#and would be so easy to include in apps everywhere

[mitsmebinch]

not saying its perfect by any means but genuinely after using an app that has a one-tap-auto-translate button for any message coming in - why the fuck is this not mandatory for all apps

half the people i talk to on this ap speak either arabic or german, and we have no problem. they type something in their language, i type something in my language. flawless interaction. maybe 1% of the time something is lost in translation and we have to detective out what the other person was trying to say.

to the point where i'll go on other apps and see content that isnt in my language i instinctively look for the translate button. this isnt even a big app. im the only person irl that i know who uses it. why is this not a universal feature

[roosterforme]

How You Play the Game Part 8 | Rooster x Reader

Summary: Bradley was miserable without you, and the pain just wasn't lessening even though you left him weeks ago. He needed to find a way to move on, because you didn't want him, and you weren't coming back. But he should have known there was no substitute for the best thing he'd ever had.

Warnings: Swears, broken heart, angst, consensual sex, sex with a condom while intoxicated (18+)

Length: 5000 words

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x female reader

Check out my masterlist for more! How You Play the Game masterlist. Banner by @thedroneranger

Weeks later...

As you flew to Vancouver from Detroit, you thought about that six hour flight to Boston where you hadn't stopped crying for a single minute. You thought about leaving San Diego and how it broke your heart to move on to the next city and the next assignment. At least this time you had a window seat instead of the middle seat in the last row. And this time you weren't continually wiping your tears on Bradley's Padres jersey. 

You had his jersey on again today, but this time you felt calm as you reached into your bag to take out your computer and read over the research you'd outlined about the Vancouver Canucks. Your eyes caught on the blue golf ball, and after a second of hesitation, you reached for that instead. 

You'd taken it everywhere with you. It joined you in every hotel room, on every flight and in every rental car. You had it with you in your tote bag when you were in Boston about a month ago working on the exclusive with the Bruins' coaching staff. You were carrying it when you bumped into Abigail Archer for the first time in person. 

With your article completely forgotten now, you dug your phone out of your pocket. It was in airplane mode, but you took a deep breath and unlocked it. You had to scroll a bit to get to the text thread with Bradley, and then you tapped his name and you almost let the tears rise to the surface. You held them back as you read the series of sporadic messages he'd sent you since early November.

I miss you. 

Did you make it to Boston safely?

Ace, please call me back. I miss you so much. 

I have this whole weekend off, and I can't help but think it would be easy for me to fly to wherever you are. If you would want that. 

I still miss you.

I hope you're doing well.

You hadn't responded to a single one of them. And you never called him back either. But sometimes, when you were in a hotel room in a city that you couldn't even identify without looking at your calendar app, you'd get lonely enough to listen to his voicemail message. See ya, Ace.

It took until you met Bradley Bradshaw for you to really understand just how lonely you were. Going back to your apartment in New York City didn't feel like going home. There was nothing there that made you smile. There were no baseball cards or too small Angels tee shirts. There was no Bradley making sure you were taking a break when you needed one. 

And he was part of the reason why you let yourself start to be convinced that you could have more out of your career. Maybe he was right. Somebody else might have something better to offer than Greg or the New York Times. When you talked to Abigail and started to test the waters, it wasn't as terrifying as you thought it would be. Making some calls to see what else was out there ended up validating one fact for you: Bradley was right, your writing was in high demand.

But you had to complete your contract with Greg before you could do much else. And that included Detroit and Vancouver. But you hoped after this, your work-life balance might improve. If you decided to take this information back to Bradley, you hoped he would listen to you. Maybe he would even see what you wrote about your career change in your Detroit Red Wings article. If he was even still reading your articles. There was a chance he might still miss you now, and maybe he'd understand that you needed to see the bigger picture for yourself first. 

Before you left him alone in his bed, he told you that you knew where to find him. He made you feel like it was still okay to go there.

--------------------------

Bradley walked past his coffee table dressed in his flight suit with his travel mug of coffee in his hand. He paused at the front door and looked back at the mess he still couldn't bring himself to clean up. You left him weeks ago, damn near a month ago, but he just couldn't bring himself to clean up all of the fucking baseball cards. 

He closed his eyes and took a calming breath. He was being ridiculous. He was never ridiculous before he met you, so you must have made him this way. Every time he tried to clean them up and put them back out in his garage, his hands faltered and he left the cards out on the table. It was like some sort of sick reminder that you'd really been here with him. It was a way to convince himself he didn't imagine up the perfect woman in his mind and then have to live through the aftermath of watching her leave. 

He tightened his fingers around his mug and rubbed the heel of his other hand against his eyes. Then he took his phone out. He knew he shouldn't do it since you never answered his other messages before, but he texted you anyway. 

I hope you're doing well.

When he re-read what he'd sent, he started to panic. It sort of sounded like he meant it with an air of finality. The last thing he wanted was for you to think that he didn't want to hear from you, because it was quite the opposite. There were times when he felt so lonely, he'd have done anything for you to write to him or call him back. 

He swore he could still smell you in his house, and right now it felt a little too much like you were there. He wrenched his front door open and slammed it closed behind him, breathing in the crisp December morning air. He had to start making some changes, and he needed to do it this week. You weren't going to respond to him. After four weeks he should accept that as a fact and stop bugging you. 

He'd been skipping Hard Deck nights and leaving the locker room after work without really talking to anyone. Nat knew why he was miserable, but even she seemed surprised it had gone on for this long. 

A few days ago, she said, "You've never behaved like this over a woman before. This has all just been very surprising, and I don't know how to help you."

Bradley had shrugged and laughed sarcastically. "Well, I fell in love with her. First time for everything, right? I'll know better for next time."

And that was the truly fucked up part. He had fallen in love with you over the course of ten days. As he drove to work, he thought about your face and your voice. He knew exactly how many miles he put on his Bronco driving back and forth to see you at the games in Anaheim. He knew exactly how much money he spent on all the tickets. He knew how badly it hurt right now to be without you. And he knew he'd repeat everything all over again if he could see you for five minutes. 

Just like every other day, he had to collect himself before he could head inside to the locker room. There was no getting his time with you back. There was no second chance. There was no communication. He needed to stop. He took off his aviators that you'd liked so much and set them in his cup holder. When he checked the time on his phone, he had a notification that a new article from you had been posted eight minutes ago. It was like this every day. He'd wait to see each morning if you'd written anything, and then after it was posted, he'd read it at least three times. 

Your final World Series article was the worst one. It was released two days after you left. He must have read it a hundred times. He'd even take a screenshot of the short passage he was certain was about him.

This World Series was exciting and dynamic for so many reasons. We witnessed some of the best major league pitching in the last decade, and there were more stolen bases than the past three finals combined. Professionally, I may never witness anything like this again. And I can even tell you that on a personal level, I was profoundly changed for the better by everything I allowed myself to experience and enjoy between San Diego and Anaheim over the course of the series.

Bradley looked at his phone screen now. It had to stop. He desperately wanted to read your article on the Detroit Red Wings, but he needed to make this feeling stop. It was like he was constantly in pain every time he thought about you or even simply read your name on his phone. Your written words were never going to help him move on, so he needed to do something about it right now while he felt like he could. 

He deleted the New York Times app. He thought about deleting your number as well, but he needed to save some of his strength to get through his workday. So he just tucked his phone in his pocket and climbed out of the Bronco.

---------------------------

When Bradley walked into the Hard Deck on Friday night after work, he felt defeated and exhausted. He managed to delete the app you wrote for, but he still couldn't bring himself to delete your phone number. Moving on was a necessity right now. He didn't even know why he bothered to come to the bar, but staying home and looking at baseball cards on his coffee table didn't seem to be helping him. 

"You're here!" Nat called out as soon as he walked inside. The bar was decorated for Christmas. Was it that close to the holidays? He'd completely lost track of the weeks, but at the same time, he knew exactly how many days it had been since he'd seen you. His mind was too aware of that number, and it tacked a new one on each day. 

"Hey," Bradley managed to grunt when his friend came over to him and wrapped him up in a hug. The Christmas tree and the strings of lights blurred, and he had to close his eyes. He was missing the feel of your arms around him and the way you smelled. None of this was Nat's fault or anyone's fault really. Bradley didn't even blame you. He couldn't. You and he were nothing. 

"Let me get you a drink," Nat whispered, and she took him by the hand. He recognized the upbeat Christmas song, and he saw the guys waving from the pool table. But when he turned to face the bar, Shannon was right there with her usual smile and a pint glass in her hand. He didn't know why he wasn't expecting her. The last time he saw her was when he brought you here, and he'd give anything to go back to that night. 

Bradley just shook his head. "Something stronger. Please." Shannon raised one eyebrow at him and set the pint glass down in favor of a whiskey tumbler and a bottle of Johnnie Walker. "Yeah."

"Haven't seen you around in a few weeks," she said, watching the amber liquid slosh neatly up the side of the glass as she poured. "Kinda missed you." She met his eyes as she pushed the glass across the bar. "You look so sad."

He held eye contact with her, trying his best to push the intrusive thoughts away. "Maybe I'll be around more now," he muttered, downing the whole drink in one go and setting the glass down again. 

Shannon was familiar to him. Comfortable. He'd been messing around with women for damn near two decades without any deep feelings. You were really his first foray into something... more. But you were gone. You didn't want to talk to him. You weren't coming back.

She refilled his glass and said, "Take this one a little slower, Bradley." He nodded before downing it just like the first one, and she kind of smirked and shook her head. "You'll pay for this in the morning."

He laughed sardonically. "That's the idea." He left the empty glass on the bar with a little nod indicating that he would be back. He desperately needed to clear his head, but he'd been trying everything for weeks. Taking a walk outside, having a cold shower, going for a drive. Nothing fucking helped. 

He needed to forget the feel of your body and the sound of your voice. So he drank an extravagant amount of Johnnie Walker on Nat's tab, and he started to feel looser. He laughed at her when she asked how many he had so far. 

"Don't worry. I'll pay you back," he rasped with a smile that he knew could charm every woman except for his best friend. 

She just rubbed her hand up and down his arm and said, "I hope you know what you're doing. Let me know when you want me to get you home."

He kissed her cheek. "I'm fine, Nat. Just fine." He finished his tumbler and tried to remember if that was his fifth or his sixth, but it didn't matter. He was warm now, and his lips were a little numb. This was exactly what he needed tonight. After he shot a round of pool and lost, he flipped through the jukebox, but it was all bullshit Christmas music. He wasn't in the mood. He thought about playing the piano, but there was an empty stool at the bar now, so he headed in that direction.

"One more?" Bradley asked Shannon as he sat, and she reached out to touch his cheek.

"You sure you really need one?"

"Yep," he said, swallowing against the lump in his throat as she swam out of focus for a split second. "Just one more. It'll make it easier." 

She turned away from him to get one more clean glass. Then she filled it for him. "Thanks, Shannon," he muttered when she set it down in front of him. He was leaning on his propped up hand, and he knew she was kind of pretty. But he knew you were prettier and funnier and smarter. 

"You can't have what you want," he mumbled to himself after Shannon walked away. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, unlocked it and just looked at the screen. Delete it. He had to. He opened his contacts, and there you were right at the fucking top. 

Ace

You'd always be at the top, wouldn't you? 

Instead of deleting your number, he sent you a text before he could reconsider. 

Ace, I fell in love with you.

Fuck. Fuck! You didn't want him. And there was no way to take that message back now. He closed his eyes and shook his head, because he couldn't tell if he was about to cry or laugh. He was fucking miserable. Truly, he'd never experienced this before, and it hurt like hell. His thumb hovered over your name once again, but he couldn't delete it. He drank the whiskey and tried again. But still nothing. 

He watched Shannon move around behind the bar. She wasn't you. She wasn't what he wanted, but when she announced that it was last call, she made her way over to him. 

"But no more for you," she teased, reaching to take his glass away. But he had her wrist in his hand before he registered what he was doing. She looked a little surprised. The tears were in his eyes again, but maybe it wasn't so obvious to her. He couldn't say the words. He needed her to be the one. When he licked his lips, she leaned a little closer. "I'm done in fifteen. Are you interested? Or are you too drunk?"

He took a deep breath as his eyes closed. He needed to try to move on. The pain needed to stop, or else he didn't know what he would do. Right now he was numb enough. It was now or never. "I'm interested."

Bradley was very aware of what he was doing, it just vaguely seemed like someone else was doing it. He gave his keys to Shannon once they were outside. "Remember where I live?" he asked, walking toward the Bronco. 

"Of course I do," she whispered. 

He found himself with his back against the passenger side door with Shannon's lips on his. It felt fine. Would probably feel better the more he got used to it again. He could do this. He kissed her back and told her to drive, because he knew he shouldn't. 

She drove and parked and took him by the hand, leading him inside his house. As soon as he saw the baseball cards, he wanted to upend his coffee table. He wanted to do this and get it over with and go to sleep for a week. And if he didn't feel better after that, then he didn't know what he was going to do. 

When Shannon tried to turn on his bedroom light, he took her hand in his and guided it away from the switch. "Too bright," he mumbled, and she started to get undressed. He stumbled across the hallway to the bathroom and closed the door. When he looked in the mirror, he'd never seen anything quite so pitiful. He splashed a little water on his face, but it just made his flushed cheeks stand out more. He dug around under the sink for some condoms he thought he still had. When his hand closed around the box, he sat back against the wall and cried. 

He had no idea how long he was in the bathroom. He took his shirt off and used it to wipe his face. You didn't want him. He went back to his bedroom where Shannon was naked on his bed, her skin glowing in the light filtering in from the bathroom where he forgot to flip the switch off.

"Fuck," he grunted, running his fingers through his hair. But she must have taken that as a sign that he was ready to go. He wasn't, but he told himself he was. She touched him, and he let her. She kissed him some more, and he let her do that, too. He reciprocated. He knew to do that much. But it didn't feel like anything. He fucked her, but it just wasn't right. And then he fell asleep with a throbbing head and an aching heart and the wrong woman next to him. 

-----------------------

It had been years since Bradley had a hangover. When he opened his eyes, his left arm was hanging off of his bed, and his face was halfway smashed in his pillow. His mouth was completely dry, and he tried to press his lips together and swallow. He had no idea how he got home or what time it was. 

"Oh, shit," he groaned. He texted you last night. When he was sitting at the bar. He was pretty sure he told you he fell in love with you. He knew you wouldn't write back. You must have blocked his number by now. He was probably texting nobody by this point, but it still hurt like hell that you didn't want him the way he wanted you.

Then he remembered what he did after he texted you, and the bile rose in his throat so quickly. Shannon was right there next to him when he turned his head. He let her sleep over. He never let her sleep over before this. She was in your spot. He needed her gone immediately. 

"Hey," he grunted, his throat like sandpaper. "Shannon. You need to leave." 

She rolled over and glared at him. "Still tired," she whispered, completely naked in his bed. 

"Please," he begged. He was so fucking stupid, it was incredible. Now he was miserable and hungover and angry with himself. "I need you to."

She sighed and stretched, and Bradley made a beeline for the bathroom, stepping on a condom wrapper on the way. At least there was that. Then he emptied the contents of his stomach into the toilet. He sat back against the wall for a few minutes, afraid there might be more he had to throw up. He knew his head was throbbing due more to the fact that he regretted everything he did last night with Shannon than him drinking most of a bottle of whiskey. 

There was tapping on the door. "If you want me to leave, I need to use the bathroom."

"Give me a minute," he groaned, standing up and looking at himself in the mirror. There were dark circles under his eyes and he looked pale. When he brushed his teeth, he felt the tears burning behind his eyes once again. Was this ever going to stop? It had been more than a month. 

Bradley rinsed his mouth and opened the door, barely looking at Shannon as she walked past him, still naked. He went back into his bedroom for a pair of clean underwear and some gym shorts and fought the urge to put all of his bedding in the washing machine. He couldn't even be in here right now, so he left for the kitchen. And he passed the fucking baseball cards again. He would have to throw them away or ask someone to come get them, because he needed them gone as much as he needed Shannon to leave. 

As he turned on his coffee maker, he heard someone knocking on his front door. He already wanted this fucking day to end. He tried not to look at the baseball cards as he passed the table and wrenched his front door open, and then his jaw dropped in surprise.

"Bradley. Hi."

He braced his hand against the door frame as he looked at you standing there on his tiny porch. You were wearing his Padres jersey. He had to be hallucinating. This had to be a dream. You were here.

"Ace."

He watched your face light up at the nickname, and you laughed softly as you examined him like you'd been dying to see him. He gripped the doorframe a little harder as he reached his other hand out to cup your chin and feel your silky skin.

"Holy shit, Baby. What are you doing here?" His heart was pounding, but he felt somehow normal again. Just like he had five weeks ago before you left him in a state of panic. 

"I came to see you." He stroked his thumb along your lip, but you didn't back away. In fact you took a tiny step closer as you added, "I have to be up in Anaheim tomorrow afternoon for some Ducks interviews, but I wanted to see you first. I thought we could talk."

Your eyes were open and earnest, and Bradley felt weak as he looked at his jersey on you. He let his hand drop away from your face, because he had no idea what to say to you right now. He had convinced himself he'd never see you again. "Did you get my texts? Or did you block my number?"

You pressed your lips together and then whispered, "I got your texts. And I've listened to your voicemail a lot. I've missed you." Bradley watched you smile tentatively and give him a little shrug. 

"You missed me," he said in disbelief. "And you got my messages. And you missed me. And you're wearing my jersey."

You looked down at yourself and laughed. "I've been wearing pretty frequently, actually. Turns out I don't have a dress code at my new office, which ironically is in Houston now, but I hardly ever have to be there in person."

When you met his eyes again, he asked. "New office?" He was so confused as he reached out and stroked your cheek with his fingers again just to try to make sure you were still real. 

"Yeah," you said softly, taking another step closer to him. "I have you to thank for that. I have you to thank for a lot of things." You bit your lip before you said, "I left the New York Times. I just finished my last assignment for Greg yesterday. I'm working on a brand new piece now. I actually begged my new employer to let me come back to California for the Anaheim Ducks article even though it's a bit of a fluff piece, because it meant I could come here and tell you that I'm happier now."

"You are?" he asked, unsure what you meant by that. He was having a hard time listening to your voice and looking at your face at the same time, and he wondered how he'd managed ten days in your presence for the World Series. You were just so overwhelmingly perfect. 

"Yes, Bradley. You made me think about my career, and I kind of took the time to change some of my priorities. Because if there's a man as incredible as you who is willing to take a chance on me, then I can take the same kind of chance on myself."

"Ace."

You smiled up at what he was sure was a look of longing on his face. "I'm working for Velocity Report now, and I'm going to have a lot more time off between assignments. Which is important, because you reminded me that I need to take breaks and eat and take care of myself. Even when you're not around."

"I loved doing that for you," he gasped, suddenly dying to kiss you. 

"Yeah, well, you were really good at it," you said as your smile faded a little bit. "But that's why I'm here. To tell you all of this in person. You deserve to hear it in person instead of over the phone, especially since I never responded to you. I wanted to, but I just wasn't ready until now. And I don't know if you read what I said about you in my Detroit Red Wings article... but, I still miss you. And I love you."

His heart was pounding so hard, he thought he was going to pass out. "You love me?" he asked, absolutely needing you to say it again for him as your eyes drifted to where the box of baseball cards was still out on the coffee table. 

Your smile grew as you reached out for his hand and tugged him closer like you were going to kiss him. "Yes, I do. I love-"

Bradley heard a noise behind him, and his heart sank as his eyes went wide. You were looking off to the side, and he heard Shannon's voice. "Oh, sorry." He turned to see her with a puzzled look on her face. He had completely forgotten she was even here. After a few minutes in your presence, you were the only thing that mattered.

"Oh my god," you gasped, wrenching yourself away from Bradley. "Oh, fuck." You looked at him with your hands on your forehead and tears in your eyes. "You know what? Forget I was even here. I'm sorry," you gasped, turning on your heel and walking full speed across his yard to the black car that was parked at his curb. 

It took him a second, but then he was right behind you. "Ace! No, Baby, you don't understand." But it didn't look like you were listening as you dug the keys to your rental car out of your pocket. "Ace! Please!" He ran barefoot out onto the street to try to beat you to the car door, but you were too fast. When he reached for your hand and spun you around to face him, you had tears streaming down your cheeks. 

He was frozen, clinging to your hand as you whispered, "She's the bartender. I should have never come here."

"No," he begged, stepping into your personal space, but you kept dodging him. "It's nothing. I want you here. I need you here."

But you pulled your hand free and reached for the door handle as you sobbed, and it broke Bradley's heart. "I need to go."

He was ready to drop to his knees. "She doesn't mean anything, Ace! Please! I missed you too, Baby! I've been miserable without you, okay? You have no idea." 

You wouldn't even look at him now as you pushed him out of the way so you could climb in the car. He felt all of his dreams slipping through his fingers twice now as you slammed the door closed, started the engine and drove.

"Ace!" he shouted running alongside your door until you hit the accelerator and left him standing in the middle of his street without shoes on. "Ace. I love you," he whispered as you turned left at the end of his block, and then you were out of sight. 

Bradley sank down until he was squatting with his face buried in his palms. "Fuck!" he screamed, the sound only slightly muffled as he jumped up to his feet and made his way back to his house where Shannon was standing on his porch. She looked disgusted as another car pulled up in front of his house. 

"Why are we sleeping together if you're clearly in love with her?" she asked, barely looking at him as she headed toward her Uber. "You should go take care of that."

As Bradley watched her away, he tried to pinpoint exactly how he'd fucked all of this up. He wondered if there was any way to fix it. Once again, he couldn't breathe correctly as that crushing feeling returned to his lungs. This feeling has vanished for those few minutes he was with you again.

"Maybe you don't even deserve her," he told himself as he walked back inside alone, thinking about how for a minute there, you'd loved him back.

------------------------------

Oh, Bradley. Oh, you sweet thing. Should I add one more part? Thanks to @mak-32 and @beyondthesefourwalls

PART 9

@hotch-meeeeeuppppp

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[worldfullofash]

i would love love love some fluffy romantic headcanons for Penelope Garcia 💜💜 :)

There definitely needs to be more Garcia content on this app! Thank you for your request and here you go <3

Penelope Garcia as your girlfriend

She is THE Office siren

Yet she knows how to include color in her fits, which i looovee

And damn being her lover is a whole rollercoaster

In a good way of course

Let’s talk about being her significant other

She has so much love to give and yet no one to give it to

Until you came along

Don’t get me wrong she showers the bau with love, but she still longs for something more

We all know she is an enthusiastic person

Therefore, she is not one to shy away from flirty banter. When you return the same energy… she is an unstoppable force of love

That means she isn’t ashamed to bury you with her affection

I mean- She’s probably already planning your wedding

In addition to this, she is a great planner. Your birthday party’s are the ones that everyone in the bureau looks forward to

Get her trinkets please

Like that’s the way to get into her heart

She’ll appreciate every little thing. She puts them in her office and takes them with her when she has to consult on a case. As a reminder of you everywhere she goes

Even if you are a profiler and literally a few feet away from her-

She just misses you all the time

Heart-shaped rocks, little notes with doodles and pictures of cats. Everything little thing counts.^^

Speaking of cats, she is definitely a cat person

I’m pretty sure she buys cat food just to feed the stray cats in het neighbourhood

You may have to warn her about the risks.. the illnesses and all that. However, it is endearing to see her care so much about animals most people usually ignore

I definitely think she can crochet. Which means she makes most of her gifts for you herself

Imagine her exited face when you open the colourful packaging to be met with a cardigan or a scarf in your favourite colours

She knows your style so well^^

Happy you = happy Penelope

Btw she also crochets hats and sweaters for the stray cats I mentioned earlier. They never want to wear them, but it’s the thought that counts

She stims a lot. Especially when she feels comfortable enough with you. She starts singing out of nowhere, rubs her hands together and even shrieks to transfer her energy. Later on she also uses your jewellery/clothes to fidget with

She rambles a lot when stressed so you have to remind her to breathe

I really like to see her with a quiet person who loves to hear her talk: the rambler x listener trope

She wears her emotions on her face

This means that you don’t even have to be a profiler to know what mood she’s in. Since she’s so cheerful all the time it is evident when she’s feeling down.

Fortunately, it is very easy for you to make her smile again

She makes her love known by giving gifts

But her actual love language is words of affirmation. She needs to know that she belongs and matters. Especially considering her past

If you don’t like Spencer she’ll won’t like you. Period.

You guys will be a powerful trio btw

If you work for the bau, you always hang out in her office. It’s your own little girlscave

Like Hotch has to force you out so you will focus on your paperwork

You guys share colognes/perfumes and beauty products

All in all, I need her, i want her and i need her to want me

[piratesexmachine420]

ICF VIII

Here's an amusing little product: the TI Keyboard. I've mentioned it on this blog a few times before, but I don't think I've ever really highlighted it until now.

This works exactly how you think it does. The cradle is nothing more than a strangely-shaped calc to calc serial link cable with one end that will only physically accept devices in a TI-83 style chassis.

You can even just use the cradle as a link cable, no problems.

Setup is pretty easy, just slide the graphing calculator into the cradle and plug the other end of the cable into the I/O port of the keyboard.

All communication is done asynchronously over an unusual variant of TI's normal D-Bus protocol*. This limits compatibility to just the contemporary (2002) graphing calcs with upgradeable OSes (i.e. flash storage): the TI-83 Plus, -83 Plus Silver Edition, -89, -92 Plus and Voyage 200. (The TI-92 Plus and Voyage 200 require using a normal calc to calc link cable, as they won't fit in the cradle. Also, apparently in 2005 a revised cradle was released that let you use calculators in a TI-84 Plus-style chassis -- these seem much rarer. One's sitting on eBay right now for ~$50. I'm not pouncing on that.) TI would've included a CD with up-to-date versions of TIOS and AMS when they sold the TI Keyboard, but I bought an out-of-box unit and only have the keyboard and cradle myself.

As another side note: I don't own a TI-73 and thus can't check this myself, but I don't see a technical reason why it wouldn't also work there. Apparently TI just didn't think it was a good fit? (I'm inclined to agree.)

Oh, and you'll also need to make sure the keyboard has fresh batteries -- three AAAs -- the link cable interface doesn't provide any power.

Once you're up and running, you can just start typing away! On the 68k-based TI-89 and -92 Plus, AMS will give you full keyboard support everywhere, including shortcuts like copy+paste. Built-in apps, optional apps, and third-party apps all work. (This is a consequence of the event-driven way 68k apps work, and the way they construct their UIs from builtins, but I digress.) IIRC even ASM programs can use it in some capacity, so long as they use getkey routine instead of trying to read the keyboard directly. Don't quote me on that though.

You'll probably just want to stick to the text editor, though. Try to do anything...calculator-ey and you'll rue the lack of dedicated keys for stuff like 'integral' or 'theta' or 'degree'. They're all still available under keyboard shortcuts (■+7, ■+H and ■+F, respectively) but those are annoying to remember and often inobvious. At least the diamond key makes more sense: it just works exactly like the normal diamond button does.

On the z80s, support is essentially the same but a little messier. It's mostly about the keyboard shortcuts, they behave differently across TIOS and NoteFolio (a note-taking and text editing app that was also included with that CD I mentioned before), and AFAICT it's pretty spotty in all other apps. StudyCard will let me use ◆+1 for F1, but ProbSim won't. Also, TIOS proper doesn't have support for lower-case letters, so shift and caps lock have no effect on letters outside of NoteFolio.

(NoteFolio was also available for the 68-based machines, but I haven't tried it out myself. I'm doubtful it was a significantly better experience than the built-in text editor, unless Microsoft Word compatibility [yes, really] was something you were desperate for.)

What you're probably really wondering is what it's like to type on. Not great! It's a membrane, and not a very good one. Keys are soft and mushy, travel distance is weird, and it's also kinda slow and kinda laggy. I'm a terrible typist, but if you weren't I imagine dropped inputs would be a problem. Additionally, the arrow keys, page up and down, and delete keys are all in a highly annoying places -- especially the arrow keys. It's not a good experience, but it does still beat the TI-92's stupid tiny chiclet keyboard. (I love the 92, but you aren't getting more than like 30 WPM on that thing.) If I had to type up a document on a calculator, I'd want to use this.

In the end though, I'm not sure exactly who this product was for. Were there people who actually wanted to type documents on their calculators? Were TI envisioning a future where classrooms of students would be taking notes on these tiny 4cm x 6.5cm LCDs? It might save paper over a physical notebook, sure, but it's soooo limited and cumbersome. What if you want to draw diagrams? What if you want to pretty print a math expression? What if you, heavens forbid, you want to draw a graph? Now you're out of luck. Especially since you would've had to spend $44.95 on this thing. That's almost eighty USD now.

I myself only bought it because I thought A) it was odd and b) it would help me turn a calculator into a goofy sort of desktop computer if I also bought a TI-Presenter or ViewScreen (one day...), which also wouldn't be a super helpful addition to my life but would probably earn some nerd cred.

Anyways, I leave you with a slightly humorous cut from the TI Keyboard Manual:

Use two hands to type ◆+H, TI? Why would I want to do that?

Not pictured: my shoulder contorted so hard that my elbow is in the middle of my chest.

*It took me ages to find documentation about what exactly was different about it. I apparently eventually tracked down a zip file full of TI-made pdfs about it, including the technical documentation I was looking for, but I have no memory of how I got it. All I know is that it's sitting in my downloads folder now. I might've ended up crawling through the Internet Archive? It was a real slog.

[clarafell]

hello! i hope you don't mind the question, but i haven't been around the pmmm roleplay community for years so i was wondering, what's it like these days? i love your homura btw

unprompted / always accepting!

Hello there, dear anon!

How are you? I hope your day is going well. I have always stated that I am always willing to answer questions, including questions from lovely anons. As anyone who takes a peek at my blog can tell... I love to answer all sorts of questions about the pmmm franchise. I have a soft spot for answering Homura-related questions since she is my only muse, but I'm always willing to answer questions about the whole franchise. pmmm tackles dark themes, but it is very special to me.

Let me be the first to welcome you back to the pmmm community, by the way! Or at least I hope you are returning. I really hope you do come back, even though I have no clue who you are.

I am always looking for pmmm muses since it is such a small franchise compared to, like, everywhere else. I have seen even smaller fandoms, but... Like Princess Tutu, for example. That franchise deserves one of the biggest revivals of all time. The lack of merchandise is so disheartening to see. Not only that, but seeing a fandom that you really love just quietly die is... really hard. Even if you aren't roleplaying, it is really hard. The benefit of a dying or dead fandom is that it makes seeing a fellow fan shine a lot brighter!!! At least in my opinion, anyway.

I'm beginning to ramble, so...

Allow me to get to the point—

This community still feels tiny.

With the hype of the upcoming movie finally being given to the fans, the non-roleplay community is thriving. All we had for years is the brilliant Concept Movie before the hopes of a sequel went silent. As you may or may not know, the Concept Movie trailer holds a special spot in my heart. I am still analyzing for my own pleasure while also incorporating it into my blog. Promotional stuff in the franchise has always been happening, but we have waited a LONG time for more news on the sequel to Rebellion. A lot of us have lost hope. I have seen some non-roleplay blogs leave the franchise because they couldn't handle waiting for any newer content. It breaks my heart, but I can understand why someone might lose interest in a franchise.

The pmmm rp community should have seen the rise of more blogs with the introduction of Magia Record, the spin-off mobile game. Never in my wildest dreams have I thought that the pmmm franchise would receive a gacha-related game, but I was extremely excited!!! You can bet that I was there when Magia Record finally came to the US servers. The style of the game was easy on my old phone, so I went downright crazy for the game... I did every event, read everything I could get my hands on, and I had even spent money on the game.

For a little bit, the Magia Record game did make some new rp blogs pop up. The doors for more interaction were expanded, thanks to the help of the gacha elements. There are so many characters, so I will just drop the list of all the characters in a link right here for your reading pleasure.

Sadly, Magia Record came to an abrupt end when the English server dropped the End of Service announcement. Honestly, I'm not sure why they decided to cut the app's lifeline. It was a crushing defeat for all the English fans of the game. I know I was heartbroken because I felt so happy and safe and inspired by the game's existence. As someone who hasn't gotten the chance to play any other pmmm game, Magia Record was my dream app.

Fans of the game outside of the rp community, stubborn and refusing to accept defeat, began to migrate to the Japanese server. With the help of the non-rp fans, the Magia Record game was still preserved. Fans went as far as translating the game or making blogs dedicated to preserving everything the game has to offer, even though they had to make Japanese accounts.

The loss of the Magia Record game for the English-speaking side, I fear, eliminated the chance of more pmmm blogs from popping up. I can still point you to the blogs that have muses beyond the Holy Quintet. These blogs are still going strong, which makes me quite happy.

The Japanese server kept going on very strongly, by the way. It was active, growing, and introducing so many new stories and characters. The game, in Japan, has managed to stay alive for YEARS now... It is only recently that the Magia Record game in Japan has announced that it will be ending the app in July of this year. It is sad to see that Magia Record will be closing its doors in Japan, but I am happy that the game has lived a lot longer than the English app.

Fear not, however. The end of service announcement for the Japanese server has revealed that a new game is in the works. It is called Magia Exedra. While it is unknown if this new game will ever reach beyond Japan is up for debate... But if you are interested in hearing more about it, then I will drop this link for you and anyone else who is reading this messy post.

The end of the Magia Record app in its birthplace of Japan may have finally reached its end, but there is always hope for this franchise. With that said, Magia Record was still popular enough to make a big splash in the anime community and the manga community respectively. I highly suggest that you check out the anime and manga as well as anything from the game, by the way. One thing to note is that the anime's ending and the game's ending are very different. The anime did well in plenty of aspects, but it tackled a really big task since it was trying to bring a gacha game to life. As you can imagine, turning a gacha game into a faithful anime is... Well, it is really hard.

Personally, I believe that the game and the anime have their separate advantages. The introduction of Magia Record did make an impact on the rp side. In fact, it makes me adore each and every pmmm rp blog that I see. I adore the original gang, but I always get excited when I see spin-off muses from the rest of the pmmm franchise just magically show up. Heck, the presence of the spin-off pmmm muses is what helps encourage pmmm original characters to show up.

I'm always in search to convert other muses to try to sink themselves into a pmmm verse. It doesn't matter what fandom you are from or if your muse is an original character to me. I feel like everyone should be welcomed into the pmmm fandom. as a matter of fact, the pmmm fandom has to be the most diverse communities to join. Honestly, I believe that the pmmm verse would be unstoppable if they allowed non-females to suffer form contracts. Sure, it will be chaotic... But it will be really fun! Won't that be nice to see? I know a small handful of non-female muses that have pmmm verses... and I will ALWAYS treasure them. They broke the norms of the pmmm franchise, which is so cool to see. (Note: I would most likely try to get them to make all their muses have a pmmm verse. With love and plenty of excitement, of course. If I haven't done so yet, look out!!!)

It might be hard to tackle making a pmmm verse from scratch since there is a lot of details to focus on, but the best part about that challenge is how you can easily incorporate your canon stuff into the pmmm verse. Once you get everything finished? Your pmmm verse will shine!!! (If anyone is need of help for their verse, please send me an a message or an ask. I am always looking forward to helping people, even if it doesn't relate to pmmm at all!)

Anyway, thank you for sticking with me until now. I apologize for rambling, by the way. Let me get back to your ask, anon. (Honestly, you deserve an award for getting this far. I'm serious. Everyone deserves an award!)

The rp community for the pmmm franchise is tiny, but it feels close and safe. I have not seen any bad stuff happening in this community, so I believe you have nothing to fear when coming to the fandom. There are dead blogs across the franchise, but please don't let that stop you!!!

Looking for pmmm rp blogs will most likely be hard to do. I'll admit that, haha. It feels like a lot of multi-muse blogs are more likely to have a pmmm muse, maybe even a muse with a pmmm verse. The rp blogs that do focus on pmmm in any shape or way are always worthy of checking out. From what I've noticed over the years, the pmmm franchise sticks together through thick and thin.

With the release of the new movie comes the promise that the franchise will experience a revival. Walpurgisnacht Rising is said to be the beginning of a new chapter, both in the trailer. I think the creator also confirmed this fact, but I can't find the source for that at the moment. With this little crumb of information, it is very likely that Walpurgisnacht Rising will not be the end of the pmmm franchise. I believe that the pmmm franchise will be explored past Walpurgisnacht Rising's release. I don't know how, but I have a strong belief that pmmm will not end that easily.

The release of the upcoming movie (and perhaps that new game) will hopefully help the pmmm rp community to grow. Whether it rapidly grows or continues to quietly exist... I will always be here with Homura. She means sooo much to me.

I don't know how long you have following my journey with Homura, but... Anon, thank you for your kind words! I'm hoping that my portrayal will continue to be an enjoyment for you! My inbox is always open for future questions, no matter what!

Please, please let me know if you do come back. Even if you don't come back, I hope that you enjoy your time here on my blog! Stay safe and cozy!

Sending lots of love, Lia. ♥

[walkawaytall]

If you’re up for it, tips/faves from your Disney visit?

Okay, so I'm not expert, but here are some observations from my Walt Disney World trip in no particular order:

First off, I can't speak to other food sensitivities, but I can't eat even a little bit of gluten without becoming ill in such a way that half of my trip would have been ruined, and I was able to eat pretty easily. Ordering quick service meals through the My Disney Experience app, it was usually pretty easy to tell what I could and couldn't have, and for the table service meals that we had, the staff was incredibly knowledgeable about what either was already gluten-free or could be made gluten-free. For anyone who doesn't have food sensitivities, I don't know how to explain how much of a relief this was. Food is always such a cumbersome thing for me in general, and it's even worse when traveling, so having people who clearly knew what they were talking about go over menus with me was really reassuring, and I didn't get sick at all! Foodwise, highlights include: the churros at the Nomad Lounge in Animal Kingdom, which are GF, the GF beignets at Scat Cat's Cafe in the Port Orleans - French Quarter resort, and the Citrus Swirl at Sunshine Tree Terrace in Magic Kingdom. Also, we ponied up the cash for the Be Our Guest dining experience at Magic Kingdom, where you get to eat in Beast's castle from Beauty and the Beast, and the food was excellent. It's not a cheap meal, but, honestly, I think a similar-quality meal outside of WDW would cost about the same. And, whoever our host was is truly living his best life, acting like he's a straight-up cartoon character and clearly enjoying every second of it.

We had someone with some mobility issues who needed to sit or stop walking frequently, and some lessons learned from that: first off, if you're looking at the parks in terms of the amount of public seating with shade, Magic Kingdom is the best for that, followed by Animal Kingdom, and EPCOT and Hollywood Studios are tied for the worst. EPCOT is just...so dang hot with all the cement, and HS...okay, Galaxy's Edge does at least have some shade, but they didn't install as many places to sit as they really could have, and Toy Story Land is almost entirely roasting in the sun. If either of those areas had had a bit more seating/shade, we probably would have spent longer in the park, but as it was, it was sort of a half-day park for us.

If you're staying at a resort on-site, staying at one of the ones that the skyliner hits is super convenient, and way less crowded than the buses. The skyliner only goes to two parks, but still...that's two fewer bus rides.

Because of the way Disney has set things up, if you have any interest in the more popular rides, it is almost imperative to pay for Genie+ and occasionally Individual Lightning Lane passes. It's stupid, and I hate it, but if you're trying to maximize your time there, it's necessary to avoid standing in line half the day.

On that note, though, don't be afraid to ride the "lame" rides. Two of my favorite rides were the PeopleMover and the Carousel of Progress -- both of which I never would have checked out had I not seen Jenny Nicholson's "Top 10 Lame Things To Do At Disney World" video, which I also highly suggest (I actually love all of Jenny's videos, and she has several good ones on theme park stuff. This is one of the shortest ones).

Also, because of the way Genie+ and the Lightning Lane passes work, sometimes it's really easy to get caught up in the game of scheduling the day, and just hopping from one ride to the next without lingering in the parks and checking out the different areas. This is, in my opinion, a huge downside to this system. The parks are all highly themed in various ways, and there are cool things to look at and be around nearly everywhere. If you're constantly rushing from attraction to attraction, you miss some of that. So, try to take some time to linger. It really is worth it to do so.

If you're going to all four parks over the course of several days, I highly suggest having a rest day in the middle of the trip where you don't go to a park if you can. We had originally planned our not-park day for the end of the week, but ended up swapping it around with the last park day because we were just exhausted.

Unless something seems in danger of selling out throughout the day, save buying souvenirs til the end of the day. Spending a bunch of mental energy trying to make sure you don't spill something on your cool new bag or lose your cute Chewbacca plush is silly when you can probably just run through whatever stores on your way out. Ask me how I know this.

Don't be afraid to really examine whether the juice is worth the squeeze. I had been told we had to ride this one ride at Hollywood Studios, and even though I seriously grabbed a Lightning Lane pass four minutes after they were released, our time wasn't until like 7pm. By like...4:30, we had more than exhausted what we wanted to do at the park, were grumpy, and dreading waiting around for another 2.5 hours just to ride a roller coaster...so we didn't. We probably could have gone to the hotel and then gone back to the park, but we were just tired and kind of over it at that point, so we left for the day. And, honestly, I do not think any roller coaster would have been worth getting increasingly grumpy and sunburned over the course of a couple hours. Maybe if it had been a ride we were really looking forward to, but this was one we didn't even know existed until someone told us we had to ride it. So...examine what's actually worth the time/energy to you and base your decisions around that instead of on what other people say is a must-ride, must-do thing.

[sweetpiccolo-blog]

Hiya! Hope you're having a nice day/night!

I'm here for the matchups so let me begin quickly!

◆ I am 162 cm tall, I have really dark brown hair and I also have hazel eyes.

◆ I know fluent Turkish (native), C1 English, B2 Azerbaijan Turkish and a little bit of A2/B1 German.

◆ I'm ISFJ 6w5 and I'm apparently an Aquarius. (I don't care for zodiac signs lmao-)

◆ My hobbies include sewing, cooking/baking, cycling, drawing, reading, drumming, photography, gaming, learning new languages and etc.

◆ Likes: Geography, citrus fruits, nature, cartoons, swing sets, cold weather...

◆ Dislikes: Insects, bad grammar, crowds, public speaking...

◆ I have no preferences but my favourite is Seb, that should tell a lot about me. (:

Thanks for taking your time to read this, have a great day! 🧿

- Ani

HI ANI!!! I am so excited to finally do your ask. I really hope you like it <3 I did not give you Seb because you are literally him so I decided to match you up with someone I feel like you would love spending time with.

This is only my opinion, so be sure to let me know what you think about it later : )

LET US GET STARTED!

Header by @dvluc

Your match is...

☆Alex Albon☆

You and Alex are serious when you need to be but that’s like 5% percent of the time, maybe less. You bet you both would be goofing around all day every day. But you are responsible and reliable. That being said, if there is a problem I think you both would come to a solution pretty quickly and even if there is a problem, there’s not much of them between you two.

Languages! You know many, he does few so that means… learning from each other! He would be amazed by your linguistic skills. I feel like he could teach you some Thai phrases maybe something about Thai cuisine too since he loves food. You would actually crush him with your rich vocabulary. Always blurring out something which sounds like gibberish to him but then you would laugh it off, slow down and translate what you just said. It is a very symbiotic way of learning for both of you.

You have incredible trust in each other. And also loyalty. You two would die for one another without a question. You are practically connected, inseparable. If there is you, Alex must be somewhere around and that works the other way around too.

I can see you dropping some geography facts here and there and Alex just looking at you as if you grew another head. He remembers them though and then flexes in front of George or Lando.

MEMES. Memes everywhere. No matter which app you communicate through there are loads and loads of memes. Nonstop.

When you agree on something together you do it. Even if it`s a spontaneous trip. One of you says the idea out loud, other one agrees and boom a plan is born. Backing a huge cake in the middle of the week? Why not. Getting out on the bikes for a whole day till the sun goes down? Yes please. Taking random pictures of everyone during the rawe ceek and then laughing at them? Uh-huh. Designing t-shirts with some cool design? Ya bet.

Gaming nights are a thing at your house. When there is no race, you buy the newest game and play together. No matter the genre. You even call the guys from Twitch to join you.

You both love nature! Although Alex is more of summer and sea guy and you a wintery gial. You will find something that both of you can enjoy. Just being outside makes you recharge your batteries.

BONUS: You avoid crowds as much as possible but that is not easy while dating an F1 driver, so you and Alex come up with ridiculous outfits to blend in and somehow they always work, nobody suspects a thing. You try to make existing in a crowd less of a burden and just have fun.

ENJOY! 💙💙💙

[celiastjamesoscar]

Biotat

Hello queen! How are you doing?

I gotta start this off with saying how much I love a whipped Sam. A pout here or some puppy eyes there and Sam is melting immediately. It's so cute.

And Sam being whipped immediately!! So relatable. The first time I saw her I was on my knees. The same with Rs preference in women. I, too, love me a slightly psychotic and murderous woman. They're hot, okay?

I also wanna sleep with Sam... I SO wish to be in the puppy's place.

I know this is a Sam fic but I absolutely adore Tara in this one. She's so manipulative in a good way, a true menace and absolutely hilarious! I couldn't stop laughing when she was bullying kids and tripping them while ice skating.

So onto my Sam thoughts: Seeing her this excited and almost giddy to get to know R definitely surprised me on one hand but also was completely justified on the other. I suck at words so I can't really explain it but while Sam is more guarded and reclusive when it comes to new people, she's also still human and can't fight her curiosity and attraction. Her being an immediate simp and introducing herself, given how she actually prefers to stay anonymous and not known by people, is a huge indicator for her interest in R. To me that's significant because her name is now so unique and spread everywhere that Sam wants to have control over who gets to know her and who doesn't. Yet she chose to reveal it to R. Her yearning for a future with her and flirting just proves that despite Sam's harsh exterior and difficult past she still just wants a normal life and a partner who genuinely loves and cares for her.

It's definitely not easy to gain Sam's trust so the fact that she told R on her fourth lunch date is huge. R is that someone who can offer her a normal life but her fear keeps her from pursuing a relationship. Sam is a person who needs the support from her family, otherwise she would always hide away and stay that guarded person.

Honestly sometimes your writing really leaves me speechless because it's just so amazing and you always manage to make Sam a complex character that I'm just like "yes, exactly". Like sometimes I don't know what to say because you perfectly manage to analyze Sam's personality and write such a flawless story. Then I'm just sitting with my notes app open and think "damn, what else can I say about Sam and describe how awesome this story is"

A whipped Sam is the best thing on this planet!!

I also love a slightly psychotic and murderous woman, they are simply the best

I always love including Tara in all my Sam fics. This is probably my favorite fic that includes her as a side character and I like to think it pertains to her off-screen character that we don’t see much of. Like her being manipulative in a good way, like you said. And she definitely loves bullying little children, it’s definitely a hobby of hers.

Your thoughts on Sam are exactly what I thought when I wrote out this fic, it’s simply incredible to read over your words and recall every single thought that I had while writing it. Her name is something important to her and she hates that it is associated with the Woodsboro murders, so her automatically introducing herself to R is something so unique in the story and it’s secret message throughout the story is a favorite of mine, if I say so myself.

I want to say more about your examination of it, but your words are so perfectly put together it brings a few tears to my eyes

I feel like you are right there with me when I write out my stories and we bounce our ideas off of each other, it’s unbelievable how perfectly you pick up on the littlest of details in my stories <333

[crowley-winter-boots]

I would like to add my own take to some of these/further expand on what you have written.

Start stealing things from supermarkets and malls:

I've literally walked out of stores in the mall with unpayed items. Check for the chunky plastic white tags on it, or a silver sticker with a black dot: these will set off alarms when you leave the door and they are very difficult, if not impossible to take off without getting caught by employees. Supermarkets are more iffy, I've never stolen anything from one, but they have more cameras there. Small stores in malls typically don't, at least not any I can see, which I'm fairly certain it is illegal for stores to have hidden cameras. Wear baggy hoodies, you can slip something in your sleeve quickly. Basketball shorts, parachute pants, other bottoms with large pockets are great for slipping something in unnoticed. Also, DO NOT dwell on something too hard. It will make it more likely to get caught- act natural. A lot of people go into the mall just to browse, so it's perfectly normal to walk out without having bought a single thing.

Put stickers everywhere:

It is incredibly easy to make your own stickers. It is better if you have some artistic ability so you're able to format the sticker sheets properly, but it's fine if you don't have those skills. It's like a jigsaw puzzle, you'll have to rotate the images in weird angles and look for patterns of where one nook fits into one cranny. Repeating patterns are good, too. You just need sticker paper, a printer, and an app that you can import photos into and create the sticker sheets: I personally use Procreate, but that's because I use it for artwork and it was the easiest option on hand for me, personally. Ibis Paint X is free, a bit difficult to import photos in my opinion, but it works. I'm sure Word could work as well, though not as well. The less white space, the better, but make sure to leave enough room between each sticker as to have even borders all around. A common mistake I made when I first started making stickers was that I would accidentally overlap some stickers or make them touching.

Learn how to sew:

Here is a punk fashion tip: USE DENTAL FLOSS. I know, it sounds weird, but it's a great option. Cheaper than thread, you can buy it in bigger quantities, it lasts longer, it's sturdier, and overall just a really good option.

Furthermore, since I mentioned a punk fashion tip, I want to add my own way to protest here, as well as other DIY things you can do.

Battle vests/jackets are excellent. I'm making one, as well as my own patches to add to it. DO NOT put political statements or LGBT-oriented things on the back: this can, and will, put you in danger. Not only will you not see someone coming at you, but if someone sees it from the front, they are less likely to actually harm you since you can see them coming. There are some other punk DIY clothing you can make, including crust pants and just homemade patches to add onto something else. You also don't have to fit the "punk aesthetic" to be a punk: it's an ideology.

Some more punk fashion tips: You CAN paint on clothes and fabrics. Just add equal parts fabric softener to equal parts acrylic paints. This will prevent the paint from getting crunchy, make it last longer, prevent it from chipping, allow it to stretch with the fabric, and make it machine washable. You can also make homemade pins: acrylic paint, bottle caps, soda tabs, safety pins, modge podge, and a lot of hot glue. Put the safety pin through the soda tab, and glue the soda tab down with hot glue. Drown that shit in it- may seem unnecessary, but hot glue is stubborn with metal and does not want to stick. Do this BEFORE YOU PAINT, I made the mistake and everything peeled off because it warmed up and stuck to my table. When you're done painting, seal it with Modge Podge: it's a type of glue-like substance that seals paint, makes it shiny, prevents it from chipping and peeling, and makes it last longer.

Engage in art

Art does NOT have to be good. Art is about having fun and expressing yourself. It takes YEARS to become good at it, but even then there is always room to improve. Don't downplay your own efforts because someone else has skills you don't yet have. Get creative. Bring out those cheap art supplies extended family bought you on a whim when you were in grade school. Cut things up and glue them where they don't belong. Spill coffee on it, crumple the paper, and destroy it before using it as your canvas.

Be loud and obnoxious

This is one I'm adding in here myself. The right wants to claim queer people are shoving their agenda down their throats, but then wave MAGA flags and ask for heterosexual pride month? Wave those flags of yours, wear way too many (stolen, or DIY ofc) pins of pride flags and pronouns. Wear pride flags like capes. Dye your hair crazy colours, put on crazy makeup just to go out to the store. Being visible not only pisses off people that don't want to see us, but it also helps other people feel seen and safer. THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS. Like I said with the battle vests, YOU CAN GET ATTACKED.

I've been wearing my transgender pride flag to school. Pride flags are banned from being hung up, but nothing in the dress code prohibits it. This weekend, I will paint "WE THE PEOPLE" on the back of it. Teachers have pulled me aside only on the second day of wearing it, asking why. I've been called an "it" (doesn't misgender me anyway, I use it/its so jokes on them), someone (pitifully) attempted to throw food at me, people have been shouting "what the fuck" and "is that a trans flag?" in the halls, people have been sideyeing and staring at me. There have been good reactions too, of course, but I'm sharing my bad reactions to further imply doing this can be dangerous. I live in central Texas, for reference.

The negative reactions, since they have not directly harmed me, I choose to find funny. I laugh it off. I want people to see that being trans isn't something that can't be erased from existence. I want them to see people like me are not going anywhere.

Survive and be safe

Another personal addition- but DO NOT give up. I know that things are bad, and that things will get worse. But living is one of the things you can do to stick it to them. Listen to "Famous Last Words - My Chemical Romance", that song can probably explain this as well. Do not stop fighting, and do not stop living. Be safe, don't put yourself in unnecessary danger in this fight, because it's going to be a big one. Make sure your mental health is good, and if it's not do what you can to improve on it. Don't let the government tell you that you don't have a place here; because you do. Fuck the government. Queer people have existed since before the Ancient Greeks, it's visible in nature all around. Lions and hens have been known for transitioning to male without actually having the male reproductive systems. Penguins and walruses have been known for homosexual relationships. America is built upon immigrants- the original Americans ARE immigrants because they came from Europe to colonize these lands. America wouldn't exist without immigrants.

I hope the expansion on what Kurohe had written is alright/helps out! Be safe out there and be yourself. Don't water yourselves down for the sake of people who don't want to see you thrive.

Things you can do to actively participate in the revolution

Here's the list !

I know some of those will look really silly, i promise they are not. And obviously, this is not a checklist, you don't have to do everything. But they're steps that you can absolutely take if you wish to, and they WILL help.

(i am continually correcting things when people point out mistakes. Thanks everyone for your help)

(under the cut !)

1) Let's start off with a very easy one you can do right now: stop using Chrome. It's a google owned browser, and it sents all of your data towards it. Mozilla is a very good replacement, but almost anything will do, really. We revolting against capitalism as a whole, and this is a good first step

Also, resign your amazon prime subscription.

2) Start stealing things from supermarkets and malls. I am not kidding. Little things, that aren't really monitored: a can of food, a lighter, a pair of socks. Condiments are particularly easy to hide in bags or pockets. Steal hygiene products, steal food.

Remember that you should have access to those for free, and you don't because a few rich guys don't want you to.

Additional tip: train station stores are very easy to steal from, because they're so busy. But don't put yourself in danger. Check beforehand if they check bags at checkout, look out for employees that might notice what you're doing. Don't be reckless.

(edit: this used to also say airports, but i've been told it's way too high risk as it's considered a federal crime. Thanks for letting me know)

3) In the same line, if you see someone stealing anything from a big store, no you didn't.

4) I know a lot of people are scared of disrespecting rules. By fear of being caught, or by guilt. My advice is: start disrespecting stupid, meaningless rules. I don't have specific exemples, but you'll encounter them and wonder why you're doing that. Stop doing it. This will train you to be able to disobey autority way easier.

5) Put stickers everywhere. If you already have them, go ham. Especially on public property (lamposts are amazing). If you don't, buy them from artists or independant stores, not big brands. If you cannot afford them, remember that you can simply write stuff on an A4 paper and plaster it to walls. Or even post its !

6) Carry a sharpie with you at all time, the big black ones. If you see propaganda, scribble it out. Keep a look out for terfs stickers, maga posters, etc. Also good for getting rid of transphobic and sexist stuff written on public restroom stalls !

8) Learn how to sew. I know, that sounds dumb ! But i promise you, not only will it be amazing to trade with other people ("i'll sew back ur shirt and in exchange, you give me a can of peaches !"), corporations also haaaate when you know how to fix your clothes. Because they want you to buy more. You'll spend a lot less money if you know how to fix em

7) Buy locally. This means going to the market or small stores, and thrifting your clothes. If you can't for money or accessibility reasons, try trading with your friends, family and neighbours. Get communication going in your circles, and you'll realise there are a lot of things that you can simply trade with or buy from people around you. Like a jar of jam against some eggs, or a pair of socks for a t-shirt you don't wear anymore !

9) If you have the space and the money, grow your own food, and share it or sell it around you. Be careful, some assholes will call the FDA on you. Do that with people you trust.

Additional tip: growing vegetables and fruits can be a real nightmare. You can absolutely start by just growing some basil or mint :)

10) Organise. Join leftist groups online, even if it's just to see what's being said, you don't even need to interact. Follow creators, repost and share their content. By doing that, you'll stay informed on group movements like strikes, protests and boycotts, which you can then participate in. It's very important you're connected to other ppl and the movements that are started !

11) Unionize. I'm very sorry I don't know the exact way unions work in the US, but if you can, join one. They will help you in times of needs, especially if you're a student or a worker. If you're not sure how to do that, absolutely ask around to people you know are very active politically, around you or online. People will help.

12) Stay. Informed. Follow independant papers and news outlet. If you can afford it, give them a dollar or two. They are fighting everyday for access to unbiased information for all, and sadly, their independance means that they rely almost entirely on donations and people simply engaging with what they put out.

If you can't access those: do not get your news from TV. Ever. Or anywhere else that has been bought by the far right. Sadly, the majority of TV channels are just the worst.

13) Share that information. Talk to those you trust and who are ready to listen to you, and tell them about what's happening. Get angry with them. Revolution stems from people coming together and realising that they're being used and profited off of. Share videos and posts relating to politics, especially informative videos.

And, most importantly: fact check. All of the time.

14) Go to protests ! If you've never been, i know it can be scary. But you can stay in the middle (don't go all the way to the front, that's where stuff can get heated) and scream and walk with everyone else. You'll meet people who, like you, want things to change. Capitalism wants you to stay as unconnected to others as possible, and that's a great way to fight that.

Sometimes, there are sites that have a planning for all protests happening in a city. Look up if one exists for yours

15) Create and strenghten community. I know i really struggled with this one, because it's so vague. But here's a few places you can start:

-Go and introduce yourself to your neighbours, if you deem it safe. Give them a little gift if you can afford it, like a pack of pasta.

-Make new friends, even if they aren't deep friendships. You need connections. Online or irl, both are fine- don't stay isolated.

-If you already have community, go check on them right now. Ask your friends how they're doing, and if they need anything- ask how they're being impacted by what's happening right now politically.

16) Look for ways to fuck over the institutions in easy ways. One example that went around tumblr a lot is letting dandelions grow in your backyard, because landlords fucking hate it. If you work in retail or fast food, cheat. Accidentally forget to scan the diapers. Put in 7 nuggets instead of 6.

17) Engage in art. MAKE art. Music, shitty paint drawings, craft, anything as long as you're being creative. Share it. If you feel like you can't do that, then support artists. Make a point to look up cool illustrations, and new music. Go to the cinema.

(edit: been told that it's very risky for walmart workers to not scan things, so beware.)

If you're an artist currently in an underpaid office job, please, by the love of god, be creative during office hours. You're underpaid, they do not deserve your full time and attention. Take 30 minutes to write that snippet you've been thinking about.

(and actually, if you're underpaid at all: do the minimum required. So that you can't be fired, but that's it. Any more effort is not worth it. Companies will never be thankful for what you do.)

18) Look up books that your state banned, and go read them. You can get them secondhand, or as pdfs online. (if anyone needs ressources, i will glady look for and share them.)

19) Seek education. There's a lot of youtube channels out there talking about educational subjects in a fun way. Some things the rich assholes who run the country specifically don't want you to learn more about are: biology, history and archeology, social and economic sciences. GO LEARN ABOUT THOSE.

And, actually, read books in general if you can. Yes, fanfics count !

The people in power don't want you to be educated. It's why they eviscerated the education system.

20) PIRATE. I cannot stress this enough, anything you can pirate (that isn't from small, indie creators, except if you absolutely can't afford it) do it. Download music illegally, torrent movies and games. If you want access to academical studies and papers, some writers will give them to you for free if you email them about it. There are also ways to go around paywalls.

21) Don't fall for the traps of "progressive brands". Lately, i've seen a lot of praise for Ben and Jerry's for openly supporting lgbtq rights and being globally anti-trump. They are still a brand. Avoid buying from any big names when you can. That being said, if you have to, check beforehand which ones and what their history is. Some are more evil than others.

Additional tip: a lot of brands you see in stores are actually owned by bigger brands. One prime example of this is Nestle, who are fucking evil, but they own a shitload of other big names. Be careful what you buy.

22) I hate to say this, but be prepared to defend yourself. Revolutions are never peaceful. You will get in danger. If you can, get in ok physical shape. If you can't, buy a gun. (Remember Alabama has a 99% acceptation rate, you can get one in 10 minutes.) I hate firearms, but the enemy will have them too. Arm yourself.

If none of those are available options to you, please, make sure you have someone around you that will be able to protect you, or a place where you can be safe. Whether you are disabled, a minor, or anything else. Don't put yourself in more danger than is necessary.

23) Last but not least, be kind. When someone cuts off a woman speaking, interrupt and give her the floor back. Shame those who think it's right to say bigoted shit in public. Listen to those around you. If you can't act, then remember to always have empathy for the homeless, for drug users, for immigrants. Understand they are people just like you. You are not immune to propaganda and prejudice, no matter who you are. Always question yourself and your biases.

(if you've read this far, please repost. We need this to reach as many people as possible)

I want to remind you that you're not alone. I know things seem hopeless, but the simple fact that you're reading this is proof it's not. I don't live in the US, but i'm supporting you as best i can from where i am, and sending you strenght.

If you have any questions, do ask away. I'll end on this image that's very dear to me:

[apimarket]

Distance API - Enabling Seamless Location Integration

In today’s interconnected world, location-based services have become an essential part of countless applications, from ride-sharing services to delivery apps. Whether you’re tracking packages, calculating routes, or creating geo-fencing features, Distance API is the tool that can revolutionize how you integrate location data into your applications.

Why You Need a Distance API

When building applications that rely on geographic data, accurately calculating distances between two or more points is crucial. Distance API simplifies this process by providing accurate distance calculations between locations in real-time. Whether it's a simple calculation between two addresses or more complex queries involving multiple points of interest, Distance API takes care of the heavy lifting for you. Businesses in various sectors, including e-commerce, logistics, and travel, use Distance API to enhance their services. For instance, delivery companies use it to estimate the arrival time of products, while travel platforms can offer accurate travel distance calculations to help users plan their trips better.

Key Features of Distance API

Accurate Distance Calculations

Distance API allows for precise distance calculations using different units, whether kilometers, miles, or meters. It’s highly versatile, making it an excellent choice for apps that require real-time location data processing.

Seamless Integration

API Market’s Distance API is designed to integrate easily with your existing systems. Whether you are a developer creating a new application or an enterprise enhancing a current solution, the API provides simple methods for integration, reducing development time and effort.

Supports Multiple Platforms

This API supports a wide range of platforms, so whether you're building a web app or a mobile app, Distance API can help streamline your operations without worrying about platform compatibility. It works across various operating systems, ensuring that your application functions flawlessly everywhere.

Benefits of Using Distance API

Time-Saving

Without Distance API you would have to rely on manual calculations or third-party services that may not be as accurate or efficient. Distance API eliminates these concerns by providing you with fast, real-time results. This can save developers time and resources, allowing them to focus on building other critical features.

Scalability

As your business grows, so do the demands for your services. Whether you have a handful of users or millions, Distance API can scale with your operations. Its infrastructure is designed to handle increasing volumes of requests efficiently, ensuring consistent performance across the board.

Flexibility

From calculating travel times to route planning, Distance API offers a broad range of features that can be customized to fit the specific needs of your application. The ability to get data such as travel time, distance, and even recommended routes allows you to tailor the experience to your users.

How API Market Enhances Your Experience

At API Market, we’re committed to making it easy for developers, startups, and enterprises to access the best APIs, including Distance API. Our platform offers a seamless browsing experience with detailed descriptions and pricing models, so you can make informed decisions. Whether you’re looking for an API to integrate into an e-commerce app or a mapping solution, API Market’s wide array of offerings ensures that you’ll find the right tool for your needs. Start integrating Distance API into your projects today and unlock the full potential of location-based services. For more details, visit us at API Market.

[mayinthebigapple]

My Final Thoughts - Gordon

Wednesday, June 4th, 2025, 9:13AM and our Alaska Airlines flight has just taken off from Newark, NJ to fly us back home after a month of living in the East Village of Manhattan.   If Paris was our “senior year” abroad,  NYC was our “senior month” experience a decade later.   As I reflect upon this amazing month on the island of Manhattan I can’t help but make comparisons between this month of living in one of the world’s greatest cities with our year of living in Paris, another one of the world’s most amazing cities.   The key attributes of both immersive living experiences that made them so memorable for me include:

A Great Apartment.  Our wonderfully, spacious 1BR apartment on the 2nd floor on East 9th Street next to Tompkins square was our sanctuary away from the constant buzz of city life that surrounded us.  Like our apartment in the Marais, it was centered in an area where everything we needed on a day to day basis was within walking distance.   Trader Joe’s a few blocks away, jogging along the beautiful East River park path was accessible after a short run through Alphabet City, dining was available at all hours from over 100 restaurants with menu options from all corners of the globe, the laundry mat and my Pilates class were around the corner.  But Tompkins Square park, with it’s ever present skateboarders, musicians, and constant buzz of activity was as much of our outdoor home as our apartment was our indoor home - as it is for most of New Yorkers since they don’t have the luxury of having their own backyard.  

Friends and Family.  It’s always great to have personal connections in a city for advice, great conversations, and shared experiences.   Our niece lives in Brooklyn with her husband and 2 young boys and we shared an art fair and visit to the Intrepid with them.   We enjoyed dinner with the Cortez’s, a couple we hadn’t seen for over 40 years since we graduated from UCLA business school over 40 years ago.  They shared their lifetime of NYC experiences with us as well as reminiscing over the decades in which our lives took separate paths.

Incredible Entertainment.  In 30 days we saw 8 shows on Broadway, a New York Yankees game, a Valkeries basketball game at the Barclay Center, listened to jazz, concerts, and street musicians all around our apartment.   When world class entertainment is just a few subway stops from home it’s an opportunity you have to grasp.  And like Paris, you don’t have to always pay for entertainment - just dining at a restaurant with outdoor tables on a neighborhood street you can enjoy some wonderful “people watching”.  Or sitting on the steps of one of the brownstone townhomes to watch a dance parade march through your community - entertainment would often start the moment we walked out of our front door.

Excellent Public Transportation.  To immerse yourself in a city you need a great neighborhood where you can walk to all the necessities of daily life, but if you don’t have a car (which did not have and did not want to have) you rely on the public transportation of a city to get you from point A to point B.  And in NYC that transportation infrastructure is as seamless to use as opening the MTA or CitiBike app on your cell phone.   With a couple of clicks on your phone you can view the travel instructions to any destination in the greater NYC area by subway, bus, bike, ferry, or even aerial trams (like the one to Roosevelt Island).  And with the tap of your phone, scan of a QR code, or swipe of an MTA card you’re on your way!

Pedestrians and Bikers over Cars.  Bike lanes are everywhere in NYC.  It’s flat, like Paris, so it’s very easy to get around.   Manhattan is flanked by the Hudson River on the west and the East River on it’s eastern shores.   Most of these shorelines, which used to be very industrial areas, have now been converted into beautiful parks with incredible views of the downtown skylines of NYC, Long Island, and New Jersey.   These shoreline parks are for kids, for dining, biking, walking, tennis, pickleball, beach volleyball, and even a golfing range that protrudes into the Hudson River.   Whether you are on foot or pedaling a bike, you see and feel the city around you - the most immersive way to experience the life and beauty of a city like Manhattan.  I did a lot of walking and biking, averaging 6 miles per day, almost 200 miles during our month in the Big Apple.  One weekend I even biked around the entire 32 mile perimeter of Manhattan and the 4 mile perimeter of Governor’s island.

We left home on May 4th and we are now returning home on June 4th.   30 memorable days to last a lifetime.   We are very fortunate to have the health and financial means to have lived in 2 of the world’s most beloved cities in our retirement years where we could immerse ourselves each day in what makes these cities so special.  

Thank you NYC and Paris, we will be back!

[techit-rp]

Cyber Hygiene: Simple Steps to Protect Your Personal Data Online

In this present-day and age, digital threats are hidden everywhere, in that aspect, cyber hygiene is just like brushing your teeth. Poor hygiene leads to diseases in life, while neglecting cybersecurity makes one unsafeguarded, susceptible to identity theft and financial fraud, besides numerous privacy breaches. And with today's cybercriminals getting more sophisticated, the lost option of keeping personal data secured is no longer there. So here are the very simple but effective practices of online self-protection against cyber hygiene.

Check Your Password Game

"The weak password is like leaving your front door wide open to hackers." A strong, unique password for every account is helpful. The ideal password should:

Minimum 12-16 characters

Almost all capital and small letters, numbers, and special characters

Avoids personal information (birth date, name, etc.)

It is kept under a very secure password manager.

Hence, allow two-factor authentication in as many cases as possible.

Update Your Software and Devices

Offline software is a very easy entry point for cybercriminals. Companies are continuously releasing updates that plug open holes for security. Ensure:

Continuous update of the operating system, applications, and antivirus software.

Enabling automatic updates wherever available.

Uninstall unused apps possibly harboring potential security risks.

Be Aware of Phishing Attacks

A phishing email and a fake website trick a user into giving out his or her personal data. So keep an eye by:

Verify and scrutinize the sender email address for its odd variations.

Never click on a link or download a file from an unknown source.

Verify website URLs before entering sensitive information.

Use of extensions that detect phishing attempts in browsers.

Protect Your Wi-Fi Connection

A compromised Wi-Fi would probably end up compromising personal data. You can make your home Wi-Fi secure by:

Changing the default router's password to a very strong, unique password.

Enabling WPA3 encryption for the ultimate security.

Hiding SSID (network name) from the public eye.

Using a VPN while on public networks.

Think Twice before Talking on Social Media

Being overly communicative through social media has the capacity of making one vulnerable to cybercriminals. It can be made possible through:

Using privacy settings to limit the audience who is able to view your information.

Not posting sensitive information like at what point or during what time they will be at vacation, or a personally identifiable document.

Being cautious of friend requests from unknown users.

Keep Your Backup Updated

Ransomware attacks can shut you out of your own files. Prevent data loss with:

Regular back up of critical data to external drives and/or online cloud space.

Automate backup processes for hassle-free access.

They contain encrypted backup files for additional safeguards.

Keep Learning Cybersecurity Way

Educating oneself is perhaps the best defense one can put up against cyber threats. Cybersecurity courses help place students on the frontline when it comes to learning how to protect personal and professional data. Topics covered in these courses include:

Ethical hacking and penetration testing

Basic Network Security Protocols

Best Practices about Data Protection

Emerging trends in Cybersecurity

Conclusion

Cyber hygiene is not a single effort; it keeps on going. Doing this alone will go a long way in minimizing risk from cyber threats and keeping private data secure. It would also be a great deal if you invested in cybersecurity training. This would prepare you to face threats prompted by cyberspace scenarios ahead of time.

[nitinrajput2922]

Best Graphic Design Courses & Certificates in India

For Quick Enquiry: Click Here

Introduction: Finding the Perfect Graphic Design Course is Important

Graphic design is everywhere—from social media ads to brand logos and website layouts. In India, the demand for skilled graphic designers is growing rapidly as businesses shift online and require creative professionals to enhance their visual presence. But with so many options available, how do you pick the right course? Whether you're an aspiring designer, a freelancer looking to upskill, or someone transitioning into a creative career, choosing the Best Graphic Design Course in Delhi can shape your future in design.

Now, let’s be real. With hundreds of courses available, it’s easy to get lost in a sea of online and offline classes. Some promise expertise in a few weeks, while others claim to turn you into a professional overnight (which, let’s be honest, is impossible). So, how do you find a course that actually teaches you the skills you need to land a good job? This is where research comes into play. Instead of choosing blindly, it’s essential to know what to look for, whether it’s an online certification or an advanced diploma from a reputed institute.

In this blog, we will break down the best courses and certifications available in India. If you’ve been searching for the Best Graphic Design Course in Delhi, this guide will help you filter out the noise and focus on the ones that truly matter. Whether you are interested in UI/UX, motion graphics, or branding design, let’s explore the best options available in India.

Choosing the Best Course Based on Your Career Goals

Choosing the best course based on your career goals involves understanding your interests, desired industry, and skill requirements. Whether you're aiming for software development, data science, or design, selecting a course aligned with your ambitions ensures focused learning, skill development, and better career opportunities in the long run.

1. Your Interest in a Specific Graphic Design Field

Before jumping into a graphic design course, you need to know what excites you the most. Graphic design is not just about making pretty visuals; it's a vast field with multiple specializations. Do you want to work in branding and logo design? Are you more interested in UI/UX design for websites and mobile apps? Or do you love creating engaging animations and motion graphics? Each area requires a different skill set, and the right course should align with your interests.

For example, if you love working with illustrations and branding, you should look for a course that covers Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and brand identity creation. On the other hand, if UI/UX design fascinates you, ensure the course includes Figma, Sketch, and usability testing as part of the curriculum. Some people even enjoy working in print media, designing magazines, and packaging. If that sounds like you, a course focusing on print layout, typography, and color theory would be more beneficial.

If you’re in India and looking for the Best Graphic Design Course in Delhi, pay attention to the syllabus. Does it match your career goal? Does it offer a specialization in the field you’re interested in? A good course will always provide flexibility, allowing you to choose a specialization that fits your future aspirations.

2. Checking the Course Structure and Learning Modules

Once you’ve figured out which area of graphic design interests you, the next step is to evaluate the course structure. The right course should not only teach you software skills but also focus on design principles, creative thinking, and project-based learning. Many courses will list software like Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects in their syllabus, but real learning happens when you apply these tools to actual projects.

A solid graphic design course should include modules on color theory, typography, branding, visual storytelling, and design psychology. If you're taking an online course, check if they offer live projects, peer reviews, or even one-on-one mentorship. Without practical exposure, no course will prepare you for the real-world design industry.

If you’re serious about getting a certification, look for courses affiliated with reputed design institutions. Many international universities offer online certifications, but if you want to study in India, look for the Graphic Design Courses in Noida that has industry recognition.

3. Comparing Online vs. Offline Learning Options

One of the biggest decisions you’ll face is whether to go for an online course or an offline classroom-based program. Both have their pros and cons. Online courses offer flexibility, allowing you to learn at your own pace. They are also more affordable compared to full-time design programs. However, the downside is that you miss out on hands-on guidance from experienced faculty.

Offline courses, on the other hand, provide in-depth learning with direct mentorship. You get access to proper design labs, networking opportunities, and industry workshops. If you thrive in a structured learning environment, an offline course is a great option. However, they require a full-time commitment, which may not be feasible for working professionals.

If you’re looking for a hybrid model, some institutions offer a mix of both. For example, if you're searching for Graphic Design Courses in Noida, some reputed institutes provide classroom sessions along with online resources so you can learn at your convenience while still getting hands-on guidance.

Evaluating the Best Graphic Design Certifications for Career Growth

Evaluating the best graphic design certifications is essential for career growth. A well-recognized certification can open doors to higher-paying job opportunities and demonstrate expertise to employers. This guide explores top certifications that can help professionals enhance their skills, build credibility, and advance in the competitive graphic design industry.

1. Recognized Certification vs. Non-Certified Courses

Not all graphic design courses offer a recognized certification. While learning new skills is valuable, having a certified qualification can help you land better job opportunities. Certifications from reputed institutions add credibility to your resume and increase your chances of being hired by top companies.

Many Indian universities and private design schools offer diploma courses that are recognized by industry professionals. On the other hand, many online platforms provide short courses, but not all of them offer credible certificates. If you’re planning to invest your time and money in a course, ensure that the certification holds value in the job market.

For those interested in a career in design, choosing the Graphic Design Courses in Noida with an industry-recognized certification can make all the difference. Recruiters often prefer candidates with formal training, as it reflects their commitment and expertise.

2. The Importance of Portfolio Development in a Design Course

A strong portfolio is your ticket to landing a good job in graphic design. A well-structured course should not only provide theoretical knowledge but also help you build an impressive portfolio. Your portfolio showcases your best work and gives potential employers an idea of your design skills.

Look for courses that have practical assignments, case studies, and industry projects as part of the curriculum. Some courses even provide internships or real-world client projects, which can be a great addition to your portfolio. If you’re planning to enroll in the Graphic Designer Course Near Me, ensure it offers hands-on training that helps you build a diverse portfolio.

3. Job Placement Assistance and Career Support from Institutes

Lastly, when choosing a graphic design course, check if the institute offers job placement assistance. Many reputed institutes in India have tie-ups with companies and design agencies, helping students get job opportunities after completing their certification.

A course with placement support increases your chances of getting hired, especially if you’re new to the field. Some institutes also offer resume-building sessions, mock interviews, and career guidance to prepare students for the job market. If your goal is to secure a job right after your course, looking for the Graphic Designer Course Near Me with placement support is a smart decision.

Conclusion: Choosing the Right Course for Long-Term Success

Graphic design is a rewarding career for those who have a creative mind and an eye for detail. With so many courses available, selecting the right one can feel overwhelming. But by focusing on your career goals, evaluating the course structure, and considering certifications, you can make an informed choice.

Whether you choose an online or offline course, ensure it aligns with your learning style and provides hands-on training. If you're searching for the Graphic Designer Course Near Me, pick one that not only teaches design software but also helps you build a strong portfolio and provides job placement assistance.

Investing in the right course can set you up for a successful career in graphic design. Take your time, research well, and choose wisely!

Also Read This:-

Best Online Graphic Design Courses And Programs For 2025

[brunhildeelke]

What is Flutter? Reasons to Choose Flutter for Travel App Development

Travel apps are everywhere. Many of them assist their users in finding and booking flights and hotels and even getting to know some destinations better. However, to operate within this particular market, an application must be fast, stable, and have an attractive design.

This is where Flutter comes in handy-Flutter is Google’s tool for building applications that are both iOS and Android compatible. The best part? You only need one codebase. Time is saved, as is money and effort.

The beauty of using Flutter is that you can create applications that are fast and good-looking and can be easily expanded in the future as your business expands. The question is, why Flutter truly fits travel app development most effectively.

Why is Flutter Great for Travel Apps?

Travel apps need to do a lot—handle bookings, send updates, and offer secure payments.

Flutter does all this and more: One Codebase and many Platforms. Build an app once and use it everywhere.

Fast Performance: Apps built with Flutter feel smooth and quick, like native apps.

Designs: With Flutter, you can make your app stand out with custom and interactive designs. Flutter makes it easier to meet the high expectations of today’s travelers.

How Does Flutter Solve Common Problems in Travel Apps?

Running a travel app comes with challenges. Flutter helps you tackle them:

Real-Time Updates: Send instant alerts about flight delays, hotel bookings, or schedule changes.

Lower Costs: Build and maintain one app for all platforms instead of managing separate apps.

Global Reach: Add multiple languages, including right-to-left languages like Arabic, to reach more users. With Flutter, your app is ready to handle anything.

Top 3 Ways Flutter Can Help Your Travel Business

1. Real-Time Updates

Travelers want information fast. Flight delays, gate changes, or booking confirmations—everything needs to be updated instantly.

Stay Reliable: Flutter for Travel ensures notifications are delivered right away, even with poor internet.

Engage Your Users: Use notifications to share discounts, travel tips, or loyalty rewards. Keep your users informed and excited with real-time updates.

2. CUSTOM travel recommendations

A well-absorbed application is an individual’s favorite. It enables its users to incorporate AI tools in order to give personalized travel suggestions.

Smart Suggestions: Offer the user flights, hotels or activities, relevant to the user’s history and interests.

Better User Experience: Users would like to see those items most of which they are probably going to love. Engaging customers because they make the user feel understood is one of the biggest focal points of the personalised adaptive apps.

3. Secure and Simple Payments

If Travel is about anything then it is about trust. Payments must be integrated effectively and more importantly have to be secured in your application. Flutter makes this easy.

Multi-Currency Support: Charges to users all over the world.

Safe Transactions: Encryption should be used to guard critical information and payment pages should be created to be encrypted.

Flexible Options: It means that you must accept card payments, a wallet, or even biometric authorization. Allow users to pay in any way possible but let them do so with certainty.

How Does Flutter Compare to Traditional Development?

Faster to Build

Building apps the old way means creating separate versions for iOS and Android. This takes a lot of time.

One Codebase: With Flutter, you only build once. This means faster development and updates.

Quick Launch: Your app can hit the market faster than your competitors.

In Travel, being quick is essential.

Easier to Scale

Travel apps must grow with the business. Whether it’s adding new features or handling more users, Flutter makes scaling simple.

Add Features Easily: New trends like AR tours or voice search? Flutter can handle it.

Stay Future-Ready: Expand to new markets or add more languages without starting from scratch.

Flutter grows with your needs effortlessly.

Costs Less to Maintain

With traditional methods, you need two teams to manage two apps. This doubles your expenses.

Single Development Team: Flutter lets you maintain one codebase with one team.

More Resources for Growth: Save money and invest in marketing or other areas of your business.

Flutter for Travel is cost-effective, making it great for startups and large companies alike.

Why Should You Use Flutter for Your Travel App?

Flutter for Travel is the smart choice if you want a fast, modern, and reliable app. Backed by Google, it keeps getting better with updates and support. Plus, its active developer community means help is always available.

Real-Time Updates: Keep users informed and on track. Personalized Experiences: Recommend trips and offers that feel handpicked.

Safe Payments: Let users book with confidence using secure payment systems. From the flyer design to navigating the trip-building process, Flutter offers all the components you may wish for in an ideal travel application.

[sujju56]

Mobile E-Commerce Is The New Normal

Mobile e-commerce is the new normal, where everyone has a mobile device available at all times. Now, with more than half of the traffic on the internet complete shopping from mobile devices, it is really important to ensure that your website is primed for mobile viewing and conversion. Mobile design, and especially mobile-first buying must be at the lead.

Not only are significantly more users accessing the web from a tablet or smartphone than a desktop, but they are also doing so with more e-commerce committed than ever before. During last year’s busy holiday shopping season, 1/3 of all online purchases were from smartphone users. According to Adobe Analytics, with $6.2 billion in online revenue in 2018, it was immune to mobile e-commerce fever. Adobe stated that nearly 40% of sales on the traditional brick-and-mortar shopping day came via a mobile device.

E-COMMERCE IS THE NEW TREND

So it is clear that if you are planning to run a successful e-commerce website or any website, you must satisfy mobile users and consider mobile shopping. It must be a main part of your digital marketing strategy. Not doing so is purely ignoring your potential customers. This has suggestions on how you consider the design of your e-Commerce website, how you should think about e-Commerce SEO, and the importance of optimizing your website for mobile search results.

If we see current statistical data of the number of people using smartphones vs. the number of people using desktops, we will notice that the major e-commerce customers band is using smartphones. Armed with this information, you must create a shopping experience that appeals to your customers. Mobile shoppers are choosy, and lawfully so. With the highly competitive nature of the e-commerce industry, your customers will not hesitate to buy from your opponents if even the slightest headache arises.

Different types of mobile E-commerce

Purchasing a Product with Credit Card on E-commerce Online Store Purchasing a Product with Credit Card on E-commerce Online Store.

Mobile shopping: Regularly similar to e-commerce, but reachable via a mobile device. Mobile shopping is now possible through mobile-optimized websites, enthusiastic apps, and even social media platforms.

Mobile banking: Not too different from online banking, however, you may find some transaction types are limited or limited on mobile devices. Mobile banking usually includes a dedicated app, however, some banks have started testing the use of chatbots and messaging apps.

Mobile payments: There are so many various mobile payment options available. As a business owner and user of e-commerce, your experience and interest in mobile commerce would mostly relate to shopping and

Common benefits of mobile E-commerce

A better complete experience for customers: E-commerce already made shopping more easy and more convenient. Consumers were given access to a broader range of products. More reasonable pricing. Everything without even having to step away from their computer. With mobile commerce, now they don’t even need a desktop computer, but they still have these benefits.

Impressive growth potential: E-Market expects worldwide sales of $4.058 trillion by 2020, representing 15% of total sales. And the percentage of that belonging to e-commerce will also continue to rise, as more online retailers see more than 50% of traffic coming from mobile devices.

True omnichannel experience: An omnichannel experience is when sellers sell their products both online and offline and likely also sell through multiple online channels like Amazon, eBay, Facebook, etc. We’ve also been referencing the importance of listing your product everywhere consumers are already spending their time. This is increasingly known as contextual commerce, a more planned take on the principal omni-channel term.

Omni-channel is all about being everywhere your customers are and making it promising for them to buy what they want. Range of payment options:- With new mobile payment solutions developing, it is now possible to offer customers a truly different range of payment options. This doesn’t mean we’ve moved outside “cash or card,” but mobile commerce has now given mobile wallets, which make one-click checkouts possible.

Top mobile e-commerce trends

Increased trust: Maximum consumers feel more comfortable shopping on mobile than ever before. Security issues have reduced as the age of mobile e-commerce has improved. Moreover, consumers are more and more of the “digital native” age, meaning they’ve grown up with computers and the internet their whole lives. These groups are more likely to use mobile commerce than older groups.

Faster checkouts: One-page checkouts and digital wallets like Amazon Pay, Apple Pay, and PayPal have improved mobile alteration by up to 10% at launch. And there’s no wonder as more consumers are comfortable shopping on mobile, more suitable mobile checkout experiences have rushed in popularity.

Easy-to-use websites: Maximum websites are now optimized for mobile use. -As a result, e-commerce platforms and businesses similarly have moved into nearly 100% responsive site builds, meaning most of the websites today are easy to use on mobile.

[hypnosis-joondalup]

From Surviving to Thriving: “Ignite Your Sparkle Within”

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 I am looking for  10 professional women who are sick of feeling the grind and not fulfilled and are ready to get the spark and passion back into their lives.

 On  Sunday, 3 November 2024,  these founding members will start working closely with me to Ignite their inner Sparkle and redesign their lives in a unique way that will not let them fail. Does that sound exciting to you?

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 Those  10 Founding Members will get:

 ✅ 6-week Challenge From Surviving to Thriving: “Ignite Your Sparkle within”.

MindLuma is a gentle, peaceful, enlightening way to unravel your life and Ignite your inner Sparkle. Every week, you will free yourself from more limiting thoughts and beliefs, some of which you might not even know right now.

 👉 The Challenge follows the 5 Steps MindLuma-Hypnosis program, which is a unique hypnosis system to Ignite your inner Sparkle and set you free to live YOUR life to YOUR terms.

 But you will get much more than that:

   ✅ Bonus # 1: Weekly Group Coaching calls to personalise your plan

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 When I do the full public launch, I will charge $997 for this program.

 But I have a sneaky reason for giving you a huge discount…

 I’m looking for 10 Founding Members, who I can work with closely over the next 6 weeks to get them incredible results.

 I’m looking for future testimonials of the MindLuma Movement!

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  “This program has made such a huge difference to my life! I want people to know how profoundly it can impact people’s lives! I have also recommended you to many of my friends. A huge thank you to you for your kindness, wisdom and help. I am so happy to have met you. Danke! Danke! Danke!” Y

Interested in Igniteing Your Sparkle Within?

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 To a sparking life

Ursula Knecht

Hipnotist

 PS: You may be thinking… What’s the catch? Well, there is no catch. I’m simply looking to test out my new program and get some killer testimonials before releasing it to the broader public at the price it deserves.

 PPS: There are only 10 spots available as founding members for  the “6-Week Challenge:

Ignite Your Sparkle Within.”

so if this sounds like you, don’t wait!