#How to Create a FREE Professional Email

[enfinizatics]

dear americans,

as a polish queer woman and human rights activist, i know exactly how you're feeling right now and what to expect from these elections. i lived through the 2015-2023 regime of pis, a right-wing populist party that divided families in the same way trump did. i’ve experienced the rise of fascism in poland, the influence of far-right parties like konfederacja, and their “santa’s little helpers”—ordo iuris, an ultra-conservative catholic organization (banned in many countries, mind you) that helped enforce a near-total abortion ban and runs anti-queer campaigns in public spaces. i supported the black protests in 2016 as a middle schooler when they first tried to ban abortion. as an adult, i actively participated in the 2020 women’s strike, running from police tear gas daily after they finally passed the ban. i supported friends who faced charges.

i’ve lived through intense homophobia in poland as a queer teen and adult. i survived the first pride march in my hometown, where far-right extremists threw stones and glass at us. i endured the anti-queer propaganda spread by the ruling party in state-owned media. i survived the “rainbow night,” poland’s own stonewall moment in summer 2020, when police arrested around 50 queer activists following the arrest of margo, a nonbinary activist. i survived the "lgbt-free zones," the targeted violence, the slurs from strangers on the street, and the protests i held against queerphobia. it was hard as fuck, but i survived.

but just because i survived, it doesn’t mean others did. many women died because of the abortion ban—marta, justyna, izabela, dorota, joanna, maria, and many others who didn’t survive pis’s draconian anti-abortion laws. milo, kacper, michał, zuzia (she was 12), wiktor, and other queer and trans kids and young adults took their own lives because of the relentless queerphobia.

despite all of this, our experience in poland can serve as a guide now. here are some tips for staying safe and how we, polish queers and women, organized under the regime:

safety first, always. if you know someone who’s had an abortion, no you don’t. if you know someone is trans, no you don’t. if you know people who help with safe abortions, no you don’t—at least not until you know it’s 100% safe to share. if you are queer or have had an abortion, only share this with people you trust fully. most importantly, not everyone has to be an activist just because they’re part of a minority. if it feels unsafe to share that you're queer, trans, etc., then don’t. it doesn’t make you any less queer.

use secure, encrypted messaging like signal for conversations on potentially risky topics, such as queerness, abortion, organizing counter-actions, protests—anything that might be used against you.

stay anonymous online. if you want to research or report something without surveillance, do not use regular internet. get a vpn (mullvad is affordable and reliable), download the tor browser (for both onion and standard links), and if you plan to whistleblow, consider using a riseup email account.

organize and build networks. community is everything now. support each other, foster independence, because your government won’t have your back. set up collectives, grassroots movements. create lists of trusted professionals—lawyers, doctors, etc.—who can offer support.

to lawyers and doctors: please consider pro-bono work. this is what got us through poland’s hardest times. your work will be needed now more than ever.

for protests or risky actions: always write a pro-bono lawyer’s number on your arm with a permanent marker.

get to know the anarchist black cross federation and other resources on safety culture: "Starting an anarchist black cross group: A guide"; Still We Rise - A resource pack for transgender and non-gender conforming people in prison; Safe OUTside the system by the Audre Lorde Project;

for safe abortion info or involvement: get familiar with womenhelpwomen.

stay radical, stay strong, stay informed: The Anarchist Library

if i forgot to (or didn't) include something, don't hesitate to reblog this post with other resources.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The enshittification of tech jobs

I'm on a 20+ city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me at NEW ZEALAND'S UNITY BOOKS in AUCKLAND on May 2, and in WELLINGTON on May 3. More tour dates (Pittsburgh, PDX, London, Manchester) here.

Tech workers are a weird choice for "princes of labor," but for decades they've enjoyed unparalleled labor power, expressed in high wages, lavish stock grants, and whimsical campuses with free laundry and dry-cleaning, gourmet cafeterias, and kombucha on tap:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhUtdgVZ7MY

All of this, despite the fact that tech union density is so low it can barely be charted. Tech workers' power didn't come from solidarity, it came from scarcity. When you're getting five new recruiter emails every day, you don't need a shop steward to tell your boss to go fuck themselves at the morning scrum. You can do it yourself, secure in the knowledge that there's a company across the road who'll give you a better job by lunchtime.

Tech bosses sucked up to their workers because tech workers are insanely productive. Even with sky-high salaries, every hour a tech worker puts in on the job translates into massive profits. Which created a conundrum for tech bosses: if tech workers produce incalculable value for the company every time they touch their keyboards, and if there aren't enough tech workers to go around, how do you get whichever tech workers you can hire to put in as many hours as possible?

The answer is a tactic that Fobazi Ettarh called "vocational awe":

https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2018/vocational-awe/

"Vocational awe" describes the feeling that your work matters so much that you should accept all manner of tradeoffs and calamities to get the job done. Ettarh uses the term to describe the pathology of librarians, teachers, nurses and other underpaid, easily exploited workers in "caring professions." Tech workers are weird candidates for vocational awe, given how well-paid they are, but never let it be said that tech bosses don't know how to innovate – they successfully transposed an exploitation tactic from the most precarious professionals to the least precarious.

As farcical as all the engineer-pampering tech bosses got up to for the first couple decades of this century was, it certainly paid off. Tech workers stayed at the office for every hour that god sent, skipping their parents' funerals and their kids' graduations to ship on time. Snark all you like about empty platitudes like "organize the world's information and make it useful" or "bring the world closer together," but you can't argue with results: workers who could – and did – bargain for anything from their bosses…except a 40-hour work-week.

But for tech bosses, this vocational awe wheeze had a fatal flaw: if you convince your workforce that they are monk-warriors engaged in the holy labor of bringing forth a new, better technological age, they aren't going to be very happy when you order them to enshittify the products they ruined their lives to ship. "I fight for the user" has been lurking in the hindbrains of so many tech workers since the Tron years, somehow nestling comfortably alongside of the idea that "I don't need a union, I'm a temporarily embarrassed founder."

Tech bosses don't actually like workers. You can tell by the way they treat the workers they don't fear. Sure, Tim Cook's engineers get beer-fattened, chestnut finished and massaged like Kobe cows, but Cook's factory workers in China are so maltreated that Foxconn (the cutout Apple uses to run "iPhone City" where Apple's products are made) had to install suicide nets to reduce the amount of spatter from workers who would rather die than put in another hour at Tim Apple's funtime distraction rectangle factory:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jun/18/foxconn-life-death-forbidden-city-longhua-suicide-apple-iphone-brian-merchant-one-device-extract

Jeff Bezos's engineers get soft-play areas, one imported Australian barista for each mini-kitchen, and the kind of Japanese toilet that doesn't just wash you after but also offers you a trim and dye-job, but Amazon delivery drivers are monitored by AIs that narc them out for driving with their mouths open (singing is prohibited in Uncle Jeff's delivery pods!) and have to piss in bottles; meanwhile, Amazon warehouse workers are injured at three times the rate of other warehouse workers.

This is how tech bosses would treat tech workers…if they could.

And now? They can.

Writing for the Wall Street Journal, Katherine Bindley describes the new labor dynamics at Big Tech:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/tech-workers-are-just-like-the-rest-of-us-miserable-at-work/ar-AA1DDKjh

It starts with Meta, who just announced a 5% across-the-board layoff – on the same day that it doubled executive bonuses. But it's not just the workers who get shown the door who suffer in this new tech reality – the workers on the job are having to do two or three jobs, for worse pay, and without all those lovely perks.

Take Google, where founder Sergey Brin just told his workers that they should be aiming for a "sweet spot" of 60 hours/week. Brin returned to Google to oversee its sweaty and desperate "pivot to AI," and like so many tech execs, he's been trumpeting the increased productivity that chatbots will deliver for coders. But a coder who picks up their fired colleagues' work load by pulling 60-hour work-weeks isn't "more productive," they're more exploited.

Amazon is another firm whose top exec, Andy Jassy, has boasted about the productivity gains of AI, but an Amazon Web Services manager who spoke to Bindley says that he's lost so many coders that he's now writing code for the first time in a decade.

Then there's a Meta recruiter who got fired and then immediately re-hired, but as a "short term employee" with no merit pay, stock grants, or promotions. She has to continuously reapply for her job, and has picked up the workload of several fired colleagues who weren't re-hired. Meta managers (the ones whose bonuses were just doubled) call this initiative "agility." Amazon is famous for spying on its warehouse workers and drivers – and now its tech staff report getting popups warning them that their keystrokes are being monitored and analyzed, and their screens are being recorded.

Bindley spoke to David Markley, an Amazon veteran turned executive coach, who attributed the worsening conditions (for example, managers being given 30 direct reports) to the "narrative" of AI. Not, you'll note, the actual reality of AI, but rather, the story that AI lets you "collapse the organization," slash headcount and salaries, and pauperize the (former) princes of labor.

The point of AI isn't to make workers more productive, it's to make them weaker when they bargain with their bosses. Another of Bindley's sources went through eight rounds of interviews with a company, received an offer, countered with a request for 12% more than the offer, and had the job withdrawn, because "the company didn’t want to move ahead anymore based on the way the compensation conversation had gone."

For decades, tech workers were able to flatter themselves that they were peers with their bosses – that "temporarily embarrassed founder" syndrome again. The Google founders and Zuck held regular "town hall" meetings where the rank-and-file engineers could ask impertinent questions. At Google, these have been replaced with "tightly scripted events." Zuckerberg has discontinued his participation in company-wide Q&As, because they are "no longer a good use of his time."

Companies are scaling back perks in both meaningful ways (Netflix hacking away at parental leave), and petty ones (Netflix and Google cutting back on free branded swag for workers). Google's hacked back its "fun budget" for offsite team-building activities and replacement laptops for workers needing faster machines (so much for prioritizing "increasing worker productivity").

Trump's new gangster capitalism pits immiserated blue collar workers against the "professional and managerial class," attacking universities and other institutions that promised social mobility to the children of working families. Trump had a point when he lionized factory work as a source of excellent wages and benefits for working people without degrees, but he conspicuously fails to mention that factory work was deadly, low-waged and miserable – until factory workers formed unions:

https://www.laborpolitics.com/p/unions-not-just-factories-will-make

Re-shoring industrial jobs to the USA is a perfectly reasonable goal. Between uncertain geopolitics, climate chaos, monopolization and the lurking spectre of the next pandemic, we should assume that supply-chains will be repeatedly and cataclysmicly shocked over the next century or more. And yes, re-shoring product could provide good jobs to working people – but only if they're unionized.

But Trump has gutted the National Labor Relations Board and stacked his administration with bloodsucking scabs like Elon Musk. Trump doesn't want to bring good jobs back to America – he wants to bring bad jobs back to America. He wants to reshore manufacturing jobs from territories with terrible wages, deadly labor conditions, and no environment controls by taking away Americans' wages, labor rights and environmental protections. He doesn't just want to bring home iPhone production, he wants to import the suicide nets of iPhone City, too.

Tech workers are workers, and they once held the line against enshittification, refusing to break the things they'd built for their bosses in meaningless all-nighters motivated by vocational awe. Long after tech bosses were able to buy all their competitors, capture their regulators, and expand IP law to neutralize the threat of innovative, interoperable products like alternative app stores, ad-blockers and jailbreaking kits, tech workers held the line.

There've been half a million US tech layoff since 2023. Tech workers' scarcity-derived power has been vaporized. Tech workers can avoid the fate of the factory, warehouse and delivery workers their bosses literally work to death – but only by unionizing.

In other words, the workers in re-shored factories and tech workers need the same thing. They are class allies – and tech bosses are their class enemies. This is class war.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/04/25/some-animals/#are-more-equal-than-others

[tarotbyjam24]

Main paid readings' list

This is a main paid readings list ,every link of new paid readings are available in this post and you may navigate there through this post or you can dm me your queries I'm always here to help you find a solution love 🫶🏻

𐙚 ﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌ 𐙚

pick a piles free reading feedbacks paid reading feedbacks

𖦹.ᡣ𐭩˚Free reading offers⠀𖦹.ᡣ𐭩˚

readings I offer ⋅ᯓᡣ𐭩

18+ readings

intuitive moodboard readings

pick a piles paid readings

2\3\5\7\10 cards readings

detailed pick a piles readings

astrology+ tarot reading combination

Mickey and co mystery box

tarot packages[scroll down to check them out ]:25 $ \1500 rs

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

HOW TO BOOK A READING : send me your questions + name\initilals via dms . I can send you your reading via dms or emails as per your wish

length of readings will depend on the things I'm able to pick up or I'll be allowed to pick up from your energy and it may differ from person to person Length for free readings offer may vary ♡

I'm very grateful if you support me to earn my first 1k dollars which will be used to purchase my 1st ever laptop 🩷🥂

If you're not sure what questions you wanna ask I can suggest you few questions regarding your situations or you can take ideas from pick a piles posted on my blog <3

My e-mail: tarotbyjam24@gmail.com

PAYMENT MODE : paypal \Google pay \upi \kofi

RULES───── ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ ─────RULES

Regardless of the price and word limit I won't compromise with the quality and honesty . I'll be brutally honest and help you to show light at the end of tunnel .

You must pay before and send screenshot of payment before I start doing your reading

No refunds policy

clear and respectful conversation with no room for misunderstandings

you must provide me feedback after the reading as it'll help me to improve my abilites and attract more customers

Waiting period : most likely I'll do the reading few mins\hours later. appx time : 24 -72 hours after you've done payment but if there's any emergency then waiting period is of 1- 2 weeks .

if I've slots booked already and you want urgent reading within 15mins to 3 hr then fee is 100 rs \ 5 $ for small readings

and if you want urgent packages reading within 1 -5 hrs then fee is 300 rs\ 9 $.

No health\death\leagal\3rd party related questions

All the private information shared by clients will be kept confidential .

Readings are for guidance purposes only and do not replace professional advice (medical, legal, financial, psychological).

please have trust and patience in me while purchasing readings as it's my first time trying paid readings or anything of my own .

and lastly nothing's set in stone take the readings as guidance offered to you according to your current energies and what my cards had to tell you .

for 18+ readings you must be 18 or 18+

───── ⋆ ꩜ ⋆ ─────

Tarot reading packages

I'll answer all of your curiosity you can also ask for mini questions like why,where,when,who,etc to be added under those prompt's questions and specifically ask me to focus on any particular topic that you'd like to get more insight on . In case reading gets super lengthy or out of what I offer I suggest you to either curate your own another pacakge or purchase my 3\5\7 cards readings to get more clarity and focus on one aspect \ situation

delivery time is 2-7 days after payment is done incase of emergency waiting period is of 1-2 weeks

you can create your own package too . We can discuss it while you purchase your readings .

All packs can be edited [add or remove ] according to your taste,mood and vibe🫧

you can also get\create your own personalised pack of 4-6 pick a pile topics from my masterlist for same price too [ 25 $ \ 1200 rs (1200-2000 words ) ]

If you wanna add more questions but don't wanna pay more then I'll keep the reading length as stated below .

Every question add on costs 5$\250 rs

10 images moodboard along with tarot packages costs 5$ \100 rs and so on

rest all rules are same

1 pack price : 25 $ \ 1500 rs [ words : 1200 - 2000 ]

Reader's note : I feel I'll never be actually able to create perfect packs suitable to everyone's taste so yeah you can always add your spice and magic . I'll for surely come up with another solution for this issue in future 🌸

Intimacy────୨ৎ────Desires

[ These packages are customisable for any person you'd like to get reading upon ex : fs,crush,bf,gf, celebrity,etc ]

Totoro's Secrets

1. What are their late-night thoughts about you?

2. What would they do if you appeared in front of them for the first time?

3. What about you turns them on?

4. What would they find sexy about you?

Princess Mononoke's Wild Heart

1. What makes them horny about you?

2. How will they express jealousy and possessiveness?

3. What are their expectations in bed?

4. How will you fulfill their expectations?

Howl's Moving Castle of Relationships

1. How will they act when you two are in public vs alone ?

2. What are their kinks?

3. How will they handle conflicts for the first time? How will be your make up sex?

4. How would they aftercare you?

Hoshikage

1. What will they do when they catch you secretly pleasuring yourself? What will be their reaction?

2. What about you will make them have desire to pleasure themselves?

3. How clingy they'll be ?

4. How will they handle you when you act all bratty and bossy ?

5. What about you will make them hard\wet ?

Confessions────୨ৎ─────Roses

[ These packages are customisable for any person you'd like to get reading on ex : fs,crush,bf,gf, celebrity,etc ]

Ponyo's Ocean of Affection

1. How will they pursue you?

2. What are your FS's favorite things about you?

3. How will they confess their feelings?

4. What's their vision for your future together?

Whisper of the Heart's Promise

1. What's your wedding/engagement day with them be like?

2. What are their red and green flags?

3. How do they feel about you?

4. How will they spoil you?

5. What you and they'll feel on this special day

The sunlit hearth

1. how will they celebrate you and their all firsts ?

2. What will be their emotions on these special days ?

3. how will they treat you ?

4. How will you be treated by their people [parents\friends\siblings\relatives,etc ] ?

5. How will their people [parents\friends\siblings\relatives,etc] percieve you ?

Mind ────୨ৎ──── Body

Spirited Away's Journey of Self

1. What's your sexual appeal?

2.What makes you intimidating?

3. What are your red and green flags?

4. What do others find sexy about you?

5.What's your seducing style?

6. How do you serve ?

No-Face's Reflections

1. What's your reputation?

2.Why are you "that\it girl/boy"?

3. What are your most attractive traits?

4. What's unique about you?

5. How do others perceive you [ can be read for any specific person too like colleagues\crush\this stranger ]?

Ashitaka's Inner Turmoil

1. What's your current emotional state?

2. What's causing turmoil in your mind?

3. How can you regulate your emotions and these disarrays ?

4. Clarity regarding the situation you're stucked in

Grandma Hama's Ancient Wisdom

1. How does your higher self want to motivate you?

2. What's your inner child's dreams?

3. How can you nurture your inner child?

Universe────୨ৎ──── Energy

Zeniba and the Soot Sprites Within

1. What's the energy around you?

2. What upcoming surprises does the universe have in store for you?

3. What's happening in your life sectors?

4. What's something you should improve, let go, and adopt?

Mei's Little Blessings

1. What's the current state of your relationships?

2. What's blocking your blessings?

3. How can you navigate your life?

4. What's the outlook for your career and finances?

5. How can you invite more material abundance in your life?

Changes ────୨ৎ────Opportunities

Catbus's Unexpected Paths

1. What's the current state of your career?

2. What opportunities are coming your way?

3. How can you increase your financial abundance?

4. What's the outlook for your long-term career goals?

Nausicaä's Winds of Change

1. What's the biggest challenge you're facing right now?

2. How can you overcome your fears and doubts?

3. How can you develop a growth mindset ?

4. What's your vision for your life?

5. How can you cultivate mindfulness and presence?

6. What's the universe's message for you right now?

Manifestations ────୨ৎ──── and Shadows

Kodama's Forest Guidance

1. What's your spiritual purpose?

2. How can you connect with your higher self?

3. What's the universe's guidance for you right now?

4. How can you cultivate spiritual growth and awareness?

Calcifer's Fiery Purpose

1. What's your life purpose?

2. How can you align with your values and passions?

3. What's the meaning of your life experiences?

4. How can you find fulfillment and happiness?

Fio's Ingenious Empowerment

1. What are your strengths?

2. What are your weakness?

3. How can you empower yourself?

4. What's your personal mantra?

Kagemasa's Hidden Truths

1. What's your shadow self trying to tell you?

2. How can you heal your inner wounds?

3. What's the root cause of your fears and doubts?

4. How can you integrate your shadow self into your conscious awareness?

5. How can you develop self-compassion and self-forgiveness?

Lin's Golden Dreams

1. What's blocking your manifestations?

2. How can you attract abundance into your life?

3. What do you need to manifest your desires?

4. How can you maintain a positive mindset ?

Family and ────୨ৎ──── love life

The Yamada Family's Everyday Bonds

1. What's the current state of your family\ relatioship dynamics?

2. How can you improve your relationships with family members\lover ?

3. What's casuing of conflicts in your family\love life?

4. How can you maintain healthy boundaries in your family\love relationships?

Arrietty's Secret Connections

1. What's the current state of your love life?

2. Who's coming into your life romantically?

3. What's the potential for a long-term relationship?

4. How can you attract your ideal partner?

5. How can you improve your communication skills?

San's Deep Connection

1. How can you deepen intimacy with your partner?

2. What's blocking emotional connection in your relationship?

3. How can you communicate your desires effectively?

4. What's the key to maintaining a healthy and fulfilling sex life?

Self worth ────୨ৎ──── and growth

Osono's Warm Embrace

1. How can you cultivate self-worth and self-respect?

2. What's blocking your ability to receive love and affection?

3. How can you practice self-care and self-compassion?

4. What's no longer serving you ?

Chihiro's Great Transformation

1. What's the biggest area for personal growth in your life?

2. How can you overcome self-sabotaging patterns?

3. How can you transform your life?

4. How can you maintain motivation and momentum on your personal growth journey?

Jiji's Guiding Wisdom

1. What's your life purpose and how does it relate to your career?

2. How can you align your career with your passions and values?

3. What's the potential for success in your current career?

4. How can you make a career transition that aligns with your life purpose?

Celebrity ────୨ৎ──── and you

Baron's Inspiring Presence

1. What's the energetic connection between you and your favorite celebrity?

2. How can you embody the qualities you admire in your favorite celebrity?

3. What can you learn from your favorite celebrity's life experiences?

[thenerdyindividual]

Y’all I think another fanfic scam is going around.

[img id: a message from account avawhite inviting me to sign up for ifanfiction.com]

ifanfiction.com is a real site, but when you investigate it, there is a home page stating that their most popular genres are BTS, Werewolf, Billionaire, and Mafia using AI art as cover photos for the genre. It claims that there are 100,000+ stories published with 100 million readers. However if you try to click on any of the genre title cards, it doesn't take you to any actual writing. They also claim to have "professional editors", "fanfic community", and "work respected". The logo they used for fanfic community was a head with AI written inside it which does not inspire confidence.

Going to the authors page, there are a few paragraphs about what the benefits of writing for this site which sound like they were written by AI. They say you can also publish original fiction on that site and they will give you “fixed royalty share and bonuses from the income”. They make sure to say that all fanfic is free on their site, but later claim that users are paying to use the site. The only way to sign up as a writer is to either email the address in the screenshot above, or if you go to author.ifanfiction.com. However upon poking around the author page, there was no TOS. There also does not seem to be a sign up page to be a reader.

I followed the link to their facebook group, and found that there is only one member who is the admin. There are no posts, and the group was not created until December 14, 2023.

I investigated the tumblr that messaged me. This is what their blog page looks like.

As you can see it is blank like a bot page is. I also checked out their likes. There were only two and both were fic collection posts. They follow 8 people, 7 of whom have updated in the last day and the other updated a month ago. So it’s clear that they are active accounts which is likely how they were followed.

All of this seems really sketchy. I make no claims as to what the site is actually attempting to do, but it seems like it’s a combo of email phishing and AI scraping. I would not recommend trusting this site with any of your work, fanfic or original.

[thesunisatangerine]

against all odds (to wait for you is all i can do) – part three

alexia putellas x photojournalist!reader

warnings: explicit sexual content

(a/n in the tags) [parts: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve]

word count: 3.4k

You woke again nearing midday and, as expected, Ale was nowhere to be found. If it weren’t for the still sensitive marks that she left on your neck and the soreness between your thighs, you would’ve thought it was all a pleasant dream. Something on your nightstand caught your eye as you stretched and when you picked it up, all the remaining doubt shattered. 

On the piece of paper was a phone number with a little note that said ‘text me?’ and you couldn’t help the grin that made its way to your lips at the drawn smiley face at the end of it. You picked your phone up, added her to your contacts and sent her a hello-it’s-me text, noted the notification of an email from Derek, and then you got out of bed to get ready for the day.

When you returned to the bedroom from your shower, a message from Ale was waiting for you. 

‘Hey, good morning! Listen, as much as I’d love to… have fun with you again, I can’t see you the next few days.’

You laughed at the varying degrees of sad emojis that superseded her text. Then you messaged her back. 

‘That’s fine. Just text me when you’re free. And you already know where I am so…’

You abandoned your phone after that in favor of your laptop as you remembered Derek’s email. Upon opening your mail, you found it immediately.

‘Good news. Robert sealed a deal with a client and they want you to follow FC Barcelona in their Liga F campaign this season. We got 5 match passes so far–Robert believes that the client might be inclined to commission for more photos depending on how the club progresses throughout the season.

Find the passes in the attachment as well as the in-depth commission details but in short, apart from the customary team photos, they want photos of the following players prioritised in order: Alexia Putellas, Maria ‘Mapi’ Leon, and Caroline Graham Hansen. I’ll leave the research to you.

On an informal note, the window to decline is still open. As previously discussed, you don’t have to do this. Let me know what you decide as soon as possible.’

You checked the attached files and sure enough, you found the passes for Barcelona’s matches against the following clubs: Real Madrid, Roma, Alhama, Atletico Madrid, and Sporting Huelva. You noted the date for the one against Real Madrid–it was in a couple of days, the same one Ale suggested and a thrill of excitement went down your spine at the thought of possibly seeing her again. Maybe you should message her to let her know that you were going. 

You sent a confirmation to Derek before you created a new tab to begin your research. ‘Alexia Putellas’, you typed and hit enter. When the results came back, you stilled. 

You blinked. 

Then you blinked again.

Of all the places you’d expect to find Ale’s face, a search result about a professional football player was the last thing you could think of. But memories flashed unbidden through your mind: the exclusive night club, Ale’s vague answer about her job, the way her eyes shone whenever you mentioned sports or football, her reflexes, her physique, Ale… Alexia–it all made sense now. 

Groaning, you put your face in your hands as your cheeks and ears burnt from the embarrassment that flooded your veins. Oh, how dense could you get! She must’d thought you ignorant for not knowing who she was. Foolish! 

But then again… if she didn’t get a kick out of you not knowing, why did she allow the second time to happen? And why promise a third? The thought calmed you down enough to decide not to text Ale–no, Alexia–about this like you’d originally planned especially since you were most likely going to see her at the game anyway.

After another moment to regain your composure for the time being, you proceeded with your research. You clicked on an article, and an article lead to another, which carried you over to a video, and so on. By the end of it, evening had settled and you only managed to discover little. But from what you found out, there was no question to Alexia Putellas’ nascent legacy, both on and off the pitch–an undisputed, modern trailblazer for current and new generations of female athletes. You were gutted to know about her ACL injury though–a quick deviated search made it known to you how serious of an injury it was, especially for an athletic career–and you wondered when she would be able to play again or if she would be playing in the match against Real Madrid. After all, she did say she was going to be there.

You wrapped up your research about Alexia then and you finally moved on to Mapi Leon, then Caroline Graham Hansen. Afterwards, you briefed yourself on the rest of Barcelona Femeni’s 1st Division players as well as the rules of football to come up with a strategy to tackle this task.

A mixture of anxiety and excitement rushed through you as you settled in for the night at the thought of seeing Alexia again now that you know about her identity. You didn’t know what you had gotten yourself into the moment you let her take you to the dance floor but the pull was there from the very beginning. And you decided you were going to see this through to the end.

No. This wasn’t going to change anything at all.

–––

There it was: Estadi Johan Cruyff, home to Barcelona Femeni, stood proud in its blue and red glory.

There was still about an hour and a half left before kickoff but already, people had gathered and started to enter the stadium, you being one of them. Security scanned your press pass as you entered and you were told to head through a different corridor which lead you out to the pitch. Once inside, it was no surprise that the stadium’s interior was no less grand than the outside, the well-tended grass was just a taste to the quality that this place had to offer. 

Greeting the other photographers who’d settled in earlier as you walked, you searched for a spot and found it by the space adjacent to the corner flag farthest from the tunnel entrance. There, you placed your duffel bag and your portable stool as you worked to set up your equipment: you double-checked the batteries, attached the right lens to your camera, unwounded your monopod and connected it to your camera. 

By the time you looked up, there was already a significant crowd awaiting the players for their warm-ups. You took this chance to take a few shots of the still half-filled stadium, tweaking your settings as you did so and you waited for the players to come out.

About an hour before kickoff, you spied movements inside the tunnel and immediately, your eye was to your viewfinder.

Players from both teams emerged from the tunnel and names popped in your head as you scanned the faces from Barcelona, taking shots of them as they stepped foot on the grass and took off in a jog. There was no sign of Alexia though but you spotted two of your marks on the pitch so you wasted no time to frame them in your camera.

A moment later though, you heard a sudden cheer from the crowd followed by a collective flutter of camera shutters. You lifted your eye from the viewfinder, turned your head to the side and saw that your fellow photographers had their cameras focused to the direction of the tunnel entrance. Your heart quickened. Could it be? And sure enough as you looked to the sidelines, you could make out Alexia’s blonde hair and her unmistakable silhouette. Through your camera’s lens you were able to see her better. 

Alexia had on a black leather jacket paired with a top that revealed a strip of skin before the cut of her jeans, finishing her look off with a pair sneakers on and loose blonde hair. She was conversing with her coach, bumping fists and patting the backs of players from both teams who went over to greet her. Then she turned to the stands, waved at their supporters, and she moved close enough for pictures and autographs. She gave one last wave to the fans, shouted an encouraging word to her teammates with a fist in the air, before she headed back into the tunnel. While all of this was happening, you’d framed her through your lens yourself, taking the photos you needed, cheeks warm despite the cooling afternoon air. 

Then all the Barcelona players jogged over to the sidelines and huddled, side to side, arm in arm. You took a shot. Not long after that, all of them left the pitch. 

The game was about to start. 

Alexia wasn’t lying when she said the stadium would get crowded: the stands were filled with blues and reds, flags were flown and waved about, chanted anthems resounded loud and proud in the air–the atmosphere was nothing short of electric. 

You’d moved by the sideline close to the tunnel entrance for the beginning of the match along with your fellow photographers so you could capture Barcelona’s starting eleven. When the players came out, they were welcomed by singing and cheers from the crowd. And as they stood there, you took photos of the entire team first before you moved on to focus on Mapi and Caroline. 

When the whistle blew and the match began, you were back to your original spot, looking to the stands above the tunnel entrance as you tried to pick Alexia out from the sea of faces through your camera. You managed to a few minutes later, and you found her looking rather pensive: one arm crossed over her chest, the other resting on it as she rubbed her chin with her thumb, eyes focused down at the pitch with her brows slightly creased. It looked like longing to you, a burning desire to return home–to start playing football again. The sight evoked such a feeling in you that you couldn’t help but capture the moment. This shot, however, you were going to keep for yourself.

 Now that you knew where Alexia was, following the client’s requisites just got a lot easier. Up until the final whistle, you immersed yourself in your work and the game, focusing more on Mapi and Caroline as they were playing. There were times that allowed you to shift your camera to the stands to where Alexia was and took shots of her, too. By the time you knew it, the game ended and Barcelona won 1-0.

You expected a celebration from Barcelona because they were in their turf after all so you loaded up your camera with a freshly charged battery. The next thing you knew, Alexia was there with the team, hugging and patting them congratulations and her teammates beamed at her, happy to see her there. 

Click You took a shot. 

The players then began their procession around the stadium, waving at and signing things for their supporters. Through your camera, you saw Mapi signing the shirt of a young girl. Click. Next to her was Caroline, reaching over the barrier to sign a ball, smiling as she talked to the boy holding it. Click. 

The procession was near enough that you could hear their banters, growing louder as they approached where you were and the beating of your heart thumped as loud as the chants from the crowd. You congratulated the players as they passed and kept your camera away out of respect. You looked at the end of the line and you met Alexia’s gaze. She was smiling at you while she talked to Irene Paredes beside her and she never took her eyes off you. There was a gleam in them, something akin to mischief and… a challenge? If so, why? 

At that you raised an unimpressed brow at her, both a question and a statement. Your reaction seemed to amuse her because her smile turned into a full smirk.

The procession passed but Alexia lagged behind, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Irene who threw Alexia a questioning look. You watched as Alexia waved her off before she began walking your way and you didn’t miss the fluttering of shutters from your fellow photographers’ cameras. Some called Alexia’s name to get her attention but she ignored them, her attention only at you. You barely had enough time to school your features and hide any signs of familiarity before she was standing in front of you.

“Hey, you. You made it here after all.” Alexia said cooly, lips slanted in a half-smile, one hand in a jean pocket.

“Yeah, I did. Sorry, but do I know you?” You asked in an excessively dry tone paired with an raised eyebrow, but you made sure your voice was just loud enough for her to hear. Catching your drift, Alexia laughed, rubbing the bridge of her nose to try and cover it up. 

“I suppose not,” she extended a hand towards you, “I’m Alexia, and I’m sorry about… you know.”

“Nice to officially meet you, Alexia. Congratulations on the win, by the way.” You shook her hand, ignored the way her warmth seeped into your skin, and hummed. “You know, you remind me of someone I know. Your resemblance to her is uncanny.”

Alexia nodded as she took her hand back, lips quirked. “I think I know who you’re talking about. I think she also wants to know if she could stop by later tonight?” 

Your cheeks warmed and you didn’t fight the smile that made its way to your face. “I did tell her she could whenever she’s free.”

“So, yes?”

“Yes.”

———

You braced your weight against the headboard, forehead over your folded arms, eyes barely open and the erotic sight in front of you did nothing to help the building flood in you. With your thighs bracing her head and from this angle, you could only see Alexia’s closed eyes but you felt her hands roaming and supporting your lower back as her mouth and tongue worked on you. 

She was taking her sweet time though, brushing her tongue over your clit lightly, sucking just enough to build up the pleasure but nothing too much to bring you over the edge. You whined because she did it again only with more pressure this time, circling your clit a few times before she moved away again. You were starting to learn that she liked to play; she liked to take her time and get as many reactions from you until she was satisfied, until she’d completely unravelled you.

A particularly cruel swipe of her tongue, accompanied by the obscenely wet sound it made, nearly incited a sob from your lips but the plea you made was nothing short of similar.

“Ale… please…” You panted.

“–my name.”

“Huh?” You whined out, not hearing what Alexia said after a flick from her tongue sent shivers down your spine.

“Say my name.”

Then she circled your clit with more urgency after she said that–demanding. You keened and ignored her, canting your hips forward to chase that delicious friction you were desperately searching for. 

“Ale… Ale… please!”

Then she stilled completely and you cried out in protest, eyes flying open to meet lidded hazel ones.

“What–”

“Say my name.” She licked your inner thigh deliberately close to where you wanted it the most.

“Alexia, pl–” You didn’t even need to beg because right after her name left your mouth, overwhelming heat was all you could feel as she ate you out earnestly. Her hands gripped your thighs so tight that you wouldn’t be able to pull away–not that you could ever do such a thing.

“Oh, fuck!” 

Euphoria tore through your body in concurrent waves with brutal intensity that it ripped the strength from your bones while your muscles shook helplessly. Even the gentle touches from Alexia tongue as she cleaned you up were enough to make you hiss from overstimulation. 

God… she really did a number on you this time.

After you finally calmed down, you shifted so that you could lay by Alexia’s side, kissing your way up from the column of her neck to her lips where you found your taste heavy on her tongue. You dragged your fingers from the crest of her hip to her breast, feeling the ridges of her hard-earned muscles as you did so and revelled in the way they tensed beneath your touch, the softness of her breast a beautiful contrast to the firmness of her stomach.

Alexia gasped when you rolled her nipple between your fingers and you gladly swallowed it as you deepened the kiss. You slotted your leg to apply pressure between her thighs, ample wetness coated your skin and you couldn’t help but moan at her arousal.

You nipped a path down between the valley of her breasts but not before you had given both of her nipples the attention they deserved. You continued your journey, licking and nipping at her skin as you moved down her toned stomach.

As soon as you reached her navel, she parted her legs to make space for you. You kissed her inner thighs, loving the way they tensed beneath your lips and as you trailed closer to her core, you flashed your gaze upwards to meet hers. When you finally got the first taste of her tonight, you watched intently through lidded eyes as she closed hers, dropping her head on the pillow and sighed out a long, low moan. 

You gave her a few slow and broad strokes, closing your eyes as you savoured her taste. When she began to urge her hips quicker, you picked up your pace all the while mapping her thighs and stomach with your palms.

You found you liked how responsive she was to your touches, liked the way she demanded for more which you gladly gave to her as she asked for them. And when she cradled the back of your head and buried her fingers in your hair so she could meet your tongue the way she wanted it, you moaned loudly, taking from the way she took hers from you.

“Yes, right there, just–” Her back arched and you clung to her hips like a lifeline. You rolled your tongue against her and sucked, not wanting to disrupt the pace of her fall. 

And fall, she did.

She came on your tongue and you accepted it with a grateful moan, slowing down your pace as she came back down from her high. It was sticky and heady, a reward that you lapped up eagerly, and from the pleased way Alexia threaded her fingers through your hair, she was satisfied. Like her, you took your time cleaning her up because after all it was only polite to do so and you enjoyed the way her leg muscle tensed when you kissed her clit one last time. 

Content with your work, you kissed the top of her left thigh as a form of gratitude but instead of making your way up, you traced the line of muscle that lead down to her knee where scars from her injury had carved themselves permanently into her skin.

You’d kissed those same scars the last time you were together without knowing the story behind them and now that you know, you dragged your lips over them ever more softly, looking Alexia in the eye as you did so. She watched you intently with lips slightly parted, eyes dark and lidded.

Alexia bent forward so she could reach out to you, lifting your chin with a gentle hand. Then she brushed her thumb over your upper lip to wipe the wetness there but before she could pull it away, you parted your lips and took her thumb into you mouth, sucking and licking off the taste there, never taking your eyes off hers.

“My god,” came her breathless murmur before she moaned out, “come here.”

Then she guided you to her mouth with her gentle grip on your chin and before you knew it, you were under her again, sighing in grateful surrender to the mercy of her and her hands. She kissed and ravaged you many times over–and you, her–that by the end of the night, you’d completely forgotten the weight of her name.

[honeyhotteoks]

Is this a safe space to vent about something? If it’s not, feel free to delete my message. Has anyone noticed the sheer amount of AI generated stories lately? I don’t find joy in reading anymore. I'm hunting for fics written by real humans like water in the desert. People don’t seem to understand that reading something created by AI just isn’t a beautiful experience. I don’t feel anything when I read those fics. And if you're going to post a fic written by AI, keep it to yourself, I don’t want to see it. Stop pretending it's your work. I really appreciate people who put real effort into their writing and don’t use AI at all. You are truly amazing, and I’d read a hundred of your stories over any of that AI junk. Oh, and one more thing, those of you who write stories without any help from AI, I truly appreciate the effort you put into your work. I’d much rather wait weeks or even months for the next chapter to be posted than read something written by AI and posted every single day. I hope this message didn’t bother you, but I really needed to say it to someone.

hey! definitely a safe space and definitely happy to have this conversation.

i honestly do have a lot of thoughts about this, and it's for me pretty complicated because outside of my smutty little fic i work in a field that demands a lot of conversations about AI / use of AI and I just feel very weird and torn about it.

obviously there's horrible environmental and economic implications and all of that, which i won't get into but think we can all acknowledge..... but the affect i'm seeing on art is pretty painful to me as someone who spends so much time writing and planning.

i think for me personally.... AI is one of those things where like..... if you want to hop into Chat GPT and be like "write me a drabble about xyz specific thing" because you want to kick your feet over it and just get the dopamine hit, i really don't care. you probably shouldn't do that considering it's going to destroy the planet, but i'm not going to call you a bad person or something, i get it. what you do in the privacy of your internet browser is between you and god.

i also personally don't mind if people use a writing software with AI to edit their works (such as grammarly etc.) i've never actually used them outside of a professional email setting at work where my company pays for a subscription, but i can understand how lengthy the process of editing is and how nice it could be to have something be just like.... a better spell check and grammar check tool. i post stuff with typos all the time and it makes me sooooooo annoyed at myself when i catch it, but i don't have a beta reader and it just is what it is.

the problem for me, which plays into what you pointed out, is actual generative ai and content creation. if you understand how ai works are created, how work online is being scraped for data, and what it means to be derivative.... then ai writing is not writing. you can certainly come to my inbox and explain nuances of using generative ai for content ideas, outlining, etc. and honestly.... whatever, you do you. i don't like it, but i also know writer's block sucks etc.... but the idea of having a tool write something for you in full and then posting that and claiming it's writing? it isn't.

people have scenario ideas all the time, think about every twitter thread or imagine, and those are forms of writing sure, but if i fed that into chat gpt and asked it to turn it into a 10K word fic and then i turned around and slam published that on AO3..... like i'm sorry but what the fuck are we doing? i don't understand who that's for. the only thing i can think is that the people doing that want the attention that writers in these spaces get or wish they could do it, but either they aren't a good writer naturally or they don't want to put the work in to learn. in my opinion.... if you post an AI generated fic and get positive comments, they're not praising you for anything, they're praising chat gpt for successfully plagiarizing actual art. i'm not sure what the comments or clout those people are getting is actually doing for them except for giving them momentary ego boots.

and truly like.... not to talk up my own writing, because i'm not trying to be cringe or pretend i'm some great writer (like i'm out here writing rpf kpop porn trust me i have a good grip on reality) BUT - i spend hours and hours and hours on this. i spend hours outlining, i spend hours researching, countless hours writing, editing, making edits for my headers, like..... truly it's the thing that consumes my brain because i love it. i have a drive in me to write that is unlike anything i've ever felt otherwise.

if you all knew the sheer number of half written fics on my google drive of just like.... i had a dream about xyz scenario or can't get a particularly thing out of my brain. it's insane. i literally have a 60k word fic for yunho that i will never publish because there are topics and experiences in it i don't know if i'm comfortable working through in writing publicly, but i write it in my spare time because it means something to me to do it, and to have that (literally like therapy)

i write because i have to. if you guys weren't here reading it, i'd still be doing it. i can't get my brain to calm down without it, but then being able to share it and have it embraced? that's extra for me.

i really appreciate your words. and i agree, if you're someone using AI to generatively write your fic.... i also really don't want to know. i also really don't think you deserve the comments and kudos at all, and i think deep down you also know this. i personally hope those people can find creative outlets that suit their talents if that's something they want to do, because as someone who's been writing for well over a decade, it's been the most fun and rewarding process of my life. i sucked when i started, like really REALLY sucked, but it's something i had to do, and i got better.

writing is a little bit of a gift, i'm sure, but it's also a learnable skill. ai is never going to help you hone that skill.

okay rant done.... i hope this makes sense. let me know if anyone has thoughts on this!! i'm super curious. i've been noticing other ai fic popping up and just feeling weird about it too.

[allthingsfangirl101]

Out of The Blue – Keys

Masterlist

I walked into my apartment and kicked off my shoes. I went upstairs and changed into a pair of leggings and an oversized flannel. The second I got downstairs, I collapsed onto the couch.

Right out of MIT, I got a job as a traveling coder. I meet with business professionals and owners and help them build their websites. After the first meeting, everything I did could be done from home.

I grabbed my laptop off my desk and took it to the family room. I put on the TV show I was currently binge-watching and slowly started working on my newest project. I was finishing up for the night when I glanced over and saw how late it was. I was just about to close my computer when it dinged. With furrowed eyebrows, I checked my email.

Walter McKeys.

My heart flipped and then plummeted into my stomach. I haven't talked to Keys since college. We were in a lot of classes together. We constantly studied together and helped each other with our homework. I was the one who gave him the nickname "Keys". He gave me the nickname "Buggy". He used to say that I was annoyingly good at finding and getting rid of computer bugs.

Memories came flooding back as I read his email.

Hey Buggy, It's been a long time. I'm sorry for this random email, but I've been thinking a lot about you lately. That's probably weird. To be honest, I don't really know how to explain why I'm emailing you. I've never been very good with words. I'm only good with code. You know that. How many times did we have to do a presentation and all I could do was the coding part? You were always the one who did the presentation and the talking part.

Sorry. I'm email-rambling. Anyway, I've been having this issue with a code and AI. I finally made the connection and figured out the problem. I only figured it out because of you. I know that doesn't make sense, Buggy, and I'm sorry. Please watch the video attached and maybe, just maybe, it'll make more sense.

Sincerely, Your Keys

As I finished the email, my breathing was unsteady, almost coming out in short gasps. I reread it over and over again, my mind spinning with questions. I opened the attachment, but for some reason, I couldn't play it. When I finally pressed play, Keys popped up on my laptop screen. From the looks of it, he was at his office late at night.

Why would he film this at his office and send it to me despite how late it was?

That question made me finally press play. I held my breath as Keys started talking.

"Hey, Buggy," he smiled at the camera. "I know this is kinda weird, but I need to get some things off my chest. I'm not sure if you know this but for the last year, I've been working for Soonami on a game called, "Free Life". Lately, I've noticed something. . . Strange. Before I explain, I need to confess something. A while ago, I created a game with a friend of mine called, Life Itself. To be honest, Y/N, I used part of your code from our senior project."

Keys looked away from the camera and sighed. When he looked back, my chest tightened at the look on his face.

"I'm really sorry, Y/N," he whispered. "I should've. . . I changed it a little bit. Your code was focused on programming. All I did was adapt it for gaming. I'm sorry. I know I should've called and asked for your permission. I really hope that doesn't make you hate me."

He cleared his throat and took a minute to get his thoughts back on track. "Anway," he continued, "Soonami bought "Life Itself". They claimed to have shelved it, but my friend Millie found proof that they didn't. For you to understand what happened, I need to introduce you to Guy."

I smiled when his scream split and I saw the character he started talking about. "He's supposed to be an NPC, but something changed. Now, from the beginning. . . Guy's behavior is much more complex than it should be, thanks to our code."

My heart jumped when he called it "our code".

"But he's still stuck in "Free City,"" he continued. "He's still stuck in his life, this loop. And then, something changes. He comes to life. Why? And then I remembered. One of the characters from "Life Itself" was this guy that I nicknamed, "Lovelorn". And he was someone who was designed to never meet the right person. It was essentially the building blocks of the character. But he never stopped hoping that he would meet "the girl of his dreams". So I had to base this girl off of someone. . . and who better than the person that I was sitting next to every day? You."

My breathing sped up and I felt my heart jump back into my throat as he continued to explain to me what was going on.

"But then, one day, he meets Millie in "Free City", and once he sees her. . . he can never be the same. He was supposed to feel doomed, but instead, he feels alive until eventually, he is alive. Millie changed him. You wrote the code that was able to be changed by one person. One connection. You brought him to life, Y/N. You wrote the code that brought him to life. And he was alive because he met the one person he'd been waiting for his whole life. And I had to make it realistic, so. . . I based it off of. . . You. The woman of his dreams. . . she was the same as mine."

I hit the pause button, my heart beating against my chest. I ran my fingers through my hair as I tried to put my thoughts together.

"But Millie is the one who met him," I mumbled under my breath. "She's the one who brought him to life. . . I just wrote his code."

I grabbed my bag and headed to my car but stopped when I realized what time it was.

I went to bed but as soon as I got up, I found Soonami's address. I anxiously drummed my fingers on the steering wheel as I got close. I signed in at the front desk and headed up to the offices. The entire time I was in the elevator, I kept repeating what Keys said in the video.

"Hello, gorgeous," a guy smirked. "I'm Mouser. And you are?"

"Not looking for you," I said harshly. "Where's Keys?"

"Not here," he shrugged. I sighed as I ran my fingers through my hair.

"You got an address?"

* * * * *

When I pulled up to Keys' apartment complex, my nerves made me freeze. I wasn't even sure what I was going to say to him when and if he opened that door. I barely found the courage to park my car and head up to his place.

I got to his door but hesitated before knocking. I held my breath as I waited for him to answer. The longer it took him, the closer I got to turning around and running away. I was just about to when the door opened.

"Y/N," Keys stuttered.

"Hi," I said, my voice softer than I wished. "We need to talk about that video."

He sent me a small smile and nodded. I took a shaky breath when he opened the door and moved aside for me to come in. I walked in and instantly started nervously playing with my hands.

"Have a seat," he invited me.

"Nice place," I mumbled as I looked around but didn't sit down.

"Thanks," he chuckled, clearly embarrassed. He cleared his throat before attempting to break through the tension. "So, that video. . ."

"Millie brought him to life," I cut him off. "Not me."

"It was your code," he shrugged with a small look on his face.

"You said I was the woman of your dreams," I continued, "but your friend Millie is the one who brought him to life. Not me. So according to that, she should be the woman of your dreams."

"But she's not," he said, slowly taking a step closer to me. "Millie has a lot in common with you. She loves bubblegum ice cream, swingsets, and Mariah Carey. So yes, Millie is the one that Guy ran into, but it was the similarities that he fell for. In fact, if you had run into him in the game, you would have brought him to life."

"Keys, this is. . . I don't understand. . . I just. . ."

I cut myself off when he leaned in, his face inches from mine. "I know I was rambling," he whispered, "but there is one important part in what I said."

"What are you talking about?"

"I've had a lot of time to think about this," he continued. "You're the woman of my dreams, Buggy."

Before I could say anything, Keys leaned in and gently pressed his lips to mine. My mind was swimming as I slowly kissed him back. He broke the kiss with a small smile on his face. We looked into each other's eyes as we struggled to catch our breaths.

"I know this was completely random," he whispered with his forehead pressed to mine, "but I couldn't stop thinking about you, Buggy. Every day I fixed the coding issues with Free Life, I thought about you. I haven't stopped thinking about you since the night we graduated from MIT."

"That video. . ." I whispered but didn't continue.

"Was my cowardly way of admitting my feelings for you," he said with a small chuckle as he leaned back. I held my breath as he reached forward and gently grabbed my hands, slightly pulling me closer.

"Say it," I said under my breath.

"Say what?" He asked, slightly tilting his head.

"Confess to me what you confessed in the video."

Keys smiled as he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him.

"You are the woman of my dreams," he whispered. "I created the character Lovelorn and kinda based him off of me. I designed him to never meet the right person because I was worried I never would. As I was creating him and "the girl of his dreams", I started basing her off the first girl that came to my mind. You. I thought about what I felt as we sat next to each other and worked on our senior projects. I thought about how I felt when you helped me with my code. I thought about how badly I wanted to be more than just coding partners. You, my dear Buggy, are the woman of my dreams."

I grabbed his face and pressed my lips to his. I felt him smile as he tightened his arms around my waist and kissed me back. We let out matching laughs as we fell back onto his couch. He hovered over me, looking deeply into my eyes.

"I've missed you, Buggy."

"I've missed you too, Keys."

[sunshinereddie]

maybe this is unnecessary but since i am returning to this acc after a while and getting some new traction on here. i thought about doing an intro post because now that i think about it i don't think i've ever actually done an intro post i kinda just spawned one day and started spewing out reddie hcs and since i have some new friends on here as well i thought why not do one. so here are some fun facts about me -->

hello i am tumblr user sunshinereddie and i go by either sunny or moony! truly i do not mind either name feel free to call me whatever calls to your heart

i have been in the IT fandom since 2020, but i created this account in 2021 because not having a place to share my headcanons and ideas was driving me crazyyyyyyy and im so glad i ended up making this blog!

i actually first read IT back in 2017 because i was interested in the movie but wanted to read the book first. it took me about 5 months to read it and then i watched the movie and i enjoyed both but then promptly forgot about them. i didn't feel the Fandom Urge until i watched ch2 a few years later and well the rest is history

i've been writing fanfic since about 2012! the first fandom i ever wrote fanfic for was percy jackson- and all my old pjo fanfics are still up on wattpad, including one that got surprisingly popular back in the day lmao. i kept writing but stopped posting fanfic probably around 2015, and didn't post anything again until i started writing my first IT fic in 2020! so i guess we all have IT to thanks for giving me the inspo to start posting my work online again

aside from writing, some of my other hobbies include reading, crocheting, journaling (junk journal/reading journal/journal spreads based on characters/etc), learning about mushrooms and fungi, baking

other than IT, some of my other fav pieces of media are: all for the game, five nights at freddy's, percy jackson, squid game (i am currently very active in the squid game fandom and run a squid game fanblog too), supernatural, haikyuu (one of my fav animes of all time), the magnus archives

i am canadian 🇨🇦

i love music and some of my favourite artists are gorillaz, fall out boy, my chemical romance, bigbang (ot4), bts, one direction, bloodwitch, mitski, the cure, pale waves and pretty much every time i listen to music i am thinking about how i can make every song about The Characters

im currently a university student which is why i disappear every so often because i don't do well under pressure

likes: coffee and tea (don't make me choose), dogs and cats (DONT MAKE ME CHOOSE), being creative in whichever way i can be, winter/cold weather/rainy days/storms, watching anime, making friends in fandom, collectibles and buying blind boxes (i have a growing smiski collection), horror movies that are cunty and fun and not too scary

dislikes: crowded/loud places, hot weather, heights, the ocean, mean people, cilantro, super scary or gory horror movies, phone calls, replying to emails

even though i would love to be a professional fanfic writer and scroll tumblr all day every day, i am working towards a career in the medical field (wow)

i love receiving hc prompt or ficlet prompt requests so if there's anything reddie or IT (or any of the other fandoms i listed...) related things you wanna see me write about my asks are always open :)

ANYWAYS so yeah that's all there is to know about sunshinereddie nice to meet you all :] like i said my asks are always open and i always love receiving messages and questions from u guys whether it's IT related or not and i love the little community i get to be a part of with this blog. SO YEAH NICE TO MEET YOU AND WELCOME TO MY PAGE (or thanks for sticking around if you've been here) and have a lovely day

[femmefatalevibe]

any tips for getting into copywriting?

Learn the basics of copywriting & writing fundamentals/ marketing skills

Study the different types of copywriting (web/banners, email, social, ads, direct mail, sales letters, etc.)

Decide on your niche(s). Study everything you can about the industry, trends, latest news, customer demographics/psychographics, customer behavior, types of lifestyles/preferences they have, how they speak, where they spend the most time (IRL or digitally)

Craft an inspiration folder full of compelling copywriting examples you find when browsing on the web, going through your email, scrolling on social media, billboards, magazines, direct mail, etc.

Practice rewriting these examples with your own flair. Evaluate it, and keep practicing until you're proud of your copy.

Be as concise, clever, and convincing as possible. Keep your tone conversational (write like how you would speak), catchy, simple, and witty. Take out any extraneous or fluff words. Pepper in cultural references, puns, and relatable anecdotes understood by your target audience when relevant to your messaging/CTA

Create a portfolio with these mock-ups or projects done for family/friends (state they're spec work, not client-commissioned samples) or clips from an internship, school work, etc.

Craft a USP for yourself (including your niche, copywriting specialties, and the specific expertise you offer within your broader niche/service offerings that makes you unique)

Create an Upwork profile and share your services on LinkedIn (optimize both of these profiles)

Research local clients and small businesses within your niche. Also, take time to create a list of dream clients. Study their copy, brand voice, and keep tabs on updates regarding these companies' happenings

Learn the art of a cold email/LinkedIn pitch/Upwork proposal. Introduce yourself and your services to your prospect and share with them how you can fulfill a specific need they're seeking out (For local and smaller companies, feel free to offer suggestions. With more established companies, connect the dots as to why your experience/expertise is a great fit for their brand/target audience), and attach your work/link to your LinkedIn profile, website, and any other relevant hub for your professional services & content

Ask for referrals from friends/family to get started. If they're not a relative, get a testimonial to include in your portfolio

Follow up once if you haven't heard back from a prospective client after an initial pitch after a few days

Search for potential gigs on sites like Upwork/ProBlogger/People Per Hour

Once you land a gig, execute to the best of your ability and hand in your work by the deadline (strategies surrounding best business practices is a whole other post, lol)

Gather testimonials from all clients of successful projects. Confirm with clients whether you can use their work in your portfolio if you're unsure

Continue studying copywriting from books, courses, and everyday reading & living

Stay knowledgeable about advancements/updates in your field, keep updated on current events, and culture/social trends, and read a lot in general. Have interesting, multi-faceted conversations with others. Observe what makes people tick & remain engaged in a verbal dialogue or content

[beardedmrbean]

Washington State's bill to tackle sexual abuse has another legal problem when it comes to discerning between what speech is confidential and what is not, according to contract law professor Mark Movsesian.

Writing for the news outlet Reason, Movsesian said: "Washington's law expressly preserves other professional privileges, like the attorney-client privilege, but explicitly eliminates the clergy-penitent privilege. That unequal treatment presents a serious problem under current free exercise law."

The law, which is set to take effect on July 2, has already come under scrutiny from leaders within the Catholic Church, who say it directly undermines their ability to keep confessions confidential and sets priests up to either be arrested for breaking the law or excommunicated from the Church for exposing secrets told to them in Confession.

Professor Movsesian and the Washington State bill sponsor, State Senator Noel Frame, and Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown have been contacted via email for comment.

Why It Matters

The law has triggered a national conversation about the boundaries of church and state at a time when the Justice Department (DOJ) under the Trump Administration is making efforts to crack down on what it sees as "anti-Chrisitan bias" in the United States.

What To Know

The new statute—signed by Governor Bob Ferguson—mandates clergy report suspected child abuse within 48 hours, aligning them with existing reporting laws for police officers, nurses, and teachers.

It has received significant pushback from Catholic leaders, however, the law's sponsor, State Senator Noel Frame, said she wrote the law in part due to secrecy practices within the Jehovah's Witness church which they likened to Catholic Confession.

According to Frame, herself an assault survivor, Jehovah's Witnesses were taken to court in Washington State following an investigation into sexual abuse and claimed that their internal review process could remain private as they were covered by anonymity akin to a Catholic confession.

However, Catholic leaders in the state are pushing back against this bill, saying that they are already mandatory reporters in every scenario except for confession. And, if they hear something that should be reported while in confession, they can encourage that person to speak to them in a different, safe place and to seek professional and legal help.

Now, Professor Movsesian has brought up another legal question, which is how the state differentiates between confidentiality in one setting versus another.

Movsesian discussed the bill with Catholic University law professor Marc DeGirolami. Professor DeGirolami said: "In this case, Washington allows secular privileges, like the attorney-client...

"The fact of including clergy in the same kinds of reporting requirements as everybody else I don't think is the singling out of religion, it's simply the inclusion of religion or clergy with respect to this reporting requirement that all others or a number of other professionals are subject to. That I don't think is a targeting issue. But, here it's the privilege issue, the privilege component that I think is the tricky part, so it allows secular privileges, like the attorney-client privilege, but it denies the religious equivalent."

DeGirolami went on to say: "Under the "most-favored nation" privilege of free exercise, that's a problem. That's the kind of discriminatory structure in a law that the court isn't going to look on favorably."

He said it is legally questionable to allow therapists or lawyers to retain confidentiality with their clients but not clergy. And that making a distinction between which professions are allowed this privilege could create an argument for the existence of religious discrimination.

Movsesian goes on to discuss another legal debate from 1813, People v Phillips, when a priest refused to testify in a case about stolen goods that were returned to him during confession.

Lawyers for New York State said that religion was no excuse for defying public safety. However, the judge ruled in favor of the priest, saying that the state could not force the priest to defy "one of the central ordinances of his faith."

The bill is being investigated by the Justice Department (DOJ), which says this bill conflicts with the First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion in Washington State.

What People Are Saying

Marc DeGirolami, speaking on Legal Spirits: "If you let lawyers withhold the evidence, or if you let psychotherapists withhold the evidence, why aren't you letting clergy in the context of a confessional withhold evidence? ... if the interest is really compelling, either you want all the evidence or you're making some kind of judgment about which relationships deserve legal protection and arguably that's where religious discrimination comes in. But it's also a suggestion that your interest really isn't as compelling as you're saying it is because if it were you'd make no exceptions to it."

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said in a May 5 news DOJ news release: "[The law] demands that Catholic Priests violate their deeply held faith in order to obey the law, a violation of the Constitution and a breach of the free exercise of religion cannot stand under our Constitutional system of government.Worse, the law appears to single out clergy as not entitled to assert applicable privileges, as compare d to other reporting professionals. We take this matter very seriously and look forward to Washington State's cooperation with our investigation."

Jean Hill, executive director of Washington State Catholic Conference (WSCC), told Newsweek: "The WSCC supported the mandatory reporting legislation throughout its history in the Washington state legislature. Our only request was that the state uphold our state and federal constitutional rights to maintain the Seal of Confession, as required by Canon Law."

What Happens Next

The DOJ is taking Washington State to court over this law. It is unclear at this time whether it will take effect on July 27.

[aunt-pol]

Hello! This post will probably seem out of place on my blog but I am offering free proofreading and copy editing services in order to build a portfolio! Freelancing is a hard thing to get started in, especially when most of one's recent job experience has been in the service industry, but I love editing for folks and I'm really trying to make this the year I get it up and running, even if only as a side hustle. If you have any projects you'd like to have copy edited or proofread, please keep reading to see if we can help each other!

My qualifications:

Studied English at the University of Dallas

Worked as a copy editor at the student newspaper

Did a summer internship in the corporate communications dept for a global company which involved, among other things, independently editing the daily company newsblast

Am a hobbyist writer on my own time - I relate from both sides of the red pen!

Simply editing things for family, friends, and online mutuals! Which has gotten me testimonials such as these:

"Katie provided an attentive and thorough reading of my resume, and suggested several minute but important corrections which helped to clarify my writing! She responded quickly to my request, edited the document and returned it to me within a short timeline, and was clear and direct in her feedback."

-Marie Trotter, writer and critic

"Katie Kuplack is the editor you need! Her perceptive notes and sharp eye for grammar, such as verb tense and sentence structure, will make your writing more professional and publishable. Katie will take your writing seriously, offering honest feedback and encouraging you to exceed your expectations. I recommend Katie’s editing services for any writing project that you value and hope to share with the world."

-Sarah O'Brien, EIC of Boston Accent Lit and author of Shapeshifter

How It Would Work:

You can message me here or email me at katiek.edits@gmail.com about the project you'd like me to work on and we'll talk about what service you're wanting, turnaround time, etc. I'm open to bouncing it back and forth as much as you need to get the final product you want. In the end, you get a more polished whatever-it-is, and I have your permission to keep before-and-after samples of your project for my portfolio, to be used on freelancing platforms like Upwork or eventually shown on my own website.

Types of Docs/Projects I am particularly interested in working on:

Short fiction and poetry.

Captions and subtitles*

Website copy and blog posts

Resumes, cover letters, other business writing

*I realize these typically don't get edited by a third party, but I am also interested in getting experience creating them if that's something you need!

Other stuff you should know:

I'm already familiar with AP Style, planning to learn Chicago, and can of course work with whatever company- or project-specific style guide you might have.

My topical specialties include English lit, pop culture, fandom, business communications, martial arts, beauty and skincare, and the coffee industry.

I have experience editing for ESL writers and translated work.

I can work with you through both Google and Microsoft applications.

What I will NOT work on:

Any AI-generated content

Marketing/sales copy

Full-length books/novels (not for free)

Amazon/Kindle e-books

Academic papers, dissertations, etc.

Please reblog to help me get this around and thank you if you read this whole thing! I know this is a long shot but I hope to hear from some of y'all soon. :)

[academicfever]

🌿 30-Day Digital Declutter Challenge 🌿

Welcome to the 30-Day Digital Declutter Challenge! Ready to take back your time and make space for the things that really matter?

For the next 30 days, we’re going on a digital detox! 🌱 It’s all about cutting down on distractions and adding more meaningful activities into your day. You in?

Key Steps of the 30-Day Digital Declutter

1. Take a Break from Optional Technologies (30 Days)

Identify optional technologies: Newport encourages participants to determine which technologies are "optional." These include apps, websites, or digital services that are not critical to your personal or professional life (e.g., social media, entertainment apps, non-essential email checking).

Completely eliminate or drastically reduce usage: For 30 days, stop using these optional technologies. The goal is to break the habit of mindless use and to see how life functions without them.

2. Explore Meaningful Alternatives

During the 30-day break, reintroduce meaningful activities that you might have neglected because of digital distractions. These could be hobbies, creative projects, physical activity, time spent with friends and family, or self-reflection.

Newport suggests focusing on activities that bring fulfillment: spending time outdoors, reading, creating, exercising, or pursuing personal interests that align with your values.

3. Reintroduce Technology Thoughtfully (After 30 Days)

At the end of the 30 days, evaluate which digital tools and platforms are necessary and beneficial.

Reintroduce only those technologies that have a clear, positive impact on your life and set rules or boundaries for their usage. For example:

Set specific times for checking social media or emails.

Limit the number of apps installed on your phone.

Use tools only for clearly defined purposes (e.g., professional networking on LinkedIn).

Questions to Ask When Reintroducing Technology

Newport suggests using three questions to decide which digital tools to reintroduce and how:

Does this technology directly support something I deeply value?

Is this the best way to use this technology for its purpose?

How can I set boundaries on this technology to maximize its value while minimizing its downsides?

30-Day Digital Declutter in Practice:

Prepare:

List all the optional technologies in your life (social media, games, video streaming, news apps).

Decide on the rules for your 30-day break (complete elimination or drastically reducing usage).

Identify meaningful activities you will focus on during the declutter.

Implement the Declutter:

Begin your 30-day digital break, sticking to the rules you set for yourself.

Replace mindless tech use with fulfilling, offline activities.

Reintroduce Thoughtfully:

After 30 days, evaluate which technologies to bring back into your life.

Establish rules to prevent falling back into unproductive or mindless usage.

Examples of Rules You Could Set:

Social Media: Only use it for professional reasons or set a time limit (e.g., 30 minutes per day).

Emails: Check only twice a day—once in the morning and once before the end of the workday.

Smartphone: Turn off notifications for all non-essential apps.

So recently I read this book and wated to try this method to clear my head... I am starting this challenge from 19th October_feel free to join me... You make the rules and alternatives for urslef... u can take a look at mine as an example...

[inkandintent]

If you're struggling with a lack of attention, depression, or anxiety, even small tasks can feel overwhelming. Here are quick, actionable tips to help you manage and take small steps forward:

1. Break Tasks into Micro-Steps

Why: Large tasks feel daunting. Breaking them into tiny, manageable steps makes them less intimidating.

How: Instead of "clean the house," start with "put one dish in the sink" or "pick up one piece of clothing."

2. Use the "2-Minute Rule"

Why: Starting is often the hardest part. If something takes less than 2 minutes, do it immediately.

How: Examples: reply to a short email, put away one item, or write down one task for the day.

3. Set a Timer (Pomodoro Technique)

Why: Short bursts of focus are easier to handle than long stretches.

How: Set a timer for 5-10 minutes. Work on a task until the timer goes off, then take a break. Repeat.

4. Prioritize Self-Care

Why: Depression and anxiety drain your energy. Taking care of your basic needs can improve your mood and focus.

How:

Drink water.

Eat something nutritious.

Take a short walk or stretch.

Rest if you need to—it’s okay to take a break.

5. Write It Down

Why: Anxiety often comes from overthinking. Writing things down can help clear your mind.

How:

Keep a "brain dump" journal for all your thoughts.

Make a simple to-do list with 1-3 small tasks for the day.

6. Focus on "Good Enough"

Why: Perfectionism can paralyze you. Aim for progress, not perfection.

How: Remind yourself that doing something is better than doing nothing, even if it’s not perfect.

7. Use Visual Cues

Why: Visual reminders can help you stay on track when your mind feels scattered.

How:

Stick Post-it notes with reminders in visible places.

Use a whiteboard or planner to track tasks.

8. Celebrate Small Wins

Why: Acknowledging progress, no matter how small, can boost motivation.

How: Celebrate completing a task, even if it’s just getting out of bed or brushing your teeth.

9. Limit Distractions

Why: Lack of attention makes it easy to get sidetracked.

How:

Turn off notifications on your phone.

Work in a quiet, clutter-free space.

Use apps like Forest or Focus Keeper to stay on track.

10. Practice Grounding Techniques

Why: Anxiety can make it hard to focus. Grounding techniques help bring you back to the present.

How:

5-4-3-2-1 Method: Name 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, and 1 you taste.

Take deep breaths: Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, exhale for 6 counts.

11. Ask for Help

Why: You don’t have to do everything alone. Reaching out can lighten the load.

How:

Ask a friend or family member to help with a task.

Consider therapy or counseling for professional support.

12. Be Kind to Yourself

Why: Depression and anxiety are hard. Beating yourself up only makes it worse.

How:

Remind yourself that it’s okay to struggle.

Treat yourself with the same compassion you’d show a friend.

13. Create a "Done List"

Why: On tough days, it’s easy to feel like you’ve accomplished nothing. A "done list" helps you see your progress.

How: At the end of the day, write down everything you did, no matter how small (e.g., showered, ate breakfast, replied to a text).

14. Use Music or Background Noise

Why: Music or calming sounds can help improve focus and reduce anxiety.

How:

Listen to lo-fi beats, classical music, or nature sounds.

Try apps like Calm or Noisli for background noise.

15. Start with the Easiest Task

Why: Completing a small task can give you momentum to tackle bigger ones.

How: Look at your to-do list and pick the easiest thing to start with.

16. Visualize the End Result

Why: Focusing on the positive outcome can motivate you to take action.

How: Picture how good it will feel to complete a task or reach a goal.

17. Practice Mindfulness

Why: Mindfulness can help reduce anxiety and improve focus.

How:

Spend 1-2 minutes focusing on your breath.

Use apps like Headspace or Insight Timer for guided meditations.

18. Reward Yourself

Why: Rewards can make tasks feel less overwhelming.

How: Promise yourself a treat (e.g., a favorite snack, a TV show, or a nap) after completing a task.

19. Keep It Simple

Why: Overcomplicating things can lead to procrastination.

How: Focus on one thing at a time and avoid multitasking.

20. Remember: Progress, Not Perfection

Why: Small steps add up over time. You don’t have to do everything at once.

How: Focus on what you can do today, even if it’s just one small thing.

You’re not alone, and it’s okay to take things one step at a time. Be patient with yourself, and celebrate every bit of progress, no matter how small. You’ve got this! 🌟 HUGS!

[ameliasoulturner]

Kickstart Your Earnings with Content Writing: A Beginner’s Friendly Roadmap

If you’ve ever wondered how ordinary people turn their words into cash, content writing might be your sweet spot. You don’t need a fancy degree or decades of experience to get started. With some guidance, dedication, and a dash of creativity, you can start earning from content writing sooner than you think. This guide walks you through each step in a friendly, down‑to‑earth way so you’ll feel confident launching your freelance writing journey.

Why Content Writing Is a Great Starting Point Content writing covers everything from blog posts and web pages to social media captions and product descriptions. Businesses of all sizes need fresh, engaging words to connect with their audience, rank higher in search engines, and boost sales. As companies continue to invest in digital marketing, demand for quality content writers stays strong. Plus, you can work from anywhere, set your own hours, and choose projects that spark your interest.

Understanding the Basics of Earning from Content Writing At its core, earning from content writing means providing value through written words. Clients pay for:

Research that saves them time

SEO‑friendly copy that boosts visibility

Clear, engaging storytelling that connects with readers

Consistent output that maintains an active online presence

Your job is to become the go‑to person who delivers those benefits reliably.

Step 1: Identify Your Niche and Strengths While generalists can find work, specializing helps you stand out. Consider topics you enjoy or know well—travel, personal finance, health and wellness, tech, lifestyle, parenting, gaming, or education. Having a niche makes it easier to showcase your expertise and justify higher rates. If you’re a fitness buff who loves writing, focus on blogs and articles in that sphere. If you have a background in software, aim for tech how‑to guides.

Step 2: Build a Portfolio That Shows Your Skills Clients want proof you can write well. Even if you haven’t been paid yet, you can create sample pieces:

Start a personal blog or Medium page and publish 3 to 5 high‑quality articles in your niche.

Guest post on small blogs that accept submissions.

Rewrite or summarize existing news stories in your voice (clearly marked as samples).

Draft mock project pieces for imaginary clients—product descriptions, newsletters, or landing pages.

Organize these in a simple online portfolio. You can use free tools like Google Sites, Wix, or WordPress. Make sure each sample highlights your SEO skills by including relevant keywords naturally in titles and subheadings.

Step 3: Optimize Your Online Profiles for Visibility Next, set up profiles on freelance platforms and job boards. Popular destinations include Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, ProBlogger, Contena, and LinkedIn. When crafting your profile:

Write an engaging headline that includes “content writer” or “freelance writer.”

Summarize your background, niche focus, and any standout achievements.

List your portfolio samples or link directly to your site.

Add relevant skills: SEO, WordPress, SEMrush, Mailchimp, social media management, etc.

Request testimonials from friends or colleagues who can vouch for your work ethic or writing ability.

A well‑optimized profile boosts your chances of appearing in client searches and winning invitations.

Step 4: Find Your First Paid Gigs Landing that first paid project often takes persistence. Strategies that work:

Pitch directly to small businesses or local startups. Send personalized emails offering a free trial article or website audit.

Apply to relevant listings daily on freelance boards. Tailor each proposal to the client’s needs—mention specifics from their job post.

Explore niche‑specific boards like BloggingPro or JournalismJobs for targeted opportunities.

Network on LinkedIn by sharing helpful writing tips, engaging with posts in your niche, and connecting with marketing professionals.

Early on, you might accept lower‑priced gigs to build credibility, but avoid underpricing yourself. Aim for a rate you can increase once you’ve racked up 5 to 10 positive reviews.

Step 5: Master SEO and Content Strategy SEO savvy writers command better fees. Search Engine Optimization involves understanding how keywords, user intent, and readability affect rankings. To shine:

Use free keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest to identify target phrases.

Incorporate primary keywords in titles, opening paragraphs, subheadings, and naturally throughout the text.

Keep sentences concise, break up text with subheadings, and add bullet lists or numbered steps for scannability.

Learn basic on‑page SEO: meta descriptions, internal linking, image alt text, and proper URL structure.

Businesses pay for measurable results. If your copy ranks higher and drives traffic, you become more valuable.

Step 6: Set Competitive Rates and Payment Terms Knowing how much to charge can feel tricky. Common approaches include:

Per‑word rate: New freelance writers often start at five to ten cents per word, moving up to twenty cents or more with experience.

Per‑hour rate: Beginners might charge twenty to thirty dollars per hour, progressing to fifty and beyond as skills sharpen.

Per‑project fee: Flat rates for complete blog posts or web pages, factoring in research, revisions, and strategy.

Always agree on payment milestones. A 50/50 split works—half up front, half on completion. Use contracts to outline deliverables, deadlines, and revision policies. This keeps both sides on the same page.

Step 7: Deliver Quality and Build Long‑Term Relationships Repeat clients are freelancing gold. To keep clients coming back:

Meet deadlines without reminders.

Communicate clearly—let them know if you hit a roadblock and propose solutions.

Offer a revision round to refine the piece to their liking.

Suggest topic ideas for future posts based on emerging trends in their industry.

When clients see you consistently add value, they’ll hire you again and refer you to others.

Step 8: Leverage Tools and Continuous Learning Stay competitive by embracing helpful platforms:

Grammarly or ProWritingAid to polish grammar and tone.

Yoast or Rank Math (for WordPress) to fine‑tune on‑page SEO.

Trello or Asana for managing multiple projects smoothly.

Google Analytics basics to understand content performance.

Invest time in online courses or webinars on SEO, storytelling, and copywriting. The more you learn, the more you can charge.

Step 9: Scale Your Earnings Over Time Once you’ve established a steady stream of projects, scaling becomes the name of the game. Options include:

Raising your rates for new clients while maintaining current engagements.

Packaging content services—offer blog writing plus email newsletters or social media management as a bundle.

Outsourcing parts of the work, like research or editing, to junior writers, allowing you to focus on strategy and client relations.

Creating digital products, such as eBooks or courses on content writing, to earn passive income.

Diversifying revenue streams helps insulate your income from slow periods.

Putting It All Together Earning from content writing is an achievable goal, even if you’re starting from scratch. By identifying your niche, building an impressive portfolio, mastering SEO, and delivering top‑notch work, you’ll attract clients eager to pay for your expertise. Remember that patience and persistence pay off. Treat every project as a chance to improve your craft and delight a client. Before you know it, you’ll have a thriving freelance writing business that fits your lifestyle and fuels your creative passions.

[puffyartist]

GROOVY I like to attend town hall meetings! It's nice to talk face-to-face with the people who represent me!

Do you think you'd like to get started attending your own local town meeting? Here are some tips for you! (alt text is also written out underneath the cut)

If you're interested, you can download your own PDF copy of this zine over on itchio for free!

Are you someone who wants to express your thoughts not only to your representatives, but others in your community? Loves an excuse to go out to an in–person gathering of people? Want to have friends by your side to support your point as you make your case? Try going to a Town Meeting!

“…legislative offices [are]nearly twice as likely to positively respond tosuch town hall events if the focus of the event [is] learning from constituents rather than justifying the lawmaker’s position…” (Source: https://thelawmakers.org/wpcontent/uploads/2022/07/ClarkeMarkovits2022_CEL.pdf)

TIPS

Be Prepared! Have your Pitch ready! Know what the meeting is about!

Get Personal! How has a policy impacted you? How could it potentially impact you or others you know?

Paint the Bigger Picture! What is the wider impact of this policy? If you have the statistics to back you up, cite them!

Enlist Allies! Have others join you in the meeting to emphasize you’re not alone in having these thoughts!

Be Respectful! Passion is your ally, but remember your aim is also to build or strengthen relationships to support future dialogues with policymakers!

NETWORKING BASICS

Talk to the Staff! This is an opportunity to build a relationship with someone who has the Senator's ear!

Leave Paper! Have your business card or pamphlets with the talking points listed out, and leave copies with others!

Follow up Politely! After the meeting, send an email or call to thank them for their time!

Be Persistent! Keep showing up!

FURTHER READING

How to Organize a Town Hall Meeting: https://guideinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Organizing-a-Town-Hall-Meeting.pdf

Scientific Research Into  the Effectiveness of Town Halls: https://thelawmakers.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/ClarkeMarkovits2022_CEL.pdf

Lobby Guides

Citizen’s Climate Lobby Guide: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/264

PFLAG’s Lobby Guide: https://pflag.org/resource/lobbying-at-town-halls/

American Postal Workers Union Lobby Guide: https://apwu.org/news/tips-meeting-members-congress-and-other-elected-officials

League of Women Voters Lobby Guide: https://cawp.rutgers.edu/sites/default/files/library/how_to_lobby_your_legislator.pdf

The tips section has adapted text from the following sources:

Even the smallest stone thrown can create a Ripple!

All of the advice in here is written with the USA political system in mind. There may be some crossover with other countries, but not all advice is applicable.

This guide was made with the best of my ability with references I found online. Please use this guide as a first step to further research from actual professionals.

Remember: taking even the smallest of actions is more effective then just reading about it. Taking that first step can be scary, especially if it’s a new experience for you, but it is worth it.

[x22817]

I'm using this blog mostly as a way to vent about both the good and the not so good.

If you'd like to listen to the not so good, here you go

Be warned

Is long

I am calling it. My family managed to undo years of training in one weekend. I am kind of stuck on what to do now.

I'm probably overreacting but in my defense she's never pulled me, like, actually pulled me before.

Long story short: my uncle passed, my father was not taking it well, and we flew home to go to the funeral and spend the weekend with family.

My mother is great. She knows the SD rules I have in place for Hek: she's labeled, she's working. Pretty simple. My mother will even body block people who don't listen to (one of the loudest people I have ever met) her tell them "don't distract her, she's working to keep my daughter safe" in her big scary momma bear voice.

My father is fucking horrible. I think sometimes his heart is in the right place because he will talk about how beautiful our relationship is and how he couldn't begin to comprehend the love and support we give each other (those could be quotes btw he actually sounds like that). But he doesn't understand service dog vs. any dog. Any time he desires he turns into a toddler. Full on grabby hands, high pitched "hiiiiiii pretty pretty pretty pretty" and just dives for Hek. Doesn't matter what I say or do. Needless to say, we don't see hin often for more than just this reason.

Now, on to the trip:

I texted into the family group chat (which is actually an email thread with like 300 people in it) that Hek was coming with me. I haven't seen anyone in 7 years for various reasons, so none of them have met Hek before. They were all incredibly supportive, knowledgeable, and respectful. I am so incredibly grateful for my family.

The trip itself was mixed. Hek was really, really stinking good. Going through the airport and TSA was a breeze. The first agent who patted us down actually squealed when he was given the task. His boss shouted from the other side of the room' "stay professional!"

We landed on Friday at noon. My parents wanted to go to the mall and then we would have dinner with some close family members. The mall was totally normal. No problems, nothing. Dinner was our first hiccup. Hek was on her bed next to me at the end of the table. My father felt compelled to say hi to Hek between courses. That's how everyone around us found out there was a service dog in the restaurant.

There were people who I had never met before because they were friends of my uncle who passed. None of them tried to fuck with Hek until we were getting ready to leave. All three of them made a super big scene all at once. They fuckin cornered Hek and I and all three of them came after her at once. None of them would listen to me, so I resorted to just trying to get out of the corner and create space. They fucking followed us. I had to drag Hek out from under one of the women who was fully hugging her around her stomach and ran into the bathroom. I was pissed. It stressed Hek out as much as it stressed me out!

Saturday morning we went into a church together for the first time. And we stood at the door for 45 minutes, greeting everyone who came to the funeral. It was fantastic. Hek did a down stay behind me the whole time. Most people didn't even notice her, and the few who did all confirmed she's working don't interact. She walked down the aisle with me to bring the offerings for the service, and everyone ooooed and awwwwwed. Still, no one fucked with her. This was mostly to prove to my father. I could do it because he didn't believe I could hold the water and wine while the leash at the same time. I used the cross body hands free that I dislike just because my regular one didn't look nice on my outfit. Yes, I'm apparently turning into a girly girl.

Moving on to the reception at my aunt's house. Everything was fine until about 2 hours in. My father's best friend, a complete asshole, showed up. I did my best to steer clear, but he cornered us before he left. He never said a word to me. He just went straight for Hek. I body slammed this man who is likely three times my size. I already wasn't feeling well, and I already don't like this guy. Hek did react to this by getting up to alert to me, sitting in front of me. He took it as his opportunity to bear hug her? I swear if he was anyone else, I would have grabbed his head and kneed him in the nose. Instead, I grabbed him by the shoulder and basically shoved him off my poor dear Bean.

What the fuck?!?

The final instance for the weekend was at dinner that evening. Another friend of my uncles showed up late. Hek and I were sitting at the end of the table. There was a little nook that I stuck her bed in, so she wasn't under the table, but she also wasn't in anyone's way. This man started making a scene as soon as he saw Hek from the other end of the hallway. By the time he got to Hek and I, my mother was standing, blocking his way. She did all the things I would have done (praise this woman). He says he understands and goes to sit down. Later on, he goes to the bathroom. I am eyeballing him on his way back down the hall because he is looking at Hek, still making noises, and holding his hand out to get her to sniff it (yes from like 15 feet away all the way down the hallway walling up to the table). When he gets close enough, I don't have to yell through the restaurant, I tell him to please stop, and she is still working. He complains but doesn't get much closer. I am very aware of this guy when we all get up to leave. I keep him on the other side of the whole group. We make it to the front of the restaurant while our party is in the process of walking out the doors he turns around, gets down on his knees, and starts walking on all fours toward Hek. I, and everyone else, is in shock for his first few steps, and he is practically throwing himself at her. I just pull her away from him but he does get to grab her harness.

WHAT THE FUCK

Sunday was fine. No family interactions. We flew home after sitting at the airport for about 4 hours. She did get goofy being pat down through TSA but that was really it.

Now, here is where our problems are showing:

A few days ago, I went to book club. It's at a bar. Hek was laying at my feet when some guy from across the table realized she was there and got down on all fours and crawled under the table to pat her. She broke her down stay on her bed. She came right back and laid down again when I told her to. But still.

Today, we were out for a walk. We walked past the apartment complex office, and one of the girls who I am friends with in there poked her head out to say hi. She said hi to Hek as she always does. But. Hek fucking pulled me to her. And then she proceeded to jump on her. Didn't respond to verbal commands, didn't respond to tugs. This is what prompted me to write this up.

I don't know what to do.

I am genuinely thinking about getting a martingale collar. This is mostly because I can not hold her with my hands when she pulls like that. We go for regular sniffy walks on a 6' regular leash. When working, she is on the hands free. Either way, I am genuinely considering doing this. I already have a 1' flat collar that she responds to very well in case of an emergency (yes that's what I'm calling this).

We did go out yesterday evening to our Kroger to get treats. She was perfectly fine. Ignored people, all that regular shit.

Today, on our longer afternoon walk, she actually pulled toward (albeit a very very reactive) dog on the other side of the street. Once again, didn't respond to verbal anything, didn't respond to tugs until the very end.

While we were out in Mass we went on hikes every day (see previous posts) and I had her off leash. No problems. We saw wildlife, perfect recall. We saw other people, perfect recall. We saw LOTS of dogs, perfect recall. I didn't even carry treats?!? It was super duper early in the mornings and I straight up forgot. Not a problem.

Idk wtf to do. Idk wtf to think. Idk if I'm overreacting or what. I feel like we lived in a really nice and polite bubble for so long. Hek grew up on a college campus, but it was like a dream. Everyone, and I mean everyone, was so kind and respectful. We never, ever, had anyone try to fuck with us.

I have heard of stories like these online. But they've never happened to us before. I know a big part of it is that we honestly don't go out in public a ton. Especially since I graduated, we hardly go anywhere except the grocery store.