#plus the electricity cuts out sometimes which leaves us without fans

[miastideclock]

Day6 Kissing Their Crush

Could you do a Day6 reaction where they lean in to kiss their crush? Whether or not the kiss is accepted can be up to you!

Word Count: 1781 Summary: What happens when the individual members of Day6 leans in for a kiss with you, their crush.

Sungjin (Park Sungjin) :

The cold breeze ruffled your hair and kissed your skin as it blew past, making chills run down your spine. You shivered at the sudden cold, your date immediately noticing. Sungjin was quick to act, because before you knew it, his coat was draped over your shoulders to keep you warm. You turned to him and gave him a smile of appreciation, to which he smiled back and the moved his gaze to the ground, still smiling.

This was the third date you had been on, and you found yourself falling hard for the man to your left. He was everything you dreamed of, kind, smart and warm hearted. So when you finally reached the front door to your apartment complex, you felt your mood falter. You didn’t want the date to end.

You stopped at the door and turned to look at him yet again. Even though there had been a minimal amount of words spoken on the walk home it was nice. It was more than a comfortable silence, it was the feeling as if you had just gotten the heaviest of bricks off of your chest and shoulders, but without saying anything.

“So this is me.” You spoke in a tone just above a whisper. There was no need for you to speak any louder as Sungjin was right there. You were standing on the first step of the small staircase that lead into the lobby, making you the same height as him.

You nor Sungjin knows what happened in that moment, as he found the confidence of a few hundred Gods and grabbed your hand to then lean in and kiss you. Meeting his lips felt as if you had been drowning and finally caught a breath of fresh air. Both you and Sungjin felt sparks flying from your lips and electricity streaming through your bodies as you pulled apart, looking at each other with massive smiles.

“Thank you for tonight. We should do this again sometime.”

“I can’t wait.”

Jae (Park Jaehyung) :

“Now that, that is a bad movie.” You chuckled as the credits started rolling, slamming your laptop shut. The boy next to you seemed to agree as he chuckled with you. You and your friend Jae had watched a movie, as you did every single Thursday night for a few months now.

You dropped the laptop to the ground and shifted around so you were laying against his chest, again, like you always did. The night would typically start with you and Jae making something to eat, like nachos or pizza. You would then eat it all way too fast and wobble over to your bedroom where you would lie on your bed in a food-coma while watching a bad movie. After that you would cuddle and talk about your day, your future, funny moments in the past, or whatever crossed your mind.

“Hey, Y/N. Can I ask you something?” Jae suddenly asked before you could start a proper conversation. You nodded your head and let him know he could always ask you something, serious or not. “This might come out of nothing, and for that I’m sorry, but,” he hesitated, taking a deep breath before looking right at you. “Can I kiss you?”

To say you were caught off guard was an understatement. You had to admit that you had been thinking of Jae differently lately, but it was just very recent that you saw him as potentially more than a friend.

“Jae, I-“ You said in a sigh, but you were cut off by a very embarrassed Jae, mumbling and fumbling around, coming with about a million excuses of why he had to leave, not even finishing one sentence before he began another.

“Jae!” You tried again, finally gaining his attention as he shut up and stopped moving around. “At least take me on a date first, then you can ask me again.” You smiled, the boy lighting up like a Christmas-tree.

“I’ll do that.”

Young K (Brian Kang) :

It was a quiet afternoon, and you were sitting in the kitchen area of your dorm studying. You knew that if you were in your room you would just pick up your phone and either watch stupid tiktoks, or text your best friend Brian. And if you did that, you wouldn’t get anything done, especially if you were talking to Brian. TikTok you could be able to put down, but not Brian, not in a million years. You and him had been friends for a few months, meeting when you tried to flirt with him at a bar. It had gone terribly wrong though as he had picked up your flirting and general friendliness, and had quickly put you in the friend-zone. You weren’t too bothered by it as he didn’t owe you anything, but you of course wished he felt the same way you did.

The song in your earphones changed, and as there was a split second of silence, you heard someone enter the room. You looked up and saw your kitchen-senior standing there looking at you and waiting for you to notice him. You quickly ripped your earphones out and greeted him.

“Hey, I tried calling you and but I guess your phone is in your room or something, but there is a guy outside with flowers looking for you. You want me to buzz him in?” The kitchen-senior asked, and you let him, your mind ranking through all the potential people it could be, but none of them made any sense.

Before you knew it, none other than Brian was standing in the kitchen with you, looking nervous. “Hey, what are you doing here?” You asked as you slowly rose from your seat by the kitchen table. He took a deep breath before answering. “I like you. I really like you, I’m like borderline in love with you. I’m really sorry if this ruins things between us, but I couldn’t live another day not telling you.” He rushed, catching you off guard. He then reached out the flowers he had in his hand, wanting you to take them. You stepped closer to him and gently grabbed the flowers, looking at the gorgeous display of colours in them. You then looked back up at Brian who was standing there, nervously waiting for your reply.

Your heart raced as you took one more step towards him and cupped his face with your free hand, guiding his face to yours, crashing your lips together. He immediately followed, melting your lips together in a long awaited kiss. After a while you pulled away, grinning like a mad-man.

“I’ll take that as a yes to the question I didn’t ask.”

“Yes I’ll be your girlfriend, you dumdum!”

Wonpil (Kim Wonpil) :

You were out on a blind date your friend had set up, and so far it was going pretty good. The boy was cute and easy to talk to, so you immediately grew interested in getting to know him better, maybe even going on more dates.

You had gone out for coffee, so it was a pretty simple date, making it easier to really talk and get to know each other. You had been sitting there for a few hours, and it was now time to part ways. You walked out together and after he held the door open for you, you turned to bid him goodbye.

You guess you had given him the wrong signals, because as you leaned in to give him a hug, he leaned in for a kiss. You were quick to turn away, his face meeting your hair rather than your lips. You awkwardly pulled away and saw how red he was, embarrassed that he read the room wrong.

“I’m so sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking.” He apologised once he realised his mistake. You were quick to assure him that it was fine.

“Don’t think about it. It was an honest mistake. But maybe you can try again after our next date.” You smiled, also very smoothly asking him for a second date in the process. He smiled genuinely and nodded, agreeing.

Dowoon (Yoon Dowoon) :

You were sat at a table, stirring the straw in your watered down drink, looking out into the air. You were never a fan of parties like these, you had to admit. Being dressed up in fancy dresses and high heels wasn’t the problem, the people were. They always acted so much better than everyone else even though they were equals, at least in your eyes. But when your best friend Dowoon begged you to come with him to a party his company was throwing, as his plus one, you had to agree. You owed him a favour after all, he did come with you to that one baby-shower you really didn’t want to go to, and not stopping there- he actually made it fun.

“Here, sorry, there was a line.” Dowoon said as he sat down, handing you the new drink, one that wasn’t watered down and room temperature. You quickly thanked him and took a sip of the refreshments.

You sat there talking for a while before you suggested you two would dance. Dowoon quickly agreed as he needed to stretch his legs. You got to the floor and danced away, him twirling you around and messing about to the rhythm, all until the song changed, opting for a slower beat. You stood there for a second before Dowoon reached his arm out for you, which you playfully grabbed. He pulled you close and placed one hand on your hip and the other in your hand, you doing the same, but on his shoulder instead.

You danced slowly around, just looking at each other. For a moment, it felt like the world around you vanished as you looked deeply into his eyes.

The past few weeks, things hadn’t been the same between you two, not necessarily in a bad way. There had been more touching, and cuddling even. For a while you didn’t think much of it, but one day when he pulled you in for a hug, you felt your heart skip a beat.

The world continued to disappear around you slowly, until you saw him glimpse down on your lips, you finding yourself doing the same. Before you knew it, he was leaning in, you meeting him in the middle. Your lips met softly, sending shivers down your spine. You didn’t know this was something you craved this much. Not until you found yourself deepening the kiss, Dowoon gladly following suit.

I apologize for any grammatical errors!

Hope you liked it!! Feel free to request more x

-bentley

[amintyworld]

I know nothing of FNAF, who on earth is FNAF 4?

FNAF isn’t a character, I was matching games you each of you because I thought no characters went with you guys in this fandom

As for what FNAF is, strap in...

Alright, I’ll try to explain this the best I can. (Warning for dark themes, murder, and horror below the cut)

FNAF stands for Five Night’s a Freddy’s, a horror game that came out in 2014 got pretty popular. The basic gist of it was that you were a night security guard at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, basically a knockoff Chuck-E-Cheese, but in this children’s restaurant, the animatronics had a free roam ‘Night Mode’ where they’d basically come alive and try to get to you in your office, kill you, and stuff you in a Freddy Suit bc they think you’re one of them. The ‘Night Mode’ goes from 12pm to 6am, in which you have to close doors, looking in the cameras, and use lights without draining all the power in order to survive the night. Five nights of this and you have your game. 

Of course, fan theories came about with some news clippings on the walls of Freddy’s describing a series of child murders that took place in the restaurant, couple that with the excuse of a ‘Night Mode’ from Phone Guy, your boss, and you get some interesting speculation of haunted animatronics filled with the spirits of those dead children way back when, and then the spirit of the animatronic known as Golden Freddy - an old abandoned animatronic who sometimes appeared in your office during the game, glitching your screen and saying ‘it’s me’.

Of course with the popularity of the franchise, more installments came about, and what started as a small horror indie game was launched in pop culture and was gaining millions of fans overnight. 

Then came FNAF 2, a whole new location with new mechanics to survive, like wearing a Freddy head. New animatronics called the toy animatronics. The old location apparently had shut down, and a new location opened up, giving the feeling of familiarity in a different place. Of course, lore evolved into figuring out the secrets behind these new robots, and the horror that was the bunny, bonnie robot without a face, not to mention the marionette doll. Finally, within some minigames between the nights, we figure out the killer of these kids, fan named ‘Purple Guy’.

FNAF 3 was a horror attraction where you were playing the role of a security guard and also actually being a guard for the place, while horror animatronics trying to make fun of the tragedies of FNAF 1 and 2 and make some money off it by bringing people into their version of a haunted house. Purple Guy is there too, in the ripped yellow bunny suit he used to wear when he killed the kids and is the only one you can get a game over to, the other just mess with ventilation and stuff and jumpscare you. Ends when the whole thing is set on fire and burned.

FNAF 4 was where lore stopped being discreet and just in your face. The whole game placed you in the role of a child in your bedroom at night in your house while the Freddy gang but much scarier - sharp teeth and claws - would try to get into your room and kill you. The real scary part was that the only way you can tell they’re coming is breathing, and sometimes even your voice being too loud could get you killed. Plus, and here’s the fun part - the only way to stop them is by holding your bedroom or closet doors shut. Minigames and lore are given between the nights talking about a child who has a fredbear plush who talks to him, and a family who would barely let him out of his room, dubbed ‘Crying Child’. He’s terrified of the Freddy robots, and his brother ends up putting him in an animatronic's mouth as a prank on his own birthday, and he dies from a head injury.

FNAF World was a fun game - not really that lore-based by any means. A cute RPG where you play as a cute Freddy and collect clocks and complete minigames to get endings. The only lore was with a secret dark side - the golden Freddy - it glitches and turns into the FNAF 4 freadbear, telling you to collect the clocks to put the world back in order. Also, Scott Cawthon, creator of FNAF was the final boss, unimportant but interesting.

After this was FNAF: Sister Location. All New animatronics - Circus Baby, Ballora, Funtime Freddy, and Funtime Foxy. You play as a night guard-ish in this animatronic rental place - Circus Baby’s Rental, a competitor to Freddy’s, and after the fire, became the only remaining company. Your job in the game is to zap the animatronics with electricity to make them behave and follow orders. Seems simple, right? Heck no. They’re angry and want to kill you for zapping them and keeping them imprisoned. They mess with the wiring for security and have you restart the system yourself with a whole bunch of minigames for your second night on the job after a helpful voice helped you to hide under the desk and evade them. You realize pretty quickly following the HAND unit’s instructions get you killed, but the other voice keeps you safe. This leads to two endings where after all the animatronics are disabled and merged into one called Enard, you either follow the voices instructions, get your insides scooped and Enard wears you like a skin suit in order to blend in and get out of the building, or you disobey and lead to an FNAF 1 style standoff with Enard, make it home and still get killed. 

FNAF pizzeria simulator is exactly like the title - you make your own Freddy’s franchise, and depending on the choices you make to either salvage the animatronics found in the back alley or keep them out (Under your paragraph 4 contract), and then whether you complete the salvage or fail, leaving it to try to kill you in a certain part of the game when you’re in your office during the day doing tasks. In the lore-based end, all the animatronics thus far minus the originals who got their souls to rest in FNAF 3, are burned in the pizzeria, along with Purple Guy in his suit, ending up in H-E double hockey sticks in FNAF Ultimate Custom Night, the next game. 

Finally, the most recent game in the franchise - FNAF VR: Help Wanted. In this game, the Freddy Franchise wants to ‘make light of silly rumors of danger in their restaurants’ by reliving the horror Scott created but in VR. Lore is hidden in tapes throughout the games that tell of a development team and the weird stuff that was going on during the game's development, and the connection of GiltchTrap, a part of the game used from scrapped Freddy’s parts for money, and now has Purple Guy’s soul trapped in the game with you trying to take over your body. in both endings of this game, not counting the completion of the last game, your body is taken over by Purple Guy, leaving you trapped in the VR game.

Phew. That was a lot. Hope it made some sense!

[easyfoodnetwork]

From the Strategist: 21 Best Grilling Gifts for Every Type of Grilling Enthusiast

Photo: ClassicStock/Getty Images

All the grills and grilling accessories a grill master could want, from the Strategist

At its most basic, grilling is cooking on an open flame, like what our prehistoric ancestors used to do, but if you’re not the kind of person who takes pleasure in lighting charcoal on fire and then cooking big slabs of meat on it, you might be struggling to find the best grilling gifts for someone who does. (Though even self-described grill enthusiasts sometimes need help finding an actually useful but still unique grilling gift.) So to make it easy, we rounded up 21 of the best grills and grilling accessories that would be excellent gifts for the person in your life who likes to fire it up.

For the griller who struggles with lighting charcoal

BBQ Dragon Cordless Grill Fan in Silver

Jean-Paul Bourgeois of New York City’s Blue Smoke calls the BBQ Dragon, “a fire starter’s best friend. This easy-to-use little gadget will clip onto any grill or smoker and assist you in getting those coals burning fast and evenly.”

For the griller who mostly cooks with charcoal

Panacea 15343 Ash Bucket With Shovel, Black

If anyone plays a little fast and loose with the disposal of coals, or wants a safer way to do it, this steel ash bucket will help prevent accidents. As Hugh Magnum, pitmaster at Mighty Quinn’s Barbecue, explains, “It sometimes takes as long as two days for coals to be completely cold, so you don’t put any coals for at least two days into a trash bag, or else that trash bag will go up in flames.”

For the griller who’s terrified of burns

Artisan Griller Insulated Cooking Gloves

Writer Caitlin M. O’Shaughnessy was introduced to these pit gloves by her mother, who used them to take a full turkey out of the oven. “The cotton-lined gloves are coated with neoprene rubber and designed for true-blue barbecuers who have to handle hot meat on the smoker — that means they’re also waterproof, stainproof, and (most importantly) greaseproof.” They also come recommended by Patrick Martin of Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint in Nashville, who actually prefers these heavy-duty gloves to tongs, especially when working with big cuts of meat, like whole hogs.

For the griller who’s looking to streamline

Stingray 7 in 1 BBQ Tool

Swap out the tool kit for this 7-in-1 grilling tool, recommended by self-described “pretty competent outdoor griller” Steven John, who calls this “the Swiss Army knife of grilling equipment, combining all three tools and even sporting a bottle opener built into its handle.”

For the griller who loves steak

Sloan Personalized Miniature Steak Branding Iron

For Valentine’s Day, writer Leah Bhabha gifted her carnivorous boyfriend a personalized branding iron, purchased on Amazon, and it was an instant hit. “We’ve now emblazoned his initials on everything from ribs to rib eyes, and even busted out the brander for cast-iron cooked burgers (the patty’s initials were covered by the bun, but he liked it so much he branded them anyway).”

For the griller who prefers chicken

Two-in-One Vertical Chicken Roasting Pan

Nick Pihakis of Jim ’N Nicks Bar-B-Q in Birmingham, Alabama, calls this chicken-roasting contraption “one of the best ways to cook a chicken. Not only is upright roasting the optimal position to roast a chicken (fat drips away, heat surrounds the chicken 360 degrees, skin crisps up better), this cooking method allows the steam and vapors to flavor the chicken from the inside cavity out, helping it to stay moist.”

For the griller who’s also a hibachi enthusiast

Elite Platinum EMG-980B Large Indoor Electric Round Nonstick Grilling Surface

If dinner has become a bit of a slog recently, consider setting up a hibachi or Korean barbecue night and using this highly rated indoor grill to do it. Reviewers on Amazon say, true to advertising, it’s truly non-stick (so feel free to go all in on your marinades) and is just as effective at grilling vegetables as a grilling a sturdy ribeye.

For the griller who’s not sure what to do with vegetables

Sur La Table Stainless Steel Grill Basket

Steven John recommends a grill basket, “that can be placed atop any sort of grill (charcoal, gas, or even wood fire) and filled with loose veggies, shrimp, fries, and so on.” It keeps these more delicate ingredients from sticking to the grill’s grates, and, as John notes, “the grate’s cleaner, too.”

For the griller who over-checks their meat

Thermapen Mk4 Thermometer

A meat thermometer is a must-have accessory for a barbecue enthusiast to quickly and easily ensure that meat is fully cooked but not overdone. And for my money, there’s no meat thermometer better than the Thermapen. As I wrote in my review of this gadget, “What makes the Thermapen stand out from other digital kitchen thermometers is its speed and accuracy. According to the manufacturer’s website, this food thermometer can tell the real-time temperature of whatever you’re trying to measure within 0.7 degrees Fahrenheit in under three seconds. That speed makes a noticeable difference when you’re balancing a roasting pan on a hot oven door as you try to take the temperature of whatever’s inside without burning yourself or letting out too much heat,” or dealing with a hot barbecue grill. (And I’m in good company. The Thermapen also comes recommended by Amy and Mike Mills of 17th St. BBQ in Murphysboro, Illinois.)

For the griller who’s getting into marinades

Boiled Cider Syrup

In his roundup of the best condiments you can buy on Amazon, writer Hugh Merwin recommends this boiled cider, which is “kind of pure apple essence,” he explains. However, that sweetness makes it an excellent addition to a barbecue tool kit. “Grillmasters use it at the base of marinades, where it tenderizes meat and its mildly tart and subtle flavor blends in with wood smoke.”

For the griller with a small patio

Fire Sense Large Yakatori Charcoal Grill

Recommended by Leslie Roark Scott of Ubon’s Barbeque in Yazoo City, Mississippi, this large yakitori grill is ideal for those in a “tight space. It’s the perfect size for a couple of steaks, and holds heat like a champ.”

For the griller with no patio

Weber 10020 Smokey Joe

If you’re looking to gift a truly portable grill, for someone who dreams of grilling in Prospect Park, the Weber Smokey Joe is a classic choice. It’s a no-frills option, but it’s got the same durability as the larger kettle-style Weber grill.

For the indoor grill enthusiast who hates smoke

Philips Indoor Smokeless Grill

We discovered this indoor smokeless grill while watching Queer Eye on Netflix, and it’s a solid option for someone who wants to grill but is constrained by the realities of living in an apartment. It uses infrared light to heat the grill and help prevent smoking from dripping fat.

For the indoor grill enthusiast who doesn’t want another gadget

Lodge Pro-Grid Cast-Iron Grill and Griddle Combo. Reversible 20 x 10.44” Grill/Griddle Pan With Easy-Grip Handles

Though it’s more likely to smoke up your kitchen, this cast-iron grill plate from Lodge is “the indoor grill that’s closest in spirit to firing up the charcoal.” (Plus, because it’s essentially a flat piece of cast-iron, it’s much easier to store than a new appliance.)

For the griller who likes that smoky taste

Z Grills ZPG-7002E

As Steven John explains, “a pellet grill is a barbecue grill that uses an automatically fed supply of wood pellets to maintain a preestablished temperature and infuse the cooking foods with smoke aroma and flavor. Your fuel source is also your smoke source.” That means your meat takes longer to cook, but it’s also got more smoky flavor, and in his testing of pellet grills, John liked this one from Z Grills, in part because “you can load up enough wood pellets for hours of smoking with minimal refills required.”

For the griller who wants to go full pitmaster

Masterbuilt MES 130B Digital Electric Smoker

On a long hunt for the “best, not-too-massive city grill,” Lauren Levy discovered that the best barbecue grill is actually this digital smoker from Masterbuilt. That’s according to Myron Mixon, the winningest man in barbecue, who explains, “It’s a digital smoker, so you can actually punch in the temperature you want and it takes you right there from 100 degrees to 275 degrees in just a few minutes.” He continues, “The truth is, everything that someone would want to barbecue you can cook with the Masterbuilt smoker, and it’s much more delicious.”

For the griller who likes to cook low and slow

Akorn Jr. Kamado Kooker

The first rule of Grilling 101: Leave the meat be. But when you’re constantly worried about your provisions burning that can be difficult to do. That’s why the grilling enthusiasts of Amazon love the Akorn Jr., a ceramic, kamado-style grill that does an excellent job of maintaining low temperatures. Plus, it’s about a tenth of the price of the popular, kamado-style Big Green Egg grill.

For the griller who tries to keep their grill spotless

Drillbrush BBQ Accessories

I’ve written about the Drillbrush as the best tool to keep my shower clean, but the company makes different brush attachments with different stiffnesses for different purposes, like this barbecue accessories set, which can be used to detail-clean even the most grease-stained grill.

For the griller who likes to grill and chill

YETI Roadie 20 Cooler

“When you’re smoking whole hogs, you can’t go for a beer run, so you need a good cooler that’s going to keep your beer cold for the night,” wisely notes Patrick Martin of Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint. That’s why he recommends a Yeti cooler to keep by the grill. “I guarantee when you reach for a beer, it’s gonna be good and cold — just like it should be.”

For the griller who likes to carve meat

John Boos Block BBQBD Reversible Maple Wood Edge Grain BBQ Cutting Board With Juice Groove

This sturdy Boos block has a juice groove to catch any liquid that might come out when carving a big hunk of barbecue. (And this gift certainly doesn’t have to be retired once grilling season is over. It’ll also come in handy at Thanksgiving, when it’s time to carve the turkey.)

For the griller who likes eating barbecue more than cooking

Messermeister Avanta 4-Piece Fine Edge Steak Knife Set

Once they cook the meat, they’ll need something to help you eat it, and that’s where these Messermeister steak knives come in. “There’s a curious delight in using these very, very sharp steak knives to bisect a morsel of beef (or pork, or chicken, or whatever flesh you have lying around),” writes Katie Arnold-Ratliff in her ode to these. “The blade slices through the steak with tactile precision — a kind of buttery, slippery ease that makes me say every time my boyfriend and I use these knives, which is a lot, ‘Man I love these knives.’”

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2BbdFk9 https://ift.tt/2XwN1ti

Photo: ClassicStock/Getty Images

All the grills and grilling accessories a grill master could want, from the Strategist

At its most basic, grilling is cooking on an open flame, like what our prehistoric ancestors used to do, but if you’re not the kind of person who takes pleasure in lighting charcoal on fire and then cooking big slabs of meat on it, you might be struggling to find the best grilling gifts for someone who does. (Though even self-described grill enthusiasts sometimes need help finding an actually useful but still unique grilling gift.) So to make it easy, we rounded up 21 of the best grills and grilling accessories that would be excellent gifts for the person in your life who likes to fire it up.

For the griller who struggles with lighting charcoal

BBQ Dragon Cordless Grill Fan in Silver

Jean-Paul Bourgeois of New York City’s Blue Smoke calls the BBQ Dragon, “a fire starter’s best friend. This easy-to-use little gadget will clip onto any grill or smoker and assist you in getting those coals burning fast and evenly.”

For the griller who mostly cooks with charcoal

Panacea 15343 Ash Bucket With Shovel, Black

If anyone plays a little fast and loose with the disposal of coals, or wants a safer way to do it, this steel ash bucket will help prevent accidents. As Hugh Magnum, pitmaster at Mighty Quinn’s Barbecue, explains, “It sometimes takes as long as two days for coals to be completely cold, so you don’t put any coals for at least two days into a trash bag, or else that trash bag will go up in flames.”

For the griller who’s terrified of burns

Artisan Griller Insulated Cooking Gloves

Writer Caitlin M. O’Shaughnessy was introduced to these pit gloves by her mother, who used them to take a full turkey out of the oven. “The cotton-lined gloves are coated with neoprene rubber and designed for true-blue barbecuers who have to handle hot meat on the smoker — that means they’re also waterproof, stainproof, and (most importantly) greaseproof.” They also come recommended by Patrick Martin of Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint in Nashville, who actually prefers these heavy-duty gloves to tongs, especially when working with big cuts of meat, like whole hogs.

For the griller who’s looking to streamline

Stingray 7 in 1 BBQ Tool

Swap out the tool kit for this 7-in-1 grilling tool, recommended by self-described “pretty competent outdoor griller” Steven John, who calls this “the Swiss Army knife of grilling equipment, combining all three tools and even sporting a bottle opener built into its handle.”

For the griller who loves steak

Sloan Personalized Miniature Steak Branding Iron

For Valentine’s Day, writer Leah Bhabha gifted her carnivorous boyfriend a personalized branding iron, purchased on Amazon, and it was an instant hit. “We’ve now emblazoned his initials on everything from ribs to rib eyes, and even busted out the brander for cast-iron cooked burgers (the patty’s initials were covered by the bun, but he liked it so much he branded them anyway).”

For the griller who prefers chicken

Two-in-One Vertical Chicken Roasting Pan

Nick Pihakis of Jim ’N Nicks Bar-B-Q in Birmingham, Alabama, calls this chicken-roasting contraption “one of the best ways to cook a chicken. Not only is upright roasting the optimal position to roast a chicken (fat drips away, heat surrounds the chicken 360 degrees, skin crisps up better), this cooking method allows the steam and vapors to flavor the chicken from the inside cavity out, helping it to stay moist.”

For the griller who’s also a hibachi enthusiast

Elite Platinum EMG-980B Large Indoor Electric Round Nonstick Grilling Surface

If dinner has become a bit of a slog recently, consider setting up a hibachi or Korean barbecue night and using this highly rated indoor grill to do it. Reviewers on Amazon say, true to advertising, it’s truly non-stick (so feel free to go all in on your marinades) and is just as effective at grilling vegetables as a grilling a sturdy ribeye.

For the griller who’s not sure what to do with vegetables

Sur La Table Stainless Steel Grill Basket

Steven John recommends a grill basket, “that can be placed atop any sort of grill (charcoal, gas, or even wood fire) and filled with loose veggies, shrimp, fries, and so on.” It keeps these more delicate ingredients from sticking to the grill’s grates, and, as John notes, “the grate’s cleaner, too.”

For the griller who over-checks their meat

Thermapen Mk4 Thermometer

A meat thermometer is a must-have accessory for a barbecue enthusiast to quickly and easily ensure that meat is fully cooked but not overdone. And for my money, there’s no meat thermometer better than the Thermapen. As I wrote in my review of this gadget, “What makes the Thermapen stand out from other digital kitchen thermometers is its speed and accuracy. According to the manufacturer’s website, this food thermometer can tell the real-time temperature of whatever you’re trying to measure within 0.7 degrees Fahrenheit in under three seconds. That speed makes a noticeable difference when you’re balancing a roasting pan on a hot oven door as you try to take the temperature of whatever’s inside without burning yourself or letting out too much heat,” or dealing with a hot barbecue grill. (And I’m in good company. The Thermapen also comes recommended by Amy and Mike Mills of 17th St. BBQ in Murphysboro, Illinois.)

For the griller who’s getting into marinades

Boiled Cider Syrup

In his roundup of the best condiments you can buy on Amazon, writer Hugh Merwin recommends this boiled cider, which is “kind of pure apple essence,” he explains. However, that sweetness makes it an excellent addition to a barbecue tool kit. “Grillmasters use it at the base of marinades, where it tenderizes meat and its mildly tart and subtle flavor blends in with wood smoke.”

For the griller with a small patio

Fire Sense Large Yakatori Charcoal Grill

Recommended by Leslie Roark Scott of Ubon’s Barbeque in Yazoo City, Mississippi, this large yakitori grill is ideal for those in a “tight space. It’s the perfect size for a couple of steaks, and holds heat like a champ.”

For the griller with no patio

Weber 10020 Smokey Joe

If you’re looking to gift a truly portable grill, for someone who dreams of grilling in Prospect Park, the Weber Smokey Joe is a classic choice. It’s a no-frills option, but it’s got the same durability as the larger kettle-style Weber grill.

For the indoor grill enthusiast who hates smoke

Philips Indoor Smokeless Grill

We discovered this indoor smokeless grill while watching Queer Eye on Netflix, and it’s a solid option for someone who wants to grill but is constrained by the realities of living in an apartment. It uses infrared light to heat the grill and help prevent smoking from dripping fat.

For the indoor grill enthusiast who doesn’t want another gadget

Lodge Pro-Grid Cast-Iron Grill and Griddle Combo. Reversible 20 x 10.44” Grill/Griddle Pan With Easy-Grip Handles

Though it’s more likely to smoke up your kitchen, this cast-iron grill plate from Lodge is “the indoor grill that’s closest in spirit to firing up the charcoal.” (Plus, because it’s essentially a flat piece of cast-iron, it’s much easier to store than a new appliance.)

For the griller who likes that smoky taste

Z Grills ZPG-7002E

As Steven John explains, “a pellet grill is a barbecue grill that uses an automatically fed supply of wood pellets to maintain a preestablished temperature and infuse the cooking foods with smoke aroma and flavor. Your fuel source is also your smoke source.” That means your meat takes longer to cook, but it’s also got more smoky flavor, and in his testing of pellet grills, John liked this one from Z Grills, in part because “you can load up enough wood pellets for hours of smoking with minimal refills required.”

For the griller who wants to go full pitmaster

Masterbuilt MES 130B Digital Electric Smoker

On a long hunt for the “best, not-too-massive city grill,” Lauren Levy discovered that the best barbecue grill is actually this digital smoker from Masterbuilt. That’s according to Myron Mixon, the winningest man in barbecue, who explains, “It’s a digital smoker, so you can actually punch in the temperature you want and it takes you right there from 100 degrees to 275 degrees in just a few minutes.” He continues, “The truth is, everything that someone would want to barbecue you can cook with the Masterbuilt smoker, and it’s much more delicious.”

For the griller who likes to cook low and slow

Akorn Jr. Kamado Kooker

The first rule of Grilling 101: Leave the meat be. But when you’re constantly worried about your provisions burning that can be difficult to do. That’s why the grilling enthusiasts of Amazon love the Akorn Jr., a ceramic, kamado-style grill that does an excellent job of maintaining low temperatures. Plus, it’s about a tenth of the price of the popular, kamado-style Big Green Egg grill.

For the griller who tries to keep their grill spotless

Drillbrush BBQ Accessories

I’ve written about the Drillbrush as the best tool to keep my shower clean, but the company makes different brush attachments with different stiffnesses for different purposes, like this barbecue accessories set, which can be used to detail-clean even the most grease-stained grill.

For the griller who likes to grill and chill

YETI Roadie 20 Cooler

“When you’re smoking whole hogs, you can’t go for a beer run, so you need a good cooler that’s going to keep your beer cold for the night,” wisely notes Patrick Martin of Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint. That’s why he recommends a Yeti cooler to keep by the grill. “I guarantee when you reach for a beer, it’s gonna be good and cold — just like it should be.”

For the griller who likes to carve meat

John Boos Block BBQBD Reversible Maple Wood Edge Grain BBQ Cutting Board With Juice Groove

This sturdy Boos block has a juice groove to catch any liquid that might come out when carving a big hunk of barbecue. (And this gift certainly doesn’t have to be retired once grilling season is over. It’ll also come in handy at Thanksgiving, when it’s time to carve the turkey.)

For the griller who likes eating barbecue more than cooking

Messermeister Avanta 4-Piece Fine Edge Steak Knife Set

Once they cook the meat, they’ll need something to help you eat it, and that’s where these Messermeister steak knives come in. “There’s a curious delight in using these very, very sharp steak knives to bisect a morsel of beef (or pork, or chicken, or whatever flesh you have lying around),” writes Katie Arnold-Ratliff in her ode to these. “The blade slices through the steak with tactile precision — a kind of buttery, slippery ease that makes me say every time my boyfriend and I use these knives, which is a lot, ‘Man I love these knives.’”

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2BbdFk9 via Blogger https://ift.tt/2Xyq7C0

[zoadgo]

Kinktober Day Fifteen | Uniforms | my heart’s the only thing i’m hearing; beatin in and out of rhythm | Shaw x Raven | The 100

Words: 3634

Tags: Uniforms, Modern AU, Bathroom sex, Wall sex

Note that this is a kinktober prompt fill. It will be explicit smut, and quite likely, kinky. Mind the tags.

This isn’t really that focused on the uniforms aspect tbh, sorry!

ao3

“Clarke Griffin,” Raven takes Clarke’s hands in hers and looks deep into her eyes, with total heartfelt sincerity, “I love you.”

“Is that a thank you?” Clarke asks, smiling and shaking her head slightly at Raven’s antics.

“Look around, Clarke, you made me your plus one to literal heaven,” Raven releases Clarke’s hands to sling her arm around the blonde’s shoulders, walking them into the ballroom. “Yes, that’s a thank you.”

The ballroom in question is full of people in gorgeous evening wear, moving about the way that only the very politically powerful do, with a sort of lazy air. They only make up half the population, however, the other fifty percent being soldiers. Decorated military men and women, in their oh so shiny formal uniforms, standing a bit more stiff than the rest. That’s the real reason why Raven had shimmied her way into a bright red dress tonight; ogling people in uniform is a hobby of hers.

“You never would have forgiven me if I hadn’t invited you,” Clarke points out, and Raven laughs.

“Correct.”

“You want me to introduce you to anyone?” Clarke offers.

Raven looks around the room before shaking her head, “No, I’m happy observing from afar for now. But you go do your thing, girl.”

Clarke rolls her eyes with a little smile, but takes her leave at that. She’ll be gone for a while, Raven knows. It’s not the first time she’s been a plus one, she’s used to the drill of Clarke going off to make her rounds of the well-to-do at these events. Clarke’s mom, the current mayor of their town, thinks Clarke is doing her duty as poster child of the campaign, but Raven knows better; Clarke’s already maneuvering for her mom’s seat, and has been for years.

Raven makes her way around the edge of the room slowly, simply feasting her eyes on the beauty arrayed about her. Everyone is physically flawless, of course, and the muscular men and women in uniform are so impossibly good looking that Raven would happily cut her own arm off if they asked her. Well, maybe not happily, but she certainly wouldn’t hesitate. She’s always had a thing for uniforms, but who doesn’t really? The power they imply, the crisp lines and attention to detail in maintaining them, it’s alluring.

Raven smiles at a few people as she meets their eye, but she doesn’t approach anyone. Later in the night, after everyone has got their major agendas out of the way and Clarke rejoins her, she’ll make small talk. Right now, she knows very well she’d only be taking up valuable political time from people far more important than her. Well, maybe not more important, but certainly… shinier.

Raven eyes a few officers, deciding who she might snag a dance with once the greetings give way to more general festivities and the drinks begin to flow. There are a few non-officers as well, in more subdued outfits, but they fail to catch Raven’s eye simply because there’s too much else going on for her to notice anyone not bedecked in gold, silver, and bronze. Raven smiles to herself, imagining being swept up in the arms of a stern, dark haired woman with biceps of steel hidden beneath her starched tunic.

Raven knows from past experience that galas are good fun once the enormously boring people have left, usually retiring quite early in the evening. Clarke, of course, needs to talk with those boring people, which means they got there super early and Raven has to pass the time in some way. And as fun as people watching is, the ballroom is a little too crowded for comfort. Raven finds herself trying to use her hand as a fan, and figures that she might as well wait out the meet and greets outside.

Luckily for her, there are several doors around the ballroom that lead to a large, stone balcony, overlooking what she imagines is a lovely garden in the daytime. As Raven steps outside, immediately blessed by a refreshing breeze, the rows of bushes and flowers are only vague shapes illuminated by the moon and the lights of the party within.

Raven walks over to the stone balustrade and leans her forearms on it, closing her eyes and breathing deeply. The wind carries the scent of manicured flowers to her, a very carefully pleasant smell. It’s soothing, and Raven can’t help but smile, letting herself get lost in the calm, cool of the night.

“Tired of the party already?” A voice breaks through Raven’s reverie, and she opens her eyes, turning her head to look at the man standing next to her.

He’s a soldier too, but he doesn’t look as polished as those inside. His uniform is more functional; still clean and pressed, but not glittering with medals. Raven is glad for the cool night air, because his uniform makes him seem much more attainable than the high and mighty inside, and she’s hate to be blushing and panting over him like some fool. Well, actually, she might not hate it that much, as he smiles at her. He has an exceptional smile, a small quirk of the lips but it makes Raven’s heart flutter.

“Just getting some fresh air. You?” Raven is proud that she manages to stay composed, smiling back at him and tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“Not exactly my scene.” He shrugs and leans on the railing next to Raven, reaching a hand over and holding it out to her, “I’m Shaw, by the way.”

“Raven.” Raven takes his hand, which is warm and dry. The simple contact sends a light electric current through her, a lovely tingle. “Well tell me this, Shaw. If it’s not your scene, why are you here?”

“Orders. Apparently it just wouldn’t do for me to stay back on base, all ‘distinguished personnel’ were required to attend.” Shaw marks the quotes in the air with quirked fingers. “Sometimes it’s enough to make me wish I were lazier.”

He sighs so dramatically that Raven can’t help but laugh. Oh, she knows the feeling all too well; being so good at doing your own work that you get assigned to help others, too. Congratulations on doing a good job, now do some more.

“Distinguished personnel, huh?” Raven turns around, propping her elbows up on the railing and leaning her back against it. She curves a brow with a smile, “Is that supposed to impress me?”

Shaw chuckles, dropping his head towards his hands for a moment before looking up at her with a gaze that makes her heart melt and her pulse race, “Maybe I was hoping it would.”

“Let’s see, what response would you want? Something like ‘Oh, handsome soldier man, tell me all the stories of your victories! Better than that, take me now!’” Raven puts on a ludicrous voice and fans herself with a hand. She could have just smiled and played it safe, and probably gotten a date, but that would break rule number one of being Raven Reyes; never sleep with anyone who doesn’t get your humour, no matter how attractive they are.

Shaw laughs again, which is a definite point in his favour. Not that he really needs more points, but still, it serves to make him even more interesting.

“You think I’m handsome?” Shaw asks with false innocence, and Raven lightly smacks his shoulder.

“Like you don’t know exactly how hot you are.” She shakes her head, but she’s smiling the whole time, because it’s hard not to when someone’s looking at her the way Shaw is right now.

“And if I said I didn’t, would you tell me?” Shaw turns to face Raven, leaning on one elbow. She has to look away, just for a moment as her heart skips a beat and she feels heat flood her cheeks. He’s playing her game, and he’s winning.

“Now why should I do that? I don’t even know you, sir.” Raven plays at being offended.

“You’re right,” Shaw nods solemnly, but when Raven meets his eyes again, he has another little smile curving his lips, “Maybe you’d like it better if I told you how beautiful you are?”

Raven chokes on the breath she’d been taking, and yeah, she’s definitely blushing now. It’s not her fault, not at all, this guy is good. Damn good.

“This your play with all the girls?” She asks, because of course someone as handsome as him and as good with words has to be a player. Aren’t most military men, just by something in their nature? Not that Raven has an issue with that, mind you. She enjoys new partners frequently enough that she’d have to be a huge hypocrite to complain.

“Nah, normally I get them with the ‘distinguished’ line, remember?” Shaw jokes, but then he becomes serious in a heartbeat, “Honestly, though, playing girls isn’t my thing. I just saw you and…”

He trails off, dropping Raven’s gaze and scratching the back of his neck. It’s awkward and so incredibly adorable, Raven melts. If this is his game, he’s an absolute legend. Raven buys every word of it, and she’s pretty good at smelling bullshit most of the time.

“And?” She prompts, unreasonably eager to hear the next part of that sentence.

“You’re one of the most beautiful girls I’ve ever seen. I wouldn’t have been able to sleep if I’d let you get away without at least introducing myself,” Shaw says, voice entirely sincere. Raven’s heart flutters, and that is just not fair. It’s not right for him to say things like that, looking the way that he does.

“Is that all you want, then? To introduce yourself?” Raven asks, turning and mirroring his pose with a wicked smile, “Or is there something else?”

She puts her hand on his forearm, caressing the deep blue tunic. Air force blue. Raven always figured if she ever enlisted, that’s where she would end up, too. Except for her heart condition meant she’d never be a fighter pilot, and she couldn’t join up if that was off the table. She wonders, vaguely, what Shaw’s role is, but she figures that might be a bit impolite to ask.

Shaw raises his hand and brushes a knuckle against her jaw, tracing the line of it. “There might be one other thing I want.”

“Just one?” Raven prompts. Oh, she can think of about a million things she wants right now, and she feels herself growing wet with desire.

“One or two.” Shaw smiles, and it’s like looking at the night sky. Impossible, incredible, everything Raven wants to touch. But this isn’t out of her reach, this is right here, on Earth.

It’s hard to tell who moves first, her or Shaw, but they meet halfway in a kiss that’s so tender it hurts. Raven can tell by the way he touches her that he wasn’t lying. There’s nothing possessive about the kiss, or flashy; it’s a slow drag of their lips together, his hand so gently cradling the back of her neck, their breath mingling as one. It’s reverant, an act of worship or deep, heartfelt appreciation.

When they pull apart after a few long, delicious moments, both of them breathe heavier. Shaw smiles, and Raven is helpless but to return the gesture, warmth glowing in her chest. She shouldn’t feel this much, not this fast, but something about him is incredible. She’s drawn to it, to him, and she doesn’t even mind.

Shaw drops his hand from her neck to take her own in his grasp. He raises it to his mouth, brushing his lips against the back of her knuckles, and that has to be illegal. Raven has done some crazy things with some fantastic people, and none of it has shaken her near as much as that cheesy as hell gesture does. She thinks she might die happy, right there, but the ache between her thighs encourages her to live at least a little bit longer.

“Do you,” Shaw clears his throat and licks his lips, which is distracting as all hell, “want to dance?”

“Not particularly,” Raven replies honestly. Shaw looks mildly hurt for a moment, but she grabs the lapels of his tunic, pulling him closer to her. “I’ve got a little something else in mind.”

She pulls him to her for a far less gentle kiss, catching his lower lip between her teeth. She doesn’t bite it hard, just drags her teeth over the sensitive flesh until she hears Shaw’s breath hitch. His hands go to her hips, still careful, but definitely interested, and Raven arches into him. Thank god he’s not a prude, she’s not sure what she would have done if he’d respectfully told her to fuck off with her impure intentions.

Raven breaks away from his lips, much as it pains her to do so, reminding herself that they’re just on a balcony and anyone could come out at any point. Not that she cares about being caught like horny teenagers, but if she does anything too embarrassing, it might end up hurting Clarke’s position, and she won’t risk that. So Raven rests her forehead against Shaw’s, breathing heavily in the scant air between them.

“So what do you think?” She asks, and Shaw simply nods slightly in response, wordless assent. Raven licks her lips, desire coursing through her, and grabs his hand.

It only takes Raven a few minutes to find what she’s looking for, trailing Shaw behind her through the vast, primarily empty venue. The organizers of this fete had rented out the whole building, but most of the partygoers are in the central ballroom and surrounding area, which works perfectly for what Raven wants. She manages to find the furthest restroom from the gala possible, and all without pushing Shaw against a wall and mounting him in a hallway, too. Really, her self-restraint is incredible.

As soon as the door shuts behind them, Raven locks it, and then she finds herself crowded against a wall by Shaw. A thrill runs through her at his action, as he kisses her again, deep and thorough. His hands go back to her hips, but this time they slide around to her back, pulling her tight to him. Raven moans lightly into the kiss, and Shaw breaks away from her lips to trail kisses along her jaw.

Raven runs her hands up his chest, over the singular medal on his chest for whatever distinguished things he had done. They ought to have given it to him for kissing, Raven thinks, as he captures her lips once more. She wraps her arms around his shoulders, feeling lightheaded as Shaw slides his hands over her ass and further down, caressing the sides of her thighs.

“Shit,” Raven breaks away, panting slightly as Shaw’s finger tease under the hem of her cocktail length dress. It sends delightful flames racing through her, and a new flood of arousal between her thighs, but Raven bites her lip, feeling incredibly stupid, “I don’t have a condom.”

“Left pocket,” Shaw responds, and Raven’s brow furrows as she reaches into the pocket he’d indicated. She feels a familiar foil wrapping, and pulls out a condom with a wry grin.

“Not a player, huh?” Raven wags it at him in mock admonishment.

“No, it’s- the guys, they-” Shaw flounders, and Raven laughs lightly, pressing a quick kiss to his lips once more.

“It’s all good, I’m only teasing. Honestly, I’d be devastated if you didn’t have one,” she admits.

“Really?” Shaw asks, and Raven grins, hitching a leg up over his hip, using her ankle to pull his hips flush with hers. Her eyes flutter at the feeling of his hardness, separated from where she wants him so badly by only a few layers of fabric.

“God yes. There’s no way I could walk away from this, not now.”

Shaw’s hand goes to the underside of her thigh, holding her in place, and he rolls his hips against her, hard friction that draws another moan from Raven. She bites her lip again, only to have Shaw pull it from between her teeth with his thumb.

“You sound incredible,” he almost whispers, brushing her lip, and Raven can’t help the heat that rushes to her cheeks. The feeling of him holding her, of his erection pressing against her, of her own wetness, that’s all perfectly lovely. But that pure tenderness? Raven is entirely unprepared for that.

Raven whimpers as he drops that hand back to her hip and slides it around in order to squeeze at her rear. She rocks against him, against that hardness she craves with a deep, all abiding hunger. She wants to get her hands on his skin, but she also is really liking the sight of him in full uniform rutting against her.

Shaw kisses her neck, and Raven melts in his grasp, sighing happily. A part of her wants to stay like this forever, but she needs more. Raven sneaks her hands between them, fumbling with Shaw’s belt.

“Shit, Raven,” Shaw mutters the expletive under his breath as she conquers the belt and makes short work of his fly, freeing his erection. She strokes him a few times, sizing him up and satisfying that urge to get more skin on skin contact. He feels incredible in her grasp, thick and heavy, and the way his breath stutters is like the finest melody Raven’s ever heard.

“Shaw, I need you,” Raven leans in to whisper her demand in his ear, and Shaw races to oblige. He tears open the condom pack as soon as Raven hands it to him, sheathing himself in latex.

As he does so, Raven hikes her dress up just a bit further, and pulls her panties to the side. She doesn’t want to uncurl her leg from around his waist long enough to remove them entirely, and Shaw doesn’t seem to mind. He lines himself up at her entrance, where Raven aches, throbbing in time with the beating of her heart.

“You’re sure?” Shaw asks. So sweet, so considerate, and so incredibly silly.

Raven answers by way of kissing him and pulling him into her with her heel locked behind his thigh. Shaw groans against her lips as her sinks into her, and Raven’s breath catches. He stretches her with just a touch of burning, and it’s exactly what she needed. She breaks away from his lips to gasp desperately as he bottoms out within her, filling her completely.

“God, Raven, you feel so fucking good,” Shaw mutters, kissing the delicate skin just behind her ear.

“You’re not bad yourself,” Raven retorts breathily.

Shaw chuckles, kissing her neck once again before he begins to move. And if him filling her had felt good, him thrusting feels goddamn heavenly. Raven isn’t ashamed of the noises she makes in the slightest, needy as he rocks through her. The small room fills with the sounds of their sex; slick slide of flesh, her desperate moans, and Shaw’s wrecked grunts and groans.

Pleasure courses through Raven, and Shaw hitches her leg higher on his hip, thrusting in even deeper. She can barely support her weight on the one leg, but Shaw’s grip is incredibly strong, and the new angle feels so fucking good. With each thrust, sparks fly from her cunt to her gut, adding fuel to the fire there. Raven gasps, fingers digging into his shoulders as she holds on for dear life.

“So gorgeous,” Shaw whispers in a tone that seems entirely involuntary. It destroys Raven in the most exceptional way, the unabashed praise as he pounds into her again and again, hard enough to jolt her body each time.

“Please,” Raven begs, pleasure building, end just out of reach, “Just a little more.”

She doesn’t care about the pathetic tone of her whimpers, because Shaw nods, breathing heavy, and he obliges. He hikes up Raven’s other leg, bodily lifting her and holding her up in a devastating display of strength. It’s only his hands on her thighs and her back against the wall keeping her up, and it makes Raven clench around him involuntarily. The tension in her body combined with the deep angle is phenomenal, and Raven feels her orgasm cresting in record time.

“Oh god, Shaw!” Raven calls his name as she climaxes, clenching even harder around him as waves of pleasure crash over her. It’s one of the most intense orgasms of her life, and Raven’s pretty sure she forgets how to breathe about halfway through.

Shaw continues to fuck her through it, but he only last a few more thrusts after she comes down from her high. His hips stutter against her and he moans, hot and heavy against her neck. His fingers flex on the meat of her thighs, and Raven is definitely going to remember the sound of him cumming when she looks at those bruises tomorrow.

Shaw gently lowers Raven’s legs as he pulls out of her, leaving her feeling far too empty. But she’s quickly distracted from the empty ache by her knees nearly buckling under her. Shaw catches her before she can fall, and Raven drops her head against his chest, laughing breathlessly.

“So, uh, it’s been a pleasure meeting you,” Raven jokes as she figures out how to stand again. Shaw gives her a moment to steady her legs before releasing her to dispose of the condom, laughing with her.

“Yeah, pleasure’s definitely the right word. Maybe we could meet again, sometime?” Shaw asks, looking so incredibly sweet and hopeful as he does his pants and belt up again. Raven pulls her panties and dress back in order, then presses a light kiss to his lips.

“Anytime,” Raven promises.

[eminperu]

Dreams Money Can Buy: The economics of a pay-as-you-go vagabond lifestyle

Since my last Facebook post about another jaunt across the world, several people have reached out to me asking the same question: how do I “fund my lifestyle” (copyright Emma). It dawned on me that A) lots of folks are looking to travel the world but B) are not sure how to do that realistically and responsibly. As an additional obstacle, people—even the vagabonds—often get weird and cagey when asked about their finances. Luckily, I’m 100% comfortable letting you know that I’m pretty poor and I’m still living what Cardi B and Chance might classify as close to—if not my best—life. I’m happy to share my strategies for the nomad life as someone who has never considered planning a strong suit and whose butt gets all itchy at the sound of the word “budget.”  This is definitely not a how-to, but a how-I-do guide that hopefully can offer one perspective to those who, like me, dream of being homeless and financially insecure—I mean, wanderlusters.  Naturally, each point is organized by subcategory titles borrowed from legendary and timeless songwriter Aubrey Graham. Started from the Bottom (now we’re still near the bottom)

Okay, not exactly the bottom, but not far off. I did have some savings before I started traveling, and I think that cushion was pretty important for my peace of mind/not dying famished in the streets. I set a (admittedly pretty arbitrary) bottom line that I would be comfortable—not thrilled, but not fully catatonic—to have when I returned to a more “traditional lifestyle.” I put that amount in a do-not-touch savings account. Luckily, I haven’t really had to dip into this kitty very many times. Though, again, I’m admittedly no financial wizard, I would estimate over the course of the last year I’ve netted about -$2,000. To me, this year, the amount of time I spent not working, and the amazing experiences I have had were worth significantly more than that figure.

God’s Plan/Controlla

You can plan your travels in advance to varying degrees, but it’s crucial to be honest with yourself about how much uncertainty you can stomach without anxiety sucking all the joy out of the cool stuff you’re doing. I’ve had people tell me, “Oh, it’s so crazy how you can just hop on a plane and not know where you’re going next. You’re flying by the seat of your pants!” Two things: 1) I hate pants. 2) More often than not, I do plan at least my immediate next move in advance. This isn’t so much a due my discomfort with uncertainty, but rather how frustrated I get when I’m forced to spend substantially more money on a ticket/room because I couldn’t commit in time. As a general rule, I plan international travel at least a month in advance and try to get things settled for big within-country trips a week before I leave. I make sure to search airline sites directly, especially for within country travel, and I don’t hesitate to call booking sites instead of reserving online to see if if they can cut me a deal—they’re out here looking for that commission. That being said, the best practice is to seek advice from people who have visited or, better yet, live in your destination. Not only can they steer you towards the right locations/companies/etc., they can also advise you when it might be more economical to book real time in-person as opposed to beforehand online (this happens quite a bit, especially in less-developed countries. Trip Advisor is not always your friend, yo.). Plan as much in advance as you need to in order to feel comfortable and excited, not overwhelmed and anxious, for your trip.

Hold On, We’re Going Home

Building off my last point, for me, having a space to unpack my borderline-hoarder amount of clothes and plug in my electric toothbrush is crucial to my mental health. Who doesn’t love a nest? Though a lot of people move intermittently between destinations, I was pretty settled in Lima. Before flying in, we booked a month in an Airbnb. I easily found a three month room to rent on Facebook/Craigslist, and used the same method to find two of my jobs (oh, sidebar—look for and join ALL online Expat groups as soon as you get to a country. Go to a language exchange and ignore the creepy older dudes who try to get you to “teach them English” and look for other expats who are probably new to the area, too). I also knew I was setting up base camp somewhere with an incredibly low cost of living, and that was intentional (Meygan’s intention, not mine, but still).

Mob Ties

This will be a small section, as it deviates from the financial focus of this piece, but I think it’s important: be proactive ASAP in making friends. It’s so, so easy in any city with a large expat population (again, join the Facebook groups).  Expats are prone to be quite outgoing, likely share your interests, and probably have lower friend standards than you’re used to! Living abroad is like college, and all the other expats are your new floormates. There will definitely be some weridos, but you’ll sift through them and find the gems. Plus, traveling with friends makes things cheaper, so this section is totally relevant. (Nailed it.)

Hotline Bling

This one is straightforward: Make sure your phone is internationally unlocked and get a prepaid SIM card immediately in each country you go to. I’ve never needed to pay more than $20 a month for talk/text/data (you’ll only really need data) and it is PLENTY (how many of you are looking at your Verizon bill and fuming right now?). International plans don’t make sense in the long run and scrambling from Starbucks to random hostels for WiFi is not a good look.

Nice for What

One of the benefits of living abroad is that as soon as I moved, people started hitting me up to visit and/or meet them places. I’ve had the opportunity to visit magnificent destinations with magnificent friends, some of whom I hadn’t seen in years. If, like me, you’re overwhelming popular and well-liked, you have to be realistic and honest about where you can and cannot travel. Whilst on a budget and trying to function in day-to-day life, sometimes merging plans with friends looking to vacation is just not feasible. Compromising is great; it’s also valuable to let the homies know that this isn’t just a trip for you, it’s your lifestyle (did you just throw up a little bit as you read that? Me too. Sorry). I got super lucky and my friends who came and visited me in my more permanent location—Peru—didn’t force me to go to Machu Picchu 96 times! Every country has a bunch of cool stuff to do, and they were more than happy to meet in Colombia, hop on a jungle excursion, or otherwise with plan something that was in my budget/I hadn’t already done.

In addition to being realistic with my budget and with other people, I had to be realistic with myself, which involved some reprioritizing. I haven’t really bought clothes in the last year. I didn’t make my usual music festival rounds. I wasn’t planning to see my family for Christmas. My shoes, which have amassed an innumerable amount of miles, are essentially all falling apart. Time and time again, I chose experiences over things and I couldn’t be happier with that decision.

Nonstop

Having a job, regardless of the wage, always makes me feel better about spending money. You can make money in a variety of ways, but here’s a hot tip: TEACH ENGLISH ONLINE. I AM NOT KIDDING YOU I WOULD NOT HAVE DONE WHAT I DID THIS LAST YEAR WITHOUT IT. There are a myriad of companies (I’m with VIPKID—lemme talk to you about it and get some $$ for helping you apply) that allow you to set your own schedule and teach online from anywhere with a strong WiFi connection. I taught every weekday in Peru from 6:30 am to 9:00am (and an occasional weekend evening) and was done with my workday by 9:15 in the morning. I was also able to teach when I came back to Kansas, when I was home in California, and when I was traveling, Plus, I get money for referring you desperate plebs.

Let me tell you why VIPKID is infinitely better than getting an in-person job (even teaching English) abroad:

The hours and location are 100% flexible. I can open my schedule weeks in advance or the night before, and I can teach fifteen classes in a row or one single class.

There is no lesson planning. Prepping for teaching is an evil succubus that lures you in and steals your time and also several parts of your soul. The VIPKID platform offers ready-to-use lessons that have a universal structure. I don’t even glance at them before I start teaching. It’s the most low-maintenance, easiest form of instruction I’ve ever been involved with.

You don’t need to worry about getting a work visa. For all the work I did in Peru, I was paid cash under the table, as getting a carnet de extranjera (similar to a green card) is time-consuming, expensive, and difficult. I'm not 100% sure, but I feel like this is the case in most countries.

Yes, I make $20-$25 an hour, which can make you feel no ways (real Drake fans will catch that Easter egg), especially if you’ve been making a steady salary in a a place like New York or SF (let’s not get into it here, but all the more reason to advocate for not paying/treating our teachers like trash). However, it’s consistent money, I can do it anywhere, and $20 goes real far in most places outside the U.S.

The Catch Up

That being said, the side-hustle is EVERYTHING. Proofreading, translating, tutoring, working remotely, waitressing, bartending—anything that doesn’t require a lengthy application process and set hours is ideal. While I was back in the States, I very quickly and easily got a temp job working in my mom’s radiologic imaging office; I got to experience an entirely different line of work and gossip and eat donuts with the girls in the front. I absolutely loved it.

Apps like Grabr or housesitting apps are also excellent ways to make money doing stuff you’re already planning to do. Grabr allows travelers to sign up to bring things to people in their destination country that take too long or are too expensive to ship from their country of origin. This utilized two of my strongest skills—ordering items from Amazon and packing a checked bag weighing exactly fifty pounds. On my trip from the U.S. to Peru, I made over $300. Did I bring a kitchen scale and finely ground white electrolyte powders through South American customs? Yes! Did I assume I’d be going to Peruvian jail? Maybe! Honestly, I was more concerned about the giant car part leaking oil that I brought through TSA in Kansas City (thought about leaving a “This is not a bomb note”—decided against it). The point is: it might have taken a little time, some research, and a bit of aplomb to find opportunities like this, but luckily I had all those things in spades. Disclaimer: Use your judgment. Don’t do weird stuff.

Also, in all honesty, got a pretty cute tax refund this year, seeing as I made a significantly larger sum of money in the half of the year when I was full-time employee in California than when I was a part-time degenerate in Peru.

All Me

As resourceful and savvy as I’m feeling after writing this, I have to come clean. This might be a bit of a bummer for those fiercely independent amongst you: I did not even come close to doing this without a ton of help from my ridiculous circle of incredibly generous family and friends (HAHA GOTCHA, IT WAS NOT ALL ME. SEE? SEE WHAT I DID?) My list of people to thank would surely earn me the wrap-it-up music at the Oscars, but I’ll try anyway: My parents helped my broke ass get home so I wouldn’t be alone for Christmas. My friends from all across the world and all phases of life let me crash with them for weeks at a time (and gave me cute clothes that “looked a little weird on them,” made me banana flaxseed pancakes, and did my laundry). My brother and his smokeshow wife bought me flights and let me move into their giant British mansion to be their nanny (they don’t have kids). My saint of a mother literally gave up her bed and shared her tiny apartment with me, advocated for me to get a job that meant her doubling her workload, and let me eat all her food while standing at the refrigerator like a teenage boy. People have given me advice, contacts, hotel points, and miles. Gratitude will forever be the brush with which the memory of this year was painted.

All in all, I’ve had an overwhelmingly positive, life-changing experience with the joys far outweighing the stresses. It’s not hard to do, and I hope this very Emily-specific example can be of some help to you. Remember, you too can shirk all your responsibilities and run away to a foreign country! Even if you’re 25 sitting on 25… cents.

P.S. If you liked this post, please send me shoes.

[mmyproperdeets]

16 Common Scenarios: When To DIY and When to Hire a Pro

Owning a home is generally liberating, you can make the space that you want, contribute towards your personal equity and not be at the mercy of your rent possibly increasing by 100%. However, it does come with more responsibility as you can no longer call on your landlord for maintenance and repairs. The toilet you never had to use if it wasn’t to dispose of your own bodily fluids? Now you have to upkeep. The beautiful yard which looked so luscious and green when you purchased the property? Yep, your lawnmower has to take care of that now. 

You may be tempted to call a professional contractor, plumber, electrician, or landscaper but these things can add up and eat away at your budget. At the same time, in today’s day and age, finding online video tutorials which explain how to do (almost) anything is so easily attainable that it becomes increasingly tempting to just pick up some tools of the trade and do it all yourself, even if you don’t have the skills needed to fix your own home. It’s important to note that a DIY home project without the right planning and knowledge can actually end up being more expensive in the long run as calling a pro down the line would require they fix the original problem plus the new problem that was caused by the homeowner taking on a project he or she was not ready for. Even if you are comfortable with some projects, the knowledge base needed for another project may not be the same. You also have to consider the amount of time, materials, tools, and in some cases, permits that are needed to tackle your home improvement projects.

So what should you DIY and what should you leave to the experts? While we’re all about saving some bucks, there are some times when pros are needed and other times when you should save some cash and do the handiwork yourself. So, whether you are a homeowner who wants to save some money or a renting tenant who just wants to take care of some things without having to wait for your landlord, here are 16 common situations and when you can DIY versus when a pro should be called. Spoiler alert: it’s an even score!

 1.     Removing Popcorn Ceilings - Hire a pro

For starters, removing popcorn ceilings is extremely messy. Though it is gaining in popularity lately as popcorn ceilings seem to be tied to an old world style, taking on this project requires a lot of steps. To start, the popcorn must be sprayed and softened by a softening agent. The next step would be for all of the surface area must be scraped with a blade. This part can be particularly difficult as scraping unquestionably creates divots and holes on the surface. Those divots and holes need repair with compound that will need to dry and then be sanded smooth before painting. For the last step, everything needs to be primed and then painted with two coats of paint. Since it is all done on the ceiling, the work is overhead and requires the person doing the job to be standing on ladders for long periods of time.

 2.     Fixing a Leaky Kitchen or Bathroom Pipe - DIY it

Sounds scary, but this can have a simple solution. Sometimes parts of the draining system become lose so it may just be a quick fix. All you would have to do is tighten a slip-nut near the P-Trap. If the leak is coming directly from a hole in the drain pipe, the fix would require a flexible coupling with hose clamps. However, if the leak is inside the wall, then you may want to consider calling a pro.

 3.     Hanging Wallpaper - Hire a pro

While this seems easier than fixing a leaky kitchen or bathroom pipe, the challenge is getting the wallpaper straight on the wall and matching up the patterns correctly so that it looks smooth. This typically requires two people to do the job. Also, sometimes the wallpaper you hang up can cause bubbling; when this happens you have to remove the wallpaper and install a new strip of wallpaper. This can (1) be very labor intensive and (2) end up using up more wallpaper than needed which would then run up your expense as you would need to order more. Since this isn’t a safe vs. not safe scenario, it’s up to your discretion to decide whether going down the DIY route and the potential savings outweigh the potential risks. Getting a pro to do this job basically guarantees a smooth and predictable result.  

 4.     Painting the Exterior of Your Home - Hire a pro

Talking about labor intensive jobs, painting the exterior of a house is a huge job. The majorities of homes require all of the trim, soffits, and rake boards to be painted. Depending on the type of home, all of the siding would of course need to be painted as well. Not only will this take hours to be done correctly, but it also required extensive use of ladders at high levels and sometimes climbing up on the roof. As a homeowner, you need to consider safety requirements before taking on an exterior job.

 5.     Fixing a Clogged Garbage Disposal - DIY it

As a first method to repair the problem, you may be able to DIY yourself out of this one. You may be able to clear a clogged disposal by using a small specialty wrench that fits into a hexagonal opening on the underside of the disposal. Make sure that the disposal is turned off before starting the work. If this doesn’t work it would be wise to call on a pro to take a further look at it.

 6.     Replacing a Faucet – DIY it

This one comes with a huge caveat. We only recommend to DIY it if it’s a centerset type faucet as all you would need to do here would be to follow the faucet manufacturer's installation instructions. A more complicated, wide-spread type of faucet with various hose connections on the underside, however, would be best handled by a professional.

 7.     Fix a Running Toilet - DIY it

You can get a toilet rebuild kit from big box or hardware stores and fix a running toilet easily by following the straightforward and easy-to-follow instructions that come within the kit. If you have a one-piece or specialty toilet, these can become tricky and would therefore need the professional touch.

 8.     Installing a Light Fixture - Hire a pro

Though electrical repairs and installations are mostly always expensive, these tasks are best left to a professional electrician. If you’d like to give it a go and take some time to research and understand your electrical system, you may be able to get the necessary skills to complete simple electrical projects yourself. As a rule of thumb for installing a light fixture, low voltage projects can be safely done by a homeowner, but if your project is over 50 volts, it’s best to get an electrician in.

 9.     Installing a Ceiling Fan - Hire a pro

This one almost goes hand in hand with the above as installing a ceiling fan is not extremely difficult but would require some electric wire work.  This task may also be a bit labor intensive and take a few hours depending on your home maintenance experience and the fan itself. Save this project for a professional to ensure the fan is safely installed and isn’t left wobbly as this can be a safety hazard when the fan is on, especially at a high fan setting.

 10.            Adding Chimes to Your Doorbell - DIY it

A simple home improvement project would be to add chimes to your existing doorbell system.  If this is something you are interested in doing, you can do this easily as it is a low-voltage project that doesn’t require the know-how of the pros.

 11.            Patching a Hole in Drywall – DIY it

Perhaps one of the simplest fixes you can take on is patching a nail hole in your wall. This is an easy way to give your old drywall a fresh face.  Just take a spackle knife and fill in each hole with lightweight putty. Then scrape off any excess putty from the wall and let it dry.  Once dry, sand the spot down until it is smooth and paint the area which was repaired with primer. If you are looking to take care of a bigger hole, drywall cutting, replacing, or mudding then its best to get a pro in to take care of it.

 12.            Cleaning Gutters - DIY it

Only go the DIY route on this one if you are comfortable on a ladder. When gutters are clogged, it can cause water to sit still around the house, eventually leaking into the basement, and seeping under siding. Sooner or later this will cause major mold and rot issues. To be preventative in these scenarios, get into the habit of cleaning leaves out the gutters every spring and fall. Please note this is only recommended as a DIY task for single-story homes with level grounding around the foundation and an experienced ladder climber. It is also recommended to do this project when someone else is there to hold the ladder still and help. If your home is two stories or more, or if you aren’t comfortable climbing up a high ladder in order to clean out the debris, it’s best to hire a pro. 

 13.            Re-grouting Tile - DIY it

This may not be the DIY project you start off with, but once you are comfortable with other DIY home maintenance projects then this is a common household fix (or upgrade) which you can do. Since the surface of tile grout is porous, it is easy for dirt to get caught in the cracks of the grout which makes the grout look discolored. 

To complete this project you first need to choose the right one out of 4 choices: sanded, unsanded, acrylic latex, or epoxy. To figure out which one you will need, measure the space between your tiles.  As a general rule, if the space between the tiles is under 1/8-inch, use an unsanded, acrylic, or epoxy grout. If it is over 1/8-inch, use a sanded grout. Also, don’t forget to match the grout color! Once you purchase the right grout, clean the grouted area. Next use a grout saw in order to remove the damaged grout and then dampen the joints with a wet rag. Take a look at the directions on the grout you purchased and mix accordingly. It is important to fill all the joints completely and smooth over the surface with a damp sponge to remove excess grout. Allow the grout to set firmly and then clean with a damp rag.

 14.            Installing Molding - Hire a pro

The toughest thing about installing crown molding is the necessity for accurate measurement. Though you may have a power saw (or know where to rent one from), this is also a job that requires great stability while standing on a ladder. You must be able to not only the measurements accurately but also line up the cuts seamlessly. If you have done a good amount of other DIY projects, you may be able to take this on if you feel confident in your skills. Otherwise it would be best to get a pro on this job.

 15.            Replacing a Door - Hire a pro

If you are simply replacing one door with another door that is exactly the same, then you should be fine doing this yourself.  However, adding a new door as a major overhaul can be a big project. For example, if you are looking to add a new door to brighten up a space (like turning two windows into an opening for beautiful French or sliding glass doors) or to cut down on heating and cooling costs, then you want to be sure that the job is done right.

 16.            Fixing a Sticking Window - Hire a pro

This may seem like a fairly innocuous task, but it can become labor intensive and complicated quite quickly depending on the reason why the window it stuck in the first place. Sometimes it can be caused by a buildup of dirt and debris in the window casing. Other times it can be due to problems in the foundation of the home shifting and therefore causing windows to lose alignment and get stuck. Or it can be something as simple as forgetting to let the paint dry during the last DIY project and closing the window before it completely dries, thus causing the window to glue closed. If you live in a high humidity area, this can also cause doors and windows to swell and bind them in the jamb. Since there are so many causes for a sticking window, in order to fix a stuck window often involves removing the window which could require using a belt sander or planer. If you’re not super experienced at home repairs or home renovations and do not have the know-how to safely use the tools required, it’s best to let the pros handle this task.

[luci-in-trenchcoats]

Dark Nights (Part 9)

Summary: The group deals with Colorado once and for all but Dean isn’t a fan of letting the reader near him again...

Dark Nights Masterlist

Pairing: Alpha!Dean x Omega!Reader

Word Count: 2,100ish

Warnings: language

A/N: It’s all kicking off now...

Something was wrong. It’d been too easy to get the last six Alphas, leaving only Colorado to deal with. They’d seemingly given up without a fight. Dean was weary of the situation, nose stuck in books as he attempted to figure out what was happening.

Sam was the one who accidentally stumbled on the answer when he was at the grocery store one day.

“Alpha isn’t an Alpha,” said Sam, carrying a beer into the library, your head whipping up. Dean scrunched up his face as you shrugged, both looking to Dean. “Remember that time you were a vamp?”

“He was a what?” you asked, looking over at Dean, cocking your head. “Did you sparkle?”

“Oh shut up,” he said, tickling your foot that was laid across his lap, earning a giggle. “Yeah, I do. What about it?”

“They were all super loyal to their Alpha, remember? Maybe Colorado is an Alpha but a monster Alpha, like the shapeshifter Alpha. He almost killed us once,” said Sam.

“It’d explain why they follow so easily. Protecting him,” you said. “How’d you figure that out?”

“Some kids and their mom arguing about mac and cheese,” said Sam, running a hand through his hair. “I mean, I see it with you two, that bond. He’s an Alpha which explains why he’s been so hard to kill.”

“Well we got one little thing he don’t know about,” said Dean. 

“The colt?” you asked, both guys raising an eyebrow at you. “It’s my house too. Can’t help if a girl goes wandering around to find new things for target practice.”

“Isn’t she amazing?” asked Dean, his face shining with adoration. “Love my Omega.”

“I love foot massages,” you said, Dean’s hands rubbing the bottom of your soles. “Your brother is a saint, Sammy.”

“Well while you two get hard ons for each other, I’m going to make sure we got plenty of Alpha killing bullets,” said Sam. He left the two of you, Dean more focused on your feet than the research not that you minded. But finding Colorado was harder than you thought. For almost a week you looked and looked until at breakfast one day, you brought up the one sure fire way you knew to get him out in the open.

“How many times do I have to tell you, you are not being bait!” yelled Dean, Sam spinning about face in the hallway to walk away. This was a conversation for the two of you to deal with. You gripped you coffee mug and waited for him to calm down. When he was quiet, waiting for you to speak, you stood up and walked over to his side of the table and leaned over.

He was confused but kept your gaze, trying to figure out what you were up to. You leaned in closer but he didn’t budge, a flicker of annoyance on his face. You stood up and took a few steps back, Dean raising an eyebrow, head shaking.

“What are you doing?” he asked. You shrugged.

“Look at your lap,” you said, Dean glancing down and swallowing hard. “You have had how many years of hunting experience and you didn’t feel me pickpocket that blade off you, didn’t feel me trace it around your leg, set it in your lap. If you were Colorado, you’d be dead.”

“You’re good at hunting. I’m not worried about that. Hell, I’d probably even let you go on a hunt by yourself if you wanted. You standing up for yourself, no I have no worries about you needing me by your side all the time sweetheart. But an Alpha is different,” said Dean.

“Yeah. They don’t have many weak points so if I’m one of them, we have to try, don’t we?” you asked. Dean ran a hand through his hair and you smiled when he had his head down.

“I really don’t want you to do this, Y/N,” said Dean, breathing a heavy sigh. “But I won’t stop you.”

“Thank you, Alpha,” you said, Dean reaching out his hand for you to sit beside him. You took it and he moved the blade away, pulling you onto his lap, keeping an arm wrapped around you. He leaned his head against your shoulder and you could feel the jitters in his body. “We’ll make a plan and you can show me everything I need to know to keep me safe.”

“I know. You’re just stubborn as fuck sometimes. No wonder you were made for me,” said Dean. You patted his head and went to go back to your breakfast but his grip tightened, holding you in place. He reached over to move your bowl closer. “Stay.”

“Always.”

It’d taken a few days to come up with a plan. A surefire plan for you to lure Colorado out in the open, for one of the guys to use the colt on him. It should have been over and done with like that. But the guys were nowhere to be found and Colorado was stronger than Dean and Sam combined, tossing you around like a rag doll. 

“Come on, Y/N. You’ll have a good time being my queen,” he said, grabbing you by the coat collar when you were panting on the ground, one of your shoulders feeling out of place. “You’ll get all the perks. Comfy bed, boss around the other Omegas, a nice ride on my-”

“Sorry. I don’t like small guys,” you said, feeling yourself get pulled backwards, out of the wooded area you were in and closer to a car. 

“Would it be easier if I looked like this?” he asked. You looked up and saw him transform. Green eyes you adored, scruff that scratched and tickled in just the right way, hair you loved to play with, pink soft lips... “Oh, you like this. You’re much more pliant now.”

“Fuck off,” you said, getting your senses back. He might have looked like Dean but that wasn’t him. You kicked at his leg and felt him crumple down, long enough for you to slide out of your jacket and make a run for it.

You felt something hit you in the back and you fell to the ground, Dean shouting in the background. When you spun around, there were two Dean’s rolling around on the ground, fists flying. You saw the colt on the ground and grabbed it, shouting at them. They both stilled and spun around, seeing the gun in your hands.

“Y/N,” you heard them echo, looking at you and then one another. It was hard to pinpoint Dean, the blood, sweat, dirt and nasty Alpha smell hiding the true one from you.

“Shoot him,” said the one on the right. You glanced at him and saw him nod. 

“Y/N,” said the other one, the one who had his palms face up, the one that looked a little more vulnerable. “Sam and Cas’ll take care of you. Don’t risk it and do us both.”

“I’m not shooting both of you,” you said, eyes darting back to the one on the right. “Just him.”

“Y/N, think about-”

The colt had a bigger kickback than you imagined that made your shoulder scream in agony but you were smiling in relief. You lowered the gun and saw the Dean on the left, your Dean, stand and shake his head.

“I can’t shoot you. I just can’t,” you said, Dean roaming his eyes over you. 

“I knew you’d figure it out,” he said, no way he could have known that at all. “For curiosity’s sake though...”

“He was watching the gun. You were looking at me like you ruined my life,” you said. Dean looked away, and back at you with a sad smile. “You didn’t.”

“Alright, Omega,” said Dean, pulling you into a hug, kissing the top of your head as Sam and Cas came into view. “Sorry we were late. We ran into a couple of shifters.”

“Taken care of,” said Sam, a good sized cut on his cheek, Cas favoring one leg. “Is it over?”

“It’s over.”

“How’s Cas doing?” you asked, back from your drive around town. It’d felt like forever since you felt safe to go on your own and Dean wanted you to have a taste of freedom after all that time.

“He’s passed out in his room, said he’ll finish up the minor stuff tomorrow when he’s got the energy,” said Dean, sporting a bruise on his cheek still. You felt good as new apart from a few achy muscles, Sam no where to be found. “Sammy’s resting too.”

“Want to head to bed? My Alpha had a hard day,” you said, holding out a hand. He wrapped his around yours and walked with you to your room, smiling over at you. “What?”

“You had the hard day. You’ve been hunting two months and took out the Alpha shapeshifter all on your own. Trust me, that’s something not even lifelong hunters could do,” said Dean, shedding his jeans in your room, watching you change into some pajamas.

“True,” you said, grabbing your blanket and laying it over the covers, Dean climbing in his side and turning off his lamp. You crawled under and turned off your light, Dean’s arm already moving around your waist and tucking you in close, closer than normal. “But you had to go against so many of your instincts to let me do that. I know that’s not easy.”

“It’s not but you could be my Alpha, and I’d be your Omega and I’d still feel the same way. I don’t care about the dynamic stuff. I just want my sweetheart to have what she deserves,” said Dean. “Being treated with respect is definitely one of those things.”

“I’m so glad I met you,” you said, snuggling into his chest. He pressed his lips to your forehead and kept them there until they formed into a smile. 

“Night, little Omega,” he said.

“Love you, Alpha,” you said, delivering a chaste kiss to his lips.

“Love you too, Y/N.”

You were nearly asleep when Dean jolted up in bed, staring at the closed door. You wrapped your hands around his arm, looking up to see what was wrong. You didn’t hear or smell anything but Dean looked around like something was about to go down.

“What is it?” you asked quietly, the hum of electricity dropping as a red light shone under the door. “Dean.”

“Sam. We didn’t test Sam,” said Dean, pushing you behind him, using his other arm to grab an angel blade off the wall. 

“Wait, the Sam we came home with...” you said, hearing a whistle in the halls, a shadow stopping right in front of your door. It opened slowly, a dark outline of Sam standing there. It was hard to tell in the dark but he had a cruel smile on his face.

“Hi guys,” he said, stepping inside, twirling the demon blade in his hand. “Baby bro’s alright, tied up at the moment. You two though...You killed my dad. My family. Plus you shot me. Now that wasn’t very nice.”

“The other guy, with Colorado that first night,” you said, wondering how you’d missed him.

“Is that what you called him? Well I’m picking up where he left off,” he said, staring down at Dean. “But I’m not as old fashioned as dad so I’ll make you a deal, Dean. The Omega for your brother. That’s all I want. Nobody else has to get hurt or anything.”

“The Omega,” said Dean, standing up from the bed quickly, “Has a name. She ain’t going anywhere with you.”

“Or I’ll take her, kill you and your brother and figure out how to go kill that freak of nature in a trench coat later,” said the shifter. You were pulling the trigger for the second time that day, the shifter slumping out into the hall as you gave Dean a shake of your head.

“You always keep a gun with silver bullets under your pillow?” asked Dean, giving you a smile.

“Sam seemed off and with the day we’ve had...” you said, putting the safety back on, climbing out of bed. “Let’s figure out where our guy is.”

“What would the Winchesters do without you?”

A/N: Read the final part here!

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[schmidtchristmasmarket]

Ingredients

FAST SOAKED FRUIT (NOTE 1):

300g / 10 oz raisins

150g / 5 oz diced dried apricots , chopped 8 mm / 1/3"

75g / 2.5 oz mixed peel , diced 5mm / 1/5

150g / 5 oz glace cherries , chopped 8 mm / 1/3"

180g / 6 oz dates , diced 5mm / 1/5"

1 cup + 2 tbsp (280 ml) apple juice, OR 1/3 brandy + 2/3 juice (Note 2)

CAKE:

115g / 8 tbsp butter , unsalted (1 US stick)

1 1/2 cups (330g) dark brown sugar , packed (Note 3)

1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable oil (or canola, peanut, grapeseed)

3 tbsp molasses or golden syrup (Note 4)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp all spice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 nutmeg

3 eggs

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 2/3 cup (250g) plain flour (all purpose flour)

3/4 cup walnuts , chopped (optional)

FOR SERVING (OPTIONAL)

500ml / 1 pint pouring custard , homemade or store bought (Note 5)

WHITE CHRISTMAS CAKE DECORATION (OPTIONAL)

250g / 8 oz "ready to roll" marzipan

250g / 8 oz "ready to roll" white fondant

Cherries dusted with icing sugar

OTHER DECORATING OPTIONS (OPTIONAL)

Cherries or other fruit dusted with icing sugar (on plain cake, looks very pretty!)

Drippy white glaze (directions below)

Instructions

FAST SOAKED FRUIT:

Place dried fruit and juice/brandy in a large microwavable container. Microwave 1 1/2 minutes on high or until hot.

Stir to coat all fruit in liquid. Cover then set aside for 1 hour (to plump up/soak and cool).

CAKE:

Preheat oven to 160°C / 320°F (140°C fan). Grease and line a 21 - 22 cm / 8 - 9" round cake pan with baking paper (parchment paper) (7 cm / 2.75" tall).

Using an electric beater, beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute on speed 5).

Add oil and molasses, beat until combined.

Add salt, spices and baking powder - beat until incorporated.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated

Stir in the flour.

When mostly incorporated, stir in the fruit mix (including all the extra liquid in bowl) and walnuts (if using).

Pour into cake pan, cover with foil and bake for 3 hours 15 minutes, removing foil the last 45 minutes. Skewer inserted into middle should come out clean with no batter on it.

Remove from oven and cool for 20 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Cool completely before serving.

Cake is moist and so full flavoured, it can be eaten plain. But see below for decorating and serving ideas (traditionally served with pouring custard).

Cutting: Either cut into thin wedges, or cut cake into thin strips (2cm / 0.75" or so), then cut those strips into serving size pieces.

CHRISTMAS CAKE DECORATING OPTIONS:

Traditional White Christmas Cake (pictured in post) - Marzipan and fondant, see Decorating Note.

Simple - pile top with fresh cherries or other fruit, dust with icing sugar (powdered sugar). Wrap a ribbon around the cake for extra touch!

Drippy white glaze - use the glaze in this Lemon Cake recipe, but leave out the lemon juice (ie make a plain sweet white glaze). Flip cake upside down for flat surface then glaze per that recipe.

Serving - serve with custard for a traditional experience! Either homemade custard or store bought pouring custard (jazz it up by mixing in vanilla seed paste!).

 Recipe Notes:

1. Dried fruit - any fruit of choice can be used as long as it totals 855g / 30 oz and it's finely chopped. Combination I've used is to my taste - I do not like my fruit cake too citrusy (hate biting into big chunks of orange peel!). I like having variety for flavour.

Mixed peel is a store bought mix of diced, dried, crystallised (ie sweet) orange and lemon peel. Sometimes it's already chopped, sometimes not. Chop it to size per recipe. It is not fresh peel. Fresh peel will be much stronger and more bitter - not sure how much to use.

Pre chopped mixed dried fruit - store bought mix of pre chopped dried fruit is fine to use. Chopping your own will yield a more moist cake (pre chopped dried fruit is not as moist) BUT having said that, this cake is so ultra moist, it has the give to use pre chopped!

2. Juice / brandy - this cake tastes just as good made with or without alcohol, it comes down to personal taste. I usually make it without because Christmas Cake stretches far and I want everyone to be able to eat it.

BRANDY - If you want to use brandy, use 1/3 cup brandy PLUS 2/3 cup + 2 tbsp juice.

Juice - I like using apple juice for its neutral flavour. Pineapple and other not so strong flavoured juices will be fine here. If you like citrus flavour, use orange juice - you can taste it a bit more than other juices.

3. Dark brown sugar - makes the cake a rich dark brown colour. Can sub with normal brown sugar - will make cake lighter (also looks nice as fruit stands out!)

4. Molasses / golden syrup - adds to the richness of flavour and colour of cake. Either is fine - I interchange year on year.

5. Custard - homemade pouring custard recipe here ("Creme Anglaise"). if you use store bought, pimping it up goes a long way to make it a bit special! Just stir in a bit of vanilla bean paste which will give it those lovely little black vanilla bean specks and improves the flavour.

(PS Difference between homemade and store bought is richness. Homemade custard has a much more luxurious mouthfeel)

6. Serving - cake is moist and so full flavoured it's wonderful eaten plain. But for an extra special touch, serve with custard - see note above.

7. Storage - I've kept it for a month in an airtight container in the fridge and it was good as it was freshly made (at room temperature). Having researched online, looks like 2 to 3 months is the general consensus (for fridge) and a year in the freezer (for this sort of cake, with no alcohol. 

8. Serving size - if you cut small slices into rectangles (see custard pouring photo), remembering this is RICH and dense, then it will serve 20 - 25 people. You will be amazed how HEAVY this cake is!

----------------------

DECORATING - Traditional white Christmas Cake (also see VIDEO & STEP PHOTOS below recipe card):

Best to use a cake turntable or similar (I used a small lazy susan!)

Marzipan layer mainly for creating perfect smooth surface for fondant layer.

Marzipan:

Dust work surface with icing sugar. Shape marzipan into a disc then roll out so it's large enough to cover cake and sides (250g/8oz marzipan covers this cake perfectly with some excess).

Roll marzipan onto rolling pin, then unroll it over the cake.

Drape over cake, stretching and pressing to cover sides with as few pleats as possible. Use wet table eating knife to smooth pleats, doesn't need to look perfect - this is Layer 1 to smooth cake, plus also for the subtle almond flavour.

Fondant: Dust work surface with more icing sugar, shape into disc, roll out and cover cake as you did with the marzipan.

Quilting decorative side (pictured in post and in video):

Use something with a clean edge but not as sharp as a knife (I used a cake server).

Press on a 45 degree angle on side of cake about 2.5 cm / 1" apart all around the cake, then 45 degrees in the opposite direction to create "diamond".

Dip the blunt end of a wooden skewer into water, then press a light indent into fondant on intersection of diamond.

Then press in a silver ball (water makes it stick). Repeat all around.

Top with cherries, dusting with icing sugar, give it a grand spin to admire your work and serve!

General note: Marzipan is prone to cracking and tearing but it doesn't matter because marzipan layer is to create a smooth finish for the fondant layer. Fondant is easier to work with, but you need to be more careful because it's the "pretty" layer. BUT any tears or rough patches can be smoothed out using the side of a wet table knife and / or patching up with excess bits of fondant. The wet knife softens the fondant so you can "spread" it to seal cracks.

Visit us a Schmidt Christmas Market for all your Christmas needs

[narutofoxlover]

Refs and Info for my Anti. Top right picture was made for me by Chenaniaharticles on DA. The reddish lines on his arms are scars. The top left picture is his alternate outfit and the picture was made for me by EvinaRain on DA. Bottom right picture is a ref for the gages he wears with his alternate outfit. Bottom left picture is a more detailed drawing of the choker that is shown in the alternate outfit picture, the symbol on it is the Japanese kanji for demon, Dark gave the choker to him as a gift. I drew the bottom pictures. His bracelets don’t actually glow btw.

Info:

Anti was apart of Jack from day one. But he was originally dormant, not having a purpose and thus wasn’t fully formed. Not untill the fateful day when Jack got that bad cut over his eye and it got infected. Anti finally started to form properly after that, becoming a sort of safety net. His purpose was to take the brunt of injuries and negative emotions, essentially a protective shield, making it seem like Jack wasn’t as badly injured as he actually had been. That first incident is what caused his left eye to be green, he took the worst of the infection and the damage has caused his power to leak out of that eye, making it perpetually green. Over time he developed a mind of his own, and naturally he wanted a chance at being apart of the world at least a little. Jack however was afraid of this entity inside his head and kept him locked away. Anti, being trapped in a mind that didn’t want him and being forced to take on the worst of Jack’s injuries and emotions, grew depressed. He felt broken, like an incomplete being whose sole purpose was to be hurt. That is, till Youtube started. When fans took some of the creepy stuff Jack did for fun and gave it a persona, he saw an opportunity to finally be something more. Previously without a name, he took on the name of the character the fans had created and started molding himself after their ideas. They gave him purpose, and the attention he so desperately desired after Jack had ignored him for all those years. He drew strength from them, finally starting to break from the chains that kept him trapped. And in October of 2016 he started his campaign to show Jack that he should never have locked him away. And he had the perfect plan on how to end with a bang. He had taken the worst of Jack’s injuries for years, so for once, he would harm Jack. Unfortunately for him though he still ended up taking on most of the injury, Jack ending up only having irritated looking red marks on his neck. While Anti got a deep scar that sometimes reopens when using his powers. However, he still got the desired affect. Fans noticed him more than ever and Jack finally understood that what he had done was wrong, agreeing to let him out now and then, sometimes for the fans, as long as he never tried to hurt themselves again. Anti has altered his appearance to fit some of the more popular fan creations. The spiked up, dark green hair a few have, the fangs a few have, the paler skin a lot have, eyes that change between the various versions though they are naturally one blue and one green that both glow green when using his powers, shadows under his eyes, slightly pointed ears, various gages though he uses the small black ones the most, and then two recent additions. After the throat cutting incident he wanted something to cover up the scar when he isn’t in videos. He took inspiration from some fanart for a fan contest Jack had liked on Tumblr and started wearing a black remote activated shock collar and also took a liking to the character’s green and black hoodie, though he wears a long sleeved one with a green and black septiceye along the right sleeve. The collar was originally only to hide the scar but, after curiosity made him want to know what getting shocked feels like, he now wears it for fun as well. He likes the rush of adrenaline he gets from being shocked, plus it kinda just feels cool. Nothing sexual though. Due to taking the worst of Jack’s injuries, Anti has multiple scars along his torso and his arms and legs. Only a few are bad enough to be visible to the naked eye though. Most are extremely faded and only visible under certain lighting. He still likes to cause trouble for Jack, but it’s not meant to be malicious and is all in good fun. He just likes messing around and playing pranks. He is practically a child in certain ways since being trapped for so long didn’t exactly allow him to develop normally. His personality is pretty similar Jack’s, perhaps amped up slightly. Unlike Jack however he has confidence issues and mild depression, though he is very good at hiding it. He’s actually quite modest as well, for example, he’s a fairly good singer but would deny it if anyone said so. He shares Jack’s passion for drumming but is also quite good with electric guitar. He gets quite flustered about sexual stuff, especially when it’s directed towards him. Though he strangely doesn’t mind teasing others in a sexual manner. He carries a lot of guilt about what happened in Say Goodbye, and does his best to make up for it. He loves doing cameo’s in Jack’s videos, always getting excited by the fan theories. He absolutely adores anything mint flavored, especially if it has dark chocolate. He likes just about any kind of rock music, including metal. He really likes soft stuff. So if he finds anything soft he can end up stroking whatever it is for a good while. Something about it calms him. Jack actually found him snuggling with a giant Sam plushie once. Kinda likes my Dark but is unsure what to do about his feelings. Especially since he hasn’t been interested in guys before. Not to mention he doesn’t want to weird Jack out since they share a body and Jack is straight. Likes the smell of a wood fire and spiced cider. basically any scent that can be associated with being warm and cozy such as cinnamon and pumpkin spice. Loves the rain, especially thunderstorms. He likes seeing the lightning flash, hear the rumble of thunder and the sound of rain on the roof and windows. And he really likes the feel of the cold water washing over him, he finds it refreshing.

Powers:

Floating. Speaks for itself, sometimes uses this ability to essentially walk on walls and the ceiling (( indoor walls, buildings go too high )). When not walking on walls or ceilings he floats up to 7 feet off the ground at most. He can’t go much higher than that though, otherwise it would be considered flying.

Can make himself look like Jack. Typical power for an Antituber.

Glitches. He can make electronics glitch out and his body will look glitchy sometimes. He can also teleport with his glitching but only by a couple yards at most. Hence how he was able to suddenly appear and then disappear during the Say Goodbye video. He can also use his glitching to elicit pretty unique sounds electric musical instruments as well as just about anything electrical, hence the odd screeching noises and stuff that are sometimes heard when he’s in a video.

Healing. Any injuries he gets heal rather fast, though scars are left if the injury is bad enough. This ability kinda leaks out onto Jack as well, but not enough to raise suspicion. 

Fast. He’s pretty speedy and agile, might not technically be a power though since he’s only a short ways past the scale of how fast and agile a human can be. Just enough that you know he’s not human but nothing like the Flash. The best comparison i can think of would be a cat. He’s as fast and agile as a cat.

Screaming. He has this loud scream that leaves people disoriented. He doesn’t really have control of it though, it’s more of a defense mechanism that kicks in when he’s scared or in danger.

The Sight. If Anti is looking at a person or creature with just his green eye and they have an alternate and/or ‘true’ form, he is able to see it due to some of his power leaking through that eye. This is probably the only power my Anti has that no other Anti has had. He has to be careful however, if he looks at a really powerful creature’s alternate form for too long a black liquid will start to leak from his eye and he’ll become dizzy and potentially faint. Due to this ability Dark called Anti a ‘Seer’ which are people who have the ability to see things normal people cannot. If this Anti were to ever meet with other Anti’s I imagine Seer would be his nickname.

The last ability he has is that he is able to temporarily separate from Jack for a few hours, creating a body out of particles in the air that go back to their original state once he returns to Jack’s mind. He can only stay out for a few hours because he is a piece of Jack’s soul and being separated too long will make him ill and can even kill him.

Felt like talking about my Anti. I’ll probably do the same for my Dark soon.

@ego-protection-squad @magic-marvin-protection-patrol @chase-brody-protection-squad thought you guys might be interested in seeing this

[wujusogay]

i'd cry if you do a serious one, every single girl is so precious and deserves so much it will end up being super sappy lol but pls do it!

I will try my hardest to get all the qualities and be as unbiased as possible (though it might show a bit due to the length of the descriptions o.0). If I miss anything, anyone can feel free to add on to this :) And sorry this took so long. I wanted to not just go off the top of my head and find what I could. Plus my electricity was out -__-

On the outside, Seola appears to be very put together and wise. Her sense of humor is more sarcastic and she picks on those she feels extra close to (Exy & Soobin). She can also get pretty goofy (aka shameless) when she pulls out the body rolls and other sexy moves. Seola seems like she’d be a strong person all the time, but she can be just as sensitive. She’s there for the other members when she needs to be and she has her own weaknesses (she’s very afraid of water). She finds inspirational quotes meaningful and even used them to help her get through training. The one that stuck was, “Don’t delay happiness.” She also said that in order to stay strong during training, you must find something to make you happy in the moment, not just look forward to the happiness of debut. Seola wants to travel the world without money (idk girl but ok), experiencing everything as it is. She likes hip hop music, hiking, doing her hair, and spacing out. But one of the most important things to remember about Seola is just how hard of a worker she is. The girl dedicated 10 years of her life in order to become an idol. She even came close to debuting at one point (she was in a group with 9Muses Kyungri, Dalshabet’s Woohee, Hello Venus’s Lime, Yumi, and Exy), but that was all cut short. Never forget that.

Like the other members have said, Xuan Yi doesn’t really seem like she’d have the 4D personality that she does. She has her weird quirks, such as her obsession with gim, and sometimes they only get weirder. The girl wakes up in the middle of the night to eat gim and walk around the dorm. If that’s not at least slightly strange, I don’t know what is. Anyway, Xuan Yi is probably one of the kindest people on the planet and is definitely a mother of the group. She takes care of the other members when they need help, both emotionally and economically (she bought a super expensive lunch for half of the members in China). She seriously only asked them for aegyo or a cheek kiss in return. Adding onto her other great qualities, she also likes interacting with her fans. On multiple occasions, fans have jokingly said she was mean. In response, our lovely, gentle, and kind Xuan Yi “angrily” pointed into the crowd of fans and shouted, “Who said that?!” She enjoys shopping, gaming, and modeling. Her favorite color is dark blue and gim is actually her life.

Bona is an actual handcrafted gift from Heaven. She’s a beautiful person, both inside and out. She’s kind and takes care of all the younger members. She’s playful and enjoys participating with the other members when they get goofy (watch WJSN’s Idol Arcade or the mud fight in ‘My Cosmic Diary’), and also acts like a giant “bully,” teasing the others. Bona’s a feminine princess who hates bugs, loves her nail art/lipstick, takes a fucking hour in the shower (refused to get out when Dayoung needed the bathroom), wants to be able to teleport just because she hates walking, and has got the unimpressed expression mastered. Sometimes I think she can be a bit insecure about her looks and she used to get nervous on stage, but it’s good to know she feels very confident on stage nowadays. As I’ve talked about before, she recognized the same fansite photographer over and over, keeping count of the same special heart she made for them. She counted up to seventeen. Lastly, Bona is another one of the members that trained for a very long time in order to debut. 7 years to be exact. She dedicated a lot of time to a company that has horrible management skills (fuck you Cube), and smartly moved to Starship. I will forever be trash for her.

Exy is the resident bad ass aunty. Tired Aunty Exy is always taking care of the kids, mostly through keeping them in line. Her girl crush image is by far the strongest among the group members and she definitely has the “tough leader” look. Soobin has said that Exy can be strict during practices, can take charge when she needs to, and can be a hard-ass, but Exy is still sensitive and has her emotional moments. Exy herself has said that she cries a lot and enjoys romantic comedies. She likes to find things that she can do alone, movie watching being one of them. Her favorite movies are ‘The Notebook’ and ‘Burlesque’ (YES BTCH). I’m pretty sure almost all the members agreed that she was intimidating when they first met her. Anyway, Exy also has a lovely, goofy side. For some reason she enjoys dancing with some kind of circular orange object covering her cheeks (oranges & carrots). She loves and respects the skin she’s in, even finding her tan to be one of her charming points. Her favorite animals are puppies and cats, and like Seola, she wants to travel the world. Exy is another one of the members that worked her ass off for more than the typical training period. She dedicated 8 years to training and came close to debuting (she was in a group with 9Muses Kyungri, Dalshabet’s Woohee, Hello Venus’s Lime, Yumi, and Seola), but it was cut short. An important thing I want to mention is that Exy finds it hard to open up to others. After watching so many fellow trainees and friends cycle in and out of her trainee life, she’s gotten tired of going through the emotion of letting go. She’s scared that new people will end up leaving in the end like others have. Let’s take care of Aunty Exy from now on.

Small baby Soobin is precious and needs to be protected from the sinful world. She’s exactly like you thought she was when you first saw her: a sugary, fluffy, and innocent marshmallow. Soobin is incredibly sweet and likes the simple things in life (chocolate and coloring books). The only thing about her that would probably catch you off guard is her volume. Yes, volume. Pterodactyl Soobin lives beneath that cute exterior and comes out whenever she laughs and or screams, both of which happen often. Baby Soobin is also pretty bad under pressure and isn’t able to handle questioning by the other members about something she’s trying to hide. She’s a pretty clumsy person. She’s fallen into Yeonjung, smacking the poor girl in the nose, and has even gotten changed behind a door before she asked if a camera could see her. Her favorite colors are pink and sky blue, she likes acoustic music and hiking, and she hates eggplant. Soobin please pull yourself together. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, Soobin is another of the members that worked her butt of in order to debut. She has about 6 or 8 years under her belt.

Luda is a spawn of Satan. Ok, that’s not true, but she is a little rascal. Luda is very, very quiet and has her shy moments, but on the inside she’s a little savage. She makes hilarious sarcastic remarks and has no shame in speaking her more aggressive thoughts. Moving on, Luda has a strong work ethic. The group has stated that she has a more frail body and even needs to eat a lot just to not lose weight. I read that practicing was more strenuous on her than the others because of this, but she worked hard to keep up with the group. Plus she’s a girl scout! Even though she can be tough with her sense of humor and mischievousness, Luda seems to love the cutest things. She likes handwritten letters and just likes hearing people say “thank you” to her. On her birthday, she enjoys giving back to others, such as family and friends, by making them something to eat. She has admitted to feeling scared of becoming an adult because of responsibilities and is even scared to be forgotten by others (like with friendships, not just fans). On a more positive note, she likes both extremely spicy and sweet foods, movies, books, and gaming. Also scented candles and her wrist watch. She also said she wants to walk her dog over the holidays, but her dog is scared of the outside world. All in all, Luda is absolutely precious.

Dawon is the chillest of chill and the underappreciated of underappreciated. She seems like a pretty relaxed person and just goes with the flow of things. She sleeps the most of the group and is even called Snorlax. She’s such a sweetheart and comes off as so kind. Dawon is considerate of all the other girls and even moves things out of the way just so all the girls can be seen on frame. She likes perfume, the piano, spicy food, working out, reading, and hearing that she lost weight. Ok, but time to get very serious for a minute. It’s clear that music means everything to her. Dawon has done nothing but work and work and work. She loves singing more than anything. While on ‘Girl Spirit’, she sang ‘Yanghwa Bridge’ and her performance brought all the girls to tears, including herself. There, we learned that Dawon’s father had never once complimented her singing. He said he felt horrible for not being more supportive, but just let that sink in for a minute. Dawon hardly gets the recognition she deserves for her singing, from her father, the company, and the fandom. By now, she’s got to be more sensitive to the feeling of not being acknowledged. Dawon was so emotional seeing her father and hearing kind words from him. Don’t you think it’s time to GIVE HER MORE SUPPORT? THE SUPPORT SHE DESERVES?

The perfect way to come back to positivity is to talk about Eunseo. She is an actual walking meme and is always giving the fandom the gay moments (the others do as well, but this girl goes above and beyond). Her personality is loud (literally) and bright. She’s very energetic and enjoys playing around with nearly everyone. In fact, I think it’s fair to say that Eunseo is one of the members that gets along very well with all the girls. Even though she’s one of the youngest, she’s always there for the others. She’s cock blocked male fans, she’s comforted Seola when she was confronted by her fear of water, she’s cooked for the other members (even though they picked takeout over her), and she’s waken all the girls up in the morning like a good parent (probably still does to this day). Even though she likes joking around with everyone and seems slightly invincible, Eunseo really hates being mocked and scary things. Of course while in a dark/abandoned school she continuously said “I’ll protect you all,” but she was probably the most scared and actually said that with a blankly, terrified face. Lastly, according to Seola, Eunseo is a member that the girls can tell anything to. She’s a good listener and will never tell anything about the conversation to anyone else.

According to the internet, Cheng Xiao is extremely sweet and an absolute angel. This is one of the few times you can believe the internet full heartedly. She recently blew up the world wide web with her amazing skills in gymnastics and has only continued to impressive everyone with her down to earth personality. She’s been nothing but cute, kind, and loving toward others, especially her group members. I’m pretty sure every member loves Xiao and she’s probably cuddled all the time. I know all the girls work hard, but Xiao has shown us that she’s willing to go to the extreme. While practicing for her ISAC gymnastics performance, she also had other schedules to attend for the ‘Secret’ promotions. The girl stayed up for hours practicing, even needing IV in order to get through the long days of work. If that’s not dedication, then nothing is. Cheng Xiao has offered candy to young kids while they were working at a traditional Korean temple tour site (?), even doing it in English for the foreigners. She likes movies, dramas, hiking, swimming, and badminton. She hates insects, pickled radish, and sashimi (too bad most of her girlfriends love it). One look at her and you know she needs to be protected.

Coming around to the last of the 98line, we have the “sexy member” Mei Qi. She has been selected as one of the smartest members, especially since she’s the bridge between the Korean speakers and Chinese speakers (idk if they all speak Mandarin, so I generalized). She’s an elegant and beautiful person who definitely seems to be mature for her age. Even though she’s on the quieter side, if you get her going she can be one of the goofiest members. Mei Qi always has a judgmental expression waiting in the wind and gets loud when the girls are joking around. I like to think she has a great amount of confidence, especially since she calls herself “Mei Qi Oppa” and has pictures of herself all around her bed. I’m not kidding. This is a serious post, remember? Anyway, she’s an artistic girl that likes drawing and kills at freestyle dance. She hates tomatoes, is well rounded in the dancing and singing skills, and likes clothing, photos, Taeyeon, Boa, and Beyonce. Her favorite colors are purple, wine, and black and she loves koalas. Please love Mei Qi Oppa.

Yeoreum is the small, precious child in this group. She is one of the “Queens of Food” and has been documented to have eaten “5 cows worth of beef” while celebrating their debut. She would pick food over sleep any day. Yeoreum is one of the cutest, little warm fuzzies that you will ever meet. Her #1 go to skill is her imitation of cleaning glass with a towel. She’s full of aegyo and uses it to get what she wants from the Unnies. She really wants to try acting and even practiced with Eunseo at one point, though Eunseo responded with, “This is not acting, but aegyo.” On a much more serious note, I want to talk about how much family means to Yeoreum. She is very, very close to her grandparents and even lived with them for a long time. She spilled a lot of tears while talking about them on ‘My Cosmic Diary.’ Recently, Yeoreum’s grandmother passed away. I can only imagine how she must have been feeling, especially with the ‘Secret’ comeback/promotions right around the corner. She was able to return home, thankfully, for the service. I know this was a very sad thing to talk about, but I really wanted to just establish about how much Yeoreum loves her family (while talking about the closeness, not passing). To bring things back to positivity, Yeoreum likes cameras, her watch, soft blankets, perfume, massages, traveling, sleeping, and “everyone

Dayoung plays two roles. The “loud and proud youngin” and the mom. She cooks for the girls often, especially on the holidays. She really cares about health and diet so she’s often paying attention to those two things for herself and the members. Mommy Dayoung also wakes the girls in the morning for schedules. We all know that Dayoung has been wanting to go into variety for a long time, and with her hyperactivity and wittiness, the girl is perfect for it. It’s also good to mention that she definitely works Aunty Exy into the ground with her activity, but there is evidence that proves Exy in fact joins in on the shenanigans. Anyway, Dayoung likes watching TV, buying clothes, makeup, and pets. She also said that if she could have any super power, she said she would want to have the ability to control time so she could go back and fix things. Part of me believes that she was thinking of her family. Dayoung’s family went through a lot of economical difficulty when her father left. They were very poor, and are still poor currently. But despite that, Dayoung still wanted to care for the other members so she called her mom for money in order to just buy a watermelon. Dayoung is so sweet and considerate of everyone around her. It’s fun to laugh along with her while the girls are joking around, but it’s good to remember just how much Dayoung does for others.

And finally Yeonjung. She got a lot of shit from her time on PD101 for being “attention seeking” and a “brat.” I’m gonna start this with me defending her. Yeonjung was in a competition for a spot in a girl group. It only makes sense that she’d try hard to get some spotlight. She doesn’t want anyone to forget about her. Trends come and go, and she couldn’t afford to “go.” Anyway, Yeonjung is an actual ray of sunshine. She always has so much energy and is making the other girls laugh all the time. WJSN loves her and even wanted her to stay under Starship with them. She had been planning on leaving, but the Wuju girls wanted her to stay and a spot in the group was opened up for her. The girls from IOI have also talked about how much they love Yeonjung. Others have said she hardly ever gets angry and is always patient. Staff have said that Yeonjung is very appropriate according to her settings. She’s loud and fun, but also quiet when she needs to be. Yeonjung likes spicy food, chocolate, and movies. Also, she’s said that her specialty is speaking quickly (which I actually have noticed??) and giving advise. Yeonjung is a precious baby and deserves all the love in the world.

[easyfoodnetwork]

Photo: ClassicStock/Getty Images All the grills and grilling accessories a grill master could want, from the Strategist At its most basic, grilling is cooking on an open flame, like what our prehistoric ancestors used to do, but if you’re not the kind of person who takes pleasure in lighting charcoal on fire and then cooking big slabs of meat on it, you might be struggling to find the best grilling gifts for someone who does. (Though even self-described grill enthusiasts sometimes need help finding an actually useful but still unique grilling gift.) So to make it easy, we rounded up 21 of the best grills and grilling accessories that would be excellent gifts for the person in your life who likes to fire it up. For the griller who struggles with lighting charcoal BBQ Dragon Cordless Grill Fan in Silver Jean-Paul Bourgeois of New York City’s Blue Smoke calls the BBQ Dragon, “a fire starter’s best friend. This easy-to-use little gadget will clip onto any grill or smoker and assist you in getting those coals burning fast and evenly.” For the griller who mostly cooks with charcoal Panacea 15343 Ash Bucket With Shovel, Black If anyone plays a little fast and loose with the disposal of coals, or wants a safer way to do it, this steel ash bucket will help prevent accidents. As Hugh Magnum, pitmaster at Mighty Quinn’s Barbecue, explains, “It sometimes takes as long as two days for coals to be completely cold, so you don’t put any coals for at least two days into a trash bag, or else that trash bag will go up in flames.” For the griller who’s terrified of burns Artisan Griller Insulated Cooking Gloves Writer Caitlin M. O’Shaughnessy was introduced to these pit gloves by her mother, who used them to take a full turkey out of the oven. “The cotton-lined gloves are coated with neoprene rubber and designed for true-blue barbecuers who have to handle hot meat on the smoker — that means they’re also waterproof, stainproof, and (most importantly) greaseproof.” They also come recommended by Patrick Martin of Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint in Nashville, who actually prefers these heavy-duty gloves to tongs, especially when working with big cuts of meat, like whole hogs. For the griller who’s looking to streamline Stingray 7 in 1 BBQ Tool Swap out the tool kit for this 7-in-1 grilling tool, recommended by self-described “pretty competent outdoor griller” Steven John, who calls this “the Swiss Army knife of grilling equipment, combining all three tools and even sporting a bottle opener built into its handle.” For the griller who loves steak Sloan Personalized Miniature Steak Branding Iron For Valentine’s Day, writer Leah Bhabha gifted her carnivorous boyfriend a personalized branding iron, purchased on Amazon, and it was an instant hit. “We’ve now emblazoned his initials on everything from ribs to rib eyes, and even busted out the brander for cast-iron cooked burgers (the patty’s initials were covered by the bun, but he liked it so much he branded them anyway).” For the griller who prefers chicken Two-in-One Vertical Chicken Roasting Pan Nick Pihakis of Jim ’N Nicks Bar-B-Q in Birmingham, Alabama, calls this chicken-roasting contraption “one of the best ways to cook a chicken. Not only is upright roasting the optimal position to roast a chicken (fat drips away, heat surrounds the chicken 360 degrees, skin crisps up better), this cooking method allows the steam and vapors to flavor the chicken from the inside cavity out, helping it to stay moist.” For the griller who’s also a hibachi enthusiast Elite Platinum EMG-980B Large Indoor Electric Round Nonstick Grilling Surface If dinner has become a bit of a slog recently, consider setting up a hibachi or Korean barbecue night and using this highly rated indoor grill to do it. Reviewers on Amazon say, true to advertising, it’s truly non-stick (so feel free to go all in on your marinades) and is just as effective at grilling vegetables as a grilling a sturdy ribeye. For the griller who’s not sure what to do with vegetables Sur La Table Stainless Steel Grill Basket Steven John recommends a grill basket, “that can be placed atop any sort of grill (charcoal, gas, or even wood fire) and filled with loose veggies, shrimp, fries, and so on.” It keeps these more delicate ingredients from sticking to the grill’s grates, and, as John notes, “the grate’s cleaner, too.” For the griller who over-checks their meat Thermapen Mk4 Thermometer A meat thermometer is a must-have accessory for a barbecue enthusiast to quickly and easily ensure that meat is fully cooked but not overdone. And for my money, there’s no meat thermometer better than the Thermapen. As I wrote in my review of this gadget, “What makes the Thermapen stand out from other digital kitchen thermometers is its speed and accuracy. According to the manufacturer’s website, this food thermometer can tell the real-time temperature of whatever you’re trying to measure within 0.7 degrees Fahrenheit in under three seconds. That speed makes a noticeable difference when you’re balancing a roasting pan on a hot oven door as you try to take the temperature of whatever’s inside without burning yourself or letting out too much heat,” or dealing with a hot barbecue grill. (And I’m in good company. The Thermapen also comes recommended by Amy and Mike Mills of 17th St. BBQ in Murphysboro, Illinois.) For the griller who’s getting into marinades Boiled Cider Syrup In his roundup of the best condiments you can buy on Amazon, writer Hugh Merwin recommends this boiled cider, which is “kind of pure apple essence,” he explains. However, that sweetness makes it an excellent addition to a barbecue tool kit. “Grillmasters use it at the base of marinades, where it tenderizes meat and its mildly tart and subtle flavor blends in with wood smoke.” For the griller with a small patio Fire Sense Large Yakatori Charcoal Grill Recommended by Leslie Roark Scott of Ubon’s Barbeque in Yazoo City, Mississippi, this large yakitori grill is ideal for those in a “tight space. It’s the perfect size for a couple of steaks, and holds heat like a champ.” For the griller with no patio Weber 10020 Smokey Joe If you’re looking to gift a truly portable grill, for someone who dreams of grilling in Prospect Park, the Weber Smokey Joe is a classic choice. It’s a no-frills option, but it’s got the same durability as the larger kettle-style Weber grill. For the indoor grill enthusiast who hates smoke Philips Indoor Smokeless Grill We discovered this indoor smokeless grill while watching Queer Eye on Netflix, and it’s a solid option for someone who wants to grill but is constrained by the realities of living in an apartment. It uses infrared light to heat the grill and help prevent smoking from dripping fat. For the indoor grill enthusiast who doesn’t want another gadget Lodge Pro-Grid Cast-Iron Grill and Griddle Combo. Reversible 20 x 10.44” Grill/Griddle Pan With Easy-Grip Handles Though it’s more likely to smoke up your kitchen, this cast-iron grill plate from Lodge is “the indoor grill that’s closest in spirit to firing up the charcoal.” (Plus, because it’s essentially a flat piece of cast-iron, it’s much easier to store than a new appliance.) For the griller who likes that smoky taste Z Grills ZPG-7002E As Steven John explains, “a pellet grill is a barbecue grill that uses an automatically fed supply of wood pellets to maintain a preestablished temperature and infuse the cooking foods with smoke aroma and flavor. Your fuel source is also your smoke source.” That means your meat takes longer to cook, but it’s also got more smoky flavor, and in his testing of pellet grills, John liked this one from Z Grills, in part because “you can load up enough wood pellets for hours of smoking with minimal refills required.” For the griller who wants to go full pitmaster Masterbuilt MES 130B Digital Electric Smoker On a long hunt for the “best, not-too-massive city grill,” Lauren Levy discovered that the best barbecue grill is actually this digital smoker from Masterbuilt. That’s according to Myron Mixon, the winningest man in barbecue, who explains, “It’s a digital smoker, so you can actually punch in the temperature you want and it takes you right there from 100 degrees to 275 degrees in just a few minutes.” He continues, “The truth is, everything that someone would want to barbecue you can cook with the Masterbuilt smoker, and it’s much more delicious.” For the griller who likes to cook low and slow Akorn Jr. Kamado Kooker The first rule of Grilling 101: Leave the meat be. But when you’re constantly worried about your provisions burning that can be difficult to do. That’s why the grilling enthusiasts of Amazon love the Akorn Jr., a ceramic, kamado-style grill that does an excellent job of maintaining low temperatures. Plus, it’s about a tenth of the price of the popular, kamado-style Big Green Egg grill. For the griller who tries to keep their grill spotless Drillbrush BBQ Accessories I’ve written about the Drillbrush as the best tool to keep my shower clean, but the company makes different brush attachments with different stiffnesses for different purposes, like this barbecue accessories set, which can be used to detail-clean even the most grease-stained grill. For the griller who likes to grill and chill YETI Roadie 20 Cooler “When you’re smoking whole hogs, you can’t go for a beer run, so you need a good cooler that’s going to keep your beer cold for the night,” wisely notes Patrick Martin of Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint. That’s why he recommends a Yeti cooler to keep by the grill. “I guarantee when you reach for a beer, it’s gonna be good and cold — just like it should be.” For the griller who likes to carve meat John Boos Block BBQBD Reversible Maple Wood Edge Grain BBQ Cutting Board With Juice Groove This sturdy Boos block has a juice groove to catch any liquid that might come out when carving a big hunk of barbecue. (And this gift certainly doesn’t have to be retired once grilling season is over. It’ll also come in handy at Thanksgiving, when it’s time to carve the turkey.) For the griller who likes eating barbecue more than cooking Messermeister Avanta 4-Piece Fine Edge Steak Knife Set Once they cook the meat, they’ll need something to help you eat it, and that’s where these Messermeister steak knives come in. “There’s a curious delight in using these very, very sharp steak knives to bisect a morsel of beef (or pork, or chicken, or whatever flesh you have lying around),” writes Katie Arnold-Ratliff in her ode to these. “The blade slices through the steak with tactile precision — a kind of buttery, slippery ease that makes me say every time my boyfriend and I use these knives, which is a lot, ‘Man I love these knives.’” from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2BbdFk9

http://easyfoodnetwork.blogspot.com/2020/05/from-strategist-21-best-grilling-gifts.html

[jakeshomegarden]

You may know a bit about green energy, but you might not be aware of all the ways you can live "green." Green energy can be used very easily and can be easily implemented into your lifestyle, no matter what it is. Keep reading for some tips about how you can make your home greener.

Buying energy-efficient light bulbs is a great way to save money and use green energy in your home. These light bulbs take a couple minutes to use their maximum brightness. This delay allows less energy to be used when turning on the lights in your home, which is a great way to save energy!

Try setting the air conditioning to run just one degree Celsius warmer during the summer and one degree Celsius cooler during the winter. You will not even notice this difference in temperature, and you'll save a lot of money and energy. In addition, the amount of carbon being used will decrease by around 14%.

Consult a technician for more information about switching to biodiesel heating if your home currently uses oil for heating. Sometimes you can make the switch to some use of biodiesel fuels without having to purchase new parts or make costly modifications. Biodiesel is cleaner to burn than petroleum, making it more efficient to use in the wintertime.

Know the available energy options in your community. Find out what the cost would be to switch, how much it would cost to maintain, and whether your government has any legislation regarding its use. You might find that you could save money by switching from an electric furnace to a natural gas one, for instance, or from using municipal water to your own well water.

Make use of fans inside the home. You can easily use floor fans or have a ceiling fan installed to increase airflow inside the home. You can use these even if you already have an air conditioner because you can turn the thermostat higher and just use the fans for air movement.

Plant trees around your home. The trees will help provide shading for you home and therefore will help keep your home cooler in the hot summer months. It will not require as much air conditioning to keep it at your desired temperature. Since trees lose leaves in the winter, they will still allow the sun to come in and help heat your home during the winter months.

Remember that solar panels, whether you install them on your roof or anywhere else on your property, must be angled toward the sun to receive maximum exposure. In the Northern Hemisphere, this means facing them south with an angle of latitude plus fifteen degrees. Otherwise, your investment will not return as much energy as you hope.

A very easy and cheap way to save on your high energy bills is to try installing some low flow shower heads and faucets. Switching from the standard, 2.5 gallon\/minute shower heads, to the low flow 1.5 gallon\/minute ones, can help you save a lot with your hot water energy costs.

One of the best ways to go green and cut energy costs is by dressing more warmly. You will feel 2 degrees warmer with a light sweater, and 4 degrees warmer with a heavy one. Add a hat, scarf and gloves for even more warmth. There is no need to be fashionable while at home watching TV, so put on some layers and put some money back in your pocket!

Making your home greener is a step you can take today. You don't need that much money to make it happen. Just read over the tips laid out here and you will be able to easily use green energy when you need it. Always keep learning and your house will be the greenest on the block!

How Does Waste-To-Energy Work? | The Renewable Energy Hub

Waste-to-energyis a broad term that encompasses all types of energy recovery that convertwaste directly into energy.

At their simplest, waste-to-energy processes generate power via the incineration of safely combustible waste — like food scraps, cardboard, cloth and paper. However, it's also possible to harness the gases — called landfill gases — that are naturally generated by decomposing waste. These gases are madeup of nearly 50 percent methane. As methane is a greenhouse gas, if these gasesescape, they'll contribute significantly to the greenhouse effect. If captured,however they can also be used as a component of natural gas.

Otherwaste-to-energy methods convert biomass — the biological material in municipalwaste — into solid fuel. Torrefaction and pyrolysis use elevated temperaturesto chemically alter the structure of biomass, producing solid fuel that'ssometimes called bio-coal.

Waste-to-energyprocesses can also create liquid biofuel — sometimes called agrofuel — frombiomass. This fuel can then be used likely any other liquid fuel, although itmay require specialized equipment — as in the case of biodiesel, which can onlypower diesel engines that have been retooled to work with the fuel.

Why is Waste-to-Energy Being Used Now?

Developedeconomies tend to waste both energy and physical resources likefoodstuffs. In a typical year, for example, around 9.5 million tonnes of food is wastedin the UK.

Now, food waste has noticeably increased as a resultof the current coronavirus outbreak. Supermarket sales in the UK jumped by afifth in mid-March. Around the same time, restaurants were ordered to close bythe government, leaving large amounts of food with no buyers.

Further reading: https://www.renewableenergyhub.co.uk/blog/how-does-waste-to-energy-work/

from Jake's Home and Garden Blog https://articulos.ml from https://jakeshomeandgardenblog.blogspot.com/2020/05/green-energy-advice-that-can-really.html

[blockheadbrands]

Aloha Green Apothecary is Growing Stunning Legal Medical Bud in Hawaii

Danny Danko of High Times Reports:

There’s nothing quite like bud in paradise.

At the center of the Pacific Ocean, America’s 50th state has finally begun producing medicinal pot in this Polynesian archipelago. Take a trip inside Aloha Green Apothecary, the first state-licensed facility cultivating and selling medical marijuana for the patients of Hawaii.

Pot in Paradise

Nobody knows when marijuana first appeared in Hawaii, but the remote islands have been inextricably linked to the legend of the pakalolo, or numbing leaf, for centuries. The combination of rich volcanic soil, plentiful sunshine, tropical breezes and abundant rainfall proved irresistible to resourceful locals looking to produce their own tropical cannabis. Guerrilla weed growers thrived in their camouflaged hilltop plots, growing cannabis crops year-round for the insatiable appetites of the laid-back island populace.

Over time, strains brought to the islands from across the oceans adapted and acclimated to Hawaii’s unique environment and were passed down from generation to generation. These exotic varieties, such as Kona Gold, Puna Budder and, of course, the legendary Maui Wowie, inspired generations of surfers and hippies looking for the signature “electric” buzz. Old-timers still rave about the uplifting aspects of these sativa-dominant strains, eagerly reminiscing about their mildly hallucinogenic high with no “ceiling”—a toker could keep puffing and puffing and yet still reach new heights of blissful euphoria.

Recent research has found that these varieties are especially rich in THCV, dubbed the “sports car of cannabinoids” by Steep Hill Labs, due to the quick onset and relatively short duration of psychoactive effects. Strains with higher levels of THC come on quite strong and can induce panic and anxiety in some users if they aren’t careful. Some patients also report that THCV works as an appetite suppressant, which, if true, imparts this compound with tremendous potential from a pharmaceutical perspective.

Hawaiian Punch

Hawaii’s marijuana history, however, took a turn for the worse in the 1980s with Operation Green Harvest, a decades-long campaign that saw federal, state and local law-enforcement agencies using assault helicopters, masked officers with AK-47s and more in an attempt to eradicate domestic cannabis cultivation and lock up farmers. This aggressive effort devastated the islands’ cultivation community as well as pot consumers, and many say the misguided fiasco helped lead to an epidemic of hard-drug use and a methamphetamine crisis that continues to this day. The dark days for Hawaiian dankness would continue for years until the voters finally decided to make a change.

Although Hawaii legalized medical marijuana for qualified patients and caregivers in 2000, it wasn’t until almost 20 years later, in 2016, that the state finalized the rules governing its dispensary program. These new regulations require eight state-licensed dispensaries to grow, manufacture and sell their own products to eligible patients with a valid state registration card. The one I’m visiting, Aloha Green Apothecary, opened in 2016 with a traditional Hawaiian blessing ceremony in downtown Honolulu on the beautiful island of Oahu. Everything it sells must be lab-tested for cannabinoid profile, pesticides, mycotoxins, heavy metals, moisture content, microbial impurities and solvents (when applicable).

The strict guidelines also require an FBI background check for all employees or visitors, which means that for the first time in my cannabis-cultivation reporting career, I have to apply for permission from the government to visit a legal grow. As Aloha Green’s director, Helen Cho, assists me through the process, I joke about how the times have changed: When I first started covering clandestine indoor pot farms for High Times almost 20 years ago, I sometimes had to ride in the trunk of a car or wear a blindfold. Now I was politely asking the feds to allow me to pay a visit to a licensed facility!

Aloha Grows Green

Aloha Green Apothecary produces its flowers and extracts on the island of Oahu on land that was formerly part of the massive Dole Plantation. I drove out to meet this dedicated team of locals to find out more about their commitment to creating quality medicine using locally sourced materials. Upon approach, the tropical landscape gave way to a well-protected seven-acre plot surrounded by ample security fencing and cameras. The rich, dark-red volcanic soil and bright sunshine reveal this as a place where agriculture has thrived for ages and will continue to do so.

My tour begins with Aloha Green’s head grower, Daniel Richardson, excitedly explaining his philosophy for growing artisanal cannabis for the community of patients in Hawaii. The goal is to tread lightly, making use of as much local material as possible while taking advantage of the natural environment by using greenhouses to grow some of Aloha Green’s flowers. By reusing whatever they can, the Aloha team strives to treat the community and their patients with the respect they deserve.

In fact, Aloha Green is the first state licensee to use several greenhouses to grow its flowers, which has cut the cost of production by a third—all the more important as Hawaii has the most expensive electricity in the United States. The company also has plans to convert to solar for much of its power usage in the future as well. Aloha’s growers are even experimenting with cover crops such as clover to provide nitrogen while also acting as a mulch to conserve water potentially lost to evaporation. Wood chips on top of the growing medium acts as insulation from water loss as well.

Moms and Clones

Mother plants at Aloha Green are nurtured under fluorescent and HID (high-intensity discharge) lighting and hand-fed with a nutrient solution to keep them thriving. Mother-plant vegging rooms are climate-controlled with fans, ensuring that air is circulating and not stagnant. The moms are grown in large containers so that their roots can find plenty of space and expand. This ensures that the plant up top stays healthy and continues to create new growing shoots from which to take and root clones.

Clones root in plugs in meticulously labeled plastic trays with clear lids under fluorescent lighting tubes to maintain heat and humidity for ultimate rooting success. They’re cut from healthy mother plants, dipped into rooting-hormone gel and then gently secured into their individual rooting cubes. The larger fan leaves are then trimmed down to alleviate the pressure on the cutting to maintain life. Once they’re showing healthy white roots from the bottom of their plugs, they’re ready to plant into larger pots filled with premixed growing medium and move into the vegetative stage of growth. Lower branches and leaf growth are removed to increase airflow beneath the canopy to avoid possible humidity buildup.

Light, Soil and Water

In all, there are four indoor flowering rooms and four greenhouse sections at Aloha Green for a total of eight separate growing chambers. The indoor plants are grown under Gavita double-ended HPS (high-pressure sodium) 1,000-watt lights on a staggered flowering schedule and harvested every two weeks. Plants in the greenhouses are supplemented with lighting as well when sunlight isn’t sufficient.

For the growing medium, the team at Aloha Green make their own “supersoil” mix. It’s a combination of rich local soil plus compost from a nearby school. Because of the many microclimates on Oahu, the soil Aloha Green uses is unique and diverse with 10 of 12 soil varieties on the island represented. Volcanic pumice is added instead of perlite to loosen up the soil. This airy loam is then amended with local Hawaiian chicken manure, worm castings, fish waste, and seaweed. The company has even experimented with turning macadamia-nut shells into biochar.

Aloha Green’s goal is to use no added nutrients, and it utilizes drip emitters to provide mostly plain water directly to the root zone. Local mulch from the wood of the monkeypod tree keeps the soil surface cool and reduces water waste from evaporation. Ideally, Aloha Green will reuse its soil over and over in a closed-loop system that improves the growing medium with each growing cycle. Each plant is tagged from seed to harvest with its strain name and germination date, and wooden stakes are used to hold up branches that become weighed down with heavy flowers.

The water itself comes from a 1,000-foot-deep well tapped on the premises. The water is filtered naturally through lava rock and comes out with very low levels of any minerals or contaminants. Multiple drippers in each growing container also provide redundancy in case of a clogged tube or emitter. Wet walls and swamp coolers reduce heat in the greenhouses on really hot days and desiccant-based dehumidifiers remove moisture in the air when necessary. Plants sit on trays that allow airflow underneath the canopy to reduce the probability of mold or mildew collecting in moist air pockets. Excess water and nutrient solution easily drain out of the bottom of the containers to prevent the pots from sitting in stagnant liquid.

Insect Controls

Chief operating officer Tai Cheng and director of integrated strategy Helen Cho explain the strict governmental regulations to me, which include requirements to grow all plants indoors, lab-testing all of the products and using only state-approved pesticides on the crops. In fact, as Cheng tells me, “We can’t have testing show more than 1 ppm [part per million] in the finished product of any banned pesticides, which is essentially the same as none. We’re also not allowed to use beneficial bugs because they are not available in abundance on the island. Strict [agricultural] controls don’t allow for them to be delivered. So we have the strict pesticide regime of Oregon without the help of beneficials.”

Aloha Green growers use beans as indicator, or trap, plants, and rosemary and other deterrent plants to repel insects as well. Workers and visitors alike wear full-body protective suits including booties and hoods to avoid any potential contamination, and yellow sticky pest strips are everywhere in order to get an early warning as to any potential pest invasions. A strict integrated pest-management system ensures that the flowers and concentrates produced here are clean and pass their tests with flying colors.

Faded Flush

As the plants at Aloha Green approach maturity, they’re aggressively flushed with plain pH-balanced water. Head grower Daniel Richardson emphasizes the importance of a proper flush in order to produce flowers that can be considered proper medicine for patients. He insists that whether Aloha Green’s end product is used for flowers, concentrates, edibles or tinctures, it’s clean and free of excess chlorophyll and nutrient-salt buildup.

As I walk around the growing chamber next to be harvested, I can see the fall colors of the fan leaves on display. These fading hues are a sure sign of a successful flush, and the end result will be buds that burn cleanly to a wispy white ash—perfect for connoisseurs and patients alike. The properly flushed plants are now in the final stretch, during which their trichome gland heads will swell with essential oils in preparation for harvest.

Hawaiian Harvest

When the time to take down a roomful of vegetation has been determined, the plants are pre-trimmed while still alive. Large fan leaves are removed by hand from each plant in preparation for the drying process. Then branches are individually hung to dry in rooms environmentally controlled by Argus climate systems. Sensors maintain specific temperature and humidity while UV light kills off any potential pests or mold spores, and Airocide filters purify the air.

The indoor harvests are all hand-trimmed dry prior to curing, while the yield from the greenhouses is machine-trimmed using industrial Twister units and then dried on individual racks. Trim and leaf leftovers are set aside for ethanol extraction to make RSO (Rick Simpson Oil) for oral ingestion. The company also produces oil, shatter, rosin wax, balms and tinctures, so there’s something for every patient on the shelves of Aloha Green Apothecary.

TO READ MORE OF THIS ARTICLE ON HIGH TIMES, CLICK HERE.

https://hightimes.com/news/growing-legal-in-hawaii/

[cathrynstreich]

Solar Panels, Elevators, a Dog Shower? Here Are 12 Cutting-Edge Items for Your Next Home

(TNS)—Shopping for a new home? It’s not all about square footage, counter tops and closet size.

Homes are changing. You’ve got homework to do. Decisions to make. Some will affect your pocketbook for years. Others will improve your quality of life the day you move in.

And one … well, it’ll just make your pooch less smelly.

Here’s a quick tour of cutting-edge amenities now offered at some new-home communities:

California Room For years, builders would slap an awning on the back of the house and call it a patio. Now, homes frequently come with a modern and stylish upgrade called the California Room.

It’s an indoor-outdoor space with a ceiling and just one or two walls. It can be used as a second dining room, outdoor kitchen or even a living room with couches and flat screen TV. It may have a ceiling fan, fireplace and tile or polished concrete floor. Depending on the level of extravagance, a California Room may add $7,000 to $20,000 to the home price.

The Disappearing Wall Some homes that don’t have California Rooms instead come with a disappearing back wall made of accordion-style, bi-fold doors that fold aside, opening your great room to the backyard.

“It has huge style points,” recent Folsom, Calif., homebuyer Ian Cornell says. “It looks great and when you are relaxing, I anticipate that feeling of open space and connecting to outdoors.”

Elevators Baby boomers, some now in their early 70s, want homes they can stay in as physical limitations set in. Home builders call it “aging in place.”

Builder Mike Paris of BlackPine Communities estimates the elevator adds $25,000 to $35,000 to the price of the house, depending on how many “stops” it has—but you don’t have to buy the elevator yet. The spaces on each floor also serve as closets, pantries and storage rooms.

“This gives the buyer the peace of mind that they can age in place without incurring the cost when they may not need the elevator at that time,” Paris says.

Doggy Showers Fewer young homeowners have kids. More have dogs, though—and many of us consider our dogs full-fledged family members.

Introducing the indoor doggy shower, with tiled walls and hot and cold faucets, often located in the laundry room.

“It’s about three feet-wide, two feet above the ground. A special faucet to wash at your waist. It’s like a half-tub,” says Matt Gustus of Anthem United Homes.

Other builders are adding doggy drawers in the kitchen of new homes: Slide open the bottom cabinet drawer, and it holds your pet’s eating dish and water bowl. Slide it back in and it’s out of sight. No tripping or accidentally kicking the water bowl.

Solar, Now Going solar is like getting braces. The row of panels on the roof isn’t pretty, but it could pay off with a smile in the long run.

The California Energy Commission will require most new homes to have solar starting in 2020, but some home builders are including solar now as standard equipment. Should you get one? It may require some calculations, based in part on how long you plan to live in this house.

The Energy Commission estimates solar could add $10,000 to the cost of a new home, but the panels could cut average monthly utility bills by $80.

A ‘Tesla’ in the Garage If you buy a home with a solar rooftop, should you order a solar energy storage battery for your garage, too?

Technology expert Bob Raymer of the California Building Industry Association says it may be a smart move, as utility companies increase rates during new “time of day” electricity pricing.

“There are going to be a lot of homeowners with sticker shock,” Raymer says.

A solar battery in the garage will allow homeowners to minimize evening utility bills by storing their own daytime solar energy, then tapping into it in the evening. The batteries aren’t cheap, though, costing anywhere from $4,000 to $15,000. Tesla is among the makers. Some in the industry say prices will come down if you wait a few years.

Piggy Bank Attics Energy efficiency is about more than rooftop solar. The real bang for your buck may involve a new approach to attic insulation. Raymer of the BIA suggests buyers ask their builder if the attic can include energy-saving insulation techniques now that will be required in 2020. It involves adding R19 insulation in the attic’s ceiling rafters, basically along the underside of the roof.

That will keep attic temperatures far closer to room temperatures in the house below, which will cool air conditioning ducts that run through the attic, making it easier for them to do their job of delivering cool air through the house.

Cooking With Gas? Nope New-home energy efficiency is a fast-changing realm. A pioneering company, De Young Builders in Fresno, Calif., is constructing some of the first “zero-net energy” homes in the state.

For cooks, though, going no-carbon means stovetop cooking without gas. That’s going to be a tough sell for some traditionalists. De Young and other builders hope to make it easier by offering electricity-based induction stove tops as an alternative.

Next Gen Homes Lennar Homes officials say more buyers are multi-generational families who want to live under one roof, but want some distance from each other. So the company’s begun building in-law apartments that are embedded in the main home, with a front door of their own, but with another door to the main house.

They call them Next Gen homes. The apartments have kitchenettes, a living room, bathroom, bedroom, washer and dryer and sometimes their own patio. Grandparents can live there. Or boomerang 20-somethings back from college. Or special needs adult children who can benefit from some independence.

A homeowner can rent the space out to a tenant for extra income, but that may be a little close for comfort. The main house and embedded unit share the same utilities. Plus, you can sometimes hear noise on the other side of the wall.

Foiling Porch Thieves New homes are techier than ever. Doorbells now double as cameras and loudspeakers. You can see who’s at your front door via a smart phone app while sitting in your office miles away. If it’s someone selling a product, you can pretend you are home, politely saying no thanks. If it’s a delivery service, you can, if you choose, code them into the house, so they don’t have to leave the box on the porch.

Other Tech Options Smart thermostats: You can set the temperature via smartphone app before you get home, or, some thermostats watch and learn your rhythms and adjust the temperature on their own.

Lennar Homes has introduced “Wi-Fi certified” homes that put an end to an annoying modern issue—reception dead zones. Their system even extends to the backyard. An Amazon rep comes to your house when you move in to help you program your system, which includes Amazon’s Alexa technology.

©2018 The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.) Visit The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.) at www.sacbee.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Introducing: Battery Week—like Shark Week for the technophile

Lithium-ion batteries will kill us all. Okay, maybe that’s a tad dramatic. But batteries can definitely be lethal—and they’re definitely inside a lot of the things we own: electric cars, smartphones, cameras, and even children’s toys. Nevertheless, lithium-ion batteries have largely stayed out of the limelight—up until the onslaught of battery crises in recent years. But we think that lithium-ion batteries still don’t get the attention that they deserve—because if they’re in everything we own, we ought to know how they work, and what potential risks they pose.

That’s why we’re declaring this week, Battery Week. Every day this week, we’ll be publishing new blogs and videos to educate you on everything you ever wanted to know about the batteries in iPhones—how they work, what to do when they swell, how to safely recycle them, and how to replace them yourselves. 

But first—here’s a little primer on the history of the 3 biggest lithium-ion battery scandals to really get us in the mood:

1. The Great Hoverboard Crisis

Just before Christmas 2015, the season’s hottest toy got quite a bit hotter—lithium-ion batteries inside of hoverboards started spontaneously catching fire. By July of 2016, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission reported at least 60 known hoverboard-related fires totaling over $2 million in damages. And these fires occurred in all kinds of hoverboards—so there’s not one manufacturer to blame for shoddy design, or a bad batch of batteries. Being the safety (and sometimes tacky) nerds that we are, we even created a “smother bag” to give consumers an on-the-go solution for hoverboard fires. But, all jokes aside, the Great Hoverboard Crisis of 2015 finally put lithium-ion batteries on the map—skull and crossbones, safety hazard-style.   

2. Note7: Catching Fire

Fast forward to September 2016, when at least 35 Note7 battery explosions were heard around the world (wide web). It wasn’t until Note7 devices started catching fire that the danger of lithium-ion batteries became truly ubiquitous. The debacle carried on for months, so here’s a quick TL;DR:

September-December 2016

After reports of Note7’s catching fire, Samsung recalled select Note7 devices and promised to exchange them with a new model including a different battery.

Replacement Note7’s started catching fire, too. Whoops! So Samsung recalled the entire Note7 line and halted production.

The DoT stepped in and banned Note7 devices from all flights. Samsung provided airports with kiosks where Note7’s could be deposited.

The world stopped selling Note7 phones and Samsung requested that local carriers cut service to Note7’s. Samsung pushed an update to all extant Note7 devices, bricking them to prevent their use.

Image courtesy of ZDNet

So what happened exactly? Without getting super-scientific, the batteries in the Note7 were essentially defective. Samsung pushed the Note7’s battery capacity to the limit—along with its production speeds, and manufacturing tolerances—without corresponding quality controls. And when you leave no margin for error, you’re playing with fire. Literally. The smallest mistake can be catastrophic—like $5 billion kinda catastrophic—which is what Samsung estimated they lost from the recall. We suspect that’s why Samsung released their refurbished Note7 Fan Edition a year later with a smaller battery capacity (12.32 Wh vs. 13.48 Wh).

And not to be that guy, but how much cheaper could this recall have been for Samsung if they kept their removable battery design of yore? Just pop the battery out, replace it with a new one, and you’re done!  

3. Batterygate: Apple’s iPhone Throttling Conspiracy

The most recent battery scandal to make headlines had nothing to do with fires at all. In December of 2017, Apple admitted to intentionally degrading the performance of iPhones equipped with older batteries. Since 2016, reports had been pouring in detailing reliability issues, usability problems, and sudden shutdowns for older iPhones. Of course, public outcry and lawsuits ensued. And in January of 2018, Apple attempted to mitigate the damage by offering $29 battery replacements for iPhones 6 and newer for the duration of 2017. To serve iPhone users unable to reach Apple stores, we matched the offer and cut the prices on all of our DIY iPhone battery kits to $29 or less. Plus, we included options for the iPhone 4S, 5, 5s and 5c (which are excluded from Apple’s new program).

The future of lithium-ion batteries

If lithium-ion batteries are so dangerous—and if manufacturers can even use them to tamper with our devices—then why do we put them in everything? Well, they’re pretty darn efficient. Pound for pound, they pack a high-energy density that alternative batteries simply can’t reach—yet. They’re also much lighter than other types of rechargeable batteries, which makes them a perfect solution for hand-held devices. But as lithium-ion batteries become even more pervasive, and until we find a safer and more efficient alternative, it’s important to be aware of their potentially harmful side effects. Knowledge is power after all!