In this room, I burned incense until I reached a PM2.5 concentration of 500ug/m3. However, since I can’t exactly control the PM concentration, it ended up being somewhere between 500 and 600 in my tests. I then put the incense out and did a control test to see how long it took the particles to settle without any assistance at all. This took around 90 minutes, and I used this as my baseline.

I monitored the particle concentrations with five AirGradient monitors that were located in each corner and the centre of the room. I then reran this experiment three more times – once with the purifier at maximum speed, once at half speed, and once at the minimum speed to see how long the concentration took to reach < 5ug/m3. I measured the particle concentration by averaging the data from all five monitors to ensure the whole room had been filtered. Here are my results.

In this graph, you can see the baseline data in blue (labelled Ambient) and the particle concentration drop from the AirFanta 3Pro at maximum speed (speed 6) in red. As you can see, it took around 90 minutes for the particle count to drop to < 5ug/m3 without the purifier running but less than 20 minutes with the device at maximum speed. I was very impressed by these first results, and while I wouldn’t want to run the device at full speed often as it is loud, I appreciate having a good peak performance for times when you need to clean the air in a room quickly.

I reran this test, but this time with the 3Pro at half speed (speed 3) and was impressed by the relatively low performance drop. I was worried my results were incorrect, and I reran this three times, but each result was within one minute of the initial result. It looks like a large chunk of the device’s performance is retained between the higher speeds, even though the noise level decreases significantly. This gave me high hopes for the 3Pro’s performance at minimum speed.

Unfortunately, but perhaps not unexpectedly, the device performed far worse at the lowest speed (speed 1). While the particle concentration did drop more quickly than without the device, it was vastly slower than at the faster speeds. It is worth noting that this is not bad at all, as the device is very quiet at this speed and we can see the performance is clearly there, if needed, just turn the device to a higher speed. However, I had inflated hopes after seeing the great performance at higher speeds. Of course, this does match with the stated speed 1 CADR which is roughly 1/8 of the maximum CADR at speed 6.

If we add the times it took the 3Pro to reduce the PM concentration to below 5ug/m3 at each speed setting, we can see that it took between 17.3 minutes and 80.1 minutes to clean the room, depending on the speed. Interestingly, between the higher speeds (speeds 3-6), there appears to be little performance drop-off but a significant improvement in noise levels. At the slow end, the device takes a long time to filter the room, and if you want to use these near-silent speeds, you will probably want to have the device constantly on.

It’s worth noting that previously, the AirFanta 3Pro came with a voltage dial on the adapter. This could be used to adjust the speed, and many reviews of the device still refer to this voltage dial (essentially, a speed dial). Newer versions come with a speed dial with speeds 1-6, so I have referred to speeds instead of voltages for this section.

Before concluding this section, I was also curious how this device would perform if I lit incense in the room while the air purifier was on. I didn’t have a reason for doing this other than curiosity. Still, considering the stellar performance at the higher fan speeds, I wondered how the purifier would handle a pollutant source emitting particles while the device was running. Below, you can see the results (keeping in mind that this same room reaches over 1000ug/m3 when burning incense without an air purifier).

As you can see, the AirFanta 3Pro significantly reduced the maximum particle concentration in the room and rapidly cleaned the air once the incense finished burning. I would be very confident using a device such as this even during periods of heavy pollution, such as during wildfire season.

Overall, I’m quite impressed with the performance of the AirFanta 3Pro, and although it’s loud at full speed, it’s great to know that it’s more than capable of cleaning a small to medium-sized room quickly when needed. Larger rooms will take longer to filter, but I am confident this device can do it based on this performance.

If you prefer a quieter device, you can still use the AirFanta 3Pro, but you will want to leave it at a lower speed and constantly have it on. Thankfully, at the lower speeds, it’s a relatively quiet device, and I found it easy to work even with the purifier constantly on – as long as it was set to a lower speed, such as 1 or 2.

On the certifications page (located here), AirFanta also discloses and publically makes its results from non-performance-related certifications publicly available. There are a few pertinent and important documents here, so let’s discuss these before moving on. For the 3Pro, we can find the following documents provided:

UL507 certificate of AirFanta 3Pro CE-EMC certificate of AirFanta 3Pro and 4Lite CE-LVD certificate of AirFanta 3Pro and 4Lite FCC certificate of AirFanta 3Pro and 4Lite California Air Resources Board certification of Airfanta 3Pro Let’s review these individually, beginning with the UL507 certificate at the top. This certification might seem minor, but this is a safety standard for low and mid-powered fans such as those in PCs, kitchen hood vents, and, obviously, some air purifiers. The documentation for this certification is extensive (around 200 pages long), but this certification ensures the fans on the 3Pro are safe from a range of potential issues.

The next two certifications, both CE certificates from the European Union, indicate that the device meets EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) and LVD (low voltage directive) requirements. These are essentially further safety tests and indicate that the device is safe and provides high protection from potential EMC and LVD dangers.

The FCC certificate shows that the AirFanta 3Pro complies with FCC requirements, which are pertinent to customers from the United States. Still, these certifications are also helpful for trust-building with global customers. While I’m not U.S.-based, I certainly feel more confident in a product if it’s also FCC-compliant.

Finally, the CARB (California Air Resources Board) certification shows that the AirFanta 3Pro complies with California’s electrical safety and ozone requirements. This is particularly important as ozone can be a big issue with some air purifiers, and it’s reassuring to know that this is not an issue in the case of the AirFanta 3Pro.

If you’ve ever seen a CR Box, you will already know exactly what to expect from the 3Pro because that’s exactly what it is – a CR Box with pre-chosen parts that come as one ready-to-assemble package. While CR boxes aren’t that hard to assemble, the 3Pro streamlines the process and removes the difficulty of selecting and choosing your own parts. While some enthusiasts might opt for another CR Box, many other prospective customers will appreciate this approach.

When you open the 3Pro’s box, you will be met with six ‘layers’ that must be assembled. This is a very clean approach, as it means that the packaging for the device is relatively compact (albeit still quite heavy), and it even means that the device can be transported and reassembled easily. While it would be a stretch to call this device portable (that’s what the AirFanta 4Lite and SmartAir QT3 are for!), this means it is far more compact than other air purifiers with similar CADRs. While it is still quite large, you could easily take it on the road and use it at hotels, or perhaps even fly with it if you are taking large suitcases.

Back to actually assembling the product! Once you open the box, you will see six panels layered on top of one another. These are the cube’s six sides, with four being HEPA filters, one being a solid plastic base for the device, and the final being the top, where the four fans are located. Assembling the device is easy, and you will want to place the base on the ground before slotting the four filters into it. The only potential difficulty with assembling this purifier is holding the four sides in place as you slot the top on, but even this is quite straightforward with the included velcro intended for exactly this purpose.

A manual is included, but the device is so easy to put together and take apart that I can’t imagine anyone ever using it past the first assembly. Even then, it’s not really needed, as assembling the device is quite self-explanatory. The only note I think might be important to the user is that the mesh surface on the filters should be facing outwards (not the filtering surface, which should face inwards).

All of this is to say that assembling the device is very straightforward, and no one should be scared away or turned off this device because it has a small DIY element. It’s also a bit easier to assemble than other CR boxes as the slots have already been cut out of the base plate, and everything can be put together without the need for glue, tape, or other materials. Perhaps more helpful, the filters have already been chosen, and there is no need to shop around for the best price-performance filter.

Once assembled, the device takes the shape of quite a compact CR Box. On top of that, I must add that I think this device also looks a lot better than any traditional CR Box – at least any that I’ve ever made! While it still has an industrial look, it’s a device that could quite easily fit into a classroom, office, or room without attracting too much attention. While I value aesthetics much less than performance, I appreciate having a device that looks good, too – especially if it can blend in.

Once assembled, the device feels quite solid, and despite there being no adhesive or tape used in the assembly of the purifier, I feel confident lifting it and moving it without dislodging the pieces. With that said, I tend to lift the device from the bottom and hold the top down to ensure none of the pieces slide out from their intended positions.

On top of the purifier are four large fans connected to a controller that will allow you to adjust the speed of the device. These fans look almost identical to large PC fans, and they’re held in place by a wire bracket that also serves as an extra layer of protection to stop any children or animals from getting fingers or paws into the fans. That said, if you have the device around children, you may want to place it up higher so they can’t easily reach the fans.

That’s really all there is to the design of this device. It’s very simple, but it’s also affordable and performant. While some might miss the smart features and connectivity of more pricey air purifiers, the two types of devices cater to very different customers. Overall, I’m a fan of this straightforward approach, which reminds me of the SmartAir Sqair.

The AirFanta 3Pro uses four 140mm fans to push air through the filters. Characteristically, smaller fans tend to have higher-pitched sounds than larger fans and the AirFanta 3Pro sits somewhere in the middle as it uses medium-sized fans. If you have a desktop PC with a case fan (not the other fans, such as the higher-pitched CPU fan), you’ll likely already know what these fans sound like, as most desktop cases use 120mm or 140mm fans. This isn’t an unpleasant sound, but it is quite audible.

To see how loud the AirFanta 3Pro is, I conducted noise tests at 30cm and 2 metres with a sound level metre that measures in dBA (A-weighted decibel). dBA differs from traditional dB because it is adjusted for the human ear’s sensitivity to different frequencies. Low and very high frequencies are de-emphasized, mimicking how humans perceive loudness. In other words, it’s a better representation of the actual noise level than dB for a device such as an air purifier. However, I do want to note this as many other websites use dB, which will explain why my results are significantly different.

For further context, here are a few examples of the volumes of some noises in dBA. Obviously, these can vary, and especially with dBA, they will vary between different devices. However, they are rough examples:

10 dBA – Breathing or leaves rustling: Extremely quiet. 30 dBA – Whispering: Comparable to a quiet library. 40 dBA – Refrigerator hum: A typical low background noise. 50 dBA – Moderate rainfall: Light, soothing noise. 60 dBA – Normal conversation: The sound of talking at a close distance. 70 dBA – Vacuum cleaner: Considered moderate noise, can be annoying over time. 80 dBA – Heavy traffic or a loud alarm clock: Noise becomes uncomfortable after prolonged exposure. As you can see, at the lowest speeds, the 3Pro doesn’t add much to the noise of most rooms, but at the highest speeds, it can sound almost as loud as a vacuum cleaner (provided you are close to it). This is a lot of variation, but I like how this device gives the user full control over speed and noise, allowing them to pick a good balance.

I think most people will have this device running on speed 2 or 3, and both sounds are very manageable at a distance. If you do want a short burst of cleaning, the device will be significantly louder, and that’s why I only recommend using the higher speeds when needed.

When it comes to power consumption, the device can go from very low power to relatively high power. Here is a list of the wattage and voltage at each fan speed:

6 – 33.2 watt – 12v 5 – 27.4 watt – 11v 4 – 18.9 watt – 9.3v 3 – 11.1 watt – 7.3v 2 – 4.7 watt – 4.8v 1 – 2.2 watt – 3.0v I won’t dive into power costs here because those vary greatly depending on where you reside, but I hope these specifications can give some insights. What’s most impressive to me is how much range this device has, whether we are discussing volume or power draw. There is such a large range that you can choose exactly what setting works best for you and leave the device to it.

The AirFanta 3Pro costs $149 or $159 (USD) depending on whether you opt for the CE-certified or CARB-certified version (the CARB variant is the lower priced of the two). It’s surprising to see a different price on these two units, but I assume it’s due to extra costs, either with the CE certification or getting the device into Europe. Either way, if you’re in the U.S. (or any non-EU country), the CARB variant will work, and that’s the model I received.

In the box, you will get six panels to assemble the 3Pro. This includes four HEPA H11 filters, which, as per AirFanta, should be good to last 6-12 months, depending on air quality conditions. In most cases, I would assume these filters will last closer to 12 months, but those who experience severe wildfire seasons or whose homes are exposed to consistent year-round pollution may need to replace the filters more regularly.

When you need your first filter replacement, you can opt for the default H11 filters or H11 filters with activated carbon. Interestingly, it doesn’t seem you can choose the filters you get with the device initially. If you want activated carbon filters from the get-go, you must purchase the device alongside an extra pack of filters. The activated carbon filters will set you back $74.99 compared to the basic filters, which cost $54.

The filters aren’t cheap, but it’s important to remember that each filter replacement pack you order has four individual filters, which is a substantial amount of filter materials. It’s also important to note that, unfortunately, you will need to purchase official AirFanta filters as they are smaller than most square HEPA filters, and other filters will not fit on this device. I don’t think this is a big deal, as I appreciate the smaller form factor of this device over larger devices, and even four HEPA filters from other brands will not be cheap.

If we estimate that most users use each set of filters for around nine months, your yearly filter costs for non-activated carbon filters will be $67.5. On the other hand, if you opt for the extra VOC adsorption of the carbon filters, you are looking at an ongoing cost of just under $100 per year. This is in a similar price range to other equally performant air purifiers, and this device’s initial cost is also much lower.

While power cost also needs to be factored into the ongoing cost equation, that cost will vary significantly depending on your air purifier usage (hours, speed, etc) and location. However, regardless of usage patterns, you should plan to spend between $67 and $100 on replacement filters for this device every year.

Overall, I’ve been very happy with the AirFanta 3Pro. While it’s not a perfect air purifier – if one even exists – this is a fantastic device that balances many difficult factors. Ultimately, it comes in as an affordable air purifier that doesn’t skimp on performance. In fact, it has a higher CADR than many more (and much more) expensive air purifiers. Furthermore, it offers a wide range of speeds that allow the user to choose the ideal balance between speed and sound for the setting.

I’ve always been a fan of the CR box concept, but I think the AirFanta 3Pro takes this a step further and, due to this, will appeal to many more people. While I’ve never had an issue constructing CR boxes, I often have difficulty sourcing the parts (especially good filters), and I appreciate how the 3Pro can provide the same or better performance at a slightly higher price while also simplifying the shopping process for me.

Surprisingly, for a device of this size, it’s also quite portable, and you will be hard-pressed to find anything that provides a higher CADR than this device while also being ‘packable’. While I still wouldn’t go so far as to say it can fit in a backpack, it can definitely fit in a car or suitcase and is ideal for longer trips where you might be staying in hotels with unknown air quality. If, on the other hand, you want to use it around the house, it’s also a great device.

The biggest disadvantages I see with the AirFanta 3Pro are the sound and the design. There’s no denying that while the device is powerful, it’s also loud at its higher speeds. While this isn’t unusual for an air purifier, it is worth noting that you probably won’t want to run this device at its higher speeds unless necessary. I usually find myself using speed 2 or 3, which is the sweet spot for most users. On the upside, the lower speeds are almost silent, and although they significantly diminish performance, they are good for users who are okay with constantly running the device.

The design may also bug some users. While I don’t mind (and actually like) the device’s industrial design, I know some people don’t use CR boxes due to the design. If you don’t like the look of CR boxes, the chances are you also won’t like the design of this device. With that said, this design allows this device to have such a good price-to-performance ratio, and I think many potential customers will appreciate this more.

Overall, the AirFanta 3Pro is a cost-effective air purifier that should be on your radar – especially if price is a concern. If you’ve tried the 3Pro, I would love to hear your thoughts, so please feel free to use the comments section below! Furthermore, if you have any remaining questions, please don’t hesitate to as,k and I will do my best to reply. Thank you for reading.

Pros: High CADR (413 cfm) for effective air purification Affordable compared to similar high-performance devices Pre-assembled CR box design simplifies setup Portable and compact for travel use Certified for safety (UL507, CE-EMC, FCC, CARB) Cons: Loud at higher speeds Design may not appeal to all users (industrial look) Limited to proprietary filters, increasing costs No activated carbon filters included in basic kit

#mask up #public health #wear a mask #pandemic #wear a respirator #covid #still coviding #covid 19 #coronavirus #sars cov 2

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macabr3-barbi3 · 5 months ago

Text

A Practical Demonstration

Chapter 4: Reciprocation

here we go again lol

for anyone who doesn't know, my debut into the Hazbin fandom was a fic about Alastor and a reader using a sex toy. It was meant to be a oneshot- they never really stay that way though, and it ended up at 3 chapters before I decided it was done. It's coming up on a year since I posted that first story (that I thought was long finished at this point), and I finally finished the bonus chapter that I've had planned forever. I hope you enjoy! ❤️🌹

Tags: Sex Toys; Non Sex-Repulsed Alastor; Reader-Insert; established relationship

When you open the box that’s been delivered to the hotel for you, your first thought is that the marketing team at VoxTek doesn’t know what the hell they’re doing- the letter that they sent along with it is nice, if a little embarrassing, thanking you for being a devout purchaser of items from the sex toy lines and explaining that high dollar customers have all been sent a free product to try out as a thank you for their loyalty. Which is dandy in theory, if they had sent you something that you could actually use.

What the fuck were you supposed to do with a fleshlight?

They obviously didn’t do any sort of research into what products you were buying, or how long it had been since you had gotten one. It had been months since you had used any of your VoxTek purchases, since you and Alastor had become an item, and you didn’t really have much need for them anymore; let alone something like this that was meant for someone with different parts than what you were working with.

You’ve just resolved to give it to Angel, claiming an incorrect delivery, when the hum of static behind you alerts you to Alastor’s presence. “Good evening, my dear,” he greets, an eyebrow quirking up when you shove the toy back into its box before he can get a good look at it. “What could possibly be holding your attention so well that you didn’t see fit to return to the bedroom after returning home after your dinner with Velvette?”

You hold the box behind your back. “Just a delivery- something for Angel,” you tell him. “I was going to take it up to him, and- hey!”

His shadow snatches the box from your hands, ducking between your legs to present it to his master. “Interesting! Do you frequently open other people’s mail? That is a crime, you know,” he teases. He opens the flaps of the box- and promptly closes them when he sees the toy. “I see! Well, allow me to give this back to you to return to our effeminate friend- ah, but what’s this? Addressed to you…” His eyes skim the letter, his grin growing with alarming speed along with the blush that paints your face. “Why didn’t you just say so, dear? I know all about your little collection- you have no need to hide such a thing from me.”

“I know!” You snatch the box back from him, cheeks flaming. “I know that, obviously. This one is just- not for me. I don’t think they checked the, uh, preferences of who they were sending this to. It’s- fuck, can we not discuss this in the lobby?” You plead, hearing voices coming around the corner towards the door, and Alastor hums softly before enveloping you both in shadow and depositing the two of you into his bedroom. “It’s not something I can use, it’s more of a- male-parts oriented toy,” you tell him once you’re alone, and he reaches into the box again and removes the toy, turning it over in his hands and slipping his thumb into the opening, pushing softly at the soft silicone as the digit is enveloped.

Your breath catches in your throat.

“I see- I hardly see what the fuss was, darling, you could have simply told me the misunderstanding. We shall simply ship it back; if they’re so determined to give you a free product perhaps they can try again. I suppose I do understand the appeal of this, though,” he adds thoughtfully, continuing to move his finger inside the thing before he pulls it back out. “Soft material, sufficiently tight for when one doesn’t have a partner to indulge with. Certainly not for your use, but-“

“Do you want to try it?” The words blurt from your mouth before you can really think about them, something about the way Alastor was casually fingering the sex toy doing something pleasant to your brain. You immediately want to swallow the words back down with how quickly his gaze swings to you, your cheeks flaming when he quirks an eyebrow at you. “Fuck, I mean- sorry, that was a stupid question. I didn’t-”

His fingers come up to cup your cheek, thumb tracing along your cheekbone. “I don’t understand how you are still so shy when it comes to your desires,” he says quietly. “Everything that we’ve done, and yet you still hesitate to ask something of me. Tell me, my dear- would you like to see me use the thing?” Not trusting your words, you nod, and he chuckles under his breath. “Then there we are; I shall try it. You’ve indulged me plenty of times, I don’t mind a bit of reciprocation for your sake.”

He leads you over to the bed, stripping himself down before laying back against the pillows and giving you a moment to situate yourself comfortably on the edge of the mattress. It’s a view you could get used to- his chest bare and fluffy with soft fur, cut across diagonally from the battle with Heaven so long ago and deeply scarred. Sometimes when you were intimate with each other he would allow you to inspect it, run your fingers down the soft groove of sensitive skin that rested there. You let your eyes wander further, along the lean lines of his arms, the apex of his thighs where his erection grows under the scrutiny, the firm muscles of his legs leading down to his hooves. Alastor was beautiful-

“Ah.” When you look back to his face, his skin is flushed, a pink tint that spreads across his cheeks and down his exposed collarbones. “I understand your embarrassment now the first time you were in this position for a ‘demonstration.’ To be laid bare beneath the eyes of the one you want and show them something so intimate feels… flattering. And unnerving.” He glances at you sideways. “I hope you find it to your liking.”

“No complaints over here,” you breathe as he snaps his fingers and produces a small bottle of lube, drizzling it generously over the opening of the sex toy. He was really going to do it, just for you, and the thought hits you like a cloud of aphrodisiacal smoke; that he was laying himself out like this, prone and vulnerable, because you wanted to see it.

You almost miss his sharp intake of breath when he lines up and pushes into the opening of the fleshlight, sinking halfway into the slick grip of the silicone before he pulls back out with a shudder that courses through his whole body. He presses in again, this time with a slew of muttered curse words as he sinks to the hilt and holds it there for a moment, his head dropping back against the pillows. The angle makes it all too apparent when he swallows, his free hand clenching to a fist in the sheets.

“Does it- does it feel good?” You ask him, perhaps somewhat stupidly, but the way he moans at the sound of your voice makes it worth it. You think about the way that he had asked you questions the first time you were in his position, how embarrassed you had been to have him witness such a thing, how turned on you were for the same reason. A blessing and a curse to have someone watching you so closely and commenting on it, expecting an answer- which he hasn’t given you yet. “Alastor?” You run your hand up his calf, not missing the way his hips buck up into the toy with a wet noise.

It seems once he’s started that he can’t stop; fabric tears as he digs his claws in, his pelvis rocking between his hand and the bed as he fucks into it with a steady rhythm. “Tight,” he says, his voice strained and shooting heat into your blood. “I didn’t think- fuck, it’s good.” With the curse on his lips you clench your thighs together, twisting on the bed to properly face him. He watches you move and settle, his expression hungry and desperate as he continues to buck up into the toy. “I would much prefer you, though,” he purrs after a moment, releasing the sheets to place a hand on your thigh, thumb brushing softly on the delicate skin there.

You take his hand and bring it to your lips to press a soft kiss there. At the contact he groans and tries to reach for your neck to pull you closer so he can steal your lips in a kiss- you resist, pulling away from him, breaking the contact between the two of you. “Now you know the struggle of an inadequate replacement for what you really want,” you say, delighting in the look of anguish that takes over his features at being denied you. “Come on now, I thought you were giving me a demonstration.”

“Wretched, wonderful woman,” he murmurs, but he fists his fingers back in the sheet rather than reaching for you again. “Would you like to hear the ways this blasted thing is inferior to you? It feels good,” he moans, slowing his pace to drag his cock in and out of the object, the lube glistening in the low light that he’s provided. “But you, my love, feel divine. You gasp my name and whine and clench down on me so sweetly- accomplishments this cheap replica could never hope to achieve.” His red locks spill across the pillow as he works himself, sweat dampening his bangs from the effort as he locks eyes with you. “Why would I keep one of these when I could have the real thing whenever I desire?”

Ever observant, he notices the way your thighs tremble sitting beside him, and he relinquishes his fistful of the sheets to turn his hand palm up, like he’s offering you a hand to help you out of a car. “Why don’t you allow me to assist you?” He purrs, dropping a few of his fingers so that only the pointer and middle remain extended- he crooks them in a familiar ‘come here’ motion that makes your cheeks flame as you realize what he was offering.

You consider telling him no- that he had gone through your demonstrations without any relief, and you could do the same. But he looked like he needed it, some sort of connection to your pleasure to ground him in the moment that you determined from the crease of his eyebrow and the tremble of his fingers where he offered them to you. You stand from the bed, noticing the way that Alastor ceases his movement of the toy along his length until you start to pull your panties out from under your skirt. Then there’s a groan ripping free of his throat, static that makes the hairs on your arm stand at attention as you position yourself above his hand.

The sink onto his fingers is embarrassingly easy, the force of your arousal offering a near frictionless slide until the pads of his fingers are pressed against that perfect spot inside of you. His name escapes you in a soft whimper as he begins to move, his thumb coming up to swipe lovingly across your clit as you ride his fingers in earnest.

He glares at the way your skirt blocks his view of the proceedings, and you almost laugh when his shadow emerges from under the bed to almost petulantly shove at the fabric; you take it in hand to hold it out of the way, the chuckle breaking forth when he hisses between his teeth as he starts to slowly thrust his hips again. “There we are, darling,” he purrs, his pupils blown wide as he watches your thighs tremble where his hand parts them, fingers damp with your slick as he rocks them in and out of you. His other hand moves with the same steady rhythm, fucking into the soft silicone with a single-minded determination.

It’s difficult to focus on the show being put on for you when Alastor has taken to curling his fingers just so, your mind fuzzy with the pleasure of it all; your body tips forward, a hand darting out to catch yourself on Alastor’s lower abdomen, the skin and fur that meets your palm damp with sweat. When you make contact he swears, something that never fails to make you giddy with arousal; a sure sign that he was losing control of himself, it makes your breath come faster, lungs constricting with the knowledge that it was your doing. He says your name in a breathless whisper, his voice crackling with feedback that makes your inner walls clench. His hands move in desperate tandem, messy, wet noises coming from the slide of the toy along his length and the thrust of his fingers inside you. Alastor’s teeth bare in frustration as he cants his hips back and forth, the pleasure in his expression evident but not enough to tip him over the precipice.

“Please,” you finally whine, hovering at the edge of orgasm yourself with Alastor bare and vulnerable before you, his movements against your body practiced and as perfect as they always were. At your plea he moans, low and sweet, and then the hand he had wrapped around the toy is curled tightly into your hair and pulling you down to crash your mouth into his.

His breath is labored, hot and damp as his tongue brushes against yours while he crushes you to his body. The fingers inside you do not cease their masterful ministrations as he kisses you desperately, the circuit of your bodies complete at last. Since the view is evidently no longer a priority, you release your skirt to slide that hand gently into his locks, fingers gentle against the base of his antlers like you’ve learned he likes; the noise he makes into your mouth is broken, pleading.

The lightning-quick strike of pleasure catches you off guard, your gasp lost to Alastor’s mouth as the dam breaks, ecstasy flooding your body and brain in a crashing wave that pulls your limbs taut, muscles clenched and shaking over your partner. The aftershocks of it roll through you, a tremor to your body that Alastor would usually calm by holding you tightly to his chest until your frame went lax against him when it finally passed.

In this moment he is too adrift, his eyes hazy when you pull back to watch him; his hips jerk fruitless beneath you, apparently unwilling to release his hold on you to resume use of the toy. You have mercy on him, reaching further back with the hand that had been braced on his abdomen to wrap around the hard outer frame of the fleshlight, tugging it away and replacing it with your hand. He hisses at the contact, pupils turned to dials as he watches your face, a plea on his lips. It’s a mere two, three pumps of your wrist before he’s spilling over your fingers hard with a quiet, almost pained sigh of your name.

You’ve hardly thought about wiping the mess into his fur when his shadow reaches a snaky tendril across the bed with a warm rag, a fond, satisfied grin stretched across its face. You shoot the extension of your partner a wink before using the offered item to wipe the evidence of Alastor’s release away, brush it gently over the sweat-soaked skin of his abdomen with your head still pressed to Alastor’s heaving chest. “What do you think?” You asked, pressing a lazy kiss to his collarbone, and it’s a moment while he wipes his own hands clean behind you before he answers.

“Satisfactory,” he says simply, “though I believe you were a large contributing factor to that.” He brings his arms up to circle your frame, holding you tightly to him as his heart rate slows beneath you. “Were it not for your suggestion I’d hardly have bothered with the thing- and without your participation I doubt I’d have finished. But it is… thrilling, I suppose, to try something new.”

You can’t help the chuckle that you release into his skin. “You know, usually people don’t bring toys into the bedroom until the relationship has gotten boring.”

He smooths his hands over your frazzled hair before placing a gentle kiss to your forehead. “You know how this started between us,” he says, repositioning your body more comfortably so you can fall asleep entwined with one another, your breath already slowing at the sounds of his soothing voice. “When have we ever had any fun doing things the usual way?”

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3

#hazbin hotel #alastor x reader #ao3 fanfic #ao3 writer #alastor #alastor the radio demon #alastor hazbin hotel #alastor smut #x reader #my stuff <3 #back on my bullshit lol

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lesservillain · 1 year ago

Text

borrowing.

Steve wasn't a pervert.

Sure, he's done some unsavory things in his younger years that he's not proud of. But he's never been the type to take advantage of a woman. He's not like some of his guy friends who look down women's shirts or touched someone without their permission.

Call him a pussy or a feminist, but that shit makes him sick to his stomach.

And yet...

"Fuck your pussy tastes so good."

Steve pants against the crotch of your panties. The fabric hugs his face tight as he breathes in your scent, his nose tenting the cotton fabric. His lips hold the crotch between them as he sucks and licks the damp material until your juices coat his tongue and then some.

His eyes open for a moment, looking out the leg hole to check his surroundings for bystanders. His beemer sits in the far corner of the YMCA facing the back of a gas station. It's not where he had originally parked when he arrived for his work out today. A work out he didn't even get to, all because he bumped into you.

He's noticed you ever since he got the membership with Robin. Their goal was to attend 3 days a week together per Robin's request. Something about wanting not wanting to gain the freshman fifteen when she started her semester.

But school quickly became overwhelming for her and Steve found himself going to the gym by himself.Without Robin to distract him, Steve started paying attention to some of the people at the gym.

It was just a couple passing glances at first, not wanting to be one of those guys who stares at girls while they work out. He couldn't deny you were beautiful though. And when you approached him one day after it was just you and him in the gym, he felt that there was chemistry between the two of you. You laughed at his dumb jokes, engaged him with personal questions...hell you even touched his arm with your hand.

Your friendliness expanded beyond that day, too. If he didn't say hi to you first, you were approaching him to wish him a good workout. You'd even brought him "counter productive" donuts one day because he said he loved the local shop.

It was safe to say Steve had become completely head over heels for you over the last few months. And he totally has plans to ask you out. He really does. But, after all the failed dates he had been on since high school...he was almost afraid to jinx what the two of you had going on.

Today was going to be the day though. Or...it was supposed to be.

He was running late getting to the gym this morning, bad traffic on the commute to drop Robin off to her classes put him an hour behind schedule. So as he pushed through the YMCA doors with haste, silently praying to himself that you'd not left yet, he accidentally ran full speed into a body as they were leaving.

"Woah!"

Steve recognized your voice. It pulls him out of his head, focusing on your frame before him. He's bummed to see you in your work uniform, obviously done with your work out for the day.

"Sorry I didn't mean to almost knock you down," he apologizes, looking you over to make sure you're okay.

"It's okay," you reassure him, your bright smile making his heart ache. "I thought I wasn't going to see you today, so running into me is better than nothing!"

"Ugh, yeah, I really was trying to get here earlier but traffic and--and, life! Ya know?"

You nod sweetly. "Totally!"

"Yeah..." Steve's heart thumped in his chest. He didn't need to suffer through a whole work out routine before asking you out. He could ask you out right now. And if you rejected him, he'd be able to walk away and inevitably cancel his gym membership since he'd never be able to show his face again in this establishment.

Or, you would say yes, and he could walk you to your car so you could give him your number on a napkin you keep in your glove box in case of emergencies.

"Well, I guess I'll see you on Friday," you say after a beat of silence. Steve felt the words on the tip of his tongue. But, when your hand landed on his arm with a squeeze, he froze in place. All he could muster was a weak goodbye before you were pushing out the second set of double doors and walking to your car.

He waited to make sure you got in okay before letting out the breath he had been holding. His head slumped in defeat. What happened to the crown that sat on his head when he was in high school? Was it because he wanted something real with you?

There wasn't much dwelling on the subject as a bundle of pink just a few inches away from his feet caught his eye. Steve's eyebrow quirked, and he crouched down to grab...whatever it was.

The material felt soft but wet in his hands. He cringed a bit until the material unfurled in his hands, revealing to be a pair of pink, skimpy panties. The initial shock had him almost dropping the panties, but a split second closer look had him twitching slightly in his pants.

The underwear was yours. They must have fallen out of your gym bag when he bumped into you.

He knew they were yours because he'd see them peaking out of your work out shorts when you were bending down to tie your shoe. He didn't look on purpose, you'd just happened to have stopped in front of him and he saw them. He told himself it was on purpose when he touched himself that night, but deep down he knew it wasn't.

The door almost came off its hinges with how hard he pulled it open, making a bee line to his car. He slammed the car door shut and locked it, giving a quick look around before he was ducking down just out of view.

He breathed in deeply as he inhaled the scent of your panties, exhaling with a groan as your smell infiltrated his nostrils. It felt like he took a hit from a drug. He could practically taste you on his tongue when he went in for another sniff.

Flipping the underwear so that the crotch was resting between his hands, Steve's mouth watered at the sight of the creamy white that painted the pink fabric. His tongue darted out slightly, eyes darting around again as the nerves set in. This wasn't like Steve, but he blamed the way you drive him crazy on the dirty thoughts that were running through his head.

Just as he was about to act on them, the sight of a person walking out of the building had him hesitating. He placed your panties in his passenger seat and started his car, moving to the back of the building in a far off spot that was less traveled and slamming it into park.

Once the coast was clear, Steve wasted no time bringing his tongue to your underwear and lapping at it messily. He whined as your taste hit his tongue, and suddenly his pants were way too tight on his crotch.

This wasn't like him he thought to himself. Not that he hadn't had a hook up or two out by Lover's Lake. But to do what he was considering in such a public place went against his morals...

Your panties sit between Steve's teeth as he undoes his belt. He has to scoot his seat back or else his hard cock will just bump against the steering wheel. He pumps himself a few times in his hand, squeezing some of his precum out of his tip and using is to lube himself.

Steve sucks in a breath as he starts to fist himself. He holds the panties against his face as he begins to imagine your pussy on his face. His imagination runs wild as he thinks about all the ways he would eat you out, your pussy right in his face waiting for him to run his tongue through.

"Such a pretty pussy," he says to himself.

Without much thinking, he pauses his jerking to take the panties and stretch them out, hooking under his chin and pulling them until they're taught over his face.

With his free hand, he's able to cup his sensitive balls as he jerks himself with more vigor. He doesn't know how long he's at it, too engulfed in his pleasure to care about the passing time. All he can think about is making you cum all over his face and thanking you after.

Steve's hips buck into his hands. He can feel his climax approaching, his hand focusing on his tip as he brings himself to the edge.

Just as he's about to come, Steve pulls your panties off of his face and wraps them about his cock. He does the best he can to aim for the crotch where he has completely saturated it with it with his own saliva, cumming hard into the bunched up fabric.

After a moment of coming down, Steve slumps back into his seat. Guilt begins to wash over him as he looks at the sticky mess he's turned your sweet pink panties into. How could he even face you, let alone ask you out after what he's done?

Steve shoved your underwear into his gym bag. He didn't think he could give them back, even if the thought of you wearing them after he's cum in them made him almost half hard again. He would just throw them away in a dumpster somewhere...or he could wash them and--

thanks for reading.

#steve harrington #perv!steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x y/n #steve harrington smut #steve harrington blurb

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ughsimpp · 1 year ago

Text

ATEEZ reaction when you hand him a couples toy

Masterlist

I’m back for now but not sure if i’m officially back yet LOL but i miss y’all, hopefully y’all miss me (more like miss my post)

Hongjoong

You handed him a small box, he was puzzled when you had a gift prepared. He opened it and his eyes went wide. You bought a vibrator toy, it was the ones where you give your partner the remote and they can control the vibrations or speed of the toy that you’re wearing. You weren’t sure if he knew exactly what it was but the second you were about speak he handed you the toy.

“Go put this in.”

You grabbed it from him and was about to go into to the bathroom but he stopped you and told you to just do it in front of him. You removed your shorts and sat down on the couch, slowly inserted it in. It was cold to the touch but as soon as you moved your hand, you felt an automatic vibration. It was vibrating inside like crazy. You were gasping and whining at the sudden sensation. You felt it stop as Hongjoong walked closer to you, having that smug expression on his face.

“This is fun don’t you think? Why don’t we try it again a few more times mhm?”

Seonghwa

You and Seonghwa were getting ready for a date. You were still doing your makeup as Seonghwa was waiting in the bedroom. He waited until you were done and you came out wearing a black dress, showing off your curves. He was at an awe, he walked towards you and leaned in for a kiss. You both headed out and head to the restaurant. You both sat in the car for a bit so you thought it would be a good idea to hand him something, a remote.

"What's this?"

You sat quietly as he looked at the small remote. Confused as ever, he turned it on but noting was happening, that was until he looked up at you and you were squirming uncontrollably, you were breathing heavily as it it finally clicked in his head on what you handed him. Hwa had such a cheeky look on his face. You put yourself in this position so had to take advantage of this.

"Oh baby, you should have never handed me something so powerful."

Yunho

Yunho was sitting on the couch as you walked up to him. He figured you were up to something since you had that innocent but smug look on your face. You sat next to him and tossed him a remote, he looked at the remote and wondered was it for. You told him to turn it on as he did. You softly moaned as his eyes widen.

"Is this what I think it is?"

You nodded as he laughed, getting red from his cheeks to his ears. You whined for him to stop laughing. He tried to clam himself down but saw you making that 'face', he kissed your forehead and gave you a smile but soon that smile became a smirk. He tugged with the remote as you felt the vibration go faster. Your moans got louder as the toy repeatedly hit your sweet spot. Yunho turned it off and picked you up, heading to the bedroom.

"Let's put this toy to the test mhm?"

Yeosang

You and Yeosang's anniversary was tonight, he gifted things like new beauty products, snacks that you've been craving and a fuzzy blanket. As you handed him his present, he was excited. It was the jacket he's been wanting and matching pjs. There was a last gift at the bottom, he opened it and saw a remote. He asked you what it was for but you didn't say much but just for him to turn it on. He did but nothing happened, he put it on full max but still nothing.

"What is this for baby?"

Confused as he was, he looked at you and you were on the verge of crying, wasn't expecting him to put it on the max. You moaned his name to turn it off so you can speak up. His eyes widen as you told him and you coming down from your high. Him being cheeky as ever, he toyed with it again, turning it off and on. He was getting heated from hearing your whimpers and just the state you were in.

"I wonder how long you can last like this before you beg me to fuck you."

San

San, the sweet boy he is, never thought of doing more than missionary in bed. You thought it was time for him to explore. You ordered a toy online as it was gonna arrive in two days. You forgot about it coming in until you saw his text that you had a package. You rushed home and busted through the door, seeing him holding the box.

"Is this for us?"

You blushed from embarrassment and nodded, your eyes were down as San laughed. You thought he may think it was something stupid and a waste of money but you felt him pulled you in for a kiss. The kiss was hot as you felt something pressing against you. You pulled back as saw his bulge growing. He led you to the bedroom and pushed you down onto the bed. His eyes changed, normally they'll be sweet and kind but this time it was as if he was hungry.

"I can do a much better job than that little toy of yours."

Mingi

You and Mingi were roaming the outlet mall, shopping for clothes and what not. You told him you'll be right back and he nodded. You walked into a sex store and stopped at the vibrator section. Sex with him was amazing as always but You were thinking about getting something to spice things up. You paid and went back to Mingi who was standing outside. As you both got home, we rushed to the bedroom called him over. He walked over to you as you handed him the box. His eyes widen as he blushed.

"Is this what you went to go grab earlier? And you wanna try it now?"

You nodded and tried to look innocent but Mingi knew that face. He took off his glasses and smirked, you knew that look so you squealed and got on the bed. Excited to try something new but little did you know, Mingi had other plans with your "new toy". You felt something small and cold vibrating inside but in seconds felt him inside you as well. You gasped loudly and was unable to speak. Mingi was satisfied on how you looked beneath him. You looked at him with those innocent eyes again as he spoke.

"Fuck...don't try to be innocent with me now. Be a good girl, I know you can take it."

Wooyoung

You and Woo were sitting on the couch as you will on a usual Saturday. He was invested in the new K-drama 'Marry My Husband' while you on the other hand was horny and feeling uncomfortable. You had a little dirty secret and he wasn't aware of it. As the episode ended he asked for the remote to play the next part but instead of giving him to TV remote you had him something else. He didn't realize it and pressed the button as you moaned, catching him off guard. He pressed the button once more as you calmed down.

"Are wearing something, as in like a vibrator?"

He didn't know what to say but you nodded, struggling to ask him to turn it on again. He smiled as he finished his drink, leaning closer to you as you looked away. His cheeky smile creeped up as his hand went up your shirt, removing it as the cold air touched your nipples. You moan as he kissed one side and played with the other, unknowingly he grabbed the remote and turned it on, you gasped and moaned loudly. He smiled as you looked at him with teary eyes.

"Aw why is my baby crying? Don't worry I'll take care of you but first let me play with you first."

Jongho

On your honeymoon in Italy, you and Jongho were enjoying your night with a fancy dinner and beautiful Italian music. Your evening was perfect as Jongho had a surprise planned. You weren't expecting something but you also had a surprise for him too, before heading back to the hotel, you both stopped at a nearby coffee shop. You got two Iced Americano and headed out. Walked into the room and saw a the bed covered in roses, bouquet of roses and a bottle of champagne with chocolate covered strawberries on the side table. You were surprised and gave him a kiss.

"I got a surprise for you too."

He wasn't expecting you to have anything prepared. You handed him a box as he opened and saw a vibrator with a remote. He looked at you as you tried to look away. Wasn't sure if he'll know what to do with it but you soon felt his lips on yours. He pushed you down onto the bed with your lips still attached to each other. He kissed down to your neck and chest. You felt his bulge growing as he pulled away, giving you the sexiest look ever.

"I appreciate the gift but tonight I don't think we'll need it, right now I just wanna fuck you."

#ateez #atiny #hongjoong #san #seonghwa #mingi #wooyoung #yunho #yeosang #jongho #ateez smut #ateez reaction #ughsimpp

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marlynnofmany · 8 months ago

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Little Legends

Eggskin leaned out of the medbay with both scaly hands full of disassembled electronics. “Are you free to run a quick errand?” they asked with the air of someone hoping the answer was yes.

“Sure,” I said, stopping in the hall. “Did something break?”

“I thought it was fixable, but no.” Eggskin rotated a couple pieces and fit them back together, revealing what looked like part of a medscanner. “Waste of time. At least this isn’t the good one for diagnosing, just the one for checking boxes. But we do need a replacement if you can get it.”

I mentally ran down the list of stores I’d spotted on this space station. “Yeah, I think I saw an electronics place that should have those. And we’re not going to leave for a while yet.”

“Excellent, thank you.” Eggskin looked relieved. “I’d go myself, but I have several other items in need of a tune-up.”

“No problem. I’ll let the captain know, then be right on it.” With a wave from me and further thanks from Eggskin, I headed off to find the captain.

Warm light spilled from the crew lounge as I passed. I mentally patted myself on the back for moving my sun lamp in there for everybody to enjoy. Humans may need their vitamin D, but Heatseekers craved warmth, and didn’t always want to ask for it. Paint was currently curled up on the biggest couch, along with Telly: a pile of mottled orange scales and mismatched fur. The cat had also started in just my quarters but moved on to spend time in the rest of the ship.

They looked awfully happy there in the light of the tiny, hovering, artificial sun. Maybe I’d bring a book in and take a seat on the other couch later. Right now, I had a bio-scanner to find. And while it would have been perfectly ironic for Captain Sunlight to be basking in the lounge as well, she was elsewhere.

I found her in the cargo bay, double-checking a new stack of boxes with Zhee. She held a clipboard in her scaly yellow hands while he moved things with his shiny purple pincher arms. They were a study in contrasts. When I told her where I was going, she was glad to hear it.

“Eggskin said there was something wrong with that scanner,” she agreed with a nod. “I wondered why they were using the good one earlier. Go ahead; I’ll make a note of the payment.”

“Righto.” I left the pair of them to rearrange the boxes, trusting that the captain would remember to note the payment later. Her memory was good, and she’d been in charge of the finances even before getting promoted. (The previous captain had only been good at delegating. When he got politely booted off the ship for incompetence, everyone agreed that Sunlight should take over. She hadn’t felt like giving someone else more work to do when she was already familiar with the ship’s record-keeping, so she just did both.) (She was good at both. It worked out well.)

I was good at other things, and one of them was recognizing when human-run stores were likely to have quality products. Luckily there was one such store in the nearest commerce sector.

I left the ship and strolled along a moving sidewalk at a delightfully fast pace, passing station-goers of a range of species, many of which were content with regular walking speed. One Mesmer rushed past in a blur of coppery bug legs, exoskeleton liberally decorated with metal inlays and their attitude suggesting they were late for a flight. The various Heatseekers, Frillians, and others gave them a wide berth.

The hum of a high-end jetpack made me duck, worrying I’d get accidentally kicked in the head. But no, it was higher than I’d thought. And the human using it only had one leg, which probably helped my odds anyway.

I wonder if that came from the same place I’m going, I thought. It seemed likely, since my destination was just coming into view past the big media store. Under the space station’s vaulted ceiling and silver-and-blue color scheme, the “Earthly Electronics Emporium” was an eyecatching collection of green circuitry. The big front windows had a whole section on jetpacks and hover-belts. I wondered if they were made by the same manufacturer as the ones Captain Sunlight had been looking into for a client.

Possibly. But we didn’t want to wipe out all the stock in this place, not when the client was content to wait while we gathered the rest of their order from the planet we were scheduled to visit next.

All in good time. Right now, bio-scanners.

I stepped off the moving sidewalk with a careful eye for momentum, and I didn’t stumble. Upholding human reputation, go me. With my head high, I entered the Earthly Electronics Emporium.

It was very green inside too. Not quite as bright as the outside, but somebody had really decided to lean in on the color scheme. I strolled between green shelves designed to look like circuit boards, on green tiles that glittered with LEDs, under ceiling lights that were mostly white, just with enough green paint around them that they could have been green too. At least the labels were easy to read.

There were a few other people in the store: mostly a group of humans chatting by the counter. It sounded like one was teaching the others a space shanty, which just made me smile.

Then I found what I was looking for, and I grinned in triumph. Got it. Let’s see here … “Good for everything from fleas to termites to truly exotic problems.” That sounds promising. I read the label thoroughly, and decided it was exactly what our courier ship needed for checking the crates we brought onboard. We hadn’t had to deal with an accidental infestation yet — well, not one that a cat or two couldn’t solve — and we didn’t want to.

I took it up to the counter.

When I got there, I was surprised to recognize the guy singing the shanty. When he caught sight of me, he broke off with a smile. “Hey, good to see you! Thanks so much for the advice; the animal calls and the caffeine went perfectly.”

“Awesome! Good to see you too!” I set down the scanner so I could return the handclasp-and-hug while he introduced me to his friends, including the guy behind the counter.

He told them, “This is the one I told you about, the human who’s done everything!”

“Well,” I said humbly, getting immediately talked over as Oscar told the others about how his large and intimidating alien crewmates had been disappointed that he didn’t live up to all the stories they’d heard about human antics, which had all, somewhat embarrassingly, been about me.

“But then she told me that imitating animal calls was impressive — and it was; I called in things for them to hunt, and they were amazed — and she’s the one who told me that the Mighty were lightweights on caffeine.” He grinned while they all chuckled. “You already know how that went!”

I was privately glad to see him so animated and social, since the only other time we’d met, he’d been pretty dejected about his lot in life. I asked for details on his adventures and he was happy to tell them, with the other humans chipping in to add that they touched base regularly now, since Oscar’s ship was making regular stops at this station, and most of them lived here.

“Are you staying long?” Oscar asked me. “You should really meet Aster. He’s been writing songs about human stuff, and he’s probably got some of your legends in there. He just started one about caffeine, thanks to me!” He beamed in pride.

“That’s great! I’d love to, but we’re leaving in a little bit,” I said. “Maybe next time we stop by.”

“I hope so! His songs are really good. I was just telling these guys about the new one. Have you heard it yet?” He launched into a melody. “Thiiiiis pirate ship was the scourge of the spaceways, stealing goods with their threats and their gunplay. The scariest ship that you ever did see … Until they met the skunk.”

I snorted and covered my mouth, eyes wide. I didn’t want to say it, but somehow he guessed.

“Don’t tell me,” Oscar declared, stopping the song. “Somehow that was you too.”

“Not directly,” I protested. “And maybe there are other skunks out there! Keep going.”

He sang the rest of the song, which told the story of some foolhardy pirates who didn’t believe the rumors of a merchant vessel with a hazardous Earth creature onboard. They wound up having to abandon their ship and let it fall into the nearest sun, ending their days as “the smelliest ne-er-do-wells that planet had ever seen.”

I applauded along with everyone else. “That is a great song! And I don’t know if that’s the skunk I knew or not. I did give one to a human on a merchant ship. But it had its stink gland removed, so maybe it’s a different one.”

An older woman laughed. “Or maybe Aster took some storytelling liberties with the song. It wouldn’t be the first time.”

Oscar shook his head, still grinning. “Maybe!”

Then it turned into a storytelling session about skunk anecdotes, and while I could have happily enjoyed that conversation for quite a while, I did have a ship to get back to.

The guy behind the counter rang up the sale for me, charging it to the ship’s account successfully. “What a great name,” he said, reading off his screen. “Gotta love a ship called Slap the Stars.”

I told him, “It was named after the human tradition of high fives!” That derailed the conversation even further, and it was with real regret that I had to leave.

A couple of the others said they had places to go as well. Casual hugs for everyone, and suddenly it was like being back home for the holidays. After several tight embraces, I realized I’d been missing that and not realized.

I said goodbye to my fellow humans and promised to check in next time I was in town, then took the bio-scanner back to the ship. The moving sidewalk was just as quick in this direction.

Paint and Telly were still in the lounge when I passed. I gave Eggskin the scanner, checked in with the captain at the cockpit, then grabbed a book from my room.

“Mind if I join you?” I asked Paint.

“Sure; there’s plenty space!” She uncurled enough to wave at the broad expanse of couch.

Telly made a feline “Mrrp,” then put her head back down.

I found the sun lamp’s controls on the table, next to the box of accessories, and turned it up just a smidge. Then I lay down between Paint and the back of the couch, with my book above her head.

She made happy noises about the extra warmth, and Telly mrrp’d again.

From the door to the hall, something hissed, then Zhee’s voice complained, “Why is it so bright in here?”

Paint didn’t look up as she declared, “Basking is a time-honored form of enrichment.”

“I fail to see the appeal.”

“Hang on,” I said, sitting up long enough to grab an effects adapter from the box on the table. I’d checked before; these would stay in place even with just half of the cover. I clipped on the most colorful and glitterific galaxy adapter to the far side of the sun lamp, turning half of the lounge into a space disco that any self-respecting Mesmer would love.

Zhee was no exception. “Now that is lovely,” he said, clicking his way into the room. “Why didn’t you do that to start with?”

He made himself comfortable with a media screen while I settled back into place with my book and cuddle puddle.

Mur’s voice said from the hallway, “Why is it so bright in here?”

Zhee said, “Enrichment.”

Paint said, “You can join us if you like.”

I smiled. “I have a great new space shanty that I think you’ll enjoy.”

~~~

These are the ongoing backstory adventures of the main character from this book.

Shared early on Patreon! There’s even a free tier to get them on the same day as the rest of the world.

The sequel novel is in progress (and will include characters from these stories. I hadn’t thought all of them up when I wrote the first book, but they’re too much fun to leave out of the second).

#my writing #The Token Human #this one's less of a standalone than usual #with a couple references to previous stories #but hopefully still enjoyable for those who haven't read them #haso #hfy #eiad #humans are weird #humans are space orcs

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monkeyssalad-blog · 1 month ago

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038 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage (1964) EMU 5 by Robert Knight Via Flickr: Aston Martin DB5 Vantage (1964-65) Engine 3995cc S6 DOC 325bhpProduction 1059 Registration Number EMU 5 ASTON MARTIN ALBUM www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623759800132... The Aston Martin DB5 is a British luxury grand tourer that was made by Aston Martin and designed by Federico Formenti of Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera. Released in 1963, it can be seen as an evolution of the final series of DB4. The principal differences between the DB4 Series V and the DB5 are the all-aluminium engine, enlarged from 3.7 litres to 4.0 litres, and fed by triple carburettors, it produced 282bhp; a new ZF five-speed transmission which was more robust than the earlier David Brown unit. At the beginning, the original four-speed manual gearbox (with optional overdrive) was standard fitment, but it was soon dropped in favour of the ZF five-speed box a three-speed Borg-Warner DG automatic transmission was also available, which was changed in favour of a Borg-Warner Model 8 shortly before the DB6 replaced the DB5 When new the standard Aston Martin DB5 sold for £ 4,248, which at the time was around the price of a semidetached house in a desirable borough The high-performance DB5 Vantage was introduced in 1964. It featured three Weber carburettors and revised camshaft profiles and the engine output upped to 325bhp. 65 DB5 Vantage coupés were built. 123 convertible DB5s were produced (also with bodies by Touring), though they did not use the 'Volante' name until 1965 The DB5 will always be remembered as James Bonds cars, EON productions, to be modified by special effects expert John Stears for use by James Bond in the 1964 film Goldfinger. The original novel by Ian Fleming had Bond driving an Aston Martin DB Mark III. There were a total of four Goldfinger DB5s. There were a total of four Goldfinger DB5s. Two of these were used in filming and two were used only for promotional purposes. The first filming car, DP/2161/1, was fitted with gadgets, it had been the original DB5 prototype car which had made an earlier screen performance in the hands of Roger Moore during episode 2.17, of The Saint - The Noble Scotsman before its appearance in Goldfinger, The same car (registration BMT 216A) was used again in the next film, Thunderball, a year later, it later appeared, minus gadgets in the film The Cannonball Run (1981), once again driven by Roger Moore. Diolch am 92,347,630 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr. Thanks for 92,347,630 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated. Shot 23.04.2022 at the Bicester Spring Scramble, Bicester, Oxfordshire 158-038

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dynamicloom · 3 months ago

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Dynamic Autolooms India Pvt. Ltd | Revolutionizing Textile Machinery Since 1976

Dynamic Autolooms India Pvt. Ltd., based in Gujarat, has been a leader in textile machinery manufacturing since 1976. Specializing in Rapier Looms, Shuttle Looms, Power Looms, and Electronic Jacquards, the company serves diverse industries, including apparel and technical textiles. As one of the largest Rapier Loom manufacturers in Ahmedabad, their advanced products, like Shuttleless Rapier Looms, High-Speed Shuttle Looms, and Automatic Shuttle Looms, ensure precision and efficiency. Dynamic’s innovations include Electronic Let-off Mechanisms, SPM Products for Wire Weaving, and Rapier Jacquard Machines, offering customized weaving solutions. Trusted across India, they deliver the best weaving solutions for premium fabrics like sarees, denim, and technical materials such as glass fiber and filtration fabrics, setting standards in quality and technology.

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0rainy0muses0 · 2 months ago

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@waveobeans asked:

"So, we do have your next mission ready... kinda." Komui was ushering Allen through the halls as he briefed him on the next possible innocence location, talking faster than usual. "We have the location, but getting you in is a different story. It's a big factory, and nobody is allowed in. At all. Nobody even sees workers going in and out, but it's still sending out product all over the world. Even more suspect, is that several people have gone missing after supposedly trying to break in." He was pushing him along faster now, towards the cafeteria. "But! But but but! The owner of said factory is running a contest. Six tickets to tour the factory, and get a reward. We reached out to try and secure a ticket directly, but no luck. He said it would 'ruin the fun'. So. We have to do this the old fashion way." The doors were swung open, and on every table were boxes stacked several high, each with the word "WONKA" on the side. At the tables were many, many finders, busy at work unwrapping chocolate bar after chocolate bar. "The ticket is golden. Hope you like chocolate. Best of luuuuck!"

🞠~☔︎~🞠 Unprompted 🞠~☔︎~🞠 Always Accepting 🞠~☔︎~🞠 Allen Walker

Being called to Komui's office is nothing unusual, Allen just figures that the man has a mission for him. A quick call for Timcanpy and they're off, only to see him coming out of his office and speeding walking towards Allen. Slightly less usual, but he can roll with it. That is, until Komui starts talking in a fast, almost nervous sounding way while practically pushing him to the cafeteria. Something about this background information is so familiar soundings as well--

( He's nine, crowded around with other children and peering into the window of a candy shop; brightly wrapped bars of chocolate on display along with other sweet treats. The money is burning a hole in his pocket and he wants it so bad--but forces himself away from the window to go and buy proper food for himself and Mana. )

Allen is taken off guard by the high stacks of boxes, all of them bearing the same name that he recognizes from his childhood. Wonka bars, hundreds, possibly thousands of them--all being opened by Finders who aren't currently on a job. Several of them whip their heads around to glare death at Komui, no doubt pissed off that the mindless busy work they've been assigned to.

"Wait, what?" Allen asks, his brain finally catching up to the here and now. But then Komui is gone with those last few instructions and Allen is left to stare at the space he occupied just seconds before...then sighs and starts looking for a place to sit.

As it turns out, he doesn't have to look long; waved over by Toma to join him and his small group. "Lord Walker, over here!"

"Hello, Toma, everyone." Allen introduces himself politely, taking a seat next to his Finder friend and grabbing an unwrapped bar. "How...how long have you all been at it?"

"We've been doing this for two days." Toma responds with an exasperated sigh. "Working in shifts, looking for this golden ticket. Jeryy's gone on strike, refuses to accept any more chocolate into the pantry."

That seems like a waste to Allen, who learned to like any food at a young age--lest he not eat at all. "Well, I'm here to help now. I'm sure we'll be able to find one soon." He reassures the others at the table, and unwraps the first bar. It's quickly devoured, a smile on his face as he does so. It's his first time eating a Wonka bar, and they're just as good as everyone says they are.

The wrapper is added to the growing pile and Allen reaches for another. It's not healthy to fill up on chocolate...but it also can't be that bad, not when it's this high of a quality.

#⛧ IC #⛧ Verse: Pierrot Prince ~ Main #waveobeans #⛧ Crown Clown: Allen Walker

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comicaurora · 2 years ago

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Hi! I'm a big fan of your work. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

I'm an artist who's been working on a story with a close writer friend of mine since the pandemic. Together we've outlined a webcomic that we're both very excited and passionate about, and it's been a great experience. Late last year we started actually making the comic itself, and a little less than a year later we're 37 pages in.

I wanted to ask you how you're able to somehow push out three high-quality pages every week? I work full time, and most days I'm too drained when I get home to immediately start working on the comic. Plus all the other stuff I have to take care of to be a functional adult. I'm not even that slow of an artist, but it just doesn't feel like there's enough hours in the day. At my current rate, I get about one page done per week. I'm 24 now, I don't want to be in my 50s still working on this story. Do you have any advice for increasing your output as an artist without completely overwhelming yourself?

Sorry for the wordy question. There's a reason I'm the artist and not the writer.

Oof, that's a tough one!

I mean, to start with, a fundamental difference in our schedules is I don't work full time. Everything I do for a living is very self-scheduled, and I can work far in advance to meet the deadlines I set and take entire days or even weeks off when I need them. Back when I was in college, dealing with outside schedule requirements, I definitely wouldn't have been able to keep up everything I do now.

That said, there are still methods to streamline and speed up the artistic process. I don't know the details of your methods, but I'd recommend sketching and storyboarding larger numbers of pages at a time and finalizing them at a more leisurely pace, rather than taking one page of comic at a time from a total blank to a finalized, polished version. The storyboard can be very basic; many of mine are little more than color-coded scribbles showing the characters and text boxes showing their dialogue. It's just enough to be readable to me so I can go in and edit it for pacing and timing, but it looks like absolute chickenscratch to anyone else. On the production side, that makes it much more feasible for me to work on multiple pages at a time, since I don't need to finish polishing one page before I can start boarding another.

This method can be expanded into a bit of a factory production line, allowing for a two-pronged approach of progress - one for finalizing older pages, the other farther along for storyboarding new ones. And once you have multiple pages done at a time, you can schedule them well in advance, which takes a lot of deadline pressure off and can make it less mentally daunting to work on. This also diversifies the space of things you can work on, depending on your headspace and energy levels - which is a useful option to have when you're wiped from outside responsibilities.

#asks #writing stuff #art stuff

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mcacnshow · 8 months ago

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The 2+2 was a special high-performance package offered for the big body, but shorter wheelbase Catalina that was first offered in 1964 for $291.00. Consider this the “big brother” of the GTO. The package consists of bucket seats, a floor mounted shifter, special blend carpeting, and if you checked a few additional boxes, a 421 tri-power V8 backed by a 4-speed manual or 3-speed Hydramatic transmission. A long list of performance options could turn a comfy cruiser into a hot one!

The 2+2 package would continue for several more years in both hardtop and convertible bodies. Today, these cars are among the most sought-after Big Body Muscle Machines ever produced. Production would be a mere 7,998 in its inaugural year, 11,521 in ’65, 6,383 for ’66 and just 1,768 in ’67. Think about it...when was the last time you saw a Pontiac 2+2 up close and in person? This year you find an entire row of them at the MCACN show.

Special Thanks go out to Jack Anderson who coordinated this awesome display, and for bringing this 2 + 2, and to all the owners who are allowing us to host a stellar group of rare Big Body Muscle.

#mcacn #mcacn2024 #pontiac #pontiac2+2 #mcacnbigbodymuscle #pontiac2+2registry #mcacnshow #mcacn_show #musclecars #musclecar

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secretcatpolicy · 28 days ago

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Recently I wrote about the new Bertone-designed Lancia Stratos Zero, a legendary concept car I'd wanted to see in diecast form for most of my life, and I got to thinking. Long ago I had a Corgi model of the Alfa Romeo Carabo, another extremely influential Bertone concept car… if that existed, what other famed concept cars of that era had been released? Quite a few, it seems:

So I went to ebay, and found what I could that was affordable and not too destroyed. In order to keep it affordable and available, it's all a bit played with, but mostly in OK condition, easily enough to get a feel for these cars. We'll start with the Carabo. This car has the distinction of being the first ever to feature scissor doors, predating the Countach which Marcello Gandini at Bertone also designed and reused the concept on, but thanks to the attention it got it also basically introduced the idea of the 'wedge car'. Prior to this, the high-end sports car had been curvy and sensuous, and the mechanical, angular, louvre-happy look was a new direction entirely, and caused a sensation in 1968 when it was first shown, in metallic green; even today it looks much more recent than 1968, and I've seen it used on the cover of more than one Synthwave album where it fits right in. While not intended for production, only as a styling exercise, it was built on an Alfa Romeo P33 chassis and like most of the concepts of the time was a fully functional, viably roadworthy car. So much of this design went on to influence what supercars looked like, it's a really vital design to know in the evolution of car design.

This model was part of a Corgi series called Rockets, which came with a 'tune up key' that you could insert in the base and twist to pop off the chassis, which allowed me to use a small flat-head screwdriver to do the same and swap out the typically nasty Corgi wheels for some HW ones, which look a lot better, without all the usual hassle of drilling out the rivets (this is often particularly annoying on Corgis as they frequently use domed rivets that are a nightmare to centre a drill bit on). The chrome green and grey lower section look great, and quite closely resemble the real car, which is named for Carabidae beetles which have very shiny green carapaces with orange parts.

Another Corgi Rocket model that popped up when I searched was the Bizzarini Manta. Bizzarini is a lesser-known Italian carmaker, and most of what they made was sports racers (Matchbox made a beautiful Moving Parts Bizzarini 5300 racer recently which I'm hoping to get sometime), but in 1969 they hired the then-new Italdesign studio, headed by legendary designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, to create the Manta. It has a 3-seat cabin with the driver in the centre, pre-empting McLaren's use of this idea in the F1 by nearly 30 years, features a unique venetian blind-like front thingy that can be opened for better city driving visibility and closed for high speed driving, and was built on a retired P538 Le Mans racer chassis, with a 5.3L Chevrolet V8 in the back, forward of the rear axle. The design was the first 'one-box' GT car, with engine, passengers and (in this case entirely theoretical) luggage sharing a single volume, cemented the future of Giugiaro and the Italdesign studio, and like the Carabo still looks futuristic and hard to locate in time.

The real car was briefly silver but quickly got a bright turquoise gloss repaint - the Corgi version is metallic and a lot darker, but still looks good. This one had even worse wheels than the Carabo, and worse, had oversize ones that gave it oversized arches, which in turn made it hard to find appropriate replacement wheels - these are from a Majorette, I'm not that into them and may well replace them later - but they are an improvement on the train-like originals, trust me.

Having found a legendary Bertone and a legendary ItalDesign, I then set out to find a legendary Pininfarina, and to my shock, succeeded. For a long time the Pininfarina design agency were the only ones used by Ferrari, and in common with many, they often used retired racing cars as the cores of designs they relied on to showcase design talent and thus drum up business, and that's the origin of the Ferrari 512 S Modulo. Pininfarina and Bertone were rivals, and in 1970 when Bertone showed the extreme, space-age Stratos Zero, the Modulo was Pininfarina's answer. Where the Stratos Zero evoked the technology of spaceflight, the Modulo evoked the technology of science fiction, arguably even more ludicrously extreme with its sliding canopy, cutaways for the tops of the wheels and mirrored top and bottom shells complete with false windows on the lower sides. The panels to the rear of the side windows were retractable cooling ducts for the engine bay, much like the 'bat wings' on the Lamborghini Murcielago.

I'm really happy to have a model of the Modulo, but it comes with a twinge of disappointment - it's frankly kind of goofy. Every photo I've ever seen of the Modulo is a low-angle shot that makes the most of its flying saucer-esque profile, and these do not reveal quite how much the car looks like a bar of half-used soap from a higher angle, but holding a diecast of it does; its rounded corners and straight sides just aren't quite as attractive in three dimensions, and allegedly the car was so low-slung that it was hard to see out. While it was a fully running car, it seems clear that the Modulo was made focusing on styling ideas over usability.

Corgi came through again with this yellow version which has somehow retained its original sticker representing the car's rear window with engine cooling holes. Even though the car was originally black and is most often pictured in its later white colour scheme, the yellow works too, at least now that I've added the black panels. A kit car version was featured in the often overlooked but surprisingly good early Tommy Lee Jones movie Black Moon.

Returning to Bertone and staying with Corgi, there's also this 1969 Autobianchi A112 Runabout Barchetta (misspelled on the base as "barghetta") by Marcello Gandini. Barchetta is an Italian word for a small boat that is sometimes applied to open cars without glass, but in this case it was particularly apt: it's inspired by racing powerboats of the time and at early stages of the design, this car was intended to be amphibious, leading to the open, doorless form, the high rear-mounted headlights and high ground clearance, but this idea was later dropped. It was based on the chassis of the popular Autobianchi A112 supermini, and shared the tiny car's 1.1L inline 4, so was in a different class from most of the others here, but like the Modulo was mostly intended to showcase ideas. The production Fiat X1/9 was ultimately based on this car's design, and elements, particularly the form of the front wheel arches and the spoiler, were used on the production Lancia Stratos. I wouldn't call it a lovely car, but it looks fun for living a life in warm, beachy climes.

This casting was apparently recycled as a Wonder Woman car at some point, and is often found with a WW sticker on the front. It was also cast by Matchbox, and there seems to be a 1:32ish Corgi version too. I must admit to being confused as to why this car in particular was so widely produced. But it must have its fans, as Bertone recently made a modernised version.

Another Bertone, but Matchbox this time: the Lamborghini Marzal from 1967. Designed as a four-seater using a 2.0L straight six that was basically one side of a standard Lamborghini 4.0L V12, Bertone aimed to complement the grand tourers Lamborghini made, but it was not really a serious try at a production model so much as a piece of promotional art that was aimed at shocking the motoring press into giving Lamborghini attention at a fraction of the price of advertising. That said, it also formed the basis for the later design of the more conventional but still Lamborghini-weird Espada. In the Marzal's case the whole car is based on a hexagon motif, an idea that later worked out well for the Countach too, and is almost entirely glassed-in (this model has a metal roof, assumedly for stiffness, but the real car's roof was fully glass), necessitating a full air-con system. Its gullwing doors skip the b-pillar entirely and run the length of the silver-upholstered cabin, and the hexagon-shaped louvres on the back are particularly distinctive. It first appeared at the 1967 Monaco Grand Prix, driven by Prince Ranier III and his wife Princess Grace, best known as Grace Kelly; the suspension was still a work in progress at the time, so the car did a parade lap of the circuit with an anvil in the boot to level the car.

Matchbox made this model way back in the day, choosing crimson instead of the more conservative silver the car was debuted in, or the white it later wore. Like a number of '70s castings, it was also reissued in a variety of colours (including this green) in the form of a Super GT, Matchbox's late '80s budget line, with further reduced window area, full-black windows that hide its lack of interior and all hint of what it really was scrubbed from the base, presumably to evade copyright issues.

The last thing in this group is a bit of an outlier: the Nissan 126X concept from 1970. Relatively speaking I know a lot less about this, but it's another piece of the strategy Japan's carmakers used to signify the country's industrial maturation in the eyes of the world. The Toyota 2000GT had launched to wide acclaim a few years before, Nissans were beating Porsches in races, and at the Tokyo motor show of 1970 many marques including Toyota, Mazda and Nissan addressed the matter of forward-thinking design. Toyota showed the EX-7, Mazda debuted the RX500 and Nissan this, a 4-seat gullwing wedge with a rear-mid straight six mounted sideways and driving all four wheels - or at least that's the idea, as I'm not sure this was actually a functioning prototype. This was nonetheless kitted out with a steering yoke rather than a wheel but the most interesting and innovative feature was a series of coloured lights up the front of the car intended to signal to other motorists what the car was doing, with red for braking, yellow for constant speed and green for acceleration. I don't honestly love this car, but of all of them it might be the only one that tries not only to look futuristic and showcase design, but also evolve how people drive.

Nissan was exporting under the Datsun brand at the time, which I assume is why Matchbox seem to have named it Datsun 126X despite the Nissan text visible on the rear quarter in period shots of the car. Rather than the pleasing lightly metallic blue-grey two-tone of the show car, Matchbox in their infinite wisdom seem to have opted for a yellow over orange two-tone with amber glass, which looks surprisingly all right but is not a patch on the much classier original colour scheme. This has also been released with flame stickers on the yellow and, like the Marzal, in various colours as a Super GT.

All these weird and wonderful designs are one-off show pieces that have only one true job: to inspire. These are quite literally imagination made concrete and tangible and sharable, and the supercar concepts of the late '60s and early '70s are in my view what make this era the golden age of the concept car. It's cars like these more than any that gave me the enthusiasm I have for car design and which inform how I look at all cars, but especially rarities I'll very rarely if ever even see, let alone have a chance to drive. In some cases, finding diecasts was my introduction to the existence of quite a lot of cars, and it felt to young me like admission to a secret hidden area of car knowledge; the Carabo I remember reading about but, in the pre-internet wasteland of the '80s, I had no idea what it looked like until the Corgi fell into my lap. This bunch right here are the root of why I collect diecasts and write this blog, and there are more to find! Sometimes people write these types of car off as pointless, but to me they are an absolute necessity if you want a healthy car industry that makes people want to buy cars. These cars are made to move you in a less conventional way, and that's why these worn old toys from before I was even born are some of my very favourites.

#diecast #model cars #matchbox #corgi #bertone #pininfarina #italdesign #alfa romeo #ferrari #lamborghini #autobianchi #bizzarini #nissan #one of these is not like the others

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