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st-educate · 1 year

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Digital Graphics Breakthrough Unveiled: Prepare to be Amazed 100%!

Dive into the world of digital graphics, where pixels transform into masterpieces. Explore the nuances, applications, and FAQs surrounding this modern art form.

Introduction to digital graphics

In the vast expanse of the digital realm, a visual renaissance is underway, one that transcends the limitations of traditional art forms and unveils a universe of limitless creativity. Welcome to the domain of digital graphics, where imagination meets technology to craft visual wonders that captivate, communicate, and inspire. From web design that navigates us through the virtual cosmos to digital art that tickles our senses, the canvas of possibilities is as expansive as the digital realm itself. The Dynamic Duo: Art and Technology

Merging Realities: Where Art Meets the Virtual Brush

In this era where art and technology dance a fascinating tango, digital graphics have emerged as the conductor of this mesmerizing symphony. Picture this: a pixelated canvas where strokes of a virtual brush give birth to vivid landscapes, surreal portraits, and abstract expressions. This is no less than the artistic renaissance of our time, as the virtual brushstrokes hold the power to translate imagination into reality, pixel by pixel.

The art of digital illustrations is showcased in "Pixels Paint Dreams."

Digital illustrations have taken the art world by storm, redefining how we envision everything from fairy tales to dystopian futures. These illustrations, a marriage of artistic flair and technological finesse, forge visual narratives that transport us beyond the tangible. Through intricate detailing, vibrant colors, and compelling perspectives, digital illustrations tug at our emotions, inviting us to explore the depths of the artists' minds with every glance. Designing the Web: Crafting Virtual Experiences As we surf the digital waves, have you ever paused to admire the websites that seamlessly blend aesthetics and functionality? That's the magic of digital graphics at play. Web designers utilize this artistic wizardry to create interfaces that are not just navigational but experiential. The balance of colors, the placement of elements, and the play of typography - all converge to guide users through a digital journey that's as delightful as it is informative. The Business of Visuals: Graphics for Marketing Magic Enter the business realm, and digital graphics unveil a whole new avenue of potential. Whether it's crafting eye-catching logos that become a brand's visual identity or designing compelling infographics that narrate complex data, the value of graphics in marketing is unparalleled. In a world where attention spans are shorter than a hiccup, graphics have the power to stop the scroll and leave a lasting impression. The Logo’s Charisma: Your Brand’s Visual Storyteller Picture the bitten apple of Apple Inc. or the golden arches of McDonald's - these are more than mere logos; they are visual stories etched into our collective consciousness. In the digital age, a logo is your brand's digital handshake, often making the first impression. Digital graphics ensure that this handshake is firm, memorable, and reflective of your brand's essence, all within the confines of a few pixels. The Infographic Invasion: Data’s Aesthetic Avatar Ah, data - the backbone of decision-making in modern business. But let's face it, rows of numbers can be as inviting as a spreadsheet party. Enter digital graphics, the life of the data party. Infographics translate intricate statistics into visual tales that are not only easier to comprehend but enjoyable too. With the right concoction of colors, icons, and layouts, digital graphics transform data points into revelations, making complex information a piece of cake to devour.

Pixel Perfection: The Craft and Tools The Canvas of Creation: Tools and Techniques Creating digital graphics requires more than a sprinkle of artistic prowess. It's about wielding the right tools to translate your vision into pixels that speak. Software like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop are the modern artist's palette, offering a plethora of brushes, gradients, and layers to play with. But remember, even in the digital world, practice makes perfect. The path to mastery is paved with countless clicks, drags, and "Ctrl + Z"s.

The Alchemy of Pixels: The Creative Process Unveiled

Behind every mesmerizing digital graphic is a creator who weaves magic with every click. The creative process is an alchemy of ideas, inspirations, and pixels. From sketching the initial concept to refining the finer details, every step is a journey of experimentation and evolution. The virtual canvas doesn't limit creativity; it amplifies it, offering endless possibilities that push the boundaries of what's conceivable.

From Novice to Virtuoso: Navigating the Learning Curve

Embarking on the digital graphics journey might seem intimidating, but remember, even the most celebrated artists were once novices. Tutorials, online courses, and communities of fellow enthusiasts await, ready to guide you through the pixelscape. The key? Patience, perseverance, and a dash of audacity. So, wield that digital stylus, experiment fearlessly, and watch your creative spirit evolve into a virtuoso. FAQs: Navigating the Digital Canvas FAQ 1: Is digital art a valid form of artistic expression? Absolutely! Just like traditional art, digital art is a channel for creative expression. It's not the medium that defines art, but the artist's imagination and skill. FAQ 2: Can I create digital graphics without formal art education? Definitely! While formal education can provide a solid foundation, digital graphics is a realm where self-learning and experimentation thrive. With dedication and online resources, anyone can master the craft. FAQ 3: What's the future of digital graphics? The future is vibrant and expansive. As technology advances, so will the tools and techniques of digital graphics. Virtual reality, augmented reality, and AI integration are likely to play bigger roles, expanding the horizons of creative possibilities. Conclusion: Pixels Paint Tomorrow In this digital era, where screens are our windows to the world, digital graphics have emerged as the modern-day storytellers. They weave narratives, evoke emotions, and bridge the gap between art and technology. The digital canvas, limitless and ever-evolving, invites us all to be part of this renaissance, where imagination knows no bounds and pixels paint tomorrow's tales. So, whether you're an aspiring artist, a business maven, or simply an admirer of visual wonders, embrace the pixels and let the artistry of the digital world unfold before your eyes. Read the full article

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13uswntimagines · 4 years

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You’re in Wubble Now (Bino x Teen!Reader)

Request: R is Sue and Megan daughter(14 years old) ? Like what is being at the wubble together?

Authors note: Hey dudes, I really don’t know much about basketball, or its players, but I hope you enjoy this! Hit me up with requests, questions or if you just wanna say hi!

You smiled brightly up at the sky, enjoying the way the sun fell on your face. You had missed the feeling of the sun on your face and cleats on your feet for the past 4 months you had spent in quarantine. You were glad that wubble included an outdoor area where you could practice your juggling in. You didn’t want to lose your edge over your Aunt Tobin.

You glanced down at the ball, flicking it up to balance on your toe-box, before starting to practice the various tricks you knew how to do. All the while moving towards the place that you had designated in your mind as “goal”. As you neared the area, you tapped the ball a little too hard, sending it careening over the small fence and directly onto the outdoor basketball court. You groaned loudly as it collided with one Sami Whitcomb.

“I’m so sorry,” You tried to cover your giggle with your hand, but failed.

“Trying to take her out so Chicago Sky has the advantage kid?” Jordin Canada laughed, sapping a hand on your shoulder, and you shot her a cheeky smile. You and your Aunt JJ had a running joke that the Stars were your favorite team, though you were rather partial to Portland, just to annoy your mothers.

“Hey short stack, you’re good with your feet, but are you any good with your hands?” Sami joined in the banter, spinning the soccer ball on her finger before tossing it back to you. You smiled and caught it on the top of your left foot and began to juggle again.

“Are you kidding me? She’s got Pino’s height and none of Bird’s skills,” Breanna Stewart joked, resting her elbow on the top of your head. You huffed. Yes, you were short, and the USWNT always liked to remind you of that, but next to your mom’s teammates, you were practically a dwarf and they didn’t mind telling you about it.

Just because you preferred soccer didn’t mean you weren’t any good at basketball. Hell, you and your mom had done nothing but play pickup games in the driveway since the whole COVID thing started. You weren’t terrible, to begin with, but you had definitely gotten better if you did say so yourself. You had even pulled the basketball version of a nutmeg on your mom. Plus, you never backed down from a challenge.

“I think I could take you,” You smirked, puffing out your chest. The women laughed at your adorableness. They knew just how competitive you were, they had seen it in your determination to make the U15 soccer team, and in all of the stories about you, Sue had shared with them.

“Be careful what you ask for kid, just because you’re a Rapino-Bird doesn’t mean we won’t whip your ass,” Jordin said seriously, (gently) bumping your shoulder. You set your jaw in a way that they had come to recognize as your ‘I’m going to win any way I can’ face.

“Sounds like a challenge to me,” Sami laughed at how cute your determined face was, patting your upper back in a way that reminded you of your mom.

“Oh, you’re on. 2v2 me a Sami vs you and Breanna” You nodded at Jordin, who flashed Sami a wink. They couldn’t let the soccer players teach you everything, now could they.

****

The game was going well for you, as you and Sami were up by 12, and you were about to extend that lead. She crossed you the ball, bouncing it in between Breanna’s legs. You collected it, realizing that if you tried to dribble, you’d most likely fall victim to Jordin’s marking. So you took the shot, Jumping up just outside of the three-point area. Jordin, not expecting the move, bumped into you milliseconds after the ball had left your fingertips, sending you careening into the concrete floor.

“You alright kid?” Sami asked, watching as you got back to your feet, and gasping when you turned around.

“Shit, Sue’s going to kill us,” Jordan mumbled when she saw the gash that had formed just above your right eyebrow, and the red substance that was seeping down your face, staining your brand new Re-inc popsicle shirt.

“Kill you is more like it,” Breanna smirked, shoving Jordin’s shoulder lightly.

“And I’d be more worried about Megan,” Sami murmured as she took a closer look at your cut.

“I’m fine guys,” You grumbled, pulling your head out of Sami’s gentle hands and turning to find the basketball. The rapid movement caused even more blood to drip down your covered face, and land unceremoniously on the pavement.

“Yeah, let’s get you to the medic,” The women rolled their eyes at your insistence, Jordin grabbing one arm, and Breanna grabbing another while Sami placed a hand at the center of your back to get you moving forward.

The walk to the First aid room had been relatively uneventful, as the women wouldn’t budge on their stance that you needed to get checked by the doctors (though several other players sent you worried looks as you passed them).

“I’m going to need to call one of your mothers down here for consent to treat you,” The doctor said quietly, handing you a piece of gauge and motioning for you to hold it to the cut that was still freely bleeding. You rolled your eyes at him and nodded for Sami to call your mom. She was always more level headed than Ma when you got hurt. You should have guessed that they would be together and that they would not be happy to find out that you’d been hurt… again.

“What the fuck happened?” Megan exclaimed, bursting into the first aid room, racing over to you and glaring at the women who were accompanying you. It was kinda funny cause even though she was so much shorter than them, they all shrunk under her gaze.

“Meg, chill.”Sue interrupted, stepping between her wife and her very afraid teammates. Megan may have been short but she was called your mama bear for a reason.“What happened?” Your mom asked you directly, crouching down so she was eye level with you, and taking the soaked gauze from your grasp. You sighed dramatically.

“We were playing a game of pickup, and I got bumped. They freaked out,” you scoffed, waving your hand at the three women who were still covering inter you Ma’s gaze.

“I think our response was well deserved,” Sami grumbled, gesturing towards you. So maybe there had been a lot of blood, but your Aunt Ash had always said that head cuts always bled more.

“It was just a scratch,” You rolled your eyes, your annoyance leaking into your tone, sure that if it had been any one of your mom’s teammates, you would still be outside on the field, enjoying the sun.

“Yeah, like Kelley’s nose during the World Cup,” You am sent you a pointed look, and you froze.

“I don’t stop in the middle of games,” you grumbled, pouting and crossing your arms, pulling off a flying squirrel impersonation that would make the woman proud, “and plus this is nothing compared to the time Aunt Toby took me surfing” You pointed out, shivering just thinking about the experience. The almost drowning part hadn’t been the worst part, the cuts from the coral on the bottom had.

“You got caught under a wave and almost drowned,” Sue said sternly, forcing you to look her in the eyes, and grabbing another wad of gauze, as you had bled through the first two.

“See, this is just a baby cut compared to that, or liked the time I went skateboarding with Emily,” You shot her a grin, and she sent you back a grim smile.

“Yeah, that time you broke your collarbone,”

You huffed. It had been Lindsey’s idea for you to try and jump the fire hydrant, and Emily’s fault that she hadn’t cleared the sidewalk for you. If you had followed through with the landing, you probably would have creamed the family of 4 just trying to enjoy their day.

“I’m going to have to put stitches in,” The doctor interrupted, peeling back the gauze and setting up to treat your cut.

“You’re not allowed by yourself with our teams anymore,” Megan huffed, glaring at the three women who were watching your interaction with their captain in awe.

“Hey, it’s not our fault the shrimp-“ Jordin started to protest, only to be cut off by a glare from her Captain.

“I don’t want to hear it,” Sue said, her voice dangerously low, before turning back to you. “You’re benched for the rest of the season kid,” She finished, cupping your cheek. You closed your eyes in frustration. You didn’t want to have to sit on the bench with your ma.

“Hey, I’m not that bad,” Megan pouted at you, obviously offended by your reaction. You loved your Ma, you did, but you had way too much energy to not be able to play sports, even though you probably had a concussion.

“No, you're not,” You said back lowly, and Sue laughed at your sad face. She knew that there would be no way to stop you from playing sports, but maybe the promise of cuddling with your Ma would at least give your cut time to heal.

“Love you, my dear,” Megan whimpered, placing a careful kiss on your cheek, followed by another from Sue.

#uswnt x reader #uswnt imagine #uswnt imagines #Bino x Reader #Bino Imagine

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aizawaskittenwhore · 4 years

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𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐭

words:3.7k

pairing: aizawa x fem!reader

warnings: tw mention of blood, tw mentions of death, mentions of drugs in case you forgot this is a cartel au, murder, swearing, keigo being a cocky lil fucker, sexual harassment towards the end cause yakuza men suck

rating: 18+ cause shit gets real this chapter

a/n: i FINALLY FINISHED IT FUCK YES chapter two mothafuckas!!! i’ve been having so much fun brainstorming everything to come, and here you’re gonna really get a feel for how big this cartel is. player two, f/n l/n, you’re up! <3

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐨: 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝’𝐬 𝐞𝐲𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 ↳ 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞

September 13th, 2181

2:56pm

Musutafu, Japan

“Hold the fuck up. This doesn’t make any sense, I mean—these are Pros. Well known and well respected Pros, at that. The hell would they be tryna’ run a fucking cartel for?!?” Ken Takagi (more commonly known as Rock Lock) rubbed the bridge of his nose in confusion, not understanding the motive or correlation. “I mean think about it. These motherfuckers got more money than they know what to do with. Endeavor is a shareholder in goddamn Nintendo, Hawks owns his own fucking agency and line of sports cars, and I could’ve sworn I saw Eraser getting Shinsou fitted for a fucking Cuban on his birthday a few months ago. It’s not like they’re strapped for cash these days.” Ken huffed, the agent’s arms crossed as he leaned back in the conference chair.

In an attempt to try and broaden the range on your current investigation, your department recruited the help of several Pros to provide reinforcements in Japan, the States, and wherever else sales were being made. Going undercover was already plenty dangerous, and going alone was the equivalent of signing your own death warrant. Enlisting the help of Rock Lock, Ryukyu, Miruko, Fatgum, Edgeshot and plenty of others was relatively easy; these were Heroes that had experience with smugglers and narcotics-based operations, so when you’d approached them with the task at hand, they’d happily agreed.

However, some needed more convincing than others.

“Takagi. Think about it. Sure, they may not be living paycheck to paycheck, but look at the timeline.” You state, looking over your shoulder towards the holographic board displaying an interactive timeline of the investigation, including photos, invoices and even audio recordings pulled from surveillance cameras. “Two years ago, we seized a truck containing approximately 78 kilograms of crack cocaine. When we questioned the driver on where he was taking it and where he got it from, he didn’t budge. Luckily for us, the dumbass wasn’t smart enough to avoid a paper trail, leaving the insurance documents in the glove compartment when we’d taken him into custody. The insurance company was under the name “Target Lance”, but after doing some digging on the name we found out the corporation went bankrupt six months before and was eventually bought out by Chevrolet.” Pausing to return to the screen welded to the wall behind you, your hands swiped as you searched for the file reading December 5th, 2178: A live video feed of a towering skyscraper being built, the building’s name reading “Chevrolet Corvette Inc.” as it hovered above tens of stories above each worker.

“But you all haven’t heard the name Chevy in a while right? That’s because two weeks after that building was built, the hundred-million dollar company was bought out by Takami Corporate-”

“-who owns Takami Motors. Which is the brand associated with the Peregrine Speedsters, Hawks’ damned sports car line.” Ken finished for you, brown spheres twinkling in sudden clarity. “Now you’re speaking my language.” You nod, hands waving as you continue to brief the room of Pros.

“The Todoroki and Nintendo console collaboration didn’t happen until about earlier this year, March to be specific. Which is quite convenient..since around that time the price of cocaine per gram stabilized in both America and Japan, rising from $112 to $138 bucks a pop. I’m nobody to speak on looks either, but for as long as we’ve known of him, Eraser has dressed like a depressed college student with insomnia that doesn’t understand the concept of soap or a pair of clippers. Now he’s got his wife in Cartier bracelets and getting his shirts tailored because the collar “doesn’t allow him enough room for his capture weapon”?!? Bullshit.” You huff, stifling a smile as you watch Miruko and Edgeshot snicker in their seats at your...blunt observation.

“It makes sense. Three years ago all our agencies, including those overseas, started cutting our checks down by half. They can barely afford to pay us a quarter of what we used to make, and these guys are making these lavish purchases while we all starve?? No way. Something’s fishy, and it’s damn sure not this takoyaki.” Fatgum spat, hands quivering with rage as he struggled to grasp the food with his chopsticks.

“Fatgum’s right. Hero unemployment is at a staggering 8.7 percent. Meanwhile, these men are spending money like it’s going out of style. It makes no sense.” Miruko pondered, Ryukyu folding her hands in her lap as she voiced her approval for immediate action. Edgeshot nodded in agreement, brows furrowed in frustration at this blatant disregard for the law. “So we’re all in agreement that our own people have resorted to breaking the law. Cool, got it. Question is, why? And what the hell are we gonna do about it?” Ken demanded, his patience having worn thin from all this speculation.

“Good question. I think they’re trying to take advantage of the tough spot the Hero Commission is in right now, manipulate that vulnerability and use it for their own gain. They’re not invulnerable to the tough times Pros are facing in the workforce. So they’ve gotten together to try and make it work for them, even if it means breaking the law.” You query, hands typing furiously at the virtual screen to pull up the files of each Hero, displaying all the current information on them from their blood type to each known family member. “These three banding together though? Along with other people? There’s no way. They hate each other. Or at the very least couldn’t get anything done even if they did have a common goal in mind.” Edgeshot murmured lowly.

“I thought so too. But then it hit me: it’s not just some flimsy group project. Sure, crime has gone up since the formation of this cartel, but nobody who holds any rank has been murdered or harmed in any way. No no no, these guys are singing in tune for now...which means there’s a damn good choir director among them. So I’ve volunteered to go undercover, work my way through this organization and figure out just how high up this goes.” You assert, shoulders rigid and chin aloft as the harnesses of your costume frame your figure.

“Alone?? Are you outta your goddamn mind? Let me go, you’ll need back up-” Rock Lock sputters, hands fanning out in shock.

“No way. What about your wife, your kid?! This isn’t just some average drug bust, we’re dealing with powerful men in possession of superhuman abilities that have the game on lockdown. You’ve got too much to lose, more than any of us anyway. Edgeshot and I will go, we’ve seen the other side of the law before, and our quirks are better suited for stealth should anything go wrong.” You fire, eyes narrowing into slits. “The rest of you will be working in tandem with the DEA and our resources, and we’ll report back to you with all future developments. We’ll also need you to be ready to fight at a moment’s notice, if we need it.”

A thick silence clogged the air, Ken settling back into his seat across the table. His amber eyes flickered in irritation before huffing in acceptance, the situation being out of his hands. All the conference participants’ gazes fixed in determination, some with anger. The tense aura weighed on everyone present before Miruko cleared her throat, ivory teeth gleaming in a smirk.

“Well we’ve got a solid plan. So all I wanna know is...when do we start?

June 2nd, 2182

In all honesty...you thought the nickname was just a sad attempt to stroke his ego. But seeing the way over seventy commercial-size planes and approximately 30 seaplanes sat aloft balmy concrete in the Guadalajara sun showed you exactly why they called Hawks “Lord of The Skies”. Arrays of laborers with avian-oriented quirks loaded kilo after kilo of coke on to each and every plane, some by hand and others by forklift. Welders were personally hand selected by Keigo himself to eliminate the issue of utilizing every available inch of space; each vessel having been stripped of everything from the seats to the built in mini-bars (much to Keigo’s chagrin). From where you stood in the scalding hot beams, the runway seemed to extend for miles as it brimmed with visible heat-waves.

Dressed in a simple black tank top, black biker type shorts, aluminum plated gauntlets, steel toed combat boots and harnesses that encapsulated the curves of your body before coming to a stop at your thighs, you silently rejoiced in the airflow your gear allowed you in spite of the color. The bandanna atop your hairline helped to absorb some of the sweat, which was a bonus.

“Not bad for a starter fleet huh? The wingspan on these babies almost makes me jealous.” A rich and decadent voice called from your left. Sleek carmine appendages and brassy blond hair entered your peripheral vision, giving way to the man who ran the show: Keigo Takami. Adorned in a pair of low rise denim jeans that were so incomprehensibly tight they accentuated every bit of his dick (which was likely intentional), a plain white tee and ebony cowboy boots that looked like they cost three times what you make in a week; he most definitely looked the part of the People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” and Playboy’s “Player of the Month” titles he’d earned. Luminous olive skin glistened with sweat, droplets sliding down the deep v neck of his shirt with ease; the way the daisy-hued fabric stuck to his crafted abdomen leaving nothing to the imagination. Tourmaline and Argentium piercings dangled effortlessly from both ears, and if you weren’t so hell-bent on putting the motherfucker in jail you would’ve had no problem admitting how attractive he really was.

“Starter fleet? You’re about to put Delta out of business, look at this shit!” You guffaw, arms folded, an eyebrow raised in astonishment at his “humble” admission. “Flattery will get you everywhere, and then some.” Keigo chuckles, breath hot against your ear the instant he bends at the waist, hands settled in his pockets with that cocky aura about him.

“-And having your damn breath against my ear in 107 degree weather will, respectfully, get you my foot up your ass. I didn’t fly down here to get treated like one of your poor interns. I came here to make money, so let’s talk it.” You lash, the climbing tempature slicing your tolerance for bullshit to shreds.

“Shit. Straight to the point huh? I like it. You wanna talk shop, say no more. Over lunch though, I’m starving out here.” Keigo clicks his teeth with a grin, escorting the two of you towards the very jet he’d arrived in. “A little unknown fact about me, usually I hate flying ”conventionally”. Gives me anxiety, and I’m awful company when I’m nervous.”

Settling into the light taupe hued cabin, you observe the not-so-subtle elements of class. Ivory shochu bottles with intricate crystalline glasses to match, the bar fully stocked with gold accents along the upholstery. Plates of costly Kobe style beef rested atop spotless porcelain, romaine lettuce coupled with grilled applewood bacon, chicken, avocado and buttermilk dressing settled into envy-inducing black marble bowls. The plane was spacious, and certainly cost a pretty penny or two. “You’re upfront, so I’ll be honest with you. As of right now, this plane is the last thing I’m worried about-” Hawks mutters lowly, dijon eyelets tapering into thin slivers.

“-It’s the Shie Hassaikai making their encore appearance, and with the Colombians at that.”

You choke on a sip of Vega Sicilia, pupils dilating at the thought.

“Now you spoke about wanting to make some money, right?” You nod, heart rate steadily rising.

“What if I could offer you something more? Something of...extensive value.” Keigo drawled, dark undertone flooding the air like a thick smoke. “Like what, Takami?” You inquire.

“A seat at the table.” He shrugs, like one would if they were discussing something as trivial as ice cream flavors or Friday night plans, not the reorganization of a crime syndicate. “You’ve been workin’ for me shy of a year now right? Somethin’ like that? Anyway..”

He takes a deep, contemplative swig of the chestnut liquid, eyes boring into yours.

“You’re efficient, and you don’t take anyone’s shit. Good help’s hard to find in our line of work, and before you know it, this little hierarchy is gonna go under some..reorganization. Only the people who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty will have a place in the new order, so I want you there.”

“What’s the catch? I’m not dumb enough to just assume this is some promotion for busting my ass.” You tread, brain working double-time to try and decipher just what Keigo’s getting at. “Clever girl. It’s a simple task, in and out.” He assures, middle and ring finger sliding a matte-finish photo across the mahogany. Displayed was Kinan Zango, a member of the Shie Hassaikai’s middle rankings shaking hands with Joaquin Fuentes, a Columbia native known for having a body count in the double digits.

“Another fact about me: Only one thing heightens my anxiety more than planes...people who fuck with my money. This asshole Kinan’s been selling my routes to the fucking Columbians and pocketing the profits, and getting 20% of the product as a little “thank you” when he knows nobody moves coke through the Gulf other than Takami fucking Keigo. He’s becoming a problem, and I don't like those.” Kei growls, left eye twitching minutely. His nails are sinking into the polish of the wood, his energy vehemently furious.

“Take care of this for me, and you’ll be my plus one to Guadalajara tomorrow.”

The general public often made the mistake of writing Keigo off as just your average “pretty boy”. Whereas a trained eye could see that while he may be pretty, he was nobody to be tested. The sheer intellect he possesses to seek, hand-craft each and every route, assign planes to their designated locations along with alternatives should there ever be an issue? He just didn’t get enough credit.

So he took major offense when someone had the audacity to treat his hard work as though it was theirs.

Besides.. you got a man with looks, money and bloodlust? Tch. You’ve just created a monster.

You weren’t necessarily opposed to the idea of ridding the world of another drug-dealing degenerate, but the idea of casually committing a murder as a DEA agent in a foreign country just didn't sit right with you. Undercover agents weren’t permitted a “license to kill” should the investigation call for it either, so it was between committing a murder as government agent, or declining Keigo’s request and missing out on a front row seat to the cartel’s entire operation.

The silence that followed his sentence was deafening. Ice cubes chimed loftily as they swirled around inside his glass, clear liquid sloshing around while he awaited an answer.

Your jaw sets, eyes piercing into his.

“Consider it done.”

Blood spattered onto the pale concrete, moonlight illuminating the scarlet hues. Your knuckles throbbed with pain, the sensation blossoming through your hand as your lips curled back in a snarl, vigorously ridding your hands of the other man’s bodily fluids.

“ If you really think coming after me for that bird brained motherfucker is gonna change anything, you got another thing fucking coming.” Kinan spat, nose steadily flowing with red. His lip was busted, face splotched with yellowing purple bruises. Tugging at his restraints he thrashed, mouth spewing white-hot venom.

“You’re talking a lot of shit for a middle-ranking yakuza who thinks some new coke routes is gonna keep the Hassaikai from dumping your body on the side of some road in Zacatecas.” You observe, sending a harsh kick between the mans ribs, steel toed boots making an audible crack. “The Japanese are like Dixie Cups to them...”‘use em’ once, then throw em’ away”, right? You’re a fool if you think your days aren't numbered once you wear out your welcome.”

“Fuck you. You’re little boy toy threw a temper tantrum, so he sent you to “take care of things”, isn’t that right?” Kinan coos, eyes softening in a mocking pout.

“Trust me, you're not the first slut Takami’s been sticking it in that he’s sent to kill me. Only difference between you and the rest of those bitches-” He huffs, head craning back against the metal chair to let our a soft breath of laughter. “-is that you’re gonna put up a fight.”

Suddenly his bones began to shift, popping and snapping as his skin began to pool below him; you recoiled in fear watching his body slowly slip from his imprisonment like gelatin exits a mold.

“I’ve got elastic bones kid! Whatever breaks just snaps right back into place.”

Skin stretching and pulling as he regained his original form, legs sprinting towards you. Before you could fire off your Quirk’s sonic blast his grip seized the back of your neck, a blade taking residence just below your left eye; it’s tip pressing uncomfortably into your water line.

“Now, if you're good, I’ll make it quick. Though I’m known for being pretty... through with my toys.” Kinan leers, a hand slowly slithering down your sides to reach for the muscle of your ass.

“Go to hell, and die there while you’re at it!” You shout.

Bile creeping into your throat, you seize the momentary shift in energy, generating a small sound wave that sent Kinan a few feet to your left; giving the two of you some distance. Your Quirk allowed you to absorb sound to power-up your physical movements, or send it out in the form of sonic blasts or sound waves, so the louder the sound, the more power it gave you. Readying your fists in anticipation for combat, you silently willed for a sudden disruption in the deafening silence as he rushed back to your rigid body.

What you didn’t anticipate was that the sudden bang that filled the air, and the lifeless body of Kinan dropping to your feet with a thud, his head...

excavated, for lack of a better word.

“Don’t you know the entire point of having backup while under cover is to... call for backup?” Edgeshot snarked, striding towards you, gun settled back into it’s holster. His foot carelessly nudged the bleeding man before removing a Polaroid camera from his knapsack and snapping a photo of the carnage.

“W-what the fuck?! Look, I don’t mean to sound ungrateful when I say this, but what the absolute fuck did you just do??? We’re government agents, in a foreign country, we can’t just fucking murder these assholes nor do we have the license to-” You sputter, brows arching in frustration.

“This was your ticket into Guadalajara. I just secured you box seats when you were this close to getting stuck in the damned nosebleeds. I believe the correct words you’re looking for are thank you.” Kamihara snaps, shoving the photo into your hand.

“We’re in a world completely different from our own. It’s forgiveness first, and permission later down here. I don’t like it either...but it’s just the way things are.” He sighs, hanging his head while his shoulders settled like the solar system rested on them.

“I’ll take care of this. Now take that to Hawks, and don’t you dare fuck it up. Don’t let me have killed this poor asshole in vain.”

You nod, stepping over Kinan’s body.

Good riddance.

“Thank you, by the way.” You putter. Kamihara returns the sentiment with a nod, before turning to the corpse before him, phone raised to his ear as he spoke with whoever was on the opposite line, eyes that were once grey now swam with deep scarlet.

“Excellent work! I won’t lie, I had a feeling you were hardcore, but damn, this is some seamless shit! You deserve my praise.” Keigo beams, pearly teeth sparkling in the light of the cabin. Nodding in acceptance you grasped his hand upon his offering, permitting him to escort you towards your respective aircraft.

“Well, a promise is a promise. And if nothing else, I’m most certainly a man of my word. Meet me at this airstrip same time tomorrow, 8am. Pack light, Mexico’s a bitch in the summer, though you already know that.”

“Got it. Pleasure doing business with you, Hawks.”

“Call me Keigo, if you want. I hate all the formal shit, long as we got respect, that's all I need.” He shrugs.

“Understood. See you tomorrow, Keigo.” You affirm, climbing the ladder to your jet, body visibly relaxing at the thought of rest.

“Wait--before you go, I wanted to ask ya. What’s with the whole ancient hieroglyphics tat you got goin on, on your spine? It just looks familiar, is all.” He queries.

Home.

November 12th, 2174.

“Y/N! I found somethin’! It’s this super cool protection rune I found in grandma’s things. Check it out! It wards off all evil, and whoever’s in possession of it can, like, balance their energy with the divine power.”

“You’re such a hippie, I swear to god.” You grin.

“Don’t hate because my chakras are balanced and yours aren’t, bitch.” She grinned, index and thumb coming together to flick your forehead.

“At least take it with you for your exam, for good luck! Pleaseeeee! I think it’ll really help.” Her doe eyes melting your steely resolve. You could never deny her, those eyes constantly solidifying her role as the younger sister.

“...Only if you’ll clean my room for me when I come back for Christmas.” You demand, an eyebrow raised in mirth.

“Deal.”

And even though you never did admit it to her, that tiny piece of paper tucked into your bra did more for you during that exam than any late night cram session ever could’ve.

“It’s a protection rune. To ward off all evil energies, spirits and all that shit.” You mutter.

“Hm. Looks like it works, seeing how well tonight panned out for ya. Could use me one, would probably keep old man Todoroki out my fuckin’ hair.” He chuckles, hands releasing from the railing as he threw you a wave.

“But I wouldn’t worry too much about tomorrow, anyway. I got a feeling you’re gonna fit in just fine with us.” He smirked.

Ah.

If only that were true, Keigo.

taglist! : @liliesoftherainmain @therealwalmartjesus

#aizawa x female reader #mha x reader #aizawa x reader #shouta aizawa x reader #aizawa x you #mha #bnha x reader #hawks #nyafterhours

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stick-by-me · 9 months

Text

Some lil guys 🦊

New follower sticker for: @longfurbyarmy!

#Mind wave inc brand #stickers #sticker collection #New follower sticker!#There's a handful of foxes in your likes :3c #cute #animals #Foxes #Itty bitty

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peachjungs · 4 years

Text

“white night”: a soft jaehyun drabble 🍑✨💕

pairings: jaehyun x female reader / mentions of johnny, taeyong, mark, and yuta

genre: fluff??? / ceo!jaehyun / girlfriend!female reader

word count: 1.3k+ (didn’t even know I wrote that much wtf 😳 also sorry if there are any typos 👉🏽👈🏽)

summary: you and your drunk CEO boyfriend jaehyun are coming home from a dinner and things go uwu ✨

A/N: hellooo, this is my first post??? im still getting used to the way tumblr is set up and such but yeah i hope you guys enjoy this soft drabble -🍑

☁︎︎ ☁︎︎ ☁︎︎ ☁︎︎ ☁︎︎

“WAAAHHHH!!! get off meeee I’m okayyy....” Jaehyun wailed at the top of his lungs as you and Taeyong struggled to help the large man walk to your front door. “Dude shut up you’re gonna wake up the whole neighborhood!” Johnny said as he covered Jaehyuns mouth with his hand and looking into his eyes. “Seriously it’s like 2am. Do. Not.” Jaehyun rolled his eyes and Johnny uncovered his mouth and moved over to you. “Where are your keys?” He said going through your purse. “Left pocket.” You said before you felt Jaehyun let out a weak swing to Johnny before almost stumbling onto the pavement. “HEY! BACK OFF! THATS MY GIRL!” “Oh my god Jae please.....” you said attempting to hold him up again. “Dude relax, no one wants her” Johnny said finally taking the jingling noise in your bag. You side eyed Johnny and he shot his arms up in defense. “Sorry sorry I didn’t mean it like that I—“ “It’s fine I don’t care, just next time let’s not let him order so much wine. I know we were celebrating but still this guy is such a lightweight” you said as Taeyong helped you lead Jaehyun to the door. ☁︎︎ ☁︎︎ ☁︎︎ ☁︎︎ ☁︎︎ Tonight was the celebration dinner for Jung Inc. Jaehyun, the CEO of said company, had finally gotten his new brand finalized and approved by the board so you all went out. It was you, Jae, and his coworkers Johnny, Taeyong, Mark and Yuta. The dinner was nice, at was at one of the most expensive restaurants in Korea and the drinks were top notch. That was the problem. Jaehyun kept ordering bottle after bottle. Who could blame him though. He always puts his all into his brand. Spending countless days and nights up in his study working on one project after another, making phone calls, arranging meetings, etc. Sometimes you’d pop up inside once in awhile as you made my way back from the bathroom, not as much to interrupt him but just to check up. You’d walk up to his chair and gently rub his back or to give him a reassuring kiss that everything will work out. Lo and behold, it finally did. You weren’t surprised no one else got as drunk as him. Jae isn’t the type to party often, considering he cant hold down his liquor and he gets his Asian glow after 2 sip, but tonight was different. You could see a wave of relief over him as you all enjoyed the night. Once you guys were all done, Yuta insisted on taking Mark home afterwards, most likely to get some alone time with him, but everyone knew not to argue when it came to Mark so we let them go. That left you Johnny and Taeyong to get Mr. Tipsy home. You barely drank compared to everyone else so you drove everyone back to your house and here we are now. ☁︎︎ ☁︎︎ ☁︎︎ ☁︎︎ ☁︎︎ “Just open the door John, this dude is like 500 pounds” Taeyong blurted out. “heeyyyy thats not nice tyong-ahhh. I’m n-not a fat boyyy” Jae managed to slur out. Taeyong glared at him. “I have half a mind to drop you right now.” “Alright alright” Johnny said as he inserted the key and let you guys into the house. Johnny held the door for you two as you and Taeyong guided Jaehyun to the couch and sat him down. He plopped his body down and rested his head on the back of the couch. You and Taeyong caught your breaths with the reliving feeling of not having to carry 180 pounds. “Thanks Tyong-ah” you said as Johnny handed me my keys and put them and my purse on the coffee table. “I got it from here guys, don’t be surprised if he calls in tomorrow” you said. “Trust me we already know, good luck” you hugged and kissed both of them on the cheek and they headed out, closing the door behind them. You let out a deep sigh and turned back around to Jae, he turned his head to you giggling, his crescent eyes half open and asian glow in full swing. You couldn’t help but shake your head and laugh. “What am I gonna do with you?” You walked over to the door and took off your shoes and placed them in the shoe rack and then walked back to Jae. You sat next to him and rubbed his head as it still leaned on the back of the couch. “Baby come on, we have to get out these fancy clothes” He wore a sleek black suit with a white button up and a black tie. His fashion sense was pretty simple, he was never difficult when it came to clothes. You could catch him in a plain black tee and sweats almost every time he wasn’t at work. “Mmm....” He hummed as he shut his eyes for a bit and smiled. His dimples never took a break as they formed from his cheeks. You took a moment to admire him. His dark slicked back hair revealing his forehead, thick bushy eyebrows that shaped so naturally, perfectly plump lips, rosey red cheeks, and lastly, his puffy moon like eyes staring back at you. He seemed little more alert, but still buzzed. You started to feel so grateful to have someone like him in your life, someone who you knew would be there for you no matter what. You knew from the first time you kissed that he was the one. "You okay?" You asked him concerned. "Mhm.." he said as he attempted to stand up by himself, but almost wobbling over. You got up quick enough to catch him and his hands snaked around your waist as he rested his head on your shoulder. "Alexa, play White Night, volume 7" he said loud enough for the device to hear him and the music started playing. Your arms wrapped around his cologne stained neck and your head rested between his shoulder and his peck and he slowly rocked you side to side to the music. You feel the warmth from his body, his steady heartbeat against your eardrum, and the way his chest slowly rises and falls with his breathing. You two were silent as the room was filled with the smooth vocals. His hold on you made you feel at peace and safe. "I love you." Jaehyun hummed in your ear. "so much." "I-I love you too" You were shocked. Even though he always tells you that, something about this very moment felt different. He held you tighter as he continued to talk. "You've always been by my side no matter what.... whether it was watching me work all day or me having to stay at the office late...you're always there waiting for me even though I wouldn't be there for you...I didn't expect this project to take as long as it did... I felt like such a shitty boyfriend and I didn't want you to think I was neglecting you or anything--" He paused when he heard you sniffle and he pulled back little bit to look at your face. "Oh no...baby I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you cry" He reached his hands up to cup your cheeks and pulled you into a soft kiss. The taste of liquor still lingered on lips but you didn't mind. He kissed you passionately before pulling away and look back into your eyes as he wiped away your tears with his thumbs. "Don't you ever think you're a bad boyfriend Jae, you're everything I could ever ask for. You're everything I've ever wanted and more. I told you I'd be there for through anything. I'm just happy everything worked out in the end. And I don't want to hear your talk like that again, okay?" You flicked his forehead lightly and your voiced cracked a little bit as you pulled yourself together. He giggled and rubbed his head "oww...okay okay I won't". He pulled you into another hug as the song ended. "Jae can we please get changed and go to bed now it's literally like 2:30am" you said looking up at him pouting. He kissed your forehead and nodded and you two started walking to your shared room to get relaxed and drift off to sleep.

#NCT #NCT 127 #nct jaehyun #nct johnny #nct yuta #nct mark #jaehyun #mark #johnny #yuta #jaehyun drabbles #jaehyun au #nct fluff #jaehyun x reader

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vyri · 4 years

Text

Matt/Mail Jeevas x Gorillaz

thank you @jeepersjeevas for all the ideas and the patience! i owe you forever.

here it is on Spotify:

Intro

Machine bitez #11

Yeah, man, you got such an accent, bruh, wack, bruh. Super deep, deep, London accent. Like, "I don't even have a passport" London accent. Like you never left your block in London accent, it sounds super, super strong.

Noodle said to us when you heard the track, you could hear psychedelics. Yeah, man, as soon as I heard it, you know, like. You can taste the colours, but I just taste like sherbet ice cream, on moms.

Wammy's House

Kids with guns

Now they're turning us into monsters

Turning us into fire

Turning us into monsters

It's all desire

Andromeda

Caught in your eyes

Stacks of lights

Come streaming back

Make it for the best times

Growing pains, good times

DARE

Jump with them all and move it

Jump back and forth

It feels like you were there yourself, work it out

Mello's departure

Don't get lost in heaven

Put me in a cab to suburbia

I just took a line but I wasn't with you

There was more of it there, when I got back home

But you had left me, you don't know my soul

You're a whole bad mistake, yeah, you're a whole one

Matt's departure

19-2000

The world is spinning too fast

I'm buying lead nike shoes

To keep myself tethered

To the days I've tried to lose

My mama said to slow down

You must make your own shoes

Out there

Humility

I'm the lonely twin, the left hand

Reset myself and get back on track

I don't want this isolation

See the state I'm in now?

Callin' the hunter with a rifle

'Cause right now that's the ball where we be chained

Shoot it true

I want you in the picture

That's why I'm calling you

Pac-man

I’m a mad pac-man

Livin' in a levelled world

Everywhere I go I don't know where I am

You can call me crack, you can call me mad and cyborg

You can load my head, and sell me into bathing light

Everybody knows, when I was sad, I fell for you

Everywhere I go, no stressin' out, no stressin' out

Feel good inc.

City's breaking down on a camel's back

They just have to go 'cause they don't know whack

So while you fill the streets, it's appealing to see

You won't get undercounted 'cause you're damned and free

You got a new horizon, it's ephemeral style

A melancholy town where we never smile

And all I wanna hear is the message beep

My dreams, they got her kissing, 'cause I don't get sleep, no

Momentary bliss

The truth, the bills, they must be paid

And what is left, is salt and cake, typical

All you need to change your face

You're gettin' sold, it's such a waste

You know, we could do so much better than this

Swimmin' in pools of momentary bliss

Where you gotta find a family 'cause everybody taken

They worry you keep on adding

I think you gotta crawl

Dirty harry

I need a gun to keep myself among

The poor people are burning in the sun

No, they ain't got a chance

They ain't got a chance

I need a gun

'Cause all I do is dance

Working for an old friend

Interlude: new world

She gave me a call

That brought me back

Back, back, back

The elevator

The new world

I just wanted to be close to you

The new world

I'm tired

Seems like I was alright again

That brought me back

I just wanted to be close to you

Strobelite

Slide the light off you

You may find some peace

All will come to you

If you come with me

Are we just too far to be as one again?

Are we obsidian?

Is this how it ends?

She's my collar

I'm yellow, he was blue

It's nothing that he could hide

We made agreement though

Whenever we were so alive

I died a thousand times

I did what I had to do

Hey, that's just how it goes

I'm still coming back to you

Sex murder party

You always said

I was out of control

Teach me hatred

Then let me go

You didn't care, no truth and no dare

In the bathroom, blow everywhere

Now you're so high, kiss all the guys

Making me jealous, I wonder why

Every planet we reach is dead

Dreams aren't bad, I had turned back

I love the girl

But God only knows it's

Getting hard to see the sun coming through

I love you

But what are we going to do?

Rock bottom (or something similar)

Sleeping powder

I get dropped from where I belong

I take my pills and I get in the mood and I

Take five to get it to load in

Even in the place

And I get my jeans on right

And sit in the rows and

Inside I live in a cage and I

Peek out and summon the code and I

Enter the lake to face what I'm cagin'

Souk eye

Why you rolling waves over me now, that's all I need, dreaming

Waiting on a lady, come find me, be forgiven

I'll be a regular guy for you, I never said I'd do that

Why you looking so beautiful to me now when you're so sad?

Broken

It's by the light

Of the plasma screens

We keep switched on

All through the night while we sleep

There's nothing you can do for them

They are the force between

When the sunlight is arising

El mañana

I saw that day

Lost my mind

Lord, I'll find

Maybe in time

You'll want to be mine

Busted and blue

Where do they come from?

The wires that connect to us

Weightless and fall on your body

'Till we're invisible

I'm with you throughout it, choose

Busted and blue

Climbing up (or something like that)

Melancholy hill

Well you can't get what you want

But you can get me

So let's set out to sea

'Cause you are my medicine

When you're close to me

Empire ants

Oh joy's arise

The sun has come again to hold you

Sailing out the doldrums of the whole week

The polyphonic prairies here, it's all around you

It's all around you, out here

And if the whole world is crashing down

Fall through space out of mind again

Where the emptiness we leave behind on warm air rising

Blows all the shadows far away

Demon days

Well these demon days are so cold inside

It's so hard to live, and so to survive

You can't even trust the air you breathe

'Cause Mother Earth has a soul to leave

When lies become reality

You love yourself because it's easy

Pick yourself up it's a brand new day

So turn yourself round

Don't burn yourself, turn yourself

Turn yourself around to the soul

Hallelujah money

Don't worry, my friend

If this be the end, then so shall it be

Until we say so, nothing will move

Ah, don't worry

It's not against our morals

It's legally tender

Touch my friend

While the whole world

And whole beasts of nations desire

Power

When the morning comes

We are still human

How will we know?

How will we dream?

How will we love?

How will we know?

#thank you senkasenkisenkaroo so much i know ive been spamming u w ideas loö #honestly the self indulgence here is off the charts #mail jeevas? is this how you tag #death note #i guess?#mello #matt #do people TAG THINGS?

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lifethelucid · 5 years

Text

a take on re-inc.

What is re-inc?

I think everyone has had this question permeating in their minds even after reading through their website. Here are my thoughts:

Let’s define re- real quick—

re- WORD ORIGIN. a prefix, occurring originally in loanwords from Latin, used with the meaning “again” or “again and again” to indicate repetition, or with the meaning “back” or “backward” to indicate withdrawal or backward motion

Re-imagine. Re-define. Re-think. These are just some of the words the company repeats over and over. Again and again. For a lot of us, especially me, I was very skeptical of how this lifestyle brand could “re-imagine the status quo and society.” How can a clothing brand do that? Especially a clothing brand that is in the same spirit of a hype beast/streetwear brand like Supreme, Off White, Undefeated.

So. What makes Re-Inc. different? Unlike, their more notable and seasoned counterparts, the relatively new brand isn’t trying to stick out a brand. Because that’s not their focus. They don’t want their focus on their company, they want their focus on the people that will wear their brand. Which is why over and over they say that this is created for you (--by Tobin 😉). This brand applies a minimalistic take on self-expression—being vague in order to be able to fitted and matched by many. If you take a look at other brands that seemingly are also minimalistic, they still find a way to stick out and highlight their brand—ultimately taking the focus on themselves, their identity, as opposed to the individual. Let’s take a look shall we?

Supreme Box Logo White T-shirt.

This design, though simple, still begs for your attention with the bright red design of the brand. In a way, it uses simple and minimalistic elements in order to STILL highlight the brand.

Now let’s put that in comparison to the newly released RWB capsule from Re-inc.

Tobin says it herself. The monochromaticity and muteness of color and style allows for the autonomy of self-expression. It allows for more possibilities of being reimagined, redesigned, and redefined. This brand is made to be molded to the person, not necessarily for the person to be molded to it. This is what will make Re-Inc revolutionary. Clothing lines are often brand-centered. But Re-inc is people-centered. They want you to be able to take their pieces and wear them with whatever you have and/or mix and match it with their other pieces. That’s the beauty of its minimalism and its simplicity. Within its simplicity, you can find your own specificity, your design, your individualism—your identity.

Excerpt from Christen Press’ answer to Why did you want to start re-inc?

“I think that especially in our sport, and in many people’s lives in America and this Western philosophy, we see everything as being a slice of a pie, so zero-sum. And so, in that way we’re in direct competition with each other…

And so, actually, we’ve organically come to this idea of working together and, actually instead of working within a pie, creating new pies. Being infinite and expansive.”

Basically what I got from this ‘interview’ was that not only are they trying to reflect their ideologies in their fashion, but in the way they’re going about their business too. Not only do they want to revolutionize the fashion, they want to be able to change the tide of the overwhelmingly capitalistic wave of American/Western business (and this would be through collaboration and whatnot—she mentions this at some other point in that video).

^this right here is what they’re all about. The message in this is exactly why this was one of their first posts when purging their Instagram. They want to emphasize that this brand is for the bodies that will wear these clothes. They want you to know that the power to change the status quo is on us—that we have the autonomy to redefine their wear and create something new. And I’m totally guessing, but I bet, they also want people to be able to push this mindset in our personal lives beyond clothing.

Disclaimer: these are just my thoughts. Please don’t @ me. Lol.

with love,

#christen press #uswnt #re-inc #reinc #tobin heath #megan klingenberg #megan rapinoe #utah royals #portland thorns #reign fc #preath #lol

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stick-by-me · 1 month

Text

They're so small...

New follower sticker for: @boxocats!

More like this from my collection: Dogs (coming soon!)

#Mind Wave inc brand #stickers #sticker collection #new follower sticker!#Cute cats for you :3 #cats :3 #animals #cute #bunny's favorites #Itty bitty

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thekrazykeke · 5 years

Text

You’re Perfect

Fandom(s): Attack on Titan, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Batman: the Animated series, Bleach, Black Butler, DragonFable, Dragon Ball Z, Fruits Basket, Fullmetal Alchemist, Hellsing, John Wick, Naruto, Ouran Highschool, Persona 5, SkipBeat!, Suicide Squad, Telltale the Walking Dead, Tokyo Ghoul, Vampire Knight, and more!

Relationship(s): TBD.

Rating: K+ through MA.

Summary: What would you do if had the ability to ignore the boundary between reality and fiction? To be with your ideal person who only exists in anime, manga, movies, and games, etc.? With the power to go wherever you want to, would you stay in a fantastical world or return to reality?

Warning(s): Will be tagged appropriately per chapter and fandom, etc. etc.

Taglist: Click here to be added.

Tagging: @misspooh @ginghampearlsnsweettea @naomithenerdgirl @wojtud-widvut-fecret @indigorose049 @queenofhearts579 @fallinoutoforbit @ashthebootyholetickler @one-twisted-bee @stichpatched

Those with the strikethrough in their name, I’ll be sending the link through to your DMs, so please leave it open. I’d like to say that the listed fandoms is a cursory overview, and is prone to change. If you have something you’d like me to write about, a fandom and anime you want me to watch, don’t hesitate to tell me. I intend this to be a long running thing for all of us nerds to enjoy together. With that said, this is only the prologue and I hope to improve the chapter length and such from here onwards.

Stay so stay tuned, hit that like button, reblog, comment, whatever you prefer. Ciao~

Prologue

A Normal Day Turned...?

December 11, 20XX RealityLux, Inc. 5:36 P.M.

It never stopped being so jarring.

Being outside, or even, just surrounded by people, no, by strangers, all hustling and bustling, either on their way to some type of appointment, or work, or a friend/family member’s house, or, or something... Everyone always seemed to have a set destination in mind, and they were determined to get there.

Sometimes you found yourself unwillingly swept up in the crowd, with the vibe, the urge, to actually go along with the flow, curious to see where that feeling would take you.

The outcome for occasionally submitting to these whimsical flights of fancy led to awesome destinations, such as a brand new internet cafe that you’d never heard of but quickly fell in love with because of the decor and ambiance, or the park that boasted some of the best up-and-coming local urban artists, and even the black owned businesses which sold your prefered clothing style at a reasonable price.

During days like those, it felt as if you truly had the best of luck.

Well, honestly, the past several years felt like that.

Unluckily for you, you’d grown up into and been around long enough to witness the travesty and endless tragedies that plagued this crooked nation due to warmonger presidents like Bush. Cried with overwhelming joy when President Obama was elected, and cried again when his final term ended.

You’d wept furious tears over the fact that Hilary had not been elected, even though she was really just more of the same, and could not sleep peacefully during the four years that President Orange was in the White House. You’d lived through terror and injustice and bigotry. Or, well, correction, people stopped pretending to care whether or not they were labeled as racists and Neo Nazis. You learned to keep your head down even more during that time, to watch out for people not just at night time, but also during the day.

America has always been a terrible country instilled with hypocrites to the extreme but those four years had aged you well beyond your years. After Trump’s impeachment, although his Vice President tried to step up to the plate, it would seem that a higher power decided to have mercy.

Michelle Obama decided to run for President, and she won.

During her time in the White House, many things, both gradually and quickly, came to pass. Things that were long overdue, such as the rich and elitist members of society paying more on taxes, minimum wage being increased, pedophiles and rapists getting the maximum sentences, college tuition was lowered to an affordable price or free altogether, increased salary for women, etc. There just isn’t any possible way that Michelle would be able to undo the ugliness and rot that infected America for so many years. You still hated this country, but with her in charge, you learned to hate it just a little less.

Pop!

With a blink, you found yourself smiling on autopilot. Two of your coworkers, Jessica and Kate, were laughing and giggling as they poured themselves some bubbly champagne before going around the room.

“Aaaand youuu,” The bubbles are floating to the top, the scent of the champagne wafting upwards to your nose, “Get the rest because you clinched that deal with Bandai.” Kate praised, flashing her bleached white toothed smile in your direction. “Go, [Your Last Name]! Woo!”

“Ohh, we’re cheering now! Woo-wooo!!” Jessica joined in, raising her free hand in an enthusiastic wave.

Raising the glass in a faint salute, “Mm, c’mon, guys.” You took a sip of your drink. “This was a team effort.” Actually it wasn’t, but it sounded better to say it that way.

“Don’t be so modest, [Your Last Name].” One of the few random guys at the party piped up. “C’mon, give us a speech!”

Before you knew it, several more people had took up the call.

“Speech! Speech! Speech!”

Closing your eyes briefly, you inhale and then exhale. Raising your glass, you smiled a bit wider, and waited until they settled down. “It’s been an honor to work with you all for so many years. I hope to be working with you for many more years to come.Thank you.”

Short, sweet and to the point.

It gained a few good natured groans and people wanting to hear more, but they were quickly distracted by the caterers who brought in food and more wine and champagne. That was the perfect opportunity for you to sneak off, claiming that you were going to use the bathroom, placing the flute of half drunk alcohol on the nearest table while on the way out the door.

As soon as you were in the hallway, away from your colleagues, the (fake) smile that’s been plastered on your face all day fell off. You walked as quickly as possible with the four inch heels you’re wearing, reaching a flight of stairs and held onto the railing as hustled down them.

There’s a smile is on your face again as you take that last step, and this time, it’s genuine, because of the man holding his hand out to you so gallantly. You took his hand with a little laugh, accepting the small bouquet that he offered with his free hand.

“Cinderella rushing off from her ball before it’s even midnight. Classic, I love it.” He winked. You rolled your eyes and whacked him on the arm lightly. “Oh! Ow.” Feigning injury, he clutched at the ‘hurting’ part. “Violent. I guess you’re not Cinderella but that kick ass girl from Ella Enchanted.”

“Shut up. You’re so ridiculous, Mr. Hunt.” Shaking your head, you pretended to be upset, looking away with a huff. Only to really huff with annoyance when your ear is flicked. “Eli, stop~”

“That’s right, you better call me by my first name. ‘Mr. Hunt’ is my father, as you well know, little girl.” Eli grabbed you by both your hands, tugging you ever closer.

And closer.

Close enough that you catch a whiff of his cologne that he’s wearing and it smells expensive, woodsy.

Perfect.

“Eli, you found her!”

The moment is broken.

You jerked your hands free and smile automatically as another woman came running up to you and Eli, holding onto a wrapped, square box. “Kymbrea, hey!” You open your arms and laugh slightly as she handed off the package to Eli before wrapping her arms around you in a hug. After a few minutes, you patted her on the back to signal her to let go and she did, accepting the package back again, before holding it out to you.

“Congrats on getting that deal with Bandai. Knew you could do it. So proud of you, best friend!” Kymbrea happily proclaimed. “C’mon, open it, open it, open it.” With a needling voice, she gently cajoled you.

“Kym, hey, baby, that’s enough.” With a slight laugh, Eli tugged her out of your space. A pang went through your heart and the smile on your face felt a little brittle. Neither of them seemed to notice, thank god. “I’ll take this wild woman off your hands.” As he glanced at you, smiling as if nothing was amiss, as if he hadn’t been... Hell, you didn’t even know anymore. Maybe it’s all in your head? With an awkward nod and smile, that he accepted without issue, he wrapped his arm around her waist, leading her up the stairs, “We’ll see you later, [Your Name].”

You watched them go upstairs for a minute or two, feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed and dismissed. Swallowing the lump in your throat, hands still full with the gifts, you instead push those unnecessary feelings to the side.

Walking out the lobby to the front entrance, where the valet already has your car pulled up and ready for you, key dangling from his hand. You ignore his curious, slightly concerned stare, tossing the bouquet inside and on the backseat, the wrapped package getting only slightly better treatment.

Snagging the car key, you hand him a tip and then go around to the driver’s side, climbed in and then closed the door after you. Adjusting the heat in the car and the mirrors, you put the key in the ignition, made sure no one was behind you before taking off.

The further and further away you get from the rented out hotel, the less the feeling in your chest aches. It’s something you don’t take much stock in, you can’t afford to. For awhile, you drive around, only to eventually come to your favorite market.

It was getting dark, so you decided to do a quick in ‘I’m feeling sorry for myself’ and out run. So chocolate, poptarts, bottles of Lipton tea, the usual. All in all, less than fifteen minutes and then you were driving to your apartment. Seeing it from a distance still took your breath away.

You’d done this, this was your life, after all this time, you’d achieved that which seemed unachievable.

Living at the top, finally. It didn’t matter that it felt a little like a hollow victory.

After having a small conversation with the doorman, politely declining his help with your groceries and the two gifts you’d received. Your neighbor, some white guy you didn’t know the name of, didn’t allow you to refuse, citing reasons for why it wouldn’t be decent to let you suffer this alone, and eventually you agreed if only to get to him to stop; together, you and he caught the elevator for the top floor where your apartment is. Letting yourself in first, you told him thanks for the help, and he smiled, lingering. You handed him whatever was left in your wallet, a generous amount and still he lingered. It was starting to be uncomfortable so you slammed the door in his face, locking it shut quickly. quickly kicking off your heels and slipping on your flip flops.

Tossing the flowers into the trash, you began to put away most of the groceries, leaving only a couple boxes of poptarts and a case of tea out. The sound of running water is loud in the apartment, but familiar. Cleaning out a mug, you pour the bottled tea inside, along with a few ice cubes, grabbing the matching saucer.

Walking into the living room, you turned on the TV, placing the mug of tea on the coffee table side the couch. Reaching into your back pocket of your pants, you pull out your cell phone, also putting it on the coffee table after putting it on ‘read’.

Much more comfortable.

Sitting on the couch with your feet tucked neatly in criss-cross applesauce style, leaning back against the pillow, you grabbed the PS4 controller, pressing the power button and quickly choosing the game that you’d digitally downloaded. Thankfully, it’s fully downloaded and updated, ready to play.

For hours, you lose yourself in the combat, grunting with dissatisfaction when your on screen character is overwhelmed, or cheering with triumph when you finally beat a mini boss or passed a quest.

Only once your fingers started to cramp and you couldn’t ignore the urge to drink the tea, did you press pause. Sipping at your tea, you flexed your fingers, pressing the button on your cellphone and it lit up, showing off your message from Kymbrea which read simply ‘U play it yet?’ and inadvertently, you gaze drifted to the package sitting by your front door, which you’d dropped carelessly.

Feeling guilty, you huff out a sigh.

Getting up again, lightly tossing the controller back onto the couch, you walk over the package, picking it up and returning to your original spot. Carefully peeling off the wrapper, you reveal a totally pitch black box except for the bright red logo XR on it.

Raising an eyebrow, you opened the box and pull out a VR headset, a tiny controller, and instructions. Shaking the box, wondering if that’s it, out fluttered a piece of paper in pretty, delicate cursive, ‘I’ve already uploaded everything I knew you’d like. Happy early Christmas! xo, K.’

Shrugging, you sighed and completely decided to let what happened earlier go. Kymbrea had done nothing wrong, she is your best friend. If anything, you’re the problem. With that little (depressing) pep talk finished, you fired off a text, telling her thanks and that you were checking out her gift now. Once that’s finished, you set up the VR headset, all the cables and cords, and then put the headset on after making sure everything is up to date.

After some labels and companies that you didn’t know about and you assumed were associated with the game popped up in front of your vision, after that, that’s when things got a bit weird. There’s a black woman, who looks terribly, terribly familiar, walking straight towards you. Before she gets too close, she stops and tilts her head in that same weird mannerism that you know, but--

/Welcome to HTC Vive, the virtual reality which caters to all your needs. Before we can move on to the first chapter of the game, we’ll have to go through the registration to make sure everything is in order. Is that okay?/

Resisting the urge to groan out loud by Kymbrea’s utter cheesiness, yet also grudgingly appreciating the gesture, you decide to fight through the embarrassment because the AI looks so familiar to you because she was created, designed, whatever the term, to look exactly like you.

Once you finish up registration, verifying that yes, you’re over 18, and yes, you’re over 21, you don’t mind violence or gore, you know to take breaks and be careful of flashing lights, etc.

/So, the initial set up is complete. Some chapters will be better established with voice recognition, but can be played without. Do you wish to install this software?/

Literally going to kill Kymbrea, just shove a pillow over her face and smother her to death. Unwittingly, you groaned in sheer torture, before saying yes, feeling your skin heat with embarrassment.

/Understood. Voice recognition approved./

The AI’s voice changed to suit yours and whoa, that was kind of freaky but also pretty awesome?

Whatever, you’d think seriously about it later.

/We’re about to start your journey. Please make sure that you’ve done everything you needed to do beforehand because this chapter will be shorter or longer to suit your needs./

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Come on, come on. Once you answered the last minute questions, such as what you wanted to be called, your preference for your partners (male/female or otherwise), and other 18+ questions that you refused to admit got you hot under the collar, as soon as you hit the ‘Accept’ button, that’s when things really, truly honestly got weird.

Technicolors burst across your vision. The AI lady took steps towards you and she wasn’t stopping. You were freaked the fuck out something terrible, cussing up a storm and as you reached up, about to pull the headset off, figuring this had to be some kind of mcfucking joke or jumpscare or something, and then her hand is touching yours and that shouldn’t be possible at all.You open your mouth to scream but nothing comes out, or you don’t think it does?

You hear static and your vision turns black.

»»————-　　————-««

Stay tuned for the next update of You’re Perfect! You wake up in the bed of........?

#fic #miscellaneous #fics #black reader #awkward reader #misc fics #multifandom #black gamer #multifandom fic #thekrazykeke

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kalyan-gullapalli · 4 years

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Post # 081

40 years of Zen...

Dave Asprey is an American entrepreneur and author, who is best known for his firm - The Bulletproof 360 Inc., his branded product - The Bulletproof coffee, and his bestselling book - The Bulletproof diet.

But if you ask him, he will call himself a biohacker. He says he has hacked his body, understood how it works and has designed a diet and lifestyle that reverses aging. He claims he will live for 180 years!!!

He has also ventured into the scarcely gone arena of hacking the mind. He does something called "40 years of Zen". This is so very interesting.

"40 years of Zen" is a 5 day programme that brings you the benefits of 21 to 40 years of advanced Zen meditation.

Participants are hooked up to some of the most cutting edge, specialized equipment that measure brain waves and give live feedback. They are taught various meditation techniques and for each technique, they are given feedback as to what type of brain waves are generated.

Just for context:

Alpha waves = High creativity, compassion, insight, love. Theta waves = Flashes of creativity and intuition. Delta waves = Altering reality.

The 5 day programme takes the participants through intense sessions that are designed to optimize these brain waves. The programme claims that at the end of all the sessions the participants minds are exactly like those of Zen monks who have been meditating for 21 to 40 years. Amazing, isn't it?

Here is what hit me the hardest!

Vishen Lakhiani, the author of the amazing book The Code of the extraordinary mind, took the programme. He says that the single biggest practice that increases the generation of alpha brain waves is Forgiveness.

The bulk of the 5 day programme is designed to identify, accept, come to terms with, and remove feelings of grudge, resentment and anger, which are storehouses of negative energies that pull back creativity and insight.

The wires and the machines prove what sages and monks have been saying for long - Anger and resentment hurt the holder more than their object.

For the curious minds, the programme costs between USD 15000 to 25000 (Approximately 12 to 20 lacs INR). Yeah! Expensive! The other way is to meditate for 40 years. :-)

#dave Asprey #Bulletproof #Bulletproof diet #Bulletproof 360 inc #bulletproof coffee #40 years of zen #meditation #brain waves #alpha waves #creativity #insight #biohacker #quantified self #vishenlakhiani #the code of the extraordinary mind

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lil-rosequartz-princess · 4 years

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I decided to grab a couple articles on cultural appropriation of smudging as well as ethical issues. Please feel free to discuss your feelings on this if you are of a tribe that uses smudging.

Smudging

Smudging, or saging, has become a trendy wellness practice that some people use to cleanse "bad energy" from their homes or their space. Smudging is an important ritual for many indigenous people: An article by Indigenous Corporate Training, Inc., a Canadian organization that delivers anti-bias trainings, says that “Smudging is traditionally a ceremony for purifying or cleansing the soul of negative thoughts of a person or place,” and that it is a term mostly originating from indigenous tribes in North America. So when non-native people burn sage to "smudge" their homes or other spaces, it can minimize the cultural importance of this ritual, and have a negative impact on how the herbs are grown. Instead, advocates say non-native people can learn to cleanse their spaces in ways that are culturally and ecologically sensitive. There are lots of ways to achieve the benefits of smudging by using more ethical practices, terminology, and materials.

“It was illegal for Natives to practice their religion until 1978 in the U.S., and many were jailed and killed just for keeping our ways alive, including my great-great grandfather,” Ruth Hopkins, a Dakota/Lakota Sioux writer, tells Bustle. Smudging is part of those practices. It’s so important to certain indigenous cultures, that Native people are fighting to be able to perform it in hospitals. Smudging, therefore, is not to be taken lightly.

Because white sage is in such high demand, thanks to this recent trendiness, the Chumash people (of what is now called Southern California) are concerned that the plant is being overharvested. The United States Department of Agriculture says that white sage has important medical benefits — it is used to cure colds and aid postpartum healing — and it’s a crucial part of the surrounding ecosystem. But some brands continue to sell white sage, despite Native communities speaking out against it. Hopkins says that this behavior is unacceptable. “It’s exploitative and amounts to silencing Native voices and erasing our cultural heritage,” she says.

For Hopkins, the appropriation of sage is made worse because the plant is often not being harvested correctly. “When using medicinal plants, it’s important that the plant is used sustainably. When we pick sage, we always leave the root and say a prayer of thanks for our harvest. This is as much a part of smudging (or saging) as burning the plant is,” Hopkins says. To explain further, it’s important to leave the root, because that’s how the plant grows back. If someone is harvesting white sage and doesn’t know to leave the root, they’re preventing more plants from growing.

If you have used herbs to cleanse your space in the past and enjoy the ritual, you don't have to give it up in order to so in a culturally conscious way. Smudging refers to a specific healing cultural spiritual practice, but smoke cleansing can look a lot like smudging, but it’s just the simple act of burning herbs, wood, incense, or other safe-to-burn materials that possess unique cleansing properties. The smoke is then waved over the area you want to cleanse. You can smoke cleanse whatever you want, as much as you want. Some cultures may have spiritual practices connected to smoke cleansing, but the act of smoke cleansing is not inherently spiritual or specific to a certain culture, like smudging is.

Personally, I like to smoke cleanse with a cinnamon stick. It leaves me feeling spiritually focused and relaxed. And there are other materials, including lavender, pine, and cloves, that can be burned safely. Palo Santo ("holy wood” in Spanish) sticks have been getting more popular as an alternative to sage, but buying this Central and South American tree used by Amazonian tribes can also be harmful, in similar ways to sage. Palo Santo has been added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) list, because its overharvesting can lead to extinction, although the tree is not nearing extinction currently.

If smoke cleansing is something that makes you feel calm, then go for it! It's important, however, that in the process, you're respecting Indigenous cultures and the land's ecosystem. That may mean harvesting your own sage or other herbs sustainably, contacting brands to ask them to stop selling white sage without giving due to Native cultures, or using another material. Ultimately, being intentional about how you implement this practice in your life — and being mindful about its origins and significance — is helpful for everyone.

Source: https://www.bustle.com/p/is-burning-sage-cultural-appropriation-heres-how-to-smoke-cleanse-in-sensitive-ways-18208360

Sage

This year it was evident due to the social media reaction that people were expressing anger and concern over the increase in commercialization of white sage (Salvia apiana) and the cultural appropriation and offensive marketing that overlooks ethics and ecological, cultural awareness of a deeply sacred and spiritual plant.

The rumblings on social media in regards to those who claimed to wildcraft white sage, along with selling the wildcrafted material that was being gathered from public lands, were clues that the balance between respectful wildcrafting and the use of terms like “ethical wildcrafting and sustainable wildcrafting” for personal use versus commercial gain was being pushed to its limit.

In October of 2018, “Cleaning Space Kits” including white sage bundles appeared on the shelves of Anthropologie, and with the collective social media outcry they were removed from the stores almost immediately—thank you, Anthropologie. At this time white sage can be purchased on Amazon and Walmart websites and on the shelves of stores such as Urban Outfitters in pre-packaged new aged kits. This is a serious indicator of alarm for many who know and respect the ecological and cultural fragility of this plant.

One of the most active voices in the social media outcry is the IG @Meztliprojects. Meztli Projects is an Indigenous based arts and culture collaborative, based in Los Angeles. Meztli Projects brilliantly updated the Wikipedia page on white sage to provide information on the recent controversy, citing the illegal harvest arrests and current press on this issue over the last two years.

Commercial harvest of wild white sage populations is a concern held by many Native American groups, herbalists, and conservationists. In June 2018, four people were arrested for the illegal harvest of 400 pounds of white sage in North Etiwanda Preserve in California.

It is very difficult when companies make claims of sustainable harvest when we have no accountability within a very secretive trade. In some cases permits are given on public lands for commercial harvest of economically valued plants, but in the case of white sage no such permit exists. The only way this would be legal is if harvesting took place on private land with permission. What I learned when I was in California and visited the Etiwanda Preserve was that it is the epicenter of the current commercial harvest. The rangers that I spoke with described a very difficult situation in that it is mostly undocumented individuals that are desperate for the work, putting themselves in danger, sneaking into the Etiwanda Preserve to harvest. The residents living near the preserve, working with law enforcement to help coordinate efforts to address the issue were responsible for the recent arrest in June of 2018. This came about when four undocumented individuals were arrested with over 400 pounds of white sage harvested from the preserve.

The North Etiwanda Preserve is a unique Riversidean Alluvial Fan Sage Scrub plant community that provides protection for a number of sensitive plant and wildlife species, several of which are Federal or State listed threatened or endangered. Listed endangered species that may occur on the Preserve include the least Bell’s vireo, California gnatcatcher, the southwestern willow flycatcher, and San Bernardino Merriam’s kangaroo rat. Sensitive species include Los Angeles pocket mouse, San Diego black-tailed jackrabbit, American badger, coastal cactus wren, San Diego horned lizard, coastal western whiptail, Southern sagebrush lizard, San Bernardino ring-necked snake, coastal rosy boa, Coast patch-nosed snake, mountain yellow-legged frog, two-striped garter snake, Parry’s spineflower, and Plummer’s mariposa lily.

The Management Plan for the preserve acknowledges that the area is considered to be a sacred site by the Gabrielino-Shoshoni Nation and Serrano people and is currently being used for cultural purposes. It further states in the management plan their priority actions of conducting historical research, coordinating with tribes to facilitate access for ceremonies, and collection of white sage. When I spoke to a preserve manager, she confirmed the Preserve’s efforts to provide permits to tribal members for collection of sage for ceremonial use.

The San Bernardino associated governments along with multiple state agencies, federal/USFWS, local universities, and non-profits manage the preserve, which was first established in 1998 and expanded with highway mitigation funds in 2009. Working together the management plan establishes its principle goals.

Management Plan principal goals:

Preservation of Native Species, Habitats, and Ecosystem Processes;

Protection and preservation of Cultural Resources;

Monitoring Existing Habitats, Species, and Physical Conditions;

Restoration of Disturbed On-Site Habitats;

Develop and Maintain an Informational Database

What is important to stress is that this underground sage mafia is not ethical or sustainable wildcrafting as it is portrayed in hipster IG accounts and stores! The scale of white sage commercial trade on the Internet and demand in China is alarming. United Plant Savers is working with agents at the USFWS and at the State level to provide as much insight as possible into the trade so that law enforcement can be informed to protect the preserve. I was invited by the owner of a white sage company to meet at the Etiwanda Preserve in March of 2019; he wanted to show his sustainable harvesting methods. I quickly pulled out my phone to show him that it was against the law to do so, and that recent arrests had been made. He carried on as if that was not the case, and fortunately law enforcement arrived and I was able to get confirmation of the laws in regards to the preserve from the officer on the spot. His story quickly changed, and he claimed he no longer wildharvested but had a farm where he is now growing sage for his company. I tried to convey why the preserve did not allow commercial harvest permits and the level of community engagement that goes into ensuring safe haven for threatened and endangered species. Certainly he was proud to show off his harvesting technique and make claims to be a former student of Michael Moore, but he lacked ecological knowledge of the diversity of species in the habitat he claimed to sustainably harvest, not to mention basic laws surrounding wild harvest of plants on state and federal lands.

It can be frustrating when attempts to inform stores who sell sage bundles respond that they are getting their sage from those that claim sustainable harvesting techniques and have all the right verbiage on their social media and websites. Consumers and retailers need to understand laws in regards to wild plants because even if one’s techniques are sustainable, if it is not permitted, then it is illegal. A first step for a buyer or consumer is to ask to see a permit.

White sage is abundant in its local habitat as a keystone species of its plant community, but that habitat is under threat due to development and it is fragile, apparent by the many endangered and threatened species that rely on its habitat. Most important to note is that it can be grown, and if it is to be in any form of commercial trade and certainly on the scale it is now, the only sustainability claims should be that it is coming from a cultivated source, and a buyer should always visit the farm to verify the claim.

Traveling throughout California to understand the state of sage habitats and the cultural teachings of white sage, I came across the recently published book Kumeyaay Ethnobotany at the Anza Borrego Visitors Center. The photograph by Rose Ramirez caught my attention and through a Google search I was able to locate her and ask permission to use the image for the cover of this year’s journal.

We then began a dialogue on the issues and concerns over its recent popularity and I asked if she would provide me a quote to share from the perspective of an indigenous elder. Here is the quote she provided me.

“We do not sell white sage. If you need it as a medicine and we have it, we’re going to give it to you. We discourage selling medicine plants, spiritual plants, because we don’t know if the person collected them in a good way, with a good heart. But if you have white sage growing in your own back yard, you would know because you would be taking care of it.” – Barbara Drake, Tongva Elder

I found the quote she shared from Barbara Drake that speaks to why they discourage selling of spiritual plants on a commercial scale because one does not know if the person who is collecting them is doing so in a good way, with a good heart as very profound. Wildharvesting can be detrimental to the plant and/or the species that relies on the plant, but often it is most harmful to those who are harvesting, when they are forced into doing so for very little because they are in a desperate situation. This is why programs like fair wild are important because they address the fair treatment of those communities of harvesters and the plants, and this is important. If we the consumers want to be healed by the plants, then should we not want those who are harvesting to be treated fairly? Conversely harvesting wild plants when regulated and when harvesters are treated fairly can result in beneficial relationships, for both consumer and harvester, and the harvester and the plants, as well as for the plants and their habitat. It seemed serendipitous that my year would be filled with two impactful sage encounters, when I learned about the wild sage native to Albania facing overharvesting in the wild due to unregulated trade and the herbal companies working towards a solution by transitioning to cultivated sage and support to small scale farmers. The Ethnobotany Project is a collaboration among Rose Ramirez, Deborah Small, and the Malki Baliena Press, working together to document southern California and northern Baja California’s Native people’s contemporary uses of native plants. The primary goal is to create a resource for Native people in this region to share and learn traditional knowledge about native plant uses and gathering practices. The project began in 2007. Two publications have resulted so far: a 2010 large-scale calendar and a book in 2015. The Malki Museum, founded in 1965 by Native Americans (Dr. Katherine Siva Saubel and Jane Penn) on a California Indian Reservation, is the oldest non-profit museum and has been the inspiration for several other museums. My journey to understand the complexity of white sage has been a learning journey to the many state and federal recognized tribes and the diverse projects and museums working hard to revive and celebrate cultural and ecological diversity that is more beautiful and powerful. I would encourage those who are drawn to white sage to spend time researching the cultures that have tended its habitat and choose a smudge that you build a personal relationship with and question the idea of ethical wild crafting, considering the habitat, the harvester, the laws, the cultures, and the medicinal teachings. Source: https://unitedplantsavers.org/what-is-going-on-with-white-sage/

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dippedanddripped · 5 years

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Outside Noah’s shop in New York, a smiling family of tourists stops to take pictures in front of a mural of a cartoon pig in a suit with the caption “Pig Brother is watching you.”

The references to author George Orwell’s dystopian novels Animal Farm and 1984 were also printed and sold on T-shirts and trucker hats as part of Noah’s 2019 spring collection. Because in today’s polarized climate, promoting in-your-face politics is clever business—and for this almost 5-year-old brand, it is the business.

Founded by Brendon Babenzien and his wife, Estelle, in 2015, Noah has hit a sweet spot by selling an identity seemingly in conflict: surfers, skaters, and punk rock fans who want to challenge the man while wearing nicely made fabrics and colorful shirts. He’s so far bet correctly that the generation that grew up on new wave and hip-hop didn’t automatically turn into dorks once they started having children of their own.

The two of them expanded the store this summer. It’s on a downtown corner of New York where SoHo and Little Italy meet the Lower East Side. In one room are corduroy pants and madras shirts that could have been rescued from your grandfather’s closet; elsewhere are tees that reference hardcore bands like Youth of Today and the underground straight edge culture of the 1980s and ’90s.

Babenzien grew up in East Islip, on Long Island, where he developed what became Noah’s penchant for nautical stripes and the classic polos, rugby shirts, hoodies, and sweaters that dominate seafaring leisure pursuits. Imagine the staple items of J.Crew, made with the premium fabrics of a Loro Piana, with a supply chain managed as tightly as Hermès’s, but with a subversive design angle that’s entirely singular. It’s the only clothing shop in New York with An Introduction to Sailing and a copy of the Skate Jawn zine on its bookshelves.

Before Noah, Babenzien spent more than a decade leading design for Supreme, taking it from influential streetwear brand to global luxury phenomenon. He left the company two years before private equity firm the Carlyle Group bought a 50% stake for $500 million, essentially valuing Supreme at $1 billion.

Despite that success, Babenzien always wanted to run his own company, his own way. “In a business meeting before we launched this, when I said all the things we wanted to do—to make cool clothes, but not so cool that they weren’t accessible, to be responsible when it came to the environment to the best of our ability, to inform customers about making better choices, to make clothes in First World countries with environmental laws and labor laws—I was told, ‘You can’t do that. It’s impossible,’ ” Babenzien says.

And it might have been if not for Donald Trump. In the early days of the company, leading up to the 2016 election, Noah’s social media profiles were outspokenly supportive of movements such as Black Lives Matter, and it released shirts emblazoned with the words “Anti Nazi League”—all of which garnered more than a few comments telling it to “stick to business.”

Instead of apologizing, the brand did something, well, punk rock: It offered a full refund on any Noah purchases for those who planned to vote for Trump. “I kind of freaked out on Brendon, because it started to pick up some press,” says Beau Wollens, Noah’s chief operating officer. “I was scared of people taking advantage of it.”

Not only did no one claim a refund, the resulting attention brought a new wave of like-minded consumers. By its second year, Noah had opened a store in Tokyo. Later it opened two concession shops inside the New York and Los Angeles locations of the trendy Dover Street Market retail outlet.

It’s begun expanding into new product categories while still keeping true to the tenets its customers have come to love. For the fall, Babenzien has introduced traditionally made topcoats embroidered with ’80s-style track-and-field graphics. A down vest is made from patchwork paisley. There’s even a leopard-print two-piece suit and penny loafers.

All of it is conscientiously made and sourced, and volume is deliberately limited. “Brendon is very conscious of who he works with in terms of production and factories, and he makes sure the product run is not overly produced,” says Federico Barassi, senior director of menswear buying at Ssense, a luxury retailer in Montreal. “Every season we see the T-shirts, hoodies, and caps all sell out.”

Crucial to the sell-through is a strategy of raw transparency. The brand takes a page of the Everlane playbook by telling customers exactly how much their clothes cost to make, and why. The “aha!” moment came early in the company’s existence, Wollens says, when he and Babenzien came up with a blog post called “Anatomy of a Jacket,” explaining why the two-tone parka at Noah costs $488.

The brand started communicating expenses and challenges more deliberately in a series called “Breaking Down the Costs.” The first, focused on labor, explained how price increases on Noah’s hoodies correlated to Canada bumping its minimum wage more than $2. Another focused on tariffs. “This is one of those things that sounds a world away,” it reads. “But it’s frightening for small brands like us.”

Honest accounting such as this helps communicate these pressures to consumers and to explain brand priorities like a commitment to fine materials and fair wages. “Over the last few decades, the American public has gotten used to a price—whether it be for a T-shirt or a cup of coffee—that is not an honest price,” Babenzien says. “If you had to factor in the human component, other people’s lives, how much they’re getting paid, what their life is like, then the price is a lot.”

Customers, Wollens says, have been overwhelmingly receptive to the practice. “The younger consumer actually has a better idea and understanding of those things than the older ones,” he says. Oliver Chen, a luxury retail analyst at Cowen Inc., says this sort of philosophy fits in with the values of millennials and Gen Z. “Technology has really enabled transparency,” he says. “The new generation of shoppers values sustainability.”

Patagonia Inc., the venerable outdoor outfitter, is viewed by many, including Babenzien, as the gold standard for responsible capitalism at scale. But whereas Patagonia has a party-agnostic, pro-conservation ethos for protecting the environment, Noah’s “Save the Whales” shirts look banal from the front but feature detailed illustrations on the back of how the endangered animals are divvied and sold.

“I don’t have a problem with choosing sides,” Babenzien says. “Most businesspeople do.”

#preppies #punks #liberals #noah nyc #streetwear blog

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sixfaggs · 6 years

Text

Pt. 1 the cosmic blowjob (: (submission)

For yet another monotonous night Murdoc found himself popping in and out of Gorillaz forums, practically drooling from all the love his wonderful fans were sending his way. The Feel Good Inc mv was apparently very well received among the kiddies and the well wishes and fan theories were like a damn tsunami. Every time he refreshed the page hundreds of new threads and messages would spawn, he was almost overwhelmed. Almost. And although the admiration was nothing short of invigorating it grew tiring pretty quickly. Of course he knew the single was damn brilliant he was the one who wrote it after all! He eyed a few more threads and comments, giving them a fraction of a chance before deciding that they all were equally as uninteresting as the next and guided the laptop shut with a soft thud. Relaxing back into the Winnies chair, he eased his eyes shut and concentrated on his only concern for the night which was deciding which brand of alcohol he'd be blaming his hangover on the next day. Eventually he rose from the chair and started across the room to retrieve an unspecified bottle of what have you, stopping short when he hears a soft knock at the door followed by a familiar voice calling his name.

Change of plans, he thought with a wicked grin tugging on his lips. "Come on in then." He called out as he settled down onto the edge of his bed, retrieving a cigarette from the pack in his pocket. There was a moment of brief hesitation before the door finally clicked open revealing his favorite, timid blue haired singer. "Wonderin' what I'm up too again, eh?" Murdoc questioned lighting the cigarette between his teeth as 2D's cheeks developed a pink tinge that instantly caused Murdoc to snicker. The younger man stood anxiously in the doorway, hands rolling over one another as he managed to stutter out.

“W-Well I uh got some acid tabz an fought you might want ta try ‘em out wit me.” Evidently in the same breath of murmurs the other man figured out some cue for himself to reveal the sheet of illicit drugs as soon as he stopped talking, showing as he pulled the plastic wrapped half sheet from his pocket as soon as he, in fact stopped talking. Now, this proved to be heavy in 2D’s favor because there was no drug Murdoc loved more than acid, a fact 2D will soon learn for himself. Murdoc, in his own highly regarded opinion, believed acid to be the be all end all as far as hard drugs were concerned. Sure, some barmy bloke will claim on his dying fuckin' breath that meth or heroin, what have you is the holy grail but having bugs out from underneath his skin and his hellish teeth grounded in his gums was not something Murdoc was particularly craving to undo. Thus, he took another drag off his cigarette and waved the singer over, the wicked grin forming into something closer to genuine excitement.

“Sweet satan, that’s fantastic.” He confirmed in his typical hoarse drawl, scooting over to give 2D barely enough room to sit. As he neared Murdoc held out his cigarette for the taller man who gladly took it up between his own two fingers, letting Murdoc snatch the sheet from his opposite hand. “An I thought shitty bud and pain killers were your only vice.” He suggested while unwrapping the drug, earning a soft chuckle from 2D

"My dealer offere't tem to me, I've neva had acid befo." He informed Murdoc with a dumb smile on his face. Murdoc knew how these visits in the winnie typically went for the two: dance around subjects, get stoned and fuck. But he was thoroughly surprised that 2D came to him with acid, of all drugs to take before sex, really showed how little he knew about LSD. But the best sex Murdoc had ever had had been while he was out of his mind on tabs, so he wasn't going to persuade the idiot against the idea, that'd ruin the fun. Bending the sheet back, he peeled off a single tab and placed it on the end of his reptilianesque tongue. Then without warning he pushed aside 2D's hand that held the cigarette and pressed his thumb against the mans chin to keep it open as he forcefully kissed him, pressing his tongue against Stuarts to transfer the tab.

"Don't mess with it, swallow spit around it." Murdoc ordered and placed one on the back of his own tongue, closer to his throat. He sat in place for a short while before making a round around the small bedroom to shut off lights, ignoring the dim lamp on a far counter before returning to his previous spot. He laid back onto the mattress and draped his legs along the edge of the mattress, feet collecting in a pile on the floor, 2D copying the others position soon after. The two laid there for the better part of a half hour waiting for the tab to go into affect. Silence claimed the room for what seemed like forever before a far more high pitched giggle than earlier rang out from the dopey man next to him.

"Teh silk sheetz fee ike water." Murmered 2D, drawing out a laugh from Murdoc as he looked over at the man next to him. 2D's usual blue hair was now more pastel and vibrant, almost newer and his features seemed to sharpen as though he was watching an HD version of his own life. A grin appeared on the singers face that grew and grew until he was practically smiling from ear to ear and just as Murdoc moved to press his mouth to the others, 2D slid down onto the floor, fingers grazing Murdocs thigh. He almost forgot how sensitive his skin would get when he was this tripped out. Just the slightest touch of the others fingers made him want to moan, it was practically euphoric. He listened to the other shuffle around on the floor until he was placed between Murdoc's legs, a rogueish grin stretching along his wicked features when he felt familiar wary fingers working to undo his belt. Murdoc cackled and helped the other out, although being as of no hep considering how the two of them were equally as shaken and in need to alleviate their growing sexual tension. Once his own member finally sprang free, Stu wasted no time working him up. He gritted his teeth, growling out a moan as his fingers disappeared in the others messy blue tangles.

"Fuck- Even when you're tripped out of your damn mind you're still a little slut for my cock, hm?" Murdoc teased, tugging on his hair to bring his mouth closer to his crotch. Instead of replying 2D wrapped his lips around the tip and began guiding it back and forth against his lip, causing Murdoc to groan and press his head back against the mattress. The touch was incredible, Murdoc could feel ever fiber of his being react to the small sensation, the inner workings of his body beginning the uphill climb that would inevitably lead to his climax. 2D continued the small motion, now letting his tongue swirl underneath the crown of his cock."You suck my dick like the perfect whore." He groaned, each swipe of 2D's lips and tongue drawing out more curses and moans from Murdoc, a view the younger man had only scene once prior. Tired of being teased, and pleading for anything more Murdoc forced himself further into the others mouth, his tip pressing against the back of 2D's throat. 2D, seeming excited to do more began bobbing his head up and down on Murdoc's length, lips barely reaching the mans base as he did so. "You - You love the taste of my cock don't you Stuart." He tightened his grip on the vibrant blue hair below him, definitely causing some strain as he guided the mans mouth up and down, 2D's tongue creating a form of friction he never had felt before. They continued like this for what they could only comprehend as a few minutes before Murdoc couldn't control himself much longer and took control. Gripping the other mans hair with both his hands, Murdoc began fucking 2D's throat, a wild grin appearing when he felt Stu gagging around his cock. His own groans got louder as his hips worked faster into the man's mouth, his mind not being able to comprehend how incredible he felt. 2D moaned softly underneath Murdoc, a dick down his throat feeling oddly amazing despite how hard it was for him to breath. He continued moaning as he took Murdocs length, the moans being just enough to tip him over the edge. He quickly removed himself from 2D's throat, cumming along his tongue and face as he groaned a loud, drawn out 'fuck', His chest heaved as he tried to understand where all the air in his lungs had gone before he remembered a moment later, yanking 2D's head back to admire the view. 2D whined at the tug but allowed it as though he had a choice an grinned when he noticed Murdocs amused, zoned out grin...

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THIS WAS A SUBMISSION!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WRITING A FIC BASED ON ONE OF MY ASKS YOU ARE AN ANGEL

#submission

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