#my ipad is dying and its 5 am

[princes-creations-askblog]

Upgraded Pinned Post!!

(I have to do this with all my blogs now…)

Hello!! My name is Bugthing, I’m the mod for this blog. This is a side account dedicated entirely to my non-fandom OCs, including my sona, Lord/Lady Nebulis/Yk, Ancient Mother Galactica/Vuu’yk, and many more.

My main is @goblinbugthing — for other content and too many reblogs, follow me there!

Both my sona and I use he/xey/it/they pronouns interchangeably. My mutuals can refer to me with blood/bleed and gore/gory. Please keep that in mind!

This blog is safe for minorities! (e.g. LGBTQ+ people, disabled people, BIPOC, Palestinians, etc.)

I AM A MINOR. Don’t be weird.

More under the cut!

(Dividers via @/animatedglittergraphics-n-more)

Asks are currently open! Send in any asks directed towards/regarding my characters and stuff.

My socials:

YouTube

Wattpad

AO3

TikTok

$$app

Ko-Fi

My other blogs:

@ask-emporianroyals-au — AHiT AU askblog

@kirby-souljourney-au — Kirby AU sideblog

@hollowknightinsanity — HK-specific sideblog

@buggiethedrag0n — RP blog dedicated to my sona

I have no currently released original works. On my AO3, I do have my Kirby AU fic + oneshots and my HK AU fics.

Please read and leave kudos if you’re interested!

Tag Key:

#ooc post — posts out-of-character.

#(character) posting — posts created specifically regarding the named character.

#nebulis’ concepts — concepts for characters, animals, and other things.

#character antics — skits and shitposts.

#universe storyline — lore posts.

#multiversal post — reblogs of my other AUs.

#nebulis’ art — original art.

#your question has been answered! — answered asks.

#unrelated sillies — posts unrelated to the stories.

#nebulis’ polls — polls.

#mod likes talking — text posts.

I tag triggers with #cw (trigger)

I tag OCs with #oc: (oc)

(This is to be updated later with fixed tags. I’m too tired to do it now.)

DNI list:

Pr0sh1ppers

NSFW blogs

TERFs

Transphobes, homophobes, racists, ableists, sexists, misogynists, antisemites, etc.

H@rry P0tt3r fans

D@ng@nr0np@-specific blogs

People in support of Israel’s genocide of Palestinians

AI “art” supporters (i will personally amputate your arms.) (this goes for ai generated ANYTHING.)

H@zb1n fans (😐)

That’s all, I believe! Go ahead and do whatever!

[mayajadewrites]

Levi Ackerman x Reader - Almost

Chapter 3: Taste

Modern AU Levi Ackerman x Reader fanfic I've been dying to write! Levi is my latest hyper fixation so this was bound to happen. There will be other AOT characters in the mix, but remember this is a modern AU!

Chapter Summary: Levi stops in the coffee shop again to ask reader out on another date. We get a bit of Levi's POV and some backstory!

WARNING: SOME SMUT AHEAD

ao3 link

The next day you wake up with butterflies in your stomach and an intense feeling of anxiety in your body.

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

Your alarm read 6 AM. You have to be at work by 7, and you'll probably walk in to the 9-5 crowd.

To be honest, you barely slept. You kept replaying last night over and over in your head until you eventually nodded off to sleep. Seeing Levi's name on your phone screen made your heart soar, so you knew you needed to push your feelings down. Levi is not the type of man to show PDA, or even tell you he likes you.

From what you can tell, he definitely at least tolerates you.

As you got out of the shower, you saw your phone screen light up.

Levi: Good morning. I hope you slept well.

Levi Ackerman texts like an old man. But its cute.

You: Good morning, I slept like a baby. How did you sleep?

You lied. Obviously. You didn't sleep because you were too busy thinking about the very man you were texting.

Levi: I didn't.

You: ??? You didn't sleep?

Levi: No. I rarely do. I'll see you soon, brat.

It's not very surprising that Levi doesn't sleep much if at all, but that still worried you. Sleep is very important when it comes to basic life functioning, and you know Levi's life is filled with stress.

You put on your uniform and put your hair in a half up, half down style. One day when you own your own coffee shop, there won't be any uniforms.

☕︎⋆˙⟡♡☕

"I can help who's next." You look up from the register, only to see your favorite pair of eyes.

"Medium black tea please." Levi peered through his jet black locks. His undercut looks freshly done, he must've done it after our date last night.

Date? Hang out?

"Will you ever try a new drink?" You smile at him, tapping the numbers in on the iPad.

"No. I like what I like and it hasn't done me wrong yet." Levi handed you his card in between his pointer and middle finger. "Are you busy this weekend?"

"I'm not actually. I have the weekend off." You slide his card and hand it back to him. "Any exciting plans for you?"

"Maybe." Levi shrugged, putting his card in his sleek wallet. "If you say yes."

This caught you off guard. Levi wanted to hang out again? So soon?

☕︎⋆˙⟡♡☕ LEVI ☕︎⋆˙⟡♡☕

I'm not good with communicating my emotions. That is unbearably obvious. I have never been the type to step out of my comfort zone and confess my true feelings to anyone.

This all started with my mother. Of course.

After witnessing her die, I did not want to speak ever again. She was everything to me. Not only was I a child, but I was an only child. A child is not supposed to lose their mom so early on in life.

I honestly rarely have feelings for anyone. I have... 2 friends. Erwin and Hange. So 1 and a half.

I currently see a therapist because I'm 30 years old and I'm getting the feeling that I want to be settled down soon. You know, kids and all that. I'm already a CEO, I have the house of my dreams, but I'm missing someone to share it with.

I've tried dating. No woman ever sticks. Either they just want sex, my money, or attention. They never want me.

When I met her, I felt a tingle in my chest. Seeing her face every morning and getting my tea for me gives me the same feeling every day.

So, my therapist told me to step up and ask her out.

It took me 6 months - but I did it.

Our date, if we want to call it that, since I'm not sure what she thought of it, went perfectly. Her personality meshes with mine in a way that it's written in novels. I can be rather dry with my sense of humor, but she gets it. She gets me.

I didn't kiss her last night, or even hug her, but God do I want to. I'm not sure if I get a taste of her if I'll ever be able to let go.

An image of her was playing over and over in my head as I was showering last night, her black dress clinging to her curves. Her thighs peeking out of her stockings drove me crazy. But I kept my composure.

Obviously, I had to relieve myself. In the shower. Thinking of her.

I haven't even touched her yet and she has me like this.

My therapist said that it's okay for me to feel this intensely, that it's 'normal'. Who even decides what's normal anyways?

I haven't told Hange or Erwin about her yet, and I don't plan too until if and when we decide to actually be together. I don't need their opinions or Hange's excitement rumbling in my ear.

"If you say yes." I sip my tea, looking at her. Her eyes were doe-like, which made the pit of my stomach feel hot.

"Let me know what you wanna do, I'm yours this weekend." She smiled, helping the next customer in line.

Does she know that my dick is hard right now because of what she just said? How little she just said?

I lifted my cup and left the cafe, heading towards my car to go to the office.

Bzzzzzz.

"Ackerman, can you come in earlier? A few people want to meet with you about a project they want you to fund." Hange almost screamed into the phone.

"4 eyes, I can hear you perfectly fine if you talk at a normal tone. Yeah, I'm on my way."

"Well I can't control the volume!"

"You actually can. Goodbye." I hung up, starting the car. I glanced at the window of the coffee shop, watching her smile at customers and hand them their drinks. Her smile warmed my cold heart, slowly defrosting the ice that encases it.

Does she know she's all I can think about?

☕︎⋆˙⟡♡☕ BRATTY BARISTA ☕︎⋆˙⟡♡☕

You cannot believe you just told Levi Ackerman you were his this weekend. Did he think you were a slut? Did he think you were gonna put out?

That thought left your brain when you remembered who you were talking about. Levi Ackerman is a gentleman before anything, which he's shown you.

You heard your coworker Nina call your name, who also happens to be one of your good friends.

"Did that fine ass man ask you out this weekend?!" She leaned against the counter, smiling. "I knew he wanted to get with you!"

"Yes, we went out last night too actually." A blush blessed your cheeks as you washed your hands.

"How was the short king? How were his lips?!"

"We didn't kiss." You looked at her, hoping she wouldn't drag the conversation further.

"What?! So was it even a date? I usually go way farther than a kiss on a first date-"

"Did you date Levi Ackerman?" You tilted your head, emphasizing Levi's name. "I'm not rushing anything. I enjoy his company."

"I'm just saying, he looks rather kissable."

"Obviously, Nina." Your eyes rolled so far they could've gotten stuck in the back of your head. "Trust me, I want to kiss him. I would love to jump his bones. I want to every time he walks in here."

☕︎⋆˙⟡♡☕

After your shift, you were relieved you were off for the weekend. You worked the regular 8 hours today and needed to decompress from all of the customer service.

Bzzzzz.

Levi: I was thinking we could grab a coffee tomorrow morning and head to the flea market. Not a coffee from your job though. Thoughts?

Was this man in your head?

You: That sounds amazing, actually. What time is my chariot arriving?

Levi: 8 AM. Not like you're not used to seeing me early in the morning anyways.

You: Ay-ay captain.

You've never dealt with a man that made plans for you. The fact that Levi suggested quite literally your favorite morning activities for a date made you swoon.

You spent the rest of your afternoon/night cleaning your apartment and finishing the lastest novel you picked up. Nina sent you outfit inspo for tomorrow but you were not in the mood to show off your tits at 8AM.

☕︎⋆˙⟡♡☕

Wakeup call was 6 AM so you could make sure you were ready for your Range Rover chariot to wisk you away. Your shower helped wake you up, even though your anxiety has kept you up most of the night.

You opted for a pair of straight leg barely ripped jeans, an oversized crewneck, and platform white converse. You accessorized with various layered necklaces and small gold hoop earrings.

Makeup with your usual small winged liner with glowy skin and glossy lips. By the time you were done with everything, it was 7:45. You sprayed your favorite marshmallow vanilla perfume before grabbing your purse and checking your phone.

Nina: Good luck today! Kiss those perfect lips!!

You: I'm about to send you a video of me rolling my eyes.

Bzzzzz.

Levi: I'm early again. Your chariot awaits.

You smiled at your phone, grabbing your coat. You saw Levi's car through your window, his eyes glued onto your door. Once you walked out, Levi got out of the car and opened the passenger door.

Levi was wearing a casual outfit himself, black jeans with a grey (cashmere?) sweater, and loafers. God, he smelled good too.

"Good morning." Levi closed your door, getting back in his seat. "You look cozy."

"Thank you, so do you." You smile at him, memorizing every inch of his face. You wanted to lean in and kiss him right then and there, but you did not want to make the first move.

You weren't going to.

☕︎⋆˙⟡♡☕

Once you parked, you walked to a coffee shop that's in the midst of the flea market. Part of you wondered why one of the richest men in the city would shop at a flea market.

Levi pressed his hand to the small of your back, ushering you out of the coffee shop. His touch sent sparks up your body.

You and Levi strolled through the different vendors, sipping your drinks and talking. You caught Levi looking at your hand a little too much, especially when you threw out your cup.

More people started to show up to the flea market, causing the crowd to get larger. Levi looked more tense, darting his eyes at every exit.

"I didn't know it would get so crowded." You try to break his thoughts, looking up at him.

Levi took your hand in his, slowly intertwining his fingers with yours. "I don't wanna lose you." Levi said so casually. You know he meant he didn't want to lose you in the crowd, but you also felt that he meant that in another way.

"Do you want to get out of here and head to my apartment? It's getting too crowded to walk." You suggest, pressing your hand against his.

"Yes please."

You've learned that Levi Ackerman does not like crowds, partially because it forces him to do PDA.

☕︎⋆˙⟡♡☕

You are thankful you cleaned your apartment yesterday. Everything was in it's place, and it smelled good. Not that it didn't usually, but you live alone so if you don't clean it, no one else will.

Levi took his shoes off at the door with you, taking in his surroundings.

"You have nice taste." Levi helped you take off your coat, hanging it in your closet.

"Thank you. I try." You smile, turning to face Levi. "Thank you for this morning." You inch closer to him, watching his eyes search your face.

"Thank you for every morning." Levi leaned in, bringing his hand to your cheek gently.

For what felt like years, you and Levi looked in each other's eyes. You had a full conversation with just your eyes.

Levi eliminated the space between you and pressed his lips to yours. His lips are pillow soft and taste like mint. You slowly wrap your arms around his neck, dragging your fingers along his undercut.

His lips moved in rhythm with yours, sliding his hands down your curves to your ass. You smile against his lips, pressing your chest to his.

"If you want to stop, I-" Levi pulled away, looking in your eyes.

"Levi, please." You almost whimper, bringing his lips back to yours. You lead your bodies to the couch, straddling Levi's waist. You open your mouth as he's kissing you, letting his tongue in. His fingertips softly dragged down your back, making sure to squeeze your ass every now and then.

His tongue slipped in your mouth, exploring every inch of it. You sucked on it gently as you felt your core start to pulsate, begging for attention.

Levi moaned quietly against your lips - you could barely hear it but it happened. Your hips started moving in rhythm, his erection pressing against his jeans.

Bzzzzzz. Bzzzzz. Bzzzz.

You pulled away from Levi, staring down at his pocket.

"I'm gonna kill whoever is calling me." Levi pulled his phone out of his pocket, rolling his eyes at the screen. "I'm sorry, it's Erwin. The President of Ackerman Inc. I have to take this, he doesn't usually call."

You nod and roll off of him, your core needy as fuck and your lips missing his.

[catearsandchaos]

The brilliantly amazing @acynicandanidealist tagged me to post my favorite pictures from my electronic device. So here they are! It’s a bit of an eclectic mix, but they all make me smile. I’ll put details of them in the tags if anyone wants to be nosy.

As usual, because you know how things operate around here, if you see it and you haven’t already been tagged, then you’re it. Unless you really don’t want to, of course. I can’t stop you from declining really.

[nbmudkip]

u are the reason im playing sekai rn so i have to ask. how do u get good at it the only hard level song i can beat reliably is echo

TEEHEE I LOVE HEARING THAT I GOT PPL INTO THIS GAME. okay honestly i have No idea how i have gotten to the point i am at, i started back right around christmas and when i started i could barely handle most songs on hard. i also do play piano so i think i get a bit of an advantage from that but if i had to give a few tips, it would be:

- play with your fingers, not your thumbs!!! i play so much better using my fingers than my thumbs, it’s just way easier to tap accurately. also now that i mostly play master, i usually end up using four fingers per song (both index and both middle fingers). occasionally i even end up throwing in my ring fingers for a tap or two if im desperate. cant do that with thumb playing

- have your device on a flat surface and play from directly above. when i play, im usually either at the kitchen table with my ipad flat on the table, or im sitting cross legged on my bed with my ipad flat on my legs. its best to find a place where its stable enough not to move when tapped and as flat as possible while still being able to have your head directly above the screen. yes i end up hunching a lot in my bed. extra achey shoulders is a price i am willing to pay for fun tappy tappy

- practice practice practice!!! honestly i think i can only play the way i do because i just play a ton. play lots of different songs too so you get a feel for different movements. a good way to do this is to join co-op rooms, as all 5 people get to put in a song and then the one that plays is randomized, so you end up getting a lot of variety in. plus co-op rooms give you more rewards and higher scores

- dont be afraid to step out of your comfort range. obviously if you cant get halfway through a song without dying you should probably step back, but dont shy away from challenges!! when i first got this game i tried an expert level once and thought it was the most terrifying thing in the world, but after a few days i decided to give them another shot, and after a few more days of that i ended up getting my first full combo on expert. i find that after a while of practicing, certain songs that used to seem completely impossible suddenly become pretty manageable!

overall, dont be disheartened if youre improving slowly because slowly is the only way to improve! just keep at it and i promise you’ll find yourself getting better

[cottoncandycloudsfluff]

I posted 41 times in 2021

29 posts created (71%)

12 posts reblogged (29%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 0.4 posts.

I added 66 tags in 2021

#undertaleau - 14 posts

#undertale - 11 posts

#utmv - 10 posts

#art - 6 posts

#wiggleverse - 5 posts

#digital art - 4 posts

#nightmare sans - 4 posts

#errorsans - 4 posts

#dream sans - 4 posts

#reblog - 4 posts

Longest Tag: 68 characters

#almost all of the people in the discord server agrees im the uwu one

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

Drem

Procreate vs Ibispaint

Both made in the same ipad mini 1, with my fingers-

I am probably just inexperienced in Procreate, (which btw, cannot be updated anymore so I'm stuck in Procreate 2015, I think-)

12 notes • Posted 2021-10-20 04:36:35 GMT

#4

After!Dreamtale

Basically Aftertale but Dreamtale.

(I tried a new artstyle and coloring style for these bois :D) Info about After!Dreamtale: -Nightmare eating the apples corrupted their world, not Nightmare. Therefore everything was reduced to a void of black, except a patch of grass where the tree, but with no magic anymore, sat.

-Dream blamed himself for everything as he was the only one who remained, and then basically just drowned in an ocean of guilt.

-Dream cut the tree down out of anger after his world disappeared.

-Accidentally/Intentionally, a syringe of DT rolled from another world to After!Dreamtale.

-With no chance of hope left, Dream injected himself with DT, to have determination as some humans did back in the village.

-DT was not that compatible with Dream's magic it melted part of Dream's skeleton body.

-Dream managed to save his world by resetting, but at the cost of him losing his magic, and slowly dying.

-Nightmare remembers the reset, Nightmare was fine being dead and wanted Dream to be selfish for once.

-Now Dream is slowly dying, and they can't unbalance the apples, the villagers still wanted Dream's help, they could do nothing anymore but accept their fate.

18 notes • Posted 2021-11-05 00:35:29 GMT

#3

•Karen!Sanses AU but its also Fgod-

(Honestly, this is just pure chaos-)

"You injured me! I want to speak to your manager!" A Sans copy dramatically flopped to the ground, touching his fibula.

"I will sue you for telling false information! I only barely scratched you! I want to talk to YOUR manager!" Error flipped his nonexisting hair.

"I am his manager!" Ink came in with his giant paintbrush. "I will sue you for hurting this person!"

"You don't have any proof! You aren't a real manager! I will SUE yOu!" Error panickly looked at Ink.

Shocked gasps were heard.

"I am a real manager!" Ink presented a (fake) ID.

Error gasped. "That is fake! You're not fit for a manager!" Error stomped.

Too late. More angry Karen Sanses emerged and began to attack Karen Error with complaints.

"Unfair! Unfair!" Error stomped his feet.

He went to his antivoid.

"Unfair! Everything is unfair!" Error stomped his feet in humiliation.

"You better destroy or I'll sue you for destruction of private property!" One of the voices shouted.

"That doesn't make sense at all! I hate this job! I want to speak to your manager!" Error yelled back.

Karen Nightmare came in, gasping.

"Your place is so messy and you are injured! I want to speak to your manager!" Nightmare shouted.

20 notes • Posted 2021-11-21 05:03:04 GMT

#2

Inky black tears dyed the white snow as sobbing was heard.

Ink lost his best friend.

The one thing that is irreplaceable.

He couldn’t save them in time.

“Ink, come on. It’s just a brush.” Dream dragged Ink, annoyed at how dramatic Ink was.

They were all tired from the fight, they need to go back to their base.

But the truth was, Broomie wasn’t just a brush.

---

Ink was bored and lonely. All he could do is wait in his little void, that he now named' Doodlesphere’ and wait for the creators.

Sure, he could travel using paint, but he has no normal paint anymore and he wouldn’t spend his vials on useless stuff.

“Ink! We know you’re bored so we made something for you!” A voice spoke up.

“You did!? Thank you! What is it?” Ink spoke up in curiosity.

“Ta-daaa!” Another voice spoke.

It was a brush. A 5 feet tall brush to be exact.

“Coool! What does it do?” Ink smiled, the creators just gave him a gift!

“For once, it has unlimited paint supply! Now you can travel anywhere you like!”

“Ooh!” Ink spoke as he tested the brush to draw a tree in the ground.

To his surprise, it came to life! Now there’s a whole tree on his doodlesphere-

“Yeaah- It can also bring stuff to life! It’s a one-of-a-kind type of brush, so be careful with it!”

“Thank you so so much!” Ink thanked the creators as he hugged his new brush, he decided to name it, Broomie.

---

A few months had passed and Ink was never lonely anymore. He had Broomie by his side always.

“Broomie! I brought pizza!” Ink announced as his brush just sat there in the corner, not doing anything, like what normal objects do.

But Ink likes to pretend otherwise.

“And no! I am not sharing this with you!” Ink spoke hugging the pizza box.

“..” Silence was heard as Ink waited for a response. Nothing as usual.

“Finee! Since you asked for it, I’ll give you some!” Ink giggled.

---

Back to the present time, Ink desperately tried to glue Broomie back together.

But no matter he tried, Broomie is broken, and cannot be fixed.

He lost his bestfriend and he’s not going to get them back.

30 notes • Posted 2021-10-19 11:35:11 GMT

#1

I loved the fic so much and decided to join! This is my first time joining these kind of stuff so I don't really expect to win- (I have a weird relationship with my watermarks, so I just decided to put in my wattpad username xD) OSD by: @calcium-cat

173 notes • Posted 2021-10-24 03:49:34 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[a-cai-jpg]

this is the most honest i know how to be.

as we walk down the streets of boston at 5:30 am, the air is cool and sweet. 

i breathe in, and i'm in indiana, at camp, dragging myself from my cabin to the main lodge and trying to hide my weariness from my campers. their laughter filters through the cotton grogginess of my mind. i lean towards it as we eat. on the train, the trees rush past my window. we didn't even notice when the train started moving, but then suddenly we were out of boston.

the last time i took ground transport to somewhere else, it was october, maybe. i was with hannah then, and we talked about traveling. it was 5 hours of conversation, and from that day, i knew i had to keep her. you were on my mind then too.

the early morning sunlight shifts through the trees. i'm reminded of rural england, 16 years old, something wild rearing its head in my chest, a shadow of which i still feel if i try hard to look for it. i'm writing a postcard to a friend. "the forest looks like a place for fae," i write. i received a letter from him last year and spent too long thinking of a reply.

so here it is--we are at the end. i was cooking at casi's stove yesterday night, and i said, "why can't we just rewind to orientation?" and the fear comes out as a whine. we are walking across a bridge towards brown university today, and i think about why humans are afraid of death.

"people are afraid of the unknown," i say as we wait for our starbucks drinks. "i think that's why we are scared of death."

i'm responding to her fear of unnaturally large things. i don't think this is what she meant.

but i'm thinking about how and why we are on this earth. to what do we become once we die? are we afraid of the unknown, or are we afraid to become no more? how many of us are remembered when we pass, how many of us are worth being remembered? for what do we live?

i think the questions in my head, but i don't speak them aloud. we walk past a canopied path that she says reminds her of haikyuu.

i am both weary and restless. i want to crawl out of my skin and take a nap somewhere for a few decades, but instead i'm trapped on a 6 hour flight back home. i'm scared of going home.

the plane is warm, i can't breathe, and i wait for my earbuds to charge so i can continue watching television. i think my thoughts in coherent sentences so they do not wander, and so here i am, writing this on my phone. i glance up at the map sometimes, and chuckle inwardly as i realize i can't actually recognize the states without labels. which one is arizona and which one is new mexico? it's a 4 hour drive to arizona so it must be closer to california, i think to myself. or did i make that up?

i think traveling will help, but i wander different cities and mountains and cliffs and lakes, and i want to go back home.

but it's weird, because home is a feeling. god i've written about this before, but home is a feeling. a route that i walk without thinking, feet moving to the beat of my music. shrieks of laughter as we watch television. the calm silence as we eat dinner. i can count back the hours and days to which i last felt at home.

when did you last feel like yourself? daniel asks.

sometime today, i think. not when we were driving up the north shore. probably the arboretum. it's familiar, and i am grounded. i was actually thinking about this today, i joke. i don't know when it was, but i thought, wow the crystal really worked.

but god, the last time i felt at home.

i ask daniel to put my cot in his room because i'm scared to sleep alone. i sit in casi's living room for as long as possible, and play with the idea of asking whether i can sleep over. she offers, but i decline, because how long can i push it off? for the first time, i'm annoyed that my basically-stepfather lives with us now, because i can no longer crawl into my mother's bed. i haven't done that in years.

ten, twenty, thirty minutes pass, and i allow myself two teardrops and tell daniel my most irrational fear. what the fuck? he says in reply. i know it's irrational, but if it happens, i'm going to be so fucking pissed. yeah, it's irrational. it's easier now that someone else holds it with me, even if he thinks i'm crazy for even having the thought.

a few years back, i wrote a piece about not finding your home in people. people change, your home crumbles. i wrote this after meeting an old friend in ginza. i got a new haircut that day, and he dyed his hair brown. i never found a home in him, but i did in others that we once shared. i thought about change and college and what comes next, and as i looked at him in wonder, i was nostalgic and wistful and hopeful.

i tell my therapist that i identify myself in relation to people. when they are gone, i am lost, or i spend too long looking for myself again, and when i find the self, i'm not sure i like her. she doesn't understand, because i smile and joke and talk about the theory of the reflexive self, but i'm so fucking scared.

i don't know, i muse. see, i think the problem is this. i'd created an expectation for who i wanted to become. but i don't think i became her, so now i've disappointed myself.

i'm watching a korean drama right now, but i keep thinking about a japanese movie i watched with my aunt in china. it's called hanamizuki, and i'm not too sure what about it stuck with me. 花水木. maybe the poignancy of loss? of the happy ending not working out?

i've written stories in my head all my life, and i'd tried to write a script for my own life. i would joke i'm the tragic greek hero, trying and failing to defy the gods, but if there is a god out there, he'd probably just smile sadly at me.

i'm not unhappy. i'm happy.

i keep asking the people around me this question, and everyone says, "i'm not unhappy, but i'm not happy."

i can definitively say i'm happy. i've had so much fun this past month, i don't know if i deserve it. it's just sometimes, i want more. life is an exercise in being content with what you have, but i'm still learning the steps towards that.

i don't expect all the days to be good. one day, i know i will be definitively unhappy. but i also (do i dare?) don't expect all the days to be bad. one day, i know i will be definitively happy again.

but at the same time, i don't know how to respond when people ask, "how are you? what's new? tell me what happened."

i realized i'm terrible at lying, because i want people to see me for my full self, but at the same time, i'm terrified of that.

jason pulls up a picture on my instagram and says, this doesn't look like you. i'm almost offended and laugh, until he says, you look too happy here. did i not look happy in the pictures you took of me today? i ask. no, you did. but you look genuinely happy here. i've never seen you look like that before.

i don't know how to respond, so i just shrug and say, it was a good day.

it was after an exam and the weather was warm. i could wear a dress and a light jacket. i really like that dress. i remember something about a watch. my ankle ached because of where i'd rolled it a few years back, but yeah, i guess i was happy.

people ask, how are you? i'm okay, i say after a pause, not reflexively. my professor says he's sure i am well, and i smile.

i'm okay. i began the year okay, and am ending the year okay. i'm happy, and life is good even if it's not ideal. i'm going to hawaii and going ziplining even though i my own lungs suffocate me when i'm high up. look, it will all be okay. the world loses its color, but gains some back.

the world does not end.

i'm sure i will go to bed melancholic. i will watch television until my eyelids grow heavy, and i'll reach over to lock my ipad and pray that i will fall asleep. i might wake up melancholic, probably from a dream that will seem childish in a few months time. but i have to wake early tomorrow, and have things to do and people to meet, so i will be okay.

non-daily song rec: 郭頂 - 水星记

[lovemesomesurveys]

“I’ve got my fuzzy socks on and I’m ready for summer”

You arrive in New York at 10 AM. What's the first thing you do? Find a nice, cute cafe to get a coffee and pastry from and chill at for a bit while sorting out my plans for the day. You go by your locker & your bf/gf is cheating on you. What comes to mind? I’m not in school anymore, but hypothetically I’m sure I would feel a lot of emotions--angry, hurt, upset, confused... like wtf?? And damn, right in front of everyone, too? That would be humiliating. 

You have to take out the trash & clean your room. Your reaction? I’m 31 years old, you gotta do that kinda stuff when you’re adult. I don’t personally take out the trash because it would be really difficult for me to do in a wheelchair, but I have other stuff I have to do. I don’t particularly enjoy it, it just is what it is.

How many siblings do you have? I have two brothers.

Have you ever made fun of a homeless/ mentally challenged person? No. What a shitty thing to.

Make up a funny word with your first name in it. I don’t know.

Do you like campfires? Yes. I love the smell, it makes me think of fall. And just the coziness of it.

What's your favorite color to write with? Black.

Do you write poetry? No.

When's your 20th birthday? [Day & Month is fine. Year if you want.] I turned 20 back in July 2009.

Do you spit in public? Ew, no. I don’t spit at all except for when rinsing my mouth after brushing my teeth. It makes me gag seeing people spit. I also have to watch out for that when wheeling around outside because I would DIE if it got on my wheels and then me. akjkslfjldsfjkldsfjkl. I’m going to throw up just thinking about it.

Are you in high school/middle school/college? I’m done with school.

How many push ups can you do? Zero.

How would you react if your cat/dog died? I’ve been through that twice before with my doggos, it’s absolutely heartbreaking and devastating. My dogs are my family. It’s no different than losing any loved one; they’re a loved one, too. I had a really hard time when my dog, Brandie, passed. It was so sudden and unexpected. 

Are you trustworthy? Yes.

“when I make it shine...”

Do you play video games often? I’ve been playing Animal Crossing just about everyday since earlier this year. Prior to that, I’ve played a few other games in their entirety since having my Nintendo Switch that I got over a year ago. 

Do you like life, love, funny or boy quotes the best? I like # relatable quotes. 

Have you ever been cheated on? No.

Have you ever had fruit pizza? No.

Would you like to learn karate? No.

Do you think it would have been cool to live in the 80s? Maybe.

Do you think we'll have robots in the future? They’re already a thing, they’re just not like easily, readily available to everyone like a Rosie from The Jetsons or something.

Was the sun out today? Not yet cause it’s 5:54AM and it’s still pitch black, but it will be.

Do you know what 143 stands for? “I love you.”

Does it get up to 100 degrees where you live? Ugh, yes. And higher. D:

When you play video games, do you like the sound on or off? I generally have it low or off.

When's the last time you saw fireworks? Fourth of July.

Do you like Dr. Pepper? Yeah.

Will you be seeing the new Transformer movie? I never saw any of them. Not my thing. 

What made this week, one to never forget? Election 2020 will be talked about forever. This year in its entirety will be, but this election was a huge one.

“Tell me why you’re leaving me”

Did you wear shorts today? I don’t wear shorts.

Do you own a fur hat? No.

Do you still use the old time mail? I still receive mail, yes. I pretty much never send anything, though.

Have you ever played flag football? Yeah.

What color is your laptop? It’s silver.

Do you like Paris Hilton? I don’t have anything against her.

Did you smile at all today? Not so far, but it’s only 6AM. 

Do you have an Xbox? My brother does and I’ve used it.

When you were little did you have a magic 8 ball? Yeah.

Have you ever ate grass or birdseed? Eww, no. I wasn’t the kid that stuck everything in their mouth or ate weird stuff. 

Do you and your friends have secret codes? I don’t have any friends.

Have you ever seen the Lincoln Memorial? Not in person.

What's your profile picture on Facebook of? Me with my It/Pennywise mask on. It’s his mouth.

Do you own a yo-yo? No.

What celebrity is your fashion icon? I don’t have a fashion icon.

“How do you love someone without getting hurt?”

Do you hope you live to be the age 70 or older? I don’t want to think about dying.

Did you go to preschool? Yep.

Do you usually wear your hair up when it's hot out? Yeah. I wear my hair up all the time cause I don’t have the energy or motivation to do anything else with it.

Where were you when 9/11 happened? I was bedridden at home because I had spinal surgery a couple weeks prior.

Which would you rather play: guitar or drums? Guitar.

Have you ever gotten detention? No.

When you were little, did you used to watch Franklin? Yeah. Aww, he’s adorable.

What's the most exciting thing that's happened during your lifetime? 9/11 and this pandemic are definitely the most memorable, but I wouldn’t use the term “exciting” to describe them. A few of our blizzards, perhaps. <<< Yeah, definitely not exciting, but certainly major, life changing, go-down-in-history events. 

How high can you count in a foreign language? I could go on and on in Spanish like I could English, but let’s be real I’d stop at 100 haha.

What's the best thing to do on a hot day? Stay indoors with the AC or go to the beach.

Would you like to go to Rome? Sure.

Do you use Febreeze? Sometimes. I prefer my Bath & Body Works room sprays, though.

Have you ever been to a rainforest? No.

How many days of school are left for you? I’m done with school.

How do you usually get tan? That only happens when I go to the beach. Sadly, I didn’t get to go this year. 

“Last name ever, first name greatest”

Snickers or Twix? I like both. 

Have you ever tried to sleep on an airplane? I tried, but couldn’t.

When you were little, did you like Dr. Suess books? Yes. Those are classics.

Are you more afraid of snakes or death? Both are scary to me, but death is just a little more serious...

Would you like to go to Australia? Sure.

Do you like Drake? Yeah, I like a lot of his songs.

What color are your headphones? Black.

Do you live in the past? Yes. :/

When it's spring, do you plant flowers? No. I don’t do any gardening.

Have you ever laughed for 10 minutes? I don’t think I ever have for that long.

Do you help your friends every time they need help? I tried to as much as I could.

Ever seen a Koala Bear up close? No.

Would you rather be blind or deaf? I’d obviously rather not be either one...

Once your done, are you done for good? Really depends on what I’m attempting to be done with.

Does it annoy you when girls wear a lot of make up? No? I don’t why I would care.

“Blow the world a kiss”

Do you live by a river? No.

Do you like being outside when it's storming? I like enjoying it from inside.

Ever thought about becoming a cop? No. A cop in a wheelchair... that’d be interesting.

Have you ever tried sushi? Ew, it’s disgusting.

When you were little, did you use to roll down hills? No.

Do you like store bought cakes or homemade ones better? I’d enjoy either one.

Do you think your a good kisser? No. Now I’m really out of practice.

Do you like long or short sleeves better? I like my sleeves to be like halfway from my elbow if that makes sense. Not a quarter sleeve, but a bit above that. Unless it’s cold, then I like long sleeves. I love when the sleeves are long enough to be able to pull down over my hands, but it’s hard to get the perfect fit when you have long arms like I do.

Do you like the name Jacob for a boy? Sure.

Could you live without electricity? Like, for how long? It would be a struggle, no denying that. I’ve never experienced going more than a few hours without it. I know people have to experience long periods without it sometimes or not have it at all, so I’m definitely fortunate. 

Have you ever ate/drank something that was blue? Blue Gatorade, Pepsi Blue, the blue Mountain Dew, Kool-Aid, blue candies and cakes.

When is your last day of summer this year? I’m not in school, so no summer break anymore. However, summer is over and it has just recently started to feel like fall, so I’m quite happy about that.

Would you rather hang out with people who are loud or quiet? Quiet.

Have you ever had a pet turtle? No.

Do you want an iPad? Nah.

“You look like you want to party”

Are you double jointed? My thumbs are.

Have you ever done karaoke? Definitely not publicly, but at home.

What's your middle name? I’m not sharing that.

Do you wish on stars? No. I did when I was a kid.

Do you recycle? We recycle plastic bottles and cans.

Do you believe in love at first sight? No.

What's something you'll do when your older, but not now? I don’t know. Are you currently drinking anything? I’m finishing a Starbucks Doubleshot energy drink.

What color is your shirt? Black. 

Have you ever played laser tag? Nope.

Does your best friend live within 5 minutes from you? My mom and I live together.

If you got dared to dye your hair purple, would you? No. I dye my hair red and I want to keep it that way. It would be a big, annoying process to do another color and then to go back if I wanted, so nah.

How many contacts do you have in your cell phone? Not many.

Do you own earmuffs? No. It doesn’t get cold enough for them here.

Nothing worse than being sunburnt, don’t you agree? I’ve experienced much worse, but they are awful.

[fabllama02]

Silverlysilence, i know u out there somewhere reading and lurking around our posts. I just wanna say, thank you. Like really, a thousand thanks, a million hugs and an infinite number of love coming ur way.

I purple u (it means i will forever love u and trust u and just like the color purple is the last color of the rainbow, my love for u and ur book will last until the end of time) <- yes, thats from BTS i just love that term.

I've went to ur ko-fi account and read ur latest posts thanking the sleepless squad and really it made my heart flutter and (not gonna lie, i blushed a lil cuz AWW-) GOSH u're such a sweet person!! U deserve all the love in the world hun! I know u've heard me saying how much i appreciate u writing this beautiful series and calling it a fanfic is just not it for me IMMA CALL IT A BOOK CUZ IT IS CANON FOR ME- *Coughs* i just... I really really reallllyyyy want u to know that i am so so soooo grateful that u decided to make this story a reality 4/5 years ago. I just- im still in awe that this story exist. Do u know how rare the friendship between Jack and the characters from HTTYD are in fanfictions?? HECK no one has ever written them to be so protective over him but YOU! NO ONE has ever written them so perfectly in character but YOU! I've scoured so many fanfics under the tag "Jack Frost" in AO3 for years and NONE of them had ever satisfied me and my (albeit high standard) taste since the fandom is so small that it's dying... Until you.

The first time i stumbled upon ur book (yes it is a BOOK) i was in a very hard exam period and i was just doing my usual stupid decisions of not doing any homework or studying and instead decided to, again, look for quality fanfics under the tag. I have a very bad habit of procrastinating and instead used that stress and frustration to search for good quality fics. Then, i found ur book. Oh boi. Lemme tell u, i was ready to read the Heart of a Dragon book and i was instantly HOOKED on the very first chapter when Hiccup was waking up and u described his appearance so beautifully and then BOOM Jackson came in with his "EVERYONE IS TALLER THAN ME!!" then i realized that this is a series.. And theres a book before this one. So I IMMEDIATELY BACKTRACKED SO HARD i thought i almost broke the screen of my ipad and went to read the first book.

.

.

.

50 MUTHERFRICKING CHAPTERS OH MY LORDDKDJKDDNJSNDS WTF-

... I was so in awe. I still remembered reading it till a certain chapter and realized that i had to go to sleep cuz its 3 MUTHERFRICKING AM. I went to school the next day with a newfound freshness in my steps and a happy fluttering feeling in my chest. I look like a crazy gurl who's high on sugar. I was vibrating with so much excitement that my friends are like "dude, whats up with u?" and I CANT EVEN TELL THEM CUZ IM ALONE IN THIS SKSKSJSKSJSJSJ. So i just told them that i found a new fav book. I just cant wait to return home and continue reading where i left off i think i barely paid attention in any classes as my mind and heart was still in my bedroom, still reading the book.

I remembered finishing the whole series in just 3 days?? (HOLY SHEET-) and that chapter where Jack thought that it was all a dream?

.... I cried so much. I couldnt bring myself to finish the whole book after that. My chest constricted and i felt such a hollow feeling that i have no tears left to shed. I spend the day just staring off into space, wondering if all that they had was just all in his head. I feared that that was it. Thats the ending, and everything that i had adored about this fic was all just.. Gone. That its not there anymore and they wont have a happy ending. So i decided to gather my courage and read the last chapters. I finished them painstakingly slowly. I was wrong!! Yeay!! It wasnt all in his head! It was all real! And im so happy that i wanted to know who was behind this book. Who was responsible for making me feel all sorts of emotions in such a short amount of time. I looked at ur ko-fi account and u said u wanted to continue the series! YEAYY!!

I scoured the comment sections... Then i found Spyrite's comment... And the rest is history.

This kind of book is a once in a lifetime that will leave a huge mark in my memories once time had passed on for me. Idk what would happen in the future. Would my country block the access of AO3 forever and i wouldnt be able to read them anymore? NO WAY! So i downloaded the book so i could read them offline. Once u've finished the series, im gonna download the newest additions so it would never be lost even if the world decided to screw me over with no access to AO3.

Really, im srs, u've brought so much joy in my life. I stand in my words that, currently, theres no other Jack Frost fanfic that will ever surpass urs. U are at the very top of my fav authors for writing this book.

The sleepless squad? I dont think i've ever experienced something quite like this before. Two other people that raves on and ON about the same thing. With two differwnt perspectives and opinions and OH GOSH U BOTH LOVE THIS AS MUCH AS I DO! *sobs* ur theories and rants and everything will be the highlight of this experience. what's better is that we could communicate in Tumblr!! YEAY! MORE CONTENTS AND MEMES TO SHOVE AT BOTH OF UR DOORSTEPS?!?! HECK YEAH!!

Honestly? How often do u think this experience had ever happened for an author? Cuz this is pretty insane.

I think Silverly is probably shedding a few tears rn so *gives tissues* im glad i could express how much i love u and ur work. But HOT DANG THERES SO MUCH MORE THAT I WANNA SAY but i cant really find the proper words so.. . Just... Thank u. For existing. Both Silverly and The Sleepless Squad.

[saleintothe90s]

384. “Mad About You” series finale (5/24/1999)

(source)

So, I remember watching the series finale of Mad About You that night, but I haven’t watched it again since it originally aired. I do remember feeling let down at the end however. This is what I remember from 20 years ago, maybe I’ll remember some forgotten details once I re watch it...which I will after I make this list: 

- Janeane Garofolo was Paul & Jamie’s daughter Mabel all grown up and she had come out with a documentary about her life? Her dad’s life? The film was everything after 1999?

-Paul & Jamie bought the apartment across from them and merged it into theirs? Which didn’t make any sense. Everybody had to walk through P&J’s bedroom to get to the expansion?

-Paul & Jamie were pregnant again with twins but she lost the babies? I just remember the scene where Paul rushes into the apartment with a double stroller excited that he found one. He sees the message light on the answering machine and it’s Jamie. I was trying to figure out if this was early on when Mabel was still a one year old, and one seat in the stroller was for her, or Jamie was pregnant with twins. 

-Paul’s dad died real early on in the episode. 

-Paul and Jamie wonder who should give her the birds and the bees talk when Mabel is a teenager, but turns out they waited too long. When Paul sits down with her to discuss it, she interrupts him and says that she’s already had sex, or she was already on the pill. Paul decides to take Mabel out for bagels every Saturday morning so he can remain closer to her. I just remember them eating bagels and sitting on a stoop. 

- Paul and Jamie separate for realz this time. Remember when they temporarily separated but then got back together and Jamie got pregnant with Mabel?  

[That episode is titled “The Finale”, please don’t confuse it for this one like I almost did. In case you’re wondering about my bitmoji dressed like a snail, our power went on and off the entire time I was writing this. I went ahead and used that save video me website so I could watch the clips offline.] 

- Jamie had become really cold at that point in her life and Paul had it. 

-The last scene was everybody watching Mabel’s documentary in a movie theater and P&J were a little embarrassed. Paul (almost crying) asks Jamie if she would like to go out for pie.

-Clearly they hadn’t shot enough because the last five minutes were “home movies” of the two and Mabel in central park. The montage seemed to last for-ever. 

-Before I re-watch, I also wanted to mention that I hate the theme song! 

I found the episode on DailyMotion, and the username of the uploader is “Magic School Bus” ... ms. frizzle is that you?  It also appears that Ms. Frizzle recorded this episode from syndication, so there might be a tiny scene or two missing. 

(part 1, part 2)

(Apparently it’s on the internet archive too, but it took forever to get the vid to play on my iPad. It has commercials though!) https://archive.org/details/MelrosePlaceHomeImprovementFinales1999 

So, Mabel’s film was titled “The reason why I am this way”. Maybe a grad school project?. Janeane looks grad school age here. 

The film starts with Paul & Jamie’s anniversary when Mabel was 1 in 1999. I was right!

A bird pooped on Paul! Nah, it was just Lyle Lovett the construction worker spilling paint. He married Jamie n Paul 7 years ago, but turns out he’s NOT an ordained minster, so they’re not officially married.  This is so dumb. Such a trope, right? 

Jamie is freaking out that they’re not really husband and wife. Paul is the rational one here, he says just go to city hall next week! Jamie is all “no, we gotta do it today, its our anniversary!”  So they go, there’s a chapel at city hall, there’s a lady named Phyllis there as a witness and who throws rice (25¢ a throw!)  

Stupidly, however, Jamie runs away. I do remember this freeze frame from the episode.

There’s lots of jumping around through time while all this is going on, I forgot about that, I just thought it was a straight up timeline.

We jump to 2005 where P&J are in therapy for the thousandth time, also when Paul goes in for a vasectomy. At first, I didn’t realize that Jamie was talking to her sister, Lisa in the waiting room since she had short hair. Jamie tries to explain to her that Mabel doesn’t need a sister, but Lisa guilt trips her. Jamie tells Paul that she thinks they made a mistake. They Michael Scott-eded it:

It’s 2011 and P&J are trying to give 11 year old Mabel the sex talk.

In 2004 Murray (remember, the dog? Yeah, the dog got forgotten somewhere in the series) got a girlfriend and they had puppies!  There is the best scene ever where Paul teaches Mabel how to shoot video and Nat the dog walker (played by Helen Hunt’s then husband, Hank Azaria) does a play talk show with the puppies. IT’S TOO CUTE, I put it on instagram. I forgot that Hank was on the show. I still remember how heartbroken I was though when Hank and Helen broke up, though.

There’s a real quick scene in the sports shop that Paul’s family owns (which I forgot about in the series). Jeff Garlin (who I like to call “Daddy Goldberg” since I love him on The Goldbergs) is teasing Paul for all his vasectomies. blah blah. You know what I noticed? That old Sketchers shoebox! Those ugly chunky metallic shoes they made in ’95 ’96 used to come in those boxes.  aw. ugliest shoes I ever had, they were most def. Airwalk Jim knockoffs. ANYWAY.

Mabel’s first film “Stabbing Bob” comes out in late 2021 when she’s 23. The whole family is there, including Cyndi Lauper who married Paul’s brother  cousin Ira. The whole family tries to get Paul and Jamie to sit together, so obviously something went DOWN between 2011 and 2021. This is when the syndicated version cuts off.

Part 2 begins again with Mabel’s documentary and her asking “Who do you think was responsible for my parents breakup? The one who ran away from the altar and changed her mind three times about whether or not her partner should have painful private surgery … or the other guy?” So when this film was made, Jamie and Paul were still broken up? Mabel is really tearing Jamie up a new one here. Jamie is the devil.

Back to 2005 and Jamie is pregnant, because Paul didn’t get that vasectomy. This is where everything is back on track with my memories of the episode. Except for those ugly ass pajamas. wow. Jamie is only supposed to be 42 here, the pajamas and glasses made her look 60.

2012, Mabel is 14 and she never did get that sex talk…perfect tribute to Whitney though, considering she had recently died.

Oh, no here comes the stroller scene in 2006. Paul is so happy, he says, “I found it! Last one in the city, and I found it! One big seat one little seat! 2 kids, one carriage! One big happy family. ” Uh, Mabel is 9.  The “one big seat, one little seat!”  makes me wonder if the writers forgot what year it was? Why would there be a big seat and a little seat?” Twins are the same size.  Those stroller seats look the same size. Paul finds a note left by Jamie, so it wasn’t an answering machine message.

In early 2021 we see Jamie’s bff Fran, FINALLY. I was wondering where Fran was! She was married to Richard Kind and he left her so he could ride motorcycles like “Easy Rider”, (remember when Fran kept calling the movie “The Easy Rider” and it drove Richard crazy, he was like, “the name of the movie is EASY RIDER, NOT ‘THE EASY RIDER!”). Riffs is somehow still open, martini glasses are taller, forks have clear spiral handles, and Fran be looking like something that walked off the Enterprise.  

Oh, and Paul left Jamie. Jamie now is wearing reading glasses around her neck. Oh, honey noo, you’re only 58.  Here is Helen Hunt in 2018:

Paul said that Jamie is unkind and that was why he was leaving.  

Aw, there’s my fozzie bear!

Costume and Makeup got Paul Reiser exactly right though!

After that, Paul & Jamie had to be straight with Mabel at all times. Ok, whatever:

 So I was also wrong about Paul’s died dying when Mabel was little.

On the way to the funeral, Paul’s mom encourages the two to pay a bribe so they can buy the apartment across the hall. She says, “Then Mabel can have a room.” …. Mabel didn’t have a room? She was 13 in the Murray’s not real scene. Where did she sleep?!  Now I remember thinking way back then that the episode left a lot of plot holes open, this being one!

I remember feeling kind of turned off by this elevator scene with the sad music after the funeral. I didn’t know the phrase back then, but now I know that it feels so forced. We get it. Paul’s mom is alone.

Casting didn’t do a good job with teenage Mabel, she’s supposed to be 18 in 2015 and it’s still the girl who played her when she was 12. w2g. I didn’t make a screen grab but I was right about Mabel having to cross her parents bedroom, and bathroom to get to her room. I was also right about the bagels! 

It’s back to the scene in late 2021 where everybody is watching the end of Mabel’s movie, “Stabbing Bob”.  I guess she was trying to be a lil Tarintino. Why did I think they were watching the documentary? Ha, at the end, Paul’s sister asks the family if they want to go out for pie. Yesss, the pie scene!

I did remember this from the pilot episode where Jamie kisses Paul on their first date when he turns to her. Jamie asks “buy me some pie?”, not Paul! I swore for 20 years I heard Paul Reiser tearfully saying, “I would like some pie” in my head!

Oh, one plot point that did get patched up was that Paul & Jamie asked the guy from city hall to come over and marry them in their apartment six seconds to midnight.

RIP, Murray the dog.

UGH, I was right about the long montage of the end that is just pretend home movies of the cast. It’s nearly four minutes long, and its set to country music. It’s hell.  I remember actually leaving the room during this part 20 years ago instead of just you know, muting the TV. It completely ruins the quietness of the episode. It’s total filler.

The ending credits are on Youtube, it’s adult Mabel giving a rundown of what happened to who.

Related:

More from the series finale series: https://saleintothe90s.tumblr.com/search/Series%20finale%20series

/edit/

I was curious and went hunting around in google groups (which houses newsgroup archives) to see what people said about it online right after it aired: 

Someone wondered too about where on earth Mabel slept until they expanded the apartment: 

>2)  Where did Mabel sleep before they got the second apartment and >turned it into a room? Shared with mommy and daddy?? Or maybe that little space before the bedroom.  Did they convert the appartments into one or move to the other side? I was a bit confused about that.

>>I wish I had watched Ally (but that's just my

>opinion).<<

Trust me, if you've watched the show at all this season, you've seen this episode.  Ally is depressed about no man, elaine whips out the video camera, the biscuit bobs his head to Barry White, does a gymnastic dismount from the toilet stall, stutters like Porky Pig, and all of the same fucking things he does every single fucking episode.  I really liked this show at first, but I'm about to give up on it because the same shit happens week after week after week.  If David Kelley cannot think of anything new to do with this show, he should hire a writing team, because it it going nowhere fast!

Brian

To know that Paul and Jamie's genes resulted in that shrewish frump Janeane Garofalo was one thing.  But to be "previewed" twenty years of their misery resulting in Mabel's therapy for bad parenting was pretty unbearable.

Crap.  Not quite as crap as the Rosanne finale, but more crap than the last

Seinfeld episode. I knew they were in trouble in the very first scene where

they set up the premise for the episode. Lyle Lovett tells them that he

wasn't really an ordained minister when he performed their wedding ceremony

and that he was drunk when he said he was. (now there's an original plot)

One problem: Lyle isn't the one who told them he was a minister and everyone

was sober at the time.

Then they have Jannene Garofolo as their grown up daughter, recounting everything thing that went wrong in their marriage, another lame plot device.

There're also a few little slips, like Paul buying a double baby carriage in 2005, when their daughter would be 8 or so.

But, to get to the root of why the episode (and the last two seasons for that matter) failed: The whole permise of the show was that these two likable, but occasionally goofy or even stupid, people were so much in love that they would always be together no matter what. Corny, naive, romantic, but also endearing. It made for a nice, comforting 4 seasons or so, but after a while the formula gets old. So they started making the characters a lot less likeable. Paul Reiser turned into Homer Simpson and Helen Hunt became a neurotic version of Lucy Ricardo, until I had no idea why these two people were staying together.

They got back to the original idea of the series in the last ten minutes, but it was too little, too late. In the previous 50 minutes, their whole marriage went to hell. Not only didn't those two people belong together, they didn't even seem to care about each other. They did something similar a few years back (marriage goes wrong, they still love each other and stay together) but it was convincing and they didn't do the gimmicky jumping back and forth over 25 years thing. That was the perfect moment to end the series.

I agree. I watched with the series finale of MAY with the morbid fascination that I would have while watching a car wreck.  I didn’t *want* to do it, but I was drawn to it.  And what a car wreck it was.

The plot of the finale should have insulted every thinking person.  Did anyone accept the premise that two sophisticated New Yorkers could believe they were legally married without having a marriage license and certificate?  For those of you who have never been married, you absolutely need such documentation for your bank accounts, health insurance, social security, credit cards, mortgages etc.   The retroactive vitiation of the Buchman’s marriage is akin to the Bobby’s dream sequence on Dallas a few years ago.

Jaime’s jilting of Paul at the “altar” was vapid.  Tim Conway’s gag in being both the marriage clerk and the justice of the peace was predictable, and as predictably stupid as Conway’s similar gags on the now ancient Carol Burnett show.  The pronunciation of “Buchman” to explain why Paul and Jaime had the same last name may have been amusing to a ten year old, but I doubt it was funny to anyone more mature.  A justice of the peace would not play the wedding march with a dime store cassette recorder while demanding that a prospective bride walk down the courtroom “aisle.”  Couldn’t they have done something interesting with the marriage witness instead of using a stock character such as the disinterested, magazine-reading rice-thrower?  From a legal standpoint, Paul and Jaime’s marriage at midnight was as ineffective as “first” marriage because there was no witness (contrary to the dialogue, a baby simply cannot be a legal witness to a marriage).  Why would a justice of the peace make a house call to perform a civil marriage?

The whole vasectomy gag was asinine.  Have either HH or PR been in a hosptial?  Did they do *any* research before they wrote this gag?  Its pretty safe to conclude that a surgical nurse would *not* lead a post- operative vasectomy patient through a waiting room while he was wearing nothing but a robe.  Moreover, given Paul’s obvious pain from the first vasectomy, don’t you think that Jaime would have known that Paul did not go through with the second one?  Wouldn’t Jaime have asked Paul if he went through with the vasectomy before she purchased and used a pregnancy test kit?  Jaime’s miscarriage was telegraphed from the beginning of the vasectomy gag.

The makeup aging of the characters was amateurish at best.  The sex talk difficulty with Mabel has been done by every sitcom since Leave It To Beaver, and most have done it better.  What was the point of the puppy urination scene?

The breakup and reconciliation was sentimental tripe.  In the real world, people that fight as much as Paul and Jaime do not get divorced and then, with one magic kiss, make everything OK.

Was it necessary to introduce a new character in the finale to narrate the Buchmans’ life story? (As an aside, I hated the casting of Janeane Garofolo (sp?).  She looked like complete crap.  Can’t that woman ever look presentable?  Someone should have given her a mirror and a comb before they began filming the episode.  She is a second rate Roseanne knock off, and, judging from last night’s appearance, she is now attempting to catch Roseanne in the weight department as well.)

The closing montage attempted to simulate a home movie circa 1960s such as that used in the Wonder Years.  But why would Paul and Jaime, a 1990s couple, have used such a medium for their home movies?  Also, even assuming the choice of medium was justified, why did they wave in quick, jerky movements at the movie camera?  Has anyone done that since the 1960s?

In the end analysis, the MAY finale was incredibly lame.  I got home in time to catch the end of the Melrose Place finale, and, IMO, even that show -- as bad as it is -- has more entertainment value than MAY.  At least they don’t take themselves seriously.  I am delighted that MAY is now over.  I hope that the poor ratings associated with the show will cause some retooling at NBC, especially in its high profile slots.

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[missmaxine2001]

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) Review

  Let me preface this review by saying two things, Number one: This review and the context of it all must be prefaced by the fact that I am a gigantic Spider-Man fan, and Number two: If you like this movie more power to you.

 Let's begin at the start of my story and with my personal story. It was May 2014, I was at the last moth of sixth grade, and I was massively hyped for this movie. I remember for months I watched speculation videos on my hand me down original iPad from my grandpa, and my first laptop from my Aunt. I remember being allowed to stay up and watch the entirety of the Oscars that year just solely because something Spider-Man related was supposed to happen at the ceremony (it had to be cut for time). The day soon arrived, May 4th, the day my Dad agreed to take me to go see the movie at a 7pm showing at our local movie theater. The theater was packed, filled with people munching on popcorn, making light conversation, and then the lights dimmed and the movie started. roughly two and a half hours passed, the lights turned back on, I sat confused, was that the movie I spent countless hours watching and consuming as much news I could get on it? My dad turned to me and asked "well, did you like it?" I said yes as a quick and simple answer. I returned to the theater a few weeks later with my mom as she wanted to see it and I wanted to make sure I hadn't dreamed it or something. And low and behold, the movie stood the same the hype was gone this time, the confusion turned to frustration, the disappointment to distaste. after 7 years, I can firmly say that this movie is an absolute steaming pile of creamy, dog shit.

 The good things about the film are brief, and small. there are some really cool shots in this film (the opening Spider-Man freefall is a notable one), the music is interesting, I know some people hate it, but I really don't (it's not Michael Giacchino's or Danny Elfman's, but it's not bland and forgettable like James Horner's) plus I think it's a brilliant move to give the electric based villain a theme inspired by dubstep and electronica had to have been the easiest decision ever. I also don't hate Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, I know that Stone is an incredibly talented actress and is certainly trying her hardest to make this shit work. That also goes for some of the supporting cast (mainly Sally Field) they all are trying their hardest to make this shit work.

 On the other side of the coin, all of the stuff I dislike about the movie, or as I like to call it everything else. I don't hate Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man, but I hate him as Peter Parker, I'm so tired of Peter Parker being portrayed as handsome. this is also a minor criticism with the Tom Holland Spider-Man, but less so because I can reasonably believe  Tom getting bullied. This is a interesting thing to point out with Andrew, as the exact opposite is said with Tobey McGuire in that he was a good Peter Parker but a week Spider-Man, and that Tom is a good balance. If I had to pick between the three,  I'd pick Tom, but I still like Garfield and Tobey.

I remember being hyped that all these villains with Rhino, Electro, and Green Goblin. But after the film whenever a film announces more than two villains, I become wary. Jamie Foxx is unintentionally hysterical as Electro, right down to his whole motivation being that Spider-Man forgot his name and the media turned away from when Spidey did something, to the electric eels shocking him fixing the gap in his teeth. Then on the other side of the coin of bad performances in the film is Dane Dehaan as Green Goblin, who grits his teeth and throws temper tantrums, and acts more like a toddler than Spider-Man's Nemesis.  Oh and the plot, Jesus H. Fucking CHRIST the plot, the film adds and drops characters and subplots like a right leaning celebrity drops jobs after a terrible tweet. So lets count all the story that is happening within the movie. 1.) Peter and Gwen's relationship 2.) Peter feeling guilt over Gwen's dad 3.)  Gwen going to college 4.) Electro terrorizing the city 5.) Harry inheriting Oscorp as well as his Dad's Goblin disease 6.) Harry needing Peter's blood 7.) Harry uncovering a sinister conspiracy at Oscorp 8.) Peter looking for info on his parents 9.) The Fedora Man setting up various Spider-Man villains that would have supposedly appeared in the next films and the spinoffs, like Doctor Octopus, Vulture, Etc. 10.) Black Cat being shown to exist 11.) Aunt May at the hospital 12.) The Little kid that Peter saved at one point

 That's TWELVE major and minor subplot's that all exist within the movie either as a part of the film, or to set up other films (plus a cut subplot involving Shailene Woodley as Mary Jane which if kept in would make the count thirteen!). That's the biggest sin with the film, its sole existence was just to set up however many years worth of sequels and spinoffs and sequels, when the film should have simply the sequel to the previous film. hell cut all of the villains beside Electro and maybe keep Harry as a side character similarly to the Raimi trilogy and focus it on both Peter and Gwen's relationship and give Electro better motivations than "Spider-Man forgot my name" and that automatically changes the film into a film instead of a flailing, dying corpse that was slowly asphyxiating on it's own bloat of vomit and shit made of a once great franchise.

 And you want to know the worst part of this whole thing? that people will say with a straight face that this is not just a good Spider-Man movie, but say it's better than the Tom Holland movie because... He has Iron Man as a mentor figure or whatever. I'm not saying the Holland Spider-Man films are flawless masterpieces or reach the heights of the Raimi movies or Spider-Verse, but they aren't these unwatchable piles of garbage like the earlier DCEU movies, at least they aren't every adaptation of the Fantastic Four, at least they aren't this fucking movie.

2/10

[kirathebear25]

One technological accessory that is becoming more and more popular is the stylus. The most popular styluses are those made by Apple, or the Apple pencils. Essentially, a stylus is "a pen shaped instrument with a round rubber piece that moves effortlessly across touchscreen devices.". (2020) A stylus makes it much easier to do specific tasks on a touchscreen device, especially writing. Use of the stylus peaked with Apple's release of its First Generation Apple Pencil in 2015. Since then, other companies quickly started producing styluses similar to the Apple Pencil and today there are several kinds of styluses that can be used on laptops, phones, tablets, and other touchscreen devices.

I personally love using the Apple Pencil because of how easy it is to use, lightweight, charges fast, and is environmentally friendly. For example, if my pen is dying I can easily plug it into my iPad and charge it from 5% to 100% in a matter of 20 minutes. This is extremely convenient for me because of how often I use my devices; the charge also lasts throughout the day which is an added bonus. I am not dependent on my Apple Pencil, it has however made taking notes a lot easier for me all while saving paper.

Although I am bless to see the good things that come from using an Apple Pencil, other people unfortunately get the short end of the stick when it comes to the stylus. Although the Apple Company advertises its products as being "Made in California", pieces that make up along with a number of physical pencils themselves are actually manufactured in South Korea; this is typical because the Apple Co. has over 300 factories in Asia alone. The average Apple factory worker in that part of the world is 4,000 yuan a month (562 USD) Additionally, less than 1% of these same workers overtime or night shifts voluntarily (Mark Gurman & Bloomberg, 2015). Meaning, working conditions for the workers are categorized by long, miserable hours of work with little pay.

This means Apple is one of the many companies who makes profit through uneven development, where companies essentially profit on work from poorer, less developed countries.

Sources:

1. Gurman, M., &amp; Bloomberg. (2019, September 9). Apple admits BREAKING Chinese labor laws in the world's LARGEST IPHONE FACTORY. Fortune. https://fortune.com/2019/09/09/apple-admits-breaking-china-labor-laws-foxconn-iphone-factory/

2. What is a stylus? How does a stylus work? Amsterdam printing blog. Small Business Know-How | Empowering you with fresh ways to be remembered... (2020, April 6). Retrieved September 10, 2021, from https://www.amsterdamprinting.com/blog/what-is-a-stylus/#:~:text=A%20stylus%20is%20a%20pen,moves%20effortlessly%20across%20touchscreen%20devices.&text=A%20stylus%20is%20used%20by,writing%20instruments%20into%201%20tool.

[your-dietician]

Best 4th of July weekend sales at Best Buy

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/health/best-4th-of-july-weekend-sales-at-best-buy/

Best 4th of July weekend sales at Best Buy

We may receive commission from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.

Best Buy’s 4th of July weekend sale is going strong and the savings are so deep! (Photo: Getty Images)

Folks, it’s been quite a year (make that 16 months!), making this 4th of July feel like an “independence day” in more ways than one. How to celebrate? We have a lot of catching up to do. Surf, sand, pool, play — sure. But also shopping. This weekend brings some of the best deals of the season. Ready to upgrade and save big on the latest and greatest in tech? You’ve come to the right place. 

The retailer’s massive 4th of July Sale is dropping deep discounts on just about everything — from 4K TVs and wireless headphones to smart-home gear and kitchen appliances. The savings are massive this weekend, so treat yourself and scoop up what you need (or just really, really want) before it sells out. 

We’ve rounded up the top offerings at Best Buy’s big 4th of July Sale, with prices starting at just $10. Scroll and shop below:

Best TV sales

In case you need that summer vacation to the Rockies to be virtual, Sony’s latest and greatest is $250 off. (Photo: Best Buy)

On sale for $900 (down from $1,150), this Sony 65-inch Class X80J Series LED 4K Ultra HD Smart Google TV is the latest from this iconic manufacturer. Its massive 65-inch 4K display delivers images you can practically reach out and touch. Sony’s state-of-the-art Processor X1 powers this beauty for true-to-life visuals, while HDR (High Dynamic Range) settings make sure colors stay bright and black levels stay, well, black.

“This is an excellent product. We upgraded our TV to this Sony,” raved a five-star Best Buy reviewer. “The picture is great. Our last TV was a 65-inch, so side-by-side this TV is a definite upgrade. The sound system is great and the Smart TV process is very responsive to our wireless internet connection. The TV connected to my phone and the voice recognition was simple to set up….”

While some streaming TVs come with Fire TV or Roku built-in, this Sony 65-inch 4K stunner features Google TV. This means you’ll have instant access to popular streaming apps like Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, YouTube, Prime Video and more, but you’ll also get a wide range of gaming apps like NBA Jam, Fortnite and Crossy Road — you won’t get that with a standalone Fire TV or Roku device. Just sync a wireless gaming controller via Bluetooth and you’re all set to get your game on. 

Story continues

Check out more TV sales below:

Insignia 43-inch Class F30 Series LED 4K Ultra HD Smart Fire TV, $280 (was $320), bestbuy.com

Insignia 50-inch Class F30 Series LED 4K Ultra HD Smart Fire TV, $350 (was $380), bestbuy.com

Sony 55-inch Class X80J Series LED 4K Ultra HD Smart Google TV, $750 (was $950), bestbuy.com

Hisense 60-inch Class A6G Series LED 4K Ultra HD Smart Android TV, $450 (was $490), bestbuy.com

LG 65-inch Class CX Series OLED 4K Ultra HD Smart webOS TV, $2000 (was $2,200), bestbuy.com

Samsung 65-inch Class QN85A Series Neo QLED 4K Ultra HD Smart Tizen TV, $2,000 (was $2,200), bestbuy.com

Hisense 70-inch Class A6G Series LED 4K UHD Smart Android TV, $670 (was $700), bestbuy.com

Samsung 70-inch Class 7 Series LED 4K Ultra HD Smart Tizen TV, $680 (was $750), bestbuy.com

Best home audio sales 

These Samsung Galaxy Buds+ will outperform your Airpods, and for much less. How do you like them apples? (Photo: Best Buy)

It’s easy to get distracted by quirky design flourishes and exotic add-ons, but at the end of the day, earbud shoppers know it’s all about delivering excellent audio. That, and getting them at a great price. Well, get ready to check both boxes: These Samsung Galaxy Buds+ — on sale for $100, or $50 off, at Best Buy — offer crisp, clear sound and punchy bass. The battery life is amazing: You’ll get 11 hours per charge, plus an additional 11 hours with the included wireless charging case. That’s nearly a full day of use! In a pinch? An hour of playback requires just a three-minute quick boost. You’ll love this feature when you’re about to go for a run and your buds are at zero.

Calls sound crystal-clear thanks to three microphones that reduce ambient background noise even if you’re in a busy location. “Good sound quality and noise cancelation can silence a barking dog,” shared a Best Buy fan. Woof!

Check out more home audio sales below:

Insignia RF Wireless Over-the-Ear Headphones, $100 (was $120), bestbuy.com

Sony ZX Series Wired On-Ear Headphones, $10 (was $20), bestbuy.com

LG Tone Flex HBS-XL7 Wireless In-Ear Headphones, $130 (was $150), bestbuy.com

Sony WF-SP800N True Wireless Noise-Cancelling In-Ear Headphones, $98 (was $200), bestbuy.com

Google Pixel Buds, $130 (was $180), bestbuy.com

JBL Club One Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones, $250 (was $350), bestbuy.com

Samsung HW-Q65T 7.1ch Sound bar, $400 (was $500), bestbuy.com

LG 5.1 ch High-Res Audio Sound Bar, $400 (was $450), bestbuy.com

Best tablet and smartphone sales

We haven’t seen a tablet presentation this impressive since Moses came down from the mountain. (Photo: Best Buy)

Been hankering to expand your computer arsenal with a tablet without going into hock? Here’s the deal you’ve been waiting for. On sale for $180 (was $230), the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 weighs just over a pound and features 32GB of storage (expandable up to 1TB via microSD card). That’s got it all over Apple’s entry level tablet, which isn’t expandable. And unlike the iPad, the Tab A7’s 10.4-inch display has a full HD widescreen for immersive viewing.

Also out-Apple-ing Apple? The A7’s camera set is better than the one that comes with the iPad. It has an eight-megapixel selfie cam with a five-megapixel rear shooter on the front for video calls. “Mostly use for mobile gaming. Tried to play PS4 remote play, and it worked,” reported a satisfied gamer. “Sound is great and build quality is better than iPad. Speed is seamless.”

Score the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 in gray and gold.

Check out more tablet and smartphone sales below:

OnePlus 8T 5G, $500 (was $600), bestbuy.com

Google Pixel 4a, $300 (was $350), bestbuy.com

Motorola Moto G Power, $130 (was $250), bestbuy.com

Samsung Galaxy Tab A, $120 (was $150), bestbuy.com

Surface Pro X, $800 (was $1,000), bestbuy.com

Lenovo Tab M10 Plus, $160 (was $200), bestbuy.com

Motorola Moto G Power, $70 (was $200), bestbuy.com

Microsoft Surface Duo, $700 (was $1,500), bestbuy.com

Best gaming sales

Grab a controller and make these your Dogs days of summer. (Photo: Best Buy)

Just because it’s fun-in-the-sun season doesn’t mean you won’t need to keep yourself flush with new gaming challenges. We’ve found a great one. Watch Dogs: Legion for Xbox One (also compatible with Xbox Series X) is now on sale for nearly 70 percent off — down from $60 to just $20. This action/adventure game and third installment in the franchise from Ubisoft takes place in a near future where London is on the verge of collapse. All-seeing surveillance state and private military are in control, while the fate of the city is in the hands of DedSec, a hacker group that wants to fight back for freedom. It’s as fun as it sounds, and an absolute steal at this price.

“This game is very fun to play,” raved a happy gamer. “The setting is amazing and the attention to detail makes it better…. I bought this for my grandson and he absolutely loved the story so much, he accidentally stayed up all night long playing the game. He said the storyline is very interesting and fun to complete. He also says he likes the fact that you get to choose strangers off the streets to work on your team. He has always loved technology so he absolutely loves this game and this view of what the future might be like.”

Check out more gaming sales below:

NBA 2K21 (PS4), $20 (was $30), bestbuy.com

SanDisk 400GB microSDXC UHS-I Memory Card for Nintendo Switch, $100 (was $180), bestbuy.com

Borderlands 3 (Xbox One), $10 (was $30), bestbuy.com

Dying Light: Anniversary Edition, $25 (was $40), bestbuy.com

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (Nintendo Switch), $20 (was $60), bestbuy.com

Assassin’s Creed: The Rebel Collection, $20 (was $40), bestbuy.com

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege Deluxe Edition (Xbox Series X), $15 (was $40), bestbuy.com

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (Xbox One), $30 (was $60), bestbuy.com

Best smart home sales

It’s time for an alarm clock that’ll have you starting the day plugged in, wised up and entertained. (Photo: Best Buy)

It’s 2021 — shouldn’t you be asking a bit more from your alarm clock? Elevate the mundane with the Lenovo Smart Clock. It’s powered with Google Assistant for seamless syncing to a smartphone. It can rouse you with your favorite tunes, the weather, calendar reminders and that podcast you love. 

“Replaced my old alarm clock and a Google mini speaker with one device,” shared a savvy Best Buy shopper. “…I tell it good night when I am ready for bed and it turns off my lights, tells me the weather tomorrow and what is on my calendar the next day just like a Google Mini can do. Plus the clock face can show the current temperature along with the time.”

Really, who couldn’t use all the help they can get rousing themselves from bed in the morning? So why not let the Lenovo Smart Clock do it in digital style, and for just $40 (down from $80) at Best Buy?

Check out more smart home sales below:

Google Nest Wi-Fi Mesh Router (AC2200) (two-pack), $189 (was $269), bestbuy.com

Google Nest Hello Smart Wi-Fi Video Doorbell, $150 (was $230), bestbuy.com

Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera Security (three-pack), $500 (was $600), bestbuy.com

Google Nest Learning Smart Wi-Fi Thermostat, $200 (was $250), bestbuy.com

TP-Link Kasa Spot Cam, $40 (was $60), bestbuy.com

Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus, $170 (was $200), bestbuy.com

Google Nest Mini Smart Speaker, $35 (was $50), bestbuy.com

Linksys Max-Stream AC1300 Dual-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 5 Router, $70 (was $100), bestbuy.com

Best vacuum sales

Trust us, this Dyson is a beast — save $100! (Photo: Best Buy)

The Dyson Outsize Total Clean Vacuum, which is on sale for $750, or $100 off at Best Buy, may not look like a power force, but this lightweight and cordless stick vacuum is actually a heavy-duty, deep-cleaning beast. It’s a Dyson, after all, so it’s built for powerful suction — but this one is also nimble and versatile enough to navigate the tightest corners. It even has a digital display that features a countdown clock, so you’ll always know when it’s going to run out of juice.

“The hands-down best cordless on the planet,” raved a delighted shopper. “I must say this vacuum is impressive and nothing short of amazing! This Dyson oozes sophistication and innovation while checking all the right boxes for corded vacuum replacement. This vacuum is the gold standard…. Be prepared to be shocked and in awe of the power and efficiency of this cleaning powerhouse. The real-time performance and battery gauge are extremely welcomed to this wireless cleaning solution.”

Check out more robotic vacuum sales below:

iRobot Roomba i3 (3150) Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum, $350 (was $400), bestbuy.com

bObsweep bObi Classic Robot Vacuum & Mop, $394 (was $750), bestbuy.com

iRobot Braava jet m6 Wi-Fi Connected Robot Mop, $400 (was $450), bestbuy.com

Shark AI Robot VacMop Pro RV2001WD, $350 (was $480), bestbuy.com

iRobot Roomba i3+ (3550) Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum, $550 (was $600), bestbuy.com

Shark AI Robot Vacuum RV2001, $300 (was $450), bestbuy.com

iRobot Roomba s9+ (9550) Robot Vacuum & Braava jet m6 (6112) Robot Mop bundle, $1,349 (was $1,550), bestbuy.com

Best home office sales

It’s two computers in one! Tablet or laptop, as you please. (Photo: Best Buy)

On sale for $249 (was $299), the sleek, incredibly thin Lenovo Chromebook Duet is more than just a laptop. It has a brilliant 10.1-inch Full HD touchscreen display (at 1920 x 1200 resolution) that works as a tablet but also attaches to its included keyboard case via Bluetooth for when you want laptop functionality. And shoppers love its long 10-hour battery life too.

“The device is lightweight. The screen is sharp, colorful, and bright,” shared a satisfied Best Buy shopper. “The keyboard has a very good feel, and the adjustment to it was very quick for me. The tablet by itself is very light — a joy to hold and use for long periods…The battery life is insane…”

Chromebook runs the latest version of ChromeOS, so you know you’ll get speedy results. And unlike Windows 10 or macOS laptops, with long loading times and complicated app downloads, you just log in to your Gmail account via Google Chrome and you’re good to go.

Check out more home office sales below:

Samsung Galaxy 4K Chromebook, $799 (was $999), bestbuy.com

Vankyo Leisure 3W Wireless Mini Projector, $80 (was $120), bestbuy.com

Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360, $1,350 (was $1,500), bestbuy.com

Microsoft Surface Laptop Go, $630 (was $700), bestbuy.com

Epson EcoTank ET-M3170 Wireless Monochrome All-in-One SuperTank Printer, $350 (was $500), bestbuy.com

Canon imageCLASS D570 Wireless Black-and-White All-In-One Laser Printer, $150 (was $230), bestbuy.com

Epson EcoTank ET-3710 Wireless All-In-One Inkjet Printer, $310 (was $380), bestbuy.com

WD Easystore 5TB External USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive, $110 (was $180), bestbuy.com

Best kitchen sales

At just $60, this baby will pay for itself with all the greasy, yucky oil you won’t have to buy. (Photo: Best Buy)

Sure, it’s barbecue season, but you can never have enough home-cooking convenience, amirite? On sale for $60 (was $120), the Insignia Digital Air Fryer lets you fry, roast or bake your favorite foods at temperatures up to 400 degrees — whip up anything from chicken to veggies to breaded tilapia!

The large five-quart basket can hold up to five servings, so it’s great for having friends over for hangouts. Its timer features automatic shutoff, so you’ll never have to stress about burning your food or blowing up your electric bill. This air fryer also has a sleek stainless steel finish with an easy-to-navigate digital display, while its basket and pan are dishwasher-safe, so fewer dirty dishes to worry about. If you’ve ever deep-fried something in oil you know how messy your counter and walls can get, but not when using this baby! 

“I absolutely love this item,” reported a savvy shopper. “In the beginning, I thought it would be difficult to use and that it would dry my food out. Surprisingly, it’s really easy to operate and it keeps the food flavored after it’s complete. I have several other recipes I want to try with my air fryer. I can’t wait!”

Check out more kitchen sales below:

Margaritaville Bahamas Countertop Blender and Frozen Concoction Maker, $160 (was $210), bestbuy.com

Ninja Foodi, $200 (was $230), bestbuy.com

Frigidaire Mini Fridge with built-in Freezer, $179 (was $265), bestbuy.com

KitchenAid Pro 5 Plus 5-Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer, $430 (was $500), bestbuy.com

Keurig K-Elite Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker, $130 (was $170), bestbuy.com

Bella Pro Series Combo 19-Bar Espresso and 10-Cup Drip Coffee Maker, $150 (was $200), bestbuy.com

Yummly Smart Meat Thermometer, $89 (was $129), bestbuy.com

LG InstaView Four-Door French Door Refrigerator, $3,150 (was $3,500), bestbuy.com

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[lokbobpop]

Delay

Delay has been used in English since before 1300. It comes from the Old French delaier, which is formed from de-, meaning “off,” and laier, a variant of laissier, meaning “to leave.” This is derived from the Latin laxare, “to loosen,” from laxus, “slack, lax.”

1a : the act of postponing, hindering, or causing something to occur more slowly than normal : the state of being delayed get started without delay. b : an instance of being delayed apologized for the delay a rain delay. 2 : the time during which something is delayed waited out a delay of 30 minutes.

Delay de lay d elay del ay del a y

Writing the word delay

When your at the airport and it comes up your flight is delayed and i go into melt down i really do i see that im already anxious about flying and i dont want to fly anyway at the best of time an di just want to get it over with so the delay coming up makes me uptight nervous that is all going to take longer than I thought ought i will be late at arriving also makes me feeling anxious if we are arriving into a new country we haven’t been before i see my impatience come up im very impatient i need things done yesterday i need to slow down within this look at when im at the airport and i t comes up delayed who am i living within this word am i in fear of death and flying which would be the case more often than not i dont like being in the air i want to be on the ground where i can at least try to save myself not like in the air no hope.

Reading the word delay

Delivery delays like your parcel is coming to day and you wait wait wait and start to get pissed off why are you always delayed what is going on.

When you’ve spent hours waiting for your flight i think once i dont know where i think Gambia i wanted 5 hours for the plane ridiculous i was so pissed off

When ive ordered off taoboa and they haven’t sent it i ask and they say oh we dont have what you ordered theres a delay it will be next month pissed off

Saying delay out loud

When someone is delayed coming to the house to either fix something or to see my i feel anxious about it waiting for people like will they come i see it puts me on edge why because i fear her house will get dirty before they get here but i also see the judgement they might give or think of my house and i dont want to be judged i want to judge myself i want to get the whole thing over and done with i see get them in and out as fast as possible because i judge myself and i see i feel judged by them.

Do lay the way the Chinese say fuck you do lay how I used to say it

Sf

Does this definition support me no fear of my own home judgement of self for not being good enough thinks being dirty unclean broken unfinished works and seeing them to see my as a rough person and not perfect how i would want to be seen within my own home but how i see im lazy and dont want to do the hard word of cleaning id rather just sit on my phone or iPad and do nothing. And fear of flying how i wan to get it out the way because its fearful i fear crashing dying in pain the fear of it all even though its the safest wat to travel in the world your more likely to be run over Crossing the rd

Delay de play

Delay

To be held back under circumstances unforeseen

I will live this word with delay t de play to see who i am within being delayed as i what am i really fearing here what of the odd of me fears being true and will happen to look at self if you dont like it doing something about it if you fear it why millions so all everyday.

[nevertellmetheodds2017]

up & down

So this is my week ‘off’ & I wish I was enjoying it a bit more. Other than going for liver function tests, I have no appointments. I haven’t had a CBC so I’m not sure if my Hgb is hanging in. I know my albumin is crashing but total protein is fine & I’m not seeing edema. Theoretically I should be feeling pretty good and the fact is, this is about as good as I’ve felt in quite a few weeks. Being able to get outside and take walks - very very slow walks - is a big deal from where I was getting very winded from walking to the bathroom. 

But there’s a nasty pattern that’s been developing over the past several days - by midafternoon I start running fevers which are very uncomfortable and do not really respond to my meds. Well, they sort of do. They go up, they come down a bit, go back up a bit and so on for hours. Last night I think I finally fell asleep at 2 am. I go from feeling like I’m freezing and hiding under all my heated blankets and heating pads, to suddenly feeling like I’m on fire and needing ice packs while I pant like an old dog laying in the sun. 

My breastcancer online friends sometimes try to encourage me by pointing out that sometimes fevers are a sign of liver tumors dying off but since I had these before I started treatment, that seems unlikely. Though the immunotherapy might be adding its own wrinkle to inflammatory processes. 

The fevers are also accompanied by all over pain and I can’t even describe it because it’s not severe, it’s just ..... everywhere. I mean my armpits hurt. Last scans said nothing in my lymph nodes so it’s not likely that but possibly again, the immunotherapy doing weird stuff. Lymph is such a critical part of the immune system after all. 

Anyway. Just to say it’s not all fun around here, if I’ve been leaving people with that impression. I drug myself and try to distract myself with a show I watch on my ipad (I will tell you about my watching in another blog post) until it either passes or I fall asleep. 

Things that pissed me off yesterday: 

A NYT story which I clicked on from my Twitter feed about having stage 4 cancer during covid. And I thought, ok, let’s see. I can probably relate. Well this fucking story made me so angry. The woman has breast cancer but she has the BEST type to go stage 4. She’s already gotten over 8 fucking years. EIGHT  YEARS! That is so so so so so rare and she’s ‘lucky’ because the reason she got those 8 years is because she’s HER2+. Almost 40% of HER2+ stage 4s are still alive 8 years after dx. It’s the lucky draw if you’re gonna draw stage 4 breast cancer (& remember, pick bone mets. They apparently really hurt when you’re finally dying but you’ll likely live the longest before you die & then you’ll get opioids).  And yeah, I know, it’s not the misery Olympics. Everybody has shit in their lives and some people have it much much worse but it just struck me that yet again, this ends up being a public presentation of breast cancer.  We’re all thriving! We’re frolicking in fields! We’re so happy to be bald! We’re so strong! We just keep going! We keep working! 

It’s all such bullshit. Anyway, whatever. Good luck to her. Cancer sucks for all of us. 

Same day one of my liver mets gals told us that her MO thinks she’s run out of options after less than 2 years of treatments and she’s referring her to hospice. She figures she has 5 weeks. That’s reality.  

Anyway. Here’s a song. “I cried like a little child” - but it’s a happy song to get this post out of this funk.  

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It starts at 35 seconds if you don't want to watch the whole artsy video 😉

[mobile-app-development-1-blog]

How to choose an impressive mobile application development company

Some questions are eternal. "Is there God?", "Does he / she love me?"And, surely, "How can I find a decent mobile app development company to build my application?"If 4.77 billion are not convincing enough for you, the number is likely to reach 5.07 billion by 2019. It is not surprising that entrepreneurs are eagerto find the best mobile development company. While most understand the importance of mobile applications for their businesses, they don't want to risk their money and time on something they aren't sure is necessary.But it is easy to show companies why they should invest in a mobile application .Take Thanks giving as an example. Did you know that:

1.Last year, Thanksgiving Day showed its best sales results on mobile devices with a record $ 449 million. 2.Channel Advisor reported that smart phones accounted for approximately 70% of general traffic, while tablets accounted for another 8%.

3.Channel Advisor also stated that, for the first time,mobile e-commerce orders exceeded desktop orders, with 53% of all Thanksgiving orders completed on a mobile device.

Therefore,it is obvious to conclude what this means to do business via mobile; The mobile is the new king of retail. As the previous statistics show, mobile  Internet helps companies to be more productive and profitable.So, let's find out how to find a professional technology partner to develop your application. But before you start looking, it's time for you to do your homework.The first thing to do is to gather information on all the important aspects of the pre-development stage, so that when you find the right application development company, you are ready to begin.

Company Profile

Start by describing your company's profile, even if it is a startup.This information will help start your initial dialogue with a development company.Second,describe the values and objectives of your business.With all this information, your future technology partner will implement the functions of your application with greater precision.Below are some of the basic questions to consider:

1.How big is the company? What do you specialize in? Where they are located? Who is your audience? 2.Who would be your main contact for the project? What is your position? Do you have any technical personnel involved in the project? 3.How mature is the project? Are you in the early stages of preproduction, ready for development or product established on other platforms? 4.What is your USP (single point of sale)? 5.How could an application be useful for your company?

You want to start each introductory meeting with all the basic information so you can see if the company you are talking to has the experience you need. They should ask questions about everything I listed above. If they do not touch on these issues, they may not have the experience they need.

How to find a mobile application development company

1.Make use of your professional network It is commonly known that finding a good and reliable developer is something difficult to do. As a rule, expert developers are:

In great demand.

Expensive.

I am not interested in all the concepts of the application.

Again, the hiring process is difficult, but not impossible. Sometimes you don't even have to go far in your search. Entrepreneurs often forget how broad (and useful) their personal network really is. All you have to do is inform your connections about your needs. You can do it using personal publications or social announcements. However, I would recommend using both options at the same time. Try to create your post in an original way. It must be visual, relevant and contain a strong call to action. The same rule applies to social ads. When the work is done, wait and see if this strategy is useful. I put the emphasis on "yes"; You cannot rely solely on this method, but it could be a starting point for you.

2.Use the powers of social networks

Social networks such as Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram are excellent tools to find a company where you can outsource the development of your application. Describe your project, publish the requirements and wait for the developers to come.

3.Start searching on Google Well, there is nothing to explain here; Simply open Google in your browser and enter your request. Naturally, the search results will show only big names on the first page. Do not be frustrated with your rates, because you get what you pay for.Choose the ones you consider appropriate for your needs and your abilities. Find reviews of your company, view your portfolios and maybe even download some applications you have developed to see what you like or dislike.

4.Go to dedicated websites There are dedicated websites such as Clutch, GoodFirms, Toptal and AppFutura that contain application developer profiles, including their portfolios and, most importantly, reviews of their previous work.Alternatively, you can visit sites that host independent profiles such as ELance and UpWork. There is much to consider before deciding who could be a good option, but I suggest contacting companies that have won awards, have been mentioned on technology-related news sites and have the appropriate experience that their specific application requires.

Things to pay attention to when choosing: At this stage, two points are crucial: the type of mobile development agency and its budget. If you are lucky enough to choose the right type of agency, you will enjoy greater flexibility and budget quality.The size of the company is a critical factor to consider since, in general, the larger the company, the higher the price. I put the emphasis on "in general" this is not a universal rule.

However, there is a trap.If your budget is limited and you decide to work with a small development company, you may fall into the illusion that you have saved one or two dollars. I don't blame you, it's natural, especially if you're a startup. But in the long run, it can end in an economic failure. Sometimes, smaller companies have less experience and experience and are more likely to make mistakes when developing. You want to ask about the experience of each team member when choosing a smaller company.As a customer, you should always pay attention to the quality of outsourcing. In other words, one should never consider "cost" as the main objective when outsourcing. As many negative reviews say, companies that declare "the lowest prices in the industry" as their main competitive advantage tend to have a lower performance and, subsequently, offer poor results.The bad news is that you will have to pay more than expected just to do things right for the second time. No one is happy with this kind of scenario. In general, larger and more established companies have more experience and adjust to the initial budget, but guess what: many of them have many overhead costs that increase the cost. You may ask: "How can an adequate balance be found between quality and costs?" You can always shoot for a medium sized company; They tend to have more experienced developers but they have not become so large that their prices are unaffordable. In the end, each project has its own requirements for success, so it is better to make sure you choose the most suitable developer for your project.Location can also be an important factor. As a general rule, US companies. USA, Canada or Western Europe offer higher rates. Companies in the Asian region (India, Vietnam) offer the lowest prices. As described above, finding a good balance between price and quality is in the middle.

When you find a potential partner, you should ask 3 main questions: 1.How long will the development take? 2.How much effort will a project require, in man hours? 3.What is the approximate cost of the project?

Project description Suppose you have found the right company to implement your project. Now is the time to pay attention to the technical details of your application; This is important for both the development company and you. You must have a clear idea of what you will get and explain this so that your partner knows each and every technical aspect that you must implement in your application.Make a detailed list so you don't forget any features during the development stage.Do you plan to build a prototype? What platforms do you want your application to run on? Will your mobile application be compatible with e-commerce engines, internal CMS and other systems? Any detailed information is your best friend at this stage.This means that you must obtain all the specifications you want to have for your application. Sothe basic questions for this part are:

1.Describe the concept of mobile application. 2.What are the main business objectives that the application should help achieve? 3.What platforms do you want your application to run on? (IOS / Android, IOS - iPhone, OS - iPad, Android smartphone, Android tablet). 4.Describe your target audience. 5.What is the concept behind the application? Do you have any creative / design specification for the application? 6.List the sections and features that will be included.

Will the application be integrated with social networks? List all social media channels with which you want your mobile application to interact. Will the application require data caching for offline work? Brainstorm with each department of your company to find needs and desires that can help you create the perfect application, the first time.

Conclusion:

Today, more and more companies are following the trend of mobile applications ,because they are fully aware that a successful mobile strategy requires much more than a website compatible with mobile devices.This is an attitude of doing or dying. In many cases, you can't beat the competition without it. In fact, many small businesses have already created their own dedicated mobile application, perhaps one that they use in their daily lives.Therefore, it is not surprising that these companies are at the forefront whenit comes to taking their marketing to the next level; You can do it too!

[vintagemichelle91]

A Little Lesson in Expecting: Chapter 5

Authors’ Note: A happy Christmas came and went and as the birth of the twins gets ever so close, let us see how Rafael and Natalia further prepare for their arrival. Thank you all so much for the wonderful feedback!! @rauliskafan and I are so loving it and we hope to hear more from you soon!! Enjoy!!! 

           “This says that a water birth is the gentlest and the most natural way to bring a baby into the world. See, hermosa?”

           Turning away from the taxi’s window, Natalia trained her stare on Rafael’s phone as he scrolled through one of the countless articles that he always seemed to be reading when he managed a free moment.

           Even though she told him it was less than necessary.

           “Natalia, are you following along?” he asked.

           “Atticus, how am I supposed to read when you page through so fast?”

           “Sorry. But see?”

           Slowing the path of his thumb against the screen, Rafael waited as Natalia took in a few sentences espousing the benefits of the babies transitioning from the womb to somewhat similar surroundings.

           “Well?” he asked, his voice eager for her approval.

           “I had Violetta in our living room,” Natalia reminded him. “And she’s no worse for the…”

           Stopping herself when she suddenly realized what she was saying, Natalia saw Rafael’s face cloud over, and she hated herself for dredging up one of the darker chapters from his past, from their past. Especially when he always took so many steps to keep the shadows at bay.

           “I’m sorry,” Natalia murmured, lowering her eyes as she felt his hand on her arm.

           “It’s fine,” he assured her with a light kiss. “After all, you did have the three godfathers in training to help you along.”

           “Yes,” she agreed, raising her head. “They’ve all looked after her right from the start. But this time---”

           “This time we’re getting you to the hospital before the main event, and I’m going to be with you every step of the way.”

           “The main event?” Natalia echoed, just pulling back from his touch. “You make it sound like the twins and I are going to duke it out in a boxing ring.”

           “You were the one who said they were going at it all afternoon,” Rafael replied, laying his hand on her ever-growing tummy.

           “Fair point,” Natalia concurred. “But when the moment is right I want no drama. Not even from you, my precious pumpkins.”

           Making a face, Rafael swiftly shook his head.

           “I know,” Natalia started. “It doesn’t work.”

           “We have two more months to get everything just right.”

           Which was why he insisted on the childbirth class even as Natalia stated repeatedly that she had gone through the motions and was something of a pro when it came to the so-called main event. But Rafael was not leaving anything to chance, fearing that her labor would come at the height of a blizzard with no hope of an ambulance getting through the storm. Hence him rearranging the townhouse and placing a chair just outside the bathroom so she could sit in the shower and let the warm water soothe her limbs, her back, before she had to keep moving.

           “It’s going to be perfect,” she said, spying a pizzeria out of the corner of her eye, her appetite for olives mingled with extra pineapple not yet squelched. And she tugged on her husband’s sleeve.

           “No,” he said, his voice gentle but firm. “I brought snacks. And Maggie will have leftovers for us when we get home.”

           “But, Atticus, I’m dying for---”

           “Business before pleasure, hermosa.”

           She sighed as the cab crept up to the curb. Paying the driver, Rafael rushed to the other side, his hands careful and strong as he eased her to the sidewalk, verifying the address as he tried the door and groaned when their feet passed over the threshold.

           “What’s wrong?” Natalia asked.

           “No elevator,” he said. “This class got five stars. I hardly see why if they don’t---”

           “I thought you wanted me to keep moving,” Natalia said as she started up the first step.

           “Careful!” he warned.

           “I need to stretch my legs, Atticus,” she said, stopping as the twins stirred, and Rafael tightly wrapped one arm around her shoulders.

           “If this is too much, I’ll chase the cab down and we can---”

           “It’s not a problem,” she said, patting his cheek and resuming her ascent. Rafael kept his hands close as they worked their way to the third floor and peered through a small window to see other couples borrowing mats and pillows from a bin before finding their spots on the floor.

           “See,” Natalia began. “You didn’t need to bring---”

           “Germs, hermosa,” he said, reaching into the satchel at his side to reveal a bright pink yoga mat and a matching throw pillow still fitted with its price tag.

           “If the twins prefer blue down the line, we’ll do nothing but support that,” Rafael insisted. “But to start off, I wanted to go a little more traditional.”

           “That’s sweet,” Natalia smiled.

           “Would you believe that they tried to sell me something yellow?” he said. “That’s for people who haven’t picked names and don’t pay attention to details.”

           “I see,” Natalia said. “Hope it wasn’t too much trouble.”

           “I made them search in the back and when they didn’t have the right color, I went to their website and had it overnighted.”

           “And then you were there first thing the next morning, right?”

           “Naturally.”

           Nibbling on her lower lip, Natalia wanted to tell him that he needed to take a step back, that everything was going according to their fondest hopes and plans. But he seemed so proud of the pink products, and she let her comments slide as they joined the other expectant parents, Rafael deciding on a space close to the door as he helped her out of her coat and laid out the mat and pillow.

           “Why here?” Natalia asked.

           “In case we need to make a quick exit,” he said, easing her to the ground and pulling out one of her cashmere sweaters to drape around her shoulders.

           “And so you won’t catch cold,” he continued.

           “Rafael, I… we don’t need to sit here,” she said. “We won’t be able to hear---”

           “I’m on it!”

           Leaving her for a moment, he set his iPad close to the front of the room and set the device to record before racing back.

           “See? If you miss anything, we can review it at home.”

           “Lucky us,” Natalia muttered under her breath.

           “What was that?” he asked, his smile so sweet that she didn’t have the heart to shoot him down and simply stroked his cheek.

           “I’m so lucky that you thought of everything, Atticus,” she said. Rafael promptly kissed her hand and shifted closer as a woman wearing a long paisley skirt and a billowing blouse called the class to attention, waving her wide arms in the air.

           “Thank you all for braving the cold to join us tonight,” the woman started. Rafael pulled Natalia’s sweater closer and kissed her temple as he focused on the instructor with rapt attention. “I’m Brenda, and why don’t we start with some how-do-you-dos?”

           The other pairs of parents began introducing themselves, the couple closest to the front of the room sounding very young and so excited about the prospect of having their first child and cuddling the infant close in bed.

           “Not a good idea,” Rafael said.

           “Atticus, don’t.”

           “The same room is one thing, Natalia. But a baby needs his or her own space. Not to mention that a person can roll over and---”

           “Not everyone hogs the bed.”

           Realizing that the comment came out curt, Natalia suddenly saw his face fall and kissed his cheek before pointing to the next couple that had the floor.

           “And I was with Madeline’s sister when she delivered our niece,” a redhead remarked as she held her partner’s hand. “I know something about slow and steady breaths and---”

           “Hold up,” Rafael said, speaking up as Natalia tried and failed to shush him.

           “Yes?” Brenda asked. “Sir, do you have something to---?”

           “Slow breaths are best for the initial stages of labor. But once the contractions are full on, it’s best to breathe every two to three seconds.”

           Natalia felt her face flush, every eye in the room turning to their pink mat, and she grabbed her husband’s arm as Brenda glided towards them.

           “You seem like you know your stuff,” she said.

           “It’s our second child,” Rafael confirmed touching Natalia’s tummy. “And our third.”

           “Twins!” Brenda exclaimed, clapping her hands. “Well we’re so pleased that you could---”

           “And I can tell you… yes the two of you up front.” The first couple shot them a quick stare. “You do not want to have the baby in bed with you. I can recommend some high-quality cribs if---”

           “That won’t be necessary,” Brenda interjected. “Mr…”

           “He’s Rafael, and I’m Natalia.”

           “Welcome to both of you. Let’s say we get started.”

           Right away Brenda started describing clothing choices and massage techniques to ease the mothers through delivery.

           “You didn’t mention any oil,” Rafael said. “Or lotion.”

           “I was getting to that, Rafael,” Brenda responded.

           “Start with that in the future,” he suggested. “In case anyone else is taking notes or recording what the class. Don’t want them to have to keep flipping back.”

           “I’ll take that into consideration,” Brenda said through gritted teeth. “Let’s move on to the breathing.”

           “Slow before fast,” Rafael said, his eyes scanning the room, seeming so proud of himself for knowing the difference. Wrapping his legs around Natalia’s sides, he held her head close to his chest, his long fingers lovingly stroking her belly as she breathed with the other expectant mothers. Brenda paused before another couple and discussed the Beatles as a musical choice for the delivery room.

           “But I… Brenda, can I just cut in for another second here?”

           Rafael did not wait for a reply one way or the other as he crawled forward, bringing up yet another article on his phone and shoving the screen towards the slack-jawed faces.

           “This talks about simulating a soothing environment,” he continued. “Babbling brook, songbirds.”

           “We’re not having the kid in a forest,” the father-to-be griped.

“You’re not having the baby in the 1960’s either,” Rafael said. “Now I’m not one to knock the classics, and as I know a thing or two about opera, this…”

           Natalia saw the other parents sporting looks to kill as Rafael found another article that he had to have bookmarked.

           “…this talks about using a combination of Puccini and Wagner to instill a love of languages right off the bat. Our oldest daughter is already speaking some Spanish, and I have to say that the fact that my wife and I listen to and love opera has to have---”

           “Thank you, Rafael,” Brenda said. “I think… maybe it’s time that we took our first break of the evening.”

            Shrugging his shoulders, Rafael returned to Natalia, and she quickly cupped his face in her hands.

           “Atticus, calm down,” she whispered.

           “I am calm,” he said. “And these people are lucky. They’re getting two classes for the price of one.”

           Her head fell to his shoulder, and Natalia ran her fingers up and down his arm, adoring him for wanting everything to show off some even as she wished that---

           “Rafael? Natalia? A word?”

           Brenda hovered over them, and Rafael was quick to help his wife to her feet, reaching for his iPad to catch whatever the instructor might say as they followed her to a quiet corner. Cracking her knuckles, Brenda swallowed before she spoke.

           “I’ve been talking to some of the other parents,” she finally said. “And see the thing is… well the consensus is…”

           “Is there a problem?” Rafael asked.

           “It’s… more than apparent that you’ve studied hard. But you’re kind of ruining this for everyone else, and the others… well they all would like you to leave.”

           In the back of her mind, Natalia had seen it coming, knew that Rafael was dancing too close to the edge as she reached for his hand, intending to lead him back to their things so they could make their exit and---

           “Excuse me?” Rafael seethed. “You’re showing us the door?”

           “Rafael, it’s fine.”

           “Do you have any idea who I am?” he challenged, ignoring his wife.

           “A very devoted father no doubt,” Brenda said. “Believe me; this isn’t a personal attack.”

           “It certainly feels that way,” he countered. “And for your edification, I’m with the DA’s office. I will make it a point to see that you and this entire non-elevator operation is brought up on charges of discrimination for this... outrage.”

           Holding her breath, Natalia watched Brenda ponder the possibility of the lawsuit when she pressed her hands to her hips.

           “I’d be happy to set up a private session if your schedules would allow it,” Brenda offered.

           “Now that might be---”

           “As if we’d agree to that now,” Rafael said, quickly cutting Natalia off and taking her hand. Buttoning up her coat, he led her to the door with their belongings under his arm. “And we will see ourselves out.”

           Brenda stayed silent as they hurried to the steps, Rafael grumbling under his breath until they hit the ground floor, his eyes locked on his phone the entire way down.

           “Don’t you worry, hermosa” he started. “There are laws against this kind of thing.”

           “Atticus, it’s really not her fault. You shouldn’t---”

           “She’s giving in to a mob mentality,” Rafael continued. “I will not stand by and allow my family to be slighted because she’s too cowardly to---”

           “Stop, Rafael.”

           With a firm hand, Natalia stilled his mouth, catching her breath as she peered into his eyes, and his cheek curled into her palm.

           “Why are you telling me to…? I only want the best for you. For the girls. I have been studying hard.”

           “Then we don’t need this class,” Natalia said, struggling somewhat to the tips of her toes as her lips found his, and she felt his arms wind around her ample waist. “Because we have you.”

           He buried his head in her shoulder, his kisses floating towards her neck as she absorbed every inch of his affection and waited until his breath calmed. Only then did she press two fingers under his chin to make him meet her eyes again.

           “I can do more, hermosa,” he said. “If… if you want the private session, I’ll go back up there and---”

           “Please stop talking and just come with me.”

           Holding his hand tighter, the warmth of his skin warding off the chill as they marched into the icy night, Natalia shuddered against him as he tried to keep her close while balancing the bag holding the mat and the pillow.

           Stopping in her tracks, Natalia ripped the parcel from his grasp.

           “What’s wrong?” he asked.

    ��      “It’s weighing you down,” Natalia whispered. “Even though the pink is so pretty.” Another taxi cab drew near, and Natalia flagged the car down, placing the pink package in the backseat and asking the driver to wait as she took Rafael’s arm.

           “Walk with me,” she said. His green eyes flickered under the streetlight as they found a quiet park. Natalia exhaled at the sight and led him to a lonely bench, beckoning him to sit.

           “Aren’t you freezing?” he asked.

           “A little,” she admitted.

           “We can’t have---”

           “Then hold me, Atticus.”

           Obliging without another word, Rafael folded her into his embrace, his lips dotting her hair as a fresh snow began to fall. Natalia snuggled into his chest, her kisses trailing their way from his neck to his cheek until she looked into his eyes once more.

           “You don’t have to try so hard,” she said. “It’s absolutely adorable, but I don’t need it.”

           “You didn’t need that class where no one knew what they were doing,” he muttered as she placed a quick kiss on his cheek and inched closer, almost sitting in his lap as he brushed a few flakes of snow from her eyelashes and turned up her collar.

           “I’m fine with only you,” Natalia continued. “Our world is all that I want. Don’t you know that by now?”

           As soon as he nodded, Natalia stole a kiss. His hands travelled down her arms, and the cold seemed seasons away until Rafael pushed back, shaking his head.

           “Atticus?”

           “I’m going to be there this time around,” he said, his voice determined.

           “I know that.”

           “And I don’t want anything to go wrong,” he continued.

           “Nothing will. As long as I have you.”

           He tried to speak when his words simply came out as a smoky sigh, and he leaned over his legs.

           “But I… I wasn’t there when Violetta was born.”

           “Rafael, you---”

           “And we should drop it. But we know what can go wrong. It kills me to think that I might let you down again if---”

           “Shhh.”

           Natalia eased him back into her, her hands warming his cheeks as she pressed her brow to his and closed her eyes.

           “We’ve been through the tough times, Atticus. But I wouldn’t trade any of it when I think of what we have. And what I don’t want…”

           His green eyes grew wide as she caressed his face and released a little laugh.

           “What I don’t want is you tied up in some legal mess. You’re meant to be with me when Hazel and Holly take their first breaths. Their first steps. When they say their first words.”

           His gaze softened, and Natalia rested her head to the sound of his heartbeat and the feel of his fingers threading through her hair.

           “Slow down, hermosa,” he said, his own laugh cutting through the cold and making the park, the bench a warmer place. “You’ll have them getting ready for their first day of school before the night is out.”

           “Sorry,” Natalia whispered. “We’ll keep them all home until they’re seventy-eight.”

           “I’ll be ancient by then,” he remarked.

           “You’ll have me around to keep you young.”

           Unable to resist him, Natalia finally sat in his lap, the cold forgotten as she looped her arms around his neck, savoring the feel of his breath on her face.

           “That’s all there is to it,” she said. “Forget slow or fast. Just keep breathing through everything, and we’ll have two little miracles in no time flat.”

           Rubbing her back, Rafael smiled and nodded his head.

           “Got the first one the day I married you,” he said. “And I want more, Natalia. But it can only happen if…”

           When he failed to finish the thought, Natalia stroked his arms, waiting in silence at the sight of his stare clouding over until he spoke again.

           “I said something to Liv once. When Adam Conway…”

           He swallowed the second part of his statement back and pulled her as close as he could with the twins sleeping between them.

           “No bad thoughts,” Rafael said. “But the one thing I will say… I can’t breathe without you, mi hermosa flor.”

           “And you’ll never have to, Atticus. Because you have me forever.”

           They sat in the falling snow, their smoky breaths mingling in the air until their lips locked, and Natalia twirled one lock of his hair between her fingers, smiling at the silver accentuated in the moonlight.

           “Violetta did see there are products for this,” she reminded him.

           “Are you saying that you want me to change?” Rafael asked.

           “You had us thrown out of a Lamaze class on a cold winter’s night.”

           His face drooped until she cradled his chin and found his smile.

           “That could only happen with Rafael Barba. And I don’t want you any other way.”