Merrick sectional sofa

The second half of a long chapter.
“Oh, professor page,” I heard Anna yell from the living room, “You better get your ass out here quick.”
I quickly rinsed off my hands scurried into the living room, greeted by the two couples sprawled out on the sectional couch in their swimwear, Anna and Kelly in string bikinis and Archer and Paul in speedos. My cock was never limp that day, but there were moments – typically, those of the most intense humiliation – when it was harder than others. Seeing the four fit young bodies in all (or at least, most of) their glory was one of them. And while my gaze naturally was first drawn to Anna’s toned, long legs and taut midriff, followed by Kelly shorter, but still attractive legs and pretty toes, I would be lying if I didn’t admit to admiration of the slender, muscular swimmer bodies of the two young men as well.
My eyes also drifted over Paul’s bare feet. It was the first time I had seen bare the feet I had kissed in the bar through his sneakers or in the apartment through his thick wool socks. I was curious, naturally, but didn’t want to be too obvious, so quickly averted my glance before getting a good look. I need not have worried, however, as I would be spending a great deal of time up close and personal with his bare feet (and Anna’s) in the months that followed, starting a few minutes later. Paul did not have the same obsession with having his feet worshipped as Luke did, but there is no question that he greatly enjoyed the power trip of having an older authority figure quite literally at his feet.
I must also confess that in addition to dwelling as long as I dared on the breasts of Anna (like Brooke’s, ample but not overly large) and Kelly (slightly larger and, to my mind, less proportional to her shorter frame), my eyes also flittered over the speedo-clad crotches of Paul and Archer. Speedos leave so little to the imagination. While I was mortified when forced to wear a speedo, my inadequacy on full display, these two young athletes were completely at ease. Their muscular, chiseled bodies were one explanation for that; the size of their bulges was another.
“Perhaps the professor page can stop ogling our bodies long enough to get us all another round of drinks,” said Anna.
Kelly said, “I think he’s staring more at the boys’ bodies than he is at ours, Anna. I’m jealous.”
“Most cucks are closet fags, so that’s no surprise,” said Paul.
I wanted to object that I wasn’t gay, closet or otherwise. I wanted to say, “What about you, someone who enjoys humiliating other males, forcing them to dress in feminine clothing, spanking their bare bottoms with your bare hands, perhaps other, more intimate things….What does all of that make you?” But I dared not I was say anything of the kind. Instead I simply confirmed their drink orders and hurried off to make them, checking on my stroganoff. And being honest with myself, while I knew beyond a doubt that I was not homosexual, I did have to admit that I was not immune to the physical attractions of dominant, young alpha males. Did I have this attraction prior to the events of the last seven months when Luke came onto the scene like a cyclone? Probably on some level, yes, but it had been latent. No longer.
When I returned to the living room with a serving tray holding their four cocktails, trying hard not to spill any of them, Paul said, “We know our page boy knows how to clean shoes, but what about other personal duties? Who besides me would like a foot massage?”
“That sounds like an excellent idea, dude. Count me in,” said Archer.
“You two boys go ahead. If he does a good job, Kelly and I may have him massage our feet as well,” said Anna.
“Start with Archer. On your knees, of course, page,” said Paul.
“Yes sir,” I said, kneeling before Archer, and beginning to work on his feet with warmup twists and arch rubs. His feet were somewhat calloused, but well formed.
“Ah, that feels good. He’s actually not too bad at this,” Archer said.
Pointing at my crotch, Kelly said, “Look, his little cock is stiff again. Are you excited to massage my boyfriend’s feet, professor?” As she spoke, she pressed her toes lightly against my cock through my tights. It surprised me that it was Kelly, rather than Anna (or even Paul), to first touch my liberated cock.
“No, Princess Kelly.”
“No? But your little stiffie says otherwise. Are you not being honest with us, professor?” She pressed a little harder with her foot, smiling wickedly.
In truth, the entire situation was incredibly arousing and, therefore, incredibly humiliating. Which made it still more arousing. It was a viscous cycle, one which I had been getting increasingly used to with Luke and Brooke. But the dynamics with my students and Archer were different, and, if anything, more intense. Was it the greater age disparity, the bigger inversion of authority, the fact that there was an element of coercion involved? All of the above? Brooke would tell me that I think about these things too much. She would counsel me to go with flow, enjoy the game, embrace the sheer eroticism of it all. I tried valiantly to do just that. Can one be valiant in accepting servitude and abuse?, I wondered (see how I over analyze everything?!)
Lancelot would no doubt have answered my question in the affirmative. Yet, his servitude was solely to Guinevere, and the abuse and humiliations he suffered were solely to satisfy her commands, her whims. Whereas Brooke was not even aware of my servitude to my students. Still, I could tell myself – with some degree of honesty – that the indignities I was suffering at their hands were because of my devotion to Brooke. Because I was in their power as a direct consequence of my obedience to Luke, and I was obedient to Luke for Brooke and Brooke alone. The frail heartbeat of chivalry was still detectable (to me, at least). Perhaps the time had come to tell Brooke of my predicament with Paul and Anna? But there was something so shameful about it. Would it diminish me in Brooke’s eyes in some different, profound and irrevocable way? Or would she hug me, perhaps even thank me for my sacrifice, and tell me everything will be okay?
These were the myriad thoughts that ran through my head as I also contemplated my response to Kelly’s fraught question. “No, princess, I mean, it’s all of your feet…,” I answered,lamely.
She snickered. “Well, you are the Liitle Foot Page, so I guess it makes sense that you’re turned on by feet.”
“Pretty much all submissive guys are turned on by feet. Issac is insane for my feet,” said Anna. You will recall that Issac was the young male slave in Paul’s and Anna’s stable.
“Not just submissive men. Cindy loves worshiping your feet too, babe,” Paul said to Anna. If you recall, Cindy (who, like Issac, I had not yet met at that point) was another member of Paul’s and Anna’s stable of slaves, a fellow student at the college whose intense crush on Paul was not reciprocated. Instead, he put her squarely into “ the friendzone,” eventually introducing her to Anna. Cindy was now a submissive servant to both of them, grateful to be part of Paul’s life under any circumstances.
Anna said to Kelly, “I don’t know about you, but I love having my feet pampered and having my toes sucked, and love the sight of submissive creatures groveling at my feet. At the same time, I couldn’t imagine in a million fucking years being the one doing the sucking or groveling. I have no desire to be that close to anyone’s feet.”
“I know exactly what you mean. I wouldn’t even want to kiss Archer if he sucked my toes. Ew, gross,” said Kelly, with a little shudder.
Archer interjected, “Yo’ve got nothing to worry about there, darling. You have pretty feet, but I have zero desire to kiss or lick them.”
“Or course you don’t, you’re not a perv, like the good professor here. Professor pervert, kiss the bottom of the foot you’re massaging. You don’t mind having your feet kissed, do you sweetheart?” Kelly asked Archer.
“No, I have no problem being worshipped. And I’m secure enough in my masculinity that I don’t care if it’s a submissive cuck like this loser doing the worshiping.”
“That’s what I love about you, sweetheart. You’re masculine, dominant AND open minded. That’s like icing on a yummy cake.,” Kelly said, as she started to kiss Archer passionately. “Professor, keep kissing the bottoms of my man’s feet while we make out.”
I kissed the balls of Archer’s feet, trying to avoid the callouses. I wondered: aren’t swimmers more prone to plantar warts, walking around all those bacteria-riddled pools and locker rooms in their bare feet? I knew plantar warts are highly contagious. Could I get warts on my lips or in my mouth? I made a mental note to research this on-line later. From extensive experience with Brooke and Luke, I was well aware of the aphrodisiac effect my submission could have on a couple dominating me. The exact reasons for this still remain something of a mystery to me. Just like you have to be a masochist to understand certain things, I guess you have to be a dominant or a sadist to understand others.
As if reading my thoughts, Anna said, “I think submissives’ brains must be wired differently. They have to be for them to enjoy feet so much. I mean, sometimes after we work out at the gym, Paul and I will rest our feet right on Cindy’s face. Can you imagine? Our sweaty, wet socks covering her nose and mouth. You’d think she’d have some self-respect and tell us to go to hell. Or, at a minimum, that she’d complain about the smell. Not that my feet smell, of course, but Paul’s smell something awful after he’s been working out,” she smiled at him.
“Yeah, right, babe,” Paul replied. He then explained to Kelly and Archer, “Don’t believe anything she says about her feet not smelling. The smell of her foot sweat is overpowering.”
“Bullshit,” Anna said, smiling and hitting him on the shoulder. “But, like I was saying, far from protesting, Cindy actually inhales the smell of our sweat socks and our sweaty feet. She almost looks as if she’s in ecstasy, like she’s smelling perfume or fresh flowers or something. And she even looks happy when she’s licking the toe jam and lint from between my toes. It’s disgusting. But it’s pretty funny watching her. And I like the sensation of her tongue on my toes.”
“It’s what I’ve been telling you for awhile now, babe. Submissives are intellectually inferior. They’re sexual deviants. By humiliating and abusing them, we’re giving them what they want, what they need, in fact. So there’s no reason for us to feel bad when we mistreat them. We’re actually doing them a favor,” said Paul.
Paul was a Psychology major and fancied himself some sort of authority on this subject apparently, although it was clear to me that he was greatly oversimplifying what were, in reality, very complicated human relationship dynamics. He also had a facile understanding of human intelligence. Under different circumstances, I might have tried to engage him in a debate. But to have done so at that moment would have been the height of folly, so I kept my mouth shut and my fingers busy.
After spending 15 minutes on Archer’s feet, I massaged the feet of my three students for the same amount of time (timed by Paul). Paul and Anna kissed each other while I worked on Anna’s feet, much as Archer and Kelly had done. Each insisted I respectfully kiss the bottoms of their feet after finishing the massage. Paul was last. While I massaged his feet, Anna prodded my balls with her high heel shoe, laughing as my cock twitched through my tights. Having been denied release for so long, my biggest fear was that all of the stimuli – the scantily-clad, young bodies, the humiliating dissection of my fetishes, the pressure of Anna’s foot (which she occasionally brushed against my the underside of my shaft) – would cause me to ejaculate. The thought of that was beyond mortifying, so I did everything I could possibly do to distract myself mentally.
Their ongoing conversation about feet did not make my task an easy one.
“Rollins, you’re actually pretty good at this. In a sensible world, you would be spending your time in your classes massaging all of your students’ feet rather than lecturing to them. It’s a better use of your talents.” There did seem to be a general consensus that I have a knack (was Paul’s term, “talent,” too strong a word) for giving foot massages. I guess there’s at least one thing I can do well with my hands after all, I thought to myself.
“Now, Paul. Don’t be cruel. I’ve had some pretty good courses with Professor Foot Page. I don’t see any reason why he couldn’t lecture while he massages everyone’s feet.” Kelly giggled.
Anna snickered. “Can you picture it? I can. He would be dressed just as he is now, crawling from student to student.”
“Yes, and then he could massage the feet of all of the other faculty members of the English department,” said Kelly, giggling.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t already massaging Neil Lawson’s feet. Lawson already has him fetching his coffee. Or he did today, at least. There’s definitely something going on there,” said Paul.
I couldn’t decide whether to be relieved Paul didn’t know any specifics or to be distressed that he was so suspicious – and that his instincts were correct. I remained silent.
Paul continued, “He obviously has a big foot fetish, like most submissives. Rollins, you ought to consider having a whole chapter dedicated to foot worship in that book you’re working on. You’ll be a real authority on the subject before we’re finished with you.”
Putting aside the implicit threat in his last remark, Paul actually might be on to something, I thought. I had been struggling with the organization of my book, which had really evolved quite a bit over the last six months. While I still aimed to show how medieval courtly poetry was what started the rich history of male masochism in western literature, I was increasingly focusing on contemporary BDSM cuckold fiction and what had clearly been an explosion in interest in that lifestyle in recent years, globally.
Miraculously, I was able to get through the massages and constant teasing without ejaculating. About halfway into my 5-hour stay at the condo, I served the four of them dinner, trying to remember to curtsy at all the required moments. They had changed back into the clothes they were wearing before their swim, Anna and Kelly in short skirts, stockings and heels and Paul and Archer in jeans and polo shirts. Anna kept her little notepad next to her plate on the table, and occasionally wrote in it, causing me further anxiety. When not going back and forth between the kitchen and dining room, I was expected to stand by the table at attention – to refill glasses of the wine I had purchased, fold the napkins of anyone who got up from the table, or do anything else ordered of me. My cock tented out my tights the entire time, of course. My self consciousness about this at least had the advantage of taking my mind off my hunger somewhat, as I enviously watched the four of them eat the meal I had prepared (I sampled the stroganoff as I was cooking it, and thought it came out quite well).
Anna invited everyone to critique the meal afterwards, and it was generally agreed upon that the beef and mushroom sauce was delicious, but that the pasta was overcooked. The salad and dressing was a success, but the Italian green beans less so. I was grateful that Anna had not required me to also prepare dessert.
“Well, Professor maid, it seems that both punishments and a reward are in order for your uneven meal and service. You also earned demerits for failure to curtsy on at least four occasions – I’m sure that I missed others – and continued deficiencies in your technique. Also for how you walked in heels earlier. The mushy pasta and beans were also unacceptable. On the other hand, the stroganoff itself was excellent, as was the salad and dressing. The boys will administer your punishment, and Kelly and I will grant you your reward.”
I replied, with a curtsy, “Yes, princess. Thank you, princess.” The truth of the matter is I didn’t know which of the two caused me greater dread: the punishment or the reward.
“Which should we give him first?”, asked Kelly.
Paul said, “Definitely the punishment first. We need to leave enough time for the redness of his ass to fade in case Luke or his wife want to punish him as well when he gets home.”
“And a submissive freak like him will probably enjoy his reward more with a sore ass. I’ve calculated that he’s owed 120 spanks. 100 from today, and the 20 we didn’t give him on Tuesday that he was due. Which one oy you strapping young men will do the honors?”, said Anna.
“This is going to be so much fun to watch,” said Kelly gleefully.
“It’s going to be hot,” said Anna. “I get all tingly watching Paul punish the slaves. Especially the beta males and sissies.”
“I know you do, girlfriend. Me too,” said Kelly. “I think it’s only fair that each of the boys give him sixty spanks, so you and I get to enjoy this equally,” said Kelly.
“Sounds good. Okay with you guys?,” said Anna.
“Fine. After you,” Paul said to Archer.
“Happy to dish out some discipline to the old cuck. Should we take him up to the dungeon and put him over the bench?”, asked Archer.
“No need to. We have to use our hands for now because we can’t leave any asting marks on his ass. So just take him over your knee,” Paul replied.
“Oh, how I wish we could cane or strap him! I think the cane is a lot more persuasive than just your hands. And the welts can be lovely,” said Anna.
“Someday, babe. You just have to be patient,” said Paul. “Not one of your strong suits, I realize.”
“Don’t worry, ladies. I will make sure his spanking is plenty persuasive. Get over my knees, old man,” commanded Archer.
“Yes, sir.” I draped myself over his knees, incredibly ashamed as I felt my hard cock press through my tights against the jeans covering his firm thighs.
“Do you feel his little stiffie on your leg, honey?,” Kelly asked, tittering.
“I do, but not for long. I’m going to beat it out of him. By the time I’m finished with him, he’ll be as limp as one of the overcooked noodles he served us,” said Archer. I felt his sizable hand resting on the center of my tights-clad bottom. Without warning, he lifted his hand and brought it down sharply on my right cheek.
I typically tried to be stoic in such moments, but the ferocity of his strike (and the suddenness of it) caused me to cry out, “Ouch!” I heard the amusement of our audience.
“That’s right, honey. Give it to him good! Pull down his tights and give it to him on the bare,” said Kelly.
Archer did as Kelly requested. What followed were repeated, loud smacking sounds of flesh striking flesh – as Archer carefully alternated cheeks – accompanied by a slow but steady buildup of pain. The tights had offered negligible protection. The sound was the big difference, but it seemed to provide a more satisfying sensory experience for my three students, who were witnessing the remarkable spectacle of their professor being punished like a naughty child. By the 30th spank or so, the pain was intense. And Archer was correct, my cock had deflated under his relentless assault on my bottom. Not as severe as a cane or strapping certainly, but a hand spanking that rivaled Luke’s in intensity.
I heard Kelly say, “Now that’s what I’m talking about. Look at that shade of red, will you?”
“Not as lovely as welts, but not bad,” added Anna.
By the 50th spank, my attempt at stoicism was a distant memory.
“Please, sir. Please don’t hit me so hard.” He ignored me, delivering the final ten with extra zeal, if anything. When he was finished, it was difficult for my mind to process the fact that my chastisement was only halfway complete.
After Archer pushed me unceremoniously onto the hardwood floor, my tights still lowered to just below my poor, tenderized bottom, Kelly ordered me to stand up. I started to pull up my tights as I stood, but she said with surprising sternness, “Did I say you could pull up your tights, professor? Leave them down so we can all get a proper look at your little cock. Turn around and stand before us. Put your hands on top of your head.”
When I complied with her order, my cock was still quite limp, somewhat shriveled even. But almost as soon as I stood up, I felt it began to stir under their scrutiny.
“Look at the tiny, hairless thing.,” said Anna, smiling contemptuously.
“Pathetic,” said Archer, with a sneer.
“Oh, look. It’s starting to get bigger. That was quick! It must like all of the attention,” laughed Kelly.
With each humiliating comment, it grew harder. My ass was burning, but no longer under a constant barrage (for the moment, at least), the sensation only fueled my involuntary, indeed most unwanted, arousal.
“It looks like it’s up to me beat his hard-on back out of him,” said Paul, patting his knee. “Come over here, Rollins, so I can finish your correction. Leave your tights down. You have 60 more coming.”
As this was unthinkable to me, I felt compelled to try to negotiate – or, perhaps it would be more accurate to say, grovel. When I walked over to where Paul was sitting, rather than lie over his knees, I dropped to my own, at his feet.
“My lord, Sir Archer’s punishment was quite severe. I’m not sure that I can take another 60 right now. I beg you to show some mercy to your lowly page by deferring some of my punishment until next Tuesday.” I then grasped his right foot with my hands and began kissing the tops of his brown, leather shoe. “Please, my lord.”
That Paul was triumphant, bringing me to my knees and abasing myself at his feet – even without being expressly commanded to do so – was clearly evident in his supremely smug, self-satisfied expression. It was painful to behold, but not as painful as another 60 spanks on my already wounded bottom would be. Groveling was a skill that I been refining over the last several months with Luke, so I continued my efforts.
“Please, my lord. Surely you and Princess Anna have some more dry cleaning that needs to be done or some other errands that need to be run. Your humble page is at your disposal.”
“This is a trip,” said Kelly.
“It IS a sign of strength for a ruler to occasionally grant mercy. What do you think, babe?”, said Anna.
“I’m considering it,” said Paul. “Sharing information might help your cause, page. Tell me, what is the story with you bringing Neil Lawson a cup of coffee today? That coffee shop is on the other side of campus. Is that a service that you regularly provide for him? Before you answer, you should know that if I sense you’re not being completely truthful, I’ll add 20 spanks to your punishment now, rather than reduce or defer any of it. If I find out you’re lying after the fact, the consequences for you will be dire.”
To say that I felt somewhat trapped at that moment would be an understatement. I certainly didn’t want to reveal any information to Paul about the nature of my relationship with my colleague, and yet I felt that not doing so was perilous. The slippery slope, again.
So, I continued my descent. “I bring Neil a cup of coffee four days a week, my lord.”
“Why? Are you his lackey or something? You’re senior to him on the faculty, right? Shouldn’t he be the one bringing you coffee, if anything?”
“It’s true that Neil doesn’t have tenure yet but he’s up for tenure in the spring. But it’s not like junior faculty members run errands or anything like that for senior faculty members. It’s just that Neil knows that I’m on a diet and feels that the exercise will do me good. He takes a personal interest in my health and physical fitness, as my friend.”
“Sounds like bullshit to me. I’ve seen Neil lifting weights with Luke at the gym a couple of times. It looks like they’re getting to be pretty chummy.”
“Yes, my lord, they like to work out together. They bond over sports.”
“Interesting. Is Neil aware of your weekly weigh-ins and punishments for failing to lose weight?”, Paul continued his interrogation.
“Yes, my lord,” I answered, deeply ashamed.
“Well, you’ve definitely lost quite a bit of weight, professor. Keep up the good work!”, said Kelly, with seeming sincerity. What a surreal moment this was, I thought to myself.
“Thank you, Princess Kelly.”
“Does Luke allow Neil to witness your weigh-ins and punishments,” Paul asked.
“Yes, my lord. Twice.”
“Keep kissing my shoes when you’re not speaking. Does Luke allow Neil to participate in your punishments?”
“Yes, my lord. Once.” I started kissing the bottom of his right shoe.
Being humiliated and punished by Luke was shameful. Neil’s participation in my punishment and humiliation made it infinitely more so. Being humiliated and punished by my students was incredibly shameful. Them knowing that Neil, another professor in my department, not only was aware of, but even took an active part in my punishment and humiliation was indescribably shameful. It was more than a slippery slope. It was quicksand. And I was sinking deeper by the second.
Paul was not yet done with his interrogation, however. “What other services do you provide for Professor Lawson, besides bringing him coffee?”
I hesitated. But mindful of Paul’s warning (he did seem to have some mysterious ability to intuit and/or discover things about me), I came clean, thereby deepening the pit in which I was sinking: “On Wednesdays, when he has several back-to-back classes, I have started to massage his feet in his office.”
“I knew it! Last week when I walked into his office and you were there, you were acting very nervous. I saw his shoes on the floor next to his desk. There’s not really many reasons to take off your shoes and socks on a freezing day. I had a sneaky suspicion that that’s what was going on. You’re an even bigger beta than I could’ve conceived of, Rollins. Is there anyone you’re not subservient to?”
“Yes, my lord….I mean, prior to 10 months ago…I wasn’t submissive to anyone….except in…my…my, imagination. Everything’s different now…”
“You’re leading a male masochist’s dream! Lick the bottom of my shoe. Do you realize how extraordinarily fortunate you are, old man?”
“Yes, my lord,” I said before reapplying my tongue to the sole of Paul’s shoe.
“This discussion has been very useful. You’ve given me all kinds of ideas about how to further enhance your submissive experience to make it truly exceptional. To make it world class. All the building blocks are already in place. We just need to find a way to integrate them,” Paul said.
“Look how hard his baby cock is! He loves the idea!”, said Anna.
“Now lie down across my lap. The new information I learned just now has caused me to feel magnanimous, so I will grant you mercy by deferring 20 of your spanks until Tuesday and pardoning 10 altogether,” Paul said.
At that exact moment, having my remaining punishment cut in half (at least for that day), I was more grateful about the present reprieve than concerned about any possible future danger that might result from Paul’s increased knowledge. It was only later, during many restless, sleep-deprived nights, that I began to really worry about the possible implications of Paul knowing that I was also submissive to my fellow professor.
“You are very kind, my lord,” I said as his hand came crashing down on the center of my ass. The irony of the moment produced hearty laughter from both Anna and Kelly.
My tights were still lowered, so my erect, bare cock pressed against the denim – a coarser variety than Archer’s – of Paul’s jeans. How much shame could one person endure in a single evening? But it was only 8:30 PM; I still had over an hour left with my young tormentors.
Whereas Archer’s technique was to alternate cheeks, Paul preferred picking one spot and sticking to it for repeated spanks. He focused on the center of my bottom, initially 10 strikes where the crack of my ass began and then moving methodically lower until the final 20 were on the area closest to my scrotum. Unfortunately, Paul hit harder today than on my last visit, no doubt making sure he at least matched the force of Archer in front of the two young women, who were watching with rapt attention. As he delivered the final twenty or so spanks, the pain was searing and I began kicking my legs more and more and squirming around on his lap in a futile attempt to alleviate it, or to escape. On the bright side, my erection quickly subsided under the intensity of his assault.
“Stay still, or I will add the 30 back,” he warned, sternly, grabbing my right arm and holding it tightly behind my back with his free hand.
When he was finally done, he roughly pulled up my tights, producing a wedgie effect, and almost playfully swatted my bottom twice, saying, “You may get up now. Go stand in the corner. Hands behind your head.”
I did as commanded, but Kelly objected, “Why did you pull his tights back up? I want to see what shade of red his ass is now.”
“Lower your tights, page boy,” ordered Anna.
“Yes, princess,” I said, following her command. My eyes were wet with tears, but I was hoping they wouldn’t notice. I wanted to at least deprive them of the satisfaction that they caused me to cry.
“Do I hear sniffling, professor? Did getting spanked by his big, mean student make the poor, wimpy professor cry?”
“No, Princess Kelly.”
“I’m not sure I believe you,” Kelly replied.
“Look at his ass. The color reminds me of raw hamburger meat. Are you sure it will heel quickly enough, babe?”, asked Anna.
“Archer and I hit him hard, but not hard enough for any permanent bruises. The color will fade quickly,” said Paul. “Sort of like a sunset. An intense color that fades quickly.”
“Too bad. It’s such a lovely color, “ said Kelly.
After 10 minutes, during which they passed around a joint and continued to tease me, Anna said, “You’re right, the color is starting to fade already. Turn around, you naughty page boy, and face us. Keep your hands on your head.”
“Well, the color of ass may be like setting like the sun, but his little cock is compensating for it,” said Kelly, with a giggle.
“Pathetic,” commented the eloquent Archer.
I looked down to see my cock standing at attention through my tights, wishing I could simply disappear. I stood there shamefully for another twenty minutes as they finished a second joint.
After they finished, Anna said, “We’re running out of time before the good professor turns into a pumpkin. It’s time for your reward, professor. Obeisance!”
Recalling last week, I quickly dropped to the floor down on my belly and clasped my hands behind my back.
“Very good. You remembered,” Anna said. “Now slither on your belly to our feet, as we taught you.”
I began my humiliating belly crawl across the floor – only a few feet, but it felt like many more – my hard cock grinding into the hardwood, once again fearful that the combination of the potent humiliation and the stimulus to my cock would result in me ejaculating en route. Fortunately, it did not. Once I reached them, I craned my neck up to look at the four pairs of shoes hovering above me, and planted a kiss on the top of each, as I had been instructed during my last visit.
Anna then said, “Kelly, switch places with Paul, please.”
Once she did, Anna ordered me to lie on my back next to where she and Kelly were seated on the sofa. Rolling over, I winced with pain as my bottom touched the floor. From experience, I knew that sitting would be uncomfortable for the next day or two.
She then said to Kelly, “Do you want to provide the olfactory stimulation or the tactile stimulation?”
As if this was a routine occurrence in their lives, Kelly said, “Oh, definitely the tactile stimulation. It will be fun to toy with his little dicklet. Besides, based on what Paul said about your foot sweat, you’re the one who can provide the best olfactory stimulation.” Kelly chuckled.
“Very funny,” said Anna, smiling. “Very well.”
Anna removed her heels and placed her moist stocking-clad feet directly over my nose and mouth. Kelly kept her heels on and began pressing the toe of her right heel firmly into my balls, through my tights. She then began lightly kicking my balls. It was mildly painful, but not so painful that it caused my hard cock to deflate; it was painful yet still highly arousing, a well calibrated approach that suggested to me that Kelly had some experience tormenting others along similar lines.
“Take deep breaths, professor,” Anna ordered.
Her feet indeed had a strong, distinct odor, at once malodorous and fragrant, sour yet sweet. As I inhaled, Kelly began grinding her heel directly into the underside of my cock, pressing it into my body. Only about three minutes into this sensuous torture, my cock erupted, my semen seeping copiously through my white tights. I groaned involuntarily as I orgasmed, a groan of simultaneous ecstasy and despair. Because I hadn’t come in so long, I produced what was for me at least, a prodigious amount. What appalling, exquisite humiliation! I tried to imagine what it would be like facing my three students in class next week, or for that matter, any time again for the rest of my life. It was certainly a moment that would never be forgotten by anyone in that room.
“It looks like our professor enjoyed his reward,” Kelly said, snickering. “And I could tell when he was about to shoot his wad, so I moved my foot away just in the nick of time.” She picked up her heel and pointed at it, “See no icky professor goo. It’s clean.”
Anna said to me, “You see, being enslaved to us is not all about punishment. There are rewards as well, occasionally.”
“Yes, thank you Princess Anna, Princess Kelly.”
Well, at least I wouldn’t have to lick up my ejaculate this time. Paul threw me a towel. I was permitted to clean myself up and was then ordered to put the towel into the washing machine (by itself, as Anna didn’t want the towel I soiled to be near any of their clothes or linen). I then cleared up the kitchen. Finally, I was allowed to change back into my street clothes. Before I left the apartment, I was required one last time to bow down before each of them, kiss their feet and thank them for allowing me to be of service. I then went down the elevator, relieved to see a different doorman (one who I had never encountered before), who more or less ignored me as I exited the building.
I pulled up to my house at 10:20 P.M., surprised to see the light on in the kitchen. When Brooke and Luke went out to dinner on Thursdays, Luke usually drove, so it was not unusual to see Brooke’s car in the driveway. Maybe they had just forgotten to turn off the lights?
But as I entered the kitchen, I was alarmed to see Brooke sitting alone at the table. Expecting to be asked where I had been, I started trying to think of plausible explanations.
However, Brooke simply looked up at me. She had a glum expression on her face and her eyes were bloodshot, as if she had been crying. Something was definitely up.
“Hi, honey,” I said, nervously.
“Hi.”
“Where’s Luke?”
“He’s gone.”
“Will he back later, or is he staying at his house tonight?”
“He’ll be staying at his house every night from now on.”
“What are you talking about? What happened?”
“Go get a bottle of scotch and two glasses. I need a drink.”

Good morning,
I am in the process of shopping for a new couch and I am looking at a modular sectional due to space and layout limitations:
Infinity Gray Modular Sectional
I have a dog and a cat and my last couch saw the wear of having pets. The original sectional I picked out had removable couch cushions, so I planned to get individual covers in a style similar to these:
Magic Sofa Cover - Classic
Does anyone know of a good way to cover a couch that has attached lower cushions like the sectional above?
Thank you

I got a complete Friheten sofa secondhand which works in my space. I would like to add a second chaise to turn the set into a ‘U’ sectional instead of an ‘L’. It doesn’t seem like getting another Friheten chaise standalone would work because there is no back and the leg supports are only on one side. Is there another type of matching chaise lounge that could attach to the Friheten sofa and match style? Not afraid to hack something together if needed.

I find that the rolled arm sectionals/sofas are much more comfortable for me even though I don’t prefer the look of it. Pottery Barn seems to have the most of these, but I’m not going to deal with their extremely long shipping times. Anyone have any recommendations for the best rolled arm sectionals?

Throwaway since I know he goes on here sometimes. (Sorry if this is too long, I'm typing on my phone and trying to find a way to word this, im very tired 😅)
For context, my bf has been working from home at essentially a call center for a little over a month now. He used to work at that same company's door to door section but couldn't physically do it anymore and was transferred to his current position.
He works 8 hour days on our VERY old sofa taking calls and working on monitors and by the end of it his joints are extremely stiff and hurting. Some days lately, he's had to call out of work or leave early because he just can't physically sit there anymore. He's tried getting up every so often and stretching but it does very little. We can't do a standing desk or anything like that because there's no room.
The frequent call outs has made it abundantly clear that he will need to go on disability sooner rather than later. But he's lost on where to start and doesn't really want to bother because Google has told him that he will be denied. I don't want to push him but I can see that he really needs this and I know it's stressing him out not being able to work as much to help provide for us.
To anyone who's applied, how did you go about this? Like steps did you take to get approved? We can't afford a disability lawyer but any suggestions are a tremendous help. Even suggestions on his work situation helps too.
Sorry for the long post, I'm stressed and am trying to figure this out so it doesn't feel like it's all on him

[INDEX]
I banked the fire and stared into the golden eyes of Beatale before I crept into my makeshift tent.
I still had my auric vision running and couldn’t help but notice the thin silver cord that ran from me to Horse. Firming up my aura, I reached out with my hand and grabbed it. I could feel the nearly imperceptible vibration between my fingers as I used my mind to probe at the thread. I could feel a bright spark of intellect, a light at the end of a tunnel. Pushing with my mind, I slid down the thread until the spark grew larger and eventually filled my inner vision with a hazy white light. Horsey thoughts nudged at me curiously.
I slid into the haze and immediately lost all sense of direction. If it wasn’t for the silver thread, I’d have no idea how to exit this shifting white fog. Horsey thoughts got stronger as I followed the thread while the haze thinned and cleared to reveal an endless prairie of green grass. I found myself standing before a naked man wearing a horse mask and I stared in shock. It was obviously me wearing a cheap costume horse mask — there was no mistaking my tattoos.
“What did you expect?” Horse neighed at me. “I am you and you are me and we are all together. Goo goo ga joob.”
Horse made a shooing motion with his hands and I accelerated backwards through the white haze and slammed into my own body with a gasp. I stared at the tarp overhead for a long minute, processing this new revelation. Horse was a part of me, a piece of my spirit. Whatever psychic stuff I did with that silver cord lead me into a house of mirrors where I got to look at myself pretending to be a horse. I can’t even deal with that right now.
Rolling into my blankets, I dropped off to sleep.
*Ding*
-=- - Welcome to the Dreamworld - Included in the Psychic Skills pack, the Inner Sanctum is your psychic domain. It is the mental fortress that you must secure and maintain to defend against psychic and spiritual assaults. All of your neurosis and fears are symbolised in this realm and must be defeated or subjugated before you can become master of the domain. Good luck. -=-
I banished the pop-up and looked around. I knew I was asleep, but everything was just as real as when I was awake. I was breathing, I could feel the floor under my feet, and if it weren’t for the pop-up, I would have sworn I had been teleported. The room I was in resembled an oversized luxury prison cell, maybe a thirty foot cube. No windows. Rough stone walls with thick mortar. Large brass wall sconces were set directly into the stone and suffused the room with a warm, golden light provided by glowing rocks. The stone floor had colourful Persian rugs tastefully placed. A high plaster ceiling was painted with a rendition of Michelangelo’s ‘Creation of Adam’, depicting me as both Adam and God.
There was a comfy sofa in front of a large screen television that hung from one wall and an ornate grandfather clock ticked loudly in the corner. It was currently 10:08 PM. Another wall was a floor to ceiling bookshelf, stuffed with books of varying sizes. The third wall was covered with pictures and I could see at a glance that they were images from my life. The fourth wall had a thick riveted steel door on the right side, a full sized mirror on the left, and a computer workstation in the middle.
The picture wall was my first target. A few were quite large, nearly life sized, while others were tiny prints no larger than the palm of my hand. Scenes of my life were displayed in each one. The largest was me riding Horse with a shit-scared expression, shooting at a pack of wolves. Others were smaller, each with different frames. Some ornate gold or silver, others plain wood, a few wrapped in briars or barbed wire. Nanny Ramsey holding me as a young child. My dog Jean with a red ball in his mouth. My parents, screaming at me. I turned my attention to the books. Books are safe. Books don’t judge you.
The sweet, musty scent of a used book store filled my nostrils as I drew close to the honey coloured shelves. Hundreds of volumes filled the wall from floor to ceiling, with a ladder that could be rolled along a rail to access the top. I smiled at the sight. I had always wanted a library like this. I pulled a book at random and read the title, “Confused Fantasies about Joseph Harris, part XXIV of the Middle School Years”.
I slid the book back onto the shelf. Let’s see what’s on TV.
The remote was a slim, futuristic looking affair with a minimum of buttons. I pointed it at the television and moments later the huge screen came to life and presented me with a simple menu for movies, divided into six categories: Happy, Surprised, Afraid, Disgusted, Angry, and Sad. I scrolled through the offerings for a minute, reading the titles and reviews about the movies of my life. It really bothered me that there were so few selections in the Happy section.
The number of Sad movies increased by one.
I walked over to the mirror and noticed there was a small sticky note pasted to it. “Astral Realm. Experienced users only.” I shoved the note in my pocket and stared at my image. Sturdy black boots, black denim jeans and shirt with mother-of-pearl buttons, deep brown gun belt slung at my hip, red bandanna and black felt hat. All I needed was a pencil moustache and I would look like the stereotypical villain in any spaghetti western. At that very moment I decided to grow out a goatee. I’d rather be mistaken for a bad guy than a victim.
So how does this astral realm thing work?
The mirror appeared to be nothing more than a mirror. It was cold, smooth glass surrounded by a wrought iron frame, and reflected my image. I didn’t necessarily want to go walking into danger, but I wanted to know how it worked. I pushed and prodded the glass in frustration until I noticed my image grinning at me. I jumped back in surprise and it doubled over in silent laughter.
“Hilarious, dude. You got me,” I huffed. “So how do I get in?”
My mirror-self tipped his hat and stepped to side.
I reached up to the mirror again and my hand passed through, vanishing as if cut off. Okay, just a quick peek and we’ll explore the rest of the room. I stepped through and the world shifted around me. I was standing back at the campsite. My body was insubstantial as a ghost and the tarp was a wisp of substance running straight through me. Non living things don’t seem to have much presence in this realm. Glancing down, I saw my sleeping body rolled up in the blankets, a thin silver thread running from it to me, and another thread running to Horse.
Looking around, I surveyed the campsite. My astral vision seemed to be on and had an unlimited range. I could see the life all around me, the distant forest was a sea of greenish-gold, grasses and brush nearby glowed with spectral light. Tiny ghost insects scurried while ghost mice nibbled at whatever ghost mice nibble on. Ghost seeds and ghost insects, I suppose. I turned my attention overhead and gaped at the sight of a monstrous serpentine spirit flying through the inky void. I dropped back through the tent and rolled inside my body. That was plenty enough for now.
I rolled through the mirror and landed flat on my back, staring at the fresco on the ceiling. Vinnie-God winked at me and Vinnie-Adam grinned. Climbing to my knees, I brushed non-existent dust from my trousers and watched mirror-me doubled over in soundless laughter.
“Hey, laughing-boy!” I yelled at him. “You’re like the guardian or something, right? You got it covered?”
Mirror-me stood and saluted with a smile, then gave me two thumbs up. A moment later, his face took on a serious expression and he wriggled his right hand in the ‘maybe’ motion. Then he pointed at me, tapped his wrist, and then a finger to his head.
It all depends on how fast I learn stuff, I guess.
Two thumbs up and a winning smile reflected back to me.
A large cork board was mounted to the wall over the computer and a small note was pinned to it. “Note to self: Don’t fuck with the Elvish womens.”
The computer screen featured a screensaver of me as Vitruvian Man doing callisthenics over the words ‘HumanOS’. I tapped the spacebar and was rewarded with the sound of powerful fans kicking to life as the computer emerged from sleep mode and prompted me for a password. Should I assume it’s the same as the password on the computer I pawned in my previous life?
Password: *******esi
I was rewarded with a sweet R&M desktop and a couple of icons. System, NeuralNet, My-Tunes, My-Movies, My-Office.
System was just what I expected, lots of .dna files and other confusing scariness that allowed me to tweak my physical body and mental state. My-Tunes was a collection of every song I’d ever heard and My-Movies was a collection of every movie I’d ever seen. Not that I’m complaining, but it would have been nice to have “My-Games” so I could play RDR. My-Office was a clone of the popular software by a similar name. I have no idea what I’ll ever need a spreadsheet for in this world.
NuralNet opened up a search engine called Me-Seeks, featuring a familiar blue guy.
I typed in “beer” and several thousand results were displayed, anything I’d ever read, heard, or watched about beer, including how to make it. This right here made the price of admission totally worth it, access to an exact copy of everything I’d ever read, and I was a voracious reader. Sadly, most of the stuff I read was futurology — solar panels, electronics, biotech advancements, quantum computing. The material for steam engines, blacksmithing, farming and the like, were slim pickings. That’s okay though, I could still reproduce the Gutenberg press, the cotton gin, simple internal combustion engines, and basic batteries along with some sketchy knowledge of metal alloys, acids, bases, and other things I had read over the years. All that wasted time watching “How Things Work” was finally going to pay off. I copied a few likely money makers to My-Office, saved the file, and exported to my Notes, just in case they didn’t exist on Aerth.
A popup covered the screen.
📱 [New Upgrade Available!] 📱
🎉 Enhance Your Experience with the Latest HumanOS Features! 🎉
🌟 Features Include:

• 🧠 Memory Booster: Increase your Memory for smoother multitasking and improved performance.
• 🔋 Energy Optimizer: Extend your battery life with advanced power-saving techniques.
• 🛠️ Utility Upgrades: Access new apps and utilities to enhance your daily life and adventures.
• 🗺️ Advanced Mapping: Never get lost again with enhanced GPS and location tracking.

🔥 Special Offer: Only 2000 credits for version 2.0 or 5000 credits for version 3.0! 🔥
[Upgrade Now ✅] [Remind Me Later ❌]
Apparently I could upgrade myself, which reduced the cost of using my Utilities while providing other minor benefits. My Utilities would level up as I used them, which would increase their battery cost, so if I didn’t keep pace with an update to the OS they could become prohibitively expensive to operate.
Stupid pay-to-win world.
So, do I pay 2000 credits for version 2.0 or 5000 credits for version 3.0?
I selected version 3.0 and klicked [Install]. After watching it download the update, it popped up another screen that asked if I wanted to update now, or wait until Midnight for the mandatory update.
I selected [No] just as the grandfather clock chimed 10:30 PM. I wondered if time ran slower in here, because it seemed like I had spent a lot more time on the computer than 15 minutes. Walking over to the imposing steel door, I noticed a bronze key with a thin chain in the lock. There was another sticky note on the door. “Subconscious. Please keep the key with you at all times.”
That’s not scary at all, is it?
I unlocked the door with a loud clunk and pulled it open to reveal a bedroom straight out of some royal castle. I could tell immediately that it had seen better days. The tapestries on the wall were frayed and fading. The canopy over the bed had a few holes in it. A thin layer of dust covered the mantle of a small fireplace set into the wall. There was a window letting in bright sunlight and I moved over to look outside.
I was on the third floor of a keep surrounded by the walls and turrets of a modest castle. A castle that had fallen into serious disrepair. Did this represent the state of my inner mind? One tower was shattered and the curtain wall under it damaged. The lower bailey was full of litter. I could see a few soldiers walking around the allure, keeping watch.
I have people in my subconscious?
Someone behind me cleared their throat.
Whirling, I discovered a familiar old man standing in the door of the bedroom. What was left of his hair formed a white halo around his head, his face was unshaven and covered with several days of growth. He was dressed like a poor and tattered manservant, but carried himself with a dignified air.
“Woodhouse?”
“It’s nice to see the master at home,” He said with a proper English accent. “There are many matters that require the master’s attention.”
“Uh, sure,” I said, hanging the key around my neck and tucking it in my shirt. “And who are you again?”
“Your personal manservant, of course” he said with a slight bow. Walking over to the steel door, he pulled it closed and it locked with a solid thunk. “Master should always keep his inner sanctum closed. One never knows if something nasty will creep in.”
“Thank you, uh, Woodhouse. I’ll remember that,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. “So what needs tending and how do things work around here?”
He smiled and beckoned me with a white gloved hand. “If master would be so kind as to follow me, I’ll introduce him to the staff and explain the duties and obligations of his domain.”
I’m 99.9% certain that everyone here is just me wearing a mask, so I shrugged and followed Woodhouse out of the bedroom and into the rest of my subconscious.
Five minutes later I was on the ground floor and seated on a shabby throne with the cast of a popular —and probably very copyright protected— animation in front of me. Woodhouse was the head butler and my personal manservant. Pam was the cook and demanded that I start importing sugar and alcohol before she was shushed by Woodhouse. Carol was a maid. Krieger was chancellor and Cyril was the steward. Archer and Lana were in charge of security. Ray was the marshal in charge of everything from the stables to the blacksmith.
I stared in disbelief at the motley crew kneeling in front of me. No wonder my inner mind was in such shambles. I was overcome with an irrational sense of anger at myself.
“Arright, listen up,” I barked, my voice echoing around the room. “I swear to God that I will fire every single one of you and hire circus clowns to replace you if you keep fucking things up. No joke. Circus clowns, got it?”
I ran a hand over my face as Ray pissed himself. “The only reason I’m not putting a boot in your asses right now is because I realise that you’re aspects of me, and the people you represent are pretty damn good at their jobs when they give enough of a shit to actually do them. As a team, you’re dysfunctionally fantastic and always seem to come out ahead no matter the odds.”
Heaving a sigh, I continued. “Things have changed and I need to get my shit together. I’m going to need every one of you to pull your weight and help me help you. Get back to your duties, I’ll meet you one on one later.”
My subconscious caretakers scurried out of the room.
“I’ll have one of the maids tend to the piss,” Woodhouse assured me.
“Never mind that,” I snapped. “I honestly had no idea my mind was such a shit show. I’m very disappointed in myself.” I pictured the Angry, Sad, and Disgusted counters on my personal movies clicking up. “Show me what needs to be done and let’s get started.”
During Woodhouse’s walking tour, everything clicked into place. This was some altered version of Bodiam castle, a location that was on my bucket list of places to visit. The royal council room, located behind the throne room, contained a “living” tapestry on the wall that showed the castle and surrounding land in real time. The castle was located in the middle of a small lake, and a single wood bridge led to the mainland. A small town surrounded the lake and a wall encircled the town. Outside the wall, the land was an irregular patchwork of forest and field, with a stinking swamp to the south. The entire “kingdom” was maybe ten miles across, surrounded by impassable mountains with innumerable creeks that fed the lake which drained into the southern swamp.
“Zombies are the problem, sir.” Woodhouse said, as I surveyed the living tapestry of my mental domain.
“Zombies?” I prompted.
“Yes sir, Zombies” Woodhouse continued. “Nasty bitey things that come in from the mountains and harass the peasants. They’ve gotten especially worse over the last few months. The soldiers do what they can, but they seem to have lost all motivation. Probably because they haven’t been paid.”
“And who pays them?”
“Typically chancellor Krieger is in charge of financial matters, although Steward Figgis has taken over the duty, sir.”
“Then let’s make Figgis our first stop.”
“Very good, sir.”
The office of the steward was run by Cyril Figgis, who managed the kingdom in my absence. It was overflowing with paperwork and charts, books and scrolls piled high on every flat surface. Cyril was desperately attempting to tidy things when Woodhouse and I walked in.
“Yo..you..your majesty,” Cyril stuttered, bowing low. Scrolls fell from his overloaded arms, spilling across the floor. He dropped to his knees and scrambled to gather them up. “I didn’t expect you to visit so soon. Please forgive the mess, housekeeping has been slacking…”
This was the guy who ran things while I was conscious.
“Shut up, Cyril” I said. “You’re responsible for everything in this office. That includes keeping it organised and tidy.”
“Y..yes milord.”
“It’s my understanding that you’re in charge of making sure everyone gets paid. So why aren’t we paying people?” I asked.
“We’re nearly out of Fuks, your majesty. I’ve been saving them for emergencies.”
“Fucks?”
“Fuks,” Cyril explained, pushing a pile of books off a large chest and opening it. Reaching inside he pulled out two small bags and emptied them on top of his cluttered desk. “Gold and Silver Fuks, the currency of the kingdom. I can’t maintain the kingdom when I have no Fuks to give.”
Behold the subconscious kingdom of Vincent J. Carter, it runs on Fuks.
“So how do I get more fuks?” I asked, examining one of the coins. It had an image of me on one side and symbol on the other that could be interpreted as “peace among worlds”.
“You kill the zombies, your majesty.”
Of course I do.
Woodhouse and I left Cyril’s office and headed towards the office of the chancellor where Krieger worked. It seemed that Cyril took over financial matters when Krieger became erratic and proposed luring all the zombies into the city and setting it on fire. Not sure how that corresponds to my own self-destructive behaviour, but I’ve had some dark thoughts over the last couple of months and I’m sure they’re reflected here.
Krieger’s office was much neater in comparison to Cyril’s, but it wasn’t by much. Shelves lined the walls and were filled with an array of questionable items, including a still snapping zombie head in a jar. While the office of the chancellor was supposed to be in charge of financial matters, it looked more like a dodgy rummage sale.
Krieger was launching sword blades at a pig carcass when we walked in.
“What exactly are you doing?” I asked, standing in the doorway.
“Hm? Oh, your majesty!” he said, turning around and bowing deeply. “I’m testing a new invention. It’s a spring loaded hilt that shoots sword blades. Very useful for our soldiers.”
“Stupidest idea ever,” I snapped. “I hate everything about it.”
“Okay,” Krieger said, tossing the hilt into a nearby pile of junk. “But don’t blame me when you need to shoot a sword at a zombie and don’t have one.”
“So why aren’t you managing the financial affairs? Collecting taxes, paying people, stuff like that?”
“Because the population has declined so much none of that matters?”
“What do you mean?”
“Wellll, the population represents things you care about,” Krieger said, going into lecture mode. “And the zombies and other monsters are real or imagined problems in your way. Since you don’t care about too many things the population has shrunk to just what’s needed to keep everything running on the bare minimum of fuks. And since you don’t seem to have any long or short term goals, there’s no need to kill off the zombies and get more fuks. Everything is fine just the way it is.”
“No, it’s not Krieger” I said, grinding my teeth. “My mind is in a shambles. It’s a joke. I want it fixed. No, I want it better than fixed. I want it improved.”
“Oh! I’ve got just the thing for that!” He said, digging around in his pockets, “It’s a spring-loaded hilt that shoots swords!”
Pam and Cheryl were hanging out a gallery window jeering at Archer and Lana sparring in the inner courtyard.
“What the hell are you doing!” I snapped
They whirled in surprise and then dropped into deep curtseys.
“Your majesty!”
I took a deep breath, trying to regain my centre. “Get to work cleaning this place up. Find a room, clean it, and move on to the next. Start with my bedroom, then the throne room and the council chamber, then everything else.”
Cheryl spoke up. “Can’t do it. We got no fuks to clean with.”
“You need fuks to clean?”
“Gotta buy stuff,” Pam said. “Cleaning supplies, food. You wanna eat, you’re gonna have to spend some fuks.”
“Talk to Cyril,” I ordered. “Tell him I said to get you supplied.”
They ran off in the direction of the stewards office.
I watched Archer and Lana bashing each other enthusiastically through the window.
Several minutes later the sparring couple stopped and bowed when Woodhouse and I stepped into the inner courtyard.
“Your majesty”
“My liege”
“Enough,” I said. “If you have enough energy to smash each other, you have enough energy to smash zombies. Tell me what I need to know so I can start gathering fuks.”
Archer shrugged and spoke first. “You just kill the zombies and other monsters. They drop fuks.”
“Anything special about the zombies?” I asked. “Are they fast? Do people get turned into zombies when bitten?”
“Nope,” Lana said, resting her wooden sword on her shoulder. “Most of them are slow shamblers and just need a good wack to the head to kill them.”
“Some are special,” Archer interjected. “Occasionally you’ll have some fast ones, or those that need holy water to kill. They’re just bad memories, figments of your personality that need to be eliminated. Some are worse than others.”
“The zombies are bad memories?” I asked, imagining all the bad memories that I had.
“Memories, thoughts, insecurities, metaphysical mumbo-jumbo,” Woodhouse supplied. “They are endless, but constant vigilance can keep them under control.”
“So let’s get started,” I said. “Lead the way.”
Lana and Archer lead me up to the parapet over the front gate where I looked over at the dozens of zombies milling about aimlessly in front of the entrance to my mind. Pulling out my gun, I began to pick them off, easy as shooting fish in a barrel. The crack of my spell pistol attracted more zombies and I dispatched them with ease until no more were left around the gate. As I fired each shot I could feel some sort of existential energy flowing from me, draining some hidden reserve.
“Gather up the Fuks,” I commanded. “And Lana?”
“Mi’lord?”
“There’s no excuse for this. From now on, I expect the walls to be clear of all zombies.”
“Yes mi’lord,” she said, giving me a small bow.
Turning to Archer, I shook my head. “You’re obviously my personal narcissism, so just try to stay out of Lana’s way, or better yet - try to kill more zombies than her. If you think you can.”
Archer scoffed. “No contest. I took top marks in sharpshooting.”
“That means I should expect to see results by tomorrow. I look forward to it.”
Archer looked panicked for a moment then smiled. “Sure, I can give you results.”
Turning back to Woodhouse I said “Show me what else need attending.”
Woodhouse led me through the town that represented my mind, pointing out each business that had fallen into disrepair, suggested others that needed improvements, and additions that would benefit me. In the distance, I could hear Lana and Archer shooting at the crowd of zombies and with each echoing shot I felt a tiny bit better about everything.
[INDEX]

Hey peeps
I'm in the hunt for a sectional sofa and I was wondering if there are any furniture outlets somewhere in the city. Tried Googling it but most results were normal shops with discounted items, but I'm looking for something a bit cheaper.
Maybe showroom items or furniture pieces that had dents?
Thanks for the help!

If you’re on Facebook marketplace, be extra careful if you are looking for a couch/sectional/sofa. There’s been a scammer who’s been repeatedly listing couches on there, always a low price, usually includes delivery. They will ask for a hold or a deposit in the messages and you’ll probably never hear from them again after that.
Check the profile of the person you’re buying from, if the account is made in 2024 and has no posts/friends then you are most likely talking to the scammer.

TL;DR:

• MK8 Golf R vs Cadillac CT4V vs BMW M240i (F22) vs BMW M340i (G20) vs Hyundai Elantra N vs Used Alfa Giulia 2.0 vs Used Giulia QV vs Z4 sdrive 35is that will be able to be future proofed for life and car seats thrown at is going forward for a daily driver. Will be living in snowy areas and will live in Germany with the car for a bit then Montana

Current Cars:

• 1999 Subaru Forester (hunting, off road, camping vehicle)
• 2006 BMW Z4 3.0si (fun, summer, manual, convertible, autox and occasional track day car)

Past Cars:

• R56 Mini Cooper S
• Ford Fiesta ST
• Subaru BRZ
• Alfa Romeo Giulia

Location:

• Denver, CO, but there is a chance I will be in Germany with the military for a 2 years and can bring my car under SOFA without needing to modify to EU spec. Will also likely move back to Montana after Germany or sooner if I end up not going to Germany.

Price Range:

• Prefer to stay between $35k to $45k

Must Haves:

• Be a fun car that manages to engage even in drives around town. I'm talking putting a grin on your face when using squirts of power around town, attacking that random curve that pops up and being a blast to attack highway on ramps with
• Be able to handle some autox duty and a once in a blue moon track session (I'm fine with prepping the car with brakes, fluids and tires before, just that it is a car that going on track is not unheard of)
• Have good daily practicality. That means good capacity for hauling things, ski weekends, camping trips and road trips (I've managed to go skiing with my Z4 with both seats taken, so I can be creative)
• Have 4 seats. Since I am intending this to be a car I keep for several years as my last ICE purchase, and I hope to have kids in a few years, it need to have 4 seats to accommodate car seats, so sadly that means no Supra
• Great handling, not just a straight line car. The Giulia handles beautifully in the corners, as have all the other prior cars I have owned. I love doing a brake boosted pull from a stop light, but I don't need muscle car speed. As long as it throws me back in the seat and makes me worry about how quickly it gets into ticket speed, that is enough for me. Because I also love canyon carving and being immature when I come upon roundabouts.
• I will say, I am a torque junky. Not to the level of a Dodge Charger or something, but I love being thrown back. My test drive of a 2023 M240i was just so satisfyuing in how hard you were thrown into the seat. It honestly hurt my back for a few days after. That is the level of torque I crave
• Not extreme turbo lag. The wait for the power on the Giulia is annoying and the NA engine in my Z4 does make me miss instant power from NA engines.
• Heated seats. I am sadly always in cold climates, so this is a must
• Apple carplay. Most cars in this price range should likely have this
• Still have at least some factory warranty left to sort out any issues if used and allow me to slap a factory extended warranty on the car
• Not be too jerky or miserable to drive at low speeds and in normal traffic
• Have a good dealer network. I won't say dealerships in Montana or Germany are a must, but they will sadly lower a car's eligibility
• Not be a complete maintenance nightmare out of warranty. I do all my own work on my Forester and Z4 and am pretty adept, but I don't want a complete nightmare.
• Automatic transmission. The Z4 scratches the manual itch and I want this to be a comfortable daily and I spend some time in traffic.
• Comfortable enough. It does not have to be a plush driving experience, but not super stiff that road imperfections beat you up on. This was something the Giulia struck a good balance on and I imagine if a car has adaptable suspension it could too.
• Can't depreciate too heavily. I know that is subjective and all cars depreciate and I realize a car is not an investment, but it is still a cost to own and if cars are tied but one depreciates slower, that's a plus. Like I don't want Maserati speed of depreciation.

Nice to Haves:

• Since I will always be living in snowy areas, AWD would be nice. This is no must. I have driven 2WD cars most of my life in winter, but AWD never hurts to have. If it is AWD, a RWD bias (Alfa's AWD system or BMW's xdrive for example) is a huge plus
• Heated steering wheel
• Cooled/ventilated seats
• Adaptive suspension
• 4 doors just to make car seats an easier proposition
• A factory LSD
• CPO status
• Dealers located in Germany and in Montana
• Sunroof/moon roof
• The style of lane centering that steers for you on the highway. Not sure what the industry standard name for it is, but on VW I know it's called travel assist
• Adaptive cruise control
• Memory seats as I hate when my seat gets adjusted and I can't get it back right
• A good factory exhaust. I can always go aftermarket if not, but nice to have from the get go because the Giulia being quiet made me realize how much noise improves my perceived fun of the car
• Not having too many on the road would be nice. The conversations that were started and the compliments the Giulia would receive was nice because there are so few. Having a cool car that is a treat to see a clone of and not a reminder of how ubiquitous and un-unique my choice is would be nice.

Note: in my pros/cons, I will often mention a cars depreciation rate. I know all cars depreciate. I know all cars lose value. I know no car is a good investment. Nonetheless, I still like to fully understand and evaluate a cars true cost to own over its lifetime. Think, if two cars were equal, but one depreciated half as slowly for whatever reason, that would be the natural one to pick, so it is something I consider and place some weight on.
Background:
After my Subaru BRZ, I was in between fun cars for a bit and just drove my Forester. I had picked up my Z4 because I had I always wanted a convertible and love it, but that car is sadly not a daily. Partly because it would be nice to keep it lower miles, but also because it beats you up driving with the stiffer suspension and is nothing special when driving in town without curves. When it comes to road trips, going skiing or hauling stuff, it's not the most practical. Thus, I identified the need and desire to find a fun, comfortable, sporty daily driver. My friend had a Giulia and I always loved driving it and his has been nothing but rock solid. I found a great deal on a new 2024 Giulia for $43.5k ($57k MSRP) and snagged it. Well, over the 3 months of ownership, it spent about 60% of that time in the shop. I ended up getting them to buy it back. I don't view Alfa's as inherently unreliable like a lot of people parrot. I think I was just unlucky and got a lemon, but they are still great cars. I still absolutely love the brand and think no car drives as well as an Alfa, but it did make me realize I value dealership access quite highly and I should make that a priority. There is no Alfa dealer in my home state of Montana, where I hope to return in a few years with the closest 8 hours away, which makes me apprehensive about choosing that as my car to be my last ICE with EVs taking over. Also, just how bad Alfa depreciation is spooked me a bit. When I wasn't sure if they would buy it back, I was curuous what I could sell it for once fixed and the fact that the car had depreciated $25k from MSRP in 3 months gave me pause. Yes, all cars depreciate heavily, and Alfa more than other, but that is more like it's 3 year depreciation amount, not 3 months. Some things about Alfa also frustrated me. Just the sense that the platform has changed little since the 2015 debut barring and infotainment update in 2020 and new headlights and digital dash (with so little customization or actually useful info) in 2024. Also, the turbo lag it still has and just no improvements in its overall drivetrain tech is annoying. This was just some stuff I've realized as I've reopned my car search. Like I said, I still love Alfa, and as Alfa owners know, the heart will always say Alfa and the brain will say anything else, but I still want to see what else is good at that price point.
CANDIDATES (in very loose current preference order):
New MK8 Golf R

• Can get new if I find a no mark up dealer for around $48k or a lightly used CPO for around $43k
• Have test driven but only in town, not curvy road
• Tough to gauge depreciation. Likely slower than mk 7/7.5 because it may be last full ICE R, but I would imaging at least $10k over 3 years.

Pros:

• Currently this one is probably on top of my list because it seems like it can really be a good do all fun car.
• AWD system seems like it would be great whether I live in Germany or Montana
• AWD system seems drastically improved from the last gen
• I actually really don’t mind the capacitive buttons at all and like the clean look of the interior
• Has great hauling capacity and storage space with space for car seats or whatever else I need to haul
• Blistering quick in straight line
• Though I have driven it on a curvy road, it seems like people say it still is a fun car to drive in curves
• I enjoy the interior tech and the luxury elements like heated and cooled seats and adaptive suspense at this price range is a good value in my opinion
• There are dealers all over in the US and Montana. Anecdotally, VW will honor warranties when abroad based on that countries warranty for the vehicle which is nice to have for Germany
• EA888 seems pretty proven and reliable and seems like simply tunes or piggybacks can make good power
• Great DSG
• Has a dipstick. This annoys me so much not having one in so many cars

Cons:

• Though it seems the AWD is impressive, it seems it still shows itself when driving at the limit. Makes me wonder if I would still have the same amount of fun ripping through curves and roundabouts like the Giulia
• Though the looks is your quintessential Golf and I do like the look of a Golf, it still will never be as stunning and fun to look at as a Giulia and it will be a bummer not having as many people strike up conversation admiring the car
• The waterpump/thermostat issues that plague the EA888 still seem present
• Carbon buildup will be a problem on most of these engines, but for some reason it seems like the EA888 has it worse than most

Used RWD Cadillac CT4V (non BW) – Please don’t just recommend getting a Blackwing

• Good CPO examples to be had between $40k-$45k
• Have test driven, but not on non-curvy roads
• Reasonable depreciation of only about $5k to $10k over 3 years when bought used

Pros:

• Magnetic Ride suspension and the Alpha platform the car is built on is hailed for providing impeccable handling and said be similar to a Giulia
• I think the car looks real good and much better in person than pics
• The 2.7L makes fantastic torque. Loved doing pulls on my test drive, sadly there were no curvy roads to test the handling
• Ventilated seats and seat massagers were so cool to have
• GM dealerships all over in the US and Montana
• Factory powertrain warranty of 6 yea70k miles is nice peace of mind and helps with long term longevity and ownership
• Reliability seems pretty good
• Exhaust sounds great
• Great MPG
• I do not see many on the road
• Smaller, dartier Camaro with better visibility
• Honestly seems like the go to choice if I don't go to Germany (and stay long term) on a performance scale, but maybe not practicality for living, like the Golf

Cons:

• Very limited dealership presence in Europe
• Limited back seat space
• No semi-autonomous driving without the ridiculously priced option that has an ugly steering wheel

Used BMW M240i (F22)

• Can find good 2020+ CPO coupe for $35k to $40k, but tough to find non convertible examples in general. Cheaper if I go older but I would want some factory warranty left to perhaps sort any issues out
• Test drove an F87 M2, but not an F22 M240i
• Slower depreciation of $7k to $13k over 3 years when bought used

Pros:

• Really like the looks of the this generation 2 series
• Isn’t the G42 M240i. I just really hated how numb and floaty and bloated that one felt
• Love the wheelbase. Reminds me of the feeling of my Mini
• Again, has that great B58 power with low end torque and a linear pull
• Seems to still maintain some of that great BMW DNA that my Z4 has
• Would handle much better than the G series cars
• Would still have a more raw and analog feel
• Can be had with xdrive
• B58 seems to be pretty reliable
• Dealers in Germany (obviously)
• Still has back seats, albeit small
• Don’t see too too many on the road
• Would potentially be able to walk the fine line between comfortable enough daily and track toy if I wanted it to be, especially with minor upgrades. People seem to see it as an M2 made dailyable
• Good rear biased AWD
• Good ZF8 that impressed me in the Giulia

Cons:

• Only 2 doors, so more of a pain with car seats
• A bit less luxury inside, but that could be ok
• This B58 version makes less power
• Earlier iteration of the B58 so maybe a bit less reliable?
• No LSD
• No BMW dealers in the whole state of Montana, but there is a good independent shop, so that mitigates that especially if I will be out of warranty by the time I am back there. The Z4 is easy to work on, but I don't know how this platform compares for DIY work.
• I don't think it has heated steering wheel or the sale driving, but I am not sure if the later years got this
• I think these will still lose value healthily in coming years with the popularity if the G42 M240i

Used BMW M340i (G20) pre-LCI

• Good CPO examples between $47k and $52k, non-CPO examples between $40k and $45k
• Have not test driven, but have test driven a G42 M240i
• M340i seem to be having slower depreciation, only about $5k to $10k over 3 years when bought used

Pros:

• B58, nuff said
• No seriously, the B58 is a huge pull, especially this iterations. Like the power it makes is insane and it literally hurt my back the first time I drove an M240i because I did not expect that power. Is one of those engines I’d love to own in my life
• I actually have high confidence in the reliability of cars with the B58
• Has 4 doors and space comparable to the Giulia
• Is relatively comfortable and luxurious with enough tech
• Still has idrive 7 with the pre-LCI
• The xdrive system is rear biased like the Giulia Q4
• I really like the look of the pre-LCI versions
• I feel like is relatively close to the Giulia in driving experience
• Good dealership experience
• Dealers in Germany (obviously)
• Good ZF8 that impressed me in the Giulia

Cons:

• Numb steering
• Heavy and potentially bloated/boaty feeling compared to the Giulia
• No dealers in Montana
• Everyone has a BMW so I would feel less unique than with my Giulia and it would feel like I’m more buying prestige and popularity rather than uncovering it in a niche brand

New Hyundai Elantra N

• Can be had new for just north of $35k
• Have test driven and really enjoyed it
• Probably more like $10k to $15k depreciation over 3 years when bought new

Pros:

• In some ways, this is above the M240i and M340i just with the value
• 10 yea100k warranty when buying new
• Very affordable and I enjoy buying new and used cars knowing all that has happened to it
• I love the performance blue color
• Though not a traditional design, I quite enjoy the looks even the facelift
• Comes with a DCT that is well regarded
• Great back seat space
• Track ready from factory
• Great factory exhaust
• Has great tech for the price point
• Great seats and they fit me well
• Has good power and a very impressive 0-60 time
• Great handling with the e LSD and suspension set up and great stock tires
• Dealerships all over in US and Europe
• Great MPG
• Could also get used and upgrade the motor mounts to prevent wheel hop, but some of the suspension tuning upgrades of the facelift are appealing

Cons:

• “Wrong wheel drive”
• No heated steering wheel
• Octane learning seems annoying and tedious and tuning it out could cause warranty headaches
• Hyundai dealership experience
• Hyundai hate
• Is FWD instead of preferred RWD
• Less interior luxury than I became accustomed too with the Giulia
• Questionable long term reliability. I think Hyundai has improved reliability significantly, but there have not been enough high mileage N’s yet to be sure. The Veloster N’s give good hope though
• My gut doesn’t tell me that it will be a car I want to own forever, but will perhaps get old as I age out of the boy racer age. Perhaps not, but it’s just the gut feeling I get and that could be subconscious Hyundai hate.

Used Alfa Romeo Giulia 2.0

• Can get used 2020+ TI Sport/Veloce AWD for $25k to $35k
• Have obviously owned one and know it's fun to drive when you can get the power to pull as it should and not have too much lag
• 2017/2018 cars are down to the $17k - $20k range, so I would expect that

Pros:

• I know, after all my issues with mine and other frustrations, it's an odd choice, but Alfa is just so addictive. It just feels so special when you get in it and I love looking back at it when ever I walk away. Such a gorgeous one of a kind car.
• Drives great
• Unique
• Beautiful
• Respectable car
• Solid ZF8
• If I buy used, I would potentially avoid a lot of that nasty depreciation
• Since they have upgraded the car so little, I could get any 2020+ and have the same eperience
• Has a factory LSD (on the trims I would consider)
• I can throw a mopar maxcare extended warranty on it for cheap (and it could technically be honored at any FCA dealer, but I have heard this happening seldomly)

Cons:

• Pretty much everything I mentioned in the background section
  • Turbo lag
  • Poor dealership network and limited in Germany with none in Montana
  • The chance that Alfa could leave the US all together
  • Some older tech
  • The heated seats produce barely any perceptible heat
  • More power can be had in my price range with only a slight drop off in handling
  • Not that it is unreliable, but has odd, inconveniencing gremlins
  • The age old, my brain says this is not the logical choice and I would regret it, but my heart wants it

Used Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio

• This is honestly my dream car to have. It has the power, it has the handling, it has the looks, but this would just blow out my budget and be a much more expensive car to maintain
• Can get a 2020+ still with its factory warranty for $53k to $62k

Pros:

• Pretty much all the pros of the Giulia 2.0 plus more power and better everything
• Would be nice to know I own the pinnacle of the brand that I love
• This car is just awesome and sounds great, drives great, handles great and this is just a car I would love to have. In some ways, my plan is to maybe get one of these in a few years once it's clear if Alfa stays in the US and they go down a bit more in proce

Cons:

• All the same cons as the 2.0, as well as:
  • Depreciates even harder than the 2.0
  • Is way over my budget
  • Is more expensive to maintain
  • And its higher complexity and a bit less reliability makes me want to have dealer support even more and Montana does not have a dealer or a specialist
  • Not a full con, but I'm sure I will be doing illegal speeds often

Out of the Box Choice: BMW Z4 sdrive 35is

• Basically, it seems like the E89 is known to be more GT than my E85 Z4, so more comfortable to daily drive, but it seems like the 35is still has good handling. The reason I don’t daily my current Z4 is it just beats you up driving wirh stiffness. So I could theoretically, sell my Z4, buy the Z4 35is and use that as my daily with its better comfort and hardtop and then I could upgrade the Forster to a like $10k larger SUV for all the SUV purposes and hunting, like a 2012 Ford Escape

Pros:

• Hardtop convertible for better year round use and outside parking (currently no garage)
• Quite fast with the N55 engine
• Nice luxury and comfort for the year for daily driving
• Love the looks, almost as good as the E85 Z4
• Good DSG

Cons:

• Still would not want to drive it with anything worse than a very light sprinkling of snow, though with winter tires I’m sure I could manage. But don’t think it would be a year round car
• Less capacity so I feel like I would drive the car less for road trips or errands and miss those choice opportunities to have a bit of fun when a fun curve, overtake or roundabout appears
• Not really sold on N55 reliability

I've been replaying the original for the past couple of weeks and decided to go for the platinum trophy. I'm close. Really close.
I just need to do an 'everybody lives' run.
I've done great. I'm on Chapter 10, and it's all in order. It's the first time I've saved both Matt and Jessica. Josh has been dragged off instead of killed. We're in the lodge at the final section.
DON'T MOVE.
Mike's plan is in action. Sam is holding her breath as the Wendigo peers at her. And there, in that moment, my Harry, my velvet himbo of a black cat, decides to jump on the sofa and HEAD BOOP THE CONTROLLER.
Sorry about your torso, Sam. My cat didn't think you deserved to live.
Update: I reloaded Chapter 10 from the episode screen. Jessica is alone this time. Matt appears to be dead. Please someone tell me I don't have to go all the way back to Ch 4 to get my 'everyone lives' trophy 😭

I swear every single time I think I’ve chosen the sectional to buy, something new pops up and makes me hesitant. I’ve seen several people that have mentioned that the CHAISE portion of the Metro sofa/sectional from Room and Board is much softer than the rest of the couch and doesn’t hold its shape well. Can some of you confirm/deny/ offer your opinions? I only want the chaise if it feels like the rest of the cushions & back pillows. Maybe it’d be better to skip the chaise and get an ottoman instead to avoid this issue??

The Evolution of Solid Wood Modern Furniture and Modern Industrial Style Furniture: A Comprehensive Overview
History and Development
Origins of Solid Wood Furniture
Solid wood furniture has a rich history dating back to ancient civilizations. In Egypt, craftsmen used wood to create functional and decorative items, while in ancient Greece and Rome, furniture design evolved to incorporate intricate carvings and marquetry. The use of solid wood became a symbol of durability and craftsmanship, a tradition that continues to this day.Emergence of Modern FurnitureThe modern furniture movement began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a reaction to the ornate and elaborate designs of the Victorian era. Influenced by the Bauhaus school and designers like Charles and Ray Eames, modern furniture emphasized simplicity, functionality, and the beauty of natural materials. Solid wood became a preferred material due to its timeless appeal and structural integrity.Rise of Industrial Style FurnitureThe industrial style emerged in the early 20th century, inspired by the raw and utilitarian aesthetic of factories and warehouses. This style gained popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, particularly in urban lofts and converted industrial spaces. It is characterized by exposed steel, concrete, and brick, with wood playing a key role in adding warmth and contrast to the otherwise stark environments.Trends in Design and Current StylesModern Solid Wood FurnitureMinimalist Aesthetics: Modern solid wood furniture often features clean lines and minimalistic designs. The focus is on the natural beauty of the wood, with finishes that highlight its grain and texture.Sustainable Practices: As sustainability becomes increasingly important, many manufacturers, like Eco Furniture Design, are committed to using certified sustainable sources and environmentally friendly finishes.Customization and Versatility: Consumers today seek personalized pieces that fit their unique spaces. Modular and multifunctional furniture designs are on the rise, catering to smaller living spaces and changing lifestyles.Modern Industrial Style FurnitureRaw Materials: Industrial style furniture prominently features raw and reclaimed materials. Metal, wood, and concrete are commonly used, creating a rugged and robust look.Mixed Media: Combining different materials, such as wood with steel or glass, adds an element of sophistication and uniqueness to industrial furniture. This blend of materials can be seen in dining tables, shelving units, and lighting fixtures .Open Spaces and Functional Design: Industrial style thrives in open-plan spaces. Furniture pieces are designed to be functional and durable, often with a vintage or distressed finish that adds character.Industry Insights and Popular ProductsIndustry InsightsThe solid wood and modern industrial furniture markets are experiencing significant growth. This trend is driven by a consumer preference for high-quality, durable, and sustainable products. According to a report by Grand View Research, the global market for wood furniture is expected to reach USD 687.6 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 5.1% from 2020 to 2027.Popular ProductsSolid Wood Dining Tables: Dining tables made from oak, ash, and blackwood are perennial favorites. Their sturdy construction and timeless design make them a focal point in both modern and traditional homes.Industrial Style Shelving Units: These units often combine metal frames with wooden shelves, offering both storage and display options. They are popular in loft apartments and contemporary homes.Customizable Sofas and Sectionals: Modular sofas that can be rearranged to fit different spaces are highly sought after. Upholstered in durable fabrics with wooden accents, they blend comfort with style.Quotes"Good design is making something intelligible and memorable. Great design is making something memorable and meaningful." - Dieter Rams"Furniture must have personality, as well as be beautiful." - Rose TarlowConclusionThe evolution of solid wood modern furniture and modern industrial style furniture reflects a blend of tradition, functionality, and contemporary aesthetics. As sustainability and personalization become paramount, these styles will continue to adapt and thrive. Manufacturers committed to quality and eco-friendly practices, like Eco Furniture Design, are at the forefront of this dynamic industry, offering products that are not only stylish but also built to last.#shopfurniture #furnitureshops #capetown #southafrica #online #solidwood #bespoke #locallyhandmade

Your living room is the heart of your home, a place where you relax, entertain, and spend quality time with family and friends. Creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere is essential to making this space feel welcoming and comfortable. Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to refresh your current setup, here are some tips and ideas to transform your living room into a warm haven, incorporating stylish elements like a pouf, hanging lights in Dubai, and decorative items for living room.
1. Comfortable Seating
Invest in Quality Seating:
Comfortable seating is the cornerstone of a cozy living room. Choose sofas and chairs that offer both style and comfort. Consider adding a pouf for extra seating or as a footrest. Poufs are versatile, easy to move around, and come in various styles and fabrics to match your decor.
- Sectional Sofas: Ideal for larger living rooms, sectional sofas provide ample seating and can be arranged in various configurations.
- Accent Chairs: Add a couple of accent chairs to create intimate conversation areas.
-Poufs and Ottomans: These not only offer additional seating but can also serve as side tables or decorative accents.
2. Warm Lighting
Create Ambiance with Lighting:
Lighting plays a crucial role in setting the mood of your living room. Opt for a mix of ambient, task, and accent lighting to create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
- Hanging Lights in Dubai: Incorporate elegant hanging lights to add a touch of sophistication and warmth. Pendant lights or chandeliers can serve as stunning focal points while providing ample illumination.
- Floor and Table Lamps: Use floor lamps and table lamps to create cozy reading nooks and illuminate dark corners.
- Dimmer Switches: Install dimmer switches to adjust the light intensity according to the time of day and your activities.
3. Cozy Textiles
Incorporate Soft Textures:
Soft textiles add warmth and comfort to your living room. Layering different textures creates a rich, inviting environment.
- Throw Blankets and Pillows: Drape throw blankets over sofas and add an assortment of pillows in various sizes, shapes, and textures.
- Rugs: A plush rug can anchor your seating area and provide a soft surface underfoot. Choose patterns and colors that complement your overall decor.
- Curtains: Heavy, lined curtains can add warmth and help insulate your living room, while sheer curtains can let in natural light and create an airy feel.
4. Personalized Decorative Items
Add Character with Decorations:
Decorative items are essential for personalizing your living room and making it feel like home. Choose pieces that reflect your style and interests.
- Artwork and Photos: Hang your favorite artwork or family photos to add a personal touch. Mix and match frames for an eclectic look.
- Decorative Items for Living Room: Incorporate items like vases, sculptures, and candles to add visual interest. Use shelves and mantels to display your collections.
- Plants: Indoor plants can bring life and color to your living room. Choose low-maintenance varieties if you’re not a seasoned gardener.
5. Functional and Stylish Storage
Keep Clutter at Bay:
A cozy living room should be free of clutter. Invest in stylish storage solutions to keep your space organized.
- Bookshelves: Use bookshelves to store books and display decorative items.
- Storage Ottomans and Baskets: These can hide away blankets, toys, and other items while adding to the decor.
- Built-in Cabinets: If space allows, built-in cabinets provide ample storage and can be customized to match your living room’s aesthetic.
6. Thoughtful Layout
Arrange for Comfort and Conversation:
The layout of your living room should promote comfort and facilitate conversation. Arrange your furniture to create inviting seating areas.
- Focal Point: Identify a focal point, such as a fireplace, TV, or a stunning piece of artwork, and arrange your seating around it.
- Flow: Ensure there is enough space to move around comfortably. Avoid blocking pathways with furniture.
- Balance: Balance larger furniture pieces with smaller items to create a harmonious look.
Conclusion
Creating a cozy and inviting living room is all about combining comfort, warmth, and personal style. By incorporating comfortable seating like a pouf, enhancing ambiance with hanging lights in Dubai, and adding decorative items for living room, you can transform your space into a welcoming haven for relaxation and entertainment. Remember, the key is to reflect your personality and make your living room a place where everyone feels at home. Happy decorating!