#she sells these on her website they’re so cool!!

[fox-bright]

OKAY SO I HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE WHOLE SENDING CREMAINS TO THE MOON THING If you haven't heard about it, a bunch'a dead people (cremated) (just a teaspoon or less of each) are going to the Moon, where they will stay forever. They left this morning, riding up on a United Launch Alliance rocket for Peregine Mission One, technically out of Pittsburgh, PA but launched as usual from Florida. There are five NASA payloads on the mission, so Science is Happening. That’s cool, I’m all for it. But I, and it turns out the Navajo Nation, are not very cool with the Elysium and Celestis parts of the deal, which is sending a hundred something dead people’s remains up there. I’m against it because while I’m all for scattering cremains in nature—returning your carbon to the cycle—and I’m all for cemeteries and tombs, this won’t be either; there’s not any breaking down, there’s not any cycle, and there’s no hallowed ground. The Navajo Nation, in the letter they wrote to NASA in December, is against it because to them the Moon is sacred. You don’t just drop corpses on sacred things, basically. They weren’t asking to stop the mission, just to be consulted about how to handle it with grace; their request was denied. NASA couldn’t have done anything for them, anyway, because this isn’t a NASA mission even if they’re sending payloads up. So the Magical Flying Husband and I good-naturedly Got Into It on the topic, on Saturday, and we still don’t quite agree. To my mind, it’s gross and tacky to throw a Space Rubbermaid full’a cremains up there. There were already the remains of one single person on the moon, as Eugene Shoemaker’s ashes went up with the Lunar Prospector thirty-something years ago. He was a scientist who trained Apollo astronauts about what to expect when they reached the Moon; a geologist with his eyes on the stars. Having him up there doesn’t oog me out. Having a bunch of randos who only get to go there because their families have the money for it, that oogs me out. And then there’s just the pure metaphysical aspect; we put gates around our cemeteries for a reason. We make specific places out to be the resting places of the dead, so that we can say here are the dead and here the dead are not. Most of the religions or belief systems which have the dead remain in the home, on altars or in special (holy!) rooms within the building, also have requirements for attendance on those lost relatives. Incense, prayer, attention. You can’t do that if you lawn-dart Grandma onto the Moon. So throwing a bunch of bodies into a place where they will never degrade, without marking out land as “this specific place is where our dead go,” is either a hugely expensive method of littering, or it makes the whole Moon into a cemetery.

So the MFH and I have this discussion, back and forth, and then we realize we don’t really have any data. How many people are going up? Who are they? What’s the deal? So I looked it up. There are two companies sending cremains on this trip, Celestis and Elysium. Both of them have (frankly, tacky) websites selling you the ability to send Grandma to the Moon.

Celestis starts you at about three thousand US dollars to put some ashes onto a payload that goes up, and then comes down again; the equivalent of tying her to an Estes rocket that you launch from the park, only this is a proper spacegoing rocket that gets up there. She just doesn't get to take the whole ride.

Further Celestis packages allow you to put Grandma into orbit, send Grandma to the Moon, or send Grandma out into Deep Space.

(Reading that aloud is the point where the MFH's ears really quirked. It is very difficult and very expensive to get something properly into Deep Space. That offering is bullshit, and can't not be bullshit, and this is where the MFH decided probably this whole thing was more than a little scammy.)

The Orbit Grandma package is particularly romantic; the orbit she'll be put into is a degrading one, so that after some time spinning around our gorgeous blue marble, she'll reenter the atmosphere and become a visible shooting star.

(The MFH said "Is there going to be a big enough payload to be visible with the naked eye? What amount of matter is required for that?" and then we had to do Math about it. Of course, it's not just Grandma who would be on that bus, it's another hundred people or whatever; the image appears to show a hundred or more thimbles of cremains stored separately in basically a large cube container. So maybe the size of a soccer ball? I think it would be visible. It is, however, impossible to say "look there, and you'll see Grandma!" so while it would be visible to someone, it's not going to be something you can make sure to see.)

Elysium offers all the same packages, with slightly different names. But unlike Celestis, Elysium has a little row at the bottom of the page with photographs of previous launches. They've done this before, they're saying, and Grandma is safe with them.

So I looked up the launches, and found a Wikipedia page on them. And oh my god. That's where my ears quirked, and then I started cackling, and the whole slightly-fractious discussion with the MFH absolutely dissolved into macabre jokes.

Because, yeah, there have been two previous launches. One of them failed to reach orbit. A payload of Grandmas was put onto the next one, to make up for the failure.

The second launch, which was to be a Shooting Star trip for the god knows how many people that the first launch failed? That one made it to orbit! All good, right? Now Grandma can orbit for a while, and then immolate for a second time, this one much more spectacular and high-velocity than the first?

ABSOLUTELY not.

Because of licensing issues.

(image: two columns of text describing Elysium launches: ORS-4 Elysium Star I, launched on a Super Strypi, was destined for reentry failed to reach orbit.

SSO-A Elysium STar II, launched on a Falcon 9, was destined for reentry and made orbit successfully. "Orbit was to decay in 2 years, but satellite was locked into the Lower Free-Flyer dispenser due to license timing issues." )

Grandma is stuck in the dispenser. Grandma's in a gacha-gacha that just spins around and around and around and around, never releasing its prize to her glorious conflagration.

Because of licensing issues.

I'm siding with the Navajo Nation with this one, either way, but I have to wonder if those folks are actually getting to the Moon as planned.

[crowleywowley]

hai….i’m back….here to give more modern (plus some general) hcs!! :3

⭑i like to think of john and abi as highschool sweethearts :) But they were pretty on and off, so everyone was surprised when they made it to senior prom (john wore those tuxedo t-shirts)and eventually graduation! they got pregnant with jack a few months after graduating

⭑when it’s time for spring cleaning, DUTCH IS THE LOUDEST MF IN THE HOUSE. he’s blasting the 70s music, waking up everyone in the house very loudly announcing that it’s spring cleaning day…poor hosea, john, and arthur

⭑i like to think charles makes these super pretty bracelets and sells them online :3 some of the gang members got some! they’re very meticulously crafted and he takes pride in his art!

⭑Karen is def a crazy cat lady. She has FOUR OF THEM!!! She’d give three of the cats really pretty names but let Sean name her most recent one…in which he named the poor cat “napkin” 💀

⭑Dutch and Hosea have an unreal amount of hawaiian pattern shirts..it’s crazy. hosea wears them in the spring and summer but dutch wears them year round

⭑For some reason, it’s tradition on Arthur’s birthday to go to Texas Roadhouse (I know he’d FUCK UP that bread they give as appetizers). He usually has his family, an s/o, and a couple friends there :)

⭑Speaking of fucking up rolls…I think Artie in general would just have a guilty soft spot to sweets. His s/o would come back with those rolls or just any pastry or candy and arthur will feel so special and spoiled! He’ll also do the same thing for them in return :) (Or just any kinda fave food they like)

⭑Lenny was a SUPER smart kid in school. I like to think in the modern au he just graduated outta highschool, but he got all of these scholarships and awards for being such a smart kid. He’d def major in some sort of writing or literacy thing in college

⭑Sadie can and will destroy anyone at those bull riding things at restaurants. she’s got a plaque of her name on it at a restaurant she won at!

⭑This is more of a general one, but seeing Arthur and John compared to eachother is so funny…Arthur is like this big bear while John is skinny and dorito shaped

⭑It’s also funny seeing the heights of the vandermatthews (name still in progress) family. From shortest to tallest it goes Dutch (5’8”…short dutch all the way), Hosea (5’10”), John (5’11”), and Arthur (6’2”)

⭑One time John borrowed Dutch’s laptop and clicked on a weird website, giving the laptop a virus. John was grounded for a few days and Arthur didn’t stop teasing him about it

OKAY!!! that’s all i have rn ^^ i think i might be saying too many hcs but i love making them…they’re too fun!! (sorry for showing my arthur favoritism again sighhhh 😭😭)

So sorry it took me several days to get to this, real life has had me busy 😔 but I’m here now and EEEEEEEE so fun and silly!!!!

-I’ve also always seen John and Abi as a high school sweethearts type of thing, I think they broke up and got back together so many times in that immature high school way until like senior year when they just stayed together

-Dutch is that one vine where the guy was dancing to Morning Train by Sheena Easton

-crying real tears rn imagining Charles crafting stuff for his pals🥹🥹🥹🥹 I could see him eventually getting into bigger crafts too

-Listen I’m gonna defend Sean bc I just KNOW that napkin the cat fits her namesake so well. It’s one of those skrunkly white kittens

-Arthur having a sweet tooth is canon in my heart sorry ladies, I think he’d enjoy baking goodies for his friends/partners bc he’s suchhhhh an acts of service/gift giver love language kinda guy

-I think Lenny was just one of those kids in high school that everyone loved. He was nice to everyone and genuinely really smart, sorry haters but he definitely got voted prom king or something. As he should!!!!!!

-Sadie drives a cool truck but not in a douchebag way, like that woman is hauling shit AROUND!!!!!!!!

These are all so fun and so silly! It’s been a rough week so I genuinely enjoyed getting to read these :) yall please never hesitate to blow up my inbox with thoughts like these!!

[dogvomitkiddiepool]

Froger infodump thread, because I posted my last one at 3AM and wanted to polish it up a bit

i notice a lot from the fandom that people depict Froger as a frog, which i think is bizzare. I know someone else made a post about this, but I wanted to add my own thoughts

Look at that, it’s like she’s in one of those ____ in real life videos! Frogfish are in the angler family, they have lures (minus the whole bioluminescence thing) and everything. They’re actually pretty unheard of so I assume most folks don’t know frogfish exist so making her a frog was easier to envision. But having her be a frog whereas all the other anglers are fish is strange. Every other angler/fish based entity are saltwater exclusive creatures if not from the deep sea itself. Why would there be a freshwater frog, and it’s an angler? How would it have even come from the original angler? She’d be very out of place in the enviornment. Knowing she’s based off the Iron Lung monster is another thing though. I don’t think it’s confirmed but the fandom website for Iron Lung says that the monster is inspired off of a frogfish or at least an anglerfish in general. Though the fandom websites for Pressure both say she’s a frogfish. Also, why in the world would a frog have an anglerfish lure? Though I understand it was added quite recently, I still find frog designs of her funny. Another frogfish trait she has is the texture of her skin/on the ridges of her eyes. It’s the same whiskerlike sensory hairs that some species of frogfish have.

I don’t get why so many fans are so salty about the fact Zeal gave them canon genders and then gifted Froger a lure. “Why would gasses have a gender” there is a ten foot tall, completely sentient mutated fish man with glowing eyes that sells items to you. How about the things that disguise themselves as walls so that they can sneak up and eat you, or the fact you can eat THEM if they die. I feel like these things would stir up better questions than the fact the anglers have genders. I think that Froger being a girl is so cool honestly. I don’t see many completely monsterous female characters.

I also feel like Froger has an increased chance of being more intelligent. Her hunting strategy of going back three times is unlike any of the other anglers and is very persistent. She relies on the player being inexperienced and leaving the first time, and if not, getting them on the third time if they leave the locker. The rest of the anglers hunting mechanics are just to rush forward without breaking the path, unless it’s to catch you when you’re in sight. Chainsmoker is a tiny bit of an exception but I plan to write a thread about him later. The overseer document says itself that Froger “knew the player was there” and returned for them. Which brings the question, why is she the only one to exibit advanced techniques? I know pandemonium is similar but he’s not an angler, only connected to the family through electrical signals and other features. I feel like the fandom brushes off Froger or declares their hatred for her outright. I tried to find her in a comment section about unpopular Pressure faves and found one mention of her. I will represent the Froger fanclub

Anyway, these are my thoughts, anyone is welcome to add more

[pythianoracle]

PSA About Some Shady Shit on Tumblr

This post is to bring light to some shady marketing on tumblr. This is not about an individual, but rather as a company posing as an aesthetic/meme account in order to get people to buy from their shitty drop shipping company.

I am making this post because I am sick of covert marketing and drop shippers over charging for the same stuff that can be found for cheaper and by the actual company. I am also concerned for the possible hazard of drop shipped items that need to be food safe in order to use.

Tumblr user @/my-kawaii—world is a drop shipping company pretending to be an aesthetic blogger who happens to “find” links to all the products in posts. All these links lead to the same drop shipping company website: Lavender Constellation. Under the cut is evidence to support my claim.

Alt text has been added for accessibility.

Hey, so I’m really not one to make posts like this, but I saw something that rlly sketched me out that some people may want to be aware of.

So, someone I follow reblogged this really cute teapot that my-kawaii—world posted!

[ID: a screenshot of a tweet reposted by user my-kawaii—world on tumblr. The post reads “losing my mind over this frog teapot my best friend gave me”. Attached to the tweet are two images showing a green frog teapot with two black tadpole cups. ID END]

Seems innocent enough, right? But then you scroll to the end of the post.

[ID: A screenshot of the bottom of the previous post by my-kawaii—world. Attached is a link to a storefront in green and pink text that reads “**Update For the people asking I asked her and she bought the frog tea set HERE🐸. ID END]

I thought “dang, a ton of people must have been asking them if they went to all that extra effort”, so I decided to check the tags.

[ID: A screenshot of the post reblogs with the user names blocked out in red to respect privacy. From top to bottom, the tags read: #cat #basically #cats and #haha. ID END]

Why would people be tagging this with cats if it has nothing to do with cats? Looking further, if you open up a reblog, you see this.

[ID: A screenshot a reblog that shows a different tweet. Punctuation has been added to alt text for readability. The tweet reads as follows: “Me: Invents a device to talk to cats. Cat: Oh god, finally you understand me. When ever I meow for hours it’s because I want wet food. I know this was so opaque for you. Me: No no, I knew you want wet food the whole time, but you can’t have it whenever you want. Cat: (blank space) Me: (blank space) Cat: first of all, fuck you,”. ID END]

They’re retroactively editing their high note posts to give more credibility to the shit they’re selling. Here is the listing on the linked website

[ID: a screenshot of a website called “Lavender Constellation”. The website has a light purple background with darker purple text. The listing image is of a green frog teapot with two black tadpole cups on a pink background and labeled “TEA SET FROG & TADPOLE”. The item’s original price is listed as $149.95 USD and is listed as on sale for $79.99 USD. ID END]

Wow isn’t it so cool that it’s on sale right now? Save over $60 USD? What a steal! They also offer free world-wide shipping and have a coupon code you can use. Crazy.

Upon further digging, the real teapot is the frog from the サンアート aka sunart brand, specifically from their parent and child collection. And guess what? You can get it on Amazon for less than half the price, even after the “sale”.

[ID: a screenshot of the same green frog teapot and black tadpole cups listen on Amazon. At the bottom are options to select, including Frog Parent, Elephant Parent, and an additional one that is cut off. The frog parent is $32.96 USD and the elephant parent is $26.22 USD. ID END]

I looked into the brand and they seem to specifically make ceramics additionally, the options to pick less popular options that I don’t see nearly as many bootlegs of make me pretty confident this is the actual product.

This is far from the only post they’ve done this with. Looking at their blog, you’ll see a sea of ads for their original posts, all linking to the same store:

[ID: A screenshot of a post by my-kawaii—world. The post is cut off due to the size of the device it was taken on. In the screenshot, there is an image of a silver sword ring with a skull on the pommel and a chain connecting the pommel to the cross-guard. Below the image is a link that red, bolded, and underlined text that reads: “OMG, I FINALLY FOUND THE RIGHT WITH FREE SHIPPING!!!!”. ID END]

And then following the link, we get taken right back to the Lavender Constellation website:

[ID: A screenshot of the same Lavender Collection Website from before with a pale purple background and darker purple text. The listing photo is of a person’s hand with a silver ring in the shape of a sword. It has a skull on the pommel and a chain connecting the pommel to the cross-guard. The listing is labeled “STAINLESS STEEL GOTH SWORD RING” in purple text. ID END]

If you go to their page, you will see a ton of other examples of this. Hell, I have even more examples, but I feel this post is long enough as is. I’m frankly fed up with people doing this shit, especially charging over double the price of an original product for a shitty knock off.

I’m not going to comment of the safety of these products (i.e., if the knock off teapot is food safe or not) because I don’t plan on buying one to test for lead, but that is a genuine risk you have when buying drop shipped products. For example, counterfeit makeup is well known for containing chemicals that can be harmful to the skin due because they’re much cheaper than the skin safe stuff. Here is a research article that discusses some of the harmful effects that unregulated, counterfeit makeup can have on your skin. The article is open access, so don’t worry about being blocked by a paywall.

Again, I don’t know if the counterfeit teapot is food safe or not, I haven’t been able to find any posts discussing the bootleg, or even Lavendar Constellation as a whole, but with stuff like this, it’s much better to be safe than sorry.

I am positive my-kawaii—world and Lavender Constellation are not the only people running operations like this on tumblr, I’m sure there are a shit ton more. Most will probably run the same way as my-kawaii—world. Essentially if you go to a page that posts a ton of cute, aesthetic products and they link to the same website for every single thing, it’s probably a drop shipping scam.

I’m not someone who thinks I’m “morally superior” for buying only name brand stuff, hell I own a few bootleg plushies, but items that need to food safe are not something I personally would fuck around with. And even if these bootlegs are food safe, the fact that they are charging over double the price of the original is so ludicrous and inexcusable.

Personally, I recommend blocking the @/my-kawaii—world account. Don’t micromanage people who have already reblogged from them unless they’re a friend, mutual, etc. Basically, don’t harass strangers who happened to reblog the original post or the edited post. Just get the word out there about this account.

Do I think my post will shut down their site and drive them off Tumblr? Probably not. But the more people that know about this specific scam and scams like it, the better.

[pizzacatdelight]

My Birthday

Yay, today’s my birthday! I turned 28 years old! And avoided the dreaded “27 Club” where some of the biggest musicians from the 60s’ and 70s’ died when they were 27 years old! (They mainly died due to massive drinking, doing drugs, etc.…)

My 27th year on this planet was not a good one. Early this year, I quit my toxic part-time job at a well-known pizza restaurant that I won’t name. I got scammed into paying for my own equipment for a new job I thought it was a job, but wasn’t. So, I lost over $2,000 because of it and I have to freeze my credit scores to keep the scammers from opening any new credit cards under my name! Then there’s the fact I can’t even find a job that would even hire me due to both my disability and my limited skill list! I even got rejected from getting Disability (or SSI); two months later because of the fact I even had a job!

At home, my youngest niece graduated from high school in June and instead of going to University, she’s working a full-time job at Sally’s Beauty in order to save up money to buy her own car since the car her mom gave her last year and it‘s too expensive to go University right now. My only nephew started 11th grade last month, which means once he graduates in 2025, mom’s planning to sell the family house. She told me and my older sister this back in March/April where after she sold the house; she’s planning to (probably) move to Oregon to get away from the politics of conservative Texas and to retire. Of course, we’re going to move with her as she’s planning to buy land and build a condo house where my sister and I can live on one side of the condo.

For my hobbies, on the other hand, they’re doing great! I beat over 15 games this year, which include “Pokémon: Emerald”, “Hypnospace Outlaw”, “Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Cindered Shadows DLC” and “The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog”. “BAD END THEATER” became the first Steam game where I 100% all the achievement. I preordered “Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” a few days before it came out in May and played it on release day. I remembered staying up all night going around Hyrule, completing the Shrines and not being dicks to the Koroks who only wanted to be reunited with their friends. I’m looking forward to the release of the remaster of “Super Mario RPG”, which comes out in less than two months! I saw four LPs of the game in the past and played it myself for the WiiU. I can’t wait for it to come!

My webcomic is going along. I just finished Chapter 9 and I’m currently taking a small break from it to focus on making this site. I changed how I publish my comics, where I used to release 6-7 pages at a time. But now, I have changed it to 2 pages per week, which means I’ll get more views compared to what I did before. I’m planning to post the links to my webcomic here; I’ll have to find the motivation to do so.

I also made a Tumblr account in June after Reddit decided that they're going to start pricing the 3rd party apps that use its’ code (Apollo, you will be missed). While things are great on Tumblr, I have to get used that most of everyone there is very left-leaning compared to Reddit, where everyone is either in the center or right-leaning, depending on the subject. Yes, I know there are left-leaning people and subreddits there, but it’s the right-leaning groups that are the ones who make the headlines. At least the fandom on Tumblr is way nicer compared to Reddit, where you get attacked for saying or doing something that the fandom subreddit doesn’t like. It’s the reason why I was too scared to either post or comment on Reddit.

Then early this month, I made a NeoCities website and learned how to code again after 11 years. It’s not easy and sometimes it’s even frustrating when you want to do something cool to your page and the code won’t work! At least coding is a skill I can use when I try to look up jobs since it’s one of the most important skills that businesses need. And I also started to blog to write about my thoughts as well. I’ve been doing it on Tumblr for a while, so now I have two sites to pour it all out.

As for what I will be doing for my birthday, it’s not going to be much as I tend not to ask for a lot. I know mom normally gives me a $50 Amazon gift card so I can buy something nice for myself. And I already have plans to make brownies for desserts since we have so much flour and a huge box of brownie mix is in the cabinet.

So yeah, my 27th birthday wasn’t that great, but it could’ve been worse. I hope my 28th year will be a little better and things will improve.

[munsonology]

I thought it was more of being a model thing, the aesthetic of being a cool girl, which is just another facade perpetuated by ig and tiktok

That too, all connects because they see rich as aesthetic and pretty. You see rich influencers selling absolute trash and fashion ppl saying theyre killing the fashion industry cus of it like do you like it because its actually aesthetic or is it only aesthetic because theyre rich

Exactly! It’s the is it a cute outfit or is it because they’re thin scenario.

There’s a pbs doc I watched in my hs computer class (I have no idea why we watched this lol) but it was on frontiers called merchants of cool. The focus was on trends and media. It was made during the early 2000s, probably 99-01/02 so it’s very dated but the info is still relevant! Very informative if anyone is interested in ig/tiktok culture. We give these people value if we like them enough to buy what they’re selling, a product or a lifestyle

Unrelated, but then the next question I see a lot is how do these articles come out so fast? Well for one it’s because twitter won’t stfu.

Back in the 1d days (aging myself 😭), at the height, nobody could figure out how Dan Wooten and these websites got info that was only known in fandom spaces. So one of the update accounts planted fake info about 1d (can’t remember who) but next thing you know it’s in the daily mail. And everyone knew it was fake, but Dan didn’t. So these sites have interns and whoever to watch fandom spaces on twitter/tumblr/and now ig/tiktok to find out what’s going on.

They didn’t know who she was until some people went on ig and started digging and then told 500-2k people on twitter like it wouldn’t leave the 500-2k people they told.

So she’s known because people stayed gassing her 💀 and talking about it to the point where his name trended. And guess who’s watching twitter trends?

[artist-and-space]

Jessie Chen aka ziliaoshi

interview by Niki Ito // photography by Kestin Mica

Jessie Chen is a Taiwanese crochet artist who runs her own business creating unique and functional crochet pieces. This year she is focused on using sustainable materials such as fabric from old kimonos. She also runs workshops for people to experience the joy and healing of crocheting. We sat down with Jessie at her atelier in Tainan, Taiwan.

Niki: Hi Jessie, can you please introduce yourself and talk about how you started doing your art?

Jessie: Sure, I started doing my crochet art in 2020 when we were stuck at home during COVID-19. I loved crocheting at University, but I didn’t think it would become my business. During COVID, I picked it up again, and my friends encouraged me to make various items like headbands and hats. That’s how I started my business.

Niki: Wow. So, at that time, had you graduated and were already working?

Jessie: Yes, I worked for about four years in Los Angeles.

Niki: Did the work involve art? Jessie: Yeah, actually, I worked at an art gallery sponsored by the Japanese government's Foreign Affairs department. They have three locations worldwide: London, Los Angeles, and São Paulo, Brazil. I worked at the gallery in Los Angeles. It really helped me develop my art.

I want my work to make people feel a sense of calm and healing.

Niki: What kind of artwork did the gallery show?

Jessie: It had a wide range of mediums, such as ceramics, Kumihimo, silk braiding, visual art, and more. Japanese artists or art companies would submit proposals to the government, which picked different works each season. I enjoyed the work, and so after I moved back to Taiwan, I thought maybe I could start my own business.

Niki: That's great. How has the business developed since you began?

Jessie: It’s been going well. I’ve gained market experience and am currently developing my own website to showcase my work.

Niki: Your pictures are beautiful too. Jessie: Thank you! I love taking pictures and creating different series.

Niki: This piece is really cool. Is it made from recycled materials?

Jessie: Yes, this piece is made from a paper company in Zhonghua, Taiwan. This year I’ve started focusing on sustainable materials.

Niki: It feels solid and strong, yet smooth and soft at the same time. 

Jessie: Yeah, exactly. That’s what I like about crocheting.

Niki: How did you become interested in sustainable materials? Jessie:  I think it’s because today's fashion is overwhelmed by fast-fashion brands like Uniqlo and others selling disposable items. I wanted to focus on materials that can be reused or repurposed, even if they’re old.

Niki: With many of your materials, do you collaborate with companies?

Jessie: Yes, including the paper factory in Taiwan, I also use different types of cotton sourced from Taiwan and the United States. I find them myself and mix them together to create my own colors. 

Niki: Did you learn business and fashion?

Jessie: I’m currently studying both by reading books. I don’t have much background in marketing or business, so it’s challenging to push my work to the market and promote it on social media.

Niki: Do you feel like social media is a big part of marketing now? Jessie: Yes, it’s huge. People know your brand through Instagram and online presence. I also have a website and opened this studio a year ago and invited people to come over for workshops.

I wanted to focus on materials that can be reused or repurposed, even if they’re old.

Niki: This yarn is from Japan, right?

Jessie: Yes, it’s called Kimono Yarn, repurposed from old kimonos that could not be worn anymore and I really like the texture. I contacted the company online. This company is in Fukuoka, but I think they do a lot of pop-ups in big department stores, like in Takashimaya in Yokohama. They also have workshops. I hope I can visit them one day in person.

Niki: How did you find the company? Jessie: I follow a knit artist in Japan named Chihiro. And then at this one exhibition in Japan, she introduced this yarn in her works. I really like their work. Some of her creations use kimono yarn for many different things.

Niki: Very cool! And then you were able to connect with the company through Instagram?

Jessie: Yeah. I was like, "Oh, I'm in Taiwan, but I really like your yarns. Can you send them to Taiwan?" And they did. 

Niki: Oh, so cool! I work at an art gallery, and we have old Japanese woodblock prints from the 19th century, with geisha, courtesans, and their kimonos. It really incorporates different fabric-making techniques, like dyeing. We've learned a bit about how they used to do it.

Jessie: Yeah, this is the tradition I want to keep. I like antiques and old things, so these kimono yarns attract me. So delicate and unique.

Niki: The ceramic collaboration is very cute, and the color is beautiful, too. 

Jessie: It's light green. I really like green right now.

Niki: Did the fabric's color fade due to the sun, or is it naturally this color?

Jessie: It's naturally this color, but the more you use it, the lighter it will become. It's the nature of the fiber; it fades over time.

Niki: Were you planning to collaborate with the artist before you had the idea of making it?

Jessie: I had the idea, but I wasn’t sure if she’d be interested since she usually makes larger items like vases and kitchenware. This project is small and requires a lot of patience. But when I talked to her, she thought it would be a good mix, and we decided to do it. It took maybe about 3 months. We talked and then we made this.

Niki: Do you think you’ll continue exploring different materials and collaborations? Jessie: Yes, I’m always looking to try new things. This year, I plan to approach art galleries for pop-ups and explore different approaches since the craft market in Taiwan is getting a bit crowded with weekly events, whereas it used to be only once a month. People might be getting a bit too used to it. So, I’m trying different angles with my online shop and workshops.

Jessie: This is also a new project using ribbon. I want to use it as a smell diffuser for your home, so that you can also put it in a small flower vase for decoration. I really like that it’s shiny.

Niki: Where did you get these ribbons? Jessie: I bought them online from a company in Taiwan. They were originally used in flower shops for tying up bouquets.

I did a lot but didn’t feel very happy or satisfied. So now, I’m focusing on crochet art because it really heals me

Jessie: and this one was a part of an exhibition that I had in Taichung. I usually make functional items like phone bags, clothes, hats, and hairbands, but I wanted to create something different. So that’s why I wanted to do this crocheting artwork like this, kind of like flowers, where you can easily feel the texture of it.

Jessie: and this is my winter collection. I call this one a mountain hat because I really like the shape of the triangle. And this one is the elf hat.

Niki: Aww, so cute! When you crochet, do you usually watch anything?

Jessie: I sometimes listen to podcasts and sometimes watch movies. I’m a big fan of Harry Potter. When I crocheted the elf hat, I was always re-watching it. 

Niki: Do you find inspiration in nature too?

Jessie: Yes, nature and watching dramas inspire me. For example, the color coordination in Korean or Japanese dramas. I get inspiration mostly from life or movies. Sometimes I just start crocheting with no specific plan for color, and the result ends up reflecting my heart flow and even the music I was listening to.

Niki: Do you find crocheting relaxing? Jessie: Yes, it’s very relaxing and calming. I want my work to make people feel a sense of calm and healing. Even if they feel different things, it’s all okay. Because I have workshops here, I also hope this space can be not just selling my work, but have many different interactions. Right now the workshop is about using kimono yarn to make wrist straps. They can pick and mix the colors, and I'll teach them how to crochet.

Sometimes I just start crocheting with no specific plan for color, and the result ends up reflecting my heart flow and even the music I was listening to.

Jessie: I also make pet accessories. This weekend, I’m attending a pet market in Taipei. I’ve taken pictures of my cat and my friend’s cat with the hats. I also have a dog model.

Niki: People can match hats with their pets too. That’s adorable. Jessie: Yes, creating for pets and seeing them enjoy it is fun.

Niki: Besides Mandarin, which languages do you speak?

Jessie: I also speak Japanese and English.

Niki: How long have you been learning Japanese? Jessie: I had been interested in manga since high school and wanted to read the newest versions, so I started reading them in Japanese. I would buy the e-books online to check the latest releases. I taught myself by watching many YouTube videos, and I listened to them all the time, like when cleaning or doing chores.

Niki: That’s impressive! What was your path in learning English?

Jessie: We had classes during elementary school where we learned the basics, like the ABCs. Then in Los Angeles, I attended English classes at a community college. The thing was just to communicate and not be afraid of making mistakes.

Niki: How did that feel?

Jessie: I wanted to communicate well with my colleagues, who were a mix of Japanese and Native English speakers. After graduating in Taiwan, I wanted to improve myself because I was an introvert and uncomfortable sharing my opinions. But in the U.S., you have to learn to be more direct when expressing yourself.

Jessie: And I also keep some inspiring books here. When I get bored or feel lost, I check these.

Niki: What does it feel like to be lost?  Jessie: It's when my energy for work isn’t consistent. It's not like a regular 9 to 5. Some days, I can work non-stop for 10 to 12 hours, but other days, I feel down and lost. Since December, I’ve been trying new things for my brand’s third year, like extending my product series. I did a lot but didn’t feel very happy or satisfied. So now, I’m focusing on crochet art because it really heals me.

Niki: You’ve done a lot by yourself. It’s impressive.

Jessie: Thank you! At first, I didn't think I could run my own business because I lacked marketing and social media skills. I just loved crocheting but didn’t know how to handle the other aspects. Now, I model and take pictures myself. It’s all about practice, and each time, it gets a little better.

Niki: Do you enjoy the creative freedom in your work?

Jessie: Yes, it’s fulfilling to create and manage my own business. Even though it’s challenging, seeing my work appreciated is rewarding.

Niki: That’s great. Thank you for sharing your story, Jessie. Jessie: Thank you!

Jessie's Social Media:

Instragram: @ziliaoshi

Website: https://ziliaoshi-atelier.com/

[enterprisewired]

A Little Extra’s Quirky Shark Tank Experience

Source – SHI CLOTHING

Everyone loves a little quirkiness and fun in their lives, but have you ever heard of quirky jewelry? Maybe you have. How about quirky and vibrant jewelry that connects with your emotions and personality? Now that’s a little new. 

That’s what ‘A Little Extra’ is. A women-led quirky and handmade jewelry brand that makes accessories based on mood, personality, elements, and occasions. Their jewelry adds ‘a little extra’ to your personality with their unique and fun earrings like fire, cool, chili, and many more having quotes or memes. They also have hand and hair accessories that are elegant as well as bold and vibrant.

Overview of the Brand & How It Started

Founder – Diksha Singhi

Founded In – 2020

Headquarters – Delhi

Current Instagram followers – 240K

Website – https://alittleextra.co.in/

Diksha Singhi, the founder of A Little Extra was born and raised in Guwahati, Assam then moved to Delhi in 2013 for higher studies. She has always been a fun-loving, chill person who loves adding something extra to her life. Being a plus-size woman, who struggled to find clothes for herself, she tried to complete her looks with earrings and accessories. That’s how her love for jewelry grew.

When the pandemic hit and she went back to her hometown, contemplating what to do next, starting a jewelry business came to her mind, and ‘A Little Extra’ started in August 2020 with an initial investment of INR 5,000. 

The brand started by selling terracotta earrings in 2020 on Instagram and now has reached over 240k followers with a good online presence and a few offline presence as well. While giving an interview to The Better India, she said, 

“Most of the jewelry made at ‘A Little Extra’ has a ‘distinctive element’ to it. If you buy conventional jewelry, they’re either stone-based or they have a certain design or aesthetic. We wanted to make jewelry specific for an occasion, emotion, or lifestyle. 

For example, if it’s Navratri, what better than to wear our ‘Durga earrings’ that are colorful, bright, and have the chunkiest elements of shell, mirror, beads, etc? If you want to watch a football match in a stadium, cheering for your favorite team, why just wear those regular earrings? Why not wear earrings shaped and designed like a football?”

90% of A Little Extra’s jewelry is handmade and is available at an affordable price. With the hope of making her brand’s presence stronger online and offline and expanding the business, she went to Shark Tank in 2024.

A Little Extra’s Shark Tank Pitch

Before appearing on Shark Tank, they had a viral presence on Instagram with over 100k followers. The founder, Diksha Singhi asked for INR 48 Lakhs for 6% equity. Here’s how the whole pitch went.

The pitch started with Diksha telling about her story and how her brand got established in 2020. She shared her life details, how she was always extra, and what led to starting this unique jewelry line. She said in her pitch, “My extra size, my extra personality is my X factor. With my X Factor, I started A Little Extra!” 

Following were the questions sharks asked her.

Namita Thapar asked her about what extra her jewelry brings to the table and why someone would choose her brand over other competitors.

Diksha said that through her jewelry people aren’t just choosing something quirky but a piece that connects with their emotions. Like the ‘cool’ earring she was wearing because she was feeling cool and confident. Similarly, there are many pieces of jewelry, like Durga earrings for Navratri, fire, fruits shaped, quoted ones like dog mom, mom to be, and so on. 

Aman Gupta asked about her career background and how she got into this business. He also asked her about the pricing model, how she sells and what is the user journey.

She answered that she is the main person behind the brand despite her husband being a Chartered Accountant. She further explained her journey and then talked about her brand. She said that all her jewelry is budget-friendly. They have sold 80,000 products at an average price of Rs. 450 and their customer repeat rate is around 17-18%.

Vineeta Singh asked her how many unique designs they have that no other brand is doing.

Diksha said that around 75% of their designs are unique and handcrafted and showed them all the quoted and unique jewelry that the Sharks loved.

Anupam Mittal asked her about their unit economics and other business details.

She shared all the revenue and numbers of her business and her future plans for ‘A Little Extra’. She told the sharks that by far, she has a limited presence on Instagram, her website, and a few stores and wants to expand it on big platforms like Amazon, Mynta, and more offline stores. 

The sharks were really impressed with the products and her pitch. Aman Gupta even joked with her, quoting,  “I don’t like your products (pause), I love your products.” Following were the offers sharks made.

Deeksha Singhi went with Anupam and Vineeta’s revised offer of 60 lakhs for 7.5% equity at the valuation of Rs. 8 crores.

Diksha Singhi’s Future Plans for the Brand

After acquiring the deal with Anupam and Vineeta, she plans to scale the brand at a threshold of 100 crores in revenue and slightly increase the price while making sure they are still affordable to their customers. Further, she wants to expand the product range, strengthen the online presence, have a bigger team, and explore offline retail options. 

[vipcabinetss]

New Arrivals at Bassike

The design of the new robes combined a number of design symbolism. The series of seven equal vertical tucks represented equality under the law, while the widening of the tucks toward the hem evoked Australia’s expansive judicial jurisdiction.

This Mother's Day 96five is partnering with Brisbane Domestic Violence Service to provide robes for mums living in transitional housing. You can support this cause by purchasing a robe online here. To know more about Robes Brisbane, visit the VIP Cabinets website or call 0736204888.

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of a bathrobe is terry cloth. This type of cotton is known for being thick and soft, plus it's super absorbent. It can be woven into a range of styles from classic dressing gowns to hooded towel robes, so there's sure to be a style that suits your needs.

The Sash & Rose Towel Dressing Gown is a great option for those who prefer a lightweight and breezy summer robe. Made with a textured waffle viscose fabric, it's perfect for those relaxed weekend mornings and after-work wind down sessions. Pair it with matching slippers for a curated bathroom look.

If you're looking for a more luxurious and indulgent option, try the Williams Sonoma Chambers Hydrocotton Robe. This Turkish cotton robe is soft, lightweight and super absorbent. It's also available in unisex sizing, so it's ideal for both men and women. It even features sizable front patch pockets, which is a must-have for Broadsheet contributor Hailey Rizzo, who says that oversized pockets are essential to her perfect robe.

A silk robe brings five-star hotel elegance to your own home. Often lined, they’re soft and comfortable, making them easy to slip on after a shower or bath. They also offer a smooth texture that helps prevent the formation of wrinkles. And with breathable fibres, they help you maintain a cool and refreshing feel even in hot weather.

The luxe touch of a silk robe can elevate your self-care rituals, and you don’t have to break the bank for one. Blissy silk robes are made from high-quality mulberry silk and offer a double-lining that caresses the skin, rather than being see-through like other thinner satin styles.

Blissy robes also have adjustable sleeves, so you can find the perfect fit and style. The range includes a few options for petite women, including this gorgeous kimono-style dressing gown, loved by celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow and Emily Ratajkowski. With a length that claims to reach the ankle (unlike so many petite robes), it fits beautifully on small frames and won’t ride up with wear.

A linen robe is the perfect way to relax after a shower in summer or layered over your pyjamas in cooler months. Linen is naturally lightweight and breathable, so it feels luxuriously soft against the skin and gets softer with each wash. The kimono-style design makes it flattering for any body type and one size fits most.

Aussie entrepreneur Claire L Brealey (CLB of CLB skincare and clothing brand) couldn’t keep her sell-out linen bathrobes in stock when she launched the brand in 2018. The Maxi Linen Robe is a must-have to add to your wardrobe.

Made from the finest Belgian and French flax and stonewashed for irresistible softness, this robe feels luxe against the skin. The shawl collar and neat cuffs can be pushed up or rolled down for coverage, and the big patch pockets make it easy to take care of your belongings while relaxing at home. Machine wash with cold water and a little detergent, tumble dry on hot or medium, and remove from the dryer while still slightly damp so wrinkles don’t set in.

Founded by a mother-daughter duo, Bassike produces everyday staples made from natural fibres that feel just as good off the hanger as they do on the body. They use recycled fibres where possible and a transparent supply chain to ensure ethical manufacturing. Their loungewear line up includes linen pyjama sets and robes in block colours.

Brisbane-based dk active makes high-performance workout clothing but they also stock a range of laidback pieces for your day-to-day. Their loungewear includes linen and ribbed cotton staples in neutral shades that suit most styles. They have a size range that runs from XXS-5XL and are committed to paying their garment makers a fair wage. To know more about Robes Brisbane, visit the VIP Cabinets website or call 0736204888.

For those who prefer to slip into something a little more feminine, try Gingerlilly's mint pyjama set or their robe with fur-lined shawl. Their robes are made from sustainable bamboo fabric and are available in several sizes. This slow label is all about creating long-lasting, comfortable sleepwear and loungewear from breathable natural fibres like Lenzing tencel (made from sustainably sourced eucalyptus), GOTS certified organic cotton and merino wool blend.

[teenmomcentral]

From talking about their co-stars to talking about spin-offs that could have been, it’s been another busy week for the stars/former stars of the ‘Teen Mom’ franchise! In an effort to bring you up-to-date on the latest Teen Mom OG and Teen Mom 2 news, The Ashley brings you the Teen Mom News Pile.

Here are some of the major (and minor but interesting) ‘Teen Mom’-related things that happened over the last week or so…

Briana DeJesus Says She Wants Kail Lowry Back on ‘Teen Mom’ & Reveals Her Feelings About Ashley Jones & Leah Messer

Briana made some surprising (and not-so-surprising) statements during an Instagram Q&A on Monday after asking Teen Mom: The Next Chapter fans what they’re hoping to see during the next season of the show. (It was revealed during the Season 1B Reunion that the show has been renewed for Season 2.) 

Briana addressed her feelings about two of her co-star nemeses– Kail Lowry and Ashley Jones— both of whom she has feuded with verbally and physically on the show in the past.

When a fan wrote that they wanted to see more of Briana and Ashley “working on working things out,” Briana responded with a firm, “Um…no.”

(As fans will remember, Briana and Ashley had a spit-filled sparring match during Teen Mom Family Reunion Season 2. It ended with Bri swinging from a kitchen chandelier, Ashley spitting on Briana and both of them–and their moms— getting the boot from the show.)

While Briana clearly has no desire to reconcile with Ashley, her response when someone suggested Bri’s other ‘Teen Mom’ nemesis, Kail, should join the show was surprising.

“I like this idea,” Briana said.

Although Kail and Briana have been battling for years over things including their shared ex Javi Marroquin, Reunion fights, clownsuits and lawsuits, the girls have not mentioned their feud for a long time publicly, so it’s possible they’ve buried the hatchet and/or decided to finally act like adults and just ignore each other.

When the topic of Leah Messer came up, Briana made it clear that she is still friends with her. (It was suggested by the @TeenMomFanz Instagram account that Bri and Leah were not close anymore, due to Leah’s name being left off of a list with the other girls’ names and Briana commenting that she wanted to go on a girls’ trip with those girls and their kids.)

In a comment, Briana clarified that she did not intentionally mean to leave Leah out. She also revealed why she doesn’t want to be friends with Ashley.

“Just chill! I love Leah! Didn’t realize she wasn’t named,” Briana wrote in the comment section of the post. “That’s my bitch! And no I don’t wanna be cool with someone who spit on me. Stop tryna make something its not…”

Leah Messer Gets a Real Job at a Real Estate Firm 

Well, slap my face with bacon and pretty me up with Mary Kay because I’m ding-dang shocked y’all: Leah Messer is officially employed somewhere other than MTV. 

According to The Sun, the ‘Teen Mom: The Next Chapter’ star has been hired by Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Central in Cross Lanes, West Virginia, and is now working as a real estate agent.

(Leah’s agent bio does not yet appear on the Better Homes and Gardens Central website.)

As The Ashley told you last month, the mom of three revealed on social media that she had passed both of the exams–- state and national–- required to sell real estate in her home state. (This was after a 2022 episode of ‘Teen Mom 2’ showed her attempting to take one of her required exams and being unable to, due to a “system flaw.”)   

Leah marked the milestone on Instagram last month by posting a photo from one of her many (many) professional photoshoots, along with a caption listing her achievements to include completing the Real Estate Salesperson Exam. 

Leah had 90 days from the time she passed her exams to file for her real estate agent license; things were official as of September 25 when her license was issued.

[feuqueerfire]

Midnight Motel Live Blogging

GMMTV really crammed some of my most anticipated 2022 shows to run at this time (Never Let Me Go, Midnight Motel, The Warp Effect), as well as My School President which I was keeping my eyes on. Think I’ll have to watch these the week they end or I’ll never catch up.

Playlist

Ep 1: Welcome to the Business (Jan 9 11)

1-1

ooh cool start

okay actually fuck idkkk maybe i’ll start this later? bc i’m in the middle of the Trials of Apollo series and also Never Let Me Go (ep 5 tmrw), which is 2 different stories already. maybe i’ll watch this on Wednesday and finish before next Tuesday so that i’m not weaving this and NLMG and trials of apollo.

aw the fact that Mote’s always out of luck and “missed the admission quota out of a top uni even though he passed the exam” sucks so fucking bad

oh Mond’s the pimp?

oh fuck Mond’s character is so scary D: I know people said so but rip

pls Mote standing and thinking of the shit possibilities of what could happen if he barges into Mond and Jan’s characters’ rooms 

Oh yeah I forgot that Mote and Kat are love interests right

Aw Kat T.T 

Kat’s so fun and funny

Sun’s making Kat pay her debts to him 

oh, interesting in a good way about Kat mentioning working so hard

1-2

oh it’s Kat’s mom’s debt that she’s paying off 

Sun kys

Mote researching the websites where customers and sellers buy-sell sex work and identifying the pain points to make their app is wholesome

pls Kat’s funny with tryna sell her services to Mote (+ his friend) and also they’re cute

pls Doy being like whyyyy tf did you bring this app to my doorstep again after we met the police and mafia last time

the dynamic between Doy and Kat not really believing Mote vs Mote being a sweet talker and knowing how to appeal to people

ooh a design for the app first this is just like my uni class

girl not pay by crypto 

does Sun have photos?!?! 

oh videos?!?!? is Kat and the client aware that these exist?!?!?!?! gross gross gross die die die

1-3

oof Mote and Kat are so cute. him being like “hmph, your pics on the app are catfishing for sure” and then when she elbows him, he exaggeratedly falls back ah >.<

yes Kat, come to Canada and we can kiss

Linguistics: Mote and Kat use gu-meung with each other. I think Kat and Sun also used gu-meung earlier, which surprised me a bit bc I expected Kat to use Khun w Sun or something but ig the rude pronouns make sense also

Kat saying she wouldn’t do this job if she could choose. the way they’ve been talking about sex work and prostitution is interesting in a casual way where’s a job that’s hard work and like Mote, she’s doing it bc of debt and wouldn’t do it otherwise. it’s not glamorized but the existence of it or sex workers aren’t made to be evil even though the situation sucks here

hope that Mote or Doy know what to do if things go wrong whether it be the guys are dicks like when Sun had to step in or if they refuse to give money or something

oh i see we’re getting to see them handle things like the short hair and wig, and now police are coming in. also i’ve just remembered that someone maybe dies

1-4

I don’t quite get the Big Boong thing. I know Mote pretended that Big Boong’s someone else, some big shot to make the police nervous and let it but who? why’d the cops leave?

wtf was that Kat being shot in the head scene? umm I’m hoping it’s just one of Mote’s fears and not something that comes to pass

I hope they all earn the money and pay off their debts ah

Ep 2: The Investor (Jan 12)

Ep 6 came out and I saw one person write that it’s a satisfying ending, so I’m glad

2-1

ooh they’re talking about how it’d be good if they could just legalize sex work but the police are gonna lose so much money from the bribes to leave prostitution alone that they won’t let it be legal

Mote and Kat are cute, aw

oof Mote and Kat are so non-flirtily flirty ma gudness

agh Kat’s mom was dead I thought but nope, she’s just letting her daughter pay back her loans and also coming for more money

oh noooo Kat’s flashback to how her mom disappeared from their home and so the guys who were looking for her came for Kat instead T.T

oh, this was the very first time Kat saw her mom since that incident? 

hmm Sun telling Kat’s mom to never see her again. I’d assume that Sun’s romantically interested in her in any other show but he treats her like crap, so maybe he just doesn’t want them to plan and run away or smth? 

wait Pom from Gifted, what are you doing here heh. Victor’s name is Pat here 

is Pat gonna be the man she kills? 

damn he really put a collar on her oh I hate this bc he seems so earnest and this could’ve been cute if Kat didn’t fucking hate it and Sun didn’t force here T.T 

2-2

damn, not us getting the backstory on why Pat wants to have power during sex because he has no power in his personal life

oh Pat’s a billionaire, possible investor? also, that unicorn ad thing kinda maybe reminds me of whatever investing ad Mote saw in ep 1 that made him make the other app or something

oh yeah, the camera in the room that Sun has so that he can fucking watch Kat and her clients agh but now catching Kat doing work that he hasn’t assigned her

ahhh that camera was hidden by Kat? it’s for blackmailing Pat?

i love the classical music choices and also Mote thinking of possibilities and them actually showing it as if it’s happening, like Kat getting shot in the head

2-3

“I just wanna tell your you’re definitely worth more than you think?” ah so cute

Mote really is just too good with words, Kat’s right that these sorts of people just aren’t trustworthy bc they know the right things to say “How am I going to trust you, you shard-tongued jerk of a CEO?”

oh Tawi/Jay looks really different when talking with Pat’s wife than when he’s tryna get money out of Mote. Are they different people?

who’s the person that Pat’s wife talked about? Is it Mote?

okay the guy who’s terrorizing Mote isn’t actually Tawi

ah this guy is so annoying either Mote gives him money to keep the business a secret and then can’t pay back his debt in time and gets the hotel taken away OR Mote doesn’t give him money and so he tells the police about the illegal prostitution

2-4

Sun is so fucking scary, threatening June with killing her son if she doesn’t tell him what she and Kat are doing aghhh

omg so stressful. on the one hand Sun’s tryna get Doy to get him into the app by pretending he’s a client, Kat’s with Pat who’s waiting for the pitch + she saw Sun in the lobby, and Mote’s fucking phone somehow fell under the bed

ahh cliffhanger ending rip

Ep 3: Ain’t Them Bodies Cents (Jan 12)

anyway, I know Pat dies for sure because someone on a discord sent a screenshot. that’s as expected bc i’ve barely seen him in gifs or anything

3-1

oof Doy fucked up and gave Sun the invitation and whole time Mote’s like yep I trust Doy to take care of it rip

pls the chaos of Doy talking to Sun and Mote presenting to Pat while Doy and Mote are also communicating via bluetooth

pls Mond is so scary as Sun. girl “I’m the owner of their breath” kalsdj okay

Mote is much smarter than Sean is all I can say lmfao he can lie p well, even though Sun has a suspicion that Mote’s lying

3-2

is Pat drunk or what? Why is he all woozy and falling? Did he take his medication too late or something? Did his wife drug his meds because there was a point made about him taking his med case before leaving

lmfao is Mote and Kat’s kiss gonna be interrupted by Pat dying

oh kinda. i thought we’d hear a gun shot sound but what happened? did he fall and hit his head and die since Pat was so off-balance?

so did Pat succeed in giving the money or no

lol the Kat butchering the body scene

3-3

pls the way Doy had to say he’s not sitting in the back w the corpse

is Sun at Kat’s home? oh fuck he’s throwing a fit

wait omg I kinda knew that Sun knew Kat when he was a child bc I’ve seen a caption bout smth like that with a clip of Sun sitting on that bench but I didn’t know she was close friends with him :0 that sucks so bad

ah shit so Sun wasn’t the one who brought her into sex work but someone else did and he was there and he seemed young

oh Sun’s terrible idk how he transformed into this hardened pimp quickly but then he said he’d pay off Kat’s debt if she transfers to his club

3-4

ofc Pat’s car has a GPS oof and ofc Pat’s wife’s cheating on him with Jay but we could guess that from last ep

not Sun waiting in room 211 with his suitcase of weapons 

so Pat did start the transaction of 20 million?

ooh Kat’s tryna get away to diff city but also she stole Pat’s phone. wonder if there’s tracking on that too 

Ep 4: Disappear Body (Jan 13)

4-1

Joy’s tryna get Kat to fess up or something bc of her threatened child, right?

k the current things at play is that Kat wants to access Pat’s crypto and leave for Canada, Joy wants to trick Kat possibly, Sun has come to find Kat and is threatening Mote, Jay is tracking Pat’s car and has been lead to the motel, also the debt collector mans that’s been bothering Mote wants his money as well for protection of Takkrub

oh Jay’s seeing Sun being weird with Mote in the hallway on the CCTV lmfao he can just walk in there all willy nilly. is the room Mote and Sun are in also viewable with cctv

lol I wonder if Jay will view Sun as the thread instead of Mote now and have his suspicion on him as a possible reason for Pat going missing? who knows. also i wanna know if Jay knows that Pat’s dead or not? has he searched the inside of the car? seems like no

4-2

bruv, Mote really got Sun, Jay, and the debt collector guy all in the same room wanting something from him gbye and gl “shit, this is like a fan meeting. Wait no they’re all after me.”

plsss the three of them all being like eyeee should be the one talking to Mote first, yall get out

pls the way Sun smiled and gestured and moved away as soon as the knife appeared

oh Jay killed the debt collector mans lmfao Mote’s gulping and now Jay has a gun

oh debt collected mans was called Big Off

lmfao Mote being like “he’s not my friend” and Jay being like “oh? he didn’t come to save you?”

pls it’s killing me the way Jay has to explain like “this is not an empty thread na krub. If you don’t tell the truth, I’ll kill both of you. Na?”

plssssss the arguments between Sun and Mote are so funny and Jay telling them to shut up each time like now Mote realizing Sun has a camera in Kat’s usual room

wait if the footage is there, why didn’t they show Pat falling and hitting his head agh

oh damn okay so the body wasn’t in the car even though that was the original plan. did Kat do something with it?

4-3

fuckk i’m so mad I had so many thoughts for parts 3 and 4 but it refreshed and all of it got deleted kms

I thought it was fun when in part 4 Mote started acting clever and threatening again after seeming to be bumbling and foolish in the first 3 parts. 

I liked the chips and card game fantasy scene. The crew in MDL seems fairly inexperienced but they’re doing well so far

Ep 5: Blast From The Past (Jan 14)

5-1

Sun how’d you turn out like this agh

byeee they dismembered Big Off

 neo appearance !

Police officer Jay sued an elite man who attacked a bus driver but the elite man got him fired?

sdlkfhj the neolouis sex noises

oof, Kat’s found out that Sun’s getting money from Kat’s mom, which is money that Kat earned from Sun

oh my fucking god, I need to kill Sun. I hope Kat kills Sun

Sun remembering Kat saving him from those guys and so finally kinda snapping out of (sexually, physically) assaulting her

5-2

this young kids Kat and Sun backstory is making me so fucking sad because they used to be friends

noooo the promise :< “when we grow up, we won’t become the kind of adults we hate”

Sun realizing he’s become the kind of adult he hated

pls Doy and texting is just aldskfj as soon as Jay gets the orders to kill/deal with the trio, he texts Mote’s phone (which Jay has currently and also doesn’t it have a password) that he can’t find it (the body) anywhere in the hotel lmfao. prev it was the thing with Sun coming while they were tryna show Pat the pitch

Kat’s a whole lot, she really is confessing? playing with Mote? in that bathroom and kissing him instead of admitting she ran away for a brief period and also stole the phone hoping for the crypto money

I wonder if Mote believes her after seeing her pretend with Pat bc I don’t think I believe her actions in that bathroom

5-3 and 5-4

Sun really tryna just make a deal with everyone huh? giving the bullet to Jay and saying to kill only Mote (also the ice cooler thing Jay’s getting the ice from is freaking me out bc at first I don’t think I registered that they hid him in the ice cooler but now that I know... hm is he in there). Telling Mote that he wants to invest in Takkrub

What did the uncle and aunt wanna tell Mote before Jay came in? Were they the ones who his the body? Like if it isn’t any of the captured trio, Doy was a possibility but then he didn’t show up for like 2 eps in the middle so I started thinking he’s less of a possibility? Or is he more of one because why did he also disappear for a bit? And it could also be uncle and aunt who someone calmly and quietly discovered and hit the body

pls I love the fantasy situations Mote goes through so much, like the convo with dead ghost Pat

naurrr flashing back to young Kat and Sun saying they’d protect each other as adult Kat tells Sun to get out of her life

oh Pat’s in the ice cooler the way they made it seem. so the one that they hit the body in had the :) sticker and then that got carted out and had more ice put in it and put out front and the new ice cooler that’s in the place of the old ice cooler doesn’t have that sticker

So would his uncle and aunt do that? The mover also deleted the CCTV footage, would they be able to do that? Doy was the one who deleted the previous CCTV footage, so would it be him? Why?

also Mote and Sun and stuff getting ice from the cooler while underneath was Pat’s body reminds me of To Sir, With Love where the maids were all having fun collecting that mushroom, whole time there’s Don’s dead body underneath

Ep 6: All Or Nothing (Jan 14)

6-1

So I guess it really was his aunt and uncle who moved the body

they let Sun walk out of the room?

6-2

did Sun take one pill and poison the fish? or what?

or is Sun stealing the meds pill box from Kat?

Sun you backstabbing bitch, him being like “we have our bullets for that” and whole time he doesn’t even have the bullet. he has me on edge fr bc I can’t tell if he’s just double-crossing Mote and Kat or double double-crossing Jay

lol the meds box is filled with stone, flashbacks to Squid Game Ep 6

oh so Sun did give Jay a defect bullet? but Jay told June to bring another gun my dudes

everyone’s got stuff under their sleeve, like Kat with Pat’s phone and Mote with the Takkrub upload of the evidence

also i don’t think their evidence is actually enough for much (like lol they themselves could’ve filled the box with poisoned pills afterwards to frame June) but I’m ignoring that

6-3

I don’t get the [A gift from Big Off] and “say hello to my little friend

oh Jay fr shot the uncle on the shoulder 

bruv, I was thinking of Jay falling off the roof maybe but I didn’t think they’d do it like that lmfao

the villains really do wait to shoot until the uncle’s there or until Sun’s covering Kat huh lmfao

oh Sun is so psychologically fucked. he really is like if I die then Kat dies with me

oh the friendship bracelets were from the promise of not becoming like the adults they hated

okayyy Kat didn’t know that Sun was the same kid as before. At first I thought she did but then it was like hm but yeah she’s asked him “Are you Arthit?”

please Mond’s doing so good as Sun. the way he’s like sorry for breaking my promise and handing back the bracelet and telling her live and be better for him as he lays there dying. It goes with his character arc that he dies here because he’s too irredeemable to continue with the gang or to continue inflicting pain with his pimping but because of his backstory and helping the gang thus far, he’s also not someone who we see as an one-note evil man anymore. too evil to not die but the audience doesn’t wanna see him go down in a horrifying grotesque way either

6-4

plssss Kat using Pat’s corpse for the face ID of his crypto wallet (the reason she came back p much)

girl shut up who is Yudo, we have Tony for Doy. actually Doy can be polyam, I’d like that. or a cheater, I’ll forgive that in preperation for Moonlight Chicken

Very pretty wrapped bow for the ending.

The last ep was good but not great, I don’t think they were super clever with their action or wrap-up, although it was still pretty fun. Also no like great twist in the final ep, which is fine but nothing about the final ep really makes it stand out. 

The acting was great, the script was comprehensible and well-paced, the production is good, featured sex work without villainizing the workers or the work itself. I loved Mote’s little fantasies of possible scenarios or of imagining an interaction in a different way (the card game with June, convo with dead Pat). I’m impressed by the creative team behind it. 

I won’t think about this much after today I don’t think but I liked this little show.

Rating: 6.5/10

Mock Trailer

The actual show ended up being pretty much the same as that mock trailer, guess they’ve had the script done for a while. It was snappy but gave away a lot, so I’m glad I hadn’t watched most of it before watching the show (or if I had, it must’ve been like 10 months ago and I completely forgot it because only the first like 15 seconds seemed familiar and I knew the concept before going in).

Official Trailer

Once again, reveals a lot but is slightly better created than the OG, which is expected.

[kerloncollector]

Lemonade stand games for girls

“Because of our standards, we have never had a major event in Reno that has had an outbreak of a food-borne illness,” he said. Sakura Clicker offers game-play in which the girls (enemies) come in waves. Only about one in every 10 inspections of those temporary vendors results in a citation, Ulibarri said. The game revolves around the lemonade stand of the child, where choices made. Ulibarri said health officials are looking out for the general health and sanitation of the public, so even temporary vendors must have permits at events open to large crowds. Health inspectors attend large public events such as the Reno-Tahoe Open to ensure vendors have paid all necessary fees and that they’re operating within the health code. My Perfect Lemonade Stand is one of the favorite cooking games. The family could not be reached for comment, the newspaper reported. Annies Enchanted Lemonade Stand is a great game in which youll have to help your friend to sell some lemonade. “We applaud the girls and their cooperation and encourage this kind of entrepreneurship,” he said. Ulibarri said the family was understanding and is working with the department to obtain permits for future events, which will cost $38. Other food and drink vendors near the lemonade stand had paid event fees to set up shop inside, Ulibarri said.Īfter receiving complaints from the other vendors, the Health Department cited the girls and their parents and shut down the lemonade stand. The Washoe County Health District doesn’t normally regulate children’s lemonade stands, but this one was operating inside the Montreux Golf and Country Club where the golf tournament was taking place, Health Department spokesman Phil Ulibarri said Friday. 3 for selling food without a permit at the event, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported ( ). "I also like to make people happy by giving them lemonade because I like it so much.Washoe County health officials say they’re working on a permit solution for two girls whose lemonade stand was shut down at the Reno-Tahoe Open this month.Įmma Farrell, 12, and Alex Farrell, 14, were cited Aug. "I like to sell lemonade because I like to help people in need and kids with cancer," Anna said. She also says the foundation created a positive experience for Anna by allowing her to socialize with others and do something to help kids like her. Please buy a cup of ‘virtual’ lemonade to help pay-it-forward for those who do not have access to nutritious and. From April of 2020 to July of 2021 I have raised 80,000 But I have no plans to stop when there is so much need. "To come from that to a place where she doesn't really remember the bad things, … to where she sees hospitals and cancer as maybe a positive experience, to me is just amazing." In 2020 I created a virtual lemonade stand to raise money for people facing food insecurity due to COVID-19. "She had some scary moments in the hospital where they would bring in the rapid response team and where they thought her life was in danger," Ruth said. Holly Hobbie and two of her friends are going to be the main characters in this new challenge, and you will see that at first, you will have to make sure that you can start building. Our Lemonade Stand is bright and vibrant, made of 100 cotton canvas, which snugly fits on a steel frame. Instead, she focuses on the games she played with the people in the hospital, and of course, the lemonade. You will see that here on our website, there’s a new online Holly Hobbies game for girls that you can play with all of your friends, and you can see how the cute girl and two of her friends have prepared for you a little Lemonade stand which you will have to run together and start to try and earn some money. The deluxe Lemonade Stand Play Set is brought to you by Role Play, manufacturer of premium handmade pure cotton tents. When Anna looks back on her battle, she doesn't think so much about the pain and the sickness. Our unblocked cool Math Games are fun, free. Anna Ciamarra, 8, wears a bracelet that will be sold at a lemonade stand to raise money for Alex's Lemonade Stand, a charity that raises money for cancer research. Play Math Games for Grades K,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 at.

[punkpoemprose]

Deaf Metal- Jewelry for Hearing Aids & Cochlear Implants

I just saw the coolest thing! There’s a company called Deaf Metal that makes jewelry specifically designed to accessorize hearing aids and cochlear implants! They’re made of hypoallergenic silver and use a cool little silicone sling to attach the jewelry to your existing device.   

They create designs for people of all ages, gender presentations, and personal styles. For the hearing aid designs, they have designs that go behind the ear as well as ones that slide onto the pipe going into the ear. They’re designed to be fashionable but not decrease function!

They advertise them as a way to both help you accessorize and to help you keep your hearing aids as findable as possible in the event that you misplace one, or in the case that your hearing aid slips off. Their safety chain options are available in both adults and children’s designs. 

They’re designed by a Finnish HOH designer named Jenni Ahtiainen who has previously done accessory work for people like Snoop Dog & Bono. She believes that hearing aids & cochlear implants should be like glasses, you should be able to style them to your liking. All the products range in cost from $15-50 and if you only wear a hearing aid in one ear, many designs offer the option of purchasing an earring for your other ear so you can match! You can see her other design work at @gtiejenni and @gtieneckwear.

Deaf Metal sells & ships worldwide (USA, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, Norway, Finland, and France, to name a few) from their online store and their amazon shop. They also have some brick and mortar retailers that carry their designs in Norway and Finland. 

You can find their website in this post’s sources.

[writingblackpink]

Fire Burning (On the Dance Floor)

genre: angsty

word count: 1.9k

pairing: lisa x reader

request: a Lisa one shot where the reader is Blackpink's choreographer and a well-known dancer in the kpop industry. Lisa and reader have to work (close) together on a choreo for the show. there has always been some kind of unspoken tension which this times breaks out in an argument.

A/N: hmmm...I got this request a really long time ago and the actual piece has been sitting in my drafts for MONTHS. I just wasn't sure if I really liked it, but I think it's time to finally release it to the world. There will be a part 2 but pls don't come for me if it doesn't come soon!

–

“Lisa is getting on my last fucking nerve,” you breathed into the phone, exasperated.

You didn’t know who else to call and vent to, so you called your mother, someone you were sure wouldn’t try to sell your insight to the nearest celebrity gossip website. You could see the headlines already, “Blackpink’s Lisa Difficult to Work With???”, “Blackpink’s Lisa a Diva???”. You had worked in the industry long enough to know the story would be skewed into something that was very far from the truth, so you didn’t take your chances venting to just anyone and everyone. You’d learned that lesson the hard way long ago.

You were asked to choreograph for YG’s girl group, Blackpink, for their upcoming show and you jumped on the opportunity as fast as possible. You had quite the portfolio, choreographing for almost every girl group and female soloist in kpop at that moment, but you saw the opportunity to grow into a global market by choreographing for the biggest kpop girl group in the world and you couldn’t say no.

You couldn’t say no, but that didn’t mean it was easy work. You’ve been working with the girls on group dances for almost a week now, and it was going well, except for the fact Lisa won’t let you do your job. It’s always “what if we do this instead?” or, “I think that move looks too awkward for us,” or, “I think it would be better if we didn’t do that.” Which is fine! You’ve learned to work with many different groups and you always wanted to make sure their input was incorporated into the final product. Collaboration and creativity were the beacons of why you do what you do. They’re artists too after all, but it was getting excessive, the dances didn’t even look like what you originally choreographed. You were starting to wonder why YG even hired you when they had Lisa. You’ve had a lot of time to watch her this week, and you knew she was talented, she could do this herself. You admired the way she moved, smooth like the softest of waterfalls, and you envied her just slightly knowing that although you were good at what you did, you would never be THAT good.

While you acknowledged the talent, you were still annoyed. It was starting to feel like this was all a waste of time to you and you knew the other members could sense the tension between the two of you in the way Lisa only looked to them for validation when she spoke about changing the choreo and how you tried ignoring her as time went on. You could tell that they sensed it in the way they awkwardly agreed with one or the other, almost like they were trying to please both of their divorced parents.

“I’m just so tired of this. I mean, doesn’t she know who I am?” You knew you sounded too arrogant for your own good, but you also knew you were one of Korea’s best dancers and choreographers. You didn’t get that label from doing shitty work. After a few more minutes, your mom talked you off the ledge, telling you that you were being stubborn and to calm down and not get too cocky, and you knew she was right. Nothing good would come of this internalized superiority complex you had going on. Besides, you started your solo work with Lisa tomorrow, and you needed to be calm, cool, and collected in order to not blow up on her during practice.

–

You were fiddling with the stereo system when she walked in, not turning to acknowledge her presence, too focused on getting the technology to work.

“Hey,” She said casually, dropping her bag at the back without making eye contact, and you responded in the same way. Great, this was going to be a long day.

You showed her the choreography for the song first, which she looked apprehensive about but didn’t voice it. You helped her get the moves just right, helping position her body in a way that would look best on stage. Neither of you said much, but the air was hot and stiff the closer you got to her, your fingers tingling at every point they touched her skin. Your touch lingered just a little bit too long each time, wanting to savor the way this felt. There was some weird string tied between the two of you, straining, taut, threatening to snap at any moment. You didn’t think much of it, focusing on getting this practice over with. She picked the dance up quickly, almost getting the whole routine down in one go before speaking up.

“You know, I’m thinking this whole section could be better…” and you zoned out at that. It was definitely going to be a long day.

-

A few hours and basically a whole new dance later, you found yourself slouched against the front mirror during a break. Lisa had gone outside for a break, and you were left alone with your thoughts. Your thoughts about how your blood was boiling in this situation. What started off as gentle touches evolved into slightly more forceful directions of how Lisa should be moving, desperate to just get her to do what you wanted her to do without questioning it for one minute. She wasn’t ever aggressive or inherently mean, and you think that’s what put you more on edge. Innocent Lisa could do no wrong.

You were alone with your thoughts about how hot it was when Lisa took the lead, telling you what she wanted to do instead. Your brain was at odds with itself, clearly, and you didn’t know where it all was coming from. If her goal was to get under your skin this week, she sure did her job. You would definitely snap if you didn’t say something.

You were staring at the grain of the wood floors trying to clear your mind of this confusion when you heard the door click and knew Lisa was making her way back. You didn’t lift your head to meet her eyes when she did so, not yet ready to be pulled back out to reality.

“Are you okay?” you heard her ask from across the room, innocent, warm, different from the way she made you feel. You were confused, mostly with yourself. How could you be feeling mad, angry, sad, and….aroused? All at the same time? You could feel the string between the two of you begin to fray where it was pulled so tight, splintering.

“Lisa, why am I here?” you kept your gaze focused on the floor, and you were surprised that your own voice came out so exhausted, hurt.

“Oh, um...I–” she mumbled out as she took a few steps closer to you before you cut her off, sounding angrier than before.

“Because whatever is happening here is starting to feel like a waste of my time.” When you looked back up at her, you noticed that she was still slowly making her way to you. You stood up to meet her just as she stopped just in front of you, silent.

“I don’t mind the collaboration, but this isn’t my choreography anymore. You’re clearly more than capable of doing this yourself.” It was more stern than you expected to get out, trying to make it clear that it was pointless for you to even be here.

It seemed like your plan backfired as Lisa leaned in even closer, too close knowing you were the only people in the room, and teasingly whispered against your lips. “Maybe you should just be better at your job.”

It wasn’t what she said that had the string snapping so fast it almost gave you whiplash, it was the unapologetic smirk she punctuated her words with. It was as if she was trying to get a rise out of you; like she’s been trying to get you to react all week; like she’s been testing your limits to see how far she could take–this–before you broke.

You pushed yourself forward from the mirror reaching for Lisa’s wrists, but the force at which you did so combined with your clumsiness sent you tumbling straight forward into her. It took a few moments for you to realize the position you were in. Your hands were wrapped around her wrists where they were pinned next to her head on the floor.

You noticed the way your bodies pressed together, and your nose pressed against her shoulder, taking in her scent. Then you remembered the situation and immediately pulled back, surveying Lisa’s face, wordless, silent. You couldn’t read her face, eyes lidded and looking at you with something you couldn’t quite place, lips still in a lopsided grin and one eyebrow raised in intrigue.

"You're being unusually bold right now, Y/N."

You searched for the words to say, something to retort with, but nothing came and you found yourself dumbfounded and embarrassed by this turn of events until–

“Why don’t you just kiss me already? I see the way you look at me during practice. I feel the way your touch lingers just a little too long. So why don’t you just–” and you cut her off by pressing your lips to hers in a hurried kiss, more so to stop the flow of humiliation than anything, although you weren’t sure this was better.

You were about to pull away when you felt Lisa’s lips finally move against yours, deepening. She was actually kissing you back, but you didn’t have the brainpower to actually understand what was happening. Teeth and tongues clashing in a way that made you want more and more. The tension was finally breaking beautifully after all these days.

Your teeth pulled Lisa’s bottom lip, dragging it towards you before letting it slap back against her teeth. This caused you to pull away just enough to suck in a breath of air, oxygen making its way to your struggling brain cells.

Realization sinks in quickly. You had all but tackled Lisa to the ground (unintentionally, but still), and here you were taking advantage of the way you had her pinned between your body and the ground. Your fuzzy brain couldn’t even comprehend the fact that you were kissing Lisa and she was actually kissing you back. Your eyes widen as you notice her expression soften like she didn’t really expect you to make a move at all, and honestly, neither did you.

Your mind buzzes. YG is definitely firing you for this. This is exactly the ammunition Lisa needs to get rid of you once and for all, just like you thought she wanted. You scramble to get up, turning to face away from Lisa who propped herself up on her elbows to get a better look as you pace back and forth across the room, one hand running through your hair while your other hand gently tapping your lips where Lisa’s had just been.

Eventually, you stop pacing and stand in the middle of the room, staring at your own reflection in the mirror in front of you.

“Um, I...I think we’re done here for today, don’t you?” You choke out without making eye contact, heading to grab your things in the corner of the room.

“Y/N, wait a minute-” You hear Lisa say softly from where she’s still sitting on the floor in the middle of the room, propped up on her elbows, looking at you curiously. If you had dared to spare her a glance, you would’ve seen the confusion and genuine concern behind her eyes.

“I’ll...see you tomorrow, Lisa.” You say as you leave the room, not turning around when Lisa yelps out another “Wait–” behind you.

[rosejigglypuff76]

Cookie Run Kingdom Kimura AU - Cookie Shippings

Another post revolving around my Cookie Run Kingdom Kimura AU, I decided to use the Cookie Run Comic Studio Website to make this list of Cookie Shippings that will be shown within this AU of mine in one way or another! 🎀 There are certain stuff I had to cut out for the sake of making sentences have one row of words each, but don't worry because I'll put the full version in the description 💞 I'll also be explaining why each of these Cookie Shippings came to be and how they will get involved in the aforementioned AU 🌟 If you want to make your own Cookie Run Comics, then feel free to go here: https://cookierun.comic.studio/ And feel free to also check out the CRK Kimura AU itself on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/story/317689094-herb-kimura-modern-day-prince-of-nature-crk-au With all that added, here are all the Cookie Shippings that will have an appearance in my CRK Kimura AU (so far) 💖 - - - - - - - Herb Kimura x Dark Choco Watanabe Playful Legendary Magician & Polite Ancient Prince Both Herb and Dark Choco has to make sure that their high-ranked status as a Legendary Cookie and Ancient Cookie respectively protected and away from those that have potential at causing harm to both them and possibly all of Earthbread. They first see each other as nothing more than great friends, but as time goes on the two of them realized they are more than that, and not because they're both high-status cookies, but also because they simply enjoy one another's company and personality. Herb is pure and naive to the idea, while Dark Choco is flustered and shy about the same thing, both of them are still willing to go fourth with it. After all, it's not just because of status, but also the fact they gotten to know one another very well as more than just friends! ~~~ Sparkling Isui x Vampire Endomoto Closeted Bisexual Guy & Gay Bean with Sister Issues Once the rest of his friends head out and back to their own things for the night, Sparkling would make time to help Vampire with stuff relating to his time with his little sister Alchemist. Vampire himself explains that he has been used for Alchemist's experiments, even though he knows it's straight-up a one-sided family relationship, but he only chose to do it just to make his little sister happy. In the end he's only 85% cookie and 15% fruit-based monster, needing to drink grape juice in order to survive, not knowing anyway to reverse the effects. Sparkling is one of the few cookies that Vampire is willing to open up to with his sister issues, heading to the juice bar just to let out his sorrow, and also having a shoulder to cry on. ~~~ Cream Puff Amai x Mango Estrada Student Council Buddies Mango is the Student Council President while Cream Puff is the Student Council's Parliamentarian, and both cookies are always hardworking and smart academically. They've known one another the most out of all the other Student Council members, with Cream Puff looking up to Mango as a supportive cookie and pal, and vice versa can be said true with Mango being supportive and cool with Cream Puff. The two of them are two grades apart however, with Mango being a Senior-Year Student and Cream Puff being a Sophomore-Year Student. But that doesn't stop them from getting close to one another as a wholesome lovable duo of study buddies with a different type of foreign buff. ~~~ Cherry Blossom Futaba x Princess Beri Cooking Club Leader & Hollyberry Kingdom Princess Their first interactions with one another started when Cherry Blossom and her siblings were having a small vacation in the Hollyberry Kingdom. She also wanted to sell some of her yummy baked goods during their stay there, and ended up bumping into Princess herself, an adventurous cookie at best. While it was brief at first, Cherry Blossom soon got an anonymous call few hours later, telling her that a great friend wants to meet up nearby the gardens of the kingdom. Accepting this offer, and ended up meeting up with Princess again, quickly hitting towards a great and interesting friendship. When Cherry Blossom had to return to the city few days later, she and Princess exchange little online notes and calls in any day they can meet again. ~~~ Dark Cacao Watanabe x Pure Vanilla Uchiha Calm Bisexual Ancient Ruler & Cheerful Gay Ancient Ruler Two Ancient Status Cookies that admired one another's personality and uniqueness, despite having opposing personality traits for the most part. Dark Cacao and Pure Vanilla think of one another with such love and thought, causing them to have a crush on each other. Unfortunately the two are pretty oblivious to the fact they both have a crush on each other without knowing themselves, much to most cookies dismay since they all want the two to just admit already. Especially Dark Choco who knows how obvious his father, Dark Cacao, thinks of Pure Vanilla. Either way, the two still enjoy being together, but they need to find out how to confess somehow in the future. ~~~ Sea Fairy Kimura x Moonlight Nightlight Calm Mother & Protective Night Person A pair of Legendary Status Cookies, both of which are dating one another in a healthy and calm relationship. Moonlight is always happy to be with Sea Fairy, and even sees Herb as her own child as well! While she can be a bit more serious towards other cookies, especially ordinary ones out of trying to help protect everyone in Earthbread, Sea Fairy is there to help her anytime. They also got plans to propose to one another, although with a lot of meetings on Moonlight's part, it may take a while because of all the busy things. ~~~ Knight Majora x Adventurer Ocarina x Red Velvet Mochi High-Ranked and Loyal Knight Trio These three brave and curious cookies are very close to one another as some of Hollyberry's high-ranked knights. Knight and Adventurer are always there to help Red Velvet recover from his relationship with Pastry, a one-sided one that he was forced to be in until she was exposed. Red Velvet himself helps both Knight and Adventurer as well with their own problems and situations, all three of them gaining such love and trust. Learning from one another to be brave and supportive, similar to someone that all three of them wholesomely admire within the areas of the Pure Vanilla Kingdom. ~~~ Strawberry Crepe Alfonso x Alchemist Endomoto Academically Smart but Chaotic Expulsions Strawberry Crepe and Alchemist may look like your ordinary smart cookies, but they're pretty much a chaotic little duo that will do anything deemed academically smart in order to be admired all over Earthbread. Although, the two of them have more sadistic ways in getting what they feel like is theirs, but are still happy to do this as the menacing couple they are. Because of their "creative ways", they were both expelled by the school they once studied in, but it didn't stop them from joining the Cookies of Darkness. Ultimately, Strawberry Crepe and Alchemist are a pair of runaways that live with the rest of the Cookies of Darkness, basically being a smart couple.

[deardragonbook]

A World Building Article from my Website - Hot Water in The Union

Piping has existed since long before The Union, a human invention like most practical things. However, hot water is a bit more nuance. It’s been around since Peter’s reign, centuries ago. It appeared in the form of a potion.

People say it was one of the first ever alchemy recipes, and they’re half right. See, it was one of the first written alchemy recipes and one of the few that continues to be used to this day. It was discovered at the very beginning of the so-called alchemy revolution in which there was an influx of scholars interested in these studies and many new recipes arose from it.

The potion is called Califeru, though many refer to it merely as the heating potion. They are most commonly made by brewing jasmine tea over an entire week before adding live philodendron selloum, leaving it for another week and then it is left in the sun for another week.

If this sounds like a lot of work for a hot bath? Well, it is, but fortunately from the moment of invention, there was a business opportunity. Alchemists would get apprentices used to measuring ingredients and controlling temperature by having them make large batches of the stuff. They would then bottle them up and sell them at the markets.

The average potion size was enough for a week’s baths for one person. It was just another thing to add to the grocery list each week.

There hadn’t been much innovation as the potions work pretty perfectly. There have been other methods tested, such as metal water tanks kept on the roof in the sunlight or baths built over candles, but both were far more fiddly and less reliable.

One innovation thought, reserved for large buildings with many rooms, happened in piping. A genius idea to have not one water tank but two. One for the water and another holding the potion. It took some time to get the quantities right but once that was sorted you could open a tap and have hot water directly at your fingertips.

This also allowed for the appearance of showers.

Something fun to know is that when Henry was rebuilding the cottage after Itazu burnt it down by accident, he considered putting in the two tanks despite its high cost in exchange for the convenience of showers. But Itazu insisted she could heat up an entire water tank without help.

So Henry had a normal metal water tank installed which Itazu would place her palms on and heat up with her magic. The first few times Henry found he had to pour a bath and wait for the water to cool down, but eventually Itazu figured out the ideal temperature. Henry still has a small basket of heating potions though, in case Itazu forgets or is not home for a while. 

You can learn more about my fantasy world and read other articles like this as well as several short stories, character profiles and more on my website deardragon.eu