#best 2 in 1 laptops 2020

[nitewingbabi]

↳ please respond…I showed you my cock            ⚤ ghostface x female!reader  【 18+ ONLY — Minors DNI 】 ✉ taking requests part 2 ▻ a pretty mouth

2023 was a different year for everyone. Covid was 2020's big killer, and now ghostface seemed to be claiming 2023 as his year. You were one of his taunting targets. Text messages, phone calls, notes in your locker or mail. He had even been in your room once to leave a message on your mirror.

‘I like the red ones’ which was referring to your panties that you were trying on the other day after doing some much needed retail therapy with some friends. 

Your group was getting smaller and smaller as more students were murdered, kidnapped or not heard from in weeks. Curfew was getting shorter that soon enough school was sure to be cancelled until the police solved whoever was running around killing everyone. 

It’s Tuesday night and you just finished showering, you had been blowdrying your hair for the last 20 minutes. The recent news far from your thoughts, the truck load of school work that was due was giving you a migraine. Finally your hair was dried and you were ready to slip into bed and start your assignment. You turned your TV on, immediately putting on your current Netflix show that you were binging. 

Eyes flicking back and forth from your laptop screen to your TV. You hadn’t checked your phone since you started to shower and noticed you had multiple messages from an unknown number. But it wasn’t unknown to you. You knew exactly who it was. 

Unknown Number +1**********

➤ quiet night? 

➤ parents aren’t home. 

➤ neighbours are out of town. 

You had only had one actual physical contact with ghostface which was two weeks ago. He chased you around your house until your neighbours came barging in and he ran away. Ever since you had your parents change the locks and debate whether or not to send you across the country to live with your aunt and uncle until it was all over. You pleaded that they didn’t and instead they paid for a self defence class for you. 

Your phone buzzed again, drawing your attention away from the TV. 

Unknown Number +***********

➤ i liked the little show you put on for me the other day. 

➤ wish i had been there to ruin those little red panties 

You weren’t sure what to write back, you sat there debating if you should even write anything back and entertain this creep. 

Just as you put your phone down, the screen lit up and the room echoed from your ringtone. 

Unknown Caller 

You weren’t sure if you should pick up, but something inside you made you do it. 

“Hello?” You hesitantly asked as you held the device up to your ear. Waiting to hear that deep voice that you couldn’t recognise. 

“Hello y/n. Enjoying your show?” Your eyes met your TV screen to see your show playing still on low volume. You turned the TV off, quickly standing to your feet to look out your window. It was barely lit outside from the streetlight and nothing seemed to stick out like a sore thumb. 

“Who is this? Why are you tormenting me?” You had asked the question too many times that it was just routine, you’d hope that one time he would budge and just tell you. 

“The question isn’t who I am. the question is where I am.” You heart began to race, eyes searching endlessly out your window, he had to be close by. You suddenly felt the booty shorts and crop top that you had slid into wasn’t the best attire to be wearing at home alone whilst being stalked by a psycho. 

“Look asshole, you wanna play games. I can play.” You weren’t sure what you exact plan was, but it was the first thing to pop into your head. Were you terrified of ghostface? Yes. But did it also arouse you how much he called you, texted you, the fact he had probably seen you naked countless times, even possibly pleasured himself to the sight of you. 

“Oh yeah? In the mood for monopoly?” He chuckled darkly on the other end, you could only hope he was still watching you from where he was. With your free hand you danced your fingers down your torso, dipping into the waistband of your shorts and panties and itching your way to your centre that was throbbing. You could hear a deep growl on the other end. 

You chuckled into the phone, knowing he was definitely watching you now. You breathed a soft moan as your fingertip circles your juicy clit, using your arousal as lube to slick your finger around the bundle of nerves. Your moans grew louder and your mouth fell agape as you began walking backwards onto your bed, allowing yourself to fall back into the plush mattress and send yourself into a bliss. 

You had forgotten about ghostface, your phone falling from your ear to beside your head. 

“Hey!” Your eyes popped open as you remembered he was still on the other end. You quickly grabbed it, slowing your circles to keep yourself on edge. 

“I want to hear your pretty cries when you cum, I want you to cum to me and only me. You got that princess?” His words were sharp and threatening, just like the blade he used to murder your friends. God you were getting turned on and touching yourself to a psycho killer. The unexpected happened next. A snapchat notification came through. 

Gfce23 added you on Snapchat! 

It was him. It had to be. You accepted, still working yourself and slipping a finger inside your dripping cunt to get more arousal on your clit. 

Immediately a video came through, along with a few photos. You bit your lip as you thought about what could possibly be on the other end. You had to take the chance though, you were too far down the rabbit hole. 

“Open them, I want you to see what you fucking do to me.” His voice was hoarse and breathless, you could tell he was jerking himself on the other end or something. You clicked on the purple square. Your eyes met a hard cock, veiny and thick. The tip an enraged red with a slight purple tinge. A single drop of precum oozing out the slit and his black leather glove wrapped around his cock. 

The video began playing and his hand jerked his cock slowly, throaty moans echoing as the video continued to play and that drop of precum dripped down his pinkish shaft. A small bush of pubic hair that led to a faint snail trail and a set of what you could only guess were abs. 

His hand got faster and his moans got faster as he pumped himself hard in his hand, but before you could view more you heard your parents car pulling into the driveway with their faint music blaring. 

Ghostface was in the back of your mind as you quickly closed your phone and got settled into bed. Ghostface didn’t call you back, didn’t text you and didn’t send anything else to you that night. But that does’t mean he let you off easy. 

It had only been a few days since you last heard from ghostface, but when you did you were surprised to see the message he had sent through was not his usual taunting, threatening approach. 

Unkown Number +**********

➤ i want to see that pretty pussy spread out tonight 

➤ leave your window unlocked

➤ i know your parents wont be home

➤ hope you like it rough princess

[car-lozsigns]

A few minutes more (Pt16)

Synopsis: You and Carlos had crossed paths more than you thought was possible over a short weekend but time was not on your side. A love story that’s about the slow burn and companionship built connection, and how sometimes right place wrong time is the best of the available options

Author Note: Same as the previous part, there is the mention of covid in the early stages, story part in March 2020.

Length:~4.6k

Warnings: covid mention

Previous parts: Link to Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15

Part 16

Carlos’ racing schedule and commitments picked up as Melbourne approached, him being distracted in calls but still putting the effort to be present. The remarks of ‘so many days to go’ and ‘can’t wait to see you’ picked up in frequency the closer you got to March. But with it also increased the anxiety. You were lucky you never really had to worry about it but the world affairs were bleeding into your mental resolve for the first time you could remember. You tried the push the news from your mind not allowing yourself to read the breaking story and choosing instead to remain ignorant to protect your own mental health. Was this a long term solution, no, but you just wanted to make it to March and you’ll worry about the virus that keeps coming up in conversation afterwards.

Carlos and you had planned on a call the week prior that you would fly into his hometown on the Thursday after work, then spend two days with you before a family Saturday night dinner introducing you to his parents where you and him were to stay the night and Sunday night, you and Carlos flying out Monday morning, you back to the UK and him to Melbourne.

The Wednesday before your weekend in Spain the mood was exceptionally uneasy across the office, many people opting to stay away from work with the news of this new respiratory illness making its way across Europe. Your work was encouraging people to only work in the office if required, with many already working a hybrid model to account for the cross timezone projects your team often were engaged with.

Your boss was hesitant to approve your leave to Spain with the news of everything picking up, it seeming worse than a regular flu that emerged every winter. You appeased them however, letting them know that you were bringing your laptop with you in case the worse was to happen and you had to stay a few extra days, you could always work from your hotel. You checked in with your team Wednesday morning but in seeing everyone was working from home you decided to pull a sick day to get your flight changed a day early to surprise Carlos. 

You had expected changing your flight would have been difficult last minute but there were plenty of spare seats, people in the UK weary of the news coming out of Spain and Italy, with many apparently cancelling their trips. Arriving at the airport for your flight on Wednesday night you noticed how much everything had changed in a few short months; everyone was wearing face masks, some even with gloves. The nerves were heightened from the regular type you see at the terminal, people trying to keep their distance from each other. Maybe ignoring the news hadn’t been the best idea you told yourself as you stepped in to purchase a face mask and bottle of hand sanitiser before waiting at your gate. 

Carlos had finalised your plans and schedule, you had messaged him saying you had the ok to travel, him sending through the itinerary he had meticulously prepared. you. You checked it one more time before boarding to see if he had made any last minute changes to the google doc and seeing it all the same, switched your phone to flight mode and tried to calm yourself for the flight. 

You had timed your flight with him so that you wouldn’t miss your regular call with him. So when Carlos answered he wouldn’t expect or notice anything different until you showed him the surprise. 

When Carlos’ phone rang on Wednesday night he was playing his dad in a game of chess. Normally the family rules of no phones during play was strictly enforced but as your name lit up the screen showing you were calling exactly at 7pm like normal , Carlos senior resigned that his son would be lost to him for the next hour, allowing him to look up potential moves to win the session.

“Hi Carlos, how was your day?” You tried to sound calm but you noticed the excitement seeping out in your voice.

“Hello, my day was good” Carlos started him launching into his activities as he walked out of the living room to the veranda. Carlos continued talking for a while him not allowing you to get a word in. You had intended on telling him straight out but Carlos was on a role, you decided to move the phone away from your face standing in front of the baggage carousel holding the phone out just wide enough so that your screen showed the “arrivals” sign in the background. You checked the time and waited to see how long it would take Carlos to notice you weren’t at home like you were meant to be.

He talked for another 6 minutes before he noticed, he was pacing around the backyard not focusing on the phone but where he was walking.

You saw his face scrunch slightly as you saw him take in where you were standing.

He had organised you to fly in Thursday after work, a reminder set on his phone to pick you up as soon as you had landed but he saw you standing at an arrivals today.

“YN is today Thursday? Did I miss your flight I thought I had set alarms?”

You laughed at this

“Nope, it’s Wednesday and guess who changed their flight to Wednesday?” You smiled the cheesiest grin when you saw the pieces click into place on Carlos’ face.

“Are you telling me you’re in Madrid, you’ve been here this entire call?”

Carlos was shocked but surprised in a good way

“I was going to but then I didn’t wasn’t to interrupt”

“YN come on you could be in my arms already, what terminal are you at I’m getting you now”

You replied with where you were sending him a pin of your location to help.

Carlos didn’t bother getting changed he swiped keys from the front door and called out to his parents he will be back soon, before driving much too fast to the airport.

The airport was quieter than Carlos expected it to be. Normally he’d have to queue to get into the pick up bays but there were only a few taxis and shuttle buses. Carlos like you had an uneasy feeling about what was happening and traffic is usually the sign something was amiss. Both he and his family had been checking the news everyday, with all of their career’s dependent upon travel they all wanted to know as much as they could, then finding information helped quell stress instead of induce it like the news did for you.

News coming in was influx with contradicting messages. It was safe to travel one day, the next it wasn’t, the next it was ok to travel as long as you hadn’t been in Asia. What was constant though was that in checking the restrictions and government guidance both of your plans were still allowed for now. So Carlos, entering the airport arrivals and seeing you with your suitcase confirmed it was safe enough for you to be here and that was all he cared about.

He pulled into the 15 minute bay, car still running, handbrake on, threw the door open and scooped you up in his arms. His hug was tight and lifted your feet a good foot off of the floor spinning you around quickly. You went to bend you head down to kiss him but he whispered to you.

“Not here” Letting you go and picking up your suitcase and hoisting it into the boot of his car.

When you were back on the road it was then Carlos unstoppered his excitement.

“You’re here early! Why didn’t you tell me!”

“Surprise” was all you said laughing at Carlos. He had surprised you and now you had returned the favour, seeing him that happy was worth it and you were glad you had changed his meticulous plans

“I haven’t called the hotel to change the booking but I was hoping that I could just stay with you tonight?” you said trying to sound casual.

“Of course YN plus with all the news going about I know I’d feel more comfortable with you in our home instead of in town”

“About that, I haven’t really read too much into things, how bad are they? I didn’t want to psyche myself out of the trip so I haven’t really caught up on everything” Caught up on anything you should have said.

Carlos knew travelling made you nervous, so he started at the beginning, the trip wasn’t too long back to his house and he tried to catch you up on the important details before he arrived home. The news Carlos conveyed across was not good, you maybe should have listened to your boss and seen the warning signs in his hesitancy when you brought up your trip, too late now, you were here.

Carlos lived outside the city centre, tucked away in what you would have called the suburbs, roads lined with leafy trees that looked like they had been there for decades , houses tucked behind greenery and the road front. The neighbourhood was starkly different to the built up area where your apartment was, it was closer in resemblance to suburbs back home but you couldn’t think of any of your childhood friends houses that had this much space between them and their neighbours.

“Welcome home” Carlos said quietly as he turned into a narrow driveway that was hidden behind an unkempt hedge with a large automatic wrought iron gate. As the gate pulled to the side, Carlos drove slowly up a dimly lit driveway, leading downhill. His family home was midway along a hillside, a sprawling and surprisingly modern home, a little out of place with the ancient overgrown trees and gardens. You weren’t expecting something so new and something so large, you understood that Carlos was well off but for some reason that hasn’t registered that his family was well off too. Carlos had stopped the car outside a closed garage and made to remove your bags, you standing up hesitantly taken aback by his home.

Carlos sensing your apprehension, tried to loosen one shoulder with a squeeze of his hand “It looks bigger than it is” with a wink led towards the wide wooden front door.

Carlos was a liar. What greeted you was large open space with walls made out of smooth polished concrete, walls laid out in subtle parque. You could hear noise coming from further inside the depths and Carlos let go of your bags by the front door and made to lift your handbag from your shoulder to leave it out if the way.

He took your hand and led the way. You knew that in surprising him it would mean a sooner than planned meeting his parents but the risk and anxiety attached with that did not outweigh how much you missed Carlos. So you swallowed, and took a deep breathe ready to put on a brave face in front of two people Carlos cared about deeply.

Carlos senior had seen pictures of you before. Carlos junior, when he had the chance had shown his dad the pictures of your trip away and any updates you sent through, so he was not surprised but the person standing by his son’s side. Carlos’ mother however did not know what to expect of his son’s source of happiness. She had been trying for months to get a morsel of information out of her husband and son but neither had slipped up.

**********

Carlos senior looked up from the chessboard at the sound of the pair of footsteps stopping. But instead of looking at his son and partner, directed his attention to his wife. Reyes took in a shallow breathe at the woman standing by her son’s side. She was stunning, in a way that was wholly complimentary to Carlos. Where he was calm and reserved this woman was confident and self-assured , strong in her posture conveying her attempt at standing up to this power play instead of hiding behind Carlos like his other girlfriends had. This woman unlike her son, had her emotions open to everyone, Reyes could see the love pouring out of her in the very way she was holding her son’s hand to the way that she had slightly angled in her body to him not straight on. These mannerisms reminded Reyes of a younger her when she had fallen in love with Carlos senior. In those days there weren’t many pictures of them together but she would have bet that if she someone had taken a picture when she first met her parent in-laws and compared it to the image in front of her they would have almost been identical.

Although this young lady in front of her reminded her of a younger self, she physically looked nothing like Carlos’ mother. Where Reyes and her daughters were angular with long lines and delicate features, the woman in Carlos’ arms was soft and supple hiding the strength Reyes had captured in your stance. Finally Reyes thought, someone who cares about who Carlos for who he is not who Carlos shows himself as. In the few short seconds that had passed, Reyes had decided regardless of what happened tonight, this woman was perfect for her son and she would do everything in her power to help Carlos hold onto her.

Carlos senior was not surprised by the intake of his wife’s breathe but the flicker of emotion that she had let slip was tucked away as quickly as it flashed across her stoic features, if he hadn’t been looking he would have missed it but the slip in her mask was all he needed to see. His role for the night would be supportive father, he didn’t need to be concerned or the convincing husband, his wife had already decided on her own.

As close as Carlos was with his father, he was his mother’s son. The two men may be spitting images of each other but Carlos junior and Reyes were one in the same. Both stubborn as they come but their stubbornness and conviction was very early misplaced.

Carlos senior stood up from his chess game, “You must be YN, welcome to Spain, we are very lucky to have you here with us” ending his greeting with a warm smile as he made his way to his wife placing an arm around her back. “I’m Carlos and this is my wife Reyes” Reyes moved her head to the side and broke into a smile that crinkled her eyes in the same way as her sons.

“Welcome to our home, Carlos show her around I’m sure she wants to freshen up before we talk some more”.

At his mother’s direction he started to lead you both back to the long corridor behind you before you had a chance to introduce yourself. Twisting back to Carlos’ parents you called back “Lovely to meet you!”

In a family full of travellers there was nothing worse than keeping the plane on you so there was an easy understanding when the young couple walked away from the older one.

Carlos guided you with his hand loosely against the small of your back pointing out along the way various rooms and their purposes before he stopped at the end of a passage hand hovering above the handle. You didn’t need Carlos to say that this was his room, the belongings inside told you what you needed to know. Everything was neatly laid out, bed made with a nondescript off white bed spread, helmets and trophies covering the shelves that were floor to ceiling along all the walls, bar the bay window that showed an amber lit patio.

All the things were Carlos’ but you got the distinct feeling that he didn’t use this room very much. Carlos had hovered by the door, waiting to follow you in to add commentary to your inspection of his childhood bedroom. He only stayed here when he had dinner at his parents’ house. Most of his time he stayed at his apartment in the town centre, with his work schedule so busy, when he was signed to McLaren he purchased a small home for himself to save on the commute time. That and all of his siblings had moved out with their partners, he didn’t want to be the sole focus of his parent’s attention, staying amongst his teen trophies that he was still their little boy and not an adult.

Your suspicions were confirmed with all awards and trophies dated prior to 2015. The pictures of Carlos smiling back to you was maybe 10 years younger than the one who stood at your back. Youthfulness evident with his toothy smiles and crinkled eyes on podiums and in the arms of his cousins and friends. The harshness of the world hadn’t touched him yet. The Carlos in the photos you had seen in your search had a clipped smile never touching his soul. You saw just how much your companion had changed over the years, and it sadden you how quickly he had to grow a tough exterior.

You had circled through the room before Carlos spoke up.

“I don’t stay here very often but when I do it’s as I left it” He wasn’t embarrassed by saying it, Carlos was proud of his upbringing, why would he be ashamed of his childhood even if it was a shell to what you would have experienced.

“Will you be staying here tonight?” You tenderly raised. As much as this room was nostalgia, staying in Carlos’ childhood bed at his parent’s house was not what you felt comfortable with.

Carlos saw the question you had hidden in the one you asked. “I will be yes, I’ve set up the guest room for you already”. Carlos in his anticipation had set up your room well ahead of time, his anxiety not letting his mind rest until he had done so the prior weekend.

He took your hand and directed you back the way you both had come, sliding open a glass door leading you out onto the patio towards a smooth path that mirrored the one at the houses entrance.

What you had thought was a backyard shed was actually a granny flat, and one much larger than you had initially sized up. It was more akin to a small townhouse, two stories with large worn stone bricks only broken by a few narrow windows. An old creeper plant of sorts had crawled up one of the walls with sparse leaves smattering the searching vines.

Carlos twisted a narrow door knob, lightly pushing the door open. Inside it was like stepping back in time, a worn paved floor stretched in front with a small wooden table covered in a transparent plastic cover with two chair pushed in the centre of the room, the left had an L shaped kitchen with a seventies narrow metal sink and sun worn scalloped lace curtains. The right of the room was a sitting area with dark brown fabric couches with laced doilies placed at the head rest area of each. The chairs were facing a stone fireplace with a narrow charred looking iron grate placed on the hearth.  

“My parents bought the house when they were married this was where they lived until they built the main house. They lived here until I was born as there is only one bedroom they finally decided they needed more space.”

Carlos had fond memories of this small home, many a summer his grandparents had stayed here, memories tied to helping his grandmother cook with him standing on a chair by the sink, playing cards with his grandfather at the table , or trying to play toy cars with the grout patterns between the tiles on the floor.

“My grandparents used to stay here until recently but now we take them to their home after they visit as they aren’t as young as they used to be. They prefer the comfort.”

You could picture a little Carlos running around the place stirring up trouble , a cheeky boyish smile greeting anyone who could him red handed.

You hadn’t noticed that tucked behind the main door was a smaller sliding wooden door which housed a narrow winding iron staircase, a concrete trough and narrow worn wooden bench with rain boots tucked in pairs neatly beneath. Carlos had switched on a hanging lamp and started to make his way upstairs. Two rooms were up here , a bedroom and a bathroom with of which matched the theme of downstairs save a new looking bed and renovated bathroom. Not quite as the seventies as the main area but more 90s but still a pleasant reminder that although Carlos and his family were well off, much more than you at this point could comprehend, were still appreciative of where they had come from, knowing that it was through hard work and sacrifice the reason for their current comforts.

Carlos was nervous that you wouldn’t like staying here, if you had protested or he had picked up on discomfort he would have offered for you to stay at his apartment, but he hoped that you would stay here, forming new memories alongside to the backdrop of his cherished ones from when he was little.

Carlos sat next to where you had placed yourself on the bed, “Just wait until you see the sun rose over those hills, you’ll love it”. You agreed with him, already In love with how candid Carlos was, knowing that what he said would solidify the fairy tale.

Dinner was an easy affair, Carlos parents were very similar to your own, fiercely protective of their son proving to be a united front in assessing you. Their facade although welcoming and kind staying in place for the evening, never slipping regardless of how much charm Carlos and yourself plied on.

You made a note to try again on the morning to see if they liked you tomorrow knowing that gaining their approval meant more to Carlos than you. His parents not liking you would crush Carlos so for his sake you would try again. But also told yourself that with the charm you wouldn’t bend over backwards and change yourself for them. You would for Carlos to make him happy as he would for you but it was the two of you together, not you dating his parents.

Carlos could see you becoming disheartened as dinner progressed to coffee. You had graciously helped clean up and prepare the hot drinks trying to see if Carlos’ mother would soften. But the warm parents who greeted you were still tucked away. So you had quieted as the night went, teaming it with yawns and hazy eyes trying to get them to see that it was time to call it for the night at which Carlos finally caught on close to one in the morning . Carlos excused the two of you collecting your bags front the front door and carrying them out to where you were staying. He ran through only how to run the hot water system before a final kiss goodnight. You didn’t hesitate turning for a warm shower and the night, wishing sleep bring you better luck tomorrow with getting his parents approval.

Unlike what you had assumed that Carlos’ parents disliked you, what had actually happened was a poorly executed plan in protective parents farce. While the two of you were touring the Sainz home, Reyes and Carlos senior had discussed tactics of how to approach the new lady in their sons life.

Reyes saw herself so clearly in you and whispered to her husband to follow her lead for the night. Carlos senior though apprehensive, did as his wife said, switching from his warm personality to one of protective father. It hurt him seeing his son slowly get confused as the night progressed. Questioning where were the parents on all of the arranged dinner dates and who had they replaced them with. Carlos senior however saw that as his son grew disappointed , you did too but still kept trying. It was the determination Reyes had been trying to seek out, and with you preparing coffee had been a crucial piece of the puzzle. For Reyes it was about familial respect as well as love. Her son could live whoever he wanted but if they were rude and improper she would try to get Carlos to see and to sway her son from his decision.

As Reyes had hoped, you had offered to help, never stepping on her toes a check in Reyes box. Tomorrow would be the second part of the puzzle, if her son could respect their wishes for the night. It didn’t matter to Carlos senior where the two of you stayed, you were both adults and educated not to be rash, but Reyes had only a few rules, one of which no sex while staying with the parents. She hoped Carlos could remember when they had could his older sister with her now fiancée and the verbal telling off Blanca had received. If Carlos could remember that for tonight then she was happy for the two of you with her blessing, time would tell in the morning.

Reyes excused herself for the night as her son re-entered the living room, clicking the back door shut from the encroaching chill.

Carlos, still confused nodded to his mother good night before taking a seat next to his father. They sat in silence waiting until the sound of water through the pipes started from the front end of the house signalling that their conversation wouldn’t be interrupted.

“I’m going to say this only once” Carlos senior was not acknowledging his son but maintained his stare into the dark gardens, his voice soft as if aware that if his wife caught him he’d be in serious trouble.

“You have both mine and your mother’s approval , she is all we want for you. You look at her like I looked at your mother when we first met.”

Carlos felt himself exhale a breath he hadn’t been conscious of holding.

“Your mother loves you very much but you know how she can be, she’ll let in YN, be patient son , the hard part is done.”

Carlos went to interject but his father continued “Your mother knows that if she missteps she will lose you, she will not do so , history will not repeat”

His father was alluding to his parents relationship with his maternal grandmother and the pain of that lost relationship that happened when Reyes introduced Carlos senior all those years ago, the catalyst for them living in the countryside away from her family to show that her decision which Carlos senior was lifelong and serious

Carlos senior glanced at his son and saw the confusion still there, they hadn’t spoken about his grandmother before so he didn’t know the story but he picked up the pieces enough to know that even though his mother looked like she wasn’t making an effort, she was actually doing as much as she could.

Carlos junior didn’t know it but as his parents were tucked in for the night, his mother whispered to his father “He’s finally found his person.” Before turning over and dozing. Carlos senior couldn’t help but agree happy at last that his family was now whole.

Link to Part 17

[calsvoid]

writing meme: about me

i got tagged by @lusthurts so thank you for that <3

1. How did you get into writing fanfiction?

ive been into writing for years before i got into fanfiction specifically so i guess just from reading fanfiction i guess, but if you want a longer story, i got more interested in writing from roleplaying on amino and got into fanfiction because the fandom i was in at the time got OBSESSED with this one popular work and i just HAD to check it out

2. How many fandoms have you written in?

officially, my ao3 account only has glee works rn but i do have a 911 fic im working on and i do want to venture into more fandoms, but i don’t really have the confidence to do so yet

3. How many years have you been writing fanfiction?

i’ve been trying since 2020 to be more of a fanfic writer but never actually got anything solid until 2023 so 1-4 years depending on how you see it

4. Do you read or write more fanfiction?

definitely read im a slowass writer and part of that is because im too busy reading fanfiction instead of writing

5. What is one way you've improved as a writer?

overall in the years i’ve been a writer, i feel like i’m better at portraying characters as well rounded and creating characters that aren’t just one stereotype. when it comes to my time as a fanfic writer, im better at writing actual scenes rather than just random narration

6. What's the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

the probability of survival when falling from certain heights. also ohio the glee writers were cruel for making their show based in fucking ohio of all places

7. What's your favorite type of comment to receive on your work?

i’m honestly not picky i love all types of comments, but if i really had to choose, it’d probably be any that point out a specific part or line or whatever in my writing. it makes me so happy when people have some detail stick with them

8. What's the most fringe trope/topic you write about?

i honestly haven’t done anything too intense in my writing i think the most out there i’ve gotten is just emotional infidelity and that’s just standard for seblaine. i do plan on killing blaine in one wip of mine, but it’s just an idea for now because i’ve got other shit to focus on

9. What is the hardest type of story for you to write?

longer stories are literally impossible for me. i absolutely SUCK at writing anything longer than a couple thousand words and even that is hard for me. smut is also hard but that’s because i haven’t bothered to write smut, so different vibes

10. What is the easiest type?

well if you see how many hurt no comfort fics i’ve published it’s obvious fluff is what i’m best at. but yeah short vignette angsty stories are super easy for me to write. it’s just 50% projection and 50% exaggeration and 100% gay, so no problem there

11. Where do you do your writing? What platform? When?

i often write at home, on my notes app, at any point of the day, and i post all my stuff on ao3. i will sometimes edit on my laptop on google docs, but i get lazy too and so my latest fics have been mostly raw and unedited.

12. What is something you've been too nervous/intimidated to write, but would love to write one day?

smut and literally any ship that isn’t seblaine and also longer works. i’d love to be one of those writers who comes out with these multi chapter masterpieces but i’m just not right now. i’ve had ideas for other ships too, but i never really flesh them out because they’re usually stuff that would span across thousands of words and i don’t have the time, energy, nor skill level to do that yet. and again, for smut, i just never bother, and while i think im never going to be the explicit sex scenes type of writer, i love the angst potential of it

13. What made you choose your username?

acedisgrace is a name i’m like 85% sure i saw a joke about from a stolen tumblr post on instagram and i was like hey im asexual and a disappointment haha what if i change my discord name to that and then eventually when i got an ao3 account, i just went with it because i saw it was available there too. as for calsvoid, they’re my initials and i spew whatever bullshit i want on tumblr and also i wish i didn’t have a body and instead was an amorphous blob of nothingness

i don’t really know who to tag that i haven’t already seen tag so anyone who would like to do this can

[caltropspress]

RAPS + CRAFTS #30: blackchai

1. Introduce yourself. Past projects? Current projects?

Ayoo, I go by the name of blackchai, preferably stylized in all lowercase. I started out rapping under the name JinSol, but I think I scrubbed 98% of that shit off the internet. I’m based in Brooklyn, but I grew up a little outside NYC in Putnam County. I’ve been releasing as blackchai since either late 2019 or early 2020 - I forget exactly. I put out my first EP titled No Expectation in August 2020. My first full length titled Time & A Place came out April 2022, followed by 2 EPs A Momentary Lapse in October 2022, and SECOND WIND produced entirely by my good friend/collaborator, a haunted house, in January 2023. My most recent release as of right now is my album Year Wandering which released March 2024. My next album OTHERWISE A BLUR is set to release September 6th and that is fully produced by August Fanon, who has also been a friend of mine since before we even started making music together.

2. Where do you write? Do you have a routine time you write? Do you discipline yourself, or just let the words come when they will? Do you typically write on a daily basis?

I find it easiest to write in the comfort of my bedroom. I work best in solitude. Over the years I have usually written the majority of my stuff late at night, but lately I’ve found I have better ideas in the morning before the day has a chance to influence my mind state. 

I’m a notoriously slow writer as in I can probably count on less than two hands how many verses I’ve written in a single sitting, but lately I’ve been trying to push myself to write faster without second guessing myself or losing my attention span, and it’s been working somewhat.

I find that I kind of go back and forth with how disciplined I am in terms of writing every day, but I prefer to always be in a constant state of having “something” that I’m working on, even if I don’t make daily progress. The only time I don’t have an unfinished verse on my plate is if I’m doing an album rollout or in the mixing process or something like that. Not being in the middle of some kind of creative process gives me really bad anxiety.

3. What’s your medium—pen and paper, laptop, on your phone? Or do you compose a verse in your head and keep it there until it’s time to record?

When I started rapping it was all pen and paper, but I have horrible handwriting as well as horrible eyesight so it’s been strictly Notes app for the past few years. There are some things I’ve done in my head and wrote down later, but usually like 4-8 bars. Nothing crazy. My short term memory is unfortunately very compromised at this point in my weed smoking career.

4. Do you write in bars, or is it more disorganized than that?

I kind of write in spaced out lines depending on how connected each phrase is to the previous one. I use a lot of my own shorthand to signify pauses and things like that, but sometimes I don’t really solidify the way I’m going to rap the verse until I’m actually recording. It’s a lot easier to rap without breathing when reciting under your breath than when trying to project into a mic. When I started, I would just write in a big paragraph, but I kept losing my place. I used to be able to memorize my verses before recording. but my style has developed into a very stream-of-consciousness word soup sort of thing, so now I don’t usually have anything locked in until after it’s recorded.

5. How long into writing a verse or a song do you know it’s not working out the way you had in mind? Do you trash the material forever, or do you keep the discarded material to be reworked later?

If it doesn’t start out strong, typically I’ll scrap it and start over. Either that or if I write like half a verse then don’t come back to it until days later I can’t pick up the same energy and struggle trying to actually end the thing and it just goes on for way too long and feels redundant. I am a big believer in recycling lines for future use. Sometimes it’ll just be one phrase that I know I need to be a part of a verse. I just need the right beat or placement or whatever. But very rarely do I ever fully delete something. There's always some gold nuggets in a subpar verse.

6. Have you engaged with any other type of writing, whether presently or in the past? Fiction? Poetry? Playwriting? If so, how has that mode influenced your songwriting?

So my first girlfriend in high school was a writer. She was writing a novel when we were like fifteen. I’ve always admired people who can write in more traditional structures, but I just don’t possess that skill set. I never knew how to write essays that sounded natural in English class. I always felt like I couldn’t break away from that rigid template they give you when you’re in elementary school. That’s why I really like writing raps. I get to be a writer without having to care about the rules. As a rapper, you can fully disregard grammar, you can make words up, etc. I learned all that studying people like Ghostface Killah and Vordul Mega. But growing up I was definitely reading earlier than a lot of kids my age, and as an adult I really appreciate people like Cormac McCarthy and Tolkien and people like that. They write so descriptively it’s amazing, and I try to take some influence from that in the way I write raps.

7. How much editing do you do after initially writing a verse/song? Do you labor over verses, working on them over a long period of time, or do you start and finish a piece in a quick burst?

I don’t necessarily labor but definitely the past few years as I’ve been taking this more seriously I’ve put in extra effort to edit my lyrics. Especially because my flow is in such weird pockets sometimes, I have to be really specific about how I say some things so I don’t get lost in the beat. Anything from rearranging bars to fully rewriting some things.

8. Do you write to a beat, or do you adjust and tweak lyrics to fit a beat?

Most of the time I write to a beat. Sometimes I’ll have a few lyrics in my head that I think of while walking, taking the train, etc. Recently I’ve been writing one verse while switching between beats. It helps when I start to feel like I’m losing momentum. The beat usually tells you what it wants and sometimes my ideas clash with that, so it takes some searching to finesse the formula. Sometimes I’ll have an old verse I never did anything with and I’ll get a new beat and it just fits perfectly. But I don’t do it in the same way Talib Kweli apparently used to do. I'm not tryna rap super fast and sound crazy just to get a verse off.

9. What dictates the direction of your lyrics? Are you led by an idea or topic you have in mind beforehand? Is it stream-of-consciousness? Is what you come up with determined by the constraint of the rhymes?

I don’t typically write songs about any singular thing. Sometimes it’s a general vibe and I’ll address multiple things that kind of fit that idea even if they’re not directly related, and sometimes I’m just rapping and making references to anime and things I think are cool. I try not to let it get too jarring content-wise, but at the same time I’m a self-proclaimed student of Ghostface, so I don’t care too much if people don’t get it. I’ve definitely been told I’m very stream-of-consciousness by multiple people. I’d say in general the average blackchai song has sprinkles of Marxism, anime references, interpolations of 90s rap lyrics, and just general ruminations on the way I navigate through life and things I observe on a daily basis. And then all the blank spaces are filled with slang or just general “talking my shit” rapper guy stuff. Nothing too crazy. But I definitely do want to put in the effort in the future to write more concentrated songs. I don’t want to be a one trick pony, especially now that I’m getting more optics as an artist.

10. Do you like to experiment with different forms and rhyme schemes, or do you keep your bars free and flexible?

I go through phases. I think the thing that comes most naturally to me is flow, so that is usually the thing I like to experiment with the most. I’ve been in a very rapid fire kind of bag for a minute, which is a lot of fun. I did a lot of features just rapping super fast this past year. I also am a big fan of writing non-rhymes or ending bars with words that don’t rhyme. I know a lot of people, mostly older heads, hate that style these days along with the drumless beats and all that, but it’s where I feel I shine the most and can be the most creative. I rap mostly over loops, so there’s less constraints with the way I can actually land my rhymes and everything. But like I said before, the beat usually tells me what it needs. Lyrics are the tougher part for me.

11. What’s a verse you’re particularly proud of, one where you met the vision for what you desire to do with your lyrics?

One of the bonus tracks off Year Wandering titled “All For The Win." The album itself was largely inspired by the manga Vagabond and the themes explored in that and the song kind of encapsulates that. There’s a throughline that I repeat that goes “From preoccupied with the leaves to invincible under the sun,” which is nearly a direct quote from the manga and basically the whole theme of Musashi Miyamoto's character journey as well as my own kind of declaration of artistic growth. Where I’ve been and where I want to be. Reflecting upon being some kid writing horrible rhymes in my mom's living room to working with people I’ve been a fan of for years and having people tell me I’m their favorite rapper. I just think this is the best example of me mixing contemplative ideas right next to my usual brand of non-sequitur lyricism. Plus a really dope reference to Cannibal Ox that is just so much fun to rap on stage.

The usual intent’s not a spectacle the proof’s in the outcome I’m counting flaws to strike a healthy balance From preoccupied with the leaves to invincible under the sun Contemplating parts of myself that’s hard to face Placating the anger that’s building up from day to day Made a wish, made a plan  Sometimes it’s an aim and a miss but gained an understanding regardless My heart’s a big lender Depart with less than what I need to fill the chest up Blades drawn like a breath  Duress often but can’t halt the flesh  It’s the best of times Measure my regrets next to gratitude it’s too many hard questions Not enough in mind to concentrate Binded by fate with my brothers  Keep it in conversation Fuck a wait list I hate wasting time more than most things in my peripheral  Direct line of sight manifesting pictures from a past life Tryna simply grab it, inhabit the space I’m happy to play a part pondering til the dark divide Niggas is wildin’ I think you better find yourself - before you get ejected from the deep end My shell monumental mechanical found ghost Effortless like a cold reservoir of blood in the vessel Known unknowns  It’s the presence of ancestors weaponizing the mental Head in the sky Treasure refinement  It’s no sweat  Don’t hold me on shit I never said that’s my only lesson to give at the moment Pay attention Unsteady on the way in the present’s a testament to resolve My whole body and soul get the message Surrender control? Probably not It’s dark and Hell is hot as the block in the dead of winter Sounds like a personal problem you probably deserve it dawg Don’t make me call it off it’s all for the win You probably deserve it dawg Usual intent’s not a spectacle the proof’s in the outcome I’m counting flaws to strike a healthy balance From preoccupied with the leaves to invincible under the sun

12. Can you pick a favorite bar of yours and describe the genesis of it?

Off the song “Feed The Land” from Year Wandering:

High risk high reward Formula been tired no time to react $30 til the next check what we scrambling? Don’t take it for granted like God gave up the answers Feed The Land

I really like this one because it’s one of the more straightforward things I’ve ever written. I was literally in my kitchen making an egg scramble of random things in my fridge because I was broke and couldn’t afford to buy food until my next check. Very simple but I remember every detail and it was just a very real relatable thing. Nothing esoteric about it, just struggle turned into art.

13. Do you feel strongly one way or another about punch-ins? Will you whittle a bar down in order to account for breath control, or are you comfortable punching-in so you don’t have to sacrifice any words?

I don’t do them personally, mostly just because I usually record by myself and it’s annoying to do. But I don’t have an issue with them as a stylistic choice. There’s plenty of punch-ins on like Only Built 4 Cuba Linx, Ironman, Funcrusher Plus, etc. I like to be able to actually rap my own stuff live though. I hate the whole “live show karaoke” thing. Especially in the underground scene. Maybe I’d do them if I had a hypeman or something.

14. What non-hiphop material do you turn to for inspiration? What non-music has influenced your work recently?

I mentioned before I like to interpolate lyrics from a lot of 90s rap, but I do this tenfold with rock music. I played guitar before I started rapping and played in a few bands, so I am super pretentious about indie rock/emo/punk etc. I really don’t listen to a lot of rap when I’m writing. At least not a large variety. I’ll usually hyperfixate on one or two rap albums at a time when creating because I don’t want to be influenced too much in that way, but I’ll bump a huge variety of guitar music. 

Like when I was writing Time & A Place the only rap album I was listening to was OB4CL, but I was also listening to a ton of Jawbreaker, Cloud Nothings, Rilo Kiley, Mannequin Pussy, and this Japanese band Number Girl. And when I was writing OTHERWISE A BLUR the only rap I was listening to was like 2016-2017 Mach-Hommy, but I spent most days listening to Interpol and these random obscure indie bands with like 200 Spotify listeners. 

I’m also in the middle of reading Blood Meridian. Other than that, my main non-music inspirations/influences are just whatever shows I’m watching. I watch The Sopranos about four times a year, so that's a permanent fixture and source of reference. I just rewatched YuYu Hakusho. And then whatever communist/leftist literature I’ve read will pop up now and again. Obviously some Marxist stuff, Kwame Ture, Malcolm X, Huey Newton, etc. but I wouldn’t call myself a thoroughly read or educated person in that regard.

15. Writers are often saddled with self-doubt. Do you struggle to like your own shit, or does it all sound dope to you?

I didn’t like anything about my own music until like my last two projects, for the most part. I hated my voice. I took a long time getting comfortable on the mic. Things like that. But I feel like I’ve really started to feel and sound like the artist I’ve always wanted to be. Going back to my older stuff, now I see the merit in it, but at the time I hated almost everything I put out by the time I put it out. I really love this next album I’m about to drop though. I also made it in a significantly shorter timeframe than anything else I’ve done, so I haven’t had the chance to grow to hate it.

16. Who’s a rapper you listen to with such a distinguishable style that you need to resist the urge to imitate them?

Definitely billy woods and E L U C I D. I’m a huge fan, and they both have definitely influenced me a ton, but sometimes I stop myself from listening to Armand Hammer while I’m making stuff. Especially while making this record with August Fanon - haha. Aside from them, I’d say a lot of people in the scene in New York right now. Like people I see at shows and know personally. Like it’s one thing to subconsciously bite a rapper that you know from a distance, but when it comes to people who are closer to your level or whatever, you want to kind of maintain a sense of friendly competition. I like the idea of everyone having their own style. It’s like super powers. Spider-Man and Human Torch are homies, but they can’t do what the other does.

17. Do you have an agenda as an artist? Are there overarching concerns you want to communicate to the listener?

When I was a child I think the first thing I ever wanted for my future was to be an artist. I don’t even know why or what kind of artist I wanted to be. I just liked things like that. I also wanted to be a ninja. Presently, I just want to make a mark and be a part of rap-lore. When I started rapping, one of the more formative influences for me was The Juggaknots but I’ve never met anybody outside of hardcore rap nerds who even know who they are, but Breeze is like the best rapper ever. If I can do that for some kid 20 years from now, that’d be crazy. 

Obviously the deeper I get into this and the more things I accomplish that I never thought possible there will be more things I strive to achieve, but my initial goal was just to be a dope rapper who other rappers think is dope and just do cool shit because I can put words together in a cool and interesting way. And I kind of feel like I finally opened the door for that possibility. I can’t go to a show in New York without running into someone I know through music. I’ve even been recognized by strangers a couple times in the crowd of billy woods shows and stuff, which is really insane, and kind of weird.

There’s messages and beliefs I have that I put into my music, but I was never someone who wanted to make political music or anything like that. It’s a good gateway, but I’m not a professor. You can learn a lot more about revolutionary politics by reading books than from listening to Public Enemy, but a lot of people probably didn’t even form an interest in black leftist politics until Chuck D screamed into their ear about the Black Panthers. I suffer from really bad depression and anxiety. I wouldn’t feel comfortable counseling someone on their own mental health issues, but maybe my music might inspire someone to take action for themselves. Just having a positive tangible effect on people is really all you can hope for.

RAPS + CRAFTS is a series of questions posed to rappers about their craft and process. It is designed to give respect and credit to their engagement with the art of songwriting. The format is inspired, in part, by Rob McLennan’s 12 or 20 interview series.

Photo credit: E. Fortson

[difeisheng]

Twenty Questions for Fic Writers

Tagged by @extraordinarilyextreme, 谢谢

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

On my current account, 25! (not counting everything from my old account I deleted in 2020)

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

On said current account, 53,972

What fandoms do you write for?

As of right now the brainrot has taken me to MLC, and if I ever get my motivation back, then also DMBJ

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

1. The War Is Over, And We Are Beginning - Jiang Cheng & Jin Ling, 7.6k, Post-Canon

2. all of this mess (is just my attempt) - Chengning, 2.6k, Cloud Recesses

3. hold the world to its best - Jiang Cheng, 859, Long After Canon

4. won't run away (we're here to stay) - Chengning, 3.5k, Post-Canon

5. welcome to the storm - Jiang Cheng, 1.6k, Fall of Lotus Pier

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try to, but god help the ADHD. I read and cherish every one I get though, I promise!!

What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

It's either didn't want us to burn out, which was canon timeline Chengxuan, or come back and haunt me, which was canon timeline Sangyu. I think I'll go with the latter. It had more tragedy about identity and memory, I think

(There's also one Hamlet fic I'm proud of, but that was a one-off I wrote. You can go find it if you want)

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Oh boy, uhhhhhhh. Out of the stuff currently associated with me, it'll be one of the Chengning fics, I think, or my aro!Wei Wuxian Ningxian fic. Not gonna lie it's slim pickings for happy endings around here haha

Do you get hate on fics?

No, thank god. I was always too much of a small fic writer for that.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Hahaha, not really. I'll do handwavey and fade to black but that's about it. Might get there one day though!

Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

Nope, not a crossover person unfortunately unless you want to count the sins on my old laptop from my superwholock era (I don't)

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Ehhhhh..... as of recently, ideas yes but actual written fics, not that I'm aware of

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes! A couple of my MDZS fics and one MCU fic back in the day got translated into Russian

What's your all-time favorite ship?

Bestie I live in multishipper hell you can't make me decide

What's a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

Basically every DMBJ wip at this point in time, but particularly the one I'm furthest along on that I do not have a working title for other than 'horrible huaxie backstory'. My relationship with DMBJ has changed a LOT since getting into it this year and now my hyperfixation is somewhere else, so who knows what'll happen *shrugs*

What are your writing strengths?

I've been told my narration has a distinctive voice to it, and I think that's what people tend to compliment most? Dialogue is also something I've tried to consciously work on over the years, and I don't know that it stands out as a strength necessarily but it's almost something I find easy to write these days if I'm in the swing of it

What are your writing weaknesses?

Action and smut. Basically don't make me mentally choreograph complex stuff

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

Now that my Mandarin has improved after two years of study, I think writing bilingual fic could be fun. There's definitely dialogue I've thought up in Mandarin for C-Drama characters that just won't have the same impact in English, and it's a shame I can't just casually drop it into a fic untranslated and be done with it

First fandom you wrote for?

First fics I ever wrote were for Star Wars and they were written longhand into a horrid little hipster notebook from Indigo. The first fics I posted on Ao3 were for the MCU though

Favorite fic you've written?

Nah I'm not choosing on this, I have no idea <3

Tagging @nutcasewithaknife, @eirenical, and @ilgaksu (only if you want to and apologies if you've already done this 😅)

[rainysunrise]

tv tag game!

— list 8 shows for your followers to get to know you better. tagged by dearest @simplymakkari (I’m a month late to this i’m sorry lmao)

1. Fleabag (2016-2019)

Do I even have to explain? This is an absolute masterpiece in terms of storytelling. The dark humor is perfect, the trouble, the character creation, the romance, the way it shows how love can be painful but still beautiful and change us in so many ways ahhhh, it absolutely broke me and I still rewatch it whenever I need a punch in the face and a good cry but also ! When I just want to make myself feel better about how fvcked up I am lmao highly recommend

2. The Haunting of Hill House (2018)

Listen- I am a great fan of horror, a connoisseur if I can say so myself. And I’d say this is simply the best horror story I’ve ever seen with my own eyes. It has everything, the pain, the beauty, THE REPRESENTATION. And Victoria Pedretti that brought Nell Crain to life in such a way that she became my ultimate comfort character (which probably isn’t that good but shh). I recommend for everyone to watch, if not for the story then for the plot twist alone because it is brilliant.

3. Hannibal (2013-2015)

Do I even need to explain? lmao The gay art piece that altered my brain chemistry in ways I can’t possibly explain at an age way too young AND I REGRET NOTHING, this is culture (with a trademark) And if you haven’t seen it where have you been????

4. YOU (2018-)

Came for Victoria Pedretti, stayed for everything else. Honestly, I expected it to be awful from everything I’ve heard and seen but the storytelling is brilliant (even though sometimes I want to throw my laptop out the window) and I don’t know what they put in it but I can’t let this show go. AND NOW WITH GOLDROSE A HANNIGRAM CODED ROMANCE?? Say no more, I will stay til the end. Although I don’t think it’s for everyone tbh. (check out my goldrose fics thanks)

5. Supernatural (2005-2020)

Oh, boy, are there even words to describe it? The show that absolutely changed my life by throwing me into the fandom madness in highschool and introduced me to twitter and instagram editing damn. It has everything, monsters, magic, myths, legends, every possible plot line and trope you could think of and DESTIEL most iconic couple of this site so. Yes. Don’t watch it.

6. The Boys (2019-)

Got sick of Marvel, moved on to evil superheroes, and got hooked. Also did it for Jensen Ackles before he even came on the show and was not disappointed. Y’all can find it controversial but this show is so good in my opinion, most of the time you can’t even expect what’s going to happen and the character arcs are chef's kiss. Highly recommend ONLY if you are able to stand a lot of gore and nudity, it is a bit rough. (comic books are also super cool)

7. Shadow and Bone (2021-)

Wasn’t gonna put it here, but! It is my newest obsession and made me come back to books after a very long time (I am currently reading the soc duology). I am absolutely in love with it, the crows especially, the couples?? Kanej?? Helnik?? Wesper?? All of the characters separately?? Mark me down as mad, I can’t get enough of it, I already know it’s about to be my favorite for years to come.

8. Over The Garden Wall (2014)

Just think about it guys: A cartoon, vintage style, fairytale style, with horror motifs an amazing plot, and amazing characters, that makes you want to curl up with a cup of tea during an autumn rainy day and just enjoy yourself. It makes me soft, comfort show fr and I rewatch it every Halloween because it also has a Halloween setting (in a way). I recommend it to anyone. Honorable mentions: Killing Eve, Merlin, Sherlock, Good Omens, Normal People, The Last of Us, OMFD etc etc (I could go on for hours)

tagging: @thefiresgone @ashksa @abliafina-18782 + anyone else who wants to (i don't know too many ppl here lmao sorry)

[the58thearth]

Over the last few years, an ever-expanding faction of journalists seem increasingly concerned with the work ethic of younger generations. It seems every time I open my laptop, Microsoft Edge seems to have procured another copy and paste article bemoaning the state of youth in the workforce.

While an investigation into the curation of automatically generated newsfeeds based on age demographics and internet usage is best suited to someone more technologically inclined, it must be noted that it’s fascinating to find them directed at someone who fits inside the denigrated demographic. Older generations are famous for loudly criticising anything suggesting they fit a stereotype- you need look no further than reactions to the irreverent comeback, “OK Boomer,” popularised by online communities in the early 2020s.

If these writers are to be believed, everyone below the age of twenty-five can be written off as slackers, layabouts, and generally wastes of space.

Who doesn’t love being insulted every time they try to use the search bar?

For some (as with any stereotype) this characterisation may be true, but speaking for others, I’m tired of being slandered for clickbait articles written by washed-up corporate slaves angry at my generation for setting the boundaries they couldn’t. Should we be working through our (legally required and hard earned) breaks? Should we be putting personal lives on hold to stay at the office outside of contracted hours and answering phone calls and emails sent on our days off? These practises, while common two decades ago, are rightly being denounced by a generation raised to know our worth and value ourselves as deserving of respect and fair treatment. We’ve just set realistic goals and boundaries, and despite a massive shift in workplace climate and culture, it’s apparently unthinkable. Well done guys, we caused a crisis!

So why are we still holding ourselves to unfair and outdated standards?

The answer is that we aren’t. You are. And why is that?

Gen Z haven’t simply decided not to work hard. We just decided that your definition of working hard was exploitative.

Having been part of the workforce since I was fifteen, I’ve had my fair share of bad employers. My first job was waiting on, split shifts, early mornings and late nights, and would release the weeks shifts the night before. My second job had me on reception, eight hours a day, six days a week, no breaks, and no payslips, so I didn’t even know I wasn’t being paid correctly until two months in. My parents and grandparents have no issue telling me it’s part of working- I have no problem telling them that it shouldn’t be.

Fortunately, I worked these jobs to fund myself, not to support a family, but with the cost of living crisis going unaddressed and work being scarce, more and more people have no choice but to suffer through unfair working conditions with much more at stake than I did. See the trafficked women found working in Llandudno hotels three years ago,[1] or Amazon workers trying to form a union in Coventry.[2] Having no choice but to stay doesn’t make these practises any less exploitative, it just makes them more harmful to those affected.

Of course, not every bad employer is guilty of modern slavery or an international multi-billion pound conglomerate with endless resources to squash unruly employees.

But letting workers’ rights violations pass by, as has been done by the generations before us, paves the way for more exploitative practises to emerge.

So really, are people angry at gen-z for their work ethic, or their refusal to be mistreated?

And shouldn’t the everyday worker, of all generations, bowed under the pressure of nonsensical social contracts- not contractual obligation- celebrate the dissent of the youth?

Next time you see an article denouncing my generation as lazy, take a moment to question why- and who- has written it. The golden rule of the powerful has always been divide and conquer.

Let’s raise a glass to the generation that’s standing up for all of us in the workplace.

[1] North Wales Pioneer, ‘Three Arrests by Trafficking Officers After Workers ‘Paid £250 a Month’ at Llandudno Hotel’, 4th November 2021. Three arrests by trafficking officers after workers 'paid £250 a month' at Llandudno hotel | North Wales Pioneer.

[2] Conway and Masud, ‘Amazon Workers Narrowly Reject Union in Historic Vote’, 17th July 2024, BBC News. Amazon workers narrowly reject union in historic vote - BBC News.

[technopreneurindia]

Reed Switch vs. Hall Effect Sensors: Which is Better for Your Application?

When selecting sensors for your application, choosing between reed switches and Hall effect sensors can be challenging. Both technologies have unique characteristics and advantages, making them suitable for different scenarios. In this article, we’ll compare reed switches and Hall effect sensors to help you determine which is the best fit for your needs.

Understanding Reed Switches

What is a Reed Switch?

A reed switch is an electromechanical device that consists of two ferrous metal reeds sealed in a glass envelope. When exposed to a magnetic field, the reeds come together, closing the circuit and allowing current to flow. Reed switches are known for their simplicity, durability, and reliability.

Advantages of Reed Switches

Simplicity: Reed switches have a straightforward design with minimal components, making them easy to integrate and cost-effective.

Durability: These switches are resilient and can handle millions of actuations without degradation.

Low Power Consumption: Ideal for battery-operated devices due to their low power requirements.

Applications

Reed switches are commonly used in security systems (e.g., door/window sensors), automotive applications (e.g., seatbelt detection), and consumer electronics (e.g., laptop lid switches).

Stats and Facts

Longevity: Reed switches can last over 1 billion cycles in optimal conditions.

Market Growth: The global reed switch market was valued at $240 million in 2020 and is expected to grow to $450 million by 2027, with a CAGR of 8.5%.

Understanding Hall Effect Sensors

What is a Hall Effect Sensor?

A Hall effect sensor operates on the Hall effect principle, where a voltage is generated across a conductor when it is placed in a magnetic field. These sensors can detect the strength and direction of a magnetic field, providing a non-contact measurement.

Advantages of Hall Effect Sensors

Non-Contact Operation: Hall effect sensors provide measurements without physical contact, reducing wear and tear.

Versatility: They can measure magnetic fields, currents, and rotational speed, making them suitable for a wide range of applications.

Precision: Hall effect sensors offer high precision and can provide accurate measurements even in challenging environments.

Applications

Hall effect sensors are used in automotive systems (e.g., ABS and traction control), industrial automation (e.g., motor speed sensing), and consumer electronics (e.g., smartphone orientation).

Stats and Facts

Market Presence: The global Hall effect sensor market was valued at $2.5 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach $4.2 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 8.5%.

Accuracy: Hall effect sensors can measure magnetic fields with precision as high as ±0.01% full scale.

Reed Switch vs. Hall Effect Sensors: Key Comparisons

1. Operating Principle

Reed Switch: Operates by mechanically closing or opening a circuit in response to a magnetic field.

Hall Effect Sensor: Operates by measuring the voltage generated across a conductor in a magnetic field, providing non-contact measurement.

2. Contact vs. Non-Contact

Reed Switch: Requires physical contact to operate, which can lead to mechanical wear over time.

Hall Effect Sensor: Provides non-contact operation, resulting in longer lifespan and less wear.

3. Power Consumption

Reed Switch: Generally low power, making it suitable for battery-operated devices.

Hall Effect Sensor: Can consume more power depending on the design and measurement requirements.

4. Accuracy and Precision

Reed Switch: Suitable for simple applications where accuracy is not critically dependent on fine measurements.

Hall Effect Sensor: Offers high precision and is ideal for applications requiring detailed magnetic field measurements.

5. Environmental Tolerance

Reed Switch: Can be affected by extreme temperatures and environmental conditions, though specialized versions are available.

Hall Effect Sensor: Generally more robust in challenging environments and can operate across a wider temperature range.

Conclusion

Choosing between reed switches and Hall effect sensors depends on your specific application requirements. Reed switches are a cost-effective, reliable solution for simple magnetic sensing tasks where contact operation is acceptable. On the other hand, Hall effect sensors offer precision, non-contact measurement, and versatility, making them suitable for more complex or demanding applications.

Additional Stats and Facts:

Technology Adoption: The adoption of Hall effect sensors is growing rapidly in automotive and industrial applications due to their versatility and precision.

Innovation: Advances in sensor technology are driving improvements in both reed switches and Hall effect sensors, leading to more reliable and efficient solutions.

By evaluating your application's needs and understanding the strengths of each sensor type, you can make an informed decision that ensures optimal performance and reliability for your project.

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Best Laptops for Students

Best Laptops for Students

When it comes to selecting the best laptops for students, several factors come into play, such as performance, battery life, portability, and budget. Here are some top picks that cater to various needs and preferences:

Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

Pros: Outstanding performance with the M1 chip, long battery life, lightweight design.

Cons: Higher price point, limited ports.

Best For: Students needing a powerful, portable machine for intensive tasks and creative work.

Dell XPS 13

Pros: Sleek design, excellent display, strong performance.

Cons: Expensive, limited port options.

Best For: Students looking for a premium Windows laptop with top-notch performance.

HP Envy x360

Pros: Affordable, solid performance, versatile 2-in-1 design.

Cons: Slightly heavier, battery life could be better.

Best For: Students who want a flexible device that's good for both work and multimedia use.

Lenovo Flex 5

Pros: Good performance, affordable, decent battery life.

Cons: Display isn't the brightest, somewhat heavy.

Best For: Budget-conscious students needing a reliable 2-in-1 laptop.

Acer Swift 3

Pros: Affordable, lightweight, good battery life.

Cons: Middling display, build quality could be improved.

Best For: Students on a tight budget who still want a dependable laptop for everyday tasks.

Each of these laptops offers a variety of features that can meet the diverse needs of students, ensuring they have the right tools to excel in their academic endeavours.

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RAPS + CRAFTS #13: Algernon Cornelius

1. Introduce yourself. Past projects? Current projects?

I’m Algernon Cornelius, producer/rapper based in Manchester (UK). A lot of my early work consists of instrumental beat-tapes (which can be found on my bandcamp), along with collaborative works like Mortal Deck, as well as some side-projects like Philip K. Dickhead. I wrote my first rap in 1993 (co-written with my Dad tbf), but didn’t start writing properly until 2003. Around the same time I started producing by making pause tapes in a little cassette recorder and then by the same process but with cheap CD turntables into an Archos Gmini 402 mp4 player. I started using Cubase in 2005 and then moved on to Ableton in 2014. 

Somewhere along this path I briefly let go of rapping to focus more on beat-making, that is until about 2016 when I made the song “Zero Hour Contract” (the vocals were recorded on a dictaphone). That return to writing was most likely sparked by hearing ELUCID’s Valley Of Grace record. I followed that up with another single: “Witchita”.

There are multiple stories you can choose to follow when you explore my discography. Perhaps the easiest route is through the rap time-line, which is as follows…

Neither Gloaming Nor Argent: Both Before And After The Dark (2020)

The Miraculous Weapons of Clarkus_Dark (2021)

Me No Sen You No Come (2022)

SEGUNDO (2023) NGNA is a compilation of singles I recorded before, during and after the making of MWxxCD (think 13 Songs by Fugazi or The Sagas Of… by Klashnekoff). MWxxCD is my debut album. MNSYNC is an EP, and SEGUNDO is my 2nd album.

2. Where do you write? Do you have a routine time you write? Do you discipline yourself, or just let the words come when they will? Do you typically write on a daily basis?

I wish I did write on a daily basis, but most of the time I just ponder about living my life being busy or procrastinating, until something hits me. Usually it’s one line that sounds interesting or funny to me. There have been times when I’ve tried to be more disciplined and write something every day. These bursts typically happen in the new year and then eventually fade away, in that respect being undisciplined is my discipline. But when it comes to it I can be anywhere. For this album specifically I went back home to the house I grew up in while my parents were away and just wrote for 10 days straight (probably helped that I got covid and couldn’t leave). I set everything up in the dining room and had the mic in one hand to record demos as I wrote with the other. I’ve never really written in that way before, but it was definitely good for me. Being alone, and having a mission, and knowing exactly how my voice would sound as I was writing. I can’t do that in my current living situation because I live with other people and I’m very self-conscious. I think being in a space I knew well and felt comfortable in really helped too.

I don’t write everyday, but ideas are usually always kicking around. I like to leave room for experiences to write about.

3. What’s your medium—pen and paper, laptop, on your phone? Or do you compose a verse in your head and keep it there until it’s time to record?

It used to be a pen and sheets of A4 white paper. Then it became lined notebooks. Then it was my laptop. In the past five years or so it has been in the notes app on my phone, and then typed up in a Google doc where it can be edited and refined. I can’t keep new lyrics in my head for long because they tend to metamorphosise into something else very quickly, so they have to be preserved outside the brain. I’ll then rehearse over and over until I know it off-top and it becomes muscle memory, because I would rather not be reading off something in the booth (that isn’t always possible with last minute rewrites). The best way is if I can play it live a few times because then I really get a feel for it and know what the energy is like and I have more confidence behind the flow, I know what the pockets should feel like.

4. Do you write in bars, or is it more disorganized than that?

Oh it’s very disorganised. But then again that can depend on the beat. Some songs encourage more free-form structure.

5. How long into writing a verse or a song do you know it’s not working out the way you had in mind? Do you trash the material forever, or do you keep the discarded material to be reworked later?

I think when I feel uncomfortable or cringe is when I know it’s not working. I know you have to kill the part of you that cringes but that’s 100 gecs' job. You really have to feel genuine with what you’re saying, and that’s an integrity that keeps you grounded in who you are as an artist. That gets a lot easier as you get older and you don’t have to put on a voice or adopt certain language.

My line of thinking is that it begins with a jump-off, so the first line is the provocateur. The attention grabber. Often this may not have anything to do with the rest of the verse, but it’s integral to getting to the rest of it. The big bang. In this way my verses probably tend to make more sense towards the end.

I try to keep everything, and this is why I would like to move back to writing on paper. I kept everything on paper. In a Google Doc it’s very easy to erase history. With SEGUNDO I tried to not be scared of the rewrite. I can be very precious about my work, but I had to give the mic to the voice that says “you can do better”.

6. Have you engaged with any other type of writing, whether presently or in the past? Fiction? Poetry? Playwriting? If so, how has that mode influenced your songwriting?

I have loved writing since forever. I was always writing stories as a kid and got a lot of encouragement from my English teachers at school. I still somewhat regret not taking English Literature at 6th Form (age 16-18 in the UK). I’ve been writing a lot more poetry recently and have sketched out some ideas for short sci-fi stories, and at some point want to go into script writing and learn to make films. I used to write about music a lot, for a few blogs and some larger platforms that shall remain nameless. I don’t know if that’s influenced my songwriting because rap is what got me into playing with language, so that informs everything else.

7. How much editing do you do after initially writing a verse/song? Do you labor over verses, working on them over a long period of time, or do you start and finish a piece in a quick burst?

I am trying to edit more. That was a key thing in the making of these last two records. I take ages to start things but once I get going it’s very quick, so it’s more like a stream of consciousness ting. You can end up trying to cram in too many ideas that way, and with SEGUNDO specifically I wanted to introduce more space in my rhymes, so I would cut some things to make that happen. Songs like “...AND THE LIVING” happened very quickly, but with “WHERE WE ARE” and “PLAGUES” there were several different versions I made until it sounded right. When something happens quickly I often have no memory of how it happened, it feels like it comes from another place (manic brain memory loss).

8. Do you write to a beat, or do you adjust and tweak lyrics to fit a beat?

I go through different waves. When I’m not writing for a project I just stream a load of bars out and have them all in a document. Most of the time these can’t fit to any of the music that I write, but I can nick certain lines that fit. “I Am Not The Moon” from Miraculous Weapons used a lot of lyrics from a couple of verses I wrote over a loop of The Wanton Song by Led Zeppelin when I was 18. I carry several verses around in my head that can’t really squish into a typical song format. I keep them there in case there was ever a situation where I got into a cypher and needed to prove something. As yet this has never happened, and may never will, perhaps this only happens in movies. I will just keep reciting them in the shower until that day comes. But when it’s for a project the beats always come first, so I’m gonna sit down and go through in sequential order and write like that. Doing it that way you’re carving out a route so the listener can follow your path (that is of course if they listen to albums front to back in one sitting and not on shuffle).

9. What dictates the direction of your lyrics? Are you led by an idea or topic you have in mind beforehand? Is it stream-of-consciousness? Is what you come up with determined by the constraint of the rhymes?

The music, first and foremost. That’s always the mood setter. That’s why the stuff I write without music tends to be more random and glitchy. In fact I have a load of stuff like this which I’m planning to release as a poetry book later this year called The Glitch and the Goof. But when I’m working on a record I make all the beats first and then sequence the album because it has to make sense musically, the instrumentals dictate the journey you’re gonna go on. Also whatever I name the instrumental when I export it, that usually informs the direction. I should probably be more careful with that. Although “Stress” was originally called “Night Goat” (after the Melvins song) and there was no mention of goats in that. There aren’t many of my songs that stick to one subject (Kool Moe Dee definitely would’ve scored me low for sticking to themes). On “DUNKEL” I do and that’s because of the sample, which is literally saying “dark” so that was the direction I gave Val and myself. “DECEMBER 25” is obviously one of the most focused theme-wise because I’m trying to tell a very specific story and it’s perhaps the most clear and personal I’ve been on a track. Funnily enough that song came about because I was working a temp job at a University and my fellow temp comrade (the only other black guy who worked there, it’s actually incredible they allowed 2 of us to work on the front desk at the same time now that I think about it), anyway we were chatting about white English reactions to diaspora foods, like having rice with your Sunday roast and how kids in school thought that was weird, but it was normal for us. We laughed about it and then I thought about it for a minute and wrote down “rice in my roast, what the whites will never know”. That’s the jump-off line right there. And as I already had the loop I wanted to sample for it in my head on rotation (it had been stuck in my head for almost 2 years), by the time I was on the bus home I just continued writing on my phone. The mood was already set and I just started thinking about this story I wanted to tell. I got home and immediately looped that shit up and then worked more lyrics around it, following the bassline. 

In terms of being constrained by the rhymes, I think yes this can happen, but then it’s all about vocab and finding ways back home if you go too far out. The patterns you weave doing that can be beautiful. That’s like looking at a brain-scan create an Etch-a-Sketch. Having that constraint can pull out some wild juxtapositions and create a really interesting image.

10. Do you like to experiment with different forms and rhyme schemes, or do you keep your bars free and flexible?

Absolutely. I always think about Method Man, especially on his earlier records, where he basically switches up the flow almost every line. That’s the stuff that got me so excited as a kid. As a rapper you are just an instrument, so as you would with drums or a bassline or a keyboard, you can switch it up to take the song somewhere. It’s always about what’s best for the song for me. I don’t like to get too self-indulgent as an emcee. I am no better than the beat really, I’m part of an ensemble cast, and we’re all working for the song. I don’t tend to think about my rhyme schemes as methodically as I used to, perhaps because it comes more naturally to me now, but I remember for a while I was experimenting with reverse compound structures where the 2nd line would be close enough to a  phonetic reverse of the previous line. I have a crude example from an unreleased song where I say: “High-hitting hats when I relapse into narcosis / Whenever I’m focused you can tell where I have been at with my hidden eye” Maybe I will go back to getting more scientific with ideas like this.

11. What’s a verse you’re particularly proud of, one where you met the vision for what you desire to do with your lyrics?

On SEGUNDO I think “DECEMBER 25” obviously because it took a lot for me to get there. I mean really that’s one of the reasons why it’s the last track on the album. I don’t think there’s been a time where I’ve listened back to that song and I haven’t cried, so it did what it was supposed to do. That was a similar case with “Adieu” from NGNA. “CLOY ROYSTER” because that’s probably the closest I’ll ever get to a true freestyle (I can’t freestyle for shit). The 2nd verse of “Tentative”, which originally I left open for a guest but then I ended up surpassing my own expectations (I originally gave the beat to R.A.P. Ferreira but then ended up using it on my album, then he came back with “No Word For Wack” which ended up on the Ruby Yacht album). ”Lightning Bolt” as well, that was a real one. I wrote the lyrics, made the beat, recorded it  and then posted it on bandcamp maybe all within 2 hours. Extremely raw shit. (It’s called "Lightning Bolt" because that’s who I was going to see play a gig that night). That’s actually an example of where I wrote it all out on a piece of paper first and then made it fit to the beat, and I mean it helps that the beat doesn’t have any drums, it’s just six pads of noise. “Notes On A Native Sound” was written from a dream I had the same night I made the beat and I feel that’s maybe one of the most synergetic songs in terms of the music and lyrics. It all came out of two sides of the same trip.

12. Can you pick a favorite bar of yours and describe the genesis of it?

“Flexi disc under the x-ray / Mexican death day / Haters wanna flex I slip their disc and press play (…AND THE LIVING)

Like I don’t care if anyone rates that or not, for me it always makes me feel like this and that’s all I ever wanna do for myself. I had that line in my head for time, just a silly little boast innit? But with some very niche deep Wikipedia level references. Also me and my peers have very serious concerns about back pain. “Become a man before the onus is on the shoulders of the taurus / And the horns begin to grow again, blow through them / The tone of brass bones does not atone for intonation" (The Flood)

Men go a bit weird in their late 20’s, you ever notice that? This was sort of a way of saying check yourself before you wreck yourself. I used 3 zodiac signs for Miraculous Weapons; the Bull (Taurus), Snake and Crab (Cancer), and they all work as points of reference across the album. A lot of it is to do with ideas of fate, determinism and essentialism and trying to escape that (which actually I've just realised that’s at the core of most of my work). The titular Clarkus_Dark is basically the bad character (as Lord Quas might say). My dad used to have this Shofar in the house which I used to play with (he was a religious studies teacher) so that’s probably where I got that imagery. I also used to play trombone so there’s your brass bones, and you can hear some trombone at the end of “How Good’s The Funeral?”. It’s all tied together. Now that I think of it this was also one where I wrote the lyrics before the music and then made it fit afterwards too. Cat, who is the first person you hear whisper “SEGUNDO” at the start of the album, I wrote that in her living room in the middle of a crisis.

13. Do you feel strongly one way or another about punch-ins? Will you whittle a bar down in order to account for breath control, or are you comfortable punching-in so you don’t have to sacrifice any words?

Punching-in I have no qualms about. Like I said before it’s about what’s best for the song. There are cases when a punch-in can fuck up the flow, there are cases where cutting out a breath can make it sound too clinical. Just depends on what you want out of the recording. I’m getting better at editing stuff down in the writing so it’s about clarity and rhythm. I’ll preface this with the fact that I’m old enough where I’m going to use Big Daddy Kane as an example…but you know when you’re starting out you just wanna show off and fit as many syllables in a line as possible (yeah, like Big Daddy Kane)? Well when you play live you come to the compromise, because I have so much energy I need to get off I can’t be running about and do all that, especially as I get older. No matter how much I push I have to understand my body has limits, so then it becomes a choice of what you’re trying to give. Is it lyrical-miracle virtuosity? Or clarity? What is going to connect with your audience? Because at the end of the day that’s what you’re trying to do, you have to make a connection otherwise there’s no point.

14. What non-hiphop material do you turn to for inspiration? What non-music has influenced your work recently?

Definitely films. For SEGUNDO there were things about Spike Lee joints that informed the feeling in songs like “PLAGUES” and “CURRY MILE”, in particular his use of the double dolly technique. I wanted to do that with music. When I was writing I rinsed seasons 3 and 4 of Top Boy, the Andy Warhol documentary on Netflix, The Power of the Dog, Call My Agent! and Fast & the Furious 9. Obviously I’m not sure how that last one had any effect on me, but the hook in SEGUNDO was inspired by Basquiat in the Warhol doc. 

I’d never really dipped that heavily into the work of David Lynch before, and I had wondered if it was just too late for me. Like is all the weirdo shit I already like just jacked from Uncle DL? But I saw Mulholland Drive for the first time and it shook me pretty deep, like really got right inside me in a very particular way that I don’t know how to put into words, and there’s not that many films that have done that. That kind of made me think differently about the structure of SEGUNDO and what it meant, because to be honest the meaning was missing for me for a long time and it felt like the process of making this album was almost in search of that, and then towards the end it started to make sense, but as if the answer had always been there. The lyrics to “SLOW WOUND” are mostly inspired by Mulholland Drive if you look closely enough. 

I’m always inspired by food, I’m always thinking about that. It’s so tied to memory. Sometimes I can’t remember the details of a certain trip somewhere but I can tell you exactly what I ate and what it tasted like and how it made me feel.

A lot of SEGUNDO was inspired by nature. Again it’s about space but in many forms. The pandemic is what set that off, everything became still and empty, internally and externally. I was locked down in Manchester so I ended up taking huge walks out to anything that remotely resembled a bit of countryside, a park or a bit of woodland surrounded by a highway. I grew up right in the middle of the North Yorkshire Dales and Moors, there was so much expansive space there, your mind could just wander off into the distance. Can’t see shit for terrace houses here in Old Trafford, it’s like being trapped on the set of Coronation Street (I wrote this and then afterwards took a walk to the shop for some caraway seeds and the sun was beaming and the red bricks look so gorgeous in the light, so it’s not always so gloomy to be fair)

When some of the lockdown restrictions were lifted, me and my girlfriend’s first trip was to a remote converted farmhouse on the side of a mountain in North Wales. Some days you’d be trapped indoors because a huge rain cloud had engulfed everything, but on sunny days you could see as far as the Lake District and the Isle of Man. You’d set off on a walk and you’d maybe meet 1 or 2 people all day, unless you walked 5 miles to the nearest village pub. There were more wild ponies and sheep than people. That was a really important time for me where I could have the space to think while the music of SEGUNDO circled in my head.

Another trip like that was when we went up to the Scottish highlands (to stay with my girlfriend’s friend (Sarah Bernstein who is also a writer), again very remote. You’d wake up one morning and see a pod of dolphins making their way across the bay. It was in September so all the purple heather was in bloom. I was getting high just looking at all that purple, it looked like them Richard Mosse photographs of The Congo. That’s what inspired the autotuned part in CURRY MILE. It may have been born in south Manchester, and then settled in Snowdonia, but it grew wings in the highlands. I think there’s more of a nature sound on this record, it’s like halfway between the concrete streets and nature. Like there’s earth, air, ice, water, moss and a small fire trying to stay alight under it all.

15. Writers are often saddled with self-doubt. Do you struggle to like your own shit, or does it all sound dope to you?

I constantly have self-doubt. I’d argue that’s what keeps me in check, but if there’s too much of it it becomes a real hindrance. I love my own shit but I have had to work for it. I always think of myself as someone to whom rapping does not come naturally. First off I’m from this cursed island of britain, and not even the happening part. There was no culture where I grew up, you had to get it all from television and radio, or movies and magazines. I was the only person I knew who wrote raps or was even into Hip-Hop (apart from Joanne from school who also liked Dizzee Rascal). If I ever came across another rapper it’d be the white kids who were into spitting over Makina and New Monkey type beats. So what I'm saying is I’ve taken many years to find my voice, and being quite isolated from any sort of rap scene has been both a good thing and a bad thing. Maybe my sword would be sharper if I was dueling on the daily. Maybe it’s ok to be a quirked-up country boy curry goated with the sauce busting it down Supreme Clientele style (we’ll get to that later). Either way I've put myself out there on the line and learnt a lot. 

When I was 15 I sent my first demo to DJ Excalibah who was doing the late night slot for underground and UK rap on BBC radio 1Xtra (he’s now an acclaimed theatre director), he gave me very honest constructive feedback. Something to the effect of the recording quality was bad (which it was) and I needed to work on my flow and my voice (tell me about it), but that my writing was up there with the best of them. That last part was enough for me to keep going. Meeting people like Moor Mother who was one of the first people to tell me she liked my voice really gave me encouragement to not doubt myself. I try to remember moments like this and do the same for others when they’re out here. 

It’s also having good honest mates around you, like Claudia (featured on the final reprise of MAKE THE SUN tagged on the end of CLOY ROYSTER), she suffers from a rare disease where she cannot lie to people, so that’s helpful in knowing what’s good. When James from the band Yard Act started demoing stuff with me for Miraculous Weapons he made a few suggestions to change a couple of lyrics because they were too on the nose, and usually I’m really stubborn and defensive about stuff like that but I trusted his opinion and he was right to be fair. Trust the people that know you.

16. Who’s a rapper you listen to with such a distinguishable style that you need to resist the urge to imitate them?

Ghostface is my anchor. My all time favourite rapper. He gave me the blueprint for my style of free-association. I even did an art project in school based on his verse on "Daytona 500." Him and DOOM (and probably Pos from De La Soul) basically show up in my life when I’m 14/15 and show me how beautiful and fun language can be. So while I may not imitate them per se, they gave me a key to unlock something in myself to put my own spin on how I see the world. Another key rapper I would say is Danny Brown, and that’s mainly because he’s such an anglophile. He bridges the gap between Grime and American rap. He could do a whole album spitting over 140 bpm beats (I mean he does this so effortlessly over Benga’s "26 Basslines"). You can hear that influence on “WHERE WE ARE” for sure. I love Mos Def so much and that’s probably why I gravitated towards Mach-Hommy, it’s the tone and melody they bring. I’m one of those rappers who secretly wishes they were a singer. I’ve always been really big on Dancehall emcees with really gruff voices too. I started doing this growl which I mostly do live, which is partly inspired by more doomy sludgey bands, but you listen to BackRoad Gee and he’s doing something really interesting with it. I played with Sons of Kemet one time and while I was backstage I could hear Shabaka practicing his horn coming through the vent in the next room, and he was listening to drill music and playing along to it. That’s what it is, the voice is an instrument and he shows you that through his music, he’s playing certain lines and I’m immediately thrown back to my living room after school watching emcees on Channel U, he makes very specific references to certain grime flows.

I’d like to think that I have so many influences that they all get mangled together to form something different, or that my bad impressions become a new voice altogether, at least I hope.

17. Do you have an agenda as an artist? Are there overarching concerns you want to communicate to the listener?

At the most basic level I just need something to rap over. I feel something and I wanna say something, so I make something, and then I try to make you feel what I felt. Now with that comes connection, but also unintended misinterpretation. And really the latter is what keeps this whole ting spinning. Evolution is just endless mistakes. Failure upon failure until it works for the moment and then until it doesn’t again. Hip-Hop is all about the flip, not just in terms of flipping samples but shifting perspective, I hope I can do that in my own way to some degree. I also want to just show people how connected they are, bring people together that wouldn’t be able to otherwise. It’s mad when I think of all the people I know and how most of them don’t know each other. You just gotta be a node and keep vibrating higher innit.

RAPS + CRAFTS is a series of questions posed to rappers about their craft and process. It is designed to give respect and credit to their engagement with the art of songwriting. The format is inspired, in part, by Rob McLennan’s 12 or 20 interview series.

[lorifragolina]

For the ask game, 2 & 11 please :) ✨

Uhm, apparently I completely forgot to publish after preparing good answers I don't remember now XD I'll try again XD 2 - Least favorite characters at the first glance I'd say Kali, I still don't understand her plot; I don't like Jason on the screen because he's the typical bully jock, (but I do like him in the fandom to redeem or torture or confuse him in fics!). Oh and I totally dislike Karen, there is no redention for her... 11 - Rank the seasons form best to worst I have to say that I didn't have a TV or a living room since 2020, so I have to see the first three seasons on my laptop, and I see the whole thing just one time. The only season I see confortable seat in a sofa with a decent screen was the 4, so I'll take it as my favorite. My rough ranking should be 4, 3, 2, 1, but I could change it when I'll rewatch all in English :)

[govindhtech]

Best Laptops Buying Guide 2024:Which One is best ?

Laptops Buying Guide Before laptops buying guide, decide on Windows, Mac, or something new. Beyond OS, there are other factors. Does it have your desired screen? Support peripheral ports? Play 1080p+ games? Consider these and other difficulties.

Risks and warnings for 2023 are here. Microsoft Windows 11 and Chrome OS provide more alternatives than MacBooks. See best laptops buying guide brands and read on to select one.

Mac, Windows, or another? Prioritize your OS. Apple and Windows won that struggle, but Chrome OS on cheap PCs is gaining ground.

These devices have similar hardware and functionality but significant variances.

The OS-based PC market is varied. Millions of companies create them, and the designs and names vary in both cost and craftsmanship. Several companies use Windows-based personal computers over enjoyment or business, and they tend to outshine Macs.

Windows computer systems vary in size. Clamshell keyboard-mouse computer systems like the Samsung Surface Laptops are prominent. The lower end Windows interactive laptops without a Track Bar, compared to Apple MacBooks.

The company Surface’s convertible display as well as tablet-keyboard combine harder. Google won’t make an adjustable or retractable MacBook, so its iPad Pro laptop with its magical keyboard is 2-in-1.

Microsoft Windows adapts better than macOS. The gaming and commercial programming standard extends software libraries. Windows gets substantial upgrades with new features biannually, unlike macOS. Chrome OS gets minor updates more regularly due to its loose release schedule.

Windows laptops provide more options than Apple Many Lenovo, Dell, and Microsoft devices exist For trademark protection, Apple has consistently upgraded its products, including MacOS. Apple devices meet its standards, but any manufacturer may produce a Windows or Chrome OS PC with unique features. MacOS are straightforward and trustworthy. Apple’s support staff can swiftly handle issues since they share an ecosystem.

Quality design differentiates Macs. Because they look, feel, and have fantastic screens, particularly with plenty of storage, they cost more than Windows and Chrome OS devices. Very few Apple computers are inexpensive.

Apple computers feature powerful hardware but slower graphics processors than Windows PCs, and you can’t replace parts, so you’re stuck with the specifications you buy. For individuals who want a powerful computer but don’t know much about hardware, their Mac may work well every day. When Apple upgraded to in-house CPUs in late 2020 and 2021, its hardware improved considerably. Macbooks like the MacBook Pro 14 with M2 Max are fast and cheap. The MacBook Pro is better currently for performance and battery life.

The corporation’s simple, intuitive the macOS operating system maintains its design. The platform in question has solid productivity and media-editing apps, unlike Windows. The company Studio Laptop Workshop’s unique designs and graphic pen rival the corporation’s success among designers and artists.

Computers don’t have touchscreens, but Sidecar mode lets you utilize an iPad as a wireless touchscreen.

Chrome OS Mac computers and Windows differ in Chrome OS. The Chrome-based platform was initially concentrated on applications for the internet and pricing. Chrome OS features desktop as well as mobile applications like competitors.

The Google Chrome operating system operates Chromebook. These machines are inexpensive than desktops running Windows and MacBooks due to reduced technology desires. They work well for schools and social media and shopping laptop users.

Powerful Chromebooks like the HP Dragonfly Pro mimic Windows and macOS computers. Both the HP Chromebook x360 14 and Lenovo Duet 5 with OLED displays are two-in-1s.

Chrome OS is faster and more flexible. Although web-centric, the platform now supports Google Play and Android applications, making it the perfect laptop companion for Android users. Chromebook users may converse without phones using its Message-like interface.

Chrome OS runs Linux desktop apps like GIMP and Steam. Linux support is in beta, and the library is less varied than Windows or macOS. Chrome OS’s maturity makes it a strong Windows competitor.

If Chrome OS fulfills your laptop needs, a Chromebook may save money.

Laptop kinds Several laptop categories target certain customers. Choose a laptops buying guide -friendly category. Some of favorites fall under these categories.

Ultrabooks Intel coined the term “ultrabook” for lightweight, long-lasting laptops. Intel Core CPUs, SSDs, and well-designed clamshells. People called any little laptop a “ultrabook” after this renowned device.

Business laptops Business laptops include consumer-friendly features despite targeting professionals. Though less popular, they have better batteries and skins.

High cost is corporate computers’ major drawback. Video editors and photographers benefit from bigger monitors and realistic color. Protecting privacy and security makes them more likely to provide biometric validation and professional software.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 is a great business laptop addition. Preferred work laptop is ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5.

Gaming laptops Gaming laptops must improve. For current games, elite models have powerful CPUs, graphics chips, and RAM. Anything less may make popular games unusable.

Better desktop-like components and bigger displays make high-end gaming laptops heavier. 4K monitors’ power-hungry components deplete batteries. Some of best gaming laptops provide stealth or middle ground.

Gaming has advanced with display technology in this industry. In 2023, the Asus Zephyrus M16 launched mini-LED, and gaming laptops now had OLED for brilliant colors and deep blacks. Gaming laptops include 240Hz and 480Hz displays. Increased refresh rates and components provide smooth, high-speed gaming.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

[heaven-s-black-box]

Field Trips & Chaos- Crossover chpt.2

Return to File - SPN File - DNA File - BSD File

Recovery date: December 19th, 2020

Description: The Winchesters are contacted by a very tired Japanese government official, trying to deal with a very troublesome case. Meanwhile, a coincidental schedule lands some high schoolers in the wrong place at the wrong time. Will everyone survive?

Notes: This entry has been translated for viewing facility, all bold writing is Japanese.

Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Word count: 603

Back to directory

“Okay, so we’re looking for…”

The Winchesters were standing outside the station in Yokohama, trying to figure out where to go. Tsujimura hadn’t told them where to meet, and she hadn’t responded to Sam’s emails since she sent the tickets. So they were looking for the nearest government building, and hoping for the best.

“Mr. Winchesters?” Someone called from behind them.

A young woman with strange hair, it was cyan, was standing before them. She smiled and bowed slightly.

“Yes, that’s us. Are you Ms. Tsujimura?”

She nodded. “Yes, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Please follow me.”

She led them out of the station to a car, and the three took a seat in the back. As soon as they were settled, the driver pulled away and she took out a file.

“A few weeks ago, we were made aware of what we believed to be an ability user. However-”

“I’m sorry, a what user?” Sam asked, looking through his folder.

Tsujimura stopped talking in surprise,and her brows furrowed.

“An ability user, someone with an unnatural power unique to them. Unless of course it’s passed on but that’s quite uncommon.”

“So like a witch?” Dean asked.

“I suppose.”

“I hate witches,” Dean grumbled.

“Have you never heard of ability users? I know there are some groups in the united states.”

“Really? We’ve never run into anyone,” Sam frowned, “Maybe they were posing as witches.”

Tsujimura said nothing, from what she’d heard, it wasn’t entirely impossible the Winchesters had simply never realized who they’d encountered. They didn’t seem to be the most observant people, the “Supernatural” books made that obvious.

“Now, about why you were called here. We believed Mr. Akira to be an ability user, however after further investigation that didn’t seem to be the case. After unsuccessful attempts to contact local hunters, we looked for the next best thing.”

“And that was us?”

“Yes.”

“Not that we aren't grateful for this opportunity, but aren’t the British Men of Letters practically next door?”

“Ah, yes. They…” she looked thoughtful for a second, “don’t like us much.”

“Join the club,” Dean laughed, and Tsujimura smiled.

“Sakaguchi-senpai will answer your questions when-”

“Tsujimura-san, we’re here.”

“Ah! Please.” She waved the boys to the door. “We’re here.”

She took the files from the boys, and thanked the driver as they stepped out. They were standing in front of a tall government building. Tsujimura joined them on the curb, and led them inside. 

It was exactly what you’d assume a government building to look like. Marble floors, lots of security, and dark walls. Tsujimura led them through security and into an elevator where she swiped a card and pushed the button for the second lowest floor.

The only sound was the whirling of the elevator as the boys watched the numbers descend.

Ding

“Senpai! The Winchesters are here.”

The room they’d entered was covered in monitors on the wall across from them, with multiple panels and desks covered throughout. The room was split in two by a platform which they were on, and in the center of the platform was a chair where a man sat hunched over a laptop.

“Thank you Tsujimura. Please go finish you report.”

“Yes!”

He stopped typing, and pushed up his glasses as he turned to the brothers. Meanwhile, Tsujimura descended to another desk and began to work.

“Sam and Dean Winchester, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He approached them, with a hand outstretched. “My name is Ango Sakaguchi, and I am an assistant counselor for Japan’s special division for unusual powers. I look forward to working with you.”

[myasianrecipe]

The Philippines' Top 10 Laptop Brands

Laptops are an extremely important component of our day-to-day lives, and we are able to organize and carry out a significant portion of our responsibilities with their assistance. When purchasing a laptop or making any other decision related to this topic, it is essential to conduct an extensive study. This is the case regardless of whether you need a laptop for work, business, gaming, or other forms of pleasure. No one can afford to purchase brand-new technological devices every single week. Thus, you need to give careful consideration to this choice. If you have enough information, picking out the ideal laptop for yourself might be a challenging process; nevertheless, if you are well-informed, you will have no trouble doing so. When you go out and buy a laptop, there are a lot of considerations you need to give some thought to, and we are going to go over all of those considerations in further detail in this post. As soon as you've finished reading this piece, you won't have any questions or concerns left about laptops, and you'll be able to select one with complete self-assurance. Table of Contents- Top 10 Most Popular Laptop Brands on Shopee/Lazada- 1. Apple- Latest Apple laptops - 2. Dell- Latest Dell laptops: - 3. Asus - 4. Acer - 5. HP Laptop Computer- HP laptops for sale on the market - Pros & Cons: - 6. Lenovo Laptop Computer- Lenovo laptops for sale on the market - Pros & Cons: - 7. Samsung Laptop Computer- Samsung laptops for sale on the market - Pros & Cons: - 8. Huawei Laptop Computer- Huawei laptops for sale on the market - Pros & Cons: - 9. MSI Laptop Computer- MSI laptops for sale on the market - Pros & Cons: - 10. Avita Laptop Computer- Avita laptops for sale on the market - Pros & Cons: - Conclusion: Top 10 Most Popular Laptop Brands on Shopee/Lazada 1. Apple Apple Inc. is a multinational corporation headquartered in Cupertino, California. It sells computer systems, programs, and online services. When it comes to portable computers, Apple is a household name. It claims to control 7.6 percent of the PC market. Apple's laptops are well-known for their superior build quality, high-end accessories, and powerful performance. - Pros: - Beautiful in appearance - Outstanding battery life - Latest technological features - Durable and reliable - Excellent customer support - Devices that are extremely fast and capable Cons: - More expensive than most other laptop brands - Devices are completely unmodifiable. - Hardware cannot be upgraded. - Not suitable for gaming Apple laptops are known to be pricey, yet they are well worth the money. They work flawlessly since every component of the device has been thoroughly adjusted to give optimal functionality. MacBooks are quick, robust, and dependable laptops that are ideal for workplace or home use. No other laptop brand can match the luxury experience provided by MacBook. Latest Apple laptops - Apple MacBook Pro 2020-check the Price on Shopee - Apple MacBook Air 2020-Check the Price on Shopee/Lazada - Apple MacBook Pro-Check the price on Shopee 2. Dell Around 16% of all personal computer shipments in 2017 were made by Dell, an American consumer electronics manufacturer. Dell is one of the major companies in the personal computer and laptop market. Dell provides Windows-based computers that are dependable and effective, making them ideal for use in homes and offices. Dell is the best laptop manufacturer if you require a straightforwardly built, reasonably priced, and robust laptop with Windows for daily use. Pros: - Versatile products - Innovative devices - reasonably priced - Above-average customer support - good battery life - Customizable products - Light laptops Cons: - The designs are not very appealing - Not the best for gaming Dell laptops are the most versatile, dependable, and efficient laptops for use in the home and workplace. The ideal option for you may be a Dell laptop if you want a laptop for usage at home or at work but do not want to utilize a Macintosh operating system. A Dell laptop can prove to be a valuable work companion, whether you're a college student who needs a laptop for taking notes or a professional working in a corporation. Latest Dell laptops: - Dell Inspiron 15 3000 Series 3515-Check price on Shopee/Lazada - Dell Inspiron 3520 Laptop-Check price on Shopee/Lazada - Dell G15 AMD Ryzen7-Check the Price on Shopee - Dell Vostro 3510 -Check the Price on Shopee - Dell Latitude 7420 -Check the Price on Shopee 3. Asus Consumer gadgets are produced and sold by Asus in Taiwan. It is well-known in the laptop sector for producing affordable yet sturdy laptops. They are able to produce top-notch goods at minimal costs thanks to their innovative and efficient manufacturing procedures. Additionally, they give the greatest customer service possible, even at reduced costs, and care a great deal about the user experience. Also, they boast helpful customer service and a large selection of equipment. 4. Acer Check the on Shopee or Lazada Why It's Our Top Choice? The Acer Aspire 5 is a mid-range all-purpose laptop with excellent performance, a sleek design, and the ability to handle practically every need. It features an 11th-generation Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor with Turbo Boost Technology, ensuring quick speeds for your high-demand apps and long battery life when you're not near a power outlet. The Full HD display provides clear details and vibrant colors. The Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-36UT is an exceptional value-for-money notebook. It is a low-cost laptop with the most recent Intel processor, a long battery life, and a respectable graphics card. This flexible laptop is an excellent choice for students and professionals, as it is ideal for business use and on-the-go entertainment. Specification: - CPU: Intel Core i3-1115G4 - CPU speed: 4.1Ghz  - RAM: 4GB DDR4  - Storage: 128GB SSD - Graphics Card: Intel UHD Graphics Xe G4 48EUs  If you're looking for an inexpensive laptop that can handle jobs like a basic home office or schooling your child, this is undoubtedly a terrific price. It serves as a functional everyday laptop. 5. HP Laptop Computer HP (Hewlett-Packard) is a well-known computer brand noted for its varied range of laptops designed to meet the demands of various users. HP laptops are created with performance, dependability, and a modern design in mind, with options ideal for both casual and professional users. These laptops are outfitted with the most recent Intel or AMD CPUs, allowing for efficient multitasking and smooth performance across a wide range of tasks. HP laptops frequently have bright displays with high resolutions, allowing users to enjoy clear pictures for entertainment, work, or creative tasks. The brand provides a range of screen sizes, including tiny alternatives for easier portability and larger panels for better watching experiences. Furthermore, HP laptops include a variety of connectivity options, such as USB, HDMI, and wireless connectivity, allowing users to connect to external devices and networks with ease. Many models have built-in webcams and high-quality audio systems, which improve the entire user experience for video calls, multimedia consumption, and gaming. HP laptops are designed with a strong emphasis on durability and user convenience in mind, with long-lasting battery life, ergonomic keyboards, and responsive touchpads, assuring pleasant and efficient operation for prolonged periods of time. Furthermore, the company offers a variety of security measures, such as biometric authentication and privacy settings, to protect user data and improve overall system security. Overall, HP laptops are known for their performance, design, and price, making them a popular choice for a wide spectrum of users, including students, professionals, and ordinary customers looking for dependable computing solutions.

HP laptops for sale on the market As of my last knowledge update in 2022, the specific top-selling HP laptop SKUs may have changed. However, as of that time, some of the top HP laptop SKUs were: - HP Pavilion 15-cs3019nr: A mid-range laptop known for its sleek design, solid performance, and affordability. It typically features a 15.6-inch display, an Intel Core i7 processor, ample RAM, and a sizable SSD for storage. - HP Spectre x360 13t: A premium 2-in-1 laptop known for its impressive build quality, high-resolution display, and strong performance. It usually features the latest Intel Core processors, a convertible design, and a range of premium features. - HP Envy 13: A stylish and portable laptop known for its slim design, strong performance, and long battery life. It typically features a 13.3-inch display, Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, and a solid-state drive for fast storage. - HP Omen 15: A popular gaming laptop is known for its powerful specifications, high-quality display, and gaming-centric design. It typically features high-performance processors, dedicated graphics cards, and a range of features tailored for gaming enthusiasts. Please note that the popularity of specific laptop SKUs can vary over time and may differ based on regional or market-specific preferences. For the most accurate and up-to-date information on the top-selling HP laptop SKUs, it is advisable to consult the latest market research data or contact HP directly for the most recent sales information. Pros & Cons: Pros of HP Laptops: - Diverse Range: HP offers a diverse range of laptops suitable for various user needs, including lightweight and portable options, as well as high-performance models for gaming and professional use. - Strong Performance: HP laptops are equipped with powerful processors and ample RAM, delivering efficient multitasking capabilities and smooth performance for a wide range of tasks. - Sleek Design: Many HP laptops feature sleek and modern designs, incorporating slim profiles and premium materials, making them visually appealing and portable. - High-Quality Displays: HP laptops often come with high-resolution displays, providing vibrant visuals and crisp image quality for multimedia consumption, gaming, and work-related tasks. - Connectivity Options: HP laptops offer a variety of connectivity options, including multiple USB ports, HDMI, and wireless connectivity, allowing users to connect seamlessly with various devices and networks. Cons of HP Laptops: - Battery Life: Some HP laptop models may have shorter battery life compared to competitors, especially in the case of high-performance laptops or those with power-hungry components. - Bloatware: Certain HP laptops may come pre-installed with bloatware or unnecessary software, which can potentially affect system performance and user experience. - Build Quality: While many HP laptops feature sturdy builds, some models may have less robust construction compared to premium alternatives, potentially leading to durability issues over time. - Heating Issues: Certain HP laptop models may encounter heating issues, especially during intensive tasks or extended usage, which can affect performance and user comfort. - Customer Support: Users may experience inconsistent customer support services, depending on their location and the specific HP product, leading to potential challenges in resolving technical issues or inquiries. 6. Lenovo Laptop Computer Lenovo is a worldwide technology firm recognized for its innovative and dependable laptop computers. The company provides laptops to meet the needs of a wide range of consumers, including business professionals, students, gamers, and everyday users. Lenovo laptops are known for their sturdy construction, powerful performance, and ergonomic designs. Lenovo's laptop lineup includes models with varied characteristics, such as Intel or AMD processors, that provide customers with effective multitasking and smooth performance for a variety of computer jobs. Many Lenovo laptops have high-resolution displays that deliver sharp graphics and rich colors, making them ideal for multimedia consumption, content creation, and gaming. The brand prioritizes user convenience, adding features such as ergonomic keyboards, sensitive touchpads, and long-lasting battery life to ensure pleasant and efficient usage even over long periods of time. Lenovo laptops also come with a variety of connecting options, such as USB, HDMI, and wireless connectivity, allowing for easy connections with external devices and networks. Lenovo also stresses security and privacy, incorporating technologies such as strong data encryption, biometric authentication, and extensive privacy settings to protect user data and improve system security. Lenovo laptop computers are well-known for their durability, efficiency, and versatility, making them a popular choice for a wide spectrum of consumers looking for dependable and efficient computing solutions.

Lenovo laptops for sale on the market As of my last update in 2022, the specific top-selling Lenovo laptop SKUs may have changed. However, as of that time, some of the top Lenovo laptop SKUs were: - Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon: A premium business laptop known for its durability, lightweight design, and strong performance. It typically features high-end Intel Core processors, a high-resolution display, and robust security features. - Lenovo Yoga C940: A popular 2-in-1 laptop known for its sleek design, versatile functionality, and impressive performance. It usually features a convertible design, high-quality display, and powerful specifications suitable for both work and entertainment purposes. - Lenovo Legion 5: A well-regarded gaming laptop is known for its robust gaming performance, high-quality display, and gaming-centric design. It typically features powerful processors, dedicated graphics cards, and advanced cooling systems to support intensive gaming sessions. - Lenovo IdeaPad 3: An affordable and practical laptop known for its reliable performance, user-friendly design, and budget-friendly pricing. It typically features mid-range specifications suitable for everyday computing tasks and light productivity work. Please note that the popularity of specific laptop SKUs can vary over time and may differ based on regional or market-specific preferences. For the most accurate and up-to-date information on the top-selling Lenovo laptop SKUs, it is advisable to consult the latest market research data or contact Lenovo directly for the most recent sales information. Pros & Cons: Pros of Lenovo Laptops: - Diverse Product Range: Lenovo offers a diverse range of laptops catering to various user needs, including business professionals, students, and gamers, providing options for different budgets and preferences. - Robust Build Quality: Lenovo laptops are known for their durable construction, making them suitable for everyday use and offering long-term reliability. - Strong Performance: Many Lenovo laptops come equipped with powerful processors, ample RAM, and dedicated graphics cards, providing efficient multitasking capabilities and smooth performance for various tasks, including gaming and multimedia editing. Read the full article

[agencyintelligenceai-seo]

Mobile-First Indexing SEO 2023

The low down on mobile-first indexing:

Yes, yes, you'll find out what this has to do with Space Jam in a while. (And yes, it's about the website). First of all I'll give you the low down, and then you can read on for the exciting part.

Google just wrapped up its Mobile-First Indexing initiative in 2023 on October 31 after 6 years in the works.

WHO, WHAT, WHY, WHEN, WHERE, HOW

Who: This update affects all website owners, especially those with older, desktop-only sites.

Why: Google has been transitioning to a mobile-first index since November 2016 to better reflect how users search on smartphones and the always-increasing smartphone audience. They want to provide the best search experience.

What: Google's index is now 100% mobile-first as of October 2023. Googlebot only crawls sites as if from a mobile device.

When: The transition began in 2016. By March 2020, 70% of Google's index was mobile-first. The final switch for all sites occurred in October 2023.

Where: This update impacts websites globally that appear in Google search results.

How: Site owners should evaluate if their site works well on mobile devices. If not, make necessary adjustments so content displays properly when crawled by Googlebot. Focus on fixing missing elements to avoid rankings decline. For desktop-dominant sites, limited exceptions may apply but changes are still recommended.

In summary, Google has completed the switch to a 100% mobile-first index after a 7-year transition. All sites should be optimized for mobile, especially those with high mobile traffic. This ensures Google can properly crawl, index and rank pages. Legacy desktop-only sites are a bit trickier. Some need improvements, while others don't. It's case by case.

How Do I Know If My Site Is Affected by the Mobile First Index?

Many tech SEOs think the whole mobile-first debacle is a nothingburger. But if Google crawls your desktop-only site, and it's unusable, what will happyn?

It depends. Some industries are mobile-dominant. Others are desktop-dominant. Here's how to identify which category you fall into:

1. Mobile-Dominant

Most consumer (B2C) websites see on average more than 50%+ mobile traffic, especially e-commerce and local services. In some cases, more than 80%.

When you’re in a mobile-dominant industry, the first interaction is usually an urgent one, like a phone call or add to cart. Can your customers do it if they can't use your site on a mobile phone?

Unless you’re the only one in the world providing the product or service you carry, get a mobile-friendly design.

2. Desktop-Dominant

Many business-to-business (B2B) industries also thrive on SEO. Imagine a company executive, sitting in their office or on a factory floor, Googling for a medical testing and outsourcing service, and they come across you.

Can you guess what device they used to find your website?

If you guessed “a laptop” or “a desktop”, you’re right. Most of our clients’ B2B websites see 80%+ desktop traffic.

Again, Google crawls these sites through the eyes of a mobile browser. You’ll want to check your desktop-dominant site. Let me ask you: 

Does it look like shit on a phone?

Missing any elements on a phone? 

If “yes” to the latter, you might have some work to do. Not necessarily to make it mobile-friendly, rather to correct those missing elements, so Google can crawl your site and give it the SEO value it deserves.

The situation isn't entirely bleak, though. Google has acknowledged that a "very small set of sites" that don't work on mobile devices at all will continue to be crawled by the legacy desktop Googlebot, albeit much less often. We don't know if the Space Jam website from 1996 gets this treatment, but it's the most talked-about prehistoric website that gets purposely kept alive, which is healthy Google juice, so let's assume the Mobile Googlebot favors Bugs Bunny and the Tune Squad gang.

But it appears Google won’t notify you if you're bound to the legacy Desktop Googlebot. So it’s a clear signal: Do something, or risk obsolescence.

Do you have an ugly old desktop-only site? They tend to be SEO-friendlier relics, but it might be at risk, considering Google has demoted so many valuable blog articles of yore.

Consider an audit.