#very cool experience everyone should do this

[foldingfittedsheets]

Joining the mattress querying - what recommendations, if any, do you have for pregnancy and mattresses? We’re planning to have another child, and the weight gain (70lbs, I don’t do pregnancy with grace) from our first kid absolutely trashed my side of the bed (which admittedly is from 2014 so it was eight years old at the time and is now ten). I want a new (larger - definitely time to go to a king with two kids, ye gods they kick) mattress prior to undergoing The Most Uncomfortable Year Ever again, but I don’t have any idea where to start. I’ll be hot, my joints will hurt, but I’ll be really heavy and not very mobile. And I don’t want the weight gain to wear in my side of the bed in ways that don’t work for not-pregnant me again. Thank you so much for looking at this, and I completely understand if you don’t have the energy to answer (or any thoughts on the matter).

I'll preface with I've never been pregnant, so keep that in mind. In my experience memory foam beds have greater resiliency under weight strain though. The downside is that some memory foam can run hot and most of it does impede your movement somewhat.

There's hybrid mattresses all memory foam top over springs that might work, they still have some bounce from coils to move, with more bounce back than traditional beds and can have cooling elements.

But first, waterproof protector. You're gonna sweat and they should just be on all the time but, fun fact, sweat is one the biggest factors in foam breaking down so you can get a cooling protector and also keep the bed safer while also cooling you down. I personally really like protect a bed, this is their cooling one. I like to get two so I can put one right back on when I wash it. Protectors should get washed about every other time you wash your sheets or every two weeks whichever is sooner.

There's cooling all foam beds, Tempurpedic's doesn't mess around but the feel of their beds isn't for everyone, and again it can make it harder to move around. I loved the hybrid Sealy mattress I had for a while too, and I'm generally very in favor of hybrid/foam beds but that feel might not be for you. Going and laying on a bed should always be the first step because everyone's comfort can vary so much.

The biggest and last thing is if you get a traditional bed quilted foam on top of coils and experience a pregnancy divot, 70lbs isn't actually a huge difference to the mattress permanently. It was probably more a matter of not wearing the foam down around you evenly, or sweating more and breaking it down if you didn't have a waterproof protector. Having a partner get up and walk on the foam around your sleep divot should help immensely to keep you out of a rut.

[babysfirstpentagram]

A Few Witchy Ways to Witch Up Your Wedding. 

A Few Witchy Ways to Witch Up Your Wedding. 

Are you a witch? Are you getting married? Do you want to honor your practice in your wedding with or without pissing off your extremely religious in-laws? Then please stay tuned!

There are many ways to incorporate your beliefs and practice into your wedding, and many ways to alter the ritual to either appease or hide it from those who may not agree with your practice. There are many cultural practices you can follow (just make sure you are researching closed practices and stick only to the ones you can follow), and many ways to include your gods and goddesses to your wedding with little to no speculation. Unless, you want people to know, then I will make sure to write about those as well. 

Number One: A Handfastening. 

What is a hand fastening? A hand fastening is when you intertwine three pieces of rope into a braid across your hand and your partner's hand. It is typically found in traditional Celtic Pagan weddings, however many religions are now adopting this practice to add it to their own weddings. It doesn't have to just be a Pagan wedding, as I have seen Christians do it and use God/Jesus as the center rope and themselves as the other two ropes. You may choose to use a deity you worship to be the center rope, you can simply dedicate the center rope as your life or your love for one another wrapping around the two of you. The possibilities are endless and it is an easy and very down-low practice to do. To add a little more magic to it, braid your own cords and add protection charms with your fiance. It not only makes the cord more meaningful, but it is a bonding experience and you get to put all the love and happiness you feel for each other into making it. 

Number Two: Crystals. 

Crystals are cool, they look like shiny rocks, and most people wouldn't look twice if there are a few crystals on the tables or in your flowers. I will be giving everyone in my bridal party selenite (to protect and cleanse) and rose quartz (to bring in love). This is a cute idea and you can even do a ritual before you go out to calm your nerves with quartz and amethyst. 

Number Three: Veils

Veils were used in ancient times to confuse spirits and to protect the bride from spirits that wanted to take her. This is a very easy way to add a layer of magic to the wedding, as you can enchant the veil to repel negativity and harm. Also, veils are so widely used these days that people would be considered crazy if they questioned why you were wearing a veil. 

Number Four: Set up a Wedding Altar

A wedding altar can be as simple as the table you set up for the guest to sign the guest book. Add pictures of you and your fiance, pictures of married couples in your family that have passed, crystals, candles, the works. People will simply think you have a very nicely decorated table for the guests. You can also add small tokens of your deities to the table to tie it into the over all theme or to just add a pop of color. I am having a slightly Tangled themed wedding so I will be adding little suns to the table for Apollo!

Number Five: Spell Satchels

You can make a small spell satchel to wear under your dress for protections and love. Rose petals, rose quartz, rosemary, bay leaves with intentions writen on them, and pink salt would be good to add. You can tie it to your garter (if wearing one/wearing a dress) or put it in your suit pocket. They are small enough to not even be noticed by others. 

Number Six: Exchanging of Swords

The exchanging of swords was very big in Norse Weddings. To sum it up, the Groom and Bride exchange swords to vow to protect each other until and past death. Another wedding tradition is to gift the Bride with a kitten to promote protection and to help catch mice and rats. I, personally, don't think this practice should ever go away. 

Number Seven: Go barefoot.

Connect to the Earth as you walk down the aisle. Feel the ground and let it center and ground you to the moment. 

These are just a few ways you can connect your practice to your wedding. If this blows up enough, I may make a part two! I will also be starting reguluar updates about my own wedding and how I am witching it up! Stay tuned and drink water!

[dedtoot]

Going for a walk and listening to manhunt ost

[everybody-hit-the-pyro-cue]

specialized education and gifted children programs are so fucked up I see the purpose but the execution and expectations are genuinely horrific I've yet to meet a single one of us that's doing okay besides from those who just reached their breaking point and chose to stop caring

[flovverworks]

my little boy,,,,,,,,,

[magnoliamyrrh]

okay enough of the rants im logging off last thing ill say is that identity politics is largely a disease 👍 its point with the extremism its been taken to in part due to cia postmodernism being to wreck class conciousness though the wokeificstion of fragmentory policies and identity👍 bipartisan politics also serve to divide the country (all countries) incresingly so that people cant come together👍 having the worlds most stupid useless fragmentory identity politics discussions doesnt help it keeps us from coming together and focusing on real shit 👍wars pit the resources and labour of the working class against each other for the benefit of the rich 👍"im iranian youre american, you and i have more in common with each other than our governments with us, and our governments are more similar etc etc."👍 if racism stopped and if sexism stopped and if classism between the working classes (which, everyone has forgotten what the term "working class" means, its not abt economic bracket, low, middle, and higher class can all b working class yes including the doctor whose making a lot of money bc it is the exhange of labour for wages) stopped the working class could stand united not divided aginst the system 👍differences in race, class, and sex have Always been used to pit the working classes against each other, and to give people a sense of "well at least were better than Those people" (opressed middle class disdain for lower class, opressed mens disdain for women (at least they have power over someone!), opressed peoples disdain for other opressed peoples)

i may bitch and complain about kinds of people on here bc its a way for me to get my frustrations out, but ultimately i do think it is vitally important to have hope and to try to bring unity between people. ultimately i think it is unity which is the only way this planet, species, and every other species on this planet may see a better futute. ultimately, more than anything, i think despite everything we, for everyones sake, have to understand the deep interconnected nature of everything, have to truly understand that one cannot be free without all, and have to try to build bridges.... it is very easy both as both members of the opressive and opressed class (and yes most ppl occupy both in some way) to fall into disdain, fear, and wants of separatism. ive done it plenty myself and at times i still do. trying to "be better" is absolutely exhausting. but. i do truly believe that we have to try. i do not believe hatred is forever. not classism not racism not sexism not abelism not anything. it is not a curse people are doomed to from birth. people can change, we all can. we at least have to try

[icewindandboringhorror]

waow.. found a Beautiful Orb at the store today (giant ferrero rocher). I don't even want to crack into it and eat it.. I just want to hold it.. rotate it in my palm thoughtfully like I am an evil wizard who has just been delivered a Very Plot Significant magical gem and is scheming how to use it 

[evilminji]

You know how... world leaders can't just? SAY stuff? Because when they DO it's the Offical Stance(tm) of their Country?

That makes their Fuck Ups(tm) all the more serious. It's WHY they have press teams.

But!!!

WHAT IF?

They said something, PUBLICLY, on LIVE TELEVISION, that? Can not be taken back? Full on "masks off, behold the horrors you have payed for" moment?

Sure, they could SAY "that wasn't me" and "I was brainwashed" etc etc. But? If it's BIG enough? UGLY enough? TRUE??? People WILL find it. Dig and dig and dig like termites in the walls. Hunt like bloodhounds.

Riot in the streets.

Because? All it would TAKE? Is ONE half ghost, a few too many long nights trying to balance college classes and his internship, a bigotry filled call from back home, and staring down that empty fridge with just one box of moldering take out, because he's been too busy and stressed to remember to get GROCERIES AND-

Ah.

So this is what "so stressed you feel calm, I have run out of Fucks too give" feels like. Neat. *picks up phone* Hey, Sam? You still at that protest? Outside the presidential speech? Neat. Don't move.

One Phone Line Express later. SAM is telling him to breathe. Maybe... maybe calm down. Think about this. Others around her can see the same "spark of madness" glint in his almost zen like smile.

It Fiiiiine, Sam.

He's just here to Talk.

He disappears. Sam's freaking out. President stumbles but catches himself on the way to the mike. Up in the watch tower, various Magic users choke on their lunches, because a ghost just possessed the United States President.

ON LIVE TELEVISION.

He taps the Mike, smile, leans in real close like he's gonna Tell You Folks A Secret.... Aaaaand~

"The second you Die, you no longer have human rights. Doesn't matter how brief. Heart stops? You're sub-human scum! Non-sentient by American law. We here in the United Stares PROUDLY desecrate the bodies and graves of the dead. Tear apart the immortal souls of the innocent. And condemn you to oblivion crying, begging, and screaming for mercy! Why, obviously, is an act. Because souls don't have the RIGHT to feel fear or pain!

And YES. We do mean EVERYONE'S. Atlantian, Kryptonian, Martian. Canadian, Mexican, Russian, AND Chinese! I could keep going! Once you die? You belong to the United States to experiment on as we see fit! You're PROPERT now! So turn your nonrights having, nonsentient self in to the nearest GIW! For the good of AMERICA. Ectoplasmic Scum!"

*drops mic*

Jaws are on the floor. This was VETERANS DAY. Dead military Heros and smile for the cameras. A cake walk. Do a patriotism, rah rah. There.... there are DIPLOMATS in the crowd. Sure as SHIT, were more then a few foreign nationals WATCHING. Religious leaders looking on in fury, grief, and horror.

Reporters. Oh sweet Jesus the reporters.

The press secretary faints.

PANDEMONIUM. The president, still dazed and confused from being possessed, gets PUNCHED on live television be his VP, a deeply religious if moderately shady man. Take bribes? VP is cool with that. Bootstraps, peasants, and all that. But how DARE you fuck with the Souls of the dead. How DARE you!

Phones are blowing up, questions are being shouted, the JLA Dark FEEL like they should tell somebody about the ghost kid... but also this feels VERY "Call for help-y" so they might throw their weight around instead and pretend they know nothing. World leader are meaningfully staring at their Dear Beloved Dead Grandmother's photos as they send LIVID assistants to hound the American into answering the DAMN PHONE-!

And Danny?

Danny feels calmer now. He has stolen like....700 bucks from secret security's various wallets. He's going to buy himself BOUGIE groceries. Some...some NICE take out. Maybe a little cake. Yeah~ Cake for Danny~

If anyone needs him? No you don't. He needs to go do some shopping, eat, lie on the floor of his shower and just... vibe for a bit under the spray. In the dark maybe. Sleep for a week. Have his food. Yummy little treats.

Or he's gonna fuckin LOSE IT, man.

(Tucker is actively hacking his college schedule as they speak. He KNEW it. Called it! Too many classes! But does Mr "I can handle it" listen? Noooooooo! Now look what happened! Holy SHIT, Danny!)

@hypewinter @hdgnj @ailithnight @nerdpoe @the-witchhunter

[infizero]

all i did today was go to school and be very tired (and not do work) then go home play like an hour of visual novel game (dont ask) get rlly sleepy (cause its boring as fuck) and try to take a nap (i just laid there for an hour and then my stepdad yelled APPLE PIE and i shot up instantly) and then play a fuck ton of splatoon

[gallusrostromegalus]

Herschel Has Discovered Tool Use. Again.

In january of 2021, deep in the throes of pandemic psychosis, we acquired a Corgi Puppy.

I would like to go on the record that we did not get a Corgi because they're cute. We got a Corgi because they're criminally brilliant and enthusiastic working dogs that were bred to bully cattle, which is the exact temperment a dog living in a house with three ADHD adults should have. Herschel does commit a lot of crime, but he also does his appinted service-dog job of "make everyone wake up, eat meals and go to bed at a reasonable and consistent time" extremely well, as well as his bonus jobs of "Keep the squirrels the hell out of the garden" and "Yell every time the cat does something". I didn't actually ask him to do that last job but it has helped in the "teach the cat to stay the hell off the stove" area.

But even with having a whole pack of humans another dog, and a cat to manage, this pales in comparison to his genetic capacity to manage several hundred sheep or cattle across the fields of Wales, and thus, Herschel has decided on further intellectual pursuits to occupy himself, namely, speedrunning the early phases of human tool use and terraforming.

I realized he has the brains of an entire hunter-gatherer tribe shortly after he got fixed, and within 24 hours and still dpey from anesthesia, he'd figured out that his plastic cone could be used to monopolize the water bowl and his favorite chew toys, and within a week, had learned how to carry three toys at once while leaving his mouth open by tucking the toys behind his enormous ears and under his chin. He also figured out that he could wiggle the cone to rest against his shoulders, and started using it as a shovel by literally running the bottom edge into the ground. But that wasn't making holes effeicently enough, apparently, and I ended up watching him figure out how to rotate the cone around so the two pieces of overlapping plastic were under his chin, then use his chin and the stairs to the deck to pinch both ends into a much more efficient V-Shape that let him gouge huge strips of dirt up in seconds. The anthropologists and animal behaviorists in the audience may recognize this as Tool Creation, a behavior normally only seen in higher primates, crows, and some parrots. Once a hole of suitable length, depth and temperature had been achieved, he very carefully rolled the cone around so the digging side was over his head and the smooth side under his chin, and splooted into his hole to cool his little tummy and stitches off. It was at that point that I realized that I was going to have to teach him how to garden, or he was going to teach himself.

He no longer has the cone (He was beginning to experiment with it as a battering ram), but his morning ritual is now "Wake everyone up at 8AM by screaming, locate everyone in house and jam my nose up theirs to make sure they're alive, go outside and scream at the squirrels. Now that Yard is Secure, go get Fun Parent who has hopefully taken their meds by now, and supervise them while they rifle through the plants (this is apparently KEY to their mental health), eating any pest animals Fun Parent points out, chase squirrel AGAIN, go inside and get Breakfast cookie." and BY GOD if we deviate from it there will be much screaming and destruction. If I am not home, it has been reported that he walks round the garden beds and sniffs the plants in the order I usually check them in before he will agree to come in. He doesn't quite know what the deal with the melons is, just that they need to be checked.

But we're out of the labor-intensive parts of gardening and now into Harvesting Season, and this is a bit boring except when I give him snap peas right off the vine, and he has decided to work on the complex physics problem that is Doorknobs.

And last week, he had a breakthrough.

Sometime in 2020, my mom sort-of taught her horrible crime herding dog Arwen how to open the back door so she could let herself out as she pleased during the day and stop interrupting Mom's Zoom calls. Arwen is a Kelpie, which means she's about 60lbs with full-length legs and horrible monkey paws that are one joint away from being hands, so when Arwen wants to open the back door, she sits up, leans on the door for purchase/to push it, and uses her terrible crime hands to *push* on the knob until it turns. She can pull the knob open by pawing and catching it on her toes, but she's 11-13 years old now and has mild arthritis, so she prefers to catch it on her central pad instead. She taught Charlie, the other equally brilliant but less criminally inclined dog, to do this but he doesn't like to go outside alone, so he rarely does this.

Herschel, ever the observant student, immediately tried copying them, but even though he is actually tall enough to reach the knob, his toes are just too stubby to get a decent grip on the knob, pushing or pulling, and the first few times, gave up and sat down to scream until one of the fullsize dogs or humans came to open the door for him.

Last week, we were up at my parent's again, and I watched him hunt around the living room until he found his slightly-sticky orange rubber ball (It's clean, it's just a kind of rubber that's always a bit tacky), carry it across the house, stand up on his hind legs at the back door, put the rubber ball on top of the gap between the knob and the wall, and then push down on the ball, which caught the doorknob and turned it for him, thus opening the door. He let himself out, had a merry time yelling at the squirrels, came back in, stopped a few feet inside the door, went back out, grabbed his ball, and brought it back into his kennel, a place he can leave toys if he doesn't want the other dogs playing with them.

This means he somehow worked out how doorknobs work, how fucking levers work, and that his orange rubber ball specifically was the one that would work (none of his other toys are the correct size/texture), that he'd need that ball specifically to open the door again, and yesterday he did the same trick with the bedroom door, so he knows that the rubber ball/skeleton key can be used on all doorknobs, not just that one.

I wonder if I can teach him to sweep.

___

If you want to fund Herschel's research into Tool Use and/or get me therapy for the ensuing chaos, please feel free to donate to my Ko-Fi, or get further Dog Content by subscribing to my Patreon.

[tossawary]

I think it would be fun to do a "character swaps with older version of themselves" fic with Moshang. A post-canon Mobei-Jun who has been happily married for a while (probably at least 50 years old) accidentally touches some plot device artifact and time travels, swapping places with his 20ish-year-old self. Older MBJ wakes up in head disciple Shang Qinghua's bed where his younger self had been napping.

Younger MBJ lands in his own palace, where he is quickly found and fawned over by Older SQH, who can't help but think this MBJ is so cute. The System quickly confirms for Shang Qinghua that this situation has been sorted into a "multiple timelines" thing, so SQH doesn't have to worry about "protecting the timeline" by doing anything like hiding the fact that he's MBJ's husband. (So, there's an alternate timeline younger version of Airplane Bro now? He's just going to... ignore having an existential crisis about it. Yeah.)

Which is great because Older MBJ would not have thought about this at all as a potential issue. Older MBJ also thinks Younger SQH (Younger Airplane Bro) is incredibly cute and has no problem informing him that they're married in the future. Younger Airplane Bro is trying to figure what the fuck is happening, but he's having trouble thinking over the sound of how MBJ only became hotter: MBJ didn't get much taller, but he did get wider, heavier, more muscular, and hairier. Holy shit. Older MBJ doesn't even have any problems passionately kissing Younger SQH just to prove that they're married. And he smiles! He's so gentle and communicative! Comparatively!

("Luo Binghe is the Demon Emperor in my time," Older MBJ says. "Ah? Who's Luo Binghe?" Younger Airplane Bro lies very badly. "Hmmm, so you did know," Older MBJ says, and then makes some comment about LBH's husband that makes Younger SQH go, "HIS WHAT NOW?!")

Younger MBJ is trying to be cool, not really confused or scared, and Older SQH spoils him rotten by showing off the home that they're made together and how well the palace works to serve and defend MBJ. Linguang-Jun can't show up here because SQH will light him on fire if he shows his face. Younger MBJ doesn't even really like his SQH yet and is also struggling with how good Older SQH looks: a little taller, broader, relaxed and easygoing, answering all of his questions and explaining important things to him, dressed like a beloved demon lord's spouse, efficiently ordering everyone around. "Call me Gege," Older Shang Qinghua said with a wink, and it went straight to Younger MBJ's defenseless heart; he is developing new kinks immediately. Help him.

In the end, after a few days at most, they manage to switch Older and Younger MBJ back without too much issue. Older SQH is a little annoyed that his husband kissed an alternate timeline version of himself, but mostly because he sure would have liked that experience when he was only a disciple! Okay, SQH may have pet Younger MBJ's head and pinched his cheeks and hugged him and brushed his hair a little and shamelessly lavished him with good examples of human affection, but it's not the same!!!

Younger MBJ and Younger SQH in the alternate timeline are left in SQH's tiny head disciple house, completely flustered, sitting next to each other and barely able to look at each other. What. The. Fuck. Eventually, Shang Qinghua manages to say, "Uh, do you want to make out?" at the same time that Mobei-Jun says, "We should get married as soon as possible. Tomorrow."

[princessbellecerise]

Dear Husband

──── ✧*･ﾟ*✭˚･ﾟ✧ ────

summary | It’s been a month since you’ve been wedded to Prince Aemond and he has yet to consummate your marriage. Fed up with waiting, you seek him out and prepare to seduce your own husband

warnings | arranged marriage, smut, oral sex, soft!aemond

this is an eighteen plus fic. minors please do not enter

divider by @princessbellecerise

Before you got married, you never once thought that you’d have to seduce your own husband. You were always taught that men were…lustful creatures and that your husband wouldn’t be able to resist the touch of a woman.

You were told that most men couldn’t keep their hands off of their new brides, so when a month went by and Aemond still hadn’t…performed his martial duties with you, you started to wonder if perhaps your husband was broken.

Prince Aemond hadn’t touched you since the day you were married, and it had been your hand that he had touched, not your body.

After the great feast that was held by King Viserys, instead of having a bedding ceremony like most brides, you spent the night alone and wondering if perhaps your husband hated you.

Of course, you knew it was ridiculous to think that since Aemond had never once been rude to you, or anything less than civil. He always escorted you when he needed to, bid you good morning like he should, but he never, ever did anything more.

Your relationship was odd and not at all what you imagined marriage to be like. You had expected and prepared yourself to not even leave your chambers for the first week of marriage, but all you did was spend time alone when you should’ve been with your husband.

You didn’t like that.

You didn’t like the fact that you were still a maiden and though you told yourself that you wouldn’t push, that you would give Aemond time to come to you and seek out your pleasure, you were fed up.

You just couldn’t wait anymore, so alas, there you were, standing outside of the chambers that your husband slept in away from you and dressed in your most revealing nightgown.

Originally it had been made for your wedding night, but since you had never officially consummated your marriage with Aemond it had been left untouched; just like you.

You were untouched and quite frankly you were sick of it. You wanted your husband; you wanted to lay with him like everyone said you would. You wanted to feel yourself wrapped in his love, experience the best things marriage that had to offer. You wanted him, Aemond Targaryen, first of his name. And tonight, you were going to get him.

Hesitatingly, you lifted your fingers rap on his door and you were grateful that no guards were present to witness this affair. After all, it was well known that Prince Aemond was more than capable of protecting himself. Another trait you admired about your lord husband, another thing that lead you towards loving him, lusting for him.

You just hoped that he felt the same, and that you wouldn’t make a fool of yourself. After all, you were going off of the assumption that he did want to lay with you. But what if that wasn’t the case at all?

What if Aemond simply didn’t want you? What if he stayed away on purpose?

What if—?

Your rambling thoughts were suddenly cut off by the magnificent wooden door swinging open, revealing your lord husband who, in all his glory, was only dressed in his night clothes.

If you had to guess, he wasn’t asleep seeing how quickly he answered the door but you were starting to wish that he was, so you might’ve had a chance to talk yourself out of this.

The cool breeze of the castle made the very hair on the back of your neck stand up, and suddenly you felt utterly ridiculous as you stood in front of Aemond, whose eye went wide as he saw you.

Slightly, the prince’s jaw dropped and you stuttered as you struggled to find some kind of explanation for yourself.

“M-My Prince…I…” The words died on your tongue as quickly as they came, your nerves making it impossible to speak. Your throat went dry and your body went numb, your heart feeling like it was about to beat out of your chest.

You could barely contain your breathing as the prince visibly staggered back, his throat bobbing as he quickly looked around.

“My lady, what are you doing? You should not be out at this time of night, dressed in this kind of attire,” He quickly scolded you, and before you could stutter out any more words you were suddenly yanked into his chambers.

Yelping, you were shocked as Aemond closed the door behind the two of you, trapping you in his warm room which had a fire raging.

It was the first time you had ever been inside of his chambers, and it was not what you expected. For starters it was warm, the complete opposite of his demeanor and it was surprisingly colorful. The roaring fire lit up the relatively large room and it showcased all of his trinkets which showed you glimpses of who he really was.

If you weren’t so nervous, you might’ve admired his room and pointed out some of the things that you had in common. Like the books he had stacked on his end table, but at the moment that was last thing on your mind as you stood in front of your husband.

Nervously, your hands clasped together and you picked at the skin on your fingernails as you looked at him.

“Have you gone mad?” He questioned you, “Why on earth are you roaming around, wearing…that.”

He could hardly find it in himself to look at you as you quickly wrapped your arms around yourself, feeling foolish for even thinking of this idea. You wished you had just stayed in bed and went through with your original plan—wait for him to approach you, if he did at all.

It would’ve saved you a lot of embarrassment and possibly rejection. You couldn’t tell what your husband was thinking because he wouldn’t look at you, but your anxiety told you that it was nothing good.

“My prince, I…I’m so sorry. I don’t what I was thinking, I just—”

“You just what?” Your husband questioned you sharply, and you flinched at the harsh tone of his voice. Lowering your head, you bit your lip, and silently you willed yourself not to cry.

“I…” What were you to say? Oh, I’m very sorry my husband, but I just came here to seduce you since you haven’t done it yet.

No.

You would sound beyond stupid and you didn’t feel like humiliating yourself even further. Standing in front of him with his sharp gaze on you was enough. You felt exposed, and you wanted nothing more than for the ground to swallow you whole. You hoped that if you stayed quiet Aemond would just let this whole thing go and forget it ever happened. Forget you ever even came to him, but judging from the way he was staring you down, you knew that wasn’t possible.

Instinctively, you stepped back and you felt intimidated as his tall frame hovered over you. His slender face was twisted in an unreadable emotion, his lips pursed. He finally decided to look at you and it caused shockwaves to travel through you body due to the look in his eye.

“What? Who exactly did you put this on for, wife?” Aemond asked suspiciously, and you gulped as you met his eye.

If you didn’t know any better, you’d think that your husband was jealous by the way he was speaking. His demeanor definitely showed it, with his arms crossed and his eye narrowed at you.

You shifted uncomfortably as your heart pounded.

“Well?” Aemond asked, and you knew that you had no choice but to confess, lest you brung out a side of him that you most definitely did not want to see.

“I…” Just spit it out, Y/N! Your brain screamed at you. You took a deep breath. “I wore it for you, your grace,” You finally confessed, and you knew there was no turning back as you continued. “I…I noticed that you have not…visited me like a husband should, and I was wondering if maybe it was because you were…shy. I just wanted to do something to catch your attention, husband, but I see now that it will result in nothing more than my humiliation so I will go and—”

“Wait!”

You froze with your back turned to him, preparing to haul tail and book it back to your chambers. With shameful tears in your eyes, your hand had already touched the door and you were preparing to leave until you heard his voice.

Pausing, you couldn’t believe what was happening as Aemond slowly came to stand behind you, sliding his large hand over yours to stop you from leaving.

The heat from his body could be felt with how close he was standing, and you shivered as your whole body lit up and froze.

“Not so fast, wife,” Aemond whispered in your ear, and suddenly you gasped as you were turned halfway around and then backed against the door.

Instantly, your eyes met those of your husband’s, your lips parting as curiosity and fire filled your veins.

Aemond stared down at you with a look that you couldn’t quite understand, but what you did know was that he had never looked at you like that before.

It made your heart pound to see the intensity in his gaze. His one eye was focused on you and his soft, pink lips were pursed before finally, they curved into a smirk. You could’ve sworn that you were dreaming as your husband leaned in, and something inside of you fluttered at his proximity.

“You wore this…for me?” His deep voice caused butterflies to erupt in your stomach, and you nodded, unable to speak.

Your breath was caught in your throat as Aemond smirked, and the feeling of him pressing against you intensified.

Slowly, you felt cold hands hook around your waist and tug until you were fully facing him. Your faces were closer than they had ever been before, and you were able to see your husband in full now.

You studied his face and you noticed that a new look had taken over. At first, Aemond had looked at you with apprehension; caution. He wasn’t nearly as relaxed as he was now, but dare you say it—your husband actually looked excited.

The sly smile that had grown on his face put you more at ease, and you made no move to push him away as his hands lingered.

Looking into his eyes, you bit your lip and tilted your head.

“Do you like it, my prince?” You asked him, barely above a whisper. A slight burst of energy led you to puff your chest out, coyly looking at Aemond as he observed the fabric.

It was supposed to be worn on your wedding night but because nothing had happened, the white fabric was in prestige condition and it barely covered everything it needed to. You knew the answer of your question just by the look that grew in Aemond’s eye, but for what it was worth, he answered.

“Yes. It is quite pretty, Princess,” He complimented. And then a smirk grew on his pale face. Leaning in, you shivered as Aemond’s lips came to your ear, and then he whispered words you never thought you’d hear. “But I’d prefer to see it off, if I am to be honest.”

A gasp left your lips as Aemond suddenly pulled away, and you didn’t have time to think before Prince’s lips were on yours.

He swallowed the surprised noise that left your throat, hooking his finger under your jaw to give him a better angle of your lips.

They were soft, untouched until now and Aemond felt his cock throb at the thought that the rest of your body was, too.

You on the other hand were beyond shocked, but you had to admit that his lips tasted pretty good; addicting like wine to an alcoholic man. You felt like you couldn’t get enough as you kissed him back, deeply to the point where it shocked Aemond.

He wasn’t expecting you to behave like this, and he certainly hadn’t been expecting for his wife to come and seduce him. All this time, he thought that you’d be afraid of him but it was the opposite.

You wanted more, you wanted to be more. You wanted to be his and you weren’t afraid to show it as you pressed yourself against him.

Aemond hissed as he felt your hand accidentally brush his cock, pulling away as a hungry feeling gathered in his chest. His violet eye searched yours and all he could see was longing behind them; lust.

You wanted him and he wanted you, and the fire between the two of you grew he lightly tugged on your hand. He motioned to the bed behind him, wide and empty as he obviously wasn’t expecting a visitor.

You didn’t mind though, nodding and allowing him to pull you over to it as your mind clouded up. Suddenly, the embarrassment that you felt for coming here was replaced by relief, your shame overtaken by longing.

You couldn’t believe that your plan had actually worked, still a little bit in awe as Aemond helped you onto the big bed and gently trapped you underneath him.

His tall frame hovered over you, his knees on either side of your body. His strong hands rested just beside you, hoisting himself up while you laid propped up on your elbows.

If you didn’t know any better, he almost looked…nervous. Hesitating before he did anything else and soon you figured out why.

“Is this alright, wife?” He wanted to ask first, so gently that it made your heart melt a little bit.

He genuinely looked concerned about your well-being, hesitating before he did anything else. He was the complete opposite of his idiot brother, asking for your consent before touching you.

You often heard stories of men not even caring to ask before they laid with women. Most of them just take what they want and don’t bother for permission, is what a maid had said to you before your wedding day.

You always thought that was true until Aemond uttered the words, and you were so overcome with emotion that all you could do was nod, leaning up so that your lips could capture his once more.

This time, the kiss was more sure, steady as he moved against you and placed a gentle hand on your cheek. He laid you back so that your body was now touching his pillows, silk sheets crumbling underneath you as he followed.

Your soft body became pressed against his, and due to your nightgown Aemond could practically feel everything. Every curve, every soft patch of skin, he could feel it all and it took an incredible amount of self control for Aemond to take it slow. He had to remind himself that you were untouched, and that you required care before he did anything else.

As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t just jump into it without warming you up first, so he pulled away to do just that.

A sudden whine came from your throat at the loss of contact, your arm coming out to pull him back down. You pouted, wanting to keep tasting his lips but Aemond quickly made up for it as he leaned back down and grazed his teeth over your neck.

“Not yet, wife. I have to get you warmed for me first.”

A gasp left your lips as he then kissed and licked over a spot that made you become weak in the knees. Quietly, a sound that you had never heard before left your lips and Aemond was smug as he recognized it as a moan.

You were moaning for him and he hadn’t even touched you yet, and that thought alone was enough to have him abandoning your neck and sinking lower so that he could get more out of you.

He wanted to hear that sound again, and you wanted the pleasure that made you make that sound. When Aemond sank down lower and lower you watched with wide eyes, not quite knowing what he was doing but trusting him.

You trusted your husband enough to stay quiet when he tugged on your nightgown, only nodding at him again to let him know that it was okay to pull it down.

When he did, you swore that you stopped breathing as your cunt was exposed to the warm air. Instinctively, you became shy and tried to close your legs but Aemond’s strong arms stopped you.

He held your legs open and shook his head. Gently, he ran his fingers over your hips which made you shiver. The feeling of his touch set your skin on fire, and as Aemond muttered his next words you melted even further.

“Do not hide from me, Issa jorrāelagon. You are beautiful,” He said something in his native language, and it was only because you’d heard it before did you know what it meant.

My love is what the Valerian words translated to, and Aemond had only ever uttered them once on your wedding day. You remembered having to memorize that exact same phrase, and when you recognized it your body instantly relaxed.

Instantly, any resolve that you had melted away and you became butter underneath Aemond. Your legs parted, your nerves relaxed, and you allowed him to dip his head down between your legs.

Before you even knew what was happening, your husband’s tongue darted out to taste your cunt. The action caused you to gasp and Aemond to moan, relishing in your sweet taste before diving back in.

He wanted more, so he licked another stripe and relished in the way your back arched off of the bed. A moan left your lips as he did it again, Aemond pleasing you in a way you’d never experienced before.

Even your own fingers couldn’t make you feel this good. His tongue was pure bliss, making you see stars as you whimpered underneath him.

Instinctively, your hands reached down to tangle in his hair as he teased your pearl. When his teeth lightly grazed over it, you moaned and accidentally pulled causing Aemond to groan.

The vibrations against your cunt pared with the assault on your clit nearly sent you over the edge, a pant leaving your lips as pressure built in the pit of your stomach.

You felt like you were about burst with Aemond’s mouth on you, and soon your vision went blank as the dam burst and your peak washed over you like violent waves during a storm.

You screamed out Aemond’s name as waves of pleasure washed through you, and Aemond chuckled against your cunt, making sure that he gathered every drop of your spend before lifting himself from in between your legs.

Your body was still shaking as he came to hover over you, and in a sudden heated kiss you could taste yourself on Aemond’s lips.

The action caused you to moan into your husband’s mouth, grabbing onto his shoulders as he steadied himself. One of his hands came up to cup your face while the other fumbled with his belt, loosening the material without ever breaking the kiss. You could feel him moving around and attempting to free himself from his trousers so you pulled away to help.

Hesitantly, you grabbed the waistband of the material and tugged it down whilst Aemond helped. You couldn’t lie, you were shaking and a little nervous the more they dropped, becoming intimidated by seeing him for the first time.

It certainly made your cunt throb to see his cock, your mouth watering a little as Aemond finally freed himself.

He was already erect, his cock slapping against his stomach. You made eye contact and you could see lust clouding his violet eye, the yearning that he felt.

Aemond wasn’t one to show his emotions often, if at all, but right now you felt like you could see him. You could see every emotion that he possessed, feel him as he leaned down to connect your lips once again.

You had never been this close to anyone before and you relished in it as he positioned himself over you. As his lips moved against yours, you became eager, pulling him down so that he could line himself with your entrance.

Aemond pulled away to look at your face before he pushed himself forward. He searched for any signs of resistance or hesitation, but there was none. You were eager for you husband to move forward, eager to finally feel him like you wanted.

You were so close to getting what you came here for, but first…

You hesitantly bit your lip as your hand came up, and your heart squeezed as Aemond flinched when you touched his eye.

The one that was covered, that is, and the last piece of material that was separating the two of you.

Before you went forward with this, you wanted to see him. You wanted really see your husband and all of his beauty.

Despite what people said, you’d never been afraid of what was behind the patch. You’d never been disgusted or judgmental. You just wanted to see Aemond for who he really was, as he was about to see you.

“May I…?”

Aemond took in a sharp breath as your fingers lingered over his eyepatch, seriously debating if he should let you or not. You could see the conflict in his face, the uncertainty and you weren’t going to push. If he was uncomfortable taking it off, you’d understand, but to your surprise Aemond reached up and took it off himself.

He closed his eyes as he placed the material on his nightstand, and when he opened them one violet eye and one sapphire eye stared back at you.

Aemond lowered his head as if he were ashamed, but you quickly grabbed his face and made him look at you.

Nothing expect for love adorned your face, making sure that he knew you weren’t judging or scared. You just wanted to see him, and as you ran your fingers over his scar you only whispered one word.

“Gevie,” You told him, and Aemond chuckled as your palm stroked his cheek. He didn’t shy away from your touch and allowed you to touch him like no one ever had before. Not even his own mother had felt his scar, and now here he was, laid bare before his wife just you were bare before him.

Now, there was nothing left to separate the two of you so Aemond pushed forward.

You felt the head of his cock brush your folds and you gasped, biting your lip as he started to push through your barriers.

Your cunt wrapped around him in way that Aemond had never felt before, causing your husband to groan as he sunk into you. Briefly, you held your breath as slight pain erupted but it wasn’t too bad. Aemond was gentle, and he had made sure you were warmed up so the feeling went away almost instantly.

Still, he paused before going any further and looked at your face to make sure that you were okay.

Violet and sapphire met your (E/C) eyes, and you nodded as you slowly released your breath. Wrapping your arms around Aemond’s shoulders, you buried your head in his neck and moaned as he pushed in to the hilt.

The sound of a low groan reaching your ears caused lust to travel through your body. The thought of your husband moaning for you, because of you made your cunt even wetter and there was little to no resistance for Aemond as he began to move his hips.

Sloppily, your lips found his and your legs wrapped around his back as your body welcomed him.

Aemond wrapped his own around you, making sure to hold you tight before rocking his hips. He kept a steady pace, making sure that he wasn’t too rough which you appreciated. The pace he took allowed you feel him, relishing in the way his cock dragged along your walls.

You moaned at every stab of pleasure that you felt, enjoying the taste of Aemond’s lips as well. He tasted like the sweet wine you often saw him drink, and you couldn’t get enough like you were trying to get drunk as well.

You were trying to get drunk on him and you were, eyes rolling to the back of your head as Aemond’s cock managed to reach your sweet spot. His lips pulled away from yours so his teeth could graze your neck, and you had the pleasure of hearing his own moans spill out as he sped up.

The King sized mattress creaked under the weight of him fucking you, blending in with all of the other sweet sounds you made. Mostly, the cries that fell from your lips were Aemond’s own name, something that fueled him and drew him closer to the edge.

It felt like heaven, having your cunt wrapped him and your lips screaming his name. A few hours ago Aemond would’ve never in his wildest dreams guessed that he’d be here, pleasuring his wife he was so sure wanted nothing to do with him.

After you were forced to marry him by your father, he made a promise that he’d stay away for as long as possible. He made a promise that he’d give you your space, thinking that’s what you wanted, but now, Aemond knew that promise would go out of the window.

After tonight, he would never let you go, and you had no problem with that whatsoever.

You’d stay like this with him forever if you could, but a familiar knot in your stomach held you back and you knew that you were close to your peak, again.

You could feel it in the pit of your stomach, along with Aemond’s cock as he sped up.

Lewd sounds of skin slapping against skin filled the room, and it would’ve had you embarrassed had you not been so far gone.

With your eyes screwed shut and shameless sounds of pleasure leaving your lips, you could care less about that. The only thing you felt, the only thing you wanted to feel was Aemond and you did.

You felt his cock twitch inside of you and you knew that he was close, just like you were. His pace began to lose it’s rhythm and his grip tightened, both eyes squeezing shut as Aemond finally reached his high and spilled inside of you.

Likewise, you accidentally bit down on his shoulder and scraped your fingernails against his back as you experienced your second high, your cunt clenching down on Aemond’s cock and milking him until he was spent.

A low groan left his lips as he felt you completely fall apart on his cock, enjoying the sounds you made before you finally began to calm down.

Soft pants left your lips as Aemond remained on top of you, unmoving but careful not to crush you with his weight. Somehow, he still had the strength to prop himself up and hover over you which was a miracle because you were exhausted.

Your body ached in the most delicious of ways, your cunt throbbing and leaking with Aemond’s seed.

You knew that if you didn’t take moon tea soon then his seed would take but that was the last thing you were worried about.

You were too caught up in your own bliss, too happy as you stared at Aemond to care. You thought he looked absolutely beautiful above you, looking like the Gods people always compared the Targaryens to.

In that moment, you truly believed it to be true and you wondered how you had gotten so lucky. You wondered how you were blessed with such a man for husband that he could easily be mistaken for a God.

You wondered why the Gods chose you to marry him and silently thanked them for it.

But most of all, you wondered why in the hell you didn’t approach him sooner.

[be-good-to-bugs]

ppl who hate precure must be very sad

[lilacstro]

Astro observations pt 1

Hey y'all this is my very first post :) Please take it with a grain of salt. These are just my interpretations and observations and a placement could mean million different things on how its being viewed and understood and nothing is sure on how it manifests for you in your chart.

Jupiter in 8th house can mean many things, one of them being your spouse would bring transformative experiences into your life.

2. Scorpio mercuries may have a tendency to over analyze what is being said or always wanting to read between the lines

3. I have seen Pluto in 5th house of all the people who's mothers were dominated. Though this can mean the other way around too, and could be that the mother was dominating.

4. I think other than most people saying Pluto 1st housers go a massive change in appearance, I think it could actually mean that their personality and persona goes a massive change at some point in their life, or its constantly being evolved through learning experiences

5. Venus in 1st house people, are extremely beautiful.

6. Check Asteroid fama (408) and industria(389) if any of these positively aspect your venus, you could get fame for your beauty or work within the beauty industry.

7. Most women with major scorpio/capricorn placements appear intimidating even though it might not be so...but they indeed hold themselves to high regards mostly

8. Having an earth rising in your SR can indicate having a calmer and a predictable year. Nothing chaotic or major. I had Taurus Rising in my SR and I had lost a lot of toxic/chaotic people in my life and things were stable and peaceful throughout. I was on a gap year so I did not make friends either hahaha

9. Having sun/moon in 10th house synastry or 10th house stellium could mean you both together are quite talked about or people are aware towards your feelings towards one another visibly. Sometimes it could also mean, you two's business isnt as private as you think lmao and people are aware on whats happening.

10. Having moon in 10th house in SR can indicate your emotions being extremely visible to everyone, even if you tend to hide them.

11. Libra mars people, might not come off as too masculine but rather a little more in tune with their feminine side (thats cool imo)

12. I think Moon in Gemini people often tend to say "I never said that" when they absolutely said that or "What do you mean" even when its clear what is being talked about lmao.

13. Leo women are usually very outgoing, charismatic and fun imo. Leo anywhere in the big 3 can mean that this side exists to the native though it might be overshadowed by other aspects in the chart. The types to dance at the empty dance floor and then suddenly everyone wants to dance lol

14. I was watching Nat Geo a long time ago and saw how lioness protect their children from the Lions and often go hunting. I think all mothers are protective of their children but for Leo women, its on another level lol. Also, they might like taking pride in their children and providing for their children. Not as in boasting, but just genuinely taking pride.

15. Cancer men and the love for their mothers. NEVER met a single cancer guy who did not have a lot of love for their mother.

16. Sag placements usually Sun and risings usually have a very comforting presence. Even it maybe like you met them for the first time, they can make you feel grounded and comfortable. Very non judgmental too.

17.If you have Saturn in 6th house, please try having a routine even if you might dread it lol

18. Capricorn moon men usually have very traditional or maybe orthodox beliefs about how women should be. I have seen that a lot.

20. Taurus Mars may like slow recreational activities like cooking.

21. Wanna know how you would react during a break up? See your moon+8th house sign. Example, a Leo moon with 8th house in cancer would be extremely emotional and everybody would know.

22. Girls with Libra Sun, Rising or MC may really like makeup and have good fashion sense.

23. Having your moon sign same like your mothers sun sign may indicate some kind of special connection between two of you. It could be that you understand her much better or could be that you don't get along at all too? idk there is something much special about it.

24. Sun in 10th house could mean your dad had a status in society. Could also mean, your birth could bring him luck in his career.

25. Jupiter in second house people usually come from wealth or hold potential to create generational wealth.

That's it :) I hope it resonated with you all :)

[maryrouille]

Toxic romanticization of studying

In a word of introduction, my profile partly shows that studying and exploring is wonderful. But as a person involved in science*, I would like to show healthy and true patterns of this beautiful adventure in acquiring knowledge.

The inspiration for writing this post this time was not the phenomenon from Tumblr (although you can also observe it here), but from Pinterest. There you can come across cycles composed of quotes and photos whose aim is to motivate young girls to learn, succeed and get good grades. These images often also show examples of characters from movies, TV series or real life that you can aspire to be like. Overall, I have to agree that it really works! But I would like to draw attention to certain elements that need to be verified.

1. You shouldn't get up at 5am

First of all, the correct amount of sleep is one of the most important factors affecting the proper and effective functioning of our brain. During sleep, nerve cells regenerate, organize information acquired during the day and consolidate memory traces, which is directly related to learning. Lack of sleep increases impulsivity, deepens negative thinking and slows down the body's reaction time!

2. You can be a genius without good grades

Of course, good grades are a pleasant confirmation of our knowledge and praise for hard work. However, sometimes it is worth considering whether the structure of exams themselves, especially those with closed questions, affects the results. We often study for one specific exam, the knowledge of which may be very… limited and sometimes not useful, so it is worth prioritizing the topics that we study hard.

3. It's not cool to think you're better than others

We are different and have different priorities in life. It is also worth considering how many people escape from the rat race and start a slow, stress-free life. So we have to agree that judging people based on grades or responses under stress (sic!) is not cool.

The good thing about romanticizing studying

As I have already said, these types of collages are really motivating. So let's talk about what's great about them and what's worth highlighting and saving for later.

1. Knowledge is beautiful, but your outfit and surroundings can also be

We know that we should never judge a book by its cover, but… the issue of social perception painfully confirms that we do and will continue to do so because this is how our brains work. And isn't it nice when someone looks at us and thinks this girl is so classy?

Moreover, a nice outfit that makes us feel good gives us a lot of self-confidence. There are also many studies confirming the positive impact on motivation and concentration of a neat and aesthetic workplace.

2. Not just cramming, but also discovering

Broadening your horizons is easier with passion and real commitment. And to achieve this, the topics must really interest us. Not everyone has yet found something that they are extremely passionate about in science, so that is why you have to dig deeper and discover different areas.

3. Don't be afraid to use your knowledge in practice

Schools and universities, unfortunately, have their own rules and they do not always allow you to show your 100% potential. Thus, share your knowledge with others externally, write essays, blog and social media. This form of activity also makes you learn things faster and easier. In addition, contacts with others will expand your knowledge.

Therefore, I must say that it is worth choosing your inspirations carefully. Nothing helps you enjoy studying better than a clear head and lack of prejudices.

*This post was inspired by my own experience with studying. If anyone is interested, I think I can share my mistakes that did not help me in an academic adventure :)

[sirfrogsworth]

Dinner with Aunt Denise & Uncle Jeff A Tale of Science Fair Photography

Ever since my parents died my aunt and uncle have done their best to fill some of the hole left in my heart. It almost feels like they adopted me in a way. They check on me. They help me clean. They helped me sort through all of my parents' belongings. And from time to time they invite me over for dinner when I'm feeling up to it.

Last week I got a new invitation. I had been feeling pretty lonely as of late so I graciously accepted. Before I left I saw my camera sitting on the table and realized I had this fancy new lens which is especially suited for taking pictures of people.

I thought to myself...

"This lens has only taken pictures of bridges at sunset."

Which is cool and everything, but I don't really want my only photos to be of bridges at sunset. I like taking pictures of other things.

I didn't have any lighting equipment handy—just a single external flash. And without a solid plan for how I was going to use it, I quickly packed said flash and headed westward. As I saw the sun lowering in the sky above the highway my big photography brain had an idea...

"I should take pictures of *people* at sunset."

I needed a reflector of some kind to bounce my flash against. I thought poster board would probably suffice so I stopped at Walmart and headed to the arts and crafts area. I found these tri-fold poster board thingies that grade school kids use to display their science fair experiments.

I got 2 for $7!

What a deal!

After I arrived I asked if my aunt & uncle minded having their photo taken. My aunt said she was fine with it but warned me that no one had ever been able to take a decent photo of her.

I'm typically not one to be braggadocious, but I replied...

"Well, that's because you've never had your photo taken by ME."

I'm not sure I should have been so cocky considering my lighting equipment is typically used to display the life cycle of earthworms, baking soda volcanos, and... potato batteries—which was the delightful and totally real project I just found on Google.

Science Fair Entry from Billy, Age 10

After a delicious feast of bratwurst, salad, and non-electrified potatoes, I convinced my aunt and uncle to sit for a sunset photoshoot. They even helped me set up my science fair project.

Science Fair Entry from Froggie, Age 42

I decided to do a quick test indoors to make sure my plan would work. Jeff volunteered for my first experiment.

Without my contraption...

With my contraption...

I think my experiment was quite promising. But would my idea hold up outside during the sunset with constantly dimming conditions?

We moved everything to the backyard. The tri-fold poster board was a bit ornery regarding its uprightness and needed to be tamed. My Uncle Jeff used a large rock, some pillows, and a step ladder to keep the makeshift reflectors in place.

I started taking test photos without the flash to figure out the background exposure.

Those pesky power lines were going to need to be zapped later in Photoshop, but I was really digging the scenery.

I dialed everything in, started taking photos, and even on the little rear camera screen I felt like they were turning out well. With the sun setting the sky looked like it was on fire. But then the batteries died in my flash and I was starting to lose that fiery sky as darkness began to creep into view.

Unfortunately, all of the potatoes were in our bellies so my aunt scrambled to find regular batteries in the house.

This photoshoot had become a complete team effort with everyone doing their part to make it a success.

Surprisingly it was my Uncle Jeff was giving me some bona fide model poses. He just naturally has some sort of... resting model face. Very masculine and authentic. And my Aunt Denise is just pure sunshine manifested as a person. So I had no problems getting nice expressions from her.

So... would you like to see the pictures?

Will I get a blue ribbon on my science fair project?

Am I building up the suspense too much?

Okay, here we go...

I suppose the only validation I really need is from the person who has never had a decent photo taken of them.

Let's see the verdict.

All of those hours and hours of photography training helped me learn the problem solving skills I needed to pull off a photoshoot with seven dollars in supplies.

Take a small light source, bounce it off something larger, and you get a big light source.

And big light sources make people look snazzy in photographs.

Easy!

Are you kidding me?

I lost to the potato kid?

What kind of rigged nonsense...