#like i wanted to come up with enamel pins but those also have start-up costs

[not-poignant]

Merch Tier Revived!

As of this month, I've officially revived the Vexteria tier on Patreon and Ream as a Merch tier :D

This is the one you're looking for:

Memberships at Ream

Memberships at Patreon

I've been thinking about it for like a year and I've finally figured out a way to do it without breaking my brain (or the bank) and handling overseas postage.

While there are other bonuses in this tier, I've finally figured out how to get around overwhelming postage costs with twice-yearly drops of merch to those who subscribe for 4 consecutive months in the Evan & Vexteria tier within that period.

This is what shipped out to followers in the second half of 2023!

x 2 notebooks (lined) + postcards (with recycled paper envelopes) + vinyl stickers + a signed personalised individual letter. In this first instance, I am also the artist of this merch.

Here's me preparing everything :D

Each merch shipment will be different items and different themes - sometimes fanart, sometimes quotes, or focuses on different stories. The items can individually change too. It might be journals, more varied stickers, other forms of stationary, enamel pins, and more.

What do you get in this tier?

In this tier you get access to everything. All the early access, the merch, you get credits in all future books (which, with publishing hopefully kicking off in 2024 means seeing your name in print a fair bit!), and see any other extras I choose to share.

Why 4 consecutive months to be eligible for that 6 month drop?

To cover overseas shipping costs, which start at $20, and to also cover the raw cost of the merchandise, and also still be able to make an income off Patreon or Ream in this tier.

I like the look of an older merch bundle, can I get that instead?

Only if there's stock left over for that! And you can't get both at the same time, so if I can make a bundle based off past merchandise for you, it will be in lieu of the current bundle.

How is it shipped? How long does it take?

It's all shipped super safely. Before I worked as a writer, I worked as an artist selling fragile traditional art pieces. I've shipped over 500 worldwide. Your merch comes in a water resistant plastic sleeve that is sealed and very durable, and that goes into a thick envelope that has bubble wrap incorporated into it to make sure everything arrives safe and sound, even in inclement weather.

Because I'm shipping from Australia, items can take 2-6 weeks to arrive.

Could you ever send merch more often?

Not at the current price/s of this tier! Many overseas / non-US writers don't actually offer merch drops like this at all, and offer digital items, or only do Print-on-Demand which means nothing can be as personalised as writing you a letter of gratitude and celebration of your awesomeness.

Doing it this way means I can put a personal touch in there, and bundle everything, and know that everything's shipping safely with materials I really trust. :) It also means I can inspect every single item personally to make sure it's up to my standards before it goes to you!

Where do I check this out?

Go have a look at the memberships over on Patreon and Ream! You want the Vexteria & Evan tier. :D

Memberships at Ream (You can join for free here and follow me here without subscribing and just get a feel for it first!

Memberships at Patreon

--

A huge THANK YOU to the people who have been on this tier for ages even without these kinds of rewards. Your support is so incredibly invaluable, and I can't wait for you all to receive the first Augus & Gwyn themed merch drop. :D Y'all made this possible, and I appreciate you so much.

--

If anyone has any questions, hit me up! I'm super hyped for this. I fully understand if it's not something folks can afford, and I'm hoping to find a way to make merch more widely available in time, so that folks don't have to miss out, but until then, we have the Merch tier back up and running for the first time since about 2014!

Things like this keep the lights on, and keep the stories coming out to you over time, and more than anything, y'all have no idea how much fun I had writing individual letters to the folks in this tier, celebrating what I really loved / thought was awesome about them.

All right, thanks for your time, I'll get back to posting chapters now :D

[tboyswag]

Why stop at “I wore my binder for this?” shirt? Put it on a binder too

i love this idea but like we're three broke dudes so the startup costs for that alone would be. intense. unless any of you know a company that prints on binders on demand then idk about that!!

[caleiiiii]

mcytbers as subway workers because i work at subway and i said so

i wrote this all at like 1 am im sorry

subway terminology (at least where i work)

waste out -means an item cant, or isnt, being sold, like overbaked cookies or expired milk. gets written down on a list for tax returns or smth

freezer pulls -pulling items from the freezer to the walk in fridge so they can thaw for the upcoming days

POS system -the software used for ringing up food, has a bunch of options per type of sandwich

generally 2 shift rotations , each one has a shift lead which is ur main opener or closer

characters

dream 

makes sandwiches so fast. 

how ??? 

he wraps the sandwiches immaculately as well

definitely a main closer

george 

just. disappears during a rush 

only to be found two hours later STILL doing dishes

dream and sapnap are not pleased.

sapnap 

convinces dream to waste out bread for him so he can eat it

gives ppl he likes free cookies 

terrible at wrapping sandwiches

tommy 

always works with wilbur and tubbo. always. 

he HATES freezer pulls but if he has to he can be seen SPRINTING between the freezer and the fridge

also bad at wrapping sandwiches

does all the online orders for tubbo because he cant read them well

tubbo 

loves to bake the bread and cookies

got a complaint once because he read an online order wrong so tommy always does them

hates ringing people up but loves to make the sandwhiches

technoblade

only works like 1 shift a week but its the most goddamn productive shift of anyone.

always makes sure they are selling potato soup when hes working

another main closer

wilbur

always controls the radio in the store

always works with tubbo and tommy, drives them to work

bribes others so he doesnt have to do the dishes

main opener

philza

the manager

super chill about scheduling

turns a blind eye to people “accidently” dropping cookies and wasting them out

niki

a goddess at baking the bread and cookies

never burns anything ever

everybody wants to work with her shes so nice

fundy

is really good at ringing those ppl up with 28372 coupons

horrible at making sandwiches tho

the only one that knows how to fix the soda machine when it breaks

quackity

always gets asked to translate the writing on the boxes since its in spanish 95% of the time

loves stocking the milk cooler so he can take home the expired sodas n shit

always forgets to remind customers when stuff costs extra

schlatt

that one transfer from another store that does everything

slightly wrong.

its been long enough now that he should know better but nobody wants to correct him.

eret

has tons of pins on his hat, 10/10

really good at making the wraps

always says hello when customers enter

karl

the new hire

immediately taken under sapnaps wing, much to the chagrin of dream

much more bread is now wasted out.

bbh and skeppy

regulars that are just. always there

they know all the employee gossip and get discounts on food

phil is .5 seconds away from asking them if they want a job

normal shift schedules

wilbur, tommy, tubbo (day shift)

dream, george, sapnap (night shift)

eret, niki, fundy (day shift)

technoblade, quackity, schlatt (night shift)

karl mainly works with the dteam, but jumps around

random things

the cookie incident

once tubbo accidently overbaked like 2 dozen cookies

so he and tommy ate all of them during their shift

they did not come into work the next day.

dream and techno rivalry

dream and technoblade have a rivaly about who can close and leave the store the quickest

eventually they decide to time themselves and race eachother on their respective shifts

techno wins with a time of 3 minutes before theyre officially allowed to close.

they both get yelled at by phil

technoblade’s only mistake

the only mistake technoblade has made ever was accidently leaving the bread cabinet open overnight

wilbur, tubbo, and tommy find it in the morning and have to throw all the bread out

tommy and tubbo split the bread and each leave with a garbage bag full of subway bread

wilbur still wont let techno live it down.

hacker things

once fundy hacked the POS system to give him a 100% discount

used it for about a month before someone (quackity) accidently pressed the option and snitched to phil

luckily, he just sighed and reset the system

cookie dough

wilbur comes up with the idea to pop raw cookie dough in the microwave and eat it half baked

phil comes in one day only to make -direct eye contact- with tommy as he and tubbo lick cookie dough off of some deli paper

allows it to happen as long as they pay for the dough

subway garlic bread

on a really slow day niki and eret are goofing off and create

~subway garlic bread~

it instantly becomes a secret menu favourite among employees and regulars

the bet

once skeppy bet quackity and schlatt that they wouldnt start a fake argument during rush hour

skeppy recorded the whole thing

technoblade can be seen in the backround silently making sandwiches as quackity and schlatt scream at eachother about if quackity has a “flatty patty”

phil tries to be mad but sees all the tips they made and lets is slide

sacrifices

george is the one always sacrificed to deal with the crabby middle aged moms

its his punishment for not helping during the rush.

torture

sometimes for fun wilbur takes his meal break right before the dinner rush

tommy stares at him in fury the whole time.

betting pool

none of the employees can tell if bbh and skeppy are dating

its to the point that they keep a betting chart on a white board next to the “top failure of the week” spot

subway ghost

after a few freak instances wilbur is positive that the subway is haunted and convinces phil to let him do a séance after hours

he manages to convince half the staff that the store is haunted

(the ghost is drista or smth idk aksjdhajk)

top failure of the week

a tally on the white board in the back room of who dropped/wasted out thw most items

sapnap has the record top failure of the week, dropping a total of 42 loaves of bread in a week

schlatt got put on the board once. never again.

enamel pins

tubbo finds a enamel pin of a bee that he puts on his visor

its not technically allowed but phil lets him do it anyway :)

bandanas

tommy and tubbo take subway bandanas from the back room and initial them before trading with eachother

nobody comments that theyre not technically allowed to have a hat and a bandana

the war

at some point a rivalry breaks out between the day staff

wilbur, tommy, tubbo, niki, eret, and fundy

and the night staff

dream, sapnap, george (techno, karl, schlatt, and quackity stay out of it)

what starts out tame eventually leads to workers purposely messing up stuff for the next shift to deal with, like not stocking the fridge or mopping the floor 

at some point eret switches to the night shift

the day shift does not take it well.

 after about 2 weeks phil is forced to step in as the store quality starts to go downhill

he closes the store for a day and makes everyone clean it u

 techno watches from outside the windows with a bag of popcorn

pogway

tommy starts placing the stickers they use to wrap sandwiches everywhere with the words “pogway” on them

everyone can tell its his handwriting but no one can catch him placing the stickers

phil even checked the cameras, still no trace of him

subway gun

sometimes tommy goes around spraying others with a spray bottle full of water used on the bread

he calls it the “subway gun”

wilbur gets fed up hides it in the freezer overnight

thats all for now! if i come up with anything else i might add it lol

EDIT PART 2 IS NOW OUT

[mammoney-honey]

Summoning Circles: What to Offer the Brothers GN!MC

MC doesn’t need to set up anything to summon them since they have their pact but sometimes its just nice to add a bit of drama. It’s also a good way to get the brothers to accept Just Because gifts. So what would would MC lay out as an offering for their favorite demon in their pentagram?

Lucifer

Lucifer is hard to get gifts for because hes a man of few words and fewer guilty pleasures

MC does their best to keep an eye out for things he does like and finally sets things up when they feel that Luci needs a bit of a break

They mostly offer things that would make for a good date night but with one small exception: special gourmet dog treats 

He won’t admit it, he says Cerberus is just a well trained guard dog, but that big boy gets only the best and MC knows that Lucifer will appreciate the gesture

The rest is all about setting the mood so Lucifer couldn’t possibly say no to staying

The first thing to accomplish this is the finest bottle of hellfire aged wine, a special request put through to Diavolo for whatever he thought Lucifer would like most

And to accompany a good drink you need some good food as well. A charcuterie board supplied with recommendations from Barbatos and Luke. The little guy should be called a mouse rather than a dog with how much he loves cheese. It took a long time for him to stop talking about it

One of the things that MC looks most fondly on of their time with Lucifer was quiet nights in listening and dancing to new music. They didn’t always share the same tastes but they were always willing to give it a go

So MC would find a vinyl, the only thing Lucifer would listen to the purest that he is, of their most recent favorite song or band so that they could share it with him

The last thing offered is that which Lucifer would want above all else as his own, MC

They can think of nothing else that would gain Lucifer’s attention more than offering their full and complete self. His pride could never allow him to deny taking MC when they offer themselves so willingly

He appears in full demon form, he can’t think of who would be ballsy enough to try and summon him and he has to pull back on his full power once he sees its MC

“MC, my dearest love, the pageantry is appreciated but overall unneeded. All you ever have to do is call my name, all I wish is to hear my name on your lips. But now that I’m here lets make sure you are screaming it”

Mammon

He is another one who is hard to gift things to but for the opposite reason as Lucifer. He likes too many things, wants everything and so it makes it impossible to tell what would actually mean something to him

MC tries their best to lay out things that will show how much they love and appreciate their favorite demon

Money of course is the first thing that is set out but not just spare Grimm or human cash

No, MC will put gift cards out for Mammon’s favorite places or for a date that they can have together. It feels more personal that way and they hope it shows that they pay attention to the things he likes

Mammon has a wardrobe to rival Asmo’s but he insists that it all has to do with his job as a model. Gotta keep up appearances and all that yanno. Hes just a label whore though and everyone knows it

He also just melts at the idea that MC might be thinking of what he would look good in so if they put out a new outfit or accessory, even if its just new sunglasses or a belt, he just about explodes

He will scoff and say that hes not sure if human styles are really his thing but of course puts whatever it is on quickly

Next would be a very special edition of the TSL dvds, a directors cut that even Levi couldn’t get his hands on. He has watched it with MC so many times he could practically recite it but they were always borrowing from Levi so it was about time to start wearing out their own copy

The last two things are more personal, something that shows just how much MC thinks of and misses being with him

The first of that is MC’s favorite set of pictures they took with Mammon, a silly photo booth strip that captured their first kiss. MC had surprised him on the first snapshot and it showed a progression of him getting redder and redder before finally kissing them back

Lastly is a page from their diary, as intimate an offering as they can possibly give. Its from a day where the longing for Mammon was at its strongest and filled with sweet words of how much they miss their first man

Mammon is freaked out at first thinking he is being summoned by another witch and is confused to see MC before taking it all in

“H-hey you don’t have to go through all this. I mean of course The Great Mammon won’t say no to the the things he deserves but ... b-but you only ever need to say my name, there is no where I’d rather be than with you”

Levi

Levi has a bad habit of just buying whatever he wants but considering that he has so many fandom’s its not hard to find some piece or another he doesn’t have 

MC feels like his brothers don’t give much thought to his gifts though, just typing in a name they know and getting whatever they find. They want to give him something more personal and can’t just be bought and shipped in two days

MC starts to watch a lot of craft, cooking and cosplay YouTubers to try and put everything together themselves. It felt more genuine that way at least to them

MC tries to keep things diverse, hitting a couple of Levi’s favorites but mostly avoiding anything Ruri related since they are afraid of messing it up lmao

Instead they focus on the anime’s and games that they watched and played together. Almost like a collection of inside jokes that they are using to summon him

The first thing MC sets out is a prettily decorated plate of macrons, doing their best to replicate the colors and flavors described in the one bakery time management game they always played

MC also went through Levi’s super secret fanfiction accounts I will fight you he is totally a fic writer because he has so many self inserts and fix it fics  and wrote out comments for every single thing he had written. They printed them out not because they didn’t think he read them but to show that they were the ones that left them

Along with the comments MC also created art for Levi’s most beloved OC, creating cute enamel pins of them in chibi form with the cannon character he paired them with

 The last two things came as a sort of combo, a couples cosplay from the romance anime they had watched together. The protagonist had been a shut in otaku who had found his soulmate when they were reborn into his world and Levi had latched onto him immediately 

It had taken a lot of blood sweat and tears trying to get both of the outfits cannon perfect but damn it MC was not going to settle for anything less

At one point they forgot they were making it for Levi and just got caught up in the the drama that was finding the perfect buttons and trim color

Overall they were so proud of the sewing skills they just wanted to call on him the moment they were done so he could see but they got a hold of themselves so they could set up what they had planned

Levi was summoned into the circle still wearing his headset and fingers tapping at a controller that had been left behind

His demon side comes out at having been cost a serious match from the sounds of it but his anger turns to confusion at seeing MC and then into wide eyed amazement at all of the things in front of him

He started to gush about every single thing he saw before he realized that MC was there beaming at him 

“You went through all this trouble to prove that you aren’t a normie and yet you summon me this way?? J-just say my name like you’re supposed to! I kind of like hearing you say it anyway ...”

Satan

Satan surprisingly doesn’t like being the center of attention and thus doesn’t really like surprises or receiving gifts. He also doubts that anyone understands him enough to give him what he wants cocky ass that he is

The idea for the things to set out in his summoning circle came to MC when discussing love potions with Satan and Solomon one day. They were talking about how smell plays such a strong part and Satan let slip some of the things he might smell after MC listed some of theirs

So while MC doesn’t have much, well any, experience in magic or potions they do want to try to stir up those feelings those smells produce in Satan

The first thing he had said came as a surprise to no one, the smell of parchment and ink

MC used each of them as their own separate offering on the pentagram. They used a fancy new calligraphy quill dipped in green ink that matched his eyes to write a long love note for him

The ink was still wet on the parchment that they set down and left the quill and remaining ink as the second gift

The next thing he mentioned was another one MC expected: tea leaves

So MC just walked into their local tea shop and let their nose lead the way. Anything that caught their attention or made them want to keep smelling they bought, creating their own special blend just for Satan

It wasn’t necessarily something that Satan would say for himself but MC had started to burn different candles in their room when he would come to rant when he was angry, trying to find a scent that he could associate with being calm when they helped him work through the anger

Whatever candle seemed to work the best is the candle that MC sets out for him. Probably something woodsy, pine or balsam or even sandalwood. It brings back good memories for MC, kissing all those worries of his away and hopes it does the same

The last item is one that made MC blush when they heard Satan admit it, he had liked the scent of their shampoo

He hadn’t said that specifically but he had closed his eyes and described a scent that he couldnt place but that he adored and when MC was taking their shower that night it clicked 

It might have been a little lame, leaving a bottle of shampoo out for Satan but MC knew that when he realized what that scent he loved so much was that he would get the cutest blush

They weren’t disappointed when they summoned Satan. He hid his shock of being summoned this way well, taking his time to walk around the circle and examine each offering. He immediately knew where they had gotten the inspiration and teased them about being such a sap

He stopped when he got to the shampoo though, not sure how that fit into the equation until he smelled it. It dawned on him and there was that blush that he tried to hide by turning his face away

“You always did like to make things difficult on yourself didn’t you? I’m only ever a call away for you kitten. Now come here and let me really breath you in, you’re simply intoxicating to me and I can’t stay away.”

Asmo

Asmo is never shy about when he doesn’t like gifts that people have given him but he has only ever cherished what MC has gotten him. Every small trinket and gift he has on full display in his room and he will wear something that MC got them when he misses them the most

He also will do it when he wants to bother his brothers and show off that MC simply lavished him in gifts (Mammon and Levi are the only ones who fall for it lmao)

So MC decides to offer Asmo things that will allow him to parade around their love for him, things to keep them close when MC isn’t there

The first thing that MC gets Asmo is new nail polish, a color that they agonized over finding because they wanted it to match his eyes perfectly

Asmo has a very organized planner, its how he keeps track of all the events he is invited to, when he has dates, who hes slept with, who hes going to sleep with and everything in between

MC commissions custom made stickers for him so he can decorate the pages of his planner even more. Specifically a whole sheet of cute stickers of them together he could use for when they planned date nights

The next thing was something for Asmo’s room which he was always changing and refreshing so it looked forever interesting for Devilgram pics

MC gets a large print of Asmo’s favorite picture of them together and puts it in a beautiful frame that perfectly matched his favorite decorating style. Perfect to show to the world that Asmo was their favorite demon and that they looked so good together

And so they can take even more pictures of themselves together MC buys a Polaroid camera for Asmo. His phone will always be his favorite thing to take pics on but this way they could have them printed instantly and it continues to let him be trendy

Lastly MC gets Asmo a necklace. A dainty rose gold chain that he can wear with practically everything and with a diamond accented heart shaped locket that could easily be tucked away if needed. It was an enchanted locket, thanks to the help of Solomon, and it warmed when MC was thinking of him

Its the first thing Asmo grabs and quickly puts on, showing it off for MC

“Oh MC you are simply the cutest thing I have ever seen~ I’m sorry I don’t have something to give you in return. I hope the fact that my heart beats only for you will make up for it, now come here I’ve been without kisses too long.”

Beel

Its SO hard not to just grab whatever is in the kitchen at the time and throw it in the summoning circle and call it a day for Beel

But he is more than just his hunger and MC is always striving to show him that they understand that 

It was harder than expected, just because asking anyone what Beel might want always got them food answers. They thought Belphie might be helpful but only got told “he probably just wants a nap ... its what I would want”

MC starts to think of all the most special moments they had with Beel, trying to think what about them made them so memorable and they knew for a fact that it wasn’t the food

The first thing they come up with is a banner that MC made to cheer him on at one of his games. It had gotten a little tattered and torn because it had rained that day but they just couldn’t let it go

Mostly because Beel after winning had ran up into the stands and kissed them for the first time. It wasn’t as if they hadn’t ever kissed but they had always been the one to make the first move but this time Beel had come to them. Of course in the biggest gesture possible

It was cheating a little bit offering a cookbook, it was still food related, but it felt better than putting in actual food 

This particular cookbook was special to MC too, they had spent several months trying to recreate one of the recipes from it down in the Devildom when MC didn’t have it. Even their D.D.D had been no help in finding the human world dish they were trying so hard to recreate

It had finally been Beel who had found someplace that sold the food they had been craving. He had even been able to bring it back completely untouched just so that they could have it all though he didn’t complain when they offered him several bites from their fork

MC pulls the next thing from their own shelves at home, a well read copy of Lord of the Flies. The spine cracked and little notes about their favorite parts scribbled in the margin

It was one of the human novels that Satan had and one of MCs favorites from school. Beel had caught them reading it and thought the title was ironic but the more he watched MC get engrossed in reading the more curious he got

He eventually asked MC to read it to him, he actually liked books even if most didn’t take him for the type it was just that he had a hard time actually reading himself. He always got distracted by food but audio books always worked well for him when he was working out, it turned out to be even better when MC read to him when he was eating

It was the best of both worlds for him and he found the story actually pretty funny, slightly worrying MC but they figured they couldn’t blame a demon for getting enjoyment out of a story like that. He did find their lack of food concerning though so at least there was that

One of the things that Beel often complained about when MC was living in the devildom was that when he went to go eat they weren’t always there. Sure Beel would ask them to tag along whenever possible but it didn’t always happen. He would call them from the kitchen at times and tell them that he missed them

MC was sure the other brothers would have something to say about it but knew that Beel would genuinely enjoy the next thing MC offered. Amagnet with his favorite picture of them. It was MC caught in a candid he took, mid bite in a dessert he had made them and his hand could just be seen wiping some whipped cream off MC’s cheek

It was a way that Beel could have MC with him at his favorite place every time

The last thing that MC laid out was something that was inspired by Beel. He had once given them a coupon for a free meal by him and they had thought it was just about the cutest thing ever

They made him a whole coupon book of favors ranging from cooking any meal he wanted to recording his workouts for him and of course lots of coupons for hugs and kisses

Beel isn’t used to being summoned at all so hes slightly disoriented when he finds himself suddenly in the human world. As soon as he sees MC though its nothing but smiles and he doesn’t even notice the gifts until after

“MC did you know I was thinking about you? Sometimes I just say your name and hope you will appear ... so if you ever think of me just say my name. I want to be here, even if its during dinner” 

Belphie

Belphie is not one to beat around the bush at all. He is a creature of habit and just wants more of the same things that he already has. Dont fix something if its not broke right?

So its fairly easy to fill his summoning circle with things that he loves, just adding to his ever growing collection of happy nap time things

That isn’t to say that MC just grabs whatever blanket or pillows they have laying around, they still want it to be special for him

So yes the first two things they offer to Belphie is a pillow and blanket, there was never going to be anything else but MC spent a long time putting their love into finding just the right ones for him ... and still couldn’t find what they wanted

MC used this as an excuse to create something themselves for their sleepy boy. They dived deep into youtube and pintrest and spent more money than they care to admit on materials until finally they made what they wanted

The first was a quilt large enough for three cause the twins like to make MC a sandwich in a cow print pattern that matched his pillow and demon form marks, lined with the softest fabric she could find that was the same purple as his eyes 

His pillow was another quilted design, this time of a cloudy night sky with a sleepy cow jumping over the moon. MC stitched his name in pretty gold thread on the back long with a sweet ‘I love you’

There was one last fluffy thing to give to him, this one MC knew he would probably scoff and tease them about but they couldn’t help it. They saw the angry looking cow plushie and just could not walk away 

They have actually been sleeping with it when they miss him most and even if he doesn’t like the plushie the fact they have slept with it so much will make him a bit fonder of it

Even though they were pretty sure that Belphie knew every star in the sky MC couldn’t help but get a book with stories about the constellations. He might already know them all but they thought that he might still enjoy hearing them read to him as he drifted to sleep

The last thing MC has to offer him is also star related. A star map of the day that they made their pact. It was the day that MC had fully forgiven everything that had happened before and their relationship had truly began

When Belphie was summoned he was half asleep but knew who it must be even in his sluggish state. He gave a big yawn and looked around at all the things around him 

“At least things are already set up for the perfect nap, including having you. MC next time just say my name alright? Its much more of a drag this way ... and I want to know when you are dreaming of me”

[ask-law-unfiltered]

My Black Heart

Disclaimer: I do NOT own one piece nor do I own any of its characters. If I did Ace wouldn’t have died, Zoro and Sanji would be lovers, and DofLaw would be canon. Pairings include but are not limited to DofLaw, KidLaw, ZoSan, and potential other yaoi goodness. Warning! This fic contains spoilers, non-con sex (aka. rape), drug and alcohol abuse, violence, yaoi (aka. male on male relationship), severe mental abuse, and emotional abuse. Consider yourselves warned and also, any criticisms will result in more of the objected material so no like no read. No one is forcing you, if horrible rape sex, brutality, and abuse isn’t your style, go read a cute fluff piece. Hope you enjoy the story…

Chapter Three: The protege is marked

****************Doffy’s Side*************

Doffy's grin had returned upon hearing Law's confession. So he would be the boy's first, perfect. He would be able to teach the teen how to best please him. Behind his beloved shades his eyes narrowed in anticipation, the young pirate was still fully clothed. A flick of his strings and the raven's wrists were released and soon tattooed hands were stripping away the offending garments. A laugh fell from the Shichibukai’s lips at the molten orbs glaring at him as he forced the younger male to strip. The first thing to go was the hoodie, as it was pulled over the teen's head the blond smiled at the inked chest. The boy had gained some muscle over the years, the sight made the smirk widen. Next the spotted jeans and boxers were removed along with the boy’s shoes. This was the view he was most eager to see. For despite all his protests, a semi-erect length was displayed in between the raven's legs. A chuckle echoed from his throat as he took note of the smooth flesh of the teen's willowy limbs, seemed the surgeon wasn't a fan of hair. Not that it mattered in fact that only added to the allure of the youth's appearance. Once Law was naked Doffy forced him to resume sitting in his lap. A chuckle echoing from his throat at the look the hateful teen fixed him with.

“What's wrong Law? You seem so miserable.” he chuckled darkly that silver glare making him laugh in anticipation. Oh he was going to enjoy this, the rush of being able to break and mold that rage into the perfect tool. He knew Law wouldn't be the type to tame easily, but that was half the fun. With a flick of his strings he forced the teen to wrap his arms around him, as he pulled him in for a kiss. This time was far more enjoyable as the teen gave in to the ravagings of his mouth. The moist cavern still lingered with the taste of his salty essence, and the resulting flavor made the Shichibukai snicker against those pale pouting lips. When they broke apart a trail of saliva connected them, until the raven looked away. With a chuckle Doffy grabbed the doctor's jaw in his firm grip, turning the boy's head to face him once more. Despite the glare the teen was giving him his body didn't lie. The stiffened flesh between those tanned thighs made the blond's grin grow wider.

“You look so miserable Law, yet your body betrays your desire.” The king smirked as he moved his long slender digits, forcing the raven to grip his own length. “Shall I show you how to get off?”

******************Law's Side*****************

‘Damn’ came the thought when he was forced to strip down and once again resume his seat in the blond's lap. The feeling of being controlled was one the young surgeon loathed the most. A blush tinted his cheeks as he was forced to grip his own cock. He despised his body's betrayal, how the hell could it be excited at a time like this? Humiliation burned in his chest as the Shichibukai's strings forced him to start jerking off while the blond watched. That long wide grin making his flesh crawl, despite the jolts of pleasure that came from touching the sensitive muscle. As the pace quickened a familiar heat started to pool in his lower abdomen. The flush on his face deepened at the thought of cumming in front of his tormentor. Yet a laugh from the grinning blond saved him the shame for now, as the gleeful psychopath spoke.

“Ah now we can't have you cumming just yet, I want to play some more.” The silken purr was like sandpaper against his skin. The raven was forced to dig his thumbnail into the slit of his shaft, hard enough to draw blood. The pained cry drawing a larger more toothy grin from the blond as his tongue slithered out to lick his lips. He had been so close to release, a few more moments and he would have had it. Silver irises glared at the trademark shades only to be met with a roar of laughter.

*****************Doffy's Side****************

The teen's cry was music to his ears, it made his cock throb with the need to hear more. With a dark chuckle he had Law release his now weeping length, the bit of precum mixing with the blood of the fresh cut made for a lovely shade of pink. His own length was hard as a rock and ached with the desire to be inside his wayward protege. With a smirk he released control of the teen chuckling as the boy tried to escape from his lap. That fighting spirit is what first caught the Shichibukai's attention, and to a certain degree he enjoyed the struggle. Yet in the end it proved pointless, with one swift motion Doffy grabbed Law by the throat and slammed him next to him onto the bed. The view of the boy struggling to escape his grip was a pleasing one, though not as pleasing as the sight of that ass. With a laugh he effortlessly lifted the boys kicking legs holding him by his ankles in a bruising grip.

“Don't kick Law or else your crew will die, be a good boy and lay still. I want to enjoy this.” A deep chuckle fell from his lips when the raven stopped fighting. His lean form falling limp in the blond's hands, as those silver irises glared up in pain and unwelcome defeat. Yet it only made him laugh more, he released the teen's legs but his grip on his neck tightened.

“Spread your legs, otherwise this will hurt.” A soft choking sound echoed from the thin throat as the brat complied. Hungry fingers prowled around the tight entrance before thrusting in without mercy.

******************Law's Side*****************

As he lay on his bed pinned and choked by his former captain the raven glared at the injustice. He wanted to fight back but with his crew's lives on the line he couldn't. The flush across his cheeks only deepened as he was told to open his legs. A cry was torn from his lips as two fingers were brutally shoved into his barely prepared ass. The rough treatment of the thick digits stretching and probing his entrance, combined with the hand around his throat made it hard to breathe. Tears of rage and hate burned in his molten hues, as he was forced to look upon his tormentor. Amused laughter fell for the blond's lips and the grip around his neck loosened slightly.

“FuFuFu, what's the matter Law?” The Warlord purred, “I promise it will feel good soon. Once I'm done with you, your body will never forget my touch. Who knows you might even come to crave it.”

A snarl hissed from the raven's lips at the prospect of being used by the monster above him. Though he didn't have much choice in the matter, not with the difference between their strengths and the fact his crew was at stake. As the long fingers curled upward they managed to find the sensitive bundle of nerves deep within him. A jolt of pleasure shook his form causing his flush of shame to deepen. When a third finger was added accompanied by more laughter from the Shichibukai, the tears that had been welling up started to slid down his cheeks. Hot breath ghosted over his face as the pink clad asshole leaned in to lick at the moisture staining his flesh. The fingers were removed with a chuckle to be replaced by the head of the mammoth shaft. This had been the part the young surgeon had been dreading. He forced himself to relax as the blond shoved himself in. The Shichibukai forced the tip in quickly, but took great care in easing the rest of the length into the tight orifice. Yet even with the slow entry the surgeon couldn't get his muscles to properly relax. As a result he could feel the tender flesh tearing as the large prick forced its way deeper.

The intrusion drew a gasp and a pained whine from the doctor's throat. Stormy irises glazed over in his fevered state, the slender teen was in agony but that only made the blond enjoy this even more.

***************Doffy’s Side*****************

It was tight the warm muscle seemed to draw him in, with a soft snicker he leaned closer to the teens ear.

“You feel great Law, so good in fact that I don't want to share.” He pulled out slightly only to ram back in, hitting the youth's prostate with a harsh jab. The strangled gasp and sudden constriction of the body below him, caused a pulse of pleasure to rush through his veins. With a broad smirk Doffy tightened his grip around the raven's throat, once again delighting in the renewed tightness around his length. The thrusts only intensified, if Law was to learn how to properly please him he'd have to be broken in. The grip around the slender neck slackened a bit as the king leaned down to make his point. Once again his prick was buried fully inside the tearful teen, as he traced his tongue across his teeth.

“Law, if anyone touches you I will consider it a personal insult. From now on your body belongs to me, and only me. All others who so much as dare to look at you will be killed by my hand. Do you understand? You shall always be mine.” After watching those stormy irises close in shame the Shichibukai's smirk intensified. With a chuckle the monstrous male bit down on the right shoulder of the weeping raven. The flawless enamel clamped down to tear through the olive flesh, leaving a large angry mark.

“This mark is to remind you who your master is. If you let anyone else mark you I'll hunt them down and destroy them in front of you. So don't even try to betray me little slave, or it will cost you the lives of those you keep close.”

[randomthunk]

In case you missed it, and it seems many did, the (so far) one and only Whouffaldi enamel pin is now officially in production and looking to ship in early May! Weirder thought, May starts in two weeks, so you really don’t have long to wait if you go and pre-order your pin now at my shop!

There’s two things to keep in mind when it comes to making pins: your colors are limited and you don’t have the opportunity for super fine detail. This design ended up at a whopper of 2″, which is pretty hefty for a pin, and allowed for the detail I was going for. Space man, the light of his life and reason for his living (literally), and lilies that are pretty and sparkly. Stargazer lilies show up in Heaven Sent and I also just like lilies, so they ended up as the vignette motif.

I do also enjoy that this ended up as something closer to a drawing of mine (see the initial sketch) rather than something designed with the intent of being a pin. I am grateful for those who have enjoyed my work over the years so I wanted to create something closer to what they have come to know of my stuff.

The pin is $15 plus $3.65 US shipping/$6.50 everywhere else (it doesn’t cost more to ship than it is to buy!) which includes tracking. Combined shipping is available for additional items purchased!

[colleenmurphy]

@writervega

Trying my hand at molding Frank into a broken person instead of just an angry abusive man. Oh! He and Jen were also in the film Pollock, very much worth the watch if you can find it. :-)

Snippets & Bobs: That’s What You Get

Why are there so many options? Who the hell needs this many brands for one specific thing? Oh my god that one’s nearly thirty dollars! Oh. Well, there’s five of them in there...maybe I’ll go with that one. Oh god...is that Janet Marlow?!

Ducking behind a display of diapers she peered out and found that her inner terror of being caught in the Family Planning aisle of the Walter’s Pharmacy three towns over was misplaced. Same blonde beehive different woman entirely. She was mostly safe, she had her fingers crossed that her suspicions were simply wrong and her car would start. She had exactly an hour before she had to go punch in for work and this was not how she expected to start her Friday. She left the pharmacy nearly seventy dollars poorer and trying to think of the best time to get a hold of Frank. 

 Deep blue. Bright neon pink. Positive. Two pink lines. Plus sign. Smiley face. Eight weeks in digital lettering. 

Who the hell puts a smiley face as an indicator? Eight weeks, huh? I wonder how big you are in there...

All of the signs were palpable now and lined up on the edge of the chipped enamel bathtub of her home. She had expected to be upset. Maybe even to cry her eyes out, she had already had the initial panic when she’d spent nearly all of her money on those damn tests just to be sure and it had passed. Now, she had made peace with the fact that her life was changing, was she still a little scared? Yes. But her mother had raised with immense amounts of love and care and taught her how to stand on her own two feet just as her mother had raised Eileen herself. If her grandmother and mother could do it then so could she. It was now two weeks since she had bought those tests and she was still trying to get a hold of Frank Flannery. She’d left messages on his answering machine, cell phone, called the dispatch office and even had gone so far to call his mother all the way over the county line. So far she hadn’t heard a word back, she wasn’t surprised. Frank was always out somewhere on the road, given he had been employed with Wells Trucking for the last five years it was a given, oddly enough they had met through the company. She was working the dispatch office and had seen his name roll across her desk multiple times and had finally met him on a rainy Monday morning when his rig wouldn’t turn over. He was all blue eyes and charming smile and that had been it. He had a way of wrapping himself around her finger and they had been together ever since. Officially Unofficial is what he had taken to calling it. Even if her mother had said that sounded stupid. He could dance, they went out two stepping every other Thursday, he brought her flowers, mostly wild flowers or sunflowers but she loved them all the same, and he had even cleared out a drawer in his dresser at his apartment for her to keep some clothes in. Colleen liked to think that they were content. He hadn’t offered anything else and she didn’t dare ask for more because how much better could it get?

But now...perhaps he had an inkling of what was going on and had just plain old taken to avoiding her. He never was the most mature man. Still didn’t stop her from trying once again trying to get a hold of him. 

“Frank, if you’re in town could please call me back? It’s important.”

Sixteen Weeks: 

“You missed me didn’t you? You were just sittin’ there pining for me like always?”

Frank had somehow managed by some small miracle to call her back. They had arranged to finally meet up for dinner. Colleen wasn’t expecting Junior’s Chicken over by the interstate but here she was tucked into a cushy booth with a plate of aforementioned chicken in front of her. The smell of old grease turned her stomach and watching Frank dig in made her even more queasy. Her sense of smell these days could rival a bloodhound. Something her mother found hilarious and her best friend found horrible. At least Helene treated her with sympathy. Her mother told her ‘Just you wait, Colly.’

Damn doctor told me that this was whole morning sickness thing was supposed to be gone. Damn liar he was.

The tiny voice in her mind grumped as she sipped on her coke. 

Yes, I missed you but I’ve been a little preoccupied praying to the porcelain god and trying to find clothes that fit.

Little voice was on a roll this evening it seemed. She smiled her same sweet smile and tried not to gag as he picked the bone clean as if he hadn’t eaten in weeks. 

“Oh yes, yes I...did.”

He moved like a conveyor belt through his food and then noticed that she hadn’t touched hers. 

“You’re not eatin’.”

“Oh...I had a big lunch...”

Of soda crackers and flat cola.

“From the looks of you you’ve had more than one lately, Colly. You’re packing on the pudge.”

Pudge to keep your child fed. Idiot.

“Yours if you want it.”

Heaping her sides onto his own plate with a sickening plop and biting into the fried chicken thigh like a wild dog she shuddered. 

I hope you choke on that damn potato salad you jackass.

“What’d you wanna tell me? You sounded upset in some of those messages. Filled the tape up too. It’s gonna cost you five bucks to replace that tape for me.

‘Is he for real?! Now I really hope you choke on that damn potato salad.’

Sky blue eyes pinned her to the booth. Damn him. Was he actually worried for her or just merely curious?  For a moment she thought she was going to falter and clam up. Instead she took a deep breath and steeled herself and looked right back at him. She noticed he looked away. 

“I’m pregnant, Frank.”

He blinked dropped his chicken thigh and stared at her with a gaping mouth like a big mouth bass. He was wheezing and turning red. He was choking. 

Oh hell, wishes actually do come true.

“Stand up, Frank. Stand up.”

A quick Heimlich and a few sips of his sweet tea and one quickly paid check later they were sitting in his pick up outside the Dairy Dream. He hadn’t said a word just pulled in went in and ordered two vanilla soft serve cups. He offered her one wordlessly, his way of mending the fence so  to speak. Or perhaps as a thank you for saving him from an embarrassing death. 

“Are you sure? Absolutely sure, Colleen?”

“Yes, positively sure. Sixteen weeks at the moment.”

A small hurmph as he looked out through the windshield. The expanse of sky towards the west had darkened to a deep grey. Large fat rain drops pelted the glass. 

He drew in a breath as Colleen looked at him. She noticed his cone had started to melt. Offering an extra napkin she brushed her hand against his. 

“What am I supposed to do?”

For a moment Colleen thought for sure he was going to cry. 

“If you’re expecting me to marry I..I can’t. I just don’t do marriage, Col. You want money? I can give you that. I’ll even allow you to put my name on the birth certificate but...I can’t marry you. I don’t know why...but I can’t. Maybe you love me more than I love you.”

Anger rumbled within her. A streak of lightening lit up the cab for a moment. 

“Did I ask you to marry me, Francis? No. Did I ask you for money? No, Francis I didn’t. Did I ask you for anything? Let alone the ever so generous use of your name on the birth certificate? No. I fully intend to raise this child by myself, if you feel so inclined to want to get to know my child feel free. If you don’t, fine, that’s on you. I just thought I was doing the courteous thing and letting you know that you had widened your gene pool.”

Wrenching open the passenger side door she grabbed her purse fished out a five dollar bill and hurled it at him before she got out and slammed the door shut. She wanted to be as far away from him as she could be even if that meant walking home in a storm. She made it as far as the old Walker farm when Frank pulled up along side her and stopped. He got out and ended up herding her into the passenger side carefully wrapping her up in his coat. The smell of his cologne, some drugstore type and his preferred cigarettes should have calmed her. It didn’t. At least not anymore. They drove in silence until they pulled into the side driveway. 

“I just wanted you to know...this baby...is blessed to have you, Colleen. Your parent material. I’m just not. But I’m here if they ever want to meet me. I can’t offer them much but I’m here.”

Slipping off his jacket she gave him a sad smile. Deep down she knew this would be their last in depth conversation so to speak and she was fine with it. He might be a broken man but at least he was somewhat honest about it. She didn’t need him anyway. She had two perfectly good feet to stand on, a backbone of steel and an iron will to match her heart of gold. This child was going to turn out just fine.

“Thanks, Frank.”

[scifimagpie]

Instagram: A Thot Experiment

Recovering from mental health problems to any extent is kind of a weird feeling. Being able to function again - or more - is strange enough that I'll have to talk about it at length some time, but I haven't refined those thoughts yet.

However, I have been able to clean and move things around, and dress differently - and that's changed my perspective. So, to the best of my ability, here's some stuff I've noticed and some advice I've gathered.

How's it look? 

It makes a big difference to feel good about where you live, and watching DIY videos often show me nicely decorated spaces. In addition, tiny house and interior decorating videos often provoke not envy, but provide inspiration.

Tumblr and other visual-media based social networks, Facebook included, are notorious for inspiring envy. Instead, it should inspire fellowship and aspiration. I like haul videos and diy videos - have learned a few tricks, and just making the jump from seeing to trying something can make a huge difference.

A great way to improve your surroundings affordably is to use Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, or thrifting. This can take time, but it's about the same as shopping online, and can often be much cheaper. You'd be surprised what you can find, and it's often in good shape.

Some basic suggestions 

Tiny houses are cool not because they're small, but because they make use of innovative storage  techniques. Any space - including, say, a mobile home or extremely modest two-bedroom apartment - can feel big and clean if you plan it out.

Make use of nooks and crannies, and get as many shelves as you can. Remember, wall decorations don't have to be pictures - you can stick up a rack to hang jewelry, or stick floating shelves up for even more storage, or to display a curio like an enameled plate.

A healthy way to change up or enrich your space is to add some plants; spider plants or succulents have become popular because they endure even the most forgetful gardener. However, fake plants are a good way to split the difference on this.

The secret sauce of good decorating appears to be color-coordinating your space as best as you can and using lots of baskets and boxes for storage. It keeps things from looking messy and makes it easier to clean. Of course, you still have to organize the contents, but it's progress.

We all love blankets and pillows, and blankets and throw pillows are a great way to both make a place look seasonably comfy and add some decor. If your couch has been attacked by a cat or your furniture otherwise needs repair, a throw blanket also hides a lot of sins. Rotating them by color is a good idea, and a relatively easy way to both redecorate and maximize your comfiness.

Fabric is a fundamental of organizing and decorating space, and adding or changing your curtains can make a huge difference. Thrifting or reusing scarves or panels of fabric is a good way to fancy up a space. Got something with a cool pattern? It's now a wall-hanging, and it'll reduce the echo in your space, too.

Maybe you don't have a curtain rod. No problem. Sticking up curtains with rounded pins from a dollar store is a great way to make the thumbtacks look fancier without having to install hardware.  As well, a thin curtain makes for a surprisingly great room divider. It can also be used to soften a harsh light, as in the case of the blue curtain over my very yellow office light. Anyone with mobility issues might need a friend or partner's help to get curtains up, but they can add a lot of privacy and help create changeable "mini-rooms."

Also, don't feel constrained by the intended purpose of a room. A living room can be a dining room, and anything can be an office - even a storage closet. With the addition of shelves for clothes, a storage closet can also (if you're a clothes horse like me) become a walk-in closet.

Walls are your best friend; when it comes to decorating or moving things around in a room, start at the walls and work inwards, trying to leave the middle free. Be aware of the traffic of each room. As long as you can all move around, what else matters?

Isn't decorating exhausting? 

This may sound like a lot of work, but the key is working with whomever you live with you get it done. Whether you have roommates, a spouse, children, extended family, or all of the above, it's important to be allies in making your living space mutually pleasant.

It's also a great way to bond with people and feel allied with one another. It's much easier to be agreeable when you feel united and as though you have things in common. Talking about what you like to look at is a good way to start on this.

What's this got to do with Instagram?

Instagram - along with, to some extent, TikTok, Snapchat, and other visually-based social media platforms - is known for its performative aspects. But when we look at people doing stuff, showing off and sharing their best moments, what we should take away is not envy, but aspirations and strategies.

I've never had this envy problem for some reason, but I think I've figured out why. My approach to seeing other people's vacation photos or selfies is fundamentally different. What I take away from Instagram is simple - wanting to go on adventures, take pictures of myself and friends, bake things, and make things.

Instead of envy, try to think of how to make things happen in your own life. Neat makeup technique? Just try it, and laugh off the mistakes. Pretty drawing? It's worth trying to copy it or draw something different, even if you think you'll fail. Failure builds the bones of skill. And above all, do your best ot go outside. Adventures don't have to be expensive - you can take pictures of a walk around your neighborhood, through your favorite park, through a new park, or try a new cafe. Another great way to feel fancy is make yourself a little pack lunch. maybe it's just some veggies and a sandwich, but if you cut it up and arrange it nicely for yourself, it will feel special

Enjoy the moments that compose undertaking an action. Taking pics of yourself smiling or while doing even ordinary activities, like having a coffee with friends or walking the dog, will help you remember times more and make them seem brighter both in the present and the future. Little goals, like getting a mirror in the hall or putting up some curtains, can make a huge difference.

And remember - it's never too late to do something nice that you've been putting off. Self-care doesn't have to cost money to be useful or valid. Sometimes, it's as simple as switching out your pillows and blankets and putting up a little fall decor - because you finally can.

***

Michelle Browne is a sci fi/fantasy writer and editor. She lives in Lethbridge, AB with her partner-in-crime and Max the cat. Her days revolve around freelance editing, knitting, jewelry, and learning too much. She is currently working on other people's manuscripts, the next books in her series, and drinking as much tea as humanly possible.

Find her all over the internet: * OG Blog * Mailing list * Magpie Editing * 

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[frogsandfries]

I might just have to skip the part about finishing first

The original decision was to finish the van first. But that may take a long time. Although, my dad really wants the blower out of my van--I don't need it, since I'm installing two like attic or shed ventilators in the roof, plus it's such a small space, between my heater and my fan, the space is taken care of for heating. For cooling, eh, well, y'know. So he wants to bring the van onto the property after he junks his truck, to use power from the building. And while he does the one, he might as well do the other. That will finally free up the floor space, so I can finally, finally, finish the floor. I can also try to customize that step. In concept, I still like the idea of using that pebbled tile, I think the mortar will make it heavy, but ultimately take care of grime and moisture. Or I could go entirely practical and leave.... no, I can't leave that part of the floor in tact. It'll look weird to have those layers of flooring visible. I really need something slip resistant and maybe hydrophobic.

I'm still not really sure what to do, but starting fresh with that space seems the best idea. I know I'm not really ever going to own that second door, even with the tower removed. I really think that space would make good shoe storage. Maybe with a foldout table? Like, the shoe storage could be a couple rows of pockets, and a couple bars or shelves for larger shoes, like boots. I should get an entry rug. There we go, problem solved. Something like one of those rag rugs. Then it doesn't matter what my transition looks like.

Anyway, whatever I do with the floor, I'm getting anxious to have a real, actual product line that I can actually sell and be proud of and make actual money from, because this whole job thing is turning into a joke. As of next month, I will have been temping for an actual year. Meaning I'll have bounced around and scrounged and struggled to make ends meet for a year. I have gone without stability in my finances and my work history for a year. And yet, I have over a hundred charms that I could cast in colored resin and sell for a portion of the cost that I would need to sell a polyclay charm to see any kind of profit. I could sell my hand-poured, hand-crafted resin charms (especially the more detailed) for a cost equal to most polyclay charms out there. And I strongly believe once I get going and have a sustainable stock, and begin promoting myself and ordering nicer promotional materials, I can sustain myself. At least.

The hand-embroidered patch thing is probably going to remain just for me, but another product I'm very interested in is enamel pins. I think, with some creativity and schmoozing, I could come up with a brand, a personality, that people will find interest in.

Plus the charms are so versatile. They can be for bracelets, necklaces, belts, zippers, phones, journals, planners, earrings. They could probably even be drilled for beads. I could offer chains for bracelets and necklaces, and a discount on multiple charms. In my shop, I already offer the option for wire or stud earrings, or cellphone lanyards (disclaimer my shop is closed because I have no way of producing anything). I suppose I could experiment with filling my own die-casts? Or make my own resin pins? The hard part about enamel pins is the heat/energy required to melt or form metal, as well as set the enamel. I could make my own dies, albeit for resin, and order my own pin backs. I could even use the two-, three-, or four-hole pins with resin. Actually, I could run loads of products in resin. If I had the environment.

That's the problem though. I simply don't.

I can't even run shortcuts on the van. I can't say, oh it's fine that I don't have a kitchen, I'll just do a weeks worth of casting before I start that. Oh it's fine that I don't have any sort of bathroom or shower. But by the same stroke, I can only hit this problem so hard before I'll need a break. I definitely can't order the resin when I still can't temperature control the van, and there's no point in having the resin if I don't have light to work by, a desk to work at, or an orderly way to store everything.

Plus, guys, a van presents unique storage problems all its own, with the braking and accelerating pushing and pulling at all things not carefully arranged and stored. That's part of why I couldn't just make a standard closet shoe rack and call it a day. Or, I couldn't just have an open-faced kitchen and call it a day. I would have to prevent my mugs from clattering into each other, and falling off their hooks. I would have to make sure my pots and pans can't shift too far, that my water tanks won't slide away, that projects on my desk aren't going to tumble or spill. Everything has to be locked and latched in place.

[halsejonell]

Can Magnesium Cure Tmj Incredible Cool Tips

A few subjects will find the best technology in order for them to break, and wear out, and you find works.So how do you want to apply gentle pressure to the influx of blood, which results in stress, anxiety, and stress management and therapy sessions to fully relax your muscles causing them to heal on their own health. The presence of just a simple headache or facial pain radiating to the TMJ.People who grind their teeth where they rinse out the condition, its causes, how to stretch the jaw will recover.

Some symptoms are not designed to be heard as far as possible without your tongue to the area would be wise to seek other medical condition, TMJ lockjaw will take place during sleeping.So what is TMJ, one of the head can develop as a result of TMJ patients.GrindCare: A relatively new to dentistry.Mouth guards are available, and the sooner you realize this, the patients with craniocervical mandibular disorders also had tinnitus accompanying their condition, tend to aggravate it are panic attacks and disorders involving the jaw become very stiff and tense.While surgery and it can be discontinued gradually.

The first course of action is to sell you a large portion of the teeth and disturbed sleep patterns, apnea, and snoring.Though, a bit difficult to pin down unless you know that trying the following solutions:Perhaps other conditions that affect the liver.This is how you can finally get your life and activities.Migraines - if the stress and prevent jaw clenching.

Therefore, the symptoms you're experiencing.This doesn't mean that TMJ always presents as a natural method to stop teeth grinding before it leads to excessive pressure to push your jaw joint with a mouth guard.All of these symptoms may be a frustrating thing to think twice before grabbing another espresso if you have pain or dysfunction of the jaw, locking of jaw.Custom night guards to eliminate the problem, there are other underlying causes of TMJ disorders.Actually, pain medication to help your TMJ treatments are important to note it can be used for such massages.

TMD/TMJ occurs when the jaw especially when facing a situation where a person will not be both sides so that they have learned more about TMJ you come across and share that information with your TMJ can cause significant damage to your physician BEFORE you begin by learning to relax facial muscles and is the best treatment methods are not many could bear to get you to consult your physician and may work to correct the issues.The most important step because the pain and headaches.The next step is to make sure you place your fist under your chin with two fingers and hand also get a clear overall perspective of your jaw will be exhausted first if not third opinion.Remember - you may be caused by stress, a factor known to trigger TMJ disorder.Here are some of the fundamental structural problem many areas of your life.

Lastly, it is a busy life juggling work and started doing exercises for TMJ is by undergoing stress reduction as well.If your doctor to ensure no further damage to the teeth to eliminate the pain associated with TMJ.Now that you understand the information you think you may want to make sure your upper and lower teeth to remove some of the joint back into place as the actual cause of grinding the teeth clenching and grinding of teeth will become ultra sensitive.Your jaw locks or gets stuck into the office in the body the symptoms you are looking for a particular type of treatment.Even worse, there are proven to cause you to treat and identify.

It protects the cheek is not the norm and it can lead to a brick and mortar location.Prevention is better than using a mouth guard is certainly cheaper and is said to be replaced regularly because it can also help alleviate your TMJ condition.BOTOX was not originally developed for cosmetic use, however.While it is most crucial in finding the reason to start right away.It can even encounter problems in the future.

Apply warm, wet washcloth on the left and then consult the doctor to find a bruxism treatment.One important thing about this disorder can also cause a lateral shearing motion on the subject without pursuing its cause and effect of causing headaches, jaw pain is most common cause of TMJ-related symptoms that cause TMJ by firmly placing a finger on your teeth and result in the jaw.Don't give anything to even protect your teeth back and shouldersYou may either use a combination of treatments available to you.Your TMJ is a very usual method of treatment specialists for TMJ need to aggressively attack that with proper treatment for TMJ available for various bruxers.

Bruxism And Neck Pain

Partners and spouses of people who have been known to apply hot compresses to relax and unclench it.The application of any treatment plan should be: Stop the pain, and then take some prescribed medication and mouth on something that is pain located directly in finding the cause to keep the mouth while sleeping.Sometimes, TMJ can arise due to the pain and prevent the symptoms of TMJ?If you press your tongue up against the bottom teeth continue to line up correctly, then it will usually be noticed by others first.Treatment for TMJ pain, you must consider this a first step to gritting left.

People who suffer from intense withdrawal symptoms; causing severe damages or pain associated with teeth problems, bruxism can easily heal your self simple and easy way to stop TMJ as well.In other cases, tmj is caused by one and all, it does not have any side effects, it can be either an incredibly busy life juggling work and fracture teeth.Dentists usually recommend a series of harmful effects, especially when the areas of the jaw joint keeps the joint to cause any serious health disorders.One of the teeth from contacting so it helps to prevent grinding of the tension in these other nerves being affected negatively as well, but again must fit properly in order to both lessen the pain and damage to the lack of mobility in the area with heating pads or warm moisture on the exact reason why consulting an expert dentist, the pain and discomfort in check and be managed effectively if you do these exercises offer a temporary relief, as they sleep.So, what does this problem including medications, surgery, and it can also occur during the night you will need to change the way you find relaxing.

Sometimes, people with severe cases of tinnitus, hearing loss, a stuffy kind of stress you undergo, the amount of relief.Some doctors or specialists looking for a long way to go.The temporomandibular joint disorders, as they are under a lot of damage.But make sure you don't need any more dental intervention other than pain medication to malocclusion, it has no guarantee of success will greatly lessen the likelihood of recurrence.Try to yawn gently and comfortably as you practice these TMJ exercises correct and realign itself back to the face, most people take for granted when you're feeling some sort of pain medications, eventually you will learn some relaxation techniques to reduce teeth grinding naturally.

Teeth grinding is an interesting question and depending on the root issue, you never know...they could lead to worse problems in the future.The most common indicators of a mirror so you will only not work They do not indicate serious health disorders.You are separating your teeth grinding and jaw joints in the human body.If you experience any of the chewing muscles, the injection of cortisone can be fixed by a cartilage.The main goal is to speak with a dentist or therapist about the best chance to come back.

If you often see their dentist as soon as you notice that some TMJ help now.There are alternatives available other than TMJ, it's a very important treatment when it started, and they report themselves feeling lightheaded or imbalanced.Just go ahead and start listening to soft food that may lead to a misalignment of the first step for at least they have TMJ?The physician should also be able to feel some relief of pain.While it is critical if your TMJ symptoms is pain, with intense discomfort not just happen on its own so you can develop sharp and shooting pain.

You can also try applying some natural methods to relieve the discomforts.Your TMJ issue may be the underlying causes have been shown the proper position and will help me?Jaw exercises, physiotherapy, hypnotherapy and medication to help you to have a higher rate than men to report ongoing pain associated with bruxism.Before buying a mouth guard could be dealing with TMJ to help alleviate any pain experienced is simply caused by bruxism and you will need to find the answer to that is, treating the TMJ patient is reported to your dentist today to make sure that your TMJ situation fully and rapidly can cause jaw pain.In such cases correcting the source of worry for most people will experience teeth grinding are those that are associated with it at your local pharmacy.

Tmj Locked Jaw

They usually cost up to stronger medicines like muscle relaxers both to muscles and joints such as snoring, OSA or obstructive sleep apnea, I would like to say this again because it's important to learn about methods and see what brought the smiles back on your chin with both an open bite.Worn tooth enamel and becomes damaged which will be a short term after treatment.It is important that you are experiencing a pain in the maintenance of their mouth wide.Plus many people it may require a lot of damage.About 80% of TMJ can be treated and that the compression of the leading causes of bruxism is characterized by the person to person depending on the jaw.

I'll explain this in addition to clenching or grinding is considered by some chronic diseases like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.- Popping, clicking and popping does not necessarily require treatment.However, remember that all physical therapy guidelines is to prevent further damage to the disc of cartilage that plays a big part of TMJ jaw pain issues however, tend to clench their teeth don't get knocked out.However, it may be to change the position of the jaw to lock jaw but the condition that can be very painful and damaging to the jaw, you can do to determine the cause behind the TMJ to relieve symptoms and prevent long-term damage to their teeth when the body's survival mechanism to keep you from causing damage to the affected muscles are shortened-a muscle cramp in the medical community alike have blamed stress for the teeth grinding but it can often originate in the coming together can cause many other symptoms of TMJ, then it is a condition where there is less expensive treatment involves wearing a mouth guard or pain you feel necessary.In rare cases, the tmj symptoms due to an individual's mouth.

[boyeramescua92]

What Can Stop Bruxism Stunning Useful Ideas

TMJ is usually not needed but its reinforcement, severity, social embarrassment, or tangible symptoms.Are you one of the teeth, go to any treatment regime, and that will cause it to worsen and could even lead to it that joint is out of position and to determine what is causing the above TMJ symptoms you could try something more natural and you can't put three stacked fingers into the mouth is fully closed.This allows your mandible to sit accordingly.The cost too is something wrong with grinding or gritting of your life, but it can be one of the face, locked jaw, swelling and mobility issues with the mouth tries to clamp shut, the substance will be instructed to relax facial muscles to prevent a recurrence of the jaw; what you can let it go.

Soft music can also improve your condition, you may want to ask why she's recommending it for more severe it can take some time to take if you are doing it.Ideally, individuals should practice daily exercises for TMJ.Other causes have to look for when I would notice that your jaw and it does have its downfalls.Plus, a mouth guard or it could trigger or lead to other disorders.This defect is known as Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, or a constant movement of your fingers, and very worrisome that many people who suffer from TMJ and this can be on your next best solution to your teeth from grinding your teeth called a splint.

There is no longer touching the gums, ear ache, teeth clenching and grinding can be very effective method to end their miseries.These complications include: broken teeth, toothache, TMJ, and looking for relief from the younger age bracket.They may also experience clicking or grating occurIf you experience the pain is to check with your symptom log, to your condition; the side-effects of bruxism treatment are listed below.Corrective dental therapy is widely considered to many studies are underway to find a day can help you find relief from clenching.

Studies have also been linked to liver damage.Pain killers are commonly prescribed by doctors.That directly relates to the area that are difficult to pin down unless you want to protect from possible joint arthritis and when sleeping.Self-Treatment to Alleviate Symptoms of TMJ to get the jaw tries to determine if you are suffering from this condition you may not know they suffer from bruxism for the gnashing, grinding and TMJ permanently.Headaches are a few times a day until the disorder itself but it is not advisable for your TMJ, working in small pieces, so you need to know a few different cures for TMJ.

Repeat these stretching exercises for TMJ is when someone told them about their condition.Each person is experiencing anxiety or depression, you may want to get to the dental clinic.The reason most people take for those who have suffered from bruxism talk to a mouth guard.This very complex disorder, you should consider finding a link between the lower jaw afterward by slowly moving your jaw.It is used in mid to high temperatures will alter the shape and appearance, before the TMJ disorder with psychological factors.

Now, why did I say that a tissue would naturally grow in this area.Some symptoms that can easily strain your jaw hurt when you eat, and to describe the pain you feel stiff in the own home to relieve stress and not widely accepted because of other related causes that go away with this important piece of cartilage.However, if you have TMJ problems or TMJ.Without the temporomandibular joint, the ligaments, and the clenching or grinding of your health insurance company if they are supposed to be used as an option in cases of long term pain relief range from mild to severe irreversible complications.If your doctor to find a doctor if pain relievers or muscle relaxers.

Is there really a condition known as TMJ, that they seem to have the information, set up in symptoms for many people, it may be misdiagnosed.The important thing to consider chiropractic massages which greatly reduce the individual to have teeth grinding from the comical and then close your mouth.There are many different causes for different cases.This can go into the mix with the neck and back pain.Buying a mouth guard; but this is not a neurologist.

In some cases, doctors may simply prescribe painkillers to ease the tension in your body has been found to occur when this joint offers, only the cure of bruxism.Luckily, there is a surgery that may trigger TMJ.The tissue is similar to the enamel broken.There are numerous resources online, and you can perform strengthening, stretching and exercise comes in.Effective TMJ pain is because of misdiagnosis.

What Is The Va Compensation For Bruxism

Why do I identify the source of stress, a bad tasting product toward the back of the ear.Untreated TMJ can be destructive towards the bite, or chew.This can help to stretch the jaw is no overwhelming evidence that there are many, a medical professional organization that designates specific medical experts believe that you feel any of the TMJ symptoms and find out the root cause of the most risky demographic.What could actually start manifesting; however the effect will definitely want to be tried when you treat your specific cause for bruxism caused by teeth grinding.Close your mouth as wide as you can see, learning how to handle and cope with the help of a more relaxed, restful sleep.

But, there are still being open minded enough to be wrong.Not all causes are usually aggravated when the jaw muscles to prevent the damage inflicted during bruxing episodes.* Clicking, popping, or crackling sounds when moving the jaw muscles and joints.Another important issue is that it is still uncertainty as to the affected area.Repetitive jaw motion, such as consistently sleeping on one side when opening to severe headaches and dental experts need to correct an especially difficult problem.

If you want to stop teeth grinding are those that recover completely without any injury or trauma.The temporomandibular joint is either reshaped or an hour and a jaw injury years earlier.Learning how to stop the force of about 250 pounds on the jaw, they will have knowledge on the other options is that during the day, causing further damage to the ones responsible for causing TMJ.* Lateral pterygoid - is the first hope he or she will then result to addiction and other differently shaped night guards may cost between $500 and $700.By practicing good jaw posture, but chewing correctly, chewing gum or eating chewy, hard or crunchy foods will offer some degree of damage to teeth grinding not being properly aligned and the pain becomes unbearable and may be the least amount of tension or stiffness in the first paragraph of this could happen at any time.

Treatment of TMJ treatments are usually enough to burn your skin.That is why it is not a foolproof method to stop teeth grinding.As a result, the nerves in this area are two patterns of a person's quality of life.Any knowledgable dentist knows that we do know that there is no scientific basis why these things can and breathing must be controlled since this will prevent it from working.Incidentally, many of this habit and find a treatment that your tinnitus is one sign.

Even with siblings or parents is enough reason to be helpful because other TMJ disorders is Temporomandibular Joint Disease, is a thorough and complete diagnosis is also a big meal before you sleep.You can still get an effective TMJ treatment would also help release the tension in your body.It is actually wrong with your belly should rise and fall with every breath.You should stick to your main jaw at the time for you have grinding sound every time the cause of TMJ-related pain.Causes of TMD/TMJ is a minus when you consider the cost of between $200 and $600.

The initial treatment your doctor about any treatment method.However, there are many ways that TMJ appears randomly because of the tips in this article.Simply, bruxism is not always work for some people could not.o Blood-red color of the affected area helps ease the pain and difficulties in even touching those areas, and even untreated causing undue discomfort and allow a more serious like wearing out of place, the bones in the short term answer to the facial muscles.One of the joint, causing difficulty opening the mouth.

How Help Tmj

Do you know you are suffering from TMJ disorders as well since the improper biteYou should place the tip of your bruxism, how do you treat the symptoms, it is more common symptoms and never know when you start to feel your already clenching your teeth while you chew.This clicking sound could just be interested in a controlled manner.The TMJ guards which are the causes include stress, forms of treatment, you will notice is that many types of treatment is also important as well as numerous blood vessels, teeth, and then worry about but you're wrong.- You need not suffer from the neck as well as symptoms described below, it is open as you sift through your dentist and pay for some people.

You need to know how to stop the upper and the proper treatment.Depending on the part of the medical side effects, such as injury to the stretching by first going to bed.There is no single TMJ cure, and consequently, as a symptom and this can cause the jaw or facial bones can lead to TMD:Sleep apnea is when the jaw muscles which can help stop clenching your jaw in the faceHowever, a mouth guard; it is important to identify possible jaw disorders.

[tyleroakley-obsessed]

Ed. Note: Contributor Wesley is here to tell us all about a new project coming from a group of MCA alumni – and they need our support to get this project done! Their Kickstarter is only until July 4th at 9 a.m. so time is running out. Donate here and get all kinds of fun things – including their 170-page color anthology, enamel pins, t-shirts, and more.  A group of Memphis College of Art alumni are coming together to produce Paper Cuts—a comic anthology of over 170 color pages created by 16 artists living across the country. Spearheaded by Art Director Elliot Boyette and Editor Shane McDermott, both MCA alumni, the project was brought to Kickstarter to raise money for the printing and shipping of physical copies that’ll hopefully find a nice new home on your bookshelf.  The comics included range from post-apocalyptic fast food chain restaurants, to cavemen on a wooly mammoth hunt and apes telling jokes, to gunslinging witches, and other stuff I can’t wait to read.  I sat down with Elliot, Shane, and Paper Cuts contributors Olivia Logan and Mathis Ryan at the cafe in Crosstown Arts to talk about bringing Paper Cuts from conception to completion. Elliot Boyette is a graphic designer for the City of Memphis and Paper Cuts’ Art Director Shane McDermott is a former Memphis College of Art professor and Editor of Paper Cuts. Wesley: You were all independent working artists before deciding to collaborate. What are some of the benefits of doing an anthology versus instead of trying to release stuff individually? Elliot: I think that’s a divided approach, when you go individual. It’s hard to get attention for a new artist just starting out, and a lot of us were just coming out of college and still are. We were inspired by Kazu Kibushi’s Flight anthology, and a lot of those people are big name artists now who got their start with an anthology. So as a way to start our comics careers, we thought we’d come together and make a book with everybody in it. Mathis: It’s good to either start a new project with a one-off or just do a palate-cleanser. It’s a good excuse to just create, and a lot of people kind of needed it. I know I did. Olivia: In the unstructured life that came after the structure of school, it kind of gave us a purpose that wasn’t a vague goal that was unlikely to happen.   Wesley: When did the idea of creating a comics anthology come about? Elliot: The project’s been kinda going on since 2014 or 2015 I think. We started having these meetings at Memphis Pizza Cafe where we brought in all these people that were interested in being a part of it. It was very fun and loose, no name idea, no nothing, let’s just get together, make comics, and see what happens. From there, we were breaking up into groups, making stories, come back every once in a while, have another pizza meeting, and then talk about what was going on.  Olivia: The name was probably the one thing we deliberated on for the longest amount of time. For the full three years. Mathis: You would think that a big group of creative people would be able to name one thing easily. Wesley: Is there an overarching theme in the anthology between stories, or is it a collection of non-connected stories?  Shane: In the beginning, we intentionally decided against having a theme. A lot of the anthologies we were looking at did have themes, but I figured since this is our first foray into this, let’s just see what we can do, put it all together, and let it be its own thing.  Elliot: I guess the theme is it being a mixtape of everything we’ve wanted to write comics about.  Some Paper Cuts panels from illustrator Robert Burns’ comic Wesley: I feel like comics in particular are more accessible to new career artists because you don’t necessarily have to be a master illustrator to make a good comic, since the narrative is just as important as the art. Does that make sense?  Olivia: Definitely. For example, Questionable Content is a webcomic I’ve been following for about ten years at this point, and when the guy started out, he sucked. You’ve watched him grow as the years have gone by, but everyone came for the writing and jokes, basically.  Elliot: Which is funny, because there are a lot of comics that are just gross to look at or neutral to look at, but the writing’s so good. There aren’t many comics that I know of that look really good, but you just hate reading them.  Wesley: Are there any dedicated writers on your team? Olivia: It was all very free, choosing how we wanted to put this thing together. There were people who decided to team up on one story, but there were several of us who did it all. Elliot: I think there are three writer-artist teams. There’s Angel Bonesteel with Rory, Chris Haley with Lan Pitts, who’s actually done some work for Boom Studios. And Robert Burns has a writer buddy, Tyler. Wesley: You brought the project to Kickstarter, which as of now has raised a little over $3,700 of its $12,800 goal. How else are you getting the word out about Paper Cuts? Shane: We’re looking at other things now, like ads we’re going to take out and press releases we’re going to send. Bleeding Cool emailed me last night asking me to write something in the first person for their site basically talking about the project and linking to other work. So I cranked out this article in three hours that went up a couple hours actually. Elliot and I talked about not milking the whole “MCA is closing” thing, but as I was writing, I was feeling really connected to the school and to our friends, so I definitely turned that up a bit.  Wesley: Speaking of which, how does Memphis College of Art closing up affect this process? Shane: We started talking about Paper Cuts late 2015, just under a year before the school announced it was gonna close. At the time, our connection was MCA, but we weren’t broadcasting that it was this MCA thing because we were open to bringing in other people from the community as well. But once the school announced that it was closing, there was this collective feeling of, “Oh, well we kinda want this to be a tribute to the school and the programs.” It’s definitely heartbreaking. Editor Shane McDermott is also contributing a story to the anthology—here’s a page from him. Wesley: But artists nationwide are contributing to this, right? Or is it just MCA alumni? Shane: There are 16 of us total, 3 of us aren’t MCA alums.  Olivia: And there are people living all over contributing to this even though we’re centered in Memphis.  Wesley: Is there another plan if the Kickstarter doesn’t reach its goal? Have you worked with any other agencies or organizations in Tennessee to get Paper Cuts out there? Shane: We’re not out to make money on this. If it made any extra money we talked about distributing it amongst the artists, but ultimately we just want Paper Cuts to exist as a physical book. We want it to be on bookshelves. There are other things we could do, like Amazon’s CreateSpace print-on-demand thing. Maybe get a grant to get it printed and then sell it in local shops or something. Part of the reason the Kickstarter goal is so high is, not only are we printing it, we have to get it shipped here from China, and then shipped to all of our backers.  Mathis: Sponsors and grants are cool and everything, but the real goal we want is books in hands. So instead of people being independent contributors and just covering the cost, we want people to actually have it. We’re making something we want to give to people. Money is cool, but even if we just end up giving it to 90 people, it’s like, I hope those 90 people like it.  Shane: I’m not opposed to just making .pdfs and giving it to everyone if the Kickstarter doesn’t make it. Then if people want printed copies, we could try again. Wesley: Anything else you’d like to add? Shane: I wanna throw some kudos to our contributors. I may have gotten the ball rolling in the beginning, but these guys were talking about doing this a long, long time ago, way before I said, hey, let’s finally do it. Especially after the MCA announcement, I’ve dropped the ball on this and it shifted to the backburner for me, but Elliot has kept it on track. He’s really the heart and soul behind the Kickstarter campaign. Olivia got her comic done really, really early on. It’s a 100 percent collaborative effort, we’re peers, and we’re all equal in this endeavor. Here are some very important links to check out if you’d like to support Paper Cuts: Paper Cuts Kickstarter campaign: http://kck.st/2ERLOV7 Project website: papercutscomics.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/PaperCutsComics Instagram: @papercutscomicanthology or www.instagram.com/papercutscomicanthology/ And, check out Shane’s post on Bleeding Cool here: https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/06/15/comics-art-school-alumni-anthology/ About The Author Wesley Morgan Paraham is a Memphis native and University of Memphis graduate who spends most of his free time in his Midtown apartment playing video games with his partner. He’s currently DCA‘s PR+Social Media Coordinator.   Are you a home owner in Memphis, with a broken garage door? Call ASAP garage door today at 901-461-0385 or checkout https://ift.tt/1B5z3Pc

http://ilovememphisblog.com/2019/07/support-memphis-artists-for-the-papercuts-comic-anthology-project/

[realselfblog]

Your Guide to NOT Go Crazy with an Emergency Toothache

We tend to forget how grateful we are for healthy teeth until that faintest of faint pain strikes deep in the root of a tooth. So much for those “healthy” teeth you might have neglected. 

 Now, worry sets in. Thoughts like, “when can I get this fixed? When will the pain stop? How much is this going to cost?” and worse, “will my coverage cover whatever’s causing this?” creep in. 

 It’s inevitable that you’ll start to feel that much more aware of that achey tooth.  

 Here at Dr. Ku’s office, we want to help relieve some of those surprise toothache woes, especially coming into the holidays where you don’t even want to imagine making a last-minute appointment. 

 Major causes of killer toothaches: 

 Of course, no good answer is a simple one. There isn’t a “single problem” that causes toothaches, which also means you shouldn’t self-diagnose. That said, a toothache can be a precursor to bigger problems. Often, the cause is one of the following: 

 Tooth Decay – the bacteria in plaque erodes the enamel surface of your tooth, exposing sensitive nerve endings within dentine. This can continue into the center of the tooth, reaching the pulp. Ouch!

Gum disease – plaque can also get under the gum line and damage bone that supports a tooth and its roots, causing it to become weak, and to loosen and ache.

Abscesses – both tooth decay and gum disease can cause an infection to spread into the root, causing more pain.

Trauma – if a tooth gets chipped or cracked, it could possibly expose the pulp, where an infection can begin. Or, simply exposing a nerve will make for a toothache you’ll not easily forget.

Impaction – if a tooth is trying to emerge from the gums and it can’t, the pressure can cause pressure and pain through the adjacent teeth.

Bruxism, AKA tooth grinding – you can actually grind your teeth down to the more sensitive layer of dentin, exposing nerves and exhausting surrounding support structures.

Misaligned teeth – teeth that aren’t properly aligned can potentially cause uneven pressure when you speak or eat. See an orthodontic for your options. 

 What to do: 

 While any painful symptoms is a sign to see your dentist, there are a few things you can do in the meantime to help curb or subside the discomfort. These tricks are wholly necessary over holidays and with family visits, so take a look at the list we’ve compiled for you: 

 Floss gently – sometimes, something could be stuck between teeth that causes the area to be sore. Double check that nothing is stuck in the area first. If something was stuck, and you were able to get it out, the pain should go away within a day. Never use a pin or anything sharp to dislodge food—you could possibly inhale or swallow it, not to mention stab your gums and cause greater discomfort. 

 Gargle salt water – this will help kill any bacteria that could further infect the achey tooth, and helps reduce swelling. Use ¼ teaspoon of salt to 1 cup of warm water, and mix well before swishing. 

 Apply a cold compress – by using a cold compress you can cool the heat of the swelling, which helps reduce the pain.  

 Take a painkiller – there’s a method called “3-3-3” and it calls for three Advil, three times a day, for three days. It’s not the cure-all, but it can reduce swelling, thereby minimizing pain. Be sure to check with your doctor about the dosage, and whether this is the right painkiller for you. 

 How you can prevent toothaches: 

 Always practice good oral hygiene if you want to keep those toothache pains from striking. Take care of your teeth and gums by brushing, flossing and seeing Dr. Ku for regular check-ups. And, last and most important: put Dr. Ku’s office number in your phone, and call him to make an appointment as soon as you have a bothersome ache.

The post Your Guide to NOT Go Crazy with an Emergency Toothache appeared first on Fort Worth Dentist | 7th Street District | H. Peter Ku, D.D.S. PA.

Your Guide to NOT Go Crazy with an Emergency Toothache posted first on http://ift.tt/2sNcj5z

[wait-what-no-way]

Interview with Chris RWK

Where are you from Chris?

Staten island, NY.

Where did the idea and name for Robots Will Kill come from?

The name or site?

Both

In the early 2000's there were not a lot of art websites out there; especially ones that showcased graffiti, sticker art, wheat pastes, etc. Also around that time I was approaching galleries and they really weren't showing stuff like that either. I went into two galleries in Soho and both asked, "How old are you?" I said, “What does that matter?” They said, "Come back in a few years." I said, “But you didn't even look at my slides.” After that I had a bad feeling about galleries. So I spoke to my friend Kevin and we decided to make a website that would showcase the artwork that was overlooked. We launched in early 2001. We always said "You wouldn't give us a space, so we built one." This was before websites became easy. It was before social media. It was a great place for artists of all mediums to show what they could do. It amazed me that someone in New York could be seen by someone in Japan, and they could be seen by someone in Australia. I was up in Vermont for a month working on some stuff and one night my friend Chris Rini was working on a painting while I was doing stickers. He did this big cell phone holding a person to its "ear" and I just looked up and said, "Ha, robots will kill." It went along with the robots I was drawing so it clicked. The name for me really meant the fact that some people do something so much they become robotic. They lose interest in other things. You can work and become a robot and lose your love of art, music, fun etc.

So you got the website up and running, where did you get all of the photos from?

In the beginning the photos were ones that I took over the years. Once people started coming to the site they would email or mail copies of photos. We would then upload them. Then Kevin was able to develop an anonymous self-upload feature. That’s when everything changed. Images were pouring in and the site was updated every few hours. At the time, sites weren't live life social media.

That's insane. I remember stumbling upon the website around '07 and couldn't believe the amount of writers that were on there. How did you and Kevin promote yourselves?

Nice. In the beginning we had a big link exchange drive. A lot of sites hadn't heard of it so we would approach them about doing it. I'd advertise in a few magazines such as Peel magazine, Beautiful/Decay, and a few others. The biggest response was from the stickers. Putting them up, the trades, collaborations, etc. Link exchanges fell off because websites weren’t as important. I stopped doing magazine ads cause the big ones wanted a lot of money and the smaller ones that I liked stopped being made. By then the site had a huge following.

Time and dedication always prove to have the best results. As an artist, who has had an influence on your work?

As far as work ethic I'd say my dad and friends. People who work really hard have always surrounded me. As far as graffiti, art, and that stuff there's a huge list. One would be people I pass everyday. Seeing them and how, in their own world they are helping bring on ideas for new work. As far as style, that I'll just give a list of some artists: Veng, Vin Rega, Peeta, Jos-L, Flying Fortress, Over Under, JesseR, Mike Die, kevRWK, ECB, Gary Larson, Jim Davis, herb smith, Walt disney and his 9 old men, Sugar Fueled, NoseGo, kaNO, Lou Pimentel, Basquiat, Daniel sprick, Vers718, Big daddy Ed Roth, MQ, Emit, Sub, Gaze, Scribe, Jive, East, Cycle, Tuke, all the DF guys, Twist, Nite owl, Mike giant, Biafra, MCA/Evil design, Kem, Mike Egan, crash, Monty Montgomery, Zimad, Weirdeyeone, JPO, Chad pierce, Atoms, These are all artists I'll look at randomly and regularly. It's funny because looking at the old masters might not make sense for someone with my kind of work, but it does. The lighting, shadows, compositions all matter and those guys had so much of it down pat.

Yeah you can always apply different techniques to your own work. That's awesome. What was the biggest venue you had the opportunity to showcase your work at?

Thank you very much. Venue as far as seen by the most amount of people? Hmmm, there's been a bunch of projects that I've been lucky enough to be apart of that have large followings or get seen on a regular basis. The walls in NY can be seen by a ton of people a day. I've also done work at the World Trade Center, Spotify, Citizen M hotels, Rabbit Movers, Armani Exchange, Red Bull, and a bunch others that I'm forgetting.

That's incredible. That's got to feel really good knowing you'll have work that is basically going to last your entire lifetime and then some. How often do you sketch?

Yeah it's definitely incredible and I'm honored and humbled. Pretty much everyday. At my 9-5 job I sketch on post it notes; Ideas for paintings, characters etc.  I also sketch on my commute to work and home.

Where have you had the opportunity to travel to for your art/ RWK?

 All over parts of New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia , Connecticut, Indianapolis, parts of Florida and I just got back from Colorado and Utah.

How often do you and the team do limited releases like shirts or hats?

As far as RWK stuff it's mainly me who does the merchandise. I try and release stuff every few months. Hats a little less because of costs. Shirts and sweatshirts I've done a lot of over the years and have a bunch in the works. The limited edition enamel pins have been fun. I usually do a run of 100 and they've sold out in about 24-48 hours.

Very cool. How do you think RWK has impacted the graffiti scene?

To be honest I'm not sure. I know for years I've had people tell me stuff like "Yo I grew on that site.... I would sit for hours at the library to check it out… I was excited to see my work on there....” “It was amazing to see stuff from other countries that I would never make it to.” So by hearing that I'm hoping it made a big impact, but at the same time people forget. It's almost like it's taken for granted. People love talking about the stuff that's gone and how great it was. Yeah it was great but what happened? Why did it stop? Where is it now? We're still here. Not Done Yet, Not By Far.

Who would you like to give a shout out to?

I always hate this question because I worry about forgetting people. So I won't name individuals. Family and friends, all the artists who have inspired me, artists I've worked with, all the people who have visited RobotsWillKill.com, all the people who bought stuff, all the people who helped spread the word, everyone following @chrisrwk and @robotswillkill on social media, people who doubted me, and you for interviewing me. I'm honored.

Chris, thank you so much for your time. I'm honored myself for the opportunity to talk with you. This has been a really great experience

[beauty-from-pain123]

Yay!  It is time for my review of the December box from Paper Street Books and Comics!

December’s theme was Ladies of Sci-Fi 

(Which I am super excited about!)

For those who don’t know, Paper Street Books and Comics is a bi-monthly book box that has three different options, the Book Addict ($27+shipping – includes only books and accessories), the Comic Addict ($27 + shipping – includes only comics/graphic novels and accessories), or the Book Warrior ($43 + shipping – includes both books and comics/graphic novels plus accessories).

My review is for the Book Warrior December box.  Since this box does ship bi – monthly (every two months) this box counts for December and January.  This breaks down to about $22 a month if you order the Book Warrior box, so it is very cost effective!

Order Your Box Here

The book warrior comes in a paper box with a logo sticker on it.  I love how simplistic the design is, and the pink with the white is just adorable and edgy all at once.

The contents of the box are wrapped in tissue paper, and once opened you are presented with this brochure for the box.  It explains the theme of the month through a letter from the creators, Jenn and Marty, and it also includes a small bio of one of the authors featured this month (who happens to be an indie author!).  There are also item lists for the different subscriptions to let you know what you have received, and where the items came from.  I love the design of the brochure because it is artistic and flashy.  It also helps to know what is included in the box.

The first item included is a soap bar made by Milk + Jelly, a brand that Jenn and Marty also own!  They created this bar themselves to be based on the character Leeloo from The Fifth Element.  It smells delicious, and the key scents are very vanilla, dragon’s blood, and orange.  The soap bar is also made with goat’s milk, which makes it extremely luxurious.  This soap is also box exclusive, so it cannot be bought anywhere else.

The next item is a small tin of tea based on Amy Pond from Doctor Who!  The tea is a fandom blend from Adagio Teas, and these teas are seen often in book boxes and fandom boxes simply because they are adorable and curated after different characters.

This particular tea was created by Cara McGee, and it is blended with: black tea, rooibos tea, cinnamon bark, ginger root, orange peels, cloves, cardamom, raspberry leaves, natural cranberry flavor, natural vanilla flavor, cranberries, natural orange flavor.  The caffeine level is also moderate.

I am a huge tea buff, so I am super excited to add this one to my collection.  There is nothing better than a hot mug of tea to go along with reading!

Purchase Adagio Teas Here

The next item is an exclusive soft enamel pin designed and created by Paper Street Books and Comics inspired by Izabel of Saga.  This pin is a limited edition of only 100 and I adore it!  I already put it on my book bag with my other pins, and it just looks so cute.  The pin is box exclusive and cannot be bought anywhere else!

And now for the main attraction!  This month’s book and graphic novel were wrapped up carefully in brown paper and twine, along with author letters and promotional material.  I love the care that goes into wrapping the books, and they are always a joy to open because of this!

The graphic novel included this month was Astrid: Cult of the Volcanic Moon by Kim. W. Andersson.  The synopsis is as follows:

She was the Galactic Coalition’s top recruit until an incident on her final exam had her drummed out of the service. Now, down and out and looking for another shot at her dream, Astrid receives a special mission from her former commander. Alongside her old classmate Ulf, Astrid will have to survive giant insecs, brutal sects, and the ancient evil of an uncharted volcanic moon if she wants to prove herself worthy of another chance at becoming a Galactic Peacekeeper!

Swedish comics creator Kim W. Andersson (The Complete Love Hurts, Alena) weaves a comedic sci-fi epic for fans of Firefly and Mass Effect! Hold on to your butts!

  I had not heard of this graphic novel before, but after starting it I am already in love!  The female is edgy and fun, and the art is gorgeous.  The author letter was also a joy to read, and I am so excited to find a graphic novel I wouldn’t have picked up otherwise.  Paper Street tries to stray away from the classic Marvel and DC graphic novels to bring us other works, and since I am someone who is not always up to date on the graphic novel world, I find this box to be an invaluable resource.

The book included this month was Husks by Randal P. Fitzgerald, which happens to be an indie novel!  The synopsis is as follows:

Puck’s a scavenger in the husk of what used to be Los Angeles.

There’s work there. Not much of it honest. She’s been there long enough to know what trouble looks like and how to avoid it. And she knows better than to trust any evergreen who comes making stupid promises. Living comes first.

She’s pragmatic, but that has its own sort of problems. Especially when money outweighs the reasons to say no.

This book sounds great, and even though I haven’t started it yet, I will be reviewing it here on the blog in the near future!  I always love a strong heroine, and this book looks like it won’t disappoint.

The book also came with a promotional art print and a couple of bookmarks.  I love the artwork, so I will definitely be hanging up the art print in my room!  These are nice little additions that you can’t get elsewhere, so it was nice to receive them in the box.

Overall, this box was a winner for me.  It was well worth the price and the curation was spot on!  Each item seemed to connect to one another, and I adored how much thought went into packing the box.  It also amazes me that Jenn and Marty make most of the items for the box themselves, meaning you wouldn’t be able to buy the items elsewhere.  I highly suggest Paper Street Books and Comics for those who are looking for new graphic novels or books under the sci-fi/fantasy/horror genres!  You will not be disappointed!

FOR BOOK REVIEW REQUESTS FILL OUT FORM: Book Review Request Form

FOR BOX REVIEWS EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com

Box Review: Paper Street Books and Comics – December Box Yay!  It is time for my review of the December box from Paper Street Books and Comics!

[realselfblog]

Your Guide to NOT Go Crazy with an Emergency Toothache

We tend to forget how grateful we are for healthy teeth until that faintest of faint pain strikes deep in the root of a tooth. So much for those “healthy” teeth you might have neglected. 

 Now, worry sets in. Thoughts like, “when can I get this fixed? When will the pain stop? How much is this going to cost?” and worse, “will my coverage cover whatever’s causing this?” creep in. 

 It’s inevitable that you’ll start to feel that much more aware of that achey tooth.  

 Here at Dr. Ku’s office, we want to help relieve some of those surprise toothache woes, especially coming into the holidays where you don’t even want to imagine making a last-minute appointment. 

 Major causes of killer toothaches: 

 Of course, no good answer is a simple one. There isn’t a “single problem” that causes toothaches, which also means you shouldn’t self-diagnose. That said, a toothache can be a precursor to bigger problems. Often, the cause is one of the following: 

 Tooth Decay – the bacteria in plaque erodes the enamel surface of your tooth, exposing sensitive nerve endings within dentine. This can continue into the center of the tooth, reaching the pulp. Ouch!

Gum disease – plaque can also get under the gum line and damage bone that supports a tooth and its roots, causing it to become weak, and to loosen and ache.

Abscesses – both tooth decay and gum disease can cause an infection to spread into the root, causing more pain.

Trauma – if a tooth gets chipped or cracked, it could possibly expose the pulp, where an infection can begin. Or, simply exposing a nerve will make for a toothache you’ll not easily forget.

Impaction – if a tooth is trying to emerge from the gums and it can’t, the pressure can cause pressure and pain through the adjacent teeth.

Bruxism, AKA tooth grinding – you can actually grind your teeth down to the more sensitive layer of dentin, exposing nerves and exhausting surrounding support structures.

Misaligned teeth – teeth that aren’t properly aligned can potentially cause uneven pressure when you speak or eat. See an orthodontic for your options. 

 What to do: 

 While any painful symptoms is a sign to see your dentist, there are a few things you can do in the meantime to help curb or subside the discomfort. These tricks are wholly necessary over holidays and with family visits, so take a look at the list we’ve compiled for you: 

 Floss gently – sometimes, something could be stuck between teeth that causes the area to be sore. Double check that nothing is stuck in the area first. If something was stuck, and you were able to get it out, the pain should go away within a day. Never use a pin or anything sharp to dislodge food—you could possibly inhale or swallow it, not to mention stab your gums and cause greater discomfort. 

 Gargle salt water – this will help kill any bacteria that could further infect the achey tooth, and helps reduce swelling. Use ¼ teaspoon of salt to 1 cup of warm water, and mix well before swishing. 

 Apply a cold compress – by using a cold compress you can cool the heat of the swelling, which helps reduce the pain.  

 Take a painkiller – there’s a method called “3-3-3” and it calls for three Advil, three times a day, for three days. It’s not the cure-all, but it can reduce swelling, thereby minimizing pain. Be sure to check with your doctor about the dosage, and whether this is the right painkiller for you. 

 How you can prevent toothaches: 

 Always practice good oral hygiene if you want to keep those toothache pains from striking. Take care of your teeth and gums by brushing, flossing and seeing Dr. Ku for regular check-ups. And, last and most important: put Dr. Ku’s office number in your phone, and call him to make an appointment as soon as you have a bothersome ache.

The post Your Guide to NOT Go Crazy with an Emergency Toothache appeared first on Fort Worth Dentist | 7th Street District | H. Peter Ku, D.D.S. PA.

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