#how to launch a website in 1 hour

[olivergisttv]

From Prompt to Product: How AI Can Build Your Website in 1 Hour or Less

Remember when building a website meant weeks of fiddling with code, hiring a developer, or spending a fortune on templates that still needed customization? Yeah, that’s history. In 2025, all you need is a simple prompt, a few clicks, and an AI that gets the job done—fast. In this article, we’re diving into how AI-powered website builders are flipping the script—letting entrepreneurs, freelancers,…

[tofupixel]

⭐ So you want to learn pixel art? ⭐

🔹 Part 1 of ??? - The Basics!

Edit: Now available in Google Doc format if you don't have a Tumblr account 🥰

Hello, my name is Tofu and I'm a professional pixel artist. I have been supporting myself with freelance pixel art since 2020, when I was let go from my job during the pandemic.

My progress, from 2017 to 2024. IMO the only thing that really matters is time and effort, not some kind of natural talent for art.

This guide will not be comprehensive, as nobody should be expected to read allat. Instead I will lean heavily on my own experience, and share what worked for me, so take everything with a grain of salt. This is a guide, not a tutorial. Cheers!

🔹 Do I need money?

NO!!! Pixel art is one of the most accessible mediums out there.

I still use a mouse because I prefer it to a tablet! You won't be at any disadvantage here if you can't afford the best hardware or software.

Because our canvases are typically very small, you don't need a good PC to run a good brush engine or anything like that.

✨Did you know? One of the most skilled and beloved pixel artists uses MS PAINT! Wow!!

🔹 What software should I use?

Here are some of the most popular programs I see my friends and peers using. Stars show how much I recommend the software for beginners! ⭐

💰 Paid options:

⭐⭐⭐ Aseprite (for PC) - $19.99

This is what I and many other pixel artists use. You may find when applying to jobs that they require some knowledge of Aseprite. Since it has become so popular, companies like that you can swap raw files between artists.

Aseprite is amazingly customizable, with custom skins, scripts and extensions on Itch.io, both free and paid.

If you have ever used any art software before, it has most of the same features and should feel fairly familiar to use. It features a robust animation suite and a tilemap feature, which have saved me thousands of hours of labour in my work. The software is also being updated all the time, and the developers listen to the users. I really recommend Aseprite!

⭐ Photoshop (for PC) - Monthly $$

A decent option for those who already are used to the PS interface. Requires some setup to get it ready for pixel-perfect art, but there are plenty of tutorials for doing so.

Animation is also much more tedious on PS which you may want to consider before investing time!

⭐⭐ ProMotion NG (for PC) - $19.00

An advanced and powerful software which has many features Aseprite does not, including Colour Cycling and animated tiles.

⭐⭐⭐ Pixquare (for iOS) - $7.99 - $19.99 (30% off with code 'tofu'!!)

Probably the best app available for iPad users, in active development, with new features added all the time.

Look! My buddy Jon recommends it highly, and uses it often.

One cool thing about Pixquare is that it takes Aseprite raw files! Many of my friends use it to work on the same project, both in their office and on the go.

⭐ Procreate (for iOS) - $12.99

If you have access to Procreate already, it's a decent option to get used to doing pixel art. It does however require some setup. Artist Pixebo is famously using Procreate, and they have tutorials of their own if you want to learn.

⭐⭐ ReSprite iOS and Android. (free trial, but:) $19.99 premium or $$ monthly

ReSprite is VERY similar in terms of UI to Aseprite, so I can recommend it. They just launched their Android release!

🆓 Free options:

⭐⭐⭐ Libresprite (for PC)

Libresprite is an alternative to Aseprite. It is very, very similar, to the point where documentation for Aseprite will be helpful to Libresprite users.

⭐⭐ Pixilart (for PC and mobile)

A free in-browser app, and also a mobile app! It is tied to the website Pixilart, where artists upload and share their work. A good option for those also looking to get involved in a community.

⭐⭐ Dotpict (for mobile)

Dotpict is similar to Pixilart, with a mobile app tied to a website, but it's a Japanese service. Did you know that in Japanese, pixel art is called 'Dot Art'? Dotpict can be a great way to connect with a different community of pixel artists! They also have prompts and challenges often.

🔹 So I got my software, now what?

◽Nice! Now it's time for the basics of pixel art.

❗ WAIT ❗ Before this section, I want to add a little disclaimer. All of these rules/guidelines can be broken at will, and some 'no-nos' can look amazing when done intentionally.

The pixel-art fundamentals can be exceedingly helpful to new artists, who may feel lost or overwhelmed by choice. But if you feel they restrict you too harshly, don't force yourself! At the end of the day it's your art, and you shouldn't try to contort yourself into what people think a pixel artist 'should be'. What matters is your own artistic expression. 💕👍

◽Phew! With that out of the way...

🔸"The Rules"

There are few hard 'rules' of pixel art, mostly about scaling and exporting. Some of these things will frequently trip up newbies if they aren't aware, and are easy to overlook.

🔹Scaling method

There are a couple ways of scaling your art. The default in most art programs, and the entire internet, is Bi-linear scaling, which usually works out fine for most purposes. But as pixel artists, we need a different method.

Both are scaled up x10. See the difference?

On the left is scaled using Bilinear, and on the right is using Nearest-Neighbor. We love seeing those pixels stay crisp and clean, so we use nearest-neighbor. 

(Most pixel-art programs have nearest-neighbor enabled by default! So this may not apply to you, but it's important to know.)

🔹Mixels

Mixels are when there are different (mixed) pixel sizes in the same image.

Here I have scaled up my art- the left is 200%, and the right is 150%. Yuck!

As we can see, the "pixel" sizes end up different. We generally try to scale our work by multiples of 100 - 200%, 300% etc. rather than 150%. At larger scales however, the minute differences in pixel sizes are hardly noticeable!

Mixels are also sometimes seen when an artist scales up their work, then continues drawing on it with a 1 pixel brush.

Many would say that this is not great looking! This type of pixels can be indicative of a beginner artist. But there are plenty of creative pixel artists out there who mixels intentionally, making something modern and cool.

🔹Saving Your Files

We usually save our still images as .PNGs as they don’t create any JPEG artifacts or loss of quality. It's a little hard to see here, but there are some artifacts, and it looks a little blurry. It also makes the art very hard to work with if we are importing a JPEG.

For animations .GIF is good, but be careful of the 256 colour limit. Try to avoid using too many blending mode layers or gradients when working with animations. If you aren’t careful, your animation could flash afterwards, as the .GIF tries to reduce colours wherever it can. It doesn’t look great!

Here's an old piece from 2021 where I experienced .GIF lossiness, because I used gradients and transparency, resulting in way too many colours.

🔹Pixel Art Fundamentals - Techniques and Jargon

❗❗Confused about Jaggies? Anti-Aliasing? Banding? Dithering? THIS THREAD is for you❗❗ << it's a link, click it!!

As far as I'm concerned, this is THE tutorial of all time for understanding pixel art. These are techniques created and named by the community of people who actually put the list together, some of the best pixel artists alive currently. Please read it!!

🔸How To Learn

Okay, so you have your software, and you're all ready to start. But maybe you need some more guidance? Try these tutorials and resources! It can be helpful to work along with a tutorial until you build your confidence up.

⭐⭐ Pixel Logic (A Digital Book) - $10 A very comprehensive visual guide book by a very skilled and established artist in the industry. I own a copy myself.

⭐⭐⭐ StudioMiniBoss - free A collection of visual tutorials, by the artist that worked on Celeste! When starting out, if I got stuck, I would go and scour his tutorials and see how he did it.

⭐ Lospec Tutorials - free A very large collection of various tutorials from all over the internet. There is a lot to sift through here if you have the time.

⭐⭐⭐ Cyangmou's Tutorials - free (tipping optional) Cyangmou is one of the most respected and accomplished modern pixel artists, and he has amassed a HUGE collection of free and incredibly well-educated visual tutorials. He also hosts an educational stream every week on Twitch called 'pixelart for beginners'.

⭐⭐⭐ Youtube Tutorials - free There are hundreds, if not thousands of tutorials on YouTube, but it can be tricky to find the good ones. My personal recommendations are MortMort, Brandon, and AdamCYounis- these guys really know what they're talking about!

🔸 How to choose a canvas size

When looking at pixel art turorials, we may see people suggest things like 16x16, 32x32 and 64x64. These are standard sizes for pixel art games with tiles. However, if you're just making a drawing, you don't necessarily need to use a standard canvas size like that.

What I like to think about when choosing a canvas size for my illustrations is 'what features do I think it is important to represent?' And make my canvas as small as possible, while still leaving room for my most important elements.

Imagine I have characters in a scene like this:

I made my canvas as small as possible (232 x 314), but just big enough to represent the features and have them be recognizable (it's Good Omens fanart 😤)!! If I had made it any bigger, I would be working on it for ever, due to how much more foliage I would have to render.

If you want to do an illustration and you're not sure, just start at somewhere around 100x100 - 200x200 and go from there.

It's perfectly okay to crop your canvas, or scale it up, or crunch your art down at any point if you think you need a different size. I do it all the time! It only takes a bit of cleanup to get you back to where you were.

🔸Where To Post

Outside of just regular socials, Twitter, Tumblr, Deviantart, Instagram etc, there are a few places that lean more towards pixel art that you might not have heard of.

⭐ Lospec Lospec is a low-res focused art website. Some pieces get given a 'monthly masterpiece' award. Not incredibly active, but I believe there are more features being added often.

⭐⭐ Pixilart Pixilart is a very popular pixel art community, with an app tied to it. The community tends to lean on the young side, so this is a low-pressure place to post with an relaxed vibe.

⭐⭐ Pixeljoint Pixeljoint is one of the big, old-school pixel art websites. You can only upload your art unscaled (1x) because there is a built-in zoom viewer. It has a bit of a reputation for being elitist (back in the 00s it was), but in my experience it's not like that any more. This is a fine place for a pixel artist to post if they are really interested in learning, and the history. The Hall of Fame has some of the most famous / impressive pixel art pieces that paved the way for the work we are doing today.

⭐⭐⭐ Cafe Dot Cafe Dot is my art server so I'm a little biased here. 🍵 It was created during the recent social media turbulence. We wanted a place to post art with no algorithms, and no NFT or AI chuds. We have a heavy no-self-promotion rule, and are more interested in community than skill or exclusivity. The other thing is that we have some kind of verification system- you must apply to be a Creator before you can post in the Art feed, or use voice. This helps combat the people who just want to self-promo and dip, or cause trouble, as well as weed out AI/NFT people. Until then, you are still welcome to post in any of the threads or channels. There is a lot to do in Cafe Dot. I host events weekly, so check the threads!

⭐⭐/r/pixelart The pixel art subreddit is pretty active! I've also heard some of my friends found work through posting here, so it's worth a try if you're looking. However, it is still Reddit- so if you're sensitive to rude people, or criticism you didn't ask for, you may want to avoid this one. Lol

🔸 Where To Find Work

You need money? I got you! As someone who mostly gets scouted on social media, I can share a few tips with you:

Put your email / portfolio in your bio Recruiters don't have all that much time to find artists, make it as easy as possible for someone to find your important information!

Clean up your profile If your profile feed is all full of memes, most people will just tab out rather than sift through. Doesn't apply as much to Tumblr if you have an art tag people can look at.

Post regularly, and repost Activity beats everything in the social media game. It's like rolling the dice, and the more you post the more chances you have. You have to have no shame, it's all business baby

Outside of just posting regularly and hoping people reach out to you, it can be hard to know where to look. Here are a few places you can sign up to and post around on.

/r/INAT INAT (I Need A Team) is a subreddit for finding a team to work with. You can post your portfolio here, or browse for people who need artists.

/r/GameDevClassifieds Same as above, but specifically for game-related projects.

Remote Game Jobs / Work With Indies Like Indeed but for game jobs. Browse them often, or get email notifications.

VGen VGen is a website specifically for commissions. You need a code from another verified artist before you can upgrade your account and sell, so ask around on social media or ask your friends. Once your account is upgraded, you can make a 'menu' of services people can purchase, and they send you an offer which you are able to accept, decline, or counter.

The evil websites of doom: Fiverr and Upwork I don't recommend them!! They take a big cut of your profit, and the sites are teeming with NFT and AI people hoping to make a quick buck. The site is also extremely oversaturated and competitive, resulting in a race to the bottom (the cheapest, the fastest, doing the most for the least). Imagine the kind of clients who go to these websites, looking for the cheapest option. But if you're really desperate...

🔸 Community

I do really recommend getting involved in a community. Finding like-minded friends can help you stay motivated to keep drawing. One day, those friends you met when you were just starting out may become your peers in the industry. Making friends is a game changer!

Discord servers Nowadays, the forums of old are mostly abandoned, and people split off into many different servers. Cafe Dot, Pixel Art Discord (PAD), and if you can stomach scrolling past all the AI slop, you can browse Discord servers here.

Twitch Streams Twitch has kind of a bad reputation for being home to some of the more edgy gamers online, but the pixel art community is extremely welcoming and inclusive. Some of the people I met on Twitch are my friends to this day, and we've even worked together on different projects! Browse pixel art streams here, or follow some I recommend: NickWoz, JDZombi, CupOhJoe, GrayLure, LumpyTouch, FrankiePixelShow, MortMort, Sodor, NateyCakes, NyuraKim, ShinySeabass, I could go on for ever really... There are a lot of good eggs on Pixel Art Twitch.

🔸 Other Helpful Websites

Palettes Lospec has a huge collection of user-made palettes, for any artist who has trouble choosing their colours, or just wants to try something fun. Rejected Palettes is full of palettes that didn't quite make it onto Lospec, ran by people who believe there are no bad colours.

The Spriters Resource TSR is an incredible website where users can upload spritesheets and tilesets from games. You can browse for your favourite childhood game, and see how they made it! This website has helped me so much in understanding how game assets come together in a scene.

VGMaps Similar to the above, except there are entire maps laid out how they would be played. This is incredible if you have to do level design, or for mocking up a scene for fun.

Game UI Database Not pixel-art specific, but UI is a very challenging part of graphics, so this site can be a game-changer for finding good references!

Retronator A digital newspaper for pixel-art lovers! New game releases, tutorials, and artworks!

Itch.io A website where people can upload, games, assets, tools... An amazing hub for game devs and game fans alike. A few of my favourite tools: Tiled, PICO-8, Pixel Composer, Juice FX, Magic Pencil for Aseprite

🔸 The End?

This is just part 1 for now, so please drop me a follow to see any more guides I release in the future. I plan on doing some writeups on how I choose colours, how to practise, and more!

I'm not an expert by any means, but everything I did to get to where I am is outlined in this guide. Pixel art is my passion, my job and my hobby! I want pixel art to be recognized everywhere as an art-form, a medium of its own outside of game-art or computer graphics!

This guide took me a long time, and took a lot of research and experience. Consider following me or supporting me if you are feeling generous.

And good luck to all the fledgling pixel artists, I hope you'll continue and have fun. I hope my guide helped you, and don't hesitate to send me an ask if you have any questions! 💕

My other tutorials (so far): How to draw Simple Grass for a game Hue Shifting

[writingwithfolklore]

How to read more

In my last post, I talked about how professional authors need to be reading always, not just for skills or inspiration reasons, but also to understand their own market and what’s going on in their industry. But if you’re someone who struggles to read that much, here’s some things you can do to help:

1. Schedule a time

Even if it’s only half an hour before bed or the fifteen minute train ride you take to school/work, reading for any amount of time consistently will finish the book. Build it into your routine somewhere that ensures you always have some sort of time to spend putting pages behind you.

2. Turn to digital content less

If the choice is between an easy to put on and turn your brain off TV show over a book… how often are you going to choose the book? Try powering off your phone/other devices when you’re looking to get some reading in. I found I started reading a whole lot more the less time I spent on social media.

3. Join a club or pair up with friends

Book clubs or finding another person to read with you is a great way to hold you to finishing a book. Plus, some of the best parts of reading are connecting with others over a story, and sharing theories, art work, head canons, etc.

4. Try other formats

If physical books aren’t your style, try an e-reader or an audio book. I sometimes get a bit car sick reading a book on the bus, but I can listen to it on my phone and finish it far faster. It doesn’t matter how the book gets done if the book gets done.

5. Don’t be afraid to DNF

If you’re not enjoying a book and coming back to read it is a chore—you don’t have to finish it. It’s okay to put down a book and choose something new if it’s not grabbing you. Reading, while informative for the reasons we already talked about, is also supposed to be fun. Put it down and move on if you aren’t having fun.

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(Psst... Did you know I launched a website?)

Head on over to www.gatesannai.com (or click here!) for exclusive blog posts, updates on my work, and pictures of my dog.

While you're there, consider signing up for my newsletter too :-)

[namelessmoons-corner]

Paeonia officinalis - Tender love ☆ OP81

From the series petals unfolding, forever anew

Pairing: Oscar Piastri x Mirabelle Desmarais (OC) Summary: Mirabelle is a Monaco-based florist and Oscar is a Formula 1 driver. They're trying to soft launch their relationship, but the world might decide otherwise. Wordcount: 1.8k AO3 link

Taken from a Instagram Live (23/07/2024)

Mirabelle is seen standing behind a table with a multitude of flowers in front of her. While she talks, she slowly chooses flowers to add to the bouquet in her hand, stripping them of their leaves. 

↬  So pretty! ↬  What kind of flowers are there? ↬  Who are the flowers for? ↬  How much do you charge for a bouquet? ↬  what if i’m allergic to flowers? ↬  Why aren’t you wearing gloves? ↬  Is that Oscar’s WAG? ↬  Why are u using insta live when twitch is available? ↬  the live is so soothing!

A woman’s voice, heavily accented,  cuts through Mirabelle’s humming. 

“So Mimi, I have a question from the viewers! How much does a bouquet cost?”

“Well it really depends! This one is made with peonies, and the budget of the client was 30 euros, so I’m putting 8 of them and agrementing it with some smaller flowers, like some heather and here I'm adding some achillées… I can't remember the name in english…” She frowns, clearly trying to remember the name of the flower. “I know! It’s milfoil! Yep, I'm adding some milfoil!”

↬  what do peonies mean? ↬  Please make me a bouquet! ↬  Why weren’t you at the Hungarian GP? ↬  That’s too much! ↬  I would never pay 30€ for a bouquet! ↬  please raise your prices ↬  Why is this girl so famous ↬  Can you answer? ↬  would you use twitch or ur lives? ↬  Please say hi Lily!

“Someone is asking if you can say hi Lily! and what peonies mean. They didn’t specify but I would guess that it’s about the language of flowers.” the same voice from before asks, coming from behind the camera.

“Well, hi Lily! I hope you’re doing well today! and peonies can mean a lot of different things, often associated with love. I have pink peonies here, and they represent tender love. I think for this bouquet, the client wants to show their admiration for the person they’ll give this to.”

↬  Are you a real florist? ↬  Where are you based? ↬  Do you know Oscar? ↬  Do you have a website? ↬ Insta is a mess; pls use Twitch ↬  I’d love to buy a bouquet from you ↬  What’s your favorite flower? ↬  Do you like f1?

“Mimi, someone is asking if you know Oscar!” The voice is amused, as if the woman knows something the viewers don’t. “And also if you like f1?”

Mirabelle blushes, her hair doing nothing to hide the red on her cheeks. “I know a lot of Oscars. And I do like F1, so I try to watch the Grand Prix when I have time.” After this intervention, Mirabelle focuses on the bouquet, adding the finishing touches before wrapping it carefully and stapling her business card to the paper sheet. She puts the bouquet aside then and says goodbye to the viewers before the live ends.

Monaco (23/07/2024)

After a long day of standing in her flower shop, plucking the leaves of flowers and creating bouquets, Mirabelle only wants to lie on her couch and take a nap. But her boyfriend and her have a dinner planned at the restaurant. Maybe she can still take a small nap. Less than an hour, she thinks. Her watch shows that it’s a bit after seven, and they’d decided to go out for nine thirty, so this means she still has some time before she needs to leave her flat for the small hole in the wall. But to leave her flat, she still needs to get to it. She’ll reach it in two minutes, but her feet are killing her.

Fortunately, she wore her dirty sneakers today and she doesn’t live far from her place of work. The perks of living in Monaco, she thinks. Maybe the only perk, aside from the beautiful view she has from her flat. She’s not here for the taxes, that’s for sure. And even if she wanted to pay less taxes, it’s not like the French government would let her.

Finally home, she removes her shoes and stretches her feet. The apartment is quite warm, hotter than the outside weather; but Mirabelle knows that it’s because she lives on the highest floor and that the building is quite old.

The fan is still where she left it this morning before leaving, so she puts a wet cloth on it before turning it on and opening the windows. Fresh air will be good.

As she goes to sit on the couch, the front door opens, keys jingling as Oscar lets himself into her flat. She’d given him the keys a few months ago, when she’d had time to make a copy of her own. At first, he’d tried to argue that he wouldn’t need them and that him having the keys to her home would be overstepping, but she’d reminded him that he still didn’t have a place in Monaco and what if he needed to put away his suitcase when she was working?

Against a logical argument that her boyfriend didn’t even try to counter, he’d just taken the keys with a sigh before adding them to his own key ring.

Mirabelle smiles at Oscar, happy to see him. He’s dragging a black suitcase into the flat, and she can see from her seat on the couch the eyebags underneath his eyes. She knows this wasn’t how her boyfriend had wanted to win his first Grand Prix, but McLaren shouldn't spoil what should have been a great day for her boyfriend.

She got up from the couch and crossed the distance separating them in three long strides, hugging him and holding on, the two of them alone, drawing comfort from the presence of the other.

Taken from Twitter (July 2024)

@/flowersandf1 Has anyone seen how @/mirabelledesmarais blushed after her friend mentioned Oscar?? I sense something is afoot ↬ @/oscatpastry I feel like there are some pics on twt floating around of them talking ↬ @/f14ever Obvi she knows Oscar, he’s super famous. She’s a nobody tho so imo she’s not even on his radar ↬ @/81futurewag And she’s boring and basic, isn’t she? she wouldn’t deserve him anywayssss

@/iddieformirabelle OMG @/mirabelledesmarais is so pretty, i’d die for her (writing this tweet in english because i’ve realised that she has 2 fandoms and i need them to interact) ↬ @/mimisflowers That’s so true!! i know that ive been a fan of hers for a few months now but i watch her english content because i don’t speak french except for oui oui baguette ↬ @/mirabellelaqueen i’ve met her once and she was so nice!! i have a picture with her now and i remember she was so surprised that i recognized her

@/oscarpiastriloml honestly whos this mirabelle and why are we hearing about her on f1 twt?? go back to your fcking flowers ↬ @/mimidefender4life btch who do u think u are? at least mirabelle is famous, go back to crying in ur moms skirts ↬ @/desfleurspourmirabelle jvous jure les fans de f1 ils sont desesperants vraiment des enfants (istg f1 fans are hopeless really they’re children)

@/op81wdc i have no idea who @/mirabelledesmarais is because i hyperfixate on f1 but could we please, the f1 fandom as a whole, leave her alone? like chill guys we don’t even if know they know each other but even if they did, it’s really not our business ↬ @/papayaforthewin hear hear ↬ @/hereforlandoscar i have no idea how i got to this side of twt, as im usually deep into landoscar land but i agree, lets leave this girl alone? are u people children ↬ @/orangepapaya EVEN IF THEYRE TOGETHER THEYRE BOTH CONSENTING ADULTS OMG

Monaco (still 23/07/2024, later in the day)

After an hour resting on the couch and looking at the white ceiling in all of its bareness, Mirabelle groans and gets up from her position, cracking the bones of her spine in a satisfying sound. Then come her shoulders, her elbows, her wrists and finally her fingers. Once she has finished sounding like wood creaking; she goes to her bedroom and slides open the door of her closet. What to wear? The restaurant is not high end, probably on the other side of the spectrum, and they’ve both been there multiple times.The sky is still clear from clouds; but the temperature has definitely dropped. When she puts her arm out of the window, she can feel the breeze of the sea moving her arm hairs, and she gets goosebumps.

She’s on the last floor of the building, so she knows that on the street, the air will be hotter. She wants to wear one of Oscar’s hoodies anyways, so she’ll probably steal it from his suitcase when he’s showering. She grins thinking about it. Oscar thinks he hides his emotions well but she can see  that he loves when she’s wearing his clothes. He’s got a possessive streak in him. 

After her shower, she decides to let her skin breath and only puts her serum before going back to the small living room and letting him know that the bathroom is free. He smiles at her gratefully and gets up to go shower. 

Once they're both ready, with her in a bright orange hoodie (it’s papaya, Oscar tells her, but honestly papaya is just a shade of orange), they put on their shoes and go out on the streets of Monaco, hand in hand.

The night is theirs to do as they please, and do as they please they shall do.

Instagram post (24/07/2024)

@/mirabelledesmarais

[Image of a strawberry blonde woman in her twenties holding more and thirty flowers in front of her. The flowers are not arranged in a bouquet, and they are all in shades of pinks and creams. Mirabelle is smiling wide, her hair in disarray]

��� 💬 

20k Likes

mirabelledesmarais merci à tous d’être venu.e.s regarder le live, ça m’a fait plaisir de pouvoir échanger avec vous! (A thank you to everyone for watching the live, I was so happy to talk with you!)

And I listened to your suggestion, so the next live will be on my brand new Twitch channel @/mirabelletalksflowers (with a small surprise)

photographer: the wonderful @/celia_guillaume

Comments

@/celia_guillaume: OMG but who took that pic!! they must be so talented :) and now i need a bouquet from you ma star (my star)

@/autistic.s0up: obsessed with you! 💜

@/lilyofthevalley: Quand est ce qu’on te voit dans une formule 4 🫣😘(when will we see you in a formula 4 car 🫣😘)

@/fleurtoujours: so pretty i’m on my knees

@/minaregardelaformule1: notre reine à toutes (our queen)

And here it is!! I'm happy that my writer's block finally lifted long enough this afternoon and tonight for me to get this out of my head ahaha! I'll probably write other installments in this series, so if you want to be on the taglist, don't hesitate to tell me :)

See you ★,°:.☆(￣▽￣)/$:.°★ 。

☽ Moon ☾

(the dividers are the work of art of @thecutestgrotto, go check her out!)

[plottwiststudios]

I Guess I Should Update Ya'll...

The upcoming Kickstarter's demo is wrapping up. Which means in a week or two, we'll go into refining the Kickstarter page, then going full speed ahead on the campaign. (Despite the fact we're only 10% of the follower goal on the actual Kickstarter page. Near existential dread there, but!) If the team has any fortune left, the Kickstarter follower count won't at all be indicative of the success of the game's campaign. So instead of looking at something I can't control, I will focus on showing everyone the vibe and feel of the sequel, and what they should expect in terms of changes.

First thing's first! Matching the narrative tones between the in-game sprites and the CGs has been greatly improved since the original game. Yes, partly because I have improved my directing and we have WAY more time to work with than before. But also, ssam_reptile's utter dedication to getting that look down while insisting on honoring @nekojirou sprites cannot be denied. There will be some scenes in the demo (that we're obviously not going to show here) that will absolutely have moments of "...Oh this is clean." And we can't wait to see ya'll's reaction to the events that play out.

Speaking of play, the core gameplay (read a visual book) is the same. But we've updated the UI a bit. The original UI artist makes his return, and presents us with a far simpler look that will hopefully cut down on confusion. Some fun little highlights:

Speaking character's name moved to the center

Quick menu display has more recognizable naming and icons

New font and font color

Name of the song playing now appears! With a volume slider!

Some of the new, cool features to the UI to be added post-campaign

And the story? For now, let's just say that breaking this game up into two has given us ideas and opportunities that we would not have had if this sequel was included in the original Women of Xal like we originally intended. One of the most notable changes is in fact the tone. Taking place weeks after the events of The True Ending of Women of Xal I, Xjena is learning the hard way that you cannot be a Matriarch without making enemies. And enemies of the powerful tend to be quite formidable themselves.

For the 1% of you who are familiar with how my stories tend to progress, this will be familiar territory: The honeymoon period that was the first part, no matter how light or dark it started, can never truly return. From this point on, things take a more serious turn, and the writing's real teeth come through. The script will still make you smile, laugh, and have heartwarming moments, but the characters have moved on from castle shenanigans. They're locked in for the turbulent second half, and the writing/presentation will reflect that.

Women of Xal II Demo Features

40 Minute Demo

New outfits for most of the returning cast

New locations

New environment art

All new music

Two new key characters

Liz has freckles now (You can thank ssam_reptile)

Please hit that Notify Me At Launch button! I'm quite serious when I say that the Kickstarter website LOVES seeing traction from the first few hours of launch and will help us encourage them to boost us from within.

[itsallreallythere]

The text reads:

Robert Reich here. Social Security is in the worst crisis of its history.

And not because it's running out of money or fraud or administrative costs. This crisis was created by Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

Field offices are being shut down. Hold times for customer service calls are hours-long. The website crashes. More than 12% of the staff has already been pushed out. And Trump plans to ultimately fire nearly half of its workforce.

I served on the Social Security board of trustees. I know how critical this program is for the 73 million Americans who rely on it. We cannot let Trump and Musk destroy Social Security.

Trump swore he wouldn't touch it. But he and Musk have a step-by-step plan to destroy one of our nation's best and most popular public programs:

1. Lie to create a pretext for actions undermining beneficiaries' access to benefits.

2. Impose deep cuts to staff and services to sabotage its ability to serve seniors.

3. Jeopardize the reliability of its systems by sharply reducing staff with tech expertise.

4. Threaten the security of our sensitive personal information by giving Musk's untrained DOGE minions access to it.

The final step? Watch the entire system collapse.

Inequality Media Civic Action has launched a major campaign to sound the alarm and mobilize people to contact Congress.

Will you donate $50, $25, or even just $3?

>> https://ineq.us/s/BAkpHk

Thank you for all you've done and continue to do to help us educate the public and stop Trump and Musk's attack on Social Security.

@samreich is the parasocial relationship most likely to have you do good shit in the world.

[bleachbleachbleach]

Senkaimon Travel Procedures

"There are many benefits to being a marine biologist."

Even though 99.99% of interdimensional travel is baked into normal Gotei procedures that shinigami use every single day, I feel like the Gotei has probably made it difficult for no other reason than it's not anyone's job to make it not difficult.

Like, it'd be nice if you could receive your Living World Assignment and then, at 7AM on launch day, show up at a senkaimon and go through it. Cake! (Or--well, you know what I mean, this being Soul Society.)

But I feel like this line from my work’s website about there being "many benefits to using a travel management system" exists because our previous travel management system was so bad it felt like it should be regulated by the state as a form of gambling. I see no reason why the Gotei's version would NOT be like this. So:

You cannot, in fact, simply show up and walk through a senkaimon, on the date the Gotei itself told you you would need to do so. You need to go to the physical Travel Management Office, which is run by like two dudes from the Kidou Corps.

You will give them your deployment summons, which they will cross-reference with the copy they may or may not have received. (You need to time your trip to the Travel Management Office such that you have enough time to make your arrangements, but the mail also has enough time to make it through the entire Seireitei postal system.)

Despite the fact that this paperwork is handled entirely analog, the next part of this process involves a giant mainframe like the ones they have at the 12th. It prints data matrices that only these two Travel Management Office Kidou Corps guys can translate into dates, times, and--most importantly--prices.

Yes, you have to pay to use the Senkaimon. Well, not you personally. Your Division does. But you will at some point have to submit your receipts to your finance officer along with your other qualified expenses and it's a whole thing.

Also you had to submit a budget for your own mission that the Gotei is telling you to go on, but you had to base those prices on Death.Net's info, which is not the same info as these Travel Management Guys have.

By the time they've translated and you've selected, the mainframe prints out another matrix. Cue more translating, and more selecting, because the senkaimon time/date you've chosen is now a completely different price, well above what was originally printed. It's also at a different time, and a different day... (+/- 2-17 hours).

Expect to go through this several times, choosing time/date/price packages completely at random because you know that by the time they come back for second confirmation they'll be different. This is the gambling part of your trip to the Travel Management Office (you set aside the whole afternoon, right? You told your 10th Seat where you were going?).

The constantly shifting data is because despite being the "refined" way to travel to the Living World and back, senkaimon travel is still fairly complex, and the ability to travel (or how much energy it takes, hence the cost) is dependent upon... who knows. Solar flares. Whimsy. The stoichiometry of souls. How many people are on duty at the Kidou Corps. Obama. Bitcoin.

Speak of "and back"!!! You need to arrange that, too! If you miss your date, imagine doing all of this. But via denreishinki, instead of in person. Imagine.

Those fancy trips where it seems like captains/VCs just jump through a senkaimon? It's because instead of arranging a particular "flight" they just bought out every single opportunity within a block. This is hideously, hideously expensive. But: 1) Sometimes it's subsidized by the Central 46, if the circumstance is dire enough (but it's a reimbursement, not an advance. So, fill out that paperwork when you get back, if you don't die!). 2) This can be paid for with personal funds if it's in excess of the division budget. What else are they gonna do with all that money, right?

Even this doesn't mean there will be an instantly available senkaimon portal to avail oneself of, so sometimes after spending 7 million kan to buy out a senkaimon block you still have to wait a bit behind the doors in that little receiving room space. Yeah.

It's possible to have someone else go to the Travel Management Office and make your arrangements for you, if you have better things to be doing. But a lot of Captains/VCs actually still go themselves, either for security clearance reasons (you can't outsource your travel plans if you're on a top-secret mission lmao), or because they're private and don't want people handling their business. This means if you're the two guys who work at the Office, it's a pretty cushy gig if you're into meeting celebrities (or what passes for them in this place).

The only downside is that they're almost universally in a rush and fucking angry that they're at the Travel Management Office.

As they say, never meet your heroes!

[ameliasoulturner]

Kickstart Your Earnings with Content Writing: A Beginner’s Friendly Roadmap

If you’ve ever wondered how ordinary people turn their words into cash, content writing might be your sweet spot. You don’t need a fancy degree or decades of experience to get started. With some guidance, dedication, and a dash of creativity, you can start earning from content writing sooner than you think. This guide walks you through each step in a friendly, down‑to‑earth way so you’ll feel confident launching your freelance writing journey.

Why Content Writing Is a Great Starting Point Content writing covers everything from blog posts and web pages to social media captions and product descriptions. Businesses of all sizes need fresh, engaging words to connect with their audience, rank higher in search engines, and boost sales. As companies continue to invest in digital marketing, demand for quality content writers stays strong. Plus, you can work from anywhere, set your own hours, and choose projects that spark your interest.

Understanding the Basics of Earning from Content Writing At its core, earning from content writing means providing value through written words. Clients pay for:

Research that saves them time

SEO‑friendly copy that boosts visibility

Clear, engaging storytelling that connects with readers

Consistent output that maintains an active online presence

Your job is to become the go‑to person who delivers those benefits reliably.

Step 1: Identify Your Niche and Strengths While generalists can find work, specializing helps you stand out. Consider topics you enjoy or know well—travel, personal finance, health and wellness, tech, lifestyle, parenting, gaming, or education. Having a niche makes it easier to showcase your expertise and justify higher rates. If you’re a fitness buff who loves writing, focus on blogs and articles in that sphere. If you have a background in software, aim for tech how‑to guides.

Step 2: Build a Portfolio That Shows Your Skills Clients want proof you can write well. Even if you haven’t been paid yet, you can create sample pieces:

Start a personal blog or Medium page and publish 3 to 5 high‑quality articles in your niche.

Guest post on small blogs that accept submissions.

Rewrite or summarize existing news stories in your voice (clearly marked as samples).

Draft mock project pieces for imaginary clients—product descriptions, newsletters, or landing pages.

Organize these in a simple online portfolio. You can use free tools like Google Sites, Wix, or WordPress. Make sure each sample highlights your SEO skills by including relevant keywords naturally in titles and subheadings.

Step 3: Optimize Your Online Profiles for Visibility Next, set up profiles on freelance platforms and job boards. Popular destinations include Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, ProBlogger, Contena, and LinkedIn. When crafting your profile:

Write an engaging headline that includes “content writer” or “freelance writer.”

Summarize your background, niche focus, and any standout achievements.

List your portfolio samples or link directly to your site.

Add relevant skills: SEO, WordPress, SEMrush, Mailchimp, social media management, etc.

Request testimonials from friends or colleagues who can vouch for your work ethic or writing ability.

A well‑optimized profile boosts your chances of appearing in client searches and winning invitations.

Step 4: Find Your First Paid Gigs Landing that first paid project often takes persistence. Strategies that work:

Pitch directly to small businesses or local startups. Send personalized emails offering a free trial article or website audit.

Apply to relevant listings daily on freelance boards. Tailor each proposal to the client’s needs—mention specifics from their job post.

Explore niche‑specific boards like BloggingPro or JournalismJobs for targeted opportunities.

Network on LinkedIn by sharing helpful writing tips, engaging with posts in your niche, and connecting with marketing professionals.

Early on, you might accept lower‑priced gigs to build credibility, but avoid underpricing yourself. Aim for a rate you can increase once you’ve racked up 5 to 10 positive reviews.

Step 5: Master SEO and Content Strategy SEO savvy writers command better fees. Search Engine Optimization involves understanding how keywords, user intent, and readability affect rankings. To shine:

Use free keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest to identify target phrases.

Incorporate primary keywords in titles, opening paragraphs, subheadings, and naturally throughout the text.

Keep sentences concise, break up text with subheadings, and add bullet lists or numbered steps for scannability.

Learn basic on‑page SEO: meta descriptions, internal linking, image alt text, and proper URL structure.

Businesses pay for measurable results. If your copy ranks higher and drives traffic, you become more valuable.

Step 6: Set Competitive Rates and Payment Terms Knowing how much to charge can feel tricky. Common approaches include:

Per‑word rate: New freelance writers often start at five to ten cents per word, moving up to twenty cents or more with experience.

Per‑hour rate: Beginners might charge twenty to thirty dollars per hour, progressing to fifty and beyond as skills sharpen.

Per‑project fee: Flat rates for complete blog posts or web pages, factoring in research, revisions, and strategy.

Always agree on payment milestones. A 50/50 split works—half up front, half on completion. Use contracts to outline deliverables, deadlines, and revision policies. This keeps both sides on the same page.

Step 7: Deliver Quality and Build Long‑Term Relationships Repeat clients are freelancing gold. To keep clients coming back:

Meet deadlines without reminders.

Communicate clearly—let them know if you hit a roadblock and propose solutions.

Offer a revision round to refine the piece to their liking.

Suggest topic ideas for future posts based on emerging trends in their industry.

When clients see you consistently add value, they’ll hire you again and refer you to others.

Step 8: Leverage Tools and Continuous Learning Stay competitive by embracing helpful platforms:

Grammarly or ProWritingAid to polish grammar and tone.

Yoast or Rank Math (for WordPress) to fine‑tune on‑page SEO.

Trello or Asana for managing multiple projects smoothly.

Google Analytics basics to understand content performance.

Invest time in online courses or webinars on SEO, storytelling, and copywriting. The more you learn, the more you can charge.

Step 9: Scale Your Earnings Over Time Once you’ve established a steady stream of projects, scaling becomes the name of the game. Options include:

Raising your rates for new clients while maintaining current engagements.

Packaging content services—offer blog writing plus email newsletters or social media management as a bundle.

Outsourcing parts of the work, like research or editing, to junior writers, allowing you to focus on strategy and client relations.

Creating digital products, such as eBooks or courses on content writing, to earn passive income.

Diversifying revenue streams helps insulate your income from slow periods.

Putting It All Together Earning from content writing is an achievable goal, even if you’re starting from scratch. By identifying your niche, building an impressive portfolio, mastering SEO, and delivering top‑notch work, you’ll attract clients eager to pay for your expertise. Remember that patience and persistence pay off. Treat every project as a chance to improve your craft and delight a client. Before you know it, you’ll have a thriving freelance writing business that fits your lifestyle and fuels your creative passions.

[dimalink]

Character screen for role playing game

Pixel art for today based on videogame The Elder Scrolls Chapter 2 Daggerfall for computer system PC MsDos. A famous Three dimensional role playing game. Which can be launched with 486 processor. A huge world. For explore. And fantasy. With magic.

And this is my drawing based on Elder Scrolls 2 (Ms Dos). A mysterious role playing game. As a Wizardry or Might and Magic. With interesting role playing system. And with interesting locations for explore. A plains of ice. A catacombs of fire. Someplace – there are elves. And someplace – there are demons. And interesting game feature - it is character screen.

Which is good enough drawing. To watch it. And to spent sometime there. It is interesting to see how looks new armor. Or coat. Or what kind of new arrow do you have. For your bow. Some little numbers, digits which shows upgrades. Here +1, there +1. And result you have not bad, you know!

Don’t forget to take on amulet. Which defends you from fire or ice. It depends about a place you go. It is so a full dive into virtual world.

I am also a fan of explore locations. To spent lots of time in labyrinths. And search new items. Something like sword +1, Spell +2, new armor +3. And so on. And to see all of these at the character screen. It is something like personal achievements. And also, if it has interesting storyline – to continue next. To complete this labyrinth, to get to know what the way story makes a turn.

It is so retro role playing moment. One thing, that these games take lots of time. About 40 minutes. And better hour-two hours.

Dima Link is making retro videogames, apps, a little of music, write stories, and some retro more.

WEBSITE: http://www.dimalink.tv-games.ru/home_eng.html ITCHIO: https://dimalink.itch.io/

TUMBLR: https://dimalink.tumblr.com/ BLOGGER: https://dimalinkeng.blogspot.com/ MASTODON: https://mastodon.social/@DimaLink

[bu1lwaypro]

Bullwaypro.com review Trading Times

Finding a reliable broker in the forex market can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. With so many platforms out there, how do you know which ones are trustworthy? That’s exactly why we’re diving into Bullwaypro.com review—a broker that’s been gaining traction among traders.

Legitimacy in this industry isn’t just about having a sleek website. It’s about proper regulation, transparency, user satisfaction, and overall trading conditions. So, does Bullwaypro.com reviews check all the right boxes? We’ll break down everything you need to know—its licensing, customer reviews, trading conditions, and more—to see if this broker is as solid as it claims to be.

Bullwaypro.com Trading Times Review: Market Hours for Optimal Trading

Understanding the trading times of a broker is crucial for maximizing opportunities in the forex market. Bullwaypro.com review operates across major global trading sessions, ensuring that traders can engage in the market at the most active times.

Winter Session:

Australia: 8 PM - 5 AM

Tokyo: 12 AM - 9 AM

London: 8 AM - 4 PM

Toronto: 1 PM - 10 PM

Summer Session:

Australia: 9 PM - 6 AM

Tokyo: 12 AM - 9 AM

London: 7 AM - 3 PM

Toronto: 12 PM - 9 PM

This schedule aligns with the forex market's peak trading hours, ensuring liquidity and volatility—two key factors that traders look for. The London and New York overlap (12 PM - 4 PM GMT in winter, 11 AM - 3 PM GMT in summer) is particularly significant, as it's the most active period for currency trading.

Bullwaypro.com– Establishment and Domain Registration

When evaluating a broker’s legitimacy, one of the first things to check is its establishment date and domain registration. A reliable company will always have these dates aligned—meaning the brand should not be created after its official domain was registered. This is a key indicator of transparency.

Bullwaypro.com review was founded in 2022, while its domain was registered in November 2021. What does this tell us? It shows that the company planned its online presence in advance rather than setting up a website at the last minute for questionable operations.

There is no discrepancy here, which is already a good sign. Scammers often register domains retroactively or use brand-new websites with no history. In this case, everything checks out: the brand was officially launched in 2022, but preparations for its online presence started earlier. This looks like a strong argument in favor of legitimacy.

This approach is typical of companies that plan for long-term operations rather than short-term gains. Serious brokers care about their reputation from the very beginning.

Bullwaypro.com– Regulatory License

One of the strongest indicators of a broker’s legitimacy is its regulation. A broker operating under a well-known financial authority provides a layer of security for traders. It ensures that the company follows strict guidelines, adheres to fair trading practices, and protects client funds. So, what about Bullwaypro.com reviews?

This broker is regulated by the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority), which is one of the most respected financial regulators in the world. The FCA is known for its stringent requirements, which include financial transparency, capital adequacy, and strict anti-fraud measures. Not every broker can obtain this license—it’s granted only to companies that meet high operational and ethical standards.

Why does this matter? Because brokers regulated by the FCA are legally required to segregate client funds, meaning traders’ money is kept separate from the company’s operational funds. This significantly reduces the risk of mismanagement or fraud. Moreover, FCA-regulated brokers must participate in compensation schemes, which provide traders with financial protection in case of unexpected company failures.

This looks like a strong argument in favor of Bullwaypro.com’s legitimacy. A broker with an FCA license isn’t just an offshore entity operating without oversight—it’s a company that abides by strict regulatory standards. We think that’s a big deal when it comes to trust.

Bullwaypro reviews – Customer Reviews and Reputation

When assessing a broker’s trustworthiness, user feedback plays a crucial role. A high Trustpilot rating and a large number of reviews indicate that traders actively use the platform and, more importantly, are satisfied with its services. So, how does Bullwaypro.com review perform in this regard?

Bullwaypro.com reviews has an impressive Trustpilot score of 4.4, based on 2,995 reviews. That’s a significant number of ratings, which suggests that the platform is not only widely used but also maintains a high level of client satisfaction. In the forex industry, where scams are unfortunately common, it’s rare to see brokers with such consistently positive feedback.

Now, let’s break this down further. Out of the total reviews, 2,869 are rated 4 or 5 stars. This means that over 95% of users have had a positive experience with the broker. What does this tell us? First, that traders are successfully using the platform and are happy with its services. Second, that the company is not hiding behind fake reviews or limited feedback—it has a real and engaged user base.

Final Verdict: Is Bullwaypro.com reviews a Legit Broker?

After analyzing all key aspects of Bullwaypro.com review, the evidence strongly suggests that this broker is legitimate. Let’s quickly recap why:

Regulation: Bullwaypro.com reviews is regulated by the FCA, one of the most respected financial authorities. This ensures strict oversight, fund security, and compliance with industry standards.

Domain and Establishment Date: The broker was founded in 2022, with its domain registered in 2021, showing transparency and long-term planning.

User Reviews: A Trustpilot score of 4.4 based on 2,995 reviews—with over 95% positive ratings—indicates a strong reputation and high trader satisfaction.

Trading Conditions: The platform offers multiple account types, fast deposits & withdrawals, low fees, and a well-rated mobile app—features that serious traders look for.

Customer Support & Accessibility: A variety of contact options and a well-structured support system make it easy for traders to get help when needed.

Looking at all these factors together, Bullwaypro.com review appears to be a trustworthy and well-regulated broker. It has a solid reputation, a strong regulatory framework, and a growing community of satisfied traders. While every trader should conduct their own due diligence, all signs point to this being a reliable choice in the forex market.

[windealagency]

Windealagency.com review – Register

When choosing a broker, traders need to consider multiple factors: regulation, reputation, trading conditions, and security measures. With so many platforms out there, it's essential to separate trustworthy brokers from those that might pose a risk.

Today, we take a close look at windealagency.com review to determine whether it meets the standards of a legitimate and reliable forex broker. We’ll analyze key aspects such as its regulation, user reviews, trading conditions, deposit and withdrawal policies, and customer support.

The goal? To see if windealagency.com reviews is truly a broker traders can trust. Let’s dive in!

How to Register on windealagency.com: A Step-by-Step Guide

Registering on windealagency.com reviews is a straightforward process, but it’s crucial to follow each step correctly. Here's how to do it:

Step 1: Access the Website and Click "Create Account"

On the homepage, locate the "Create Account" button in the upper right corner and click on it to begin registration.

Step 2: Fill in the Registration Form

Enter the required details: ✔ Full Name – Use your real name for verification. ✔ Email Address – A confirmation link will be sent here. ✔ Password – Choose a strong password for security.

Step 3: Confirm Your Email

Check your inbox for a verification email and click the link to activate your account. Without this step, your account won’t be fully functional.

Step 4: Log In and Set Up Your Profile

After verification, log in using your credentials. You may need to complete additional details, such as selecting an account type (demo or real) and linking a payment method.

Step 5: Identity Verification (KYC)

For security and compliance reasons, the broker may require: 📌 Passport/ID scan to verify identity. 📌 Proof of address (utility bill or bank statement). 📌 Selfie with ID (sometimes required). Verification usually takes a few hours to 48 hours.

Step 6: Deposit Funds and Start Trading

To trade on a real account, you need to make a deposit using bank cards, e-wallets, or cryptocurrencies. Once funded, you can access all platform features.

Establishment Date of windealagency.com

One of the key indicators of a broker's legitimacy is the relationship between the brand's establishment date and the domain registration date. If a broker truly operates transparently, its domain should not be younger than its claimed establishment date.

In the case of windealagency.com review, we see that: ✔ The brand was established in 2021✔ The domain was registered on November 19, 2020

This alignment is a strong sign of credibility. Why? Because many fraudulent brokers register domains after claiming to be in business for years. Here, the domain was secured before the company officially started operations, indicating a well-planned and legitimate business launch rather than a rushed setup.

Would a scam broker invest in securing its domain before launching? Unlikely. This suggests windealagency.com reviews is built for long-term operations rather than quick fraud.

Windealagency.com License & Regulation

A broker’s license is one of the strongest indicators of its legitimacy. Without proper regulation, a platform can operate unchecked, making it risky for traders. So, does windealagency.com review hold a solid regulatory status?

✔ Regulated by the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority)✔ License type: High Authority

The FCA is one of the most strict and reputable financial regulators globally. Brokers under the FCA must comply with capital requirements, transparency policies, and client fund protection rules. This means traders on windealagency.com reviews are safeguarded against unfair practices.

Would a fraudulent broker choose an FCA license? Highly unlikely. The FCA doesn’t hand out licenses easily, and companies must meet ongoing requirements to maintain them. This strongly suggests that windealagency.com reviews is a legitimate and well-regulated broker.

Trading Hours on windealagency.com

Understanding trading hours is crucial for traders, as different market sessions provide unique opportunities. windealagency.com reviews follows the global forex market schedule, ensuring traders can access the markets at the right times.

Here’s the breakdown of the trading sessions:

📌 Winter Session:

Australia: 8 PM – 5 AM

Tokyo: 11 PM – 8 AM

London: 3 AM – 12 PM

New York: 8 AM – 5 PM

This setup aligns perfectly with the traditional forex trading schedule, covering all major financial hubs. Having access to multiple sessions means traders can take advantage of higher volatility, news releases, and liquidity at different times of the day.

Would a non-legit broker bother offering a well-structured global trading schedule? Unlikely. This confirms that windealagency.com review operates within professional market hours, making it a reliable choice for traders worldwide. ​

Is windealagency.com review a Legitimate Broker?

After a detailed review of windealagency.com reviews, the evidence strongly suggests that this broker operates legally and transparently. Let’s recap the key points:

✅ Established History – The domain was registered before the company officially launched, proving a well-planned operation rather than a rushed setup. ✅ Strong Regulation – Holding an FCA license, one of the most respected financial regulators, ensures compliance with strict industry standards. ✅ Positive Reputation – High Trustpilot ratings and a significant number of user reviews indicate real traders have had good experiences. ✅ Professional Trading Conditions – The platform offers industry-standard trading hours, competitive leverage, and multiple account options. ✅ Secure Transactions – Deposits and withdrawals use trusted payment methods, with fast processing times and zero hidden fees. ✅ Reliable Customer Support – Multiple ways to reach the broker show they prioritize client assistance.

Would a scam broker go through the trouble of obtaining FCA regulation, positive reviews, and transparent policies? Highly unlikely. Everything we’ve analyzed points to windealagency.com reviews being a legitimate and trustworthy trading platform.

If you're looking for a broker that prioritizes security, offers solid trading conditions, and maintains a strong regulatory presence, windealagency.com review seems like a reliable choice.

[hopeymchope]

So I'm playing Tribe Nine: Initial thoughts

The latest release from Kazutaka Kodaka/Kotaru Uchikoshi's joint venture, TooKyo Games, is here on mobile devices and Steam. And it's a top-down RPG with retro sprites that transitions into an third-person action system during combat encounters. It also has 3D-rendered Komatsuzaki-style character portraits during dialogue/story segments.

My initial thoughts:

"XB" baseball isn't totally in the past after all. Despite the official website talking about how XB has been left behind in favor of "XG," you'll find yourself in the middle of an "XB" match after about an hour of play. And it's tutoralized in a way that makes it clear this will be some kind of recurring mechanic. But if you're expecting actual sports-style gameplay... don't. DON'T expect that.

Baseball matches are basically Danganronpa/Rain Code-style debates/conversations. You (as either pitcher or batter) and your opponent (in the opposite position) exchange dialogue before each pitch. The deciding moment comes when your opponent says something that appears as a massive wall of 3D-rendered text. To throw the best pitch or swing the bat well at the pitch, you have to pick a good response to the opponent's text by moving your "aim" around a grid to see different response. Mind you, during the first matchup, you'll only have ONE choice of response... but it's the tutorial. You'll have more options later on. And obviously, I LOVE to see this.

The third-person action battles are pretty intense. You really have to get good at determining when you can execute light or strong attacks (the latter taking longer to "wind up"), the latter being necessary to build up meters to execute stronger "ultimate" moves that will do the REAL damage. Enemies are relentless, requiring a lot of dodges and counters. It's well-designed, don't get me wrong. But for someone like me who isn't very experienced in playing action games on a touchscreen, it can feel pretty hard to juggle at times. So although I suppose this is impressive for a mobile game, but I don't personally love handling such intense action on mobile...

The story plays up the life-or-death stakes pretty early on. If you're worried you won't see characters dying in this thing, you can worry no longer; people are definitely going to die. We meet AND lose some members of our crew before "Chapter 1" even starts! But I guess we'll see how often that will occur.

Don't worry, though; you can still play as dead characters. You're not going to lose a character whose levels you built up just because the story declared them dead. This is explained by giving you access to "holographic" incarnations of the characters. They won't participate in story sequences anymore if they're dead, but they are still controllable on the RPG-style map or in third-person combat. This same excuse also allows you to have people in your party that aren't physically supposed to be present during that par of the story.

The Steam version seems to run like crap right now? I've considered transferring my save file over from my iOS version to my Steam Deck so I can use the button-based controls there. But upon booting up the Steam incarnation of the game, it quickly becomes clear that it's full of freezes and slowdown, so it might not be worth the hassle. Seems like it's not very well-optimized, which might explain why it's currently getting such negative reviews. However, they've already pushed out like four updates in the 48 hours since launch... so hopefully this is going to get cleared up quickly.

There's a gacha element, but it's not clear how much it matters. You can only play with a party of three characters at a time, and you're gifted three to use as soon as you can have a full party. You can use the "Enigma Entity" you collect throughout the game to "pull" for support cards you can equip to your lead trio, OR for all-new characaters. The former is appreciated since equipping these cards can grant different bonuses/benefits in combat... but the latter always unlock at Level 1 when you get them. So that's a major disincentive EVER using characters beyond the starting trio... unless we eventually are given some way to rapid-level them?

This game seems like it's set up to have a distinct ending to its main story. That wouldn't be a first for mobile RPGs, of course... as someone who played Fate/Grand Order and Magia Record before this, I've seen the main narratives conclude while the devs try to keep us engaged via side stories or by creating in-game sequel narratives. But time will tell whether we'll see some kind of extension on Tribe Nine. Perhaps more importantly, how much of the main narrative is currently even available... ?

[beastickersco]

The Top 10 Hardest Things About Starting a Small Business (And How to Overcome Them)

Starting a small business is an exciting journey, but it is not all passion projects and overnight success. Whether you’re launching a sticker business, an online store, or a local shop, the process is filled with challenges, setbacks, and lessons you never saw coming.

From funding struggles to burnout, many entrepreneurs face unexpected obstacles that can make or break their business. But knowing what to expect—and how to overcome these hurdles—can help turn challenges into opportunities.

Here are the ten hardest things about starting a small business and how to tackle them successfully.

1. Finding the Right Business Idea

The Challenge:

You might have too many ideas, or you may not be able to think of a single good one. Choosing the right business idea is tough because:

• It needs to be profitable.

• It should align with your skills and passion.

• It has to have market demand, meaning people actually want to buy it.

How to Overcome It:

• Test your idea before going all in—survey potential customers or create a prototype.

• Research the competition—if no one is doing it, there may be a reason such as lack of demand.

• Solve a problem—successful businesses fill a gap in the market.

Your first business idea does not have to be your last. Many entrepreneurs pivot after learning what works.

2. Getting Funding for Your Business

The Challenge:

Most businesses need money to start, but where do you get it? Banks require strong credit, investors want proof of success, and using your own savings is risky.

How to Overcome It:

• Start small and test with low-cost products before expanding.

• Look for alternative funding such as crowdfunding, grants, or small business loans.

• Consider bootstrapping by reinvesting early profits instead of taking on debt.

Pre-selling your products is a smart way to generate cash flow before investing too much.

3. Learning Everything (Marketing, Sales, Accounting, and More)

The Challenge:

As a business owner, you wear all the hats—you are the marketer, accountant, customer service rep, and CEO all at once.

How to Overcome It:

• Learn the basics with free online courses on marketing, finance, and branding.

• Use business tools such as accounting software, AI for content creation, and social media planners.

• Outsource when possible by hiring freelancers for things you do not have time to master.

Focus on your strengths and outsource the rest once you can afford it.

4. Building a Customer Base from Scratch

The Challenge:

No customers means no sales. But how do you get people to trust a brand that just launched?

How to Overcome It:

• Leverage social media by consistently posting valuable content.

• Offer early discounts or freebies to incentivize first-time buyers.

• Encourage word-of-mouth by asking happy customers for reviews.

Building a strong brand identity, including a logo, website, and social proof, makes people more likely to buy from you.

5. Managing Time and Avoiding Burnout

The Challenge:

Most small business owners work much more than 40 hours a week—without a boss to set limits, it is easy to burn out.

How to Overcome It:

• Set a schedule and balance work time with personal time.

• Prioritize tasks by focusing on what moves the business forward.

• Take breaks because burnout leads to bad decisions and lower productivity.

You are more productive when well-rested. Take at least one day off per week to recharge.

6. Handling Self-Doubt and Fear of Failure

The Challenge:

Every entrepreneur asks themselves, “What if this fails?” Self-doubt can kill motivation before you even start.

How to Overcome It:

• Focus on progress, not perfection—you will learn as you go.

• Surround yourself with support by connecting with other business owners.

• Celebrate small wins—every sale is proof that you are on the right track.

Every successful business owner has failed before. The key is learning and pivoting when needed.

7. Dealing with Slow Sales and Unpredictable Income

The Challenge:

Some months are great, while others are painfully slow—especially in the beginning.

How to Overcome It:

• Have a backup fund by setting aside money during good months.

• Create multiple revenue streams by selling online, at markets, and on different platforms.

• Run promotions during slow periods, such as flash sales or limited-time discounts.

Focus on repeat customers because loyal customers spend more and shop often.

8. Standing Out in a Crowded Market

The Challenge:

No matter what business you start, there is competition. So how do you make people choose you over others?

How to Overcome It:

• Find your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)—what makes your brand different?

• Offer top-tier customer service because people remember great experiences.

• Build a personal brand so that people connect with you, not just your product.

Brand story matters—people buy from businesses they relate to.

9. Managing Inventory and Supply Chain Issues

The Challenge:

Whether you are selling physical products or digital goods, inventory management can be a headache—especially when suppliers have delays or price increases.

How to Overcome It:

• Start with small batches and do not overstock before testing demand.

• Work with reliable suppliers and always have a backup plan.

• Track inventory closely using software to avoid running out or over-ordering.

Having a pre-order system can help manage unexpected inventory shortages.

10. Staying Motivated When Things Get Hard

The Challenge:

Not every day will be exciting. Some days, you will want to quit. Motivation comes and goes, but consistency is key.

How to Overcome It:

• Remember your “why”—what made you start this business?

• Join entrepreneur communities because talking to other business owners helps.

• Set small goals by breaking big tasks into manageable wins.

Mindset is everything—keep pushing forward, even when it is tough.

Final Thoughts: Is Starting a Small Business Worth It?

Absolutely. Even though starting a business is hard, the freedom, creativity, and potential for success make it worth the effort. Every challenge you face is a learning opportunity that brings you closer to long-term success.

What is the hardest part of starting a business for you? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Looking for custom stickers for your small business? Check out BeaStickers.ca for high-quality, waterproof branding solutions.

[non-fantasy]

!!!!! tell me!!

OKAY SO

i couldn't sleep until 1:30 am for unimportant reasons but . at 1:30 am, i was suddenly haunted by a question, right. there are these events in tokimeki memorial girls side 3 and 4 called ADV events, where you get to see a short story from the point of view of one of the main love interests. but like. why the hell was it called adv. is it an acronym for something? what does it mean

so at 1:30 in the morning, i went to look up what tokimeki memorial girls side adv means

i do not receive an answer from search engines

instead, somehow, google heard me ask "tokimeki memorial girls side adv meaning" and gave me THIS.

it's insane, right. it's really insane. this is a 27 page essay claiming that tokimeki memorial girls side (2002), beloved romance simulator, is responsible for teaching girls to view themselves in terms of real-life stats, that rejection from anime guys will give gamers self-esteem issues, and how to view yourself through the male gaze to win love.

i look at this 27 page paper and pass out for the next 5 hours, because it is 1:30 am.

BUT. when i wake up. i am READING. i liveblogged it all to my friend in discord dms (HI @nenestansunsthings) and here are. some INCREDIBLE highlights

"the game teaches you that men expect women to change their clothes from time to time"

the author has cited japanese 123 website, livejournal, and tumblr

"japanese players are more receptive to the series' lessons on femininity than overseas players because of the constant affirmations of the japanese cultural setting" the daily affirmations of being in japan

"players are encouraged to save before making choices and reload if they do not satisfy the object of their affections, teaching women to discard their desires and preferences to please men" HAVE YOU NOT PLAYED A VIDEO GAME BEFORE?!

the author can't make up their mind over whether the game has 7 or 9 love interests

they are basing their analysis on the first game specifically but they bring up the second and third game if it supports their point. but information from the second and third games is ignored if it undermines their point

example 1: they complain about rivals mode portraying women as jealous and willing to throw away their friendships for the sake of a man's love, ignoring that game 2 allows you to calmly talk things out with your friend and game 3 entirely does away with girls being rivals entirely, the game 3 girls are always on your side 100%

example 2: they bring up tumblr posts of fans talking about how they'd date the girls to point out how heteronormative the games are. they are talking about the first game. the tumblr posts are talking about a girl from the third game

weird racism

"this game MAY cause players to develop self-worth issues" "this game MIGHT cause players to see themselves in real-life stats" THESE WORDS ARE DOING A LOT OF HEAVY LIFTING.....

the author is WRONG???? ABOUT THE GAME MECHANICS????

they claim that a guy rejected their invitation for a date because they weren't smart enough but once they were smart enough they launched themselves into a monologue about how this is PROBABLY a guy wanting a girl who is smart enough not to embarrass him but not smart enough to surpass him

THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS. IT'S RNG. THERE'S NO MINIMUM STAT REQUIREMENT TO ASK SOMEONE OUT HE JUST FLIPPED A COIN AND SAID NO

out of the four love interests they mention by name in this, THREE OF THEM HAVE THEIR NAME SPELLED WRONG

look at this fucking bibliography

they have cited, in order.

a shitpost

someone's entire blog

and all of tumblr's search results for tokimeki memorial girls side 3.

which is not even the game they're talking about.

[corruworks]

corru.observer has been a wonderful experience so far!! the worldbuilding and the characters are equally fascinating and i find myself becoming more and more attached to both - in fact i was so intrigued by the story that i didn't read that i had reached the end for now and kept looking for around 1 hour or so as i was strongly convinced i had just missed something, but that just shows how great it is to me haha !!! this question may have been asked already but when did you start working on corru.observer?

hello quartxio!! thank you for your kind words and da question!

I actually answered a question about this on my Cohost!

I started work on the base of corru.observer (EP0) in February of 2022, and then it sorta 'officially' launched in July 2022, so just under 6 months or so! I had been thinking about how I'd build it for a while before, though, so that's just "time spent semi-actively working on it"...

the earliest versions of "corru website" date back to December 2019, and there were a bunch of different iterations that reached varying levels of shareability!

also, while that may be the start of technical work, many parts of the world were developed in my mind long before I even conceived of making a website to convey them. probably well over a decade at this point!! I think this is the case for a lot of people with stories and worlds they want to share.

the fact that it's been two years since I started corru.observer proper, and that my only majorly positive memories from the past two years have been corru related is kind of crazy. It's like everything else just faded away in hindsight (positive). I kind of wish I had made more progress in that time, but at the same time, it's hard to ask for more - the job I had was totally crushing my spirit. and with all that behind us now, you've stumbled upon corru.observer at a great turning point!!

[lost-carcosa]

As Donald Trump prepared for an important meeting with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, it stood to reason that the American president might spend the morning meeting with aides, reviewing his notes and strategy, and making sure he was fully prepared for a round of delicate diplomacy.

But shortly before the Republican’s sensitive discussion with his counterpart in Moscow got underway, he decided to let the world know what else was on his mind. HuffPost reported:

President Donald Trump on Monday launched a new attack on rock legend Bruce Springsteen along with several other major celebrities during a middle-of-the-night rant on his Truth Social website. ... He also attacked Beyonce, Oprah Winfrey and Bono, claiming without evidence they were all paid to endorse Harris during last year’s presidential election.

The first sign of trouble came last week, while Trump was still in the midst of a Middle East trip, when the president set aside some time to whine about Springsteen while simultaneously suggesting that Taylor Swift is no longer “hot,” thanks entirely to his criticisms of the pop star.

Evidently, however, these were not his final words on the subject.

“HOW MUCH DID KAMALA HARRIS PAY BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN FOR HIS POOR PERFORMANCE DURING HER CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT?” Trump wrote online, in a message published at 1:34 a.m. local time. “WHY DID HE ACCEPT THAT MONEY IF HE IS SUCH A FAN OF HERS? ISN’T THAT A MAJOR AND ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION? WHAT ABOUT BEYONCÉ? ... AND HOW MUCH WENT TO OPRAH, AND BONO???”

As part of the same weird rant, the president — again, ahead of his Putin meeting — went on to write, “I am going to call for a major investigation into this matter. Candidates aren’t allowed to pay for ENDORSEMENTS, which is what Kamala did, under the guise of paying for entertainment. In addition, this was a very expensive and desperate effort to artificially build up her sparse crowds. IT’S NOT LEGAL! For these unpatriotic ‘entertainers,’ this was just a CORRUPT & UNLAWFUL way to capitalize on a broken system.”

Nearly eight hours later, when he probably should’ve been preparing for his meeting related to the war in Ukraine, the American president returned to the subject. “According to news reports, Beyoncé was paid $11,000,000 to walk onto a stage, quickly ENDORSE KAMALA, and walk off to loud booing for never having performed, NOT EVEN ONE SONG!” he wrote.

“Remember, the Democrats and Kamala illegally paid her millions of Dollars for doing nothing other than giving Kamala a full throated ENDORSEMENT. THIS IS AN ILLEGAL ELECTION SCAM AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL! IT IS AN ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION! BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, OPRAH, BONO AND, PERHAPS, MANY OTHERS, HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO!!!”

To the extent that reality still has any meaning in situations like this, let’s just briefly note that there’s literally no evidence of Harris or her campaign paying anyone for endorsements; there was nothing “unlawful” or “corrupt” about the support the then-Democratic nominee received from celebrities during the 2024 campaign; Beyoncé did not face “loud booing” after she endorsed Harris; and there’s nothing “illegal” about public figures publicly backing a presidential candidate.

It’s also probably worth mentioning in passing that Trump’s hysterical online communications don’t do any favors to his “very stable genius” description of himself.

But of particular interest was the president’s interest in “a major investigation into this matter.”

All things considered, there’s no reason to get too worked up about every Trump tantrum, his rage toward celebrities who’ve dared to criticize him, his weird approach to pop culture, or his use of the word “illegal” as a synonym for “stuff I don’t like.” What I do care about, however, is the president’s willingness to use the power of the state to pursue critics in authoritarian-style fashion.

This is especially true now with the Justice Department led by an attorney general who apparently sees herself as an extension of the White House and its political agenda — which raises the prospect of a federal investigator actually initiating a probe into celebrities that Trump doesn’t like.