#standard laptop purchases
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So You Need To Buy A Computer But You Don't Know What Specs Are Good These Days
Hi.
This is literally my job.
Lots of people are buying computers for school right now or are replacing computers as their five-year-old college laptop craps out so here's the standard specs you should be looking for in a (windows) computer purchase in August 2023.
PROCESSOR
Intel i5 (no older than 10th Gen)
Ryzen 7
You can get away with a Ryzen 5 but an intel i3 should be an absolute last resort. You want at least an intel i5 or a Ryzen 7 processor. The current generation of intel processors is 13, but anything 10 or newer is perfectly fine. DO NOT get a higher performance line with an older generation; a 13th gen i5 is better than an 8th gen i7. (Unfortunately I don't know enough about ryzens to tell you which generation is the earliest you should get, but staying within 3 generations is a good rule of thumb)
RAM
8GB absolute minimum
If you don't have at least 8GB RAM on a modern computer it's going to be very, very slow. Ideally you want a computer with at least 16GB, and it's a good idea to get a computer that will let you add or swap RAM down the line (nearly all desktops will let you do this, for laptops you need to check the specs for Memory and see how many slots there are and how many slots are available; laptops with soldered RAM cannot have the memory upgraded - this is common in very slim laptops)
STORAGE
256GB SSD
Computers mostly come with SSDs these days; SSDs are faster than HDDs but typically have lower storage for the same price. That being said: SSDs are coming down in price and if you're installing your own drive you can easily upgrade the size for a low cost. Unfortunately that doesn't do anything for you for the initial purchase.
A lot of cheaper laptops will have a 128GB SSD and, because a lot of stuff is stored in the cloud these days, that can be functional. I still recommend getting a bit more storage than that because it's nice if you can store your music and documents and photos on your device instead of on the cloud. You want to be able to access your files even if you don't have internet access.
But don't get a computer with a big HDD instead of getting a computer with a small SSD. The difference in speed is noticeable.
SCREEN (laptop specific)
Personally I find that touchscreens have a negative impact on battery life and are easier to fuck up than standard screens. They are also harder to replace if they get broken. I do not recommend getting a touch screen unless you absolutely have to.
A lot of college students especially tend to look for the biggest laptop screen possible; don't do that. It's a pain in the ass to carry a 17" laptop around campus and with the way that everything is so thin these days it's easier to damage a 17" screen than a 14" screen.
On the other end of that: laptops with 13" screens tend to be very slim devices that are glued shut and impossible to work on or upgrade.
Your best bet (for both functionality and price) is either a 14" or a 15.6" screen. If you absolutely positively need to have a 10-key keyboard on your laptop, get the 15.6". If you need something portable more than you need 10-key, get a 14"
FORM FACTOR (desktop specific)
If you purchase an all-in-one desktop computer I will begin manifesting in your house physically. All-in-ones take away every advantage desktops have in terms of upgradeability and maintenance; they are expensive and difficult to repair and usually not worth the cost of disassembling to upgrade.
There are about four standard sizes of desktop PC: All-in-One (the size of a monitor with no other footprint), Tower (Big! probably at least two feet long in two directions), Small Form Factor Tower (Very moderate - about the size of a large shoebox), and Mini/Micro/Tiny (Small! about the size of a small hardcover book).
If you are concerned about space you are much better off getting a MicroPC and a bracket to put it on your monitor than you are getting an all-in-one. This will be about a million percent easier to work on than an all-in-one and this way if your monitor dies your computer is still functional.
Small form factor towers and towers are the easiest to work on and upgrade; if you need a burly graphics card you need to get a full size tower, but for everything else a small form factor tower will be fine. Most of our business sales are SFF towers and MicroPCs, the only time we get something larger is if we have to put a $700 graphics card in it. SFF towers will accept small graphics cards and can handle upgrades to the power supply; MicroPCs can only have the RAM and SSD upgraded and don't have room for any other components or their own internal power supply.
WARRANTY
Most desktops come with either a 1 or 3 year warranty; either of these is fine and if you want to upgrade a 1 year to a 3 year that is also fine. I've generally found that if something is going to do a warranty failure on desktop it's going to do it the first year, so you don't get a hell of a lot of added mileage out of an extended warranty but it doesn't hurt and sometimes pays off to do a 3-year.
Laptops are a different story. Laptops mostly come with a 1-year warranty and what I recommend everyone does for every laptop that will allow it is to upgrade that to the longest warranty you can get with added drop/damage protection. The most common question our customers have about laptops is if we can replace a screen and the answer is usually "yes, but it's going to be expensive." If you're purchasing a low-end laptop, the parts and labor for replacing a screen can easily cost more than half the price of a new laptop. HOWEVER, the way that most screens get broken is by getting dropped. So if you have a warranty with drop protection, you just send that sucker back to the factory and they fix it for you.
So, if it is at all possible, check if the manufacturer of a laptop you're looking at has a warranty option with drop protection. Then, within 30 days (though ideally on the first day you get it) of owning your laptop, go to the manufacturer site, register your serial number, and upgrade the warranty. If you can't afford a 3-year upgrade at once set a reminder for yourself to annually renew. But get that drop protection, especially if you are a college student or if you've got kids.
And never, ever put pens or pencils on your laptop keyboard. I've seen people ruin thousand dollar, brand-new laptops that they can't afford to fix because they closed the screen on a ten cent pencil. Keep liquids away from them too.
LIFESPAN
There's a reasonable chance that any computer you buy today will still be able to turn on and run a program or two in ten years. That does not mean that it is "functional."
At my office we estimate that the functional lifespan of desktops is 5-7 years and the functional lifespan of laptops is 3-5 years. Laptops get more wear and tear than desktops and desktops are easier to upgrade to keep them running. At 5 years for desktops and 3 years for laptops you should look at upgrading the RAM in the device and possibly consider replacing the SSD with a new (possibly larger) model, because SSDs and HDDs don't last forever.
COST
This means that you should think of your computers as an annual investment rather than as a one-time purchase. It is more worthwhile to pay $700 for a laptop that will work well for five years than it is to pay $300 for a laptop that will be outdated and slow in one year (which is what will happen if you get an 8th gen i3 with 8GB RAM). If you are going to get a $300 laptop try to get specs as close as possible to the minimums I've laid out here.
If you have to compromise on these specs, the one that is least fixable is the processor. If you get a laptop with an i3 processor you aren't going to be able to upgrade it even if you can add more RAM or a bigger SSD. If you have to get lower specs in order to afford the device put your money into the processor and make sure that the computer has available slots for upgrade and that neither the RAM nor the SSD is soldered to the motherboard. (one easy way to check this is to search "[computer model] RAM upgrade" on youtube and see if anyone has made a video showing what the inside of the laptop looks like and how much effort it takes to replace parts)
Computers are expensive right now. This is frustrating, because historically consumer computer prices have been on a downward trend but since 2020 that trend has been all over the place. Desktop computers are quite expensive at the moment (August 2023) and decent laptops are extremely variably priced.
If you are looking for a decent, upgradeable laptop that will last you a few years, here are a couple of options that you can purchase in August 2023 that have good prices for their specs:
14" Lenovo - $670 - 11th-gen i5, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD
15.6" HP - $540 - 11th-gen i5, 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD
14" Dell - $710 - 12th-gen i5, 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD
If you are looking for a decent, affordable desktop that will last you a few years, here are a couple of options that you can purchase in August 2023 that have good prices for their specs:
SFF HP - $620 - 10th-gen i5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD
SFF Lenovo - $560 - Ryzen 7 5000 series, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD
Dell Tower - $800 - 10th-gen i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD
If I were going to buy any of these I'd probably get the HP laptop or the Dell Tower. The HP Laptop is actually a really good price for what it is.
Anyway happy computering.
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Heyyyy, could you do a oneshot f!reader x Zestial nsfw pretty please ? 🙏
Tea Salon ☆ One Shot
Zestial x Salon Owner Sinner!Fem!Reader:
A young woman with big dreams ready to be achieve was what you were, after making a deal with Overlord Rosie you soon found out that your Salon wasn't the only thing that would bloom in your afterlife...
Warning: Mature Content, Explicit/Graphic Language, Honestly Nothing Kinky, Husband and wife, Praise kink, Creampie, Oral(Female receiving), Old English, NOT PROOFREAD.
Words: 5907
Note: okay if you know anything about business, I am so sorry cuz I don’t, I just did some quick research so if it just looks like a bunch of gibberish (Rosie and reader’s meeting), I am sorry! Also a lot of Rosie in the beginning, like zestial is mentioned but doesn’t show up until the shop is open for a little while.
☆ more under the cut. ☆
In your living, you've always appreciated the simplicity of nature-oriented lifestyle reminiscent of earlier eras. It's not that you have anything against new technologies; you own a smartphone and laptop, after all. What irks you is the over-consumerism perpetuated by planned obsolescence.
Your expectation when purchasing something is that it should function and endure, offering value for the time and money invested. The capitalist mindset, with its overproduction and resulting overconsumption, is something you strongly dislike.
Capitalism inherently creates a class conflict between capital and labor. While capitalists aim for high profits, workers may endure exploitation, receiving wages consistently lower than the true value of their labor.
When you had finally passed away due to a malfunctioning smart car and had discovered that even in the afterlife, people still had to work tirelessly to meet end means, you couldn't deny that you felt disappointed.
With a background in restoration, you secured a position in a somewhat upscale restaurant – well, upscale for Hell's pride ring standards. Although you initially started as a garbage boy, you quickly ascended the ranks to become a server.
Devoting longer hours than your colleagues, by choice, you harbored a goal beyond mere survival in the hellscape. You held an ambition, a genuine dream – to establish a tea salon and sustain yourself through it.
Envisioning your own establishment, you aimed to offer freshly baked treats and brewed tea for guests to enjoy while engaging in lively conversations and gossip.
You were well aware of whose assistance was crucial for your project. Overlord Rosie served as your golden ticket to a thriving salon. You needed her help to secure a building in the border zone shared by her and Overlord Zestial, as both of their people were of interest when envisioning the kind of establishment you hope to open.
After three months of relentless work and an additional month of patiently waiting for an appointment on her end, you finally managed to secure a meeting with the elegant cannibal;
"So, what do you have for me today, darling?" she inquires.
"Well, Madam Rosie—" you begin, but you're promptly interrupted by the demon before you.
"Oh, dear, no need for all those 'madam' formalities for a sweet thing like you. Just call me Rosie. But if you insist on honorifics, then ‘Miss Rosie’ will do!" The leader of Hell's cannibal district and owner of the Rosie emporium cheerfully encourages you to address her casually. Despite the power difference, her amiable attitude eases any tension surrounding your sales pitch.
"Oh, very well then. Ahem, Miss Rosie, I'd like to seek your assistance for a passion project of mine," you pause, collecting your thoughts.
"I'm interested in opening a tea salon. It's been four months since I arrived in hell, and I've been searching extensively for the perfect building. Coincidentally, it's situated on your side of the shared border zone with Overlord Zestial. I understand it's not owned by you as part of the border zone, but being on the edge of your colony grants you some jurisdiction."
"Is that so," she replies, sipping her tea. "I appreciate the idea of a tea salon near my territory. Please elaborate more about the idea itself."
"Of course! I personally dislike the over-consumerism that existed on Earth and persists in hell. My goal is to establish one or two shops at most—something familial and local instead of a big chain. I aim to offer freshly baked and brewed drinks for my customers, who would come from all over the Pentagram. I do acknowledge that most of my clientele would be from your people, Overlord Zestial's, and those from the Radio Demon's territory. A simple analysis suggests that sinners from those areas may be more in tune with the concept, as they hail from eras when such establishments were more common," you explain.
"Well, that's all delightful, darling, but, as you rightly point out, the concept isn't foreign in these circles. Your salon is certainly not the first in these parts. No offense to your aspirations, but I'm struggling to see what sets you apart, something that would entice me to invest."
"As for standing out, I may or may not have direct access to products from the living world," you reveal, prompting Rosie to set down her cup.
"Well, isn't that interesting?" she remarks, now more intrigued.
"Yes, indeed it is. I can assure you that not only would my products be fresh, but they would exclusively feature ingredients from the living world – a culinary experience many down here yearn for. Additionally, I can promise you the highest quality of tea, such as Ceylon," you confidently declare.
"And how would someone like you, who sought an Overlord's assistance, have access to such materials? I'm not necessarily doubting you, but connecting the dots is a bit challenging," she says joyfully.
"Oh, I apologize, but I cannot disclose the identities of my procurers. I've signed an NDA as obtaining items from the world upstairs isn't their primary business. Additionally this avoids attracting requests from other companies, I'm afraid they'll have to remain nameless," you explain.
"Well, isn't that convenient for you, fufufu~ I suppose you'll have to prove your word in other ways," she remarks.
"Indeed, perhaps I have an idea on how to do so that you'd like to hear," you suggest.
"I'm all ears," she replies.
"I've noticed there's a kitchen in this building, so I was contemplating rescheduling another meeting soon after this one. During that meeting, I plan not only to bring in earthly ingredients but also to bake something for you. This would showcase my kitchen skills while simultaneously proving my capability to provide the desired products," you express.
"Well, that does seem feasible. I'll pencil you in for next Monday," she replies, jotting something down on her notepad that had been on the coffee table since the start of the meeting. "Now, shall we discuss payment?" she asks.
"Yes, please. As mentioned earlier, I'll handle the supply for my business. What I need from you is assistance in acquiring the building, help with renovations since it's a bit run-down, and perhaps some promotion to your people concerning work, as I'll still require staff when I eventually open. I've checked the listing for the building itself, and I have more than enough for the purchase. However, when renovations and promoting are considered, my budget becomes a bit tight. I was thinking of a BNPL for that part," you explain.
"Alright then, that doesn't seem too bad. How about this: I get 10% of the overall monthly revenue from your establishment. I still need to make some money, after all, fufufu~ Additionally, we can consider a 1-year BNPL plan to repay the renovation loan. And one more thing: to prove your establishment's worth, aim for a minimum 20% net profit by the end of the year since opening day. How does that sound to you?" she inquires.
"10 percent isn't too stiff, but a 20% net profit may be a little challenging in only a year of business. However, I believe in my dream!" you cheerfully exclaim.
"I'm glad you agree, though I still need some collateral for your loan. But let's discuss that after I get to see your skills in action," she tells you a bit more seriously.
"Makes sense," you reply.
"I think that's all for today unless you still have something to talk about," she asks.
"No, that's all from my side," you tell her.
"Wonderful, darling! I hope to see you Monday at 12:35 a.m.," she says as she stands up and points to the door.
"Yes, so do I," you respond as you exit the room.
Leaving her building, you were more than pleased that the meeting had gone well. Once home, as you collapsed on your couch, releasing all your stress, you couldn't help but feel grateful for the chance encounter with that imp during your first month in hell;
On that day, you had ventured to imp city for errands, finding Carmine products a bit too pricey for your liking. Seeking an alternative for self-defense, you visited a gun shop there.
Exiting the store, you witnessed a heartbreaking scene—an imp being beaten up by a group of sinners, degrading names thrown at him. While you refrained from intervening, as it wasn't your place, the revelation that they were targeting the imp simply because he was an imp, compelled you to approach and ensure he wasn't fatally harmed.
Before you could rouse his battered form with a shake, he uttered, "The hell you want."
"Oh, I just wanted to make sure you were okay," you reassure him.
"Bullshit," he retorts loudly. "Listen, fucking pickpocket, those assholes already took everything I had on me, besides my clothes. And I sure as hell won't be stroll down these motherfucking streets in my underwear. So, if you wanted anything, too bad, now you have until the count of ten before I blow a hole in your skull," he rudely warns.
"First of all, I'm not going to rob you. Second, how are you going to shoot me if you just said you had nothing on you? And thirdly, I was serious about checking on you. It's unfair that they beat you up just for being an imp. It's messed up, honestly. Since sinners don't have specific races like back on Earth, they just go after other beings to exercise their racist ideology," you say.
"Humans sure do love their racism," he remarks, still untrusting but more open to conversation.
"Sinners are down here for a reason, but hellspawns are different. They're currently living their lives, just like humans did back on Earth. And yet, the damned are considered superior? That's just messed up," you express sincerely. In your view, hell's hierarchy wasn't fair. ‘If this was the sinners' punishment, why categorize them as better than imps—creatures born here, not getting punished for misconduct.’
With that sentiment resonating in your words, the imp seemed more at ease as he responded to your next words. "Anyways, you need medical attention. Let's get to a hospital."
"Do you have the money for medical bills, or even the admission fee? 'Cause I sure don't," he replies, a grin on his face, strangely charming despite his black eye and cut lips.
"Yeah, sorry, pal. I can't afford the rates for treating you; I'm saving for something big," you convey with sadness in your voice.
He chuckles at your honesty. "Thought so," he replies, allowing his body to rest against the brick wall of the alley even more, as if surrendering.
"My place is far from here. Do you have any first aid supplies at yours?" you inquire, a slight panic setting in, concerned that if he fell asleep, he might not make it, even though he wasn't bleeding excessively. Yet, he didn't appear likely to stay conscious much longer.
"Yeah, but it's too far from here," he begins, heightening your anxiety. "Though my office isn't. There's some there too," he adds, his eyes glossy, appearing on the verge of passing out at any moment.
"Alright then, just give me the address, and I'll take you there," he somewhat reluctantly grumbled out the location before passing out.
Entering the address into your phone's search engine and hoisting the imp onto your back, you walked to the location.
Quite aware that cab drivers might attempt to take extort you, especially considering you were a human carrying an injured imp, you opted for the slower but more cost-effective walking route, reaching the destination in about 25 minutes.
Climbing the stairs to the seventh floor drained your energy, but your adrenaline surged upon encountering a hellhound and two imps inside the office.
The hellhound growled and barked aggressively, while the female imp simultaneously yelled and prepared for a fight. The only one not seeing red was the male imp, who was trying to make sense of the situation.
"What the hell happened to Blitzø!??" the hellhound demanded.
"Yeah, what the hell did you do to him!?!??" the female imp added, brandishing a knife.
"Millie, calm down. If they brought him here, they're most likely not the ones who hurt him," the male imp reasoned with the female.
"Yeah, it wasn't me. He got beaten up by a group of supremacist sinners," you explained as you gently placed him on the couch in the room. "He told me he had a first aid kit here, so I brought him here as neither he nor I could afford the hospital bills."
"And how can we be sure you aren't part of the jerks who hurt him, huh?" the female imp asked, her nerves still on edge, clearly showing concern for the imp. ‘Well, no, Millie showed concern a lot about Blitz.’
"You can just ask him when he wakes up, but right now, he needs help. So, can any of you bring the kit, and we'll get this over with."
With reluctance, the hellhound, whom you soon learned was named Luna, retrieved the kit and left the healing to the male imp, Moxxie. They preferred you not to touch him any further.
After briefly stepping out to grab some missing antiseptic, you observed as they took care of him. You had convinced your way into staying until he awoke; the thought that his injuries might be worse than you initially thought haunted you, and you couldn't bear the idea that he might have died if you hadn't brought him here fast enough.
After Blitzø had regained consciousness, he thanked you and offered a 50% discount on your first kill. Curious about the statement, you informed him that you weren't aware of what his company specialized in. He somewhat joyfully played their commercial for you.
Finding it all very intriguing, you inquired about the possibility of them visiting the living world for a different purpose, which he confirmed but clarified it wasn't their company's business.
Tugging a bit at their heartstrings, particularly after saving Blitzø, you divulged your ambitions. To stand out and make your dream a reality, you needed something unique, and they held the key to it. Your request was for them to procure ingredients from the human world.
Blitzø exhibited reluctance, but Millie underwent a 180-degree shift, genuinely eager to assist you, with her husband supporting her. After some persuasion, you struck a deal with I.M.P. In exchange for 5/7 of the usual kill price and keeping things on the down low, they agreed to provide you with a weekly shipment of the groceries.
Returning to the present, it was now Monday, and you found yourself 10 minutes ahead of schedule, standing in front of Rosie's emporium with a large cooler containing your ingredients.
An employee inside noticed you through the sizable glass entry doors and came out to guide you to the kitchen. They assured you that they would inform Rosie of your arrival and gave you the green light to start setting up.
True to your word, you efficiently prepared the kitchen, and right on schedule, Rosie arrived to find a clean and ready-to-use workspace, along with the promised fresh and earthy ingredients;
"Looks like you're a woman of your word, aren't you, dear?" Rosie remarked as she grabbed some dairy products and checked the expiration dates on them.
"Of course, and I wouldn't even dream of lying to you in the first place," you assured her.
"Oh, how trustworthy you are, fufufu~" she teased.
"Of course, now should I begin?" you asked, and she replied affirmatively.
With that, the baking commenced. Your choice of treat for today was a Charlotte au fraise. In about 35 minutes, you finished the preparation.
The dessert needed to chill for 8 hours in the fridge, but anticipating such a wait, you had invested in a 'chill crystal' for today and the future. This crystal is essential for cooks and bakers alike in hell as it significantly reduces the time a dish needs to be refrigerated.
Using it, your 8 hours turned into 25 minutes. During that time, you cleaned your equipment and the kitchen and, of course, brewed some tea for Rosie.
Upon reaching the 25-minute mark, you brought out the cake, cut a slice for Rosie, and served her a cup of tea. She relished every last bit of it;
"This was all wonderful, y/n," she expressed. "I am sure of it now, I will definitely invest in your dream!"
"Oh, thank you, Miss Rosie! You don't know how much this means to me!" you exclaimed joyfully.
"I'm glad I can help. But now that we've agreed I'll lend my assistance to you on your adventure, I still need you to agree on the collateral for the BNPL I want."
"Oh, of course. What is it?" you asked.
"Well, it's elementary, dear. What I want is... your soul!" she told you.
"Oh, well, that's only until I pay you back, right?" You asked worriedly.
"Yes, of course. If everything goes well and you pay me back before the deadline, you'll get your soul back. But if you exceed the time limit, your soul will indefinitely belong to me. I hope you understand that," she explained.
With a gulp, you spoke up, "I understand, Miss. Rosie."
"Wonderful, then... 'It's a deal,'" she declared, and with those words, a bright pink contract materialized, altering the entire room's shade. Nervously, you picked up a pen from the table and signed your soul away.
As you pulled away from the contract, a pink chain momentarily appeared around your neck, then vanished in a flash along with the contract.
The demonstration went well, and you got what you wanted. While having your soul signed away was nerve-racking, you believed that if you made your vision work in time, it would return to you.
You begin to double your efforts, working your ass off harder than before. On your days off from the restaurant, you checked on the renovations of your building, and about a month later, everything was completed. After a long time of sucking up to the influential guests of the restaurant, you earned enough money to quit and open your shop.
With Rosie's promotion to her people, you efficiently built a staff, even recruiting some from other districts. On the 7th of August, you finally opened the doors to your shop, and it turned out to be a tremendous success.
The turnout exceeded expectations, but you had trained your staff to handle it. Business was booming, meeting Rosie's conditions in about 5 months instead of a year.
Just as you had envisioned, people from all over the pentagram flocked to enjoy the services your establishment provided. Surprisingly, sinners from Zestial'd district emerged as your number 1 clientele, surpassing even Rosie's people.
With your salon becoming the hot topic of his district, it caught the interest of the governing overlord. Since his people were captivated by your establishment, he decided to pay a visit himself. And so he did.
Upon the first approach to the building, he was delighted by the overall aesthetic.
While he wasn't from the era when salons first became popular, being about two centuries older, the entire ambiance brought a sense of nostalgia, even though he wasn't alive when they gained popularity.
Another aspect that pleased him was the evident respect guests and staff showed to the establishment during a service. People were polite, and the quality of the food served was impeccable.
He was currently enjoying a cup of tea with none other than Rosie, discussing the success of the establishment;
"You've madeth a valorous investment, mine lief friend. This salon is nothing but successful; you've hath found quite the gem,” Zestial complimented Rosie as he sipped his tea.
Setting her cup down, Rosie responded, "Oh, quite the contrary, Zestial. My dear little owner was the one who reached out. Sparkles in her eyes and a big dream in her heart. With hard work, she achieved those ambitions, beating my expectations and regaining her soul in less than half the time I expected."
"is yond so? Quite the guts and perseverance the lady hath,“ he replied, taking another sip of his tea.
"Yes, though I honestly didn't expect your people to enjoy this place so much. Really messed up my calculations," she said, playfully feigning frustration.
"well, sinners art inherently unpredictable creatures by nature. Plus," he paused to take a bite of a fruit tart on his plate, "with desserts like this, i don't expect anyone to intermit long ere coming to tryeth those folk for themselves. Speaking of which, i would love to compliment the owner and chef for such marvelous worketh, “ he said once he had swallowed his bite.
Rosie replied, "Well, that's the fun thing – they're both the same person. She works diligently as both showrunner and employee! But yes, I can get her if you truly wish to speak to her."
"yond would beest appreciated,“ he told her.
Meanwhile, you were on the phone with a decor company, trying to arrange something for Valentine's Day in a month – or more like Valentine's week, with new decor from the 7th to the 14th.
Once you hung up, Rosie entered the office and informed you of the situation. Without questions, you followed her into the main room of the salon, and let's just say you were nervous;
Gazing at your form, Zestial spoke out, "i wilt sayeth, miss y/n, i greatly enjoy thy establishment, and so doth mine people.”
"Oh— thank you so much, Zestial, sir, I- I mean, Mr. Zestial. Sorry, I meant Overlord Zestial! So sorry!" you stammer.
"quite the nervous one, isn’t the lady?" he did add with a bawbling chuckle. he said to Rosie, who only nodded in agreement. "well, nay needeth for worries. 'zestial' is quite fine, child." he added with a small chuckle.
"Oh, alright then. Thank you for your praise, Zestial," you said with a soft smile, which he returned. ‘Satan, was he handsome.’
"Hey, how come you call him by his name right away, and I'm still 'Miss Rosie'?" Rosie teased.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Miss Rosie. I've just gotten used to it," you replied, and they both laughed at your flustered state.
This soon became a common occurrence for you, and quickly after that, Zestial came more and more often to the point that your salon became Zestial's meeting spot when discussing business. Consequently, he had his own VIP room for such occurrences.
Simultaneously, you grew closer with the Overlord, becoming more comfortable around him. About a month later, you found yourself crushing on the man, giving him a fair amount of treats on the house to show affection.
And don't think said affection went unnoticed by him. Being an old soul like him brought wisdom, especially in the romance department.
Actually, Zestial himself found himself enamored with you, leading to him declaring his desire to court you;
You were tidying up the VIP room after one of Zestial's meetings, swiping down the table. As you prepared to leave the room, the Overlord spoke up.
"y/n, darling, may i hath't a word with thee?” he asked.
"Yes, of course, Zestial. What do you need?" you replied, your voice slightly quivering, because, 'fuck, did you love the fact he started calling you romantic pet names.'
"well, mine lovely business owner, i hath't to admit something to thee, so prithee did put the rag down and sitteth, " he requested. You obliged. "It seems that I have found mys"'t seemeth yond i hath't did find myself having fallen for thee,“ he began, making your breath hitch.
"i eke did notice yond thee seemeth to feeleth the same, or am i wrong?" he inquired, causing you to shake your head and answer with a weak, flustered 'no.' "did doth bethink so," he said with a chuckle. "then, as we both feeleth for one another, i'd like to court thee, unless thee hath't something 'gainst me doing so.”
"Yes— I mean no, well, um, shit," you stammered. Taking a breath, you spoke out again. "What I meant to say was, yes, I would love to be courted by you, more than anything, actually," you admitted.
Standing up, walking behind you, and wrapping his arm around your figure, he leaned down to your ear. "well, isn't yond perfect. I can't wait to hath't thee all to myself still,“ he whispered, somewhat sensually, leaving you in shock yet longing for more when he pulled away.
And with that, the courtship began. You found yourself taken out for nights on the town to nice restaurants, sweet notes and love poems left in your office for you to see, and evenings spent at his castle in the fireplace room, listening as he serenaded you, oh so lovingly.
You honestly couldn't wait for you and him to become official. You might have thought that being spoken for after such a short time was idiotic in the past, but Zestial was just so perfect and all you needed in your afterlife. It was obvious that you would marry as soon as he asked you.
About 5 months after your initial meeting, you found yourself dining with your suitor at quite the fancy restaurant, fancier than the one you used to work at actually.
"how art thee liking thy food, mine sweet y/n?” Zestial inquired.
"Yes, it's wonderful. What about yours, Zestial?" you asked back.
"everything is eke wonderful on mine end, " he replied, then added on, "Mine darling, would thee mind stopping thy meal for an instant? I'd like to break with an important matter with thee.”
"Oh, why, of course," you replied, putting down your utensils. You were now accustomed to Zestial and his ways, but his next move surprised you.
Zestial had stood up and got on his knees. "mine love, despite not having known thee for yond long did compare to mine long existence, i cannot see myself spending mine life beyond the grave without thee. Thou art high-sighted, talented, ingenious, and quite quaint, to a sir like me, and i would did bet many others, ye art quite literally breathtaking. Yond is accounting for thee as a whole, not just thy aesthetic attributes. So, y/n l/n, would thee doth me the honor of being thy husband for eternity?” He said as he pulled out a ring box, opening it to reveal a beautiful green diamond ring.
Overwhelmed with emotion, you gasped in surprise, your eyes widened at the stunning ring before you. The green diamond sparkled, capturing the essence of your feelings.
"Oh, Zestial..." You trailed off, a wave of happiness and love washing over you. Tears of joy glistened in your eyes as you nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes, a thousand times yes!" you exclaimed, your heart pounding with excitement. Zestial's face lit up with a radiant smile as he gently slipped the ring onto your finger.
As the dazzling gem adorned your hand, sealing the promise of eternity, Zestial rose from his kneeling position. You both shared a tender embrace, sealing the moment with a passionate kiss. The restaurant's ambiance faded away as you were immersed in the warmth of Zestial's affection.
The patrons and staff discreetly applauded, offering their congratulations to the newly engaged couple. Zestial held you close, his eyes reflecting the depth of his emotions.
"to our dateless love,“ he whispered, and you clinked your glasses together in a toast. The night continued, now infused with the magic of your commitment to each other.
From that moment forward, you and Zestial embarked on a beautiful journey, navigating the twists and turns of the afterlife hand in hand, bound by an eternal love that transcended time and existence.
And so, your wedding unfolded in a splendid ceremony. Radiant in your role, you felt like a true queen that day, with Rosie officiating and injecting humor into the proceedings, eliciting laughter from you, Zestial, and your guests.
The day was a jubilant celebration, offering you the chance to become better acquainted with Zestial's fellow overlords, including Carmilla Carmine: Holy Arms Dealer and Alastor: The Radio Demon. Despite their contrasting personalities, they played nice for the sake of the occasion.
However, that was a few hours ago. Now, with the reception concluded, all the guests had departed, leaving you and Zestial in the intimate confines of his castle, specifically, his bedroom.
Following tradition, this was the night of your nuptials, the night where you and Zestial would come together as one for the first time;
Seated at the edge of the king-size bed in your now shared room, you adorned yourself in an exquisite, intricately embroidered transparent nightgown, awaiting Zestial.
The faint click of the door drew your attention, and your now-husband entered, pushing the door open with a subtle yet confident gesture.
"Well, mine dearest bride, “ Zestial said, his voice filled with an underlying lustfulness that sent shivers down your spine. "'t seemeth we finally hath't some time high-lone.” He stepped closer to you, his presence filling up the entire room.
You could feel his eyes roaming over your exposed body, drinking in every inch of you like a starving demon discovering a feast fit for a king. While you tried hard not to squirm or show any signs of discomfort, your heart raced faster than it ever had before as he spoke words of praise.
"T-thank you, Zestial," you managed to croak out, trying to maintain some semblance of composure despite the butterflies fluttering wildly in your stomach.
His voice dripping with false surprise. "thee behold absolutely stunning in yond gown, y/n.”
He stepped closer, his hands reaching out to caress your exposed thighs, his touch sending electric shocks coursing through your entire body. You bit down hard on your bottom lip, fighting the urge to whimper aloud as he continued to tease you. ‘Were you always this needy?’
"art thee eft for me to claim what is rightfully mine?” he asked, his eyes flashing with hunger.
You nodded vigorously, as he slowly undressed himself, revealing his tall, imposing frame covered in black fabric that clung tightly to his lithe figure. He kicked off his shoes and stepped out of his pants.
As he stood before you, nude except for his dark briefs, you couldn't help but marvel at his imposing presence. He towered over you like a giant spider, his erect member straining against the thin fabric of his boxers.
Trembling slightly, you open your legs, inviting him to climb onto the bed and join you. Without hesitation, Zestial crawled onto the mattress, positioning himself between your spread legs. He leaned forward, his mouth hovering inches away from your pussy, his breath hot against your sensitive folds.
"Tell me, mine own lief jointress," he purred, his voice low and husky. "Would thee liketh me to gust thee first?”
A shiver ran down your spine as you replied, your voice cracking slightly. "Yes... please..."
Zestial's eyes gleamed with anticipation as he lowered his head, his lips brushing against your sensitive flesh. You let out a soft moan as he began to tease you, tracing light kisses along your thighs and inner thighs before finally reaching your wet, quivering entrance.
He sucked on your sensitive folds, causing your hips to buck and writhe involuntarily.
As he continued his lewd assault on your most intimate areas, his tongue darted out to lick and circle your clit, sending waves of pleasure coursing through your body.
You arched your back, crying out his name, your nails digging into the sheets as he relentlessly pleasured you.
"Oh, Satan... Zestial!" You panted, your breath coming in short gasps. "I'm going to—I'm almost there!"
"Good girl," Zestial growled, his voice thick with desire. He increased the pace of his assault, sucking harder on your clit and thrusting his tongue deeper into your wetness.
Your moans turned into incoherent moans of pure ecstasy as he brought you closer to the edge of orgasm.
Just as you felt you were about to cum, he suddenly pulled away, leaving you craving more. "Not yet, mine own dram naughty bride," he purred. "We haven't begun yet. “
He stood up straight again, his hardened member now fully exposed, throbbing with anticipation. "do thee wanteth me to filleth thee up anon?” he asked, his voice husky with desire.
You panted heavily, your breath coming in ragged gasps. "Yes, please, Zestial," you pleaded, your voice hoarse from your intense arousal. "I need you inside me."
“Are thee sure mine own loveth, thy so bawbling i’m afraid i might breaketh thee. ” He teased, which only made whine pleadingly.
Without further ado, Zestial positioned himself between your spread legs once more. Slowly, he pushed himself into your tight, wet entrance, filling you up to the brim.
A mixture of pain and pleasure radiated throughout your body as he began to thrust rhythmically, his massive member stretching and stretching you further than you ever thought possible.
Each thrust was accompanied by a low groan from both of you, the sounds of your bodies slapping together filling the quiet room.
Your nails clawed at the sheets, leaving long, deep scratches in the fabric as he pounded into you relentlessly. Your orgasm built up faster than before, approaching its peak once more.
"Cum f'r me, mine own lief," Zestial growled, his eyes blazing with lust. "Let wend and releaseth all yond pent-up desire. “
You cried out his name, your body convulsing violently as you climaxed again, your juices coating his member and dripping down your thighs.
Your orgasm seemed to fuel him further, and he picked up the pace, thrusting faster and harder than ever before.
"Yes! More, give me more!" You begged, your voice barely recognizable from the pleasure that consumed you.
As your body continued to shake with each powerful thrust, Zestial groaned deeply, his fingers digging into your hips for support. Suddenly, he groaned loudly, his entire body tensing up before shooting his hot seed deep inside of you, filling you completely.
Finally, he pulled out of you, his cock still twitching as he collapsed beside you on the bed. Panting heavily, he reached over and brushed a strand of sweat-drenched hair from your forehead.
"That wast. quite wond'rful," he managed to croak out between heavy breaths. "Howev'r, i doubteth a single round shall suffice to satisfyeth mine own needeth, consid'ring i've been anticipating this moment f'r months. ”
“Oh.” Was all you had the time to say before your night of passion continues.
"Thank you, Zestial," you panted, your own breath returning to normal. "That was... amazing."
You reached over and caressed his cheek, your fingers trailing down to his chin. "Could we... do it again sometime?"
He chuckled softly, his eyes softening slightly. "Of course, mine own lief jointress," he replied, chuckling at your somewhat innocent neediness, his voice still husky with satisfaction. "We has't all the timeth in this hellish w'rld togeth'r anon. "
You lay there for a while, basking in their post-coital bliss, their hearts racing in sync. Eventually, Zestial stirred, moving closer to you. "Do thee needeth aught else bef're we retireth f'r the night?” he asked, his hand trailing down your stomach to rest on your hipbone.
“No, I just want you close to me.” You answered,
“Of course.” he replied softly, placing a kiss on your forehead as you fell asleep in each other’s arms….
Old English in order of apparition;
"You've madeth a valorous investment, mine lief friend. This salon is nothing but successful; you've hath found quite the gem, ” = "You've made a good investment, my friend. This salon is nothing but successful; you've found quite the gem,”
"is yond so? Quite the guts and perseverance the lady hath,“ = "Is that so? Quite the guts and perseverance she has,"
"well, sinners art inherently unpredictable creatures by nature. Plus," = "Well, sinners are inherently unpredictable creatures by nature. Plus,"
"with desserts like this, i don't expect anyone to intermit long ere coming to tryeth those folk for themselves. Speaking of which, i would love to compliment the owner and chef for such marvelous worketh, “ = "with desserts like this, I don't expect anyone to resist long before coming to try them for themselves. Speaking of which, I would love to compliment the owner and chef for such marvelous work,"
"yond would beest appreciated,“ = "That would be appreciated,"
"i wilt sayeth, miss y/n, i greatly enjoy thy establishment, and so doth mine people.” = "I must say, Miss Y/n, I greatly enjoy your establishment, and so do my people."
"quite the nervous one, isn’t the lady?" = "Quite the nervous one, isn’t she?"
"well, nay needeth for worries. 'zestial' is quite fine, child." = "Well, no need for worries. 'Zestial' is quite fine, child,"
"y/n, darling, may i hath't a word with thee?” he asked. = "Y/n, darling, may I have a word with you?"
"well, mine lovely business owner, i hath't to admit something to thee, so prithee did put the rag down and sitteth, " = "Well, my lovely business owner, I have to admit something to you, so please put the rag down and sit,"
"It seems that I have found mys"'t seemeth yond i hath't did find myself having fallen for thee,“ = "It seems that I have found myself having fallen for you,"
"i eke did notice yond thee seemeth to feeleth the same, or am i wrong?" = "I also noticed that you seem to feel the same, or am I wrong?"
"did doth bethink so," = "Thought so,"
"then, as we both feeleth for one another, i'd like to court thee, unless thee hath't something 'gainst me doing so.” = "Then, as we both feel for one another, I'd like to court you, unless you have something against me doing so."
"well, isn't yond perfect. I can't wait to hath't thee all to myself still,“ = "Well, isn't that perfect. I can't wait to have you all to myself forever,"
"how art thee liking thy food, mine sweet y/n?” = "How are you liking your food, my sweet Y/N?"
"everything is eke wonderful on mine end, " = "Everything is also wonderful on my end,"
"Mine darling, would thee mind stopping thy meal for an instant? I'd like to break with an important matter with thee.” = "My darling, would you mind stopping your meal for an instant? I'd like to discuss an important matter with you."
"mine love, despite not having known thee for yond long did compare to mine long existence, i cannot see myself spending mine life beyond the grave without thee. Thou art high-sighted, talented, ingenious, and quite quaint, to a sir like me, and i would did bet many others, ye art quite literally breathtaking. Yond is accounting for thee as a whole, not just thy aesthetic attributes. So, y/n l/n, would thee doth me the honor of being thy husband for eternity?” = "My love, despite not having known you for that long compared to my long existence, I cannot see myself spending my life beyond the grave without you. You're ambitious, talented, ingenious, and beautiful, to a man like me, and I would bet many others, you are quite literally breathtaking. That is accounting for you as a whole, not just your aesthetic attributes. So, Y/N L/N, would you do me the honor of being your husband for eternity?"
"to our dateless love,“ = "To our everlasting love,"
"Well, mine dearest bride, “ = "Well, my dearest bride,"
"'t seemeth we finally hath't some time high-lone.” = "It seems we finally have some time alone."
"thee behold absolutely stunning in yond gown, y/n.”= "You look absolutely stunning in that gown, y/n."
"art thee eft for me to claim what is rightfully mine?” = "Are you ready for me to claim what is rightfully mine?"
"tell me, mine own lief jointress," = "Tell me, my dear wife,"
"Would thee liketh me to gust thee first?” = "Would you like me to taste you first?"
"not yet, mine own dram naughty bride," = "Not yet, my little naughty bride,"
"We haven't begun yet. “ = "We haven't begun yet."
"do thee wanteth me to filleth thee up anon?” = "Do you want me to fill you up now?"
“are thee sure mine own loveth, thy so bawbling i’m afraid i might breaketh thee. ” = “Are you sure my love, your so small I’m afraid I might break you.”
"Cum f'r me, mine own lief," = "Cum for me, my dear,"
"Let wend and releaseth all yond pent-up desire. “= "Let go and release all that pent-up desire."
"That wast. quite wond'rful," = "That was... quite wonderful,"
"Howev'r, i doubteth a single round shall suffice to satisfyeth mine own needeth, consid'ring i've been anticipating this moment f'r months. ” = "However, I doubt a single round will suffice to satisfy my needs, considering I've been anticipating this moment for months.”
"Of course, mine own lief jointress," = “Of course, my dear wife,"
"We has't all the timeth in this hellish w'rld togeth'r anon. " = "We have all the time in this hellish world together now.”
"do thee needeth aught else bef're we retireth f'r the night?” = "Do you need anything else before we retire for the night?"
Thanks anon for requesting!
©tswhiisfttedr. dn translate, or plagiarize.
Tip Me (Ko-Fi) & And support my art account @maviscarlettie
You can now commission me!
Reblogs help!!! (Request Are On Pause)
#tswhiisftteedr#hazbinhotel#hazbin hotel#hazbin hotel x reader#hazbin hotel smut#hazbin hotel zestial#zestial hazbin hotel#hazbin zestial#zestial#zestial x reader#zestial smut#hazbin hotel x you#hazbin hotel x y/n#hazbin hotel overlord#hazbin overlords#overlord x reader#overlords#overlord#cannibal colony#hazbin rosie#rosie#hazbin hotel rosie#rosie hazbin hotel#hazbin alastor#carmilla carmine#alastor altruist#i.m.p.#blitzø#moxxie#helluva millie
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[“While “essential workers” in the poultry industry were made to feel dirty, nonessential workers in fields like finance and computer engineering—the “people with laptops”—were sheltering in place, more distant from what transpired in industrial slaughterhouses than ever before.
Thanks to FreshDirect and Instacart, consuming meat no longer even requires coming into contact with a deli butcher or grocery clerk. With a few taps on a keyboard or the swipe of a screen, consumers can get as much beef, pork, and chicken as they want delivered to their doors, without ever having to think about where it comes from. And yet, as the popularity of bestselling books like Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma and Jonathan Safran Foer’s Eating Animals attests, a lot of Americans do think about this. In recent years, more and more consumers have begun to carefully scrutinize the labels on the packages of the meat and poultry they buy. The ranks of such consumers have grown exponentially, paralleling the rise of the “good food” movement, which promotes healthier eating habits and reform of the industrial food system.
Although the movement is, in Pollan’s words, a “big, lumpy tent,” composed of a broad coalition of advocacy organizations and citizens’ groups that sometimes push for competing agendas, one of its aims is to persuade consumers to become more conscientious shoppers and eaters. Among those who put this idea into practice are so-called locavores, who buy food directly from local farms, ideally from small family-run enterprises that embrace organic, sustainable practices: ranchers who raise grass-fed cows that never set foot in industrial feedlots; farmers who sell eggs that come from free-range chickens reared on a diet of seeds, plants, and insects rather than genetically engineered corn and antibiotics.
Locavores engage in what social scientists call “virtuous consumption,” using their purchasing power to buy food that aligns with their values. The movement appeals to the growing number of Americans who want to feel more connected to the food they eat and to the people who raise it, with whom locavores can interact directly at farmers markets or through community-supported agriculture programs. It is a captivating vision, and the benefits of eating locally grown food—which is likely to be more nutritious, to come from more humanely treated animals, and to be better for the environment—are manifold.
But locavores have some blind spots of their own, most notably when it comes to the experiences of workers on small family farms. As the political scientist Margaret Gray discovered when she set about interviewing farm laborers in New York’s Hudson Valley, the vast majority of these workers are undocumented immigrants or guest workers who toil under abysmal conditions, often working sixty- to seventy-hour weeks for dismal pay. “We live in the shadows,” one worker told her. “They treat us like nothing,” said another. In her book Labor and the Locavore, Gray asked the butcher on a small farm why so few of his customers seemed to notice this.
“They don’t eat the workers,” the farmer told her.
“He went on to explain that, in his experience, his consumers’ primary concern is with what they put in their bodies,” Gray wrote, “and so the labor standards of farmworkers simply do not register as a priority.”]
eyal press, from dirty work: essential labor and the hidden toll of inequality in america, 2021
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6 Best Gifts for Writers
I always struggle with gifts when it comes to the holidays. My mind goes blank when someone asks what I’d like and I can’t remember anything cool when I’m trying to buy gifts for other people.
If you want to add something to your gift list this year or give the perfect present to a writer in your life, these are some great ideas I’ve found!
Side note: these are affiliate links, so I’ll get a small portion of each purchase! Thanks in advance for helping keep this blog going.
A Mug Warmer
Those self-warming mugs are SO expensive, but my coffee never stays the right temperature when I sit down to write. I’ve used this mug warmer every day for years and frequently give it to my friends and family! Whether you work from home or enjoy a hot beverage while you write, a mug warmer makes your drink the last thing on your mind during your creative sessions.
Story Prompt Dice
Anyone who loves writing and dice games will get a kick out of these story prompt dice in minimalist colors. They’re another fun way to get some inspiration when your standard plot generators aren’t quite doing it.
It’s even an entertaining way to get conversations started when you have friends over. Roll the dice and ask everyone to contribute a sentence to your shared story. As you go around the group, you’ll invent a silly tale that always inspires laughs.
A Thick Mouse Pad
I bought this mouse pad years ago and it changed my work-from-home life. It’s a bit thicker where your wrist rests, which took care of the slight aches I got after being on the computer all day. It’s especially helpful when I need to transport my mind to the world of my stories. Every bit of extra comfort makes it easier to focus.
Noise-Blocking Earbuds
Before I could save for AirPods, I used noise-blocking earbuds like these whenever I wanted to write. They fit comfortably and don’t make your ears sore. Press play on your preferred background music or focus noises to write even more than before. The case will recharge your earbuds when you’re finished writing for the day. Plus, they’re waterproof—perfect for brainstorming in the shower.
Laptop Carrying Case
I love writing at my local library. I’ve also been able to do some of my best work in places like airport terminals and coffee shops. This case kept my Macbook safe through all of my adventures. It’s a padded case for Macs and PCs of varying sizes and colors that has a nice, snug fit.
Pro tip—I wish I’d had a case like this in college! My backpack got soaked while walking to class during countless thunderstorms. This case would have been much better protection than the plastic bag I wrapped my laptop in to shield it from water.
Insulated Rambler With Lid
If you’re starting to notice how I always need water or tea next to me, you’re not wrong! An occasional sip clears my mind when I’m lost in a story, but I hate when a cold drink gets to room temperature.
Insulated ramblers like this one always keep my drinks just as cold as when I poured them. The lid’s vacuum-sealed suction keeps exterior temperatures from leaking through.
Know anyone with a dog? These cups have also been a lifesaver with our Shepsky! His hair gets everywhere, especially with the fan on. These lids catch it all so my drinks remain free of fur. Give the dog owners in your life the same peace of mind with a gift like this one.
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Treat yourself and your loved ones to something nice this year! Practical, thoughtful gifts are always some of the best presents during the holidays and birthdays.
#gift ideas#gift inspiration#gifts for writers#writeblr#writers of tumblr#creative writing#writing#writing community#writing resources#present ideas#gift list
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The October Make-Over 🎃
Hello Girlies, this is my October Makeover - feel free to join me if you want! And to customize to whatever you’re working on! (And that could be rest and recovery too!) @mamabeatnik @anolderlove @2pretty @abeatingheart @alicedowntherabbithole-blog
Hyperfocus October: 🍁 🧠
Keep a running distractions notepad.
Put your phone in airplane mode +/- Do not Disturb.
Keep phone in a drawer/bag, different room, etc.
NO TEXTING BEFORE 5pm UNLESS CRITICAL/EMERGENCY (only exception is texting brother and spouse)
List your distractions. (For me: non-critical busywork tasks, email, depressive states, baby stuff, fighting, gossiping, thinking about my traumatic past lol, worrying about the future, finances and budgeting, low self esteem thoughts, having too many metaphorical “irons in the fire”, not exercising and then having lack of focus/energy/positive mood, Fear of success)
Action October: 🍁
Go live with that project you’ve been putting off. (For me it’s my music Youtube channel. Find an equivalent project for yourself! What are you afraid of doing but want to do? Is shame holding you back like it is for me?)
Remember: You will never be perfect to your standards! You just have to do it. Perfectionism is a form of fear.
Take action on that thing you’ve been complaining about/feeling trapped about. (For me: Actually hire a sitter to have actual date nights/mornings/etc! Rather than mentally complain that “you never get time with ur spouse anymore blah blah”.)
Accountability October:
Make a physical, visual workout tracker for the month to see your progress and consistency over time
Have Friday evening check-ins for a budget, calendar, admin
Zero gossiping!
Zero negativity! Say 3-5 positive/grateful things for every negative/critical thing you say.
Love October: Per Ed Mylett’s Power of One More concept.
Give your sweetie a hug, and then one more!
If you normally give them a greeting kiss, give them one more! Spend a minute hugging, then one more! etc.
Give them a compliment, and then one more!
Go on a weekly date night, and then a little extra time!
Nature October:
Leave the windows open at night!
Enjoy fall candles
Air duvets on balcony overnight
Eat outside as much as possible
Weekends October:
Pumpkin patch trip
Bonfire
Feed the homeless
Make cards for kids in the hospital
Actually go to church events (ie for me cookouts at least once)
Actually take a sabbath (i’d like to do zero chores! Cook/clean ahead). Give yourself the gift of a day completely off!
Make apple pies
Spending $$Sober October: 💵 🍁
NO AMAZON PURCHASES unless absolutely critical
Grocery budget: no fancy vegan foods like vegan cheese, burgers, brats, etc. You can do without that for just a month!
Grocery budget continued: Consider picking fresh wild flowers when possible instead of buying flowers! Or 5$ pretty carnations!
Create a financial goal: ie, house, car, laptop, iPad, 10k savings. Something not too big so it is still attainable. Mine: 10k in savings by January; $$ so I can get Thermage at dermatology!
October Fallcore Hard-Core mornings: Level up from the 5am club!
Get up an hour earlier than usual by the end of October: Wake up 15 minutes earlier each week. (Ie: week 1. 4:45a. Week2, 430a, etc.)
Morning ice bath (or cold plunge outside)
More time reading Bible/praying
Selfcare October:
Weekly clay face mask
Weekly steam/ice facial
(Daily skincare routine should go without saying! It does for me. Cleanser, Vit C + SPF am, retinol + moisturizer pm. If you’re not already doing this, you need to fix your life!)
Weekly epsom salt bath
Daily green juice
Weekly intensive journaling (for me: jordan peterson’s selfauthoring suite)
Fitness October:
30 days of Yoga (YT Yoga w Adriene)
Zone 2 cardio > 3x/week (for me - running, swimming)
Stretching afterwards, side splits (TLB on YT)
Pull-ups on Tuesday and Thursday
Weekend warrior: extra long run or swim
Inspire October:
Meditate daily > 15 minutes
Spend time riding your bike > 1x/month
Get rollerblades again! Skate > 1x/week
Let your mind wander for a few minutes daily!
Watch inspiring YT videos (for me, that’s Robin Sharma etc).
Read for pleasure/inspiration > 1x/week!
Grind October:
Get to work/school 30-60 minutes earlier than you usually do
Have at least one day per week where you work insane hours in person (ie big experiment, long project)
Lay out your work outfit the night before so mornings are a little easier.
Professional Goals October:
Have at least one major needle-moving goal accomplished this month in your school/work.
For me it’s:
Submit manuscript
Complete dissertation
Apply to defend dissertation
Defend dissertation
Complete scoping review
Complete meta data analysis
#smart girl#clean girl#glow up#fall refresh#pink academia#separation season#personal#it girl#just do it#actuallyautistic#neurodivergent#studyinspo#productivity#memento mori
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Adult children of neglect- this is how you should clean your bed.
This post is for adult people, who were not taught how to clean and maintain hygiene. This is only what I’ve learned and my personal experience so feel free to add things and correct any mistakes I’ve made.
When I was a teenager, I dealt with very bad mental health issues. I was very depressed, anxious, had eating disorders=low energy, abused substances and felt terrible all around. As a consequence, I would never clean my room. My parents scolded me a lot, but just closed the door to my room remarking it made them sad. I was forced to clean every now and then, but often I just slept in pretty bad conditions. I didn’t change the sheets for months on end, sometimes there was cat feces on the blankets and I just kinda flipped it to the other side. It was cold at night, my room was a fucking mess, and I just felt pretty bad in my bed. These are the things I learned as a semi-adult, that I believe are good information.
First and foremost; remove any objects that do not belong in the bed. Anything like food, notebooks, laptop, laundry, etc. you should have *only* your blankets, pillows, stuffed animals if you like them, things you need for your sleep. Really just take those things out. This is good, because some things might end up injuring you in your sleep, and secondly, it can distract you from noticing how clean your bed is. It could also prevent any Hygiene issues. I’m not sure why it’s good to do this, but I believe it’s good practice.
Secondly, you may want to clean things up. Anything that you’re uncertain of, Google. Google and YouTube are your best friends. Make sure you dust around the bed frame, clean the bed and the sheets of animal hair or your hairs before you put the dirty sheets in the laundry, because animal hair doesn’t come off in the laundry, you’ll just get more cat/dog hairs on other clothes that way. You can use tape or a special roller to clean those.
If you notice any stains- make sure you clean them up. Check the materials you have available, and purchase new ones if you need them. Things like period stains and whatnot, any organic-biological stains may need to be sanitized with special wipes. These are available for cheap at most supermarkets, so don’t worry. Just make sure things will be clean.
The sheets. Oh lord. I’ve learned that you must change sheets every 1-2 weeks. It’s hard keeping up, but it’s important to know the standard at the very least. So make sure you change those up.
Temperature. Are there enough blankets to keep you warm at night? You should have the bed be at a comfortable temperature. Alternatively, do you have too many blankets? You do not need to sleep wearing a coat at night. Even if you did as a kid. You deserve a warm comfortable bed, so add blankets, or remove some, if they make you uncomfortable.
If you sleep with fluffy pillows, or stuffed animals, I believe they need to be put in the laundry every now and then as well. Stuffed animals and fluffy pillows- I looked it up online and it said a month. As for actual pillows- twice a year, or every 3 month if you have pets. Remember that these are all assuming the pillow or stuffed animal did not get stained. In that case, you should wash it immediately. Check online on ways to clean things.
Remember to clean under the bed, remove any objects that do not belong under the bed, dust and then mop the floor with water every now and then.
This list isn’t exhaustive- but it’s what I know and I hope that can help you. If you’re a spoonie, there are way better posts out there that give you tips on how to do these things with greater ease.
Remember that it is ok to fuck up, and it’s ok to not know. Cleaning your bed will not make your life magically better. You will not wake up to be this new person who is delighted with joy. But it’s something you need to take care of.
For me personally, it was hard to understand why I need to “fix” bad living conditions if I’m doing “ok”. Because I’m still in survival mode, yk. But I think it’s a good habit to make sure you’re taking care of these things. You deserve a clean bed, and a warm bed, and to feel safe and comfortable, not just to have a bed. Not just to have a room. But for it to be clean and well, so you could enjoy it and be safe in it.
Wishing y’all the best in recovery and feel free to add your own prompts ❤️
#neglect#child neglect#survivor#child abuse#abuse#parental abuse#informatic#important#blogpost#neglectful parents#cleaning#cleaning tips
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hello! I found you through one of your art tutorials and absolutely loved it, it's really inspired me to try it. I was just wondering, not being familiar with digital art, what set up/ app/ tools do you use (or recommend)? do I need a fancy tablet? thank you :)
I'm so glad to hear it! I hope wherever your drawing journey takes you, that you will keep having fun along the way :)
I am always glad to show my setup!
Let's start with the hardware!
Nowadays, I use a Wacom Cintiq 16, which I purchased this year for around $800 CAD.
This device very much on the fancy side but as someone who has done digital art for 20+ years, it has helped me complete my works in a much shorter amount of time. The Cintiq surface allows me to draw directly on the screen.
Before that, I used a tablet - the Wacom Intuos v4 S, which I received as a gift from my Dad. It held up for 10+ years and was still working excellently when I gave it away for my Mom to use. :) In 2009 I believe it was priced around $250 CAD.
The surface was a lot more matte when I purchased it and has since gotten shinier from all the abrasion and usage and skin contact. I remember it had a protective transparent sheet which I tore off on the first day of use. LOL
My desktop PC is i7 processor @ 3.20 GHz with Windows 10 64bit, 16gb, with a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 video card. Monitor is 24". Notably I use my PC for other activities such as gaming.
Now let's talk about drawing programs!
My software of choice is PaintToolSai v2! It is very lightweight and has a smaller toolset compared to Photoshop or Clip Studio.
I favor it because I feel that it has a better response to pen input, which helps create higher quality lines. It is very stable and performs very well - I don't think I've ever had any crashes while using v2, which is still in development. The smaller price point helps. The current price is 5500JPY, which should be around $50 CAD these days? The price was lower when I purchased it years and years back, and I was able to upgrade to v2 without any additional cost.
As for what I recommend for a beginner? I admit, it's a little hard for me to say - the landscape of digital painting has changed so much over the past ten years that so many new tools and software have come out while I was still using Sai and my Intuos!
But if you start shopping around, there are some things that may factor into your decision. Please note that I will be speaking as someone who uses mainly desktop systems and tablets for digital art.
Price: The price of a good-quality drawing tablet can range from the $100s to the $1000s. If you are a beginner, you may not experience the benefits of a professional-standard tablet right away, so it's ok to start small! For software, there are quite a few free options to get you started, such as Medibang or Krita. If you have an iPad, Procreate is available on the store for $9.99, though you may need to invest in a stylus.
System Specs: If you have a laptop or a PC, be sure to double check your specs to make sure it can support the hardware and software of your choice! The requirements are less stringent than gaming, so at least i3 with 8gb RAM will work! You will also need to make sure you have enough storage space to hold large files. I've read that the sweet spot for storage is 128GB. If you are a beginner, you probably won't hit the limit in a short amount of time - just be aware that file sizes for digital art can reach 100s of MB depending on size and complexity.
Pressure Sensitivity: This is a measure of how sensitive your tablet is to pressure changes so that you can vary between solid/translucent and thin/thick lines as you are drawing. The recommendation for newcomers is 1,024 levels. Any less, and the experience may be lacking and the results less than satisfying.
Display Size: Tablet size can vary! Wacom Tablets in particular come in Small, Medium and Large. Make sure it can fit on your working space! I've had no problems creating art work using the smallest size, though it has caused a bit of wrist strain.
A monitor/display screen of at least HD quality with a resolution of at least 300dp is recommended! Screen size will also affect your experience. So, similar with gaming, consider what might be most comfortable for you!
Learning Curve: If you are drawing on a screenless tablet for the first time, then it may take some time to get used to the feeling of drawing the tablet surface while keeping your eyes on the monitor. Don't be discouraged if you're not getting the same results as you would using pen and paper! It will definitely feel different, but with time and practice you will gradually get accustomed to it.
Each software comes with its own toolset - some larger than others! For complex programs like Clip Studio and Photoshop, the number of features and the level of customization available can be overwhelming! That said, most software programs for digital art come with a standard set of basic tools, such as Brush, Select, Straight Line, Erase, Zoom, Copy + Paste, Undo etc. So it is perfectly feasible to get started using a complex program, familiarize yourself with the basics, and try some of the more advanced features once you get confident.
(Meanwhile, I am terrified of Clip Studio's seemingly endless features whenever I open it and usually find myself running back to Sai for safety lolol)
Public Opinion: Take caution when watching Youtube reviews, as artists (especially popular ones) are known to accept company sponsorships. Ask around if you can, take a look at the best, worst, and average customer reviews, and check out a public discussion like Reddit where opinions may differ! Take note of the good and bad experiences. And, where invited, ask artists like or not-like me. :)
I should note this far that I'm not sponsored by anyone or anything. ;;;; I swear on my Mom I'm not a Wacom plant. (That said I will gladly continue to sing my praises of PaintToolSai for free. It is an excellent program and please consider supporting the smaller devs!)
That's it! ...I think? I'm almost certain that there are at least one or two things that I've neglected to mention, but so far, those are the points I can think of, so I hope you find it useful. :)
Each digital art journey is different, and so your mileage may vary with the factors above! I do hope that as you get started with creating stuff digitally, that you have a fun and enjoyable experience.
I also invite other people to share their opinions, agreements, and disagreements to the points above! Especially if there is anything important that I may have missed. I hope this is helpful and thank you again everyone for your positive comments on my tutorials. :')
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Breakdown After Breakdown
So interest rates have gone up, making paying our already HUGE mortgage even more difficult. Partner’s wages aren’t exactly rising. And the cost of food is so high the government is now investigating our two big chain supermarkets for adding to the cost of living stress on the populace.
All this is happening at a time when my partner and I are experiencing major burnout, enduring family drama, and I received some truly terrifying health news (my GI tract is very literally melting from off-the-charts inflammation and I am at high risk for colon cancer, among other things).
We have been saddled with so much bad news and hardship that we feel we’re about to lose our minds, so we go fuck it, we NEED a break, and booked a cheap motel for two nights over Easter near a national park. We had the modest ambition of spending time in nature looking for orchids and birds.
Yeah, we got one day of that before our old second hand car (which we bought for a few thousand dollars from the side of the road last year) decided to break down for the umpteenth time, and we spent 12 hours of the second day of our 2 day vacation just trying to get home (eventually being towed). The SAME DAY my partner got a virus on his ancient laptop and my mobile phone started to fail. We purchased a new, bargain basement phone in town while waiting for the tow truck to arrive, and less than 2 weeks later I dropped it and smashed the camera on it. YAY.
So no break for us. Fine.
But then shit kept hitting the fan. When we got home, MY computer started to sputter out and die. We cannot afford a new computer right now, as we’re paying off a ton of medical expenses for me, so a week later my partner bought parts for it and rebuilt it himself.
And then there’s the car situation.
Since Easter, 3 mechanics have looked at the car, can identify there is a major problem, but cannot FIND it. So it remains broken. My car is also really old and sprung a leak in the boot and got soaked after a storm, so that now it stinks to high heaven from musty mold. But we cannot afford another car, so OH WELL. I have a severe mold allergy and a sensitive nose but we cannot afford to valet it, and partner has sincerely had no time to clean it.
Then: our vacuum cleaner broke and the very next day the lawn mower broke, too. The mower repair shop would not even repair it because “that brand is such a cheap piece of shit it’ll just break on you in a few more days and I don’t wanna be held liable”. Wow.
And then this morning the towel rail broke after I hit my head onto it for the millionth time, and the wheel came off the laundry trolley for the second time before a huge load of towels finished in the washing machine. I am already disabled and currently have an inflamed nerve in my right foot, so the lack of a trolley is REALLY not helpful.
This is the week I have to spend an ungodly amount of money on three separate medical professionals and order a very expensive medical test to maaaaybe find the pathogen destroying my gut.
I recently watched a TLDR Global news video about the fertility crisis in South Korea and the world at large and it rightly points out house prices and cost of living being a deterrent for people to have babies. Under the video was a comment that I feel sums up what it is like to be alive in this 21st century:
“Long working hours. Low wages. High costs. No chance of ever owning a house. 0 work-life balance without a child, let alone with one. Layoffs left right and center. Hard if not impossible to get a job even with experience. Life is stressful as is already. Low standards of life. Nothing is family friendly - work, life, schools etc. A lot of the institutions still have the same mentality of - man works, woman stays at home, and it just doesn't fit how people want to live now.”
We are childless and partially own our own home (and only with assistance from the Bank of Mum And Dad as the boomers love to call it) and WE are struggling. How the HELL is humanity going to keep going like this? I am so worn down by the grind of everything, and relative to fellow millennials, we’re doing WELL. The only freedom is money, which the vast majority of us do not have in amounts that would actually afford us quality of life.
All I can say in the face of all this, is fuck capitalism.
And also fuck Australia, which appears to be its biggest bitch at the moment:
Source: TLDR News Global
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Hi what digital art apps do you use to create your art? If they are paid do you know any free ones you have ever used that you can suggest? I’m starting out and love your art and would love to hear your suggestions, do you create your art on a laptop/ tablet?
Aww an art question! I wish I got more of these! :) Thank you so much!
There used to be a really great post floating around here about alternatives to photoshop (what I use, because it's industry standard). Clip Studio Paint used to be a $25 one time purchase, I'm not 100% sure they still are, but a lot of my students prefer using that. A younger student I have uses Krita, I believe that is free (I'm not sure how robust the features are mind you, but it seems to get the job done for drawing), so hopefully one of those can get you started into digital art, but I'd strongly recommend, if you're just starting out drawing (and not just starting the transition to digital art from analogue), I'd keep drawing on paper. It'll help you build more formative skills and help you with decisive choices (something my students struggle with and waste a lot of time on because of the nature of digital creation).
Yes, I have a 22 in original version cintiq, again, industry standard.
I have had friends who are big fans of Huion, the school uses X-Pens, and I've used Intuos tablets from wacom before. I know many of my students use their ipads and use procreate as well. Not an apple fan myself, though. Very expensive.
Hope this has helped! Good luck! :)
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What’s in a Computer 101
Motherboard - everything plugs into this. It makes sure every part talks nicely to each other.
CPU - brain of the computer. Roughly, bigger numbers = more brainpower
GPU - makes the pictures happen. Again, bigger numbers roughly equal more picture power.
RAM - short term memory. More of this means more things can happen at once. This is what gets eat by your open google chrome tags and makes things slower.
Storage - long term memory. Where you store all your downloaded but unplayed steam games.
PSU - UNLIMITED POWER. Nah but this is your battery and what makes sure all the pieces can turn on. Make sure it’s big enough and do not under any circumstances cheap out on this if buying separately. A cheap psu will explode.
Cooling - power=heat. More power means more cooling. There’s a ton of options.
Case - what everything goes into. Size matters. Make sure it’s big enough.
Motherboard - This determines the kind of cpu you can purchase because they fit into the board differently. They have different stuff going on depending on how much you want to spend. Basic boards will do what you want, but they may look busier and be lacking things you want (like a million usb connections or internal Wi-Fi).
They come in different sizes. Micro-ITX is itty bitty. Surprisingly, this does not mean cheaper. Then it’s mini-ATX. Both mini and micro will be lacking the extra PCIE slots that let you plug in things like multiple graphics cards or a Wi-Fi board if your motherboard doesn’t have that capability built-in. ATX is your standard size motherboard. Then it’s E-ATX. You can have More Stuff on this one. It’s big.
Pick a motherboard that has the functionality you want on it. You gotta make that choice based on your budget and on the other parts we’ll talk about in a minute.
You don’t really get to pick this for a laptop though.
CPU - There are two companies that make computer brains: Intel and AMD. They are in a constant fight to be the company with the most powerful brain. Their number schemes are weird. Intel is i3-, i5-, i7-, and i9- followed by some very large number. The general rule is the bigger the number, the more it can handle. AMD has the 3000,5000, and 7000 series. Again, bigger number, better performance. Bigger number also means more money. AMD had better cost/performance ratios when I built my stuff, but unless you’re aiming for the top tier of performance, the difference honestly isn’t that noticeable between companies.
GPU -On a pc, this will be your most expensive component. Again, bigger numbers = better performance = more money. There are two companies for graphic processing units: AMD and NVIDIA. NVIDIA has the RTX line or cards. The most recent is their 4000 series (4060,4070,4080,4090) and AMD’s 7000 series (7600 and 7000) Radeon cards are their competition. Again, unless you are aiming for The Best, you will not necessarily notice a difference and there ain’t no god damn reason to buy the 4090 or 7900 unless you have $2k USD burning a hole in your pocket.
The NVIDIA 3000 series and AMD 6000 series will be cheaper and work just fine. All of NVIDIA’s cards since the 3000 series have raytracing which is a fancy lighting thing big games use right now. It’s pretty and you do actually notice the difference. AMD’s lower tier cards don’t. I believe NVIDIA is sorta winning the performance fight right now but like I said. Unless you are going for ultra/elite settings on everything with 4k resolution… you’re not noticing a difference at medium/high at 1080p between any given company. You can also find older, used cards for cheaper that work just fine. Be careful that they weren’t used for mining though. They tend to be busted.
RAM - You want as much of this as you can get. 8 GB is not enough if you want to have more than one tab open in google chrome. 16 is the bare minimum for gaming. Pretty much anything new is gonna require 16GB of ram. Some people are starting to say 32 is now the thing you should aim for. Considering how cheap ram is right now, it’s probably worth it just as games get more demanding. This is less true for laptops because everything is more expensive in a laptop.
This also has to be compatible with your cpu so if you buy parts individually, you gotta do some digging on the CPU’s support list via your motherboard support site with the ram’s serial numbers to make sure it’ll work. This is not a concern with prebuilt machines like laptops or prebuilt pcs.
They also have different speeds if you want to make things go faster but that’s more advanced than I’m getting into here
Storage - There are three types of storage right now: hard drives, SSDs and M.2 SSDS. Hard drives are slower and physical. They’re cheap, good for massive storage. Not good for putting your operating system (windows, Linux, etc.) on if you want it to move quickly. SSDs - faster than hard drives, digital storage, and more expensive than hard drives. M.2 - looks like a stick of gum. Plugs into your motherboard directly (no wires), super fast. The most expensive. Laptops run off M.2s for space reasons. This makes more storage more expensive. You will need a lot of storage if you are running modern AAA games. They’re chunky now. 1000 GB makes 1 TB - most AAA games live in the land of 150 GB at least now.
PSU - power supply. Your graphics card is gonna determine this the most. But the more powerful your machine, the more power you need. This is the place you never, ever, ever cheap out. A bad power supply can blow up. Literally. Best case scenario with that is the computer you just bought is dead. Laptops don’t let you pick this. Instead you get averages of battery life. More battery life means less time plugged into a wall.
Cooling - how to keep your computer from dying from the heat. This will depend a Lot on your person preferences but also on the power of machine. Power=heat. The more powerful your machine, the more cooling you need. Entry level CPUs come with coolers. The more mid-tier and high-tier tell you to buy your own. You have two routes: air and water cooling. Air uses metal pipes and fans. Noctua is the brand everyone swears by and it’s the brand I bought when I upgraded my machine. They’re pricey, but they really are fantastic. They will also send you pieces later down the road if you upgrade your machine to a new cpu with different dimension so their cooler can still fit. Their site also has a bunch of graphs and charts and stuff to help you pick which of their coolers is best for your machine. Water cooling uses a bunch of tubes filled with water to pick up the heat and carry it to a big metal thing (radiator) that you attach fans to to blow out the hot air. It’s quieter than an air cooler, and you can do all this crazy custom stuff with it. Or you can buy an AIO (all-in-one) that just needs to be attached to your case and a fan. People fight about whether air or water cooling is better. All I know is that I don’t risk spilling water on my electronics with one. So that’s the route I go.
Laptops have their own thing going. They’ve got air cooling with little fans inside the case. More powerful laptops sometimes allow you to external coolers to help offset the heat. I would suggest these. Don’t fry your laptop.
Case - where you put everything. Laptops give you very little choice here and they all basically have the same shape. Gaming laptops are gonna have a certain Aesthetic that I can only describe as red/rainbow and Pointy. They tend to be a bit aggressive in their appearance. This is true for most gamer things and it’s hard to get around.
PC cases are mostly the same shape (rectangle) but have more variety in color and layout. That’s all personal preference though. but they’ve got stuff you gotta pay attention to. Namely their size. You gotta fit all your stuff inside it. Tiny cases will not fit an ATX motherboard. A giant case will fit everything but may also be bigger than you’d like. Basically, you gotta look at the dimensions of your other parts (the gpu and cooler mostly) and compare it to the case dimensions so everything fits. Prebuilt pcs take care of this for you.
My current rig
Motherboard: Aorus b450 pro Wi-Fi
CPU: Ryzen 7 5800X
GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3060ti
RAM: 16 GB
Storage: Samsung 860 EVO 1 TB SSD (2 of these, actually)
PSU: Corsair 650w
Cooling: Noctua NH-D15s (and a bunch of cheap upHere fans for my case)
Case: a Montech something-or-another that’s cheap and not made anymore from what I can tell
My rig can play Jedi:Survivor on high settings with ray tracing on at 1080p with no real issues. I want to do some upgrades, but that’s me chasing those insane top of the line rigs. I dont need to do that by any means. I can play any game that comes out in the next few years just fine.
@drakonovisny
#computer stuff#feel free to ask more specific questions but this is a brief overview#laptops are more about how much you want to spend#those come pre-done and you’re just picking what you like#amd is generally less expensive but that changes year to year
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Since some people might want a Mac, I'll offer a Mac equivalent of your laptop guide from the perspective of a Mac/Linux person.
Even the cheapest Macs cost more than Windows laptops, but part of that is Apple not making anything for the low end of the tech spectrum. There is no equivalent Mac to an Intel i3 with 4 gigabytes of RAM. This makes it a lot easier to find the laptop you need.
That said, it is possible to buy the wrong Mac for you, and the wrong Mac for you is the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar. Get literally anything else. If it has an M2 chip in it, it's the most recent model and will serve you well for several years. Any new MacBook Air is a good pick.
(You could wait for new Macs with M3, but I wouldn't bother. If you are reading these guides the M3 isn't going to do anything you need done that a M2 couldn't.)
Macs now have integrated storage and memory, so you should be aware that whatever internal storage and RAM you get, you'll be stuck with. But if you would be willing to get a 256 gig SSD in a Windows laptop, the Mac laptop with 256 gigs of storage will be just as good, and if you'd be willing to get 8 gigs of RAM in a Windows laptop the Mac will perform slightly better with the same amount of memory.
Buy a small external hard drive and hook it up so Time Machine can make daily backups of your laptop. Turn on iCloud Drive so your documents are available anywhere you can use a web browser. And get AppleCare because it will almost certainly be a waste of money but wooooooow will you be glad it's there if you need it.
I get that you are trying to help and I am not trying to be mean to you specifically, but people shouldn't buy apple computers. That's why I didn't provide specs for them. Apple is a company that is absolutely terrible to its customers and its customers deserve better than what apple is willing to offer.
Apple charges $800 to upgrade the onboard storage from a 256GB SSD to a 2TB SSD.
A 2TB SSD costs between $75-100.
I maintain that any company that would charge you more than half the cost of a new device to install a $100 part on day one is a company making the wrong computer for you.
The point of being willing to tolerate a 256GB SSD or 8GB RAM in a Windows laptop is that you're deferring some of the cost to save money at the time of purchase so that you can spend a little bit in three years instead of having to replace the entire computer. Because, you see, many people cannot afford to pay $1000 for a computer and need to buy a computer that costs $650 and will add $200 worth of hardware at a later date.
My minimum specs recommendations for a mac would be to configure one with the max possible RAM and SSD, look at the cost, and choose to go buy three i7 windows laptops with the same storage and RAM for less than the sticker price of the macs.
So let's say you want to get a 14" Macbook pro with the lowest-level processor. That's $2000. Now let's bump that from 16GB RAM and a 512GB SSD to 32GB and 2TB. That gets you to $3000. (The SSD is $200 less than on the lower model, and they'll let you put in an 8TB SSD for $1800 on this model; that's not available on the 13" because apple's product development team is entirely staffed by assholes who think you deserve a shitty computer if you can't afford to pay the cost of two 1991 Jeep Cherokee Laredos for a single laptop).
For $3000 you can get 3 Lenovo Workstation laptops with i7 processors, 32GB RAM, and a 2TB SSD.
And look, for just $200 more I could go up to 48GB RAM and get a 4TB SSD - it costs $600 to upgrade the 14" mac from a 2TB SSD to a 4TB SSD so you could still get three laptops with more ram and the same amount of storage for the cost of one macbook.
I get that some people need to use Final Cut and Logic Pro, but hoo boy they sure are charging you through the nose to use products that have become industry standard. The words "capture" and "monopoly" come to mind even though they don't quite apply here.
"Hostile" does, though, especially since Mac users end up locked into the ecosystem through software and cloud services and become uncertain how to leave it behind if they ever decide that a computer should cost less than a month's rent on a shitty studio apartment in LA.
There's a very good reason I didn't give mac advice and that's because my mac advice is "DON'T."
#sorry i swear i know you're being nice#i am incapable of being nice when talking about apple#i was a total apple fangirl until the unibody#which is the domino that started all the other companies pulling shit like soldered RAM#they said 'fuck you - users shouldn't service their own computers' and I say 'fuck apple - users shouldn't use macs'#and that has been my stance on the matter since 2012#which was the last time i bought a macbook because i knew i'd never buy a computer that would fight me to change my own battery
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Hi, I saw your addition on a post about purchasing a laptop. I’m actually planning on purchasing one soon for the first time (current laptop is seven years old and a college gift). While I overall know about specs and what not because I just want a solid but not insanely expensive gaming laptop (tho ig I’ve mostly just been googling ‘best gaming laptop’), I’ve never heard of this S Mode you’ve mentioned. What is that and what other things should I be aware of, is there like a good link I can educate myself at? I’m planning on this being a very long term purchase, as long as I can make it, so I really want to get it right. Thank you!
A couple things:
I’d start with this lengthy but good post by @ms-demeanor , along with much of her computer talk on her blog. Lots of good stuff about what to look for, what to avoid, how/if you can upgrade, etc. It’s gonna depend a bit on what you use your laptop for, too.
S-mode…where to begin. Here is a decent run-down of what S-mode is. Essentially, it’s a locked in ‘safe mode’ that only allows you to use the Windows store for purchases and downloads. They say it’s for security. It’s really for monopolization. It also uploads all your stuff to their cloud. Where eventually they can lock it behind a paywall if they decide.
S-mode requires fewer computer resources to run…but in doing so it means that many computers that come pre-installed with S-mode may not even be able to run full Windows. To compete with Google’s Chromebooks, which are specifically made not to last so they cheapen out on parts and can offer a lower price point, Microsoft responded with S-mode so PC manufacturers could make comparably priced ‘Windows’ laptops.
That’s not to say a laptop offered with Windows S Mode can’t run the full Windows…but there’s no guarantee. And it will take a number of steps to switch to standard Windows and you can’t switch back if it doesn’t work well.
In general:
Look for laptops by brands with historically good performance and reliability.
Make sure whichever laptop you choose can actually run the full Windows — check Windows’ recommended specs with your prospective laptop.
Find a laptop that matches your lifestyle needs. This seems simple or self-explanatory, but it’s surprising how often people buy a product that doesn’t actually fit their needs. As a metaphor, if you have 4 kids and need a new car, you probably don’t want a sports car but a mini van. It’s not that either is bad, but they have specific purposes. The same goes with computers. If you’re a gamer, look at one of the latest games released, the specs recommended, and find something that well exceeds those specs so you aren’t looking to upgrade in 1-2 years. Similarly, if you are just going to use it for internet browsing, light applications, email, work stuff, etc., you don’t need a gaming laptop or high end graphics card. If you plan to travel with it, do you need a laptop with special security features or durability in case it is stolen, dropped, banged, etc. while commuting?
Don’t ignore the battery life, battery size, and cord length / type. Is it a two piece AC adapter with a standard 3-prong plug? Is it 4, 6, or 9 cell or some other measurement? Some companies keep costs lower by cheaping out on the battery, which to replace or upgrade could easily be another $100+.
Don’t buy Black Friday specials. Just don’t. They are often ‘special batch’ models that often have lower quality or discontinued parts, fewer features, or other oddities.
Don’t buy into add-ons, extended warranties, or other mark-ups. Chances are the warranty won’t cover the damage, failure, or other problem; the repairer will still charge for labor if it covers the parts; they may require you work with specific repairers; and/or they may require you to ship your laptop at your expense to a center, wait for repairs to be completed after a diagnostic review which may again try to deny repairs or blame you for the problem, only for it to arrive back with more or different problems. Warranties nowadays are a way for companies to increase their profit margin, period.
I hope all that helps. Windows is a very different and yet familiar beast compared to 7 years ago. You’ll likely be able to do everything you’re doing now, but may need some time to figure out how to do the same thing with an interface with different organization and visuals.
I’m not going to go into Apple or Linux or Chromebooks or other things here - it’s already a lengthy post and those are full dives into equally lengthy posts. Each have their pros and cons.
And others - feel free to contribute. I’m no expert. I’ve just happened to grow up with and around computers and am just geeky enough to have some deeper than surface knowledge.
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Need help getting Eras Tour Tickets? Check out these resources ⬇️
Getting Eras Tour tickets can be stressful, so we want to help! Here’s a comprehensive list explaining how you can snag tickets during the Verified Fan presale, general ticket drops, or through resale websites or giveaways. Read on!
Verified Fan Presale
The Verified Fan presale takes place at 10 a.m. local venue time 10 days before the first concert in a new city. (For example, the Verified Fan Presale for the Eras Tour Philly shows occurred at 10 a.m. EST on Tuesday, May 2 ahead of the three-day concert series on May 12, 13, & 14).
During the Verified Fan presale, Ticketmaster uses a random lottery system to send out codes to fans still looking for tickets. Codes are typically sent via text message from the number 73767.
Fans who were selected for the original Verified Fan sale in November but did not secure tickets and waitlisted fans have reported they received codes in the past.
Important Note: If you previously received a Verified Fan presale code, it will NOT work for this sale. Ticketmaster sends out new codes for the sales closer to the concert, typically in waves, from 10 a.m. to around 1:30/2:00 p.m.
Want to see what the text message with the Verified Fan presale code from Ticketmaster looks like? Check out this TikTok video:
https://www.tiktok.com/@floridaw0man/video/7218434112196218158
General Sale Ticket Drops
Ticketmaster also does General Sale Ticket drops the week of the concert beginning on Tuesday or Wednesday and continuing through the last concert on Sunday.
If you see 2,000+ fans in the queue, then there’s a good chance, a drop is taking place.
Fans who successfully snagged tickets during General Sales drops have said they used Safari on either their phone or laptop and Apple Pay for the quickest checkout.
While it can be incredibly frustrating to have to remain in the queue, keep checking for ticket drops as they come in batches.
Please also be advised that bots are beating fans to checkout and then listing tickets on resale websites for higher than face value, so you’ll need to be quick when checking out!
Ticketmaster has changed the process on how they’re doing ticket drops following the first concert at Gillette. Check out this TikTok video for more info:
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTREvPvbH/
Note: If you’re on TikTok, you can also search "ticket drop taylor swift” or a similar variation of the term for additional help!
Get Notifications About Ticket Drops
Want to be notified when Ticketmaster is dropping tickets? Follow Eras Tour Ticks (/@erastourticks on Twitter) and set notifications so you can see when drops are happening in real time!
Follow /@erastourticks on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/erastourticks
Face Value Spreadsheet
Fans on Tumblr have created a spreadsheet to help each other get tickets at face value.
Check it out here:
https://href.li/?https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_sFLXyfUhoeGri-BcF1Zo5II1Ro1-Z4L9-zZcMgL7E0/edit?usp=sharing
Twitter Resale Accounts
Didn’t get a code during the Verified Fan presale? No luck scoring tickets during the general sales drops? Check out Eras Tour Resell and sour tour tickets on Twitter!
Follow them here:
https://twitter.com/ErasTourResell
https://twitter.com/sourtourtickets
Resale Websites
Willing to pay a little more to see Taylor? Check out one of these resale websites:
- SeatGeek
- VividSeats
- TickPick
Just adjust the location/date for your city and then browse accordingly!
Got Tickets from a Resale Website? Don’t Know How To Transfer Them?
After you purchase your tickets, you should receive two (2) emails.
The first is a standard order confirmation email. The second should be your transfer email. Since most venues use Ticketmaster, the email should be from Ticketmaster and should read [Name] sent you ticket(s) for Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour with instructions on how to claim them.
Check out this video to see what the email should look like:
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTREvXDWf/
Note: If you have TikTok, you can search “ticket transfer taylor swift” or some variation of that phrase for additional help!
Ticket Giveaways
Still don’t have tickets? Don’t get upset! Companies such as Capital One, Prizeo, and TickPick have been giving away Eras Tour Tickets for select show dates. Local giveaways and radio stations are also an option.
Here are a few ticket giveaways we currently know of:
Mancuso Homes Giveaway : 2 Tickets for Eras Tour Pittsburgh on June 17
TickPick Giveaway: 3 Winners will receive Two (2) VIP Floor Tickets For Eras Tour Inglewood on August 5
We’ll add more giveaways in as we see them!
Now, go ahead, and enter! We wish you the best of luck! :)
I’ve Got My Tickets. How Do I Prepare For The Concert?
Get A Stadium-Approved Clear Bag:
https://www.freedomandthemoon.com/products/eras-tour-clear-custom-stadium-bag?variant=43810016559321¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic
https://www.etsy.com/market/clear_stadium_bag_taylor
Consider Packing These Essentials:
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTREvA6Wh/
Note: If you have TikTok, search “eras tour bag essentials” or another variation for additional resources!
Get A Portable Drink Cover (In case your stadium doesn’t allow you to have the bottle cap from your purchased water, Gatorade, or other drink):
https://www.amazon.com/NightCap-Scrunchie-Spiking-Prevention-Scrunchie/dp/B08RF32Y7N
Want Friendship Bracelets? Don’t Feel Like Making Them? Order A Custom One from Little Words Project:
https://www.littlewordsproject.com/collections/custom
Anddd, that’s a wrap! We hope this is helpful to anyone who’s still looking for tickets. If you have any questions or have a resource not included on the list that you’d like to share tag/message us @tassource or our mod, @mschrs :)
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How to ditch subscription music apps and build your own library (mostly) for free
This post is brought to you by the most recent update to the Amazon music app which no longer lets me, as a Prime subscriber, download individual songs or albums. I now either have to download “playlists” or pay an extra subscription fee for Amazon music unlimited. Since I was only using Amazon’s app because I didn’t have to pay anything extra, I ultimately decided not to put up with their bullshit and to go back to the old ways, e.g., building my own music library that no corporation can randomly decide to take away from me.
If you grew up in the pre-internet, burgeoning-but-not-ubiquitous-internet, or pre-smartphone era like me, the following steps will be a blast from the past, so this post is not exactly for you. It’s for Kids These Days™ who may not remember a pre-algorithm, pre-subscription service internet in the same way, or just anyone who doesn’t know you can do this. Remember, one man’s time knife is another man’s Chris Fleming.
So, how do you get music for free?
Use your public library
Check out CDs
Rip them using Windows Media Player, which comes standard with windows computers
That’s it. Now you can save and back up the .mp3 files wherever you want, and you have them forever and ever. I recently ripped music from a CD I copied and burned onto a new disc back in high school, uploaded the mp3 files to Google drive, and downloaded them onto my phone. I paid zero dollars for that, and I now have that album forever.
Ok, so how do I do that?
I’m glad you asked.
1. Insert a CD in the disc drive. (I know a lot of new laptops don’t come with a disc drive--I’ll address this later)
2. Go to the Windows start menu and find Windows Media Player. (If you have a mac, use itunes or whatever, I’m sure it’s similar)
3. Find the CD on the menu on the left-hand side of Windows Media Player. It looks like this.
4. At the top of the screen, go to “rip CD”. If you don’t want all of the songs, uncheck the ones you don’t want to rip. It should now look like this.
5. When it’s done, go to your music folder and find the artist and album. Here are the .mp3 files. You can connect your phone directly to your computer to transfer the files, or you can upload them to Google drive or your cloud storage of choice and then download them onto your phone.
6. From there, the .mp3s should load automatically and play in the music player app of your choice. I use Musicolet because it doesn’t have ads.
Is this legal? Honestly, that’s a bit of a grey area. Technically, only the copyright owners can make reproductions of their work barring exceptions for fair use, but the real trouble does not come when you copy a work, but when you redistribute it. If you save this from a hard copy to your own computer or phone, who’s ever gonna know? Basically, it’s legal enough to get away with, and legal enough that no one will care. This is how back in the pre-CD days, people recorded songs off the radio onto cassette tapes, and how my parents saved all of the James Bond movies from a TV movie marathon by recording them to VHS tapes on the VCR.
Is this ethical to the artist? It’s as ethical as checking out their CD to listen to it on a CD player and then return it. The library already purchased their music legally, and checking out the CD to rip it is literally no different than checking out the disc to play it in a CD player. The more times something has been checked out, the more likely the library is to replace it if it wears out and gets ruined.
Will the library get mad at me / figure out what I’m doing? Emphatically no. They don’t give a shit. Checking out a bunch of CDs improves their circulation rates, which is good for your local library system as a whole, because that’s something they bring to their governing bodies to show that people are still using the library and that they still need funding.
What if the library doesn’t have the album I want? You can try getting it through interlibrary loan, requesting the library purchase it (a lot of libraries have forms for that), or just buying that album yourself if you want it that badly. CDs cost roughly $10-$25 each, less if they’re used, which is the equivalent of like 1-2 months of spotify depending on what tier you use. Compare that to having the music you want forever without having to pay a monthly fee.
My laptop doesn’t have a disc drive. Neither does mine. I bought a USB disc player from Amazon for like $20. Your library might also have one they’d let you use, although they might not have ones to check out and take home.
I don’t have a computer. Your library does. They’re free to use, and I can almost guarantee they have PC desktops running Windows. They may not have a disc drive, in which case you can [see last paragraph].
This would be great if I could actually get to the library / afford a disc player / had a phone, etc. Yes, I’m assuming several things here, including that you have a phone, can get to your public library, and (if you refer to the title of this post) that you are the kind of person who can pay for spotify or another streaming app. I’m also American, and I don’t know how well all of this applies to other countries. However, this is the most affordable and most accessible solution out there ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I don’t have the time for this and would rather just keep paying for spotify. That’s fine, and I’m honestly not judging you. I buy a lot of pre-cut vegetables from the store because I don’t have the fucking time to peel and chop carrots. My mom would say that’s a waste of money, but I’m paying for the convenience.
Lol I’m just gonna pirate shit. Cool, have fun. Just please keep your pirating to mega-rich artists who are already set for life and not struggling people putting their shit out on soundcloud, ok?
How do I get new music recs without suggestions? Listen to the radio. Look up music you hear in movie soundtracks. Get recs from friends. Go to YouTube (using ublock origin for Firefox so you don’t get ads) and use their algorithm. There are ways beyond the personalized playlist spotify gives you.
This seems like it takes a lot of time and effort. If you have no music to begin with, yeah, then it’s going to take some time to build your library. But, as I keep saying, the benefits are that you get to curate your own experience and that you get to have this music forever. Once you already have most of what you want set up, it’s going to take a lot less effort to add new albums or songs here and there as you discover them. In this modern hellscape of profit-seeking and algorithms, I will keep peddling the value of curating your own experience and getting shit for free.
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Corporate Dystopia
It’s maddening, absolutely maddening the way companies are these days. Software features in cars behind a paywall subscription. Previously standard purchases now being a subscription model. Phones losing functionality. Phones and Laptops being made difficult or impossible to repair. Apple making their phones lose functionality if a replacement part, genuine or not doesnt have the right serial number. Companies not offering physical media for their shows in order to push a subscription service. The list goes on, that’s before we get into all the ways that companies just suck up data from us like we are cattle to sell to advertisers. I hate corporations so much.
#modern dystopia#apple#disney#disney plus#mcu#adobe#photoshop#samsung#phones#blu ray#fandom#bmw#tesla#cars#doge#meme#politics
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The federal investigation into Hunter Biden has reached a critical stage, where the current grand jury has been disbanded with no charges yet brought, despite allegations the 52-year-old lied on a firearm purchase form among other claims, an ex-prosecutor told Fox News on Thursday.
Biden, the younger son of President Biden, has been subject to a federal investigation in Delaware for several years – and the White House elected to keep U.S. Attorney for Delaware David Weiss in office past the end of the Trump administration purportedly to avoid claims of conflict-of-interest.
With the grand jury reportedly disbanding, the case may now be in the hands of government prosecutors to make the next move, which former U.S. Attorney for Utah Brett Tolman told "The Story" leaves a very strange dynamic:
"None of this adds up. None of it makes sense. Indictments should have been brought when you first started calling witnesses and close thereto, that's standard," he said.
"The fact that a grand jury is now terminating here fairly soon or has terminated, in essence, you have to start all over. If the new grand jury gets empaneled, you have to re-present all the evidence that you may have presented."
Tolman said that normally charges or the threat thereof would be brought before the termination of the first grand jury.
Prosecutors could've hung the younger Biden's well documented crack cocaine use and claims he lied on a federal gun purchase form over his head, he said, adding attorneys and officials involved in the Delaware case aren't proceeding as he would have.
"[I]t's not adding up. It's certainly not what I would have done. And it's not what the majority of my colleagues who served as U.S. attorneys and assistant U.S. attorneys would have done in this case," he said.
Hunter had reportedly responded in the negative to a form question about being an "unlawful user of or addicted to" various controlled substances, when purchasing a gun his late brother Joseph III's widow Hallie – with whom he was in a relationship – had discarded in a public trash can near a school.
Biden's father, the president, has long been a proponent of prosecuting similar infractions and enacting farther-reaching gun control legislation.
The probe is still investigating potential tax violations, foreign lobbying violations, false statements and gun infractions, a source told Fox News.
"Anybody who wanted to seek justice in this case would have charged Hunter Biden very quickly," Tolman said.
"You would have threatened distribution of narcotics and possession of firearms – which carry lengthy prison sentences," he said, adding prosecutors could have also elected to press him as a "source" if they wanted to investigate allegations Joe Biden was aware of or involved in his son's foreign business dealings – which the White House denies.
"I mean, this is so simple and so basic that the only conclusion I can make is political games are being played and have from the very beginning," Tolman said.
When asked about parallels between Hunter's case and that of Clinton-linked attorney Michael Sussmann, Tolman said Biden has much more "visual evidence" from his laptop and purported text messages that would play differently in court than the evidence presented against Sussmann, who was not convicted of any crime.
"There's just so much that this is the equivalent of a softball being floated and you have an extremely large bat."
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