#PRODUCTION IS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH. WE SHOULD BE WORKING LESS. WHY IS ANYONE WORKING 30+ HRS A WEEK STILL

[devotioncrater]

[banging pots and pans] THIS IS ALL MADE UP!!!!! ALL OF IT!!!!!! A 9-5 JOB, CURRENCY, SOCIAL MEDIA, SUBSCRIPTIONS, FOR-PROFIT HEALTHCARE, POVERTY, SOCIAL HIERARCHY, CARS, TECHNOLOGY, IMMIGRATION, WAGES, GAS PRICES, FOOD PRICES, THE STOCK MARKET, ECONOMICS, RENT, INSURANCE.

IT'S ALL MAN-MADE SUFFERING. IT'S ALL MADE UP. WE DO NOT HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THIS. WE WERE MADE TO LIVE TOGETHER IN A CONNECTED SOCIAL GROUP SO THAT WE CAN SURVIVE. WE ARE ALL FLESH AND MUSCLES AND ORGANS AND BONE AND BLOOD. ORGANIC. WE ALL DIE. ORGANIC.

TELL ME, DOES MONEY BREATHE? DOES MONEY EVER DIE?

"HUMANS ARE THE MOST INTELLIGENT LIFEFORMS ON EARTH" HOW CAN THAT BE TRUE WHEN WE CONSTRUCTED A SYSTEM SO PERVASIVE IT BOXES US IN WITH LITTLE OXYGEN?

HOW CAN THAT BE TRUE WHEN ONE HUMAN CAN SURVIVE AN INFECTION WITH MEDICAL CARE, BUT ANOTHER WILL MEET DEATH SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY LACK INSURANCE? OR BECAUSE THE DOCTOR WON'T TREAT THEM PROPERLY ON BASIS OF RACE? ON BASIS OF NATIONALITY? ON BASIS OF SEX OR GENDER OR SEXUALITY?

WHERE IS THE INTELLIGENCE IN ALL THIS SYSTEMIC MALICE.

[yuzurins]

# to tell you the truth

12 — meeting, number three?

smau masterlist ∗ previous chapter ∗ next chapter

“chigiri, you’re late.” 

you tap your foot impatiently as the person in question (who also happens to be project leader) quickly runs up to you. 

he splutters out a quick apology as he catches his breath. “i’m really sorry! my class was held back longer than i expected.” 

sighing, you uncross your arms and go over to help hold the project stuff he was carrying. 

chigiri looks at you with pleading eyes. “please don’t be mad.”

“it’s fine, just tell me–” you quickly glance over to the person standing beside you. “i mean us, ahead of time if you’re going to run late.”

he grins and does a quick bow. “yeah, sorry!”

“let’s go.”  you nod back, before turning and walking in the direction of the campus library, leaving the other two behind. 

chigiri gives a look to rin, as if to question him “what happened?”, but much to his disappointment, rin returns the same look back.

“so?” the redhead starts.

“nothing happened.” rin rolls his eyes. “she came here, glared at me, and then we just waited for you.”

“you waited in silence for 15 minutes??”

“yes.” rin replies, but he doesn’t make eye contact. chigiri notices this but lets it off when he notices you leaving the building. 

“suspicious.” he raises a brow. “but let’s go before we get left behind!” 

rin picks up one of the bags that chigiri had brought and motions for him to go first. 

“how chivalrous of you.” 

“shut up.”

though the tension was high at first, it became less awkward faster than anyone had originally expected it to be. as top students, work ethic had a bigger influence than past grudges, and you weren’t going to let all your previous hard work go to waste. before you knew it, you actually forgot you were working with the itoshi rin, the one guy who can ruin your mood in a split second. 

but you can’t lie, seeing rin’s talent for art made you feel envious; he really was good at everything (though you would never admit that).

“you know, i think we actually make a pretty good team.”

you blink. “what?” 

“i mean, look at how productive we’ve been!” lightheartedly, chigiri laughs, without any fear of the potential hole he’s about to dig himself into by starting this conversation. “it looks like we might actually finish this today.”

seeing as how relaxed the he was, you reluctantly put a smile on and decide to humour him. “yeah, we should totally do this again.” 

“what-“ rin almost chokes on his water in response to your (meaningless) joke, which surprises you as you expected only a scoff from the boy. however, it seems like hes the dense one here, because he for one can not tell when the slightest tone of sarcasm is being used.

on the other hand, someone does take advantage of your sarcasm. “oh? i’ll take you up on that!”

you glare at the red haired boy, but to no avail are you able to get him to evoke his proposal. “i thought you said we might be able to finish this today…?”  

chigiri raises his brows and smiles. “we still have to decorate!”

he’s really pushing it.

a sigh barely escapes your lips before he follows up in attempt to ease your growing irritation. you couldn’t help it, after all, chigiri’s making an obvious attempt to get you to spend more time with rin. 

“well i mean, it’s early anyways. i think we can get this over with today.” though just barely noticeable, you notice him starting to sulk, and you just slightly begin to feel bad for him.

“whatever.” you close your eyes. “can’t say i’m opposed.” 

chigiri’s face starts to light up, and he jumps out of his seat, a bit too eagerly. “really!?”

he’s excited, you’re not too sure why, but that all ends as you tell him, sternly, “except since you said so, we aren’t leaving until we do finish.”

dejected, he slowly falls back into his seat. “everything?”

“everything.”

a light chuckle comes out of the boy sitting across chigiri. you nearly miss it, but it’s too memorable for you to not notice; as if your ears are accustomed to this sound from hearing it more often than you’d like to remember.

your eyes shoot towards the direction of the laugh, and rin freezes from all the sudden attention. he realizes quickly that your gaze is pressing for an answer, but in all honesty, he himself doesn’t even know how to respond. 

“what?” he splutters. “there was something in my throat.”

you squint your eyes at him, unconvinced. “just so you know, ‘desperate for grades’ me and ‘regular’ me are not the same.” 

“am i supposed to feel threatened by that?” he questions, amusement growing in his tone.

“yes.” you reply immediately. “in case, you know, you think i actually tolerate you now or something.” 

“i’m not delusional.”

you raise a brow. “you sure about that?”

there’s a pause before another word is spoken. you notice the slight shift in his demeanour as you watch rin process your words, hastily open his mouth after. but instead of uttering a rude remark, he closes his mouth and looks away, clenching his fist. 

confused, you look towards chigiri, but he’s as clueless as you are.

the productive atmosphere soils, and the awkward tension that inevitably trails you and rin around returns once more. 

it’s only the sounds of typing, writing, and your wondering thoughts that fill the study room.

why was he getting offended after a joke that he started himself? was it something you said? was it how you looked at him? did he get self conscious because it’s true? or offended because you were extremely off? you wouldn’t know. 

you don’t understand rin at all, and after hearing such from not just rin, but reo as well, you’re well aware that that’s a fact. 

“so,” chigiri speaks up after what feels like a millennia. “how much research do we have left? can we start decorating the display?” 

“i’m practically done, did you bring the stuff?” 

he nods, walking over to take all the arts supplies out of the giant bag he brought. 

“rin, how about you, are you ready?” chigiri asks, but all he gets back in response is an irritated glare. 

a frown adorns your face as you pity chigiri for having to deal with rin’s childish attitude due to your rivalry with the latter. it made you feel responsible for brightening up the atmosphere, even if it wasn’t your problem at all that rin couldn’t handle a joke. “it’s fine, we can start without him.”

but the response you had believed to be the most harmless one (which was avoiding the problem), turned out to be the worst one yet. 

rin slams the papers he was holding down onto the table beside his laptop. he lets out a deep sigh and turns to look at the two of you. “no. i’m not.”

“‘kay,” chigiri starts, before slowly sitting down and flashing you a quick glance of alarm. “i’ll look over everything again, just let us know when you’re done.”

this won’t do. 

you absolutely hated the fact that rin was being a selfish prick right now, but despite your opposition, it would be too much for chigiri to handle this guy alone. which is how you came to the conclusion that it was time to bring out the fabricated extroverted version of yourself deliberately prepared to deal with awkward situations with strangers. you just had to mentally prepare to delude yourself by erasing every single interaction you had shared with rin, and all the feelings of resentment you held towards him. easy… right?

it was going to be a long, long, day.

notes: I AM SO SORRY FOR THE SHITTY CHAPTER T_T i just wnated to lyk that y/n is an extremely unreliable narrator and that everything written in their perspective is only what they deduce from the environment around them!!!!!! please enjoy and i will be definitely doing better with the smau posts instead of written chapters lMFOA

pairing ∗ itoshi rin x f!reader

synopsis — all you wanted was a peaceful and productive uni life, but despite your pleas, your plans start crumbling when the star of the football team, itoshi rin, begins to beat you in every aspect possible. as you confront the inevitable, what happens when you uncover secrets behind an unforgettable event from the past?

taglist 1/2 ∗ send an ask / comment to be added or removed

@kitorin @rinsque @jleijl @rintosei @strawberrypockybox @beanxiv @ode2rin @h4nman @hanmastattoos @kaitfae @idk-bro-gay @piichuu @wishiknewwhatiwasdoingwithmylife @invictax @chaosinanutshell @exatse @kirameki-kumo @xoxojisu @mellozhi @certaindreampost @limerence-lu @nutsinspector @kawaii-angelanne @rroxii @saesins @anngelllla @anurst @y-sabell-a @hellothere9597 @evilenchantresss @msameikanevaeh @saesofficialwife @reiners-milkbiddies @f1yh1gh @celioderso @amenial @wooasecret @kascar-chronicle @izonoi @biaonww @blissblossom @sereniteav @1lovestrawberrymilk @hearts4itoshi @yeojeolmi @arxliana @janbannan @leeyzhuo @kiritokunuwu @geombyu @jiaspoon @yunxbin @p3achiee (if your name is in bold it means i can't tag you)

[themoodyestj]

this is why i freaking hate you people, with you there's no way Jensen can ever win, whatever he says, no matter how thoughtful and wise his answers are, you will always find a way to spin and twist his words in the most evil way to fit your narrative where Danneel is villian.

tell me something, do you think is alright to fight over every little disagreement? that's what leads to situation where you will say a bunch of hurtful shit and then be like, i'm sorry babe, i didn't mean it.

taking a stand every single time you have a disagreement with your parter is not the healthy way to go. the "you vs me" mentality is what leads to so many divorces. the right mentality should be "you and me vs the problem"

the least time you spend yelling at eachother the fastest you will solve the problem.

and if Jensen doesn't feel inclined to fight his wife at every chance, that's a good thing!

I have to admit it must not have been the best of ideas to wait after after the end of a long (albeit productive) day of work, because I have zero patience for drama queens right now. You hate us people? Why, did we kick your first born? Did we burn your house down? Is your name Inigo Montoya, I killed your father, should I prepare to die? Less, delulu, much less. I simply expressed an opinion you didn't like. Does everyone agree with you in your daily life? Hardly. And it's pretty rich that you come here accusing me of twisting someone's words when you're doing exactly the same. Jesus, can anyone explain these delulus what projection is? How on earth would Jensen "win"? What would he be winning? He said it, we all heard it, discussions are a common thing in his relationship. He even justified with his wife being a strong woman (what a cute way to say argumentative). If anything he is losing, big time. Losing patience, years of quality life, chances of being happier, peace of mind... oh and money, lots and lots of them. Perhaps even credibility, because that woman is an embarrassement.

And although I completely understand and in some way can relate to what he said, I would hardly call it wise. Just because I don't find someone wise, it doesn't mean I hate them. If you read what i wrote correctly, you know, all of it, instead of just the parts you may think I am attacking your fave and come here to argue with me, you'd see I have no problem with him choosing his battles. I do it all the time, at work, when I'm dealing with someone I sure know it's an asshole, even with delulus from Tumblr. But not at home. What I pointed out is that, simply, he should feel safe at home without the impending possibility of someone yelling at him over a disagreement. Those exist, you know? They're called healthy relationships. Write it down, this is important.

My wish for him is not to yell. Is for him to not feel the need to yell, or the concern that he will be yelled at. Is for him to find a place where he feels safe. And if you think that expressing your opinion freely with your partner is "taking a stand" and a "you vs me" mentality, no, honey, no. What Jensen described is actually a you vs me mentality, where he has to cave because his wife is too opinionated to see his side of the equation. In fact, a "You and me vs the problem" mentality would be two people expressing their opinions freely and both working for a common understanding for the sake of a relationship. Not avoiding subjects because they may develop into a fight, or humor a partner because you think they may lash out. Again, yes, I agree that Jensen takes the high road and doesn't fight. I wouldn't fight either. But that just reads as frustration, exhaustion and avoidance to be honest. The road is high but not that wise.

[anaquariusfox]

No shade towards this user! But I would actually love to address this statement or thought process.

(And its actually £37 for you!)

But nonetheless, there are many things to consider when you’re criticizing an artist for the price of their works and here are a few!

How much time goes into the process of a piece(s)!

For example, I made not only one zine, but two in the span of 7 months. While working a 40+ hour a week active job. So all my free time was consumed with this zine. You may think $43 is a lot for a zine, but I am just one person make a whole NSFW zine. I wasn’t one of 20+ artists and fic writers putting one piece into a whole zine. And I won’t undervalue myself and my time! Also, most of my commissions, for one custom piece, cost more than not only my nsfw zine, but both my zines combined.

How much time goes into the technically side of the piece(s) (I.e. creating the actual zine with printing companies and sizing and resizing, and shipping and handling artists usually handle themselves)

For myself, it was hours and hours of file converting and resizing and in the end it still didn’t look good in zine previews, that’s why I decided to go digital.

The exclusivity of the artwork(s)

You’ll find a lot of things of this nature are either limited time products or exclusive to the product itself! For example, all my pieces in my NSFW zine, are for the zine supporters only, as well as my SFW being half favorite pieces and half new, zine exclusive pieces!

The content of said artwork(s)

My zine for example, is a “taboo” type of artwork, it’s basically a book full of porn. Not a lot of artist draw porn and even less nsfw artist, share it on social media! But here I am, sharing a whole exclusive zine of porn for two lovable characters! Oh, and as trans characters haha. They’re t4t in my zine because I draw the representation I want through my favorite characters!

* And in the end really! *

You’ve got to understand, as artists, we are putting out so much free content on social media. Whether it’s every day, every other day, once a week or once a month. You, as a consumer of our work, get free content (both old and new), all for free! Is that not wild?! For example, people pay $10 a month to see all the porn I’ve ever drawn on Patreon on then get to see the latest porn and sfw stuff I post! Ive been told by so many friends that I should charge more even! But that’s not the point of this post.

Artists could never share again, or put their craft and skills behind a massive paywall, but we love sharing and putting art into the world, cause fuck, a world without art would kill me. I literally love scrolling through my social media and seeing all my mutuals and artists I follow share their work and interests through art. I love seeing their minds work and what they felt so proud of to share it with the world.

And on top of that, if you think something is a bit too high in price, just remember all the free content the artist puts out, remember what art piece you love the most from them and why you followed them in the first place maybe! And by purchasing an item(s) from them, is a way of showing them support for all the joy their art has brought you 🫶😊 and just supporting artists in general vs large corporations who usually underpay their artists or just straight up steal art.

**In the end, I won’t undervalue my time and skill for a quick sale cause I’ve had people happily support me at the prices they are and I’m so grateful te for them.**

*** No artist should undervalue their work! We have a skill and took time to create this skill and study our skill to become better and better 🫶***

I do hope that anyone with the same mind set as this user, might have a new POV on the artists side/ BTS side of an artist and content creator when judging their prices.

[justicekiy]

Love Less Day

I can count on my shortcomings

To speak louder

than anyone in the room

I can see all the idle minds

Shift as a fabrication

Starts to manifest into

A sudden form of new

This one day is less about love

And more about the materialism

And the production of how we sell

Energy that shouldn’t have a price

I shouldn’t have to get worked up

Every time this fourteen date rolls around

Because it should be already addressed

If I love you

Then you wouldn’t have to guess

It’ll be in my smile

I would feel that shit from my head

To my crippling toes

Because even they know

They can’t resist the heat

I think V day sets them up for defeat

With high expectations and ratifications

No one claims to stand by their own two feet

We have to have someone

Maybe out of desperation

Or pure loneliness

We close up our harden flaws

And hope by some miracle

We are picked to be chosen

What if

A day of love cease to exist ?

Would your heart love less then?

Would it be abandoned by

The wear and tear you

Refuse to accept

Will the isolation be too much

It starts stealing your breath ?

Or could you actually

Appreciate the more given time

Love can take to make

each moment feel like a dime

Maybe then

it’ll feel less like a crime

Why are we so hell bent on

Not loving ourselves alone?

We are so scared to end up alone

But the kicker part is when we truly

Get to that point

We actually pull in

the best possible path

for us to grow

And if Love is the promise

Then our future is the ring

That will be purposed

It’ll be the most biggest surprise

It’ll knock you off your balance

Until you get hooked on the ride

Love is the biggest roller coaster

Of our mundane lives

And we close our eyes

To ignore the flutters

And forget about the 250 feet drop

That will make us scream out

Before our very eyes

If I knew then

What I know now

I would have let go a long time ago

And stop controlling Love

Because it never panned out

My flaws would’ve been the biggest scene

And I would have played out my scars

Just to tug on my heart strings

Just to have proof that it still beats

Maybe not for someone yet

But at least

Just for me

[deltaengineering]

Fall Anime 2023: A Fallful of Fail

you will be shocked at what happens at the end

horse_ebooks S3

Umamusume S3 is bad. Not that that should be a surprise to anyone – the anime was never beyond decent and even then mostly just the price of admission to a galaxy of fanart. And looked at from the outside it is simply shaped liked itself: nothing more (or given the context, rather nothing less) than a fat and lazy gacha franchise advert.

The question is why S1 and S2 apparently were not when they were materially barely any different, and the answer to that is simple: S1 had the novelty and S2 apparently brought the best material Umamusume can realistically offer – which already wasn't that much. If you just want the quick take, S3 is very much like the boring first half of S2, and then just keeps rolling like that until episode 12. However, since it drops all the distractions and embellishments and just presents itself naked and at the most basic level, S3 works as exactly one thing: A case study why Umamusume was never good, will never be good, can never be good and is fundamentally just a bad idea.

It's a confluence of things that are each on their own questionable, but each of them boosts each other's shortcomings in such a profound way that it's hard to say what the "core issue" even is: It is obsessed with a "sport" that is so simple that all events are short and indistinguishable, and winning just comes down to whether you decide to go fast that day. It values gambling results from decades ago over having a structured story. It wants to pick protagonists that are popular, and horses are popular when they win. It needs to have a vast yet simplistic character roster where having two personality traits makes you Rice Shower, the deepest character in the franchise. It plays it so safe that there shall be no villains or even adversity – having injuries in S2 was apparently already too spicy so we just don't do that anymore. It despises continuity, which means that Gold Ship can get a random episode about ending her career and this making no difference whatsoever to her presence, which remains exactly the same as it has been since the first episode of season one. And yet, it thinks it can have all of these and tell a character-focused underdog sports story, because that's what you do when you hear "racing".

The end result of this is that we have a two-episode loop that is intensely centered on one unbelievably shallow protagonist with the personality of "everyone loves her", who constantly keeps winning unless she gets sad, and then people tell her she is popular to cheer her up, and then she wins again, and then we do this 5 times in a row, and this being framed as some epic triumph over adversity. And none of this is new, it's just really apparent when your protagonist is "Teio, but worse", your sidekick is "McQueen, but worse", and your supporting cast is "you liked these characters last season and they like Kita-chan, maybe you should too". Intellectually, it's astonishingly awful and yes, I'm mad.

But with high production values and a bunch of cute hors doing cute things, it's still nothing more (or given the context, rather nothing less) than a fat and lazy gacha franchise advert. Just don't ever consider turning on your brain while watching it because that shit hurts. 4/10

Tearmoon Empire

I'm probably only putting this one over Umamusume out of spite, because while Umamusume did pretty much everything wrong on a high level for interesting(?) reasons, Tearmoon is just a bottom-shelf product and that's the the long and short of it. To be fair, it starts out as a pretty good one of those, with a decent twist on the "I read the script" style of story that these always are, and watching trash princess Mia stumble around trying to save her head from getting lopped off with inexplicably positive results for everyone involved is a decent, if easy, laugh. This already doesn't ever reach its full potential, because it's ultimately bland and one-note and there's nothing else (apart from a very funny OP). Tearmoon was cursed by amateurish light novel writing from the start, but what really does it in is Volume One syndrome: That plot is resolved about two thirds in, and what follows is just staggeringly uninteresting political machinations in a thoroughly dull universe. The beginning was weak, yes, but it was followed up by stuff I could not possibly care any less about. In a way it's a positive that nothing comes together, because then the show's single biggest lategame misstep by far (guess what, nothing was Mia's fault after all!) would total the show's thematic core. If it had managed to establish it. Which it didn't. 4/10

Bullbuster

I'll give Bullbuster one thing: It at least feels like a show anyone wanted to make. And while "robots, but realistic and working class" is not a new angle, doing a mecha show through the lens of workplace laws and corporate policies instead of technology is a pretty good starting point. It's just that things went wrong when developing this into an actual story – something with this grounded a concept should not stumble around for weeks until it eventually ends up with the "twist" that the local Umbrella Corp experimental biotech plant is the source of these weird mutations, for example. The characters also just aren't strong enough to keep this weird mess of a plot together on their own either. It also notably has some of the worst monster CG in recent memory, and as an action show (something it isn't, to be clear) it would have been a laughable failure. This is not at all surprising coming from the Deca-Dence studio, but everyone somehow gave that show a pass while I don't think this one will be on anyone's hidden gem list in a hurry. In any case, "could have been good, but isn't" is all that really needs to be said about Bullbuster. Sometimes an anime isn't good for no other reason than simply lacking in quality. 5/10

16bit Sensation

I was always going to watch 16bit Sensation due to personal interest in the subject matter, and honestly the best I can say about it is that "it gets better". Not that that means much because it starts out badly, with just a bunch of uninspired 90s vndev references and anecdotes that the people who were there probably find very relatable. That said, the show notably improves once it starts going down some weirder parallel timelines & moefag aliens paths – but it has so far to go that that really isn't enough either. Unlike its simpatico Animegataris, 16bit Sensation doesn't go to really weird places and also completely lacks bite because eventually it just wants to be like, about the power of creativity, maaaan, which drives it more into "Eizouken without the production value" territory, and logically very little of it makes sense. Admittedly it doesn't strictly have to, but it's not very funny or insightful either. In any case, the real loadbearing part of this show is the character of Konoha anyway, and she's a mixed bag. Her goofiness is endearing, but it's also hard to deny that her character mostly consists of Aoi Koga's voice performance, and that is in turn mostly just consists of "the wacky bits from Kaguya-sama but extra hard and all the time". It's certainly something, but whether it's a selling point is a deeply personal decision for every viewer. Unlike the undisputably crappy opening song performance by Shokotan of all people, what the hell. 5/10

Under Ninja

Under Ninja has one thing going for it, and that is that it's unlike anything else (well, I hear that all the other mangas by this author are exactly like it, but in animated from at least). It's a weird mess of an absurd Metal Gear plot presented with all the ambiance of a 4chan greentext story, which gives it an unusually deadpan sense of humor similar to something like Burn After Reading. If nothing else, it's an experience... but I still don't like it very much. For starters, this show looks like absolute butt, and only half of that can be attributed to intentionally grimy stylistic suck. No-budget James Bond might be a joke, but at the end of the day you still have to watch it, and there is far too much action in the show for it to look this crappy. Characterwise, it starts with exploring the more sympathetic sides of unlikeable losers, towards the end it just keeps spamming more unlikeable losers because... funny? Also, the story is wilfully obtuse but appears to take itself increasingly seriously as it goes on, which makes it eventually cross over from "shaggy dog" to outright "just a prank bro". Now, I will say that this is more than just random nonsense. I think that it does try to say something about Japanese society – I'm just not sure what that actually is. Instead the intense cynicism gets the better of the the show and it just disappears up its own ass, and I don't think that is particularly hilarious. 5/10

Otona Precure

I can't hate Otona Precure. It's just exactly what it says on the tin, a basic-ass Precure show with mildly adult topics while everything else remains as generic as it it gets, production included. This was never going to be extraordinary or subversive (and if it attempted that, it would probably have gone badly), so I'll just take things like razor thin characters, baby-level takes on environmentalism and egregious reuse of 20 year old stock footage as a charming part of the package. In fact, if it was less rudimentary it would not be watchable for someone like me who doesn't care to explore the 100+ episodes of old assembly line magical girl anime that this ostensibly a sequel to – I get it just fine from context clues, thank you very much. It's very much a slim novelty, but enough of a novelty that it can just about sustain 12 episodes and that is it. 6/10

Overtake!

Overtake is, to put it simply, thoroughly competent, as expected from Ei Aoki – a small-scale, vaguely bromantic character drama with a moderately novel setting that can take full advantage of its traditional underdog sports story trappings. It certainly won't blow anyone's socks off but compared to all the questionable jank above it does feel like a breath of fresh air when something just works, and I really can't stress this enough – I did not particularly care about Overtake and its characters at first but godammit if it didn't put in the work and skill to make me care. The characters are fleshed out and fun, the plot is well paced and goes to some less predictable places, and it looks really appealing without coming across as living above its means. I had a genuinely good time all the way through but ultimately wasn't invested enough to consider it a classic, and that's fine. It's an "exceptional midcard" type of show, and I wish there was more of this tier between the cheap trash and the ultra-premium crowdpleaser.

And I cannot keep myself from saying this, but this tangentially-about-racing character drama just so happens to utterly clown on Umamusume in regards to making racing exciting, without even trying very hard (Redline it is not), via groundbreaking additions such as left turns and actual strategy. And that is before it's actually a good show with characters and a story worth caring about. Imagine that. 7/10

but consider the following:

In all honesty, this was a pretty good season and almost all the reasons for that are not on the above list. Yes, the premium material on top of the rankings did actually deliver hard this season, which is to say that both Frieren and Apothecary Diaries would be easy AOTY contenders had I not learned my lesson regarding continuing shows with Ranking of Kings. Both were great but face some rough road ahead – Frieren is heading into a Shounen Exam Arc™ while Apothecary Diaries is starting to show signs of classic shoujo romance pitfalls, so I'll hope for the best and give them their due once they end. And there's also Undead Unluck, which is simply the Fire Force that Weekly Jump has at home, and by that I mean that it's two thirds delightfully unhinged psychedelia and one third Jump brand "I should really drop this" pablum, a ratio that is highly unlikely to improve. Besides that, I'm quite a ways into Pluto but haven't finished it yet because it is indeed Naoki Urasawa's Award-Winning Masterpiece Pluto – expertly made and decently meaningful but also bloated with self-importance past the point of flatulence. We'll see.

[sunlessea]

It is better to be strong and cruel than to be fair. — ironegg

deathless / @londonfallen

he is so sick of listening to the masters of the bazaar, on horses of high, explain to him how much better it is to be a tyrant over dreaming of saints. how it is best to cover london in smog and blood, rather than light and life — for all a good sum of them claim to love london, they would bury it and its people if it meant keeping themselves above the very humans THEY infected with their blood like plague rats. there are times even he, in all his infallible kindness, wonders if he'd made a mistake ... if he was wrong to think that anyone could change, no matter how cruel, how tempestuous, how beastly. and deeper in his heart, he knows he still believes that they can, right from the one who shares his bed, all the way up to the vake who hunted them for sport. they could change. they could. he would give them that chance even if it killed him — and it very well might.

but there is a reason, ultimately, he has begun venting said frustrations to his own betrothed less and less, and instead seeking company of other friends when he required a shred of human empathy. he should know better, and it is silly of him, he supposes, to expect his spouse to support him in any manner when it comes to issues of morality.

"did i ask for your input?!" he snaps at irons without catching himself, and in the process, mr apples slams the bulk of his current manuscript down on his desk. it's loud, and the contents spread along the surface rattle against the force of it. he throws his chair back and stands up, rounding to face the bat with an uncharacteristically angry scowl. "when it's your turn to be back in my hot seat, i'll happily remind you so we can talk about the godawful prejudice you foster in your factories against caitiffs and thinbloods, and then you're surprised why i tell you to shove it whenever you want to teach me about the ventrue. until then, keep your mouth shut and be an evil bastard somewhere productive for you, not me! unless you've forgotten, i am your elder, you petulant brat—"

ah. there he is. right down to the upset furrow of his brow and clenched fists, he glares at it with near the exact same venom he'd faced his father down with, and all his blood relatives who had come after. cassius helsing, in the flesh, always there, never dead, but dormant. no matter how elysium changed, he would always be cassius at heart, the watchman at heart, the egg unhatching at heart. people could change, and he was no better proof than the overbearing, haughty, snobbish, and stubborn god he'd once been.

some pieces could never be destroyed, though, no matter how rarely they still came to the surface.

his anger dissipates so quickly in comparison to back then. despite a temper fanned by gods, he's never been the vindictive type. if he had been ... he probably never would've set fire to that life, to begin with. that anger turns to frustration, and then to hopelessness. he throws his pen down on his desk and then his hands up into the air in defeat.

"you're an asshole." he means all of them, but in the moment, he especially means irons. dealing with them is exhausting. emotionally, physically, mentally. he thinks he understands why, now, at least, people like adrien and even moriarty keep their relationships so closed off from the public, despite his own goals of penning them. it isn't exactly a fairytale among the masters, and while that made their love stories more passionate, it is also heart-wrenching, at times, to live out personally. he feels like crying, so in the end, he doesn't say anything else and just grabs the novel he'd been reading before trying to work and booking it with flat ears and drooped tail out of the room.

suffice to say, he'd quite like to be alone right now.

[imperial--orthodoxy]

You know the drill:) :) :)

1-50 weird asks and GO

who is/are your comfort character(s)?

I don't know if "comfort" is the right word, but right now it's probably Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach and...Boromir from LOTR. Ichigo is currently my favorite main character period and Boromir is....well. He's a deeply flawed character that tries and fails and tries again and manages to do good at the end of his life and I hope I'm able to do the same before I die.

lighter or matches?

I'm a certified pyromaniac, so the answer is yes. I prefer lighters for cigarettes and cigars though, whereas matches, I like launching them off of the lighter strip.

do you leave the window open at night?

Up north, open. Down here...closed. Permanently closed. I hate the weather down here.

which cryptyd being do you believe in? All of them. Skinwalkersmustdieskinwalkersmustdieskinwalkersmu

what color are your eyes?

Blue/Grey

why did you do that?

You think *I* know???

hair-ties or scrunchies?

...niether

how many water bottles are in your room right now? ....none

which do you prefer, hot coffee or cold coffee?

Hot tbh

would you slaughter the rich?

some of them

favorite extracurricular activity?

back in school it was band tbh and I can and should be bullied for it

what kind of day is it?

today was a long day at work unfortunately

when was the last time you ate?

just a couple of bars when I got home since it's a fasting day

do you love the smell of earth after it rains?

yes

are you a parent? (all answers qualify)

(sorta, not to term yet)

can you drive?

Yes, ignore my friends that say I drive like a maniac I am completely fine I am not an adrenaline junkie I am not -

are you farsighted or nearsighted?

near sighted

what hair products do you use?

whatever is on the shelf. I used to use old spice but I think it's been giving me a reaction lately

imagine we’re at a sleepover, would you paint my nails?

....I don't think you want me to do that

do you say soda or pop?

yes

something you’ve kept since childhood?

a lot of my books tbh. some of those are in uh...not great shape to my shame

what type of person are you?

I am a piece of shit

how do you feel about chilly weather?

winter supremacy or die

if we were together on a rooftop, what would we be doing?

sniping off politicians

Ideally if there's not a lot of light pollution I do love looking at stars

perfume/body spray or lotion?

spray, since I'm lazy

a scenario that you’ve replayed multiple times?

only all of them

about how many hours of sleep did you get?

Like....5?

do you wear a mask?

nyet

how do you like your shower water?

warm

is there dishes in your room?

no

what type of music keeps you grounded?

church hymns tbh

do you have a favorite towel?

nah

the last adventure you’ve been on?

Hmmmm....good question. The last big one was the honeymoon to Colorado

is there a song you know every word to by heart? They're all metallica songs but several

what’s your timezone?

Central US

how many times have you changed your url?

a stupid amount of times

someone in your life, other than a relative, you’ve known for 10+ years?

Not you yet, but all of my best friends from high school are still my friends now with 3 of them even being my groomsmen

a soap bar that smells good?

I...don't know actually lmao

do you use lip balm?

nyet

did you have any snacks today?

yes

how do you take your coffee?

depends - if it's typical shit coffee, cream and sugar. If it's good coffee, black

an app you frequently use besides this godforsaken site?

Bleach Brave Souls, does that count?

what’s your take on spicy foods? I love them

you get a free pass to kill anyone, who is it?

*REDACTED* nice try FBI

can you remember what happened yesterday? More or less!

favorite holiday film?

This is cheesy as fuck, but probably The Polar Express or Year Without a Santa Clause

what was the last message you sent?

I think it was me letting my coworker to let me know if I could do anything for him since his mother passed away

when did you first try an alcohol beverage?

Uhhhhhhhh....I think it was as a teenager from my Grandfather, or wine from my mother

can you skip rocks?

I can't, unfortunately. I ain't gonna lie, I'm kinda retarded

can i tag you in random stuff?

No you fuck - OF COURSE YOU CAN

ALSO YOU'RE LUCKY I LOVE YOU

[deafeningbreadblaze]

The 10 Scariest Things About keretaapi

Have you at any time been in the middle of a imagined when, Rapidly, You cannot keep in mind Anything you were being considering any longer? If that is so, be confident that you're not alone. Just about Every person has seasoned memory decline or lack of concentrate sooner or later or Yet another.™

It is simple, All things considered, to have sidetracked by so much stimulation all-around us each day! Scientists think that we've been exposed to not less than one,000 advertisements daily - which is ample stimulation to distract any individual.

In addition to about stimulation by media, for instance the phone, e-mail, Television set, or movie online games, there are several demonstrated elements that induce individuals to get rid of their educate of considered, including the subsequent:

1) Hypertension - Chances are high great that For those who have hypertension and substantial blood pressure, you're going to be additional prone to have psychological deterioration.

2) Diabetic issues - Like hypertension, Diabetic issues can Engage in a huge function in decreasing cognitive operate, Specially among older Girls.

three) Reduced serum folate - Minimal amounts of serum folate are already demonstrated to cause the atrophy of the cerebral cortex - the A part of the brain wherein we process views and Reminiscences.

4) Vitamin B12 deficiency - If You're not obtaining adequate B12 in your day-to-day eating plan, your memory may perhaps extremely effectively take a strike. Other nutrient deficiencies may lead to supplemental Mind perform loss. By way of example, an absence of folic acid or omega 3 fatty acids may produce an elevated prospect of dementia.

five) Toxicities - There are lots of toxicities that can lead to reduced Mind perform as well, like publicity to hefty metals, narcotics, and aluminum.

six) Menopause - Certainly, It is true, Gals. Chances are you'll working experience lessened memory function and focus in the course of menopause.

For those who knowledge memory decline or are continuously getting rid of your coach of believed, there are a few stuff you can perform that could enable enhance the problem. Training a number of instances a week for at least fifty percent an hour or so can reduce your chance of memory decline. Each one mile that a woman walks each week can minimize her risk of memory reduction by as much as thirteen%. Also, choose up a fresh language. Exploration suggests that folks with low linguistic skill could be additional prone to working experience memory reduction than All those with high linguistic ability.

Keep in mind: Anyone encounters a particular diploma of memory loss eventually in time. Only getting rid of your coach of considered Every now and then really should not be a priority, but it could be an indicator that you need to evaluate your lifetime routines and maybe search for the recommendation of a professional to determine the right training course of motion.

The most typical questions I get about the subject of State-of-the-art male chastity is about how attractive is it to possess a chastity piercing, for instance a Prince Albert, to make sure the safety from the product.

The imagining guiding it can be reasonably clear-cut: lots of the more secure, severe, and so highly-priced chastity gadgets need the man to have a piercing in his penis Hence the chastity gadget may be locked into spot correctly.

Probably the most typical mix is usually a Prince Albert piercing (in which the securing pin enters the penis via a gap from the underside of The top and exits with the urethra), but you will find units suitable with frenum and ampallang piercings, way too.

So, this raises a couple of questions.

Very first, why would any person try this?

Effectively, the answer to this is simple: it makes the devices much safer.

Most chastity gadgets - even whole belts - might be escaped by a man who's decided to take action, furnished he employs sufficient lubrication and can endure a little bit agony.

It is probable there are some equipment for which this isn't genuine but I have nevertheless to come across just one.

But a device secured having a piercing is as secure a chastity product as you happen to be at any time likely to get, just because the penis is held prisoner having a metallic pin essentially passing throughout the flesh.

And also the devices' design means there is not any way to get rid of the system devoid of getting rid of the pin to start with, Unless of course you happen to be willing to tear your individual flesh (only a few men would want to do this, I'm positive).

And for guys seriously interested in prolonged-expression and long lasting chastity, a secure product is part of your thrill.

There is one thing about getting locked inside of a secure device that basically does switch men on. The sensation of getting no Charge of their own orgasms is intoxicating for them.

Just Remember: no chastity gadget is or ever may be a hundred% safe, indicating no person is at any time stored in the chastity machine towards his will.

There's no question some products are more secure than Some others, and It palang pintu kereta api is really likely several could only be taken off or escaped from with the help of instruments.

Though the tools necessary are easy and most Guys most likely have them currently lying close to within their garage. Additionally, taking away the gadget will be flawlessly Risk-free, as well, so long as he took care.

Even a device which works by using a piercing pin to maintain the penis protected is usually eliminated merely by slicing the pin (which could be done simply just and properly having a set of tinsnips or wire-cutters, say).

The next cause of the piercing is the fact for many Males and girls it's symbolic - which symbolism is quite strong.

In a significant proportion of associations where by they follow male chastity, part of the dynamic is the woman "owns" the man's penis, or not less than has all the "rights" concerning it.

In these conditions having the penis pierced, if the gentleman really desires to have it performed or not (bearing in mind he always has the choice Actually, and so It really is just Section of the sport) is symbolic of the power-Trade.

Needless to say, you needn't be pierced to delight in chastity, and you don't even require a device.

The concept you are doing is just Yet another myth propagated by a variety of Individuals who have their own personal agendas for wanting you to acquire into their technique for imagining.

My partner, John, was pierced but he by no means truly settled to the gadget, so we took the piecing out and he at present wears a Lori #2C, that is created for un-pierced Males.

At present he is in long-phrase orgasm denial and The key reason why he would not escape is he does not want to.

Male chastity is admittedly about two people that enjoy whatever dynamic they opt to put into practice and is simply a case of getting to be educated about Secure, sane and wise procedures.

[devoqdesign]

Mastering the Art of First Impressions: A Deep Dive into Landing Page UI/UX Design Principles

In the fast-paced digital world, first impressions are everything. For websites, that crucial first impression often comes from the landing page. A well-designed landing page can be the difference between capturing a lead and losing a potential customer. This blog post will delve into the essential UI/UX design principles that can help you create landing pages that not only look great but also convert visitors into customers.

Understanding the Importance of Landing Pages

Before we dive into the design principles, let's take a moment to understand why landing pages are so critical. A landing page is often the first point of contact between your brand and a potential customer. It's your digital storefront, your elevator pitch, and your salesperson all rolled into one. In just a few seconds, it needs to:

Grab the visitor's attention

Clearly communicate your value proposition

Guide the visitor towards a specific action

With so much riding on this single page, it's crucial to get the design right.

Key UI/UX Design Principles for Effective Landing Pages

1. Clarity is King

The most important principle in landing page design is clarity. Your message should be immediately apparent to anyone who lands on your page. This means:

A clear, concise headline that communicates your main value proposition

Subheadings that provide additional context or benefits

Easily scannable content using bullet points, short paragraphs, and relevant imagery

Remember, you have just a few seconds to make an impression. Don't waste it with ambiguity or confusion.

2. Visual Hierarchy Matters

Visual hierarchy is about guiding the user's eye to the most important elements on the page. Use these techniques to establish a clear visual hierarchy:

Size: Larger elements draw more attention

Color: Use contrasting colors to highlight key elements

White space: Proper use of white space can make important elements stand out

Typography: Use different font sizes and weights to emphasize important text

By thoughtfully applying these techniques, you can guide visitors through your content in the order you intend, leading them naturally to your call-to-action.

3. Embrace Simplicity

In the pursuit of making an impression, it's easy to overcomplicate things. However, when it comes to landing pages, less is often more. A cluttered page can overwhelm visitors and dilute your message. Instead:

Focus on one primary goal or offer

Use a clean, uncluttered layout

Limit your color palette to 2-3 main colors

Use negative space effectively to give your content room to breathe

Remember, every element on your page should serve a purpose. If it doesn't contribute to your goal, consider removing it.

4. Optimize for Mobile

With more than half of all web traffic coming from mobile devices, your landing page must look great and function well on smaller screens. This means:

Using a responsive design that adapts to different screen sizes

Ensuring that buttons and links are large enough to be easily tapped on a touchscreen

Optimizing images and other media for faster loading on mobile networks

Considering the mobile user's context and tailoring your content accordingly

A poor mobile experience can quickly drive potential customers away, so make mobile optimization a priority.

5. Use High-Quality, Relevant Imagery

Images can be powerful tools for communicating your message and evoking emotions. However, they need to be used thoughtfully:

Choose images that are relevant to your product or service

Use high-quality, professional images (stock photos can work, but original photography is often more effective)

Ensure that images are optimized for web to maintain fast loading times

Consider using images of people, as they can help create an emotional connection

Remember, the right image can convey your message faster and more effectively than paragraphs of text.

6. Craft Compelling Copy

While design is crucial, your copy plays an equally important role. Your text should:

Clearly communicate your value proposition

Be concise and easy to scan

Use action-oriented language

Address the visitor's pain points and how your product or service solves them

Include social proof (testimonials, case studies, etc.) to build trust

Remember to write for your audience, using language and terminology they're familiar with.

7. Make Your CTA Unmissable

Your call-to-action (CTA) is the ultimate goal of your landing page. Make it stand out:

Use a contrasting color for your CTA button

Make the button large enough to be easily clickable

Use action-oriented text on the button (e.g., "Start Your Free Trial" instead of "Submit")

Position your CTA where it's easily found (above the fold is often effective)

Consider using multiple CTAs for longer pages, but keep them consistent

Your CTA should be impossible to miss and irresistible to click.

8. Optimize Page Speed

Page speed is crucial for both user experience and SEO. A slow-loading page can significantly increase bounce rates. To optimize your page speed:

Compress and optimize all images

Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML

Leverage browser caching

Use a content delivery network (CDN)

Eliminate unnecessary plugins or scripts

Remember, every second counts when it comes to holding a visitor's attention.

9. A/B Test Regularly

Finally, remember that perfecting your landing page is an ongoing process. What works for one audience might not work for another. Regular A/B testing can help you continually improve your page's performance. Test elements like:

Headlines and subheadings

CTA button color, size, and text

Image selection

Page layout

Form length and fields

Use the data from these tests to make informed decisions about your design.

Conclusion

Mastering the art of first impressions through landing page design is a combination of understanding these key UI/UX principles and continuously refining your approach based on data and user feedback. Remember, the goal is not just to create a beautiful page, but to create one that effectively converts visitors into customers.

By focusing on clarity, establishing a clear visual hierarchy, embracing simplicity, optimizing for mobile, using high-quality imagery, crafting compelling copy, making your CTA unmissable, optimizing page speed, and regularly A/B testing, you'll be well on your way to creating landing pages that not only look great but also drive results for your business.

My Fiver link for :  Figma Landing Page Design Service

[ahcleaninghub]

Are Housekeeping Services in Luton Worth the Investment?

Modern people often face the problem of lack of time for work, family, and personal life. Maintaining the cleanliness of your home can be quite a task at one point in time or the other, thus making many people to seek the services of Housekeeping Services in Luton. But is this investment really justified? Here are the benefits which should help you make a decision: 

1. Time-Saving Convenience 

Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of hiring Housekeeping Services in Luton is the amount of time that you are saved. Household management entails a proper manner of cleaning, organizing and proper maintenance of the home. Outsourcing such tasks helps you to save time for the things that are most important to you – your family, hobbies or just leisure. The fact that you are able to delegate all your household chores to these professionals cannot be over emphasized. 

2. Consistent and High-Quality Cleaning 

If you decide to hire Housekeeping Services in Luton, you will always receive well done cleaning services. Hired cleaners have been taught how to clean every part of the house and they do this thoroughly. They employ their own tools and cleaning products that are usually more efficient than those that are in the normal reach of the home owner. The result? A cleaner and healthier living environment that you can live in every day of your life. 

3. Special Services to Suit Your Requirement 

The third and final reason why Housekeeping Services in Luton are worth the investment is flexibility in that the services can be tailored to suit the client’s requirements. Regardless of the need for thorough cleaning or routine maintenance, or occasional assistance with such chores as washing and ironing, professional cleaning services can be adjusted to your schedule. This flexibility means that you receive services that you want without being charged for those that you do not want.

4. Stress Reduction 

Clutter and messiness in the house are some of the main causes of stress in the lives of individuals. It helps to know that in Luton, your Housekeeping Services can take care of all those chores that you would otherwise have to do yourself. This saves your energy and mind from worrying about the cluttered or dirty house and you can concentrate on other aspects of life. 

5. Life Time Maintenance of Your Home 

Professional cleaning is important to maintain the long run status of your home since it is done frequently. Accumulation of dust, dirt, and grimes on the surfaces may cause a lot of damage to your furniture and other items. Hiring Housekeeping Services in Luton is a good investment as it means that your home will always be in good shape, and you will not have to spend money on repairs and replacement services. 

6. Economical in the Long Run 

Despite this, Housekeeping Services in Luton may be seen by some as a luxury, but they can save you a lot of money in terms of time, quality and durability of the cleaning services and your home. Also, many services provide fairly cheap services that makes is a viable solution for many households. 

Conclusion 

Employing the services of Housekeeping Services in Luton is a wise decision for anyone who wants to spend less time cleaning their homes, and more time doing other important things. The advantages of professional housekeeping are not only in the cleanliness of the house, but also in the quality of life. If you are in the process of making the investment, then AH Cleaning Hub offers you the best solution. Our Housekeeping Services in Luton are professional and can be customized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with us now and let us show you how we can maintain your home in its best shape all the time.

[nickgerlich]

Here's Your Bullet

I guess it is just the human condition to want to find the quickest, fastest, most painless solution to whatever it is that ails us. If we could wave a wand, we most certainly would, but often that “solution” involves taking a pill or injection, a silver bullet if you will, that promises to remedy our situation.

And the silver bullet du jour these days is the GLP-1 class of drugs. These drugs, the best-known of which are Ozempic and Wegovy made by Denmark’s Novo Nordisk, were developed to combat diabetes, and were first approved by the FDA in 2005. Eli Lilly is another Big Pharma player in this genre. There are other less known companies seeking to enter the market as well, because, if you have been paying attention the last year, it turns out that GLP-1 drugs have an unintended side effect.

Weight loss, as in rapid weight loss.If there has ever been a problem in the US, it is our collective weight, which we like to throw around in more ways than one. Nearly 73% of US Americans are either obese or overweight. Losing weight involves a simple formula (eat fewer calories, burn more calories), but that involves discipline and hard work. Oh, for a magic bullet. Snap your fingers, click your heels, do whatever, this could be the answer we’ve all been praying for.

At the moment, 12% of Americans say they have ever taken a GLP-1 drug, while 6% say they are currently taking it. It doesn’t take a stock analyst to tell you that Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, and anyone else with a GLP-1 product to market might just be a good investment—and you should not take this as financial advice from me, mind you—because the potential market looks very tempting.

That’s all well and good, but the savvy marketers among us will also be looking for opportunities to ride the GLP-1 coattail, and Nestle has stepped up to the plate. Coming this fall is its new Vital Pursuit line of frozen foods specifically designed for people taking GLP-1 drugs. Move over, Keto and plant-based, there’s a new kid coming to town.

The new meals promise convenience, of course—because that’s another silver bullet worthy of its own blog—but also high protein and fiber. Why? Because GLP-1 drugs have show that during this weight loss, they burn a lot of muscle mass. Our protein needs vary depending on activity level, ranging from a sedentary person needing about 10% of their daily calories (i.e., 50 grams, or 200 calories) coming from protein, to much more for active athletes. Vital Pursuit addresses this problem by amping the protein level.

The marketer in me says this is a genius move on behalf of Nestle, but the whole-food advocate in me says this is just another example of highly processed food. We have tons of this already. Why not simply eat fresh foods, from fruits and veggies, to meats, fish, and eggs, if you are so inclined?Ah, but that too takes time, discipline, and knowledge, factors that are often in short supply for busy people. It’s hard to get the right balance of carbs, fat, and protein, along with all of the other essential nutrients. That’s why we need nutritionists to help us along the way.

I suspect there will be many more convenience-themed food products to come, all aimed at the growing number of people taking GLP-1 drugs. Nestle’s Vital Pursuit, as it turns out, is just the first of many to come. I also suspect the percentage of Americans taking GLP-1 drugs is about to explode, especially if and when prices plummet, and supply increases. Novo Nordisk is working pretty much 24-7 trying to keep up with demand as it is, and in spite of the fact that a one-month supply of the weekly injectables costs $935 without insurance.

Silver bullets typically come at great price, though, and people are often willing to pay that price rather than take charge of their own situation. Assuming you can control your caloric intake and limit it to 2000 calories per day, you would have to walk 35 miles each week at a brisk pace (15-minute miles) to burn just one pound in those seven days. In one year, you could lose 52 pounds, in the process hypothetically walking 1820 miles from Amarillo to New Haven Connecticut.

But that would take a minimum of 75 minutes each day, plus the time needed for getting ready to work out, and then showering afterward. If you could just poke yourself once a week, and lose 10-15% of your body weight—a common result—wouldn’t that be much easier than all that exercise?

Now you understand why everyone, from the 73% of Americans who need a solution, to investors, are all excited about GLP-1 drugs. Of course, it would help if the FDA would approve GLP-1s for weight loss, but that hasn’t happened yet. Once it does, expect the growth trajectory to get very steep.

Meanwhile, as podcaster/author Scott Galloway argues, stock prices and earnings calls of blue chip companies like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola are really just obesity indices, not emblems of a prosperous economy looking for convenient sustenance.

As for me, I am happy to put in the time to shop wisely, eat informed, and exercise daily. It works. It’s a hell of a lot cheaper. And I can say that being able to see my toes is an organic result, not one brought about by bullets of any color. But you do you, and know that Nestle is there to help. Kind of.

Dr “Process That” Gerlich

Audio Blog

[terrifickid]

Uh,

Well I'm not hearing or seeing things anymore.

But it looks like my mind is slowly breaking down.

I learned that if I don't drink water for like 4 days I'll just fall asleep and won't wake up.

So I think I'll just go up into the mountains.

I don't think I'll decide to go, that's probably a bad idea. But I can.

And I can just get in my tent, or make some kind of shelter or find a cave or just lay under a tree. And then, I'll know if I just stay there and rest eventually I won't wake up. I think I can do that.

7 days isn't a long time for me to stay still.

It feels like the sadness of breaking up with someone else.

Anyway, I've decided just to chill out - rather than flail around. Looks like I'll be spared all the weird shit.

I don't know exactly how this plays out now. I don't think anyone does. But I feel lucky to be in this condition - it's the only way I think anyone could get through something like this.

Well because I came from just watching star trek. Let's say I bunkerized. First that doesn't really work - it's like being an ostrich to life. So, then what? Like I said before, why would I want to trade dollars for Bitcoin? It's like thinking things will change if you stop having sex - it doesn't fix a thing.

Bitcoin is going to well beyond 14m. But what are people going to do with it? It's like, oh cars aren't going to drive anymore they'll fly with electricity. That's cool but where are you going to go to? Just experience the journey? Use a flying car as a prophylaxis if you want I don't think it'll change anything. I know it won't.

The problem is us and AI won't save us. People will find a way.

Well statistically optimists mostly fail. Makes sense.

In the K-T event, if you took heart your species still went extinct. And the voles grew up after a million years and instituted slavery.

I don't think it's doom universe. But I don't have an issue with leaving the earth or having a problem with the terms of these relationships.

We must go to mount doom. Only there where we were made can we be unmade.

But totally Blockchain are awesome and I think Bitcoin is super cool. We should totally collaborate using cryptographically verifiable contract terms wherein the terms themselves are self-executing in an explicit language. This creates a mare liberum network of explicit consent for society which is productive and fair and also saves on adjudication fees.

It should reduce crime as well since, security will be high and really to acquire resources you'll need to hold social good tokens with an encryption key.

I don't know. Wealth seems to collect at the top. We alter species by breeding these weird dogs and treat them like gimps and lethally inject them when it's convenient - or just abandon them. Or in the case of cows or chickens. What'r they gonna do? Shirk off their chains and form a syndicalist support group? You can't undo that level of profound mutilation. Genie (feral child) never recovered. Her neurons formed weird from being chained to a toilet for 16 years.

Eh, se la vie you know?

But what nothing must do is whatever the fuck you're demanding.

One theme I think is clear. It's a world of constant opportunity.

Uh, well again I have survived another catastrophe. I feel like, yet again it's back to plan A. I think it makes sense to board up the place to a degree and get a door lock - but also not keep anything valuable. And it also makes sense to start caching rations. But it also makes sense to prepare to travel and DCA and prepare to die. I'd also watch out for deflation. What if everybody ran out of money? People might start selling shit cheap and working for a lot less. Stocks could crash.

But also, we should get an AI and automation productivity revolution so things could be more available.

There are countries and corps with a lot of Bitcoin and those are a lot of smart people who are still way cool. They can easily work together to rebuild agriculture, medicine, communication and transportation sectors.

Unsure.

But I'd expect a fair bit of refugee traffic thru Marfa and we're going to get violent crime.

Also, I just don't know what the Marfa economy looks like. It's possible tourism will remain constant considering Marfa is an apex location. On the other hand, in a massive economic depression?

I saw Scottsdale turn into a ghost town in 2008.

[illumtori]

Conquering Procrastination: Strategies for Staying on Track

Have you ever found yourself scrolling through social media, knowing you have a looming deadline? You are not alone. In fact, a staggering 95% of us procrastinate to some degree. While it is a common challenge, chronic procrastination can be a significant barrier to achieving our goals.

This article isn’t about casting judgment or offering a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, it is about understanding and overcoming procrastination in a way that is realistic and sustainable. Whether you are a student, a professional, or anyone in between, the strategies shared here are designed to help you move from being stuck in the “later” loop to taking action “today”.

Understanding Procrastination

Definition and Common Misconceptions

Procrastination is often misunderstood. It is not just about being lazy or disorganized. It is a complex psychological behavior. Procrastination is the act of delaying tasks or decisions, often against our better judgment. It is choosing more pleasant, less important tasks over the critical, yet potentially uncomfortable ones.But why do we do this? Psychologists believe it is not about time management, but about mood management. Procrastination is a coping mechanism for dealing with challenging emotions and tasks we perceive as daunting or unpleasant.

Why Do We Procrastinate?

Several factors contribute to why we procrastinate. Perfectionism, fear of failure, and a lack of motivation are common culprits. Procrastination is often rooted in a person’s fear of being evaluated, or their fear of not being perfect. Additionally, the instant gratification we get from engaging in something enjoyable, like watching a favorite TV show, often outweighs our rational understanding of the benefits of completing a long-term task. This immediate pleasure seeking can make procrastination a tough habit to break.

Identifying Your Procrastination Patterns

Common Types of Procrastinators

Not all procrastination looks the same. Identifying your specific type can be key to overcoming it. For instance, the “Perfectionist” procrastinates because they fear not being able to complete a task perfectly. The “Dreamer” avoids tasks due to a lack of detail orientation, while the “Crisis-Maker” believes they work best under pressure but often ends up stressed.

Self-Assessment Tips

To identify your procrastination style, ask yourself: Do I delay tasks hoping for the “right mood” or “perfect time”? Do I underestimate the time required for tasks? Reflecting on your answers can reveal patterns and triggers in your behavior.

Strategies to Overcome Procrastination

Time Management Techniques

Managing time effectively is crucial in conquering procrastination. Techniques like the Pomodoro Technique, where you work for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break, can be incredibly helpful. It breaks your work into manageable chunks and incorporates essential breaks to keep your mind fresh. Time blocking is another effective strategy. Allocate specific blocks of time to different tasks or activities. This not only helps in organizing your day but also sets clear boundaries for each task, making you less likely to drift off into procrastination.

Setting Realistic Goals

The way you set goals can significantly impact your tendency to procrastinate. Goals should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Break larger goals into smaller, more manageable tasks. Each small victory will boost your confidence and motivate you to tackle the next task. Remember, it is not just about crossing off tasks on a list but about progress. Celebrate the small wins to keep your motivation high.

Creating a Productive Environment

Your environment plays a huge role in your productivity. A cluttered workspace can lead to a cluttered mind, which is a breeding ground for procrastination. Organize your workspace to minimize distractions. This might mean a clean desk, a noise-free environment, or having all your tools and resources at hand. Additionally, understand what kind of environment fuels your productivity. Do you work better in complete silence or with some background music? Tailoring your surroundings to your preferences can make a significant difference.

Building and Maintaining Momentum

The Role of Habits in Preventing Procrastination

Building productive habits is key to overcoming procrastination in the long run. Start small. It could be as simple as dedicating the first 30 minutes of your day to your most important task. Over time, these small habits accumulate and transform your productivity. Remember, consistency is more important than intensity. It is better to work a little towards your goal each day than to exhaust yourself with sporadic bursts of productivity.

Staying Motivated

Keeping the motivation alive can be challenging, especially with long-term goals. Setting regular reminders of why you are pursuing your goal can keep the vision clear in your mind. Visual aids, like a vision board or progress chart, can serve as constant reminders and sources of inspiration. Additionally, don’t underestimate the power of accountability. Sharing your goals with a friend or a mentor can significantly increase your commitment to them.

Case Studies and Success Stories

Consider the story of Anna, a freelance writer who struggled with procrastination. By using the Pomodoro Technique and setting realistic daily writing goals, she was able to complete her first novel in six months, something she had been putting off for years.

Another example is John, a student who often waited until the last minute to study for exams. By creating a study schedule and finding an accountability partner, he not only improved his grades but also reduced his stress levels significantly.

These stories illustrate that while the battle against procrastination is personal and unique, the triumph over it is universal and attainable with the right strategies.

Conclusion

Procrastination is a common hurdle, but it is not insurmountable. As we have explored, understanding the why behind your procrastination, identifying your personal patterns, and employing practical strategies can make a significant difference. From time management techniques like the Pomodoro method to setting SMART goals, and from creating a productive environment to building lasting habits, these tools are at your disposal to help you break the cycle of delay and distraction.

As you begin your efforts to conquer procrastination, be patient with yourself. Change doesn’t happen overnight. Celebrate the small wins, learn from the setbacks, and keep moving forward. Your goals are not just dreams; they are the destinations waiting at the end of a road paved with persistence, discipline, and self-compassion.

Follow our Instagram account for your daily dose of fun and inspiration!!

Looking for a productivity tool that can help you achieve goals, set budget, and be more productive? Come learn about Illumtori!

[taylorgraymoore]

November 22, 2023

Writing on the SkyTrain after work again—that seems to be a good time for me. The end of a day, I’m slightly exhausted, I can review things and I’m too spent to get distracted by much. I put in earbuds and here I go.

Of course, I’m also too spent to do much more than a stream-of-consciousness ramble. Pros and cons.

I am drained. Retail work at a busy and chaotic store is a miserable way to spend a life, even with good benefits. People get sucked into it, often enough become what are called lifers. I am afraid enough of that happening to me in some form or another. I’m working to become a product consultant (PC), which is a nicer job within the same context: work with the high end products, run the tasting bar, talk to customers, I’d get to go to tastings, no more extremely early mornings or extremely late nights—but, especially if I stay at Brighouse, it’s another form of the same. Lifer. Something drains out, slowly, that’s already happening, until one day I retire and I looked back and see life already happened without me. That’s the human condition for most of us, I realize, and I don’t think I’m entitled to get out of it anymore than anyone else. And I do have good benefits: dental and paid vacation, so what am I complaining about? 

But still. Not the best way to spend a life. It takes over, and there’s no content to it.

I write, and that is my way of tearing a hole in it and slipping out for a bit. As often as I can. 

That’s what it’s become. It’s better than most things I could be using to accomplish that end—although I do drink a bit, I admit, an occupational hazard. 

Both occupations. 

Met a friend for brunch this morning, walked down to Aphrodite’s Cafe on 4th through the dying rain. I was worried the rain would be harder, but this is Vancouver and here a morning’s rain often enough done before the day has time to get going. So I wasn’t too worried. I don’t mind walks after a rain: the air feels so fresh. Good way to start a day. None of that pressure of all of that that I was kvetching about above with me, just the fresh air and the neighbourhood and twenty minutes of my feet on the pavement. 

See, this is why I should write these earlier in the day—they’d be a lot more of that and a lot less misery. That would be a touch pleasanter to read.

There are two Aphrodite’s, kitty-corner from one another. One’s a pie shop, one’s a full restaurant with brunch and everything, and we went into the wrong one first—I’d only ever been in the pie shop. And for Ken (should I be using fake names for this? I’ll change some), it was just that the pie shop was what was on the side of the street he exited the bus on. So, we went over to the other side. Brunch Aphrodite’s was cozy. We sat down, ordered egg dishes and caffeinated drinks (as one does), talked about quantum physics and Carl Jung. Projects we’re working on. It was good. Ken’s a guy I know a little, through another friend, that I’d like to see more of. Good company. 

Notably, he’s the first person to understand a project I’m working on, one of many incomplete jumbles I’ve got. He articulated it better than I ever have. What was it? “Lola is a symbol. Whereas a semiotic sign signifies something, a symbol signifies itself. Its meaning is ineffable.” Roughly that. Jungian language. Lola is is the abstract locus of human fanaticism. I would explain more, but it’s late. Another time. Anyway, I was pleased we found a way to put it. 

This sounds an awful lot like a diary entry. That’s about all I can muster after a shift like this, typing on my phone for the thirteen minutes I’m on the train. Hopefully I’ve jazzed it up in editing a bit. (Because here I am, two hours later finishing a tequila and soda, attempting to jazz it up.)

There’s a new PC (product consultant) being trained at our store starting today. He’s not staying at our store—he works in North Burnaby, usually. I got to interact with him a little as we passed each other in the store. He was full of energy, as a parent would say. Got to do a wine tasting near the end of the shift, because our on-duty product consultant was giving him one and I happened to be standing nearby. I hadn’t had any of what was there and, because I work as a PC now and then, I need to know how wines taste. It’s also one of the better parts of the job—and, yes, I do spit it out. 

The Burnabian was quite slow. He took notes as he went. He would never keep up at a formal tasting—but he’s new. 

The train is nearly at my stop, and I’ll stop then. 

I passed by the SPCA thrift store on Broadway after brunch, to pick up gloves and a warm hat for my trip to Montreal. The air there gets so cold that it hurts my hands—so it wouldn’t do to pick something up after I arrive. Found out after the fact that I didn’t need to buy new anything—there’s a drawer full—but that’s fine. Something refreshing about having gone to do it, picked them out. Part of why this was, really, a good day.

[pretendstoread]

first...second...second first

it's funny that every time i think about writing i never really know what to say. i don't remember making this account in 2018, or writing for the first time on here. i've gone back and forth between journaling--where to do it, if it's even helping me--and there's a strong chance that i'll move on from this just like the other journals and modes of expression.

i've just been kinda uninspired. i fear that i wasnt born to be an artist. i dont think i Do enough. i dont really photograph. nothing really inspires me anymore. i'm kinda worried that new york's tap has run dry, but i dont think it's effective to blame the city i live in instead of myself. this has been a problem of mine for years now. why is it so hard to express yourself?!! i feel like i have a lot in me and yet no way to show for it. i dont know if i have a good work life balance. i dont know if thats even the problem? it's just.....so easy to do nothing....? but it doesnt make me happy??? but i keep doing nothign anyway??? maybe THIS is the first step to that. there's a bit of ego in making this. like. diary public. though i dont really think anyone will see it (and i don't care (but i will tag this anyway and maybe check if it gets any notes)). but i dont mean it to be egotistical.

i am a product of post internet use. i grew up expressing myself online. i was on facebook in fifth grade, tumblr in middle school, wattpad/ao3 and stan twitter in high school, art school in college, and back on twitter as a young adult. there has never been a point where i wasn't trying to put myself out there somehow, to be seen and shared and agreed with or admired or congratulated or impressed by. this pressure To Be Seen at 24 feels the most strong. the strongest ever felt. everywhere all the time i see and am told that i have so much time and that 20s are just the beginning. but it doesnt feel that way at all. it LOOMS over me. life shouldnt be Established but it should be.....Impressive? thats the second time i used impressive in this post so thats some subconscious thing going on there. But much of life right now is waking up, going to work, hating work, coming home, sitting on the couch until it's time for bed (which i either fall asleep right there or lazily flop into bed--and consequently miss taking my antianxiety meds), and then i wake up all over again. there's nothing to really show for. i don't feel like an interesting person. i dont feel like i do enough for myself. i guess i have a fear that i will be in this cycle for so long that one day it's 20 years later and nothings reallllllly changed. like. fundamentally.

i cannot think that far ahead. i have no ten year plan, 5 year, one year, 6 months...but i will be a fucking doomer about myself every chance i get. it's, of course, easier to catastrophize in the moment. lower expectations = less chance of disappointment! i think it's also interesting that the only things i really journal about are negative thoughts. wtf is that about. i'm not even necessarily unhappy right now.

things that make me feel Happy:

having enough food in the house that i can make something without having to go out or order in

laying in the sun on the beach after getting bodied by waves

creme soda

when i'm wearing a dress and dont care about my underwear showing (i like to spread! im sitting knees up at my desk right now!!)

catching someone i like looking at me (does it mean anything extra if they're drinking something at the same time....? and they don't break eye contact...?)

customizable internet--the past now....i remember when tumblr was a WEBSITE more than an APP. we must free ourselves from The Profile.