#QR code for multiple links

[viralqr]

Looking for a QR Code Generator for multiple link?

I have been exploring ways to enhance my marketing strategy, and I recently came across a free QR code generator called ViralQR. It allows you to create custom QR codes that can link to PDFs, websites, and more. I’m particularly interested in its ability to generate QR codes for multiple links, making it a versatile tool for sharing various types of content.

I’m curious if anyone has experience with this tool or any similar platforms. What is a dynamic QR code, and how have you integrated QR codes into your marketing efforts? Any tips or best practices you’d recommend?

[arconinternet]

The Internet Archive is at a crucial juncture in the lawsuit brought against it by multiple record companies. The latter have successfully requested a thirty day stay to negotiate a settlement. The Internet Archive has begun a petition to request that the lawsuit be dropped entirely, due to the risk it poses to the organization and its projects, most important of which right now is the Wayback Machine, the ridiculously huge 'time machine for the internet', due to reasons I hopefully need not mention.

To circumvent link suppression, the petition's URL and QR code can be found as images below.

The following is intended for @wilwheaton (but you can watch it too):

[aflamethatneverdies]

Hi Please take a moment to read this. I am writing a post on behalf of @suad-khaled whose fundraiser has been stagnating and has only reached 50% ($35,081 of the $70,000 goal), despite fundraising for several months now.

Suad has been verified by @/nabulsi and @/el-shab-hussein on their spreadsheet, #279 and also by @northgazaupdates, you can read more about her and her struggles in northgazaupdates #Suad Ahmad tag here.

Suad is an engineer who after graduating with top marks was also working as a university lecturer in her university. Just before the October 7th accelerated genocide, she also found she was pregnant and was ready to also start this new chapter of her life.

Since the genocide, she and her husband have been displaced multiple times, escaping bombing narrowly in the process. In June she gave birth to baby Khaled and then immediately had to move to a tent with him. Suad and her baby both have been sick this year and her infant has suffered from malnutrition, chest infections and allergies in the first year of his life due to dust and debris from bombing. The Doctor recommended four nebulising sessions for baby Khaled because of this which also ate into the family's limited funds.

Right now despite facing constant hunger and worries about bombings where she is and having been forced to constantly move, Suad is deeply worried about being able to afford diapers and formula for Khaled.

Prices for these basic necessities have quadrupled; a pack of 36 diapers now costs $50, and a can of formula is $13. Buying cheaper formula caused baby Khaled's health to worsen. This is also his first winter and he needs winter clothes and Suad wants to secure a proper shelter and medicines for him.

Please, please support Suad and baby Khaled and help their fundraiser reach completion so that they are able to survive and evacuate from Gaza. Link to the gofundme

QR CODE to donate:

[hetalianhistorian]

Reservations for the Hetalia Valentine's and White Day cafe collaboration event are now open!

Source link: https://collabo.and-gallery.com/hetalia-ws

Reservations are ¥550 yen for each person! The delivery deadline for advanced reservation will be 10:00 AM JST the day before your visit.

How to Make a Reservation

In order to make a reservation, you would first need to obtain LINE, a Japanese instant messaging app, and make an account within it first. The photos shown below are in order with the corresponding steps.

You can tap "and GALLERY mini-applications" at the bottom of the LINE app.

Tap event booking.

Select your the cafe collaboration and store.

Tap "Search by date" and then you select the date you would like to book.

Tap the time frame you'd want to reserve.

Verify that the time and place is correct, then tap "Proceed to application".

Fill out the required information and then tap "Confirm application". Note: If you want to make a reservation with multiple people, you will need a representative to book for your group.

Reservation complete!

Source link: https://collabo.and-gallery.com/hetalia-ws

Reservation Times

Each time slot will be 70 minutes long. All times will be in Japan Standard Time. L.O. stands for Last Order.

Harajuku Store

11:00 AM to 12:10 PM (L.O. - 11:40 AM)

12:30 PM to 1:30 PM (L.O. - 1:10 PM)

2:00 PM to 3:10 PM (L.O. - 2:40 PM)

3:50 PM to 5:00 PM (L.O. - 4:30 PM)

5:20 PM to 6:30 PM (L.O. - 6:00 PM)

6:50 PM to 8:00 PM (L.O. - 7:30 PM)

Shinsaibashi Store

12:30 PM to 1:40 PM (L.O. - 1:10 PM)

2:00 PM to 3:10 PM (L.O. - 2:40 PM)

3:50 PM to 5:00 PM (L.O. - 4:30 PM)

5:20 PM to 6:30 PM (L.O. - 6:00 PM)

Cancellations and Refunds

Reservations can be made until 10am the day before the desired visit. Anytime after that will not be possible to book. You are limited to reserving to only 6 slots. Reservations can be cancelled until 10am the day before the reservation and can be done through the LINE app. If you must cancel for any reason, any time after that, you must contact the store so you can receive a refund.

Additional Information

Walk-ins are possible only if there is a vacant seat or a cancelled reservation.

Pets are not allowed to enter the store.

Entry is granted 10 minutes earlier before the reservation time.

If you do not appear within the first 15 minutes of the reservation, it will be treated as a cancellation.

Be sure to prepare for your check-in in advance. You will need to bring an ID and use the LINE GALLERY mini-app to scan the QR code when entering the store.

Elementary aged customers can enter with a guardian.

Reservation and visitor benefits will only be distributed to those who visits the store.

There will be a limited supply of goods.

If you are late to your reservation time, there will be no extension.

Reselling is prohibited.

You cannot change your selected date and time.

Changes of representatives are accepted until 10 AM the day before the reservation. If your representative cannot make it, you must bring a photo of them and their ID.

You can reserve here through the LINE app!

[sextoyscoupon]

Looking for the Best Male Masturbator this holiday season? The Delite Heated Rose Masturbator from Adam & Eve is the ultimate sex toy for males and the best holiday gift for him! This innovative toy offers soothing warmth, gentle suction, and textured ticklers for lifelike sensations. Preheat it on its dock to experience a body-friendly temperature and explore multiple vibration settings for personalized pleasure. Perfect for adding excitement to solo play or giving as a thoughtful, intimate gift this holiday season.

Use coupon code MOB50 at adamandeve.com for 50% OFF almost any single item, FREE discreet shipping, FREE digital movies, and a FREE mystery gift. Scan the QR code or copy and paste the link in the description below to grab yours today!

[anim-ttrpgs]

The Eureka Kickstarter Pamphlet

It’s not much of a secret that my career and future financial stability is riding on the upcoming Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy Kickstarter (April 10th-May 10th) being successful and hitting as many stretch goals as possible.

If you would like to help a disabled person have a viable career, and see more work from myself and A.N.I.M. in the future—well, first of all, back the Kickstarter on April 10th, but secondarily, spread the word so that others can at least know about it and may back it themselves.

Besides just telling people about us and reblogging our posts, a really helpful way for you to spread the word would be to go to this link here (it’s the same link as the one for downloading the free demo) and download the EurekaPaphlet3pg-1 PDF. It’s a foldable pamphlet you can print out and give to anyone who has an interest in TTRPGs at school, at work, at a con, etc. You can even print out a bunch of them and leave them at your local card&hobby store. These pamphlets even include QR code that will give anyone scanning them access to the free Eureka demo. Also, since it’s a PDF, you could also just send it to people online without actually having to print it out.

(Make sure when you do print it out, that you print it out double-sided!)

It’s a nice pamphlet with some of our best art on it, and does a good job of getting right to the point of what Eureka is.

If any of y’all could hand this out and/or show it to people, it could mean a world of difference for making Eureka and A.N.I.M. a viable career path for someone who struggles to hold down any “normal” job.

Set a reminder for the Kickstarter launch here.

See a preview of the Kickstarter campaign here.

Join our Patreon for just $5 and get perpetual updates on the in-progress prerelease version of Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy and several adventure modules.

Visit our website or go to our itch.io page (follow us there too so you'll get notified when the game fully launches) for more information and a free demo! Also, in case anyone didn't know, the free demo isn't just a small chunk of the game anymore, it's almost the full game. Like, everything. If you previously downloaded the demo that kept most of the game hidden, go download it again to get access to all of that hidden stuff and more!

Interested in actually playing this game, and many others, with the developers? Check out A.N.I.M.'s TTRPG Book Club, a club of nearly 100 members at the time of writing this where we regularly nominate, vote on, and then play indie TTRPGs! At the time of writing this, we are playing Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy, and sign-ups are closed for actually playing it, but you can still join in to pick up a PDF club copy of the rulebook to read and follow along with discussion, and sit in on and observe sessions! There is no schedule obligation for joining this club, as we keep things very flexible by assigning multiple GMs with different timeslots each round, to try and accomodate everyone! This round, we had over thirty people sign up, and were able to fit in all but one! Here is the invite link! See you there!

[incorrect-web-novels]

Webnovel Carrd Links [Part 1]

I usually use Novel Updates, but Carrds are great to support the author, find translations not on NU, find Content Warnings, and learn more about the story / other adaptations. If there's a novel not here, it can be helpful to search the name of the novel + "carrd" or "novel updates"

Library Carrds / Carrds with Multiple Novels

Completed Baihe Carrd (click the sunglasses)

Baihe Novels Carrd 

Baihe Support 

Novel Carrd Library (Danmei & Baihe)

Aelia’s Library (Modern & Historical Danmei)

Unlimited Flow Danmei Carrd 

Danmei Recommendations List

Underrated Danmei 

Modern Danmei 

Twitter Thread with Danmei Carrds 

Author Carrds

(These authors have more works - I just listed the most popular ones/the ones I knew)

Cang Wu Bin Bai - author of Golden Stage and Fight the Landlord, Fall in Love

Cyan Wings - author of Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know, High Energy QR Code, They All Say I’ve Met a Ghost, etc.

Feitian Yexiang - author of Dinghai Fusheng Records & To Rule in a Turbulent World

Huai Shang - author of the Sword Named No Way Out

Jiang Zi Bei - author of PUBG: Online Romance of the Century, I Can Do It, and I’ve Liked Your Boyfriend for a Long Time

Liu Bing Jie - author of The Wife is First, Peach, and The White Cat’s Divine Scratching Post

Man Man He Qi Duo - author of Those Years In Quest of Honour Mine 

Meatbun Doesn’t Eat Meat - author of The Husky and His White Cat Shizun

Meng Xi Shi - author of Estranged, Peerless, Thousand Autumns, The Fourteenth Year of Chenghua, etc.

Mo Chen Huan - author of The Earth is Online and the Villain Has Something to Say

Mu Su Li - author of Panguan and Copper Coins

MXTX / Mo Xiang Tong Xiu - author of MDZS, TGCF, and SVSSS

Please Don’t Laugh novels - author of FGEP, Ruzhui, and JQWS

Priest - author of Guardian, LHJC, Can Ci Pin, Mo Du, Gumen, Liu Yao, etc.

Shui Qian Cheng - author of Wu Chang Jie 

Tang Jiuqing / t97 - author of Qiang Jin Jiu & Nan Chan

Wu Zhe - author of Unbridled, Sa Ye, Antidote, etc. 

Zhichu - author of Fanservice Paradox

Danmei / BL

2ha / the Husky and His White Cat Shizun (1, 2)

Bat / Bianfu 

Can Ci Pin

Carven Jade / Zhuo Yu 

Cold Sands

Copper Coins 

Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know

Dinghai Fusheng Records

Di Wang Gong Lue / The Emperor’s Strategy 

Don’t You Like Me? 

Encountering a Snake 

Everyone Thinks That I Like Him

Fake Slackers

Fanservice Paradox 

Fight the Landlord, Fall in Love

Fox Demon Cultivation Manual / FDCM 

Global University Entrance Examination / QQGK / Global Examination 

Golden Stage 

Green Plum Island 

Guardian 

Guomen 

How to Survive as a Villain 

Jun You Ji Fou / How is the Gentleman Feeling? 

Lie Huo Jiao Chou / LHJC 

Little Mushroom 

Liu Yao (press the 3 circles) 

MDZS / the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation (1, 2, 3)

Mist (CW: glitch effect, flashing lights)

Mistakenly Saving the Villain / MISVIL

Mo Du / Silent Reading 

My Junior Still Hasn’t Killed Me

Nan Chan 

[Part 2]

[greenhorn-art]

Prince of Shadows, Lord of Thieves by alkat

Fandom: The King's Avatar | 全职高手

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Category: Gen

Words: 1 929

Once upon a time, their exploits were immortalized by artists and writers across the tapestry of history. Once upon a time, they were worshipped as gods and reviled as demons. None of that stopped the Met from stealing all their shit.

About the Book

FONTS: Alegreya [Google Fonts], Lato [Google Fonts]

IMAGES: all art made by myself @greenhorn-art for this fic

MATERIALS: regular ol' printer paper (8.5"x11", 20lb, 96 bright); ~2-2.5mm binder's board; Neenah cardstock (8.5"x11", 65lb, bright white); Cialux bookcloth (black); waxed linen thread (30/3 size, white); wheat paste (1:4 flour:water); paste wax (from a friend, unknown ingredients&quantities, some kind of wax and turpentine/mineral spirits)

PROGRAMS USED: Affinity Publisher 2; Affinity Designer 2; Bookbinder JS | Renegade's Community Imposer (settings: Quarto, snug against binding edge, custom signatures of 2, 1, 2 sheets).

Text & QR codes printed with colour laser printer (duplex, flip long edge), images printed with inkjet printer. QR codes generated with LibreOffice Writer, snipped, saved, and inserted where needed.

BINDING: quarto (quarter-letter) size, sewn board binding with french link stitch and breakaway spine.

.

So this one all started because the visual of HST's outfit was so fun that I was possessed by a visceral need to draw it. Inspiration slapped me across my mind's eye, and much like a medieval knight being slapped in the face by a glove (which didn't actually happen, that's a myth that sprung from the throwing down of a gauntlet. but that's beside the point), I felt bound to take up the challenge. Which lead me to draw a few more, and then I ended up binding the whole thing.

(Also, I find it really amusing that the famous Terracotta Warriors were just storage for YXs stuff. And the gang going 'shopping' at various exhibits for gifts for friends/family,, like that sure is SOME window shopping! I can hear it now: 'Oooh I'll take one one those SMASH, and that SHATTER, and throw in some of those CRASH, they're going to love these! 😇'. All in all, it was a fun little read, and fun little project! :D)

About the Art

Because this was initially a one-off drawing I tried a new art style (and struggled to at least not stray too far for the rest). It was fun and helped me think more about shape and visual focus, instead of being caught up in the details.

The crow (based off of image ID: 4039963 from Rawpixel) and the red umbrella on the front cover were filled curves made with the pen tool. The illustrations' poses were based off of a combination of images found on Google and photos taken by myself.

Pinterest is awful for sources, but it would have been handy to pin the references I'd googled. Only remembered to save the one of a man sitting at a desk. (I deliberately searched for someone sitting with bad posture because YX is described as being "slumped" over the desk. I figure that since "the laws of physics held no meaning to ["cursed souls eschewed by the natural order"]", they'd also be immune to mundane things like discomfort from sitting hunched over for too long. Back pain images were a gold mine! All I had to do was choose one with lighting that would give me a silhouette.)

The Myriad Manifestations Umbrellas and illustrations were drawn in Procreate.

I opted for a more plain umbrella design because it's not (presumably) a fantastical weapon in this story. Though the initial version did have YX cradling the donghua!MMU.

For the scene breaks I inserted the images, pinned them inline as character, and adjusted height and baseline in the pinning menu to fit.

The author wrote one scene break differently than the others, using multiple empty paragraphs instead of just one. Following suit, I used a different image for that particular break. I wanted to reference vampires somewhere, so for that break I made two bloody spots resembling bite marks. The blood spots were made with a group of shapes in Designer.

On cover design:

Because the MMU is what sparks the whole heist, I wanted it on the front cover.

Earlier iterations involved a full cover spread with a man's shadow standing before a shattered glass case, with a plaque mounted on the wall to the left providing information. The plaque was formatted like a museum label and had the author, date published, title, event collection, and story description. I'd also added a QR code to it. Ultimately, I abandoned the concept because it was difficult to decipher what is was when only looking a one cover at a time.

My second idea for the cover would have been a bookcloth-only cover with a cut-out of the MMU on the front, acting like a window showing off an image of the MMU on paper below it. (Inspired by the work of a number of folks over on Renegade's Discord. Here's a few examples gleaned from a quick search: szynkaaa's lung cutouts, some of EHyde's books, and the front cover of Spock's massive all-in-one TGCF). As fun as that would have been to try out, I felt it didn't quite suit the style of the art so I nixed that too.

Eventually I landed on the back cover design with the Met exhibition webpage. At last, I felt that the back & white and simple-shapes-background went with the artwork. The webpage viewed on the phone is based off of the Met's actual website. I took a snip/screenshot of the Met's logo from the banner at the top, then looked at their exhibitions' pages and eyeballed it to create my own. (Threw in the QR because I wanted the easy access to the fic online on the back cover). I chose to use a phone screen rather than I computer monitor because it worked better composition-wise. And besides, while YX may be allergic to owning a phone, SMC is not. I imagine that she saw the news while on her phone then messaged him.

The front cover came together after that. An umbrella for the MMU, and a pop of red. One of YX's messenger crows. A black shape in the background similar to the back cover's, sort of creating a spotlight over the umbrella and placing the rest of the cover in shadow.

Trying New Things: Applying a protective finish to printed covers

Over on the Renegade Bindery Discord, folks have spoken about using a beeswax & turpentine/mineral spirits 50-50 mix to seal printed covers (thank you Kate). According to my dad that's just a paste wax, so he threw 3 different ones at me and said 'have at it'.

I tested them out using the same paper and inkjet I'll use for the cover. I was looking at 1) whether the paste wax affected the paper colour or print quality, and 2) the finish. After applying one coat each and buffing them out I had my winner. Then I applied & buffed two more coats to it and tested 3) water resistance by dripping tea on it. The liquid beaded up and wiped away without staining -- good, three coats will work nicely.

(Test results: Mystery paste wax from a friend wins.

The commercial SC Johnson Paste Wax Original formula (intended for woodworking) has a nice dry shiny finish, but coloured the paper slightly brown -> disqualified

My dad's homemade stuff has a nice shiny/satin finish and didn't change paper's colour, but it felt slightly tacky even after buffing it -- maybe I didn't buff it enough?

The gifted paste wax has a matte finish, didn't change paper's colour (in the image below this one has 3 coats. The paper is now slightly off-white, but still acceptable), and while not as dry-to-touch as the Johnson it was not as tacky as the other homemade stuff.)

When I print out my quarto covers, I print front and back covers side-by-side on the same page*, with some guides to ensure I'm cutting and gluing in the correct place. (The guides mark the boundaries of the covers and start of the turn-ins, and stop at the edge of where I cut. Before cutting I flip it over to mark the guides [see marks indicated in image below] on the wrong side and connect them so I can see where to glue/place book. Then flip it back over to cut, right side up.)

*I'm being economical here at the cost of possible warping damage. This layout means that I'm only using one sheet of paper, but the grain is running in the wrong direction (across the book instead of preferred head-to-tail/top-bottom). This could cause warping issues, but I'm OK with that. I'm hoping that by just gluing at the edges, instead of pasting down the whole thing, warping will be minimized. (I use wrong-grain endpapers most of the time with larger books anyways).

I applied the paste wax before cutting out the covers, working carefully to avoid accidentally creasing/bending the paper (which happened twice, but it was minimal and I hardly notice it). Doing so before cutting ensured that the cover material was completely covered. Even the turn-ins -- something I later came to regret. After all, wax is used specifically so that things don't stick to it. It made it rather difficult to drum on the endpapers because I was trying to glue something down onto a waxy surface. It all worked out in the end -- perhaps due to the fact that there were multiple layers of wheat paste which could adhere to each other, followed by being squashed in a press.

[6okuto-moved]

two reminders: to my american followers, please contact your representatives (as well as check for protests/events near you) and continue to put pressure on the government to call for a ceasefire. as the sole member of the UNSC who keeps using their vetos for israel, america continues to hold palestinian lives in its hands.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ + check this list of email templates for multiple countries, in multiple languages

call congress and demand a ceasefire (script provided)

and two: gaza needs e-sims! email the qr code you get to gazaesims@gmail.com

NOMAD - MOGO - HOLAFLY - SIMLY

you can also check out cartoonist cooperative's donation drive and buy an e-sim in exchange for art! (links + instructions provided) + artists can join the co op as well

and while you're here, here's a 10 minute video from bisan about the state of UNRWA schools as they shelter almost 800,000 displaced people

[porgthespacepenguin]

1. How to setup 2FA on your accounts

As some of you may know, my friend @why-its-kai's Discord account was taken over this morning by a scammer.

The scam they used was this one, or close enough; but anyway, the exact specifics don't matter.

What matters is, it can happen to you. It can happen to anyone.

The good news is, you can learn how to protect yourself. Making some small changes can already improve your online security by leaps and bounds.

I made a series of 3 posts covering the basics:

How to setup 2FA on your accounts (you are here!)

How to spot a scam

How to set up a password manager.

Protect yourself with 2FA

Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, isn't a silver bullet -- but it exponentially increases your online safety by adding an extra step to the login process that a hacker/scammer does not have access to.

Every account that you care about (and even those you don't) should have some form of 2FA enabled.

Especially email -- should your email become compromised, this can become a catastrophe.

(For websites that don't support 2FA, use a burner email!)

What 2FA should I use?

2FA can take many forms, from the highly convenient (SMS, email) to the highly secure (security keys), but one thing is certain:

Any form of 2FA is better than nothing.

The simplest forms of 2FA are phone number or email. While these are very easy to use, they are unfortunately not very secure.

Still, I repeat: despite their flaws, these forms of 2FA are absolutely, 100% better than not having any 2FA at all.

On the other end of the spectrum, security keys (like for example a Yubikey) are extremely secure, but they cost money and are a bit of a hassle at time. I use them, but for most people, it's overkill.

What you want is an authenticator app.

Important

A note, before we go on…

If you enable multiple forms of 2FA, how secure your account is will depend on your weakest link.

For example, if you enable SMS authentication AND register a security key, your account will only be as safe as the SMS authentication. The security key is essentially useless.

In other words, the least secure form of 2FA you add determines the overall security of your account.

Sometimes, less is more!

Authenticator Apps

First, choose a free, reputable authenticator. Google Authenticator is a good choice. So are Aegis Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator.

For simplicity, we'll go with Google Authenticator; the process is rather similar for most authenticators.

First, download the app from your app store and install it on your phone.

Enrolling Gmail into GA

Securing your email should be your number 1 priority, so let's enroll a Google account to Google Authenticator.

Let's enable two-step verification first.

Phone number is better than nothing, but not very safe (SMS verification can be spoofed), so let's click on "Add authenticator app".

Click on "Set up authenticator". Google will generate a QR-code.

Next, go back to your phone and click on the little multicolored cross. It will bring up a menu; click on "scan a QR code".

Go ahead and scan the QR code.

Congratulations, you have enrolled your Google account!

Now, whenever you are asked for a 2FA code, just open the app and copy/paste it.

Note: the codes are stored locally on your phone.

Enabling 2FA on Discord

The process is fairly similar. Go to Settings > My Account:

Click on "Enable Authenticator App". You will be prompted for your password. Enter it.

Download Google Authenticator if you haven't already. Scan the QR code as described above.

Do take the time to download your backup codes as well!

As explained above, I personally do not recommend setting up SMS authentication here, since authenticator apps are supported, as this weakens the overall security of your account for little benefit.

Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3!

If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

[yourmandevine]

Here's to shutting up

I talk too much and I write too long, and I always have. I don't know why, though people in my life have offered a number of different theories over the years.

I didn't like the one about how it's probably because I'm a narcissist who thinks everyone should be impressed by how smart he is. I really didn't like the one about how the word count is directly proportional to how insecure I am about something. Probably especially because every word I'd use to try to defend myself would just make me more wrong. Checkmate, Dan, you loudmouth.

I'm sure someone has offered a nicer explanation, and that I only remember the critical ones. Just kidding. I'm not sure anyone has ever offered a nicer explanation.

WHATEVER THE REASON, it's something I do, and for many years, it's been something I do professionally. I write thousands of words a day every day, and talk on podcasts and radio hits for multiple hours a week, and have been doing that for more than a decade now. And honestly, that's just an exhausting amount of me for anyone. Including — maybe especially? — me.

When I got to the barbershop this afternoon, I was pretty tapped out on me, and was sort of dreading needing to make small talk for a half-hour — the social contract between all people who sit in the chair and those in the power position, holding the sharp things. After I gave my very specific instructions ("just shorter and cleaned up, please"), I braced for the barber to strike up a conversation. And then, something beautiful happened:

She didn't.

Outside of some general questions specific to the task at hand, she just went about her business and let me sit there with my eyes closed and zone out ... and it was glorious.

The conversation to my left about the relative clutchness of Jayson Tatum and Mikal Bridges? I didn't have to participate! The one to my right about the best place in Bushwick to get a ribcage tattoo? None of my concern!

All I had to do was sit there with my mouth shut and breathe. No compulsion to make a Chicago pope joke to keep up with The Zeitgeist. No mandate to reheat the link to the last thing I wrote to try to get some more engagement so that the bosses can see that I'm working. No need to try to make one stranger (or, ideally, multiple strangers) in that room laugh so that they'd think (and, really, I'd think) I was valuable and worthy of love. I could just let my mind wander.

I thought about whether the barber was clocking what I am growing concerned is a bald spot and what she might recommend, nope, let's stop thinking about that, let's let the mind wander elsewhere. I thought about the song playing on the speaker in the shop, and when was the last time I listened to any new music rather than just either old stuff I already know or basketball/comedy/movie podcasts, and man, that's kind of sad, huh, I should do something about that.

I thought about that time I asked my dad how he was feeling on his 60th birthday, and he said, "Honestly? I'm feeling like I know of guys living to be 100, but never any living to be 120," which was probably a little too real for his son, but which was a pretty good line, you must admit. I thought about how he only made it to 68, and how I'm 42, and if I know of guys who made it to 84, and yeah, come on, you know some guys, man, you know some guys. (OK, maybe too much time in my head isn't the best thing for me.)

I thought about Uncle Baby Billy praying that his cocaine would give him the strength to attack a man, and about whether I should've tried to apply for that sports editor job at The Onion, and about trying to write something for myself rather than for work, and about checking to see if Pete Alonso had hit any new home runs recently, and then, before I knew it, she was done. Shorter and cleaned up.

I thanked her, told her it looked great and I appreciated how relaxing that was. She gave me prayer hands that may or may not have pointed toward the QR code that was the Venmo where I could tip her. No words necessary.

[demonic0angel]

The CN novels that inspired Ghost Games

All of these story recommendations have mlm or gay romances!! I wish I could offer other kinds of romance/horror CN novels but none of them inspire me much. Click on the names for the links!

Don't Pick Up Boyfriends From the Trash Bin: (recommended) A man dies and a system gets attached to him, before he goes into multiple worlds and saves the people he transmigrates into

(A brilliant webnovel that I absolutely adore because it manages to circumvent every bad stereotype of QT novels but the translations are slow. Ghost Games is specifically inspired by its 5th arc) [UNCOMPLETED]

Supernatural Movie Actor App: (recommended) A man finds an app where he has to "act" in horror movies to earn points for his wish to make his lover a body

(An amazing webnovel that is filled with fun, action, and suspense; the main characters are brilliant and I loved how each arc keeps you excited) [COMPLETED]

Card Room: A policeman and a forensic scientist accidentally fall into a game where they have to go through different trials in order to survive

(A fun and mysterious novel, tho it's very long (around 500 chapters) and I stopped halfway through) [COMPLETED]

Edit: I finished it! I recommend it only if you have the time to read it through, and although the ending suffered bc the author got lazy, it was actually a fun and interesting read! The cards/trials were all super interesting, so I had fun! (Recommended)

Kaleidoscope of Death: (recommended) A man accidentally enters the 12 doors, which is a supernatural event that can either save him or kill him

(Everyone and their mother is in the reviews section with EXACTLY identical reviews: "this novel is great but the plot twist is trash. Five stars" 💀. I agree with them. A fantastic and HELLA scary novel but as long as you avoid the extras (which holds the plot twist), the novel is amazing. After reading it, I was afraid to open cabinets for a while and no longer feared death 😔 it is so bloody) [COMPLETED]

High Energy QR Code: (recommended) A man tries to investigate his brother's death, and in doing so, falls into a game world

(I really enjoyed this fic bc it's similar to Supernatural Movie Actor App where the MC is naturally intelligent without seeming obnoxious, and the stories and arcs are all well thought out, creative, and fun. There's also somewhat found family, which I love. It was so much better than what I was expecting, but then again, the author has always made amazing stories (They’ve literally created the most highly rated novel on NovelUpdates and that novel inspired me as a person fr fr no cap. Highly recommend!!! It will change your life!!)) [UNCOMPLETED]

A Crowd of Evil Spirits Line Up to Confess to Me: A man who can see ghosts gets pulled into a ghost game, but there's always a ghost in it that seems to fall in love with him

(A fun novel with a protagonist that is kind but doesn't feel like Virgin Mary, but the translations are slow and I stopped reading bc of it) [UNCOMPLETED]

Non-Human Seeing Re-Employment: An ancient ghost finally gets his own human body before he gets sucked into a horror game

(A nonsensical and crackish webnovel with overpowered MC and ML; read it for fun, not for plot) [COMPLETED]

After the Little Crybaby Enters the Nightmare Cycle: A ghost gains a new body and then gets himself transported into a horror game to earn wishes

(Actually, I dropped this story really early on bc it was like… a less interesting and more boring version of Supernatural Movie Actor App 😶 like it had nearly all the same ideas but it was executed quite plainly and when I caught myself complaining about it, I realized I didn’t have to suffer through it so I dropped it. It’s not bad, just ordinary imo. One of its arcs DID inspire me tho so… you can make your own opinions about it) [COMPLETED]

[brother-genitivi]

please only vote if your dad has done these

[888xiicos]

EvilleCon 2025 Recap

This weekend could not have been any more insane.

More thoughts below the cut, but this was truly such an incredible weekend.

Me and my partner had work on Friday and couldn't attend the first day, but made it for Saturday and Sunday. We entered the Cosplay Masquerade in the Novice Craftsmanship category and even arrived late for prejudging because we couldn't find the Con entrance. We left that day with the Best in Show award and certificate. I'm still processing how we managed to win such an award. We're on the far right in the photo below.

Our Cozmez cosplays have been a labor of love, grief and healing that took about 14-15 months to complete due to the passing of four of my family members and multiple illnesses throughout the creation process of these cosplays. We tried to compete three times in these cosplays before EvilleCon, but had to withdraw due to a new emergency happening the week before every single con we applied to the contest for causing me to repeatedly pause working on these builds.

Each time we had to withdraw from a competition due to not finishing our cosplays plunged me deeper and deeper into an awful mental space that was already in tatters due to the traumatizing year I had.

Within twenty-four hours of the EvilleCon Cosplay Masquerade, we had four moments where we thought we weren't going to be able to compete.

Since we don't live together, I wasn't able to test fit my Partner's pants, the waistband did not fit them at 11pm the night before the con. I stayed awake until 5am that morning making the repairs. We got out of bed to get ready at 6am.

My partner had left our printed build book at their work desk, which we had to pick up before our pre-judging slot.

We arrived at the prejudging booth late because we couldn't find the door, and without our shoes on because we were afraid to scuff the paint on the way in.

When it was time to line up in the room the Cosplay Masquerade was held in, we didn't have the orange stickers on our badges that served as our proof of being a contestant. The kind staff at the cosplay booth couldn't find our names.

Despite all of that, we were able to walk across the stage and then step onto it a second time to receive the highest honor of the night.

I can't think of a better reward for making it through to the end of this build despite all the set backs that occurred, the frustration I felt, the blood, sweat and tears that were spilled in the process. It feels like it was all worth it and my efforts were seen and appreciated. I feel like I was given the closure I so desperately needed for everything I went through when the only thing holding me together was this build.

I can't believe this was given to me.

The entire time the judges were hyping up the best in show winner, me and my partner were discussing how we needed to approach this group for tips on how WE could improve for next time. And then our cosplay names were called? And I started sobbing, my partner screamed at the top of their lungs. I was crying the entire time I was on stage.

The judges for this competition were some of the sweetest and most excited I have seen in a while. I am so thankful for their feedback, their compliments, their encouragement and support.

We were told that our build book was one of the best they had ever seen. It told them everything they needed to know about our characters, answered every question they had about our process, and even provided a digital download link in the form of a QR code I added just in case. They told me they were going to steal that idea from me for their own build books. I can't think of a higher compliment.

Thank you so much to SorasStyle, Cosplay_Cam, RivalSkies, and ScissorWizardCos for this opportunity and all of your hard work and passion.

Thank you EvilleCon for the opportunity and the award. I couldn't stop crying for the rest of that night. I'm so honored and thankful.

Got to walk around on Sunday with my build book in tow in my new lolita coord I've been dying to wear for months. Ended the day filled with so much love and so many little girls begging for a picture with me in this coord. I haven't been this happy in so long. I'm so thankful and feel rejuvenated.

I'll have more photos of the finished cosplays coming soon! I'll also be sharing our build book and a couple tutorial write up posts about the process, so please stay tuned for them!

[jamiesmithblog]

How to Build a Seamless Payment Platform with Cash App Clone Script?

In the competitive landscape of digital finance, launching a peer-to-peer (P2P) payment app like Cash App presents a lucrative opportunity for entrepreneurs. With the rise of cashless transactions, businesses seeking to enter the fintech space can leverage a Cash App Clone Script to establish a robust and feature-rich payment solution. Bizvertex offers a scalable and cost-effective Cash App Clone Software tailored for startups and enterprises aiming to penetrate the digital payment sector.

Rapid Market Entry with White Label Cash App Clone Software

Developing a P2P payment application from scratch involves extensive research, development, and compliance measures, leading to high costs and prolonged time-to-market. A White Label Cash App Clone Software significantly reduces these challenges, allowing businesses to deploy a fully functional platform with minimal investment. By utilizing Bizvertex’s clone solution, entrepreneurs can customize the software to align with their brand identity, ensuring a seamless user experience while maintaining regulatory compliance.

Essential Features of a Cash App Clone Script

To compete in the fintech industry, a Cash App-like platform must offer key functionalities that enhance user engagement and transaction security. The Cash App Clone Script by Bizvertex includes:

Instant P2P Money Transfers – Enables users to send and receive money effortlessly.

QR Code Payments – Facilitates quick transactions via QR code scanning.

Multi-Currency Support – Allows users to transact in different fiat and digital currencies.

Bank Account Integration – Provides seamless linking with bank accounts for deposits and withdrawals.

Cryptocurrency Transactions – Supports Bitcoin and other digital assets for modern financial needs.

Robust Security Measures – Includes two-factor authentication, encryption, and fraud detection.

Bill Payments & Mobile Recharge – Enhances user convenience by integrating utility bill payments.

Custom Branding & UI/UX – Ensures a personalized experience for end-users.

Business Advantages of Choosing a Cash App Clone Software

1. Cost-Effective Development

Investing in a White Label Cash App Clone Software significantly reduces development costs compared to building a payment app from scratch. Bizvertex provides a ready-made yet customizable solution, ensuring a high return on investment (ROI) for entrepreneurs.

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Speed is crucial in the fintech industry. By opting for a Cash App Clone Script, businesses can launch their P2P payment app quickly and start acquiring users without delays.

3. Scalability & Customization

A pre-built clone solution from Bizvertex allows startups to scale as their user base grows. The software is fully customizable, enabling businesses to add unique features and branding elements.

4. Revenue Generation Opportunities

A Cash App-like platform offers multiple revenue streams, including transaction fees, subscription models, merchant partnerships, and cryptocurrency trading commissions.

Build a Profitable P2P Payment App with Bizvertex

For entrepreneurs aiming to establish a foothold in the fintech industry, Bizvertex’s Cash App Clone Software provides a reliable and efficient pathway. With advanced security features, a seamless user interface, and multi-currency support, businesses can create a successful and profitable P2P payment platform. Get started with Bizvertex today and build a fintech brand that stands out in the market.

[elfradfem]

complaining about late stage capitalism on main but I just got a physical copy of Hogwarts legacy for my switch and played through the prologue, and then it tells me the rest of the game can’t be downloaded unless I connect my switch to the internet and link a Nintendo e-account to have access to their online store and be able to download the rest of the game

Like why does everything require you to have an account now, and games are being put out literally walled behind a patch that you HAVE to connect to the internet and make an account to install, an entire fucking game.

Why do I need a fucking account when I already paid for the game, why is the game not just put out ready to play properly on all platforms and fully finished instead of having to jump through obnoxious hoops to play a game that you already paid for, or having the game be virtually unplayable until they scramble to put out a giant patch to essentially finish the game (cyberpunk 2077, I refused to even play the game until it was patched because it crashed my ps4 multiple times and I was really worried about it breaking, but I paid $90CAD for this game to be unfinished, and risk breaking my console).

Missing the days when you paid for a piece of media, and it was done, fully functional and playable, and you didn’t have to jump through digital hoops to play something you literally already bought

And yes I can just make an account, my question is why do I have to? Why do we need to make an account for something everywhere we go? why do we need to download an app for everything? why do we need to have a phone to be able to access some restaurant’s menus because they only have a QR code? Why do we need to fill out intake forms on an app before an appointment just for them to make us fill out the same information on their iPad instead of just giving us one set of paper forms?

Having the internet and a digital device should not be a requirement for being able to participate in society