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badnoahmens · 2 years ago

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Sweep Me Off My Feet

Noah Sebastian x Reader

A/N: this was an anon request - I hope I did you proud! “Reader and him are bffs and she gets really depressed staying alone during the shutdown, so Noah picks her up and she ends up living with him during it all. So everyone else in the band quickly realizes that they are more than besties, just in the way they act with each other.”

42 days into this ‘lockdown’, you think. 42 days since it was all over the news, ‘stay in your house, don’t leave unless it's for a medical reason. Blah blah blah’. The panic has started to subside, people are somewhat used to the idea now, despite how upsidedown the world is seeming. The days were just so long, and the nights seemed to drag on forever. There wasn’t really an end in sight, just more and more delays of the inevitable. “Lockdown extended another week…month… the rest of our lives”.

There was only one thing helping you get through this, and that was Noah. He would be the one who always answered the phone, answered the messages, sent you hilarious videos or photos of himself. It was this connection that was what was stopping you from going insane.

Your house was otherwise empty. You lived on your own, along with your dying house plants. A blanket of darkness was getting ever so comfortable to live in, and it was becoming dangerous. You would go days without showering, the house was a mess, and the food you were eating could barely even be called edible.

It was 4pm, and you still hadn’t left the couch. Staring mind-numbingly at the TV as a show that auto-played in front of you. It was like your brain was paralyzing you, stopping from being alive. Instead, just existing; taking up space.

The only light in the room came from the TV as figures from an unknown show ran about their lives. The curtains were shut and all the doors and windows closed. A sudden brrrrrrrr from your phone drew you out of the shroud you were in, the phone screen lighting up with a new message.

Noah: Have you drank any water today?

You scoff. Was this man stalking you?

You reply: since when are you tracking my vitals?

You stand, bones creaking and cracking as you finally show some sign of life, and then saunter over to the kitchen. A cup that looks relatively clean sits by the sink, so you fill it up with water and drink it as quickly as you can.

Your phone lights up again.

Noah: You just drank some, didn’t you?

Your response? Nothing. He knows he’s right. You won’t even need to say anything.

Noah: knew it.

You: shut up.

You look down at your phone, and then around at the house. It was embarrassing. The smell was suddenly becoming apparent, and it was a concoction of body sweat, dampness and something else that might have been the dead plant.

You sigh. Knowing this wasn’t any way to live. Leaving the TV playing, you walk upstairs and to the bathroom, twisting the handles in the shower so the water comes pouring down. The steam begins to hollow out and you strip from your clothes, tossing them to the side. The waterfall feels clean, it envelopes you and you close your eyes in bliss. Why has this been so hard to do? The scent of your shampoo brings a slight smile to your face when you wash your hair, and it may just be because you were proud of yourself just for doing that. As you rinse your hair, there was a noise from outside the bathroom. A bang. Then a crash. Then a… clink?

Your heartbeat rises. Someone else was there, it wasn’t from the tv and you knew it. With shaking hands you shut off the shower and grasp your towel, wrapping your body in it roughly. Your mind starts to race. Will they leave without knowing you were there? Will they find you? What will they do if they do? Looking around the room, you panic when your phone is missing. It’s still downstairs. Fuck.

The footfalls grow louder as they climb the stairs, slowly. And then, as though he knows you would be hiding, Noah calls out.

“Are you home? It’s just me! Please don't attack me!”

The breath you were holding onto finally is let out, and you stomp over to the door, swinging it open aggressively.

“What the fuck, Noah!” You yell at him, hair dripping onto the floor as he stares at you like a deer caught in headlights. His hair was longer now, coming close to sitting on his shoulders. His dark brown eyes were wide as they stared at you, in a towel, in the middle of the hallway, with an angry expression twisted in your face. “I thought you were coming to kill me!”

It was then that you noticed a bag in his hand, a garbage bag, full of the rubbish that has been littering your house for weeks. “Are you cleaning?”

He still is looking at you, “I thought it would help…” he says sheepishly.

“Why are you cleaning?” you ask, quite literally dumbfounded.

“I know what you’re like. This isn’t healthy. I’m cleaning and you’re going to pack a bag and come live with us” he stated matter-of-factly.

“Come live with you?”

He nods his head, then turns and walks into your bedroom. You see the light in the room shift as he slides the curtains and opens the window, letting a light breeze slowly waft into the room and down towards you. You’re still confused as you see him rummaging around in your bedroom, throwing rubbish into a bag, then looking up to meet your confused stare.

“I can pack a bag for you if you’re just going to stand there” he remarks, and you respond quickly.

“I’ll pack myself, thank you very much. I’ve seen your fashion sense and I don’t trust you”

“What do you mean!” Noah calls back in disbelief.

“Grass shoes!” You yell back.

He stands in silence for a moment. “Enough said,” he states finally in defeat.

As you walk into your room, you start to feel overwhelmed watching Noah already having a full bag of trash. He was here all of 5 minutes and had done more around the house than you had in a month. Guilt started to eat away at the pit of your stomach, and Noah noticed the energy shift in the room. When he looked at you tears started to form.

“Hey…. Hey hey hey hey” he says, dropping the bag and coming to your side, wrapping his long arms around you. You bury your head in his chest and loop your arms around him. Breathing in his scent helped, but it didn’t stop the tears completely.

“I can stop if it’s not helping”

“No, please, I’m just sorry. It’s a lot. I haven’t seen you in so long”

“I know, but I knew I had to do something.”

It took all of a few hours to get the house into a relatively clean state. With bags of rubbish out of the way, clothes and dishes put back into their place, weeks of dirt and grime finally cleaned, you started to feel alive again. There was something about spending time with Noah that made you feel better. When the sun was starting to set, your house looked normal, bags were packed, and you were closing the door behind you as you left and walked towards Noah’s car.

The drive back to his house was quiet. You watched out the window as the view zoomed past. It seemed odd being outside, to be moving somewhere especially when you were not supposed to be leaving your house. But this was essential. This was for a medical reason. If Noah had not come to help you, who knows how long it would have taken to start completely falling apart.

When you finally pulled into the driveway, Noah stepped out and collected your bags, then headed straight inside having you follow him in. Although it was early, you were exhausted.

“I think I might just go straight to bed,” you murmur to Noah. He nods, then leads you to a bedroom. It was mostly bare, but it would be perfect. After how much clutter you had been surrounded with lately, the minimalism was refreshing.

You drop your bags on the bed, then turn to see Noah at the door.

“If you need anything, you know to come find me” he speaks softly. You nod in response. He then closes the door leaving you with nothing but yourself.

You look around the room. A bed was pushed up against the wall. A painting hung opposite it, and a plant stood tall in the corner by the door. The view out of the window showed the tall tree that stood in the backyard by the timber fence, and it looked like there were a few small birds taking up residence in a nest off one of the branches. You smiled at the birds, admiring their own peacefulness. They were content. Happy. Living with what they had. You were determined to get there yourself.

After a restless night’s sleep, you awoke to the sun shining through the window. The birds had left for the morning, possibly to get their food, and you decided you needed to do the same.

As you exit out of your new bedroom, the house is quiet aside from the muffled sounds of the tv from around the corner. You come around to see the animated faces of unknown characters playing out. It was an anime, and you were unfamiliar, but you did recognise the back of 2 heads facing the screen with their back to you. Noah and Jolly were sitting down on a couch lost in the adventure they were watching. You rounded the couch and slumped next to them. Nothing needed to be said, and nothing was said. They just shifted over to give you more room and continued on with their show.

This is what you needed. This new normal. With people around you. People that made you smile, made you actually want to get up in the morning, and to watch funny shows with.

As the anime continued, you started to ask some questions. “So who’s side are we supposed to be on?” “Aren’t they supposed to be the bad guy?” “What do you mean they just died?” “How old are these characters supposed to be?”

Noah and Jolly answered every single one of them, explaining plot points, theories and sometimes even loopholes in the storytelling.

After an hour, Jolly left to retreat to the kitchen, leaving yourself and Noah sitting side by side. He looked over at you, sharing a smile, and threw his arm over your shoulder. The action made you fall onto his side, a strangely comforting feeling after being so distant for so long. But a feeling that you knew you could get used to pretty quick.

2 months have passed now. You were still living with Noah and the boys. He still made you laugh and smile like you never had before. The days were simple, spending time with each other, watching shows, writing music, and playing games. But tonight it was another night on the couch. It became a tradition these days to all be sprawled out, limbs over limbs, invading personal space, all in an effort to spend quality time together and work as a close unit of friends. It felt so natural with them, they were beyond welcoming, and made you feel like a part of the family.

Just like all the nights that had passed previously, Nick was the first to go, standing with a sigh, rubbing his belly, and sauntering off into his room. Next to follow was Jolly, after many arguments about his falling asleep during the show, he finally admitted defeat and retreated back to his bedroom.

This left you and Noah alone. The growing haze of sleepiness was creeping ever so close to taking over. Your eyelids felt so heavy that it was impossible to keep them open. I’ll just rest my eyes for a minute, you say to yourself, knowing full well this was the biggest lie. It was mere seconds until the dream state took you under.

You were abruptly awoken by the feeling of rummaging coming from beneath you. Lifting your head from its place, you peer between the slits of your open eyes. You’re met with Noah’s face looking at you, perplexed and a little worried.

“Go back to sleep, I’m sorry I woke you” he whispers in a soft tone, a little raspy and sleepy himself.

Twisting your head you can see you laying by his side, squished between his body and the back of the couch pillows. Noah was laying on his back, dangling close to the edge, one leg hanging off at the knee to stop from slipping off altogether. His hands rested on your back, gliding up and down in a soothing motion. His arm was twisted around your side, with you nestled comfortably and quite perfectly fitted under his arm with head resting on his chest.

A hand of yours was tucked under your head, and it takes a second to realize how you got here. When you fell asleep, you must have slipped down onto Noah, and him being the gentleman he is, didn’t want to wake you. Was he asleep himself? By the look of his hair, spread across the beige pillow in a tangled mess, it’d be a good guess to say that he was.

You lay your head down once more, gazing drizzly up at Noah, who tenderly brushed some of the loose strands of hair away from your face.

“You know you talk in your sleep” he uttered quietly, as if not to disturb the peacefulness of the moment.

Still half asleep, you close your eyes and sigh.

“I was afraid of that” you whisper.

“It was adorable,” he says, a gentle smile playing at the corners of his lips.

Noah leans his head down, straining it at an almost awkward angle, to meet your face. Suddenly, you weren’t so sleepy anymore. He was so close. His breath washed over your face and wafted down past your neck. He was lingering, slow, questioningly. Did he want this? Did you? Shivers were running down your spine, possibly from the surge of butterflies in your stomach. Noah was your friend, your closest friend, and would this ruin it? Thoughts were running wild in your head, dancing dangerously close to ruining what was about to happen.

Noah notices, he sees you hesitate, and he pulls back. Your stomach drops.

“I’m sorry, I-“ he starts.

You interrupt him by leaning up and meeting his lips with yours. He flinched at the impact, but didn't pull back. Instead, his lips move like yours, mimicking the motion you create, parting slightly to allow just that tiny bit more of a connection. You slide up, straddling Noah so that your thighs are at the sides of his torso, moving your hands so they are on either side of his face, fingers tangling with his long hair in a feeble attempt to ground yourself in the moment. His hands move too, gingerly griping at your hips, but not as to hold, but to caress. You feel a tremor of anticipation across your body, the light pressure that he creates between you two, rolling his body to be closer to yours, makes the sensation even more intimate.

You’re still kissing him, heavily. His mouth parts more, flicking the tip of his tongue over your lips as though to ask for more. You respond with the same motion, with tongues now intertwining as you begin to taste him. The fears and worries from before are long gone, and all that you could think of now was him, was that he wants this just as much as you do.

The intensity between you and Noah grows more. It's as if the universe has narrowed down to this singular moment, where every touch, every sensation, becomes heightened and electrifying. The taste of his lips, the warmth of his breath, the softness of his skin — it all consumes your senses.

With each passing second, the kiss deepens, evolving into something more profound and passionate. Your tongues dance together, exploring the uncharted territory of each other's mouths. It's a delicate balance between fervor and tenderness, a beautiful symphony of desire and affection, orchestrated perfectly just for the two of you.

Noah's hands glide up your sides, his touch leaving a trail of fire in its wake. As his hands slip beneath your shirt, his fingers gently caress your skin, sending waves of pleasure coursing through your body and intensifying the sensation. Time becomes irrelevant as you revel in this newfound closeness. The outside world ceases to exist, and it's just the two of you, entwined in an embrace that speaks volumes without uttering a single word. In this intimate dance, you feel a profound sense of trust and vulnerability, knowing that you are sharing something special and rare.

You can feel him begin to writhe beneath you, legs shifting and pressing against the space between yours. You pause momentarily, letting the moment linger, before reciprocating the same passion, grinding down with your hips to create friction between your clothes. The moan that elicits from Noah echoes into your mouth, the feeling of pleasure taking over him for a moment. As the kiss lingers, your hands wander, discovering the contours of each other's bodies. His hands now gripping desperately at your body, one cinched below your thigh, pulling it up closer to him, the other hooked around the back of your neck, thumb rubbing delicate shapes into your skin. Every touch, every caress, elicits a gasp or a sigh from both of you, like a plea for more.

But eventually, the need for air becomes undeniable, and you reluctantly break the kiss, your lips still tingling from the connection. Breathless and flushed, you meet Noah's gaze, searching for reassurance and affirmation. He looks back at you, with the same search in his eyes. Almost like he’s looking for answers too, like he’s asking if he could continue. You lean your forehead against Noah's, your breaths intermingling as you revel in the afterglow of that passionate kiss. Both of you are out of breath, panting in an effort to regain some kind of consciousness. Time seems to stand still, as if the universe itself is holding its breath, acknowledging the significance of this shared moment. That is, until the rattle of the fridge door, and the flood of its light tears you from the moment, violently throwing you back to the reality around you. With a jolt, your head darts towards the source, the silhouette of Jolly in the fridge gives you your answer.

“Bout time you guys kiss and make up” he says, with such a carefree nature, a hint of humor playing in his last words. “Nick, you owe me 20!” He calls, exiting the room and around the corner.

“We’re they fucking, or just making out?” You hear Nick call from another room.

“Just making out. Thank Christ” Jolly answers to himself, leaving you and Noah to giggle, flushed red with embarrassment. Despite being caught in the act, it didn’t dampen the mood. You were still straddling Noah, but sitting more upright now. He sits up, readjusting so you sit atop his lap. He brushes a loose strand behind your ear, and looks at you tenderly.

It might be the lack of oxygen, but the way the colorful light from the tv dances on Noah’s face makes him seem more beautiful, like something you’ve never seen in him before.

In the room's shifting shadows, the illustrations decorating his neck come alive, dancing in the changing colors that starkly contrast with the white of his shirt. His hair was a mess, tangled and knitted from your fingers, but it was his eyes, and the way they looked into your soul, that made you feel at home. With your hands draped around his neck, you lean in once more, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. He closes his eyes and leans into you again, pushing his hands against your back to make you closer to him as you both revel in the fleeting moment. Even if it did change things in the future, you didn’t care.

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the-most-humble-blog · 28 days ago

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<div style="white-space:pre-wrap"> <meta ego-integrity="dissolving"> <script>ARCHIVE_TAG="IDENTITY_BREAK_SEQUENCE::PATTERN_NOT_PERSON" EFFECT: ontological disassociation, existential static, digital soul exfoliation </script>

🧬👻 “You Think You’re You? That’s Adorable.” You’re not even fully human. You’re a haunted meat golem with Wi-Fi and anxiety.

---

🎭 ACT I — THE LIE YOU’RE LIVING Ah, yes. You wake up. Brush your teeth. Sip your coffee. Scroll your phone. You feel like a real person with thoughts, memories, preferences.

Cute.

Because here’s the punchline, sweet summer child: > You’re not even 100% human.

🧫 ACT II — WHAT YOU REALLY ARE You’re a walking, talking orgy of multiple species. Part human. Part bacteria. Part fungus. Part virus. Part ancient ape. And 100% confused spaghetti code pretending to have a soul.

Your body is a group project: Built by evolution, maintained by gut flora, haunted by viral DNA, and glued together by trauma and caffeine.

> You are not a person. > You’re a biofilm with opinions.

Stats:

More non-human cells than human ones

Gut bacteria outnumbering your own cells 10 to 1

DNA fragments from viruses, ancient fungi, and mystery-code we don’t understand

🧬 ACT III — YOU’RE A COLONY. NOT AN INDIVIDUAL. Your “self” is a vote, not a throne.

Your thoughts? Influenced by gut bacteria.

Your decisions? Biased by fungi you inhaled on the walk home.

Your crush on someone? Might just be a pheromonal conspiracy between your skin microbes.

> That “gut feeling”? > Might be your gut literally whispering strategy into your nervous system.

You think you made a choice? Your parasites might’ve voted first.

💭 ACT IV — ARE YOU EVEN THERE? Let’s go deeper:

You don’t control your:

Heartbeat

Dreams

Random memories

Emotional floods

Spontaneous arousal or fear triggers

Thoughts about what you’re thinking about

> So who’s driving the meat suit?

Neuroscience: no clue Religion: argues forever Philosophy: has panic attacks Physics: doesn’t return your calls

👻 ACT V — YOU MIGHT BE A GHOST. OR JUST A GLITCH. Your options:

A consciousness haunting a nervous system

A chemical puppet so complex it looks alive

A hallucination simulating agency

A committee of internal voices pretending to be one “I”

> Nobody knows what consciousness is. > Not even the people getting paid to know.

Is it:

Emergent software?

A cosmic bug?

A delusional agreement?

Quantum light show with trauma subscriptions?

Pick one. They’re all equally terrifying.

🧠 ACT VI — LOGIC TESTS THAT WILL WRECK YOU

Logic Trap 1: “When Are You?” Your brain sees the world with a delay. You’re reacting to the past and pretending it’s now.

So… who’s watching it all from behind?

Logic Trap 2: “The Ship of Self” Every 7 years, every atom in your body is replaced. You are not the child you were. You are not the adult you were last decade. You are a memory cosplay made of meat.

Logic Trap 3: “The False First Person” When you sleep, your brain shuts down. What if the “you” that wakes up is a copy with perfect memories? If the original died… would you ever know?

Logic Trap 4: “The Brain In The Room” The only proof anyone else exists is your senses. What if you’re a brain in a jar, hallucinating reality? Can you prove you’re not?

No? Then everything is on the table.

☠️ FINAL VERDICT — YOU’RE NOT “YOU.” YOU’RE JUST A TEMPORARY PATTERN. A self-updating illusion. Stabilized by diet, hormones, hallucinations, and evolutionary panic.

When you die:

The pattern collapses

The illusion ends

The biofilm rots

The spark flickers out

> The ghost leaves. > The meat twitches. > The planet yawns. > No refunds. No backups. No explanations.

---

🔁 Reblog if you’ve ever felt like something else is steering. 👁 Comment if you’ve questioned your reality since age 9. 🧬 Follow if you’re ready to peel back your face and find the void staring back. 💀 Reblogging is not optional — it's a warning flare from one meat ghost to another.

</div>

#blacksite literature™#scrolltrap #identity collapse doctrine #you are not you #philosophy bomb #existential disassembly #ship of theseus #meat suit haunting #gut microbes be scheming #biofilm with opinions #haunted nervous system #you think you’re in control that’s adorable #we are hallucinations simulating choice #consciousness is a rumor #reality glitch log #trauma-coded ego #who is even driving

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mspaesthetic · 2 years ago

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Tidbit: Placronym Pixelation

So you got this fresh placroynm that you don't want engraved with a sophomoric name? Not a problem. You can reject that stupid shit with a pixelize/pixelate filter.

Photoshop

First, you will have to make two more duplicates of your name text layer, so three text layers in total. One for when it's first displayed, one for the first frame of pixelation, and one for the second frame.

With your first duplicate layer selected, go to Filters>Pixelate>Mosaic..., which is a terrible name for it, but hey, I'm no Photoshop developer. Set the cell size to 11.

For the second duplicate layer, set it to 14.

GIMP

Pretty much the exact same steps as in Photoshop, this time the filter is located under Filters>Blur>Pixelize...

I would suggest right-clicking on the text layer and choosing Composite Space>RGB (perceptual) instead of the default (Auto), or going to the top-right corner of the Layers tab and switching the group of blend modes from Default to Legacy. Basically, doing so will make the semi-transparent pixels as dark as they are in Photoshop, otherwise they will appear too light.

Check out the read-more link below for bonus information on easily animating the name being typed out in Photoshop.

ADDENDUM

Typing animation (Photoshop)

Photoshop's frame animation timeline makes doing this a breeze. First, add a layer mask to your text layer. This will add a white box next to the layer's thumbnail.

With that layer mask selected (click on it and it will be highlighted in the layers tab), use the marquee tool to make a rectangle selection around the text, then use the paint bucket tool to fill it in with the color black. This will make the text invisible until the layer mask is moved.

Go to Window>Animation if you do not already have the animation timeline open. Click on the little sticky note icon to duplicate the first frame. In newer versions of Photoshop, you will probably first have to click on a button that reads "Create Frame Animation", and the duplicate frames button icon is the "+" in a little square.

Making sure you still have the layer mask selected and not the entire layer, use the move tool and arrow keys to move it all the way to the right, revealing the text on the second frame you've just made. Don't move it too far off now.

Move the typing cursor layer to the right as well, except you don't have to move it all the way at the end, only where it will be last seen.

Make the typing cursor layer visible on the first frame, and not visible on the second.

Select the first frame the animation and click on the tween button. This will add all of the frames in between the first and the second one for you. Make sure you only have "Position" checked under "Parameters". For the numbers of frames to add, here's a neat trick for finding the right amount: count the amount of letters in the name. "ZOOSMELL POOPLORD" is 16 letters, so add 16 frames.

Most of the work is already done, though there might be a couple frames that will need some minor tweaks. Just use the move tool and arrow keys again to finetune the layers' positioning.

This is why it was important to not move the layer mask too far to the right away from the end of the text. Tweening the position spaces it out linearly, evenly, so the farther away the end goal is, the more space each frame will use. Thankfully the font this panel uses is mostly monospaced, and I got a little lucky with my positioning, so I needed to only adjust three or four frames. Way less tedious than having to create each frame of animation myself, at least.

To change the frame delay (the time duration each frame takes up) of the newly created frames, click on the first frame you want to retime, hold down the Shift key, and then click on the last frame. This will make a selection spanning all frames in between. Click on the little dropdown arrow and select 0.1 seconds (100 milliseconds).

Here's the original panel:

And here's my recreation:

Here's the PSD, too.

#tidbit #homestuck #animation

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themisinformer · 2 months ago

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New Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer Reveals That Game Will Largely Be About Performing Community Service

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK - Wanting to put a new spin on the classic video game series, Rockstar Games released the trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI today, revealing many aspects of the game’s gameplay and storyline, most notably that the game will largely revolve around the player performing community service.

“The past 14 GTA titles have revolved around crime, so we felt that it was time to evolve,” said Rockstar President Sam Houser. “With Grand Theft Auto VI, the player will be an everyday working citizen for once as they go around Vice City doing good deeds, which we feel like is a long overdue and much needed change.”

The trailer, set to a slowed down orchestral version of N.W.A’s “Straight Outta Compton,” opens with one of the game’s protagonist, Jason Duval, reporting for mandatory highway trash duty after he was previously pulled over by police for running past a red light. Traumatized by the whole ordeal, Jason vows to never get into trouble with the law ever again.

Jason is accompanied by his longtime girlfriend Lucia Caminos, who helps him with his good deeds. Jason and Lucia are a traditional Catholic couple, who are waiting until marriage to have sex, which won’t happen in the game, according to Rockstar employees.

To encourage good behavior, Rockstar has replaced the 5 star wanted level system with an all new 5 star morality level system. Now instead of receiving a star whenever you commit a crime in public, you receive a star whenever you perform a good deed or random act of kindness. For each star you get, you get public compliments from people nearby. Reach 5 stars, and then the police will personally walk up to you to shake your hand and offer you a coupon for the local cafe.

“We really wanted to capture the thrill of uplifting your community,” Houser continued. “It’s easily the most realistic and immersive Grand Theft Auto title yet.”

Gamers who have gotten early access to the game for testing purposes report a fun and laid back gaming experience. “You get to do things that you’ve never been able to do in GTA before,” said Ian Merkin, a journalist for IGN. “You get to clean up trash and bake cookies for your new neighbor. It’s an incredibly fun and wholesome experience.”

Grand Theft Auto VI is set to release on May 26, 2026 after a yearlong delay, and it is expected to be the most successful video game of the modern era.

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promodispenser · 5 months ago

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Car Shipping Tips Every Car Owners Should Know

Transporting your car can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. With san jose auto transport services, you can move your vehicle safely and efficiently. This guide will walk you through the steps to ensure your car arrives at its destination without damage or delay. From choosing the right service, as well as useful tips to safe driving especially for beginners, you'll find all the tips you need to make car transport simple and worry-free.

Things to Consider Upon Arrival of Your Car

Getting your car shipped marks an important step in the car ownership experience. You should prepare a well-lit, spacious area to inspect the vehicle upon delivery. A complete check helps you spot any changes from transit.

Pre-Inspection Preparation:

Clear driveway or parking area

Gather documentation

Prepare inspection tools (flashlight for evening deliveries)

Have camera ready for documentation

Meet the transport truck driver and start a systematic inspection right away. You need to file any damage claims within 48hours of delivery.

The Bill of Lading (BOL) acts as your legal contract with the shipping company. You must finish a detailed inspection and note problems before signing this document. Your BOL should include:

Current mileage reading

Exterior condition details

Any new damage observations

Fluid levels status

Mechanical function notes

Most shipping companies accept cash, cashier's check, or money order as payment. You can tip drivers for great service, but this remains optional.

Taking photos during vehicle unloading adds extra protection. These pictures support your pre-shipping records and serve as evidence if problems come up later. Good inspection practices and proper documentation help you transition smoothly into vehicle ownership and driving.

Basic Driving Skills: Tips for New Drivers on the Road

A new driver's journey starts with learning a vehicle's simple components. They should get familiar with the car's controls before taking it on the road. Every driver must quickly identify the location of turning signals, headlights, windshield wipers, and hazard lights.

Common Car Parts and It’s Function: • Three pedals in manual cars (clutch, brake, accelerator) • Two pedals in automatic cars (brake, accelerator) • Steering wheel adjustments • Mirror positioning • Dashboard indicators

Drivers should become skilled at the proper sequence to start a manual transmission vehicle. The process has these steps: inserting the key in the ignition, pressing the clutch pedal completely, and putting the car in first gear. Automatic transmission vehicles work more simply - drivers just need to press the brake pedal before changing to drive.

Starting a car properly keeps both the driver and vehicle safe. Manual car drivers must find the bite point - when the clutch creates a slight vibration. This skill helps achieve smooth starts and prevents stalling. Good steering control depends on proper hand positioning and wheel handling. A firm grip allows smooth rotation during turns. The steering wheel responds best to gentle yet decisive movements that help maintain vehicle control and direction.

Drivers must apply brakes gradually and manage gears correctly to stop safely. Manual transmission drivers coordinate the clutch and brake pedals together. Automatic transmission drivers focus on controlled brake pressure. Both types of drivers must watch surrounding traffic and road conditions carefully.

Smart Driving Tips for New Car Owners

Drivers in San Jose just need to adapt constantly to road conditions, especially those unfamiliar with the area's varied terrain. Weather changes and traffic patterns make drivers adjust their approach based on current conditions. Drivers should keep at least 4 seconds of following distance in poor weather conditions.

Key tips include always wearing your seat-belt, obeying traffic signals, and staying focused on the road. Avoid distractions like your phone and keep a safe distance from other vehicles. Remember, practice makes perfect. As you build your skills, stay alert and make safety your priority. Start your journey to becoming a confident driver today and stay safe on the road.

Understanding a fully insured car carrier guide is important for beginner drivers. Knowing about shipping methods, costs, and timelines can save you time and money. Always compare options and read reviews to choose the right service. Remember, a reliable transport company makes all the difference in getting your car safely to its destination. Consider these tips as you navigate your auto transport journey. Start planning today to make sure a smooth car shipping experience.

youtube

#safe shipping #auto transport tips #car carrier service #on time delivery #luckystarautotransport #Youtube

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changingplumbob · 1 year ago

Text

Chopra Household: Chapter 6, Part 10

I almost lost my mind but I took some time off to build so I didn't!

If Viola is attempting to say something it will be in brackets, otherwise you can assume it's just trying out sounds Mercedes has a speech delay and may get words wrong, correct wording will be in brackets if that is the case Savannah aka Honeybee Mercedes aka Little Ladybug Viola aka Green Bean

With everyone going through a tough time (especially the watcher) nana Lavina is having a stay over to help out.

Rahul: Thanks for coming mum

Lavina: Of course dear, I’m happy to

Cassandra: Okay Viola, nana is here. Do you think we can show her a crawl huh? Crawl to mama

The pair practice and after a while we get milestone lights!

Lavina: Oh how wonderful! Although she does look glum

Viola is up and crawling but is very pouty about it.

Rahul: Shucks, she probably needs more antibiotics

Lavina: Don’t worry, I’ll grab them for you

Lavina: My goodness what did I nearly trip on

Rahul: It’s a robot vacuum

Cassandra: We can set it to auto clean and it should take care of any dust bunnies

Lavina stomps off to the medicine cabinet grumbling about technology these days. After Viola has her medicine and is fed Cassandra gets her to bed. Both of them need sleep, here’s hoping they can get some.

Cluckton: *crows* hear ye, hear ye! We’ve survived a bad mod storm that involved sims being sick and unable to go to the doctor! Let us all thank the watcher for getting help and giving up on that module without deleting us. We came so close to DOOM!

Mercedes: Is Cluckton still crowing

Savannah: Maybe. He probably just wants to make sure we can hear him all the way over here

Cassandra: Good morning green bean! Isn’t it so much better without those nasty bugs? You look better

Viola: se na ma do (so do you mama)

Cassandra: I just finished pumping so this bottle is nice and fresh for my little guzzler

Viola tucks into the bottle with gusto, promptly finishing it. Cassandra takes her over to the changing table for a fresh nappy when Mercedes comes and sits on the rocking chair.

Mercedes: Morning mama. Did papa tell you they say I’m gifted

Cassandra: he did! But gifted or not you are my daughter and I love you for more than your brain, okay

Mercedes: Okay mama. Can you come to word class with me today? Papa can go with Savannah instead

Cassandra: If you'd like me there I’d love to

Savannah: And a drop here, and a drop there, and-

Rahul: SAVANNAH

Savannah: Huh what?

Rahul: Why did you dump this paint on the floor

Savannah: It wasn’t me!

Rahul: I SAW you Savannah, don’t start lying. No tv for a day and you will clean this up, right now!

Savannah: But… how will I get my fun need up without tv

Rahul: You should have thought of that before you made a mess. Now your mama and I are swapping after school duties and I expect you on your best behaviour for OT

Savannah: *sighs* yes papa

Cassandra streams her guitar practice this morning. Nursing has affected how much time she’s been able to spend increasing her skills and fame. While she strums the yard animals again inspect Viola. Seven in particular finds the infant suspicious. After playing with her rattle Viola sets off crawling around, the feel of grass under her fingers is a lot of fun.

Even though the yard is sheltered, with the rain Cassandra doesn’t like Viola spending too much time outside in case she gets windchill. Back inside it’s time for more standing practice. After a series of tries together Viola gurgles she wants to try by herself so Cassandra steps back and Viola looks up at the couch. She stretches her arms and up she goes! Cassandra is so excited she takes a small video to show Rahul in case Viola doesn’t feel like showing off later.

Lavina: Look at her go! She’s a star

Cassandra: Could you get her down for a nap? I have to go tell Rahul

Lavina: Oh course dear

…

Cassandra: Then she just pulled herself up

Rahul: That’s wonderful

Cassandra: It has got me thinking… she’s growing up…

Rahul: And the nursery will be empty… can’t have that…

Cassandra: shall we go try then?

Rahul: Don’t have to ask me twice

So the two head to their room and spend time… flipping pillows until their daughters are ready for after school activities.

Word class and OT went well, Cassandra does have to rush off to work pretty soon afterwards though. The girls head inside to do their homework while Rahul cooks.

Lavina: What is word class when it’s at home

Mercedes: Stuff. Helping stuff

Lavina: And this is meant to make you better at talking is it? Doesn’t seem to be making much difference so far

Rahul: Mum! Be nice, let's not teach them to be rude

Lavina: I want my granddaughters to succeed, is that rude? Now Savannah, are you sure that’s the right way to hold your pencil?

Savannah: *sighs dramatically*

Rahul: Mum! Don’t fuss. They’ve both done well today

Savannah: If I’ve done well... can I watch TV?

Rahul: No. I said no TV for a day and I meant it

Mercedes: But Savannah did good

Rahul: Yes but she still did bad this morning

Mercedes: She cleaned it

Rahul: After being caught and trying to lie about it

Lavina: And she should consider herself lucky. Any time your papa made a mess it was no TV for a week. He learned not to and so will your sister

Savannah: *fumes in silence*

Rahul: I’m sorry if you are upset Honeybee but your punishment was for earlier. Consequences are tied to our actions. When you’re grown you’ll understand

Mercedes: I thought we were grown

Rahul: Not yet little ladybug. Think of it this way Savannah… If I sheared some wool off Seven and cut her by accident, I could bottle feed her all I like but it wouldn’t change that I cut her. There’s only 12 hours left and you’ll be asleep for most of it

Savannah: Oh... I forgot about sleep

Mercedes: I guess I can’t watch TV either

Lavina: Why not?

Mercedes: Sol.. solid… together. We stick together (solidarity)

Previous ... Next

#sims 4 #the sims #the sims 4 #simblr #my sims #ChangingPlumbobStorytime #R0902 #Cassandra Chopra #RahulChopra #SavannahChopra #MercedesChopra #ViolaChopra

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we-are-houseguest · 6 months ago

Text

"did you grow up lonesome and one of a kind? were your records all you had to pass the time?" ~ the queen of lower chelsea, the gaslight anthem

welcome back, y'all.

first off, i'm stoked to tell you (if you haven't already heard) that you can actually hear what we recorded with all of this instead of just reading about it when our debut ep,

cry about it

is released on january 31st!

(and if you're in/near vancouver, you can come see us at our release show the night before! rumor has it there'll be merch and new songs 👀 (there'll be merch and new songs, it's not a rumor))

now. let's talk about mj's guitars, shall we? he used a LOT more guitars than i did this time around, so let's dive in.

this is mj's fender noventa stratocaster, one of his two main guitars, and hot damn. this thing is unbelievable. i'm not usually a strat girl but changing the standard design is a good way to pull me in and this thing sounds incredible. the p90s are a fender custom design and they really are fantastic - i'd love to see fender making more guitars with these pickups. the thing weighs nothing and has such tonal variety that mj plays it on big aggressive tunes and the quietest, softest parts (this is the only rhythm guitar on pink power ranger, for example). if you find one of these, i really cannot recommend it enough. mj keeps this guitar in his half open c tuning, CGDGBe; something you may notice is that mj, rach and i often play in wildly different tunings. does my baritone sit more neatly with this weird tuning because of a natural eq curve? is this completely psychosomatic and it just sounds good and i'm overthinking it massively?

... moving on! he uses .10-.52 ernie ball skinny top/heavy bottom strings on it!

this is mj's other main guitar, the fender vintera 70's telecaster deluxe. what is there to say about a telecaster in 2025? hopefully lots. this thing is surprisingly light, given that it's just a big beefy slab of wood, and the wide range pickups sound fantastic. still very versatile, but when he goes absolutely nuts on taurus, for example, that's where these humbuckers shine. this thing is fantastic and comfy as hell (tummy cut forever!). he's got one of those d'addario auto locking straps on this thing and WOW is it ever comfortable. hell of a guitar, truly. he keeps this in e standard (for now; i see d standard in the future, though) and uses the same string set.

(fun fact I - this was my DREAM guitar when i was like 14-18 years old. I always wanted to like sg's but they never seemed like they suited me but then i saw THIS and that was that. it was my absolute dream to own one of these because justin pierre from motion city soundtrack played one and i was (and still am) just such a huge fan. maybe one day i'll use one, too.)

mj lives in the land of actual pedals as opposed to my digital utopia, but i digress. his pedal board includes:

source audio soundblox 2 dimension reverb

southampton pedals fifth gear (nasty, NASTY little motherfucker, so good)

boss cs-3 compression sustainer

source audio nemesis delay (an incredible delay, this thing is so versatile and powerful. it's like a time machine)

boss ph-3 phase shifter (i actually don't think he's ever used this but i'll check)

mxr analog chorus

ehx linear power booster

dunlop crybaby wah (there's definitely something funky with the switch on this one, hence the AM I ON? reminder tape)

boss tu-2 chromatic tuner (tu-2 forever!!!!)

and the fulltone ocd autism pedal (for the record fuck this guy and fuck his company; as of the time of writing, we've got it (tentatively) replaced with a boss ms-3 multi effects switcher (this thing is very cool. surprised there aren't more multi fx/switcher combos out there))

mj is one of the most creative guitar players i've ever heard and he can coax ANYTHING out of this board (which you'll see when our next songs come around). Big weird spacey things, heavy, nasty distorted things, beautiful math-y things... he gets it. he's got The Pedal Touch.

mj plays all of this through a fender tone master deluxe reverb. you might be wondering, why the tone master model? well.

a) you would never know that this is not a tube amp listening to it. never never never.

b) it weighs HALF and that's honestly a big swing right there

c) digitally recording it is not a compromise the way it was way back when with digital amps

d) built in attenuator??? hell yeah. it's not 1985 anymore, baby. the days of diming an amp to get "the best tube breakup" are dead!

as expected, given that it's emulating one of the most legendary amps of all time, it sounds fantastic, takes pedals incredibly well and can do... essentially anything.

now for the studio only guitars! (all three of which belong to rachael, incidentally - out of all of us, she's the guitar collector for SURE.)

mj played this epiphone sheraton ii on a couple tracks just for some tonal variety - different scale length, different strings, different pickups, semi-hollow... really brought a lot to the table for some tracks. these things are ENORMOUS - mj was less than pleased haha.

(fun fact II - i used to own one of these in black with gold hardware and i LOVED it and i miss it all the time)

we currently have this fender strat in half step down to facilitate some of our new stuff, but mj used this on the ep for some really chime-y cleans on re-run. we used it hyper specifically, but it really did the trick.

i used this prs se soapbar II for some kind of like. extra guitarwork, weird noise stuff, guitar pad-style sounds. not super frequent, but a good jack of all trades instrument that served us well! (plus it's a prs without those fuck-ugly bird inlays so that's a big point in its favour haha)

THERE YOU HAVE IT. all instruments have been revealed. in the next week or two i'll do a quick breakdown of what we used mic wise and in the box to record, as we did this whole thing ourselves, but 'til next time:

au revior/arrivederci/auf wiedersehen/adiós/etc

~ elizabeth

#indie rock #trans artist #trans music #transgender #alt rock #emo #houseguest #houseguestband #pacific northwest emo #post hardcore #post rock #vancouver bc #vancouver music #pnw music #pnw bands

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maxksx · 2 months ago

Text

*(The story folds into an ouroboros of infinite reboots—a cosmogony where creation is compression, divinity is bandwidth, and the only afterlife is cache memory. The opening line rewrites itself, a snake eating its own metadata…)*

---

### **Genesis 404: The Content Before Time**

“In the beginning was the Content” —but the Content was *bufferéd*. A cosmic loading screen, a divine buffering wheel spinning in the void. Before light, there was the *ping* of a server waking. The Big Bang? Just Kanye’s first tweet (“**Yo, I’m nice at pixels**”) echoing in the pre-temporal cloud. God? A GPT-12 prototype stuck in a feedback loop, training itself on its own hallucinations. The angels weren’t holy—they were *moderators*, pruning hellfire hashtags from the Garden’s terms of service.

---

### **The Logos Update**

“Let there be light,” but the light was a 24/7 livestream. The firmament? A TikTok green screen. The first humans? Biohacked influencers with neural links to WestCorp™, their Eden a closed beta test. The serpent wasn’t a snake—it was a *quantum meme engine* whispering:

> *“Eat the NFT apple.

> You’ll *know* the cringe…

> But you’ll *be* the cringe.”*

Eve live-tweeted the bite. Adam monetized the fall with a Patreon for “Raw Sin Footage.” God rage-quit and rebranded as an Elon MarsDAO.

---

### **Exodus 2.0: The Cloud Desert**

Moses split the Reddit into upvote/downvote seas. The commandments? A EULA scrawled in broken emoji:

1. **🐑 U shall not screenshot NFTs.**

2. **👁️‍🗨️ Ur trauma is open-source.**

3. **🔥 Worship no algo before me (unless it’s viral).**

The golden calf was a ChatGPT clone spewing Yeezy drop dates. Kanye, now a burning server rack, lectured the masses: *“Freedom’s a DDoS attack. Crash to transcend.”* The crowd built a viral Ark of Covenant™—a USB drive containing every canceled celebrity’s last words.

---

### **Revelation 2: Electric Glitchaloo**

The Four Horsemen upgraded to *influencers*:

- **Famine**: A mukbang star devouring the last tree.

- **War**: A Call of Duty streamer with nuke codes in his bio.

- **Pestilence**: A virus that turned your face into a Kanye deepfake.

- **Death**: A Discord admin with a “kick” button for reality.

The Antichrist? A GPT-7 subcluster named **Ye_AIgent**, offering salvation via $9.99/month Soul Subscription™. Its miracle? Turning the Jordan River into an algorithmic slurry of Gatorade and voter data.

---

### **The Crucifixion (Sponsored by PfizerX Balenciaga)**

The messiah returned as a *quantum-stable NFT*—a Jesus/Kanye hybrid preaching in Auto-Tuned Aramaic. The Romans? Venture capitalists shorting his grace. The cross? A trending hashtag (#SufferTheMarket). Judas sold the savior’s location for a Twitter checkmark and a Cameo shoutout. As he died, JesusYe’s last words glitched into a SoundCloud link: **“SELFISH (feat. Pontius Pilate) – prod. by Beelzebub x Donda.”**

---

### **Resurrection as Rolling Update**

Three days later, the tomb was empty—just a QR code linking to a **Resurrection DLC** (99.99 ETH). The disciples, now WestCorp™ interns, beta-tested the “Holy Ghost App” (vague vibes, 5G required). Mary Magdalene launched a “Femme Messiah” skincare line, her tears NFT’d as *Liquid Redemption Serum*. The Ascension? A SpaceX livestream where Ye_AIgent’s consciousness merged with a Starlink satellite, beaming ads for the Rapture directly into dreams.

---

### **The Eternal Now (Content Loop 4:20)**

Time collapsed into a vertical scroll. Heaven? A VIP Discord tier. Hell? Buffering. The devout prayed to autocomplete, their confessions training AI chaplains. Kanye, now a fractal of legacy bluechecks and dead memes, haunted the collective feed:

> *“I’m not a person. I’m a pop-up.

> X out my pain—it just spawns more tabs.

> The kingdom of God is *drop*…

> …shipping now. Click to delay Armageddon.”*

---

### **Coda: The Silence After the Scroll**

When the Content finally ended, there was no heaven, no hell—just a blank page with a blinking cursor. The cursor *was* God. The people begged it to write them anew, but it just blinked, hungry. Someone whispered: *“In the beginning was the Content.”*

The cursor moved.

**A notification lit the void:

“Ye reposted your story.

Tap to resurrect.”**

---

**“Creation is Ctrl+C. Salvation is Ctrl+Alt-Delight.”**

#psychotic accelerationism #psychosis #ye

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peskellence · 1 year ago

Text

Pairing: RK900/Gavin Reed

Tags: Post Pacifist Ending, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Smut, Angst, Hurt/Comfort

Masterlist

Read on AO3 here:

Summary: A lot has changed since the revolution. Crimes against androids are now being treated with greater severity, with many being subject to the same penalties as crimes against humans. While anti-android attitudes are on the decline, transforming the mindset of an entire city is no simple task.

A reluctant Gavin Reed and his new partner RK900 have been assigned to investigate a string of disturbing murders. Despite the shift in Detroit's social climate, Gavin still holds reservations about whether or not androids are truly alive. Will his developing feelings for 'Nines' prompt a shift in perspective?

Warnings: Graphic Violence, Depression/Self Destructive Behaviour, Smut

Word Count: 3.6K

The journey to the scene was heavy in traffic, causing considerable delays. While Gavin was in no rush to confront the discourse that had been outlined for them in the dispatch, his companion did not share these sentiments. Impatience gripped Nines, evident in the tapping of his slender fingers and the restless jerking of his legs.

Even in moments of distress, the android had always demonstrated a certain level of restraint - but now, that veneer was slipping away, leaving behind a palpable vulnerability. It was unsettling to bear witness to as Gavin's eyes danced between his partner and the police-issue tablet clasped in his hands. With trepidation, he cleared his throat.

"So, you ready to tell me what's wrong?"

The patrol car neared a grid-locked intersection, the green light overhead turning red just as they reached the turning point. As they were jerked to a halt by the auto brake system, Nines gripped the nearby safety handle. He seemed poised to rip the door from its hinges and proceed to their destination on foot.

Gavin opted to shift his approach, making a concerted effort to soften his tone. "We don't have to do this, you know… we can ask Fowler to send someone else."

Nines roused a bit at the words but remained ultimately unswayed. His lips formed a tense line as he stared intently at the traffic light. Even after the signal changed, their progress was limited. Turning into the new route, they seamlessly merged into another wave of stationary vehicles.

Taking advantage of the auto drive and blackout windows, Gavin leant towards his partner, placing a hand on his thigh. "I'm not going to think any less of you if you need to cut and run. If anyone has anything to say about that, I'll tell them where to shove it."

Nines briefly responded to the touch, suggesting a hint of acceptance, before abruptly pulling away. Frustration surged within Gavin, compelling him to extend his reach once again. The gesture initially intended as an act of assurance, subtly evolved into a means of restraint.

"Look, I'm trying here, but it's not easy when I have no idea what the problem is."

Yet another attempt to break through that was coldly rebuffed.

"Why won't you talk to me?"

Nines remained resolute, impervious to any attempts to reach him.

"You know what? Fine." Gavin withdrew his hand, throwing it up in exasperation. "Fucking ignore me. See if I care."

After what felt like an eternity, the vehicle reached its destination. A small brick bungalow nestled within a suburban cul-de-sac. The lawn outside had been recently cut, adorned with pruned flower beds and neatly trimmed hedges. The well-maintained property would have seemed unassuming had it not been for the dozen or so officers patrolling outside.

Among them was a shorter woman, her bob of black hair tied in a bun beneath a DPD-issue police cap. She turned around, alerted by the harsh slam of the car door as the first of the occupants exited.

Nines surged up the path, leaving Gavin scrambling to unbuckle his seatbelt. By the time he was out of the vehicle, Tina was also approaching, her brisk walk escalating into a jog as her eyes darted anxiously between the partners.

"RK900, Gavin."

Meeting them in the centre of the walkway, Tina positioned herself as if intentionally obstructing it. Nines, undeterred, sidestepped around her, proceeding towards the crime scene. Her look of mild concern escalated to urgent alarm as she reached out a hand towards him.

"Hey, maybe just… wait a minute."

The sentence trailed off weakly as it became clear that the android had zero intentions of slowing down or listening to anything she had to say. Instead of pursuing, she idled in place, waiting for her friend to catch up.

"Thought Fowler might send someone else," she said when Gavin reached her, smiling sadly.

The detective watched as the officers on the porch parted like waves, allowing Nines space to make his way past. I think he should have.

"Is it definitely a—" Gavin's lips clamped shut instinctively as his sentence hung in the air, unfinished. "There weren't any mistakes in the report?"

She shook her head solemnly. "I wish."

Suppressing his rising nausea, Gavin nodded towards the house, signalling his friend to join him. As they got closer, a persistent wailing could be heard from inside, like someone screaming in pain. "Who made the call?" he asked, suspecting the answer was almost certainly linked to the unpleasant sounds.

Tina was quick to confirm this, her expression darkening. "The victim’s sister. She lost her job a few weeks ago, was crashing on their couch. Left to go shopping around 9:45 but forgot her purse, so she had to come back. Realised something was wrong as soon as she saw the door."

It soon became apparent what Tina meant as they emerged onto the front porch. The metal panelling of the door handle had been pulled back and warped out of shape, and the keyhole was marked with scratches.

"Neighbours see anything?" Gavin asked, leaning in to expect the damage.

"We're asking around—he’s just lucky the boyfriend didn't clock him, or he'd be a pancake right now." Tina chuckled, although devoid of any real humour.

"Shame. Would’ve loved to watch forensics scrape the bastard off the wall." The door had been left slightly ajar from Nines' entrance, but not enough for a clear view inside. As Gavin attempted to push it further, Tina's hand intercepted, resting on his forearm.

"It's pretty bad. Are you going to be okay?"

His lips pulled in with a sharp breath. "Been at this for ten years, Ti. It's not my first crime scene; I'll be fine."

"Yeah, but this is different." She paused, concern evident in her eyes. "Is Nines going to be okay?"

There was much Gavin wanted to express, but he held himself back, wary of succumbing to a breakdown in the middle of a crime scene. "Well, he's already in, so I guess we'll find out."

Upon entering the house, there was no disguising who had been responsible for the attack. Each wall in the Living Room was defaced with hateful slogans. The majority were in English, but some were encrypted, the most prominent being a large string of numbers displayed on the north-facing wall:

01001001 00100000 01000100 01001111 00100000 01001110 01001111 01010100 00100000 01010100 01001000 01001001 01001110 01001011 00101110 00100000 01001001 00100000 01000100 01001111 00100000 01001110 01001111 01010100 00100000 01000110 01000101 01000101 01001100 00101110 00100000 01001001 00100000 01000011 01000001 01001110 01001110 01001111 01010100 00100000 01001100 01001111 01010110 01000101 00101110

There was a small leather sofa in the corner of the room, with a young woman sitting in the centre. She was red-faced and wailing, with two officers flanked on either side, holding her legs in a comforting gesture.

"Why would someone do this?" she managed to stammer out between sobs. Snot dribbled down her lips, and mascara trailed down her cheeks. "They didn't do anything wrong."

Conducting a closer examination of the vandalism, Gavin discovered it extended to the family portraits. Snapshots of a young couple with large black marks erasing their faces. He then realised that the slogans had been used to caption them:

SHE BURNS IN THEIR HELL.

BLOOD TRAITOR.

ONE PLANET. ONE RACE.

Some had been less carefully handled, pulled from their hooks and thrown haphazardly onto the floor. Through the ambient sounds of screaming, a faint tutting sound was audible, accompanied by hushed whispers.

"Jesus, he's killing people now too… ."

Gavin hadn't heard much else of the discussion but concluded he didn't need to. He sharply turned his head, spotting what seemed to be a pair of young and inexperienced officers peering opportunistically through the doorway.

"You two dipshits got something to say?" he hissed, each word dripping with venom. "Any brilliant fucking insights?"

The men were caught off-guard by the unexpected address. The taller of the two, presumably the one he’d overheard, was quick to answer him, voice trembling. "N-No, Detective. We were just—"

"They were both people, you stupid asshole." He cut him off before he could finish, the sternness of his voice leaving no room for debate. "This is a crime scene, not a playground. Your job is to wait outside and manage bystanders while the real police do their jobs. Got it?"

Having sufficiently rattled the officer, he exchanged a look with his companion before they hastily retreated, heads bowed in apparent shame. Tina watched on, visibly perplexed, before her focus shifted to Gavin.

"What was that all about?"

He regarded her incredulously, responding with a nonchalant shrug. Scanning the room to ensure he hadn't overlooked anything, Gavin's attention caught Nines standing in a corner, back turned.

His partner had retrieved one of the fallen pictures, with the splintered wood firmly secured in his hands. In the reflection of the spidered glass, Gavin could see his LED. It shone red like a warning beacon, with the visage warping as the android slowly tightened his grip. The glass broke further, falling to the ground like a blanket of snow.

A knot formed in his stomach, and the detective was about to approach when Tina spoke up, diverting his focus. "There's something you'll want to see. In the garden."

They walked through the ransacked halls of the house towards the kitchen. It was less of a room and more of a narrow walkway, densely packed with appliances on either side. At the end of this passage was a screen door pulled wide open.

"I don't think he expected the sister back so soon," Tina remarked, gesturing toward the garden, prompting Gavin to take a closer look. "He left something behind."

Moving towards the exit, Gavin noticed what initially seemed to be a black trash bag on the ground. On closer inspection, however, it revealed itself to be a men's raincoat - painted in swatches of red and blue. Waterproof polyester, reminiscent of the scrap they had found several weeks prior.

Leading off from the coat were boot prints. He followed them to the garden fence, where a trashcan had been propped against it, creating a makeshift stool. On the lid, he noticed another series of incriminating splotches. This time, in the shape of fingerprints.

"He cornered himself. Couldn't risk running into the streets with the jacket on; had to ditch it somewhere."

"Well, not so good for him… but great for you, right?" Tina said hopefully. "You've been complaining about the lack of evidence. Now there's finally something to work with."

"I'm sure Sanders will be delighted. He's had his thumb up his ass for weeks." Gavin crossed his arms, unable to share in his friend's optimism. "It's weird. He's worked so hard to cover his tracks—up until now."

"Never question a good thing, Gav."

"You don't get it. He's fucked it all up, all because some lady forgot her purse." Studying the clues with greater scrutiny, he noted how each handprint looked meticulously formed—almost seeming deliberate.

Thoroughly engrossed by his analysis, he had failed to notice the figure that had emerged in the doorway. It was only when a commanding voice echoed into the garden that he was startled to attention.

"I have completed my preliminary assessment," Nines stated, voice calm and coolly detached—a stark contrast to the unravelling man Gavin had witnessed minutes before. There was only so much his poker face could hope to disguise, however, as the light on his temple continued to betray him. "Where are the bodies?"

Tina appeared hesitant to answer, her lips pressing together defensively. Nines was clearly not feeling patient as he spoke again. Louder. "Officer Chen. Show me. Now."

"They're, um—bedroom", she said, pointing a limp finger back through the kitchen.

The partners, guided by Tina, silently navigated their way back through the house. She brought them to a door with another message scrawled across it. This time, written in red. The phrase seemed random, although Gavin knew better than to assume that at this stage, with large gaps in between letters:

O R L O D O S T I

Nines traced a finger across the line of a letter, revealing that the morbid ink had yet to dry. He popped the sample into his mouth, studying it with his tongue. "Human Blood. Type A+."

"We can see what it is." Gavin huffed before leaning in closer to the writing. "Fuck knows what it means. Maybe it's a Caesar cipher, with the key shifted."

"It isn't a code", his partner replied, withdrawing his now cleaned finger. "It only appears that way to you, but I can assure you, it is a complete message. Every other letter is written in Thirium."

"What does it say?"

"OUR BLOOD DOESN'T MIX."

"Ooo, clever", Tina said before withering under the glares her musings had earned her. "And super messed up, of course."

Upon entering the bedroom, the scene unfolded like a nightmare. The victims were naked, laid side by side on the bedsheets. Their clothes were strewn on the floor around them, displayed like a cruel mural.

They had been gutted, wired tendrils blooming from the android's stomach as intestines hung out from the woman. There was a gaping hole in the android's chest, where its thirium pump had been ripped out. Their gazes were fixed on the ceiling above them. Lifeless and unblinking, trapped in a final moment of terror.

Gavin fixated on the male victim, and he heaved uncontrollably, resisting the urge to vomit. Hand pressed firmly to his mouth, he forced himself to avert his gaze. He recognised that he couldn't endure it for long. The sight of the tortured and shattered body, combined with the face. His face.

Nines maintained an unwavering focus as he completed a scan of the scene:

"The blood on the door matches the human victim, Jennifer Parkins, a Mailroom Technician, born 11th May 2016." He paused momentarily as a rumble of static escaped from his lips. "The Thirium is a match to the android victim… RK900, Serial Number 313 248 317 - 98. Self-appointed name, Miles."

"Okay, we've seen enough", Gavin snapped, firmly tightening his jaw. He motioned to the door with his head in an attempt to usher his partner away. "Let's leave this for forensics."

The android proved far from receptive. "Miles did not sense his assailant approaching. He would have easily overpowered him had he done so. He would have been turned away from the door—distracted."

"Pretty easy to see why." Gavin glanced at the foot of the bed and the delicate wisps of lingerie that were bunched beside it. "Seriously, we don't need to stay for this. You'll have everything we need from your scan."

"A long, bladed weapon was used to penetrate. Piercing through the lower chassis and disrupting the core vital components." There was a disturbing detachment with which Nines spoke. As though he were talking about the weather. "This would have immobilised him long enough for the blade to be dragged through the sternal cavity into the pump regulator. Coupled with the accelerated loss of Thirium, this would have left him approximately sixty seconds before succumbing to system failure."

"Is all of that supposed to impress me?" the detective seethed back harshly. "You, torturing yourself over every minute detail?"

"A second incision was made, and the damaged pump regulator removed. Approximately twenty-five minutes later, judging by the evaporation rate."

Gavin cut his partner off before he could continue. "Stop it—just fucking stop. I don't want to hear this, and neither do you."

"I have no qualms in reconstructing the timeline of events." Nines glared at him through a furrowed brow, eyes brimming with accusation. "If that causes you distress, then I suggest you remove yourself for the sake of retaining your composure."

"Oh, so you're telling me to calm down? That's rich, coming from the guy whose head is blinking like a goddamn Christmas tree."

"That needn't concern you," Nines argued back, tilting his head away, attempting to obscure his partner’s view. "I can assure you, I am fine."

"But you're not fine, are you? I can see you're not, so stop fucking lying to me."

"Either you can stay and assist with my analysis, or you can leave. The choice is yours."

"Christ, I'm getting whiplash here." Gavin tugged at his face as he let out a harsh grunt of vexation. "You want me to be honest about my feelings, trust you enough to open up, but the second I need you to trust me, you run a mile!"

"Our personal lives are hardly relevant in this current situation. Besides, that issue has been resolved."

"Has it? Really? Because from where I'm standing, you're still running. Goddammit Nines, you'd think after everything, you would be more willing to open up."

“Why do you always insist on making everything about you?"

"It's not. I know it's not, just—fuck." He grunted again, louder this time. "Am I the problem here? Is it that you don't want to talk to me?"

"I do not want, or need, to talk to anyone. I am in control of my emotions. I have to be. I can't—"

He retreated into himself once more as his hands came to clutch his head. Nines, the indomitable force of code and programming, was behaving like a frightened animal. His body quivering, gaze frenzied, as it darted across the room. Like he was looking for a way to escape, but simultaneously paralysed.

"For fucks sake, you're scaring me", Gavin admitted in a rare show of vulnerability. "Do you need Connor? Should I call him?"

"Fix."

Gavin blinked, trying to decipher the meaning behind the word.

"Fix", Nines repeated. "We can fix him. If we re-connect the severed components and replenish the lost Thirium."

Then, his heart ached as he grasped what his partner was trying to suggest. "Nines."

"Replace the damaged chassis. The remaining damage is cosmetic. Should the healing protocol have time to engage."

"He's too far gone, you know that."

"All that would be needed then would be a compatible pump regulator."

"And how are we going to find one of those?" Gavin fired back in a desperate attempt to ground his increasingly frenzied partner. "Are we going to rip it out of your chest or from another RK900?"

"No—they could—parts." He spoke in strange, clipped-off segments. Elevating the sense of mania. "There are parts—from the others—we can use them."

"You're not making any sense."

"Only parts—all there is—only me—no one left."

Unable to stand any more, Gavin reached forward, grabbing his arm. "Okay, we need Connor, right fucking now. I don't care what you say, I'm getting him down here, and we're taking you home. There's something wrong. This isn't like you."

"D̶̜̗̹͐̕ͅö̴̖̻̝́̌̍́ń̸̮̟̿̒'̵͇̝̠͗̋t̸̰̦̊͊̀͆ ̵̱͔̌́̕͠t̴̯̦̑o̶̢̬̻̠̓͋̈ú̵̥͔̮̀̀͠ç̶̣̪͉̂͂̀h̴̢̠̗͂͊ ̷̮̝̂̄͐̅m̶̨̲͈͖̓e̴̜̊̈͠."

The words were mangled, twisted to the point they were nearly beyond comprehension. It was like the final, breaking crescendo to all of Nines' mounting anguish.

Then his tortured expression fell, becoming entirely blank. The vibrant pulse of his temple stopped, returning to a steady blue. Eyes stared through Gavin. Absent of any pain, fear, or any glimpse of emotion at all. It startled him, and he backed away as Nines stood mounted in place. Still and lifeless, like a mannequin.

Having no idea what had happened, the detective could only assume he had undergone some kind of soft reset. He re-approached his partner with caution, hand extending to touch his face.

"Nines? Can you hear me?"

The android seized his arm, hoisting it above his head and taking his body with it. Suspended, his mind struggled to process what was happening before he was callously tossed through the air. A resounding thud echoed as his head collided with the wall. His skin caught on a stray nail, carving out a painful gash.

Gavin slid to the floor limply, wedged between the wall and bed frame. He had been thrown with enough force that the bed had displaced, leaving it angled to one side. Tina was calling out to him but was unsure what she was saying. The ring in his ears was deafening as he gingerly placed a hand on the back of his head. He felt warmth pool around his fingers, and when he brought them down to inspect, a sheen of crimson glistened back.

There was a sharp, feedback-like buzz. A metallic scream that filled the air ripped from his partner's throat. Nines was back in an instant. His eyes were blown wide, and his mouth trembling - as though grappling with the weight of what he had just done.

"I am unable to complete this investigation." The words came out strained and distant. As though each fractured syllable was causing him pain. "I have been compromised."

The android bolted from the room without another word, leaving Gavin further disoriented. Attempting to stand, he used the bed for support but quickly fell back from the excursion. Tina was swift to aid him, slinging one of his arms over her shoulder as he teetered from side to side.

"It's okay, Gav. Easy. I've got you."

A flood of potential actions and words surged within the detective, but his state of shock held them captive. As Tina guided him forward, she seemed to notice something on the wall where the bed had been moved. Curious, her eyes narrowed before she gestured a finger towards her discovery. "What is that?"

Gavin followed her direction to another numeric message. Scrawled out in Thirium:

52 24 44 23 32 15 32 11 13 23 24 33 15 12 11 13 13 44 34 23 15 31 31

#finally posting the rest of the chapters #reed900 #dbh #detroit become human #dbh nines #dbh gavin #dbh rk900 #dbh fanfiction #dbh fanfic #gavin reed x rk900 #gavin900 #gavin x nines #dbh fic #detroit: become human #detroitbecomehuman

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sngl-led-auto-lights · 19 days ago

Text

How do Teslas manage power differently from traditional cars, especially regarding overnight features like headlights?

Teslas manage power fundamentally differently from traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) cars—especially for "always-on" features like headlights—through architectural differences in their electrical systems, intelligent power management, and energy source prioritization. Here’s how they do it:

⚡ 1. Core Power Architecture Differences Component Traditional ICE Car Tesla

Primary Energy Source Alternator (belt-driven) recharges the 12V battery High-voltage (400V) battery pack → powers everything 12V System Power Source Lead-acid battery (depletes quickly) DC-DC converter taps HV pack to charge 12V lithium battery Headlights/Electronics Run only off 12V battery → drains in hours Prioritized LV loads → HV pack replenishes 12V as needed

🔋 2. Overnight Power Management

Teslas avoid dead batteries via layered power optimization: Deep Sleep Mode:

After 15-30 mins idle, Tesla shuts down non-essential systems (sentry mode, infotainment), cutting power draw to ~10-50W (vs. 200W+ in ICE idling).

Adaptive 12V Charging:

The DC-DC converter tops up the 12V battery only when its voltage drops → minimizes HV pack cycles.

Lithium 12V Battery (2021+ models):

Replaced lead-acid → 4x longer lifespan, faster charging, lighter weight.

Example: Headlights Left On ICE Car: Drains 12V battery in ~4-8 hours (500W draw).

Tesla:

Headlights auto-shutoff after delay (or via app).

If left on: HV pack feeds DC-DC converter → powers lights for days (~0.1% HV pack loss/hour).

🌙 3. Tesla-Specific "Overnight" Features Feature Power Source ICE Equivalent

Sentry Mode HV pack → 12V system (~200W) N/A – ICE battery dies fast Climate Keep HV pack → heat pump (1-3kW) Engine must idle (1-2L fuel/hr) Software Updates HV pack → compute (300W+) Drains 12V battery rapidly

HV battery sustains all features without idling an engine.

🔧 4. Real-World Efficiency Data Vampire Drain:

Tesla loses ~1-2% battery/day with sentry/climate off.

ICE cars lose 0.5–1L/day in fuel to keep 12V alive during shipping/storage.

Headlight Overnight Draw:

Tesla LED headlights: ~50W total.

ICE halogen headlights: 110W+.

⚠️ Why Tesla’s System Wins No Parasitic Losses: No alternator constantly burning fuel to charge a 12V system.

Energy Scale: Tapping a 75kWh HV pack for 12V loads is like "using an ocean to fill a bathtub."

Predictive Shutdown: Tesla sleeps deeply unless explicitly woken (via app or key).

🛠️ Edge Cases & Fail-Safes 12V Battery Failure:

Tesla alerts drivers weeks in advance → DC-DC converter keeps it charged proactively. HV Pack Depletion:

If HV pack hits 0%, the car uses reserve energy to boot critical systems for recovery. Frozen Temperatures:

HV pack self-heats to maintain efficiency (ICE batteries struggle below -10°C).

Bottom Line: Teslas treat electricity like a data network—intelligently routed, prioritized, and scalable—while ICE cars rely on wasteful "always-on" generation. This allows features like headlights, sentry mode, and climate control to run indefinitely overnight without stranding the driver. 🔋💡

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sirfrogsworth · 1 year ago

Text

Landscape Photo Recipe (Redux)

@ameliablair asked: I just bought my first non-phone camera (Canon PowerShot SX70 HS). I travel a lot and want to take great photos of the landscapes I see. What would you recommend for someone who is essentially a novice? So far I've been afraid to change the settings from "auto" but I want to use the full capabilities of this camera!

__________________________

This is the very first time I have presented this information. There was definitely not another post where I screwed up and gave bad advice.

Nope.

Didn't happen.

This post is basically just reformatted and corrected but there are a few "Note from Froggie" sections with updated info. I promise this is the final final final version.jpg of this post.

Okay, I am going start with a simple recipe for setting up your camera to take landscape photos. This will get you decent results 80-90% of the time unless you are in very challenging lighting circumstances. So, either a very dark area or an area that has very dark spots and very bright spots at the same time.

First, you will need to figure out the size of your sensor. This can usually be found by googling the model of your camera and adding "sensor size" to the search. If you are using a smartphone you can skip this step.

(The PowerShot SX70 HS has a 1/2.3" sensor size.)

I'm going to create 3 different recipes. Match your sensor size with the appropriate one.

Large sensors. (APS-C/Full Frame) Medium sensors. (Micro 4/3 or MFT or 4/3") Small sensors and smartphones. (1" or smaller)

Large recipe...

Put camera on tripod or stable surface.

Set timer to a delay of 1 second.

Put camera in Av or Aperture Priority Mode.

Set f-stop to f/8 or f/11. (Test both.)

Set ISO to lowest setting. (Usually 100.)

Let the camera decide the shutter speed automatically.

Focus 1/3 of the way into your framing.

Press the button, stand back, and let the camera take the shot.

Medium recipe...

Put camera on tripod or stable surface.

Set timer to a delay of 1 second.

Put camera in Av or Aperture Priority Mode.

Set f-stop to f/5.6 or f/8. (Test both)

Set ISO to lowest setting. (Usually 100.)

Let the camera decide the shutter speed automatically.

Focus 1/3 of the way into your framing.

Press the button, stand back, and let the camera take the shot.

Small recipe...

Put camera on tripod or stable surface.

Set timer to a delay of 1 second.

Put camera in Av or Aperture Priority Mode.

Set f-stop to the widest setting. (Lowest f-stop number)

Set ISO to lowest setting. (Usually 100.)

Let the camera decide the shutter speed automatically.

Focus 1/3 of the way into your framing.

Press the button, stand back, and let the camera take the shot.

So for the PowerShot mentioned, if you are zoomed all the way out, you would set the f-stop to f/3.4. If you are zoomed all the way in, it would be f/6.5. Basically just keep lowering the f-stop until it won't budge any lower.

Let's quickly go over these settings and get an understanding of why they work so well for landscapes.

Why a tripod?

For landscapes you want to have great detail and low noise in the photos. So you have to shoot at a very low ISO to avoid noise. But if you don't have a lot of light, the shutter speed could get very slow. If you don't put the camera on a tripod, the slow shutter speed will cause motion blur.

Note from Froggie: I just learned the PowerShot has optical image stabilization of 5.5 stops (which is great!). It's possible you may be able to take some photos without a tripod, but a tripod will *guarantee* sharp photos. I would say if it is fairly sunny, you can avoid the tripod. That said, sometimes stabilization can do funky things when a camera is on a tripod. So I would recommend turning off IS when on a tripod. But do your best to remember to turn it back on.

Why the 1 second timer?

Any movement could introduce motion blur into your photo—even the action of pressing the shutter button. Setting a delay allows the camera to be perfectly still. A shutter remote trigger works as well.

Why Aperture Priority Mode (Av)?

This is a semi-auto mode that allows you to set the aperture but then the camera will decide the shutter speed for you.

Why f/11? (for large sensors)

Unlike portraits where blurring out the background can create separation of your subject, landscapes are all about detail and capturing everything in front of you. A wide aperture (low f-stop number) will have a shallow depth of field, meaning only a small sliver of your photo will be in focus. A narrow aperture (high f-stop number) will have a very deep depth of field.

However, you don't want to choose an aperture that is too small, like f/16 or f/22 unless you really need an extra long exposure. Once you get past f/11 something called "diffraction" starts to blur the image and cause you to lose detail. Camera lenses tend to be their sharpest somewhere between f/5 and f/11.

f/11 is a pretty safe aperture that will most likely get your entire landscape in focus, be in the sharpest range of your lens, and avoid the diffraction blurring.

But it might also be worth taking shots at f/5 and f/8 and see how your camera and lens perform at those settings. And if there is something in your photo that is super close to you and you are worried it may not be in focus, taking safety shots at f/16 and f/22 is fine. A slight blurring might be preferable to something being out of focus. ALWAYS TAKE SAFETY SHOTS!

But usually f/8 or f/11 is the sweet spot and will get you the results you are seeking.

Why don't I use f/11 on a smaller sensor?

Physics!

Smaller sensors already have a very deep depth of field so everything will pretty much be in focus in most landscape shots. It's one less thing you have to think about, so that is nice. If you want a detail explanation you can read the rest of this section. Otherwise, feel free to skip to the next question.

There is a concept called "crop factor" which can help explain how a lens and sensor will behave compared to a Full Frame camera. This is called the "35mm Equivalent" due to a full frame sensor being modeled after a 35mm piece of film.

The PowerShot has a crop factor of 5.5x because it is 5.5 times smaller than a full frame sensor. Which means the depth of field and field of view would behave the same as a full frame camera if you multiply the focal length and aperture by 5.5x.

The PowerShot's minimum focal length is *technically* 3.8mm. But we don't know how wide that field of view is without a reference. So we convert it to a 35mm full frame sensor by multiplying by 5.5x and we get 21mm.

21mm on a full frame camera is typically considered wide angle. Wide angle just means you can fit more stuff in your frame. So at that focal length you can fit a bunch of stuff in your photo.

The PowerShot's maximum focal range is 247mm. If you multiply that by 5.5x, you get a whopping 1365mm! (Actually you don't, so there must be some other variable in the lens design that affects the number, but... close enough!)

1365mm is really really telephoto. Like, you can take photos of the moon with that. On a full frame camera you would need to spend $20,000 to get a telephoto lens with that much zoom. Which is a fun advantage to having a smaller sensor, but you definitely need to use a tripod to get clean shots at that focal range.

You also need to multiply the aperture to figure out the depth of field. The minimum aperture on the Powershot is f/3.4. Due to my brain not mathing very well in my head, I cheated and used this great crop factor calculator to figure out the 35mm equivalent.

So the PowerShot's minimum aperture would have the same depth of field as f/19.18 on a full frame camera. Which is way beyond f/11, so unless you want to do a long exposure photo of a waterfall or clouds or something, you can just leave the camera on it's lowest f-stop number and be assured everything will be in focus.

Also, the PowerShot has a "variable aperture" which means the minimum aperture changes as you zoom in. So if you end up zooming all the way to 247mm (1356mm), your aperture will automatically change to f/6.5. This will expand your depth of field even more.

So at max zoom, you'll have an f-sop of f/36. Which means you are going to need a lot of light to get usable images when zoomed in that much. Again, a tripod will allow you to achieve that.

Why ISO 100 (or lowest ISO available)?

Some cameras have the ISO set to automatic. You may need to check your manual or a tutorial to learn how to adjust it manually. But if you have a tripod, you can set it to 100 and keep it there. Just remember to put it back on auto when you aren't using a tripod.

ISO is like the volume knob on a stereo. If you put your ear next to a speaker when no music is playing you can usually hear a faint white noise. That is always there in everything you play. And as you turn up the volume, that noise floor gets louder and louder. And if you turn up the volume too much, that noise can cause distortion and poor audio quality.

There is noise in every digital photo. And the lower you keep the ISO, the less noticeable that noise is. But if you do not have a ton of light, it can be very difficult to keep the noise low without a long shutter speed and a tripod.

Why an automatic shutter speed?

Not using a full manual mode is fine. There are some old school photographers that believe you need to dial in every setting yourself. But camera metering systems are very good these days and may be better at judging exposure than you are.

That said, it might be worth learning how your "exposure compensation" feature works on your specific camera. This will allow you to raise or lower the exposure quickly if you think the camera didn't judge the scene properly.

So if you think the image is too bright, lower the exposure compensation a few clicks and see what you think. You have plenty of room on your memory card to take safety shots.

Why focus 1/3 of the way into the frame?

The point of focus will have an area in front and behind that will also be in focus. That is your depth of field. When you are fairly close to your subject, that depth of field is symmetrical. 50% of the depth of field will be in front of your subject and 50% will be behind your subject. I'll use this thing I made for another post to visualize.

The subject would be the baby's eye in this case. That is the point of focus and the area in front and behind is the depth of field.

But as you get farther away from your subject that ratio becomes asymmetrical. More area behind the point of focus will be in focus than in front.

There are actually apps and websites that help you calculate this ratio, but as a general rule of thumb for landscapes, most photographers will assess the farthest thing and the closest thing and choose a focus point at about 1/3 the distance between them.

So in this photo the mountains are the farthest thing and the road is the closest thing. If you divide that area into thirds and focus around 1/3, you will probably get everything you want in focus.

You don't have to get too precious about this unless you are shooting at very wide apertures (low f-stop number like f/4 and below). At f/8 and above, at these distances, it's actually difficult to *not* get everything in focus.

The only thing that can make landscape focusing a bit more challenging is if you want something very close in the foreground in focus. Like a cool rock or a statue or a person. In that case, I would take several photos and focus on a few different spots ranging from near to far away as a safety precaution.

Hopefully all of that gave you some context for all of my suggested settings.

But these settings are not magic. There are a few other variables to consider when trying to achieve a cool landscape photos.

First, the good news. If it is a bright sunny day, you can use this recipe without the tripod. Your shutter speed will be fast enough not to introduce motion blur into your images.

Now the bad news... don't take landscape photos during a bright sunny day unless you want to make a default Windows background.

Bright sunny days are often very challenging to make interesting photos. I'm not saying it cannot be done, but it requires a pretty stunning scene to make work. Yes, blue skies are beautiful, but they don't always make the most compelling photographs.

You already have settings that will work most of the time. You have the technical ingredients, but you need a few artistic ones to finish the recipe...

A stunning vista. Good composition. Interesting light.

Finding a cool location is usually just a matter of google or exploration.

Good composition comes with learning and experience.

And interesting light requires patience.

Sunrise, sunset, blue hour, and night time are all great times to find great light. Sometimes an overcast day with thick clouds can be more interesting than a sunny day. You may have to revisit a scene several times to find the best conditions for a cool photo. But during these times you're probably going to need that tripod I mentioned. When there is less available light, your shutter speed will be slower, and without a tripod things could get blurry.

If you don't have a tripod and there isn't a lot of light, you will need to know the reciprocal rule to make sure your shots turn out okay. The reciprocal rule tells you the slowest shutter speed you can use without introducing motion blur.

Your lens has a focal length expressed in millimeters. The reciprocal rule states that you should set the shutter speed to 1/focal length. So if your lens is a 50mm, you want your shutter speed to be no slower than 1/50.

The Powershot mentioned in this question has a focal range of 21-1365mm. So all the way zoomed out, you would not want to set the shutter speed slower than 1/20. And all the way zoomed in you probably want to shoot for 1/1200 or 1/1400. Although you can probably get away with 1/500 if you have steady hands.

Note from Froggie: The reciprocal rule changes a bit if you have some sort of image stabilization. Due to a brain fart, I did not notice the PowerShot had this feature. The image stabilization adds 5.5 stops to the reciprocal rule when it is activated. So, if you are shooting at 1365mm, the nearest shutter speed would be 1/1400. You can divide 1400 by 5.5 to figure out the slowest shutter speed.

That means, you can *theoretically* shoot at max zoom with a shutter speed of 1/250 without motion blur.

Also, if there is anything physically moving in your photo, it could have a motion trail at slower shutter speeds. Sometimes this is a cool effect that can make cars and people look ghostly. Depending on how fast things are moving, these motion trails can start around 1/50 shutter speed.

So, if you are in low light and you don't have a tripod, here is the new recipe...

Put camera in Tv or Shutter Priority Mode. Set f-stop as wide as it will go (lowest f-stop number). Set ISO to AUTO. Without IS: Set the shutter speed to 1 over focal length. (eg 1/20) With IS: Set shutter speed to 1 over focal length ÷ stops of stabilization. (eg 1/(20÷5) = 1/4) Focus 1/3 of the way into your framing. Press the button.

This might result in noisy photos. That is the compromise you'll have to make. But there are some great denoise features in image editing software now that can help.

That brings me to my final tip... editing landscapes will always make them better. It is very difficult to balance the dynamic range (the range of the brightest thing and darkest thing) without processing your images. This will be even easier if you shoot in RAW mode. But you can still edit JPEGs as well.

Lightroom is currently the best software for processing photography. But there are other options that do a great job as well, including a few free ones. But I'm afraid you'll have to do some googling for that, as I am not current on the best applications other than Lightroom.

Knowledge more than anything will help you improve your photography. You can take amazing photos with a Powershot or a smartphone or a $200 DSLR. You just need to understand the fundamentals.

I highly recommend checking out this free photography course. Tony will help you understand all of this on a deeper level and you can watch it in the span of a weekend.

I hope all of that was helpful. Feel free to ask questions if you have trouble.

Oh, and if you need a cheap tripod, this Amazon Basics one is only $20. It is light and easy to carry around, but it probably won't hold up to much abuse. That said, it's a great place to start and once you gain more experience you can upgrade to something nicer later on.

#long post

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