#i try to be extra nice to retail people because i’ve had people straight up ignore me/act like i don’t even exist when saying hi
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I’m sorry, Ulta employee. You said ‘Hi, how are you doing?’ and your makeup looked amazing and you were so nice.
This was all I could muster at that moment…
#i try to be extra nice to retail people because i’ve had people straight up ignore me/act like i don’t even exist when saying hi#or do you need any help?#i know what it’s like#i was having A Moment
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Into i need help. I bought a oculus quest 2 right and i tried to connect it to my laptop and it wont work so I realized i needed and actual pc gaming setup you know, problem is idk anything about PCs and i dont wanna get scammed. Can you help me? Ive looked online and idk wtf im looking at tbh. Can you give like advice and shit lol 😂 love you into 💕
well i'm not a professional at pcs by any means but i've always had a huge fixation on them so i can try to help as much as possible and i'll even try to put it in simple terms. fair warning, i talk A LOT in this post because i love rambling about computers :') i tried to use the simplest terms possible since you seem confused but if something doesn't make sense just ask and i can try to reword.
it all depends on what you want out of your pc. and do you want to build one or get a prebuilt one? if you want my advice i recommend building one. getting a prebuilt pc is the easiest way to get scammed because retailers tend to overcharge and they think they can get away with it because they stuck a flashy high end graphics card and colourful lights in it even though it has shit airflow and they cheaped out on the motherboard and power supply or something like that. if you're going to get a prebuilt pc make sure you look at allll the specs and consult some online reviews to see if they're any good, and figure out if you're going to be overcharged. now i'll talk about building one. a lot of this will still be useful if you're considering buying a prebuilt though.
the very first step is deciding your budget. idk where you are but in USD the typical amount to spend on pc parts is i think like $1000 - 1500 (you can spend less but that's if you don't have a lot of money to spend and are still desperate to have a gaming pc). i'm spending around $1700 CAD (before taxes, eugh) on mine bc i want to get into more demanding games eventually. it sounds very costly but computers like these can last you a decade and are very multifaceted. figuring out your budget first instead of going right ahead and buying stuff is important because each component should take up specific percentages of your budget. another important thing to consider when deciding your budget is if you want RGB (the colourful lights as previously mentioned), because components with that capability are slightly more expensive.
after deciding your budget, your first move is deciding what graphics card (GPU) you want. the GPU is responsible for processing and presenting the visuals on your screen. theoretically it should take up between 35 - 40% of your budget because it is the powerhouse in a gaming system. you have two developers to choose from here: NVIDIA or AMD. from what i've seen people tend to prefer NVIDIA but AMD cards aren't bad and they definitely compete in performance. i'll talk about nvidia though because that's what i know more about. by searching up the oculus quest 2 system requirements it tells me you at least need an nvidia geforce gtx 970. this card came out in 2014 and is by no means bad however it is actually the same base price as a lot of newer cards. if you want to go better than the minimum requirements, first consider what your monitor is capable of. if you don't have one yet, consider what you want it to do. monitors are not considered a part of the budget i keep mentioning by the way. idk how much this matters to you since we're talking about the oculus quest 2 but i'm just kind of assuming you're going to use this pc for other games too. the main two things to take into consideration are max resolution and refresh rate. my monitor has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and a 144hz refresh rate. what the resolution means is that there are 2,073,600 pixels in the screen, and can go up to a resolution of 1080p in video games. the refresh rate means the monitor can refresh the picture on the screen 144 times a second, therefore can show a max of 144 frames per second in a video game. to put that in to perspective, most screens have a refresh rate of 60hz, such as regular laptop screens, iphone screens, etc.. monitors come in mainly 60hz, 75hz, 144hz, and 165hz, and for resolution they mainly come in 1080p, 1440p, and 4k. seeing as i don't have any plans on upgrading my monitor any time soon, dropping extra money on a GPU that can achieve more than 144fps and 1440p/4k would be pointless. but forget about the monitor, the oculus quest 2 has a max refresh rate of 120hz and its resolution lies somewhere between 1080p and 1440p. if you know what kind of games you're going to be playing, look up how they perform with different kinds of cards. i'm fairly certain anything above an nvidia geforce rtx 3070 would be pointless because of your display limits, and anything below the nvidia geforce gtx 970 simply won't be enough for the system. you can look at all the GPUs ranked here. after deciding which GPU you want you need to figure out which brand of it you want (NVIDIA themselves, asus, gigabyte, evga, etc), because they all perform at slightly different levels, although the difference is usually only a few frames so it's better to save money. something to watch out for is the quality of the fans in the GPU because if they aren't good, it will overheat and underperform. i'm aiming to get a 3060 or 3060 ti, if that helps. the only problem is that there is currently a worldwide GPU shortage due to covid, tariffs, and the cryptocurrency mining boom (gpus are used in bulk to mine). fortunately there is currently a crypto mining crackdown happening in china, where majority of mining in the world happens, so the demand for GPUs will hopefully start going down soon. you wont be able to build your pc right away but the market is looking better than it has in awhile. this is just about the only argument i have in favor of getting a prebuilt pc, because they have GPUs in them and are more readily available. i don't think that's a good enough reason though especially since part of the reason i'm building my pc is because it looks fun lol. another thing to note is that you should not overspend on your GPU. the shortage has caused a lot of GPU prices to skyrocket into the $2k-3k range but none of them should be above 1k except the highest end ones. when deciding on a GPU, search up the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP). cards made by brands other than AMD and NVIDIA will almost always cost a little extra, but do not pay hundreds of
extra dollars. but anyways!! the GPU is now out of the way and is definitely the longest paragraph here because it's the most important part.
next up is the central processing unit (CPU), which you should be spending about 20 - 25% of your budget on. its job is essentially to retrieve instructions from the RAM and execute it. i suppose you could call it the brain. again you have two developers to choose from, this time between intel and AMD. i've had two laptops with an intel CPU and my current one has an AMD CPU and both are very good, however the general consensus is that you can get the same performance for less by going with AMD. CPUs have cores, and each core can run its own process. the more cores you have, the more your pc can think about basically. you can get CPUs will all sorts of amounts of cores but for gaming, 4 or 6 cores is all you really need. 8 is actually already a bit overkill. so you really don't need to get the best CPU out there. the one you get should depend on what GPU you get (hence choosing that component first). you don't want to bottleneck your GPU by getting a CPU that isn't good enough for it, but bottlenecking your CPU with the GPU by a small amount isn't as big of a deal because the goal is to allow your GPU to be used to its full ability. another detail about CPU is clock speed, which determines how quick it can complete tasks. the higher the faster, obviously. my (non gaming) laptop's CPU clock speed is 2.30 GHz and has 4 cores. the cpu i have for my build is the AMD ryzen 5 5600x. it has a base clock speed of 3.7 GHz but it can be maxed out to 4.6 GHz, and it has 6 cores. the oculus quest 2 has a minimum requirement of the AMD ryzen 5 1500x or the intel i5-4590, which is a little low on the performance list. but like i said the CPU should depend on the GPU. all it takes is a google search for which CPU goes best with the GPU you've chosen and you can find several answers depending on if you want the best possible performance, best budget performance, etc.. a nice little fact about choosing AMD over intel is that most AMD CPUs will come with a stock cooler, which is absolutely necessary otherwise your CPU will overheat (this is another thing prebuilts will cheap out on). this only adds to the whole price-to-performance thing. the stock cooler will most likely do unless you push your pc or want the build to look prettier.
next on the list is a motherboard, where all the parts come together in unity. you should spend 8 - 10% of your budget on this baby. it's easy to over and underspend on a mobo. the most important thing when it comes to choosing a mobo is that it supports your CPU. you cannot use the same mobo for intel and AMD CPUs. fortunately the product page will straight up tell you which CPU brand the mobo is meant for and will typically have two versions of the same board. it's important to note that motherboards don't always have onboard wifi, meaning it wont be able to connect to the internet via wifi and instead needs an ethernet cable or an external wifi adapter. if you can't get an ethernet cable to the room where you want your pc, you're going to need onboard wifi, or a wifi card/usb. onboard wifi mobos tend to be more expensive so it's up to you, but i personally bought one with wifi included so i wouldn't have to worry about it because our ethernet cables are in the basement and i'm upstairs. another very important thing about motherboards is that their BIOS version (operating system i guess?? idk how else to describe it) doesn't always support your CPU out of the box and must be updated before using it. this can present as a problem if you don't have another CPU to perform the update with, however some motherboards allow you to 'flash' the BIOS with a only usb drive as long as it's hooked up to power. there are plenty of step by step youtube videos about how to do this. i will have to do this with my motherboard when the time comes because it doesn't support ryzen 5s out of the box. don't let this deter you from getting a certain board as long as it has a BIOS flash feature. next up is what I/O ports you want, which are the ports (usb ports, headphone/mic jack, hdmi port, etc) you'd find on the back of any desktop computer. that is the side of the motherboard. basically just be aware of how many of each ports you want, and remember that there will probably be even more ports on the front of the case you get. the last thing i can think of right now is making sure your motherboard has all the headers (where you plug components in) you want it to have but i'll get to that later.
next up on the list is RAM, aka random access memory. this stores short term data. the amount of RAM you have kind of determines how much your pc can multitask. RAM sticks typically go up by some multiple of 2GB. most standard laptops and desktops nowadays will come with 8GB of RAM, which is enough for day to day use. it can be enough for mid and low end games however it cuts it pretty close most of the time. 16GB of RAM is the sweet spot for gaming and anything above that is pretty much overkill (and once again a waste of money) as long as you don't have a billion unnecessary background processes. a large amount of RAM is typically needed for video editors or computer programmers. you should always make sure your motherboard can support the amount of RAM you want although any good motherboard will support 64GB or even 128GB. the best option is to get a 16GB RAM pack, which will include two 8GB RAM sticks. splitting RAM between two sticks will increase efficiency. this is called dual channel. i also recommend getting DDR4 RAM, which is simply faster than DDR3. a good speed to have is around 3600 MHz. make sure your motherboard supports DDR4. you also want to be weary that your RAM is compatible with your CPU brand because they do have to interact for your pc to function.
next is storage. there are three-ish options here depending on how much you're willing to spend. generally you should spend 8 - 10% of the budget here. you can always get a good ole hard drive for the cheapest, however they are the slowest and physically biggest option, meaning whatever you put on it will take a bit longer for your pc to retrieve and open (they can load about 100-200MB of data per second). the next option is a solid state drive. they are a little more expensive but can load as much as 600MB of data per second and take up less space. the last and most efficient/expensive option is an m.2 nvme drive. these things are physically absolutely tiny and can load up to 4GB of data per second. anything you put on these will open very very quickly. the fairly standard solution for this is a combination of two of these three. personally i'm using one m.2 drive and one hard drive. the hard drive i have can store 2TB while the m.2 drive can only store 256GB. funnily enough these two drives are roughly the same price. the idea here is to install your operating system on the faster drive. this makes it so it only takes like 8 seconds tops for your pc to start up. you can also put any other programs you use most often on there (like your main browser and favourite games) and they will open very quickly, while the bulk of your games and other files will go on the bigger drive. that's all there really is to say for storage, just make sure the reviews are good on the drive you want to get, but that goes for any component.
next is your power supply (PSU). very very important to not cheap out on this. 6 - 8% of the budget should go to this. the function of the PSU is to do exactly what its name implies: supply power to all the components. this is where the website pcpartpicker can come in very handy. not only does it help you build a list of parts that are all compatible with each other, it will also estimate how much wattage you will need to run your pc. 600W is usually enough for a normal gaming pc. PSUs are ranked, and you should never really go below a bronze ranking. you can also choose between non-modular, semi-modular, and fully-modular PSUs. non-modular PSUs have all the cables permanently attached. this can be desirable to people who are confused by what cable is plugged in where but also undesirable as unused cables cannot be removed and make cable management harder. fully-modular PSUs come with the cables all in a separate bag so you choose which ones to plug in. semi-modular power supplies have the necessary cables attached and the rest can be attached need be. it all depends on preference and how much faith you have in yourself. i have an 80+ gold certified fully modular 750W PSU because the thought of unnecessary cable management makes me sick lol. corsair is pretty much the most trusted brand for power supplies. be careful because this is another place prebuilts will cut corners.
now for the case! this one isn't overly difficult to choose and mainly will just appeal to your aesthetics. it's less important to stick to a precise percent of the budget for this one but you also don't want to spend more than 8%. do you want a black case? a white one? do you want a glass side panel so you can see inside your pc and admire your hard work? besides that, you also need to make sure the case is big enough for your motherboard, GPU, and PSU. most info pages for cases will tell you the max size of the GPU and PSU and what size of mobo it's meant for. you also want to make sure there is a place to put your storage drives (unless you only have m.2 drives which are installed on the motherboard). you also want to make sure it has optimal airflow abilities. a case with no airflow will cause overheating. the best ones have mesh fronts and tops to allow cool air to be pulled in and hot air out. it's even better if you can get a case that comes with fans in the front, because they are what pulls that cool air in.
next is the CPU cooler, which i briefly mentioned. if you don't get an AMD CPU then you'll need to buy a separate cooler. you can choose between air coolers (a fan and a heatsink) or liquid coolers. i don't really have much to say about them and i recommend doing your own research on liquid coolers lol.
last but not least, case fans. like i said a lot of cases will come with front fans and also an exhaust fan at the back, however you might want more, or even replace the ones you already have with better ones. pay attention to how many fans your case manual says can fit and plan accordingly. check out reviews to see if the fans you want are quiet and efficient. if you buy a three pack of case fans there is a chance it will come with a fan hub. this makes it easier to control all of them in sync because the hub will connect all the fans to one header on the motherboard. generally 3-6 fans are pretty good for a gaming pc. two or three in the front pulling in cool air, one at the back and two on the top to pull out hot air.
now that i have all the components out of the way i'm gonna talk about RGB lighting. numerous components that i've mentioned have the option of including LED lights to make your pc brightly coloured, which is always nice if you have a glass side panel on your pc. it's an extra bit of money but i personally was willing to sacrifice that because i want to show off my build lmao. motherboards, RAM sticks, GPUs, CPU coolers, and case fans are the main components that can come with RGB lighting. you can also get special LED strips and power connectors designed for PCs. if you decide to go for RGB lighting, do try to stick to one RGB ecosystem, meaning make sure all the RGB components can be controlled by one program. RGB is controlled by your motherboard. for example if you get an asus motherboard you'll probably want to use their program, aura sync. most components can be controlled by any brand's program however if the motherboard itself has RGB lighting it can only be controlled via its own brand's program, along with the GPU. if you want RGB case fans you really have to make sure your motherboard has RGB headers (the thingy on the motherboard where you plug the fan's LED lights into). most motherboards will only have two-ish RGB headers so if you're going to buy a bunch of fans make sure they come with a fan hub, which lets you plug them all into one header on the motherboard. also, never sacrifice performance for RGB. specifically when it comes to GPUs. if you have a choice between a GPU with RGB and a GPU without RGB, always take the one that has better performance (given it's within the parameters i mentioned earlier).
that's all i have to say :) if you couldn't tell i really love this stuff. i will also recommend you watch youtube videos about this, you can see the build process and the reasoning for using each component, and also tips on what to do and what not to do. i hope this helps and wasn't too confusing. i know you said this is mainly because you got an oculus quest 2 but if you're going to get a gaming pc you should definitely consider games outside of the oculus too.
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My Spier & Mackay Custom Shirt Guide
If you’re looking into having a custom shirt made through Spier & Mackay, I recommend them. Of the online custom shirt makers I’ve tried, they have my favorite pattern. Something about the way they cut the armholes and chest is magic—fitted but not constricting.
The process is pretty straightforward, but it can nonetheless be daunting because the pressure to get it perfect on the first go is high. I’ve ordered a few shirts at this point, and have some tips for getting the best results.
Fit considerations
Measuring
I prefer to measure shirts I like the fit of and combine those measurements into the ideal amalgamation of them all. That gives maximum control over the resulting fit pattern. Below are some tips to make sure you get it right.
Pay attention to their specific instructions for how to measure by watching the embedded YouTube videos for how to do it. In particular:
Neck measurement is measured from the button to the middle of the buttonhole, not the far end of the buttonhole (like some other shirt makers).
Cuff is measured end to end, not button to buttonhole (this is huge; don’t mess this up).
The sleeve measurement is straightforward, but many people have a misconception about how long a shirt sleeve should be. A sleeve should hang about an inch past your wrist when the cuff’s unbuttoned (and your cuff should be cut slim enough that when it’s buttoned, your hand stops the cuff from slipping down). Watch the video of how to measure your body for a shirt and that illustrates where it should go. When you’re inputting your own shirt measurements, adjust accordingly.
The armhole measurement is tricky to figure out. You measure a shirt by laying it flat but that makes the armhole curve a little. The instructions say to measure straight, though. So here’s how to think of what you’re doing to alleviate confusion: Measure the full length of the seam. You can either do that by leaving it curved and measuring around the curve, or pulling it straight and measuring it straight.
Speaking of armhole, my suggestion is to go for a relatively small armhole and relatively loose bicep. My first shirt had a high armhole and slim bicep and it feels constricting. My second shirt had a slightly more relaxed armhole and slim bicep, and it still felt a little constricting. I locked it in at a small armhole, with looser bicep, and it’s awesome. Great range of motion, comfortable, and wearable.
Elbows and forearms. I hate feeling like my shirt might tear at the elbow. But if you have a fairly fitted cuff and relatively fitted bicep (compared with the way many shirts are super loosely cut), that can happen. So I specified the elbow measurement in the comments of the shirt order. That measurement is simply measuring the sleeve from the end of the cuff to the shoulder seam, and right in the middle is where to measure the elbow. Measure it straight across the sleeve.
If you also want to specify the forearm, which might be unnecessary (I did it but if you specify the elbow it’ll probably work itself out), you measure 6 inches up from the cuff seam (where it attaches to the sleeve) and take the measurement straight across. Measure straight across the sleeve.
Do you have to allow for fabric shrinkage?
My experience has been that the shirts are cut accurately, and shrinkage has been minimal. I asked Rick, the owner of Spier & Mackay, and he confirmed that they cut with normal shrinkage allowance in mind, so you don’t have to game the system to get the result you want (which mirrors my experience so far). A few years ago, a couple fabrics they offered had major shrinkage, which got lots of chatter on Styleforum, but he tells me those fabrics were discontinued 2 years ago and it’s been a non-issue ever since.
What if the shirt comes out wrong? What’s the cost for a remake?
Remakes for fit problems that are your own making—say you don’t carefully read the instructions for cuff width (edge-to-edge, not button-to-buttonhole!) and they’re super tight—are half price. To initiate that process, just email their customer service at [email protected] to get the ball rolling. However, like any good company, if the shirt is cut wrong—say you specified a measurement and it comes out way off by more than a normal tolerance—they’ll make it right on their dime.
Design considerations
Collar choices are personal and many design choices are personal, too. But below are some of my preferences based on my own style and recommendations for design combinations based on what I’ve seen good designers do.
Button-downs
The button-down collars from Spier are rockin’. The classic one (C3-K) is really great for almost everyone. The Italian version they sometimes use off the rack for special makes (C22), like the washed denim shirts, is 10% extra cool and a little bigger, but not so noticeably bigger as to call more attention to itself. For those who want maximum collar drama, there’s the biggest Italian button-down (C23), which I plan to test eventually.
Design pairings with button-down collars
Pair button-down collars with the rounded single button cuff and normal placket. On the back, go for a center box pleat if you’re a traditionalist, but side pleats give it a modern twist that breathes a bit of life into the OCBD. Pocket or no is your choice. If it’s striped, specify “one piece yoke” in the comments.
Spread collars
I personally go for either large cutaways (which I like when worn without a tie the best), or large spread collars. So for me that’s the C21 and C19 collars. Big, tall collar band and big, long collar points, which tuck under a jacket nicely and stand tall. However, for someone with a smaller frame and/or shorter neck, the standard version of these collars would also work well (C13, C16, C17).
Design pairings with spread and cutaway collars
Pair these with either the rounded single button cuff or a mitered cuff (mitered is more business-y if that’s what you’re going for). For the placket, a French turn placket is the more business friendly approach; go standard placket for more casual fabrics like chambray or oxford cloth. And on the back, either side pleats or no pleats. I do no pocket, typically. One designer who makes a great shirt that dresses up or down excellently is Sid Mashburn who makes his with spread collars, a standard placket, rounded cuffs, side pleats and a front pocket in all types of fabrics, and it looks great in every situation.
Collar linings (and cuffs and placket, too)
Unusual for many custom shirt makers is the ability to specify collar, placket and cuff linings. Most of Spier’s shirts have a fused interlining of some sort by default but you can specify in the comments box during the checkout process for them to use something different. Here’s the down-low:
There are four levels of collar interlinings ranging from lightest to stiffest. The linings can be either simply sewn in, or fused into the collar, and you can even have them use two layers if you want.
From lightest to stiffest, the identifiers are soft, medium, medium-firm, and firm. My preferences are for the lighter linings, which allow the collar to roll and have some shape to them (which is an Italian affectation; you may prefer the collar to stay starched in place). Here is how I have done shirts so far, and I like it. I may experiment in the future but for now this has given me good results:
For shirts in more casual fabrics like oxford cloth or cotton-linen or madras, I go for a single layer medium sewn interlining. It gives the collar just enough body to shape nicely, but doesn’t weigh it down. Inside button-down collars, it gives the collar a perfect amount of body to roll beautifully, but is thin enough the collar still has some of the charming unlined look. This feels about like how a Drake’s Oxford collar feels to me.
For shirts in business-y fabrics like broadcloth or pinpoint oxford, I go for the single layer medium fused interlining. The fusing makes the collar smoother in appearance, so it’s a bit more professional. It still stands up well under a jacket without a tie on, too. This feels about like how my Eidos dress shirt collars feel to me.
Just remember to specify in the comments box no only the collar lining, but for clarity, also specify that you also want the same in the cuffs and placket if your shirt is being made with a placket. (They might do this automatically but I’m not sure so it’s safer just to put it in writing.)
Basically unlimited options
You can ask them to do almost anything in the comments section. I haven’t gone too far down the rabbit hole with minute changes, but I have specified changes to the base collar pattern. Specifically, I’ve asked them to increase the front collar band height, and requested the collar be cut with no tie space. They accommodated both requests on my orders. (In case you’re wondering, I did that on the C21 collar, which modified it to be identical to my favorite Eidos shirt collar, the “Marcus”).
You can even send in a shirt you love and simply have them copy it, too. I haven’t done that, but if you want to give it a try, email [email protected] and they’ll tell you how to proceed.
So that’s it. Those are my tips for ordering a custom shirt from Spier & Mackay. While the program’s UI/UX on the website leaves a lot to be desired, and I still wish they’d allow you to order fabric swatches, the results and quality of the end product are excellent; and the price is outstanding.
Is there anything else you’d like to see covered in this article? Let me know in the comments below!
(Help support this site! If you buy stuff through my links, your clicks and purchases earn me a commission from many of the retailers I feature, and it helps me sustain this site—as well as my menswear habit ;-) Thanks!)
If you’re just getting into tailored menswear and want a single helpful guide to building a trend-proof wardrobe, buy my eBook. It’s only $5 and covers wardrobe essentials for any guy who wants to look cool, feel cool and make a good impression. Formatted for your phone or computer/iPad so it’s not annoying to read, and it’s full of pretty pictures, not just boring prose. Buy it here.
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And They Were Roommates - H.H
A/N: This has been in my drafts for a long time and I’ve been in love with this concept for a while, but apparently I struggle to string a simple sentence together lately lmao.
Hyunjin x Fem!Reader
Summary: Roommate AU/Collage AU - The Reader is strapped for cash and much to their dismay Hyunjin seems to be the only one who can help.
Part One / ?
Word Count: 1809
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“What do you mean you can’t pay the rent, I thought Minho was paying half? He is your roommate after all.” Seungmin questioned, as Y/N, Seungmin long term best friend followed him into a café, thankful that this place had warmth, which contrasted significantly to the weather outside that had nipped at her skin, making her deeply regretful for leaving her apartment this morning without a coat.
After a long day of work, Seungmin became fed up with disorderly customers that came with working in retail and was in desperate need for a break. Therefore, as Y/N’s self-proclaimed best friend, he took it upon himself to interrupt her studies and insist that she meet him at a café in the centre of town. Much to her dismay, he insisted she come instantly, meaning the work she had left far too late to start, would be put off once again, probably not to be completed until late night with yet another caffeinated drink buzzing through her system, but being equally exhausted and frustrated, she agreed, hurrying out of her small apartment to meet Seungmin.
“He was.” She has exasperated, moving along the queue alongside Seungmin, pulling out her purse so she could pay for her order, however, Seungmin had waved her off, insisting he’d pay. “So, he just stopped giving you his rent money without any warning?” His face scrunched up with distort, confused by what it seemed she was insinuating.
“What? No. Minho would never. His mother had knee surgery a few weeks ago and she’s been struggling with the recovery. Minho thought it would be best if he moved back in with her for a few months, considering his father works away a lot. I couldn’t tell him that without him living with me, I wouldn’t be able to afford this apartment.” Seungmin sighed at her remark. Grabbing their drinks from the barista, he made his way over to the sofa that was nestled in the corner of the cafe, with fairy lights strung between bookshelves, creating a welcoming and content environment.
“Things haven’t been too great for him. He lost his job at the music store because they went bankrupt then his mum needed surgery. I couldn’t do it to him.” She continued, letting out a low sigh before slumping back into the sofa, letting the plush pillows welcome her. A part of her feeling idiotic for not telling Minho, even more foolish when the words were coming out of her mouth, but it didn’t feel right. She couldn’t burden Minho even more. However, it was evident how strapped for cash she was therefore, she was relieved when Seungmin had decided to pay for her drink.
“You’re too nice y/n/n,” Seungmin laughed, sliding her coffee across the table. “You need to be more direct.”
“This isn’t funny, ok. I need your help, not your laughter.”
“What you need is to find a temporary roommate, someone who can afford to pick up the rent when you’re short.” He continued, rolling his eyes.
“You know,” He paused, drawing out his words. “I happen to know that Hyunjin is looking for an apartment, he has the cash, quite a lot if I do say so myself and-”
“No, no!” She had exclaimed, cutting him off completely. “Anybody but Hyunjin. You know I can’t stand him.” She exasperated, looking at Seungmin pointedly.
“His house got infested by rats. He needs a place to stay. He’s currently crashing Chan’s sofa because he doesn’t have a spare room, but I’m sure he’d appreciate sleeping on an actual bed.”
“Absolutely not!” She contested, as she took a sip of her drink.
“I’ve overheard him telling Chan and Jisung about those dumb parties he throws, and I can’t afford to lose my deposit on this place.”
“You know what, I take it back. You’re awful y/n/n,” He laughed, shaking his head. “You barely know the guy, I’m sure he’ll respect your decision to be boring.” Seungmin smirked, knowing how easy it was to annoy her. He rummaged through his bag, pulling out his phone before typing away. Her phone lit up, alerting her of a text.
“Here is his number. I know you’re too stubborn to admit it, but you’re desperate and Hyunjin can help you.”
She tried to ignore Seungmin’s stare by looking down at her coffee and fiddling with the lid.
“I don’t hate him.” She had murmured. “Try despise.”
“Y/n/n!” Seungmin exclaimed, furrowing his brows. “You can be so difficult sometimes.”
“Ok, I’m sorry.” She sighed, holding her hands up in defence. “He’s just so arrogant ok.”
“He’s one of my best friends, Y/n/n, please consider it. I know you find him infuriating. I do sometimes, but he has the cash and he’s currently sleeping on Chan’s couch, at least feel some sympathy for him.”
“Sorry for Chan.” A few moments had past and Seungmin had yet to speak. The silence was deafening, and he knew that.
“Ok!” Sitting up straight, Y/N hoped to cut the tension. “Give me a few days and I’ll think about it.”
“Good.” Seungmin smiled, changing his demeanour instantly. “Now let me tell you about what a shitty day I’ve had.”
Day’s seemed to have passed like lightning, Y/N easily becoming consumed by work. It seemed finding another source of income had gone to the back of Y/N’s mind. Instead, deadlines and reading had become the forefront of worry. Although her rent was due in a matter of days, she had pushed to the back of her mind hoping that if she ignored it long enough it would just go away. It seemed that balancing getting a degree and a part-time job as a hotel receptionist was becoming increasingly harder, especially when she had to pick up twice as many shifts as possible to ensure she had enough money to live. Luckily her boss allowed her to do some work during the graveyard shifts as it seemed not many people need to check-in at 2 in the morning, however, maintaining these shifts did mean an unhealthy sleeping pattern which took an overall negative impact on her day to day life. Perhaps ignoring her problems wasn’t the answer.
The day had been long, a 7-hour shift on her day off from University was usually fine, but with the little amount of sleep she had consumed over the past few weeks had started to take a toll on her well-being. Therefore, when she entered her apartment to find heaps of boxes scattered everywhere and 3 boys lounging on her sofa, she deemed it to be a hallucination.
“Ahh, there she is! Y/n/n! How are you?” The voice of her self-proclaimed best his friend, Seungmin, had snapped her out of her thoughts, making her realise this was not, in fact, a hallucination, but real life.
“What are you guys doing here?” She questioned, stunned by the unexpected appearance of Seungmin, Jisung and Chan.
“Erm.” Chan had started, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, almost as if he found himself caught red-handed.
“And what are these boxes doing here?” Stepping closer, she kicked the side of a box, regretting it instantly, as her foot collided with the hard surface, causing her to let out a string of profanities.
“Oh, I wouldn’t do that sweetheart.”
This particular voice had caught her attention, causing her to freeze and the hairs on the back of her neck to stand. Meeting the gaze of this unknown voice, she felt dread coarse through your veins.
Hyunjin.
“I’m moving in, what do you think it looks like?” Moving further into the room. Hyunjin appeared in full glory, a smirked staining his lips. He brushed past her, nonchalantly, picking up the box she had just kicked and turning to walk towards Minho’s old room.
“I never officially said you could move in.” She yelled, exasperated by his presence, hurrying past the three lounging boys on the sofa who appeared amused by this interaction, groaning as she pushed past their dangling legs to follow Hyunjin into Minho’s room, who had already unpacked most of his belongings.
“Well I was getting a little impatient waiting for you to make up your mind and Seungmin here said it would be no problem.”
“Excuse me?” Spinning on her heel, she looked directly at Seungmin who, alongside Jisung and Chan had followed you into Minho’s room. If looks could kill, everyone in the room would be 6 feet under. Looking around, Minho’s room was looking extremely different than the last time she had stepped foot in here. If she was to admit, she hadn’t actually been into Minho’s room for a long time, however, she vaguely remembered photos of his cats which stood proudly on his shelf and memorabilia from concerts they had attended together streamed across his dresser had been replaced with a large bottle of vodka and small trinkets. Most of the stuff she didn’t recognise, but the posters that littered the wall caught her attention. They were almost like Minho’s, but Hyunjin’s taste seemed to vary. His taste seemed to be a little darker. Seungmin froze at Y/N’s exclamation, stunned by her outburst.
“You heard me, sweetheart.” Hyunjin pressed, smirking slightly, almost as if he was thriving off her irritation.
Her face heated at his remark.
“I can’t believe you three are letting him do this.”
“You need the money,” Jisung started, slowly moving from behind Chan, raising his hands in surrender. “And you can’t keep this up.”
She shrugged him off and crossed her arms. “I don’t need you to tell me what to do.”
“It isn’t healthy,” Chan interjected. “And Hyunjin here has money.”
“I don’t care if he has money, I don’t want him living here.”
“You look a mess.”
“Excuse me!” She gasped, turning to face Seungmin, who had appeared next to her. He let out a small cough before continuing.
“What I mean is, you’re exhausted, and you can’t keep pulling extra shifts just to get enough cash. You’re a student and have a lot of responsibilities, so I think it’s only right for us as your friends.” Seungmin spoke, gesturing to surrounding group.
“Hyunjin isn’t my friend.”
“That’s a little harsh don’t you think?” Hyunjin laughed, as he flattened one of the boxes that had previously held his belongings.
“As your friends,” Seungmin continued, becoming irritated by her stubbornness. “We think it’s only right for us to intervene when we think necessary.” Scoffing, she turned to leave the room, refusing to hear the reality of the situation.
“I’ve already paid 3 months of rent in advance, including your half, so it looks like you’re stuck with me sweetheart.”
She stepped forward, yanking the piece of card out of Hyunjin’s hands, huffing as she did so, but not before saying, “3 months. That’s it. But one slip up, and you’re gone.”
#hwang hyunjin x reader#hwang hyunjin#hyunjin x reader#hyunjin imagine#stray kids imagine#stray kids fanfic#stray kids x reader#jyp
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Depopin’
Hello folks, another day in the life of lockdown and another article to fill up “five” minutes of your time. One way I’ve been spending my time is spending some more time on my Depop account and just thought I’d share my knowledge (what little I have) with you all.
I’ve personally been using Depop for close to two years now and genuinely when I first started I thought nothing would come of it. Then one day I randomly sold my denim jacket for nearly as much as I had bought it for originally. From then it’s been a steady process of learning the ropes and although I am by no means a professional at this or making an income I do enjoy it. There are ways to make a brand out of this with wholesale goods and making your own goods etc. but these are just tips for anyone like me just trying to make a little extra money, save some money and be more sustainable even with fast-fashion.
So, I’m going to talk you through what to do before you start selling, how to sell and ship and even how to pick up a bargain for yourself…
Before you start…
Okays, I’m not going to go through the actual making of the account. I’m pretty sure you guys have got that covered. Make your password secure and stuff.
On to finding stuff to sell. My most popular items have always been going out dresses as they’re usually my higher branded clothing, such as Oh Polly etc. You can post almost any type of clothing but the more interesting the more likely it is to sell. Anything you do choose however should be in good condition and something you’d be happy with purchasing yourself. The best-selling items are usually brand new or in close to perfect condition. Every once in a while I like to do a clear out of things in my wardrobe I haven’t worn in a while and although it is up to you what you sell and of course there is an audience for everything I personally try and be realistic about what I can sell and what needs donated/binned.
Next you must be willing to ship the things that are purchased (this is something I struggled a lot with at the start as I learned the best process). I’ll talk more about shipping later but first you need the supplies. There’s nothing worse than receiving a Depop parcel in a taped together plastic carrier bag with your address scribbled on it. My top tip out of this whole article is to purchase some packaging.
Packaging bags can be surprisingly pricey at the post office or in office supply stores so what I first did was buy packs of them for £1 in stores such as Poundworld and Home Bargains which works out at only a few pence per parcel. Even better still if this becomes something you really get into a groove off you can buy wholesale packs of 100 on Amazon and eBay etc in colours. Little things like this can mean a lot to your customer and will actually end up saving you money in the long run.
Now you have the items you’re going to sell and your packaging to do so!
Taking your photos…
Honestly, this is kind of the entire key to selling. If your product looks good, then people will want it. There are three types of photos I like to use:
Website photos:
These ones are usually best if you have no photos in this clothing or would prefer to not be in the photos. They’re the easiest to put up on short notice. You just screenshot the photos from the website where you purchased them. The only problem with this is that some people prefer to see what the clothes look like in real life (I know I do if I’m on the fence) and will most likely ask you to provide a photo which is just effort later. Usually if I’m using these photos, I provide them in addition with some of my own photos or disclose I’m using this because the clothing does not fit so I can’t try it on, hence why I’m selling.
My own photos:
Sometimes I get lucky and I have a nice Instagram picture in the dress or top or whatever it may be but sometimes I have to set aside time to try on and photograph the clothes. When I do this, I like to do it as though it were going to be uploaded for Instagram. If you have someone to take photos of you in them than great but mirror selfies are also grand if you can do them right. That means having good lighting, so that the clothes are highly visible. I try and take them in bright day light, in a clean mirror and with a clean background. No one wants to see your laundry in the background or those water bottles that haven’t moved from your room in two months that we’re all guilty of.
Flatlay:
If you’re not overly comfortable or confident with being in the photo, then you can still take good photos of the product without wearing it. Always make sure your clothing or shoes or jewellery or whatever it is you’re selling is laid out freshly. It really goes without saying but all clothing should be clean and without wrinkles if possible. You can hang them up on a wall or lay them on a clean background on the floor. For this I like using a white wall or a clean block colour blanket, but everyone has their own style when it comes to this. Maybe even add some plant props or other things to spice up your photo but remember to make the product the focus of the photo.
Videos are also an option on Depop but it must be over 5 seconds long and I only like using this for sparkly or metallic items etc to show the real affect in person.
Although this isn’t always the case but when I really organise my page I like my account to look like an Instagram feed itself. It’s not necessary but it can really draw people to your page if they’re just clicking on for a browse.
When taking your photos always get a photo of the front, the back, any close-up details and of course if there is any marks etc on the item you should always show in a photo. You can only post four photos total so try and give people a good idea of what the item really looks like.
Description:
Next you need to describe what you’re selling. All the words you include will make it easier for people to search and find your items.
You should mention what exactly you’re selling along with brand, size, colour and anything else people need to know.
Always mention what condition the product is such as: 10/10, perfect condition, BNWT (Brand new with tags)
Even mention why you’re selling it: no longer fits, doesn’t suit me, ordered 2 sizes, didn’t return in time etc. Especially mention if it is not in perfect condition: small mark on right sleeve but barely noticeable (see photo 4)
#tags: You also have the options to add hashtags to your description to make is easier to find but you don’t need the hashtag to make it searchable. If I mention the brand it will come up in search when people search for the brand name, even without the hashtag.
Although against Depop regulations (so I’m not recommending) if there were to be other keywords (popular and similar brand names to what you’re posting for example) then your post may reach a wider audience…
Everyone has different layouts for their description but here is an example of one I would do:
Oh Polly LOVE ME KNOT dress
Ruched long sleeve bodycon dress in Oyster White
Size 10 (small fitting would fit an 8 also)
Thick good quality material
Bought on Depop and worn once by me
Great condition just won’t wear again
RRP 38 SOLD OUT ONLINE
#nightout #party #ruched
Then simply fill out the information it asks you for again, brand, size, price and shipping price too! (This is separate from price).
Pricing:
People don’t want to be buying things close to full price unless it’s brand new and you have the last available one to buy anywhere. If demand for your product isn’t high, then you’re going to have to be reasonable with pricing. You must remember (unless you’re handmaking your own clothes etc) that you’re not a retailer and people are looking for a bargain. However, every item is different so I can’t really give you a baseline price for items. The best way to learn where to ballpark your pricing is search for other items similar to yours and see what everyone else is pricing them for and if they’re selling well. I usually try and price things around 60-70% of what I paid and over time drop the price if there’s no movement.
You must remember websites are usually running offers on their own items. For example, I had one dress up recently and was getting a lot of messages as I was selling it for half the original price. Recently I had no questions about it at all and while writing this I realised the retailer had it on sale for lower than even that. Pricing can fluctuate daily and sometimes you must wait it out and/or concede to lowering the price.
Reposting:
If your item has been up for a few weeks and still hasn’t been purchased I usually go in and edit my item. Maybe switch the photos around, update the price and description a bit and post it again. This way people see something different and it gets put back to the top of people’s search.
Shipping:
This is the bit my friends ask me about most when Depop is mentioned. It’s also the most effort.
I’ve tried to get into a routine so as soon as someone purchases an item, I like to package it up straight away. Fold the item neatly and put it in its packaging. Make sure the address is correct. It’s always best to direct message the buyer and thank them for the purchase and assure them when you will get it shipped. Communication is key for good feedback later and although not necessary, I usually include a little thank you note in some funky way (at Christmas I sent Christmas cards and lately I’ve been using felt unicorn shapes I picked up in the arts and craft bit of the pound shop).
Now as soon as possible, you usually have about 5-7 days after purchase, take it to the post office. All you have to do is take it to the window where they will most likely ask you to set it on the scales for weighing and do the work for you. Once you’ve done all this once it’s a breeze.
Packaging costs me £3 a parcel (this is for second class, under 2kg, less than £20 value, unsigned and untracked which is pretty standard). However, for safety and for the first few sales I’d spend the extra and send it tracked. This way no one can claim they didn’t receive a parcel.
Top tip: if you’re sending a small package like a single t-shirt, then package it flatly. Sometimes they can fit it through the letter stencil, and you can ship for large letter prices which is cheaper than parcel prices, but this is also up to the cashier’s discretion so don’t count on it.
All current pricing can be found online too! You can print labels here and pay online to save going to the window, but I find it easier in person.
Make sure to get your proof of postage receipt and keep it! I always like to post a photo of this to let them know their item has been shipped and remember to update the shipping status too. Plus, you’ll need it if there’s any problems later.
Feedback:
Remember to leave your buyers honest feedback and hope they leave you one in return. The more positive reviews you have them more people will see you as a trusted seller later.
DMs:
Always try and click on to the app a few times a day and respond to any mails as soon as possible. Usually if you wait a day to respond they’ve already found something else instead.
Likewise, if people like your item feel free to shoot them a message: Hey, are you interested in [insert item]? If you have any questions just let me know! [insert friendly emoji]
Remember it’s all about interaction! Followers and following on Depop mean next to nothing. People use the search bar much more frequently than their timeline.
The Realities of Making Money!
Some weeks I’ll sell nothing on Depop and usually there’s more of these weeks than not but other times I’ll sell a formal dress, a few going out dresses, a jumper and make about £100. Although these weeks are far and few between you have got to persevere.
You should always remember when pricing items that Depop take a 10% fee and Paypal 2.9% after you’ve sold something (it costs nothing to list an item!) and account for this when pricing your items but also remember that people probably won’t want to pay £5 + shipping for a plain black t-shirt from New Look. Honestly, I rarely notice the fee being taken out especially if it is for clothes that I would otherwise just pack away under my bed for years.
Another thing to remember is that even when the money is deposited into your Paypal account you’re more than likely still going to have shipping to pay and packaging costs, so you need to set this aside also.
Buying:
So, when I’m looking for something specific online or find a nice dress that I’m thinking of purchasing then I like to do a quick search for it on Depop. I search the website name for the item (Oh Polly Love Me Knot Dress) and the size I’m interested in. If I find what I’m looking for I like to message the seller with any questions and if it is available. It’s always worth asking (politely!!) if they would consider selling it at a negotiated price or even with free shipping but always be reasonable. I can’t count the times people have asked if I’d sell them dresses that I had listed for £20 for a fiver with free shipping. There’s nothing more irritating. The nicer you are the more responsive they’ll be and want to reply.
I also like to save or like items and come back to them later, as a sort of wish list if I’m browsing. If nothing else the app is always good for getting ideas for future outfits much like a mood board.
In the case anything goes wrong…
Always buy through the Depop app and Paypal! Every once and a while sellers will ask you to pay them through friends and family on Paypal to avoid Depop fees but if you do this you have no way to claim back your money if the item doesn’t arrive. If an item does not arrive to you or someone claims they do not receive yours then this must go through the Paypal dispute system. If your claim is legit then you can easily get your money back so no need to worry and if someone makes the claim against you all you need is your proof of postage (but preferably a tracking number for 100% safety) and you can refute the claim.
With Paypal you’re always protected which is what makes Depop so great to use!
This was a long-winded way of explaining my personal process of Depop and has made it look even more complicated than it really is. Everyone has their own vibe how to Depop so don’t think you have to stick to this.
I love using the app to save money and even when purchasing items like formal dresses that I know I’ll only wear once I can usually find the one I want for a bargain or if I can’t I don’t feel too bad about paying full price because I know I can get some money back for it when I resell it. At least that’s what I tell myself…
Okays, that’s all I have for you today… Happy Depoping!
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@hairdryertrash I hope it’s ok, but I may have written a thing thanks your amazing response to my post about the archive staff people-watching. Specifically the bit about it being from an outside perspective. Also, I don’t have the guts to write a full statement/statement-worthy background for random passers-by, but hopefully this will do! Enjoy?
Statement of Millie Wardell, regarding a group of customers; recorded? Statement begins:
I wouldn’t call them regulars, because that would imply that they have any sort of discernible pattern or routine, which I can promise you they don’t. They’re never here at the same time twice, rarely all together, and every time I see them, they look worse. There are some things that are pretty consistent across all of their visits, but for the most part, it’s all just… random.
And yes, I know that pretty much nothing is ever really random – I did occasionally pay attention in school. But if there is any sort of logic to them and their decisions – their conversations – I haven’t managed to figure it out yet.
One of them’s been coming here for a few years, on and off – I can still mostly recognise him, although he looks pretty different now to when he first started coming in. I remember he was always sort of stooped, and a bit stuffy-looking, and I don’t think his glasses ever fit right because they were always sliding down his nose. Maybe that’s why he wears contacts these days. Somehow, when I think of him, I still remember him like that – not as he is now, with shadows under his eyes fit to swallow his hollowed cheeks, and scars littering what little skin he leaves visible.
He used to come in very infrequently with a few other people that I guess he worked with – I saw them much more often than I did him, but they haven’t been by in a while. They were lovely; always had time to stop and chat for a few minutes.
I’m pretty sure his name is Jon – I’ve just realised, I’ve been going on about this bloke and I haven’t even mentioned his name. But yes, I’m sure that’s it. He got coffee to take away a couple of times, and I remember writing it on the side of the cup thinking, yeah that seems about right. He looks like a Jon.
I don’t remember what the others were called – I’m not really sure that I ever knew.
These days, he comes in trailing after people I hesitate to call his friends, because he never looks overly happy to be in their presence. Maybe it’s just that he doesn’t want to be here. Or they’re new co-workers that he has to make nice with or something, I don’t know. There’s a few of them, and they turn up at all hours, every combination of them imaginable; but always with Jon.
Today all four of the new ones are here. They come in quickly out of the heavy drizzle, quickly scuffing their shoes on the matt and shucking off their coats as they claim a corner spot in the window. It’s usually empty when they arrive – if you ask me, it’s because of the cobwebs that stubbornly cling high in the corner and on the ceiling, no matter how much we wave the end of the hoover up there. It never seems to bother them, though. That or they’ve never noticed, and I’m not going to be the one to point it out to them.
Jon usually orders for everyone, and it’s never quite the same thing twice.
He walks straight up to me; the line that had been almost to the door five minutes ago is gone. It always is when they arrive. He orders two coffees today (one in the largest size we do and as strong as I can make it, one with peppermint) one mug of tea (the only consistent item of his order, I know exactly how he takes it) and a large strawberry shortcake milkshake. I open my mouth to tell him that we don’t do milkshakes, but something makes me pause. I turn to look at the specials board, frowning, and sure enough – there it is. On the board that I wrote first thing this morning. I then open my mouth to tell him a little white lie that I’m very sorry, but we’ve run out, and close it again. There’s no point. I know the recipe. I know where the ingredients will be. I tell myself that at least today it’s a fairly sensible flavour combination.
Jon hands me the exact change before I have a chance to tell him the total, and then drops a couple of quid in the tip jar on the counter. In his defence, he’s always been a reasonable tipper, and I’m willing to forgive a lot for that.
I tell him I’ll bring the drinks over as soon as they’re done; he nods, heads over to their table, and I try very hard to focus on what I’m doing rather than the snippets of conversation I can hear over the radio. It’s a moderately successful attempt – people tend to forget about me when they’re having important, confidential talks. Not that these guys ever seem to talk about anything too important or confidential, as far as I can tell. Mostly they just people-watch.
Alright, look. I like a bit of people-watching; who doesn’t? It’s a pretty good way to pass the time on the tube, or waiting for a bus, or during a slow shift or something. But them? They people-watch on a whole other level. Like a competitive sport or something. Champion people-watchers, ha!
Sorry.
By the time I make my way over, they’ve finished talking about the fire at one of the BP offices that’s been all over the news – and for the sake of my sanity, I decide it’s best if I ignore the way they talked so familiarly about Jude up to her old tricks again. They all murmur thanks as I set their drinks down in front of them, and by now I have a pretty good idea of who is having what.
The extra-large, extra-caffeinated cup goes to the young woman sat closest to the window. She never meets my eyes, very rarely shifts her gaze from the outside world, but she is unfailingly polite, and always stacks everyone’s mugs to bring back to counter as they leave, so I think she’s my favourite. Her hijab today is a soft blue, and when she reaches for her coffee, I see that her nails have been shakily painted to match. Her hands are always perfectly steady, so I suspect it’s the handiwork of her – partner? Friend? I’ve never been too sure what the deal is there, but they seem to be getting pretty close. I’m glad – there’s always been a bit of weird vibe between them.
Peppermint coffee next – she always has strong flavours that one, but never anything too rich. I remember the first time she came in with them all, she ordered for herself; so that was already pretty strange, since everyone else had always just let Jon order for them. Normally it wouldn’t even register – people ask for weird things all the time – but for some reason, her word choice really stood out to me. She shivered a little, stared me down, and said she didn’t want anything heavy or cloying. She then gave her name as Daisy, asked for a takeaway cup, and marched unsteadily out of the door as soon as she had her drink in hand.
I mean, I just figured she was one of these people that was really sensitive to certain flavours or something, but now I don’t think that’s it. I don’t know what it is, and I suppose it doesn’t really matter. She’s never complained about any of the drinks, so I guess it can’t be too bad.
I smile at her and Daisy smiles back, quick and sharp and I’m taken aback all over again by how much yellow there is in her brown eyes; it takes me a moment to unfreeze my muscles long enough to put the drink down. The grin falters and drops. Without looking, her possible-girlfriend – I want to say Basira, but I might be wrong – reaches across and places a gentle hand on her knee. It looks like it should be reassuring, but she only twitches slightly and shifts until Basira’s hand slides away.
It isn’t hard to continue like I didn’t just see that slightly awkward exchange – I used to work in retail, I’m accustomed to pretending I didn’t see all kinds of things.
The milkshake I set down between the other two women – Helen has already produced from the miraculous depths of her bag a couple of those curly straws that make everything three times as hard to drink. I didn’t know they made them iridescent now, but they look pretty cool. She and… Melanie? Yeah, Melanie, they always share a drink, which is pretty cute. I try not to stare too much. Not just because it’s rude, and I don’t want them to think I’m being – I don’t know, homophobic or something – but because it always gives me a thumping headache.
And finally, I set Jon’s mug of tea down in front of him. He’s tucked the furthest into the corner, almost sinking into the ancient armchair. I barely hear him thank me as I turn to hurry back to the counter. Not that there are any more customers to see to; it’s just that I can’t bear to be so close to them all for any stretch of time. The prickling on the back of my neck becomes unbearable, and I always feel like I can’t catch my breath.
But that, of course, is their cue to begin.
It’s usually Melanie that starts off their weird little game – her movements unsubtle and impatient as she points out some poor passer-by. Pickings are slim today, and she points to the lone soul daft enough to brave the weather without a coat.
“Desolation,” she says boldly, like that’s a normal thing to say while pointing to a total stranger. I mean, I try not to judge them too harshly – apart from Helen, they all look exhausted, and I guess this is some sort of weird stress relief. But still. Desolation? What? I start wiping down the machine and idly sorting the dishwasher in an attempt to look like I’m not listening.
“Not saying I disagree,” Daisy says in a tone that sounds a lot like she does disagree and doesn’t care who knows it. “But we’re going to need a little more than that.”
Jon interrupts, an odd faraway look on his face at he picks up – oh shit, is that one of the corner spiders? Oh fuckfuck, it’s huge, what is he; oh, god, he’s put it back on a web in the corner what the fuck?
“Martin can’t make it,” he says, and I guess that means something to them all, because they nod with varying degrees of disappointment on their faces. I hurriedly turn back to stacking cups, and try very hard to forget that I ever saw the damn spider. If it’s still there by the time I need to close up I’ll have to get Ed from upstairs to come down and deal with it.
“Don’t think that means you’re getting out of it,” I hear Helen say, and it sounds like she’d smiling a little. Well, no. I’ve seen her smiles and none of them are little. They stretch wide across her face, although her eyes never seem to change shape with it.
“Yeah yeah, I know.”
I start to shuffle the cutlery around a little louder than is strictly necessary – I never like this part.
At first, I remember thinking they were some sort of weird writing or improv group or something. It’s not completely unheard of – we get quite a few, um, hipsters would probably be the polite way of describing them, so I just assumed that that’s what they were doing. But then I recognised Jon after a couple of visits as the dour academic-looking guy that hadn’t been in for nearly a year, and that theory sort of fizzled out.
So now I don’t know. The stories they come up with are – well, they unsettle me. Some of them are genuinely frightening, and I’ve woken up from more than a few nightmares to visions of insect swarms filling the pockets of all my clothes, and my shadow leeching up my legs leaving necrotic flesh in its wake, and my fingernails peeling away from my hands with long ribbons of skin still attached. Some of them are just a little weird, but I can never predict what sort of a day it’s going to be, so the less I have to hear, the better.
Maybe it’s a coping mechanism. From what I’ve heard about their job, it sounds intense.
I only catch snippets today. Melanie talks about a fever, about refusing to wear a coat in the depths of winter, then a jumper, about trips to a doctor, a specialist, about thermometers beeping too high to read. I don’t hear the end – I’m luckily distracted by the phone ringing. It’s with no small amount of relief that I chat about delayed deliveries – apparently there’s been some sort of tunnel collapse on one of the routes. Out of the corner of my eye, I think I see Jon sink further down into his chair when I repeat that, clutching his tea like a lifeline. Or maybe I’m just projecting, because when I turn to properly look, he’s once again sat staring intently outside with his elbows on his knees.
By the time I hang up, they’ve moved onto a new target. Helen and Basira argue good-naturedly about whether someone called Jared would be interested in this one; they keep going on about body-image. Daisy teasingly asks Basira for evidence, which starts them off again while Melanie laughs around her straw and Jon tilts his head, greying hair hanging low over his eyes.
For a while, their banter almost sounds normal. Melanie chimes in with a comment about how this person looked lonely, before tensing suddenly with a panicked look at Jon, who waves a hand like he needs to physically brush the words away.
“With the size of that bloody family she may already be, and no-one would ever know, least of all them,” Jon says, and Melanie’s surprised bark of laughter is echoed by Helen’s soft titters and a disgusted noise from Basira.
“Is that a yes?” Melanie asks excitedly, leaning forward so fast she nearly knocks her glass over. Helen steadies it, although I don’t know how – she doesn’t seem to move, and I know there’s no way she could reach from where she’s sat without moving at least a little.
“Better luck next time, I suppose,” Jon shrugs. “You too, Helen, Basira.”
“Tell us then, Archivist. Don’t leave us in suspense.” Helen doesn’t lean forwards, exactly, but I suddenly have the impression that she’s much closer to Jon than she was a few seconds ago.
Jon’s eyes flick between them – the only part of him that moves – before he looks at me. His eyes have a sheen to them, I realise. I’ve never really looked too hard before, always kept my gaze somewhere around the bridge of his nose, but now I feel. I feel.
God. I feel seen.
“What, it isn’t obvious?” He asks, and his voice is light. Teasing. I try to blink and find that I can’t.
Finally, finally, he turns back to them, and across his face, every one of his freckles – no.
No.
I will not say they blink, I won’t, I fucking didn’t see that, I –
“She’s for Beholding.”
I don’t hear anything else. I don’t know if they don’t talk, or if I’m just oblivious to the rest of their conversation, but they leave quite quickly after that. I go through the motions of closing up automatically, even though we should be open for another hour and a half. I can’t bring myself to care. I know there won’t be any more customers today.
I don’t know why I’m so unsettled. Of all the things I’ve heard come out of that man’s mouth, this is nothing. It’s nothing. I’m not thinking about it, I’m just focusing on sweeping, then mopping, and I’m definitely not, absolutely not, thinking about the horrendous itch that’s been burning at the outside corners of my eyes.
Except I am – I blink rapidly, although there are no tears gathering, and pull my phone out of my pocket. I don’t know who to call. My brother’s still at work, my parents won’t want to hear my rambling about this, and none of my friends are the sort of people to take it seriously. I don’t even know that I take it seriously. Honestly, I don’t even know what it is. I scroll down through my contacts twice before I come to a decision.
“Hello?” she says on the third ring, and I take a shaking breath.
“Hi, sorry, Georgie? Are you free? I think I need to talk to someone.”
#tma#the magnus archives#jon sims#melanie king#helen richardson#basira hussein#daisy tonner#my writing#sorry there isn't more martin#I did try to get him in there#also - how many headcanons can I cram into one ficlet?#answer - not as many as I would like#I hope this is ok?#if not I'm very sorry and pls tell me
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Credit Cards and Finance Things: The Good, The Bad, and the Honest Truth
First off, if you’re dealing with an annoying mound of credit card debt you’re not alone. I used to swear up and down that I would never get a credit card...until I got to college. It was just one, with a manageable limit through my bank, but then it was two and then a Victoria’s Secret card and a Best Buy account, Amazon, American Airlines. It got out of hand quickly and now at 23 I’m still dealing with the repercussions of irresponsible decisions I made at 19. But, in dealing with all of the BS that comes along with credit cards and paying them off, my friends started asking me for advice with handling their own. Which seemed...Bizarre? Now initially I would have told you under no circumstances should you ever get a credit card ever! In reality this isn’t really a practical thing, and here are a few reasons why.
If you have any plans to travel, rent hotel rooms or cars you’ll need a credit card. Most if not almost all rental car companies will not let you use a debit card when you’re renting a car. And if they do they increase the already ridiculous hold on your account and unless you have a major amount of liquid cash and you can stand to not access $400-$600 on top of your rental fees for the duration of your trip it’s a necessity. I’m often surprised at how many people don’t know this, the best man in my best friend’s wedding found himself stranded in New York City without a way to get to Vermont because the rental company they had booked with didn’t list that you had to pay by credit card and you had to be over 25. (Also age isn’t won’t always stop you from renting but it will almost always increase your rental price so check to see if there’s a young renter’s fee!)
Certain hotels follow similar policies, and at minimum it’s always a good idea to have some way to cover your ass if you find yourself in a bind while away from home. Lost debit cards, emergencies, accidents, or traveling for work where you’ll be waiting to receive reimbursement from you employer are all things you could encounter where not having one is going to make for a giant pain in the ass.
Different types of credit help you build a strong credit profile and no credit history can be just as frustrating to deal with as bad credit history. Credit Cards fall under the revolving debt category and help show that you can faithfully pay down or pay off a balance to a lender. They’re also how most people establish their length of credit history, which is a pretty large factor in your overall credit profile. Now, you don’t want just revolving accounts, installment accounts (usually car loans are where the average 20 something will pick this up) are even stronger for your credit profile and honestly look better than accounts with a revolving balance. Services like Credit Karma offer great break downs about all of this and how each type affects your credit scores. I highly recommend getting in the habit of checking your credit score on a regular basis if you don’t already. It’s free and it’s one of the first ways you can spot if something that doesn’t seem right shows up on your credit if you don’t pay for any kind of credit monitoring service. Having no credit history makes things like trying to rent an apartment or get a vehicle loan difficult. My current roommates previous roommate had no credit history or rental history and because that was viewed as a risk factor for the rental company their security deposit jumped to over $600 from $250. As for a vehicle loan you’re more than likely going to need a co-signer or co-borrower which can be difficult if you don’t have someone that is willing to put their name and credit on the line to help you.
Long story short. You need to build credit history some how, credit cards are kind of the path of least resistance to do so but I will say if you don’t think that you have the self control to keep your “emergency” card in your wallet for actual emergencies. I would suggest holding off.
Your bank and local bankers are excellent resources for financial questions and concerns! You can always go in and chat with a banker about your financial goals or to seek some advice. Debt, budgeting and finances are tricky and no one is expecting you to understand it all so use the resources around you and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.
The best thing I can recommend is to be SMART about what you choose, stay away from store cards with attractive incentives. “But what about the rewards?! And the freebies!? It has to worth it” Absolutely not, this is just a great way to build up unnecessary excess debt, and trust me the perks don’t take the sting out of the 29% interest rate once you realize how much you’re paying back for your retail therapy.
Airline cards have the worst annual fees and ridiculously high interest rates, if you do want something travel specific that you can build miles up on the only one I suggest is through American Airlines specifically their Fly Now Pay Later program. This can only be used to purchase flights and has 6 months interest free financing on all of your flight purchases, you still earn miles and it’s tied to your frequent flyer number. Over all, this is a card I plan on keeping because it allows me to grab flights at any time when the prices bottom out because we all know that great deal won’t usually stick around till your next pay day. Just make sure to pay it off within that 6 month window and you’re good!
Really you want to look for a card that gives you cash back on your purchases, that you can either redeem for other things or you can roll back into your monthly payments. Personally, I have a Discover It card and although the interest rate is a little on the high side (which differs for everyone depending on your credit profile) it is nice that I can take whatever cash back rewards I have and roll them into my payment.
If you’re like me and are dealing with multiple accounts and trying to tackle getting them all paid off. USE GOOGLE CALENDAR. I used to end up with late fees because I would space a payment and not realize it till the next morning when that stupid late fee had already been posted to my account. I wanted desperately to be an organized planner girl that could keep everything written down but it just doesn’t work for me, and I have to remember to write them all in every month and to be honest ain’t nobody got time for that. My google cal took me a bit to set up but the nice thing is, once it’s up you can set it to just auto repeat every single month until the end of time if you would like. Every single one of my accounts is listed on its due date, they start out green and when I’ve made the payment I go in and switch them to red for that month. If an account is paid off, I switch it to orange and just tell it to change all the following events to match. Easy, simple, and no late fees. And since I get paid bi-weekly it really helps with pay mapping and knowing what I need to set aside to make sure everything is covered. 12/10 for the very visual planning type! Also, I know most banks have a Bill payer feature, I’ve just found that this is what works best for me. And if you’re like me and paying off multiple accounts tackle them one at a time! Make minimums on all of them except one, when that’s paid off move on to the next one. Everything is still getting paid but you’ll actually start to see productive results sooner. (This one came straight from my banker and let me tell ya it works!) Start with the smallest one and work your way up to the highest ones.
Going Back to Pay Mapping, this is a great tool to tackle paying down debt and keeping your monthly budget on track. This allows you to sit down and see when you have money coming in and when money needs to in turn go back out to cover your bills and where you’ll need a little extra or where you’ll have some cash leftover. I usually pay map for a month out from wherever I’m doing my budget. Starting with my current account balance, adding in my upcoming paycheck, deducting all of the payments that will be made in that pay period until my next check and then adding that next check in and repeating the cycle. So I can see if one week I’m going to come up a little short then I need to keep some of my over flow cash from a previous week in order to make sure I don’t over draft my account. It seems simple, and you would think that it’s just basic knowledge...but again I’ve heard so many times “If I would have realized that I wouldn’t of done _____ last week!” The best thing you can do for your financial mind set is to alway be thinking forward, don’t let that extra 20 bucks burn a hole in your pocket if you haven’t checked to see if it really is extra. Better yet, just move it to your savings account (which you should also be dumping at least $10 in to whenever you can...I’m still trying to get better about this one myself).
And if you’re on top of it and pay your card off every month! Pay it off before the due date and then a revolving balance will never hit your credit report. Having accounts that are consistently paid off and don’t carry a revolving balance is the ideal way you want to deal with having credit cards. It looks great on your credit report that you pay faithfully, your usage stays low, and your still establishing length of credit history.
Wow okay this got much longer than I expected it to be but I feel like these are like the financial FAQs I usually get so now maybe I can just send it on as a master post the next time someone asks? But if any of this is unclear or you have other questions I’ll do my best to answer them! Again, by no means am I an expert this is simply a collection of things I’ve figured out through trial and lots of error. So if anything learn from my mistakes lol and if there’s anything you would like to add feel free! I’m always looking to learn more!
Also, remember it’s not forever. It may be stressful and not very fun right now but if you keep working at it and you learn from it and you make sure you don’t end up there again. I know it can be incredibly overwhelming and it sucks when you have to make the choice to stay in and be responsible when all you want to do is go out and have fun. But, it’ll feel so much nicer when you know you’re doing it all cash and you don’t have to worry about paying for your fun at the end of the month. You got this! Now go color code your calendar and get that shit paid off!
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The New Groomer’s Guide
Hello! If you’re following this account, I’m assuming you’re either already a groomer or interested in becoming one. And for both, I’d like to say: Welcome! For today’s post, I would like to pass on the knowledge I gained and kinda wished I could’ve figured out earlier. Many of you might go “yeah, duh” to a lot of this shit. Other’s might go “haha, yeah.” Hope you get something out of this either way.
1) It’s more than just ‘playing with puppies’- In this sense, I was kinda lucky. In my interview, my boss actually leveled with me and said “look, this job isn’t glamorous. It’s not about playing with puppies and having a good time. We clean dog assholes for a living.” That always stuck with me.
I’ve met some newbies that clearly didn’t get the same talking to as me. Or they thought it was fewer dog assholes and more puppies.
Either way, you learn quickly whether or not you want this just by that.
2) You will get bit- You’ll start out being wary of some dogs. Typically, those are the ones you should worry about least. I don’t know if you’ll ever get bit bad enough to make you bleed, but I’m talking from my own first and second-hand experience. I’ve seen some of the best groomers who’ve been doing it for far longer than me, stride out of the back with a bleeding hand. Sometimes it can’t be avoided because them motherfucker’s quick.
On the bright side, you can see it as training for a zombie apocalypse. No bitch-ass dead bitch gonna get you when Fido already taught you how to stay away from teeth.
3) Get a good pair of tweezers- This is something just about everyone forgets to tell you directly. Hair splinters are a BITCH. I have about twenty little shits permanently infused into the side of my pinky finger. They get to stay put for now because they didn’t cause any pain and alert me to their presence. To me, the ones on the palm are the worst. Especially the little white ones.
You will have a very intimate relationship with tweezers. One of those tiny magnifying glasses might help too.
4) Maybe get yourself a face mask and goggles too- Hair. It’ll be everywhere. There will be days you’ll walk out from drying your dog and your hair will have a new layer to it. You’ll find it hard to breathe then blow your nose and find out that husky from a week ago is still lodged in your nasal cavity. It’ll spiderweb all over your eyes. So, protect yourself so you can breathe and see.
Also, nail dust is a thing so the mask can be used again.
5) You’ll make a dog bleed- This is a very sad reality of grooming. But, there will come a time when you’ll draw blood. Maybe it’ll be a nicked paw pad, maybe your blade caught a scab. Most likely, it’ll be cutting a nail too short. No matter what, you’ll probably have a similar reaction to both me and a few people I trained.
You’ll cry and be afraid of doing it again. You might even react more than the dog you think is bleeding to death. It’s going to be okay; you’re going to get through it. It’s probably the crappiest part of the job but it is still a thing to prepare for. But, if you want this, you’ll have to get up from the floor where you passed out and learn all the steps to take to keep this from happening again.
And a better way of reacting if it does. Can’t have groomers always passing out.
6) You’ll gain breed prejudice- Huskies and German Shepherds? Get the fuck out of here. Yorkies? Those little shits better calm down! Border collies? Dude needs to take an ambient or something. Pit bulls? Fuck yeah! Always room for a pit bull bath!
You might think it’ll be obvious. Of course, you’ll love one type of dog over another. It’s not. Not at all. I’m more wary of a Pomeranian than I’ve ever been of a dog that comes up to my hip and I was attacked by a Shepard mix when I was seven.
This one’s pretty cut and dry. Hate some breeds, love others. There’s no telling what direction it’ll go.
You’ll never wanna do a pug nail trim though. That’s pretty universal.
7) Your tolerance levels are gonna change dramatically- When you do get a puppy, it’s both the best and the worst. Because, holy hell those little shits are adorable. But also, holy fuck this dog has never done this before and is scared shitless of everything! Puppies take practice and patience. A whole shitload of it. And that’ll be where your tolerance level should skyrocket. Remember, it’s a baby. It doesn’t know any better. (this should also hold true for any first timers and older dogs. Or just straight up nervous animals)
Now let’s talk about where tolerance will have the opposite effect: people.
Many will still have the whole “customer is always right” philosophy. Unfortunately, this is one of those places where that simply is not true. If you neglect to brush your dog? He gets a shave down rather than a light trim. You wanna shave you’re golden retriever because she’s shedding? That’s not how things work, ya dumbass!
I lost count of how many times I wanted to tell someone to do their fucking research before buying an animal. I didn’t get into this job to torture dogs.
It often helps to think that maybe this owner doesn’t know better. But, when you know for a fact they should know better, then you’re just going into the back to slam your head against the wall for a little while.
Also, those are the people who will usually become your request clients. So, you’ll have plenty of time trying to explain this shit to them. Enjoy!
8) You’ll be blamed for dumb things- The other day someone called to blame a groomer for giving a dog a mole. Not nicking a mole, GIVING him a mole. As if she had some kind of lame superpower to add something that usually takes forever to develop. Another time, I was accused of not giving a dog a bath because he went home and, the next day, “smelled like a dog.”
I don’t know why some people feel the need to do this. Maybe they lost touch with what it’s like to be a person with emotions. Maybe they think these are the best ways to get free things. Maybe their lives are just so miserable they need an outlet to dump all their crap. And what better scapegoat than a person in retail/service? You know, the one you just paid to get literally shat on?
(little gross extra for you: you will clean up shit. Sometimes, you’ll find it in your pocket. Don’t wear nice clothes to work…)
9) You’ll be in pain, like, 80% of the time- That’s a low ball too. I’m not a person who likes to be touched anymore than necessary. I don’t really hug unless I know you pretty well. I really like my personal space and strangers should never be in it.
But I would kill for a good back massage right about now.
If I could look into the future when I was in high school and saw this life, I would’ve done better in P.E. to prepare for it. I’m naturally a pretty strong person. I can lift some pretty heavy dogs without much of an issue. Even so, there are times my body screams at me for it. My main reason for wanting to go back to the gym is for upper body strength.
And then there’s carpal tunnel. It’ll be a bitch and you may need surgery down the line if you’re not careful. Just something to keep in mind.
Aches and pains will be a normal part of your day. Just think of them as a reminder that you are alive, I guess.
Now, I know you’re thinking that you just heard me bitch and moan about all the terrible shit in this job. Why would you wanna stay? Ore you may be thinking “Okay, so this is the part where they say something nice and return a bit of hope to our hearts.” Well, fuck you! I’m not some kinda straw man, Buzzfeed ass bitch here for your entertainment!
…..
Anyway.
10) it does have its upsides- I’ve had a lot of different jobs, most of which were a creative field. One of them paid a lot better than grooming. Many of them had their benefits like… not having to clean literal shit out of your pocket. But, it’s rare to find a job that can actually be fun.
All the bullshit I listed above is true; it’s all happened to me or around me. But most of the stuff are things that happen to everyone. That in itself brings you a certain amount of community. The people in the salon are very close-knit; it becomes almost like a family. And, like a family, we fight and bicker. But within that same hour, we’re laughing at bad puns and poop jokes. Immature? Maybe. But there’s not many other jobs where you can make these jokes without worrying about offending someone or just making things awkward.
There are days where I’m actually excited to go to work. Not many people can say that. Years ago, I couldn’t say that! So, I guess I’m lucky in a way.
This is not a job for everyone, don’t get me wrong. But when a job is geared for a certain type of person, it kinda sets up for a truly strong, supportive relationship.
-
Alright. Enough of this mushy sentimentality. This has been my New Groomer’s guide. Or, as it probably should’ve been titled “Ten things I wish someone told me when I became a Groomer.” But, ya know, I didn’t like that title.
Hope you enjoyed!
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Average Avenger’s Gal Part 2
Part One
Words: 1991
Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader
Summary: The Reader is at the tale end of a fifteen hour shift, and Steve comes in to pick her up for a date when an irate customer storms in. He’s impressed by how well Reader handles the situation and is glad to see his services wont be needed today.
"Ugh, what a day!" You huffed as you leaned against the back counter of your store's cashwrap. You folded your arms over your chest and cast your eyes out at the sales floor. It had been one hell of a day indeed. You'd had three people call out for their shifts, and it was a Saturday, no less. The displays were positively ransacked and you'd basically been on your feet for fourteen hours.
"Just think there's still five more minutes to go!" Your cashier, Melanie, reminded you. She gently tapping on the time stamp in the corner of the register's touchscreen.
"At this point isn't that extra five minutes more of a technicality?" You winked, letting her know that you were only joking. "Thanks for sticking it out with me today."
"Anytime, Boss." Mel smiled.
"Well, I guess we'd better start cleaning. The sooner we do that, the sooner we can go home." You pushed off the counter and started walking backwards towards the front of the store. "I'll take front, you get back, okay?"
"Since when are you in a hurry to get out if here?" Melanie laughed, already going to the nearest wall to begin straightening things out.
"Since, I finally have somewhere to be tonight other than here!" You called back to here. Before Melanie had a chance to reply you bumped into someone behind you. You supposed that's what you got for walking backwards through the store. "Oh, gosh I'm so sorry!" You exclaimed, turning around. You relaxed as soon as you recognized your number one customer.
"You should be careful, walking like that." Steve warned with a smile. You noticed that he'd decided to forego the usual disguise of a baseball cap and sunglasses this time.
"I do it all the time. Would you believe that's the first time I've ever bumped into anyone?" You asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Actually, yes." Steve nodded. "It amazes me how you're always so aware of your surroundings in a store this big."
"Well I have to be." You shrugged. "I'm basically, the store Mom. I need to know what everyone is doing at all times. Like right now, I can tell that Mel is only pretending to fix that shelve." You whipped your head around and gave her a playful glare.
"How did you know?" She gasped.
"Because you always pretend to do work when nice looking guys come into the store. You're afraid to start doing any actual work in case they need help." You said.
"I do not!" She disagreed, abandoning her wall and walking towards you and Steve. "Was there something we could help you with sir? I'm sorry, my boss just wants to gossip all night."
"Oh, no thank you, Melanie." Steve told her politely. "I actually just came to see if [Y/N] was still up for our date tonight. I know you said in your text messages earlier that you worked a fifteen hour shift, so..."
"I'm only a little tired." You couldn't stop yourself from yawning. "But who knows when we'll both have the time off again."
"I'm sorry, this is your something else you have to do tonight?" Melanie interrupted. "Wait a minute, aren't you one of the regulars? You usually have on a cap and shades."
"Well, I guess it's finally time to introduce you." You sigh. "Mel, this is Captain Steve Rogers. Steve this is..."
"You didn't tell anyone that you were dating Captain America?" Melanie gasped. There was a hint of betrayal in her tone.
“It’s not like my private business is relevant to our jobs.” You explained.
“Wait a minute, so all of our regulars…Sam with the nice smile and Bruce they’re…” Melanie’s eye grew wide with realization. She wasn’t able to freak out the way that she normally would because just then a customer came into the store.
“Are you still open?” The customer said with a smile.
“Mmmhhmm.” Mel nodded. “Is there something we can help you with?” She led the customer off towards the back of the store and helped her to find the things that she needed. It was only a couple minutes before Melanie and the customer were at the cash register.
“I guess I should let you get back to work.” Steve offered. “Let me know what you feel like…”
“Hang on, Steve.” You had to interrupt him because Mel was waving you over to her. “What’s up?” You asked taking in Melanie’s distressed look and the customer’s frustrated one.
“She will not give me 20% off my order.” The customer huffed as if that should clear everything up. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other in irritation.
“Oh, I’m sorry about the misunderstanding.” You apologized immediately. You knew that in these kinds of situations it was best to make the customer feel like you were on their side. “Do you have the 20% off coupon that you would like to use today?”
“No!” The customer remarked with a raised voice. You could see Steve in the edge of your peripheral vision slowly creeping his way towards the back of the store to asses the situation for himself. “I shouldn’t need to bring a coupon!” The customer continued to raise her voice. “I shop in this store all of the time. I spend hundreds of dollars in here. I think I’m entitled to a coupon.”
“Oh.” You replied quietly. You knew the situation would only be worse if you couldn’t keep an even tone when talking yourself. You clasps your hands together under the counter so that the customer wouldn’t see how bad you were shaking with nerves. These sort of confrontations never ended well.
“Unfortunately, coupons are only for our rewards member customers and they are earned base on previous purchases.” You explained calmly with a smile you hoped didn’t look too forced. “If you have earned a coupon through our rewards program I would need to see the coupon in order for us to give you the appropriate discount.”
“I’m sorry?” The customer’s voice now seemed to crack into a new octave.
“Sorry, as I said all of our coupons are base on our rewards program…” You began to explain again, but the woman interrupted you.
“I understood what you said.” She snapped. “But I don’t think you understood me. I want 20% off my total. After all the customer is always right.” Inside your blood was boiling. There was nothing more infuriating than when a customer throws that phrase around. Because the truth was the customer is not always right, sometimes the customer comes in five minutes before you’re about to close just to harass you.
“Ladies is there a problem here?” Steve was now standing three feet away from the customer. He flashed you and Melonie a concerned look before standing up straight and showcasing all 6 feet of his muscular frame for the customer.
“No, thank you, sir.” You told Steve kindly and firmly. You dealt with situations like this on a daily basis. You could handle an irate customer on your own. “But maybe Melanie can show you our new line of coconut milk soaps?” You gave Melanie an excuse to escape the cash register, and she took you up on that offer; leading Steve by the arm away from the scene.
“Ok now I can…” You were about to offer the 20% off to the customer anyway, despite the fact that she didn’t actually have said coupon, but she interrupted you before you got the chance.
“You can find me a manager is what you can do!” The woman snarled. “All the times I have shopped here, I have never had to deal with someone like you.”
“I’m sorry ma’am, I’m the only manager on duty today.” You apologized again for what felt like the fourth time too many. “As I was saying, I can…”
“You can wait one damn minute while I call customer service.” Again, without even giving you a chance to rectify the situation the woman whipped out her cellphone and called your corporate customer service. In the end the customer service representative told you to give the woman the 20% off her total even though she didn’t have any coupons present. The customer left in a huff and the whole thing left you feeling frustrated and defeated.
“You’re a better person than me.” Melanie whistled once you were alone with just her and Steve again. “I would have let muscles here deal with her when he offered.”
“That’s not the right thing to do.” You shook your head. “As frustrating as it is the have the customer service team just give her the coupon anyway, as least the customer is happy, I guess.” You shrugged.
“Your hands are shaking.” Steve noticed as you reached out to straighten some lotions on a table.
“Oh, that happens.” You shrugged again. “You’ve heard of fight or flight? Well, working in retail neither is really an option. Fighting further with that woman wouldn’t have gotten me anything except fired. And as for flight? I’d rather she yell and scream at me than Melanie. In a way I’m responsible for her. It’s not fair to let someone scream at my cashier just because I don’t want to deal with it. So, have to smile and I have to do my best to try and make customers happy.”
“Even if it means you get screamed at for following the rules?” Steve didn’t understand.
“At least she only screamed.” Mel snorted. “Sometimes they throw stuff.”
“Throw stuff?” Steve’s eyes widened in horror. “Do they throw stuff at you?”
“Sometimes.” You answered truthfully. “It doesn’t happen very often. At least not in this store. I worked at an amusement park for a while, I had someone spit on me there.”
“What did you do?” Steve gasped.
“Called security.” You sighed. “What else could I do? People who spit on you or scream or throw stuff because of coupons, they usually have something else going on in their lives. And as much as I might want to throw stuff or yell back, I don’t, because I feel sorry for them. If getting to cut a line or a discount or something is that important to them that they feel the need to scream in my face about it, what else do they have to live for? If those little things set them off, what actually brings them joy?”
“Damn.” Melanie exclaimed. “That’s really deep. You really are a better person than me. I’m going to clean, because I want to go home. But it was nice meeting you muscles, any chance you can introduce me to a friend of yours?”
“Go clean, Mel.” You urged her. “I’m sorry you had to see all of that.”
“No,” Steve shook his head. “Don’t be sorry! That was…that was incredible, what you did. I had no idea these kinds of things happened on a regular basis. And the way you handled it! You’re shaking now but you were so calm and collected when you were talking to her. And you found a way to get Melanie out in case the situation got any worse. You’re an expert at crisis management.”
“You don’t have to build me up like that.” You said as you felt your cheeks go flush with embarrassment.
“I’m not!” Steve insisted. “I’ve seen actually hostage situations that haven’t been handled as well. I’m sorry that it had to happen, but I’m glad that I got a chance to see you in action. Women of this time never stop impressing me with how resilience you are, but I think you might be the most fascinating woman I know.”
“Awww!” Melanie gushed from two tables over.
“Clean!” You told her firmly, but with a genuine smile on your face. “I want to get out of here and change so that I can go on my date with Steve.”
#Captain America#Steve Rogers x Reader#Steve Rogers Reader Insert#Steve Rogers FF#Steve Rogers Fan Fic#Steve Rogers Fan Fiction#captain america fanfiction#Captain American Fan Fic#Captain America Reader Insert#AverageAvengersGals
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How To Make A Raised Garden Bed Using Concrete Blocks Step-By-Step
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A concrete block raised bed is cheap and easy to build, and a great way to quickly add DIY raised garden beds to your yard. The best part is that you can build your raised bed right over the top of the grass! In this post, I will show you exactly how to build a raised garden bed with concrete blocks step-by-step.
You're reading: How To Make A Raised Garden Bed Using Concrete Blocks Step-By-Step
A few years ago, I got to work on a project to build a community garden. Originally, we had planned to till up the grass and plant the vegetable garden directly in the soil.
But in the end, we had to build raised beds because the ground was hard coral and limestone. Yah, good luck tilling that.
Raised gardening beds become a necessity in cases like this, when the soil is really rocky, full of tree roots, or otherwise difficult to cultivate.
One of the things I love the most about raised bed gardening is that raised beds come in many different shapes and sizes, and you can easily customize one to fit into any garden space.
Building a concrete block raised bed rather than planting directly in the ground will add extra cost to the project.
But you can keep the budget in check by using inexpensive materials, or reusing items you already have – and concrete cinder blocks are the perfect choice.
Concrete blocks are also easy to work with, and can be installed right over the top of grass or weeds, making this a quick DIY raised garden bed project that can be completed in an afternoon.
Cinder block raised garden beds completed
How Much Does It Cost To Build A Concrete Block Raised Bed?
Making raised garden beds can get pretty expensive if you’re not careful. So, if you’re looking for cheap raised garden bed ideas, then you’re in luck!
Using concrete blocks for raised beds is very inexpensive. At my local home improvement store, the blocks are only about $1 each. So you could build a nice sized raised bed for gardening for under $20.
Of course that doesn’t include the cost of soil, which will likely be the most expensive part of this project. But we’ll talk more about that later on.
Cinder Block -vs- Concrete Block
When it comes to these inexpensive raised garden bed blocks commonly used to build foundations for houses, people usually refer to them as “cinder blocks”.
Heck, even the sign at my local home improvement store says “cinder blocks” on it (maybe this is a regional thing?).
Back in the olden days, cinder blocks were commonly made from ash, and that’s where the term comes from.
But these days, cinder blocks are usually made out of concrete. True cinder blocks still exist, but from what I’ve read, they’re pretty rare.
The reason I bring this up is because there is an important difference between cinder blocks and concrete blocks.
Because of the ash, true cinder blocks can leach chemicals into the soil, and you don’t want that if you’re growing vegetables. If you plan to build a cinder block flower bed, then it doesn’t matter what type of block you use.
Read more: Department of Records – Week Six
If you’re concerned about your cinder block raised bed leaching, then I would recommend using blocks that are actually made of concrete rather than true cinder blocks.
If you want to be sure you’re building your beds out of concrete blocks rather than real cinder blocks, then just ask the retailer before you buy them.
The two terms are used interchangeably, so rest assured, when I say “cinder blocks” I really mean concrete blocks.
Concrete block raised garden bed ready for planting
How To Build A Raised Garden Bed With Concrete Blocks
Building a raised bed with concrete blocks is pretty easy, but there are a few important steps you should take to ensure that your DIY raised garden beds look their best, and fit where you want them to.
First, you need to decide where you want to put your concrete raised bed garden. Be sure to choose a spot that is fairly level and gets plenty of sun (here’s how to figure out the sun exposure of your garden).
Then decide on how many concrete block raised beds you have room for, taking care to allow plenty of space between the raised beds so that you can easily access them and walk between them.
The next step is figuring out the design for your cinder block raised garden bed(s).
Determine Your Concrete Block Raised Garden Bed Design
Since we’re using square blocks that are all the same size, designing a concrete block raised bed could not be any easier. All you need to do is measure the size of the space where you want to put it.
If you have a large space like we did when we built the raised beds in the community garden, you can build several beds that are the same size.
Or you could have some fun with it and make them different sizes to create interest or a fun path through the garden.
As you come up with your concrete block raised garden bed design plan, be sure to also think about how easy it will be to work in your beds. You don’t want the beds to be too wide or it can be difficult to reach the middle.
Also, be sure you leave a few feet of space between each bed so that you have plenty of room to walk and move around between them.
This becomes really important if you build your raised gardening beds right on top of the grass like we did, and need to be able to mow in between them.
Cement block raised beds garden
How Many Cinder Blocks Do I Need?
It’s super easy to figure out how many blocks you need for building a concrete block raised bed because they are all the same size.
Concrete (cinder) blocks are about one foot long, which makes for really easy math! The beds we built were 7′ x 4′, so we needed 20 cinder blocks to build each bed.
Once you decide on your concrete block raised bed design (done in the previous step), it’ll be easy to figure out how many cinder blocks you need to buy so you won’t have any leftover.
Best Soil For Raised Beds
As I mentioned above, buying raised bed garden soil will probably be your biggest expense for this project. I know it’s easy to think about pinching pennies here… but don’t.
When it comes to gardening, the quality of the soil is super important. It’s the foundation in which plants grow, and plants simply won’t grow well in cheap soil.
So, whatever you do, don’t buy topsoil or other types of cheap dirt for your raised beds. Be sure to fill your garden beds with high quality soil. You can buy compost in bulk, or mix your own quality soil to save money.
Supplies for building raised garden beds with concrete blocks
Steps For Building Concrete Block Raised Beds
Below I’ll walk you through how to make these easy concrete block raised beds in your garden, step by step. Before getting started, you’ll need to gather a few supplies…
Supplies Needed:
Concrete cinder blocks
Soil for raised beds
Tape measure
Marking paint or spray paint (optional)
Thick cardboard or newspaper (optional, use if you’re going over grass)
Tamper tool (optional)
Level (optional, use if you want to make sure your blocks are level)
Square garden spade (optional, use if you want to remove the sod under the blocks to level them)
Work gloves
Step 1: Lay out your concrete block raised bed design – The first thing to do is to lay out your design so that you can make sure everything fits into the space you have planned.
It’s much easier to move the blocks around or change the design if you need to at this point than it will be later on in the project. Be sure to wear gloves when moving the block, because cement blocks are heavy!
Laying out concrete block raised garden bed design
Step 2: Ensure the blocks are straight and square – Once you have the concrete blocks laid out, use the tape measure to create a straight line.
Then mark the line using the marking paint. This line will act as a guide to ensure you’re keeping everything straight during the next steps.
Step 3: Remove the grass and level the blocks (optional) – If the area where you’re building a raised bed garden is level and the blocks lay pretty flat, then you can skip this step.
But, if you’re building on top of grass and it’s uneven, then it’s a good idea to take the extra step to remove the grass so the blocks will sit level.
Blocks sitting on top of the grass will settle in over time, but removing the grass will help to ensure the blocks stay in place.
You don’t have to remove all of the grass, just the section that sits directly below the blocks. The grass in the center of the bed can remain in place.
Read more: There were two trees in Eden; only one was forbidden | The Compass
To make it easy, use a square garden spade to remove the sod. Then you can use a tamper tool if desired to level the ground before laying the block. Use a level to help you make sure the blocks are straight.
Laying cardboard under cinder block raised beds
Step 4: Lay cardboard under the cinder blocks (optional) – This is another optional step, and not required if you’re building your raised bed on top of dirt.
But, since we were building our concrete block raised beds right over the grass, we put down a thick layer of cardboard first to smother the grass and keep it from growing into the beds.
If you don’t have cardboard, you can use a thick layer of newspaper instead.
Step 5: Fill the beds with soil – Once you’re done building your concrete block raised garden beds, you can fill them with soil.
We found it easier to temporarily remove one block so that we could push the wheel barrow into the bed rather than trying to dump the soil over the top of the blocks.
Don’t forget to fill the holes in the raised garden bed blocks with soil so you can use them as planters.
If you don’t like the idea of using the holes in the blocks to grow plants, then you can fill them with rocks or cheap fill dirt instead of garden soil.
Just be sure to fill them with something to hold them in place otherwise they can move around easier.
Fill the concrete block beds with quality soil for raised beds
Step 6: Plant your shiny new concrete block raised bed! Planting your new cement block garden is the fun part.
Just be sure to give it plenty of water after everything has been planted. Also, keep in mind that the soil in your raised bed will settle over the first few days and weeks, so you may need to add more to fill in the spaces.
Planting the concrete block garden beds
The cinder blocks make wonderful planters for flowers and herbs, which can help to deter pests and attracting beneficial pollinators to the garden.
Marigolds are a great border flower in any vegetable garden, and my top choice. We also chose to use alyssum in the planter holes too, and once it’s established it will cascade over the side to help to soften the look of the concrete block raised bed.
If you’re looking for a cheap and easy raised garden bed project, then building a raised garden bed using concrete blocks is the perfect project for you!
If you’re interested in raised bed gardening and looking for more DIY raised bed projects, I recommend picking up a copy of the book Raised Bed Revolution. It’s a beautiful book that has everything you need to know about raised beds, including several wonderful DIY projects.
Products I Recommend
More DIY Garden Projects
How To Make A Concrete Block Planter
How To Make A Zen Garden In Your Backyard
How To Make A Cheap DIY Compost Bin
Share your tips for building a concrete block raised bed garden in the comments below.
Print The Step-By-Step Instructions
Yield: 1 concrete block raised bed
How To Make A Concrete Block Raised Bed
This easy DIY project takes only a few hours to build, and is very inexpensive – requiring only a few basic tools. Anyone can build these concrete raised beds, it doesn’t require any any special skills.
Active Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Materials
Concrete cinder blocks
Soil for raised beds
Thick cardboard or newspaper (optional, use if you’re going over grass)
Tools
Tape measure
Marking paint or spray paint (optional)
Tamper tool (optional)
Level (optional, use if you want to make sure your blocks are level)
Square garden spade (optional, use if you want to remove the sod under the blocks to level them)
Work gloves
Instructions
Lay out your concrete block raised bed design – Lay out your design to ensure the raised bed fits into the space. It’s much easier to move the blocks around or change the design at this point than it will be later on. Be sure to wear gloves when moving the block.
Ensure the blocks are straight and square – Once your design is laid out, use the tape measure to create a straight line, and mark it using the marking paint. This line will act as a guide to ensure everything is straight during the next steps.
Remove the grass and level the blocks (optional) – If you’re building on top of grass, or the area is uneven, it’s a good idea to remove the grass so the blocks sit level, and stay in place. You don’t have to remove all of the grass, just the section that sits directly underneath the blocks. To make it easier, use a square garden spade to remove the sod. Then you can use a tamper tool if desired to even out the ground before laying the block, and a level to ensure the blocks are straight.
Lay cardboard under the cinder blocks (optional) – This optional step is not required if you’re building the raised bed on top of the soil. But if it’s on top of the lawn, put down heavy cardboard to smother the grass. If you don’t have cardboard, you can use a thick layer of newspaper.
Fill the beds with soil – Once all of the blocks are in place, fill the bed with soil. If you’re using a wheelbarrow, temporarily remove one block so that you can push the wheel barrow into the bed. Don’t forget to fill the holes in the blocks with soil so you can use them as planters. If you don’t want to use the holes in the blocks to grow plants, then fill them with rocks or cheap fill dirt instead of garden soil. That will save you a few bucks, and prevent the blocks from moving around easily.
Plant your shiny new concrete block raised bed! This is the fun part. Once you’re done planting, water your beds well. Keep in mind that the soil will settle over the first few days and weeks, so you may need to add more to fill in the spaces.
Source: https://livingcorner.com.au
Category: Garden
source https://livingcorner.com.au/how-to-make-a-raised-garden-bed-using-concrete-blocks-step-by-step/
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KoreTrak Reviews: Best Fitness Watch?
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KoreTrak Reviews: Best Fitness Watch?
KoreTrak is a smart tracker that provides you with information on your health and fitness so that you can reach your wellness goals and improve your health status. By providing you with real-time fitness stats, health data monitoring your health and heart, and tracking your sleep, the KoreTrak watch lets you know how your body is functioning.
It has customizable activity alerts to remind you when you need to be more active, and it tracks your health and fitness data through multiple sports and activities so that you can set goals and achieve them. It is compatible with Apple and Android smartphones so you can receive notifications. KoreTrak reviews say that this is a great smart tracker that you can use to stay on top of your health and fitness routine.
KoreTrak reviews are unanimously enthusiastic about this watch and its many benefits, so we decided to take a long look at this KoreTrak review and share the conclusions we came to.
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What is KoreTrak?
KoreTrak is both a smartwatch and a fitness tracker that will help you meet your health and goals throughout the day. It is a wearable device that keeps the time and date. It has a number of built-in health and fitness tracking solutions. You can stay on top of your heart rate, blood pressure, and blood oxygen levels by getting a reading in less than ten seconds.
This fitness watch also tracks your fitness journey. It has built-in multi-sport tracking and lets you know how many steps you take and how many calories you burn throughout the day. You can customize inactivity alerts to make sure that you get the exercise you need, which will help you meet your goals.
You will also be able to track your sleep patterns so that you get the ideal sleep and awaken well rested. You will be better able to meet your goals when you get a restful night’s sleep. It connects to your Apple or Android devices to send you notifications of incoming texts and calls, and it will also send notifications to your devices. This KoreTrak watch review found that this is a great device for anyone who wants to reach their health and fitness goals.
What is the outcome of our KoreTrak test?
Based on the KoreTrak reviews, we decided to try the KoreTrak watch for ourselves and have our own KoreTrak review. We ordered two directly from the manufacturer, and my coworker and I both used our watches for one month.
Here are the results of our thorough testing. We both found that the KoreTrack watch did actually charge in 1.5-2 hours and that the battery lasted for an average of 6 days. The phone app worked really well for both of us.
I enjoyed challenging myself to walk farther and seeing the distance walked get longer every day. My coworker works out in a gym regularly and used the steps counter feature to track the number of steps he took on the stepper machine. I was less interested in steps than distance, but it’s nice that we could each track the measurement that was most important to us.
We both regularly used the watch for health monitoring our blood pressure and heart rate, but it was especially helpful to me since I do tend to have higher blood pressure. I do have to note, though, that my blood pressure rate decreased after a month of walking and challenging myself to go farther every day.
The KoreTrack smartwatch made my workout into a game almost, so that I enjoyed working out much more than if I had been doing the exact same activity without the watch.
Both of us appreciated the notifications, especially my co-worker who is a news junkie. I had an important text come in one day while I was almost back home from a walk, so I knew to go straight home and answer it rather than stop at the grocery store as I had planned.
We each took a photo just to test that feature and found that it worked really well with just a twist of the wrist, as advertised.
Does KoreTrak really work?
The KoreTrak watch works great and it is very easy to use. You can use the touchscreen technology to check on different aspects of your health and fitness. It really does track your steps and calories burned throughout the day, so you will know how much exercise you had at the end of the day.
When you are sleeping, it can track your cycles to help you create a schedule that is designed to get optimal rest. Sleep monitoring is an important part of your health and wellness, so this is a very useful feature. You can monitor your heart rate, your blood pressure, and your blood oxygen levels, and you can customize the alerts to remind you to exercise when you have been inactive.
The KoreTrak watch has presets for tracking multiple sports, and you can also use the GPS to keep track of your location. This smart tracker is full of useful tools to improve your health and fitness and reach all of your goals.
What can KoreTrak do for you?
You can use the different features to track your GPS location for an accurate measure of the distance covered during outdoor activities such as walking, hiking or jogging. It monitors your activity, checks on your heart rate, blood pressure, and blood oxygen levels, and tracks your sleeping habits.
But it does so much more than track fitness and health. With the latest smart technology, it can take hands-free photos, find its owner’s phone, and send smartphone notifications.
It is simple to use, and you will be able to monitor all aspects of your health and fitness with this watch. Whether you want to gather information or meet your exercise goals, the KoreTrak watch can help you get it done.
Is Koretrak Easy to Use?
KoreTrak reviews say that it is very easy to use. When you take it out of the box, you can charge it for 1.5 to 2 hours. It has a built-in USB plug and it is very easy to charge. The battery lasts between five and seven days, and it can sit on your watch during this time.
It connects to your smartphone so that you can receive notifications when you have a call or a text. It keeps track of your calories burned and the steps you take to let you know how you are doing. You can customize alerts so that you know when it is time to exercise.
It is such a blessing lately most product developers are paying close attention to make devices easy to use, such as the portable air conditioners like Blast Portable AC or the Arctic Air Pure Chill.
The fitness tracker is easy to use as it has touchscreen technology. You can check everything by touching the screen and it is easy to find the information you are looking for. This is a straightforward device that opens the door to a lot of information to help you track your health and meet your fitness goals.
What are the KoreTrak reviews saying?
We took a look at the KoreTrak reviews. All those KoreTrak watch reviews are always one of the best ways to identify the very best product in any category, and they are consistently enthusiastic. Here are just a few of the things people have said about this product:
“This was exactly what I needed to get back into exercising.” – Andy, Seattle
“It’s nice being able to see how far I’ve run and check my heart rate any time.” – Sonia, Miami
“It really keeps me motivated!” – Carson, Boston
“Love wearing this at the gym.” – Tyler, Oklahoma City
It’s recommended to always check product review before making a purchase. We check reviews on everything from blenders to plumbers, so it should be routine to do the same when we are considering a smartwatch / fitness trackers purchase.
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Is KoreTrak water-resistant?
Yes. First of all, KoreTrak is equipped with flexible yet strong, well-made comfort bands. Its sweat and water-resistant casing ensures that it can be worn while working out, on a paddleboard or even while doing the dishes.
You can wear it in the shower or in the rain because it is IP67 waterproof rated. It is a smart tracker with touchscreen technology, and you can receive calls and text messages as long as you have it connected to your smartphone.
Who is KoreTrak good for?
KoreTrack is good for both high-school students and adults. Everyone who wants to monitor their health can use a KoreTrak Pro smartwatch to quickly and easily set up a workout plan that will help keep them focused on their goals.
High-school students who want to get in shape for sport team tryouts would be able to achieve those goals with the help of this tracker.
Seniors who are concerned about negative health events can monitor their blood pressure and heart rate. They can also set up a workout plan that’s perfect for their level of fitness in order to help prevent negative health events.
Of course, that’s an important benefit for all adults since health experts agree that some amount of exercise every week is necessary for good health. Also, the calorie tracker helps all of us make lifestyle changes to take off those extra pounds we tend to put on as we get older.
Everyone, from high-school students to seniors will use the smartphone technology to take hands-free photos, receive smartphone notifications, and even find their misplaced phone.
KoreTrak Benefits
There are many benefits to using the KoreTrak watch. The first is that you can monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, and blood oxygen. These are important metrics that give you insight into your overall health. In addition, it can track your sleep patterns so that you can learn how to create the best sleep habits.
It will count your steps and let you know how many calories you burn each day so you can determine whether or not you need to become more active. It will also track your activity over multiple sports so you will know if you reach your goals. Let’s take a look in detail.
Health.
These are probably the most important benefits of all. KoreTrak owners get more out of every workout because this tracker helps them to push themselves and get fit faster. Customizable movement reminders get them back on track if they skip too many workouts. Also, the sleep pattern analysis is a necessary first step to improve sleep quality and quantity. These improvements cannot be made until we know what the sleep problems are. Sleep pattern analysis brings those problems to light. The KoreTrak tracks total time slept, the amount of deep sleep time, the amount of light sleep time, and the amount of time spent awake. These sleep patterns can be tracked daily, weekly, or monthly.
Convenience.
The watch displays the date and weather in addition to telling time. Also, KoreTrak owners can see who’s calling, read text messages and get notifications from apps such as Apple News. They can leave their phones at home so their workouts are not disturbed, and they will still get all the information they need. Also, because of its water-resistant rating of IP67, the KoreTrak smartwatch can be worn in light rain and will not be negatively affected by humidity. It should not be fully submerged in water for long periods, but it can be used in the shower, for washing dishes, and for use during water sports. In addition, it is protected against dust and sand. Also, the KoreTrak can be used to locate a phone, and a phone can be used to locate a KoreTrak Pro smartwatch, as well.
Fun.
The watch face is customizable to express personal style, and photos can be taken with just a movement of the wrist. Also, a set of different colored watch bands can be purchased very inexpensively to color coordinate with clothing.
If you are looking to improve your health and fitness, KoreTrak watch reviews found that this is a device that can benefit everyone.
How is KoreTrak better than other fitness trackers?
The KoreTrak fitness tracker is a watch and a fitness tracker in one package, and it is more affordable than many of the options on the market. It is packed with features, including blood pressure, heart rate, and blood oxygen monitoring, as well as fitness tracking, sleep cycle tracking, and more.
It can connect to your smartphone to give you alerts when you receive a phone call or a text so you can exercise hands-free. In addition, it is water-resistant rated IP67, so it can handle light rain, dishwashing, showers, and more. It has a battery life of five to seven days, so you can monitor your health and activity 24/7 for days at a time. KoreTrak Pro review found that this smart tracker offers more than a fitness device and is affordable and easy to use.
Here are the things that, taken together in one piece of equipment, make KoreTrak stand out from all the competition on the market. One or two other watches may include some of these features; however, no other watch has them all. Finally, no other fitness trackers are priced as reasonably considering the incredible list of features that are included in the KoreTrak smartwatch / fitness tracker.
State-of-the-art touch operation technology.
Receive call and SMS message vibration alerts with touch button operation. Easily access special features like the pedometer, heart rate monitor, blood oxygen monitor, blood pressure, activity tracker, stopwatch, sleep tracker, step counter, and calorie tracker.
The adaptability of this watch, which allows all of these features to be customized for each individual.
A durable, well-made piece of equipment that’s comfortable enough to be worn all day, every day.
Where can I buy KoreTrak?
You can buy the KoreTrak watch at the official site, where they often have special offers and discounts. It is very easy to click on the site and make the purchase. They will ship your KoreTrak and you can get started as soon as you receive it.
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KoreTrak Pros and Cons
Pros:
Health Tracking (monitor blood pressure, heart rate, and blood oxygen levels in under 10 seconds)
Fitness Tracking (steps, distance, calorie tracking)
Customizable Inactivity Alerts
Sleep Pattern Analysis
Call/Text Alerts
Phone App Notifications (such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
Phone Tracking Ability (find a lost phone)
Comfortable (light and flexible)
Water-Resistant IP67
Long Battery Life (7 days)
Personalized Display
Has built-in USB plug to get charged
Cons:
Only available online
Not Waterproof for extended submersion over 10 mts / 33ft deep in water for over 30 minutes (but can be worn in the shower, while washing dishes, swimming, etc.)
Final Verdict
The KoreTrak smart tracker is a useful device at an affordable price. It gives you everything you want in a fitness and health tracker, and it is very easy to use. You can monitor your blood pressure, heart rate, and blood oxygen levels easily at any time of the day or night, and you can track your sleep patterns to learn how to get more restful sleep.
The KoreTrak reviews were just too consistently good to be ignored. No other smartwatch/fitness tracker product review can match the enthusiasm of these KoreTrak watch reviews. For that reason, we tested the watches ourselves and found the KoreTrak reviews to be accurate. The KoreTrack smartwatch / fitness tracker is as great a product as people are saying.
KoreTrak watch reviews say that if you are looking for a health and fitness tracker that does it all, this is a great option.
For a safe purchase and more details, head to the official KoreTrak Pro Store Today Here!
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Personally i like both. I met my bestfriend who is my bestfriend in Genuine LIFE as properly. I wasn't expecting on meeting her at all. And saying that IMVU has immature adults and such and such is truly unfair since in secondlife and this is just me, i've had extra griefering that you can really envision. Each have their ups and downs and simply because IMVU is not a virtual globe and a virtual 3d chat the complete versus issue is invalid. Im not confident if some of you've have not been on there because 2008 but it improved alot to be sincere, they actually have mesh heads now, yea. And for me uploading mesh there was 10x much easier there and you didn't need to have all your i.d and credit cards all out there.
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I do not consider it is crazy for somebody to say one particular is far better than the other, if that's certainly how they really feel. It is just their opinion and we do not have to agree with it. For me IMVU is not a location I take pleasure in as a great deal. I discover sl to be far superior, in a lot of ways. I usually have, and I've noticed and been in each when neither of them looked as if they had a leg to stand on or would final. Even if I was only interested in a 3d chat space, IMVU would not be my initial, second, or even third option-for a handful of diverse motives. But that's just me, my opinion and what performs for me and my demands. Others, won't feel the similar. My not liking some location or plan doesn't make it terrible. Just makes it not excellent for me.
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Best BJJ Gi
New Post has been published on https://jiujitsugi.net/best-bjj-gi/
Best BJJ Gi
The 3 Best BJJ Gi’s For 2019
We will be looking at the 3 best bjj gear that is overlooked by many. These are the gems in the rough and will separate you from the rest at your Academy. These gi’s are of the highest most quality and from the top brands on the market today. Have a look …
Best Fugi Gi
1. Fuji All-Around Gi Review
This is a review of the Fuji all-around BJJ gi a cotton single wave kimono with a surprising amount of quality especially at the cost the jacket weave has an obvious judo influence thanks to Fugees long history with that sport but this has the tighter cut for jujitsu players the pants are made of a mid weight cotton drill material this ski is IBJJF approved and retails depending on the color for 94 to 98 dollars on BJJ warehouse.com the Fuji is a nice bright white clean looking G the embroidered Fuji logo and lettering is placed on the left arm and the upper back of the jacket a small woven patch is placed at the bottom of the lapel and replicated on the upper left v the pants overall it’s a very simple classic look that I personally appreciate a lot the first thing I noticed was the surprising softness of the gi and the weight single weave doesn’t necessarily mean superlight and I was impressed by the heft of this ski it’s a nice mid-range weight the jacket is supple and it only showed minimal shrinkage after cold wash and dry on low heat I’m 5 foot 8 and 160 pounds and the a2 is an excellent fit okay right here is where the Fuji really shines this is a sub $100 gi with a lot of bells and whistles where it counts the jacket has armpit and oversized side vent reinforcements along with cotton lining running over the triple stitch seams on the inside of the jacket the inside of the sleeve cuffs have the same feature and the trim along the bottom of the jacket also is lined with soft cotton the reinforced stitching running from one side of the chest around the back of the neck and down the other side is strong the lack of contrast stitching makes a little difficult to see but I’ve changed the lighting here to make it stand out just a bit more the collar is very pliable but it’s not thin and flimsy it has a comforting thickness to it the pants have side Bend and crotch reinforcements as well as thigh to ankle knee reinforcements for extra comfort and strength stitching throughout the G is straight and precise this is one of those guys that just fit me almost perfectly the cut and softness of the ghee make it a fun comfortable roll I felt completely mobile the entire time without the geek coming loose and flopping all over the weight of the all-around G makes it a great choice no matter the season and unless you’re desperately shaving grams to make weight it work just fine as a competition v – the pants are comfortable and nicely tapered and they allow for full range of motion in those terrifying moments that are trying to play guard I had to pick one word to describe the Fuji all around gee it would be surprising the quality of construction and the fit of the D make this seem like a much more expensive product than it is there were so many times during filming this that I said really this is less than hundred bucks it would be nice to have a couple more belt loops and I’d replace two flat drawstring with a stretchy rope but other than that it’s a lot of bang for your buck you certainly don’t have to spend a bunch of money to get a gray gi and for this price range the Fuji all-around is an excellent choice
Best Venum Gi
2. Venum Absolute BJJ Gi
This is a review of the absolute a thick competition Venum Absolute BJJ Gi, the jacket is made of a 650 gram gold weave cotton and a rubber collar and the pants are a mid-weight cotton canvas this IBJJF approved gi comes in white blue and black weighs 4 pounds 2 ounces and retails for 160 to 180 on Amazon like most of Venom’s products the ominous-looking snake’s head is prominent on absolute gi it’s embroidered in four different places on the jacket including a massive piece than on the back venom is embroidered on the chest and two very high quality patches run along the shoulders on the inside a soft cotton lining with dozens of snake head logos add some great detail along with extra comfort seam tape in the sleeve cuffs black side vent trim and red contrast stitching finish off the jacket details the pants carry over the same black trim and red contrast stitching details along with black belt loops and a red flat drawstring venom is embroidered into the pants in two areas one in the front and one in the back to me this is the best looking venom gi and what it offers there’s quite a bit going on so it does have some extra flash with a design as high-quality and classy I’m 5/8 160 pounds and the a2 is a perfect fit for me venom also offers the venom gi half sizes so for those of you who are always stuck in between you have some extra options here I’m always extra careful with gold leaf jackets like cold wash and hang dry every time I’ll toss the venom gi in the dryer to soften it up before training though as you can see from the measurements chart the absolute will shrink up some even if you hang dry as for comfort the absolute is like a soft thick bathrobe you can wear to beat people up in it’s one of the most comfortable gis I have the absolute has the standard armpit side vent and crotch reinforcements along with triple stitching throughout the major stress zones the embroidery is very accurate and didn’t have any loose threads even the big back piece was flawless I was especially impressed at the shoulder patches they’re thick strong and sewn on very well the contrast stitching throughout the Gi was mostly accurate in uniform and the six rows of stitching on the pant cuffs makes for some bomb-proof pants my only real complaint about the Gi is a scratchy seam tape in the cuffs holding the edges under would make them perfect this is Hidalgo’s Gi the world champion and guard pastor extraordinaire uses this which I know has no correlation to my rolling abilities but it’s still fun to strap on the same gear as one of my jiu-jitsu idols then I’m sponsors Leandro lol and hood off of the era they need to make a t-shirt that says your guard is not safe or something like that and then they should send me one to the sweet idea the fit and comfort of the venom gi have instantly made it one of my favorites the heavy gold leaf material is soft and drapes over my body just right the collar feels slightly thicker than the venom gi competition as well which I like the canvas pants are soft and comfortable but I do wish they taper just a little bit more towards the angle I put quite a few miles on the venom gi in a month that I’ve had it and I look forward to training in it every time this is Venom’s top-of-the-line ghee and it shows unless you’re desperately hoping you make weight the absolute would make for an excellent competition gi or if you’re like me and don’t compete much it’ll hold up to the most severe training sessions over and over if you’re looking for a high-end D with a comfort of gold weave the absolute is definitely worth checking out
Best Hayabusa Gi
3. Hayabusa Pearl Weave Ultra-Light Jiu Jitsu Gi
This is a review of the Hayabusa Shinju pearl weave light weight Hayabusa gi jacket is made of a 450 gram pearl weave material and the pants are 11 ounce ripstop the Shinju comes in blue or white weighs three pounds four ounces retails for 160 on Amazon, the Shinju is by most standards what I would call a heavily branded Hayabusa gi and that you can see the word Hayabusa 22 times on the outside of the Hayabusa gi including two large embroidered sections on the shoulders the classic red white and black Hayabusa colors run throughout the ribbon patchwork and logo as well as the seam tape in the sleeve and ankle cuffs the pants have slightly less detailed in the jacket a small patch on the upper right leg and some embroidery on the right shin is all that’s visible seam tape does run on the inside of the cuff though overall the design looks great from the big shoulder embroidery to the small details like the patch on the back of the collar I especially like the lack of contrast stitching because it leaves the key with a simple clean look I’m 5 foot 8 and 160 pounds and the 81 is a solid fit right out of the bag any amount of shrinkage though and the sleeves that have been too short for me even though the Hayabusa gi is preshrunk I cold wash my Hayabusa and then ring dried it just to be on the safe side the jacket was moderately soft and comfortable as wear the pants the embroidery on the lower pant leg was a tiny bit scratchy but not that noticeable the seam tape was smooth and comfortable throughout the key the Shinju has the standard armpit side vent and crotch reinforcements along with triple stitching throughout the major stress areas the sleeve and ankle cuffs have along with the seam tape an extra strip of ripstop this makes them very strong and more difficult to grip the pants feature for oversize loops are strong and keep the drawstring where it belongs all of the embroidery looks excellent and the stitching throughout the key was a very high quality this gi is certainly built to last this would make for an excellent competition key it’s very light but it’s strong where it counts the stiffness of the collar is perfect for what I like it’s strong and covered in ripstop so breaking grips isn’t a chore but it’s not so stiff that you can’t use it as a choking weapon the sleeve lining makes it a problem for your opponent if he’s trying to get a hold of you as well I felt completely mobile while rolling and it was easy to do ground after round thanks to this Shinji’s low weight the Shinju lightweight key is an excellent combination of quality construction pleasing design and low weight with warmer temperatures on the way this will certainly be seeing plenty of action at my gym the Shinju Hayabusa gi really delivers
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Best BJJ Gi
New Post has been published on https://jiujitsugi.net/best-bjj-gi/
Best BJJ Gi
The 3 Best BJJ Gi’s For 2019
We will be looking at the 3 best bjj gear that is overlooked by many. These are the gems in the rough and will separate you from the rest at your Academy. These gi’s are of the highest most quality and from the top brands on the market today. Have a look …
Best Fugi Gi
1. Fuji All-Around Gi Review
This is a review of the Fuji all-around BJJ gi a cotton single wave kimono with a surprising amount of quality especially at the cost the jacket weave has an obvious judo influence thanks to Fugees long history with that sport but this has the tighter cut for jujitsu players the pants are made of a mid weight cotton drill material this ski is IBJJF approved and retails depending on the color for 94 to 98 dollars on BJJ warehouse.com the Fuji is a nice bright white clean looking G the embroidered Fuji logo and lettering is placed on the left arm and the upper back of the jacket a small woven patch is placed at the bottom of the lapel and replicated on the upper left v the pants overall it’s a very simple classic look that I personally appreciate a lot the first thing I noticed was the surprising softness of the gi and the weight single weave doesn’t necessarily mean superlight and I was impressed by the heft of this ski it’s a nice mid-range weight the jacket is supple and it only showed minimal shrinkage after cold wash and dry on low heat I’m 5 foot 8 and 160 pounds and the a2 is an excellent fit okay right here is where the Fuji really shines this is a sub $100 gi with a lot of bells and whistles where it counts the jacket has armpit and oversized side vent reinforcements along with cotton lining running over the triple stitch seams on the inside of the jacket the inside of the sleeve cuffs have the same feature and the trim along the bottom of the jacket also is lined with soft cotton the reinforced stitching running from one side of the chest around the back of the neck and down the other side is strong the lack of contrast stitching makes a little difficult to see but I’ve changed the lighting here to make it stand out just a bit more the collar is very pliable but it’s not thin and flimsy it has a comforting thickness to it the pants have side Bend and crotch reinforcements as well as thigh to ankle knee reinforcements for extra comfort and strength stitching throughout the G is straight and precise this is one of those guys that just fit me almost perfectly the cut and softness of the ghee make it a fun comfortable roll I felt completely mobile the entire time without the geek coming loose and flopping all over the weight of the all-around G makes it a great choice no matter the season and unless you’re desperately shaving grams to make weight it work just fine as a competition v – the pants are comfortable and nicely tapered and they allow for full range of motion in those terrifying moments that are trying to play guard I had to pick one word to describe the Fuji all around gee it would be surprising the quality of construction and the fit of the D make this seem like a much more expensive product than it is there were so many times during filming this that I said really this is less than hundred bucks it would be nice to have a couple more belt loops and I’d replace two flat drawstring with a stretchy rope but other than that it’s a lot of bang for your buck you certainly don’t have to spend a bunch of money to get a gray gi and for this price range the Fuji all-around is an excellent choice
Best Venum Gi
2. Venum Absolute BJJ Gi
This is a review of the absolute a thick competition Venum Absolute BJJ Gi, the jacket is made of a 650 gram gold weave cotton and a rubber collar and the pants are a mid-weight cotton canvas this IBJJF approved gi comes in white blue and black weighs 4 pounds 2 ounces and retails for 160 to 180 on Amazon like most of Venom’s products the ominous-looking snake’s head is prominent on absolute gi it’s embroidered in four different places on the jacket including a massive piece than on the back venom is embroidered on the chest and two very high quality patches run along the shoulders on the inside a soft cotton lining with dozens of snake head logos add some great detail along with extra comfort seam tape in the sleeve cuffs black side vent trim and red contrast stitching finish off the jacket details the pants carry over the same black trim and red contrast stitching details along with black belt loops and a red flat drawstring venom is embroidered into the pants in two areas one in the front and one in the back to me this is the best looking venom gi and what it offers there’s quite a bit going on so it does have some extra flash with a design as high-quality and classy I’m 5/8 160 pounds and the a2 is a perfect fit for me venom also offers the venom gi half sizes so for those of you who are always stuck in between you have some extra options here I’m always extra careful with gold leaf jackets like cold wash and hang dry every time I’ll toss the venom gi in the dryer to soften it up before training though as you can see from the measurements chart the absolute will shrink up some even if you hang dry as for comfort the absolute is like a soft thick bathrobe you can wear to beat people up in it’s one of the most comfortable gis I have the absolute has the standard armpit side vent and crotch reinforcements along with triple stitching throughout the major stress zones the embroidery is very accurate and didn’t have any loose threads even the big back piece was flawless I was especially impressed at the shoulder patches they’re thick strong and sewn on very well the contrast stitching throughout the Gi was mostly accurate in uniform and the six rows of stitching on the pant cuffs makes for some bomb-proof pants my only real complaint about the Gi is a scratchy seam tape in the cuffs holding the edges under would make them perfect this is Hidalgo’s Gi the world champion and guard pastor extraordinaire uses this which I know has no correlation to my rolling abilities but it’s still fun to strap on the same gear as one of my jiu-jitsu idols then I’m sponsors Leandro lol and hood off of the era they need to make a t-shirt that says your guard is not safe or something like that and then they should send me one to the sweet idea the fit and comfort of the venom gi have instantly made it one of my favorites the heavy gold leaf material is soft and drapes over my body just right the collar feels slightly thicker than the venom gi competition as well which I like the canvas pants are soft and comfortable but I do wish they taper just a little bit more towards the angle I put quite a few miles on the venom gi in a month that I’ve had it and I look forward to training in it every time this is Venom’s top-of-the-line ghee and it shows unless you’re desperately hoping you make weight the absolute would make for an excellent competition gi or if you’re like me and don’t compete much it’ll hold up to the most severe training sessions over and over if you’re looking for a high-end D with a comfort of gold weave the absolute is definitely worth checking out
Best Hayabusa Gi
3. Hayabusa Pearl Weave Ultra-Light Jiu Jitsu Gi
This is a review of the Hayabusa Shinju pearl weave light weight Hayabusa gi jacket is made of a 450 gram pearl weave material and the pants are 11 ounce ripstop the Shinju comes in blue or white weighs three pounds four ounces retails for 160 on Amazon, the Shinju is by most standards what I would call a heavily branded Hayabusa gi and that you can see the word Hayabusa 22 times on the outside of the Hayabusa gi including two large embroidered sections on the shoulders the classic red white and black Hayabusa colors run throughout the ribbon patchwork and logo as well as the seam tape in the sleeve and ankle cuffs the pants have slightly less detailed in the jacket a small patch on the upper right leg and some embroidery on the right shin is all that’s visible seam tape does run on the inside of the cuff though overall the design looks great from the big shoulder embroidery to the small details like the patch on the back of the collar I especially like the lack of contrast stitching because it leaves the key with a simple clean look I’m 5 foot 8 and 160 pounds and the 81 is a solid fit right out of the bag any amount of shrinkage though and the sleeves that have been too short for me even though the Hayabusa gi is preshrunk I cold wash my Hayabusa and then ring dried it just to be on the safe side the jacket was moderately soft and comfortable as wear the pants the embroidery on the lower pant leg was a tiny bit scratchy but not that noticeable the seam tape was smooth and comfortable throughout the key the Shinju has the standard armpit side vent and crotch reinforcements along with triple stitching throughout the major stress areas the sleeve and ankle cuffs have along with the seam tape an extra strip of ripstop this makes them very strong and more difficult to grip the pants feature for oversize loops are strong and keep the drawstring where it belongs all of the embroidery looks excellent and the stitching throughout the key was a very high quality this gi is certainly built to last this would make for an excellent competition key it’s very light but it’s strong where it counts the stiffness of the collar is perfect for what I like it’s strong and covered in ripstop so breaking grips isn’t a chore but it’s not so stiff that you can’t use it as a choking weapon the sleeve lining makes it a problem for your opponent if he’s trying to get a hold of you as well I felt completely mobile while rolling and it was easy to do ground after round thanks to this Shinji’s low weight the Shinju lightweight key is an excellent combination of quality construction pleasing design and low weight with warmer temperatures on the way this will certainly be seeing plenty of action at my gym the Shinju Hayabusa gi really delivers
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Text
Best BJJ Gi
New Post has been published on https://jiujitsugi.net/best-bjj-gi/
Best BJJ Gi
The 3 Best BJJ Gi’s For 2019
We will be looking at the 3 best bjj gear that is overlooked by many. These are the gems in the rough and will separate you from the rest at your Academy. These gi’s are of the highest most quality and from the top brands on the market today. Have a look …
Best Fugi Gi
1. Fuji All-Around Gi Review
This is a review of the Fuji all-around BJJ gi a cotton single wave kimono with a surprising amount of quality especially at the cost the jacket weave has an obvious judo influence thanks to Fugees long history with that sport but this has the tighter cut for jujitsu players the pants are made of a mid weight cotton drill material this ski is IBJJF approved and retails depending on the color for 94 to 98 dollars on BJJ warehouse.com the Fuji is a nice bright white clean looking G the embroidered Fuji logo and lettering is placed on the left arm and the upper back of the jacket a small woven patch is placed at the bottom of the lapel and replicated on the upper left v the pants overall it’s a very simple classic look that I personally appreciate a lot the first thing I noticed was the surprising softness of the gi and the weight single weave doesn’t necessarily mean superlight and I was impressed by the heft of this ski it’s a nice mid-range weight the jacket is supple and it only showed minimal shrinkage after cold wash and dry on low heat I’m 5 foot 8 and 160 pounds and the a2 is an excellent fit okay right here is where the Fuji really shines this is a sub $100 gi with a lot of bells and whistles where it counts the jacket has armpit and oversized side vent reinforcements along with cotton lining running over the triple stitch seams on the inside of the jacket the inside of the sleeve cuffs have the same feature and the trim along the bottom of the jacket also is lined with soft cotton the reinforced stitching running from one side of the chest around the back of the neck and down the other side is strong the lack of contrast stitching makes a little difficult to see but I’ve changed the lighting here to make it stand out just a bit more the collar is very pliable but it’s not thin and flimsy it has a comforting thickness to it the pants have side Bend and crotch reinforcements as well as thigh to ankle knee reinforcements for extra comfort and strength stitching throughout the G is straight and precise this is one of those guys that just fit me almost perfectly the cut and softness of the ghee make it a fun comfortable roll I felt completely mobile the entire time without the geek coming loose and flopping all over the weight of the all-around G makes it a great choice no matter the season and unless you’re desperately shaving grams to make weight it work just fine as a competition v – the pants are comfortable and nicely tapered and they allow for full range of motion in those terrifying moments that are trying to play guard I had to pick one word to describe the Fuji all around gee it would be surprising the quality of construction and the fit of the D make this seem like a much more expensive product than it is there were so many times during filming this that I said really this is less than hundred bucks it would be nice to have a couple more belt loops and I’d replace two flat drawstring with a stretchy rope but other than that it’s a lot of bang for your buck you certainly don’t have to spend a bunch of money to get a gray gi and for this price range the Fuji all-around is an excellent choice
Best Venum Gi
2. Venum Absolute BJJ Gi
This is a review of the absolute a thick competition Venum Absolute BJJ Gi, the jacket is made of a 650 gram gold weave cotton and a rubber collar and the pants are a mid-weight cotton canvas this IBJJF approved gi comes in white blue and black weighs 4 pounds 2 ounces and retails for 160 to 180 on Amazon like most of Venom’s products the ominous-looking snake’s head is prominent on absolute gi it’s embroidered in four different places on the jacket including a massive piece than on the back venom is embroidered on the chest and two very high quality patches run along the shoulders on the inside a soft cotton lining with dozens of snake head logos add some great detail along with extra comfort seam tape in the sleeve cuffs black side vent trim and red contrast stitching finish off the jacket details the pants carry over the same black trim and red contrast stitching details along with black belt loops and a red flat drawstring venom is embroidered into the pants in two areas one in the front and one in the back to me this is the best looking venom gi and what it offers there’s quite a bit going on so it does have some extra flash with a design as high-quality and classy I’m 5/8 160 pounds and the a2 is a perfect fit for me venom also offers the venom gi half sizes so for those of you who are always stuck in between you have some extra options here I’m always extra careful with gold leaf jackets like cold wash and hang dry every time I’ll toss the venom gi in the dryer to soften it up before training though as you can see from the measurements chart the absolute will shrink up some even if you hang dry as for comfort the absolute is like a soft thick bathrobe you can wear to beat people up in it’s one of the most comfortable gis I have the absolute has the standard armpit side vent and crotch reinforcements along with triple stitching throughout the major stress zones the embroidery is very accurate and didn’t have any loose threads even the big back piece was flawless I was especially impressed at the shoulder patches they’re thick strong and sewn on very well the contrast stitching throughout the Gi was mostly accurate in uniform and the six rows of stitching on the pant cuffs makes for some bomb-proof pants my only real complaint about the Gi is a scratchy seam tape in the cuffs holding the edges under would make them perfect this is Hidalgo’s Gi the world champion and guard pastor extraordinaire uses this which I know has no correlation to my rolling abilities but it’s still fun to strap on the same gear as one of my jiu-jitsu idols then I’m sponsors Leandro lol and hood off of the era they need to make a t-shirt that says your guard is not safe or something like that and then they should send me one to the sweet idea the fit and comfort of the venom gi have instantly made it one of my favorites the heavy gold leaf material is soft and drapes over my body just right the collar feels slightly thicker than the venom gi competition as well which I like the canvas pants are soft and comfortable but I do wish they taper just a little bit more towards the angle I put quite a few miles on the venom gi in a month that I’ve had it and I look forward to training in it every time this is Venom’s top-of-the-line ghee and it shows unless you’re desperately hoping you make weight the absolute would make for an excellent competition gi or if you’re like me and don’t compete much it’ll hold up to the most severe training sessions over and over if you’re looking for a high-end D with a comfort of gold weave the absolute is definitely worth checking out
Best Hayabusa Gi
3. Hayabusa Pearl Weave Ultra-Light Jiu Jitsu Gi
This is a review of the Hayabusa Shinju pearl weave light weight Hayabusa gi jacket is made of a 450 gram pearl weave material and the pants are 11 ounce ripstop the Shinju comes in blue or white weighs three pounds four ounces retails for 160 on Amazon, the Shinju is by most standards what I would call a heavily branded Hayabusa gi and that you can see the word Hayabusa 22 times on the outside of the Hayabusa gi including two large embroidered sections on the shoulders the classic red white and black Hayabusa colors run throughout the ribbon patchwork and logo as well as the seam tape in the sleeve and ankle cuffs the pants have slightly less detailed in the jacket a small patch on the upper right leg and some embroidery on the right shin is all that’s visible seam tape does run on the inside of the cuff though overall the design looks great from the big shoulder embroidery to the small details like the patch on the back of the collar I especially like the lack of contrast stitching because it leaves the key with a simple clean look I’m 5 foot 8 and 160 pounds and the 81 is a solid fit right out of the bag any amount of shrinkage though and the sleeves that have been too short for me even though the Hayabusa gi is preshrunk I cold wash my Hayabusa and then ring dried it just to be on the safe side the jacket was moderately soft and comfortable as wear the pants the embroidery on the lower pant leg was a tiny bit scratchy but not that noticeable the seam tape was smooth and comfortable throughout the key the Shinju has the standard armpit side vent and crotch reinforcements along with triple stitching throughout the major stress areas the sleeve and ankle cuffs have along with the seam tape an extra strip of ripstop this makes them very strong and more difficult to grip the pants feature for oversize loops are strong and keep the drawstring where it belongs all of the embroidery looks excellent and the stitching throughout the key was a very high quality this gi is certainly built to last this would make for an excellent competition key it’s very light but it’s strong where it counts the stiffness of the collar is perfect for what I like it’s strong and covered in ripstop so breaking grips isn’t a chore but it’s not so stiff that you can’t use it as a choking weapon the sleeve lining makes it a problem for your opponent if he’s trying to get a hold of you as well I felt completely mobile while rolling and it was easy to do ground after round thanks to this Shinji’s low weight the Shinju lightweight key is an excellent combination of quality construction pleasing design and low weight with warmer temperatures on the way this will certainly be seeing plenty of action at my gym the Shinju Hayabusa gi really delivers
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Best BJJ Gi
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Best BJJ Gi
The 3 Best BJJ Gi’s For 2019
We will be looking at the 3 best bjj gear that is overlooked by many. These are the gems in the rough and will separate you from the rest at your Academy. These gi’s are of the highest most quality and from the top brands on the market today. Have a look …
Best Fugi Gi
1. Fuji All-Around Gi Review
This is a review of the Fuji all-around BJJ gi a cotton single wave kimono with a surprising amount of quality especially at the cost the jacket weave has an obvious judo influence thanks to Fugees long history with that sport but this has the tighter cut for jujitsu players the pants are made of a mid weight cotton drill material this ski is IBJJF approved and retails depending on the color for 94 to 98 dollars on BJJ warehouse.com the Fuji is a nice bright white clean looking G the embroidered Fuji logo and lettering is placed on the left arm and the upper back of the jacket a small woven patch is placed at the bottom of the lapel and replicated on the upper left v the pants overall it’s a very simple classic look that I personally appreciate a lot the first thing I noticed was the surprising softness of the gi and the weight single weave doesn’t necessarily mean superlight and I was impressed by the heft of this ski it’s a nice mid-range weight the jacket is supple and it only showed minimal shrinkage after cold wash and dry on low heat I’m 5 foot 8 and 160 pounds and the a2 is an excellent fit okay right here is where the Fuji really shines this is a sub $100 gi with a lot of bells and whistles where it counts the jacket has armpit and oversized side vent reinforcements along with cotton lining running over the triple stitch seams on the inside of the jacket the inside of the sleeve cuffs have the same feature and the trim along the bottom of the jacket also is lined with soft cotton the reinforced stitching running from one side of the chest around the back of the neck and down the other side is strong the lack of contrast stitching makes a little difficult to see but I’ve changed the lighting here to make it stand out just a bit more the collar is very pliable but it’s not thin and flimsy it has a comforting thickness to it the pants have side Bend and crotch reinforcements as well as thigh to ankle knee reinforcements for extra comfort and strength stitching throughout the G is straight and precise this is one of those guys that just fit me almost perfectly the cut and softness of the ghee make it a fun comfortable roll I felt completely mobile the entire time without the geek coming loose and flopping all over the weight of the all-around G makes it a great choice no matter the season and unless you’re desperately shaving grams to make weight it work just fine as a competition v – the pants are comfortable and nicely tapered and they allow for full range of motion in those terrifying moments that are trying to play guard I had to pick one word to describe the Fuji all around gee it would be surprising the quality of construction and the fit of the D make this seem like a much more expensive product than it is there were so many times during filming this that I said really this is less than hundred bucks it would be nice to have a couple more belt loops and I’d replace two flat drawstring with a stretchy rope but other than that it’s a lot of bang for your buck you certainly don’t have to spend a bunch of money to get a gray gi and for this price range the Fuji all-around is an excellent choice
Best Venum Gi
2. Venum Absolute BJJ Gi
This is a review of the absolute a thick competition Venum Absolute BJJ Gi, the jacket is made of a 650 gram gold weave cotton and a rubber collar and the pants are a mid-weight cotton canvas this IBJJF approved gi comes in white blue and black weighs 4 pounds 2 ounces and retails for 160 to 180 on Amazon like most of Venom’s products the ominous-looking snake’s head is prominent on absolute gi it’s embroidered in four different places on the jacket including a massive piece than on the back venom is embroidered on the chest and two very high quality patches run along the shoulders on the inside a soft cotton lining with dozens of snake head logos add some great detail along with extra comfort seam tape in the sleeve cuffs black side vent trim and red contrast stitching finish off the jacket details the pants carry over the same black trim and red contrast stitching details along with black belt loops and a red flat drawstring venom is embroidered into the pants in two areas one in the front and one in the back to me this is the best looking venom gi and what it offers there’s quite a bit going on so it does have some extra flash with a design as high-quality and classy I’m 5/8 160 pounds and the a2 is a perfect fit for me venom also offers the venom gi half sizes so for those of you who are always stuck in between you have some extra options here I’m always extra careful with gold leaf jackets like cold wash and hang dry every time I’ll toss the venom gi in the dryer to soften it up before training though as you can see from the measurements chart the absolute will shrink up some even if you hang dry as for comfort the absolute is like a soft thick bathrobe you can wear to beat people up in it’s one of the most comfortable gis I have the absolute has the standard armpit side vent and crotch reinforcements along with triple stitching throughout the major stress zones the embroidery is very accurate and didn’t have any loose threads even the big back piece was flawless I was especially impressed at the shoulder patches they’re thick strong and sewn on very well the contrast stitching throughout the Gi was mostly accurate in uniform and the six rows of stitching on the pant cuffs makes for some bomb-proof pants my only real complaint about the Gi is a scratchy seam tape in the cuffs holding the edges under would make them perfect this is Hidalgo’s Gi the world champion and guard pastor extraordinaire uses this which I know has no correlation to my rolling abilities but it’s still fun to strap on the same gear as one of my jiu-jitsu idols then I’m sponsors Leandro lol and hood off of the era they need to make a t-shirt that says your guard is not safe or something like that and then they should send me one to the sweet idea the fit and comfort of the venom gi have instantly made it one of my favorites the heavy gold leaf material is soft and drapes over my body just right the collar feels slightly thicker than the venom gi competition as well which I like the canvas pants are soft and comfortable but I do wish they taper just a little bit more towards the angle I put quite a few miles on the venom gi in a month that I’ve had it and I look forward to training in it every time this is Venom’s top-of-the-line ghee and it shows unless you’re desperately hoping you make weight the absolute would make for an excellent competition gi or if you’re like me and don’t compete much it’ll hold up to the most severe training sessions over and over if you’re looking for a high-end D with a comfort of gold weave the absolute is definitely worth checking out
Best Hayabusa Gi
3. Hayabusa Pearl Weave Ultra-Light Jiu Jitsu Gi
This is a review of the Hayabusa Shinju pearl weave light weight Hayabusa gi jacket is made of a 450 gram pearl weave material and the pants are 11 ounce ripstop the Shinju comes in blue or white weighs three pounds four ounces retails for 160 on Amazon, the Shinju is by most standards what I would call a heavily branded Hayabusa gi and that you can see the word Hayabusa 22 times on the outside of the Hayabusa gi including two large embroidered sections on the shoulders the classic red white and black Hayabusa colors run throughout the ribbon patchwork and logo as well as the seam tape in the sleeve and ankle cuffs the pants have slightly less detailed in the jacket a small patch on the upper right leg and some embroidery on the right shin is all that’s visible seam tape does run on the inside of the cuff though overall the design looks great from the big shoulder embroidery to the small details like the patch on the back of the collar I especially like the lack of contrast stitching because it leaves the key with a simple clean look I’m 5 foot 8 and 160 pounds and the 81 is a solid fit right out of the bag any amount of shrinkage though and the sleeves that have been too short for me even though the Hayabusa gi is preshrunk I cold wash my Hayabusa and then ring dried it just to be on the safe side the jacket was moderately soft and comfortable as wear the pants the embroidery on the lower pant leg was a tiny bit scratchy but not that noticeable the seam tape was smooth and comfortable throughout the key the Shinju has the standard armpit side vent and crotch reinforcements along with triple stitching throughout the major stress areas the sleeve and ankle cuffs have along with the seam tape an extra strip of ripstop this makes them very strong and more difficult to grip the pants feature for oversize loops are strong and keep the drawstring where it belongs all of the embroidery looks excellent and the stitching throughout the key was a very high quality this gi is certainly built to last this would make for an excellent competition key it’s very light but it’s strong where it counts the stiffness of the collar is perfect for what I like it’s strong and covered in ripstop so breaking grips isn’t a chore but it’s not so stiff that you can’t use it as a choking weapon the sleeve lining makes it a problem for your opponent if he’s trying to get a hold of you as well I felt completely mobile while rolling and it was easy to do ground after round thanks to this Shinji’s low weight the Shinju lightweight key is an excellent combination of quality construction pleasing design and low weight with warmer temperatures on the way this will certainly be seeing plenty of action at my gym the Shinju Hayabusa gi really delivers
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